Tag fitness
The Importance Of Branding
The fitness world is packed with people who are trying to make their mark, so it has become increasingly more difficult to stand out in the crowd. Let’s look at the common characteristics among fitness people who are successful. They are all incredibly fit, attractive, photogenic, good with performing on-camera, and have a wide appeal to consumers. But successful fitness people have one very critical quality which they share: they know the importance of BRANDING. It is no surprise that the pool of beautiful, fit people who are scrambling for stardom is considerably large, which makes it vital for fitness people to establish something unique and marketable if they want to rise to the top of the heap.
How does one approach such a task? The first thing to do is to define your main audience. You can look at trends from social media to see who is following you and target the largest group. Then you need to determine what it is about you that grabs that target audience, whether it is your age, your gender, a specific training style, a distinctive look, a great product, etc. Once you have done that, you can use hashtags on social media to describe your unique qualities and to spark the interest of your target audience. If you have a certain key phrase you use all the time, USE IT! It is astonishing how effective using a key phrase can be in promoting your personality.
Make sure you have a website which is updated regularly, and direct your followers to that website whenever possible. Though having a slick website is a nice bonus, it is more important to have SOMETHING for followers to go to, even if it is a free site like Wix. Many people will just shy away from fitness personalities who do not have a site established. There are several website template sites which are decent and which provide all the basics you need. Once you have established your brand, you can always upgrade to a more complex or detailed site.
On another note, I am always surprised by how many people want to establish a foothold in the fitness industry, but do not have business cards. I cannot tell you how unprofessional you look when you are trying to network, only to tell interested parties that you do not have a business card to hand to them. Business cards are pretty inexpensive these days, and in some cases free (Vistaprint.com is one site which offers free cards), so GET ON IT!
Olympia Prize Money 2013
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY BREAKDOWN
Olympia is looming around the corner, with more total prize money being awarded among the eight different divisions. The big granddaddy is Mr. Olympia, which will award $650,000 to the champion. The 212, Ms. Olympia, Fitness and Figure champions will take home a respectable, albeit much smaller, purse of $60,000 for each division.
Now that Bikini Olympia is approaching its fourth year, with three different women having attained the titles in previous years (Sonia Gonzales in 2010, Nicole Nagrani in 2011, and Nathalia Melo in 2012), the purse has been set at $40,000 for this year.
The two newest divisions in the NPC and IFBB will enjoy their freshman year on the Olympia stage, with correspondingly small purses for Men’s Physique and $10,000 for Women’s Physique. There is no doubt that this prize money will increase in coming years as the newer divisions continue to make their mark in the bodybuilding world.
Here is a summary of the prize money for Olympia 2013:
Mr. Olympia: $650,000
212 Showdown: $60,000
Ms. Olympia: $60,000
Fitness Olympia: $60,000
Figure Olympia: $60,000
Bikini Olympia: $40,000
Men’s Physique Showdown: $10,000
Women’s Physique Showdown: $10,000
Total: $950,000
A Nibble Here, A Nibble There
It is human nature to allow ourselves little nibbles of so-called “forbidden” foods from time to time. The danger arises when such nibbles become so frequent that a pattern of rationalization over the dietary transgression begins to set in. Bear in mind that even a small indulgence on a regular basis will most likely end up on your waistline. The more control you have over your daily food intake, the greater the chance that you will reach or maintain your fitness and weight loss goals.
Those of you who do not compete can follow a clean diet 90% with the occasional treat and suffer minimal consequences. However, for those of you who are planning on hitting the stage, you need to take your meal plans seriously and follow them as much as possible. Every time you take a small nibble, you risk derailing your contest prep efforts, sometimes enough to push you considerably behind. If you know you are 3 weeks out from a contest, why mess with anything other than your scheduled cheat meal? The best thing to do is tough it out and stick with the program.
Many competitors ask me about condiments and sauces, and whether it is all right to use them on their meals. What I do not like about many condiments is that they contain high fructose corn syrup. Generally, I have competitors (I also advise the same for regular folks) avoid anything containing sugar at all costs. Another issue with condiments and sauces is that they add more calories to your meal. Add such things to a couple of meals a day, and this all adds up.
