Contest Conditioning Magazine June 2013

June 2013 - Issue

How to Get Great Abs:

Are You Ready for the Next Level of Workout?

Why should I compete?

Patrick Howard Vegan Power!

Contest Conditioning Magazine June 2013 Issue

How to Get Great Abs: Are You Ready for the Next Level of Workout?

Why should I compete?

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Part III of A Plant Based Experiment by AusFn Barbisch

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Patrick Howard

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Vegan Power!

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Trainer Spotlight

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How to Get Great Abs: Are You Ready for the Next Level of Workout?

By James Huang

Generally, you cannot specialize if you don’t have the basics. Before you can be specialized in great abs, you need to have a healthy diet and full body workout as your basics. One of the basics is to have a healthy diet: Never skip meals especially breakfast, keep up with "eaFng more meals with lesser amount" in a Fmely manner, and avoiding faRy food/simple sugars.

One of the hardest thing to do is trying to out-­‐ exercise an unhealthy diet. Unhealthy diet will slow down your fitness quest, because you have to spend extra Fme and effort to get rid of the fat that you intake.

Another basic is to have a high intensity full body workout to increase your metabolic rate and to increase the fat-­‐burning hormones in the body. Just like any efficient car, we need to make sure the engine is well maintained, and all the parts are good to go before the car can accelerate to the maximum speed. Or else, the car will over-­‐exhaust itself. To get great abs, we need to ensure that we have opFmal metabolic rate and fat burning hormone in our bodies to take the workout to the maximum level.Moreover, before ge\ng to the great abs, we should be aware that fat in other body parts will burn first, despite we

work out every day on the abs. Therefore, being LEAN is essenFal for the abs muscles to show and this requires a full body workout, so most of the fat in your body can burn simultaneously unFl you achieved that shredded look. A]er a healthy diet and a full body workout (assuming most of the fat is reduced), now we can talk about great abs.Great abs is focused on the muscle. The idea is to break down your muscle so that the body can repair and grow more than what you have lost. This level of workout is intense, because you must persevere a]er you have come to exhausFon toward the end of your workout. The few last repeFFons is what really count, because your muscle fibers start to break down and build new ones later. Remember that your muscles grow while resFng, especially a]er ge\ng sufficient sleep.

Once you have passed the beginning phase of gaining some iniFal abs strength, I would advise to get away from the exercises that are too easy, where someone can do 50 or 100 repeFFons, as is frequently common with standard crunches. Instead, I would focus on higher resistance exercises that actually sFmulate the muscle fibers to a much greater degree, to bulk up the abdominal muscles enough for it to push through

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the lean skin on the midsecFon; thus giving the classic six pack abs we want to achieve.

Many people may not realize, but a compound resistance training will indirectly work the abs and the enFre “core” area to a fairly decent extent. Personally, my high intensity “abs-­‐specific” porFon of the workouts generally only take about 5-­‐10 minutes with very liRle rest between exercises. I do this once or t w i c e a w e e k t o m a i n t a i n m y a b d o m i n a l musculature.One example of a higher resistance abs exercise is hanging leg raises with a proper “pelvic curl up”. Another one would be the reverse plank by holding to something sturdy, and slowly lower your

legs and torso in a straight line as slow as possible.

Also, we don't want to for get about the obliques and deeper muscles like the transversus abdomens.

"Windshield Wiper" exercise is a great high intensity exercise to hit these easily overlooked areas of the core muscles.Last but not least, I advise everyone to get a personal trainer at the beginning of your fitness venture, so you will know the right techniques. A personal trainer is there to help you with quesFons, give you Fps along the way, and most importantly to design a customized program to meet your fitness goals.

“Before you can be specialized in great abs, you need to have a healthy diet and full body workout as your basics.”

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Why should I compete?

We have all heard numerous excuses regarding why not to compete in a fitness event, including….

1) I cannot follow a diet 2) I do not want to eat bland foods 3) I am not disciplined 4) I don’t have Fme 5) I don’t want to look like the people I see in magazines etc., etc.

For those of you easily making these excuses, compeFFon is not for you. Whether you are compeFng in bodybuilding, Figure or Bikini, you are changing your body. So, in essence, you are bodybuilding.

