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Healthy Recipes: 6 Protein-Packed Treats You'll Love!

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You might not know it, but protein powders are incredibly versatile. They can be shaken (not stirred) in a bottle for quick consumption, blended into smoothies with fruits and other ingredients, baked into healthier cookies, or mixed into your morning oatmeal. Once you think outside the standard “shake and slam,” you’ll discover a wide and wonderful world of protein recipes. We’ve got six of them right here!

From spinach-powered smoothies to protein muffins bursting with blueberries, we’ve got a wide array of delicious, protein-packed treats from the amazing athletes of Team MET-Rx. Every recipe here is as tasty as it is healthy, so enjoy. Just try not to lick your computer monitor.

1 MET-Rx She-Hulk Shake

This outstanding recipe comes from IFBB Figure pro and four-time Figure Olympia champ Nicole Wilkins. It’s packed with protein and a hefty dose of micronutrients. Take a cue from Nicole and whirl up something nutritious, filling, and delicious!

  1. Blend all ingredients in a blender and enjoy!

MET-Rx She-Hulk Shake PDF (112 KB)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1 shake) Recipe yields 1

Amount per serving

Calories 164

Total Fat4 g

Total Carbs7 g

Protein26 g

2 MET-Rx Protein Pudding

Nicole Wilkins makes this modified pudding snack to satisfy her nutrition needs and her taste buds. It’s a nutritious twist on a delicious classic.

  1. Mix ingredients together and enjoy!

MET-Rx Protein Pudding PDF (109 KB)

Nutrition Facts
  Recipe yields 1 serving

Amount per serving

Calories 350

Total Fat12 g

Total Carbs17 g

Protein49 g

3 Chocolate-Banana “Soft Serve” Protein Ice Cream

NPC Bikini competitor Justine Moore’s recipe is proof that we all scream for ice cream! With the right combination of chocolate and banana, Justine’s twist on traditional, sugar-laden soft serve nicely emulates the dessert with an extra serving of protein and nutrients.

  1. Put all ingredients into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.

Chocolate-Banana “Soft Serve” Protein Ice Cream PDF (104 KB)

Nutrition Facts
  Recipe yields 1 serving

Amount per serving

Calories 260

Total Fat4.5 g

Total Carbs30 g

Sugar13 g

Fiber7 g

Protein25 g

4 Blueberry-Banana Muffins

Justine’s recipe for these blueberry-banana muffins has amazing macros that can fit into anyone’s meal plan. Pop ‘em in the oven and then pop ‘em into your mouth!

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Combine banana, eggs, baking powder, vanilla extract, Stevia, and cinnamon in a large bowl, and beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
  3. Stir in MET-Rx Protein & Oats and blueberries with a spoon.
  4. Pour mixture into muffin tins and bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

Blueberry-Banana Muffins PDF (110 KB)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1 muffin) Recipe yields 4

Amount per serving

Calories 112

Total Fat2 g

Total Carbs13 g

Fiber3 g

Protein10.5 g

5 Wake-Me-Up Breakfast Shake

Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Matt Weik likes to start his day with a breakfast smoothie that incorporates coffee and protein. This shake jolts you with fuel for both brain and brawn!

  1. Mix ingredients in blender until thoroughly blended. Enjoy!

Wake-Me-Up Breakfast Shake PDF (123 KB)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1 shake) Recipe yields 1

Amount per serving

Calories 252

Total Fat1 g

Total Carbs26 g

Protein37 g

6 Homemade Protein Bars

Store-bought protein bars can be full of sugar and other ingredients only food scientists could understand. Matt Weik has an easy homemade protein bar recipe for the times sweet cravings strike. These bars just take a little peanut butter, honey, spice, and something nice.

  1. Mix the natural peanut butter and honey in a bowl, then microwave on high for 80 seconds.
  2. Mix the rest of the ingredients into a bowl. Spread into a 9×13 pan and let stand for about 20 minutes.
  3. Cut into 10 even pieces, wrap separately, and store in refrigerator.

Homemade Protein Bars PDF (114 KB)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1 bar) Recipe yields 10

Amount per serving

Calories 261

Total Fat14.5 g

Total Carbs18 g

Protein11.5 g



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Healthy Recipes: 6 Protein-Packed Treats You'll Love!


Train Your Pecs Like An Animal: Roman Fritz Workout

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I created this Animal chest workout to match the simplicity of the equipment at The Yard, the old-school dumbbells and barbells at Gary Kamil’s Fitness City. The workout is harder than hell, and when we shot the video the weather was hotter than hell—112 degrees in the exercise area outside the main gym in Matawan, New Jersey.

When training chest, I never focus on the weight; I envision isolating the contraction of the target muscle. I apply this strict approach to every rep of every set of every exercise I perform during all of my training sessions.

Yard Work Chest Workout

I set up my chest routines to alternate or superset between a movement that emphasizes contraction and one that focuses on stretching. The presses, both flat-bench incline, are contraction movements, so I pair them with the dumbbell pullover, a stretching movement to expand the ribcage.

The dips and cable crossovers take aim at the lower pecs. Get a good stretch on the dips and a crazy contraction on the cable crossovers. Think as if you’re doing a most-muscular pose, to get those striations at the bottom of the pecs. Dip it ’til you can’t go no more!

Yard Work
Watch The Video – 12:26


1 Barbell Bench Press


Barbell Bench Press

At the bottom, stop the movement just above your chest to eliminate all momentum involved in pushing the weight back up. Move the bar by contracting your pecs, with as little involvement of surrounding muscle groups as possible.

2 Dumbbell Pull-Over


Dumbbell Pull-Over

Lie crosswise on the bench, with your head hanging over one side and your hips positioned down below bench level on the other side. With your arms extended, lower the dumbbell toward the ground behind your head, taking in a deep breath to ensure maximum expansion of the ribcage. I feel a deep stretching sensation down my whole frontal torso.

From the bottom position, bring the weight back up just above eye level to make sure the tension stays constant on the chest instead of shifting to your triceps.

3 Incline Dumbbell Press


Incline Dumbbell Press

The same principles apply here. After a focused, intense contraction, push the dumbbells above your face. Moving the weights together in an arch-type motion toward the top allows for an even greater contraction than the flat barbell press allows.

4 Bodyweight Dip


Bodyweight Dip

Shorten the range of motion on this move to emphasize the eccentric aspect of the exercise. Lower yourself as deep down between the parallel bars as possible, but then only allow yourself to rise three-quarters of the way up. This keeps constant tension on the pecs and allows you to focus all of your effort and intensity into the target muscle group.

5 Cable Cross-Over


Cable Cross-Over

Bring the handles together only until they touch. This ensures that the tension remains in the chest instead of switching to the front deltoids.

Two Rest/Pause Options

Before a given exercise, I set a goal for repetitions and sets—such as 5 sets of 12 reps or 10 sets of 10 reps. I must reach those goals no matter what it takes. I intentionally choose a weight that won’t allow me to get through all the sets without hitting muscular failure. The rest/pause technique allows me to reach that rep goal.

Example

Set 1: 12 reps
Set 2: 12 reps
Set 3: 9 + 3 reps rest/pause
Set 4: 8 + 4 rest/pause
Set 5: 6 + 6 rest/pause

There are two different ways to incorporate the rest/pause principle: You can either rerack—totally let go of—the weight, or you can hold on to the weight in a position that only puts minimal tension on the target muscle group. This choice depends on the exercise and which is more practical.

I use the second option for dumbbell pullovers in the video. As soon as I feel like I can’t perform another rep, I hold the dumbbell above my chest and shift the load onto my triceps and front delts. This gives my pecs a little time to recover—no more than 10 seconds—until I can grind out another couple reps. During some very heavy sets, I might have to take several pauses until I reach the target number of reps.

Reracking the weight would not be practical with pullovers. It wouldn’t make sense to let go of the dumbbells, get up from the bench, pick the weights back up, move back into position, and start all over again.


Animal Yard Workout

Don’t let the simplicity fool you! This is 30 sets of chest! Let the intensity guide you; use rest/pause, breathing, and concentration. Rest 30-45 seconds between supersets.

  • Set 1: 12 reps
  • Set 2: 12 reps
  • Set 3: 9 + 3 reps rest/pause
  • Set 4: 8 + 4 rest/pause
  • Set 5: 6 + 6 rest/pause
Superset



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Satellite Cell Activation: Boost Muscle Growth On The Cellular Level

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You hit the weights hard, eat, rest, recover, and grow. You tear apart the iron and lift thousands of pounds each week. After your bouts in the gym, you’re usually sore and tired, as you should be. You push yourself and tear down muscle fibers, so why does the continual stress make you stronger?

How can you press and pull your way to greatness when moving a heavy, loaded bar leads to muscle catabolism, inflammation, and atrophy? Put simply, your body’s reaction to stressors is what kicks off the swolification process.

Muscle growth is definitely the result of hard training, precise nutrition, consistency, and adequate rest, but it’s also the result of much deeper interactions at the cellular level.

Let’s take an intimate look at what happens inside the body to instigate muscle growth, and how you can maximize your own gains!

BENEATH THE GAINS

Within hours of muscle injury, neutrophils and macrophages—white blood cells critical to decreasing inflammation—infiltrate your injured muscle. Small, cell-signaling proteins called cytokines are then released, attracting more white blood cells along with satellite cells.

Think of satellite cells as fast-acting guys strategically situated on the outside of mature muscle fibers, on permanent standby in the event of muscle damage—a 24/7 occurrence for hard-training bodybuilders. When signaled, these relatively dormant cells wake up, engage, and rise to the occasion by proliferating at the site of muscle injury.

Signaling pathways ultimately control the activation and expansion of satellite cells, and enable them to produce larger, stronger muscles.

