Difference Between Disease and Disorder

This video shows the difference between a physical disease and a psychiatric mental "disorder".

Bodybuilding Mistakes
By Lester S. Maurice

Common Workout Mistakes

1) Lift Hard All The Time... is the way real bodybuilders train.
Your body is a complex system capable of tolerating a wide variety of
stress factors. With progressive adaptation, you can withstand greater
and greater degrees of stress. Just like sitting in the sun for limited
periods, allows you to withstand stronger exposures over time. You
adapt through the increased functioning of many glandular systems.
In exercise, if a high intensity stress is applied too long, without
periods of lower intensity training, you cannot recuperate and your
physiological systems wear-down and stop functioning properly. In
other words, you get "burned out", all progress stops and a catabolic
(muscle-breakdown) process is initiated. Recent research indicates
long-term over-training not only wastes muscle tissue, it also causes
chronic health problems. Shifting intensity levels through a carefully
periodized training program will keep you healthy and your muscles
growing at a fast and consistent level.

2) The Longer You Workout... The Bigger You’ll Get!
It’s a hard lesson everyone eventually learns or ends up quitting
before they do. At some point, we all attempted 2-3 hour workouts,
maybe even longer. It's an easy pitfall, considering we’ve been
brainwashed with the, "more is better" mentality throughout our
lives. The problem is, with enough enthusiasm, you plow through each
workout, thinking you’re doing the right thing but eventually you
find yourself severely run-down. Numerous studies prove that training
within a specific "window" (no more trhen 45 minutes) helps take
advantage of your hormonal spikes (growth hormone, testosterone, etc.)
which encourages total recovery and continuous muscle growth. Training
beyond this peak only tears down muscle tissue and is
counter-productive to your efforts.

3) I’ll Do The Next Set When I Feel Ready. Instinctive training?
A flaw with most bodybuilding routines is there are no specific
guidelines on the pace your workouts should flow. Lifting "when you're
ready..." is far too subjective and will never fully stress all the
energy systems you possess. If you always rest 3 minutes between sets,
you're only training one available energy source. To build muscle
quickly, you must stimulate and tap into all three energy systems
through the manipulation of rest periods in every cycle. The pace of
your training should also match your goals for each phase.

4) I'm Training Hard If I Lift Until I can't Do Another Rep.
When you lift until failure, you normally are not training beyond your
current force-generating capabilities. Think about it. Going to exercise
failure means you have lifted to your current strength capacity, nothing
more. You can grow by lifting to failure, but you can stimulate faster
growth by using muscle overload techniques which push the muscle past
normal failure. Training at this intensity for specific intervals means
recruiting more muscle fibers and inducing a greater growth response.
You cannot reach your true physical potential without systematically
overloading each muscle group.

5) You Don't Really Have To Be Strong To Have Big Muscles.
Do you remember someone saying, "those are only showy muscles...
he’s not really that strong". It was usually whispered under someone’s
envious breath. The fact is, muscle size and strength are directly
proportional. A larger muscle is a stronger one. That doesn’t mean that
a 16 inch arm can’t be stronger than a 19 inch arm. The ability to
generate power involves many factors including the correlation of bone
size and length (functional leverage), tendon strength, muscle fiber
type, and motor unit efficiency. What it does mean is for yourself,
your 19 inch arm will be stronger than your 16 inch arm so, to increase
size, you must also increase your strength. Your program should include
specific cycles of strength training to reach your size and mass goals.

6) Supplements Don't work...
Many supplements are either low quality or not used correctly. But
some high quality bodybuilding supplements when used properly (right
dose and timing), can increase muscular growth by 5-10%. That may not
sound like much but wouldn't your physique look awesome if you added
10% more muscle on top of your normal training gains? Seven to ten
pounds of extra muscle in a single year is nothing to sneeze at. Build
a healthy and powerful physique by following an effective training
program, using the right nutrients, and eating right, will encourage
rapid growth and recuperation.

Lose Fat, Gain Muscle, Shape Up. Sign up for our Free Weekly Bodybuilding,
Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter, and you will be automatically entered
in our monthly drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
Stay informed, stay motivated, win free stuff, join today!

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New Met-Rx Commercial Featuring IFBB Pro Phil Heath

Check out this new Met-Rx commercial featuring IFBB Pro Phil Heath.

Didn't really make me want to run out and grab some Met-Rx products but Phil looks pretty outstanding in the training portions.

Looking to be more fit then you were in 2008? Let Bodybuilding.com provide everything from workout plans to nutritional supplements.

Home Curing To Treat Insect Bites Scars | How To Treat Insect Bites | Home Remedies for Insect Bites

As you have rightly pointed out, facial scarring / mederma is a very discomfit and painful experience, especially if you have such sensitive skin. However, you should remember that quite often, skin scarring / defacing due to insect bites is imperishable. Hence, while you might not be able to prevent the scar altogether, you might be able to work on some useful tips to lighten them. In addition, if you eat the right foods during your healing period, you could try and prevent the scars from forming. For example, Eating high vitamin C content, you could cure wound much faster than normal and wounds that heal quickly are less likely to leave scars. Try eating foods that are rich in zinc to promote quick healing.

• Apply lots of aloe vera gel on your scars while they are improving to prevent scarring.
  

• Use lemon juice, the best natural bleach, to lighten your scars.
  

• You can also use lavender essential oil for the same purpose.
  

• Keeping the area of the scar well moisturized also helps the make the scar fade.

If your scars do not lighten with these remedies and the scars are causing you great mental pain, it is recommended that you see a specialist, perhaps a plastic surgeon, to consider surgery as an option for permanent scar removal.

The Most Important Fat Loss Hormone You Never Heard Of

The Most Important Fat Loss Hormone You Never Heard Of

By Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT

LEPTI-WHA??

It’s name is Leptin (derived from the Greek word leptos, meaning “thin”), and it’s without a doubt the most important hormone you probably never heard of.

You see, leptin was only first discovered just over 10 years ago, and as far as weight loss is concerned, that’s extremely recent.

