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#ICP0307. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Call 1.800.477.4462 or visit GNC.com for the store nearest you. 2013 General Nutrition Corporation. May not be available outside the U.S.

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FEATURES
118 THE ARM
ALPHABET

Roelly Winklaars
arm workouts from
A to Z.

140 PHIL TO
THE BRIM

How Phil Heath

trained to build a
fuller physique and
win his third Olympia.

166 FAR & WIDE

Shawn Rhodens and

Flex Lewis mighty
shoulder workouts.

192 BY ANY
MEANS
NECESSARY

Kai Greenes mashand-smash leg

training.

214 LIVING THE

DREAM

The ascetic life of

Big Ramy.

228 ROCK SOLID

AND RIPPED

COVER PHOTOGRAPH
BY GREGORY JAMES

16

FLEX | JANUARY 14

(3&(03:+".&4

Slice it, dice it, and

cut your way to
your best physique.

DIAL IN YOUR FOCUS

Energize at any moment with ONs Essential Amino Energy. A 2-scoop serving provides
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new FLAVOR

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Manufactured in
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ENERGIZING

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RECOVERY

DEPARTMENTS
20
22
34
39

Chairmans
Letter
Arnolds Page
King Khan
Unleashed
Zacks world views.

Hard Times

Heath goes Greene, the

Welsh Dragons new DVD,
Heath at TNA, Arnold
Classic Europe, EVLS
Prague Pro, and more.

70

NPC Report

76

Extreme Muscle

The latest industry

news.

Magnicent monster
set or maniacal
madness?

82

Gym Bag

94

Westside Rules

96

Our usual mix, including

training tips, research,
and more.
Building explosive
power.

Only the Strong

Pressing for powerful

shoulders.

192

By Any Means Necessary

214

Living the Dream

100 Big-Ass Mass

Does soreness equal

muscle?

102 Hardcore
Nutrition

The oil manifesto.

106 Advanced
Nutrition &
Supplements

Our top nutrition tips

& supplement picks of
the month.

262 Events

166

Contests coming to your

area.

Far & Wide

264 The Shot

140

Phil to the Brim

228

Rock Solid & Ripped

18

FLEX | JANUARY 14

$-0$,8*4&+"40/#3&&;&$)"3-&4-085)*"/$0. 

.*,&4"-";"31"7&-:5)+"--

Bleed for it.

EVP/Group Publishing Director CHRIS SCARDINO

Chairman & Chief Executive Ofcer DAVID PECKER
Founder and Chairman Emeritus JOE WEIDER (1920-2013)
President of the IFBB Professional League JIM MANION
Editor-in-Chief ROBBIE DURAND
EDITORIAL
Executive Editor ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
Managing Editor, Enthusiast Group/Books BRIAN GOOD
West Coast Editor DAVE IAN LEE
Chief Medical Adviser CARLON COLKER, M.D., F.A.C.N.
Senior Writer GREG MERRITT
Senior Online Editor SEAN ANDROS
Online Editor ANGELICA NEBBIA
Copy Chief PEARL AMY SVERDLIN
Copy Editors NINA COMBS, JEFF TOMKO
Research JAMES RILEY
Editorial Production Director RUSSELL MENDOZA
Editorial Production Coordinator VICTOR KIM
Associate Editor NICOLE ADAMO
ART
Art Director SEAN OTTO
Senior Designer AYINDE FREDERICK
Deputy Photo Editor SAMUEL WILSON
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
J.M. MANION, MIKE BERG, TONY MONCHINSKI, LARRY BROWN
PHOTO & ART CONTRIBUTORS
Staff Photographers
JASON BREEZE, BILL COMSTOCK, CHARLES LOWTHIAN
Contributors
RON AVIDAN, ALBERT BUSEK, CARUSO, ISAAC HINDS,
KEVIN HORTON, CHRIS LUND, J.M. MANION, TONY MONCHINSKI,
JEFF SYGO, PAVEL YTHJALL, ART ZELLER
INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING, ENTHUSIAST GROUP

Theres never been a

better day to take charge
of your life than today, and
with this issue of FLEX in hand you
can begin by setting out on a new
path toward a bigger, better you.
With a new year upon us, were
faced with the challenges of not
only the winter months, with their
shorter days and colder weather,
but also the celebratory eating and
drinking thats part and parcel of
the season. No one can be blamed
for slipping a few notches from his
peak condition during this time,
but by the same token, no one
should be excused from making
the efort to regain his past form.
FLEX is designed specically to
deliver the very best bodybuilding
information needed to make signicant changes to your body and
overall health, in which case there
may be no time of year in which
this magazine is of greater value to
you than now. Notably, theres our
Rock Solid and Ripped feature,
which is a comprehensive guide
to provide bodybuilders with a
routine that will get them back
on track after a winter lull. There
are also plenty of other training
features, nutrition articles, and
authoritative supplement informationthe kind were known to
provide month in and month out.

20

FLEX | JANUARY 14

Of course, we can ofer you all

of the information in the world,
but it wont mean a thing if you
dont take the initiative and apply
it. This may seem like an obvious
statement on its surface, but the
fact is there are far more people in
this world who are content reading about the path to success than
actually following it. The reason is
simple: Reading is easy, and doing
is hard, especially when the doing
involves pushing your body past
old limits and sticking to a diet
that may not satisfy your belly
at all times. FLEX is about both
reading and doing. Our goal is to
provide not just information but
also motivation and inspiration. It
is the rare kind of magazine that
requires you to put it down so you
can apply its teachings.
With that, I wish you peace,
prosperity, and most of all, good
health in the new year. So long
as you have a will to be your best,
well be here to support you. FLEX

DAVID J. PECKER
Chairman, President,
and Chief Executive
Officer of American
Media, Inc.

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Latvia

Lebanon

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Mexico

Netherlands

New Zealand

Oman

Paraguay

Russia

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Turkey

Spain

Peru
United Kingdom

Philippines
Uruguay

Croatia

Qatar
Venezuela

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A SUBSIDIARY OF AMERICAN MEDIA, INC.

CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

DAVID PECKER
Executive Vice President/Chief Marketing Ofcer
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Senior Vice President, Operations ROB M. ONEILL
General Manager, AMI International & Syndication LAWRENCE A. BORNSTEIN
DISCLAIMER Please consult your physician before beginning any exercise or diet
program, or when making changes in an existing program.
35,17(',186$

:($6680(125(63216,%,/,7<)255(7851,1*8162/,&,7('0$7(5,$/
,1&/8',1*%87127/,0,7('723+2726$57:25.0$186&5,376$1'/(77(56

$)3*4-6/%

TIME FOR
CHANGE

Managing Dir., Weider Pub. Ltd. (Europe)

MARTIN CHEIFETZ
(UK) 44-142-350-4516; fax: 44-142-356-1469;
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The barbell bench

press is one of the most
Q
crucial exercises for building

size and strength in the pecs,

front delts, and triceps. But your
primary goal of building size or
strength will dictate your form
and technique in this all-important move. Bodybuilding is about
training the muscles to become
bigger, more symmetrical, and,
ultimately, more aesthetically
appealing. Regardless of the
exercise, bodybuilders strive to
perform moderate rep ranges
(812 reps per set is standard,
although abs, calves, and sometimes even legs respond well
to high reps); strict
technique (keeping
the weight under full
control in every rep);
and a full range of
motion (not stopping halfway).
Yet when it
comes to benching,
powerlifters have
diferent concerns.
Because they use so
much weight (the
worlds top benchers
press about 1,000
pounds), they need
to keep their feet
planted during the
lift. This is ne for
bodybuilders, but
its less critical. In
fact, lifting your

HIT THE
BENCH
EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Bench
Press

12, 10, 8,
8, 6

Incline
Dumbbell
Press

810

Dumbbell
Flye

810

22

FLEX | JANUARY 13

If developing big, well-shaped pecs is your goal, proper

bench press technique is paramount

feet of the oor when benching

(assuming youre not going too
heavy) is a good way to train
your torsos stabilizing muscles.
Powerlifters also increase stability by pulling their shoulders
down and in during the movement and locking out the elbows
at the top of the lift.
This isnt the ideal way for
bodybuilders to bench press.
As you lift the bar, think about
pushing your shoulders forward
and squeezing your pecs
together at the top of each rep.
This increase in range of motion
is fairly small, but its nonetheless signicant: It prevents you

from using your triceps too much

at the top and keeps maximum
tension on the pecs. Locking
out your elbows will do little for
you as a bodybuilder. Powerlifters also adjust their grip width
on the bar (wider or narrower)
according to what allows them
to lift the most weight. The grip
width used by bodybuilders will
vary depending on individual
proportions, but you need to
make sure the pecs do more of
the work. With too narrow a grip,
you end up working the triceps
rather than the pecs. I suggest
keeping your bench-press grip
outside shoulder width for

maximum pec development.

Another key benching technique
for powerlifters is keeping the
elbows in tight to their sides
to increase power output. For
bodybuilding, keep your elbows
out to your sides, to the point
where your upper arms are about
perpendicular to your torso.
Again, this will maintain tension
on the pecs and minimize triceps
involvement. Its not about being
able to answer the question of
how much do you bench with
some inated number. If youre
after bigger pecs, leave the
1,000-pound benches to the
powerlifters. FLEX

;&--&3 '*5/&4416#-*$"5*0/4 */$ $0635&4:0'8&*%&3)&"-5)"/%'*5/&44

BENCH
BASICS

 2013 MUSCLEPHARM Corp. * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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AGAINST
ALL ODDS

Hi, guyshows it
hanging?? I know youre
Q
taking your PCT protocol, as the

;"$,,)"/*4""$)*/%4*450$,1)050(3"1):$0. 

$-08/%"7*%-.003&"-".:$"//"#*48"--"$&("33*40/"-".:

season is over. I am upping my

Nutrex T-Up, nah am saying, time
to get ready to make an impact
for 2014. In the meantime, here
are some crazy stories from
around the world
A rodeo clown miraculously
survived being struck by lightning
twice on the same day. Casey
Wagner was taking part in a
Rednecks with Paychecks ofroad driving event in Saint Jo, TX,
when a storm hit. He sheltered
under a tree and was struck
by lightning.
What I remember, Wagner
told CBS News, is just a loud
boom and it dropped me to my
kneesand then it hit me again.
When I got hit, it was just two
big old ashes, and then sparks
went everywhere.
Mr. Wagner said he felt
electricity shoot up through his
right boot and into his body. The
31-year-old dropped to his knees
when he was struck again. He
was treated by a nurse who
was watching the race and then
taken to Nocona General Hospital a few miles away.
At the hospital they said the
poncho I was wearing was carrying static because it was one of
those plastic ones, he said.
Doctors told him the tingling
feeling would last for about a
week. Mr. Wagner says only one
thing could have kept him alive.
I give everything to God,
he said.

EXPENSIVE
FLOATY
This pothead took getting my stash back home to a new level
Q A man was
arrested of the
coast of San Diego
trying to swim into
the U.S. while
oating on a dufe
bag full of pot,
ofcials said.

U.S. Border Patrol

Agents arrested the
unidentied man
Sept. 19 after spotting
him approximately
600 yards from shore
just north of the U.S.Mexico border.

FLEX | JANUARY 14

The swimmer was

oating on a dufe
bag holding more than
$23,000 in illegal
drugs, agents said.
Inside the bag, federal agents said they
found seven bundles of

marijuana weighing
more than 50 pounds.
The man,
described as a
55-year-old Mexican
citizen, was taken into
custody by the U.S.
Border Patrol

Work Faster
Play Harder
Be Stronger
Grab it on the go at

Follow us
Nutrex.com

FLEX EXPERT

FROM THE GREAT BEYOND

the case is that Mrs. DeLyon
was reported to be quiet and
retiring when she was alive.
Yeah, right when is a women
ever quiet?
Mrs. DeLyons only
surviving relative, her
son, Jacques DeLyon, tried
to ght the town councils
demand to have the body
exhumed. I admit it was
disturbing their sleep and
frightening their
children, said
Mr. DeLyon.
But I paid good
money for that

plot and she has the right

to be laid to rest there.
Well, why dont you
sleep there then? But
his bid to keep her there
was defeated unanimously.
Her body now lies in a
rural graveyard miles
from the town.
Okay, guys, I am getting
back to the grind in the underground gym. No traveling for
me until the Arnold in Ohio.
See you guys soon for a
bigger and better ZKK.
One love. No grind,
no shine. FLEX

;"$,,)"/*4""$)*/%4*450$,1)050$0.

Q Authorities in Paris,
France, took the corpse
of a woman out of one
cemetery and buried it
in anotherbecause her
screaming ghost was disturbing neighbors! WTF? Maybe
after death she was getting
a good d.
Only a few days after
Yvonne DeLyon, 61, was
buried in the rst graveyard,
complaints began pouring in
from people who live nearby.
The public outcry continued
for six months before ofcials
nally had to take action.
That woman screamed
and wailed all night, said one
resident of the small town
of Feurs, France. It scared us
almost to death. The whole
reason my family and I moved
here beside the cemetery
was because it was quiet
and peaceful. But it got so we
couldnt get a decent nights
sleep. I guess if you dont
believe in ghosts, you
need to pay this place a
visitmwahhahahaaa. You
will only get white people
staying in a haunted house
you will never catch black
people in there.
Accounts from the complaining citizens indicated
that much of the noise was
incoherent ranting. But
many of the terried and
outraged townspeople
claim they distinctly
heard the dead woman
nagging and berating her
husband, who died three
years before her.
One man said he clearly
overheard her yelling things like,
Charles, dont you dare leave
that wet towel on the bed, or
Why dont we ever go out to
dinner? (Charles replied, bitch
do you even lift!!!)
Jean Vecque, director and
manager of the cemetery,
conrms the reports. Ive never
believed in ghosts, says the
conservative 51-year-old. Ive
been in the business for 19
years and seen hundreds
of corpses. But this is the
rst time Ive heard one roaring
and bellowing from the cofn.
At rst I thought it was
someone playing a practical
joke. So I personally investigated it. I stood out by the
grave all night. It was enough
to scare me to death. I never
heard such eerie screeching.
And it was denitely coming
from the grave.
One odd sidelight of

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THE STORY
CONTINUES...

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

** UK Supplement awards 2012

$)"3-&4-085)*"/$0.*4""$)*/%4

HEATH
GOES GREENE
Backstage afer his third Mr. Olympia victory, Phil Heath
had a few things to get of his chest regarding Kai Greene

THE RIVALRY Kais an amazing person. As far

as bodybuilding is concerned, hes an awesome
Q
champion. Hes just not a Mr. Olympia champion. And

I feel like hes a guy who wants what I have, and Im

standing in his way. Im standing in his way just like Jay
[Cutler] had Ronnie [Coleman] in his way. And its a
war. So I dont feel sorry for him at all. Im trying to win.
This is my title.
FLEXonline.com

39

HARD WORK I just think he has the wrong

idea about me. I think that he thinks its all
about gifts and bullsht. But at the end
of the day, hard work beats talent if talent
doesnt work hard. And I worked my ass of
to be where I am in this world, and he cannot
discredit that any more after what he saw
tonight and last night.

years old, having a broken home and stuf like

that, because thats not for them to know
about. Thats my personal life. I just feel like
sometimes [Kai] plays the victim. And people
will come up to me and say, Why do you have
animosity toward him? And I dont have animosity toward anyone. Its just that hes not
the only person who goes through stuf.

RESPECT I dont hate the dude. I just want

him to respect me. Because I never disrespected him. He disrespected me rst. As
a champ you should never be disrespected
by someone who isnt the champ. You aint
cocky if you complete the task. If I say Im
going to win and then I win, thats not cocky.
Thats just telling it like it is. I refuse to let
anyone discredit
my hard work and
talent. I refuse to
do that any more.
Im a three-time Mr.
Olympia. I deserve
his respect.

ROLE MODEL When did I ever come after

him? Never. He always came after me and
said I was gifted as if I didnt have to work
to be Mr. Olympia. He should know that I
worked my ass of just like him. And Im just
better than him, and he cant accept it. His
fans dont like it because hes brainwashed
them. Its very apparent. On paper, you
put him and me
together, and Im
going to be a better
pick for being a role
model than he is.
And everybody
knows what Im
talking about. You
look at my personal
life, you look at his
personal life. You
look at my accomplishments onstage and ofstage. I travel the
world and promote this sport, and I give back
to the community. And yet he gets looked at
through a diferent lens, and he gets to skate
by. These are facts. Im sorry. It may sound
negative. But people do know this, and
people dont address this ever. GREG MERRITT

I WORKED MY ASS
OFF TO BE WHERE I
AM IN THIS WORLD,
AND HE CANNOT
DISCREDIT THAT
ANY MORE AFTER
WHAT HE SAW...

HARD LIFE No one

has gone through
what I went through
this year, period.
[This is a reference to his family health
concerns, especially his wifes breast cancer.]
And Kai has been able to tell his story
about his hardships in life. But hes not the
only person. And I think the way Ive been
portrayed is as if Phil has this easy-ass life.
They didnt know what I went through at 3

"/(&-*$"/&##*"*4""$)*/%4 

DISRESPECT He disrespected me by signing that poster as Mr. Olympia [at the Athletes Meeting], and hes been signing his autograph all weekend saying hes the 2013 Mr. Olympia. I have
photos that prove it. If I were to do that, people would say Phil Heath is cocky. When did I ever do
that? I never signed Mr. Olympia until I was Mr. Olympia. I never touched a Sandow until I was able
to touch my own. So thats the respect Ive had for this sport. But why do people look at me as if
Im some arrogant asshole, but he can do it? I cant play by his rules. I cant get away with the same
things that Kai Greene does. Fans should judge us on an even playing eld,
because if he were to be judged by the same standards that are applied to
me they wouldnt be fans of him.

40

FLEX | JANUARY 14

The Heath Wave originated in Las Vegas, NV, and

Q
extended halfway across the

world to Madrid, Spain, as Phil

Heath captured the 2013 IFBB Arnold
Classic Europe title on Oct. 12, adding
it to his third straight Mr. Olympia
win two weeks earlier on Sept. 28. Of
the 19 competitors in Spain, nine had
been with him in Sin City, and if any
hopes were harbored that the reigning
Mr. O might fade between shows,
those were dashed as Heath scored
straight rsts to earn his ninth career
title. The Gift has not been beaten
since his 2010 Mr. Olympia runnerup nish. Placings two through four
were identical to the Olympia, with
Kai Greene in second, Dennis Wolf in
third, and Shawn Rhoden in fourth.
The biggest surprise of the night
was Victor Martinez. The Dominican
Dominator, who won the inaugural
Arnold Classic Europe in 2011, bounced
back from a disappointing 11th at the
O to nish fth here. (Martinez had
never nished out of the top 10 in all
seven of his previous Olympias.) Sixth
went to Roelly Winklaar, with Toney
Freeman in seventh, Brandon Curry
in eighth, Lionel Beyeke in ninth, and
Fred Smalls in 10th.
In tness, Tanji Johnson jumped
past Oksana Grishina for the win, with
Regiane Da Silva in third, Whitney Jones
in fourth, and Myriam Capes in fth.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product
is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

3
MENS
BODYBUILDING
1. Phil Heath*
2. Kai Greene
3. Dennis Wolf
4. Shawn
Rhoden
5. Victor
Martinez

6. Roelly
Winklaar
7. Toney
Freeman
8. Brandon Curry
9. Lionel Beyeke
10. Fred Smalls

*Qualied for 2014 IFBB Mr. Olympia

501*(03,01$&,

4
6

FITNESS
1. Tanji Johnson*
2. Oksana Grishina
3. Regiane
Da Silva
4. Whitney Jones
5. Myriam Capes
6. Natalie Planes
7. Fiona Harris
8. Ryall
Graber-Vasani
9. Melinda Szabo
10. Allison Ethier
*Qualied for 2014
IFBB Fitness Olympia

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product
is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

PHIL HEATH INVADES

TNA WRESTLINGS

BOUND FOR GLORY

PAY-PER-VIEW

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product
is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

/((6287+

Check out the BroMans, Robbie

E and Jessie Godderz, on Spike
TVs IMPACT WRESTLING
Thursdays at 9/8 central.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product
is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

2013 IFBB

EVLS
PRAGUE
PRO
REPORT

Three weeks afer placing runner-up in the

Mr. Olympia and one week afer the same
Q
nish at the Arnold Classic Europeboth to Phil

HeathKai Greene brought a drier and crisper look

to the EVLS Prague Pro to dominate the lineup for
his rst win of the 2013 IFBB season. Dexter Jackson
and Branch Warren nished second and third, respectively, with Fred Smalls in fourth, and a densely packed
William Bonac in fth. In 212 action, Flex Lewis extended
his reign over the division with a physique that was even
tighter and grainier than the one he presented at the
2013 Olympia 212 Showdown in Vegas. The two-time 212
Showdown winner is now a two-time EVLS Prague Pro
212 champion, as well. Vladimira Krasova, who earned her
pro card by winning last years Amateur Olympia Bikini,
grabbed her rst IFBB victory and qualied for next years
Bikini Olympia. CONT.

PRAGUE PRO 2013

1. Kai Greene*
2. Dexter Jackson
3. Branch Warren
4. Fred Smalls
5. William Bonac
*Qualied for the 2014
IFBB Mr. Olympia

48

FLEX | JANUARY 14

1
2

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Products bearing this logo have

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#ICP0307. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat,
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2013 IFBB

EVLS PRAGUE PRO REPORT (CONT.)

212 &
UNDER

1. Flex Lewis*
2. Sami Al Haddad
3. Ahmad Ahmad
4. Raul Jimenez
5. Mehdi Hatami

BIKINI
1. Vladimira Krasova*
2. Anna Virmajoki
3. Nikola Weiterova
4. Michelle Brannan
5. Nicole Moneer
*Qualied for the 2014
IFBB Bikini Olympia

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AMATEUR BIKINI
OLYMPIAREPORT

2013

For Men
Who Want to
Stay Active!

Late October in
Prague is cold.
Q
Were talking heavy coats,

mufers, gloves, and those

funny hats with aps covering your cold ears. That
is, unless you were lucky
enough to be a spectator
at the 2013 Amateur Bikini
Olympia. If you were, well,
then you know things were
downright hot! Now in its
second year, the Amateur
Bikini Olympia, held in
conjunction with the EVLS
Prague Pro, was bigger and
better than ever. More than
50 contestants bared their

tanned, rm, and shapely

bodiesas much as they
could, legallyto turn
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in barely there bikinis make
everything better.
It was a win-win situation for every single guy in
the Tipsport Arena, but for
the girls, the only things on
their minds were an IFBB
pro card and automatic
qualication for the 2014
IFBB Bikini Olympia. That

dream-come-true moment
went to the winner of the
tall class (over 168cm),
Olga Putrova. The Moscow
State Academy of Physical
Education graduate is
a trainer at the Marcus
Aurelius Fitness Center
in Moscow and also does
online consultations. (Can
you imagine the wait list
of guys trying to enlist her
services so they can get
in shape?) For now, she is
the Amateur Bikini Olympia champion, an IFBB
pro, and a 2014 IFBB Bikini
Olympia qualier.

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Country

1. Sabina
Plevakova

Slovakia

2. My Coustels

France

3. Iveta Kuglerova

Slovakia

4. Juliane Andrade

Brazil

5. Iris Vrabic

Slovenia

6. Melinda Zsiga

Hungary

CLASS B

MANUFACTURERS COUPON

Consumer: Redeemable at retail locations only. Not valid for online or mail-order purchases. Retailer:
Irwin Naturals will reimburse you for the face value plus 8 (cents) handling provided it is redeemed by a
consumer at the time of purchase on the brand specifed. Coupons not properly redeemed will be void
and held. Reproduction by any party by any means is expressly prohibited. Any other use constitutes
fraud. Irwin Naturals reserves the right to deny reimbursement (due to misredemption activity) and/or
request proof of purchase for coupon(s) submitted. Mail to: CMS Dept. 10363, Irwin Naturals, 1 Fawcett
Drive, Del Rio, TX 78840. Cash value: .001 (cents). Void where taxed or restricted. ONE COUPON PER
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Competitor

CLASS C

Competitor

Country

1. Tatiana
Prokofyeva

Russia

2. Olga
Viazmetinova

Ukraine

3. Martina
Sedlarova

Slovakia
Czech
Republic

Competitor

Country

1. Olga Putrova*

Russia

2. Svetlana Borushko

Russia

3. Seniia Sheveleva

Russia

4. Jana Majernikova

Slovakia

5. Gabriela Rakoczi

Hungary

4. Maria
Pomerantseva

6. Kathrin Weishaupt

Germany

5. Ana Fragoso

Portugal

6. Jenna
Lithgow

South
Africa

*Overall winner. Earned IFBB pro card and has

qualied for the 2014 IFBB Bikini Olympia.

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NEW

WELSH
DRAGON
DVD!

