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WILL BIG RAMY JULY 2018

REIGN VICTORIOUS? OLYMPIA 2018

LET’S TALK

ABOUT

SARMS

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EVAN ‘THE ANIMAL’

CENTOPANI www.flexonline.co.uk JULY 2018 £4.20 07

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INSIDE THIS MONTH

JULY 2018

10

IN EVERY ISSUE 8 NICK ORTON

FEATURES 20 THE ANIMAL INSIDE Animal sponsored athlete Evan Centopani gives Flex an exclusive insight into what gave him the drive to go from ‘Fat to Freak’.

COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY PER BERNAL

WILL BIG RAMY REIGN VICTORIOUS? The Olympia weekend is coming up! Will Big Ramy overshadow the other Olympians to take the prestigious Sandow trophy from the clutches of Phil ‘The Gift’ Heath?

26 THE BIONIC MAN Flex chats exclusively with Edgard JohnAugustin. The touching story of how Edgard lost his legs in a freak accident as a child and subsequently rose to greatness.

32 RAISE THE DEAD Santi Aragon, an IFBB Pro league bodybuilder, gives a step by step guide to deadlifting with perfect form for maximum growth.

40 LET’S TALK ABOUT SARMs Adrian Melia speaks openly on the hot topic of SARMs. Adrian takes a look at the latest research and also gives an insight into his own personal experiences.

46 HIIT KITCHEN CULINARY DELIGHTS With the opening of another restaurant in the famous Baker St London, HIIT Kitchen ofers some treats from their latest menu for you to cook.

56 COOL PRODUCTS AT BODYPOWER A look into some of the latest cool products from this year’s 10th Anniversary at Bodypower.

60 RISING STAR This month rising star Jase Long shows just what it takes to walk the road to bodybuilding stardom.

66 STRUCTURALLY SOUND Neil Hill explains how to igure out your best approach to make killer gains.

70 SQUATTING OR NOT Leica Gelsei goes through many ways to get maximum leg growth using only exercises that suit you.

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76 AMI KING ‘VEGAN’

96 HOW TO GET STARTED IN STRONGMAN

Vegan athlete Ami King expels the myth that vegans can’t be bodybuilders.

80 BODYPOWER SHOW REPORT

Strongman Legend Glenn Ross explains how to get to strongman greatness, and Terry Hollands smashes the bus pull record.

An insight into Britain’s greatest bodybuilding event- BodyPower.

102 GET SWOLE WITH WOLÉ

82 PCA SHOW REPORT AT BODYPOWER

An in-depth guide on how to grow a crazy chest with Wolé Adesemoye.

The winners who rocked the PCA stage at BodyPower.

84 WABBA SHOW REPORT Wabba show report and close up on two star winners.

86 HERCULES SHOW REPORT Highlights of all the winners from the prestigious Hercules Olympia 2018.

91 FAMOUS FACES OF BODYPOWER Did you get to see all the famous faces at this year’s BodyPower? A relection on some of the greats that graced BodyPower’s Vegas strip.

94 BODYPOWER SHOW REPORT: DORIAN YATES A testament to Dorian’s charitable artwork at BodyPower 2018.

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FLEX | JULY 2018

110 TOM COLEMAN ‘HOW I GOT HERE’ Britain’s great Muscle Model athlete Tom Coleman shares his blueprint on how to hit it big time.

116 BLOOD FLOW RESTRICTION TRAINING Guru John Buckland takes you through the beneits of blood low restriction training and how it gives bigger, stronger muscles.

120 TWEAKS TO BECOME A FREAK Five alterations to basic upper-body exercises that will hype up hypertrophy.

128 HOT BOD NABBA Overall Junior Bikini winner Rachael Okeefe takes this month’s coveted Hot Bod title.

CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER David Pecker

UK EDITION CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Nick Orton

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CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Nick Orton EDITORIAL UK MANAGING DIRECTOR Carl Walker e-mail: c.walker@bodypower.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Danni Levy e-mail: d.levy@bodypower.com EDITOR Darren Nicholhurst e-mail: d.nicholhurst@bodypower.com

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EDITORIAL Brian Good, Zack Zeigler; Dave Ian Lee; Greg Merritt; Angelica Nebbia; Andrew Gutman; Yeun Littleield; Jef Tomko; Marc Bailes; James Riley; Russell Mendoza; Victor Kim; Declan O’Kelly; Rose McNulty

CONTRIBUTORS Michael Berg; Adam Bible; Eric Broser; Bryan Haycock; Roger Lockridge; Peter McGough; Steven Stiefel; Joe Wuebben

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President of the IFBB Professional League JIM MANION Founder and Chairman Emeritus JOE WEIDER (1920–2013) We assume no responsibility for returning unsolicited material, including but not limited to photographs, artwork, manuscripts and letters. Membership on the Editorial Advisory Board does not imply endorsement of any product or service advertised in this magazine. Views expressed in advertisements and editorials are not necessarily those of FLEX or the Editorial Advisory Board. Reader discretion is advised. Please consult your doctor before beginning any exercise or diet programme, or when making changes in an existing programme if you have any doubts about your health status.Every care is taken to assure the accuracy of the information in FLEX, but no responsibility can be accepted for the consequences of actions based on the advice contained herein. BodyPower Publishing Ltd makes every efort to ensure that the advertising contained in FLEX is derived from respectable sources. It does not, however, assume responsibility for the advertisements, nor any claims and representations made therein, nor the quality or delivery of the products/services themselves.

Editorial articles relating to food supplementation and sports nutrition reproduced in this issue of FLEX, are for information purposes only and are not intended to solicit or otherwise promote any commercialised product containing the mentioned supplements. FLEX is distributed on an international basis. To the extent permitted by law, Weider Publications, LLC, a subsidiary of American Media, Inc and its ailiates: BodyPower Publishing Ltd, do not accept liability for the efects of reported supplements or products, legal or illegal or any loss, injury or damage caused by their use. It is the responsibility of the individual to abide by the laws and dosage allowances speciic to their country of residence. Always consult a doctor before commencing supplementation or changing dosages. Some supplements may not work efectively outside speciic dosage ranges and may potentially cause harm if taken in excess. Not all supplements, combinations of supplements, or dose ranges of supplements may be suitable, safe or efective for everybody.

Copyright © (2018) BodyPower Publishing Ltd. Published under license from Weider Publications, LLC, a subsidiary of American Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. ‘FLEX’ is a trademark of Weider Publications, LLC, a subsidiary of American Media, Inc. and may not be used or reproduced without the permission of Weider Publications, LLC. The information in FLEX is intended to educate. Do not substitute it for the advice of a qualiied health care practitioner.

FROM THE CEO

By Nick Orton

BodyPower is Changing Our 10-year anniversary didn’t disappoint, athletes, exhibitors and amazing competitions all under one roof. BodyPower always has and continues to bring the fitness family together, we must work as one to ensure each and every visitor has a fantastic, unforgettable experience. We lift the nation and we will continue to do so.

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FLEX | JULY 2018

Plans are already underway for the rest of 2018 and 2019, including BodyPower on the Beach and the unmissable BodyPower Weekender in Edinburgh. BodyPower Expo 2019 will be all change and experience will be the word on everyone’s lips, this is the future for BodyPower and the expo is changing as you know it!

2019 will bring change and

the evolution of BodyPower is coming… Introducing BodyPower Experience, a brand new, unique show focused on giving you the ultimate weekend. Whether you’re looking to compete, spectate or browse the streets of industry-leading clothing and nutrition brands, BodyPower Experience is the place for you.

Stand in awe and soak up the atmosphere of BodyPower Central, the overwhelming focal point of the show and disperse to see all of the fantastic aspects on offer. As you would expect, the popular areas of BodyPower will remain, including leading education sessions and world-renowned competitions. With a strong focus on fitness as a lifestyle, BodyPower is changing as you know it. Three unforgettable days of a theme-park inspired fitness extravaganza, 2019’s expo will be truly unmissable. @nickorton22 @bodypowerexpo

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WILL

BIG RAMY

REIGN VICTORIOUS? OLYMPIA 2018 THE RIDICULOUSLY WIDE, THICK BACK OF MAMDOUH “BIG RAMY” ELSSBIAY ECLIPSED ALL BUT ONE OF HIS FOES LAST YEAR. WILL IT BE ENOUGH TO PULL OFF AN UPSET AT THIS SEPTEMBER’S OLYMPIA? ///

BY MICHAEL BERG /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY PER BERNAL Who is going to take the Sandow this September?

Will ‘The Gift’ Phil take an eighth title, or will Big Ramy’s monster width crush Phil in his shadows?

Or, is it time for a complete change? Maybe European William ‘The Conqueror’ Bonac will scoop the trophy away from all their grasps. This really would complete his winning streak after his Arnold Victory!

The Olympia weekend is a tense environment for every bodybuilder, spectator and competitor. Everyone at the show knows that anything could happen. Every competitor wants to tear Phil away from his eighth title- and what’s stopping them?

Phil has built so much hard, grainy muscle from years of conditioning, but it only takes a moment of giving in to the outside pressures of being the King to lose control and ruin the last stages of prep. One thing’s for certain- coach Hany Rambod will be keeping a watchful eye on his every movement to get the best out of the best.

Big Ramy may have superhuman size, but in previous years his condition has not been sharp enough. It looks as if it’s going to be a different story this year though. The Monster has

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FLEX | JULY 2018

been spending time in Kuwait with Team Oxygen and his density has totally changed.

It seems that any athlete that ends up a part of Team Oxygen grows uncontrollably- just look at Brit Nathan De Asha!

People have complained in the past of Ramy’s soft glutes and legs- not this September they won’t. I can see him stepping on stage peeled. If he can do this, it will be a tough decision for the judges, especially as he out freaks most and has a great smile.

William Bonac does seem to be a perfect contender to be a Mr Olympia though.

He has grown into each one of his contests, bringing home great results. The condition that Bonac has is outstanding.

He has deep, thick muscle bellies with razor sharp feathering in every area of his physique. Shawn Ray, who knows everything and anything condition and stage presence, has billed Bonac as the next Kai Greene. So, with Bonac’s flawless lines and as always a posing routine that leaves the jaws of the judges scraping the floor, could a European be crowned the next Mr O??

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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THE TURNING POINT If Elssbiay ends Heath’s title run, it will be in no small part due to his back, including a rear lat spread striking for its impossible, lightobliterating dimensions that can figuratively swallow other competitors whole.

Surely, his approach to back training isn’t likely to change course too much in 2018, as he settles in with his crew at the palatial Oxygen Gym in Kuwait City. There, as he has in the past, he’ll surely lean on exercises that have brought him growth and cuts, including dumbbell rows, lat pulldowns to the front and to the rear, and seated cable rows and machine rows, among other mainstays.

About three years ago, the Egyptian-born Elssbiay met trainer Ahmad Alaqi, who introduced a progressive approach to his back, chest, leg, and shoulder workouts.

As Alaqi explained in 2015, “We vary the rep range from 15 to 6. Each week, we decrease the number of reps. So we start Week 1 with sets of 15 reps. Next week we go to 12 reps. The week after, 10, then 8, and finally 6. And then we go back to 15 and start over again.”

As the reps decrease, the weights

BACK WORKOUT Here’s how a back workout using Big Ramy’s training approach might look. For each movement, you’d do warm-ups as needed to get to your working weight, nudging up the poundage week to week as the target number of reps per set drops. Other moves Big Ramy relies on include Hammer Strength pulldowns, barbell rows, deadlifts, and stif-arm pulldowns.

rise over the five-week progression.

On the following pages is a walk-through of five of Big Ramy’s standard back moves, with form pointers to squeeze the maximum stimulation out of each. #SHOWDOWN On Oct. 11, nearly four weeks removed from the Olympia, Elssbiay posted a simple state ment to his Facebook page, accompanied with a contest shot from the 2016 Prague Pro: “Be all in or get all out, there is no halfway.”

On Oct. 20, he posted another short, potent reminder of his resolve: “Change comes one day at a time. #never #give #up.”

Of course, social media declarations don’t win contests.

Unbridled effort, intensive concentration, and a willingness to grind it out day after day in the gym while eating a steady slew of plain proteins, veggies, and clean carbs are the only ways forward. We can firmly assume Big Ramy, having come so close to the pinnacle, won’t waver as he pounds away between now and next September.

All the while, half a world away, Phil Heath will be doing the same in his Colorado compound. Two men, set to face off for their sport’s ultimate prize, with history on the line to boot.

For fans, the rematch can’t come soon enough.

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS (BY WEEK)

Machine Row

3–4

15, 12, 10, 8, 6

One-arm Dumbbell Row

3–4

15, 12, 10, 8, 6

Lat Pulldown to Front

3–4

15, 12, 10, 8, 6

Lat Pulldown to Rear

3–4

15, 12, 10, 8, 6

Seated Cable Row

3–4

15, 12, 10, 8, 6

NOTE: This does not include any warm-up sets you need to safely reach your working weight.

ELSSBIAY’S TRAINING SPLIT Monday Chest

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Tuesday Legs

FLEX | JULY 2018

Wednesday Delts

Thursday Back

Friday Arms

MACHINE ROW Targets Latissimus dorsi, mid back muscles (rhomboids, teres major, teres minor) Also Works Traps, rear deltoids, biceps Grip Palms facing or palms down; straps are helpful to extend your ability to hold on Step by Step Adjust the seat so that when you grasp the handles, your arms are straight out from your shoulders and your middle chest and upper abs can rest firmly against the pad.

1

2

Grasp the handles with a palms-down (pronated) or palms-facing (neutral) grip, and lift the weight up a few inches into the starting position.

3

Pull the handles evenly toward you as your elbows go backward past the plane of your back, while also simultaneously shifting your shoulder blades inward near the apex of the repetition.

4

Hold the peak contraction for a brief count, then return along the same path, extending your elbows and feeling a stretch through your lats and mid back.

5

Stop before the weights touch down so that you can maintain tension throughout the set.

TRAINING TIP Elssbiay tends to focus on long contractions when doing this exercise, taking full advantage of the range of motion the Hammer Strength apparatus offers. He’ll pull his elbows back as far as he can behind his body, and he may add a few forced reps at the end of the final set with the help of his trainer to thoroughly burn out the area.

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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TRAINING TIP The secret of productive one-arm rows is to not overtwist the upper body, which can add unwanted momentum while also putting the spine at some unnecessary risk for injury. The movement should be driven by your back muscles contracting and your shoulder shifting up and inward. In addition, your head should remain in a neutral, aligned position with your back—no need to look up as you rep.

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ONE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW Targets Lats, rhomboids, middle and lower trapezius Also Works Erector spinae, biceps Grip Neutral (palm facing his body), with straps for additional strength Step by Step While these can be done in a variety of ways—including with one knee on a bench— Big Ramy keeps both feet on the floor and, as is the case here, places his free hand on the knee pad of a pulldown machine for balance.

1

2

Hold one dumbbell with your working-side hand, wrapping the strap around the handle and then placing your palm and fingers around it to get a solid grip.

3

To start, your back should be flat from head to tailbone, your torso angled about 45 degrees in relation to the floor, with the weight hanging straight down from your shoulder joint.

4

To initiate a rep, flex through your back and bend your elbow to pull the dumbbell toward your flank. Your elbow will rise up past the level of your back, and the shoulder blade of the working side should shift inward as you reach the top of your range of motion.

5

After a flexing pause at the top, lower the weight down along the same path to a full stretch—just don’t let the dumbbell touch down to the floor between reps.

Snapshot Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay Birth Date: 16 Sept. 1984 Height: 5'9" Weight: 300 lbs (contest); 325 lbs (of-season) Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt Residence: Kuwait City, Kuwait Career Highlights: 2017 Mr. Olympia, 2nd; 2017 Arnold Classic

Europe, 1st; 2016 Kuwait Pro, 1st; 2015 Arnold Classic Brazil, 1st; 2013–14 New York Pro, 1st; 2012 Amateur Olympia, super-heavyweight and overall champ (earned pro card) Social: Instagram @big_ramy; Facebook @RamyMohElspiy JULY 2018 | FLEX

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REAR LAT PULLDOWN Targets Lats Also Works Biceps Grip Overhand, a few inches outside shoulder width Step by Step Grasp the bar a few inches past the point where each side angles downward.

1

2

Sit in the seat with your legs tucked underneath the kneepads.

Your feet should be flat on the floor, elbows extended (but not hyperextended), with the selected bars of the weight stack lifted at least an inch or two.

3

FRONT LAT PULLDOWN Targets Lats Also Works Biceps Grip Overhand, a few inches outside shoulder width Step by Step Grasp the bar a few inches past the point where each side angles downward—while Ramy doesn’t always wrap his thumbs around the bar, you should, as the open-handed grip doesn’t offer any additional benefit while increasing the risk of slippage. (You can also consider straps, which Elssbiay uses throughout his back workouts, to further boost your grip.)

1

2

Sit in the seat with your legs tucked underneath the kneepads. Your feet should be flat on the floor to provide stability. In the seated position with elbows open, the weight stack should be lifted at least an inch or two.

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FLEX | JULY 2018

3

With your core tight and torso slightly angled back, pull downward to bring the centre of the bar attachment down to your upper chest—you’ll bend your elbows and bring them rearward so they break the plane of your back at the bottom, while your shoulder blades, as with your other rowing motions, shift back and down.

4

Once the bar lightly touches your chest, squeeze the muscles throughout your upper and midback for a count and reverse the motion, allowing the bar to again slowly rise to the starting position.

Don’t let the weight stack touch down between reps.

Training Tip While a weight belt isn’t mandatory, Elssbiay relies on one—cinching a belt offers a helpful mental cue to keep your abdominals and lower back tight during back exercises, a good habit that helps protect the vulnerable lower lumbar region during heavy training.

With your core tight, chin down (but not tucked), and torso slightly angled forward, pull downward to bring the centre of the bar attachment down to the back of your neck.

Bend your elbows and bring them downward so they approach your flank.

