Natural Muscle - May 2006

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Natural Muscle May 2006
May 2006
Arnold Fitness Expo 16
T R A I N I N G
The Hardgainer
by Russ Yeager
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Mak Attack
by Laura Mak
Muscleology Series-Medicine Ball

by Eric Hoult
Calf Training!
by Hugo Rivera
Obstacle Course Training
NATURAL HEALTH
The Fit Gourmet
by Danielle Nagel
by Lori Ann Lloyd
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Mohr Results
by Dr Chris Mohr
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Fighting Burnout...
by Dr. Charles Rice
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Fighting Burnout! 47
M O T I VAT I O N
Pzs Perspective
by Pz Hopkins
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Welcome to my World 2006

by Coach A
On the cover: Ava Cowen PBL Hottie of the Month Winner Photo by Justin Price cover designed by: Alex Gonzalez of Axis Design
8 Natural Muscle May 2006
the best ways to cheat..on your diet! 32
my two cents
PUBLISHER/EDITOR
Debbie Baigrie TotalH@aol.com
ART DIRECTOR
Alex Gonzalez
WEB DESIGN
Shelly Dickson
LAYOUT & GRAPHIC DESIGN
Goober, or Smart Cookie?
Alissa Greenberg
PROOFREADER
Carole Della Penna
as prices. They are affecting all of us. And they are affecting us in so many ways. The price of gas, as predicted for this summer, has gone up as far as 4.05 and by June, we may be paying closer to $5!. If we want the price of gasoline to drop, we cant blame Bush, we cant blame Iran or Iraq or Saudi Arabia or Venezuela... we should blame those that refuse to stop driving their cars to go to the corner store...blame those that waste gasoline idling their cars/trucks. Demand drives the price... If we want gasoline prices to drop what we must think about changing our lifestylesthink twice about getting into our cars to drive 5 blocks. After all I am writing this editorial to the readers of Natural Muscle, we are the fittest and I would say one of the most progressive groups in America. I am fairy fit looking and as a result people often ask me how many days I go to the gym. The truth is that I dont go to the gym as often as it seems. What I do every day is either rollarblade or ride my bike to run errands. I make bank deposits, go to the fed-ex drop, get coffee, etc.. The drivers in the neighborhood look at me like Im a freak. I like riding my bike. I get a tanned, too. It reminds me of my childhood, a time when if I wanted to get to my friends houses, I had to ride there period. Im fortunate enough to work from home so I can throw on my rollarblades in the middle of the daymy gym is also close, so I can bike over there. The only time I use my car is for grocery shopping and road trips. I only see one other person in my complex walking to the store and I assure you, it is because they dont have a car. If it is close enough for me then why isnt it close enough for the 1000 or so people that live in the apartments behind me? I look like a
goober and my kids make fun of my turquoise Huffy beach cruiser, but then again, the oil companies dont like citizens like me. I only spend roughly $15 a week on gas, (and that is a high estimate). Can you imagine if everyone only put $20 a week in their tanks? I know it is not realistic for many people as things are now. But a progressive group such as us can certainly start changing the way we think. If we are getting ready to move, we can look for a dwelling that would be within a bikes ride distance from the stores and maybe the gym. And do we really need that SUV, Hummer or truck? To some it is a status symbol. At $120. a week in gas that is a tall price to pay for status. As a matter of fact, everyone knows how much useless money these guzzlers are spending on gas. So, who really looks like the goober? Is it me, getting all tanned and fit riding my bike? Or some overweight, lazy and lethargic, old before his years hot-shot in his Hummer? (Be kind to us goobers. We care about ourselves and the environment. ) To take this thinking a step further, the $100 a week saved on gas by riding your bike, (or even a scooter!) are funds that can support the organic farmers and vitamin companies. Many say that organic food is too expensive. That is only because we are spending all of our money on gas! Come on, a progressive group like the readers of Natural Muscle can certainly see the logic in what Im saying. Gas prices are always going to be an issue as long as we continue to allow it to be.
PHOTOGRAPHERS
John Atherton Bill Dobbins Debbie Baigrie Skip Faulkner Eric Freimanis Alex Gonzalaz David Paul Gordon Smith
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Dr. John Atherton Cynthia Bridges Jason Cohen Sherry Goggin Pz Hopkins Tricky Ricky Jackson Brenda Kelly Skip Lacour Laura Mak Dr. Chris Mohr Danielle Nagel Dr. Charles Rice, Jr Hugo Rivera Dr. Michael Sharp Russ Yeager
DISCLAIMER
Natural Muscle Magazine does not necessarily agree with the views in articles and assumes no responsibility for any claims or representations contained in this magazine or in any advertisement. Copyright 2003 Natural Muscle Magazine, Inc., all rights reserved. Readers are advised to consult their physician before starting a diet or exercise program.
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CIRCULATION
Natural Muscle Magazine is distributed to select gyms and health related businesses throughout the USA. If you would like to carry the magazine at your location please call 813961-4806, email totalh@aol.com, fax 813-961-8736, or order online at www.naturalmuscle.net. There is a one time fee for this. Natural Muscle Magazine is available free of charge at select locations, limited to one copy per reader. No person, without written permission, may take more than one copy of each issue.
EDITORIAL/MATERIAL SUBMISSIONS
Email TotalH@aol.com for submission guidelines. Publisher assumes no liability for safeguarding or return of unsolicited material. We reserve the right to edit all material for clarity, content and length. Natural Muscle Magazine does not knowingly accept false or misleading editorial or advertising. Natural Muscle Magazine will assume that all material is being submitted for publication and if published, no compensation is due the submitting party without prior agreement.
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Natural Muscle February 2005
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ZERO IMPACT FITNESS CHALLENGE & SHOWDOWN
hats right, VPX you and two friends can win $25,000 CASH for getting in shape! The Zero Impact Fitness Challenge & Showdown is your opportunity to potentially win $25,000 for loosing body fat & gaining muscle! Imagine an opportunity for you and two friends to win $25,000 for getting in the best shape of your life!!!
wining team is established on objective numbers and not subjective comparison judging! Such the case, if any of the three team members loses even one ounce of muscle, they are out. To win the grand prize of $25,000 the team with the best combined fat-loss to muscle-gain record must then beat the 2006 National 911 Fitness Challenge Champions, at the Zero Impact Fitness Showdown. The contest starts August 1st - Oct 23rd, which is 12 weeks.. We want all contestants of the Zero Impact Fitness Challenge & Showdown to do their best. So, to help your team achieve the best results possible the Zero Impact Diet Kit, has all the tools necessary
WIN $25,000 just by Getting In Shape!

The objective of the ZI Fitness Challenge is for a team of three (3) individuals to lose as much fat and gain muscle as much muscle as possible. In order to for the winning team to be awarded the $25,000, all they have to do is to beat the results of winners of the 2006, 911 Fitness Challenge. In the Zero Impact Fitness Challenge & Showdown whichever team loses the most body-fat and gains the most muscle cumulatively will win, which means OBJECTIVE JUDGING! Thats right, the
(quick start guide, Zero Impact booklet and training and nutrition DVD, supplements protocols and meal plans) to help get you & your team on the right track and hopefully into the winners circle. The Zero Impact Diet Kit contains all the diet, training, supplement information that the 2002, 2003, and 2004, 911 Fitness winners utilized to achieve victory! Utilizing the ZI Diet, the 2004 team set the record with a collective total of 127 pounds of fat lost and an 82 pound gain in muscle in just 12 weeks! However, you do not have to buy the kit to enter.
ALONG WITH THE GRAND PRIZE OF $25,000 CASH, ADDITIONAL PRIZES INCLUDE: The top team will be featured in Muscle and Fitness, Flex, Mens Fitness, Natural Muscle, Muscular Development and HPM! Instant celebrity status! The Top 2 teams get all expenses paid to either the Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas or Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio! The Top 5 teams will be featured in Human Performance Magazine and flown to South Florida for the winner announcement and contest and major party.
To enter the $25,000 Zero Impact Fitness Challenge & Showdown log on to www.ZIDIET.com or call 800-954-7904.
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15
ARNOLD
Story by Brenda Kelly Photos by Debbie Baigrie
he 2006 Arnold Expo was packed from Friday until Sunday with bodybuilding and fitness stars, venders, media from every publication as well as broadcast cameras, as well as athletes, family and fans. Protein bars and tee shirts were seen being tossed in the air from all directions. The Expo is the highlight for many Arnold attendees. They like the energy in the expo and I must say I cant blame them. People are always laughing and screaming, loud music is being played in the background and the atmosphere is an intense P A R T Y! The Bodybuilding.com booth rocked the house. We had onboard, IFBB Pro and Athletes Rep Bob Cicherillo, IFBB Pro legend Nasser El Sombaty, IFBB Pro Idrise WardEl, Cover model Christian Boeving, IFBB Fitness Pro Kim Lyons, IFBB Fitness Pro Timea Mojorova, new IFBB Figure Pro Ginger, Sexy Bridget Lee and with Bodybuilding.coms CEO Ryan, Jeremy and Russ Deluca, Gary and Scott from the home office along with the Chapman Media production staff, we were the place to be! Yowza! It was great to get to hang out with all of these perfect examples of health and fitness. These are not only a great group of people, I am proud to call them my friends as well. I must have taken thousands of photos with friends and fans and signed just as many autographs. It is so much fun for me to see my fans that make it a point to come find me and catch up year after year for a PIC, autograph, hug or advice. Really. Thank you also for all of you nice comments on my articles on Bodybuilding.com and Natural Muscle Magazine. You are my inspiration! At times it was so crazy and crowded that if you were in the isles, you could only inch along or sometimes could not even move!
Lunch is always tricky and Timea and I were able to grab a quick chicken salad and sit with Natural Muscle Publisher babe, Debbie Baigrie and her friend, Brittney doing the girl/talk/men thing. It is always nice to catch up with friends from far away at these events. I hosted a web show on Girl Power on Saturday. Arnold took his annual walk through his Expo
right before my show and lucky for us, we at the Bodybuilding.com web broadcast booth with my Girl Power line up had great seats! HE circled our booth down one way and came up the other! Our web camera team went nuts along with the entire expo meaning anyone with a camera and those even without jammed as close as possible to get a glimpse and a snap. Arnold has to walk surrounded by men to clear the way so he can even walk through. It takes a surprising short amount of time for him to visit with a couple of stops at key booths and wave and smile at all corners for the fans. Thanks Arnold. Thank you
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for not abandoning your bodybuilding brothers and sisters. We love you. My beautiful, talented guests for my Girl Power show were: Super Model Timea Majorova, Legendary star and my own role model Met Rxs Grace Grimes, IFBB Fitness Pro Met Rx athlete fresh off of her top 5 placement from the night before (and thrilled about it!) Julie Childs and the new face of Muscle Tech, Christina Lindley. They were all perfection. We talked about modeling, products, fitness, balance in family and some of the differences women have in our lives that men may not have to address. It was a wonderful time and I loved hosting such an accomplished line up of gorgeous representatives of our sport. These are not just pretty faces! The knowledge and advice they have to offer is well worth listening to. I know I did. Check it out online for free at Bodybuilding.com! Day 3 of any 3 day expo is a madhouse with venders getting rid of everything as the last thing they want to do is take anything back with them that was to be used as a promo. Tip: this is the best day to buy anything! Fans are leaving as well and there is am urgency in the air as everyone loads up on product, pics and advice to last them for motivation until their next big event. The Bodybuilding.com booth had the longest line by far for the entire weekend every day. The '06 Arnold T-shirts were a huge hit and the samples never stopped coming. Sometimes I would just look at the line in amazement! There was always some new sample to try as well. Since Bodybuilding.com sells so many products, it is a surprise to us as well when we open the box as to what is there to hand out! We all love it there at the Bodybuilding.com booth at the Arnold expo. The biggest, best expo in the world. Thank you to all of the athletes and fans. You are the real stars.
Rhianna Da Cruz
Toneka Pires
Mark Alvisi at EST
Trick Ricky at MHP
Ron Coleman and new NM writer Chris Mohr
Gerard Dente..always busy at the MHP booth
Stan McQuay and Jerry at the Iron Asylum booth Mak Attack and Monet Colbert
more photos on the next page
Another way to shake your protein.
Jennifer and Al (bagel boy) Rosen of the WTF
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Jimmy Mentis and crew promoted the new Scientific Sports Nutrition line
Redline! Had yours today?
What would a fitness expo be like without Mickie Ds? (with NM rep, Brittney Adamo)
Kim Lyons, Brenda Kelly and Timea Majorova at the Bodybuilding.com booth
The Florida crew! Russ, Eric, Debbie, Mush, Mandy, Debbie and Mark .. and of course, Alex took the picture
I just love these new t-shirts ..they are a hoot!
ABB, (and NM) Distributor with his son Jordan. Another great shot of the Accu guys!
Mohamed is in good company at the Protan booth

