The Hurcules Cup 2007 in association with MuscleTalk.co.uk will be on Saturday 12th May 2007 in Liverpool. Prize money! Special guest judges and posers! For full details click here
UKBBF North-East Championships in association with FLEX magazine will be in Leeds Town Hall on September 8th. The event is supported by MuscleTalk - the main web partner for the event. Read more here
New articles in March:
- Everything you wanted to know abut Eggs
- Everything you wanted to know about Coconut Oil
- Everything you wanted to know about cholesterol and coronary heart disease
*** All the best from James Collier and The MuscleTalk team! ***
See you at www.MuscleTalk.co.uk
===============================
**
Muscle Talk Shop - Supplement Special Offers - Huge Savings! **
OFFER OF THE MONTH
Energize - 40% off. Now £20.99. You save £14.00!
SPECIAL OFFERS
Glutamine F.E2 - Buy One Get One FREE! You save £32.99!
Meso-Tech Complete Bar - Buy One Get One FREE! You save £29.88!
Creapure - Buy 500g, get 250g free. Save £10.99!
L-Glutamine - Buy 500g, get 250g free. Save £19.99!
FREE Next Day Delivery - on all orders over £49.99 within mainland UK. 100% Guarantee - on all products. Telephone advice & customer support available.
===============================
===============================
Look sexy in a MuscleTalk T-shirt
===============================
===============================
Muscle Finesse Cash Back Bonanza - win £1,000!!
£1,000 cash back for the customer who spends the most money on line between 1st April 2007 and 31st March 2008; £500 second prize. Plus price match with any other UK supplement store!
===============================
*** Everything you wanted to know about flaxseeds & flaxseed oil ***
By Nigel Kinbrum aka MuscleTalk member nigeepoo
** What's in flaxseeds and flaxseed oil?
Click www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c20p1.html and set serving size to 100g to see what nutrients there are in flaxseeds
Click www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c21xq.html and set serving size to 100g to see what nutrients there are in flaxseed oil
** How do I eat flaxseeds & flaxseed oil?
Flaxseeds (also known as linseeds) have a fibrous seed coat which swells-up when wet and passes through our guts undigested. To get the benefit of the protein, omega-3 essential fatty acids and minerals in flaxseeds, the seeds need to be crushed, cracked, chopped-up, sliced-up or ground-up using a coffee grinder, adjustable pepper grinder, pestle & mortar or most simply, a blender. The resulting powder can be mixed with liquids or sprinkled on foods, though extra fluid must be drunk as the soluble fibre absorbs lots of water. Although whole flaxseeds will keep at room temperature, once ground, it's advisable to keep them refrigerated to minimise oxidation of the exposed fat.
Flaxseed oil must be kept refrigerated at all times after opening and must never be used for cooking. It's okay sprinkled over hot food as long as the food is eaten shortly afterwards. Oxidised flaxseed oil tastes bitter and has lost any health benefits it had when fresh, so it should be discarded or used to varnish something or thin down putty. Unoxidised flaxseed oil has a nutty kind of taste or it may taste a bit like tea. Ground-up flaxseeds hardly taste of anything.
** How much flaxseeds and flaxseed oil do I need to eat each day?
As men are much poorer converters of alpha-linolenic acid (the omega-3 fatty acid in linseeds) into the longer-chain omega-3 fatty acids than women (1,2), men need to eat approximately 50g of ground flaxseeds per day and women need to eat approximately 25g per day. The suggested daily amount of flaxseed oil for men is 20g and the daily amount for women is 10g.
** Where can I buy flaxseeds and flaxseed oil?
Flaxseeds / linseeds come in different colours. The cheapest linseeds are brown ones which are often found sold as bird seed in pet shops, but can also be found in high street health food stores. There are also golden linseeds, which is the type most often found in supermarkets. Linusit and Granovita are two well-known brands. Granovita organic flaxseed oil is a good brand and comes in dark glass bottles to keep the light out, as light causes oxidation of omega-3 fatty acids.
References:
1 - www.nutritionsociety.org.uk/bjn/088/bjn0880355.htm
2 - www.nutritionsociety.org.uk/bjn/088/bjn0880411.htm
===============================
**
Tailored Nutrition Advice from Experts!
