Take it away JP…

Kai Greene

In the following article I will outline an advanced bodybuilding arm workout. Arms have always been a stubborn body part for me. I have found through much trial and error the best thing that works for me is to beat the hell out of them. Suprised? People often over complicate things. I often hear experienced bodybuilders say “I’m going back to basics”. I always think to myself why would you get away from the basics in the first place? The same exercises that worked in Arnold’s day work today. If it isn’t broke don’t fix it. K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Stupid.

Arnold

The amazing Cory Everson

So the workout will be broken down like this. You will Superset back and forth between Biceps and Triceps. Go to failure on your weaker of the two first. If you have weaker Biceps do Biceps then Triceps back and forth in that order. Only go to failure on your final set of each exercise then perform whatever HIT technique prescribed. Rep range will be 6-10, on your warm up sets go with the higher end of the range, your set to failure should be 6-8 before performing the HIT technique. Train like this for 5 weeks then the sixth week just reach positive failure and stop there. Week 7 do all exercises but reduce the weight to 80% never going to failure. Week 6 and 7 are essential in the recovery process to ensure that your CNS doesn’t get over-trained and to give your muscles and tendons adequate recovery.

The Workout:

1. Preacher Curl Machine (Forced Reps, fail at 6-8 then 3 spotted reps)
2. Straight Bar Triceps Pushdowns (Forced Reps, fail at 6-8 then 3 spotted reps)
3. Standing Straight Bar Cable Curls (Rest Pause, fail at 6-8 take 15 breaths perform 3 more reps, and repeat this again for another 2-3 reps)
4. Close Grip Bench Press (Rest Pause, fail at 6-8 take 15 breaths perform 3 more reps, and repeat this again for another 2-3 reps)
5. Standing Alternating Hammer Curls (Triple Drop Set, fail for the first time at 6-8 then reduce the weight and perform another 4-6 reps for two drops)
6. Lying EZ Bar Skull Crushers (Triple Drop Set, fail for the first time at 6-8 then reduce the weight and perform another 4-6 reps for two drops)
7. Barbell Wrist Curls on the end of the bench (3 Sets of 10-12 reps to failure) 

Hey there!  In this instalment of JP’s Bodybuilding Corner, John and I are going to review and congratulate the competitors from Newfoundland and Labrador that have competed at the national level and have won their weight/height class. We’ll start off with the first competitor to win a weight class and then go in chronological order. If any past winners are left off this list, a sincere apology, we’re going by memory so we aren’t claiming this is an official list and we would love to know the details of other winners. Congrats to all!

Kristian Alexander, 2001 Canadian Bodybuilding Championships, 1^st place Heavyweight Class

John (“JP”): Kristian had competed multiple times prior to winning this competition. Kristian was a pretty huge guy with good condition and symmetry overall. He had a very impressive, powerful looking physique in 2001. He currently preps other competitors for competition.

Andy: I’ve known Kristian since we were both in high school.  He has a huge amount of knowledge and passion for this sport. Congrats to him for being the first Newfoundlander to win a National title. Kristian knocked on the door to a pro card that day! IMO a strong case could be made that on that day in 2001, next to Pro Frank McGrath, Kristian had the best men’s physique thatNewfoundlandever brought to a Bodybuilding stage to date. Check out his conditioning; he wasn’t just lean, he had a hardness to his physique that is impressive and extremely rare. A serious knee/leg injury prevented him from taking it to the next level in the years to follow. Nevertheless, he earned the title, Canadian National Champ, something that only 6 people have accomplished to date.

Frank McGrath, 2003 Canadian Bodybuilding Championships, 1^st place Super Heavyweight Class and Overall winner

Frank’s Competition History:

• 2000 NLABBA Provincials 1^st place Heavyweight Class and Overall winner

• 2001 CBBF Nationals Super Heavyweight Class, 6^th place

• 2003 CBBF Nationals 1^st place Super Heavyweight Class and Overall winner (Awarded IFBB Pro Card)

• 2004 Toronto Pro Invitational, 12^th place

• 2009 IFBB Tampa Bay Pro, 9^th place

• 2011 Toronto Pro Invitational, 4^th place

• 2011 IFBB Tampa Bay Pro, 3^rd place (Qualified for Mr. Olympia)

• 2011 Mr.Olympia

JP: Since the minute Frank first stepped on stage it was easy to see he was destined for greatness.  Frank isNewfoundland’s only IFBB Pro bodybuilder and he has suffered much adversity since becoming a pro. A few years ago Frank suffered a serious triceps tear, from which he recovered and went on to compete in 2009. Then, some time after that first injury he was in a very serious car accident which could have ended his career as a bodybuilder; however he has since recovered and competed three more times, most recently in the 2011 Mr.Olympia.

