"If you learn from defeat, you haven't really lost." - Zig Ziglar

"If you learn from defeat, you haven't really lost." - Zig Ziglar

Much more need not be said. Everyone should understand this, it's straightforward; it can be applied to all aspects of life, professional, personal and training.

Read it, deeply understand it; and apply it everyday in your lives.

More Great Thoughts and Tips

Here's some more Thoughts and Tips to help you with your thinking about training and your actual training.

Coach Ben Bruno providing the useful info this time. Hit the link below and check it out.

8 More Random Thoughts and Training Tips - Ben Bruno

Enjoy!

15 More Practical Tips

Not posted much in a while...so here's something useful.

15 more training tips from Coach Bret Contreras.

Not much to be said here really, just a list of great tips to help you push your training even harder; so hit the link below and give it a read.

Contreras Files V: 15 More Practical Tips - Bret Contreras

Enjoy!

Bench Press Seminar

Here is a great article by Jim Wendler on how to improve your bench press, I think this is a fantastic piece if you have been struggling with your bench for a while or suffer from some sort of joint issues.

I have been benching with a powerlifting style for years due to my dodgy shoulders and it really helped me push more weight and really develop my chest. Some of the tips are really simple and effective; like the positioning of your elbows, but can make a huge difference to your press.

An important thing to remember is that to build a big bench you need strong shoulders, and he mentions that in this article and previous one's he has also written. Anyway, hit the link below and give it a read. It will help anybody, not just those who are struggling with their bench.

The Virtual Bench Press Seminar - Jim Wendler

Enjoy!

All You Got To Do Is Start....

You hear it all the time; I have not got the motivation to train, I want to get back into shape but I can't, I don't have the will power to train or eat healthy.

I all honesty; all this is a bunch of B.S. It all comes down to you just getting started; and that's the key, getting started.

This following great video is by The Hodge Twins who have a couple of different channels on YouTube who talk about training, diet, motivation and random life advice. In the video they are basically going over motivation for training and their message is really simple; YOU JUST GOT TO START. We all have to start somewhere, you don't just magically become super strong and conditioned.

What you need to take away from this post is that if you are not happy about where you are now then THAT POINT is your starting point; and you will build up and improve from there, accept this point as the point where you start and begin to make the changes you want to. It will take time, but remember it is the start; and that position is better than the one where you were and much better than those that did not even bother to start.

Watch the video below to get the HodgeTwins point of view, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

I hope this helps some people out there.

Also subscribe to the HodgeTwins for more videos and hilarious videos:

MAIN CHANNEL - http://www.youtube.com/hodgetwins
ASKHODGETWINS (RELATIONSHIP ADVICE) - http://www.youtube.com/askhodgetwins
NATURAL BODYBUILDING AND FITNESS CHANNEL - http://www.youtube.com/twinmuscleworkout
INTERMITTENT FASTING CHANNEL - http://www.youtube.com/fastingtwins
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/thehodgetwins

Enjoy!

Great Training Tips

This article I think contains some great tips for for helping us get the best out of our training and really maximising our time in the gym. It might go over the head of some people who will not understand the benefits behind the tips, but take your time to really understand what has been written.

Hit the link below and give it a read.

7 Overlooked Habits of Very Successful Lifters - Jesse Irizarry

Enjoy!

Practical Tips

So I have not posted much lately, been busy with starting a new job and what have you. I'll try hard to keep the posts coming though!

Here as usual is a very useful article from Coach Bret Contreras; he goes over some really practical tips to help us get the most from our training and really help us to push our training further. Hit the link below and check it out.

The Contreras Files IV: 15 Practical Tips - Bret Contreras

Enjoy!

21 Random Things You Learn As You Get Older

Here's a simple little article listing things you learn out training and nutrition as you get older.

I had a read through and thought to myself this is starting to sound like me now! And I'm only in my early 20s! But I have been training for a long time; it's incredibly true that wisdom does come with age.

Anyway; hit the link below and check it out.

21 Random Things You Learn As You Get Older

Enjoy!

A Tractor Doing Doughnuts????

This is crazy; watch the video.

Enjoy!

Jay Leno's Garage

This is outstanding, I love Porsche's, give it a watch.

If you're into cars, subscribe to Jay Leno's channel on YouTube, you will not be disappointed.

Enjoy!

Kimi Raikkonen's Life Lessons

This is a fantastic analysis of Kimi Raikkonen's words from last weekends race in Abu Dhabi. It's a great interpretation of what he was saying, very applicable to everyday life. Give it a watch.

Enjoy!

8 Laws of Strength Training

Follow these and you will progress; enough said.

8 Laws of Strength Training - Bret Contreras

Enjoy!

Protein Fluff

This is a cool little article to make some "Protein Fluff," basically ice cream like protein powder treats. These would work great as a little desert, especially when your trying to eat healthy. Based on the recipes in the article you could experiment with any ingredients as long as you use an electric whisk to get the "fluff" effect.

Protein Fluff: 3 Quick And Easy Recipes!

Enjoy!

Extremely Informative Video

This is a video by Eric Cressey sent out in his newsletter. He goes over the 8 Ways to Screw Up a Row. This is applicable to anyone; beginners or experienced lifters to improve technique when doing rowing exercises to get the most effectiveness from the exercise but importantly to reduce any chance of injury. Watch the video and you'll learn some really important tips.

