Known as Canada’s #1 bodybuilder, Pakulski has earned himself the title of being one of the top 15 bodybuilders in the world.

“Ben is one of the youngest rising stars in the IFBB,” FLEX Editor-in-Chief Allan Donnelly said. “He’s a next-generation mass monster and the fans love him. He’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the very near future.

“I am so honored and privileged to be part of the ALLMAX team,” said newly signed Team ALLMAX member Ben Pakulski. “I have been using ALLMAX products since I began my bodybuilding career because of their reputation for a high standard of quality.

“I wanted to align myself with a company with a great deal of credibility and integrity to maintain a great reputation in the sport, while still growing and moving forward. ALLMAX is a perfect fit for me. We both have clear visions of where we see ourselves in the next few years. It is a blessing to have found a company that not only wants to be at the top of their game but has the true potential to reach it.

“I love the team and can’t wait for the amazing things we will be able to accomplish together as we ascend the ranks of the health and muscle-building world, together.”

BPak, as he is affectionately known, placed 5th at the 2011 Flex Pro and was a top 10 bodybuilder in the prestigious 2011 Arnold Classic. Pakulski has been recognized as having some of the best legs and delts in the sport of bodybuilding. Many bodybuilding experts feel that Pakulski has everything he needs to be a top Olympian contender. In time he is going to be a real threat on the IFBB circuit.

ALLMAX is truly honored to have a top athlete like Ben Pakulski, who is not only extremely knowledgeable about training, nutrition and supplementation but who is also a great person.

by Special Ed

IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Greg Kovacs died today at the young age of 44. After turning professional by winning the 1995 Canadian Provincials, Greg quickly became one of the most popular professional bodybuilders by virtue of being featured in Muscletech advertisements that lined the pages of every major muscle magazine. The ads touted Greg as possessing 25 inch arms and tipping the scales at 400 lbs with abs. Although he never lived up to his promise as a competitive bodybuilder on the big stage, Greg’s reputation as the world’s largest bodybuilder made him a sensation at Expos and bodybuilding contests across the globe and his poor placings at IFBB Pro Shows never impacted his ability to make jaws drop when seeing the man in person.

I had the great experience to see Greg on the IFBB stage at the 2001 Night of Champions, where his return to the stage was highly anticipated. Unfortunately, Greg’s once-aesthetic physique was already on the down-side. A report from the show criticized his appearance:

Everyone’s favorite non-bodybuilder, Greg Kovacs, was without question the most awful sight on the stage. From the moment he walked onstage, groans and screams of disgust were heard from the crowd. Greg’s distended belly overhung his waist by almost a foot.  And he could not even suck it in at all. It was quite atrocious.  He was not even in contest condition.  One can only assume that Muscletech gave him a “Do the NOC or lose the contract” ultimatum,  for why else would Greg embarass himself in this manner? Fifteen minutes into the pre-judging, Greg walked off the stage and never returned.

His appearance over the years slowly transformed from an aesthetic bodybuilder to a mass monster to a virtual freak show fallen victim to Palumboism — the condition in which a distended abdomen grossly protrudes from the body, oil deposits appear obvious and the arms and legs exhibit muscular atrophy. Despite his failure to compete in many professional events, Greg maintained a large degree of popularity, which was resurrected when his old friend and fellow deceased IFBB Pro Nasser El-Sonbaty revealed Greg’s inability to wipe his own hindquarters without the assistance of his wife, who carried an extra towel wherever they went.

In recent years, Greg maintained a relatively low profile, training local clients and occasionally contributing to the RXMuscle website. At just 44 years old, Greg joins a list of immensely popular bodybuilders whose lives have ended too soon.

Rest in Peace, Greg.

Yep. I was 100% dominated and controlled by our favorite hormone. Testosterone. What a beautiful hormone it is. It is the hormone that truly makes the world go round.

I read once that a man’s natural testosterone productions decreases by 1% every year after age 30. That being said I am always looking for ways to keep myself equal to that toady 20-something year old who had no problem jumping in the shower at 1:44am on a Saturday night/Sunday morning after that “hey r you up? i want to see u” text message and driving 20 minutes to get to the other side of the city.

The last couple years when I get those 2am booty call TEXTS I give it some thought and ask myself how comfortable in bed I am and how much gas is in my car and usually I put my phone on silent and curl up with my body pillow.  It seems like these days if it isn’t right in front of me or I don’t trip over my shoe laces on my Reebok Zigs and right into it then I am not going to go out of my way. Oh, hell. I’m getting older.

Enter: Z-TEST by NDSNutrition.

I’ve used “the real thing” in the past. I messed with the andro products of the late 90’s yesteryear. I know about these OTC products. Placebos if anything. Right? Maybe…

A quick stop at a local GNC in Northbrook, IL to say Hello to a buddy of mine who works there on the way home a few weeks ago is what caused me to find Z-Test. Sample packets of the product was on the counter prompting my buddy to give me a handful telling me to give it a shot since he’s been hearing good things about it. Pffft. Salesmen. Suuuuure. Riiiight.  I’m never one to turn down free sample packs and not give a supplement a crack, though.

I took 3 of those oily blackish-green capsules that night and for the next 5 days and this is what I noticed…

1. Vivid dreams: More than likely from the ZMA (Vitamin b6, Magnesium and Zinc). I’ve been saying this since 1998 that ZMA gives me weird colorful dreams.

2. Restful sleep: I usually wake up in the middle of the night right around Witching Hour to empty my bladder but these days I’ve been sleeping through the stabbing pain of my ureters holding in the flow. I am guessing it was the natural full body sedatives and sleep inducers such as melatonin, GABA and the L-Dopa (Also a mood enhancing agent).

3. Woodrow Wilson: Yes. By the 3rd morning I woke up with something I haven’t woken up to in about a year. A Woodrow! Someone was awake before I was.  My guess it was from the nice dose of tribulus, iNdole-3 Carbinol, the DIM (diinolymethane) and the chrysin which is touted to be an estrogen inhibitor that stood the test of time.

After the 6th day I was out of the Z-TEST. I called up my GNC guy and asked him what a full bottle ran. I decided…. Why not?  I picked up my bottle and used it every night. It made me look forward to bedtime and look forward to waking up to see if ol’ Woodrow would be Up & At em’ before me. That and then some. I got back on my normal routine of “twice a day” morning & night.