Erica Kern, AIM marketing
Lonestar distribution opened a warehouse here in Florida.
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the hardgainer
THINK OUTSIDE THE
Change up your routine for new muscle gains

By Russ Yeager, the Hardgainer am a creature of habit. I get up at the same time everyday, go through my pre-workout ritual and hit the gym to start my day. I have always lived by the motto If it aint (yeah Im from the South) broken, dont fix it so when I find a weight training program that produces good results I have a habit of staying with it. While these qualities of consistency and persistence are helpful in sticking with a workout plan and getting results, I now believe that being too hard-headed may prevent us from reaching our maximum potential. I had been following one particular type of weight training routine almost exclusively for about 3 years up until this past December. This program is very solid and helped me make some great progress over that time, but I couldnt help but think about trying something different. However, I never did because I was scared my results would not be as good with a new program. Finally, I realized I needed to CHILL OUT and just give something else a try. What is the big deal anyway? At WORST my results would not be as good and I could go back to my old way of training. Its not like I am a professional bodybuilder risking messing up an upcoming competition, or that changing workout routines would cause me to shrink away to nothing. So, I decided to just go for it and implemented a new training strategy starting around mid December. I stuck with this new routine for 12 weeks until the beginning of March. I wanted to give this new routine an honest run for a significant amount of time before I did any kind of analysis and writeup so that I could be as accurate as possible in honestly assessing both the positives and negatives. Before I get into the routine I have been following, I want to talk briefly about why I designed my routine the way I did. I have learned in the past and always here people talking about different muscle fiber types and how to stimulate different fibers using a variety of repetition ranges, rest intervals, and rep counts. However, it was not recently until I started studying the human body more and how our bodies respond to weight training that I started to really un-
derstand why these things make sense. I started to think that performing strictly heavy weight training with low repetitions all the time may not be the most effective way to maximize your muscle-building potential. Working in a lower rep range (i.e. 4-6 reps) with heavy weight stimulates the Type IIb or fasttwitch muscle fibers, which are they fibers associated most with an increase in size and strength. There is no doubt about that. This type of heavy training also stimulates the less strength oriented and more endurance Type IIa and Type I muscle fibers. It may even be that low repetitions and heavy weight stimulates all muscle fiber types more than any other type of training. However, using only this rep range may not provide enough stimulus to all types of muscle fibers in order to create the most growth possible. Think of it this way, low reps and heavy weight may be able to account for 75% or your maximum muscle mass and strength potential, but if you only work in this repetition range then you are missing out on 25% of muscle fiber development. Im completely making up these percentages, but I think you get the idea. That was my scientific thought process on trying something different. My other thought process was that I am not doing a contest this year so What the heck do I have to lose by trying something completely different? At worst, I will not get good results and be able to share that information with all of you and never use the program again. During my little experiment I also changed my nutrition plan, and designed the training routine and nutrition program to work to-
gether. I dont have room to go into details on the nutrition and supplementation plan I followed, but am going to write a separate article covering this aspect next month. As you can see, this workout is much different from the low volume, low rep, heavy weight workouts I am use to. The volume and reps are much higher and the rest time between sets is less (especially during the weekday workouts). So, how did I feel about training this way? First of all, physically performing these higher rep/short rest workouts was very demanding physically (especially leg days which were absolutely brutal!). I definitely liked the change of pace and felt like my workouts went very quickly because I did not have time to do anything or think about anything between sets except getting ready for the next set. Also, my muscle pump was significantly more than with lower rep workouts. I even got accused of using steroids a few times, which I just take as a nice compliment (If I saw me I wouldnt be thinking that, but what the heck Ill take it!). Whether or not creating a muscle pump by increasing the amount of blood in the muscles results in muscle growth is debatable, but it sure is motivating to have your muscles and veins busting out while you are working out! You will have to check out the HardGainer Column next month to learn about the nutrition and supplementation strategies I followed, as well as my overall analysis and conclusion on the program, but I will go ahead and say that what I was able achieve left me pleasantly surprised.
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MONDAY: 30 minutes moderate intensity cardio (usually the gauntlet) and 10-15 minutes of abdominals. TUESDAY: Chest and Back: Exercise Sets and Reps Chest: Incline Smith Machine Presses 3 x 12-15 Hammer Strength Chest Press 3 x 12-15 Cable Crossovers 2x 12-15 Dumbbell Flyes 2x 12-15 Machine Flyes 2x 12-15 Machine Flat Presses 2x 12-15 Back: Rack Pullups 3x 12 -15 Hammer Strength Pulldowns 3x 12 -15 Dumbbell Rows 2x 12-15 Seated Cable Rows 2x 12-15 Close Grip Lat Pulldowns 2x 12-15 Cable bent over rows 2x 12-15 *I rest only 1 to 1 minutes between sets and concentrate on squeezing the muscle-group worked during each rep. WEDNESDAY Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, Calves) Cybex (second) Leg Press 3x Hack Squats 3x Leg Extensions 3x Leg Curls 3x Seated Calf Raises 3x Seated Straight Leg Calf Raises 3 x Machine Stiff leg Deadlifts 2x Walking Dumbbell Lunges 2x
THURSDAY Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps Shoulders: Hammer Stren Shoulder Press 3 x 12-15 Side Lateral Machine 3x 12-15 Machine Rear Delts 3x 12-15 Cable Upright Rows 2x 12-15 Biceps: Curl Bar Curls 3x 12-15 Concentration Curls 2x 12-15 Alternate Dumbbell Curls 2x 12-15 One Arm Preacher Curls 2x 12-15 Machine Curls 2x 12-15 Cable Curls (one or two arm) 2x 12-15 Triceps: Cable Pressdowns 3x 12-15 Hammer Strength Dips 2x 12-15 Close Grip Smith Bench 3x 12-15 Dumbbell Kickbacks 2x 12-15 Machine Tricep Extensions 2x 12-15 Dumbbell Overhead Extensions 2 x 12-15 FRIDAY: 30 minutes moderate intensity cardio (usually the gauntlet) and 10-15 minutes of abdominals. SATURDAY Full body Workout: 8-12 Reps trying to increase weight and/or reps each week while using good form and making sure I feel the proper muscles working. ExerciseSets and Reps Seated Calf Raises 3 x 8-12 Squats 2 x 8-12 Flat Bench Press 3 x 8-12 Lat Pulldowns 3 x 8-12 Deadlifts 2 x 8-12 Dumbbell Shoulder Press2 x 8-12 Barbell Curls (Curved Bar) 2 x 8-12 Smith Incline Close grip presses 2 x 8-12
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Russ Yeagers Complete Physique Training Video

For the majority of us, gaining lean muscle mass is tough. So is losing unwanted bodyfat. Doing both may seem downright impossible! Well, Im here to tell you that it is possiblefor EVERYONE. Achieving and maintaining that muscular defined look, or what I like to call the Complete Physique, is a matter of applying effective weight training and cardiovascular training strategies consistently over a period of time. This seems simple enough, but with so much conflicting and confusing information on building muscle and losing bodyfat today, far too many people are becoming frustrated and confused, and are giving up altogether on their dreams of having a lean, healthy, muscular body. Not only does my Complete Physique Training Video cover what I have found to be the most effective and efficient methods for achieving the results people want, but also provides the motivation to have confidence and faith in yourself and your fitness program. This faith and confidence will allow you to stick with your workout program because you truly believe the end results will be worth the time and energy investment. The Complete Physique Training Video covers weight training and cardiovascular training, including the all important mental aspect of bodybuilding and fitness training, in a straightforward, yet entertaining format. Get a game plan, get motivated, and get results! Let the Complete Physique Training Video help YOU reach your goals! Are you ready to create your own Complete Physique?
Order online at www.russyeager.com

