Innholdsfortegnelse for Dec/Jan 2017 i FLEX Australia

Fans routinely speculate on what it would be like to train with reigning Olympia 212 Showdown champ Flex Lewis. But you don’t necessarily have to toss iron around with him in the gym to share in his exhaustion. All you have to do is listen to him summarise his normal day as he preps for competition. “My structured day in a nutshell is getting up, spending time with my daughter, then doing cardio, and then it’s a short window to eat breakfast, go to the warehouse, train, work in the office until about 4pm, come home, then have treatments – a massage or whatever else – and then spend time with my daughter, put her to bed, cardio in the evening, then I’m up until around 2am working. I get…

SNAPSHOT: JUAN MOREL Birth date April 2, 1982 Birthplace New York, US Current residence New York, US Height 180cm Weight 118 kilograms (contest), 132.5 kilograms (off-season) Sponsors Weider/AMI, Beast Sports Nutrition Career highlights: 2015 New York Pro, 1st; 2014 Toronto Pro, 1st; 2012 Europa Battle of Champions, 1st; 2011 North American Championships, super-heavyweight and overall winner Web ifbbprojuandiesel.com, Instagram @JuanDieselMorel, Facebook @Juan-Diesel LATERAL ENGAGEMENT The workout commences with what will be a theme throughout: supersets. This time lateral raises are paired with bentover laterals. Morel selects a pair of 20 pounders (9kg) that he’ll use during the four sets,and does 10 reps per exercise, with 30–40 seconds’ rest between each superset. “I’m not doing these to break down any muscle, it’s all about warming up and bringing blood into the…

SINGLE-ARM LEANING DUMBBELL CURL Victor says: “I do these leaning away from a stable object. I’m holding as close to a preacher curl as I can without preacher support. It’s one of the best exercises for your peak. I do a pause at the top and I envision posing the arm – as in a side-chest pose.” SINGLE-ARM CABLE CURL Victor says: “This is to get more contraction and constant tension at the top and bottom without locking out your arms. It’s both a good blood-flow and isolation exercise. I would normally do isolation moves like this at the end of the workout, but I like doing them in the beginning with the cable. But don’t go too heavy. If you do, you’ll feel it between the biceps and forearms.…

The 2016 NZIFBB Auckland Champs kick off the remainder of the New Zealand bodybuilding season, being the first midyear show with four shows to follow across the country. This year’s Auckland Champs took place in the iconic SkyCity Theatre in the heart of Auckland City on Saturday August 6. NZIFBB President Moe El Moussawi does an outstanding job promoting the sport of bodybuilding in New Zealand for athletes and audiences alike. His promotional efforts have created an increased number of athletes competing in the various categories the NZIFBB offers – as well as filling every seat at every venue with enthusiastic supporters. President El Moussawi reports not only a steady flow of repeat loyal seasoned athletes competing at his shows but is also seeing a growing number of first-time amateur…

The IFBB Victorian Bodybuilding Championships was hosted at the Kingston Arts Centre, Moorabbin, a perfect location for the state title and also an Australian national qualifying event. The first big stand-out from the show was in the Junior Bodybuilding category where Andrew Ford took the win. With huge, flaring quads, a small waist and presentation that was second to none, Ford has the tools and the right attitude to go very far in the sport. He is one of the more impressive bodybuilders that has come out of the Junior category in recent times. Bikini Open veteran Katie Jean significantly improved from her last competitions after competing several times this year by bringing in a much more conditioned physique. With a winning stage presence and a very impressive package…

The musculature of the lower back is made up of the erector spinea muscles, also called spinal erectors. These are the muscles that meet the origin of the lats to create the “Christmas tree” shape at the lower back when doing a rear lat spread. The spinal erectors are also part of your core muscle groups and are actively involved in many exercises as either primary movers and/or stabilisers. The most effective and safest movement to train the low back is the hyperextension. When doing so, it is important to stabilise and immobilise the hips to reduce the involvement of the hamstrings. I consider hyperextensions to be safer than other low-back movements such as deadlifts because the compression forces on the lumbar spine are greatly reduced while doing hyperextensions. Warming…

SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS 4 Luv-a-Duck fresh duck breasts MARINADE ½ cup sweet chilli sauce ½ cup soy sauce 1 lime, zested and juiced 1 fresh red sweet chilli, 7-8cm, thinly sliced TO SERVE Grilled or roasted vegetables (we used potatoes and eggplant) Chilli jam Coriander to garnish DIRECTIONS Pre-heat BBQ on medium high or griddle plate 3-4 minutes. Score the duck breast skin 4-5 times lightly with a sharp knife. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, lime zest and juice together in a large bowl. Marinate the duck breasts skin side up in the marinade for up to 24 hours, refrigerated and covered. BBQ the duck breast skin side down on the flat plate 2-3 minutes until skin is crispy. Turn duck breast and…

Q What do you think about IIFYM? What are the benefits what are the drawbacks? Also known as flexible dieting, the If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) approach to eating focuses on meeting daily goals of the three macronutrients, or macros: protein, carbohydrates and fat. Theoretically, as long as you hit your macro numbers, there is no limitation on what foods you can use to meet those goals. IIFYM has some benefits, since it allows you the flexibility to eat your favourite foods while still seeing results in your physique. The biggest problem I see with IIFYM is that many people use a numbers-only approach. They think that they can eat any foods they want, as long as they stick to the correct amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats. This…

1 TOO MUCH VARIETY Variety is a good thing – spice of life and all that. A lot of champion bodybuilders never do the same workout for a body part twice in a row. The problem arises when variety breeds anarchy. If you’re merely picking different exercises, rep schemes, techniques, etc, each time for the sake of being different, you’ll inevitably stray too far from the most effective course. FIX Build your routine around free-weight barbell basics like squats, deadlifts, bench presses and shoulder presses for 6-12 reps, as well as those exercises that you’ve determined work best with your physique. After that you can swap in and out exercises, alter rep ranges and use intensity techniques like supersets and dropsets. Keeping a core of excellent exercises done for moderate…

