• Author / Uploaded
• 安建平 澳门南湖区

• Categories
• Deportes
• Business

Citation preview

APRIL 2018

LUKE

SANDOE SUPERHERO

SIZE FUEL YOUR

GAINZ OLYMPIA ATHLETE

LET’S GET

WITH

NASTY LEROY DAVIS

BILLYROSE HIS HOMELESS HELL www.flexonline.co.uk APRIL 2018 £4.20 04

9 770955 121136

APRIL 2018

COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY REBECCA ANDREWS

8

COVER STORY

8

LUKE SANDOE Find out exactly how this drum beating band member built his superhuman size.

40 MUSCLE TO MODEL

112 IFBB PRO CECIL CROASDAILE

Max O’Connor, known for being a versatile athlete. From rugby to bodybuilding, this itness star is now rocking the world of modelling.

Cecil answers some commonly asked questions and myths that surround growing and supplement usage.

46 IFBB PRO LEAGUE COMEBACK James Llewellin is back where he feels at homepreparing to compete with the IFBB.

48 THE TALLEST BODYBUILDER IN THE WORLD

PHOTO CREDIT: REBECCA ANDREWS

Actor Aaron Reed stands at 6’7. We reveal how this typical dysfunctional American family boy grew to skyscraper size.

80 PRO LEAGUE LEGS

FEATURES 18 YOU’RE HERE UNTIL YOU FINISH

30 IFBB PRO & WHEELCHAIR ATHLETE DAN SMITH

Legendary trainer of 6x Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates, Leroy Davis tells FLEX what happened once the Sandows stopped. And, how he is back beasting the gym again!

Dan reveals the most incredible story of struggle to success. From competing able-bodied to becoming paralysed- and still turning pro!

26 RISING STAR POD HEKTOR

34 HOW TO MAXIMISE YOUR TRAINING & PROGRESS

PHOTO CREDIT: SJM PHOTOGRAPHY

Louise Rogers shows how she balances life as a driven Professional athlete and NHS worker.

124 ACTIVATING HUGE MUSCLE GAINS John Buckland reveals how to activate your muscles and unlock the potential to huge gains.

130

68 KILLER CHEST

6 FROM THE CEO

THE BETTER BALANCE.

Keto King, Joe Binley talks about how to structure your very own keto diet.

Female bodybuilder Leica Gelsei has been asked whether women should train chest? Leica explains why the answer is a deinite YES!

IN EVERY ISSUE

Meet rising star UKUP Pro Pod Hektor and discover what made him the Golden Era guy.

118 KETO KING PART 2

Stephen Box gives the answers to maximising every minute in the gym.

74

130 NO HYPE, JUST GAINZ

This is how IFBB Pro League Figure athlete Sam Forbes developed her legs and how it changed over time.

Dean ‘The Protein’ Lesiak gives the perfect lesson on when and how you need to eat and use your supplements for ‘Epic Gainz’.

84 POSING DOS & DON’TS

136 GYM OF THE MONTH

Posing Pro Emma Hyndman gives a lesson in the Dos and Don’ts of posing. This may be the diference between winning and losing….Read it.

Showcasing the original warehouse muscle building facility, ‘Monster Gym’.

88 THE FINAL CUT 3rd part of the Ultimate Transformation with actor Martyn Ford and Dean Lesiak.

94 HOMESLESS TO HIGH LIFE

138 MY REALITY IFBB Pro Eddie Abbew talks about how reality hit him hard whilst stood on the Olympia stage.

142 UNDER THE MICROSCOPE 144 HOT BOD

Billyrose Femi was once homeless. This is a story of determination and mental strength that has carried him all the way to the Olympia.

Olivia Stan is FLEX mag’s hot body this month.

100 MAKING A MONSTER

St Albans based HIIT kitchen demonstrates that a perfectly healthy meal can be mouth-watering. Various tasty recipes to cook at home for the best prepped meals.

Follow this step by step guide that built the beast that is Josh Maley.

106 MUSCLE AND MEDALS After battling with a tropical infection and fearing amputation, Romane Lanceford takes us through the struggles that only made him stronger and hungrier to keep winning.

FOOD AND SUPPS 56 HIIT KITCHEN

64 NO-DOUGH PALEO PIE/ BOILING POINT Cook healthier pizza with this great recipe, and learn what healthy alternatives there are to pasta.

PHOTO CREDIT: PHOTOARTS BY JAY

INSIDE THIS MONTH

CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER David Pecker

UK EDITION CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Nick Orton

www.flexonline.co.uk

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER UK MANAGING DIRECTOR Nick Orton Carl Walker EDITORIAL UK MANAGING DIRECTOR Carl Walker e-mail: [email protected] EDITOR Darren Nicholhurst e-mail: [email protected]

FINANCE FINANCIAL CONTROLLER Phil Walton e-mail: [email protected]

ADVERTISING HEAD OF ADVERTISING SALES MUSCLE & FITNESS UK / FLEX UK Carl Walker TO ADVERTISE Tel: 01926 485423 e-mail: [email protected]

CIRCULATION HEAD OF CIRCULATION Patrick Napier e-mail: [email protected]

Suite 605 Holly Court, Holly Farm Business Park, Honiley, Warwickshire, CV8 1NP PRINTED IN UK BY PCP Tel: 01952 585585 DISTRIBUTED BY Marketforce: 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU Tel +44 (0)20 3787 9001 www.marketforce.co.uk DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS One year £34.99 Available via the Apple App Store and Google Play PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS CDS Global email [email protected] One Year £34.99. Europe £49. Rest of the World £69. To subscribe go to www.lexonline.co.uk/subs or call 01858 438865 US EDITION EVP/GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Chris Scardino

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

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

MANUFACTURING & PRODUCTION Ann McCafrey; Marc Melcher

ART Ramón Gamarra; Cynthia NG; Sean Otto; Anthony Nolan; Erica Schultz; Gaby Chiang

PHOTOGRAPHY Per Bernal; Charles Lowthian; Ian Spanier

CONTRIBUTORS Albert Busek; Caruso; Bill Comstock; Isaac Hinds; Kevin Horton; Chris Lund; Chris Nicoll; Rob Pick; Pavel Ythjall; Art Zeller

President of the IFBB Professional League JIM MANION Founder and Chairman Emeritus JOE WEIDER (1920–2013) We assume no responsibility for returning unsolicited material, including but not limited to photographs, artwork, manuscripts and letters. Membership on the Editorial Advisory Board does not imply endorsement of any product or service advertised in this magazine. Views expressed in advertisements and editorials are not necessarily those of FLEX or the Editorial Advisory Board. Reader discretion is advised. Please consult your doctor before beginning any exercise or diet programme, or when making changes in an existing programme if you have any doubts about your health status.Every care is taken to assure the accuracy of the information in FLEX, but no responsibility can be accepted for the consequences of actions based on the advice contained herein. BodyPower Publishing Ltd makes every efort to ensure that the advertising contained in FLEX is derived from respectable sources. It does not, however, assume responsibility for the advertisements, nor any claims and representations made therein, nor the quality or delivery of the products/services themselves. Editorial articles relating to food supplementation and sports nutrition reproduced in this issue of FLEX, are for information purposes only and are not intended to solicit or otherwise promote any commercialised product containing the mentioned supplements. FLEX is distributed on an international basis. To the extent permitted by law, Weider Publications, LLC, a subsidiary of American Media, Inc and its ailiates: BodyPower Publishing Ltd, do not accept liability for the efects of reported supplements or products, legal or illegal or any loss, injury or damage caused by their use. It is the responsibility of the individual to abide by the laws and dosage allowances speciic to their country of residence. Always consult a doctor before commencing supplementation or changing dosages. Some supplements may not work efectively outside speciic dosage ranges and may potentially cause harm if taken in excess. Not all supplements, combinations of supplements, or dose ranges of supplements may be suitable, safe or efective for everybody. Copyright © (2018) BodyPower Publishing Ltd. Published under license from Weider Publications, LLC, a subsidiary of American Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. ‘FLEX’ is a trademark of Weider Publications, LLC, a subsidiary of American Media, Inc. and may not be used or reproduced without the permission of Weider Publications, LLC. The information in FLEX is intended to educate. Do not substitute it for the advice of a qualiied health care practitioner.

FROM THE CEO

By Nick Orton public. My design was lightweight and cheap to produce but would provide a visual deterrent and a degree of security, which at worst would slow the thief down. I got everything done but suffered the same wave of negativity, dismissal and setback. I gave up on it. A few years later and they were being sold in Halfords.

Start something, take action!

S

o many times in my life I’ve had people tell me ‘it won’t work’, ‘it’s not a good idea’, ‘very risky’ etc… it still happens today. You shouldn’t take much notice of comments like those, yet most people don’t follow their dreams because they let others talk them out of it. When I was just 14 years old, I had an idea to start delivering pet food door to door. In those days, you could only buy from shops and in cans. We had three dogs and a cat in our little terrace house and carrying a weeks worth of food for them back from the shops was heavy work. It made sense to me to 6

FLEX | APRIL 2018

start a delivery service (nobody did that then), but I was only 14. I told friends (who all thought it was stupid), and after more knockbacks I ditched the idea. A year later Pets at Home started… At age 17, I had my own car (funded by my carpet cleaning business), looking back, the accessories that I added (spoiler, skirts, fogs, spots) were ridiculous, but I still loved it. I wanted to make sure that it wouldn’t get stolen. At that time, car crime was very high. I drew up a design for a wheel clamp. They existed but were very expensive and not available to the

These were hard lessons and I learnt from them - I never gave up on anything that I really believed in since then. Eleven years ago, BodyPower, the company I now run, was just a concept, which I was very confident about and it formed part of my first really big deal. In 2008, I sold my trade show businesses to a private equity firm, to form a company called Closer Still Media. Part of the sale included the concept called BodyPower. The guys behind the deal were big hitters, highly experienced and they told me (after the sale) that they did not believe in the idea and had in fact commissioned a report by industry experts, to ascertain if the concept (the show) would work – I looked at the report and it summarised that the market was too small and that it would not work. The opinion was shared by a team of experts. Fortunately, I had been astute enough to include in the small print of the sale deal a clause which meant that if the buyers decided not to continue with my concept, that I could ‘take it back’, and that is exactly what I did. Those hard early lessons had shown me that if you truly believe in something, you should do it. Ten years later and I can say that if you have a dream, then don’t let others talk you out of it… BodyPower is a global success from a business point of view but most importantly for me, it has helped huge amounts of people. Our 10th Anniversary show takes place at the NEC 11th – 13th May. I hope to see you there.

///

BY DARREN NICHOLHURST

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY REBECCA ANDREWS

LUKE SANDOE

SUPERHERO SIZE L

IKE MOST YOUNG BOYS, Luke was into his football, but not for very long.

“I was very little as a young boy, and I grew out of football pretty quickly,” says Luke, now 29. “I was drawn to music and art,” he reveals. “I guess I’m more of a creative than a sporty type at heart.” Luke played the drums from the age of 12, and eventually joined a band at 21. The band moved and based themselves in London and recorded for Island/Vertigo records. Some of their tracks were recorded at the iconic home of the Beatles, Abbey Road. It’s evident Luke’s mindset was always geared for success, but where did the shift towards bodybuilding come into play? “The first thing that brought a muscular look to my attention was my love of comics,” he laughs. “I still have the comics today! I used to see all those superheroes looking huge and I loved that look.” But it was when Luke’s mum accidentally bought a copy of FLEX magazine that his true vision was born. “I remember it has Johnnie O’Jackson on the front cover- I must have read it 100 times. It was the coolest thing ever,” he recalls.

8

FLEX | APRIL 2018

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

9

“Then, I read about Dorian Yates and how he had no direction and eventually found bodybuilding. I found the way Dorian worked so inspiring. He couldn’t fail to have an impact on me.” Giving it his all Luke has given 110% since the very day he started his bodybuilding journey. Accepting of the fact the process is a slow one, his monster physique and freaky condition has nonetheless been farmed in a very short time. “I started training in 2011, so I have really pushed my barriers for 7 years,” he says. “I’ve given 110% since the day I first picked up a weight. I have always been realistic. It’s impossible to achieve anything unless you really pay attention and stick to the plan. I have never

10

FLEX | APRIL 2018

expected to grow overnight and I’m always conscious of the fact I have to keep putting the work in. I think that’s why I’ve developed so quickly,” he says. As much as Luke had his aspirations, it’s been his own self-belief that has got him to where he is today. “Honestly, no single person has helped me directly,” he insists. “I have been fortunate enough to meet a lot of people along the way though who have played a huge part in helping me to reach my goals. One of these invaluable people is my prep coach guru Chris Aceto. He works alongside greats such as Lee Haney, Jay Cutler and many other legends. At the moment I just eat what Chris tells me,” Luke reveals. “I prefer a lower (added) fat diet and higher carbs, especially around my training. As I get closer to a show, I firstly eradicate the carbs from the meals furthest away from training. I seem to need to adjust my carbs a lot in the prep phase also. I go flat and stall often and having Chris knowing when to push and pull carbs has made a huge difference.” Overcoming hard times Despite his seemingly effortless rise to the top, Luke has experienced

some difficult times whilst working towards his dreams. “One of the hardest things for me was moving away from my home town and my children,” he says. “I’m from Bournemouth but there was so much more work potential for me as a PT and better facilities in the Essex area, so that’s where I headed. It was hard in the sense that balancing life became harder. I had less time because of being in a new place and trying to work here so that I could put a roof over my head and support my family back home. It taught me a valuable lesson in life though. I worked my butt off. I always assured myself it’d be worth it and that it’d pay off in the end, and it did. The power of self belief is incredible.” Sometimes, we all forget that even the most elite athletes have very normal lives, and sometimes these normalities put extra strain on their routines. “Having children, being there for them and always putting them first, is something all good parents do and appreciate how much time it takes up, Luke explains. “It’s not hard for me to put them first, but it certainly does make contest prep harder with having to do hours of cooking, training and cardio. It’s non-stop,

but that is all a part of being a Pro bodybuilder and being a dad. I want to excel in both,” he says. Luke is currently prepping for the Arnold in Australia and the Indiana Pro. So, if he isn’t beasting the weights in the gym, he will be beating the drums of victory with the outstanding package he is taking to the show. This is Luke’s training programme running up to the shows: Monday: Chest/Delts Tuesday: Back/Rear Delts Wednesday: Legs (Quad Dominant) Thursday: Chest/Delts Friday: Arms/Calves Saturday: Legs (Hamstring Dominant) Sunday: Off APRIL 2018 | FLEX

11

CHEST/DELTS 3-4 sets cable flyes to warm up pecs Incline Barbell Press 1 x Rest Pause Set 10-15 reps total Flat Dumbell Press 2 x Working Sets 8-10 reps Machine Press 1 x Working Set plus triple drop set Machine Flyes 6 x 6 Muscle Round Dumbbell, Cable or Machine Side Raises 4 x Working sets 12-15 reps Machine or Barbell Press 3 x Working sets 8-12 reps

BACK/REAR DELTS 3-4 sets straight arm pull downs to warm up the lats Barbell or Dumbbell Row 2 x Working sets 6-12 reps Underhand or Lat Pull Down 1 x Rest Pause set 12-15 reps total Single Arm Row 2 x Working Set plus triple drop set on second set Upper Back Row 2 x Working sets 6-12 reps Deadlift or Rack Pull 1 x Working set 6-10 reps Machine Rear Delt Flyes 4 x working sets 15-20 plus partials to failure 12 00

FLEX 2018 FLEX || APRIL MARCH 2018

QUAD EMPHASIS, LEGS Ham Curl 3 x Working sets 10-12 reps Hack Squat 2 x SS 8-12 Banded Leg Press 3 x Working Sets 20-25 reps Leg Extension 1 x Rest Pause set 50-60 reps total Adductors 3 x Working Sets 12-15 reps

CHEST/DELTS Machine Flyes 3 x Working sets 12-15 Incline Smith Press 2 x Straight sets 10-12 reps Incline Dumbell Flyes 3 x Working Sets 10-12 reps Reverse Machine Dips 3 x Working Set plus triple drop set Dumbbell Side Raises 4 x Working sets 12-15 reps Machine Side Raises 3 x Working sets 15-20 reps plus partials APRIL 2018 | FLEX

13

ARMS/CALVES Rope Push Down 4 x Working sets 12-15 Machine Dip or Close Grip Bench 1 x Rest Pause set 15-20 reps total Cable Single Arm Xxtension 4 x Working sets 12-15 Skull Crusher 4 x Working sets 8-12 Alternate Dumbbell Curl 4 x Working sets 10-12 Spider Curl 4 x Working sets 12-15 Machine Curl 1 x Rest Pause set 15-20 reps total

HAMSTRING FOCUS, LEGS Lying Ham Curl 3 x Working sets 10-12 reps Wide, High Stance Leg Press or Squat 2 x Working Sets 15-20/6-10 reps Seated Ham Curl 1 x Rest Pause set 15-20 reps total Barbell or Dumbbell Stif Legged Deadlift 2 x Working sets 8-10 reps Adductors 3 x Working Sets 12-15 reps 14

FLEX | APRIL 2018

LEROY DAVIS ///

18

BY DARREN NICHOLHURST

FLEX | APRIL 2018

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY PHOTOARTS BY JAY

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

19

L

eroy Davis; one of the few

people who’s had the privilege of screaming instructions to 6 x Mr Olympia Dorian Yates. Famed for his hardcore training methods, Leroy pushed Dorian through the pain barrier. The result was that insane granite like physique that we all know and respect. The physique that earned Dorian the prestigious Mr Olympia title repeatedly. The partnership shared by Leroy and Dorian made them unstoppable. They trained harder than any other competitive team at the time. Their drive and determination produced results that were unrivalled in their era. Leroy became known and respected for being the first of the real ‘no bull’ motivational

20

FLEX | APRIL 2018

trainers. But what does it take to carve out such phenomenal success as a coach? And how did he earn and sustain a name that resonates throughout the industry to this day? Creating an unstoppable drive

“My dad was a steel worker, a very strong man,” explains Leroy. “I think that’s where my genetic strength came from. I started training in martial arts to begin with and channelled my strength into karate in my younger years. I wasn’t as loud and aggressive as some of the other kids, but I always had that drive within me,” he says. “I always put in 100%.” Leroy went on to join the military and became a training instructor. “I think my time in the military is probably where the motivational push that I install in others comes from,” he says. “Whilst I was an instructor, I learned that I had this ability to make people capable. I would help them overcome their doubts and beat down barriers to push past pain or mental weakness.” On a personal level, Leroy admits he started training like a bodybuilder whilst in the military, as he needed to get his strength up. “I trained with the same form of attack I implemented on others,” he recalls. “This, I knew would produce results. My strength and size gains during that time were rapid.” Another level

At this time, Dorian Yates was starting to make an impact on the Pro bodybuilding world. Dorian knew he’d have to train harder than ever if he wanted to succeed in annihilating his rival competitors at such a high level. This is where Leroy came in. “I come from the days of Ultimate Orange and NO boards shorts and all that stuff,” he laughs. “When I trained with Dorian, we trained with aggression- there was no giving in, ever! We knew the ultimate stress we were putting on our bodies would force a high amount of grainy looking muscle growth,” Leroy continues with a passion for his era.