Healthy Action is the Nutrition Consultancy headed up by James Collier BSc (Hons), Registered Nutritionist. A team of consultants are available to provide on line nutrition advice completely tailored to suit you and your goals. For more information email
info@healthyaction.co.uk
===============================
===============================
Monster Supplements
Current Monster Supplement Offers - 50% OFF RRP on these late date item:
MuscleTech Hydroxycut - 150 caps (07/07)
Cytodyne Taraxatone - 60 caps (06/07)
Cytodyne Xenadrine NRG - 120 caps (06/07)
Isatori Energize - 84 caps (06/07)
VPX Dietex - 120 caps (05/07)
Twin Lab - Diet Fuel - 60 caps (02/07)
VPX Thinfat - 120ml (30/8/06)
SAN OX - 180 Caps (03/07)
SAN Thyro-Cuts - 90 caps (03/07)
Maximuscle Viper Extreme Bars - Fruit & Nut (01/07)
===============================
*** TT's Dumbbell Hack Squat ***
By Steve Blades - Personal Trainer & MuscleTalk Moderator
This is just a an insight into an 'alternative' exercise I have used when training people as a bit of fun and a challenge; be open minded and maybe throw it in at the end of a legs day! For those training at home with barbell and dumbbells or those who simply want an end of session blow out and they don't have machines or a spotter here is something a little different!
Barbell squats are the king of leg exercises, period. I am not for one moment suggesting you drop squats out your plan in favour of the exercise detailed below; it's simply an additional movement to add into your plan if it fits. Whilst squats are the undisputed quad movement by many in the iron game the 'secondary' quad exercises are more hotly debated. For pure quad development leg extension is out of the question regardless of any data collected on it stating fibre recruitment. The 45 degree leg press is an alternative, as is the hack squat machine. Is this exercise a possible replacement for those listed above? The jury is still out, but have a go and see what you think.
Squats never leave the plan on legs day; I need to hammer this home! Add in barbell stiff-legged deadlifts and we need at least one more heavy compound to complete the plan before calf raises. I hear most of you shout lunges, step ups or split squats "where are they?" Lunges are great whether it's with a barbell or dumbbells but for every 10 guys I find enjoy them equally as many complain about them. Should you get the technique right and persist? Should you focus on balance and posture? Well that's another day, same with dumbbell split squats and step ups. The age old "bad knee syndrome" also arises with the exercises mentioned. That debate is beyond the scope of this piece and I simply want to bring something different to the table to get you thinking.
It's called the 'Stability ball dumbbell hack squat'
I am going to break this down stage by stage so you can picture it in your head. You simply need to gather a set of dumbbells (which will be lighter than you might have originally thought) one of those large 'abs' stability Swiss balls and finally two Reebok decks or steps with adjustable legs on them. Follow the steps below when setting up!
- Find a wall
- Get a hard stability ball (well inflated)
- Place your lower back against the ball
- Place the ball against the wall with approx a one foot gap between floor and ball
- Select two dumbbells to suit (using straps if required)
- Find two Reebok decks or 'steps'
- Full extend the legs one end, have the other end as low as possible
- This then gives you a ramp
- The low end of the step sits against the wall below the stability ball
- Walk up the ~30 degree rise into a position similar to that of a hack squat
- On the first rep pick the dumbbells up when you are at the lowest point of the squat
- Keep arms straight holding dumbbells
- Squat using the ball to roll down the wall just before the dumbbells touch the floor
- Complete full deep reps without using lower back power
This exercise can be replicated without a spotter and at home and provides a hard compound movement recruiting quads, hamstrings and glutes. As stated previously, I am not advocating you rush out and do this; it's simply something to keep in mind if you fancy a change sometime!
===============================
BodyShapersFitness.com - 5% off and fast, free UK mainland shipping on all orders!
BodyShapers Fitness offer fast, FREE shipping on all UK mainland orders with a wide range of flexible shipping options from 1st class post to next working day by 10am courier delivery.
Using your 5% discount on your first order you can get the following deals:
Reflex Instant Whey 5lb - £29.25 delivered* (normally £30.79)
Dymatize Elite Whey 5lb - £26.59 delivered* or £47.49 for 2 tubs (normally £27.99 for one or £24.99 each for 2 or more)
Axis Labs Hyper Test Booster with FREE CEE 120 Caps - £34.19 delivered* (normally £35.99)
Mix N Match any two tubs of NO-Xplode, Nitrix or Cell Mass - £66.49 delivered* (normally £69.99)
Reflex Protein Mix N Match - 2 tubs for £56.16 delivered* (normally £59.12)
Please visit www.bodyshapersfitness.com and use discount code MT5 to get your 5% discount.
