September and October have been busy months on the UK Bodybuilding scene, with top shows taking place. Some of these shows have had high profile MT members competing in them and doing very well. MuscleTalk has been on the scene with representatives attending a number of the shows so we can report back to you on them. Sorry, as much as I would have liked to have reported back to you on the 2005 Mr Olympia I couldn't make it - maybe next year!
Read the reports on:
2005 NABBA Mr Universe
BNBF British Finals - A personal perspective
UKBFF British Finals
2005 NPA British Finals
MT interviewed Pro-Bodybuilder Hunni Glanville and you can read the full interview here www.muscletalk.co.uk/article-interview-hunni-glanville.asp
There are other articles, reports and interviews at: www.muscletalk.co.uk/articles.aspx
The seemingly unbeatable Welshdragon is still on top in the MT Powerlifting Competition, with his phenomenal total of 1881lbs/855kg!
New stock of MuscleTalk T-shirts is now available so we have all sizes in both grey and white.
*** Best Wishes from James and The MuscleTalk team! ***
See you at www.MuscleTalk.co.uk
Do we need vitamin and mineral supplements? ***
By James Collier BSc (Hons) RNutr, MuscleTalk Moderator and Nutrition Consultant
** James Collier BSc (Hons), Registered Nutritionist offers personalised nutrition programmes through email tailored to YOUR needs. For more information see:
www.muscletalk.co.uk/james.aspx or email james@muscletalk.co.uk
Vitamins and minerals, or micronutrients, are essential nutrients, as, broadly speaking, our bodies do not synthesise them, and so we have to obtain them elsewhere. Micronutrients regulate metabolism and assist in numerous physiological and biochemical functions. Insufficient intakes may lead to deficiency problems, and in extreme cases, even death.
The issue of whether vitamin or mineral supplements are required for healthy living or sports is a topic of considerable debate. If you are eating a healthy balanced and varied diet, then evidence indicates, in most cases, you'll be okay with no need for a supplement. Most alternative practitioners and nutritional therapists will claim that you do need supplements for 'optimum' health and to 'just to make sure you're getting enough'.
There has been loads of scientific research into this debate, to see if supplementation over and above normal nutrition is required in order to reduce risk of disease and/or maximise performance. In some cases the research is conclusive and supplements are recommended, e.g. folic acid in pregnancy to reduce the risk of spina bifida in the child. Generally, it is certain subgroups of the population that do have a use for supplements.
Sports enthusiasts and bodybuilders are traditionalists for mega-dosing, without any real reason for doing it. Certain vitamins can have harmful side effects if taken in too large quantities. Vitamin C is frequently mega-dosed on, but are you aware that too much for long a period can lead to calcium oxalate kidney stone? As vitamin C is water soluble, people have the misconception that you cannot take too much - this is wrong!
There are many other examples: There have been cases of death from too much vitamin A; rare, but there are many reports of hair loss, liver and bone damage. Excess thiamine (vitamin B1) can cause headaches and irritability. Over intakes of vitamin D can cause too high blood calcium levels, potentially causing muscle spasms. Too much sodium raises blood pressure. Mega-doses of iron can be lethal, especially in children, as iron levels are only controlled by what you eat, absorbed and what comes out when you bleed. Zinc in high amounts can cause nausea and vomiting. There are many cases of excess iodine intake causing goitre (an enlarged thyroid gland, making the neck swell up) and hyperthyroidism, i.e. a racing metabolism, which will hold you back in muscle gains. Too much fluoride can cause tooth and nail crumbling. I could go on…
Many vitamins and minerals are consumed in high doses for their antioxidant effects. Vitamins C and E, beta-carotene and selenium are antioxidants, which have been shown to reduce incidence of cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Antioxidants help stop the oxidation process, which is part of the process of certain diseases. People therefore believe that consuming more of these antioxidants more means reducing risk of disease further. But, studies have shown that there are optimal intake levels, and these levels are well below what many people supplement with.
The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have researched this in detail and their results conclude that the consumption of food in its natural form is ideal. In nature chemicals are naturally in a biochemical redox system, which is where some nutrients and anutrients* act as antioxidants and others act as pro-oxidants, so they balance each other out. If there are too high levels of antioxidants in the blood, from consuming supplements, they can become pro-oxidant in certain circumstances, thereby increasing oxidation and risk of disease. Consuming too high intakes of antioxidant supplements may therefore have detrimental effects on health.
