Tabla de contenidos para April/May 2017 en FLEX Australia

HOW OFTEN DO YOU SEE blokes at the gym using lousy technique? It’s a fairly common thing, but it goes against all the rules of gym etiquette to interrupt and correct them, especially if you’re not a qualified trainer. Still, it can hurt, watching an injury waiting to happen... Bad technique doesn’t just put you at risk of muscular or skeletal damage - it also means you’re not getting the full benefit of the intended lift, and therefore you’re not going to see gains. In this issue, we show you how to brush up your technique on everyone’s favourite leg day move – the squat (Get to know squat, page 66). This isn’t a move you can judge yourself on alone, even in a gym full of mirrors, so follow…

Somewhere along the way, the squat – always the kind with a heavy barbell against your traps – became the demarcation line between hardcore and softcore. Make them the foundation of your leg days and you were serious. Avoid them and you were just taking up gym space. That line has grown fuzzy at best since the squat-free reign of Dorian Yates. Recently, the other six-time Mr O Phil Heath, has treated squats like just another leg exercise. Clearly, there are many ways to inflate your wheels to monster-truck size. And yet a loaded bar at eye level in a power rack can still separate a gym’s true participants from its spectators. “Shut Up and Squat” reads the graffiti. Cody Montgomery understands the importance of tightening his belt, positioning the…

TRACK Fitbit Charge 2 Maximise your workouts with PurePulse heart rate, multi-sport modes and Connected GPS. Track all-day activity, exercise and sleep. And make the most of your routine with Reminders to Move and relaxing guided breathing sessions. fitbit.com/au PROGRESS Beast Sensor Take the guesswork out of lifting with this sensor that tracks the velocity at which you move weight. Once you know the zone in which you’re supposed to lift, you can monitor your progress daily. Is the weight moving too slowly? Reduce the load. Is it going up like cake? You’re ready to add weight. Bye-bye, plateaus. thisisbeast.com/en GO The Fitness Show Australia’s most inspiring fitness event is back. Explore all the latest fitness and health trends, products, events and experiences including live workouts, fitness classes, seminars and…

“I look at competition this way: at the beginning of class, everyone has an A. Everyone can hold onto that A by doing the work that’s required. Some people drift – maybe their grade drops to a B or a C – before they get on it, and start working to bring it back up. For me, I’m going to stay at that A level from the start and not let myself drift. I’m going to get the work done to hold on to that A.” Q Did you take a break after the Olympia? Sure did. Went to Playa del Carmen, which is near Cancún, Mexico. It was an outstanding and much-needed chance to take a break from everything – no autographs, no posing for pictures, just me and…

Hydration is as important as any other topic in bodybuilding because it affects everything else. Your health, performance, body composition, sleep, recovery, mental focus and even joint health are all affected by your state of hydration. I’m not talking about being hydrated for your workout. I mean in general: from the time you wake up to the moment you go to bed. Sustaining a constant state of hydration is critical for us all. 1. RENAL HEALTH Renal function refers to your kidneys, which are responsible for processing a lot of waste from your system. As with any organ, kidneys can come under stress when you’re not hydrated, especially when you consider the amount of food, protein and supplements you’re asking them to process. Consuming enough water helps the kidneys function…

HYPOTHESIS Studies have clearly shown that not all individuals respond equally to training, even when training variables are tightly controlled. This indicates that there is a genetic component to how well someone responds to resistance training. What are some of the genetic differences that play a meaningful role in one’s response to resistance training? RESEARCH Researchers from the United Kingdom hypothesised that there are 15 performance-associated genes that could predict an individual’s response to power or endurance training. These 15 genes are involved in the regulation of muscle-fibre-type composition as well as muscle size, cytoskeletal function, muscle-damage protection, metabolism, circulatory homeostasis, mitochondrial biogenesis, thermogenesis and angiogenesis. They then created two different training regimens, one for strength/power and the other for strength/endurance. After mapping their subjects’ DNA for the 15 genes…

