** Team MuscleTalk: Several top UK bodybuilding names - amateur and professional - are now working alongside MuscleTalk to promote the healthy lifestyle of bodybuilding and to open up competitive bodybuilding to a wider audience. Team MuscleTalk are all top UK bodybuilders who are working with MuscleTalk for their promotion. The aim is to promote the athletes as well as bodybuilding as a whole in the UK. All athletes are available for guest posing spots, gym visits, nutrition and training seminars and photo shoots; for details contact James Collier on james@muscletalk.co.uk
Team MT are:
- James Llewellin - IFBB Pro
- Daz Ball - Heavyweight Champ
- Louise Rogers - Bodyfitness Champ
- Luke Nichols - British Champ
- Carly Thornton - Top Bodyfitness Competitor and Fitness Model
- Micky McKay - British Champ
- James Collier - Organiser of Team MT, Promoter and Nutrition Consultant
** The International Strongman's Champion League is coming to London for the first time! The event will be held at Wembley Arena on Sunday October 18th. MuscleTalk is the web partner with ISCL and will be sponsoring the deadlift event. Keep an eye out for all the updates in the Power & Strength forum and you can also find more details here
** MuscleTalk Summer Shape-Up Challenge 2009
This years Shape-Up sponsored by Muscle Finesse, has come to an end. The members taking part have submitted their final photos and RedHotF is working hard putting them together. The voting polls will start at the end of the week so make sure you vote for the member you think has progressed the most! All the voting will be in the Shape-Up sub-forum
** New articles, interviews and reports in July:
- Cellulite - Part 2 - Treatment
- Interview with top Bodyfitness competitor and Team MT member Carly Thornton
Past Bodybuilding Articles, with categories making it easier for you.
** Win an MT T Shirt signed by Kai Greene see here
MuscleTalk T-shirts! - new designs now available!
*** Best wishes from James Collier and The MuscleTalk team! ***
See you at www.MuscleTalk.co.uk
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**
The Muscle Shop! - More Muscle at Tastier Prices **
Big Price Crunch on all products across the site
* New Offers begin 1st August
* Save 33% on Whey Refresh from Reflex
* Save 40% off Creadex from Muscle Asylum Project
Up to 25% of Maximuscle, 30% off MuscleTech and Many other big names
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*** Coconut Oil ***
By James Collier, BSc (Hons), RNutr - Nutrition Consultant www.healthyaction.co.uk
Coconut oil is made up of around 90% saturated fatty acids, 7% monounsaturated fatty acids, 2% omega-6 fatty acids and zero omega-3 fatty acids. A 'good' fat which is high in saturates and contains no omega-3s? I can see how this can be confusing, so let's look at things in a bit more depth.
Saturated fats have been associated with increased cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease, but whether or not you get heart disease depends on your whole diet and many other factors and the use of one type of oil will have very little impact on total risk. Indeed studies have shown that high saturated fat intake may have little impact on total risk, and its lifestyle which is more important, especially avoiding processed and junk food - which are the real baddies.
Also not all saturated fats are equal. Those of you who read a lot about sports supplements may have heard of medium chain triglycerides or MCTs. MCTs are saturated fats but their chemical structure means they are absorbed and metabolised rapidly without passing through the liver and provide a quick source of energy for muscles. Bodybuilders and athletes with high calorie requirements use supplemental MCTs as a source of fuel because they are as energy dense as fats, but are utilised as quickly as carbohydrates. There is also evidence that MCTs stimulate the thyroid gland to secrete more of the hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronin (T3) which help fat loss. Also it's been shown that one MCT, lauric acid, has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Most of the saturated fat in coconut oil is MCT and this is the key reason why it is thought of as a 'good' oil. As MCTs are so readily used for energy, it's unlikely their fate is going to be raising levels of LDL (so called 'bad') cholesterol, unlike other saturated fats.
An important take home point here is saturated fat does not always mean 'bad' fat and MCTs and coconut oil is a prime example of this.
Coconut oil is solid at room temperature and, due to its high saturated fat and low monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat content; it is the most stable oil for cooking at high temperatures. This makes it a preferable choice for cooking when compared to other fats. It can also be reheated without any oxidation.
Coconut oil is also good for the skin when rubbed in and can be found in many health and beauty products.
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Monster Supplements
This month offers:
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*** Circuit Training ***
By Hazel - MuscleTalk Moderator
Circuit training is an efficient form of training and conditioning. It works well for developing strength, endurance (both aerobic and anaerobic), flexibility and coordination. Routines can be varied to suit your needs, for example be combined with or without weights, at the gym or at home.
Circuit training was originally developed by Morgan & Anderson in 19531. The original format consisted of 9 to 12 stations, and could incorporate exercise machines, hand-held weights and resistance bands. However, today this number varies according to the design of the circuit. A 15 second to 3 minute aerobics station is placed between each station, allowing this method to improve cardio-respiratory and muscle endurance during the workout.
Studies at Baylor University and The Cooper Institute show that circuit training is the most time efficient way to enhance cardiovascular fitness and muscle endurance. Studies have also shown that circuit training helps women to achieve their goals and maintain them longer than other forms of exercise or diet2.
