WILL BIG RAMY JULY 2018

REIGN
VICTORIOUS?
OLYMPIA 2018

LET’S TALK
ABOUT
SARMS

EVAN
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IN EVERY ISSUE
8 NICK ORTON
10
WILL BIG RAMY REIGN
VICTORIOUS?
FEATURES The Olympia weekend is
20 THE ANIMAL INSIDE coming up! Will Big
Animal sponsored athlete Ramy overshadow the
Evan Centopani gives Flex other Olympians to take
an exclusive insight into what the prestigious Sandow
gave him the drive to go from trophy from the
‘Fat to Freak’. clutches of Phil ‘The
Gift’ Heath?
26 THE BIONIC MAN
Flex chats exclusively with Edgard John-
Augustin. The touching story of how
Edgard lost his legs in a freak accident
as a child and subsequently rose to
greatness.

32 RAISE THE DEAD

Santi Aragon, an IFBB Pro league
bodybuilder, gives a step by step guide
to deadlifting with perfect form for
maximum growth.

40 LET’S TALK ABOUT SARMs

Adrian Melia speaks openly on the
hot topic of SARMs. Adrian takes a
look at the latest research and also
gives an insight into his own personal
experiences.

46 HIIT KITCHEN CULINARY DELIGHTS

With the opening of another restaurant
in the famous Baker St London, HIIT
Kitchen ofers some treats from their
latest menu for you to cook.

56 COOL PRODUCTS AT BODYPOWER

A look into some of the latest cool
products from this year’s 10th
Anniversary at Bodypower.
60 RISING STAR
This month rising star Jase Long shows
just what it takes to walk the road to
bodybuilding stardom.
66 STRUCTURALLY SOUND
Neil Hill explains how to igure out your
best approach to make killer gains.
70 SQUATTING OR NOT
Leica Gelsei goes through many ways
to get maximum leg growth using only
exercises that suit you.
96
76 AMI KING ‘VEGAN’
Vegan athlete Ami King expels the myth
that vegans can’t be bodybuilders.
80 BODYPOWER SHOW REPORT
An insight into Britain’s greatest
bodybuilding event- BodyPower.
82 PCA SHOW REPORT AT BODYPOWER
The winners who rocked the PCA stage
at BodyPower.
84 WABBA SHOW REPORT
Wabba show report and close up on two
star winners.
86 HERCULES SHOW REPORT
Highlights of all the winners from the
prestigious Hercules Olympia 2018.
91 FAMOUS FACES OF BODYPOWER
Did you get to see all the famous faces
at this year’s BodyPower? A relection
on some of the greats that graced
BodyPower’s Vegas strip.
94 BODYPOWER SHOW REPORT: DORIAN YATES
A testament to Dorian’s charitable
artwork at BodyPower 2018.
96 HOW TO GET STARTED IN STRONGMAN
Strongman Legend Glenn Ross explains
how to get to strongman greatness, and
Terry Hollands smashes the bus pull
record.
102 GET SWOLE WITH WOLÉ
An in-depth guide on how to grow a
crazy chest with Wolé Adesemoye.
110 TOM COLEMAN ‘HOW I GOT HERE’
Britain’s great Muscle Model athlete Tom
Coleman shares his blueprint on how to
hit it big time.
116 BLOOD FLOW RESTRICTION TRAINING
Guru John Buckland takes you through
the beneits of blood low restriction
training and how it gives bigger, stronger
muscles.
120 TWEAKS TO BECOME A FREAK
Five alterations to basic upper-body
exercises that will hype up hypertrophy.
128 HOT BOD
NABBA Overall Junior Bikini winner
Rachael Okeefe takes this month’s
coveted Hot Bod title.

6 FLEX | JULY 2018

 CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
David Pecker

UK EDITION
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Nick Orton
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 FROM THE CEO
BodyPower is
Changing
Our 10-year anniversary
didn’t disappoint, athletes,
exhibitors and amazing
competitions all under one
roof. BodyPower always has
and continues to bring the
fitness family together, we
must work as one to ensure
each and every visitor has
a fantastic, unforgettable
experience. We lift the
nation and we will continue
to do so.
8 FLEX | JULY 2018
Plans are already underway
for the rest of 2018 and 2019,
including BodyPower on the
Beach and the unmissable
BodyPower Weekender in
Edinburgh. BodyPower Expo
2019 will be all change and
experience will be the word
on everyone’s lips, this is the
future for BodyPower and
the expo is changing as you
know it!
2019 will bring change and
By Nick Orton
the evolution of BodyPower
is coming… Introducing
BodyPower Experience, a
brand new, unique show
focused on giving you the
ultimate weekend. Whether
you’re looking to compete,
spectate or browse the streets
of industry-leading clothing
and nutrition brands,
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the place for you.
Stand in awe and soak
up the atmosphere of
BodyPower Central, the
overwhelming focal point
of the show and disperse
to see all of the fantastic
aspects on offer. As you
would expect, the popular
areas of BodyPower will
remain, including leading
education sessions and
world-renowned
competitions. With a strong
focus on fitness as a lifestyle,
BodyPower is changing as
you know it. Three
unforgettable days of a
theme-park inspired fitness
extravaganza, 2019’s expo
will be truly unmissable.
@nickorton22
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 BIG RAMY
WILL
REIGN VICTORIOUS?
OLYMPIA 2018
THE RIDICULOUSLY WIDE, THICK BACK OF
MAMDOUH “BIG RAMY” ELSSBIAY
ECLIPSED ALL BUT ONE OF HIS FOES LAST
YEAR. WILL IT BE ENOUGH TO PULL OFF AN
UPSET AT THIS SEPTEMBER’S OLYMPIA?
/// BY MICHAEL BERG /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY PER BERNAL
Who is going to take the
Sandow this September?
Will ‘The Gift’ Phil take an eighth
title, or will Big Ramy’s monster
width crush Phil in his shadows?
Or, is it time for a complete
change? Maybe European
William ‘The Conqueror’ Bonac
will scoop the trophy away from
all their grasps. This really would
complete his winning streak
after his Arnold Victory!
The Olympia weekend is a
tense environment for every
bodybuilder, spectator and
competitor. Everyone at the
show knows that anything could
happen. Every competitor wants
to tear Phil away from his eighth
title- and what’s stopping them?
Phil has built so much hard,
grainy muscle from years of
conditioning, but it only takes
a moment of giving in to the
outside pressures of being the
King to lose control and ruin the
last stages of prep. One thing’s
for certain- coach Hany Rambod
will be keeping a watchful eye on
his every movement to get the
best out of the best.
Big Ramy may have superhu-
man size, but in previous years
his condition has not been
sharp enough. It looks as if it’s
going to be a different story this
year though. The Monster has
10 FLEX | JULY 2018
been spending time in Kuwait
with Team Oxygen and his
density has totally changed.
It seems that any athlete that
ends up a part of Team Oxygen
grows uncontrollably- just look
at Brit Nathan De Asha!
People have complained in the
past of Ramy’s soft glutes and
legs- not this September they
won’t. I can see him stepping on
stage peeled. If he can do this,
it will be a tough decision for
the judges, especially as he
out freaks most and has a
great smile.
William Bonac does seem
to be a perfect contender
to be a Mr Olympia though.
He has grown into each one
of his contests, bringing home
great results. The condition
that Bonac has is outstanding.
He has deep, thick muscle
bellies with razor sharp
feathering in every area of his
physique. Shawn Ray, who
knows everything and anything
condition and stage presence,
has billed Bonac as the next
Kai Greene. So, with Bonac’s
flawless lines and as always
a posing routine that leaves
the jaws of the judges
scraping the floor, could a
European be crowned the
next Mr O??
JULY 2018 | FLEX 11
 rise over the five-week
THE progression. MACHINE
TURNING
On the following pages is a
walk-through of five of Big Ramy’s
ROW
Targets Latissimus

