What's up everyone? Hopefully you are all staying healthy and fit as this year is starting to wind down and we head into the big holiday season. Remember to balance it out (If you don't know how, make sure to check out my past blog "Balancing Act").

Sorry, it's been a while since I last blogged due to a few changes of the website, format, etc.

I know, I know, it's a little late to be writing about the LA Fit Expo BUT I thought since everyone has been so hyped on the Arnold Sports Festival lately I thought I'd bring LA back into the picture.

The LA Fit Expo was held in late January at the Los Angeles Convention Center and I must say it was a pretty good experience. I've been to the Olympia in Vegas which is awesome, and I've attended the past four LA Fit Expo's since they are held in my neck of the woods.

A couple highlights from the 2011 LA expo:

My brother Jeff Obar competed in the Gracie National Jiu-Jitsu competition for the 2nd year in a row. Last year he won the No-Gi competition for his weight class, and this year he took home the Gold in his Gi division and in the open weight division going 5-0 with 5 submissions.

He also won at the Olympia Expo Jiu-Jitsu tournament last year as well. He takes it very seriously and loves competing at the expo to check out the supplements, booths, and MMA fighters. It makes it an all day activity for us instead of just waiting around for his scheduled matches.

(If you'd like to sponsor him and throw some of your patches on his Gi email me)

 

How's everyone doing so far this year? Hopefully some of you have read my previous entry and started making exercise a part of your daily life.

As for me, I've found find motivation come pretty easy up to this point. Of course, everyone has days where they just "don't want to", or feel "too tired" to get a workout in, but that just hasn't been the case for me lately and here's why:


Old School
These guys! Rich Obar (left, 60's) and Joe Nausha (right, 71) are in the gym 4-6 times a week and are two of the most positive people I've ever met. Not only that, but they definitely aren't what you would call "OLD", especially after seeing them hit the weights. As that isn't enough, they both have goals they are striving for, and challenging themselves day in and day out. Rich is shooting for 10lbs of fat loss and with that he'll probably even reveal a 6 pack! Joe, who is going on 72 years old, is a MONSTER on the bench press and is working on "Barbarian Pull-ups". (I'll throw up a video once he gets it).
Not bad for two guys who have had health problems in the past such as prostate cancer & multiple heart problems, huh? It's quite the motivation to get me in the gym and feel good, healthy, and young!


New School

 Then you have my new school motivation. With technology being so good these days, you can't help but check out sites like FlexOnline.com, Facebook, Twitter, and bodybuilding.com. They're all loaded with information, research, supplements, and motivation. For example, on twitter which I go by the screen name @OBARmuscle you can "follow" people such as Weider's @JimStoppani and @Philheath who give out tips, answer questions, and give links to new studies and workouts. If they aren't enough you can take a look every minute of the day to see fitness fanatics such as @FitnessItaliana talking about her favorite supplements and posting pictures of her "brutal" arm workout routine. The list of people, supplement companies, and motivation doesn't stop pouring in!

End Note
If you're looking for a little motivation on those "too tired" days, look around and find those Old School and New School motivators. We all need a little push sometimes, but so far when using these, the only thing I might need is someone to hold me back!

Go Get It!
-Stephen Obar
@OBARmuscle

    With the holidays approaching this year I'm starting to hear the same common things I usually hear around this time. Whether it be from friends, parents,or strangers, I'm hearing this one common statement, "After New Years, I wanna start working out and getting in shape".
  
    If you may be one of the people saying something similar to that and have somehow ended up here reading this blog, this is written directly at you. Here's my pitch for you to make it happen.
  
     First off, why wait? What are you waiting for? Don't go into the new year looking like that deer in those headlights that everyone is always talkin' about! Hit the books, magazines, ask questions, and form together a plan. Find a friend that is knowledgeable of exercise, or a gym associate, and ask them to show you the way around your local gym. Study proper form, exercises, and nutrition (All of which you can find in M&F) so you can start making progress right away. Why waste valuable time considering the fact that you've obviously been wasting enough time waiting this long to get started?

    What are the reasons you want to even start working out and getting in shape? C'mon, be honest, everyone has a reason for why they are in the gym. Look in the mirror and be completely honest with yourself and what you see. What do you want to improve? How bad do you want it?