I have also had competitors ask me which alcoholic beverages they can indulge in on the weekends. Of course my response is along the lines of “none”, but if one insists on having ONE drink over the weekend, vodka based drinks are the cleanest option. You may be wondering if I indulge in libations from time to time, and the answer is yes. I have a particular fondness for wine and sake. What I do is confine my consumption to one weekend evening per week with my cheat meal. Everything in moderation is truly the key.
Discussion of Bump to Rump Video Series: Exercise #1 – Smith Machine Lunges
Stand at the Smith Machine and step forward with one foot so that you can come down into full lunge position without your knee moving over your toes anteriorly. Step with your back foot into a very deep lunge. With this movement, you will be performing pulse lunges on one leg, performing all repetitions before switching legs. Make sure to keep your hips level and your back neutral during this exercise, and squeeze your glutes as you perform the movement. In addition, try to come up only part way from lunge position, then go into your next repetition. Once all reps are completed on one leg, switch legs and repeat. Ideally, you would keep switching legs without any rest in order to maximize muscle recruitment.
Discussion of Bump to Rump Video Series: Exercise #2 – Single Leg Smith Squats
Plant one foot on the floor with the Smith Bar on your shoulders. Come down into squat position on that leg, with your other leg tucked under you, until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Avoid twisting your hips during the movement, and avoid arching or curving your back. When you come up from the squat, only come up part of the way, and drive the pushing energy into the floor through your heel while you squeeze your glute. If you have knee issues, go with a very light weight.
Discussion of Bump to Rump Video Series Exercise #3 – Supine Smith Machine Leg Presses
Lie on a bench so that your hips line up with the Smith Machine bar. Place your feet on the bar at shoulder width or even a bit wider. Release the bar and allow it to slowly come down by flexing your knees and hips. Press the bar up, squeezing your glutes and pointing your heels up so that the driving force is through the posterior portion of your legs.
This move can be incorporated into your leg day once a week as an intense finishing exercise. I would not perform this exercise early in your regimen as it will result in excessive fatigue of the hams and glutes before you get a chance to progress to other exercises. Go as heavy as you can without compromising form or your ability to release the Smith bar. I also think it is best to face towards the mirror instead of out on the gym floor, as this can be a pretty revealing position for passerby to witness!
Discussion of Bump to Rump Video Series Exercise #4 – Straddle Bench Jumps
The best stability can be obtained from placing a bench under the Smith Machine bar and using the bar to hold onto as you jump onto the bench. Starting position is standing with your feet on the floor on either side, straddling the bench. You will jump onto the bench with both feet, then return to start. Move rapidly and without pausing. It is a simple move but you will definitely feel these and will be out of breath at the end of your set!
Discussion of Bump to Rump Video Series Exercise #5 – Bench Step Overs
Crouch slightly next to the right side of a bench. Step onto the bench with your left foot with enough room so that you can also step on with your right foot. As soon as you place your left foot onto the bench, you will hop, then place your right foot on the bench while the left foot comes down to the floor on the left side of the bench. Repeat movement so that you end up on the right side of the bench again.
This is a rapid movement in which you be moving constantly. If you want an extra pump, you can pulse the movement when you briefly plant your foot on the floor, just like I do in the video. If you choose to do this in double time, you will get a much more intense workout and will no doubt be out of breath!
Discussion of Bump to Rump Video Series Exercise #6 – BOSU Squats
Place a Bosu ball dome side up on the floor. Holding onto a weight plate at your belly, step onto the Bosu ball so that your feet are slightly narrower than shoulder width apart and you remain balanced on the ball. Squat low as if you are sitting into the squat (do NOT lean forward), and make sure to maintain as much contact with your heels and the Bosu ball as possible. If you do not have a weight plate, you can use a dumbbell, medicine ball or kettlebell, but keep it as close to your belly as possible to shift your center of gravity more posteriorly. When you come up from the squat position, only come up halfway, then go immediately into the next low squat.
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