In 1993, Dorian asked Leroy to train him full-time.

“When Dorian asked me to be his right hand man, I decided to leave the military,” Leroy recalls. “From that moment on, he and I focused on creating the iconic legend who would later become known as ‘The Shadow’. Dorian was dubbed ‘The Shadow’ at the time, because he

would compete, then vanish into the dungeon (Temple Gym) with me, and then only reappear again for the next show. We had a job to do, titles to win. There was no time for anything else. In fact, the first time the public and America saw anything of ‘The Shadow’ was when Kevin Horton photographed and filmed the ‘Blood and Guts’ movie. APRIL 2018 | FLEX

21

This was when our insane training intensity rocked the world,” Leroy reflects. Dorian fired up the bodybuilding world by bringing a whole new look to the stage- something that people had never seen before. “When Dorian first walked out on stage, you could hear gasps,” says Leroy. “I knew then that we had

22

FLEX | APRIL 2018

changed the bodybuilding world forever.” The pair trained like wild animals from 1993 right through until 1998, when their jobs finally came to an end. The 6 x Mr Olympia had too many injuries to carry on, and needed a break from the strict lifestyle he had been leading for so many years. “Unfortunately, it was time we both went our separate ways,” says Leroy. “Dorian needed to relax and have some fun, and to find himself again. I had started to build a new life in the construction world. It was the right thing to do for us both.” Leroy continued training for a further 12 months, before returning to martial arts. “I had nothing further to do with bodybuilding until my son Liam turned 20 and needed to become stronger for Muay Thai,” he says. “It felt as if the passion had never left my body- it felt great to be back in the weights room. All the drive and aggression to train was back, and having my son to train with was great,” Leroy smiles. “I wanted to show my son I was still unstoppable.”

The value of life

Being back in the gym may have been a welcome return for Leroy, but nothing could prepare him for the shock he was about to endure. “My wife Mandy was commuting into London when she stepped off the train and immediately felt unwell,” Leroy says. “It turned out she was having a brain haemorrhage and was rushed into hospital where she stayed for 4 weeks. It hit me really hard. I didn’t know at the time how this would affect her long-term and what complications she may be left with. I travelled from Birmingham to London every day to visit. “The worry and stress of this and what may happen was more intense than anything I’d ever felt before. Luckily, Mandy returned home having fully recovered, but the process really did take its toll on me. I was walking to work one morning

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

23

and felt a huge pressure in my chest. I’d just got over a chest infection and thought it was maybe the after effects, so I kept walking to get to work. When I got there, I had to hold myself up. At this point, I knew something was seriously wrong and visited my GP who rushed me to hospital.” It turned out Leroy was suffering from a heart attack!

“I was in complete and utter shock,” he recalls. “It made me realise how vulnerable we all really are. Although I was strong and thought I was coping, my body was telling me it needed to rest. It was unbelievable how it all happened so suddenly- I’d been leg pressing some huge weights with ease just a couple of days prior to the attack.” Leroy accepted he needed to rest and recover properly. As a grandparent to a 4-year-old he wanted nothing more than to stay fit and healthy for his family. “I gave myself time to recover but I definitely haven’t slowed down,” he insists. “I’m fighting fit now and I’m back punishing clients from all over the world. My clients come to train NASTY- and we get results!”

24

FLEX | APRIL 2018

THE LET’S GET NASTY SESSION SUNDAY - CHEST & BICEPS

WEDNESDAY - SHOULDERS

Incline press x 4 sets,

Seated press x 4 sets

Slight incline dumbbell flyes x 3 sets,

Heavy ass shrugs x 3 sets

Finish off with flat or decline press x 2 sets,

Rear delts x 3 sets

1x drop set, all working sets taken to failure and beyond

Dumbbell lateral raises, super set with upright rowing x 3 sets

Seated dumbbell curls- 3 sets,

Tricep pushdowns x 4 sets

EZ curls- 3 sets Nasty curls or cable curls to finish- 2 sets

EZ or seated triceps extensions (skull crushers)

(The NASTY curl:

Rope pushdowns, super set with dips x 2 sets

A full curl movement, followed by a half curl movement, leaning forward and curling the bar up until your forearm hits your bicep, then you squeeze for 2 seconds and repeat. REPEAT THIS UNTIL FAILURE)

MONDAY - BACK Lat pull downs (1 week wide and 1 week close) x 4 sets

FRIDAY - LEGS Calf raises using leg press x 4 sets Standing calf raises x 2 sets Lying hamstring curls x 4 sets (last set being a drop set) Seated hammer hamstring curls x 2 sets

Seated palm up grip hammer rows × 3 sets

Leg extensions x 4 sets (last set being a drop set)

Single arm hammer rows x 3 sets

Leg press x 4 sets

Pullover x 3 sets

Hack/hammer squat x 3 sets

Deadlifts (not touching the floor)

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

25

26

FLEX | APRIL 2018

///

BY DARREN NICHOLHURST

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRISTIAN V PHOTOGRAPHY

RISING STAR- POD ‘GOLDEN ERA’ HEKTOR F

LEX MET UP WITH Rising Star Pod Hektor, one of the leading classic physique competitors for the UKUP (Ultimate Physique) Federation. Pod boasts a look that has stemmed from the Frank Zane era of classic lines and height to weight proportions. So, why did he find himself training as a bodybuilder, and where did the desire for size and strength come from? “I first started to get into weight lifting after years of playing football in my late teens,” Pod explains. “I was very fortunate that I had the opportunity of a tryout. It was for a team in America called the Seattle Sounders. Unfortunately, this didn’t go as well as it should have,” he says. “I was gutted. I was so excited by the prospect of becoming a football player for a U.S team. But sadly at the time, I was overpowered and out muscled by the others in my league.” When Pod returned to the UK, he decided to join a gym in an effort to pack on some size and strength for football. This was when he started to lift. But little did he know that eventually this decision would spur him to adopt a complete change in direction. “Before long, I’d developed a fascination with the old school style of bodybuilding,” Pod recalls. “I would say from the first moment

I walked into an old school style gym and looked at the walls filled with photos of the classic bodybuilders, I completely fell in love with the look of the golden era. I was totally mesmerised by the thick muscle bellies and the shape and posing style. The guys looked like Greek Gods.” Although Pod had now left football behind and replaced the sport with lifting, he wasn’t giving the weights room 100%. “I gained a bit of muscle, but it was really just enough to look good in a t-shirt,” he admits. “I could have been working much harder, but this was when I introduced partying into my life. I would go out most weekends drinking loads and not getting much sleep. This was of course followed by feeling rough and worst for wear, and then taking until at least the middle of the week to recover. Once I’d recovered, I then spent the remainder of my week days training for that t-shirt pump, and then starting the whole process of going out all over again on Friday night.” Millions of people all over the world live for the weekends. But after doing this for a period of time, Pod realised that the partying was just masking certain issues. It occurred to him there was no future in what he was doing. He wondered where his life was going. Reality hit. “One day it just dawned on me that I couldn’t keep living the way I was,” Pod recalls. It was then I decided to channel my energy into something positive and enter my first classic physique competition. It was the most challenging process I’d ever taken part in. Right from the competition diet through to the posing routine and the methodical grind of the daily weights sessions it was a truly gruelling process. But here I am today, representing the golden era look I fell in love with when I first stepped inside of that gym.”

28

FLEX | APRIL 2018

Pod is now into his 4th year of competing with UKUP. “I feel so fortunate to have found an amazing federation where the people and athletes alike create an incredible atmosphere at the shows,” he says. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever experienced and been a part of. The natural high is better than any night out I used to have, especially as I’m not intoxicating my body with alcohol. Going on stage is such a huge buzz. I don’t feel that anything could replace that feeling for me now.” The last show Pod entered was the UKUP Pro show in November 2017. It was a tough show packed with outstanding competitors. “For my last show I trained, posed and dieted the hardest I’d ever done in my life,” he says. “It definitely paid

off, as I won the overall classic physique category. The feeling of winning after the deepest grind I have ever put myself through is something else! I will never forget that feeling.” Having come so far in bodybuilding, you’d be forgiven for thinking Pod would be truly satisfied with himself. But he does have some regrets. “My only real regret is not applying myself to this amazing sport and way of life many years ago,” he says. “I really wish I had started bodybuilding earlier on in life. Having said that, I am now a firm believer that if you’re willing to truly apply yourself and lose your inhibitions, then realising your potential knows no bounds.” @godmodehektor

STRAWBERRY

CHOCOLATE VANILLA

CARAMEL CHOCOLATE

30

FLEX | APRIL 2018

DAN SMITH, IFBB WHEELCHAIR PRO “I first decided to compete in 2004 as a first timer,” begins Dan. “I had always wanted to become a bodybuilder. I’d been lifting and showing an interest in the sport for years, but had only really engaged in it as a hobby. One day, I decided I’d take that step and give competing a shot.”

DAN SMITH IS AN IFBB PRO BODYBUILDER. HE’S IN A WHEELCHAIR, BUT THAT HASN’T STOPPED HIM LIVING HIS DREAM. DAN SHARED HIS INSPIRATIONAL STORY WITH FLEX. /// BY

DARREN NICHOLHURST

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY FIVOS AVERKIOU

But just weeks after Dan took the plunge towards his passion, he was hit by a terrible accident. “I fell through a skylight and dropped 20 feet, smashing into the floor,” he says. “I broke my back and spent the following six months in rehab at the National Spine Unit at Stoke Mandeville. I suddenly had to learn a new way of life, a life that meant I’d be confined to a wheelchair. I was devastated. I can’t begin to explain the pain I was in- not just in my body, but also in my mind. Not only was my life going to change dramatically, but the lives of the people around me would too.” Dan eventually returned home having lost 5 stone. He was certain his bodybuilding days were over. “I decided to build a gym in my garden for rehab, but hardly used it for the first 6 months,” he recalls. “I was in a constant battle with my mind and body. I was in a really horrible place.” Dan’s bodybuilding mentality was pushing him not to give in, but his physical state was working against him. “I built the gym, but just couldn’t get my head around having to start from scratch,” he says. “Not only had I lost my lower body mobility, but I’d also lost a huge amount of muscle.” In good time, a close friend came knocking and insisted on training with Dan.

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

31

Finally, after everything I’d been through, I felt accepted by the very industry I thought I’d have had to leave behind forever.” Following this, Dan received an invite to perform at the British Finals in Nottingham. “When I got the call from Paul asking me to do a guest spot at the finals I was absolutely buzzing,” he admits. “It was incredible to feel so highly appreciated and respected. I accepted the invite without hesitation. I could barely comprehend that such an amazing opportunity could arise from the tragic accident I’d been through.” Dan says the support he was shown for all his hard work at the UKBFF finals was the highlight of his bodybuilding career. “Once again, I went out there, performed my routine and was met with a standing ovation from the entire theatre,” he smiles. “I couldn’t believe it.”

“I reluctantly accepted but wasn’t keen on the idea at all,” Dan says. “I don’t even know why I agreed to go back to the gym in all honesty, because I didn’t have any motivation and was completely lacking in self belief. I was devoid of all future vision.” Dan’s friend went one stage further, by suggesting he entered a competition as he had planned to do prior to the accident,. “I had no idea how I’d ever be ready to get up on stage,” Dan admits. “I felt as if I was going crazy by setting myself such a huge challenge.” The friend in question was UKBFF promoter Paul Smith. He set Dan the goal of being stage ready exactly one year after they started

32

FLEX | APRIL 2018

training together. And sure enough, 12 months into his programme, Dan was ready. “I pushed through the physical and mental pain barriers to get myself in shape, but my friends and family were the ones who really got me through it,” he says. “My wife was amazing and I so badly wanted to make my son proud- I could never have done it without them.” When the time came for Dan to be under the spotlight, his routine went so well that he received a standing ovation. “I couldn’t believe the reaction I received,” he says. “It was so overwhelming to learn people really did like my routine and could see past the fact I was in a wheelchair. It actually brought tears to my eyes.

TURNING PRO Just a few weeks later, Dan was invited by the UKBFF to enter their first ever IFBB wheelchair amateur world championships. “I went to the show with no expectations at all,” he says. “I planned to treat the event purely as a learning experience. Dan’s laid back attitude seemingly paid off- he walked away from the show having taken 1st place. This made him the first ever amateur IFBB wheelchair world champion. “Aside from the day my son was born, winning that show was the most incredible moment of my life,” Dan says. “My emotions were running so high on stage that I cried in front of the UK team. Legends like Flex Lewis and Rich Gaspari were stood by my side congratulating me. It’s something I’ll never, ever forget.” The following year, Dan was awarded his IFBB Pro card, having done many more guest spots. But the inspirational

athlete hadn’t entirely overcome the battle with his mind. “After I earned my Pro card, I encountered a couple of difficult years during which I suffered with depression and anxiety,” he says. “It really took its toll on me to be honest, and my wife and I decided to get a divorce. Whilst our separation was amicable, I had no motivation or drive to do anything. My world literally fell apart around me.” Thankfully, Dan managed to get his act together just as the IFBB and BodyPower UK announced their plans to add the wheelchair Pro category to the 2014 Pro show. “This news came as the welcome drive I needed to turn my life around,” says Dan. “I felt under immense pressure, because unlike the previous shows I’d been doing which were in the USA, I was faced with the prospect of posing in front of a UK audience who knew me on home turf at BodyPower.” Dan trained his way through an elbow injury and got his diet on track to produce a very respectable package. “I didn’t feel great on stageI was very flat but very vascular,” he says. “I gave it my all against the great Harold Kelly and Nick Scott from the USA and I don’t regret going out there and doing that.” BAD THOUGHTS In a sad turn of events, depression and suicidal thoughts took hold of Dan in the months that ensued. “My elbow was giving me excruciating pain and prevented me from training,” he explains. “I was once again stuck in a rut from which I could envisage no escape.” A hopelessly lost Dan turned to alcohol and cigarettes, but for a second time a friend came to his rescue. “I wasn’t answering my phone because I couldn’t face seeing anyone,” he confesses. “When a friend and training partner

knocked on my door, I felt truly embarrassed at the state I’d allowed myself to get in. That friend later told me he feared the worst for my health.” Luckily, Dan managed to have three operations performed privately on his elbow which restored the movement. This enabled him to start training again, but by this stage he’d lost a great deal of his muscle mass. “I couldn’t stand the site of myself in the mirror,” says Dan. “I needed to get myself back- the real me. Thankfully, the bodybuilding mindset kicked in.” A determined Dan kept himself to himself and worked his way back into a place where he feels good both mentally and physically. He’s now bigger and denser than ever before. “I’m back!” Dan announces.

“I plan to step on stage again within the next year and to enter the Arnold Classic in 2019. I want to bring my best condition yet.” Despite his battle with depression, Dan has proven the true bodybuilding mindset can help to overcome all odds. “Not many people know or can understand how such a traumatic accident impacts on your life,” he says. “Telling my story hasn’t been easy- especially as bodybuilders appear so strong and indestructible. The truth is, we’re all vulnerable deep down. If I can motivate just one person who’s in a similar situation then I’m happy. “I’m living proof that even when everything in life looks as if it’s stacked against you, you can still achieve your goals and live out your dreams. Don’t let anything stop you- I didn’t!”

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

33

34

FLEX | APRIL 2018

HOW TO

MAXIMISE YOUR

TRAINING & PROGRESS ///

BY STEPHEN BOX

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SIMON HOWARD

TRAINING EFFECTIVELY IS A SKILL THAT TAKES YEARS TO MASTER. LIKE MOST SKILLS, THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE IS USUALLY FORGOTTEN AS IT APPEARS TOO BASIC. WITH TRAINING, THIS COULDN’T BE TRUER.

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

35

T

o build more muscle (muscle hypertrophy) we need to apply and maintain tension on the muscle we wish to grow. I want to cover some of the basic principles of training that are so often overlooked, as they might be the reason you aren’t seeing the results you would like.

1.

Working the desired muscle If your goal is aesthetic, you want to improve the size, shape and strength of that muscle. To do that you need to ensure you can apply tension directly to the targeted muscle. It is important to remember that your body will try and find the most efficient way of moving a weight during an exercise. Your body doesn’t particularly have a desire to change or grow, unless you give it a reason to. That’s why you need to ensure that throughout every single rep, you are applying tension to the muscle you want to train. To give you an example; the shoulder lateral raise is a great exercise for the lateral head of the shoulder when it is performed correctly. However, most people will use a weight that is far too heavy for their shoulders (deltoids) and you then see their traps moving and contracting excessively. This happens because the traps are larger and stronger, which is why they take over and do the majority of work instead of the shoulders. Sure, you’ll feel great lifting the heavier weight, but your physique may not thank you for it as your traps grow at a faster rate than your deltoids.. The best thing you can do is to leave your ego at the door. Use a weight that your target muscle can work with. A load that doesn’t break your form and one you can maintain a good tempo with, through every rep. Make sure that the muscle you want to work is the one performing the movement and maintain that feeling of tension the whole time.

36

FLEX | APRIL 2018

2.

Don’t lift with momentum We have all seen that guy in the corner swinging the dumbbells wondering whether he’s doing a circus act or just trying to train his biceps. Again, it goes back to making sure that we are applying constant tension to the working muscle. You want to make the exercises as hard as possible before applying any additional load. A great cue for maximising tension on the muscle you want to grow and removing any momentum is to tense the opposite (antagonist) muscle to the one you’re working (agonist). For example, on a bicep curl, tensing your tricep (the antagonist) firstly will apply a resistance to the bicep (the agonist) which will stop any swinging or momentum and will force you to only contract and use the bicep for the exercise.

