Fight Back To Build Mass

Catabolism is a bodybuilder's worst nightmare. Negligence of adequate training, nutrition, and recovery can lead to it. Being in a catabolic state for a prolonged period of time can result in major muscle loss and overall decrease in health. All those years of hard training can be sent right down the drain.

Click To Enlarge.
All Those Years Of Training Could Be Going Down The Drain.

Read on to learn how to prevent catabolism and how to maintain anabolism.

Catabolism Defined

You might be thinking to yourself, what exactly is catabolism? Well, it simply means the breaking down of complex molecules into smaller ones. As it relates to bodybuilding, catabolism is the breaking down of muscle tissue. Unlike its opposite anabolism, which is the building up of complex molecules from smaller ones, catabolism isn't discussed much.

Those who tend to have difficulty maintaining a steady workout and nutrition regimen should be especially concerned with the prevention of catabolism, or severe problems will occur.

The Damaging Effects Of Catabolism

Being in a catabolic state for a prolonged period of time can be very dangerous. Some of the damaging effects include:
• Excessive breakdown of bodily tissues, including muscle
• Suppression of the immune system, digestive organs, and growth hormones
• Fatigue

Preventing Catabolism

Several steps need to be taken to prevent catabolism, with primary emphasis on training, nutrition, and recovery.

Training

It is absolutely imperative to maintain a weekly workout regimen to prevent muscle loss and maintain anabolism. If you don't have much time to train, decrease the length of your workouts and perform more compound exercises to train several muscle groups simultaneously. The last thing you want to see is degradation of all your hard earned muscle.

Below are two workouts that will prevent catabolism and help you maintain anabolism. The first workout is for those who have enough time for full workouts and the second is for those who are short on time.

Workout #1 Full Workout

Day 1: Chest/Abs
• Incline Barbell Bench Press: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Flat Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Cable Crossover: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Crunches: 3 Sets Of 25 Reps

Day 2: Quadriceps/Hamstrings/Calves

• Leg Extension: 3 Sets Of 15 Reps (warm-up exercise, use lighter weights)
• Barbell Squat: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Incline Leg Press: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Dumbbell Lunges: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Standing Leg Curl: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Lying Leg Curl: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Standing Machine Calf Raise: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps

Day 3: Back/Biceps/Abs

• Wide-Grip Pull-Up: 3 Sets Of 10 Reps
• Close-Grip Lat Pulldown: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Bent-Over Barbell Row: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Barbell Deadlift: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Hanging Leg Raise: 3 Sets Of 25 Reps

Day 4: Shoulders/Triceps

• Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Reverse Fly: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Dumbbell Shrug: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Triceps Pushdown: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Lying Triceps Extension: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps

Workout #2 Short Workout

Day 1: Chest/Shoulders/Triceps
• Flat Barbell Bench Press: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Lying Triceps Extension: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps

Day 2: Back/Biceps/Abs

• Bent-Over Barbell Row: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Standing Biceps Curl: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Crunches: 3 Sets Of 25 Reps

Day 3: Quadriceps/Hamstrings/Calves

• Leg Extension: 3 Sets Of 15 Reps (warm-up exercise, use lighter weights)
• Barbell Squat: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Standing Leg Curl: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps
• Standing Machine Calf Raise: 3 Sets Of 15, 12, Then 8 Reps

Nutrition

Eating the right kinds of food and enough of them is also vital for catabolism prevention and maintenance of anabolism. Eating 5-8 meals a day, with each meal separated in 3-4 hour increments, will assure that your muscle are continually receiving the essential nutrients for growth.

Below are brief explanations of the macronutrients, micronutrients, water, and recommendations for each. A sample diet is also included.

Protein

Protein, a macronutrient, provides the essential building blocks for tissue, hormones, and enzymes. Protein should make up 20-25% of your daily diet. Lean meat, chicken, eggs, milk, and whey protein are recommended sources of protein.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates, which are macronutrients, provide the body with energy. Carbohydrates should make up 50-60% of your diet. Bread, pasta, rice, fruits, and vegetables are recommended sources of carbohydrates.


Click To Enlarge.
Carbohydrates Provide The Body With Much Needed Energy.

Fat

Fat, a macronutrient, provides the body with energy. Fat should make up 25-30% of your diet. Fish, walnuts, almonds, olive oil, and canola oil are recommended sources of fat.

Vitamins And Minerals

Vitamins and minerals, both of which are micronutrients, maintain proper functioning of metabolic reactions. A multivitamin/multimineral supplement should be consumed daily to assure you are getting the right amount of both vitamins and minerals.

Water

Water transports nutrients throughout the body and removes wastes. You should drink 1 to 1 1/2 gallons of water per day.

Sample Diet

Water should be consumed with each meal.

Meal 1:

• 1 Whole Egg
• 4 Egg Whites
• 2 Slices Of Whole-Grain Bread
• Walnuts
• 1 Cup Of Milk
• Apple
• Banana
• Multivitamin/Multimineral

Meal 2:

• Whey Protein Shake
• Orange
• Almonds

Meal 3:

• Lean Meat
• 2 Slices Of Whole-Grain Bread
• Salad
• Blueberries

Meal 4 (Pre-Workout Meal/2 1/2 hours before workout):

• Pasta
• Salad
• Walnuts
• Apple

Meal 5 (Post-Workout Meal/Immediately after workout):

• Whey Protein Shake
• Gatorade

Meal 6:

• Fish
• Salad
• Olive Oil
• 1 Cup Of Milk
• Banana

Recovery

Without sufficient recovery, catabolism will always reign supreme. Similarly to inconsistent training, overtraining is highly catabolic. Muscles grow and repair during the recovery phase, so don't overlook it.

You should get 6-8 hours of sleep each night and should take 2-3 days off from the gym each week to ensure you fully recover. Also, every 8-12 weeks, you should take a complete week off from the gym to further recover and give your muscles a much needed rest.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to crush catabolism and maintain anabolism, you need to assure yourself that you will stay on track. Dedication leads to great things, especially in bodybuilding, so stay focused and keep training hard!

Recommended Articles

Just Drink Water, Backstage At A Competition!

Several times a year, while covering contest, I have to deal with individuals who have pushed themselves too far. They have dehydrated themselves to the point of lightheadedness and even passing out. Learn why you need to just drink water!

Anabolic Enzymes: Maximizing Your Muscle-Building Potential!

If you are dedicating time during your day to lifting weights, it only makes sense that you would want to get the best results you could... Find out how simple digestive enzymes can play a huge role in this age-old quest!

Immune System Support For High Intensity Training!

The immune system needs to be taken care of during high intensity training to ensure proper health of the individual. Here I will talk about what supports our immune system and what types of supplements are associated with this maintenance.

Share This Article: Facebook

richard_choueiri@yahoo.com

Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here!

Back To Richard Choueiri's Main Page

Back To The Articles Main Page.

Related Articles
The Ultra Hardgainer Routine!
The 10 Commandments To Big Muscles!
Three Phases To Your Dynamic Body