Natural Muscle May 2006 21
food
not less
By Danielle Nagel, APCA Personal Chef/ Fitness Professional Nutrition & Natural Health Consultant www.fitandbeyond.com Photos and meals prepared by: The Fit Gourmet
eat more
ontrary to what people may think there is very little mystery when it comes to obtaining your ideal weight. Of course, exercise plays an important role, but eating properly and is crucial to our weight control as well as keeping our energy levels up. We all know that by consuming more calories than needed, we may gain weight and by eating fewer calories, we lose a few pounds. So, how do we know what diet is right for each one of us? We all have different dietary needs due to our activity level. Getting to know those needs and your body is important to achieving your desired weight. One thing that is for sure is that when we starve ourselves, we are in turn depriving our bodies of the calories and nutrients needed in order to function productively in our everyday lives. Allowing ourselves to deplete causes the body to fall into a catabolic state therefore storing calories and fat whenever it can, causing you to pack on those unwanted pounds! To avoid gorging on bad choices, plan on eating five to six nutritious mini meals daily (or every 2-3 hours). Healthy mini meals are key to a successful weight loss program. It will not only increase your metabolic rate causing you to burn more caloriesit will also improve your health all the way around. So, avoid hunger pangs at all costs. Simply plan those mini meals on a daily basis. Eating more, not less, of the right food and drinking plenty of water, combined with the proper exercise program will give you the desired results you have been looking for. It may also be a good idea to discuss your diet with a registered dietitian to insure the most effective and healthy diet for you and your family.
Oriental-Honey Chicken Kabobs

mushrooms, tomatoes, and peppers into another large plastic bag. 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts 2-3 zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1-inch slices 2 Combine together soy, sherry, honey, oil, and garlic; mix well and pour half the mixture over the chicken 1 lb. fresh mushrooms and the other half over the vegetables. Seal bags se1 lb. cherry tomatoes curely; turn to coat; refrigerate and marinate for 30 1-cup red, yellow, and green bell pepper pieces minutes or up to 4 hours. 2 large green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces 3 Soak 6 (12-inch) skewers in water for 20 minutes, 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (this allows for easy threading). 2 tablespoons dry sherry 4 Drain chicken and vegetables; reserve marinade. 1-tablespoon honey Alternately thread chicken, vegetables, and onions on 1-tablespoon dark sesame oil skewers. 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 Place skewers on rack of broiler pan. Brush with half of the reserved marinade. Broil 5 to 6 inches from Directions: heat for 5 minutes. Turn kabobs over then brush with 1 Cut chicken into bit size pieces (approx. 11/2 inches) remaining marinade then broil another 5 minutes or then place into a large plastic bag. Place zucchini, until chicken is no longer pink. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
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JORGE BETANCOURT
The Cuban Muscle
Jorge Betancourt, one of the most incredible teen bodybuilders of the past decade is returning to competition with a vengeance. Along with his whatever it takes attitude, this Cuban muscle plans to be on top of his game and will be offering a complete line of nutraceutical products and supplements to help others achieve their goals in bodybuilding.
By JP Bender orge, 34, recently joined forces with Anthony Alfonso, CEO of Nutri-Force Nutrition, a Miami-based nutraceutical manufacturing company, to produce the Betancourt Nutrition line. Alfonso, trained as a pharmacist, is nationally well known and has an excellent reputation in the industry. I chose this route because I now have control in the manufacturing process to insure formula consistency, appropriate inventory, manufacturing capability and prompt delivery. Im in this for the long haul, Jorge said. Another key factor with this decision is that Nutri-Force Nutrition has a research and development team, scientific advisory board, along with a quality control laboratory in their plant. I can have all my products tested to insure freshness of ingredients and quality for my customers. Jorge hit the international scene shortly after his overall victories at the 1989 Teen USA; 1990 NPC Teen Collegiate Nationals; and the 1991 NPC Southern States overall championships, while still a teenager. A closer look at this middleweights accomplishments is nothing short of phenomenal. Jorge, throughout his adulthood, has dedicated and devoted his life to his physical well being and muscular symmetry. His hard work in the gym has brought him fame and accomplishments. Then like most people who achieve success, Jorge became unsure of what he wanted and decided to quit and get out of bodybuilding. He started living a different lifestyle and chose a newer undisciplined life. Using his reputation, he opened a successful gym in South Florida, and created his own line of supplements. Finding success in the supplement business, he sold his gym.
As his supplement business grew, Jorge wanted more control over the manufacturing end of his business. That ultimately led him to join forces with Anthony Alfonso, to utilize his manufacturing facilities. Now assured of stability and availability in the manufacturing end, he expects his product sales to increase and capture a sizeable market share. During an interview with Jorge, he seems totally focused and that leads him to be a committed visionary. Im now seriously back into bodybuilding and I want to win the USAs. I plan to work day and night to promote my company and its products. Ive learned some hard lessons and gained valuable insights along the way, Jorge confided. I want to make it in this sport and succeed in my business. Thats my focus and that is what drives me today. If past history is any indication of his future its bright and he will make it happen. After all Jorges motto has always been, whatever it takes. Editors Note: JP Bender is a retired investigative reporter now serving as Communications Manager of Nutri-Force Nutrition in Miami, Florida and can be reached at JPBender@myramp.net
Jorge recently joined forces with Anthony Alfonso, CEO of Nutri-Force Nutrition, a Mi-
ami-based nutraceutical manufacturing company, to produce the Betancourt Nutrition line.
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yoga
By IFBB Pro Laura Mak, MS
STRENGTHEN YOUR LEGS

