Strength and Physique

Q: Having finished reading your Neo-Classical Bodybuilding , I noted that in the "Body Contract 2.0" chapter you state, "The problem is negative training is so traumatic that it will that it will knock out testosterone receptors in the trained muscles." I've been following your Hypertrophy Training for the Ectomorph  which is fantastic.  Your article on ectomorph training mentioned not overstressing the nervous system which is more sensitive for ectomorphs. Should ectomorphs keep the time spent on the eccentric/negative portion of their reps to a minimum, i.e. do them a little quicker rather than deliberately slow? Or do ectomorphs need this added muscle engagement time to maximise growth? Best regards and thanks! Kalwant Leeds, England My Answer:  Yes, ectomorphs do need to emphasize eccentric reps to maximize muscle growth, but it is far more complicated than just testosterone receptivity and nervous system recovery. Negative reps need to be used sparingly, a...

  Q:  I've got a few questions that hopefully you'd be willing to answer related to ectomorph bulking: - I've lost my sex drive for the past couple of months. Today I got my lab result telling me that my testosterone level is 6 nmol/dL, whereas the normal range is supposed to be 60 nmol/dL or higher (SI units). - From what I know, low testosterone levels are associated with loss of lean muscle mass and increased fat storage, causing the skinny fat look eventually. I've almost lost hope not to mention my lack of sleep as well as decreased energy level. This also causes me to be unable to workout to reach muscle fatigue, which is critical to stimulating muscle growth. Do you have any tips to alleviate this whole situation? For your info, I stay away from junk foods and always incorporate healthy whole foods in my diet. Some of them are even known to boost testosterone levels (bananas, garlic, onions, red meats, skim milk, oats, A-Z multivitamin, almonds, olive oil, whey p...