FLEX
magazine, in
Q
collaboration with

THIS UNIQUE DOCUMENTARY WILL

TAKE YOU BEHIND THE SCENES, UP
CLOSE, AND PERSONAL WITH NEVERBEFORE-SEEN FOOTAGE.
54

FLEX | JANUARY 14

3:"/-0$0

Flextraordinary Productions, presents

Flex Lewis at the 212
Olympia an exclusive
DVD project featuring
AMI/Weider athlete
Flex Lewis. This
unique documentary
will take you behind
the scenes, up close,
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never-before-seen
footage, beginning
with the 2012 Olympia 212 Showdown.
Follow Flex at home
in Boca Raton, FL,
through his contest
prep and

training as he
prepared to defend
his title. Producer
Joe Volgey and
videographer Ryan
Loco give you a
seat with Flex
at the Meet the
Olympians event
and the Olympia
Press Conference
at the Orleans
Hotel. Finally,
the project takes
you backstage
at the 2013
Olympia 212
Showdown
pre-judging and
nals competition.
Youll see Flex the
moment he walks
of the stage, after
capturing his second
consecutive title and
all that comes with
being the champ.
The DVD is scheduled to be released
in winter 2013 at
exlewisstore
.net. FLEX

56

FLEX | JANUARY 14

3:"/-0$0

YOULL SEE FLEX THE MOMENT HE WALKS

OFF THE STAGE, AFTER CAPTURING HIS
SECOND CONSECUTIVE TITLE, AND ALL
THAT COMES WITH BEING THE CHAMP.

NOW AVAILABLE AT

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

PULLING
TOGETHER

Oct. 5, 2013 marked an important

occasion for the company. For the
second time in three years, Team
Universal participated in the Plane
Pull at Newark Liberty International Airport, a charity event
beneting the Special Olympics
of New Jersey.
Just as before, the squad
consisted of company employees,
sponsored athletes, and even
consumers and fansa level
of engagement integral to the
Universal experience. Together,
Team Universal managed to pull a
Boeing 737weighing in excess of
93,000 pounds12 feet in just 6.51
seconds. That score was worthy of
a second-place trophy (in a eld of
38 teams) and was a mere tenth
of a second out of rst place.
More importantly, Universal
took home a second-place trophy
for fund-raising. The Plane Pull is
rst and foremost a charity event,
the goal of which is to generate
funds for some of the most inspiring athletes on the planetthe

58

FLEX | JANUARY 14

Special Olympians who overcome

daunting obstacles every day to
achieve their competitive goals.
In this way, simply taking part in
supporting such a worthwhile
cause was the greatest victory for
the Universal family.
For more chances to give
back and do good in the real
world through bodybuilding,
join our community today at
universalusa.com.

ANIMAL FLEX WINS EIGHT STRAIGHT

Q Dominating the category for the eighth
consecutive year, Animal Flex topped the charts
at the prestigious Bodybuilding.com awards. Animal
Flex received the nod in the Joint Health Supplement
grouping, continuing an unbroken reign since its 2006
debut. The only joint-support supplement designed for
the extreme demands of hard-training bodybuilders and
powerlifters, Animal Flex boasts once-daily dosing in a
convenient pre-apportioned pack, and contains efcacious amounts of proven ingredients like glucosamine,
chondroitin, MSM and CMO. There to accept the award
on behalf of Animal were Universal Nutrition brand
enthusiasts Gary Turner and Chase Browning. For more
information on Animal Flex and the entire line of Animal
supplement formulas, check out animalpak.com.

$0635&4:0'6/*7&34"-

In the spirit of giving

back thats so integral to
Q
Universal Nutrition, Saturday,

SCENE AT THE

2013 IFBB
SACRAMENTO
PRO

30/"7*%"/

Nov. 2,
Sacramento, CA

60

FLEX | JANUARY 14

Photograph by ISAAC HINDS

HARDBODY
CONFIDENTIAL

NPC bikini competitor

Jordan Stonecipher-Vaughn
Tennis shoes or
high heels?
Definitely tennis
shoes, but nothing
makes me feel
prettier than
a killer pair of
stilettos.
When Im in the
gym Im usually
wearing:
Anything quickdryI tend to
sweat.
Top of my to-do
list is to:
Start a to-do list.
Worst thing I
ever ate:
A rotten papaya
in Cancun the
thought of it still
makes me cringe.
Best thing I
ever ate:
Lobster at the
Ocean Club in the
Bahamasyum!
More likely to
order an appetizer
or dessert?
Appetizer. Bread
with butter, thats
my fave.
More of a city girl
or country girl?
Thats a hard one!
I was raised in the
country, but now I
live in the city. So, I
guess Im a little bit
of both!
An event better
to see live than
on TV:
An Ole Miss
gamenothing
beats the Grove!
Favorite saying:
Sufer the pain of
discipline or sufer
the pain of regret.
Most annoying
saying:
Thats what she
said. Ha, ha! FLEX

62

FLEX | JANUARY 14

Go to hardbodynews.com or
muscleandtnesshers.com

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When used in conjunction with resistance training. Product was tested for over 145 banned substances on the 2013 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List
via HFL skip lot testing protocol #ICP0307. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat,
cure or prevent any disease. Call 1.800.477.4462 or visit GNC.com for the store nearest you. 2013 General Nutrition Corporation. May not be available outside the U.S.

Novel scientific discoveries have been uncovered in search of unrelated applications. A JD

Searle Company scientist discovered aspartame while researching a new ulcer drug. Pfizer
developed Viagra initially as a heart medication. Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals initially developed
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Three-time Mr.
Olympia Phil Heath
sporting his new Bev
Francis Powerhouse
Gym shirt.

EAST COAST MECCA

Second at the 2013
Bikini Olympia,
Yeshaira Robles
strikes a pose.

Training partners Anthony Marchione and Vlad Petric egging each other
on to new levels of intensity.

BRING IT
Olympia Womens
Physique
Showdown
champ Dana
Linn Bailey
is ready for
anything at
the Mecca.

66

FLEX | JANUARY 14

NPC
middleweight
Marchione
has his eye on
this summers
Universe.
Petric is
going into the
Nationals as a
welterweight.

A look at the method behind the madness

Last month we
discussed the mission
Q
of Powerhouse FX. Our plan
is to bring an array of facilities
aimed at functional and sport
training. The goal of these
styles of training is twofold.
Our functional training is
aimed at helping people move
better in everyday life. In a day
and age in which most of our
lives are spent behind a desk or
in front of a computer screen,
this is much needed.
Our sport training model
has been molded to help make
competitive typesweekendwarriors, those who participate
in recreation leaguesmore
dominant athletes on the field.
Staff and prospective PHG
FX trainers are going through
various sessions to gain a feel
for what PHG FX is hoping
to accomplish in the fitness
industry. These include team
building in an environment similar to the one in which theyll
be working; asking questions
and giving suggestions about
programs; and, of course, just
having a great workout!

Q This whole-body workout should

be performed once a week for four
weeks. Youll notice a couple of things.
First, there are no machine exercises.
To have the body work in different
planes of movement requires you to not
be in a locked position.
Second, we use TRX straps as a
unique way of using body weight as an
effective resistance tool. Many NFL,
NCAA, and MLB teams use this method
of training, and were proud to feature
the use of TRX straps at PHG FX.
Third, while many other gyms use fancy
methods, we at PHG believe in the basics.
So you wont nd much in the way of Bosu
balls, stability boards, or other gimmicks.
We keep the blue-collar reputation
of Powerhouse Gym in all that we
do with FXand we plan to leave it
that way. FLEX

68

FLEX | JANUARY 14

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

CHEST
Dumbbell Press
-superset withPushup using
TRX straps

24

15
10

24

10
15

4
5*

1225 sec
*6575%
of 1RM

To failure

CALVES
Donkey Calf Raise

REPS

Seated Shoulder Press

-superset withLateral Raise

1215
25

BICEPS

LEGS
Wall Squat
-superset withBarbell Squat

SETS

SHOULDERS

BACK
Chinup with chains
-superset withReverse-grip
Barbell Row

EXERCISE

*Find a position that allows you to hit your abs optimally

Barbell Curl
-superset withResistance-band Curl

15
50

TRICEPS
Dip with chains
-superset withIncline/Decline Triceps
Extension

15
15

ABS
Decline Situp*
-superset withHanging Leg Raise

to failure
to failure

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products are meant to be used in conjunction with a proper nutrition & exercise program. Your results are completely dependent upon the
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any such plan. All examples are for illustration purposes only. USPlabs is not afliated with, and its products are not endorsed by, the United
States Pharmacopeia, Rockville, MD.
Statements based on data fndings for individual ingredients

TM

Phil Heath backstage

afer winning the 2013
Mr. Olympia with (from
lef), two-time
Mr. Olympia Franco
Columbu, Betty Weider,
and Olympia promoter
Robin Chang.

When it comes time for

the annual IFBB Joe
Q
Weiders Olympia Weekend,

Im always fortunate to get

access to some of the more
private events and situations. This month I want to
bring you some of the exclusive, candid photos that you
wouldnt normally see.
The activities began on
Wednesday night with both
the Mr. Olympia and Mens
212 Showdown athlete meetings
inside Orleans Arena. This is
not an event open to the
general public.
What is open to the fans is
Thursdays Mr. Olympia and
Mens 212 Showdown Press
Conference. Once those are
completed, the remaining IFBB
athlete meetings take place in
the Orleans Showroom. There are

70

FLEX | JANUARY 14

a few hours before that evenings

Meet the Olympians (at 7 p.m.)
at the Orleans Arena concourse.
This is really the best opportunity
for fans to get up close with every
Olympia competitor who is there
selling photos, taking photos
with fans, and doing interviews
with selected media.
Friday morning begins the
Fitness and Performance Expo
at the Las Vegas Convention
Center. This year, it was in a
diferent section and was
more than twice the size of
previous years. There are only
a few chances to meet your
favorite Olympian, but you
can see the rst set of judging
rounds for the Bikini O, Figure
O, Fitness O, Womens Physique
Showdown, and Ms. Olympia. I
made it through about one third
of the expo before I had to return

At the expo: (from

lef) 2012 Bikini
Olympia champion
Nathalia Melo, eighttime Fitness Olympia
champ Adela Garcia,
2013 Bikini Olympia
winner Ashley
Kaltwasser, and
Tawna Eubanks,
who nished 11th at
the Bikini O.

Lou Ferrigno
(lef) and Jim
Manion on the side
of the stage as the
Mr. Olympia awards
are being given out
behind them.

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to the Orleans to prepare for

Friday nights nals of the Bikini
Olympia, Fitness Olympia, and
Ms. Olympia, along with the rst
round of Mr. Olympia judging. It
was backstage where I captured
lots of diferent action that the
audience doesnt ever get to see.
Saturday morning is Day 2 of
the expo, along with the entire
judging of the Mens Physique
Showdown, the finals of the
Womens Physique Showdown
and the first round of the
Mens 212 Showdown. I was
able to get around the remainder of the expo after these
were completed.
Saturday night I was again
positioned backstage at Orleans
Arena for the Mr. Olympia, Mens
212 Showdown, and Figure Olympia nals. There seemed to be a
lot more happening on this night
and more famous names like
eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie
Coleman, two-time Mr. Olympia
Franco Columbu, Lou Ferrigno,
actor Philip Michael Thomas,
and several others hanging
out. It was great to see Betty
Weider as well!
Once Phil Heath was
crowned Mr. Olympia for the
third consecutive year and all
the Olympia winners took the
stage with him for a group photo,
the audience spilled out onto
the Las Vegas strip. Most of the
people in our industry went to
the VIP Banquet, where the
annual FLEX Awards were given
out and everybody had fun.
There were lots of after parties
happening with the Ofcial
Olympia After Party at the MGM
Hotels Hakkasan night club.
In a change of pace from
previous years, there was no
Sunday morning Olympia
Superstar Seminar at the
Orleans Hotel. Instead, VIP
ticket holders were able to see
a screening of Generation Iron.
As a result, I was able to change
my schedule and took Olympia
competitors Candice Keene,
Mallory Haldeman, Amanda
Latona, and Jason Poston to the
Techatticup Ghost Town (about
an hour outside of Las Vegas) for
a very unique photo shoot. The
place is part of the old El Dorado
Gold Mine and is unlike anywhere
else Ive ever photographed.
There is a crashed plane left over

72

FLEX | JANUARY 14

Team FMG Group photo at the start of Thursday nights

Meet the Olympians!
(From
lef: Ann
Titone, Mark
Anthony,
and Courtney
King with
their FLEX
Awards
at the VIP
Banquet.

How many Olympia titles do you have? (From

lef) Nicole Wilkins (3), Iris Kyle (9), and
Adela Garcia (8).

Shawn
Rhoden (lef)
and Dexter
Jackson
backstage
at the Mr.
Olympia Press
Conference.
From lef: eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie
Coleman, Jim Manion, and Steve Weinberger.

This was before both Nicole Wilkins and Phil

Heath were crowned three-time Olympia
champions on Saturday night!

From lef: Candice Keene, Mallory Haldeman,

Jason Poston, and Amanda Latona photo
shoot at the Techatticup Ghost Town with the
plane prop from 3000 Miles to Graceland.
Another how many Olympia titles do you have?
2013 Olympia 212 Showdown champion Flex Lewis
(2) and Mark Anthony (1) at the City Athletic Club.

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FLEX CONTEST REPORT

from the movie 3000 Miles

to Graceland that you are
able to photograph, plus many
other buildings, abandoned
vehicles, and an assortment of
odds and ends.
I completed my weekend on
Monday at the City Athletic
Club, photographing Mens
Physique Showdown champion
Mark Anthony. The club had
several photo shoots taking
place at once, and both
Phil Heath and Flex Lewis
were there at the same time
as Mark and I.
Next year is the 50th Mr.
Olympia and I can only imagine
what promoter Robin Chang has
in store for us all. I have a feeling
its going to be epic! FLEX
To nd out more about NPC
bodybuilding and tness events
in your area, or to join the NPC,
contact the NPC National Ofce
at (412) 276-5027, check out our
website npcnewsonline.com,
and keep an eye on this
section along with the
Coming Events list.

Phil Heath congratulates

Adela Garcia on winning her eighth
Fitness Olympia.

The Bikini Olympia Top 6 having fun afer coming ofstage, with Nathalia
Melo trying to take the rst-place medal back from 2013 winner Ashley
Kaltwasser. Also check out what Amanda Latona, Yeshaira Robles, Stacey
Alexander, and India Paulino are doing , too! Lots of good camaraderie!
Backstage afer the
contest with Mark
Anthony (lef) and his
mentor, Jay Cutler.

From lef: Camala Rodriguez, Victor

Martinez, and Erin Stern having fun
backstage on Saturday night.

FLEX EXPERT

BY CARLON COLKER, M.D. , F.A.C.N.

100-REP HELL

Magnicent monster set or maniacal madness? You decide!

Can a single gut-wrenching monster
set of 100 repetitions really have a
Q
place in your muscle-building routine?
A careful look at our sports historyand, of
course, some words from yours trulywill give
you your answer.
Keep in mind that trying to get 100 reps
to work for you doesnt mean selecting some
ultra-submaximal weight you might choose
to warm up with and then just doing a ton of
repetitions. In sharp contrast to this delusional crap, a real monster set is not for the faint
of heart because the weight selected must
be signicant. It must be a heroic struggle.
Otherwise, the muscle shock-value simply
wont be there. Understand that the idea is to
push the muscles so far out of their comfort
zone that theyre forced to accommodate by
way of hypertrophy.
Theres no exact scientic method for
gauging the ideal weight for the monster
set. My suggestion is to pick a weight at
which you feel you might get at most 50
repetitions in the course of a normal training routine and afer a standard pyramid of

76

FLEX | JANUARY 14

gradually increasing weight.

Back in the 80s, working out at Golds
Gym in Venice, there was a constant healthy
competitive air about the place as to who
was the real alpha male. While Arnold ruled
the pack in terms of physique achievement,
his reputation was built onstage. The other
side of things was the macho-metal freak
stories that whipped around involving feats of
strength. Of course, what really blew me away
were the guys who explored their abilities
with the weights as they tried to connect to
and understand how their bodies responded
to what they were doing. They werent afraid
of the big weights, nor were they afraid of
the reps, even the monster set. Guys like that
trained the hardest.
One who comes to mind is the great Tom
Platz. He built a reputation in the gym as the
guy whod push training intensity way beyond
the pain barrier. Platz was simply one of the
legendary bodybuilders. While he certainly
had the very best quadriceps development
in the history of our sport, his genetics for
bodybuilding were actually quite poor. He

was short, struggled with mass apart (from

his legs), and had somewhat of a wide waist,
relatively narrow shoulders, and arms that
were marginal at very best. Yet he was and
still is one of my all-time favorites. Thats
because he trained so hard and reached
so deep inside himself that he was able to
reasonably overcome his genetic weaknesses
and, in the process, forge a phenomenal build
and respectable career. It was inspiring for me
to watch him train. He was afraid of nothing in
that gym, and I mean nothing. That includes
the monster set.
While Ive seen heroic poundage squatted in my time, I dare say nothing compares
to what Platz was able to do. One time he
walked into the gym, warmed up a little,
put 225 pounds on the squat rack, and then
proceeded to squat for 10 minutes! Thats
right, 10 straight minutes of squatting. He had
someone else watch the clock for him and just
wanted to see if he could squat continuously,
bringing his butt all the way down to the heels
each repetition, in perfect form and with no
fancy lifting suit, belt, or knee wraps. He did
this monster set without a single break or
pause at the top. Platz refused to let his body
buck for rest or hitch for even a split second.
He wasnt exactly sure how many repetitions
he did that day (at least he wasnt sure when I
asked him). But I estimate that, with each rep
requiring three to ve seconds, were talking
approximately 150! To keep that in perspective, try squatting your own body weight
all the way down and in perfect form for 10
minutes. I can almost assure you, you wont
make it.
Of course, the goal here is not to emulate
Tom Platz. Rather, the key is to be inspired
by this and, if you can hack it, explore the
monster set.
One day I did just that. It wasnt in my
earliest days of bodybuilding. Back in those
early days, I had the heart but not the physical
strength or ruggedness I needed to seriously
attempt it. The fact is, I trained for more than
a decade before I ever revisited the monster
set in earnest. At the time I was irting with
higher repetitions using what were signicant
weights for me in an efort to get my mind
around what 100 perfect and continuous
repetitions would feel like.
I remember after many months of scaling
up, reaching 225 pounds on the squat for
50 perfect repetitions with only a few brief
pauses. While I managed it with no belt or
knee wraps and got my butt way down to
heels well below parallel, I couldnt manage
it continuously as Platz did. No way. But I
certainly felt Id nally dialed in my repetition
tolerance in order to make a real run at it.
With that realization, some weeks later,
after a few extra days rest, I went ahead and
attempted my monster set.
After my standard warmup, I chose 175
pounds to load the bar with. Id like to say I
was scientic about it. But, despite know-

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BY CARLON COLKER, M.D. , F.A.C.N.

ing I would have been better dialed in at a

weight of around 155 pounds, I was amped
up that day and I just couldnt reign in my
own ego to attempt any less than one big
wheel on each side along with at least a
couple of dimes.
With Sam, my faithful training partner
at the time, verbally ogging me onward
and keeping my mind right and my heart in
it, of I went. I remember banging out the
rst 30 and feeling like quitting right there
because 100 already seemed impossible.
So I hitched for a few extra seconds on the
top. As my mind faltered ever so slightly,
Sam screamed at me. I straightened up
immediately and banged out the next 20
repetitions. They were perfect deep reps,
but then I stopped again at 50. Sam knew I
needed the brief pause so he didnt berate
me too badly. But after about 20 seconds of
recomposing, he blasted me back into the
set. I managed another 20 repetitions, or
so I thought.
Then Sam, vigilantly watching my form,
told me the last ve were not all the way
down. So repeating ve more it was. That
was 70. At that point my legs couldnt decide which was worsetrying to hold myself
up while feeling the standing position, or
engaging in the numbness of actually doing
the motion itself. I was in disbelief that 175
pounds could be crushing me. But here again
I had 30 more to go.
I barely managed another 10 repetitions,
almost stumbling in the cage, knowing full
well that Sam wouldnt be counting anything less than a full deep rep. At that point
I was sweating like a farm animal. Of course,
it didnt help that I wore a sweatshirt, but I
guess subconsciously I felt as if a barrier, a
protective layer of some sort, would help.
Well, it made things worse, because it
was summertime and hot in the gym that
day, and I was overheating. Twenty to go,
and I could only manage another ve before
bucking for more rest. With 85 repetitions
behind me, the end was in sight. But with
my quadriceps shaking uncontrollably, I was
seriously worried that they might just give
out no matter what I wanted them to do.
I managed ve more and got to 90
repetitions without getting agged by Sam
for any more bad repetitions. With only 10
repetitions to go, my gas tank was empty
and I was running on fumes. I then made
the mistake of looking down at my feet,
what seemed like looking over the edge of
a skyscraper.
Then it happened. I dont know if I subconsciously moved my feet of the blocks
to help steady myself or if I was actually
falling over. Whatever the case, I nearly
blew it right there. Who knew it would seem
so far down and that, in that moment,
my body would be tricked into believing

this was such a dizzying height? I mean, it

seriously felt like I had ascended some lofty
mountaintop and was now peering over the
edge, light-headed and oxygen starved.
Luckily, I looked up (the right move),
regrouped, dug deeper somewhere in me
Id never been, forged on, and took the last
10 one by oneand didnt look down again.
I wished I didnt have to take them one by
one, but I simply had to pause between
each repetition or I would have been
unable to contain involuntary muscle-convulsive collapse and keep my eyes up.
The light at the end of the tunnel was
there. Sam eased up on chiding me. He encouraged now, told me Id make it to 100 for
sure. I believed him, although I dont know
why. When I nally hit 100, I had the added
pain of having to physically step forward
and rack the weight, a task I completed
with a near dying gasp. I immediately collapsed on the oor in a folded pile. I must
have stayed there for 20 minutes before
even attempting to pull myself up to a
bench. My heart was beating harder than
after any cardio Id ever experienced, but it
was beating. Id made it to 100, but failed to
honor the true denition of the monster set
by doing my reps continuously and getting
them all down low.
Nonetheless, in the aftermath of the
100-repetition failed monster set with
175 pounds, the quadriceps delayed-onset
soreness I experienced was unprecedented.
I think it actually took me a full week for the
pain and cramping to completely lift and
another week before Id even think about
training quads again.
In retrospect, I still could have done a
better job. Perhaps with a lighter weight
that would have allowed me to not pause,
stall, and hitch so much. No matterI would
never attempt that again.
But what I discovered that day is that
there really is a role for the monster set.
Though its far too systemically draining to
do regularly without overtraining, it is
a seldom-used tool to help you push
through a plateau and get muscle hypertrophy back on track if youre at a legitimate
sticking point.
Of course, if you decide to give it a go, if
nothing else I hope it will be an intensely
personal self-exploration, a test of the very
peak of your training limitsan Everest of
sorts. Just dont look down FLEX
The latest 3rd edition of Dr. Colkers book,
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In recent years, marked

progress has been
Q
made in identifying

the signaling substrates

essential for muscle growth
and development.
When performing resistance
exercise, the eccentric component, or the lowering phase,
seems to be an essential component for muscle hypertrophy.
Maximal eccentric contractions
have been found to cause
greater increases in protein
synthesis; additionally, eccentric
contractions produce several
diferences in gene expression in
muscle compared to concentric
exercise (lifing the weight).
It has been reported that
eccentric contractions can cause
large increases in several genes
involved in the inammatory
responses. The resulting cytokines
produced from inammatory
mediators are thought to play important roles in muscle degeneration/regeneration and growth.
Interestingly, concentric
contractions dont seem to
activate this pathway, as concentric contractions dont induce
muscle damage as eccentric
contractions do. Both animal
and human studies point to the
superiority of eccentric contractions in increasing muscle mass.
One study found dramatic differences in muscle size between
subjects performing isokinetic
concentric contractions as
compared to isokinetic eccentric
contractions. Type I muscle
ber percentages didnt change
signicantly in either group,
but Type II ber area increased
about 10 times more in the eccentric contraction group than in
the concentric group.
It was concluded that adap-

82

FLEX | JANUARY 14

tations to training with maximal

eccentric contractions are
specic to eccentric muscle
actions that are associated with greater neural
adaptation and muscle
hypertrophy than
concentric exercise.
In a new study, researchers wanted to examine IGF-1 (an essential
growth factor) responses to
eccentric training. Participants
trained for eight weeks, loading
the quadriceps in a shortened or
lengthened position, followed
by four weeks of detraining.
The resistance-training
program was performed three
times a week and involved a
combination of free weights,
machines, and body weight.
Knee-extension exercises were
performed for 34 sets of 810
reps at 80% (short-length
group) or 55% (long-length
group) of full range of motion
1RM. Quadriceps strength,
vastus lateralis architecture,
anatomical cross-sectional area,
and serum IGF-I (insulinlike
growth factor 1) were measured
at Weeks 0, 8, 10, and 12.
Researchers concluded that
greater increases in muscular
strength and anatomical crosssectional area of the quadriceps resulted from resistance
training at long muscle lengths
in comparison with resistance
training at short muscle
lengths, despite the same
mechanical loading and joint
excursion in each case.
This should be a real wakeup call to bodybuilders to
emphasize the stretch on the
muscle when contracting for
optimal muscle growth and
strength. FLEX

Greater increases in muscular

strength and anatomical crosssectional area of the quadriceps
resulted from resistance training at
long muscle lengths in comparison
with resistance training at short
muscle lengths, despite the same
mechanical loading and joint excursion in each case.