4

Once the bar lightly touches your neck, squeeze the muscles throughout your upper and midback for a count and reverse the motion, allowing the bar to again slowly rise to the starting position. Don’t let the weight stack touch down between reps.

TRAINING TIP Again here, straps can be helpful to help power up your grip and extend sets past the point where your forearms start to give way. They are especially valuable for back—since the back muscles are larger and much more powerful than the smaller forearms, they’ll tend to last longer and be able to handle much more weight. You don’t want forearms to be the limiting factor in the stimulus you’re providing to your back.

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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TRAINING TIP The seated cable row is not the same as a rowing machine, where you’re generating momentum by leaning forward, then back on each repetition. Here, you want to keep your lower back in position and let the movement occur in the upper and middle back, shoulders, and arms.

Think of your hands as merely hooks that connect you to the resistance.

The biceps will participate, but don’t allow them to be the prime mover.

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SEATED CABLE ROW Targets Lats, mid back muscles (rhomboids, teres major, teres minor) Also Works Traps, rear deltoids, biceps Grip Neutral, close, using a V-handle attachment Step by Step Attach a close-grip V-bar handle to the seated row cable machine and sit upright on the bench, facing the weight stack.

1

2

Place your feet against the foot platform with your legs slightly bent, then reach forward to grasp the handles, leaning back until your torso is upright and your arms are fully extended.

3

Keeping your elbows in close to the sides of your body, pull the handle toward your midsection by bending your elbows and shifting your shoulder blades backward, squeezing your blades together as the handle reaches your midsection.

4

Hold for a one count, flexing your lats and mid back, before slowly returning to the start position, not letting the weight stack touch down between reps.

IF ELSSBIAY ENDS HEATH’S TITLE RUN, IT WILL BE IN NO SMALL PART DUE TO HIS BACK, INCLUDING HIS REAR LAT SPREAD. JULY 2018 | FLEX

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THE ANIMAL INSIDE Evan Centopani IFBB Pro

E

van Centopani’s story is a little different when compared to most other bodybuilding accounts.

He started life as a ‘fat kid’ (his words, not mine), while being surrounded by an environment that was watching and idolising the more muscular guys like Arnie and the wrestlers from WWF.

The 80’s was a time when everything on tv was about strong, indestructible heroes.

Life was a little tough for Evan.

“My parents split when I was three,” he begins. “My Mum and I were in the car, and she said ‘Evan, things are going to be a little different now, your Dad and I have split.’”

This was a difficult situation for Evan to take on board as a youngster who was so heavily influenced by his father. As a result, his weight started to increase massively and almost spiralled out of control.

“I was 12 years of age and nearly 16 stone in weight,” he recalls.

“I can’t put it any other way, I was fat, and I absolutely hated it.”

As many others do in this situation, Evan decided to exercise, but with little education he expected a huge change in a short time.

“I started to run as much as possible,” he says. “I lost five stone extremely quickly, and for the first time in my life, I felt I was getting somewhere. However, I was

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FLEX | JULY 2018

///

BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @daz_the_bull

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANIMALPAK.COM

shocked that I had lost all this weight and still didn’t have visible abs.”

The Turning Point

BodyPower Expo Athlete

Then came the turning point. Now 13 years of age, Evan started to lift weights knowing that although he

had lost all this weight, now was the time to try and gain some muscle to fill out the loose skin.

“I knew that this was the only way to gain muscles and get ripped up,” he explains. “I managed to bring my weight down to just over 11 stone, and as soon as I started to lift properly I could see that I gained muscle very quickly.”

At this stage, Evan started to look into educating himself on how to eat correctly as he was still apprehensive about eating the wrong foods and gaining bad, unhealthy weight.

Nine years passed and at the age 22, the determination had hugely paid off. Weighing an impressive 20 stone, this time of muscle and not fat, Evan was getting noticed

more and more.

“A guy in my gym said to me one day, ‘you’ve got to compete’ so, I dieted myself leaner and got ready for the show in 10 weeks,” he recalls.

Absolutely shredded and now weighing around 17 stone, Evan competed and won his class and took the overall title.

Over a year later, Evan was still competing and continuing to grow.

He won the Nationals class and overall title.

“Even though I had spent many years achieving the physique I wanted, I had only just got over the fear of getting fat again,” he says.

“At the same time, my head had to understand that I was dieted down, and I wasn’t as muscular

as normal. This makes you feel small when you’re so used to being such a muscular guy. The fear at this time is that you’re too small to win.

Eventually I learned to understand that when I felt like this, my condition was clearly perfect, as I won each time I felt that way.”

“Basically, I kinda knew. If I felt small, then I’m probably in winning shape. Don’t live by the scales.”

The Biggest Lesson in Life At 29 years of age, Evan received some devastating news.

“My dad, the strong, powerful man I looked up to all my life had been diagnosed with Neuroendocrine cancer. It tore me into pieces,” he JULY 2018 | FLEX

21

says, still clearly feeling the pain of this news even today.

“My dad was so strong all his life, I mean, his forearms were huge, bigger than mine today,” says Evan.

This was going to be the biggest battle that Father and Son had to overcome. “My Dad opted to take a trial treatment called immunotherapy, not knowing what the outcome may be,” he continues.

“I used my focus and strength of mind to keep him and myself as positive as possible to get him through it.”

After having had one lung removed and enduring six years of

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FLEX | JULY 2018

treatment, the trial treatment worked.

“None of us could believe that it was finally over,” Evan sighs with relief. “Dad being Dad, he was back working one week later.”

Evan knew after experiencing this traumatic situation and remaining focused on the bodybuilding dream that anything could be overcome.

He learned that in order to excel, you have to be excessive.

“As a fat kid with a broken family, I had zero control over anything,” he says. “Now, as a bodybuilder, I have complete control of my eating, day to day living and also my mind.

Bodybuilding gave me the control I never had before, and this control gave me a future. Now, I could achieve anything I set my mind to.”

Evans Words of Advice “If you want to become a bodybuilder, take the time to do it correctly.

Learn from the best minds you have access too. Don’t waste time doing nothing shows or a category that you don’t intend to stay competing in. Work towards the person you see yourself as in the end.

If I can do it and go from an excessively overweight kid to a Pro bodybuilder, you can too.”

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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TRAINING: MONDAY: Shoulders and Triceps Barbell Shoulder Press- 1 warmup set, 15 reps followed by 3 working sets 8-12 reps and superset with Standing Dumbbell Presses, 6-8 reps Dumbbell Side Laterals- 2 working sets, 10-12 reps and superset with Plate Steering Wheels, 15-20 reps (twists = 10 reps per side) Reverse Pec Fly- 2 working sets, 10-15 reps superset with Bent Over Dumbbell Laterals, 10-12 reps Rope Extensions- 2 working sets, 10-15 reps superset with Barbell Skull-crushers, 10-12 reps Wide Grip Cable Pushdowns- 2 working sets, 8-10 reps and superset with Bodyweight extensions for maximum reps

TUESDAY: Quads Barbell Squats- 2 warmups sets, 10-15 reps followed by 2 working sets, 10-12 reps and superset with Sissy Squats, 10-15 reps Leg Press- 2 warmup sets, 10-15 reps followed by 2 working sets, 15-20 reps and superset with Leg Extensions, 10-12 reps Walking Dumbbell Lunges- 2 working sets, 16-20 steps (8-10 reps per leg)

THURSDAY: Back Narrow Grip Cable Rows- 3 working sets, 10-15 reps and superset with Deadlifts, 8-10 reps Bent Over Barbell Rows- 2 working sets (each set is a double drop set) 8-12 reps

Cable Crossover Flyes- 2 working sets, 10-12 reps and superset with dips with maximum reps Dumbbell Preacher Curls- 2 working sets, 8-12 reps (each set is a double drop using the same weight) Barbell Curls- 2 working sets, 8-12 reps and superset with hand held plate curls, 8-10 reps

SATURDAY: Hams and Calves Standing Single Leg Curl- 2 working sets, 8-20 reps (each set is a double drop set performed with the same weight for each set…no rest is taken…as soon as one leg is pushed to failure, the other goes and so on) Glute Ham Raises- 2 working sets, 10-14 reps and superset with lying leg curls, 10-12 reps High Rep Deadlifts- 2 working sets, 20-24 reps on the first set and then the same weight on the second set to failure (usually around 15 reps) Standing Single Leg Bodyweight Calf RaisesMaximum reps on one foot then switch to other foot and the back again…alternating back and forth until only capable of 6-8 reps Seated Calf Raises- 3 working sets, 15-20 reps Standing Calf Raises- 3 working sets, 10-15 reps and superset with bodyweight standing calf raises (two feet at the same time as opposed to single leg) to failure

Cable Pullovers- 3 working sets, 15-20 reps and superset with Assisted Pullups, 6-10 reps

DIET:

Dumbbell Rows- 1 working set (1 set + 2 dropsets with the same weight each drop) maximum reps each time (select weight that you will fail at 15 reps on first set)…then you must immediately go from side to side with no rest.

MEAL 1: 7 whole eggs, ½ cup oats, 1 tbsp honey MEAL 2: 9 oz chicken breast, 1 cup kale, 1 cup white rice, 1 tbsp olive oil

FRIDAY: Chest, Biceps and Abs

MEAL 3: 9 oz chicken breast, 1 cup kale, 1 cup white rice, 1 tbsp olive oil

Flat Barbell Bench Press- 2 warmup sets, 10-15 reps followed by 4 working sets, 8-12 reps. Last set is a double drop set.

MEAL 4: 10 oz cod, large salad, 1 cup white rice, 1 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp vinegar

Incline Barbell Press- 3 working sets, 8-10 reps

MEAL 5: 4 scoops ANIMAL Meal mixed with water

Incline Dumbbell Press- 3 working sets, 8-10 reps and superset with dumbbell flyes, 8-10 reps

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MEAL 6: 10 oz cod, 1 cup white rice, large salad, 1 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp vinegar

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B IONIC M AN I THE

The adaptation to a tragic event or a stressful situation will do one of two things to any human; take them down to dark depths, or create an incredible, strong, powerful, unstoppable character that can make dreams come true.

Edgard’s story is just that. The French Strasbourg-based Bionic Man was a typical happy, healthy 4-year-old boy, when a tragic event changed his life forever.

FLEX caught up with Edgard for an exclusive, in-depth interview.

“I was asleep travelling in a car at 4 years of age when my mum lost control and there was a horrific accident,” he begins. “It was due to this accident that I had both my lower legs amputated.

“Nobody, unless they’ve had a similar experience, could ever understand how this would feel.

I had no choice- I had to learn to live with it. I feel I was lucky I was so young when I lost my legs. I think I would have struggled more both physically and mentally if I were older at the time. All I wanted was to be like others, playing and running around.”

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Edgard John-Augustin ///

BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL

P H O T O C R E D I T S : ( L ) K E I T H H I G G O T T/ ( R ) T I B O N O R M A N

have written many articles on many bodybuilders, all showing how the adversity and stresses of life have led to adaptation.

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No matter how humble and mentally healthy you are, at a time like this, inevitably there are dark moments.

“Of course I had my ups and downs,” says Edgard. “At points of my of my life, it was so hard to deal with. I had so many surgeries, I was in a wheelchair during recovery and I became an overweight teenager as a result. All this combined with a handicap was somewhat challenging.”

So, how and where did Edgard find the incredible strength and determination from to keep going and never give up?

“My Mum gave me the strength to deal with everything in life, he reveals. “She has an unwavering faith in God and so have I. My Mum and her faith helped me to become the man I am today. My Mum used to say; ‘Do it, nobody will do it for you,’ and this is so true, and still is my daily motto.”

Being part of a large family of nine kids with money issues gave Edgard an understanding of value, not only of material things and food, but of others. This is where he gleaned his true inspiration and character, watching his parents always do their best to provide everything he needed.

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PHOTO CREDIT: KEITH HIGGOTT

Where the Strength Came From

BIONIC FOOD PLAN “I eat around 5000 calories per day (offseason)�

150g oats + 20g whey Isolate + omega 3 + multivitamin from Olimp Sport Nutrition + 130g egg whites + 1 avocado

(Uncooked weights) 120g basmati rice + 170g chicken Breast + NAC

(Uncooked weights) 120g brown rice + 170g light beef + 150g asparagus + 15g olive oil + Omega 3

This is Edgars exact offseason food plan

(Uncooked weights) 300g sweet potatoes + 150g salmon + 100g green salad + 10g walnut oil + omega 3

(Uncooked weights) 100g egg white omelette + 80g salmon + peanut butter

WHAT BUILT THE BIONIC BEAST 1. Leg extension: 3 sets of 20 reps very slow (then, without

stopping, do 10 more reps quickly).

2. Leg press: 5 sets: 40 reps, 30 reps, 20 reps, 10 reps and last set is also a drop-set.

3. Squats with Smith machine or hack squat: 4 sets of 10/12 reps.

1. Pull up 4 sets to failure.

2. Bent over rowing bar or dumbbells: 4 sets: 20 reps, 15 reps, 10 reps and 6/8 reps.

3. Seated low pulley rowing (slowly): 4 sets to failure.

4. T-Bar row: 3 sets: 15, 10, 6/8.

5. Wide grip Lat Pulldown: 4 sets: 12/15 reps.

6. Straight Arms pulldowns using a cable: 4 sets: 15 reps.

1. Pec-dec machine: 4 sets: 20 reps, 15 reps, 10 reps and the last set is a drop set.

PHOTO CREDIT: TIBO NORMAN

2. Incline chest press with smith machine: 4 sets of 12 reps.

3. Dumbbell chest press: 4 sets of 12 reps.

4. Chest press machine: 4 sets: 10 reps of arms by arms and max with both to failure.

5. High cable chest Fly: 4 sets: 15/20 reps.

6. Dips: 4 sets to failure.

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The Love of Weights

SHOW HISTORY 2015 GP des Pyrénées first in the handicapped category 2015 European championship 1st place wheelchair category 2016 Loaded Cup in Germany handicapped open class 1st place 2016 Top de Colmar handicapped open class 1st place 2017 Toronto Pro show open category 2017 New York pro show open category 2018 Toronto pro show classic physique 2018 Olympia amateur Spain Alicante pro show classic physique Edgar is not allowed to compete in the wheelchair category as a pro, but also can’t be judged alongside the other athletes. This means that there is no chance of a podium placing until they open a handicapped class. Hopefully, soon, the federations will introduce the handicapped class and allow more people to enter especially after being inspired by great athletes like the Bionic Man, his thoughts on this are, “I love the struggle of preparation and the feeling of being on stage. So, I will continue to compete, even though it’s hard knowing that I won’t be on that winning podium no matter how great my condition is.”

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Edgar’s Final Words “Do it.

Nobody will do it for you!

And thank God, everyday, for what you have.”

Insta/@bionic_body Facebook/Bionic Body

PHOTO CREDIT: TIBO NORMAN

Unlike many other bodybuilders that get into weights to improve their sporting ability, Edgar’s trigger was exam stress.

“I went to the gym for the first time when I was 20,” he says. “I needed something that would relax my mind and allow me to focus during my exams.

I fell in love with going to the gym, and then I bought my first copy of FLEX magazine and I couldn’t believe how amazing the bodybuilders looked. I read an article on the greats and it was then I knew I wanted to become a bodybuilder.”

It has taken a number of years for Edgar to build the dense physique that has given him the ability to compete. Since 2015, he’s won a number of first-place trophies.

“I realised very quickly the importance of consistently eating correctly and it’s nutrition that gave me growth,” he reveals. “This and having family support around you is the best advice I would give someone who wants to compete.”

Raise the Dead

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MODEL SNAPSHOT

SANTI ARAGON

Breathe new life into your deadlift routine with these potent variations for more power and strength. ///

BY JOE WUEBBEN

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS NICOLL

IFBB PRO LEAGUE BODYBUILDER AND MUSCLETECH ATHLETE

Ask any traditional strength junkie about the correct way to deadlift, and he’ll tell you that your feet need to be inches apart and your grip right outside your thighs.

We say BS. Sure, a competition deadlift is a musclebuilding must-do. After all, few moves build size and strength in the posterior chain—glutes, back, and hamstrings—like it. But at its core, the deadlift is simply a hip hinge—and there’s more than one way to do it.

In fact, on the following pages, we’ll give you six offshoots of the classic deadlift, as deviating from it on a regular basis is in your best interest. You’ll be stronger across more paths of motion and more well-rounded because of it. These six effective variations are brought to you courtesy of Ollie Quinn, a strongman competitor, a former Royal Marine, and the owner of BattleBells personal training in Austin, Texas.

Work these moves into your pulling repertoire, and no one will be able to tell you you’re not deadlifting—because chances are you’ll be pulling more weight off the floor than them.

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CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT Why Do It: Because it’s the industry standard for measuring brute strength and power. “It’s the king of lifts,” Quinn says. “No other deadlift variation screams static strength and athleticism like this one.”

Execution: Stand in front of a loaded barbell resting on the floor in front of you, feet hip-width apart. Keeping your back flat and head up, bend your knees and hips to grasp the bar with a shoulder-width grip. This is your start position. Stand up with the bar in one explosive motion by extending your knees and driving your hips forward.

Quinn Says: “Fill your belly with air to brace your abs. Hinge your upper body, keep a neutral spine, and squeeze the bar—imagine bending it into a horseshoe shape, using your lats, before you pull.”

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DEFICIT DEADLIFT Why Do It: “Due to the extra range of motion required, deficit deads are a great way to help build your off-the-floor strength,” Quinn says. “That said, if you struggle with the mobility required to get into a regular deadlift position, deficit deads probably aren’t for you.”

Execution: Place one or two 45-pound weight plates underneath a loaded barbell resting on the floor. Step onto the plate(s) and assume the same start position as you would with a conventional deadlift. Deadlift the bar off the floor to a full standing position, then lower the bar, with control, back down to the floor.

Quinn Says: “There’s no need to create too large of a deficit at first—standing on one 45-pound plate or a one-inch board is fine to start with.”