Don't let anyone tell you that you CAN'T do it, and by "anyone", I'm including yourself! No matter how big of a change you're striving for, GO FOR IT! Get out of your comfort zone, set high goals and shoot for them and more. Get rid of your excuses and risk it. What is there to lose?

-Get through that first few weeks and you'll have a sense of pride that no one can take away.
-You'll have more energy, you'll wake up feeling better, and you'll be in control like never before.
-Your immune system will get stronger meaning you'll be sick less.
-You'll be less stressed (which is why you should probably start now during the holidays)
-That little bit of pain and soreness you'll experience is nowhere near the positive outcome it'll come with.
-etc., etc., etc....The list can go on forever.

You're gonna see that isn't worth hesitating and being scared of. I'd be willing to bet that you'll love the new challenge and before you know it, that you'll love the new YOU even more.

I personally think working out hard for an hour a day is one helluva trade for all the mental and physical satisfaction it brings the rest of the time.

Happy Holidays!

Stephen Obar
Twitter: @ObarMuscle

If you're reading this, chances are that you're in some stage of changing your body for the better, whether that stage may be just beginning to work out, or even to the point of just adding some final touches towards a contest. Wherever you may fit into the ongoing cycle of bodybuilding, there is one thing we all strive to have. BALANCE!

Nothing too much, nothing too little. Mentally or physically.

Sure, you can take drastic measures to reach your goals, but how much is too much? Is going low-carb, not going out with friends, canceling dinner plans, for months on end til you reach that "goal-weight" of yours really worth it if you know once you hit that number on the scale you are going to go back to unhealthy ways and end up going back to the weight that you were before? Maybe your answer is different than mine, but to me that doesn't sound very enjoyable.

I'm writing this because as I look back on what I've done to get in shape, it all comes back to one thing and that is BALANCE. Whether it be the nutrition or the training aspect, I had to find that balance and not fall off. If you know you aren't gonna be able to workout on your normal days one week, workout hard the days you don't usually train. If you know it's your best friends birthday dinner next weekend, shift your diet so when that birthday meal rolls around it'll be used as a cheat to get your metabolism firing. The more work you put into it, the more enjoyable it will be. 

Continue to make progress and build your body, but never forget to enjoy it!

-Stephen Obar

Twitter: @ObarMuscle

    How often does a person get to write about a topic they are interested and passionate about? Well, if you are a student, the answer is probably "NEVER", which is why I'm fortunate to be writing my first blog (and hopefully many more) here at M&F before I go back to school next year.  

    You might be wondering who I am, and what I'm going to try to accomplish with my blogs. Here are those answers, as well as a little background about myself:

    I'm Stephen Obar, 24 years old and like many my age, not quite sure what I'm gonna do in the future. I don't hold any degrees, a college diploma, or even a personal training certificate (yet).... But I do enjoy writing, learning, as well as providing others with motivation and helping people in all aspects of life, which is why I love Muscle and Fitness.
    My journey started, in 2003, at 17 years old when I was a senior in high school that played Varsity baseball. I had played all of my life and was an above average player but never worked out or took it too serious. Instead, I spent most of my free time challenging friends to burger eating contests and impressing them with my fast food intake. I weighed around 215 the whole year until I was diagnosed with cancer right before graduation. What doctors thought was mono or strept throat was actually a case of Non-Hodgkins Lyphoma. Treatment for this disease was 6 sessions of intense chemotherapy that left me weak and fragile. After my last session of chemo in November of 2003 i weighed myself at 167.
    Seeing the scale and how I looked in the mirror, i decided I'd follow my uncle (who at 63 years old is in phenomenal shape) to the gym and try to put some muscle on my frame. I would read bodybuilding magazines at his house but mainly just look at the pictures and never paid attention to the nutrition aspect because I was stupid and just thought to be big you just have to eat tons of crap. I should have read the articles! 
    By 2006, I had put some time in the gym and not only got a lot stronger, but without cardio or dieting I had managed to get my weight up to 256. (This was not a Phil Heath 256 or any competitor 256). This 256 was straight from the fast foods i had continued to eat, and I knew I had to stop.
    I felt and looked awful which led to my decision to change it all up. I dedicated myself to reading articles not only about training, but about the science of nutrition, supplementation, and whole foods. Doctors like Jim Stoppani really know their stuff! After reading and soaking up all this surprising and new information I put together a plan and was motivated to get started transforming.

