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What’s the difference between an average and a smart bodybuilder? The former relies on the trusted route of crunches, lifts, protein shakes and reps but the latter goes beyond the norm. The smart bodybuilder is aware of the power of the foods and recruits them intelligently to pack on unadulterated muscle. If you wish to move to the other side, you need to know the rules of bodybuilding and follow them scrupulously.

THE SCIENCE OF MUSCLE GAIN

To grow bigger in muscle size and strength, you need additional nutrients, 500 surplus calories to be precise, over and above your maintenance intake to fuel the process. For clean bulking the foods supplying the additional 500 calories per day are more important, because to build that muscle mass you need to consume nutrients coming from high-quality proteins, complex carbohydrates and good fats.

When you eat indiscriminately with the sole objective to bulk, more of insulin begins to float in your blood in response to heavy meals that you eat. Insulin is a critical hormone, and it stands between whether your body will convert the food components, glucose, amino acids and essential fatty acids into muscle or fat. Insulin-sensitive muscle cells greedily absorb glucose and amino acids at the cue of insulin, an anabolic hormone. However, too much of insulin makes muscle cells inefficient and begins to recruit foods eaten to store fat, as it is metabolically easier for the body to convert foods in fats. With care-free bulking, your testosterone level drops, which is a critical hormone for your muscle building. Learn to recruit foods to build muscle and not fat.

The amount of muscle you can build relies on your body’s ability to synthesize muscles from the protein you ate, and there is a limit to it. Your body can build between 0.25 to 0.5 pounds of dry muscle tissue in a week’s time, under ideal circumstances (perfect diet, training, recovery and supplementation). On average, your body will process one or two pounds of muscle in a month, irrespective of your calorie intake. Where do the rest of the calories go? Fat.

1. TAKE IN SURPLUS CALORIE BUT IN MODERATION

Go for modest calorie surplus to duck fat and build muscle. The thumb rule to calculate your calorie intake is based on your body weight. Arrive at your calorie intake by multiplying your body weight in pounds with 15-17. For instance, if your weight is 175 pounds (about 80 kg), your calorie intake should be 16 x 175 pounds which is equal to 2800 calories.

2. RELY ON NUTRIENT PACKED FOODS FOR YOUR DAILY CALORIE INTAKE

To build maximum muscle without gaining fat, you need to eat healthy foods. Your calories should come from complex carbohydrates, proteins, and good fats. Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, oats, eggs, milk, nuts and flesh foods from fish, chicken and meat to meet your muscle needs.

3. EAT PROTEINS AND FATS FIRST AND HAVE CARBS LATER

Taking in non-carb foods first will lower the post-meal glucose and insulin level which is essential to prevent fat deposit in your body. With refined eating behaviour, you’ll feel less sleepy because eating protein first interferes with the production of sleepy neurotransmitter, serotonin.

However, you would certainly want an insulin surge before a workout in order to maximize nutrient uptake in the muscles. So, it’s always good to grab some carbs before your workouts.

The highest amount of human growth hormone is released during sleep. It is also during this period that your body repairs its muscles. In addition, a sound sleep helps you manage your stress efficiently. It is recommended to take 7 to 8 hours of deep, sound sleep every night.

High-intensity exercises such as squats, dead-lifts and pull-ups are useful for building muscles. During these exercises, your body burns multiple fuels like glucose (from carbohydrates) and fatty acids (from fat) depending on the intensity and duration of your workout to produce energy and build muscle by increasing the size of muscle fibers.

Use foods intelligently to fuel your muscle gains and grow bigger and stronger in size and strength.

Bodybuilding and protein are mostly spoken in the same breath. A lot of bodybuilders eat large amounts of protein to supersize their muscle growth. The standard rule of protein consumption for muscle building enthusiasts is 1g of protein per pound of body weight each day. But, the bigger question is that how much of that protein is getting absorbed? Or, is getting flushed out of your system? A scary thought, isn’t it, both for your money and bodybuilding dreams.

