Tag success

SOCIAL MEDIA: A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD?

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Original post can be found at: http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-business-fitness-modeling-and-showbiz/9773-social-media-a-double-edged-sword.html

Social Media LogosIf you are serious about competing and want to build a career in the fitness industry then you have probably been exploring the various social media platforms and trying to build your name and brand. Of course, you want to push for the most followers you can get, as well as build a fan base which boosts your credibility in the eyes of supplement companies. As your numbers grow, your name will become more well-known and you can claim – without bluffing – that you have inspired thousands of people.

However, with more followers come more problems, most commonly the jerks and the haters. I heard an interesting comment from one of my friends today, which was: “The more successful you are, the more haters you have.” I have to admit that whenever I have to deal with a hater, I am rattled by such energy and will never understand how people can go out of their way to spread negativity. I guess you can’t please everyone, and of course there are going to be those who are jealous of your physique and your success. This is when the blocking feature on numerous social platforms can and should be employed. Don’t bother trying to appease such spiritual leeches. They are not worth the trouble.

Some fans and followers (thank goodness, it is the exception and not the rule) develop a distorted perspective in which they believe that they are connected or bonded to the fitness personalities they are interested in. This quickly turns into an obsession, with the fan holding onto a sense of entitlement which can be dangerous. If such a fan feels disregarded, a cascade of psychotic behavior can ensue.

Another dangerous and disturbing situation found in social media circles is the impostor syndrome. There are individuals out there who may claim to be you, and will use your likeness, your name and your titles to build fake profiles. I am sure you have worked your ass off to get to where you are now, so it is time to do due diligence and make sure that no one is taking your good name and wearing it. The small bit of flattery which may be at play is completely eclipsed by the creepiness and the invasion of pretending to be someone else.

Thankfully, the vast majority of people are level-headed and rational. However, as your numbers grow, you must be aware of the issues which may arise and take measures to protect your name and reputation in the industry.

Want Shapely Legs? Try This Routine

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If you have good upper body definition but are noticing that your legs are lagging behind in the definition department, try the following routine two to three times per week to add lean muscle mass and shape. Perform each exercise in a superset in order without resting. Once you are done with a superset, pause for 30 to 45 seconds, then continue with the next one.

Stacey Naito’s Leg Blast For Shapely Legs:

SUPERSET #1:

4 x 15 leg extensions
4 x 15 jump squats
4 x 15 plie squat holding dumbbell between legs (Go very low so end of dumbbell touches floor. Come up only partway.)

SUPERSET #2:

4 x 15 prone leg curls
4 x 15 one legged lunge jumps (Hold onto Smith bar for support. Perform all reps on one leg, then switch.)
4 x 15 one legged leg presses

SUPERSET #3:

4 x 20 butt blaster machine
4 x 15 outer thigh machine

SUPERSET #4:

4 x 20 seated calf raises
4 x 20 non-weighted one legged standing calf raises

Corsets And Binders

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Binding undergarments have played an essential role for women throughout the centuries, molding the ideal female form while also serving as restrictive torture devices. Even as recently as the mid-1960’s, women were obligated to squeeze their bodies into corsets, girdles and other binding devices. Before the advent of the free 1970’s era caused the population to reject constricting undergarments, it was common to see women wear girdles and corsets in an effort to mold the female shape into the ideal hourglass. My mother felt pressure to wear girdles to squeeze her already tiny little body into an even more compact package, molding a 20 inch waist that made men around her swoon. By the time I was born, my mother gave up the notion of manipulating her form in such torturous ways and put her girdles in cold storage. Whenever I would see them in the bottom drawer in her dresser, I would marvel at how anyone would want to wear something so uncomfortable. By the time I reached my 20’s, I developed a strange aversion to tight waistbands and as a result wore dresses most of the time. When yoga pants became popular in the 90’s, I was thrilled because they incorporated a low rise and comfortable fabrics.

Then I began competing in 2009 and realized very quickly how much my body would be scrutinized as I hit the contest circuit. Because I have a naturally nipped in waistline, I never considered that it might translate onstage as wider than it actually was, but with my somewhat narrow hips, I had to consider ratios and angles. By the middle of 2011 I began using corsets and waist trimmer belts to whittle down my waist. My significant other at the time made fun of me, telling me he thought it was pretty ridiculous that I was torturing myself with constricting undergarments. I had to get over my dislike of tight material around my waist. The one thing that kept me going was my desire to attain IFBB Pro status, so I quickly acclimated to the habit of wearing them.

