Day 23 - Cold Showers

You may think I'm crazy over this one. A lot of people do. Most people know me as someone who A) does a lot of needless research into things most people don't invest a lot of thought in, and B) sharing the results with people against their will. However, most of the knowledge I acquire and sharing I do is welcome, annoying, but welcome, because a lot of the times, the truth is intuitive. For example, when I dove into high-fat, low-carb living and the paleolithic diet, that makes sense, so people rolled their eyes when I taught them, but they listened.

This is another story. Everyone that I tell about this looks at me like I just lost the special olympics.

For the past several weeks, I've been taking frigidly cold showers.

I know, I know. I'm out of my mind. But just listen to what the studies have to say about it.

Cold showers (specifically cold water immersions, but who the fuck is going to just dunk themselves in cold water? showers make it millions of times easier) have been statistically proven to:

• improve the immune system (children in other counties, specifically Sweden and Siberia, that are exposed to the cold purposefully, usually by some ritual, are considerably more likely to pass healthily through cold or flu season without getting sick than a kid that did not participate)
• improves blood circulation (cold water immersions force your body to flow blood to the vital organs, which improves the circulation over time)
• improves thermogenesis (body heat production and temperature regulation improve considerably after using cold water immersions for a period of time)
• mood health (due to the large amount of temperature receptors in the skin, a cold water immersion sends a HUGE bunch of electrical impulses to the brain, which results in an anti-depressive effect)
• improve skin and hair (the cold water immersion shrinks pores in the skin, keeping it looking healthy and feeling smooth; it also doesn't dry out your hair the way hot water does; its been shown to make hair shinier as well)
• improve hormone balance (cold water baths correlate with high testosterone; you know how I feel about this)
• improve sexual health/fertility (those same hormones that improve keep your sexual bits functioning better; guys who take cold showers have a higher sperm count on average)
• improve energy levels (the many cold receptors in the skin all responding to the temperature change at once causes many of the body functions to move faster than normal, including heartbeat, which speeds you up a little bit)
• improves lymphatic movement (helps your body clean out your cells better)
• decreases inflammation (alleviates DOMS by constricting the veins throughout the body and removing toxins from the blood; this can lead to a superior pace of reparation of muscles and tendons after exercise)
• improve breathing (cold water immersions naturally open up the lungs to bring in more oxygen)
• improve sleep (the relaxed feeling after getting out of the cold shower, and also the improved thermogenesis cause a deeper and more restful sleep)
• improve stress tolerance (gives the body a higher tolerance for stress which over time leads to a strengthening of the body and hardening of the immune system)
• improves metabolism (here is the BIG ONE, speeds up the metabolism which directly improves fat burn and muscle production; HOOOAAAAH)
• also: reduces chronic pain and back aches, improves kidney function, regulates the nervous system AND helps fight fatigue.

That's quite a mouthful. If there was a pill that could do all of that, any person would take it. So why not cold showers then?

Because they're fucking cold.

Don't worry. You start to get used to it around the 3rd or 4th shower.

Also, just a sidenote, a quick cold shower a day will do no harm to you whatsoever, but some statistics show that prolonged exposure to cold water (several hours a day, like that's going to happen) will cause the body to store excess fat to warm itself, kind of like the same reason so many long distance runners have so little muscle and so much fat. But taking normal length showers (5-15 minutes a day) will not cause this to happen.

Source

Day 22 - Nootropics - N-Pept10

So, bro, when you're heading down the road to self-improvement, you occasionally head down to local iron temple and pray to the all-father, Brodin, and offer up to him a set of squats or deads in exchange for those holy gainz, the blessings he grants to you that manifest as increased muscle size, density and strength.

But for some people, myself included, muscle gainz are not enough. For us, our goals also include the coveted Brain Gainz.

There is an exciting field of drug and supplementation aimed at this very idea. Most of these supplements are referred to as "nootropics," latin for "brain bender."

There are a wide variety of nootropics available, and they can range from debatably legal stimulants, to simple herbs and vitamins that may or may not be in your diet already.

The biggest, and one of the most researched kind of nootropic, is a racetam. Piracetam, and the others in the family are chemicals derived from GABA that enhance neural and vascular brain functions. Studies demonstrate that using these drugs can alleviate symptoms of alzheimer's, dementia, depression and other diseases, as well as simply increasing memory ability, including storing and retrieving. Also, the drug is shown to cause permanent positive changes in the users, and has a cumulative effect. Racetams in particular have shown little to no negative side effects.

