Ever since
I starting bodybuilding over 12 years ago, I have heard the same bodybuilding myths and advice over and over again. Things like; you have to do hours of low intensity, fasted cardio, don’t eat carbs 3 hours before bed, no fruit during contest prep, and my favorite……no water day of show. I thought I would touch on some of these myths and get to the truth.
As
you may already know, the IFBB MP Division is off to a screaming start this year. Competitors are coming in leaner and more full with a look that is of interest to the major fitness magazines and supplement companies. This is not an 'Trendy store with way too much perfume in the air' greeter competition, these are serious "brothers-of-iron" at their best.
The Powerhouse National Classic featured 14 of some of these top Physiques. They were stacked on a stage which found it challenging to hold all of the broad shoulders and tiny waists of these competitors. Under the hot lights and scrutiny of top IFBB judges, the Pro's strutted their stuff and following are the results:
1. Anton Antipov
2. Michael Anderson
3. Tyler Anderson
4. David Herskovitz
5. William Sullivan
6. Deniz Duygulu
7. Dean Fazzolari
8. Colin Wasiak
9. Michael Ferguson
10. Ian Lauer
11. Angel Cordero
12. Chris Mercadel
13. David Gonzalez
14. Robert Grote
We are just hours away from the next Olympia Qualifier: The Powerhouse National Classic. There, 13 of the top IFBB Men's Physique Pro's will be working to earn their spot on the big stage in Vegas. One competitor will guarantee their place while four others will earn points towards that goal. Here are the Pro's you will be seeing on the stage this weekend in Detroit:
A 
great composer can take a small musical motif and turn it into complete composition. In much the same way, workouts can be designed by taking a small number of foundational movement patterns (ex. Lower Body/Upper Body Push/Upper Body Pull) and organizing them into different structural formats. Between the vast array of possible exercises and many structural formats available the possible variations are almost endless.
Want
to hear a secret? Can you be trusted? No seriously, can you keep a secret? Ok, here goes. Grocery stores are a rip-off! Let me restate that. Grocery stores are a HUGE friggin’ rip-off.
Well maybe this isn’t a surprise to you but it certainly was to me after doing a little comparison shopping between my local grocer, a big box warehouse club and a “food service” store. I did my comparison shopping because I was spending money hand-over-fist to support my diet while shopping at a local grocery store. If your diet is anything like mine then you’re consuming “large” amounts of foods and can benefit from a couple of tips to save a few bucks.
The 
4th of this month marked yet another milestone in the Men's Physique division. Another competitor, Mark Anthony Wingson, has solidified his spot on The Olympia stage for 2013. The Top 5 at the show were:
1. Mark Anthony Wingson
2. Jason Poston
3. Michael Anderson
4. Sadik Hadzovic
5. Mathew Acton
Summer
is around the corner! You may have slacked off the last few months but don’t panic. Here are three easy tips that require you to do some dropping of your own.
1. Drop the carbohydrates!
If you’re trying to bring your best, whether or not you’re out of shape or in shape, dropping the carbohydrates will put a little extra gas in the tank on the way to your lean physique. A 2008 study published in the journal Hepatology found those who stuck to a low carbohydrate diet lost on average a little over 9.7 pounds within 2 weeks, having an increased fat burn over those who stuck to a low calorie diet and even burning fat off the liver which has been associated with different ailments, including obesity and diabetes. The low carbohydrate group were restricted to less than 20/g per day. Having been on a low to zero carbohydrate diet myself, I can tell you it is no easy task, but the results are undeniable!
Competitors
often deal with changes in their meal plans which may result in breath that isn’t always the freshest. The problem is that the most readily available commercial breath freshening mints have sugar or artificial sweeteners which can cause bloating and potentially jeopardize a contest prep plan if consumed frequently. Luckily, there are a number of natural food substances which are very effective at freshening the breath and which are also safe to consume during contest prep. Try any of the following in place of mints or mouthwashes.
Out
of all the crazy diets there are these days, the “contest prep” diet is without a doubt the most restricted in terms of food selection. One thing I’ve never understood is why does it have to be so restricted? Does a smaller selection of foods equal better results or is it just plain torture given to the extremely dedicated by trainers passing down nutrition plans generation after generation?
For
a lot of us, taking our workouts to an intense level means a lot of sweating. Without getting too scientific, I would like to briefly explain a little about the importance of Electrolytes and their role in keeping you hydrated properly and performing at your best.