Andy: I was there to see Frank compete in 2000 when he won the Provincial Overall title in his early 20’s. (21, I believe, probably a record for NL) I had the privilege to design his posing routine for his first Pro show and was there to see him compete in the 2004 Toronto Pro Show. Frank dominated the 2003 Canadian Nationals to capture his Pro Card; the first and only Newfoundlander to do so.  It’s awesome to see Frank overcome the obstacles that he has seen in recent years and come back and kick ass! Like JP said, Frank’s car accident was very serious, but he proved the doctors wrong by returning stronger then ever! There is a great article on him in the most recent issue of Flex magazine. Frank is just now coming into his prime as a bodybuilder and competitor. He is a great spokesperson for the sport, and I know that the sky is the limit for what he can accomplish. 

Scott Gillam, 2003 Canadian Bodybuilding Championships, 1^st Bantamweight Class

JP: Scott won a provincial show here in 1999. Scott fills out his frame very well, and that coupled with spot-on conditioning made him unbeatable in his weight class at the Nationals in 2003.

Andy: I saw Scott compete a number of times including his Provincial win. I agree with JP, Scott is a very complete bodybuilder with no weak points. Excellent structure and balance on his frame.

Zaid Adamo, 2010 CBBF Nationals, 1^st place Men’s Lightweight Class and 1^st place Classic Short

JP: I distinctly remember watching the 2009 NLABBA provincials Overall pose-down and seeing Zaid hit a back double bicep pose. Zaid’s back was popping like crazy with deep grooves separating each muscle and veins and graininess all over the place. He has a good amount of well-developed muscle. Zaid is originally from Iraqwhere he competed two times before coming to Newfoundlandand winning the NLABBA provincials in 2009. He has thick mature muscle, good shape and brings shredded conditioning. It’s no surprise he placed 1^st in his class at Nationals.

Andy: I agree with JP, it was no surprise at all that Zaid became a National Champ. He is a serious competitor that brings his “A” game to the stage. He has head-to-toe, ultra-striated conditioning with deep separation in the muscles. Zaid is the definition of the bodybuilding term “peeled”

Angela Dove, 2011 Canadian Natural Physique Championships, 1^st place Bikini Medium

JP: Since Angela began competing in 2009 she has competed four times (twice provincially and twice nationally). Provincially, she has won the Overall title every time she has competed. Nationally, she won her Class in 2011 at her first National show. That means she has won her Class 3 out of the 4 time she has competed. This is an outstanding track record for such a short period of time.

Andy: That is very impressive JP, wow. Angela is a very driven person, not only an outstanding competitor but also a mom and business owner. She has a very balanced physique and was the first female from our Province to capture a National title!

Shawn Gambin, 2011 Canadian Bodybuilding Championships, 1^st Place Bantamweight Class

JP: I had the opportunity to witness firsthand Shawn’s progress week after week as he prepared with Andy for his last two competitions. Shawn’s physique changed steadily, week after week, every week. He just kept getting leaner and leaner. I would see him one week and think well he probably can’t get any leaner than this, this isn’t even human and the next week he would show up at the studio with tendons popping out between his abs and serratus. Out of all the competitors I have seen in real life, before the 2011 Nationals Shawn had the most shredded upper body. Not to say his legs weren’t in shape, but his upper body didn’t even make sense. Shawn has a tiny waist, big arms, round shoulders, a detailed, shredded back and just an awesome genetic shape. He mopped the floor in his Class at Nationals, 2^nd place wasn’t even close. Not to mention Shawn is one of the most humble, mild-mannered people I know. Good luck with round two at Nationals Shawn, I pity the guys who have to stand next to you!

Andy: Working with Shawn is awesome, he just puts his nose to the grindstone and gets it done!  Shawn’s crazy conditioning combined with his tiny waist and muscle fullness make him a Freak! When using the term “Freak” to describe a competitor it means they have that shock value. There are lots great physiques that can carry plenty of size, and also be in wicked shape, but they still might lack that wow factor. When Shawn walks out on stage he has that wow factor. This isn’t just my opinion, the straight first place votes he received in his Class at Nationals from the judges is proof that they agree.

