TUFMED

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I was fortunate enough to stop by the TUFMED booth while at Olympia last week, albeit under challenging circumstances. I had stopped by the booth in desperation because I needed to find some sort of topical muscle relief for poor, injured Ian Lauer. So I was surprised when I discovered that this amazing line of products is formulated with natural ingredients and is colorless and odorless.

Here is their statement on their home page:

TUFMED is an American athletic biotechnology company that designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes natural health care products made specifically for athletes. TUFMED products are odorless, colorless, greaseless, and do not contain ingredients that may harm an athlete or get him/her disqualified in competition.

I ended up getting the TUFRELIEF Cream, and am happy to report that Ian responded very well and very quickly. He had sustained a severe quad strain, but was walking normally after 48 hours. We were very aggressive with the application of ice, moist heat, and intake of high dose ibuprofen, but I am convinced that TUFRELIEF played a large part in Ian’s rapid recovery. Bravo TUFMED!

TUFRELIEFHere’s the description of TUFRELIEF:

HOW IT WORKS
At TUFMED we believe a healthy human body has the ability to heal itself when provided the proper natural nutrients. TUFRELIEF cream is formulated using natural ingredients to work in harmony with your body and enable healthy natural recovery.

WHEN TO USE
Apply TUFRELIEF muscle & joint cream immediately to the discomforted area. Continue applying TUFRELIEF muscle & joint cream at least 3 times per day until satisfied.

WHAT’S INSIDE
Purified Water, Organic BiAloe, Bowellia Serrata, MSM, Arnica, Safflower Oil, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Vegetable Glycerin, CaprylicTriglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Coconut Oil, Apricot Oil, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Comfrey, Cayenne, Phenoxyethanol, Sweet Almond Oil, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Lactate, L-Aspartic Acid, Glutimic Acid, Glycine, L-Alanine, L-Serine, L-Valine, L-Proline, L-Threonine, L-Isoleucine, L-Histidine, L-Phenylalanine, Ethylhexylglycerin

Here are all the products which TUFMED carries:

TUFRELIEF
TUFHANDS
TUFBRUISE
TUFWOUND
TUFEYES
TUFSOAP

Be sure to check them out!

https://tufmed.com/

Are Post-Workout Carbohydrates Necessary?

Please check out my latest article for Sports Nutrition Supplement Guide!

You can access the original post here:

http://www.sportsnutritionsupplementguide.com/eating-plans/item/1532-are-post-workout-carbohydrates-necessary#.VfiGeBFViko

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If you have been lifting weights for a while, you have probably heard about the importance of ingesting simple carbohydrates during the critical post-workout window. The idea is that the insulin spike which occurs with carb consumption augments protein uptake and thus optimizes muscle building and repair.

However, there is a growing body of evidence which argues against this theory. One study which was published in Nutrition and Metabolism split older male subjects into two groups, one of which consumed only protein post-workout, while the other group consumed the identical amount of protein, with an added carbohydrate source in a 1 to 2 ratio. The subjects in the second group initially had an insulin spike and a greater uptake of protein into muscle tissue, but after several hours, both groups had the same uptake of protein.

Athletes who train several times a day may benefit from the faster rate of protein absorption which accompanies carbohydrate consumption during the post-workout window since they need to keep glycogen stores full for the next workout. However, the average person or athlete who only trains once per day will be able to replenish glycogen levels within a day or two, without any negative effects, as long as enough carbohydrates are consumed in the diet throughout each day. This is great news for individuals who cannot consume large amounts of simple carbohydrates, either due to diabetes or excess weight, because the overall absorption and uptake of protein is unaffected by carbohydrate intake.

Substances like whey protein induce an even bigger spike in insulin than carbs do, and the increase insulin levels from protein alone is adequate to inhibit the muscle breakdown which occurs post-lift. You might also consider employing a carb-cycle diet which consists of a low carb plan intermixed with one or two high carb days per week. The carb spike days will effectively replenish glycogen stores and keep your energy high for those intense lifting days, while the remaining lower carbohydrate days will boost growth hormone production.

REFERENCES: Hamer H, Wall B, Kiskini A, de Lange A, et al (2013) Carbohydrate co-ingestion with protein does not further augment post-prandial muscle protein accretion in older men. Nutrition & Metabolism 10:15.

