Elite Physique

QUESTION: I know to get to the higher levels of competition I am going to have to use GH. I’m ready to take the plunge but I don’t want a GH gut. What can I do?

ANSWER: I’m not totally convinced that the distended mid-sections you see on several of the Pros is the result of GH. Does GH play a factor in an enlarged abdomen? I think it does but I don’t believe it is the sole culprit. Let’s take a look a hypothetical Pro. We’ll call him Joe Pro. Joe sits at an off-season weight of 250 lbs and consumes 5000 clean cals to maintain his physique. That amount of food alone is going to cause an expanded stomach. However, to gain weight he will have to eat more than 5000 cals – that’s just common sense. For the moment let’s say Joe will have to add 500 cals to gain. Now if we were to understand that most competitive bodybuilders use GH to cut up. Typically, when such an athlete implements GH into their drug regimen you’ll hear such reports as “I’m losing weight and I haven’t changed my diet”. Now let’s get back to Joe Pro. If an off-season Joe Pro adds GH to his stack to grow (not necessarily to lean up) his original maintenance level of 5000 cals has changed. You may see something like 5500 to maintain weight with GH added. Now to add weight he may have to eat another 500 cals bringing his caloric level up to 6000 cals. This is quite a difference from no GH to GH use. Just think of how much clean food that actually is. Most athletes cannot digest that amount of food efficiently. So what happens? Well, it sits in Joe Pro’s stomach and eventually will stretch out his gut. This is what I believe is to blame for the distended stomachs we see today on the competitive stages – the volume of food required to maintain and grow. Now before you mention insulin I’ll beat you to the punch. Does insulin have a roll? I’m not sure. What I have seen is a widening of the waist with prolonged slin usage. The dramatic v-taper a 25-year old had is not so dramatic once they hit 40 years of age. Now to answer your question…I would probably limit GH to your pre-contest stack, limit the amount of GH you use and pick foods that clear your system faster. You may want to try digestive enzymes. I use them and I like their effects. Another approach would be to grow at a slower pace. Don’t try to add 20 lbs in a year – be happy with 5 lbs. If you already have a distended gut you’ll have to make a conscious effort to control it while posing. When you breathe expand your chest not your stomach. I know the days of the vacuum pose are long gone but with a concerted effort to control your stomach and better off-season strategies you won’t be the poster boy for GH gut.

If you want Dan Kennedy to answer one of your questions, send it to questions@muscle-insider.com or visit www.ElitePhysique.ca