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Posts Tagged ‘Bodybuilding Tips’

Since then, Graber-Vasani has recorded top-10 finishes in Spain, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Ohio. In the past month, she has finished second at the FIBO Pro Fitness event in Cologne, Germany, and first at both the Arnold Classic Brasil in Rio de Janeiro and the Toronto Pro Fitness SuperShow, Canada’s only professional fitness event.

Brownsboro graduate Candace (Wilcox) Harmon earned her professional status in the World Beauty Fitness and Fashion, Inc. in late May during her first WBFF event in Kansas City.

A 39-year old mother of two, Harmon got a late start in professional bodybuilding as she decided to start competing in 2008 as a way to challenge herself.

“I quickly fell in love with the sport and the thrill of competing. This is probably more of a mental sport than even physical,” she said. “There are many events and functions where I am around delicious foods that are not on my meal plan. While temptation is around everywhere, I just always tell myself, ‘eating that is the difference between first and second’”

After competing for several years she decided to pursue a professional status last year.

On May 25 she claimed that pro status by winning first place in the 35-plus bikini diva division and third place in open short bikini diva that was open to all ages.

“I was very active in sports while at Brownsboro. I played basketball under the coaching of one of my favorite people, coach Griffin,” she said. “I wouldn’t start weight training until college. I just wish I would have known about this earlier. Being 39 and competing offers its own disadvantages but pushes me even harder to prove age is just a number.”

While balancing a busy schedule as a pro athlete, mother and wife, she also is a personal trainer at Woodcreek Athletic Club in Tyler. She appears on Fox 51 each week giving fitness tips.

“I, along with my husband, coach Upward soccer and basketball every year through our church. We also take an eightweek rotation, twice a year, teaching children’s church,” she said. “How do I balance it all? It is challenging at times to balance church, work, family, friends, and competing. While my family always comes first, I believe it is imperative that my boys see their mom taking care of herself. They along with my husband are my biggest supporters.

“They are learning a lifestyle from me that will hopefully become a lifestyle for them as they become young men. Competing requires sacrifices, especially financially. I have always had local supporters willing to help me and for that I am grateful. I hope to prove myself as someone who is marketable and be able to work with a company who can help offset some of, if not all, of the costs associated with competing. I don’t care to make money, I just want to compete.”

According to the WBFF website, the organization’s mission is to “strive for international recognition as an industry leader by providing the best opportunities for contestants and models to compete, supporting our partners and effectively promoting health and fitness. We seek to raise the standards within all aspects of our business through innovation and professionalism.”

As she continues to enjoy the competition in bodybuilding, the 1992 BHS grad has her sights set on becoming a leader in the organization.

“I love helping other women reach their goals and could see myself as a pro-elite member on Team BSH (Bling, Sweat, Heels) and getting more into a leadership role. Texas is a big state and while Cece Canary WBFF Pro is a great captain here, she has a huge territory. I would love to help provide guidance for competitors in the East Texas/Dallas areas. Another goal of mine is to judge. I have always wanted to be on the ‘other’ side. I think I could learn a lot by judging and it would make me a better competitor as well.”

On June 12, 1987 Predator was released in US cinemas with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character, Dutch, famously nailing a man to a wall with a knife and delivering the one-liner, ‘Stick around’.

Exactly 26 years later, Schwarzenegger was in Perth to give a motivational speech and everyone was happy to stick around for an hour to see and hear from the bodybuilder, actor and Governator.

With a career spanning almost five decades, he has come a long way since Austria, and Schwarzenegger had more than a few wise words to share with those gathered for the 21st Century Financial Education Summit on Wednesday night.

He joked that the key to success was 23 inch biceps, killing predators, time travel and an Austrian accent.

But then he went through a more honest list of five tips – find your vision, think big rather than small, ignore naysayers, work your arse off, and give back.

Schwarzenegger said growing up, he could not wait to ‘escape’ Austria because he did not see himself working in a factory or being a policeman like his father.

He joked he did not want to marry a woman named Heidi and live like the characters in The Sound of Music.

Instead, he followed his dream of being a bodybuilder and moving to the US.

Schwarzenegger said 74 per cent of Americans would change their job if they could.

‘I think that is very depressing,’ he said.

He shared a story about filming Conan The Barbarian in which he had to do several takes of a crawling scene which caused his elbows and knees to bleed.

When the director apologised, Schwarzenegger said it was OK because he could envision the finished product and knew it was important.

‘Pain is temporary … but the movie is going to be permanent,’ he told the director.

It was that same attitude that Schwarzenegger took with him into all his careers.

Citing an Austrian saying, Schwarzenegger said: ‘If you do something, then go all out and do it well,’ he said.

In his acting career, he wanted to be John Wayne and in politics, he refused to settle for city councillor when he could aim for governor.

Schwarzenegger said when he tried to start acting, people told him he was ‘a monster’ who could only play a bouncer or Nazi soldier.

But rather than listen to that advice, Schwarzenegger took English, speech and accent-removal lessons, but joked he should have fired the accent-removal teacher.

He said he turned the obstacle of his muscles into an asset and if he had listened to naysayers, he would still be yodelling in the Austrian alps.

Schwarzenegger released his controversial autobiography, Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story last year.

While he is revered for his films and bodybuilding, he has been criticised for his tumultuous political career and the affair that destroyed his long-term marriage.

During Schwarzenegger’s two terms, California suffered a massive blow to its budget, leaving the famously rich state with a deficit of billions of dollars.

