Fellas, listen up because I am about to drop some knowledge on you. These tips and pointers will go a long way to helping you look your best when you step on-stage. This entire article will be dedicated to the Men’s Physique uniform. That’s right, board shorts.
The NPC provides some pretty general guidance regarding board shorts, which I will quote because I would hate to get anything wrong:
Have I pissed off any Crossfit devotees already with the title of this article? I hope so. I challenge any Crossfit fanatic to continue with Crossfit training while being able to grace a bodybuilding stage with the tiny waist, full lats, and rounded delts which are sought after in every single bodybuilding division. When an athletic pursuit is characterized with moves like overhead squats, push presses, push jerks, sumo deadlift high pulls, medicine ball cleans, and tire flips, developing a boxy midsection is unavoidable. I find it ironic that Crossfit gyms are referred to as boxes since the term box is rather suggestive of the body shape which develops under that discipline.
Alp Yurteri won the Class C and the Overall at this year's NPC Team Universe, earning his IFBB Pro card in Men's Physique in the process. Alp, thank you for sharing some time with Rx Muscle.
Q: Your name is Alp and you joked during your interview with Dave Palumbo that you were born to be chiseled and ripped. Have you always been lean and athletic?
A: (Chuckles) Perhaps "chiseled & ripped" was a bit oversight, but for the most part I was always a very active and athletic boy growing up. Both my parents are very big on education, so sports never really took the immediate priority but my father played soccer back in the day so before you knew it my sister and I found ourselves playing soccer from a very young age.
This weekend marked yet again one of the largest turnouts in NPC history for the 3.5 year old Men’s Physique Division. Over 170 men took to the stage in the MP Division with hopes of walking away with their very own IFBB Pro card. Of the 170+ men that travelled to Vegas to make this dream a reality, 12 were awarded IFBB pro status.
Ken Settepani: “Go outside your comfort zone and try!”
Ken Settepani, age 46, is a former US IT Manager from Herndon, Virginia. This freelance coach, trainer and nutrition planner is a soon-to-be store owner and currently resides in Herndon, Virginia. Let’s learn more about this Men’s Physique competitor!
I absolutely love this dish and would eat it every day!!
Try it out and let me know what you think!
For this recipe I used a pea protein instead of the traditional whey you see more commonly.
Peas have no major allergens and are great for post-workout nutrition for athletes who may have difficulty supplementing with other types of protein.
Food…the final frontier.
There I was, in line at the grocery store while sporting the usual sweaty tank top after a workout. As the cashier rings me up she says, “I’ve been trying to lose weight and I eat pretty clean and balanced, am I doing something wrong?” I replied, “Well how much are you eating in a day total?” After a long pause, she answered, “I don’t know.” Then I probably said something witty, smiled, put on my sunglasses like Horatio from CSI and walked away in slow motion.
Many people have time commitments (better known as excuses) that prevent them from being able to work out. However, not being able to physically make it to a gym or a lack of access to equipment is not a true reason to not break a sweat and get a good workout in.
Here is a great workout that doesn’t require you to leave the house or have any weights.
The Men’s Physique Division has stirred up tremendous interest and a decent amount of controversy within the IFBB and NPC, with a plethora of fans as well as a camp of haters. Perhaps the most exciting thing about the inception of this division was the door of opportunity which opened for men who were interested in competing on a bodybuilding stage but who did not want to sign up for the rigors of a competitive bodybuilder’s regimen. As expected, the floodgates opened and the Men’s Physique Division became wildly popular, not just among competitors within the division, but also among its ever-growing fan base worldwide. Sadly, there have been naysayers who have popped up with scathing criticism of the division which echoes the main misconceptions about the division.
Over the years I have been asked numerous times to provide insight into how a person can determine their level of physical fitness. In many ways, I think this question originates from people that have gone to the doctor and received those body mass index (BMI) score sheets and discovered that they were obese, based upon their height and weight. Now mind you, the people asking these questions are often those that go to the gym several times per week.
