If you live in Los Angeles, or will be in town this weekend, you should check out The Fit Expo Los Angeles! I will be working at the Muscle and Performance/Oxygen/Black Belt/The Box booth (Booth number 722) on both days. Please come by to say hi, get free magazines, and get signed magazines and photos from me and the other incredible athletes who will be at the booth as well!
Front January 7, 2014
Front December 30, 2015
Back January 7, 2014
Over the span of two years, my client built quality muscle, and transformed his physique. What is even more amazing is that he was the same weight in both sets of pics. Bravo!
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Have you ever seen a trainer who looks like he or she is in sore need of a trainer? It amazes me when I see trainers who are in horrible shape, but who are training others. I have even heard a couple of trainers berate their clients for practicing poor eating habits, then I will see them drinking Starbucks frappucinos or eating food from McDonald’s!
If you work in the fitness industry, you have a responsibility to LOOK THE PART. It’s not about looking like you are photo shoot ready all the time, but you should at least be in decent physical shape, practice healthy lifestyle habits when out in public, and be clean and well groomed for your clients and followers. Your appearance is your business card and your logo, so when you show up looking like you have been on a long break from working out, you lose your power to motivate others through leading by example. The thing is, leading by example is critical to igniting that spark in people to pursue fitness goals and replace bad habits with good ones. No one wants to follow the lead of someone who looks like a lazy pig!
There is one trainer I have seen at one of the gyms I train at who, over the years, has turned into, well…a sloth. She was never in very good shape, though I can tell that she was one of those people who went through a mega transformation and lost over 100 pounds at one point. On the one hand, she should be proud of what she has accomplished. However, just because she got a weekend certification doesn’t mean she knows diddly squat about training people. I have watched her train clients, and I swear I could use those observations as a sleeping aid, because she doesn’t know how to train people, and she is so damned slow and boring!
As the years have passed, she has spread in girth, and walks more slowly than ever, with a severely stooped posture and a belly so big that I honestly thought at one point last year that she was pregnant (no, she wasn’t). What boggles my mind is that she seems to be completely clueless about most of the equipment at the gym!
I would never say anything to the trainers who don’t look like they have any business instructing others on exercise, but it really bothers me that they have somehow convinced their unwitting clients to train with them.
Being silly backstage with Nicole Moneer
People often ask me what it is like to be up on stage, very scantily clad and fully cognizant of the fact that I am being scrutinized by a panel of judges. There is so much about competing that is appealing, fascinating and inspiring that I can’t imagine my life without this constant pressure I place on myself to pursue IFBB pro status. However, there are many strange and frustrating elements which competitors deal with and which can challenge their determination in the sport.
The thrill of strutting out onstage and showing off a hard-earned physique is incredibly empowering, especially when a competitor gets first call-out. The obvious physical transformation is invariably accompanied by an emotional and spiritual overhaul. The audience sees the best of this since they are attending a show. But the backstage world which they don’t see is incredibly colorful and revealing.
Before the competition, we all look like hoodlums, bums or like we just crawled out of bed, clad in baggy, dark clothing. We are all sporting dark skin hues which are more reminiscent of mahogany furniture than human skin. Our food coolers are packed with chicken, nut butter, rice cakes, and possibly booze for the celebration afterwards.
Every show starts out with a mad scramble after the morning meeting for a prime spot backstage to prep. The ladies cluster around the few full-length mirrors that have been placed around the perimeter of the room. The men cluster around the weights.
It can be maddening and stressful to be in the company of competitors who are so carb-depleted that they are cranky, forgetful and unable to focus on basic streams of conversation. Some are so weak and dehydrated that they are on the verge of passing out. A competitor may have a meltdown because his music cd was misplaced. The overpowering odor of spray tanner admixed with the telltale gaseous emissions of very high protein diets is commonplace. Some abdominals are grossly distended by a whole host of things which can cause bloat. A competitor may be freaking out because of a broken suit strap, or makeup being spilled onto a suit, now ruining it…with no backup suit on hand.
There are meltdowns with makeup and hair. There are lost earrings and shoes. The fear of water exposure is at an all-time high.
