Editors Letter
Apr. 3
Welcome to Biomass Muscle, we hope you will enjoy reading our no thrills magazine, he we will cover all aspects of the sport of Bodybuilding and Fitness for the young and old. We promise to bring content to you as the reader that you will not find much in the main stream media, we will be covering all federations that you normally not see in a magazine elsewhere. We will have an Athlete spotlight every edition as well as a federation spotlight. Our 1st edition we start off with the IBFF and Jim Burgess and Amber Lynne Black. Andre Botha Editor in Chief
Contents
History of the IBFF by Andre Botha Ole Man Muscle by Garret Anway Myths of Metabolism by Andre Botha The Tale of two weeks Prep apart by John Gorman Athlete Spotlight by Andre Botha MS Fitness Challenge by David Lyons Training Frequency by Victor Black The Truth and nothing But by Richard Sicola Stone Artisticfit Society by Amber Lynne Black Insulin Killer or not by Keegan Brown Show results and upcoming events
IBFF International Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation
Andre Botha IBFF USA 4/1/2017 History of the IBFF (International Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation). Our Founder and President is Dusko Madzarovic, he had a vision and with the blessing and support of the Slovenian Bodybuilding & Fitness Association and encouragement of other like minded individuals, all great athletes from France, Italy, Serbia and Croatia, he began a organization, committed to bodybuilding and fitness worldwide. Dusko has been involved in competitive bodybuilding for 20 years as a competitor, coach, judge and organizer of events. He has won various international titles and world championships in various federations. He has more than 20 years experience as a athlete and personal trainer in his own gym, the California Gym in Koper, Slovenia.
Dusko has appeared in numerous publications worldwide and TV programs on Slovenian national television, Serbian, Montenegro, Argentinean, and Croatian television. Being a athlete himself, he knows what it takes to compete and hosts events that put the competitors FIRST! There are a lot of federations out there, IBFF, NABBA, NAC, WBFF, IFFB, WABBA, IBFA and the list go on……, etc. Each federation will have their own set of rules regarding what they require from their athletes. You may also find that you like competing at contests (shows) affiliated with a particular federation more than another. Some federations’ shows are more prevalent in particular areas of the country or the world. IBFF is a officially registered federation that has been in existence since 2009. It only consists of competitors and ex-competitors and that is the reason it’s main and first obligation is to give back competitors their respect. Federations are created for competitors – not the other way around and that is what most international federations or associations have forgotten. The IBFF does not have any sport related companies to support us or a secret agenda that would bring money in. We are all volunteers and fans of the bodybuilding sport and we do our work free in the federation. Fair judging is one of our main and most important goal and we can’t say that about many other organizations. More than 50 countries from all continents are members of the IBFF and as long as you respect the rules and statues of the IBFF that applies to everyone with no exceptions, then you will have a great career with us. The IBFF organize competitions with fair judging and all the respect that competitors deserve is our basic rule in the IBFF. Our athletes are free to compete in all federations and will never be limited or punished for doing so, that is a basic right of every competitor.
PATH TO A PRO CARD The path to becoming a Pro is a little different from federation to federation. If you have aspirations of becoming a pro in the IBFF, your goal would be to qualify and/or compete in shows that are in place to award pro cards. What contests do you have to win for a IBFF Pro card? In order to be a IBFF Pro you need to earn a IBFF Pro card, and in order to do that you need to win a IBFF Nationals or a IBFF International contest: IBFF European Championship, IBFF Universe, IBFF World Championship to name a few. (Winners of categories: BB Small, BB Middle, BB Tall, BB over 40 and winner of Overalls in Athletic and Fitness). So when you become an IBFF Pro a professional bodybuilder, which means you have received your Pro card from the IBFF, then you have the right to compete in IBFF pro competitions. The IBFF is here to promote a healthy lifestyle and does not condone the use of performance enhancing substances.
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Ole Man Muscle by Garret Anway Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Garret Anway and I’ve lived this Lifestyle for over 30 years! I dedicated 15 of those years to being the Freakiest Bodybuilder I could be! I got out of the United States Marine Corps in December 1988 and moved to Florida. I won Mr. Sarasota in May of 1989. I weighed in at a whopping 156 pounds on my 5’4” frame! This is when thousands of people would turn out for the night show. Sarasota show promoter and also western Florida NPC District chairperson Rich Collis (RIP) made sure all competitors were treated like Gold! He also held Posing classes every Sunday from 6 weeks out to show time so everyone could represent themselves at their best! It was held in a dance studio and screamed the scene from Pumping Iron with Arnold and Franco taking Ballet lessons. Mr. Collis also owned and operated Mr. GYM in Sarasota, a Hardcore gym for sure! No women allowed. Very Old School even for 1989! I also trained at Premier Athletic Club too, which I was getting clients for this thing called Personal Training. I was offered a job at Premier putting new members through workouts and Loved It! After I won Mr. Sarasota, Premier put a huge cutout pic of me from the show in the Lobby. My Passion for Bodybuilding was intense and now with a title behind me it gave me a little clout. I was promoted at Premier to morning manager and fell in love with the job! I could’ve worked there forever but it wasn’t to be. Premier shut its doors and I went on another Journey. Every day I was still working at being
the Best Bodybuilder I could be! In my column in Biomass Muscle I will take you along on my journey of living the Bodybuilder’s Dream! :) To all of my 40+ year old bodybuilder brothers and sisters out there, send me pictures and a small bio because I would like to share them in my column. A big thank you to Andre for letting me shares my Love of the Iron in my column in Biomass Muscle! Greatly Appreciated! Best to All in and out of the gym and I look forward to hearing from you and sharing my journey with you!
