It has again been too long since my last blog, so I have lots to talk about.  First of all, our baby was due in March, so in January I packed in 2 meets.  The first one was the Dino Gym Old Time Strongman meet.  This was my first meet back from my elbow surgery, and though things were not completely back to where I would have liked them, I needed to take the opportunity to compete.  It went rather well.  I became the first person in the organization to go over 900 pounds in the Anderson squat.  I also had the highest total, but again came in second due to formula.

Then came the Zercher Classic at the infamous “Clark’s Gym” in Columbia, MO where I did battle with Hall of Famer Joe Garcia.  A buddy of mine who competed here with me last year called it “The Zercher Death March”, and rightfully so with 13 lifts and over 28,000 pounds lifted (not counting warm-ups), you feel it when it is all over.  I ended up with the highest total again, but even though I closed the gap on him from last year, I got second on formula.

Then in March, our son was born.  We named him Everett Michael Todd, and he is a huge blessing to my family and me. Sleep is less, and I have to maneuver my training around him right now, but I am enjoying every minute of it.  Phoebe is so proud to be a big sister.

We have been actively involved in preparing for the tenth annual Missouri’s Strongest Man: The Gus Lohman Memorial Challenge.  The divisions are starting to fill up, with each class looking to be a tough battle.  We do this contest in memory of my grandpa, and all proceeds go to Camp Quality, a camp for children with cancer.  The last few years we have been privileged enough to be invited to perform a strongman show for the kids at the camp, and it was very rewarding to see some of the cool things that are made possible with the donations from events such as ours.  We have raised over $27,000 over the years, and hope we can improve on that greatly this year.  One great piece of news is that Time Warner Cable's Midwest Sports will be on hand to film and televise the contest.  We are all very excited.

Training is going pretty well.  I have hit some big numbers in my heavy lifts in the past few months.  I hit an unofficial 1075 in the neck lift, which would have eclipsed my world record if done in a meet.  The great thing is that there was plenty left in the tank.  I am making strides in my deadlift, and think I will finally break the 700lb barrier this year.  Even though my right elbow has a more limited range of motion, my pressing strength is back to where it was before the surgery. 

Competition wise, I am not sure where I will compete next.  I would like to find a powerlifting meet to hit sometime this fall.  I would like to do some more all-round meets, and maybe shoot for an 1100lb neck lift.  One way or the other, with the help of HMB, I know my recovery will be on key so I can train my hardest to achieve these goals.

It’s been two and a half months since the Arnold, and besides maybe having a few extra cookies, I have definitely not been slacking in the gym by any means!  My workouts are so intense these days that I leave the gym drenched!  This has not always been typical of me, so it makes me wonder what I’ve been doing different.  I think the answer is that on each set I am squeezing out the last rep so intensely that I can literally feel the sweat start dripping. I’m pushing my body extraordinarily hard.  I’ve had such incredible workouts lately that I’ve left the gym thinking, “I can’t believe I did that.” I’ve been relying on HMB so much recently to help keep this momentum going.  I need the recovery properties HMB provides to power my next workout and keep me going strong from one workout to the next.

Everyone keeps asking me, “when is your next show?”  Admittedly, I’m a person who needs a goal to look to in order to feel like I’m striving for something. But I’ve still been pressing on at the gym knowing what I want to focus on for my next show. It really hasn’t been until this past week that my mind has been set on doing a show later this fall.  I’m debating between two shows, one in late October and the other in early November. From there, my hopes are to compete in Nationals the following May, and maybe even June.

That being said, it means I have six months until show time again. Once you factor in my prep time, it means I have about three months of a ‘growing season’ left.  To make the most of it I’m lifting four to five days a week with powerful energy.  I’m still dropping in about two days of cardio in the mix so I can keep unwanted weight at bay.  I don’t want to have to go on an extreme diet and lose the muscle I’m working so hard for now. I can see and feel the changes in my body already, and those gains I have made have given me extra drive going into the next three months.

I’m continually pushing my limits while still enjoying a nice balance of family, a career, and fun. I really thought that I was making progress last “growing season” until I have challenged myself this one. I’m so excited for the months ahead!  Follow my journey to the stage once again this November!

I have so much to say about this weekend, that I don’t know where to start. It was exciting, fun, and I learned a lot. I guess I can start with my second place finish. I was very happy going into the tournament because I felt great both mentally and physically. Whether I end up placing well or not, it is most important to me to know I felt at my best.

A few days after my tournament last month, I had an AC joint injury that luckily was not too severe. It took about 3 weeks for my shoulder to heal and I wasn’t able to train until last week. Although I would have loved to been able to train all that time, I was mostly concerned with my body feeling at its full potential. I was taking extra HMB during that time and healed very quickly.

I’m learning the varying rules at these tournaments. My last two ones were submission only and there were also certain moves that weren’t allowed. In this last one, they allowed more moves than the other, yet it is scored on points if there is no submission. They also allowed jumping or pulling guard which was not allowed at my first tournament. Additionally, the rounds were shorter at this past tournament.

The ranking of the levels is different among the tournaments as well. The first two I did were by belt. This past one is by the number of years’ experience. I was in the beginner category which is up to 2 years’ experience. I don’t agree with years’ experience for categories, since everyone progresses at different rates. I also don’t make up the rules, so it is what it is.

I’m also learning that there usually aren’t enough females competing, hence me being the only woman at my last competition. In this one, there was only one other woman in my weight class. They asked us if we would mind if the woman from the higher weight class entered our class because there weren’t any competitors in hers. I gladly said yes because I always want more competitors.

In my first match I was submitted by an arm bar and then I was on to my next match in a few minutes. In this match I went for the guillotine choke, but my arm wasn’t deep enough around her neck to submit. She attempted a takedown twice in which I ended up in top position and I also passed her guard. I believe those moves were how I got my 6-0 win. I’m still learning about the points system, so I didn’t even know I won until my hand was raised at the end of the match.

I had a great time and I am looking forward to my next tournament in June. I will be doing my best to improve, training hard, and recovering with HMB! Happy training and stay tuned for results from my next competition.

The Empire Classic GNC Pro Deadlift Championships took place this last Saturday in Spokane, WA!  There was a great line-up of competitors including: Brad Gillingham, Bryan Dermody, Randal Harris, Niko Hulslander, Grant Higa, and special guest lifter Alison McWeeny.  Brad Gillingham was able to take home the gold in this event deadlifting 804 lbs RAW and Bryan Dermody closely followed with a new personal record lift of 793lbs! We are very proud to have both of these athletes as a part of Team HMB!  

View Bryan’s lifts in this youtube video!

I competed in the USAPL GNC Empire Classic Pro Deadlift Competition in Spokane, Washington this past weekend.  I have competed in this show the past three years and each year it gets bigger and better. I am only four weeks out from the IPF Classic World Championship in Sudzal, Russia so I did not try to peak for this event, but decided to use the competition as a heavy training day. With the IPF Worlds being the focus event I didn’t feel like I could afford to take any break from my heavy training, so I trained heavy the week of the event.  At the Empire Classic I lifted RAW and was able to pull 804 for the win but did not have enough energy that day to complete my last attempt with 848. Fellow Team HMB teammate Bryan Dermody had a personal record-breaking day with his 793 deadlift for 2^nd place. 

The Star of the Show was Ali McWeeny from Central Washington University.  Ali was involved in a boating accident a few years ago and tragically lost one of her legs.  She has not let her disability stop her from doing the things she wants to do and has returned to powerlifting.  Although she failed to complete a lift on the main stage it was a real honor to compete with her.  It was amazing to see her pull deadlifts during warm ups standing on one leg. She has a lot of courage and is a great role model for all of us.

With just 4 weeks of training to go before I compete in Russia these next couple weeks are critical.  I have changed up my deadlift training a little this time and have been pulling 1 set of 8 every other week instead of 1 set of 5.  This week I have 8x705.  This will be a huge confidence builder if I can make this set.  I have also thrown in Kroc Rows.  Kroc Rows are a different way of training the one arm row….. made popular by powerlifter and bodybuilder Matt Kroczaleski.  I have found these to be a great addition, and have really thickened up the upper back in a short time.  In addition to my own training, I am also coaching 3 lifters that will be traveling with me to Russia and competing in the Junior Worlds. With 4 lifters training for the worlds the gym will be an intense place the next 3-4 weeks.

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad

So it has been just over a week since the NPC Pittsburgh.  After an intense off-season and an even more intense competition prep, I brought, what I thought, was my best physique to date!  I placed 6^th among some serious competition.  Everyone brings their A game to this show!  Of course, I always aim for the top spot, but in the battle of Me vs. Me… I dominated!  I obliterated Danyelle 2012 and put to shame Danyelle 2011!  And I was told, “…my best days are yet to come.” 

Last year, the feedback I received was just ...feed the back and shoulders! Haha.  I needed to thicken my back and grow my shoulders, especially my rear delts. From the comments I received this year, I accomplished that full on!  The judges said my muscularity was definitely on par; I just needed to bring the whole package in a bit tighter.  I’ll take it!  I was always the peanut on stage, well I still am in some regards, but now I know exactly what to do. 

So what’s next you ask?  The 2013 North American Championships!  I WILL crack that top 5!!!

So after some post-show M&M celebrating, (it may have lasted a week, but I won’t confirm nor deny) I am ready to clean up the diet and dirty up the training.  Recovery from 50 rep sets…yes you heard me right, 50 rep sets is no laughing matter, so with HMB on hand, I’m ready for my next challenge. 

Some very special people helped to make this show one of my best days ever!!! But they deserve a blog all to themselves… so stand by for more stories and continue to follow on my journey.

Results for Figure Class A:

1. Keri Keenan
2. Tarah Mitchell
3. Rachelle Carter
4. Heather Betz
5. Amy Buonocore
6. Danyelle Mastarone 
7. Lisandra McGrath
8. Hannah Heil
9. Mandie Bender
10. Angelique Tucker
    

 This past weekend Team HMB athlete Jason Kaiman stepped on stage at the Heart of America Natural Classic in hopes to win a back-to-back title in the Pro Class.  Jason brought an amazing package to stage and took 1^st place again.  A big congratulation to Jason on his amazing performance!  We are very proud to have Jason as a part of Team HMB and look forward to what the rest of the season brings!

This past Saturday the Ironman 70.3 St. George was held in St. George, Utah.  Triathletes did a 1.2-mile swim at Sand Hollow Reservoir, followed by a 56-mile bike ride through the towns of Hurricane and Washington, and finished with a 13.1-mile run into St. George’s historic town square.  It was a tough course and was a tight race between top triathletes going into the run.  Team HMB triathlete TJ Tollakson took 7^th place overall with a time of 03:5700.  TJ had the best bike split of the day with 02:10:05. Congratulations to TJ on his phenomenal performance.  The Ironman season has only just begun and TJ has a promising season ahead of him!

Pro Men’s Results:

Brent McMahon CAN 3:51:10

Kevin Collington USA 3:53:38

Andy Potts USA 3:54:21

Ivan Vasiliev RUS 3:55:08

Denis Vasiliev RUS 3:55:59

Matt Reed USA 3:56:58

TJ TollaksonUSA 3:57:00

Luke McKenzie AUS 3:57:03

Ivan RanaESP 3:57:32

Trevor Wurtele CAN 3:57:55

Pro Women’s Results:

Meredith Kessler USA 4:17:11

Svenja Bazlen DEU 4:18:46

Heather Wurtele CAN 4:20:26

Annabel Luxford  AUS 4:23:09

Kelly Williamson USA 4:23:13

Lesley Paterson USA 4:24:39

Julia Gajer DEU 4:26:52

Sarah Piampiano USA 4:27:41

Emma-Kate Lidbury GBR 4:28:41

Leanda Cave USA 4:29:04

I can’t believe it’s May.  The days seem to blur together as they pretty much always have for me.  I get up every morning at 4:00-4:30 a.m. and my days don’t usually end till around 10:30 p.m.  Then I don’t get to bed till around midnight.   It is very hard to keep up that pace, but for now it’s what I have to do.  I hate being away from my wife and kids and I’m trying so hard to change that. 

Training is going well.  It’s going better than I could have even expected actually.  My workouts have been strong and despite my long hours, I’m still recovering and growing thanks to HMB being a staple in my supplement regime. I use eight grams a day and for me it works wonders. 

I’ve decided to hold off with my June show though due to the fact that with summer and my oldest daughter playing softball and soccer, it’s only fair to her and my family to give them the time with me they deserve. My wife has been very supportive of what I do and I couldn’t ask for any better of an amazing woman for that. So it’s only fair to my family to give them some important time.   This fall will be much better for me, especially with my jobs and summer activities will have ceased.  I’ve been focusing on my main lifts, being my upper chest, widening my back even more and creating more sweep on my quads.  I am making great improvements and my weight is right around 310lbs so I am happy with how lean I am staying at that weight too.  I’m going to be taping some of my workouts and answering more Q&A questions. If you have any questions about training that my teammates or I can answer, please send them to teamhmb@mti-hmb.com.  I’m still and always will be stuck on my Optimum Nutrition and American Bodybuilding supplements. I sell a lot of Optimum/ABB supplements at my gym too.  I just believe in their quality and their protein powders taste great too.

On May 18 I’m hosting my first powerlifting meet at my gym and am looking to have a great response.  We will have a great event so if you’re in the area and want to watch or compete please call me at my gym, Holmes Health and Fitness in Waukee, Iowa.

So that’s what I’ve been up to for now.  Until next time keep training hard and smart and using your Optimum/ABB supplements.  You will thank me for it!

So I am one week out from my first show of the year, which just so happens to be one of the largest regional shows in the area.  Oh and did I mention it is in my hometown of Pittsburgh, where so many who know me will be watching?  No pressure right?  I decided to take that and use it as more fuel for my fire.  And think how much less stress I will have not worrying about travel and hotels. 

So with that out of the way, where should my focus be in the homestretch?  Focusing on the after party and celebration meal sounds like fun, but could also be a recipe for disaster.  Focusing on every workout I have left and how I can only train legs two more times?  Probably not.  What about adding up the hours of cardio left before show day?  Definitely not.  I have put the time and training in and physically I am on track, so this time, unlike any prep before, I am going to trust the process, listen to my trainer and stop stressing.  Ah, a sigh of relief.  This frees up my mind to focus on the mental part of this sport. 

I need to keep enjoying my prep, taking time to appreciate my hard work and the changes my body is making almost daily!  I also need to focus on seeing myself on stage.  Even after 4 years of competing I still get extremely nervous right before I go on stage.  While a few butterflies are fine, all out panic does not translate well into a “relaxed” pose.  So focus on enjoying the moment and being mentally present on stage.  For the next week, I will continue training hard, following my nutrition plan and using my HMB to keep me strong and recovering quickly. 

After winding down from my bikini competition last month, I was gearing up for an all-female tournament mid-April. Less than a week and a half before the tournament, the promoter changed the date. I like to give plenty of notice to my clients and myself when rearranging our schedules to possibly make up the session, so I changed my plans. Luckily, there was a white belt tournament at Tapout Gym the Sunday prior, so I switched gears and entered that one.

There ended up being no women in my weight class, so all four matches were against guys. I ended up with 3 draws and 1 loss. My coach said the draws should be considered a victory in which I agreed. It was a submission only tournament, so I got a lot of defensive practice. Being a white belt for 7 months now, I am reminded that it is normal to have way more defensive practice than offensive. It was more exhausting rolling with the guys given their weight and strength difference, yet I still loved the competition just as much. I was grateful to have an alternate option at my home gym and continue improving my skills.

I went back to practice that Tuesday and unfortunately got injured during basic drills. I would like to say that it was from something more exciting, but that was not the case. The bones of my AC joint were bruised along with small tears to the tendon. I am quickly on the mend and taking plenty of HMB to speed the healing process. I just started doing light leg workouts that don’t involve holding weights along with cardio.

My original plan was to compete at the NAGA in May and Gracie Worlds in June. My shoulder currently feels 95% healed. As of now, I’m anticipating returning to training in a week and continuing with the original plan. The experience has taught me to roll with the punches and make do with what I have. It may not be an ideal situation 3 weeks from a competition, yet the tournaments are a form of practice as well. So if I’m healed, then I’m competing and having fun! Stay tuned for next month’s blog to hear my experience at the NAGA!

We would like to congratulate both Taylor Drescher and Sam Dancer on qualifying for the 2013 CrossFit Regionals!

The 17 CrossFit Regionals will be spread across four weeks from May 17^th through June 9^th.  Each Regional is a 3-day event filled with intense WODs.  Sam will be competing in the North Central Regionals on May 31-June 2 in Chicago, IL.  June 7-9 Taylor will take on her competitors in the Central East Regional in Columbus, OH.  If you are in either area be sure to go check out the fierce competition. 

We wish both Taylor and Sam the best of luck at Regionals and are very proud to have them as a part of Team HMB!

Hello HMB Friends!  I decided to write my first blog about the way I start every day.. with a healthy Breakfast, of course!  If you read my interview (which I am sure you did) you saw I make a special protein waffle recipe.  Growing up, my mom always made us a big breakfast, sometimes for dinner too!  So I think of waffles, pancakes, oatmeal and even cream of wheat as comfort foods.  I have always been a breakfast eater and can’t imagine starting the day hungry.  Instead of just egg whites and oatmeal, I had to find a way to LOVE my breakfast and use it as energy to fuel my workout, as it is also my pre-workout meal.  So here you have it:

My 2013 ‘growing season’ is in full swing!  I prefer to call this a growing season as opposed to an offseason because there is nothing OFF in regards to my workouts.  My journey is to thicken my back muscles, improve my rear delts, and improve my glute/hamstring tie-in.

I have spent time researching which muscles to target and exercises to perform to reach my goal of a thick back.  As a general rule of thumb if you are trying to increase your lat width, stick to wide grip pull-downs and pull-ups.   Your lower lats feed off of the close grip pull-downs, one arm rows, and pull overs. To hit your lower back the focus should be with exercise such as deadlifts and hyperextensions. I have incorporated heavy barbell rows, cable rows, and t-bar rows. Not only am I performing these exercises heavy but I’m also switching up my grip frequently.  I have found that if I use an underhand grip one week, my normal grip movements seem easier.  Lastly, I have been super-setting my middle back workouts with some plated hyperextensions. I typically hold a 35 or 45 pound plate and do 3 sets of 12.

Today I am recovering with HMB, considering every time I move it’s a reminder that yesterday I had a tough workout.  HMB will ensure a complete and quick recovery for my next workout.

My back workout from yesterday looked like this:

Barbell Rows:  45x12 (warm-up set), 65x12, 85x12, 95x10, 115x6, 125x5

One Arm Dumbbell Rows: 80x12x12x12

Close Grip Pulldowns: 110x12, 120x10, 130x8 Super-set with Hyperextensions 35x12x12, 45x10

Bent Over Rear Delt Raises: 15x10, 20x10x10

Seated Wide Grip Cable Row: 100x10, 110x10, 120x8

I do one back workout a week but I also deadlift one day of the week and usually my deadlift routine is rather vigorous, so it’s almost like getting in two back workouts a week. I love to deadlift so much that I dedicate a whole day to just it.  My back workout next week will be different than the one above, and that’s the part of working out that is fun, you can customize your workout to which muscles you want to target, hit them from every angle, and watch them grow!

Follow me on my way to a thick back and watch for progress pictures in the next few months!

I am about 4 weeks from my attempt at back-to-back Pro Championships at the HOA Natural Classic.  Training has been about as hard as I have trained in my career.  Throughout the last few weeks I have pushed myself farther than before.  It was tough and I was about as tired as I have ever been, but hopefully it will be the difference! 

With 4 weeks to go, it is getting real close to prep week, meaning that there is not much I can do from here on out to make any improvements.  Now it is simply posing every night and continuing to push myself in the gym to get just a little leaner everyday so that I am stage ready. 

For the next two weeks I will move into my 6-12-25 program for all body parts.  Basically this consists of 3 exercises per body part, 1st exercise is 6 reps, then move to 2nd and do 12 reps and then move to 3rd and do 25 reps.  Rest 2 minutes and repeat 4 more times.  I will do this 5 days per week, hitting every muscle group and then add in several Prowler sprint workouts to continue to build muscle while burning away those last few pounds of fat.  

Then after these two weeks I will have 1 week De-load program and then it is prep week and time to perform.  Staying strong and mentally focused is the challenge for these last few weeks while carb depleting takes place.  HMB is crucial for me at this time, more than ever.  With the ability to recover faster during these type of workouts is what makes the difference and there is no way at 43 yrs old I could push myself like I do without all the benefits of HMB.

We sat down with our new athlete Danyelle Mastarone to talk about how she got into competing in figure and what’s to come with her fitness career.

Q: How did you get started in competing?

DM: At the time I was a regular at the gym and a part-time group fitness instructor but never had a goal, other than being in shape.  A girlfriend and fellow instructor decided to train for a Figure competition and encouraged me to do it as well.  Absolutely not... no way I was giving up brownies and French fries if I didn’t have to.  I thought I was fit already.  But after watching her transformation I became much more curious.  Then two more friends competed and I decided if they could do it, so could I, only I would do it better!  

Q: Did you have a trainer throughout the process or learn on your own?

DM:  I was lucky to have a lot of people willing to help me out at the beginning and teach me the ropes.  But for the most part I was on my own to put the information together and find a plan that made sense for me.  I fared well on my own, but was always stressing as to whether I was doing the right thing.  I work with a coach/trainer now who is absolutely fantastic.  This is the most relaxed and excited I have been during competition prep so far. 

Q:  When was your first competition and how did you end up doing?

DM: May of 2010.  I placed 1^st in Figure Novice!  I was hooked after that!

Q:  What would you attribute to you being on the fast track at being successful at this sport?

DM: Working hard but also working smart, although the fast track can be more of a slippery slope.  If you decide to compete, I recommend starting “prep” before the standard 12 weeks of competition prep.  Depending on what your diet and exercise routine are now, I would suggest starting to increase weight training and build some muscle while staying lean, but not “dieting down.”   

Q: What made you decide that the figure division was where you wanted to be?

DM:  I think the Figure look is best suited to my body type as well as how I like to train… which is heavy!  I truly love to lift heavy weights! Haha!  Training is fun for me.  I love to challenge myself and I absolutely love feeling and being strong.

Q:  What is your favorite part about competing? Is it the training, diet, feeling on stage?

DM:  Definitely being on stage!  I love the sparkly suit and getting all dolled up to show off my hard work!  I am a total ham in front of an audience.

Q:  During contest, what’s a sample day of eating look like for your diet?

DM: I eat six meals per day, pretty typical bodybuilding foods.

Meal 1: (Preworkout): Protein Waffles, Cashews (see future blog for the recipe)

Meal 2: (Postworkout): Protein Shake, Yam

Meal 3: Chicken, Rice, Green Veggies

Meal 4: Turkey Burger, Yam, Salad

Meal 5: Tilapia, Rice, Green Veggies

Meal 6: Egg whites, Peanut Butter

And of course I take my HMB and other supplements throughout the day!

Q: Along with your diet do you incorporate a cheat day for the week or not?  And what is your favorite cheat food?

DM:  Up until about 4-6 weeks out during contest I have one cheat meal (not a whole day) for the week.  My go to is always a burger, fries and dessert, either apple pie with ice cream or something chocolate covered with more chocolate!   I realize it seems silly, but I pack my low sugar ketchup to go with my cheat meal.  Everything still counts!

Q:  Do you have a certain training program that you follow during prep?  And what type of cardio do you incorporate?

DM:  For upper body I am still trying to build and maintain muscle, so I lift heavy with lots of volume.  For my legs, they have the size but need the shape and lines, so I incorporate plyometric supersets and giant sets with traditional leg exercises.  As far as cardio I try to keep variety.  I have a Precor Elliptical at home which is typically what I would use for fasted cardio.   If I do a second session later I love (hate) the step mill.  I also vary between steady state and HIIT on the different machines.  If the weather is nice I will run outside but so far, it’s still snowing and I am a fair weather runner for sure.

Q:  What would you say is your most memorable experience you’ve had while competing in this sport?

DM:  It is hard for any moment to compare to the first time I stepped on stage, but this past August did surpass that feeling.  I didn’t place as high as I would have hoped but you never would have known that based on the cheering squad I had.  My mom, sister and all of my girlfriends were there to support me wearing shirts that read “Danyelle’s Divas.”  When I stepped off stage through teary eyes, my girlfriends were clapping and screaming and I remember hearing, “I’m SO Proud of you.”   It took me a moment to understand how they could be so proud of me and my 11^th place finish.   They were acting as though I had just won the whole show.  But I realized in that moment I had won.   I beat the old me.  I had done everything I possibly could to bring my best physique to date. 

Q:  What advice do you give to other women wanting to step up on the stage?

DM:  Plan, plan, plan.  Stress can destroy your results faster than almost anything else.  By being prepared you can just trust the process and enjoy this amazing and challenging experience.  You will learn so much about yourself from competing in a show and learn how strong you are both mentally and physically. You will learn how much you are truly capable of…just always remember is it “You vs. You.”  I love winning, don’t get me wrong, but my goal is always to be a better me than I was last time.   

Q: What are your future goals and how do you think HMB can help you achieve those?

DM:  I will be stepping on stage in just under 5 weeks at the NPC Pittsburgh and six weeks after that to compete for an IFBB Pro Card at Jr. Nationals.  HMB is essential during my training to keep me strong during workouts and speed up my recovery.    It will also be exciting to step on stage knowing I am supported by the entire HMB team. 

Q:  Last but not least, what are some fun facts about Danyelle that most people don’t know?

DM: I was part of a belly dance/folk dance troupe.

I graduated Top 10/Summa Cum Laude from College.

I bought my first smart phone about a month ago. 

Thanks Danyelle for your time today and we are very proud to have you representing Team HMB!  Best of luck with your upcoming competition in Pittsburgh!

I was able to take a couple weeks off after the Arnold and rest up for a very busy upcoming competition schedule. Last week I started my heavy training as I have two major competitions in the next 12 weeks and possibly a third a month later.

First up is the USAPL GNC Empire Classic Pro Deadlift Competition in Spokane, WA on May 11, 2013.  This event is part of a Pro Series of Events that the USAPL has been in the process of developing.  The Empire Classic Pro Deadlift is always an excellent show held in front of a large group of great fans! I will be competing in this event with fellow Team HMB Member, Bryan Dermody.  Bryan and I have competed in this event the previous 2 years. It is held at the Northern Quest Casino in Spokane.

Following the Empire Classic I will be traveling to Sudzal, Russia in June for the 2013 IPF Classic World Championship.  This is the inaugural Classic (RAW) World Championship for the IPF.  I have been a supporter of the RAW movement for many years, and I am very happy to have been able to stick around long enough in the sport to compete in the first IPF RAW World Championship. With the two events so close to each other I will not try to peak for the Empire Classic, but use it as a heavy training day.  This might catch up to me at the Empire, as there will be some very good pullers invited to the show, but peaking my training for the World Championship is the priority.

The USAPL RAW National Championship is being held in Orlando, Florida just 4 weeks after the IPF World Championships.  It will be the qualifying event for the 2014 IPF RAW World Championships.  At this point…. I am going to have to wait and see how I feel after my trip to Russia to determine if I am going to compete at the Nationals. 

With all of the heavy training during the next 4 months I will be depending on GNC Pro Performance HMB more than ever for its great recovery benefits.

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad

It's only March in the new year and I've already competed twice, with the results being much different.  The first contest this year was the USAPL Pro Deadlift at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic.  I felt going into this contest I had done enough to set myself up for a nice personal best but it wasn't meant to be.  Since I started competing in 2007 I really haven't had a bad meet but I think I can qualify this one as my first.  

I showed up in Ohio two days prior to competing.  I like to have a day or two to kind of relax before I lift.  When Saturday arrived I felt confident in the numbers I had picked out for my attempts and was ready to hit something big.  This all changed as I entered to weigh in.  I was informed we would be warming up far away from the expo stage and they weren't sure on the start time.  Wanting to play it safe I started messing with my numbers, something I never do.  I dropped my opener, which in turn meant I was going to have to lower my second attempt.  As warm ups were getting done and I hit my last one, there was probably a good 30 minutes before my first attempt.  I never wait this long in between my last warm-up and my actual first attempt but there was nothing I could do.  

I opened up with 771 and felt good about it. I jumped my second attempt to 821, stood straight up with it however right before the down call I took a step backwards with it.  I couldn't believe this happened, as I have never done it before.  I knew I still had to take more weight for my third attempt and bumped it up to 832.  It came off the floor but I struggled with it at the mid point and didn't have enough to finish it.  

Overall I had a great time there, even with the bad meet.  A huge congrats to fellow HMB athlete Brad Gillingham who also competed and won 1st for the heaviest deadlift.  Bryan Dermody, another fellow HMB athlete also competed.  It won't be long before he finally gets that 800 pull.    

Before even leaving this year's Arnold my mind was already set on hitting big numbers at the USAPL Missouri State Open being held three weeks later.  I love lifting at this meet because it is held in my hometown and it draws a large number of competitors.  For me it's a fun, loose meet where I try to hit nothing but big numbers.  This year I was able to talk fellow US team member Erik Kasabuske to come down from Wisconsin to compete.  

After the Arnold I really kind of coasted into this meet and felt I let my body recover a little after the taxing training cycle I just completed.  Leading up to this meet I had one number in mind and that was finally breaking through the 900-pound squat barrier.  Once I started warming up I knew it was going to happen.  

My opener on squat was 821 and then took 859 for my second.  Both these felt great and after hitting my second I told Erik's wife, Kat, who was running numbers, to put in 903.  With over 100 people competing there was an awesome crowd there and they all got behind the lift.  I unracked it, squatted and stood up with it with barely any grind.  My first 900-pound squat was in the books and I even feel like I left pounds on the platform. 

With the bench I wasn't expecting any spectacular as I have struggled with it as of late.  I was pleasantly surprised when my first two attempts of 540 and 562 both went up easy.  I had 584 down for my last attempt but we decided to bump it up to 589 to help with the total.  This also went up fairly easy and now was sitting with a 1493 subtotal and going over possible totals in my mind.  

Before the meet I hadn't even looked at any of the American records because I didn't think I had a chance.  This all changed because I had a solid bench though so we looked up the records on the USAPL website and saw the total record was 1057.5 kilos.  My main goal of the meet was getting as close or over 2300 pounds as I could.  With my deadlift attempts already picked I knew I would be a little over 2300 with my second attempt.  I decided if I got my second attempt I would load whatever I needed on my third to set the new record.  

I opened on the deadlifts with 771 and then bumped it up to 810 on my second.  This meant the third attempt was going to have to be 843 to hit a 1060-kilo total (2336 pounds).  The bar was loaded and I pulled with all my might and somehow found enough strength to stand up with it.  I set it down and saw two white lights meaning it was a good lift and good for a new American record total.  With that said I am still trying to get confirmation on the record as I found a different total which was slightly higher, just not sure why it wasn't listed on the records.    

With this meet in the books I now have my sights on one thing, the 2013 World Games.  With this total I have even more confidence that my numbers will keep raising and I'm hoping for a huge total in Cali, Columbia.  I don't think there is any way I would be near as strong as I am without the use of my HMB and 1st Phorm supplements.  The way I train I rely on the HMB to immediately start the recovery process.  I am truly blessed to have the help of these two great companies.  

I will keep everyone updated on my training for the World Games with future blogs and videos.  Until then, continue to lift hard and smart which means adding HMB to your supplement list.  You'll be glad you did.    

Now for myself, as I said, diet is going as well as one can hope.  My training is going well too.  It’s just hard to get it done some days considering my long days working and most importantly getting time in with my family.  I, as always, make sure I have my HMB in hand and also my Optimum Hydro Whey and my ABB drinks, in which a diet turbo tea is next to me as I type this getting me amped up for my back workout and cardio.  I will be taking pics of my weekly progress soon and more videos of my workouts that will be posted on Team HMB’s youtube and facebook page. So be looking for that soon. 

I also want to say congrats to my good friend and Team HMB athlete Nick Weite on his performance this past weekend in St. Louis at the USAPL Missouri State meet.  Nick squatted an impressive 903lbs and deadlifted 843lbs!  Damn is all I can say!

So until next time, train hard and smart and take your Optimum HMB and ABB supplements.  You will thank me for it!

Metabolic Technologies, Inc is pleased to announce NPC National Figure Competitor Danyelle Mastarone has joined Team HMB.