3.

Work the full range of the muscle The muscle is essentially composed of three main parts- the long, middle

and short range. All parts work slightly differently when they are placed under load and can all grow. This is why we want to make sure all parts of the muscle, from long to short, are being trained at the optimal rate. To ensure this happens, you need to train a muscle through the full range a motion. This doesn’t just mean full range of the exercise. You want to be able to maintain ‘active tension’ on the desired muscle for as long as possible, and stop the movement when you start to feel to tension leave the desired muscle and move somewhere else. For example, if you are performing a lat pull down and towards the bottom of the exercise you start to use your bicep and bring your chest over the bar, this is either because the weight is too heavy for the short range of your lats to control, or that your lats have reached a point where they can’t contract any further and now the biceps are doing the work instead. To work the full range of the muscle you will most likely need a

varied exercise programme that targets the working muscle from different angles and positions.

4.

Machine set up One of the biggest mistakes that I see in the gym is someone not considering the machine or equipment set up for their body. They will just sit down at that piece of equipment and begin training, keeping the same set up as the person before. Everyone is slightly different. Height, width, limb length and muscle flexibility are all factors that should affect how you set a machine up. If you don’t set up the equipment specifically for you, you might not be putting yourself in the best position to apply force and put load through the intended muscle. Take some time to adjust the bench, seat or cable angle to find the most optimal position. You will know when you find it- the exercise should feel smooth throughout the full range of motion. APRIL 2018 | FLEX

37

5.

Maintain a constant resistance and tempo By now you will have come to the conclusion that you should be in control of the weight at all times. You want the concentric (shortening) phase of the lift to be controlled whilst maintaining tension. Then, through the eccentric (lengthening) phase of the lift you want to resist the weight rather than just controlling it down. By resisting the weight with the working muscle, you can apply greater tension and build up more metabolic stress on the muscle. It is this eccentric phase of the lift that is responsible for our love hate relationship with DOMS. One thing that is also extremely important is to keep an eye on the end range of the exercises you perform. This is where tension can drop off because your skeletal system will support the load instead of your muscles. For example:  At the top of a leg press if your knees lock out.  At the top of a bench press with your elbows locked.  On a preacher curl when the DB reaches the top and is in line with your wrist and directly above your elbow.  On a dumbbell fly when you bring your hands together. When this happens you not only take all load off the working muscle, but it makes the exercise that much easier as essentially you are resting at the top of every rep. My top tips for keeping perfect form  Use the desired muscle you want to work.  Focus your mind on activating that muscle.  Use the antagonist muscle to remove momentum.  Work the full range of the muscle  Set up the machine so that it’s right for you.  Maintain constant tension and resistance.

38

FLEX | APRIL 2018

MUSCLE TO MODEL ///

BY DARREN NICHOLHURST

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MATT MARSH

MAX O’CONNOR HAS EARNED HIMSELF A REPUTATION AS AN IMPRESSIVE AND VERSATILE ATHLETE. THE MODEL AND BODYBUILDER COMES FROM A RUGBY BACKGROUND, BUT JUST HOW DOES HE MAINTAIN SUCH AN IMPRESSIVE PHYSIQUE? FLEX CAUGHT UP WITH HIM TO FIND OUT.

40

FLEX | APRIL 2018

MAX O’CONNOR

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

41

“I started playing rugby at the age of 4,” Max begins. “My entire family were into the sport, and my brother played with me. Most of my close friendships were made through rugby- it’s a very social sport and I always loved that aspect of the game.” Unfortunately though, rugby took a toll on Max’s body forcing him into retirement. “I was enduring endless knocks every time I played,” he explains. “My poor body couldn’t take much more. Due to injury, I had to retire from my rugby career and head into the gym for rehabilitation.” The gym fast became Max’s home. “I completely fell in love with training,” he says. “My focus began to shift from rugby to bodybuilding. I think it was the fact I could see how fast my shape was changing and growing that got me excited. The next obvious step for me was to compete.” Max’s new found love for gains began to take a hold of him, and he developed a serious determination to keep on growing. “I used to read magazines for inspiration,” he recalls. “I remember my mum bought me a copy of FLEX

PHOTO CREDIT: JULES GODFREY

which had Melvin Anthony on the front cover. I couldn’t believe how jacked he was! Looking back I think my mum got me the mag because she noticed how much I was enjoying my training and learning about nutrition.” Max is now a top NABBA competitor with high hopes of becoming Number 1. “My goal is to win the Universe,” he reveals. “It’s been my goal since I first started bodybuilding. I’ve won every other major title in NABBA, but I’ve only ever been runner up twice in the Universe. Some people aspire to earn a Pro card or get a sponsorship deal, but this title is

42

FLEX | APRIL 2018

what I’ve set my sights on.” Having been so close to victory in previous contests, most athletes would simply tweak their prep in order to make the necessary improvements. But this isn’t the case for Max. “I typically prep for 7 months of the year,” he says. “By this, I mean I live like a strict bodybuilder. I train all year. I normally train 3-4 times a week due to the many injuries I have to battle with. I’ve had a couple of hip reconstructions, a snapped achilles tendon, pec re-attachments, a few broken bones and more. The list is endless!” Having undergone surgery

so many times, Max has come to realise his body reacts better to shorter time periods of diet and prep. “I now know I don’t need to put my body under stress all year round. I can enjoy myself and have holidays and socialise and live like a human being for half the year,” he smiles. “I feel this is hugely important for both mental strength and recovery.”

PHOTO CREDIT: JULES GODFREY

Muscle and Modelling Max started to see there was another avenue for showing off the physique he’d built. “Muscle in society is more acceptable that ever before,” he says. “There has been such a large increase in the number of toned bodies we see- both on social media and on-screen. I noticed that most male models now have these types of bodies with six-packs. It seems that

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

43

PHOTO CREDIT: JULES GODFREY

most of the clothing that’s fashionable now is tightly fitted to enable people to display their hard work. Modelling gives me another voice and a different angle through which I can show the world that being a bodybuilder can also provide a great lifestyle if you’re willing to put the work in.” Max believes every opportunity should be explored. “Having suffered so many injuries, I always say you should never take for granted what you have now or what may happen in future,” he

says. “Having every door open and gaining new experience as well as new muscle means that I can be versatile and enables me to maintain a career in fitness. It’s great to do something you love and have a passion for. This makes work feel as if it isn’t work at all. Try to keep the hobby or passion as something you can still enjoy outside of work too. And finally, don’t lose sight of your normal job, because one day you may want to return to it. Always keep your options open!”

MAX’S 4 DAY TRAINING SPLIT BACK

SETS

REPS

Close grip pulldowns

2 x warm up 3 x working sets

Warm up x 20 + Working x 10 (aim to hit failure on 9/10)

Use the negative.

Single arm dumbbell row

1x warm up 4x working

Warm up x 20+ Working x 10

Use the negative. Squeeze shoulder blades together hard.

Reverse grip seated row

1 x warm up 3 x working sets

Warm up x 20+ Working x 15

Inc 1 triple drop set on the last working set.

Rack pulls

4x working sets

Working x6-10

Don’t bounce of rack.

Stif arm lat pull down

4 x working Working x 15

CHEST AND SHOULDERS

SETS

REPS

Lying cable ly (pre exhaust)

2 x warm up 4 x working

Warm up x 20+ Working sets x 12

Use a subtle incline. Keep chest turned on throughout movement.

Incline dumbbell press

1 x warm up 4 x working

Warm up x 15+ Working x 10

Use a subtle incline. Control on negative and power on upwards movement.

Chest press machine

1 x warm up 4 x working

Warm up x 20 Working x 8-12

Inc 1 triple drop set on 3rd work set.

Rear delt cable ly

4 x working sets

Working x 15

Keep tension on rear delt. Make sure elbows come back as far as possible.

Dumbbell lateral raises

1 x warm up 4 x working

Warm up x 20+ Working x 15

Lift through elbows and don’t swing.

Super set Upright barbell row with single arm cable lateral raise

3 x working

20 x upright row 15 x lateral raise

3 sets with maximum of minutes rest between supersets.

44

FLEX | APRIL 2018

KGS

NOTES

Allow head to drop in to deep stretch and lift chin up on contraction.

KGS

NOTES

PRIMARY; QUADS SECONDARY: HAMS & CALVES

SETS

REPS

KGS

Leg press

2 x warm up 4 x working

Warm up x 20 Working x 15

Keep feet hip width apart and place high on platform to bring in hams and glutes. Inc 1 triple drop set.

Hack squat

2 x warm up 3 x working

Warm up x 15 Working x 6-10

Go Heavy!! Get the bum below the knees. Use a spotter if possible and hit failure!!

Leg extension

4 x working

Working x 12

Inc 2 dropsets.

Lying hamstring curl

2 x warm up 4 x working

Warm up x 15 Working x 10

Keep hamstring tight, don’t fully extend leg.

Walking Db lunges

3 x working sets

Working x 20

Use straps if necessary to hold Db’s. Keep body upright.

Single leg hamstring curl

2 x warm up 4 x working

Warm up x 20 Working x 12

Using the leg extension if necessary to get a solid contraction.

Straight leg calve raise

1 x warm up

Warm up x 20 Working x 15

Deep stretch and hold contraction at the top. Go slow on the negative (5 second count).

ARM

SETS

REPS

Barbell bicep curl

2 x Warm up 4 x Working

Warm up x 20 Working x 15

Use a straight bar. Use the negative.

Alternating dumbbell urls

3 x working

Working x 15 e ach arm

Keep movement controlled.

Triceps pushdowns

1 x warm up 4 x working

Warm up x 15 Working x 12

Alternate handles every sesssion. Keep upright. Slow movement.

Bench dips superset with cable kickbacks

1 x warm up 4 x working

Warm up x 20 Working x 15

Control movement and make sure you hit a 90 degree angle at the elbow on dips.

Lying cable preacher curls

4 x working

Working x 15

Keep head on bench and pull handle in to for head. Use a straight bar.

Single arm overhead dumbbell extension.

3 x working

Working x 15 each side

Keep muscle tight constantly, use negative well.

KGS

NOTES

NOTES

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

45

46

FLEX | APRIL 2018

/// BY

DARREN NICHOLHURST /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY SHANE WATKINS

BACK TO THE IFBB PRO LEAGUE I

N MAY 2014, IFBB PRO James Llewellin entered the BodyPower Pro Show in the 212 category. He finished in the top 10, exceeding not only his own expectations but the predictions of others. Despite being happy with his condition, James was noticeably smaller and flatter than usual, having taken the whole of 2013 off. James’ competition plans changed later that year, when some close friends left the competitive scene. This altered his career goals, and made him question what to do next.

Handed Back the Pro Card In December 2014, James announced that he was going to be leaving the IFBB Pro League. He never fully explained why he decided to hand back his IFBB Pro status- simply stating he was ‘comfortable’ with the decision. Some time after walking away from the IFBB, James turned to NABBA, who agreed it was ok for a Pro from another federation to compete in the NABBA Universe. But frustration hit, when deep into his prep James learned there had been a slight revolt from people who felt it was unfair that an IFBB Pro was going to compete in the NABBA Pro-Am.

After some deliberation, NABBA officials ruled that James would have to sit out a 2 year ban before competing in the NABBA Pro ranks. In a bid to avoid wasting the arduous weeks of strict dieting and lean gains he’d already endured, James decided to compete in the WABBA Hercules Olympia instead. He entered as planned and smashed the other competitors, winning his class and taking the overall title. Following this victory, James kept his head down and began to focus on entering the NABBA Pro-Am in April 2016, by which time his ban would have expired. James went on to win his class at the show, earning him an invite to the NABBA Britain in May 2016,

where he went on to win his class again, and take the overall British title. This qualified him to compete in the NABBA Universe in October the same year. At the Universe, James won his class and only narrowly missed out on the overall title.

Things Changed Despite his success with NABBA, James felt he truly belonged with the IFBB and requested his Pro card be reinstated. This was granted last year, and he is really excited to be back in the federation where it all started. James is now planning to prep for an IFBB Pro League show later on this year. The moral of this story? Follow your heart, even if it takes you back! APRIL 2018 | FLEX

47

THE

TALLEST

BODYBUILDER IN THE WORLD

AARON REED A

aron Reed. 6’7” and 305lbs. A 9 x NPC champion and a force to be reckoned with. But it wasn’t always that way. The Super League Pro star suffered with Leukaemia as a child, leaving him looking thin and malnourished. “I hated the fact I looked like a weakling,” Aaron says. “All I knew was that I wanted to change that. I never wanted to be called skinny again. I set my sights on becoming a bodybuilder.” Aaron grew up in a typical American family. It was important to be big and strong and to be good at sports. “My parents pushed me towards basketball, but I was especially interested in football,” he says. At the age of 12, Aaron was introduced to lifting. “To the surprise of my family, I was better at weight training than my older brother,” he recalls. “Even at a

48

FLEX | APRIL 2018

///

BY DARREN NICHOLHURST

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY LUIS A BATTISTINI

HE WAS KNOWN FOR BEING A WEAKLING, NOT ANYMORE! THIS 9X NPC CHAMPION AND SUPER LEAGUE PRO IS A FORCE BIGGER THAN NATURE ITSELF. young age, I could bench over 52 kilos and was deadlifting 136 kilos very comfortably. From the moment I first picked up a weight, I just knew I was born to lift,” he says. Having discovered something he had a real aptitude for, Aaron knew it was time to get the right guidance in order to develop his talent. “Thankfully, my friend Gus Handke took me under his wing, and that was when my eyes truly opened to the world of bodybuilding and the potential it had to change my physique and my outlook on life,” he says. “Gus was my mentor. He was the person who made me see what was possible. He even took me to

see Flex Wheeler guest pose at a show in Normal, Oklahoma. Witnessing that in awe got me more hooked than I’d ever thought possible.” Like so many aspiring teens, Arnold Schwarzenegger was Aaron’s first real idol. He knew Arnold was known for being tall with a huge frame to fill and recognised that if he could do it, it must be possible. “I didn’t want to be treated like the weak kid anymore, so I set my sights on becoming the very definition of strength,” he says. “I promised God as a child that I would never waste my size. God had

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

49

blessed me with my enormity for a reason and I vowed to do something productive with my vast frame.” Aaron did make good use of his genetics, and now through his YouTube account he educates others on gaining size and strength, regardless of their natural framework. “I love inspiring others, “he says. “I have always wanted to be on TV and in the movies like Arnold, and I’m thankful that I’m now doing this. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be world leader,” he laughs. It’s no secret hard work pays off, and Aaron is certainly a prime example of this. Having overcome the odds to mould himself into the man mountain he is today, he is now comfortable in his own skin. “My life is great,” he says. “All I ever wanted was to be big and strong and to gain all that comes with those things. I have achieved this, and more. I’ve travelled the world, I’ve wrestled in the WWE and I’ve modelled with some of the most beautiful women on the planet. I get the opportunity to speak at seminars to motivate others and most of all, I earn money doing what I love- being myself as a bodybuilder.” The passion Aaron possesses for training has successfully opened the door to his dream, and this is mirrored in all aspects of his life.

48

FLEX | APRIL 2018

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

49

This is how Aaron filled out his huge frame and packed on some super size. He recommends you do the same for serious gains: WORKOUTS LOW VOLUME Every day warm-up on stair mill for 8-10 mins, squeezing quads Abs and Serratus (Every other day) Sit-ups on floor with nothing holding your feet down. Cross your arms touching your shoulders and keep your elbows to your chest 3 sets 20. 20. 20 Leg Raises on floor with hands under your butt forming a diamond shape. Hold abs tight the entire time through the full range of motion 3 sets 20. 20. 20 Hangers- use arm holsters to suspend your body. Pull knees up to the left then the right 3 sets of 10. 10. Standing twists, stand with legs shoulder width apart, hold your arms up at shoulder height and twist from side to side. Breath out at the end of each twist 3 sets of 20. 20. 20.

Leg Curl 1 Huge Drop set to ALL OUT failure- use 4 weights One Leg Curl Machine 3 sets of 10 THURSDAY - SHOULDERS & TRICEPS Heavy Barbell Shrugs 4 sets of 8-12 Standing Fly 2 sets for warm up Shoulder Press Machine Hammer Strength 3 sets to find weight 1 Huge Drop set, to ALL OUT failure Use 4 Weights Seated Shoulder raise 1 Huge Drop set, to ALL OUT failure Use 3 Weights

NO Cardio at first - hopefully you don’t need it. Train Hard! F**k Cardio!! MONDAY – BACK & BICEPS Lat Pull Downs for warm-up 3 sets DB Curls for warm-up 3 sets High Row Hammer Strength Machine 3 sets to find weight 1 Huge Drop set, to ALL OUT failure, use 4 weights

Reverse Pec Deck 1 Huge Drop set, to ALL OUT failure Use 4 Weights Cable Press Downs 1 Huge Drop set, to ALL OUT failure Use 3 Weights FRIDAY - BACK & BICEPS Lat Pull Downs for warm-up 3 sets DB Curls for warm-up 3 sets

Seated Row Hammer Strength Machine 1 Huge Drop set, to ALL OUT failure, use 4 weights Dead Lifts- Traditional Grip 4 sets of 6 Standing DB Curl 1 warm up 1 Huge Drop set, to ALL OUT failure, use 3 weights TUESDAY - CHEST & TRICEPS Cable fly or peck deck 3 Sets for warm up Flat bench 3 sets to find weight 1 Huge Drop set to ALL OUT failure- use 4 weights Chest Machine 1 Huge Drop set to ALL OUT failure- use 4 weights Pec Deck 1 Huge Drop set to ALL OUT failure- use 4 weights Dip Machine Hammer Strength 1 Huge Drop set to ALL OUT failure- use 4 weights WEDNESDAY - HAMSTRINGS & QUADS Lying leg curl superset with leg extension and hyper extension 15. on each. 15. On each. 15. On each. Hack Squat 3 sets to find weight 1 Huge Drop set to ALL OUT failure- use 4 weights Leg Press 3 sets to find weight 1 Huge Drop set to ALL OUT failure- use 4 weights Romanian dead lifts 4 sets 10-12 Heavy

52

FLEX | APRIL 2018

High Row Hammer Strength Machine 3 sets to find weight 1 Huge Drop set to ALL OUT failure- use 4 weights Seated Row Hammer Strength Machine 1 Huge Drop set to ALL OUT failure- use 4 weights Bent Over Barbell Row (overhand grip wide) 4 sets of 6-10 Heavy!! Preacher Curl Machine Hammer Strength 1 WU to find weight 1 Huge Drop set to ALL OUT failure- use 3 weights SATURDAY - QUADS & HAMS Lying leg curl superset with leg extension and hyper extension 15. on each. 15. On each. 15. On each. Squat 2 warm up sets 4 sets of 5-15 Heavy Hack Squat 3 sets to find weight 1 Huge Drop set to ALL OUT failure- use 4 weights Leg Press 3 sets to find weight 1 Huge Drop set to ALL OUT failure- use 4 weights Romanian Dead Lifts 4 sets 10-12 Heavy One Leg Curl Machine 3 sets 10 SUNDAY - OFF

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

51

FOOD & SUPPS

PHOTO BY: iHIIT KITCHEN

NUTRITION TIPS TO FUEL TRAINING AND GROWTH

54

The HIIT Kitchen. High intensity tasty food ideas.

