"Mad Scientist of Muscle" is a nickname that has absolutely suited me and defined
me for pretty much my whole training career.

I've been experimenting with exercises, training, fat-loss and muscle-building
techniques for more than 22 years now and the results have, to say the least,
been phenomenal.

So today, I wanted to share two "mad scientist" experimental things I've done
to lose fat...

Quick Side Note...I promised you a comparison between Shaun Hadsall's excellent "4 Cycle Solution" fat loss program and my own Metabolic Surge fat-loss program...that will be coming to you a little later today. He's also added a very cool new bonus today...The 7 Day Ab "Targeted" Cardio Interval Solution This is a strategy that can legitimately target stubborn fat in the lower abs (and just fyi, Shaun's a bit of a mad scientist, too, when it comes to fat-loss techniques...I learned a lot myself from his 4 Cycle Solution program).

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1. Cold Water Immersion

The premise: submerge your body in cold water and let it bring your body
temperature down enough to cause shivering. Shivering is almost completely
fueled by fat, specifically the brown fat of the body (this is fat that is more
metabolically active - the stuff that makes you look fat is known as white fat).

In addition, the hormone release (norepinephrine) in response to the stress of
cold water immersion may lead to an increase in metabolic rate.

The original study I based this experiment on involved performing activity while
in cold water but since I didn't have a big cold water tank, I decided to try it
out with just the shivering in a tub.

Three times a week for a month, I filled a tub up with cold water and went in
and started shivering. It wasn't ice water but was probably about 45 - 50 degrees F.

Let me tell you, you can really find out what you're made of when you're faced
with a tub full of cold water that you have to get into. You step in, lay down up
to your neck then just stay there for 20 minutes. You'll start shivering FAST.

** Naturally, watch out for signs that you're getting TOO cold - we don't want
hypothermia here. If you start breathing rapidly or you can't touch your index
finger to your thumb, stand up out of the tub and turn on a warm shower to
heat yourself back up right away.

The Verdict:

I DID actually notice results over and above what I've experienced with regular
fat-loss programs. It wasn't a huge difference but I definitely did see a difference.
If you want to burn fat while lying down, this is about the only way to do it.

This MAY be a good technique if you have some stubborn fat you'd like to get rid
of and you're willing to sit in a cold tub 3 times a week for 20 to 30 minutes. The
hormones released (specifically norepinephrine is one that has been mentioned
in conjunction with cold water immersion) have the ability to unlock those
stubborn fat cells.

You'll have to weigh these factors to decide if you want to try it...I can promise
you it's not a comfortable technique but it will toughen you up, at the very least :).

2. Swishing the Mouth With Oil Before Doing Cardio

This technique is a case of taking a scientific study and putting it into practical
application. The study showed that the mere presence of fat in the mouth (not
even swallowed) resulted in the liberation of fatty acids into the blood stream
from fat cells.

It sounds strange but basically, this means when you have fat in the mouth (e.g.
olive oil is what I used), it signals the body to release fat from the fat cells and
into the bloodstream. It doesn't have to be swallowed - the body senses the fats
in the mouth and responds to it.

So I took a spoonful of olive oil and swished it around for about a minute or so,
spit it back out, then immediately did some cardio. The idea here is that the
liberated fatty acids will be burned by the cardio. If you do the swishing and don't
do anything to burn the liberated fat, it'll most likely just get taken back up by
the fat cells again.

The Verdict:

I was on a low-carb diet at the time I tried this technique and noticed an IMMEDIATE
increase in my energy levels. At this point, I was doing cardio first thing in the
morning on an empty stomach and normally, I don't have a whole lot of energy
in the morning. When I swished with the oil, I actually did feel more energetic
and I believe the process was effective for increasing fatty acids in the bloodstream.

But here's the issue...what I DON'T know is how effective a long-term strategy this
is. Does this cause a significant increase in fat-burning? Enough to be a useful
technique? It's a definite maybe.

Signalling the body to begin opening up fat cells faster is a good thing as it helps
you increase energy levels and access that stored bodyfat more easily.

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So after reading those two experiments, you can see where I get my nickname from...
and it's not just the insane exercises!

Here's one more link to Shaun's program, if you want to check it out (I recommend it highly).

==> 4 Cycle Fat-Loss HALF off + 7 Day Ab “Targeted” Bonus (*free*)

Nick

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