Leptin’s function? To communicate your nutritional status to your body and brain.
Leptin levels are mediated by two things. One is your level of body fat. All else being equal, people with higher levels of body fat will have higher leptin levels than those with lower levels of body fat and vice versa.

Because leptin is secreted by fat cells, it makes sense that under normal conditions there is a direct correlation between leptin levels and the amount of fat you are carrying.

Unfortunately, when you’re attempting to lose fat and begin to restrict calories, conditions are anything but “normal” and the body responds accordingly by lowering leptin levels.

This is because the second mediator of blood leptin levels is your calorie intake. Lower your calorie intake and leptin will fall, independent of body fat.

So, yes, you can be overweight and still suffer from low leptin levels – just go on a diet.

So what happens when leptin levels fall and why the heck does it matter?

Again, under normal conditions leptin levels are normal and the brain gets the signal loud and clear that nutrition intake is adequate. Metabolism is high and the internal environment of the body is one very conducive to fat burning.

Until you start dieting.

Go on a diet and leptin levels quickly plummet (by 50% or more after only one week), sending a signal to the body that you’re semi-starved and not consuming enough calories.

This puts the breaks on metabolism and creates a hormonal environment extremely conducive to fat storage. Thyroid hormones (hormones extremely important to metabolism) respond by taking a dive and the abdominal fat-storing stress hormone cortisol skyrockets measurably.

HELLO belly fat.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, the appetite stimulating hormones ghrelin, neuropeptide-Y, and anandamide all hop on board to make your life even more miserable.

You don’t have to remember any of those names, just remember that when leptin drops, you get seriously hungry.

Despite having a pretty good reason for its reaction, it’s pretty ironic that our bodies are primed for fat loss at every other time except when we are trying to burn fat.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could maintain high leptin levels and a body primed for fat burning while dieting? It would seemingly solve all of our problems.

But in order to do this, we’d have to somehow keep leptin levels high as we attempt to lose those extra pounds.

“HOW ABOUT “SUPPLEMENTING” WITH LEPTIN?”

A couple of problems here: First, leptin is a protein based hormone, which means that it can not be taken orally (otherwise, it would simply be digested). So that rules out a leptin pill.

This leaves the method of “supplemental” leptin administration to injection. And leptin injections DO indeed work, reversing the metabolic adaptations to dieting and “starvation” even while continuing to restrict calories.

In 1996, Ahima et al. used leptin injections to reverse starvation-induced neuroendrocrine adaptations in mice.

“Well, that’s nice and all, but I’m human.” Point taken; research with rodents doesn’t always correlate to similar findings in humans, however…

In 1999, Heymsfield et al. performed a double-blind placebo controlled study analyzing weight loss over a 24-week period in 73 obese humans. Subjects either injected daily with leptin or a placebo (i.e. bogus alternative). At the end of the 24-week period, the leptin group lost significantly more weight than the placebo and a higher percentage of fat vs. muscle.

In 2002, Rosenbaum et al. administered low-dose leptin to subjects (male and female) who had dieted to a 10% decrease in body weight. During the diet period, thyroid hormone levels, 24-hr energy expenditure, and other metabolic markers substantially decreased. The result of the leptin replacement therapy?

“All of these endocrine changes were reversed…”Thyroid output and daily calorie burn increased back to pre-diet levels.

In 2003, Fogteloo et al. showed that leptin injections “tended to reduce the decline of energy expenditure associated with energy restriction, whereas the tendency of energy intake to increase back to baseline levels in placebo-treated subjects was largely prevented in subjects treated with leptin.”

Yeah, that’s a mouthful. Let me put in simple terms: not only did the leptin group experience less of a decline in metabolism, but they were also less hungry, allowing them to more easily stick to the prescribed diet.

In 2004, Welt et al. reported that leptin given to a group of women with thyroid disorder immediately raised circulating concentrations of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4.

In 2005, Rosenbaum and company were at it again, again showing that energy expenditure and circulating concentrations of T3 and T4 all returned to pre-weight-loss levels with regular leptin injections.

So, as theorized, keeping leptin levels high during a diet does indeed solve our dilemma by avoiding the negative metabolic (and perhaps behavioral) adaptations that calorie restriction perpetuates.

The problem?

Daily leptin injections are far too expensive, costing thousands and thousands of dollars per week. So, we can pretty much forget about supplemental leptin as a solution (which is probably moot anyway considering that not too many people are going to voluntarily plunge a needle into their skin daily).

A REAL Solution

Now that we know that leptin injections aren’t going to save us, let’s talk about the possibility of manipulating your body’s natural leptin production.

And I’ve got good news – this can indeed be done, and without involving needles or thousands of dollars. In fact, we’ll swap the injections and mounds of cash out for two things I can guarantee you’re absolutely going to love: more calories and more carbs.

We know that leptin levels decrease by about 50% after only one week of dieting, but fortunately, it doesn’t take nearly that long for leptin to bump back up with a substantial increase in caloric intake.

In fact, research has shown that it only takes about 12-24 hours.

So, the answer to the fat loss catch-22? Strategic high-calorie, high-carb CHEATING.

By strategically cheating with high calorie foods (and yes, even stuff like pizza, ice cream, wings, cookies, burgers, fries, etc), you can give leptin and metabolism a major boost mid-diet which sets you up for plenty of subsequent fat loss when you resume your reduced calorie eating regimen.

This means greater net fat loss week after week, and ultimately, a much more realistic, maintainable way to bring you to the body you truly want and deserve.

So what’s so special about carbs?

Well, leptin, carbohydrate and insulin have been shown to have very strong ties.

Calories alone don’t get the job done, as research shows that overfeeding on protein and fat has little effect on leptin.

In order to get a strong leptin response from overfeeding, there needs to be plenty of carbs in the mix. In fact, the relationship is SO strong that research conducted by Boden et al. at the Temple University School of Medicine shows that leptin levels will not fall even in response to all-out fasting so long as insulin and blood sugar are maintained via IV drip. That’s CRAZY.

