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ZMA is a combination of zinc monomethionine/asparate and magnesium aspartate plus vitamin B6. It’s strongly supported by clinical research to be an effective supplement for enhancing muscle recovery, boosting muscle size and strength, and even aiding fat loss.*
I’ve been recommending ZMA supplementation for many years. Yet because ZMA is just a mineral supplement—and other supplements like creatine and NO-boosters seem to promise more—few people feel the need to bother with ZMA. That’s unfortunate. If you’re someone who doesn’t feel that taking ZMA is critical for your results, you may change your mind after reading this article.
ZMA is not a testosterone booster. Yes, research shows that it may help athletes maintain higher testosterone levels during intense training periods, though it is not designed to boost levels of the primary muscle-building hormone. It’s simply the most effective way to supplement with two very critical minerals: zinc and magnesium.
Zinc is an essential mineral with antioxidant properties that stimulates the activity of many enzymes in the body. These enzymes are critical for numerous biochemical reactions. Zinc has been found to be critical for protein synthesis, the molecular mechanism that leads to muscle recovery and growth.
Numerous research studies have suggested that zinc and magnesium help enhance muscle size, muscle strength, and fat loss, not to mention overall health and well-being.*
Magnesium is also an essential mineral involved in numerous reactions in the body. It’s important for healthy function of the cardiovascular system, metabolic rate, and of course bone health.* Together, zinc and magnesium offer a wide assortment of physique and performance benefits.
In fact, numerous research studies have suggested that these two minerals help enhance muscle size, muscle strength, and fat loss, not to mention overall health and well-being.*
Research suggests that ZMA has significant anabolic benefits. A study performed at Western Washington University (Bellingham) had NCAA football players take ZMA or a placebo every night during an eight-week spring training program. They reported that the athletes taking the ZMA supplement experienced more than a 30-percent increase in testosterone levels, and about a 5-percent increase in levels of the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).* Those taking a placebo had a 10-percent decrease in testosterone levels and a greater than 20-percent decrease in levels of IGF-1.
In addition to the improvements in their anabolic hormone levels, the ZMA-supplemented athletes made significantly greater gains in strength and power, and achieved better sleep quality, than a placebo group. Better sleep quality also helps to aid muscle recovery from tough workouts. These benefits occurred in the ZMA group despite the fact that the analyses of their diets found that the athletes were all consuming well over the recommended intake for zinc. In addition to the study performed by the Western Washington University researcher, several other studies have also found that zinc and magnesium offer potent anabolic properties.*
Better sleep quality also helps to aid muscle recovery from tough workouts.
A 2007 study from Selcuk University (Konya, Turkey) reported that four weeks of zinc supplementation in men increased testosterone levels at rest and after exercise.* The same researchers also found similar results for zinc supplementation on testosterone levels in a prior study with competitive wrestlers. Researchers from the USDA reported that zinc depletion decreased muscle endurance in subjects. This means that maintaining optimal zinc levels is critical for your ability to complete a number of reps with a given weight.
The same Western Washington University research team that did the ZMA research also discovered in an earlier study that when subjects supplemented with magnesium while following a 7-week leg training program, their leg strength increased by 20-percent more than those taking a placebo.*
Both zinc and magnesium are also suggested to blunt cortisol, a catabolic hormone. German researchers found that triathletes taking a magnesium supplement for four weeks maintained healthy cortisol levels at rest and after a triathlon, as compared to athletes taking a placebo.* And Brazilian researchers also reported that subjects supplementing with zinc maintained healthy cortisol balance.*
ZMA may also boost growth hormone (GH) levels, albeit indirectly. ZMA enhances sleep quality due to magnesium’s ability to normalize and extend stage 3 and stage 4 slow-wave sleep. This is critical, as deeper sleep can help to raise GH levels, which peak during the night.
Zinc is also critical for maintaining thyroid hormone production. This is important for keeping your metabolic rate (the amount of calories you burn each day) and fat-burning capabilities up. Being low in zinc can limit thyroid hormone production, and compromised thyroid hormone function results in a lower metabolic rate, which makes it harder to drop body fat. Research confirms that when your diet is low in zinc, thyroid hormone levels fall and resting metabolic rate drops.