People frequently ask me if corsets and binders work. The answer is a resounding YES, THEY DO. When I am consistent about wearing them, I go from a 24 inch waist to 23 inches, and had actually pared down to a 22-1/2 inch waist earlier this year. If you are a bikini or figure competitor, your waist needs to be as small as possible. Corsets and binders increase intra-abdominal pressure, often relieving back issues, so they are great for low back pain sufferers. They are also fantastic for ladies who are post-partum and who want to get back to their pre-baby body as soon as possible. You can find some very pretty corsets online, but I have a couple of favorites, one of which can be found on this link:

http://www.feelfoxy.com/latex-neon-girdle/

http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3929270&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=35-100509697-2

Be prepared for these things to fit VERY snugly! However, make sure you can breathe. If you feel lightheaded while wearing a corset, remove it immediately.corset

Jump In, The Water’s Warm

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JB5_4435_VZXTSPROPX (1)Ever since I earned my IFBB Pro Card in July, I have been challenged by the universe in a number of ways. Instead of boring you with all the details, suffice it to say that there have been significant upheavals which have forced me to rethink and repattern my life. For a couple of weeks I was fine, then I suddenly sank into situational depression, partially due to the fact that I no longer had a Pro Card to chase after. I didn’t know what to do without a show strategy, so I began to redefine my reasons for being in the sport of competitive bodybuilding. As I began to do that, my body began to rebel, holding onto excess water. I struggled for two months, trying desperately to get back on track.

My entire amateur career was well thought out, with a contest strategy planned out every year. I had files on every contest I planned to do, with notes on accommodations, etc. I would book travel details and submit my entry forms well in advance and make sure that every little detail was attended to. I strongly believed that such habits would remain after I went Pro. Not so. In fact, I planned on one event, then decided against it for financial reasons. I then considered competing at two different events in November but took a wait-and-see attitude because my body was still rebelling and holding water.

Then I dove in and made some terrifying but necessary changes. I left one team and joined another, then decided to prep for an event in my hometown. A little over one week after that, I decided at the last minute to also do a contest in Northern California, faxed my contract over immediately and was locked in. I have been scrambling to get my spray tan and food lined up and haven’t practiced my posing at all. I have no idea what I will bring to the stage. This time, I am allowing the current to take me where I am supposed to go. It has been a wild ride to say the least, but I honestly feel that the universe has put all this before me in order for me to grow and move beyond constraints that have been in my life for a while.

If you are in a rut, allow a bit of randomness and chaos to infiltrate your routine. You may be pleasantly surprised by what it brings.

How To Do A Smith Machine Squat

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smithmachinesquat2
I was recently asked by a dear friend and client about the proper way to do Smith Machine squats. There is a safe and very effective way to do squats on the Smith Machine which will maximize recruitment of the glutes, hamstrings and quads.

Your torso should be in line with the Smith machine rack during the squat movement. A good way to check your form is by looking in the mirror from a side view to check your alignment. Tuck your tailbone in slightly but make sure to keep your back neutral. In order to keep everything in line with your upper body, you need to make sure that your feet are far enough forward. You can place your feet close together, shoulder width apart, or at a wide stance.

brendy-scheerer-fit-360-training-smith-machine-squat-300x214
Keep in mind that if there is a slant to the Smith Machine apparatus that you will have a tougher time keeping your back in line with the slant, in which case you will favor keeping your upper body completely perpendicular to the floor instead. Make sure to keep your back NEUTRAL the entire time.

When you push the bar up, you will only go up halfway. Concentrate on squeezing your glutes and pushing through your HEELS. On the down phase, you will come down beyond 90 degrees (around 60 degrees at the knees). Move slowly and deliberately. If you are doing these correctly, you will feel a stretch in your hamstrings and glutes.

