To The New Model On The Block

January 11, 2015December 16, 2014drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Originally published on mensphysique.com on Monday, 02 April 2012

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-business-fitness-modeling-and-showbiz/5254-to-the-new-model-on-the-block.html

Modeling for the first time can be a bit daunting, especially during fitness shoots in which your physique is being prominently displayed. However, there are some guidelines and tricks to make the experience a pleasant one and one in which you can maximize the chances of producing strong images. The single-most important thing is to follow the photographer’s lead with posing, since prominent fitness photographers have developed considerable skill in posing the human body in the most flattering manner possible. This doesn’t mean that your work isn’t cut out for you, but the following posing tips will become easier over time as you are asked to do more shoots. It’s actually a good idea to practice modeling poses in front of a mirror so that you can more clearly assess how your body looks in certain poses.

Generally speaking, a wide leg stance displays your muscularity in the best fashion since it makes your waist appear smaller and enhances the bulk of your quads. Make sure to stagger feet so one foot is a few inches more forward than the other. You will shift your weight onto this foot and flex your quads while bending knees slightly. To make your upper body look as wide as possible, widen your shoulders and keep your back straight in order to enhance your v-taper.

Once your pose is established, you will flex muscle groups one at a time, such as quads, then delts, then pecs, then arms and finally abs. Get used to holding a pose! You may need to hold a pose while fully flexed for a couple of minutes. Which brings me to facial expression…quite often you will be asked to relax your face and flash a genuine smile which belies all the tension you are employing in your muscles, which can definitely be tricky. Your face needs to be a calm and happy sea, while the rest of your body is a raging storm of muscle contraction. This may take longer for some men to learn than others, and those men may keep praying for those shoots in which their facial expression needs to be intense, grimacing and full of power. Successful fitness models have mastered this trick and know that is essential in order to land certain covers and ad campaigns.

Above all else, have fun with the shoot, ask for a short break if you are tiring out too quickly, and maintain a positive and pleasant attitude.

How To Bling Out Your Own Suit

January 10, 2015December 15, 2014drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Originally published on RxGirl on Saturday, 25 August 2012. The original post was published with white text on white background, so the only way to read it on the site is to highlight the text. To make things easier for everyone, I have copied and pasted the article here for you to read.

http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/6387-how-to-bling-out-your-own-suit.html

How to Bling Out Your Own Suit

Most of us ladies love the dazzle of crystals and sequins when seen on competition suits, but such embellishments can be pretty expensive, especially when suits are custom made and crystallized by a professional suitmaker. However, it is possible to bling out your own suit at home as long as you have a somewhat creative hand and a lot of patience. I have endured the laborious process of applying crystals by hand on three suits. Despite the fact that this was very time-consuming, it was well worth it considering the fact that I saved hundreds of dollars by crystallizing the suits myself.

You may be wondering where to purchase a plain competition suit. Good sources are eBay, Jagware, Suits You Swimwear and Chynna Dolls, or you can have a suit made by a professional suit designer (examples are Passion Fruit, CJ’s Elite, TameeMarie) and then apply the crystals yourself. Once you have your suit, you can determine what design you would like to apply on the fabric. You can get ideas from looking at competition images of ladies in suits you like, or you can go to a site like http://www.Dreamstime.com and select a clip art image. After this is done you need to make a copy of the design so that it is the appropriate size for your suit, and also make copies of the mirror image so that your suit design is symmetrical. These prints will serve as templates when you are ready to start mapping out the design. If you are very artistic, you can sketch a freehand design.

The next step in the process is determining the colors, sizes and quantities of the crystals, beads or sequins you want to purchase for your suit design. Rhinestone Depot is an excellent wholesale online site for crystals. I also like Artbeads but the prices are higher. Make sure when you place your order that you order extra materials just in case some of the crystals pop off. Generally speaking, you should only purchase flat-backed stones as they are much easier to glue onto fabric and much less likely to pop off.