1"7&-:5)+"--

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RETRO ATHLETE

CHRIS COOK

Some contended that

his Weider deal and blond
cover-model looks were more
responsible for his success than
bodybuilding. In 2004 and
physique excellence. He was sixth
2005, Chris Cook was seemingly
in his big-league debut, but soft
everywhere, including on two
conditioning prevented him from
FLEX covers. He was one of the
placing higher than 10th in his
most celebrated bodybuilders in
other four pro shows.
the world. And then
Thats when
he vanished from
COOKS SHOULDER ROUTINE
Cook traded in his
that world.
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
posing trunks for
When Cook won
a suit and tie. His
the 2004 NPC
Dumbbell Lateral
9
1510
training partner,
Nationals at 28, most
Incline Rear Lateral
3
1510
investment guru
experts thought his
Scott Minerd,
5'11" X-frame and
Shoulder Press
3
1510
took him on as
full muscle bellies
Dumbbell Shrug
45
158
a protg in a
would eventually
major nancial
carry him to Olympia
rm. Today, Chris Cook is a
posedowns. But by the spring of
Cook won that same class
successful investment ofcer
2006, when he was still only 29,
again the following year; but he
living in Southern California
hed competed for the nal time. didnt secure a pro card until,
The Next Big Thing was gone.
weighing 248, he took the overall with his wife, Denise, whos
expecting their fourth child.
Cook turned to bodybuilding
at the Nationals. My goal is to
He built two of the best delts
when he was 18 and serving in
be Mr. Olympia by the time Im 31,
ever. Since retiring from stages,
the Air Force. In 1996, at 19, he
and I think Im in a great position
hes proven he has a head on those
entered and won his rst contest,
to do that, he said.
broad shoulders as well. FLEX
the Mr. Anchorage. He was still
But there was backlash.

84

FLEX | JANUARY 14

an unknown in 2003till he
rocked the NPC by winning the
super-heavy class at the USA
Championships. (We at FLEX
already knew about himId been
tracking his pre-contest progress
in Venice for an article, and he was
soon a Weider Athlete.)

$)3*4-6/%

It was one of the

greatest disappearing
Q
acts in the history of

Whatever happened to
the Next Big Thing
and how did he build
those shoulders?

BY GREG MERRITT

COOK ON SHOULDERS

Q I start my workout with dumbbell laterals for nine sets. I

do three pyramids: 15 reps, 12 reps, and then 10 reps with progressively heavier weights. Then I do that again two more times.
Q With shoulder presses, I use dumbbells one week, then
barbell front presses the next week.
Q I do some of my rear laterals with my elbows bent at 90
degrees, and focus on bringing my elbows as high as
possible. That allows me to go heavier.
Q When I do shrugs, I lean slightly forward at
the waist, so I pull not just up but also
slightly back.

FLEX FACTOID

1)050$3&%*5

When Cook rst moved to Los Angeles 12 years ago, he was so broke
he lived in his pickup truck and
used the Golds Gym bathroom.

THE WEIDER PRINCIPLES

INSTINCTIVE
TRAINING

Trust your instincts. It sounds like one of those inspirational clichs on

Q
posters of cats hanging onto tree limbs. Likewise, it can seem like the sort
of mushy bodybuilding advice you can easily dismiss. Dont. It is arguably the

most valuable Weider principle. By listening to your bodys feedback at all times,
but especially during a workout, you can choose exercises and techniques to best
target your muscles. Trusting your instincts is much more than inspiration. Its
crucial to maximizing muscle growth.

86

FLEX | JANUARY 14

BY

GREG MERRITT

LAST TIME

In the last installment of the

H.U.G.E. Weider Principles series
(November 2013), we examined:

28

THE WEIDER PEAK

CONTRACTION
PRINCIPLE
Perform reps at a regular pace
but at contractions hold for
one or two seconds and ex the
targeted muscle(s). This makes
sets both harder and more effective. Our sample triceps routine focused on three exercises
you can peak contract.

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H.U.G.E.
INSTINCTIVE
TRAINING
ROUTINE

Q We purposely lef this tenet near the

end of our Weider Principle countdown,
because it can incorporate the 28 that
preceded it. Its the put-it-all-together
principle, and it has two components. First,
experiment with your training to discover
what works best for your muscles. There
are many variables to change, including
your workout split, exercises, exercise
order, rest period lengths, pre- and postworkout nutrition, and the incorporation
of techniques like supersets, rest-pause,
and forced reps. Youre never truly done
experimenting, because even if you could
try every possible combination of factors,
your body is constantly changing. Youll
likely respond diferently when youre 18
years old and 180 pounds than you will at

88

FLEX | JANUARY 14

age 35 and 230 pounds. Some things that

worked well stop working simply because
your body grows too accustomed to them to
trigger growth.
The second component of the Weider
Instinctive Training Principle is the
application of that feedback. If necessary,
change variables during workouts. If youre
weaker than usual in a particular exercise,
call an audible and choose another exercise.
Or instead of pyramiding to a heavy set
of six reps, stay light and do sets of 20. If
a workout is lackluster, choose diferent
exercises and/or techniques to increase
intensity. It takes time to build up a mental
database of what works best for your body,
but, once you have, using it to alter your
training is tremendously valuable.

H.U.G.E. INSTINCTIVE
TRAINING QUAD ROUTINE
EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Squat

2025

Hack Squat
(narrow stance)
superset with
Leg Press (wide stance)

1215

1215

Leg Extension

10*

*Peak contraction reps

$)3*4-6/%

THE WEIDER INSTINCTIVE

TRAINING PRINCIPLE

QInstinctive training is dependent on how

your muscles are responding, so its difcult
to prescribe a sample routine. But thats not
going to stop us. Lets say you regularly do
a quad routine that starts with pyramided
squats (4 sets, 126 reps), then moves to leg
presses and hack squats (4 sets each of 812
with medium stances), and ends with leg extensions (4 sets of 1015). But you come into
the gym one day, and youre just not feeling
it. You go through a couple sets of squat
warmups and get into your rst working set,
and you can tell your strength and intensity
are lagging. You feel like if you do your regular
workout youll just be trudging along with no
chance of hitting personal bests.
Our sample routine shows how you can
switch up variables without even changing
exercises (though, of course, you can change
exercises). The squats are now high-rep. Hack
squats and leg presses are supersetted, and
the stances are altered. And leg extensions
are done with two-second holds at each
contraction. Voil! Just like that, youve
changed a stale routine into a shocking (and
growing) experience.

 2013 MUSCLEPHARM Corp. * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

PREPARE YOUR

LEGACY
NEW!

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ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

Q MIND-TO-MUSCLE CONNECTION Focusing on what does and

does not work for your body will keep you alert to signals and
therefore strengthen your mind-to-muscle connection.

QCHAOS Your instincts can steer you away from workout goals.
For example, if your chest routine is focused on your upper pecs,
dont avoid incline exercises because youre burnt out on them.
Instead, if necessary, nd new ways to do incline work.

Q WORKOUT RESCUE Some workouts go wrong. Whatever the

reason, your strength and energy will sometimes lag. Thats when
you need to switch things up. Ofen this involves higher reps and
less rest. Dont leave the gym knowing you did nothing to stimulate
growth. Make changes to shock your muscles and turn the workout
from bad to good.

FRESH
TAKE
90

There are two potential pitfalls of Instinctive

Training. Heres how to avoid them.

QEXERCISE AVOIDANCE As the old saying goes, the exercise

you should be doing is the one you least want to do. This isnt
always true, but it does highlight the fact that you should never
use instinctive training to skip hard work. Change things like rep
totals, exercise order, and range of motion to keep difficult-buteffective exercises in your routine.

Q Instinctive training doesnt only apply to moving metal. Its also a useful way of keeping your cardio fresh and productive. Again, there are a lot of variables to choose from, including exercise type, intensity, and duration. Heres two ways to
jazz up stale cardio. Get outside. For example, go to a park and alternate 100-yard sprints with 200 yards of walking. Another is breaking a 30-minute, medium-intensity session into shorter, high-intensity sessions spaced between body parts.
For example, on a chest day that also includes abs and calves, do 10 minutes of cardio before each body part. These are just
two of the many ways you can alter your cardio to t your body, schedule, and goals. FLEX

FLEX | JANUARY 14

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Here are the pluses of Instinctive Training.

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Copyright USPlabs, LLC. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent
any disease. Information in this ad should not be used as an indication or prediction of your individual results. These individuals are some of our most successful customers
& followed a dedicated training & nutrition program and may have used other dietary supplements in addition to those illustrated. Your results may be better or worse
depending upon the amount of effort you put into it, which includes eating & exercising properly. You should consult your healthcare practitioner before beginning any such
plan. All examples are for illustration purposes only. USPlabs is not affiliated with, and its products are not endorsed by, the United States Pharmacopeia, Rockville, MD.
Statements based on data findings for individual ingredients.

FLEX EXPERT
BY LOUIE SIMMONS

Building explosive power

Jumping demonstrates explosive power.

Explosive power, dened as the ability to rapidly
increase force, is performed at high velocity. The
steeper the increase of strength in time, the
greater the explosive strength. (Its a misconception that Olympic liftinga speed strength
sportdemonstrates explosive power.)
To develop explosive strength in the gym
requires a multipart process.
1. SPEED SQUATS AND SUMO DEADLIFTS
The rst part of developing explosive strength
involves speed squats and sumo deadlifts.
We start our training with speed squats,
performed over a three-week pendulum wave,
for an average of eight sets of two reps. We
work with a bar weight of 50% of 1RM in Week
1, 55% in Week 2, and 60% in Week 3, followed
by successive three-week waves using the same
progression in each wave, from 50% to 60%.
In addition to the bar weight, we also work
with bands. We use band tension of 25% at the
top of the lift and 10% at the bottom of the lift
(because of band shrinkage). The bands force
the lifter down faster than just weight alone
(overspeed eccentrics), causing an increase in
the amount of kinetic energy. This is the key
to developing greater reversal strength in the
concentric phase of the lift.
Immediately following speed squats, we do
sumo-style deadlifts for six sets of two reps.
We work with a bar weight of 50% of 1RM, with
additional band tension of 30% at lockout and
10% at the bottom of the lift. This builds not
only a strong nish (as one must overcome the
additional band tension at lockout), but also a
strong start.
Lets look closer at the actual amount of
resistance being used when training speed
squats. We work with bar weights that range
from 50% to 60% of 1RM, with an additional
band tension of 25% at the top of the lift.
Therefore, the actual amount of resistance at
lockout (when combining the bar weight and
the band tension) is 75% of 1RM in Week 1 (50%
+ 25%), 80% of 1RM in Week 2 (55% + 25%),
and 85% of 1 RM in Week 3 (60% + 25%), a
range of 7585%.
In a research study conducted in 1975, the
data obtained from 780 top European weightlifters showed that 50% of the training used for
building speed strength should be at 7585%
of 1RM.

This is a well-planned system that combines

explosive strength at the bottom and speed
strength at the top.
2. JUMPING
The second part of developing explosive strength
is jumping, but against resistance.
The jumps are done with ankle weights,
weighted vests, kettlebells, and combinations
of the three. Performing 40 jumps twice a week
works well for most.
We use a low (12-inch) box to jump on, just as
we do when box squatting.

AND THE RECORDS ARE

Westsiders are continually attempting new
records in all jumping exercises. The current
Westside Barbell record for a kneeling jump onto
the feet is with a 265-pound bar on the back. This
same individual performed a kneeling jump onto
a 32-inch box!
From doing jumps with 70-pound dumbbells
for ve sets of ve reps, John Staford, at 6 tall,
could jump up and touch 11 feet, 6 inches. John
also has an 832-pound deadlift. Andre Henny,
at a body weight of 460 pounds, could jump
onto a 20-inch box while wearing a 160-pound
weight vest.
Yurik Vardanyan, a 181-pound Soviet
weightlifting champion, performed a 24-inch
vertical jump (measured from the ground to the
bottom of his feet), with a 90-pound bar (50%
of his body weight) on his backan incredible
demonstration of absolute and explosive
strength. Yurick also performed a standing long
jump of 3.7 meters (12 feet, 2 inches) and a threestep high jump of 2.15 meters (7 feet, 1 inch), and
ran 100 meters in 10.6 seconds. FLEX

HOW TO BOX JUMP

Q Rock back and swing your arms to the rear,

while lifting your feet off the ground.

Q Swing your arms forward and slam your feet

down as you jump up to the box.
The same technique works for the long jump.
A diferent method is to stand in foam and box
jump. This is just like jumping out of sand.

94

FLEX | JANUARY 14

3. SLED AND STRONGMAN

WHEELBARROW
The third part to developing explosive strength is
training with a sled and a strongman wheelbarrow, which will also raise your general physical
preparedness (GPP).
Sled pulling (driving with the heels) builds
all muscles that squat and pull, but without the
constant pounding on the spinal column. For
power sports, 60 yards per trip is a good distance.
The wheelbarrow will build every muscle from the
calf to the traps and, as an extra, will build
a great grip.
To increase hip, hamstring, and glute strength,
use the reverse hyper, inverse curl machine, then
walk on a Westside Barbell belt squat machine.
Finish by doing 100200 leg curls (do these
daily), with 1020-pound ankle weights. This will
help keep your knees healthy and thicken the soft
tissue around the knees.
Raising your GPP will enable you to train at
a higher intensity, more often. The greater the
athlete you want to become, the more special
exercises you must introduce into your training. Your GPP will pay great dividends to your
specific physical preparation (SPP).
Good luck!

The following exercises will help you build a

solid base for jumping:
Start standing:
Q With one foot in front of the other, and while
keeping your legs straight, press a barbell
overhead for 38 reps.
Start on your knees:

Q Jump to your feet (begin adding weight to a

bar on your back).
Q With a bar on your back, simultaneously push
the bar overhead and jump to your feet.
Q With a bar in front of you up against your
thighs, power snatch to your feet.
Q Split snatch to your feet.

8&454*%&#"3#&--"3$)*7&4

JUMP!

Q Im always trying to overcome the force of gravity with a

barbell or by jumping. Everyone knows about Westside squattersbut what about their jumping ability? How about a box
jump at 63.5 inches, another at 63 inches, and yet another at 60
inches?

FLEX EXPERT
BY BRIAN SHAW

In strongman competitions, there are

few events that are a better strength
Q
test than picking up a heavy weight and press-

ing it over your head. This strength emphasis

is very apparent in the large number of events
that test overhead pressing ability. Good examples of these demanding strongman tasks
include the log press, axle press, block pressing,
circus dumbbell pressing, and more. In all of
these events it is obviously very important to
have massive and brutally strong shoulders.
When trying to strengthen and add size to
your shoulders it is important to make sure
you use a well-rounded strength training
routine. What does that mean, you ask? Well,
it is well known among exercise physiologists
and trainers that performing between 812
reps is best for shoulder hypertrophy (growth,
to add muscular size). But after a series of
warmups, using a rep range of 15 reps is ideal
for building strength.
When trying to get stronger it is best to
start with a major multijoint movement that is
trained with lower reps. Multijoint movements for the shoulders include any type of
press that involves movement at both the
shoulder and elbow joints. With this movement you can work up in progressive sets
using a max-efort type of protocol, where
you add a little weight every set until you
are unable to complete the desired number
of reps. So, for example, if you chose to
do sets of 3 reps each, you would work up in
weight until you were physically unable to
complete three reps.
I pick my weights and sets based on the last
workout and where I am in my planning stages
for competition. So if an upcoming contest
requires a 375-pound overhead log presslike
the Austrian Oak press at the last MHP Arnold
Strongman ClassicIll do log and barbell
presses in the 300- to 400-pound range,
gradually working up over 46 heavy sets.
This way I challenge myself to get stronger so
that come contest time, I can easily press the
log for 45 reps.
Following your rst big strength-pressing
movement, you want to then add in some volume work for your shoulders. This is where you
would use a repetition range between 812
reps. For instance, if you started with standing
barbell presses for your strength movement,
you could follow that with seated dumbbell
presses for volume. You dont need a lot of

96

FLEX | JANUARY 14

sets, but 34 working sets (after a couple of

warmups) should really nish of your front
delts and triceps. It is a good idea to keep your
body guessing with diferent movements and
diferent rep ranges, especially as you become
more experienced with lifting.
After your pressing movements are
completed, you can then move on to nishing
single-joint movements like front raises,
lateral raises, and bentover lateral raises. For
overall balance, 36 sets of 812 reps per
exercise (taken to near failure) is essential. It
is important that in every shoulder workout
you dont neglect training your rear deltoids.
So its essential
that you remember
to throw in some
rear delt yes with
either a machine or
dumbbells. If you
concentrate only
on front delts and
pressing, you will
develop muscle and
strength imbalances that will lead
to injuries, strength
plateaus, and eventually hitting
a brick wall of
halted progress.
One other point
about shoulder
training and health:
Its critical that you
integrate rotator cuf exercises
into your shoulder
workouts. In fact,
its probably a good
idea to do these
movements in
every upper-body
exercise. Most of the
upper-body power
training we do
(benching, shoulder
Brian Shaw is a
pressing) involves
two-time Worlds
Strongest Man
internal rotation at
who is a Team
the shoulder joint.
MHP athlete.
But for balance in
For more
strength and range
info visit
of movement,
mhpstrong.com.
you need to work

$0635&4:0'.)1

PRESSING FOR
POWERFUL
SHOULDERS

your external rotators. This involves the cable

external rotation exercise.
Begin with your elbow at your side and
bent at 90 degrees, holding a cable handle
in your hand. With your nonworking side
facing the weight stack, rotate your forearm
outward as far as possible, keeping your
upper arm tight to your side. Youll feel this
immediately in your rotator cuf muscles,
especially in the back of your shoulder.
Do a few sets of 10 reps and youll thank
me down the road!
As far as scheduling your shoulder
workouts, one session per week is more
than enough if youre hitting it hard. Remember, your front delts get hit hard on chest
work; your rear delts will be stimulated on
back rowing exercises. So do one hardcore
shoulder session a week and be done with it.
No matter if you are an aspiring strongman, competitive bodybuilder, or just a
hardcore lifter in your local gym, bigger and
stronger shoulders is all about efort and
smarts. Plan your workouts accordingly and
keep training hard! FLEX

AVAILABLE AT:

2013 MUSCLEPHARM Corp. * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

BUILD YOUR

LEGACY

ARNOLD:

BEFORE HIM, SPORTS NUTRITION WAS FRINGE SCIENCE.

Never before has Arnold Schwarzenegger attached his name to
a sports nutrition company. Arnold is working side by side with
MusclePharms world-renowned scientic team to create a
monumental line of new products that are revolutionary,
safeand above alleffective.
So if you plan to train like youre building a legacy,
just follow in Arnolds footsteps.

BUILD YOUR LEGACY

DISTRIBUTED BY:

FLEX EXPERT
BY BRYAN HAYCOCK, M.S.

DOES SORENESS
EQUAL MUSCLE?
Is soreness really an indicator of an efective workout?

There arent many ways to gauge the

quality of a workout. Sure, if you achieve a
Q
new personal best on a given exercise, you know
youve been doing something right. But after
years of training, particularly for bodybuilders,
the goal is not always to push our max lifts higher
and higher. So how do we tell if a workout really
worked? Most of us, including myself, usually
look for muscle soreness a day or two after a
workout. We call this delayed onset muscle
soreness (DOMS). The pain and stifness usually
increase in the hours after a workout and then
peak around 2448 hours later. In most cases
it subsides and is gone within six to seven days.
DOMS is the least ambiguous sign we have to use
as a gauge. Unfortunately, if youve been training
consistently for a few years, you dont get sore
after most workouts. This can be discouraging
to a lot of people and often leads them to do
unnecessary (if not ridiculous) things in order to
try to develop DOMS after a workout. But is this
really necessary? Is DOMS an accurate indicator
of the efectiveness of a workout?
To answer this question, we need to take into
consideration what actually causes DOMS and ask
ourselves if its even plausible that it may indicate
when growth is going to happen as a result of our
workout. DOMS is known to occur most often after
an unaccustomed workout or when the intensity
is much higher than what one is accustomed to.
It is believed that this type of workout causes
microscopic muscle damage and the inltration
of immune cells. This, along with the secretion of

100

FLEX | JANUARY 14

myokines, sensitizes the nerves running through

the tissue. The result of all this is a dull ache in
the muscle in the days after training. So there is a
theoretical connection between muscle damage
and DOMS, yet when people are evaluated for
muscle soreness there is poor correlation between
actual markers of muscle damage and what they
report as far as DOMS. This calls into question the
logic that if I feel sore, I know Ive caused microtrauma in the muscle and triggered growth.
So is there at least a connection between
muscle damage and growth? Yes. But it is not a
required element. It is facultative at best. Muscle
damage is known to activate satellite cells, which
are very important to muscle growth. The type
of loads known to lead to muscle damage also
activate mechanotransductive anabolic pathways
regardless of whether damage is actually inicted
on the cell. Nevertheless, damage is not required
for this activation, as metabolic stress in the tissue
can also activate them.
In the end, what we have are two independent
outcomes of a potentially anabolic workout.
DOMS may or may not result and is not always
the sign of significant microtrauma. In addition,
significant microtrauma is not always necessary
for an anabolic response. Growth can occur
with or without significant microtrauma and
with or without DOMS. Does that mean I will
no longer associate DOMS with an effective
workout? Probably not, but I will also not be so
discouraged if Im not always sore after giving it
my all in the gym.

Q Vitamin D (Vit D) is not

technically a vitamin or essential dietary factor. Vit D is actually a pro-hormone produced
phytochemically in the skin. And
unlike traditional vitamins, vit
D has its own hormone receptor
(VDR). VDRs are found in at least
36 diferent organs in the body.
As for VDRs in muscle tissue,
limitations of technology have
left the question somewhat
open, yet there is compelling
reason to believe that they are
there. For example, the enzyme
required to convert inactive vit
D (D2) into active vit D (D3)
is found in muscle tissue. And
many studies have indeed found
DNA from VDRs in skeletal
muscle cells. To further establish
this fact and to see if vit D3
may actually have an anabolic
efect, researchers carried out an
in-vitro study using muscle cells,
insulin, leucine, and vit D.
The focus of this study was
on the mTOR anabolic signaling
pathway in muscle cells. It is well
known that insulin facilitates the
activation of the mTOR pathway,
particularly high insulin levels.
Leucine is a direct activator of
the mTOR pathway and in this
way can switch on protein
synthesis in muscle cells. These
researchers took muscle cells
and exposed them to leucine
and insulin, or leucine, insulin,
and vit D.
Results demonstrated that
the addition of vit D to insulin
and leucine signicantly
enhanced the activity of the
mTOR pathway and protein
synthesis. The authors conclude
that vit D has the potential to
directly alter protein synthesis
in muscle cells. Previous studies
have found an association
between vit D levels and muscle
strength in the elderly.
It was once thought that 15
minutes of sun exposure to the
face and hands was enough to
meet daily vit D requirements.
Despite this, vit D levels in the
general population have been
found to be below optimal.
From this most recent research
we now know that vit D can play
an important part in maximizing
the anabolic efect of our diet so
adding vit D to your supplement
regimen is warranted. Try to get
2,0005,000 IUs of vit D per day
with meals containing fat. FLEX

$)3*4-6/%

VITAMIN D IS
AN ANABOLIC
HORMONE

THE OIL
MANIFESTO

MCTs, revisited: the truth about oils

Believe it or not, of all the questions
I get from both readers and clients,
Q
the one topic that keeps coming up,
perhaps more than any other, is oils.
People know Ive recommended coconut oil
highly in the past, so they stick with its use
religiously. They also know Im not a huge fan
of vegetable oils, so they avoid them like the
plague. In this months column, Id like to put
any misconceptions to rest permanently and
make a denitive statement on where I stand
with regard to the most common oils.