Danyelle has always been a woman into fitness, but it wasn’t until 2010 that she found her calling.  A friend of hers tried to convince her to do a figure competition, but the thought of giving up french fries and brownies was too daunting.  After watching a few of her friends go through the transformation and seeing the amazing changes they had made she decided she could do it and do it better.  She competed in her first show in 2010, which she won and has been hooked since.

Danyelle strives to compete at a National Level this year in hopes of receiving her pro card.  She states, “The odds are against me with my size, but I am ready to be the most petite woman ever to step on the Olympia Stage.” 

We wish Danyelle the best with her upcoming season and are proud to have her as a part of Team HMB.  Please click here to see her profile and check back in a couple weeks for an in-depth interview with Danyelle!

Last weekend was another great show with a lot of great competitors. I’ve been competing in Jon Lindsay’s shows for years and he always puts on a fabulous show. After every one, I often here the same questions that I am answering in this blog.

The first question is, “How did you do?” I feel as though it is difficult to answer this question because how I felt doesn’t always match my placing. There are times when I feel like I did well and didn’t place well and vice versa. There are also many factors involved and ones that can change from show to show such as competitors, judges, and lighting for stage.

Then the previous question leads to the next, “What are the judges looking for?” Any competition that is judged is subjective although some have distinct criteria. The bikini division is the most subjective competition I have been involved in throughout my competitive years. Being judged is a topic I always discuss with my competitive clients. There are many different factors that are entered into someone’s placing. Naturally, the physique is one of them along with posing, suit, hair, make up, jewelry, and presentation. You may see a competitor with one or two of these components looking extraordinary and expecting them to place high. In the end, all of them come into play and the judge’s opinion may not be the same as yours. The judging being a combination of all these factors and people sometimes thinking it is only one or a few explains the confusion among many. For this past show, I felt that my tan was off and my makeup didn’t stand out as much. I always assess what I want to improve upon after each show regardless of my placing.

The last of the questions is, “So why do you compete?” I have worked very hard on my physique and made improvements with the help of HMB over the years. These shows are a way of displaying my physique and hard work. I often use the analogy of an artist working on a sculpture for years and then wanting to display his/her work. Another reason is that I love the competitive spirit, especially since I have been competing since I was a kid. I also do it to promote a healthy lifestyle to inspire others to do so as well. Naturally, everyone wants to win, including myself, yet the other reasons I mentioned are far more important.

If you would like to know what motivates me, check out my HMB video answering this question along with all the other Team HMB athletes’ videos. Stay tuned until next time as I am searching for my next Jiu Jitsu tournament! Happy training!

Planning for a competition is more than time consuming, not only is there diet prep, food prep, posing practice, training, and a second training session of cardio; there is planning your competition day with food, times, doing your hair, makeup, coordinating hotel stays and transportation and let’s not forget planning photo shoots.  The list gets pretty lengthy and once you start writing it all down on paper it can be stressful.  Then you add the events of the Arnold Sports Festival in and it makes for a crazy whirl-wind of work and emotions!

Now that the Arnold is a week and a half behind me I have had time to reflect and rest. I took a week off of training; I haven’t done that in a very long time and I enjoyed the occasional treat. Ok maybe more than occasional but you get the point.  I’m back on my six meals a day at about 70% clean.  I will work towards 80% to 90% soon.  I’m still elated about my 7^th place finish at such a prestigious show. I had a long prep since I did a show in November to qualify.  Not wanting to gain too much weight in November/December had me on my competition diet for quite some time. The stress of everyday life and competition prep was wearing on me and I relied on my friends and husband to pull me through.  I didn’t give up and actually have a completely renewed spirit and vigor for the sport and training.

Everyone keeps asking me, “now what!?”  Well, I’m officially training for a National show in May or June 2014. I’m not stepping on stage until I have grown the thickness in my back I need to develop. I’m planning on a dramatic transformation and am thrilled to update everyone throughout this incredible journey.

I had a great past week at the gym. My lifts were heavy, explosive, and I was glad to have my HMB to recover with. HMB is going to be a vital element to my next solid year of training and growing.

I want to thank Team HMB for all their support through my training and the Arnold. It was an unforgettable experience and absolutely goes down in my books as my best competition and conditioning to date!

The last 6 weeks I have been focused on strength training.  In theory, building a stronger muscle helps to build a bigger muscle!  Now I am 7.5 weeks out from my next show, the HOA Pro Classic, where I will try to repeat as champion. Everything changes from here on out.  The last 6 weeks of my training have been comprised of 2 different workouts that I rotated each week, so over the 6 week period I did the first workout 3 times and the 2nd workout 3 times. As always, eccentric movements are a huge focus of mine and if you are trying to compete in bodybuilding or just simply trying to build the most muscle you can you need to focus on this part of the lift.  Using a timed eccentric movement keeps constant tension on the muscle and does not allow for momentum to ever become part of the lift.  To give you an idea of what these workouts were like here is a sample of what I did. 

Workout 1

Day 1

Group 1

Scott (preacher) curls 3-5 reps (5 second eccentric)

Rest 45 seconds

Tricep dips 3-5 reps (5 sec eccentric)

Rest 45 seconds

Repeat set 9 more times

Group 2

                  30 degree incline curl 5-7 reps (3 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 30 seconds

                  Seated French press 5-7 reps (3 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 30 seconds

Repeat 2 more times

Day 2

Group 1

                  Front squat 3-5 reps (5 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 45 seconds

                  Lying leg curl 3-5 reps (5 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 45 seconds

Repeat 9 more times

Group 2

                  Split squats 5-7 reps (3 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 30 seconds

                  Standing good mornings 5-7 reps (3 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 30 seconds

Repeat 2 more times

Day 3

Group 1

Incline DB press 3-5 reps (5 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 45 seconds

                  Chin ups pronate grip 3-5 reps (5 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 45 seconds

Repeat 9 more times

Group 2

                  Flat DB press 5-7 reps (3 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 30 seconds

                  Seated rows 5-7 reps (3 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 30 seconds

Repeat 2 more times

Workout 2

Day 1

Group 1

                  Standing curls 3-5 reps (5 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 45 seconds

                  Close grip press with chains 3-5 reps (5 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 45 seconds

Repeat 9 more times

Group 2

                  Zottman curls 5-7 reps (3 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 30 seconds

                  Supinated tricep pushdown 5-7 reps (3 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 30 seconds

Repeat 2 more times

Day 2

Group 1

                  Bent knee deadlift 3-5 reps (5 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 45 seconds

                  Standing unilateral leg curl 3-5 reps (5 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 45 seconds

Repeat 9 more times

Group 2

                  45 degree leg press 5-7 reps (3 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 30 seconds

                  Straight leg deadlift 5-7 reps (3 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 30 seconds

Repeat 2 more times

Day 3

Group 1

Incline DB press neutral grip 3-5 reps (5 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 45 seconds

                  One arm bent over rows 3-5 reps (5 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 45 seconds

Repeat 9 more times

Group 2

                  Flat DB flyes 5-7 reps (3 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 30 seconds

                  Pullovers on flat bench 5-7 reps (3 sec eccentric)

                                    Rest 30 seconds

Repeat 2 more times

Day 4 for both weeks is abs and ancillary muscle groups

The goal is to get your weights to go up each week.  I hit a PR for myself on deadlifts the last week with 395 lbs for 10 sets of 5 reps with 5 sec eccentric, pretty good for an old guy :-)  

The next 7.5 weeks will be filled with very intense lifting, I will be turning it up a little from here on out.  My next group of workouts will be only 2 weeks long, but it is going to be super intense.  There will be lots of high volume and I will be separating each body part.

Day 1 Arms

Day 2 Quads

Day 3 Chest and Back

Day 4 Hamstrings and Calves

Day 5 Shoulders and Abs

The next training cycle will be 10 exercises per body part, 8-12 reps each exercise, no rest in between exercises.  Then rest 2 minutes once through all 10 exercises and repeat 2 more times! 

I will be ready to defend my title and thanks to HMB, at 43 years old I can do all these intense workouts. HMB helps me to recover faster and is essential to my training.  At 7.5 weeks out I am weighing 205 at 6.5 % bodyfat.  I’m excited to see where this goes!

Last Wednesday was the day CrossFit athletes have been waiting for… the unveiling of the first workout for the 2013 CrossFit Open.  Sam Dancer killed the 13.1 WOD (workout of the day) with a whopping 190 reps!  With nearly 138,000 athletes competing worldwide this score placed Sam 24^th in the world!  A big congrats to Sam for his phenomenal performance this past week.

Workout 13.1 (men):

Proceed through the sequence below completing as many reps as possible in 17 minutes of:(

40 Burpees(

75 pound Snatch, 30 reps(

30 Burpees(

135 pound Snatch, 30 reps(

20 Burpees(165 pound

Snatch, 30 reps(

10 burpees(

210 pound Snatch, as many reps as possible 

I have now attended the last 12 Arnold Classic Sports Festival.  The Arnold is always a very busy weekend for me running the GNC Grip Gauntlet with my brothers, but a great time to catch up with a lot of old friends and be able to talk with all kinds of different athletes, young and old. I continue to be impressed with everything that is going on. There is something at the Arnold for any fan of sports. What a showcase for the world of athletics!

I competed along with fellow Team HMB powerlifters Bryan Dermody and Nick Weite in the GNC Pro Performance IPF Deadlift Championships on Saturday. Bryan had a great attempt at a new PR 793 deadlift, but fell a little short. Bryan will get that pull at the Empire Classic Pro Deadlift in May. Nick smoked 821 but stumbled a little on top and lost his balance, and then had another close pull at 832. He looks stronger than ever and will represent USA very well at the World Games in Cali, Colombia this summer.

This year’s contest was hotly contested in front of a huge crowd as usual. Kim Walford amazed everyone with her 518 deadlift to win first place in both the Women’s Heaviest Deadlift and Bodyweight Categories. Two times Arnold Champion Alyssa Hitchcock and her 490 deadlift followed her very close. I was able to pull 865 to win first place in the Men’s Heaviest Deadlift category. Veteran competitor Pat McGettigan pulled 821 for 2^nd in this category. Unfortunately, on his next attempt he pulled 837 to the lock out position before injuring his biceps.  Ian Bell continued to amaze by pulling 810 to win first place in the Bodyweight category and 3rd place in the Heaviest Deadlift category.  Young 20 year old Erik Gunhamn from Sweden placed 2^nd in Bodyweight with a 799 pull only weighing in at 202 lbs.

GNC Pro Performance HMB continues to amaze me with its great recovery benefit. Working a three-day show like the Arnold is taxing on the body; even if you are not competing. It is hard sometimes at the Arnold to eat right and even take in the correct supplementation. I was very diligent on Friday to take in my HMB on a regular basis, and even add a few extra grams to my usual supplementation. I was amazed how well I felt on Saturday. HMB continues to amaze me in the recovery area!!

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad

Six of Team HMB athletes were fortunate enough to compete this weekend at the Arnold Sports Festival!

On Thursday evening, NPC Figure Competitor Philita Wheeler took the stage in the Arnold Amateur Figure Championships in Figure Class C.  Philita placed in the top ten and moved on to finals!

On Saturday afternoon; Bryan Dermody, Brad Gillingham, and Nick Weite all competed in the GNC International Pro Amp Deadlift.  Bryan finished with a pull of 755 lbs.  Nick pulled 771 lbs, just barely missing his second attempt at 821 lbs.  Last but not least, Brad pulled 865 lbs placing him 1^st for most weight lifted and 4^th in the Wilkes category.

Jared Enderton stepped on the platform Saturday evening to compete in the USAW World & Pan-Am Qualifier Weightlifting Championships.  Jared snatched 142 kilos (313 lbs) and clean and jerked 177 kilos (390 lbs).

Finally CrossFit athlete Sam Dancer competed in the Columbus Tournament of the Teams with two other male athletes.  On Saturday afternoon they competed in the Benchmark WOD Linda as a Team of 3 and placed in the top ten moving them to finals.  On Sunday their team (Fight Through) competed against the top ten teams in a Strongman Medley and took home the gold!

We are very proud of each of these athletes and honored to have them as a part of Team HMB!  Be sure to check back all week as we will be posting footage from many of their events!

In the January/February issue of Sweat RX magazine the supplement HMB is featured in the article WOD STACK: Enhance your performance by Winslow Jenkins.  In this article Jenkins discusses how supplements can give athletes an edge for training and competition.  To read the whole article click here and open to page 54.

To find out more about how HMB can help you take your training to the next level please explore the Science Instead of Hype tab to the left!

We sat down with our newest athlete Taylor Drescher to find out more about how this cheerleader has become a CrossFitter to look out for this year in the CrossFit Open!

Q: I know you have a background in cheerleading but what intrigued you to start CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting?

TD: One of my friends who was a male cheerleader at the University of Louisville introduced me to CrossFit in September of 2009. I had always enjoyed physical fitness and working out, but the intensity and constant challenge of CrossFit was what caught my attention. I wasn’t very fond of Olympic lifting at first. The high demand for technique drove me crazy, especially working on the snatch.  Once I started to get the hang of it and realized I was actually pretty good at it, I started to enjoy it. My coaches entered me into a few competitions and I decided to stick with it.

Q:  What is your favorite thing about CrossFit vs. “traditional training”?          

TD:  The best part about CrossFit is the constant variation of movements and WODs (workout of the day). It’s a sport that is almost impossible to become bored with. I don’t see myself ever becoming “burned out.” Once you master a movement, there’s always something else that you really suck at, so it keeps you on your toes. Mainly it keeps you humble.

Q:  I know a lot of CrossFitters are very strict with their diet, do you have a certain nutrition plan that you follow?

TD: Yes I follow a strict diet. I do not follow the common diet of most CrossFitters, that of Paleo. I used to eat paleo and when I started becoming more competitive I found myself needing more fuel. My coach Shane Sweatt wrote me a diet when I started lifting here at the Sweatt Shop/ CrossFit Conjugate (home of the 39 World Record Holder and World’s Strongest Woman Laura Phelps Sweatt). In my plan I eat about 5/6 times a day. The morning starts out with 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 cup of blueberries, 1.5 scoops of protein, 2 tbsp. of liquid fish oil and HMB capsules. My next two meals are about 4 oz. of meat with 6 oz. of carbs: brown rice, red skin potatoes, or sweet potatoes and veggies. I eat half an avocado with one meal, and usually a little olive oil with my spinach. After that my meals consist of protein, and veggies with one more small serving of fruit, maybe a banana and a protein shake after a WOD. I take HMB with one lunch meal and with my last meal. I drink at least 1 gallon of water a day. When I came to Cincinnati at the end of August my body fat percentage was about 15%, now it is down to 11%.

Q:  I know that the CrossFit Open begins in March, what type of training have you been implementing to prepare?

TD: I train at Westside Barbell Certified with coaches Shane and Laura Sweatt who are the powerlifting strength coaches and seminar teachers for CrossFit Conjugate.  My strength training programming is the conjugate method derived from Louie Simmons. My numbers have gone up tremendously on all of my lifts since implementing this program. When I started here I benched 170, it is now 200; I squatted 285, it is now 300; and my biggest gain was in my deadlift. My old personal record (pr) was 315 and it is now 425. My Olympic lifts have gone up as well, my snatch was 160, which is now 170; clean and jerk was 210, and is now 225. I also work two nights a week with Chris Cleary, an Olympic lifting coach in Cincinnati. The conjugate method uses two max effort days upper and lower, lower alternating between a squat and a deadlift week to week. It also includes two dynamic effort days, speed bench, speed squats, and speed pulls on deadlifts.  We have a constant variation on all of the lifts and accessory movements so “accommodation” does not occur. 80% of our strength gains and strength movements come from our accessory work. We do heavy accessory, top sets, meaning usually until failure. We have a heavy emphasis on the posterior chain, glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, rear delts, and lower head of the tricep. These are muscles that are commonly neglected and will make a huge difference on all your lifts. I pull the sled 3 days a week and normally WOD 1-2 times a day. I do short fast sprint WODs on max effort days and longer endurance WODs on dynamic days.

Q:  How do you feel about your chances of making it to Regionals/Games this year?  What sets you apart as an athlete and gives you an edge against the competition?

TD: I plan on making it to regionals this year. I know I am worlds ahead of where I was this time last year. I am hoping on making a significant jump in the polls on the open workouts coming up soon. My ultimate goal is to make it to the games this year. We will see if I will be eligible to come back from TBS in Quantico, where I will be stationed with the Marines, to participate in competing at regionals.

I think that most competitive athletes all have determination and drive, or they would not be competitive. What sets me apart is that I am not willing to go backwards in life, and when I set my mind to a goal or dream, I will do whatever it takes to get there. I also think that my size in numbers on strength overall will make the heavy WODs much easier for me. Anything with a barbell….I’m good to go. If this year isn’t my year, I will not back down. I have made enormous gains using the conjugate system in less than 1 year. I can’t imagine where I will be this time next year. I may not be the fastest girl in the Central East, but I’ll be damned if I’m not the strongest.

Q: Who has been your inspiration through your competition journey?

TD: There are so many good girls in CrossFit that I look up to. The ones that instantly come to mind are Lindsey Valenzuela and Elisabeth Akinwale. I think I look up to them so much because I feel like we have similar characteristics in common. They are bigger, stronger, and excel in Olympic lifting. My goal is definitely to compete alongside them soon.  In our region I really look up to Lindsey Smith. She has been a games competitor for years and continues to make it there each year. Her faith in God plays a major role in her training and shows in her attitude. I value that virtue in her, because I know I would not be where I am without God in my life. I thank him every day for blessing me with this gift. I hope that one day I can share my gift he has given me by inspiring others to challenge themselves every day and reach their full potential in life.

Q:  I know that you recently opened your own box (gym) with a group of people… What inspired you to do this?

TD: I met Shane and Laura on a visit to their gym when I was 19 and we stayed in touch. I ran into them at the CrossFit Games in California and they mentioned they were planning on opening a CrossFit gym in Cincinnati. I was already moving to Cincinnati and was very interested in working with them. I sent them my resume, and started working with them the week I moved out. We calibrated ideas and plans and opening the gym a little over a month ago. We reached over 50 members in our first month. We are incorporating the conjugate method into our classes and competitive athletes. We have already started to see gains and progress. This gym will definitely be one of the best in the U.S. 

Q:  What do you tell others they need to do in order to be a successful athlete?                

TD: The most important thing I ask for from most of my athletes is a good attitude and to be “coachable”. You look at the number of college football players vs. pro, there are more that played college but never made it pro. I am convinced that most of those athletes all had the same level of talent; the ones that make it are the ones who are coachable. A coachable athlete must be willing to trust that their coach always has their best interest and willing to take a small step back in order to move forward.

Q:  I know that you have been competing in CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting for some time now, what has been your proudest moment thus far in each of the sports?

TD: The most proud moment I have had was recently when I competed in an individual competition that we hosted. The last event was a “powerlifting meet” CrossFit style. With 10 min of rest in between each lift and a 2 min max reps of double unders at the end. I pulled a 415 lb. dead lift after competing in three other events beforehand. Shane has trained me so much mentally, I was not accepting a pull lower than 400, so 415 was very exciting.

Q:  What are your ultimate goals and how do you think that HMB will help you to achieve them?

TD: My ultimate goals are to become the best competitive CrossFit athlete that I can be. I want to be well known and continue to coach and inspire others. I think that HMB can help me reach out to other people by spreading my story. I also think HMB has helped me so much with my recovery and continues to help me with my gains.

Q:  What are some fun facts about Taylor that most people do not know?

TD: I am super girly! I love to lift heavy, get dirty, and I tend to cuss a lot….but I was a competitive cheerleader for 15 years. I love to get dressed up, paint my nails and go tanning. I also LOVE tattoos….one day I want to get a full sleeve, but for now the Marines won’t allow it and my dad will KILL ME! I was born in London, England when my dad was stationed there, but have never been back! I hate feet! Because I hate my feet, that’s probably my least favorite feature on my body, and my favorite is probably my arms.  I am VERY close with my younger sister Madeline, and we are polar opposites! I also have a best friend named Ginny that looks like my identical twin, we went to high school together and she also does CrossFit in Tennesee!

Thanks Taylor for your time today and we are very proud to have you representing Team HMB!  We look forward to seeing how the CrossFit Open unfolds for you!

We are fortunate enough to have 5 Team HMB athletes competing this year at the Arnold!

Philita Wheeler, NPC figure competitor, will be stepping on stage at the Arnold Amateur Figure Championships on Thursday, February 28.  The event begins at 6 p.m. at the Veteran’s Memorial, but Philita will not be on stage til around 10 p.m.

Next event we have athletes Brad Gillingham, Bryan Dermody, and Nick Weite competing in the GNC International Amp Pro Deadlift on Saturday, March 2 at 4:30 p.m. on the Arnold Fitness Expo Stage.  Watch as these men his pull some big numbers in the deadlift!

Last but not least Jared Enderton is competing Saturday, March 2 at 8:30 p.m. in the USAW World & Pan-Am Qualifier Weightlifting Championships.  Jared will be showing his skills in the snatch and clean and jerk.  Go over to section C110-115 in the Greater Columbus Convention Center (just outside of the expo) to watch.

We wish the best of luck to all the athletes competing at the Arnold Sports Festival and hope to see you all there!  Please stop by our booth #1119 to meet the athletes and get some free stuff!

The Arnold is finally here and I can’t wait to get there! It’s going to be a great time seeing the craziness again.  Being able to be a part of it all is so much fun for me.  So Thursday after I get off from work from my job as a sheet metal worker, my wife and I will be jumping in my truck and making the 10-hour drive to Columbus.  We are both going to be away from our baby for the first time for a couple of days, but we know she is in wonderful hands.  I work so much that it will give us much needed time to spend together so we are excited.

My workouts have been going really well and I like how I’m coming along despite not dieting really hard.  I was planning on competing in April, but decided to change my first show date because I would have to hold my condition as best as I could for about 14 weeks until my July show.  So now I’m going to compete in June and then only have about four weeks until my next show and that makes my life much easier.  I’m still right around 315lbs and feel happy about how I am at this point in time.  I will be 14 weeks from my show the weekend of the Arnold so I will have plenty of time to get into contest shape. 

Now for the Arnold, I’m very excited about going this year and working our MTI/HMB booth (Booth #1119).  I get to talk to people about our great supplement.  I enjoy telling people how it has really helped me throughout each year and how HMB has kept me going strong the older I get.  I love HMB and everyone I recommend it to loves it and won’t be without it!  I also throw in my Optimum Nutrition Hydro Whey and my American Bodybuilding pre workout drinks and I’m set for each and every day. 

So make sure to stop at our booth at the Arnold and say hi.  Be there in time and get a shirt too!  Til next time make sure to work hard and use your Optimum HMB and your Optimum/ABB supplements.  You will thank me for it!

“Impatience is resistance to learning.” I currently have this quote on a sticky note on my desk, so I see it every day. I need to be reminded on a daily basis to be patient, especially when it comes to my athletic goals. Similar to most athletes, I’m very driven to improve in whatever it is I am practicing.

In less than a year, I began training for MMA since I craved more of a challenge than only competing in IFBB Bikini shows. The martial arts are all brand new to me, so I was starting from square one. Naturally, my athletic background helps, yet Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu were 2 disciplines that I had no prior knowledge before I began. As usual, I want to continually improve and be the best I possibly can. My drive and enthusiasm to improve is definitely a good quality, yet there are times when it can have the opposite effect on my performance. I want to go to as many practices as possible that fit into my schedule. I also enjoy every practice and never want to miss it. By doing so, it can lead to overtraining in both my mind and body especially when life outside of training becomes busy as well.

It is my impatience that gets the best of me. I realized that when I back off slightly or take a day off, then my skills improve. A lot of it is mental, so there is only so much learning I can take in at a time as well. When I listen to my body during stressful times and/or when my allergies are affecting me, then it only benefits me in the long run. I have been receiving the rewards of balancing my training to be at peak performance. It seems as though every time I scale back to avoid overtraining is when I hear a comment about my improvement. My mind also feels clearer and what I have learned comes more natural instead of trying to think too much.

Along with balancing training, I am looking forward to traveling to the Arnold Expo and seeing my fellow HMB teammates. I’m sure it will be just as exciting as last year with so many different sports at one place. When I return, I will be getting ready to represent HMB on stage the following weekend in Culver City to show off my physique and my new suit! Stay tuned for a full report next month about my show.

Metabolic Technologies, Inc is proud to be a sponsor of the ISSN’s 10^th Annual Conference!  The conference is being held on June 14-15 in Colorado Springs, CO.  For more information on the conference please click here.

Training for the GNC Pro Deadlift at the 2013 Arnold Classic is winding down. Training has gone well the past couple of months. My upper back strength is at all-time high from the use of heavy wide-grip barbell rows, heavy dumbbell rows, and heavy weighted pull-ups. My grip strength is also at an all-time high. I use Captain’s of Crush grippers (done both statically and dynamically). Double-overhand deadlift work, dumbbell rows without straps, as well as thick bar movements to work the thumb. I build my core and leg strength with the use of high-volume raw squats. This is done with five sets of five repetitions each with the percentages increasing each week. Raw 5x5 back squats have a good carry-over to both conventional and sumo deadlifts. My last heavy squat session will be two weeks out from the competition and I will try to hit a personal record for five sets of five repetitions in this last heavy session.

My deadlift training has gone well also. A couple of weeks ago I managed to pull 600 plus 250 pounds of band tension for a set of three with just a belt. This was a personal record for me. My top end strength seems to be coming along as well. My partial rack deadlift work has gone well, as have my Romanian Deadlifts. I was able to hit a solid set of 5 on RDL’s at 600 with no belt. This video is on my YouTube site, as are others. I put together a video of corrective and mobility work for Team HMB member Brad Gillingham, but it applies to all those training hard and looking to stay healthy and continue banging on all cylinders.

I will do my last deadlift session about ten days out from the competition. In this session I will pull raw from the floor and do some accessory work for top end strength. This late in the cycle it is just as important to train smart as it is to train hard. Volume has to be low as the intensity of training gradually increases. If you don’t go into a meet fully recovered, you are leaving pounds off of the bar that you could have had in a fully recovered state.

This training phase has once again reminded me that the road to strength lies in keeping things simple and relying on the basics. Raw front and back squats, raw pulling, partial rack deadlifts, RDL’s and heavy rows have gotten a lot of people very strong over the years and they will continue to get people strong for many years to come. Keep things simple. Work hard AND smart, and you will see progress.

The anticipation is boiling over for the 2013 Arnold Classic. I can’t wait to see my fellow Team HMB members, all the other athletes, and of course, the fans. Be sure to stop by Team HMB’s booth (#1119) and check out the greatest recovery supplement around! Hope to see your there!

This weekend was the 7^th Battle of the Cup CrossFit competition held at CrossFit TNT in St. Charles, MO.  Team HMB athlete Sam Dancer competed against 60 other male competitors.  After two grueling days of competing Sam ended up taking 2^nd place overall.  Congratulations to Sam on his performance and we look forward to seeing how he does in the CrossFit Open!

Here’s a small clip of Sam from the tournament.

Men’s RX Results:

1. Kevin Ogar
2. Sam Dancer
3. Joshua Page
4. Shane Mc Bride
5. Josh Silvernail

Women’s RX Results:

1. Melissa Hurley
2. Kristen Miller
3. Jennifer Nobis
4. Brittany Lohmann
5. Emily Yates

Full score sheet and results can be found here.

In the March 2013 issue of Oxygen magazine our very own Team HMB athlete Philita Wheeler is featured.  In the Future of Fitness section Oxygen features 6 up and coming women in the fitness industry.  The article gives a profile on each of these talented women. 

Go to your nearest newsstand and pick up the new issue of Oxygen and turn to page 140 to read about Philita and the other future of fitness women!

To find out more about Philita please visit her Team HMB profile here or check out her blogs! 

I received some great news this past week.  I have made the USAPL Powerlifting Team for the 2013 Inaugural IPF Classic World Championships in Sudzal, Russia. After placing second at the 2012 USAPL RAW Nationals I had to wait for 6 months to see if I would move up as an alternate into a team spot. In 2012 the IPF sanctioned the first Classic World Cup in Stockholm, Sweden.  Due to its great success the IPF voted at the 2012 Congress to make Classic lifting a sanctioned World Championship in 2013. The Classic Worlds is contested as a RAW event.  Lifters are only allowed to use a singlet, belt, knee sleeves, and wrist wraps.  No supportive suits or wraps are allowed.  I have always looked forward to the day that there would be a RAW IPF World Championship.  This is a great opportunity for me.  I will be training harder then ever to try and get on the medal podium!

My training for the 2013 GNC Pro Performance Arnold Deadlift event is in full swing.  I am starting to hit those critical heavy workouts, and they have been progressing as planned.  I was able to pull a set of 5 with 738 tonight in just a belt.  I hope to pull 5x760 in 2 weeks. The mobility work that I have added to my training with the help of Bryan Dermody has really helped in a short time.  I am looking forward to competing with fellow Team HMB Athletes Bryan Dermody and Nick Weite on the main stage of the Arnold Saturday afternoon!

I spent this past weekend speaking at the Minnesota NSCA Winter Strength Coaches Clinic held on the University of Minnesota Campus.  It was a great honor to be able to talk about my strength training philosophy in front of this group. My talk basically related to the fact that training athletes to be powerlifters, strongmen, wrestlers, football players and other athletes does not vary much in the basic concept. Most athletes will benefit from training the squat, bench press, and the deadlift along with a mixture of Olympic lifts to become bigger, stronger and faster athletes. Of course there needs to be some adaptations in training programs to fit the athletes sport specific needs.  We train a wide variety of athletes at Jackals Gym in Marshall, Minnesota.  A couple things are common for everyone.  Come to the gym ready to lift and bring a lot of intensity!

I can’t say enough about the great strength, recovery and added work capacity benefits that can be obtained from taking HMB. Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals in 2013!!!

Brad

My day begins at about 3:30 am and doesn’t end til about 9:00 pm.  So working a lot and being able to be with my wife and daughters is hard, but I make it happen.  My workouts are, as always, broken into single body parts and short and direct.  I have to put a lot of intensity into them to get them done because my time is limited and dragging the workout longer doesn’t keep my heart rate elevated.  Even though my weight training isn’t a cardio workout, keeping my heart rate up does help to burn off extra fat. 

My gym has been slow since the first of the year and I haven’t seen a lot of new business from the New Year resolution group, but neither have any of the other facilities around here.  We keep moving forward and hoping to see new members and changing peoples’ lives for the better, but you can only help the people that want to help themselves.

I’m really looking forward to the Arnold this year too!  I’m excited to see all the HMB fans and promote this great product.  It’s helped me keep going strong even as I get older and recovery becomes more difficult, but that’s what HMB is all about!

So that’s what’s going on right now and how my prep is so far.  Until next time keep using your Optimum HMB and your American Bodybuilding supplements.  You will thank me for it!

In the winter 2013 issue of UFC magazine is an article called Gaining an Edge. This article discusses the top 10 supplements that every serious athlete should consider taking.  They break the supplements into three categories or tiers: The Foundation, Go Time, and Support.  In Tier 1: The Foundation they list HMB as an important supplement to help aid in recovery, strength, power, and performance. 

To read the entire article go to your nearest newsstand to purchase UFC magazine or you can order it online here.  Then turn to page 88 and find out how your supplement regimen can give you an edge in your training.  For more information on how HMB works please click the Science Instead of Hype tab on your left!

As I get closer and closer to stepping on stage at the Arnold Amateur February 28^th my focus has shifted slightly to trying to stay healthy, well rested, and increasing cardio week by week.

I’ve been close to stage weight for months now since I just competed in November and I will admit that maintaining this has been the most daunting task for me.  I teetered on not wanting to gain too much weight because I would just have to take it off again, but still wanting to build muscle at the same time.

 Now I’m merely a few pounds to where I see myself onstage this time and with my new career path I’ve had to take a slight step back from heavy training to focus on work.  This is why my new emphasis is on maintaining my health and staying rested.  This has meant giving up two of my morning workouts for some extra sleep time. I’m lifting only 4 days week now compared to my former 5-6 days a week regimen. But I found that as I continue to lift heavier I wanted to give my body extra rest time and starting this week I am trading in my heavy squat days for some plyo work.  I’ve also found that taking HMB has been a vital component in my recovery.  When you are juggling a full time career and training for a stage like the Arnold recovery has been such an important factor for me.  I’m a believer in the recovery and endurance properties of HMB and continue to recommend it to anyone who steps into the gym!