Satellite cells possess a single nucleus that acts as a control center, which regulates gene expression. When prompted by tissue damage, satellite cells replicate and differentiate into mature muscle cells by fusing to existing fibers. This is how they become new muscle protein strands and assist with muscle repair. Basically, it’s at this juncture that you start to get swole!

Over the two-week period in which satellite cells are called upon to heal damaged muscles, our injured fibers are flooded with a residual pool of normally dormant satellite cells. To work their muscle-building magic, these satellite cells must become part of the cell cycle and replicate the molecular pathways that were responsible for laying down our very first muscle fibers during initial cell formation.

On average, a trip through the cell cycle takes 16 hours. Signaling pathways ultimately control the activation and expansion of satellite cells, and enable them to produce larger, stronger muscles.

THE INFLUENCE OF GROWTH FACTORS

The right anabolic conditions must be in place before satellite cell activation can begin. First, your health has to be in good standing, which includes optimal hydration, sound sleep, a diet low in simple sugars and trans fats, and a good balance of quality proteins, carbs, and fats.

Needless to say, sufficient levels of cardio and resistance training don’t hurt either. After all, lifting does more than build boulder shoulders and barnyard back—it induces tissue vascularity, which aids in the circulation of nutrients and oxygen as well as the removal of waste products.


Barbell Deadlift

If you want to build muscle, you have to hit the weights, hard. In order to optimize satellite cell activation and myogenesis—better known as the formation of muscular tissue—you have to maximize the microtrauma that signals muscle injury.

This is because the degree to which we place mechanical stress on our muscles is in direct relation to the disruption of muscle cell organelles, the proliferation of satellite cells, and, ultimately, muscle hypertrophy—an increase in a muscle fiber’s size. Training intensity should be your number one priority to enlist the greatest number of satellite cells and kick off the muscle-growing process.

The importance of blisteringly intensive weight training sessions on satellite cell recruitment cannot be debated. But an often-overlooked part of the muscle-growth process is the combined effect of growth factors and anabolic hormones in the process.

Let’s take a look at these (and other) important players:

1 Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1)

Closely related to insulin and highly anabolic, IGF-1 is a key regulator of muscle growth. In fact, it’s been suggested that it contributes to muscle hypertrophy by stimulating the proliferation of satellite cells.

To boost your IGF-1 levels, do the following:

  • Train Briefly And Intensely Short bouts of high-intensity weight training have been proven to boost IGF-1 levels to a far greater extent than longer, slower sessions.

  • Up The Fat Eat 0.5 g of fat per pound of bodyweight daily to increase IGF-1 bioavaliability.

  • Supplement With Creatine Aim for 5 g of creatine before and after weight training. An eight-week study of creatine versus placebo found that subjects taking creatine recorded an IGF-1 increase of 78 percent compared with the control group, who were assessed at 54 percent.

  • Consume Whey Protein In one study, subjects who took 40 g of whey before and after workouts for 10 weeks experienced double the IGF-1 output and a threefold increase in the amount of IGF-1. To optimize IGF-1 levels, consume 20-30 g of whey protein 30 minutes before training and 20-30 g immediately after.

  • Eat Your Meat Meat-eaters tend to have higher circulating IGF-1 levels, and, as a result, more muscle mass. Vegans typically have 15 percent lower IGF-1 levels compared to their carnivorous counterparts.

  • Milk It Milk has been shown to increase IGF-1 irrespective of its whey and casein composition. By consuming 2-3 glasses of milk each day, we may significantly elevate our circulating IGF-1 levels while boosting IGFB-3, a binding protein that assists IGF-1’s role as a muscle builder.

  • Increase The D Researchers found that, by treating subjects with either 5,000 or 7,000 IU of vitamin D three times per week, they were able to significantly raise these circulating IGF-1 levels.

2 Insulin

While it’s better known for increasing intramuscular energy, glucose uptake, and protein synthesis, insulin has also been shown to enhance satellite cell fusion. It does this by increasing satellite cell density and promoting extensive myotube formation and enhanced differentiation. Indeed, optimal insulin levels are essential when seeking to boost muscle growth.

Insulin levels can also be boosted by consuming 20-40 g of fast-digesting carbs, such as fruits, early in the morning.

In addition to engaging muscle protein synthesis and encouraging our blood vessels to relax and dilate—increasing blood and nutrient flow to heal training-induced muscle damage—insulin also increases how much muscle glycogen is stored in muscle tissue. Do the following to maximize insulin’s effects:

  • Carb Up Eating 30-80 g of fast-digesting carbs along with 30 g of whey protein within 30 minutes of completing a lifting session helps insulin efficiently perform its muscle-building role and start the healing process.

    Insulin levels can also be boosted by consuming 20-40 g of fast-digesting carbs, such as fruits, early in the morning. (This tip is for people who really want to maximize growth, not those on a cut.)

  • Be An Alpha Supplementing with alpha lipoic acid (ALA), an antioxidant that mimics the effect insulin has on muscle cells, may enhance insulin sensitivity. Better insulin sensitivity provides the energy needed to power satellite cell activation.

  • Include The Forgotten Vitamin K Vitamin K has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity by converting a substance called carboxylated osteocalcin, which plays a positive role in glucose metabolism.

3 Testosterone

The most coveted bodybuilding hormone of all, testosterone is also a key player in satellite cell activation. Testosterone increases neurotransmitter levels at the muscle fiber site, stimulates GH responses in the anterior pituitary, interacts with nuclear receptors in DNA, and modulates satellite cell activity through increased IGF-1 production and androgen receptor density. Basically, the big T optimizes satellite cell proliferation and differentiation.

Take these steps to help boost testosterone production:

  • Ditch The Drugs By reducing or eliminating alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, and other such drugs from your system, you offset the risk of excessive cortisol release, a stress hormone which may counteract testosterone production.

  • Time Your Carb Intake While the proper timing of high-sugar carbs is a necessary anabolic measure to ensure optimal glycogen uptake, overconsumption of this energy macronutrient is no good.

    In fact, an immediate drop in testosterone levels may be experienced following a high-carb feeding, and 3-4 such meals per day may lead to lower overall T-levels.

  • Get Sufficient Shuteye Sleeping soundly has been suggested to increase testosterone levels. Sufficient uninterrupted sleep—at least eight hours each night—is also one of the most effective ways to boost GH production.

    It has been shown that the strongest wave of GH occurs within the first hour of sleep; GH is then released in episodic waves once every 90 minutes.

  • Stay Lean Keep your body fat at respectable levels—under 12 percent for males and 20 percent for females—to optimally balance your hormonal system and offset the possibility of lower testosterone levels.

  • Eat fat By consuming sufficient healthy fats—including those found in avocados, olive oil, fatty fish, nuts, and lean animal meats—you can maintain the structural integrity of your bodily cells while providing the raw materials needed for testosterone production.

  • Train Hard And Fast Intensive training sessions under 45 minutes that emphasize the basic compound movements are best for maximizing testosterone production. Stick to multijoint mass movements.

4 Growth Hormone

A key component in the muscle-growth process, growth hormone, (GH), among many other functions, stimulates the production of IGF-1. Secreted from the anterior pituitary gland following intensive weight sessions, GH is crucial for the uptake and final-stage integration of amino acids into new muscle proteins.

In controlling how large our muscle fibers grow, GH dictates the extent to which we may progress in our training. GH is thought to promote the second phase of myogenesis, or the formation of muscular tissue.

To optimize GH release:

  • Intensify Training The GH released in response to resistance training is proportional to the intensity generated. Train hard for 30-45 minutes for optimal GH release.

  • Quick-Burst It Periodic high-intensity burst-type training, in which the heart rate exceeds the anaerobic threshold for 30 seconds at a time, may enhance GH production. Completing such bursts five times within the same workout has been shown to activate super-fast-twitch muscle fibers which, in turn, maximizes GH levels.

  • Supplement With Arginine and Lysine Taking both of these supplements immediately before training and sleeping (3-5 g of each per serving) may elevate GH.

  • Supplement With Glutamine By taking 2-10 g of glutamine immediately after workouts and before bed, you may not only improve your immune system integrity and muscle recovery, but also elevate GH levels.

GO GROW

Knowledge is power. What happens inside your body is crucial to shaping what it looks like on the outside. Take some of the strategies you’ve learned above, and implement them in your own quest for more mass!