WHAT TO AVOID
First of, you need to know that vegetable oils
are, indeed, not recommended. If youre trying to
build mass, burn fat, and improve your athletic
performance, youll want to stay far away from
most vegetable and nut oils, with the exceptions
of coconut oil and butter. This is because most
vegetable and nut oils contain extremely high
ratios of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3s.
We know omega-3 fatty acids are benecial, but whats the deal with omega-6s, and
why are they bad?
First of, omega-6 fatty acids are highly inammatory, and if youre inundating your body
with them, youll become pro-inammatory. If
youre already ingesting far too many omega-6
fatty acids from everything else youre eating,
once theyve entered your body they are competing for all the enzymes necessary to convert
all the other fats in your system to things you
need. In other words, youll be wasting all the
raw materials your body has on hand to help
you. Eliminate all vegetable and nut oils from
your dietand yes, olive oil is one of theseand
youll go a long way toward improving your
health and performance.

cooking utility, and its a great way to fry fatty

foods. Its a low-viscosity oil that has the ability
to penetrate membranes, so it essentially
replaces the fat in the foods youre frying with
a more efective type of fat. Other than cookingand the taste of coconut oil, which many
people liketheres a much better alternative.
MEDIUM-CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES:
THE MIRACLE OIL?
MCTs take a complete diferent pathway for
fatty acid absorption, passing into your system
directly to cause a surge in available free fatty
acids (FFA) for energy. Other fats take several
hours to do this. This spike in your FFA levels
can create signicant ketone productionand
ketones are easily my favorite source of energy
in the human body. Theyll fuel your cells and
improve your cardiac muscle efciency like
nobodys business.
It works like this: MCTs essentially circumvent
the enzymes needed to cleave longer fatty
acids in order to use them for energy, and
theres no rate limit on any of this. Long story
short, MCTs get into your body and fuel your
cells better. As an adjunct to this, the alternate
pathway taken by MCTs will essentially prevent
your body from going into rhabdomyolysis. In

other words, if you do CrossFit and you dont

take MCTs, Id suggest checking into the nearest
mental hospital for a comprehensive psychological evaluation.
Because of their efect on ketone production, MCTs are the oil of choice for anyone on
an ultra-low-carb diet plan like The Carb Nite
Solution. When you rst wake up, MCT oil
ingestion will give you an immediate boost in
FFA, which will start ketone production almost
immediately and keep it going throughout the
day. If you couple this with eating fat from food
in the morningthese fats will be available a
few hours lateryoull have a constant source
of FFA for the entire day and there wont be
gaps where nothing is happening.
The good news here is that MCTs are
available in an emulsied form from various
manufacturers. These emulsions make MCTs
palatable and realistic to add to pre-workout
drinks and shakes. Theyll mix with other
materials and not separate. Think of emulsions the way you think about soap. One side
of soap attaches to water, and the other side
attaches to fat. With MCT emulsions, we now
have an edible soap that allows us to add
it to our workout drinks without having to
force it down.

COCONUT OIL: YOURE

ONLY HALFWAY THERE
Again, Ive recommended coconut oil for a lot
of things in the past, and Im not exactly going
to step back from this recommendation. You should know,
however, that its not completely
good. Coconut oil is composed
Q The rst thing Id suggest doing is to add 10 grams of MCT oil to your cofee in the morning. Then,
of approximately 66% mediumwhen youre doing your heavy, brutal workouts, mix an MCT emulsion with your protein shake or pre-workout
chain triglycerides (MCTs), which
shakethe idea is to have something somewhat low-carb at this pointand drink it throughout your entire sesIll explain in a moment. That other
sion. Youd have something before you started, and then right before you startand then youd drink it the entire
way instead of relying on Gatorade or water.
34%? Its kind of a hit-or-miss
This will help you in a number of diferent ways. First, youll have greater tolerance to your environment, espeproposition, which is why I genercially if youre training in a very hot environment. Youll also have much more available energy, and that energy
ally recommend straight MCTs for
will be delivered by the MCT emulsions in a much more consistent way than glucosewithout the potential crash
pretty much everything.
that happens when youve been taking in something like Gatorade throughout your workouts. FLEX
Coconut oils main efcacy is its

102

FLEX | JANUARY 14

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RECOMMENDATIONS

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2013 Optimum Nutrition Inc.

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From a distance, it looks the same the arms raised over the head. But context is everything and no one ever
mistakes victory with surrender. For you, success is obvious Every day you train, you grow. With every rep of
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The two ingredients that can be

considered the powerhouses of
Q
bodybuilding are creatine and leucine.

Each has been found to be synergistic in its

ability to build muscle and prevent muscle
tissue breakdown. Creatine has been found
to result in increases in muscle mass and
strength. Some of the possible physiological causes of the increase in strength and
muscle mass are: increases in high-energy
phosphate metabolism, satellite cell
activity, cellular hydration status, and hormonal adaptations (i.e., insulin-like growth
factor 1). Leucine is an amino acid of special
interest because it stimulates muscle protein

106

FLEX | JANUARY 14

synthesis and inhibits protein breakdown,

suggesting that it is highly anabolic. The cascade of events that lead to anabolic activity
is mediated through the mTOR pathway, resulting in increased muscle protein synthesis
and muscle mass.
The anabolic efects of mTOR on protein
synthesis were completely abolished in the
presence of rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor.
For several years, branched chain amino
acids were advocated pre-workout, but
taking leucine may be the only amino acid
necessary as muscle protein stimulation is
responsive to stimulation by leucine, but
not the other branched-chain amino acids,

FLEX recommends
Q VPX CREmTOR
For more info go to
vpxsports.com

isoleucine and valine. Leucine seems to be

the most potent of the BCAAs with regard to
most of these efects, and therefore may be
the most physiologically relevant. Leucine
alone can substitute for a meal in stimulating signal transduction pathways, leading to
a stimulation of protein synthesis. Large oral
leucine dosages increased muscle protein
synthesis within 20 minutes, similar to meal
feeding. The activity of the mTOR-signaling
pathway in muscle is augmented following
the oral leucine consumption. Keeping mTOR
turned on is the key to building muscle
mass, whereas when mTOR gets turned of,
its catastrophic for muscle growth. FLEX

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BURN AFTER
READING

These supplements will give you the edge

you need to torch fat and look your best

When it comes to shedding body fat, a clean diet and

intense cardio are the main tools for the task. But to get
Q
the most from your eforts, the right supplements can go a long way
to giving you an edge. Here, we present a group of fat-burning supplements that will help you get the fat loss you seek while feeling energized
without the unwanted, uncomfortable sensationsjitters, nausea, and
hunger pangsthat often come as a result of hard dieting.
To get the most from your program, consider supplementing with
the following:

RASPBERRY KETONES
BOOST METABOLIC RATE
Cutting calories helps you burn
body fat, but boosting the

110

FLEX | JANUARY 14

number of calories you burn

also helps accomplish this goal.
Raspberry ketones naturally
boost your capacity to burn body
fat by raising your metabolic
rate. Raspberry ketones work
in a way similar to synephrine.
In addition, raspberry ketones
reduce your appetite and
encourage your body to release
stored body fat to supply energy.
This relatively new supplement
has become quite popular, and
research backs up its ability to
aid fat loss.
MYRISTICA, ECKLONIA, AND
SALVIA COMBINE TO BURN
FAT WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS
These newer supplements
might not be well-known at the
moment, but that will change
soon, as they can deliver serious
results: 1) Myristica fragrans
comes from a rare nutmeg seed
that contributes to a feeling of
clean energy and mental focus.
2) Ecklonia cava, a premium

exclusively at GNC.
brown algae, contains potent
polyphenols, chemicals that
provide health benets, assisting
those following a restricted-calorie intake. 3) Salvia ofcinalis
is particularly efective when
paired with Myristica and Ecklonia, helping to further enhance
focus and heighten senses.
CAFFEINE AND YOHIMBINE
PULL FAT FROM STORAGE
SO YOU CAN USE IT TO
FUEL WORKOUTS
Taking supplemental cafeine
gives you an immediate surge

of energy that makes you feel

better while you cut calorie
intake. It also encourages your
body to move stored fat out of
cells so you can use it to fuel
activity. Cafeine improves your
workouts, helping to make you
stronger and blunt the inevitable
soreness from intense training sessions. Yohimbine works
similarly, causing your body to
release more stored fat into your
bloodstream that will then be
burned as energy. In addition, Yohimbine has been shown to have
aphrodesiac properties. FLEX

Q Each of these supplements on its own has been

proven to help fat loss, yet Hydroxycut SX-7 from
MuscleTech, available exclusively at GNC, combines all of
these ingredients. The products unique combination not
only helps pull stored fat into your bloodstream while
boosting metabolic rate, but it also helps you feel better
while youre dieting. Follow dosing recommendations on
the label to assess your tolerance.

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GREEN COFFEE HELPS

PREVENT FAT STORAGE
The extract from green cofee
(unroasted cofee beans) has
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in recent years as one of the
most efective fat burners. New
research shows that green coffees success may be due in part
to its ability to blunt the impact
of glucose, helping to keep blood
sugar in check so you dont store
calories as fat before you can
burn them of as energy. In addition, green cofee helps pull fat
from storage so you can burn it
as energy. A recent study showed
that those who supplemented
green cofee extract for 60 days
lost more than double compared
with those taking a placebo
(10.95 versus 5.4 pounds) while
following a low-calorie diet.

GET
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ADVERTISEMENT - ARTICLE REPRINT - ADVERTISEMENT

Are Pros Cheating with Undetectable

HGH Boosters?

GF9

New Growth Hormone Pill Ignites

Controversy in Professional Sports.
Is It Time to Take a Stand?

Summary of study procedures and ndings:

Methods:
This cross-over, placebo-controlled, double-blind study involved healthy subjects [males and females; mean age=3214 years;
body mass index=26.45.0 ranging from 19.1 to 36.8kg/m2] (Study ID Number: PBRC10043). Each subject reported to the
Inpatient Unit on two occasions one week apart. After an overnight fast, subjects had an IV line placed and baseline
blood samples were drawn at -30, -15, and 0 minutes. Subjects were then asked to swallow the capsules of
Growth Factor-9 supplement or an identical-looking placebo. Blood was drawn at 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120
minutes for assay.
Results:
After 120 minutes, mean GH levels had increased 682% from baseline (0.17 to 1.33ng/ml) and were
signicantly higher than placebo (P=0.01). In addition, a signicantly higher mean AUC was observed
after taking the supplement [20.4 (95% CI: 19.9-21.0ng/ml) vs. 19.7 (95% CI: 18.7-20.6ng/ml); P=0.04].

Everyones talking about human growth hormone (hGH). It seems theres been
more news about hGH in the past six months than there has been in the past ten
years. In fact, its been featured on CNN, The Today Show, Fox News, The Dr. Oz
Show, and in Shape magazine and Muscle & Fitness. Part of it has to do with the
increasing number of athletes injecting synthetic recombinant human growth
hormone (rhGH) because they believe it helps increase lean muscle mass, repair
muscle damage, and improve performance.
But the true hGH frenzy really got underway in September of 2012 when it
was revealed that a natural compound was actually capable of increasing mean,
serum (blood) growth hormone levels by 682%. The research was presented at
the prestigious Obesity Societys 30th Annual Scientic Meeting by some of the
most renowned experts in the world, and it quickly became headline news because
it means that nally, after 30 years of research, theres a way for people to increase
their growth hormone levels without injections. The compound that was the
subject of the research presentation is now being sold under the trade name Growth
Factor-9 by well-known sports supplement company Novex Biotech.

Whether or not you agree with Ms. Daines about the ethics, its clear that GF9 is
being seen by many as a way to boost their hGH levels without the fear of being
sanctioned for illegal rhGH use. In fact, a December 12, 2012 Congressional hearing
regarding the NFL and hGH testing led to a discussion about this very thing. Dr. Larry
Bowers, Chief Science Ofcer for the United States Anti-Doping Agency who testied
at the hearing, explained that while The body produces many forms of growth
hormone in the pituitary gland, synthetic rhGH injections involve only one form, called
22kD. hGH tests work by agging people who have abnormally high ratios of 22kD.
Thats what makes Growth Factor-9 so different from banned synthetic rhGH
injections. Rather than introducing a synthetic form of hGH into the body, Growth
Factor-9 is a dietary supplement that raises human growth hormone levels by
encouraging pituitary performance. This means there are no abnormally high levels
of 22kD, because the increase in hGH comes from the bodys natural source
the pituitary gland.
No matter which side of the GF9/professional athletics controversy youre on,
one thing is certain: Growth Factor-9 is selling like hot cakes. GNC, Bodybuilding.com,
The Vitamin Shoppe, and Lucky Vitamin, GF9s exclusive distributors, are having
trouble keeping the growth hormone booster in stock. Still, some skeptics are
saying it sounds too good to be true. So, is there a catch? Actually, there are three.
First, as with hGH injections, Growth Factor-9 is not a magic bullet but one part of
a total program you still have to eat right and work out.
Second, unlike injections of synthetic growth hormone, the Growth Factor-9 pill
needs to be taken on an empty stomach. That means you either have to take it rst
thing in the morning and then not eat anything for two hours, or take it at night, at
least two hours after your last meal... before you go to bed.

And now Growth Factor-9, or GF9 as most people are calling it, is bringing new
controversy into the world of competitive athletics. Because of the edge they give
users, rhGH injections have been banned by virtually every professional sporting
body in the world, and even some college sports programs have begun testing for
it, like the University of Miami, which recently tested every single one of its baseball
players for rhGH use. But because GF9 offers athletes a way to increase their hGH
levels naturally, they can boost their levels without fear of that increase triggering a
positive result on anti-doping tests. So the new controversy is over whether or not
using a natural substance like Growth Factor-9 to raise hGH levels vs. synthetic
rhGH injections is still cheating.

And last but not least, while Growth Factor-9 is far less expensive than
prescription hGH injections, its still not cheap... Growth Factor-9 will cost you about
$100 a month.
But is it worth it? Anything that may cut fat, build muscle, increase energy, and
improve sex drive would seem to be a no-brainer. However, make no mistake about
it, the established medical community (and, of course, they know everything)
would say its benefits are largely anecdotal, with research thats preliminary. But
theres no denying that something that has a chance of helping you get in the best
shape of your life without getting caught is... at the very least... irresistible.
It should be noted that Growth Factor-9 is the only 100% SeroVital -hgh sports
supplement currently on the market. It is currently being sold exclusively at GNC,
Bodybuilding.com, The Vitamin Shoppe, and Lucky Vitamin. If its sold out in stores, try
buying it directly from Novex Biotech at www.NovexBiotech.com or 1-800-567-1233.
Use promo code GFA29 at checkout and get free shipping.*

To call Growth Factor-9 a cheat pill is ridiculous, argues Gina Daines,

spokesperson for Novex Biotech. Think of it this way Before Gatorade became
widely available, the electrolyte-rich drink was used to give Florida State athletes an
advantage, especially on hot and humid days. Were they cheating? Or simply taking
advantage of something the other team neglected to emphasize?

2013 All Rights Reserved. BR14482-12

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
*Free standard shipping in the continental U.S. only.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food

and Drug Administration. This product is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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DELIVERING
THE GOODS

Check out the latest

oferings in the December
Jacked-in-a-Box
BEAST
AMINOLYTES
Q Each scoop is
loaded with 10g
of aminos that
help you train
harder and recover
faster. In addition to BCAAs and
an amino acid matrix, Aminolytes
also delivers an electrolyte blend
that helps increase the intensity
and duration of all types of athletic performance.

NOVEX
BIOTECH
THERMODYNE
Q This fat burner
contains a proprietary blend of
CLA and Tribulus
terrestris to reduce your bodys ability to store fat while it boosts testosterone. In addition, the product
contains Citrus sinensis and Arabica
cofee bean, and research supports
ThermoDynes efectiveness.

For more information,

go to jacked-in-a-box.com.

CHEF ROBERT IRVINES

FORTIFX FIT CRUNCH BAR
Q World-renowned Chef
Robert Irvine and FortiFX
founder Sean Perich introduce the only six-layer baked
bar on the planet powered by
whey protein isolate with an
inspired chef-taste. The Fit
Crunch Cookies and Cream Bar is specically made
for the cookie monster in you.

MUSCLEPHARM ARNOLD
SERIES IRON PUMP
Q Arnold Schwarzenegger
developed a pre-workout
designed to give you the
greatest feeling you can get
in the gymthe pump. Its
loaded with more than 2g
of N.O.-producing ingredients, plus energizers
cafeine, vinpocetine, and tyrosine. One scoop and
youll be in heaven.

OPTIMUM NUTRITION GOLD

STANDARD 100% WHEY
Q Whey is among the fastestdigesting forms of protein. Thats
crucial when you want to maximize
recovery and muscle gains after
workouts. This product is 100%
quality whey, including 5g of
BCAAs and 4g of glutamine and glutamic acid.

VPX REDLINE ULTRA HARDCORE

Q Each one-capsule dose was formulated to accelerate fat burning. The
liquid capsules act more quickly and
last longer than many other fat burners. This fat burner contains cafeine
anhydrous, resveratrol, and cAMP. The
yohimbe complex helps release more
fat from body-fat stores.

JOIN NOW!
Q Jacked-in-a-Box members get the best deals
on supplements, bar none. Sign up and youll
receive at least ve samples of new products
(sometimes up to 10!), a free workout from an
M&F editor, free shipping, and a promo code for
$15 of any $75 order at The Muscle & Fitness
Store. Youll also get to write reviews to share
with other readers.

112

FLEX | JANUARY 14

FREE GIFT

Q Each 16 oz serving of VPX Bang provides

muscle-fueling energy without the crash and
unwanted calories that come from other energy
drinks. With zero calories, Bang delivers only
what you need, giving you 357mg of cafeine, as
well as creatine, glutamine, and BCAAs.
BONUS: 1 OUT OF EVERY 20 BOXES INCLUDED A SAMPLE.

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BSN SYNTHA-6
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Q This protein
powder supports
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protein synthesis
throughout the
day. Each dose of
the Peanut Butter Cookie avor
delivers 5g of ber, 22g of protein,
and only 200 calories, with high
amounts of BCAAs and glutamine
peptides.

THE NEW
STANDARD
OF PROTEIN

GOLD STANDARD
100% WHEY
Optimum Nutrition has called its
product the Gold Standard for a
good reason: It consists of 100%
whey, and its also high in crucial
amino acids that support muscle
building and recovery. Whey is
among the fastest-digesting
types of proteincrucial for
both pre- and post-workout.
By taking Gold Standard 100%
Whey before and afer workouts,
you help protect and repair the
muscle you already have, making
the addition of new muscle that
much easier.

STACK IT
While you may be trying to decide
which of your needs is greater,
the research on this is clear: Whey
and casein work better together
than either works alone. Whey
gets to work quickly, and casein
continues to deliver aminos,
protecting muscle mass and promoting recovery for longer. Casein
wont slow down delivery of whey
the way dietary fats do. For best
results, consume equal amounts
of whey and casein, taking to 1
scoop of each for a total of up to
50 grams of protein per dose.

Try pairing these protein products from Optimum Nutrition

for resultswhatever your experience level

One of the
great myths
surrounding young
athletes and bodybuilders is that they
dont need supplements to help them
achieve their goals.

114

FLEX | JANUARY 14

To clarify: What beginners need are supplements appropriate for

their experience level. And one thing almost all younger athletes
need is more protein to help build muscle mass and support recovery
from intense training. In fact, one of the biggest mistakes that
hard-gainers make is training too intensely and then overlooking
the importance of nutrition and protein supplementation. Optimum
Nutrition provides great choices for young athletes seeking to get the
most from their eforts. Consider these two protein supplements if
youre new to supplementing but want to get better results. Available
at muscleandtness.com/stacks.

THE OPTIMUM ULTIMATE

STARTER STACK INCLUDES
Q ON Gold Standard
100% Whey
Q ON Gold
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While whey is ideal before and
afer workouts, at other times
of day you can benet more by
taking a slow-digesting source
of protein such as Gold Standard
100% Casein. This form of protein
takes nearly twice as long to
digest as other proteins, ideal for
any time except post-workout.
Amino acids will last in your
system for longer when youre
going without another intake of
protein, so casein has long been a
staple supplement of bodybuilders who take it right before bed
and in between workouts.

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A common grocery-store ingredient may reduce myostatin

levels in aging adults

The avanol
(-)-epicatechin,
Q
a component of cacao

such as myostatin and

-galactosidase, increased
with aging, while growth
factors such as follistatin,
(cocoa), has been
MyoD, and myogenin
shown to have multiple
decreased. Treatment
health benets in
for seven days with
humans. Cocoa is one of
()-epicatechin increased
the highest polyphenolhandgrip strength and
containing foods, containing
also the ratio of anabolic
approximately 43.6 mg
growth factors and reduced
of avonoids per gram. In
myostatin levels. The
addition, hot cocoa contains
researchers dont know
more antioxidants per cup
exactly how
than a serving of
(-)-EPICATECHIN MAY HAVE SOME
(-)-epicatechin
red wine or tea.
ANABOLIC EFFECTS IN ADDITION
reduces
Cocoa may lower
TO MANY HEALTH BENEFITS.
myostatin, but
LDL cholesterol,
reduce the risk of blood clots, reduce myostatin levels in older the common sources of
(-)-epicatechin are cocoa
increase blood ow to the
adults. Researchers examined
and tea. So including these
arteries, lower high blood
changes in protein levels of
two common ingredients
pressure, boost cognitive
growth factors in young versus
may have some anabolic
performance, and provide
old human skeletal muscle. In
activity in addition to many
essential minerals such as
humans, markers of musclehealth benets.
calcium and potassium.
growth-inhibition increases,
(-)-Epicatechin has recently
been shown to have fat-burning
efects as well. Researchers
fed two groups of rats a highfat diet and supplemented
cocoa in one group and an
articial cocoa in the other.
Afer three weeks, the body
and fatty-tissue weights were
signicantly lower in the rats
fed the real cocoa.
New research reports that
(-)-epicatechin may also

AVOCADO MAGIC

How having one too many

can halt muscle growth.
Q A few issues ago, we
reported an interesting
study that found that
megadoses of vitamin C
reduced muscle growth in
rats, but now we have the
rst study in humans to back
up similar research. Researchers had 30 elderly men (ages
60 to 81) in a resistance-training program, which consisted
of three full-body sessions
per week. The elderly men
were given 1 gram of vitamin
C and 400IU of vitamin E in
conjunction with the protocol.
The resistance-exercise
program was designed to
give large metabolic stress
(i.e., oxidative stress) and
stimulate as much muscle
growth as possible. At the end
of the study, both the control
group and the antioxidant
group had similar increases in
strength, but the older group
consuming antioxidants
had blunted muscle growth.
The results demonstrated
that supplementation with
vitamins C and E did not
have any positive efects on
the adaptation to resistance
exercise but seemed rather to
attenuate muscle growth.
The key to wellness is getting
the optimum amounts of
antioxidants, and consuming
more is not going to necessarily have a better efect and
in some cases may have a
counteractive efect. FLEX

Q Just about every bodybuilder should be incorporating some kind

of avocado into his or her diet for cardiovascular benets. A new
study reported that one avocado a day can work wonders on your cardiovascular prole. Researchers found that the incorporation of one avocado
per day as part of a heart-healthy, moderate-fat diet has benecial efects
(beyond its monounsaturated fat content) on lowering heart disease.

116

FLEX | JANUARY 14

$)3*4-6/% 
*450$,1)050$0.

COCOA
POWER

TOO MANY
VITAMINS

1)050$3&%*5

Roelly Winklaars arm

workouts from A to Z

118

FLEX | JANUARY 14

BY

GREG MERRITT

PHOTOGRAPHS BY

GREGORY JAMES

Class is in session. The subject is everyones favorite: arms. The teacher is Roelly Winklaar,
Q
fresh of a breakout year and owner of arguably the two best arms in the world. Anyone who
wants to debate his arm superiority, raise your hand and wait to be called on. (We see you, Phil
Heath.) Now, take careful notes as our teacher explains his arm alphabet. With a few digressions
as the lecture progresses, these are the tenets of Winklaars bi and tri construction from A to Z.
FLEXonline.com

119

This is typically the second

exercise in Winklaars biceps routine. I do these either standing
or seated, he says. I turn my
head to the working arm to really focus on the contraction.
120

FLEX | JANUARY 14

1)050$3&%*5

ALTERNATE
DUMBBELL CURL

BICEPS Winklaars biceps training has changed little over the years. He
typically does three or four exercises for a total of 1215 reps. Bis are
trained with tris on their own arm day, but, pre-contest, hell ofen add some
biceps sets to the end of his back workout, as well.
Roelly Winklaars
arms measured
23 inches!

CURAAO Winklaar was

born and raised on this
tropical island in the
southern Caribbean
Sea of the coast of
Venezuela. In late 2012,
he resettled there, and now
attributes the gains he
made in 2013 to his peaceful homelife and warlike gym life. He shed many of the
modications his previous trainer had made to his workouts,
and instead focused on maximizing his strength (for 812
reps) in free-weight basics. This had less of an efect on his
strong pointhis armsthan his weak pointhis back.
122

FLEX | JANUARY 14

WINKLAARS
ARM ROUTINE
EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

EZ-bar Curl

1012

Alternate Dumbbell Curl

1012

One-arm Preacher Curl

1012

Hammer Curl

1012

Rope Pushdown

1012

Lying Triceps Extension

1012

Machine Dip

1012

One-arm Pushdown

1012

BICEPS

TRICEPS

DIPS

Machine dips work

the tris, but also
the pecs and
front delts. Thats
why Winklaar does
these near the end
of his triceps
routine when
his tris are preexhausted by
isolation exercises.