POINT standard back moves, with form

pointers to squeeze the maximum
stimulation out of each.
dorsi, mid back
muscles (rhom-
boids, teres major,
teres minor)
If Elssbiay ends Heath’s title run, it
will be in no small part due to his #SHOWDOWN Also Works
back, including a rear lat spread On Oct. 11, nearly four weeks Traps, rear deltoids,
biceps
striking for its impossible, light- removed from the Olympia, Elssbiay
obliterating dimensions that can posted a simple state ment to his Grip Palms facing
figuratively swallow other Facebook page, accompanied with or palms down;
straps are helpful to
competitors whole. a contest shot from the 2016 extend your ability
Surely, his approach to back Prague Pro: “Be all in or get all out, to hold on
training isn’t likely to change course there is no halfway.”
Step by Step
too much in 2018, as he settles in On Oct. 20, he posted another
with his crew at the palatial Oxygen
Gym in Kuwait City. There, as he
short, potent reminder of his
resolve: “Change comes one day
1 Adjust the seat
so that when
you grasp the
has in the past, he’ll surely lean on at a time. #never #give #up.” handles, your arms
are straight out
exercises that have brought him Of course, social media
from your shoulders
growth and cuts, including dumbbell declarations don’t win contests. and your middle
rows, lat pulldowns to the front and Unbridled effort, intensive chest and upper
to the rear, and seated cable rows concentration, and a willingness to abs can rest firmly
and machine rows, among other grind it out day after day in the gym against the pad.
mainstays. while eating a steady slew of plain
About three years ago, the proteins, veggies, and clean carbs 2 Grasp the
handles with
a palms-down
Egyptian-born Elssbiay met trainer are the only ways forward. We can
(pronated) or
Ahmad Alaqi, who introduced a firmly assume Big Ramy, having palms-facing
progressive approach to his back, come so close to the pinnacle, won’t (neutral) grip, and
chest, leg, and shoulder workouts. waver as he pounds away between lift the weight up a
As Alaqi explained in 2015, “We vary now and next September. few inches into the
starting position.
the rep range from 15 to 6. Each All the while, half a world away,
week, we decrease the number Phil Heath will be doing the same in
of reps. So we start Week 1 with his Colorado compound. Two men, 3 Pull the
handles evenly
toward you as
sets of 15 reps. Next week set to face off for their sport’s
your elbows go
we go to 12 reps. The week after, ultimate prize, with history on the backward past
10, then 8, and finally 6. And then we line to boot. the plane of your
go back to 15 and start over again.” For fans, the rematch can’t come back, while also
As the reps decrease, the weights soon enough. simultaneously
shifting your
shoulder blades
inward near the
apex of the
repetition.
BACK WORKOUT EXERCISE SETS REPS
Here’s how a back workout
using Big Ramy’s training Machine Row 3–4
(BY WEEK)
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
4 Hold the peak
contraction
for a brief count,
approach might look. For then return along
One-arm 3–4 15, 12, 10, 8, 6
each movement, you’d do Dumbbell Row the same path,
warm-ups as needed to get to extending your
your working weight, nudging Lat Pulldown 3–4 15, 12, 10, 8, 6 elbows and feeling
up the poundage week to week to Front a stretch through
your lats and mid
as the target number of reps Lat Pulldown to 3–4 15, 12, 10, 8, 6
back.
per set drops. Other moves Rear
Big Ramy relies on include
Hammer Strength pulldowns,
Seated Cable Row 3–4 15, 12, 10, 8, 6
NOTE: This does not include any warm-up sets
5 Stop before
the weights
touch down so that
barbell rows, deadlifts, and
stif-arm pulldowns. you need to safely reach your working weight. you can maintain
tension throughout
the set.

ELSSBIAY’S TRAINING SPLIT

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Chest Legs Delts Back Arms

12 FLEX | JULY 2018

 TRAINING TIP
Elssbiay tends to focus
on long contractions when
doing this exercise, taking full
advantage of the range of motion
the Hammer Strength apparatus
offers. He’ll pull his elbows back
as far as he can behind his body,
and he may add a few forced
reps at the end of the final set
with the help of his trainer to
thoroughly burn
out the area.

JULY 2018 | FLEX 13

 TRAINING TIP
The secret of productive
one-arm rows is to not
overtwist the upper body, which
can add unwanted momentum while
also putting the spine at some
unnecessary risk for injury. The
movement should be driven by your
back muscles contracting and your
shoulder shifting up and inward. In
addition, your head should remain
in a neutral, aligned position with
your back—no need to look
up as you rep.

14 FLEX | JULY 2018

ONE-ARM
DUMBBELL
ROW
Targets Lats,
rhomboids, middle and
lower trapezius

Also Works Erector

spinae, biceps

Grip Neutral (palm

facing his body), with
straps for additional
strength

Step by Step

1 While these can be

done in a variety of
ways—including with
one knee on a bench—
Big Ramy keeps both
feet on the floor and, as
is the case here, places
his free hand on the
knee pad of a pulldown
machine for balance.

2 Hold one dumbbell

with your
working-side hand,
wrapping the strap
around the handle and
then placing your palm
and fingers around
it to get a solid grip.

3 To start, your
back should be
flat from head to
tailbone, your torso
angled about 45
degrees in relation to
the floor, with the
weight hanging straight
down from your
shoulder joint.

4 To initiate a rep,
flex through your
back and bend your
elbow to pull the
dumbbell toward your
flank. Your elbow will
rise up past the level of
your back, and the
shoulder blade of the
working side should
shift inward as you
reach the top of your
range of motion.
Snapshot
5 After a flexing
pause at the top,
lower the weight down Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay
along the same path
to a full stretch—just Birth Date: 16 Sept. 1984 Europe, 1st; 2016 Kuwait Pro, 1st;
don’t let the dumbbell Height: 5'9" 2015 Arnold Classic Brazil, 1st;
touch down to the floor Weight: 300 lbs (contest); 325 lbs 2013–14 New York Pro, 1st;
between reps. (of-season) 2012 Amateur Olympia,
Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt super-heavyweight and overall
Residence: Kuwait City, Kuwait champ (earned pro card)
Career Highlights: 2017 Mr. Social: Instagram @big_ramy;
Olympia, 2nd; 2017 Arnold Classic Facebook @RamyMohElspiy

JULY 2018 | FLEX 15

 REAR
LAT
PULL-
DOWN
Targets Lats
Also Works
Biceps

Grip Overhand, a
few inches outside
shoulder width

Step by Step

1 Grasp the bar

a few inches
past the point
where each side
angles downward.

2 Sit in the seat

with your legs
tucked underneath
the kneepads.
Your feet should
be flat on the floor,
elbows extended
(but not hyper-
extended), with
the selected bars
of the weight
stack lifted at least
an inch or two.

3 With your
core tight,
chin down (but not
tucked), and torso
slightly angled
forward, pull
downward to bring
the centre of the
bar attachment
FRONT LAT down to the back
of your neck.
PULLDOWN 3 With your core tight and
torso slightly angled back,
Bend your elbows
and bring them
Targets Lats pull downward to bring the centre downward so they
Also Works Biceps of the bar attachment down to your approach your
upper chest—you’ll bend your elbows flank.
Grip Overhand, a few inches outside and bring them rearward so they
shoulder width

Step by Step
break the plane of your back at the
bottom, while your shoulder blades, 4 Once the bar
lightly touches
your neck, squeeze
as with your other rowing motions,

1 Grasp the bar a few inches

past the point where each side
angles downward—while Ramy
doesn’t always wrap his thumbs
around the bar, you should, as the
open-handed grip doesn’t offer any
additional benefit while increasing
the risk of slippage. (You can also
consider straps, which Elssbiay
uses throughout his back workouts,
to further boost your grip.)
2 Sit in the seat with your
legs tucked underneath the
kneepads. Your feet should be flat
on the floor to provide stability. In
the seated position with elbows
open, the weight stack should be
lifted at least an inch or two.
shift back and down. the muscles
throughout your
4 Once the bar lightly touches
your chest, squeeze the
muscles throughout your upper and
upper and midback
for a count and
reverse the motion,
midback for a count and reverse the allowing the bar
motion, allowing the bar to again to again slowly
slowly rise to the starting position. rise to the starting
Don’t let the weight stack touch position. Don’t let
down between reps. the weight stack
touch down
Training Tip While a weight belt
between reps.
isn’t mandatory, Elssbiay relies on
one—cinching a belt offers a helpful
mental cue to keep your abdominals
and lower back tight during back
exercises, a good habit that helps
protect the vulnerable lower lumbar
region during heavy training.

16 FLEX | JULY 2018

 TRAINING TIP
Again here, straps can be
helpful to help power up your
grip and extend sets past the point
where your forearms start to give
way. They are especially valuable for
back—since the back muscles are larger
and much more powerful than the
smaller forearms, they’ll tend to last
longer and be able to handle much
more weight. You don’t want
forearms to be the limiting factor
in the stimulus you’re
providing to your back.

JULY 2018 | FLEX 17

 TRAINING TIP
The seated cable row
is not the same as a rowing
machine, where you’re
generating momentum by leaning
forward, then back on each
repetition. Here, you want to keep
your lower back in position and let the
movement occur in the upper and
middle back, shoulders, and arms.
Think of your hands as merely hooks
that connect you to the resistance.
The biceps will participate, but
don’t allow them to be the
prime mover.

18 FLEX | JULY 2018

SEATED
CABLE
ROW
Targets Lats,
mid back muscles
(rhomboids, teres
major, teres minor)

Also Works
Traps, rear
deltoids, biceps

Grip Neutral,
close, using a
V-handle
attachment

Step by Step

1 Attach a
close-grip
V-bar handle to
the seated row
cable machine
and sit upright on
the bench, facing
the weight stack.

2 Place your
feet against
the foot platform
with your legs
slightly bent, then
reach forward to
grasp the handles,
leaning back until
your torso is
upright and your
arms are fully
extended.

3 Keeping your
elbows in
close to the sides
of your body, pull
the handle toward
your midsection
by bending your
elbows and shifting
your shoulder
blades backward,
squeezing your
blades together as
the handle reaches
your midsection.

4 Hold for a
one count,
flexing your lats
IF ELSSBIAY ENDS
and mid back,
before slowly
HEATH’S TITLE
returning to the
start position, not
RUN, IT WILL BE
letting the weight
stack touch down IN NO SMALL
between reps.
PART DUE TO HIS
BACK, INCLUDING
HIS REAR LAT
SPREAD.
JULY 2018 | FLEX 19
THE ANIMAL INSIDE
Evan Centopani IFBB Pro
E
van Centopani’s /// BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @daz_the_bull /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANIMALPAK.COM
story is a little
different when
shocked that I had lost all this
compared to most weight and still didn’t have visible
other bodybuilding accounts. abs.”
He started life as a ‘fat kid’
(his words, not mine), while The Turning Point
being surrounded by an Then came the turning point. Now 13
years of age, Evan started to lift
environment that was
BodyPower Expo Athlete weights knowing that although he
watching and idolising the
more muscular guys like
Arnie and the wrestlers
from WWF.