References
  1. Ballard, T., Clapper, J., Specker, B., & Binkley, T. (2005). Effect of protein supplementation during a 6-mo strength and conditioning program on insulin-like growth factor I and markers of bone turnover in young adults. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 81(6), 1442-8.
  2. Burke, D., Candow, D., Chilibeck, P., MacNeil, L., Roy, B., Tarnopolsky, M., & Ziegenfuss, T. (2008). Effect of creatine supplementation and resistance-exercise training on muscle insulin-like growth factor in young adults. International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 18(4), 389-98.
  3. Corpas, E. (1993). Human growth hormone and human aging. Endocrine Reviews, 14, 20-39.
  4. Cornelison, D., & Wold, B. (1997). Single-Cell Analysis of Regulatory Gene Expression in Quiescent and Activated Mouse Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cells. Developmental Biology, 191, 270-283.
  5. Sinha-Hikim, I. (2004). Androgen Receptor in Human Skeletal Muscle and Cultured Muscle Satellite Cells: Up-Regulation by Androgen Treatment. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 89(10), 5245-5255.
  6. Mercola, J. (2011, October 27). Vitamin K Helps Increase Your Insulin Sensitivity. Retrieved from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/27/the-stealth-vitamin-that-can-improve-your-insulin-sensitivity.aspx
  7. Saremi, A., Gharakhanloo, R., Sharghi, S., Gharaati, M., Larijani, B., & Omidfar, K. (2010). Effects of oral creatine and resistance training on serum myostatin and GASP-1. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 317(1-2), 25-30.
  8. Seaberg, R. (2003). Stem And Progenitor Cells: The Premature Desertion Of Rigorous Definitions. Trends in Neurosciences, 36(3), 125-131.
  9. Schwarz, A., Brasel, J., Hintz, R., Mohan, S., & Cooper, D. (1996). Acute effect of brief low- and high-intensity exercise on circulating insulin-like growth factor (IGF) I, II, and IGF-binding protein-3 and its proteolysis in young healthy men. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 81(10), 3492-7.
  10. Sinha-Hikam, I., Roth, S., Lee, M., & Bhasin, S. (2003). Testosterone-induced muscle hypertrophy is associated with an increase in satellite cell number in healthy, young men. American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, 285(1), E197-205.
  11. Stoppani, J. (2012, January 1). Insane Growth Factors: Nutrition Strategies To Supersize Your Physique. Retrieved from http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/insane-growth-factors-nutrition-to-supersize-your-physique.html
  12. Schwander, J., Hauri, C., Zapf, J., & Froesch, E. (1983). Synthesis and Secretion of Insulin-Like Growth Factor and Its Binding Protein by the Perfused Rat Liver: Dependence on Growth Hormone Status. Endocrinology, 113(1), 297-305.
  13. Sonntag, W., Csiszar, A., Cabo, R., Ferrucci, L., & Ungvari, Z. (2012). Diverse Roles of Growth Hormone and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 in Mammalian Aging: Progress and Controversies. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 67, 587-598.
  14. Tatsumi, R., Anderson, J., Nevoret, C., Halevy, O., & Allen, R. (1998). HGF/SF Is Present in Normal Adult Skeletal Muscle and Is Capable of Activating Satellite Cells. Developmental Biology, 194(1), 114-128.
  15. Tatsumi, R. (2002). Release of Hepatocyte Growth Factor from Mechanically Stretched Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cells and Role of pH and Nitric Oxide. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 13(8), 2909-2918.
  16. Tuch, B. (2006). Stem cells—a clinical update. Australian Family Physician, 35(9), 719-21.
  17. Thomas, M. (2000). Myostatin, a Negative Regulator of Muscle Growth, Functions by Inhibiting Myoblast Proliferation. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 275, 40235-43.
  18. Velloso, C. (2008). Regulation of muscle mass by growth hormone and IGF-I. British Journal of Pharmacology, 153, 557-68.
  19. Zammit, P. (2002). Kinetics of Myoblast Proliferation Show That Resident Satellite Cells Are Competent to Fully Regenerate Skeletal Muscle Fibers. Experimental Cell Research, 281, 39-49.

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Satellite Cell Activation: Boost Muscle Growth On The Cellular Level

Healthy Recipes: 8 Delicious Protein Pumpkin Recipes!

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If summer is symbolized by surf, sun, and sand, fall gets kicked off by sweater weather, the changing of leaves, and a plethora of pumpkin. From pumpkin-scented candles to pumpkin-spiced coffee, this gourd holds center stage once autumn rolls around. It’s the silver—or rather, orange—lining to darker days and cooler nights. Say goodbye to the lazy summer months the right way by indulging in these seasonal recipes that are sure to fuel your gains!

1 PUMPKIN PIE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

Peanut butter cups: delicious. Pumpkin: equally tasty. What could be better than having both of these things in one day? Having them both in one meal, of course! Create the perfect treat with this recipe from IFBB Physique pro Alex Carneiro.

  1. Stir the cocoa powder, coconut oil, and sweetener together until they form a sauce. Fill the bottom of cupcake liners or candy molds with the sauce, and save the rest of the mixture. Freeze the liners for 10 minutes.
  2. While freezing, mix the remaining ingredients. Add water one tablespoon at a time until the mixture forms a paste. Take the liners out of the freezer, and top with one teaspoon of pumpkin mixture.
  3. Add one more layer of the chocolate mixture, and put liners back in freezer for 10 minutes.
  4. Remove, let sit for 3 minutes, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 cup
Recipe Yields: 20

Amount per serving

Calories 53

Total Fat3.7g

Total Carbs2g

Protein3g

Pumpkin Pie Peanut Butter Cups PDF (69.9 KB)

2 CRUSTLESS PROTEIN PUMPKIN PIE

Who says you can’t have your pie and eat it, too? Cut carbs and fat—and keep the taste—with this healthy take on traditional protein pie from IFPA and NGA Bikini pro Ashley Leahy.

The best part? If you whip it up for Thanksgiving, you can help yourself to a guilt-free serving of seconds. Of course, Thanksgiving’s not until November, so feel free to run a test batch or two in the interim. It’s just that good!

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Mix all ingredients together with a wire whisk, then pour batter into a greased pie pan.
  3. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 slice
Recipe Yields: 8

Amount per serving

Calories 50

Total Fat0.8g

Total Carbs4.4g

Protein6.5g

Crustless Protein Pumpkin Pie PDF (69.2 KB)

3 PROTEIN PUMPKIN ROLLS WITH PROTEIN CREAM CHEESE
FROSTING

Don’t fall prey to the temptation of warm cinnamon buns. Instead, try this recipe by Optimum athlete Kate Osman. With pumpkin-flavored dough and a sweet, cream cheese glaze, these rolls are sure to taste like a full-on cheat meal without the hefty nutritional price tag. Coming in at under 200 calories and packed with 17 grams of protein, they’re fitness-pro approved!

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a bowl, mix all ingredients together. Spray a cupcake pan with nonstick cooking spray and spoon in batter to make 4 rolls.
  3. Place in oven and bake for about 10 minutes.
  4. Using a knife, loosen the rolls from the pan and flip them over. Continue baking for 2-5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Insert a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean to ensure rolls are baked through.
  5. Remove from oven to cool.
  1. Mix cream cheese and casein powder together in a bowl. Add sweetener and water if needed. Just try not to eat it all before you ice the rolls.
  2. Frost and dig in!

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 frosted roll
Recipe yields: 4

Amount per serving

Calories 155

Total Fat5g

Total Carbs6g

Protein17g

Protein Pumpkin Rolls with Protein Cream Cheese Frosting PDF (72.2 KB)

4 PUMPKIN CRANBERRY STREUSEL BARS

Who doesn’t love baked goods with crumbly topping? Throw in pumpkin and cranberries, and you’ve got athlete Maria DiNello‘s winning recipe that’s sure to top your list of seasonal favorites.

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cover an 8×8 glass dish with nonstick spray.
  3. Combine all ingredients except pumpkin, walnuts, and oat flour. Once mixed, add in pumpkin, walnuts, and flour.
  4. Spread half of the batter into the glass dish.
  5. Spread sugar-free jelly over batter, and pour remaining batter on top of jelly.
  6. In a separate bowl, mix the last four ingredients together. The mixture should be clumpy. Break it into pieces over batter for streusel topping.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes. Cut into 12 squares.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 square
Recipe Yields: 12

Amount per serving

Calories 120

Total Fat6.2g

Total Carbs11.6g

Protein5.3g

Pumpkin Cranberry Streusel Bars PDF (71.7 KB)

5 PROTEIN PUMPKIN MOUSSE PIE

There are times when Jell-O just doesn’t hit the spot and pudding’s consistency doesn’t feel quite right. That’s when mousse is the perfect solution! There’s nothing quite like that creamy thickness that also carries an airy consistency. Get your fill of this flavorful treat with bodybuilder Amber Passini‘s pumpkin-filled dessert!

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together milk and spices. Add pumpkin and stir until combined.
  2. Add pudding mix and protein powder.
  3. Beat with wire whisk for 1-1/2 minutes. Stir in half of the whipped topping. Spread the mixture into the premade crust.
  4. Top with remaining whipped topping.
  5. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 slice
Recipe Yields: 8

Amount per serving

Calories 121.5

Total Fat4.5g

Total Carbs13g

Protein7.8g

Protein Pumpkin Mousse Pie PDF (69.7 KB)


6 PUMPKIN PROTEIN BARS

Protein bars are great go-to snacks. They’re portable, easy, and give you something to reach for in lieu of that bag of chips. More often than not, you can also add delicious to the list. If you’re looking for a pumpkin bar recipe that doesn’t fall short, reach for this one from Optimum athlete Sean Royer.

  1. In a bowl, microwave the peanut butter and honey for about 60-90 seconds. Stir well.
  2. Mix the peanut butter and honey mixture with the remaining base ingredients until combined. Stir in the add-ins on low speed until the mixture is well combined. Mixture should be about the consistency of Play-Doh. If mixture is too thin, add more oatmeal. If it’s too thick, add more honey.
  3. Cut a length of wax paper long enough to line the bottom of an 8×12 pan with the sides extending slightly over the rim, which will help you remove the mixture from the pan for easy cutting.
  4. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Press the mixture flat in all corners with a piece of wax paper. Sprinkle some extra oatmeal and dried raisins or nuts on the top of the bars, and press lightly to set.
  5. Chill until firm. Pull on the wax paper to remove bars from the pan. Cut into 24 pieces and wrap individually in wax paper. If not used right away, wrapped bars can be frozen in a freezer bag.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 bar
Recipe yields: 24

Amount per serving

Calories 236

Total Fat20g

Total Carbs9g

Protein13g

Pumpkin Protein Bars PDF (72 KB)

7 PUMPKIN MILLION DOLLAR PIE

Bikini competitor Dayna Tappan’s favorite fall flavor comes with a hefty price tag—a cool million, to be exact. With pecans, almonds, and a graham cracker crust—not to mention a generous serving of pumpkin—this pie is well worth its name.