Then once everyone is prepped, there is the interminable wait. When a division and class are announced, there is a mad scramble to get in line. Individuals who bring Bikini Bite suddenly become the most popular people backstage.
Then suddenly a competitor is onstage. Somehow all the stress from being backstage, from dieting and training for months all melts away as that person now has a chance to do turns and show off a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication. Those few moments make it all worthwhile.
If you aren’t gifted with a perfectly round booty, then you might want to check out this routine I put together. The routine is performed exclusively on the cable assembly. You will need ankle cuffs, a circular resistance band, and a rope attachment for the movements featured here.
WARMUP: 3 sets of 30 bodyweight squats (feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, toes slightly turned out. GO LOW, and only come up part way. Make sure to sit back into the movement instead of leaning forward.
Cable kickbacks with straight leg – 1 set of 20, then 1×12, 3×10.
Cable kickbacks kicking out at a diagonal – 1 set of 20, then 1×12, 3×10. Lead with heel as you kick out.
Cable kickbacks with knee bent – 1 set of 20, then 1×12, 3×10.
Cable rope squats with resistance band around thighs (near knees) and feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart – 5×15.
Cable rope pull throughs – 5×15.
Have you ever had a moment when you looked at all of your clothing and thought, “I don’t feel like wearing any of these things!”, and wished that a wardrobe fairy would alight upon your shoulder and grant your wish for a whole new wardrobe? Well, I have had that feeling repeatedly over the last few months, and I cannot figure out why I am experiencing such a feeling. As a result, I have been itching to switch things up, and add some color and flair.
The main challenge I face when it comes to adding wardrobe items is the fact that I can’t stand shopping. My eyes glaze over within about 15 minutes of being in a mall or shopping area. I will NEVER understand the rush that many women get from bouncing into a store, trying on mountains of clothing, spending their hard-earned money (or their husband’s or boyfriend’s, as the case may be), then moving on to the next store to repeat the process. No thank you!
Online shopping has been a welcome alternative to walking into brick and mortar stores for me. It is quick, relatively painless, and many companies make returns and exchanges easy. Even so, I still have a problem spending money on clothing, because clothing never holds much value. I know that the markup on clothing is astronomical, and I also know that reselling items yields almost no return on the initial investment.
However, I also know that flattering, comfortable, and stylish clothing can boost a person’s spirits and confidence. Though I go through all of my belongings several times a year and get rid of things which are threadbare or damaged, or which don’t fit me correctly, I still have this feeling that I need a change. Perhaps a few new tops would do the trick, since some of the tops in my closet have been a part of my life for close to two decades. I look at them now and think, what the hell am I doing, keeping these things?
It doesn’t help that my body has been shifting ever so slightly, but enough that my clothing fits differently. I am essentially the same size, but I know that age-related muscle loss is occurring, which makes me very upset. Another curious thing which happened recently is that I am suddenly cold in cold weather. I had spent a good year in the grip of night sweats and hot flashes, and grew accustomed to always running hot. I could go out in 35 degrees Fahrenheit weather without a coat and be fine. That has all come to a screeching halt, which I welcome, but the problem is that I got rid of most of the sweaters I had!
Is this a mid-life crisis? Maybe. Whatever it is that I am going through, I had to figure something out to keep me from tearing my hair out in frustration.
My solution: I purchased some new, inexpensive dresses, tops, sweaters and leggings, and said goodbye to some clothing items that just HAD to go in the give-away pile. I have been trying to assemble new outfits so that I present different looks which still reflect my personality. It has been fun looking at the new styles!
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I had an amazing time competing as an NPC Bikini competitor, and also had fun competing as an IFBB Bikini Pro, despite the fact that I didn’t place well as a Pro. However, I don’t miss the maddening prep which precedes each competition, nor the constant self-scrutiny which always surfaces during prep. Though I always want to win, I am not going to have a nervous breakdown over the fact that my placings as a Pro have been underwhelming. I don’t feel pressured to step onstage, and I honestly wouldn’t have a problem with retiring completely from competing if that is what I decide to do. Yet I still get that question, “When’s your next show?”
