Chocolate - Parrillo Performance

Chocolate syrup on a strict diet? That’s right! 

Chocolate 

HIGH FIBER 

Just add 

water! 

Mix 

• Only 20 Calories 

• 0g Fat and Sugar 

• 12g of Prebiotic Fiber 

Yes, you can have Chocolate 

Syrup even if you’re on a 

strict diet! With Parrillo’s High 

Fiber Chocolate Syrup Mix, you 

won’t blow your diet because one 

serving is only 20 Calories, has no 

fat or sugar, plus you’ll be getting 

12g of prebiotic fiber. It’s delicious 

on Parrillo Ice Kreem, Cakes, 

and Brownies! For an extra special 

treat, how about this: a Contest 

Brownie or slice of Hi-Protein 

Cake, topped with a scoop of Parrillo 

Protein Ice Kreem and drizzled 

with Chocolate Syrup! Now 

that’s the way to diet. 

To order, call Parrillo at 1-800-344-3404 

Order online at www.parrillo.com

Julie 

Michaelson 

Single mother of four becomes gym owner; 

shows other moms how to ‘fit fitness in.’ 

Photos by Mark Mason 

In this day and age, adversity 

lurks around every corner. Julie 

Michaelson found herself a 

jobless single mother of four young 

children and in a classic example 

of turning lemons into lemonade, 

this female dynamo was able to 

turn her love of fitness and training 

into owning and operating a successful 

gym business. It was one 

amazing rollercoaster ride for this 

37 year old mom. Julie related her 

tale of overcoming the odds, “I gave 

birth to twin girls in 2006 and I was 

pretty sure that I was doomed to 

having a ‘mom body.’ I refused to 

accept this without a fight and was 

determined to not live life in a state 

of eternal fatness. When my girls 

were two months old I was able to 

resume working out. I would hit the 

gym every morning with my twins 

and my two year old son in tow. I 

would bang out 30 to 45 minutes of 

cardio, determined to gain back my 

previously lean body.” Julie fought 

hard to regain her health and vitality 

with her gym efforts, limited 

as they were. “In 2007 I met a new 

friend at the gym and we started 

training together. With my girls being 

a little bit older, I now found I 

had time to perform cardio and lift 

weights, all in the same workout. 

Training with a partner allowed me 

to lift heavier than I would have 

dared to on my own.” By early 2008 

Julie had lost all of her pregnancy 

weight – and then some. “I was 

looking and feeling great. People 

around the gym started asking me 

if I planned on competing in a figure 

or bikini competition. I hadn’t 

really considered competing, but 

with this unsolicited praise, the idea 

of competing was planted in my 

mind; for the first time ever I actually 

began entertaining the idea of 

entering a competition.” 

Julie had always loved setting goals 

and then setting out to achieve 

those goals. “I love a challenge and 

I am a competitor. This idea that I 

might compete as a figure or bikini 

competitor began fueling my motivation. 

Having this idea of stepping 

onstage in the back of my mind 

automatically took my workout intensity 

and attention to diet to the 

next level.” Unfortunately Julie’s 

Julie Michaelson with a group of her training clients at 

her facility in Seattle, Washington 

May 2012 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / May 2012

JOHN PARRILLO’S PERFORMANCE PRESS 

Julie Michaelson 

“Having this idea of stepping onstage in the back of my mind automatically 

took my workout intensity and attention to diet to the next level.” 

marriage was unraveling. Training 

intensely (with a secret desire to 

compete) created a welcome distraction 

during times of emotional 

turmoil. Julie, at the urging of her 

training partners and gym members, 

decided to pick a competition 

and then set about prepping for it. 

On October 4, 2008 she stepped onstage 

at the Washington Ironman as 

a figure competitor. “I placed 7 th out 

of 15 and felt good about that: this 

was a good showing in a big show 

for a skinny girl (like me) with no 

real muscle to speak of.” She discovered 

that she loved being onstage. 

“I loved the competition; I loved the 

nervousness of backstage preparation; 

I loved walking onstage in 

front of an audience. As soon as the 

Ironman was over I wanted to do it 

again.” And so she did. Two weeks 

later she competed in her second 

competition and secured 5 th place. 

“After the exhilaration of competing 

in two back-to-back shows, I 

became depressed. The distraction 

of my focused training evaporated.” 

Julie fell off the diet wagon and added 

fifteen pounds of fat faster than 

you can say “ice cream sundae.” It 

was around this time she met a new 

bodybuilder friend: Jon Blodgett 

introduced her to Parrillo products 

and philosophies. 

“Jon is a Certified Personal Trainer 

and Certified Strength and Conditioning 

Specialist and offered to 

become my training partner. I felt 

like I had hit the jackpot! I was revitalized 

and renewed.” Jon created 

for Julie a Parrillo-style nutritional 

game plan and taught her the nuances 

of Parrillo-style hardcore 

training. He showed her the intense 

cardio that is a Parrillo hallmark 

and Jon introduced Julie to Pacific 

Northwest bodybuilding legend and 

multi-time Parrillo Performance 

cover man, David “Dr. Buff” Patterson. 

“David is a real bodybuilding 

guru. He coached me through three 

competitions in 2009. Dave taught 

me; he was a fountain of bodybuilding 

knowledge and I was a sponge. 

I soaked up every word he said; I 

devoured every email he sent; I became 

his best student.” Julie filed 

for divorce in 2009 and simultaneously 

embarked on a new career. “I 

took the plunge and became a personal 

trainer. It was a rough time for 

me. I was a newly single mother of 

four young children trying to navigate 

my way through the turmoil 

of divorce. I was trying to move 

my life forward for myself and my 

children.” She redoubled her training 

efforts; she redoubled her career 

efforts as a personal trainer; she redoubled 

her motherly efforts and became 

a concentrated ball of energy. 

Julie arose at 4 am every morning 

and went all out until she collapsed 

in the evening after her last child 

was put to bed. She stepped up and 

Photo by Mark Mason 

Julie created a bootcamp for new 

mothers looking to stay fit: “I showed 

them that they could achieve the body 

of their dreams after having children. I 

taught mothers with young children all 

about proper Parrillo-style nutrition 

designed to build the metabolism.” 

Julie with her team at the Gladiator Rock’n Run , 

a challenging obstacle course race 

took on more and more and more. 

“I competed in the 2010 Vancouver 

Natural and Emerald Cup and 

I placed last in both competitions. 

I was devastated: I was shattered 

mentally, physically and emotionally. 

I made the mistake of using 

prescription diuretics in a last ditch 

desperate attempt to appear stageready. 

I had taken on too much in 

too many areas.” 

Her sincere efforts to push through 

on all fronts, in spite of and despite 

her situation, proved to be too 

much. “After the disastrous competition, 

I went on a binge and gained 

thirty five pounds of bodyweight in 

fourteen days. This sent me into a 

physical and emotional tailspin. I 

actually developed some medical 

complications as a result of my extreme 

behavior.” Ballooned up and 

miserable, Julie’s body was fighting 

her every effort to regain equilibrium. 

“Despite my desperate attempts 

to shed excess weight, my body was 

fighting me. I couldn’t drop bodyweight 

no matter what method I 

tried. Finally I decided to give in. 

I decided to stop all my frantic efforts 

and give myself 

a break and not worry 

about it. I stopped 

training; I ate clean 

and I rested my body 

completely. I gave 

my mental state a 

break. I had all these 

plans and aspirations 

to compete that fall; 

however my body 

was so burnt out and 

so over-trained that I 

finally decided to put 

off competing and focus 

on other things.” 

Like making a living; 

Julie found she was an excellent 

personal trainer. Her ultimate 

dream was to open a gym in Seattle. 

“In November of 2010 a business 

opportunity presented itself and I 

started thinking that maybe NOW 

was the time to open a gym. I put 

together a business plan, assembled 

an advisory board and launched 

my new gym business. By the end 

of December 2010 I had the gym 

equipment on order. On February 1 st 

2011 we opened for business.” Julie 

Michaelson was the proud owner of 

a new fitness facility. 