Bodybuilding is not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle. Pursuing it means you must be ready to do the work and make the sacrifices.

mental strength. People may doubt and ridicule you for taking this journey. They may ask you why you want to look like that, or tell you it is ridiculous. If you want it, be strong. Understand that few others will grasp the work it takes, the discipline involved, or the courage and heart it takes to prepare for compeFFon, and stand in front of a crowd displaying your hard work. Know and understand the sacrifices you are about to make when choosing to compete, and be ready to accept those challenges.

How do you know if you are ready to compete? While I can’t answer this quesFon for you, I can help guide you through making the decision for yourself. CompeFFon is a mental game at its highest level. You may have the best geneFcs, but it is the mental part of compeFng that separates winners from losers. The compeFFon isn't just one day. It starts even before you sign up for

“Before competing in a bodybuilding, figure, or bikini contest, there are a few things that you should have in check.”

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The burning quesFons are, “How do I know when I’m ready?” Or, “Why should I compete?” While I can answer many bodybuilding-­‐related quesFons, I know this: You won't find simple answers to these quesFons anywhere! They are not wriRen in any book or magazine. The best person to answer these quesFons is you. You are the only one that knows when you are ready to compete.

Passion and discipline should be your driving forces.

Simply put, you must want it bad enough. There will be many sacrifices along the way. Having that passion will propel you in the right direcFon. Remember, so much of this sport is a state of mind and it will test your

the show. The contest starts as soon as you make that decision to compete, because it is not you compeFng against every other compeFtor, but you compeFng against yourself, mentally.

Before compeFng in a bodybuilding, figure, or bikini contest, there are a few things that you should have in check. First, you need to do a self-­‐evaluaFon. Determine your strengths and weakness. Ask yourself, “Do I see the foundaFon to build upon (geneFcs)? Is there a good base of muscle?” Understand geneFcs is not always the winning ingredient. Hard work, dedicaFon and discipline is the right ingredients and will overcome anything. Take photos of yourself and decide if your foundaFon is good to start compeFng. Then go and watch a couple of compeFFons.

Understand what it takes to compete. Take in the energy and see it from the pre-­‐judging through the evening show. You will get a beRer understanding of

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how your compeFtors look, what the judges are looking for, what goes into compeFng. If you can, talk with a few of the compeFtors and gets an idea what it take to compete. When you leave, it will give you a beRer understanding of whether this is for you or not.

Having a strict diet is a vital component in prepping for compeFFon. Limit yourself to a cheat meal once a week as soon as you start contest preparaFon. Be prepared with ways to avoid situaFons where you are forced to eat out. Remain sure of yourself -­‐ don't be embarrassed about turning down unhealthy food. If you keep your diet loaded with proteins, healthy carbs, and fats, you will lose weight at a slower rate, so more of it will be body fat, and less of it will be lean Fssue. Losing some muscle is inevitable, though, especially at the very end of your contest preparaFons. Your goal is to minimize lean muscle loss.

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If your blood is pumping and you cannot wait to start, find a contest coach. Interview several coaches to find the best fit for you. You should have the utmost confidence in your coach. Keep your circle small. Too many opinions can ruin your direcFon or drive. Review your photos and physique with your coach so you can create a plan of aRack. Honesty is the best policy. If you are not ge\ng honesty and cannot take construcFve criFcism, this is not the arena for you.

Next on the list is Fme. Do you have Fme to get ready?

It takes, on average, 1 to 2 weeks to drop 1% body fat, longer depending on your bodytype (see previous arFcle) and structure. Have a fitness professional or your contest coach conduct a bodyfat analysis to help you determine your starFng point, so you can create a Fmeline to success. You want enough Fme to drop body fat slowly so that you don't lose too much muscle mass. That combined with your bodytype and structure provides a baseline to help you determine a Fmeline for compeFng. Now it is Fme to select a show in which you can peak and present the best physique you can on stage. Once your show is scheduled, start pu\ng together your master plan, which includes: • NutriFon plan • Workout plan • Cardio plan • Posing • Contest prep paperwork and cosmeFcs

Determining how much muscle you need for a contest is not easy. Everybody carries weight differently, even muscle, and different body types will naturally carry more or less pounds of lean mass. Judges will not measure your arms, write it down and then see who wins the most points for arms. Instead, they will look to see how your muscles look in proporFon to the rest of your frame. This type of muscular development only comes with Fme and consistency, and you are only ready to compete when your physique saFsfies all of these qualiFes. Weight training and cardio are key components to preparing for compeFFon. Whether maintaining or building muscle, keep the same intensity in the gym.