Low Intensity Steady State Cardio
By low intensity I am referring to heart rate zones that will optimize the process of utilizing fat for energy. The intensity can vary and generally the lower the intensity, the greater percentage of calories burnt that will come from fat. But admittedly, the lower the intensity the lower the net total of calories burnt during the session, so compromise is needed.
I get asked quite often what type of cardio I do and what type of cardio I recommend. The answer always shocks people. The answer is none! I almost never recommend cardio and I do none myself anymore. Now that's not to say I haven't in the past. Before I knew better, I fell for the 2-3 hours of cardio a day Broscience that many people fall for.
So why don't I do cardio? For a variety of reasons. Without going too in depth, here are the reasons, generally speaking.
A record number of competitors attended the Team Universe show this year in New Jersey. This is in no small part due to the massive influx of Men’s Physique Competitors flooding the stage as the division continues to pick up steam. As cross-overs are taken into account, over 160 men put on the boardshorts in the open classes in Teaneck spread across six height classes. In the 35+ master’s class, a total of 35 men hit their quarter turns in four height classes in hopes of earning their pro card. Finally in the 40+ master’s class 14 more MP men represented the division proudly divided into two height classes.
Pro cards were awarded across all height and age classes. Congrats to the 18 new IFBB Pro’s as well as the rest of the 160+ men that made all of us Men’s Physique competitors proud!
Greg Romero says, “You are somebody and you will make this day count!”
Greg Romero, age 45, from Denver, Colorado, has been training for 24 years! This middle school teacher has his BA in History and currently resides in Henderson, Colorado. Let’s learn more about this Men’s Physique competitor!
We
all know what a plateau is, but for giggles I wanted to provide the definition, just to make sure that we are all on the same page.
One dictionary defined plateau as a situation where something has stalled that was progressing forward previously. Another dictionary defines it as a level or period of relative stability, or relatively little change.
Creatine
has been established as an important component of maximal muscle growth, strength and energy in the world of weightlifting, hence its almost ubiquitous presence in pre-workout formulations. Though creatine can be formed in the kidneys and liver from arginine, glycine and methionine, weightlifters should supplement this production, either by taking powdered creatine supplements such as creatine monohydrate, or by consuming large amounts of creatine-rich foods.
Corey Sayles, Men’s Physique Competitor Helping Others Along the Way
Corey Sayles, age 36, of Odessa, Texas, and currently residing in San Francisco, California, has been training three years. Sayles is an NASM certified personal trainer, working on his BS in kinesiology. He is a personal trainer and the general manager of Alex Fitness – Castro.
With
us today is Peter Jameson. Congrats on a great showing! What made you decide to compete in Men’s Physique Division?
After competing in bodybuilding and placing well – just not with a win or top 2 – I decided to talk with the judges. They informed me that I had a good look for Men’s Physique. Decided to compete in the Dennis James Classic in Arizona last weekend, May 31st and was able to place first in the novice class and 4th in the open class giving me the opportunity to compete in Junior Nationals. I have a new hunger with Men’s Physique and I believe an aesthetically appealing body for the sport and potential sponsorships.
By splitting my leg workout into two sessions, I can put more focus on creating a better set of wheels. One workout focuses primarily on hamstrings and calves, while workout number two focuses on quads. With any leg day, I start out with at least ten minutes of cardio to warm up. For quad day I really prefer the stair climber as my method of cardio. As with any other body part, I constantly try new machines, movements, or foot placement to further refine my workout, but here is what a current quad day looks like for me.
This weekend marked another action packed weekend for the IFBB Men's Physique division for both the Open and Masters groups. Twenty five men squared off in the Open class at the IFBB Greater Gulf States Pro show while thirteen took to the boards in the 35+ Masters.
Here's another high rep workout for you. If you're looking for a workout to destroy your back and give you wings then this is the workout for you! This is not for the novice lifter. Focus on your form, squeeze and feel each rep. Don't just throw the weight around. Connect with me on Facebook!
Subscribe to RxMuscle on Youtube
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|||
