MK2866 aka Ostarine

Today I want to talk about a peptide that has shown great promise for muscle wasting disease patients. I know your probably thinking WTF?? does that have to do with training and or dieting. Stick with me on this and I promise you'll be glad you did.

 What is MK2866/Ostarine?
 MK2866/Ostarine is the SARM that GTx is developing intended for the prevention and treatment for muscle wasting. It is at the moment undergoing clinical trials and could possibly be the medical prescription for prevention of cachexia, atrophy, and sarcopenia and for Hormone or Testoserone Replacement Therapy.

Being a research chemical, Ostarine belongs to a catergory of chemicals known as SARMs or selective androgen receptor modulators. SARMS create selective anabolic activity at certain androgen receptors and not others, hence their name. In comparison to testosterone and various other anabolic steroids and pro hormones, the advantage of SARMS such as (Ostarine) MK-2688 is that they do not have androgenic activity in non-skeletal-muscle tissues as do steroids and pro hormones. Ostarine is effective in not only maintaining lean body mass (LBM) but in fact increasing it
It is typically described or named S1 on various interenet sources, but this is actually incorrect as S1 was a SARM that was develped quite some time ago and is no longer undergoing any further development.

How does MK2866/Ostarine work? Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) bind to the androgen receptor and demonstrate osteo (bone) and myo (muscular) anabolic activity. Androgen receptor activation Binding and activation involving Androgen receptors alters the expression of genes and increases protein synthesis, as a result, builds muscle. So in essence, SARMS such as Ostarine causes muscle growth in the same manner as steroids, however unlike testosterone and other anabolic steroids and prohormones, SARMS (as nonsteroidal agents) DO NOT produce the growth effect on prostate and other secondary sexual organs. Ostarine in particular exerts its anabolic effects on muscle tissue almost exclusively. So it doesn't just represent a new potential treatment option for a wide spectrum of conditions from muscle wasting diseases such as AIDS to cancer related conditions but it also has immense potential for muscle building for Bodybuilders, fitness, athletes and an agent to minimize atrophy during recovery periods from serious surgery or similar situations.

Advantages Of Ostarine when compared to Steroids/Prohormones There is no need for pre cycle supports such as Hawthorn berry. There is no need for on cycle supports such as milk thistle for the liver, policosanol or RYR for cholesterol etc. Some suppression may be present at doses of 25mg+ run for longer than 4 weeks, however a stringent PCT of prescription SERMs like nolva or Clomid is not necessary. High oral biovailabilty without significant damage to your liver as with oral steroids/Prohormones. Great sense of well being while on, (without the aggression which can often detrimentally impact users daily lifes). No need for a long time period off between cycles; the recommended time of period for normal cycles would be Time on +PCT, so for a typical 6 week cycle and 4 week PCT, a user would have to wait another 10 weeks after PCT to start another cycle.

Ostarine (MK-2866) also resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in LDL and HDL cholesterol levels, with the average LDL/HDL ratio for all doses remaining in the low cardiovascular risk category – hence there is little impact on cholesterol values. Advantages Of Ostarine when compared to other SARMS The metabolite M1 wich seems to cause toxicity in S4 (temporary occular disturbances) is not present in Ostarine. Also unlike S4, Ostarine does not have androgenic properties in non muscle tissue.
 Ostarine Summary
Anabolic even at doses as low as 3mg Great for strength Great for lean mass gains Great for body recomposition Great for endurance (aerobic or anaerobic) Joint healing abilities Half life of circa 24 hours – only once a day dosing required.

So as you see if you stuck with me on this, on paper this seems to be the ultimate compound, especially for women athletes or for cutting up. Hell even bulking. So for those of you out there that are busting your ass in the gym and feel like your stuck and not making any progress and don't want to cross to the dark side, you may want to do some more research on this peptide. Or just be a guinea pig and try it out for 6 weeks. There's no experience like real experience. If you do try it out please come back and leave a comment. I would love to hear from people that are actually using it. 

In Home Personal Training Bolingbrook,IL

How Do I Get Washboard Abs

This seems to be one of the most frequently asked question besides "Do you workout" or "How much you bench". "I'm doing weighted crunches, slant board, knee raises and a few others but still having trouble carving out my abs".

Here's a novel idea. STOP doing ab exercises, and start working on your core as a whole system. A lot can be learned by taking a lesson from the Pilates playbook. Pilates mat classes will teach you an ab series unlike what you typically do in the gym, such as criss-cross or bicycle, 100s and other exercises that sculpt the abs and pull them in and up. Having an awareness around deep ab training, rather than just focusing on using weight in an effort to train heavy enough to get a six-pack is what probably needs to happen.  Most people often stop at developing just the abs that show in a six-pack and don't work the intercostals and serratus, the soaz, or the obliques. Gym ab training typically doesn't really build strength in the core to support the lower back either.





Remember, your diet plays a huge part in how well your six-pack stands out. So eat smart.