On top of it all I can always gauge my testosterone levels by how oil my skin gets and if I get a breakout of acne on the back of my neck. Well? I find myself running a paper towel over my head and seeing my hand print in the sheet of Brawny and running some Stridex on the back of my neck and shoulders. The last time I had acne on my shoulders was when I was shooting real testosterone.

All of those symptons are a good thing. SMALL price to pay to have the T in your tank on “FULL”.

I have to say I like ZTEST. NDS/PMD Nutrition produced a fine product here. I think it’s a little over priced, though but for a guy in my position it’s a good investment, not a purchase. It’s an investment.

I haven’t gotten stronger in the gym as I think that has more to do with energy levels and calories than anything else but I will say that I had a fun weekend and found myself in the shower at 2am manscaping and scrubbing thinking about the fastest way to get to travel and how I am going to cover my tracks the next day.

Muscleweek’s very own Senor Editor, Shane Ray has been one busy man. Between flying out to Las Vegas for nights on the town with Muscleweek sponsored model, Gizel Rodriguez and traveling the East Coast covering the Victor Martinez story it came as much relief when the Muscleweek Boss asked Shane if he would like to interview anybody in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Only one person came to mind: Erick Seng.

On Muscleweek’s expense account Shane Ray sat down with one of Chicago’s finest at Gibson’s Steak House on Rush st. where they dined on premium ribeye and New York strips while sipping on Merlot discussing the city, the Chicago Police Department and what bodybuilding means to Erick Seng himself. 

Officer Seng. Welcome to Muscleweek. First thing is first. How the heck did a St. Patrick’s (highschool) kid from Chicago’s Northside get into this whole mess of competitive bodybuilding? natural transgression from sports or was sand kicked in your face once at North Ave Beach. Like me. 

I’d say a natural transgression from sports. I was always active, but once I went to college (Western Illinois) and began to work at Powerhouse Gym (Elston&Lawrence) I got pulled into the world of bodybuilding. My first show was when I was a sophomore in college at 19, way back in 1997.

You’ve been very popular in the Chicagoland bodybuilding scene for a long time. What are your thoughts on the culture of the scene in the same city you protect? Is it as popular as it was during our glory years of 2001-2009?

LOL. I don’t think I’m popular or anything special! I just think of myself as a work-out guy who’s been competing for a long time! I think that bodybuilding isn’t as popular or hardcore as it was when I started. I remember Espn carrying the NPC National-level shows and Ifbb shows on television. The first time I saw Kevin Levrone on television was on Espn competing at the 1995 Olympia, and I was like I want to look like that! We used to have MuscleMag stores in the area to get your posing trunks and bodybuilding gear. We also actually had Powerhouse Gyms and Gnc’s that were actually geared towards bodybuilding. When I worked at the elston Powerhouse, we used to play the Mr.Olympias on all the t.v’s and you always had guys getting ready for either the Illinois or the Ironman. Those were the only 2 shows that mattered to anyone.

Now with Cross-Fit and things like MMA, it seems like the fitness industry is blowing up, but the old-school bodybuilding gym guys are kind of dying off. You don’t have the hardcore guys around in one gym. You don’t have the gym characters like the Mike Hamilton’s or Sam Urbach’s of the world.  You don’t have guys that were really hardcore with their training… Now a days it’s a bunch people jumping around, punching bags, using ropes and doing some weird shit to get in shape!

What are your best memories as a bodybuilder? I remember you standing next to being compared to Phil Heath at the 2005 Jr. Nationals. I’d have to say that was one of them, right? 

Yeah, I’d have to say getting 3rd at the Juniors in ’05 and getting called out in the first call out with just Heath was probably the best bodyduilding moment. I remember it like yesterday and I think that was obviously my best look I’ve ever had on stage. I’d say winning the Overall at the Ironman in 06 was big for me because that was always such a big deal with the guys I worked out with. If you won the Overall at the Illinois or the Ironman you were a good bodybuilder and gained a little gym cred. The other big thing for me was shooting for Muscle n Fitness. I remember reading the magazines when I first started, and to actually see myself in an issue was pretty cool. I was so lucky to get that opportunity.

Erick. You are endorsed by MHP. How has Gerard Dente and his company treated you all of this time? What do you like most about the company?  

Gerard Dente is one of the best people I’ve ever met in the fitness industry. He has always been great to me and treated me like family since I met him in 2002. I was super lucky to meet him and get the opportunity to be in some ads and work for them on the side. I feel like I have a second set of family and friends with the guys in New Jersey that work for MHP. The best part about MHP is that I really live off their products and stand behind them! Gerard always puts out products that not only work, but really benefit the serious athlete. I bleed blue and yellow!

It is no secret that you are a Chicago Police Officer. For those reading this who doesn’t know Chicago like we do is The City of Big Shoulders as dangerous as it’s reputation? Media hype or lock your car doors no matter which neighborhood you drive through? 

I always say that things can happen in any place at anytime. In any big city, you’ll always have your good parts and shady parts. Chicago obviously has some rough areas, but its about being aware of your surroundings at all times. If you’re on the west or south sides of Chicago, you obviously have to keep your eyes open. But on the other hand, compared to some of the other cities I’ve had the chance to visit like Detroit, Newark, parts of L.A. and Miami, I’d say that Chicago on the whole is safe and one of the best cities in the world.

What made you want to be a police officer? Please don’t tell me because Ronnie Coleman once was.

No. I’ve always wanted to work for Chicago. I’ve had family and life-long friends that were on the job, and its just something I’ve always wanted to do since I can remember.

Erick. Most serious competitive bodybuilders would rather not work a job like being a cop in a big city nor not even hold down a job at all for that matter just so they can strictly focus on their protein intake and their next workout. How were you not able to get sucked into the scene so hard like many we know and keep yourself so level headed putting a career in front of their next show?

It’s what you make of it and how you approach the sport. If you want to go out and put everything into becoming a pro, do it. I would never discourage anyone from doing anything they want to pursue as far as a career choice. You have to do what makes you happy, but at the same time, you have to keep things in perspective and be smart about the decisions you make. If you’re someone that has horrible genetics and $20 in your savings, making a run at the Ifbb might not be the best route for you. Bodybuilding and working out is a passion of mine, but it’s a hobby to me first and foremost. I think by having my career and bodybuilding as hobby, they both automatically balance out my life because neither takes it over completely!

I have to imagine dieting for a show and working long days through a long work week is tough. Believe me, I know. How do you get through a prep when timing is essentially everything. It isn’t like you can tell your sargent to hold while you get in your next meal. How do you adapt? 

