How power couple hit the States to compete at the same pro show
A COUPLE who met through the bodybuilding circuit have just placed fourth in the same pro contest in Chicago.
Carly Thornton and Llewellyn Davies have been together three years and are one of the few competitive couples in the UK.
CENTRE STAGE: Davies looking shape in the centre with an abs and thigh pose at the Chicago Pro
Davies was making his pro debut, having secured his IFBB Pro Card in November at the NPC European Masters in Milan. Davies won the Classic Physique class In Italy with great flowing lines and a beaming smile.
At the Chicago Pro, Davies managed a respectable fourth place in a category of eight.
Thornton, a wellness competitor who has competed in the Masters Olympia, also took fourth place in a category of five.
Ahead of the competition she said on social media: "Power meets power and we take on the world."
And in a personal message to her partner, Thornton added: "Just under nine months ago you won your IFBB Pro status
"When we met we made a pack that we would push one another to excel
"The memories, the dreams, the goals, the experiences we have shared for the past three years has been astronomical. This is what truly living life to the fullest feels like.
"Today is the day you do your IFBB Pro debut at one of the biggest shows in the world. And you walk out there with Llewy D energy, vibes and personality. This is YOUR MOMENT and you are going to blow them away.
"This is YOUR moment to enjoy the mixed emotions that come with it and say “I AM F@CKING PROUD OF ME”.
"A man who strives for greatness.
"A man who over comes challenges.
"A man who is born to bring energy to everyone he meets.
"Go and DO what LLEWY D does."
Following his fourth-place finish, Davies said: So yesterday we ACHIEVED one of the most memorable moments in my sporting career.
"A fourth-place finish among nine other champions all of which were incredible athletes deserving of their accolades.
"It’s officially hit home after watching the footage back this morning with @carlythorntonofficial that I have a VERY bright future in this sport. Holding centre stage throughout most of the comparisons to be moved at the end.
"The crowd went wild during my routine and the amount of people who congratulated me post show on my stage presence and energy was very surreal.
"Now we know exactly what’s needed and it’s nothing drastic just some more tissue and we will be winning shows at the highest level.
"From the bottom of my heart I want to dedicate my debut to my wife to be as she made the vision come to reality, at home and in the gym. Her belief in me and constant focus on our progress as a couple is what makes this journey so rewarding.
"My coach @calum_teamprocoach absolutely nailed this prep from start to finish and was up at all hours for the last 10 days straight checking me in five times per day and changing things as needed. Even sending me zoomed in pics of my dieted face.
"Now it’s time to grow with no remorse – 125kg here we come."
The pair are just two of six UK athletes competing at the Chicago Pro. Deke Walker, Rob Thurston, Barbara Kiss and Romana Skotzen are also in the US.
UKBFF falsely claim there is no route to IFBB Elite Pro show Night of Champions via the BPA – only through them
THE UKBFF are under fire over claims the only way to qualify for IFBB Elite Pro show the Night of Champions is via their federation.
The UKBFF's media spokesman Tony Naddeo published a video claiming reports the BPA were offering a route for amateurs to compete at the Night of Champions was false. He says only the UKBFF are allowed to offer IFBB Elite Pro cards.
The UKBFF do indeed award IFBB Elite Pro cards. But this year the BPA are offering several chances to compete at the IFBB Elite Pro show, Night of Champions.
Naddeo also claimed that such social media chat and internet reports were not true. The UKBFF then used their own version of the Night of Champions poster, removing references to the current promotors.
Dr Waqaas Mohammed [Dr Vic], joint promotor of the Night of Champions, hit back in his own video. In it, Dr Vic says he has "no affiliation" with the UKBFF. Dr Vic also states that he "does not like the way the UKBFF treats their athletes". Frontdouble.com has contacted the UKBFF for their response on these claims.
Frontdouble.com reported on June 13 that the BPA were offering two chances for amateurs to compete at Night of Champions. We reported: "The BPA has partnered with Dr Vic and are offering two routes to become an IFBB Elite Pro.
"On October 25 and 26 at the Thistle Hotel, Heathrow, the federation will host the BPA Dr Vic Supershow. It boasts a £20,000 prize fund and offers invitations to compete in the IFBB Elite Pro Night of Champions. The competition will be held in the same venue that evening.
Naddeo claims this is false. He said: "The UKBFF and the IFBB Elite Pro are the only ones allowed to give out pro cards. Whatever you read on social media, whatever you read on the internet, doesn't necessarily make it true."
The UKBFF has also been contacted to clarify these claims.
The UKBFF has also published on social media that their officials are welcome at the Night of Champions. They used doctored imagery to make a social media post, which suggested the pro show was their event.
According to promotors of this year's Night of Champions, this is not true. The promotors have written to the UKBFF asking for these posts to be removed. The UKBFF subsequently removed that element of their post.
The full video from Naddeo and Dr Vic's response can be viewed below:
The promotors have also requested removal of all UKBFF videos making such claims. As of Monday, July 15, those videos are still live.
The Core Fundamentals, with frontdouble's Men's Physique columnist Adam Nugent
THE saying ‘abs are made in the kitchen’ is a little misleading. Abs are ‘revealed’ in the kitchen, but they are built through well-targeted exercise and the ability to brace during those tortuous heavy lifts.
When we think about the midsection, or core, in bodybuilding terms, the primary thought is of course what we see on the outside. Think about when you are on stage and how much space your midsection takes up in your overall physique. Then you’ll understand why a strong midsection can play a significant role in your success at the show. Not just for having the better abs, but a sharp set of abs can catch the judges eyes in deeper line ups where others may be missed.
I’ve always trained my abs in the growing phase and during prep, with the same focus as any other body part. So it’s time for me to share my ‘must do’s’ when it comes to training the midsection.
Higher reps – Your abs are accustomed to a much higher amount of work than most other body parts, due to being utilised in nearly every movement we perform throughout the day. While the load may be minimal, this constant use of the midsection means they can take much more volume. I personally aim for anywhere from 10 to 30 reps depending on the exercise.
Keep it simple – you may see some fancy reverse-banded upside down rubbish on social media, but your abs aren’t complicated. Choose a few of the old fashioned favourites such as hanging leg raises, decline sit ups, crunches and cable wood chops and make every set count.
Conscious bracing – while this isn’t strictly an exercise, focusing on bracing during your resistance exercises will make it much easier to keep your abs contracted on stage when you’re hitting your poses. This also applies when training the abs. It can be very easy to let the hip flexors take over, especially when the abs are fatigued, so when you stop feeling the abs working – stop!
Here is an example of my abs workout I used in my last prep. I repeat this workout twice a week:
Hanging Leg Raises – 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps. *If you can’t quite hit the number of reps on hanging leg raises, supplement these with lying leg raises. Decline Sit Ups – 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps (or failure). *The level of decline you choose will dictate the difficulty of the movement. Start with the bench around 45 degrees and this should help to develop the lower section of the abs. Cable Wood Chops – 2 sets of 15 to 20 reps per side. *Set the cable high and focus on the opposing side of your abs. Don’t over rotate.
If you are competing and you’ve reached a level of condition to be proud of, the last task is to make sure you are peaked right to maximise the detail in the midsection.
Strom Sports Nutrition PeakMax is my go-to peaking supplement for every show I do. It adds the finishing touch to the weeks of hard work. I highly recommend it for anyone who competes. You can pick it up here.
In this latest video, Goold highlights the signs to look for when it is time to control that estrogen using an AI – aromatase inhibitor.
As Goold explains in his latest video, most of us know AIs as arimidex or aromasin. Some of us would include these in our cycles at moderate doses to control estrogen levels.
But, as he explains, the use of an AI should really be judged on an individual basis. While some of us might see estrogen climb with just a moderate amount of testosterone, others might not need anywhere near as much.
Some us can even control these levels with just a DHT derivative, such as primobolan, masteron or equipoise.
Watch his full exclusive video below:
Josh Goold is available for online coaching and can be contacted by clicking here.
PCA step up attempt to stop athletes who have competed before entering their First Timer events
THE PCA have decided to name and shame the athlete who broke first timer rules failing to tell them he had competed before.
Despite repeated warning from the organisation and the implementation of a signed declaration stating you are a genuine first timer, Yash Rupwani ignored of these and competed on June 30.
Initially he placed third in the Junior Men's Physique class. But he has since been stripped of this award and banned from ever competing with the PCA.
It is not the first time such an infringement has occurred. When asked by frontdouble.com on previous occasions which athletes needed to be removed from results, the PCA said: "I am afraid this is information we will not disclose. We have been in contact directly with all athletes affected."
Clearly frustrated with repeated behaviour, however, it now seems the PCA have chosen to name and shame guilty athletes.
On their social media account, the PCA said: "It has come to our attention that a participant in the PCA First Timers event on June 30, 2024 has been found to have previously competed.
"When registering online for a PCA First Timers contest, all athletes are required to complete a disclaimer and signed declaration confirming it will be their first time on stage.
"We can confirm that Yash Rupwani, initially awarded third place in the Juniors Men’s Physique category, has been disqualified and banned from all future PCA competitions.
"Any athletes whose placements were affected will be contacted to receive the appropriate trophy, medal and the recognition they rightfully deserve.
"We consistently emphasise throughout the season that we have a zero-tolerance policy regarding this matter.
"Unfortunately, it seems there will always be a small minority who enter first-timer contests dishonestly. Remember, if you cheat, you will be caught."
Frontdouble.com would like to get in touch with Rupwani – and his coach if he has one – to ask what their thinking and motivation was for competing in a first timer event.
The BPA will hand out invites to the overall winners of five categories in its British Championships on September 29. And the BPA will do the same for its Super Show on October 26.
It means at least 10 athletes will get the chance to compete at IFBB Elite Pro show, Night of Champions, held in the evening of the Super Show. Both will be held at the same venue – The Thistle Hotel at Heathrow.
Athletes will get one year to decide whether to accept their invitation to compete as a pro.
The BPA president Helen O'Reilly said: "We really, really want some UK competitors in the mix. We want everyone to feel they are worthy and it's not "out of their league".
"So it's a try before you buy sort of thing. You've won it [invitation to compete as a pro ], try it, continue as a pro or go back to amateur. Then within the year decide to be a pro or continue as an amateur."
The BPA believe this opportunity is the "best of both worlds" and is a win-win situation. An athlete will experience what it is like to compete on an IFBB pro stage. They can then decide later which path to take.
Categories the BPA make eligible for this opportunity include, Bodybuilding, Masters Bodybuilding. Bikini, Mens Physique and overall ladies [other than bikini].
Prize money will also be on offer at the BPA British Finals, the BPA Super Show and Night of Champions.
THIS season has seen many spectacular achievements already but perhaps none can match the debut campaign enjoyed by bikini athlete Christie Hands.
Having trained for nothing more than a photoshoot previously, Hands and her new husband, Danny, decided that 2024 was the year she was finally going to compete.
The pair had earmarked the 2Bros Hardbody Classic as her debut competition. But 10 days out, Hands decided she would try her luck at the PCA Universe. She is glad she did.
Hands, 28, not only won her class at the PCA Universe qualifier, she also won the overall. But it got better than that.
The next day, Hands, who is sponsored by Per4m Nutrition, again won her class at the PCA Universe – and again won the overall, winning with it her PCA pro card. Twenty-four hours earlier, remember, Hands was simply a first timer. She finished third in the pro line-up later that evening.
She then went on to win her classes at the Hardbody Classic and the Haider Mehdi Warrior's Cup last Saturday.
In an exclusive chat with frontdouble.com, Hands said: "I was completely overwhelmed. I was shocked. I could not believe it. Every single emotion in the world was absolutely obscene and you can see that from the reel I posted on instagram. I just dropped to the floor and just could not understand how anyone could ever think that I was better than any of those other athletes I was stood next to. They were all of an absolute insane calibre. I just could not get over it at all, still can't, still haven't processed it.
"I look at the profile we have got on the wall and I still cannot get my head around it. We have the swords, we have the medals, the trophies, the [PCA] pro card. I went on and made my pro debut and got third place and still cannot believe that myself. Madness."
A month on and Hands still cannot believe what she has been able to achieve.
She said: "To be honest, I haven't really processed anything. I haven't really had any time because I've almost had back-to-back shows. I did the PCA Universe qualifier and then I did the Universe. And the week after that was the 2Bros Hardbody Classic, so I did back-to-back peak weeks, which was very, very hectic. So I didn't have time to process anything.
"The look between PCA and 2Bros is a little bit different. So we had to attempt to soften out a little bit between those two shows. The Hardbody Classic, which was initially the first show I was going to do – originally I wasn't even going to do the PCA Universe, I only decided to do that 10 days out – my prep brain kicked in. I was a bit all over the place and I hadn't really processed anything. So I wasn't really all-in on that show if I'm honest with you.
"Also, softening out is something that is really difficult to get your head around, especially as a female. Putting a sparkly bikini on and strutting your stuff on stage is difficult as it is without having to gain a little bit of weight.
"So I wouldn't say I was more confident, but I went ahead and won both of my classes and just missed out on the overall. And that was because of my walk to the back. That was because I had put all of my effort and energy into my posing for my PCA because we had decided 10 days out that I was going to do that one. So I put all of my effort into practising posing for that and I did neglect my 2Bros posing.
"So the feedback from that show [2Bros] was to improve the walk to the back and to come in a little bit sharper, which is what we did for the Haider Mehdi last week. I haven't got my feedback for that yet, but I think I was a little bit too sharp when looking at the line-up. So you never know, bikini is very, very difficult to find that balance. And it always depends on who shows up on the day.
"But for both the Haider Mehdi and the Hardbody I did the Novice category and I also did the Open category and I won both of them. In the overall at the Hardbody, I think I came second or third. And same again for the Haider Mehdi. But they don't confirm that, it is just where you are stood in the line-up."
Hands was – and is – pretty relaxed, despite her new-found success. She appears to be very level-headed and comes across very well indeed.
She added: "Going into these shows, I was very, very relaxed. I had absolutely no expectations whatsoever. As a first timer, I just wanted to get up on stage and I wanted to fit in. I wanted to look like a bikini girl, that's all I ever wanted. I've been training for many, many years and it [competing] was kind of just like a bucket list thing for me really.
"I've done plenty of photoshoots during that time and have leaned out, but not to this level. And I just thought why not go for it. The stars have kind of aligned this year and that's kind of the point that we'd decided that this year was going to be the year. We had saved plenty of money and we'd moved ourselves down to Brighton to base ourselves closer to Braywick and Gatwick so we could fly to other competitions."
Now, however, there is just one more competition on the horizon for this season. That is, unless the temptation she discusses finally gets the better of her.
She said: "I am going to do the Portugal pro qualifier in two and a bit weeks. That will be where I am tapping out for this season. I have been dieting for a very, very long time, from October through to my wedding, which was in February. So I had a little bit of a diet break, then and had a little diet break over Christmas as well. And it wasn't too much of a heavy prep. It was a little bit more flexible, more of a lifestyle diet really in the initial stages.
"Then when we came back from the wedding, that's when we started the official prep for the competitions. It's going to be July when I finish [dieting], so I am going to have to tap out. I am very, very tempted by the PCA Worlds [in November]. But I want to see how I fare on the big stages in Portugal. But I will be tapping out because I think my husband might leave me afterwards! It's a lot of stress on the body, mind, the relationship. And it's time to get our life back as newlyweds."
UNDER THE MICROSCPE
Name: Christie Hands
Height: 169cm
Occupation: Online coach
At what age did you start bodybuilding and why?: 28 – this is my first season. I have trained for many years and did a few diet phases for photoshoots but never took it all the way to stage condition. I got married to my husband Danny Hands, who is an MP athlete and we decided that this year was going to be the year we put everything into bodybuilding. We live in the Isle of Man so we relocated to the UK for eight weeks to be in better gym environment. Closer to our coach, close to the shows so that we can attend more shows and also take part in more shows.
Competition titles: PCA Universe Qualifier – Bikini Tall – Winner PCA Universe Qualifier – Overall Bikini – Winner PCA Universe – Bikini Tall – Winner PCA Universe – Overall Bikini – Winner PCA Universe – Pro Card Win PCA Universe – Pro Debut – Second Place 2Bros/NPC – Hardbody Classic – Novice Class - Winner 2BrosPro/NPC – Hardbody Classic - Bikini Tall Class – Winner 2BrosPro/NPC – Hardbody Classic - Bikini Overall – Second Place. Haider Mehdi Warrior's Cup – Bikini Tall Class – Winner – Novice – Winner.
Hobbies: An obvious one! Training! I also enjoy a good bottle of whispering angel or Aperol spritz in the sunshine, or walks with coffee.
Current training routine: 10-day training split as provided by my coach.
What is your off-season diet like? I have never done a structured off season before.
What is your prep diet like? It differs for everyone so probably best not to go into too much details. But my food sources remain consistent throughout – carbs are all rice based, fats from either dark chocolate or beef mince and protein sources are from my sponsor Per4m. Or from either turkey mince or beef mince.
Favourite music: Quite varied, I couldn’t give you just a genre or type – I do love Lana Del Ray though.
Shoulder Down is the incredible story of Payette's life, revealing the agony of finding his dad dead when he was just five years old, to being told by his mum years later that he was, in fact, not his biological father. Payette was then told to leave home aged 16.
This is the final instalment of frontdouble.com's serialisation of Shoulder Down. It is our strong recommendation that all bodybuilders read a copy. It is raw, emotive, heart wrenching in its honesty and relatable.
Frontdouble.com has been in contact with Payette this week as he puts the final touches to his physique. He said: "I’m doing my best. Of course, though, there are some exceptional bodybuilders here. Winning at this level is extremely challenging."
As for his book, Payette added: "If the book teaches people to never quit and that it’s important to own your mistakes and be accountable, that’s all I could ask for."
AN EPIPHANY
"A strange thing began to occur within my wee brain during the year as I was training and prepping for my assault on the bodybuilding world. I was now 36 years old, the same age as my father when he took his own life.
"The competition would take place a couple of months before the anniversary of his death. Perhaps it was this realisation that was the impetus to start viewing the world and my own life in a different light. I had been carrying around so much rage and bitterness for years over his death and the circumstances of it.
"Instead of thinking of all the negative effects that the whole unfortunate incident had brought into my life, I started to think about what my life would have been like had my father lived. Certainly, over the years, I idealised him in my mind. He became almost a mythical being.
A cycle of depression and alcoholism
"In reality, he was a small average man who drank to excess. He was a good man. However, he certainly had his problems. Had he lived, my sisters and I would have been exposed to his growing alcoholism and escalating fights between my parents. My mother would have left him eventually and we would have been torn apart as a family in a different way. I would have certainly vilified my mother and would have no doubt followed in my dad's footsteps – a cycle of depression and severe alcoholism.
"His death, in its own way, caused me to find my own path. Right or wrong, it was my path and I was not simply becoming a carbon copy of him. I had broken the cycle. It forced me to strive to become stronger both mentally and physically. Even though I am still haunted to this day by the memory of his death, it was at 36 years old that I made peace with the fact that his death was not my fault. The other consolation was the knowledge that he indirectly passed away so that I could have a better life. If nothing else, I was an individual.
"The other change that occurred in my thought process was my feelings towards my mother. For years I harboured anger towards her. I was thinking more as a child than as a grown up. My mother had a very difficult situation to deal with. Now that I was in a relationship with a woman who was a mother of a young boy, I began to see and understand how challenging parenting really was.
"Believe me, my sisters and I were no joy to be around. We fought constantly and we each had more than our share of problems and attitudes. My mother raised three of us by herself. With very little money or resources and not once did I ever hear her complain. We always had food in our stomachs. There were gifts on birthdays and Christmas.