The 80’s was a time when every-

thing on tv was about strong,
indestructible heroes.
Life was a little tough for Evan.
“My parents split when I was
three,” he begins. “My Mum and
I were in the car, and she said
‘Evan, things are going to be
a little different now, your Dad
and I have split.’”
This was a difficult situation
for Evan to take on board as a
youngster who was so heavily
influenced by his father. As a result,
his weight started to increase
massively and almost spiralled out
of control.
“I was 12 years of age and nearly
16 stone in weight,” he recalls.
“I can’t put it any other way, I was
fat, and I absolutely hated it.”
As many others do in this
situation, Evan decided to exercise,
but with little education he expected
a huge change in a short time.
“I started to run as much as
possible,” he says. “I lost five stone
extremely quickly, and for the first
time in my life, I felt I was getting
somewhere. However, I was

20 FLEX | JULY 2018

had lost all this weight, now was the
time to try and gain some muscle to
fill out the loose skin.
“I knew that this was the only
way to gain muscles and get
ripped up,” he explains. “I managed
to bring my weight down to just
over 11 stone, and as soon as I
started to lift properly I could see
that I gained muscle very quickly.”
At this stage, Evan started to
look into educating himself on how
to eat correctly as he was still
apprehensive about eating the
wrong foods and gaining bad,
unhealthy weight.
Nine years passed and at the age
22, the determination had hugely
paid off. Weighing an impressive
20 stone, this time of muscle and
not fat, Evan was getting noticed
more and more.
“A guy in my gym said to me one
day, ‘you’ve got to compete’ so, I
dieted myself leaner and got ready
for the show in 10 weeks,” he
recalls.
Absolutely shredded and now
weighing around 17 stone, Evan
competed and won his class and
took the overall title.
Over a year later, Evan was still
competing and continuing to grow.
He won the Nationals class and
overall title.
“Even though I had spent many
years achieving the physique I
wanted, I had only just got over the
fear of getting fat again,” he says.
“At the same time, my head had
to understand that I was dieted
down, and I wasn’t as muscular
as normal. This makes you feel
small when you’re so used to being
such a muscular guy. The fear at
this time
is that you’re too small to win.
Eventually I learned to understand
that when I felt like this, my condi-
tion was clearly perfect, as I won
each time I felt that way.”
“Basically, I kinda knew. If I felt
small, then I’m probably in winning
shape. Don’t live by the scales.”
The Biggest Lesson
in Life
At 29 years of age, Evan received
some devastating news.
“My dad, the strong, powerful man
I looked up to all my life had been
diagnosed with Neuroendocrine
cancer. It tore me into pieces,” he
JULY 2018 | FLEX 21
says, still clearly feeling the pain of
this news even today.
“My dad was so strong all his life,
I mean, his forearms were huge,
bigger than mine today,” says Evan.
This was going to be the biggest
battle that Father and Son had to
overcome. “My Dad opted to
take a trial treatment called
immunotherapy, not knowing what
the outcome may be,” he continues.
“I used my focus and strength of
mind to keep him and myself as
positive as possible to get him
through it.”
After having had one lung re-
moved and enduring six years of
22 FLEX | JULY 2018
treatment, the trial treatment
worked.
“None of us could believe that it
was finally over,” Evan sighs with
relief. “Dad being Dad, he was back
working one week later.”
Evan knew after experiencing this
traumatic situation and remaining
focused on the bodybuilding dream
that anything could be overcome.
He learned that in order to excel,
you have to be excessive.
“As a fat kid with a broken family,
I had zero control over anything,” he
says. “Now, as a bodybuilder, I have
complete control of my eating, day
to day living and also my mind.
Bodybuilding gave me the control I
never had before, and this control
gave me a future. Now, I could
achieve anything I set my mind to.”
Evans Words of Advice
“If you want to become a bodybuild-
er, take the time to do it correctly.
Learn from the best minds you have
access too. Don’t waste time doing
nothing shows or a category that
you don’t intend to stay competing
in. Work towards the person you
see yourself as in the end.
If I can do it and go from an
excessively overweight kid to
a Pro bodybuilder, you can too.”
JULY 2018 | FLEX 23
TRAINING:
MONDAY: Shoulders and Triceps
Barbell Shoulder Press- 1 warmup set, 15 reps
followed by 3 working sets 8-12 reps and superset
with Standing Dumbbell Presses, 6-8 reps
Dumbbell Side Laterals- 2 working sets, 10-12 reps
and superset with Plate Steering Wheels, 15-20 reps
(twists = 10 reps per side)
Reverse Pec Fly- 2 working sets, 10-15 reps superset
with Bent Over Dumbbell Laterals, 10-12 reps
Rope Extensions- 2 working sets, 10-15 reps
superset with Barbell Skull-crushers, 10-12 reps
Wide Grip Cable Pushdowns- 2 working sets,
8-10 reps and superset with Bodyweight extensions
for maximum reps
TUESDAY: Quads
Barbell Squats- 2 warmups sets, 10-15 reps followed
by 2 working sets, 10-12 reps and superset with Sissy
Squats, 10-15 reps
Leg Press- 2 warmup sets, 10-15 reps followed by 2
working sets, 15-20 reps and superset with Leg
Extensions, 10-12 reps
Walking Dumbbell Lunges- 2 working sets, 16-20
steps (8-10 reps per leg)
THURSDAY: Back
Narrow Grip Cable Rows- 3 working sets, 10-15 reps
and superset with Deadlifts, 8-10 reps
Bent Over Barbell Rows- 2 working sets (each set is
a double drop set) 8-12 reps
Cable Pullovers- 3 working sets, 15-20 reps and
superset with Assisted Pullups, 6-10 reps
Dumbbell Rows- 1 working set (1 set + 2 dropsets
with the same weight each drop) maximum reps each
time (select weight that you will fail at 15 reps on first
set)…then you must immediately go from side to side
with no rest.
FRIDAY: Chest, Biceps and Abs
Flat Barbell Bench Press- 2 warmup sets, 10-15 reps
followed by 4 working sets, 8-12 reps. Last set is a
double drop set.
Incline Barbell Press- 3 working sets,
8-10 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press- 3 working sets, 8-10 reps
and superset with dumbbell flyes, 8-10 reps
24 FLEX | JULY 2018
Cable Crossover Flyes- 2 working sets, 10-12 reps
and superset with dips with maximum reps
Dumbbell Preacher Curls- 2 working sets, 8-12 reps
(each set is a double drop using the same weight)
Barbell Curls- 2 working sets, 8-12 reps and superset
with hand held plate curls, 8-10 reps
SATURDAY: Hams and Calves
Standing Single Leg Curl- 2 working sets,
8-20 reps (each set is a double drop set
performed with the same weight for
each set…no rest is taken…as soon as
one leg is pushed to failure, the other
goes and so on)
Glute Ham Raises- 2 working sets,
10-14 reps and superset with lying
leg curls, 10-12 reps
High Rep Deadlifts- 2 working
sets, 20-24 reps on the first
set and then the same weight on the
second set to failure (usually around 15 reps)
Standing Single Leg Bodyweight Calf Raises-
Maximum reps on one foot then switch to other foot
and the back again…alternating back and forth until
only capable of 6-8 reps
Seated Calf Raises- 3 working sets, 15-20 reps
Standing Calf Raises- 3 working sets, 10-15 reps and
superset with bodyweight standing calf raises (two
feet at the same time as opposed to single leg) to
failure
DIET:
MEAL 1: 7 whole eggs, ½ cup oats, 1 tbsp honey
MEAL 2: 9 oz chicken breast, 1 cup kale, 1 cup white
rice, 1 tbsp olive oil
MEAL 3: 9 oz chicken breast, 1 cup kale, 1 cup white
rice, 1 tbsp olive oil
MEAL 4: 10 oz cod, large salad, 1 cup white rice,
1 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp vinegar
MEAL 5: 4 scoops ANIMAL Meal mixed with water
MEAL 6: 10 oz cod, 1 cup white rice, large salad,
1 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp vinegar
JULY 2018 | FLEX 25
 IONIC M AN
THE

I
B
have written many
articles on many
bodybuilders,
all showing how
Edgard John-Augustin
/// BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL

the adversity and

stresses of life have
led to adaptation.
The adaptation to a tragic event
or a stressful situation will do
one of two things to any human;
take them down to dark depths,
or create an incredible,
strong, powerful, unstoppable
character that can make dreams
come true.
Edgard’s story is just that. The
French Strasbourg-based Bionic
Man was a typical happy, healthy
4-year-old boy, when a tragic event
changed his life forever.
FLEX caught up with Edgard
for an exclusive, in-depth
interview.
“I was asleep travelling in a car at
4 years of age when my mum lost
control and there was a horrific
P H O T O C R E D I T S : ( L ) K E I T H H I G G O T T/ ( R ) T I B O N O R M A N

accident,” he begins. “It was due to

this accident that I had both my
lower legs amputated.
“Nobody, unless they’ve had a
similar experience, could ever
understand how this would feel.
I had no choice- I had to learn to live
with it. I feel I was lucky I was so
young when I lost my legs. I think
I would have struggled more both
physically and mentally if I were
older at the time. All I wanted was
to be like others, playing and running
around.”