124

FLEX | JANUARY 14

EZ-BAR CURLS

If he had to choose one

exercise most responsible for
ballooning his bis, this would
be it. I almost always begin
my arm routine with EZ-bar
curls, he says. Ill sometimes take a standard-width
grip and sometimes a narrow
grip. A narrow grip works the
outer biceps more.

Like most
pros with football-size forearms
(and evento their detriment
those with lagging forearms),
Winklaar never directly
trains his lower arms.
They grow from merely
gripping weights.
126

FLEX | JANUARY 14

This is the nickname given

to Sibil Peeters, who was
previously Winklaars trainer,
nutritionist, and all-around drill
sergeant. Afer four years, her
most celebrated client parted
ways with her when he returned
to Curaao. He also shed her
greater reliance on intensity
techniques like dropsets, supersets, and reduced rest between
sets. Over the past year, working
without a guru, Winklaar
relied more on straight sets with
longer rest periods.

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HAMMER CURLS

Winklaar does no forearm isolation exercises, but dumbbell hammer curls

work the meaty brachioradialis (located at the top of the forearms, near
the elbow joint) along with the biceps and brachialis. Winklaar
raises the dumbbell across his body, curling it toward the opposite shoulder and alternating arms on each rep. Hammers are great because they
ll out the whole arm, he says. Youll see who did their hammers in a
rear double-biceps shot, because hammers add depth to the outer arm.
128

FLEX | JANUARY 14

JOINT He never forgets that all biceps and triceps exercises are
focused on the movement of the elbows simple (and fragile) hingelike joint. Therefore, on all of his exercises except dips, he locks his
elbows in place and moves only his forearms.

INTENSITY

He utilizes less intensity techniques than he did in the past

when Peeters was barking
orders, but Winklaar spent
the past year pushing his sets
to failure. Thus, his intensity
remained high. Ive been
working at getting stronger
in the basic lifs, and thats
helped me add new muscle
and keep the muscle when I
diet, he explains.
130

FLEX | JANUARY 14

KNOWLEDGE Winklaar is 36 and, according to the last Olympia

score sheets, is the worlds seventh-best bodybuilder. Still, hes
always learning new ways to stimulate growth. It was his
desire to learn that led him to take on such an unorthodox trainer/
nutritionist as Grandma. He seeks out advice from legends like
Dennis James. And he approaches every workout as an opportunity
to gauge what works best for his changing physique.
LYING TRICEPS EXTENSION Hes long relied on this free-weight
basic to pack muscle on the long head of his triceps. This has
always been a staple of my arm workouts, he says. Dont get
sloppy with these just to use more weight. Keep your elbows locked in
place and focus on keeping your arms tensed.

NETHERLANDS
MACHINES Overall, Winklaar focused
more on free weights over the past
year, but his triceps workouts consist of mostly mechanical exercises.
He nds that cable pushdowns and
machine dips allow him to keep more
tension on the crucial contractions of
triceps exercises.

ONE-ARM
PUSHDOWNS
A couple things make
these unique. First,
Winklaar does them
with an underhand grip.
Second, he pulls the
cable not just down but
also across his body.
In this way, these
pushdowns function
like a combination
pushdownkickback.
Doing them the way I
do them lets me focus
more on the contractions, he says. And
thats what pushdowns
are all about. I hold [the
contractions] for a
second or two and
squeeze hard.

PADS
Winklaar uses palm pads to provide a more comfortable grip. In the past, he used sponges. He now uses
neoprene pads that stay in place via fabric rings that
slip over his ngers. They keep my grip secure and
comfortable, he says. Check out his arm-training
photos, and youll notice hes always padding.

132

FLEX | JANUARY 14

This is where the Dutch-speaking

Winklaar lived for 31 years. Afer
his fathers death, when Roelly was
4, his mother moved the family to
the Netherlands from Curaao. Still,
Winklaar ofen felt the island of his
youth tugging him home. Hes the
rare top IFBB pro whos never lived
in the U.S. (Big Ramy can say the
same), and was also the highestplacing non-American resident in
the last Olympia.

QUALITY This could be Roelly

Winklaars motto: Quality muscle
comes from quality sets. By
doing strict reps with full stretches
and contractions, hes avoided gym
injuries and built arms bigger than
most peoples legs.

ROPE PUSHDOWNS
The rope lets me separate
my hands at the end, to get a
stronger contraction and focus more on the outer heads
of my triceps, he says of his
favorite pushdown handle.

STRAIGHT SETS This term

simply means sets done without
such intensifying techniques as
forced reps, dropsets, or supersets.
Training under Grandmas
tutelage, Winklaar loaded up his
workouts with all sorts of intensiers. They limited the amount of
metal he could move. In 2013, he
returned to mostly straight sets,
and the result was a bump in
strength and size.

TRICEPS As with biceps, for triceps

he typically does three or four
exercises for a total of 1215 reps.
Pre-contest, hell ofen throw
in some triceps sets afer working chest.

UNILATERAL He does at least one

exercise for biceps and another for
triceps that hits each arm individually. This exercise is placed at or
near the end of his routines. Going
unilateral lets Winklaar better focus
on the contractions of his left and
right biceps and triceps.

134

FLEX | JANUARY 14

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VARIETY If you built 22-inch guns like the reigning Chicago Pro champ,
you probably wouldnt do a lot of tampering with your arm routine. And
so it is with Winklaar. I change some things some times, he says. But
nothing too crazyjust a diferent order or diferent grip or maybe a
machine preacher curl instead of dumbbells or a barbell.

WEEKLY Most of the time, he trains

arms once weekly, though he will
do some extra work for biceps (with
back) and triceps (with chest) during his contest prep.

X-FACTOR In his rst contest, the

2005 IFBB World Championships (won
by Dennis Wolf), 28-year-old Winklaar
failed to even place. He was a smooth
190-pound light-heavy who looked like
he couldnt win a local novice show
in America. He didnt have a strong
pointnot even his arms. The next
month, he sufered a devastating
car accident. He couldnt even move
his left arm for weeks, and stayed out
of gyms for 13 months. But when he
nally did return to the weights, it was
with a new vigor and purposerst
to rehabilitate, and then to prove his
doubters wrong.
In 2009, at 227 pounds, he won
the super-heavyweight and overall
Arnold Amateur titles. When the
rookie won the 2010 New York Pro, his
arms were among the best ever seen.
All of which is to say, the most
important component of his success is not sets or reps, but DNA
mixed with willpower. Unlocking his
genetics for packing on arm mass is the
X-factor that took him from nobody to
legend in one giant leap.

YEARNING Winklaar is so soft-spoken and his eyelids are so heavy (a

lingering result of the car accident,
which nearly caused him to lose his
sight) that he sometimes seems to
be sleepwalking. Many assume he
just doesnt care enough to be an
Olympia contender. Nothing could
be further from the truth. What
drives him more than anything
is the need to prove his doubters
wrong. His 2013 season shut a lot
of Internet smack-talkers up, but, to
Winklaar, it was only Step 1. He has
a yearning to keep improving and to
show everyone, especially himself,
that he fullled every ounce of his
potential.
ZENITH In his four years in the IFBB Pro League, Winklaar has entered 19 pro shows, won two, and nished in the
top four of eight others. And yet in ve collective tries, he hasnt cracked the top six in either the Arnold Classic or
Mr. Olympia. In 2012, afer his disappointing 12th in the Olympia, he seemed to be just a guyas they say in the
NFL. Like a veteran football player who can always make a roster and sometimes make a highlight reel but never
make a Pro Bowl, Winklaar seemed destined for a mid-level career that would never propel him to bodybuildings
upper echelon.
But then came 2013. Afer triumphing at the Chicago Pro, he nished a startling seventh in a deep Olympia
lineup (many thought he deserved at least sixth). He was no longer just a guy. Instantly, the conversation
changed from wasted potential to unlimited potential. In 2014, Winklaar is taking aim at the Olympia
top three. Then I can go for rst place, he says. Thats the dream he dreams in dreamy Curaao. Picturing himself
in the rst callout next timeand last man standing the time afer thatfuels set afer set, rep afer rep. Roelly
Winklaars greatest lesson is this: Do not doubt me or my drive to be the best. FLEX

136

FLEX | JANUARY 14

$)"3-&4-085)*"/$0.

140

FLEX | JANUARY 14

BY

GREG MERRITT

TO THE

HOW PHIL HEATH TRAINED TO BUILD A FULLER

PHYSIQUE AND WIN HIS THIRD OLYMPIA
FLEXonline.com

141

Phil Heath
always has
Q
a plan. In 2006, his
rookie year, when
he lacked the size
to hang with Pro
League Goliaths,
he won with high
denition at a
mere 206 pounds.
Afterward, he
stayed of the O
stage until, in 2008,
hed brought up his
weaknesses so much
that many felt he
deserved to carry
home the Sandow
in his O debut (he
placed third). In 2011,
when he won his rst
Olympia, he shocked
the bodybuilding
world with his
crispness. In 2012, he
was fuller, but Kai
Greene and others
seemed to be closing
the gap. So Heath
and his trainer, Hany
Rambod, strategized
a plan for widening
the gap once again
and winning his third
straight Olympia title.

To understand
Heaths blueprint
for the 2013
Mr. Olympia, we
must rst return to
the Olympia that
preceded it. On score
sheets, Heath won
in 2012 with straight
rsts over Greenes
straight seconds.
But numbers dont
tell the whole
story. It certainly
felt like a closely
fought contest, a
mano-a-mano duel
between two rivals
with wildly divergent
personalities and
physiques. Fans
picked sides. The
noisiest Greene
partisans favored
his greater overall
size, especially

142

FLEX | JANUARY 14

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

MONDAY (AFTERNOON)
QUADRICEPS
Leg Extension

1012

Squat

1012

45-degree Leg
Press

1012

Hack Squat

1012

Lunge

30
steps

MONDAY (EVENING)
HAMSTRINGS AND CALVES
Lying Leg Curl

1012

Standing
One-leg Curl

1012

Seated leg Curl

1012

Stif-leg
Deadlift

1012

Seated Calf
Raise

10

20

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STRATEGY

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HACK SQUAT

SPLIT
IT UP
QSunday was his
scheduled rest
day. But Heath was
frequently altering
this split, sometimes
because of travel and
sometimes because he
skipped training arms
(his strong point).
Depending on those
two factors, he ofen
put an extra rest day in
this split, either afer
his back day or afer his
second leg day.

144

FLEX | JANUARY 14

Heath and Rambod surveyed the probable

Olympia eld. If there was one area Greene,
Rhoden, Cutler, Ellsbiay, and Wolf could beat
Heath in, it was legs. So lower body became
Heaths priority. Meanwhile, to fend of mass
monsters who might outweigh him by more
than 20 pounds, the Gift needed to maintain
his strengths, displaying both the curves and
the cuts others lacked.
In 2011, I was ripped, and it shocked
people that I could still get that kind of

conditioning as big as I was, Heath states.

Then last year [2012], I thought Kai was
going to try to come in with all this dense
muscle, so I came with a fuller look. The
only problem was Kai went leaner. So,
everyone was talking about this [2013]
being the year he would get me. Well, what
I tried to do was combine those two looks,
2011 and 2012; get the ripped look with the
full look. I knew if I could do that, no one
would beat that.

1"7&-:5)+"--

the breadth of his legs and his lats. Heath

displayed massive advantages in delts, pecs,
traps, and triceps, but those relatively small
body parts could be obscured by the broader
outline of Greene.
There were others to watch out for in 2013.
Coming of his shocking third-place nish
at the 12 Olympia, Shawn Rhoden had the
momentum. Four-time champ Jay Cutler was
returning. Mamdouh Big Ramy Elssbiay
was making his debut. And if Dennis Wolf
forever lurking in the top sixever nailed it,
he would be trouble. As 2013 progressed,

IN 2011, I WAS RIPPED, AND

IT SHOCKED PEOPLE THAT I
COULD STILL GET THAT KIND OF
CONDITIONING AS BIG AS I WAS.

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EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Wide-grip
Pulldown

34

812

Close-grip Underhand Pulldown

34

812

Overhand Barbell
Row

34

812

One-arm Dumbbell Row

34

812

TUESDAY BACK

WIDE-GRIP
PULLDOWN

Seated Cable Row

34

812

Machine Pullover

15

Back Extension*

23

failure

* Included only in the nal weeks before

the Olympia.

With all the hype about Ramy and Kai, I thought, Whats the one
body part these guys could accentuate onstage over me? And its quad
development. Even though I beat em on separation, they have it on thickness
and pure mass. So I put my focus on legs. I told people the only chance they
have is with legs. So if I train legs harder or more often, then that takes away
their best punch. And once you do that, then they cant really ght with you.
Really, it was quad sweep from the rear that I was most concerned about. So I
was trying to make my glutes smaller, bring out the outer quads, and make
my hamstrings pop. I just wanted that better shape, and thats
what we were able to do.
The key was a double double. First, he double-split
legs, breaking them into two sessions in the same day:
quadriceps in the afternoon, hamstrings and calves in
the evening. Then, he doubled their workload, hitting
them twice over his seven-day split. On paper, not
much changed between the two workouts. He switched
in front squats for back squats and/or vertical leg
presses for 45-degree leg presses in the second workout.
The main difference was a greater focus on increasing
the time under tension in the second workout. For
example, he might go lighter on leg extensions and
hold contractions.

146

FLEX | JANUARY 14

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HAMMER STRENGTH
INCLINE PRESS

SETS

REPS

NEW ADDITIONS
These are four exercises that Heath worked
into his routine during the past year.

Hammer
Strength Incline
Press

10

Incline
Dumbbell Flye

10

Flat Dumbbell
Press

10

Flat Wide-grip
Machine Press

10

Cable Crossover
(Low)

1215

Cable Crossover
(High)

15

Standing Calf
Raise

10

20

Q CLOSE-GRIP BENCH PRESS

He doesnt do any barbell pressing on chest
day, but he inserted this old standby into his
arm days. He does them afer pre-exhausting his triceps with isolation exercises.
Q LOW CABLE CROSSOVER
By pulling the cables from low positions to
above his chest, hes able to focus more on
his upper, inner pecs.
Q MACHINE PULLOVER
He discovered this is an excellent method
for removing the biceps from back work to
better isolate his lats.
Q SPIDER CURL
This biceps curl done on the at side of a
preacher bench helps him focus more on
contractions.

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EXERCISE

WEDNESDAY
CHEST AND CALVES

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KNOCKOUT PUNCH
It wasnt enough for Heath to grow his
legs and fend of the best punch of his
closest challengers. He also needed to
maintain his knockout blowthe rear double
biceps. From head to toe, this is the pose that
shows the most. Its the best barometer for
conditioning, and it also highlights a wide
panoply of diverse muscles. Because of his
relatively narrow clavicles, Heath knows hell
never take the back shots with lat width. But
he wins the rear double bi with everything

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Seated Shoulder Press*

10

Standing Dumbbell Side

Lateral

12

elseall those muscles others might neglect

coupled with a stunning collection of details.
(Flex Lewis follows the same strategy to
win the rear double bi in the 212 Olympia
Showdown.)
As with legs, Heath doubles up his rear
delt work. He does four sets of rear laterals
on a lying plate-loaded machine and another
four sets on a seated machine. I do extra
rear delts to accentuate the ow from delts
to arms in the rear double bi, he states. It

also helps you from the side. It adds that

little extra. My big thing is what muscle dont
they [my closest competitors] have, and
thats what I emphasize even more. And
I know Kai doesnt have rear delts. Im just
covering all the bases. I have to do this to
stay the champ.
Ive come to realize its going to be very,
very difcult for a lot of these guys whove
been training longer than me, Mr. Olympia
continues. Because if you havent gured out
the formula after 20 years for building muscle
in your weak parts, youre probably never
going to get it. One thing Wolf and Elssbiay

THURSDAY SHOULDERS

Dumbbell Front Raise

10

Machine Lying Rear Lateral

10

Reverse Pec-Deck Flye

10

Dumbbell Shrug

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150

FLEX | JANUARY 14

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STANDING DUMBBELL
SIDE LATERAL

152

FLEX | JANUARY 14

$)"3-&4-085)*"/$0.

dont have is calves. Heath typically trains his lower legs three
times per week. What I do is I
choose one exercise for calves
each workout, and I do 10 sets of
pretty high reps, at least 20. Then
the next workout Ill choose a
diferent exercise.
Calves, hams, rear delts
those are among the muscles
that give him his rear double
biceps advantage, but its still a
back shot. So back development
is crucial. What Heath gives away
in brute size he makes up for in
3-D density and HD separation.
Whereas some others have bloblike backs, his divides into distinct
regions: trapezius, rhomboids,
teres major and minor, latissimus
dorsi, spinal erectors. The key is a
variety of exercises (he does six
for upper back) and their precise
execution. You wont see him
humping up a row or swaying
dramatically during a pulldown.
He wants to feel the individual
muscles working from stretch to
contraction.

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

FRIDAY (AFTERNOON) QUADRICEPS

Leg Extension

1012

Front Squat

1012

Vertical Leg Press

1012

Hack Squat

1012

Walking Lunge

LEG EXTENSION

30
steps

FRIDAY (EVENING)
HAMSTRINGS AND CALVES
4

1012

Standing One-leg Curl

1012

Seated Leg Curl

1012

Stif-Leg Deadlift

1012

Calf Press (45 Degree)

10

20

17"&-:5)+"--*/4&5$)"3-&4-085)*"/$0.

Lying Leg Curl

154

FLEX | JANUARY 14

501+"40/#3&&;&#0550.$)"3-&4-085)*"/$0.

ALTERNATE
DUMBBELL CURL

KEEPING THE TITLE

With another mission complete
and a third Sandow in his
possession, the Gift is again
developing a new strategy. This
time, the mission is to win the
50th Mr. Olympia contest on Sept.
1920. Heath, the 13th Mr. Olympia,
is in a quest to grow his legend and
climb bodybuildings immortal
rankings. A fourth Sandow will tie
him with Cutler for the fth most

156

FLEX | JANUARY 14

Mr. O titles of all time.

Meanwhile, No. 13 also
has to fend of the best
bodybuilders on the planet to
make sure a 14th man doesnt join
him in the Sandow Society. Its a
role he relishes.
Like Ronnie [Coleman] said,
he loved being Mr. Olympia,
Heath states. And I love being
Mr. Olympia, too, especially

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I LOVE BEING
MR. OLYMPIA,
TOO, ESPECIALLY
BECAUSE
IM PREVENTING
QUALITY GUYS
FROM GETTING
A TITLE. I LOVE
THE FACT THAT
I CAN DO THAT.

ROPE PUSHDOWN

because Im preventing quality

guys from getting a title. I love
the fact that I can do that.
I mean its not like a personal
thingor maybe it is. But that
doesnt matter. I dont want to
look at my career and say
I gave this guy a chance. Hell,
no. I prevented you from
achieving your dream. And
you can have all those Arnold
Classic titles. You can have
that all day. I dont care. Its
denitely fullling knowing
I have that ability to stand
in their way. And Ill still
only be 34 next time.
Thats whats great about
it. Im excited to see what
I look like next. FLEX

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Alternate
Dumbbell Curl

10

Concentration Curl

10

158

Spider Curl

10

Hammer Curl

10

Rope Pushdown

1215

One-arm Dumbbell
Extension

1215

Close-grip
Bench Press

12

Bar or Machine Dip

To Failure

FLEX | JANUARY 14

+"40/#3&&;&

SATURDAY ARMS

BY

MICHAEL BERG, N.S.C.A.-C.P.T.

CHARLESLOWTHIAN.COM

PHOTOGRAPHS BY

SHAWN RHODEN FLEX LEWIS

&
With great conquests come even greater expectations.
For Shawn Rhoden, a top-four nisher in the last two Mr. Olympia
tilts, and Flex Lewis, two-time defending Olympia 212 Showdown
champ, that means a 2014 for the record books. Here are the
workouts thatll help them shoulder that mighty load.

166

FLEX | JANUARY 14

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TRUTH BE TOLD, SHAWN RHODEN

AND JAMES FLEX LEWIS DONT
HAVE ALL THAT MUCH IN COMMON.
Rhoden was born in Jamaica,
relocating to the suburbs of
Q
Washington, D.C. when he was 15. A
natural soccer striker and swimmer, he only
stumbled into weight training to get stronger
on the pitch. But after cutting nine tendons
in his right arm, his college scholarship was
pulled, and his athletic dreams were dashed.
He worked as a personal trainer and turned
his competitive sights to the bodybuilding
stage, taking second at the 2001 NPC
Team Universe and IFBB North American
Championships.
Seemingly on the cusp of a pro card
heading into 2003, his life suddenly
disintegrated. His father, a steady inuence
in his life, suddenly passed away from cancer.
Rhoden reeled into heavy alcohol addiction,
fell away from the gym for years, and then on
a lark, re-entered the scene, clean and sober,
in 2009, winning the North American overall
and with it, his pro card, at the age of 34.
Just 13 shows into his pro career, Rhoden
now partnered with contest guru Chris
Acetohas nished in the Mr. Olympia top
four twice, and won four contests thus far,
cementing himself as one of a select few
who could potentially wrest the Sandow
from Phil Heath.
Lewis, meanwhile, followed a slightly
more traditional path to stardom. A young
phenom out of Swansea, Wales, a former
industrial center that was nearly leveled
during World War II bombing, Lewis collected
much of the rst-place bodybuilding
hardware to be ofered locally in the U.K.
That haul included the 2003 and 2004
British Junior Championships and nally
the overall British Championships in 2007,
earning his pro card.
Stateside, Lewis found his calling in
the nascent 202 class, winning the 2008
Europa Super Show while taking third in
the rst-ever Mr. Olympia 202 Showdown
competition that same year. Ahead of him
were two men he continues to do battle with
to this day, inaugural champ David Henry and
eventual three-time winner Kevin English.
A jocular and opinionated athlete, the
30-year-old has earned legions of fans
thanks in part to his torrid globetrotting,
while still carving out time for two hardfought victories in 2012 and in 2013.
That all said, however, Rhoden and
Lewis now nd themselves at the very same
crossroads. Thats because 2014 might just
be their make-or-break year.
Dont get us wrong. Their lofty status
among their peers today is secure, and would
only be shaken, not dissipated, with one or

168

FLEX | JANUARY 14

two bad showings. They are title threats in

any show they enter.
But in 2014, you could argue theyre both
gunning for something largera legacy for
the bodybuilding history books. For Rhoden,
surging competitively in his late 30s, and
Lewis, a young prodigy who has thus far fullled his vast potential, this is the year they
can become all-time greats.
So it may be tting, then, that each of
them plans on doing the two biggest events
on the calendar, the Arnold Classic this
coming spring and the Mr. Olympia this fall.
If Lewis can win the inaugural Arnold Classic
212 title and defend the Mr. Olympia 212,
making it three in a row, hell ofcially be the
standard-bearer of the class, the physique all
others must measure up to (and surpass) in
future generations.

And for Rhoden, well, the path to greatness is clear: win his rst Arnold Classic title,
then roll into Las Vegas as the No. 1 contender
to Heaths throne. With the best legs in the
show, his on-point conditioning, and the
physical gifts to match up to, well, The Gift
himself, its a challenging yet achievable
sequence of events.
Bringing these two together, then, in a
workout for the FLEX cameras was tting. It
also proved interesting to us y-on-the-wall
scribes, since another thing they happen to
have in common is a cerebral approach to
training. Theyre inquisitive and intensely
focused. (As Lewis puts it, When I step
into the gym, Im going to war.) Heres
what happened when they traded reps and
revelations about all things iron a day after
the 2012 Olympia.

LATERAL
I know a lot of guys will go
right into a press, but lateral
raises are a better warmup for
me, Rhoden says of the exercise
that always leads of his delt
routine. You may be able to lift
more if you do the press rst, but
I know Im never going to be the
strongest guy in the gym. Thats
not importantfor me, its always about putting the muscles
under tension.
Rhoden will start with a
25-pound dumbbell for 20 reps,
working his way down the rack
to the 65s over the course of four
sets as he dials back to 1012
reps. Charles [Glass, Rhodens
renowned trainer] preaches
concentrating, squeezing, increasing the blood ow, Rhoden
says. We also keep my arms
back at my hamstrings to start,
and leading with my pinkie up
and thumb down as I raise the
weights, like Im pouring out a
jug, stopping when my arms are
just above parallel to the oor.
As for Lewis, hell also
begin his workout with laterals,
although hell often opt for
the seated raise machine. Ill

170

FLEX | JANUARY 14

start with the machine, but I

dont always nish there, he
admits. If Im not having that
mind-muscle connection on that
particular day, Ill stop and move
to dumbbells.
No matter which implement
of torture is chosen, though,
hell add a devious twist to the
end of his working sets. After
1215 reps, Lewis explains,
Ill do 35 reps that include
static holdsat the top of each
rep, I hold the contraction for
two seconds, really pushing
the squeeze.
Static holds make appearances throughout Lewis training
week, from delts to back to
legs, and especially to his chest,
which he targeted relentlessly in
the lead-up to the 2013 Olympia.
Ive gotten into static holds the
last couple of years primarily because I feel a great benet, he
says. For whatever reason, they
hit bers not reached through
traditional reps. When I do static
holds, Ill have DOMS [delayedonset muscle soreness] the
second or third day that I dont
usually feel otherwise.