“I launched ‘MILF’ a fitness takeoff 

on the lewd acronym. Mothers 

in Love with Fitness started off as 

a boot camp program for moms. I 

decided to focus on teaching young 

mothers; I showed them that they 

could achieve the body of their 

dreams after having children. I 

taught mothers with young children 

all about proper Parrillo-style nutrition 

designed to build the metabolism. 

The biggest misconception 

amongst women is that they need 

“The biggest misconception amongst women is that they need to starve in 

order to lose body fat. I taught them the need to combine multiple-meal 

eating with lifting weights and performing serious cardio.” 



Julie Michaelson 

Julie backstage with her competition coach 

David Patterson: “David is a real bodybuilding 

guru. He coached me through three 

competitions in 2009. Dave taught me; 

he was a fountain of bodybuilding 

knowledge and I was a sponge.” 

to starve in order to lose body fat. 

I taught them the need to combine 

multiple-meal eating with lifting 

weights and performing serious 

cardio. Another huge misconception 

among women is that weight 

training makes them big and bulky 

– as if it was that easy – as if you 

could take a few sporadic weight 

workouts, here and there, and suddenly 

develop these 

huge manly muscles 

– yet this muscle 

myth is prevalent.” 

Julie found a huge 

untapped audience 

for her MILF approach. 

“I had built 

my MILF boot camp 

program up to where 

it had huge participation; 

its popularity 

transferred over to 

my new fitness facility. 

My gym specializes in training 

women, especially mothers. 

It gives me immense satisfaction 

to watch my female clients lifting 

hard and heavy, training intensely, 

eating right and making gains. I 

love watching them eat their Parrillo 

bars on the way out of my gym 

after a result-producing workout. I 

teach the benefits of proper Parrillo 

nutrition, combined with serious 

strength training and intense cardio; 

I show them this triple combination 

is rewarding and productive.” Quite 

naturally during the critical time 

when she was launching her new 

facility, Julie put her competitive 

career on hold. She concentrated 

all her energies on building her new 

business and single parenting four 

kids. Once things leveled off and 

Julie developed and adapted to the 

demands of the new business, once 

she established a nice pattern and 

rhythm to her new life, she felt she 

needed to trim up. “I got the urge to 

compete.” 

She had added a lot of bodyweight 

and now that a new normalcy had 

been established, she felt good 

about her transition. Julie thought 

the time was right to trim down and 

tone up: factually a leaner, fitter, 

more muscular Julie Michaelson 

would be good for business. Fourteen 

weeks prior to the 2011 Washington 

Ironman competition, Julie 

decided to enter; she set out to lose 

thirty pounds of fat while simultaneously 

adding muscle. “I decided 

the best way to trim down was compete: 

I would devote myself totally 

to contest preparation for the next 

three months.” She invoked her old 

discipline and never missed a cardio 

session, never missed a weight 

training session, never missed a 

meal and never once cheated on her 

diet. “Everything I did was spot-on. 

My desire to mount a comeback was 

so strong that my discipline seemed 

effortless.” In a fit of inspiration Julie 

decided that she could meld her 

own preparation with a parallel program 

for her MILF clients. “I decided 

to take my gym members along 

with me on my journey. I launched 

the “Be Your Best Self” challenge 

and the challenge was very successful; 

clients would strive for their 

physical goals as I strove for mine. 

We would keep each other on track 

and inspired.” Her routine was grueling. 

“I would arrive at my gym at 

4 am and perform an hour of cardio. 

I would then head home and 

get my four kids ready for the day. 

After work I would get my children 

settled in and head back to the 

gym to lift weights and perform a 

second cardio session. I was making 

terrific progress and I was really 

focused on my goal. My visible 

progress inspired clients involved in 

the Be Your Best Self challenge. It 

was a win/win situation all the way 

around.” 

On September 24, 2011 Julie stepped 

on stage for her eighth figure competition. 

“I placed 2 nd in my figure 

“I feel that I am living proof that you 

can do anything if you want it badly enough.” 


class and 4 th in the bikini class. I 

trained specifically for figure so I 

was ecstatic! This was, by far, the 

best I have ever looked in my entire 

life. After the competition, I was so 

hungry for more that I decided to 

do another competition three weeks 

later. I tightened up my diet and performed 

cardio for two hours every 

day to see if I could come in even 

leaner. I did just that and placed 2 nd 

in figure and 4 th in bikini; more importantly, 

I looked significantly better 

in the second show than I did in 

the first.” Determined not to repeat 

mistakes of the past, Julie backed 

off her contest preparation in a slow 

and sustained way, so as to avoid 

any harsh rebounding. “I am happy 

to say that by keeping my diet clean, 

by keeping my CapTri ® intake high, 

by sticking with my morning cardio 

routine, I have gained a mere 

five pounds in the six weeks that 

followed the dual competitions. I 

am planning to hold this look until 

I gear up for the 30 th Anniversary 

of the Emerald Cup in April of 

2012.” Julie is in hot pursuit of the 

coveted Gold Tiara given to Emerald 

Cup female class winners. She 

feels her example is a good one for 

other mothers. “I feel that I am living 

proof that you can do anything 

if you want it badly enough. Are 

you willing to put in the work? The 

excuses I hear, ‘I don’t have time for 

fitness’ or ‘I don’t have time to eat 

right’ are meaningless. You can do 

it. If I can make the time, anyone 

can make the time. If you have the 

burning desire you can transform 

yourself from fat to fit!” 

Training Split 

Sunday Deltoids 

Monday Legs 

Tuesday Back 

Wednesday Chest 

Thursday Deltoids & Legs 

Friday Arms 

Saturday off 

Julie's 

Daily Meal Schedule 

Meal 1 (pre-cardio): Parrillo Optimized 

Whey Protein shake 

Meal 2: Oatmeal, egg whites, zucchini 

Meal 3: Oatmeal, egg whites, zucchini 

Meal 4: Chicken, vegetables, oatmeal 

Meal 5: Chicken or tilapia fish, vegetables 

Meal 6: Ground turkey or salmon, 

vegetables 

Meal 7: Parrillo Hi-Protein shake 

“I supplement with 4 to 6 tablespoons of CapTri ® 

each and every day. I will increase my CapTri ® intake 

as I deplete carbohydrates as a contest draws near. I 

snack on Parrillo Contest Cookies and Parrillo Chew 

Bars between meals if needed.” 


“Are you willing to put in the work? 

The excuses I hear, ‘I don’t have time 

for fitness’ or ‘I don’t have time to eat 

right’ are meaningless. You can do it.” 



I 

had been invited by the 

Boston University Bodybuilding 

and Fitness Club 

to be part of a ‘Superstar 

Seminar’ they were organizing. 

You may know that 

B.U, as locals call it, 

is a very prestigious 

and highly respected 

center of higher 

learning. I like to 

casually mention 

that my wife attended. 

It’s true that 

she quit after her 

first semester, but 

technically she did 

go there. 

These enthusiastic 

kids had gathered 

together myself and 

three IFBB Pro’s. 

First was Jose ‘The 

Boston Mass’ Raymond, 

who had 

moved to Maryland 

six months before 

but stubbornly 

retained his cool 

nickname. Next was 

IFBB and WNBF 

Pro Greg Rando, 

who didn’t take up 

bodybuilding until 

losing his eyesight 

to a rare genetic disease as a teenager. 

Last was Lori Steele, another 

IFBB Pro and also a champion 

powerlifter. Unlike me, she 

doesn’t mind being asked “how 

“Back training isn’t quite as 

glamorous as bench pressing.” 

much ya bench?” In her case, it’s 

a lot. I was the only one up there 

who was not a professional bodybuilder, 

but luckily nobody seemed 

too upset or wanted their money 

back. The fact that 

I’ve been training 

for 28 years and 

have published 

about 5,000 articles 

makes up for my 

lack of a laminated 

card which would 

represent my status 

as a Pro. 

