Innholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2017 i FLEX Australia

Q I am a uni student with a schedule that allows me to get to the gym up to five days per week. However, I know that more is not always better and that training needs to be balanced with rest, or else growth will not occur. What kind of body-part split would you recommend for me? You are absolutely right when you say that more is not always better and mention the need for ample rest. What I will suggest in your case is something I call a rotating split. During Week 1 you will train five days per week; during Week 2 you will hit the weights four days per week; and in Week 3 you will work out only three days. Then, after Week 3 is complete,…

The most effective way to train the biceps is to combine a “squeeze” exercise and a “stretch” exercise. My favourite squeeze exercise is the concentration curl and for stretch, incline curls. For concentration curls, keep your elbow pointed to the floor, and curl the dumbbell up to the opposite shoulder. For incline curls adjust an incline bench to 45 degrees, grab a dumbbell in each hand, sit down and lie back against the backrest. Hold the dumbbells to your sides, stretching the biceps and curling the dumbbells up as you normally would. ALTERNATIVES Seated machine curls, standing dumbbell curls. FORM AND FUNCTION The biceps are a fusiform muscle with two heads (bi = two, ceps = heads) and actually span two joints, the elbow and the shoulder joint. The short…

Honey-mustard BLT SERVES 1 INGREDIENTS 2 slices smoked bacon 115g barbecue chicken breast, shredded 1 tbsp low-fat Greek yoghurt 2 tbsp Dijon mustard 2 tsp honey ¼ cup diced red onion ½ tsp garlic powder Salt and black pepper, to taste 1 large wholemeal pita ½ cup mixed baby greens ½ tomato, sliced DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a sheet tray with bacon and bake 15 minutes, or until crispy. (Or else cook it in the microwave by placing on a paper-towel-lined plate, then topping with another paper towel; cook for 6 to 8 minutes.) 2. In a bowl, combine chicken, yoghurt, mustard, honey, onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper. 3. Lightly heat pita in microwave to soften. Cut it in half and stuff with the chicken mixture,…

Q I’ve been reading a lot about the importance of nutrition for making gains once the workout is done, as this is the time when real muscle building takes place. But I’ve also read that proper nutrition during the workout is also necessary. With so many supps out there for pre- and post-workout, I think I’m covered. But what should I be taking during my workout? The purpose of nutrition during exercise is to stay hydrated, boost performance, provide immediate fuel for muscles, preserve muscle and improve recovery. Therefore, what you take in depends on how long you’re working out and what your goals are. Before we get to that, eating before training is important in order to keep nutrients working their way around your body. Also, water is critical…

BUTTON/CREMINI/ PORTOBELLO These common mushrooms are all the same type (Agaricus bisporus) sold at different stages of development. SHIITAKE This Asian mushroom has been cultivated since the 1200s in Japan. Shiitakes have a smoky flavour and may help with cardiovascular health by protecting blood vessels. OYSTER This thin mushroom is one of the most sought after in the wild and is commonly cultivated. A study found that it may lower cholesterol. ENOKI Long and thin with small caps, they are often found in Asian dishes. They contain a protein that has been linked to immune-system regulation. MAITAKE A wood-loving mushroom, maitake is also known as hen of the woods or sheep’s head. Studies have found that it can help stimulate immune-system cells.…

HAVE ANOTHER CUP Researchers from Stanford University, US, conducted a multipart study that found that regular caffeine consumption may keep levels of a protein linked to inflammation tamped down. And don’t stress over that fifth cup of coffee, dietary guidelines say that it’s cool to get around three to five cups of coffee (or about 400 mg/d caffeine) a day and that the brew is “not associated with increased long-term health risks among healthy individuals”. BUGGED OUT Scientists at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland have developed a ground-bug meal that they found is the perfect structure and flavour for mixing into other foods to enhance protein content without adding extra fat or carbs. They derived this culinary delight by figuring out a special method to grind up the…

Moe Elmoussawi liked high reps — did he ever! For a while he cranked out 1000 per body part in sets of 50 to 100. The routine below was the one he used before placing ninth in the 2008 Olympia — his career high point — and it’s a little less of an endurance test (he alternated it with a moderate-volume workout). Still, its tally of 625 reps is about four times what most bodybuilders do in a biceps routine. The mega reps didn’t transform all of the 175cm Lebanese-native into a Goliath, but his arms were two of the best in every contest he entered, including the 2008 and 2009 Olympias. Though he cracked the top 10 in both of those appearances, ahead of several legends, he never won…

