More Q&As
Q: You say I should do lat pulldowns to the front rather than behind the neck. Why?
A: To work the lats effectively, you must keep your back slightly arched. By pulling the bar to the front, you're all but guaranteed to keep the arch, while a pull behind the neck lends itself to cheating as you get tired. Thereby you could routinely rob yourself of the benefit from the last few reps of each set without even knowing it. In addition, it's a more natural movement to pull the bar to the front. Your shoulders are at less of a vulnerable angle, and as you get stronger you might avoid cumulative shoulder injuries. This is only true for some people, but the bad news is that you usually don't know if you're one of them until it's too late, so play it safe and assume that you are. Last but not least, there is an important thing to notice about the lat pulls to the front. While there is virtually no risk when pulling behind your neck, you might be tempted to lean back too much when you get tired, thus giving yourself an extra pull. Try to avoid this kind of swaying - sit upright with a lightly arched back, and stay that way throughout the exercise.
Q: What are your thoughts on sports drinks such as Gatorade, Hydra Fuel and such?
A: I don't have any problem with them as long as they're consumed in conjunction with hard and prolonged exercise. Most sports drinks are full of sugar and are formulated to replace lost fluid through sweating, so they're not suitable for drinking with your dinner. In the gym or on a field, they're perfectly fine. Just watch for artificial ingredients. If the drink has a long laundry-list of suspicious-sounding chemicals that you can't even pronounce, pick something else.
Q: My friend is considering buying some steroids, but is concerned about getting ripped off rather than getting the real thing. Is there any web site that can help you identify the legit labels and such?
A: Uh-huh. And I bet your "friend" is about your age and height too, right? Look, here's another reason NOT to take steroids: It's virtually impossible to know what you're taking. If the crook peddling this dope fills a vial with liquid cleaning agent and slaps a realistic-looking sticker on it, you wouldn't have a clue of what
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