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SUMO DEADLIFT Why Do It: For starters, the wide stance creates a shorter range of motion, which can help relieve lowerback pain. Also, if your glutes and quads are weak in your conventional pull, switching to sumos for a while will build strength in those muscle groups.

Execution: With your feet shoulderwidth apart and toes pointed out, sink your butt down and grab the bar with your hands just on the inside of your thighs. (You can use a closer grip, as shown on the opening spread, if more comfortable.) Start with your butt down, torso as upright as possible, and core tight. Deadlift the bar off the floor, keeping your back flat and knees pointed outward the entire time. When your hips and knees reach full extension, lower the bar back down.

Quinn Says: “Keep as much of your body behind the bar as possible. Think about pushing the floor apart hard with your feet to lift the bar off the floor.

When you get the bar moving, keep your knees out and finish by driving your hips into the bar.�

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SUITCASE DEADLIFT Why Do It: “Suitcase deadlifts are a great way to work your obliques and keep your deadlift balanced,” Quinn says.

“If your core is weak, you’ll never have a big deadlift. A wise man once said, ‘You can’t fire a cannon from a canoe.’ ” Execution: Stand parallel to a barbell loaded with significantly lighter weight than you’d normally use. (Do a few sets with the empty bar to get a feel for the move.) With your feet hip-width apart, bend at the hips and knees and grab the middle of the bar. Following standard deadlift body positioning, pull the bar off the floor. Focus on keeping your chest facing forward and the bar level with the floor. When you reach full hip and knee extension, lower the weight back down under control.

Quinn Says: “Don’t let the weight pull you to the side. Your shoulders will try to bend toward the weight; to counter this, brace your abs and flex both lats before you pull.”

SNATCH-GRIP DEADLIFT Why Do It: “Like deficit deadlifts, the snatch-grip version is effective for increasing off-the-floor strength,” says Quinn. “But these are also great for adding slabs of muscle to your upper back and traps, and a big upper back equals a bigger deadlift.”

Execution: With your feet hip-width apart and toes pointed outward, bend at the hips and knees to lower down, and grab a loaded barbell with a wide, overhand grip. With your butt down, back flat, and core tight, lift the bar off the floor. When your hips and knees reach full extension, lower the bar back down.

Quinn Says: “Start by grabbing the bar with a grip that is a little wider than your regular bench press grip—you can always go wider as you get better at these. Flex your traps and lats, and, when you pull, keep the bar close to your body all the way to lockout.”

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TRAP-BAR DEADLIFT NOT SHOWN Why Do It: According to Quinn, trap-bar deadlifts are great for three reasons.

1) They help immobile lifters get into the proper starting position; 2) a better starting position is more spine-friendly, making it a safer variation; and 3) the optimal starting position and neutral grip usually mean you can lift more weight. And more weight means more strength gained over time.

Execution: Stand in the middle of a trap bar, feet hip-width apart. Grab the handles and drop your hips. Your hands should be in line with your heels, thus allowing your torso to be more upright.

Shift your weight back to your heels and then pull. Reach full hip and knee extension at the top.

Quinn Says: “It’s OK to get a little squatty with the trap-bar deadlift— meaning, it’s fine to let your knees come forward and hips drop down low. This lets you take full advantage of your huge quad muscles to start the pull. Also, when you grab the handles, keep your middle fingers in line with the centre of your foot.”

“Raise the Dead” Workout Plug any of the six deadlift variations into this sample pulling workout.

Focus on two or three variations every eight to 12 weeks, rotating between them on a regular basis.

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

REST

Deadlift*

5

3–5

2–3 min.

Glute-Ham Raise

4

10

2 min.

Chinup

4

10

2 min.

One-arm Dumbbell Row

4

15

1–2 min.

45-degree Back Raise

4

20

1–2 min.

Side Plank

3

30–45 sec.

1 min.

(per side)

*Conventional, deficit, sumo, suitcase, snatch grip, or trap bar.

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LET’S TALK ABOUT SARMs

Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators

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///

BY ADRIAN MELIA

This is a topic that seems to be filled with a lot of misinformation and misconceptions so let’s try and shed a little light on the subject.

This article does not reflect the views of FLEX magazine or BodyPower Publishing, or its employees.

This article reflects solely and entirely the views and personal experiences of the author.

PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK

So, what are SARMs? Well, SARMs is the acronym for selective androgenic modulators.

What does that mean? SARMs can either block or stimulate the same nuclear hormone receptors under different conditions. Consequently, if they can block or stimulate a receptor in a selective tissue manner, they may be able to mimic the beneficial effects in one tissue.

And, at the same time, minimise the unwanted effects of the synthetic steroidal hormones in other tissues.

Since SARMs are a class of androgens (a specific class of hormones that serve as ligands), they can bind to cellular androgen receptors. As a result, the androgen receptors will trigger a complex signal transduction pathway that will lead to a greater expression of specific genes. In other words, they work like a light switch to turn on specific receptors to produce particular results. Both anabolic steroids and prohormones bind to the androgen receptor which will result in muscle growth. However, SARMs have full anabolic activity in muscle and bone. They have a minimal effect on the prostate, as opposed to anabolics, which can be very harmful to this gland. In spite of being oral compounds, SARMs are not methylated, so they are not liver toxic.

Because SARMs are very specific to the androgen receptors, they can be beneficial for safe muscle building. There is a multitude of benefits with SARMs. They are highly beneficial to bones, muscle tissues, and sexual function without the conversion of androgens into

Ostarine

estrogens seen with steroids or prohormones. SARMs are still relatively new to the market, but the effects do appear to be strong.

Off-season or bulking athletes can expect to gain significant strength and muscle mass with adequate calories. They will also find water retention cannot occur, meaning any weight gained will be that of lean muscle tissue.

For the dieting or cutting athlete, one of the primary concerns is protecting lean muscle mass. When you want to lose fat, you must burn more calories than you consume, and this can and will lead to muscle tissue loss without protective agents. Regardless of how genetically superior an individual is, some muscle tissue loss is unavoidable. By increasing anabolic activity, such as attaching a potent SARM to the body, muscle tissue can be preserved. This will result in a tighter, leaner, harder and more muscular physique.

which means one dose a day is perfect.

The benefits may include: • Increased lean mass gains • Better strength • More endurance • Joint healing abilities • Anabolic (even at doses as low as 3 mg)

So, what is Ostarine best used for?

Ostarine shines best when used for gaining lean muscle (bulking) or putting on extra size. Suggested cycle is 4-8 weeks. I have heard that no PCT is required at a 4-week level and although I feel this may be

somewhat true, some HPTA (hypothalamus-pituitaryTests-Axis) suppression, and a PCT (post cycle therapy) is required to get optimum levels back as soon as possible.

Where Ostarine excels is, relieving one of joint pain and this is amazing for bodybuilders, powerlifters, strength athletes etc.

Ostarine, used for an 8-week cycle, should be followed by a PCT. Although shutdown is very minimal and will return on its own, I do still feel, the quicker, the better so OTC (over the counter) PCT if effectively dosed is fine.

PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK

Ostarine Explained So, here is one of if the most popular SARMs- Ostarine.

Ostarine, also known as MK-2866 is a SARM (selective androgen receptor module), created by GTx to avoid and treat muscle wasting. It can, later on, be a cure for preventing atrophy (total wasting away of a body part), cachexia, sarcopenia and Hormone or Testosterone Replacement Therapy. It has a half-life of 24 hours JULY 2018 | FLEX

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LGD-4033

LGD-4033 Explained Chemical Name: 4 – ((R) -2 – ((R) -2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxyethyl) pyrrolidin-1-yl) -2-trifluoro-methyl) benzonitrile Other name(s): Ligandrol, LGD 4033, VK-5211, LGD, Anabolicum Molecular name: C14H12F6N2O Half-life: 24 hours, depending on individual

The effects of LGD can range from bulking and cutting to total body transformation. It is hard to compare the power of LGD to various anabolic steroids due to SARMs still being relatively new to the market, but the effects do appear to be strong. n bulk phase, athletes can benefit from substantial gains in both strength and muscle, providing the body is fed with a sufficient calorie surplus.

They will also find water retention cannot occur, meaning any weight increased will be that of lean muscle tissue.

Increases in muscular endurance are also reported, especially when stacked with other SARMs. It is unclear how much of an effect (LGD-4033) will have on endurance when used alone.

Side Effects of LGD-4033 The side effects of LGD-4033 appear to be minimal in many users.

Unlike anabolic steroids that promote large amounts of androgenic activity, such related adverse effects seem to be absent in almost all cases. Side effects of Anabolicum are possible, but again very rare, making it one

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of the more desirable items in the performance enhancement arsenal.

The side effects of LGD do not include any of an estrogenic nature, making water retention, bloating, gynocamastia and high blood pressure associated with water retention very unlikely.

LGD-4033 does not promote aromatisation, the conversion of testosterone to estrogen.

No anti-estrogens are needed with the use of this SARM. Again, I do feel this is dose dependent as 8-10mg is all that’s required for LGD Despite an attachment to the androgen receptors, the target area remains muscle and bone.

The side effects of LGD should also not be concerning to the prostate; some activity in the prostate may exist but should be insignificant. Virilization, the masculine traits often promoted in women due to the use of anabolic steroids should not occur with this SARM.

Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) As stated previously, I feel a good OCT (over the counter) for PCT is a general requirement.

Hepatotoxicity Although taken orally, LGD-4033 is not toxic to the liver and should not affect the liver enzymes. This product does not belong to the C17-alpha alkylated (C17-aa) therefore is non-methylated.

Anabolicum (LGD-4033) carries a half-life of approximately 24 -36 hours and is best taken once a day.

8mg-10mg seems to be the most common doses to get desired results. Anabolicum can be stacked with other SARMs such as Osterine (MK 2866) Cardarine (GW-50156) or Ibuor (MK-677) For Bulking: A protein-rich diet is also necessary as well as higher caloric intake if you plan to beef up by at least 10 lbs.

For Cutting: Use LGD-4033 with SARMS GW-501516, Osterine and Mk677 make it more useful as you are aiming to add more size while cutting fat. Suggested dosage is 4-8 mg a day for 8 weeks.

For recomping: LGD-4033 is best used for recomping. Many users have said that they’ve observed a boost in lean body mass and fat loss. Using it together with other SARMs such as Cardarine and sr9009 or mk677 will give you a

PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK

Effects of LGD

stronger and better recomp.

Suggested dosage is 4-8 mg per day for 8 weeks.

Testosterone Suppression and SARMs Testosterone suppression is possible, but should not be as significant as suppression related to anabolic steroid use. Some claim suppression is suppression regardless of the rate, but that’s simplistic at best. A man with natural testosterone levels of 650 ng/dl who is suppressed to 450 ng/dl that is a far cry from 42 ng/dl. More importantly, data has shown Luteinizing Hormone (LH), and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) will both remain in their current state. Some data has also shown slight decreases in Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG), which in turn may increase Free testosterone levels. However, a significant increase in Free testosterone is unlikely. Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) and what I mean by PCT I mean and OTC (over the counter) is needed with some

SARMS ran for over the 4-week period for sure and is necessary for LGD with is mg for mg the most powerful of all the SARMs out there.

PCT is required for Ostarine (over 4 weeks use) LGD-4033, YK11 and s4 (Andarine). As stated, the shutdown is very minimal with this compound and your body will eventually return to normal very quickly but I want optimum levels back as quick as I can, and this is why I feel a necessary PCT is required to help get levels back asap. Again, I must reinforce the shutdown is minimal as long as using the stated doses also- MORE IS NOT BETTER. If you are not getting optimal results, then more than likely you need to take a look at food intake, sleep and training.

SARMs that don’t require a PCT Cardarine (GW501516) Ppar agonist Ibutamoren (mk677) GH secretagogue

Stenbolic (sr9009) (These I feel do not require any PCT even ran up to 8 weeks)

SARMs are consistently being developed and evolving but many are grouped into the SARMs category, and they are SARMs? The main two are Cardarine (GW-501516) Nutrobal (Mk-677).

MK677

MK677 Other Name(s): Nutrobal, Ibutamoren, Half-Life: 24 hours Mk-677 is what’s known as a growth hormone secretagogue, which means to induce secretion of growth hormone. Mk-677 works as an antagonist to the gherlin/growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR). This is why when individuals start to take MK-677, at the start they may experience a spike in appetite. This tends to dissipate with use.

Aside from a dramatic change in your IGF-1 and growth hormone levels while on MK 677, you may experience many benefits from a cycle including: • More rapid healing of ligaments, tendons, bones as well as old injuries.

• Builds lean muscle mass and size gains.

• Increases the oxidation of fat.

• Improves sleep.

• Has even been shown to loosen tight skin after weight loss!

PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK

CARDARINE Chemical Name: C21H18F3NO4S2 Other Name(s): Cardarine, GW50156, Endurobol Half-Life: 20-24 hours Cardarine is a (ppar) peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor what that means is it binds to PPAR JULY 2018 | FLEX

43

Regarding obesity, carderine may reverse metabolic abnormalities in obese and pre-diabetic men by stimulating fatty acid oxidation. That is, it burns fat by increasing glucose uptake in skeletal muscle tissue, which changes the body’s metabolism to burn fat for energy instead of muscle or carbs.

Incredibly, it does all this without dropping blood sugar levels as diabetic drugs do. Interestingly, when mice were given a high-fat

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PHOTO CREDITS: ISTOCK

receptor recruits what is called the coactivator PGC-1Îą enzyme, which then increases the expression of genes involved in the expenditure of energy. In another study on Rhesus monkeys, cardarine was shown to increase HDL (good cholesterol) and decrease LDL (bad cholesterol).

For Bulking

diet, they still lost fat, which proves that cardarine may prevent obesity.

Some of the other benefits include: • Rapidly melts fat and NONcatabolic.

• Provides noticeable results on the first dose.

• The ability to run for as long as 8-12+ weeks.

• Is versatile and can be stacked with anything.

• Can be used while cutting OR bulking.

• No side effects, liver toxicity, or suppression have been reported.

• No need for a PCT.

LGD, Osterine, s4, yk11 and mk677 all slot in very well

For Cutting Osterine, Mk677, Carderine and Sr9009 and Lgd

Women and SARMs Most SARMs are safe for women to use with a lower dosage. For instance, Ostarine I would run max 10mg a day for a woman. Lgd max would be 4mg a day. Women will experience amazing results at these dosages with virtually zero sides like virtualisation etc.

CONCLUSION Also works impressively when stacked with Sr9009 and on a ketogenic diet

PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK

Bridging with SARMs I get asked a lot about bridging between cycles. In other words, using another compound to keep gains from prolonged use to help keep the gains accumulated from the cycle that has ended. A lot of people seem to be under the impression that using Osterine, Lgd will be ok to use with bridging between cycles as there is no suppression. This to me is wrong.

Prolonged use of Osterine (more than 4 weeks will have suppression and is a bad idea to bridge with if your using HCG, Clomid etc. LGD will have shut-down and does require as PCT if ran as a stand-alone and Osterine after 4 weeks will also have some shutdown of HPTA cycle, so, therefore, this is not ideal environment to use these compounds. S4 (Andarine) will have similar effects so should be avoided.

SARMs I do feel have massive benefits on PCT or can be used for bridging are MK677, sr9009 (Stenabolic) cardarine and here is the reason why: You will experience a significant spike in cortisol. Cortisol destroys muscle gains and therefore needs to

be minimised at all costs. It will put you into a catabolic state which will not allow you to build muscle and at the same time will eat it away, on top of that you will also get unwanted fat gain. So, you will lose muscle and gain fat that you had just busted your ass an entire cycle for. GW and MK prevent the rise in cortisol. Not only that, but they keep you performing at a level you were accustomed to. GW may also treat cholesterol and blood pressure, which are definitely things that need to be addressed in pct as well.

Stacking SARMs and steroids CARDARINE (GW501516) is a fantastic SARM. Used in conjunction with tren, not only does it counteract the cardio issues but also helps with cholesterol and blood pressure. I would recommend sr9009 stacked with GW, this will have you feeling like you are not even on tren regarding the cardiovascular issue. Trust me you will thank me.

Most SARMs can be stacked with anabolics to enhance results.

SARMs are very versatile and can be used for both cutting and bulking, due to the lack of water retention, the potential fat loss and dry muscle gain and few to no side effects.

Used as stand alone compounds, the benefits are amazing and most can to stacked together to create surprising results, again with few to no side effects. Still, following the rule of more is not better and following 4-8 week protocols is best monitored for minimal side effects and significant gains. So maybe give SARMs a try. I am sure you won’t be disappointed.

References Wikipedia I sarms Evolutionary.org Sarmstore 101sarms

Disclaimer Due to the nature of ongoing research of these products, new data is brought forward all the time.

At the time of the writing of this article, this are the most accurate information available. This article is based on PERSONAL use and research of these products, so is for information purposes only.

Further Information, visit; www.mutageniclabz.com.

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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FOOD & SUPPS

THE HIIT KITCHEN

Vegan Beetroot, Cauliflower and Bean Burger with Raw Tomato Ketchup Ingredients: For the burgers: l l 1 clove of garlic l l 35g onion l l 190g cauliflower l l 50g beetroot l l 100g kidney beans l l 2g cumin l 30g breadcrumbs l juice & zest 1 lemon (Makes 2 servings) For the ketchup: l 27g sundried tomatoes (no oil) l 65g fresh tomato l 40g dates l 30ml white wine vinegar l 30ml water, pinch salt l 1 tsp onion powder l 1 tsp garlic powder (Makes 200ml. Allow 30g per serving)

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BY HIIT KITCHEN

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY HIIT KITCHEN

2 29g

ser vin g 1 6 7k cal 1.75g Fat 25.5 g Car bs 8g P rotein

Method: 1 To make the burgers, place the cauliflower, onion, garlic, beetroot and kidney beans in a food processor and blend for 1 minute.

2 Remove the mixture from the blender and place in a mixing bowl.

Add the cumin, lemon zest & juice, cumin & breadcrumbs. Mix well and shape into patties.

