All the UK members will be enjoying a hot summer for a change. I notice that some people are like me and enjoy training in nice weather; it seems to spark some enthusiasm! However, a lot of you can’t stand training in the heat and lose your appetite and consequently gains suffer. Remember to keep well hydrated. For more information read
Hydration in Bodybuilding. And if your appetites poor why not try some tasty protein shakes or smoothies - there’s some recipes in the eBook
Muscle Menus Shakes, Bars and Smoothies.
Check out articles, reports and interviews at www.muscletalk.co.uk/articles.aspx, plus there is more great information in back issues of the newsletter at www.muscletalk.co.uk/newsletter.aspx.
Some of you will have read my monthly column in the popular magazine Muscle & Fitness (UK Version) It’s all in the Genes. 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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*** Meal Replacement Powders ***
By James Collier BSc (Hons) RNutr, MuscleTalk Moderator and Nutrition Consultant
Meal replacement powders, or MRPs, are useful supplements for bodybuilders, sports enthusiasts and people who are merely health conscious. They are especially handy for trainers who struggle to consume enough food to meet their requirements, either because of lack of appetite or simply due to time constraints.
For a formula to be called an MRP, it has to contain ‘complete nutrition’, i.e. have all essential nutrients for which there is a daily requirement. This means an MRP has to include protein (often a variety of sources of protein so as to cover all amino acids and for slow and fast releasing types), carbohydrates, essential fats, all vitamins and all minerals. Moreover, some more specialist MRP formulas contain more than these essentials, with may containing some supplemental ingredients like HMB, CLA, probiotics (‘good’ bacteria), digestive enzymes, fibre and other substances with health benefits.
However, although they are termed ‘meal replacement’ they should not replace any of the three main meals of a diet, and are more useful as replacements for ‘snack’ meals, especially for people with busy lifestyles. They are supplements and therefore it is important that they merely supplement an already good food intake as an addition. I would suggest a maximum of one or two per day, especially if you are using protein powders too.
Typically they are available in boxes of 20 or more sachets, where each sachet is one serving. Obviously nutritional composition varies between brands, but on average they contain 35-45g protein per serving and should be mixed with water or skimmed milk. Some trainers like to consume MRPs post workout where the body would be more able to ingest the large ratios of ingredients.
It may be useful to include one or two servings of MRPs in your daily diet, as a replacement for additional snacks and your three main meals must be made up of good quality real food.
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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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*** Trap Training ***
By James Collier BSc (Hons) RNutr, MuscleTalk Moderator and Nutrition Consultant
OK it’s no big secret that nutrition is my bag, and I’m not qualified to give training advice, nor do I ever claim to be an expert. However I have been weight training for nearly 17 years and obviously this involves a deal of experience with many different routines and training methods. And sometimes it’s just simply nice to write on an area of bodybuilding other that nutrition! So, I thought I’d share some of my thoughts on trap training with you, as the trapezius are an often over-looked muscle in training, which is odd as they contribute to much of the size and shape of the shoulders and upper back.
The traps are in effect one large diamond shaped muscle that attaches at the top of the neck, spreads to the shoulder attachment along the clavicle bone and all the way down to the middle of your back, tying in your shoulders and lats. People tend to train them either along with delts or with back; it’s really up to you.
The best exercises fro traps are shrugs. Start by holding a barbell loaded with a lot of weight in both hands, about shoulder width apart. Now simply lean in a little bit (very little just so the bar doesn't touch your legs) and try to touch your shoulders to your ears. This is impossible, but the illusion will ensure proper form. Alternatively you can use dumbbells or even a machine. Using dumbbells has the advantage that they allow a hammer grip which is more natural and by holding them to the side of your body you can move the shoulders up and in better providing more overall stimulation. They are performed in the same way, except you keep your arms to the side more and your hands in a hammer grip.
For a second exercise do upright rows, and although they don't really stimulate as much muscle as shrugs, they do help give a clean separation between the delts and the traps. Grab a barbell at shoulder width apart or just outside of it, and simply pull the barbell up to eye-height always keeping your elbows higher than your hands. The movement should be an arc in the sense that you start with the barbell against your body but move it away from it as you go up so that you have a few inches leeway between your eyes and the barbell when you get to that point. You can move your grip in to isolate the outer traps, or out to hit more of the delts and inner traps.
So for a quick simple trap routine try the following:
Barbell shrugs - 1-2 warm ups followed by 2-3 very heavy sets (whilst maintaining good form)
Upright rows - 3 moderately heavy sets of 8-12 reps
Fit this into your training routine once a week and you’ll be on your way to having huge and impressive traps!