26 FLEX | JULY 2018

JULY 2018 | FLEX 27
 Where the Strength
Came From
No matter how humble
and mentally healthy
you are, at a time like
this, inevitably there are
dark moments.
“Of course I had my
ups and downs,” says
Edgard. “At points
of my of my life,
it was so hard to deal
with. I had so many
surgeries, I was in a
wheelchair during
recovery and I became
an overweight teenager
as a result. All this
combined with a
handicap was some-
what challenging.”
So, how and where
did Edgard find the
incredible strength
and determination
from to keep going and
never give up?
“My Mum gave me the
strength to deal with
everything in life, he
reveals. “She has an
unwavering faith
in God and so have I.
My Mum and her faith
helped me to become
the man I am today. My
Mum used to say; ‘Do it,
nobody will do it for
you,’ and this is so true,
and still is my daily
motto.”
Being part of a
large family of nine
kids with money
issues gave Edgard an
understanding of value,
not only of material
PHOTO CREDIT: KEITH HIGGOTT

things and food, but of

others. This is where
he gleaned his true
inspiration and
character, watching
his parents always do
their best to provide
everything he needed.

28 FLEX | JULY 2018

 BIONIC FOOD PLAN
“I eat around 5000 calories
per day (offseason)”
150g oats + 20g whey Isolate +
omega 3 + multivitamin from Olimp
Sport Nutrition + 130g egg whites +
1 avocado
(Uncooked weights)
120g basmati rice + 170g chicken
Breast + NAC
(Uncooked weights)
120g brown rice + 170g light beef +
150g asparagus + 15g olive oil +
Omega 3
PHOTO CREDIT: TIBO NORMAN
This is Edgars exact
offseason food plan
(Uncooked weights)
300g sweet potatoes +
150g salmon + 100g green salad +
10g walnut oil + omega 3
WHAT BUILT THE
BIONIC BEAST
1. Leg extension: 3 sets of
20 reps very slow (then, without
(Uncooked weights)
100g egg white omelette +
80g salmon + peanut
butter
stopping, do 10 more reps
quickly).
2. Leg press: 5 sets: 40 reps,
30 reps, 20 reps, 10 reps and
last set is also a drop-set.
3. Squats with Smith machine
or hack squat: 4 sets of
10/12 reps.
1. Pull up 4 sets to failure.
2. Bent over rowing bar or dumb-
bells: 4 sets: 20 reps, 15 reps,
10 reps and 6/8 reps.
3. Seated low pulley rowing (slowly):
4 sets to failure.
4. T-Bar row: 3 sets: 15, 10, 6/8.
5. Wide grip Lat Pulldown: 4 sets:
12/15 reps.
6. Straight Arms pulldowns using a
cable: 4 sets: 15 reps.
1. Pec-dec machine: 4 sets:
20 reps, 15 reps, 10 reps
and the last set is a drop set.
2. Incline chest press with smith
machine: 4 sets of 12 reps.
3. Dumbbell chest press:
4 sets of 12 reps.
4. Chest press machine: 4 sets:
10 reps of arms by arms and max
with both to failure.
5. High cable chest Fly: 4 sets:
15/20 reps.
6. Dips: 4 sets to failure.
JULY 2018 | FLEX 29
The Love of Weights
Unlike many other bodybuild-
ers that get into weights to
improve their sporting ability,
Edgar’s trigger was exam
stress.
“I went to the gym for the
first time when I was 20,” he
says. “I needed something that
would relax my mind and allow
me to focus during my exams.
I fell in love with going to the
gym, and then I bought my first
copy of FLEX magazine and I
couldn’t believe how amazing
the bodybuilders looked. I read
an article on the greats and it
was then I knew I wanted to
become a bodybuilder.”
It has taken a number
of years for Edgar to build
the dense physique that
has given him the ability to
compete. Since 2015, he’s
won a number of first-place
trophies.
“I realised very quickly the
importance of consistently
eating correctly and it’s
nutrition that gave me growth,”
he reveals. “This and having
family support around you is
the best advice I would give
someone who wants to
compete.”

SHOW HISTORY Edgar’s

2015 GP des Pyrénées first in the handicapped category
2015 European championship 1st place wheelchair category
Final Words
2016 Loaded Cup in Germany handicapped open class 1st place “Do it.
2016 Top de Colmar handicapped open class 1st place Nobody will
2017 Toronto Pro show open category
2017 New York pro show open category
do it for you!
2018 Toronto pro show classic physique And thank
PHOTO CREDIT: TIBO NORMAN

2018 Olympia amateur Spain Alicante pro show classic physique

God, everyday,
Edgar is not allowed to compete in the wheelchair category as a pro, but also can’t be
judged alongside the other athletes. This means that there is no chance of a podium placing for what you
until they open a handicapped class. Hopefully, soon, the federations will introduce the
handicapped class and allow more people to enter especially after being inspired by great
athletes like the Bionic Man, his thoughts on this are, “I love the struggle of preparation and
have.”
the feeling of being on stage. So, I will continue to compete, even though it’s hard knowing Insta/@bionic_body
that I won’t be on that winning podium no matter how great my condition is.” Facebook/Bionic Body

30 FLEX | JULY 2018

 Raise
the
Dead

32 FLEX | JULY 2018

 MODEL
SNAPSHOT Breathe new life into your deadlift
routine with these potent variations
SANTI for more power and strength.
ARAGON /// BY JOE WUEBBEN /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS NICOLL
IFBB PRO LEAGUE
BODYBUILDER
AND
MUSCLETECH
ATHLETE

Ask any traditional strength junkie about the correct way

to deadlift, and he’ll tell you that your feet need to be
inches apart and your grip right outside your thighs.
We say BS. Sure, a competition deadlift is a muscle-
building must-do. After all, few moves build size and
strength in the posterior chain—glutes, back, and
hamstrings—like it. But at its core, the deadlift is simply
a hip hinge—and there’s more than one way to do it.

In fact, on the following pages, we’ll give you six off-

shoots of the classic deadlift, as deviating from it on a
regular basis is in your best interest. You’ll be stronger
across more paths of motion and more well-rounded
because of it. These six effective variations are brought to
you courtesy of Ollie Quinn, a strongman competitor, a
former Royal Marine, and the owner of BattleBells per-
sonal training in Austin, Texas.
Work these moves into your pulling repertoire, and no
one will be able to tell you you’re not deadlifting—because
chances are you’ll be pulling more weight off the floor
than them.

JULY 2018 | FLEX 33

CONVENTIONAL
DEADLIFT
Why Do It: Because it’s the industry
standard for measuring brute strength
and power. “It’s the king of lifts,” Quinn
says. “No other deadlift variation
screams static strength and athleticism
like this one.”

Execution: Stand in front of a loaded

barbell resting on the floor in front of
you, feet hip-width apart. Keeping your
back flat and head up, bend your knees
and hips to grasp the bar with a
shoulder-width grip. This is your start
position. Stand up with the bar in one
explosive motion by extending your
knees and driving your hips forward.

Quinn Says: “Fill your belly with air to

brace your abs. Hinge your upper body,
keep a neutral spine, and squeeze the
bar—imagine bending it into a horseshoe
shape, using your lats, before you pull.”

34 FLEX | JULY 2018

DEFICIT DEADLIFT
Why Do It: “Due to the extra range of
motion required, deficit deads are a
great way to help build your off-the-floor
strength,” Quinn says. “That said, if you
struggle with the mobility required to get
into a regular deadlift position, deficit
deads probably aren’t for you.”

Execution: Place one or two 45-pound

weight plates underneath a loaded
barbell resting on the floor. Step onto
the plate(s) and assume the same
start position as you would with a
conventional deadlift. Deadlift the bar
off the floor to a full standing position,
then lower the bar, with control, back
down to the floor.

Quinn Says: “There’s no need to create

too large of a deficit at first—standing on
one 45-pound plate or a one-inch board
is fine to start with.”

JULY 2018 | FLEX 35

SUMO DEADLIFT
Why Do It: For starters, the wide
stance creates a shorter range of
motion, which can help relieve lower-
back pain. Also, if your glutes and quads
are weak in your conventional pull,
switching to sumos for a while will build
strength in those muscle groups.

Execution: With your feet shoulder-

width apart and toes pointed out, sink
your butt down and grab the bar with
your hands just on the inside of your
thighs. (You can use a closer grip, as
shown on the opening spread, if more
comfortable.) Start with your butt down,
torso as upright as possible, and core
tight. Deadlift the bar off the floor,
keeping your back flat and knees pointed
outward the entire time. When your
hips and knees reach full extension,
lower the bar back down.

Quinn Says: “Keep as much of your

body behind the bar as possible. Think
about pushing the floor apart hard with
your feet to lift the bar off the floor.
When you get the bar moving, keep
your knees out and finish by driving
your hips into the bar.”

36 FLEX | JULY 2018

JULY 2018 | FLEX 37
 SUITCASE
DEADLIFT
Why Do It: “Suitcase deadlifts are a
great way to work your obliques and
keep your deadlift balanced,” Quinn says.
“If your core is weak, you’ll never have a
big deadlift. A wise man once said, ‘You
can’t fire a cannon from a canoe.’ ”

Execution: Stand parallel to a barbell

loaded with significantly lighter weight
than you’d normally use. (Do a few sets
with the empty bar to get a feel for the
move.) With your feet hip-width apart,
bend at the hips and knees and grab the
middle of the bar. Following standard
deadlift body positioning, pull the bar off
the floor. Focus on keeping your chest
facing forward and the bar level with the
floor. When you reach full hip and knee
extension, lower the weight back down
under control.