But that history seemed to be forgotten as the Governator focused on his ‘environmental crusade’ and how he had made California 40 per cent more energy efficient than the rest of the US.

Schwarzenegger was the youngest person to win the Mr Universe title before becoming an action hero in films including True Lies, the Terminator trilogy, Commando and Predator.

While he is famous for one-liners like ‘Hasta la vista, baby’, he said his favourite quote was: ‘Get to the chopper!’

Schwarzenegger also told the crowd he would receive a script for Terminator five and a sequel to Twins in the next couple of weeks.

Production on the new Terminator film will begin in January or February next year, he said.

Another Conan film is also in the works, he added.

Schwarzenegger ended his speech by telling the crowd, ‘I’ll be back’.

While Arnie might not return to Perth any time soon, he has further speaking engagements in Sydney and Melbourne.

Exactly 26 years later, Schwarzenegger was in Perth to give a motivational speech and everyone was happy to stick around for an hour to see and hear from the bodybuilder, actor and Governator.

With a career spanning almost five decades, he has come a long way since Austria, and Schwarzenegger had more than a few wise words to share with those gathered for the 21st Century Financial Education Summit on Wednesday night.

He joked that the key to success was 23 inch biceps, killing predators, time travel and an Austrian accent.

But then he went through a more honest list of five tips – find your vision, think big rather than small, ignore naysayers, work your arse off, and give back.

Schwarzenegger said growing up, he could not wait to “escape” Austria because he did not see himself working in a factory or being a policeman like his father.

He joked he did not want to marry a woman named Heidi and live like the characters in The Sound of Music.

Instead, he followed his dream of being a bodybuilder and moving to the US.

Schwarzenegger said 74 per cent of Americans would change their job if they could.

“I think that is very depressing,” he said.

He shared a story about filming Conan The Barbarian in which he had to do several takes of a crawling scene which caused his elbows and knees to bleed.

When the director apologised, Schwarzenegger said it was OK because he could envision the finished product and knew it was important.

“Pain is temporary … but the movie is going to be permanent,” he told the director.

It was that same attitude that Schwarzenegger took with him into all his careers.

Citing an Austrian saying, Schwarzenegger said: “If you do something, then go all out and do it well,” he said.

In his acting career, he wanted to be John Wayne and in politics, he refused to settle for city councillor when he could aim for governor.

Schwarzenegger said when he tried to start acting, people told him he was “a monster” who could only play a bouncer or Nazi soldier.

But rather than listen to that advice, Schwarzenegger took English, speech and accent-removal lessons, but joked he should have fired the accent-removal teacher.

He said he turned the obstacle of his muscles into an asset and if he had listened to naysayers, he would still be yodelling in the Austrian alps.

Schwarzenegger released his controversial autobiography, Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story last year.

While he is revered for his films and bodybuilding, he has been criticised for his tumultuous political career and the affair that destroyed his long-term marriage.

During Schwarzenegger’s two terms, California suffered a massive blow to its budget, leaving the famously rich state with a deficit of billions of dollars.

But that history seemed to be forgotten as the Governator focused on his “environmental crusade” and how he had made California 40 per cent more energy efficient than the rest of the US.

Schwarzenegger was the youngest person to win the Mr Universe title before becoming an action hero in films including True Lies, the Terminator trilogy, Commando and Predator.

While he is famous for one-liners like “Hasta la vista, baby”, he said his favourite quote was: “Get to the chopper!”

Schwarzenegger also told the crowd he would receive a script for Terminator five and a sequel to Twins in the next couple of weeks.

Production on the new Terminator film will begin in January or February next year, he said.

Another Conan film is also in the works, he added.

Schwarzenegger ended his speech by telling the crowd, “I’ll be back” and everyone was pleased with that.

He has further speaking engagements in Sydney and Melbourne.

Do you have any story leads, photos or videos?

Bodybyrne Fitness Tips

Let’s be honest, DIET is as nasty a four letter word as you can find. If you have to measure your food in grams or portions you are on a diet, diets do not work! They never have, they never will. What does work is change of LIFESTYLE.

Lifestyle choices come from education, so allow me to attempt to educate you. Let me give you some basic rules of proper lifestyle choices. These choices address the most common errors we humans make in food choices. If you are fat, they work, if you are an athlete, they work, if you are breathing, they apply to you.

1. Do not eat white carbohydrates (as a general rule). These are carbohydrates, they are sugar and they make you gain weight. This includes bread, pasta, white rice, sweets and sugar only in moderation. These sugar rich foods mess with your insulin levels, overwork your pancreas and may cause problems like diabetes and obesity.

2. Eat lots of vegetables. No one ever died of broccoli poisoning. Steam them, don’t boil them, we even heat our in our George Foreman grill. This helps keep the nutritional value of the food.

3. Avoid fast food. Most are loaded with harmful fat and are largely “non-food”. There is a surplus of nitrates (cancer causing additive) and excitotoxins which are harmful to that precious grey matter between your ears. I read an interesting study where an author ate at McDonalds 3 times a day for one month (Super Size Me). He had his liver enzymes and blood values measured at the beginning and the end of the 30 day trial. The end result was devastating to and would seriously affect his health if he carried it on longer than he did.

4. Eat about six times a day. Keep your body in a fed state and it will reward you. You will in fact lose weight. I lost 42 pounds about three years ago because I was not eating enough! If you only eat two or three times a day, you are putting your body in a stress state or one in which fuel is scarce. It will in turn store or hoard energy in the form of…you guessed it: fat. By the way a Mars Bar or a packet of crisps is not a meal. A meal could consist of a protein shake and a handful of almonds with a piece of fruit. Be creative.