There are two options available to you with Swarovski crystals when you are trying to decide how to affix the stones to your suit. Swarovski crystals come in a “Hotfix” variety which already has adhesive on the back, but you will need to purchase the application tool (which looks like a soldering iron) in order to apply the stones. The other option is to get the regular flat-backed crystals and use a fabric glue such as E6000 or Aleene’s Flexible Stretchable Fabric Glue. If you are using very small stones, you should have a pair of small angled tweezers on hand to pick up the crystals. Other supplies to have on hand are toothpicks (for setting a crystal in the exact spot where you want it and for cleaning off excess glue) and a piece of sturdy cardboard large enough to stretch out the fabric in your suit while you are working on it.

To begin the process, line up the crystals on the design which you have printed out. This will give you a familiarity with the design and also ensure that you have enough crystals to create the design. You can also place marks on the fabric with a washable marker so you have some guidelines. Put your suit on the cardboard in such a way that the fabric is completely stretched out. KEEP FABRIC STRETCHED WHILE YOU GLUE RHINESTONES AND ALLOW GLUE TO DRY! If not, the crystals will pop off.

Start at one end of the design, placing a small amount of glue on the back of the crystal and then pressing into place. For smaller crystals, you can use angled tweezers and toothpicks to move the crystals into their exact spots. It is a good idea to switch back and forth from one side to another to ensure your pattern remains symmetrical.

Most importantly, TAKE YOUR TIME! This will take HOURS and HOURS to do. Trust me, it really takes a while. When I crystallized the peacock feathers on the suit I wore in 2011 (pictured above at the IFBB North American, where I took a First Place finish in Open and Second Place in Masters), it took me a total of 38 hours to complete the work. I had no choice but to keep returning to the project over a number of sessions until it was completed. Then again, there were over 3,000 crystals, so I created quite a challenge for myself.

Once you are finished, you can celebrate your creativity and rest in the knowledge that you have a one-of-a-kind suit!

Selecting Board Shorts For The Stage

January 9, 2015December 15, 2014drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Originally published on mensphysique.com on Sunday, 16 October 2011. The text on the original post is all messed up, but I have repaired it here.

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-look-skin-attitude-attire-and-persona/4343-selecting-board-shorts-for-the-stage.html

Many men aren’t exactly gifted with the ability to determine swhat looks best on them, especially when selecting board shorts to wear up on stage with glaring lights assaulting them from every angle. Here are a few tips to selecting a great pair for your competition.

1.Make sure to pay attention to proper fit. The shorts should hit low enough in the waistline to flatter your lat spread and make your waist appear nice and tapered. The shorts should also make your rear end look nice and lifted without any excess material creating a sagging or diaper effect. Make sure you don’t go too tight though! The shorts should not ride up your crotch or make the shape of your bait and tackle highly visible! Make sure the rise in the front lies flat and does not bunch up across your lower abdomen. Also make sure the rise isn’t so low that the shorts look like they are about to fall off.

2.Blues, greens, reds and orange tones tend to look nice on stage. Avoid khaki, brown, and dull gray as they tend to look very drab under stage lights. Be careful with white as it can become severely discolored by the spray tan solution.

3.Prints are okay, but don’t go too busy! You can select shorts which have a color blocking on them, or which have a print on them, but don’t go for a very wild pattern. You want the judges to look at your physique, not at the distracting graffiti print splashed across your shorts!

4.Try to find a pair that is distinctive so that you don’t end up wearing the same board shorts as another. In fact, it is always a good idea to have an extra pair on hand at a show in case this occurs.

Sexy Couple Shot By George Kontaxis

January 8, 2015December 15, 2014drstaceynaito Leave a comment

This is Ian Lauer and me in Malibu from a couple of years ago, shot by the amazing George Kontaxis. I think you can tell that Ian and I were very much a couple then, but we are now just very good friends. He remains one of the most important and special people in my life and I am blessed to know him.