One study from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) found that subjects placed on a low-zinc diet had significantly lowered metabolic rates. When the subjects took 25 mg of zinc each day for 20 days, their metabolic rate jumped up to levels that were higher than even before they followed the low-zinc diet.* The Selcuk University studies also showed that four weeks of zinc supplementation increased thyroid hormone levels in male wrestlers and sedentary men.
It appears that zinc is not only critical for thyroid function, but also for maintaining levels of the hormone leptin. This hormone is also important for keeping your metabolic rate high as well as keeping hunger down. Being deficient in zinc has been shown to significantly lower leptin levels.
It is well established that zinc is critical for immune function. Zinc affects multiple aspects of the immune system. Research from the Cleveland Clinic suggests that supplementing with zinc helps to support a strong immune system.
Zinc also functions as a powerful antioxidant. This mighty mineral activates an enzyme that may help support overall health and immune function.* Zinc’s powerful antioxidant properties can enhance not just your health but your post-workout recovery as well. Zinc’s immune-boosting effects can help to keep you healthy and in the gym.
Research has confirmed that athletes are often deficient in both zinc and magnesium. This is most likely due to several factors, such as zinc lost through sweat during training, increased use of zinc by the body for recovery and protein synthesis following training, and an increased loss of zinc through urine. There may also be dietary factors involved.
Refined sugars, as well as white-flour products such as white bread, can lower blood levels of zinc and magnesium.
Refined sugars, as well as white-flour products such as white bread, can lower blood levels of zinc and magnesium. Foods rich in calcium, such as dairy products, inhibit absorption of both zinc and magnesium by the small intestines. Copper, as well as foods rich in phytates (phosphorous compounds found in whole-grain breads, cereals, and legumes) also hinder the absorption of zinc by the small intestines. And alcohol decreases the absorption of zinc and magnesium, and increases their loss through urine.
Given that you likely are not adequately absorbing the zinc from your whole foods, and that you are losing large amounts of the zinc that you do absorb, you should seriously consider taking a ZMA supplement to maximize muscle mass and strength gains, as well as to drop body fat and support healthy immune function.
If you are using my Vita JYM multivitamin, it is critical that you use ZMA. I omitted zinc and magnesium from Vita JYM to prevent their competition with other nutrients, and to allow for the maximal uptake and utilization of zinc through ZMA.
While taking a plain zinc and magnesium supplement together may provide you with adequate amounts of these important minerals and cost less than a ZMA supplement, I still suggest you spend the money on ZMA. The form of zinc and magnesium used in ZMA is a chelate known as zinc monomethionine/aspartate and magnesium aspartate.
This form helps to minimize interference in the absorption of both these minerals. Furthermore, this form of ZMA provides zinc and magnesium aspartate in the proper dosage, while also serving up the proper amount of vitamin B6, which aids magnesium uptake and utilization by the body.
Specific dosages were found to produce positive effects in athletes’ hormone and strength levels. Men should look for ZMA supplements that provide 30 mg of zinc, 450 mg of magnesium, and 10-11 mg of B6; no more, no less. Women should take a 20 mg dose of zinc, 300 mg of magnesium, and 6-7 mg B6. Since a full dose of ZMA is usually 3 capsules, the dose for women can be achieved by taking 2 capsules. Also, be sure that it lists ZMA from SNAC Systems on the label. Anything else is not true ZMA.
Be aware that, with zinc, there can be too much of a good thing. Taking in too much zinc—upwards of 50 mg of absorbed zinc— can lead to negative effects on the immune system and metabolic rate, adversely impact muscle recovery and growth, and even reduce levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. It can also interfere with copper uptake. In other words, the effects will be the opposite of what’s intended in the first place.
What about magnesium? Taking more than 450 mg of it can actually interfere with optimal sleep.
One of the most important aspects of supplementing with ZMA is timing. I have always recommended taking it about 1 hour before bed and 1-2 hours after you eat. This will not only help to maximize its uptake and utilization, as clinical research confirms, but taking ZMA at this time of day will also enhance sleep quality.
