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Hosts:

Kevin Larrabee (Twitter), Dr. Jonathan Fass,

and Tom Venuto

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• You are definitely one of my idols, so I hope my question gets chosen!I hear various things about “muscle density” and that different types of workouts promote better muscle density.  Is it a real thing, or just a fuzzy term like “muscle tone”?  If it’s real, what are the principles involved?

  thanks!

  Darrin

• What have your clients found to be the best/most effective motivators for fat loss programs?
  What makes/helps them succeed? -FitnessNow09
• Tom,
  Should training with a goal for maximum hypertrophy be different than popular programs
  such as 5/3/1 or DeFranco’s “westside for skinny dudes”? Or will these programs accomplish
  maximum hypertrophy as long as the nutrition is supporting the goal?
  Thanks,
  Jeff
• Can you talk about specific techniques for accountability self- accountability (internal) and external accountability from others.
• Lets talk about tracking, how much is too much and when do people become obsessive?
  
• Tom,
  Hi. I am currently training for my first powerlifting meet in March and, unlike most people you talk to, I am trying to put on some weight. It doesn’t concern me if I put on some fat as long as there is good muscle and strength gains to go with it. I have gained about 10 or 12 pounds in the last two months and am currently about 185 at 5’7″. My question is this: while trying to gain weight quickly and not being overly concerned about body composition, what is a realistic fat to muscle ratio that I can shoot for in my gains? Also, when I started, I measured myself with calipers at about 10% and last week I measured myself at about 12% body fat. I don’t really know how accurate the measurements were but I was consistent with how and where I took the measurements.
  I love the show and thanks for answering!

  Mitch

• I was wondering if you would say I need to count the calories in these kinds of drinks —
  in particular this SoBe Lifewater I just drank… (the Strawberry Dragonfruit flavor) says it has 0 (zero) calories, but then it also says 6 grams of carbs per serving and 2.5 servings per container.
  So should I actually count that as 60 calories, or are they calculating the erythritol as zero?
  Thank you!
  Here’s the info on that drink:
  nutrition facts:
  http://m.sobe.com/sobe-flavors/lifewater/strawberry-dragonfruit/nutrition-info/
  ingredients:
  http://pepsiproductfacts.com/infobyproduct.php?brand_fam_id=1054&brand_id=1008&product=SoBe+Lifewater+StrawbryDragonfruit-O+Cal

Mailbag

• (For Kevin) “Kevin I recently started training for track. since I am a thrower I am doing power lifts and I am wondering why after I switched from my old workout by body seems to be lagging. On Mondays I am doing chest, shoulders and back for this workout. After I do flat and incline bench I move to doing back then go back and do shoulders. I can barely do the standing press with 135 3 sets of 5, when before I started this workout, I was repping out 135 on the press for 3 sets of 10. Is my body reacting differently to this workout?” -Jesse
• Hi Fitcast crew!I recently saw a short vid clip on Valerie Waters site featuring Mike Boyle and training women for a certain look, in particular, the booty! (Coincidentally, this was well timed with LeighPeele.com’s member site update for her Make My Body Hot series, which was great too!) Any chance the Fitcast could cover this topic in either a roundtable or have Val on the show again?

  Or, I think it would be great to hear some tips for trainers on how to really listen to what their client is asking for, and/or tips for clients to be able to better verbalize their needs to a trainer. I guess what I’m talking about is the common issue whereby a trainer might not be more inclined to put clients through a routine that the trainer does him or herself, as opposed to what the client is asking for (which can then lead to frustration and compliance issues as opposed to building a really solid trainer/client relationship). I think both clients and trainers need to know how to identify and communicate what they really want.

  Love the show as always, and quick question for the Fitcast Hotline…is there a Skype contact for the Fitcast?

  Thanks!!

  Lynda

• Question for Jonathan:
  After being an avid endurance athlete for many years (triathlons, marathons, mountain bike racing), I started lifting free weights about 9 months ago. I have followed the NROL programs, alternating between the Fat Loss and Strength programs. Shortly after starting the programs I developed pain at the inside of my left elbow. I rested it for a few weeks, but it came back when I started lifting again. I now have the pain in both elbows, but it is still worse on the left side. I haven’t lifted for 2 weeks now, but the pain is still there. I followed some exercises I found on the internet for medial epicondylitis (essentially supinating the wrist while holding a dumbell), but they haven’t helped. I also stretch and massage the sore tendons and forearm muscles, but the pain hasn’t improvded. I have made some good gains in strength and fat loss, so I hate to quit lifting. What should I do?

  Related to this, I tend to have a lot of tendonitis problems. I have had plantar fasciitis, patellar tendonitis, achilles tendonitis, and others. Could there be some dietary nutrient that is lacking or some other cause of tendonitis other than overuse?

  Brad

• Hey Kevin, John and MOST the time Leigh. I have a question about Monster truck tires! That’s right MONSTER truck tires. I have been seeing a lot of exercises involving using a monster truck tire and beating it with a 20 pound sludge hammer. I’m just curious what this exercise is for? I could see how it could work the fore arms however I’m not sure what it does and why it has become so popular -Andrew
• Hey guys, I am currently doing the “Guy who considers ‘skinny’ an insult” program in the New Rules of Lifting Workout book. I have just started the Hypertrophy II phase. I am not sure how these numbers stack up, but my squat PR, since the beginning of the program, has gone up from 230lbs to 300lbs, my lunge went from 150lbs to 245lbs, and my deadlift has gone from 185lbs to 245lbs. The only problem is that I know I can deadlift more, but my grip sucks. Are the any particular grip strength exercises I can be doing? It is currently the only thing holding me back, and it is pretty frustrating. Thanks for taking my question.-Shane