Quinn Says: “Don’t let the weight pull

you to the side. Your shoulders will try to
bend toward the weight; to counter this,
brace your abs and flex both lats before
you pull.”

SNATCH-GRIP
DEADLIFT
Why Do It: “Like deficit deadlifts,
the snatch-grip version is effective for
increasing off-the-floor strength,” says
Quinn. “But these are also great for
adding slabs of muscle to your upper
back and traps, and a big upper back
equals a bigger deadlift.”

Execution: With your feet hip-width

apart and toes pointed outward, bend
at the hips and knees to lower down,
and grab a loaded barbell with a wide,
overhand grip. With your butt down,
back flat, and core tight, lift the bar
off the floor. When your hips and knees
reach full extension, lower the bar
back down.

Quinn Says: “Start by grabbing the

bar with a grip that is a little wider than
your regular bench press grip—you can
always go wider as you get better at
these. Flex your traps and lats, and,
when you pull, keep the bar close to
your body all the way to lockout.”

38 FLEX | JULY 2018

TRAP-BAR
DEADLIFT NOT SHOWN
Why Do It: According to Quinn, trap-bar
deadlifts are great for three reasons.
1) They help immobile lifters get into
the proper starting position; 2) a better
starting position is more spine-friendly,
making it a safer variation; and 3) the
optimal starting position and neutral
grip usually mean you can lift more
weight. And more weight means more
strength gained over time.

Execution: Stand in the middle of a

trap bar, feet hip-width apart. Grab the
handles and drop your hips. Your hands
should be in line with your heels, thus
allowing your torso to be more upright.
Shift your weight back to your heels
and then pull. Reach full hip and knee
extension at the top.

Quinn Says: “It’s OK to get a little

squatty with the trap-bar deadlift—
meaning, it’s fine to let your knees come
forward and hips drop down low. This
lets you take full advantage of your huge
quad muscles to start the pull. Also,
when you grab the handles, keep your
middle fingers in line with the centre
of your foot.”

“Raise the Dead”

Workout
Plug any of the six deadlift variations
into this sample pulling workout.
Focus on two or three variations
every eight to 12 weeks, rotating
between them on a regular basis.
EXERCISE SETS REPS REST

Deadlift* 5 3–5 2–3

min.

Glute-Ham 4 10 2 min.
Raise

Chinup 4 10 2 min.

One-arm 4 15 1–2
Dumbbell min.
Row

45-degree 4 20 1–2
Back min.
Raise

Side Plank 3 30–45 1 min.

sec.
(per side)

*Conventional, deficit, sumo, suitcase,

snatch grip, or trap bar.

JULY 2018 | FLEX 39

 LET’S TALK ABOUT SARMs
Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators
So, what are SARMs? /// BY ADRIAN MELIA
Well, SARMs is the acronym for
selective androgenic modulators. This is a topic that seems to be filled
What does that mean? SARMs can
with a lot of misinformation and
either block or stimulate the same
nuclear hormone receptors under misconceptions so let’s try and shed a
different conditions. Consequently, little light on the subject.
if they can block or stimulate a
receptor in a selective tissue
manner, they may be able to mimic This article does not reflect the views of
the beneficial effects in one tissue. FLEX magazine or BodyPower Publishing,
And, at the same time, minimise the or its employees.
unwanted effects of the synthetic This article reflects solely and entirely the
steroidal hormones in other tissues.
views and personal experiences of the author.
Since SARMs are a class of
androgens (a specific class of
hormones that serve as ligands),
they can bind to cellular androgen
receptors. As a result, the androgen
receptors will trigger a complex
signal transduction pathway that will
lead to a greater expression of
specific genes. In other words, they
work like a light switch to turn on
specific receptors to produce
particular results. Both anabolic
steroids and prohormones bind to
the androgen receptor which will
result in muscle growth. However,
SARMs have full anabolic activity in
muscle and bone. They have a
minimal effect on the prostate, as
opposed to anabolics, which can
be very harmful to this gland. In
spite of being oral compounds,
SARMs are not methylated, so they
are not liver toxic.
Because SARMs are very specific
to the androgen receptors, they
PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK

can be beneficial for safe muscle

building. There is a multitude of
benefits with SARMs. They are
highly beneficial to bones, muscle
tissues, and sexual function without
the conversion of androgens into

40 FLEX | JULY 2018

 Ostarine

estrogens seen with steroids or
prohormones. SARMs are still
relatively new to the market, but the
effects do appear to be strong.
Off-season or bulking athletes can
expect to gain significant strength
and muscle mass with adequate
calories. They will also find water
retention cannot occur, meaning any
weight gained will be that of lean
muscle tissue.
For the dieting or cutting athlete,
one of the primary concerns is
protecting lean muscle mass. When
you want to lose fat, you must burn
more calories than you consume,
and this can and will lead to muscle
tissue loss without protective
agents. Regardless of how
genetically superior an individual is,
some muscle tissue loss is
unavoidable. By increasing anabolic
activity, such as attaching a potent
SARM to the body, muscle tissue
can be preserved. This will result in
a tighter, leaner, harder and more
muscular physique.
which means one dose a day
is perfect.
The benefits may include:
• Increased lean mass gains
• Better strength
• More endurance
• Joint healing abilities
• Anabolic (even at doses as low
as 3 mg)
So, what is Ostarine
best used for?
Ostarine shines best when used for
gaining lean muscle (bulking) or
putting on extra size. Suggested
cycle is 4-8 weeks. I have heard that
no PCT is required at a 4-week level
and although I feel this may be
somewhat true, some HPTA
(hypothalamus-pituitary-
Tests-Axis) suppression, and
a PCT (post cycle therapy) is
required to get optimum levels
back as soon as possible.
Where Ostarine excels is, relieving
one of joint pain and this is amazing
for bodybuilders, powerlifters,
strength athletes etc.
Ostarine, used for an 8-week
cycle, should be followed by a PCT.
Although shutdown is very minimal
and will return on its own, I do still
feel, the quicker, the better so OTC
(over the counter) PCT if effectively
dosed is fine.

Ostarine Explained
So, here is one of if the most
popular SARMs- Ostarine.
Ostarine, also known as MK-2866
is a SARM (selective androgen
receptor module), created by
GTx to avoid and treat muscle
PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK

wasting. It can, later on, be a cure

for preventing atrophy (total wasting
away of a body part), cachexia,
sarcopenia and Hormone or
Testosterone Replacement
Therapy. It has a half-life of 24 hours