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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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*** MT Powerlifting Totals Competition ***
By Jonnywildboar - MuscleTalk Pro-Member
See: www.muscletalk.co.uk/fb.asp?m=1083082
What started off as a quiet month in the MT Powerlifting Competition ended up with a World record deadlift entering the totals! Andy Bolton comes straight in at number 1 @ superheavyweight (1261 kg)! Del is the top heavyweight with 1000kg (complete with videos, thanks Del). Chris Jenkins is the top middleweight with an astounding 927.5kg. Crazy Matt, who we haven’t seen for many months, still tops the lightweights with 500kg.
The awesome (and unequipped) Welshdragon added 10kg to his deadlift making a total of 912.5kg. Tat2shep is making good gains on his deadlift, as is long-standing American MTer tbowman, thanks to all the members who submitted their totals for the first time, please keep them coming.
I (Jonnywildboar) got a PB squat of 185kg and I’m hoping to compete in September - a 600kg total is my aim, keep your eyes peeled for more videos than you can shake a Texas deadlift barbell at!
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*** Recipe - Pina Colada Smoothie ***
By Nicole Bremner - MuscleTalk Moderator and author of the Muscle Menus eBooks
This is a great summer recipe from the eBook Muscle Menus Shakes, Bars and Smoothies
** Ingredients
50g silken tofu
½ cup frozen pineapple chunks
150g coconut or vanilla flavoured yoghurt
1 scoop vanilla or coconut flavoured protein powder
¼ tsp coconut extract
100ml water (or skimmed milk)
** Method
Blend all ingredients well and enjoy!
** Information
Serves 1. Per serving: 300kcal, 42g protein, 25g carbs, 5g fat, 1g 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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** Boditronics Ltd - CE-XT is a state of the art 21st Century pre workout drink based around Creatine Ethyl Ester, Di Arginine Malate, L-Taurine and Glucoronolactone. No gimmicks just the right ratios of the right ingredients, it tastes great, and best of all it works. Jack up your workout today!
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***
Book Review - The Pre Contest Bible by Larry Pepe ***
Review by Big Les MuscleTalk Moderator
The purpose of this 475 page tome is quite simple, to outline the pre-contest and competition strategies of the World’s best bodybuilders. It is overwhelmingly about their nutrition although there are plentiful tips on tanning, pumping up and competition day aspects and notes on traveling and staying in hotel rooms thrown in for good measure. When it was released some decided that the lack of any mention of assistance represented a major failing for this book, however given that we are talking about mostly US resident active professionals this criticism reveals more about the lack of knowledge of the person doing the critique than it represents any failing by Larry Pepe.
In the Pre-Contest Bible we get to see the preparations of; (and it’s a big list) Troy Alves, Art Atwood, Gustavo Badell, Aaron Baker, Eryik Bui, Bob Cicherillo, Ronnie Coleman, Chris Cormier, Jay Cutler (2 different approaches), David Dearth, Kris Dim, Mark Dugdale, Mike Ergas, Rich Gaspari, Ahmad Haidar, Will Harris, David Henry, Dexter Jackson, Johnnie Jackson, King Kamali, Victor Martinez, Steve McLeod, Stan McQuay, Jammo Nezzar, Lee Priest, Tom Prince, Shawn Ray, Johnny Stewart, Quincy Taylor, Craig Titus, Mike Valentino and Dorian Yates. Which is quite a who’s who of bodybuilding, and covers almost any genetic blessing, height, body type, training type and of course goes from old school bang up to the present day.
This is not a book you read cover to cover, that much is clear. It is based on interviews with the bodybuilders themselves, and thus represents a printable form of what came from the horse’s mouth. For this alone it makes interesting reading. It is definitely a book for the more dedicated bodybuilder, for those competing it is certainly worth its cover price, although I would hesitate to call it an essential Bible it is certainly a great place to start for ideas on different ways to skin the elusive contest preparation cat. For the casual trainee the appeal is limited and I would say the information is in all truth largely lacking in relevance. However if you want to get shredded or want to know how the pros get shredded, then look no further. It is a valuable insight in to the combination of diet, cardio and training that the best in the world use, and for those so inclined stands interestingly alongside what other sources would have us believe.
Overall this is a good book, definitely not for the beginner or the casual trainer. However, it is a great resource for the competitor and for the really die hard fan it is a fascinating insight. For those like me, who are involved in nutrition, then its one for the reference shelf, if not only as a source of ideas but also as a refresher course for when you get stale. Larry Pepe has produced a very valuable contribution which stands above many other bodybuilding books as having a definite focus and use, and it is refreshing to see something aimed at someone other than the late teen ectomorph beginner.
Finally, one thing to note when reading the Pre Contest Bible, Larry Pepe is also the owner of SprayFlex, which is a supplement company specializing in herbal products, and a number of the featured bodybuilders are sponsored by them. Therefore you will find hearty endorsements for SprayFlex products and advertisements for them scattered liberally throughout the book. As with any such endorsement a big helping of salt should be taken alongside. This doesn’t detract from the overall useful ness of the book nor does anyone go so far as to say SprayFlex supplements represent a magic bullet to propel you to success.
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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