Picture Perfect With The Ladies: How To Model With A Female

January 7, 2015December 15, 2014drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Originally published on Tuesday, 29 November 2011

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-business-fitness-modeling-and-showbiz/4796-picture-perfect-with-the-ladies-%E2%80%93-how-to-model-with-a-female.html

You may have modeled alone numerous times and are comfortable with your poses. This may lead you to think that posing with a woman is no different. However, there are numerous points to keep in mind any time you are at a shoot in which you are expected to pose with a lady.

First of all, don’t allow nerves to distract you from performing as expected. What helps tremendously with getting over any nervousness is to chat with the woman before the shoot in order to establish a comfort level. You don’t have to discuss anything in particular, but at least get an idea of her personality.

Be aware of the goal of the shoot. If the goal is to shoot a cover or an ad, you will most likely be the center of focus since many covers showcase the man while using the woman as a type of accessory. Fitness photographers are typically excellent at posing their models, which means you need to be able to follow direction without offering commentary on the poses you are being asked to do. If the photographer tells you to open your shoulders, or turn your head slightly more to the right, then just do it. Sometimes these microadjustments may be challenging since you have to hold a pose while also flexing and looking like you are having the time of your life. But all these elements are key in conveying the proper energy and mood through the images.

Move slowly between each pose and give the lady time to adjust as well. Remember that she needs to be in the proper pose as well. If you are asked to touch each other, perhaps with your hand around her waist and her hands on your chest or shoulder, be respectful of her. That being said, make sure that when you are both in a pose in which you are touching, you both look like you actually like each other, even if you can’t stand each other. Your poses and your facial expressions need to be genuine and believable.

Remember to carry yourself in a professional manner during the shoot. It doesn’t matter if you have the hots for your modeling partner remain a professional. If you must, you can ask for a date WELL after the shoot is over!

Why You Should Build A Show Strategy

January 6, 2015December 15, 2014drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Orignally published on mensphysique.com on Saturday, 01 October 2011

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-life-inspiration-and-dedication/4258-why-you-should-build-a-show-strategy.html

Perhaps you have already competed in risk-bookshelf-board-game-2one or more shows, or you are thinking of entering your first competition in men’s physique. The last thing you should do is enter a show with no forethought as to which shows might be better for you than others. If you want to get your feet wet, you may want to avoid the bigger shows right out of the gate because they can be intimidating and downright discouraging.
If you are selecting your first show, choose one that is local to you, a national qualifier, and one that is scheduled far enough out so that you have enough time to prep. I have seen many male and female competitors jump into a show at the last minute with little to no prep. If you are a seasoned competitor who always looks show ready, that’s one thing, but if you are not yet stage-worthy, you could damage your chances of placing high at future shows in the same region.

Remember that there are countless shows all over the United States throughout the year, so don’t rush into it. Plan things out and take your time. If you get a national qualification, great! But don’t rush onto that national stage just yet. The national circuit is quite different from the local and regional ones, and you could end up being a very small fish in a huge pond. This can be quite deflating, especially if you have done well at the local level. Keep in mind that the national shows gather the best of the best from all over the country (and Canada and Mexico for the North American), so don’t be surprised if your jaw drops when you see the caliber of competitors at national events.

While NPC USA and NPC Nationals are outstanding shows, they are huge shows and perhaps not the best ones to select for your national debut. If possible, ease into one of the other events. If you are in the south, consider Jr. USA. If you are near Chicago, consider Jr. Nationals. East coast residents could target Team Universe, while Canadian and Mexican citizens will have IFBB North American as their only national option.

Whichever competitions you select, make sure you bring your best physique possible onto that stage, and above all else, have fun up there!