THE TALE OF TWO DIFFERENT PEAK WEEK PROTOCOLS 4 WEEKS APART by John Gorman With a lot of people starting to get ready to hit the stage I want to post about a topic I really started to open up more and more about the last few yearsPeak Week. There is so much misinformation out there; lets clear some of that up. I posted this last year and a lot of people gave good feedback, so I am posting it again now. I want to show a great visual picture of the difference that a peak week can make, most notably the difference certain day of show protocols can make. So many things are often done wrong and I want to highlight just how simple things really can be, because let’s face it most people are very scared of water, carbs, and salt. I have been there, I remember very well. Being scared led me to do things that actually backfired almost every time, and I want to help you not have to worry about that. This is a client from last year, Ed. The pic on the left is from a show in May (working with previous coach) and the pic on the right is us working together for 4 weeks and peaking for the Mayhem in June. He won his Masters classes in both shows, but looking at the pics you can see a very drastic difference in his look on two totally different protocols. Let’s get into the differences. On the left, Ed had high water most of the week, and then cut it off for the day of the show down to barely any water intake. His salt also dropped down very low at the end of the week, while he ate plenty of carbs days of show to carb up. The problem here is cutting water makes you go flat, the muscle is mostly water and cutting it makes it deflate. (See his chest and shoulders on the left compared to the right). Cutting sodium way down actually flattens the physique out as well. Ever tried to get a pump backstage and nothing happens? Yup, that's what happens when cutting out an electrolyte that is responsible for contractions in the muscle and also cell swelling. Ed also took a diuretic, another thing that flattens everyone out no matter who you are. I don’t care if its potassium sparing, it still pulls water and will never pull water from just the skin, it pulls it from EVERYWHERE. So now Ed had 3 big things hitting
that flattened him out- no water, low/no salt, and a diuretic. When you are this flat, and not having water the day of show, you also will not get any vascularity, notice the difference in pics. Now comes the part a lot of people don’t realize isn’t going to work. He ate plenty of carbs to "carb up" on the day of the show, but without water and salt those just aren’t going to store as glycogen in the muscle. (Carbs need water to store, but also sodium so the sodium/glucose transporter works efficiently to store them). Now there is a bunch of food sitting in his stomach not storing and def not fast enough for the day of show. "But John what about the water in the body wont it pull water to store in the muscle with the carbs?" - yes it will, but there's only so much it's going to use and your body is designed to survive not fill out for a show, water isn’t going to be pulled from important places in the body to move carbs into a muscle. BUT, did you know carbs will store in the fat cell without water? Yes, it's true, most people didn’t know that and I didn’t either when I used to employ these methods. So here's what I had Ed do that is very simple and will work for everyone reading. Ed kept his sodium constant all week. Never dropped it, and actually upped it slightly before taking the stage to help him get a pump. Ed kept his water at 1.5 gals all week, and the day of the show he had 1/2 gal by prejudging and a gallon by the time he hit the night show. Water doesn’t make you hold water under the skin, TOO MANY CARBS MAKES YOU HOLD WATER. When you eat too many carbs they hold water to get processed, so CARBS are the culprit not water, don’t over eat them day of show.
So knowing this, Ed had moderate carbs at 6 meals all day nothing drastic just normal carb amounts his body was used to and that we know from prior pics he wouldn’t hold water from. Most people can just do their training day diet meals honestly and I have a lot of clients do that day of the show. You also will see Ed didn’t use a diuretic either on the right, I almost NEVER recommend a diuretic with someone and haven’t in years, though there will be some very specific situations where it's needed but it's almost never ideal. Long story short, you can see by the pics on the right Ed is fuller and more vascular and also appears leaner on the right. By having water remain close to the same, salt the same all week then slightly higher around pump up, only normal amounts of carbs day of show, and no diuretic, you won’t have to worry about being flat or not looking your best.