When? How Long?

In November 2003 I was 167 lbs with absolutely no muscle or energy.
In November of 2006 I was 256lbs of a lot of fat and a little muscle.
Currently, I weigh 195lbs and have been measured as low as 9% bodyfat.

How I've done it?
I've lost 60 pounds and gotten much stronger and healthier by being consistent. With the thought of cancer always in the back of my mind, I stay motivated and know that going to the gym, and eating clean is a lot easier than sitting in a hospital bed fighting for your life. 
    I go to the gym and lift hard 5-6 times a week and do cardio 3-6 days depending on my calorie intake and energy levels.
    
    With this blog I hope to motivate and inspire you guys when times seem rough because I know we can get through them, just like we do our last few reps at the gym. Lets educate each other and the ones around us by asking questions, posting comments, and giving feedback whether it's positive or negative. Don't hesitate to ask questions and learn as much as possible about bodybuilding and all the aspects that go along with it. After all, bodybuilding isn't just for the guys that take the competition stage, it's for everyone trying to build their bodies. 

I'm sorry that I have not been able to post much lately. I have been busy with work and school.I decided to post a recipe I made a while ago. I really enjoyed it and it is really simple to cook.

Spice-rubbed pork chops

Ingredients :

• 2 Pork chops
• 1/2 Onion, sliced
  
• Butter
  
• Spices : Red peppercorn, mustard seeds, corriander seeds, minced garlic and a little bit of ginger

Cooking instructions

1. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the onion and cook until it starts to change color. Meanwhile, grind the spices.
2. Rub the spices on the pork chops.
3. Cook on medium-high.
   
4. Enjoy with a salad or a side dish you like.
   

I am posting this easy recipe because I believe it is a proof that you can keep things simple and still enjoy a restaurant-like meal.

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

A lot of people ask me about snacks these days. Most of the time, they want a quick recipe that will give them the protein and fat they need. Because it is such a popular question, I decided to write a post about my new favorite summer snack.

It might surprise you, but my favorite snack is sashimi. It's high in protein, and has some healthy fats. It tastes great. It's easy to be creative with it and it's a nice summer food. What's not to like?

Here is how to do it in less than five minutes and for less than five dollars per person.

Sashimi 

Ingredients :

• 150g Fresh salmon
• 150g Fresh Tilapia
• 1 carrot, cut into small pieces and blended
• 1/2 Zucchini, cut into thin squares
• 1 Tomato, sliced
  
• Plain goat yogurt (I prefer full fat).
• Sesame seeds

Instructions :

1. Slice your fish into thin squares. You will want to cut through your fish with a 45 degrees angle to make beautiful sashimi.
2. Place the salmon on the zucchini squares. Place the blended carrots on the tilapia. Place your sashimi in your plate alongside the tomatoes.
3. Add goat yogurt. I suggest filling the middle of your plate with it, but you could also add just a little bit on every sashimi.
4. Sprinkle sesame seeds.
5. Enjoy!
   

Here is the result :

If done right, all those ingredients will build complex flavors. The sour taste of the yogurt goes quite well with the umami taste of the fish. The carrots add a sweet punch to the mix while the zucchini adds a somewhat bitter taste. Use the tomatoes as you would use ginger when eating sushis.You can add avocado slices (as you can see in the ingredients picture) and some fresh berries too.

Of course, since it is a popular question, I will be posting more snack recipes in the future.

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

 




 

I was asked if I could make a post about the calories and nutrient of each recipe I posted. It took me a while to calculate, but I really wanted to help my readers. 

Before we continue, I would like to point out two things :
1. I used an online website to calculate it. I calculated the totals based on how much I would eat of each recipe so the portion size might vary for you.(I eat a lot for my size)
2. The totals include every ingredients. In most cases, some of the ingredients will stay in the pan or plate (e.g. : butter). The totals are only an estimate of the reality.