Enjoy!

Do This, Not That

Great Article from Jim Wendler here, as per usual. He's looking at ideas and exercises that are the norm in the strength training world but with some variations. This is not really about pushing yourself harder, but more about keeping your training effective; especially if you're aging and can't push as hard he offers some nice little variations so you can still train effectively.

Anyway hit the link below and give it a read; Jim Wendler will never steer you wrong!

Do This, Not That - Jim Wendler

Enjoy!

Dave Tate on Human Potential

Dave Tate truly is a genius.

This is a great interview with Dave at a CrossFit seminar (I'm not bothered for CrossFit personally), he's talking about the mindset of athletes and their potential. Watch the video, it really is interesting.

As previously mentioned you can follow Dave on Twitter @UnderTheBar for more useful tips, definitely worth it. You can use the links on the right to follow me.

Enjoy!

20 Almost Laws of Strength Training

This is a very interesting article that will really get you thinking about your training. Coach Bret Contreras goes through his list of laws that almost make it be being vital to strength training.

He talks about these almost laws and explains it really well why there are not defined laws of strength training. It really got me thinking about my current training and especially how I trained in the past and also what maybe I should be looking to do in the future with my programming.

This might be difficult for beginners to get their heads around but anybody with a few years of lifting experience should understand the reasoning behind why these are "almost laws" and not defined laws.

I honestly believe that a lot of the points touched upon can be applied to any current program being utilised by anyone and boost the effectiveness of their training and thus their results. This is part 1 of the overall article; in part 2 he will discuss what he would call the "defined laws" of strength training. Hit the link below and give it a read or two to absorb all the information!

20 Almost Laws of Strength Training - Bret Contreras

Also check out Bret Contreras's YouTube channel, he usually posts some pretty amazing videos.

Enjoy Readers!

Life Is Tough, Stay Positive

Words To Live By

This is Insanely Good

Kai Greene Posing Routine

Hit the link below to watch this awesome posing routine.

Kai Greene Posing Routine to Dirty Diana

Enjoy!

Oh Yes

Generation Iron

Great Question

Why Do People Eat Super Hot Peppers?

Watch the video, Enjoy!

Great Website

This is a great little website I found while looking at some stuff on bodybuilding.com.

It's a website dedicated to all sorts of protein based recipes, specifically whey protein based recipes for those of us that have a sweet tooth or if you want to make healthy, muscle building, protein packed snacks. Hit the link below and check it out, you will love it.

http://www.proteinpow.com/

Good Evening Readers! Enjoy!

Supersets Article

I love supersets.

There; I said it. I properly love supersets, the more brutal the more I love them. They are an excellent method to hit fat loss and muscle growth, they increase training density with only slight increasing training time and they can allow you to squeeze more into each workout: win, win, WIN. However, a lot of people do not do them properly or they have poor choice for exercise selection; I'll admit that I was one of them with poor exercise selection, until I learned about choosing exercises properly and with help from others.

The following a great article by Eric Cressey on his favourite supersets, warning some of them are extremely brutal; so I would definitely give them a try! Hit the link below to learn his methods and really give your training a kick that will probably leave you hating the moment you clicked on the link!

The Superset Survival Guide - Eric Cressey

Go on give them a bash and love the pain!

Enjoy!

Is Dairy Healthy Part 3

Here is the link to final part of the article about dairy products. Brian St. Pierre goes over pasteurisation and the impact of milk on muscle building - probably the most important thing to us. Hit the link below and check it out.

Is Dairy Healthy? The Whole Story – Part 3

Enjoy!

This is Awesome

Is Dairy Healthy?

I came across this article courtesy of Eric Cressey's mailing list. If from a guest author that has published the article on Eric Cressey's website. It is written by Brian St. Pierre who is certified sports nutritionist, he is looking at the argument that dairy is bad for us.

Its a great article in that he compares your traditional milk products from the supermarket to other forms of milk and discusses why dairy is not bad for you. I have never bought into the premise that dairy is bad for you, and this article explains it nicely. It has some interesting points that you probably would not think of at first sight, it really makes you think; I will not give too much away. Hit the links below and check it out, it is broken down into two parts.

Is Dairy Healthy? The Whole Story – Part 1

Is Dairy Healthy? The Whole Story – Part 2

Enjoy, you will learn something very beneficial!

Why I Write This Blog

In Dave Tate's article Iron Evolution: Reflections Part 2 he touches upon something where he answers the question; "Biggest mental lesson from Westside?" A part of the answer to this question sums up why I started writing this blog and sharing the things that I learn.


"The next lesson, and this is related to the first, is that to be truly excellent, you have to make helping others become better than you your number one goal.

A lot of guys, even some of the guys at Westside, never truly bought into this. They'd pitch in and assist and give spots or whatever, but they never really relished in seeing someone else excel. And that should be goal number one.

Today I realize that's what greatness is built upon. It's like a circle – someone mentors you, you excel and mentor the next guy to be better than you, and the whole team wins.

It always stings a bit to see your name wiped off the board, but what some don't get is that your time to be number one may come again. If it doesn't, and you did your job, while you may not see your name when you look up at the board, you'll see all those you helped to get up there. And there should be pride in this."