Find the missing pieces to optimizing your whey protein intake, so that your whey protein works as hard as you do. Read more

What are digestive enzymes
How protein absorption affects bodybuilding
Are you drinking incomplete whey protein
How digestive enzymes improve protein absorption
WHAT ARE DIGESTIVE ENZYMES

Digestive enzymes are produced primarily in the pancreas and liver and released to help digest food coming from the stomach. Different types of digestive enzymes are critical for the breakdown and absorption of nutrients. The benefits of digestive enzymes are improved nutrient absorption rate of foods and relief from chronic gastrointestinal discomforts such as bloating, cramps and diarrhoea. Constituted of proteases, amylases, lactases, cellulases (not produced by the human body) and lipases, digestive enzymes improve the rate of absorption of whey protein.

Amylase digests carbohydrates
Proteases split protein into amino acids
Lipase breaks down fats into fatty acids
Cellulase helps digest fiber from grains
Lactase digests milk proteins
HOW PROTEIN ABSORPTION AFFECTS BODYBUILDING

Protein is difficult to digest, therefore absorbing protein is more important than eating it.

Protein digestion begins from the stomach and ends in the intestines.
The pancreas gland secretes digestive enzymes to break down protein into easily absorbable amino acids, so that muscle cells can put them to good use.
Now, if the body is not able to absorb protein, due to the lack of digestive enzymes, it continues to remain protein hungry, despite the fact, that you have eaten protein-rich foods.

Whey protein is a quick-acting protein source and it gets easily absorbed by the body. However, in the deficiency (genetic factors, stress, improper diet) of digestive enzymes, the bodybuilder is not able to use the whey to the fullest potential. The factors like stress, suboptimal diet and lack of digestive enzymes hinder the absorption of whey protein. As a result, bloating and gassiness may also affect the fitness enthusiast. Besides, discomfort, the bloat factor is an indicator of poor absorption of whey protein.

ARE YOU DRINKING INCOMPLETE WHEY PROTEIN?

The benefits of digestive enzymes in bodybuilding are immense because for a bodybuilder premium nutrition is critical for building the muscles and digestive enzymes ensure just that.

Digestive enzymes include proteases, lactase, cellulase, lipase and lactase. The bunch of these enzymes ensures superior absorption of proteins and other nutrients in the body to fuel muscle gains.

The fact is that the whey protein remains in the intestines for only 1.5 hours. The protein content that is yet to be absorbed during the 1.5-hour window will be either stored as fat or excreted. In the best case scenario, the unabsorbed protein may provide energy.

Another caveat in the whey protein absorption comes from the rate at which whey protein is absorbed: 8-10g in an hour. Hence, in 1.5 hours (the duration of whey protein in the intestines) at the max, only 15g whey protein will be utilized by your muscle cells. Rest of it will go down the drain. Rather, than merely increasing your protein intake, you need to increase the absorption rate of your protein shake. Herein, comes the role of digestive enzymes, as it significantly improves the rate of protein absorption, thereby helping you achieve your bodybuilding goal.

HOW DIGESTIVE ENZYMES IMPROVE PROTEIN ABSORPTION

Protein requires an acidic environment to digest. The 5 steps to protein digestion are:

The process of protein digestion starts in the stomach.
In the small intestine digestive enzymes, attack protein further to break it down into amino acids, to facilitate its absorption.
It is during this phase that the presence of the extra digestive enzyme taken externally would help the body increase the pace of protein breakdown and absorption and take it above 8g per hour ceiling.
To enhance protein digestion, you should avoid having water with your meals.
Also, do not eat protein, if you had an antacid because an antacid will neutralize the acid content in your stomach.
Since whey protein’s transit time in the intestines is only 90 minutes, it really needs all the possible support from digestive enzymes produced by the body as well from external sources, to quickly digest and maximize the protein absorption. A July 2008 study published in the Journal of Sports Nutrition reported that it took subjects four hours to increase blood amino acids concentration by 30 percent with whey protein alone. However, mixing whey protein with digestive enzymes increased the absorption rate by 127 percent in the same timeframe.

DigeZyme, a multi-enzyme complex consisting of gluten-free and GMO-free broad-acting enzymes, including amylase, lactase, cellulase, lipase, and protease is the industry benchmark enzyme blend. It delivers the most potent blend for digesting whey protein and also helps break down carbohydrates, lactose, cellulosic fibres, and fats as well. Additionally, it is resistant to the action of gastric juices, while retaining their digestive activity.