Maintaining muscle is necessary to create separaFons and that vascular appearance. High-­‐intensity cardio would be a good workout for some off days, but don't burn yourself out at the beginning-­‐ work this type of cardio in as you go to see how much you can handle.

Knowing your strengths and weaknesses when presenFng your physique is important. Understand the various poses. For example, know how to make the lighFng compliment your physique best. Knowledge is probably the easiest thing to obtain, so do your homework and your compeFtors will not have the advantage over you.

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carbs. Endomorphs are beRer suited to short-­‐term, high intensity cardio of 15-­‐25 minutes total duraFon, 5-­‐6 Fmes per week. Endo’s also respond beRer to mulFple short sessions of hard cardio spread throughout the day.

Start li]ing moderate weight as light weights are going to be as effecFve for building muscle and transforming your body shape. The moderate weight will not only build muscle but it will also boost your metabolism. Try circuit training or full body strength training three Fmes a week. Along with the weight training, do 45 minutes of medium intensity cardio twice a week and 20 minutes of high intensity interval cardio twice a week to achieve maximum fat burning. You want to drink lots of water and load up on your fiber. The water will transport your nutrients and flush out the waste. Limit your fat intake to around 20% of your total calories. Limit your sugar and carbohydrate intake but don't avoid carbs all together. Carbohydrates like brown rice, grains, fruits, oatmeal, vegetables, whole wheat bread and pasta, bagels and sweet potatoes are good choices. Eat five to six small meals a day. This will keep your energy level up and your metabolism working for you throughout the day

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balanced diet that includes 40% complex carbohydrate, 30%-­‐40% lean protein and 20%-­‐30% fat. This will give you your full supply of nutrients with enough calories to build muscle and stay lean.

The endomorph body type is solid and generally so].

Endomorphs gain fat very easily. Endo’s are usually of a shorter build with thick arms and legs. Muscles are strong; especially the upper legs. Diet is the most important factor for endomorphs. Endomorphs are usually sensiFve to carbohydrates. They hold a lot of water and hold on to muscle glycogen stores well. A few days of zero carbs will usually not hurt an endomorph.

They may not even use all the glycogen stores from muscles during that Fme. Endomorphs respond well to high amounts of dietary fat. A cycled diet is ideal, where a low carbohydrate/high protein diet is adhered to for several days and then followed by a moderate carbohydrate/low fat day. An endomorph is beRer off not aRempFng to carb load due to their sensiFvity to

Most people aren't going to fall neatly into just one of these categories. If it sounds like you're more Endomorph than Ectomorph, follow the Endomorph guidelines and see how it works for you. Remember it is important to be able to idenFfy and understand your body type. And no maRer what your body type and contest condiFoning plan, also remember three main goals: •Spare as much muscle mass as possible.

•Lose as much fat as possible.

•Do not lose intensity in the weight room I hope this help and understand this arFcle is not designed as the end all of for training, but as a way to shed some light on the geneFc hand you were dealt.

Take what is here and apply it to your physique. Keep what works, drop what does not, and build a diet, training, and cardio program that work best for YOU! No maRer what your body type, you can build the winning physique you want!

By Will Crosley Bodybywillpower

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Part III of A Plant Based Experiment

By Austin Barbisch

Time To Switch Gears

A month a]er the Rocky Raccoon 100 mile race, I got the itch to do an earlier body building show than previously planned. I was going to do my next show in July but I was already preRy lean and definitely moFvated, so I signed up for the Texas Shredder in February. I first did the Texas Shredder in AusFn back in 1996. It was and sFll is organized by Dave Goodin. It was his first of many shows and conFnues to grow every year. Dave is a very accomplished bodybuilder (probably the first bodybuilder to win an NPC pro-­‐card as a natural athlete). If a show does not menFon that it’s “natural”, then the organizaFon does not care if you use illegal substances like steroids, human growth hormone or a slew of body fat burning sFmulants like thyroid hormones.