Because of this carbohydrate/insulin-leptin relationship, it makes sense that foods combining both carbs and fat (like pizza, burgers, cookies, ice cream, etc) work best for reversing the negative adaptations caused by dieting because of the BIG-TIME insulin response they produce.
THIS is why strategic cheating with your favorite foods is so powerful. THIS is why you truly can use your favorite foods to lose fat faster than you ever could with restrictive dieting. THIS is freedom.

Essentially, it’s everything “typical” dieting isn’t.

With regular dieting, come week two, you’re screwed.

With strategic cheating, you can literally use ANY food you want to *ensure* that you never go a single day without a body primed for fat loss.

The cheat or not to cheat? I think the choice is clear.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do I even need to add to that? If you want to finally stop the dietary struggle and instead start getting the results you truly deserve, then you can grab Joel’s complete Cheat Your Way Thin system at half price, but only until tomorrow.

http://www.leehayward.com/go/cheat-your-way-thin.htm

This could be a life changing program for you, but only if you choose to take advantage of it.

Sales ends tomorrow...

Gabriella Bankuti

Gabriella Bankuti

Beautiful Hungarian Figure competitor Gabriella Bankuti.
You may not know a lot about this young lady, but she has a lot going on.
She's a (take a deep breath) Fitness and Figure Competitor, personal trainer, teacher, Multiple Scitec Champion, Hungarian Cup Champion, International Absolute IFBB Champion, Coordinator of Tozobodyformers Team, Mental Health Consultant AND Lifestyle Consultant!

She is also affiliated with the IWI Europe Education Center as a trainer.

TapouT Signs Licensing Agreement with Champion Nutrition

TapouT, the premier mixed-martial arts apparel, gear and lifestyle brand, announced today a licensing agreement with Champion Nutrition to offer sports enthusiasts TapouT Sports Nutrition products. Under this relationship, Champion Nutrition will design, distribute and market the Tapout Sports Nutrition brand to all retailers in the United States and abroad. TapouT Sports Nutrition products will be available in mass-market retailers beginning this summer.

“TapouT is thrilled to be working with Champion Nutrition to offer our fans, fighters and every athlete premium sports nutrition products that will let them train harder and reach their goals,” said Punkass, TapouT Co-CEO and Co-Founder. “TapouT is about expressing your passion and attitude, and whether it’s through our clothing or nutritional products, we want our company to help take that emotion to the next level.”

TapouT Sports Nutrition products will feature premium sports supplements that will allow mixed-martial arts fighters, bodybuilders, and athletes-in-training to increase muscle size and strength. The products are competitively priced and engineered with research-tested ingredients, including highly absorbable forms of protein, creatine, hydration drink formulas and more, to deliver results for serious minded athletes and boost endurance for those pushing their physical limits.

"It’s an honor to develop a line of sports nutrition products under the TapouT name,” said Mark Post, President of Champion Nutrition. "Champion Nutrition has been developing sports nutrition products for athletes and champions in all sports for over 26 years. We look forward to working with TapouT to introduce our nutritional performance expertise to the mixed-martial arts community and all TapouT fans around the world.”

“TapouT has built a stellar reputation by supporting mixed-martial arts fighters in every facet of their career,” says TapouT Co-CEO and President Marc Kreiner. “We’re excited to team with Champion Nutrition to expand our support for these athletes by providing the supplements they need to maintain their training and take their game to the next level.”

About TapouT

TapouT is the world’s leading mixed-martial arts apparel, gear and lifestyle brand on the market today. TapouT started as a vision by Co-Founder Charles “Mask” Lewis Jr., and has since become a pioneer of the MMA movement and a $100 million empire. Representing some of the biggest MMA superstars including Chuck Liddell, Frank Shamrock, Thiago Alves and Anthony Johnson, TapouT produces the hottest apparel for men, women and children. Their distinctive, authentic logo graces everything from clothing, accessories, and gear, to nutrition products and a magazine. TapouT is also the exclusive apparel sponsor for Spike TV’s “The Ultimate Fighter” through 2011.

For millions of fans worldwide, the TapouT lifestyle inspires those to reach their goals and know that anything is possible if they “Simply Believe.”

About Champion Nutrition

Champion Nutrition is a Sunrise, FL based designer, marketer and manufacturer of performance-based sports nutrition products. Champion maintains its own 135,000 square foot GMP-certified manufacturing facility. Currently in their 26th year, Champion’s attention to product formulation for athletic performance is legendary and makes them one of the most well-respected sports nutrition companies in the industry. Champion Nutrition is the Official Sponsor and sports nutrition provider of world-class Mixed Martial Arts organization, American Top Team (ATT). This summer, Team Champion Nutrition Athletes Mike Thomas Brown and Thiago “Pitbull” Alves will be fighting in the biggest events in WEC and UFC history. Both televised events will be seen by over 2 million viewers, all watching Team Champion Athletes wearing the Champion Nutrition logo proudly.

See the Specials of the Week at Bodybuilding.com!

Source: Earth Times

Benefits of Phaseolamin

What Is Phaseolamin?

Phaseolamin is a partial protein substance derived from white beans.
It is also known as Phase 2, which is a proteinaceous inhibitor of
alpha-amylase, the enzyme that helps turn starch to sugar. In
simple terms, this means that it blocks the absorption of some
carbohydrates and starchy foods. It is a non-stimulant and has
no known side effects.

Phaseolamin Benefits

The most noticeable benefit of Phaseolamin is its ability to reduce
the absorption of calories taken in from starchy carbohydrates such
as potatoes, pasta, rice and bread. This is ideal for dieters and
anyone who desires to l ose f at without feeling deprived of the
foods they love.

Phaseolamin effectively neutralizes the starches found in foods
that are labeled carbohydrates. When combined with a sensible
eating plan, phaseolamin helps reduce hunger and speeds weight
loss.

Phaseolamin Weight Loss

In recent years, phaseolamin (commonly known as Phase 2) has become
one of the most highly touted ingredients for achieving w eight
l oss without feeling starved or hungry. Because it allows you to
eat some starchy and carbohydrate foods which satisfies your
cravings, you are more likely to remain on your weight loss plan.