"I started to remember the good that she did for me. It started to become increasingly important for me that I did something great, something different. Not just for myself but also I wanted my mother to feel like she raised someone who was a success. I wanted her to feel as though she was a success as well.
"For some reason, I believed that succeeding in bodybuilding could help me achieve these things. My focus became this. In many ways, I started to withdraw into myself, pulling way from everyone. That included Mandy [partner] and Kyle [her son]. Even though I loved them both dearly, my tunnel vision began to kick in. That kind of focus can be a great thing. Most successful people have it.
Bodybuilding can be incredibly selfish
"The other side of the proverbial coin is that it can cause a person to forget what is truly important in life. Bodybuilding, I was to find out first hand, can be an incredibly selfish endeavour. Many relationships do not survive when a husband or wife decides to compete. It is all-encompassing. It takes a very strong and well-balanced mind to keep what is truly important into perspective.
"To compete effectively, a bodybuilder must spend ridiculous amounts of money on food, supplements, drugs, tanning and, these days, coaching. Let's not forget the endless hours spent in the gym training, doing cardio and posing practice. The partners or spouses are often an afterthought. Yet the bodybuilder will want and demand total support from our partners while often ignoring their needs.
"We expect the world to stop and take notice. To respect our mood swings, lack of energy and often our constant need for reassurance that we are 'big enough' or 'lean enough'. To top it off, only a very small handful of competitors in the world make any serious money from competing – literally less than 10 in the world.
"Competing even at the novice level is emotionally and financially costly. It's not like playing softball or recreational ice hockey. Essentially we spend thousands of dollars to win a trophy in a 'sport' that goes largely ignored by the general public. The average person has no idea what even happens at a bodybuilding competition.
"In many regards, bodybuilding can be a beautiful life-transforming hobby that can increase self-esteem, strength and health. However, it can also, in many ways, be cult-like. Bodybuilders and people in the industry tend to stick together and exclude those on the 'outside'. After all, how could 'normal' people possibly understand what we go through? We feel they judge us unfairly, yet that is often what we do to them.
"We forget that the key to happiness in life is much more than having a good body. In fact, some of the most miserable people I have met in my life have bodies that resemble works of art. Nothing is ever good enough and depression is commonplace. This will often push a spouse or partner away and the bodybuilder will then find a person in the 'lifestyle' to partner with. That can end up being its own kind of nightmare."
Just a feeling of sadness after a bodybuilding competition
"One of the very real emotions that many competitors experience after a competition is one of sadness. You no longer have an immediate goal. Everything you have been doing for many months has been directed towards a competition. Once it's over, a huge dark cloud can descend over you as you think, 'Now what?'"
Federation's British finals and Supershow will award the chance to win Elite Pro card
THE British Physique Alliance (BPA) has partnered with Dr Waqaas Mohammed [Dr Vic] – and are offering two routes to become an IFBB Elite Pro.
On October 25 and 26 at the Thistle Hotel, Heathrow, London, the federation will host the BPA Dr Vic Supershow. It boasts a £20,000 prize fund and offers invitations to compete in the IFBB Elite Pro Night of Champions. The competition will be held in the same venue that evening.
BPA president Helen O'Reilly said: "The BPA is only in its second season. But we have been overwhelmed already by the positive reviews and comments from competitors, their families, friends and sponsors. This has inspired us to do even more to give back to the athletes.
"Dr Vic shares this vision. He aims to inspire young people not only in business, but also in health and fitness. An accomplished competitor himself, he experienced some serious failings in the many organisations running shows in the UK. He noticed the BPA was setting new standards of professionalism and care for the athletes. This matched his vision to build up the UK bodybuilding and fitness scene and leave a legacy."
An unbeatable partnership to host the IFBB Elite Pro show
O’Reilly has been involved in the bodybuilding and fitness scene for more than 30 years. A previous competitor with British, European and Miss Universe titles, also one of TV’s original Gladiators – Panther – she understands things from a competitor’s perspective.
O'Reilly has judged all over the world at European, World Championships, the Arnold Amateur and pro shows. She also promotes the Masters Allstars, Rising Stars and the English Grand Prix, which is now in its 10th year.
Dr Vic recognised her knowledge of the sport and how to run a show. He realised that, combined with his business skills and passion for the sport, they could form an unbeatable partnership.
The pair are also delighted to bring back the iconic Night of Champions. This will give athletes the chance to compete at the highest level in the UK as part of the IFBB Elite Pro organisation.
The event – with $37,500 prize money – is just the beginning of a new era in the UK. The promoters have other exciting plans for the future, including a fitness expo next year
This date and venue for this year’s contest were booked initially as an independent show. But discussions and meetings presented an opportunity to create a truly international event.
On the advice of the Elite Pro organisation, Dr Vic and O'Reilly have decided to hold three categories this first year: Bikini, Men’s Physique and Bodybuilding. They intend to add more categories next year.
The IFBB Elite Pro Night of Champions will be held in the Aviation Suite at the Thistle Hotel, Terminal 5 at Heathrow. This makes it ideal for those travelling from abroad and convenient for competitors in the UK.
The event will be held just two weeks after the Arnold Sports Festival Europe. So the promoters hope to see many world class pros take part.
Pros from Australia, Barbados, Germany, Spain, Eastern Europe and the UK have already registered their intent to compete.
SHOULDER DOWN: "My entire reality was destroyed..."
The story behind what is driving Masters athlete Todd Payette to the NABBA world title
ON Saturday frontdouble.com published the first of its serialisation of Todd Payette's book 'Shoulder Down'. Canadian Payette, 55, is now just four days out from the NABBA World Championships in Linz, Austria. Shoulder Down is like no other. Charting his life from a boy aged five, when he found his dad dead in the car, through a brutal upbringing and his current success.
Here, frontdouble.com continues its serialisation of Shoulder Down, after Saturday's instalment when we learned how a five-year-old Payette had found his dad one morning, slumped over the steering wheel of their Pontiac, having killed himself overnight.
"You see, you do have a dad..."
"I suppose in the long run knowing the truth is better than living your life with false realities. In this case, finding out the truth about my dad only confused me further about who I was.
"It was probably not much more than a year after my dad took his life that my mother started "seeing" someone. I still remember meeting "Neil" for the first time at my mum's pre-game meeting she held with us before he arrived. We were not to bug him and so on and that we better listen to her while he was visiting.
"Enter Neil. He was a big man, close to six feet tall and a solid 190lbs. Compared to my dad, he was massive. Andy [my dad] was only about five foot nine and 150lbs at the very most and that's being generous. Neil had a deep voice and I was pretty much in awe of him right away. Being kids and curious, we asked all kinds of questions of him. I'm pretty sure I was the biggest pain and asked the most.
"His answers were never serious. When I asked him where he lived, his answer was "in a treehouse" and so forth. Never a straight answer.
I will never forget that backhand...
"Neil never spent the night, ever, nor did he make any effort to connect with any of us. Any conversations we had were pretty brief. He was pretty intimidating, not mean or anything. He just didn't pay much attention to us. The pattern of Neil visiting went on for years and he became part of the routine of our household. Only once did I cross him in any way. I was arguing with my mum about something stupid and he gave me a warning to listen. I don't know what got into me other than I was pretty mad and didn't have much respect for him as he had never acted like he gave a damn about any of us. So I told him I didn't have to listen to him.
"The backhand across the head told me otherwise and it sent me sailing. "Don't ever talk back to me, boy," was all he said. I would never forget that backhand.
"Not long after that incident, my mum said she wanted to talk to me. I was 11 years old at the time. She asked me to sit down, took a deep breath and said: "Todd, what do you think of Neil?
"I wasn't sure what she meant. He had barely acknowledged my existence. What was I supposed to think of him? "He's OK I guess," was all I could come up with.
"She continued: "I have to tell you something about your dad. Andy was not your father. Neil is your biological father. I had an affair and I became pregnant as a result with you. After you were born, Andy and I tried to work things out. We stayed together and Tina [younger sister] was born. So you have a dad. Neil is your dad.
"Stunned does not even come close to describing what I felt at that moment. Then I felt the anger welling up. I started screaming at my mum for the first time in my life. I didn't care if she beat me.
"This knowledge did one thing for me at that point in my life. It destroyed my reality.
"For the next little while, when Neil would visit, I tried to bond with him. I tried calling him dad. My mum had told him I knew the truth. This did not bring him any closer to me on any level. He was there to see my mum. He did not have any interest in me whatsoever.
I blame myself for my dad's death
As I tried to process everything, I came to my conclusions. I now blamed myself for Andy's death, feeling that me being the son of another man must have torn him apart. I was his only "son", after all, born on his birthday and I wasn't really his. Yet he treated me amazingly.
"It did not make sense. In my mind, it was the main reason he killed himself. I'm sure I played a part. I figured I must be pretty useless. My own father that I saw every week, would barely talk to me. He never did anything with me, never tried to be a dad, despite my constant asking to spend time with him. I had started to think that mum hated me as well; after all, I was an accident, a bastard. I wasn't supposed to even be there. This newfound knowledge that I was supposed to be happy about made me feel worse than ever."
"How much do you think you are worth?"
AS much as the black and white world of athletics made sense to me, in my personal life, the real world was a complete and total disaster. Many who knew me from the age of 13 to 20 may have described me as arrogant and possibly conceited. What I actually was is as far away from arrogant as you could be. Anything I showed on the outside was complete and total self-preservation. As I stated earlier, my mum is a hero to me, dealing with everything she did as well as she did.
"That being said, after the age of 12, she had no idea what to do with me. Much of that was me being male. I think she harboured a certain distrust for all males on some level. My mum was simply at a loss with me. She could not understand how my mind functioned and why boys did the stupid things they did.
"Add in that I was starting to rebel, had all kinds of anger issues and started to test her. This was a recipe for disaster. I started to steal from her and sometimes from my older sister. To this day I am ashamed of this. My mum was running out of options with me.
"She went to her doctor and told him everything that was going on with me and how she didn't think she could handle me any more. I remember a few weeks earlier, there had been a fight between us. We were screaming at each other, not sure over what. The doctor asked how old I was [16] and offered her a solution. That evening when I came home from school, my mum called me from her bedroom.
"She said: "You can't live here any more. You're 16 now and that means, legally, I do not have to look after you. You have to leave.
"Stunned best describes my feeling upon hearing those words and I felt a new low. I figured I had been right all along. My own mother hated me.
"She then asked me the worst question I have ever been asked in my life. "I'm going to give you some money. How much do you think you are worth?"
I didn't want to leave... I was fighting back anger and tears
"It took me a lot of years to forgive her for that moment. I'm not even sure she knows why she asked it. Why was she being so cruel? Maybe it was easier for her that way. She was making her only son leave after all because her doctor said it was a good idea. I told her I didn't want to leave. I was fighting back the anger and tears all at once.
"When do I have to go," I asked. "Tonight," she replied.
"She asked again, how much do you think you are worth. It hurt worse hearing it the second time. My answer gives a pretty good indication of where I was emotionally and what I thought of myself.
"Quietly I mumbled, "I don't know, 50 bucks?" I remember thinking, she will never give me 50 bucks.
"He response shocked me. "I am giving you two thousand dollars. It is everything I was saving to help you with college one day. So now pack your bag and go. Make the best of it."
"No 'goodbye' or 'I wish you luck'. Certainly no 'I love you'."
Follow frontdouble.com this coming week for more excerpts from Payette's brilliant book Shoulder Down, as we chart his epic journey to the NABBA world championship in Austria.
In this latest video, Goold provides a clear and concise explanation on how to modulate estrogen while using an anabolic steroid cycle.
While many people believe it is best to use an aromatase inhibitor such as either arimidex or aromasin, Goold argues against this. Especially when trying to build muscle.
Bodybuilders do need some estrogen in order to grow but using an AI alongside some DHT derivates can end up crushing your estrogen. This is a bad thing.
Goold explains how compounds such as masteron or primobolan – often used in an anabolic steroid cycle to build muscle – can do this job very well without the need for an AI.
Watch his full, exclusive video below:
Josh Goold is available for online coaching and can be contacted by clicking here.
Shoulder Down: "I found my dad dead when I was just five years old"
How Masters athlete Todd Payette is bidding for the NABBA world title
WHEN he was five years old Todd Payette found his dad slumped over the wheel of his car. He had killed himself overnight.
One of three children, Canadian Payette was raised by a strict mum, who belittled his efforts to better himself, often calling him: “King shit of turd island.”
Should he achieve his lifelong dream, he may even treat himself to a Harley Davidson Sportster 1200. Just a week out from the competition, Payette told frontdouble.com: "It has been my goal to give 100 per cent to this contest prep. The hernia that had held me back has been repaired. No more pain, time to go all out.
"While it is my intention is to win, bodybuilding is subjective; the only thing you have control over is oneself. I have reached my goal in terms of giving 100 per cent. That in itself is a win. Life is short. Own it. Live it well and go all out."
In 2021, Payette wrote and had published a book about his trials and tribulations, called ‘Shoulder Down’.
Here, in the build up to that NABBA world championship in Austria, frontdouble.com is serialising parts of the book, starting today and continuing over the next few days. It is an incredible story.
"The moment they told me he was dead, the pain was immediate and intense..."
“When your father is an alcoholic, things were not all rainbows and sunshine. When we lived in an apartment, Linda [Todd’s sister] and I shared a room. I remember us looking at each other as our parents had awful fights. Both of us were terrified of the yelling. I would ask her to make it stop and she would motion for me to be quiet as we hid in our beds. It was scary. Sometimes things would get smashed. I hated it, hated the feeling of fear. The next day, nothing would be said and life would carry on.
“We eventually moved out of the apartment to a duplex in Elmwood, a tough blue-collar neighbourhood in Winnipeg, just across the river from the much tougher North End and on a busy street. We had a yard! With swings and a sandbox, to our delight. My dad had a garage for his car, which made him very happy. We had our own rooms and it was all very impressive to me. It seemed things were good for our little family.
“Sometimes dad didn’t come home. I suppose many of the fights my parents had were about him vanishing for a couple of days. We were not allowed in our parents room, especially early in the morning. I had a pretty good system for finding out if he had come home. I went to the garage. If the car was there, he was home, life was good. My little world made sense.
"Sometimes he came home in the wee hours of the night. I always woke up when this happened. I never was a good sleeper and have sleep issues to this day. We had a ritual for when he staggered in – I would greet him and tell him I was hungry. I always had two choices: milk and cookies or cereal. He would fix it up for me and sit with me until I was done. Then he would bring me back to bed and stumble off to his room with mum. He always did this. Every time, without fail, if I woke up.
"I called out to him, louder: "DADDY?!"
"Sometimes we would talk a little as I ate. Sometimes not. Just him and I. It was always apparent to me that he was at least a little drunk and sometimes a lot drunk. That did not matter to me. It didn’t scare me. It was our time together without my mum and, better yet, without my crying baby sister and without Linda, who I saw as the “perfect” child who never got into trouble. Just father and son.
“1974. It was a beautiful warm sunny Sunday morning. I was the only one awake and Linda was at church with a school friend. After a bit of cereal and some morning television, it was time for me to check the garage to see if dad was home. If he had come home in the night, I had slept through it as there had been no cereal or milk ritual.
“Our garage was a two-car garage with lots of room and had that familiar smell of oil and gas, as many garages do. As I approached the door, I noticed a sound coming from within. It was our car and it was running. The image took me by surprise. There was dad, slumped slightly to the left in our big blue Pontiac, door closed, window open, engine running. I remember an awful feeling as I called out weakly to him: “Dad?”
“No response.
“I opened the car door and climbed on his lap. Something was wrong. I called out to him again, louder: “DADDY?!”
“Nothing.
"It felt wrong to leave him but I had to get help"
“The fumes started to make me feel ill and something told me to turn off the car. I suppose watching every move my father made served me well, as I knew exactly how to do it. I wasn't feeling so good from the exhaust and I shudder to think what could have happened had I not turned it off.
“It felt wrong to leave him. I tried shaking him, calling to him, hugging him and turned on the radio loudly. I didn’t want to leave him. After several minutes and with great effort, I knew I had to get help and had to tell mum.
“I ran into the house full speed and burst into my parents’ bedroom. I was shaking and could barely get the words out. “Mummy, daddy is in the car, he’s asleep and he won’t wake up!”
“Everything that happened immediately after was a blue of sirens, fire trucks and an ambulance. To this day, I feel quite bad for the fighfighter who came to speak to me. He gently put his hand on my shoulder and quietly said to me: “Son, I am very sorry, your father had died”.
“The pain I felt in my stomach was immediate and intense. There was nothing I could say. I simply ran to my room and curled up on my bed and howled. The pain would not stop. I was screaming.”
Follow frontdouble.com this coming week for more excerpts from Payette's brilliant book, as we chart his epic journey to the NABBA world championship in Austria.
He returned to his job as a PE teacher at William Edwards School in Essex after the half-term this week. And the kids have given him a new name.
He said: "There has been the usual banter with the students about the fake tan etc! But they are also interested in how I’ve done. A few are now referring to me as Mr Britain not Mr Griggs!"
Griggs has a few more competitions up his sleeve for this season. But his main focus now will be his debut as a NABBA Pro at the iconic Mr Universe competition. That takes place at the Birmingham NEC on November 3.
Nine NABBA Pro cards were awarded in total across the British Finals on Saturday. Class 3 winner Adam Hickey also secured his, while taking the overall title. His victory came just a week after his class and overall triumph at the NABBA North West.
There were also NABBA Pro cards for Class 2 athlete Tim Rosiek, Classic Physique winner Gavin Morris, Over 45 Men's Physique Jason Bond, Bikini Open athlete Sophie Occleshaw, Over 35 bikini competitor Elaine Rea, Men's Physique athlete Jonathan Fan and Miss Trained Figure Layla Allen.
NABBA are now working towards reintroducing their Pro League. Class winners only were provided by NABBA and can be seen in our results section here.
Men's Physique athlete joins frontdouble.com as columnist
PREPPING for a bodybuilding show is easy, or at least the foundations of the prep are easy. The difficulty lies in the adherence to your plan and the self discipline required. But there are things you can put in place to reduce the want to venture outside of your plan.
So here are my three key tips to making your prep as easy as possible.
Food choices - Your food choice during prep should very closely replicate the foods you consume in the off season. By doing this, you’re taking away (or at least limiting) any stress of sacrificing foods you enjoy. Now this will of course be determined by how clean your off season food choices are too. Sticking with similar food choices also helps to prevent digestive stress that can occur with new foods, particularly if you require large quantities. A supplement I use regularly is Strom Sports Nutrition DigestMax (vanilla) to help with my digestion.
Meal Structure - Meal structure has always been important for me during my preps and especially helped when calories are low in the final weeks. What I mean by meal structure is to base your meals around your activity levels during the day. For example, if you train during the evening, with the majority of your output compacted into a small window, keep your meals smaller in the morning. This allows your meals to be larger surrounding your activity window. This isn’t strictly ‘science’, but your body will be in a much better position to utilise calories following a higher level of output. And it will also stop you feeling famished, helping with adherence.
Don’t be so bland - Now some people will disagree, but keeping your food exciting can be the difference between falling off the wagon and driving that wagon to success. Using herbs and spices, as well as low-calorie sauces (Tabasco, Sriracha, low-calorie Tomato Ketchup etc) gives your food that taste boost that can actually lead to improved digestion. Make sure you stick to sauces that are zero fat. Otherwise the calories will begin to compound and disrupt your progress. I run my sauces right up to peak week. If you produce a look you want to bring to the stage with the sauces in, why cut them out?
As an added extra, another tip that can be extremely beneficial for most athletes is to prep your meals ahead of time. Most of us don’t have the time to make every meal fresh. So batch-cooking your meals will take away the unnecessary stress of cooking four, five, six times a day. This will also help to free up more time to spend with your family and friends. Or keep up with other tasks you can’t afford to let slip while prepping for your show.