Booty-Building Superset Routine

January 5, 2015December 15, 2014drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Originally published on RxGirl on Wednesday, 15 August 2012. The original post was published with white text on white background, so the only way to read it on the site is to highlight the text. To make things easier for everyone, I have copied and pasted the article here for you to read.

http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/6311-booty-building-superset-routine.html

Booty Building Superset Routine

If I had given into my natural genetic setpoint which gave me a relatively flat booty due to my Japanese ancestry, I would never have transformed my posterior into what it is today. In recent years the quest for a round butt has been one of the most highly coveted physical attributes for women. In keeping with this highly sought goal, I am providing readers with a superset routine which will create the full and curvaceous look which fills out a pair of jeans nicely and turns heads in a good way!

THE ROUTINE
Make sure to move from one exercise within a superset to the next quickly, without rest. Once you have completed a superset, rest for 30 seconds then begin your next superset. Complete all sets in Superset 1, then complete all sets in Superset 2, etc.

Superset 1 –
5 sets of the following:
25 jump squats

20 stiff-legged deadlifts with dumbbells

15 stride jump crossovers How to do: Using a bench or plyo box, place one foot up on bench with that leg almost parallel to floor. Jump explosively over bench, springing off bench and landing with your other foot on the opposite side of the bench. Repeat on other side.

Superset 2 –

5 sets of the following:

15 walking dumbbell lunges

20 Butt Blaster

15 prone leg curls

Superset 3 –

4 sets of the following:

20 one-legged dumbbell deadlifts

20 one-legged cable kickbacks

Superset 4 –

20 one-legged leg press (lying on your side and pushing through your heel)

20 plie dumbbell squats holding dumbbell between legs with wide stance and squatting LOW

12 barbell good mornings

Dry Skin Is Not Sexy

January 4, 2015December 15, 2014drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Originally published on mensphysique.com on Wednesday, 07 September 2011

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-look-skin-attitude-attire-and-persona/4101-dry-skin-is-not-sexy.html

There is nothing sexier than a man with a chiseled physique whose skin is like polished wood, healthy, smooth, and even. Yet I see so many male competitors who don’t seem to care about the appearance of their skin, and who sport an epidermis which looks and feels like a piece of driftwood.

Healthy skin that glows looks amazing onstage, takes spray tanner better, and reflects the optimal diet which competitors should be practicing. So how does one get such healthy skin?

There are general guidelines which should be followed:

Avoid long hot showers

Moisturize regularly, preferably right after you shower

Wear sunblock regularly

Increase water intake

Consume healthy fats with omega-3 fatty acids

Exfoliate with scrubs, washcloths or loofahs

Since skin is the largest organ system, and also since it reflects a person’s overall health, it is imperative to take the above steps to ensure that your skin will look its best.

Get Revved Up For The New Year!

January 1, 2015December 15, 2014drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Every year we have the opportunity to start fresh with a brand new set of days to change our attitudes and tackle our goals. Many people start the new year with resolutions to embark on diet and fitness programs in an effort to get into the best shape of their lives, improve their health, or perhaps enter a bodybuilding contest. I am bracing myself for the influx of new gym members this month because I know they will pack my local gym, but I am also well aware of the attrition rate which also occurs each year. I applaud anyone who makes the effort to change old habits and who truly commits to a regular exercise program and clean meal plan, and believe it is important to implement supplements which can boost energy levels and hasten fat loss and weight loss efforts.

Two of my favorite fat burner supplements are SWAT Fuel’s 9mm and 9mm+P, both of which deliver sustained energy with no jitters or crash. These thermogenic capsules were formulated with military personnel and law enforcement offers in mind, who must remain razor sharp through long vigils and who must also wield weapons which require precision aim. A case of the jitters in these individuals could be disastrous, so it is reassuring to know that 9mm and 9mm+P deliver on their promise of steady and long lasting energy. The 9mm+P formula contains an appetite suppressant which is extremely effective in halting cravings and preventing overeating. Both of these products are also excellent for anyone who wants more energy, whether it be for a workout or for work.