– John Gorman, MA, CPT, is a well-respected diet coach and the owner of Team Gorman LLC. John is also the host of the Training and Nutrition Truth podcast, owner of PHAT Muscle Project apparel, a published author, public speaker, co-owner of The Physique Summit Conference, and proud member of the 1st Phorm Phamily as an Elite Trainer. His work centers on helping athletes achieve their maximum potential in various sports such as bodybuilding, power lifting, crossfit, along with high school and college level athletics. You can follow him on Snapchat @teamgorman , Instagram @team_gorman , facebook.com/teamgorman or contact him via email john@team-gorman.net
John Gorman, BS, MA, Owner, Team Gorman Elite Trainer, 1st Phorm Owner, PHAT Muscle Project Apparel Twice Published Author Public Speaker/Consulting, John Gorman Coaching Co-owner Physique Summit Conference
Host, Training and Nutrition Truth Podcast Follow Here On Facebook Instagram- @team_gorman Snapchat- @teamgorman "You are only as successful as the people you surround yourself with, and we surround ourselves with an amazing TEAM and Clients."
ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT 2017
JIM BURGESS (NSL PRO) I began lifting at 15 years old to improve myself for sports, what began as a hobby quickly turned into a passion. After becoming a father I knew I wanted to be the best role model possible. Leading my sons spiritually and living a positive as well as a healthy lifestyle they quickly followed suit "blessed". Through this lifestyle and becoming a professional athlete in 2016, I realized that my journey inspired others to live healthy and to adopt a can do attitude. My passion is now to educate and motivate as many people as I can, to adopt a healthy and positive lifestyle. Seeing people grow and succeed is what drives and motivates me! 2016 stats: top 5 finish at IFBB NORTH AMERICAN, 4 pro wins with the NSPIRE SPORTS League, 4th place at the Fitsport World Championships and a qualification for the Mr. America being held in Baltimore this October. Currently training for the Denver Pro this July which will be the first of many shows I'll compete in 2017...
Athlete Spotlight – Amber Lynne Black Amber Black RH, CPT is AADP Board Certified Holistic Practitioner. Her background includes 20 years excellence in the Health and Fitness industry working as a health coach. Amber is the first IBFF USA Pro Women’s Fitness Athlete, GBO Pro Athlete and Figure Universe Pro Champion, with over 35 successful competitive showcases in the fitness industry performed since 2000. Additionally she is CPR, First Aid and AED certified. Professional memberships include the following organizations: The Universal Light (TUL), ICCM Chaplaincy, Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial Foundation of America, International Natural Healers Association (INHA), The International Society for the Study of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine (ISSSEEM), the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA), and The American Cancer Society’s Look Good/Feel Better Program (ACS/ LGFB). Amber studied nutrition and biology at the University of Nevada, and attended Lincoln Institute for Aesthetics in Las Vegas; she is a graduate of (IIN) Institute Integrative Nutrition in NYC. In recognition of the relationship between behaviors and health, Amber assists individuals in living in such a way that reinforces disease prevention, health and wellness
education and patient health advocacy. She provides guidance and mentoring in the areas bio- specific to help individuals become more aware of their health behaviors and to move toward making sustainable changes in their lifestyle. Bridging the gap between nutrition, personal growth and development, in such a way that empowers positive changes and cultivates healthy lifestyle by applying bio-individual needs of each individual, is the intention set forth from a comprehensive position in Amber’s experience and training. As a health coach, guiding a client to reach his or her health and life goals is a step by step process for implementing the progressive steps that ensure success and positive lifestyle habits. Amber carefully considers the bio individual needs for each client to guide them in learning about new, health foods, the concept of primary foods: relations, career, exercise, and spirituality. As a health coach Amber acts as a guide, helping clients to gain control and take responsibility for their health. She works with the client to set goals to gradually incorporate improved primary and secondary foods into the client’s life.
NPC Heart of Texas Bodybuilding Championships, TX 2001 -1st NPC Las Vegas Bodybuilding Classic, LV 2001 -2nd NPC Nevada State Bodybuilding Championships, NV 2002-1st Ms. Nevada Lightweight NPC Nevada State Bodybuilding Championships, NV 2002-Best Poser Award NPC Flex/Muscle and Fitness Mid-USA Figure Championships, NM 2003 -2nd NPC Texas State Figure Championships, TX 2003 – top 20 finalist
Amber is passionate about the healing benefits of energy medicine and has developed her ability to help others through alternative quantum healing approaches differentiated by the work ethic and dedicated discipline she lives by. Please visit the Energy page for details regarding Holistic and Alternative approaches for enhanced wellbeing.
