Tag performance

Work Out Like You Mean It!

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I am already beginning to tire of the newcomers at the gym, because I see that the enthusiasm which brought them in during the holidays is already beginning to wane. Though I offer advice, encouragement, suggestions, and even refer them to the in-house trainers, it seems that my words are falling on deaf ears. There is NO WAY that a person has committed to a lifestyle change if unhealthy habits and a lack of motivation are already sabotaging New Year’s resolutions. Forget about the bodies that could use some toning or weight loss. What I see are attitudes that are flabby. Joining a gym at the beginning of a new year, while somewhat noble, isn’t going to work like a magic wand and bestow instant fitness to the new gym member.

Let’s break this down. Perhaps you are a new gym member and are interested in transforming your body and your lifestyle. The most important thing you need to do is to pursue these goals with INTENTION. If you join a gym with no plan of attack, it’s like trying to drive a race car when you haven’t even learned to drive yet. I firmly believe in the power of specificity, structure and accountability, because they provide a map or blueprint for you to follow. Here is a step by step guide to developing a successful fitness overhaul.Batman and Robin

1. Convince yourself that you WILL reach your fitness goals.
2. Print out images of people who have the kind of body you want and put them on your fridge or another prominent place you will see daily.
3. Give yourself a deadline.
4. Make your goals REASONABLE. Don’t put down, “I will lose 60 pounds in 30 days”, but pick a more reasonable goal, like losing 3 pounds per week.
5. Develop a workout schedule and stick to it.
6. If you don’t have a clue what to do while at the gym, hire a personal trainer.
7. Take progress pictures every week to monitor your progress.
8. Follow a specific meal plan to keep you on track.
9. If you have a setback, pick up where you left off. We are all human and have “off” days.
10. Don’t be intimidated by seasoned gym members. Most people are willing to help you if you have a question about how to operate machines.
11. Learn gym etiquette. The pace of a gym is rapid, especially during peak hours, so you need to be aware of concepts like “working in” (people will ask you if they can take turns with you on a machine or station). Don’t sit on benches unless you are actually exercising on them. Wipe down equipment if you sweat on it.

Now get off your computer and get serious about your goals!

Great Kimono And Bikini Image From Michael Neveux

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This awesome image was shot by Michael Neveux in November 2013 for the January issue of Ironman Magazine. It is part of a six page Hardbody Feature which I am blessed to have been selected for!

This awesome image was shot by Michael Neveux in November 2013 for the January issue of Ironman Magazine. It is part of a six page Hardbody Feature which I am blessed to have been selected for! The magazine is still on newsstands, or if you prefer a digital copy, please visit http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/

Honored To Be Chosen As A 2014 Liquid Sun Rayz Sponsored Athlete!

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I am THRILLED to be chosen again as a Sponsored Athlete with Liquid Sun Rayz! They offer the very best competition spray tanning around, and they are great people! Be sure to visit www.liquidsunrayz.com to schedule your competition tanning! Don't settle for less!

I am THRILLED to be chosen again as a Sponsored Athlete with Liquid Sun Rayz! They offer the very best competition spray tanning around, and they are great people!
Be sure to visit http://www.liquidsunrayz.com to schedule your competition tanning! Don’t settle for less!

Gym Etiquette

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gymetiquette
Starting today, fitness centers and gyms will be jammed with new members anxious to get into shape in the new year, filled with hope and enthusiasm, while those of us who are regular gym-goers will watch with dread. We will brace ourselves for the new faces, knowing that many them have no clue about gym etiquette. In honor of all gym rats, I am posting this list of guidelines so those of you who are new to the gym environment are alerted to the pet peeves which we harbor.