Shawn’s also a very intelligent and hard-working competitor. He has a plan mapped out, knowing what he wants to bring to the stage the next time.  When he hits the stage in 2013, it’s going to be Freak show x 10!

I’m tagging the Champs here in this post. Congrats. Also, I’d like to mention the great work being done by NLABBA, let’s see some more people from our Province join this exclusive club and become National Champs in 2012! 

John Perry here with the latest guest post in this weeks installment of “Bodybuilding Corner”. Maybe you’ll agree with some of my opinions to follow, maybe not….Use the facebook comments feature to discuss!

In this post I am going to list who, in my opinion, are the top five bodybuilding physiques in the pre-modern era (before Dorian Yates) and the top five bodybuilding physiques post- modern era. Each physique I mention refers to a specific version of that particular bodybuilder. That is, their certain physique in a certain year. Also, each person can only be used once.

There are many people who think that the physiques of the seventies and eighties were the best of all time and that the look of pro bodybuilders today is “too much”. Meaning the modern era guys are too big, therefore, making their physiques not desirable to most. I, personally, disagree; in a bodybuilding competition there are certain criteria that the athletes are judged on. The judging criterion has not changed. There are seven compulsory poses and four quarter-turns. I don’t know if they did the quarter-turns in the sixties or seventies, but it makes no difference because it still comes down to size, proportion, symmetry and condition. If you took the top guys from 1975 and put them on stage against the top guys of today they would not be able to compete with the bigger guys just because of the size difference. Evolution occurs in all sports. As time goes by new information and technology comes about and the athletes in the top level of any sport get better and better. Most people would say they would rather look like Arnold than Ronnie Coleman. That may be true, but I am just saying Arnold wouldn’t beat Ronnie Coleman on stage.

I came up with the following list after many hours of research checking out all of upper level pros from 1965 to now. This is just my opinion and all opinions on a subject such as this are subjective by nature.

Top 5 Bodybuilding Physiques – Pre-Modern Era:

5. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mr. Olympia 1974

Arnold is the cliché of a lot people’s favourite bodybuilder. If bodybuilding was judged on upper body and personality then, yes, I would agree. But truthfully, Arnold always had weak legs. They weren’t terrible, but far from where they needed to be to match his upper body. Legs are half of your body. To say that a bodybuilder with half of their body somewhat underdeveloped is the greatest of all time is ridiculous. The thing is, however, most of the top guys back then had weak legs. Legs were not as prioritized by bodybuilders during that time as they should have been. So Arnold was able to get in really good condition with a great upper body and look better than everyone else. I am a fan of Arnold; bodybuilding would be even less known about by the general public without him, but to say that he is the greatest of all time is not right in my opinion. Arnold, 1974 version, did look rather foolish though, but with who he stood next to I do agree with him winning his 6 Olympia titles, for sure. The comeback win in 1980 is a debatable one.

4. Mike Mentzer, Mr. Olympia 1980

 Mike Mentzer is known by many bodybuilding enthusiasts these days for creating his Heavy Duty, or   High Intensity training system. He created this system of training with the goal of training a drug-     free athlete to reach their maximum muscular-growth potential in the shortest amount of time. Mike was as much of a bodybuilding philosopher as he was anything else. His training system entails very low volume, training infrequently but each workout is completed with the goal of creating a new personal best, thereby placing a greater stress on the muscle than before and stimulating growth. He insisted that most bodybuilders are grossly overtraining and are not progressing optimally because of this. Mike also insisted that the typical high protein bodybuilder diet was not the best diet for building muscle. He suggested following a more balanced diet regime with somewhat convincing reasoning to back up his claims. If you read my first couple of posts you know that I believe that for a drug-free person a lot of volume will lead to overtraining and intensity is the key ingredient for long-term growth. However, I do not think as low of volume as he suggests is optimal. You would basically be doing about 3, twenty-minute workouts per week. But a lot of his philosophy does make logical sense in my opinion. In the 1980 Olympia Mike tied for fourth. Mike claimed to the day he died that the Olympia that year was rigged. He did never say that he should have won but always said that Arnold should not have won. He looked great in 1980 and I pick him as number four because he was almost perfectly symmetrical from top to bottom. Something that few bodybuilders have been able to produce is a 100% complete physique from top to bottom.