NPC Team Universe Figure Nationals, NY 2003 – top 20 finalist NPC Jr. USA Figure Nationals, CT 2004 – 9th NPC Jr. Nationals Figure, IL 2004 – top 20 finalist NPC Jr. USA Figure Nationals, CN 2004 – top 20 finalist NPC Jr. Nationals Figure, IL 2004 – top 20 finalist
RBA Chakra Balancing RBA Holistic Health Practitioner Competition Resume NPC Las Vegas Bodybuilding Classic, NV 2000 -4th
NPC Team Universe Figure Nationals, NY 2004 – 7th NPC GNC NPC World Gym Classic Figure, CA 2005 -4th NPC GNC IFBB North American Championships Open Figure, SC 2005 – 5th
NPC Jr. Nationals Figure, IL 2005 – top 20 finalist NPC Jr. USA Figure Nationals, OH 2005 – top 20 finalist NPC Team Universe Figure Nationals, NY 2005- 4th NPC Team Universe Figure Nationals, NY 2006- top 20 finalist Muscle Mania Fitness Universe, Figure Classic, Space City TX -2012 -1st Muscle Mania Fitness Universe, Figure Classic, Texas, TX 2012 -2nd Muscle Mania Fitness Universe, Figure Classic, Las Vegas Fitness America Weekend, NV 2012-1st Muscle Mania Figure Universe Pro, Las Vegas Fitness America Weekend NV 2013 Muscle Mania Figure Universe Pro, Miami Fitness Universe Weekend FL 2013 NPC True Strength Games Figure Masters, Irving TX 2014 –9th NPC Formulation One Figure Masters, Houston, TX 2014 -8th NPC CJClassic, Figure Open, Figure Masters, West Palm Beach, FL -2016 4th &, 3rd GBO Hotbodez Fit Games, Figure Open, Figure Masters, Classic Bodybuilding, Woodlands, TX 2016, 1st, 1st, 1st, & Figure Overall winner, GBO Pro Championship Title Award
The MS Fitness Challenge (MSFC) was birthed from David Lyons' MS Bodybuilding Challenge and his wife, registered nurse, Kendra's desire to help others who suffer from multiple sclerosis. His bodybuilding challenge and his book, David's Goliath, about his journey as a bodybuilder with MS, are inspirations to others who find trials and obstacles in life too difficult to overcome. And now, David’s new book Everyday Health and Fitness with Multiple Sclerosis provides a comprehensive program of mindset, fitness, nutrition and motivation to the millions of people with challenges in getting fit. David and Kendra founded the MS Fitness Challenge charity organization as a way for others to join them and fight this debilitating disease through health & fitness.
Partnered with optimalbodypersonalfitness and the many loyal sponsors along with host gyms nationwide, it is the goal of the MS Fitness Challenge to provide certified fitness professionals to people with MS nationwide in an effort to educate and train them in the benefits of health & fitness in winning the battle against multiple sclerosis. MSFC will pay for these professionals to work with the person signed up for the Challenge and a membership for that person at one of the MSFC host fitness centers through the donations of its supporters.
MSFC implements the support people with MS need to stay as fit as possible, overcome limits and keep their bodies moving. Help us help those with MS to beat this disease through health & fitness and combat its devastating effects on the body. We are a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and 100% of all donations go to the cost of the MS Fitness Challenge program.
David Lyons MS Fitness Challenge Founder Arnold Schwarzenegger Health Advocate Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient OptimalBody Personal Fitness Owner CELL: (407) 346-1241 http://msfitnesschallenge.com/ Facebook Twitter 23811 Washington Avenue Suite C110-341 Murrieta, CA 92562
Training Frequency…. How many times a week should I train each Body part? Written by Victor Black. In recent months there has been renewed interest and debate from those in the Evidence based Training Camp on the subject of Optimal Training Frequency. The publication of a number of recent studies including the “Norwegian Frequency Study” has Sport Scientists re visiting the question.. What is the Optimal Training Frequency to Stimulate Hypertrophy? (Muscular Growth) Let’s look at what practical real world applications we can take-away from the Sport Science discussion on Optimal Training Frequency and apply it to our daily training. At its simplest, Frequency is the number of training sessions performed per muscle group within a certain unit of time, usually measured within the week. However Frequency is also what determines and structures both Volume and Intensity – Intensity being a subset of Total Volume – Volume equals reps x sets x weight moved. Frequency is the tool we use to distribute the total training stress you need across the training week. Sometimes you will hear people talking
about frequency as if it’s a stimulus in and of itself, but it’s not. Frequency is rather the way you organize your training to optimize its effectiveness and fit your lifestyle but it also balances out not having too much ( or inversely too little ) training in any one training session – a very common novice trainer mistake. Frequencies of between 2 and 6 times per body-part per week have all been shown to produce optimal outcomes under different circumstances... i.e. in different studies... with different test subjects... and even different body-parts - e.g. small muscle groups like Biceps tend to respond far better to much higher frequencies than larger muscle groups.. In the real world the optimal frequency with which you train a body-part is going to be determined by your StimulationRecovery-Adaption (SRA) Cycle.
healing and attempt to return performance of the system back to normal levels. The Principal of Stimulus-RecoveryAdaptation (SRA). Stimulus-Recovery-Adaptation (SRA) describes the sequence of processes that occur during and after training that cause improvement and increases in muscular size and strength.