That bit in bold: It's like a circle - someone mentors you, you excel and mentor the next guy to be better than you, and the whole team wins. I've been searching for a while for the best way to explain why I started this blog, I've even been asked in job interviews why; and I've always come up with a decent answer, but I think this is the perfect explanation and metaphor.

A circle, mentoring the next guy to be better than you. I've said this many times before; many people will not understand this, but if you open your mind and take a moment to really think about it you will understand. The aim is to teach people to avoid your mistakes, to avoid silly injury's and nutrition mistakes, mentoring them to avoid these things so they can excel; and yes, be better than you. That final bit: "And there should be pride in this." A very true sentiment; you should be proud to help others, and to help them become better than you. I am proud of helping you people out there, I am extremely proud to share what I know personally and what I discover so we can all enhance our knowledge, training mentality, experiences and our overall lifestyle.

I thoroughly enjoy writing this blog, I love training, I love mental training and most of all I am proud to be helping the people who take their time to read. So I would like to say thank you to all you people who read and share my words of wisdom, and I will keep on going with this because I love it and I am proud to do it.

Once again Thank You, and I would also like to thank Dave for sharing his wisdom that he has gained through pain and incredibly tough times. Remember you can follow Dave on Twitter; @UnderTheBar and you can follow me at @indie_is_king and @is_reehal.

Good Evening Readers, Much Love!

Part 2 of the "Epic Article"

Here is part 2 to the Article I posted from Dave Tate recently.

In this part he is answering questions with his past experiences and knowledge giving great insight into different methodologies and perceptions. Hit the link below and check it out.

Iron Evolution Reflections Part 2 - Dave Tate

There's something that Dave touches upon in this that applies to myself and why I started this blog; but I'll discuss that in a separate post.

Enjoy the read! 

Supplementation Basics

I found this pretty useful video on youtube by a guy called Furious Pete who is a competitive eater, bodybuilding.com athlete and a vlogger. In the video he goes over the basics of supplementation for beginners and more advanced lifters. It informative if you have no idea what supps you should be looking at. Check it out.

I'm planning on writing my own version of supplementation basics and also something for more advanced lifters, but if your advanced you should know what to use already. I'll also include some of my recommended products also.

Subscribe to Furious Pete on YouTube for some funny videos, also like his page on Facebook.

Enjoy!

A Few Rather Insane Back Movements

Came across this article today look at back movements, specifically lower back movements; not a deadlift though. Eirik Sandvik wrote this article about variations to "back raises" for all different level athletes.

I'm going to stop here and let you read it and see what you think, if you're into your training properly give some of them a try, I know I will be.

Give Your Back a Raise - Eirik Sandvik

Enjoy!

No Words

The Most Impressive New Hypercar?

The Porsche 918 Spyder HYBRID Hypercar. HYBRID. I'll say it once more so you understand; HYBRID, it has an electric motor aswell as a combustion engine and they call this a Hypercar.

This could well be a massive evolution for the automotive industry; more performance, more efficiency and easier to drive at slower speeds. Watch the video for a more in depth look at the car with interviews with the engineers.

Enjoy!

What I would call an "Epic Article"

This article written by Dave Tate is truly one of a kind, I would call it and "Epic Article." You very rarely come across articles that give you this much information about a person, honest thoughts and feelings and very applicable motivational thinking to your training.

Basically Dave is reflecting on his history in training and the lessons he's learned through other people and the hard way, he also answers a bunch of questions with very in depth analysis.

Dave's training philosophy is something I aspire to, I love training and I do see myself training long into the future and Dave inspires me to keep going. Hit the link below and give the article a read, if you love training like I do you will definitely learn something.

Iron Evolution Reflections Part 1 - Dave Tate

Also follow Dave on twitter, he always posts useful stuff to help with your training, business knowledge and useful information for life in general: @UnderTheBar Dave (CEO elitefts).

Enjoy Readers!

Olympia 2012

So the Olympia weekend has just finished and Phil Heath walks away a 2 times My Olympia, congratulations to him. I must say though, I am disappointed.

Running up the competition I truly believed that the title would go to Kai Greene this year, I thought he had something up his sleeve and he would talk it home. Kai did not disappoint, he brought a great package, the best I've seen in a while from him. After prejudging on Friday night I would argue that Kai was in front of Phil, I would say he definitely had the edge, even though he was not 100% on point, he still looked like he had a slight film of water remaining. Also based on Saturday night's individual routines I would probably favour Kai also, however that could be my bias towards Kai being one of my hero's.

I am a fan of Phil Heath, do not get me wrong, he truly is "the gift" but it was incredibly close; if I was a bodybuilding judge, I would have given Kai the win, but I'm not a judge. On close scrutiny I can see why Phil won, but as a die hard Kai fan, I am still disappointed. Phil pulled it off over from Friday, he did something special to take the edge.

Shawn Rhoden placing the 3rd was a huge surprise, but definitely deserved, no one else on the stage was worthy of placing in front of him. He has a bright future in front of him as a pro.

1st: Phil Heath

3rd: Shawn Rhoden

2nd: Kai Greene

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Photos courtesy of bodybuilding.com

The big disappointment for me was Dennis Wolf placing in 6th. He is a very impressive athlete with an amazing physique, very akin to the past days of bodybuilding with narrow waists and wide shoulders. I thought based on his package he would have placed much higher, possibly 4th, he did not have enough to beat Shawn. 