A BODYBUILDER IS BORN: Generations 

After we each introduced 

ourselves 

and briefly gave 

our spiel about how 

we got into bodybuilding 

and what 

it’s done for us, 

we opened up the 

floor for questions. 

Most of them were 

about nutrition, as 

it seems to be the 

most confusing 

aspect for the majority 

of aspiring 

bodybuilders. A 

good half the audience 

appeared to be 

appalled at the fact 

that we ate on average 

every two to two and a half 

hours. I’ve often found that to be 

the most difficult part of being a 

bodybuilder for most people to - 

sorry, I had to say this - swallow. 

Afterward, one of the older attendees 

came up to tell 

Jose how surprised he 

was that we were all 

so intelligent. I’m sure 

he meant well, but talk 

about a back-handed 

compliment! This is 

not so different from 

remarking about how 

an African-American 

is “well spoken,” the 

assumption being that 

most aren’t (not that 

I would ever suggest 

that bodybuilders face 

1/1000 the amount of 

prejudice on the whole 

in the USA). Most 

bodybuilders I know 

are actually quite well 

educated, at least on 

all matters related to 

training, nutrition, and 

supplementation. Just 

as I was starting to 

think that the general 

public was gradually 

beginning to see this, 

Planet Fitness came 

out with its infamous 

“I lift things up and 

put things down” commercial 

portraying us as brainless 

buffoons and setting our public 

image back two decades. Nice 

going, a-holes at Planet Fitness 

corporate. 

Anyway, we were all supposed 

to man different stations to show 

the kids proper form on the bench 

press, deadlift, squat, and barbell 

row. I was the first to make my 

way over, and soon found myself 

face to face with a couple dozen 

sponges ready to soak up some 

“But a great back sets 

you apart.” 

wisdom - so I took the chance 

while I had the floor. 

“How many of you guys want to 

get really big?” All hands shot 

upward. “Do you know the real 

secret to being bigger than the 

millions of average gym rats out 

there?” They looked nervously 

at each other, thinking the correct 

response involved plunging 

syringes full of oil into their ass 

cheeks. 

“Legs and back!” I announced. “I 

can throw a rock into 

any gym or night club 

and hit a few guys 

with decent chests 

and arms.” This has 

become one of my 

catchphrase analogies 

to describe things that 

are common. For instance, 

I believe you 

could throw a rock on 

to any beach in Brazil 

and hit a dozen women 

with perfect bodies. I 

would not in actuality 

throw a rock into 

any crowd of people, 

as someone might get 

hurt. 

“How many of those 

guys have big backs 

and legs?” No one 

answered, which was 

fine as it was essentially 

a rhetorical question. 

“Usually none,” I 

informed them. “Most 

guys just want some 

muscle to show if in 

a tight T-shirt from 

the front. They don’t 

think about their backs much, because 

they can’t see it unless they 

live in one of those mirror mazes 

like Bruce Lee was in at the end of 

Enter the Dragon.” Some people’s 

eyes showed they got the reference. 

“And as for legs, if they train 

10 May 2012 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / May 2012 

11


them they don’t do it right.” Even 

though I was supposed to demonstrate 

barbell rows, I took the bar 

from waist level and set it higher 

to do a squat. “You’ll see 

guys load up the bar with 

three or four plates and do 

this.” I took the bar off the 

rack and showed them the 

wimpy little half reps that 

I despise. 

“They have chicken legs, 

and fail to see the connection,” 

I explained. “Meanwhile, 

I rarely go any 

heavier than 365, but this is 

how I do my squats.” I proceeded 

to do a few ass-tograss 

reps and racked the 

bar. “I’m known for my big 

quads when I compete, by 

the way. They got that way 

because I used a full range 

of motion and did a good 

mix of high and low reps 

over the years. Squats are 

essential for big legs, but 

you need to do them right. 

You might hear that they 

wreck your knees, but I’ve 

been doing them longer 

than any of you have been 

alive and my knees are just 

fine.” Next, I set the bar 

back down. 

“Along with deadlifts, barbell 

rows are the best exercise to beef 

up your lats,” I began. “Yet I don’t 

see many guys doing them. Instead, 

what passes for their back 

workout usually consists of a couple 

sets of lat pulldowns followed 

by a couple sets of seated cable 

rows. Better than nothing, but still 

terribly inadequate. When was the 

last time anyone asked you how 

much you could barbell row?” Not 

“And as for great legs - 

they can win even the 

biggest of shows!” 

one hand went up. “Right. Back 

training is just something most 

guys don’t think about too much, 

which is why a lot of them look 

pretty buff from the front, but like 

they hardly work out when they 

turn around.” 

I showed proper form on the barbell 

row and then had each of them 

try it, correcting their technique 

until they did it right. The other 

three panelists were making their 

way over, so I had to wrap this 

up. “Let me put it to you 

this way. If your goal is to 

add, say twenty pounds of 

muscle mass, you’ll reach 

that goal in one quarter the 

time if you focus on training 

your backs and legs 

hard. And when you have 

those developed along with 

the chest, shoulders, and 

arms, you will stand out 

from just about everyone 

else who weight trains. You 

will look like a bodybuilder, 

while they will look like 

what they really are - people 

who mess around with 

weights and ignore more 

than half the muscle groups 

on their bodies.” 

I had a feeling I had reached 

at least some of them, and 

that was good enough. 

Ron 

Harris 

is the 

author of 

Real Bodybuilding, 

available at 

www.ronharrismuscle.com 

12 May 2012 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com 

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4 5 7:00 6 

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Is there a difference? The Parrillo repetition strategy revealed 

We hear a lot of talk in the 

bodybuilding and fitness 

world about how different 

repetitions impact muscle tissues 

in different ways. Different experts 

will champion a certain rep 

range while being completely dismissive 

of other rep ranges: some 

experts swear that low rep sets are 

optimal for building size; other 

experts say that high reps are required 

to construct the ultimate 

physique. What are the physiological 

differences involved 

in doing an identical exercise 

using different reps? How does 

a set of three reps differ, in terms 

of results, from a six rep set, or 

a twelve rep set, or a twenty rep 

set? How about an ultra high 50 

rep or 100 rep set, do these high 

rep sets have a place in modern 

bodybuilding? Is there one rep 

range that trumps all the others? 

There are many legitimate questions 

surrounding the strategy and 

science behind reps selection and 

it is our intent to share with you 

the Parrillo perspective. When 

it comes to strategizing about 

rep ranges, what rep range is favored 

by the Parrillo stable of elite 

bodybuilders? 

Different 

Rep Ranges 

Parrillo repetition philosophy: 

John Parrillo, per usual, approaches 

the “problem” of repetitions from 

an entirely different and unusual 

direction. John related, “Rather 

than get into an endless, meaningless 

debate about how differing rep 

ranges provide differing muscular 

effects – why not just cede the 

fact that high reps have a different 

physiological impact than low reps 

and sidestep the whole ‘which is 

better’ issue by including all rep 

ranges in every session. That way, 

all the rep bases are covered and 

we don’t have to waste valuable 

time championing one rep range 

while damning another – all based 

By Duke Nukem 

on our own preferences, biases and 

prejudices. Those that like to use 

high reps can find an ‘expert’ that 

will back up the contention that 

high reps are great and low reps 

are dangerous. Those that naturally 

prefer low-rep power training can 

find an army of experts to back up 

their contention that high-reps suck 

and low reps are the only way to 

fly. I say, why not agree to the fact 

that differing rep ranges indeed do 

have differing effects and rather 

than pick one and exclude the 

other – based on your preferred 

expert and inclination – why not 

say, because these differing rep 

ranges have differing effects – let’s 

include them all!’” 