IFBB Men’s Physique Pro Ranks

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In my last five posts, I provided lists of all the men who earned IFBB Professional Status by competing onstage in the Men’s Physique Division in NPC events and at the IFBB North American. Here are the totals for each year:

2011: 23
2012: 49
2013: 99
2014: 110
2015: 99 *NOTE: There will be 12 more men joining this group in late November after NPC Nationals takes place.

That’s a total of 380 IFBB Men’s Physique Pros who won their status on a bodybuilding stage in the five years since the Men’s Physique Division was established. However, there are a number of IFBB Men’s Physique Pros who got their Pro Cards in Bodybuilding, then crossed over after they went pro. There are also international IFBB Men’s Physique Pros who have competed in Pro events.

The IFBB Men’s Physique Pro Ranks have grown dramatically as a result of the increase in the number of Pro Cards offered at national events. There are now twice as many cards handed out as there were in the early days of this division. However, the sheer number of competitors who funnel through national amateur events each year continues to make the designation of IFBB Men’s Physique Pro a highly desirable and honorable title to have.

IFBB Men’s Physique Pros List 2015

In keeping with the lists I compiled of all the IFBB Bikini Pros who won their cards onstage within the division, I am providing lists of all the men who won IFBB Pro Status in the Men’s Physique division since its inception in 2011. The lists which I have compiled do NOT include competitors who went pro in another division and crossed over, nor does it factor in the competitors who were awarded IFBB Pro Status through petition.

So far, 99 Men have won their IFBB Pro Cards at NPC/IFBB events in the Men’s Physique Division this year:

SCOTT DENNIS
JARED THOMPSON
BRETT KAHN
MATT RAMSEIER
JAY-T RYSAAC
JORGE GONZALEZ
UCHENNA NWOSU
GARROTT COELHO
CHRIS KAKOURAS
TONY DUONG
MICHAEL RAMIREZ
JEFFREY VIALU
ERIK DRENDEL
SHAUN STANDRIDGE
WILLIAM ANIN
BRANDEN RICHARDS
ARMANDO ARELLANO
DAVID HILL
MANUIA FRUEAN
BYRON MARKS
AHMAD DEGUZMAN
GONZALO CURBELO
IKE BANKS
BODDY NICHOLS
WILL KO
ZACHARY WELKER
ERIC MARTIN
JONATHAN ORTEGA
RANDY CANCHE
JARED FRANK
JERMICHAEL PRATT
FRANK HAMILTON
JULIO VALDES
ANDREW ARMAND
TERRENCE THOMAS
GARY TORRES
DANIEL PENA
KENNETH PARKER
JON WALL
DAVID ANDERSON
ANTONIO MITCHCELL
DAVID ROBERTS
ROBERT SHAW
GEORGE DORSEY
DARYL KING
ERICK SCHULTZ
DWAYNE PUNTER
FRANK SAME
DAVID SESSLER
GINO UBILES RUIZ
R. CAMERON GARDNER
TIM FROST
DARYL MCKEE
MATTHEW MUGFORD
HOWARD THEVENIN
MARCELINO BRADFORD
COBY LEWIS
RAYMOND AKINLOSOTOU
CAMERON JAMES
EDWARD ALVAREZ-SOTO
JOHNATHAN O’NEAL MCCURTIS
JAVON WALKER
DAVID THORPE
MICHAEL ANDERSON
JOSE DIAZ
RONSON LEE
JOSEPH GUILLORY
MATTHEW JULIAN MANALO
JEPH GABRIEL
AARON SHUMWAY
ALCIDES VERA
LAQUAN JONES
DARNELL WILLIAMS
KHALFANI QUARTEY
PHILLIP BLOW
RONALD GALLAGHER
LOUIS JOHNSON
HENRY O. JAMES
FABIO TOSCANO
CHUCK MAUCERI
IAN BUCHANAN
LOUIS-PHILIPPE FAUSTIN-DORVAL
BRANDAN FOKKEN
MICHAEL PITTMAN
ALCIDES VERA
BRIAN BARTHULE
WILLIAM MILLER
LOUIS JOHNSON
CLINT VAN DYKE
CLIFFORD LEWIS
ADON MARCUS
TY POPE
MICHAEL PITTMAN
CARLO ANTONIO
RICK CANAMAR
HARRY COOKE
TARRON HILL
SEAN CARROLL
CHRISTOPHER FREEMAN

IFBB Men’s Physique Pros List 2014

In keeping with the lists I compiled of all the IFBB Bikini Pros who won their cards onstage within the division, I am providing lists of all the men who won IFBB Pro Status in the Men’s Physique division since its inception in 2011. The lists which I have compiled do NOT include competitors who went pro in another division and crossed over, nor does it factor in the competitors who were awarded IFBB Pro Status through petition.