Powerlifters and bodybuilders are like quarrelling brothers. Some differences they can never fully bridge and yet, for better or worse, they remain closely related. They do many of the same exercises. Bodybuilders squat, deadlift and bench press, just as powerlifters may crank out sets of triceps extensions, barbell rows and dumbbell flyes. A few bodybuilders — most especially Johnnie Jackson, Stan Efferding and, in his early years, Ronnie Coleman — have combined powerlifting and bodybuilding to great effect. They’ve ended the tiff and used a lower-rep, power-intense approach to bodybuilding to become both stronger and larger. RAISING THE DEAD The powerlifting and bodybuilding connection has been long and strong. Two-time Mr Olympia Franco Columbu started as a European champion powerlifter in the ’60s. His best reported lifts of a 750-pound…

Chin-ups and lat pulldowns will make your lats wider, but if you want a thick, densely-muscled back, you need to do rows. The T-bar row allows you to use a neutral grip — palms facing each other — which is the biomechanically strongest position to pull from. This gives T-bars an advantage over bentover rows, where the palms are turned down. Because you can use both hands, you can load more weight, and that gives the T-bar an edge over dumbbell rows, too. The only catch is that many gyms don’t have a T-bar row station. See sidebar for how you can create your own. OLD SCHOOL If your gym doesn’t have a T-bar station, go old school like Ronnie Coleman (above) so you can get all the benefits of…

Q I’ve been hearing about how bacteria can help us. How can I make sure I’ve got the good stomach bugs? Studies on the bacterial populations that live in our gastrointestinal tract have exploded in the past few years. These masses of germs — which are estimated to be at least three times more populous than your own human cells — are called your microbiome, and they have been found to influence everything from mental health and metabolism to the immune system and heart health. One key to keeping them on your side and not turning into an unruly mob of harmful bacteria is to continuously add in more good guys to keep the baddies in check. And that means you should be getting plenty of foods that feature probiotics.…

SWEET POTATO PANCAKES SERVES 1 (2 PANCAKES) INGREDIENTS 1 medium-size sweet potato ½ cup rolled oats 1 large egg 4 egg whites 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ cup low-fat plain yoghurt ½ cup sliced strawberries ½ cup blueberries DIRECTIONS Microwave sweet potato until soft. Let cool, then remove skin with a knife. Place oats in a blender and pulse until powdery; empty into a bowl and set aside. Add sweet potato to blender and pulse until smooth. Mix with the oat powder, then stir in egg, egg whites, vanilla, cinnamon and yoghurt. For each pancake, add ½ cup batter into a pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat, flip and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Top with berries.…

Long before he began marketing “The Zane Experience” as a personal seminar in which one could train with and learn from a bodybuilding legend at his personal gym in Southern California, three-time Mr Olympia Frank Zane had a less formal “Zane Experience”. It was all in his head, literally. We’re talking about Zane’s mental approach to training. Nothing was random; everything he did had a purpose. His focus was intense, and, consequently, so were his workouts. The results spoke for themselves: arguably the most aesthetically pleasing physique of all time and a legacy carved in stone. Frank Zane is ageing like fine wine. Still training regularly, looking great and churning out books (his most recent one being 91 Day Wonder Body, available at frankzane.com), he’s on our short list for…

X is bodybuilding’s ideal shape. Broad shoulders and lats above quads with dramatic outer sweeps and with a wispy waist in the middle form an hourglass. It’s a look that’s both classical and modern, and it conveys both aesthetic advantages and heavy-metal toil. Genetics might give you the ideal framework, but you’ve still got to build the body. Not everyone can possess a dramatic X-frame, but everyone can enhance their top, middle and bottom to maximise their X. Not everyone can possess a dramatic X-frame, but everyone can enhance their top, middle, and bottom to maximise their X. THE X FILES For the longest time, bodybuilding’s ideal shape was a V. Don Howorth, 1967 IFBB Mr America, was just one of the champs celebrated for his torso’s V-taper. Guys simply…

JUST ONCE… OR TWICE Sometimes a workout just isn’t in the cards, but as long as you get to the gym at least once or twice a week, you’ll still be able to keep yourself in the healthy lane, says a new study out of the University of Sydney. Scientists analysed data on more than 60,000 people and discovered that active adults — including those who exercised only once or twice a week — had about a 30% lower risk of death from all causes than adults who pretty much never got off their arses. GET FIT FAST Exercise scientists at McMaster University in Canada put the stairs to the test to find out how much work you need to put into climbing them to get a good health benefit.…