HAVE A SEAT.
ost of my clients dread the ever taxing leg day. Why is this? It was always my favorite body part to train. Nevertheless, it is one of the hardest training days. The heart rate typically is elevated rapidly because the legs have the three largest muscles of the body the gluteus, quadriceps, and hamstrings. Therefore, the heart has to work harder to pump the oxygenated blood to those large muscles. Not only have I written numerous articles on the benefits of yoga and fitness routines, but also yoga and strength training. There are numerous advanced poses that can be translated into the fitness world, but also basic skills to develop a solid foundation. A beginning skill like the chair pose, Utkatasana, is an excellent strengthening as well as stretching pose. How about incorporating a yoga pose that is great for the legs, into your regular training routine? Have a seat and relax a while with me.. actually, the chair pose is far from a relaxing. It is an excellent pose that strengthens the thighs, calves, spine, and ankles. This pose stretches the shoulders and chest as well as stimulates the abdominal organs, diaphragm, and heart. The chair pose can also help alleviate flat feet. To begin, start in a standing pose with your feet parallel and about shoulder width apart. Lift your arms horizontal in front of the body. Keep the arms parallel and palms facing toward each other. Take a breath in and as you begin to exhale, bend your knees and try to get the thighs as close to parallel to the floor as possible. The knees will move forward over the feet, and the torso will lean slightly forward over the quads forming a 90-degree angle. The shoulder blades pull back to the midline of the spine. If you are more flexible in the shoulder area, you may lift the arms so they are above your head and close to the ears. There should be a tilt down toward the floor with your tailbone. It is advisable to stay in this pose for about 30 seconds to one minute. As you begin to come out of the pose, straighten your legs as you inhale. Lift the arms above the head. Then exhale and bring your arms back down to your sides. You begin and end in the same standing posture. You may have to build up on your time for holding this pose, but the benefits are well worth it. Go ahead, have a seat, in your chair pose. Namaste
pzs perspective
are you worth more than
by: Pz
photo by: Solus Creations
EE? FR
formation. You share advice. You try to be helpful. You try to be pleasant. You may go as far as to offer a free consultation in hopes of adding a new paying client to your roster. Not surprisingly, most people never get that far never take you up on your offer. They have no intention of actually paying you for your knowledge. That thought has never even occurred to them. All they want is what they can nickel and dime out of you if you are so inclined. You usually are. How many people would expect to barge into a doctors office while she is with another patient and get the doctor to give a diagnosis of their problem right there on the spotfor free? Who would have the nerve to interrupt Butch Harmon in the middle of his lesson with Tiger Woods and ask him to look at their swingfor free? These examples are no different than the situation just described. Never have I seen the expectation of free more blatantly practiced and the concept more clearly demonstrated than in the fitness industry. And it is not exclusive to personal trainers. From top to bottom the industry is fraught with other examples. Pitch a product, pose for pictures, judge a competition are a few more illustrations prevalent in an industry where deserving men and women are expected to put their talents on the line for little or no compensation. Oh, but you want
o you are a personal trainer. You have knowl edge that may include education, credentials, and years of hands-on experience with many satisfied clients to boast of your results. You put in long hours in a club that most likely isnt yours, where, in all probability, you have to share a sizeable percentage of your earnings with the owner in which case every session matters. You may even make house calls on the side running from one end of creation to the other to accommodate clients who wont or cant come to the gym. This you do because it is your calling, something you love. But this is business and you still have to pay the bills, make a living, and plan a future. While you go about practicing your profession one thing is certain there will be no shortage of individuals asking for your help. They may request your assistance with a program, with form, with a new exercise, or with a diet regimen. You are bombarded with question after question from people who will gladly take as much of your time as you are FREELY willing to give. Seasoned gym rats, as well as confused neophytes, approach you and interrupt you in the middle of a session, in the middle of your training, in the middle of a sentence. After all, you are a professional. You know what you are doing. You surely have the answers. You stop. You listen. You give in26 Natural Muscle May 2006
Time is money. Time is valuable.
the exposure, you want the opportunity to participate, you want to be discovered, you want to further your career. No, what you really want is to be paid. You want money, not the promises or possibilities of what may or could happen down the road. Unfortunately, though, the fitness industry doesnt have a monopoly on free. The world has become a complicated place. What was once characterized as normal and traditional are concepts hard to find or identify. The way in which people do business has dramatically changed. Generations of steel workers, farmers, miners, and manufacturers, with stable and steady 9 to 5 paychecks, have dwindled and faded as the face of our work force has taken on a whole new look. New industries with new opportunities have taken their place. More and more folks are becoming independent moving away from the conventional system to pursue a different path and are branching out starting their own business, trading in the employee hat for one that, instead, says boss. They have identified themselves as having a skill, service, trade, or talent, useful and marketable in todays society. Nevertheless, no man is an island, and in order to be successful in businessand in life people have to work together in some capacity every step of the way. You need them; they need you. With that comes the reality that you must decide what your value is in dollars and cents in the marketplace. If you dont know what you are worth how can you expect anyone else to know ei-
ther? But even more important, once you have established your worth, how do you go about getting it? If there is one complaint that has come to my attention over and over it is the notion that people want something for nothing and that more and more individuals are sick and tired of being asked to perform without being appropriately or adequately compensated. In other words, people are fed up with free. For some time now, many have asked me to address this issue, to speak out on their behalf. Where exactly did the something for nothing movement originate? Who started the trend that free is the payment we receive in exchange for what we give? When in our history did it become acceptable to expect someone to provide services, advice, time, energy, efforts, expertise, or talents without charge? Somehow we have developed this ridiculous idea that free appears on the list of options from which we conduct business, and as long as we can perpetuate it why not continue the trend? People are operating under the assumption they can take what they want and give little or nothing in return. Its time to make a distinction between what should and should not be considered free. Its time for all talented, hard working individuals to stand up for their worth and conduct business in a whole new way, a better way, the way it was always meant to be. Its time to decide, are you worth more than free?
Get a retainer. Whenever possible get a retainer in order to get started. This represents a good faith gesture. Most often the money is eaten up right away. If not, you can always apply it later. Believe me, people will get their monies worth out of you if they have already given you a retainer. It is more for your protection and helps you to avoid getting totally stuck or ripped-off if things dont work out or unfold as planned. If you are not getting paid, what are you getting? Under some conditions you are providing
Be leery of back end deals. George Clooney can afford to take less salary and a percentage of the profits of a movie on the back end because he already earns an average of 25 million big ones per film. Unless you are independently wealthy or in a position to gamble, most back end deals never garner what they are projected, and someone else, not you, usually benefits from all your hard work. Of course, there are times when you have to weigh the deal, throw the dice, and take a risk. You may want to forego the upfront fee for creating the website and opt instead for a piece of all the traffic the site could eventually generate. The operative word here is could. Sometimes the proverbial piece of the action never amounts to very much action. It is impossible to project the success or failure of a deal. Judge each back end deal on its own merits. Operate from a position of strength. If people sense your frustration or desperation they will surely prey upon that chink in your armor, and, in the end, take advantage of you at a time when you may be vulnerable. A fitness gal, a model, or an actress trying to jump-start a career may agree to things she wouldnt normally agree to if she had some success under her belt or a support system from which to draw. So too, the country continues to fluctuate in uncertain times, and well established people who arent normally cautious are looking hard before they leap. Strangely, the time when you need the job the most is the time when you should act like you dont need it at all. If you are viewed as weak or needy you will never receive your true worth. If you dont ask you dont get. Not a week passes that I dont get a request from someone, somewhere to do something that requires my expertise. Big deals, small deals, and everything in between come my way. In addition, I bring people together through a variety of means that are mutually beneficial and often show huge financial promise. That can be a good thing and I feel very fortunate. Rarely, however, does anyone mention money, fees, compensation, or anything to do with payment of any sort, in the conversation, first. Money is a tough topic to discuss. It is a sticky subject to address. It can be uncomfortable so it, therefore, becomes easier to avoid or ignore. You have to force people to face it straight on, or they wont on their own. Ask for what you want. Even though you may be the nicest person ever created, business is businessperiod! Decide if prestige is more important than payment. In many instances people are asked to perform in various ways and told they should be more than eager to participate since there is prestige attached to the request. Important jobs carry compa-
PZS POINTERS
Time is money. Time is valuable. When you give of your time in a professional or business capacity you should be rewarded in real honest to goodness dollars. Be more protective of and guarded with your time. If you dont recognize and appreciate its value no one else will. Depending on the circumstance, you may offer one free consultation. After that, you are on the clock. No compromising here. Establish your parameters. Either you are paid by the hour, by the session, by the case, by the project, by the shoot, by the article, or by the situation. Let someone know up-front they can expect to pay you x number of dollars for your time. Once you proceed with the relationship and havent established those parameters it is difficult to change horses in the middle of the stream. Make a proposalPut it in writing. Once you have made it known that you do NOT work for free you will be able to determine in a short period of time how serious someone is, or are they just using you for what they can get. Draft a simple proposal spelling out the details of exactly what it is you are providing and exactly what you need in return. This is an important step in the process. It eliminates assumptions, miscommunications, and ensures everyone is on the same page. It also will weed out a lot of the frauds and users before you have gotten too far down the road or wasted too much of your precious, valuable, irreplaceable time.
a service and the payment comes in a form other than money. You may barter one thing for another, this for that, quid pro quo, but, still, in the arrangement, both parties are on the receiving end of something. They are happy because each is bringing to the table something that the other needs. It should be relatively equal and not lopsided in value. You wouldnt expect an architect to build an accountant a house just for doing his taxes. My hairstylist had a barter agreement with a jeweler. In exchange for a ring, she would cut the jewelers hair. Problem was, after a while, the ring was more than paid for, but the jeweler continued to expect the haircuts. Bartering may be an exchange of a different sort. Historically, women have traded sex for favors. They have, in essence, bartered their bodies to get something, other than money, in return: a part in a movie, plastic surgery, a promotion, a cover in a magazine, work on their car. Without passing judgment, or at the risk of sounding too moralistic, be careful here. The body is something that should not be included in the barter system.
continued on page 48
training
great medicine ball workout on the next page!
By Eric Hoult B.S., Pro Bodybuilder Special Feature: Jennifer Costantino Photos by axisdzn.com
ome of the challenges that face figure, physique and strength athletes today are to continue constant im provement, and to further muscular development and growth. The growth of our knowledge base is what ultimately allows us to realize our aspirations and dreams. We are students for life in this endeavor. I would encourage all of you, not only to embrace your training wholeheartedly, but to passionately pursue new information and research. So much of our training is influenced by outdated, dogmatic, and traditional thinking. BORING! Take a chance, step outside the box and continue to grow. Medicine ball training (MBT) offers a variety of unique training benefits. Due to the ability to train in a dynamic, 360 degree, multi-planar manner as well as producing incredibly high rates of force development and velocity, MBT has been an exercise of choice in training athletes. At Bill Hebson Human Performance I have used medicine ball training successfully across the whole spectrum of my client population, young, old and athletic, but MBT provides explicit benefits for my fitness and physique competitors. Due to the massive amount of musculature recruited with each exercise it is easy to train the whole body in a very time effective manner and put a huge metabolic hit on the whole system. This provokes a profound response in the bodys acute endocrine environment, spiking testosterone, growth hormone and insulin response far more effectively than traditional isolation training. This translates into better muscular gains and faster fat metabolism. The ability to produce force and velocity with MBT through the entire range of motion and release into a jump or a throw recruits fast twitch muscle fiber, particularly the higher threshold Type IIb fibers far more effectively than traditional strength training. MBT also lights up the whole central nervous system, training us to recruit way more muscle and way more of the motor pool instantly rather than in a graded, progressive manner based on the progression of fatigue. Strength and power will go through the roof with this kind of training. We will profile the following exercises: 1. Ribbon Lunges 2. Squat Jump and Push Toss 3. Rotational Overhead Slams 4. Rotational Wall Slams
By Bill Hebson , ACSM-HFI, NSCA-CPT, USA Weightlifting Senior Coach, ACE-CPT

Again due to the massive amount of recruitment in these exercises space does not allow me to profile the contribution of all the musculature involved. There are 106 skeletal muscles in the body and most are involved in each of these exercises, so let it suffice to say each exercise is systemic and very whole body in nature.
29
Medicine Ball Training

ROTATIONAL OVERHEAD SLAMS
Begin standing with the feet parallel and under the hips. The MB is held in front of the hips with both hands. Step back to the right and rotate down to the right winding up and sweeping the MB low and around in a circular motion, push off the right leg and continue stepping forward back to parallel as the ball reaches full extension overhead. At this point we should be arched with the torso in a dynamic stretch loading. We whip the torso downward, dropping the chest towards the thighs as we forcefully slam the ball down with maximal exertion. Repeat to the opposite side, alternating sides for a total of 8 reps, There is very, very little power in an arm throw, this exercise trains the overhead throwing athlete or overhead hitter, like in a tennis service or volleyball kill shot to engage the core effectively to produce maximal power. Due to the coil and rotation along with explosive torso flexion involved this is a monstrous exercise to train the hips and core. Calorie expenditure is enormous. Many figure competitors erroneously fear doing any waist work what so ever to avoid hypertrophy in this area. Due to the harmonious and synergistic recruitment involved here we due not see isolated muscle stimulation, further due to the brief explosive nature of the exercise we do not have sufficient time under tension to induce hypertrophy. In other words, take advantage of this exercise, its killer.
Rotational Wall Slams

For this exercise you will need a converta-ball which is a MB hybrid with a rope through its core. Begin with your back to a wall. The feet should be shoulder width apart and the knees flexed in the universal athletic ready position. With the rope in both hands rotate explosively to the side in a batting motion swinging the ball so it strikes the wall at waist height like a baseball swing. The ball will rebound off the wall explosively and the athlete has to accelerate explosively to the opposite side and deliver a maximal strike to that wall. Continue to rebound side to side. I normally have my athletes perform 15 to 20 second bouts of exertion. It is important the athlete keeps their knees flexed and performs a fluid rotation, pivoting the feet as well as the hips in each direction. Again this drill requires a huge whole body exertion and is terrific for the hips, core and back.
30
RIBBON LUNGES
Jennifer Costantino is a full time realtor, new mother and figure competitor. Her typical workout schedule is as follows: Mon : Hamstrings/ Abs Tues : Chest/ Tris/ 30min Cardio Wed : Shoulders/Calves/ Abs/ 30min Cardio Thurs : Back/ Biceps/ 30min Cardio Fri : Quads/ Abs
Begin standing parallel, the feet hip width apart, with the MB in both hands at hip level. Take a deep side step right into a lateral lunge. The trailing left leg straightens putting the adductors on a dynamic stretch loading, be sure to keep feet parallel and pointing forward. Reach down flexing forward at the waist, chest to the right thigh and touch the MB to the floor by the right foot. With the arms extended begin to sweep the ball low and across to the left describing a giant circle. With a powerful, explosive drive we push off the right leg and propel ourselves laterally into the air, covering as much ground as possible, trading feet in the air and landing in a left lateral lunge. The torso lifts to full extension and the medicine ball continues its circle full over head throughout the jump and sweeps down to touch by the left foot as we land in a deep lateral lunge left. Normally I have my athlete repeat this rebounding from side to side for 5 reps each leg or a total of ten total reps. This is an incredible exercise for hitters who need to develop frontal plane power, golfers, tennis players, hockey players or any athlete requiring explosive lateral power. It is an awesome developer of hips, glutes, and the abductors and adductors.
2. Squat Jump and Push Toss

