Tag bodybuilding

Of Crossfit Boxes And Boxy Midsections

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Originally published on mensphysique.com on Monday, 04 August 2014

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-training-room-workouts-and-tips/11345-of-crossfit-boxes-and-boxy-midsections.html
crossfit
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.

Whether you have been doing Crossfit and now want to cross over into the world of competitive bodybuilding while still training with Crossfit, or you have been competing in the bodybuilding world and are entertaining the idea of incorporating Crossfit training into your contest prep efforts, let’s just say you can’t have both. Simply put, you cannot sculpt your physique in the manner required for bodybuilding when you are a Crossfit devotee. Not only will Crossfit training widen your waistline, the intensity of Crossfit will cause excessive cortisol spikes which makes your body stubbornly cling to belly fat and derail your efforts to become super lean for the stage.

Crossfit training develops endurance and sacrifices the aesthetic lines which are sought after in bodybuilding. We who compete know that a small, nipped in waist and a wide v-taper is the ideal no matter what the division. But when you see a typical Crossfit athlete, you will see broad shoulders without the shaping or the beautiful round caps that are seen in bodybuilding. A Crossfit athlete’s quads and hams will be thick, and the back and chest muscular but compact. Most notably, the abdominal region on Crossfit athletes is always thick and boxy. This is due to the compound Olympic lifts which are regularly performed in Crossfit. You simply cannot attain the tiny waist and beautiful lines that are worshipped in the bodybuilding world when you engage in Crossfit.

I actually had a client who begged me repeatedly to let her do Crossfit two days a week despite my recommendation that she abandon it and focus on traditional weight lifting. I finally acquiesced, and allowed her to incorporate Crossfit as part of her training. As I had predicted, she sustained an injury, her waist widened from all the heavy complex movements which made her midsection boxy, and she became soft as a result of the cortisol spikes which the high intensity Crossfit training created. After three weeks of seeing all her efforts from pre-Crossfit training unravel, I asked her to reconsider her decision to engage in Crossfit. As soon as she stopped doing Crossfit, her waist began to nip in, and her body began to tighten up again.

Bodybuilding is steeped in honoring an aesthetic ideal, sculpting and defining muscle, while also celebrating muscular strength. Crossfitters may brag that they have more endurance than bodybuilders, which may be true to an extent, but I personally would rather have the lines of an IFBB Bikini Pro than to trade that all in for the wide, tank like physique of a Crossfit athlete. If the idea of muscle sculpture is what drew you into bodybuilding, celebrate that instead of being lured into Crossfit.

Arnold Sports Festival 2015

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For the first time ever, I am actually going to attend the Arnold Classic and Bikini International Finals at the Battelle Grand in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, March 7, 2015. I am so excited to be able to watch these prestigious competitions from the audience!

This year will be the second year in which I will NOT be working a booth but instead will visit the Expo as a spectator, so it will be a very different Arnold experience for me this time around. I actually prefer to work a booth, but it will still be nice to see friends and fans, network, and have the freedom to come and go. Another big change this year is that it will be the first year that I will be staying at a hotel which is immediately adjacent to the Columbus Convention Center, which means I can keep exposure to the bitter cold and snow to a minimum!

For those of you who are unable to attend the Arnold Classic, tune into the live webcast on Bodybuilding.com. Simply go to the Bodybuilding.com website and click on the link!

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Creatine-Rich Foods Or Creatine Supplements?

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Originally published on mensphysique.com on Sunday, 29 June 2014

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-lab-supplement-school/11157-creatine-rich-foods-or-creatine-supplements.html
creatine
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.

Beef is hands down the richest and easily accesible food source of creatine, with two grams per pound of meat. If you are opposed to the idea of eating red meat, alternative sources of creatine are found in poultry and in fish such as salmon and tuna. Those of you who are vegetarian or vegan will be hard pressed to pull sufficient creatine from foods and will have to supplement via synthetic forms such as creatine monohydrate, micronized creatine, or creatine citrate.

You may be able to consume massive amounts of meat and supply your body with the 3 to 5 grams of creatine which is considered the norm in bodybuilding circles, especially if you are adamant about obtaining all of your performance substances from whole food sources, but that would require massive dedication and a lot of meat chewing!

However, if you are in a building phase, then I truly believe that you are doing yourself a disservice if you are trying to get all your extra creatine solely from food sources.

The original form of creatine which was used by bodybuilders and which is still very much in use today is creatine monohydrate. This is the cheapest form of creatine, but it is poorly absorbed, which explains its tendency to cause bloating and digestive upset.