RAISE

YOU MAY BE ABLE TO LIFT

MORE IF YOU DO THE PRESS
FIRST, BUT I KNOW IM
NEVER GOING TO BE THE
STRONGEST GUY IN THE GYM.

35 YEARS OF BODYBUILDING EXPERIENCE | 15 YEARS OF PERFORMANCE NUTRITION EXCELLENCE.

From the dungeon gyms in New Jersey as a bright eyed kid all the way to the Arnold
Classic and Olympia stages as a world class champion, Rich has seen it all. Together, we
live this life-style with him and expect nothing but the best when it comes to our way of
living. He doesnt settle for anything but the best. . . and you shouldnt either.

RICH GASPARI

Gaspari Nutrition CEO and

Pro Bodybuilding Hall-of-Famer

Gaspari Nutrition, Inc. 11/13R1. When combined with a proper exercise and nutrition program.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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presses from week to week.

When I go three plates, then
four, its no less than 15 reps per
set. I dont lock out my elbows at
the top to keep continuous stress
on the delts.
Another trick? The rest-pause
technique. Once I fail, Ill rest a
few seconds, then do another
rep, he says. Ill repeat that two
or three times, basically like doing
singles at the very end.
Rhoden, meanwhile, also
switches between dumbbell
and Hammer Strength presses.
My reps are smooth, he says. I
tell people to go with your own
body rhythm. What I mean is a
controlled cadence on the way up
and on the negative. Dont drop it,
and dont just jack it uptake the
same amount of seconds going
up as coming down.

RHODENS DELT WORKOUT

Ever since Gary Jones, son of

Nautilus inventor Arthur Jones,
co-founded Hammer Strength
Corporation back in 1989,
bodybuilders have embraced the
companys creations. And its
little wonderpart free weights,
part machine, they convey some
of the advantages of both modes
of training, allowing you to work
directly against resistance while
pushing yourself to the limit in
relative safety.
Count Rhoden and Lewis
among those fans of Hammer
Strength, including the shoulder
press apparatus, which makes
regular appearances in both of
their workouts.
Ill do one plate on each side
for 20 reps, then two plates for
another 20, Lewis says of the
exercise he rotates with dumbbell

EXERCISES

SETS

REPS

Standing Lateral Raise

4*

1012

Seated Dumbbell Press or

Hammer Strength Machine Press

1012

Dumbbell or Barbell Front Raise

1012

Upright Row

1012

Reverse Pec-deck Flye

superset with Plate-loaded Machine Shrug

4
4

1012
1012

* Plus three warmup sets of 20 reps.

HAMMER STRENGTH MACHINE

SHOULDER PRESS

172

FLEX | JANUARY 14

These statements have not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

SEATED

Demonstrated on a preacher
bench here, Rhoden and Lewis
do prefer the typical low-back
bench, truth be told. But no
matter what seat you prefer, the
dumbbell press is a redoubtable
exercise for delts. Call it common, simple, boring, whatever
you wish, but hell if it aint incredibly efective at stressing the
intended target.
Ill typically do four sets
of 1012 reps, starting at 60
pounds and nishing as high
as the 120s, Rhoden explains.
I dont do any twists with my
wristsjust straight up and
straight down, palms facing
forward the whole time. I dont
bring the dumbbells together at
the top either, since clanging them
together just takes the stress right
of of your delts.
Another mistake Rhoden
admits to making in his younger
years is going heavier than he
could legitimately handle. A lot
of guys tend to go too heavy, and
their focus shifts to hoisting the

174

FLEX | JANUARY 14

weight up rather than keeping the

tension on the muscle, he says.
Bouncing from the bottom and
going too fast doesnt do anything
but feed your ego.
When Lewis does dumbbell
presses, hell aim for 45 sets of
1520 reps, and wont hesitate to
use rest-pause to eke out a few
extra reps beyond failure. Making
sure he squeezes maximum
benet out of each and every set
is key when you spend half your
year on the road travelling. But the
Welsh Dragon wasnt always so
brutally efcient.
Id read articles about Dorian
Yates, who said he would nish his back workout in 20, 25
minutes, and Id think, Right,
he recalls. Later, I had a chance
to train with Dorian. We nished
a back workout in 20 minutes,
and I was annihilated. He would
lift very heavy, and do a lot of
squeezes. From that experience
I learned rsthand that you
dont need to do crazy two-hour
workouts to get results.

LEWIS DELT WORKOUT

DUMBBELL
PRESS

EXERCISES
Seated Machine Raise

SETS

REPS

3*

1012

45
45

1520#
1520#

Seated Dumbbell Front Raise

1520

EZ-bar Upright Row & Push

1520

Incline Bench Rear Lateral Raise

To failure
(including partials)

Seated Dumbbell Press or

Hammer Strength Machine Press

* Plus three warmup sets of 20 reps.

After 12 regular reps, hell nish with 5 static hold reps,
stopping at the top and exing hard for up to 2 seconds.
# Hell add two to three rest-pause reps after initial failure at the end of the last
couple sets, pausing a few seconds to recharge in between each.

SERIOUS
RESULTS
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ATHLETES
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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug
Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

INCLINE BENCH

REAR LATERAL RAISE

In early 2012, before his breakthrough third place at that

falls Mr. Olympia, Rhoden
found himself in Istanbul,
Turkey, conducting a gym
seminar. Little did he know
that it would radically change
the way he trained once he
returned stateside.
The guys asked questions
that made me think [back] to
when I rst started lifting years
ago, Rhoden recalls. One of
the things I found myself saying
to them in response is that

176

FLEX | JANUARY 14

bodybuilding is bodybuilding.
Its the same bodybuilding that
was around 3040 years ago,
the same equipment. Think
back to the days of Larry Scott
or Frank Zane. Those guys, as
long as they had barbells and
dumbbells in the gym, they could
build muscle.
Taking those words to heart,
he realized that he should
refocus on old-fashioned lifting,
making barbells and dumbbells
his main tools of choice. When
it came to shoulders, then, he

stocked his routine with dumbbell presses and all manner of

lateral raises, includingat least
occasionallythe incline bench
rear lateral raise.
For Lewis, exercises specic to
the rear delts have fallen out of
his repertoire, but that doesnt
mean he has let them of the
hook. Anything but. I get a lot of
rear-delt stimulation when I train
my back, he says. When Im
getting ready for a show, though,
Ill do dumbbell rear lateral raises
every few workouts.

The key, he says, is the

squeeze on every single rep. He
also has a trick for bringing the
set to ultimate, drop-in-a-heap
muscle failure. Ill rep rst with
my palms down, doing a full
range of motion, he explains.
Then Ill turn so my wrists are
in a neutral hammer grip (palms
facing back) and Ill continue
repping through a shorter and
shorter range of motion. Even
quarter reps put a crazy amount
of stress on the rear delts. I dont
count reps, I just go until I cant.

RHODEN ON POSING

The way I look at this year is I made a lot of improvement, Rhoden says of nishing fourth, one spot lower than 2012. Its my fourth year as a pro, my third Olympia
and second time being in the top ve. I cant look at that as a disappointment or
a step back. Ive made leaps and bounds. The guys ahead of me, Kai [Greene] and
Dennis [Wolf], have been at this for a long time. But I think any one of us could have
nished second and no one would have questioned it, it was that close.

178

FLEX | JANUARY 14

Kevin [English] was ready, David [Henry] was ready, I was

readythere were no excuses from any camp this year, Lewis said of
this years Olympia 212 Showdown. Me and my team brought our A
game, and it was nice to have my hand raised and be named defending champion. I feel that, if you win the title once, thats a fantastic
feat, but to go back and defend it is an even larger accomplishment.

LEWIS ON POSING

Let it be known that Flex

Lewis is no fan of shrugs.
Its not that the exercise is
inherently badits just that its
been misused and abused by the
masses. I look at shrugs like I do
at-bench barbell presses, he
says. Theyre the same category,
guys just load up that shit and do
crazy amounts of weight. Theyll
pile on plates and shrug with bad
form. Its just showing of.
That doesnt mean Lewis
wont shrug, just that hell use
it sparingly. And when he does
shrug, he opts for dumbbells,
which give him a better range
of motion. I dont shrug
straight up, he adds. Its not
touching your ears with your
delts. Instead, Ill shrug so my
shoulders are going up and
back and hold it a second at the

top. Ill then nish the set with

smaller, fast reps, where Ill go up
and down maybe a centimeter
to failure. But Ill never sacrice
form for weight.
Rhoden does a plate-loaded
shrug more oftenGlass makes
it a regular stop as part of a
workout-ending superset with
reverse pec-deck yes. When
I do it, I keep my elbows a little
exed, not locked out, Rhoden
instructs. Think about it like
youre driving your elbows up
into your delts. In the spirit of
Lewis admonition, the weight
isnt excessive, starting with
four plates, then up to ve, and
nally two sets with six plates
on each side. Rest periods are
minimal, just enough time for
my partner to do his set and Im
back at it.

HAMMER STRENGTH

SHRUG

180

FLEX | JANUARY 14

LEWIS

ON TRAINING

In between sets, my rest time is minimalI wait as long as it takes my

training partner James [Davis, an amateur competitor in his own right] to
nish his reps, he explains. I see it rsthand on the road, too many people
dillydally around the gym. Theyll sit on the same machine for an hour,
texting, and when they do get to a set here and there, its pathetic.
When I go to the gym, Ill leave my phone in the locker room. I know
what Im there for and I do it.

UPRIGHT

ROW

In these shots, Lewis and

Rhoden messed around with
a super-close grip on the
EZ-curl bar, but neither necessarily advocates this style. I
upright row with a barbell, using
a wide gripwhere that line is
notched into the bar, my hands go
outside that line, Rhoden says.
When I pull it up, he continues, the bar is away from
my body a few inches, and Im
leading with my elbows. To be
honest, theres only a small
range of motion, the bar stops
at my chest. This is one of those
exercises you cant really go
heavy onI work my way up to
a plate on each side for 1012
reps. Its more about control.

182

FLEX | JANUARY 14

While Rhodens upright row

is relatively traditional, Lewis
version is anything but. Falling
fourth in his delt routine, he
uses an EZ bar with his palms
on the outer curls to begin.
From there, I pull it up to
my chin, then ip the bar like a
snatch motion, icking my wrist
and pushing the bar outward
in front of me so its about
eye level when my elbows are
extended. Then I bring it down
under control back to my waist,
and as soon as its down I go
right into the next rep. Four
sets of 1520 reps, and hes
ground the muscle bers of his
middle and front delts into a
ne dust.

SNAP

SHOTS

JAMES FLEX LEWIS

Q Birthdate: Nov.15, 1983 Q Birthplace: Swansea, Wales, U.K.

Q Current Residence: Parkland, FL
Q Height: 5'5"Q Weight: 230240 lbs (of-season); 212 lbs (contest)
Q Competitive Highlights: 2013: Olympia 212, 1st; EVLs Prague Pro
Championships, 212, 1st; 2012: Olympia 212, 1st; British Grand Prix 212, 1st;
EVLs Prague Pro Championships 212, 1st; 2011: Olympia 202, 2nd; New York
Pro 202, 2nd; British Grand Prix 202, 1st; Olympia 202, 2nd; 2009: Olympia
202 Showdown, 5th; Atlantic City Pro 202, champ; 2008: Olympia 202
Showdown, 3rd; Europa 202, champ; Tampa Bay Pro 202, 2nd; 2007 British
Championships Overall (earned pro card).
Q Sponsors: Weider/AMI, Gaspari Nutrition Q Online: exlewis.net;
Twitter @Flex_Lewis

184

FLEX | JANUARY 14

SHAWN RHODEN

Q Birthdate: April 2, 1975 Q Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica Q Current

Residence: Germantown, MD
Q Height: 5'9" Q Weight: 260 lbs (of-season); 235 lbs (contest)
Q Competitive Highlights: 2013: Mr. Olympia, 4th; Arnold Classic Europe,
4th; 2012: Flex Pro, 4th; Arnold Classic, 8th; Europa Super Show, 1st; Tampa
Pro, 1st; Mr. Olympia, 3rd; Arnold Classic Europe, 1st, British Grand Prix, 1st;
EVLs Prague Pro Championship, 2nd; 2011: Europa Super Show, 3rd; Mr.
Olympia, 11th; 2009 North American Championships, heavyweight and
overall (earned pro card); 2001 Team Universe Championships, 2nd, lightheavyweight; 2001 North American Championships, 2nd, light-heavyweight;
1999: Jan Tana Amateur Classic, 2nd, light-heavyweight; Team Universe, 3rd,
light-heavyweight; 1997: Mid Atlantic Natural Bodybuilding Championships,
2nd, light-heavyweight; East Coast Tournament of Champions, 1st.
Q Sponsors: Weider/AMI, Ronnie Coleman Signature Series, Schiek
Q Online: shawnrhoden.com; Twitter and Instagram @exatronrhoden;
Facebook @ Shawn Flexatron Rhoden IFBB Pro. FLEX

ZZZKLWHFKSKDUPDFRP 
These

statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

The pain. The struggle... It never ends. I pile plates on the bar, trying to break it. It will only bend. I tear myself apart, muscle to shreds.
My joints ache... In time I will mend. Here I stand, dumbbell in hand, each rep a small part of this process. Each new day, a humble
offering to progress. Another step forward, inching closer to success. This cycle, it is my life. It is all that I know. Start from the
bottom, break myself down, build it all back up. From nothing, I grow. Time is a currency that I will spend in toil. Hard work and
determination, my lone trusted friends. This noble fight defines me... And it never ends.
800.872.0101

forum.animalpak.com

www.animalpak.com

192

FLEX | JANUARY 14

BY

TONY MONCHINSKI, PH.D.

JASON BREEZE

PHOTOGRAPHS BY

FLEXonline.com

193

For the second year in a

row, Kai Greene emerged
Q
as the biggest threat to Phil
Heaths Olympia dominance.
In 2013, the Brooklynite came in
larger than last year, albeit arguably not as crispalthough he
improved on that over the weeks
following the Olympia, when he
again placed second to Heath
at the Arnold Classic Europe in
Spain, then won the mens open
at EVLs Prague Pro.
Part of the threat Greene
presents is the collection of
outrageous, outsize body parts
hes melded onto his frame over
the years. The whole assemblage
rests on a set of the most massive legs in the IFBB pro ranks.
Greenes lower body is starting to
resemble something akin to that
cow missing the myostatin gene,
though with much better balance than the bovine. Greenes
legs have long been standouts;
they were talking points even
when he was placing 14th in the
NY Pro after turning pro by taking the overall at the 2004 NPC
Team Universe.
TRAINING BY INSTINCT
Greene trains almost completely
by instinct and how he feels
when he walks into the gym. This
level of intuition makes it difcult for an outside observer to
make heads or tails of Greenes
training. For instance, if you want
to know how Greene trains legs,
you can follow him through a
workout in the gym one week,
then follow him through a
completely diferent type of leg
workout the next.
How Greene feels will dictate
the exercises he uses, his set
and rep ranges, and the rest he
allows himself between sets.
Understandably, this makes
it difcult to list any exercises,
sets, and reps or even a training
split because there are rarely

QUADS ROUTINE

GREENES TYPICAL TRAINING SPLIT

DAY 1

Chest and Calves

EXERCISE

DAY 2

Shoulders and Forearms

DAY 3

Back

DAY 4

Legs

DAY 5

Arms

Note: Theres nothing typical about Kai

or his training, which changes from week to
week and workout to workout.

194

FLEX | JANUARY 14

HAMSTRINGS ROUTINE
SETS

HIS BODY SAYS:

TODAY ITS LEGS
So, Greene comes into the gym
and something clickshe knows
he needs to train legs. Hell get
on the StairMaster and start
warming up. Its not cardio, says
Greene. Its a warmup. It gives you
a chance to check in with yourself
mentally. To gure out how youre
doing and what youre doing.
Greene hunches over the machine,
exing his glutes, hams, and quads
as he steps, already getting the
blood owing.
A lot of people have great
quads or hams or exceptional
calves, this two-time Arnold
Classic and two-time New York
Pro champ points out. Try to put
that together, though, and have
an exceptional lower bodythat
takes a lot of thought, a lot
of work, a lot of seasoning.
None of this, yeah, Im-a-go-dofour-sets-of-squats. Greene
has a repertoire of exercises
and how he performs them. He
smiles as he says, You dont
train for 20 years without learning a few tricks.
Again, to an outside observer
its going to look like a mishmash, a mix-and-match of
exercises and how theyre
performed, because Greene will
employ whatever it is he feels is
necessary to shock his legs into
continued growth.

CALVES ROUTINE

REPS

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

10 each leg
(stationary) or 20
steps (walking)

Toe Press (on

hack squat
machine)

20

Standing Calf
Raise

20

1520
1520

Seated Calf
Raise

20

SETS

REPS

EXERCISE

Leg Extension

1520

Lunge

Squat

1215
Stif-leg Deadlift

1015

Hack Squat

1215

One-leg Standing
Leg Curl

Leg Press

1520

Lying Leg Curl

any prescribed workouts and

even when he goes into the
gym with one in mind its up for
grabs whether that workout
will materialize or be sidelined
by an on-the-spot change in
plans. That said, Greene admits
he trains legs once a week and if
its a week with travel involved
hell look to train them at the
beginning of the week because
its not comfortable sitting on
the plane with your legs sore or
cramping up.

t when
rcise rs
e
x
e
ays
is
h
isnt alw
e to do t
guys lik s to warm up. It Wherever
f
o
t
lo
A
ighs.
quad
xtend
or his th
training
theyre rst movement f ene will fully e
. Hell

re
t
G
s
a
,
e
e
Green
routine
ngled s tward,
a
is
e
h
h
t
in
f
ll
ou
they fa h his butt up o
s point iferent
wit
d
n his toe
his legs up the directio o better target quads.
t
e
is
g

h
n
d
f
a
a
o
h
e
c
ah
parts
straight
inward,

196

FLEX | JANUARY 14

GREENE ON
BIG-ASS WEIGHTS

ot
ges up his fo
Greene chan rt, toes
.
B
B
IF
e
th
th apa
thighs in
oulder-wid
it
est pairs of
h his legs sh e carries so much mass
e of the larg
it
on
w
ld
im
ui
h
b
e
e
se
en
e
l
en
h
l
re
re
t
u
G
G
en
yo
s.
ed
p
er
en
em
e hel
the mov
kout. Of
his should
Squats hav
t the top of
kout to wor
sts high on
ple to
A
ci
re
or
t.
n
w
ar
ri
ua
b
P
e
om
sq
se
h
fr
e
T
t
.
au
th
Rest-P
placemen
igh sweep
lowers into
rgeting
the Weider
t to hit his th ioning his torso as he
incorporate even lower when hes ta
es
im
pointed ou
sh
et
cu
m
e
ar
so
s
go
ill
h
ll
w
ig
e
e
th
h
en
l;
is
h
re
le
looks like
d hams. G
least paral
his glutes an
he doesnt.
squats to at
visibly exes tensity. Greene always s his knees, other times
p
in
a
ra
tr
w
eke out ex
etimes he
d glutes. Som
his hams an

198

FLEX | JANUARY 14

People dont always appreciate how strong Greene is, in

part because he doesnt make
a big deal of it himself. He was
given early nicknamesBob
Fuchs christened him Baby
Bertil (afer Bertil Fox, one
of the strongest and most
densely muscled IFBB pros of
the 70s and early 80s); Steve
Weinberger tagged him Baby
Moosespeaking not just to
his size but his strength. You
can nd videos online of Greene
squatting six plates for reps,
incline pressing ve plates,
and repping four plates on the
seated military press.
When Greene was younger,
he thought moving a lot of
weight was the most important
thing. As he got more years
under his belt, he came to
understand what kind of injuries
waited around the corner when
the envelope was pushed
poundage-wise. At the same
time, he developed and rened
a strong mind-muscle link that
allows him to use what might
have once been light weights
(still heavy to the rest of us)
to get the feel he is afer in the
muscle trained. The weights
youre using are an important
indicator, Greene explains,
but what are they indicative
of? Progress. That said, youve
got to remember that no
one continues getting stronger
indenitely. Eventually injuries
will occur. There are other
ways of increasing the intensity
without constantly increasing
the weight.

acing also
is foot sp
H
.
rm
nts to
o
tf
ep and wa
n the pla
or lower o riably, he squats de to his thighs
r
e
h
ig
h
t
va
d in
is fee
s using. In pump as much bloo
ill place h
achine he
r, Greene w
to
m
fo
e
is
g
th
im
in
r
a
o
o
g
s
reene
mulate
ng he is
xercises, G
hes to sti
n the feeli
hs he wis
his quad e
pending o
ig
ll
e
a
d
th
h
,
e
it
in
a
th
W
g
f
A
rt o
bone.
t.
on the pa
ing of the
ing to burs
depends
s are jump bags of blood wait
d
a
u
q
y
m

feel like
s them as
he picture
as he can;

200

FLEX | JANUARY 14

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nges
reene cha rm.
e does, G
o
h
tf
e
la
is
p
rc
e
e
x
th
feet on
er quad e
is
th
h
deep
o
f
a
ry
o
r
e
g
v
fo
spacin
is chest
d
As with e
h
n
f
a
o
t
e
n
e
id
s
cem
out, keep
her
up the pla quads back to eit
a near lock
to
t
u
o
is
m
h
e
He brings before pressing th scles.
n
mu
contractio us tension on the
uo
ing contin

LUNGE
Greene can prioritize his
quads or his hams and glutes
with lunges. Its a no-brainer
that with these your quads
are going to work, he says.
The challenge is to work
your hams and glutes. Hell
lunge in place or walking,
concentrating on the gluteham tie in. At the top of the
movement, Greene raises
up onto the ball of his
foot and actually exes
his hamstring as he would
hitting a back pose onstage.
His back leg serves merely to
anchor and balance his body.

202

FLEX | JANUARY 14

EVERYTHING ZEN
Visualization during leg training
Years ago, Greene would visualize the
legs of Victor Richards or Bernard
Sealy or the separation way up
into the hips of a Renel Janvier or
Thierry Pastel. These days Greene
is focusing on the musclebe
it the quads rectus femoris or his
hamstrings or the calfs gastrocnemius. Hes so in the zone hes
reached a state of near-meditative
Zen where there is nothing but a pure
mind-muscle connection: the muscle
moving through its range of motion,
blood coursing through his veins and
capillaries, lactic acid sufusing the
muscle belly.

ta pla
se on exing
e
h
t
s
rm
rt
perfo
ent,
e sta
e will e oor. H the desc s his
n
e
e
r
h
n
t
G
en
o
utes
or of
he op ard.
form ms and gl in while
w
t
ou
ls
a
his h g his hee g his toes his upper
o
n
n
i
i
t
g
n
t
r
s
g
i
snt
tu
d
lea
d doe
ar at
up by
feet ring the b lower) an
s
b
Hell ther time
o
(
.
s
n
ee
shi
his kn
break

204

FLEX | JANUARY 14

the
r at
olle ually
r
d
de s act
f
pad
the s thigh back o e
g
n
i
i
e
r
m
H
h
b
o
.
t
an utes) g of
s c eps.
l
he c
icep
n
ic
d so ot his g poppi your tr s leg b
a
p
s
f
a
n
d
i
g
(
l
e
n
ngl hams mstrin er cur know
h
s
e
he a
to t op of hi , his ha a preac ings ar
n
o
r
s
e
t
e
t
i
s
s
k
v
i
e
i
l
c
l
h
m
e
r
t
s
a
p
e
x
to
ok the h
is
he e
rs h
It lo
s up
owe s calve uring t roller. tes why
l
e
n
i
d
d
Gree om of h e pad padde illustra
h
y
t
bot up of t eet the erfectl
p
e
m
d
s
i
o
n
r
t
ad a
leg
his f the p
o
up

ONE-LEG
G
STANDIN
LEG CURL
Greene curls
his lower leg
up parallel to
the ground,
his hamstring
popping of the
back of his leg.
These reps are
relatively fast
and choppy,
but hes in control, pumping
blood into the
muscle belly.

HOW MANY REPS?

Greene explains: If Im going for 1520 reps but afer 7 Im

feeling it the way I need to feel it in the muscle, Ill stop
the set. Sometimes I dont count reps. Other times I
count while my coach or training partner counts and we
come up with diferent counts! Greene will admit hes a
volume trainer when it comes to his sets and reps and the
number of exercises he employs to train legs.

206

FLEX | JANUARY 14

TOE PRESS
ON HACK
SQUAT
MACHINE
Greene makes
sure his heels
go below his
toes for a full
stretch on the
bottom of this
movement.
Hell pump
out 20 reps,
incorporating
some partial
reps toward the
end of the set
to fully re his
gastrocnemius.
At diferent
times, hell do
these on a toe
press machine
or leg press.

