AU
I SS
E
FREE MUSCLE MAGAZINE
TRAINING THE
BIG GUNS WHOLE BODY
CHLEO’S
STRENGTH TALK TO POWERLIFT OR NOT?
ENDURANCE FITNESS e n i t n i l l a B m i wit h T
CONTEST
DIETING
BRANDEN RAY - PROVING MASS CAN BE AESTHETIC
© IMPROVISOR | DREAMSTIME.COM
AUSSIE MUSCLE GURU PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR Christine Envall NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Troy Bremner PROOFING & EDITING Elle Lancaster & Sarah Chung ART DIRECTOR & GRAPHIC DESIGNER Lisa Shotbolt EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Branden Ray, Christine Envall, Chleo Van Wyk, Anne Tran, Ann Titone, TA Martin, Matt Legge, Arash Samali and Tim Ballintine. PHOTOGRAPHERS Rob Czempinksi from AMPT Imaging, Alex Ardenti, Dan Ray, JM Manion, Chris Nicoll, Maxwell Carlisle and Gerald Schlebusch. COVER PHOTO Branden Ray by Maxwell Carlisle ADVERTISING Troy Bremner info@international-protein.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS Sara Bremner-Forbes salesmanagement@international-protein.com Please email for information on subscribing to Aussie Muscle Guru. Aussie Muscle Guru is published quarterly. 4 | AUSSIE MUS CL E GU RU
Disclaimer: Opinions and viewpoints expressed in Aussie Muscle Guru do not necessarily represent those of the editor, staff or publishers. Responsible individuals or organisations with something valid and relevant to say will, whenever possible, be given the opportunity. Reproduction of any material without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. The acceptance of advertising does not necessarily imply endorsement of services or products.
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Contents REGULARS
FEATURES
8 Nutrition 101:
14 Branden Ray
Reading and understanding Nutritional Panels.
12 Posing Workshop
Understanding your compulsory poses. Rear double Biceps & Rear Lateral Spread.
18 Ask International Protein
What is Pepto Pro , the ingredient in Amino Recovery? TM
20 Tips From A Pro
Row Machine - Doing the Dorsiflexor Row.
28 How The Pros Do It
36 58
Q & A with Ann Titone, TA Martin, Branden Ray & Christine Envall about 3 key aspects of comp prep.
40 Health Bites
Science evidence based Nutrition and Health Tips
44 Chleo’s Strength Talk
22 Vitamin C
Logan Robson & Leigh Holland-Keen.
54 Recipes File
Matt Legge questions, can you really have too much of this staple Vitamin.
26 Contest Dieting
How long should you prep?
32 IP Athlete Honour Roll
2016 Team International Protein results.
34 Contest Blues
Surviving the Calm after the Storm.
36 Training The Big Guns
Branden Ray’s Creative ways to stimulate Arm Growth.
42 Endurance Fitness with Tim Ballintine
To Powerlift or not?
48 Spotlight On
Proving that mass can be aesthetic. Branden talks about his approach to bodybuilding.
Triathlon; The Leg Run. Train to improve this critical triathlon component.
52 Whole Body Transformation
Getting a stage body is possible for everyone!
Protein Jelly, Individual Chocolate Protein “mug” cakes, 4 Ingredient Protein Cookies.
60 Feature Supplement
High Protein Pancakes.
AU SSI E MU S C LE G UR U | 5
BRANDEN
RAY W
hen it comes to stereotypes, especially those around bodybuilders and American inner city upbringings, Branden Ray blows them all away. Spend 5 minutes with Branden and you will learn he is anything but average. A highly intelligent and articulate individual, with a quick sense of humour, deep knowledge of training and undeniable passion for all things bodybuilding… and sneakers, and fashion, and music, and politics… and well, life. Branden joined International Protein as a sponsored athlete in 2013, after deciding to move from the 212 Men’s bodybuilding division up to the Men’s open. Branden needed a brand with quality products to help him reach this goal, and International Protein needed an international professional athlete to help them reach their goals of selling into the overseas market, in particular the USA. 14 | AUSSIE MUSCL E G U RU
International Protein recognized Branden’s incredible genetic potential to grow thick dense muscle, combined with his freakish round muscle bellies and classic broad shoulder, tiny hips, massive leg ‘X shape’, that would allow him to really make his mark in the IFBB Pro arena, taking the International Protein name with him, but what was a more important consideration for sponsorship was the value that Branden could bring as a brand ambassador. Through his writing (in case you’re not aware, Branden writes the training articles for AMG, many of the Tips From a Pro and Ask A Pro columns, and some of the other feature articles, such as Prep Life Balance and The Calm after the Storm), his personable nature when interacting with fans and willingness to pitch in or spend hours on trade booths, when many Pros will only turn up for their allotted hour each day. Without further delay, it’s time to hear from the man himself.