  1. Mix all the ingredients together (except for the pie crusts) in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add the Truvia or Stevia and the pumpkin spice to taste. Tailor this pie to your desired sweetness level—add more yogurt for tartness, or pumpkin to increase the sweetness.
  3. Spoon the mixture into the pie crusts.
  4. Let pies sit in refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 slice
Recipe yields: 8

Amount per serving

Calories 317

Total Fat10g

Total Carbs20g

Protein36g

Pumpkin Million Dollar Pie PDF (70.2 KB)

8 PUMPKIN PIE ICE CREAM

Warm weather may be on its way out, but that doesn’t mean ice cream is off-limits. Put a seasonal spin on this delicious delicacy—and lighten things up with protein-rich yogurt—with Dayna Tappan’s recipe for a cool, refreshing treat.

  1. Mix all the ingredients together.
  2. Add the Truvia or Stevia and pumpkin spice to taste, then swirl in the caramel.
  3. Crumble nuts and graham crackers, and swirl into the mix.
  4. Freeze.
  5. Top with caramel and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving
Recipe yields: 8

Amount per serving

Calories 218

Total Fat2g

Total Carbs14g

Protein34g

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream PDF (69.6 KB)


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2014 Figure Olympia Report: Nicole Wilkins Makes History

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Las Vegas’s bodybuilding population increased tenfold this weekend as fitness buffs from all over the world flew in to witness the 50th anniversary of Joe Wieder’s Mr. Olympia contest. An important part of the night’s festivities was an incredibly competitive Figure contest. Each woman looked stunning on stage, but it was Nicole Wilkins who added a 2014 crown to her already impressive list of Figure Olympia wins.

Nicole Wilkins came to Vegas with an absolutely perfect package. She was lean, hard, and wonderfully proportioned. She looked every bit as good—if not better—as she did last year. Her win tonight makes her the all-time winningest Figure Olympia champion.


Nicole Wilkins

“Coming into this I wanted to make history, and I did,” said Wilkins. She tearfully thanked her friends, family, and fans for all of the love and support she received throughout her journey. “Let’s see if we can make it five next year,” she said.

Figure Finalists

  1. Nicole Wilkins
  2. Candice Keene
  3. Candice Lewis
  4. Ann Titone
  5. Latorya Watts
  6. Gennifer Strobo

View Complete Figure Results


Candice Keene
Candice Lewis
Ann Titone
Latorya Watts

Candice Keene’s second-place finish was a testament to just how good Wilkins looked. Keene’s shape and conditioning were as good as they’ve ever been. It’s just a matter of time before she gets out of the lower spots on the podium and up to the top.

Coming in third was Candice Lewis, who had her best-ever finish. Last year, she came in 9th. For the last few years, she’s been climbing up the excellence ladder of the pro Figure circuit, and she’s finally landed in one of the top positions. In 4th was Ann Titone, who came screaming up into one of the best spots all the way from 12th last year.

Latorya Watts was a new face in this super-fit lineup. She earned her pro card in 2013, and looks like she’ll be a competitor to watch in upcoming contests. Rounding out the top six was Gennifer Strobo. Strobo took 8th last year and has had an excellent year of competition. She’s nipping at the high heels of the women ahead of her.


2014 Olympia Weekend Coverage

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2014 Figure Olympia Report: Nicole Wilkins Makes History

2014 Men's Physique Olympia Report: Victory For Jeremy Buendia

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The Olympia Weekend’s Men’s Physique category returned in full force today, showcasing a powerhouse lineup of familiar names and bodies, with many holdovers from last year’s inaugural competition. As with the women’s division, the 18 guys who lined the stage showed that the division is truly coming into its own both with the standards that it sets and the results it brings. Everyone came in well-conditioned but not too dry, muscular but not gigantic, and perfectly symmetrical from shoulders to board shorts.

Although all the men on stage looked like they belonged on the cover of a magazine, Jeremy Buendia’s insane V-taper and excellent front pose brought him the trophy. Buendia obviously used what he learned from his runner-up finish last year to improve upon his already-great physique.


Jeremy Buendia
Sadik Hadzovic

“It was a long year,” said Buendia to emcee Bob Cicherillo. “Coming off last year’s second place, I had one thing on my mind, and that was to win.”

Men’s Physique Top 5

  1. Jeremy Buendia
  2. Sadik Hadzovic
  3. Jason Poston
  4. Matt Acton
  5. Steve Cook

View All Men’s Physique Results

During prejudging, the first callout brought Matt Acton, Jeremy Buendia, Sadik Hadzovic, Steve Cook, Jason Poston, and Mark Anthony Wingson to center stage. The judges took plenty of time reconfiguring the competitors’ positions so they could get a look at each guy in side-by-side comparisons.

Hadzovic looked fantastic, as he always does. The competition between him and Buendia was tough, as the two were placed next to each other in the center for the majority of the round.

Cook also looked great just a month out from his victory at the Dallas Pro, but he couldn’t match the broad shoulders and small waist that Hadzovic and Buendia offered. Although he—and the crowd—may not have been thrilled with that decision, it was a big improvement from his 8th-place finish last year.


Jason Poston
Matt Acton
Steve Cook
Mark A. Wingson

Poston and Acton both brought great packages to the competition. They’ve both competed really well this year, and with each having a pair of IFBB victories to their name since last year’s Olympia, expectations were clearly high. Poston’s finish was two spots better than he earned last year, whereas Acton slipped down a place. Wingson—last year’s champ—managed to squeeze into the first callout, but was ultimately on the outside of the top five looking in.

Michael Anderson, Anton Antipov, Tyler Anderson, Tory Woodward, and Xavisus Gayden came forward for the second callout. All five of the guys presented physiques that could easily have won other shows. But this is the Olympia, and only the absolute best make it to the top tier.

After a long confirmation round, the judges brought back Buendia and Hadzovic for another round of side-by-side posing. That one last round gave the audience a peek at who the judges would put in the top two positions. After a few tense moments of anticipation, the judges called out Hadzovic for second. Buendia took his honors, with big cheers from the crowd.


2014 Olympia Weekend Coverage



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2014 Men's Physique Olympia Report: Victory For Jeremy Buendia

Lindsey Built Military Muscle For Competition

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Why I decided to transform

I have always been a competitive, athletic person. When I was young I was a sprinter, then in high school I found competitive rock climbing. Rock climbing became my passion and I competed for five years. I was ranked No. 1 in my region for three consecutive years and No. 18 in the nation for two years.

I lost touch with rock climbing when I went away for college. My competitive drive never died but it took many years to find a new fitness outlet I was passionate about. A few years after college, I got married. Young love began to take a toll on my waistline and I reached my heaviest weight in 2012. I weighed 140 pounds and I was extremely uncomfortable in my body. I knew I had to change but I didn’t have the knowledge or the mental strength to take control.

I had joined the Air National Guard in 2009, but I didn’t start to get fit until 2013 when I was deployed overseas. I decided to make small steps to a better me. It started with the 1-mile walk from my tent on base to the dining facility. I walked that 2-mile round trip three times every day.

Halfway through my deployment I started feeling healthier, so I added running to my daily routine. I even got a small group of runners from my shop together to come with me. When I got home from the deployment, I was amazed how easy it was to run in weather that wasn’t 110 dry degrees. I signed up for 5ks and ran a leg of the Burlington City Marathon with my relay team. Running wasn’t my passion, but I loved the way it made me feel and I loved being healthy again.

My husband suggested we start weight training together. He had lifted since he was young and is extremely knowledgeable. He was overweight as well and ready to join the weight loss path I had taken. We started slow, with a weight bench in our basement. It wasn’t long before I realized that this was my true passion!

Before

After

AGE 27 / HEIGHT 5’4″ / BODY FAT 30%

AGE 28 / HEIGHT 5’4″ / BODY FAT 10%

Post To Fitboard

We joined a gym based on a referral by a fellow guard member who competes in bikini competitions. I asked her everything I could about how to get into the amazing shape she was in. She was so helpful and happy to inspire others with her knowledge. She told me I should start training with her trainer, Danika Johnson.

Danika is an IFPA Pro bikini competitor and she has shown me everything I could possibly need to know about the world of bikini competitions. She is the shining example and inspiration of how I would want my career in the fitness industry to be.

My first season has been an amazing success and I owe that to Danika’s guidance and support and to my own dedication and will.

How I accomplished my goals

I embraced the good times and endured the bad. I never gave up, no matter how difficult it got. The hardest time for me was two weeks out from a show. I was depleted of fuel and I still had to make it to the gym twice and survive a 10-hour work day. It was not only the most physically challenging, but the most mentally challenging thing I have ever been through.

“My inspiration was always to be better than myself.”

When I wanted to give up, I thought about my husband and my trainer. They were both cheering for me to succeed and I couldn’t stand the thought of letting them down. I made my daily weigh-ins a challenge. Every morning I woke up and was excited to see how much I lost. It was a competition to beat myself each day. I knew if I cheated on my diet I wasn’t going to be happy with the results on the scale.

My inspiration was always to be better than myself. At first, I thought about the other girls I would compete against but after I won my first show, I only thought about being leaner and stronger than I was at the previous show.

Apply Here To Be A Transformation Of The Week!

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Of The Week!

Bodybuilding.com honors people across all transformation categories for their hard work and dedication. Learn how our featured transformers overcame obstacles and hit their goals!

Supplements that helped me through the journey

Diet plan that guided my transformation

The most effective way I found to lose weight and build muscle in my competition prep has been to find a good coach I trust, and follow every word she says! It is imperative that you have someone monitor your macro intake and guide your weight loss in a safe and effective way. Someone with experience will look at your body and see something completely different than what we see in ourselves.

I eat clean whole foods. I eat six times per day in small portions with a healthy balance of protein and carbs and a small amount of healthy fat. I focus my carb intake around my lifts; that way I have plenty of fuel to fire through a tough workout.

I eat the same types of food in my offseason as well as my pre-contest season; I just change my intake level. During my offseason, I eat 1,600 calories per day with a re-feed once each week. In my competition season I eat around 1,300 calories.