Begin standing with feet parallel and directly under the hips. Hold the medicine ball on the chest with the elbows raised slightly, similar to a front squat position. Perform a fast, deep, full squat and rebound out of the bottom, exploding upwards with the legs and hips and simultaneously driving the medicine ball off the chest towards the ceiling with an explosive push press. The intent is to jump as high as possible and to propel the medicine ball into free space as high as possible with each press. I recommend a 30lb. medicine ball for guys and with 16 foot ceilings it takes an unusual athlete to hit the ceiling. Most women are good with a 20lb ball. Perform sets of 8 maximal reps. This is an awesome total body conditioner.
31
Mohr Results with Dr. Chris
the best ways to
By Christopher R. Mohr, PhD, RD
ont get too excited, guys and gals, Im talking about cheat ing on your diet, not your significant other. After all, Im a dietitian, not a private eye. The truth is that even if youre committed to a healthy lifestyle (you eat well, exercise regularly, rarely overindulge), temptation is still everywhere. If youre not careful, one loving look from a juicy burger (with bacon, mayo and cheddar) across the room could be the end of you. An innocent night out for hot wings and beer may result in your being a bad boy (especially if somebody catches you in the act). As a dietitian, Im here to tell you its okay to cheat on rare occasions. But if youre going to give in to fat and carbohydrate overload, why not choose foods that can actually serve you? I call these the best of the worst- the top 10 foods you can eat and still like you in the morning. Before launching into the list, lets point out the obvious; some foods are better than others. Nutrient dense foods should comprise a majority of your diet. Im not saying you should live a life of deprivation either. Sometimes splurging on something bad is good. 32 Natural Muscle May 2006
After you indulge, however, hop right back on the bandwagon. You wouldnt get a flat tire in your car and keep driving until all four are flat; you need to do the same thing with your diet. If you splurge with one food, dont keep splurging until you resemble Fat Albert, snap right back into your normal strict diet for the next meal.
important in maintaining energy levels. Theyre also great sources of vitamin E and low in saturated fat, making your heart happy.
Rather than solely adding fat to your diet, like normal fries, the orange shoe strings will at least provide a good dose of beta-carotene.
8: Pizza
Opt for meat-free; pepperoni and sausage offer little in the nutrient department. Instead add a veggie topping or order it plain. The tomato sauce in pizza offers a hefty dose of lycopene, an important nutrient for prostate health. The added vegetables will add beta-carotene and vitamin C, among others, to fight free radicals, which promote aging.
5: Dark Beer
Forget about tastes great and less filling. Preliminary studies show dark beer may offer more free radical fight-
THE TOP 10 BEST OF THE WORST

Next time youre glued to reruns of Seinfeld, consider splurging on some of these foods - bad, but not so bad for you:
10: Baked Chips & Guacamole

Avocado (the green in guacamole) is a loaded with antioxidants, such as vitamin E and glutathione, which are both good for the heart and immune system and lutein, which is important for the eyes. Avocado is also a great source of heart healthy fats, to keep those lipids under wrap.
7: Hamburger
Youre out with the guys and they insist on stopping at the local BBQ joint. While this might sound appealing, give the plain hamburger a try. Have it without mayonnaise or butter. Taste the burger for a change. It wont kill you. Literally! This will keep the fat lower, and provide just as many muscle building nutrients like protein and iron.
6: Sweet Potato Fries

If you insist on fries, give the sweet potato fries a chance.
9: Mixed Nuts
Squirrels arent stupid; nuts are excellent sources of B-vitamins, which are
Unfortunately carrot cake doesnt count as a vegetable, so instead order 4: Dark Chocolate Covberry pie for dessert. Berries have some ered Strawberries of the highest antioxidant levels of Dark chocolate is high in a compound any fruit or vegetable and have even called phenols, which may help prebeen shown to contain compounds vent bad cholesterol from forming that help prevent Alzheimers; the plaque in your arteries. (Hey, its never darker the too early or berry, the too late to higher dose of As a dietitian, Im here protect your nutrients, so heart). Add blueberry or to tell you its okay to the benefit of blackberry pie strawberries, a would be great cheat on rare occasions. great source options. Skip of vitamins C the a la mode But if youre going to and A, and and leave give in to fat and carbodessert never some crust besounded so hind; theyre hydrate overload, why good. Lets loaded with not leave out saturated fat not choose foods that that most women find can actually serve you? 1: Shortthese foods ening romantic, so Youre alone your heart may not be the only thing on a Friday night; youre wife does all that benefits. the cooking and shes out of town. Shortening is great if you want some3: Snickers Almond Bar thing quick and easy; spoon it right Quiz: Its the middle of the day; youre out of the container and youll go imstarving at your desk and cant conmediately to saturated and trans-fat centrate. What do you do? Reach for a heaven, where your arteries are so Snickers Almond Bar; the almonds clogged, Draino wouldnt do the trick. provide some heart healthy fats and Alright, I got carried away. Please are high in B-vitamins. This version is dont eat shortening by the spoonful lower in total fat and saturated fat than as it lacks anything that could be conthe regular Snickers too. Even if you strued as healthy.
ing flavonoids than light beer, which may help fight blood clots. If you need to be rolled out of the bar or peeled off the porcelain king youve negated any benefit. Drink in moderation, dude.
think youre king, dont go for King Size. Thats a surefire way to find yourself as the court jester.
2: Berry Pie
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The Worst Of The Best