For these reasons orthodox nutritionists and dietitians recommend consuming a healthy balanced diet including foods from each of the food groups, with at least five servings of fruit and vegetables daily. In certain circumstances, there may be a case for supplements. But in general a healthy diet should cover all.
So if you feel you need more vitamins and minerals, check your diet and eat more fruit and vegetables!
*(Anutrients are non-nutrient constituents of food which have beneficial effects, but are not necessary for life)
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*** Weight Training for Women ***
By Kitty - MuscleTalk Moderator and Competitive Bodybuilder
This is possibly the most frequently asked question in the Female Bodybuilding forum of MuscleTalk. Male members want advice for their wives, girlfriends and mothers, and new female members want to know where to start. Following from this the next most popular question concerns women weight training and their assumption that they will look like a professional bodybuilder in a year (wishful thinking for most of the bodybuilding population).
Let's dispel the myths!
First there is absolutely no need for a female to train any differently to a male. Obviously the type of programme will depend on her end goals. Most women who turn to weights want to show some level of muscularity ('toned') without adding on a lot of mass. The easiest and quickest way to do this is as a male/female bodybuilder would do and that is to lift reasonably heavy weights for relatively low to moderate reps. Once she is happy with the level of muscularity then she can drop the weight and increase the reps to maintain what she has achieved.
It is relatively hard for a female to gain a great deal of mass. As with anyone, more gains will be noticeable at the beginning of the training but the gains will gradually reduce. Many women have visions of the 'assisted bodybuilders' and unfortunately think that this is what can happen when they start to lift weights. Dispel those thoughts and explain the benefits. Show them the photos featured on MuscleTalk of the various female members and how feminine it is still possible to be with muscle. In fact I personally think some women look more feminine than they would without having trained (I put myself in this category).
Also do not forget that the diet that is important to nourish the growth of the muscle along with a cardiovascular workout to reduce the level of body fat to allow the muscle to display.
This is not to discourage people from asking for advice on female training but simply the opposite. I and the many other female members are delighted when we get new female members joining and love to help others achieve what we have. So any questions you have about training, dieting or other bodybuilding related matter for you or a female relative, pop into the Female Bodybuilding Forum and we'll do our best to help.
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*** Recipe - Sweet Potato Bake ***
By MalikaZ - Top Competitive Bodybuilder and MuscleTalk Member
** Ingredients
750g grated & peeled sweet potatoes
3 eggs
280ml double cream (or single)
130ml milk
2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 chopped onions
2 crushed garlic cloves
** Method
Cook the onion in a small amount of olive oil just enough to soften. Mix the eggs, milk, cream, nutmeg, cooked onions and garlic together well, and then add the grated sweet potatoes. Place in a baking dish (30x20) and cook for one hour at 180ºC.
** Information
Serves 8 (or 6 for the big eaters!). Alternatively you can use ½ sweet potatoes with ½ carrots or ½ ordinary potatoes.
More great bodybuilding recipes can be found in the eBooks 'Muscle Menus', 'Muscle Menus 2' and 'Muscle Menus Vegetarian' eBooks:
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*** DVD Review - Titans Part IV - Troy Alves ***
Review by MuscleTalk Moderator seungmena aka Big Les
Available from: www.musclefinesse.com/videos-dvd-titans-part-iv.asp
Having watched 2 others in the Titans series I was not overly excited about this one. It follows the usual Titans format, training and very little else. What makes this DVD is Troy, unlike the Dexter Jackson DVD, we can hear Troy talking in the gym, we also get to hear his wife Tara, and because of this the DVD is actually much more watchable - although I would suggest using headphones as to hear Troy you have to have it loud and workout DVDs sound very off when you are not in the room to see what is happening. However it's worth the effort as Troy comes across as a great guy and a real genuine personality, down to earth, appreciative and devoted, as well as being obviously motivated and excited about being a professional bodybuilder.
That's the good; however, I would struggle to recommend this DVD. I am a big time bodybuilding fan and in reality to enjoy this DVD you have to be very into the sport. Troy's workouts are nothing special in terms of super intensity, but it is good learn how someone of planet Earth goes about the business of building a great physique. It's not going to fire you up to hit the squat rack right now, but it will at least make you feel better for not having the super human intensity of Yates and Coleman when you workout.
Overall, like the Victor Martinez DVD, this is a missed opportunity. Hopefully Troy will produce a much better DVD soon, as his Battle for the Olympia appearances are bound to have won him a lot of fans who want to know more about him and his workouts than is on offer here. If you are like me and a big time fan, get this one when you see it going for a bargain price, if you are not there are many much better buys.
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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