Q WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE FUTURE OF THE SPORT OF BODYBUILDING? If you listened to what David Pecker said at the last Olympia, he was stressing that everyone who has an interest in the sport needs to stop being so negative. Stop the hate that comes after someone wins. That negativity is dragging us all down. Everyone who competes and wins should be exalted. Everyone likes to say that bodybuilding is dying. It’s growing! It’s growing in so many ways! Be positive about that fact. This is all David Pecker’s way of saying “I’m all in — show the world that you like this sport. Don’t let the internet drag us down.” Q DO YOU HANG OUT WITH OR TRAIN WITH OTHER PROS MORE WHEN YOU TRAVEL FOR…

Q CAN I GAIN MUSCLE WHILE ALSO LOSING FAT OR DO I HAVE TO CHOOSE ONE OR THE OTHER? Being able to develop good lean muscle while dropping body fat at the same time should always be the goal, whether you’re competing or just training for a quality physique. In my opinion, it’s all about combining quality and quantity instead of choosing between the two. The type of training that has to be done in order to achieve this entails combining fundamental mass-gaining movements with cardio, where the two are happening at the same time. This is a concept I call “Heat Burns Meat”. When you put a steak on the grill, what happens? Once heat gets to it, the fat starts to melt away. Well, the body works in…

1 MAKE PANCAKES Combine 1 diced banana, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 2 tbsp coconut oil, ½ cup milk and 1 egg and whisk until fluffy. Stir in ¼ cup sprouted wholewheat flour. For each pancake, add ¹/8 batter to hot pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Top with banana slices, walnuts and cinnamon. 2 BAKE MUESLI BARS Combine 1 cup PB, ¼ cup shredded coconut, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp coconut oil, ½ cup rolled oats and 2 tbsp sesame seeds. Spread on a nonstick baking dish. Bake at 175°C for 10 minutes. Let cool. Cut into bars. 3 INDULGE WITH SOME FUDGE In a saucepan, combine 1 cup PB, ¼ cup coconut butter, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 2 tsp vanilla extract…

SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS FOR THE BLACK RICE: 1 cup black rice 1 tsp grapeseed oil 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme 1 bay leaf 3 cups chicken stock FOR THE GREEN CURRY SAUCE: 1 tbsp grapeseed oil ¼ cup chopped onion 1 garlic clove, minced ½ cup mirin wine \ 175ml coconut milk 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar 3 tbsp green curry paste ¼ bunch coriander sprigs Salt and pepper, to taste FOR THE MAIN DISH: 6 tbsp grapeseed oil 4 salmon fillets (200g each) 20 pipis 1 tsp minced ginger 1 tsp minced garlic 1 tsp minced spring onion ¼ cup mirin wine Juice of 1 lime 1 tbsp butter ¼ cup chicken stock Fresh coriander, for garnish DIRECTIONS BLACK RICE Heat a wide, shallow pot over high heat. Add…

JAMES “FLEX” LEWIS HAS A UNIQUE DILEMMA CONFRONTING HIM ON LEG DAYS. He competes in the IFBB’s 212 division — more accurately, he dominates the division as the Mr Olympia 212 champion five years running — and he’s right up against the upper limit come contest day. A miscalculation by him or his trainer, famed Y3T creator Neil Hill, which causes Lewis to add some extra muscle, and he could smash that 212-pound [96kg] ceiling. Problem is, his legs grow very easily, so his balancing act requires him to train hard enough to continue etching detail into his already shredded quads, glutes, and hamstrings, while not training them so hard as to build new muscle. And how exactly does he do this? Simple — by keeping a close eye on…

STEVE KUCLO He lacks a wispy waist, but Kuclo’s front-lat spread forms an hourglass because of his shoulder and leg breadth. FLEX LEWIS Despite standing 165cm with narrow lats, the Welsh Dragon attained the best X in the 212s by accentuating his delts and outer quads and keeping his waist thin. ED NUNN Back is his major weakness. Still, Nunn sports a stellar hourglass because of his invisible hips and curvy legs. SHAWN RHODEN No one owns a better combo of monster-truck wheels and svelte waist than Flexatron. Though his shoulders and back have long lagged, he expanded them enough for a second in the Mr Olympia. FLEX WHEELER The three-time Olympia runner-up achieved arguably the greatest X of all time by constructing on his relatively narrow clavicles.…