3 Place the burgers on a baking tray and bake in an oven at 180c for 25 minutes.

4 To make the raw ketchup, place everything in a food processor.

Blend until completely smooth and then pass the mixture through a fine sieve, removing any seeds & skin.

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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FOOD & SUPPS

THE HIIT KITCHEN

g ser vin 267g l a c k 228 Fat 2 .4g s Carb 25g rotein P g 2 1. 5

Spiced Cod with “Fish & Chip” flavours Ingredients: l 100g fresh cod fillet l 100g new potatoes l 250g peas l 50g chickpeas l 10g gherkins & capers l 1 shallot l 1 clove garlic l 1 tsp cumin l 1 small bunch mint l 2g madras curry powder

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Method: 1 To make the tartare potatoes, peel the new potatoes and boil for 8 minutes or until cooked through. Drain and leave to steam. While the potatoes are still warm, finely chop the capers & gherkins and toss through the potatoes.

2 To make the “mushy pea� hummus, place 100g peas with the chickpeas, garlic & cumin in a food processor and blend for 2 minutes.

3 To make the pea salad, finely dice the shallots and place in a medium heat pan with a teaspoon of olive oil. Sweat the shallot for 1 minute before adding 100g of the peas. Toss the peas with the shallot and allow to cook for 3 minutes and finish with half of the mint finely shredded.

4 To make the pea & mint sauce, bring a pan of seasoned water to the boil and drop in the remaining peas. Cook for 5-6 minutes on a rapid boil. Drain the peas, retaining the water. Add the peas and the remaining mint to a food processor and blend, slowly adding the water until a smooth puree is achieved.

5 Sprinkle the madras powder over the cod, place on a baking tray and bake at 170c for 10 minutes.

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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FOOD & SUPPS

THE HIIT KITCHEN

ha M a tc on Salm d e h g Po a c in se r v 16 6 g l a c 147 k s Carb 25.1g in e t o r P 17.5g

tock hing S Po a c r ving e s g 256 al 2 7 kc Fa t g .3 0 s Carb 3.4g rotein P g 1.5

sing D re s st yle g in v T hai r e s 3 2 0 g kc a l 33.5 at 0g F ar bs 5g C in Prote 2 .3g

Matcha Poached Salmon with Wholemeal Noodles & Kale Slaw Ingredients: For the poaching stock: l 400ml water, 2 cloves garlic, 2 shallots, Bunch parsley, Bunch tarragon, 50g ginger, 1 tsp fish sauce, 1 bay leaf, ½ lemon, 1 teaspoon matcha powder For the Thai style dressing: l 1 clove garlic, 20g ginger, 20g red chilli, 10g coriander, 5g mint, 470ml water, 2 teaspoons fish sauce, 30g spring onion, 70ml soy sauce. (makes 640mls. Allow 20ml per serving) l 95g salmon l 45g pak choi l 95g wholemeal noodles l 80g shredded white cabbage, kale, carrot, red cabbage l 5g sesame & flax seeds l 1 wedge of lime l 5g spring onion

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Method: 1 Place all of the ingredients for the poaching stock in a pan and bring to the boil. Add the salmon and poach for 7 minutes on a low simmer.

2 Cook the wholemeal noodles according to package instructions.

Sprinkle with spring onions while still warm.

3 Add all of the ingredients of the Thai style dressing to a food processor and blend for 1 minute.

4 Place 20ml of the dressing into a mixing bowl and add the kale, cabbage, carrot and red cabbage. Toss well.

5 Heat a pan with no oil and place in the pak choi to wilt for 2 minutes.

g ser vin 335g l a c k 316 fa t 8.7g in r P o te 30g ar bs C g 26

BBQ Beef Brisket with Quinoa Salad & Citrus BBQ sauce Ingredients: For the BBQ sauce: l 400g tinned tomatoes, juice & zest of 1 orange, 2 cloves garlic, 5g rosemary, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 red onion, 300ml water, 50ml white wine vinegar (makes 640ml. allow 30ml per serving) For the spice rub: l 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon, onion powder, 1 tablespoon Cajun spice, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 pinch salt l 90g quinoa l 30g diced red bell pepper l 30g fresh sweetcorn l 20g diced red onion l 20g white cabbage l 10g kale l 1 teaspoon Cajun spice l 100g trimmed beef brisket

Method: 1 Rub the spice mix evenly over the brisket and place in a roasting tray. Add 200ml water and cover with tin foil. Cook at 120c for 6-7 hours or until tender.

2 Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.

3 Place the pepper, onion and sweetcorn in a frying pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add the mix to the quinoa with 1 teaspoon of Cajun spice and mix well.

4 To make the BBQ sauce, chop the onion and garlic and place in a saucepan with one teaspoon of olive oil. Cook gently for 5 minutes before adding the orange juice & zest and the vinegar. Cook until all of the liquid has evaporated. Add the tomatoes, garlic powder and onion powder and cook on a low heat for 20 minutes. Once cooked, blend the sauce until smooth.

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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FOOD & SUPPS

THE HIIT KITCHEN

ing Se r v 16 0 g l a c 18 8k at F g 4 2. ar bs 10 g C rotein P g 29

Mediterranean Vegetable & Pesto Protein Pasta with Chargrilled Chicken Ingredients: Skinny basil pesto: l 10g walnut, 10g basil, 7ml olive oil, 1 clove garlic, 10g parmesan, 90ml water (makes 132ml. allow 10g per serving) l 100g protein pasta l 30g courgette l 30g mixed bell peppers l 20g cherry tomatoes l 30g kale l 90g broccoli l 50g sliced raw chicken

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Method: 1 To make the pesto, place all ingredients into a food processor and blend for 1 minute.

2 Cook the protein pasta according to package instructions.

3 Place the peppers, courgette and tomatoes on a baking tray and bake at 200c for 10 minutes.

4 Toss the cooked vegetables through the pasta with 10g of skinny pesto.

5 Place a griddle pan on a high heat and grill the slices of chicken for 3 minutes each side.

6 Cook the broccoli in boiling seasoned water for 3 minutes.

ing Se r v 19 8 g l a c k 15 4 at F g 5 3. s Carb 4.2g rotein P g 2 4 .5

Method: 1 Place the broccoli in a food processor and blend until the texture resembles couscous.

Turkey Steak with Broccoli Cous Cous Ingredients: l 150g sliced turkey breast l 100g broccoli l 40g diced red pepper, onion, carrot l 1 free range egg l 50g green beans

2 Place the pepper, carrot and onion in a pan with a teaspoon of olive oil and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the broccoli and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring well.

3 Place a griddle pan on a high heat and grill the turkey for 4 minutes each side or until cooked through.

4 Cook the green beans in boiling seasoned water for 2 minutes.

5 Top the turkey steak with a free-range fried egg.

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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FOOD & SUPPS

THE HIIT KITCHEN

ing Se r v 14 2 g l a c k 90 g Fat 2 .9 5 s Carb 11.5g in e t o r P 3. 2g

Method: 1 Place the 3 beetroots in a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook for 30 minutes. Drain and allow to cool 2 Once cooled, skin the beetroot and cut into wedges 3 Place in a dry frying pan over a medium heat.

Heritage Beetroot Salad Ingredients: l l l l l l l

1 small golden beetroot 1 small candy beetroot 1 small purple beetroot 20g apple 10ml balsamic vinegar 10g feta 5g pecan nuts

ing Se r v 16 6 g l a c k 147 ar bs C g 25.1 in P r o te 4 .5g at F g .1 1

4 Once the pan is hot, pour the balsamic vinegar over the beetroot and cook until it has evaporated 5 Serve the beetroot with crumbled feta cheese, chopped pecan nuts and chopped raw apple

Method: 1 Place all of the fruit into a pan and cook gently on a low heat for 10 minutes.

Once cooked allow to cool and strain and reserve some of the juice.

2 Line a small pudding mould with the gluten-free bread and spoon in the cooked berries to the top.

Gluten free summer pudding Ingredients: l 80g raspberries l 80g strawberries l 20g blueberries l 20g blackberries l 20g blackcurrants l 2 slices of gluten-free bread l 40g Greek yoghurt

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3 Place any remaining bread over the top and wrap in cling film.

4 Place in the fridge over-night and allow the bread to absorb the juice.

5 Turn out on to a place and spoon over the reserved juice. Serve with a spoonful of Greek yoghurt.

ing Se r v 15 4 g l a c k 18 5 s Carb g 5 .

14 tein o r P 3.1g Fat 11.5g

Cacao Mousse Ingredients: l 1 avocado l 1 tablespoon honey l Juice & zest of 1 orange l 1½ tablespoons cacao powder l 20g blueberries l 20g strawberries l 10g desiccated coconut

ing Se r v 17 2 g l a c k 295 at F g 4 4. in P r o te 6.5 g ar bs C g 54

Method: 1 Place the avocado, honey, orange zest & juice and cacao powder in a food processor 2 Blend for 2 minutes or until completely smooth 3 Pour out into a bowl and decorate with blueberries, strawberries and coconut

Method: 1 Place the apples in a saucepan with the cinnamon, agave nectar and 20ml of water. Cook on a low heat for 20 minutes.

2 Mix the oats and agave nectar together and spread on a non-stick baking tray. Heat an oven to 170c and toast for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven, stir the mix and place back in at 150 for a further 10 minutes.

Apple Crumble Ingredients: l 200g diced apple l 20g sultana l 10ml agave nectar l 100g oats l 1 teaspoon cinnamon l Strawberries to garnish

3 Place the stewed apples into a ring mould and top with the home-made granola.

4 Garnish with strawberries or fruit of your choosing.

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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Some of the advance meal management designs, allows you to carefully secure your technology also with a separate suede covered laptop sleeve to fit a laptop up to 15in as well as a tablet device. All bags come with dual clip food Containers, gel packs and sometimes a protein shaker.

Some bags also have an allocated convenient fleece-lined pocket to protect sunglasses and other eyewear.

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FLEX | JULY 2018

Founded by TV Personality & Entrepreneur Calum Best and his business partner Mark Joseph with one aim in mind: taking steps towards achieving goals and staying positive through future planning.

The Best Me Life (RRP £29) journal was designed to bridge the gap between a daily planner, a notebook, a gratitude journal and a goal planner and Calum himself has been using it over the past 6 years to take steps towards achieving his own goals.

The Journal is designed to help create happiness and fulfilment by encouraging you to be more productive and channel positive thinking for self-development, as well as a great way of tracking your weights, reps and sets.

Also, the Best Me Life journals can be monogrammed with a user’s initials to help make them a real personalised part of your every day. www.bestmelife.co

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They have just launched a 1.3 litre and a 2.2 litre jug with a pop lid drinking spout for extremely easy drinking

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www.shakesphere.com Insta; @shakespherehq JULY 2018 | FLEX

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Vanquish Fitness Based in London UK, Vanquish Fitness (VQ) is a unique blend of Fitness Clothing and Active Streetwear.

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FLEX | JULY 2018

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JASE ‘THE OX’ LONG AS A YOUNG MAN, JASE WAS DEEP INTO PLAYING PROFESSIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE. HE PLAYED FULL-TIME WHILE AT UNI, WITH SCHOLARSHIPS UNTIL 20 YEARS OF AGE. Weightlifting for Jase started firstly as a part of his strength and conditioning training but soon took over when one day he was inspired by the one and only Phil Heath.

“I remember going to my local shop and buying every magazine that was fitness related,” he recalls. “It left me skint! It was inside a copy of FLEX I first saw Phil Heath. I think it was Phil’s sheer size that caught my eye and I couldn’t believe the vast amount of muscle.”

It wasn’t long before all Jase’s focus was on gaining muscle in the gym.

“I had been training for around six years when I gave up rugby

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BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL

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PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY PCA

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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completely,” he says. “I was fortunate to meet some very well-respected guys in the gym, and this meant I never had to make mistakes and trial run everything. These guys gave me all the information I needed to make the gains I wanted.”

Having help from knowledgeable people with the same passion and desire really helped Jase.

“I strongly believe that a new guy coming into the sport should get a training and diet plan, from a knowledgeable source and don’t follow the rubbish they read on forums and social media,” he advises.

Jase also firmly believes in getting a good coach.

“Signing up to a coach was probably one of my best moves I made to help me gain,” he says. “But, you have to be prepared to listen, and if you don’t listen, you will never learn.”

As a very self-motivated individual that understands the importance of a secure network, Jase is fortunate that he and his coach are very close friends. Both share a passion for bodybuilding and push each other to achieve more with each workout they do.

“I try to surround myself with a team of positive people, especially when I’m dieting,” Jase says. “During these times, it’s essential to have good support. This support is what helps me cope with personal obstacles, like not being able to have a Nando’s after training.”

Jase stresses the importance of the law of attraction, visualising oneself and the needed improvements on stage, then months later seeing the fruits of labour paying off.

“There’s no traffic on the extra mile – to do what others won’t,” he says.

ROTATION 1 LEGS (HAMSTRING FOCUSED) Lying Hamstring Curls Set 1, 8-10 (heavy set) Set 2, 6x4 (muscle round) High and wide foot placement Leg Press Set 1, 6x4 (muscle round) Set 2, 8-10 (heavy set) Set 3, minimum 20 reps, then drop set till failure (Drop set) DB or Barbell RDL (Romanian deadlifts) Set 1, (heavy) 8-10 reps Set 2, (reduce weight focus on time under tension (2 seconds down, 1 up) Leg Ext Set 1, 6x4 (muscle round) Set 2, 50 reps, DS (drop set) into 20 reps Machine Squat Variation, i.e. V-Squat, Smith Squat, Pendulum Squat, Smith Squat Set 1, (heavy set) 6-10 reps Set 2, (10-15% weight reduction of the previous set) 8-10 reps Sumo Deadlifts or Normal Deadlifts

Jase’s Workout Diary Legs, Push, Pull – 2 Alternate Rotations Keep a log book of all your sessions – always try to progress and beat the log book!

Set heavier targets, based on previous lifts in each rotation. If you progress by one rep, in one movement that is still a progression.

There is no set warm-up protocol, don’t waste energy once you are warm.

An example is - Back Squats 100kg x6 reps, 140 x3 reps, 180 x2 reps, 200 x2 reps, 220 x1 rep, 230 x1rep - (These count as warm-up sets and getting the body used to the load you will lift).

Drop set to exhaust the muscle 210kg as many reps as possible (straight into next drop set)

The days of going to the gym and performing 4-6 sets are over! Save the energy from those sets and go all out in 2-3 sets!

We don’t waste time warming up!!!

We get warm on warm-up weights for a few reps and save those reps for the big sets, which count instead of warming up on every weight doing 10 reps.

Training Protocol Progressive Overload via Drop sets, Supersets & Giant Sets Terminology

2 Working Sets:

Muscle Round (6x4) – Perform 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds, perform another 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds, do these 4 times, that’s one set.

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Set 2, Fail (A weight you can do for 10-12- take the set to failure) Wide Stance Barbell Walking Lunges 2 Laps (perform reps at a nice smooth tempo)

180kg as many reps as possible.

NOW, we start working. Leave everything in the gym, go balls to the walls and train with maximum capacity.

I tend to reduce the load, e.g. I will work at; 1st set, 220kg x 8-12 reps.

2nd set, 230kg x 8-10 reps

Set 1, 8-10

Drop Set – When you finish a set and reduce the load slightly and perform more sets to failure.

Giant Set – When you perform 2-3

movements back to back like a circuit.

Max, Rest, Max- So pick a weight you think you can do 8-10 reps for and go all out with maximum effort.

Try to exceed 8-10 reps.

Pyramid Set – When you increase the weight per set but reduce the rep range.

Negatives – When you slow down and control the movement and add some slower tempo to it. I.e. 3 seconds down, 1 second up.

Rest days I would say do a rotation 1) Legs, push, pull the rest. Then rotation 2) Legs, push, pull then rest, etc.…

However, some people don’t like going to the gym on a Sunday so will do Mon-Sat straight through with no rest and then take Sunday off.

Again, it is personal preference, but ensure you’re resting at least once a week.

PUSH (CHEST FOCUSED)

PULL (WIDTH)

Flat Bench or Flat DB (alternate weekly)

Lat Pull Downs wide bar (traditional bar, mag bar if your gym has one)

Leg Ext

Set 1, (heavy set) 8-10 reps

Set 1, 30 reps

Set 2, (rest, pause set) 8-10 reps

Set 2, 50 reps

Set 3, (pump set) 20+ reps

A Squat Variation (i.e. Barbell Squat, Smith Squat, V Squat, Lever Squat etc.)

Set 1, (heavy set) 5-6 reps Set 2, (lighter set) 12+ reps Set 3, (10 perfect negative reps, 2 seconds down)

ROTATION 2 LEGS (QUAD FOCUSED)

Incline Smith Bench or Incline Plate Load Press or Slight Incline DB Press

Seated Low Width Row (either use the v bar or wide lat pulldown bar)

Set 1, (heavy set) 6-8 reps

Set 1, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets

Set 2, (lighter set) 12+ reps

Set 2, -6x4 (muscle round)

Set 1, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets, followed by bodyweight lunges (8 lunges per leg)

Set 2, (lighter set) 8-12 reps Flat Machine Press or DB Press or Plate Load Press (choose the opposite to what you have just done on an incline in the previous set)

Lat Pulldowns Wide Bar

Set 1, 12-15 reps

Set 1, (pump set) 20 reps to force the blood into the muscle

Set 2, max, rest, (rest, pause set) 8-10 reps

set 2, (heavy set) 8-10 reps

Set 3, max, rest, (rest, pause x 2) 8-10 reps

T-bar Row (wide grip it possible, if not with a v-bar)

Pec Dec Flyes

Set 1, (heavy Set) 6-8 reps

Set 1, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets

Set 2, Drop Set, 6-8 reps x2

Set 2, (pump set) 12+ reps to pump the blood into the muscle

Set 1, (heavy set) 6-8 reps

Db Incline Pec Flyes

Set 2, (lighter set) 8-10 reps

Set 1, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets (hold in the stretch position for your 10 second rest period)

Smith Barbell Row

DB Rows

Set 1, (heavy set) 8-10 reps

Leg Ext (superset) & Lunges

Close Stance Leg Press (increase weight on each set) 15 reps x 3 sets Bulgarian Split Squat Set 1, (10 deep, pause reps) Wide Smith Squat Set 1, (heavy set) 8-10 reps Set 2, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets

Set 1, (heavy set) 8-10 reps

Giant Set (perform all these movements back to back)

Set 2, (failure set) 15+ reps

Set 2, (pause reps at the point of contraction) 10 reps

Wide Sumo Squat, 10-12 reps

Db Side Delt Raises

Set 3, Drop set (heavy) 12+ reps x2 sets

Set 1, 8-10 reps, maximum efort.