Anyway those are my thoughts, even though I am disappointed it was a great competition with a very tough range of athletes. It was great that Phil was pushed hard by Kai and that other athletes are bringing a stiffer competition. Kai's day will come I am sure of it and so will Shawn's. Next onto the 2013 Arnold Classic.

Top 10 Mr. Olympia Routines: Shawn Rhoden - 2012 Olympia

Top 10 Mr. Olympia Routines: Shawn Rhoden - 2012 Olympia

Top 10 Mr. Olympia Routines: Kai Greene - 2012 Olympia

Top 10 Mr. Olympia Routines: Kai Greene - 2012 Olympia

Top 10 Mr. Olympia Routines: Phil Heath - 2012 Olympia

Top 10 Mr. Olympia Routines: Phil Heath - 2012 Olympia

Thoughts of a Great Man

“I definitely do have the opportunity in front of me to do my best, I do believe that if I do, do my best then my best will be rewarded and I want to always to get out of the mindset of the aim of you know beating another man, that other man works hard; these men work hard to try to see their dream realised.  I’m working hard to see mine realised aswell, so I’m not necessarily trying to take anything from anyone; I’m just going to take what’s mine” – Kai Greene (One Day Before 2012 My Olympia competition)

Great "Back" Article

The following article is great piece written by Coach Ben Bruno. He goes over alternative rowing movements that will help improve your back in terms of posture through better scapular retraction as well as size.

What this means is these movements will improve your posture, make you more upright, improve your should health which will help your chest training and also put size on your back. I have suffered from some of the problems he mentions and I do try and focus on the movement when training my back as well as moving some heavy weight with good form.

Read it, if your an intelligent gym rat then it will resonate with you, if your not intelligent and do not want to avoid injury and carry on training chest and biceps well it's your loss. I like the look of #5 in the list, it looks very interesting and I can understand what Coach Bruno is getting at. Hit the link below and have a read.

Cool Rowing Movements - Ben Bruno

Enjoy!

'Ring Fear

This video is jokes! A DTM driver takes his wife around the Nurburgring in a BMW M3. While his wife is sitting there petrified he is laughing his head off.

Enjoy!

The Best Bodybuilding Quotes

Here's a link to the best bodybuilding quotes compiled by spotmebro.com. It's raw, 100% real talk bodybuilding thoughts that do not only apply to the sport of bodybuilding but any training related to activity.

If you love training like me, then you will truly relate to these. Hit the link and check them out.

The Best No Bullshit Bodybuilding Quotes Of All Times

Enjoy!

Olympia 2012 Anticipation

Here's a page with a bunch of Olympia photos to wet your appetite in preparation for the Olympia 2012 which is only a few days away. This year I feel will be an epic contest and is very close to call. I am a huge Kai Greene fan and I truly believe that this is his year.

I cannot wait!

Hit the link below and check out the photos.

Picture Perfect: 20 Inspirational Olympia Shots

Enjoy!

You Should Know....

"Somewhere in Africa, a gazelle wakes up at the break of dawn. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed.

Somewhere else in Africa, a lion wakes up at the break of dawn. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve.

Now it doesn't matter whether you're the lion or the gazelle, What matters is when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."

Some of you will understand what I am going to say about this quote, some of you will not. The key things to focus on in the statement are: "a gazelle...knows it must; a lion...knows it must." See what I'm getting at yet?

When you get up in the morning, or when you are heading to the gym or training sessions; you should KNOW why you are doing what you are. This is what gives your training purpose and a goal to aim for and work towards. This knowledge is key.

If you do not know what you are training for or towards how will you make progress? You should always keep your goal at the forefront of your mindset in order to get the best out of your training and probably most importantly in order to enjoy your training and enjoy what you are going through.

Whenever I have trained aimlessly I have not made any progress or improvements and I have not enjoyed it, but when I have a goal to work towards then the training and the pain makes sense.  We all have our own goals; whether it is to get stronger, put on size, add lead muscle, lose weight, improve conditioning or even reduce stress, your goals are your goals, no one can take them away from you, and as long as you remember to have a goal and know what you are training for; your training will be successful and enjoyable.

I'll share my current goals with me readers so you know what I'm currently working towards. I'm working on strength, conditioning and a bit of fat loss to lean out some more, not really looking at size currently. I'm not going to share what my training is like, I like to keep somethings close to my chest, but I will tell you that I am enjoying it and it is working!

So remember, KNOW why you a training, KNOW why you are putting yourself through all the pain and soreness; this way you will reach your goals and you will love your training. FYI your training does not have to be running!

Hope this helps you people out there!

Good Evening Readers!

Follow me on twitter, check the feeds on the right of the page!

Best F1 Driver?

Whether you love him or hate him it would be very difficult to argue that the following driver is the best in Formula 1 in the post Senna era.

Hit the link below and see what you think.

The Best F1 Driver in 20 Years

Everyone has their own opinions, but I agree with this, and it is very hard to argue against it; feel free to try though!

Enjoy!

Great Strength Article

This is a great article by Jim Wendler on how to increase your strength using methods other than conventional lifts. I have personally tried a lot of these and they definitely work.

The strongman stuff makes a huge difference to your strength levels, especially your grip, which all translates over to your lifting. I love strongman training.

