Written by Victor Martinez
10 October 2006
 

 A BODYBUILDER'S HOLY MEAL

Man, I can't wait to see you drop bombs at the Arnold Classic! I'll be there to see you clown those dawgs. No disrespect to Dexter and Chris, but I think you've got a better overall package than anyone onstage. Chris comes close, but he can't match your conditioning. You've got everything Dexter has, but with more size. All you have to do is be on with conditioning. If you can nail that, the Hummer's yours, amigo! Now, onto my question. I've been hearing for years about how breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Is this especially true for bodybuilders? My problem is that I can't get a good meal down first thing in the morning. I just don't have the time. I'm rushing off to school and work every day without fail. And to be honest, I'm not that hungry! So, bottom line, just how important is breakfast?  Do I need to eat it every day?

You crazy? Sounds like you done lost your mind. Let me put it to you this way: Breakfast is a matter of life or death for bodybuilders! And that's the bottom line. Think on this, partner: You've just spent hours and hours sleeping through the night- or maybe not, if you like to get your freak on or whatnot. That means your body went at least six to eight hours with no nourishment. You've got zero calories, protein, carbs, minerals and everything else your body needs to function. Well, guess what? Your body begins feeding on your muscles for amino acids to keep tricking. The very first thing your sleepy ass needs to do after waking up in the morning is feed those muscles. Specifically, you need protein and carbs to get your body out of its catabolic state and return to being anabolic. So, yes, you need to start grubbing.

Now, exactly what you eat depends on your goals. You didn't list whether you were trying to build mass or lose fat. But since MD is for playas only, I'm gonna assume that you're looking to fill out those T-shirts in a hurry. I'll give you a general recommendation on what to eat for that first muscle-packing meal of the day. The key nutrients to focus on are protein and carbohydrates; protein to build muscle and carbohydrates to fuel the system.

Oatmeal is a great carbohydrate to eat in the morning. It's slow burning, which means it lasts in the stomach longer. It keeps you full for a while, preventing overeating at later meals. It also checks those insulin levels, keeping them low and steady. Anytime you spike your insulin, you're raising blood sugar and making yourself hungry. Half a cup of dry oatmeal will get you back on track. Potatoes are another good source. They digest a little bit faster than oatmeal. I'd say they were mid-distance track runners (oatmeal being marathoners). Don't even try to sneak some Tater Tots® or hash browns. Try diced potatoes fried in Pam, or even a little bit of olive oil. One medium-sized potato will do you good.

If you don't have a problem with gaining fat, you could even have that staple of breakfasts everywhere- pancakes. These are sprinters in our little nutritional track meet. That can be a good thing, though. When the body gets flooded with an instant blast of nutrients to the bloodstream, it offsets the catabolic process. There are also buckwheat pancakes, which are slower than the regular white flour brothers. Stick to about three medium-sized flapjacks.  Go easy on the syrup. In fact, try honey or eat them plain, instead. 

 Cream of rice is another sprinter to consider. Again, if you don't have a problem with packing on fat, you can give this a try. Typically, leaner-type dudes release less insulin than heavier guys. So, even though you're having a fast digesting carb, it doesn't break down at the same rapid speed that a slower metabolism would process. One cup is good for starters.

Fruit is an overlooked source of carbs. The glucose in fruit increases liver glycogen. The plus side to this is that when liver glycogen is full, you're gonna be more anabolic. And that means more muscle for you. Remember, it's all about what state your body is in. The foods we eat help us to achieve and maintain the anabolic state needed for muscle repair and growth. Stay with a medium-sized serving.

Now on to the protein. Here's the big papi of them all. Protein is so valuable that your body jacks it from your own muscles. That's why we eat it several times a day. Egg whites are the fastest digesting real food protein source around. The amino acids from the egg whites enter the bloodstream almost instantly. We're talking Maurice Greene here. This makes them an excellent "breakfast of champions" choice. The sooner you get the aminos in your blood, the quicker you spare your own muscles from being cannibalized.

            Whole eggs are great, too. The only thing is that the fat in the yolk slows down the rate of digestion. This means you get a longer-lasting dose of aminos into the blood. If you're like Dexter Jackson, you could probably have two or three yolks.

Fat-free cheese and fat-free cottage cheese is another way to go.  Because of the absence of fat, it gets to your blood a lot quicker than regular cheese. It's still not as fast as egg whites, but they can't all be gold medal winners. Besides, sometimes you want a steady stream.

Steak. Steak and eggs, baby! Remember what I said about getting a steady stream of aminos? Well, what tastier way to get that than steak? It's a great source of protein that offers a slow, steady stream of aminos into the blood. Partnering it up with egg whites gives you the fast kick and the steady stream in one meal. Stick to the low fat cuts.