“Well, I’m originally from Brooklyn, NY and Leo.” Branden smiles, poking fun at the rather dating-site-style line of questioning. “I grew up in a pretty tough neighbourhood that for me is the most comfortable place in the world, because to this day, I receive so much love from my very close knit family and all of my friends. They’re extremely supportive and I would not be here if it wasn’t for them.” “I attended inner city public schools that, despite all of the bad that you hear about them, they were extremely nurturing for me. I was placed in honours classes from the moment I started first grade and graduated from high school with honours. I was a captain of the varsity basketball team and head of my class academically.” It’s easy to see now why Branden gets his way with words, both written and spoken… “From there I went on to the University of Maryland in College Park where I studied journalism
Proving
mass can be
c i t e h t aes and communication and ended up meeting my immediate circle of friends for life, that are like brothers to me today.” These close friends keep Branden grounded. Their conversations rarely, if ever, involve gym talk, allowing Branden to keep perspective on life, especially during contest prep. To them, he is just their boy from college, because even as a young adult, weight training wasn’t on the agenda for Branden. In fact, the word ‘gym’ was synonymous with basketball. “I first started training by accident. The college gym closed and the closest and best basketball courts were in a Golds Gym right off of campus. I saw the big bodybuilders in there and it didn’t grab my attention at all. Basketball was everything to me at 19 years of age. Little did I know that I was looking at some of the best pros in the world at that time, like Don Long, King Kamali, and the legend Kevin Levrone.”
Even at 19, Branden’s outstanding genetics were obvious to those in the bodybuilding game. “Well I was always genetically muscular and one day, Don Long’s training partner came and got me off of the basketball court and asked me to train with them. He said that I had the genetics to be a good pro bodybuilder one day, but at 5’7, not for the NBA!” Branden laughs as he recounts this interaction. “I decided to give it a shot and the results came fast..... then basketball became a thing of the past!” Although basketball was gone from Branden’s dreams, once he started weight training, it wasn’t automatic that he wanted to jump on stage and start flexing. “Actually, I did not want to compete at all!!” Branden recalls… “Getting on stage in little posing trunks with oil all over me, no way never! It wasn’t until the pros in my gym told me that I would look even more ridiculous on stage in shorts....” he pauses… “wait a
minute, that’s actually a division now!” Branden laughs… Sign of the times… maybe we would have seen a young Branden in Classic Physique if it existed back then… I think not… So what finally got Branden to try out some posing trunks and learn to love the oil? “Well I kept hearing from so many people that I could do well so I decided...why not give it a shot?” Luckily for bodybuilding fans, Branden’s first experience left a lasting impression. He remembers back to 2006 like it was yesterday. “My first competition was the Tournament of Champions in Washington DC. I won the overall weighing 176lbs. It was incredible. It was life changing. I had my doubts about competing until the moment that I walked on stage...the crowd went wild. I was hooked!” Life changing is possibly an understatement. At that moment when Branden first stepped on stage and felt the energy of the crowd, little could he imagine AU SSI E MU S C L E G UR U | 15
© DRAGHICICH | DREAMSTIME.COM
C n i m a t i V
e
veryone knows we need vitamin C. This fact has been known for hundreds of years. It is essential or we die. So much research has been conducted on vitamin C that in the scientific world we know so much about it. What it does, how it works and how much we need, when and why. But the problem is the actual scientific data is not getting heard because everyone is running around saying yeah, yeah we know all about vitamin C. Have you heard people say “Load up and boost your immune system!”, “If you have too much it will go straight through”, “let’s do extra IV antioxidant vitamin C”, “vitamin C restores adrenals” etc. etc. Everyone is chasing more for less; stronger doses with the belief that more is better, mega doses as it can’t possibly be bad, after all it is vitamin C, we all know we need it. More, more, more!!! So of course, “the man” and “big pharma” will happily supply what you want to buy. Why would they push the education and let you know that the new research suggests you don’t need so much and it doesn’t work for everything you are taking it for. Yes, it is essential; without it, you will die. But that doesn’t mean taking extra will make you live longer. Research shows that vitamin C supplementation greater than 100-250mg per day for disease prevention and at “high” doses (as “low” as 500mg daily) can contribute negligible positive results and in some cases, negative results for cardiovascular disease, cancer, aging, all-cause mortality. With the average adult supplement recommending 1000 to 6000mg per day and infant supplements recommending 150 to 250mg per day it is worth the effort to investigate what the high doses will do and embark on an education campaign to inform the consumer of the new knowledge generated and how best to use vitamin C. 22 | AUSSIE MUSCL E G U RU
So, what does vitamin C do?
