Steve Konopka is currently a professional football player for the Philadelphia Soul Arena Football Team. He plays DE and OL measuring 6'5 at a weight of 290 lbs. He has acquired NFL experience with the New York Giants in 1999. Graduated from Central Connecticut State in 1998 with a degree in Exercise Science. Konopka is co-author of The Lean Mass Program and Critical Ripped Program. Kono was voted team lineman of the year for 2005.

"Kono" is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to supplements. He'll most likely know the answer to your question right off the top of his head, without having to look it up. If you have a question regarding supplements, stacks, or training feel free to visit "Kono's Corner" in the Muscle Forum to ask him a question. Best of the forum QnA will be archived in this section.

*Weight Training-Supplement Questions & Answers
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Health Q&As

Kono's Column & News

Q: I recently had my cholesterol levels checked. My total cholesterol level was 225 and my LDL was 155. What do they mean and what can I do lower them?

Kono's Answer: Your doctor should have given you a recommendation and an explanation with your results. I'll give you a vague description that can help you but you should contact your doctor to get a professional opinion.

First off Blood cholesterol level is a big factor in your chances of getting heart disease. When your blood cholesterol levels are elevated so are your chances for having a heart attack and developing heart disease. Everyone should have their cholesterol levels checked about every 5 years. The test is called lipoprotein profile and it gives you info on your:

Total cholesterol

• HDL (good cholesterol) stops cholesterol from building up in the arteries.



• LDL ( bad cholesterol) this is the main source of buildup in the arteries as well as blockage.



• Triglycerides - a form of fat in your blood.

Total cholesterol levels below 200 mg/dl are desirable anything above 240 mg/dl is high and a risk factor. In between 200- 240 is borderline and should be lowered.

HDL protects your heart against disease, so the higher the number the better. Any number for HDL less than 40 mg/dl is a risk factor. Levels of 60 mg/dl or more will help lower your risks for heart disease.

LDL, which can clog your arteries must have levels below 100 mg/dl to be in the optimal range. With levels of 160 mg/dl or greater you are considered in the high range and a risk factor. Levels in between should be lowered as much as possible till you reach your optimum level.

Triglycerides are fats in the blood stream and can contribute to heart disease. Anything higher than 150 mg/dl is considered borderline high and over 200 mg/dl is high, both should be lowered.

Different factors in cholesterol are diet, exercise and weight. Stay away from saturated fats and cholesterol. Losing weight especially fat helps lower your LDL. Exercise is a key factor because it lowers your LDL (the bad) and raises your HDL (the good). Both of your scores are in the borderline high range. They are not real high so with a little effort they can be lowered to optimal levels. Try lowering your saturated fat intake and get at least 30 minutes of physical activity 4 days a week minimum.

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Q: Hi Steve, My name is Tim and I'm a 20-year-old sophomore in college. I've been lifting weights for almost 2 years now but I've found that I can't seem to increase my bench press. I'm 175 lbs but I can only max out at 205lbs. With the summer coming up, I am committed to working out religiously. I would appreciate it if you could give me some overall tips on what muscles groups to work out on each day, and maybe how to increase my bench press. Also, is working out 6 days a week rather then 4 worth the time; will that help me increase my strength. Thank You.

For boosting my bench when I maxed out I would do weighted dips, which are a great upper body strengthener especially for the tris. If you can't do dips yet do cross bench dips or get a spotter till you work your way up. Seated front military press is great for adding power for your shoulders. Finally for back, yes back is involved in benching mostly on the negative for stability I would do some barbell rows. Stay away from chest machine exercises. A lot of people who get frustrated with their bench start doing the machines so they can do more weight. The machines will actually start to weaken your bench because your stabilizer muscles are not getting worked when you use the machines. So when you go back to benching you're off balance and wasting a lot of strength and energy stabilizing the bar! If you are really serious about your bench get one of our custom-made bench programs. It will give you a step-by-step custom program to blow your max through the roof! Good luck let me know how you do! KONO

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Q:hey kono, sry i haven't talked much lately. busy :(. Anyways just curious, what do you take as far as supplements go? - Joey Demmons

Kono's Answer: What's up? My supplement list is very big with a lot of different phases. It also varies on weather Im to heavy during the season or if I get to light. I stay around 295 during the season at about 15% b.f. Not a bodybuilder but pretty lean. If I go over 300lbs I change my diet up a little and will bring in an extra dose of fat burners. If I drop below 290 I add calories through shakes such as myo-drive by SAN nutrition. Do not think you need to go and buy everything I list to get results either. Remember I have endorsements and sponsors. The supplements that I buy on my own are also a tax write off because it is my profession. I will go into greater detail on my supplement program in my column in the near future. Here is a quick list.