Anyway, enough of me, hit the link below and read the article. I guarantee it will help your lifting.

5 Ways to Get Stronger You Didn't Already Know - Jim Wendler

Enjoy!

Journey to the Olympia 2012

This is great video series produced by Universal Nutrition featuring their sponsored IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Evan 'Ox' Centopani. Evan has recently turned pro with an amazing start to his pro career and in 2012 is preparing to compete in his first Mr Olympia competition, and I truly believe he can challenge the top guys.

The great thing about Evan when he does his video series or blog articles is that he just does not talk about his lifting or nutrition, he discusses other aspects to the bodybuilding lifestyle and life in general. He gives great insight into having the right mentality and outlook in life and training in order to reach your goals.

Anyway, enough from me, watch the videos below and make up your own minds; I personally think he is one of the future champions and I wish him the best of luck.

Journey to the Olympia 2012, Volume 1:

Journey to the Olympia 2012, Volume 2:

Hit the link below for Evan's video series produced before the 2012 Arnold Classic, another worthwhile series.

Evan "Ox" Centopani: Journey to the Arnold 2012 - youtube.com

Watch the videos, I'm positive you'll love them. Enjoy readers!

Good Afternoon!

Interesting Creatine Article

An article was published on the Sports Nutrition Insider website of an interview with a leading expert on Creatine.

You should all know and understand the benefits of Creatine for improving performance and muscular gains. But the expert, Dr Ralf Jäger, explains other benefits of Creatine including improving your cognitive function and its neuroprotective effects through improving the efficiency of certain drugs; thus opening the possibility that Creatine could also be used for medical situations. 

One of the most important points he goes onto explain is about the various forms of Creatine on the market. I've learned through my experience that plain old Creatine Monohydrate is the best form to take as it is the simplest and from my personal viewpoint; the most effective. Dr Jäger explains that as Monohydrate has the most research to prove its effects, almost 20 years worth, and that the research on the newer forms of Creatine or the so-called "Creatine Formulas" does not show conclusively that the effects are greater. So in other words; why waste money on other formulas that are not proven to be more effective than Monohydrate? 

Apparently cycling Creatine is the best way to take it in order to get the best effects; I have not cycled Creatine in years. I prefer to take about 5 grams a day ongoing, and personally I do not go for a loading phase either as I feel it makes little difference to my performance. Dr Jäger also backs this up by explaining that your body will only store a certain amount which can be maintained. Dr Jäger states that there is no scientific reason to cycle Creatine, the only time it would possibly need to be stopped is when your funds are running low. 

So that's the article in a nutshell, hit the link below to read the full interview it is definitely worth a read. 

SNI Interviews Leading Expert on Creatine – Ralf Jäger PhD FISSN

Based on the interview I was using Creatine in a perfectly good manner and I will keep doing it for my entire training life. Oh and by the way; anybody who thinks that Creatine is some placebo effect they are talking total B.S. the stuff works, period. 

Good Evening Readers! Enjoy! 

Don't Quit

Shout out to Dave Tate CEO of EliteFTS for tweeting this. Follow Dave - @UnderTheBar.

This Man is a Legend

No words, just click the link.

PH MEETS MR GRAN TURISMO

Greatness

Just watch.

If you read this blog, you will truly understand.

"Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." -William Faulkner

No Excuses

People are always coming with poor excuses for not being able to train or not putting in 100%. Well frankly there are very few reasons you cannot train, mainly this is due to injury.

This following article outlines everything from a training cycle and sample exercises all the way down to a nutrition plan and even when to go shopping for those of you out there who claim you are "too busy" to train and live this lifestyle.

Hit the link below and give it a read, it's incredibly useful stuff (otherwise I would not be posting it).

Real Life Training and Eating - Dan John

Enjoy!

Good Little Article

This is a good little motivational article for you all out there. If you're unmotivated, struggling for a sense of direction or just want some great advice hit the link below. Also it's great motivation for training in there for those of you who have lost the sight of their goals.

Success: You Have to Want It As Bad As You Want To Breathe

Enjoy Readers!

Kai Greene: A Day in the Life

This is a great series documenting a close insight into the day in the life of a bodybuilder. This is not some flash and fancy documentary but a real insight from a great man, Kai Greene. He talks about the real way in he got started in bodybuilding and what anyone who wants to get started should be doing.

Anyway enough talking, watch the videos, I'm sure you will love them!

Part 3 is not on youtube yet. Hit the link below to access part 3 on the Flex website.

Kai Greene: A Day in the Life Part 3

Give all 3 videos a watch, you'll enjoy it.

Good Evening Readers!

Good Article

This is a great article written by Tim Henriques about belief. I'm a strong advocate of belief and believing in yourself as I truly think it has a strong effect on your life and performance.

Give it a read, I'm sure you'll like and understand what he's saying.

The Belief Effect - Tim Henriques

Enjoy!

Six Rules of Success

Great Article by Jim Wendler

I found this great article written by the great Jim Wendler and thought I'd share it. Basically he's talking about mistakes that he's made over years and to avoid them.

What he says is definitely worth taking on board without question, so read and apply!

Hit the link below to read the article.

6 Mistakes I Made - So You Don't Have To by Jim Wendler

Enjoy!

Big Cojones Most Definitely Required

No need to say anything, just watch and enjoy!