5. Make breakfast the most important meal of the day. Don’t skimp in the morning or you will be trying to catch up through out the day. Stay away from the cereals and breakfast bars. They are far too high in sugar. In the morning your insulin receptor sensitivity is at its most influential. By that I mean if you put too much sugar in to our body in the morning you have set up your body to store fat all day.

6. Avoid sugary foods. The amount of sugar you put into your body will alter your insulin levels. The insulin response caused by sugar in food is measured by an index called a glycemic index (GI). Lots of processed/refined sugar in a food equals a placing high in the glycemic index. Low insulin response causing foods amount to a low rating in the GI. Here is my take home point: you want food with a low GI rating (see our Glycemic Index And Carb Utilisation article). This will stimulate less formation of fat and in turn burn the fat you have stored.
I am amazed at the number of very well meaning parents with children and have concerns about their child being diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. Most of them give their kids a breakfast of cereal (sugar), toast (sugar), and juice (more sugar). By the time they get to school they are wired and half an hour later, they are wasted. I recommend eggs or oats with some form of food that is not loaded with refined or simple sugar.

7. Get your protein in! Most of the population are protein deficient. You should get at least 1 gram of protein for each pound of lean body mass. That is you minus your fat. Good sources of protein include fish, meat, eggs etc.The nice thing about protein is that is requires more energy to digest than sugars or fat. In essence, you will burn more calories digesting protein than anything else. Protein increases your metabolic rate (the rate at which you burn calories through out the day) and assists your immune system. If you are not eating enough protein, your body will rob it from your muscles!

8. Not Drinking Enough Water. As we know, the body is 67% water, and we should drink lots of water throughout the day. We must flush the system continually and regularly, regenerating muscle cells through water replenishment and in turn keeping up our metabolic rates. Drink around 3 litres of a day to maintain proper hydration.

9. Cook for Yourself.
Meal preparation is a critical skill. To be truly successful as a bodybuilder, you should be able to prepare your own food. Nutritionally sound foods eaten throughout the day are necessary to obtain anabolism. Most male bodybuilders (and more than a few female ones) do/can not cook, big mistake. You cannot depend on family, your partner, restaurants or fast food joints for the endless succession of small, nutritious feedings that are required to manage a serious attempt at building a truly impressive physique.
Not only do you have to come to grips with cooking, but you have to develop a wide and inventive repertoire of dishes and meals. Otherwise you are looking forward to the equivalent of prison food!
The clean foods we athletes choose to contend with day in, day out need a lot of imagination to make a life with clean food enjoyable. Tuna and egg white need not be as good as it gets.
How do the ignorant become enlightened? Comb the magazines, read low fat cook books, assemble your ingredients, set aside some time and try things, reading some cook and recipe books, educating yourself in every avenue you can will help maintaining that fit, toned body more manageable.

10. Eating Too Much
We all know the biology. Excess calories are stored as body fat. For overeating to be at the top of the nutritional false move list is no mistake. Building muscle is the number one goal of bodybuilding and body fat is the bodybuilder’s number one enemy. What’s the sense of working an impressive set of muscles requiring much blood, sweat and tears, if it’s obscured by a layer of lard? May I suggest the obvious? If you are overweight, eat less. The simple act on consuming less food will cause you to lose weight. Be aware, however, that if you eat less but retain your current food profile, you will just construct a miniature version of your old self. Less of the same will shrink you, but your proportion of muscle to body fat will stay the same, the end result? You look like your old self, just pounds smaller with no improvement in muscle to fat ratio. True physique transformation lies in losing body fat while maintaining or building muscle at the same time.
To achieve true nutritional success we need to practice nutrient based dieting, to lose fat and retain muscle, besides doing aerobic exercise, you need to eat precise amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fat. You need to become nutrient conscious. Read the labels on the food you eat. And remember everyone is different, experiment and monitor to find what works for you.

These 10 points will help anyone improve their dietary habits and should be viewed as permanent amendments to your eating plan, we are truly what we eat and that will be echoed in our health in later life and will effect how long it lasts 

 

http://www.newstalk.ie/Siobhan-Byrne-talks-about-her-top-10-weight-loss-tips

Claire Sutton

@claire_asuttonwww.facebook.com/newstalkfm

Producer

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No shortcut to a trim, physically fit body ‘Nothing beats the natural way’

EVERYONE wants to look fit, trim and fabulous. Many individuals tend to be overwhelmed with the amount of information available out there as to what works ‘best,’ and constantly look out for the easier way to achieving the desired body form. Coming up with your perfect bodybuilding workout programme and diet to match can seem like quite the process. You have to plan how many days a week you’re going to workout, what exercises you will include in your programme, how long your rest periods will be, how many reps you should perform for each exercise, and on and on it goes.

The sooner you can get into the gym and start actually pushing the weights, the sooner you will start building muscle and seeing your body transform into your ideal physique. When you sit down to pump iron, you want to see results as fast as you can but some people are not too keen on waiting longer for the results, they want pronto! Some want to grow muscles overnight and take the shorter route for a health price that they have to pay later on. Just pumping weight on its own won’t necessarily give you the results you want. The body and its muscles are very complex so to maximize results for certain areas of the body, you’ll need to do as much research on the type of exercises work best for each region. Simply putting on extra plates is just simply not going to do. You need to have a good coach or trainer to guide you in achieving the ideal physique that you want.