MAKE THIS! Slash carbs by piling pizza toppings on a savory chicken breast “crust.”

FOOD FOCUS. Ditch traditional pasta and load up on these healthier alternatives.

PAGES 56-63

PAGE 64

PAGE 65

FLEX | APRIL 2018

FOOD & SUPPS

THE HIIT KITCHEN

King Prawn Noodles Ingredients: 100g whole wheat noodles 30g carrot 15g red cabbage 15g white cabbage 10g kale 6 king prawns 5g red/ yellow pepper 5g grated garlic/ ginger 10ml soy sauce 5ml fish sauce 5ml lime juice 25g pak choi 8g chopped peanuts Spring onion and chilli and coriander to garnish Method: 1. To make the dressing, combine the ginger, garlic, lime juice, fish sauce (makes enough for 5 portions). 2. For the Asian style slaw, shred the carrot, red and white cabbage and kale, mix together in a bowl and add a tablespoon of the dressing. Toss well and add the chopped peanuts. 3. Cook the noodles as to the packets instructions and add the spring onion, chilli and coriander and mix well with a teaspoon of the dressing. 4. Heat a frying pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the prawns and cook for 5 minutes or until cooked through. 2 minutes before taking the prawns out, add the peppers and pak choi and cook together until soft.

56

FLEX | APRIL 2018

///

BY HIIT KITCHEN

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY HIIT KITCHEN

5 03 Kcal 26. 8 g Pro tein 4.7g Fats 8 3g Car b s

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

57

FOOD & SUPPS

THE HIIT KITCHEN

Kcal 382 tein g Pro 36. 4 Fats 17.1g a r bs C 14.1g

Jerk Steak Ingredients: 120g rump steak 200g cauliflower 40g diced carrot, diced red onion, peas & sweetcorn 5g jerk spice 5g minced garlic 150g green beans 30g pineapple

58

FLEX | APRIL 2018

2g red chilli Juice and zest of one lime Method: 1. To make the cauliflower rice, blend the cauliflower in a food processor to a coarse consistency, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a pot and fry the carrot, onion, peas, sweetcorn and garlic for 5 minutes, add the cauliflower and half of the

jerk spice and cook together for a further 5 minutes. 2. For the pineapple salsa, dice the pineapple and the chilli, mix together with the zest and juice of lime. 3. Rub the remaining jerk spice over the steak and cook on a high heat in a griddle pan for 5 minutes each side. 4. Cook the beans in boiling water for 5 minutes.

4 35 Kcal 33.6 g Pro tein 27.3 g Fat s 11g C a r bs

Sweet Potato and Kale Frittata with Chicken Sausage Ingredients: (makes enough for 4) 5 eggs 10g diced red onion 10g cooked/ diced sweet potato 10g kale

10g diced bell pepper 2 100g chicken sausages 40g spinach 2 avocado Method: 1. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a non-stick frying pan and fry the onion and peppers for 3 minutes. Add the kale and sweet potato and cook for a further 3 minutes. 2. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat well before adding to the pan.

Cook on a low heat for 5 minutes or until the surface begins to cook through. Carefully flip the frittata and cook for a further 3-5 minutes. 3. Poach the sausages in simmering water for 7 minutes. Once cooked through, drain in a colander and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, remove the outer casing and slice. Place the sliced sausage in a pan and colour gently. 4. Serve with half an avocado and 10g spinach per portion.

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

59

FOOD & SUPPS

THE HIIT KITCHEN

Kcal 552 in Prote 52g a ts 19g F a r bs C 37g

Hot Smoked Salmon and Quinoa Kedgeree Ingredients: 180g hot smoked salmon 1 egg 180g quinoa 50g peas 1 teaspoons curry powder

60

FLEX | APRIL 2018

5g minced garlic 20g red onion 20g carrot 10g red pepper 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar Method: 1. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. 2. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to

a pot and fry the onion, carrot, red pepper and garlic. 3. Add the curry powder, quinoa and peas to the pot. Combine well and heat through. 4. Bring a pan of water to the simmer and add the white wine vinegar. Crack in the egg and poach for 3 minutes 5. To serve, flake the salmon into the quinoa and top with the poached egg.

656 Kcal 27.5 g Pro tein 29.2 g Fat s 69 g Car b s

Thai Tofu Curry Ingredients: (makes 2 portions) 245g cauliflower 100g carrot 70g green beans 70g mixed peppers 150g broccoli 200g tofu 300ml coconut milk 400g white rice 20g grated coconut

for the paste: 3 cloves garlic 5g cumin 70g onion 5g coriander 1 red chilli 10g ginger 5ml lime juice 5g turmeric 5g agave nectar Method: 1. To make the paste, place the garlic, onion, coriander, chilli, ginger, turmeric, cumin and agave into

a food processorand blend into a paste. 2. Cook the rice according to package instructions. Once cooked add the grated coconut. 3. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a sauce pan and fry the curry paste for 2-3 minutes. 4. Add the carrot, cauliflower, peppers, broccoli and green beans. Cook on a medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until the vegetables have started to soften. Add the coconut milk and bring to the boil. Add the tofu and cook for a further 2 minutes.

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

61

FOOD & SUPPS

THE HIIT KITCHEN

c al 472 K tein g Pro 23.7 s g Fat 32.7 s r a C b 12.9g

Quorn Bolognaise with Courgette Spaghetti Per 530g Ingredients: (makes 3 portions) 300g quorn mince 2 tbsp olive oil 10g garlic

62

FLEX | APRIL 2018

100g carrot, celery, onion 5g oregano 100g chopped tomatoes 100g mushrooms 3 large courgettes (spiralised or shredded thinly) Method: 1. Dice the carrot, celery onion and mushroom and garlic and add to a pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Fry the

vegetables for 6-8 minutes with salt and pepper. 2. Add the Quorn mince with the oregano and coat in the vegetables. 3. Add the chopped tomatoes, bring to the boil and simmer for around 10 minutes. 4. Pour boiling water over the courgette spaghetti and blanch for 30 seconds and drain thoroughly.

263 Kcal 17.8g Prote in 8 .9 g Fats 26g Car b s

425 Kcal 27.3 g Pro tein 1 6 .9 g Fats 36. 4 g Car bs

37 9 Kcal 24.2 g Pro tein 19.9g Fats 21.7g Car b s

Choc Mint Shake

Vegan Protein Shake

Chocolate Protein Shake

Ingredients 500g Coconut Milk 50g Banana 23g Whey protein 6g Cocoa Nibs

Ingredients: 500g Almond Milk 50g Medium Bananas 23g (1x scoop) Vegan protein powder 3x Dates 21.3g Almond butter 10g Spirulina

Ingredients: 500g Almond Milk 50g Medium Bananas 23g (1x scoop) Choc whey protein powder 15g Almond butter

Method: 1. Simply add all of the above into a blender and mix until smooth. 2. Add ice and enjoy.

Method: 1. Simply add all of the above into a blender and mix until smooth. 2. Add ice and enjoy.

Place the weighed ingredients into a high powered blender. Blend on medium to fast for 30 second blasts for a total of 2 minutes. Tip; Ice can be added to cool or thicken.

Coconut Chia Pudding Ingredients: 150g 5x Almond milk 135g 0% Fat Greek yogurt 15g Chia seeds 20g Honey 5g Vanilla essence Method: 1. Mix the below into a small bowl. 2. Leave to set for 5 hours. 3. Enjoy and add fruit toppings if desired.

241 K 19. 3 g c al Pro 9.4 t g F e in a ts 15.1 gC ar b s

FOOD & SUPPS

MAKE THIS!

BY NICK MASSIE

NO-DOUGH PALEO PIE SLASH CARBS BY PILING PIZZA TOPPINGS ON A SAVORY CHICKEN BREAST “CRUST.” Chipotle Chicken Pizza SERVES 2

1. Cook bacon until crisp. Crumble and set aside. 2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Pound chicken until thin and as round as you can to create pizza “crusts.” 3. Sprinkle Garlic on both sides of chicken. Drizzle olive oil on a sheet pan. Place chicken on pan and bake for about 7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 4. Remove chicken from oven and top with tomato puree, chipotle peppers, onion, and bacon. Bake for 10 minutes. 5. Top with avocado and cilantro.

HOT TIP ON HOT PEPPERS Smoke-dried jalapeños can lower your risk of heart disease by lowering the cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood.

64

FLEX | APRIL 2018

574 50g Kcal P 35g rotein 14g Fats Car bs

TRAVIS RATHBONE; FOOD & PROP STYLING BY LISA JERNOW

4 bacon slices 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Paleo Grind Garlic spice blend Olive oil 2 tbsp tomato puree 1½ chipotle peppers, chopped ¼ small red onion, sliced ¼ avocado, sliced Cilantro, chopped

BY JENNA WERNER, R.D.

BOILING POINT DITCH TRADITIONAL PASTA AND LOAD UP ON THESE HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES.

FOOD FOCUS LENTIL AND BEAN-BASED This one packs the most fiber and protein of the five pastas here. If portions are your problem, grab one of these. You’ll fill up on less volume.

FOOD & SUPPS

PROTEINENHANCED If you love regular pasta, eat this. The taste is comparable to white pasta, but it contains omega-3s from flaxseeds (to help with joint pain) and extra protein from egg whites.

BRIAN KLUTCH

WHOLE GRAIN Because the grain is left whole, you get about three times as much fiber and 25% more protein than with regular pasta. The downside: The taste is a bit grittier.

BROWN RICE If you’re doing the gluten-free thing, brown rice pasta is a great choice. It’s also easy to digest. One drawback: It has the least amount of protein of the five pastas shown here.

QUINOA This is a gluten-free option with more protein than brown rice pasta. It’s also a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Look for ones that list quinoa as the first ingredient.

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

65

2009

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN 8,216

2010

15,723

///

BY LEICA GELSEII

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SHANE WATKINS

EVERYBODY LOVES TO INDULGE IN A CHEST WORKOUT, BUT AS A FEMALE ATHLETE I’M ALWAYS BEING ASKED LOADS OF QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS, THE FIRST ONE BEING, SHOULD WOMEN TRAIN CHEST? “ABSOLUTELY!”

68

FLEX | APRIL 2018

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

69

Bodybuilding is all about balance. When I say bodybuilding, I actually mean everyone from a bikini competitor to a super heavyweight guy. This even includes people that have no intention of competing, but simply want to look better. If you change your shape by building lean muscle, it’s still bodybuilding! Many females are told they shouldn’t train certain body parts (including chest), and that they should just concentrate on glutes, delts and back. This is complete nonsense. Bodybuilding is all about symmetry, proportions and balance. If you neglect body parts then you could be setting yourself up for joint problems, due to the imbalance this will create. You should always train agonist

and antagonist muscles, this will give your joints integrity and help support a good posture. We all want longevity, and to be able to function in life no matter what it throws at us. In this day and age, it’s not unusual for women to have breast augmentation, which can be either over or under the muscle. If you have had such a procedure you MUST be mindful of certain movements/ exercises during the recovery process. BUT, once full recovery has taken place…get on with it!! You can and must train chest for all the reasons outlined above. I’m not saying that jumping right into heavy bench pressing is a sensible move. Work every muscle group, so that you maintain both skeletal and aesthetic balance.

Before we get into the specifics of how to train chest, let’s go through some basic points that should always be kept in mind. The actual structure of the chest is the same for both women and men with an obvious addition lying over the muscle in females. What does this mean? The mechanics of the muscle are the same, and therefore the exercises and the manner in which they are performed are also the same. What does the pectoral muscle do? In basic terms - it brings the arm across the body (like a clapping movement, or flyes). In any chest exercise, think of getting your biceps as close to your chest as you can. Literally, try to squeeze them into your pecs. When performing any barbell exercise (incline, decline or flat) without actually moving your hands, grip the bar firmly, and imagine pushing your hands together to activate the chest throughout the movement. Another question to ask yourself is, how far down do you bring the bar or dumbbells (or machine for that matter)? A lot of people talk

70

FLEX | APRIL 2018

about full range of motion and whilst this can be a good thing, think about what you are trying to achieve here- targeting the chest. A more efficient way of thinking is, effective range of motion. Once your upper arm is pretty much parallel with your body, try not to take your elbow any lower. Taking it lower (or further back than the body), may stretch the chest a little more but there are two points to consider here: • If a greater stretch is used, the initial muscle used to get your arm moving will be your front deltoid. • Most chest movements performed are on a bench of some sort. If you overstretch on a bench, this will result in unnecessary stress to the delicate shoulder girdle. Here’s an example of a chest session;

EXERCISE 1: BENT OVER CABLE PRESS Use this movement first to minimise

the stress placed on the joints. Warm the chest up fully, plus pre-exhaust to ensure all later exercises will stress the target muscle. Perform 30 reps per set, keeping the information provided in mind at all times. After a brief rest increase the weight and perform another set of 30. Continue the process until you can’t complete the target number of reps, at which point perform a double drop set (decrease the weight twice), and continue to failure on each drop of the weight. The first 2-3 sets may be relatively easy, but then you should expect sets 4-5 to be pretty damn hard!

mindset. Start relatively light as a rehearsal (warm-up movement), for the heavy work to come. At your working weight, lower the bar slowly in around 3 seconds until the upper arm makes contact with the floor. Hold on the floor for a 2 second count and then explode up, being careful not to ‘snap’ at the elbow when in nearing completion of the rep. This time aim for around 8 reps per set, if you are getting more - the weight is too light so increase it ready for the next one. The aim is to perform 3-4 heavy sets once the reps drop below 6. Finish with yet another drop set of continual reps (no pause at the bottom).

EXERCISE 2: SMITH MACHINE FLOOR PRESS

EXERCISES 3 & 4: SEATED CHEST PRESS, SUPER-SET WITH DECLINE DUMBBELL FLYES.

Now you are warmed up and pre-exhausted, you can get explosive. Even though you are warm, this is a different movement and

So far, we have pre-exhausted with the cables and worked the fast twitch fibres and the nervous system with the floor press. Now our aim is to fill the pecs with as much blood as we can and take the muscle to complete exhaustion. Build up to your working weight and if you have a training partner, ask them to assist you in performing forced negatives on the chest press for around 5 reps, and then rep out to failure on your own. Proceed to a decline fly with a moderate weight for rhythmical, APRIL 2018 | FLEX

71

RECAP OF SESSION: Exercise

Sets

Reps

Bent over cable press

3-6

30

Floor Press

3-4

8

Perform explosive reps/ controlled descent, pause on floor - drop set on last.

Seated Chest press

1-3

5+5

Perform 5 forced negatives, followed by 5 ‘normal’ reps.

Decline Dumbbell Fly

1-3

10

purposeful reps to failure. Perform these last sets to failure. This may take 3 sets or if you get the job done in 1 set, it’s fine. The intention is simply getting the job done!

72

FLEX | APRIL 2018

Notes Keep adding weight until 30 reps can’t be reached drop set on last.

Perform these with no rest after the chest press.

The number of sets and reps are just guidelines- pure and simple hard work gets results no matter what training style you use. More is not better…better is better!!

74

FLEX | APRIL 2018

THE BETTER BALANCE I

t’s often reported in the news that NHS professionals are overweight because of lack of time and the pace of life they lead at work. Life is challenging and learning how to create balance for the needs of your body and mind can be tricky. This is a guide as to how I, as a professional athlete, NHS worker and business woman, manage the stresses of everyday life.

///

BY LOUISE ROGERS

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SJM PHOTOGRAPHY

LOUISE ROGERS IFBB PRO FIGURE, NHS PROFESSIONAL

A lot of people wonder how to balance work, life and if they’re lucky still find time to get to the gym. This is how I balance out life as an NHS professional with a passion for helping patients, whilst also being a top-rated athlete. Many people don’t realise that besides coaching clients, mentoring for the PT Academy, and doing some consultancy work within the fitness industry, I also work as a professional within the National Health Service. As a person, I have never been one to do something by halves! Needless to say, I have a very busy schedule. I’m often asked how I cope with the commitment of competing as a professional within the IFBB Pro League, whilst maintaining full-time working hours. Incidentally, I maintain more than full-time working hoursAPRIL 2018 | FLEX

75

I work in excess of 50 hours a week. Having an appropriate work/life balance varies from person to person, and there are sometimes aspects of my life which take priority over others. However, my professional work can be very demanding due to the nature of what I do, and the emotions which come alongside working in the health sector. But I do enjoy it and I am passionate about helping people. These days I cope very well with the demands of my job. I suppose much of this has come with experience and confidence. In my twenties, I always used training as a way to vent my frustrations and release any negative emotions. But these days its more for enjoyment after work! Fortunately for me, coaching my clients is a pleasure and I don’t consider it work in any way. For this reason, when contemplating my work/life balance I consider this an enjoyable task, which is also very motivating, and I don’t see it as placing any additional demands on myself. Whilst I consider myself to have a good work/life/training balance, I do appreciate some people may not be able to contemplate this amount of work, especially coupled with competing at Pro level. But, I have had people in the past ask me how I manage to work at all when I also compete? I find this sort of question quite bizarre. If you are following a prep which doesn’t even allow you to function for a job, let me be frank…you are doing it wrong! If you are in a position to reduce your hours around show time however, this can be very helpful, as it allows you to conserve a bit more energy or train for a while longer. Gaining a Better Balance For those of you are struggling with your work/life/training balance, let me share some of my top tips to enable you to try to improve on this.