ADAPTATION Adaptation is defined as the degree of performance gain – in this case Muscular Growth - above the starting point... i.e. prior to the preceding application of the stimulus.
STIMULUS The stimulus at its simplest is what you do with your time in the weight’s room. It’s during training that a variety of biomechanical and cellular systems are disrupted. This in turn triggers a cascade of signals that initiates recovery and adaptation of those disrupted systems. RECOVERY Immediately following removal of the training stimulus – i.e. you finish training; recovery systems begin the process of
Adaption typically concludes after recovery as it is an extremely biologically expensive and complicated process to manufacture new muscle tissue. At this time it’s important to understand that every individuals SRA Cycles are totally unique. Factors that will impact individual SRA’s in a meaningful way include but are not limited to.. Training Goals - including if you are training for Hypertrophy, Strength or General Fitness Age - as we age we recover more slowly. Sex – Women’s hormonal milieu, specifically heighted Estrogen levels enable
faster recovery than Men. Advancement – Where you are at in your development – Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced. Periodization – Where are you at in your Training Meso-Cycle? Nutritional Practices – Support for Optimal Muscle Protein Synthesis Enhanced versus Natural Trainers And even the types and dosages of various performance enhancing Compounds being used by enhanced Athletes. So that is the simple science behind the process….. But what can we as regular trainers takeaway from all this for practical application? Firstly on average the evidence collected through study shows a typical healthy trainer will fully complete an SRA cycle in around 48 – 72 hours ( this variation is determined by the individualized factors mentioned above ) That means revisiting training of a muscle group within that window – i.e. before the cycle completes is not only pointless but totally counterproductive to our goals..
At the other end of the spectrum …. waiting 168 hours ( 1 week ) before revisiting training that muscle group ( e.g. the typical “ Bro Split” of one body-part a day – training everything once a week ) is missing out on the application of potential SRA cycles at a rate in excess of 2:1.. And that makes no sense either right? Why would you wait 168 hours between SRA cycles if you are fully recovered and ready to go again in 72? Why would you set yourself up for 52 x SRA’s a year if you could
handle 104? As with everything there are always going to be exceptions to the rule... outliers to the “evidence” and that is where the once a week “Bro Split” originated... Yes if you are a 250 pound Male with 10 years Training experience it is literally impossible to squat 700 pounds 3 x a week.. And too fully recover and adapt... Your SRA cycle may well require you to train once every 7 – 8 days – heck I know some superheavyweights that train legs every 10 days! However if you are a woman training for Figure Competition – given your enhanced recovery capacity over Men ... and relative likely intensity of your training... you may well be able to train legs for 3 x SRA cycles a week.. And progress accordingly. The real value here is understanding the “reason” we do things, the reason we recommend certain frequencies, and it’s all because of the SRA cycle.. Not just “because” everyone else trains that way... You choosing to train a once a week Bro Spilt because the 2 biggest guys in your Gym do that... Honestly is a bad idea... you may well be crippling your progress... as much as you will be if you to try to keep up with your Wife or Girlfriend in the Gym doing what is optimal for her – as I mentioned above Women have greater recovery capacity than Men due to their Hormonal Milieu. This understanding is the beginning of the path of Evidence based Training Practices. If you are a Novice Trainer – start at 2 x per
Muscle Group per week ‌. What the evidence shows to be optimal for that profile‌. and adjust from there... The single biggest mistake I make when I was first starting out was to follow the Training Plans of the Pros... This was back before the Internet... a new Muscle Mag would come out and publish what so and so Champion did and so I followed his plan... in the hope that get me similar results .. a huge mistake..
References 1, Schoenfeld, B.J., et al., Influence of Resistance Training Frequency on Muscular Adaptations in Well-Trained Men. J Strength Cond Res, 2015. 29(7): p. 1821-9. 2. Wernbom, M., J. Augustsson, and R. Thomee, The influence of frequency, intensity, Volume and mode of strength training on whole muscle cross-sectional area in humans. Sports Med, 2007. 3. Helms, E.R., et al., Recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: Resistance and cardiovascular training. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 2014. 4. Mike Isratel, PHD James Hoffman PHD, Chad Wesley Smith Scientific Principles of Strength Training
Tragedy of an Honest Bodybuilder The Story of Ed Brown On July 3, 2016, in New Jersey, Ed Brown bested his competition and was anointed the Open Men’s bodybuilding trophy for the Universe Championships, formerly Team Universe. That night he joined the ranks of Kai Greene, Joe Raymond, Jeff Willet and Skip Lacour, all remarkable bodybuilders of their day. A win at the Universe Championships capped off Ed’s twenty year climb to the top of the mountain as one of the hardest working bodybuilders in the business.