So here we go :

Recipe 1 : Classic Roast beef and mashed cauliflower with an avocado and tomato salad

A portion size is 200g (1/5) of the roast beef and 1/4 of the side dish.
498 calories, 28g fats, 14g carbs, 45g proteins

Recipe 2 : Coconut coated chicken breasts and spaghetti squash in tomato sauce

A portion size is a 150g chicken breast and 1/3 of the side dish
454calories 18g fats, 33g carbs, 40g proteins

Recipe 3 : Roasted butternut squash

A portion size is 1/4 of this recipe.
157.25 calories, 6g fats, 26g carbs, 2g proteins

Recipe 4 : Spicy salmon on a bed of salty vegetables

A portion is 200g of salmon, and 1/4 of the vinaigrette.
540 calories, 38g fats, 6.5g carbs, 40g proteins

Recipe 5 : Mexican stuffed peppers

A portion size for me is half of the recipe (250g meat). Most people would eat less.
524 calories, 27g fats, 25g carbs, 48g proteins


I hope this will help my readers reach their goals. Just remember that those totals are based on my needs. You can eat more or less in order to achieve your goals.

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

Now that the weather is getting hotter here in Québec, I have been craving some Mexican foods... Tacos to be exact. I wanted to cook something similar to tacos without using tortillas. I found one way to do so and I was surprised to find out that I liked it better than tacos.

Mexican stuffed peppers

Ingredients :

• 450g Ground horse meat (you can also use beef ground meat)
• 2 Tomatoes (diced)
• 1 Yellowbell pepper (diced)
• 2 Long red sweet peppers (Carve triangle on one side)
  
• 1/2 Onion (diced)
  
• 200ml Tomato sauce
• Butter
• Olive oil
  
• Spices : Minced garlic, cumin, red peppercorn, chili spices, salt. parlsey and oregano

Cooking instruction :

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Place the Long peppers on a cooking tray and roast them until they look good to you. (should take around 20 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in skillet over medium-high. Add olive oil. Add the onions. Add meat and cook until the meat become brown. Add the diced yellow bell pepper and the tomato sauce. Add the spices (minced garlic, cumin, peppercorn, chili spices, salt and oregano).
3. Fill the peppers with the meat. Garnish with some parsley.
4. Enjoy!

Also, feel free to make guacamole and garnish your taco with it. Make sure it is spicy and that the dominant taste of your meat is cumin. It will create a great combination of flavors.

Here is one example (my guacamole is a bit red colored because I used a lot of paprika and spicy peppers in it) :

How is that for summer food?

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

Lately, I have been reading a great cookbook. While browsing through the recipes, I found one that inspired me. I wanted to improve it as much as possible. I wanted to make a flavorful meal, while yielding many health benefits as well.

Spicy salmon on a bed of salty vegetables

Ingredients :

• 2 Salmon fillets (200 grams each)
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• Olive oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• 1 Red bell pepper (Sliced in strips)
  
• 2 Handful of baby spinach
• 1 Zuccini (Sliced in strips)
• 1/2 Onion (diced)
  
• Spices : dried minced garlic, oregano, salt, peppercorn, sesame seeds, paprika, 1 spicy pepper (I used a guajillo pepper)

Cooking Instructions :

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the salmon fillets. After a minute or two, flip the salmon. Create a spice crust by adding paprika (a lot), and ground minced garlic, peppercorn, and your spicy pepper. Flip it again, and add spices. Cook it until it is ready (about 3-5 minutes on each side depending on how high your heat is).
2. It is time to create a vinaigrette. I used 6 tablespoons of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Add ground garlic, peppercorn and salt. Add oregano and mix it all. (Make sure that you use enough salt but not too much. You will want a salty taste.)
3. Make a bed of spinach. Add the vegetables. Pour the vinaigrette and add a pinch of sesame seeds. When your salmon is ready, place it on top of your vegetables.
4. Enjoy!

This recipe was actually the post workout meal I had yesterday. It was amazing and so quick to create!

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

Earlier this week, a forum member was asking me about my roasted butternut squash recipe. As most of you know, I cook because I want to be able to eat foods that are as nutritious as possible. This food is no exception. In fact, a serving size of 100 grams is only 45 calories. It is also a great source of vitamins (especially vitamin A). It has a sweet taste and contains only two grams of sugar. Now, that is a food I definitely want to cook with!

Here is the recipe :

Roasted butternut squash

Ingredients :

• 1 Butternut squash (1-2lbs)
• 1 or 2 Tablespoon(s) of melted butter
• A little bit of olive oil
  
• Spices : Salt,Cinnamon and curry (to taste)

Cooking Instructions :

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Place the squash in the microwave for 3 minutes. Then cut it in small dices (remove skin and seeds).
3. Pour a little bit of olive oil in a cooking tray. Add the diced butternut squash. Pour the melted butter on it and add the spices.
4. Cook for 20 minutes.
5. Enjoy!