Multi-vit.
vit.c
anti-ox formula
glucosamine, chrondlit and msn product
s-ame
fish oils omega 3-6-9
chomium picolinate
whey isolate protein
casien protien
protein blend supplement
zma
ephedrine
red bull
neuro stim
endurox
amino vital recovery shake
amino vital pre and post exercise bars
glutamine
kre-alkalyn creatine
vitrix
6 oxo
meal replacement rtd
a N.O. product
Fat burner (ephedrine free)
saw palmetto

That is about it for during the season, most is geared towards recovery and maintaining good health. In the off-season it changes a little. Look back in the next month or so for a detailed list of brands, timing and dosages! KONO

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Q: Sup Kono, I'm a pretty lean guy measuring 6', i just started weight lifting a couple of weeks back how can i gain weight in the shortest possible time. My heart is beating at 82 beats per minute. is there any cause for alarm?

Kono's Answer: To increase your weight you must take in more calories than you are burning. Try to get them from good sources of food like oatmeal, pasta and lean cuts of meat. Stay away from saturated fats and simple sugars they will just add fat. Try eating at the same times each day. In your training use compound exercises instead of isolation exercises. Stick with the basics like bench, squats, dead lifts and rows.

For supplements try a creatine supplement like kre-alkalyn and a mrp for adding good calories. We offer a LEAN MASS program which is a detailed program for training, supplements and nutrition all geared towards packing on slabs of muscle. As for your heart rate I do not now your age so that will have a factor in it as well. But I'm assuming that is your resting heart rate which would make it kind of high in my opinion especially when you tell me you are a pretty lean guy. There are a lot of factors how ever in your heart rate such as cardio vascular shape, hereditary, caffeine, stress and something as simple as being hot and dehydrated. Check with your doctor. GOOD LUCK - KONO

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Q: Steve, I'm an ex-college football player looking to stay in shape with a desk job. I work out every night from about 6:00-7:30 six days a week. I'm trying to find a happy medium between lifting and running. I want to keep my weight down but keep some definition. As of now i'm 6'2" 220lb with a 225 bench rep of 29. I would like to keep my strength , but I realize that is not as important since my ball days are over. If you can recommend a workout programs & some healthy supplements I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks for your time, Jim

Kono's Answer: Jim, whats going on? That's great that you still want to stay in shape I know so many guys from my college team that let their bodies go to hell. By the way that's a great rep out count at your weight! If your going to train six days a week try weights three days and cardio for three. Alternate every other day cardio and weights and do abs with cardio. Keep your reps in the 10-15 range and 3-4 sets per exercise. Stay with the free weights that will help keep your muscle while trying to stay lean. For supplements a protein powder is deffinetly a big help when trying to get lean. Take in at least 1- 1.5 grams of protein per lb. of bodyweight. Creatine would be another choice since you do want to maintain your strength. Try the new kre-alkalyn it is much better than the old monohydrate version. Kre-alkalyn will not make you retain water or give you that bloated look just good strength. Good luck and keep me posted on your results! KONO

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Q: HI, i came across your website and i am intrested in getting started on a suplement cycle. I have used them in the past unsucesfully, but i want to give them another shot before i resort to steroids. Right now I am rather thin at 6'0 and 175 lbs, and my goal is to hit about 190 within the next 5 months. Right now my main goal is to get bulkier, but not add too much fat either. If you could please help me figure out a supplement schedule I would greatly apreciate it. Sorry for the long e mail. Nathanial H

Nathaniel, what's up? Sorry it took so long to reply I have been swamped! There are a lot of supplements that will help you obtain your goals you just need to be consistent with them and your diet and training! First off lower your reps in your training stay with 6-10 reps per set. Bump up your carbs. but keep you sugar intake to a minimum. Stay with low glycemic carbs. like oatmeal, whole grain breads, yams, pasta's and brown rice. Get 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight and 4 grams of carbs. per pound of bodyweight. Keep your fat intake low about 10% of your total calories.