The Parrillo Perfect Set: Let’s pretend 

it is shoulder and upper back 

day and you are performing a series 

of classical push/pull exercises 

that will decimate the three heads 

of the deltoid (front, side and rear) 

while simultaneously decimating 

the upper and lower lats. Here is 

the training split for one particular 

training session complete with hypothetical 

poundage… 

What’s going on here? The idea is 

Standing barbell press off racks (actual reps and weights) 

Six sets: 135x12, 165x8, 185x5, 205x3, 225x1 then 155 pounds to failure (28 reps) 

Alternate with… 

Lat pull-down to the front 

Six sets: 170x12, 200x8, 230x5, 250x3, 280x1 then 170 to failure: 32 reps 

In between each and every set perform Parrillo fascia stretching; 

Shoulders: use the skin-the-cat stretch 

Upper lats: use the “leaning back single arm lat stretch.” Hold stretches for 

10 seconds. 

After lifting set and fascia stretch, flex the muscle hard and long repeatedly. 

Second super-set 

Front, side and rear lateral raises: six sets total 

Front raise; two 25 pound dumbbells to failure then 35 pound dumbbells to 

failure 

Seated side laterals; 30 pound dumbbells to failure; 35 pound dumbbell to failure 

Bent-over lateral raise: 25 pound dumbbells to failure; 30 pound dumbbells to 

failure 

Super-set with… 

Narrow-grip pull-down using the V handle: 

six sets; 180x12, 210x10, 250x5, 270x3, 300x1 then 200 to failure (29 reps) 

In between each and every set: Parrillo fascia stretching; 

Front delts, use the doorway stretch; side delts, crossover stretch; rear delts, 

side-stretch 

Upper lats: chin bar hang for time using straps – hold stretches for 10 seconds. 

After weight set and fascia stretch, flex the muscle hard repeatedly. Flex until 

cramping. 

to show you how a typical Parrillo 

trainee would fill a shoulder/upper 

lat workout using fascia stretching 

and flexing in the patented Parrillo 

Three-phase set (pump/stretch/ 

flex) and how the typical Parrillo 

trainee would handle the issue of 

repetitions. A careful reading of the 

above hypothetical workout would 

reveal that all repetition bases are 

covered: in the major exercises, the 

barbell front press and the heavy 

lat pull-downs, the bodybuilder 

“pyramids up” (uses ever decreasing 

reps on subsequent sets) to a 

single low rep set before slashing 

the poundage and performing a 

high rep set to failure. This strategy 

ensures that all the ‘rep bases’ are 

covered: low rep power sets build 

the deep muscle fiber that high rep 

training (the exclusive rep diet of 

Different Rep Ranges 

90% of all bodybuilders) 

never stimulate; 

the high rep set done to 

conclude exercises totally 

exhausts a muscle 

while engorging that 

muscle with blood. The 

Parrillo fascia stretching 

done between sets 

‘resets’ muscles and, in 

addition to loosening 

fascia – enabling easier 

muscle expansion 

– spurs and accelerates 

recovery between sets. 

The intense flexion of a 

muscle after it has been 

pumped and stretched, 

forces muscle to push 

outward against the 

newly loosened fascia. 

Keep in mind this approach 

works on every 

body part. 

Nutrition: In Parrillo 

World, all roads lead 

to nutrition. Any trainee 

gutsy enough to use 

the Parrillo methodology, 

the low rep/high 

rep approach combined 

with the Parrillo 

three phase (pump, 

stretch, flex) set, needs 

to “underpin” this intense 

training with perfect nutrition. 

As John always points out, 

“Good nutrition amplifies workout 

results and bad nutrition negates 

workout results.” While we are 

NOT going to relate the entire Parrillo 

nutritional strategy in this article 

(purchase the Parrillo Nutrition 

Manual for the overview) we 

do want to take a minute to discuss 


15


what you need to do immediately 

before an intense training session 

and immediately after an intense 

training session: take a few key 

Parrillo supplements before and 

after a workout and increase the 

results from that workout. 

• Twenty to thirty minutes 

before training: take 3-6 

Muscle Amino Formula 

capsules, 2-3 Enhanced 

GH Formula capsules and 

5-8 Max Endurance Formula 

capsules. MAF contains 

branch-chain amino 

acids and prevent ‘muscle 

wasting’ from occurring. 

Intense weight training 

breaks down muscle tissue; 

by loading up on BCAAs 

before a training session, 

the bodybuilder ups 

the amino acid content of 

muscles and helps reduce 

tissue breakdown. We load 

up on what muscles need 

to recover and grow ahead 

of time – like storing extra 

groceries before a monster 

snowstorm hits your neighborhood. 

• Immediately after a workout: 

take 1-3 servings of Parrillo 50/50 

Plus . This amazing supplement 

was specifically designed to provide 

shattered muscles what they 

need to heal and grow. Science has 

shown that by ingesting a 50/50 

blend of protein and slow-release 

carbohydrate, muscles begin the 

healing and growth cycle immediately. 

The worst thing the athlete 

can do is train intensely and then 

starve a decimated muscle. Drink 

a delicious 50/50 Plus shake 

Photo by Rafael Tongol 

during the workout and avoid 

end-of-workout energy drops. 

Don’t be afraid of low rep sets: It’s fun and enjoyable 

to use high rep sets and pump and pump a muscle; 

unfortunately this approach results in a weak physique 

that lacks mind-blowing size and thick muscle density 

• The Parrillo Iron Elite will take a 

second handful of Muscle Amino 

capsules with their 50/50 Plus 

shake after the intense weight 

workout concludes as a ‘muscle insurance 

policy.’ A really shattering 

training session (the only workout 

that forces muscles to grow) is a 

traumatic event; nutrients are the 

key to growing more muscle and 

since muscles are made of amino 

acids, the elite take MA capsules 

before and after the workout. 

Supplements, taken in copious 

amounts using precise timing produces 

results superior to the identical 

workout taken without the 

supplements! 

Scared of low rep sets? Bodybuilders 

generally love medium 

to high rep sets and avoid low 

rep sets, laboring under the false 

premise that low rep sets are ‘dangerous’ 

and ‘risky’ and ‘potentially 

injurious.’ Because of this 

ill-founded prejudice against low 

rep sets, most bodybuilders lack 

the pure size and muscle thickness 

that comes from handling heavy 

poundage. It is fun and 

enjoyable to use high rep 

sets and pump and pump 

and pump a muscle; unfortunately 

this approach 

results in a weak physique 

that lacks the mind-blowing 

size and thick muscle 

density needed to win 

physique competitions in 

this day and age. Come to 

grips with low rep sets. 

• One trick used by Parrillo 

bodybuilders is to 

use a full range-of-motion 

(ROM) in all exercises: 

a long rep stroke makes 

light poundage heavy 

while having the extra 

added benefit of stimulating 

the maximum number 

of muscle fibers. Use perfect lifting 

technique, combined with a 

full and complete ROM and learn 

to love 1-5 rep sets. The low rep 

sets taken to the limit of your capacity 

are the key to taking muscle 

mass to the next level. 

Use spotters on heavy squats and 

bench presses – avoid the trap 

of using machines: barbells and 

dumbbells trump machines every 

single time. Use machines as a finishing 

touch once the heavy barbell/dumbbell 

sets are completed. 

Make haste slowly and each session 

look to increase the poundage 

used in all exercises. Bodybuilders 

that use the same exercises done in 

the same way with the same poundage 

for the same number of sets 

and reps, over and over and over, 

never bust through to the next level 

of physical development. Why? 

Unless the body is stressed past 

its capacity in some way, shape or 

fashion, there is no reason for the 

body to “adapt” and grow. 

Hi-rep forced rep sets: 

So what is the role of the 

mighty forced rep in all 

this? As those in the know 

know, John Parrillo loves 

forced reps – assuming 

they are done properly 

and not overdone. 

Too many forced reps 

are counterproductive. 