These are just a few of the ways you can improve adherence and make your prep much simpler. The main thing is to find a method that works for you and stick with it.
School teacher bids to go from classroom to Class 1 Mr Britain
THREE weeks ago PE teacher Matt Griggs was gearing up for a simple summer cut. Come Monday, however, he hopes to return to the classroom after the half-term break as Class 1 NABBA Mr Britain.
"It was the Tuesday before the Sunday of the show [NABBA South East]. Before that I didn’t have any clue I was going to compete, he says. "I thought about it overnight and decided to just do it and see how it goes. So by that Wednesday I'd signed up for it."
Griggs, from Thurrock in Essex, went on to win Class 1 and qualified for the NABBA British finals in Bradford on Saturday.
He said: "From then I was like, if it’s going to be the finals, there’s going to be some good athletes, so I need to dig a bit more and get into better shape."
The past two weeks he has been doing exactly that, cutting his carbs to 50g a day in a bid to bring through his trademark chest striations and deeper cuts in his glutes. Luckily for him, the past week has been half-term, making it easier to manage than facing a classroom of inquisitive teenagers.
A teacher from the age of 18 and a career that has taken in countries from Kuwait to Poland, Griggs is one of the few who combine it with competitive bodybuilding. He has always been into sport. A promising goalkeeper with Colchester United at the age of 12, Griggs also had trials with several top clubs, including Chelsea.
A dislocated shoulder and changing interests put paid to any path to the Premier League. But his focus changed when a physio told him he needed to fill out more. Griggs began pumping iron and the rest is history.
As for combining bodybuilding and teaching, Griggs sees it as a positive. "There is a fantastic rapport you can build with some quite-difficult students," he said. "Boys who are 14, 15, 16, start to become quite conscious about how they look. I developed quite good rapport with students that are quite difficult to manage, because they’re interested in what I do.
My social media is on lockdown – but kids accessed my coach's!
"It’s quite funny because my social media is on lockdown because of safeguarding and all that kind of stuff. I don’t have any students follow me or anything like that. But when I used to have a coach, I used the hashtag 'coached by teambenbo'. So the students used to go on my coach’s account. And my coach, for example, would post like a competition that I had done at the weekend.
"I’d go to school and the students would say tell me what they had seen. So it’s actually quite a nice thing. But I do get questions such as what’s your training split? How do you get as big as you are? Then the obvious question that I get asked all the time is, do I take steroids?
"But it’s nice having that interest in something other than what you are doing in school. I’ve worked in different schools and played sport against different schools and there’s not many teachers who are bodybuilders. So it' i's a very unique thing."
How bodybuilding's structure is a saviour to many
The discipline which appears to help so many who turn to bodybuilding is also something Griggs relies on.
"This is how I manage things with teaching and bodybuilding," he said. "I’m very structured and very organised and very routine. I love routine. That that just helps with everything regarding time management. I know that I wake up and I’ve got to eat at this time. Then I have to eat at 11am because that’s when break time is. I have to eat at 1pm because that’s when lunchtime is.
"Then I have to eat after school because I'm just about to go to the gym etc. Having that routine, that structure, I thrive on that. When I don’t have that, like in the holiday time, a six-week holiday, I struggle."
There is also the inevitable banter, something which adds to the rapport Griggs has been able to build with students.
"You always want to be quite big as a bodybuilder. But then when you start prepping, you start leaning up and you do get smaller," he said. "And then the students are like, 'sir, are you still training...'."
But there is also a serious side. Most people in prep are stressed, tired and have what we bodybuilders refer to as 'prep brain'. This manifests itself as an inability to function at your normal level.
Most people would not dream of juggling that with a classroom full of teenagers. Griggs, on the other hand, manages it with style.
He said: "It’s having that structure, having that discipline to go to bed and get that rest and recovery. It is extremely important. The most important thing is that I don’t let what I’m doing in my personal life affect my teaching life.
"I’m very conscious of that. I’m aware of my responsibilities as a teacher and I want to give my students everything I can. And if that is ever affected, then I would look very seriously what I’m doing.
"So having that discipline and that routine, having that structure, is absolutely fundamental to everything. If I didn’t have that it would be extremely difficult to manage those situations.
"But don’t get me wrong, there are certain times where you might get a late night, just because you can’t sleep. And that overspill does lead to maybe being a touch more sensitive, a touch more tired, for example.
Being open and honest with students helps – they're human too
"But you just have to manage it and be adaptable. Just being open and honest with the students as well because they are human beings. For example, if I’ve been ill and I’ve got low energy, I’d say, 'look guys, I’m really sorry, but my energy is quite low today'. And and generally they understand if you seem to be human. They respect it.
"There is that element of it, the human side. They see I’m a teacher, but I’m not just a teacher. I also have other things I do outside of school. And when you start to build that rapport with them and they take an interest in something you’re doing, it’s reciprocated.
"I always take an interest in what they’re doing. For example, if they like training, I always make a big effort to have a conversation about how their training is going. I ask what they’re doing, what they’re trying to achieve. Is their diet good enough? They ask whether they can show me their diet. That's another question I get asked quite a bit.
"At William Edwards School, we’ve got a fantastic facility which is well equipped with weights and pin-loaded machines. We take the students there and, for me, it’s a passion. I take them through certain principles of training methods and hopefully it’s enjoyable to them. And that’s what ultimately my job is as a teacher, to enthuse students to lead a healthy lifestyle."
Come on Mr Griggs!
For now, all that is left is to polish his own physique ahead of Saturday's NABBA British finals, to ensure he is at his best in his bid to bring home that title. He won the PCA First Timers British finals in his debut season as a competitive bodybuilder. This would no doubt trump that achievement.
"I'm at a level now where I'm pretty happy and believe I'm going to be competitive at the weekend. It just depends who turns up, doesn't it?" he said. "I just enjoy it and I'll just go there with the thought that I've done the best I can in the time frame I've allowed myself and we'll see how it goes."
TICKLED PINK – How Claire Love smashed her stage debut
First Timer wins class, wins overall then appears on front cover of Beef It!
AS debuts go they do not get better than the one enjoyed by Claire Love at the NABBA South East on May 19.
Having never stepped on stage before as a competitive athlete, Love chose to throw herself in at the deep end.
There was no 'First Timers' competition on her radar. Instead, she chose to compete in the Miss Athletic Figure at the NABBA South East in Charter Hall, Colchester.
With her for support was her coach and boyfriend Danny Johnston, who tried to keep her calm backstage in the hours leading up to her debut.
Love, however, is not one for sitting twiddling her thumbs. She prefers to do things her way. And it worked.
Not only did she win her class, but she was judged as the best female in the entire show. "I was so shocked. It was mental," she said.
Not only that, but Love – complete with the overall winners' sword – appeared on the front cover of the recent edition of bodybuilding magazine Beef It!.
Love and Johnston will now be competing at the NABBA Britain finals at St George's Hall, Bradford on Saturday.
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE:
Name: Claire Love
Height: 170cm
Occupation: Owner/director The Pink Fitness Boutique. Personal Trainer. Online transformation coach. Class instructor
At what age did you start bodybuilding and why?: Roughly eight years ago after I had had my second son. I was 14 and a half stone after I had him and decided to sort my body out. I started looking at my food and doing a fitness video every day. After just over a year I got down to nine and a half stone. Started lifting weights with my brother in my garage and fell in love with it. Trained in my garage for years until I started training at body concept. With my training I always did it for myself. What I enjoyed and what I found aesthetically pleasing to my eye.
Hobbies: Love training, modelling, Eating food!! (When I can). I have a big sweet tooth! Drinking coffee, walks, theme parks
What did you look like before bodybuilding? After my second son in 2014 I was 14 and a half stone. This was before I got into bodybuilding.
Current training routine: Changed through prep a lot.
What is your off-season diet like? Same foods I eat now just more of it with some extras and weekly or every two weeks an off-plan meal.
What is your prep diet like? I prefer it very easy and basic so lots of chicken and rice
Favourite music: I love a very wide variety. Ren Chinchilla MGK Avenged sevenfold Avril Lavigne
Favourite films: Shutter Island, Insidious. I love scary movies
Favourite foods: Hh god! Chinese, Five Guys, Dominos pizza, White chocolate, Warm cookie dough, big cookies, doughnuts (All white chocolate)
Crucial Growth Phase: Beyond the misleading term "off season"
The Physique Coach Matt Adams explains why the end of prep is actually where the hard work starts
WHEN it comes to bodybuilding and physique training, the term "off season" often conjures images of relaxed routines and less stringent discipline. However, I’ve always found this term misleading. The so-called "off season" or growth phase is, in reality, a period that demands just as much, if not more, discipline, focus and mental fortitude as competition prep.
The Misconception
The term "off season" implies a break or downtime, suggesting that we are somehow less focused or committed. This couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, the growth phase is where the real magic happens. It's the time when we lay the groundwork for future success, building the muscle, strength and mental resilience needed to excel on stage.
The Importance of the Growth Phase
Building the Foundation
In the growth phase, we're not just maintaining what we've built; we're pushing boundaries and setting new standards. This period is about progressive overload, increasing training intensity and meticulously managing nutrition to support muscle growth while minimising fat gain. It’s a strategic approach that requires detailed planning and execution.
Mental Fortitude
While competition prep has its own challenges, the growth phase tests your mental strength in different ways. Without the immediate goal of a looming competition, it can be easy to lose focus. This phase demands unwavering commitment and the ability to stay motivated over the long haul. It's about maintaining a vision for the future and working tirelessly towards it, day in and day out.
Nutritional Discipline
Contrary to what some might think, the growth phase isn’t a free-for-all when it comes to diet. Precision nutrition is crucial. It’s about finding the right balance of macronutrients to fuel intense workouts, support recovery and promote muscle hypertrophy, while keeping fat gain in check. This requires a high level of discipline and constant adjustments based on progress and feedback.
Injury Prevention and Recovery
The growth phase also provides an opportunity to address any nagging injuries and focus on recovery. It's a time to listen to your body, incorporate mobility work and ensure that you're setting yourself up for longevity in the sport. Proper recovery protocols and smart training decisions now can prevent setbacks during competition prep.
Posing Practice
One often overlooked aspect of the growth phase is posing practice. Nailing your poses is crucial and it shouldn't be left until the last minute. The best physique on stage can finish last if not presented well and, conversely, a well-presented physique can outshine a better one. Practising posing regularly during the growth phase ensures that, when it's time to compete, your presentation is flawless. This is a non-negotiable aspect of your preparation.
The Role of a coach
During this critical phase, having a coach who understands the nuances of the growth phase is invaluable. A good coach provides the necessary structure, accountability and support to keep you on track. They help adjust training and nutrition plans as needed, ensuring that you’re continually progressing towards your goals.
Conclusion
The "off season" or growth phase is a time of intense focus and dedication. It’s when we build the foundation for future success, develop mental resilience and hone our discipline. As athletes, we must approach this phase with the same, if not greater, level of commitment as we do during competition prep. Remember, champions are made in the off season. Embrace the growth phase with the seriousness it deserves and you’ll be setting yourself up for unparalleled success when it’s time to step on stage again.
In summary, the growth phase is not a break – it's a critical part of your journey. Approach it with dedication and you'll see the results in your next competition. Stay disciplined, stay focused and keep pushing forward. And don't forget to nail your posing – it's a non-negotiable that can make or break your success on stage.
Matt Adams is a coach and bodybuilder. You can enquire about hiring Matt by clicking here.
Junior bodybuilder takes two overall wins and pro card
JUNIOR bodybuilder Kaya Yusuf stole the show at the PCA Universe weekend.
Yusuf won his class in the Universe qualifier on Saturday, also taking the overall. He returned 24 hours later to secure the PCA Universe title in the junior bodybuilding class. He was also awarded a PCA pro card.
Yusuf then won the PCA Universe overall title – with a gold sword – before going on to place second in the pro show.
He said: "Today we won the JR Mr Universe and the Mr Universe overall bodybuilding title. We then made history becoming the first ever junior to become a PCA pro. This entered me into my first pro bodybuilding show, where I placed second out of six world-class athletes.
"That booked my ticket and free flights to represent Team GB with the PCA team at the World Championships in Amsterdam. I am overwhelmed and so grateful for all the support.
"I’m sure it’ll all sink in tomorrow. Thank you so much to @jase_345 [coach, below left] and all his guidance. Without him none of this would’ve been possible."
Danny Baldwinson was another who qualified on Saturday by winning his class – bodybuilding medium – then went on to secure the PCA Universe title the following day, also being awarded a PCA pro card.
Catriona Scott won the bikini short class and with it a PCA pro card and her coach Dan Welburn said on social media: "First season on stage this year ever for her and she’s smoked every show to date."
Elsewhere, Frankie Fernandes secured the overall figure title and was also awarded her PCA pro card. So was Christie Hands, who won the overall bikini title. Tony Yem took his Pro card when winning the overall Men's Physique title.
Outside of the PCA, Zoe Miller continued her remarkable season by winning the overall title at the UKBFF Scottish Championships.
This story will update once more results are made available.
ATHLETES are gearing up to do battle at the PCA Universe tomorrow and Sunday – with one competitor saying: "I'm coming for them."
The PCA host the Universe qualifying event in Hull on Saturday, the last possible chance to gain a spot in Sunday's main event. Most invitations have been awarded during the PCA's regional shows so far this season. Tickets sold out during the week.
Lee Buchanan, an athlete in the Bodybuilding Medium class, is hoping for a first call out on Sunday.
Buchanan, above, finished second place at the PCA North West – a result which many called into question. He then went on to win his class and the overall at the PCA North East just seven days later.
He said: "It’s been hard trying to prep with a one year old who is teething and working a full-time job! But I’m coming for them though regardless. I want first call out at the weekend and I’ll be happy – but it's going to be stacked though!
"After that I'm going to have a break, then drop back in for the PCA Britain on October 20."
Class 1 and Men's Physique also set for Universe stage
Dan Baldwinson, below, is set to try his luck in the qualifier just a week on from winning his class and the overall at the NABBA South East.
Baldwinson, 32, is a Class 1 bodybuilding – Bodybuilding Tall in the PCA – and packs a good deal of muscle on his frame. He should find no trouble qualifying for Sunday's main event.
He told frontdouble.com: "I have to do the qualifier, which is a shame as a two day peak is needed. But it will be a different package this week. Much more tight and a little lighter due to actually manipulating this week as a peak.
"Sunday I just hope everyone brings the best so it’s a good show. I’ve never gone into a show thinking I won’t place, so we will see."
Adam Nugent qualified by winning his Men's Physique class and the overall at the PCA Saxon Classic on April 7. That has allowed him a decent amount of time to prepare after that successful prep.
He said: "Things have been going great. Its been a different challenge maintaining condition from the Saxon Classic for the best part of seven weeks. I had a week away to Egypt at the beginning of May. But it's allowed my body to freshen up and dig a little deeper this last two weeks.
"I'm hoping to bring an even more conditioned look but with maximum fullness. I've front loaded my carbs this peak week, which is a different method for me. But it seems to have worked well."
Helen O'Reilly, president of the BPA and Gladiator Panther from the original TV series, confirmed she is in talks to save at least two GBA shows.
The GBA folded this month saying they were "unable to meet their high standards under the current circumstances".
The BPA are in talks to save the GBA's Wolverhampton show, the Battle of the Midlands, scheduled for August 18. They have also reached out to Matt Adams, who was co-president of the GBA, to take on the Gainz Battle of Bedford, which was due to take place on July 14.
The collaboration with the Dr Vic Super Show on October 25 and 26 is still scheduled to go ahead.
The BPA have also confirmed they will honour any invitations to the British Finals which were secured at the GBA's only show this season, the Canarian Classic.
O'Reilly is away on business but is hoping to finalise a new venue for the Wolverhampton show on her return.
As reported by frontdouble.com on Sunday, the GBA said in a letter to athletes: "After careful consideration and extensive efforts, we have come to the difficult decision to cancel this year’s shows.
"This decision was not made lightly. It is rooted in our commitment to uphold the high standards and values that GBA stands for. Unfortunately, we have found that we are unable to meet these standards under the current circumstances."
The BPA are also expected to announce some significant news of their own in the coming days.
THE Global Bodybuilding Alliance has folded after just one show this season.
The federation, which was headed by Matt Adams (below left) and Dr Mohammed Waqaas (below right), had promised to "revolutionise the bodybuilding industry".
But after hosting the Canarian Classic on April 20, the GBA made the decision to cancel its remaining shows. Frontdouble.com understands irreconcilable differences between the owners forced the issue.
In a letter to athletes who had registered to compete in some of the eight shows they had planned, the GBA said: "After careful consideration and extensive efforts, we have come to the difficult decision to cancel this year’s shows.
"This decision was not made lightly. It is rooted in our commitment to uphold the high standards and values that GBA stands for. Unfortunately, we have found that we are unable to meet these standards under the current circumstances.
"Ensuring that our operations align with our ethical commitments is paramount and we believe it is in the best interest of all parties to not proceed under conditions that do not meet these expectations.
"Thank you for your understanding and for the passion you bring to the sport. Your dedication deserves the best platform and we regret that we cannot provide that this year. Wishing you continued success in your future endeavours. Warm regards, Global Bodybuilding Alliance."
Navy Leading Writer Underdown steals show at BPA Masters Allstars
By John Plummer
THE tight lines and perfect proportions of Alexandra Underdown stole the show at Brierley Hill as she sailed to an overall victory in the BPA Masters All Stars.
Underdown, 38, (below) who has been in the Royal Navy for 16 years, epitomised all that is good about bikini bodybuilding — tight lines, perfect proportions and outstanding presentation. Sadly for the UK she is about to be transferred from Portsmouth to the United States for three years, but she plans to continue her competitive adventures abroad.
America will no doubt welcome those tight lines and perfect proportions with open arms.
This was the second British Physique Alliance show of the year and it gave first timers – Rising Stars – and masters competitors the chance to take centre stage — and boy, did they make the most of the opportunity.
The event at Brierley Hill Civic Hall was played out in front of a fantastic crowd, who were also treated to a guest spot by IFBB Elite Pro Victoria Crewe. Crewe was four weeks out from competing in Bodyfitness in Budapest and was in incredible shapt.
Underdown's main rival for the overall was Virginija Mazintiene. Her lovely shape overcame Helena Gomm and Sarah-Kay Tushingham-Ford in masters bodyfitness. Gomm was the best conditioned athlete and had some breathtaking poses. But she may have been slightly too hard for the class.
Irina Bozenkova was the pick of two fantastic wellness athletes. Both she and Penny Davies displayed the kind of shape that has made this class so popular.
The overall also featured Ann Fraser, whose well balanced body and conditioned lower body took first place in Masters Bikini over 50 and Elizabeth Thornsby, whose athletic frame won Masters Bikini over 40.
In the Rising Star contest, Lauryn Jade Mannion, 24, (above) made a strong impression in winning the Open Bikini class. Trained by British bodybuilding legend Dayo Audi, Mannion showed the kind of shape that has the potential to go far. Elizabeth Thornsby recorded the first of two victories in the Masters Bikini class for women aged 40 to 49.
Gary Chappell (below) was the star of the show, winning the Masters Bodybuilding 40 to 49 and over-85kg classes, before lifting the overall. Chappell had a battle royale with Nader Zareinoor in the masters, which was one of the highlights of the day. Zareinoor was thick and hard and had eye-catching legs but Chappell's physique flowed a little better.
Steve Howarth was the pick of three excellent guys in Masters Bodybuilding over-50s. Tall, with a wide back, he got the nod over seasoned competitor Chris Unitt and Ryan Evans. Shaun Hannan's greater development helped him overcome Andy Batty's superb conditioning in the over-60s.