Emmanuel Galicia, the President and co-founder of Fitness Professionals and Bodybuilders Committee in Kuwait (FITPRO) and multi-awarded bodybuilder,  in this interview, provides an overview on the growth of the health and fitness industry in Kuwait, bodybuilding tips, the effects of steroids for bigger muscles overnight and current challenges being faced by the sector and its future in Kuwait.

Question: How is it to be working in the health and fitness industry?
Answer: Working in the health and fitness industry is fun and very fulfilling especially when you get to see the amazing results on your clients, how you have helped them become fit and achieve the body form that they want. You also get to meet a lot of people of various nationalities and it’s very interesting to be working in health clubs these days because of the growing demands of people to become physically fit and health conscious.

Q: As a Fitness Professional, what is your field of specialisation?
A: Actually, I can cover everything when it comes to health and training. Just like the other fitness trainers, I can help clients achieve weight loss, bodybuilding or just for fitness. I also do training to people with injury to rehabilitate their muscles and their body. There are certain training programmes made especially for people who have health problems like hypertension and diabetes to help them achieve a healthy body and lifestyle

Q: When one decides to enroll in a training programme, what are the things that they should do?
A: If you decide to embark on a training programme, make sure that you’re determined and you have to put your 100% heart into it, otherwise, it will just be a total failure. Once you get into the health and fitness club, you should be honest with your gym captain or trainer about your health status. You have to tell your trainer if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, scoliosis, lower back injury or if you just had knee operation or undergone any surgery, because your trainer will give you the training programme that suits you and your limitations to avoid any injury. For instance, those who have diabetes should not lift weights putting their head down whereas a healthy person can lift weights easily with head down.

Q: Most of the people these days want to be fit and trim, what advice do you usually give to people who want to lose weight?
A: I always tell my clients that shedding off those excess pounds does not happen overnight. With the proliferation of diet pills and other surgical procedures, some opt to resort to the fastest way to lose weight but I always tell them nothing beats the natural way but it is not that easy. As they say, no pain, no gain. For instance, if someone wants to lose 10 pounds or 15 pounds, he should first have cardiovascular exercise and some aerobic exercise combined with proper diet and nutrition.

Q: When is the peak and off season for most of the health clubs or gyms in Kuwait?
A: Now is the peak season for health clubs and gyms. A month or two months before summer time, most of the gyms are full as everyone wants to look good during summer. Majority of them especially the locals want to travel abroad and hit the beaches. Naturally, they want to show off their muscular built, those abs that will surely turn heads on. They all want to look lean and fabulous. Our off season is during winter and this is the down time, most of the gym buffs also take a rest. Logically, who would want to bare skin on a cold weather?  Summer time is here, that’s why we’re all fully booked.

Q: You have been in the health and fitness industry for 27 years and more than a decade spent in Kuwait, how will you describe the clientele in this country?
A: Clients here in Kuwait are very different as most of them want to have everything done fast. They want to have a muscular body overnight which does not happen easily. They don’t have that patience to work on their physique gradually. They want everything in an instant with a snap of the fingers.  As a trainer, you have to make them understand that they should follow a process and a training programme to achieve their desired weight and be physically fit. For instance, one would come to me in the gym and he wants to lose 5 or 10 kilos in a week’s time but that’s impossible. You have to explain that it doesn’t happen that way. You have to follow a proper diet combined with cardiovascular and aerobic exercises.

Q: How does one get those big muscles?
A: Proper training is the key. I always tell my clients, if you want to look good and gain muscles, hit the gym and do the training and have proper nutrition.  Changing to healthy eating habits is also a key to have that muscular body. You should have more protein-rich diet, although, there are a lot of protein power and supplements available now in the market, I still go for the natural like fish, eggs, chicken and other protein-rich food. We have to do it step by step. If he doesn’t have any training background, then we have to orient him first, give him a little cardiovascular, a little stretching. For the first two weeks, give the basics on chest, shoulders, legs and if the client is ready, combine the chest with triceps then legs, shoulders and straps.  I always stress on to them the importance of proper nutrition and not to engage in ‘See-food’ diet wherein you eat whatever food you see on the table. Eat the right and nutritious food. One time, one of my students came to me and said captain I’m now ready to lift weights, but when he lifted the weights, he suddenly passed out and when I asked him what he ate before the workout , he said that he just ate two slices of shawarma which are not enough to give him the energy that he needed for the workout.

Q: What food should they eat before the workout?
A: They should eat good carbo food at least an hour before the training so they have the power and energy to lift weights and build those muscles. A good training with proper focus and with the full supervision of the trainer would usually take an hour for each day. You don’t have to spend the whole day in the gym to get those muscles. All you need to have is a proper training with your coach or captain.

Q: How long does it usually take for one to train and have a muscular body?
A: As what I’ve been always telling my clients, having a good muscular body does not happen overnight. It usually takes at least two years for one to see the obvious results of continuous workout but as early as six to eight months, you already begin to see some changes. You get to see the muscles already.  When someone tells me, Captain, I want you to train me and build me, I always tell him, if you want to succeed, you have to listen to me and follow me. Give your full attention. Nothing is impossible with dedication, hardwork and discipline.