Dieting is hard period. It can be a little tougher with work, but I try not to let it bother me and just roll with the punches. Everyone I have worked for and with have always been beyond supportive. They’ve encouraged me to do my best and have looked out for my well being! If it gets tough, I always say that I’m competing and dieting because I WANT to compete. No one is forcing you to diet, so why be an asshole and make everyone around you miserable.

Some of your critics have said you could never win a pro card due to the nature of your job. What do you have to say about that?

I’m at the point now in my life where I’m a little older. Competing is even more for fun me now and a tool to motivate myself in the gym. It’s pretty much going to be the Team U, or the masters in a couple years, or some local stuff. If it ever happened great, if it doesn’t great,  but I wouldn’t say it’s the nature of the job as to why I didn’t max out my potential! There’s so many things that go into that process you could never give one reason as to why it happened or why it didn’t. I’ve had a blast with bodybuilding and if I never competed ever again, I’d be happy with what I’ve been able to accomplish!

On the topic of challenges. You are a married man who has a wife also involved with the bodybuilding industry and is a competitor herself. She is also a detective with the Chicago Police Department. Describe how that can be challenging. Ever any fights over the last chicken breast or have you found a way to keep the ship smooth sailing without any “competitive turbulance”. 

There’s never competitive turbulance. I’m the type of guy that doesn’t like drama and will be the last one to start a fight. I think of myself as a very chill and laid back person. You could take the last chicken breast, and you wouldn’t hear a peep outta me! I’d just buy some more food and start cooking!
Facebook is infested to the gills with every weirdo, creeper, schmoe and pervert in the galaxy. Do you often receive private e-mails from these types with bizarre requests or propositions? How do you handle them?

I’ve always gotten weird emails from people all over the world, especially when I was younger and just starting out. I just ignore them, or say thanks but no thanks.

How does the police force treat you because of your size? Sorry but most COPS I see are bloated sacks of shit. Are you the guy they send in first when a door is broken down or when your team has to apprehend a suspect?

Everyone with the force has always been cool and respectful with me. I don’t think of myself as some huge guy though, but I am the “ram” guy for my team when it comes to search warrants which means that I’m the guy breaking down the door! It’s a lot of fun and a rewarding career.

I have to imagine your stature and muscularity can serve you well in your line of work. Has anybody ever surrendered to you immediately or do you find that people you may have to arrest want to step to you more and challenge you to prove something? 

I’ve had both situations. Usually when someone really doesn’t want to go back to jail, it doesn’t matter how big, fast or strong you are, they’re going to run and fight their ass off not to get caught!

Some argue bodybuilding at the higher levels of competition are so over the top with dabbling in illegal activities and using boatloads of illicit drugs. Can one even compete and be competitive anymore these days without it?

I think with what the Pro’s look like, that question kind of answers itself with a probably not. That’s the huge moral question people have to answer if they want to compete competitively at the higher levels of the sport.

What are your thoughts on Men’s Physique? Lots of guys are making the switch and rightfully so. You once told me a judge recently suggested you make the flip and de-muscle a little. Where do you stand with that?

That was brought to my attention last year, but I don’t think that it would be for me. That being said, if someone in the gym came up to me and said they wanted to do Physique, I would say cool and be supportive of that person. It’s a way for the promoters and organization to make more money, and it gives people an option to compete and get in shape with the way the want to look. So even though it’s not me, you won’t hear me bash it either.

Do you work with a nutritionist or do you pretty much do everything yourself?

Yeah I’ve worked with Dr. Willes Ko, my friend, chiropractor and training partner! He is unbelievable with diets and training. I’ve done diets for others and for myself, with me having more success helping others. I think when you do the diet yourself, you over think things and over diet or slack. When someone is advising you, the stress is taken out which makes it easier!

Okay. Who in the industry gets your “blood flowing”. For me it is still Monica Brant. I know there has to be someone that does it for you. 

That’s an easy one, my wife Michele Wood…. Back in the day I remember a girl named Brandy Dahl who was in all the mags, who looked good, but I don’t think she competed.

Supplements. Which are your 3 staples you always use?

MHP- Dark Matter for post workout
MHP- Isofast for my isolate
MHP- Probolic for my night time protein!

Where does Erick Seng see himself in 5 years?

Well, I’d like to be happy, healthy and injury free with hopefully a growing family!

So what is next for you? Rumors around XSport tell me that Team Universe or the 2012 North Americans in on your agenda.

No plans… Yet
Is there anything you would like to promote? How would one contact you for endorsements or any opportunity?

Facebook is probably the easiest way to contact me, and MHP has a sick new pre-workout called Fit-x “trainer” and post workout product called Fit-x “power”… Check out getmhp.com!

Bonus Questions.

Favorite Movie:  I have a ton and I don’t think I could name one, but the last good movie I saw was “Drive”, it was a bad-ass flick.

Favorite Chicago Restaurant:  Uncle Juilio’s Hacienda on North Ave and Clybourn

Favorite Song:  Another hard one, but I’ve always been a house music guy. I’d say my favorite three artists right now are Deadmau5, Wolfgang Gartner and Skrillex, who are kind of electro-dubstep-house guys!

Favorite Gym:  Gold’s Gym Venice California

Favorite Exercise:  Deadlifts 

Sox or Cubs:  Cubs

Deep Dish Pizza or Thin Slice:  Absolutely Deep Dish!!!!!

From the time that the first physique enthusiasts & bodybuilders ever started choking down extra chicken breasts, steaks, and vile concoctions to increase their protein intake for the purposes of gaining muscle; the question of just how much protein is optimal has been debated.  Fast forward more than half a century and people still debate the same question without much of a consensus.  Many people believe that protein is already over consumed by the typical person and bodybuilders and athletes have no need to take in extra, while there are those who will tell you that there is no upper limit to the benefits of protein.  In reality the answer to this question probably lies well within the middle of these two extremes.  The question of protein quantity at a meal and frequency of protein consumption has been debated almost as often as total protein consumption.  Quite often we see the question, “what is the max level of protein that one can benefit from at a meal and how long often should I consume it?” Fortunately for us, this question actually has some data that we can start picking apart to get some general guidelines for protein size and frequency at meals.