Cissus Quadrangularis

This is my favorite supplement/ingredient; this is the one supplement I would recommend to anybody without hesitation with a true belief that it will help them better than anything else.

Basically this is the perfect supplement for joint issues, joint pain, broken bone recovery, muscle injuries and especially tendon issues. What this does is reduce inflammation in your joints, tendons and muscles so you can recover from injuries quicker and recover from heavy sessions even better. There is obviously a lot more science behind it but I'm not going to go into that.

Cissus is a herb found in India and Africa and does not seem to be widely known in training circles. It is widely regarded to be better than most if not all the Glucosamine joint supplements. The following extract is from the Myprotein website about their product:

"Cissus Quadrangularis is a traditional Indian medicine that has been used for centuries to help promote the fracture healing process of bones. Research has shown that the unique blend of vitamins, minerals, and plant sterol compounds can strengthen tissue and bone whilst promoting the overall health of all connective tissue.

The active ingredient of Cissus Quadrangularis is Ketosterone. Cissus is often regarded as a key supplement for anyone who participates in intense and regular physical activity due to the number of benefits; including both mass building and joint protection.

Cissus has also been shown to promote the healing of tendon related injuries by influencing early regeneration of connective tissue through the mobilization of fibroblasts and chondroblasts whilst also delivering nutrients to the injured tissue. Unlike pain relief products, Cissus not only soothes the pain of connective tissue injury but it also works to repair it."

In my personal experience all of this has been true and it really does do what it says on the label. I have ongoing issues with my shoulders for years. I tore my rotator cuff and it was struggling to heal and it was bad for nearly a year. I could not train shoulders or chest properly. I got told about Cissus by a family member who told me how it had helped him recover from a shoulder injury. After a week of taking it I noticed much less pain, better movement and much better recovery. It allowed me to train my shoulders and chest properly and heavier than I had done in a long time. Then when I broke my wrist I was taking Cissus. Doctors were telling me I would be in cast for 6 - 10 weeks! Firstly it took them 3weeks to realise that my wrist was broken, then they put it in a cast. After 6 weeks I went back for an x-ray and the nurse who took the cast off told me that they would most likely put the cast back on. When I saw the Doctor he told me everything looked good and he discharged me, happy days. First few days my wrist was sore but after that it felt good. When this happened I increased the dosage of the Cissus to boost its impact.

Since then I have kept Cissus as a staple in my supplement regime. When I come off it for a bit I notice my joints, especially my shoulders, are much more sore from heavy sessions and recovery takes longer.

Cissus for me a definitely a supplement that works properly and helps an unbelievable amount. So if you have issues with your joints, niggling shoulder injuries, serious shoulder injuries, broken bones or tendon issues then I would 100% recommend trying some Cissus.

Here are some products available:

Myprotein Mega Cissus















Mega Cissus

Bulk Supplements Direct Ultra Cissus Quadrangularis 50%

Ultra Cissus Quadrangularis 50%

I have tried both of these and both are excellent. Just be aware they take a few days to build up in your system before they really kick in. I take one upon waking and one before bed and this should be enough for most people, but if you need more take more.

Cissus is a great addition to anyone training hard and heavy so give it a shot, you will not be disappointed!

Good Afternoon Readers!

Good Protein Powder Tip

I was reading a post from Eric Cressey with tips from Coach Greg Robins and he had some really good tips on protein powder. Some of you may have read and even tried these before; but I thought I'd share it with everyone.

"Consider mixing protein powder with something other than water or milk.

I hardly ever recommend protein powder as the best choice for a quality protein source. However, a quality product (with minimal garbage thrown in the mix) is an easy way to get more protein into someone's diet. For some, a scoop with water or milk is fine; they even enjoy the taste. For others, myself included, the novelty of protein shakes has diminished greatly. Enter other viable options to mix in a scoop or two of your favorite protein supplement.

Option 1: Ice Coffee

This is a game changer. Adding a scoop of vanilla or chocolate protein powder to black coffee is a delicious alternative to milk, cream, and sugar. It not only tastes great, but also fuels your body and gives you a little boost. Furthermore, I find it to be a fantastic option for people looking to shed some weight. The protein powder will satiate you, while the caffeine can work to curb your appetite and stimulate your metabolism.

WARNING: don't try this with hot coffee. The protein powder will not mix well and tends to curdle at the top.

Option 2: Oatmeal

After you cook up a cup or two of raw oats, throw in a scoop or two of your favorite flavor. Make sure the protein goes in after the oatmeal is cooked, and before it cools down and solidifies.

Option 3: Plain Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is delicious on its own, but sometimes it needs some variety. I would much rather get some flavor from a scoop of protein than the sugar filled "fruit" you find at the bottom of most other varieties. One of my favorite concoctions looks like this: 1 cup of plain greek yogurt, 1 scoop of chocolate whey, 4tbsp of oat bran, 4tbsp of shredded coconut flakes. Mix it all together, place it in the fridge over night, and you’ve got a delicious breakfast or snack for the next day."

As I said before I'd recommend signing up to newsletters, not just Eric Cressey's, but any Coach's as they usually contain some really beneficial tips. 

Hope you like these tips and give them a try, I know I will be. 

Good Afternoon Readers, Enjoy!