I have been compeFng naturally for over 15 years in what used to be a fairly small organizaFon of natural shows, and have proudly seen the number of parFcipants grow. This year the Texas Shredder was the first Fme I competed as a vegan. A]er running long distances I was able to concentrate on li]ing heavy weights and building back up my muscle. Breaking records in the gym came easily and I gauged my body fat loss with calipers every morning. The results on each daily read vary slightly, so I take a weekly average. My body fat went from 5.47% to 4.38% in a month with no serious work. Four weeks out I amped up my cardio and ate a super clean diet to get stage ready.

My old li]ing records were being broken even as I leaned down to sub 4% body fat. I hit the stage around 3.7%, which shows a lot of muscular detail without

sacrificing any fullness. I’m not the thickest guy out there, so I rely on symmetry and condiFoning to place well. I’m at my all Fme best with three more pounds of muscle than I had in 2011 at a lower body fat percentage as a meat-­‐eater. That is proof that you don’t need meat, whey, or any animal foods to build strong muscles. It’s unbelievable how well a gluten-­‐free, plant-­‐ based diet has worked for me as a bodybuilder.

My Plant-­‐based Diet

I have to say that since I have transiFoned to a plant-­‐ based diet, fat loss has been easier. I lost about 5 pounds when I iniFally weighed in September ‘12, but am pu\ng on muscle as I am losing body fat. This muscle weight gain is due in part to supplemenFng with creaFne. CreaFne is a natural compound produced in the body from three amino acids and is responsible for energy producFon in the muscle. It also helps your body hold more water and ATP in the muscle, which not only increases the size but the healing ability and power producFon of muscle.

My main source of protein has been from plant-­‐based

protein powders. I have been using PlantFusion (AKA NitroFusion) for the enFre diet phase as well as for my ultra-­‐marathons. I love this brand because it is not griRy tasFng like the others I have tried (it really tastes like the whey I used pre-­‐vegan) and it has an almost idenFcal

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amino acid profile to whey. I mix it with almond milk, water, coffee, or tea depending on the Fme of day.

One of the best things about being vegan is that I can eat tons of food and sFll lose weight! Below is one of my awesome salads made with all organic ingredients. I start with a big bowl of mixed greens, and then mix in a low calorie dressing and nutriFonal yeast. I added steamed cauliflower and broccoli with a home grown tomato, almonds, apples and pears. SomeFmes I’ll add tofu or quinoa and lenFls for some extra protein.

I have really been into the banana and straw/blueberry smoothies with kale/spinach and NitroFusion (PlantFusion) protein powder. I’m also rock’n the salads preRy hard too. My mornings usually start with a proto-­‐ mocha-­‐laRe. This is something I made up about 15 years ago. It consists of 2-­‐4 cups of coffee, almond or coconut milk (instead of cow’s milk) and NitroFusion (instead of whey). It is an awesome way to replace a Starbucks mocha, which would have about 500 calories and few redeeming health benefits.

The Ins and Outs of Compe??on

CompeFng in bodybuilding shows is not all glamorous! I have super white skin and really don’t care to tan with the sun or tanning beds, so I have to rely on a heavy layering of tanning products. That is my least favorite part of contest preparaFon. I don’t care for the shaving part either, but an oiled up hairy guy looks preRy ridiculous on stage….or anywhere else in my opinion. I look preRy ridiculous off stage when I’m stage ready for t h a t m a R e r . A c o n t e s t a n t h a s t o g e t s u c h an unrealisFcally dark shade because the stage lights will bleach out your appearance. The desire here is to show the judges as much muscular detail as possible. Think of a white car with a dent in the side door. Now think of that same dent on a shiny dark car. That dent is equivalent to muscular detail.