“It is the brain that develops the muscle.” So wrote the father of bodybuilding (and Mr Olympia trophy namesake), Eugen Sandow, 119 years ago. In a literal sense he was wrong, but figuratively he was on to something big. It’s your mind that sets your goals, visualises your success, feels your targeted muscles contracting and drives you to get those extra reps that stimulate growth. In effect, bodybuilding is a mental pursuit. SETTING GOALS A few years ago, The Checklist Manifesto was a best-seller. It isn’t another wishy-washy self-help book. It’s by top science writer Dr Atul Gawande, and it examines the scientific rationale for step-by-step plans to complete virtually every challenge in our lives. We humans thrive on such checklists because our brains are wired for just such sequential…

As temperatures begin to soar, there are few happier places for most men to be than outside manning the barbie, sunburn be damned. There’s simply no tastier, or manly, means to a protein-packed meal than your trusty Weber. But if the only things you cook outdoors are steaks and burgers, you’re selling the grill short. Practically anything can sizzle over a flame, yet many unconventional foods remain hidden in the shadow of countless chicken breasts and humble snags. It’s high time to challenge your grilling skills by thinking outside the grill marks – from shellfish and tofu to berries and cheese – and try these recipes the next time you play with fire. MUSSELS WITH FIRE-ROASTED TOMATOES SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS 1kg mussels 25-30 cherry tomatoes 4 whole shallots, peeled 2…

You require protein that is rich in the amino acid leucine. What is the optimal way to eat to build muscle? The first thing you need to understand with protein requirements is that there is no magic number that everybody should consume. It will depend on genetics, nitrogen balance, hormone levels and training volume. However, for a lot of people, sticking between 2 to 3g of protein per kilo of lean body weight is usually about right. Sometimes the requirements are even higher; however, this is less common. I’ve outlined six things you need to consider when deciding upon your protein intake. 1. Carbohydrate intake One of the most influential factors in deciding your protein requirements is carbohydrates and the amount you’re consuming. In short, you could say that carbohydrates…

The squat has always been a lift that is either loved or hated. It’s a tremendous multi-joint exercise for the lower body and can definitely yield impressive results if done correctly. Most gyms have barbells but I like to use specialty bars for squatting. Here’s why: 1 // To add variety As you get more experienced, you need to give your body different workouts in order to get maximum results. Adding in specialty bars for squatting allows me to change the type of squat I do from week to week. 2 // To get stronger The spider squat bar shown here (also known as a safety squat bar) helps distribute the weight differently. This bar forces the muscles of my midback, lower back and core to work a lot harder…

We often feature foods and recipes that will help get you out of the all-too-common and dull groove of eating chicken breasts and brown rice. This month we’re trying something a little more unusual, because we bet – unless you’re unusually adventurous – you don’t typically head for a plate of brains or a slice of heart. These meats, which are called offal, refer to the organs and entrails – liver, lungs, heart, brains, tongue… you get the grisly picture. But it’s a shame that we tend to shun these special meats, because they offer tons of protein and lots of other important nutrients. “Organ meats are very dense in high-quality protein,” says Matthew Kadey, a dietitian and the author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sports and…

Q Lately I’ve been dragging in the gym. I have bouts of low energy and think it could have something to do with my diet. What foods should I include in my meals to ensure lots of energy in the gym and out? Diet can have a tremendous impact on your energy levels. Many people turn to caffeine or sugar when they are low on energy, and while this can provide a short-term energy boost, it eventually backfires. Once the sugar or caffeine wears off, your body realises that it has nothing to use for energy, and you end up exhausted and hungry (and much more likely to overeat). A few tweaks to your food choices and meal timing will help guarantee plenty of energy at the gym and throughout…

SNAPSHOT Cody Montgomery Birth Date August 6, 1994 Birthplace Alaska, US Current residence Texas, US Height 170cm Weight 103.5kg contest Career highlights 2016 Arnold Classic, 10th; 2016 Arnold Classic Australia, 7th; 2015 NPC USA Championships, heavyweight and overall winner (earned pro card); 2014 NPC Collegiate Nationals, heavyweight and overall winner; 2012–2014 NPC Teen Nationals overall champion Online cody-montgomery.com; Instagram: @cody_montgomery; Facebook: @cmenterprises MONTGOMERY’S “deloading” training split DAY 1 Legs (quadriceps emphasis) DAY 2 Chest and calves DAY 3 Back DAY 4 Legs (hamstrings emphasis) DAY 5 Shoulders and abs DAY 6 Arms and Calves DAY 7 Rest* * The rest day is flexible and can fall anywhere during the week depending on travel and other commitments. With time on his side, Montgomery is focused on making quality improvements to…

The NZIFBB Wellington Champs directly followed the Auckland Champs a week later in the windy capital city of Wellington. It was held on Saturday, August 13, at the Wellington High School Theatre, with a sold-out audience and a well-run show of quality athletes. The athletes that competed represented categories in Children’s Fitness, Women’s Fitness, Figure, Women’s Physique, Men’s Physique, Bikini, Classic Physique and Bodybuilding. The Wellington Champs was also a qualifier for the 2016 NZIFBB Nationals and for the 2016 Arnold Classic Asia. Since the IFBB inception of the Men’s Physique and Bikini classes, the NZIFBB – the first to introduce these classes in New Zealand – has seen an extraordinary response from athletes signing up to compete on the NZIFBB stage. The newest class introduced by the IFBB is…