My Client's Journey to Her First Bikini Competition

Just had to post this. This is a client of mine that after several ViSalus 90 day challenges took me up on a challenge to compete on stage in a NPC show. I have to say, she has impressed the hell out of me with her work ethic and drive. I wasn't totally sure if 90 days was going to be enough time but looking at her now knowing we still have about 3 weeks to go, I'm sure she'll be ready and do well for her first showing.

Anyone looking for a in home personal trainer or online consultation, please contact me here by leaving a comment or call or text me at 630-863-5029. Results may vary but if your willing to work hard, you can see what to expect.
#ViSalus #ViLife #NPCBikini #HardWork #BodybyVi  #InHomePersonalTrainingBolingbrook
If your interested in doing your own 90 day challenge please visit stevemedina.myvi.net

Tricep Pushdowns

Hey everyone, please bare with my growing pains as I try and find the best way to add videos and articles so that they are easy to access. I don't want you to have to scroll through all the posts to find something.

Here is a few videos I recently filmed with my wife while training Triceps. Notice the form. Keep your elbows close to your body and the only movement should be from your elbows. If your upper arm is moving past the front of your body, that means you are know involving shoulders into the workout. Not what we want. We are working triceps not shoulders. Any questions or comments please post.

High Intensity Interval Training

Searching for a new way to add variety to your fitness program while taking it to the next level? High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a cardiorespiratory training method that alternates brief speed and recovery intervals to boost the overall intensity of your workout. HIIT is used by athletes, weekend warriors and everyday exercise enthusiasts to achieve performance goals and improve fitness and well-being.

How does it work?
The majority of endurance workouts, such as walking, running, or stair-climbing-are performed at a moderate intensity, or an exertion level of 5-6 on a scale of 0-10. High-intensity intervals are done at an exertion level of 7 or higher, and are usually sustained for 30 seconds to 3 minutes, but they can be as short as 8-10 seconds or as long as 5 minutes; the higher the intensity, the shorter the speed interval. Recovery intervals are usually equivalent to or longer than the speed intervals.

High-intensity interval training is done at a submaximal level; around 80-95% of maximal aerobic capacity. Sprint interval training (SIT) is a type of high-intensity interval training that pushes beyond this level to 100% or more of maximal aerobic capacity, or an exertion level of 10.

What are the benefits of HIIT?
The payoffs of pushing yourself with HIIT are numerous, and include:

    Significantly increased aerobic and anaerobic fitness
    Decreased fasting insulin and increased insulin sensitivity
    Reduced abdominal and subcutaneous (just under the skin) fat

The amazing thing about HIIT is that it involves a very small total amount of exercise. By including HIIT as part of your exercise program, you can realize outstanding results in a short amount of time, which is good news for busy individuals.

Is HIIT safe?
High-intensity exercise of any type brings with it a higher risk of musculoskeletal injury and cardiac events. But together with healthy subjects, HIIT has been studied as a training method for people with heart disease and congestive heart failure. Under clinical supervision, subjects had been able to tolerate high-intensity intervals without negative effects. Most significantly, they experienced even bigger improvements in cardiovascular function compared to those undergoing continuous moderate-intensity training.

The bottom line? HIIT may or may not be safe for you. Check with your health care provider before adding it to your exercise plan.

How can I get started with HIIT?
Choose an aerobic exercise-like stationary bicycling. Warm up for 5 minutes, and perform just a few alternating speed and recovery intervals; 3-4 of each should be plenty and will give you a feel for it; finish with an easy cool down. Here’s an example:

Time	Interval	Exertion Level (0-10)
5 min.	Warm-up	3–4
1 min.	Speed	7–9
2 min.	Recovery	5–6
1 min.	Speed	7–9
2 min	Recovery	5–6
1 min.	Speed	7–9
2 min	Recovery	5–6
1 min.	Speed	7–9
5 min	Cool-down	3–4
22 min. Total Time
(4 min. total speed)

HIIT protocols vary widely. There’s no one best single way to structure them. Experiment with shorter and longer speed and recovery intervals to find what works best for you.

Gradually work up to 8-10 or more speed intervals, depending on your fitness goals. Keep in mind that the most common mistake made with interval training is making the recovery intervals too short.

Perform HIIT workouts 1-2 times a week at most to reduce your risk of injury. This high-intensity training method is best used periodically for up to 6 weeks or so to enhance regular training rather than as a year-round fitness strategy.

For best results, work with a fitness professional such as myself to create a personalized HIIT training plan. HIIT requires a big, sweaty effort, but if you stick with it, chances are you’ll be rewarded with impressive results.
You can find more details on my training and nutrition by clicking HERE

So some new guy named Steve Medina started this blog, what does he look like.  I walk the walk and talk the talk. It's all about the diet people. I won't even call it a diet because it more of a lifestyle for me. This type of conditioning without hardly any cardio. Yep, thats right I got this lean without cardio. How the hell did you do that. Stick around and find out.

Here I am after the finals at the Masters Nationals 2013. Repping my company.