The fact that I’m in the gym less doesn’t mean I’m NOT lifting, it just means each workout I’m lifting heavier and harder. I’ve completely restructured my lifting schedule to fit my life.  I was trying to fit my life around my lifting and that just wasn’t working for me anymore.  I found myself falling asleep on the way to work and feeling nauseous at the gym. That’s when reality set in for me that it was time to step back a notch, focus on more rest time, and reconfiguring my schedule.

I now have a better balance and find that those days I am at the gym I’m more focused and excited to lift heavy because I know I won’t be back the next day.

4 weeks to go!  I will be ready!  It’s been a rough few months of prep but I have been blessed with the most amazing support system at home.  Come see me on stage February 28^th when I will be representing Team HMB!

As many of you know, I ended my 2012 season in almost the worst way possible, with a broken and severely sprained ankle. Since then I have been slowly recovering and doing what I can to maintain strength, as well as find new ways to challenge myself. Because of this, I am really looking forward to competing in a contest but it is still a ways away. I had to decline my invitation to compete in the Amateur World Championships at the Arnold this year. The extremely heavy weights at this contest are just not realistically achievable at this point in my recovery process. Luckily for me, in a sport like strongman there are tons of competitions and missing the beginning of a season doesn’t ruin the whole year. My main focus is to be my best ever for 105K Pro Nationals this year. Anything else I get to do this year will simply be a bonus.

Like I said, I have found a few new ways to challenge myself. I’ve been working a lot of grip training, with the main focus being grippers and fat bar work. Aside from this I have been getting a lot more volume work done for my upper body. I’m excited to see what kind of impact this has when I can get back into full on strongman mode.

Recovery from any injury can be very mentally and physically draining. Appropriate exercise, mental approach, and nutrition are all a huge part of the process. I’ve really been making sure I get a lot of protein in my diet, along with BCAA’s and especially HMB to compliment this. Proper nutrition along with a progressive exercise regimen is the key to recovering, and I will be showing the strongman world a 100% Justin Blake in 2013.

I had the pleasure of competing in my first Jiu Jitsu competition this weekend and it was an awesome experience. I was so excited that I could barely sleep the night after competing! I felt like a kid again when I competed in gymnastics since I was competing in a skill and with a team. I already had a good vibe; since the competition took place at the LA Fit Expo at the LA Convention Center. It was at the expo three years ago when I met and spoke with Metabolic Technologies (developers of HMB). After that meeting is when I joined Team HMB and began my journey with their tremendous amount of support and phenomenal supplement.

All of the white belts went last, so I was eagerly awaiting my match. My opponent and I ended up standing most of the time. I was mostly defending and trying a few takedowns here and there. Since I am usually practicing with teammates who are bigger, more experienced, or both, I don’t practice much offense. On the other hand, I get plenty of defense practice to say the least. By the time we went to the ground, there was very little time left. I defended more on the ground and then it ended in a draw.

This competition was submission only which I felt was in my favor. Even though I haven’t practiced many submissions when rolling in class, I felt like my defense was strong. Also, with my strength from years of weight training and HMB supplementation helped with my short time of experience in the sport. I was very pleased with my performance and look forward to getting to the gym to improve my game as always.

The most important part of my experience is the excitement of competing in a sport that relies on a skill. I’ve been missing that feeling since I stopped competing in fitness. I want to give a shout out to my fellow Team HMB athlete, Bryan Dermody, for being a part of my inspiration to start mixed martial arts training. Last year at this time I was looking to compete in a new sport. I love getting up on stage and showing my hard work, yet prefer to train and compete in a skill. I grew up doing just that with gymnastics and loved it.

I was reminded of how much I missed that type of competition when I saw Bryan compete at the Arnold last year. When I saw his excitement after beating his personal best, I felt just as emotional. I could feel his excitement and had tears in my eyes. As soon as I returned home, I began to research gyms for training and began my training soon after.

I’m planning on competing as often as possible in Jiu Jitsu tournaments this year. I am scheduled to compete in 3 bikini competitions as well. My next one will be March 9^th in Culver City after a fun weekend at the Arnold Fitness Expo in Ohio!

 
Jennifer competed in her first jiu jitsu tournament where her match ended in a draw (it was a submission only competition). 

David competed in the USPA Powerlifting Invitational where he lifted a 584.5lb raw bench placing him 1st and moving his rank to #3 in the nation!  

We are very proud of each of our athletes and look forward to seeing what 2013 has in store for them!

People are always asking me, "What workouts do you do?”  That question is always hard to answer, because my workouts are always evolving and changing depending on where I am at in contest prep or my off-season.  One thing I can say is that no matter what workout I am doing it is always "temp" oriented, with a 3-5 second eccentric movement designed to keep as much stress on the muscle as possible at all times.  This way there is never a time during a lift where the muscle is relaxed. 

The eccentric movement is basically the part of the movement where you are not contracting the muscle.  For example when you bench press the eccentric movement is on the down portion of the lift.  So I make sure that it takes me 3-5 seconds to bring the bar down to my chest that way the muscle fibers are fully engaged. 

I started this type of training roughly 3 years ago, after roughly 15 years of training "old school".  In the last 3 years I have turned Pro, won a Pro show and placed 5th twice in the NGA Natural Universe.  Based on my results this has worked for me.

The following is an entire week’s worth of training that I am currently doing. I will stay on this program for 4-5 weeks before I change it up.  On a side note, I am never in the gym for more than 52 minutes!  The workouts below I get done in that time or less.  Everything I do is based on continuous movements as well, so most of my workouts flow from one exercise to another, going through 2 body parts at a time and 3-4 different exercises which consists of 1 set.  Remember to use the eccentric movement with every lift.  Hopefully this will give you an idea of what my training is like at 43 years old.  With programs like this I continue to get stronger and bigger everyday.  One of the biggest components to that is HMB; it is a crucial supplement that you must have when you are taking your training to these levels.

Monday:   no rest in between first 4 exercises

·       Lying leg curl (toes plantar flex)           3-5 reps   

·       Straight leg deadlift                              3-5 reps

·       Lying leg curl (toes dorsi flex)              8-10 reps

·       Seated good mornings                        10-12 reps

rest 2 minutes and then repeat 4 more times for total of 5 sets

·       Seated leg curl                            8/8/8    this means triple drop, do 8 reps, drop weight then 8 more reps, drop weight then 8 more reps

rest 90 seconds and repeat 2 more times for total of 3 sets.

Tuesday:   No rest in between first 4 exercises

·       Tricep extensions (straight bar to chin)       3-5 reps

·       Bench press flat bench                               3-5 reps

·       French press standing EZ bar                    8-10 reps

·       Dumbbell press (bench at a 30 degree incline)      10-12 reps

rest 2 minutes and repeat 4 more times for a total of 5 sets

·       Press downs (standing with rope)               8/8/8

·       Dumbbell flyes (30 degree Incline)              8/8/8

rest 90 seconds and repeat 2 more times for total of 3 sets

Wednesday:   No rest in between first 4 exercises

·       Standing calf raise (toes in)                      3-5 reps

·       Calf extension leg press (toes neutral)     3-5 reps

·       Standing calf raise (toes out)                    8-10 reps

·       Seated calf raise (toes neutral)                10-12 reps

rest 2 minutes and repeat 4 more times for a total of 5 sets

·       Seated calf raise toes out                     8/8/8

rest 90 seconds and repeat 2 more times for total of 3 sets

Thursday:  No rest in between first 4 exercises

·       Standing curls (neutral grip bar)                  3-5 reps

·       Seated rows (neutral grip narrow)               3-5 reps

·       45 degree incline curls                                8-10 reps

·       Lat pull down (Pronate Medium Grip)         10-12 reps

rest 2 minutes and repeat 4 more times for total of 5 sets

·       Preacher curls (reverse grip)                           8/8/8

·       Pullovers (15 degree decline)                          8/8/8

rest 90 seconds and repeat 2 more times for total of 3  sets

Friday:  No rest in between first 4 exercises

·       Quad squats  (heels are elevated 4-5 inches)    3-5 reps

·       Leg press (feet low)                                            3-5 reps

·       Seated leg extensions                                        8-10 reps

·       Squats                                                                10-12 reps

Rest 2 minutes and repeat 4 more times for total of 5 sets

·       Dumbbell Lunges (alternate legs)                                8/8/8

rest 90 seconds and repeat 2 more times for total of 3 drop sets

Saturday:  No rest in between first 4 exercises

·       Barbell shrugs                                              3-5 reps

·       Standing dumbbell lateral raise                    3-5 reps

·       Face pull with rope                                       8-10 reps

·       Lateral raise (face down 45 degree incline) 10-12 reps

rest 2 minutes and repeat 4 more times for total of 5 sets

·       Bent over dumbbell lateral raise                      8/8/8

·       Standing shoulder press (neutral grip)            8/8/8

rest 90 seconds and repeat 2 more times for total of 3 sets

I have to say my 2012 was probably the slowest year of powerlifting since I have been competing, however I received two invites at the end of the year that will have my 2013 extremely busy. 

The first one is what I’m training for now, the 2013 Arnold Classic.  I’m competing in the GNC Pro Deadlift on Saturday.  Training for this has had to be the hardest to date.  With my work schedule and my two little boys, getting my lifting in has become a little harder.  With that said I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. 

I have limited time to train but am still getting my lifting in, which is going really good.  My raw strength is probably at an all time high and I’m starting to get back into my gear to start handling the heavier weights. 

Training for a deadlift only meet really hasn’t changed my lifting strategy at all.  I’m actually training just like I would for a full meet.  I’m aiming for a big number and hoping the training I do will lead to this. 

I also was selected to represent Team USA at the 2013 World Games.  This is a huge honor and training will begin as soon as the Arnold ends.  Competing at the World Games will definitely be the pinnacle of my lifting career. 

Going through this training cycle I am relying heavily on supplements to help me recover.  This of course means keeping my HMB nearby.  My sleep is getting harder to come by so I need all the help I can get. 

Since I am getting into some heavier lifting, I will be posting some videos of training.  Also make sure to check out the day in the life series of Team HMB athletes that are being put up all the time.  Until then, continue to lift hard and smart which means adding HMB to your supplement list.  You’ll be glad you did.

To subscribe to the Journal of Pure Power (JOPP) and to gain access to a free sample issue, click here!

The year 2013 is here and it’s time to start working on setting some new strength and fitness goals.  I am not real big on making New Years Resolutions, but one thing I always try to do is take a good hard look at my training, and evaluate what weak areas I can improve on.  One area that I think any strength athlete can improve on is mobility training. It is generally easy for me to do a lot of mobility work at the beginning of a heavy training cycle, but as the weights start getting heavier I sometimes start leaving out the mobility work.  This is just the opposite of what I should be doing. Mobility work is critical when training heavy.  I have recently asked fellow Team HMB member Bryan Dermody to help me with some mobility exercises.  Bryan has a lot of knowledge in this area, and recently posted a YouTube video on a hip flexor stretch.  I feel this is a very valuable piece of information for any strength athlete.  I will start incorporate this stretch into my training in 2013.

I spent the first weekend of 2013 with GNC at the NSCA Sport Specific Conference and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Conference in Nashville.  I always enjoy these conferences.  They are a great time to talk about nutrition and training with a number of knowledgeable coaches in the strength training field.  I always pick up some valuable training information.  Of course I am always quick to point out the benefits of adding HMB to any athlete’s supplementation plan.

One big tip that I always try to stress is the key to staying strong and getting stronger is to continue to learn and pick up knowledge from others.  Any well thought out training program will work for a while…. but nothing works forever.  It is important to stick with your basic training template, but continue to adapt especially in the area of assistance exercises.  There is always a weak chain in any strength athlete, and we always need to find new movements to train our weak areas.

The GNC Pro Performance Pro Deadlift at the Arnold is right around the corner. This is always a great event contested on the main stage of the Arnold Exhibition Hall during the peak time on Saturday in front of a huge crowd. My training right now is entirely focused on this event.  Training will start to ramp up and the real heavy training days are ahead of me these next six weeks.

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals in 2013!!!

Brad

Take a look of the highlights from the 2013 Camp Pendleton Open!

For more information on the Great Lake Invitational visit here! 

Top 10 Men Individuals:

1    Urankar, Nicholas   
2    Fory, Nick   
3    Walker, Chris   
4    Silvernail, Josh
5    Nettey, Alex   
6    Pastorek, Brandon  
7    Dancer, Sam   
8    Cantrell, Jared   
9    Charton, Craig  
10    Janzen, Andreas

Top 10 Women Individuals:

1    Broadbent, Julianne
2    Osborn, Jennifer
3    Jackson, Kelley
4    Rode, Anna
5    Heydlauff, Sam
6    Cunningham, Erin
7    Schulz, Jessica
8    Hernandez, Michelle
9    Merchant, Elyse
9    Wagner, Kacie

Metabolic Technologies, Inc. is pleased to announce that CrossFit athlete Taylor Drescher has joined Team HMB!

This Tennessee raised woman got her competitive drive when she started cheerleading at the age of 10.  Cheerleading led her to the University of Louisville where she majored in exercise science, which led to three Cheerleading National Championship titles.  Being born and raised in a military family Taylor decided to attend Officer Candidate’s School in 2011.  Since then she has become Second Lieutenant and the first female Marine in Kentucky to earn the Lt. Col. William Higgins Leadership Award.  Her competitive nature also led her to the sport of CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting.  Taylor has now been doing CrossFit for over 3 years and in May of 2012 qualified for the CrossFit Regional Games where she finished 13^th.  With her drive Taylor will definitely be an athlete to keep your eyes on as the CrossFit Games approach this spring!

Check out Taylor’s profile in the Team HMB section and watch for an interview with Taylor coming soon!

We are proud to have Taylor as a part of Team HMB!

Holidays are always a challenge for anyone, it is not only all the food, but also the messed up schedule that always challenges me.  Trying to find time to go to the gym amidst all the travel and eating is difficult.  My training is going strong as I just switched workouts again.  I’m moving into new body parts and new motions in order for the "muscle confusion" to stay in place.  I have about 6 weeks until my diet starts for the next competition, which is good, cause I probably need to drop a little extra after all the great food over the last month! 

Christmas was a great time this year, my two boys, Jake and Josh and I spent a lot of time together playing games and building at least 10 different lego sets!  I am now a master Lego Builder (according to Josh).  I take time from work during the Holidays to spend with my kids.  It is one of my favorite times of the year and of course my training suffers during this time, but sometimes in life we all have to make little sacrifices for what is truly important. 

Now I am back at it hard and in full swing this week and will be pushing hard through the next competition.  HMB stays in my gym bag at all times, can't live without it.  I have said this many times before, but at 43 years old, finding that edge that keeps you winning is crucial and HMB is that edge!  Hope everyone had a Happy Holidays and I hope that 2013 will bring everything you want to achieve!

I’m 9 weeks out from the Arnold Amateur today.  Just saying this out loud gave me goose bumps. I’m so excited to be representing Team HMB at one of the most prestigious body building/figure competitions in the country. It will be an honor to be on stage with the other girls at this International event.

In order to be prepared for this I have to change my routine, become stricter with my diet, and add some cardio into the mix. I am lucky, however, that I am going into this competition prep leaner than all my others.  I don’t have to do cardio twice a day, in-fact, that would be too much for me, and I would go into the competition too lean and striated. I currently am doing cardio twice a week and as the weeks draw to a close I will add extra cardio in slowly. I feel lucky that I’m not hunched over the treadmill for hours and I still get to enjoy carbs and the occasional treat.  It almost hasn’t felt like prep, almost.

My diet mostly consists of oatmeal, whey protein, peanut butter, chicken, tilapia, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, brown rice, yogurt, and almonds. My supplement regimen is currently HMB, Fish Oil, multi vitamins, creatine, Amino Energy, and Turbo Shred from Swole Sports. 

I’ve been squatting extra lately, which leaves me sore, so taking HMB on a daily basis to help me recover and power through my last few sets is a must. If I didn’t have the recovery benefits of HMB I don’t think I would be able squat twice a week. I’m really trying to bring in my hamstrings for the Arnold. I know they are there, but genetically I have problems getting them to show. I will keep working at them regardless!

Look for me to hit the stage in 9 weeks!  I’m almost ready!

My gym is finally picking up again for the winter season.  It just took a while because the summer was so slow.  Now it’s getting much better with the new specials for the New Year and new trainers and classes, we should be having a great beginning to the New Year.

That’s my 2012 in a nutshell.  2013 has more in store so be watching to see what happens next and if /when I decide to change things up and do something different.

Until next time, train hard and smart and use your HMB and ON/ABB supplements.  You will thank me for it!

MMA athlete and avid HMB user Scott Tully competed last weekend in the KC Submission Expo to test his progression as a new MMA competitor.  In his first match Scott was able to lock in a kimura hold for the submission and win.  In his second fight Scott got a trip takedown within the first 30 seconds of the match and locked in a mounted head and arm choke for another submission, getting his second win for the day.  Now it was onto finals against another guy that had won both of his first to matches by submissions.  After a hard battle for the full round the opponent ended up taking the match 3 to 0.  “Overall from the Sunflower games I feel I have made a huge amount of progress in defense, cardio and technique.  As I get older recovery is very important and I feel HMB is vital to aiding me in this recovery, it’s one of the supplements I won’t go without!” stated Scott. 

Sam Dancer has been a competitive athlete his entire life and even had the opportunity to compete collegiately in football and track and field.  With that competitive drive Sam finally found his way into the crazed sport of CrossFit.  Sam Dancer may be new to the sport of CrossFit, but he has drive and determination to compete with the big dogs!  We sat down with Sam to find out more about this young athlete and his aspirations. 

Q: I know that you’ve competed in a lot of different sports throughout your life, but what sparked your interest in CrossFit?

SD: One reason that it sparked my interest is, the CrossFit "craze" and how high of a level the CrossFit athletes perform at. People are becoming more knowledgeable about overall fitness, realizing that a one-dimensional approach can be limiting. For example, just because a guy or girl lifts weights and maybe looks really buff, it doesn't necessarily mean they are all that strong, big muscles aren't always powerful muscles. It also doesn't mean that he or she is particularly athletic and could compete in a competition that requires strength, agility, mobility, and endurance.

Q: How long have you been CrossFitting?

SD:  I'm new to CrossFit, the opens this coming year in March will mark my one-year CrossFit anniversary. I'm looking forward to learning more about CrossFit and becoming more involved in the community.

Q: Now you’re prepping for the 2013 CrossFit Open… what type of training regimen have you been implementing to help get you ready?

SD:  For the past few months I have been working on getting strong. Starting December 15th I will be rowing three times a week; swimming twice a week; meeting with my gymnastics coach once a week; squat, press, clean and snatch twice a week and following optimum performance training's strength and conditioning programing. Sounds like a lot, but very little of my days are comprised of training. I take rest and recovery very seriously. 

Q: Is there a certain bodyweight or physique you are trying to obtain through training? 

SD:  During my off-season, no. It's get as big and strong as possible, maybe even as heavy as 225-230lbs.  Leading up to the opens I will lose up to 30lbs and will be competing around 195lbs. I like running lean when it comes to competing.

Q: Do you have a certain nutrition program that you follow? 

SD:  I eat paleo, 100% of the time. The only thing that changes will be my micronutrient ratio. I tend to be most effective, efficient and lean when I'm eating high fat, moderate protein, and very little carbs. I use a lot of bcaa's and HMB. I eat “real” fresh, natural food like meat, vegetables and fruit. I choose foods that are nutrient dense, with lots of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals, over foods that have more calories but less nutrition because food quality is important, I’m careful about where my meats and fats come from, and buy produce locally and organically as often as possible. I eat a lot, especially when my training volume is high. 

Q: Why do you believe that paleo is important to your fitness goals? And do you ever allow yourself treats/cheat meals?

SD:  Call it what you want. Paleo, caveman, or ancestral eating, this way is the way we were intended to eat. Eating clean real food has allowed my body to continue to function. There was a lot of damage done to my body playing college football and throwing, I need to take every natural nutritional advantage I can to take care of myself.  Maybe after a competition you might see me cheat, but I typically don't cheat. I enjoy the way I eat. 

Q: Who has been your inspiration or motivation along this process? 

SD:  Jesus, he keeps me balanced and functioning.

Q: What do you think it takes in order to be a successful CrossFit athlete?

If you have grand expectations of where you would like to be in this sport, you have to develop your tools, the use and awareness of your instrument, and your skills. I don't necessarily think you have to focus how many grams of protein and what type of conditioning programs you are doing. What you need to focus on is the development of character, which speaks to your ability to follow through and start to string together day after day of efficient action on a very basic level. If you are working without the strength of character and the ability to follow through then all the complex talk about programming and nutrition will be of little value to you. 

Q: What has been your most memorable experience thus far in the sport?

SD:  Getting to compete with Rich Froning and Dan Bailey at the Arnold in the opens last year. They are amazing athletes and seeing them perform made me realize where I will be if I continue to work hard and have fun. 

Q: I know you just opened up your own box (gym) QTown CrossFit.  What made you decide that you wanted to do this?

SD:  After missing the north central regional last year by a few spots I realized that it wasn't my time and that God had a different plan for me. That plan was to help other people realize their greater potential. I refuse to allow others and myself to be gratified by mediocrity when I know we can do excellent things. We are all capable of not letting good be good enough. There are way too many physical contingencies out there and to think that you can be perfect at all of them is insane, so there is no reason to ever think that you have reached your full potential. I love helping people seek and find their greater self.

Q: What are your ultimate goals and how do you think HMB will help you achieve them?

SD:  My ultimate goals with the sport are to make it to the games. My ultimate goals with my business are to continue to grow as a coach so I can offer more to my clients. My ultimate goal as a man is to further my relationship with Christ and trust that everything else will fall in place. HMB as a product will help me recover and stay healthy, allowing me to do what I love, coach and compete. Being a part of Team HMB will help me get to where I need to be so I can spread awareness for what I believe in and what HMB & CrossFit have to offer.

Q: What are some fun facts that most people don’t know about Sam?

SD:  I love to longboard, play disc golf and I was an art major.  All of those really throw people off. I also don't like listening to crazy music when I workout which really bothers some people at my gym, they always joke that they will fall asleep if they keep listening to my music. Bob Marley, Donavon Frankenreiter, and Pepper are my favorite Pandora stations and I got this new thing for female British singers so Corinne Bailey Rae is a station as well that's getting some use. Weird I know, but on game day it is a different music selection, various rap artists and dub step.

Thanks for your time today Sam, we are truly happy to have you as a part of Team HMB and look forward to seeing what the future holds for you!

After my last IFBB competition, I thought I wasn’t going to be competing again until March of 2013 in the Muscle Contest Pro. I’ve been learning Muay Thai now for six months and Jiu Jitsu for three. A few weeks ago I asked my Jiu Jitsu coach when I can compete. He told me in about six months. Then the following week he said I would be competing on January 20^th. I was pleasantly surprised to say the least. I love competing as often as I can, so now I won’t have what seems like a long break from it.

By the time I compete, I will have had four months of training and I am excited to have my first competitive experience in Jiu Jitsu. Regardless of the amount of experience, I enjoy getting out there and competing as soon as possible. I realized that is how I’ve always done it with my past competitive sports. Even my first time competing when I was 13 years old began after taking gymnastics classes for about 4-6 months. I agree with my coach that it is good to get out there and get experience competing even with a short amount of time of training experience.

It still amazes me what a difference a year can make. Last year at this time I was contemplating starting a new sport being that the bikini competitions weren’t enough of a challenge for me. I also enjoy training for a skill more than only for aesthetics. Last year I didn’t even know what Jiu Jitsu was. I’ve watched MMA and thought any of the ground game was wrestling. Being from the east coast, wrestling was very popular and Jiu Jitsu was unheard of at that time. I’m so thrilled I get to learn a new discipline and constantly be challenged. I look forward to improving and competing throughout the year.

I’m packing my training gear and HMB for the holidays and getting my Jiu Jitsu on during the Christmas season! Whether I am weight training or practicing martial arts, HMB helps me recover and train consistently throughout my journey.  I always love training during the holiday season. The cheery holiday energy along with being off of work makes for great training. I was very happy to reconnect to a friend from Pittston who trains and also teaches Jiu Jitsu. I will be able to visit family and friends along with improving my ground game. Stay tuned for a full report after my Jiu Jitsu competition next month and have a happy holiday training season!

I have recently learned that Brazil has a very thorough VISA approval process. Unfortunately, I was not able to make my trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil last weekend to compete in the Brazil Invitational Deadlift Competition.  I ran into a VISA problem as my VISA was not obtained in time to make the trip.  I have made 25 International trips to date, and have never run into this problem. In short summary…. the fee schedule for an athlete/tourist VISA has changed from the information that I was able to obtain from the Brazil Consulate General web site.  My application was sent back requesting additional payment.  I sent the additional payment back by overnight mail 10 days prior to departure date, but the Brazilian Consulate General failed to expedite application. Evidently they have a very strict 7 working day processing policy.  I had to cancel my airline ticket at the last minute.  I am a little embarrassed by this situation as I have often blogged, and provided advice to other athletes about how to successfully travel and compete in foreign lands. Readers beware… it’s best to start early when making application for a VISA request to travel to Brazil. 

Not being able to travel and compete in Brazil was a big disappointment to say the least. To add fuel to the fire…Minnesota got walloped by a 17 inch snow storm and blizzard this past weekend.  Rather than competing in 80 degree Brazil; I spent Sunday and Monday digging out, and shoveling off the roof.  Winter is here in SW Minnesota as it was -13F on Monday morning. On a positive note, my training leading up to the event went very well.  I am hopeful for a strong competition season in 2013 starting with the GNC Pro Performance Deadlift Invitational at the Arnold Fitness Expo.

There are always going to be setbacks on the road ahead.  As an athlete that has been competing for a long time my advice is to stay focused, re-evaluate and continue to stay strong when faced with adversity. Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad

My training is going great!  I started a new program last week and will roll with this one for four weeks.  I am focusing on destroying fibers and growing as much as possible before traveling to the HOA Classic to defend my Pro Title in May 2013.  In this training program I will be hitting 2 body parts per day, performing 3 different exercises per body part with 6-8 reps per set. There is no rest in between sets until done with all 3 exercises, then I rest for 2 minutes and repeat 5 times.  I am eating clean and staying healthy with HMB added into my diet, which helps immensely with these types of tough workouts.  My training will stay tough and steady throughout the holiday season and I will try to keep my diet as clean as I can.  I am sure there will be a couple cheat meals in there somewhere.  I plan to try and compete in a couple bigger shows in the spring of 2013 and see if we can blow out 2013. 

I am really excited about the Holidays, I love spending time with all the kids and Gina and having those family moments. 

Keep training hard, eating right and treating your body like you only have one because you do!  Make sure you are using HMB in your exercise program; get the supplement that can actually make a difference.

Metabolic Technologies, Inc is pleased to announce CrossFit athlete Sam Dancer has joined Team HMB!

Sam has been a competitive athlete throughout his entire life.  He attended Western Illinois University where he had the opportunity to compete in track & field and football throughout his college degree.  After college Sam still had the drive to compete.  He even dabbled in bodybuilding, but after being introduced to CrossFit through his cousin and watching the CrossFit Games on ESPN Sam knew that he wanted to be a CrossFit athlete and that it was what he was meant to do.  Besides training hard for the 2013 CrossFit Open, Sam is the head coach/part-owner of QTown CrossFit.

Check out Sam’s profile in the Team HMB section and watch for an interview with Sam coming soon!

We are proud to have Sam as a part our team!

Thanksgiving has just passed and I am reminded of how grateful I am for all the blessings in my life. Health and happiness is first and foremost and I encourage the same goal for all my clients. The gift of health allows for endless possibilities. One of them being the intense training I do that puts a smile on my face every time.

Now that the bikini competition season is over until next year, I can put even more focus on my Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu training. I love everything about my training which is obvious to my friends who often tell me that my face lights up whenever I talk about it. After coaching myself for bikini competitions, it has been a long time since I have been coached and on a team. Training in a group is very encouraging and comforting. Along with my coaches, so many people in class are willing to help and encourage me along the way.

At the same time, the challenge of learning two new sports is the best part. The fact that both Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu require extensive physical and mental capability keeps me very motivated. I now have that constant drive for skill improvement that I used to have from gymnastics that I miss so much.

I am currently taking as many classes as I can fit into my schedule in both Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu. I also have been weight training once a week to maintain my physique and increase my strength for fighting. Along with training, I have been assessing new poses for my competitions in 2013.

I’m very grateful for all of my athletic endeavors and the support I’ve gotten and continue to get throughout this process. Family, friends, fellow class members, and Team HMB give me the extra motivation for training. The HMB supplement itself keeps me strong for my numerous training sessions all week. My fellow Team HMB members are extremely kind and encouraging. I can’t express how much I appreciate their support to help me live my passion.

As for my training, I have been hitting it hard and will be starting my diet for the 2013 season in January.  First I will be at the Arnold with Team HMB and talking to everyone about our amazing product.  Then I will be competing in April at the NPC Mr. Iowa and Central Midwest again to then compete in Pittsburgh at the Masters Nationals.  I’m really looking forward to doing that.  I also work a good 15-16 hrs per day, so my recovery is essential and HMB has been the biggest and most effective part of that recovery.  I slam down Optimum Nutrition(ON) and American Bodybuilding (ABB) supplements, both protein and energy drinks.  They keep me going thru the long days especially when it’s hard for me to be able to eat my calories.  I’m still around 330 lbs and I am ready to cut for my shows!  I love being in shape.  Putting on a lot of weight in the off-season is something I’m not crazy about, but it’s just one of the necessary evils of the sport of bodybuilding.  I love the sport so I endure all facets of what has to be done. 

That’s my future plans and as long as everything goes as planned, I hope to have a great 2013 season.  Each month I will keep everyone up to date on my progress with my blogs and photos.  I will even be doing some videos on my daily routine because it is non-stop in my daily life with work, training, family and my business. 

Til next time train hard and smart and take your ON HMB and ABB supplements. You will thank me for it!

Preparing for my first NPC show was definitely exciting!  During the last few months I have taken on a whole new love and excitement for the sport and lifestyle.  My clean eating habits helped me have a fast prep for the Mid Atlantic Grand Prix show.

I’m ready to dial in for the Arnold Amateur on February 28, 2013.  My prep will not be as bad as my last few because I’m already coming in at 14 weeks out pretty lean.  I have some adjustments to make and I’m ramping up my training.  I will continue my 2 days a week of cardio for a few more weeks before slowly adding in additional time.

I will be using HMB as my “not so secret” of a weapon heavily in order to help maintain my mass while following a strict diet.

Please follow me on my 14-week prep to the stage through my blogs here or on twitter or facebook!  I look forward to hearing from all of you!

Top 10 Pro Results:

1. Nils Frommhold  8:03:13

2.  Paul Matthews  8:04:58

3.  TJ Tollakson  8:07:36

4.  Tyler Butterfield  8:14:41

5.  Jarmo Hast  8:16:09

6. Ian Mikelson  8:19:38

7.  Andrew Starkowicz  8:20:36

8.  Matthew Russell  8:30:50

9.  Christian Ritter  8:35:08

10.  Thomas Gerlach  8:36:05

1.  Linsey Corbin  9:01:41

2.  Meredith Kessler  9:06:41

3.  Corinne Abraham  9:15:10

4. Sara Gross  9:18:04

5.  Mirjam Weerd  9:24:27

6.  Leanda Cave  9:24:51

7. Haley Chura  9:28:22

8.  Malaika Homo 9:28:40

9. Charisa Wernick  9:30:27

10. Kim Schwabenbauer  9:30:54

We have had a very mild fall in Minnesota, and we are yet to have any snow on the ground in the southwest corner of the state.  With Thanksgiving in a few days the Minnesota hunting seasons are in full swing.  Being an avid hunter; I have been spending my free time hunting pheasants, ducks, geese and deer…. definitely my favorite time of the year.  It is also a great time to get in some much needed walking and hiking in pursuit of game. Long walks across fields, swamps, and woods are all part of the hunting challenge, and I generally get in pretty good shape during hunting season. 

I have recently accepted an invitation from Julio Conrado, IPF South American Region President to compete in the Brazil Invitational Deadlift Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil the weekend of December 8-9.  This will be my 25^th international trip, but I will be competing in South America for the first time.  With this competition I will now be able to complete a significant goal of mine which is to compete on all continents with the exclusion of Antarctica. I would have never imagined the places I have come to know when I competed in my first small bench meet in Brainerd, Minnesota back in 1989. In addition to the competition; I have been invited to participate in a strength seminar on December 8^th. What a great opportunity, and an honor to be able to share some of my training knowledge and learn from others. Over the years I have been fortunate to participate in strength seminars all over the USA, Canada, Japan, Germany and now Brazil.  The audience is always eager to learn, and I have been able to take in a lot of knowledge in the process.  The great thing about strength athletes is that they are always willing to share training tips with each other.