SEATEDAISE
CALF R

Greene is thinking of his lower leg in

the side chest shot in this movement.
From the knee down, he says. Thats
what this movement is. He exes
his calf at the top of each rep, fully
contracting it. The bottom part of
his rep is similar to his other calf
raises; hes stretching his soleus
muscle when his heels go beneath
his toes. Often youll witness Greene
doing these with his toes pointing
slightly inward, heels out. Even with
ve or more plates loaded on the
machine, Greene is feeling it in his
calves and not just moving weight.

WORK OF ART
His form is similar to that
of his toe presses, heels
lowering below his toes for
a crazy stretch in the back of
his lower legs. Sometimes
Greene will substitute
donkey calf raises for this
exercise. Other times hell do
these and donkey calf raises.

208

FLEX | JANUARY 14

Greene wasnt disappointed in placing

second at the Olympia. He understands
that at this level of the sport, comparing a
bodybuilder like himself with Heath is similar to comparing a Dali with a Rembrandt.
Greene speaks of a state of gratitude,
gratitude for being able to compete in the
sport I love and for having the fans I do.
This is a man who came from literally nothing, and now hes something. Something
big. Dreams do still come true, Greene
grins. And if you dont have a dream, he
wants everyone reading this to know, you
need to go out and get one now. FLEX

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY

THE ASCETIC LIFE OF BIG RAMY

PRESENTED BY

214

FLEX | JANUARY 14

MAMDOUH BIG RAMY

ELSSBIAY QUIETLY GETS OUT
OF BED BEFORE SUNRISE,
typically by 4:30 a.m., taking care to not wake his wife and two
daughters as he settles himself into a corner of their living room and
gives thanks to above for the ability to lead the dream life hes been
living for the past year. A deeply religious and spiritual man, he takes
nothing for granted. Big Ramys bodybuilding journey thus far has
been a short but intense one. He turned pro a scant year and a half
ago at the Amateur Olympia where he shocked the world with his
sheer size (288 pounds!). But as the Internet debates about him rage
on, Ramy leads a simple, purposeful life that revolves around bodybuilding, family, and work. We spent a few days in Kuwait getting to
know the real Big Ramy as he prepared for the 2013 Mr. Olympia.

THE SIMPLE LIFE

Kuwaitis are known for their

hospitality and warmth. Ramy
and his wife are Egyptian expatriates and they welcomed us
into their home like old friends.
Much to my dismay, I discovered
that Ramy does not live above
the gym, one of the many myths
dispelled on this trip. I looked
forward to visiting his non-airconditioned, cramped room

216

FLEX | JANUARY 14

with a hot plate and a lot of

workout clothes strewn about,
but thats not the case. He lives
with his wife, whom he met
at school in Egypt, and two
daughters a short walk from
Oxygen Gym in a comfortable,
two-bedroom apartment.
After morning prayers and
a quick protein shake, he falls
back asleep for another hour.

By this time his wife has gotten

up and started preparing his
second meal, which he eats with
his family. Cereal and oatmeal
are not common breakfast
foods in Kuwait, something that
surprised me. Across the Middle
East, meats with savory side
dishes such as olives are traditionally eaten for the rst meal,
so his bodybuilding meal plan
does not seem out of place here.
Ramy eats his chicken, vegetables, and plain sweet potato
while catching up with friends
and checking Facebook on his
Galaxy phone, which rarely left his
hands the entire time we visited.
He follows the bodybuilding
scene closely but remains unemotional about the heated opinions
on his physique, his potential, and
his Olympia debut.
In some ways, he still acts
more like an ardent fan than a
pro bodybuilder, an endearing
quality making him that much
more likeable. In other ways,
he exhibits the condence of a
young bodybuilder who knows

he is destined for great things

and has neither the time nor
energy to dwell on detractors.
While Ramy digests his
chicken and waits to head to the
gym for cardio, he drinks some
strong black cofee and indulges
his 3-year-old daughter in a
game of hide-and-seek. At the
same time, he gently rocks his
infant daughter, famously born
the weekend of the New York
Pro moments before he took
the stage to win his IFBB Pro
League contest debut. A Ronnie
Coleman video, the sound turned
down, plays on the TV and he
glances at it now and then. His
older daughter takes a tumble
and bumps her head, giving him
the opportunity to soothe both
girls simultaneously as they all
snuggle on the couch, the kids
swallowed up in his enormous
arms. Now feeling better, his
older daughter entertains herself
with his phone while Ramy grabs
his headphones and prepares to
walk over to Oxygen Gym for an
hour of cardio.

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PRE-CONTEST
SCHEDULE
4:30 a.m.

Gets up
to pray/
meditate

5 a.m.

Meal 1

6:30 a.m.

Meal 2

78:30 a.m.

Play with
kids/
check
e-mail

8:4510 a.m.

Cardio
and abs

10:30 a.m.

Meal 3

11 a.m.1 p.m.

Nap

1:30 p.m.

Meal 4

3-5 p.m.

Work out
Drinks
postworkout
shake at
gym

5:30 p.m.

Meal 5

7 p.m.

Take walk
with family, relax

9 p.m.

Meal 6

10 p.m.

Sleep

THE OFFICE

We talk more during the short

walk to the gym and while killing
some time on the StepMill. Ramy
grew up as one of three brothers
in a religious family. He believes
that his faith brings him the
mental strength and discipline
needed for bodybuilding. Ramadan fell during his Olympia prep
this year. Ramy fasted for the
entire month, eating and drinking nothing during the day, much

to the dismay of his support

team, which advised him that a
professional athlete could bend
the stringent rules a bit.
As with everything else in his
life, Ramy is all or nothing once
he makes a commitment. Hes so
strict with his diet that he wont
even add cinnamon to a sweet potato or spices to chicken. He eats
plain white rice. Thats just how
he is. He leaves nothing to chance.

THATS JUST
HOW HE IS. HE
LEAVES NOTHING
TO CHANCE.
218

FLEX | JANUARY 14

Hes not a bodybuilder who drools

watching the Food Network and
dreams of cheat meals. When I ask
him what hell eat as soon as the
Olympia is over he has to think for
a minute as though the thought
hadnt crossed his mind. He has
simplied his world so much
that food is only seen as fuel for
his body. He never allows himself
to be tempted enough to stray
from his diet.
After an hour of cardio and 15
minutes of ab work, he stays to
chat for a bit with Oxygen Gym
owner and bodybuilding promoter Bader Boodai. Boodai takes a
quick look at him and agrees hes
on track for the Olympia. But
its time for his third meal and
Ramys getting antsy, so we head
back despite the small crew of
admirers that has gathered for
a glimpse of his progress. As we
walk of the elevator you can
smell garlic, cumin, and other

sweet and savory spices. In fact,

all day it seemed that delicious
smells kept emanating from the
kitchen, which is just big enough
for a blender, a small stove, and
a fridge a fraction of the size of
what a big man like Ramy needs
to hold a few days worth of
meals. A former sherman, he
is picky about his sh, which is
extremely popular here given the
proximity to the Gulf. He insists
the shrimp in the Gulf are sweeter than elsewhere and eats a lot
of it while dieting because he
believes its the ideal diet food.
After a shower, he eats his meal
of rice, plain steamed shrimp,
and broccoli while we dig into
his wifes special shrimp sauted
with onion, garlic, and spices
along with a pile of soft, fragrant
rice and several side dishes. The
rst of his daily indulgences
comes with this meala small
can of diet soda.

GETTING
INSPIRED
Ramy always takes a long nap in a minimal amount carbs75g a
the afternoon after this meal, a
welcome and necessary custom
in a country where the temperature regularly peaks at over
100 degrees mid-day. While he
sleeps, his wife ducks out with
the kids to shop at the open air
market for fresh produce and
more shrimp. Of-season, he
eats a wider variety of sh, more
chicken, and a little beef, which
is extremely pricey. Food is an inseparable part of Middle Eastern
culture, with everyone having
their special secret combination
of spices sprinkled into rice or on
meat, which is all cooked fresh.
Microwaveable Tupperware is
not the norm here, as people believe eating is a social occasion.
Ramy and his wife usually alternate trips to the market, since
he prefers to assess the quality
and freshness of the food he will
be eating, but during these last
few weeks before the Olympia
she lets him rest. His energy is at
an all-time low since he is eating

dayso fresh vegetables ll him

up and satiate his appetite.
His fourth meal, eaten shortly
after he nishes napping around
1:30 p.m., consists of more
steamed shrimp, a plain baked
potato, and a large salad with
vegetables and no dressing. His
second indulgence of the day is a
large glass of Crystal Light with
this meal. He keeps several avors of it on hand. He eats on the
couch as he intently watches
probably for the thousandth
timeRonnie Colemans Cost
of Redemption in preparation
for his back workout in another
hour. He doesnt talk much as he
gazes in concentration at the TV.
The DVD is not dubbed in Arabic,
but Ramy doesnt care. He uses
Coleman as his inspiration to
grow bigger and become the
best in the world. He switches
over to an old Kevin Levrone
video as he waits for his food
to digest before he hits the gym
for his workout.

THE
WORKOUT
Ramy was completely quiet

BACK & HAMSTRINGS WORKOUT

EXERCISE
Lat Pulldown

SETS
2
2
1

REPS
20 (warmup)
15
15, 10, 10, 10 (dropset)

Hammer Strength Low Row

15

Hammer Strength D.Y. Row

3
3

15 (single arm)
15 (both arms)

Lying Down Single-leg Curl

2
3

10 (warmup)
10

Stif-leg Deadlift

10

220

FLEX | JANUARY 14

during the short walk back to

Oxygen Gym for his back and
hamstring workout. Every
workout these days saps all his
energy. Dennis James was in
town to oversee his training and
make adjustments. He dreads
these visits because his body
gets pushed to its limit and
beyond. Dennis observes Ramy
as he stretches out. He wants to
assess Ramys mental disposition in the last few weeks before
the Olympia because he knows
mental strength is as important
as physical strength during
the nal weeks.
Ramys back workout consists
of three exercises, picked for
increasing width and thickness.
He begins with lat pulldowns, using a medium-width reverse grip
on the bar and leaning back only
slightly in the seat. After a few
warmup sets, the fun begins. He
does three sets of 15 reps, each
set done at a diferent tempo.
On the rst set he pulls down
quickly but pauses on the bottom, contracting his lats for a full
second before raising the weight

PRE-CONTEST
WORKOUT
PRINCIPLES:
up again slowly. He cranks out
the second set at a quick pace,
hardly stopping on the bottom.
On the nal set he does 15 slow
reps with the same pace on the
concentric and eccentric portions of the movement,
but then he drops the weight
down by a plate and does
10 more; then 10 more with a
little lighter weight; then 10
more with a slightly lighter
weight for a dropset of 45
total reps. And that was just
the first exercise.

222

FLEX | JANUARY 14

Q Take all sets to failure

QVary the speed and tempo of each set
QHold the rep for a one-second squeeze
QChange grips on the machines with
each workout

The rest of the back workout

is spent doing rowing movements. Ramy goes to work on his
lower lats by using the Hammer
Strength low row machine. He
does a similar variation with reps
and tempo on each set as he did
with the lat pulldownsminus
the nal dropsetbut never going below 10 reps. The Hammer
Strength D.Y. Row is the nal exercise, one which targets middle
back thickness. He does three
sets, one arm at a time, pulling
quickly, pausing, and moving

the weight away from his body

slowly. He has an underhand grip
but tells me that he varies his
grip every workout so his body
doesnt get used to one or the
other. He then does three
sets of 15 reps gripping both
handles. His chest stays
at against the pad, never
arching and never twisting to
one side or the other.
Machines are essential to his
workouts. Ramy uses them to
his advantage by squeezing and
holding the weight and moving

it away from him very slowly

and with control, something not
easily done with free weights, especially on back exercises where
there is a tendency to swing
the weight or cheat. He doesnt
cheat, even on one rep. His
form is always perfect. Though
exhausted from a back workout,
he performs two hamstring
exercises, single-leg curls lying
down on a machine and stif-leg
deadlifts, for three sets of 15
reps. Now completely fried, he
nally calls it quits.

REUNION

After a second shower, Ramy has

another meal of chicken, white
rice, and steamed vegetables.
At this point in the evening,
around 7 p.m., most families go
for a stroll. Huge, air conditioned shopping malls seem
to exist for this very purpose,
since the daytime heat makes
it all but impossible to get out
of the house. While his wife and
daughters go for ice cream, Ramy

decides to introduce us to his

two brothers at the sh market.
Although they also live a scant
45 minutes away, he has not
seen them in almost two years,
preferring to isolate himself in his
world of bodybuilding, which is
so foreign to them. Theyve been
coordinating this visit for a week
and you can tell Ramy is both
nervous and excited to reconnect
with his brothers, with whom he
worked alongside on the boat
for years.

HE DOES NOT
DREAM OF ROLEXES
OR FANCY CARS.
ON THE CONTRARY,
HE IS IMMENSELY
PRACTICAL.
224

FLEX | JANUARY 14

As we pull up to the enormous

warehouse on the waterfront,
Ramy knows exactly where
hes going. Almost immediately
upon entering the building, old
friends, fellow sherman, and
people hes known for years start
coming up to him, hugging him,
and exchanging pleasantries
with Ramy the sherman, not
Ramy the famous bodybuilder.
Although he has clearly gained a
lot of muscle since the time they
knew him, it was as though he
never left. Not one single bodybuilding question. He spots one
of his brothers and they tearfully
embrace, a moment hes thought
about often since hes isolated
himself in a bodybuilding cocoon
for the past two years. The
second brother nds them and
takes him to meet the owner
of the sh market, a powerful
position in this part of the world.
The owner remembers Ramy and

listens intently to his description

of this whirlwind experience.
An exhausted and hungry, but
very happy Ramy eats his nal
meal of the night when we get
back at 10 p.m. As we relax after
he nishes eating and has yet
another shower, he makes sure
I understand that, although
bodybuilding is his dream, he
is living in Kuwaitapart from
both his and his wifes relatives
and friends back in Egyptso
that he can make a better life
for his family in the long run.
They are his first priority and
keep him focused on winning.
He does not dream of Rolexes
or fancy cars. On the contrary,
he is immensely practical.
Being able to eat the best seafood in the world, train at the
best gym in the world, and be
surrounded by a loving family is
a dream come true for Mamdouh
Big Ramy Elssbiay. FLEX

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DAVID SANDLER

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your best physique

228

FLEX | JANUARY 14

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BEING SHREDDED,
RIPPED, AND
GENERALLY
PERCEIVED AS
SUPERLEAN IS
NOT SOMETHING
NEW TO THE
REGULAR BODYBUILDER OR THOSE
WHO STAY IN A
CONSTANT STATE
OF RIPTITUDE.

DAY 1 HEAVY CHEST,

SHOULDERS, TRICEPS
Dumbbell Front Raise

But even those with experience

could likely add a few things to
their training to take them to
that next level. Balancing diet
and training is still something
of a mystery, even for the very
best. Since science is not able
to keep up with perseverance to
push the body beyond its limits,
our best eforts to combine good
information with practice is all
weve got. So, with that in mind,
Im not going to try to overscience you; rather, Ill provide
you with some thoughts and
intuition that should provoke
your competitive juices to nd
your perfect point of attack.
Whether youre looking to get
some difcult muscles to pop or
trying to shred every last ounce
of fat so your glutes resemble a
piece of corrugated steel pipe,
dialing in your diet and dialing
up your training is a must. But
before we delve into the trainingand rather than explore the
ritualistic approach of pretending bland dry food is exciting
lets discuss some of the things
that help create the chiseled
appearance so highly desired by
todays iron warrior.

SETS

REPS

REST (SEC.)

Warmup: Flat Barbell

Bench Press

10, 6

120

Flat Barbell Bench Press

8, 6, 5, 5, 5

240300

Incline Dumbbell Press

8, 6, 6, 5

180240

Cable Crossover

8, 8, 6, 6

120150

Barbell Shoulder Press

8, 6, 5, 5, 5

180

Weighted Dip

8, 6, 6, 5

120150

Dumbbell Front Raise

8, 8, 6, 6

120150

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

8, 8, 6, 6

120150

Triceps Pushdown

120150

Low-Slow Cardio

30 min

230

FLEX | JANUARY 14

TRAINING SPLIT

DAY 1 Heavy chest, shoulders,

triceps, low-slow cardio
DAY 2 Light back, biceps, traps,
HIIT cardio
DAY 3 Heavy legs, low-slow cardio

DAY 4 Light chest, shoulders,

triceps, HIIT cardio
DAY 5 Heavy back, traps, biceps,
low-slow cardio
DAY 6 Light legs, HIIT cardio
DAY 7 Rest

1"7&-:5)+"--

DAY 1: HEAVY CHEST, SHOULDERS, TRICEPS

EXERCISE

The human body is a complex

system that continually attempts
to right itself and maintain
homeostasis (a fancy term for
staying stable). It generally takes
72 hoursyes, thats three days
to return to normalcy. And while
certain actions will cause the
body to do some very cool things,
including make you vascular,
ripped, and huge, those efects
are generally short-lived until the
body is able to regain control.
So while what you do today
may be felt immediately, the
lasting efects will show up a few
days later. If you slowly turn up or
turn down the volume, be it with
food, liquid, or training, your body
will respond as if it were completely normal, since any abrupt change
would be much smaller than if you
did something drastic.
This is true with both losing
and gaining weight, and losing
and gaining muscle size. For getting shredded, this is especially
important to understand, as you
cant possibly gauge your success

232

FLEX | JANUARY 14

daily. You need to be patient.

If you begin your cutting phase
further out at a slower pace, your
body will hold its shape and size,
while reducing the stuf you dont
want, like fat and excess water.
Since being ripped is all about
the visualand, no doubt, like
me, youre constantly checking
yourself out in the mirror then
grabbing your skin to check fat
and waterits important to
understand that auto regulation
is occurring. And while that may
be frustrating, its somewhat
predictable. When shredding up,
dont expect the miracle to happen immediately; but over a period of a few days or even weeks,
you should see some sizable gains
in muscle while improving your
denition.
Properly dialing in your diet,
slowly cutting water, and following this program designed
to build and maintain muscle
while upping the calorie burn will
help you achieve that rock-solid,
ripped physique.

$)3*4-6/%

AUTO
REGULATION
DONT FIGHT
IT, HELP IT

DAY 1 HEAVY CHEST,

SHOULDERS, TRICEPS
Incline Dumbbell Press
Weighted Dip

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plateau after plateau! If youre serious about training then youre
taking Modern BCAA+ because we didnt just add MORE AMINOS,
we gave you NEW AMINOS! The new Key Exercise Aminos offer
the enhanced workout support and replenishment that you need
to train your best. Not only do you get THE MOST ADVANCED
FORMULA AVAILABLE, you get the best tasting and most
refreshing BCAA drink ever created that mixes so well you wont
believe that it includes the legendary 8:1:1 BCAA ratio.

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& BLUE RASPBERRY FLAVORS

MATTHEW TAYLOR // CROSSFIT COMPETITOR // GRAPEVINE CROSSFIT

REAL MODERN BCAA+ USER
Copyright USPlabs, LLC. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose,
treat, cure or prevent any disease. Information in this ad should not be used as an indication or prediction of your individual results. These products
are meant to be used in conjunction with a proper nutrition & exercise program. Your results are completely dependent upon the amount of efort you
put into it, which includes eating & exercising properly. You should consult your healthcare practitioner before beginning any such plan. All examples
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DAY 2: LIGHT BACK, TRAPS, BICEPS

EXERCISE
Warmup: Wide-grip
Lat Pulldown

234

FLEX | JANUARY 14

will normalize itself by keeping

muscles full and veins pumping. Your vascularity will have
you providing Google Maps with
updates while your bazookas,
wheels, boulders, wings, and
pecs will look as though youve
been stufng them with steel.
A brief understanding of how
the body reacts to water may
not only shed some light, but
also shred some fat. The process
of uid balance has to do with a
pretty cool system known as the
renin-angiotensin-aldosterone
system, which is directly responsible for maintaining sodium and

REST (SEC.)

12

7590

12

6075

Neutral-grip Pulldown

12

6075

One-arm Dumbbell
Row

12

7590

Straight-arm Pulldown

12

6075

Dumbbell Shrug

12

6075

Bentover Lateral Raise

12

7590

Barbell Curl

12

7590

Preacher Curl

12

7590

Seated Alternating
Dumbbell Curl

12

6075

20 min

DAY 2 LIGHT BACK,

TRAPS, BICEPS
Barbell Curl

potassium levels and controlling

your anti-diuretic hormone.
Contrary to popular belief,
taking in more salt (sodium,
whatever) doesnt cause water
retentionunless your body needs
it. You store water both in the cells
(intracellular) and out of the cells
(extracellular). Fluid transfer back
and forth across the cells has to do
with pressures and concentrations
in response to sodium, potassium,
and uid levels. If anything is out of
whack, the body will compensate.
If youre very low on water and
consume salt, the diference in
pressure and volume between
muscle and skin will cause water
to be held up. If timed properly
(a sodium load for example), the
sodium and water will rush into

the muscle and ll it. Sometime

thereafter it will adjust, pouring
out of the muscles and lling in
the open spaces.
Interestingly (and unbeknownst to most), if youre
properly hydrated, you could
actually eat a ton of salt and not
hold any additional water. Why?
The aldosterone part of this
balancing system will ensure that
the salt is removed, sent to your
kidneys, and ltered out in your
urine. If you consume more water
than you should, your body has to
continually reset itself and determine where to put water. Thus, the
need to keep salt intake low when
consuming large volumes of liquid
becomes importantand boring,
as food tastes better with salt.

$)3*4-6/%

Possibly the hardest thing for

anyone to do is to become
ultradry like the Sahara without
becoming sinewy like beef jerky.
Strategies to deplete, replete,
load, and deload have been employed for decades, but timing
has often been the culprit of the
awless-turned-at physique.
Rather than sucking in gallons
of water every day and trying to
rapidly remove it a day or two
before competition, consider trying to remove water over weeks,
not days. While its not a perfect
science, when slowly dropping
of your water intake, your body

REPS

Wide-grip Lat Pulldown

HIIT Cardio

DRYING OUT
WITHOUT
DEHYDRATING

SETS

THE WATERREDUCTION
METHOD
As you begin to lean out, your
body needs less water than
it did before. If you lean out
slowly, and slowly decrease the
water you take in, your body will
slowly compensate, making you
need less water overall.
When you deplete extracellular water very quickly, you pull
intracellular water along with it,
attening out your muscles as

By slowly reducing your

water intake over time, your body
adjusts the amount of water
needed between cells
and allows the muscles to hold on
to more of it. Then when it comes
time to deplete, the amount of
exchange is small and easy to
manage; and even if its mistimed, it shouldnt pose a major
problem with your physique.
Check out the suggested
water-reduction plan below.
You drop 612 oz of water each
day from your normal water
load and stay at that new lower
level for a full week, before taking your next drop.

SAMPLE 12-WEEK WATERREDUCTION PLAN

Week

Water/
Day
(oz)

Drop
Water
(oz)

Water
Per Day
(oz)

128

12

116

116

12

104

104

12

92

92

12

80

80

72

72

64

64

56

56

48

48

42

10

42

36

11

36

30

12

30

24

,&7*/)0350/

DAY 2 LIGHT BACK,

TRAPS, BICEPS
Neutral-grip Pulldown

you likely arent taking in liquid

against your losses. Over time,
the body will gure it out though
and replenish the missing stores.
If trying to time stage appearance, you really need to
know your body, as this is tricky
physiology. Thus, if your timing is
of, not only do you look at, you
look small and soft. If you can
time this perfectly, youll look

like a ne, chiseled diamond.

So when youre looking at
yourself in the mirror, although
youre doing everything correctly in your mind, your body
is saying otherwise, and you
continue to look at or bloated
or soft. Of course, your mind is
telling you to cut more and work
harder, when in fact quite the
opposite should be done.
In reality, your body is trying
to retain everything it can and
keep a normal uid balance
between intracellular and
extracellular space, so if you cut
water quickly, its pulled from
the muscle into the open space.
And this is one reason why you
continue to lose muscle mass as
you get closer to competition.

236

FLEX | JANUARY 14

MEET DAVE
Hes a perfect example of why we do what we do.
I didnt truly know how much tness would be involved in my life until my early 20s. I landed a job
with the United States Secret Service and worked for them approximately for four years, all the while
doing personal training part time on the side. That is when the real passion for training started.
I wanted to be interacting, teaching and living on my own terms. In 2009, I took that leap
of faith and ran with it and never looked back. I have been doing personal training at
Colosseum Gym in Columbia, Maryland. I am a nutrition coach, massage therapist,
and have appeared in commercials and discovery ID shows as well as the net ix series
House of Cards.
I have participated in numerous bodybuilding and tness shows over the years past and
am very proud of my accomplishments yet I still strive for more knowledge and selflearning. I enjoy coaching others on proper nutrition and training and eventually hope
to establish my own natural nutrition coaching practice within the next 3-5 years.
The ISSA has helped me establish my foundation as a certied tness trainer and a
tness nutrition specialist. I would strongly recommend the ISSA to anyone looking
to better themselves and further their tness and training careers wherever they
may take you!