The last few days of contest preparaFon involve dietary s a l t r e m o v a l , c a r b o h y d r a t e l o a d i n g a n d a liRle dehydraFon. Thankfully with my newfound diet I do not have to go to extremes when ge\ng ready for a show. Every person responds slightly differently to these adjustments, so trial and error with plenty of note taking is a must to dial everything in. It may take a few shows before an athlete figures out the right formula for his/ her body, and this may explain why it takes a few aRempts to win a compeFFon.

The Past and The Present

I have competed in 12 natural bodybuilding shows (pre-­‐ vegan) and have placed 2nd three Fmes in my weight class and have won my weight class once but not the overall Ftle. When I started this plant-­‐based experiment it was my goal to compete in the same bodybuilding shows from two years prior and compare the results.

The recent Texas Shredder awarded me 2nd in Masters Bodybuilding and 3rd in Masters Physique. The Dropzone show awarded me 2nd in Open and Masters Bodybuilding and 2nd in Physique. I’m ready to take an overall win, but pleased with what I accomplished as a vegan. Natural Bodybuilding has been growing rapidly and I love being in the mix. Even more important is that I can prove without a doubt that you can be vegan and a compeFFve bodybuilder.

I’ve joined forces with fellow vegan bodybuilders, the Plant Built team, to compete in the Naturally Fit Super Show here in AusFn in July. Get ready to see some herbivore beef on the stage July 26-­‐27th! Check out www.plantbuilt.com more info. And to follow along my plant-­‐based experiment visit me website at www.solidpt.com.

AusFn Barbisch 512-­‐944-­‐3250 Solid Personal Training hRp://solidpt.com/

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Patrick Howard At nearly 45 years old, having prepared and competed in 24 amateur bodybuilding shows since age 28, one thing remains consistent related to having an effecFve training regimen: it always started with a decision.

Whether enjoying the comforts and conveniences of home, or living within the confines of a sFck and frame primiFve plywood building in the foothills of Hindu Kish mountains in northern Afghanistan (as an Army Reservist, I prepared for both the 2011 NPC Lackland Classic and the NPC Texas State Naturals while deployed), a simple basic decision every morning to get up and execute my plan to build solid, lean muscle, while reducing my body fat percentage significantly was required. Nothing complicated or flashy about my diet and training.

Legendary athletes like Michael Jordan emphasized that one must just “master the basics” – and that he did. I try to do the same. Six meals a day, everyday…nothing creaFve – simple and basic. It is at those Fmes when I’ve tried to cut corners with either my workouts or my diet, or when I bought into such phrases like, “you don’t need to be so strict with your diet, just eat in moderaFon,” – these are the Fmes when I have experienced the greatest setbacks.

My training regimen includes moderate intensity cardio, and uFlizing strict form while li]ing weights, applying principles of “Isotension,” squeezing and contracFng the muscles with every repeFFon. I train every body part once a week, generally doing the antagonist muscle groups together, whereby a parFcular muscle is relaxes while the other is contacFng, e.g., biceps and triceps. As previously stated, simple and basic. To quote Sir Winston Churchill, “Planning is essenFal. Plans are useless.” The boRom-­‐line is that having good intenFons are great, but it’s the determinaFon, execuFon, and follow-­‐through that ulFmately leads to successful achievement of our fitness goals….or any goals for that maRer.

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Vegan Power!

Over 8 months vegan /gluten free and my body is feeling really strong! My old li]ing records are being broken even as I have leaned down to sub 4% body fat! I will hit the stage around 3.6% which should show a lot of muscular detail without sacrificing any fullness. I'm not the thickest guy out there, so I must rely on symmetry and condiFoning to place well. I'm at my all Fme best with three more pounds of muscle than I had in 2011 at a lower bodyfat percentage.

I am truly ready to strut my stuff at the Texas Shredder Bodybuilding show on the 13th of April. Tomorrow is my last day of cardio, then I get to take it easy and cruise onto the contest stage at 9am Saturday morning. The last few days of contest preparaFon involve dietary salt removal, carbohydrate loading and a liRle dehydraFon. I'm not an extremist in any of these three dietary changes, but a big difference can be seen in ones physique when this method is done properly. Every person responds slightly differently to these adjustments, so trial and error with plenty of note taking is a must to dial everything in. It may take a few shows before an athlete figures out the right formula for his/ her body, and this may explain why it takes a few aRempts to win a compeFFon. This will be around my 12th Bodybuilding show having placed 2nd in my weight

division 3 Fmes and winning my division once, but not the over all trophy.