The Truth about Sports Products - Panorama

I watched this programme and I was confused at the point they were trying to make, in fact I did not understand a lot of their arguments. To me it seemed a very one sided debate mainly focused against Glaxo, which is pretty shocking, especially to those of us that know anything sports nutrition and variety of brands that are available.

I didn't agree with anything they were saying, as I use a lot of the products they "investigated" and I have seen great effectiveness with great results.

Anyway I found another article written by Predator Nutrition that seems to sum up the programme very well. Hit the link below and give it a read, it makes so much more sense than the Panorama show.

The Truth about Sports Products - Programme Review by Predator Nutrition

Good Evening Readers!

Anybody want to give me a Graduate job?

So I have a Masters in International Business from the University of Leeds, an undergraduate degree in Law from Leeds Law School and a fair bit of work experience to go with my qualifications too.

I've been on the graduate job hunt since I completed my Law degree in 2009; didn't much luck so I thought I'd expand my horizons with a Masters with I completed for the 2010-2011 academic year. I have been looking for graduate work since I finished my Masters last September.

I have had interviews and assessment days but still no luck. It's frustrating when you don't get feedback on your performance or the feedback you do get does absolutely nothing to help you improve for the future. 

I'm still going hard on the job hunt, I haven't given up yet. Please check out my LinkedIn profile and if you can pass on some advice, or even better offer me a job :) I'd really appreciate it and I would probably love you forever if you did! Haha.... I'm being serious though! :)

Inderpal Reehal - LinkedIn

The following video is one the big reasons I haven't given up. It inspires me, keeps me feeling positive and that I can achieve all my ambitions. Give it a watch, I'm sure you'll appreciate it.

So I just thought I'd share a bit of information for you about myself and what I'm working on away from Training.

Good Evening Readers!

Eric Cressey Home Workout

Eric Cressey a great Coach gave the following home workout to try in his newsletter. It looks quite brutal, definitely worth trying though!

"Grab a deck of cards for an impromptu home workout.

I get asked a lot about travel, or at-home workouts. A while back, I introduced my standard answer: get a deck of cards! Assign an exercise to each suit in the deck, and let the number dictate reps for each choice (face cards are always 10). Here is an awesome workout you can bring with you anywhere:

Spades: reverse lunges
Clubs: single-leg bridges
Diamonds: prone bridge arm march
Hearts: push-ups

Bonus!

Aces: 10 burpees
Jokers: 10 jump squats

If you have a TRX or pull-up bar, I recommend making one suit TRX rows, and jokers a doable amount of pull-ups.

Turn over a card, and GO! See how fast you can make it through the deck, and try to beat your time every workout"

This is an awesome little workout, great to bash out when your traveling, on holiday or bored at home!

Hit the link below to read the full newsletter. I'd recommend signing up for his newsletters as they generally have great bits of information in them.

Quick and Easy Ways to Feel and Move Better: Installment 11 - Eric Cressey

Enjoy!

Sleep

Sleep is a vital part of recovery when training hard. You all should know this, it's nothing new. I like 7-8 hours of sleep a night, that's what is recommended anyway. However, a lot of people out there say they need more; what?? You really should not need more than that unless your routine is something mad.

Arnold made a really good comment in a video called "Life's 6 Rules" where one of his comments is that he only sleeps 6 hours a night and for those that slept more he had this to say, "then sleep faster I would recommend." This makes me laugh every time I hear it, but he's right. You should aim to sleep faster then you have more time to do other stuff. Now your probably thinking; how the hell do I sleep faster?? In all honesty I wouldn't call it sleeping faster, I would call it sleeping better or more effectively. Now your probably thinking I'm talking BS, but there is something that really helps this.

Magnesium supplements. Magnesium is mineral that your body uses and to put it simply, most of us are deficient in Magnesium and we need to supplement with it to correct our levels. You generally take magnesium supplements about and hour before you sleep and they make you drowsy and you sleep much deeper. This is what I mean when I say sleep more effectively. You may only sleep 6 hours then but you will sleep much deeper and you will wake up much more refreshed in the morning. Magnesium supplementation has helped me live of 6 hours of sleep during the working week and sometimes even less. This really helps me recover from tough training sessions too.

Along with Magnesium, another thing you can do to improve your sleep is aim to eat foods that increase Serotonin production in your body. You should consume these late evening, night time to help you drift off and sleep deeper. My favourites are bananas and drinking cold milk. A lot of you may say you shouldn't drink milk as its too high in calories and it makes you fat, well if that's your thinking drink semi-skimmed or skimmed milk. I don't care, I like a nice cold glass of milk, especially in summer when its hot and it contains good nutrients.

To sum up, too improve your sleep take a Magnesium supplement, eat a banana late evening and drink some milk. This will help you "sleep faster" according to Arnold but help you run of slightly less sleep than recommended and speed up your recovery from better sleep. A Magnesium supplement with many types of magnesium is always better. A lot of Magnesium supplements are known as ZMA or Zinc and Magnesium. Zinc is another mineral that your body uses; ZMA supplements will also give you a slight testosterone boosting advantage.

Remember I am not a medical professional or a nutritionist, I'm just an experienced guy who loves training and I'm passing on what I know. If you need more information, Google it, speak sports nutritionist, but don't speak to a doctor, they will most likely tell you that your Magnesium levels are "normal" and "within-range" which to be honest means nothing.

Give some Magnesium a try and I promise you will not regret it.