In this day and age people 

generally think that “if 

one forced rep is good, six 

is six times as good; if one 

forced rep set per exercise 

is good, forced rep sets on 

every set is better.” This 

is not the case. Forced 

reps can be a progress 

inducer without peer if 

they are not overused. Forced reps 

reek havoc on the central nervous 

system and too many forced reps 

is akin to pumping so much electricity 

through circuitry that it fries 

the wiring. Most elite bodybuilders 

“save” their forced reps for the top 

set, the heaviest set of an exercise, 

and will limit the number of forced 

reps to one or two. On their lighter 

weight, higher rep set that comes 

after they have pyramided up, the 

training partner should be able to 

administer 1-3 forced. Don’t go 

crazy with forced reps. 

On the big exercises, the squats, 

benches, rows, pull-downs, leg 

presses, hack squats, incline bench 

presses and overheads presses, 

have your training partner provide 

one or at most two forced reps. On 

the subsequent high rep set, have 

the partner again administer one, 

two or three forced reps. If you 

find that you are not recovering 

session to session (and assuming 

Avoid the trap of using machines only: 

Barbells and dumbbells trump machines every single 

time. Use machines as a finishing touch once the heavy 

barbell/dumbbell sets are completed. 

your nutrition is right) then cut 

back on the forced rep sets and 

see if this doesn’t rectify the situation. 

Let us take a quick second 

to describe how the proper forced 

rep should be applied: if you are 

the guy administering the forced 

rep make sure to provide enough 

help so that the bar or machine 

handle or dumbbells keep moving 

– too little help and the lifter stalls 

and the weight stops moving – no 

good! Your job is to provide enough 

help so the bar keeps moving upward 

in a smooth, even fashion 

Different Rep Ranges 

all the way to lockout. 

Eat right, rep right, grow gargantuan: 

Please don’t train like a demon 

and under-eat. To grow muscle 

(the object of weight training) you 

need to lift hard, heavy and often, 

you need to use full and complete 

range-of-motion on all exercises, 

you need a respectable number of 

forced rep sets and you need to 

supplement before, during, 

and after the actual 

workout with 50/50 Plus 

and Muscle Amino Formula 

. Above all else you 

need to institute a Parrillo-style 

high calorie multiple-meal 

eating schedule 

that enables you to 

keep your body fed with 

loads of quality nutrients. 

Top Parrillo bodybuilders 

are routinely consuming 

5,000+ calories each and 

every day and staying 

lean and ripped. Because 

they only consume quality 

nutrients, because they 

avoid all the bad, insulinspiking, 

body-fat producing 

foods, because they 

refuel the body every 2-3 hours, 

the Parrillo bodybuilder is in a 

state of perpetual anabolism. Tear 

a page from the book of the elite 

bodybuilder: use their nutritional 

approach, use the potent Parrillo 

supplements they use, use the rep 

strategy of the elite and add forced 

reps much in the same way that 

you might season food – enough 

to kick the dish up a notch (BAM!) 

but not so much that you ruin it. 

Let’s get to repping right! Which 

means cover ALL the rep bases in 

each session! 


17

tips 

RECIPE 

spotlight 

Chicken Fingers 

150 g. chicken breast 

1 tbsp. CapTri® 

25 g. oatmeal (rolled oats) 

garlic 

paprika 

chili powder 

pepper 

nutrition Tip 

of the month: 

& tidbits 

Substitute fish or 

strips of turkey 

breast for a 

change‐of‐pace. 

Cut partially frozen chicken into thin slices (1“ x 1/2”). 

Put in a bowl and toss with other ingredients, adding 

spices to taste. Place chicken strips on a cookie sheet 

that has been sprayed with PAM, and bake at 400 

degrees for 15 minutes. 

Stored Body Fat as Fuel Source 

Your body uses a certain amount of fat as fuel 

every day. Fat is used as a prime fuel source while at rest 

and also during cardiovascular exercise. If you consume less 

fat in your diet than you burn every day, that extra fat must 

be obtained from body fat stores. This works because it 

turns out that under normal conditions your body converts 

very little (in fact, practically none) protein or carbohydrate 

into body fat. That’s right - almost all body fat is derived 

directly from dietary fat. Excess dietary carbohydrate has 

very little tendency to be converted into fat and stored as 

body fat. Over-feeding as much as 500g of carbs results in 

only a couple of grams of fat storage. On the other hand, 

if excess calories in the diet are supplied as fat, they have a 

very strong tendency to be stored as body fat. Quite a bit of 

research in metabolism has indicated that the fat content 

of the diet is at least as important, if not more important, 

than how many calories you eat. As an example, you could 

eat only a modest number of calories, but if those calories 

are supplied in a form prone to be stored as fat, then you’ll 

get fat. Alternatively, if you eat foods which are very difficult 

for the body to convert into fat, then you can eat a lot 

of calories without getting fat. The Parrillo diet is specifically 

designed to channel nutrients to muscle and to draw 

on stored body fat as a fuel source. 

Nutritional Information for 100 grams: 

Calories 42 

Protein 2.8g 

Fat .2g 

Total Carbs 7.5g 

of the month 

Food 

of the month: 

Snow Peas 

• Good source of vitamin A and vitamin C 

• Easy to prepare: the pod is edible so it needs no 

shelling or trimming 

• Can be eaten raw in salads or with vegetable dips 

and also cooked by steaming, sauteing, stir frying 

or blanching 

Fiber 2.6g 

Calcium 43mg 

Phosphorus 53mg 

Iron 2.1mg 

Sodium 4mg 

Potassium 200mg 

Vitamin A 1087 IU 

Try these great recipes using snow peas, from 

the CapTri ® Cookbook 

• Chinese Beef Skillet 

• Add snow peas to the 

Green and Crunchy Salad 

• Make up some Ginger 

Sauce for Vegetables and 

Dumbbell Flyes 

drizzle over steamed snow 

peas and brown rice 

• Add chopped snow peas 

to the Chinese Fried Rice 

recipe 

Training Tip 

of the month: 

With dumbbell flyes, it is important to keep your 

shoulders pressed into the bench throughout 

the entire movement. 

To get full 

isolation of the 

pecs, bring your 

elbows together 

at the top of the 

movement. Then 

push your sternum 

out at the 

top. The same 

technique should 

be used when performing cable crossovers. 

News & Discoveries 

In Fitness & Nutrition 

Increased Muscle Mass May Lower Risk 

of Pre-Diabetes: 

Study Shows Building Muscle Can Lower Person’s Risk of 

Insulin Resistance 

A recent study found that the greater an individual’s total 

muscle mass, the lower the person’s risk of having insulin resistance, 

the major precursor of type 2 diabetes. With recent 

dramatic increases in obesity worldwide, the prevalence of diabetes, 

a major source of cardiovascular morbidity, is expected 

to accelerate. Insulin resistance, which can raise blood glucose 

levels above the normal range, is a major factor that contributes 

to the development of diabetes. Previous studies have shown 

that very low muscle mass is a risk factor for insulin resistance, 

but until now, no study has examined whether increasing 

muscle mass to average and above average levels, independent 

of obesity levels, would lead to improved blood glucose 

regulation. “Our findings represent a departure from the usual 

focus of clinicians, and their patients, on just losing weight 

to improve metabolic health,” said the study’s senior author, 

Preethi Srikanthan, MD, of UCLA. “Instead, this research suggests 

a role for maintaining fitness and building muscle. This is 

a welcome message for many overweight patients who experience 

difficulty in achieving weight loss, as any effort to get 

moving and keep fit should be seen as laudable and contributing 

to metabolic change.” In this study, researchers examined 

the association of skeletal muscle mass with insulin resistance 

and blood glucose metabolism disorders in a nationally representative 

sample of 13,644 individuals. Participants were older 

than 20 years, non-pregnant and weighed more than 35 kg. 

The study demonstrated that higher muscle mass (relative to 

body size) is associated with better insulin sensitivity and lower 

risk of pre- or overt diabetes. “Our research shows that beyond 

monitoring changes in waist circumference or BMI, we should 

also be monitoring muscle mass,” Srikanthan concluded. “Further 

research is needed to determine the nature and duration 

of exercise interventions required to improve insulin sensitivity 

and glucose metabolism in at-risk individuals.” 