I am really se\ng my focus this year on ge\ng a win at a show that offers a Pro-­‐card for the overall champion.

I'll be doing another show in 17 days that offers this Pro card, and have two others this year as well.

I definitely have my hands full this year! Here are some pictures that my good friend Teri Alvarado took of me last weekend when she helped me with my posing. She is an awesome coach and a great person.

One of the best things about being vegan is that I can eat tons of food and sFll loose weight! This is one of my awesome salads made with all organic ingredients. I start with a big bowl of mixed greens, and mix in a low calorie dressing and nutriFonal yeast. I added steamed cauliflower and broccoli with a home grown tomato, almonds, apples and pears. SomeFmes I'll add some tofu or some quinoa and lenFls for some extra protein. My main source of protein has been from vegetable powders. I have been using PlantFusion AKA NitroFusion for the enFre diet phase as well as for my

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ultra-­‐marathons the last few months. I love this brand because it is not griRy tasFng like the others I have tried (really tastes like the whey I used to use) and it has an almost idenFcal amino acid profile too. I mix it with some almond milk, water, coffee, or tea depending on the Fme of day.

Wish me luck people! I will need it with all of the incredible athletes that have been showing up at these events over the last several years. Natural Bodybuilding has been growing so rapidly and I love being in the mix. I was at the Texas Veg-­‐fest last Saturday and met some fellow vegan bodybuilders that generously asked me to join them at the Naturally Fit super show, so get ready to see some herbivore beef on the stage July 26-­‐27th with t e a m P l a n t B u i l t !

C h e c k out www.plantbuilt.com and www.nitrofusion.us for more info. Also check out my blog that is on the home page of my web site www.solidpt.com. If you are interested in informaFon about a plant based diet, Christy Morgan (AKA the Blissful chef) has a program s p e c i fi c a l l y e n g i n e e r e d t o m e e t y o u r needs www.WellnesReboot.com.

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Trainer Spotlight: Jeremy Bergeron

Johnny Mac Seay

A strong moFvator with a gi] for helping others achieve their fitness goals, Jeremy Bergeron has extensive experience in lifestyle wellness. An IFA CerFfied trainer and natural leader; Jeremy brings his posiFve a\tude, strong problem-­‐solving skills and ability to view challenges from every angle to his fitness coaching endeavors.

I have spent the last 7 years coaching Football and Wrestling at Veritas Academy in AusFn, Tx. I was a 4X TAPPS State Champion wrestler, compeFng in Dallas, Tx.

Jeremy got introduced to compeFFve fitness training a]er meeFng renowned trainer and pro bodybuilder Hank Uhlaender while working at Google. Hank mentored and trained Jeremy resulFng in a 3rd place showing at the Naturally Fit Super Show in AusFn, TX. Known for his dynamic personality, creaFvity and professionalism, Jeremy is inspired by life’s diverse experiences. From running the Olympic torch for the 1996 Games in Atlanta to living and studying in Cape Town, South Africa, his adventures help shape his outlook on life, as well as his desire to make a difference. Jeremy was a part of a medical relief team that traveled to Sri Lanka a]er the 2004 tsunami.

I received an offer to wrestle at Oklahoma, but I wanted to enjoy my college years and didnʼt see that happening as a college wrestler. I choose Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Ca., and ended up playing club Rugby, compeFng internaFonally in New Zealand and South Africa.

I have taught 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th grade History at Veritas and enjoy the opportunity of telling stories from my life experiences, as well as opening up studentsʼ creaFve imaginaFon, bringing them out of educaFonal conformity. My greatest love in life is insFlling passion for life in others, moFvaFng them toward achieving their life goals through hard work.

Jeremy’s commitment to healthy living and helping others are driving forces in his life, and nobody knows this beRer than his wife and best friend Melissa FronFno Bergeron, the Co-­‐Founder of The Yoga Recipe.

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