Try to exceed 8-10 reps

Seated Incline Hammer Curls

DB Romanian Deadlift, 10-12 reps

Set 1, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets

Hip Adductor - 10-12 reps

Set 2, 8-10 reps, maximum efort Dips (weighted if possible) Or Close Grip Regular or Skull Bench

Set 2, Failure set 15+ reps

Set 1 & 2 –AMRAP (as many reps as possible)

EZ Curls (ss) Bicep Curl Machine

Skull Crushers – E-Z Bar

Set 1, 10-12 reps on each station

Set 1, – 10 reps (negatives, pause at the point of contraction)

Set 2, 10-12 reps on each station

Sissy Squat or Smith Front Squat, 10-12 reps

Close Leg Press Set 1, 12-15 reps Set 2, 8-10 reps Quad Stretch (sit on quads for 30 seconds) perform this twice

Set 2, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets

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PUSH (SHOULDER)

BACK (THICKNESS)

Incline Bench or DB Press

Bent Over Row

Set 1, 6-8 reps

Set 1, (heavy set) 8-10 reps

Set 2, 12+ reps

Set 2, drop set, 8-10 reps (reduce the load, and then perform another 8-10 reps)

DB or Military Barbell Press or Plate Loaded Shoulder Press

DB Row

ADDITIONAL ARM DAY (OPTIONAL TO ADD IN IF RECOVERED IN THE WEEK) E-Z Bar Curl Set 1, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets

Set 1, 6-8 reps

Set 1, One arm at a time.

Set 2, 12+ reps

(heavy) 5reps

Set 2, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets

Any Seated Shoulder Press Machine

Repeat this for 5 sets

E-Z Skull Crushers

Set 1, 10-12 reps

T-bar Row

Set 2, max, rest, max (aim for a weight you can usually do for 8-10 reps – max means maximum efort so, try and exceed that target)

Set 1, (heavy set) 8-10 reps

Set 1, 10-12 reps (perfect reps, pause at the point of contraction)

Set 2, Max, rest, Max (Rest, pause set) 8-10 reps

Set 2, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets

Seated Side Raise

Deadlifts or Rack Pulls

Seated Incline DB Curl

Set 1, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets

Pyramid Sets

Set 1, 12-15 reps

Set 1 – 10 reps (heavy)

Set 2, (drop set)

Set 2, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets

Set 2 – 8 reps (heavier)

12-15 reps,

Set 3 – 6 Reps heaviest)

8-10 reps

Standing Side Raise

Set 4 (light set, 50% of the heaviest set.

Perform as many reps as possible, make sure the weight is still taxing)

Set 3, 10 perfect negative reps

Giant Set

Set 1, rep out to failure, 20+

Barbell Row

Set 2, (increase the weight now that you are fatigued) 8-10 reps

Set 1, 12+ reps Set 2, max, rest, max, rest, Max (aim 10-12 reps in set 1, rest, aim for 8-10, then rest, then rep out until failure)

Double Rope Triceps Extension

Single Arm Dumbbell Raise (Dropset)

Seated Low Row

Set 1,

Lat Pull Down

20 reps, 10 seconds rest,

Rear Delt variation (either bent over with DB/ Pec Dec/cables)

V-Bar Push-Down

10-12 reps x 3 sets

Set 1, 8-10 reps

EZ Curls (superset) with Straight Bar Curls Set 1, (perfect reps, NO swimming) 10-12 reps

Set 2, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets

Set 2, 10-12 reps

Giant Set 1

15 reps, 10 seconds rest,

Rope Curl Set 1, 12-15 reps

10 reps to failure Giant Set DB Front Raise Plate Raise

Rope Curls

As many reps as possible on each station

Set 1, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets

Straight Bar Cable Curl to failure

Set 2, reps to failure

Giant Set 2

Standing Calf Raises

Close Grip Smith bench

Set 1,

Rope Ext

20 reps, 10 seconds rest,

Close Hand Position Press Ups

15+ reps, 10 seconds rest,

(10-12 reps on all sets)

V-bar Pushdown Set 1, (muscle round) as described in terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds x 4 sets Close Grip Smith Bench or Skull Crushers Set 1, rep out to failure

Standing Hammer Curls, 10-12 reps

Set 2, rep out to failure 10 reps (set 2, as many reps as possible)

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Small straight Bar, 10-12 reps

Rope Front Raise

FLEX | JULY 2018

DO THIS TWICE

Jase Long Instagram; @jase_345

Structurally Sound What works for Olympia-calibre athletes may not necessarily work for you. To make noticeable gains, you need to figure out your best approach, according to Neil “Yoda” Hill.

AS TOLD TO JEFF TOMKO

hen developing a training programme, one of the most important attributes is creating structure. That’s exactly what my Yoda 3 Training (Y3T) programme does—it creates structure and a platform for athletes to hit different muscle fibres at different intensities, because we’re all genetically different.

If you’re not familiar with my system, here’s the summary: Y3T is a nineweek training programme broken up into three phases. Week 1 focuses on heavy compound exercises in a low, six-to-12-rep range. Week 2 adds isolation movements with higher reps, usually about 14 to 20 reps. Week 3 focuses on lighter weights and very high reps, going as low as 20 and up to

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80. You’ll then repeat this three times for a total of nine weeks.

When I developed Y3T nearly three decades ago, I wasn’t looking to become a visionary or change the world of weight training. Quite honestly, Y3T happened by accident, if you consider the years of trial and error I inadvertently created the plan.

I was an injury-prone 19-year-old

Neil “Yoda” Hill

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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kid who was looking for a safe way to lift heavy weights without getting hurt so much. Before that, I was doing what most bodybuilders were doing at the time—following the hardcore training styles of Mike Mentzer and six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates. They’d lift very heavy weights for 6 to 10 reps, then to failure and beyond (using intensity techniques like rest-pause and forced reps, with a partner, to achieve this). But all training like that did was get me injured.

For some people, that style of training is effective. All it did for me was create a lot of stress on my tendons and joints. And when your muscles are growing fast, like mine were, your tendons and joints don’t have time to catch up. This led to inflammation and injury, and this cycle occurred for years before I decided to finally do something different. I started by changing up the rep ranges I trained with, Six-time 212 Olympia champ Flex Lewis uses the Y3T programme designed by Hill.

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breaking them down into low, moderate, and high. It took me about three or four years to home in on a training method that would allow me to grow effectively while reducing my risk of injury.

What worked for me, though, doesn’t necessarily work the same for each of my clients. That’s the beauty of Y3T—it’s so flexible.

William Bonac, who has made tremendous progress since using the Y3T method, usually does three Week 1 workouts, one Week 2, and one Week 3.

Six-time 212 Olympia champ Flex Lewis, on the other hand, responds really well to Week 2 (moderate-rep) workouts, in the 14-to-20-rep range, so he does more of those. If I had to pick one rep range, though, that I feel builds the most amount of muscle mass, I would probably say that it’s the moderate-rep range. But again, all our bodies are different.

To take your training to the next level, you must put in the time to learn what works for you and what doesn’t, and then be able to omit the ineffective pieces from your programme. Otherwise, you’re simply wasting your time trying to hammer your body with techniques and/or exercises that won’t lead to any noticeable gains. Worse, it could lead you to injury, like it did for me.

That said, I think young bodybuilders who are just starting out should consider experimenting with powerlifting. This type of training demands structure and steady progression to gain results. It also forces lifters to place a premium on form. (You need to make sure your technique is working in synergy with your body for effective lifts.) That foundation of structure will teach lifters what works for them and what doesn’t—then they can make the necessary changes.

P I C T U R E C R E D I T S : O P E N E R ; I A N S PA N I E R . T H I S PAG E : P E R B E R N A L . F O L L O W I N G PAG E : I A N S PA N I E R

Natural Versus Enhanced: How Should You Train?

This question often gets asked: Should a “natural” athlete train differently from an “enhanced” one?

In my opinion, no. When it comes to exercise selection and sets and reps, I don’t think a natural athlete should train any differently. The biggest difference when it comes to training naturally, though, is that a natural athlete must get adequate rest.

That means spending less time in the gym than he may want to.

There’s a misconception that athletes need to spend countless hours in the gym, lifting heavy nonstop, to create more muscles mass. In fact, the opposite is true.

For an athlete’s body to grow and mature, it needs to repair itself outside the gym. This is even more true for a natural guy who isn’t taking in extra doses of muscle-building hormones—from IGF to testosterone to growth hormones. Overtraining can actually suppress the release of these hormones.

A lot of athletes don’t know this, but the optimal release times of these hormones is during our sleep.

Meaning, our bodies will produce their most abundant amounts of positive hormones not when we’re in the gym but rather when we’re in bed. And if you’re not using steroids, which provide you with copious amounts of these peak hormones for your body to use throughout the day, then this nightly release of hormones is paramount for making gains.

A natural athlete has to recognise this and avoid trying to grind through as many sets and reps—or train each muscle group as hard as possible twice a week—as an enhanced athlete. In other words, it’s going to take a natural athlete a lot longer to heal. And if you’re overtraining, chances are you’re not going to recover properly.

Flex Lewis responds well to the 14-to-20rep range. But that doesn’t mean you will.

Y3T: How It Works DETAILS

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

Training Days Per Week

4–6

4–6

4–6

Exercises Per Workout

3–5

3–5

3–5

Sets Per Exercise

3–5

3–5

3–5

Reps Per Set

6–12

14–20

20–80

Rest

90 sec.

90–120 sec.

20–150 sec.

Tempo

4–sec. negative

3–sec. negative

2–sec. negative

Sample Week 2 Y3T Back Workout EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Close-grip Lat Pulldown

3

14–20

Lying Back Pulldown

4

14–20

Wide-grip Lat Pulldown

3

14–20

Barbell Bentover Row

3

14–20

NOTE: For all exercises, aim to get at least 18 reps for your first set or two.

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SQUATTING ///

BY LEICA GELSEI

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAY MORRIS

IS SQUATTING ESSENTIAL TO BUILDING A GOOD SET OF LEGS? NO. IS A SQUAT A USEFUL EXERCISE? YES

S

o why the contradiction? Firstly, our muscles don’t know what exercise we are performing- they simply respond to stress. The primary stressors that lead to hypertrophy are mechanical tension, muscle damage and metabolic stress. Numerous approaches can be used to factor these into your training - perhaps the subject of a future article. The point is, your body will respond if you give it enough reason to. Take quads for example. You could argue that a leg extension MIGHT provide more stimulation to your quads than a squat. You may use 60kg of resistance on a leg extension, and it’s safe to say that pretty much all that weight is lifted by your quads. Whereas you could be squatting with 100kg, for example, and that load is spread through your quads, glutes, hips etc. and may only leave you with 50kg of resistance that makes it to your quads.

Now I’m not telling you not to squat (although I may tell some of you to leave well alone), but think about where you place the squat in your training session. I have said this before, and I will keep saying it - to stimulate muscle growth it makes sense to isolate first. The quads will then receive the lion’s share of the all important stress.

Let’s get into squatting specifics, and by squatting, I’m referring here to a traditional barbell squat. Most people come to me to improve their physiques, so if they are not a good squatter or the movement doesn’t suit them, as in some instances it may be an exercise that some need to avoid altogether, we don’t squat! However, if someone came to me with the specific intention of improving their squat, it may take weeks of mobility, flexibility and technique to achieve their goal with absolutely zero impact on their physique then we’ll do everything we can to accomplish that. This happens rarely and we generally start improving a physique on day one rather than wasting time.

With a traditional barbell squat, the set up is the most important. Maintain a good arch in your lower back and

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keep your sternum high throughout the squat. Keep hands as close to your shoulders as possible, as this keeps the weight of the bar close to the midline of your body and will maintain stability. If you have to hold the bar towards the outer ends, or even hold the plates, then you need to work on your shoulder flexibility!

Keep your elbows pointing down towards the floor - this will keep your body in the correct position and the weight in that all important midline.

Ass to the Grass??

There are many factors that we need to take into account when considering squat depth. Do you need to squat ass to grass or parallel? That depends on an individual’s flexibility, any possible injuries and confidence. Depth should be as far as YOU can take it and if that’s only 6 inches then maybe squatting is not for you. If all the factors are there, then squat away!

Over the years I have had many clients that don’t have the

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confidence with a barbell squat to make it a productive exercise. A safety squat bar may help here - the technique is similar, but the person training may feel safer plus more comfortable. If you have never seen a safety squat bar have a look at the pictures that accompany this article. Also in these situations, we may use a machine to begin with, such as a hack squat, v-squat or the many other squatting type machines that are in place at many of today’s gyms. The correct technique must be used on these pieces of equipment too but the coaching points are far fewer, and real ‘work’ can be underway very soon.

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Many of the confidence issues with squatting are related to supporting the weight across the shoulders. If this is the case, I will eliminate that issue entirely by using a witch squat and/or a wall squat. A witch squat is performed using a barbell in a landmine apparatus (or the corner of a room will do). Load one end of the bar and use a ‘V’ handle that you would use for t-bar rows (ensuring that the handle is over the collar), let the weight hang between your legs and squat with the weight held in your hands with the ‘V’ bar (see the picture). The actual squatting movement is done in precisely the same way as I described above but you don’t have to worry about supporting the weight on your shoulders and if you fail, rest the bar back on the floor.

The second exercise I use to eliminate the need to support the bar with your back is the wall squat.

To perform this movement, you will need a foam roller and (maybe) a set of dumbbells. Again, see the accompanying pictures to assist.

Place the foam roller against a wall, near the top of your glutes and feet slightly away from the wall, when you squat down the roller will move naturally up to your shoulder blades, and this is where you can pick up a pair of dumbbells for added resistance. You don’t have to worry about you back being in the correct position too much during this movement as it will be pretty much upright throughout.

While both the witch squat and the wall squat are great exercises to build squatting confidence and movement patterns, they are also superb movements in their own right. An advanced technique to use with the wall squat, for example, is to dig your feet into the floor and push away throughout the entire range of motion - talk about tension!!

When all is said and done what I’m

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trying to tell you is find exercises that you can do well and give your all to with complete confidence and train to your limits!

That’s how you get results!

Where to Place your Squats in a Quad Training Session Here is an example:

First exerciseLeg Extensions: Perform 3-4 warm-up sets of 15 reps, increasing the weight each set. When you reach a weight where you hit failure at around 15 reps, perform a drop set. Reduce the weight and continue to failure. Keep repeating this process until you have completed at least 50 reps (closer to 100 may be better!).

Second exerciseLeg Press: On the first set, perform 50 reps. On the second set, increase the weight and perform 40 reps. The third set, increase the weight again and

perform 30 reps. The fourth set, you guessed it - increase the weight and do 20 reps. On the fifth and final set, increase the weight and go for 10 reps. Try to complete all reps non-stop but, in practice, you may have to take mini 5-second pauses from the third set onwards to reach the target number of reps.

Third exercise- Squat: Perform 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps of any of the squatting exercises I have described above. Take each set to failure. Will you use a lighter weight than if you had squatted first? Yes. Will you put more stress on your quads? Also, yes!

If you feel you could do more than what I have described, then you didn’t push hard enough. If you have given everything you have and you couldn’t complete the session, then you’ve worked to your limit. You can train hard, or you can train long, but you can’t do both!

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VEGAN MUSCLE I started competing in 2002 and went on to win the NABBA novice figure British championships. I have since competed in UKBFF Body Fitness, ranking amongst the top five in the British championships and the NABBA trained figure class, winning NABBA UK 2014. In 2015, I achieved second place in the NABBA British finals and was advised to move into physique class. Taking this advice on board, I competed in physique in the 2016 UKBFF and won the Midland championships and Sugars classic.

I am currently training to add some more tissue to compete in physique again later in this year.

Don’t Label Me, I just Care I have been a vegetarian since I was around 6 years old when I was told that meat came from animals which impacted my feelings towards any animal. Now that I was competing, I had dieted on mainly eggs and whey protein until 2013, at which point I saw some videos on social media about the reality of the dairy industry. This realisation helped my partner, and I decide to stop eating dairy.

I looked into better ways to eat well and found a company called Hen Nation online, that can supply

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‘How I Do It’ ///

BY AMI KING

@AMIKING00 ///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY LEE ARCHER

PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK

I

had been training many years lifting weights and putting on quality muscle.

I loved training and decided that it was time to put all my hard work to some use and thought that I should compete. Now an owner of my own gym (Iron Asylum Gym) in Redcar, I knew that it would be hard juggling life and competing.

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00

PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK

eggs where the chickens don’t go to slaughter and the money from their egg sales go towards rescuing more chickens.

It seems to be quite a controversial subject not eating meat, vegetarianism, and the right and wrong way to do things.

I read something Dorian Yates wrote recently that he prefers not to label himself. I very much agree with this statement. It’s certainly a more positive viewpoint rather than having to justify to others that if you don’t eat this, then you’re a vegetarian; if you do eat this, you’re a vegan. The primary reason I chose not to eat meat is that I love animals, and I want to try my best to cause the least amount of suffering possible where I can in the world.

So, with all this in mind, I decided to compete in 2014 and contacted Sarah Whitney who I knew had helped other vegans compete.