For supplements I would use a creatine supplement like kre-alkalyn by sci- fit, CEX by vpx , cellmass by bsn or vitargo cgl by nutrex. A good meal replacement will help or protein supplement. Pro-complex by Optimum nutrition or myoplex are good choices. I think the best bang for your buck is Myo-drive by SAN nutrition. It has creatine, glutamine, 60 grams of protein, hmb and plenty of carbs. One shake a day after working out and on off days split it in two. It is definetly worth the money for gaining lean mass. The supplement regimen for you depends on the amount of money you can spend. I could tell you to take 20 items to take or just 2 depending on you budget we will start at order of importance and most effective. Give me a shout back if you need more help when you have a budget. But for now start with the diet and training suggestions I made. The diet is the most important part of any goal when changing your physique. KONO

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Q: Kono I'm writing to find out how to add more fiber to my diet. I realize how important it is to obtain the physique I want. I have tried the powder mixes my parents use and I can't stand the taste and the hassle. What can I eat that will help me get the right amount of fiber? Thanks Peter Seers

Pete, Im glad to see you realize the importance of fiber. It is a vital nutrient in numerous activities in your body. Oatmeal contains 4 grams of fiber in 1/2 cup. My trick to get enough fiber which is around 35 grams per day is using Mission brand carb balance whole wheat burrito sized wraps.They have 0 cholesterol 31grams of carbs and whopping 21grams from fiber! They also have 8 grams of protein. Another item I use to switch it up is Fleischer's carb trimmer bagels. They have 27 grams of carbs 15 from fiber. A bagel with breakfast and a turkey wrap for lunch you're all set. KONO

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Q: I am currently bulking and i use a mrp called primo max. This gets me about 40grams per serving. I was wondering if this is the right thing to use or should i just be using protein shakes rather than a mrp. Tnx Luke

What's up? I haven't heard of the mrp primo max but meal replacements can be a big help for easy added calories. The best weight gainer product in my opinion is MyoDrive by san nutrition. It has 60 grams of protein, 12 grams of glutamine, creatine, hmb and basically everything you need to pack on solid muscle. It looks expensive at first but if you add up all the ingredients seperatly it's cheaper and more convenient because its all in one shake. If this is to pricey stick with your mrp and add some creatine. Remember when bulking have 1.5-2 grams of protein per lb. of bodyweight and 3grams of carbs. per lb. of bodyweight. Still eat as clean as possible staying away from sugars and saturated fats. KONO

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Q: Hey Kono. I'm 21 years old and I've been lifting for about four years now consistently. I've been getting more and more serious and I wanted your opinion on supplements. I've got/taken protein, creatine, multi-vitamins and flax seed oil. I hit a rut and wanted to try something a little more serious so I took M1-T and liked that but now its illegal. With the ban on prohormones, is there anything out there that is legal and relatively safe that will generate quicker results? Or have you had any success with something that is stronger than something like creatine or NO2? Thanx a lot I appreciate it. Colin M

Hey what's going on? Congrats on your consistency, that is the most important thing in the world when you want to get results. I see you have the foundation supplements taken care of so stay strict with them. I wasn't a big fan of the pro-hormones so I'm not to sad to see them go. Try taking a different form of creatine besides the monohydrate form, such as kre-alkalyn or the esterfied versions. They will give you the strength increase but without the water retention. Losing the water retention will give your physique a more defined look and show off your hard earned muscles better! As for a no2 product my clients and myself as well have had success with blitz cycle by FIZOGEN, no explode by BSN, and Trac by MHP to name a few. I think adding an no product and changing your creatine will give you some nice changes that you are looking for. Also go over you training routine and revamp it! If you really want a challenge try our lean mass program or critical ripped program for some real results. GOOD LUCK KONO

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Q: What's up Steve, My name is Nick and I'm currently a senior in high school. I play QB and was a three year starter in high school and i'll be playing football next year at school. I've been lifting seriously for about 3 years now and i currently cycle creatine, but i was wondering what your opinion about NO2 is. I know most of the biology behind it but i wanted to know what your opinion is about it's long-term effects on the heart, if any. From reading a lot of stuff and being a future Pre-Med student i understand that while taking NO2 there are many positives on how it effects the heart and other organs. But, i'm a little weary on the effect that it has long-term on these organs. If the body gets used to having supplemental levels of NO2, then what happens when the blood vessels all of a sudden constrict again to their normal size when someone stops taking it--one would think to have very high blood pressure. Thanks in advance for your time. -Nick