Carlo di Carlo's better flowing physique prevailed against Agam Saini in Masters Men's Physique 40 to 49. Saini, seriously lean, had the consolation of first place in the same category in the Rising Star show that took place first.
Classic Bodybuilding saw a battle between over 50's competitor Ryan Evans and local lad Gavin Morris. Morris (below) took the win and posed with his daughter Emily onstage afterwards.
Andrew Taylor's remarkably youthful and shapely physique won Masters Men's Physique over-50s, relegating the excellent Philip Earley to second.
In the Rising Star event, Allan Bell overcame Saini in the Open Men's Physique class and Scott Pugh won Muscular Men's Physique. Push showed excellent full and round muscular development. Joseph Benton won classic bodybuilding and, flashing his smile, certainly looked the part.
AS the editor of this bodybuilding website, I could not let this report be published without a personal comment on the British Physique Alliance.
I made the decision to compete with them while four weeks out from the NABBA Britain, feeling that I was pretty much in stage condition.
Despite the overall victory, I am glad I did. Quite simply, the BPA know how to put on a show.
This might be just the start of their second year in existence, but they run this operation as if they have being doing it for years. Smooth operation, from backstage to centre stage, with no one questioning where they should be and what was happening.
TV screens flanked the stage, with a large monitor in the centre showing each class, smoke machines, music, ticker-tape celebration. This was a party atmosphere.
That is not even mentioning the trophies. Excellent statue awards, standing 20-odd inches tall and overall swords that must have been five-foot in length.
If you are considering competing with the BPA, then my advice is, do not hesitate. Glitz, glamour, no egos, just pure feel-good factor.
Gary Chappell, editor and founder, frontdouble.com
Here, in the second in his series of columns, Goold has provided an explanation via video on just how to modulate estrogen when running an anabolic steroid cycle.
Watch the full video below and feel free to join in this discussion in the comment section below.
Josh Goold is a competitive bodybuilder and online coach. You can enquire about his coaching here. He also has a YouTube channel called GingerTraining.
'I had a traumatic childhood... I used bodybuilding to change my life"
How NHS nurse Zoe Miller took just two years to transform her future
MANY people hope their childhood years are filled with joy, hope and a feeling of invincibility. For Zoe Miller, nothing could be further from the truth. Little did she know then that bodybuilding would change her life.
She only picked up a weight two years ago but today she is the IBFA Granite City overall champion, the BPA Scottish Grand Prix overall champion and has just become a new professional with the NFMUK, after winning the AM & PRO Figure Toned class. Bodybuilding, she says, has saved her life.
"I came from foster care and had a very hard upbringing with a lot of trauma," she says. "I wanted to change my life.
"After I had my daughter, I spent the past 10 years raising her on my own and working to give her the best life and upbringing I could.
"Once she got older and started to get her own life, I knew I could now get some of mine back, because I had her young.
"I joined the gym to give me some discipline and routine... some purpose in life. When I first started it was just to get more healthy and take better care of myself.
"Within the first three months I knew I wasn’t exercising like everyone else. I naturally started bodybuilding – I had always looked up to the sport – and found it fascinating. It was like a work of art – I never imagined I could actually do it.
"I coached myself for a year and a half and thought, 'maybe I can do this'. So now my daughter is 12, I knew this was a perfect time to try my first prep. I’ve never looked back – it’s totally saved my life."
'I was broken – but bodybuilding changed my life'
Miller admits she was drifting through life, struggling to maintain a normal outlook because of how she had been mistreated as a youngster.
But alongside her daughter, the discipline of bodybuilding had given her additional purpose.
She said: "It has given me a proper focus. I spent years of my life trying to numb my pain as I was a broken soul. This is why I’m so passionate about the natural side of the sport.
"My health and well-being now is like night and day compared to how it was before. I eat whole foods, rarely drink, love training and cardio. I've never even touched a fat burner.
"I could write a book about my life and things I’ve been through but I truly owe this sport a lot, it’s honestly the best thing to have happened to me – aside from having my daughter."
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE:
Name: Zoe Miller
Height: 162 cm
Occupation: Assistant practitioner for NHS community nursing and personal trainer and coach.
At what age did you start bodybuilding and why?: 28 – and to change my life.
Hobbies: Travelling and visiting new places, helping people, going out with friends, spending time with my daughter. Love documentaries and learning about things, travelling and visiting new sights.
What did you look like before bodybuilding?I was out of proportion. Overweight slightly, no muscle mass, weak – and couldn’t run to save my life.
Current training routine: I work out four to five times per week, with cardio seven times a week.
What is your off-season diet like?I was about 3400 calories or just over.
What is your prep diet like? I started prep in January, with my lowest calories about 1200.
Favourite music: I love all genre of music depending on my mood. Spotify has 20 different albums of various stuff.
Favourite films: Anything funny, anything scary – and maybe the odd chick flick.
Favourite foods: Mexican or Italian, love Chinese and Indian too, but for prep it’s chicken and rice lol.
Full report from BPA Scottish Grand Prix as aesthetics and X shape shine through
By John Plummer
SOME outstanding physiques took to the stage for the British Physique Alliance's inaugural show of the year on Sunday – with Alex Johnstone and Zoe Miller taking the top prize.
The show included £500 prizes for Johnstone and Miller, along with swords and a host ot other great prizes.
The day showed what the BPA is all about. Promoter Harry Ogg said: “We're giving athletes the chance to compete on great stages, for excellent trophies and opportunities to compete abroad.”
CLASSIC competitor Alex Johnstone (above left, with female winner Zoe Miller) took home the £500 overall prize as well as the trophy for best male presentation. Alex was the epitome of the classic look, from his aesthetic muscular proportions to his posing routine. He won the height-to-weight restricted classic bodybuilding class to qualify for the overall. He then claimed the overall against all the other male class winners at the end of the show.
Johnstone was not quite able to pull off a vacuum pose, however, which led to him being marked down in the classic physique class, where the ability to perform a vacuum is mandatory. That opened the door for Mark Finnegan to take the title. Mark has a wonderful structure and if he gets a bit tighter will be a major threat.
Up to 100kg bodybuilding champion Chris Bayne had a superb muscular shape and, with a few tweaks, his physique will be a threat on a national stage. Atif Afzal’s nice taper and pecs helped him defeat Darren Sterrick in the under-80kg division.
One of the highlights of the day was seeing three competitors in the over-60s bodybuilding. It was a tough class to judge, not only for the quality of physiques but also because they brought different qualities. Runner-up Derek Wilson had the best proportions and a tight midsection. But winner James Murphy (above) was huge and vascular and took the title.
Alex Leadbetter, who is 56, packed plenty of shapely muscle on his frame to win the over-50s. His legs were particularly good for an older competitor. The evergreen Kevin Milne yet again nailed his condition to take the over-40s ahead of the peeled Matt Henderson. Kevin really is seasoned competitor who seems to know how his body works and puts in the effort to consistently get in shape. In novice bodybuilding, Neil Kerr’s more detailed look prevailed over Darren Sterrick.
Rising star Dylan Cahill (below) was the star of the men’s physique category. Dylan ticked all the boxes — he scored highly on aesthetics, had a superb taper and was rock hard. He won the juniors unopposed then showed he could more than hold his own in the open class by winning the over 179cm class, defeating David Campbell. David Lawson’s well-conditioned torso took the under 179cm class.
Paulo Emanuel Rocha Silva became the first muscular men’s physique champion. He and Ryan Gibson both had impressive upper bodies but Paulo’s conditioning was superior in a quality contest.
ZOE MILLER STARS IN FEMALE CLASSES
NHS nurse Zoe Miller was the star of the day, winning the bodyfitness class and the overall title. She also took the best female presentation trophy for good measure. Zoe’s excellent X shape was apparent the moment she walked on stage. And the good impression lasted, even when she turned around and showed great conditioning.
Bikini champ Abbie Hammond made a strong impression, winning the open class ahead of stunning junior champion Kama Donald (below), who has a bright future. Abbie had slightly more muscular development while still belonging very much in the bikini category.
In the masters bikini categories, Lisa Fulcher’s lovely balance and proportions took the 35 to 39 age category. Lyndsay Gallacher’s tall and athletic shape won the 40 to 40 age group. Wellness winner Courtney Buchan rounded off the roster of female champions.
Aberdeen’s Broghan Kirk (below), who has a benign brain tumour and epilepsy, won the disability class. She displayed an athletic shape with a creative routine.
The BPA also highlighted their collaboration with the Global Physique Alliance, which frontdouble.com reported on last month here.
Marcus Privett achieves goal of becoming an IFBB Pro – and now the fun really begins
MEN'S Physique athlete Marcus Privett says he will leave no stone unturned in a bid to become a "top-five Olympian" after finally winning his IFBB pro card.
The 31-year-old from Essex achieved his goal in his first attempt of the season – the NPC Sweden Grand Prix – having shrugged off digestive issues in his regional qualifier earlier in the month.
Despite his young age, Privett is an experienced competitor, having won several titles during his career. But the IFBB pro card is one target that had eluded him. Until now.
He said: "I cannot even put it into words. It has just been one crazy, crazy year. I had a problem with digestive issues at my regional qualifier, so I didn't place where I wanted to place [finished fourth]. That knocks your confidence because it's the worst placing I've ever had.
"But my coach had faith that I have what it takes to be a pro and I've always had it in my head that I've had the right physique to become pro after years and years of improvements, listening to the judges' feedback.
"So Sweden was the place I got it and was finally awarded with my pro card in a very stacked class with people from all over the world.
"There was about 60 people altogether doing men's physique and I'm honoured that I beat everyone to become a pro. There was a lot of people going for it [pro card] who had travelled from all over the world. And I was lucky enough to get it. I say lucky, but I have worked hard and tirelessly for years and years for this moment."
'Crazy year... but judges say I'll do well as a pro'
Privett, who owns The Muscle Market, a supplement shop in Grays, Essex, was unable to train for a number of months last year due to personal issues. But the former Love Island contestant got straight to work as soon as he could. And he put in plans to qualify at the 2Bros Kingdom Classic, before travelling to Sweden.
He said: "I've had a very crazy year and it would have been very easy to give up. But I refused, regardless of people wanting me to stop, or being put off, or getting a lot of hate. Now I can see that those people see me as a threat.
"I have had some great comments from professionals – fellow professionals – and from some judges saying I've got what it takes to do well in the pro leagues.
"So after a few days' downtime, I'll liase with my coach, then make sure I'm one of the best UK athletes. I want to become a top five Olympian. That is my goal and I will not stop until I get there. Regardless of however long it takes me, that is what I want to do.
"I'm just going to keep my head down and let my work do the talking. But I am very happy – although that does not even come close to how I'm feeling. It's not really sunk in yet but I am very excited for the future."
But Gomes revealed that initial plans to try to make it a hat-trick at the PCA Universe on May 26 could now be shelved.
He said: "I have some things I need to attend to and I've decided they are probably more important. As nice as it would be to do, there is always another year and I'll only go away to improve.
"That's not to say it's a guaranteed no for this year – we shall see – but I am always honest."
Frontdouble.com hopes that whatever issues Gomes needs to attend to are not serious. We hope he is able to return his stellar physique to the stage sooner than later.
The British Physique Alliance kicked off its season on Sunday with the Scottish Grand Prix.
The ladies overall title was won by Zoe Miller (above), who also secured the overall at the IBFA's Granite City show on April 7.
Miller has been quite active this season,placing third in the Ladies Toned Figure class at the PCA Scotland on April 14.
The men's overall title was won by Classic Bodybuilding athlete Alex Johnstone (above). He just missed out on a hat-trick of trophies when being pipped to the Classic Physique title by Mark Finnegan.
Johnstone has also been busy this season, having won the Classic Bodybuilding Tall class at the PCA Scotland.
Is test best for growth?
Bodybuilder Josh Goold discusses how to find your optimal testosterone dose
POT OF GOOLD! By Josh Goold
BACK before my time, the thought process of running your weekly testosterone to 1000mg as quickly as possible was thought to be best.
Now we know more about anabolic steroids, progressing cycles and total anabolic load, we understand that this concept is a little outdated.
But there is merit in trying to run your testosterone as high as your body can tolerate, until a modulation of oestrogen is needed. For some this could be 250mg, for others this could be up to 500mg to 600mg.
Testosterone is naturally occurring in the body, so we are used to the hormone. That being said, not to the larger supra-physiological levels.
Exogenous testosterone is one of the most studied anabolic steroids we have at hand. So understanding its abilities, its mechanisms, the potential it can give to us and also the consequences, is very easy to come by.
Testosterone will increase protein synthesis
Testosterone will drive anabolism, recruit protein faster and Increase muscle protein synthesis (MPS). This is just like other compounds, but other compounds are not as widely used in medicine, unlike testosterone.
For me, this gives it merit in attempting to run testosterone as high as your body can tolerate . Find your optimal testosterone dose before looking at modulating oestrogen with a DHT or something else.
So you can see it’s a little different from the early 2000s of racing to a weekly amount of 1000mg. There’s a lot more thought going into it in finding your optimal testosterone dosage.
Now the question is how do we modulate oestrogen (e2) while tapering test.
Well, the idea is to find out how much testosterone you can tolerate without needing to modulate. This is your optimal dosage. You see the likes of bodybuilder John Jewett showing how to taper by 50mg per week. He does this to the point where we see those negative e2 sides appear.
I’m not saying you need to wait for bitch tits (gynecomastia) to grow. But until we start to see noticeable side effects, such as uncomfortable fluid retention and higher blood pressure.
Once you have found your optimal testosterone dose, then we can look at potential methods of modulation. An aromatase inhibitor (AI), SERM or DHT (primobolan or masteron) helps modulate e2 very well.
I will discuss which one is best over the coming weeks. And I will also discuss growth hormone and insulin stacked within a cycle.
Josh Goold is a competitive bodybuilder and online coach. You can enquire about his coaching here. He also has a YouTube channel called GingerTraining.
"Prep was easy" says PCA Saxon champion Gomes..."now for the Universe"
NEW PCA Saxon Classic champion Ryan Gomes is targeting victory in the Universe in only his fourth competitive outing saying: "Prep was a breeze."
In only his second competition on Sunday Gomes, 29, blitzed both the bodybuilding short division and the overall with a heavily muscled physique together with decent shape.
He said: "Prep has been about 16 weeks so far but is not finished. This was an early show for me – a "warm up". The proper show will be the PCA South West on April 20.
"Prep was easy, honestly, without sounding like an arse. I've had much more important life things to deal with that occupied the mind way more.
"But I've only competed once at a first timers before this, where I also won the overall. I'm competing in two weeks at the PCA South West and, if all goes well, I plan to prep for the Universe."
If that prep is easy too, then the Universe better watch out...
Completing the overall men's line-up at the PCA Saxon Classic on Sunday was Adam Wallace, who won the Masters Men's Physique division.
In the female classes, Hollie Mansfield took the Overall Bikini title, having shone in the Ladies Wellness class. Maxine McQuillan took the Overall Trained Figure title. Full results can be found in our Directory.
'It was the hardest thing I've done in my life – so I'm doing it all again this weekend!'
How Junior Bodybuilding champion Tom Rhodes announced himself on the big stage
NEW PCA Junior Bodybuilding and First Timers Overall champion Tom Rhodes says he is heading straight back into battle for Sunday's Saxon Classic before taking two years off to "do some more damage".
The 23-year-old stole the show at the Hull Bonus Arena, dominating his class before tearing up the stage to secure the overall title.
Standing 6ft 2inches, Rhodes displayed razor-sharp conditioning, together with a decent amount of mass and pleasing aesthetics, proving he is definitely one to watch.
DOMINANT: Tom Rhodes (right)
He told frontdouble.com: "It was a bloody hard prep. My first ever time prepping for a show. I've done multiple mini cuts just on lower cals to tidy up in the past, but never actually took it to the dark places which prep involves.
"Mentally and physically it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, from the rough nights to the struggles of working a 9-5 full-time job throughout the whole of prep. Thankfully I booked peak week off!"
Being on stage is where I belong
Despite his standout physique, Rhodes revealed that he only recently found the confidence to compete, believing he would not "fit in" on a bodybuilding stage.
He said: "I chose to compete because I absolutely love the sport and I’m fully dedicated to it and everything that comes with it.
"I’ve always wanted to compete but never really had the confidence or drive in me to think I’d fit in on stage. Little did I know it’s where I belong.
"I absolutely loved competing, being up there, showing my hard work. Coming off with the result makes me want to push myself now more than ever."
In fact, he enjoyed being in the limelight so much that he plans to compete again this Sunday, despite prep being more difficult than he imagined.
He said: "My plans moving forward are to compete in the PCA Saxon Classic on Sunday. I absolutely smoked the Juniors at the First Timers show – I made most of them look tiny to be honest.
"So I’ll be competing in the Saxon tall men’s classic with the big dogs. Then after that I’ll be going into a two-year year growing phase, with the aim of putting on a lot of mass. I want to come back and hopefully do some damage in the men’s classic scene in 2026."
The classic division has been warned... watch this space.
One response to “'It was the hardest thing I've done in my life – so I'm doing it all again this weekend!'”
James Room
Great one to watch this young man, very nice lines with plenty of time to fill out 💪🏽👌🏽
DAVE CROSLAND is also available for coaching. Anyone interested can contact Dave at dave@croslands.org.uk or via instagram or facebook
DAVE CROSLAND is considered the UK’s No1 authority on bodybuilding health and performance-enhancing drugs. He is the director of Croslands Harm Reduction Services and Under Construction Films. He is a personal trainer and bodybuilding coach and the founder of e-Val, a company offering private bloodwork analysis.
BPA and GBA finale offers £40k prize fund – plus more pro cards
Amateur and pro events for October Super Show
THE British Physique Alliance and Global Bodybuilding Alliance have announced a prize find of £40,000 plus a wealth of pro cards for their season finale.
The Super Show will take place at the Thistle Hotel, Heathrow Airport on October 26, with an amateur show in the afternoon followed by a pro competition in the evening.
The BPA, in only its second year, will once again be offering pro cards at its British Finals on September 15.
But the BPA, in collaboration with the GBA, will also be handing out pro cards at its amateur section of the October 26 Super Show – giving winners the opportunity to go on and compete in the evening event.
BPA present Helen O'Reilly, who was Gladiator Panther during the initial series in the 1990s, said: "You will be able to compete as amateur in the afternoon, win some prize money, then possibly get your pro card and go on in the evening to compete in the pro show and again win more money."
Heckles takes overall in season opener – and coach says they've nailed the 'bursting full' look in time for pro qualifier
NATHANIEL HECKLES secured a dominant victory in the first show of the season yesterday by winning the overall title at the 2Bros Kingdom Classic.
Heckles came in "bursting full", according to coach Joe Jeffery. And he believes they now have the perfect peak-week formula for their shot at an IFBB pro card.
Jeffery said: "I believe, maybe putting coach's bias to one side as we did hear similar yesterday [Saturday], that it was his best stage look to date. That is great news given this is his first show of the season and we're going to be pressing with everything we have for the pro card.
"We have managed to land him bursting full on stage loads of times. That is where he looks his best. It allows him to show his best attributes. But it has been a difficult balance bringing him in bursting full and having him dry at the same time. Not edging him into being too dry that he starts to flatten out a little bit.
"Judges last season did ask him to come in harder, which we did for the final look of the season. But he was a little bit dwindled down in pushing for that dryness. Nath didn't like the look – I thought the look was great. He placed just as well as he had done all season but that full, bursting, shrink-wrapped look was missing.
"So we put a couple of tweaks on his peak-week structure for this first show, which was a test to see if we could balance that a bit better. And thankfully it came off 100 per cent. He was absolutely peeled and dry and bursting full when he needed to be. So thank God we have the formula for the pro qualifiers.