Ed, like many (I would dare to say MOST) of the bodybuilders in IFBB, turned to the use/abuse of anabolic steroids to simply stay competitive in the ranks of the NPC (the amateur division of the IFBB). It didn't take Ed too long competing to realize that bodybuilding in the NPC/IFBB wasn't entirely reliant on brown rice, chicken breasts, and recycled articles in FLEX Magazine like, “Grow Your Biceps ONE INCH in ONE DAY: GUARANTEED”.
Twenty three days later, Ed joined the ranks of another mythical mountain climber, Sisyphus, as all the weight he had pushed to the top of that mountain came crashing back down on top of him with a single letter from NPC Global to President Jim Manion calling for Ed to step down as the champion of the Universe because, wait for it...he tested positive for anabolic steroids! Oh my! How could it be? An IFBB Pro tested positive for steroids? Surely that can't be true? I mean Olympian legends such as Arnold, Lee; Ronnie (yes, all figures that can be identified and recognized by just using their first name) was, by this rationale, drug free, right. The federation, the IFBB, who hosts the Universe, also hosts many pro-qualifying ‘shows’ throughout the year, which are basically feeders and prep for their grand finale, The Mr. Olympia. Mr. Olympia thus represents ALL that the IFBB stands for within the bodybuilding community. Currently, Phil Heath (a.k.a. The Gift) holds the title of Mr. Olympia.
I suppose it's not such a dirty little secret that professional bodybuilders use anabolic
steroids but it's kind of like those Asian massage parlors you see in the shady parts of town. We all know what's going down in there, but nobody's willing to talk about it...the ‘happy ending’ invariably justifies the means, yeah? But seriously, my good friend and former training partner, Lee Priest, said it best after winning a show one time, “I'd like to thank my training partners, Anna and Diana,” as an off-the-cuff remark about the use of steroids, specifically, Anavar and Dianabol. It was a joke at the time, but shit. I heard it with my own ears. Are you shittin’ me? No drugs in the NPC/IFBB? You can buy Lee’s statement and like my wife says, “If you're going to lie about something small, you'll probably lie about anything.” You know what? She's right. I'd like to think of myself as a ‘skilled deceiver’ but the shit Lee Thompson had just thrown at me was absolutely ludicrous. The poster child of his organization, Phil Heath, by that rationale is ‘drug-free’. I will go ahead and sign-off on the following statement as FACT: That's just bullshit, Lee. I'm left with a puzzling question that's rooted in the depths of hypocrisy. Kind of like those folks that claim miracle healing, seeing aliens and reading horoscopes...do they REALLY believe that shit or are the just full of shit? Don't get me wrong, this isn't about me being anti-drug. In fact, I'm very prodrug, pro-choice, pro-happy ending, pro---a lot of shit, but I'm anti-hypocrisy. I'm a fan of letting men and women do whatever they want to their bodies so long as it doesn't interfere with anything I'm doing with mine. Why then does the IFBB pick and choose when they are anti-drug? True, Ed signed the paperwork saying he wasn't taking anabolics but really, do we all read
probably the only time a bodybuilder readily admitted to the use of anabolics. Lee, a legend in the world of bodybuilding, is one of the few brave fellas who fully admitted to use of anabolics. I once attended a conference in which former head of the NPC, Lee Thompson, seriously replied to a question about steroids by saying, “Drugs will NEVER be a problem in the NPC because, as judges, we are skilled in identifying those who use drugs and we will penalize them for it.” No really, he said that mean no admission of drugs, right? I'm not sure I EVERYTHING we sign and in that, do we really think the Universe is drug free? Manion came to Ed with his ONLY option retake the test or relinquish the win. Ed said, “What the hell? Let's take it again.” He thought, surely they can't be serious, but just in case, he got some good advice from one of the ‘higher-ups’ to use a catheter to filter clean urine from dirty urine. Ed marched right back down to Quest Labs. (Twenty three days later...see where I'm going with this? Twenty three days later, because they just wanted to ‘make sure’ the original test wasn't bunk. He whipped out his catheter, and spilled a few more drops in the cup to just get them off his ass. Ed got the call he'd been waiting for a week later. Manion began by saying, “Ed, give me a reason to make this go away, help me here.” Dumbfounded, Ed heard Manion read him back the results, “Mast prop, Stanozolol, and Anavar! Ed, you can keep your trophy but unfortunately, we are going to have to strip away your pro card.” What?! Drugs again! Damn, Ed’s catheter plan was thwarted. Ed once again tested positive for anabolics because, well, that's what bodybuilders do (at least in the
NPC/IFBB). I propose that the majority, if not most, use steroids. Don't like that statement? Prove me wrong. Everything that Ed had worked for was stripped away in one call for simply...being honest (For the most part, Ed was honest, except for that catheter thing. But come on, it was a half-assed effort, so it shouldn't count.) I'm scrolling through photos of the winners from the Universe (including the women), and I couldn't help but notice, most, if not all, were using anabolics. You see, unlike Lee Thompson, I am able to tell the difference with a fairly acute sense of reason when someone is using anabolics. You see, it really doesn't take detective work or a criminal justice degree. If they look like they're on drugs, they probably are. Don't believe me? Go to a legitimate allnatural bodybuilding show and subsequently go to an NPC/IFBB show. I will kiss your ass if you don't see the difference. Special note: Only the open men's division was subject to drug testing.