Phaseolamin has also been shown to speed weight loss. Because it
reduces hunger and blocks the absorption of starchy foods that
normally get stored in the f at cells, people who use it
experience a 4 to 8 pound increase in pounds lost in a two month
period over those who don't use it.

Since phaseolamin actually blocks the absorption of starches and
carbohydrates, this means that effectively the carbohydrate
passes straight through your digestive system, and doesn't add
unwanted pounds or get stored as f at. Great news for w eight l oss.

Phaseolamin Supplement

Phaseolamin supplements are widely used because of their proven
effectiveness. Studies have shown that people who used
supplements containing Phase 2 lost more w eight in the same
time period than those who did not use them.

Many popular weight loss supplements contain phaseolamin,
because it is so effective. Most of these diet aids are totally
safe, another reason for their increasing popularity.

Phaseolamin is just one of the supplements in...

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Lose Fat, Gain Muscle, Shape Up. Sign up for our Free Weekly Bodybuilding,
Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter, and you will be automatically entered
in our monthly drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
Stay informed, stay motivated, win free stuff, join today!

Click Here To Sign Up Free

Phillies Relief Pitcher J.C. Romero is Suing GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Ergopharm, and Proviant Technologies

Suspended Phillies reliever J.C. Romero is suing the makers and distributors of nutritional supplements that he says are responsible for his positive steroid test last August.

The 27-page lawsuit, filed Monday in the Superior Court of New Jersey, blames the product 6-OXO Extreme for traces of androstenedione found in the pitcher’s urine on Aug. 26, 2008.

The numerous counts in the lawsuit include negligence, intentional misrepresentation, and consumer fraud. The four defendants named are GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Ergopharm, and Proviant Technologies.

The latter two companies are owned and operated by Patrick Arnold, an Illinois-based chemist who did time in federal prison for his role in the BALCO affair. Arnold did not immediately have a comment on the lawsuit.

Read The Full Story Here:

Suspended Phillies reliever J.C. Romero suing supplement makers over positive steroid test

See the Specials of the Week at Bodybuilding.com!

2009 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro 202lbs & Under Competitor List

2009 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro 202lbs & Under Competitor List

1 Ahmad, Ahmad
2 Arntz, Jason
3 Burke, Steven
4 Correa Da Silva, Eduardo
5 Dugdale, Mark
6 Farah, George
7 Galanti, Vinny
8 Jones, Richard
9 Rando, Greg
10 Solis Torres, Mauricio
11 Valentino, Mike
12 Wonsley, Nathan

Looking to be more fit then you were in 2008? Let Bodybuilding.com provide everything from workout plans to nutritional supplements.

Barbell Curl and Press Hybrid Exercise Combo

In this video clip I'm demonstrating a bicep barbell curl and reverse grip shoulder press combo. This is an awesome way to work both the biceps and front deltoids at the same time.

You will get a better pump throughout the biceps doing this exercise variation because the motion of lifting the arms up to the position where you'll then press the bar overhead hits the biceps from a unique angle that you'll never experience with regular barbell curls.

Give this exercise a try in your next arm workout and leave me a comment to let me know how it works for you.

IFBB Pro Erik Fankhauser Goes To Disneyland

IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Erik Fankhauser took a recent trip to Disneyland where he made Buzz Lightyear look tiny.

Check out the pics and comments here:

Erik Fankhauser Goes To Disneyland

101 Ways to motivate yourself and get in shape. Number 43 may surprise you. Read all 101 NOW at Bodybuilding.com!

Female Physique of the Day: Jennifer Rankin

A couple of pics of the very attractive Texas born and bred NPC Figure Competitor Jennifer Rankin...

See the Specials of the Week at Bodybuilding.com!

2009 NPC Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding & Figure Championship Bikini Results and Photos

2009 NPC Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding & Figure Championship Bikini

April 4th, 2009

Lakewood, Ohio

1. Tanya McCort

2. Kristin Bittner

3. Taleen Najarian

4. Krysti Jordan

5. Taylor Eblen

6. Nicole Klasnick

7. Tiffany Shelbley

8. Becky Bisesi

9. Lindsey Solak

10. Heidi Tatman

For Contest Photos Go Here:
2009 NPC Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding & Figure Championship Bikini Photos

CONFUSED by all those SUPPLEMENT INGREDIENTS? Get your Free Supps eBook at Bodybuilding.com. Start decoding them now!