JULY 2018 | FLEX 41

 LGD-4033
LGD-4033 Explained
Chemical Name: 4 – ((R) -2 – ((R)
-2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxyethyl)
pyrrolidin-1-yl) -2-trifluoro-methyl)
benzonitrile
Other name(s): Ligandrol, LGD
4033, VK-5211, LGD, Anabolicum
Molecular name: C14H12F6N2O
Half-life: 24 hours, depending on
individual
Effects of LGD
The effects of LGD can range from
bulking and cutting to total body
transformation. It is hard to
compare the power of LGD to
various anabolic steroids due to
SARMs still being relatively new to
the market, but the effects do
appear to be strong. n bulk phase,
athletes can benefit from
substantial gains in both strength
and muscle, providing the body is
fed with a sufficient calorie surplus.
They will also find water retention
cannot occur, meaning any weight
increased will be that of lean
muscle tissue.
Increases in muscular endurance
are also reported, especially when
stacked with other SARMs. It is
unclear how much of an effect
(LGD-4033) will have on endurance
when used alone.
Side Effects of LGD-4033
The side effects of LGD-4033
appear to be minimal in many users.
Unlike anabolic steroids that
promote large amounts of
androgenic activity, such related
adverse effects seem to be absent
in almost all cases. Side effects
of Anabolicum are possible, but
again very rare, making it one
42 FLEX | JULY 2018
of the more desirable items in the
performance enhancement arsenal.
The side effects of LGD do not
include any of an estrogenic nature,
making water retention, bloating,
gynocamastia and high blood
pressure associated with water
retention very unlikely.
LGD-4033 does not promote
aromatisation, the conversion
of testosterone to estrogen.
No anti-estrogens are needed
with the use of this SARM.
Again, I do feel this is dose
dependent as 8-10mg is all that’s
required for LGD
Despite an attachment to the
androgen receptors, the target
area remains muscle and bone.
The side effects of LGD should
also not be concerning to the
prostate; some activity in the
prostate may exist but should be
insignificant. Virilization, the
masculine traits often promoted in
women due to the use of anabolic
steroids should not occur with
this SARM.
Post Cycle Therapy
(PCT) As stated previously, I feel a
good OCT (over the counter) for PCT
is a general requirement.
Hepatotoxicity
Although taken orally, LGD-4033 is
not toxic to the liver and should not
affect the liver enzymes. This
product does not belong to the
C17-alpha alkylated (C17-aa)
therefore is non-methylated.
Anabolicum (LGD-4033) carries a
half-life of approximately 24 -36
hours and is best taken once a day.
8mg-10mg seems to be the most
common doses to get desired
results. Anabolicum can be stacked
with other SARMs such as Osterine
(MK 2866) Cardarine (GW-50156) or
Ibuor (MK-677)
For Bulking: A protein-rich diet is
also necessary as well as higher
caloric intake if you plan to beef up
by at least 10 lbs.
For Cutting: Use LGD-4033 with
SARMS GW-501516, Osterine and
Mk677 make it more useful as you
are aiming to add more size while
cutting fat. Suggested dosage is
4-8 mg a day for 8 weeks.
For recomping: LGD-4033 is best
PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK
used for recomping. Many users
have said that they’ve observed a
boost in lean body mass and fat
loss. Using it together with other
SARMs such as Cardarine and
sr9009 or mk677 will give you a
 stronger and better recomp.
Suggested dosage is 4-8 mg per
day for 8 weeks.
Testosterone Suppression
and SARMs
Testosterone suppression is
possible, but should not be as
significant as suppression related to
anabolic steroid use. Some claim
suppression is suppression
regardless of the rate, but that’s
simplistic at best. A man with natural
testosterone levels of 650 ng/dl who
is suppressed to 450 ng/dl that is a
far cry from 42 ng/dl. More
importantly, data has shown
Luteinizing Hormone (LH), and
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
will both remain in their current
state. Some data has also shown
slight decreases in Sex Hormone
Binding Globulin (SHBG), which in
turn may increase Free
testosterone levels. However, a
significant increase in Free
testosterone is unlikely. Post Cycle
Therapy (PCT) and what I mean by
PCT I mean and OTC (over the
counter) is needed with some
PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK
SARMS ran for over the 4-week
period for sure and is necessary for
LGD with is mg for mg the most
powerful of all the SARMs out there.
PCT is required for Ostarine (over 4
weeks use) LGD-4033, YK11 and s4
(Andarine). As stated, the shutdown
is very minimal with this compound
and your body will eventually return
to normal very quickly but I want
optimum levels back as quick as I
can, and this is why I feel a
necessary PCT is required to help
get levels back asap. Again, I must
reinforce the shutdown is minimal
as long as using the stated doses
also- MORE IS NOT BETTER. If you
are not getting optimal results, then
more than likely you need to take a
look at food intake, sleep and
training.
SARMs that don’t require
a PCT
Cardarine (GW501516) Ppar agonist
Ibutamoren (mk677) GH
secretagogue
Stenbolic (sr9009)
(These I feel do not require any
PCT even ran up to 8 weeks)
SARMs are consistently being
developed and evolving but many
are grouped into the SARMs
category, and they are SARMs?
The main two are Cardarine
(GW-501516) Nutrobal (Mk-677).
MK677
MK677
Other Name(s): Nutrobal,
Ibutamoren,
Half-Life: 24 hours
Mk-677 is what’s known as a
growth hormone secretagogue,
which means to induce secretion of
growth hormone. Mk-677 works as
an antagonist to the gherlin/growth
hormone secretagogue receptor
(GHSR). This is why when individuals
start to take MK-677, at the start
they may experience a spike in
appetite. This tends to dissipate
with use.
Aside from a dramatic change in
your IGF-1 and growth hormone
levels while on MK 677, you may
experience many benefits from a
cycle including:
• More rapid healing of ligaments,
tendons, bones as well as old
injuries.
• Builds lean muscle mass and size
gains.
• Increases the oxidation of fat.
• Improves sleep.
• Has even been shown to loosen
tight skin after weight loss!
CARDARINE
Chemical Name: C21H18F3NO4S2
Other Name(s): Cardarine,
GW50156, Endurobol
Half-Life: 20-24 hours
Cardarine is a (ppar) peroxisome
proliferator-activated receptor
what that means is it binds to PPAR
JULY 2018 | FLEX 43
 receptor recruits what is called the
coactivator PGC-1α enzyme, which
then increases the expression of
genes involved in the expenditure
of energy. In another study on
Rhesus monkeys, cardarine was
shown to increase HDL (good
cholesterol) and decrease LDL
(bad cholesterol).

Regarding obesity, carderine

may reverse metabolic
abnormalities in obese and
pre-diabetic men by stimulating
fatty acid oxidation. That is,
it burns fat by increasing glucose
uptake in skeletal muscle tissue,
which changes the body’s
PHOTO CREDITS: ISTOCK

metabolism to burn fat for energy

instead of muscle or carbs.
Incredibly, it does all this without
dropping blood sugar levels as
diabetic drugs do. Interestingly,
when mice were given a high-fat

44 FLEX | JULY 2018

 diet, they still lost fat, which
proves that cardarine may prevent
obesity.
Some of the other benefits include:
• Rapidly melts fat and NON-
catabolic.
• Provides noticeable results on
the first dose.
• The ability to run for as long as
8-12+ weeks.
• Is versatile and can be stacked
with anything.
• Can be used while cutting OR
bulking.
• No side effects, liver toxicity, or
suppression have been
reported.
• No need for a PCT.
Also works impressively when
stacked with Sr9009 and on a
ketogenic diet
Bridging with SARMs
I get asked a lot about bridging
between cycles. In other words,
using another compound to keep
gains from prolonged use to help
keep the gains accumulated from
the cycle that has ended. A lot of
people seem to be under the
impression that using Osterine,
Lgd will be ok to use with bridging
between cycles as there is no
suppression. This to me is wrong.
Prolonged use of Osterine (more
than 4 weeks will have suppression
and is a bad idea to bridge with if
your using HCG, Clomid etc. LGD will
have shut-down and does require
as PCT if ran as a stand-alone and
Osterine after 4 weeks will also
have some shutdown of HPTA cycle,
so, therefore, this is not ideal
environment to use these
compounds. S4 (Andarine) will have
similar effects so should be avoided.
SARMs I do feel have massive
benefits on PCT or can be used for
PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK
bridging are MK677, sr9009
(Stenabolic) cardarine and here is
the reason why:
You will experience a significant
spike in cortisol. Cortisol destroys
muscle gains and therefore needs to
be minimised at all costs. It will put
you into a catabolic state which will
not allow you to build muscle and at
the same time will eat it away, on top
of that you will also get unwanted
fat gain. So, you will lose muscle and
gain fat that you had just busted
your ass an entire cycle for. GW and
MK prevent the rise in cortisol. Not
only that, but they keep you
performing at a level you were
accustomed to. GW may also treat
cholesterol and blood pressure,
which are definitely things that need
to be addressed in pct as well.
Stacking SARMs and
steroids
CARDARINE (GW501516) is a
fantastic SARM. Used in
conjunction with tren, not only does
it counteract the cardio issues but
also helps with cholesterol and
blood pressure. I would recommend
sr9009 stacked with GW, this will
have you feeling like you are not
even on tren regarding the
cardiovascular issue. Trust me
you will thank me.
Most SARMs can be stacked with
anabolics to enhance results.
For Bulking
LGD, Osterine, s4, yk11 and mk677
all slot in very well
For Cutting
Osterine, Mk677, Carderine and
Sr9009 and Lgd
Women and SARMs
Most SARMs are safe for women
to use with a lower dosage. For
instance, Ostarine I would run max
10mg a day for a woman. Lgd max
would be 4mg a day. Women will
experience amazing results at these
dosages with virtually zero sides
like virtualisation etc.
CONCLUSION
SARMs are very versatile and can
be used for both cutting and bulking,
due to the lack of water retention,
the potential fat loss and dry muscle
gain and few to no side effects.
Used as stand alone compounds,
the benefits are amazing and most
can to stacked together to create
surprising results, again with few
to no side effects. Still, following
the rule of more is not better and
following 4-8 week protocols is
best monitored for minimal side
effects and significant gains. So
maybe give SARMs a try. I am sure
you won’t be disappointed.
References
Wikipedia
I sarms
Evolutionary.org
Sarmstore
101sarms
Disclaimer
Due to the nature of ongoing
research of these products, new
data is brought forward all the time.
At the time of the writing of this
article, this are the most accurate
information available. This article is
based on PERSONAL use and
research of these products, so is
for information purposes only.
Further Information, visit;
www.mutageniclabz.com.
JULY 2018 | FLEX 45
FOOD & SUPPS THE HIIT KITCHEN

Vegan Beetroot,
Cauliflower and
Bean Burger
with Raw
Tomato Ketchup
Ingredients:
For the burgers:
l l 1 clove of garlic
l l 35g onion
l l 190g cauliflower
l l 50g beetroot
l l 100g kidney beans
l l 2g cumin
l 30g breadcrumbs
l juice & zest 1 lemon
(Makes 2 servings)

For the ketchup:

l 27g sundried tomatoes
(no oil)
l 65g fresh tomato
l 40g dates
l 30ml white wine vinegar
l 30ml water, pinch salt
l 1 tsp onion powder
l 1 tsp garlic powder
(Makes 200ml. Allow 30g
per serving)

46 FLEX | JULY 2018

 /// BY HIIT KITCHEN /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY HIIT KITCHEN

2 29g
ser vin
1 6 7k g
cal
1.75g
Fat
25.5
g Car
8g P bs
rotein

Method:
1 To make the burgers, place the cauliflower, onion, garlic, beetroot
and kidney beans in a food processor and blend for 1 minute.
2 Remove the mixture from the blender and place in a mixing bowl.
Add the cumin, lemon zest & juice, cumin & breadcrumbs. Mix well
and shape into patties.
3 Place the burgers on a baking tray and bake in an oven at 180c for
25 minutes.
4 To make the raw ketchup, place everything in a food processor.
Blend until completely smooth and then pass the mixture through a
fine sieve, removing any seeds & skin.