===============================
*** Food of the Month - Fragaria x ananassa ***
By Big Les - Nutrition Consultant and MuscleTalk Moderator
... or as we know it the strawberry!
Originally strawberries were strawberries, a name that described how they grew - appearing to be strewn among the plants. Until 1538 the spelling 'streoberie', the Anglo-Saxon, was used. The name strawberry came to be because straw was used to mulch the plants during the winter, which discouraged weeds and lifted the berries from the soil. When the berries were harvested children would string them on a blade of straw and sell them as "Straws of Berries". Its official name was coined by the Swedish botanist Linnaeus, and among the Narragansett Indians it is called 'wuttahimneash' which translates to - heart-seed berry.
The strawberry has a long history because it grows wild in temperate climates and is not particular as to the soil conditions; however its commercial cultivation was hampered by its fragile and delicate nature, and is still picked by hand because machine pickers cause too much damage. Strawberries were used as a symbol of the god of love, Venus, because of their bright red colour and heart shape. The Romans believed the strawberry had curative properties, for melancholy and masking bad breath. And the strawberry was also a cure for inflammations, fevers, throat infection, kidney stones, gout, fainting spells and diseases of the blood, liver and spleen. Phew quite a berry! And it's not on the fruit that has medicinal uses, the roots, leaves and fruits of the Alpine Strawberry, Fragaria Vesca, were used as a digestive aid and skin tonic. The berry was prescribed by herbalists in 13th Century for diarrhoea and digestive upset, and the berry rubbed on the skin to relieve sunburn and to relieve blemishes.
This belief in the curative properties of the strawberry has some basis in nutritional fact. The strawberry packs a mighty punch of Vitamin C, with 100g of strawberry providing 56mg, and in addition you will get some of every other vitamin except B12. Plus around 2.5g of fibre, as well as minerals, with both zinc and magnesium making healthy contributions. All of this for only around 30kcals per 100g - it's a sweet and tasty way to get that 5 a day!
With green light on for the strawberry you need to look for those that look fresh and shiny with a bright red colour because strawberries do not ripen after they are picked. The stems need to be green and free from any wilting. And get them in the fridge as soon as you can. The best way to store is on paper towel in a single layer and use within three or four days. Don't pile strawberries more than two high as this damages the ones at the bottom. Don't wash your strawberries until you are ready to eat them, this is because the extra water causes the cells to break down more rapidly and the strawberry just isn't the same. Also wash the strawberry with the stem on to stop water getting in through the stem end. And don't bother sticking leftovers in the fridge for the next day as the cells break down and water oozes out and they will have lost their attractive colour and taste in the process. To freeze, wash and dry, remove the stems, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer until solidly frozen, then they can be bagged and stored safely.
Finally, be careful who you share a double strawberry with because according to folklore it is destined for you to fall in love!
Les is available for tailored nutrition programs
===============================
** Informed Bodybuilding Nutrition eBook by James Collier - the ULTIMATE nutrition bible for bodybuilding.
For more information click here:
===============================
*** MT Powerlifting Totals Competition ***
By boar - MuscleTalk Pro-Member
See: www.muscletalk.co.uk/fb.asp?m=1083082
As usual it's been a busy month - myself, tony1blue and Purplepaul (all 110k cat), travelled down to Windsor to compete in the BPC Southern Area Championships. I totalled 700kg with lifts of 262.5/185/252.5 (all PBs). Tony got 250/182.5/272.5 for 705kg (which included an impressive 600lb PB deadlift) and Paul got 205/137.5/242.5 for 585kg total. A great day was had and MT members Fatpete, LittleA, Joe the Terrible, rob1985 and the lovely Wiffers came down to give their support. Videos available in our respective journals.
Cliff_vtr and IainK both competed at the BWLA Dorset Unequipped Championships; Cliff scored an excellent 140/90/180 @ 73kg - total 410, the squat and deadlift being new PBs. IainK scored well getting 215/142.5/xxx @ 88kg, unfortunately due to self confessed 'awful' competition day nutrition he bombed on the deadlift; a lesson learned but still an enjoyable day for both lifters.
