The most promising research comes from labs of Georgia State University. Dr. Dan Benardot and colleagues developed a sophisticated computer program that analyzes a person's within-day calorie balance. They named program - computerized time-line energy assessment (CTLEA). The research team tracked calorie feeding patterns of 42 gymnasts and 20 runners. The trial found that athletes with largest and most frequent energy deficits were fattest! On other hand, athletes with smallest and least frequent energy deficits were leanest. The results were equally supportive for both aerobic (runners) and anaerobic (gymnast) athletes.

This research is absolutely fascinating. It irrefutably proves that eating smaller and more frequent meals leads to more muscle and less fat. Whether you are on a 1200 or 4000 calorie diet, it does make sense to spread these calories into more meals. The research suggests that for maximum muscle, we must minimize (if not eliminate) time frames of day where our calorie balance falls below minus 300 calories.

The most frequent times, a person fails to feed his or her body sufficient calories to keep a (-300;+300) balance are: sleeping and training.

Remember these 4 rules of good calorie distribution

1. Eat before bed.
2. Eat your breakfast.
3. Eat before exercise.
4. Eat after exercise.

The training protocol that I have mostly used is 3 sets x 10 sec isometric holds at 50% of max effort with 10-30 seconds rest in between.

Let's give specific examples of isometric exercises. For bench press, load bar with 50% of your max, lower it 1-3 inches above chest level, and hold for 10 seconds. Rest 30 seconds and repeat 3 times. For deadlift, simply pull on bar with 50% effort, without moving it at all. For squat put 50% of your max, squat down to lowest position you train, and sit there for 10 seconds. Don't forget to push your feet into ground to activate all squatting muscles. Imagine that you are squatting up, but don't move.

Here's overall protocol again:

• perform 3 sets of 10 sec isometric holds at 50% intensity
• the isometric exercise should train weakest or maximally stretched position of corresponding dynamic drill
• the isometric exercise should be executed 15-17 minutes before hardest set of corresponding dynamic drill

You may find that during isometric holds you start sweating :] That's because they are a great way to warm up whole body. You get a dynamic strength boost + a great warm up.

Preliminary isometric tension has these three advantages:

1. it warms up body
2. it has an immediate positive effect on your dynamic strength
3. it has a long term positive effect on your lifts

You can utilize preliminary iso tension on your max testing days. Here is scenario: you are testing your Bench Press max. Load 50% of your projected max. Perform 3 sets of 10 sec holds in position where bar is 1-3 inches above chest level (rest 10-30 sec between sets). In next 15 minutes, perform 2-5 sets of 1-2 reps gradually increasing weight to around 90%. Example:

• Rest 3 minutes, 2x50%
• Rest 3 minutes, 2x70%
• Rest 3 minutes, 1x80%
• Rest 3 minutes, 1x85%
• Rest 3 minutes, 1x90%, Rest 3 minutes

Psyche up, and go for your projected max. Good luck.