JULY 2018 | FLEX 47

FOOD & SUPPS THE HIIT KITCHEN

g
ser vin
267g a l
kc
228
Fat
2 .4g s
Carb
25g
g P rotein
2 1. 5

Spiced Cod with

“Fish & Chip” flavours
Ingredients:
l 100g fresh cod fillet
l 100g new potatoes
l 250g peas
l 50g chickpeas
l 10g gherkins & capers
l 1 shallot
l 1 clove garlic
l 1 tsp cumin
l 1 small bunch mint
l 2g madras curry powder

48 FLEX | JULY 2018

Method:
1 To make the tartare potatoes, peel the new potatoes and
boil for 8 minutes or until cooked through. Drain and leave
to steam. While the potatoes are still warm, finely chop the
capers & gherkins and toss through the potatoes.
2 To make the “mushy pea” hummus, place 100g peas with
the chickpeas, garlic & cumin in a food processor and blend
for 2 minutes.
3 To make the pea salad, finely dice the shallots and place in
a medium heat pan with a teaspoon of olive oil. Sweat the
shallot for 1 minute before adding 100g of the peas. Toss
the peas with the shallot and allow to cook for 3 minutes
and finish with half of the mint finely shredded.
4 To make the pea & mint sauce, bring a pan of seasoned
water to the boil and drop in the remaining peas. Cook for
5-6 minutes on a rapid boil. Drain the peas, retaining the
water. Add the peas and the remaining mint to a food
processor and blend, slowly adding the water until a
smooth puree is achieved.
5 Sprinkle the madras powder over the cod, place on a
baking tray and bake at 170c for 10 minutes.

JULY 2018 | FLEX 49

 FOOD & SUPPS THE HIIT KITCHEN

ha
M a tc on
h e d Salm
Po a c in g
se r v
16 6 g a l
c
147 k s
Carb
25.1g t e in
P r o
17.5g

tock
hing S
Po a c e r ving
g s
256 al
2 7 kc
.3 g Fa t
0 s
Carb
3.4g
g P rotein
1.5

sing
D re s
st yle
T hai s e r v in g
3 2 0 g kc a l
33.5
at
0g F
ar bs
5g C in
Prote
2 .3g

Matcha Poached
Salmon with
Wholemeal Noodles &
Kale Slaw
Ingredients:
For the poaching stock:
l 400ml water, 2 cloves garlic,
2 shallots, Bunch parsley, Bunch
tarragon, 50g ginger, 1 tsp fish
sauce, 1 bay leaf, ½ lemon,
1 teaspoon matcha powder

For the Thai style dressing:

l 1 clove garlic, 20g ginger, 20g red
chilli, 10g coriander, 5g mint, 470ml
water, 2 teaspoons fish sauce, 30g
spring onion, 70ml soy sauce. (makes
640mls. Allow 20ml per serving)
l 95g salmon
l 45g pak choi
l 95g wholemeal noodles
l 80g shredded white cabbage, kale,
carrot, red cabbage
l 5g sesame & flax seeds
l 1 wedge of lime
l 5g spring onion
Method:
1 Place all of the ingredients for the poaching stock in a pan and
bring to the boil. Add the salmon and poach for 7 minutes on a low
simmer.
2 Cook the wholemeal noodles according to package instructions.
Sprinkle with spring onions while still warm.
3 Add all of the ingredients of the Thai style dressing to a food
processor and blend for 1 minute.
4 Place 20ml of the dressing into a mixing bowl and add the kale,
cabbage, carrot and red cabbage. Toss well.
5 Heat a pan with no oil and place in the pak choi to wilt for
2 minutes.

50 FLEX | JULY 2018

 g
ser vin
335g a l
kc
316
fa t
8.7g in
P o te
r
30g
g C ar bs
26

BBQ Beef Brisket with

Quinoa Salad & Citrus
BBQ sauce
Ingredients:
For the BBQ sauce:
l 400g tinned tomatoes, juice & zest
of 1 orange, 2 cloves garlic, 5g
rosemary, 1 tablespoon onion
powder, 1 tablespoon garlic powder,
1 tablespoon paprika, 1 red onion,
300ml water, 50ml white wine
vinegar (makes 640ml. allow 30ml
per serving) Method:
1 Rub the spice mix evenly over the brisket and place in a roasting
For the spice rub: tray. Add 200ml water and cover with tin foil. Cook at 120c for 6-7
l 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon, hours or until tender.
onion powder, 1 tablespoon Cajun
2 Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.
spice, 1 tablespoon garlic powder,
1 pinch salt 3 Place the pepper, onion and sweetcorn in a frying pan with 1
l 90g quinoa teaspoon of olive oil and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add the mix to
l 30g diced red bell pepper the quinoa with 1 teaspoon of Cajun spice and mix well.
l 30g fresh sweetcorn 4 To make the BBQ sauce, chop the onion and garlic and place in a
l 20g diced red onion saucepan with one teaspoon of olive oil. Cook gently for 5 minutes
l 20g white cabbage before adding the orange juice & zest and the vinegar. Cook until all
l 10g kale of the liquid has evaporated. Add the tomatoes, garlic powder and
l 1 teaspoon Cajun spice onion powder and cook on a low heat for 20 minutes. Once
l 100g trimmed beef brisket cooked, blend the sauce until smooth.

JULY 2018 | FLEX 51

FOOD & SUPPS THE HIIT KITCHEN

ing
Se r v
16 0 g a l
c
18 8k
4 g F at
2.
ar bs
10 g C
g P rotein
29

Mediterranean
Vegetable & Pesto
Protein Pasta with
Chargrilled Chicken
Ingredients:
Method:
Skinny basil pesto:
1 To make the pesto, place all ingredients into a food processor
l 10g walnut, 10g basil, 7ml olive
and blend for 1 minute.
oil, 1 clove garlic, 10g parmesan,
90ml water (makes 132ml. allow 2 Cook the protein pasta according to package instructions.
10g per serving) 3 Place the peppers, courgette and tomatoes on a baking tray and
l 100g protein pasta bake at 200c for 10 minutes.
l 30g courgette
4 Toss the cooked vegetables through the pasta with 10g of skinny
l 30g mixed bell peppers
pesto.
l 20g cherry tomatoes
l 30g kale 5 Place a griddle pan on a high heat and grill the slices of chicken
l 90g broccoli for 3 minutes each side.
l 50g sliced raw chicken 6 Cook the broccoli in boiling seasoned water for 3 minutes.

52 FLEX | JULY 2018

 ing
Se r v
19 8 g a l
k c
15 4
5 g F at
3. s
Carb
4.2g
g P rotein
2 4 .5

Turkey Steak with
Broccoli Cous Cous
Ingredients:
l 150g sliced turkey breast
l 100g broccoli
l 40g diced red pepper, onion,
carrot
l 1 free range egg
l 50g green beans
Method:
1 Place the broccoli in a food processor and blend
until the texture resembles couscous.
2 Place the pepper, carrot and onion in a pan with
a teaspoon of olive oil and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the broccoli and cook for a further 5
minutes, stirring well.
3 Place a griddle pan on a high heat and grill the
turkey for 4 minutes each side or until cooked
through.
4 Cook the green beans in boiling seasoned water
for 2 minutes.
5 Top the turkey steak with a free-range fried
egg.

JULY 2018 | FLEX 53

FOOD & SUPPS THE HIIT KITCHEN

ing
Se r v
14 2 g a l
90 k c
g Fat
2 .9 5 s
Carb
11.5g e in
P r o t Method:
3. 2g
1 Place the 3
beetroots in a pan
and cover with
water. Bring to the
boil and cook for 30
minutes. Drain and
allow to cool
2 Once cooled, skin
the beetroot and cut
into wedges
3 Place in a dry frying
pan over a medium
heat.

Heritage 4 Once the pan is hot,

pour the balsamic
Beetroot Salad
vinegar over the
Ingredients:
beetroot and cook until
l 1 small golden beetroot it has evaporated
l 1 small candy beetroot
5 Serve the beetroot
l 1 small purple beetroot
with crumbled feta
l 20g apple
cheese, chopped
l 10ml balsamic vinegar
pecan nuts and
l 10g feta
chopped raw apple
l 5g pecan nuts

Method:
ing
Se r v 1 Place all of the fruit
16 6 g a l
k c
147 into a pan and cook
g C ar bs
25.1 in
gently on a low heat
P r o te for 10 minutes.
4 .5g
g F at
1 .1 Once cooked allow to
cool and strain and
reserve some of the
juice.
2 Line a small pudding
mould with the
gluten-free bread and
spoon in the cooked
berries to the top.
3 Place any remaining
bread over the
top and wrap in
Gluten free cling film.
summer pudding
Ingredients: 4 Place in the fridge
l 80g raspberries over-night and allow
l 80g strawberries the bread to absorb
l 20g blueberries the juice.
l 20g blackberries 5 Turn out on to a place
l 20g blackcurrants and spoon over the
l 2 slices of gluten-free reserved juice. Serve
bread with a spoonful of
l 40g Greek yoghurt Greek yoghurt.