The current MT powerlifting total leaders are:
Superheavyweight 125.01kg + - Andy Bolton - 550 / 320 / 455 - [156] 1325
Heavyweight 100.01 to 125kg - Del - 435 / 210 / 355 - [110] 1000kg
Middleweight 75.01 to 100kg - C.Jenkins - 385 / 207.5 / 340 - [90] 932.5kg
Lightweight 0 to 75kg - Baldilocks - 130 / 117 / 175 - [69.5] 412kg
MT Pro-member Fatpete is competing in the BWLA British Masters on the 1st April. I will be there to support him in Birmingham; look out for a write up and videos in his journal.
Keep pounding MT powerlifters!
Boar
===============================
** IMPROVE YOUR GRIP with 'Grippers - Getting the most from your gripper'. The informative ebook from grip champion Steve Gardener tells you how to use your gripper more effectively to improve your performance in your sport:
===============================
*** Recipe - Lentil Burgers ***
By Nicole Bremner, Recipe Consultant and MT Moderator
Taken from Muscle Menus Vegetarian
** Ingredients
150g lentils
1½ cups water
1 onion, finely chopped
4 tsp garlic, minced
½ tin of tomato sauce, or pasta sauce
2 veg stock cubes
1 tbsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg white
** Method
Place lentils and water in a pot, cover and boil until soft.
Sauté onions, garlic and parsley for 5 minutes until soft. Add the onion mix to the drained lentils with the tomato sauce, stock cubes, egg white and seasonings. Form into two burgers and dry fry in a non-stick pan. Serve on a crusty bun with cheese, tomato chutney and salad.
** Information
Serves 1. Per serving: 190kcal, 20g protein, 22g carbs, 27g fat, 8g fibre.
More great bodybuilding recipes can be found in the eBooks 'Muscle Menus', 'Muscle Menus 2', 'Muscle Menus Vegetarian' and Muscle Menus Shakes, Bars and Smoothies
DVD Review - Titans (Vol 9) - Ageless (Part 1) - Gary Strydom ***
Review by James Collier - MuscleTalk Co-Owner
Available here
The Ninth episode in the Titans series is about Bodybuilding ledged Gary Strydom, as he makes a comeback to pro-bodybuilding after being retired for nearly 15 years. The DVD was shot in May 2006 in both Denver, Colorado and Venice, California and features Strydom training in the gym, being interviewed and posing on stage. It features both onstage and behind the scenes footage at the Sawn Ray Classic and you can watch Strydom being interviews by Shawn Ray himself.
Older bodybuilding fans will remember Strydom as one of the big names from the late 80s and early 90s. He tells Ray why he has decided to make a comeback and what he feels about modern bodybuilding. Strydom is clearly not a fan of the freaky mass monster physiques that dominate the pros currently, but at the same time respects them. He continues to support the need to include less freaky, more balanced aesthetically pleasing physiques in pro line-ups, which is one reason why he's made a comeback.
At 47 years old, South African born Strydom is in excellent shape, and looks bigger, sharper and even more balanced than in the early 90s. He comes across as a really nice guy who is also full of wisdom, not just for bodybuilding but for life in general.
The DVD covers Gary the business man too. Many will know he runs the infamous bodybuilding clothing brand Crazee Wear, and they film the workshop operation he has.
From and enjoyment perspective though, this DVD is merely mediocre. The interviews and behind the scenes stuff are interesting, but the workouts are a little boring. However, saying that, Strydom does have a very aesthetically pleasing physique to watch and this makes the viewing more pleasurable. Titans Vol 9 is a good addition to a bodybuilders DVD collection, but if you're merely a recreational trainer who wants to own just a couple of DVDs, then this one probably isn't your best choice.
===============================
suppshop.co.uk - Discount Sport, Bodybuilding & Diet Supplements
suppshop.co.uk aim to bring you the best selection of supplements, from top manufacturers, at discounted prices. Further savings can be made with their Stacks Deals and MultiBuy Offers!
===============================
The articles in The MuscleTalker are for information purposes only and are the sole expressions of the individual authors opinion and are those not necessarily shared by the owners of www.MuscleTalk.co.uk