3. Frank Zane, 1979 Mr. Olympia

Frank Zane had one of the most aesthetically pleasing physiques all time no doubt. The three years that he won the Olympia he showed up with a level of conditioning greater than all of the other competitors. His proportion and symmetry were very good. He wasn’t the biggest guy, but bodybuilding is not just about being the biggest. Of course size matters, but so does symmetry, balance and conditioning. His conditioning was crazy for the era.

2. Lee Haney, 1987 Mr. Olympia

Lee Haney retired at the age of 32 after winning the Olympia eight times. His first win was at age 24. He is the second youngest person to the win the Olympia – the youngest was Arnold at age 23. No one of that era came close to his back lat spread and back double bicep until Dorian Yates came along in 1991, Haney’s final year.

1. Sergio Oliva, 1969 Mr. Olympia

If I could have the genetics of any of the bodybuilders from back in the day, I would pick Sergio. He was the only bodybuilder to have a smaller waist than Frank Zane and he coupled that with ballooned, blown-out-looking everything else, even huge legs…which no one had back then! They called him “The Myth” for a reason. Crazy!

Top 5 Bodybuilding Physiques – Post-Modern Era:

5. Nasser el Sonbaty, 1999 Arnold Classic

The year Nasser won the Arnold Classic he claimed to be around 290lbs. Bodybuilding is the only sport in which competitors over-exaggerate their weight and under-exaggerate their height to make it seem as though they have more mass for their height. I suspect 290lbs was a bit of an exaggeration but who knows? Anyway, Nasser was huge and shredded in 1999 year, blowing the competition out of the water.

4. Phil Heath, 2011 Mr. Olympia

Phil has been criticized in the past for having narrow clavicles, making him less than super-wide. I don’t think this is the case, it is more a matter of Jay Cutler, who Heath has been standing next to the past few years, having genetically super-wide shoulders. Cutler is the widest bodybuilder I have seen in real life, which is partly the reason he was able to win the Olympia four times. Jay Cutler and Kai Greene are the only two top level pros who have that crazy wide structure these days. Anyway back to Phil…he is called “The Gift” for a reason. The guy has the roundest muscle bellies since Flex Wheeler. When he is just standing there it looks like there is just muscle hanging off of him. Probably the most cartoonish-looking guy out there today.

3. Kevin Levrone, 1999 British Grand Prix

Look up his posing routine via YouTube and you will see why I picked this guy for as #3. Kevin’s legs were never were never quite as good after he turned pro. Maybe he had an injury and had to train around it. But for the 1999 British Grand Prix he certainly brought them back up. He was full, hard and dry. He also had an awesome posing routine.

2. Flex Wheeler, 1999 Mr. Olympia

Probably the most aesthetically-pleasing physique of the nineties. Tiny waist; tiny joints; round, full, muscle bellies and nailed conditioning. You can watch his posing routine on YouTube for this one too.

1. Ronnie Coleman, 2003 Mr. Olympia

“The Big Nasty”. This guy, at this competition, was the biggest, freakiest thing to walk on a bodybuilding stage to date. He had the biggest legs of all time, and biggest back of all time too, at this showing. This was 12 years ago and no one has come close to looking like this since. I doubt that anyone will for a while.

There you go that’s my top five from each era. Do you agree or disagree with me? What are your picks?

Ladies, here it is…my BIGGEST event and Program EVER!

The holiday season is fast approaching and I don’t want you to stress about it. No need to worry about looking good at all those family get togethers, and other seasonal socials.

Instead I want to help you get fit, healthy and sexier! I want you to look forward to the holidays knowing that you look stunning in your New Years dress!

I have designed and run many 4, 6 and 8 week+ transformation programs and have helped 100′s of people achieve some outstanding results, and I’m proud of each and every one of them.

I am very excited about the “Sexy for Santa“ Program because I’m going to give you all of the best training advice, knowledge and motivation that is proven to work and deliver head-turning results! You will get the guidance and expertise of both myself and Norma Jean Hall. Plus, we’re going to blow it up with some really cool prizes!

Prizes are not the important reason for signing up, it’s about getting fit and healthy, and looking and feeling great! But there is nothing wrong with having prizes as a bit of extra external motivation. Also, because it’s the “giving season” I want this to be HUGE! The prizes are going to be off the charts

“Sexy for Santa” is a 6-week Transformation Program. We will begin Monday, November 7th and will wrap up Saturday, December 17th. Perfect timing, most people are very busy the last week before Christmas anyway!