Another negative aspect of creatine monohydrate is that some people don’t respond at all to it. If this is the case for you, then you might want to explore the different forms of creatine which are out on the market. The two best forms of creatine, in my humble opinion, are:

1. Micronized creatine – The micronized form of creatine features smaller molecules, so absorption is significantly better, eliminating the issues of bloating and diarrhea which are often caused by ingesting the non-micronized form of creatine monohydrate.

2. Creatine ethyl ester – This is by far the most absorbable form of creatine, but more expensive than the monohydrate form. You can find this substance in capsule form.

Another form of creatine which is at times used in some of the more popular pre-workout formulas is creatine nitrate. The extra NO2 makes creatine water soluble and also lends a decent pump to workouts. However, when purchased alone, creatine nitrate is costly and thus is not one of my recommendations.

If you want to enhance your creatine intake, consider food sources in combination with supplement sources so that you can obtain an optimal amount which your body is able to utilize.

Worth Your Weight In Salt: Why Some Dietary Salt Is Good

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Originally published on mensphysique.com on Wednesday, 28 May 2014

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-kitchen-eating-strategies/10971-worth-your-weight-in-salt-why-some-dietary-salt-is-good.html
salt
Salt has gotten a bad rap due to its rampant overuse in the food and restaurant industries and its potential to elevate blood pressure in susceptible individuals. However, it is responsible for the generation of nerve impulses, electrical conduction of the heart, and the contraction of all other muscles in the body.

The human body contains 4 to 8 ounces of salt and requires this to regulate body water, proper blood volume and normal blood pressure. It’s quite remarkable how the body can rid itself of excess sodium via the production of sweat and urine. Perhaps you have noticed instances in which you have retained water after a brief spike in dietary sodium intake, but this is rather short-lived in healthy individuals. What happens is that the high concentration of sodium causes fluid to travel from body tissues into the bloodstream to dilute the sodium influx. Blood volume increases, then blood pressure also increases, triggering the kidneys to increase urine output in order to excrete the excess sodium and water.

I’m not suggesting that you consume massive amounts of sodium in your daily meal plan, but I have met many competitors and athletes who are so terrified of the idea of consuming any sodium that they do themselves a disservice by pulling their daily sodium intake down significantly. When you keep sodium intake at very low levels for the long term, the kidneys will conserve serum sodium as a safeguard. When contest day approaches, no amount of water manipulation will work to give you that dry and peeled look if sodium was not on board in the weeks preceding the event. It is a far better strategy to maintain a sodium intake of approximately 2 to 3 grams per day, so that when you drop sodium and water intake right before a contest, it will be much easier to shed that subcutaneous fluid.

If you still aren’t convinced of the importance of sodium in your daily diet, remember that your body needs sodium to function properly in general. You also lose a considerable amount of sodium through the profuse sweating that most, if not all, of you fellas experience during your intense lifting sessions. If you consume very little sodium, and also lose a great deal of sodium through sweat, muscle contractility will become impaired and cramping will often develop. That’s reason enough to grab a little sea salt and add it to a few meals each day.

You might want to experiment a bit to see when it is best for you to cut sodium for a contest. For most competitors, cutting sodium intake in half for four to seven days before the event, then cutting water the day before showtime seems to work well.

Celiac Disease: A Blessing In Disguise For Competitors?

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Originally published on RxGirl on Thursday, 13 March 2014

http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/10435-celiac-disease-a-blessing-in-disguise-for-competitors.html
celiac-disease-villi
Celiac disease is an autoimmune response to gluten which results in inflammation in the small intestines and may include symptoms such as abdominal pain, constipation, nausea, fatigue, and diarrhea. This disease can be extremely debilitating for some people, and for this reason, sufferers need to adopt a gluten-free diet for a lifetime.