110 Men won their IFBB Pro Cards at NPC/IFBB events in the Men’s Physique Division in 2014:

Frankie Ortega
Tonnell Rodrigue
Daniel Garcia
Adam Schafer
Devon Lindner
Anthony Ramsey
Kyle Moore
Harold Allen
Darnell Moss
Dan St. Peter
Jake Alvarez
Courtney Mayfield
Ryan Hinton
Axel Alvarez
Dean Balabis
Steven Rogers
Jonathan Bernstein
Jean Walkins-Louis
Banner Budden
Igor Gajic
Alp Yurteri
Nicholas Dennard
Joseph Lee
Nick Adams
Matthew Masotti
Jacque Dalce
Ron DaCosta
Musin Nasir
Damon Ford
Tim R. Santiago
William Gregory
Roderick Gaines
Hercules Barthelemy
Jordan Fields
Natanael Hernandez
Michael Hughes-Lewis
Garrett White
Deverell Maxwell
Paul Rennalls
David Kampfe
Alexander Woodson
Folajaiye Dania
Andre Johnson
Arash Rahbar
James Furlow
James Hurst
Avery Cummings
Austin Current
Robert Giles
William Kitclien
Tobias Young
Patrick Fulgham
Tony Candales
Tony McLaurin
George O’Banyoun
Kelon Patterson
Neal Blassingame
Pradeep (Freddy) Naidu
Mike Saffaie
Sunny Akhigbe
Timothy Feuling
Lorenzo Orozco
Chris Griffin
AJ Cannon
David DeLa Cruz
Clint Pannell
Gerald Saragosa
Shannon Haynes
Frank Griffin
Shareef Alikhan
Jorge Merino
Paul Batrony
T.J. Murray
Yoshi Manley
Sly Hardy
Chase Savoie
Isaac Miranda
Andre Ferguson
Yi Peng
Jeremy Potvin
Joseph Gass
Darnell Ferguson
Justin Hassan
Aarin Moore
Kenneth Jones
Logan Franklin
CARLOS FERRER
KELLY SCHMIDT
JOE MOSS
BARRY THAMES
MICHAEL DOUGHERTY
ANTIONE WILLIAMS
REGIE SIMMONS
OTTO MONTGOMERY
MATT WOLD
T.A. MARTIN
HIDENOBU TANAKA
GENE AMOGUIS
TRAVIS YOUNG
CHRIS ELLIS
ERIC ABENOJA
TRACY BURR
MARCELLUS CAMPBELL
JOHNNY QUINONES
CHAD JACKSON
GARY VANROSS
ROBERT SIMPSON
DAVID RAYDAY
TIM DEGROOT
MARK WILL

IFBB Bikini Pros List 2014

I found myself pondering the numbers of IFBB Bikini Pros since the inception of the division, and decided to tally up the competitors who won IFBB Pro Status in the Bikini division. The lists which I have compiled do NOT include competitors who went pro in another division and crossed over, nor does it factor in the competitors who were awarded IFBB Pro Status through petition.

79 Ladies won their IFBB Pro Cards at NPC/IFBB events in the Bikini Division in 2014:

Lauren Hoskins
Queenie Benito
Whitney Wiser
Brittany Taylor
Angelika Perez
Ashlee Adams
Meghan Duncan
Kenea Yancey
Tanya Rachan
Brynn Gonzales
Andreanna Calhoun
Brianna Krause
Lea Beaumont
Angela Okon
Laurin Conlin
Chassidy Smothers
Jaclyn Strell
Jennifer Ronzitti
Kristina Olson
Cristina Ortiz
Kate Abate
Melissa Brizic
Ruby Perey
Cristy Zevely
Jennifer Friedrichs
Rosie Gavilanes
Barbie Delgado
Jennifer Peoples
Kelly Jean Bornstein
Emma Fernandez
Ha Nguyen
Nicole Ankney
Kim Estess
Kristen Moffett
Enjoli Enriquez
Ashlee Rhodes
Christie Cash
Breena Martinez
Michele Messina
Jamie Del Angel
Candice Perfect
Ruth Jean
Jamie Adams
Jessica Lynn
Jessica Gutierrez
Candice Chamberland
Jessica Lyda
Michelle Silva
Jessica Pimentel
Yvette Garcia
Joana Tesareski
Sarah Brown
Joni Ortiz
Catherine Radulic
Jeri Rease
Harriet Davis
Colleen Garman
Lovey Paiva
Michelle Ackerman
Jazmeen Hernandez
Ivory Crofoot
Alexandra Roane
Mariana Fernandes
Taylor Anderson
Cat Textoris
Susan Waters
Annie Parker
Angel Denman
Theresa Orsini
Nina Cash
Karen Brunette
Magdalena Coffman
Nana Kim
Andrea Beam
Sheiryll Ray
Bethany Transue
Nicole Markovic
Casey Samsel
Shandy Ortiz