Here is a picture of it next to a nice creole pork roast I made a while ago :


As always, if you try it out, let me know!

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

One  of the most popular foods among fitness enthusiasts is probably the chicken breast. It is popular because of its high protein content and the fact that it is a very lean meat If you are like me, you have probably eaten a lot of it and you are probably looking for a new way to cook this classic food. Today I will show you a great way to cook them in less than 20 minutes!

Coconut coated chicken breasts and spaghetti squash in tomato sauce

Ingredients :

• 2 Chicken breasts (without the skin)
• 1 Spaghetti squash (cut in halves)
  
• 1/2 Red bell pepper (sliced into small strips)
• 1/2 Orange bell pepper (sliced into small strips)
• 1 tomato (diced)
• 1 zucchini (sliced into half moons)
• 1 shallot (sliced into thin circles)
  
• A couple of stalk of broccoli
  
• 1 can of tomato sauce (400ml)
• 3 tablespoons Coconut Flakes (ground)
• 1 egg
  
• Olive oil
• Water
  
• Spices : Red peppercorn, Salt, 1/2 guajillo pepper, 1 schezuan pepper, 1/2 tablespoon dried minced garlic, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, turmeric and paprika

Cooking instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Scrape the seeds out of each spaghetti squash halves. Put a plastic wrap on them and cook in the microwave for three minutes. Once it's done, separate the strands with a fork (running the fork from stern to stern). Mix with the other vegetables.
   
3. Pour a little olive oil in a cooking pan. Salt your chicken breasts and place them in the cooking tray.
4. Grind the coconut flakes with half a teaspoon of red peppercorn. Whisk an egg with the ground spices in a bowl. Add 1/3 of a teaspoon of turmeric and pour all over your chicken breasts. Place in the oven and cook for 18-20 minutes.
5. Place a cooking pan on medium high on the stove. Pour a little olive oil and add the vegetables. Fry them until they get soft. Add the tomato sauce as well as spices (Grind : red peppercorn, salt, 1/2 guajillo pepper, 1 schezuan pepper, 1/2 tablespoon dried minced garlic). Feel free to add herbs (Rosemary, thyme, and oregano) too. Cook until it is hot. *Add water if you feel the sauce is too thick
   
6. Sprinkle a little bit of paprika on the chicken and serve. Enjoy!
   

I hope you will enjoy both the sweet and spicy flavors this recipe offers. It is a favorite of mine!

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

This recipe is easy and quick. It also have alot of protein and some healthy fats.
Let's get started!

 Ingredients :

• 1 kg Roast beef
• 2 Italian tomatoes
• 1 avocado
  
• 1 Orange bell pepper
• 1/2 White onion
• 2 Cloves of garlic
• 1/2 Cauliflower
• 1 Shallot
• A handful of baby spinach leaves
• Olive oil and Red wine
• 1 tablespoon of cream
  
• Spices & Herbs : Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Parsey, Corriander, Salt and Pepper
  

 Roast beef cooking instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and chop the onion, the shallot and the orange bell pepper. Place them in a roasting tray and drizzle some olive oil on them.
2. Mince the garlic, and press it down to make a paste. Mix it in a bowl with Basil, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper and with a splash of olive oil and red wine. Rub the mixture on your roast and place it in your pan.
3. Cook for 55 minutes for medium-rare. Cook 5 more minutes for medium.

Calliflower cooking instructions :

1. Boil the calliflower. When you start to see bubbles in the water, add a handful of chopped spinach leaves.
2. When it is ready, mash the the calliflower and spinach with some parsey and a tablespoon of cream.

Avocado and tomatoes salad instructions:

1. Dice the tomatoes and the avocado.
2. Let's create an olive oil based vinaigrette. Add a tablespoon of ground corriander seeds to 2 or 3 tablespoon of olive oil. Drizzle over the salad and feel free to sprinkle some parsey over the salad.

And by now, you should be enjoying your meal!