Electrolyte is a "medical/scientific" term for salts, specifically once broken into its ions. The term "electrolyte" means that this ion is electrically-charged and moves to either a negative (cathode) or positive (anode) electrode:
Here
we are again in the full swing of competition season, the winter months are over and it’s time to show or begin to prepare to show all of the hard work that’s been going on in the off season! With this comes different demands and many who have competed before know that at times you may question why you are doing it or just can’t understand why you feel a bit drained as your competition draws near. There is however one thing that above all will always guarantee you an unlimited supply of energy: EXCITEMENT!
Whether
you chose to walk into a supplement store or browse online supplement retailers from the comfort of your home, it is clear to see that we are not exactly restricted in our choice of protein powder to use in our post workout shake. Long gone are the days of downing a lumpy protein shake with your eyes closed and a grimace on your face as you muster up all of your remaining strength not throw the whole thing back up! Today, we are provided with numerous different brands and types of protein with most brands offering multiple types including whey concentrate, whey isolate, casein and various time release proteins. We are also able to purchase protein powders from beef and plant sources should we wish. The various benefits offered by different protein sources can be saved for another article as even when it comes to just choosing a whey protein to purchase the number of options can still seem like a mine field!
You've
heard it again and again; but, do you know WHY you should drink plenty of water?
“You must drink lots of water” is a bit cliché I know, but do really know all the reasons why you should be?
Let’s first start off with the role of water in the human body: The human body is anywhere from 55% to 78% water depends on body size.
As
the 2013 season takes off in full force many competitors are focused predominantly on their pre-contest diets and show line-ups. With the focus and determination to bring the best physique to the stage many lose sight of the overall goal. I would hope, for the most part, the reason why we all compete is to live a healthier and happier lifestyle. As the season rolls on, many competitors diet for extended periods of time and hit the stage just to find themselves binge drinking and eating everything and anything in sight. In many instances, those who are done competing for the season often continue these habits throughout their “bulking stage.” Similarly, I see competitors who intend to compete in other upcoming shows participating in the same festivities. Although celebration is surely deserved, the time period following a competition is just as important as the weeks leading to the big day. This brings me to the concept of reverse dieting.
When
was the last time you had a bicep workout that you knew was going to give you a crazy pump and leave you sore for days? Hopefully not too long ago, but if it’s been a while the wait is over. This workout is designed to work your biceps from many angles while still going heavy at times. Here are a couple tips to maximize your workout.
What 
a great turnout and incredible competition the season opener was for the IFBB Men’s Physique Division. Nineteen Pro’s turned up and put on an incredible performance for the spectators at another highly successful Jon Lindsay production. Many seasoned veterans were in the house as well as a large number of new pro’s cutting their teeth for the first time on the pro stage. It’s no secret that these guys are pushing hard to try to find their way onto the Olympia stage.
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and time again that conversation seems to come up about how “eating healthy” cost so much and that’s why I can’t afford to “diet” or eat clean. Eating healthy does not have to break the bank if you follow a few simple rules. Yes that 99 cent burger or 4.99 value meal may sound intriguing but truth be told if done right, if you break it down dollar per dollar you could spend the exact or even less amount of money eating healthy as opposed to going out or eating fast food. Try a couple of these ideas and see for yourself.
Do
you have anyone in your circle of friends or family who are constantly harping about the negative? These are the people who don't understand why you are doing something and talk about all the things wrong with what you are trying to accomplish. I have certainly had my share over the years. When I was in endurance sports for so long and decided to train for my first marathon...many people asked "why in the world would you want to put yourself through that?" They would make fun of the long hours of running I needed to do to get ready for the race. When I decided then to do my first Ironman, the negative responses grew even louder. "You want to do WHAT...for a 140.6 miles?!??" They question my sanity, why I focused so much time and effort into the sport. Why I would do century rides on Saturday mornings, or 13 mile runs on Sundays. In time, I just had to reject the negativity and move forward. It would have been much easier if they all felt the need to give me some positive feedback, but I understand that some people will never change.
When
you exercise, tiny tears develop in your muscle fibers and muscle repair only occurs when the body is resting or sleeping. If you aren't getting an adequate amount of sleep, your body cannot repair the muscle fibers as insufficient sleep is disruptive
Sleep dramatically impacts your entire body. It's during sleep that your body recovers from exercise, repairs itself and grows new muscle tissue. When you are sleeping hormones such as testosterone, growth hormone and cortisol are produced in higher levels than throughout the rest of the day.
If
you haven’t already incorporated eggs into your regular meal plan, you should. Eggs are an excellent source of protein, and also provide all eight essential amino acids which are necessary for optimal muscle gains. Eggs are also packed with the following nutrients:
By
a show of hands how many of you think that it’s necessary to perform 2-3 hours of cardio per day to get lean? Don’t be afraid. There is no incorrect answer. Well, not really but let’s pretend that there isn’t a single correct answer.
So, what do you think?
Is that your final answer?
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