76

FLEX | APRIL 2018

MY TRAINING AND DIET SCHEDULE LOOKS LIKE THIS: MONDAY - BACK (includes chins, rows, deadlifts etc).

TUESDAY - HAMS/GLUTES (hip thrusts, deadlifts, sumo lifts, goblet squats, glute ham raises, lunges, kick backs).

WEDNESDAY - BACK/SHOULDERS (more lat training, plus dumbbell or military pressing, lateral raises, rear delt flyes/crucifix, upright rows).

THURSDAY - CARDIO ONLY FRIDAT - QUADS/GLUTES (extensions, leg presses, lunges, hack squat, hip thrusts, sumo squats).

SATURDAY - BACK/CHEST (more lat work plus, flyes and pressing). For back I’m using high frequency training although not training all out super heavy. I can’t tolerate this due to a slipped disc.

SUNDAY - HAMS/GLUTES (similar to above but I change the rep range and tempo). These days I train more intuitively rather than sticking to specific reps, sets and exercises... I incorporate a lot of giant sets and drop sets. I’ve also been experimenting with super high volume training for legs.. this was largely influenced by Gian Enrico Pica. This is currently my breakdown whilst prepping.... and cardio 4 x a week 30 mins steady state.

DIET MEAL 1 6 Eggs/Whites & 2 Whole. Half a cup of oats & berries.

MEAL 4 6oz Chicken/5oz Sweet potato and veggies.

MEAL 2 5oz Steak & 5oz Sweet potato.

MEAL 5 6 Egg whites scrambled and half a cup of Greek yogurt.

MEAL 3 5oz Turkey/5oz Rice/Veggies.

3) Work from home as often 1) Work Smarter as possible The most important aspect of I like to work from home as balancing my work life is ensuring I often as possible, because work smarter. In theory, this means being more productive and prioritis- I am invariably much more ing tasks. British people do have a productive at home. tendency to work a significant number of hours, some of the 4) Allocate times to various longest hours in Europe, but often tasks, making sure you stick the productivity isn’t necessarily that to them. high compared to the hours put in. I try to allocate time to various tasks and make sure I stick to what I’ve 2) Don’t get caught up in scheduled for myself. Trust me, this unnecessary meetings can be challenging when I have a I always try to ensure I don’t get tendency to strive for perfection. caught up in unnecessary meetings, I have a diary that I stick to, and which can be easily done in my line I fit my training and client work in of work. around this regime.

5) Learn to put your phone away. DON’T be a slave to your mobile phone. Another key point is learning to put your phone away. Sometimes I have a love-hate relationship with my phone. I receive calls/emails/social media alerts literally all day long. During important work tasks & training times it’s best to put the phone away, otherwise you can get caught up in replying immediately to alerts. This soon eats into your schedule and a 45-minute workout turns into a 60-minute session.

78

FLEX | APRIL 2018

Equally, I am guilty of reading my notifications in the morning whilst lying in bed, before realising I need to move my butt and get up for my cardio sessions! Don’t be a slave to your mobile phone. 6) Learn to say no, or make people wait (YOU’RE IMPORTANT TOO) Get into the habit of learning to say no, or making people wait. In the past, I have struggled when it comes to my client check-ins because I want to reply immediately, and often I’m on the go working! At times, I’ve been sent such an awesome check-in that I feel compelled to reply immediately out of sheer excitement. When this happens I try to calm myself down, realising that I can reply later! This way I don’t end up confusing tasks and stressing myself out. Sometimes, it’s also worth reminding yourself that some things can wait. I used to feel tremendous guilt if I didn’t get my workout in, almost going in to some sort of panic. Part of this was fuelled by me prepping myself without a coach. I spent all my years as a Pro prepping myself, up until last year when I chose to be prepped by Fakhri Mubarak from New York. This was a

huge step for me because I trust almost no one with my preparation. However, it became a step in the right direction because it’s taken away the pressure I used to put myself under. Now, I feel safe in the hands of a coach who has helped me immensely. If anything, Fakhri has encouraged me to step back, train less, and eat more…so, happy days! My Plans for the Future Moving forwards into the 2018 season, I’ll be focusing on competing in the summer, and I’ve already started my preparations. I’ll take a slow and steady approach which I always prefer. Again, this helps me to maintain a positive work/training/ life balance because I can take a bit more time dieting down slowly without too much stress. There’s nothing worse than rushing a prep or feeling behind. This itself is physically and mentally draining. I prefer to be ahead! I also have numerous events coming up with Allmax Nutrition, including FIBO and BodyPower. Plus, we’re launching our new femme line and the UK warehouse – so I must be in shape for these events too! I’ll take my time and bring the best possible package I can.

PRO LEAGUE LEGS HOW I DEVELOPED MY LEGS, & HOW IT CHANGED WITH TIME

BY SAM FORBES IFBB PRO

W

///

hen I first started to train my legs, I would focus on compound exercises such as squats and leg press. I noticed over time that my quads were developing well but I lacked muscle in my glutes and hamstrings which gave my legs an unbalanced appearance. This was apparent during my first couple of competitions where my legs lacked the detail and shape I needed to win. I asked IFBB Pro Rosie Hart (@rosie1rascal) to coach me and I began to notice huge improvements in my leg development. I was training in a small gym at first which meant there was less variety of equipment. I then moved to a bodybuilding gym (Yorky’s Gym, London) last year allowing me access to machines that I had never used before. I was able to isolate my glutes with the abductor machine and build more dense muscle, using a variety of movements such as the hack squat and lying leg curl.

Why I train the way I do? Being a body fitness/figure athlete, I need a balance of dense muscle and condition. I have therefore found that adding variety to my training is key to me achieving both of these qualities. I like to focus on heavier compound movements to build the main size in my legs. Personally, I find barbell squats uncomfortable for my body type so using the hack squat and leg press works as a perfect alternative.

80

FLEX | APRIL 2018

To achieve the detail and conditioning in my physique, I tend to select more isolation exercises. This way I am able to focus on contracting a specific muscle group. This has been super beneficial to adding detail and shape to my weaker areas. I find that with my glutes, I struggle to activate them efficiently. To develop my mind- muscle connection here, I choose to perform an isolation exercise before any compound movement. This is called pre-exhaustion and ensures I feel the targeted muscle working better during my compound exercises. An example of this would be doing leg extensions before hack squats.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SNHFOTO

Training volume and cardio Previously, just like many other female athletes, I was under the school of thought that training a muscle group once a week was optimal. Having experimented with different training frequencies, I began to find that training my legs more often lead to more muscle mass and better conditioning. For all of my prep for the British Finals, I trained my legs a minimum of twice a week, leading to faster progress than ever before. Having trialled HIIT, I wasn’t seeing the results I desired. I therefore switched all my cardio to walking on the treadmill and this lead to superior fat loss without feeling burnt

is the enemy when prepping and trying to look your best. During my last prep, I experimented with some plyometric exercises during one of my two weekly leg sessions. This proved to be beneficial, and made me realize that giving the body multiple training methods can lead to faster results and breaking through fat loss plateaus. The combination of Rosie Harts and Tracy-Anne’s (Owner of Yorkys Gym) guidance helped me bring my legs into condition.

Intensity techniques

out. The more walking that I incorporated during my training, and day to day schedule, the faster my body fat reduced. If people are struggling to burn body fat or have hit a plateau, adding in fasted LISS would be my number 1 tip here. I can’t stress enough to females reading this article to try different methods! Everyone’s body is unique, and what works for one person may not work for someone else. Only with trial and error can you be sure of the fastest way to get the legs which you desire!

Challenges I’ve had with my legs I’ve always found it tough to get my legs into a state that’s fit for competition level of conditioning to be tough. My lower body is where I tend to hold body fat, and this has led me to using other training methods to target the stubborn areas. Mentally, more than physically this has challenged me. Progress in these areas has been slow. I have always stressed that my legs won’t be in condition, in time for the show. As any competitor will know, this added stress and cortisol

82

FLEX | APRIL 2018

Although I have built size in my legs with heavier loading, I have seen great improvements using a higher volume approach with extended sets and maximizing time under tension. This means increasing the number of sets you perform and increasing the duration of each set. Slowing down the tempo of each rep is also a great way to increase the time at which your muscle is under the load during each set. Intensity techniques such as drop sets also help achieve this. Performing a set to failure, dropping the weight by 20-30% and then performing as many extra reps as possible without any rest. These are especially painful and I apologise in advance, as the muscle floods with so much lactic acid, and creates a strong burning sensation. Another way to increase the TUT is by adding super sets to your programme. A super set is performing two exercises back to back without any rest. A couple of my favorite supersets for legs are:

Courtesy lunges with Dumbbell Sumo Squats Leg extensions with Walking lunges Seated Hamstring curl with Barbell Stiff Leg Deadlift Exercise Tips and Execution Volume, loading and exercise selection, play a key role in building

your legs. But, your efforts will be in vain unless your technique for each exercise is optimal. This was highlighted to me by Tracey AnnKing who gave me many tips on how to get the most out of each individual exercise. Small variations in foot placement, posture, squeezing and activation can make a huge difference to how effective an exercise is. One mistake I see many people in the gym make is not using a full range of motion on all movements. It’s great if you can squat a heavy weight but if your squat looks more like a knee bend I can ensure you your legs won’t be doing much growing! Mind and muscle connection are key. If you are performing your reps too fast and swinging the weight around you will not be contracting the targeted muscle. Instead, try to slow down your repetitions: using a three second count on the lowering phase of the exercise and pausing for a second when the muscle is maximally contracted, this should help to really engage the area you are targeting. This works great for leg extensions and leg curls- you really will notice the difference.

SAVE £1198

TUFFSTUFF FITNESS INTERNATIONAL

Looking for the industry’s most dependable equipment? Then head to Fitness Superstore to find unbeatable savings on a selection of TuffStuff kit, plus 1000s of other strength training and fitness products.

SELF SPOTTING POWER CAGE & QUAD LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM

TUFFSTUFF SMITH MACHINE RRP £5,697 Our Price £4,499

SAVE £800

TUFFSTUFF CDP-300 RRP £3,199 Our Price £2,399.00

TUFFSTUFF XPT900 Sport Self Spotting Power Cage and DAP Pulley Attachment

2X 150LBS WEIGHT STACKS

SAVE £1299

RRP £8,598 Our Price £7,299

SAVE AN EXTRA 7.5% WITH OFFER CODE FLEX0418

0% FINANCE AVAILABLE

1000s MORE PRODUCTS | VISIT ONE OF OUR 10 UK STORES | OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Northampton NN3 8RJ • Gloucester GL1 2UN • Newcastle NE11 9YS • Kent TN1 2AP • Chelmsford CM2 0ND Manchester M41 7JA • Surrey GU16 7JD • Leeds WF10 4FR • South London SW18 4JB • North London NW9 6LH ✔ In-store demonstration ✔ Buy Now - Pay Later ✔ Expert Advice ✔ Free Delivery ✔ Never Beaten On Price

Call 01604 673000 or visit fitness-superstore.co.uk *T’s & C’s apply, see website for more details. Code expires May 31st 2018.

IT’S A FINE LINE BETWEEN WINNING AND LOSING. HERE ARE THE CRUCIAL REMINDERS TO GIVE YOU THE EDGE. /// BY EMMA HYNDMAN

A

s the competitive season is drawing closer, here are some DOs and DONT’s from me, your posing Pro.

stage tips that could apply to you, and could even make the difference between winning and losing.

When I’m judging for The PCA, I often see athletes making small posing mistakes which make the biggest difference. Here are my

1.

The First Impression … the front relaxed pose. This is probably the hardest pose to master, and the easiest to get wrong

on stage. This pose can display all of your weaknesses if you don’t get it right. The most common mistake I see in this pose is the shoulders being rolled forward. This displays more traps than shoulders, making your top-line appear unbalanced and dominant in the wrong areas. Make sure you lift and roll the shoulders back to sit them on the lats, displaying a wide top line to present capped shoulders and less traps. This will then make the v-taper appear more impressive. Remember this is the first pose in your comparisons for all the bodybuilding and figure categories, so it’s crucial you get it right!

2.

The Back Double Bicep. Don’t cut yourself short by not pulling your lats out! I see a lot of female competitors getting this wrong purely because they’re not sure how it should feel. You would think that in order to engage and display your back muscles you need

86

FLEX | APRIL 2018

to feel them squeezing together …. WRONG! You really need to do the opposite, think about scooping and spreading the lats out so that they are fully displayed, thus making your x-frame more impressive. Another posing error I see in the back double bicep is when an athlete straightens their leg out behind them. It also creates a crease under the glute and shows no shape in the leg. We’re inclined to do this to show the hamstring but there’s no way of engaging it in this position. Instead, bend the knee, rotate the quads out and try to pull the heels together. This will switch the legs on and display a more balanced figure.

3.

The Lat Spread. From the back for the bodybuilders … I see a lot of competitors presenting the wide lat spread which shows the width and thickness, but don’t forget bodybuilding is about the finer details as well, and the back has a lot! Don’t miss an opportunity to show this to the judges. You only get three compulsory poses from the back. For a lot of athletes this may be their strongest shot, so display not only the width in the first pose, but also the detail and condition in a second lat spread pose. Do this by lifting the chest upwards and pulling the lats out and showing off the shoulder cap, rear delts, v-taper, lower back, glute condition, hamstring development and calf fullness. Give the judges the full x-frame.

heels together, engaging the inside thighs to show off your hamstrings all the way to the glute tie in. Also, keep the chest and back lifted and don’t lean forward as you’ll lose the shoulder to waist proportions.

5.

Now the Men’s Physique competitors. One of the main requirements for this category is a small waist. I’ve seen so many athletes posing straight on to the judges, exposing their thick/blocky waistlines. If this is you, then you need to master sitting into the hip. Here’s how you need to do it. Slightly angle yourself to the diagonal, this

will make the waist appear smaller from the front, make sure your upper body is still presented to the front with a strong top line and v-taper to present your most flattering angle. Also, try not to swirl your arm around on stage, it can be very distracting to your physique and ruins your presentation.

6.

Lastly, if there’s a pose that doesn’t work for you, but it’s a required compulsory, then do your best to work your angles or spend as little time in it a possible. If you’re super confident on stage and not afraid to stand out from the rest, then just don’t hit it!

4.

This one is for the bikini girls…another back pose blip. The biggest don’t for all the females, do not display TOO MUCH! Be mindful of the angle your being judged from, keep the feet just outside of shoulder width, no wider! Don’t bend over too much to display your hamstrings and glutes, all you need is a slight tilt backwards in the hips to lift the glutes, switch on the hamstrings by pulling the APRIL 2018 | FLEX

87

/// BY

DARREN NICHOLHURST

/// PHOTOGRAPHS

BY PHOTOARTS BY JAY

DEAN LESIAK AND MARTYN FORD

THE ULTIMATE TRANSFORMATION

O

nce again, we caught up with Dean the Protein and Actor Martyn ‘The Monster’ Ford. They are in the third phase of their diet prep now, and FLEX went to see how they’re getting on and how things have changed during these final stages of prep. It’s been a little difficult catching up with the guys, as they have both been tied up on the UK 5% Nutrition tour. We knew we couldn’t leave you in suspense, so we tracked them down to tell us all about the last stage of their diet prep.

LAST MONTH; Dean reflects on the cardio changes since last month: He says: “In the March issue, we left you at the point where we had cut carbs by 50%. We also had both started doing fasted cardio 3 times a week. Since then, we have increased the cardio to 45 mins, 5 times per week. This is still all fasted cardio. We have dropped our intake of carbs down to 150g per day also.” You may recall from previous articles that changes are only

ever made when fat loss has stopped or slowed down. Dean says: “I’m really not a big fan of doing too much cardio. As it’s anaerobic, too much can leave your body looking small and stringy. Plus, if you pound away doing hours of cardio, your fast twitch muscle fibres can start to adopt the characteristics of slow twitch muscle fibres, which do not grow. The body is very clever and it will adapt quickly to enable it to become more effective at what you do the most of. So too much cardio and your body will become more efficient at it, and less efficient at growing huge muscles. “Not only that, as your body gets better at doing cardio, it will over time burn fewer calories doing the same cardio as when you first started. This is one of the reasons I don’t do cardio off-season. It just makes more sense to me to concentrate on holding and growing more muscle. The more muscle you have the, more calories your body will need to burn in order to maintain that muscle. This really does speed up your metabolic rate. The more muscle you carry, the more glycogen receptors you have to hold (carbs) in the muscle, rather than being stored as fat. “If you’re training with heavy weights, over time, the body will also become more efficient at glycogen storage. Therefore, if two guys both weighing 200 lbs ate the same amount of carbs per day, but one had trained for 10 years and the other had trained for 10 months, the guy who’d been training ten years would be more likely to stay lean and grow muscle. The guy who’d only trained for ten months would not utilise the carbs as efficiently and would be more likely to store fat.” ADDITIONAL CHANGES FOR THIS PHASE: Dean says: “The other change we made since last month was

90

FLEX | APRIL 2018

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

91

to bring in a second high carb day. Basically, if you go low carbs for too long, your body will start to slow your metabolic rate and switch to starvation mode. This means your body will start to try and hold on to fat as an emergency back-up fuel and burn muscle instead. The key to fat loss is to keep the metabolism high. To achieve this we have to bring in high days so the body doesn’t start to think it’s starving.”

THIS IS HOW DEAN AND MARTYN’S WEEKLY CARB INTAKE LOOKS. Monday

150 g

Tuesday

150 g

Wednesday

150 g

Thursday

600 g

Friday

100 g

Saturday

150 g

Sunday 150 g plus one cheat meal and dessert consisting off lots of sugars and fats

92

FLEX | APRIL 2018

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

93

94

FLEX | APRIL 2018

PHOTO CREDIT: SIMON BARNES

HOMELESS TO HIGH LIFE BILLYROSE

/// BY DARREN NICHOLHURST

S

hockingly, the 37-year-old was homeless for two years, and faced living in a church alone. In an exclusive interview with FLEX, he shares his heartwarming tale, plus shares his training schedule with readers.

AS BRITAIN’S NEXT TOP MEN’S PHYSIQUE OLYMPIAN, BILLYROSE APPEARS TO HAVE SAILED THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT A CARE IN THE WORLD.