"It was also a considerable amount of stage weight added considering he only had three or four months off-season."
PCA Mr Britain and NABBA Mr England overall champion fires warning shot as he plans October return to stage
RIKKI VARNEY has revealed details of what he calls "his most structured off-season ever" as he plans a return to the stage this October.
Varney brushed aside most people last season when winning overall titles at the PCA Britain and NABBA England.
He brought razor-sharp conditioning that others simply could not match, beating much bigger men in the process.
Now he has added more beef to his 5ft 8in frame, with coach Joe Jeffery saying 'the best is yet to come'.
In an instagram post on Tuesday, Varney said: "Weight is creeping up nicely and I’m sitting at 227lbs today. Had a couple of bouts of feeling under the weather over the past three weeks. But I used the time to rest and pull back. On the positive side, my joints are finally feeling good for a change.
"Prep is getting closer and it won’t be long until I transition into that. But for the meantime, I’m staying focused on the current phase I’m in. I’ve hit the point where appetite has lowered significantly. Now it’s about being disciplined to still hit all my planned meals regardless."
How my diet is currently set up
Varney continued: "My macros are currently at:
Pro - 285g Cho - 750g Fats - 70g Calories - 4770
"Plus I have an off-plan meal per week. I’ve not been too bothered about this recently and it’s generally been steak and chips or a Pepe’s. Then some KFC cookies for pudding. So nothing over the top.
"This is the most structured I’ve been in an off-season. I’ve still progressed well in the past with a very laid-back approach. So I’m expecting some significant changes when I compete in October. I just need to keep ticking the boxes and trying my best day in day out. I do believe I will be much improved this year."
And speaking with frontdouble.com, Varney sounded a warning to rivals thinking they can get one better on him this time.
He said: "What I have in mind in October is a 2bros regional and 2bros British. I would also like to do a show abroad and experience that.
"This is the first structured off-season I’ve had. Even with Justin Harris [previous coach] I would drop off and do my own thing [in the off-season] and hit him up for prep. But I’ve been checking in every week with Joe staying accountable and it’s really paying off.
"So hopefully I’ll have a good showing in the heavyweights. It’s going to be near impossible to top 2023 but I’m not done yet. I’ve still got a goal or two to try and accomplish before I’m done."
Watch this space. Varney was polished and then some in 2023, so frontdouble.com cannot wait to see the physique he displays come October.
Having been dismissed by the NHS, under pressure from Government protocols during their response to Covid, Sykes paid for private healthcare. It was here when he discovered the true extent of his horrific injuries and the risks he faced.
FULL BLOWN: Eddie Sykes and NABBA judge Steve Johnson
Three years later, he had not only fought back to full fitness, but he had become a British champion and secured second in the NABBA Universe. It was a comeback like no other.
Last month, Sykes spoke to frontdouble.com to share his current leg training routine. Because of his leg press injury, Sykes must now use a fraction of the weight he used to lift. Instead, he focuses purely on the movement, the squeeze, tension and pre-exhaustion work. It is actually not possible to go as heavy as he used to.
And now he has published his full routine on his YouTube channel, which frontdouble.com is republishing now for you to see.
The reasons behind the astonishing rise within bodybuilding of a 21-year-old who has never competed
COMMENT by Gary Chappell
DURING the recent Arnold Classic, former IFBB Pro and current bodybuilding coach Milos Sarcev posted a picture of himself with Sam Sulek.
Alongside the picture, Sarcev included the caption: "With superstar Sam Sulek. Sensational young bodybuilding prospect that took the world by the storm. Super polite young man."
If you do not know this "superstar" and "sensational young bodybuilding prospect", who is not just polite but "super polite", then some would accuse you of living under a rock. In the world of social media, you are not allowed to have a life outside of bodybuilding. You must have been living under a rock, therefore, had you not been buried pages-deep in social media watching Sam Sulek.
WINNERS' ENCLOSURE: Milos Sarcev (left) and Sam Sulek
Sam Sulek has made a name for himself in the bodybuilding and fitness world via TikTok and YouTube. He has never competed but certainly boasts a physique that looks as though he has.
I made a two-word comment on that post by Sarcev. It simply said: "The world?"
You see, ask 10 people in the street who Sam Sulek is and my guess is eight will say no. That is not "taking the world by storm".
Sulek was so successful he took seven billion people by storm. No perspective allowed
I work in an industry infected with people lost in a seemingly impenetrable bubble. Every sport they attend is "incredible" and anything their interview subjects say are the "best quotes" or "best story ever".
The lack of perspective grows tiresome and so I called for some perspective over Sam Sulek. Hence, yes, while he might have taken the bodybuilding world by storm, he has not taken the world by storm.
Ergo, I am now a "goof", according to social media. A "jealous" goof at that. One who cannot see his potential. One who needs to "sit down, bro".
Playground mentality aside, it leads to a wider point. How is a 21-year-old who has never competed in a bodybuilding show seemingly bodybuilding's next big thing? Why is Sam Sulek so successful?
Frontdouble.com caught up with bodybuilding coach Justin Harris, who offered detailed insight into why Sam Sulek is so successful.
Sulek is so successful because he represents the exact age group who are obsessed with bodybuilding
Harris said:"Sam is successful because he's the exact demographic of the largest portion of people who are currently obsessed with adding muscle mass. Males in their early 20s.
"I used to watch Jay Cutler eat, train, get groceries and send out mail for four hours in those 'days in the life' videos 15 years ago. When you're obsessed with bodybuilding, that's all you think about and you'll watch videos all day long.
"Those people are also of the age who don't have money, so if Sam went the coaching route, it wouldn't have worked as well. But he nailed it. HOURS of YouTube content, frequently posted, of him just training and talking about bodybuilding. And of him showing the bodybuilding lifestyle that a large percentage of 18-26 year old men love. All in a way that they don't have to spend money to access.
"It was brilliant and obvious in hindsight. It also worked because that wasn't Sam's plan. He was also one of those young obsessed men. He wasn't working, he was just having fun filming what he loved to do.
"If he tried to monetise himself out of the gate, it would have gone nowhere. If he tried to monetise his videos (guided them that way) it would have gone nowhere. But because it was real, it was what he loved and it was very high volume – it can't seem like someone is "everywhere" if they're only posting one reel a week, they have to be literally everywhere you go online – it worked brilliantly.
"His is a really cool story in my opinion; young kid follows passion, passion pays off. Thousands of others attempt to replicate it for monetary purposes and they all fail (or will anyway)."
Sam Sulek is certainly successful. He has millions of followers, something ordinarily reserved for champions. He is also now sponsored by Hosstile, the bodybuilding company owned by former IFBB Pro Fouad Abiad. One wonders now whether he will ever compete, however. Maybe now he has too much to lose...
Now he has revealed tentative plans for the forthcoming bodybuilding campaign – with the NABBA Universe top of his list.
Smith Junior said: "I'll be doing the Universe but, as of now, I'm not sure which show to do in order to qualify for it. I'll be competing in October anyway, so I will be looking at shows around that time. Possibly the NABBA England, because I have never done that show before."
The NABBA England takes place on October 13 and is the final qualifier for the NABBA Universe on November 3.
"I've won the NABBA UK and I've won two regionals, but I have never won the England," said Smith Junior. "I've never done it – so that might be one to do alongside the Universe. And it is kind of like all four isn't it – UK, England, Universe, British, which I won last year, so that will cover all bases."
Smith Junior is also a bodybuilding and fitness coach. He also offers courses if you want to qualify as a coach or personal trainer. To enquire about his services, click here.
PRIVETT SAYS HE'S 'ONLY 60%' FOR SEASON OPENER – BUT PICTURES TELL A DIFFERENT STORY
Trials and tribulations of a Men's Physique competitor hunting down IFBB Pro Card
MEN'S Physique athlete Marcus Privett believes he is only 60 per cent close to his best for the UK's season opener on March 23.
But one look at his recent check-in pictures suggests he will be dialled in for his pro qualifier next month.
Privett will return to the stage for the 2Bros Condition Coaches Kingdom Classic show in three weeks, which acts as a regional qualifier for those in the UK wanting to battle it out for an IFBB Pro Card later in the campaign.
Wheeler told Privett he should already be a pro
Privett – once told by the Flex Wheeler that with his shape he should already be gracing an IFBB Pro stage – normally comes in sliced to the bone, with aesthetically pleasing, flowing lines.
He said: "I'm three weeks out but only about 60 per cent [ready] for this one. I don't really feel like I'm "in" this time around. I feel like I'm still quite a while away. Even my pictures are not great and I don't feel that great at the minute, either.
"I lost a lot of size last year and I haven't had the time to put that back on yet. But I need to make a weight category this time, so it's a different way of approaching it than we have done before.
"But I need to get this done. I just don't want to put too much pressure on myself. I will do the regional, then straight to Sweden – which is a pro qualifier – and straight after there is Portugal.
"They are the plans but there are a lot of good guys competing, so we'll see what happens.
"Right now I am hitting individual body parts in training just to get some extra detail. But I need to get tighter without losing any more size."
I was told I might never walk again after leg press injury
How Class One bodybuilder's leg press injury turned him from big and powerful, to helpless and fragile, after NHS told him scan showed no damage when in fact it was so severe it could have changed his life for ever...
AT the beginning of this video, you will see footage of Eddie Sykes' leg press injury which he suffered in May 2020. This has been reproduced with Eddie's permission and can also be seen alongside his explanation on his YouTube channel here.
In just three years he has experienced the depths of despair after being abandoned by the NHS. He spent thousands on private surgery to avoid permanent life-changing damage to his body. And he suffered with subsequent mental health issues.
But last September he achieved the seemingly impossible – returning to the stage to win the NABBA Mr England and finish runner up at the NABBA Mr Universe.
Masters Over 45 athlete cuts a monster figure in the gym ahead of NABBA shows
PETE LAWSON has released some video footage of his training as he gears up to compete at this year's NABBA England and NABBA Universe.
Lawson returned to the stage last year, winning the NABBA Britain Masters Over 45, before heading to Italy, where he won the NABBA World Championship.
Now Lawson is ready to tackle the NABBA England on October 13, which acts as the final qualifier for the NABBA Universe in Birmingham on November 3.
The Masters Over 45 category is always extremely competitive, regardless of the federation and Lawson is certainly one athlete to look out for this season.
And let there be no doubt that the NABBA Universe is the one at the top of Lawson's priority list and one he will be keen to take home this November.
If you are looking for bodybuilding or fitness coaching, you can contact Lawson and his wife Sarah Lawson through their website SPL Fit Coaching.
Great exposure for Masters Mr Universe Mark Taylor – but his lower-protein diet has attracted much attention
NABBA Masters Mr Universe Mark Taylor has received widespread media exposure in the past week – with the BBC even reporting the secret behind his victory last November was a lower-protein diet.
The website BNNbreaking.com also picked up the story, in which Taylor reveals how a switch to a higher carbohydrate and lower-protein diet paved the way for his Universe success.
This is all very good exposure for bodybuilding and excellent for Taylor, but it is worth looking further as just why BBC Scotland decided to look at the sport, especially given the Universe was three months ago.
The story includes quotes from a Professor Lindsay Jaacks, of Global Health and Nutrition at the University of Edinburgh, who appears keen to “debunk” the idea of high-protein diets.
In isolation, there would be nothing wrong with lower-protein diets. But it is worth adding some context.
Picture: LEE ARCHER
Right now, Climate Change is being highlighted by governments around the world. You would no doubt have heard the phrase “Net Zero”, which is being trotted out repeatedly at every opportunity.
To achieve Net Zero, those in power believe the farming of meat – protein – must end, or at least be restricted to an absolute minimum. This has led to widespread protests across the globe from farmers, who are being put out of business.
Billionaire Bill Gates, a strong advocate of Net Zero, has also been quoted publicly about his goal of producing lab-grown meat. Gates, it must also be noted, now owns the largest amount of farmland in America. The World Economic Forum has also published reports into what they see as the "benefits of insect protein".
So we “may” have a reason why – seemingly out of the blue – the mainstream media, never a branch of press to cover our sport, are suddenly interested in bodybuilding; because those in power are keen to push lower-protein diets.
Whether you agree with this theory or not, Taylor’s story is nonetheless interesting.
He told frontdouble that he implemented a lower-protein diet by essentially cutting his protein by more than 50 per cent, adding that he “put my carbs through the roof” in a bid to secure the coveted Mr Universe title.
Speaking the BBC Scotland interview, he added: “I got ripped with carbs. I’m delighted and wouldn’t go back to a high-protein diet.
“I had 10 Scotland titles and had all the Mr Scotland titles but I couldn’t progress any further at British level as I wasn’t big enough or hard enough until I met my coach Vicky McCann and she introduced carbs into my diet.
“People don’t believe they need carbs for bodybuilding but this is the most successful I’ve ever been. I wish I had known sooner.
“At first when I started eating a lot more food and carbs I felt in a lot of pain because my body wasn’t used to it as I had been dieting on very little food for so long. In the past on my high protein diet I had felt tired a lot.
“But suddenly on this high-carb diet I had all this energy so I could train for longer and harder and I felt stronger. Then I noticed my muscles looked bigger and fuller and harder, I just couldn’t believe it.”
Frontdouble has reported on this subject before, with American coach Justin Harris of Troponin Nutrition a big believer in high-carb diets. His views on protein, however, are slightly different, with some of his nutrition plans using higher protein – 60g per meal over six meals for some and 30g per meal over six on higher-carb days.
Also speaking in that BBC interview, Prof Jaacks also targeted the use of supplements. While she may well be right on this, supplements are exactly that – to supplement. What is perhaps more true is that they are for convenience; is might be easier for someone to consume protein from whey in a liquid meal alongside blendable carbohydrates and fats than it would be a steak or chicken breast for example.
Picture: LEE ARCHER
She said: “I’m not at all surprised if he was restricting carbs in any way that he wasn’t getting very far, because carbs are absolutely the most important of the macros when it comes to thinking about exercise.
“Carbohydrates are absolutely critical because that’s what the brain and the muscles use for energy sources during exercise. You really need to have sufficient carbs if you are going to be exercising particularly at that kind of elite athlete level.
“It is really great to debunk this idea of high protein diets because it’s generally overstated. Even people who are going to the gym a couple of times a week are likely getting perfectly sufficient protein and don’t need to do anything in terms of increasing protein through taking supplements.
“There is a lot of public emphasis on protein and bodybuilding and taking the supplements and protein shakes but really it’s not required for most people even people who are going to the gym a couple of times a day.
“Athletic associations now also emphasise actually a food first approach to getting protein rather than supplements and there are other nutrients in food itself that are good for health.
“So my recommendation is to try to get what you need from food and most people can do that in their usual diets.”
McCann, chairwoman of the British Natural Bodybuilding Federation and Taylor’s coach said: “Bodybuilders will eat slightly elevated protein from your average person because they need muscle growth. However, the way I train my athletes is that we have a much higher percentage of carbohydrates than protein because carbohydrates are muscle sparing.
“When your body is low in energy, if it’s lacking carbohydrates it will use protein as a source of energy, so it means you are actually using your protein as a source of energy rather than a source of growth which is not what you are looking for as a bodybuilder.
“Keeping the carbohydrates high through a diet works. It doesn’t work very well for sedentary people but if you are training hard you do need carbohydrates.”
In an exclusive interview with frontdouble.com in December, Sykes detailed the extensive injuries he suffered during a 600kg leg press in 2020 and how the NHS, under pressure from the Government's Covid protocols at the time, somehow concluded that his scans showed no damage.
Sykes then paid for private healthcare, with doctors there finding, rightly, that he "needed help and needed help now" or he would struggle to ever walk again, let alone return to bodybuilding. He had broken his pelvis, severed his adductor longus and torn off his pectineus and pyramidalis.
In our December interview, Sykes detailed his incredible return from this injury to winning the NABBA Mr England last September and has now shared the leg routine he uses to ensure there is no repeat of that horrific injury.
Sykes must now use a fraction of the weight he used to lift and instead focuses purely on the movement, the squeeze, tension and pre-exhaustion work – so it is actually not possible to go as heavy as he used to.
One week his leg training routine is quad dominant, as below, with the next being hamstring focused.
His full training video will soon be available on his YouTube channel but below is a sneak preview of his revised leg training routine:
EDDIE SYKES' LEG TRAINING ROUTINE [quad focused]:
Leg extension – three working sets
1: 15-20 reps
2: Triple drop set 15 reps each
3: 20 reps with a hold
Pendulum squat
Two sets, last one a drop set
Leg press
One set, 100kg, to 100 reps
Abductor
Three sets, 10-15 reps
Calf raise using leg press
Three sets, 10-15 reps
Why not try this leg workout yourself and let us know in the comments below how you got on.
Eddie Sykes is also available for coaching and his details can be found in our Directory.
Iconic 'Prepare for Glory' show postponed until 2025
But promotor James Room confirms he could host TWO shows next year as qualifiers for a World Championship and Mr Universe
JAMES ROOM'S iconic Prepare for Glory show will not run this year but is expected to return next season – and with a twist.
In an interview with frontdouble.com last month, Room confirmed he was considering cancelling this year's event to concentrate on winning the PCA Masters Over 50 British title.
Room had also moved federations from the IBFA to the NAC last year, but a series of problems at the NAC Universe late last year led to a fall-out.
And last night he confirmed that May's Prepare for Glory show would now be postponed until 2025.
FANS MUST WAIT: James Room's Prepare for Glory show will return in 2025 – and better than ever
He said: "There are a few personal issues that need to be sorted. Plus, I also want it [the show] right for athletes and, after what happened with the NAC, it wasn't enough time to make changes with a different federation in order to move forward.
"I want to include qualification for some sort of world championship, so doing this [postponement] means that, in 2025, we have the possibility of two Prepare for Glory shows; one to qualify for a Worlds and one for a Universe."
He also explains how, two days prior to flying to Spain for the PCA World Championship, he was rushed to hospital with "stomach pains that brought me to my knees" after suffering an extreme reaction to fibre that almost cost him his life.
And Room also details the story behind the birth of The Spartan, the nickname and persona which Room has adopted since 2015.
You can watch that full intervie by subscribing to our premium model for just £2.99 a month.
Amid the murky world of the internet the likely truth is that keeping it simple in bodybuilding is the fastest route to success By Gary Chappell SOCIAL MEDIA is awash with so-called experts and thinly veiled attacks but keeping it simple when it comes to bodybuilding is always key. You will see a constant steam...
Continue reading frontdouble.com, the online bodybuilding magazine, for just £2.99 a month.
INSULIN 101: Guide and protocol for optimal use in bodybuilding
Study on the anabolic hormone with additional tips by coach Justin Harris
MANY people will scare you into believing insulin use in bodybuilding will kill you.
In fact, some find difficulty in obtaining it because of such concern.
Proper insulin use does not kill. Stupidity and recklessness does.
While frontdouble.com is not suggesting anyone use insulin, this guide has been set up to outline the most optimal way to use it if you plan to, or if you already are using it.
For those who do not know, insulin is a hormone that is naturally produced in the body by your pancreas. The organ releases insulin into the bloodstream whenever you consume carbohydrates. It does this in order to regulate your blood sugar level. Insulin’s job is to transport that glucose [sugar] from your bloodstream and into your cells.
According to the website healthline: “It also encourages cells to take in amino acids (proteins) and lipids (fats) to a certain extent. Insulin also prevents the breakdown of glycogen, protein and fat in your body.”
In this sense, insulin is anabolic. A study published on Pub Med offers a concise explanation: “Insulin is considered to be an anabolic hormone in that it promotes the synthesis of protein and glycogen and it inhibits the degradation of these compounds in muscle tissue. Glucose normally provides energy sources for tissues of the body, its uptake by muscle requires a secretion of insulin. Insulin stimulates the uptake of amino acids into cells and simulates protein synthesis in muscle tissue.”