Where did Ed Brown go wrong? Was it at the age of twelve when he got his first set of weights, or when he started comparing apples to oranges and deducing that it wasn’t just brown rice and chicken breast? Ed went wrong in being honest (work with me here). Ed went wrong in playing by the
rules in an organization that makes them up as they go along. An outsider looking in can see, they were ‘fair’. They did give Ed every opportunity to cheat his way out. Lord knows, he tried. Those of us, who know Ed, know him as one of the most kind-hearted, hard working souls in the ‘business’. I emphasize business because that's what the NPC/IFBB ultimately is...a business. They have a business to run and their ‘Board of Directors’ is more mafia-esque than any monopoly. They make the rules, they bend the rules, they break the rules, but it's purely, “Doing as I say, not as I do.” The lives of young men are shaped by what they see in the magazines, on stage, and in the gym. Organizations that actively promote drug use by turning their heads while someone separates clean pee from dirty pee...just smells funny (literally and figuratively). Is Ed a ‘bad guy’ because he did drugs? Well shit, everyone is doing it. If you use anabolics and want to compete, everyone knows you go to the NPC/IFBB. If you want to compete and NEVER get in the cool magazines or develop any pseudocelebrity status from you five year window of opportunity, the amount of time you can go hard before your organs fail, then go allnatural. This was an expensive lesson for Ed. You see, the world of bodybuilding favors the business, not the bodybuilder. Ed paid for all his food, travel, and drugs. Ed is just an average, humble, hardworking, and honest guy. The climb to the top is neither easy, nor cheap. As his friend, I appreciate his dedication and honesty in his chosen craft. He is a rare breed. He has plans of using the combination of knowledge from Lee Priest and myself (TKONutrition.com where we “Knock out the competition!” aka shameless plug for #TeamTKO and
#Iamaknockout) to develop a plan and cast his rivals into the pits of Hell. If the gods are just, he’ll take time off, clear his head, and don his rock de Sisyphus to ascend the mountain once again for the 2018 win at Master’s Nationals where… you guessed it… they don't test for drugs. I know. It is pretty confusing shit we are working with here, but just hear me out. Insert Pulp Fiction quote here: “Yeah, it's legal, but it isn’t a hundred percent legal. I mean you can't walk into a restaurant, roll a joint, and start puffin' away. You're only supposed to smoke in your home or certain designated places.” You see, they don't test there, but the likes of former head NPC judge Lee Thompson, or at least his sample peer group, will undoubtedly be ‘looking’ for drug use and penalizing users accordingly (Bahahahaha). Ed is currently in debate mode regarding a decision to fully document his 2018 journey. Ed, like myself, partnered with Lee Priest back in 2006 for a groundbreaking endeavor called BodyBuildersReality.com. This documentary followed the life and times of Lee Priest in his pursuit of IFBB Gold. Ed’s thinking of taking this one step further and not just documenting the life, diet, and training of a pro bodybuilder but also, the drugs. He plans on doing what few, if any IFBB pros have done by breaking the silence and keeping it real. Stay tuned to see where this goes in the future.
Moral of the story: If you're going to compete in the NPC/IFBB, at least be schooled on how to clean your pee and lie with a straight face. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to eating brown rice and chicken breasts, reading my FLEX article, How to grow my biceps ONE INCH in ONE DAY!, and using one of those CSI ‘chain of command’ maps to figure when the NPC/IFBB are testing, when they are not, and how in the hell we, as fans, are supposed to be both reasonable and prudent enough to distinguish between the two. Richard Sicola-Stone is a contributing author with over twenty years of experience competing and doing business in the bodybuilding and fitness world. He was a championship bodybuilder in the Open HW division. He was also the former training partner and current friend of legendary bodybuilder, Lee Priest. He is the proud owner of TKO NUTRITION, the ONLY and LAST family owned nutrition store based in Austin, Texas. He has both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Sam Houston State University and is working hard with his wife April (co-owner, former National level competitor, and librarian) to pay for his daughter’s December 2017 wedding...so buy supplements, competition plans, and training tips from or make donations to TKONutrition.com. #TeamTKO #Iamaknockout #TKOTakesastand.