PHOTO CREDIT: J THIEDE.WWW.AESTHETICATHLETES.CLUB

“I loved football as a young boy, and also excelled at the 100 metres,” begins Billyrose. “I used to look at Superman and wish I had his physique. I really wanted to look like him one day.” At 65kg, Billyrose was a small guy. “When I was younger, I was really skinny,” he recalls. “I was so unhappy with the way I looked. I really wanted to do something about my size.” But times became hard for the aspiring young athlete, and he found himself homeless at the age of 23. “When I was in my 20s, I was homeless for 2 years,” he says. “I was living in a church and really lonely. You always think people will be there for you, but sometimes you’re alone. Even though I was in that terrible situation for so long, I never gave up. I knew that if I kept trying, then one day things would come good for me.” After many efforts, Billyrose did overcome this dark time in his life. “I kept on believing in myself,” he says. “I knew that only I could change my life. I got a job and started saving so that I could achieve the one thing I wanteda purpose. Things started to change for me and good things began to APRIL 2018 | FLEX

95

stage to compete in the WBFF show in Denmark, my mother had her leg amputated. I was so worried about her. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to get a flight home. Worried because I wanted to take care of my family. I was trying to stay focused, but it was a nightmare.” Despite all of this, he won his class and

was awarded his WBFF Pro card. The 18 years it’s taken to build this elite physique has finally led Billyrose to the biggest stage of all. After winning at the Arnold’s in Spain and being awarded the IFBB Pro League status, he is now registered to compete on the big Olympia stage in Vegas.

PHOTO CREDIT: J THIEDE.WWW.AESTHETICATHLETES.CLUB

THE FOOD FACTS

happen. I proved to myself I could be who I wanted to be. I am so grateful to everyone who supported me throughout that time.” Billyrose took inspiration from someone outside of the bodybuilding world to overcome his struggle. “Thomas Edison, the inventor of the lightbulb always inspired me, because he failed so many times but never stopped trying,” he says. Sleeping Bag to Show Tan In early 2000, Billyrose spotted an advert with Lee Priest for fat burners. “I saw the ad and thought ‘wow, I want to look like that and be a sponsored athlete’,” says Billyrose. From that day onwards, training became his priority. He set himself goals, and he reached them. Billyrose wowed the WBFF, earning his Pro Card in his very first show in 2013. But even this didn’t come without a fight. “The day before I stepped on

96

FLEX | APRIL 2018

“As a competitive athlete, you are always a sculpture in progress,” he says. “I structure my meals via trial and error. This is what has worked for me over the years. I always try to intake the following from my main foods groups, which are carbs, lean proteins and a mix of veg. 6x eggs and porridge for breakfast Then every 2 hours: 150g Chicken breast a whole sweet potato 50g Brown rice and 150g chicken 40g Quality whey protein White fish 300g and brown rice 50g 10x egg whites and mixed veg Before bed- 40g nitro tech shake, sometimes with an avocado if I fancy it I eat clean for 6 days and I have 1 cheat day. “I eat whatever I fancy on my cheat meal, like pizza for example,” says Billyrose.

BILLYROSE’S TRAINING SCHEDULE “I train 5 days a week, with 2 rest days, which include stretching. It is very important to stretch to make sure you have full range of movements and functionality,” says Billyrose. Monday - Legs Tuesday – Chest & shoulders Wednesday- Back & triceps Thursday- Rest day, very important to rest and stretch Friday- Shoulders & Lats Saturday – Hamstrings & Upper Body Sunday - Rest day

WEDNESDAY - BACK & TRICEPS Pull ups 5x sets 15 reps Deadlifts 5x sets Row 5sets x 15 reps 15 reps Dips 5x sets 15 reps Triceps push down 5x sets 15 reps

This is how Billyrose’s workouts look:

FRIDAY- SHOULDERS & LATS Shoulder press 5x sets 15 reps Upright row 5x sets 15 reps Cable Rear Delt Flyes 5x sets 15 reps Lat pull down Wide 5x sets 15 reps Lat pull down narrow 5x sets 15 reps Lose-Grip Seated Cable Row 5x sets 15 reps

MONDAY – LEGS & QUADS Leg extension 5x sets Squats - 5sets x 15reps 15 reps heavy Walking lunges 5x sets 15 reps heavy Donkey calf raises 5x sets 15 reps Seated calf raises 5x sets 15 reps TUESDAY – CHEST & SHOULDERS Barbell Chest press wide 5x sets 15 reps Barbell Chest press narrow 5x sets 15 reps Incline Dumbbell Press 5x sets 15 reps Seated Machine Chest Press 5x sets 15 reps

THURSDAY- REST

SATURDAY – HAMSTRINGS & UPPER BODY Laying leg curls 5x sets 15 reps Heavy Single leg curls 5x sets 15 reps Heavy 1 set of each upper body exercise SUNDAY - REST DAY

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

95

PHOTO CREDIT: SIMON BARNES

2011

PREDATOR RETURNS

THE

23,028

2012

PAYING TRIBUTE TO A TRUE ICON IN THE INDUSTRY.

2012 30,699

/// ///

BY DARREN NICHOLHURST PHOTOGRAPHS BY PHOTOARTS BY JAY

IF YOU’VE EVER WONDERED JUST HOW SOME OF THE BIGGEST FRAMES IN BODYBUILDING WERE MADE, WELL THIS IS IT.

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

101

W

e took a look behind the scenes to investigate the secret to Josh Maley, 6’6” former medallist swimmer’s transformation from 84kg to the man mountain he is today. Here is Josh’s exact training routine. But be warned, it is NOT for the faint hearted! This shows you which exercises are used for each body part, and how many sets and reps are performed. Learn how Josh achieved and now maintains his huge amount of muscle

JOSH MALEY’S TRAINING PLAN MONDAY - Push 1 Exercise

Set Type

A- Seated cable lyes (with cufs)

Straight

3

12 to 15

B- Incline barbell press

Max efort

3

S1: 6 to 8, S2: 10 to 12, S3: 12+

C- Flat DB press

Max efort

2

S1: 6 to 8, S2: 10 to 12

Sets

Reps

D- Cable cross overs

Drop set

3

12 to 15

E- Seated DB RD lyes

Progressive

4

10 to 12

F- DB shoulder press

Max efort

2

S1: 6 to 8, S2: 10 to 12

G1- Single arm cable lateral raise

Superset

3

12 to 15

G2- Single arm standing DB lateral raise

Superset

3

12 to 15

H- Cable triceps crossover extesnsions

Progressive

4

10 to 12

I- Dips

Straight

3

Max reps

TUESDAY- Pull 1 Exercise

Set Type

A- Single arm cable row B- Single arm hammer row C- Pull ups (neutral)

Sets

Reps

Progressive

3

12 to 15

Max efort

2

S1: 6 to 8, S2: 10 to 12

Straight

3

Max reps

D- Lat pull down (overhand)

Max efort

3

S1: 8 to 10, S2: 10 to 12, S3: 12+

E- Low cable row (V)

Drop set

3

12 to 15

F- BB block pulls

Max efort

3

S1: 6 to 8, S2: 8 to 10, S3: 10+

G- BB shrugs

Straight

2

15 to 20

H- Single arm cable curl

Straight

3

10 to 12

I1- Incline DB curls

Superset

3

10 to 12

I2- Cable curls

Superset

3

12 to 15

102

FLEX | APRIL 2018

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

103

THURSDAY- Legs Exercise

Set Type

A- Abductor machine

Progressive

3

10 to 12

B- BB glute bridge

Max efort

3

S1: 6 to 8, S2: 10 to 12, S3: 12+

Sets

Reps

C- Seated leg curls

Max efort

3

S1: 6 to 8, S2: 10 to 12, S3: 12+

D- BB SLDL

Max efort

2

S1: 6 to 8, S2: 10 to 12

E- GHR

Straight

2

Max reps

F- Back extensions

Straight

3

10 to 12

G- Leg extensions

Progressive

5

10 to 15

H- Banded hack squat

Max efort

2

S1: 8 to 10, S2: 12 to 15

I- Adductor machine

Progressive

3

10 to 12

Sets

Reps

FRIDAY- Push 2 Exercise

Set Type

A- Seated cable lyes

Straight

3

12 to 15

B- Hammer strength incline press

Max efort

3

S1: 6 to 8, S2: 10 to 12, S3: 12+

C- Flat smith machine press

Max efort

2

S1: 6 to 8, S2: 10 to 12

D- Pec deck

Drop set

3

12 to 15

E- Reverse cable lyes

Progressive

4

10 to 12

F- Smith machine shoulder press

Max efort

2

S1: 6 to 8, S2: 10 to 12

G1- Cable laterals

Superset

3

12 to 15

G2- Cable front raises

Superset

3

12 to 15

H- Single arm trcieps cable extensions

Progressive

3

10 to 12

I- French press (30 degrees)

Max efort

2

S1: 6 to 8, S2: 10 to 12

Exercise

Set Type

Sets

A- Low cable row (overhand grip)

Progressive

3

12 to 15

B- T-bar row

Max efort

3

S1: 6 to 8, S2: 10 to 12, S3: 12+

SATURDAY- Pull 2 Reps

C- Single arm hammer strength pull down

Max efort

2

S1: 8 to 10, S2: 12 to 15

D- Lat pull down (V)

Max efort

3

S1: 8 to 10, S2: 10 to 12, S3: 12+

E- DB shrugs

Progressive

4

12 to 15

F- Single arm DB preacher curls

Progressive

3

10 to 12

G- Cruciix curls

Straight

3

10 to 12

H1- DB hammer curls

Superset

3

10 to 12

H2- Cable curls

Superset

3

12 to 15

Set Types

Meaning

Max efort

Max weight for the reps listed. Generally 2 or 3 sets. Drop the weight each set to achieve the set reps. Use warm-up sets to reach your irst working weight.

Drop set

On the last set of the exercise drop the weight by about 30% and go to failure.

Straight

A normal set hitting the reps listed. Rest for 60-90 seconds each set.

Progressive

Every set add more weight to the exercise so the last set is pushing failure.

Superset

Perform the 2 exercises listed back to back with no rest. Rest when both are done and that is 1 set. Repeat for the number of sets stated.

104

FLEX | APRIL 2018

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

105

00

FLEX | MARCH 2018

MUSCLE & MEDALS ROMANE LANCEFORD M

en’s physique athlete Romane Lanceford hit competitive highs having only 3 shows under his belt.

But whilst away in Thailand, a tropical flesh-eating disease seriously infected his foot, threatening to change his life forever. Worryingly, the infection found its way into the bone and it looked as if amputation was going to be the only option. Against the odds, after spending 5 weeks in hospital and 5 operations later, Romane made a full recovery. We chatted to Romane to find out what it’s like to be one of the UK’s most popular physique athletes and star of his very own movie ‘Muscle & Medals’. This is the only film that offers a true insight into the difficulties of this hugely growing sport.

///

BY DARREN NICHOLHURST

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY AMACREATOR

BATTLING WITH A TROPICAL INFECTION AND DAYS AWAY FROM LOSING A LIMB, AND HE STILL BECAME ONE OF THE MOST TALKED ABOUT COMPETITORS ON THE CIRCUIT.

Romane, have you always been fit and healthy with a muscular physique? As a small boy, I hated sports. I was overweight and never as fit as any APRIL 2018 | FLEX

107

of my friends. I knew that I would like one day to have the physique I dreamed of. I was always fascinated by bodybuilding in particular. So, was this the main reason you took up lifting then? Yes, like I said, I was overweight and very conscious of how I looked and wanted to change that. I wanted to feel and look good. How long has it taken for you to achieve this ripped physique with a tiny waist? I started training when I was around 13 years old. I remember getting my first copy of FLEX magazine at 14. I was totally blown away and inspired by the guys in it. I knew then that I wanted to be one of the guys in the magazine. Now I am! So, now that you’re the guy in the magazine, what would you advise one of our readers who’s looking at becoming a competitive athlete? The first thing I would say, is to learn to train properly. Find a coach that can advise you for your specific sport or goal. Listen, and always train smart. Don’t ego lift or just follow what others are doing, as this may not be great for your personal goal or even your body type. How do you structure your food? Can you tell FLEX readers what your meal plan looks like? I construct my food based on the goal that I’m working towards at that

108

FLEX | APRIL 2018

time. Currently, I’m off-season and my daily diet looks something like this: Meal 1: 200g oats 4x slices wholemeal toast 150g lean mince 4x whole eggs 1 scoop of whey Meal 2, 3, 4, 5 200g chicken or white fish 150g jasmine rice 100g mixed green vegetables Meal 6 200g salmon or steak 400g white potatoes 100g mixed green vegetables Meal 7 200g oats 30g peanut butter 1 scoop isolate whey 1 scoop casein whey

WHAT IS YOUR TRAINING SCHEDULE? SESSION 1: PUSH Flat dumbbell press: 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 4 x 6 - 8 reps 90 seconds rest between sets

Smith machine shoulder press 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 4 x 8- 10 reps 90 seconds rest between sets

Incline bench press 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 4 x 6 - 8 reps 90 seconds rest between sets

Arnold press 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 4 x 8- 10 reps 90 seconds rest between sets

Pec dec machine or mid chest cable fly 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 4 x 6 - 8 reps 90 seconds rest between sets

Seated side lateral raises 5 x 20 reps – 1 second hold at the top (no momentum used) 60 seconds rest

Chest press machine 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 5 x 20 reps 45 seconds rest between sets

EZ bar skull crushers 4 x 15 reps 60 seconds rest

Dumbbell shoulder press 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 4 x 8- 10 reps 90 seconds rest between sets

Close grip bench press / triceps rope pull downs (superset) 4x 12 of each 60 seconds rest

SESSION 3: PULL Wide Pull ups 5 x 8 - 10 reps 90 seconds rest between sets Rack pulls 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 4 x 6 - 8 reps 90 seconds rest between sets Single arms rows 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 4 x 6 - 8 reps (each arm) 90 seconds rest between sets Close grip pull downs 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 4 x 6 - 8 reps 90 seconds rest between sets Cable rows 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 4 x 6 - 8 reps 90 seconds rest between sets APRIL 2018 | FLEX

109

Where do you think the bodybuilding/physique competitive world will go in future? I really don’t know where it will go. But one thing’s for sure, it’s growing which means exposure. The more exposure the bodybuilding/fitness world gets, the better! How do you see yourself career wise in 5 years (competitively)? As a top Olympia competitor of course! This is what we all want ultimately, isn’t it? I’m very determined. I believe in my abilities and that strength of mind will get me there.

Dumbbell pull overs 5 x 20 reps 60 seconds rest between sets Barbell shrugs 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 4 x 6 - 8 reps 90 seconds rest between sets Face pulls 4x 20 reps 60 seconds rest between sets Bicep cable curls 5 x 20 reps 60 seconds rest between sets 21 bicep curls 4 sets SET 3: LEGS Squats 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 3 x 8- 10 reps 3 x 20 reps 90 seconds rest between sets

110

FLEX | APRIL 2018

Step ups above knee height (one foot kept on the box/ bench) 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 4 x 8- 10 reps (each leg) 90 seconds rest between sets Leg press 1 x 15-20 (warm up) 4 x 30 reps 90 seconds rest between sets Leg extension – walking lunges superset 4 x 30 of each Straight leg deadlift – seated or lying hamstring curl superset 4 x 20 of each Bodyweight walking lunges 1 giant set, till failure Standing or seated calve raises 3 x 50

How do you balance your work life with work when you’re tired and drained in the last stages of your diet…Any advice for others? I don’t have any tricks or tips other than, dig deep. Anyone you’ve ever looked up to has gone through what you’ve gone through to get where they are. It’s all about never giving in to weakness and consistently pushing. FLEX knows that you had some hard times whilst trying to stay focused for competing. How have you dealt with that? In certain situations, you find that some of the most negative people around you are the ones closest to you. This can sometimes be because they are scared for you. To be the best version of you, you need to stay positive and believe in yourself. So, when you decide to chase your dream, be prepared to let go of the negative influences in your life. This is how I overcome anything. What wise words do you have for the FLEX reader? Too many people now start their fitness journey for the wrong reasons. Do it for you, and do it with passion. If you love what you do, you will do well at it. Insta: @romanelanceford Web: www.romane-lanceford.com

MARCH 2018 | FLEX

00

THE SECRET OF SUPPLEMENTATION O

n many occasions, I’m asked by clients, fellow bodybuilders and regular guys in the gym what supplements I take, or what supplements they should take for putting on muscle size and gaining weight? These questions are normally asked by those guys who don’t want to take steroids, but do want to make gains as quickly as possible. So, in response to these commonly asked questions, I have decided to put pen to paper and give you the answers. I will tell you the amounts, and how to calculate these amounts, and also the timing for taking your supplements. First of all, as a cautionary note, the information I am giving here is based on my own use of supplements. This is my own personal factual information. This should ONLY be used as a guideline, not for any medical purpose. You also need to understand that supplements are not to be taken in place of food, but alongside your food intake.

WHAT ARE SUPPLEMENTS AND WHAT DO THEY DO? Supplements are synthetic forms of natural vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are found naturally in the foods we eat. They may come in a tablet, capsules or powder form. When eating natural foods, it takes

/// BY

CECIL CROASDAILE /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY FIVOS AVERKIOU

LET’S CHAT ABOUT THE CONFUSING WORLD OF SUPPLEMENTATION

time to get the nutrients out of them. The foods need to be digested, and converted into the amino acids, vitamins, minerals and glycogen that is used by the body for energy, thus aiding muscle building and repair. The difference between taking supplements and eating normal foods, is the speed of which it breaks down (absorption). In supplements this process has already been done, allowing for the nutrients to get into the bloodstream quicker. This is the real reason for taking them. When supplements are correctly combined with the foods we eat, they help to provide a sustained supply of nutrients to the body.

TAKING YOUR SUPPLEMENTS There are times when the body is in a positive state and more receptive to taking supplemented nutrients on board. This is when you will get the most out of them and push nutrients into the blood stream quicker. These positive times are first thing in the morning and after training. These are the two high points of your day when the body is most receptive. It’s important to now your macros (types of foods) and what the differences are. It’s also worth knowing this when it comes to your supplements. For example, which are carb based and which are protein based. The same applies with vitamins and minerals as they

are important in the absorption of foods eaten. It is easy for the user to get the amounts they need correct by consulting the guidelines. But to get maximum benefit out of the supplements you are using, you need to understand exactly what each supplement does. For example, protein amino acids are the building blocks of the body- they build and repair all the things that grow as well as aid all our functionalities. They grow your hair, nails and help your muscles with the healing process. Consistent supply is necessary for the body to function normally, keeping it in a healthy environment.