I have been lucky with the way my body has responded to fat loss. I have been able to keep my carbs and my calorie intake fairly high throughout my prep as compared to what I have heard other bikini competitors experience.

Training regimen that kept me on track

Double up on a body part you want to improve on.
Ex: I like doing 2 shoulder days a week because I’m trying to build my shoulders.

What aspect challenged me the most

“I skipped a lot of parties and social events but looking back now, I was not missing out. I would never trade my accomplishments for any piece of food.”

The diet has been the most challenging part of my transformation. I was decreasing my carb intake as I got closer to my show and it seemed like I was always hungry. I never had a problem with eating the same thing every day because I knew I was giving my body the best fuel I possibly could. The biggest problem for me was the cravings I had for sweets. I have a really bad sweet tooth and I was constantly thinking about cupcakes and candy.

Walking away from treats in my office at work was really difficult. I skipped a lot of parties and social events but looking back now, I was not missing out. I would never trade my accomplishments for any piece of food. The food will always be there but how many times in a lifetime does a person get to truly live out their dreams?

My future fitness plans

Competing has inspired me to continue my healthy lifestyle and use my example to try to help others get healthy. In the future, I plan to take a year off from competing to work on my physique.

I always made it a point to ask the judges after each show what I could improve on. The general consensus is that I need to tighten my glutes and build stronger legs. I plan on tackling this by continuing to train legs twice a week and sticking to a good mass building diet.

I am hoping to compete again in the spring of 2015. My plan is to take my new and improved physique back to the OCB stage in hopes of a pro card and I would also like to make my debut in the NPC. I hope to build my career in the fitness industry. I am studying to take my personal trainer exam and I would love to own my own gym one day.

I am always anxious to get involved any way I can by attending shows, training with other competitors and doing photo shoots. I would love to find a sponsor and build my name in the bikini world!

Suggestions for aspiring transformers

For anyone who doesn’t believe they could achieve fitness greatness, if you change your belief and tell yourself you can, even if you don’t believe it at first, eventually you will prove yourself right. It is scary to look at someone’s before and after picture and envision yourself making the same journey. The transformation doesn’t happen overnight, it might not even happen in a year or two.

Every step you take towards achieving a healthy, fit lifestyle is a gift you are giving your body. One small change is something you can make today and before you know it, you will look in the mirror one morning and say to yourself “I did it”. Enjoy the journey, be patient, congratulate the little victories, set micro goals and never tell yourself you can’t do anything!

Cool Fact

“I have been in the military for 5 years as an F16 Sheet Metal Mechanic.
I am the first female to ever work full time in the sheet metal shop
on my base.”

For those that are already transforming; congratulations on putting your health first. You started this journey for a reason, never lose sight of that. It is so easy to focus on the end goal, whether it be a competition or a certain weight. Don’t forget to soak in every little goal you achieve on your path. Those little victories will hold you over and keep you motivated until you make it to that big reward.

How Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals

Bodybuilding.com has been my go-to source for inspiration, diet advice and lifting plans. I would spend hours going through the athlete profiles in the “fitness 360″ section. I love seeing what top competitors do for their training regimen and compare it to what I am doing. Whenever I was getting tired of what I was eating I would log on and get fresh new ideas from the nutrition section of the site.

On days that I was feeling unmotivated I would explore the articles in the motivation section and watch videos on how other people pushed through the tough times to achieve their goals. Bodybuilding.com has been such a big part of my fitness life. I don’t know how I could ever have achieved everything I have without the advice and inspiration from the site.

Lindsey’s Top 5 Gym Tracks

  1. “Guilt” by Nero
  2. “Hungry” by Rob Bailey and the Hustle Standard
  3. “What I live For” by Rob Bailey and the Hustle Standard
  4. “Work Bitch” by Britney Spears
  5. “Turn Down For What” by DJ Snake and Lil Jon

Competition History

  • OCB Green Mountain Thaw 2nd Bikini Debut, 1st in Bikini Novice B and first in Bikini Open B.
  • OCB Liberty State Natural 1st in Bikini Open C.
  • OCB Big East 3rd in Bikini Open C.

Trainer’s Credit

I would like to pay credit to my trainer, Danika Johnson. Danika is an IFPA Pro Bikini Competitor and a Personal Trainer. She is my inspiration and has dedicated so much of her time and knowledge to get me where I am today! Without Danika, I would not have had the amazing success I have had competing in my first season!

Photography Credit

I would like to thank Marie Agan for my professional photos!

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Fitness 360: Melody Wyatt, Training

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Melody Wyatt begins every training session with a very clear objective: Lift with fearsome intensity. “If I’m not walking out of the gym completely fatigued, I don’t feel that I gave it my all,” she says. If you bring that same intensity to your training sessions, you can accomplish great things.

Melody believes that the ability to consistently push oneself with focus and intensity separates a champion from the folks who simply “go through the motions.” To Melody, that means lifting as heavily as possible. When heavy becomes too heavy, she bangs out as many reps as she can—safely and with a spotter, if possible—to failure using a dropset or other technique like running the dumbbell rack.

A dropset is a technique that calls for reaching failure with your first weight, immediately dropping to a lighter weight by 20-25 percent, and continuing to rep until you hit failure again. Running the rack follows the same approach. You start with the heaviest weight you can lift for a set number of reps, go to failure, drop down in weight, rep again, and repeat until you hit the end of the dumbbell rack or total failure.

These techniques sound intense, and they are. But they’re the key to great results “You can’t expect to progress if you’re not working with your whole body, mind, and soul,” Melody says. “It takes heart and discipline; train as strong as you want it!”

Melody’s training involves a 5-day split. She dedicates whole days to chest, back, arms, shoulders, and legs. Every other day includes abs or calves. To get her amped up for the monumental effort ahead, Melody listens to upbeat EDM and watches motivational videos. For her, hearing motivational words as she works out pumps her up even more; the words help her visualize her workout and materialize that vision into strength and power.

“The power of the mind is such a strong thing,” Melody says, “and that’s what you have to overcome: the mental part of it.”

MELODY’S TRAINING PLAN

Abs & Calves

Alternate these two muscle groups every other day. Melody either incorporates them between sets for active rest or squeezes them in at the end of each workout.

Cardio

Melody keeps cardio to a minimum, especially in the off-season. She prefers to do 20-minute high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions a few times per week. During contest prep, she’ll do 5-6 HIIT sessions a week for around 30-45 minutes each.

Melody believes that if your goal is to burn fat, HIIT is far more effective than steady-state, distance running, or cycling.

If cardio is in her workout plan for the day, she usually tacks it on at the end of her workout.



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Fitness 360: Melody Wyatt, Training

Figure Dynasty: How Nicole Wilkins Won Her Fourth Olympia

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When Nicole Wilkins graced the stage at the 2014 Olympia, she came in as a seasoned pro. As she stood under the hot, beaming lights—eager to make history with her fourth Figure and first back-to-back Olympia win—she heard nothing. The roar of the crowd fell silent, and the audience’s cheers were put on mute. For that single moment, everything came together for the returning champ. Focus was key.

“I thought, ‘Walk slow, don’t trip, hit your poses the way you need to hold them, make sure you’re twisting enough, make sure your chest is lifted enough, make sure you’re smiling,'” Nicole says. “I think you’re so focused on what you’re doing in that moment. Everything else is sort of silent. Even when they announce your name as the winner, it’s all you hear. It’s just you and the lights.”

Nicole Wilkins spoke with Bodybuilding.com about what it was like to compete at the 2014 Olympia, and shared her thoughts on the role figure competition has played in her life.


Two Days Before Finals

For Figure competitors—or any Olympia competitor for that matter—the competition is about presenting a perfect package on stage, even if things behind the scenes are a little more complicated. “Winning my first Olympia was amazing, but to then lose it and have the motivation to keep going after a divorce was difficult,” Nicole says. “I mean, those are extreme highs and lows, but every one of those steps and every one of those moments has led up to this.”

The week before the Olympia may be taxing for some but, despite the occasional bout of butterflies—to be expected when defending a title and standing in front of the world in a posing suit—Nicole says it was like the calm before the storm. “With the hard work behind me, it’s just about enjoying the moment and having fun.”

Part of that fun happened during the first night of the O at “Meet The Olympians,” where competitors met fans and signed autographs. It was a place where the size of the crowd at your booth was a sign of your popularity and recognition in the field. “I remember the first year I was there,” Nicole says. “I didn’t have any line at all. I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be awesome to have a line of people who actually knew who I was?'” This year, she had just that.

“Part of that fun happened during the first night of the O at ‘Meet The Olympians,’ where competitors met fans and signed autographs.”

“It’s exciting to know you have that big [of] an impact on people that you never even met before” she says. “I deal with women who’ve lost 100 pounds or guys who have lost 100 pounds or quit smoking, and they want to tell you about all the positive changes they’ve made in their life. That’s when the reality sets in that you have a huge impact and affect people more than you realize.”

It’s a level of notoriety Nicole still hasn’t gotten used to, and something she never takes for granted. “I’m always hoping people will still want to see me,” she says. “I’m hoping that people want to talk to me and come up to my booth. I don’t think I’ll ever get to a point where I’ll expect that. To me, it’s very humbling. I’m just doing what I love.”

“I went into this sport originally because I wanted it to help my career,” she says. “As a personal trainer, I thought it would help my business. I could show people that I could get in good shape too. I still have that mindset.”

Nicole won’t be quitting figure competition anytime soon. “When you’re number one at this, you want to stay number one,” she says. “When I feel like I’m not getting that excitement anymore, that’s when I’ll know it’s time to hang up the heels. I don’t think I’ve necessarily reached my full potential yet. I still have room for growth.”