- The Endocrine Society, based in Chevy Chase, MD, Jul. 28, 2011 

Interesting 

Article Fact: 

In the body, selenium is used to form antioxidant enzymes 

- powerful free-radical fighters that can help prevent conditions 

such as cancer, heart disease and arthritis. Find out 

more in John Parrillo’s article on page 20. 

Dominique’s 

Time Cruncher 

? 

Question 

of the month: 

Question: Would CapTri ® be a good option for me 

when I’m on a lower carb diet? I want to lose fat, but I 

don’t want to always feel carb-starved! 

Answer: Using CapTri ® in your diet allows you to reduce 

carbs without cutting calories, which would slow 

your metabolism and cause muscle loss. Many people 

find they don’t need to reduce caloric intake below 

maintenance while using this regimen since the thermogenic 

effect of CapTri ® provides a “built in” energy 

deficit (more of the dietary energy contained in CapTri ® 

is lost as body heat than for regular foods.) This approach 

allows you to reduce carbs without having to 

use regular dietary fat as an energy source. I have a 

problem with you going as low in carbs as the other 

diets recommend. I think you should eat some carbs 

so you can continue to perform intense training while 

you diet. Plus, if you’ve ever tried the near-zero-carb 

diet you know that it makes you feel like death. By reducing 

carbs and always combining your starches with 

protein, vegetables, and CapTri ® at each meal, you will 

dramatically reduce insulin levels and maximize fat loss. 

Unlike conventional fats, CapTri ® also works well during 

weight gain because it doesn’t contribute to fat stores. 

Quick Tip 

of the month: 

To add more variety and flavor to your meals, try a new 

item from the produce department each week. If you’ve 

never cooked with tomatillos, try them! If you’ve never 

used leeks in your cooking, give them a shot. You may 

find some new favorites this way, be adventurous! 

Supplement 

of the month: 

Vanilla Malt Flavor Optimized Whey 

Protein Powder 

• Indispensable for building muscle 

• Speeds recovery time between training sessions 

• Helps retain muscle during dieting 

We devised Optimized Whey to meet the needs of athletes 

who need a “clean” (fat free/sugar free) source of 

protein that’s assimilated quickly and with maximum absorption. 

Optimized Whey provides 33 grams of high 

Tired of eating brown rice all the time? Give quinoa a try, it biologic value protein with every serving. With no fat 

cooks in just 15 minutes, has 14g of protein per 100 grams and or sugars, and only 4 grams of carbohydrate, Optimized 

contains essential amino acids. Or try the similar grain amaranth, 

which cooks in 18-20 minutes, is high in lysine and also water and the taste is rich, dense and flavorful. Also avail- 

Whey mixes with a few swirls of the spoon in a glass of 

contains 14g of protein per 100 grams. You can make a double able in Chocolate Malt and Strawberry Malt flavors. 

18 May 2012 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com batch www.parrillo.com because they keep well in the 1-800-344-3404 fridge for 3-4 days. Performance Press / May 2012 

19 

18 

19


ANTIOXIDANT RECOVERY 

Are you an exerciser or athlete 

who gets frequent colds 

and infections? If so, it may 

be time to pay more attention to antioxidant 

recovery. 

In general terms, recovery is the process 

of regeneration that takes place 

in the aftermath of a workout. To 

appreciate its importance, consider 

what happens inside your body as a 

consequence of intense exercise: Energy-giving 

glycogen stores are depleted; 

muscle protein is dismantled; 

microscopic tears in muscle fibers 

occur; energy-producing compounds 

are lost from cells; fluid and electrolytes 

dwindle; disease-causing free 

radicals proliferate. 

Because of all this, you’ve got to supply 

your body with all the nutritional 

building blocks it needs to restore 

what’s lost and repair what’s damaged. 

One of these building blocks is 

antioxidants. 

An essential part of recovery involves 

mustering your body’s antioxidant 

defense forces. With exercise, 

there’s a dramatic increase in 

the amount of oxygen used by your 

body. A fraction of this oxygen is 

converted into free radicals, which 

are unstable oxygen molecules that 

attack body tissues. 

Normally, free radicals are not a big 

problem. But during strenuous activity, 

free radicals can start outnumbering 

antioxidants — a condition 

called oxidative stress. This leads 

to muscle tissue damage, increases 

the body’s consumption of antioxidants 

and leaves you vulnerable to 

disease. 

A significant amount of research has 

found that antioxidants, such as vitamins 

C and E and the mineral selenium, 

can neutralize exercise-generated 

free radicals and prevent them 

from doing harm. 

To get the benefit, supplementation 

is key. Here’s a look at what I recommend 

for bolstering your antioxidant 

forces – and why. 

Parrillo Essential Vitamin 

Formula 

Even with a healthful, whole-foods 

diet like you follow on the Parrillo 

Nutrition Program, vitamin supplements 

are essential for athletic performance. 

A foundation for your 

entire nutritional, and performanceenhancing, 

program must include a 

top-quality multivitamin supplement 

like Parrillo Essential Vitamin Formula 

. It is loaded with antioxidants, 

including vitamin A, beta carotene, 

and vitamin C. This perfect combination 

of vitamins and minerals will 

help keep you going by supplying 

your body with much needed vitamin 

insurance. 

A daily multiple is even more important 

for the many people who have 

nutritional gaps in their diets - often 

due to weight-loss diets, eating on 

the run, or relying on nutritionally 

depleted foods of convenience. In 

fact, marginal deficiencies of vitamins 

and minerals seem to be the 

norm, not the exception. For example, 

intakes of iron, folic acid, and 

calcium are consistently low in the 

diets of women. 

Multiples like Parrillo Essential Vitamin 

Formula are designed to be 

taken in several dosages throughout 

the day because they are better absorbed. 

It’s best to take it with a meal. 

The body is better able to assimilate 

the nutrients when food is also present, 

and nausea is less likely to occur 

(as sometimes happens when taking 

a multi on an empty stomach). 

Take one tablet with each meal. 

Parrillo Mineral Electrolyte 

Formula 

Minerals have far-reaching roles in 

the body, and many minerals are 

antioxidants. One of these is zinc. 

It helps absorb vitamins; break 

down carbohydrates; and regulate 

the growth and development of reproductive 

organs. Zinc is also an 

important immune-boosting mineral, 

involved in making superoxide 

dismutase (SOD), an antioxidant 

enzyme that inactivates certain free 

radicals. 

Zinc, however, can be depleted by 

prolonged, high-intensity exercise 

if you’re poorly nourished. Because 

zinc is required for the activity of 

several enzymes involved in energy 

metabolism, reductions in zinc concentrations 

in muscle may lead to 

muscle fatigue. The best sources of 

zinc are lean proteins, whole grains, 

and mineral supplements. Zinc is 

one of the minerals found in our 

Mineral-Electrolyte Formula . 

Another important antioxidant, and 

one found in this supplement, is selenium. 

In the body, selenium is used 

to form antioxidant enzymes - powerful 

free-radical fighters that can 

help prevent conditions such as cancer, 

heart disease and arthritis. 

This powerful antioxidant has a huge 

role in immunity. In fact, research 

has shown that blood levels of selenium 

are one of the most important 

nutritional factors in predicting survival 

of AIDS patients. 

Take one tablet of Parrillo Mineral 

Electrolyte Formula with each 

meal. 

Parrillo Natural Vitamin E Plus 

Vitamin E is certainly a good antioxidant 

supplement to have in your 

nutritional arsenal. It is a friend to 

your white blood cells too, since it 

appears to enhance the ability of 

these cells to destroy disease-causing 

bacteria. Overall, vitamin E 

helps build a strong immune system 

and promotes a healthy heart, eyes, 

and prostate. 

Vitamin E is important if you exercise 

regularly. A “side effect” of being 

active is that slight muscle damage 

can occur with vigorous exercise. 