GYM ETIQUETTE 101:

1. Do not sit on equipment between sets, put your gym bag on a machine you are not using, lean on a machine you are not using, or otherwise hog equipment.
2. Bathe and wear deodorant before coming to the gym. No one wants to smell your stench while working out!
3. Wipe down machines after using them, using a fresh paper towel and sanitizing spray. Do NOT use your sweat-laden towel, sweatshirt or t-shirt.
4. Allow others to work in on equipment. Someone else can knock a set out while you are catching your breath between sets.
5. Do not hit on the ladies while at the gym. This is SO annoying! I have heard just about every pick-up line you can imagine while at the gym.
6. Don’t grunt excessively while training.
7. Don’t make a habit of checking yourself out in the mirror.
8. Don’t drop the weights on the floor. It damages equipment and is extremely irritating to those around you.
9. Re-rack your weights. This is a MAJOR pet peeve with me! If you want to prove that you are a beast by racking eight 45 pound plates on each side of a leg press machine, REMOVE them when you are done! I recently asked someone very nicely to re-rack this same quantity of plates and he pitched a fit, throwing a couple of the plates onto the floor then stomping off.
10. Leave your negative attitude at home. Do not yell, swear, throw things, hit machines or start arguments.
10. Do not wear strong fragrances. People are often allergic to certain scents and can go into asthma attacks from such triggers.
11. Do NOT interrupt people when they are in the middle of a set! I honestly do not know what goes through some people’s minds to believe that it is acceptable to rudely interrupt one’s set to talk to them. Don’t do it!

Gymrulez

I Can’t Sit Still

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From as far back as I can remember, I have been fidgety. When I was a kid, I used to wiggle and tap my foot almost incessantly while sitting in class, and I find myself doing it now when at work. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that I have been slender for my entire life, and it also serves as a strong clue into my overachiever personality. I even walk very fast, faster than most people expect. I can keep up with my long-legged 6’4″ friends easily, without rushing or jogging to keep pace. I cannot sit in a movie theater for more than three minutes without shifting my legs, and it certainly doesn’t help that theater seats never seem comfortable to me. I am one of those people who will tap fingers on my thigh, tap my foot, fiddle with my hair, etc. However, I have learned to do such things in a very discreet way so that I don’t aggravate those around me.

Even as I type this, my foot is moving in a rapid rhythm. There is a natural impatience which runs through me, and I always want to MOVE. So I find it ironic when people tell me that I seem calm and reserved. While I don’t exactly bounce off the walls like some of my friends do, I find it very difficult to sit still. I am in rare form when stuck in L.A. traffic, and my impatience spills over like a pot of boiling chili. When it comes to physically moving through my days, I am like the hare as opposed to the tortoise. I walk, drive, and eat fast. I get hyper if my physical progress is impeded in any way as I navigate through daily life. Now, if only such rapid physical movement enabled me to get everything on my to-do list done!

When Your Body Says Slow Down…Dealing With Injuries

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Bodybuilders and fitness people are the most driven people around, but they often lose sight of the fact that rest days are an essential part of the muscle recovery and building process. Even injuries won’t stop them from continuing to train. I can relate and have to admit that I have been practicing this for the past two months. The fear of muscle atrophy and descent into something less than muscle goddess status has kept me locked into a regular lifting routine, and though I train with less intensity than I am accustomed to, I am always pushing the envelope to see what I can perform without aggravating existing injuries.
tennis elbow
It has been frustrating to say the least to deal with such significant pain in my forearm, shoulder and neck that I can’t even lift a drinking glass without experiencing dagger-like pain in my forearm. I want to push through the pain, but the associated muscle weakness and nerve irritation are at times so severe that I am not able to. For those of you who are wondering what loss of strength I am dealing with, I can do lateral raises on the left side with a 10 pound weight, while a 3 pound weight on the right side sends burning, shooting pains and cramping along my arm and elbow. Consequently, I am training my upper body at about 60 percent of the intensity level I usually train at.

It has also been a real eye opener for me to discover how much I rely on my right hand for activities. Though I write and draw with my left hand, I perform all sports with my right hand and used to play guitar right-handed. So the tennis elbow which crept up on me has been more crippling than I had ever anticipated.

Normal people would just back off from training completely. I have continued to train, albeit at a reduced intensity. I have also employed the use of muscle creams, ibuprofen, arnica, massage, stretching, ice, sports bands, all to no avail. They say that doctors make the worst patients and I am no exception.

I advise patients to avoid doing what I have been doing! Listen to your body and allow your injury to go through a full healing period without training. Though you may lose muscle, you will be far less likely to re-injure yourself.

Selecting The Right Competition Suit Cut For Your Body

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Figure Suit, Suits You SwimwearOriginal post can be found at http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/9788-selecting-the-right-suit-cut-for-your-body.html

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.

C-section scars or saggy abdominal skin: If you have a998805 665046383515546 812080141 n 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.