Photo Credit: Bill Comstock

2009 NPC Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding & Figure Championships Figure Results and Photos

Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding & Figure Championship

April 4th, 2009

Lakewood, Ohio

2009 Overall Winner: Stephanie Blocker

Class A

1. Kandy Ridinger

2. Yvette Lepore

3. Rachel Speed

4. Jennifer Berkowitz

5. Shelley Trace

6. Lisa Whitacre

7. Katie Cannan

8. Christy Siebert

9. Kathy Agosti

10. Erin Torrano

11. Kelly Baker

12. Jessica Indian

Class B

1. Majijana Sebez

2. Rommey Murphy

3. Michele Smith

4. Alana Berg

5. Cheryl Nance

6. Danielle Soucek

7. Brigitte Doleshal

8. Gloria Barnum

9. Susan Miller

10. Kelly Booth

11. Nikki Christides

12. REbekah Poirier-Pierce

13. Jennifer Kemp

14. Lynne Mangen

15. Melissa Booker

16. Joy Acree

16. Grace Carney

16. Michelle Valenta

16. Lauren Myers

16. YuXin Hao

Class C

1. Stephanie Blocker

2. Cat Axvig

3. Adrienne Costanzo

4. Lora Gliptis

5. Jennifer Spires

6. Megan Gorski

7. Susan Ceklosky

8. Niki Delgrosso

9. Natalie Leon

10. Alley Aust

11. Lisa Ash

12. Ashley Hill

13. Ruth Miller

14. Kelly Robbins

15. Michelle Zamecnik

16. Marla Potvin

16. Lisa Cogdeill

16. Donna Zverina

16. Jennifer Greer

16. Alison Moser

16. Lindsay Tyler

16. Nikki Taylor

Class D

1. Faith Phillabaum

2. Laurie Gunzelman

3. Kim Williams

4. Lisa Burdick

5. Angela Harrivel

6. Elizabeth Jones

7. Amy Wood

8. Morgan Coggins

9. Lisa Obrien

10. Laura Jenkins

11. Kaylee Terwood

12. Melissa Myers

13. Jodi Cameron

14. Alicia Graham

15. Miranda Mielke

16. Teresa Donley

16. Michelle Nainiger

16. Debbie Bittner

16. Kelly Letzeiter

2009 Masters Figure Overall: Stephanie Blocker

35+

1. Stephanie Blocker

2. Lisa Burdick

3. Angela Harrivel

4. Danielle Soucek

5. Jennifer Spires

6. Natalie Leon

7. Susan Miller

8. Brigitte Doleshal

9. Kathy Agosti

10. Joy Acree

11. Erin Torrano

12. Carrie Kissling

13. Lisa Cogdeill

40+

1. Faith Phillabaum

2. Laurie Gunzelman

3. Kim Williams

4. Cheryl Nance

5. Gloria Barnum

6. Kandy Ridinger

7. Kelly Robbins

8. Ruth Miller

9. Lynne Mangen

10. Marla Potvin

11. Lisa Medoff

12. YuXin Hao

13. Bravina Trovato

14. Donna Zverina

15. Kelly Letzeiter

16. Darlene Cole

16. Lynn Marshall

50+

1. Cat Axvig

2. Debbie Bittner

3. Kathleen Rabeau

For Contest Photos Go Here:

2009 NPC Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding & Figure Championships Figure Photos

Bodybuilding.com's Supplement Awards 2008 set the Industry Standard! See what products our customers voted as #1!

Photo Credit: Bill Comstock

2009 NPC Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding & Figure Championships Women's Bodybuilding Results and Photos

2009 NPC Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding & Figure Championships Women's Bodybuilding

April 4th, 2009

Lakewood, Ohio

2009 Overall Winner: Toni West

Heavyweight

1. Toni West

2. Rosa Wyatt

3. Amy Palmer

4. Amy Rosenberg

5. Pamela Hannam

6. Roberta Hatch

7. Deanna Stobbe

8. Charity Sheperd

9. Lauren Gandee

Lightweight

1. Susan Maloney

2. Rebecca Bruce

3. Beth Ramey

35+

1. Susan Maloney

2. Rosa Wyatt

3. Amy Palmer

4. Amy Rosenberg

5. Rebecca Bruce

6. Pamela Hannam

7. Roberta Hatch

8. Deanna Stobbe

9. Beth Ramey

10. Rebecca Allgeler

For Contest Photos Go Here:
2009 NPC Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding & Figure Championships Women's Bodybuilding Photos

Eat Right! Diet Right! Click here for a Healthy Shopping List at Bodybuilding.com.

Photo Credit: Bill Comstock

2009 NPC Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding & Figure Championships Men's Bodybuilding Results and Photos

2009 NPC Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding & Figure Championships Men's Bodybuilding

April 4th, 2009

Lakewood, Ohio

2009 Overall Winner: Luric Edison

Heavyweight

1. Joey Walter

2. Ryan Ogden

3. Kaleaf James

4. Eric Agosti

5. Rick Bretz

6. John Cole

7. Joseph Swartz

8. Jon Murchak

9. Kim Kimbrough

Light Heavyweight

1. Luric Edison

2. David Turk

3. Greg Smyers

4. Michael Wheeler

5. Nathan Burke

6. Jody Young

7. James Ellis

8. Joao Costa

9. J.T. Wood

10. Reginald Ruffin

11. Chad Baccus

12. Philip Myers

13. Damon Buente

14. Vince Bishop

15. Tyrone Finny

16. Derrick Davis

16. Tomo Marjanovic

16. John Smiley

Middleweight

1. Vernon Williams

2. Mark Foley

3. Jim Harder

4. Scott Hoff

5. Anthony Moses

6. Justin Martin

7. Tim ONeill

8. Jim Walter

9. Bob Wade

10. Douglas Patton

11. Pete Solhan

Welterweight

1. Chris Lawrence

2. John SanFilippo

3. Rene Aldape

4. Josh Houghton

5. David Pertuset

6. Thomas Alexander

7. Ryan Crim

8. Donald Davis

9. John Yurcek

10. Don Palmer

Lightweight

1. Marcus Cooper

2. Glenn Pisching

3. Kevin Smith

4. Brent Turner

5. David Mylar

6. Ano Gaewmeesri

7. Jeff Hart

Bantamweight

1. Dan Mangold

2. John Gillispie

3. Carl Egner

4. Vernon Lloyd

5. Jason Kremer

6. Steve Cika

7. Matt Thomas

8. Andre Love

9. Shane Simone

Junior Men

1. David Turk

2. Scott Parkes

3. Joey Walter

4. Jody Young

5. Kaleaf James

6. John SanFilippo

7. James Ellis

8. Jim Walter

9. Brent Turner

10. Thomas Alexander

11. Damon Buente

12. Chad Baccus

13. Jeff Hart

14. Shane Simone

15. Joseph Swartz

16. Tomo Marjanovic

16. John Smiley

16. Nathan Hoburn

16. Toby Vollmer

2009 Teen Overall: Scott Parkes

Teen 18-19

1. Scott Parkes

2. David Zimcosky

3. Joao Costa

4. Vernon Lloyd

5. Nikolas Capitano

6. Andre Love

7. Josh Tinkham

8. Nathan Hoburn

Teen <18

1. Gabe Rizzo

2. David Marcum

40+ Heavyweight

1. Dave Capitano

2. Scott Hoff

3. Anthony Moses

4. Tim ONeill

5. Bob Wade

6. Kim Kimbrough

2009 40+ Overall: Chris Lawrence

40+ Lightweight

1. Chris Lawrence

2. Kevin Smith

3. Carl Egner

4. Don Palmer

5. Steve Hammersmith

50+ Heavyweight

1. Pete Solhan

2. Bob McAlldon

2009 50+ Overall: Calvin Miles

50+ Lightweight

1. Calvin Miles

2. George Shipley

3. David Mylar

4. John Allen

For Contest Photos Go Here:

2009 NPC Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding & Figure Championships Men's Bodybuilding Photos

Looking to be more fit then you were in 2008? Let Bodybuilding.com provide everything from workout plans to nutritional supplements.