''JP''
Jean-Patrick Millette

I have to admit it; I am thrilled about this new project. This blog is obviously a great opportunity for me to discuss the things that I love. Before we get started, there are a few things I would like to point out.

First, let me present myself. My name is Jean-Patrick Millette and I'm 21 years old. I just applied for a Kinesiology Bachelor degree. More importantly, and it is the main reason I have this opportunity today, I am an amateur cook. I believe that cooking highly nutritive meals is a great way to feel good and progress towards our fitness related goals. I also think that cooking should not be complicated and that it should be enjoyable. I intend to show you that it is possible to eat amazing meals - no matter what your cooking skills and your budget are. Also, I love to read feedback, and I enjoy answering, to the best of knowledge, questions. So don't hesitate to leave a comment!

Secondly, you might be wondering how someone that is not a nutritionist or a trainer got this opportunity, so let me explain how it all started. I first joined the M&F forum a great while ago. I always liked how great this online community really is and, like a lot of forum members, I created a workout log. I started to log my workouts as well as some pictures of the meals I eat daily. I was surprised to read a lot of positive feedback from other members and I enjoyed it. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I started to think about creating a blog for that purpose. Next thing you know, I got contacted by Muscle and  Fitness, so here I am.

By now, you may be wondering where are those recipes I keep talking about. The good news is that tommorow, my first recipe will be posted.

''JP''

Jean-Patrick Millette

 

While we all know carbohydrate is important for exercise, there really haven’t been too many advances over the last 20 years to talk about.  Sure, we know we need to eat enough carbohydrate in our diet to fuel exercise and consuming a sport drink during prolonged exercise can sustain energy. We also know that it’s better to ingest low to moderate glycemic index (GI) type carbohydrates (e.g., fructose, honey, sucrose) before exercise to prevent drop in blood glucose and high GI type carbohydrates (e.g., dextrose, maltose, maltodextrin) after exercise to help raise insulin and promote recovery.   But that’s about it, right?  Well there have been three recent advances in our knowledge about carbohydrate that have real implications for athletes.

As a strength coach who works with high level athletes and an educator who trains the trainers - I'm always being asked what I think is the biggest mistake trainers, athletes and exercise enthusiasts make in the gym. My answer is always "most don't' train the CNS". You see - there are actually two ways to get stronger and improve performance. One way is physiological based which is done by putting on muscle size (hypertrophy) through typical bodybuilding style protocols? The other, lesser known, but possibly more important way of getting stronger is through neural based training. This is accomplished by using faster, more explosive exercise protocols like the ones I'm going provide later in this article.
 

How often do you hear the question at the local gym or high school? How much do ya bench? When I was still going to a commercial gym the benches were always full and the squat racks were always open.

Situation: Some very bad people are living and working in a small compound in a desert filled country.
 
Mission: Locate and neutralize this group.
 
Execution: Insert via helicopter 4 miles from a dry lakebed, move there by foot. Set up a landing zone and land two MC-130's filled with a joint force assault team. Move to the target, hit it, and return home with everyone plus prisoners.
 
Admin & Logistics: We have what we can carry...
 
Command & Control: We are self-contained...
 
It's very dark and late at night when the helicopter hits the ground and our four-man team, loaded to the gills, runs out into the Middle Eastern desert. It's 02:00hrs and it's still hot as hell. Our packs are heavier than normal because we have to carry extra equipment to set up an improvised landing zone. And we're late... The helicopters were broken and we took off late, again. Isn't that always the way? The one thing we have going for us is the darkness as we complete our gear checks and set off toward the dry lakebed. We're moving quickly but quietly. We don't want to alert anyone to our presence. But we're not making good enough time. Those airplanes are going to arrive and expect a landing zone. They don't want to stick around! Christ, that means we have to hang our butts out and violate good tactical procedure...

Editor's Note: We like to use this blog to provide a variety of different opinions from people in the field. Interesting comments, strange stories, and even wacky theories -they're all fair game. That said, the opinions reflected herein do not necessarily reflect those of Muscle & Fitness.
 
 
One thing I love about bodybuilding purists is that they train so hard that their eyes bleed and their muscles are almost tearing through their skin.  They simply don't know any other way.  They want to grow and when their bodies want to give up they simply don't take no for an answer.
 