The Day Of Prejudging

On the morning of prejudging at the 2014 Olympia, Nicole felt good. She was relaxed, at peace, and exactly where she needed to be. To put it simply, she was ready. She was up around 5 a.m. to eat, go through hair and makeup, and have her tan retouched. Nicole refers to it as “the beauty pageant part.”

“That’s how I explain it to people who have no idea what I’m doing: just a beauty pageant for fitness girls,” she says. “It’s like I’m getting ready for Halloween, you know, the costume makeup.”

Through the humor, Nicole kept her mind on what was at stake. All her months of hard work were about to come to fruition, but Nicole remained composed. Part of that had to do with the hard work she had put in over many years.

“I think the times when I was more nervous were when I didn’t feel confident with how I looked,” she says. “It’s a very calming feeling knowing you worked really hard and the rest isn’t up to you. I’m just going to hope the judges like what they see.”

“On the morning of prejudging at the 2014 Olympia, Nicole felt good. She was relaxed, at peace, and exactly where she needed to be.”

After boarding the 9 a.m. shuttle to prejudging, Nicole hit a “hurry up and wait” situation. “I should go on around 11:30 a.m., so this is where I’ll just hang out and keep my feet up,” she says while waiting in the backstage area. “I’ll just relax, eat again, and then—about 30 minutes or so before I go out I’ll put my suit on, get the glazing process done, and come out to the free weight area to do a little bit of shoulders and pump up. Then it’ll be show time.”

Nicole knew that prejudging was where all of the major decisions would take place, and that by the end of it the judges would probably have a good idea of how the finals would pan out. “They’re comparing all the girls from all sides of the body,” Nicole says of the process. “They’re looking at symmetry, they’re looking at muscle definition, they’re looking at skin tone, hair, and makeup. They’re looking at presentation and how your suit fits.”

Head-to-head competition like that might seem fierce, but for Nicole, it had always been about bettering herself. “It’s not really a competition for me with anybody else,” she says. “I can only look like Nicole Wilkins, and I want to make Nicole Wilkins look the best that Nicole Wilkins can. If I place second, it’s not the end of the world—my life doesn’t change.”

“Nicole knew that prejudging was where all of the major decisions would take place, and that by the end of it the judges would probably have a good idea of how the finals would pan out.”

After the initial Figure lineup, the judges took notice of Nicole’s incredible preparation. “They pulled Candice [Keene] and me out for the final callout,” she told the camera backstage. “So it looks like it’s first and second between her and me. I felt confident, so hopefully the judges like the conditioning that I brought.”

The Night Of Finals

Even with multiple Olympias under her belt, Nicole has never taken high-level competition for granted. To her, it’s always a pleasure. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it,” she says. “The first year or two, I had no idea what to expect. I was just like ‘Holy cow! I can’t believe I’m here.’ I still feel that way.”

As she prepared to step onto the finals stage, Nicole opened up about the challenges competitors—even returning champs—face. “You’re second-guessing yourself on and off throughout the entire process because you are trying to chase perfection. Perfection does not exist, but when you put forth that much effort day after day, you expect to see results.”

At the 2014 Figure Olympia Finals, Nicole’s hard work earned her more than just admiration and applause. It paid off with a history-making fourth Olympia win.

“‘I feel absolutely amazing,’ Nicole said during her acceptance speech. ‘Coming into this, I wanted to make history, and I did.'”

“I feel absolutely amazing,” Nicole said during her acceptance speech. “Coming into this, I wanted to make history, and I did.”

After thanking Joe Weider for creating the Olympia, the IFBB for allowing her to compete, the committee, her trainer, her boyfriend, and her family, Nicole took the time to thank her fans. “You inspire me more than you know, so I plan to maybe make it five next year. I’ll do my best to make that happen, so thank you very, very, very much.”

Behind the Scenes

If Nicole can communicate anything to her fans, she wants people to know that—beyond the glitz and the glam of shows—she’s a real person, just like they are. “I think when you see someone who’s in great shape and who looks like they have everything together, it doesn’t mean that they don’t struggle sometimes too,” she says.

When it comes down to it, getting to the level of a four-time Olympia winner requires drive, dedication, and consistency. To rank among the best also requires a certain level of sacrifice.

“When you’re preparing for something like this, everything else revolves around that,” Nicole says. “I think that in life in general, if you want to be really successful at something there is going to be a lack of balance somewhere. And I’m OK with that.”



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4 Ways To Banish Food Guilt For Good

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I used to be enslaved by the “perfect” fitness mindset, championing clichés like “Eat clean, train dirty” and “Make sure to eat within 30 minutes of your workout.” My desire for perfection controlled my thoughts, emotions, and actions. Everything I did—from eating smelly tuna in the middle of class to travelling with prepacked, perfectly portioned meals—was in the best interest of my fitness results, or so I thought.

Social life, be damned! Cheat days? No way! I was determined to own that six-pack.

One mistake would ruin my day and make me feel like a failure. Soon, food-induced guilt took over my life.

When I wasn’t micromanaging my food intake and timing, I agonized over my food choices and punished myself emotionally for giving in and indulging on those cookies. What’s worse, no matter how I looked on the outside, I became a stressed-out recluse with low self-esteem.

I eventually saw my food guilt for what it was: an unhealthy obsession. It took a lot of time to rid myself of this mentality and overcome food guilt, but when I did it, I finally felt like I could live and enjoy life’s valuables experiences with friends and loved ones.

If this sounds like you, there is a way out. When guilt begins to flood my thoughts, I use one of the five approaches below to take back control.

Use these approaches to grab the reins of your life back from food guilt.

1 Accept your dietary missteps and move on from them

In most cases, people who are vulnerable to food guilt are those who follow specific diet plans. At first, they follow the plan to a T. Then they go out with friends one night, and it feels like all of their effort has been undone because they went off-plan and couldn’t control their portions.

It’s going to be okay.

Life happens. One dietary mistake doesn’t mean you’re a failure, nor is it a green light for binge-eating.

You can’t change the past. Obsessing isn’t going to do anything except make you more and more anxious and prolong the guilt.

Acknowledge what happened, understand that it makes a miniscule impact on things in the long run, and keep moving along with life.

2 Accept that perfectionism isn’t realistic

Nobody is perfect. Everyone—from fitness professionals and models you follow on Instagram to your extreme CrossFit buddy—makes mistakes and drops off their program. They’d be lying if they told you anything else.

The idea of a perfect diet—or perfect anything, for that matter—is about as realistic as capturing a unicorn. We all slip up; that’s what makes us human. Life is about enjoyment, not being prisoners of our diets.

Be kind to yourself, and learn to forgive yourself. You can be full of understanding and accepting of other people, so why not be kind to the person who matters most: yourself?

Life is about enjoyment, not being prisoners of our diets.

When you’re kind to yourself and realize that, “Hey, I’m just a normal human being,” there’s no room for guilt.

3 Mindfully look at your situation

Oftentimes, we get caught up in the present moment of a misstep and feel the fitness apocalypse has arrived. Ask yourself, “Does this deserve an ounce of my energy in the grand scheme of things?”

The story in our mind can end up a lot worse than the reality of our situation. Always keep the big picture in mind. Think about whether that slice of cake or that one beer is going to demolish all of your efforts and your fitness goals in the long term.

If you maintain consistent and healthy daily nutritional habits, a few mistakes here and there won’t kill you. What’s “a few?” Aim for 85 to 90 percent of your food and drink consumption to be from nutritionally sound sources.

4 To indulge or not to indulge—that is the question.
Answer it quickly

If you’re going to cheat on your diet, better simply to do it and move on, rather than letting it preoccupy your day. Healthy eating is eating in a way that pleases your palate, supports your physique and fitness goals, and allows you to enjoy life. Remember that being healthy is about finding joy and balance in the things you do and eat.

Remember that being healthy is about finding joy and balance in the things you do and eat.

At the risk of sounding cheesy, life is really too short to walk around with shame and regret for putting life-sustaining food into your body. Forgive yourself and move on. You can’t move forward until you stop dwelling in the past. These negative emotions are not worth your time, your energy, or your happiness.

In the comments section below, I want to hear what makes you feel guilty, and what you plan to do about it. It’s time to actively do something to finally let go of guilt.

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Arms Workout For Women: A Girl's Guide To Guns

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Well-defined arms with lovely shape are the perfect accessory to your dream body. Plus, they make any sleeveless dress or tank top look even better.

Don’t shy away from curling hard and heavy. Trust me: your arms are not going to rip out of your sleeves. Women don’t produce nearly as enough testosterone to make huge gains quickly. Even the biggest guys know that building a lot of muscle takes time.

Shapely biceps and triceps are an important part of a symmetrical physique. They’re also an important part of being a strong lifter!

Here’s a quick guide to training your arms. I’ve even included a workout. Let’s get those guns pumping girls!

Girls Just Wanna Have Guns

A great thing about training your biceps and triceps is that you don’t have to spend a million hours working them. Whenever you do any pushing movements like push-ups or presses to work your chest, you also work your triceps. Whenever you do pulls like lat pull-downs or rows to train your back, you indirectly work your biceps.

If you lift hard on your chest and back days, then you don’t need to spend too much time doing arm workouts. Moreover, the biceps and triceps are smaller muscles, so you don’t get many metabolic benefits from training them.

A great thing about training your biceps and triceps is that you don’t have to spend a million hours working them.

I prefer to work my arms directly one day per week for 30-45. That workout, coupled with the indirect work my biceps and triceps get during my other workouts, is more than enough to keep my arms strong and looking great.

The Basics

Most biceps and triceps workout routines are based upon two exercises: the curl and the extension. These exercises work by taking the muscles through their natural function with resistance.

Your biceps contract to flex your elbow (bring your hand toward your face), and the triceps contract to extend the elbow (bring your hand back down from your face and straighten your arm).