Sausage and bacon. Who doesn't like the smell of bacon and sausage grilling in the frying pan in the morning? If this doesn't make you drool, you'd better check your pulse. Unfortunately, even the Dexter Jacksons of the world can't be grubbing on these treats every morning. If you have to get your bacon and sausage on, try the turkey versions. Still, beware of the fats and sodium. 

Protein shakes. You knew we'd get here, eventually. Whey protein shakes are unbeatable for getting aminos into the blood when you needed them five minutes ago. You can mix it with water or fat-free milk. Try a blend of whey and casein mixed with water for both a fast and slow release of aminos.  Just like the steak and egg whites, you get the advantages of a sprinter and marathoner in one.

Now, I've just listed the common staples of breakfasts almost everyone eats in the morning. Unlike the average Joe, as a bodybuilder you need to watch the butter, salt, jam and sugar. Portion size and combinations depend on your goals and body type. Forget the common breakfasts. There's no such thing when you're trying to change your body. Identify your needs and make the foods adapt to those needs. That might mean you won't even eat typical breakfast foods. If you're rushed for time, down a quick protein shake. Of course, you could wake up earlier to eat properly. Eventually, if you want to get anywhere in bodybuilding, you'll have to make breakfast an everyday thing. But hey, you do what you need to do! 

 

HELP! I'M GETTING RIPPED!

Victor, I'm your biggest fan. I've got your pics all over the fridge. My girlfriend even knows you because I tell her all about you. In fact, whenever I get lazy or want to cheat on my diet, she just says, "Would Victor do that?" I want to thank you for being such an inspiration to me. You've been through a lot and come out stronger and better for it. Your interview with Flex Wheeler was one of the deepest things I've ever read. And I'm not talking just about bodybuilding. I'm talking about everyday things, you know, just life, man. I've been taking creatine for mass. I eat six meals a day, pretty clean. I'm making pretty good gains, but I've noticed that I've gotten leaner. I thought creatine was strictly for mass. What the hell is going on here? I thought this was impossible. Thanks for your help. I look forward to reading more about your life in MD. Also, sorry your gym didn't work out.

Thanks for feeling me on my gym. It was tough losing it, but it's over and done with. I've moved on. I also want to say that it's cool that my experience turned out to be a positive factor in some way. It's humbling to know that I'm able to help people I don't even know. It just goes to show that we can all make a connection with someone without even knowing it. It all boils down to taking care of your business and doing right by yourself. I believe if you're good to yourself- I mean good to yourself- you can do good for others.

The reason you're seeing fat loss is because the creatine is revving your metabolism. Creatine has been scientifically proven to increase the resting metabolic rate. Along with your weight training, I'd bet this is the reason you're seeing a loss in body fat. But don't sweat it. It's a good thing. You're training, eating and supplementing for mass and as a bonus, you're shedding body fat.  Who can ask for more? Don't shoot a gift horse in the mouth.

 

 

Sidebar:

NO STRINGS ATTACHED

My Quick Tips to Burn 'n Build Huge Hams

Hamstrings are one of my priorities for 2005. I'm shooting for that butterball swoop and hang that Flex Wheeler had. They were like grandma's Christmas hams! Now that's what I'm talking about. Here are some tips you can use to get your own butterballs balling.

 

VICTIP 1.       Form and Fury

All exercises for any body part need to be done with perfect form and blasted super intensity. If the movement is tough, the tendency is to lag and take it easy, but this is when you need to dig in. Most people don't give hams the time of day, because they really can't flex them or see them in the mirror.  Quads get 120 percent effort, then hamstrings are treated like the ugly chick at the dance. In order to do them right, it's better to devote a whole day just to hamstrings. Hams deserve as much attention as quads. You wouldn't hit quads after doing chest or shoulders, right? Take that same approach with hams and you're on your way to growing those strings into steel cables! 

 

VICTIP 2.       Duck Walk

A lot of people don't turn their toes upward when doing leg curls. Turn ‘em up! Keep the toes wide, too.

 

VICTIP 3.       What's Your Angle?

To me, lying leg curls are the same as preacher curls for biceps; it's all about angle. Lie all the way down on the bench for leg curls. This is one ham movement where you can load that weight stack and jack those hamstrings (but don't go too heavy, of course). Also, try half reps. They're killers! 