ENERGY SUPPLEMENTS (Carbohydrate based) When I’m asked about supplements, I mostly get asked about protein powders, not carb based supplements. However, carbohydrate supplements are just as important to any serious trainer as protein based products. The body needs energy for everything it does, from digesting foods to providing energy for your training. Even whilst you’re sleeping, your body uses energy to repair itself. It is fundamental that your body gets a consistent supply of the food and supplements it needs. This provides the body with energy and helps it transport oxygen through the blood stream. This energy comes from the carbohydrate supplements and foods eaten after they have been converted to glycogen, then stored in the liver and muscles ready to be used as energy. Failing to do this will result in energy highs and lows, eventually leading to physical burn out.

SOURCES OF CARBOHYDRATES Carbohydrates should be supplied to the body for energy needs from a combination of both fast and slow digesting sources. Slower digesting sources can be derived from foods eaten, and fast digesting sources from supplementation i.e. drinks and powders. Again, timing is important. So, supplying the body when it is

more receptive, to prevent energy highs and lows, and combining fast carbs with slow carbs will also allow for a sustained release of energy. For some people, eating large amounts of carbs leaves them feeling full or bloated. In this situation, it is advisable to take in supplements that don’t need as much of a digesting process and this will provide the glycogen into the muscles quicker.

If you use a good quality carb powder that is easily absorbed, you may tend to need an amount that is twice that of protein.

FAT SUPPLEMENTATION Fats are not something I would usually recommend you supplement in the off-season. If you are eating a balanced diet where the ratio of fats is around 10% of one’s total calorie intake, then these supplements may not be needed. As a general rule of thumb, fat intake is kept to a minimum, especially when taking into account that the ratio of fat calories are almost twice the amount of protein and carbs. But when on a weight loss programme, taking good fat oils, like omega 3’s in supplement form, can help to provide the body with the fats it needs whilst on a low-fat food diet. These fats also help to insulate the body and provide another source of energy when needed. APRIL 2018 | FLEX

115

2013

THE EARLY YEARS... 2013 53,549

2014

SUPPORTING THE WORLD'S BEST 2014 61,353

74

FLEX | APRIL 2018

PART 2

///

/// BY JOE BINLEY PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN DENTON

LAST MONTH, WE LOOKED AT THE HISTORY OF THE KETOGENIC DIET AND VARIATIONS OF THIS EATING STYLE; THIS MONTH WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE TOOLS TO BECOME A FAT ADAPTED KETOGENIC ATHLETE! APRIL 2018 | FLEX

119

PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCKTHITAREESARMKASAT

BECOMING THE KETO ATHLETE

PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK; ZAVGSG

T

he most beneficial

approach to getting into ketosis quickly whilst still being able to function with good energy levels, is to follow the modified ketogenic diet approach. This means the diet will be made up of at least 75% fat. The percentages approach is generally ok for most sedentary people, but athletes with a higher calorific requirement are often best served by dialling in macros individually, based on growing literature and anecdotal evidence. Let’s start with protein: Work done by Dr’s Phinney and Volek summerised that protein intake should fall within the parameters of 0.6-1g per lb of LEAN body mass (weight – body fat). This was published in the art and science of low carbohydrate performance (recommended reading). Based on my experiences during an adaptation phase, athletes should be aiming towards the lower end of this range 0.6-0.8g, as most athletes come from consuming higher protein diets and are efficient at utilising protein as a fuel source when required.

120

FLEX | APRIL 2018

Carbohydrates: For the most effective way to adapt the level of carbohydrates, I would suggest aiming for a maximum of 20-30 TOTAL carbs. This includes fibre, and the sources of carbohydrate should be fibrous in natural form of green leafy vegetables. Look to avoid all sugars and pay close attention to food labels for hidden carbohydrates

Fats: Once both protein and carbohydrates have been accounted for, fats should simply make up the rest of the calorific requirement. This may come as a shock to many of you at first, but fat is your friend here; remember you are transitioning the body into a state that relies on fat as its primary energy source, so do not fear FAT!

HOW DOES THIS BREAK DOWN? This is how a macronutrient breakdown may look for a 220lb (100kg) male with 10 percent body fat. 220lbs * 0.9 = 198lbs LEAN mass Protein – here we will select 0.7g per lb of Lean mass for this adaptation phase 198* 0.7 = 138.6 we will round to 140g 140 * 4 (4 calories per gram of protein) = 560 calories from Protein Carbohydrate 20g daily 20 * 4 (4 calories per gram of protein) = 80 calories from Carbohydrate FAT Total calorific requirement – protein calories – carbohydrate calories 2700 – 560 – 80 = 2060 calories required from fat 2060/9 (9 calories per gram of fat) = 229g So, the macro breakdown looks like this: 140g protein / 20g carbohydrate / 229g fat

** If this individual had a higher calorific requirement- for example 3,000 calories, we would simply add the extra 300 calories to their fat intake. This is because they have hit the protein and carbohydrate requirements that I deem sufficient during adaptation, hence why a straight set of fixed percentages may not always be the best option. This would mean their 3000-calorie set up would have the fat intake increased to 262g from the 229g as stated above. How many meals do I need to eat per day on keto? The number of meals you break these macros into is a matter of personal preference. Most athletes are typically used to 4-6 meals per day. However, on keto, digestion tends to be slower and blood glucose levels very stable so generally I find 3-5 is sufficient with most people, moving to 3 larger meals and two snacks once adapted. I don’t suggest changing too many variables at the start. So, if you’re used to 5 meals, it may be wise to set up with 5 meals per day. Using the 2700 calorie example above, this would mean 5 meals consisting of: 28g protein / 4g carbohydrate / 46g fat

PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK; NELLISYR

I want to try keto but I hear I will feel tired and my training will suffer. Is this true? During adaptation, some people do suffer from what has been named as ‘keto flu’. This is a real ‘thing’, whereby the body initially struggles for 1-5 days on average, as it is getting used to not having carbohydrate there as its primary fuel source whilst switching its metabolism to becoming a fat burning machine. Some common symptoms of ‘keto flu’ are; dizziness, brain fog, poor concentration, nausea, irritability, lethargy and possible digestion issues. If you experience any of these, don’t worry because there are ways of managing or preventing this. APRIL 2018 | FLEX

121

fluid intake on keto, as the reduced carbohydrate intake will mean you turn water over at an increased rate and with this you will also dump electrolytes out of your system. To safeguard against this, it would be wise to add additional sodium, potassium and magnesium to your plan. Below are some guidelines for the desired intake levels of these key electrolytes and some good sources of these derived from food. Sodium – 5000-7000mg (bacon/ cured meats, sea or Himalayan salt, broths, pickled foods, salted nuts) Potassium – 2000-4000mg (spinach, avocado, nuts, fish, meats, mushrooms) Magnesium – 3-600mg (spinach, nuts, fish, chicken, beef, avocado)

Often, the cause can be the lack of electrolytes and hydration. It is essential that you increase your

Supplements that may be most beneficial during keto adaptation Electrolytes: Hitting requirements solely from diet may be difficult, so having the following on hand may be very useful:

Sodium: Sea/Himalayan salt Potassium: Potassium citrate preferred Magnesium: Magnesium citrate or gluconate if struggling with GI distress Amino acids: Whilst many keto advocates don’t rate supplements, I feel a quality essential amino acid product is beneficial during training. We must remember you’re an athlete training with high intensity, and during adaptation the body will still crave primarily glucose and can’t create this in times of glucose restriction from amino acids via gluconeogenesis. Without amino acids supplemented into this training window, it increases the risk of the body leaching these from skeletal muscle... something none of us want. So, it’s wise to safeguard against this. 10-20g taken in across the workout will be sufficient. I recommend Aminotaur from Project AD. This yields 13.5g per serving, with additional L – carnitine (also aids fatty acid utilisation). Digestive Aids: Some, not all, MAY have some GI distress when switching to a high fat diet, a digestive supplement will help with this. Look for a product with a strong digestive enzyme content. Betaine HCL: This is in some digestive aid products but not all. HCL bolsters stomach acid in order to assist the breakdown of food ingested.

PHOTO CREDIT:ISTOCK; LECIC

Ox Bile: Ox bile is a lesser known supplement that will specifically help with the breaking down of fats, thus allowing them to be assimilated easily; this can be a lifesaver for many in adaptation. These items are all available individually from any good health store.

122

FLEX | APRIL 2018

PHOTO CREDIT:ISTOCK; THITAREESARMKASAT

What can I eat? Below is a general list of foods that are keto friendly, but just because they are on the list

doesn’t mean you don’t need to keep an eye on the quantities you are consuming. I recommend tracking your food intake with an app to

SAMPLE DAY

Here is a sample day for our athlete requiring 2700 calories....

MEAL 1 1 cup spinach 25g pecan nuts 2 rashers of bacon 3 whole eggs cooked in 14g coconut oil MEAL 2 25g whey protein isolate 1 tablespoon macadamia nut oil 25g walnuts MEAL 3 120g fresh wild caught salmon 1 sup spinach

1 cup broccoli 25g cheese 1 tablespoon olive oil MEAL 4 5 Plain chicken wings 1 tablespoon mayonnaise or fat of choice Side salad MEAL 5 125g ribeye steal 1 cup Brussel Sprouts 5 asparagus spears 1 tablespoon Kerrygold butter

ensure you are dialling in the meals correctly to hit macronutrient requirements. This is especially important during the adaptation phase. As you can see, the diet can have good variety and there are a plethora of recipes online to make keto friendly versions of what a typical standard diet would look like. Once the adaptation phase is complete, I would suggest 3 weeks for the adaptation process. You may then wish to pursue your physique or performance goal, be it body composition or improving power/ strength to weight ratio, or simply reducing inflammation and improving insulin sensitivity. If you have any questions, please feel free to DM me on Instagram: @joeb_ad APRIL 2018 | FLEX

123

ACTIVATING HUGE MUSCLE GAINS More Recruitment, Less Momentum.

A

s bodybuilders, we are searching to add as much muscle to our body’s as possible. Gaining muscle is a hard and lengthy task, involving numerous applied principles to achieve this goal. We need quality nutrition and enough calories to feed new and growing muscle tissue. We need adequate rest to allow recovery and growth to occur from the stimulus that has caused our muscles to respond by adaptation. So, as bodybuilders, we should know the intricate details and requirements that are needed to perform this task. Understanding how to grow muscle: to cause hypertrophy is essential. Here, we will look at one of the variables in how to achieve muscular gains, this being the correct stimulus, which is properly executing resistance training. Resistance or Weight training can be broken down into its various applications. We have many techniques to elicit varying outcomes. As bodybuilders, our desired outcome is, of course, muscle growth. So, what is muscle growth and how do we achieve this? Let’s look at the science of muscle gains! The body is an organism which undergoes adaptive changes in

124

FLEX | APRIL 2018

///

BY JOHN BUCKLAND

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JULES GODFREY

THIS IS HOW PRO ATHLETES CAN GROW SO MUCH MUSCLE TISSUE, HERE IS THE KEY TO UNLOCK YOUR MUSCLE GROWTH POTENTIAL AND PACK ON THAT SIZE AND STRENGTH YOU FAILED TO GAIN BEFORE.

order to be better prepared for the same stress in the future. The body is reluctant to invest resources into an adaptation unless it is perceived as a direct threat to survival. Which means we need to work hard!! Provided that the intensity of effort is high, strength training will fool the body into believing that there is a direct threat to survival, and this will force an adaptive change – along with many other adaptive changes, two, being increased strength and muscle size.

It can be simplified like this: ORGANISM STIMULUS RESPONSE RECOVERY ADAPTATION Different types of training, can bring different results and types of muscle gains.

Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy: Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, is an increase in the volume of the non-contractile muscle cell fluid, sarcoplasm. This fluid accounts for 25-30% of the muscle’s size.

Although the cross sectional area of the muscle increases, the density of muscle fibres per unit area decreases, and there is no increase in muscular strength. This type of hypertrophy is mainly a result of high rep, ‘bodybuilder-type’ training. However, there is some scientific evidence that states a bigger muscle may have a better chance of becoming a stronger muscle, once maximal strength training methods are employed. This type of hypertrophy has little to do with such explosive movements as hitting, running, throwing, jumping or performing a one-rep max. This is why professional bodybuilders, with training methods consisting mainly of hypertrophies, cause an increase in the non-contractile components of the muscle (sarcoplasmic volume, capillary density, and mitochondria proliferation) are not the fastest or even the strongest of all athletes. The volume of sarcoplasmic fluid inside the cell and between the cells is increased with high volume training. This type of training contributes little to maximal strength while it does increase strength

126

FLEX | APRIL 2018

endurance due to mitochondria hypertrophy. Growth of connective tissue is also present with sarcoplasmic hypertrophy.

Myofibrillar Hypertrophy: Myofibrillar hypertrophy, on the other hand, is an enlargement of the muscle fibre as it gains more myofibrils, which contract and generate tension in the muscle. With this type of hypertrophy, the area

density of myofibrils increases and there is a significantly greater ability to exert muscular strength. This type of hypertrophy is best accomplished by training with heavy weights for low reps. It is imperative for performance athletes to incorporate maximal strength training methods (1-5 reps), which train the part of the muscle responsible for these explosive contractions, into their routines. Repetitions in the 1-5 rep range, using 85 – 100% of a 1RM, also have the added benefit of training the nervous system. Some of the many benefits of training the nervous system are: increased neural drive to the muscle, increased synchronization of motor units, increased activation of the contractile apparatus, and decreased inhibition by the protective mechanisms of the muscle (golgi tendon organ). These training methods also hypertrophy the pure fast twitch fibres – the high-threshold, Type IIB fibers. Incorporating these training methods into your routine at the right time will undoubtedly improve your muscles ability to generate more force and contract maximally during any sporting activity. In essence, myofibrillar hypertrophy is functional hypertrophy.

However, there are powerlifters that possess muscularity comparable to bodybuilders. There are also bodybuilders who have equal or greater strength than powerlifters. So this still doesn’t mean there is no relationship between strength and size.

Muscle in Action: Load and Contraction Muscle has an all or nothing principle, which means that during movement or exercise muscle fibres are either recruited maximally or not at all. When lifting a weight, only the required number of muscle fibres to lift the weight will be recruited. A light weight will only recruit a small number of fibres. The remaining non-functioning fibres will be moved by the active fibres but will not play any role in the lifting of the weight. So, to recruit as many fibres as possible, the resistance or weight must be high or heavy enough. All fibres are needed and more importantly the execution of the movement must be precise. To achieve this contraction and bring into play all muscle fibres they need to be in a fully contracted state and under significant load. As an example of this when we look at the squat, at the top of the movement the muscles of the legs can be fully contracted but there no resistance as the weight rests on the skeletal structure causing no adaptive stress on the contracted muscle. This is not to say the squat is not an excellent movement for growth stimulus as the loads can be very heavy. However a leg extension brings all the quadriceps muscles into a shortened contracted state, under load. However this load is now a great deal lighter that in the squat. Clearly, as we all know there is benefit in performing both exercises. The squat creates high load but without full contraction, whereas the leg extension gives a full contraction, but a lighter load.

This type of situation can be observed throughout many exercises and muscles of the body.

Muscle Fibre Types To keep things simple, we will refer to muscle fibre categories as slow twitch, intermediate twitch, and fast twitch. Slow twitch motor units produce modest contractile force, fatigue slowly, and recover quickly. Because of their fast recovery profile, these are the motor units that might stand to benefit from repeated exposure to stress and fatigue. Fast twitch motor units produce high contractile force, fatigue quickly, and recover slowly. Subjects who have predominantly fast twitch fibres show marked weakening after a single set to failure and a long respite is required before strength returns to its baseline. Intermediate twitch motor units fall between these two extremes. During a set to failure, with enough resistance and correct execution, slow twitch fibres are recruited first. If fatigue occurs more rapidly than the time it takes

for these slow twitch fibres to recover, then intermediate and fast twitch fibres will be recruited. If the fast twitch fibres become fatigued before any of the slower twitch units can recover, force output will eventually fall below the weight being used to fatigue that muscle and failure (the inability to move that weight) will occur.

Recruitment is stimulating all muscle fibres with low momentum Only with proper execution of movement and adequate resistance or weight can this recruitment take place. Fatigue of each fibre type in sequence, until none can produce force (lift the resistance) cannot be achieved if the weight is thrown, bounced, jerks or paused in the execution. As bodybuilder’s we are aiming to maximally recruit muscle and exhaust it to create stimulus significant enough to cause an adaptation. We are not just trying to lift a weight. That is an external focus, as bodybuilders we need to shift to an internal focus. By focusing on muscle contracAPRIL 2018 | FLEX

127

tion, through our individual active range of movement, causing the weights to move with a speed (cadence) such that it is under control throughout each rep of each set, only then can we recruit all the muscle fibre types. If the weight is lifted rapidly and in effect thrown rather that lifted the muscle/s in question will not be under load or tension for the entire repetition. This causes flat spots of none or minimal tension or recruitment of muscle fibres in parts of the lift. During this type of execution or lifting…the muscle is then not taxed sufficiently to create a hypertrophic effect in all the muscle fibres.

So no bouncing, jerking or throwing the weight, as all you do is undo your size gains. If you are worried about performing reps slowly, think of it this way. An athlete that can bench 200kgs slowly under muscular control, can move 60kgs very quickly over a long distance…which is called throwing. So properly strengthening muscle can lead to performance improvement too.

