** Have you started your MuscleTalk TROG yet?
A TROG is a training log where, as a registered MuscleTalk member, you can run a log of your goals and progress. It is your TROG of workouts, nutrition plans and general chat about your progress where, if you wish, other members can comment and ask you questions.
** IFBB Pro Simon Cohen and Top UK Middleweight Ricardo Correia join Team MuscleTalk
** The UKBFF British Finals are on 17th -18th October in the Royal Centre, Nottingham. It is sure to be the best Finals to date, with three Team MT guys competing. MuscleTalk will be there running regular reports on the event. Get your tickets here
** International Strongman Champions League London'09 now in association with Lebara Mobile which will happen for the first time in London, UK gets more attention from people, press, internationally known consumer brands and competitors with each passing day. Zydrunas Savickas is one of the favourites to win at the World's Strongest Man competition currently in Malta. In the International Strongman Champions League, Zydrunas (also known as the 'Big Z') is the man to beat. Denim Bison representative & London event organiser Sandra caught up with Big Z in Vilnius at his personal gym a month before the London competition in order to see how this strongman sweats before the two biggest events of the year; 'Big Z says that before such massive events as London is where you have to compete with international strongmen, he focuses on specific strongmen events, polishes the technique and speed'
SCL London'09 in association with Lebara Mobile will happen on the 18th of October at Wembley Arena. See: www.strongmancllondon.co.uk
** New articles, interviews and reports in September:
- Interview with Team MuscleTalk bodybuilder Luke Nichols
- Strongman Training by Ken Nowicki aka BigScottishBastard
MuscleTalk T-shirts! - check out the different designs!
*** 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 October
* Save 35% on Muscle Fuel Anabolic from USN
* Save 40% off Animal Cuts and Animal Pak
Up to 27.5% of Maximuscle, 40% off MuscleTech and many other big names
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*** Variety is Important ***
By James Collier, BSc (Hons), RNutr - Nutrition Consultant www.healthyaction.co.uk
Variety in our diet is very important as it minimises boredom from the same foods, but it is also crucial in order for us to obtain optimum nutrition. No single food contains all the nutrients we need, therefore we have to eat a mixture. Not only does food provide us with the macronutrients protein, carbohydrate and fat, but also all the micronutrients, i.e. the vitamins and minerals which are numerous. Then there's fibre which is essential for a healthy digestive system and a number of other benefits. On top of these nutrients, food also contains anutrients. Anutrients are substances found in food which have no 'nutritional value' per se, but they may be involved in good health and may help to protect against disease. An example of anutrients are the numerous phenolic compounds, like tannins in red wine and tea, which act as antioxidants.
In order to ensure you're getting sufficient amounts of all the nutrients, along with a varied array of anutrients, you need to eat a variety of different foods. Ironically, this is where the more health conscious of us tend to fall down. Many of us into bodybuilding and fitness are so motivated that the need for us to enjoy our food is minor compared with the benefits we'll reap from consuming a good diet. Therefore, too many of us stick to a perfectly well planned out diet, with the same foods day in and day out. Whilst this is fine, and far better from consuming a trashy processed diet, it may not be optimal nutrition. Make sure you choose different fruits and vegetables each day, along with different meats, fish or poultry and vary your carbohydrate sources between rice, pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes and bread.
Varying your fruit and vegetable choices is a good way to ensure a good intake of a lot of vitamins and minerals. Health professionals try to encourage all of us to consume five fruit or veg per day. But the five is the absolute minimum. Health conscious folk really should be aiming for 7-8 per day. One of the other suggestions which health experts are trying to push is to also vary your colours of fruit and veg. This is great advice, as colours do indicate different nutrients and it's a great way of consuming different vitamins.
No single food is really 'better' than another. On the whole, there are no 'good' or 'bad' foods, just 'good' or 'bad' diets. You can have a lot of variety and be consistent. Remember that bodybuilders and hard trainers will, by default, tend to eat more food than the average Joe, which does in fact make variety in the diet easier. Try to mix up protein sources (they bring with them other nutrients), vegetables and fruits, as well as including the other things like nuts and high quality, low fat dairy products. A practical way to do this is have a few different core foods in your diet, which are varied over 2-3 days. Then consume different fruit and vegetables around this. Varying your diet will not only aid health in the long term, it will stop you from going mad and help you stick to your eating regimen. Enjoy your food!
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*** The Training Principles of Milos ***
By Hazel - MuscleTalk Moderator
Milos Sarcev is an international nutrition, strength and conditioning consultant and gym owner. He is also a fitness model, IFBB Professional Bodybuilder and certified fitness trainer. Milos also contributes to Weider Publications and is an editorial contributor Member of Flex Advisory Board. He has assisted many other professional bodybuilders and fitness competitors to achieve their top level of competition. His training principles focus on the big sets, mind-muscle connection and contraction during the rep, and not being that concerned about the amount of weight, just hypertrophy.