Good Evening! p.s watch the Arnold video below.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: Life's Six Rules

Another Good Article

This article written by Dan John explains his view on living a "Fit" Life. Gives good insight on having the right people around you and the goals you should be aiming for.

Figuring Out Your Life and Lifting Goals - Dan John

Enjoy!

Horrible F1 crash

Maria de Villota the Marussia F1 test driver was involved in a horrible testing crash yesterday in which she hit the back of one of the team's transporter trucks.

Her injuries were described and life-threatening at the time and news has just been released today that she has lost her right eye. This is truly devastating and I would like to say my thoughts are with her and her family at this time.

As the safety of F1 and drivers is always at the front of everyone's mind who's involved, it could be possible that we will see fighter-jet still cockpits on F1 cars sooner than later to continue the fight for a safer sport.

Click the link below to read the Autosport article.

Maria de Villota loses right eye in accident - Autosport

Higgs Particle Discovery

This is amazing. I am not a physicist or even remotely a scientist, but I love science and the discoveries that are being made all the time, but this is probably the biggest in a long time and could possibly be the biggest of even my life, and I'm only 24.

Discovering a particle that is consistent with the Higgs boson could give the human race a great insight into the Universe, and as the physicists are saying; this is only the beginning.

Read the BBC article from the posted link. I think everyone should read it and try to understand what this means.

Higgs boson-like particle discovery claimed at LHC

Enjoy! 

Great Article by Ben Bruno

This is a great article written by Ben Bruno explaining his training "career." I really like it as it his training and mentality is very similar to most people in the gym; he's not a gigantic bodybuilder but a normal guy who loves training.

For me personally, his goals and aims closely relate to what I aim for in aiming to be the best we can be and be healthy for a long time.

Definitely recommend giving this a read.

This is How I Train - Ben Bruno

Training Footwear

When it comes to training, in your everyday commercial gym footwear is generally overlooked; most people will be wearing some form of Nike Air or something similar. However, those people in the know will not, they will be wearing something much better focussed for lifting. 

To avoid boring you with all the science, trainers like Nike Air's upset your foot's balance, positioning and control. This cushioned sole is soft  and squidgy and generally has a high heel so the back of your foot is much higher than the front which isn't always the best position, yet there are times when this is useful but this is only accomplished through proper weightlifting shoes. 

So the people in the know, what do they wear. Well 9 times out of 10 they will be wearing Converse all stars, probably the best, cheapest and long lasting training shoes available. However, you will also see them doing their big, heavy lifts like squats and deadlifts barefoot. This gets them close to the ground, especially with deadlifts so the bar has to travel that little bit less further. 

The thing with Converse is that they are great for lifting conventional weights like your squats and deadlifts. But what happens when you want to do some Olympic lifting, Strongman work or conditioning work with the Prowler and various other sleds. 

Well, they are pretty useless. You will have very little foot support, little grip and they are not a pure bare foot feel; which a lot of people argue is the best way to train. Which explains why people perform squats and deadlifts along with various other leg exercises barefoot. 

For performing Olympic lifts, weightlifting shoes are the answer. They give you a high heel, are built very well so are sturdy and give you a solid planted feel which help you get that better form and push that little bit more weight. These types of shoes will help your performance and develop your muscles even better. 

Do-Win 2010 weightlifting shoes

Adidas Power Perfect II

The only drawback with these shoes is that they are highly specific and only should be used on Olympic lifts and power lifts, and they are expensive. The Do-Win are the cheaper of the two and can be found for around £70, however the Adidas are £100. That's a lot of money for some training shoes that cannot be used for everything in the gym. 

So what many people use, myself included, are bare foot designed shoes. These generally include Nike Free, Adidas Adipure and Vibram FiveFingers. I personally use the Vibram's and I think they are the best investment I have made in my training. 

Nike Free

Adidas Adipure

Vibram FiveFingers 

For me the Vibrams won the selection as the Adidas were not available in the UK and the Nike Free were reported to not be as stable. 

The Vibrams have a rubber sole which grips on any surface, they are LIGHT, it feels like you have nothing on your feet, the strap systems helps lock them tight on your feet so your feet don't slide about in them. 

I've noticed that the Vibrams have helped my training in nearly all areas. When lifting weights my feet are planted and grip well; and as they are bare foot your muscles, especially in your calves become more involved leading to better muscular development and performance. When doing strongman and conditioning work involving the prowler and speed sleds my feet grip so much better so I can run harder and push more weight on the sleds. Previously my feet would slip whenever I went really heavy and I could not push the weight, with these however I have zero issues. Also when doing Olympic lifts my feet are planted and grip the floor well. 

The only area which I have found them to not great is running. I own the Sprint model (the one's in the picture) and they are extreme bare foot. Even though they are advertised for running, I would recommend going for a model with more support, maybe the KSO or Komodo Sport. 

People don't like Vibrams because they look odd, they're expensive, some people even say they look queer. But at the end of the day it's about maximising your performance in the gym, and these do. These are the best shoes I have used in the gym and I doubt I will use anything else apart from other Vibram models. Training isn't about looking good or whatever else people think it's about; it is about PERFORMANCE, and the Vibrams have improved my performance, and I could pretty much guarantee they will increase your own too. Give them a try, you will not be disappointed. 

Good Evening!