Many ‘experts’ or gym know-it-alls out there who will tell you to only consume “X” amount of protein at a meal because only “X” amount of protein can be absorbed by the body at a meal (I’m sure you’ve all heard this one before).  Let this nonsense stop here and now.  To begin with, this entire train of thought isn’t even on the correct track.  Hell it didn’t even depart from the right train station!  Assuming that you have a healthy digestive system, the absorption of the amino acids from a meal containing protein is very efficient and almost never a limiting factor.  Absorption only refers to nutrient uptake & absorption via the digestive track (most absorption occurring in the small intestine).  If our digestive systems didn’t absorb most of what we eat than anytime you had a big meal you would have diarrhea like clockwork from the undigested material in the gut!  It also makes very little sense from an evolutionary standpoint to be very wasteful with nutrients when primitive man may have only been able to eat one large meal in a day at times.  Our species would not have survived very long if we were wasteful with nutrients and did not absorb amino acids beyond a certain level.  In reality, the body has an extremely high capacity for amino acid absorption.  What these people who spout this nonsense are really referring to is amino acid utilization.  You see, even if we absorb 100% of the amino acids we ingest, that doesn’t mean they will all reach the skeletal muscle and input towards building muscle mass.  In actuality a very small percentage are used for that role.  The cells of the small intestine and liver extract a huge amount of amino acids for energy and their own synthesis of new proteins in first pass metabolism before they ever reach the bloodstream!  Once in the bloodstream amino acids can also be taken up and utilized by other tissues such as the kidneys, heart, skin, etc.  So it is not a question of how much protein/amino acids can be absorbed at a meal, rather the question is what level of protein at a meal gives the maximum benefit for muscle building?  Essentially anything below this level would not maximally support muscle building, while at a protein intake above this level, the body would merely oxidize the excess amino acids for energy.

In order to start answering this question of optimal protein intake at a meal we first must make clear as to what defines a “maximum level of benefit” from protein intake.  Using rates of protein synthesis as a measure for this definition is logical as increased rates of protein synthesis would be required for the addition of new skeletal muscle tissue.  To put it more plainly, in order to build muscle the body must increase the rate at which it synthesizes muscle tissue above the baseline rate.  Decreasing the rate of skeletal muscle breakdown also can lead to increased tissue accrual, unfortunately data on protein breakdown is much more difficult to obtain, interpret, and it is much more variable than the synthesis data.  It is very difficult to measure short term changes in skeletal muscle breakdown as it has a very slow turnover rate so the focus on this article will be on protein synthesis, which likely plays more of a regulatory role in tissue accrual/loss in muscle than degradation since synthesis is the more regulated energy dependant process.

To find the optimal level of protein intake at a meal we must determine what the optimal level of protein at a meal for stimulating muscle protein synthesis is.  It appears that maximizing skeletal muscle protein synthesis requires approximately  ~15g of an essential amino acids^1,2.     It has been postulated that the amino acid leucine is responsible for the stimulatory effect of dietary protein on protein synthesis³ and 15g of essential amino acids would contain 3.2g of leucine.  Thus in order to determine how much protein from a specific source is required to elicit the maximal response it may be useful to back calculate how much leucine is contained in the source.  One could then determine how much of the source must be consumed in order to reach the leucine threshold.  For example, whey protein is approximately 12% leucine per gram protein, therefore about 27g of protein from whey would need to be consumed to reach the threshold for maximal anabolism, whereas a source like chicken, which has a protein content of about 7.5% leucine would require 43g of protein to reach the leucine threshold required for maximal stimulation.   So it appears that the maximum benefit level for protein at a meal is varies depending upon the source of protein.  It is important to note that most of these studies were done on individuals who weighed approximately 155-165 lbs on average.  So if you weigh less than this you might want to aim for the lower end of the threshold whereas if you weigh more you may want to aim for the higher end of the threshold.

Now there is the issue of meal frequency and time between meals.  Assuming we maximize protein synthesis by achieving the required leucine/protein threshold, how long does the effect last?  Several studies have shown that the duration of protein synthesis in response to an oral leucine dose or an essential amino acid infusion is approximately two hours long^4,5.  However, these are purified amino acid solutions and are likely to be digested rapidly and in the case of an infusion, no digestion is required at all.  So it is possible that a whole food meal will have a different impact on the duration of protein synthesis than pure amino acids.  Our lab has recently shown that the duration of protein synthesis in response to a complete meal containing protein, carbohydrates, and fats is approximately 3 hours long⁶.  Therefore, it appears that a complete meal slightly prolongs the duration of protein synthesis.  What is interesting about our findings is that while protein synthesis had returned to baseline after 3 hours, plasma amino acid levels were still elevated above baseline and plasma leucine was elevated almost 3x above baseline!  Accordingly, the phosphoryation of the initiation factors 4E-BP1 & p70S6K followed plasma leucine levels and maintained elevated levels of phosphorylation at 3 hours (phosphorylation of these initiation factors is required to start the process of protein synthesis).  Thus it appears that the signal to maintain elevated protein synthesis is still being ‘transmitted’ but for some reason protein synthesis is becomes refractory after a certain period of time.  This is also supported by data from Bohe et al which showed that the duration of protein synthesis in response to an infusion of essential amino acids was only 2 hours long even though the essential amino acids were infused for six hours⁵!  It is unlikely that eating another meal 2-3 hours after the first meal would be sufficient to induce another rise in protein synthesis since amino acid/leucine levels are already elevated anyway.  It may therefore be more useful to consume larger amounts of protein at a meal and wait longer between protein doses than the typical 2-3 hours that is typically recommended in the bodybuilding community.

Now I know you’ve probably spit your protein shake out all over your magazine, ruining it and now you are cursing me for 1) ruining your magazine and 2) telling you the bodybuilding meal eating protocol you’ve been following for so long may not be optimal for making gains.  Well I apologize for ruining your magazine but I won’t apologize for busting on musclehead dogma; that is just what I do.  There is some precedent for what I am recommending however.  Arnal et al⁷ compared elderly women consuming either 4 small meals per day with their total protein intake evenly spaced out verses those that consumed the same amount of protein but with 80% of their total protein coming in one meal.  The researchers found that the women consuming the large single dose of protein actually had greater nitrogen balance, protein turnover, and protein synthesis rates than the group consuming their protein across four evenly spaced meals.  Now the total protein intake for both groups was only 60g so the group consuming protein evenly only consumed 15g at each meal.  Still it is interesting that the group eating almost all of their total protein in one meal had better results.  Perhaps the group consuming the small meals never reached the threshold required to initiate a significant response of protein synthesis at any meal whereas the bolus dose group ate enough protein in at least one meal to initiate have one significant increase in protein synthesis above baseline during the day.  Now I am not in any way shape or form implying that we are better off just consuming one large protein meal per day.  What I am implying is that it is better to consume larger protein doses spaced further apart and maximize protein synthesis, rather than consume smaller doses of protein throughout the day, since research has shown that protein synthesis will become refractory to constantly elevated levels of amino acids.  It may be that a period where amino acids return to baseline or near baseline is required in order to initiate another bout of protein synthesis.  I therefore suggest that one consume 4-6 larger protein doses per day instead of 6-8 meals and wait 4-5 hours between meals rather than 2-3 hours.