Too Much Cardio: The Skinny-Fat Trap

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Donatella Versace vacations in SardiniaThis blog post is dedicated to all of you who think that by doing massive amounts of cardio with no weight training, you will somehow keep yourself trim and tight. People who are of normal weight but who lack curvy, tight muscle because they do not lift weights often develop a palpable frustration. When I hear someone complain about feeling flabby despite doing tons of cardio at the gym, I want to SCREAM, “PICK UP A WEIGHT!!!”, because I know that this is a key component which is missing in their regimens. For those who don’t like weights, use resistance bands or the resistance of your own body weight and do SOMETHING that will challenge your muscles and create those microtears that lead to the development of new muscle.

I have actually seen some of the regulars at the gym I have frequented for many years descend into that skinny-fat trap because all they do is climb onto treadmills, bikes and elliptical trainers, perform boring steady-state cardio, then drive home without ever lifting a weight. Over time, they look more and more deflated as the aging process slowly but surely shifts their lean mass to body fat ratio in an unfavorable direction. Who wants to be mushy? If you don’t want that, it is time to stop wasting your time in the gym and become smarter about your training. You need nice, full, curvy, sexy muscles under skin to lift sagging areas such as the buttocks, chest, arms, and belly.

For those of you who are still timid about lifting weights, or who perhaps don’t know a thing about such activity, hire a trainer. Once you start to get used to challenging your muscles, it is important to establish a routine in which you are lifting regularly. If free weights (dumbbells and barbells, kettlebells and medicine balls) intimidate you, just use the machines that are scattered around the gym until you feel comfortable enough to venture into free weights.

I know that there are many of you who are concerned about looking overly muscular or about gaining pounds instead of losing them, so let’s address those concerns. If you think that by embarking on a weightlifting regimen, you will suddenly grow ridiculous amounts of muscle that would rival Popeye, think again. What you will develop is better muscle tone which will pull your skin tighter and give you a lifted, tighter, more toned appearance. You will actually end up looking more compact as a result of building a modest amount of muscle. If your concern is based more on the fear of seeing the number on the scale increase, relax. It is more important to monitor your progress by how your clothing fits. If you are accustomed to living in a skinny-fat body, you should notice over time that your pants clothing will fit differently, probably looser in the waistband. You should notice that your shorts and pants fit differently and that your butt line is higher than it was before you began training.
Squats versus none

If you are slender but flabby, it is time to switch up your thinking and embrace the idea of building muscle through lifting weights or performing exercises with your body weight as resistance. Of course if you want to like a deflated balloon, keep doing massive amounts of cardio and no weights. It’s your decision!

Holding Yourself Accountable

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It can be very difficult to stay on track with a structured meal plan or training regimen. Heck, I have even heard people talk about how difficult it is to remember to take daily supplements or to floss regularly. The parent inside of each of us often struggles to keep everything in line so that guilt doesn’t set in. When we fall off track, it can be very easy to rationalize the errant behavior, reasoning that perhaps we needed the extra carbs or needed to take a day off training after all.

Just-Do-It-NowFor those of us who are in the fitness world, especially those of us who compete, there is so much structure to our regimens that it is easier to keep ourselves in line. We are conditioned to keep our blinders on and stay the course with food and training. But those who are not immersed in the world of fitness and bodybuilding tend to struggle more with a regular regimen. If no specific fitness or health goal is defined, people tend to zigzag with their regimens, adding more unscheduled fun meals, more alcohol, and more missed trips to the gym.

If you are one of those people who tend to fall off track more easily, there are some guidelines which you can follow (listed below) which will help to keep you in line. More importantly, however, you need to remind yourself WHY holding yourself accountable is beneficial. When you hold yourself accountable, you stoke a fire that propels you towards your health goals. By staying on track, you develop a “can-do” attitude which extends into all areas of your life.

Do somethingHere are some tips on how to keep you on track with your eating habits and exercise plan.

1. Train with a trainer. When you work out with a trainer, you become accountable to that trainer. You need to show up and do the work!
2. Train with a friend. Similar to training with a trainer, when you and a friend agree to meet for a workout, you hold each other accountable. I always recommend setting a day and time and then prohibiting each other from cancelling, no-showing or rescheduling.
3. Prep and pack your food in advance. Prepare your day’s food the night before and store it in individual serving containers so that you can easily pack them into a bag the next morning.
4. Keep junk foods and snacks out of your kitchen. If you have tempting foods in your kitchen, you risk sabotaging your own efforts to stay on a healthy eating plan.

Remember that you can maintain focus on healthy patterns. Keep your eye on the prize!