In an article for bodybuilding.com, Dr Jim Stoppani writes: “From the pancreas, insulin enters the bloodstream and travels to various tissues, including muscle tissue.
“The muscle fibers [or cells] are lined with insulin receptors, similar to a docking station. Once the insulin molecule docks on to the receptor, it signals the muscle cell to open up gates.
“This allows allow glucose, amino acids and creatine to enter the muscles. This process is a major reason why insulin is so important for building muscle.
“Insulin also indirectly aids in muscle development by causing the blood vessels to relax and dilate, allowing greater blood flow to the muscles. By increasing blood flow, insulin can help get even more nutrients like glucose and amino acids to the muscles.”
Bodybuilders use insulin to enhance this effect; to store more glucose in the muscle than they would with only the amount produced naturally by the pancreas.
Another decent analogy was described on a recent podcast called 'Blood, Sweat and Gear', with coaches Skip Hill, Andrew Berry and Scott McNally. You can watch what they say from the clip below:
When bodybuilders use insulin, they typically keep their fat intake at a minimum; ie. no added fats at all. The reason is because of fat storage.
For example, in the same way insulin will drive glucose to the muscle for storage, it can also drive fats to the fat cells for storage. Therefore, using a continued insulin protocol over time can lead to fat storage, which is perhaps why you might hear some people suggest ‘insulin makes you fat’. Of course, that is not true. In the same sense of eating fat does not make you fat, insulin use also does not make you fat. What makes you fat is poor use of insulin.
When to use insulin in bodybuilding
Perhaps the most optimal way to use it is within a carb-cycling diet, when the amount of carbs you eat varies each day depending on whether you rest, train or train a significant body part such as legs or back, when typically the most amount of calories are burned.
In a nutshell, insulin use in bodybuilding is most optimal when you are loading carbohydrates, in order to store the most possible as muscle glycogen.
Protocol for insulin use in bodybuilding
Frontdouble.com spoke to renowned coach Justin Harris, of Troponin Nutrition and 1st Detachment. He outlined his protocol for insulin use in bodybuilding, which uses the short-acting form of insulin, which is Humalog or Novorapid.
Harris says: “Insulin use is for high days only [when carbohydrates are at their highest]. We eat six meals on my diets and the dosing protocol is:
First meal of the day: 4-10iu Humalog [iu = international units]
Second or third meal of the day (not both): 4-10iu Humalog
Pre or Post workout (assuming it’s not second or third meal of the day): 4-12iu humalog
“What we are doing here is spreading out the dose over the day, roughly at every other meal more or less. We start at the low end – in my example here that is four international units per dose – and titrate up until you find the doses where you just start to go hypoglycemic on the diet plan.
“You want to stop at the dose where you almost go hypo, but don’t. Going hypoglycemic forces you to drink sugar above the calories in the diet plan – which is why people get fat from insulin.
“We want to find the optimal dose where the diet plan just barely covers the insulin with no hypoglycemia. That amount maximises glycogen storage and maximises amino acid uptake from the diet.
“This gives you about 18 hours per high day where insulin levels are supraphysiological. Compare this with about 15 hours per week if you use it every workout and only those times (5x per week).
“So you get more active hours from one high day than you do using it 5x per week post workout. This minimises any hit to insulin sensitivity and maximises time where levels are elevated.”
3: Why short-acting [Humalog/Novorapid, which starts working 15 after injection] rather than long-acting [Lantus]?
Harris explains: “It's more precise. Lantus works because it’s in your body 24-plus hours, so there’s always insulin. So your blood sugar is well controlled – but it’s like an alcoholic saying that as long as they drink one beer per hour all day, they never get DTs.
“Your blood glucose is controlled because of the lantus – because of the insulin. Your insulin sensitivity is getting worse by the day. But people misunderstand that because blood sugar is controlled.”
The take home message here is that short-acting insulin is more optimal because it offers more windows of opportunity for muscle growth without increasing damage to insulin sensitivity and therefore becoming diabetic.
Insulin is a powerful hormone and misuse/overdosing can result in a quick death.
The website John Doe Bodybuilding says, rather succinctly: “The biggest way to fuck up insulin is incorrect measurement.
“If I tell you to take five units of insulin and you load up 5cc’s as you would a steroid shot, or even load up five units as you would a GH shot, you are probably going to die.
“Five units of insulin means five tiny little lines or “clicks” on an insulin syringe. It will look like hardly anything in the needle – this is powerful shit and it doesn’t take much at all to do it’s job.
“The second biggest way to fuck up insulin is to not eat properly after administering it. As a general rule, for every one unit of insulin you inject, you need to take 10 grams of carbohydrates with it. This needs to be done within 15 minutes of injecting insulin. Depending on what type of insulin you use, you will want another meal within 60-90 minutes after that.”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Short-acting: Humalog/Novorapid: Starts working 15 minutes after injection. Lasts roughly three-five hours. In the above protocol, one injection covers two meals with insulin injected three times over the day].
Never inject, then prepare food. Always have your meal ready before injecting insulin.
Long-acting: Lantus [slow release throughout the day, so only needs one injection].
Hypoglycemic: Low blood sugar; the feeling of light-headedness, sweating, dizzyness and, in some cases fuzzy eyesight. Severe and/or prolonged hypoglycemia can lead to death.
GBA founder Adams says 'prep shouldn't change anything' as he heads for Vegas show
Physique coach Matt enters last three weeks ahead of NPC Legends Classic – all while running his new federation
THE founder of the Global Bodybuilding Alliance federation says he will be stepping on stage at the NPC Legends Classic in Las Vegas in just three weeks' time.
Matt Adams, also known to many as the Physique Coach, announced on instagram earlier today, Tuesday, January 24, that he has been in prep for the American show for the past few weeks.
Adams is also expecting to announce some big news involving his new federation, the GBA, in the coming days but believes his work for the coming season has not been affected by his drive to compete.
He told frontdouble.com: "It's business as usual. Being in prep shouldn’t change the status quo if you manage it properly. People over dramatise it.
"It’s not having any impact on me organising a federation or seeing to my clients. Like I said in my post, most people wouldn’t even know I’m on prep."
Adams, who will be in the Over 50s class at the Legends Classic, last competed in Thailand in December, securing second place in the Masters Over 50s at the PCA Gorilla Classic, having also competed at the NPC European Masters in Milan, Italy in November.
He added: "Don’t get me wrong, there will be times when it [prep] is challenging, But if you manage sleep properly, give yourself enough duration, so it’s not as harsh, then it becomes more routine.
"The goal is just love of the sport and competing somewhere different really. This isn’t a pro qualifier show. I’ll aim for a pro qualifier again in 2025.
"When I last competed in Thailand in December, I knew I could do more, so I put this one in the calendar before I go on a growth phase."
Scotland and North shows offer prize for best coach to help put federation 'back to where we should be'
NABBA area reps are bidding to bring the federation back to its former glory in the face of fierce competition.
NABBA Scotland and NABBA North are offering a holiday to Marbella for the best coach over two shows. And they will hand a year’s sponsorship by Peak Body to the best athlete. All in a bid to make NABBA more relevant.
It is understood area representatives are trying to bring NABBA back to the top given the number of rival federations.
Those two shows have enlisted one of NABBA's most decorated champions, John Citrone, who works for Peak Body supplements. He will help judge the winners of what they are calling the Twin Peak Challenge.
The Mr & Miss Scotland show on April 13, run by the 2023 Masters Over 45 Mr Universe Mark Taylor and the Mr & Miss North Britain on May 5, run by five-times Mr Universe Eddiy Ellwood, are the two competitions running the new challenge.
NEW PARTNERSHIP: Eddy Ellwood, left, and John Citrone agree on the Twin Peak Challenge
Taylor said: “We just feel that there are so many feds now. We are the original federation. We want to give back to athletes all entry fees and get us back to where we should be.
“The new breed of competitors don’t really know about us. The social media age and online coaches' influence on competitors has changed the landscape.
“So with this Peak Body Challenge, we are trying to get coaches to put their athletes into NABBA.
“Pre-Covid in Scotland, people only got ready for NABBA Scotland. But there are 11 shows in Scotland now – it’s absolutely crazy. And with the influences of coaches, athletes choose PCA and 2Bros.
“There are only probably 60 athletes in Scotland this year competing. Coaches influence their athletes to pick two to three shows tops. We [NABBA] need to be relevant. So hopefully what Eddy and myself have come up with will help.”
Luxury holiday for best coach to help make NABBA relevant
The Twin Peaks Challenge is open to all competitors and all entry fees will go into the prize fund.
Taylor said: “There will be a trophy and a holiday in a £5million villa in Marbella for the best coach.
“There will be a coaches league which will include a point system. The coach with the most points will win this prize.”
As for athletes, all class winners will receive £100 and can enter up to two classes. The overall winner of each show will also be handed £500. In addition, there is a chance to become a sponsored athlete for a year courtesy of Peak Body.
Taylor added: “From the two shows, Peak Body will decide on someone to represent their brand as an ambassador. This will include a professional photo shoot and a year’s sponsorship.”
GRAND PLANS: Mark Taylor, winning the Masters Universe, wants to make NABBA great again
Competition among federations means bodybuilding has never been stronger. There are more than 10 now offering a stage on which to compete.
This month, Tim Rosiek was appointed NABBA area rep for the North West. In what appears to be a break from tradition, he will have a support team behind him. This means he can call on a wide variety of skills and contacts to make his show also stand out.
Rosiek's team plan to be more active on social media and transparent with who will be on the judging panel. There will also be video content of reps attending gyms in order to promote the show.
Frontdouble.com is trying to obtain placing results from NABBA – and other federations – to list as on our bodybuilding directory.
US bodybuilder: "Once you start steroids, you'll never stop"
Great debate sparked by controversial comments over PEDs
BODYBUILDER Paul Barnett has created a huge debate on social media after saying: "Once you start steroids, you'll never stop."
Barnett, 49, has made incredible progress since his return to the sport five years ago and produces excellent topics on his YouTube channel, Anabolic Bodybuilding.
And he posted a video saying those who take steroids would never stop and would be using them for ever. It was these comments which sparked much interest on the social media platform.
Barnett says he did stop using steroids between ages 32 and 42 and felt like it robbed him of his personalty. He said: "Everything that I thought I was was gone."
Frontdouble.com is reproducing Barnett's steroids video, below, invites you to comment in the section below.
Barnett can also be viewed and followed on instagram here.
Super-heavyweight Josh Goold slams social media influencers in passionate rant
BODYBUILDING is being tarnished by so-called 'influencers' who have not earned the right to offer advice about the correct way to train.
That is according to super-heavyweight bodybuilder Josh Goold, who has taken to instagram himself to warn young, impressionable bodybuilders not to listen to these so-called 'educators'.
Goold, an online coach himself and who is coached by IFBB pro Sas Heirati, said: "This isn't the bodybuilders, this is little kids who haven't trained and are getting a lot of attention.
"It's embarrassing. Yes educate, but being outlandish by being like, 'I'm going to get this many clicks', that is not bodybuilding, it's not educating and it is not helping."
Agree with Goold? Watch this video here and comment below:
"Dysmorphia so severe I feel sick looking at myself ripped"
James Room details battle with body dysmorphia, how he almost died two days before PCA Worlds and tells the story behind The Spartan
BODYBUILDER James Room says he cannot stand looking at himself in show condition when stepping off stage because his severe body dysmorphia makes him "feel sick".
The Masters Over 50 icon, promotor of the Prepare for Glory shows in the Midlands, has suffered from severe body dysmorphia since his school days. He used to describe himself as a skinny teenager.
Room also details the row with the NAC, which ended his association with the federation after one year.
He also explains how, two days prior to flying to Spain for the PCA World Championship, he was rushed to hospital with "stomach pains that brought me to my knees". He had suffered an extreme reaction to fibre that almost cost him his life.
And Room also details the story behind The Spartan, the nickname and persona which he has adopted since 2015.
Recently Room announced he was postponing his 2024 version of Prepare for Glory to concentrate on winning the PCA Britain.
But added: "There are a few personal issues that need to be sorted. Plus, I also want it [the show] right for athletes. And after what happened with the NAC, it wasn't enough time to make changes with a different federation.
"I want to include qualification for some sort of world championship. Ao doing this [postponement] means that, in 2025, we have the possibility of two Prepare for Glory shows. One to qualify for a Worlds and one for a Universe."
Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin plus electrolytes make it a must have
SPONSORED CONTENT
LAST month frontdouble.com ran an article on the benefits of using Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin (HBDC) in your intra-workout shake. Gaspari Nutrition are now here in the UK and one of their finest products is Glycofuse.
Glycofuse contains Cluster Dextrin – the same as HBCD – at 25g per serving, which in this case is 29g of product.
What is better than most HBCD powders out there, however, is that Gaspari Glycofuse also contains an electrolyte formula, including Calcium Potassium Phosphate Citrate and Pink Himalayan Salt. This is ideal for intra-workout hydration and the transporting of nutrients to the cell.
Gaspari Nutrition say: "Original Glycofuse was never intended to be a supplement for the novice. Its design was only concerned with the elite, experienced athlete.
"The original was met with praise but there were also suggestions from our loyal customers on how it could be better. So we listened and upgraded the formula.
"New Gaspari Glycofuse provides 25g of carbohydrates from pure, low glycemic, Cluster Dextrins, which eliminate insulin spikes, giving you sustained energy over prolonged workouts.
"Gastric emptying is also enhanced, which eliminates stomach upset, bloating and gets those carbs to the muscle faster."
Why? Well, as explained in our article which is linked above, using simple sugars in your intra is just not optimal. It will ignite a quick insulin spike and you will see your energy crash pretty quickly.
JAMES ROOM'S PREPARE FOR GLORY SPLITS FROM NAC AND MAY NOT RUN THIS YEAR
Promotor says he is working with other federations but nothing guaranteed for 2024 version
JAMES ROOM'S iconic Prepare for Glory show in Wolverhampton may not run this year after a row with the NAC.
Room, who teamed up with the federation last year after six years linked to the IBFA, told the NAC in November that he would never work with them again when he and another British athlete were disqualified from the NAC Universe in Germany for wearing the wrong trunks – despite spending time backstage with the president Eugene Laviscount.
In an exclusive interview with frontdouble.com soon to be published, Room said: "I went back down to see Eugene after being disqualified and asked him about it. He said, 'well, didn't you read the rules'?
"I said, 'read the rules? I've just been down here standing with you for an hour.
"If our UK president isn't going to stand up and say something to us straight away, or know the rules himself, then there's no good me sending competitors over to have the same thing done again.
"I've just basically told him [Laviscount], if you don't fight for me, then you can forget me getting competitors and me being part of the NAC.
"So we are no longer part of the NAC and the reason being [apart from the trunks issue] is that there was no team UK. We were one of the only countries with no team tracksuit, no team T-shirts to say we were from the UK.
"I even took Union Jack flags out there for Eugene to give to competitors when they were in the top five. It never happened. It just was wrong all the way through."
Asked what would happen with the show, normally held in May, Room said he had been talking to other federations but could even postpone it for a year to concentrate on his own competitive ventures.
He said: "I'm even considering taking a year away from me and bringing it back. Because, I'll be honest, I'd love to be able to concentrate on myself for a year."
DAVE CROSLAND is also available for coaching. Anyone interested can contact Dave at dave@croslands.org.uk or via instagram or facebook
DAVE CROSLAND is considered the UK’s No1 authority on bodybuilding health and performance-enhancing drugs. He is the director of Croslands Harm Reduction Services and Under Construction Films. He is a personal trainer and bodybuilding coach and the founder of e-Val, a company offering private bloodwork analysis.
Josh Goold shares details of his off-season under coach Sas Heirati as he targets pro qualifier in 2024, saying: "Hopefully I'll have the shape and size to do some damage..."
AS 2023 draws to a close one top amateur has revealed the brutal extremes he has endured in a bid to hang some serious muscle on his frame come his return to the stage next year.
Josh Goold, coached by IFBB pro Sasan Heirati, last competed in 2021 and has pushed his body through a long period of serious eating, as he targets a pro qualifier at the tail end of 2024.
A coach himself and creator of one of the most watchable and enjoyable YouTube channels available right now, with the correct balance of education and humour, [here] Goold threatens to cause a serious shake up in the super-heavyweights.
Speaking to frontdouble, he said: "It has been a long off-season. I was last on stage in 2021 and, coming off of that goal, it was very evident that I'm not a light-heavyweight and I need to be in the supers. If I want to really give it some, I need to build a pro-level physique – you need to have that size.
NO PUSHOVER: Goold at 270lbs, standing at 5ft 9in, is hoping to be a serious danger next year
"So going into the off-season, starting at the back end of that prep, it was a case of, 'right, let's put this size on and spend some time growing and getting bigger. We still have a little bit left of this off-season because I won't be looking to compete until September/October time when there is that little run of pro qualifiers to see how I price up. We've really just been eating a ton of food, lifting big and getting big, progressing lifts and just really enjoying the off-season and embracing it.
"We have cleaned up nicely after being the heaviest I got so far, which was 285lbs [from his last stage weight of roughly 200lbs]. The first push I got to 265lbs, then we cleaned up and I got to about 240 something. Then we pushed back up and I tapped out at 275lbs. Then we pulled back and did another push which is when we hit 285lbs, then we come back. But each time I have been getting heavier and heavier.
"I started this push at 256/257lbs and at the minute I am 270.8lbs – but the leanest 270.8lbs I've been. I should be able to push an extra 15lbs no problem. If I'm not competing until September that gives me a good blast to be able to put that on. I may even get 290lbs, you never know."
Goold has often been vocal about what he calls "getting comfortable with being uncomfortable" in terms of off-season growth.
SUPER SIZE ME: Goold rocking 285lbs – and even kept on the 'uncomfortable' socks
He said: "I felt really heavy – to the point where my heels all cracked because of the sheer weight of me and because I wasn't looking after my dry skin on the back of my feet. The water retention at that weight was not nice, even wearing socks felt uncomfortable, bending down felt uncomfortable – everything felt uncomfortable.
"I'm 5ft 9in, I'm not very tall – well, I'm 5ft 10 with my hair gelled up – but getting up on your tip-toes to get something, your calves get pumped and your lower back gets pumped. It is uncomfortable and some people say it is miserable, but you know what, we live for this s**t and it's the feeling of being uncomfortable that is living on the edge – this is it!
"Some people like driving fast cars, some of us like putting on lots of f*****g muscle and hopefully when we get on to the stage next year it presents itself as,'f**k me, who's that monster?!' That's it – that's what we want, right?
"Hopefully I have kept my shape all right so I'll a bit of shape, bit of size and hopefully I can do some damage."
WHY 2024 PROMISES TO BE ONE OF THE BEST SEASONS YET
Amateur bodybuilding is on the rise and is riding the crest of a wave right now
FEDERATIONS are clambering over themselves to be the best out there and that means one thing: The athletes are the winners.
There has never been a better time to be involved in competitive bodybuilding. With the increase in federations comes with it competition. Competition for entrants; athletes who pay good money to compete. Not to mention sponsors, who also pay good money to promote their brands.
An increasing number of federations are now offering prize money or expenses as awards for class and overall winners, plus a host of other incentives to compete with them.
Trophies, with the exception of a handful of federations, are being improved year on year, with some incredible pieces on offer for those who place – for those people who put every last drop of sweat into this venture, every little detail counts.
Some bodybuilders are coming out of retirement to compete again, those people well into their 40s and 50s. And there are more and more teenagers giving it a go too. There is no other sport quite like it; few other sports can offer a competitive environment to athletes from their teens all the way into their 50s and beyond.
This is why frontdouble believes this coming year, 2024, will be the finest season yet to be a competitive bodybuilder.