 

VICTIP 4.       Fly Solo

Doing leg curls one leg at a time is the best detail work around. For standing single leg curls, don't lean too far forward. Your butt needs to be elevated, not arched. If you prefer lying leg curls, try those one leg at a time.  Flex spun those all the time, and talk about butterballs! Use slow and controlled movements. This is the only way to bust up all the muscle fibers and carve in the lines. 

 

VICTIP 5.       Home on the Range

A solid rep range for ham work is around 10 to 12 reps. You can go heavier and do lower reps to build mass, but make sure you get that burn in your hamstrings. Build it and then burn it!

 

My Favorite String Snappers

Seated Leg Curl

Next to lying leg curls, this is my second favorite butter-baller movement.  You get a wicked sensation from these. Crunch it all the way down and feel every fiber scream. The contraction is almost like a spasm. These are really great for that inner part of the hamstring that wraps around the front part of the thigh and gives the leg an awesome tree trunk look to it. Let each repetition back up very slowly and feel the stretch.

 

Stiff-Legged Deadlifts

Great detailing exercise. This move torches that area between the glutes and hams. There's a tendency to hold a bit of H2O there, so you have to be stripped if you want to see the fruits of your labor. This move really stretches the hams and hits the glutes, too. Knee position is crucial. Don't bend them too much. But don't lock them, either. Kinda tricky getting it just right. I do three to four sets. When you start getting worked, you'll find yourself scrunching further down. Stay tight. I love these so much, I blast them twice a week. Twenty grams of glutamine chases away the soreness, so I can work them right.

End of sidebar

 

Road to the Arnold Classic

Training Journal: Late January, 2005

 

SETTING THE STAGE

Right now I'm 268 pounds. I'm bringing it home. At four weeks out, I'm right on target. First thing in the morning, the scale reads 260. By the end of the day, it reads 268-269. Of course, there may be anywhere from five to 20 pounds of water that I'll lose in those figures, so that puts me between 250 and 255 pounds in contest shape. That's my biggest ever. Most of it's down south.  Quads are blown up and hamstrings are ridiculously round from the side- I told you I prioritized them!

Conditioning is better than it's ever been this far out, too. No water issues at all. My only concern is carving in details in the upper quads. As far as hams and glutes are concerned, my mind is playing a Chris Cormier on me.  See, Chris doesn't have to worry about upper quad detail because it'll be there.  In the same way, I don't have to sweat the ham-glute thing.

 

CLASSIC PREDICTIONS

As far as the field goes, I try to look at them objectively. I study their physiques from the judge's perspective. I pinpoint certain areas to see if they've got the drop on me. Then I go to work and try to be better, or at least comparable. A lot of people are pushing for Gustavo Badell, but this is the Arnold. I feel the judging will be fair.

 

BETTER RECOGNIZE

I've never competed this much in my life and the shows are all close together. As an amateur, I always wanted to do a show that was recognized.  You know, with all the top players in attendance. I could have done a lot of minor shows and gone home with a trophy, but why work so hard for something if the payoff's not gonna be huge? It would be purely an ego thing. I beat some dude who didn't work as hard as me- big deal!

At this stage of the game, I'm still brand new. I'm not considered the best. I'm competitive, but not in that inner circle. I'm striving for that level where I can make my mark and get on the map- where I'm on people's radar. They'll recognize my work ethic. They'll start to say, "Shit, Victor's in the show. He's gonna be tough." I want to be dangerous in any contest, just like Dexter. You know he's always gonna be in shape, unlike Chris Cormier, where anything's possible. You don't know what the hell's gonna happen with Chris from show to show.

 

COMMITMENT ISSUES

After the Arnold, I might do the New York pro show. The only problem with that is the timing. That show's in May. We'll have to see how my body's feeling. I won't commit unless I'm healthy. I would have done the San Francisco, but I'm not sure if my body can rebound. I have the momentum and drive to compete, but the body has to be right there with me. Health comes first.

 

VICTOR'S WAY

I've been thinking of changing my scenery. I've scoped out Arizona and Florida. The Sunshine State is cool, because no matter how much money you owe the government or whoever, they can't take away your house. A man's home is his castle and don't nobody mess with mine. Hahaha! Just playing. 

But still, New York is New York. I've been here since forever. I don't know, maybe it's because I haven't been social for such a long time. In a way, it's better for me. Like in "Carlito's Way," where Al Pacino says, "I don't invite this shit, it just comes to me."  Sometimes that black cloud just follows me, so it's best to stay where it can't find me.

My mindset is on the positive, stepping onstage at the Arnold Classic- and making a mark- is one step closer to leaving that black cloud for good.

            That's all for now. Take a peek at my new DVD. It's as hard as can be.  Go to MuscleTime.com and grab yourself a copy.