As you jog, run, or cycle, you take in 

more oxygen than normal, thus exposing 

your muscle tissue to more of 

this highly reactive gas, as well as to 

pollutants in the air. Taken together, 

oxygen and pollutants can upset the 

delicate chemical structure of the 

cell – a reaction known as “oxidative 

damage.” Vitamin E helps prevent 

this cellular damage. 

Vitamin E occurs naturally in vegetable 

oils, whole grain cereals, dried 

beans, and green leafy vegetables 

– yet the content is not high. Consequently, 

many researchers feel that 

vitamin E supplements are more effective 

than foods for obtaining adequate 

levels of this antioxidant. 

Parrillo Bio-C 

Taking vitamin C, along with vitamin 

E, has been found to help muscles 

recover and regenerate more 

quickly following exercise – which 

means you can get back in the game 

faster. In one study, researchers gave 

endurance athletes 1000 mg of vitamin 

C and 1000 IU of vitamin E a 

day, or placebos, in divided doses at 

lunch and dinner. The supplemented 

athletes showed about a 25 percent 

reduction in tissue damage. Further, 

vitamin C has been found to reduce 

the delayed muscle onset soreness 

(DOMS) felt in the 24 to 48-hour period 

following exercise. (1) 

Vitamin C also confers a heart-protective 

benefit, particularly if you’re 

a serious exerciser or endurance 

athlete. Free radical production during 

very-intense exercise tends to 

oxidize low-density lipoproteins, 

otherwise known as LDL cholesterol 

(dubbed “the bad kind”), leading 

to plaque build-up in the arteries. 

A study conducted with highly 

trained runners demonstrated that 

supplementing with 1 gram daily of 

vitamin C decreased the tendency of 

LDL cholesterol to oxidize. (2) 

If you work out regularly or train for 

athletic competition, you know that 

a cold or respiratory infection can 

sideline you pretty fast. Vitamin C 

to the rescue. When ultramarathon 

runners supplemented with 600 milligrams 

of vitamin C a day for 21 

days prior to a marathon, they experienced 

fewer upper respiratory tract 

infections. This benefit may be due 

to vitamin C’s antioxidant effect, or 

to its overall immune-boosting capability. 

(3) 

Parrillo Bio-C contains 1000 mg of 

vitamin C, plus it is formulated with 

bioflavonoids, which have powerful 

antioxidant properties and help prevent 

vitamin C oxidation in the body. 

Bioflavonoids also help to promote 

improved cardiovascular health. 

Take one or more tablet daily, preferably 

with meals. 

References 

1. Kaminski M, et al. An effect of ascorbic 

acid on delayed-onset muscle soreness. Pain. 

1992;50:317-321. 

2. Sanchez-Quesada JL, et al. Ascorbic acid 

inhibits the increase in low-density lipoprotein. 

Coronary Artery Disease. 1998;9:249- 

55. 

3. Peters EM, et al. Vitamin C supplementation 

reduces the incidence of postrace symptoms 

of upper-respiratory-tract infection in 

ultramarathon events. American Journal of 

Clinical Nutrition. 1993;57:170-174. 


www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / May 2012 

21

IRON VIC SPEAKS By IRON VIC STEELE 

Incline versus flat bench press…Mean Man of 

Steele…Pro-Carb for size…Not recovering? EAT! 

Hello Victor, 

I got into a heated argument with 

a pretty good bodybuilder the 

other day – he was telling me that 

bench pressing “sucked” for chest 

development and that incline barbell 

press and most particularly 

the incline dumbbell bench press 

was “way superior.” I had to walk 

away because it was getting a little 

heated and he wasn’t about to 

listen to any counterargument I 

came up with. I have periodically 

heard this claim over the years and 

know certain bodybuilders in fact 

have championed inclines over flat 

benches. What is your take on the 

flat bench versus the incline bench 

press controversy? 

Ike, Pennsylvania 

There is an old saying that goes, “a 

man convinced against his will is 

of the same opinion still.” This fits 

your feisty and combative buddy to 

a tee. Luckily it’s just about weight 

Marvelous Marvin 

was the first man 

in history under 

200 pounds in 

bodyweight to 

bench press 

500 pounds. 

training: his type made great secret 

police back when the old USSR 

was still up and running. Currently 

his type of fanatic runs Iran. There 

is no reasoning with zealots. Truth 

is most bodybuilders get maximum 

pectoral development from 

flat benching. Others swear by the 

incline dumbbell press. I am a flat 

bench press man myself. I have 

never seen a man with a 450 pound 

flat bench press that had lousy pectoral 

development. The flat bench 

press was first popularized in the 

mid-fifties by a bodybuilding monster 

called Marvin Eder. Marvelous 

Marvin was the first man in history 

under 200 pounds in bodyweight to 

bench press 500 pounds. His pecs 

when flexed were four inches deep. 

Mike Mentzer was a big proponent 

of the incline and frankly Mike’s 

chest development couldn’t hold a 

candle to the pec development of 

Arnold and Franco and Robbie and 


23


all the other flat benchers around 

when Mike was at his peak. Plus, I 

have never had an incline proponent 

successfully explain to me how a 

proper incline stimulates the lower 

pectorals. Sure, a proper incline 

press works the upper pecs with 

a degree of precision a flat bench 

cannot match; however unless the 

incliner arches back during the 

press (thereby turning the incline 

into more of a flat bench) how 

do the lower pecs get stimulated? 

If the incline bencher uses 

proper incline technique and 

keeps his torso glued to the 

45-degree bench, how can the 

lower pecs receive anything 

other then the most minor of 

muscular stimulation? I like 

incline pressing, particularly 

steep incline pressing, steeper 

than 45-degrees and less than 

90-degrees. I use this as my 

primary SHOULDER exercise. 

Don’t waste your breath 

on your buddy – he wouldn’t 

be convinced if Jesus told him 

flat benches ruled. 

Victor Steele, 

Why are you so nasty towards 

the women-only national 

chain training facilities? I belong 

to the largest lady-only chain gym 

in the world and I really like the 

low pressure, non-macho atmosphere. 

When I used to belong 

to a mixed-gender gym, I always 

felt intimidated and out of place. 

At the all-women gym I feel comfortable 

and welcome and there 

is zero pressure. It’s almost like a 

support group. We all encourage 

one another and feel good about 

the fitness experience. I for one 

will NEVER go back to the classical 

man gym with super macho 

types huffing and puffing and 

screaming obscenities. 

Dawn, Dallas 

Can you get real 

results at a womenonly 

training facility? 

In order to change the body dramatically 

we need to use intense training 

combined with strict nutrition. 

If you aren’t doing these consistently, 

don’t expect to see real results! 

Have you made one single iota of 

progress? I seriously doubt it. My 

problem with the female-only national 

chain gyms is that while they 

may make you feel good about fitness, 

insofar as real results they 

are worthless. Honestly you might 

as well take up golf or bowling or 

badminton or ballroom dancing 

– the results would be just as good. 

The problem with “real” fitness is 

that in order to morph the human 

body, i.e. add muscle or lose body 

fat, we have to stress the body via 

resistance training and cardio and 

subject it to a disciplined approach 

towards nutrition. All those feelgood, 

low-stress, fun-and-easy 

workouts that you are taking at 

Girl World aren’t doing Jack Squat 

when it comes to providing you real 

results. It’s a physiological impossibility 

to engage in a low-intensity 

sub-maximal weight workout, 

followed by 20 minutes of “moderate” 

cardio, go home and eat 

“lite” and “fat-free” and eat “soy” 

and eat “low protein/high carb” 

and eat like a bird and obtain any 

real results. Do you really think 

you are going to lose 50 pounds of 

fat that you desperately need 

to lose by being “moderate” 

and “sensible?” In order to 

change the body dramatically 

we need to use intense training 

combined with strict nutrition. 