She designed my diet plans which I firmly believe helped me to win the NABBA trained figure UK. I have maintained these dietary ethics. Pre-contest, I continue to eat six to eight meals a day, usually around 200g carbohydrates from

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PHOTO CREDITS: ISTOCK

rice, quinoa, sweet potato, rye bread, oats with my protein coming from vegan protein blends (usually hemp or pea-based), eggs, tofu, soya mince, tempeh and seitan. My fats typically come from MCT oil, nuts, avocado, seeds and udos oil.

Sources of Nutrition Offseason, I eat more whole foods and no eggs. I get most of my nutrition from beans, pulses and lentils, fruits and vegetables as my carbs can be much higher.

I have to be honest, I was concerned when I told my sponsor that I was giving up dairy, but they were very supportive. This support extends to an offer from them to do consultancy work and independent ingredient trials that are vegan specific.

I consider myself very lucky as I have Nutritional Blending Solutions supporting me. Combine that with advice from Brian Batcheldor, and we have all our bases covered, supplement wise. For instance, some lower quality amino acids are made from human hair, feathers, cow horns and pig hair. NBS make sure my aminos come from higher quality fermented vegetable sources. Vegans can be deficient in l-tryptophan NBS have designed formulas to supplement this.

My vegan protein blends use ingredients such as pea and hemp protein, making sure they include lots of greens, digestive aids, anti-inflammatory and superfoods.

Since cutting the dairy from my diet, I feel there is much less inflammation in my stomach, and my waist has undoubtedly got smaller. I also feel much more energised and seem to recover quicker following training.

Dieting as a vegetarian or vegan is getting much more accessible now; every day new meat alternative options are being released.

And speaking about training, I have always followed athletes like

Anth Bailes. I train HIT style four days a week - heavy and intense.

I’ve tried other methods, but this seems to work for me. I’ve been

lucky to have the opportunity to work with Anth on my training, and I believe it is continually helping me put on good quality muscle tissue.

DAILY DIET PLAN MEAL 1

MEAL 4

Maxxmuscle Nutrition EAA (essential amino acids) 60g oats 100g banana 2 egg whites Scoop nutritional blending solutions vegan blend.

Garden of life multivitamin/mineral

Post training 50g carbs from vegan clean carb product 40g protein from NBS vegan blend

MEAL 2 180g soya mince 10g coconut oil 150g sweet potato

MEAL 5 6 eggs 1 yolk 1.5tbs udos oil 120g new potatoes

MEAL 6

MEAL 3

200ml unsweetened almond milk 15g almond butter 2 scoops NBS vegan blend

6 egg whites with 1 yolk salad 50g wild rice

(NBS = Nutritional Blending Solutions)

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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BODYPOWER

Around 100,000 visitors flocked to the NEC to celebrate BodyPower’s Las Vegas themed 10th anniversary! The show continued to diversify and develop, with this weekend seeing a record number of females enter the show, due to a strong focus on lifestyle fitness with many leading athletes in attendance. Paige Hathaway, Michelle Lewin, Jen Selter and Hannah Eden were just some of the female names who attracted the crowds!

But of course, we can’t forget the core of the market, the bodybuilders. The greats were in attendance keeping bodybuilding alive. Dorian Yates was launching the new look DY Nutrition with his 6 Olympia Sandows all on display, Animal sponsored athlete Evan Centopani, Flex Wheeler, Charles Clairmonte,

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P H O T O C R E D I T S : J U L E S G O D F R E Y/ S H A N E WAT K I N S / S T E P H E N B L AC K / H A R P E N D E N S T U D I O S

SHOW 2018 5%’s Martyn Ford towering over the crowds and our very own reigning 212 Mr Olympia Flex Lewis, and this was just some.

As the show develops the traditional markets remain as strong as ever, providing visitors with a broad range of competitions and all things health and fitness. From leading brands to a collection of worldclass educators, BodyPower really is the go to event in the industry!

The popularity of competitions showed no sign of slowing for 2018 and the likes of BodyPower Games and Kettlebell Championships amongst many others had a record number of competitors. Terry Hollands hosted the Strongman competition in unforgettable fashion and welcomed buzzing spectators into BodyPower’s very own circus tent, while competitors showcased the elite in strength and power. 2018 World’s Strongest Man and Game of Thrones star, Hafthor ‘The Mountain’ Bjornsson attracted hundreds and left fans blown away with his presence. In addition to competitions and seminars, BodyPower brought demonstrations, workshops and Q&A sessions with the leading stars in fitness. Exhibitors didn’t disappoint and a range of healthy nutrition brands were in attendance, from the likes of Gold Standard Chicken, HECK Foods, Kettlebell Kitchen, Eatright and Musclefood, they all projected the BodyPower atmosphere to the masses and provided an unforgettable experience for visitors.

With a strong focus on offering the ultimate customer experience for all, BodyPower saw widened aisles, better queuing systems and opportunities to see everything all in one day!

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PCA SUPERSERIES PRO SHOW THE RESULTS

Men’s Physique

Ladies Bikini Under 165

Bodybuilding

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

Kerry Sexton Margarita Vevercia Edyta Tamilewska Teniza Alexandra Vicu

Peter Molnar Sahar Kazes Alex Smith Piotr Klinkosz

Muscle Model

Bikini Tall

Bodybuilding Over 202

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

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Moctor Bagah Ash Eldelman Toby Richards Matah Shumuel Garry Turner FLEX | JULY 2018

Nyisha Jordan Sey Phoebe Hagan Alexandra Dancso Nicki Corner Gemma Stanley

Aivers Grigjanis Laszlo Szmereka Ronny Rocket Anton Bippus Lucas Gabris

PHOTO CREDITS: PCA

Bharat Raj Michael Griffiths Craig Smallman Thyago Cabos Ike Agho

Held on 13th May 2018 at the 10th Anniversary of BodyPower, PCA yet again smashed the stage with some of the greatest physiques in the country.

The standard of the competitors was second to none in every class. The show gave the feeling of pure elegance and grandeur with a huge stage screen and lighting that made each athlete feel like they were an Olympian, and as always, an electric atmosphere from start to finish.

PHOTO CREDITS: PCA

All classes displayed great talent and pleasingly some previously unknown athletes brought a magnificent package to explode onto the scene with.

Every single class was a testament to the quality we have right here in the UK, and a real pleasure to be a part of the BodyPower weekend.

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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WABBA THE WHOLE WORLD OVER Focus on Ghana’s Oliver Rockson Prempeh

///

BY TREVOR CHUNG /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY FRANCIS WATKINS & ANGELO PREMPEH

T

he Republic of Ghana has Victor Baiden who is my coach,” produced some incredible he said so gratefully. athletes over the years, IFBB Pro’s Oliver played a vital role in the Eddie Abbew, William Bonac and “Flexing for Peace” campaign before WABBA Pro Mark Krah all originated the Ghanaian General Election on from the land formerly known as the 7th December 2017. He explained, Gold Coast and there are more stars “Most Ghanaians perceive rising, on my recent trip to Ghana bodybuilders to be a violent group for the Face of Fitness Conference of people, who over the years have in Accra, I spoke with one of those been used by politicians and some stars; 2017 Arnold Classic South citizens to cause chaos.”

Africa Middle Weight Champion He told us, “We organised a walk Oliver Rockson Prempeh. to flex our muscles to change the Oliver, a former football player, public’s perceptions about us.” The started training at a tender age to situation has become a great worry, enhance his athletic abilities on the so they needed to join the campaign football field. As he quickly for peace before, during and after developed his ambitions changed the December 7th general elections. from strengthening his body for To show the public that they need football to believing that he could not be intimidated by anyone. build a body worthy of competition.

Oliver’s contest history speaks for Oliver’s passion for the sport is itself, besides winning the Arnold evident, he lives and breathes last year he has had a great start in bodybuilding, and he firmly believes the sport having placed well in both that the best feeling in the World National and International is when you have given it your all in competitions. the gym.

Including: 2017 Arnold Classic South Africa 1st “I owe a lot to Dan BUDU who 2016 Arnold Classic South Africa 4th introduced me to Bodybuilding and 2015 Mr Physique Ghana 2nd also to WABBA Ghana President 2015 Mr Ghana 2nd 2014 Amateur Olympia Africa 7th 2014 Mr Ghana 3rd 2017 was the year, Oliver had been working with Victor for some time, and their labours were about to bear fruit. This is what he said, “Winning the Arnold was a very proud moment for me, it was the first time that I have taken the first place and to do it at such a prestigious contest is an incredible feeling,” he says still grinning from memory. “I will return to Pretoria

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again this year to defend my title.

I will also travel to the Amateur Olympia in Spain, to take care of unfinished business there too.”

EMMA PAWSON 3

M

P H O T O C R E D I T : A N T H O N Y C H I A- B R A D L E Y

ost athletes would be happy with winning 2 Pro Cards with 2 Federations, but Emma Pawson’s fitness ambitions didn’t stop there.

At this years 10th-anniversary BodyPower expo Emma won the Overall Bikini Class at the WABBA International Champions Cup to win a 3rd Pro Card with them.

Emma’s always been sporty; an avid horse rider and gym lover but also a natural introvert so being in the spotlight is something very new for her but being on stage has helped her gain more confidence in and outside of the gym. She finds this critical in her work which is in public health: childhood obesity lead.

Emma used to be a selfconfessed cardio bunny but with some new direction Emma found that her body responded exceptionally well to the stimulus of resistance training, and this was when being competitive caught her eye, she tells us, “I was inspired by watching a friend compete in a physique contest and found myself saying ‘wow I really admire those girls they look amazing’ and decided to stop admiring and give it a go myself.”

She started to lift weights, fell in love with how her body was changing and has never looked back. A short while after she was then diagnosed with only having one kidney & having a heart murmur.

While this would put many people off, this alone acted a catalyst to motivate Emma further to exercise and eat well to keep herself as healthy as possible.

Reflecting on her arduous journey, she told us, “I entered my first competition in 2016 which I won and have won several shows since

is the Magic Number!

“Having a coach is so important.

Diet prep can mess with your head, and it’s hard to see what others see objectively.”

“A big lesson to myself is that overtraining and pushing myself to the extreme doesn’t get the best results. It’s been a hard lesson to learn, but I’ve realised that I need to make sure I get plenty of sleep and I’ve also found stretching is essential to help with the necessary mobility for stage presentation.”

How supportive people in the industry are and I now hold two pro cards, one with Pure Elite and another with Miami Pro.” She doesn’t intend to stop there, she recently travelled to Budapest with the WABBA GB team and placed an impressive 5th in the O35 Bikini Class at the 2017 WABBA International Mr and Miss Universe contest before turning Pro at BodyPower.

Lessons Learnt Emma tells us what she has learnt since being in the industry

Competing with WABBA GB last year was a fantastic experience the quality of international athletes is inspiring. This has given me strong growth in my mindset, which helps me continuingly striving to be the best version of myself.”

“Nutrition is the most important factor in competition prep.”

Showgirl Fitness coaches Emma, she weights trains 5-6 days a week and gets her cardio mostly from cycling around London all day.

(Leading up to a show this increases to 4 x a week)

TRAINING ROUTINE MON – HEAVY LEGS Leg press Squat Sumo squat Lunges Leg extension TUE – SHOULDERS ONLYShoulder press Lateral raises Front plate raise Leaning lateral raises Rear delt machine

WED-LEGS WITH HAMSTRING FOCUS & A POLE CLASS Leg curl Deadlift Wide / low squats Hyperextension Stiff leg deadlift

FRI – BACK AND ARMS

THURS- UPPER BODY Chest press Cable fly Rear Delt High rope pull

SAT- GLUTES Cable kick back Squat Sumo low squat Hip thruster Hyperextension

(AND HOT YOGA)

Lat pull down Rows Seated row Tricep Dips Bicep preacher curl Rope tricep pulls

SUN - REST “I vary the Weights, Rep-Range and Intensity all the time to keep my body guessing, some weeks I’ll do low reps with high weight, and at other times I will drop the weights and go for the burn.”

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THE HERCULES OLYMPIA UK 2018 F

rom starting out as a small contest in a nightclub in Colchester in the 1990’s, the Hercules has seen some amazing transformations.

The contest has been held under the flag of all of the main federations under the guidance of its founder, former WABBA International World President Scott Horton but has been embraced by WABBA International so strongly it is now a worldwide franchise.

After becoming the Hercules Olympia in 2013 the contest became an international event, with teams from Italy, Portugal and Spain consistently in attendance the international appeal of the franchise across the globe to the point that we now have: The Hercules Olympia UK©, The Hercules Olympia Mexico©, The Hercules Olympia India© and The Hercules Olympia Italia© throughout the year with plans for more in 2019.

With Pro Cards on the line as well as qualification for the WABBA International World Championships in Vicenza next month the stakes were high and with high stakes comes stiff competition. This competition was no exception with some familiar faces from the 2017 Mr and Miss Universe contest floating around backstage, the atmosphere was electric, it was apparent from the beginning that if you hadn’t brought your A game, this was not going to be your day.

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///

BY TREVOR CHUNG

Masters O40 1st

Michael Hehir

UK

2nd

Neil Hulland

UK

3rd

Stuart Scott

UK

Also Competed: Przemyslaw Sicinski, Steve Aimes-Winter

Junior U24 1st

Sam Bennett

UK

2nd

Marcos Emmanuel Gomes

Portugal

Wes Brown

UK

3rd

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JULES GODFREY

First Timers

Novice

1st

1st

Valdas Laugalys Lithuania

2nd

Miss Shape 1st

Kelly Day

2nd 3rd

Rafal Kwiatowski

Poland

Tim Gosling

UK

Miss Body UK

1st

Violet Schwarz UK

Martyna Ryback Poland

2nd

Tara Burt

Anita Wright

3rd

Frances AimesWinter UK

UK

Also competed: Paula Nogaj, Kate Grouse, Samantha Jones

UK

Miss Fitness 1st

Diana Correira

Portugal

2nd

Fay Ellis

UK

3rd

Emily Brand

UK

Also competed: Kat Ban

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Last year’s Masters O40 Winner Michael Hehir was in great form on his return to the Hercules Olympia stage. Michaels paper thin skin and fullness gave him the edge over the gargantuan Neil Hulland who’s incredible structure was too much for a well-conditioned and balanced Stuart Scott.

The juniors were the first to take the stage and the powerful muscularity of Sam Bennett overcame the polished Marco Emmanuel Gomes and the BodyPower International Cup Junior champion Wes Brown to pick up one of the beautifully crafted Spartan Helmets that were the first place trophies that the whole auditorium was buzzing about.

Valdas Laugalys was the only First Timer in his class but brought a muscular well balanced package that will be definitely something to watch out for in the future and the gnarly condition of Rafal Kwatiowski was too much for Tim Gosling in the Novice Class.

The first of our Women’s classes was the Miss Shape Class, with Ripped Gym’s Kelly Day having just the right balance of muscularity and condition for this class with Poland’s Martyna Ryback just pipping Preston’s Anita Wright for the second place slot.

In the Miss Fitness Class Portuguese Miss Universe Diana Correira maintained her unbeaten run with WABBA, Diana fought off the challenge of International Champions Cup Winner Fay Ellis on this occasion but I am sure that Fay will be looking to reverse this decision at the World Championships in Vivenza in 3 weeks. Young Emily Brand at only 21 years of age had another good showing with amazing condition but needs more time to challenge the mass of the Top 2.

Violet Schwarz also maintained her unbeaten run with WABBA with great conditioning and muscularity that was too much for the impressive Tara Burt with rookie Frances Aimes- Winter in the unenviable position of being in her first contest against a World Champion but maintaining a respectable third place.

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Men’s Model 1st

Luke Medlyn

UK

2nd

Andrea Alvisi

Italy

Men’s Physique 1st

Claudio Viera

Portugal

2nd

Gil Garcia

UK

3rd

Lewis Riches

UK

Also competed: Neil Pears

Miss Bikini 1st

Patricia Silva

Portugal

2nd

Cassandra Malini

Italy

Cristina Trombetta

Italy

3rd

Also competed: Jessica McNamara, Isabella Sagnella, Danielle Keen, Chantell McKnight

In the Men’s Fitness Class, local lad Luke Medlyn was in great condition and his experience on stages shone through against Andrea Alvisi’s first ever time on stage.

Men’s Physique is a relatively new class for WABBA International, this is the second year that we have had the bigger version of Men’s Fitness in our roster and it was the closest class of the day. Portuguese National Champion Claudio Viera that would take his second WABBA GB first place trophy home in as many weeks to pip the UK’s Gil Garcia by just one point with the UK’s Lewis Riches an impressive third.

After the break 2017 Mr Universe Luke Bagster took to the stage with his son Kenly to perform a fantastic guest spot. Luke’s dense muscularity and Kenly’s slick moves were a fantastically entertaining combination.

We then moved over to the Women’s beauty classes. Starting with Miss Bikini it was the returning Portuguese runner up from the International Champions Cup Patricia Silva that would win the class over Italy’s Cassandra Malini and Cristina Trombetta in the open class and then go on to beat Maya Emms-Davies in the overall who had beaten Katrina Drinkova and Melisa Hasanbegovic in the O35 Miss Bikini Class.

The Classic BodyBuilding Class was an outstanding class of the day.

Classic competitors have to adhere to a height to weight ratio which keeps the emphasis on shape and condition over size. Andrea Orlando from Italy had certainly got the memo. His undeniable condition was too much for the excellent Andrei Pogor and Paulo Santos both from Portugal.

James Ford was tighter than Mr Universe runner up Emmanuel D’Agostino who was big and full but had not managed to hold his condition from the contest the week before, with 2nd Placed Junior Marcos Emmanuel Gomes stepped up to the Men’s Division to secure 3rd place.