 Q: To those who want to join in bodybuilding competitions, what should they do?
A: They have to train hard from muscle toning to body building. The first bodybuilding tip that will make the single biggest difference on your rate of muscle gain is whether you are able to consecutively add more weight to the bar. It’s not going to matter how many fancy principles you use, if you aren’t increasing the sheer amount you are lifting over a few months of time, you aren’t building muscle as quickly as you should be. The number one priority of any muscle gaining bodybuilding workout programme should be lifting heavier and heavier weights. The second bodybuilding tip to pay attention to is the rule on failure. Some people believe that lifting to failure each and every single set is the best way to build muscle. They think that in order to get a muscle to grow, you have to fully exhaust it. While it is true that you have to push the muscles past their comfort level in order to see progress, you can run into a number of problems when you’re lifting to failure each and every set. Bodybuilding tip number three is to focus on compound exercises.

You only have a limited amount of time you can spend in the gym each day due to both time and recovery restraints so if you waste this time on exercises that only work one or two smaller muscle groups, you aren’t exactly maximizing your potential. Instead follow the rule that for 80% of your workout you’ll only perform exercises that work at least two muscle groups. The shoulder press, for example, will work the shoulders and the triceps. The squat will work the quads and the hamstrings. The bench press will work the shoulders, chest, and the triceps (even the biceps to a very small degree. The fourth tip to follow with your bodybuilding workout programme is to make sure you’re fueling your body properly both before and after the workout. Failing to get in the amino acids your body will use to synthesize new muscle mass with or the carbohydrates that provide the energy to formulate the new muscle tissue is a critical error that will garner a lack of results.

Throughout the rest of the day you can be a bit more flexible in terms of meal times and composition provided you’re still meeting your calorie and macronutrient needs, but before and after the workout things you need to be 100% ‘on.’ Finally, always remember to rest. Too many people make the mistake of training too hard, too often, without allowing time for recovery. If you don’t allow your body to rest before you go back in the gym, instead of getting stronger, you’re just breaking it down further and getting weaker. Ideally you should take one day off between each weight lifting workout, but if you prefer to do an upper/lower split that has you working out at a greater frequency, then just be sure you have at least two full days off a week

Q: Sometimes, there are instances that one keeps on working out but there seems to be no progress at all, how do you address this issue as a trainer?
A: There could be various factors that may lead to this so as a trainer you have to re-evaluate the training programme that you gave your client. Sometimes the training programme is just right for him but the thing is, he doesn’t follow the programme religiously by heart and that’s where the problem starts. As what I’ve stressed earlier, focus, determination and discipline should be there. Though in bodybuilding, there’s what we call the plateau if you’ve reached a point with your workouts where it feels as though you are just not gaining any more muscle, this is a sure sign you’re in a plateau. A plateau can be defined as any point in time where you go more than two weeks without any type of progress. To you, the dedicated lifter, it spells wasted gym effort and time. In order to prevent this plateau from occurring, your job is to make sure something in your programme is always changing. This could be the order of which you perform the exercises, the amount of rest you take in between sets, or even the type of exercises you are performing. As a trainer, you have to put some variation into the training programme to address plateau during the training.

Q: How could one avoid injury during training?
A: To avoid injury, proper warm-up and stretching are very important to prevent dislocation of joints and muscle tear-off.  Do not lift heavy weights without the full supervision of the coach. The coach should always be behind you to support you. One time in the gym, one of my students asked me if he can put on more weights and I told him not to. But his friends prodded him to go on and when I turned my back, he squatted and lifted more weights and unfortunately he broke his lower back like a crushed softdrink can. You have to do things gradually from light to heavy with your trainer around you to avoid any injury from happening.

Q: What are the challenges that health and fitness trainers have to face when dealing with clients in Kuwait?
A: One of the biggest challenges that we have to face is dealing with the younger clients aged 18 or 19 who demand to have a muscular body in a snap. One young guy will come to you and say, I’m travelling to Spain in two months and I want to have big muscles but how can we do that from zero? That’s impossible. It’s a big challenge to educate them on proper diet and training and living a healthy lifestyle. They have to train hard, eat good food and take in some supplements. But how can they achieve the ideal muscular body if they don’t eat and live healthy? How can we build the young people who stay late night out on the streets and don’t get enough sleep? As a trainer, it is your duty to constantly follow up with them, SMS or call them up to ensure that they are following the diet plan and the training programme because if you don’t do this, they will think that you’re not a good trainer and you don’t care about them. Personal touch is important but with mature clients, you don’t have to do this.

Q: Some people use steroids to have big muscles, what can you say about this?
A: I have encountered a lot of young people who want to grow big muscles overnight and resort to steroids. I usually tell them, I’m not a doctor or a pharmacist and I advise them not to use steroids to get fast results. Sometimes, they come to you and give you money but I turn them down because that’s not the right way to do it. I explain to them, you may have those huge muscles in a short span of time by using steroids but this will not last and worst of all, its side-effects are lasting to your health and you may even end up in a hospital for a damaged liver or kidney. It will decrease your testosterone level and affect your virility and it may also lead to prostate illness. Yes, steroids will enhance your performance and build your muscles quickly but are you ready to face the health hazards after? As they say haste makes waste. For someone who uses steroids, he is just like a bloated bun but hollow from the inside. I always promote health and fitness and there’s no shortcut to it, otherwise, you have to pay a high price for your health if you insist on doing your way, the faster and easier way which oftentimes lead to an irreversible disaster.