By accepting the invitation to compete in Brazil I had to move quickly out of my transitional training phase and start training some heavy pulls.  Although I do not expect to compete at peak form in Brazil…I am very pleased with my quick progress and the strength that I was able to maintain.  I pulled a very easy set of 5 with 727 tonight.  That is not far off from my PR 5x755.  All of the Olympic lifting and functional movements that I have been training this fall have been paying off.  By switching up my training I have been able to add some mobility, and I have strengthened some weak areas. I am much healthier now than at the beginning of the year, and I am able to increase my training intensity and volume.  I am starting to think about that 903 pull once again…

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad

To see results/scores from the show you can check them out here! 

What a weekend!  The NGA Pro Natural Universe took place this weekend in Coral Springs, FL.  This is the most prestigious and biggest Pro Show the NGA does every year, it is a challenge not only to get there, but once there the competition is always top notch.  Pro Champions from all over the country flock to Florida for a chance at the title of NGA Pro Natural Universe!  At the ripe age of 43 I held my own on this stage and took 5th place (for 2nd straight year) out of 15 Pro's that came to compete.  It was a tough test and a grueling day. 

When we walked on stage we were up there for 35 minutes before we walked off due to the class being so tough to judge.  We went through mandatory poses 7 different times, getting moved around compared to different guys.  It was to this day the hardest I have ever worked on stage and after it was over I was exhausted. 

The week leading up to stage was my peak week.  It started last Monday, with moving my body back into carb load mode.  This was after I had already gone 10 days with no more than 10 grams of carbs per day.  Monday was 1 carb meal, Tuesday we added in another and kept that through Wednesday.  On Thursday we added another carb meal and then on Friday I consumed 500 grams of carbs, about 50 grams at a time every 2 hours.   Come Saturday morning I was ready to stand and be judged. 

During the last week I spent my time doing volume workouts, trying to force as many carbs into my muscles once they hit my body.  Every body part was hit with a workout that consisted of 6 reps, 10 reps,15 reps and then 20 reps. Those reps completed one set, I hit each body part like that with 4 sets and no rest in between the 6,10,15, 20 and then 2 minutes rest at the end.  Then I went back to the beginning to do it all over again. 

With all the vigorous competition prep, HMB is the one supplement that I rely on more than any other during these times to help feed my body and muscles the way they are supposed to be fed and keep my recovery levels quick so I can push as hard as possible.  I can't stress to you enough how important this supplement is, in my book, if you are someone trying to meet any type of fitness goals, this is one supplement that you have to use. 

Now it is time for a little rest and healing and then I will be ready to attack 2013 and see if I can't get a couple more Pro Titles!

I’m back from my weekend in San Diego after competing for the third time this year. My original plan was to compete four times in 2012. After tearing my abdominal muscles before the August show, I had to withdraw. I didn’t train for 6 weeks to allow myself to heal which felt like an eternity. It was the first time I had an injury near a show and was very upset that I could not compete.

Since there was already one less show for me this year, I was itching to get back on stage. I reminded myself that healing without re-injuring was my top priority, so I eased back into training for 2 weeks. I had a quick and fleeting thought run through my mind if competing was best for me at this time, but I didn’t give it much further thought. I’ve always been a “doer”, so I automatically thought, “Of course I’m doing the show.” I was very determined to get back on stage, yet it wasn’t the ideal circumstances.

I rehabbed my body very well and felt healthy while gradually increasing my intensity. I believe that continuing with my HMB dosage before, during, and after led to my speedy and full recovery. I kept increasing the intensity with my strength and conditioning until I was at the level prior to the injury. Now I had 1 ½ weeks of my “normal” training until the show. In hindsight, it wasn’t enough time to feel comfortable for stage. On the other hand, the thought of not competing until 2013 was not an option in my mind. Once I was at the show, I realized that I wasn’t feeling like my usual self both mentally and physically. I also tried something new with my tanning and it was lighter than usual.

In the past 2 years, I’ve placed at the same level at this show, yet it is not about the placing for me. What is most important is how I feel and look to myself. This show was the first time I didn’t feel as ready as all my other shows. My passion for competing can definitely override what might be best at the moment.

I loved this venue mainly because we had plenty of space. We need a lot of room backstage with all of our beauty prep! The show itself was a lot of fun and I was able to catch up with my peeps. It’s always a pleasure to be in the company of others who share similar passions.

In the end I remind myself that whatever decision I make will always be the right one and I will learn from it. If I didn’t compete, I know I would be saying “what if?” with a tear in my eye. I often say that sports is my first love, so in any relationship I believe it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. That is what I did.

Now I’m back to having fun learning punches, kicks, elbows, knees, chokes and many more! My progression in both Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu is coming along nicely. Now that I’m healed, I will be continuing with gathering monthly footage for everyone to see. Stay tuned until next time! Make health and happiness your number one goal! Happy training!

This bodybuilding season is almost over, but it’s already the time to start prepping for the next season.  The Arnold will be here before we know it.  For me, that’s when the real season begins.  Not too long after that I will be getting ready for Masters Nationals in Pittsburgh, PA.  I’m really looking forward to this show and I know I can do really well there, just as I have every other time I’ve been on stage.  This time though, I have taken off two years because of my family and business, but I am ready for what my future has in store.

Of course I am asked all the time about my prep and I don’t usually say too much because this is my business and what I do for my living.  But my contest prep is very vigorous and very difficult.  It’s to the point that some of my competitors want to quit and don’t finish it through.  As they say though, if it was easy everyone would do it.  My prep consists of a lot of reps and a lot of sets.  I’m a high rep bodybuilder and it has worked wonders for me over the years.  In both muscle growth, recovery and longevity.  I throw HMB in the mix and I have a recipe for success.  I train and teach a lot of clients my method and my reasoning behind it and everyone of them see results almost immediately.  For example, I train chest using four exercises typically always starting with the incline chest press.  The upper part of the chest is the weakest for 90 percent of my clients.  If you build an impressive upper chest, you have an impressive chest period.  Next I will do a flat press followed by a fly movement or decline or both superset with each other or pushups to burn the chest out.  I use high reps with sets of 15-20 to failure each and every set with about 60 seconds of rest before the next set.   I focus on the muscle contraction and the muscle pump.  Just like you have to concentrate when you hit a baseball or shoot a free throw, you must concentrate the same way when training your body to make it grow.  Afterwards, I follow up my workout with an Optimum HydroWhey Protein shake and I let my body rest til that body part has recovered then I hit it again.  Usually each body part takes about a week to fully recover and grow.  I throw in some American Bodybuilding drinks to get me going and I’m ready to go. 

That’s an example of my contest prep workouts.  I’m looking forward to the Arnold Classic and seeing what 2013 season has in store.

So til next time train hard and smart and use your Optimum HMB and ABB supplements.  You will thank me for it!

Top 10 Men:

   1.  Andy Potts  3:51:29

   2.  TJ Tollakson  3:52:07

   3.  Chris McCormack  3:55:24

   4.  Jeff Symonds 3:56:29

   5.  Brandon Marsh  4:01:50

   6.  Mauro Cavanha  4:03:47

   7.  Nicholas Thompson  4:06:48

   8.  Ian Mikelson  4:08:44

   9.  Thomas Gerlach  4:10:11

   10.  Ryan Rau  4:10:24

Top 10 Women:

   1.   Rachel McBride  4:20:53

   2.  Yvonne Van Vlerken  4:24:03

   3.  Tenille Hoogland  4:25:07

   4.  Elisabeth Lyles  4:26:04

   5.  Jennifer Tetrick  4:26:35

   6.  Rachel Challis  4:29:08

   7.  Jessica Smith  4:31:54
   8.  Beth Shutt  4:32:32

   9.  Charisa Wernick  4:38:49

   10.  Shannon Radle  4:40:57

IFBB Border States Pro Bikini Results:

  1. Amanda Latona

  2. Tiffany Marie Boydston

  3. Stacey Alexander

  4. Noy Alexander

  5. Ashley Cronley LeBlanc

  6. Taylor Matheny

  7. Jessica Arevalo

  8. Anna Larsson

  9. Janelle Saitone-McGuire

  10. Maureen Doherty

  11. Jennifer Dietrick

  12. Diana Harbort

I’m often asked how often I train my core to get my abs.

My honest recent answer to one of my friends, was “I hardly do any ab work, and if I do it’s not consistent”

So it got me thinking, what IF I actually put a ton of effort in building up my abs, what would they look like on stage? We all have a pre-defined set of abs that can be seen with the right level of body fat. But I’ve never spent time working on them, until now.

I plan on spending the next six months creating my most amazing abs yet. My plan is to work them 3 days a week.  I can’t lie, that is a stretch for me because I’m used to getting my ab work in through power movements like squatting and deadlifting. I usually run out of gym time for my abs because I forget it’s on my list to do.

I already have a good base core and it’s time I put effort into my natural strengths and see what the next six months will bring.

Here is a sample of my recent ab workout.

    1.      Lying bench weighted leg raise 4 sets of 12 with a 12-pound dumbbell between my feet.

    2.      Hanging leg raise super set with the ab wheel 4 sets of 15 with each of these.

    3.      Standing cable crunch 3 sets 15 at 80 pounds superset with 3 sets of the roman chair leg lift

I save this for the end of my workouts and it’s definitely a challenge.  I am eager to see what 6 months of variations of my work can bring!

My training has been a little different this fall.  This is the first time since 1997 that I have not been training to compete in an IPF World Championship.  Normally at this time of the year my training is at max intensity and my goal is to peak for the IPF Worlds sometime in November.  With my 2^nd place finish at the USAPL RAW Nationals this year, I still have a chance at making the World Team, but the next IPF Classic Raw World Cup will be in Suzdal, Russia in June 2013.  With the absence of a big meet to train for I have been in bit of a transitional training phase…..basically, my training goal is to mix my training up a little, have fun with some of the Olympic lifting movements, and work on some weak areas.

One of my main long term goals is to try and get my bench press strength back to where it was before I injured my triceps last year. Part of my plan is to increase my shoulder and upper back strength. I am finding a great carry over to my bench press strength by getting stronger in the standing shoulder press, and adding in additional upper back training.  I have been training the standing shoulder press in 4 week cycles (10, 8, 5, and 3).  I was able to hit a set of 5 with 330 recently. My goal is to improve to 5x352 by this winter.  My extra upper back training has come in the form of the Olympic lifting movements and pull-ups……yes…pull ups.  Pull-ups are a movement that I have not done much of for many years.  I had tried to add them into my training at times, but to be honest, at 330; this is a very difficult movement.  I started this past year just trying to complete a couple sets of 3.  Since that point I have established interim training goals of trying to complete 5 sets, with the same amount of repetitions, before adding more reps.  Over the last year I have moved steadily through 5x2, 5x3, 5x4, and just recently I was able to complete 5x5. I feel the pull-ups are really strengthening my upper back, and also keeping my shoulders healthy.

Keep in mind that you always need to establish goals if you want your training to progress. Take it from a guy that has trained at a high level for over 30 years, but wanted to start being able to do some pull-ups again …starting off modestly with any new movement and setting goals is the key to a healthy and successful training plan!

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad

2012 America’s Strongest Man for the 105KG division was held this past weekend in Phoenix, Arizona as part of the Europa Fitness expo. This would be my fifth time competing in this contest and I was seeking my third title. With only the lightweight pros competing, it was sure to be a quick contest with lots of action.

Max Log Press

The event started with a last man standing log press. Basically this requires all athletes attempt to lift a weight and then whoever succeeds moves on to the next weight. Definitely the best way to do a max event as this eliminates strategy and forces everyone to do the same thing. I hit an easy 325lb lift before just missing on 345 to put me in a 3-way tie for 4^th place. Congrats to Sean Demarinis and Mike Mastell who both hit 365lbs to set the new 105KG American Log press record.

Yoke and Keg Carry

Next up was the yoke and keg carry. I had a decent time through the 785lb

yoke and thought I had a great time through the kegs but I came up a bit

short of the best time with a 35 second mark. This put me in fourth again.

Tombstone Carry

The bit casket shaped chunk of steel was weighted up to 370lbs. I picked it easy and took off at a steady pace trying to maximize distance with out bouncing it out of my arms. I made about 198’ and was able to throw it over the line to finish with 200’ even. Disappointing distance here and a fifth place finish.

Farmer’s Carry

This looked to be my best event going into the contest and this proved true! I made the course look easy taking both the 320lb tanks the 100’ distance with a turn in 27 seconds and was one of only two competitors to finish without a drop. Zack McCarley was able to speed through the course and overcome a drop to reset after the turn to beat me by a second. 2^nd place here and made up enough points to have a shot at 3rd overall.

Atlas Stone Lift

After a poor showing in the stone lift last year I was looking to get back on my game in 2012. The challenge was to lift a 410lb Atlas Stone over a 52” bar as many times as possible in one minute. I started off strong and killed 3 reps in under 30 seconds. I got a little forward on the fourth rep and bounced it off the cross bar. I tried to dive out of the way as it came down but had no where to go and the stone took a direct shot at my ankle.  My 3 reps was good for yet another 4th place tie and 4th place overall as well.

I would like that thank Metabolic Technologies (developers of HMB) for their support as well as my family, friends and God for my lifting abilities. A big congrats goes out to Zack on winning his second title. As far as my ankle goes it appears to be badly sprained, there appears to be some minor bone damage but no major fractures. I will be getting it checked out further later this week and hopefully will be getting back to training and not rehabbing. Although the contest didn’t have an ideal finish, I am proud to say I have finished in the top 5 of the 105KG America’s Strongest Man for 5 straight years!

Watch how the event went for Justin here!

Since competing in the NAPF Deadlift Championships in July, I have commenced preparations for the GNC Pro Deadlift at the 2013 Arnold Classic. Invites have not been officially issued for this contest, but I figured I should be as prepared as possible if and when the opportunity arises. I actually started off-season training in a way that I have not done in a while. I took a full week off of training.

My off-season program started off very slow. I have plenty of time to prepare for the Arnold Classic.,. so my plan is to “slow-cook” my physical preparation for this contest. I started off with a two-week General Physical Preparation phase that consisted of very high volume and very low intensity. This consisted of barbell and dumbbell complexes, sled drags, prowler pushes, bodyweight exercises, escalated density training (EDT), medicine ball throws, and high repetition barbell and dumbbell movements. The purpose of this phase is to increase my work capacity and increase my ability to recover from physical stress and overload.

My next phase was a three-week Volume Accumulation phase. The movements were similar to the GPP phase, but the volume and intensity increase slightly. This phase was followed by another Volume Accumulation phase. In this phase the complexes, EDT, sled drags and prowler pushes were taken out. The volume decreased slightly, but the intensity and number of core barbell movements increased.

I have just started my first Intensification Phase. For this phase I am following a Sheiko programming template. This program includes very high volume and moderate intensity in the three main power lifts (squat, bench press and deadlift). If I had not prepared by body with the GPP and Volume Accumulation phases, I would not be able to handle this kind of volume right now. Training with this kind of volume sets you up for success when it comes time to lift really heavy loads in the Peaking phase that will precede the next contest. The most difficult part of this phase, by far, has been the back squats. I have dropped about 17 pounds of bodyweight in the last six to eight weeks in an effort to get my Wilkes score up at the Arnold Classic. Dropping bodyweight nearly always negatively affects the squat, even if it is done correctly. However, the proper time to drop weight is early in the off-season as I did. If it is done too close to a contest, the body does not have enough time to adjust to the lighter weight and will struggle when it comes to lift really heavy loads in preparation for the contest. The Sheiko program that I am on right now is attached to this blog, in case you are interested in giving it a try.

I would not be able to handle the volume that this program calls for if it was not for HMB. This supplement is essential to the recovery needed in this phase of the training cycle. As my volume and intensity of training increase I will be shooting more training videos, so be sure to check out my You Tube page as training for the 2013 Arnold Classic ramps up!

Well, it has been a little bit since I have posted a blog.  There have been ups and downs since my last one. First of all, I finally got surgery on my elbow in August.  It was long overdue, and I am glad to be recovering.  They had to remove some ridges of bone that had developed due to the years of abuse from wrestling and lifting and the injury was preventing full range of motion.  They also had to clean out the inside of the joint and ended up pulling out a dime sized "pearl".  Recovery has not been as quick as I wanted, but I am pushing forward and making progress every week.

While trying to find ways to train without the use of one arm, I started hitting some big bar lifts pretty hard.  My lifts were moving in the right direction.  However, with the strain that doing 2000+ pounds every week puts on your joints, these are easy to over train.  Before I realized what was happening, I had strained something in my knee.  I tried to train through it, but it was only getting worse.  So I decided to try and be smart and back off.  I focused on slowly getting my elbow back in shape and letting my knee heal.

The next two meets I had planned to do were the IAWA Worlds, and USAWA Old Time Strongman Nationals.  While doing my therapy on my elbow, I soon realized that these two meets would be out of the question.  Since I broke the neck lift world record in May, it had since been broken (by the very guy whose record I had broken).  So the promoter of the IAWA World Championships suggested that at the World meet, we have a neck lift challenge, between us, last man standing format.  The world record was 915 pounds.  When the bar hit the floor for the last time, I became the first person to break the half ton barrier in the neck lift, and ended with a new world record of 1030 pounds, over 100 pounds over the old record.  Anyhow, it was tough to be at the world meet and not be competing, but I was pleased that I was able to participate in the neck lift challenge.  And I am looking forward to start pushing my training again.

On the home front, we are back in school and hard at it.  My daughter Phoebe turned 2 and is growing like crazy.  While I was doing rehab on my elbow I had a light 10 pound dumbbell I was using.  Phoebe picked up a 3 pound one next to it and was trying the same movements!  She is also excited at our new news.  My wife, Jennifer is pregnant!  The new baby will be due in March.  With that being said, I will have to miss seeing all of you at the Arnold this year, but I will be back.  And I plan on being back stronger than ever with the help of my HMB!

I am about 5.5 weeks out from the NGA Pro Universe and everything is starting to come together.  I just came off a 4-week workout cycle that was very heavy with eccentric movements and varied exercises and rep counts.  For example my chest workout consisted of: 

•        Incline barbell press for 2 reps with a 5 second eccentric count
•        Incline dumbbell press with neutral grip for 4 reps with a 4 second eccentric count

•        Flat bench DB press for 8 reps with a 3 second eccentric count

•        Decline DB flys for 16 reps with a 2 second eccentric count

•        No rest inbetween these four implements

•        Then rest 2 minutes and repeat 3 more times

I did this type of workout for every body part for 4 weeks.  After completing this program I switched to a different workout this week and will do it next week as well, which will take me to 4 weeks out and then I will switch it up again for 3 weeks and then prep week.  This week and next week are more concentrated on muscle mass, to try to keep as much size as possible while cutting.  For example, chest workout for this week and next is this: 

•        15 degree Incline DB press for 3 reps with 1 1/4 movements for 8 sets (1 1/4 movement is full stretch on down movement then 1/4 press, full stretch and then full press and that is 1 rep)

•        5 sets of Flat DB press of 5 reps each

My diet is going great, I am getting leaner everyday and staying full of energy and staying strong thanks to HMB.  HMB is crucial for me at this time of contest prep cause gym time is crucial and can't be wasted.  The need to be at full recovery every day is of the utmost importance which HMB aids in.  I am feeling very good about my chances to win the Natural Universe this year, let's see what happens!

As I plan my upcoming meets I find myself waiting excitedly for the month of November to pass.  This is because the last two qualifying meets for the 2013 World Games and the 2013 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic are being held that month, which determines if I will qualify for an invite to both.  I believe the numbers I have put up this last year will get me to both but I won’t rest easy until I get the official word.

After the NAPF meet I was all set up to do a local meet here in November.  This all changed when my wife and I bought a new house.  Now everything is hectic and training has kind of taken a back seat.  I have still been in the gym a few times a week but I’m the type of person if I’m not putting 100% in preparing for a meet, then I’m not going to do it.

During this time I have still been taking my HMB.  I have lost a little bit of strength because I’m not training as frequent or hard but I believe the loss would be greater if it wasn’t for the HMB.

Since it looks like my 2012 powerlifting season is over, I have some lofty expectations for 2013.  I am hoping to compete in the pro deadlift at the Arnold Classic, the 2013 USAPL Nationals and then the 2013 World Games.  My goal for the Arnold Classic is an 840 pound deadlift and I’m hoping to creep a little closer to the 2300 pound total at Nationals and the World Games.  My numbers have been steadily going up and I really feel HMB combined with supplements from 1^st Phorm will help me reach my above goals. 

I have my fingers crossed and will update everyone on the status of getting those two invites.  I will also try to post some training videos as the meets get closer.  Until then, continue to lift hard and smart which means adding HMB to your supplement list.  You’ll be glad you did.     

My results with High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) have been a phenomenal success!  Since my last post I have dropped ten pounds, lost 3 inches from my waist and 2 inches from my hips. My abs have never popped like they do now and I went from hating my legs to loving them!  I actually think I look better NOW than I have on any competition day!  The best part of this whole thing is I have been in the gym LESS! 

I have been doing three HIIT sessions a week on top of my 5 day lifting routine.  I want to note though that the HIIT sessions are remarkably more taxing on your body than plain cardio. It’s a high intensity all out workout that I finish in 12 minutes.  By the end of 12 minutes I’m exhausted, yet energized, and dripping sweat like I just ran 5 miles.  It’s by far the best cardio workout I have put myself through.

I’m thankful for HMB and not only its recovery properties, but I think it has helped give me the stamina and ability to stay healthy this whole time. I can tell the HIIT has been taking its toll on my body so I am sure to not miss a dose of HMB.  It helps me recover between those sessions and I really think it has also been a huge tool in helping me maintain all the muscle mass I spent the past year building. Losing ten pounds in 8 weeks usually means a loss of muscle mass to some degree.  I’ve kept all my muscle mass and am looking at show dates for spring!

Stay tuned for my upcoming shots of my amazing progress and a new video of my workouts. There is a lot in store for me over the next six months! 

Summer is finally over and now I can start to focus on the fall and the busy season at the gym.  This summer has been very slow and hard to stomach at times, but I just keep moving forward and trying to do the best I can each day.  We are adding a ton of class times and new classes starting in November so check out our website at holmeshealthandfitness.com.  I’ve also had to take some time off from my training, which has been a blessing in disguise because it has really forced me to rest my body and to fully recover from all the nagging little things that can happen from all the years of training.  My wife and I also had our new beautiful and amazing baby girl born August 30.  This has been the biggest and the best reason to have taken some time off as well.  As I said, she was born on the blue moon so we gave her the middle name Moon.

As previously stated, my training has taken a rest, but I will be hard at it and going strong starting this month.  It’s time to get back at it and start making those changes to my body that I try to do every time I pick up a weight.  HMB has been the greatest supplement ever for me too.  Because as long as I have taken HMB during training or while I take time off to rest, I keep my gains and do not atrophy at all.  And during my long days I use my Optimum Hydro Whey and American Bodybuilding drinks to keep me going through these very long days.  I feel really good and optimistic about the changes we are making at the gym and we hope to see the response happen sooner than later. 

So that’s what is going on with me now.  Until next time work hard and smart and use your HMB and Optimum and ABB supplements.  You will thank me for it!

If anyone out there loves training as much as I do, then they know how frustrating it can be to rest for weeks when healing from an injury. It also makes me feel even more grateful to be a competitive athlete. After tearing my abdominal muscles, it was very tempting to resume training when the pain subsided. I knew returning at that time would lead me to re-injure myself.

I had started Jiu Jitsu for 1 ½ weeks when I was injured which didn’t give me too much time to learn. Since there is so much information, I was watching Eddie Bravo’s DVDs and reading his books. I also attended his classes to learn by watching. There are countless moves, so it was very beneficial just to see others practice. In addition, I would use mental practice from what I learned in Muay Thai during my healing process. I would go over my sparring sessions in my head and mentally practice how I would have worked my offense and defense given I was able to repeat the session. I also would picture myself doing the Jiu Jitsu moves I was watching.

In the past week, I eased back into training. My natural instinct is to go from zero to ten instantly. I need to keep reminding myself to take it easy for a week or so to do what is best for my body. I was sore after returning to my first Muay Thai class which has not made me sore in the past. Once again, I needed to remind myself that I was out for 6 weeks. The soreness has subsided and I have increased my HMB to the amount I was taking while training. It has been one week and I already feel a shorter recovery time and improvement in my cardio.

I waited an extra week before returning to Jiu Jitsu, since it is more taxing on the body than Muay Thai. To say I was extremely excited to return to both is an understatement. To be able to train and learn at this level is a blessing to me. I will be continuing my monthly video footage very soon. I will also be prepping for my next competition.  If you are in the San Diego area next month, come out and support me in my next show on October 27^th!

I have been in a transitional training phase following my last competition in early August at the USAPL RAW Nationals.  I am mixing things up a little and have been training some different movements like Olympic snatch and cleans, standing military press, and pause squats. I will start back into my regular training routine this winter, but I am taking this time to work on some weak areas, have some fun, and change things up a little. 

I can credit most of my success over the years by consistently making the majority of my lifts.  In powerlifting going 9/9 is a big goal of every competitor. One thing that has been plaguing me the past few meets has been missed squat attempts due to being red lighted for depth.  Squat depth is judged very strictly in USAPL and IPF competition.  The rule book indicates that a squat has to break parallel; with the top of the leg at the hip joint being lower than the knee. Simply breaking parallel in USAPL or IPF competition will not get your squats consistently passed by the judges.  I am trying to find a way to squat deeper and add some more confidence and strength at the bottom of the squat.  In order to train deeper I have added pause squats into my training.  I have found in a short time that training pause squats is both brutal and humbling.  In other words…they hurt and you have to use much lighter weight.  I have been sticking to 5 sets of 2-3 reps on my Friday heavy squat night followed by heavy partial squats performed in the power rack.  I also have been hitting a heavy single or double, following Olympic snatch and cleans, prior to deadlifting on Mondays. I am holding a full pause at the bottom for 2 second count. I will eventually switch back to my 5x5 template on Fridays but I think I will try to continue to keep the pause squats incorporated into my deadlift training.

Speaking of humbling…I have been attempting to train the Olympic lifts again.  I am finding the Olympic snatch a very difficult movement after a 10 year lay-off, but it has added a different dimension to my training, and I feel like I am gaining some more mobility in areas that need to be stretched out….No I won’t be ready for the 2016 Games!

At this point of the year I am not sure when I will be competing next.  There is a possibility of a deadlift event in Brazil in December; otherwise the GNC Pro Performance Arnold Deadlift Championship may be my next event.

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad

My training is going great. I have turned up the dieting a notch now that I am only 10 weeks out from the NGA Pro Universe.  I started a new workout this week that I will be incorporating for the next 4 weeks.  It’s concentrating on all my muscle fibers and many different tempos in order to work every muscle in as many ways as possible in order to fully fatigue and strengthen them.   This new program will help me obtain and maintain as much muscle mass as possible while cutting weight.  The next 4 weeks will include the same type of workout for each body part.  Each body part will have 4 different exercises with 4 different rep counts as well as eccentric tempos. Then I will move immediately from one exercise to the other without rest.  Once all 4 have been completed I take a 2-minute rest and then repeat 3 more times through.  Here is an example. 

Hamstrings: 

Standing Leg Curls - 2 reps with a 5 second eccentric count

Lying Leg Curls - 4 reps with 4 second eccentric count

Straight Leg Deadlift - 8 reps with a 3 second eccentric count

Bent Knee Deadlift with Clean Grip - 16 reps with a 2 second eccentric count 

I will be pushing hard for next 9 weeks working towards bringing home the title of the NGA Pro Universe.  Through this workout and the dieting I am so thankful to have HMB, it is truly the one supplement that I know I can't do without.  There are very few supplements that a bodybuilder can't live without and HMB is one of them.  I would highly recommend to everyone that is trying to achieve their fitness goals to get this supplement and make it the one they can't live without.  Stay tuned for more updates.

Tell us what motivates you for a chance to win a month supply of HMB and HMB gear!

Here is the response we got.

I’ve also had to take care of my gym as well and it has been a challenge.  We have been running specials and doing everything we can to get new people into the gym.  I’m hiring a new trainer and have another trainer promoting herself and her morning classes.  It’s just becoming that time of year again where everyone will start to move their training inside and continue what they were hopefully doing during the summer.  We have added tanning to the gym now as I had stated before and that should take off as well.  We are all around excited and looking forward to a big fall and winter season.

My training needless to say has taken a backseat to everything that is going on, but I am still 320lbs and I owe it all to the fact that HMB is the number one supplement I use.  I still get my workouts in, I’m just focused on getting a good pump and keeping the muscles fatigued so I can still create some growth but maintain everything during this stressful, but very exciting time!  I owe so much to HMB too for keeping me going.   I absolutely swear by HMB and have been using it and loving it even before I became a HMB team member! 

 I know I have said it and you hear from the HMB athletes all the time, but we truly believe in this supplement!  It is something everyone should and can use.  I won’t be without it and it will always be a part of my supplements.  I love my Optimum Nutrition Hydro Whey protein powder and my American Bodybuilding drinks as well. 

So until next month, when we will have a new baby girl in our family, train hard and smart and use your HMB and Optimum Nutrition and ABB supplements.  You will thank me for it!

Well, I was hoping to be sharing my experience about the Pacific USA Pro Bikini show held in San Diego on August 18^th. Due to a tear in my abdominal muscles, I had to withdraw from the competition. It has been a while since I had an injury and the first time it happened close to show time. Although I was very disappointed not being able to compete, it was a perfect reminder to take care of myself and get back on track.

Prior to the LA Grand Prix show in July, I was busy prepping a few clients and myself for the show. I also added my jiu jitsu training the following week. Between the busy schedule and new routine, I was forgetting to stretch daily after practice as I have done in the past.

With the extra posing and lack of stretching, I was off balance and feeling it. My drive and excitement for training lead to ignoring some minor strains in my body, which led to injury.

I’m now taking good care of myself while letting my injury heal. It is an understatement to say that I am so excited to get back to training! I currently go to jiu jitsu class to watch and learn. I also watch the 10^th Planet Jiu Jitsu DVD’s and read the books. There is plenty of information to learn, so I want to do as much as I can even though I physically can’t participate. I’m still taking HMB to maintain my muscle and will increase my dose once my training increases. Look for me on stage again in two months!

King of the Mountain V was scheduled in late August this year instead of June, making it a great opportunity to finish off the summer strongman season for me. I had high expectations going into this contest since it is also a final tune up heading toward nationals in October. With the temperature outside at nearly 100 degrees and a black top surface to compete on, surviving would be just as important as lifting big.

Event #1 - Farmers Carry / Tire Flip Medley

There were a couple great times put up before I went. I took the 280lb farmers conservatively for 60' knowing that the bulk of the time is in the tire flip and a mistake in the farmers could have been devastating. It took 7 flips of the monstrous 800lb tire to get it across the line but I made it through at a good pace. I lost way too much time between flips though (big mistake) and placed third in the event I expected to be my best on the day.

Event #2 - Log Press

240lb Log, lifted to the shoulders one and then pressed as many times a possible in one minute. I knocked out a quick 7 reps, sucked a little air, and another quick 3 to tie for the lead and win in this event. Despite winning the event I was feeling exhausted at this point in the contest and deep down I wanted to quit. This was due to a serious lack of sleep over the last week. I actually dozed off for a couple minutes in between the first two events. I pounded some water, powerade, and took a couple HMB and was back in the game by the next event though.

Event #3 - Tombstone Carry

The super heavy weights were taking 350lbs for a stroll. Sounds simple enough right? Wrong! This tombstone was absolutely brutal to carry. My training partner Aaron West had the lead with 180' and second place was 120' when I went. It was tough to find a grip on this thing, so once I got something mildly comfortable I started walking. I made the 60' turn quick but knew 180' was out of the question today. As I crept toward 120' mark the implement kept slipping and finally hit the ground about 10' before the line. Still third place but not the result I needed and I lost another point to the leader. On top of that my hands were both numb from holding this thing. In fact, as I'm writing this three days later, two fingers in my left hand are still numb. Even worse, now I had dropped to three points behind.