So be sensible and stop drinking whey alone. Choose a whey protein that contains DigeZyme, such as MuscleBlaze Whey Protein, because when you drink whey protein without DigeZyme you are not absorbing the maximum amount of protein possible from it. Certainly, not a happy situation to be in when you are trying to maximise the output of every ounce of your protein-rich food. Make your whey protein work as hard as you do.

The eternal saga of bodybuilding in India began long before you even existed. If you’re thinking that bodybuilding is a western rara avis, you might have to give it a second thought. How ancient is bodybuilding in India?

Let’s get on the time machine and travel back to when it all started in India.

The history of Indian bodybuilding dates back to 1100 AD and by 1500 AD bodybuilding had become a national passion. In medieval India stones and sacks of sand were used for weightlifting. A popular form of exercise equipment was ‘Nal’ made of rough stone with a hole through the centre. A giant wooden club or a ‘Mudgal’ was another such equipment carrying pre-historic hangover. Stone wheels with holes were used largely for building massive shoulders and a strong neck.

Bodybuilding in India in the 19th century owes a larger share of credit to Professor K. V Iyer, a physician to the Maharaja of Mysore

Being a South Indian Brahmin, Iyer forbade meat. He was a complete vegetarian and teetotaler. Grains, like unpolished rice and ragi, were his dietary staples. Vegetables, fruits and buttermilk provided him with enough nutrients. Professor Iyer started Hercules gym in Bangalore in 1930 and trained more than 25000 students through this gym. He believed in imparting education through demonstration and explanation. Those who couldn’t enroll in the gym learned through correspondence. For outstation students, Iyer had set up a lodging facility as well. Undoubtedly, the Hercules gym played a focal point in Indian bodybuilding history as it guided bodybuilding initiates with the right information. In the year 1938, Iyer wrote a book called “Chemical Changes in Physical Exercise”, in English, without realizing the profundity of his own work. In the year 1940, he was aptly awarded The Doctorate degree from Missouri University.

Post-independence, four names stand out as top Indian bodybuilders who have made India proud by winning the coveted Mr Universe title. Consecutively in 1951 and 52, Montosh Roy and Manohar Aich bagged the title for the country. Contrary to popular perception, it was Roy and not Aich who won the first Mr Universe title. In the year, 1988 unforgettable Premchand Degra won the title and in 2012, Sangram Chougule, our very own MuscleBlaze athlete won the prestigious award.

1) MONTOSH ROY: FIRST INDIAN TO WIN THE MR. UNIVERSE TITLE

Timeline: 1916-2005

Body Measurements at his best

Height: 5 feet 5 inches
Weight: 70 kgs
Neck: 16.5 inches
Chest: 45 inches
Biceps: 16.5 inches
Thigh: 23 inches
Calf: 15.5 inches
Montosh Roy was born in the current-day Dhaka district of Bangladesh, then India. He was a great fusion of yoga and bodybuilding. Trained under the stellar yoga teacher, Bishnu Charan Ghosh, younger brother of Sri Sri Parmahansa Yogananda, the author of ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’. Montosh Roy didn’t taste the success initially but he had a never-ending spirit. With his zeal, hard work, and dedication, he succeeded in winning the title of East Indian Body Building Championship.

Post-independence, he was crowned as the winner of the All India Bodybuilding Championship. He rose to fame by winning the highly prestigious Mr Universe title. Roy was the owner of an aesthetic physique that took the audience by storm and gave him an edge over his competitors and he went on to win the Mr Universe title in Group III Amateur Division Category. Glory kissed Roy’s feet and he enjoyed immense popularity. People used to queue-up to take his autograph after his shows.

After winning the title of Mr Universe, Montosh Roy returned to India to expedite his interest in bodybuilding. He was the founder of the Indian Bodybuilding Federation and opened a chain of bodybuilding centres and gyms. He also trained celebrities and authored various books. Roy was the owner of a great ability to bend steel with his bare hands. He was also an expert at yoga.