10-MINUTE CHILLI SERVES 3 INGREDIENTS 500g organic, grass-fed beef mince 2 tsp cumin powder 1 tbsp granulated garlic ½ tbsp salt Olive oil 2 tsp fennel seeds 1 large onion, diced 2 red capsicums, diced 1 cup enchilada sauce 1 chipotle pepper in adobo 85g tomato paste 1 small bunch coriander, chopped DIRECTIONS Place mince, cumin, garlic and salt in a bowl and use your hands to combine. Heat a medium frypan over medium-high heat, then add oil and fennel seeds, toasting the seeds until they turn golden brown. Add the meat mixture, mixing well so the seeds don’t burn. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat and fold in the fennel seeds. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then add onion. Continue to break up meat with…

12-WEEK PREP PERIOD Before I get into the nuts and bolts, I want to mention something regarding the off-season. It is my firm belief that those who are serious about competing and moving to the highest levels of the sport should keep their body fat in a range that will allow for a prep period of no longer than 12 to 16 weeks. I actually prefer the first four weeks (16 down to 12) to be a “break in” phase, starting by simply eliminating all junk foods (alcohol, too, if needed) from the diet while also getting used to consuming six meals per day on a regimented schedule. By keeping body fat at a respectable level year-round you will not only make contest prep easier and less mentally/physically exhausting but…

If there is a common bond among muscle men it’s the propensity to pound protein shakes (AKA smoothies). Since blenders were invented, fitness fanatics have gulped these drinks down as a means to quickly gain access to the nutritional building blocks that a physique in transformation craves. Too often, however, people fall into a lacklustre shake routine by whirling together the same tired smoothie formula: milk, ice, protein powder and maybe a bit of fruit. Functional, yes, but a boring combination that can quickly lead to blender burnout. To keep your taste buds guessing, start thinking of smoothies as being infinitely riffable and ready to welcome all sorts of ingredients. Yes, everything from beetroot and ricotta to pears can play a starring roll in your next blender creation. To shake…

SNAPSHOT NAME Nathan Goss AGE 22 BORN Melbourne, Australia LIVES Malvern East, Vic GYM South Pacific Health Club, Chadstone, Vic INSTAGRAM @n.goss BEST COMPETITION MOMENT Representing Team Australia in the 2016 INBA Natural Amateur Olympia and taking out the overall title. “The camaraderie and the national anthem being played were amazing.” FAVOURITE CHEAT MEAL “A good burger.” With just four years’ competitive experience and at the tender age of 22, Victoria’s own Nathan Goss can now count himself among the world’s finest natural bodybuilders. By winning the Junior, Open Med/Tall and Overall Amateur titles at the 2016 INBA/PNBA Natural Olympia – the world’s premier natural amateur bodybuilding showdown – Goss is now a fully-fledged pro with aspirations of becoming one of the all-time greats and leading the way for future…

TENDON LOVING CARE Researchers wanted to know what happens to your tendons when you suddenly stop training (for example, after injury). After reviewing the literature, they concluded that when training stops, tendons undergo metabolic and structural changes that could predispose the lifter to injury if care is not taken when training is resumed. 286 The body weight in pounds of Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay at the 2016 Mr Olympia. That’s 130kg, more than 15 kilograms heavier than bigger-than-life Phil Heath, who took the title. RESISTANCE TEST A study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology compared the effects of variable resistance (such as machine with cam) to constant resistance (such as free weights) on fatigue resistance and hypertrophy. They found that although variable-resistance machines produced improved fatigue resistance, there…

STATS ON WOODFORD AGE: 24 HEIGHT: 164cm INSTAGRAM: @julzjulzjulzz SNAPCHAT: @julzjulzjulzz FAVOURITE SUPPLEMENT: BSN ReBUILD EDGE Island cooler BSN Athlete Julia Woodford grew up competing in gymnastics. Now 24, her passion for health and fitness has extended beyond her own life, and on to helping others achieve their goals. “My vision was clear growing up that I wanted to be in the fitness industry and help people,” the personal trainer and online lifestyle coach says. “I started to share my journey on social media and was blown away by the impact I had on people – not just ones close to me but all over the world. “I want to send a powerful message to girls and woman to strive towards being fit and strong, that there is no limit…