Gluten is found in so many different food items that it can be quite a challenge to avoid it. For example, gluten is found in grains such as rye and barley, and certain grains like oats can become contaminated with wheat during their production. Wheat is the most ubiquitous gluten-containing grain, hiding in bulgur, farina, kamut, semolina, spelt, beer, breads, baked goods, candies, cereals, crackers, cookies, croutons, French fries, imitation meat, pastas, luncheon meats, salad dressings, soy sauce, potato chips, tortilla chips, soups, modified food starch, and even some supplements and medications. Gluten-free items include fresh eggs, meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, buckwheat, flax, corn and cornmeal, amaranth, millet, quinoa, soy, tapioca, sorghum, and gluten-free soy, corn, rice and potato flours.
gainst-the-grain
The good news is that the dietary restrictions of celiac disease complement the restrictions practiced during contest prep. The only commonly used grain in contest prep which might cause an issue in those suffering from celiac disease (oats) can be found in a gluten-free version now. Gluten free items tend to be very contest friendly and provide sound nutrition for building muscle and optimizing metabolism. In addition, the practice of avoiding the commonly designated forbidden foods which usually serve as nuisances for most competitors is a requirement for the celiac sufferer, because delving into such foods carries significant health consequences for her.
gluten-free
Perhaps you have been competing for a while and were just recently diagnosed with celiac disease. If so, you are most likely practicing eating habits which are consistent with the diet you need to follow in order to manage your disease. Perhaps you have lived with celiac disease for some time and have been considering stepping onstage to compete. If you have been managing your disease with dietary modifications, those modifications will be remarkably similar to what you will be practicing with contest prep.
It may indeed be a blessing in disguise for competitors to have celiac disease, since it can turn a weak will into an iron will. Celiac sufferers must make lifestyle adjustments for a lifetime in order to avoid the potentially devastating complications which can manifest over time when a gluten free diet is not followed. I have noticed that competitors who have celiac disease tend to be the most consistent with their meals and contest prep regimen. It certainly makes sense to underscore the health impact of a meal plan which is gluten free and which centers around whole food sources. Such a strategy will also maximize one’s chances of success onstage.

One Step Forward Two Steps Back: Fighting Muscle Loss As You Age

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Originally published on mensphysique.com on Monday, 07 April 2014
fit at older age
http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-news-the-newest-in-mp/10590-one-step-forward-two-steps-back-fighting-muscle-loss-as-you-age.html

The sad truth about getting older is that it becomes more and more difficult to hold onto the plentiful lean muscle mass and low body fat we tend to take for granted during our younger years. An inevitable consequence of growing older is the increasing struggle to maintain lean muscle mass as the years pass. Even if you have been blessed with a genetic propensity for the optimal balance of lean tissue and body fat, be prepared to work harder over time to keep what you have. This also means that master’s competitors usually have to train harder to build muscle mass, and are also more sensitive to dietary fluctuations and digressions than their younger counterparts.

The good news is that there are steps which can be taken to combat the unfavorable shift in body composition which makes its appearance after one’s mid-thirties. Perhaps the MOST important intervention which the vast majority of you are already practicing is weight training. You can continue to challenge yourself and lift heavy, but you might want to consider adding glucosamine and turmeric to your supplement regimen to protect the joints and minimize inflammation. Another adaptation in the weight room which older athletes respond especially well to is unilateral training. Unilateral movements improve balance and coordination and make it possible to correct strength imbalances.

Another way to naturally boost the body’s ability to combat aging which you are most likely already practicing is to consume adequate protein. When protein is consumed, a steady stream of glucose is released via glucagon without spiking insulin levels in the body. Conversely, a diet low in protein but high in carbohydrates results in high levels of insulin, which over the course of time can result in widespread inflammation, diabetes, and obesity. Surprisingly, the protein needs of people from middle age on (40’s and over) increase as a result of diminished protein synthesis in the aging body. Protein intake must be increased in order to offset the deficiency.

If you are already weight lifting regularly and taking in sufficient protein, you may want to consider boosting your intake of glutamine and branched-chain amino acids, particularly leucine. These building blocks help to optimize the body’s ability to utilize dietary protein to build new muscle and repair damaged muscle fibers.

Though animal sources of protein are excellent options for people of any age, whey protein in particular is a remarkable protein source in older people. It is highly absorbable, contains all 18 amino acids, immunoglobulins and lactoferrin, and all the building blocks for a powerful antioxidant called glutathione. Glutathione deficiency is linked to Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, asthma and cancer, and because of this, it is considered a key substance in combating the process of aging. Natural glutathione production in the body declines with age, but with whey protein on board, the amino acids necessary for glutathione production are supplied to the body and optimal levels can be attained as a result.

Though athletes and competitors are aware of the health and muscle building benefits of whey protein, I am astonished by how it is not utilized nearly enough by the average person. All too often I see patients who regularly skip meals and eat fast foods and other processed foods, and who assume that whey protein is only for athletes. If you are an average person who wants to change poor eating habits and optimize cellular function, then you need to boost protein intake and add whey as one of your protein sources. You are doing yourself a disservice if you insist on eating junk carbs like simple sugars and processed foods, skipping meals, and consuming insufficient protein, especially if you are over the age of 35 and trying to fend off disease and aging.

If you are proactive and consistent about taking the necessary steps to battle age-related muscle loss, you will reap the benefits of better health and vitality and will rival those half your age with a muscular physique to be envied.