Photo Credit: Bill Comstock

IFBB Figure Pro Hazal Nelson Joins Team ON

Optimum Nutrition (ON) welcomes Hazal Nelson to its expanding roster of talented athletes.

A native of Turkey, Hazal’s first career highlight was winning the IFBB Turkish Bodyfitness Championship in 2005. She then became an American citizen and won her class at the 2005 NPC Ironman Classic.

“Hazal is a prominent athlete in the professional ranks,” said Bob Corbett, Tradeshow & Athletes Manager for ON in Aurora. “In addition to a very active schedule on the IFBB Pro Figure competition circuit, she has appeared in leading publications including Fitness Rx, Muscle & Fitness and US Weekly.”

Founded in 1987, Optimum Nutrition is distinguished in the sports nutrition industry as one of the very few companies to formulate and manufacture products in-house. Doing so eliminates the ‘middle man’ expense while allowing the company to further its reputation for uncompromising standards of quality. ON’s Aurora production facility is NSF GMP Registered and AIB GMP Certified.

Looking to be more fit then you were in 2008? Let Bodybuilding.com provide everything from workout plans to nutritional supplements.

Source: FPR

Do Squats Hurt Your Knees?

Do squats hurt your knees? If so then try doing front squats instead. Front squats are easier on your knee joints than back squats according to researchers at the University of Florida. They found that holding the barbell in front of your body instead of across your back upper back changes your center of gravity and reduces the stress on the knee joints.

----------------------------------

Front Squats

This is a variation of the squat. This exercise is harder on the muscles, but easier on the joints, than regular squats. It places all the weight in front of your body. This exercise works the quadriceps more then regular squats.

Use a rack such as a squat or power rack to hold the barbell. Unrack a barbell holding it across your shoulders. Squat down until your upper thighs are below parallel with the floor. Keep your head up and using the strength of your legs and back return to the starting position. Repeat.

Katrinka Knox

Katrinka Knox is a 5' 3" tall NPC Figure Competitor from Oregon.
She competed in the Emerald Cup last year and came in 18th place in the Over 5'2 to 5'3 category.
You can visit her MySpace page here:
http://www.myspace.com/katrinkaknox

Off Season Bodybuilding Pic...

Here is a pic I took tonight after my workout. I'm currently tipping the scale at 228 lbs. (I'm 5'7 tall) I'm seriously thinking about competing again in fall. Even though it is a big commitment and all, I just love the challenge of competing. I enjoy going into the gym on a mission so to speak rather then just going in to workout with no real purpose in mind. So we'll see how things go over the next couple months.

Powerlifting Video Documentary

I just watched an awesome powerlifting video that I wanted to share with you...

http://www.leehayward.com/powerlifting-video.htm

One of the members of the Total Fitness Bodybuilding forum posted this up on the board, and I wanted to pass it along to you as well.

It's called "Power Unlimited" and it is a documentary on powerlifting that is definitely worth watching. It will open your eyes to the real behind the scenes world of hard core powerlifting from pioneers such as Ed Coan, Lee Moran, Kirk Karwoski, and other legendary lifters. It also looks into the future of the sport through the eyes of novices, international lifters and coaches, and from the unique perspectives of rising stars like Priscilla Ribic, Scot Mendelson, Scott Cartwright, and many more.

You can watch the full video at:

http://www.leehayward.com/powerlifting-video.htm

Afternoon motorcycle ride…

Yesterday afternoon was nice a sunny so Trish and myself took off for a couple hours and went for a ride on the motorcycle. It was nice, but it's still a bit cold outside (about 40 degrees fahrenheit or 5 degrees celsius). I can't wait until summer when we can go outside without having to bundle up like eskimos :-)

Bicep and Tricep Super Set Arm Workout

In this video clip I'm demonstrating a bicep and tricep super set combo with low pulley cable curls and tricep cable push downs. This is an awesome way to pump up the arms. I like to do these exercises at the beginning of my arm workouts. I'll do 2-3 super sets with about 1-2 minutes rest in between. Afterwards I'll move on to some isolation movements such as preacher curls, concentration curls, tricep extensions, etc. to finish off my arm workout.

Female Bicep Workout Video Clip

Here is a quick video clip of my girlfriend Patricia pumping up her biceps :-)



You can check out her website at: http://www.patriciacrocker.com

One Tough Grappling Girl…

This past Saturday my girlfriend Patricia went to a local jiu-jitsu grappling tournament here in town. It was only a small turn out and unfortunately she was the only girl who showed up to fight. But being a very competitive athlete, she wasn't going to let this stop her from competing because she went ahead and entered in the men's division to fight!

Now granted she did lose on points to the much bigger competitors, but it wasn't due to lack of effort on her part. Here is a pic from the open class competition where Patricia was going for an arm bar on a guy who outweighed her by over 80 pounds.

2009 IFBB Europa Show of Champions Pro Fitness Results and Photos

2009 IFBB Europa Show of Champions Pro Fitness
April 18th, 2009
Orlando, Florida

1. Shannon Meteraud *
2. Myriam Capes *
3. Mindi OBrien *
4. Erin Riley
5. Tina Durkin
6. Melissa Frederick
7. Donna Jones
8. Jessica Beth-Palmer
9. Ryall Graber
10. Siene Silva
11. Maggie Blanchard
12. Liza Hughes
13. Shannon Dey
14. Leslie Rae-Newton
15. Mandy Polk

* Qualifies for the 2009 Ms. Fitness Olympia

For Contest Photos Go Here:
2009 IFBB Europa Show of Champions Pro Fitness Photos

New Year's resolution to get in shape? Bodybuilding.com has both the information you want and the products you need to meet your goals.