Autisticfit Society is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide an informative, comfortable environment to initiate positive change in the lives of those individuals touched by Autism. Through our facilities and programs, we provide educational opportunities that respect the autonomy of the disabled, accommodate special needs, and address the individual needs of each participant. By serving as a voice for Autistic individuals and their healthcare providers, we promote the importance of nutrition and fitness to manage the symptoms of Autism, assist families in getting the best possible care, and empower individuals within the Autism Spectrum to lead full and healthy lives. Being an Autistic individual, I went through many experiences that could and should have been prevented by proper education, community programs and support. Through many years of trial and error, I discovered pathways for dealing with my own challenges with Autism and realized that there is a great need within the community at large to develop programs, education and systems of support for those individuals with Autism and their families. Autisticfit Society’s mission involves 5 key components, referred to as our “C.A.F.E.S.” objectives: o o o o
o
Connect: Individuals and their families to those programs that are available within their community. Affiliate: Build partnerships within the community to collectively provide a safe and supportive environment for Autistic individuals and families. Facilitate: Develop facilities and programs to address solutions locally, nationally and internationally. Educate: Those affected by Autism about what they need to know specifically related to their symptoms and managing them; and schools and the community about various programs that are needed to support those impacted by Autism. Support: Provide financial support for existing Autism programs and educational facilities/schools to develop programs, and for individuals and families impacted by Autism.
Our primary objectives are to create a gateway for Autistic individuals to achieve vital developmental objectives; build confidence; cultivate a sense of well-being; foster high self-esteem; instill self-care; promote personal independence; and encourage social interaction. Numerous studies have documented that incorporating physical activity and nutrition ultimately leads to a lifetime of health, but this lifestyle is even more imperative with Autistic individuals because fitness and nutrition are the foundation to elevate their quality of life. Autisticfit Society pledges a commitment to cultivating relationships, advancing its’ mission and vision, and serving as an accountable entity to educate the broader public. I would like in invite you to join me in my quest to positively impact the lives of those individuals and families impacted by Autism through your generous contributions to Autisticfit Society. In addition to individual donations, tax deductable corporate sponsorships are also welcomed and appreciated. Please contact me at (713) 907-2039 or at www.autisticfitsociety.org.
4141 Southwest Freeway, Suite 410, Houston, TX 77027
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Mallory Jansen 417.294.0825 www.mjfitnessboutique.com malloryjansenfit@gmail.com
MJ Fitness Boutique The goal of MJ Fitness Boutique is to combine fitness, nutrition, and fashion all under one roof while creating a positive and encouraging environment for everyone it reaches! The products and services we currently offer are: * Personal Training * Group Training * Online Training * Custom Organic Meal Prep Services * Organic Catering Services * Local Health & Wellness Events * Local Charity Events * Unique Fitness Apparel for Men and Women And much more! We will expand on this list as we continue to grow and progress! You can checkout all our current products and services at mjfitnessboutique.com
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Insulin: Fat loss killer or misunderstood hormone. When you hear the word insulin, most people associate it with diabetes, and fat gain. Although this can be true, insulin is a hormone that is responsible for the uptake and portioning of glucose. Insulin is produced in the pancreas whenever you eat something such as carbohydrates or even proteins. Releasing from the pancreas, insulin enters the blood stream where it can deposit glucose into muscle cells or it can be deposited into fat cells. As you know, you typically think of insulin as the almighty fat storage hormone because it takes glucose (sugar) from your bloodstream and stores it. As a bodybuilder fat storage is the last thing you would want to happen, preparing for a contest. I believe when thinking in terms of fat loss, this is one of most misunderstood concepts. People including bodybuilders typically eat some low carb or low glycemic food such as rice and avoid any types of sugar at all because of the fear of fat gain from insulin, as insulin blunts fat burning. In terms of carbohydrates and sugar, they will either fall into two categories. They will either be considered a High glycemic, or low glycemic. High glycemic foods consist of dextrose, sugary cereals, and table sugar to name a few, while low glycemic foods might consist of oatmeal, brown rice, and some fruits. The glycemic index is just a scale to determine what kinds of foods will enter the blood stream faster. So if you have something high GI, it will enter the blood stream faster than that of a low GI food. For fat loss to occur, you have to release it into the blood stream (lipolysis). However, if you don’t actually use it, it can go back into storage (lipogenesis). Yes, fat burning is blunted by insulin, but it’s not completely shut down. Fat burning (oxidation) is a 24 hour process. All of these processes are going on all at the same time. So if you are in a calorie surplus, the rate at which it’s being stored is faster than the rate in which it’s being burned. If you are in a deficit, the rate at which it’s being released and burned is greater than that in which it’s being stored. Depending on total calorie intake, it depends on the concentration. Assuming calories are equal, if you have high amounts of insulin in one meal of the day by eating something sugary you will, make up for it by having lower insulin responses the rest of the day because it’s a 24 hour process. So wither it be
a high glycemic or low glycemic food group, total net insulin will be the same at the end of the day if calorie content is controlled. So don’t let the myth of insulin keep you from getting stage lean come show day.
About the Author: Keegan Brown received his bachelors of science in fitness and wellness with a minor in biology from Park University. He is a certified personal trainer, nutritionist, author, physique coach and owner at keeganbrown.net.
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