It’s critical that you do not take ZMA with any food, particularly food rich in calcium, like dairy. Both zinc and magnesium are poorly absorbed when taken with food. Sometimes, it’s a two-way street. Calcium, for example, interferes with zinc uptake while zinc interferes with the absorption of amino acids. One way to enhance the uptake of ZMA is to take it with 5 mg of BioPerine, a black pepper extract that’s been found to enhance absorption.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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Bodyweight strength training has been getting a lot of exposure lately. Moves like the human flag, which were once only seen in circus acts, are now popping up in primetime TV commercials for deodorant. Not surprisingly, the growing popularity of some of these formerly esoteric exercises has created a polarizing effect in the strength training community.
While many gym-goers are excited by the beauty and simplicity of using nothing but one’s own body weight—and clever manipulation of leverage—to create challenging new exercises, others are critical of the calisthenics community. One of the biggest gripes many conventional lifters have with bodyweight training is that advanced calisthenics exercises serve no purpose other than showing off. There is some merit to these claims in certain cases, but don’t dismiss all advanced calisthenics as parlor tricks.
Bodybuilders and calisthenics folk have a lot more in common than they realize, so there’s no need for petty bickering. We all want to develop an eye-catching body and perform better physically, and what one person finds useless in this quest another may find invaluable. Besides, one could easily make the argument that bodybuilding is equally about showing off. Is there really any practical purpose to having 20-inch arms?
No matter your athletic or aesthetic goals, these five cool-looking calisthenics moves can give you the best of both worlds. Use them to impress your friends and build serious strength along the way!
More than just an impressive visual, the full back bridge is a timeless functional movement that can build total-body strength and improve your flexibility dramatically. If you’ve never tried bridging, get ready for a humbling experience. I’d be willing to bet that the biggest, strongest-looking dude in your gym would struggle to hold a full back bridge for even a few seconds. Also known as the “wheel” pose, this move demands strength and harmony throughout the entire body.
To perform the full back bridge: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands next to your head, palms down, with your fingers pointed toward your shoulders. Press into the floor with your hands and feet, arching your back to lift your chest forward and push your hips into the air. Keep your thighs, glutes and back muscles active to avoid putting excessive pressure on your spine.
Initially, aim to hold this position for 30 seconds. Then come down, rest, and repeat. In time, you can go up and down for reps in “bridge push-ups,” which can you work toward another movement on this list, the kip-up.
Like all exercises, there are many variations on the back bridge, and the fun doesn’t stop with the full bridge. You can keep progressing into single-leg or dynamic versions that will continue to challenge both your strength and flexibility. Whichever way you do them, full back bridges will work wonders for the posterior chain, particularly the spinal erectors, hamstrings, and glutes, which is why I’ve nominated them in the past as the best bodyweight alternative to the deadlift. They also serve as an excellent stretch for the entire front of the body, especially the hip flexors, abdominals, and pecs.
The L-sit is a classic isometric exercise that works your entire body, particularly emphasizing the abdominal muscles. In order to perform an L-sit, you need a strong core, strong arms, and better than average flexibility in your hamstrings. If you don’t have those traits yet, well, practice and work up to this move to help build functional strength in all of those areas. I dare you to find a weak individual who can hold this pose for a full minute!
“In order to perform an L-sit, you need a strong core, strong arms, and better than average flexibility in your hamstrings.”
I recommend learning the L-sit by practicing on parallel bars or another elevated surface. Begin by holding yourself upright, like you would at the top of a parallel bar dip. Then raise your legs straight out in front of you until they’re parallel to the ground. Your body will wind up looking sort of like the letter “L” (hence “L-sit”).
If you can’t get to this position right away, practice with one or both knees bent to work your way up to the full position. If you don’t have bars or handles, try doing an L-sit on the ground. Bear in mind that this is more challenging; you have less leeway to lift into the hold.
If you’re having a hard time transitioning from an elevated L-sit to one performed on the ground, try holding yourself up on your fingertips instead of your palms to create more space to lift your legs. This will also provide an additional challenge for your hands and fingers, two important areas that often don’t get worked enough. It’s win-win!
Performing an elbow lever requires grace, flexibility, and major mental focus. It’s one of the rare exercises which helps develop strength and balance throughout your whole body. Practicing this move will also help teach you how to create total body tension and build serious core strength to boot.