Danny Baldwinson returned to the Hercules Olympia stage after a 10

Miss Bikini O35 1st

Maya Emms-Davies

UK

2nd

Katerina Drinkova

UK

3rd

Melisa Haganbegovic

UK

Also competed: Jo Jo Lamb, Chantell McKnight

Overall Bikini Winner 1st

Patricia Silva

Portugal

Overall Men’s BodyBuilding Winner 1st

year hiatus to win the Medium Class over Anchor Gym’s highly conditioned Marcin Kuczawski and Nottingham’s Gareth Harrod.

After competing for the first time in 2016 in the Classic BodyBuilding Class Adam Usher returned to the Hercules Olympia stage to win the Medium Class and Big Neil Hulland returned to the stage to turn his second place in the Masters O40 Class into a first place in Supertall.

Neil’s huge structure and tight condition was too much for Szymon Malecki and the beautifully proportioned Joshua Douglas.

James Ford

There was an epic battle for the Overall Title, 5 great physiques took to the stage, all so different and yet all so good. As the pose down began it became apparent that the front runners were Danny Baldwinson and James Ford who were having a great time jostling each other on stage but it was James Ford who was announced the winner and new WABBA Pro with one vote more than Danny.

The Hercules Olympia 2018 was a fantastic event, a real joy to be involved in, there was a family feel about the whole contest and the JULY 2018 | FLEX

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Classic BodyBuilding

BodyBuilding -180cm

1st

Andrea Orlando Italy

1st

2nd

Andrei Pogor

Portugal

3rd

Paulo Santos

Portugal

Adam Usher

Also competed: Stuart Robinson, Danny Nunn, Joseph Hammond, Chambers Whittle, Karl Hasnip, Valdas Laugalys

BodyBuilding -170cm 1st

James Ford

BodyBuilding +180cm

2nd

Emmanuel D’Agostino

1st

Neil Hulland

3rd

Marcos Emmanuel Gomes

2nd

Szymon Malecki

3rd

Josh Douglas

Also competed: Wes Brown, Neal Maher, Rafal Kwatiowski

BodyBuilding -175cm 1st

Danny Baldwinson

2nd

Marcin Kuczawski

3rd

Gareth Harrod

Also competed: Fabrizio Cavazzini, Maz Mahmood

camaraderie between the WABBA competitors is unrivalled by any other federation. The non-stop banter backstage and onstage, the exemplary WABBA backroom

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staff coupled with the amazing Trophies all add up to the Hercules Olympia being the unforgettable competitive experience that it is.

Next year the Hercules Olympia will be at BodyPower on Sunday May 12th contact us for further details at: info@wabbagb.com.

FAMOUS FACES AT BODYPOWER 2018 ///

BY DARREN NICHOLHURST

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS & STEPHEN BLACK

Tom Coleman

Flex Wheeler & Charles Clairmonte Two of the biggest icons of the 90’s bodybuilding scene still pulling the crowds. Flex Wheeler and Charles Clairmonte both always look as if time stood still. These guys are the epitome of bodybuilding and keeping their young looks. Editor of Flex Darren Nicholhurst got these two legends together for a catch up on old times before heading to see the master of mass Dorian Yates for more reflections.

One of the best known, our very own Brit Tom Coleman took the podium at Bulk Powders for the BP weekend madness. Genuine straight talker Tom must have been high on the selfie list for all Muscle Modal and Men’s Physique rookies this year. His queue was long, but they knew he was worth the wait. Keep your eyes peeled, Tom is going to be doing something cool, and FLEX will be there to witness it. Stay tuned #TomColemanFans

Iris Kyle Iris Kyle, the most accomplished Olympian of all time. The 10 x Sandow winner popped her guns out and blew away many of the guys that had pictures with her.

A real lady of bodybuilding with achievements that may never be beaten.

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Ulisesses Dorian Yates

Launching his new look DY Nutrition brand, the legend that is the Shadow, Dorian Yates, graced BodyPower with his outstanding 6x Mr Olympia Sandow trophies. It was hard to say who got the most selfies, Dorian or the Sandow’s. Thousands of fans queued to meet the Mr O that changed bodybuilding and ask the Guru their all-important question.

Zydrunas Savickas The mighty Big Z, Savickas, overshadows many of the fans that came to get a picture with him. With BodyPower having a huge powerlifting community in attendance, what more could any strength athlete wish for that a chance to meet one of the greatest strongmen of all time? Always willing to give advice and guidance to any newcomer, Big Z is a great role model for the sport

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Social media superstar Ulisesses didn’t fail to impress at BodyPower, when he took 3 days out of his busy schedule to pose with fans. Thousands of admirers flocked from all over the globe to greet the man himself as he put on a modest display of interaction and struck his trademark double biceps for the cameras.

Sadik Hadzovic IFBB Men’s Physique Pro Sadik Hadzovic spent the weekend looking cool on his clothing sponsors stand Vanquish Clothing (VQ). Probably one of the best-balanced physiques to grace the Olympia stage. Sadik kindly took his time greeting each fan, shocking some, once they realise actually how big the Olympian Men’s Physiques actually are.

Evan Centopani

The icon of brand ANIMAL, Evan Centopani signed pictures for fans even though he wasn’t feeling well.

Being massively into his nutrition, and his fans knew that, he sat explaining quite how he turned from a ‘fat kid’ his words to a lean, mean monster of the stage.

Martyn Ford & Jens ‘The Beast’ Dalsgaard

Hafthor ‘The Mountain’ Bjornsson, Terry Hollands & Laurence Shahlaei

Game of Thrones star Hafthor ‘The Mountain’ Bjornsson towered over fans for photos with Laurence Shahlaei and the mighty Terry Hollands. Hopefully, the fans had a seriously wide angled lens to get these guys in. Terry also hosted the Strongman competition in unforgettable fashion with on looking fans in complete awe.

Film star and Ultimate 5% er Martyn Ford with Jens ‘The Beast’ Dalsgaard stood for hours greeting their huge amounts of fans that queued for miles. Although these guys look probably the most intimidating characters of the show, the fans know that they are in fact the nicest guys you could meet. The moral is ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’.

Hidetada Yamagishi

Gaspari Nutrition athlete Hidetada Yamagishi met fans and showed them what a true Arnold Classic champion is like up close.

Probably one of the humblest pros on the circuit and made time for every fan.

Dusty Hanshaw

Great to see Mutant Athlete Dusty Hanshaw hanging on the stand being his usual colossal self. Dusty graced his fans with his general openness and wealth of knowledge.

He’s genuine willingness to teach the up and coming lifters with his T-Rex sized wealth of experience.

William Bonac

Overwhelmed with receiving his very own first ever front cover on June’s edition of FLEX, William ‘The Conqueror’ Bonac was genuinely humbled by such an achievement in any bodybuilders eyes.

It’s been a huge year for Bonac, with winning the Arnold, front cover of FLEX and the birth of his daughter. Can he finish the year with a Sandow trophy taken from the clutches of Phil ‘The Gift’ Heath? We will have to wait until September to find out

Flex Lewis

Always great to have Flex Lewis back in the UK. It’s still such a pleasure to see the time and effort that Flex puts into every fan if he’s met a fan before he remembers their name and where they met and gave them the time they need to feel special. A true ambassador of how every athlete should be towards the fans.

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TRUE ART OF BODYBUILDING

COMPETITION S

ustainable and socially responsible brand art group, LVNG Heart, teamed up with Flex Magazine editor Darren Nicholhurst and six time Mr Olympia, Dorian Yates, to raise funds for SportsAid at this year’s BodyPower Expo in Birmingham.

LVNG heart created an original piece of modern art, entitled “The Shadow”, to capture the spirit of determination, passion and commitment. Which was then autographed by British bodybuilding legend, Dorian Yates, himself, it was raffled at the 10th annual BodyPower Expo in aid of SportsAid – supporting British children aspiring to become professional athletes.

All the money that was raised for SportsAid was through ticket sales at the event, the LVNG team hopes to do further fundraising with future plans.

Painted using only spray cans on canvas, by the very talented Ant Steel of LVNG Heart, it will now be moving to its new home with the lucky winner, Chris Link. Chris, an aspiring competitive bodybuilder, was thrilled to win, commenting “Thank you so very much indeed! I applaud the work that LVNG Heart, Flex and DY Nutrition are doing for SportsAid. I will cherish and look after this amazing piece of artwork.”

LVNG commented, “We owe a huge thanks to Dorian Yates, Gal Yates, Shoeeb and his team at DY Nutrition for welcoming us so warmly into their team for the weekend. Darren Nicholhurst from

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///

BY DARREN NICHOLHURST

@daz_the_bull ///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS

Winner: Chris Link with Dorian Yates

Flex Magazine for making this all possible, and all the BodyPower attendees who bought raffle tickets and supported this fantastic cause! We were honoured to be a part of this and look forward to working with Flex and DY Nutrition again in the future.” Jade Edinburgh, Co-Founder, LVNG Heart.

LVNG Heart brings together brand engagement, art and charity to make a positive impact on the world.

Through experiential art installations and eco-friendly merchandise with corporate social responsibility at its core, the team at LVNG Heart help brands create unique customer engagement opportunities, differentiates brands from their competitors, develops brand loyal customers who are proud to be supporters and contributes

towards great causes, spreading that feel good factor among brand teams, customers and beyond.

LVNG Heart describe themselves as a business with a heart, because being able to donate a portion of our time and resources to charitable causes was one of the main motivations for the founders launching the group. For more information, visit www.LVNGheart. com or search LVNG Heart on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

COMPETITION CALENDAR

2018 SHOWS

MP UNIVERSE

October 28th

VENUE: The Alban Arena, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 3LD

MANCHESTER

September 9th

MIDDLETON

MIDLANDS

September 16th

BIRMINGHAM

CUMBRIA

Date TBC Shortly

CARLISLE

LONDON

Date TBC Shortly

WELSH

THE AMATEUR GRAND PRIX

Date TBC Shortly

Saturday September 15th TOWNSGATE THEATRE, BASILDON.

JP GRAND PRIX

Date TBC Shortly

JERSEY

October 7th

CHANNEL ISLANDS

FINALS

October 13th-14th

BIRMINGHAM

THE KINGS OF THE NORTH

Saturday October 20th

CARRIAGEWORKS THEATRE, LEEDS

THE RHINO CLASSIC

Sunday November 4th

STAMFORD CORN EXCHANGE, STAMFORD

THE UK CHAMPIONSHIPS Saturday November 24th

PCA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

RILEY-SMITH HALL,

Date TBC Shortly

TADCASTER.

UK ULTIMATE PHYSIQUES WUP

WORLD CUP INVITE ONLY

July 29th

UKUP

WELSH/SW CHAMPIONSHIPS

August 11th

UKUP

SOUTHERN CHAMPIONSHIPS

September 9th

RIUP

IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS (Pro Qualifier)

September TBC

UKUP

NORTHERN CHAMPIONSHIPS

October 6th

UKUP

BRITISH FINALS (PRO QUALIFIER)

October 20th

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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DADDY TALKS HOW TO GET STARTED IN

W

PHOTO CREDITS: ROB DUNNING/USP (LEFT): ANDERS MOLLER (RIGHT)

hen you start to question whether you want that narrow focus on your current speciality, be that powerlifting or bodybuilding, or whether you feel that deep down, the raw need to compete and show that you are the strongest out there, an allaround super-strength athlete.

///

BY GLENN ROSS

YOU’LL KNOW YOURSELF PRETTY QUICKLY WHETHER THE IDEA OF STRONGMAN IS FOR YOU. IT’S JUST A FEELING YOU’LL HAVE.

In reality that’s what being a Strongman is – the ability to consistently show that you can lift more, push more, hold more or throw more than others and not just in the gym but out there in the real world with equipment with roots in everyday objects. It does what it says on the tin, it’s about being consistently the best over a wide range of tests of strength.

Strongman activities go as far back as the recorded history of athletics. The Greeks, the Romans, the Celts and the Vikings all celebrated feats of strength and even immortalised them in myth and legend, so when you take your first steps into Strongman, remember that the modern daydisciplines of weightlifting, gym work and bodybuilding have sprung from Strongman, not the other way around. You will be taking your first steps into a sport with a deep and rich past.

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my own kit specially made for me, the benefits of strength training have been embraced across a number of mainstream sports like rugby and CrossFit, which means access to equipment and knowledge is far greater than it used to be.

There really won’t be a gym or sports centre in the nation that won’t be able to accommodate your burgeoning desire to be a Strongman.

Strongman can push bodies to the limit so always pay attention to your health, make sure you eat well not just a lot and run that engine of yours on good stuff – if you’ve got a good engine only use the best fuel, there is no point in even starting unless you’re in good shape.

Take it slow and perfect your art.

You wouldn’t jump straight into a Formula 1 car and expect to be the best would you? To win you’d hone

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PHOTO CREDITS: ANDERS MOLLER

So, what do you need to do when you take your first tentative steps in Strongman?

your skills in karting and then Formula 3. Strongman is no different. Make sure you take it slow and steady, the more you rush to go bigger and stronger the more likely you are to suffer injury and burn out. If a thing is worth doing it’s worth doing well, slow and steady wins the day.

A lot of gyms will now have many of the well-known Strongman kit on site. Large tyres, logs, farmer’s walk rigs and atlas stones so that’s a good place to start learning. Talk to people and seek out other gym members who already practice Strongman. It’s always the best way to learn and you can tap into that huge sense of community that underpins and supports Strongman, When you do feel ready to move on from your first steps in a gym and go hardcore, get yourself down to your nearest friendly farmer and get practicing on some heavier kit – big tractor tyres for example. This is when your training mates or ‘cell’ as I call them can really come into

their own. Your next stage will be thinking about competition because if you really want to be the best, you need to show you’re the best.

Nearly all gyms will be able to put you in touch with a local area Ultimate Strongman Marshal who will know the sport inside out and help you on your first steps in competition, starting at the local or County level and maybe you too could end up being UK’s Strongest Man. If you can’t make contact with a Marshal contact us through www. ultimatestrongman.tv for some advice.

PHOTO CREDITS: ANDERS MOLLER

Here are the guiding principles to starting Strongman: • Make sure you get your health right – eat well, sleep well and get fit enough to start training. There is no point in starting on the road without an engine in a top state of tune and running on the best fuels and oils.

• Learn how to be strong take time and learn to perform consistently and well. Being consistently good at everything is absolutely key. Just look at the big Pole Mateusz Kielokowski, recently 2nd at World’s Strongest Man but who missed out on the victory by

being weak in the deadlift despite monstering everything else • Work on that consistency – keep the training volumes, eating and timing of your gym work consistent as you move towards your first competition. Don’t overtrain and give yourself enough leeway to make your first competition 100% effort.

• Rest Up – before your first competition make sure you give your body and mind enough time off so that when you start again you really, really want to lift some heavy things. Make sure you’re hungry for it. I used to give myself 5 straight days off before competition to get my muscles really soft, that’s perfect for going into a competition.

• People remember the Victor – remember to treat every competition like it’s your last. Give it everything and don’t hold back.

People only remember the winner.

That may sound harsh but believe me it’s true. To win you have to be a little on the edge so make sure you put yourself out there.

Good luck as you take your first steps into Strongman, maybe I’ll see you there soon.

Stay Strong Glenn ‘The Daddy’ Ross JULY 2018 | FLEX

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HOLLANDS KILLS BUS RECORD The previous record of 23.25 seconds, set by Albanian-born British strongman Jimmy Marku in 2007, was one of the longest standings and difficult discipline records to break. But, in perfectly dry and sunny conditions, Hollands powered his way to an incredible new benchmark of 17.41 seconds in front of the region’s media and a large and enthusiastic mass of fans.

Terry’s magnificent achievement was supported by Southern Transit, who provided a £250,000 Alexander-Dennis Enviro400 Citymaster bus for the day, along with driver and company owner Neil Bird. While the majority of the British public were wrapped in the idea of a Royal wedding and two special people pulled in an open Landau by 4 horsepower, a single human power dragged the equivalent of 2500 horsepower in one explosive effort.

Southampton was ‘The City of Strength’ this May as the south coast built up to Summermania The Ultimate Strongman World Championship II, the greatest gathering of strongmen on earth, to be fought out at St.Mary’s Stadium on 3 June.

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A lot of eyes will have been trained on The Philippines last month for World’s Strongest Man, but it’s been a little closer to home, in Southampton where the smart money has focused its attention.

“I’m really pleased,” said Hollands “it was always going to be tough as the record has stood for so long for a good reason. I’m really happy, especially as I got off to a bit of a slow start and was a bit worried for a second. My legs are in bits!”

38-year-old Hollands, who, after sustaining an injury in his first sport of rugby, turned to strongman, is a former winner of the Strongman Champions League and has twice stood on the podium of World’s Strongest Man during a record 13 appearances.

PHOTO CREDITS: ROB DUNNING/USP

T

he crowds were out in force at Southampton’s Guildhall Square in May to watch ‘The Dartford Destroyer’, Terry Hollands smash the World Record for the 12-tonne Bus Pull by a massive 7 seconds over a 20-metre course.

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Call 01604 673000 or visit fitness-superstore.co.uk *T’s & C’s apply, see website for more details. Code expires July 29th 2018.

GET SWOLE WITH WOLÉ F

ulham firefighter and personal trainer Wolé battled with dyslexia and having no sense of belonging until he found team sport and work.

In 1992, after attending summer football camp and noticing the older boys with crisp toned physiques, he soon knew his main objective was going to be getting lean and looking good.

Fitness and training are what saved Wolé from going down the path that many other teenagers do.

“I was angry, my parents split when I was 5, and I hated the world and everything in it,” he says.

This changed when Wolé returned from football camp and his older sister got them both into the local council gym.

“My older sister lied and said that we were 16-year-old twins, but I was only 12 years old really,” he recalls.”I had no knowledge of weight lifting at all. I would watch the biggest guy and copy what he was doing. Eventually, that guy asked me to train with him. Then my gains kicked off,” he smiles.

Eventually, Wolé moved to a hardcore gym (Muscle Works) and learned from the close community of bodybuilders there how to turn his passion into a career. However, at the same time, he was training to become a firefighter. With dyslexia,

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///

BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS

CHEST TRAINING with

WOLÉ ADESEMOYE

this took three attempts even to pass the written. But, his bodybuilding mentality kept him pushing forward until the goal was reached.