IFBB Bikini Pros List 2013

I found myself pondering the numbers of IFBB Bikini Pros since the inception of the division, and decided to tally up the competitors who won IFBB Pro Status in the Bikini division. The lists which I have compiled do NOT include competitors who went pro in another division and crossed over, nor does it factor in the competitors who were awarded IFBB Pro Status through petition. I couldn’t help but highlight my name on this particular list, since I am thrilled beyond measure that I am on it!

72 Ladies won their IFBB Pro Cards at NPC/IFBB events in the Bikini Division in 2013:

Katherine Williams
Jennifer Stevens
Lindsey Waters
Yarishna Ayala Otero
Nissan Weaver
Yasmine Ali
Hope Howard
Chaundra Bagwell
Liana Hamilton
Sana Shah
Caroline Silva
Kamilah Powell
Ashriel Osgood
Michelle Johnson
Lindsay Oxford
Maria Chase
Stacey Naito
Amira Lamb
Callie Bundy
Asia Mendoza
Michelle Minks
Jessica Chuckran
Denita Clark
Stephanie Mahoe
Angeles Burke
Cara Ovis
Karey Grabow
Ashley Pfaff
Tamara Haddad
Jenee Leger
Camile Periat
Deborah Goodman
Rania Dibacco
Marissa Rivero
Hunnika Villa
Kelly Lopez
Lindsey Wells
Sherry Cleckler
Mary Dent
Monica Long
Tonya Boardman
Lezley Lockhart
Mylien Nguyen
Rosemary Valenzuela
Joanne Holden
Michelle Capraru
Antanique Landry
Lisa Schimkat
Lisa Asuncion
Amy Updike
Caryn Paolini
Jade Carroll
Janet Layug
Alexa Hotaling
Marcela Cabral
Samantha Karr
Anne Marie Caravalho
Lisette Howard
Crystal Nelson
Ajia Maximillian
Shernika Speights
Jessica James
Michelle Mein
Terri Krevits
Lisa Perry
Jessica Landry
Lisa Kelly
Kat Ciresi
Cheryl Band
Ronda Porter
Jennifer Burger
Barbara Gonzalez

IFBB Bikini Pros List 2012

I found myself pondering the numbers of IFBB Bikini Pros since the inception of the division, and decided to tally up the competitors who won IFBB Pro Status in the Bikini division. The lists which I have compiled do NOT include competitors who went pro in another division and crossed over, nor does it factor in the competitors who were awarded IFBB Pro Status through petition.

54 Ladies won their IFBB Pro Cards at NPC/IFBB events in the Bikini Division in 2012:

Ruth Harrsion
Janelle Saitone-McGuire
Jennifer Elliot
Vida Guera
Lacey Deluca Lieto
Pollianna Moss
Adriana Hill
Brittney Young
Heather Gonyea
Deborah Lee
Michon Leddy
Lynn Sambuco
Kerri Hayes
Kalyn Link
Amy Allen
Aly Garcia
Francesca Yumul
Angela Skeels
Ashley Wade
Crystal Green
Desiree Niemann
Candice Conroy
Joy Grajo
Francine Slobodnik
Jennifer Hohnbaum
Betheny Jordan
Sandi Forsythe
Kelsie Burgin
Courtney King
Ashley Cronley
Nicole Witbeck
Sarah LeBlanc
Marisol Lara
Michelle Ray
Cassandra Dubois
Noy Alexander
Adrienne Crenshaw
Joyce Dabuet
Maureen Dougherty
Monique Gantt
Bianca Berry
Ashley Kaltwasser
Amanda Otero
Alexis Burke
Melissa Sayles
Aniedra Lynn
Sarah Oldakowski
Jessica Renee
Diana Harbort
Sabrina Nicole
Maria Annunziata
Gigi Amurao
Rachelle DeJean
Iveth Carreon
Danielle Carr