BODYBUILDING TITLES:

1947 All India Bodybuilding Championship
1951 Mr. Universe in Group III Amateur Division Category
2) MANOHAR AICH: POCKET HERCULES

Timeline: 1912-2016

Body Measurements at his best

Height: 4 feet 11 inches
Biceps: 18.1 inches
Chest: 47.2 inches
Forearm: 14.1 inches
Wrist: 6.4 inches
He also trained celebrities and authored various books. Roy was the owner of a great ability to bend steel with his bare hands. He was also an expert at yoga. Manohar Aich, born in present-day Bangladesh, was a popular household name in the 50s. He wasn’t blessed with great height (4 feet 11 inches), but through his hard work, he gained a stalwart physique that compensated for it.

P.C. Sarkar was a very famous magician at that time and Manohar Aich started his career with him as a stunt man. He performed stunts like bending steel with his teeth, resting belly on a sword, and bending spears with his neck. He participated in protests against the colonial regime and for this action, he was put behind the bars. While he was imprisoned, he developed a passion for bodybuilding.

While he was in jail, he started training and trained insanely for 12 hours which cast a great impression on the authorities and they made arrangements to provide Aich with special meals that would help him with his bodybuilding. After India attained independence, Aich was released from prison. He didn’t have enough money than to continue his bodybuilding, yet he persisted. As they say, hard work always pays off, it did for Aich too. It was in the year 1950, he became the winner of the Hercules title. From here, there was no looking back for Manohar Aich. he went on to earn the name ‘Pocket Hercules’ as he established himself as a man of high strength and stamina for his size. The following year, he was declared the runner-up for the Mr. Universe title in London. Again, in the year 1952, he won the title for his nation. He didn’t stop there and went on to win gold medals in Asian Bodybuilding Championships.

Manohar Aich was blessed with a really long life. He breathed his last on 5th June 2016, two days after the god of boxing Muhammad Ali left for the heavenly abode. Aich was 104 years old at the time he passed away. The secret to his long life was his absolute refrainment from smoking, drinking, and stress.

In his long life, Manohar Aich inspired many and took bodybuilding to new heights. He paved the way for modern-age bodybuilding in India.

In his life, he grabbed many big titles, which are mentioned below:

BODYBUILDING TITLES:

1950: Mr. Hercules Title
1951: Runer up in Mr. Universe Contest
1951: Gold Medal in Asian Game (New Delhi)
1952: Mr. Universe Gold
1954: Gold Medal in Asian Game (Manilla)
1955: 3rd Position in Mr. Universe
1958: Gold Medal in Asian Game (Tokyo)
1960: 4th Position in Mr. Universe
Read About Everything You Need to Know About Fitness

3) PREMCHAND DEGRA: INDIA’S ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

Timeline: Born 1955

Body measurements at his best

Height: 5 feet 6 inches
Weight: 80 kgs
Chest: 48 inches
Waist: 31 inches
Arms: 18.5 inches
Forearms: 15 inches
Thighs: 25.5 inches
Calves: 17.5 inches
Premchand came from a small town in Punjab. Born on 1st December 1955, he is a Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee. The success that he enjoyed in his life is the result of his hard work. He wasn’t from a wealthy background and faced various difficulties. He had to struggle a lot to establish himself. He broke the full 30 years in Indian bodybuilding by making his way all the way to the international bodybuilding arena.

His journey started as a wrestler, and then switched to bodybuilding. He was crowned as Mr. Punjab, Mr. North India, and Mr. India 9 times in a row. His international career began when he won the title of Mr. Asia in the middle-weight class at Karachi in 1983. In the year 1984, in Seoul, South Korea, he won the same title again. He switched to light heavy-weight class in Mr. Aisa contest and went on to win the title at Colombo in 1985. His winning streak didn’t end here and he grabbed the titles in Taipei and Malaysia in 1986 and 1987 respectively.

Degra was comfortable with the middle-weight class and continued in this in all the five appearances he made at the World Championships. The biggest event of his life came in 1988 when he won the Gold medal in the middle-weight class at Queensland in Australia and was crowned as Mr. Universe. Premchand turned into a professional bodybuilder in 1989 and participated in Mr. Olympia contest in the same year.