There are many other kinds of nootropics. Here is an extremely shortened list:

• vitamin B
• choline
• Omega-3
• vitamin D
• Biopterin
• L-DOPA
• amphetamines
• adrenergics
• nicotine
• caffeine
• rosemary
• sage
• serotonergics
• lemon balm
• kava
• theanine
• ginkgo biloba
• DHEA
• royal jelly
• noopept

That last one is an interesting one to take a look at. The russians have been playing with noopept for a while. Their studies indicated an effectiveness that exceeds 1000x that of piracetam, the most widely used nootropic in the world. It shows an increase in cognitive function, improved memory, and it is said to completely wipe out symptoms of anxiety, irritability and sleep disorders.

Guess which one I got?

Yep, I will be taking N-Pept10, a noopept that was recommended to me by Jamie Lewis. I have been taking it before my writing sessions every day, and I will continue to use them daily until I run out of them.

My writing has been incredibly productive lately. Only time will tell.

Day 21 - Week Three Progress

The lion's share of the brodyssey is behind me. The changes are starting to seem permanent. I am getting to the stage when these duties and responsibilities and commitments I have given myself are starting to feel like habits.

Good. That's exactly what I wanted.

I haven't yet had the same stew twice. I've had sweet ginger stews, and spicy chipotle stews, goat stews off the bone, and tender lamb and beef stews, I've had leftover stews where I have dumped the contents of my fridge in the stew pot, half cause I was hungry, and half because I needed to clean all that crap out.

My waist keeps getting visibly smaller. I am getting more and more comments and compliments on the trimness of my waist. I was even told my face looked the way it did when I was in college. (how flattering) I am getting quite a bit more attention, winks and smiles, as I go about my life. It may be the trimness of my waist, or the bolstering of my shoulders, maybe even healthier skin, but perhaps its just the vitality of being healthier and more satisfied with a day's work.

I haven't made any official measurements, but I highly suspect that I have fallen below 188 lbs. I am also finding that several of my larger medium-sized shirts don't fit over my shoulders/arms anymore. It's a good problem to have. I have not, however, developed any stretch marks as I did on Leo Costa's BBB. But the time is not up and more growth is to be made before the end.

I have begun to hunger to read. Reading just one book at a time hasn't been enough for me lately, I've been combing through a couple simultaneously. I'm still chewing my way through Hemingway's complete short stories, but I also picked up a few pieces of fiction similar in tone to the book I am trying to write.

Speaking of that, I, as I predicted, have experienced times of radical productivity, sometimes producing up to 5000 words a day on my story. I am very proud to watch it grow.

In general, I have found myself becoming change-oriented. I have started to look around in my life and determine what I can improve, how I can improve, what new habits I should be developing and what things I need to just let fall by the wayside. In a way, it puts a burden on me to keep moving forward, but the momentum is a positive force and the direction in which I move is beneficial to me.

Just recently, I had to turn down the offer of going on a nice trip with my family in order to continue with the brodyssey. It was a difficult decision to make, but I was able to make it. Many of my responsibilities would have become nearly impossible had I accepted. I can only hope my productive streak will continue through that time.

I am extremely thankful that I began this journey. It has led me to make a few changes and create some new habits that will last the rest of my life. Ambition is rampant. In fact, I may even have a few announcements on this blog toward the end of the upcoming week...

Day 20 - Anabeta Elite - Test Support

For anyone following along, you know why I'm doing this. Virility Labs, LLC believes in the power of the male hormone, testosterone. Our first and flagship product, for which we are raising funds to launch right now, is a sexuality-focused testosterone supportive supplement, and the best of its kind.

One of the reasons we know of the value of having high, healthy levels of testosterone is the experimentation that we did on our test levels for other purposes. We have tried dozens and dozens of testosterone boosting supplements (all legal) for a few years, searching for the best utilization for muscle growth.

On all of them (that actually work, do some basic research, the vast majority of the time, user reviews will sift the scams from the gems) there is a definite difference in the resting feeling and disposition you experience while on a testosterone supplement. There is a vigor, a power, an obnoxious healthy confidence that comes from higher test levels. This feeling, created by the increased amount of the male sex hormone, is a mood stabilization, which is one of the things that is directly caused by healthy testosterone.

You will notice a little bit more swagger in your step, your voice may sound a bit deeper, you may think a bit sharper, you will definitely be a bit hornier, you will be hungrier and will sleep more deeply, and your body will certainly respond more readily to diet and exercise. Testosterone keeps your body anabolic, building muscle and dissuading it from storing fat.

Of all of the testosterone-supporting supplements I've ever taken, the one that gave me the best experience, AND satisfied the mind most with excellent and thorough research is Anabeta Elite from P.E.S. (Physique Enhancing Science).

It has three primary functions. First of all, it is an anabolic agent, because of Anacyclus pyrethrum DC Extract, which keeps the body in a constant state of anabolism, a state of growth. Because of this, you will find yourself hungrier, more energetic, and craving lots of good sleep at night, because your body simply needs those things to keep up with the demand for growth the supplement is giving you.