Sleep Deficit And Muscle Loss

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Originally published on mensphysique.com on Wednesday, 05 March 2014

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-news-the-newest-in-mp/10329-sleep-deficit-and-muscle-loss.html
sleep equals muscle
Those of you who insist on burning the midnight oil and carving into time during which you should be sleeping are doing yourselves a disservice. When you build up a sleep deficit, not only do you adversely affect your attention and overall energy, you also diminish the potential muscle gains you would obtain if you consistently got a good night’s rest.

A good portion of the slump in muscle repair and growth which occurs from inadequate sleep is due to inadequate secretion of growth hormone (GH). GH is only secreted during deep sleep, so people who don’t sleep for more than a few hours will spend less time in deep sleep and cause GH secretion to drop. In addition, there is some evidence that testosterone secretion also drops, creating a double whammy which cripples the body’s ability to utilize fat and build muscle.

Cravings can also become a significant issue with sleep deficits as a result of hormonal effects. Leptin, a hormone which signals that you are full from a meal, is inhibited during sleep deprivation, resulting in increased food cravings (especially for carbohydrates). Conversely, ghrelin, a hormone which signals hunger, increases by as much as 30 percent after only a two night sleep deficit.

The body also produces more cortisol during the late afternoon, which is exactly when the body’s production should be tapering down to prepare the body for sleep. Higher cortisol levels promote deposition of more fat and utilization of muscle for energy during a sleep-deprived state.

When you cheat yourself out of a full night’s sleep, you also deplete neurotransmitters in the brain which are in charge of regulating mood. The result is irritability and, over the long term, depression, both of which can impact the intensity of your workouts and hinder your efforts to pack on muscle.

Sleep deficits also result in a decrease in alertness and concentration which often translates into submaximal workouts. And Sleep deficit affects strength. A study in Ergonomics examined the effects of sleep deprivation on weightlifting, with compelling results. As expected, there was a significant decrease in maximal lift for bench press, leg press, and dead lift after a three-day sleep deficit was established.

If you are in the habit of cutting into your sleep time, or you practice erratic sleeping patterns which are creating a sleep deficit, try to get into a rhythm in which you get enough sleep every night, especially if you are hitting a plateau with your training. Once you start getting adequate sleep, you will notice a big difference in your strength and muscle gains.

Selecting The Right Suit Cut For Your Body

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Originally published on RxGirl on Wednesday, 04 December 2013

http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/9788-selecting-the-right-suit-cut-for-your-body.html
Figure Suit, Suits You Swimwear
Competition suit designs can vary widely depending on the suit designer, fabric type, body measurements and proportions of the competitor. Though you may be tempted to go the cheaper route and either borrow or rent a suit or purchase an off the rack suit that is not made to fit your particular body, I always recommend having a suit custom made which is cut to your measurements. Trust me, it makes a huge difference when you wear a suit that compliments your body!

Here are some basic guidelines which work for any division in which you compete.

Narrow chest: If you have a naturally narrow chest, make sure the triangle cups are spaced farther apart to give the illusion of a wider chest. You can use a crystal center connector, but make sure it is not too bulky so that the eye goes to the triangle cups and not to the center of the suit top. If you have a crystal pattern on your suit, you should select a pattern which draws the eye up and out, perhaps with lighter colored crystals on the lateral portions of the cups.

Wide chest: If your chest is extremely wide, make sure to select triangle cups which are wide enough to cover your entire breast area. If your breasts are augmented and they sit very far apart, you might want to consider a molded cup which will push your implants towards the midline and create a bit of cleavage.

Large implants: Some competitors have extremely large implants which can be distracting onstage. Your best bet is to select a full coverage top which encases your breasts completely, allowing for no side boob or under boob.

Sagging breasts: Though I am not a big fan of molded cups, sagging breasts will require some support, so molded cups are the best option in this case. Once again, if you have a lot of breast tissue, you need to make sure that your breasts are mostly covered by the suit material and are well supported by the molded cups. It looks very sloppy when a competitor with sagging breasts wears a flimsy triangle top which does not support her. Sagging breast tissue can hang over the ribcage and often obscure any serratus anterior development. Support your girls!

Small breasts: I know that many women feel rather self-conscious if they are very small-chested and usually opt to wear padded suit tops. If you are a small B to a C cup, you can purchase silicone triangle push-up pads which work beautifully in the pockets of a competition suit top. Just make sure that your suit maker puts pockets in the triangles so that you can insert the pads easily. If you are an A or AA cup or completely flat-chested, you might want to have a suit cup design which is fully padded. If you go with this option, make sure that the cups sit properly, neither too far apart nor too close together, since fully padded suit tops can easily look fake if this is not taken into consideration.