On the other hand, many bodybuilding purists are so focused on the tradition of how things have always been done that it is darn near impossible to get them to accept anything different.  Below I'm going to give my own experience and beliefs, trying to slay a couple sacred cows of purist bodybuilding.  Get out your torches and pitchforks ready.  I'm assuming the hunt for me will be on at dusk.
 
Purist Belief #1 - To build huge legs you have to squat
 
To me, this is complete and utter nonsense.  Squats are just one of many ways to build great legs.  In fact, I'll even go so far as to say that you can develop an equally impressive set of wheels without ever putting a bar across your back.
 
With my own clients squats are a rarity.  I do use them, but they're the exception and not the rule.  Instead, we use split squats, lunges, Bulgarian squats, and many other single legged variations to load the legs.  In fact, many of our hamstring movements are single legged variations too.
 
In a single leg movement, the external load used (the weight you hold that puts stress on the spine) will be less, but since you're only doing one leg at a time the stress on the muscles themselves can be the exact same.
 
For example, if you're doing a 400 pound squat at a body weight of 200 pounds you're squatting a total of 600 pounds (that's 300 pounds per leg). 
 
If you were to do a Bulgarian squat instead, you still have your body weight of 200 pounds so you would only need to hold an additional 100 pounds to put 300 pounds of stress on that leg.  That's 300 pounds less additional load being put on your spine with the same amount of work being done on the leg!
 
Purist Belief #2 - You have to deadlift from the floor
 
I'll say this once.  Unless you're a competitive powerlifter you absolutely do not have to do your deadlifts from the floor.  If you're just trying to look good, I see no reason why you should even bother.
 
As you read above, I do like to limit spinal compression, but I'm not totally against any movement that produces it.  In fact, if I had to pick on exercise that allowed compression I'd pick deadlifts over squats any day of the week.  These emphasize the posterior chain and can create incredible muscular development from the back of your knees to the back of your neck.
 
The main problem comes when some old school bodybuilder tries to make you feel like you're less of a man if you don't pull from the floor.  The bottom line for me is that very few people have the appropriate hip mobility or physical stature to allow them to pull from the floor with perfect form.  Instead, when they set up or start to pull their lower backs begin to round and they wonder why they have back pain instead of back muscles.
 
By starting the deadlift on a low box or pulling from the pins in the power rack you can allow yourself to start from a position where your spine is in neutral.  Do a few sets of these and your back will feel fried the next day, but not in a bad way.  More importantly, this can help keep your back healthy for your whole training career. 
 
Whenever it comes to lifting, be critical and don't just drink the proverbial kool aid just because "this is the way it has always been done". 
 
Think.  Train.  Grow.
 
 
Mark Young is an exercise and nutrition consultant from Ontario, Canada.  Check out his website at www.markyoungtrainingsystems.com to sign up for his FREE information packed newsletter.

American consumers have a right to expect that the vitamins they buy at their local health food stores are safe, effective, and comply with all laws and regulations.  Sounds fair, right?  The Government thinks so, and it has recently been taking more enforcement action to ensure it, especially in the category of sports nutrition or "bodybuilding" supplements.  As the level of scrutiny increases, however, fear is spreading within the health and fitness community.  Will too much regulation lead to the restriction of perfectly safe supplement products?

I have been lifting since I was a freshman back in High School.  I started for the same reasons as most kids, to get stronger for sports.  I didn't make first string on the football team and that completely enraged me, so I started training with weights so that would never happen again!  I started by reading Muscle and Fitness and after my dad saw how serious I was about it he ended up buying me some more bodybuilding books.  It got to the point were every birthday and Christmas I would get lifting equipment and was the happiest kid ever!  At that time there was no internet or that much information out there about strength training, it was mostly focused on Bodybuilding.  Luckily when you're young and starting out almost anything will help make you stronger.  The information I had in those magazines helped get me started and gave me a very deep love of lifting.  I did end up making some decent strength gains and was always much stronger than the average, but it wasn't until I started powerlifting about 10 years ago that I learned what real strength and strength training was all about.  I am not the kind of guy that looks back on things a lot.  I am always looking forward and figuring out how to reach that next goal.  That being said, I do look back ever now and again.  I few years back I ran across some stuff I wrote when I first powerlifting.  I had written some lifetime lifting goals and to my surprise I had already smashed these numbers.  It got me thinking about everything I have learned since starting to powerlift and how far my strength has come.