Dave Shutler, ISSA CFT, SFN

shutlertness.com

Noel Daganta

The ISSA Your Trusted Source For Fitness Education Since 1988 ISSAs nationally
accredited distance education programs provide the education you need to become a Personal Trainer,
Elite Trainer, or Master Trainer. Take your certifcation courses even higher and earn an Associates
Degree in Exercise Science with an Emphasis in Personal Training. TA and GI Bill approved.

ACCREDITED PROGRAMS

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education to over 180,000 students
and trainers since 1988

Fitness Nutrition
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support to all of its students, even

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or visit ISSAex.com mention ex1401

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14_01

BUILD-BURN
CYCLES
Many shred programs do just that. They shred
you up to almost nothing salvageable by not
only leaning you out but also stripping you of
your hard-earned muscle. Simply dialing up
your intensity and speeding up your pace will
give your body a lesson in catabolism.
Fat burning, despite popular belief, is more
than just lowering calorie count and driving up
calories burned. By continually stripping, your
body begins to panic and then it conserves.
It begins to nd other sources of energy and
holds on to fat. The result is that you become
skinny fat. Now, most of you probably dont
have that problem, but youve seen those
people and the analogy does t. To prevent
muscle loss, you need to maintain enough
calories and continue to lift hard.
A good shredder program, like this one,
challenges you to build muscle through
strength moves at strength loads, sets, and
reps. The burn side of the cycle works on
speeding up the pace and the volume to help
torch your fat, get a great pump, and maintain
your size by alternating sessions between
light- and heavy-loading phases. Then, to
ensure that you become lean and hard, the
program alternates between low-threshold
true fat-burning endurance sessions and highintensity cardio killers.
Rather than trying to do everything in a
single session, or thwarting your own progress
by cannibalizing every set with cardio in
between, you address each component on
its own and allow for good, solid recovery between exercise sessions. Now, Im not suggesting that a fast-paced, intermittent weightcardio session is bad, Im simply providing an
alternative method for pushing the body hard
and rening your physique.

DAY 3: HEAVY LEGS

SETS

REPS

REST (SEC.)

10, 6

120

Squat

8, 6, 5, 5, 5

240300

Hack Squat

8, 6, 6, 5

180240

Warmup: Squat

Leg Press

8, 8, 6, 6

120150

Stif-leg Deadlift

8, 8, 6, 6

120150

Leg Extension

8, 6, 5, 5, 5

180

Leg Curl

8, 8, 6, 6

120150

Standing Calf Raise

8, 8, 6, 6

120150

Decline Weighted Situp

120150

12

120

Hanging Leg Raise

Low-Slow Cardio

238

30 min

FLEX | JANUARY 14

DAY 3 HEAVY LEGS

Squat

$)3*4-6/%

EXERCISE

CARDIO
CONTROVERSY
Slow and low or high and fast?
Sounds like a debate youd nd
at a barbecue cook-of! But its
been a controversial question
over the past decade or two, as
each method has proven successful for various people.
Some of the elite will swear
that cardio is way overratedIm
one of those (not elite, but of
the opinion that cardio is overrated). Others will suggest its as
essential as the meals you eat.
Truth is, were uncertain of which
is actually better, even though
both are very well understood in
terms of science.

The basic science suggests

that low-threshold training
is the true mechanism for fat
burning. Thats substantiated by
the term aerobic and the fact
that fat burns in the presence of
oxygen, which only makes it to
the exercising muscle when the
intensity is sufciently managed.
Great newsexcept that, while
fat is the primary source of fuel,
the overall calorie burn is far less
per minute of work.
Which means, for high-calorie
burning at low threshold, youd
better be prepared to make a
long and boring commitment.

DAY 4 LIGHT CHEST,

SHOULDERS, TRICEPS
Cardio
Cable Lateral Raise

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

REST (SEC.)

Warmup: Flat
Dumbbell Press

10, 6

120

Flat Dumbbell
Press

12

7590

Incline Barbell
Press

12

6075

Incline
Dumbbell Flye

12

6075

Dumbbell Press

12

7590

Cable Lateral
Raise

12

6075

Cable Front Raise

12

6075

Skull Crusher

12

7590

Triceps Rope
Pushdown

12

6075

HIIT Cardio

20 min

240

FLEX | JANUARY 14

+"40/#3&&;&1"7&-:5)+"--

DAY 4: LIGHT CHEST, SHOULDERS, TRICEPS

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slice of cheesecake through lowintensity exercise unless youre

prepared to spend several hours
walking it of.
Rather than ascribing to a
single method, I suggest using
both. For high-intensity cardio,
do 2030 minutes of interval
training with 1530-second
bouts of all-out energy followed
by 30 seconds to a minute of
either rest or very low-intensity
exercise.
For the low- and slow-fatburning routine, do 3045
minutes at no more than 60%
of your heart-rate maxwhich
means a sub-140 bpm heart rate
(and for those in your late 30s
and beyond, stay below 130, even
120). Choose your favorite cardio
device and alternate each day in
opposition to your weightsso,
low intensity on the heavystrength days and high intensity
on the lighter-volume days.
And for best results, do your
cardio at a diferent time from
your workout.

DAY 4 LIGHT CHEST,

SHOULDERS, TRICEPS
Triceps Rope Pushdown
Incline Barbell Press

$)3*4-6/%

On the other side, the

anaerobic method proves its
calorie per minute worthiness
by the fact that higher-intensity
exercise requires faster and more
forceful contractions, meaning that energy is used more
rapidly. However, the fuel from
which this energy is derived isnt
sourced from fat phosphagens,
as it cant burn well without that
oxygen in the muscle. Instead,
its delivered by sugars and in a
non-aerobic environment. And
so the debate argues whether
its better to burn fat or burn
calories. The best answer, of
course, isboth.
But, for most of us, this just
simply doesnt happen.
For those who like that feel of
sweating profusely, go for it, but
be aware that overdoing highintensity cardio will compete
against your strength and size
gains. For those who want to
strip the fat, go low and slow,
but be aware that you cant
meet the calorie demand of a

242

FLEX | JANUARY 14

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DAY 5: HEAVY BACK,

TRAPS, BICEPS
EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

REST (SEC.)

Warmup:
Bentover
Row

10, 6

120

Bentover
Row

8, 6, 5,
5, 5

240300

Chinup
(palms
facing in)

8, 6,
6, 5

180240

Lat
Pulldown

8, 8,
6, 6

120150

Seated
Cable Row

8, 8,
6, 6

120150

T-bar
Row

8, 6, 5,
5, 5

180

Bentover
Lateral
Raise

8, 8,
6, 6

120150

Barbell
Curl

8, 8,
6, 6

120150

Preacher
Curl

120150

CUTTING
CALORIES
Obviously, any shredder program
needs a diet to match. Of course,
to completely build out your diet
within this article is a bit of an
impossibility, but sufce it to say,
keep to lean proteins, enjoy brous veggies in excess, dont eat
fast sugars later in the day, and
avoid anything that tastes good.
Okay, maybe not that extreme.
One thing I always suggest
again, contrary to the larger
thought streamis to keep
carbohydrate sources high rather
than low. Ive heard of people
doing fewer than 60 grams of
carbs a day. I surpass that in
breakfast alone. Your body needs
the fuel. Your mind needs the energy. Your sanity needs the sugar
rush. When your body is starved
of it, it will try to store what you
give it. Instead, keep carb sources

244

FLEX | JANUARY 14

up, and your body will learn to

process them properly.
Of course, its not that easy.
First, dont go crazy. Second,
keep fast-sugar consumption to
a minimum, except around your
workouts or in the morning. And
third, complement your meals
with carbsdont sit down to a
carb-only snack unless its less
than 100 calories.
But dialing in your tolerance,
and determining how many
calories you need daily, is not
a one-size-ts-all equation. In
fact, most people underdo their
calories, which is why their energy
levels drop and muscle mass
dwindles. If youre new to the cutting game, practice cycling your
calories and food well out from
competition to better understand
how your body will react.

30
min.

DAY 5 HEAVY BACK,

TRAPS, BICEPS
Bentover Row
Seated Cable Row

,&7*/)0350/$)3*4-6/%

Low-Slow
Cardio

THE PROGRAM
The program alternates
between high and low intensity
with both the weights and the
cardio. If possible, you want to
perform cardio at a separate
time; but if you have to do them
together, start your training sessions with the weights.
Use a strength-training regime
for the heavy days, performing
sets of no more than 8 reps, and
provide plenty of rest between
those sets. On the volumeoriented, faster-paced days, stick
to 12-rep sets and keep your rest
at less than 90 seconds. If you
substitute exercises, make sure
to cover all the angles when it
comes to pushing and pulling. In
other words, dont do a barbell
bench, machine bench, and
dumbbell bench. Instead, mix it
up as our program does.
Alternating your training

stimulus has been shown to

provide a balanced approach
to building both strength and
size or strength and speed. If we
apply that science to getting
cut, in theory, it should work. But
like all great ideas, and whether
theres good science or not, my
quest to dene the art in the
science ensures this program will
help you as it has been put to the
ultimate testpractice.
Make sure you hit your strength
training hard and provide enough
time to get the rest you need.
Then make sure not to skimp on
volume on your so-called lighter
days. Theyre not easier, they just
use lighter weightsdont confuse the two. Be sure to alternate
days of strength and volume, and
if you need to adjust the program,
at least stay on the alternating
workouts.

DAY 6 LIGHT LEGS

Standing Calf Raise
Leg Extension

DAY 6: LIGHT LEGS

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

REST (SEC.)

Warmup: Squat

10, 6

120

Squat

12

7590

Stepup with Dumbbell

12

6075

Smith Machine Lunge

12

6075

Leg Press

12

7590

Leg Extension

12

6075

Leg Curl

12

6075

Standing Calf Raise

12

7590

Rope Crunch

12

6075

Decline Situp

12

6075

HIIT Cardio*

20 min.

1"7&-:5)+"--

* If too burnt, do cardio on of day.

246

FLEX | JANUARY 14

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FINAL
WORDS

The best way to get shredded is to not let your body get too far away
from your competition physique. For those not competing, that still
holds true. Dont let yourself get fat. But when youre looking to chisel
out an award-winning physique and can give yourself a full month or
more, hit this program hard and ride the road to riptitude. FLEX

1"7&-:5)+"--

DAY 6 LIGHT LEGS

Rope Crunch

248

FLEX | JANUARY 14

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FLEX 2013 Editorial Survey

Hello, readers. We want to hear from you! Tell us how were doing.
Take a few minutes to complete this survey and return it to us at
FLEX Survey, 4 New York Plaza, 2nd Fl., Attn. DF, New York, NY
10004, or take it online at FLEXonline.com/2013magazinesurvey.
Well randomly choose one name from the completed surveys
to receive a $250 Amex gif card. Five others will get $50
Amex cards.
FOLD HERE

1. How do you usually obtain your copy?

Subscribe

Buy at newsstand or store

Digital copy

Other

2A. How much did the cover inuence your decision to purchase this issue?
A lot
Somewhat

Not very much

Not at all

2B. How appealing to you is the cover?

Very

Not very appealing

Not appealing at all

Somewhat

3. Please indicate your three favorite and least favorite sections/departments:

Favorite

King Khan Unleashed

Extreme Muscle
Hard Times
Westside Rules
Advanced Bodybuilding
Get Ready
Lif Strong
Gym Bag
Big Ass Mass
Advanced Nutrition
Hardcore Nutrition
Advanced Supplementation
Ask the U.K. Guru
The Diet Doc

NPC Reports
Events
The Shot

4. Which Weider athletes are your favorites? (pick 3)

Kai Greene

Phil Heath
Fouad Abiad
Roelly Winklaar

Least Favorite

Mamdouh Elssbiay
Frank McGrath

Flex Lewis
Erik Fankhouser
Branden Ray

Shawn Rhoden

Nutrition

Supplementation

FOLD HERE

5. What do you enjoy the most about FLEX magazine?

Pictures
Training

Athlete Q & As
Contest prep

6. Are you a competitive bodybuilder?

Yes

No

7. Do you read FLEX for inspiring pictures or feature articles?

Pictures
Articles

Both

8. Do the bikini models positively inuence your choice of purchasing the magazine?
9. Did you purchase the last issue of FLEX?

Yes

Yes

No

No
FLEXonline.com

253

PLACE
STAMP
HERE

FLEX SURVEY

Attn: DF
4 New York Plaza, 2nd Fl.
New York, NY 10004

FOLD HERE

10. If you didnt purchase the last issue, why?

Nothing on the cover interested me
Went to magazines website instead

Bought another magazine instead

Just decided to skip an issue

Didnt like the cover model

Other

DIGITAL INFORMATION:
11. Which devices do you use to visit FLEXonline.com?
PC
Smartphone

iPad

Other

12. Do you follow FLEX magazine on any of these social media sites?
Facebook
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13. How much time do you spend on social media sites per day?
Less than 15 minutes
1530 minutes
More than 2 hours
14. How would you prefer to see FLEX articles?
Printed version
Regular Facebook posts with key stories and events

3059 minutes

Monthly newsletter
Regular tweets with links to relevant content

12 hours

Mobile app for smartphone

15. What kind of improvements would you like to see on FLEXonline.com?

Better graphic design and layout
More pictures
More up-to-date news stories
More prole stories on FLEX athletes
Integrated social media (Facebook and Twitter feeds)

Improved navigation
Other

16. Whats the main reason you visit FLEXonline?

Contest coverage
Training and nutrition articles

Photos
Other

Videos
Discussion forum

FOLD HERE

17. What other content would you like to see on FLEXonline?

Proles of non-Weider athletes
More training videos
18. Are you:

Male

19. Which best describes your age?

Under 18
1820

Coverage of amateur athletes

Female

2124

20. Are you:

Single (never married)

2534
Married

3544

4554

$49,999

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$124,999

22. Contact Info:

Name:
Address:
City:
E-mail:
Phone:

254

State:

FLEX | JANUARY 14

5564

65 or older

Widowed/Divorced/Separated

21. Which best describes the total combined annual income for all working members of your household?
Under $25,000
$25,000
$35,000
$50,000
$75,000
$100,000
$34,999

Other

Zip:

$125,000
$149,999

$150,000
or more

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READERS MARKET

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www.pharmapro.net

DIAL TOLL-FREE 24 HOURS/7 DAYS 1-877-674-8470

Canadian Orders Dial 1-800-241-5087

ARMY NAVY AIR FORCE MARINES

We ship to all APO/FPO addresses

FAST SHIPPING

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PHARMAPRO RUSH ORDER FORM

FAST SHIPPING

Name:_____________________________________________________________________ E-mail Address:_________________________________ Phone:_________________________________

Address:________________________________________________________________________________ City,State,Zip:_____________________________________________________________
Product

Payment method (check one): T Money Order T Check T Credit Card

Units Ordered

Units Free

Sub Total
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Grand Total

Total
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CC#______________________________________________________________________________ Exp:____________________
Signature_________________________________________________________________________________________________

T Shipping via Parcel Post (5-7 Days) $9.95

This Service is Free with all Buy 2 Get 1 Free ofers

T Priority Mail ( 2-3 Day Service) $12.95

Note: Domestic Rates apply for Military
orders shipped to APO/FPO addresses.

SEND MAIL ORDERS TO:

PharmaPro Inc.

Dept. 101
1730 S. Federal Hwy., Unit #270
Delray Beach, FL 33483-3309

IFBB PRO LEAGUE

FEBRUARY
1

LEGENDS PRO BIKINI CLASSIC

Las Vegas, NV. Contact Jon Lindsay, (866) 3703011, musclecontest.com.
28/1 ARNOLD CLASSIC BODYBUILDING, FITNESS,
FIGURE, AND BIKINI
Columbus, OH. Contact James Lorimer,
(614) 431-2600, slorenz@arnoldexpo.com,
arnoldsportsfestival.com.

MARCH
7/8

15

29

AUSTRALIA PRO GRAND PRIX XIV

BODYBUILDING, FIGURE, AND BIKINI
Melbourne, Australia. Contact Tony Doherty, (613)
9388-0866, promuscle@dohertysgym.com,
dohertysgym.com.
ST. LOUIS PRO FIGURE, BIKINI, AND
WOMENS PHYSIQUE
St. Louis, MO. Contact Jack Titone, (314) 686-3828,
titonej@aol.com, npcmidwest.com.
MUSCLECONTEST.COM PRO BIKINI
Culver City, CA. Contact Jon Lindsay, (866) 3703011, musclecontest.com.
NEW ZEALAND PRO 212 AND BIKINI
Auckland, New Zealand. Contact
Moes Elmoussawi, (642) 156-7212,
moesmuscle@yahoo.com.
CALIFORNIA GOVERNORS CUP PRO FIGURE
AND MASTERS FIGURE
Sacramento, CA. Contact Ted Williamson/John
Tuman, tedwm@aol.com/bbspy@aol.com.

APRIL
11/12 EUROPA SHOW OF CHAMPIONS
BODYBUILDING, PHYSIQUE, AND BIKINI
Orlando, FL. Contact Ed & Betty Pariso,
(817) 498-3631, bettypariso@aol.com,
europagamesexpo.com.
12
PRO GRAND PRIX PHYSIQUE
Culver City, CA. Contact Jon Lindsay, (866) 3703011, musclecontest.com.
25
EMERALD CUP PRO FIGURE AND WOMENS
PHYSIQUE
Bellevue, WA. Contact Brad & Elaine Craig, (425)
949-7320, emeraldcup@aol.com.
25/26ARNOLD CLASSIC BRASIL BODYBUILDING
AND WOMENS FITNESS
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Contact Rafael Santonja/
Robert Lorimer, arnoldclassicbrasil.com.
28/29 BATTLE ON THE BEACH PRO BIKINI AND
MASTERS BIKINI
Fort Lauderdale, FL. Contact Shannon Dey,
sales.npcflorida@gmail.com,
npcbattleonthebeach.com.

NPC NATIONAL
MAY
24

PITTSBURGH PRO MENS PHYSIQUE AND

FIGURE, BIKINI

JUNIOR USA BODYBUILDING, FITNESS,

FIGURE, BIKINI, AND PHYSIQUE
Charleston, SC. Contact Tres Bennett, (843) 2704373, tresb@comcast.net, npcjrusa.com.

NPC LOCAL AND REGIONAL

JANUARY
25

IRON MAN MAGAZINE NATURALLY

BODYBUILDING, FIGURE, BIKINI, AND
PHYSIQUE
Los Angeles, CA. Contact John Balik/Lonnie Teper,
(626) 665-7000.

FEBRUARY
1

MAY
3

Pittsburgh, PA. Contact Jim Manion, (412) 2765027, npcfirst@aol.com.

3/4 MOZOLANI PRO CLASSIC 212 AND FIGURE
Zilina, Slovakia. Contact Andrej & Anna Mozolani,
nutrition@mozolani.com, mozolani.com/classic.
9/10 EUROPA DALLAS BODYBUILDING, 212,
PHYSIQUE, FIGURE, AND BIKINI
Dallas, TX. Contact Ed & Betty Pariso,
(817) 498-3631, bettypariso@aol.com,
europagamesexpo.com.
16/17 BODYPOWER PRO 212 AND FIGURE
Birmingham, UK. Contact Ollie Upton,
01926-485423, o.upton@bodypower.tv,
bodypowerexpo.co.uk.
17
NEW YORK PRO BODYBUILDING, 212,
PHYSIQUE, FIGURE, AND BIKINI
New York, NY. Contact Steve Weinberger, (516)
933-1111, info@bevfrancis.com.
24
CALIFORNIA PRO FIGURE
Culver City, CA. Contact Jon Lindsay, (866) 3703011, musclecontest.com.
OPTIMUM CLASSIC PRO WOMENS
PHYSIQUE
Shreveport, LA. Contact Robert Blount, (318) 3472208, bfitforlife@aol.com.
30/31 TORONTO PRO SUPERSHOW MENS AND
WOMENS BODYBUILDING, 212, MENS
PHYSIQUE, FIGURE, AND BIKINI
Toronto, Canada. Contact Ron Hache,
(705) 561-0775, ronhache@unitz.ca,
torontoprosupershow.com.
31
DENNIS JAMES CLASSIC BIKINI
Phoenix, AZ. Contact Dennis James,
(602) 363-0149.
MILE HIGH PRO PHYSIQUE
Denver, CO. Contact Jeff Taylor, (303) 668-8578,
jtnpc@comcast.net.

LEGENDS CLASSIC BODYBUILDING, FIGURE,

BIKINI, AND PHYSIQUE*
South Las Vegas, NV. Contact Jon Lindsay, (310)
796-9181, musclecontest.com.

15

GOLD COAST MUSCLE CLASSIC

BODYBUILDING, FIGURE, BIKINI, AND
PHYSIQUE*
Culver City, CA. Contact Jon Lindsay, (310) 7969181, musclecontest.com.
MUSCLE EVOLUTION BODYBUILDING,
FIGURE, BIKINI, AND PHYSIQUE*
San Jose, CA. Contact Steve OBrien/
George Jackson, (408) 384-9039,
musclesportproductions.com.
CAPSTONE CLASSIC BODYBUILDING,
FIGURE, BIKINI, AND PHYSIQUE*
San Diego, CA. Contact Jon Lindsay,
(310) 796-9181, musclecontest.com.

MARCH
8

MUSCLECONTEST.COM BODYBUILDING,
FIGURE, BIKINI, AND PHYSIQUE*
Culver City, CA. Contact Jon Lindsay, (310) 7969181, musclecontest.com.
15
SAN DIEGO BODYBUILDING, FIGURE, BIKINI,
AND PHYSIQUE*
San Diego, CA. Contact Jon Lindsay, (310) 796-9181,
musclecontest.com.
NATURAL OUTLAW BODYBUILDING,
FITNESS, FIGURE, BIKINI, AND PHYSIQUE
Tucson, AZ. Contact Miles Nuessle, (602) 326-3473,
npcmilesproductions.com.
21/22 NATURAL WESTERN USA BODYBUILDING,
FITNESS, FIGURE, BIKINI, AND PHYSIQUE*
Mesa, AZ. Contact Miles Nuessle, (602) 326-3473,
npcmilesproductions.com.
22
UPPER MIDWEST BODYBUILDING, FIGURE,
BIKINI, AND PHYSIQUE*
Fargo, ND. Contact Thomas Kemper, (701) 3677597, info@npcuppermidwest.com.
COMPLETE NUTRITION BODYBUILDING,
FITNESS, FIGURE, AND PHYSIQUE*
West Valley City, UT. Contact Steve Schmall,
(801) 687-6409.
28/29 CALIFORNIA GOVERNORS CUP
BODYBUILDING, FIGURE, BIKINI,
AND PHYSIQUE*
Sacramento, CA. Contact Ted Williamson/
Hany Rambod/John Tuman, (209) 480-1798,
spectrumfitnessproductions.com.
29
NATURAL OHIO OPEN DRUG-TESTED
BODYBUILDING, FIGURE, BIKINI, AND
PHYSIQUE*
Lakewood, OH. Contact Dave Liberman/Todd
Pember, (440) 984-2762, daveliberman.com.
(A Team Universe qualifier.)

APRIL
5

GOPHER STATE CLASSIC BODYBUILDING,

FIGURE, BIKINI, AND PHYSIQUE*
Eden Prairie, MN. Contact Christine
Bongiovanni, (952) 945-9090,
christine@christinebongiovanni.com.

*A national qualifier event

Q For additional local event listings, information on entering these contests, and more,
go to npcnewsonline.com and ifbbpro.com.

FLEX (ISSN 8750-8915) Vol. 31 No. 1 is published monthly by Weider Publications, LLC, a division of American Media, Inc., 4 New York Plaza, 4th Fl, New York, NY 10004. Periodical Rates Postage
Paid at the New York, NY Post Ofce and at additional Mailing ofces. Copyright Weider Publications, LLC 2013. All rights reserved. Canada Post International Publications Mail Sale Agreement
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262

FLEX | JANUARY 14

50 Sports Q 18,000 Athletes Q Fitness EXPO

Nations Largest Multi-Sport Festival

Feb. 27 - March 2, 2014

Columbus, Ohio USA

arnoldsportsfestival.com

2013 CLASSIC PRODUCTIONS INC

BLEED FOR IT

,&7*/)0350/

Q Nothing could stop him. Not the

pressure to win. Not the guys trying to
dethrone him. So a little thing like a
nosebleed, a by-product of squatting
585 pounds for 10 reps, didnt register
a blink of an eye to then-reigning Mr.
Olympia Ronnie Coleman. This real-time
workout by senior writer Greg Merritt,
shot exactly four weeks before Coleman
won his eighth Sandow at the 2005
Mr. Olympia (tying Lee Haney for most
Mr. Olympias), showed why, and how,
the Texas policeman turned greatest
bodybuilder of his generation ruled his
kingdom for nearly a decade. With a
piece of toilet paper to stanch the blood
ow, Coleman went about nishing his
workout, which included leg presses
(1,910 pounds), walking lunges, leg
extensions, standing one-leg curls, and
lying leg curls, all in nearly triple-digit
heat. FLEX

264

FLEX | JANUARY 14

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