At the moment, there is no clear way to overcome the refractory response.  However, there is evidence that supplementing with free form amino acids with carbohydrates between meals may improve protein synthesis compared to normal meals alone⁸.  It is possible that a free form amino acid supplement could spike plasma levels of amino acids to a far greater level than can be achieved with whole foods and perhaps this supraphysiological response is enough to overcome the refractory response.  It is also possible that the carbohydrates in the supplement have an effect.  The insulin time course in the experiment we performed lasted 3 hours, the same as protein synthesis.  Additionally, Wolfe et al. also showed that the timecourse of insulin seemed to track protein synthesis during an essential amino acid infusion⁵.  Perhaps maintaining elevated plasma insulin levels is required to prolong protein synthesis in response to a meal.  In either case, it appears that supplementing with an amino acid supplement containing ~2-3g of leucine along with some carbohydrates (~20-30g) is an effective way to maximize muscle protein synthesis.

Now I will be the first to admit that the research is just not specific or broad enough to address the size and frequency issue with absolute certainty, but I believe these recommendations are a good general starting point.  What is clear is that certain protein sources have a stronger impact on protein synthesis than others, and also that it appears that keeping amino acids constantly elevated by smaller protein doses throughout the day may NOT be optimal.  Hopefully future research will address more specifics with regards to these issues.

—

Dr. Layne Norton has won multiple natural pro cards in bodybuilding, competed in pro contests, married the love if his life, and finally graduated with his PhD in Nutritional Sciences. There is one thing, however that he has yet to do … step on the pro natural stage with top athletes n the world.

2.  Tipton KD, Ferrando AA, Phillips SM, Doyle D Jr, Wolfe RR.  Postexercise net protein synthesis in human muscle from orally administered amino acids.  Am J Physiol. 1999 Apr;276(4 Pt 1):E628-34.

3.  Norton LE, Layman DK.  Leucine regulates translation initiation of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle after exercise.  J Nutr. 2006 Feb;136(2):533S-537S.

4.  Anthony JC, Lang CH, Crozier SJ, Anthony TG, MacLean DA, Kimball SR, Jefferson LS.  Contribution of insulin to the translational control of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle by leucine.
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2002 May;282(5):E1092-101.

5.  Bohe J, Low JF, Wolfe RR, Rennie MJ.  Latency and duration of stimulation of human muscle protein synthesis during continuous infusion of amino acids.  J Physiol. 2001 Apr 15;532(Pt 2):575-9.

6.  Norton LE, Layman DK, Bunpo P, Anthony TG, Brana DV, Garlick PJ.  The leucine content  of a complete meal directs peak activation but not duration of skeletal muscle protein synthesis and Mammalian target of rapamycin signaling in rats.  J Nutr. 2009 Jun;139(6):1103-9.

7. Arnal MA, Mosoni L, Boirie Y, Houlier ML, Morin L, Verdier E, Ritz P, Antoine JM, Prugnaud J, Beaufrere B, Mirand PP. pulse feeding improves protein retention in elderly women.  Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Jun;69(6):1202-8.

8.  Paddon-Jones D, Sheffield-Moore M, Aarsland A, Wolfe RR, Ferrando AA.  Exogenous amino acids stimulate human muscle anabolism without interfering with the response to mixed meal ingestion.  Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Apr;288(4):E761-7.

We at MuscleWeek wish Todd and Shawna the best and look forward to reading Ron Harris’s Todd’s column each month in the pages of Muscular Development. Todd recently stated that his plan was to hit the stage in 2012 at a mighty 285 lbs. Considering that is 30 lbs more than he weighed at the Nationals, that is indeed a lofty goal.

While we only want the best for Todd and Shawna, we certainly hope that Todd continues to put his health and family ahead of his bodybuilding aspirations. As many of our readers know, Todd was hospitalized and severely ill in early 2011 and briefly considered foregoing his bodybuilding career. God bless!

HM: OMG! All the time! And it pisses me off because I was named after Hayley Mills from the original “Parent Trap” – not the one with Lindsay Lohan – and it is spelled Hayley with TWO Y’s!!!! LOL! Haley’s comet is spelled like so. And yeah, people call me Haley’s Comet all the friggin time and depending on who they are, I will correct them, LOL.

MW: You’re a genuine Bostonian, correct? Why the move to cold windy Chicago? Which city has better food?

HM: Well yea…but not really…I grew up a half hour west of Boston in the boring ass suburbs, and actually never spent any time in Boston. I could probably count on one hand how many times I’ve even been there. True story. Ummm…LOL you clearly don’t know me! I couldn’t care less about food LOL…Unless I’m dieting that is…But I really never ate normal people food…Never went out to eat a lot…And when I did I ALWAYS got just a cheeseburger. Hence why “Cheeseburger” was actually my nickname in my old gym haha. But Chicago deep dish is pretty fantastic, and they have some massive burgers! I’d save Chicago wins – but I really never gave Boston a chance. I’m finally living like a kinda normal person for the first time in 5 years here: going out, going out to dinner, eating non-bber food lol. It was fun until I realized I lost 10lbs since I’ve lived here! Nooo!!! LOL!

MW: Red Sox fan? Is it true you have New York Yankee toilet paper?

Ahahahaa!!! Lol if there was toilet paper that existed with ANY logo on it I would soo get it lol! Naw I really don’t care about baseball or the huuuge rival between Boston and NY. Like realllyyy don’t care. I’d rather watch a bodybuilding show. Or watch Law and Order SVU LOL!

MW: You’re still in your early 20′s. You were 12 when I was your age. What age were you when you got into bodybuilding and what about it captured your interest?

HM: Shut up LOL! I’m an old soul! So there! LOL! I was 18. It was my Christmas break from college. I was on myspace and saw my first fbb. I almost died! I fell in love immediately and the rest is history. I’m sure people are actually probably bored of hearing that story from me LOL. But yea, I went to the gym the next day, and decided I was gonna get huuuge lol!! I think everyone should be jacked. It’s just that simple.