Event #4 - "Eliminator" Truck Deadlift

This apparatus is basically a full size Dodge Ram pick-up on a pivot. The truck can be moved forwards and backwards to increase the weight in the competitors hands. By the time it gets to the HW division this thing gets brutally heavy. I played the numbers game here. I did two solid reps on the approximately 750lb lift before the third rep shook me up. I was shaking so bad on the fourth rep I decided to stop there and put everything I had left into the Atlas Stones. My four reps here still secured 3rd place out of 12, with nearly half the field unable to make a lift. I was now 5 points behind the leader going into the last event.

Event #5 - Atlas Stones

Only one competitor lifted all five before me. I needed to win this event in a bad way. I had no thoughts of winning the contest at this point. I just wanted to finish strong! We got the start command and I gripped and ripped. I put the 260, 280, 310, and 330 stones up to the platforms with ease. I grabbed the 360lber next ready to finish this thing, lapped it easy, wrapped it up and grabbed nothing but dust giving me a horrible grip. I squeezed that stone with the intention of crushing it and was just able to hold on long enough to slip it onto the platform for the event win. Strangely, this also won the contest for me as the leader going into stones had to bow out with a hamstring injury. The win was a little bittersweet since I won partially due to another's misfortune.

Winning nonetheless gets my training for 105K Americas's Strongest Man started on a high note. It is also a good reminder to do the best you can do no matter what your situation. Train hard, eat well and take your HMB. Check back in a few weeks to see how training for ASM 105K is going.

I am a really big fan of the Olympic Games.  I watch just about any of the sports. This resulted in me being sleep deprived for a couple of weeks. I stayed up late many nights watching how the swimming, track and field, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics or Misty and Kerry finished up for the day. It is a shame that powerlifting is not in the Olympic Games.  Powerlifting is close with its inclusion in the IOC patronized IWGA World Games.  The World Games are always contested every four years; the year following the Summer Olympics.  The World Games serves as a middle ground for those sports that get moved in and out of the Olympics.  I have competed in three World Games (2001 Akita, Japan; 2005 Duisburg, Germany; 2009 Kaohsiung, Taiwan). All three of my experiences at the World Games were some of my best experiences in the sport.  They really gave me a great multi- sport Olympic Games type experience….just not quite the Summer Olympics.

 I journeyed into new territory this summer by training ten 11-14 year old girls that are my daughters’ volleyball teammates.  It was a good challenge as other then my two daughters (Elizabeth 11 and Emily14), none of the girls had any experience lifting.  I kept the training very simple.  I set up a two-day a week, eight-week training program.  The program included hang cleans, front squats, box jumps, pikes and planks, arm curls and dumbbell front raises. A lot of the effort was placed on learning how to perform a proper clean. We basically started with a broom stick.  By the end of the summer all of the girls made great improvement with a few of them cleaning 80-100 lbs.  The girls worked very hard and I am already looking forward to next summer’s program.

I am back to training after competing at the USAPL RAW Nationals in early August.  I am in a bit of a transitional phase.  I am not sure if I will be competing again until the 2013 Arnold. I am trying to mix things up a little bit for a couple months.  I have been working in more Olympic lifting including cleans and snatches.  I am training more mobility work including sled drags, farmer’s walks and various other strongman event training.  All of my squat training has been light pause squats at a bottom depth position with the goal to work on hip flexibility. At this point I am not trying to set the world on fire with my training weights, but rather trying to just mix it up a little and have some fun. 

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad

On Saturday, August 11 I had the privilege of competing in the NAPF deadlift championships in New Brunswick, NJ. This was a much-anticipated meet for me because my deadlift continues to inch toward the 800-pound mark. Deadlifting 800 pounds has been a lifetime goal of mine, and with the way my first 5 weeks of training went for this meet I thought I may have a shot at pulling 800 for the first time, or at the very least pulling a personal record deadlift. These plans took a back seat when I severely tore my right hamstring (running the bases in a softball game – off all places!!). I was forced to put a halt to heavy training for 5 weeks and focus on rehabbing the injury.

I commenced heavy training about 3 weeks out from the meet. This is not very long at all to prepare to pull a heavy deadlift. I normally start tapering my training 14 days out from a meet, but I decided to keep my foot on the gas pedal in this case and try to make up for at least some of the lost training time. The only way I was able to confidently make this decision was because I knew that taking free acid form HMB for recovery would mean that I would recover no problem for the contest. I pushed forward with training and came into the contest feeling very healthy and very confident that my hamstring would hold up.

I had no planned opener coming into this contest due to my lack of heavy training. My plan was to start warm-ups as normal, see how I felt, and determine my opener just before my first official attempt. My warm-ups felt pretty solid, but I still opened up lighter than I normally would have if I was healthy. My first attempt was 705 (I could not bring myself to open up lighter than 700). It felt good, but not great. It lacked speed, but my opener often does because of the wait between warm-ups and first attempts. I decided to jump to 744 for my second attempt. My nervous system was really getting primed, having gotten my opener relatively easy. Unfortunately the bar was misloaded for my second attempt. It had 25 kilos too little on one side of the bar. I came back, however, to pull 744 pretty solidly. With my second attempt feeling heavier than it should have due to the misload, I decided to only jump ten kilos for my last attempt. It wasn’t as easy to get amped up for my third attempt as it usually is because I would not be attempting a personal record. In any case, 766 went up strong. In fact, I feel very confident that I could have pulled 777-782. This is not bad considering that training was severely interrupted in the preparation for this meet. I did not end up with an ideal result in this contest, but that is sometimes the way life is. You either complain and make excuses or you push ahead and do the best with the circumstances you are dealt.

After this meet I took a full week off for the first time in my life. Preparation for my next meet (hopefully the 2013 Arnold Classic Pro Deadlift) will be a marathon, not a sprint. I will slow cook my training more than I ever have, making sure I stay healthy and am always taking one step forward. I have already begun the beginning stages of off-season work. This will start with two weeks of General Physical Preparation work. This includes a lot of very high volume, low work to rest ratio training. I am trying to build a great foundation of work capacity right now in order to prepare my body to get maximum results when it is time to lift at higher intensities.

Once again, a big thanks goes to Team HMB for all of their support. It is in large part due to HMB that I am able to train and compete the way that I do!

Congratulations to Scott Tully on taking home the gold in the Jiu Jitsu competition that took place at the Sunflower State Games.  Scott Tully, an avid HMB user, recently decided to get back into grappling this February after taking an 11-year break from training this discipline.  Scott states, “I had forgotten how much I loved the martial arts, and it has complimented my strongman and powerlifting, as well as helped me bring my weight down, and de-stress.”  In his first match of the day Scott was able to lock in the topside of his opponent’s head and arm choke for the tap out.  With the win it gave him a by into the finals.  The final match was not as easy and lasted the whole 5-minute period, but Scott was able to win with a score of 16 to 0.  “This locked in first place, although happy with the win, I know I can improve a lot.  I want to say thanks to Metabolic Technologies, Inc. for there help, my recovery was greatly enhanced by the use of their product HMB.” 

Scott plans to continue to train hard in grappling and hopes to qualify for the 2013 Arnold Classic Grappling Contest that takes place next March.  We wish the best of luck to Scott with meeting his next goal!

I came across a radical article by an influential fitness Guru and innovative thinker Patrick Hitches. 

His latest blog has really struck a chord with me. He said “running makes you fat.”  I laughed at the absurdity of this comment.  I have been a runner since I was 16 and have been anything but fat. (You can read the article here.  http://patrickhitches.com/patrick-hitches/why-running-is-making-you-fat/ )

He didn’t literally mean that if you run you will get fat, but his thoughts behind it were well thought out and researched.  The basic principle behind this is that the prolonged state of cardio will cause a loss of lean muscle mass. In the article he states, “Running long distances is the single most catabolic activity trashing your lean tissue. Less lean tissue = horrible metabolism and stubborn body fat.” 

Joel Runyon, The Blog of Impossible Things, also mirrors this by comparing physiques of Stephen Kiprotich, 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist in the Marathon event and Usain Bolt,  2012 Olympics Gold Medalist Sprinter in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m events.  

Who do I want to look like most? Well as a figure competitor and iron-pumping fanatic I think I choose the sprinter, hands down.

Here is my plan.  For the next month there will be no more long runs for me or distances over a mile. I’m throwing those out and replacing them with three to four High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions a week. 

I’m putting this thought to test, and why not, the off-season is a perfect time to find out what methodology of fat loss works best for your body.  I’m not an expert on cardio but I am an expert on what distance running does to my body, as I have spent thirteen years pounding the pavement. 

So, I will be armed with my HMB, to aid in recovery from this intensity, and seeking out a fun new adventure.  Stay tuned for my results!

A big congratulations goes out to Mike “Kujo Kurzeja for winning his fight this weekend against Gerald Taylor!  Here is a little recap of the fight from Mike:

“I won the WSBC Light Heavy Weight belt in a great fight with Gerald Taylor. The judges scored it 60-53 on all three judges score cards (I won every round and received credit for knocking him down one time in Round 2).  It was a great night of fights and many thought my fight was the highlight of the night. I was the co-main event and the 7^th fight out of 8 fights for the night.”

My training has been insane for the last 4 weeks with roughly 14 weeks to go until the NGA Pro Universe my intensity level has risen.  Over the last 4 weeks my training schedule has been one that was designed to hit every muscle fiber of ever body part.  Here was my last 4 weeks:  these workouts were 4 different exercises, no rest until you are through all 4, rest 2 minutes, then repeat 4 more times for a total of 5 sets

Day 1:  Quads: 

·       Russian step ups for 6 reps

·       Split squats for 6 reps

·       Leg press for12 reps

·       Hack squat for 20 reps

           Shoulders: 

·       Poliquin raises for 6 reps

·       Lateral raise for 6 reps

·       Bent over raise for 12 reps

·       Trap 3 raise for 20 reps

Day 2:  Chest: 

·       Incline DB press for 6 reps

·       Flat DB press for 6 reps

·       Incline flys for 12 reps

·       Cable crossover for 20 reps

           Biceps: 

·       Scott curls for 6 reps

·       Thick grip hammer curls for 6 reps

·       Incline curls for 12 reps

·       DB curls for 20 reps

Day 3:  Hamstrings: 

·       Standing hamstring for 6 reps

·       Lying hamstring dorsiflex for 6 reps

·       Straight leg DL for 12 reps

·       Hamstring curls for 20 reps

           Calves:  

·       Standing calves feet out for 6 reps

·       Standing calves feet in for 6 reps

·       Leg press calves for 12 reps

·       seated calves for 20 reps

Day 4:  Triceps: 

·       California press for 6 reps

·       Close grip bench for 6 reps

·       Incline DB extensions for 12 reps

·       Rope push down for 20 reps

           Back: 

·       Neutral grip chins for 6 reps

·       Low rows for 6 reps

·       Pull downs for 12 reps

·       Lat pullovers for 20 reps

All exercises are done with a 4 second down count, with a full stretch and full contraction.  My training is going great, thanks to all the help I get from HMB, this supplement is key to everything I have accomplished.  I am looking forward to getting on stage again at the NGA Pro Universe in November!  Diet is going great, I have only gained 10 lbs from my last show and managed to stay right around 6% body fat through the summer, even with all the heavy training.  With my workout schedule, diet and HMB, I am feeling very confident about my next competition.

Men Pro:

  1.  Jordan Rapp  8:11:18

  2.  Maxim Kriat  8:24:32

Pro Women:

Post/Tweet a photo of your favorite product that contains HMB with Team HMB tagged on facebook or on twitter @TeamHMB and #HMB4SeriousResults tagged for a chance to win HMB and HMB gear!

HOW TO ENTER: Participants must submit a photo of their favorite product that contains HMB via facebook or twitter.  Entries must tag Team HMB in the photo if on facebook or on twitter use @TeamHMB and #HMB4SeriousResults when submitting the photo.  Multiple entries are allowed as long as each entry is different.

The contest will begin August 1, 2012 at 12pm EST and all entries must be received by September 1, 2012 at 12pm EST to be eligible.

PRIZE: 3 winners will receive one bottle of HMB (90grams) and an HMB gear item. 

SELECTION OF WINNERS: 3 winners will be selected at random in a drawing conducted on September 3, 2012 and will be announced within a week of the drawing.

ELIGIBILITY: Must be a United States resident that is 18 years of age or older at the time of entry.  Anyone who is employed and/or affiliated with the sponsor of the contest will not be eligible to participate.

DISCLAIMER: Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any individual for fraud, misconduct, or tampering with the entry process.  The sponsor is not held liable for incomplete, lost, late, damaged, illegible or misdirected email, or technical problems in connection with this promotion.  By participating, you agree to accept these rules and the decisions of the sponsor.

As many of you know, Ben Pakulski is an accomplished bodybuilder and ALLMAX Nutrition sponsored athlete.  He is very knowledgeable in fitness and health, which can be contributed to his athletic experience and his degree in kinesiology.  In Ben’s last newsletter The most amazing thing I learned this week he states, “HMB free acid might be the most anti-catabolic supplement that were ever discovered.”  To find out more about Ben or to join his newsletters check out his website. 

To find out more about the new form of HMB please follow the links: http://www.hmb.org/blogs/article_details.cfm?BlogArticleID=591 and http://www.hmb.org/blogs/article_details.cfm?BlogArticleID=596

I just competed in my second show of 2012 and was so excited to get back on stage! My first show of the year was in March, which seems like such a long time ago. I was already feeling a good vibe going into this show, since I have competed in it twice as an amateur. I also have competed at this venue several times as a pro and feel most comfortable at this location.

I was in first call outs in the prejudging and then again in the second call outs. I figured I was placing either fifth or sixth. I was hoping for a fifth place finish, yet ended with a close sixth place.  Next month in San Diego I plan to move my spot into the top five. The show was my most enjoyable one to date given my own time on stage and watching my clients rock the stage as well.

In the second month of training for MMA, I started both sparring and fighter conditioning once a week along with my classes. I’m now adjusting to sparring, since I’ve been used to class. In class, we take turns with our combos and hit lightly. With sparring, I’m getting used to hitting and getting hit at the same time. After my last sparring session prior to my show I was left with a few bruises. Luckily, the ProTan covers everything!

I am the most excited about my new Jiu Jitsu training with the great Eddie Bravo. I’m extremely grateful to be training under him and his 10^th planet system. There is a lot to learn and I am thrilled for my journey in becoming skilled in the sport. I am also forever grateful to Metabolic Technologies, Inc (developers of HMB) for all of their support and having the best recovery supplement out there. My daily speedy recovery from all of my MMA training is due to HMB. It allows me to come back the next day ready to train as a stronger and more conditioned athlete. It also keeps me lean for my time on stage. Watch out for me next month at the Pacific USA Pro Bikini in San Diego on Aug 18^th. If you are in the area, come out to support me!

I’ve seen it time and time again.  Usually, the things that are holding people back from living a fit life are their own excuses.

I have heard a ton of excuses, (and admittedly used a few of them myself), I’m tired, I have to be somewhere after work, I’ve got too much to do, I don’t have a gym membership, I’m too old, my knee hurts, my leg hurts, healthy food is too expensive…you get the picture and I could go on.

I caught myself making one the other day and stopped what I was doing.  I thought to myself that it was ridiculous I had even thought of making that excuse.  What it boils down to is that if you don’t want to make yourself a priority then your own health will eventually suffer.  You may have something to do after work, but why not get up an hour earlier then? Aiming for a 20-30 minute workout on your busiest days is a way to boost your energy first thing in the morning and ensure you squeeze your workout in.  It’s important to plan ahead. If there is ever a day where I don’t have time to get a healthy lunch and snacks put together it’s because I was lazy the few days before hand and didn’t plan appropriately. 

Exercise and clean eating are a way of life for me. I won’t let myself make excuses to dodge working out. I incorporate rest days into my schedule so I’m not overwhelmed and I can get things done throughout the week, but they are planned rest days, which requires some planning on my part. Instead of finding excuses to get out of working out, here are my top ten lines I have used to justify a healthy lifestyle.

1.      I’ve got to go workout for my mental health.

2.      I’ve got to go workout to keep my weight and glucose under control.

3.      Exercise is my best way of relieving stress, or my (number 1 from above) will suffer.

4.      I refuse to willingly let my body go downhill when I’m older.  It won’t be going down without a fight.

5.      Exercise is one of the best ways to prevent many diseases.

6.      If I can spend $15 on a pizza I can spend $4.98 for a pound of 96% lean ground beef.

7.      My protein powder is only $.90 a serving.

8.      Water is cheap!

9.      I just love to look good.

10.    Aren’t I competing soon?

Once you quit making excuses and take your health into your own hands the benefits are limitless.

If you need some motivation check out Team HMB’s incredible list of athletes! I bet none of them are sitting around making excuses either! If you want to be successful in life and on your fitness journey don’t look for excuses to get out of a healthy lifestyle, instead find reasons to begin one!

When I go into the gym later today, it will mark my last workout before the biggest competition of my short powerlifting career.  When I say this I don’t mean this is the highest level of competition or the biggest stage I have been on, but the ramifications of this meet are immense.  If I am able to win the best overall lifter I will automatically qualify to represent team USA at next year’s World Games, a goal of mine since I started competing and something I never thought I would have the chance to do. 

For the last fifteen plus weeks I have focused on getting my weight down to the new weight class of 264 and also getting stronger.  Even with the weight loss my I feel like I’m primed to hit bigger numbers in the squat and deadlift.  The only lift I’ve been struggling with a little is my bench, which has never been my strongest lift anyways.  Being able to drop weight and get stronger in two out of three of my lifts is not only because of my workouts, but being smart in my nutrition and supplementation.  Combining my HMB and 1^st Phorm products have provided a way to fully recover between workouts, allowing my strength levels to increase. 

This training cycle has been the longest prep I’ve ever done for a meet before.  I’ve stayed healthy through out and feel like I’m in for some big numbers.  It hasn’t all been easy though.  The gym I train in, Max Effort Strength & Conditioning, has had the air on the fritz during the summer.  Being from the Midwest, this meant some very hot training sessions.  One way to look at it though is you never know what conditions you’re going to be lifting in at an International meet, so hopefully I’ll be ready for anything. 

I’ll be heading down a few days before my meet and am lifting on Saturday, July 28^th.  If you want to check it out the meet will be streamed via the internet with the schedule of events.  You can find it at this link.  http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/node/23041

Shortly after this meet I’ll be deciding my next meets to focus on and will make sure to let everyone know in my next blog.  Until then, continue to lift hard and smart which means adding HMB to your supplement list.  You’ll be glad you did.  

July is almost over and things keep moving forward.   Good, bad or indifferent, it keeps moving forward.  The gym is steady, but my life has been very crazy busy.  Almost to a fault, everyone has many things going on in their lives and I know that.  I just find mine to be overwhelming at times and I want it to all stop!  Training is going well and I’m still sitting right around 330lbs.  I’ve been going back into contest prep training and I hope to compete in November.  HMB has been huge in keeping my recovery down and feeling great about my results.  The Optimum Nutrition Hydro Whey in strawberry flavor is awesome!  I need more of that cause I go through that protein powder quick!  But as of right now we will just have to see what happens.  I am doing a lot of contest prep for my athletes and I really enjoy that as I have always said before.  There are a lot of shows going on around the region and I stay busy doing that.

  My wife and I just bought our first home together and had a horrible home buying experience.  So we have been dealing with that on top of working long days and throwing training in there as well.  We love the house, we just didn’t get to enjoy the experience as we had hoped.  We ended up having to put more time, work and money into a home we thought we could just move into.  Sometimes that is just how it goes though.  We are working long and hard painting and putting in carpet and getting everything ready and boxed to move and get unpacked starting our new lives in our own home.  We are very excited and really love that!

I also want to say good luck to my very good friend Nick Weite in his upcoming competition.  Nick is a beast and has seen very good results from using HMB!  I wanted to get Nick on our team because I love HMB that much and knew Nick would too!

That’s it for me this month!  Next month, my new baby girl will be here!!  And I can’t wait!  My wife can’t either, believe me!  So until next time, train hard and smart and keep taking your HMB and Optimum Nutrition and ABB supplements.  You will thank me for it!

 Here are the top 10 from this weekend's show:

1. Dianna Dahlgren

2. Narmin Assria

3. Amanda Latona

4. Dayna Maleton

5. Taylor Matheny

6. Jennifer Dietrick

7. Skye Taylor

8. Leigh Brandt

9. Katherine Portillo

10. Vida Guerra

The Dog Days of summer are here in Minnesota.  We have gone through a long stretch of 90-100 degree weather these past 3 weeks.  Tonight it was 101F on the thermometer on the way into the gym.  This makes it difficult when your gym is in a large metal building with no air conditioner. It has not been hard to get warmed up! When training in extreme weather conditions I have found that it has been important to adapt my training a little to avoid becoming overheated, or exposing myself to injury as a result of muscle cramping. It is important to take in quality nutrition and plenty of fluids when training in the heat. The endurance and recovery gains I get from taking GNC Pro Performance HMB on a daily basis are more important then ever when training in less then ideal conditions.  

There are just two weeks of training left before the 2012 USAPL RAW Nationals in Killeen, Texas.  Despite the heat things have been going pretty good.  Friday will be our last heavy squat day.  I stuck with 5x5 most of my training cycle, but I made an adaption due to the heat these last couple weeks, and have dropped my sets and reps to a 3x3 format.  I have worked up to 3x666, and would like to finish with 3x677 this week.  My torn triceps are feeling stronger, and although my bench is not what it used to be it has come a long ways since this winter. I look to be in the lower to mid 500’s on meet day. My deadlift training has been down a little, but with the deadlift you can never know what to expect on meet day. 

I got away from the heat this past weekend by attending the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Annual Conference in Providence, Rhode Island. I have attended this conference the past 10 years with GNC. The conference is a great time to talk over training and nutrition ideas with different coaches and experts in the field.  I learn something new every year at this conference. The NSCA has really helped me be able to continue to increase my knowledge about strength training. As an added bonus….I was able to make time to cool off by the ocean after we were done each day. 

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad

As we announced last week avid HMB user/Masters Track & Field athlete Jeff Mack placed 2^nd in the Masters 200m Exhibition race that took place at the Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, OR!  Here is a recap on the event from Jeff.

Q:  Once you arrived at Hayward Field what feelings did you have?

JM: Believe it or not when I arrived at Eugene’s airport I had the feeling of okay I’m pumped and a little anxious. There were other spots around U of O’s campus that I had to venture to obtain my credentials for the meet. It didn’t hit me until I walked onto the practice field and heard the roar of the crowd and saw the side of the bleachers that reads, “Hayward Field!” I may sound corny and I’m not a star struck person but on the practice field were Carmelita Jeter, Sanya Richard-Ross, David Oliver, Alyson Felix and many more: all of which are World Champions or past Olympians. Right then… right at that moment, I felt a big sense of what I had watched growing up and was treated as a top athlete on the same surface. Unbelievable, I am finally here, Track Town USA!

Q:  What type of warm-up did you do in order to be ready for your event?

JM: My approach was an easy jog of 100 meters and walk 100 meters for about four cycles. Afterwards a nice stretch of arms, shoulders and legs. Following that came about four different mechanical drills i.e. high knee skips, butt kicks etc. Later, four build up runs for about 60 meters. Afterwards there was about three take off’s with quick speed (very short distance).

Q:  Did you have a set time you wanted to obtain or a placing you expected to get going into the 200m dash?

JM: Funny you should ask. Yes, first place of course, but I didn’t tell anyone, some odd vision of 21.97 was going through my mind leading up to the meet. I didn’t question it or proclaim it; I simply left it idle in my mind. This helps mental preparedness with me and keeps my nerves calm. A low 22.00 or a high 21-second time is what is expected.  (

Q:  What was going through your head as you got set-up in your blocks waiting for the gun to fire?

JM:  Get out, eat up the stagger, be the leader at the end of the turn and maintain your speed. Eating the stagger is a term used to pass the next runner(s) ahead of you in a staggered staged start. This is mostly done on a curve start. In my mind and all athletes ahead of you have targets on their backs. ”Set”, a normal lung filling inhale of air rushes through the nostrils, at the same time I raise up for the set position. (

Q:  Can you describe how the race went?

JM: POW! Off goes the gun! I explode out of the blocks with a quick reaction to the sound. A forced exhale rushes out immediately. I drove out with quick repetitive forceful steps while swinging my arms in mechanical harmony. Within 40 meters of the race I was passing the next competitor ahead of me one at a time (eating the stagger). As we were about to come out of the curve I focused ahead at least 20-30 meters to blast around the turn. The straight away is here, I am in the lead considerably. Nothing but the glimmer of a wet track and the shadow from Hayward Field’s Stadium is within my sight, I can hear the crowd getting louder but I was staying focused. At the last 30 meters my muscles began to tie (become tight). Nevertheless, I pushed through the pain to maintain the lead. The crowd began to cheer louder as I noticed a pair of legs running next to me. It was the competitor in lane five fighting to take the lead. As the finish line drew closer lane five (Eric Prince) slowly passed me and took the lead right near the finish. The race was over and I was now second.

Q:  Was the outcome of the race what you anticipated? Why or why not?

JM:  Not quite. I figured that I had trained well and I knew I was the fastest of the field. But competitively I had not competed in the 200 meters for one solid month due to two minor quads injuries. These injuries were healed in the beginning of May, but I decided to save the 200 meter races for Eugene.(

Q: Any other thoughts and comments you would like to add about your performance or trip out to Hayward Field in Eugene, OR?

JM:  The trip was astounding; the performance was great! After the race Eric Prince (the winner) and I went to the commons area of the meet. Between the two of us we must have signed 15 autographs, gave about 20 hugs and took tons of pictures with the fans. Not sure if they knew who we were but they were so excited to meet any of the athletes participating in the events. Some did watch the race and congratulated us. One younger fan was in a bad car wreck a couple of years ago. He said he had to rehab for about six months to improve his leg strength. He also wanted to get back into track. He asked questions on training and about HMB. This was very rewarding to speak with a person on getting back into shape and sharing info on HMB. It felt really great to help someone that had been through something traumatic. After the meet, recovery was quicker than I thought. With the muscle fatigue in the last 20 meters of the race I for sure thought that I would be really sore the next few days. Guess again, only a slight soreness in my right quad, very minor! I would definitely say HMB has a part in this. Overall the experience/meet was over the top! Never would have thought that at my age I would be at a meet of this magnitude. Hayward Field will be forever burned into my memory.

Thanks Jeff for sharing your experience with us!  Congratulations again on your performance in this high caliber event.  We wish you the best with the rest of track season.

Training is going great; I am roughly 17 weeks out from the NGA Pro Universe.  My weight is climbing and staying pretty lean, hovering around 6% body fat and getting stronger, thanks to HMB!  Workout right now is a cluster workout.  It consists of 5 sets of 5 reps, but with a 10 second pause in between each rep.  These are very tough workouts and I am pushing myself hard.  I will be competing in 2 classes at the Pro Universe, Open Pro class and Masters Pro class.  I am hoping to bring home first place in both divisions.  I just finished up promoting my show that I run, the NGA Titan Classic, which was held in Urbandale, Iowa on June 23, 2012.  The show went fantastic, Metabolic Technologies (developers of HMB) was a sponsor and we had 35 contestants and handed out 6 Pro Cards.  Looking forward to next year and watching this show grow.  Check it out at www.ngatitanclassic.com.  I have also started to organize posing seminars to help others achieve greatness in this sport, if interested, please feel free to get in touch with me.  Next stop is the Pro Universe, thanks to HMB; I will be ready to go.  If you are not using this supplement, you are missing out on a crucial tool to build a better body.

What happens when you realize that your same old gym routine isn’t inspiring you to get out of bed in the morning anymore or even go to the gym?  If you have been doing the same workouts week in and week out, chances are you will hit a slump or just get bored of the gym.  So you are in a rut, now what?

When you are in a gym slump here are some vital tips:

1.      1. Don’t panic, it’s completely normal.

2.      2. Find some inspiring pictures of those you admire, watch some of our HMB team member’s workout footage, and read some inspirational quotes. 

3.      3. Let yourself walk away from the gym for a weekend or 3 to 4 days.

4.      4. Stop making the gym a cause of stress, remember it’s an outlet.

5.      5. Learn a new exercise to incorporate into your workout.

6.      6. Download new music.

7.      7. Tell yourself you only will go for 15-20 minutes, chances are you will be there longer.

8.      8. Phone a friend for a group workout.

9.      9. Remember the reasons you go to the gym in the first place.

10.    10. Plan an event you need to be in shape for (i.e. sign up for a race/walk)

People ask me how I do it, day in and day out at 4am.  I don’t exactly jump out of bed with a smile on my face, all the time anyway. I have my days where I would rather just hit my snooze and forget about the gym. I can probably count the times on one hand over the past two years where I have just done that. 

So when you are in a slump, take the above advice, I know because I’ve successfully just gotten out of one.  I’ve been back in the gym with a new fury and new inspiration. I’m ready to take some new workout footage and get back to having fun in the gym!

I thank all my Team HMB members for putting up workout footage and inspirational blogs!

Check back for a post-interview from Jeff later this week!

Q: Jeff, tell me a little bit about yourself and how you got to the point you are at in your life now?

JM: Being an avid track and field fan, I have continued to run for over twenty-five years. As a standout at Dunedin High School Florida I was a multiple event competitor in track. I competed in the 100, 110 hurdles, 4x100 relay, long jump, triple jump and 200 meters. My coach could almost put me in any event just to add points. By my senior year I was maxed out by doing five events at the meets, mostly placing first in all. This resulted in becoming a state finalist in three events: 100, long jump and the 4x100 relay. I ended up placing 4^th in the long jump which left no time to prepare for the 100 meter race. This race didn’t turn out so well with me finishing in fifth place. So I focused all of my energy on the final event; the 4x100 relay. Dunedin High was favored to win and I was the anchor leg of the event. However between legs 2 and 3 there was a mix up in the hand off causing a dropped baton. Long story short, our team finished last. Behind the scenes in high school, I worked part time to help supplement household finances because my mother was a single mom. Up until my senior year my mother stated that she would work extra so that I could have a successful track season. College offers came in the mail but during all those years of working and running it did not allow me to really focus on a post education. I eventually ended up at ITT Technical Institute, where there were no sports. I received my AAS Degree in Electronics Engineering, but I had missed track so much that I was determined to get back into it after college. Later on I found a coach by the name of Elliott Smith. He mentioned that an athlete could compete as “Unattached.” Unattached allows any athlete to compete at the collegiate level without any affiliation, similar to the concept of being a free agent. It was then at that moment which allowed me to enjoy a career in track & field.

Q: What got you interested in track and field?

JM: While growing up very young in a blended family household of my mother, sister, grandmother and uncle; my Uncle “Doc” was a track athlete in high school. We would go to his meets and watch his sprint races with the team. He and I would always watch available meets on television together especially during the Olympics. I once got up the courage to challenge him to a race; I believe I was around seven years old. “I can beat you in a race.” I said with surging confidence.  “Really, then let’s go.” he said.  Let’s just say I got my doors blown off and handed to me in front of the whole family! Right then I so astonished on how quick he was that I had to one day be able to do the same amazing feat.

Q:  What is your training regimen like and does it change from meet to meet at all?

JM: My training regimen begins on Monday and ends on Friday. During the season I normally run four to five days a week. Mondays are usually the toughest with longer runs on the track. As the week progress the distances become shorter. Towards the end of the week I usually focus on technique, i.e. starts, form and stages of the race. Since I normally run the same events (100 and 200 meters) training techniques rarely changes from meet to meet.

Speed days are interesting; I use a technique called, “Over Speed Training.” This is done with an additional apparatus such as a long bungee cord tied to a fence or just a hill with a nice gradual slope. Sprinting with this allows me to speed up my nervous system by forcing my legs and arms to turnover at a faster pace. Therefore less effort is expelled when trying to reach top speeds as your muscular system has adapted to the higher rate of speed.

Later in the evening when time allows I get in a few lifts in the weight room. Chest, biceps, shoulders and legs are my focal while in season. During off-season I can hit all body parts equally.

Q:  Do you have a specific nutrition plan that you follow to help optimize your performance on the track?

JM: Yes, lots of protein, branched chain amino acids and a good supply of healthy foods. I normally take in 4-5 meals a day along with 45grams of additional protein (4 solid meals and1-2 protein shakes). I also include One-a-Day Multi-Vitamins for all essential body needs. I am a firm believer in water only as a beverage. This helps to sustain proper muscle contraction as well as proper hydration. Sodas, fruit punch and any other sugar-laden products are not my cup of tea. High fructose levels in these drinks tend to zap away the body’s hydration levels causing muscle spasms, cramps and fatigue. On rare occasions I may have a Welch’s Grape Juice or a root beer float when the family has an outing. I know that’s cheating but with all the calories that are burned during practice it’s almost as if I never even had it.