Many would struggle to deal with the enormous stresses of being a firefighter, coupled with angered memories from such a childhood, but Wolé uses training to cope.

“I get over all my stress with training,” he explains. “I also keep in my mind that I am a public servant and I use that to fuel my lifts. I believe that I need to look strong and powerful. So, when I attend an emergency, the public feels safe and secure knowing we can handle anything.”

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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BARBELL INCLINE PRESS

THIS IS WHAT WOLÉ DOES TO GET HIS CHEST SWOLE… Barbell incline press Barbell bench press Barbell decline press Dumbbell Hex Press Dumbbell incline flies Pec Deck Cable Crossover

BARBELL DECLINE PRESS

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4x15 4x15 4x15 4x12 4x12 4x15 4x15

JULY 2018 | FLEX

105

DUMBBELL INCLINE FLIES

PECK DECK

DUMBELL HEX PRESS

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CABLE CROSS OVER

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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INTRODUCING THE FIRST EVER

WELSH CHAMPIONSHIPS

22ND SEPTEMBER 2018 PRINCESS ROYAL THEATRE, PORT TALBOT, SOUTH WALES, SA13 1PJ FOR MORE INFO WWW.BODYPOWER.COM - @BODYPOWEREXPO MIKE & LEICA GELSEI - @MIKELEICAGELSEI

PRESENTED BY

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TOM COLEMAN ‘How I Got Here’ ///

DARREN NICHOLHURST

@daz_the_bul ///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS

JULY 2018 | FLEX

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I

got to spend the day with the great Tom Coleman and get a FLEX exclusive on exactly how he managed to become one of the most recognised physiques in the industry. From how he chose where to position himself in the industry, to how he grew a huge following with social media.

Here is a very personal insight into how he got where he is today.

How and where did you decide to take the first steps into competition and training?

When I first started training, it was at a hardcore spit and sawdust type of gym. We called it The Dungeon. I wanted to put on a serious amount of muscle and build what I thought was a proper physique. I was only 16 years old when I first walked in, then really started to take things seriously at 18-19 years old. I used to train with some older guys; Steve Harley, Kirk Gettings and an old skool guy called Pete who at the ripe age of 79 was fascinating.

There was a guy there called John Campbell who was always

competing and between all of my peers they decided I should compete. I always loved the Bob Paris look. That’s how I wanted to appear on stage.

How did the transition from general gym life to the competition stage happen?

This was at a time when social media had just started to lift off. The guys got me to compete in a Miami Pro contest in my early 20’s. Just after that, I ended up doing a television show documentary on Men’s Health which was a contest

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also, and I placed 2nd in that. I was very stringy and didn’t like the way I looked.

If you were advising a beginner on choosing a show, what steps would you recommend?

You need to know where you fit in the industry. I see a lot of guys killing themselves to get into a category when they don’t even meet the criteria. So, they end up stepping on stage very undernourished. You should choose the category that you want to do and best suits your body shape. Then grow into the

“Do you make the trophy or does the trophy make you?” perfect physique that you need to win that class. I always try to keep moving forward, so before I finish at the top of my chosen category, I’m already looking ahead to my next move. This way, I’m consistently improving.

How did you know that you could do well in such a challenging industry?

I did the Miami Pro show to see if I would enjoy the experience and if I suited the stage and show. This made me realise that I did have the passion for competing.

How would the reader understand which category they would be best suited?

Watch as many shows as you can and find someone with a physique that you could idolise. They have already created a blueprint (documented their life and story of success). Look at what they have done from the beginning, as this will

give you an indication of how they became a success. Follow that, as it clearly works.

How do you find the perfect coach to help you reach your goal?

If you’re looking to compete, search for an experienced coach that has coached someone to reach your goal before- that’s if they haven’t experienced it themselves.

Remember every Pro has a coach.

Where is a good start to learn about bodybuilding nutrition?

I got all my knowledge in the beginning from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopaedia.

I’ve always kept everything basicremember not to be afraid to eat.

We should try and educate people to eat more and be healthier. If you eat clean, you won’t get fat.

How would someone decide which gym is correct for their goal?

Never be intimidated to be in any gym. Everyone there is there for a similar reason.

Don’t be afraid to ask the biggest guy in the gym for help and advice.

He is most likely the best source of knowledge and will love to help.

He was once searching for information too.

Focus on old skool basic training, don’t start with stupid Instagram exercises or you will cause yourself an injury. Go back to Arnie’s encyclopaedia and pick the basic exercises to build your base physique.

What is the best way to gain followers on social media?

Always be positive. Positivity feeds and attracts other positive processes.

Always be true, don’t pretend to be one thing on social media when you’re something else in reality.

Be and put out the true you, people buy into people, and fake life or

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words will damage you. Make sure the demographic you are trying to appeal to is interested in what you’re talking about or showing.

This way you will get the attention of like-minded people.

Do you have any wise words for FLEX readers?

You learn something new every day,

so share your knowledge. Mix with others in the gym and work your way through many competitive federations.

You will find where you fit, and then work hard and never give up.

Every dream is possible.

Instagram: @tomocoleman

BLOOD FLOW RESTRICTION TRAINING GET

BIGGER STRONGER MUSCLES

,

B

odybuilding is all about building the biggest muscles possible, with the generally held belief that to achieve this, we must aim to get as strong as possible with progressive overload.

So, the key to building massive muscles is to apply a training stimulus. By now we should all be aware that this stimulus is weightlifting, using mechanical strength, removing momentum and creating the purest form of stimulus with the exact execution of movement.

The other, commonly overlooked factor, is creating the best internal environment for optimal adaptation.

The best coaches in the world have an intimate knowledge of training methods, but also biochemistry and nutrition, creating this optimal environment within their athletes.

If your training is on point and precise in its prescription, but you’re wreaking havoc to your biochemistry, due to poor nutrition, optimal muscle building will not occur.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in 2009 studied and found that 70% of your 1RM (one rep max) and above would cause muscle hypertrophy and anything below that percentage

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///

BY JOHN BUCKLAND

CALVES would be insufficient to create muscle growth.

But is there a way in which you can get bigger and stronger muscles with less weight?

Or create a growth stimulus above what can usually be achieved?

Welcome to a training method that flies directly in the face of that

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS

CALVES evidence. Blood Flow Restriction Training or BFR for short.

With as little as 20% of your 1RM and a cuff pressure of 150 mmHg or 130% of your systolic blood pressure (Suga et.al 2010) BFR resistance training has been proven to result in significantly greater gains in muscle size and strength.

HAMSTRINGS The studies show that strength improvements are seen in the first week and size gain in up to six weeks.

So, how does this happen?

As bodybuilders, the searing burn from lactic acid accumulation in any given muscle or muscles should not be a new sensation. We know that the local and systemic increase in lactic acid causes endorphin release and acts as a feedback signal to the brain, to release Growth Hormone from the Pituitary gland and also enough testosterone to signal muscle hypertrophy (males under 50-60 years.)

As such we should see lactic acid as our friend, the greater the levels of lactic acid, greater the anabolic hormonal cascade we create…our internal environment is now becoming optimal for adaptive GROWTH!!

So, when you’re next in the gym

don’t aim for just a pump, chase the burn!!

Science also tells us that acute swelling (cell expansion or the pump) stimulates anabolic responses in hepatocytes which make up 7085% of the liver’s mass. These cells

are involved in protein synthesis and protein storage amongst many other metabolic functions.

So, back to the BFR training.

As you can see in the images, the cuffs are positioned high up the thigh around the groin area for leg

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ROMANIAN DEADLIFT training and on upper arm for arms training.

The cuff allows for arterial flow into the working muscles but restricts venous return, in effect trapping lactic acid and other metabolites in the local area.

This has been shown to increase the local levels of lactic acid hugely, mechano-growth factors and increase insulin-like growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) in the muscle, so be prepared for the most painful burn you have ever experienced…..after your first set!!

We now know lactic acid increases release of GH and testosterone.

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LEG PRESS But it gets better! When lactic acid forms locally in a muscle being trained, two processes take place: • Muscle satellite cell proliferation (means more numbers of muscle cells) • Muscle satellite cell activation (means more growth and repair) Not only that, but an increase in lactic acid increases recruitment of all muscle fibre types as the increase in lactic acid causes a decrease in blood oxygen.

Aiming to be as hugely muscular as possible, would we stay at only

BICEPS

20% of our 1rm during a BFR workout???

Hell no!!!!

Although not studied as yet, if we aimed to work at normal or typical % of 1RM, (so way over the 20%) the likelihood of creating an ordinarily unachievable level of lactic acid in the muscle would be achievableand we have just learned what lactic acid can do for us.

Two things that this author and coach have seen during this type workout with many of his clients is this:

clients had severe DOMS in the muscles and reduced knee pain, less than before the workout!

We now know what BFR training is and why it has bodybuilding benefits. So, how do we perform a leg session?

Here’s my protocol.

I begin the workout with the muscle

groups 99% of amateur bodybuilder lack the most the posterior chain, namely calves and hamstrings. It’s a giant set to move from one exercise straight into the next no stopping in between, once you have done the first set, in this case, 30 reps for each exercise, take a 30-second rest then do set two, each set increase the weight, it looks like this:

Calf raise, Laying or seated Ham curl, Leg extension EXERCISE

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 4

SET 5

SET 6

SET 7

SET 8

SET 9

Calve Raise 30 reps

30 reps

25 reps

25 reps

20 reps

20 reps

15 reps

15 reps

10 reps

Ham Curl

30 reps

30 reps

25 reps

25 reps

20 reps

20 reps

15 reps

15 reps

10 reps

Leg Ext

30 reps

30 reps

25 reps

25 reps

20 reps

20 reps

15 reps

15 reps

10 reps

BICEPS Firstly, training with the BFR cuff on allows for pain-free training in clients who have mild to severe knee issues… which fall under the inflammation category, so patella tendonitis, pre-patella tendonitis, bursitis etc. Where clients are unable to leg extension 20kgs without pain, 60 -70kg for 20 reps pain-free has been observed.

Initially thoughts were that due to the immense discomfort provided by trapping such a significant amount of lactic acid into the legs, it was masking of pain in the inflamed joint, but…

Secondly, on further examination,

Once this has been completed a super-set of 45-degree leg press back to back with Romanian deadlifts EXERCISE

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 4

SET 5

SET 6

Leg Press

20

20

15

15

12

12

RDL

15

15

12

12

10

10

Next move into the last exercise, which for a beginner to BFR would a Hack squat machine and an Olympic barbell Back Squat for the more competent.

EXERCISE (one only) SET SET SET SET 1

2

3

4

Back Squat

15

12

10

8

Hack Squat

20

15

12

10

This leg workout should last no more than 50 minutes, which is more than enough to get the benefits of the BFR, its high rep, but still push for added weight on each set.

Remember, lactic acid is your friend…it causes all of the internal hormonal cascades we want. One take-home point to remember …

Insulin works in opposition to GH, so once you have spiked you GH production with your BFR training, wait at least 30 mins before you ingest any carbs which will cause an insulin spike and damage your post-workout lactic acid induced GH peak.

Enjoy

John Buckland #ministryofIron

References

BICEPS

ACSM (2009) American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 41(3):687–708 Abe T, Beekley MD, Hinata S, Koizumi K, Sato Y (2005a) Day-to-day change in muscle strength and MRI-measured skeletal muscle size during 7 days KAATSU resistance training: a case study. Int J KAATSU Train Res 1(2):71–76 Yasuda T, Fujita S, Ogasawara R, Sato Y, Abe T (2010) Effects of low-intensity bench press training with restricted arm muscle blood flow on chest muscle hypertrophy: a pilot study. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging 30(5):338–343 Suga T, Okita K, Morita N, Yokota T, Hirabayashi K, Horiuchi M, Takada S, Omokawa M, Kinugawa S, Tsutsui H (2010) Dose-effect on intramuscular metabolic stress during low-intensity resistance exercise with blood flow restriction. J Appl Physiol 108(6):1563–1567 Loenneke JP, Wilson JM, Wilson GJ, Pujol TJ, Bemben MG (2011) Potential safety issues with blood flow restriction training.

Scand J Med Sci Sports 21(4):510–518 Haussinger D (1996) The role of cellular hydration in the regulation of cell function. Biochem J 313(Pt 3):697–710

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Tweaks TO

Become A

Freak PART 1 Five alterations to basic upper-body exercises that will hype up hypertrophy. ///

BY ERIC ‘MERLIN’ BROSER

JULY 2018 | FLEX

121

W With more than 25 years of experience in this industry, I view every machine, pulley, bench, barbell, and dumbbell as a tool with endless possibilities. Similarly, I look at every textbook training movement as nothing more than a basic outline with infinite potential. Which raises the question: Is it possible to make standard exercises extraordinary with the slightest of changes? As a matter of fact, it is. Here goes...

THE MOVEMENT:

Dumbbell Pullover THE TWEAK: Alter your form and degree of elbow bend to target different muscles.

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THE RESULT: By slightly altering your technique, you can make dumbbell pullovers a useful part of both your chest and back training programs.

O P E N E R : P AV E L Y T H J A L L .

T H I S PAG E : P E R B E R N A L

THE EXECUTION: To target your lats, keep the arms only slightly bent and lower the weight both down and back (away) from the top of the head. Focus on stretching the lats at the bottom and forcing them to contract as you return the dumbbell to just over the forehead. To pump up your pecs, bend the elbows to a

higher degree (close to 90 degrees) while lowering the weight straight down toward the floor.

Feel the rib cage stretch as the dumbbell descends and focus on pulling with the pecs as you raise the weight back over your chest.

Squeeze each time before beginning the next rep.

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THE MOVEMENT:

One-arm Dumbbell Row

THE EXECUTION: Instead of positioning yourself with one knee on a flat bench and one leg behind you, set an incline to about 45 degrees and lie forward onto your chest. When performing the movement with the left arm, for example, aim to place your right pec and shoulder

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onto the upper-right side of the bench (and vice versa).

Row the dumbbell back toward your hip with one arm while the other wraps underneath the bench, holding on to it firmly, to keep your torso locked in place.

THE RESULT: Not only will this positioning on an incline bench remove all possibility of cheating, but it will also help create a longer range of motion and a better plane of movement for greater lat stimulation.

PICTURE CREDIT: CHRIS LUND

THE TWEAK: Lean forward into an incline bench to stabilise the torso as you row.

THE MOVEMENT:

Close-grip Bench Press THE TWEAK: Utilise a Smith machine, rather than a free bar, and hold with hands rotated inward so the elbows flare out.

PICTURE CREDIT: PER BERNAL

THE EXECUTION: To set up, grasp the bar at just inside shoulder width and rotate your hands inward so that the elbows rotate outward. Then lower the bar slowly (and carefully) in line with your upper pecs until your forearms touch your biceps.

Pause for a moment, then push the bar up to just before lockout

GET YOUR BACK ISSUES TODAY!

on each rep, trying to activate only your triceps.

THE RESULT: The unique positioning of the hands and elbows puts the chest and anterior deltoids in a weaker position for pressing, thus forcing the triceps to take on the brunt of the work. While all three heads of the triceps—long, short, and medial—will be engaged, it is the long/inner head that will be most affected, making this a serious mass builder for the back of the upper arms.

VISIT: STORE.BODYPOWER.COM

THE MOVEMENT:

One-arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl THE TWEAK: Vary hand positioning on the dumbbell on each set.

THE EXECUTION: After warming up, go all out for three sets of this exercise (per arm). Perform the first set with the hand grasping the middle of the dumbbell; the second set with your pinkie up against the inner plate; and the third set with your thumb up against the outer plate.

THE RESULT: With each set, you will feel a unique strain on the biceps as each hand position will slightly alter the direction of the downward force through the dumbbell. This will allow you to stimulate varying sets of motor pools within the biceps.

THE MOVEMENT:

Lateral Raise (NOT SHOWN) THE TWEAK: Lean back against an incline bench instead of standing.

THE EXECUTION: Set an incline bench to about 75 degrees. (If possible, have someone hold the back of the bench so it remains in place.) Grab a pair of dumbbells that are about 20% lighter than you usually use. Stand with your feet slightly out in front of you and lean back into the bench. Starting with the dumbbells at your hips, raise them out to the sides until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Keep a very slight bend in the elbows and your palms facing downward on every rep.

THE RESULT: By leaning back into an incline bench, you not only will be working through a different plane of motion but will also remove the possibility of using momentum. This maximally activates your delts.

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GET YOUR BACK ISSUES TODAY!

VISIT: STORE.BODYPOWER.COM

/// PHOTO GR A PH BY JODY W R IGH T. INS TA : JODY_W R IGH T 1

VITAL STATS NAME:

Rachael Okeefe

AGE: 20

TRAINS AT:

GAH GYM Albion Industrial Estate

OCCUPATION:

Student / salon receptionist

CATAGORY:

JR Bikini athlete

ACHIEVEMENTS & GOALS:

2017 - UKBFF I came 3rd aged 18 2018 - Competed at NABBA WALES - I competed in NABBA Wales 2018 and won my category.

I then WON the women’s overall and became Miss NABBA Wales 2018.

My next goal is to attend the NABBA Britain and win the junior bikini title.

I competed at BodyPower junior bikini and was a DY athlete at BodyPower, representing DY Nutrition.

Ultimately, I’d love to earn a pro card in the future. I am so inspired by other strong females currently dominating the fitness industry.

I look up to them and hope to achieve the same kind of success in my career.

I fell in love with bodybuilding as a sport because not only does it allow you to change who you are physically, it also challenges you mentally and helps your focus and drive in your training and day to day life. My mindset has never been stronger. Bodybuilding has made me a strong and confident young woman.

It’s an all or nothing sport when it comes to diet, cardio and training.

But the feeling you get when you are on stage is like no other and the hard graft you put in is all worth it.

Another achievement This was my first professional photo shoot at GAH gym!

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