All known and postulated actions of vitamin C are accounted for by a single chemical property: ascorbic acid is an electron donor and thus a reducing agent. Through this mechanism it works as an enzyme cofactor.
Collagen
Makes hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine which are crucial for the production of collagen. Collagen provides connective tissue with structural strength.
Tyrosine catabolism
Vitamin C is involved in the catabolism of tyrosine. Ascorbate deficiency leads to impaired tyrosine catabolism and increased plasma concentrations of tyrosine.
Carnitine production
Production of carnitine from the essential amino acids lysine and methionine. The enzyme requires iron, alpha-ketoglutarate and a reductant, of which ascorbate is the most optimal.
Neurotransmitter production Noradrenalin from Tyrosine and hydroxylation of tryptophan in serotonin biosynthesis
Hormone production
Vitamin C is involved in the production of steroid hormones of the adrenal glands and in the activation process of many peptide hormones, including hypothalamic and gastrointestinal hormones to make them biologically active. Biosynthesis of numerous peptide hormones such as gastrin, cholecystokinin, calcitonin, vasopressin and oxytocin.
Folate metabolism
Vitamin C participates in biosynthesis of tetrahydrofolic acid, a crucial step in folate metabolism and activation pathways
Vitamin C as an antioxidant Chemically, vitamin C is an electron donor, or reducing agent, and electrons from ascorbate account for all of its known physiological effects. Vitamin C deactivates multiple ROS and regenerates vitamin E used up during similar processes. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and as it is water soluble it is the main antioxidant defence localized in the water parts of our body.
Vitamin C as a prooxidant
Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant because electrons from vitamin C can reduce oxidized species, or oxidants. However, the same electrons from ascorbate can reduce metals such as copper and iron, leading to formation of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, and subsequent generation of reactive oxidant species. High dose IV vitamin C is pro-oxidant NOT antioxidant.
Liver detoxification
Liver detoxification by stimulating the synthesis of cytochrome P450. Vitamin C also takes part in detoxification of xenobiotics thereby reducing the associated ROS.
Joint repair and inflammation Vitamin C is involved in the production of hyaluronic acid involved in joint and cartilage regeneration and repair and prostaglandins associated with the inflammatory cascade.
Iron absorption
Vitamin C enhances intestinal iron absorption by reducing nearly nonabsorbable Fe3+ to more easily absorbable Fe2+. It also helps by inhibiting the production of insoluble iron-tannin (tannins are the compounds found in green and black tea that inhibit iron absorption) and iron-phytate (compounds found in fibre that can inhibit iron absorption) complexes.
Hormone production
The earliest symptom of scurvy is subtle, and was described by James Lind in 1753. A predictable affliction of sailors who developed the disease after a month or two at sea. In its early stage, sailors lost initiative and the will to work, became fatigued and apathetic. This was followed by changes to gums, hair follicles and poor wound healing. Scurvy is now rare but is becoming more common, presenting the following symptoms; 4 hypochondriasis and depression; and confusion. 4 coiled hairs; infected hair follicles; 4 swollen sore gums; 4 anaemia; 4 red spots and damaged capillaries; 4 joint pain and arthritis; 4 breakdown of old wounds; 4 bruising and bleeding; 4 fever; shortness of breath; infections; 4 Untreated, the condition is fatal.