Q: What handy tips can you give to health and fitness instructors for them to succeed in what they do?
A: You just have to give the best in everything that you do. Keep on training and working hard. Update yourself with the latest techniques and training by attending seminars, reading magazines, watching TV and browsing the Internet to know what’s the latest gadgets and training equipment available. Try to join competitions because once you have a title, it adds to your credentials and word gets around, making you more in demand in the field. Be dedicated and always take care of your clients or students. Lead them to the right way on how to be physically fit with no shortcuts.

Q: How do you see the health and fitness industry in Kuwait? Do you see more health and fitness clubs opening in the next five to 10 years?
A: The health and fitness industry in Kuwait is growing and I can say it’s a booming business. With the trend right now, everyone wants to hit the gym and look fabulous. People especially the locals have become more health conscious. They all want to look good. There’s a bright prospect for gym owners as long as they take care of their trainers and staff, give them the proper remuneration then for sure, they will get good business. Those state-of-the-art health gadgets and training equipment inside the health club will be useless without a competent trainer or captain.  We see more health clubs and gyms, big or small opening up in Kuwait in the coming years.
 

biography

Emmanual A. Galicia is the current President and Co-founder of Fitness Professionals and Bodybuilders Committee in Kuwait (FITPRO) with over 27 years of experience in the health and fitness industry. He now works at the Flex Executive Health Club as a Gym Instructor and worked at the Platinum Health Club for almost nine years as a Gym Instructor. A recipient of various awards in bodybuilding competitions, a fitness and personal trainer, program designer, pro bodybuilder and a former member of Philippine National Team for Bodybuilding.

Training and seminars attended
Advanced resistance training, Sponsored by Life Fitness Academy Khaldiya Sport, held in Oxygen Gym, Adailiya, Kuwait.
New trends in fitness, association of Fitness Professionals of the Philippines, Makati City.
Basic first aid training, Philippine National Red Cross
Basic Life Support (CPR) training, Philippine National Red Cross
 

Titles and awards won
Runner-up in the 65th IFBB Men’s World Amateur Bodybuilding Championship, Nov 3-7, 2011, Mumbai, India.
2nd place in the Ginoong Kadayawan 2011, Aug 21, 2011, Davao City, Philippines.
Runner-up in Platinum Gladiators organized by Platinum Health Club in Mahboula, Kuwait.
Overall champion in the battle of champions organized by Patrick Fitness Center February 2004 Manila, Philippines

Michelle Fe Santiago
Arab Times Staff

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By: Emmanual A. Galicia

Kris Gethin, editor-at-large of Bodybuilding.com and personal trainer to Hrithik Roshan, joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on his book ‘The Bodybuilding.com Guide to Your Best Body’.

Q. Hi Kris, To build more muscle, Is it better to hit each muscle twice a week or once a week? Asked by: Anupam

Kris Gethin, personal trainer to Hrithik Roshan, on his book ‘The Bodybuilding.com Guide to Your Best Body’.

A. No. Its best to follow the plan as I have detailed in my book, once per week.

Q. Hi Kris, Thanks for your effort to make my country fit. I followed both DTP and 12 week transformation and now I am in my best shape ever. But what next? What I should do to improve and maintain in long term? Now I am doing 2 weeks DTP and 2 weeks various exercise from 12 weeks programme but I don’t know it is a proper way to mix or not. I love the intensity of DTP but I want do it for every exercise. Asked by: shib

A. Have you followed the fundamental, momentum and DTP phases in my book in that order? If not, try that.

Q. Mine is same what Rahul Parelkar has asked for also I would like to know the diet plan for vegetarian people. Asked by: Chetan Sharma

A. Easy – eat egg whites, low fat paneer/cottage cheese, protein powder and soy.

Q. Hi Kris, Just wanted to say thanks for all the fantastic tools you provide to help people like me transform! Two things: first what do you think is the difference in mentality between ‘winners’ and everyone else? Secondly with so much conflicting advice in fitness what do you recommend people do to separate the good from the bad? Asked by: George Bick, England

A. 1. One controls his/her environment, the other gets controlled by it 2. A person must educate themselves. I hope that by reading my book and witnessing the real life transformations I have within, people will be able to better distinguish the good from bad.

Q. Can eating a lot of egg whites and drinking protien shake cause hairloss. Also suggest if protein shakes are ok for people with Hypothyroidism. Asked by: Mark

A. Hahaha. Hair loss. Protein powder is dairy without the sugar (lactose) and fat within it. Whey is actually more beneficial than milk for this purpose. Simply put, no.

Q. Hey Kris, For a long time now you have helped numerous people in achieving their dream transformation, in doing so how have you transformed as a person? Asked by: George

A. I don’t even recognize myself from the person I once was. I beat depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, lack of confidence, back pain, asthma. Now I have much more energy, discipline, and fun all due to the accountability I have to the transformations I have helped that now inspire me daily.

Q. Hi Kris I know this answer but I want to ask this question because. I want every one to know is it important to have foods in midnight and how do you alter your sleep throughout the day. As it is necessary to sleep atleast 8 hrs in a day. Asked by: rohit (hyderabad

A. No, it isn’t important. I would prefer a person to sleep for better recovery.

Q. Hello sir, been a big fan of you right from your 1st series of 12 week transformation in bodybuilding.com, I implemented your body by design Principles and achieved a huge difference, but only 1 part I was struck was lower abs, Can you please correct me? Asked by: Thejas

A. You probably need to continue to follow the plan exact in order to attain the fat loss from your last stubborn area.

Q. In your 12 weeks program, you have suggested too much Cardio. I have fat in mid waist, love handles! But very less fat in other parts. Should I stick to the Cardio or can reduce it? Asked by: Arihant

A. There isn’t too much cardio at all. Follow the book exact – you will find it is only 20-25 mins cardio daily, 2 twice per day on non training days.