If these formerly questionable foods can be good for you, can good foods be not so healthy? You bet. Three, in particular, will pack weight on faster than prey fattens a bear preparing to hibernate. Avoid, if you can: Salad. By itself its great. But loaded with bacon bits, cheese, butter soaked croutons and creamy dressing? Deadly. Instead, load it up with fresh veggies and low fat dressing and go crazy. Rice Cakes. Once a dieters dream, rice cakes have gone the way of the eight-track, since they offer zero nutrients and will blow your blood sugar through the roof. Besides they taste like cardboard and who wants to eat that? Low-Carb Hot Wings (yes, I have seen these advertised). Guess what, wings never had carbs, and they are a saturated fat nightmare. They are also loaded with calories, so skip them at all cost. Chew on your wife instead. Well, there you have it, the best of the worst, and the worst of the best. Follow these guidelines and nobody can ever call you a cheater again.
www.WeaponsforMass.com
the science behind
By Hugo Rivera, BSCE, CFT
alves besides being one of the most neglected body parts in the gym are ones whose training is most misunderstood. Some people claim that you need to hit them every day with high reps while others claim that low rep low volume works best. In my experience I found that an approach of heavy twice a week calf work worked great. Getting Your Calves To Grow... My typical routine was 10 sets of 10 reps with 800 lbs on the standing calf raise machine and only 20 seconds of rest in between sets. I would also do this routine on a calf press machine or on a hack squat machine. This approach worked great for many years with small variations here and there such as me changing the exercise used or preceding the routine with two sets of 50 reps for the soleous on the seated calf raise machine or tri-setting calf raises with tibia raises and then back to calf raises again. Enter Todd Mendelsohn, former Mr. Central Florida and owner of www.musclebuildingdiet.com. I met Todd at a gym in St Petersburg Florida and the first time I saw him I almost hit the floor. When he walked his Legs looked like those of a cyborg, all striations twitching up and down and the calves I swear looked like they where pure fiber without skin. After Todd finished his workout I introduced myself and asked what he did for calves. Todd first mentioned that he hits them twice a week and that his first workout of the week is 8 sets of 8 reps on either the calf raise machine or the calf press machine. Not much different than my routine, I thought to myself. Now the second routine is the one that shocked me. 34 Natural Muscle May 2006
He would choose the calf press, calf raise machine, dumbbells or donkey calf raise machine and do 4 sets of 100. Todd claimed that this is the method that made his calves grew beyond belief. I tried this out and while at first I had to stop at 50 reps in excruciating pain as the body got used to it on the first couple of weeks, by the third week I finally was able to achieve 100 reps. Three weeks later my calves were bigger creatures. Now the reason I always trained them with 10 sets of 10 is because I always thought that the calves were comprised of mainly fast twitch fibers (at least the gastroctnemius as I knew that the soleous, which is the part under the gastroc, is mainly slow twitch). I took this question to Todd and he explained that the gastrocnemius is both fast twitch and slow twitch contrary to being predominantly one or the other. Weeks later an article named High vs. Low Reps for Abs and Calves by Dr. J. Clayton Hyght (www.drhyght.com/index2.html) that was published on Lee Labradas site www.labrada.com) corroborated what Todd mentioned. Dr. Hyght mentioned that the lateral head of the gastrocnemius is composed of about 51% slowtwitch (Type I) muscle fibers. That means that the remainder is either fast-twitch (Type IIB) or intermediate (Type IIA). As for the medial gastroc, its composed of 44% slow-twitch. Thus the remaining 56% are fast or intermediate. In my opinion, it would be crazy to train the gastrocs with high reps or low reps exclusively. In order to stimulate both the fast and slow-twitch fibers, you must train
both with heavy weights and low reps, as well as with light weights and high reps. While youre at it, make sure to hit the intermediate fibers with medium weight and medium reps. Having said that, the mystery behind calf training is unraveled. Twice a
week training alternating high reps and slow reps; at least that is the way that I now do my calf training. Below are 3 weeks worth of workouts that you can start using to get some new growth on the calves:
SAMPLE PROGRAM
Week 1 First Workout of the Week Seated Calf Raises: 2 sets of 50 reps (30 second rest in between sets) Calf Press: 10 sets of 10 reps with 20 seconds of rest in between sets Second Workout of the Week One Legged Dumbbell Calf Raises: 4 sets of 100 reps (60 second rest in between sets) Week 2 First Workout of the Week Triset: Standing Calf Raises: 5 sets of 10-12 reps (No Rest) Tibia Raises: 5 sets of 30 reps (No Rest) Standing Calf Raises: 5 sets of 6-8 reps (45 second rest) (Note: Use the same weight on calf raises throughout the routine) Second Workout of the Week Donkey Calf Raises: 4 triple drop sets (do 40 reps on the first weight, reduce weight and do 30 more reps and reduce weight and do 30 more) Rest 60 seconds in between sets. Week 3 First Workout of the Week Modified Triset: (Go from one exercise to the next in circuit fashion after resting the prescribed amount of time per exercise): Standing Calf Raises: (Toes In to emphasize outer head) 3 sets of 10-12 reps (20 second rest) Standing Calf Raises: (Toes Pointing Forward) 3 sets of 10-12 reps (20 second rest) Standing Calf Raises: (Toes Out to emphasize inner head) 3 sets of 10-12 reps (60 second rest) (Note: Use the same weight on calf raises throughout the routine) Seated Calf Raises: 2 sets of 35 reps (45 second rest) Second Workout of the Week Calf Press: 4 sets of 100 reps Be sure to also check out Hugos website at: www.hrfit.net
35
interview and photos by: Dr. Coach Atherton
o rld o my w t
Arysta Bogner caught my eye at the 2005 Miami Fitness Universe. It wasnt her blonde hair, blue eyes and stunning good looks. It wasnt even her stage presence and terrific way she moved paused and moved from place capturing the audience with every look and gesture obviously practiced repeated. Actually I did notice those things -I still have a pulse! But, in truth, the day before, I saw Arysta and her girl friend from the other side of the pool deck. They walked out of the hotel, saw the gorgeous pool, looked at each other, smiled and took a running flying leap about 6 feet high and about 15 feet into the pool. Hair was flying and FUN abounding. I see the scene in my mind and smile, as I write this introduction and still wish I had had my camera. Maybe someday, Ill get that shot. In the meantime, check out the images I did get from the competition in Miami and Hollywood and a shoot at Laguna Beach -I do not think you will be disappointed, I certainly wasnt. Read her profile and you have a better understanding what makes this Canadian beauty tick and especially how her POISE became such a paramount asset to frame her beauty! And where did she learn to love being a model? My name is Coach A WELCOME TO MY WORLD
ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS 4th place, Ms. Bikini America, Fitness America, Hollywood, CA, Nov 2005 9th place finalist, Model America, Fitness America, Hollywood, CA, Nov 2005 4th place, FAME Halloween Mayhem Pro Fitness Model Search, 0ct Sports Lab Model Search Finalist- London ON, Oct 2005 1st place, Model Canada Champion, Fitness Canada Toronto, Oct 2005 2nd place, Ms. Bikini Canada, Fitness Canada Toronto, Oct 2005 5th place, Ms. Bikini Universe Finalist (Tall Class) - Miami, FL, June 2005 5th place, Model Universe Finalist - Miami, FL, June 2005 6th place, *Top 10 finalist, Pro Fitness Model Search, FAME World Championships, Toronto, June 2005 3rd place, Ms. CHIN Bikini Contest Toronto July 2005 1st place, WNSO Fitness Model Search Champion, Toronto Man Show, Sept 2004 *Received Professional Status 3rd place, WNSO Fitness Model Search - Molson Indy, Toronto, July 2004 16th place, FAME Fitness Model Search, Top 20 Finalist out of 230 -Toronto, 2004
Arysta Bogner
PROFILE: Where were you born: Welland, Ontario, CANADA Marital Status: Single but taken Education: B.A Honors Kinesiology, University of Western Ontario Age: 23 (Oct 12, 1982) Height: 56 Weight: 135, Off Season 127, Competition Website: www.arystabogner.com
Fitness is a way of life its about Balance, Positive Mental Attitude and total body Wellness! Try to surround yourself around positive people and write down your goals, make a plan and go for it! Remember that a goal not written down is only a wish! If you could thank 3 people in your life, who are they and why? I would like to thank my parents and my boyfriend for making me the person I am today. I am thankful for all the help, love and support! What is your passion? My passions are Visual Arts, Modeling and Athletics. Sum up your philosophy of fitness/athletes in one sentence, what would it be? Fitness doesnt choose you, YOU choose Fitness and once you do, it becomes a part of who you are, for the rest of your life! What else do you want the readers to know about you? I was born into my familys photography business and introduced to the spotlight at a very early age by my parents, who are Master Photographers and have learned a lifetime of experience in the industry, both in front of and behind the camera. Growing up, it was that experience which taught me confidence, knowledge, determination, strength and courage, helping me shape my life and become the person I am today.
What do you do for a living? I am a Fitness Model and a Promotional Model, Hostess, Assistant Photographer and Personal Trainer (currently relocating). How/Why did you get involved in fitness? Throughout my high school career I was actively involved with athletics and during my first few years at university, I tried out for a few teams, but could not properly perform due to reoccurring lower leg injuries. As a fierce competitor, it was extremely frustrating not being able to execute at the highest level like I did in high school. I wanted my body to be healthy and pain free and that is when I made a decision that would ultimately change my life I embraced a personal, life long dream and entered into the world of Fitness Modeling! Transforming body and mind, both physically and mentally, it has become my new sport and goal to conquer. Favorite book, movie, cheat food? How To Think Like Leonardo daVinci, by Michael J. Gelb The Princess Bride Carrot Cake Who influenced you the most athletically, academically? My Dad and two brothers influenced me the most athletically. From childhood, it was always a challenge of mine to win against them in everything I did. I wanted to prove that a girl could be just as good or better in sports then boys. With a few bruises I think I proved my point. I guess this is where I developed my competitive drive, and athleticism. Who do you admire the most? Male: Leonardo daVinci Female: Madonna What did you think about your first competition? It was a smaller show, The Toronto Man Show in 2003 It really opened my eyes about what com-
peting was like. I learned so much from the girls back stage, about tanning, posing and costumes. After my 1st competition I was hooked I love the exhilaration of performing on the stage and the competitive attitude. Who do you want to emulate? Athletically? I always have looked up to Olympic Athletes! I admire the power, drive, determination and courage in which they posses. They inspire me to challenge myself and to achieve my personal best as an athlete! How do you want to be remembered as an athlete? With the ambition of becoming a Fitness and Role Model, I aspire to become an inspiration to others and to be remembered as a strong, determined athlete, who never gave up on her dreams and stayed true to who she was. What traits do you value the most? Integrity, Respect for Self, Honesty, Trust, and Determination. What do you see that is good in Fitness today? Society is starting to value fitness and exercise as a preventative health measure and a way of vital living. I think the emphasis on holistic wellness is fantastic! What needs to change in Fitness today, in your opinion? I think there is too much of the Unnatural in Fitness. I am a big believer in being natural in how I look, and what I put into my body. I believe that its time to get back to the basics, and value individuality, natural foods, supplements and hard work, putting less emphasis on cosmetic procedures and miracle pills and diets. What would you like to say to the reader of NMM?
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By JP Bender
razilians are known for their stunning figures and to that end there is a product being mar keted as the Brazilian Diet System that is safe and is taking the nation by storm. When the Brazilian way of dieting was first introduced in the United States in mid-2005, a couple of companies started marketing products that were made in Brazil. However in late 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had to take steps to warn consumers not to use those products because they contained unapproved drugs in their dietary supplements. Consumers, who had come to recognize the name, didnt know which way to turn after the warranted criticism. They discovered the original formula sold by other companies contained high toxicity levels of harmful substances. It is important to remember that these formulations were all manufactured outside the United States. There was a lot of confusion and concern about the name and products. In late 2005, Anthony Alfonso, a pharmacist and CEO of Nutri-Force Nutrition, a Miami based nutraceutical-manufacturing facility, stepped in and cleaned up the product, filed for a registered trademark and introduced an efficient product.
Alfonsos formula provides for a comprehensive approach to preventing the storage of fatty acids and removing unhealthy and unwanted toxins. Combined with a well-balanced diet and exercise plan, the product helps reduce your appetite, increases energy and enhances your metabolism. Nutri-Forces
Brazilian Diet System has not been issued any warnings by the FDA and is well recognized and received by customers, as is evident by its skyrocketing sales. The Brazilian Diet manufactured by Nutri-Force is one of the few in the United States that has been tested and confirmed to contain no harmful substances, yet it is effective in the control of weight loss.
Today the product can be found at www.braziliandiet.com. Nutri-Force Nutrition also manufactures a wide array of vitamins, minerals and food supplements and has launched many products into the marketplace. Nutri-Force Nutrition enjoys a favorable reputation and has been featured on many television station interviews along with numerous in-depth stories in various respected news publications. Unfortunately there still are some Brazilian Diet pills being sold that do not meet safety standards and an uneducated consumer has difficulty trying to figure out whats good and whats bad and what may be dangerous. For those consumers, go to the web site www.braziliandiet.com and take a look at the posted laboratory findings about this product. See for yourself there is no harmful substances in this companys Brazilian Diet. Also look at the packaging labels and get to know this products packaging. You can get on the Brazilian Diet System yourself, with confidence, if you buy from the right place. JP Bender is a retired investigative reporter and currently a columnist with The Florida Sentry. He can be contacted at JPBender@myramp.net.
WILLIAM H. BOSTON JR.

BIO
I am a 100% drug free athlete and compete mostly in drug tested events in the NPC. However, I believe I am one of the extremely rare people that have the ability to one day compete on a pro level as a drug free athlete. My first National competition (which happened to have been my second show ever) I finished in the top five. I duplicated that accomplishment in the third show of my career in 2003. In retrospect, these accomplishments were astonishing seeing I had no real experience, and very little knowledge of how to diet or pose. Last year was a successful one. I started my season with a couple of overall wins. However, my lack of time in the gym, due to work, as well as inconsistency in diet and supplementation because of no outside financial support caught up with me at the
793-3373. Please feel free contact me with any quesend of the season. After a disappointing 15Th place tions. finish in last years Jr. Nationals, I talked with Flex Wheeler and asked him what I needed to improve CONTEST HISTORY: on. Surprisingly, his answer was nothing. He said 2002: because of my 62"height I just needed to come in Midwest Grand Pr ix, Rockford, IL (NQ): 1st place heavier in order to look as thick as the other competitors. This was not surprising because most of the Novice Heavyweight, Overall novice winner, 1st other athletes were on steroids. However, I have con- place open heavyweight Team Universe Nationsistently been the heaviHeight: 62" als, New York, NY: 4Th est competitor in every Weight: (off season): 275 (contest): 245 place Heavyweight natural show I have done. Age: 29 2003: Hometown: Chicago Team Universe NationSHORT TERM Occupation: Personal Trainer/ Fitness Model als, New York, NY: 5Th GOALS place Heavyweight With the right diet, I can 2004: easily come in at 250lbs. contest ready For Team Mid-West Iron-man Classic, Chicago, IL: 5Th Universe this year. My Goal is to dominate the natuplace Super Heavyweight open ral circuit for the next four years, which will ulti2005: mately give me my pro card. That winning streak has Midwest Grand Pr ix, Rockford, IL (NQ): 1st never been done before. My past near misses assure place Open Heavyweight, Overall Open winner me that with the proper program, my goal is a realisShow Me Naturals, St Louis, Mo: 1st place Open tic one. Once I accomplish this, I will be 33 years old Heavyweight, Overall Open winner and have the muscle maturity and size to compete as Jr. Nationals, Chicago, IL: 15th place Super Heavya pro. weight division I can be reached by email: Muscle Mania Super Body: 4Th place Heavy williambostonjr@yahoo.com or by cell phone 773weight division
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The Secrets Of The Top Drug-Free Bodybuilders

By: Skip La Cour
he very best natural body builders have already discov ered the mental and physical secrets to produce astonishing results without the help of steroids or other illegal drugs. If you want to get the most from your drug-free bodybuilding efforts, try implementing all of these common characteristics and strategies of the very best natural bodybuilders I have outlined for you.
always against yourselfnot against anyone else who is using drugs. Whether or not someone else is using
deavors like the elite natural bodybuilders. You must look at your body-
The secrets of the top drug-free bodybuilders:

1. Dont think of being drug-free an insurmountable obstacle preventing you from building a great physique. You first must believe that it is indeed possible to create some amazing things with your physique without drugs. You must believe there is still a way to accomplish more with your physique even if youve had some pretty good gains in the past. Immediately separate yourself from those negative people who say it is impossible for you to do so. 2. Dont worry about whos taking drugs and who is not. The battle to become your very best is 40 Natural Muscle May 2006
with the training and eating habits you choose. Whatever strategies you choose, get the most out of them by exerting extraordinary effort. Make up for what others perceive as disadvantages with your exceptional work ethic, mindset, training habits, and eating regimen. When looking for a good workout routine or eating plan, look to one of the successful drug-free bodybuilders you admire most for guidance. That way, you wont have the convenient excuse that your plan didnt work because you are training naturally. Youll begin with a little more certainty and look a little bit more closely at your level of commitment if things dont work out for you as quickly as youd like. 5. Be persistent. Even though you train without drugs, become relentless in your pursuit of finding a series of effective strategies that will help you reach your outrageous bodybuilding goals. Keep searching for the right answers. Who knows? Maybe the next one you try will launch you into a new level of massive growth. 6. Train with intensity. Training hard does not mean the same as training with intensity. Intensity can be described as giving 100 percent of your mind, body, and soul in every exercise, every set, every repetition, and
drugs has no bearing on what you can and cant accomplish with your own physique. Worrying about who is on drugs, however, can have a seriously detrimental affect on everything you are trying to do. 3. Be patient. If you want to reach your full genetic potential without using drugs, you must look at your bodybuilding en-
building efforts as a series of long-term lifestyle choices. Instead of only setting shortterm goals like seeing how huge you can get by next summer, create a clear vision of what you want to look like after five more years of living a disciplined bodybuilding regimen. 4. Develop certainty and confidence on a day-to-day basis
every workout. Intensity means pounding the weights in a way that is so darn taxing that every single set ends in absolute failure. In other words, you have absolutely nothing left in reserve when the set is completednot a 1/2 of a rep, a 1/4 of a rep, or even a 1/8 of a rep more. Intensity is maintaining this high standard of performance throughout an entire workout. Never be satisfied with your level of performance in the gym. Continually strive for the always improving, seemingly barely out-of-reach incredible standard of intensity when you train. 7. Train hard all year long. You must train hard in the gym and eat the right foods all year long if you really want to reach your ambitious goals. You dont have steroids or other drugs to compensate for mediocre, inconsistent training and eating habits. 8. Keep the number of calories you eat relatively high. You must control you metabolism if you want to duplicate the success of the top drug-free bodybuilders. Keep your caloric intake relatively high. Make your body gear its metabolism upand prevent it from ever gearing down. If you have an average or
slower metabolism, eat a lot of food and do a lot of cardiovascular training to keep your metabolism running hotter and more efficiently. If you have a faster metabolism, you must be extremely committed to eating frequent meals that contain more nutrient-dense calories. 9. Stay relatively lean all year long. In the off-season, eating efficiently is what will build muscle. Do not eat to get fat. Do not eat to stay lean. Eat to build muscle. Consistently feed yourself high-quality protein for muscle growth and enough carbohydrates to keep you feeling strong. After prioritizing those needs, consume as much food as you feel comfortable eating while still managing your body fat levels. 10. Place a heavy emphasis on protein consumption. Protein is the most important nutrient for building muscle without drugs. Without enough high-quality protein, you are not going to grow at the rate you deserve to growand I dont care how hard you train in the gym. Make protein powder and meal replacements the foundation of your supplementation program. Visit Skip La Cours website at www.skiplacour.com
Take your physique to the next level by ordering Skip La Cours new DVD Packing On Muscle! Max-OT Style. This two-disc, four-hour long training, instructional, and motivational DVD presentation includes a complete week of training (explained in great detail and jampacked with perceptive insights), additional exercises that were not included in the training week, instruction and video footage of cardiovascular training, inspirational action training segments, assorted detailed and unique next level tips, contest footage, and a one-hour live nutrition seminar. The six-time national champion takes you into the gym as his virtual training partner for an entire week of workouts. You wont just see the
highlights. Youll see every set and every repetition. Additionally, La Cours informational nutrition seminar addresses the critical component of physique development that other bodybuilding DVDs just dont deliver. If you want to pack on slabs of muscle in the shortest period of time, Skip La Cours Packing On Muscle! Max-OT Style is for you! The two-disc, four hour DVD set is only $49.99 (plus $8.50 shipping and handling; Total $58.49; International orders add $17.50 shipping and handling; Total $67.49). Order online at www.skiplacour.com. Credit card orders call 1-800-655-0986. Or, send check or money or to: Skip La Cour 712 Bancroft Road #259, Walnut Creek, CA 94598 USA. Natural Muscle May 2006 41
Lori Ann Lloyds Obstacle Course Academy
obstacle course training
OBSTACLE COURSE FITNESS CAMP

June 24 - 11:00 am
Break a minute, 50 seconds, 45 seconds? This is how I do it..
Have you wondered how the course can be run in 40 to 50 seconds? By implementing TECHNIQUES the way I meant them to be executed and choosing ones that best attribute to your body type! Are you ready to run seconds off your personal best time?
How to Get the Most Out of Your Obstacle Course Camp

By Lori Anne Lloyd You will get more out of your obstacle course fitness camp with a little preparation at home. After choosing your camp date, take two to three weeks to work on the following attributes prior to camp. Anaerobic Conditioning Grip Strength Ab and Hip Flexor Strength Flexibility ondition yourself to reach anaerobic gains rather than aerobic gains. It is better to push yourself as hard as you can for a shorter amount of time for obstacle course specific training. The beauty of this training, besides your new body, is that you keep precious muscle tone while burning fat. Your body will not rob your muscle tissue for energy with obstacle course specific training. Refer to the previous months training articles in NM for some effective anaerobic condition-
For those of you aiming to break a minute, Ill show you techniques and training tools to improve your performance, guaranteed.
Ask the Champions!
This camp is FUN and for ALL LEVELS to learn and enjoy.
Cost: $150 (Discounts: ATX members, return campers, and other coupons available!) Bring: Towel, water & healthy snacks... Where: We are now located at the JCC in Maitland, Florida Please send camp fees in one week advance (Fees day of $170.) Lori Ann Lloyd, P. O. Box 1084, Windermere, Fl. 34786 352-255-STAR (7827) cell 407-876-2334 fax LoriStar9@aol.com
ing routines. A mere two weeks of training will make a remarkable difference on your conditioning for the camp. You are truly only as strong as that to which you can hold! You only as strong as your grip and the nature of the course demands a tough hold throughout. Improve your grip endurance by doing all of your abdominal exercises using a hand style grip. Refrain from using straps or hangers with your weight lifting and abdominal exercises. Since a large percentage of the course requires the use of your hip flexors and lower abdominal muscles, you will be able to perform more advanced techniques that are shown to you at camp with prior training. Improve your lower abdominal endurance by including exercises to your routine such as hang-
ing knee ups, hanging leg ups, hanging oblique and hanging V- pike holds and yes, they are just as they sound. Use your own grip to hang from the bar while performing your repetitions. Since your hands may get tired before your abs do, be sure to continue training your abs with leg raises and kick outs. You will find that using basic calisthenics will be helpful in your preparation because they strengthen the core muscles of the body. These can be performed almost anywhere which makes them convenient. The two most common are pushups and pull-ups. Most people can do pushups, however, if you cannot do a pull-up yet, do not worry! We will still get you over the wall at camp because much of it is technique. Being able to do pull-ups will help your speed over the wall. If you can do pull-ups, practice doing as many as you can up to 10 at a time. If you cannot, it is better to have someone spot you than to use the gyms gravitron machine when learning. Bend your knees so that your spotter can assist you by your ankles or feet. Spend some time on your flexibility as some of the techniques require you to be flexible, plus it will reduce your chance of injury. It is best to stretch every day to maintain a healthy musculature and posture. In addition to the above there is one more easy and necessary step to make before going to camp. Rest the day before! Make sure to take it easy a couple days prior to camp so that you are fresh and flexible. May you get the most out of your training in every dimension of your life.
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Summer
One look at your calendar and you realize that its around the cornersummer! With hot weather comes the beach, pools, bikinis and swimsuits and, of course, tighter, more revealing clothing. The first bodypart that most of us think about when all those images come to mind are the abs. Call them a six pack, a washboard or whatever else you wish, but male or female, everyone wants abs. A great set of abs is a function of two things, abdominal muscle and low bodyfat. While your no frills ab routine will work wonders for your abs, bodyfat levels must be low enough to see that hard earned muscular middle. The reality of abs is that you can have a thickly-muscled, incredible six-pack, but if your bodyfat is too high, no one will ever see it. Although we wont be going into diet and cardio in this article, make sure that you pay close attention to both so that you, and everyone else, will see the results of your ab work.
ast Ab Bl
ment, again squeezing hard for a second in the final position. As you return to the starting position, make sure to keep control of your speed and reap the benefits of the negative portion of the exercise. Dont pull the machine forward with your arms make sure to pull the upper body forward using your abs.
LOWER ABS Lying or Decline Leg Raises
THE ROUTINE
The two major muscle groups that make up your six pack are the upper abdominals and the lower abdominals. Sure there are also the serratus and intercostals muscles at the sides of your midsection, but I wouldnt do any direct work for them. When you train muscle tissue it can grow, whether its in your bicep or on the side of the waist. Do you really want to risk thickening the side of the waist and actually making your body look less tapered? Me neither! Ive given you two movements for the upper abs and two for the lower abs. Choose one upper and one lower movement per ab workout and do three sets to failure of each exercise. Id train the abs three to four times per week to have them ready for the summer.
THE EXERCISES UPPER ABS Lying Crunches