Secondly, forskolin, a very pure form of that extract actually, is included to keep testosterone levels high constantly throughout use of the supplement and should combat most of the [modest] androgenic effects of the pill.

Lastly, 5-Adrosten-3ß,7ß-diol-17-one  is a blocker of the cortisol pathway. Cortisol is a naturally occurring hormone in the body, released during times of stress, that store fat and eat away at the body, a form of catabolism, or destruction. This ingredient, along with the whole, makes sure your body is only building muscle and not tearing it down.

It's very important that if you use this powerful testosterone supplement, (it's not as natural, cumulative, or long-term friendly as Virility Labs' Virility Vitamin) that you cycle off of it after a month of use. A great idea would be to take Anabeta Elite for a month, followed by a month of a natural product that causes the body to produce more testosterone than normal to combat the tiny t-crash you're sure to experience afterward.

However, with proper education and application, Anabeta Elite can be one of the best muscle-building supplements in the world, which is exactly why I made it part of the Brodyssey.

Day 19 - Mass Pro Synthagen - Optimal Muscular Recovery

Rob Regish over there, working with the Mass Pro guys (muscle and sports science), has put together something that he truly believes in.

When it comes to building muscle, there are several factors that needs to in proper place and order for all the processes to ignite. There needs to be stimulation, obviously, working out demonstrates a need for a change, that's why we push the limits of volume and weight load when we lift.

We also need proper hormonal support and all of the necessary building blocks of muscle so that when the process begins, it can function optimally.

However, for anyone that didn't go to school to study this stuff (anatomy & physiology, biology, sports science) like me, there isn't much of an option when it comes to making educated decisions about this stuff other than working out hard, and staying on top of your nutrition and diet. It all just confuses and mystifies in a garbled mess of numbers, symbols and latin words and abbreviations.

I did Rob's Blueprint a while back, and his book (The Blueprint 3.0) described the integral importance of intra-workout supplementation. He claimed in fact, that if you were to abandon all other forms of supplementation in the book, and only kept one, it NEEDS to be a peri-workout drink.

He put together this concoction, called "The Formula." I certainly don't want to give you the exact contents, as I don't want to dissuade you from buying the book and checking it out. It's quite extensive, and founded in legitimate scientific study. But "The Formula" was his ideal intra-workout supplement. As well as a few sources of amino acids, there were even some unexpected ingredients that Rob claimed to have shaken his knowledge of muscle science. It was new for me also, and I tried it and really enjoyed it.

However, as time went on, being the inquisitive and perfection-seeking weirdo that I am, I reached out to Rob for some guidance when it came to specifics and modifications. I talked to him about his "Formula," and how I could optimize it for the best with my lifestyle. He told me something both frustrating and exciting. He said that, unfortunately, even though his "Formula" was incredible at doing what it was purported to do, he and the guys over at Mass Pro found something even better.

They had put together a supplement that did everything that the "Formula" did, as well as being the best restorative product on the market. I did some study on it, and found that it has been shown to help lifters recover so quickly from their workouts that they could squeeze extra lifts in. I jumped all over it, and ordered a twin pack.

It contains the complete ProtoGeneX Amino Acid Matrix, giving the muscles all of the necessary fuel to rebuild, as well as a gamut of further power-packed ingredients. More information on the exact contents, uses, and reviews, check here.

After a six-week cycle of Mass Pro Synthagen, I found it to be far superior in promoting muscular recovery and preparing me for my next workout than just a simple whey protein shake. (Still take those, please.)

When I started the brodyssey, to give myself the best chance of succeeding using my program and diet, I knew I had to get the best recovery formula I've tried so far.

Only the results will tell.

Day 18 - ECDYsterone

Ecdysterone is a testosterone-like substance found in plants and some water-dwelling animals. It is used mostly to ensure proper nutrient distribution of the plant, and is the source of energy insects receive when they eat plants.

This is an extremely polarizing supplement. On the one hand, there are many websites and sources (including some very reputable ones) that say that the product has no effect on humans whatsoever. They say that there have been no clinical studies that determine its efficacy as a muscle-builder, which is true, however, it hasn't been tested on humans yet, so its hard to say, just based on that assumption, that it doesn't work.

The other group is equally as vehement. There are many users (unaffiliated with a distributor) that claim to have received incredible results from taking the product. Granted, there isn't an exact dosage guide, and there have been multiple sources giving different recommendations. Even some of the biggest critics of the supplement claim that there is an "effective dose" but that it would be hundreds of milligrams a day.