BODYBUILDING TITLES:

1983: Asian Amateur Championships- IFBB, Middle-weight, 1st
1984: Asian Amateur Championships- IFBB, Middle-weight, 1st
1985: Asian Amateur Championships- IFBB, Middle-weight, 1st
1985: World Amateur Bodybuilding Championships- IFBB, Middle-weight, 1st
1986: IFBB Mr. Universe- Middle-weight, 2nd
1987: Asian Amateur Championships- Light heavy-weight, 1st
1987: IFBB Mr. Universe- middle-weight, 4th
1988: IFBB Mr. Universe- middle-weight, 1st
1989: Mr. Olympia- IFBB, 16th
1992: Niagara Falls Pro Invitational- IFBB, 18th
1996: Asian Amateur Championships, IFBB, Light middle-weight, 1st
These two men changed the bodybuilding scenario in India and from there on India saw many ace bodybuilders.

Read About 70 Years Old Bodybuilder Proves That Age Is Just A Number-Zidd to be Forever Young

4) SANGRAM CHOUGULE: MUSCLEBLAZE ATHLETE

Body Measurements at his best:

Height: 5 feet 8.5 Inches
Weight: 74 kgs
Chest: 46 Inches
Forearm: 17 Inches
Biceps: 20 Inches
Waist: 32 Inches
Sangram Chougule, a Marathi mulga, and our very own MuscleBlaze athlete is a perfect example of how passion can make you change your ways. Born on 28th December 1979 in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, Sangram is an electrical engineer by education. His passion for bodybuilding made him choose bodybuilding as his profession. He was announced as the ‘Bodybuilder of the Decade’ by the Indian Bodybuilders Federation.

Success wasn’t served on the plate for Sangram. He belonged to a small village in Kolhapure and had to face many adversities throughout his childhood. With his strong determination, he conquered various titles amidst adversities and gripped success. He is an inspiration for modern-day bodybuilders and bodybuilding aspirants.

Sangram has been nominated for the Arjuna award twice. This 40-year old bodybuilder has won many national and international competitions. His major breakthrough came in the year 2014 when he was crowned as Mr. Universe.

BODYBUILDING TITLES:

2014: Mr. Universe
2012: Mr. World
2012: Mr. South Asia
Mr. India – 6 Times
Mr. India Overall Winner – 2014
JERAI Classic Overall Winner
Mr. Maharashtra – 5 Times
Other than Sangram Chougule, the current era of bodybuilding in India is witnessing some really good bodybuilders who are dedicated to bodybuilding like anything and are constantly working to make it big in this field.

Some of the popular Indian Bodybuilders of today are:

Suhas Khamkar: Born and brought up in a bodybuilding family of Kolhapur, Suhas is currently one of the topmost bodybuilders in India, this 39-year old bodybuilder has won the title of Mr. India 10 times in his career. He is the first Indian to win the title of Mr. Asia. he won this title in 2010.
Murli Kumar: Many would not consider taking up bodybuilding as a career at the age of 25 as it considered to be pretty late for it. But not this man, who has served the Indian Navy. He started lifting weights at the age of 25 and went on to win the Mr. India title 9 times.
Amit Chhetri: Popularly known as the Arnold Schwarzenneger of India, this Haridwar-born bodybuilder is the winner of Mr. India title in 2016 in the 100-kg weight category. He is a police constable serving in the Uttrakhand police department.
Varinder Singh Ghuman: What makes this ace bodybuilder even more special is that he is among those few vegetarian bodybuilders in the world who broke the stereotype of diet in the bodybuilding world. Hailing from Punjab, this bodybuilder won the title of Mr. India in the year 2009 and a silver medal while competing for Mr. Asia in 2012. He has also acted in Bollywood movies like Marjaavan.
It will be interesting to witness the rise of bodybuilding in India in the coming years with the new crops of bodybuilding blooming in the nation.

Premium Bodybuilding Supplements

The way to muscles crosses through whey protein. For most fitness enthusiasts, whey protein powder in all likelihood is the first tub of protein that they buy, and from here begins a lasting relationship that grows stronger every day. Whey protein and weight lifting share a close bond. It is hard to imagine one without the other. Muscles are made primarily of protein and whey protein, a milk-based protein with the highest bioavailability of protein content repairs torn muscle tissues, an outcome of intense workouts and triggers new muscle synthesis. Beyond the basics, whey is also involved in improving your immunity and weight reduction. There are different types of whey protein available and which one will fuel your bodybuilding goals in budget complicates the task of choosing the right whey protein. Sangram Chougule tells you how to choose the right whey protein.