Lie flat on the floor and place your feet over a bench so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. Cross your arms over your chest and never place your hands behind your head. The temptation to pull the body forward with your arms, thereby taking the focus off the abs, is too great and the chance of injuring the neck region increases. Once in the proper starting position, simply raise your upper
Lie on a flat bench or, to make the movement more challenging when that gets too easy, lie with your head higher than your feet on an angled bench. Keep the legs straight out with a very slight bend at the knee. Hold on to the bench with both hands behind the head. From this position, raise the legs straight up, but dont allow them to go more than back off the floor very slowly and roll forward until about twelve to eighteen inches off the bench. If you reach the end point of the movement. Done propyou go much higher than that, the stress will come erly, your lower back should never come off the off the lower abs and shift to the back, creating a ground. Hold the greater risk of injury. Bring finished position for the legs back down in a a second or so and slow and controlled fashion squeeze the abs. and repeat until failure. Also pay attention to the negative portion of each repetiLying or Decline tion, going from the Knee Raises locked end point Follow the same direcback down very tions as with the leg raises slowly. above, but instead of raising the leg straight up, Machine bring the knees to your chest and back down to the Crunches starting position. Youll Sit in the mafind this is a bit easier than chine and grasp the the leg raise and is particuoverhead handles. larly well suited to those Arch your upper who may have lower back body so that your problems. back is erect and Thats it. Simple, comagainst the back pad mon sense ab training. of the machine. To Combine this with proper begin the movediet and dont be a stranger ment, slowly move to cardiovascular work and your upper body foryoull be proudly displayward very until ing those abs this summer. reaching the endHave fun! point of the move-
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46
Fighting
Natural help for stress, fatigue and adrenal insufficiency
he adrenal or stress glands are small, triangular shaped glands located on top of the kidneys. Their function is to prepare the bodys resources to run or fight through the releasing of specific hormones. When this primitive, instinctive response is activated, blood is diverted from the digestive system while our blood pressure, pulse, blood sugar levels increase. At the same time, our pupils dilate and the speed of reflexes increases. All this happens as a way to ensure our survival. In modern times, we dont have to worry about becoming dinner for a hungry tiger or being trampled by a herd of buffalo. Our bodies, however, automatically respond the same way when under physical, emotional or mental stress. Many of us live in a state of constant stress that strains our bodies to the point of exhaustion. Over time, and through repetition, this can impact the way the adrenal glands function, causing us to experience adrenal insufficiency or burn-out. If you think about it, our adrenal glands can be likened to the batteries in a flashlight. They are filled with a charge that is used to run the body and give us that extra edge in times of need. Each time we use our flashlight, we drain some of the charge from our batteries. Fortunately for us, our batteries are automatically recharged when we eat healthy and get lots of rest. If, on the other hand, we use our flashlight all the time, and dont recharge our batteries regularly, it is only a matter of time before the light starts to dim and eventually goes out all together. Technically speaking, adrenal insufficiency refers to the inability of adrenal glands to produce the proper quantity of hormones needed to run the body. It should not to be confused with Addisons disease,
which is when the adrenal glands fail to produce hormones or shutdown completely. The most common symptom of adrenal insufficiency is fatigue. Other symptoms include: not feeling rested after sleep, inability to deal with life stressors, poor memory, a low sex drive, frequent infections due to a suppressed immune system, inability to concentrate, depression, mood swings, irritability, weight gain, weakness and hormonal imbalances. There are a number of reasons why people experience adrenal insufficiency. It can be from a genetic or congenital abnormality, but the most common one is stress. Some of us force our bodies to run or fight all the time. Life challenges, financial pressures, relationship issues and unresolved emotional concerns will eventually deplete your adrenal glands. Internal stressors such as allergies, physical disease, nutritional deficiencies, food
and environmental toxins can also put pressure on the bodys natural reserves. In addition, stimulants, such as sugar, white flower, caffeine, as well as constant exposure to loud music, loud noise or EM radiation can take a toll on our adrenal glands. Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Rita Louise, Ph.D. is author of Avoiding the
Cosmic 2x4 and The Power Within. It is her unique gift as a medical intuitive and clairvoyant that illuminates and enlivens her work. Let Dr. Louise help you bring health healing and wholeness back into your life. Medical Intuition & Energy Medicine Certification training classes are now forming. Call 972-475-3393 or visit www.soulhealer.com
Recommendations For Wellness

First and foremost, stop forcing yourself to keep going and start listening to your body. It will tell you what it needs. If it is tired, try closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths. Taking a break, even a short one is a great way to let your body rest. Just let it go. Allow your body to let go of any resentment, blame, guilt, worries or fears that can paralyze the adrenal glands. Learning relaxation techniques such as biofeedback, meditation guided imagery can help you cope with stress better. Try taking a hot bath with lavender or neroli oil at night. These oils can help to calm frazzled nerves, promote a feeling of calmness and bring about a restful nights sleep. Siberian ginseng is an adaptogenic herb that supports the adrenal glands making it a great tonic to help the body deal with stress. Found in the rainforest of South America, the herb suma has been reported to help increase energy levels and rejuvenate the spirit. It has been found to be useful in restoring glandular function and balancing the endocrine system. Licorice Root has traditionally been used to support the adrenals. This herb is very sweet and is not recommended if you are diabetic. Pantothenic Acid, vitamin B5, is vital for adrenal hormone production and is recommended in supporting the adrenal glands. Natures Sunshines Energy-V Capsules and Nervous Fatigue Formula are a collection of stimulating & adaptogenic herbs which can help the body adapt to stress. DHEA is a hormone precursor produced by adrenal glands. Leading health experts to believe that after the age of 25, the bodys ability to produce DHEA declines and supplementation can help increase energy and counteract the effects of stress. Supplements from bovine adrenal glands provide nutritional support for proper adrenal gland function. Only use this supplement for short periods of time as to not disrupt the normal function of the adrenal glands. Natural Muscle May 2006 47
athlete of the month

CEDRIC CARVALHO
Height: 59 Weight: off-season 205lbs, Contest: 183lbs Years Bodybuilding: 4 yrs Age: 22 Hometown: Fall River, MA. Occupation: Student, majoring in Exercise Science and Sport Nutrition Favorite Body Part: Every body part but, mainly Shoulders How, When, and Why did you get started? I realized I loved bodybuilding the first time I stepped foot into a gym. I played sports all my life and strength and conditioning was the key ingredient in physical performance along with dieting. So it has always been a part of my life. Now bodybuilding has grown on me much more than I had ever expected. I love dieting down for competition because I push my body to extreme measures that I never thought was possible. Day by day my body changes dramatically. Being involved with fitness modeling I would come across many bodybuilders during my shoots. Every shoot a bodybuilder would ask me if I competed, but I never had. October 22, 2005 was the first time I considered a competition. I entered the New England Natural Bodybuilding Figure & Fitness Championships (USBF). I registered for the Juniors class and the mens open LightHeavyweight class. I placed 1st in the Juniors class and 1st in the mens open Light-Heavyweight class. I never expected to do so well, but through hard work, dedication, and dieting I achieved a great goal. Favorite MHP Product: I use most of the MHP products but their new fat burner is really great, Anadrox. It really gets me going. Contact Information: cedric2265@yahoo.com
pz
continued from page 27
rable price tags. When you work for free you diminish your importance. Never show your entire hand. Once you have given up all the information a person wants or needs for whatever it is they are trying to accomplish they have no more use for you, and you can easily be discarded or dismissed. Should you be asked to share your knowledge, do so in a limited capacity. If someone is attempting to pick your brain to gain particulars that may carry positive or productive implications limit what you tell them. Always withhold certain pertinent or key details. Dont give away all the ingredients in the recipe. If you do the dish can be made without you, and it will show up on the menu in someone elses restaurant. Learn how and when to say No. One of the hardest things for giving people to learn is the use of the word no. If you are in the habit of helping out, wherever and whenever possible, saying no is a concept that can be quite foreign. Through a concerted effort I have gradually gotten better at this practice, yet, I still find saying no to be unpleasant and difficult. Despite this, what I have discovered is once you do it you will get better at it. It doesnt become easy, but it will get easier. If someone gets mad or becomes upset because you have said no to them they will, as my grandma used to say, eventually get pleased.
have gone out of my way on countless occasions to help others and still do. I evaluate the intrinsic worth of each situation. Some people actually deserve your help and shouldnt be denied your kindness because you have become so jaded by the multitude of takers in the world. Get better at identifying the users. I admit I have been taken advantage of more than I want to remember. What I have gotten good at, though, is being able to identify the users sooner and dispose of them before Im in too deep. Some people are just cheap skates or chumps and go through life using and taking advantage of everyone along the way. There are those who will suck you dry if you allow them. Granted, you will never eliminate the users entirely, but apply some of the pointers already mentioned, and you will become stronger and wiser in all your dealings. This is not a hobby, volunteer, or charity work. While your goal is to follow your dream, experience success, and fulfill your purpose in life, remember, your profession is, after all, your livelihood. You are not supposed to do it for free. Although success comes in many forms, money is but one of the variables we look to in measuring that success. Do what you love. Stand up for yourself. Know your worth. As Cher said, Ive been rich, and Ive been poor. Rich is better.
Pz is a writer and motivational specialist. Her self-help expertise focuses on relationships, fulfillment, and the human condition. Do you have a story There IS a time and a place for to share? free. Certainly there will be times Pz welcomes your participation in the when people need your help, and money should not a factor in the mix. I process. Contact her @ pz@pzpower.com 48 Natural Muscle May 2006
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Bodinol will change the Bodybuilding world
forever. forever.
There will be many bodybuilders, gym regulars and athletes that wont even try it, because they have been let down before. Its a shame because Bodinol really does work. Dr. Todd Carnucci, Sports Rehabilitation
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Natural Muscle May 2006

Natural Muscle May 2006

Muscleology Series-Medicine Ball

Obstacle Course Training

by Lori Ann Lloyd

Welcome to my World 2006

the best ways to cheat..on your diet! 32

Natural Muscle May 2006

LAYOUT & GRAPHIC DESIGN

Goober, or Smart Cookie?

Natural Muscle May 2006

Natural Muscle February 2005

Natural Muscle May 2006

Natural Muscle May 2006

Natural Muscle May 2006

ZERO IMPACT FITNESS CHALLENGE & SHOWDOWN

WIN $25,000 just by Getting In Shape!

Natural Muscle May 2006

Natural Muscle May 2006

Mark Alvisi at EST

Trick Ricky at MHP

Ron Coleman and new NM writer Chris Mohr

Gerard Dente..always busy at the MHP booth

more photos on the next page

Another way to shake your protein.

Jennifer and Al (bagel boy) Rosen of the WTF

Natural Muscle May 2006

Redline! Had yours today?

I just love these new t-shirts ..they are a hoot!

Mohamed is in good company at the Protan booth

Erica Kern, AIM marketing

Lonestar distribution opened a warehouse here in Florida.

Natural Muscle May 2006

Change up your routine for new muscle gains

Natural Muscle May 2006

15-20 15-20 15-20 15-20 15-20 15-20 15-20 15-20

Russ Yeagers Complete Physique Training Video

Order online at www.russyeager.com

Oriental-Honey Chicken Kabobs

Natural Muscle May 2006

ami-based nutraceutical manufacturing company, to produce the Betancourt Nutrition line.

Natural Muscle May 2006

STRENGTHEN YOUR LEGS

are you worth more than

Time is money. Time is valuable.

By Bill Hebson , ACSM-HFI, NSCA-CPT, USA Weightlifting Senior Coach, ACE-CPT

Natural Muscle May 2006

Medicine Ball Training

Rotational Wall Slams

Natural Muscle May 2006

2. Squat Jump and Push Toss

Natural Muscle May 2006

Mohr Results with Dr. Chris

the best ways to

By Christopher R. Mohr, PhD, RD

THE TOP 10 BEST OF THE WORST

10: Baked Chips & Guacamole

6: Sweet Potato Fries

Get even Mohr Results with ..

Weapons for MASS CONSTRUCTION

The Worst Of The Best

the science behind