Milos says "my approach is that I choose four different exercises per muscle group and the first two I do with a goal to stimulate fast twitch (white) muscle fibres responsible for size, bulk, and strength. Usually that would be some free weight heavy compound movements where I would be able to lift heaviest poundage's. After couple of warm up sets I would choose the weight that I believe I can lift for about eight repetitions to failure. I would perform it in perfect form, full range of motion, but SLOWER than usual. Changing a tempo and performing both eccentric and concentric contraction in this manner I would put my muscles in prolonged 'time under the tension' extremely important parameter in muscle stimulation. Using slower tempo I would be able to do less repetitions than normally, and I would fail probably on 5th or 6th rep. Today's scientific research shows that for the best results in fast twitch muscle fibre stimulation for muscular hypertrophy we have to use rep range between 5 and 8 (with 4 reps meaning not enough and 9 reps meaning to many."
"My second set I would try to handle the same weight but perform repetitions in normal tempo (slow eccentric and explosive concentric) and this one I consider that 'all out set'. My final third set of my first exercise is 'finishing' set where I would attempt to lift the same load for another 5-8 repetitions. If anyone tries this system they would certainly realize that their strength would be diminished after 2 exhausting sets and in order to be able to accomplish the same number of repetitions in this final set they would have to be using 'forced' reps with the help of their training partner."
The objective of training is to stimulate the muscle fibres and then let it recover as much as possible to then be able to achieve maximal stimulation again. It is generally accepted that muscle fibre types can be broken down into two main types: slow twitch (Type I) and fast twitch (Type II) muscle fibres. Fast twitch fibres can be categorized further into Type IIa and Type IIb fibres. The difference between fast and slow twitch muscles is significant; the fast twitch muscle fibres can contract almost ten times more frequently than a slow twitch muscle. The slow twitch muscle is made to contract for longer periods of time without needing rest. On average, we have about 50% slow twitch and 50% fast twitch fibres in most of the muscles used for movement.
Putting it into practice
After a warm up of stretching a couple of light sets, choose three exercises per muscle group and perform two sets of each. On the first set try to use the weight you can rep comfortably for 8, no more than 15. On the second and final set you need to increase the weight to make you fail between 6 + 12. This set / rep combination will accomplish overall development as you are stimulating both fast and slow twitch muscle fibres in every training session.
You can learn more about Milos Sarcev at www.MilosSarcev.com
Reference:
Fast and slow twitch muscle fibres, Elizabeth Quinn, sportsmedicine.about.com (2007)
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*** Food of the Month - Tilapia ***
By Hazel - MuscleTalk Moderator
Tilapia is also known as 'St Peter's Fish' from the Bible story of Peter catching a fish that carried a coin in its mouth. The type of fish was not named but one tilapia species is found in the Sea of Galilee where Peter was said to have caught the fish.
Tilapia, native to tropical climates is farmed largely in China. It is increasing in popularity due to the ease at which it can be farmed. Tilapia are omnivores, they survive on vegetables, seaweed and cereal grains. Combined with a rapid growth rate and short lifespan, they contain very low levels of mercury unlike some other large, oily fish. It has a mild flavour, light texture and is white in colour and is said to be the 'fish of the future', overtaking salmon as the number one farmed fish in the world.
This high protein fish is also low in carbohydrates and fat (2g of fat per 3.5 ounces as per the US Department of Agriculture). It is low in sodium and is rich in selenium and vitamin B12, essential for healthy cell function. The mild flavour of tilapia makes it versatile for cooking. Season or marinade the white fish then grill or bake and you have another healthy, high protein, low carb option to add to your meal plan!
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AffordableSupplements.co.uk - £5 Voucher
Affordable Supplements are pleased to offer an exclusive £5 voucher to Muscle Talk members. This voucher is redeemable on any orders placed online at www.AffordableSupplements.co.uk where the total order value exceeds £15. This voucher is valid until the end of October.
Voucher Code - MTOCT15
A Fast Free Delivery service is also available on all orders. Don't forget, we can give you friendly advice on these or any of the 2000 products we stock. Advisers are now available online at AffordableSuppplements.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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*** 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 - Whole baked Tilapia with Parsley and Garlic ***
By Hazel -MuscleTalk Moderator
** Ingredients
2 whole tilapia, cleaned
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
30g butter, softened
large handful of fresh parsley
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt & pepper
** Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 200°C
- Mix together the softened butter, garlic and lemon juice
- Rinse and pat the fish dry, including inside the body cavity. Lay each fish in the centre of a piece of aluminium foil, put small amount of olive oil onto the foil
- Season with salt and pepper inside the body cavity, then spread half the butter inside each fish. Lay the onions on top of the butter inside each fish's body cavity and top the onions with a flat-leaf parsley. Make 2 slashes in the skin on the top surface of each fish.
- Sprinkle the skin of the fish with salt and wrap each fish in its foil parcel. Place on a baking sheet in the pre-heated oven for 20-30 minutes or until the fish is just cooked. Carefully open each parcel and place under the grill for a further 5 minutes to brown a little before serving.
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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Have a look at our Muscle Finesse: New Products and Offers thread and check out our latest special offers and promotions. Many of them will only be available for one day, so make sure you do not miss out!
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