A number of people have mentioned that the stakes have been raised lately, due to the more muscle-bound, newer Bikini Pros. They have told me this as if I wasn’t already aware of that fact! I am well aware of who is competing in the Pro ranks, and what the ladies are bringing onstage these days. Here’s the truth: I am tired of trying to balance a very busy schedule with two-a-day cardio sessions and double training in order to prep for a contest. My attitude is that I already won. My singular goal with competing was to attain IFBB Pro status, which I did. So should I feel that my value has somehow diminished because I am not one of the handful of IFBB Bikini Pros who have decided to continue competing in the Pro ranks? If you think about it, the majority of Pros do NOT compete. There are over 400 Bikini Pros now, but only a small percentage of them choose to keep hitting the stage.
What happens when a Pro chooses to continue with competing? The stakes are raised in the Pro ranks, with stiff competition from other Pros, and a more stringent judging panel which is necessary when assessing the best physiques in the world. It can be quite intimidating, which I think is a major factor for Pros who avoid the stage the minute they go Pro. It can be rather disappointing to achieve the crowning victory of Pro status, then get slapped down because you aren’t one of the best Pros. Basically, you go from being at the top of one heap, to being at the bottom of another one.
Since life is about balance, many Pros shift their focus to career, family, and other interests. The idea of returning to the stage can be downright repellent to some Pros who finally realize what they were missing when they were in the throes of competing during their amateur days. I have heard people in the industry talk smack about Pros who “let themselves go”, which in many cases is code speak for situations in which a Pro began to finally live like a normal person. In the world of bodybuilding, being “normal” is often regarded in a negative light.
For those of you who are IFBB Pros and are feeling some remorse over not stepping on stage as a Pro, you need to stop beating yourself up about it! As long as you represent the IFBB in a classy manner, and continue to inspire and motivate through your fitness lifestyle and whatever other respectable endeavors you are involved in, you don’t have to compete. You are still a Pro, always amazing, and one of the top athletes in the bodybuilding world!
I figured that this article which I wrote a while back deserved a repost. I hope you enjoy!
If you have hit a training plateau or are just bored with your current training regimen, you might want to mix it up by incorporating pyramid training into your routine. Pyramid training is an extremely effective way of increasing strength and muscle mass and is easy to incorporate. There are different types of pyramid training designs which exist, but the ascending type is the best for individuals who are relatively new to weight training, as it provides a warm-up for the body before the weight used increases.
Types of Pyramid Training:
ASCENDING: You will start out with a light weight and perform 12 to 20 repetitions in the first set, then increase the weight used while decreasing the number of repetitions in subsequent sets.
1st set – 15 to 20 repetitions with a light weight
2nd set – 12 to 15 repetitions with a light to moderate weight
3rd set – 10 to 12 repetitions with a moderate weight
4th set – 8 to 10 repetitions with a moderate to heavy weight
5th set – 6 to 8 repetitions with a heavy weight
DESCENDING: You will start out with a heavy weight and perform 6 to 8 repetitions in the first set, then decrease the weight used while increasing the number of repetitions in subsequent sets.
1st set – 6 to 8 repetitions with a heavy weight
2nd set – 8 to 10 repetitions with a moderate to heavy weight
3rd set – 10 to 12 repetitions with a moderate weight
4th set – 12 to 15 repetitions with a light to moderate weight
5th set – 15 to 20 repetitions with a light weight
DOUBLE PYRAMID: You will start out with a heavy weight and perform 12 to 20 repetitions in the first set, then increase the weight used while decreasing the number of repetitions in subsequent sets. On your fifth set, you will decrease the weight used while increasing the rep range. When you are on the descending portion of this pyramid, you will not be able to perform as many repetitions due to the muscle fibers being closer to failure.
1st set – 15 to 20 repetitions with a light weight
2nd set – 12 to 15 repetitions with a light to moderate weight
3rd set – 10 to 12 repetitions with a moderate weight
4th set – 8 to 10 repetitions with a moderate to heavy weight
5th set – 10 to 12 repetitions with a moderate weight
6th set – 12 repetitions with a light to moderate weight
7th set – 15 repetitions with a light weight
Here’s another fun interview which I did with the amazing Dr. Venus Ramos for Prozis during Olympia 2014…
dr. stacey naito's blog 