The benefits of this form of training include:
- Improved level of fitness
- Increased endurance
- Increased strength
- Improved over all health
- Cheap and can be carried out anywhere
- Variety
Circuit training should include high reps with reduced weights to reduce the stress on the joints and the tendons. There should be little or no rest between stations.
Example workouts
Beginner - this has 6 exercises that are completed one right after the other, with little or no rest. Make sure you do a warm-up before and cool down, stretching after.
- Squats - Either with an exercise ball or free standing. Bend knees and lower down till your knees are bent at right angles. Repeat for 30-60 seconds, use weights for more intensity
- Skipping rope - 30 seconds to a minute
- Lunges - With one foot in front lower into the lunge position, 30 seconds on each leg
- Jog / walk - 2 minutes fast walk or jog, then 2 minutes increased speed, 1 minute recovery
- Push ups - 30 seconds to 1 minute
- Squats with front kick - alternate legs for 1-3 minutes
Advanced - this has 7 exercises using dumbbells; aim for no rest between exercises. As before, include a warm-up and cool down.
- Dumbbell power hang clean and press - 10 reps
- Dumbbell arm curls - 12 reps
- Run /sprint - high intensity for 60 secs
- Dumbbell bent over rows - 12 reps
- Dumbbell forward lunges - 12 reps
- Run/sprint - high intensity for 60 secs
- Dumbbell tricep extensions - 12 reps
- Dumbbell chest press - 12 reps
- Run /sprint - high intensity for 60 secs
Depending on your level of fitness, aim to repeat the circuit 3 times.
Circuit training is suitable for general fitness for beginners through to more advanced circuits for athletes. It is said to be one of the best training methods for increasing your strength endurance and conditioning. You can vary the workouts to suit you, and it is also popular for those who are short on time and want a quick workout and not an hour on the treadmill!
References:
1 Kravitz, L. (1996). "The fitness professional's complete guide to circuits and intervals". IDEA Today, 14(1), 32-43.
2 Pollock, M.L., Gaesser, G.A., Butcher, J.D., Despres, J-P, Dishman, R.K., Franklin, B.A., & Ewing Garber, C. (1998). "The recommended quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, and flexibility in healthy adults". Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 30(6): 975-991.
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** Tailored Nutrition Advice from Experts!
Healthy Action Nutrition Consultancy. A team of consultants are available to provide on line nutrition advice completely tailored to suit you and your goals.
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*** Food of the Month - The Nectarine ***
By Hazel - MuscleTalk Moderator
The nectarine (Prunus persica var. nectarine) is a smooth-skinned peach of the family Rosaceae, known for more than 2,000 years from Chinese origin. They are grown throughout the warmer temperate regions of both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The word 'nectarine' means sweet as nectar, and this is very likely the obvious origin of the name.
The nectarine is a modern variant of the peach, and trees of both fruits are very similar, but nectarine fruits look more like plums than peaches because of the smooth skin. The stones of the two fruits are alike in appearance. As in peaches, there are clingstone and freestone nectarines. When some peaches are crossed or self-pollinated, the resulting seeds that carry the factor for smooth skin may result in nectarines, so you may see nectarines appear on peach trees as a result of this process. There are more than 150 varieties of nectarines worldwide and 95% of nectarines produced in the USA come from California.
Nectarines have red, yellow or white flesh and are a source of vitamins A and C, fibre, niacin and potassium. They are commonly eaten fresh, or cooked in conserves, jams, and pies. Other ways to enjoy nectarines are:
- Bake halved nectarines in a pan sprinkled with cinnamon and honey
- Poached nectarines in fruit juice
- Puree ripe nectarines with skim milk, low-fat yogurt, or orange juice for a tasty breakfast treat
- Serve pancakes, waffles or French toast with sliced or chopped nectarines
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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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*** MT Powerlifting Totals Competition ***
By Hazel - MuscleTalk Moderator
Check out the latest totals here
Members have been posting up their improved totals, so if you have totals listed already make sure they are up to date, and see where you are on the leader board!
Also check out the Cardio & Fitness forum Test your Mettle... What's your best? competition - open to all MuscleTalk members, just for fun so please join in! Also the MT 220lb bench press competition - how many reps can you do? Post the number of reps you manage and I will add them to the table on the first page of the thread.
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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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*** Recipe - Fruity Smoothie ***
By Nicole Bremner
Taken from Muscle Menus Vegetarian
** Ingredients
250ml water (can use skim or soy milk if desired)
½ cup quark
1 scoop whey or soy protein powder
4 strawberries, frozen
½ cup rock melon, frozen
** Method
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend well.
** Information
Serves 1. Per serving: 160kcal, 32g protein, 11g carbs, 1g fat, 2g 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
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- Unbeatable Special Offers
- Enter SX10 into the coupon box for 10% off Anabolic Xtreme Slim-SX
- Ten Percent Tuesday - exclusive to MuscleTalk - add MuscleTalk10 to the voucher code section when you order for 10% off the price of your total order!
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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