Q:  I know that you are an avid HMB user, how has HMB contributed to your track and field career thus far?

JM: You know, I must say that when I was in my early thirties workouts were still feeling pretty good. However, older sprinters would always tell me, “Well when you get to be 40 or older you will feel it and see it.” I started taking HMB around age 38, and now that I’m 40; my sprinting times are still at the level of a younger person. I feel really great! During my time on HMB I have experienced only about three minor injuries. All of which healed in a matter of one week or less! Before HMB I would have pulled hamstrings, muscle imbalance problems or sore joints. Injuries would sideline me for about a month or more. This season I was fortunate to have multiple sprint races over the course of six months. All that I can say is that HMB seems to help endure muscularity through age and injuries. My body feels and performs just like when I was in my twenties! The average late thirty-something/forty-something would probably beg to differ on running so much.

Q:  Who has inspired you and/or helped you along the way in track and field?

JM: Oh wow, there’s a great deal of people for one, my uncle whom I mentioned earlier. The great Carl Lewis to the awesomeness of Florence Griffith-Joyner and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, these athletes were a big inspiration in my middle school aged times. In high school I was paired with an excellent coach and mentor Randy Lightfoot. Coach Lightfoot had a way of explaining technique, showing films and would put you in your place when needed. I definitely appreciate all of his efforts and the many things he did for the track teammates and me. When I did not have a part time job, I didn’t have any money for school lunch. Coach Lightfoot would see me in the hall and would ask why I wasn’t in the cafeteria eating. I would simply reply that I was broke and had to skip it today. He would then reach in his pocket hand me a couple of bucks and would say, “I can’t have my best athlete out here without any food in his system.”  Still to this day I thank him for everything he did for me as a high school student/athlete.

My wife and family continue to support me all the way. It can be tough at home during the season when I take off for meets. I thank my wife for her general overall support. I can’t finish this question without mentioning God. I feel that he has blessed me with an ability to train and perform at an age where most would reminisce about the good old days. I run to show my appreciation to God for all he has given to me, thank you God.

Q:  How did you feel when you received the invite to the 2012 Olympic Trials to compete in a Masters 200m Dash Exhibition race?

JM: I actually received a message via Facebook from Bryan a track friend. He sent me a link that had a list of the top 40 aged men in the country for the 200 meters. I thought wow, really!! I told my wife about it and without a blink she asked, “Are you going?” From then on my wife and family have been real supportive about the whole trip.

Q:  I know Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon has a reputation as being one of the best-known historic track and field stadiums in the U.S. Have you competed there before? And what emotions do you feel thinking about competing at such a prestigious place?

JM: Being at Eugene was the first thing that popped into my head. I have never had the pleasure to compete at Hayward Field. It has always been a dream to compete in the trails at the historic stadium. Although this is just an exhibition race, to me it is the closest event that has allowed me to pursue a lifelong goal of being considered a top athlete. Just being there and to be treated similar to a pro athlete is just simply amazing!

Q:  What are your goals for this race and what have you done in preparation to help you achieve them?

JM: For this race, I just want to smash out all of the competition. All of my track life I have had to always concentrate on multiple events from long jump, 4x100 meter relays and the 100. I’ve never had the chance to run the 200-meter without any pre existing race. This would mean fresh legs and lungs for this event. I do not want to predict any times or places made in advance but I will say that a low time keeps flashing through my mind. Most of this season has required a great deal of training along with traveling on a tight budget. Stretching and training in Florida’s 92-degree heat has been a challenge but no work no glory. My mindset is to stay focused, confident, sharp and strong. I will continue to prepare by getting adequate rest and nutrition so that there is no question on my ability.

Thanks Jeff for speaking with us today and we wish you the best of luck this weekend in your race! 

Check back next week to find out how Jeff does in the Masters 200m Dash Exhibition race!

Well, it has been one month that I have been training for MMA fighting. Saying I love it is an understatement! I have been learning Muay Thai since I began and learn something new every day. It has been exciting as well as challenging.

It has been a very long time since I have learned a brand new sport. I have a lot of muscle memory from gymnastics, since I learned it from a young age. Anything that I learn now that relates to it in any way feels more natural to me. On the other hand, there are moves that feel unnatural that I need to focus on committing those moves to muscle memory.

The kicks and knees feel most comfortable to me. My favorite is the high kick, since I am already used to kicking high and being on my toes from gymnastics. I also enjoyed learning to clinch and was very aware that I was never in a contact sport before this one. One of my biggest challenges is standing with my shoulders hunched in the boxer’s stance. I was told I need to learn bad posture.:) When I’m on stage and teaching my clients, the posing has an exaggerated good posture.  Our chest is up with our shoulders back and walking very upright. Now when I’m training and feel like I’m relaxed and hunched, I still am more upright than I realize.

Along with all the new combinations I’ve been learning, there is also differences depending on who I am partnered with for practice. Even though the people I am partnered with are various sizes, we are learning for technique. The contact is at a light level, so the different weights and heights don’t have such an impact.

At the end of class, we do conditioning which I love just as much as any part of training. So many of the exercises are identical to the conditioning from gymnastics. I sometimes take the conditioning class which is like being on the playground! The other day we were doing leap frog over the instructor, power skips, and the crab walk among others. We were also partnered up to do the wheel barrel and carrying each other over our shoulder. I am very happy to say that I carried a guy over my shoulder and then squatted him! I am convinced I have the strength and stamina to do so, since HMB is a consistent part of my supplementation.

I was interviewed over the phone with MMA Fitness magazine to go with the photo shoot from last month.  I will keep you posted on when the issue will be on stands. For the next month, I will be preparing for my next IFBB bikini show on July 21^st at home in Culver City!

As for my training and what I am doing next?  Well, I had previously said that I was going to take the rest of the year off for our baby to be born, buying a house and working on improving the gym.  Then my wife said she wants me to get on stage again.  So I am going to compete this November at the NPC Midwest Pro/Am show that is to be held here in Des Moines.  I decided to do that for a few reasons.  One, it is right here in my own back yard.  Two, it will be neat for people to see me compete that have wanted to, but can’t travel as far as I usually have to go to compete.  Third, I want to get my requalification out of the way now so I don’t have to worry about it so I can just focus on getting ready for the Pittsburgh Masters Nationals.   So next month, I will start my prep and will be going through my HMB, Optimum Nutrition (ON) and American Bodybuilding (ABB) supplements even more than I am now.  HMB is awesome during the off season for recovery and growth and works wonders for helping to hold onto all the muscle I work so hard for in the off season.  I will go right back to very long, intense workouts with tons of supersets and a lot of cardio.  That makes me so excited just thinking about it (sarcasm)!  As long as I have HMB and ON/ABB to back me, I have nothing to worry about. 

So that’s how my June is going.  New decisions have been made and we just keep working on everything else already existing.  So keep working hard and using your HMB and ON/ABB supplements.  You will thank me for it!

In the July issue of Flex magazine HMB is highlighted in the Advanced Supplements section.  Dr. Jim Stoppani takes a look at the science behind sports supplements in this section.  Dr. Stoppani discusses a recent study done documenting age-related muscle breakdown and how research shows that HMB can preserve muscle and increase strength. 

To find out more about the research go to your nearest newsstand and pick up the July issue of Flex.  Then turn to page 150 to read how HMB has the ability to blunt age-related losses of muscle strength and size.  To find even more evidence backing HMB please click on the publications link in your left tab. 

It has been a busy time around here the past month, and particularly the past week.  Every year we put on Missouri's Strongest Man: The Gus Lohman Memorial Challenge.  It is a benefit for Camp Quality, a camp for kids who have been diagnosed with cancer.   It was our ninth one we’ve done.  On Monday, we went out and did a strongman show for Camp quality.  This was our third year doing that, and this was the biggest one yet.  They had us on as the headliners for the night, with everyone in the camp in attendance.  We did strongman lifts such as stone lifting, log and axle pressing, circus dumbbell, and truck tire deadlift. We also performed feats such as phonebook ripping, deck of card tearing, frying pan rolling and bar bending.  Here is a video of me breaking blocks with my head: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN3lOXOdwxo

The rest of the week was devoted to getting ready for "the Gus".  This year it was held in conjunction with Belton Community Days, which offered us the opportunity to improve the show, but also offered a whole new slew of challenges.  In the end it went off without a hitch.  The results are as follows:

Masters
1st-Dave Kraft
2nd-Gilbert Mateucci
3rd-Todd Lowenstein
4th-Lance Foster

175
1st-Johnny Strangeway
2nd-Zach Kuipers

200
1st-Zac Craig
2nd-Mark Allen
3rd-Mike Lane
4th-Randy Elkins
5th-Mike Prewitt
6th-Justin Cantwell
7th-Eric Kleiner
8th-Chris Oden
9th-Steven Slausen
10th-KEvin Carrol

231
1st-Billy Duncan
2nd-Nick Dimarco
3rd-Mike Lucht
4th-Kevin Rekowski

265
1st-Jason Price
2nd-Brian Oleson
3rd-Matt Krulic'
4th-Jon Hereth
5th-Jason Ries
6th-Eric Schmid

300
1st-Spencer Remick
2nd-Chad Julian
3rd-Daniel Hickman
4th-Shane Redden
5th-Garrett Jacobsen

SHW
1st-Brian Benzel
2nd-Kevin McNease
3rd-Mark Kaiser
4th-Nate Butler
5th-Aaron Brown
6th-Brad Spier
7th-Mark Brownson
8th-Keith Peters


Overall-
Masters
1st-Dave Kraft
2nd-Gilbert Mateucci
3rd-Todd Lowenstein

LW
1st-Zac Craig
2nd-Mark Allen
3rd-Mike Lane

MW
1st-Jason Price
2nd-Billy Duncan
3rd-Nick Dimarco

HW
1st-Spenser Remick
2nd-Bryan Benzel
3rd-Kevin McNease

In the end, Camp Quality will once again be the biggest winner from this event.  We raised $6,100 for the camp.  A huge thanks to all of our sponsors, especially Metabolic Technologies (developers of HMB) and Optimum Nutrition.  These two companies have really committed to this show the past few years, and without their help, it would not be the success it has become.

I will finally be going in for surgery next month for my elbow.  The bad news is they will not be able to just scope it like I had hoped.  The good news is that by getting cut I should make closer to a full recovery.  Wish me luck!

On June 22-23^rd the ISSN 9^th Annual Conference and Expo is being held in Clearwater Beach, Florida.  At this conference Dr. Jacob Wilson will be presenting, “Exercise and Nutrition Strategies to Prevent the Negative Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Resistance Training Adaptations”.  The purpose of his presentation will be to clarify what causes impairment in performance during training and what new research has been found to help counter these decrements.  Part of his presentation will include how HMB helps in the prevention of overtraining. In addition to this, new research on HMB will be introduced by Dr. Jacob Wilson and his colleagues. 

Please check back next week as we reveal the studies discussed in Dr. Jacob Wilson’s presentation at the ISSN Conference.

As you reading this I am in the last week of my four week prep program and am getting ready to start my five week competition program.  What this means is on July 28^th I’ll be competing in the 2012 North American Powerlifting Federation (NAPF) Championships.  This is a great opportunity for me as it is a qualifier for the 2013 World Games.  

This meet will be the first time ever lifting outside of the 275 pound class.  In the organization I lift they have changed the weight classes, making the last two classes 264 pounds and unlimited.  I didn’t like the idea of becoming one of the super heavies, so I decided on dropping the weight instead.  This was a hard decision because I have always been a full 275er and liked lifting at this weight.  Usually when you drop weight your strength levels go in the same direction, down.  This really didn’t happen much with me because while losing the weight I remained diligent in making sure I was supplying my body with HMB.  I believe this helped my strength levels remain fairly constant, actually improving in some areas.  The other great thing about making sure I’m taking my HMB is the recovery aspect.  I combine my HMB with 1^st Phorm creatine and protein which jumpstarts my recovery making sure I’m ready for my next lifting session.

The other hard decision I have had to make was skipping this year’s USAPL Nationals.  I really wanted to see how long I could continue as national champion but decided to put all my efforts in the NAPF meet.  This is because my main goal in powerlifting is to represent the US team at the World Games.  I know this will take one of the best meets of my life for this to happen and decided breaking up my training to do several meets wasn’t the best idea.

With my lifting picking up I have recently started training in my equipment.  I have to give a huge thanks to Titan Support Systems who supply me with the best powerlifting equipment in the game.  After training raw for a good part of the year, getting into my squat suit and bench shirt again has been awkward,  partly due to dealing with the heavier weight but I feel I am adjusting quickly and getting back into the swing of things.  I really can’t wait to see what numbers I will be hitting in July. 

I will try to keep everyone updated on the final five weeks of training and get some good video for you guys.  Until then, continue to lift hard and smart which means adding HMB to your supplement list. You’ll be glad you did.    

I enjoyed my photo shoot with photographer, Tom Newberry.  His talent to capture not only looks, but attitudes was brilliant.  I don’t just see a woman in the pictures, I see me. I don’t just see the outfit, but I see the essence of my character, through my eyes, demeanor, and the ambiance of the picture.  I’m not dieted down for competition, I’m genuine and healthy. Some people call me skinny, some call me beefy, and I think I’ve uttered ‘fluffy’ at one point.  In reality I don’t think any of those things are me, I call this, living it, living my life to the fullest.

You won’t catch me in the gym on a Friday night this summer….this iron clad woman has a few better things in mind.  You’ll still see me at the gym in the early morning; after all, my mind connects with my body best after I roll out of bed.  But my lifting schedule has gone from 5 to 6 days a week down to about 4.  In those 4 days my intensity is still the same, I’m still trying to break records and find new exercises. I have however, traded in two leg days a week for a low impact cardio day.  At my last competition I found that the more muscular legs were not what the judges were after, and with bone fragments in my patellar tendon, my knee could use the extra rest day.  I don’t really have a desire to squat heavy anymore, the benefits of that for me didn’t outweigh the impact it was causing on my knee.  I’ve found excitement in some new leg exercises I didn’t incorporate before.  I deadlift every few weeks, and I do a lot of hang cleans and presses weekly. 

I recently moved up in the world and got a new iPhone that tracks my runs, tells me my pace and miles…I may try to break some records on it for a while. I try to get in a few running days a week, but it doesn’t always happen.

One thing is for sure I don’t miss a day of taking HMB, it’s on my desk at work and I get questions weekly about it.  I may have taken a few steps back in the gym, but I’ve taken more steps forward in my life because of it.  Sometimes the gym can wait, so while I’m there I will make the absolute most of it, and that is why nutrition and taking my HMB is important during some down time. It’s especially helpful after my one intense leg day.  I did 5 sets of front squats Monday and am still limping on Thursday.  That’s the way I aim for all my workouts!  So the extra rest time is imperative.

Until the next time, enjoy your summer, hit the gym hard when you are there, and take your HMB!

Congratulations to TJ Tollakson for a solid third place finish yesterday in the Ironman 70.3 Eagleman in Cambridge, MD!  TJ had a great performance and took the lead after an impressive run on the bike with a time of 2:02:29.  In the end Craig Alexander and Greg Bennett edged out TJ for first and second place.  TJ finished with a time of 3:48:52.  We are very proud to have TJ as a part of Team HMB and look forward to seeing what the rest of the season brings!

Top 5 in Men's & Women’s Pro Divisions:

1.      Alexander, Craig 03:44:57

2.      Bennett, Greg 03:47:14

3.      Tollakson, TJ  03:48:52

4.      Cunninham, Richie 03:56:29

5.      Bowstead, James 04:00:29

1.      Kessler, Meredith 04:12:40

2.      Shapiro, Margaret 04:22:38

3.      Andrews, Kristin 04:26:56

4.      Piampiano, Sarah 04:30:39

5.      Ferreira, Amber 04:31:09

My training has started to pick up in intensity for the 2012 USAPL RAW Nationals in Killeen, Texas.  This meet is the qualifying meet for the 2013 IPF Classic (RAW) Worlds in Russia.  I have been fortunate to travel the world the past 16 years, but I have never been to Russia.  I would really like to compete in Russia before I am done, and this may be my only chance. I am focused more than ever in trying to achieve my goals.  The inaugural RAW Worlds are being contested this June in Stockholm, Sweden.  This event is loaded with a large number of lifters. I think IPF RAW lifting is only going to get bigger!

I have gone back to my staple workout training plan, but have added a few additional assistance lifts in order to rehab and gain some strength development in neglected areas.  My training has been bogged down with a tight hammy, hip, and glute the past couple years. This injury has progressively gotten worse.  I have added several different assistance lifts to combat this problem: hang squat cleans, one legged dumbbell deadlifts, and glute ham raises (GHR’s).

Squat cleans:  My father was a big proponent of power cleans when he was training for the NFL. He continued to train this movement heavy into his 60’s.  I followed his approach and trained this lift heavy and hard; pushing the limits to maximum failure.  I had a stubborn approach. Similar to the rest of my training; I trained to set PRs. Eventually I had to eliminate this lift during most of the training year due to over training and small injuries to the lower back.  I have crudely cleaned over 400 in the past and have squat cleaned in the mid 300’s.  My approach is different this time.  I am not trying to set PRs. My approach is to use this training exercise as a method to stretch out and warm up. I hate to admit this, but I started back with 110 lbs and have been completing 5 sets of 3 as part of my warm up.  I have added 5 kg a week and am now up to a whopping 155 lbs.  I have found that by keeping my training loads light this exercise has become very valuable in stretching out the tight glutes, and hips.  Something that was much needed.  Now…I need to listen to myself and continue to use this exercise just as a warm up.

One legged dumbbell deadlifts: This lift is much tougher then it looks.  I am still standing in front of something I can grab onto in case I start to fall over.  I have found this movement to be very helpful in stretching out the hips and glutes, and to train my balance.  For a big guy a couple sets of 10 at the end of a workout are about all I can take.

Glute Ham Raise (GHR):  In my 30+ years of training I had never tried a GHR until this January.  I could not even do 1 rep properly to start with.  I have progressed greatly and have come to the realization I have some real muscle imbalance and weakness to overcome in the hammy department. I am not trying to light the world on fire in this movement, but I am trying to accomplish training and rehab gain.

Progression in strength training is achieved by continuing to learn. I have gone back to one staple lift in cleans, but this time around I am being smart by squat cleaning light and not power cleaning heavy. When August comes around I have to squat, bench and deadlift…… not Olympic Clean for a max.  My advice for everyone is to continue to learn and let your training evolve over time.

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad Gillingham

I began my MMA training and I am definitely in love! I was so excited the night before that I barely slept. I felt like a kid the night before Christmas! The evening prior to my first day, I watched an MMA amateur event and was even more inspired.

Legends gym is in the transition of relocating, so the training is at a temporary location. I’m enjoying the old school feel of this location with old photos of fighters on the walls. The trainers at Legends Gym are all very welcoming and helpful. I feel very grateful to be training with them.

I learned to properly wrap my hands along with the right and left punches and kicks. I am smiling ear to ear to be learning a new sport! It reminds me of the feelings I had as a kid when I did gymnastics. I have pure joy during training and anticipate the next training session.

The following day I shot for MMA Fitness Magazine which will be on stands in August. I had a great time shooting some bikini photos and then some MMA photos. In addition, there are also action shots with Legends trainer, Eddie Jackson. It was a combination of learning while shooting.

I look forward to every day in the gym and learning a new craft. Even though it is a new type of training, I am still relying on HMB to keep me strong, recovered, and lean! In the meantime, I’m practicing my posing and will be on stage in July!

As for myself, I have been thinking and talking to my wife about my next upcoming show.  We have both decided that this year is out of the question for any shows because of our baby due in August, growing the business and buying a house.  It’s definitely been a very busy and stressful time.  We both do enjoy it though and have been trying to take it all in stride.  It’s all been worth it and we are really looking forward to our future.  We’ve decided that I am going to do the Masters Nationals next year in Pittsburgh.  We have family there and it will be a great show to do.  I have been training hard and consistent again and will focus on my off season gains until my pre-contest diet next April.  HMB has been a HUGE part in that progress and always is.  I love what HMB has done for me during my career and what it will continue to do.  Optimum Nutrition and ABB have incredible products that I swear by and are the staple of my training supplements. It sure is going to be fun!

Everything here at the gym is going well and doing a little better each month.  I just keep moving forward and doing whatever needs to be done to be successful and to have a facility that really has a reputation for caring about our clients and their results.  I love what I do and the life I have.  I wouldn’t change it for the world.  I have an amazing wife and daughter and another girl on the way.  It may be crazy, but I am the ring leader! 

So that’s what is going on right now.  I’m staying busy with my family, clients, business and my training as well.  And as I always say, keep training hard and smart and using your HMB and Optimum/ABB supplements.  You will thank me for it!

In the June issue of Muscle & Fitness magazine is an article on 3 chiseled athletes and their 24-hour diet.  Included in those three is fitness cover model Greg Plitt.  Greg talks about his unique diet or otherwise referred to as the Warrior Diet, where he eats very little all day and has one giant feast throughout his day.  He also includes that he uses HMB in his pre-workout meal and his post-workout meal.

To read about Greg’s interesting nutrition plan go to your nearest store and purchase the June issue of Muscle & Fitness.  Then turn to page 138 to read more.  If you would like to find out more about his pre/post workout supplement HMB please click on the About HMB tab on your left.

My training cycle leading up to this contest was not typical. It was shortened by about three weeks, since I had competed in the Arnold Classic less than two months prior. With the short training cycle combined with just recently peaking for the Arnold Classic, I was not sure if another PR was in store in Washington. My main focus in training leading up to this contest was not to overtrain and at least try to maintain the strength levels I had brought to the Arnold. I felt strong and fresh going into this contest but not certain my strength was any better than what it was going into the Arnold.

On meet day my plan was to open with the exact weight I opened with at the Arnold and see how it felt to determine my second attempt. When I pulled 722 on my first attempt it did not feel heavy but it felt slower than it should have. I figured that with an out of control crowd and simply amping myself up I could still take decent jumps in weight and be successful. I called for 755 on my second attempt. Again, it came up slower than it should have if I was going to try for a PR on my third attempt. By this time, though, the crowd was getting into a frenzy and I was feeding off of it.  When the scorer’s table asked me what I wanted for my third attempt I hesitated and asked if I could think about it for a little bit. The response was, “You have 60 seconds.” When I heard that I paused for a moment and replied with “seven-eighty-eight.” This would be a new PR and one that I thought I had no business of lifting on this day. However, I was not going to go back on my called third attempt. I decided that I was just going to have to will myself to lift that weight.

As I waited at stage right to make my way to the platform and pull my third attempt the crowd was really getting into it. The lifters were all now on their third attempts and there were heavy weights to be lifted and big-time intensity to match! I managed to get to a different place mentally and psychologically as I approached the platform. Everything else but the barbell just kind of faded out of my conscious awareness. I set up, gripped the barbell, and pulled with every last bit of strength I had . . . decent speed off of the floor, stall at the knees and grind out the lockout. I turned to look at the lights . . . three white lights! I lost it emotionally – two personal records in two months!

I cannot thank the USAPL enough for putting on such top-notch competitions. They run a very professional organization and treat their athletes very well. I also need to thank Metabolic Technologies for all of their support and encouragement. When you have HMB in your recovery regimen you do things that you normally would and could not do without it. You train longer, more frequently, with higher volume and with higher intensity . . . because with HMB you can. And the result is that you have a considerable edge on your competition.

Q:  I know that you were a great wrestler growing up, but what sparked your interest in going from that to strongman to now Olympic weightlifting?

JE: I would categorize myself as a "very hard working" wrestler that saw some success as a result of continued support from family and amazing coaching. Back in high school I was training with a great wrestler in Iowa named Justin Kerber (wrestled at Cornell). His entire bloodline has had some legendary wrestling in it. He told me about a weightlifting coach in Carroll, Iowa named Greg Kustra. So, we started traveling 3 hours round trip to see him every week. This was when I was introduced to it. As I did strongman longer and longer I realized that there was nothing better than when I trained weightlifting with Greg. I had to give it a shot. So, I dropped down from 300lbs to 200lbs, and the rest is history. I still have many goals in this sport, and consider myself a relative new guy. I have only been training seriously for 2 years, so, I know my best lifting is yet to come.

Q:   What kind of training regimen do you have to be as successful as you have been in your Olympic weightlifting career?

JE: Very intense. The biggest training philosophy I go by is "quality over quantity." With Olympic Weightlifting being such a technical sport you must focus on the quality of every repetition. Once my technique starts to break down I know I either need to get stronger, or, move on from the exercise. Either way, I must wait to come back to it. I generally train 12x per week. It is usually 2x a day Monday-Friday and 1x on Saturday and Sunday. So, it is extremely time intensive and physically taxing.

The hardest part of the training is staying mentally engaged and mentally sharp. You must continually attack the weights regardless of how you feel (as long as you are making quality attempts). My training regimen changes all the time depending on how close a competition is/what my weaknesses are at the time. This isn't including the amount of time I spend a day foam rolling, stretching, light swimming, cold tub, hot tub, etc. This is all for recovery and I consider it equally as important as my lifting.

Q:  What other types of lifts do you incorporate to better your snatch and clean & jerk?

JE: I prefer to stay pretty basic in terms of exercises. You have to pick what to spend your time on. I also do the Power Snatch, Power Clean, Back Squats, Front Squats, Romanian Deadlifts, and Glute Ham Raises. From time to time I will also do push presses, clean pulls, snatch pulls, and maybe some snatches off blocks. Those are more so done as fun on the weekends, though. I am a big believer in always focusing on your weaknesses. You are only as strong as your weakest link. Currently, I am working on my hamstring strength and overall hip mobility. So, I am including an extra stretching session a day, plus, doing direct hamstring work 2-3x per week.

Q:  Do you have a certain nutrition program you follow to stay in 94kg division?

JE: Just to give you a little background on my weight fluctuation, I wrestled at 189lbs when I was 18. I then gained 111lbs in a year and a half to train for strongman, so, by 20 years old I was 300lbs. By the time I was 22 I had dropped 100lbs and was back down to 200lbs to do weightlifting. Once I set my mind on something I am going to accomplish it at all costs, it is just the way my mind works. My nutrition plan has to be very strict to make sure I don't gain a lot of weight. My body was so heavy for so long it continually wants to eat a LOT more than what I currently eat.

I am a huge believer in carbohydrate cycling. Since weightlifting is so anaerobic I don't need a ton of carbohydrates. I have found (through when I was heavy) that my body responds very strongly to carbohydrates. I gain a LOT of weight and blow up if I eat too many. So, Monday-Sunday my carb cycling rotation looks like this: low carb, low, medium, low, medium, low, low. I end the week on low/low carb days because I only train 1x on Saturdays and Sundays. It has made the biggest positive impact on my body composition as well as performance. It is all about placing the carbohydrates around my workouts as well. I went to school for Exercise Science; so I have always been very interested in nutrition plans as they relate to performance for different sports.

Q:  Who has been your inspiration or helped you along the way?

JE:  There have been a number of people who have helped me along the way. I'll limit it to 6 haha! John Broz, Steve Gough, Mike Karchut, Greg Kustra, Jianping Ma, and Vince Decker. There are many others, but, those are the ones who have contributed the most to my weightlifting development. Nobody has helped me from a technical standpoint like John Broz. I had struggled for almost a full year before I came to him to train, and, he completely re-did my technique. I owe him everything in terms of getting me back on the right track and finally teaching me how to lift right. In terms of motivation and staying hungry I would say Steve Gough has been the most inspirational guy to me in weightlifting. His son holds the American Records in my weight class and is arguably the most well respected weightlifting coach in the United States. From the first time I talked to him on the phone I have looked up to him and never want to let him down.

       In terms of my inspiration to succeed it started out when I was young with Mike Alesch. He was my biggest role model and I tried to model everything I did athletically after him. His brother Cody and wife Teresa have also impacted my life more than I probably even know. The mental toughness they all display is something I try to emulate daily. I also really think of my family every day. My parents, my brother Jake, and friend Vince have been the best support system I could ask for. I would love to be able to help them out, which I hope to do after I make some World Championship and Olympic Teams. That is my main motivation and I let it drive me every single day.

Q:  Between the snatch and the clean & jerk, do you have a favorite lift? Or do you enjoy both equally?

JE: I enjoy the clean and jerk more actually. I think about 90% of lifters prefer the snatch, but, I like the clean & jerk because it is at the end of the meet when you are already very fatigued. It is just a lot of brute strength and heart. I have struggled the most with my clean, so, I have practiced it so much I have started to love it. It now is starting to become a strength for me. The snatch is definitely way less painful, but not as rewarding.

Q:  What do you think you can improve on in your lifts and what numbers do you foresee to hit in the future?

JE: I have a ton of improvements I want and need to make. I really want to set American Records (and beyond) within the next year. As a 94kg lifter I would love to hit a 170kg snatch and a 210kg clean and jerk at next year’s World Championships.

Q:  What would you say is your most memorable experience you’ve had while competing in this sport?
JE: My most memorable moment would probably also be my most frustrating moment. At this year's nationals I set a big PR snatch, and a big PR clean & jerk. However, the clean & jerk was overturned by the jury a few minutes later. So, I didn't end up posting a total. I had shown so much improvement, yet, it didn't show up in the books. I had a 3rd attempt to make the same lift, but, couldn't pull through. It was a very humbling experience, and I hope to leave nothing to chance the next time I step on the platform. It is my most memorable because it has driven me to train harder than I ever could have imagined.

Q:  What do you foresee in the future in Olympic weightlifting for you?  Do you think that there’s longevity in the sport for you?
JE: I want to win the Pan American Games multiple times, medal at the World Championships multiple times, and medal at both of the Olympic Games (2016 & 2020). It has been a long time since USA Weightlifting has had a lot of success on the international scene, but, I believe I can change that. I am out to prove that it can be done and want to go about it the right way. I think if I continue to train smart that there definitely is longevity in the sport for me. I could easily see myself training through the 2020 Olympics. I am tired of hearing everyone say Americans can't place on the international level. Why not? If not me, who? If not now, when? These are questions that helped me succeed in wrestling, and I am applying the same mindset to my weightlifting career.

Q:  What are your ultimate goals and how do you think HMB will help you achieve them?

JE: My ultimate goals are to medal at both of the 2016 & 2020 Olympic Games. I would really love to show that I can compete at the world level. Of course I want to win multiple Pan American Championships and place at World Championships as well. HMB has already helped me tremendously in the 2 months I have been taking it. I set all time records in the power snatch, snatch, front squat, and back squat. I couldn't ask for anything better than that. I am really starting to feel the recovery benefits from it and it has allowed me to take my training to the next level. I have added 2 more sessions a week to my training and have never been in this good of shape. I am a big believer in that "he who sacrifices the most will succeed the most." HMB isn't something I take so I can just take the easy way out. I take HMB so I can train even more intensely, and still recover from it. It allows me to train with a ferociousness that I haven't had since I did wrestling in high school. It has made me feel completely free to do whatever I want in training. To have the support from a company like Metabolic Technologies and a product like HMB is something I am extremely grateful for. With these lofty aspirations I am looking for every competitive edge I can possibly get, and I feel very blessed to have a product like HMB behind me. I am going to continue to train as hard as I can and representing Team HMB to the best of my ability!

Thanks for your time today Jared, we are truly happy to have you as a part of Team HMB and look forward to seeing what the future holds for you!

What a weekend!  I went to Peoria, Illinois to compete in the NGA Heart of America Classic in the Pro Division and walked out of there as the Pro champ, that's right, 1st place in the Pro Class.  I am still super excited about that.  It was a tough class with 7 Pros from all over and I came in perfect.  Thanks to supplementing with HMB my diet and getting leaner than I have ever have been has been easier.  I stepped on stage heavier than ever, so managed to keep my muscle during my cut.  I came in at 200lbs at 3% body fat on stage!  Training was tough, but it sure made going back to the gym today after a couple days off a lot easier.  This was my 2nd Pro show, I took 5th last November at the NGA Natural Pro Universe out of 13 Pros and got invited back.  So training started today for that show which will be November 10th in Coral Springs, Florida! 

Over the last couple of years I have been working with my trainer, Kassem Hanson of Hanson Performance. I have really been fine tuning my body in the gym and in the kitchen.  Every time I have competed I have gotten just a little better.  I am 42 years old and stepped on stage with men in their 20's and beat them!  HMB has been crucial in my accomplishments, without a doubt, my recovery time is shortened, my muscles are actually growing and I manage to stay very lean all year round with this product.  If you are serious about your health and about competing or even just changing your body for the better, HMB is a supplement that you can't do without.  I am going to be pushing hard over the next 6 months; my hopes are to win the Natural Universe this time, not just place!  I will keep you posted.  Remember to train hard, eat right, sleep well and get your HMB!  Next stop Pro Natural Universe!