Nick my pre-med friend, your question is a tough one but I'll give it a shot. It is true that when taking an N.O. product it effects all your blood vessels in your body not just the ones in your muscle that you want pumped up. When taking these products you only get their benefits for 3-5 hours and some even less than that no matter what the company tells you. When the effects wear off your blood vessels go back to their normal range of output and constriction. The same as if you ran a marathon you will have increased blood flow throughout your body for a short time. Long term effects? I'm not sure I haven't heard of anything as of yet. If I do hear of something my readers will know as soon as I do, as with any info on the safety or benefits of any supplements. The only negatives I have heard of with N.O. products is the increase in free radicals in the blood stream. Which is hypothesized to lead to free radical induced DNA damage. Taking a multi vitamin containing antioxidants would help prevent this. By the way I have yet to see or hear any scientific evidence to support this so don't get to worried, like I said it was just hypothesized that this could happen. Hope I helped you out a little. KONO

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Q: Kono, my question is with dieting down. Every time I lean down for the summer I tend to get sick and so run down that I end up not being able to train for a week or so and lose about three weeks of hard work. I kill myself to get my abs in and everything really defined. I'm 205lb usually and summer time I get down to 190lb. My abs are still visible at 205 just not as ripped all over as I want be in the summer. What should I change or do differently, are there any supplements I should take? I take a tight fat burner by san and some whey protein. thanks Jim

Jim what's up? First off congrats on those abs anyone over 180lbs with a ripped 6 pack is doin it in my book especially if they have muscle everywhere else too. But your symptoms are a clear case of over training. It seems to me, that since you are always pretty lean you don't start early enough in your cut down phase. So you are probably doing too much training, cardio and cut your calories too much to rush to the beach for the honeys. Your body cannot recover from the onslaught of constant dieting and training. So as a defense mechanism your body shuts down and forces you to rest.

One thing you can do to try to avoid this is start your lean down phase a few weeks earlier. If you start to hit the beaches mid june give yourself 10 weeks to get where you want to be. Maybe start the at the end of March or early April. With this amount of time you'll also have a lot more fullness in your muscles, so they are not flat and deflated. They will have that pumped look all the time which makes you look that much more impressive.

Sleep is another thing that is often over-looked by people. Especially younger people who train, hit the beach than hit the club all night and do it again the next day. Trust me I have been there! Sleep is even more important for recovery when you are dieting down. You have less calories to burn as energy so you get fatigued easier. I recommend at least 8 hours when you are dieting down and 7 hours when you're training hard but not restricting your calories. Remember naps are great as well, just not too long or late in the evening which may disrupt your normal sleep pattern.

Finally supplements. Get enough protein. 2 grams per pound of bodyweight when your dieting. Cut your calories from carbs and bad fats never from protein. Make sure you have a multi-vit. everyday and added vit. c. Stay hydrated, your body starts to loose performance even when you are only a little bit dehydrated. Finally glutamine for recovery and immune system support. 15 to 20 grams a day will help with recovery from a rigorous training schedule.

To take all the guess work out of dieting down try our ripped program. Everything in it is designed for what you're looking for, a six pack with striated delts and veins in your arms! Good luck KONO

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Q: I have been lifting for about 4 years now. Right now I'm 19, max bench is 350, and my body weight is 160. I was wondering if this is a good 1 rep max for somebody of my age and weight. I'm all natural, I've never taken any type of suppliments. I want to continue increasing my bench while keeping my weight low. Do you have any suggestions on how I can do this? I know a lot of people that take suppliments, protien, etc. I have been tempted to try suppliments but lack any knowledge about whichs ones would help me the most. This is off topic but just out of curiosity how much do you weigh and what's your 1 rep max for bench? Troy

What's up Troy? Hey if your max is really 350 at a 160lbs and you have been training for only 4 years you have a career a head of you in benching. I think you already know that, that is a great bench. But if you have been lifting in a cave your whole life let me be the first to tell you that's a great bench! Supplements will help you recover faster and certain supplements such as creatine will help increase your strength. With your little experience in lifting I think the proper program would make a big jump in your max. Our bench press program would ensure that. Also with a lot of beginners they overtrain which would halt your strength. Make sure to get enough protein for recovery. Your post workout shake should have 40 grams of protein and 10 grams creatine with at least 40 grams of simple carbs. This will increase strength and ensure recovery in conjunction with a proper diet. As for my bench my best ever was 465LB at 290. I haven't benched for about five years now because I use more sport specific exercises for my training such as dumbbell incline, hammer strength jammer and push press. Since I don't bench right now I'm not sure what my max is. But keep us up to date on your max especially when you break 500lb! Kono