Long torso: If you have a long torso, chances are that your leg line is shorter in proportion to your torso. If this is the case, have the suit bottoms cut very high so that they sit at your waistline (unless you are a Bikini competitor, in which case you should have the bottoms sit just above your hip bones). This will give the illusion of a shorter torso and longer legs.

Short torso: If your torso is short, chances are that your legs are either of normal length or quite long. A suit bottom which sits low on the hips, below the hip bones, will create illusion of a longer torso, as will a steeper V-cut in the center of the bottoms. Bikini competitors can select a lower scooped rise in the bottoms to lengthen the torso line.
Wide trunk: If you have a very wide midsection, avoid horizontal cuts on the front of the suit bottoms and opt instead for a V-cut. The sides of the suit bottoms should sit very high to further create the illusion of a nipped-in waist.

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C-section scars or saggy abdominal skin: If you have a C-section scar or saggy abdominal skin, choose a slightly higher rise in the suit bottoms to tuck the scar or skin in. Once you add suit adhesive at the contest, you should feel secure in the suit.

Long legs: Choose a suit bottom which sits low on the hips, below the hip bones, in order to create illusion of a longer torso and more proportionate legs.

Short legs: If you have a shorter leg line, have the suit bottoms cut very high so that they sit at your waistline (unless you are a Bikini competitor, in which case you should have the bottoms sit just above your hip bones). This will give the illusion of a shorter torso and longer legs.

Flat glutes: Some competitors have flatter glutes which can be lifted by a suit. Basically, the suit should be cut so that it holds and lifts up most of the glute area. This is usually done with the strategic placement of elastic in the bottoms so that the garment hoists everything up instead of just lying on top of the area.

Narrow hips: If you have narrow hips, you will need to select a suit bottom with a more horizontal cut which will give the illusion of a wider hip line. For a typical V-cut suit bottom, a flatter or wider cut can still be accomplished without losing the standard suit design. For the Bikini Division, you can select a suit bottom which is completely horizontal. If your hips are excessively narrow, you should opt for fabric at the hips instead of crystal or string connectors. However, many ladies who have slightly narrow hips look fantastic with crystal connectors at the sides.

Wide hips: Wider hips are best camouflaged by an exaggerated V-cut and sides which sit about an inch above the hip bones.
When you order a custom suit, make sure to send all your measurements to the suit maker along with photos to help him or her determine the most flattering cut for your body. Make sure to also bring up any body issues or concerns in advance so that they can be factored into the design of the suit.

What To Do After You Have Slayed The Dragon

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Originally published on mensphysique.com on Saturday, 08 February 2014

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-life-inspiration-and-dedication/10154-what-to-do-after-you-have-slayed-the-dragon.html
Pro Card (2)
The enticing waters of the competition world can truly rule a competitor’s life, especially when a national qualification is won at local and regional shows and the national stage beckons. In fact, most of you probably already have your national contest strategy in place and are prepared to hit contest after contest to maximize your chances of getting a Pro Card.

Every year competitors continually squirm through that national level bottleneck in an effort to go Pro, accommodating and prioritizing the NPC national contest schedule and scheduling work and vacations around it. Believe me, I can relate. The national contest lineup was so etched in my brain over the last few years that I would maneuver my work schedule and everything else around it, year after year.

A profound shift seems to occur for many competitors as they pass into the Pro ranks. When I went Pro in July of 2013 at Team Universe, everything in my life took a radical shift. I am sure many of you who are IFBB Pros understand what I am talking about. Suddenly you are cast into a wide ocean, with more contests, more opportunities, and more ventures. It can be downright confusing, overwhelming and a bit depressing once you realize that the battle you waged to slay that dragon is now over, and that unless you wish to slay a bigger dragon by earning a spot on the Olympia stage, you might not know what to do now.

Probably the best advice I can give to new IFBB Pros is to enjoy the moment and float on the cloud for a while, then be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get to work. I honestly believe that becoming a Pro actually means you have to work harder to reinvent yourself and make your mark in the world. You are in an elite group, surrounded by many driven and incredibly talented people. How will YOU stand out?

Maybe competing is still very much in your blood and you want to collect wins and points, or you want to remain relevant in the competition world. That’s fine, but just make sure to look at the bigger picture. The people who didn’t give you a second glance when you were an amateur might suddenly be fussing over you, but don’t let the attention get to your head. You need to leverage your Pro status and your unique talents and position yourself in such a way that you truly make an impact on your followers and potentially build business and a name for yourself. Think beyond the stage, push your brand and your message, and you may indeed become one of those Pros who really stands out.

Get out there, PRO!