*** Welcome 4 new moderators onto the MT Team! Four well respected and familiar members are helping with the running of MT:
** Youngitalianbabe - she's been a member for years and will be moderating, Diet & Nutrition, Female Bodybuilding and Cardio & Fitness
** Dr Zoidburg - is well respected all over the board so he'll be moderating General and Power & Strength
** Welshdragon - who you'll all know better as champion strongman Dale Norris is helping out in Power & Strength and the Competitions forum
** Ink - his superb nutrition knowledge has lead him to moderate Bodybuilding Supplements, Diet & Nutrition and Beginners
Thanks to all of the new mods - don't give them a hard time!
JohnOvManchester has compiled a great article entitled 'Got Arms?' with some great ideas for packing on arm mass. Other articles, reports and interviews can be found at: www.muscletalk.co.uk/articles.aspx
Some of you will be aware that I now have my own column in the popular magazine Muscle & Fitness (UK Version). So if you're down the newsagents get your copy and check it out. If you have any questions for me to answer in the column, please email me them to me. See www.muscle-fitness.co.uk
*** All the best from James and The MuscleTalk team! ***
See you at www.MuscleTalk.co.uk
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Have you got your MuscleTalk T-Shirt yet?
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*** Critique My Diet ***
By Steve Blades aka MuscleTalk Moderator ToxicToffee
The most common type of post in the Diet & Nutrition forum of MT is members requesting help to improve their diet. Make it easy for the experts to help you and you'll find you'll get a better response and more suitable advice to suit you, as opposed to making educated guesses on limited information! Here are some simple guidelines:
1 - Be clear with your goals; e.g. 'I would like to cut', 'I would like to bulk' and include how long you have been training if appropriate
2 - Clearly state your current or proposed diet for your goals in time form
For example:
06:45 get up
07:00 50g whey in water and 100g oats in skimmed milk
08:00 train weights for 30 minutes (stating cardio or weights)
09:30 PWO shake to include 50g whey 50g of dextrose
10:00 PPWO 150g beef, 50g fibrous veg and 150g rice
…and so on. This allows for ease of reading and members can tag text on to the end. Also please state where training is and if it is cardio or weights and the rough duration.
3 - Please post some stats, e.g. 5 11" 180lb 15% body fat; and feel free to add any other info you wish that you may feel helps. Stats will help determine the rough intake of calories and protein you will need to reach your goals.
4 - Please state your lifestyle. If you're a builder your requirements for calories will be higher than that of an office worker in the main (for those with similar stats and goals). Active people generally require more carbs than those who are more sedentary.
5 - Please post any supplements you are using (with times taken), steroid cycles, including products such as creatine, glutamine, HMB, etc and if you are in post cycle therapy, then mention this too.
6 - If appropriate state a rough calorie intake, and, if you know it a macronutrient breakdown. An example would be:
Total calories - 2250
Protein - 200g
Carbs - 200g
Fat - 100g
If you would like some help on that use any of the following websites:
www.calorieking.com
www.fitday.com
www.nutritiondata.com
7 - Include any non staple items or weekend treats. An example would be chocolate bar every now and then or five beers on a Saturday. This will allow others to help determine why you may not be reaching your goals.
8 - Post all drinks you may consume. Many hidden calories lurk in carbonated and fruit based drink, so add them in with a rough serving size.
9 - If you have a protein shake please state what the shake is. E.g. whey in water without carbohydrates, whey in milk with dextrose, casein and flax oil. And state rough amounts e.g. 50g powder; tablespoon oil; etc
Hopefully this will help you get the best response to your question, with the best advice to help you achieve you best nutrition regimen to suit you, pushing you towards your goals!
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** 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
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** Informed Bodybuilding Nutrition eBook by James Collier - the ULTIMATE nutrition bible for bodybuilding. For more information click here:
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*** TonyStarks' Long Term Training Cycle - Programme 2 ***
By TonyStarks MuscleTalk Moderator
Following on from the article in the last issue of The MuscleTalker, we have a training plan which alternates two very different programmes every four weeks with the intention of keeping my muscles guessing and shocking them into new and consistent growth. The first programme was in Issue 49, and the second programme is below.
** Programme 2
Programme 2 is a more traditional three day split which focuses on getting bigger and stronger in the major compound exercises. In isolation this routine would be ideal for trainers of all levels.