I can weigh in on this, as I have tried the product before, in Mass Pro's Kre-Anabolyn. After four weeks, I found an increased rate of muscle production than the four weeks prior, all being equal with program intensity and diet. It was enough of a noticeable difference to include the product permanently in my supplementation. I did play with the dosage a bit.

Robert Regish's groundbreaking program, The Blueprint, has a strong foundation on the use of Ecdysterone, though says its not the single MOST important supplement. Rob is a big proponent of intra-workout supplementation, karbolyn or the like, which is a whole nother divisive topic for a whole nother day.

On his program, he had my multiply my usual daily dose of Kre-Anabolyn by a factor of 3, and although I did experience positive results from the program, I can't definitively say that the increased dosage resulted in an increased effectiveness.

Therefore, for the brodyssey, I am multiplying my original dosage by a much more manageable 1.5, and spreading it evenly throughout the day.

Here are the purported benefits over time for a four-week trial of Kre-Anabolyn, that I personally did experience on my first cycle with the product.

Within the first 3 days
-deeper sleep
-noticeable increase in VO2 max
-increased thirst

Within the first 2 weeks
-noticeable decrease in DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)
-improved intra-set recovery
-improved inter-workout recovery
-ability to move more total tonnage per unit of time

After week 3 and beyond
-profound decrease in DOMS
-big improvement in intra-set recovery, by as much as 30 seconds with the ability to move the same weight/reps
-ability to squeeze at least one extra workout in per week due to improved recovery
-visible increase in lean body mass
-visible leaning effect

Not only did I notice all of these improvements, but I noticed a radical decrease in my recovery time my first week off the supplement.

You may also notice your nails and hair growing faster.

My personal experience: a great product that can deliver what it promises providing that you experiment with it enough to find your own unique dosage requirements based on your activity level and tolerance.

Day 17 - On Supplementation

The efficacy of supplementation when it comes to body composition change (building muscle or burning fat) is challenged and debated from every group in the world. For every supplementary additive, there is a group that believes its the best thing since sliced bread and another that believes it is an absolute waste of money and effort.

Of the very, very few for which there is unanimous agreement that it actually improves body composition, most of those are illegal and have debilitating side effects, but work they do, and they work very well.

For someone using anabolic steroids, or human growth hormone, or a myostatin inhibitor, their muscle growth rate is faster AT REST (ie, not working out at all) than the most extreme athlete performing the most extreme body-ripping exercise.   These supplements come at a cost. Their effectiveness must be balanced by their risk. Anabolic steroids can be dangerously androgenic. This means that the introduced hormonal testosterone will cause the male hormone producing glands (the testes) to atrophy since the body no longer needs to produce its own, leading to, among other things, shrinking testicles, hair loss, mammary development, mood swings, severe acne, etc.

Steroids, along with HGH and MI, can also cause muscle growth to outpace the growth of the connective tissue and bone density, increasing the chances of serious injury or death.

Injecting anything at home comes with a high risk of infection, hemorrhage or internal rot.

MI aren't even finished with human trials, so we have no idea what other horrible side-effects they may have.

There are a few good things that we are mostly positive provide us with beneficial advantages to composition change that don't kill us or cause us to go to jail.

For one, we are relatively certain that eating high quantities of protein lends the building blocks necessary for muscle growth, they also take more effort to digest which burns calories. Even so, there is still a lot of debate about how much protein is necessary if any at all. Some claim that there is no upper limit to what can be processed and lifters should eat hundreds of grams a day. Some claim that the body can only process up to 40g per sitting (a tad more during the anabolic window - the 15-45 minutes following a resistance workout in which nutrition is crucial). And others still, claim that the body only needs 50-100g per day. (I think this group has their heads up their asses.)

The general consensus is that high-quality animal protein (whey, egg, casein) supplemented all day, particularly during the anabolic window, will lead to improved muscle development and fat loss. Studies show less development with rice or soy protein. (Never eat soy anyway, unless you are of east asian descent and have developed an immunity. Seriously, it does all the nasty hormonal things to your body that steroids do, just without any muscle growth or man rage.)

Another, creatine monohydrate, a substance found primarily in beef, is found to speed up the absorption of liquid into the muscles after training, and has been found to provide cumulative benefits. The debate on this substance is if supplementation is required, since it is part of most people's diet anyway. Most serious lifters make a habit of cycling creatine.

A particularly recent addition to this group is fatty acids, particularly omega-3. It's benefits to the endocrine system and hormonal health are said to increase and stabilize muscle production.

One of the newest would be Vitamin D. Conclusions are reserved for further study.

For the next few posts, I will be highlighting other, less widely used/known supplements that I am sampling on the brodyssey. I will share the science behind it, the purported benefit, and my experience so far.