Photo Credit: Bill Comstock

2009 IFBB Europa Show Of Champions Figure Results and Photos

2009 IFBB Europa Show Of Champions Figure
April 18th, 2009
Orlando, Florida

1. Nicole Wilkins *
2. Heather Mae French *
3. Monica Brant *
4. Inga Nenerayskaite
5. Erin Stern
6. Candice Keene
6. Valerie Haines
8. Rachel Cammon
9. Laura Sutter
10. Hazal Nelson
11. Jennifer Migliacci
12. Natalie Waples
13. Karen Williams
14. Brandie Gardner
14. Kristin Nunn
16. Shelly Taucher
16. Marcy Porter
16. Nicole Pitcher-Scott
16. Petra Mertl
16. Deanne Brown
16. Natalie Calland
16. Lisbeth Halikka
16. Alana Hernandez
16. Catherine Holland
16. Ines Jimenez
16. Anna Kerr
16. Amy Lee-Martin
16. Aymara Bernardo

* Qualifies for the 2009 IFBB Ms. Figure Olympia

For Contest Photos Go Here:
2009 IFBB Europa Show Of Champions Figure Photos

101 Ways to motivate yourself and get in shape. Number 43 may surprise you. Read all 101 NOW at Bodybuilding.com!

Photo Credit: Bill Comstock

2009 IFBB Europa Show of Champions Men's Bodybuilding Results and Photos

2009 IFBB Europa Show of Champions Men's Bodybuilding
April 18th, 2009
Orlando, Florida

1. Troy Alves *
2. Hidetada Yamagishi *
3. Darrem Charles *
4. Sergey Shelestov
5. Frederic Sauvage
6. Francisco Bautista
7. George Farah
8. Jonathan Rowe
9. Miguel Filho
10. Daniele Seccarecci
11. Don Long
12. Omar Deckard
13. Andy Haman
14. Oscar Dexter
15. Nathaniel Wonsley
16. Milton Holloway, Jr. 16. Raul Carrasco
16. John Simmons

* Qualifies for the 2009 IFBB Mr. Olympia

For Contest Photos Go Here:
2009 IFBB Europa Show of Champions Men's Bodybuilding Photos

See the Specials of the Week at Bodybuilding.com!

Photo Credit: Bill Comstock

2009 NPC Max Muscle Naturals Bikini Results and Photos

2009 NPC Max Muscle Naturals Bikini
March 28, 2009
Veterans Auditorium
Culver City, California

2009 Overall Winner: Julie Kaesberg

Class A
1. Stacey Cooper
2. Angie Richards
3. Andrea Taylor
4. Patricia Zuniga
5. Diana DeOchoa
6. Monica Paredes

Class B
1. Julie Kaesberg
2. Dawn Ross
3. Paulina Hunter

For Contest Results Go Here:
2009 NPC Max Muscle Naturals Bikini Photos

Looking to be more fit then you were in 2008? Let Bodybuilding.com provide everything from workout plans to nutritional supplements.

Photo Credit: Paul Robinson

Allison Frahn

Awhile back I did a write up on the lovely K.L. Frahn.
Well here is her sister, the equally beautiful Allison Frahn.
Allison was born on September 27, 1980 in Nanuet, NY.
She definitely has a ripped lean look, and if you go to her website and check out her bio, you'll see that this young woman overcame a tremendous obstacle to get to where she is today.
It's a very inspiring story.
Besides doing figure competitions and being a fitness model, she has a BA in Communication from the University of Delaware.

Contest History:
2004 NBI Tri-State - 1st Place in the Figure Short.
2005 INBF Naturalmania - 1st Place Figure
2005 WNBF Pro World Champs - 3rd Place Figure Short
2005 WNBF Pro World Champs - 2nd Place (Best Body)
2006 WNBF Pro Natural Cup - 4th Place Figure Short.
2006 WNBF Pro World Champs - 2nd Place Figure Short
2007 WNBF Pro World Champs - 4th Place Figure Short.
2008 WNBF World Championships - 2nd Place Figure Short.
2008 WNBF Kansas City Pro International - 2nd Place Figure

Besides her website, you can check her out on MySpace here:
http://www.myspace.com/allisonfrahn

Did you get your FREE videos?

If you have been following along with my blog you
know that I recently posted about how nutrition expert
and Body-for-Life Champion Joel Marion is GIVING away
3 killer videos about some of the major pitfalls of
dieting and how you can actually use your favorite
high calorie "junk foods" to keep your metabolism high
and lose bodyfat faster!

Well, I just wanted to shoot you an e-mail to let you
know that if you haven't downloaded your FREE videos
yet, then you should do so now because the website that
they are hosted on will be taken down this weekend.

http://tinyurl.com/fat-loss-video

If you ever struggle with following a solid nutrition program then I suggest you check out these videos because Joel shares some awesome fat loss strategies.

Even though I've been working out for the past 18+ years myself, I'm not naive enough to think I know it all. And I have even picked up a few killer tricks from this guy. And there's A LOT more to come.

So don't miss out:

http://tinyurl.com/fat-loss-video

2009 IFBB Europa Show Of Champions Figure Competitors List

2009 IFBB Europa Show Of Champions Figure Competitors List

Current as of April 15th, 2009

Aymara Bernardo
Monica Brant
Deanne Brown
Natalie Calland
Rachel Cammon
Heather Mae French
Brandie Gardner
Valerie Haines
Lisbeth Halikka
Alana Hernandez
Catherine Holland
Ines Jimenez
Candice Keene
Cea Anna Kerr
Amy Lee Martin
Petra Mertl
Jennifer Migliacci
Hazal Nelson-Etiz
Inga Neverauskaite
Kristin Nunn
Nicole Pitcher-Scott
Marcy Porter
Erin Stern
Laura Sutter
Shelly Taucher
Natalie Waples
Nicole Wilkins-Lee
Karen Williams

Working out but not seeing results fast enough? Bodybuilding.com has over 6,000 products and the info to help you see results faster!