MW: How did you go about competing? Did somebody prompt you or encourage you? Who were your earliest influences on the competitive scene?

HM: Hah! I befriended Dave Pulcinella and Chris Zimmerman on Myspace. If not for them, I don’t know what I would have done! They both took my under their wing, as many others did, and taught me everything they knew. They were instrumental in shaping my bodybuilding career. Dave and Chris kept trying to convince me to compete, and my response was always, “I’m not big enough yet!!!” There’s actually a scene where I say that in Raising the Bar 3 with Chris, Dave, and Mike Pulcinella LOL. And in fact, that summer I competed for the first time. Dave brought me around to every bodybuilding he knew and made them tell me I was in fact big enough, and convinced me I’d look muuuch bigger when I was lean. He also told me every day for months that I WAS in fact, big enough lol. Finally, I decided I would do the Delaware – Dave did my diet, as he always does – and I won. That show, and the East Coast Classic, a week later, was where I made my mark in the industry. If not for those two knuckleheads I don’t know what would have happened instead!

MW: Genetically you have an advantage over most girls who get into bodybuilding. Was it relatively a natural thing for you?

HM: Sure. I also worked harder that any sane human being should ever work lol! I was totally nuts, like I mean NUTS! Completely OBSESSED and most people in the industry know that lol. Until I felt I had finally gotten “huge”, I was unstoppable. Eating 6-9 meals a day, every two hours on the dot, made sure I got at least 8 hours of sleep a night, never missed a workout, woke up in the middle of the night to eat, and trained as hard as I possibly could. Nuts! I didn’t go out, I didn’t drink, I didn’t really talk about anything besides bodybuilding and getting jacked for literally 4 years straight. My grades in college actually suffered dramatically freshman and sophomore year (until I got injured) because I would chose training over writing a paper or studying for an exam any day. Somehow I got it together junior and senior year and managed to raise my GPA enough to get into graduate school. Wheww! Lol! Oh and yea, not only did I wanna get “huge”, but I had this whole mission to do it naturally too. I wouldn’t touch a drug – I had a whole ego thing about it. Hence why my first National Show was Team Universe – tested show. I wanted to show everyone you could get your pro-card naturally and change female bodybuilding forever. Too bad they’re getting rid of bodybuilding now, so it really didn’t matter…

MW: What do you like most about competing? The body transformation or the structure of a contest prep?

HM: I HATE competing!!! Lol! Which is why I am done!!! The Delaware, my first show, Dave couldn’t make it. I was beyond disappointed. I couldn’t think about anything else the whole day. When I won, if you see the video, there was zero enthusiasm in my face…I just wanted him to be there. The only show I actually enjoyed was winning the East Coast Classic. Dave was with me every second of the day, and nothing could have made me happier than winning that show – for us. We had worked so hard for that – he was so proud of me. I looked like an animal and I knew it. Team Universe – Dave had to go to a wedding and couldn’t make it – ANDDDD I got sick/dehydrated and almost died. I’ve never felt worse in my life. I thought I was getting 3rd the whole day: it was one of the worst days of my life…Until they said my name for 1st place at the night show…I was in total shock. I felt relieved but not even happy because I didn’t get my pro card. Team Universe, last time, Dave, and a few other very important people to me were there. We had a blast and I will treasure our time together forever…However, besides that – it was a fucking disaster. I was finally in the best shape of my life, and to get there I learned to despise bodybuilding and competing. I dieted soo hard for soo long, and it showed…A WEEK BEFORE THE SHOW!! I was sooo stressed out about WINNING MY STUPID PRO CARD that my body went from a shredded freak 5 days out, to a watery mess the day of. It was beyond devastating. I wasted 5 grand and 5 months of my life to lose everything to stress taking over my body. The best part was that me and Dave were skyping towards the end of my prep because I was too tired to take pictures anymore for him – so I literally have NO evidence of all that hard work. Ugh….Grrr! That prep changed me…And I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. The more I dieted, the worse I felt, and the more I questioned what the hell I was doing this for. Which is why I’m living like a semi-normal person now! Ahhhhh! Soooo, to answer your question, lol, I like nothing about competing, it seems. The diet is easy for me, I pretty much eat a contest diet year round. I like doing cardio, and I like training. However when I feel like I am literally dying, and don’t want to move, never mind do 1-3 hours of cardio a day, or lift weights. Everything about the process becomes something I DREAD. After two consecutive years of that, I can’t find anything I like about competing.

MW: How many shows have you done and what do you feel was your best showing?

HM: Just said it in my previous rant – Delaware State and East Coast Classic. No pressure, bodybuilding was still fun back then…It became work after that. It was all about the PRO CARD. WINNING. Doing whatever it took. Suffering more than anyone should ever voluntarily suffer in their lives. And for what – to do all that work and it to disappear right before the show?! No thanks. My body thinks I’m killing it when I diet, and I have to diet hard as fuckkk to get any results.

MW: How did you approach the dieting process? Keto girl or are you a carb cycler? Who helped you out with that?

Dave Pulcinella always did my diet. Noo keto! I already get light-headed every time I stand up and subsequently collapse on the floor throughout the day NOT on a keto diet. I get so tired I can barely get off the couch. And it’s like that the majority of my prep. It was like that whether we carb cycled, did no carbs, did lots of carbs, even when I used someone else as a nutritionist briefly – the only thing that happened was I still felt like total shit but lost muscle. The dieting process does not agree with my body at all. Everyone I’ve talked to has said they’ve never heard of anyone having the reaction I do to normal contest preps. My body just isn’t cut out for it I guess. I feel like a hangover times about a million the whole time, to the point where I’m too tired to even pick up my phone. I don’t talk to anyone, I get completely isolated. I’ll even get too tired to go on the computer. Then I get depressed, and just look at the clock all day until I can go to sleep. What a life to live…I won’t do that to myself one more time.

MW: The NPC seems to be drifting away from Female Bodybuilding. Where do you see it going in 2-5 years? Will serious competitive female bodybuilding exist?