AU SSI E MU S C L E G UR U | 23
: N O L H T A I R
T
T
he toughest exam in triathlon is the run. First you swim, second you bike and then you run. Triathlon comes in many shapes and sizes, but at the core are 3 disciplines, each very different from the other. From a local sprint distance (750M swim, 20km bike, 5km run) to the Hawaiian IRONMAN (3.8km swim, 180km bike, 42.2km run) each requires respect and each can hurt in different ways. One thing is for sure; you get great satisfaction from crossing that finish line at your first or 100th triathlon! Now, more than ever, for age groupers (amateur triathletes) the run leg is crucial. That’s not to say it wasn’t important before, but racing trends on the bike makes a strong run critical. It’s very difficult to break away on the bike leg, and if you do, you’re a lamb to the slaughter when the fresher legs from 10 mins back pick you off at the halfway point. Those 500W bombs burn significant matches, but they sure do feel good at the time. So, how do you run well off the bike? They say practice makes perfect and simply put you must practice running off the bike. Yes, that may seem like an obvious statement, but many triathletes and coaches simply don’t do or prescribe enough of it. Of course, there are always some that can ‘pull it off’, but for most of us, running off the bike is a feeling like no other. Athletes need to develop belief that they can do it! Does a hurdler jump 42 | AUSSIE MUSCL E G U RU
TRY THIS SESSION IN YOUR NEXT IRONMAN PREPARATION OR YOU CAN SHORTEN FOR A SPRINT TRIATHLON:
WARM UP SET hurdles? Does a sprinter do sprints? Does an archer shoot arrows? The bike position in triathlon makes us a tight ball of muscle which is not great preparation for those wanting to go for a run. A triathlon specific bike (TT Bike) helps us elongate, leading to an easier biomechanical transition to the run. That said; have you ever run 5km after a 20km bike ride as hard as you can go? The first few times hurt, and nothing seems to work but it gets easier, you get the feel for it, you know how your body reacts; you start to build belief… I can do this! Then after months and years it becomes second nature. For me, I prefer to run off the bike, rather than just run. When you prefer to go for a run after a ride, then, you guessed it, you’ve become a triathlete. The bike/run session or brick session is critical to performance on race day. Whilst the more technical definition of a brick session is the grouping of two disciplines, I like to think that it’s because when we first run off the bike it feels like we have bricks in our shoes. For my IRONMAN athletes they will run twice over 30km after a 150km+ ride. There is no medal, no finisher’s towel and no photos of this achievement in training, but you achieve the greatest outcome of all, belief. They know that come race day, they will run up the red carpet, knowing they can, without any seeds of doubt.
20 Mins Spin Warm up (80RPM, 50% of FTP) 2KM Jog (60% threshold pace)
MAIN SET 4x Ride 25 Mins @ 80+RPM/70% FTP - T2) - Run 3km @ 60,70,80,90% threshold pace (each repeat gets faster)
COOL DOWN 20 Mins Spin 90RPM+/ 50% FTP
You’ll also get much better at your T2 skills (term used for transition from bike to run). So the bike/run may sound hard, it is, but where’s the fun in easy? You may not even be interested in triathlon, but next time you’re at the gym staring at cardio equipment, jump on the spin bike for 10 mins, then onto the treadmill for 5 mins. You might surprise yourself; next you’ll be out there clad in Lycra, drinking lattes with skinny milk and froth on the side. Or for those more versed in triathlon, try turning those 500W bombs into bursting surges on the run leg, you may get a very different outcome.
THE RUN
LEG ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tim Ballintine is a full time triathlon and endurance coach. Accredited with Triathlon Australia, Athletics Australia and a Level 2 TrainingPeaks coach. Tim has had much success in triathlon and endurance sports. Some of his achievements include: An 8:51 IRONMAN (3 hour run leg), 2:46 Marathon, 1:14 Half Marathon, Triathlon QLD State Champion, Hawaiian Ironman and is currently preparing for the 2017 Hawaiian IRONMAN having qualified in Taiwan in October 2016. International Protein has sponsored Tim for 3 years, Tim was using International Protein for many years prior. It is a key component of his performance and recovery. You can reach out to Tim at www.timballintine.com for coaching tips. AU SSI E MU S C L E G UR U | 43