WE ARE HERE TO SHOWCASE YOU AS THE REAL STARS
DURING this season frontdouble will be highlighting as many of you athletes as possible.
Be it in-depth premium interviews, going into the real-life stories behind bodybuilders – much like we did with the brilliant Eddie Sykes – training, nutrition and health advice from those athletes frontdouble.com is working in collaboration with, or showing training footage, it is our goal to work alongside you and grow together.
Our work in progress is our directory, which we plan to build into a comprehensive bodybuilding database; a one-stop shop of all your needs – show calendar, federations and their contact details; a list of coaches you can hire, tanning services, photographers, blood analysis details and a list of mental health helplines and emails.
WATCH – Eddie Sykes interview trailer:
If you would like to share your training footage, you can email us at: info@frontdouble.com, with a brief explanation of your routine and background and we will feature you on these pages.
In addition, if you are also an online coach, for just £2.99 a month we can promote your business by listing your services and contact details in our directory. The price also includes access to all of our premium content. You see, the more finance we have behind us, the increasing number of in-depth interviews we can put together and the better the content can become.
An alternative way to be listed as a coach in our directory, if you decide that premium content is not for you, is to help us out with content itself. Frontdouble.com will thrive on hearing your stories, your philosophies and we want to share as many of them as possible with as many people as possible, thus helping both of us going forward. Again, any ideas you have please email us at: info@frontdouble.com.
JOIN THE DEBATE – HERE
SCROLLING through many forms of social media as we brainstorm for content ideas, frontdouble sees many debates on training and nutrition.
What is the best training routine; how many sets are optimal for muscle growth etc, etc.
And that is not to mention the growing number of so-called 'influencers' highlighting a specific exercise as 'the best way to build shoulders, arms, back, chest or whatever' as they somehow hope people believe they have reinvented the wheel.
But let's bring this debate here, to one central place, where we can all bounce ideas off each other. We have the frontdouble forum in the premium section, or you can comment on our posts. Failing that, as mentioned above, email us with suggestions for debate at: info@frontdouble.com.
Veteran Steve Johnson provides valuable insight into how the judging process works
LOOK on social media after a show and you will always find a disappointed competitor, along with their friends, saying they were robbed by bodybuilding judges.
In reality, however, there will be specific reasons why they were beaten by someone.
So I would like to share a few things with you about bodybuilding judges, the judging and the process. Federations may differ slightly but, in general, all of them follow similar guidelines.
At top amateur shows there can be many ‘acting judges’ for a category running into double figures. The idea is to get the best possible average score from a number of judges. And to make sure no judge can influence the final placings if their judgment is out of alignment with others.
So you should rest assured that, if there is a judge you don’t like and they judge out of line with others, their score will be discounted. This is because the numerators – those adding up the scoresheets – knock one highest score and one lowest off each competitor. This prevents any favouritism, or opposite, having any effect on the outcome.
JUDGES INSIST YOU NAIL THE QUARTER-TURN POSES
When you first come out on stage in front of the judges, they decide who they are going to call out for the comparisons. This is where the quarter turns are crucial, so please make sure you practice and nail these.
When called out in the comparisons, the head judge will take you through your compulsory poses. The other judges will then be deciding their scoring by comparing you to your fellow athletes.
YOU CAN LOSE A CONTEST HERE IF JUDGES UNIMPRESSED
It is important you stand out in these compulsories, as it is here where shows are won and lost. Check on the federation you are competing with for specific compulsory poses as they can differ from time to time.
Judges may request many call outs to compare certain athletes to ensure they are happy with their decisions. Don’t be caught out – you need to execute your final comparison just as good as your first.
When on stage, try and listen to the direction given by the head bodybuilding judge as they call the poses. If they need you to pose in a particular manner and are requested to change, do this before a warning.
Once judges have decided their placings scorecards are folded over and handed to the numerator to add up the scores.
As a point of information, judges do not see their fellow judges’ scorecards.
Remember, the judge’s job is to decide the fair and correct placing – without bias – according to criteria. Judges generally are very experienced and know a lot more about bodybuilding than your friends. So request and listen to their feedback for constructive criticism to become a better bodybuilder in future.
If you don’t agree with anything I have said, my advice would be to become a judge and go through the qualification process. Then see how many athletes still think your opinion is correct.
It stimulates appetite allowing you eat more food, improves your lung capacity while training and keeps the fat off – but leading coach Aceto disagrees
IN his book ‘Championship Bodybuilding’ leading coach Chris Aceto says: “No bodybuilder who wishes to gain muscle mass should ever do aerobics in the off-season.”
Granted, the book was first published in 1996 and Aceto’s ‘opinion’ might have changed, but it has had at least 24 printings, with the most recent being 2019.
Remember, Aceto is regarded as one of the best coaches in the business, working with the likes of Britain's Sas Heirati among others.
In his book, Aceto writes: “I don’t like cardio exercise for bodybuilding. When I tell people that at seminars, I usually irritate someone in the audience, who gets angry.
“They say bodybuilders need to do cardio work for the heart. I disagree. First, a low level of body fat that can be achieved with a good diet and hard weight training is the best preventor of heart disease.
“Anyone who has heart problems or borderline diabetes knows the first bit of advice the doctor gives is to lose some weight. Body fat plays havoc with your body.
“In my opinion, no bodybuilder who wishes to gain muscle mass should ever do aerobics in the off season. Weight training is an activity that creates an anabolic state. Aerobic training creates a catabolic state.
“Weight training will improve and increase the release of anabolic hormones in the body to support growth, while aerobic training can counteract this by decreasing the output of these hormones.
“A myth in bodybuilding is off-season cardio will stimulate the metabolism. Bodybuilders often do aerobic work in the off-season in the hope of staying leaner. Dead wrong!
“First, aerobic activity does not burn as many calories as most believe. However, weight training adds muscle to the body, which causes the body to burn more calories even at rest.
“Both weight training and cardio work will stimulate the metabolism for a few hours following a workout.
“However, weight training stimulates muscle breakdown and remodelling. The act of recovery and muscle anabolism, stimulated from hard training, increases the need for calories.”
It is an interesting point. And one that is disputed by many.
For example. six-times Mr Olympia Dorian Yates implemented cardio in his off-season. In an article for Muscle & Fitness he once wrote: “I advocate that bodybuilders at all levels initiate an aerobics program, because it has many benefits.
“First, it enhances general cardiovascular fitness and being healthy in heart and lung efficiency is a boon for a competing bodybuilder.
“Second, this better level of general fitness increases metabolism. This makes your system much more efficient (than would be the case if you were sedentary) at assimilating the heavy protein intake necessary for bodybuilders.
“Third (and the reason I did cardio year-round when I was competing), it increases endurance so that when I launched into my contest-prep period where I started to train faster, I was ready for the pace from a fitness standpoint. The fourth main benefit is that doing cardio all year means you are able to take in a few more calories on a daily basis than would be the case if all you did was lift.
“In the offseason, I completed 30-minute power-walking sessions four times a week, first thing in the morning soon after I awoke and before breakfast. I just drank some water and then off I’d go.
“After having not eaten for 10 hours or so, I was in a low-carb state and, therefore, my body would more readily turn to fat for fuel.
“The pace was brisk, so I was breathing hard quickly. I took long strides and swung my arms to encourage general cardio stimulation.
“Writer Peter McGough once watched me power walking back to my house and he said that with my brisk pace, long strides and swinging arms, plus the fact that I weighed 275lbs, I looked like Frankenstein on speed. Moments like that make it all worthwhile!”
Coach and Class 2 bodybuilder Tim Rosiek believes off-season cardio is person dependent, however, saying: “It all depends on the individual; if they stay lean, then it’s not necessary. But if they’re carb sensitive, then it would be a good shout doing low impact cardio during the off-season.
“For example, I don’t do cardio in the off season mainly because I eat very clean and I’m lucky my genetics let me get away with not putting much fat on.
“But if I was unlucky and laid fat down quickly, I would do walking only, because fat burning requires oxygen and anything requiring more energy would deplete your glycogen and make you tired, which would affect your workout strength – and that is counter-productive to your growing period.”
American coach Justin Harris is a strong advocate of off-season cardio and explains how he uses it to mimic the respiratory strain of a 20-rep set of squats and, despite what Aceto believes, to stimulate appetite.
Harris utilises high intensity interval training for his off-season cardio at just 12 minutes. This takes the form of one minute low intensity, one minute high intensity, which over the duration of the session is considered six sets.
He says: “The harder you push in those high-intensity segments, the deeper into elevated post exercise oxygen consumption [EPOC].
“Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption [EPOC, informally called afterburn] is a measurably increased rate of oxygen intake following strenuous activity.
“We need to perform in the gym and what is the hardest set in the gym? It is a high rep set of squats; 20 on squats or 12 on deadlifts. You don’t do them very often but when you do, you don’t want your lungs to be the failure point.
“So I have people do one minute hard, one minute light and it’s kind of self-deciding how hard you push because you have to work hard for that minute, but it can’t be so hard that you can’t recover in the next minute.
“I have people do about 12 minutes of that three or four times a week [in the off-season] and that is replacing 20 minutes of pretty decently hard cardio. So we know in the gym that are muscles are the failure point, not our lungs. You’re not progressing if your lungs are the failure point on a set of deadlifts rather than your back.
“But then on top of that, the appetite stimulation is so enormous and it is that which allows people to continue to eat more and more food.
“And no one wants to believe it because everyone who wants to get big thinks cardio is going to do the opposite.
“But in case after case after case, my clients who are religious with that just progress rapidly because we are able to continually add food – and they are doing this thing that’s also helping us keep some of the fat off in the process.”
WATCH – EDDIE SYKES INJURY MEANT HE HAD TO LEARN TO WALK AGAIN
Footage of leg press horror ahead of exclusive frontdouble interview
THREE years ago bodybuilder Eddie Sykes broke his pelvis during a 645kg leg press exercise. He was initially told that he had suffered no damage. Further, private, health tests confirmed he had severed his adductor longus and torn off his pectineus and pyramidalis . He was told he might never walk unassisted ever again, let alone train legs.
In September this year, Sykes won the Class 1 category in the NABBA Mr England. It is a turnaround like no other.
Frontdouble sat down with Sykes recently to discuss in detail exactly what happened and the range of deep emotions he went through during that time, his recovery and his determination to get back to the stage.
Here, with Eddie;s consent, we are reproducing part of his YouTube video, which shows footage of the moment his world fell apart.
Recently he revealed on social media that had worked up to 16iu of GH per day.
He told frontdouble.com: “I talk to quite a few pros behind the scenes and the saying I’ve heard a lot is, ‘Take as much as you can afford and tolerate’.
“Until this year the most I ran was 9iu. I’m currently at 16 and I do see a difference in fullness and density.”
One thing he also revealed on his social media posts, however, was his lethargy, writing: “I’m tired all day. Still trying to figure that out.”
Former bodybuilder and coach and host of Rx Muscle, Dave Palumbo, does not see much benefit in running higher doses.
Speaking to frontdouble.com, he said: “I feel 2-4iu per day is deal for maximum muscle growth with least side effects. Length of time on GH is more important than how much you use daily.”
But whether the man himself adhered to such growth hormone doses during his competitive days is another question. Research and you can find a few memories of when he sold his old shoes. They started at size 15, then 16, then 17.
Maybe Palumbo discovered the ‘most side effects’ from higher doses for him was excessive foot growth and that is why he is now advocating lower-dose use. Maybe that will remain a mystery.
There is no one size fits all for growth hormone doses
The point is, however, that as usual these things are person dependent. What works for one may not work for another. It is a case of trial and error.
In the case of Barnett, for example, while he might be lethargic on 16iu a day, some might be OK.
On the tiredness issue, coach Justin Harris of Troponin Nutrition and 1st Detachment said: “It’s probably due to insulinogenic nature of IGF-1. Similar to how you feel sleepy after a large high carb meal.”
COMPARISON ROUND: How bodybuilders looked at the 1999 British GP (top) v the 2015 Mr Olympia
One difficulty for people considering their GH dose is often the debate around how bodybuilders looked in the 1990s compared to today.
You will often hear criticism from 90s bodybuilders about the condition of today’s athletes. Dorian Yates, John Hodgson, Flex Wheeler and Rich Gaspari have been particularly vocal about how ‘their day’ showed more granite-like physiques in comparison to today’s line-ups.
Harris says: “Long term high-dose GH use is the reason people think the 90s bodybuilers looked better. Guys today are leaner than they were back then, but the GH thickens skin so much at high doses that, even though everyone is leaner than they used to be, their conditioning doesn’t seem better – and often seems worse.
“It’s understandably hard as an athlete to know that about the 1990s guys and today’s guys and make the decision to use low-dose GH when, for any short-term timeframe, your look will always be better with higher dose GH; rounder muscles, fuller muscles, lower body fat, higher body weight, etc.
“It’s only with long-term use of high doses that the thicker skin, structural changes, reduced glycogen storage (likely due to insulin resistance) etc start to develop and then it’s even harder to go to 2iu GH because you’re losing your look – and dropping the GH dose will only accelerate that.”
Bodybuilding coach and Class 2 athlete discusses the key word in the sport and how genetics are more than they seem
THERE is a lot of talk about genetics in bodybuilding but there is perhaps more to the word than you think.
Yes, genetics play an important part in the sport – and this is the reason we all are not all top IFBB professionals.
But what are they, exactly?
Well, genetics are the reason why some people have great body parts despite barely training them and why some people will train weak body parts seemingly for ever with hardly any results.
You must know someone who has the most amazing calves without ever having trained them, or the most monstrous traps with seemingly any effort.
Genetics will not only be a major part in your ability to grow muscle but also how balanced they are. For example, is your left bicep the same shape and size as your right? Are your abs the perfect shape and evenness creating the perfect six pack? Or are they irregular in appearance, with a large gap down the middle?
Genetics will ultimately be the driver for how your physique will turn out, how balanced you will grow, how fast you will grow, how lean you will be in the off-season and on stage. And this is the case no matter how many performance-enhancing drugs you may choose to take.
You have to ask yourself, why are top IFBB pros on the Olympia stage? It’s not that they train any harder than many of us, or they eat better than many of us [although they probably do], or even take more gear than many of us.
Their bodies are just blessed with the ability to grow faster, more even and symmetrical and keep leaner than us.
But that is genetics on the surface. When a fellow gym-goer says something like, ‘he’s just got good genetics’, they are talking about all we have discussed above.
But in truth, genetics run much deeper than that.
How is your appetite, for example? Are you able to force down thousands of calories of good, clean good in the off-season when you are not hungry? Or, having eaten four of five meals already, do you wince at the thought of another meal?
This is genetics.
And what about your metabolism? Do you, as people are fond of saying, ‘put on 10lbs just by looking at a carb’, or can you eat like there is no tomorrow and barely add an ounce of bodyweight?
This is genetics.
How do you respond to gear? Do you suffer from all sorts of side effects using the bare minimum? Or can you tolerate moderate to high doses with relative comfort? What about compounds such as clenbuterol? Can you cope with high doses, or do you shake like a leaf with the bare minimum?
This too is genetics.
And how disciplined are you with your nutrition? Can you accept some suffering during a contest prep, or do you run to the cupboard for a snack each time you fill a twinge of hunger?
You are either genetically predisposed to being extremely disciplined, or you might get close, but never close enough.
All genetics.
This is something the more mature bodybuilder understands but perhaps not the younger generation. They all want to be professionals in a year or two – you must have heard countless people in the gym saying: “I want to get my pro card”, as if was as easy as going to the shops and buying it.
But you must have at the very least favourable genetics or you will never reach the stage, let alone win a pro card.
If you look at Lee Priest for example, he won the Mr Australia when he was only 18 years of age. So why isn’t there loads of monstrous 18-year-olds wondering the planet? Because there are certainly more 18-year-olds training than ever before.
Ronnie Coleman competed natural until he was 30 years of age. Have you ever seen a picture of him on his pro debut in 1992? He was a monster and still natural. This is not the norm but just superior genetics.
So why do these pros grow better than most of us mere mortals? Well, they have the ability to synthesise protein more rapidly, recover quicker and have naturally higher levels of hormones.
There is some evidence that some of these top bodybuilders have a gene defect with myostatin. This gene stops you growing past a certain given point. Have you ever seen a Belgium blue cow? They literally just eat grass and the amount of lean muscle mass is ridiculous.
What we are certain of is that better genetics for growing will make you grow faster from training and utilise your food better. Your body will make better use of the drugs so, in theory, you will need less of them to build muscle. All this and the ability to grow your muscles evenly and symmetrical too, appetite, metabolism, discipline etc.
I have seen so many amazing genetically gifted bodybuilders not make the stage because they can’t take dieting or the training is too much.
The mindset of a champion is genetic too, to a point. It is very possible for an athlete with poorer genetics to beat a genetially gifted bodybuilder because they can train harder, be more consistent, eat better, suffer that little bit more to get leaner than the rest.
Now have a think about yourself. Which genetics are strong for you. And which is your genetic limitation.
Watch bodybuilding boxer Daniel Smith Junior's 13-second knockout victory
After 16 wins from 18 shows, 32-year-old becomes Midlands heavyweight champion in just his fifth fight – but reveals he almost had to pull out due to mounting problems
BODYBUILDER Daniel Smith Junior floored his opponent with a fierce combination and devastating right hand in just 13 seconds of the first round on Saturday night.
It means Smith is now unbeaten in five fights, with this latest victory making him the Midlands heavyweight champion – all just weeks after finishing a gruelling bodybuilding season in which he competed in 18 shows, winning 16 and securing 12 overall titles.
But speaking to frontdouble.com, Smith Junior has revealed how a series of issues to his body almost made him withdraw from the fight.
He said: "It was a good outcome in the end, but leading into it there were all kinds of trials and tribulations. I had a pain in my shoulder, so I assessed it in the gym and any movement from ground to above parallel to the shoulder was painful.
"If I hit something above shoulder height with my left, which is my main hand, it was going to be a problem. So I had to factor that into the game plan.
"Then there was my asthma. My asthma kicked off about 10 days before. That was a problem. So we were training the fitness side four times as much as I would normally, just hoping that it would subside closer to the fight. Luckily it did – but I don't know how much, because I didn't have to push it [the fitness] past any kind of length of time.
"I was just pushing myself a lot more. When I was doing intervals, I was doing two-minute intervals. But I was starting to be experience shortness of breath at, say, 10 seconds initially, then it would get better, you know, 20 and 30 seconds. It just meant that the last remaining part was hell.
"As I got closer towards the fight, it became better, it would kind of feel like normal fatigue. So I went from, let's say for example, when the asthma was at its peak, I was doing the whole two-minute intervals under extreme pain and pressure. It was just shortness of breath, as if I was having an asthma episode.
"It first happened two years ago – it was triggered after a competition. When you're not on supplements and stuff, these things can happen. So it triggered, but it only lasted a week, so I was sure that it wasn't going to last too long this time. And if it did, it did.
"So I was pushing myself hard fitness-wise – harder than I usually would – anticipating that hopefully it would get better. But in order to get fit, we just had to train even harder."
"Everything was telling me not to do the fight..."
The issues kept mounting for Smith Junior, however, and in the end it was only his sheer drive and determination that pulled him through; a clear case of mind over matter.
He said: "Then I had basically some compensation, because my left side was experiencing pain, I was doing more power on my right side – and then I got a trapped nerve on that side, just for the over-compensation in trying to be smart.
"So a lot of the work was with mobility and flexibility, I was doing tons of it. On the actual fight day. I spent about six hours stretching and mobilising, just because of everything overall to make sure I gave myself a fighting chance. But everything was starting to get a little bit better.