HM: Yeah, no kidding! I heard from reliable sources it was GONE as of 2012. Another reason I don’t care that I’m done competing for good. No they will not exist. It’s Physique now. Look at the recent shows even – there are only a few fbbs! There are already a million Physique chicks! It was genius creating that category. The girls don’t have to get enormous and can keep their femininity – it’s bodybuilding from the 80s! Which was the best! Hot chicks with muscle – that’s what it’s all about. Although I love the huuge chicks – not everyone supports that. No support – no money – no female bodybuilding. Very sad.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Hayley McNeff continues to eat cheeseburgers and train religiously at various diners and gyms in Chicagoland. If you’d like to reach Hayley, you can do so via Facebook. Stay tuned for a future exclusive interview with the delicious Hayley…only on MuscleWeek!

By XfitSpin

MuscleWeek: We want to thank you so much Patrick for taking the time for this interview. We really appreciate it. Jumping right in, what inspired you to start bodybuilding?

PA: I started when I was quite young because my grandfather had some old York Barbell weights that he gave to us kids (me and my brothers). I didn’t know too much about weightlifting back then. We bought a book or two and started doing the exercises we found in there. After Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder came out we became big fans of Arnold. Then our training became more sophisticated. We eventually bought a bench and made a gym in our cellar. I also remember that my mom got Prevention Magazine. I’m not even sure if it’s still in publication.

MW: I think it is actually.

PA: Really? Huh. Well, anyway, it got me interested in supplements and the nutritional aspects of training.

MW: So, when you were a teenager just out of high school, going to college. What in the world made you decide to go into Chemistry?

PA: I originally wanted to go into Pharmacy. I was really interested in drugs. How drugs could heal people, and how they worked in the body. I did well in Chemistry in High School and I enjoyed making stuff in lab during class.

MW: What was your first job out of college?

PA: I took a job during college at a company called Uniroyal. It’s a chemical company. I worked as a lab tech in a work study program. I made polymers and polymer precursors. It was really messy and included nasty chemicals.

After I finished school I got a job at a company called GAF which changed its name to ISP and now has a different name. I’m not sure what it is. I worked in a lab and did research mostly for the cosmetic industry. Polymers once again. You know, products that go into hair gels and conditioners. It was boring but I learned a lot about analytical and synthesis techniques.

I had a decent lab and access to other labs and there was a Chemical Library on our floor. That’s where I started looking up all the chemical compositions of steroids and bodybuilding drugs. Since my job was really boring and my boss was never around I started making whatever I wanted, and I’d come back at night and work on stuff. People started catching on. I got caught and lost my job, but I made all kinds of drugs, bodybuilding related and otherwise. Anything I wanted to make I looked it up and figured it out.

After I lost my job I returned to CT and got into the PhD program for Organic Synthesis at UConn. At that time I started fooling around on the internet. This was around 1995 when it was relatively new. I met a lot of people on there like Dan Duchaine, Will Brink, and Bruce Kneller.

MW: Oh Wow! I actually had a question later about how you met Dan. There it is.

PA: I feel like I’m giving you a total biography. Do you want me to keep going?

MW: Definitely, but I’ll ask you a few more things for this interview specifically.

PA: Yeah, maybe you could make the bio into a separate post or something.

MW: That sounds like a great idea. Okay, serious question. If you could go back in time to when Duchaine was still alive knowing what you know now, what would you say to him?

PA: I think I would just tell him that people appreciated very much what he’s done and he inspired a lot of people. I enjoyed working with him, but he was obviously a very tortured man, and I wish that I could have helped him in some way.

MW: What are you working on right now?

PA: I’m doing some very exciting work with ketones. I’m collaborating with a top researcher in that area.

MW: That sounds exciting! Crossfitters love ketones. Probably not like Dave Palumbo loves ketones, but in what capacity?

PA: Products that raise levels of ketones in the body.

MW: What are your goals for Epharm in 2013?

PA: I’m doing a lot of work with natural products like Ursolic acid and I also have a direct sales brand called Prototype Nutrition. I also have a Ursolic acid derivative with high bioavailability that I made into a topical. That is probably my most exciting product right now. It’s all natural and great for losing fat, maintaining muscularity, and endurance. It’s called Ur Spray and is sold through Prototype Nutrition. I also have a version sold through Epharm called Pump Spray.

MW: So, I know you personally don’t Crossfit, but what are your thoughts on the subject?

PA: I saw it awhile ago on ESPN actually. My understanding is that it’s very aerobic, varied, high intensity training. From a cardio fitness aspect it’s probably great, but as far as gaining proficiency at a certain exercise, it’s counterproductive. With crossfit you have to try and learn a million exercises at the same time. However, in order to be good at a complex exercise technique like a power clean you have to build neural pathways by doing the same movements consistently and somewhat exclusively for a while.

MW: Well, they do say they specialize in not specializing, but you think this can actually be a negative thing?

PA: I think Crossfit actually confuses the body to where you’re not proficient at lifts, or it takes you a lot longer to gain that proficiency. I wouldn’t recommend it to beginners. There are too many complex movements that need some dedication to develop the proper technique. Doing something like a snatch when you’ve already done other things, and you’re exhausted, and your form isn’t that great is very dangerous. For someone that knows how to do all the exercises, well I think it’s a good system and people get a hell of a workout.

MW: I agree. I get asked frequently at Crossfit about how to improve one specific movement. I always say, you have to do it, and do it often. You can’t just do it when it pops up once a month in a WOD. For women especially, building that upper body strength takes some serious work and a band won’t get you there in any timely fashion. Anyway, off my soap box.

MW: What are 3 supplements you recommend for anyone training at high intensity 2-5x a week?

PA: I would suggest a protein supplement. Definitely a Multivitamin/Multimineral. Fish Oil obviously, because people who train hard are subject to injury and inflammation that could hinder performance.

I would also add caffeine. It enhances the utilization of fatty acids for fuel, speeds up glycogen replacement after exercise, and decreases perceived exertion and pain during exercise. Not everyone enjoys the effects of stimulants however, and some have personal reasons for avoiding caffeine.

MW: What are your thoughts on the presence of performance enhancing drugs in Crossfit? Is it naïve to think people aren’t cycling in the off season and then coming off to compete in Regionals and the Games?

PA: Whenever there is a substantial reward – a financial reward -there’s going to be people that cheat to win. It’s that way in any sport. There’s no reason to believe that crossfit would be immune to this, especially since its foundation is around weightlifting. These drugs are so engrained in the weight/gym culture that there’s bound to be some people who use them to their advantage. Plus, they’re so easy to use since they only have in-competition testing. If they want to get rid of drugs in the sport I would say stop giving people money when they win.

MW: LOL, that’s kind of funny. I could just see Dave Castro going “Hey crossfitters, I was just kidding about that 250k purse you’ve been gunning for all year.”