Warrants for Female Bodybuilders Issued In Oklahoma Steroid Bust

A big steroid bust leads to 10 arrest warrants. Investigators say when they began the investigation two years ago; they vastly underestimated how bad the problem of anabolic steroid abuse was in Oklahoma. The bust doesn't involve your average drug user. The accused are middle and upper class professionals. Some are accused of using steroids, others of selling or giving them away and agents say one man even ordered the raw ingredients from China to make his own.

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Tulsa Police have been working the case, along with help from the Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Marshals and other agencies.

Officers were directed to a job site, where they found Derrick Davis.

"Here's what's going to happen. You'll be booked into Tulsa County and there is a bond, so you can bond out," the arresting officer told Davis.

Documents show Davis ordered raw anabolic steroid compounds from China in order to make injectable steroids. They say when Davis realized his latest shipment had been seized by Customs; he had a friend hide all his steroid stuff at work, which police also recovered.

A nationally recognized competitive bodybuilder from Tulsa, Trudy Ireland-Kline was out of state and promised to surrender when she returns.

Documents show she admitted using steroids, but said she quit because they were causing heart problems.

"The abuses come when people flood their body with doses well beyond anything considered therapeutic," said "Tom" with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

Agents say Tom Burke is a steroid dealer who admitted using steroids for 20 years, including to prepare for the 2008 Oklahoma Open bodybuilding competition.

He's a trainer at this Tulsa gym and records show he gave steroids to several people he trained. Agents say steroid abusers are in denial about the effects and side effects.

"They can see it in everyone else, but can't see the abuse in themselves," said "Tom" with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

Brad Stahlheber was arrested at a Muskogee hospital where he works. Agents say he admitted buying steroids over the internet and using them for cosmetic reasons.

Dr. Gary Lee faces charges of writing more than 30 steroid prescriptions to a couple of competitive bodybuilders and a power hitter on a national softball team.

And, in Oklahoma City, Darrell Terrell, an amateur bodybuilder who's been featured in national magazines and city firefighter Sherry Smith, both face charges after a search of their home turned up steroids and syringes.

Read The Full Story and Follow Developing News Here:
Warrants Issued In Oklahoma Steroid Bust



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2009 IFBB Europa Show of Champions Fitness Competitors List

2009 IFBB Europa Show of Champions Fitness Competitors List

Current as of April 15th, 2009

Maggie Blanchard
Jessica Booth-Palmer
Myriam Capes
Shannon Dey
Tina Durkin
Melissa Frederick
Ryall Graber
Liza Hughes
Donna Jones
Shannon Meteraud
Leslie Rae Newton
Mindi O’Brien
Mandy Polk
Erin Riley
Siene Silva

Bodybuilding.com's Supplement Awards 2008 set the Industry Standard! See what products our customers voted as #1!

2009 IFBB Europa Show of Champions Men's Bodybuilding Competitors List

2009 IFBB Europa Show of Champions Men's Bodybuilding Competitors List

Current as of April 15th, 2009

Troy Alves
Francisco Bautista
Raul Carrasco
Darrem Charles
Omar Deckard
Oscar Dexter
George Farah
Andy Haman
Milton Holloway Jr
Don Long
Jonathan Rowe
Frederic Sauvage
Daniele Saccarecci
Sergey Shelestov
John Simmons
Nathan Wonsley
Hidetada Yamagishi

Eat Right! Diet Right! Click here for a Healthy Shopping List at Bodybuilding.com.

2009 NPC Max Muscle Naturals Figure Results and Photos

2009 NPC Max Muscle Naturals Figure
March 28, 2009
Veterans Auditorium
Culver City, California

2009 Overall Winner: Elena Renteria

Class A
1. Patricia Wood
2. Sharle Killorn
3. Jennifer Nixon
4. Jane Thomas
5. Desiree Martinez
6. Leann Maclean
7. Jennifer Hopkins
8. Debrah Fish

Class B
1. Elena Renteria
2. Kim Carmichael
3. Tracey Gaither
4. Marcy Metcalf
5. Kerryne Brown
6. Stephanie Lake
7. Gloria Lifsshutz
8. Missy Alba
9. Cheryl Mothes
10. Amanda Mittleman
11. Shannon Kramer
12. Traci Grundland
13. Christine Price
14. Angel Yi
15. Stephanie Whittaker

Class C
1. Jami DeBernard
2. Julie Piansay
3. Kristen Genzano
4. Kaysie Gunnoe
5. Jessica Temple
6. Christine Chanda
7. Carolyn Raymond
8. Phaedra Dahl
10. Kristina Henrich
11. Hayley Pantle
12. Amanda Butz
13. Janette Leo
14. April Bagner
15. Laura Edwards
16. Jennifer Hrzic

Class D
1. Maria Pernia
2. Megan Scott
3. Vanessa Almeida
4. Michelle Lee
5. Nicole Snell
6. Laura Blocher
7. Jennifer Marshall
8. Cynthia Glickman
9. Melissa Rafferty
10. Ima Somers
11. Karine LeBlanc

35+ Overall
Elena Renteria

35+ Short
1. Elena Renteria
2. Jennifer Nixon
3. Kim Carmichael
4. Marcy Metcalf
5. Carolyn Raymond
6. Jane Thomas
7. Missy Alba
8. Cheryl Mothes
9. Amanda Mittleman
10. Christine Price

35+ Tall
1. Jami DeBernard
2. Julie Piansay
3. Kristen Genzano
4. Phaedra Dahl
6. Cynthia Glickman
7. Emily Renninger
8. Ima Somers
9. Lorraine Jurado-Sansoucy
10. Kristina Henrich
11. April Bagner
12. Jennifer Hrzic

45+
1. Carolyn Raymond
2. Tracey Gaither
3. Gloria Lifsshutz
4. Laura Edwards

For Contest Photos Go Here:
2009 NPC Max Muscle Naturals Figure Photos

Bodybuilding.com is your #1 SOURCE for WOMEN'S SUPPLEMENTS!

Photo Credit: Bill Comstock