The Most Dangerous rep This occurs when the muscle is fresh and at full ability as you see in

128

FLEX | APRIL 2018

a warm up. Lifting light weights rapidly is dangerous. The muscles are not warmed up, they can produce high force rapidly, but are not pliable, increasing the likelihood of tears, over extension of joints, tendon and ligament damage. Instead, warm up slowly with lighter weights, be deliberate in the movement pattern, be disciplined and focus on the mind muscle contraction. As you progress in weight begin to increase the speed of each rep in each set. As the weight increases and fatigue sets in, attempt to move your heaviest weight as fast as possible. But now due to that fatigue, and high weight you are now using, it will still only move slowly. Warming up this way will activate all types of muscle fibres more readily, allow you to create the mind –muscle connection and enable your central nervous system to become familiar in producing tension throughout the movement range. When you use focussed intention to produce a contraction, the ability to cause tension within the muscle is greater. As you warm up in this fashion you earn the right to use a heavier weight. Earning the right to use a heavy weight comes from your ability to successfully control the weight in the previous set in both

the concentric and eccentric phases. Earning the right to use heavier loads does not come from throwing the weight and using large amounts of momentum. As a tale to explain the removing of momentum concept I shall tell you of another experienced bodybuilder who asked to jump in on my leg press sets. I explained that I had only one set left and I’d be just couple of minutes, he exclaimed, “You only have 7 x 20kg plates on each side! I can do more than that,” he went on to boast. I invited him to do a set “I said I’d be two minutes,” which now meant he would follow me by doing a leg press. 10 seconds down, 10 seconds up for a solid two minutes. He managed just over 60 seconds, before he racked the weight and stumbled to the toilet to be sick! “A great first set,” I shouted as he was throwing up. So reduce momentum in the execution of your reps, use mechanical muscular work, get your mind - muscle connection on point and activate muscle. Use mental imagery, instead of thinking about lifting weight, think more about muscle shortening and lengthening. The weight will move as a consequence of muscle action. Perform at least two sets to momentary muscular failure of each exercise. And lastly enjoy your newfound muscle gain!

00

FLEX | MARCH 2018

NO HYPE, JUST GAINZ ///

BY DEAN ‘THE PROTEIN’ LESIAK

///

PHOTOGRAPHS BY PHOTOARTS BY JAY

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

131

S

ometimes, people get too caught up in the hype of Instagram gurus, and what brands tell them regarding how amazing their products are. But, if we were to go back to the basics of actually learning how to train correctly and take our supplements in the right way, then the gains would be a better quality and come far more quickly.

I’VE BEEN ON A CUTTING PHASE RECENTLY, THIS IS HOW MY TRAINING SPLIT LOOKS. MONDAY CHEST Flat bench press or smith machine press Incline hammer strength press Super set dumbbell flyes, into dumbbell presses 4 Incline flyes, super set with cable flyes 1 2 3

TUESDAY BACK Wide grip cable pull downs Barbell rows One handed plate loaded machine rows Close grip cable rows super set with pullovers 5 Dead lifts 1 2 3 4

WEDNESDAY REST THURSDAY SHOULDERS & CALVES 1 2 1 2 3

132

Standing calve raises or use a smith machine standing in a block Seated calve raises super set donkey calve raises Barbell military presses or smith machine front presses Dumbbell lateral raises Barbell front raises super set with cable laterals

FLEX | APRIL 2018

4

Rear delt machine super set with barbell shrugs

FRIDAY BICEPS & TRICEPS 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Cable push downs Skull crushers Close grip barbell presses Single arms rope push downs superset with single arm dumbbell over head Barbell curls Seated dumbbell hammer curls Preacher bunch E-Z bar cable curls super set with reverse grip barbell curls

SATURDAY HAMSTRING & QUADS Lying hamstring curls Seated hamstring curls Stiff legged deadlift Leg extension Squats Hack squat Vertical leg press super set with pendulum squat 5 Lunges 1 2 3 1 2 3 4

SUNDAY REST

People often tell you it’s necessary to train for hours on end. No, it’s not. It’s not about how long you train for, it’s about how effectively you’re training. The same applies for the diet. Yes, I eat loads. But, it’s all about how effective your food intake is. I don’t waste time on pointless exercises or shovelling in pointless calories. Quality is everything. So, this month I’m going to take you through my weekly training routine and diet. Nothing fancy, no silly gimmicks. Just basic DOs to get great results…..It is gains that you’re looking for after all, right? FUELLING MY GAINS This is how I structure my diet and ensure I maximise my recovery: MEAL 1) Oats mixed with a good quality whey protein and a handful of mixed nuts. Oats are a good complex carb- perfect for breakfast when your glycogen stores are depleted. Whey is great first thing, as it gets into your system quickly after a long nights sleep without food. 2) Chicken breast and rice, with half a pint (284ml) of blended veg fruit and seeds. 3) Steak, two eggs and rice with a cup of blended veg smoothie. Pre-workout drink (5% nutrition) mixed with 51/50 on days I feel like I need an extra kick.

These are packed full of pump formulas to force more blood into the muscles, delivering more essential nutrients. 51/50 is a high stimulant that I use on days I feel like I need an extra kick. These also have creatures loaded into them, helping to fill my ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) system and push harder in my session. TRAIN 4) Post workout serving of quality whey, mixed with blended oats and waxy maize. I also then add glutamine (amino acid associated to muscle tissue repair) to the mixture. This is the only time I have simple carbs, as soon as I finish training to replenish the glycogen. The glutamine is a great supplement for recovery. When your body is under stress it releases ammonium, this can break down your immune system, but glutamine counteracts the ammonium reaction. 5) Chicken breast with rice and cup of veg smoothie. 6) Salmon with avocado. 7) Turkey breast with salad. I have turkey for my last meal as its high in the amino acid ‘tryptophan’ that helps you to sleep. The egg yolks, mixed nuts, avocado and salmon give me all the good fats that my body needs. As you can see, my diet is very simple and plain. I prep all my own food, so I save time by cooking in bulk. As you can see (below), I get a huge number of great vitamins and minerals from veg smoothies. The egg yolks, mixed nuts, avocado and salmon give me all the good fats that my body needs. All the proteins I eat are complete proteins with all 12 essential amino acids, and all my carbs are good complex carbs so they don’t spike my insulin levels, keeping me leaner.

SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS: Spinach Carrot Celery Avocado Cucumber

Kale Blueberry Strawberry Grapes Mango

Sunflower seeds Linseed Pumpkin seed Flax seed Chia seeds

I put all of this into my smoothies, giving me a huge verity of vitamins and minerals. The egg yolks mixed nuts avocado and salmon give me all the good fats that my body needs. All the proteins I eat are complete proteins with all 12 essential amino acids and all my carbs are good complex carbs so they don’t spike my insulin levels-keeping me leaner.

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

133

2015

BODYPOWER KNOWS BEST 2015 79,274

2016

2016 91,124

GYM OF THE MONTH

M

onster Gym was set up in 2005 in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire. It’s a family run business that also treats it’s staff as such. Monster offers a vast range of facilities, and boasts a huge kitchen serving great tasting food 7 days a week. Not only that, the gym benefits from a full boxing ring, a cage, and a martial arts area. You’ll find probably the biggest dumbbells you’ve ever laid eyes on here too- at a whopping 150kg each, alongside fantastic Hammer Strength equipment. There is a large cardio area and a supplement store on-site. If you’re looking for a friendly gym with an immense atmosphere to make you want to train hard, this is it. If you’re female, don’t be intimated by the name eitherthere are just as many ladies who take their training seriously as use Monster Gym as men. Did you know? Dwayne Johnson ‘The Rock’ trains at Monster Gym when he is in town! So if you do head down, keep your eyes peeled! www.monstergym.co.uk DELAMARE ROAD CHESHUNT WALTHAM CORSS EN8 9SU TEL: 01922 637 999

136

FLEX | APRIL 2018

FLEX HAS AWARDED GYM OF THE MONTH TO MONSTER GYM, CHESHUNT. THIS HUGE FACILITY WAS THE FIRST UK WAREHOUSE STYLED GYM. IT’S SHEER SIZE AND VAST RANGE OF EQUIPMENT IS WHAT HAS INSPIRED OTHER GYMS TO FOLLOW. OVER 12 YEARS IT HAS PROVIDED QUALITY ATHLETES TO THE COMPETITIVE STAGES FOR MANY OF THE BODYBUILDING FEDERATIONS. BY DARREN NICHOLHURST /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROBERT MILLS PHOTOGRAPHY LTD

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

137

“ALL I WANTED, WAS TO STEP ONTO THE LEGENDARY MR. OLYMPIA STAGE,” BEGINS EDDIE. BUT AT WHAT COST WAS THE JAMAICAN BORN, BRITISH BUILT MONSTER WILLING TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL? /// BY

DARREN NICHOLHURST /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY MADELEINE WINSTON

APRIL 2018 | FLEX

139

T

hese were the times when bodybuilding was very much an experimental period, where the science and studies that we have today just wasn’t around. However, the information that was available was from the experience of other real hardcore previous bodybuilders work ethics. Eddie admits, “I was always trying to improve, always following the trend of what everyone else was using or how they were training to be competitive.” Eventually after 16 years of competing Abbew won his Pro card in 1997. Now he knew that in order to get to his ultimate goal ‘The Sacred Olympia Stage’ he would have to push his body above and beyond anything else he had previously done, in every way he needed, and at all costs. He remembers, “I was inspired by Sergio Oliva, I loved the iconic waste to shoulder width, I wasn’t entirely comfortable with becoming to freakish.” 10 years after earning his Pro card, he was invited to the Mr. Olympia. “I couldn’t believe it, I was going to be stood next to the greats. The emotions and excitement this achievement gave me, transpired into a huge amount of drive. I was now even more unstoppable and focused than ever before,” reflects Eddie. This was when he pushed his body to the limit. His training, food and supplementation regime was increased. The Mr. Olympia stage was now in sight. It Suddenly Dawned on Me Eventually the time came when he walked out under the bright lights of the Mr. O stage. “I was stood right there, next to the best in the world,” He said. “I was in awe, Phil and Big Ronnie were in the same line up as me.” Whilst stood next to these elite physiques, something dawned on Abbew. He knew his level, he

140

FLEX | APRIL 2018

knew that his genetics and everyday life wasn’t going to allow him to ever beat these legends he very much looked up to and chased in achievement for so long. “I competed against Phil Heath in 2006, at the New York Pro. But now I don’t even recognise him, I used to love the way Phil looked. He was perfect, healthy and muscular, exactly what we are trying to portray to the public,” says Eddie. After coming home, realisation hit. He told FLEX, “I no longer wanted to push my body to the limits, at what risks to my health am I willing to go?” He knew what he would have to do, the force feeding, the excessive lifting and the chemical pressure on his internal organs, “For what, another trophy and liver failure, I’m not willing to take that risk,” he says passionately. He used to be excited about the Mr. O, watching it live and seeing how everybody looked, but that excitement had gone, “I’m not inspired by what bodybuilding has become, the big distended stomachs, the ultrafreakish unachievable size.” He remembers, “Bodybuilders physiques used to be achievable with huge work, but now it’s almost unrealistic to force this type of growth,” we’re told. As a qualified nurse, he knew that the excessive use of drugs and forcing the body beyond its limits was dangerous and he mentally just couldn’t do this anymore. Now, Abbew is trying to promote healthy living, clean eating and competing within your physical and mental boundaries. He now does competition prep for people from his gym (Olympian Gym) in Hemel Hempstead. He likes to prep the Men’s Physique and Woman’s Bikini classes now, simply because this is a look that anyone can attain without causing any health implications now or later in life.

Looking back, Eddie had a continual battle going on in his mind whilst being this focused bodybuilding machine. His thoughts are, “As a parent, I look in at this extremely focused sport now. I regret the time I didn’t spend with my family, mentally and physically due to always having the next meal, session or show in my mind. I was never there, even when my body was.” He realises now, that time has gone, and wishes he could have the family time back. The reality was, the way he lived his life was like an addiction to every excessive part of what he had to give in commitment, in order to be the best bodybuilder, he could. The fact that his hobby had become a job and the fun in training was lost, because every session counted. Life After Bodybuilding Now, he is going back to the good old days of making training fun again. He realises there is more to training, “I train now, like I used to. I train instinctively, listen to my body and just enjoy every lift, because it’s just for me.” He agrees that in order to achieve an amazing goal, you have to be excessive. You also still have to make sure you don’t lose touch of what is around you, who’s supporting you, or how you should be supporting others. This is what Abbew told FLEX he did to keep himself in touch with his reality of life and values. “I made notes, I put them all over, where I knew I would see them at times of thought. These notes had messages like, I have family and I have a life.” These notes served as a reminder, this point of his life as a bodybuilder was just a phase, albeit a great one. However, we were told one last piece of advice “I believe that you have to build a life, NOT just a body.”

SUBSC RIBE TO

A W H O LE YEAR FO R JU ST

£23.99 4 AMAZING GIFTS! GET ALL T HE FOLLOWI N G FR E E WH E N YO U O R D E R QUOTE CODE:

GENERATION IRON DVD

DORIAN YATES: SHADOW WARRIOR DVD

FLEX SPORTS BAG

LEGACY DVD

ORDER NOW! WWW.FLEXONLINE.CO.UK/SUBS OR CALL 01858 438 865** TERMS & CONDITIONS *£23.99 for 12 issues applies to Direct Debit orders only. After the first year you will continue to save 31% off the shop price, paying just £34.99 by annual direct debit and your subscription will continue at this rate. The gift bundle is limited to UK based subscribers and subject to availability. Should we run out of any gift you may be offered an alternative product. Please allow 28 days for delivery of the gifts. Alternative payment methods are available at a rate of £29.99 for the first year. The expiry date for the offer is 11/04/2018 ** Phone lines open weekdays 8am to 9pm, Saturday 8am to 4pm You can cancel your subscription at any time by contacting Customer Services. Refunds will not be given for any cancellations where a gift has been sent until the first annual term has been completed.

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

///

BY DEAN CONNOR

BPI BEST BCAA w/ENERGY

R

eaders of Flex will

be no strangers to that feeling of walking through the doors of the gym ready to crush everything that is in sight. The love of the physical game runs deep in the veins, but there are times when that mental and physical energy are just nowhere to be found. Maybe the alarm clock has gone off and you would prefer to just hit that snooze button and roll over, staying in your warm bed thinking “I’ll just go tomorrow.” The thought of pushing those weights, pushing that prowler or that uphill battle of the Stairmaster is simply too tiring. Those missed sessions can add up though, gains lost and that progress you desire to hit roadblocks. The missing ingredient, that which takes your mental attitude and desire to lift to the level where each and every session you feel invincible could be a well-balanced pre-workout product, designed specifically to address all of those issues. There are many on the shelves to choose from, all with different ingredients, amounts, proprietary and desired outcomes. A proprietary blend will not disclose how much of a particular product is within its serving. It is important to understand the amount the product is providing so that you are truly getting the benefit of the ingredient at a dose suitable to you. Each of ingredients listed in BPI Best BCAAw/energy has included the specific amounts on the label. Let’s put the product under the microscope… Caffeine Caffeine is a powerful stimulant and has been shown to reduce fatigue, improve strength and performance and provide alertness. These benefits are undoubtedly exactly what every person wants. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors in the

142

FLEX | APRIL 2018

brain, firstly the A1 variant, which when activated promotes sleepiness. By blocking it, caffeine can therefore exert its effect on increasing alertness. Secondly, by blocking the A2A receptor, there is a positive effect mood by increasing levels of dopamine. Caffeine has also been shown to increase power output which is beneficial for both resistance training and anaerobic training, the dose for this effect however is dependent upon body size and sensitivity to caffeine. Finally, caffeine has a positive effect on thermogenesis, helping fatty acids to be released through its impact on cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) Alpha GPC Alpha GPC (Alpha-glycerophosphocholine) as its name suggests is a choline containing product. It works through the production of a key neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Its role is mental clarity, the formation of synaptic connections between neurons and enhances memory. As well as its brain boosting properties, alpha GPC has also been shown to have a positive influence on power output. Tyrosine L-Tyrosine is an amino acid that can be found in the diet. In supplemental form, it is metabolised to produce catecholamines such as adrenaline and dopamine, both useful in a stimulatory effect and mood enhancing one. Green tea extract The list of benefits of green tea extract seem endless. There is support for its effect on fat oxidation (fat burning), with the evidence suggesting its best outcome being when paired with caffeine. It can

have a positive effect on increasing High density lipoprotein (HDL-C, good cholesterol) and reducing low density lipoprotein (LDL-C, bad cholesterol). Some studies have shown improved cognition and a reduction in overall oxidation usually seen after exercise. A minor decrease in muscle soreness and an improved oxygen uptake have also been shown. Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) There are three branched chain amino acids, leucine, isoleucine and valine. For people with a low dietary intake of protein, supplementing with amino acids has been shown to enhance muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and increase muscle growth in the right circumstances. Leucine is the major player in branched chain amino acid supplementation, in particular for its stimulatory role on the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). This pathway is responsible for signalling muscle protein synthesis.

2017

TWO GREAT FRIENDS OF BODYPOWER, REST IN PEACE.

95,953

/// PHOTOGR APHS BY MAT T MARSH

NAME:

Olivia Stan

FROM:

Suceava-Romania

AGE: 31

OCCUPATION:

Stage costume designer at Bodylious_fashion

VITAL STATS:

Height: 162 cm Weight: 54kg chest: 91 cm waist: 59 cm hips 92 cm instagram : @oliviastanfitness

00

FLEX | MARCH 2018

2018

10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

11-13TH MAY 2018, NEC, BIRMINGHAM

GET YOUR TICKETS AT: WWW.BODYPOWER.COM 

100,000+

THE NO.1 STOP FOR ALL YOUR STRENGTH EQUIPMENT NEEDS

S

TR Y ICE

DV

E

E XP

FLEX0418

NEVER BEATEN ON PRICE

Y

with code

FORE YOU

BU

7.5%

BE

IN-STORE A RT

A

V

E

SQUAT RACKS | POWER CAGES WEIGHT PLATES | BARBELL SETS DUMBBELLS | KETTLEBELLS CABLE | SMITH MACHINES MULTI GYMS | AND MORE

Find the biggest brands, at the best prices, in the UK’s largest showrooms

1000s MORE PRODUCTS | VISIT ONE OF OUR 10 UK STORES | OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Northampton NN3 8RJ • Gloucester GL1 2UN • Newcastle NE11 9YS • Kent TN1 2AP • Chelmsford CM2 0ND Manchester M41 7JA • Surrey GU16 7JD • Leeds WF10 4FR • South London SW18 4JB • North London NW9 6LH ✔ In-store demonstration ✔ Buy Now - Pay Later ✔ Expert Advice ✔ Free Delivery ✔ Never Beaten On Price

Call 01604 673000 or visit fitness-superstore.co.uk *T’s & C’s apply, see website for more details. Code expires May 31st 2018.