PA: If they want to get serious they need to do off season testing like the Olympic anti-doping agencies and model their protocols and use their laboratories. This would be very expensive to implement and I don’t know how crossfitters would feel about it.

MW: There’s an argument out there that steroids or EPO would actually hinder a crossfitter’s performance. What is your response to that?

PA: Track and Field athletes have benefited exponentially from using these drugs. Crossfit wouldn’t be any different. Overuse of anabolic steroids certainly can hinder performance by leading to tightness and excess water retention, and just like in track and field a crossfitter would need to carefully manipulate their drug intake to avoid the negatives.

MW: Muscle Weeker with the screen name “Bruce Berkowitz” wants to know if you ever hear from Bruce Kneller?

PA: Yeah, he just sent me an invitation on LinkedIn. I tried his new protein at the Olympia and I thought it was pretty good. I don’t really compete with him in the industry anymore so we don’t butt heads like we used to.

MW: MuscleWeek Senior Editor Shane Ray wants to know what your thoughts are on SARMS? Before you answer that, what exactly are SARMS?

PA: Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators. Basically, they are the same thing as anabolic steroids but they’ve been designed using computer aided molecular modeling. These models create structures that bind and activate the androgen receptor, which is essentially what steroids do. However these structures are completely different than the classic four fused rings structures of steroids.

In theory the people that developed them thought they would produce the same effect as anabolic steroids while simultaneously avoiding unwanted side effects. Some animal studies suggested this, but the human studies do not. Similar to anabolic steroids they still disrupt your body’s hormone regulation. They also increase liver enzymes and produce abnormalities in blood lipid profiles. Despite their efforts using sophisticated drug design techniques, the developers still can’t really differentiate between therapeutic and toxic effects any more than what was achieved decades ago with anabolic steroids

One interesting aspect is that no one ever uses the word steroids with them. Are they going to be scheduled as anabolic steroids? As it stands presently they’re in a gray area legally. If they become available drugs they’ll be used in patients with age related sarcopenia and cancer, cachexia and what not. I would think at that point they will need to be scheduled because they’ll be abused as steroids are.

MW: Shane also wants to know if you think legal supplements will ever be as good as they were prior to 2004 or the age of prohormones?

PA: No. Unless some monumental discovery is made, but aliens might land here someday too.

MW: Another MuscleWeeker asked what your thoughts are on Lance Armstrong?

PA: I feel as though he was made a scapegoat. He was singled out and it’s sad to see a hero fall like that. I think it’s a little unfair they would go to such extremes to catch him when they didn’t do that to anyone else. Although, I also think he was a fool to continue to compete even though he was being suspected more and more. He was pushing his luck and snubbing his nose at the testing people. If he just retired in 04’ or something he would have been the best ever, but since he didn’t, he made himself more and more vulnerable.

MW: The craziest thing you’ve ever seen at the Olympia or Arnold Classic?

PA: I’m going to have to get back to you on that. I’ve seen a lot.

MW: What is the coolest thing a fan has ever sent you?

PA: Someone sent me a watch once and a board rep just sent me some cookies and fudge, and hot dipping sauce for Christmas. I also get letters from people in prison asking me to help them get out. I guess that’s interesting, but I obviously can’t help them.

MW: If you had any dating advice for women who compete in figure/bikini/bodybuilding or even crossfit, what would it be?

PA: When I go to the shows and see the really serious fitness and figure girls, they’re usually dating guys that train them, are also bodybuilders, or men they most likely met at the gym. Their lives are so extreme they probably couldn’t co-exist with someone not in the same lifestyle. If I were a girl I’d shoot for a more interesting life and look for someone that may not be as into competing, perhaps an intellectual. A fitness girl has to look at her practical needs yes, but she also shouldn’t restrict her life to being a hermit and making her whole existence about training, broccoli, and tanning.

MW: I think so too. Thanks so much Patrick, always a pleasure.

PA: You’re welcome.

You can check Patrick out at www.patrickarnoldblog.com

Patrick’s products are sold through www.prototypenutrition.com and www.epharmnutrition.com

If you have your own questions you can track him down on his Q&A threads at http://www.prohormoneforum.com/q-patrick-arnold/ and http://anabolicminds.com/forum/advanced-discussion-patrick/

by Jay Stern

The worst-kept secret at Gold’s Gym in Venice is that the gym is closing its doors for good when its lease expires on June 30, 2014. With its 45 years of history, this Los Angeles landmark was once the second most popular tourist attraction in the LA area after Disneyland, but alas, times have changed and the ‘Mecca of Bodybuilding’ is slowly transforming into the Mecca of Millionaires, or ‘Silicon Beach’ in techno-blog-speak. Perhaps lost on most bodybuilders is the painful irony of the proverbial pencil-neck geek getting sand kicked in his face by the muscular beach bully turning the tables and kicking the bodybuilders out of Venice Beach. While the new owners of Golds (GGI) were out there licensing the Gold’s name to create Wii video games for couch potatoes instead of renewing their lease at 360 Hampton Drive, Google was creating an empire and looking for a place to expand its empire. The result: Google Plus. Gold’s Minus.

Publicly, the gym management continues to emphasize (perhaps ‘misrepresent’ is a better word choice) that Gold’s Gym isn’t going anywhere, but for those in the know, it has become painfully clear that the clock is ticking down to zero. According to former Gold’s Gym Venice owner Ed Connors, Google has bought the building and the surrounding real estate, with grand designs on walling off the streets and creating a SoCal campus to rival its Mountain View ‘university’. If this is accurate, Gold’s Gym appears to have dropped the ball, and with undeveloped real estate (and parking availability) in the area in short supply, the death of Gold’s Venice is but a foregone conclusion.

While some have predicted a move to nearby Culver City or Playa Del Rey, Gold’s already has franchisees in those areas and the geographic limitations of those franchise agreements would likely come into dispute if the most famous gym in the world were to relocate to their area. For the record, Ed Connors — the man who sold Gold’s to its current owners — is already eulogizing the gym he helped create: “It’s a shame if they [Gold’s Gym International] are going to let a piece of history just disappear but sadly I think that’s what is going to happen.”

As a current member of Gold’s Venice and a fellow Maryland alum of Google founder Sergey Brin, I believe that I am well-positioned to mediate this matter. My recommendation is that Google use its considerable wealth to purchase Gold’s Gym Venice, make it the official gym for Google employees, and rename it — wait for it…

Problem solved.