In the May/June issue of Power magazine Brad Gillingham is featured on the cover and also has an extensive interview inside.  Brad talks about how he got into powerlifting, how his father influenced his athletic career, and what his training regimen is like.

Go grab the newest Power magazine at your local bookstore and turn to page 18 to read this amazing interview with strength athlete Brad Gillingham!  If you’re not sure where to find Power magazine here is a list of where it can be found near you.

This past weekend, I traveled to Bowling Green, Ohio to compete in the USAWA Heavy Lift Nationals at the Black Swamp Old Time Strongman picnic hosted by Atomic Athletic.  I had heard about this picnic in the past and was intrigued.  The picnic did not disappoint.  There were kettlebell challenges, farmers walk challenges, Atlatl demonstrations, hot water bottle breaking, chain breaking, frying pan rolling, record breaking, and our Heavy Lift Nationals.

It was great to have this to train for as it got my mind off the limitations I am having with my elbow (which I will be having surgery on shortly).  Training had gone well, and I had some pretty big ideas going into this meet.  The first lift was the neck lift.  This went great.  The lifts seemed to get easier as I went.  I warmed up to 600.  My first call was 700 pounds.  Good lift.  Then I went to 800.  I got 3 white lights for that one as well.   My third attempt was at 860 and was the best lift of the bunch.  I had the World Record in the back of my mind, but after that lift, I knew I had to go for it.  I called for 905 for the all time World Record.   Good lift!  It was a great start to a great day.

The second lift was the hand and thigh.  This was the one that I was unsure of after training.  I had spent the past couple weeks not hitting it so my hands would heal up and I could go after a big number at the meet.  I opened at 1100 for an easy one.  Then I went 1200 for my second attempt.  This secured me the event win, but I needed all the pounds I could get, so I called 1300 for my third.  I pulled it, but lost balance and fell backward-no lift.  I had to settle for the 1200 for today.  I was irritated with this one, but knew I had one more lift to get through, so I forced myself to move on. 

The last lift of the day was the hip lift.  At this point, I was in what I thought to be a pretty commanding lead.  It hit 1600 for my opener, 1800 for my second and planned to go 2000 for my third and what I thought would be the win.  But after another competitor hit 2000, I went to see what I would need for the win, according to formula.   2075 pounds!  Up to now, the best I had ever done was 2005.  Anyhow, the call of 2075 was made.  If I got it, I win the national meet; if not, I had to settle for another second place finish, due to formula.  Well, I went for it, and I got it. 

All in all, it was a very good day.  I set a world record, 2 PRs, and a earned a national championship title.  The trip was fun, the picnic was cool, and I look forward to doing this meet again.  Training for this event with these heavy amounts of weight is very taxing on an athlete.  I would like to thank Metabolic Technologies once again for their support.  Using HMB allowed me to hit these lifts hard preceding nationals, and still recover to make progress on my squatting, deadlifting, and strongman events.  As for what the rest of the year has in store, I am not sure.  Next up is to have surgery to fix this elbow that has been holding me back for almost 2 years now.  Then I will recover, and move forward from there.

Metabolic Technologies, Inc is pleased to announce Olympic Weightlifter Jared Enderton has joined Team HMB!

Jared Enderton grew up in Graettinger, Iowa and has been an athlete his entire life.  He started as a very successful wrestler, which sparked his interest in athletics and led to him obtaining his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science at the University of Northern Iowa.  After that he decided to try out strongman and after two years finally found his true passion, Olympic weightlifting.  After only a few months of training Jared qualified for Nationals and knew that this sport could be something big for him.

In the next year Jared hopes to land a spot on the Pan American Team and the World Championship team for USA Weightlifting.  After that he aspires to win the Pan Am Championships, medal at multiple World Championships, and medal at the Olympics in 2016.

Check out Jared’s profile in the Team HMB section to see more of his accomplishments!  Check back to hmb.org for an interview with Jared coming soon!

We are very proud to have Jared as a part of Team HMB!

2012 is shaping up to be a low volume contest year for me. My wife and I have a baby due at the end of June and the hours I am working seem to be increasing every week. With that in mind, I’ve had to be a bit picky about what contests I do this year. After competing in the Amateur World Championship last month, I plan to do some local contests here in Michigan in July and August. 105kg Pro Strongman Nationals is scheduled for October in Phoenix. Even though that is 6 months away, I know time will fly by and the contest will come up fast. As of now, those are the four contests I plan to do this year.

Despite being very crunched for time lately, my training as a whole has been going quite well. Although I’ve had to cut back on some of my strongman specific training time, I’m still making great gains when I do get it in. This also translates into working hard on my gym lifts like squats and deadlifts. Because of this I’ve been keeping my training very short and to the point too. I’m matching my previous best numbers in the squat and deadlift from before I tweaked my upper back in 2011. My body weight is up slightly and I’m around 218-220 in the morning these days. I feel that training is really on track and expect some more significant gains over the next few months. In addition to my essential HMB which I am sure to take every day, I have been using the Optimum Nutrition’s Performance Whey and Hydrobuilder. These are two great products to go along with HMB and really maximize the gains I get from every training session.

Keep and eye out for contest schedule updates and results, and train hard!

I completed my very busy spring competition schedule with a victory this past weekend at the Empire Classic GNC Pro Performance Pro Deadlift Championship in Spokane, WA.  This is a great USAPL event with a very supportive crowd!   I was happy to defend my title with a conservative 826 pull.  Fellow Team HMB member Bryan Dermody also competed in the event and lifted very well placing 2^nd with a PR 788.  Bryan just keeps getting stronger every time out and is knocking on the door for an 800+ pull in the near future.

With deadlifting in mind I would like to talk some deadlift training.  One of the questions that I get asked quite frequently is how do I train the deadlift, and do I need to pull heavy in training all of the time in order to get stronger?  There is no easy answer to this question. All athletes are a little different in training needs and body composition. From my experience, I believe that any young lifter, as defined by either physical age or training experience, needs to build a good base by training the deadlift every week.  This training should be accomplished by utilizing a workout template that incorporates progression in load intensity.  This can be accomplished by either increasing the training load each week throughout an 8-16 week training cycle, or by breaking the training cycle down into 4 week mini cycles. Unlike some types of periodized workouts, I suggest keeping the deadlift working sets to a maximum of two sets and sticking in the 3-5 rep range. Save your maximum attempts for competition and keep your training in the 70%-90% range.

As a lifter becomes more advanced in training age I think it is important to mix things up a little in order to continue to make gains. I have found that for the well trained strength athlete simply training the deadlift from the floor is not enough. A better approach may be to train the standard deadlift less frequently and to rely on other core lifts or assistance to achieve the training volume that is necessary to make progress.

This can be accomplished by deadlifting from the floor every other week and utilizing alternative movements like: pulling partials out of the power rack, deficit deadlifts, band deadlifts, or speed singles on the alternate week.  Personally I like to incorporate partial power rack deadlifts every other week from varying heights.  I also work in a wide variety of training volume from other movements to strengthen the entire posterior chain: traps, lats, spinal erectors, glutes, hammys, and calves.  These exercises include bent rows, RDLS, shrugs, GHR, reverse hypers, or strongman exercises like stones, logs, and farmer’s walks. In addition to deadlifting and assistance exercises I implement a heavy high volume 5x5 squat training workout into my weekly training. I have found the 5x5 squat approach to be beneficial to both increasing the squat, and to be a staple in increasing my deadlift. My training intensity percentages are a little lighter in the 5x5 squats and I fall into the 60%-80% range

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad

It’s a great feeling to know you have helped someone achieve their goals!  My friend, who I’ve been helping out, has nearly reached her 30 pound weight loss goal in only a few short months! She looks fabulous and her confidence in herself has sky rocketed!  By seeing her achievements, it only pushes me more to stay focused on mine.

I’m ready to showcase my hard work with a photo-shoot planned for May 17^th.   It seems so far away but people do not actually realize all the work that goes on behind the scenes to prep for a high-quality shoot.  Together, with the distinguished photographer, Tom Newberry, we work out the details of the types of shots I want to capture and the look I want to portray. He then sets up the studio accordingly for when I arrive because these details can make or break a photo.

Until then, my hard work continues in the weight room.  I have been pushing myself into heavier workouts and some extra cardio.  I am thankful for HMB and its exceptional recovery attributes. I use to supplement with a lot of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs), but over the past 8 months my supplement routine has simplified.  It consists of HMB, Fish oil, a multi-vitamin, and whey. That’s it.  HMB has replaced my additional intake of BCAAs, (because there is some in my whey).  Could I increase my strength and mass and enhance my recovery and so forth with additional supplements? Sure, but right now simplicity overrules a mix and match method. I live by the KIS method (keep it simple).

The results from my simple lifestyle…  you can be the judge from my up and coming pictures.

Until then, keep working hard, summer will be here in the blink of an eye!

This weekend Team HMB athletes Brad Gillingham and Bryan Dermody competed in the Empire Classic: GNC Pro Deadlift in Spokane, WA.  Bryan pulled 788lbs, setting a new personal record.  Despite not feeling well, Brad pulled 826lbs for the overall win.

Congratulations to these two athletes for their performances this weekend.  Check out footage of Bryan’s pull here  and Brad’s pull here.

Summer time is almost here and we are in full force here at Holmes Health and Fitness.  We now have tanning beds we added to the gym.  I have new classes that I have started called “Body by Bryce” that are 30 min classes that I run Monday thru Friday for eight weeks.  They are popular and doing well.  It’s always important in a business to keep improving and making changes and that is just what we are doing.  Supplement sales are strong, especially my Optimum Nutrition (ON) HMB and all my American Bodybuilding (ABB) drinks.  My favorites ABB drinks are still the Diet Turbo Fruit Punch and the Lemonade.

My training has been going well despite working a ton of hours.  I have been working 18 hour days and so my workouts have been whenever I can get them in.  Sometimes I don’t get them in, but that is just how it is being a business owner.   I’m still 315lbs though and I take my HMB religiously as always!  I probably go through more of my ABB Speedstacks then most of my clients to help me get through my long days. 

Best news that my wife and I have gotten this month is we are going to be having a baby girl!  Our new daughter will be here in August and we couldn’t be more excited.  Our eight year old now is very excited as well and she absolutely can’t wait to be a big sister.

So that has been my month up to this point.  I’m working with clients for a lot of upcoming shows as well as a few shows that happened a couple weeks ago.  Both of my guys won their classes and finished top five in their other classes.  That makes me very proud.  I really enjoy coaching clients and doing contest prep.  HMB is the center of their supplement protocol and has so many benefits during dieting as well as during off season training.

So until next time, train hard and smart and keep using your HMB and ON/ABB supplements.  You will thank me for it!

I should start this blog off by announcing the newest addition to my family, Ryker Jacob.  He was born on February 24^th and is keeping my wife and I extremely busy.  With the birth of our newest it leaves my wife on maternity leave and gives me a chance to get about 12 weeks of quality training in.  Nicole, my wife, totally supports my lifting and sacrifices a lot of time in order to see me succeed.  Without her I wouldn’t be nearly as successful as I have been and owe a lot to her.  

Since the last blog, much has happened in terms of deciding my next meet.  I was invited to the 2012 NAPF (North American Powerlifting Federation) Regional Championships in July.  These are held in the Cayman Islands and it gives me a chance to qualify for the 2013 World Games.  The World Games is my ultimate goal as a powerlifter and I know I will have to have my best meet ever in order to qualify. 

Due to committing to this meet, I am now undecided on the 2012 USAPL Nationals.  I really want to defend my national title but it might be too many meets in a short period of time.  I feel like I have to really concentrate my training and make sure to peak in July.  I still haven’t ruled it out but it depends on how everything goes. 

I am finishing the second wave of my four week prep program and have fully restored my raw strength, in fact I feel like I’m the strongest I’ve ever been.  I have been able to accomplish this even while dropping several pounds in order to make the new 264 weight class.  I am right around 270 pounds and want to lose the last few pounds as soon as I can.  While I have been cutting the weight I have upped my HMB dose to ensure I’m providing my body the best chance to recover while keeping my strength levels increasing.

With it already being April, my powerlifting season is usually in full swing.  Around this time I usually have already done one to two meets.  Unfortunately with my schedule I haven’t been able to do any since last June and am super excited for the summer to hit some big numbers.  Even though I haven’t competed, I did help spot and load at the 2012 Missouri State Open.  Here I was able to spot fellow HMB team member Brad Gillingham on the platform and as usual he had a great day on his way to an American raw record in the deadlift and total.   

With my training in full swing now I will be posting new training videos in the near future, so please check back.  Until then, continue to lift hard and smart which means adding HMB to your supplement list.  You’ll be glad you did.   

Congratulations to TJ Tollakson on his 4^th place finish yesterday in the Ochsner Ironman 70.3 in New Orleans, LA.  Due to strong winds the swim at Lake Pontchartrain was cancelled and replaced with a two-mile run, kind of throwing a wrench in the mix.  It was an exciting day with TJ leading until the last 5K of the race and Trevor Wurtele taking the overall win.

TJ quoted in the Nola.com news, “My run volume wasn’t where it needed to be, so there was that disadvantage of running the extra two miles.  I was in shape for 13 miles, so it was a little much for my body. The swim would have made for a little different race, but I’m not going to complain. I gave it everything I had.”

Congratulations to all the triathletes on their performance this weekend! 

Race Results:

1.      Trevor Wurtele 03:23:51

2.      Richie Cunningham 03:24:04

3.      Tom Lowe 03:24:05

4.      TJ Tollakson 03:24:51

5.      Patrick Evoe 03:25:43

Spring is in the air which always reminds me of “the new”. Although I now live in sunny California, most of my life I lived where there would be long, cold winters. Even though the winter here is not too long or cold, I still get that giddy feeling at springtime awaiting the summer and anything new that lies ahead.

What better time to start a new type of training then now! Last month I spoke about my aspiration to fight in MMA. I am currently looking for additional sponsorship to fund my training. I went to the best gym in LA and received all the information needed about what my training will be.

I’ve always been interested in professional fighting from a young age. I even met Muhammad Ali when I was 3 years old. I don’t remember it, yet have a photo to prove it! My mother said she was surprised that I didn’t cry when I met him as I often did when meeting unfamiliar adults. I guess I knew I was in the presence of greatness.

I took some boxing lessons years ago and loved it. With many transitions in my life at the time, it was difficult to fit into my schedule and train consistently. Now I have the opportunity and drive to train adequately to prepare to fight.  While waiting for funding, I began to train on my own with the heavy bag, jump rope, and running. I have increased my overall cardio to improve my stamina. I look forward to having a coach to learn all the aspects that go into MMA training.

I am very grateful for the sponsorship and donations I have received and would greatly appreciate any further contributions. If you would like to make a donation, please visit my website and click on the donations page at www.jenniferdietrick.com. I look forward to training my heart out and aspire to enter my first fight late this year or early the following!

I have begun my venture into the competing in RAW meets. RAW lifting has really become popular in the last several years.  It’s not a new concept. Many of us that have been lifting for many years started training and competing without supportive gear.  RAW lifting in the USAPL means that you can wear a belt, wrist wraps and knee sleeves, but no supportive suits or bench shirts.  I have always trained without supportive gear, but in the past if you wanted to lift in the bigger meets you had no choice; either wear supportive gear or lose a considerable amount of Lbs off of your lifts.  In the beginning supportive gear was pretty basic.  It was made of real light material.  It added gains in your lifts, but not to the extent that it does now.  The age of new technology has arrived and bench shirts are capable of giving some lifters 200+ Lbs in a lift.  Squat suits and wraps may also give a lifter 200+ Lbs in a lift. As with all things there has been a movement in the sport that has said enough is enough.

A big determining factor in my decision has been the IPF‘s decision to have a RAW category in international events. The first RAW Worlds will take place this year in Stockholm, Sweden.  With this development it is now possible to compete at the highest level without supportive equipment.  Due to other scheduling conflicts last year I did not compete at the 2011 USAPL RAW Nationals.  This eliminated my chance of taking place in the first RAW Worlds. I really feel like I have missed an opportunity to be part of an exciting new trend in the sport.  I would like to try to get qualified for the 2013 RAW Worlds in Russia.

My quest for making the 2013 team has begun.  I first needed to hit a qualifying total so that I could compete at the 2012 USAPL RAW Nationals.  Just two weeks after the Arnold I made a trip to St. Louis to compete in the USAPL Ozark Open.  I was able to put together a good qualifying total going 9/9 and hitting new American Open Records in the Deadlift (837) and Total (2066).  I had a lot of fun at the meet, and I reconfirmed my decision to give RAW lifting a try.  I drove home from St. Louis confident that if I have continued improvement with my elbow injury, and a good training cycle, my RAW lifting Total will continue to improve.

Once again I have bitten off a very busy schedule.  Next up on the schedule I will compete with fellow Team HMB lifter Bryan Dermody at the GNC Pro Performance Empire Classic Pro Deadlift in Spokane, Washington.  I will then compete in the USAPL RAW Nationals in early August in Killeen, Texas, and I have been invited to compete in a deadlift event in Brazil in December. This is all made possible by training properly, getting enough rest, and by taking in quality supplementation. GNC Pro Performance HMB has been a staple product in my supplementation plan. It continues to amaze me with its great recovery benefit. 

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad

Just under 6 weeks out from next competition.  I just got done doing 2 weeks of 2 a day workouts.  In these two weeks I trained the same muscle group 2 times in 1 day.  Basically, try to tear my body apart, using this week to recover and hopefully grow a little.  HMB was crucial over the last 2 weeks as well as every week I am training.  Being able to push myself in the gym on two separate occasions daily was difficult.  Recovery, muscle growth and stamina are keys to bodybuilding and without HMB, those would be tough to achieve.  Recovery this week and then back at it hard for the remaining 5 weeks of training.  Being a natural bodybuilder comes with a ton of restrictions, there are very few supplements that I can take, even those sold over the counter, HMB is a supplement that has been a huge part of my success.  I am looking forward to getting on stage again in the near future.  If you are interested in the “natural” side of this sport, come check out the NGA Titan Classic on 6-23-2012 in Urbandale, IA.  Metabolic Technologies, Inc (developers of HMB) is a key sponsor in this event and their support of natural athletes is appreciated.

Training Session Log – Chest:

Bodyweight: 261.4lbs

Flat bench:

• warmup
• 500 x (1-3)
• 455 x (1-3)
• 405 x (1-3)
• 405 x (1-3)
• 405 x (1-3)
• 314 x (1-3)

Decline Bench

• 405 x (4-6)
• 315 x (4-6)
• 315 x (4-6)
• 315 x (4-6)
• 315 x (4-6)

Heavy Dips

• Bodyweight x 10
• Bodyweight x 10
• 45 x 10
• 45 x 10

Workout evaluation: Muscle massacre

Unloading the weights afterthoughts:

This is the beginning of the beginning. It is the start of something fresh. It is the first step into a new room. I have been having a pretty bad aftertaste in my mouth for the last couple competitions so now it’s back to the drawing board to map out my new plan of attack. I sat down with my coach and we came up with a path to go down away from the beaten one. My eyes are now fixed on the 2012 USPA National Powerlifting Championships in July giving me a complete training cycle to get there. Today being the first day on that path was a wakeup call. Started light, but with an abundance of sets sent my muscles a reality check. It is only going to get harder from here and the weight is going to get heavier.  I may not be there yet, but I’m closer than I was yesterday.

See some of my training footage here!

The day happened where I realized I am at my strongest I ever have been, the happiest I have ever been, and I have to thank Metabolic Technologies, Inc. for being a part of it. Without HMB to help fuel my workouts and expedite my recovery, my progress would be measurably slower.

I even ran my fastest 5k time in years! A sub-21 minute time for someone who runs maybe 5 miles a week is impressive. Ok, so it’s not my 18 something from ten years back, but I was also running 60 miles a week then. I think if I hit that mileage level again I could surpass my old record. It’s apparent HMB has supported my body in ways I never imagined possible!

In fact, I just committed to a Wilderness 5k challenge June 23^rd. I haven’t stepped into my competitive running shoes in about 3 years. I was originally told I had to give it up to be competitive in the figure world.  I now see that it was bad advice. I can’t run 40 or 60 miles a week anymore, but as long as I am keeping enough calories in my body I don’t have to give it up entirely.  I’m maintaining some pretty serious muscle mass while finding my passion for running again.

It just goes to show that if you want something bad enough and someone tells you that you can’t do it, or it’s too late and move on…I can tell you, go for it because it’s not too late.

Right now I’d be missing out on the best days of my life in the gym if I would have listened to all of the nay-Sayers.

If there is something you want, go do it, and have fun along the way!

This month’s featured product is MET-Rx’s HMB-120 Capsules.

MET-Rx is a company that has been in the sports nutrition industry for nearly two decades and has formulated products that promote optimal health and fitness. 

MET-Rx HMB-120 capsules is a metabolite of the branched chain amino acid leucine.  When used in combination with weight training it promotes lean muscle mass and strength gains. 

HMB has long been popular with bodybuilders and is used by many of Team MET-Rx including Nicole Wilkins, Nicole Nagrani, and Greg Plitt. 

To ensure you’re getting the proper dosing of your MET-Rx HMB-120 capsules check out this dosing chart.

Start optimizing your training by taking MET-Rx HMB-120 Capsules today!  Purchase here.

In March of this year I had the humbling privilege of competing in the GNC Pro Deadlift at the Arnold Classic. The Arnold Classic typically promises to be an experience of a lifetime and this year was no exception. This was my third time competing in this contest and the story of my first two years in this contest was one of underperformance. Despite what has happened in the past, this year I was determined to for once perform at a level that I am capable of performing at.

There were sure to be bumps in the road. After all, life typically does not turn out the way we would like to all the time. One of the potential obstacles to plan for this year was a move half-way across the country and the beginnings of a new career, and all this right in the middle of my peaking cycle leading up to the Arnold. My motto going into the Arnold this year was, “When challenges arise, it may be tough on everybody else but it is just right for me.” Challenges don’t have to be looked at as problems. I prefer to look at them as opportunities to learn and to grow as a person. Often, your life is simply the sum of your thoughts – your thoughts determine your actions - put positive thoughts in your mind and life usually turns out great. Put negative thoughts in and life is almost sure to be a disappointment.

Training leading up to the Arnold was very good. It is the first training cycle in almost three years where I felt absolutely no pain in the spinal erector that I tore three years ago. There were hitches along the way, but I was determined to absorb every hitch, learn from it, and move forward without looking back. This approach proved to be paying dividends when I hit my last heavy deadlift session before the contest. I managed to pull 732 for a very easy double and would have gone for a third rep if the plates had not fallen off of one side after the second rep. At this point, my mind was in a good place. I knew that the strength was there. Now, the only thing left to do was follow-through on big stage!

All the warm-ups leading up to the meet were very fast and easy. I felt great about this contest and was anxious to get on stage and start the pulling. My going into this contest, as with any, was to pull a personal record (my previous PR was 777). I decided to open up with 722 – it felt easy but lacked some speed due to a long waiting period between warm-ups and the actual contest. I called for 755 on the second attempt and it felt very strong. At this point I knew a personal record was in firing range. I just had to pull the trigger and hit the target. With no hesitation I marched to the judges’ table and confidently called for 355 kg (782 lbs.). As soon as those words, “Seven-eighty-two” came out of my mouth my intensity and focus hit a level they have never reached before. The head judge called me out to the platform and I pulled with everything I had – pretty good speed off of the floor, a slight stall at the knee, and then a strong lockout. I set the barbell down and turned to see if the lift was passed. When I saw those three white lights come on I was absolutely overtaken with emotion. The celebration was on!!

As always, the best part of the entire weekend was the people that I got to spend it with. A huge congrats goes to TEAM HMB member Brad Gillingham – Brad has won this contest every single year – he may be THE classiest man in the sport, and one of the most accomplished as well. I want to thank TEAM HMB members Eric Todd, Justin Blake and Jennifer Dietrick for all their support – all great people and very successful in their sports of choice. I cannot thank Shawn Baier and Molly Andrusyk of TEAM HMB for all of their support. They are class people from a class organization. They go out of their way to treat me well and it does not go overlooked. I will be competing in the GNC Pro Deadlift at the Empire Classic on April 28^th. Check out my future blogs for details and updates on this training cycle. Be sure to take your HMB every day and experience the recovery boost of your life. Also check out Optimum Nutrition’s Performance Whey – it is a great combination of fast and slow absorbing high quality protein that will help your recovery and gain lean body mass like few other proteins will.

Hey all.  The past couple months have been full of highs and lows.  It was awesome to get to go to the Arnold Classic again this year and talk to so many of you about the benefits of HMB.  I get a great deal of enjoyment discussing something I believe in.  It was also awesome to see fellow Team HMB members rock it in their respective competitions.  Great job to Bryan, Brad and Justin for representing!

Training has been full of ups and downs.  I have really been attacking my legs over the past couple months.  I have been incorporating a high volume squat routine that absolutely kills them.  However, with the help of HMB, my recovery from these workouts is better than ever.  My legs are my weakness when pulling, and I decided to do something about it.  It is paying off, as my squat and a number of variations of deadlifts have been increasing.  The down side of my workouts is that my elbow has gotten increasingly worse.  I have not had full range of motion in it for about a year, but I was still able to train my pressing heavy.  I tried laying off pressing for about a month in hopes that it would heal, but when I came back to press again, it hurt worse than ever.  I finally broke down and saw a doctor (which I hate doing) and he referred me to an orthopedic surgeon.  So it looks like I will be getting it scoped in the next month or so to find out the full extent of the damage, then move forward from there.  I remain optimistic that it will recover nicely.  Until then, it is a golden opportunity to attack my deadlifts, and work the strength in my non dominant arm. 

Last month, I hosted the KCSTRONGMAN challenge at my training facility.  What started out as a very small meet with just 8 or 10 lifters to let the local guys have something to compete in, but it turned into something much bigger.  This year we had 25 competitors from 4 states.  The competition was fierce.  The final results are listed below.

Here are your top 10 Overall:
1st-Spencer Remick
2nd-Sal Badali
3rd-Shane Redden
4th-Jason Ries
5th-Aaron Brown
6th-Chad Julian
7th-Jeff Howenstein
8th-Alan English
9th-Scottish Johnny
10th-Vincent Morales

Here are your top 3 per class:
200# class
1st- Jeff Howenstein
2nd-John Strangeway
3rd-Steve Rollins

231 class
1st-Sal Badali
2nd-Vincent Morales
3rd-Alan English

265 class
1st-Spencer Remick
2nd-Jason Ries
3rd-Garrett Nichols

SHW-
1st-Chad Julian
2nd-Aaron Brown
3rd-Mark Brownson

Masters-
1st-Shane Redden
2nd-Matt Krulic
3rd-Lance Foster

This weekend, I will be hosting "The Battle in the Barn" a USAWA old time strongman meet, also in my training facility.  I look for good competition there as well.  We have started planning for Missouri's Strongest Man: The Gus Lohman Memorial IX.  It will be on June 16 as part of Belton Community days.  I will give more details as we get closer.  I will keep you all up to date with the elbow and the contests.  Until then, keep taking your HMB.  The stuff really works!

Despite everything going on, I’m still able to get all my workouts in and stay on top of my food.  I’m always sucking down my Optimum Nutrition (ON) HMB and I’ve started drinking a lot of the American Bodybuilding (ABB) Diet Turbo Fruit Punch.  It tastes amazing and it keeps me going through these very long days. I’m always going through a lot of Optimum Hydro Whey too.  I absolutely love that protein powder!  I’m still around 312 lbs and keeping very lean.  So despite my workouts being inconsistent the first part of the year, I have made some really good gains.  I believe HMB had a huge part in that!  It helped me from losing muscle and was still able to grow despite all the stress of everyday life. I still don’t know what I will be doing when it comes to competing this year, but I have a lot of competitors I am working with as always for the bodybuilding and figure season.  I love doing prep and my athletes always do well, as long as they do as they are told!

So that’s how things for me are going right now and hoping things will pick up and life will give me a little break for a while.  I just want to be able to enjoy my family and business. 

Until next time, keep working hard and smart.  And keep using your ON HMB and ABB supplements.  You will thank me for it!

With spring in the air all I can see is relaxing out in the sun and socializing at the sand bar…

However, I have some cardio to do before I let that bikini body come out. I’ve been so focused on increasing my strength in the weight room that I haven’t been as focused on the cardio end. 

I even hit a new high this morning with my new love in Olympic lifting.  I get an adrenaline rush from throwing up heavy weight. I push the envelope a little farther every few weeks. This morning I admittedly thought, “Man I hope this weight doesn’t come crashing down on my head!” But of course it didn’t and I even let the press of my hang clean and press linger in the air while I celebrated victory in my head. I really have to thank the support of my team mates with Team HMB and Metabolic Technologies for producing HMB. My good friend and I were just discussing how it has really helped us last night. It aids in my strength in the weight room and even gives me an advantage with endurance since I don’t frequently do cardio.

Nevertheless, when I do cardio I alternate between running, the stairmill, and sprints. The stairmill always gets me; 20 minutes later I look like I just jumped in a pool, and yet I feel like a million bucks. When I am on the treadmill I won’t do anything but a high intensity interval training workout (HIIT). It’s a fast method for fat loss. To do this, I warm up at a jogging pace for 5 minutes, and then I crank up the intensity by adding some incline and a 6 minute mile pace for 1 or 2 minutes, slow to a jog for a minute and repeat this six to eight times. Sometimes, I catch people looking at me in a funny way because I might be the only one in the cardio room who looks like they could keel over at any second from the brutal session I put myself through.

Now that I have finally settled into a routine I am confident that I will see results by the time I step into summer. With only a few months until the sun will be out in full force, I hope everyone is ready to take it on like I will be!

I had an extra skip in my step for my first show of the season after feeling inspired from working at the Arnold the previous week. I was excited to show off my new pink suit and just to be back on stage. I had fun hitting my poses and was thrilled to be back in competition season.

In recent months, I have been thinking about trying a new sport.  As a former gymnast, track athlete, and fitness competitor, I miss the accomplished feeling of finishing a great routine or crossing the finish line.  After I switched to the bikini division since it was more suitable to my physique, I missed the fitness routine. After two years of competing as a pro and achieving the balance of staying in contest shape year round, I crave a new challenge.

At the Arnold Expo, I was reminded that there are so many different sports out there. I was in awe passing the rooms seeing some of the sports take place and hearing about the rest. The amount of athletes and spectators was overwhelming.  I was asking my fellow Team HMB members questions about their sports. All of it was so interesting and inspiring to me.

Two of our team members competed at the Arnold in the deadlift competition. I asked Bryan Dermody about his best lift, which was 777lbs., the day prior to his competition while working at the booth. Then the following day I watched him perform his best deadlift of 782lbs. The emotion and excitement I felt just watching him achieve his present goal is when I knew I needed to get involved in a new sport that will have that accomplished feeling.

I’m currently looking into MMA training and seeing where it takes me. Just the thought of new training and pushing myself is already exciting to me. I know I will have top notch recovery with HMB supplementation no matter which sport I do. In the meantime, I will be back on stage during 2012 another 3 or 4 times!

Happy training everyone!

In the May 2012 issue of Ironman magazine is a great interview with cover model Greg Plitt called The Mind-set of a Warrior.   Greg talks about his drive and how he obtains the body that he has.  He states, “The number one ingredient in any transformation process or pursuit of a goal is the development of the want!”  He goes into further detail about his nutrition, training split and how he uses HMB in his post-workout meal. 

To find out more go grab the May issue of Ironman off the newsstands soon and turn to page 83 to read the whole interview.  If you want to find out more about his post-workout supplement HMB please click on the About HMB tab on the left.

I hit the gym today on a mission to destroy arms. You never want to leave out certain muscles when you train. Although some people think that they are not as important you have to realize that your body recruits muscles that you didn’t think would be helping you pull or push so your entire body has to be conditioned to go the distance. Bench you obviously want to have a strong chest, but triceps play a huge part in the explosion as well. Biceps have a low percentage on helping with your pull, but all around you should condition them just like any other body part.