Q. Is it ok doing DTP two days on 1 day off? Asked by: lina

A. I recommend you follow the plan in my book exact, so, a rest day between sessions for adequate recovery.

Q. Hi Kris, is it necessary to eat meals in the night..I heard you have oats and casein in the nights every 2 hrs but how do you alter your sleep as it is a compulsory to sleep atleast 8 hrs in a day. As you say you grow outside the gym. Asked by: rohit (hyderabad

A. No, try to sleep if you can. I eat during the night because I work almost 18 hours per day and sleep very little. I plan on changing this and sleeping more for health purposes.

Q. To use DTP for cutting should I go for two cardio daily sessions or HIIT in the rest day is enough? Asked by: Leo

A. For cutting purposes, follow the DTP plan as illustrated in my book exactly.

Q. Can I use Grenade instead of L-Carnitine and Yohimbine in your 12 weeks program? Asked by: Arihant

A. Yes. You will see that I actually recommend Grenade in my book as part of the supplement stack.

Q. What is the best exercise for developing the middle chest area? To developer that line of separation. I have always found this difficult to achieve. Asked by: Matt

A. You will find that the more the pec areas develop in combination of a very low body fat percent, this area will develop itself.

Q. I completed 4 weeks of the DTP. I saw definite gains in muscle. I can see the gains in the mirror but I did not gain anything on the weighing scale. Does that mean I did something wrong or did it just loose fat and gain muscle? Asked by: Adhiraj Dogra

A. If you can see change in the mirror, you are gaining muscle while losing fat. Just follow the plan as illustrated exactly as in the book, and you will continue to transform.

Q. Heey Kris, are you coming to Dubai anytime soon? I want to meet you , my question is .. If you feel that you are losing muscles while doing the transformation although with 1.5 g protein/body lbs .. what should I do? Asked by: Rashed

A. No plans for Dubai, however, I will travel anywhere I am booked to appear. You shouldn’t be losing muscle with that amount. I assume you are following my plan exact. If you are, you will gain muscle.

Q. Hi Kris. I have been obsessed about with fitness since 1986 and just as you am totally drug free. I admire and am continued to be inspired by every natural body builder. my question is about alcohol. what do you recommend as the lowest calorie alcholic drink that a fitness enthusiast can occasionally indulge with? Please viist my fb page and let me know your views as well http://www.facebook.com/fitnessclubforyou. Asked by: Nirmal Sawlani

A. I don’t recommend any type of alcohol because it raises cortisol and eats at the amino acids needed to build muscle. If you were to indulge, maybe Blonde or Corona Light.

Q. Hi Kris! I am a female trying to build muscle mass. I have followed your 12 week program reducing my body fat from 21 percent to 16 percent. I’m now starting with your DTP program. My weight is 47 kg. What can I expect from DTP? For how long can I follow DTP? I do want to gain lean muscle to be able to compete next year, if possible. Thank you! Asked by: Rose

A. Congrats thus fat. I recommend you follow DTP 4 weeks, take 1 week off and then repeat. You will increase muscle separation, fullness, definition and density.

Q. Kris, would you recommend to be in bulking mode till one reaches desired muscless mass or mix it with cutting cycle. If so, what should be the typical length for each cycle? Asked by: Puneet Dhawan

A. I like to go 4 weeks each way but when bulking, only use clean calories – no dirty bulking.

Q. Is it true that at old age body builders having overdone things at early age have lot of physical problems of bodily co ordination? Asked by: sundar1950in

A. No, its not true.

Q. Are you training any Indian Budding Bodybuilder? because if you want to transform and send your message, actors are an inspiration still the mass follows what is in front of them, they follow bodybuilders. gret Work And Keep Up! Asked by: Gethin #1 fan #DTP

A. No, not training any Indian bodybuilders – only international. None have approached us. Our company – Physique Elite – have trainers transforming Hrithik Roshan, Mahesh Babu, Ranveer Singh, Karan Johar, Arjun Kapoor, Jackky Bhagnani, etc. We seem to get approached by Bollywood more than anything.

Q. The wrestlers have a large size, the boxers an agile body,the runners a slim one, the basketball players a tall one – all are performers and physically fit. Where does the bodybuilding fit in these sports? Asked by: sundar1950in

A. Bodybuilding fits into everything. Building strength, structure, discipline, strength, confidence, etc, are all attributes bodybuilding lends to other sports.

Q. Hello Sir, I’m 32yr male, please inform exercises to reduce sagging lower chest and small wrist? Asked by: Tabish

A. Follow the plan exactly as detailed in my book.

Q. Nature has given the body.The genes decide the Frame and build. What is the need to artificially pump up the muscles? Asked by: sundar1950in

A. Why wouldn’t you want to exercise, increase strength, vibrancy, blood flow to the body and brain, be an inspiration to your friends, have the energy to play with your kids. I cant see this as being artificial. Nature didn’t expect fast foods, remote controls, and to become couch potatoes – that’s an artificial existence.

Q. Hi Gethin, big fan of your work i have some doubt which need to be clear before re-starting my 12 week trainer second time. Can you suggest me any food which can be alter with food available in India? My stat: 70kg weight,14 percent bf, eat 600 grm chicken breast perday, oats, 6eggs and all your mentioned supplement. Asked by: Tejender Singh

A. I don’t understand – all the food needed to transform (other than steak) is available here in India. I have lived here for almost two years – my clients and I eat almost exactly as I have done when living in other countries.