Nutrient of Protein

Protein is an essential nutrient for your body’s growth and repair of muscle tissues. Muscle tissues undergo wear and tear as a result of vigorous workouts. Protein-rich diet repairs muscle tissues. The strength of protein is dependent on the quality and quantity of its essential amino acids. There are nine essential amino acids and these cannot be made by your body. These amino acids come from food. The availability of essential amino acids, primarily Isoleucine, Leucine and Valine, also known as Branched Chain Amino Acids decides the quality of protein, particularly for muscle-building enthusiasts. BCAAs provide the basis for protein synthesis and energy production. In fact, BCAAs can comprise up to one-third of muscle protein. Because of their prevalence and involvement in protein synthesis and energy production, BCAAs are important to many metabolic processes and are critical for muscle seeker.

• Leucine: Leucine plays a greater role than isoleucine and valine in skeletal muscle protein synthesis. Not only leucine preserves muscle tissue it also helps regulate the energy supply of the body.
• Isoleucine: Isoleucine ensures muscular endurance by promoting muscle recovery when your body’s muscles are under stress. It is also vital in the production of haemoglobin in the body which is important for training as it supports enough oxygen supply to all parts of the body efficiently.
• Valine: It is a key amino acid that is vital for enhanced protein synthesis and energy production which is very much required during intense training.

How To Pick the Perfect Whey Protein Powder

The highest amount of BCAAs in whey protein supplement makes it a natural choice for bodybuilders and muscle building enthusiasts. Choose the right whey protein powder depending on your training and fitness level.

Whey Protein Concentrate

Whey Protein Concentrate, the basic whey has low fat and carbs (higher than other forms of whey). The protein content in whey protein concentrate is between 30 to 80 percent by weight. A variety of other protein sub-fractions is also found in whey protein concentrate to boost health benefits. Usually, whey protein concentrate contains 80 percent protein, which means, 100g of whey concentrate has 82g protein along with about 9g of carbohydrates (about half is lactose), 6g of fat.

Whey Protein Isolate

Whey Protein Isolate is the purest protein to have. With more than 90 percent protein content by weight, whey protein isolate has a higher concentration of branched chain amino acids and is pure enough to be virtually lactose, carbohydrate, fat and cholesterol free. Typically 100g whey protein isolate will offer 92g protein in fewer calories and is virtually cholesterol and fat-free.

Whey Protein Hydrolysate

Whey Hydrolysate is the quickest digesting protein. Protein content in hydrolysate has been exposed to heat, acid or enzymes that broken down partially. This makes the protein taste a bit bitter, rapid absorption compensates for the taste.

The fact of the matter is that whey protein in any form has excellent digestion, absorption and amino-acid profile than other sources of protein. Whey concentrate is the beginner’s whey protein. Along with protein content, whey protein concentrate has few extra grams of carbohydrates and fat, but its not suited for a lactose intolerant. It remains the most economical protein. Whey protein isolate is the purest protein money can buy and is the best protein for fitness and muscle building enthusiasts. Easily whey protein isolate is the best whey protein supplement and the worst whey protein will be any whey protein that you can drink but not absorb, leading to stomach upset.

Side Effects of Whey Protein

Though whey protein is as safe as cow’s milk, however, higher doses can cause some side effects like increased bowel movements, nausea, thirst, reduced appetite and bloating. The solution to this lies in finding a protein blend that contains digestive enzymes, like protease, amylase, lactase, cellulase and lipase that improve digestion and assimilation of carbs, fats and proteins. The perfect whey protein is one where you are able to absorb each drop of your whey shake and nothing goes down the drain (literally) and for this, you need a whey protein with digestive enzymes, like DigeZyme. Such a whey protein will enhance digestion and absorption of your protein shake.

Look for a whey protein that contains whey protein isolate along with digestive enzymes, such as MuscleBlaze Whey Protein because each drop of it will fuel your muscle gains.