There are many variations of these movements, but the principle is always the same: curls flex the elbow, and extensions extend the elbow.

When you flex and extend your elbow with resistance, you recruit muscle fibers. The heavier you go, the more muscle fibers you need to move the weight. If you challenge your muscles consistently, they respond by growing.

I see many women doing a lot of curls with those little, five-pound dumbbells. Remember, your muscles should strain to do the work or they won’t change.

Whoever said that women should do a lot of reps with zero weight needs to be set straight. If your workout isn’t hard, you’re not going to see results!

Lady Guns Workout

This workout is perfect for women who are either new at arms training or need a more effective plan. Remember, you’re already working your biceps and triceps on your chest and back days, so this workout is just for refinement.

I like doing this workout because it includes some of my favorite methods: 21-guns and burnouts! This workout is also great because we use the perfect rep range for hypertrophy (lean muscle-building). Be sure to use weight that’s heavy enough so the last few reps are pretty difficult.

Workout Tips

If you can handle a lot of weight at your weakest areas, you’ll apply a huge amount of stimulus to your muscles.

  1. The 21 method is a fun way to work your biceps. To do it, complete 7 reps at the lower half of a biceps curl, 7 reps at the upper half of the biceps curl, and then finish with 7 complete reps. Take some extra rest after a set if you need to!

    Partial reps can help strengthen your muscles at their weakest points. For biceps curls, usually the beginning and the ending stages of the curl are the most difficult. If you can handle a lot of weight at your weakest areas, you’ll apply a huge amount of stimulus to your muscles.

  2. Burn-out sets are difficult, but also really fun. I promise you’ll feel a massive pump in your biceps and triceps after you finish. Try to get 100 reps in as few sets as you can.

    You don’t need to do a lot of weight, but make sure it’s enough resistance that you can feel it. If the weight starts to get too heavy, don’t be afraid to drop the weight and keep going. Try not to rest for long.

    Burn-out sets are usually used to completely fatigue your muscles when they’re already tired. Although some people don’t like them, I think they’re a fun way to completely exhaust the last little bit of energy from my muscles. Go ahead and try them, if you don’t like them or don’t find them effective, there’s no need to continue doing them.

  3. Aside from the sets of 21-method curls, make sure you do every exercise with a full range of motion. If you’re unsure about how to do any of the above movements, please visit the exercise database. There, you’ll get step-by-step instructions so you can feel confident doing every exercise.

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6 Delicious Protein Shake Recipes!

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It doesn’t take too many protein shakes before you realize that a mixture of powder and water isn’t going to top any chef de cuisine’s “Best Beverages” list. But that doesn’t mean all protein shakes have to taste bad. Kick up the plain Jane whey-and-water combo with these recipes that will please your taste buds and help you pack on lean muscle!

The best part: The directions for these recipes are incredibly easy. Just blend the ingredients together, then sip, savor, and enjoy! Now that’s Clutch.

1 The Clutch “OG” Shake

Sometimes, you’ve just got to go for the classic. With bananas and peanut butter topping off a protein flurry of almond milk and ice, this shake begs the question: Is there anything better than the Clutch original?

The Clutch “OG” Shake PDF (106 KB)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1 shake) Recipe yields 1

Amount per serving

Calories 250

Total Fat10 g

Total Carbs15 g

Protein25 g

2 The Cinnamon Toast Shake

Pass on syrup-soaked bread and take a sip of this sweet shake instead. With everything from sweet potato and coconut milk to spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, this shake screams decadence in a cup. It’s proof that you can have your sweets in the morning and meet your macros, too!

The Cinnamon Toast Shake PDF (111 KB)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1 shake) Recipe yields 1

Amount per serving

Calories 290

Total Fat12 g

Total Carbs20 g

Protein25 g

3 The Mocha Nut Shake

Pass on that boring cup of Joe and reach for this shake instead. The 2-ounce espresso shot is sure to get you going, the banana and almond butter will fill you up, and the three scoops of protein powder will help keep you full while you build muscle!

The Mocha Nut Shake PDF (116 KB)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1 shake) Recipe yields 1

Amount per serving

Calories 231

Total Fat9 g

Total Carbs15 g

Protein25 g

4 The Peanut Butter and Jelly Shake

Peanut butter and jelly isn’t just for brown-bag school lunches anymore. Turn your childhood favorite into a muscle-building shake with this recipe!

The Peanut Butter and Jelly Shake PDF (105 KB)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1 shake) Recipe yields 1

Amount per serving

Calories 321

Total Fat10 g

Total Carbs34 g

Protein27 g

5 The Banana Meal Replacement Shake

Ever find yourself on the road, away from home, or pressed for time? When you can’t sit down to a full meal, replacement shakes are the way to go. This one offers up a serving of heart-healthy omega-3s—chia is the richest plant source of these healthy fats—has oatmeal to help curb your appetite, antioxidant-rich almond butter, and potassium and energy from bananas. Yum!

The Banana Meal Replacement Shake PDF (117 KB)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1 shake) Recipe yields 1

Amount per serving

Calories 378

Total Fat17 g

Total Carbs34 g

Protein30 g

Banana Meal Replacement: “Build” Edition

Looking for a heartier take on this replacement shake? Bulk up and build muscle with this recipe that calls for an extra tablespoon of peanut butter, an extra half cup of oats, and a touch more almond milk.

The Banana Meal Replacement Shake: “Build” Edition PDF (139 KB)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1 shake) Recipe yields 1

Amount per serving

Calories 625

Total Fat29 g

Total Carbs64 g

Protein38 g

6 The Clutch-Berry Meal Replacement Shake

Not all meal replacement shakes are created equally. This one offers up a serving of frozen berries for that extra dose of vitamins and minerals—and a sweet flavor punch. It’s berry-licious!

The Clutch-Berry Meal Replacement Shake PDF (114 KB)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1 shake) Recipe yields 1

Amount per serving

Calories 366

Total Fat17 g

Total Carbs30 g

Protein30 g

Clutch-Berry Meal Replacement: “Build” Edition

Double your dose of that delicious berry flavor and throw in another tablespoon of almond butter, an extra half cup of oats, and a splash more of almond milk to turn this into a mass-building treat!

The Clutch-Berry Meal Replacement Shake: “Build” Edition PDF (114 KB)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1 shake) Recipe yields 1

Amount per serving

Calories 630

Total Fat29 g

Total Carbs65 g

Protein39 g



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5 Dairy Proteins You've Never Tried

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Dairy has long been held in high esteem among bodybuilders in pursuit of a cover-worthy physique. After all, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, mozzarella, and other commonly consumed dairy items have the necessary amino acids to repair worn muscles, even if you’re on a college student’s budget.

But delve a little deeper into the dairy aisle of larger supermarkets—past the jugs of pasteurized milk and flavored yogurts—and you’ll come across types of dairy that you probably aren’t eating, but should try. So consider expanding your culinary horizons with these five oft-overlooked dairy foods that should be high on any fitness fan’s grocery list.

1 Halloumi

Need to satisfy your salty jones? This cheese hailing from Cyprus is made with sheep and goat milk and contains roughly a 1-to-1 protein-to-fat ratio. Each ounce of halloumi delivers an impressive 6 grams of muscle-friendly protein.

What’s truly great about this dairy import, however, is that it doesn’t melt when heated, so you can toss slabs on the grill or in a frying pan like you would a piece of steak. Try heating thick slices of halloumi for about two minutes per side and then seasoning with lemon juice and olive oil. Or skewer chunks of halloumi for a riff on kabobs.

Halloumi can be salty on its own, so go easy on any other salted items during the meal.

Halloumi

Halloumi

2 Kefir

Kefir

If you’re already comfortable with yogurt, it’s time to give kefir a try. Tangy kefir is made by fermenting milk with a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast called “grains.” In fact, compared to mass-produced supermarket yogurt, kefir reigns supreme when it comes to bacterial firepower, with about three times more probiotics. Kefir acts like a food-grade fertilizer by dumping billions of bacteria into you digestive tract. Beyond their role in promoting improved digestive and immune health, probiotics are now gaining praise for helping improve body composition.

Like yogurt, kefir also helps you load up on bone-building calcium and muscle-sculpting protein. What’s more, since kefir’s live cultures break down a chunk of the lactose present in the cow’s milk it’s made from, many people with lactose intolerance can consume it without tummy woes.

Kefir can be found in tubs with a consistency similar to regular yogurt, or in a thinner beverage form such as the brand Lifeway. Regardless, look for plain versions of kefir to side-step an onslaught of added gut-busting sugars.

3 Labneh

Here’s more proof that Middle Eastern food is worth eating more often. Labneh is produced by draining full-fat yogurt for several hours, where it thickens and gets deliciously tangy. As with Greek yogurt, this cultured delight is plush with high-quality protein to keep your muscles happy.

Jazzed up with some fresh herbs, lemon zest, and olive oil, labneh makes for a near-perfect dip. Or give peanut butter a break and spread labneh on your morning toast. Look for labneh at Middle Eastern markets, or let Google guide you toward recipes for easy-to-prepare homemade versions.

Labneh

Labneh

4 Goat Milk

Thankfully, tangy goat milk is finally getting a chance to show its horns. When Spanish researchers compared the nutritionals of cow and goat milk from animals raised under very similar conditions, they found the latter contained more heart-healthy omega-3 fats, the bone-building trio of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). The unsaturated fat CLA may play a role in promoting a better buff-to-blubber ratio.

What’s more, goat milk is less likely to tousle the tummy than its moo counterpart since it has smaller fat globules that don’t clump together, as well as very low levels of the allergenic casein protein, alpha-S1. To date, goats are not permitted to be injected with sketchy synthetic bovine growth hormones commonly used in large-scale cow milk production. Really, anywhere cow’s milk goes—such as protein shakes, pancakes, or a bowl of cereal—so too can the goat version.