Game plan:

Close grip bench: 135×12 225×10 315×8 225×12

Rope pulldowns: 240×10 240×10 240×8 240×8

Overhead rope extensions: 160×10 160×10 160×8 160×8

Hammer curls (proper form): 60×12 80×10 90×10 100×8

Reverse grip mini bar curls: 60×10 60×10 60×8 60×8

Concentration single arm curls: 50×10 50×10 50×10

For biceps you don’t need that many sets to get a good pump and tear so I don’t go for too many. I left the gym with my arms full of blood and a smile on my face. I haven’t really gone too heavy with biceps in a long time, but I slowly feel like I’m gaining my strength back in my arms and it might not be doing as much on the powerlifting side, but mentally it’s getting closer to the key that will unlock the power I know I have inside. Everyone is different and needs to find their own groove. I still am on the search of mine, but am very conscious of NOT overtraining this cycle. It’s time to buckle down and get ready for some deadlift work tomorrow. I just recently spoke with Vince Urbank who just pulled 910 at his last meet and I am going to implement some of his deadlift routines into my session tomorrow. 

My training is going great right now. I am just a little over 8 weeks out and in full training and diet mode for a shot at the title!  I have been hard at it for a while now.  This week I am doing a quick re-feed for my body, so upping my calories to recoup from last 2 weeks of German Competition Training.  This week, my diet consists of the following:

• 2.5 lbs of Meat per day:grass fed Beef, Elk, Ostrich, Bison and Fish
  

• 5 servings of assorted vegetables per day

• 4 protein shakes per day

• 2 servings of Cashews and Almonds

• 2 extra servings of carbs per day, which consist of sweet potatoes, brown rice, gluten free pasta and fresh fruit.  

Added to this re-feed is upping my daily dose of HMB to 6 pills per day to help aid in recovery.  At just over 8 weeks out I am at 205lbs and 6.2% body fat.  After this week of re-feed I should be at about 208lbs and same body fat after destroying my muscles for the last 2 weeks. 

Everyone wants to get bigger and stronger and people are always asking me what to do and how to do it.  The first and most important thing is your diet.  What are you actually putting into your body?  If you put trash in, trash comes out.  Eat right and train hard and take the right supplements (HMB) at the right time and you will hit your goals.  Feeding your body the right way is 70% of achieving success.   Stay tuned for next update.  I’m getting closer everyday to dominating in Illinois!

Last weekend I competed in the Amateur Strongman World Championships at the Arnold Sports Festival. This contest is put on by the American Strongman Corporation and draws some huge competition due to the winner being guaranteed a spot in the pro contest the following year.

I rolled into Columbus, Ohio on Thursday night just in time to make it to the rules meeting. Everything was straight forward and I got to spend more time catching up with strongman buddies than worrying about rules. The equipment looked good, I felt great and I was ready for a big contest the next morning.

Friday morning the contest was to start at 8:30am sharp. After a quick breakfast I got to the contest at about 7:15 and did a fair amount of rolling and dynamic stretching before getting in some solid reps with the log. I was randomly chosen to compete in the first flight of lifters.

320lb Log Press

Like I said, the warm ups felt solid and I pressed out a quick rep. The second attempt I pushed a bit forward and couldn’t get under it. At this point I made the decision to regroup and get one more rep at the end. This plan worked perfectly and the next rep went up easy for two total reps and enough points to keep me in the hunt for a top ten placing.

Yoke Carry/ Sandbag Carry/ Farmers Carry Medley

This event I was really looking forward too. Again I started in the first flight. I locked into the yoke and burst forward at the whistle. The yoke was shifting all over the place though and I had to slow down and regroup costing myself a ton of time and putting me way behind the other three competitors. Once I steadied the yoke carrying the 850lb load for 50 feet was a breeze. I carried the sandbag quick and made up some time. I transitioned to the 340lbs per hand farmers carry tanks and took off. Still making up ground I passed two guys but then dropped the tanks near the line. A quick re-pick and finish kept me in second place for my heat though but a disappointing time and overall finish with 44 seconds.

Car Deadlift

Lifting up the back end of a Ford Focus for as many repetitions as possible in one minute was the next challenge. I drove the first rep up easy but couldn’t get into any kind of rhythm. I managed to grind out six reps total for a mid-pack placing.

Tombstone Carry

This event required a 400lb tombstone shaped chunk of steel to be picked up and carried as far as possible. I picked it up pretty easy and got the grip I wanted and just started moving my feet as fast as I could. I managed 175 feet before it finally slipped from my grasp. I didn’t feel good about this performance but it ended up being my best of the day with a 9th place.

Overall, I ended up 20th place out of 47 competitors but well out of my top 10 target. I see lots of things I can improve though and will be working diligently in my training to improve them. The nice thing about the contest being on Friday morning is that you get some time to enjoy the rest of the Expo. I certainly enjoyed watching the pro strongman contest. The log press was incredible to watch from a competitive stand point and aesthetically. I also got to spend some time at the HMB/Metabolic Technologies booth. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to find out about this supplement and the positive effect it can have in helping you reach your goals.

Keep training hard and stay tuned for an update on my 2012 contest schedule.

A new page is about to start in my book of powerlifting. Since I began powerlifting, I was stuck on the naive thought that the bigger I get, the stronger I’ll get, when in all reality it doesn't really matter how big you are to lift a lot of weight. You have 198, 220, 242lb guys proving that fact every meet.  I went from 145lbs years ago to 310 a couple months ago. This last meet at the 2012 LA Fit Expo, everything kind of hit me at once. I realized in my head that I needed to attack my game at a different angle.

Once I left the building that day, my left pec had a sharp pain. I went to the military doctor who then told me that I had sprained my pec. After I got back in the car, I just sat there. I was disappointed with a lot of things and replaying things in my head that I could have done different for a better outcome. Basically, everything that I preach NOT to do, I did. Lol. Like the old saying goes, "There is no reason to cry over spilt milk". It’s like writing your problems in the sand at the beach, eventually they will be washed away over time. With all that being said I took some time off from lifting heavy and focused HEAVILY on cardio and dieting. I went from 290 at the competition in LA to now sitting at 260.5 and still dropping. The goal was and still is to get to 255 and hover there for a bit. I dropped weight a little faster than expected so once, I started lifting heavy again the frustration of getting back into the swing of things set in, but I needed to look past all that.

I have a SOLID platform now to build from, with the knowledge of knowing how to build myself back up the right way. My goal is still to break into the 800lb club and beyond in my bench, but also be at a bodyweight of about 250-255lbs. On top of that I would like to make a statement in the raw full power class and put some big numbers on the board there. I feel like I basically just reset my body while keeping all the knowledge I need to become a bigger threat in the numbers race. I am hungry to grow stronger each and every day in hopes to put up some heavy weight at the Hawaii meet April 7th.

After that I plan to go on a full throttle training cycle towards my next competition the 2012 Olympia in September, as long as I dont deploy or the USPA Nationals in July if I do. I want to thank all my sponsors especially Metabolic Technologies for always being there and providing a great supplement like HMB that promotes the strength I need to conquer my goals.

I have now attended 11 Arnold Classic events in a row, and I continue to be impressed with everything that is going on.  Each year this event seems to get bigger and bigger.  There is something at the Arnold for any fan of sports.  What a showcase for the World of Athletics!

I competed along with fellow Team HMB lifter Bryan Dermody in the GNC Pro Performance IPF Deadlift Championships on Saturday.  This has been a great contest the past 5 years, and it is in the prime time slot on Saturday following Strongman.  The Arnold Expo crowd is at its peak capacity!  This year’s event may have been the best one yet. The only downfall in the day was there was a big delay with the Strongman Contest that had everyone warming up 1 hour before our first attempts.  The great part of this contest is the camaraderie amongst the competitors, and everyone sat patiently waiting our turn on the main stage.

Kim Walford pulled an amazing 512 at a body weight of 136 to win a tough battle, in the Women’s Class, over two time defending Champion Alyssa Hitchcock.  The star of the day in the Men’s Class was 19 year old Ian Bell.  Ian pulled a mind boggling 810, weighing less than 200 lbs, to win the bodyweight championship.  The top deadlift championship was hotly contested.  Bryan Dermody pulled a PR 782.  Bryan continues to make huge strides and will be over 800 soon.  Mike Hedlesky pulled a PR 815, and continues to get stronger every year. Veteran competitor, Pat McGettigan pulled a huge PR 826. Pat is over 40, and is a real crowd favorite. The Norwegian Giant, 22 year old Carl Christensen, pulled a PR 832. Carl looks like he will be a 400 kg+ deadlifter in the future.  The long delay caused me to struggle a little with my opener, and I took too conservative of a second attempt.  I found myself in unfamiliar territory going into my final pull; as my second attempt was exceeded by both Pat and Carl. I was in 3^rd place, and I had to play it smart. I lowered my 3^rd attempt, and was able to pull 837 for the win.  Considering my struggles in training, due to some injuries, I was very happy with the victory!

GNC Pro Performance HMB continues to amaze me with its great recovery benefit.  Working a three day show like the Arnold is taxing on the body; even if you are not competing.  It is hard sometimes at the Arnold to eat right and even take in the correct supplementation.  I was very diligent on Friday to take in my HMB on a regular basis, and even add a few extra grams to my usual supplementation.  I was amazed how well I felt on Saturday.  HMB continues to amaze me in the recovery area!!

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad

Team HMB had a terrific weekend at the Arnold Expo!  We were happy to see so many people and hope that everyone had a great time.

Congratulations to Team HMB athletes Justin Blake, Bryan Dermody, and Brad Gillingham for performing so well this weekend at the Arnold.

Justin Blake placed in the top half of well over 40 competitors in the Arnold Amateur Strongman Competition, which is a great accomplishment with the high level of competition there!  Watch how Justin did here.

Bryan Dermody and Brad Gillingham both competed in the GNC Pro Performance Pro Deadlift competition.  Bryan set a new pr with a pull of 782lbs!  Brad took home the gold in the most weight lifted with a pull of 837lbs!

We are very proud of these men for performing so well in such high caliber competitions.  Check back soon for footage from the Pro Deadlift!

It’s crazy to think that it’s already March.  February went by so fast and I don’t know where January went.  Business this year has been a lot slower for me then the last couple of years, but I contribute that to a few factors.  None the less, I just have to keep moving forward and putting my best foot forward at getting people into my gym and showing them why my facility is better and how I am the best at helping them make lifelong, permanent changes and not just some quick fix that doesn’t teach them anything.  It’s frustrating trying to get it through a person’s head, but it’s a challenge and I am obviously willing to take that challenge on.  

So with that being said, I wasn’t able to make it to the Arnold this year.  I wish I was able to have made it.   I know everyone had a great time and I know everyone made it by the most important booth there, of course, HMB!  HMB/Metabolic Technologies was there representing as always, and some of Team HMB athletes were competing in a few different events and proving why HMB is a dominate supplement in the fitness industry!

As for my training it is still going very well.  It has been the most inconsistent it has been in years, but that’s just because my focus has had to change.  I have my family and my business to put all my effort into first, then everything else after.  My physique definitely hasn’t suffered and that’s due to the fact that my Optimum Nutrition (ON)/American Bodybuilding (ABB) supplements and HMB has been the main part of my supplement arsenal for over three years consistently now and one supplement I just will not be without.  I have said that a million times, but I truly believe that!

Until next time train hard and train smart and keep using your ON/ABB supplements and of course, your HMB!  You will thank me for it!

Only a couple days before the Arnold Sports Festival kicks off!  For those of you that are attending be sure to stop by the MTI/HMB Booth (#824) for some great giveaway items and get the opportunity to talk with IFBB Pro Jennifer Dietrick, strongman Eric Todd, and powerlifter Bryan Dermody. 

Team HMB also has three athletes that will be competing at the Arnold.  Start your Arnold experience off right by watching the Arnold Amateur Strongman Competition, where Justin Blake will be competing, at 8am on Friday.  Then on Saturday at 4:30pm watch powerlifters Brad Gillingham and Bryan Dermody pull some big weight off the ground in the GNC Pro Performance Amp Pro Deadlift!

Hope to see you all there!

New personal records are fun.  They aren’t just another exclamation point in my workout book (or a smiley face sticker)… they are proof that a consistent workout regimen, supplementing with HMB, and determination work. Every week I’m breaking my best achievements and feeling on top of the world. I’m setting myself up for a miraculous come back and proving I can be at the top of my fitness game while not prepping for a competition.  People do not need to compete in order to make strides in their overall health.

What I have come to find out is that it’s the everyday things one does that reflect how their physique will look months down the road. Sure you can eat pizza and fries one day, but keep doing it consistently and give it two months; chances are you won’t be happy with the reflection in the mirror. There is certainly nothing wrong with chowing down a few times a week…pizza challenge anyone?  Just be sure to keep the diet clean the rest of the week, or a lot of extra cardio sessions will be in order.

My mental state is day and night from being able to live a normal life, go out with friends, and not be chained to the gym twice a day.  At times I feel like an outsider looking in with a twinge of pain for those who are in the gym twice a day. Not only can that lead to some serious burn out, but I can only imagine the injuries down the road from overuse.  I know girls, who during competition prep,are in the gym three times in a given 24 hour period. I get that they want to win, but it’s not exactly the healthiest lifestyle to lead, and the whole point of this for me was to be healthy. I finally have that nailed down and would be proud to have someone follow in my footsteps. I don’t recommend drastic measures or twice a day workouts. I think that a well-rounded, holistic attitude towards the gym and dieting can change someone’s life and body.  You don’t need to work out twice a day to reach your best records. Once a day, 5 days a week and help from HMB equates to physical strength and optimism I didn’t realize I had.

Less is more, and a reduced amount of time in the gym means more time with those who you care about most!   Don’t be a slave to the gym, get there, do some work, go home to grow!

Life has been pretty hectic for me these past few months with work and getting ready for our next child.  Through these busy times I have been able to start my four week prep program though in hopes of competing at the 2012 USAPL Nationals.  That is the next meet in my sights as I hope to win my third straight National title. 

I am in the middle of my first wave of my four week prep program and am starting to gain my strength back from the extended lay off.  I am also still losing weight so I can make the new 264 pound class.  I am hoping in the next couple of weeks I am able to be around 270 with my strength levels coming back to where they were.  I will be counting on HMB to help me reach these goals and since adding this to my supplement list it hasn’t let me down yet.

I want to wish Team HMB members Brad Gillingham and Bryan Dermody good luck as they are competing next week in the GNC Pro Deadlift at the Arnold Schwarzenegger.  I know they will both be competing for that top spot and am disappointed I won’t be up there with them.  I was invited but my schedule didn’t allow me to compete this year which is a shame as it looks like the best deadlift lineup they’ve ever assembled for this event.

Since my last blog I was able to travel back to Des Moines, Iowa in order to shoot a new ad for HMB.  It was great being back in Des Moines because I have a lot of family there.  I was also able to meet up with good friend and fellow HMB team member Bryce Holmes at his gym for the photo shoot.  I think the shoot went great and am excited to see the new ad in magazines next month.      

Until next time, continue to lift hard and smart which means adding HMB to your supplement list.  You’ll be glad you did.   

Well, February is the love month and I’m feeling it! The number one person to love is myself first. You may have heard that statement many times before, but it is so true. When I love myself by taking care of myself, then I am a better trainer, coach, friend, etc. to others. One the most important ways to love myself is to do what I enjoy and have fun. At the top of the “fun” list is training!

This month I am not only reminded of love because it is February, but it is also the countdown to the Arnold Expo and my first show the following week. I have a lot of excitement in looking forward to these two events. I am usually highly motivated to train and now there is an added boost. I have some clients getting ready for their first shows ever and I get so excited and proud of them when I see their progress as the weeks pass.

On and off for the past year, my head and heart have been devoted to training, yet I’ve been a little physically drained due to allergies. Many days I would have a lack of energy due to the sinus pressure. Thanks to a new doctor and the correct herbal medicine, I feel like a new person with plenty of physical energy to train and match my mental energy. 

I’ve started to re-introduce sprints back into my training. I used to practice them on a regular basis when I competed in fitness. They were great training to increase my stamina for my routines. After two pulled hamstrings and my switch to bikini, I took a break from them. Although my stage time does not include a routine, I miss the athletic component and physique benefits to that type of training. I’m currently have a training day with a combo of sprints and plyos. During contest prep and added training, I am also taking my HMB 3x a day every day as opposed to only on weight training days. The increase in my strength and leanness since using HMB still amazes me and can’t imagine training without it.

Visit the MTI/HMB booth (#822-824) at the Arnold Expo in Columbus, Ohio on March 2^nd-4^th and then come out to cheer me on at my first show of the season on March 10^th in Torrance, CA!!

Happy training!

Optimum Nutrition is a leading manufacturer of nutritional supplements, owning and operating two brands (Optimum Nutrition and American Body Building) with a comprehensive line of products across multiple categories. The mission of Optimum Nutrition is to produce distinctive, affordable, premium-quality products while making every effort to anticipate customer needs and meet the demands of a dynamic market with innovative products, effective support materials and unsurpassed service.

As most people are aware, published research has shown that HMB has an effect on increasing muscle mass and strength. Taking your recommended daily dose of HMB per day can help muscles combat protein breakdown, assist in muscle repair and support increased endurance.

Try Optimum Nutrition HMB 1000 Caps today to see the difference this supplement can make in your training results.

Prior to the 2011 IPF World Championships I became aware of a serious problem with my left elbow. Lots of pain! I was able to train through the injury and actually had a decent bench in Pilsen, Czech Republic at the IPF World Championships.  I took 4 weeks off after the meet to try and allow the swollen elbow to rest and recover, but it actually got worse; which resulted in an MRI and PRP treatments. The PRP treatments have been very beneficial, and the elbow is really coming around.  It is not 100 % yet and I am sure it will never be like new, but I am optimistic in the improvement, and am hopeful that I may avoid surgery.  The problem that I ran into was that the PRP treatments really raised havoc with the rest of my body.  Following each treatment; I found that I had a great amount of joint pain and muscle soreness throughout my entire body for about 7-10 days.  So it was one week of feeling too stiff to train, followed by a sub-par week of training; prior to the every other week schedule of treatments.  This did not make for a very good physical training environment. Having trained around injuries before I felt that I was equipped mentally to deal with these setbacks, but this time it was entirely different. I made the mistake of trying to continue with heavy training which resulted in my training coming to a halt. By training too heavy, with a body that needs rest, I further aggravated some glute, low back, and ham problems. This was a Rookie mistake from a veteran lifter.

It is inevitable that training injuries will come up at times. Learn from the mistakes of a veteran.  When rehabbing an injury sometimes it’s best to keep everything light.  In the long run you will prevent further impacts in other areas.  I tried to keep pressing movements light in order to help rehab the elbow, but I pushed my back and leg training too heavy and furthered injuries to other body parts. In retrospect, I should have taken the time to train light and give the entire body a much needed rest. Strength training should be looked at as a lifetime commitment.  We all can learn from the trials and errors of others.

The hip problem is coming around. I had my last PRP treatment 2 weeks ago and I feel that I am finally getting back on track. After deciding to take some time off I have had to improvise my training this time and rehab my injury with lighter work sets, more speed work, leg presses, glute hams, and reverse hypers. I have a long ways to go, but was able to pull a RAW set of 3 with 727lbs this week. The 2012 GNC Pro Performance Arnold Deadlift Championship is less then 4 weeks away.  Time to get my training in high gear!

Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high, and don't forget to add GNC Pro Performance HMB to your supplement list! Good luck in meeting your strength and fitness goals!!!

Brad

My training is going well; I’m roughly 14 weeks out and already under 7% body fat.   I will be cruising under 4% in no time.  My workouts have been exhausting and constantly changing, which is a great thing. 

Training wise, I am doing the “100 Rep” workout this week.  On Monday was Standing EZ curls with 100 lbs, every set is to failure, and I do as many sets as it takes until I get to 100 reps.  Then rest 45 seconds and go again, repeat until 100 reps are reached.  Then I did Vbar tricep pushdowns with thick grip and repeated the 2 sets of 100 reps.  Tuesday is legs.  I start with 400 lbs on the leg press and it’s the same workout as above.  Every set goes to failure, and I do as many sets as needed until I reach 200 reps. Then move to leg curls doing the same thing, but only 100 reps.  Thursday will be bench and pulldowns for 100 reps each and Friday is calves for 100 reps. 

Thanks to HMB I am able to get through these workouts and recover in time for the next one, they have been extremely tough and HMB is the one supplement that I know is helping me.

On Saturday, I competed in one of the most grueling competitions I have ever lifted in.  It was the Zercher Classic at Clarks Gym in Columbia.  Thirteen lifts contested in one day.  Not counting warmups, I lifted over 22,000lbs over 8 hour’s time.  Here is how the day went:

Vertical Leg Press: 750lbs.  I got second here, as I called for too big of a jump for my 3rd lift.

Clean and Press (heels together): 245lbs.  Good for first place.  I had to be real conservative in my pressing as I am nursing a bad elbow injury that I just can’t shake.

Clean and Jerk:  I hit an easy 285lbs for the win.  I went very conservative here.

Bench Press (feet in the air): Hit an easy 350lbs for the win

One Arm Deadlift: 275lbs tied for the win here.  Pull was very light, but I couldn’t get the balance down on this lift.

Heels Together Deadlift: Talk about an awkward pull!  I hit an easy 550lbs for the event win, 100lbs more than the closest competitor.

Hack Lift: This was even more awkward.  It is basically a deadlift that you pull with the bar behind you.  I could barely get the weight around my hamstrings.  Hit 365lbs for the win.  Tons of strength left in the tank, but had a hard time figuring this lift out.

Zercher:   In this lift, you deadlift the weight to your knees, then put the bar in the crook of your elbows and stand upright with it.  I did not go as high as I wanted because on my second attempt, I got too aggressive and knocked myself backwards.  So I hit an easy 385lbs for the event win here as well.

Steinborn:  This lift is especially tricky.  You must lift the barbell so that it’s upright/vertical then wedge yourself under it and let it drop over your shoulders.  Then you do a full squat with it, before returning it to the ground the same way you got it up.  I hit a fairly easy 375lbs for the event win here.  Obviously the squat part was easy; the tricky part was getting it on my shoulders.

Neck Lift:  I hit a PR of 525lbs for the event win, 100lbs more than my closest competitor.

Hand and Thigh:  I went conservative here, as I felt something pop in my arm on my first pull.  Ended up being alright, but it worried me.  Hit 1305lbs for another win.

Hip Lift:  Tied my old PR with a lift of 1675lbs.  Was close on 1875, but it was aggravating an old injury, so I stopped there.  Good enough for second.

Harness Lift:  It took everything I had to hit 2225lbs, which was a huge PR, but that only ended up being good enough for second here.

I led in total and points all day long after the second lift, winning 10 of the 13 lifts.  I had the highest total by over 1,000lbs.  Unfortunately, I was beat by formula again, and took second on points.  It was a great challenge and a good experience.

As everyone in the strength and fitness world knows, the Arnold is approaching very quickly. There are four main reasons I am excited about it:

1) I will be competing in the Amateur Strongman World Championships for the second time. Last year I finished 25th place out of 48 competitors and this left a lot to be desired. I am confident I can best last year’s placing and compete for one of the coveted top ten spots in the finals. My pressing was my biggest weakness last year and I feel I have drastically improved this aspect in my strength game. If you are at the festival on Friday morning you should definitely make a stop at this contest. Last year it was run very fast, with non-stop action. We will be lifting logs, picking up cars, carrying 800+ lb yokes, and carrying 400+ lb metal tombstones.

2) I will also be spending some time at the MTI/HMB booth during the weekend.

Make sure you stop by there and talk to myself and the other Team HMB athletes. You can see in person a true example of how beneficial this supplement is. If you’re serious about getting better at your sport, this is a must on your list of booths to stop at while attending the Arnold Sports Festival.

3) The pro strongman contest which occurs at various times throughout the weekend. This is traditionally the heaviest strongman contest in the world every year and this year they have stepped it up again. There are some surprising but also interesting event changes that actually have me really looking forward to the contest. I am especially interested in seeing if anyone will clean the 440lb apollon’s axle in one motion.

4) Those of us involved in strength sports like strongman will be able to relate to this one. We make a lot of friends while competing in these contests that we only get to see a couple times a year. I am definitely looking forward to get a chance to catch up with some of these friends.

So mark your calendars for March 2-4 with the following: Arnold Sports Festival, Strongman, and MTI/HMB booth.

In the winter issue of MET-Rx Magazine is a great article by Nicole Wilkins called How I Won the IFBB Figure Olympia.  Nicole discusses her training program, nutrition, presentation and supplementation.  In her list of supplements Nicole states that she takes MET-Rx HMB 3x daily.  If a pro athlete like Nicole Wilkins takes HMB, maybe you should too!

Follow the link http://www.metrxmagazine.com/metrx/winter2012#pg42 to read this insightful article by IFBB Pro Nicole Wilkins.  If you want to find out more information about HMB please click on About HMB on the left tab. 

As for my training, things have been good, but a little more relaxed in sense of training schedule, which has actually been a great benefit for me right now.  I’m 330lbs and making great gains still.  I just have been giving myself a lot more rest.  Some weeks I have been training every other day and some weeks I will train three days in a row and take three days off.  My body just can’t keep up with what I am doing so I keep making progress. I always take my HMB and I know that it has been a huge factor in my recovery and progress as it has each year.  All I use are Optimum Nutrition (ON) and American Bodybuilding (ABB) supplements and swear by them.  HMB has definitely been my staple for my supplement regimen.  I’m not quite sure what my plans are for competing this year now with my wife and me having a baby on the way, but that is something I have to think about and plan with her.  With all the different and wonderful changes in my life happening, sometimes plans change too. 

My gym is doing well, but I always want it to do better.  So my priorities this year are to focus on my family and business.  I want to be the best husband and father I can.  As for my gym, I’m always trying to keep it growing and educating people on the best way to get results and live a healthy lifestyle. 

In a few weeks the Arnold will be here again and so will the Team HMB athletes passing out shirts and information on HMB and talking about our amazing supplement.  So stop by and say hi, take some pics of the HMB team and learn about how HMB will benefit your workouts too!

Til next time, keep training smart and keep training hard.  Use your ON/ABB supplements and never forget your HMB.  You will thank me for it!   

Training is really starting to heat up for the 2012 Arnold Classic. I am currently in the fourth week of my 8-week peaking cycle, and am starting to feel very strong. The highlight of this week was hitting a 25-lb. personal record on 21” rack deadlift. The video of 900 for a single can be seen on my YouTube page.

I have set up this training cycle similar to peaking cycles I have used in the past, but with a couple minor changes. The following is the basic set-up as it applies to my deadlift training:

Day 2 – Deadlift:

Odd Weeks: 

1.      Clean Grip Deadlift - 1x5 (for grip) progressing to a personal record set of 5

2.      Band Deadlift – progressing to heavier weights closer to the contest

3.      RDL – 2x5 progressing to personal record weights

4.      Grippers – dynamic work

Even Weeks:

1.      Front Squat – 2x5 moderate loads

2.      Rack deadlift – drop the bar closer to the floor by 3” each session

3.      Reverse Hyper

4.      Grippers – static work

Day 4 – Squat:

Odd Weeks:

1.      KB Swing

2.      Raw 5x5 squat progressing to a personal record 5x5 raw squat

3.      Accessory ground-based core work

Even Weeks:

1.      Raw 5x5 squat

2.      Barbell hip lift

3.      Accessory ground-based core work

Back Training:

1.      Day 1 – Heavy pull-ups

2.      Day 3 - Alternate heavy db rows and wide grip barbell rows

The low back has been feeling great. I attribute to two things: 1. Being smart with my training and not exposing the old injury to any undue risks in training, 2. Putting in a lot of time in work capacity and volume accumulation training – the extremely high amount of blood circulating through the low back region during these phases drastically accelerates the healing process.

The real challenge in my preparation for the Arnold Classic is still to come. I will be moving half-way across the country and starting a new job soon. The key to ensuring that the training process does not get interrupted and thrown off course will be preparation and the right mind set. I have taken the necessary steps to ensure that sleep, nutrition, and training will be interrupted to a bare minimum, if at all. The mind-set I have been riding throughout this entire transition process has been: When challenges arise, it may be tough on everybody else, but it ‘s just right for me.” There is no growth and improvement without challenge!

As always, a huge thank you goes to Team HMB. It is not possible to go through a grueling peaking cycle successfully without the big-time recovery benefit of HMB!

Next month kicks off the competition season with my first show in March. Although there is some time, my anticipation makes me feel like it is right around the corner. My first reminder was ordering my new suit for 2012 and soon shopping for matching jewelry and new heels. I also began practicing some new posing and assessing which angles will work best for the stage. Just putting on the suit and heels brings excitement about the thought of competition day. I plan to bring an even better stage presence this year along with an improved physique.

My lagging body part was my hamstrings, which I have been hitting hard the past few months. Hamstring training at Venice with my trainer gives the added bonus for motivation. I’m progressing with more size and shape along with gaining strength. Supplementing with HMB tremendously helps with the progression. Before taking the supplement, it would take me much longer to bring up a lagging body part.

Two other aspects adding to the excitement of the new season are my competitive clients soon starting their contest prep training and the Arnold Fitness Expo. The energy from my clients leaves me smiling at the thought of them and myself on stage. Coaching my clients throughout this process is both rewarding and exciting.  I recently booked my flight to the Arnold and will be at the MTI/HMB booth. I will be soaking up the competitive energy a week before my first show! If you are in Columbus, Ohio for the expo, stop by the MTI/HMB booth!

Sometimes the best remedy for a lack of motivation is helping someone else.  One of my childhood friends contacted me out of the blue last week. She said, “Philita, I’ve had 4 kids, I’m overweight, depressed, and don’t know what else to do, I really need your help.” Without thinking, or hesitating, I said, “Let’s do this.” Together, we have come up with a plan for her that includes a healthy diet and a killer workout regimen. Her one catch, “You have to be there with me during my workouts.”

So here we are, a week into her workout routines and I have found more enjoyment in helping her achieve her goals than kicking my own butt to reach mine.  Her perseverance in her workouts and the determination on her face has pushed me back into my morning workout routines.  They aren’t quite the 3:30am madness of before, I’ve let go of my compulsion to be at the gym for hours a day. In-fact, this morning stepping into the gym I had 45 minutes and didn’t have a plan. I have found I don’t need to map out every last training day or study my workout book for hours to see what I can improve on.  Sometimes, you have to let your body be the guide, or simply have fun in the gym.

Just for fun, this morning I decided I would flip the 250 pound tire. I didn’t count how many times I did it, but I bet my body would tell you a few too many.  Just for fun I immersed myself on this amusing ab solo machine, I lost count at throwing the balls over a hundred times, but I can already tell my fun this morning will cause aches tomorrow.

Working out can be fun, and it’s my goal to not only help my friend lose her targeted weight, but to show her that the gym is the adult playground in life.  When you combine this playground with a clean diet, the results will be nothing short of spectacular. By helping her with the clean diet, I realized I must lead by example and follow my own words of wisdom. Instead of grabbing the sub I wanted last night, I went home to cook up lean ground beef, brown rice, and green beans.

People ask me all the time for my best tips of how to lose weight and get back into shape.  I always say, be consistent with your diet and workout routines, drink a lot of water and try a bottle of HMB. The results can be seen within a month of starting the HMB regimen because you are able to push your body harder with less muscle breakdown. 

No matter where you start, the first step is the hardest. I give my friend a lot of recognition for taking a big step and I’m honored to be her role model/trainer and friend during this transition phase in her life. I know that my plans on a Friday and Saturday night will now include some time on my playground; you can’t lead others if you first can’t lead yourself.

As I had trained very hard during the week, I had no real big aspirations for the meet, only to move a little weight and hang out with some buddies.  When I got there, the weights in warm-ups were feeling good, and I ended up having a good day.

On bench, I opened with 380lbs. and hit it easy.  I then hit 400lbs. on my second rather strongly as well.  420lbs. was just out of reach, though, as I missed it. 

On deadlift, I opened with an easy 600 pound pull.  On my second, I lost 630lbs. at lockout because I didn’t have my grip set properly on my left hand.  The pull was quick and easy though, so I called for 655lbs. on my 3^rd.  It came up quicker and easier than this weight ever had before for a meet PR and a no strap PR.  I really think with having trained heavy the week prior and how easy it felt, 700 pounds is a reality this year.

It was a great testimony for HMB.  On Wednesday my back was sore as can be from heavy partial pulling and my legs weak from high volume squatting that it was a chore to navigate the stairs.  I thought lifting; particularly deadlifting on Saturday would be a fool’s errand.  Not only did I not embarrass myself; I hit a PR with weight to spare.  And I had the second highest total, losing by a mere ten pounds to fellow Team HMB athlete and Heavyweight Pro strongman Big John Connor.