If you want your butt kicked into shape and a fantastic 6 weeks of results, then here it is…

You’re going to get…

• Initial Private One-on-One Consultation. You and I will discuss your goals and map out a plan to get your there! We will determine what Nutrition Plan and, in addition to the group workouts, what Training Program is best suited for you;

• The “Sexy for Santa” Training program.  This is your customized weekly plan designed to fit into your schedule which will be coupled with the group workouts;

• The “Sexy for Santa” Meal Plan;

• 3 Workouts – with us, per week!  Two semi-private group workouts, and one Saturday bootcamp;

• Training Kit.  This includes a tracking Journal and my at-home training DVD.

• The Holiday Damage Control program.  This contains recipes and my best secret tips. Find out how to escape the holidays without putting on the dreaded 5-10lbs of unwanted extra weight!

• Also, Brand New!… The “Merry Fitness and Happy New Rear” program. Having worked in the fitness industry for over 10 years, I know that a lot of ladies want to build a better butt. Fact. So we’re going to include a 6-week “Build a Better Butt” program within the Program. (You will get this program to follow at home or in the gym for 10 minutes, twice a week in addition to your other workouts);

 Now is the the time to take action because…

• I want you to look and feel amazing for your Christmas Parties. Nothing wrong with looking hot when you bump into old or new friends at the social get-togethers!

• I want you to enjoy more energy and confidence from being healthy and fit! This will help you enjoy the holidays even more

• It’s not too late to finish the year strong, and make good on your promise to get fit in 2011. Why wait until New Year’s to make that resolution, when the gyms are full!  Why not get a head start on getting fit, healthy and sexy now!

  
  Instead of having to fuss to find the right outfit, we want you to be able to slip into the dress of your dreams flawlessly. New Years Party? Look amazing. Enough said!

Now…what about that extra motivation I mentioned earlier?!?!

The prizes for this Program are INCREDIBLE and will definitely ensure that the winners feel “Sexy for Santa“!!!

We will be awarding 3 Prizes at the end of the Program:

Best Transformation;

Best Transformation (Runner-up); and….

A Lottery prize which all members of the “Sexy for Santa” Program will be eligible!!!!!

In addition to all of these prizes, EVERYONE in the Program will receive a $100 gift card for new membership at Personal Best Studio. Put it under the tree for a loved one and share the gift of health, fitness and happiness! But thats not all…

The “Best Transformation” and “Best Transformation (Runner-Up)” Awards will be judged and awarded by myself and Norma Jean. But let me be clear, these Awards will not be based solely on weight-loss.  We want to see you TRANSFORM yourself with this Program!! Winners will be chosen based on a number of factors including:

• body composition (weight, measurments, photos etc.);

• visual appearance;

• personal transformation/improvement (lifestyle, attitude, goals, etc.); and

• fitness transformation/improvement.

The Awards will include:

“Best Transformation” Winner!!!

“The Ultimate Night Out”

-Gift Certificate for 1 Night Accommodations at Leaside Manor;

-$200 Gift Certificate for the winner’s choice of one of the following restaurants: Raymonds, Biancas, Blue on Water or Gypsy Tea Room;

-$150 Gift Certificate for the Avalon Mall to make sure the winner looks stunning on their special night out; and

-$350 Gift Certificate for Personal Best Studio (private or semi-private training)

TOTAL PRIZE VALUE: $900

“Best Transformation” Runner-Up Winner!!!

“Shop Til You Drop”

-$200 Gift Certificate for the Avalon Mall to make sure the winner gets all the sleek, sexy clothes they need to show off their new body over the holidays; and

-$200 Gift Certificate for Personal Best Studio (private or semi-private training)

TOTAL PRIZE VALUE: $400

Lottery Prize!!!

The Winner of this Prize gets to choose 1 of the following prizes:

-$250 gift certificate for Raymond’s Restaurant;

-$250 gift certificate for the Avalon Mall;

-$250 gift certificate for Spa at the Monastery; or

-$250 gift certificate for Le Boudoir

There are only 20 spots available, and the cost is just $299+tax. Msg me right away if you want to take part and set up your consultation.

Thanks!

Andy

Personalbest@gmail.com

Merry Fitness from Personal Best Studio!

Back in the spring, 4 guys were put through a brand new, 8 week “Max Muscle Build” Program. Their results were phenomenal, each guy put on serious muscle size along with adding 40-50+ lbs on their bench press…each.