This programme incorporates the 5x5 training method which was originally developed by Reg Park. The 5x5 method involves completing 5 sets of 5 reps, using the same resistance. That's the goal. However, if you've chosen the proper weight, you won't be able to do 5 sets of 5, at least not initially. Typically, if you've chosen the correct weight, the workout would look like this:
Set 1: 5x100 pounds
Set 2: 4x100 pounds
Set 3: 3x100 pounds
Set 4: 3x100 pounds
Set 5: 2x100 pounds
Remember, the goal of doing 5 sets of 5 reps is a hypothetical goal. As soon as you are able to complete 5 sets of 5 you should up the resistance for your next workout.
The programme is split as follows:
Monday - Quads/Hams/Calves
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Chest/Shoulders/Triceps
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Back/Traps/Biceps
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Rest
Monday (Quads/Hams/Calves)
1) Back Squat - 5x5
2) Stiff Legged Deadlift - 5x5
3) Dumbbell Lunges - 2x8
4) Calve Raise - 2x12 (optional)
Wednesday (Chest/Shoulders/Triceps)
1) Weighted Dips - 5x5
2) Incline Bench Press - 3x8
3) Upright Row - 2x8
4) Skull Crushers - 2x8 (optional)
Friday (Back/Traps/Biceps)
1) Deadlift - 5x5
2) Barbell Row (substitute with dumbbell or machine row if necessary) - 3x8
3) Close Grip Chins with Palms Facing (use pulldown machine if necessary) - 4x6
4) Olympic Barbell Curls (optional) - 2x8
Happy training!
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***
MT Powerlifting Totals Competition ***
By Jonnywildboar - MuscleTalk Pro-Member
See:
www.muscletalk.co.uk/fb.asp?m=1083082
It's been a very busy month on the MT Powerlifting Totals and Video Gallery! We have a new leader in the middleweight division - world class lifter Chris Jenkins with a colossal total of 927.5kg
Superheavyweight - Joethom - 900kg
Heavyweight - Del - 945kg
Middleweight - Chris Jenkins - 927.5kg
Lightweight - Crazy Matt - 500kg
RobT, little lee and galloot have all submitted excellent videos - galloot smashing all 3 lift PBs on film (after a training session with Jonnywildboar he was ready to roar!). Joethom continues to post up inspirational videos - 30 in total!
Long time member Dan nukem added 115kg to his lifts and crashed into the top 20 heavyweights; top work Dan.
We have topped 100 totals, 50 of which are in the middleweight division, well done! Next month we will see the videos from the MT meet up in Manchester ... ::sigh:: more videos of Jonnywildboar then...
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Recipe - Lentil Burgers ***
Recipe by Nicole Bremner - MuscleTalk Moderator. Taken from her eBook Muscle Menus Vegetarian
** Ingredients
150g lentils
1 ½ 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 eBooks:
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** 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:
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*** DVD Review - Driven: Mark Dugdale ***
Review by Big Les MuscleTalk Moderator
Billed as "a modern day documentary that takes you on an intimate journey of professional bodybuilder Mark Dugdale's life", Driven is no ordinary bodybuilding DVD. If this wasn't already clear from the sleeve then the fact after the opening titles we see Mark reading his three girls a bed-time story should.
This really is a documentary, we get to see Mark as a bodybuilder both training and competing with gym footage of three workouts, and as a competitor with scenes from the 2006 Ironman Pro, the businessman as he shows us round his own business, but also as Father and Husband as he puts his girls to bed, has dinner, goes to Church and does his groceries. What is really engaging about this DVD is the interviews and commentaries both with Mark and Christina as they talk about not only what it takes to be a professional bodybuilder but also about themselves and what is important to them. We meet Mark's friends and training partners, and we learn that bodybuilding for Mark is not the solitary pursuit of excellence but very much a team sport.
This is a personal journey that is not only engaging; it is intensely inspiring and motivational. This is someone who has achieved the highest echelon of the sport not by moving to Venice, not by excluding all others and living 'the life' of a professional. Instead the idea that monk like devotion to the exclusion of all other things is not the only way, and that having a family, a job, a social life, is no barrier to a world class physique and kicks away any excuses.
I cannot recommend this DVD highly enough, it's a complete departure from the norm, and for me would appeal to anyone who has an interest in the sport of bodybuilding, not just the die hard fan. There is lots of really good information about how Mark diets and trains both pre-contest and off season, we see how he juggles and manages his time and how his family supports his endeavours too. This is a unique insight in to Mark's life, his family, his faith and his bodybuilding.
Finally I have to thank Dave Bourlet of Max Muscle Venice who kindly made this review possible by sending me Driven. You can meet Dave on this DVD and see his store at the end of the DVD.
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** Muscle Finesse - Check out the Muscle Finesse online store. Some of the best prices in the UK for Chemical Nutrition, EAS, Peak Body, Prolab, Met-Rx and MuscleTech supplements!
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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