Q. Hi, have been through your 12 week trainer and DTP as well. Loved both of them. My legs due to neglect for a long time earlier are a less developed compared to the rest of my muscles groups. What would you suggest to get them to catch up? Asked by: Adhiraj Dogra

A. Follow the DTP plan as illustrated in my book.

Q. The wrong notion that a well built body can be used to hit out opponents is promoted in the films. Why this mislead is supported ?? Asked by: sundar1950in

A. Good question. I guess because they appear to be bigger, stronger, agile, etc, people would assume they are going to be the favorite opponent in such an event….?

Q. Hi Kris!! Can you please start supplying NBD products locally? It gets really expensive to order it online because of the shipping charges. Plus the delivery time is too long. Is it possible to make it available in local retail stores? Thanks Asked by: Mohit Nanda – Delhi

A. We have yet to be approached by a reputable distributor who would like to import immediately. I simply don’t have the time to look for someone – we have a long list of importers from other countries working to have NBD in their region.

Q. Is body building your passion or a work for you? Asked by: Rahul D – Mauritius

A. Its passion. My full time jobs are working for Physique Elite traveling the world and educating Personal Trainers, writing books, working for Bodybuilding.com, running my food line – Nutrition by Design – working for Bodybuilding.com and personal training the people of Bollywood.

Q. Hi Kris, congratulations on your new book. I am a vegetarian getting started on your DTP program. Could you please suggest on Veggie based diet program that best suits DTP. Thanks. Asked by: Deepak Rai

A. Just follow everything that is in the book with the addition of egg whites, whey protein, soy protein and low fat paneer/cottage cheese as your protein sources.

Q. I wanted to ask that if I take enough protein but lack a bit in fats and carbs then would I still be able to build muscle or all that protein would waste? Asked by: Chandan Sharma

A. You should definitely take in the carbs as I recommend in my book as this is protein sparring.

Q. How much protein do I have to eat to grow muscles? Also if I do cardio and eat the required amount of proteins then will I still lose my muscle? Also how to I increase the protein absorption in my body so that my body uses maximum nutrition from my food. Thanks Asked by: Vishal Tomar

A. Eat the amount that I recommend in my book and my online video plans. You can increase the absorption by taking digestive enzymes and probiotics and each meal.

Q. What are the supplements you recommend yields good results..and what are the food items which help in muscle building? Asked by: Nisanth

A. All that are detailed in my book – too many to mention here.

Q. You often advocate the use of coconut water, which is very expensive in South Africa. What would be the closest alternative to this? Asked by: William

A. There isn’t anything that comes close. I am actually working on a powdered version of coconut water that retains all of its natural benefits because I have had this comment a lot from some people who live in countries where it isn’t freely available.

Q. I have watched the entire series of your 12 week video trainer and also read your body by design book. Your workout regime in the book and video series differs, which is better? Secondly after I’m done with the 12 weeks I should begin the program again or take a interval and resort to moderate exercises ? My aim after that is just to maintain the physique and not bring drastic changes in muscularity or body fat percentage. Asked by: Rahul Parelkar

A. The book is what I recommend, the video series is what I do personally. Because you have to take into account that I eat vast amounts in order to recover for the intensity I use. I also have a fast and conditioned recover rate. I recommend you repeat the book again.

Q. Sir, whether this book suits Indians as Indians have different genetics, weather condition, food, lifestyle. Asked by: Jebaraj

A. Weather, food, lifestyle doesn’t matter at all – this is merely an excuse. I train and provide the exact same nutritional profile to Indians as I do to any other person I have trained around the world and all cultures reap the same benefits.

Q. Alrigt Kris. Why don’t you believe in bulking and cutting. You have done it twice for your video series? Don’t you think for an ectomorph bulking would be the best way to muscle? I wise you can do an video series with an ectomorph. That would be great. Asked by: chris masa

A. I do believe in cutting and bulking to a certain extent, just not “dirty” bulking. I actually separated both my AC joints, tore the tendons in my ankle and wrist and tore my left pec months before the video trainer in a cycling accident, hence the weight gain.

Q. Is supplementation with CLA safe? Kindly recommend a daily dosage value. Asked by: Alok

A. Very safe. 3000-5000mg per day is fine.

Q. Hi Kris. I am trying to cut down body fat.I am doing early morning slow intensity hour long cardio and 25 minute cardio after my workout but the results are surprisingly slow.workouts are intense and diet is clean but not too clean. Asked by: Nitish Saxena

A. Wow. Way too much cardio – you will actually slow your metabolism by doing such lengthily cardio. Follow my plan in the book exact for better results without the risk of losing muscle.

Q. Kris I start exercise and in with in week time I feel bore and less enthusim for continue. How to keep motivated? Asked by: Manish Pardal

A. Follow the Four Pillars of Power chapters in my book and fill out the FLOW Chart.

Q. Supplements necessary? Well I can’t get my hands on any hence the question. Asked by: 1512

A. Not necessary but they help.

Q. Are weight gainers a good choice or I should stick with only protein? I train everyday. I weigh 55Kgs right now at a height of 6 feet. what would you recommend? Asked by: Dev

A. Protein with added oats and flax-seeds.

Q. Quick tips and diet plans for lean body like Ranbhir singh! Thanks in Advance. Asked by: Ujjwal Agarwal

A. Follow the plan as detailed in my book. Thank you.

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