5 Quark

Made by warming sour milk until it coagulates and then straining it, quark is a soft, creamy cheese. It’s often compared to cottage cheese, but quark has a smoother, more homogenous consistency. Originally hailing from Europe, a mere half-cup of this mild-tasting dairy can contains upward of 12 grams of protein, making it useful for helping to pack on quality lean-body mass.

Quark

Quark

Low-fat quark has an advantage over cottage cheese in that it often doesn’t contain any added salt. Many bodybuilders, in fact, lament the high salt levels present in cottage cheese. Use quark in recipes calling for yogurt, sour cream or mayonnaise. It’s especially tasty when mixed with mashed potatoes. You can also stir it with fresh fruit for a muscle-making snack or dessert.



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3 Keys To A Monster Bench Press

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Nothing measures your success in the gym better than the raw numbers you can bench press. Lifters compare one another by how many wheels are on the bar, and even your friends who don’t train inquire about how much you can bench.

Whatever that number is, inevitably it’s not enough. In all your efforts to push more weight on the bar, progress is ultimately measured in the smallest 2.5-pound plates.

What you need is a strategy that’s going to make dramatic gains—up to 50 pounds—on your bench in just eight weeks. It’s a big-picture, strategic approach rather than one that simply entails trying to bench as much as you can each time you show up at the gym.

I was 14 years old when I attempted my first max bench press. I threw up 205 pounds at a bodyweight of 170—not too bad if I do say so myself. By the time I graduated high school, I had three wheels on each side of the bar, and it took only a year or two of focused training in powerlifting to finally hit 405 pounds. I found it even more challenging to get up to a “raw” 500, but last month I did it!

What were the methods that allowed me to break that barrier? Here are the three most important techniques I used for a herculean bench press.

1 Attack Your Sticking Point

You may be strong at the top or the bottom of the lift, but as you press the bar there is inevitably a point along the path where the bar reaches a “sticking point.” This is where you have the least amount of mechanical leverage, and you’re at your weakest.

I want you to strengthen yourself at the sticking point first. You can do this with a board press, or in a power rack using the adjustable safety bars.

Here’s what’s going on: When you lower a weight in a controlled manner, the working muscle is stretched and it builds up “elastic” energy. When you reverse direction, that built-up energy helps you power through the initial phases of the lift.

As you press the bar there is inevitably a point along the path where the bar reaches a “sticking point.” This is where you have the least amount of mechanical leverage, and you’re at your weakest.

But what if you eliminate the elastic energy so you have to work harder out of the hole? Using boards or safeties allows you to momentarily rest the bar on the supporting object, thus releasing the elastic energy. Ever start an exercise in the stretched position and noticed how the first rep is always the hardest? That’s because there’s no elastic energy to aid the first rep.

Now, if you were to use boards or safeties to set the bottom of the range of motion precisely to your sticking point, you could focus your training on that area of your strength curve in which you’re weakest and eliminate as much elastic energy as possible.

Anywhere from 1-5 boards can be used, though I recommend staying around 2-3 most of the time. This range targets the area where most people “stick.” I also usually recommend an over-emphasized pause on the board press to ensure all the energy to lift the bar has to come from the working muscles. That way you’ll get no recoil whatsoever.

Focus on increasing your strength at your sticking point and eventually you’ll be able to do more reps with a heavy weight and increase the amount of your max bench.

2 Add Bands or Chains

Of the many factors to be accounted for when training for power development, one of the most often missed is acceleration. If you want more power, you must use heavy weights and you must learn to move them fast. Bands or chains work off of this principle.

A barbell loaded with 360 pounds is the same weight both at the bottom and top position, but when bands or chains are applied properly, the level of resistance increases as the weight moves up. This accommodating resistance requires you to apply more force to the bar during the concentric contraction, teaching you to push hard and fast. Bands or chains can be applied on lighter days to develop speed strength or on heavy days to develop maximum power output.

The bands we use in the accompanying workout come in two lengths: 41 inches and 12 inches. Our instructions will be for the longer bands as they’re much more common. Bands come in a variety of thicknesses, allowing you to easily adjust the load. These range from an average resistance of 40 pounds all the way up to 200 or more.

Unless you’re lucky enough to have a bench press with installed band pegs, you’ll have to set up a base to wrap your bands around. The most common setup is to use dumbbells as a base. You wrap the bands around the dumbbell handles and back up to the bar. Make sure your dumbbells are heavy enough to keep the bands down!

Also, you may need to put a small plate next to the dumbbells to keep them from rolling away. Most lifters loop their bands just inside or outside the collars on the barbell they’re pressing.

A barbell loaded with 360 pounds is the same weight both at the bottom and top position, but when bands or chains are applied properly, the level of resistance increases as the weight moves up.

An alternative setup is to bench press inside a power rack. The bands can then be looped either along the frame or on a pin at the lowest setting. Regardless of your band setup, make sure there’s tension at the bottom of the lift, and that you don’t exceed the recommendations and overstretch the bands. I recommend that you load about 20 percent of your load from bands.

So if you’re benching 225, a pair of mini-bands should give you about 30-40 pounds of resistance at the top of the lift. Load 185 in straight weight with the bands in place to provide an appropriate load for max-effort work.

3 Use A “Sling Shot”

The Sling Shot is a wearable apparatus that supports your elbows, keeps everything tight, and allows you to overload your bench press through the entire range of motion with a weight heavier than what you could normally handle. It may just be the greatest tool I’ve ever used for bench pressing.

With the Sling Shot, I grew accustomed to using a weight 10 percent above my max, so that when the time came for me to make a raw attempt—meaning, without the Sling Shot—I crushed it.

The Sling Shot stores some of that elastic energy as you lower the bar to your chest, helping you accelerate and explode up with heavy weight. It also reduces stress on your shoulders and elbows. People who have “bencher’s shoulder” and other types of shoulder pain typically have no issues using a Sling Shot.

Experienced lifters will note that these three techniques are commonly used by powerlifters who use bench shirts, but they’re highly beneficial to the raw lifter as well. Use these movements as your primary exercises for two weeks at a time and then rotate to a different one.

For example, use the board press as your main movement for the first two weeks, then move to bands, then the Sling Shot, and finish your final two weeks using a straight-weight raw bench press.

After two months of overload, speed training, and heavy partials, it should be relatively easy to establish a new PR on the bench press.

Incorporating These Techniques Into Your Workout

Rather than just inserting these techniques into your workout on chest day, let’s focus on bringing up your bench by making some large-scale changes to your routine. Incorporate the workout below into your regular program, removing chest and triceps from your current routine.

After two months of overload, speed training, and heavy partials, it should be relatively easy to establish a new PR on the bench press.

This means you’ll have two days per week dedicated to the bench press—a max-bench day and a dynamic effort day—and probably 2-3 days to cover legs, back, shoulders and arm work.

I suggest you slightly reduce the volume on shoulders and arms while you focus on your bench press.

8 Weeks to a Monster Bench Workout

For main movements, follow the prescribed intensity, which is expressed as a percentage of your one-rep max of your bench press. For accessory work and assistance movements, use a load that would result in failure by the prescribed rep target.

Weeks 1-2:

Use 2-3 boards, or if using a power rack, set the safeties at your sticking point—about midway through the range of motion.

  • Board Press Board Press Board Press
    10 reps at 60% intensity; 7 reps at 70%; 4 reps at 80%; 2 reps at 90%; 2 reps at 95%; 2 reps at 100%
  • Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip Barbell Bench Press (Dead Stop)
    3 sets of 5 reps
  • Set the safeties in the power rack to the bottom of the range of motion, coming to a dead stop on each rep at the bottom by allowing the bar to momentarily settle on the pins on each rep.

  • JM Press JM Press JM Press
    5 sets of 8 reps
  • Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown Front Lat Pulldown
    5 sets of 8 reps
  • Face Pull Face Pull Face Pull
    3 sets of 20 reps

Weeks 3-4:

Weeks 5-6:

Utilize a Sling Shot on the last three sets of your bench press regimen.

Week 7:

Week 8: Max Week

Take three attempts at 100% of your max to determine your progress. Your first attempt should be your previous 1RM, a weight you should now be able to handle. On your second attempt, aim for an increase of about 5% more than your previous best—just make sure you get a spotter. On your last attempt, go for the moon, adding another 5-10% more weight on the bar to set a new PR.

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About The Author

Matt is the Training and Nutrition Specialist for Bodybuilding.com. He has studied Exercise Science and is a competitive strength athlete.

Original post: 

3 Keys To A Monster Bench Press

AMP: Marc Megna's 8-Week Aesthetics Meets Performance Trainer Phase 1, Day 9

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Hope you brought some music with you, because today you’re going to enjoy 44 minutes of low intensity, steady-state cardio. I know sometimes long-distance cardio training can be dull, but trust me, you’re teaching your heart how to pump more blood. That’s a great thing for aesthetics and performance!

If you ran all last week, switch to the bike, or take it outdoors and go for a light hike. Try not to do the same machines over and over again. Pop in some of your favorite tunes, an audio book, or a podcast if you really want to get in the zone.

  • Jogging-Treadmill Jogging-Treadmill Cardio Of Choice
    44 minutes at 130-150 heart beats per minute


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Ah, another weekend of rest to let your body recover. You shouldn’t be feeling too beat up. If you are, you might not be eating or sleeping enough. Assess how you’re doing and feeling by logging into Bodybuilding.com’s massive online community BodySpace, where you can chat with other fit folks going through the AMP program. Find out how other people are feeling and ask questions about their progress. BodySpace is seriously a great way to evaluate your progress and find motivating friends to help you.


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coach Marc Megna shouldn’t be living his dreams. But

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