Q What are some ways I can help keep my appetite in check? Thankfully there are several ways to curb your appetite (that don’t involve dangerous drugs), and they all work together hand in hand. The first thing you can do when getting up is eat a healthy and filling breakfast – for instance, a few eggs with avocado on a piece of sprouted grain toast or steel-cut oats with a tablespoon of nut butter topped with berries or bananas. Healthy snacking throughout the day between meals can also help keep you feeling full and less likely to overeat. Try noshing on snacks like string cheese, fruit, vegetables, lean protein or nuts. Studies from 2011 and 2014 that were published in Nutrition Journal found that protein-rich snacking may control appetite,…

SIRLOIN STEAK WITH CAULIFLOWER MASH SERVES 1 INGREDIENTS ½ .tsp olive oil 170g trimmed sirloin steak .Salt and pepper 1 .cauliflower head, chopped 2-4 .garlic cloves 2 .tbsp low-fat cream cheese DIRECTIONS Rub oil on steak and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring 2.5 to 5cm of water to a boil, ideally with a steamer rack, than add cauliflower and 2 garlic cloves. Cover until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Cook steak on a preheated grill or cast-iron pan, turning once (5 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare). Add half the cauliflower to a food processor with cream cheese, rest of garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper; pulse. Add other half of cauliflower and pulse until it reaches your desired texture.…

Below you will find a list of high-quality foods that can be included in your diet for the first four weeks of prep, as well as a sample meal plan so you can see how to put things together. As we move along, more and more foods will be removed, and the macronutrient profile will be adjusted. This is to allow for continuous progress to take place every week right up till the show. Proteins: lean beef, lean turkey, turkey breast, chicken breast, steak, egg whites, game meats, white fish, salmon, low-fat cottage cheese, protein powders (can be used for up to three meals per day) Carbohydrates: brown rice, white rice, sweet potato, white potato, wholegrain bread, oatmeal, quinoa, rice cakes, pasta, carb powder, all fruits Vegetables: all green and…

STATS NAME: Rongo Keene NICKNAME: The Warrior AGE: 29 HEIGHT: 183cm COMPETITION BODYWEIGHT: 130-135kg OFFSEASON BODYWEIGHT: 145kg BIRTHPLACE: Mohaka, NZ CURRENT RESIDENCE: Sanctuary Cove, Qld GYM: The Dungeon TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Ngati Pahauwera INSTAGRAM: @the_ warrior_rongokeene FACEBOOK: The Warrior - Strongman Rongo Keene THE MAXIMUM LIFTING PROWESS of a powerlifter, the bone-crunching explosiveness of an NRL enforcer, the muscular endurance and elite athleticism of an Olympic gymnast and showmanship of a WWE superstar... All are esteemed attributes of the strongman competitor. According to recently-crowned Australia’s Strongest Man winner Rongo Keene, strongman is most certainly not for the average lifter seeking a surefire ego boost. It’s not a sport that one simply dabbles in. For Keene and others of his ilk, a formidable foundation of physical strength must be in place before…

This is big — really, really big. We’ve compiled mass-making advice from 25 of the largest bodybuilders who ever tested the limits of a posing dais. The amateur superheavyweight division consists of competitors who weigh more than 225 pounds (102kg). To make our honour roll, these pros each competed at 250-plus (113kg+), and some topped 300 (136kg). These are bodybuilding’s super-duper-heavyweights, and they’ve got a lot to say about sizing up. 01 MEAL PREP “I’d say the most important thing is getting all your meals in. You have to stick to a schedule to make sure you eat at least six high-protein meals every day. The easiest way to do this is to prepare your meals in advance so you just need to microwave them and eat.” — Dallas McCarver…