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Q: I am 6'0 and 213. I'd need to be about 190 to get cut up. Generally I mix my cardio and weight training together, sometimes both in the same day. I am not in the habit on going on streaks with one or the other, except that I might lift for a few days with no cardio. I am thinking about switching tactics and spending something like 3 weeks lifting and then a hard week to slim down. Since I am just working out for general sports performance and aesthetics I have no finish line or event to work for. Can you advise on an optimal cycle for mixing cardio and weight training? Am I correct to switch from mixing them all together. I should note that I eat pretty well but seem to be cursed with a low metabolism...my RMR was measured at 1200. Thanks! Jim D

Jim, switching just to weights or just cardio to lean up is not a good idea. Lifting weights and cardio act together synergisticly to burn fat. In this case 2 + 2 = 5! By adding muscle through weight training you burn more calories, because the more muscle you have the more calories your body burns. The more cardio you do the more calories you burn as well. When you burn more calories than you take in you shed fat. Try hitting each 3 times a week. Our critical ripped program will take all the guess work out of leaning up! You will be amazed by week 5 of the program! KONO

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Q: Kono, I am almost 6'2" 250lbs freshman in college. The first day I got to college I benched 275 for 7, weighing in at 230lbs. Since then, I ended up getting mono which put me in the hospital for 3 days and made me unable to lift for a month and 1/2. Right now, I am unhappy at 250lbs. I have started training and lifting again but I am struggling with cutting fat. There is a lot of fat in my stomach due to the poor dieting at college. Are there any fat burners that you can reccomend as well as a routine or diet for me to try to shrink this stomach? Please can you help me with this, I dont know who to go to. Thanks for your time. -Chris

Chris, Im glad to see you're feeling better. Eating at college is tough especialy when you are trying to cut fat. For your belly fat you need to burn more calories than you take in. No matter what media hype is behind any product such as ab belts or ab swings or what ever they call them nothing brings out your abs unless you burn the fat off of them first! So cardio and diet should be your two best friends. Our critical ripped program is a outstanding program for ripping up! It is totaly customized to your weight and exercise level. As for fat burners my top picks are as following:

Tight by san nutrition
Lipo-6 by nutrex
Redline by vpx

There are a lot of choices out there but these seem to produce the best results in my experiences. There are a lot of single ingredient fat loss agents that you can combine with these to have a great fat burning stack. In January we will be putting out a supplement program just for fat burning! It will contain stacks of supplements, dosages, timing and tips to get rid of those holiday pounds and to get you ready for the summer. Well good luck! KONO

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Q: Whats up Kono, im a highschool linebaker in fort worth texas. I basically struggle with everything that there is with working out and nutrition. i can play the game, but i need help with getting bigger, stronger and faster, and since you are a successful pro-football player, i figure that there isn't anyone better to ask for help from. So what should i do in my situation, and what advice can you give me? im not very tall, im only five seven maybe five eight, which is the reason that i play outside, and only 190-195. and im really not that strong. It would be awesome if you could help me out, and thank you for taking the time to read this. John

John what's up? If you can play geneticaly you're alright. Genetics are the only things you can't change. So for working out and nutrition it's all mental. If you want to become a better football player you have to decide to train and eat better. Every day you make a choice to either go to the gym or the track or stay inside and play video games. You also can eat a big mac value meal or order a grilled chicken salad with low-fat dressing and a diet pepsi. These are things you need to mentaly say everyday you will do. With training to get stronger you need to lift heavier weights with good form. Stay with compound exercises such as Bench press, squats, hang cleans and push press. These exercises are the foundation for a stong and explosive football player. Once you get the propper form down keep your reps to 8-12. Nutrition wise I say it all the time stay away from the evil duo fats and sugars. Each have a place in your diet but for the most part cut them out. Another key to muscle growth is protein without enough you can't build muscle - period. I recommend 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight. Good luck and keep us updated. Look for our new Critical diet programs coming soon. They will include customized diet for your specific goals and weekly updates! KONO

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Q: What effects do muscle relaxers have on weight lifting? Thanks for your time, Mary.

Mary, I'm not sure how they effect muscle growth and metabolism when taken long term I'm sure it's different for everyone. I have used them in the past when pre-scribed by my team doctor to help relieve muscle spasms or muscle tightness but only when they were extreme, where deep tissue message and normal therapy would not work. I was prescribed to use them at bed time and they did not affect my strength or practicing capabilities the next day. So short term use I didn't notice any loss of strength or speed. But with all medications I would check with your doctor who prescribed them to you. If your having problems loosening up or with muscle tightness try adding a stretching routine and warm up thoroughly before exercising and a 10 minute cool down after training might help. KONO

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