"I was taking medications like cold and flu things because I did get the flu as well. So everything was telling me not to do it, but in my min, I was like, 'no, this is just a bigger challenge'. I actually felt – and especially because it was for the belts and against someone who is experienced fighter – that there was probably about an 80 per cent chance that I was going to lose the fight.
"But I want to end the year knowing that I faced my fear. It was no longer about the victory, or getting the belt, it was about facing a fear, because you can imagine all those things factored in and you were against a powerful fighter - all heavyweights pretty much are – it became one of those things where it was more about facing my fears.
"It was the first time ever [that I felt like that]. I don't go into fights or confrontations fearful. But this one I was like, 'I don't know what's going to happen'. But thankfully it paid off.
"It enabled me to really learn about changing the plan around and the things you can do, rather than the things you can't do. And then trying to accommodate for the things you can't do, with things such as medications and just wrapping up warm and so forth.
"Thankfully I recovered in time, well, as much as I could, but I won't know how much because I didn't get past the first 13 seconds. But it's just a great way to finish the year.
"The guy was great guy. He was really friendly about it and we had a laugh afterwards, so he was a really cool guy.
"It's just given me a good feeling of self-confidence and motivation. But I'm just going to relax a little bit. training is going to be relaxed and I'll probably train once, twice, three times a week, however I feel, for the remaining of the month until the new year and just eat healthy alongside it.
"I'm happy I did it, happy I got the belt and onwards and upwards."
LISTEN to Daniel Smith Junior's revealing interview by subscribing for only £2.99 a month– less than the old Flex, Muscle & Fitness and Musclemag magazines, but with you as the stars.
WATCH JAMES ROOM'S BREAKDANCING, BOOGALOO, POPPER, FLAMENCO DANCING POSING ROUTINE
Masters athlete reveals history and inspiration behind the best routine on the circuit
MASTERS bodybuilder James Room has revealed the secret behind his incredible posing routines – doing the 'robot' as an 11-year-old and attending Halloween raves.
Room's routines are incredible to watch and get the crowd going like no other on the circuit right now. Starting in tradition bodybuilding guise, the music soon changes to a quicker beat – and this is where Room shines; breakdancing and making moves that a 20-year-old would be proud of, let alone someone in his fifties.
Speaking to frontdouble.com, he said: "I did this type of dancing as a teenager, but started with the robot at about 11 or 12 years old. It was all self-taught back then and was more 'popper' or 'electric boogaloo' than breakdancing.
"I recently danced on stage at a rave for Hallowwen after guest posing at the NAC Britain. I must have lost about 4kg in weight! The crowd loved it.
"I couldn't walk for two days after. The youngsters love it too. We had [junior bodybuilder] Kian Mills as a DJ and we all went dressed as Michael Myers [from the film 'Halloween']."
Room's latest exploits came at the PCA World Championships in Spain, where he added a twist for the locals based on Flamenco dancing.
WATCH JAMES ROOM'S SPANISH FLAMENCO AND BREAKDANCING ROUTINE HERE:
The video for the inspiration behind this Spanish version can be found by clicking here.
How Mark Taylor and Kyle Fleming became the ONLY Scottish athletes in history to win Masters and Junior class at the NABBA Universe... and did it in the same year
TWO athletes were more than a little surprised to see the statistics from last month's Mr Universe when sent them from NABBA.
Already buzzing from their titles of Junior and Masters Over 45 Mr Universe, Mark Taylor, below, and Kyle Fleming, from Fife, were given another admirable accolade – they are the only Scotsmen in history to win these respective classes at the prestigious competition.
Picture: LEE ARCHER
Speaking exclusively to frontdouble.com, Taylor said: "I got sent the list from NABBA archives and it was amazing to see I was only Scot in history to win the Master's Over 40/45 class.
"Young Kyle [below], who I prep and train with, was also the only junior in history to win that class. It is a great feeling and achievement. When you see the lists of all the winners of these two classes, it is awesome for Scotland."
Picture: LEEARCHER
Here are the list of winners from those two classes, going back to when they were introduced:
Junior bodybuilding:
1988 Ian Harrison (ENG)
1989 Michael Melksham (AUS)
2000 Stuart Core (ENG)
2001 David Dahan (FRA)
2002 Eduardo Correa (BRA)
2003 Denis Nikiforov (RUS)
2004 James Flex Lewis (WAL)
2005 Marvin Nagelbloem (HOL)
2006 Vitaly Gerasimov (RUS)
2007 Darren Borg (MAL)
2008 Jakub Subrt (CZE)
2009 Bongani Myaka (SA)
2010 Tomas Pero (CRO)
2011 Emmanuel Martyres (BRA)
2012 Rodrigo Bizerril (BRA)
2013 Kagan Orton (NZL)
2014 Maksim Buyankin (RUS)
2015 Kuba Cielen (ENG)
2016 Kobi Ifrach (ISR)
2017 Kobi Ifrach (ISR)
2018 Samuel Hewitt (GB)
2019 Dominik Kopecny (CZE)
2022 Sammy Zaouri (GB)
2023 Kyle Fleming (SCO)
Masters Over 45:
1991 Graeme Lancefield (AUS)
1992 Roy Duval (ENG)
1993 Bernard Bryan (ENG)
1994 John Citrone (ENG)
1995 John Citrone (ENG)
1996 Walter Engelskircher (GER)
1997 John Citrone (ENG)
1998 John Citrone (ENG)
1999 Peter Andreas (GER)
2000 Carl Rung (ENG)
2001 Terry Fisher (ENG)
2002 Rob Van Der Dussen (HOL)
2003 Joao Bispo De Andrade (BRA)
2004 Brian Peters (WAL)
2005 Joao Bispo De Andrade (BRA)
2006 Jan De Weerd (HOL)
2007 Nortom James Murayama (BRA)
2008 Nortom James Murayama (BRA)
2009 Nortom James Murayama (BRA)
2010 Jason Corrick (ENG)
2011 Nortom James Murayama (BRA)
2012 Gary Lister (ENG)
2013 Paul Sutton (ENG)
2014 Maurice Felstead (ENG)
2015 Andy James (ENG)
2016 Mark Anderson (NZL)
2017 Justin Wessels (AUS)
2018 Mark Anderson (NZL)
2019 Paulius Jasiukaitis (LTU)
2022 David Cutler (AUS)
2023 Mark Taylor (SCO)
FIVE OF THE BEST YOUTUBE CHANNELS
What to watch during your cardio sessions
WHETHER it is passing the time doing cardio or seeking to learn more about the sport, all of us indulge in a little YouTube once in a while.
So frontdouble.com has put together its current five channels worth watching.
In no particular order:
Fouad Abiad. A former IFBB professional, Abiad has a great, relaxed style. Whether it is his ‘Bodybuilding and Bollocks’ show, or interviews with coaches and former pros, this channel with have you learning something new. Watch it here
Ginger Training. Frontdouble believes that this channel, run by bodybuilder Josh Goold, is perhaps one of the funniest channels on YouTube. Goold is pure gold. In our opinion, there is no limit on the amount of childish jokes you can squeeze in to one episode. Goold captures everything bodybuilding and is infectious with it. He is also coached by IFBB pro Sas Heirati and often gives an insight into how Sas operates. Like Goold says about himself, he is a bodybuilder in training – and a full-time ginger. Watch it here
Elite FTS. Dave Tate’s Table Talk is something to behold. The studio sits in the middle of his gym and offers and brilliantly relaxed setting for chats with a wealth of top-level guests. Tate is no-nonsense too, sometimes chugging on a huge cigar and exchanging wise words through plumes of smoke. Got to be on your list. See it here
Anabolic Bodybuilding. Paul Barnett (below) is an American masters bodybuilder, who is currently in prep for the Masters Nationals in America. He boasts what has been called by coach Justin Harris as “perhaps the best rebound in bodybuilding’ when gaining 80-plus pounds of lean weight soon after the pair started working together. Barnett’s knowledge is vast and is helped by his work with Harris – one of the finest minds in the sport. His no-nonsense style and hard-hitting guests make it definitely one to watch. You can see it here
1st Detachment. This is an American supplement company owned by coach Justin Harris and Joe Miller. The pair work well together, hooking some decent names in the world of bodybuilding to interview and covering a wide range of topics and analysing them in super but easy-to-understand detail. Link: here
AMATEUR BODYBUILDING IS ANYTHING BUT
Bodybuilders are not professional in the strictest sense but we are all professionals in this sport
COMMENTBy Gary Chappell
WELCOME to frontdouble.com – the new home of amateur bodybuilding. This website has been created because there is nothing currently serving the growing community of amateur bodybuilders. Here, you are the main attraction. You are the stars of the show.
Most of us know the professional game; who won the Mr Olympia, the Arnold etc. We all hear stories of what those pros are doing, inside and outside of the gym. There are many websites catering for those people.
But the amateur game is arguably much bigger. And it is far more accessible. We are seeing teenagers as young as 14 compete. And Masters all the way up to over 60.
Not every one will become an IFBB Pro. And not everyone wants to. And the number of federations open to amateur bodybuilders now is huge. So this is why frontdouble.com was created. To be the home of amateur bodybuilding.
WE ARE ALL PROS HERE
But let us make one thing clear. None of us are amateurs. The word sometimes implies 'second rate', not good at what they do. This is clearly a case of semantics.
Look, 'professional' in the strictest sense of the word, means 'someone who earns a living from what they do'. I have been a journalist for more than 25 years. It is how I earn my living. I am a professional. Some might say otherwise depending on what I have written, but that is another story...
Even most professional bodybuilders are not professional; they do not earn a living solely from competing. They earn money from sponsorship deals and other aspects linked to their career.
Bodybuilders like us – me included – are amateurs in that we do not earn a living from competing, either.
But let me tell you this: anyone who manages to step on stage in true competitive condition needs a professional outlook and dedication like nothing else. No other sport requires such commitment in the gym or outside of the gym, to any aspect of off-season or prep, than bodybuilding does.
So while this is the home of amateur bodybuilding, remember this: We are all professionals.
SHAKE IT UP – HIGHLY BRANCHED CYCLIC DEXTRIN BODYBUILDER'S BEST FOR INTRA
But honestly, get the rest of your nutrition sorted first before worrying about what powder is next
MANY gym-goers love an intra-shake. You only have to look around to notice all the different coloured drinks bottles to know that.
Some belief this powder and that powder is the route to gains, to looking ‘swole’.
In fact, an intra-shake probably makes roughly a three per cent difference to whatever it is you are trying to achieve.
Now if that is winning a show, that three per cent could be quite significant.
Generally speaking, however, a gym-goer would be better placed concentrating on the remaining 97 per cent of their nutrition – outside of the gym where discipline is somehow that much harder.
But if you are using an intra-shake, perhaps the standout so-called magic powder is Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin (HBCD).
Unlike most carbohydrate powders, HBCD does not sit in the stomach. A blog written on the website of American supplement company Hostile reported: “In a study focused on the rate of gastric emptying of sports drinks, it was found that HBCD was able to maintain a low osmotic pressure in the drink (approximately 59 to 160 m0sm), yielding a high rate of gastric emptying.”
In short, this means it moves very quickly from the stomach into the intestine to be absorbed.
Referencing another American website, Muscle Mentor, which was created by coach Justin Harris, who said in a previous article: “The stomach has osmo-receptors that sense osmolality of the incoming solutions.
“The higher the osmolality, the slower the gastric emptying rate. So the high sugar solution is actually held up longer in the stomach while the HBCD’s travel like a bowling ball through your stomach into the intestine to be absorbed.”
Again, in short, using simple sugars in your intra is just not optimal. In fact, because of the quick spike in insulin using these will ignite, you will see your energy crash pretty quickly.
This does not happen with HBCD.
As Harris explained in that Muscle Mentor article: “The beauty is that these molecules are so interlinked and complex, it takes a long time to hydrolyse (break down) the glucose bonds, therefore resulting in a rapid but sustainable release of glucose into the bloodstream. This helps avoid insulin spikes and resultant blood-sugar crashes.”
People also use maltodextrin, perhaps a cheaper carbohydrate powder than HBCD.
The issue is one of osmolality, as we explained above.
A study by Furuyashiki et al. (2014) compared Cyclic Dextrin to maltodextrin using 24 participants, who cycled for 90 minutes, 30 minutes at 40 per cent of their V02 max (refers to the maximum amount of oxygen your body can absorb and use during exercise) and another hour at 60 per cent of their V02 max. One hour into cycling, one group was given a drink containing 15g of Cyclic Dextrin, while the other was given a drink containing 15g of maltodextrin.
“The study found that those given the Cyclic Dextrin had significantly lower RPE’s (Rating of Perceived Exertion) than the maltodextrin group.
In short, the exercise felt easier.
In conclusion, if you are using an intra – and whether or not you are on top of the remaining 97 per cent of you nutrition – the most optimal choice is HBCD.
PCA consider Masters Pro class as NABBA announce 'Three Peak Challenge'
TWO federations announced some potential big changes to their 2024 shows this week.
The PCA asked social media followers whether they should launch a Masters Pro division, with the overwhelming response being that they should.
The PCA offer a few thousand to the top three athletes in their Pro divisions, but any Masters competitors who are awarded a Pro Card must currently compete in other classes.
In an Instagram post, the PCA wrote:
“PCA have always prided ourselves on being inclusive and accommodating, yet in recent times we are increasingly asked ‘Do PCA offer a Masters Pro Category’? This isn’t something we have offered previously but we identify there has been a marked increase in the number of Bodybuilding & Bikini Masters athletes. As always PCA welcome open discussions and love to hear our athletes opinions.”
While the PCA were testing the water before committing to any change, NABBA did announce some concrete updates to their 2024 calendar.
They will make every area show open to all athletes from across the UK, with competitors able to enter two classes.
In addition, they are teaming up with Peak Body to offer what they call the Three Peak Challenge. This involves the NABBA Scotland, North-West and NABBA North shows, with a chance to win £100 per class and £500 per overall victory.
The shows will be judged by Peak Body and the winner of this title will have the chance of a 12-month sponsorship with the company.
There will also be an award for the best online coach, including £1000 of supplements and a villa holiday in Marbella.
Full details are expected to be announced by NABBA in the coming weeks.
YOU PAY TO MOT YOUR CAR... WHY NOT YOUR BODY?
DAVE CROSLAND is considered the UK’s No1 authority on bodybuilding health and performance-enhancing drugs. He is the director of Croslands Harm Reduction Services and Under Construction Films. He is a personal trainer and bodybuilding coach and the founder of e-Val, a company offering private bloodwork analysis.
IN the first of a series of bodybuilding health and PED-related topics for MuscleMatters, DAVE CROSLAND explains the importance of keeping your body in the best possible shape.
DAVE CROSLAND is also available for coaching. Anyone interested can contact Dave at dave@croslands.org.uk or via instagram or facebook
JUDGE JOHNSON: Don’t ruin your chances of success by not nailing these simple areas...
YOU have spent the best part of 16 weeks preparing for this one moment. The hard work is done. Or so you believe. Actually, some competitors can win or lose a show based on their stage presence. Don’t fall into that trap. Here, STEVE JOHNSON offers his advice for adding that final gloss:
SMILE
First and foremost, you only get one chance to make a first impression on the judges, so please look like you are enjoying yourself. Nobody wants to watch someone who looks miserable, but a big smile and body demeanour that makes you look like you’re enjoying yourself will always attract the eye of the judges.
POSING
As a judge, I regularly see athletes unintentionally hide their body from the judges and to be fair it’s frustrating at times. It can make a difference to your placing, as the judges can only judge what they can see and not what they can’t. You are judged on the shapes you create on the day and not what your body is really like. For example: if someone has a huge wide back but doesn’t open it on their lat spreads and the guy at side of him does, even though you know he is not as developed, you have to judge with the guy who’s back looks best in front of you. This is why its so important these days to practice posing as much as training and getting a posing coach if necessary. Your aim is to create the illusion you are better than what you are.
Make sure you practice your tan in advance of the show and that it is applied by someone who knows what they are doing. You are trying to avoid streaks and tans that will run onstage under hot lighting. There are many different tans out there as well as many different skin types, so choose appropriate tanning (and glaze) that will enhance your physique/figure. Even on the judging table (close-up view) a physique can fade into the background if too light in colour. Some federations allow instant tans backstage and some don’t, so always check up on this and follow the pre-tanning protocols for skin preparation.
SHAVING
One thing that is off putting to a judge is body hair, so please make sure you remove visible hair as necessary. Guys need to be more on point with this than girls and I have seen many athletes do a partial job and its very distracting to the eye and ruins the professionalism of your overall appearance. I have seen it this year and, although in this case it didn’t affect placing (they won) it is the one thing I will remember him for and not his physique. In this instance it was shaved thighs but unshaven glutes and calves. Also, I have seen underarm hair left which again just ruins the look of the physique. This might sound pedantic but if a judge is trying to find a reason to split two athletes because it’s a close decision, then this could indeed come into their way of thinking (right or wrong).
These are just some very basic tips as there are many other things I see on a regular basis and in particular with posing, which I can cover at another time.
Don’t ruin your chances of success by not nailing these simple areas.
Best wishes Steve Johnson (32 years a judge)
Teamtops Coaching:
One to One Training
Bodybuilding Contest Prep Coaching
Nutritional Plans
One to One Posing Workshops
Supplement Advice
Contact:
Instagram @stetops and @teamtopscoaching
Facebook Steve Johnson #teamtopscoaching
TikTok @stetops
How Dorian Yates trained as an amateur
MANY gym-goers put more effort into thinking about what routine is best than they do in actually training.
There are many philosophies – if you can call them that – with bodybuilders such as Jordan Peters claiming you need to “do your time” with routines such as full body before moving on to an upper/lower split, to Lee Priest who, in his style, says: “Just f***ing” train.
Others suggest you could “train like a pussy” and, if your nutrition is on point, you could still get good results, citing bodybuilders such as Paul Dillett, who reportedly was not someone who trained with maximum effort but looked incredible.
Dorian Yates began with a modest full body split, which he used for six months before progressing to an upper-lower [he makes no apology to Jordan Peters…], a routine he kept until winning his IFBB Pro card at the then EFBB British Championships in October 1986.
Writing in his book, A Warrior’s Story, Yates says: “When I began split-routine training, I weighed 180lbs and I kept on it for two years right through to my first novice contest in 1985, when I weighed 210lbs.
“In fact, I didn’t abandon this program until after I won the British heavyweight division in October 1986. I can give my first split routine no higher recommendation than, if I had to do it all over again, I would follow the same program.”
Initially, Yates implemented his upper/lower routine over four days a week, but said: “After a week and a half of adhering to this schedule, I felt tired and stressed out, as if my nervous system was out of whack.
“I was obviously doing too much and my body was sending me a distress signal. The schedule was revised so that I trained every other day, but even that proved too ambitious for my body’s reserves. Eventually, I settled on training three days a week, which meant that, over a 14-day period, I worked each half of my body three times.”
What is interesting is when he talks about what cycle the body follows. Many people like to count how many times a week they train to find out how many times over a year they are hitting each muscle group.
But Yates argues: “The premise that a training program should be in sync with a seven-day cycle was almost sacred back in 1983, but I had no qualms about breaking that tradition. Human physiology ticks to a 24-hour clock, not a seven-day calendar and I was doing what was best for Dorian Yates.”
It seems that premise is sacred even now in 2023 and it appears the fact your body does follow a 24-hour cycle is often forgotten. Indeed, so is the value of nutrition.
How often do you hear or have conversations about nutrition and diet versus the amount of times you are asked about training splits or which exercise is best for this or that? Even versus what anabolic cycle is best.
Look around your gym and most people are doing the same sort of training using the same exercises. But not everyone in that gym looks like a bodybuilder.
And that is because very few want to pay the attention outside of it to their nutrition.
Those who do invariably look how they want to look.
Leave a Reply