An elbow lever is performed by leveraging your hip bones against your elbows while balancing on your hands with your outstretched body hovering over the ground. Place your palms on the floor with your fingers facing back toward your legs and bend your elbows so you can rest your hips on them. Slowly shift your weight forward and away from your feet until they float up off the floor.
Keep your whole body engaged as you hold this position isometrically for time. Like the L-sit, practicing elbow levers on an elevated object can be a helpful way to ease your body into the full expression of the exercise.
Once you get a feel for this move, you can raise the stakes by attempting the single-arm version. Now that’s a feat worth sharing at the family picnic!
“Begin like you’re performing a normal wide-grip pull-up, but bend only one of your arms as you pull your chin over the bar.”
One common misconception in strength training is that once you can bust out a certain number of pull-ups, your only option is to progress the exercise is to add weight. Anyone who has done archer pull-ups knows this isn’t the case!
The archer pull-up is a great way to use just your bodyweight and still add a significant degree of resistance to the traditional pull-up. Begin like you’re performing a normal wide-grip pull-up, but bend only one of your arms as you pull your chin over the bar. This means your torso will shift toward that side while the opposite arm stays straight. You also need to reach your legs slightly to the side to counterbalance.
You may find it helpful to open your grip on the extended arm at the top of the rep, allowing your hand to roll over the bar. Practice this move alternating sides on each rep. You’ll be surprised how quickly they add up!
The archer pull-up can also be a helpful lead-up to the one arm pull-up, one of the most challenging and elusive moves in all of bar calisthenics. There’s always a way to keep your bodyweight training regimen fresh and challenging!
The kip-up is a visually impressive bodyweight exercise that shows up in many disciplines including calisthenics, martial arts, and parkour. It’s a great way to work on explosive power, hip drive, and total body coordination, plus it’s a useful skill for getting back to your feet quickly. If you ever fall on your butt during your training, returning to your feet via kip-up is the best way to redeem yourself!
To perform a kip-up, begin by lying on your back with your palms flat on the ground on either side of your head, similar to the starting position for the back bridge. From there, roll your thighs up toward your shoulders and get ready to explode from your hips. To land a successful kip-up, you’ll have to kick your legs up and out as hard as you can and push off with your hands a split second later. The timing is crucial and will take some practice to master. When landing, try to get your feet under your center of gravity in order to avoid falling backward. Think about whipping your legs around in a circle so you land toward your toes. Be patient; performing a smooth kip-up can take a lot of trial and error.
Reports of stretching’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. In this excerpt from Al Kavadlo’s new book, the bodyweight training chief helps you build an effective, personalized practice!
Don’t believe that high-level calisthenics are only for athletes who look a certain way. Everyone can benefit from the unique challenges that come with bodyweight training!
Sometimes the toughest strength moves don’t involve any iron at all. Heed the call of the one-arm push-up and discover how tough progressive calisthenics can be!
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It’s real and it’s coming to a gym near you. It’s AntiGravity Yoga.
What AntiGravity Yoga, which is inspired by gymnastic training methods, makes use of specially designed hammocks to blend traditional mat yoga with acrobatics. The hammock is used to suspend and move the body in mid-air, similar to trapeze artists; albeit safer and more suitable to the everyday athlete. Not only is it fun, but it also improves your flexibility, core strength and creativity.
Why Celebrities like Gwenyth Paltrow swear by it, and for good reason, too! It increases balance and agility, strengthens the upper and lower body muscles, can improve posture, joint and spinal movements, and will almost certainly lift your mood. You’ll also experience greater awareness of your body’s relationship with the air and the ground.
Try it Classes are at selected Virgin Active health clubs; virginactive.co.uk. Plus, take a look at the AntiGravity Yoga website for more information or to buy your own AntiGravity Yoga Hammock; antigravityyoga.co.uk.
Take note AntiGravity Yoga is more challenging than other yoga styles because some positions involve supporting and holding your bodyweight mid-air. But it’s not difficult; if you can handle a gym workout, you can handle this!
For more yoga tips subscribe to Health & Fitness magazine. We’ll give you three issues for £1!