The other thing that 

bugs me about these “no pain/ 

no pain” gyms is they lure the 

ladies in with the promise 

of big gains for no pain and 

they then keep you as a client 

by saying, essentially, “Well, 

you might not be getting the 

sensational results we promised 

– but now you are part of 

our community and hey, we 

love you – and as long as we 

can feel good about ourselves, 

as long as we can have a positive 

body image then isn’t 

that enough and isn’t that what’s 

really important?” No it’s not; 

the name of the game is results. 

These corporate outfits lure ladies 

in with the promise of incredible 

results (with little or no effort) and 

then when the client sees tangible 

gains are not going to occur, the 

hucksters change their tune and 

say “We should be okay with ourselves 

and you should keep up your 

membership in order to stay a part 

of our fitness community.” This 

is BS of the highest order. Sorry, 

but the all-lady softball fitness 

IRON VIC SPEAKS By IRON VIC STEELE 

facility is just another way to make 

money without delivering on lofty 

promises. 

Greetings Vic, 

What’s your take on Pro-Carb for 

mass building? I have to be honest 

with you; I am a fairly 

high level bodybuilder and 

though I love ALL the Parrillo 

supplements, the one that 

most seems to work for me 

best is Pro-Carb . Coming 

off a competition, in those 

first six weeks afterwards, I 

will go through a canister of 

Pro-Carb each week. Last 

year I added 11 pounds of 

solid muscle in the six weeks 

AFTER my show. I just went 

back to fairly normal eating 

and supplemented with 

nothing but (a lot of) Pro- 

Carb . All the gym rats felt 

that I looked 20% better six 

weeks after my show (the 

NPA regionals.) I weighed 

165 at the show with 4% 

body fat, but everyone (myself 

included) felt that four weeks 

later at 177 I looked twice as good. 

I Body-stated out at 8% weighing 

177. The whole thing is forcing me 

to reconsider my approach: is it 

better to be 165 at 4% or 180 at 

8% looking TWICE as massive? 

I stand 5-5 and they tell me that 

when I am big I look like Parrillo’s 

old buddy Eddie “Major Guns” 

Robinson. The main reason I added 

the quality size was my massive 

intake of Pro-Carb – have any of 

your other guys gotten these types 

of outstanding results off this magnificent 

product? 

Randy C., Bakersfield 

Oh indeed they have! The eternal 

dilemma for the competitive bodybuilder 

is this: small and shredded 

or massive but not quite as ripped? 

The late Anthony D’Arezzo once 

told me that out of all the nutritional 

supplements he’d ever used, 

When it comes to building mass, 

Pro-Carb rules! 

Pro-Carb has 0g fat, only 1g sugar, and 33g 

of quality carbs derived from maltodextrin. 

when it came to mass building, 

Pro-Carb was at the top of his 

list. Now it should be stated that 

both he and you were elite level 

guys and like you, Tony got his 

biggest boost of adding Pro-Carb 

coming off a low-carb, high protein, 

ketogenic, pre-competition, 

carb-deprived state. Being “carb 

starved” after a competition and 

suddenly adding back lots of 

slow-release, maltodextrin carbs, 

the kind contained in Pro-Carb , 

causes a muscular explosion we 

call an “anabolic burst.” Be cautious 

about “spillover” that occurs 

when the body suddenly becomes 

able to shuttle carbs into fat storage. 

The trick is to slam carbs until 

spillover occurs and then stop. If 

you keep eating massive amounts 

of carbs after the body “re-learns” 

how to process carbs, the excess 

carbs are converted into body fat 

and everything is ruined. The moment 

you start to see your 

cuts flatten out you need 

to back off the Pro-Carb . 

Still, you have discovered 

what the Parrillo elite have 

known for twenty years: 

when it comes to building 

mass, Pro-Carb rules! 

Vic Steele, 

Any ideas as to how to 

bring up lagging hamstrings? 

Mine are soft and 

indistinguishable. I have 

leg-curled until I am blue 

in the face and nothing 

back there seems to change 

much. I have 28 inch 

thighs; so it’s not like I’m 

some pencil neck. As one of 

my training partners said, 

“From the front, your legs 

look like Tom Platz – from behind 

they look like Pee-Wee Herman.” 

Any ideas would be appreciated – 

come to think of it I don’t know any 

hamstring exercises other than leg 

curls – I bet you have some East 

German or Russian secret exercise 

for thigh biceps. All the best. 

Bo, Mississippi 

I’d bet you a dollars to donuts that 

your problem is NOT a lack of 

ham development. Rather, because 

your diet is off, the hamstrings 

are obscured by a layer of fat. Everyone 

has ripped abs and shredded 

hamstrings. Everyone has a 


25


‘Christmas tree’ lower back and 

striated glutes – these ripped body 

parts are there but they are all buried 

under body fat. If you are able 

to melt off enough body fat you will 

obtain the delineation you seek. 

We all are a bit different insofar 

as where we pack our excess body 

fat. Some guys can have ripped 

limbs (arms and legs) and still will 

carry a lot of torso fat. Others can 

rip up the waist and lower 

back while holding fat in 

the butt, lower back and 

legs. Women can show 

shredded abs while still 

having cottage-cheese 

thighs and big butts. We 

are all different. We all 

have one particular area 

where, after all the other 

fat has been melted off 

all the other body parts, 

that last vestige of fat will 

stubbornly cling to a final 

body part. 

My advice would be to 

first look at your nutrition: 

are you adhering (tightly) 

to the Parrillo nutritional 

game plan? Are you doing 

all that you can do to melt 

off fat? I in fact do have 

a “secret” hamstring exercise 

from the Soviet Union: stiff 

legged deadlifts off a block using a 

very specific exercise protocol. 

• Stand on a 100 pound plate laid 

flat on the floor using a narrow 

stance 

• Pull a loaded barbell up the shins 

and thighs keeping a straight 

back 

• Lower the weight to the floor 

slowly 

• Touch the plates lightly and come 

erect slooooow! 

• Use hamstrings and hamstrings 

alone to power erect 

• You should feel it in the hams as 

you rise up slow 

• Perform 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps: light 

weight, slow, perfect technique 

This is a Man hamstring exercise 

that, if done properly, will blow leg 

Oatmeal 

Chicken 

curls into the weeds when it comes 

to hamstring results. Perform these 

stiff-legged deadlifts in place of 

lying leg curls. Double-down on 

your attention to diet: let’s use a 

two prong approach – melt off the 

fat that is obscuring your already 

ripped hamstrings while simultaneously 

using Soviet-style stiff-leg 

deadlifts off a plate to blast hams 

out of their current complacency. 

Veggies 

Brown Rice 

Having trouble recovering 

from session to session? 

More calories are needed – like 50% more! 

If you want to stay lean, these additional 

calories need to be “clean calories” 

Vic, 

I am NOT recovering session to 

session: I train hard four times 

a week and always start off the 

training week great and by the 3rd 

and particularly by the 4th weekly 

session I am tired and weak as a 

kitten. Do I need to back off? 

Bill C, Corpus Christi 

Congratulations for getting 

it half right: the fact 

that you are tired and 

dragging ass is a good 

indicator that you are 

training hard enough to 

trigger real gains. The 

solution you seek lies 

in the other half of the 

growth equation: nutrition! 

You need to take in 

a LOT more calories! It 

is really that simple. As 

John Parrillo is fond of 

saying, “There is no such 

thing as overtraining – 

only under-eating!” That 

is you my friend. More 

calories are needed – like 

50% more! If you want 

to stay lean, these additional 

calories need to be 

“clean calories” and not 

“dirty calories” derived 

from refined carbs, manmade artificial 

“foods” and trash food. I 

would suggest you purchase a bottle 

of CapTri ® . Each tablespoon of 

CapTri ® contains 120 calories impossible 

to be turned into body fat. 

Kick up your consumption of clean 

calories, take in 4-10 tablespoons 

of CapTri ® per day and watch 

as your tired, rundown feeling 

disappears within a week. 


www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / May 2012 

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