54 FLEX | JULY 2018

 ing
Se r v
15 4 g a l
kc
18 5 s
. 5 g Carb
14 tein
P r o
3.1g
Fat
11.5g

Method:
1 Place the avocado,
honey, orange zest
& juice and cacao
Cacao Mousse powder in a food
Ingredients: processor
l 1 avocado 2 Blend for 2 minutes
l 1 tablespoon honey or until completely
l Juice & zest of 1 orange smooth
l 1½ tablespoons cacao 3 Pour out into a bowl
powder and decorate with
l 20g blueberries blueberries,
l 20g strawberries strawberries and
l 10g desiccated coconut coconut

Method:
1 Place the apples in
ing a saucepan with the
Se r v
17 2 g a l cinnamon, agave
k c
295 nectar and 20ml
4 g F at
4. in of water. Cook
P r o te
6.5 g on a low heat for
g C ar bs
54 20 minutes.
2 Mix the oats and
agave nectar
together and spread
on a non-stick
baking tray. Heat an
oven to 170c and
toast for 10 minutes.
Remove from the
oven, stir the mix
and place back in
at 150 for a further
10 minutes.
3 Place the stewed
Apple Crumble apples into a ring
Ingredients: mould and top with
l 200g diced apple the home-made
l 20g sultana granola.
l 10ml agave nectar 4 Garnish with
l 100g oats strawberries or fruit
l 1 teaspoon cinnamon of your choosing.
l Strawberries to garnish

JULY 2018 | FLEX 55

 COOL PRODUCTS
Prepped & Packed
Meal Bags
These bags are carefully designed to allow
you to store your day to day belongings
and gym kit along with your nutrition for
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Some of the advance meal management
designs, allows you to carefully secure
your technology also with a separate
suede covered laptop sleeve to fit a laptop
up to 15in as well as a tablet device. All
bags come with dual clip food Containers,
gel packs and sometimes a protein shaker.
Some bags also have an allocated con-
venient fleece-lined pocket to protect
sunglasses and other eyewear.

Priced from £49.99

www.preppedandpacked.com

56 FLEX | JULY 2018

 Founded by TV Personality & Entrepreneur Calum Best
and his business partner Mark Joseph with one aim in
mind: taking steps towards achieving goals and staying
positive through future planning.
The Best Me Life (RRP £29) journal was designed to
bridge the gap between a daily planner, a notebook, a
gratitude journal and a goal planner and Calum himself
has been using it over the past 6 years to take steps
towards achieving his own goals.
The Journal is designed to help create happiness and
fulfilment by encouraging you to be more productive
and channel positive thinking for self-development,
as well as a great way of tracking your weights, reps
and sets.
Also, the Best Me Life journals can be monogrammed
with a user’s initials to help make them a real personal-
ised part of your every day.

From £29.00 www.bestmelife.co

P H O T O C R E D I T S : M A R C H AY D E N

Shakesphere shakers
and bottles
‘No Corners
No Stick’
Shakesphere has a
round base and round lid
which creates a capsule
shape, therefore, you do
not require any mixing
accessories such as a
ball or mesh.
They have just launched
a 1.3 litre and a 2.2 litre
jug with a pop lid drinking
spout for extremely easy
drinking
www.shakesphere.com
From £10.00 Insta; @shakespherehq

JULY 2018 | FLEX 57

Vanquish Fitness
Based in London UK, Vanquish Fitness (VQ) is a unique
blend of Fitness Clothing and Active Streetwear.
Worn by stars such as Sadik Hadzovic, Sergi Constance
and Tom Coleman, it’s clear the clothing is designed for
people with an absolute passion for both fitness and great
clothing.
Whether out in the street or at the gym, wearing clothes
that look and feel good, holding your shape will help you to
remain confident and secure in the knowledge that the
clothes you are wearing do the job they are meant to - and
well!

From £19.99 www.vqfit.com

58 FLEX | JULY 2018

JASE
‘THE OX’
LONG
AS A YOUNG MAN, JASE WAS DEEP
INTO PLAYING PROFESSIONAL RUGBY
LEAGUE. HE PLAYED FULL-TIME
WHILE AT UNI, WITH SCHOLARSHIPS
UNTIL 20 YEARS OF AGE.
Weightlifting for Jase started firstly as /// BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL /// PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY PCA
a part of his strength and conditioning
training but soon took over when one
day he was inspired by the one and
only Phil Heath.
“I remember going to my local shop
and buying every magazine that was
fitness related,” he recalls. “It left me
skint! It was inside a copy of FLEX I
first saw Phil Heath. I think it was
Phil’s sheer size that caught my eye
and I couldn’t believe the vast amount
of muscle.”
It wasn’t long before all Jase’s focus
was on gaining muscle in the gym.
“I had been training for around six
years when I gave up rugby

60 FLEX | JULY 2018

JULY 2018 | FLEX 61
completely,” he says. “I was fortunate
to meet some very well-respected
guys in the gym, and this meant I
never had to make mistakes and trial
run everything. These guys gave me
all the information I needed to make
the gains I wanted.”
Having help from knowledgeable
people with the same passion and
desire really helped Jase.
“I strongly believe that a new guy
coming into the sport should get a
training and diet plan, from a
knowledgeable source and don’t
follow the rubbish they read on
forums and social media,” he advises.
Jase also firmly believes in getting
a good coach.
“Signing up to a coach was
probably one of my best moves I
made to help me gain,” he says. “But,
you have to be prepared to listen,
and if you don’t listen, you will never
learn.”
Jase’s Workout Diary
Legs, Push, Pull – 2 Alternate
Rotations
Keep a log book of all your sessions
– always try to progress and beat
the log book!
Set heavier targets, based on
previous lifts in each rotation. If you
progress by one rep, in one
movement that is still a progression.
There is no set warm-up protocol,
don’t waste energy once you are
warm.
An example is - Back Squats
100kg x6 reps, 140 x3 reps, 180 x2
reps, 200 x2 reps, 220 x1 rep, 230
x1rep - (These count as warm-up
sets and getting the body used to
the load you will lift).
NOW, we start working. Leave
everything in the gym, go balls to the
walls and train with maximum
capacity.
2 Working Sets:
I tend to reduce the load, e.g. I will
work at;
1st set, 220kg x 8-12 reps.
2nd set, 230kg x 8-10 reps
62 FLEX | JULY 2018
As a very self-motivated individual
that understands the importance of a
secure network, Jase is fortunate
that he and his coach are very close
friends. Both share a passion for
bodybuilding and push each other to
achieve more with each workout they
do.
“I try to surround myself with a
team of positive people, especially
when I’m dieting,” Jase says. “During
these times, it’s essential to have
good support. This support is what
helps me cope with personal
obstacles, like not being able to have
a Nando’s after training.”
Jase stresses the importance of
the law of attraction, visualising
oneself and the needed
improvements on stage, then months
later seeing the fruits of labour paying
off.
“There’s no traffic on the extra mile
– to do what others won’t,” he says.
Drop set to exhaust the muscle
210kg as many reps as possible
(straight into next drop set)
180kg as many reps as possible.
The days of going to the gym and
performing 4-6 sets are over! Save
the energy from those sets and go
all out in 2-3 sets!
We don’t waste time warming up!!!
We get warm on warm-up weights
for a few reps and save those reps
for the big sets, which count instead
of warming up on every weight
doing 10 reps.
Training Protocol
Progressive Overload via Drop sets,
Supersets & Giant Sets
Terminology
Drop Set – When you finish a set and
reduce the load slightly and perform
more sets to failure.
Muscle Round (6x4) – Perform 6
reps, rest for 10 seconds, perform
another 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds,
do these 4 times, that’s one set.
Giant Set – When you perform 2-3
ROTATION 1 -
LEGS (HAMSTRING FOCUSED)
Lying Hamstring Curls
Set 1, 8-10 (heavy set)
Set 2, 6x4 (muscle round)
High and wide foot placement Leg Press
Set 1, 6x4 (muscle round)
Set 2, 8-10 (heavy set)
Set 3, minimum 20 reps, then drop set till
failure (Drop set)
DB or Barbell RDL (Romanian deadlifts)
Set 1, (heavy) 8-10 reps
Set 2, (reduce weight focus on time under
tension (2 seconds down, 1 up)
Leg Ext
Set 1, 6x4 (muscle round)
Set 2, 50 reps, DS (drop set) into 20 reps
Machine Squat Variation, i.e. V-Squat,
Smith Squat, Pendulum Squat, Smith Squat
Set 1, (heavy set) 6-10 reps
Set 2, (10-15% weight reduction of the
previous set) 8-10 reps
Sumo Deadlifts or Normal Deadlifts
Set 1, 8-10
Set 2, Fail (A weight you can do for
10-12- take the set to failure)
Wide Stance Barbell Walking Lunges
2 Laps (perform reps at a nice smooth
tempo)
movements back to back like a
circuit.
Max, Rest, Max- So pick a weight
you think you can do 8-10 reps for
and go all out with maximum effort.
Try to exceed 8-10 reps.
Pyramid Set – When you increase
the weight per set but reduce the
rep range.
Negatives – When you slow down
and control the movement and add
some slower tempo to it. I.e. 3
seconds down, 1 second up.
Rest days
I would say do a rotation 1) Legs,
push, pull the rest. Then rotation 2)
Legs, push, pull then rest, etc.…
However, some people don’t like
going to the gym on a Sunday so
will do Mon-Sat straight through with
no rest and then take Sunday off.
Again, it is personal preference, but
ensure you’re resting at least once
a week.
PUSH (CHEST FOCUSED)
Flat Bench or Flat DB (alternate weekly)
Set 1, (heavy set) 5-6 reps
Set 2, (lighter set) 12+ reps
Set 3, (10 perfect negative reps, 2 seconds
down)
Incline Smith Bench or Incline Plate Load
Press or Slight Incline DB Press
Set 1, (heavy set) 6-8 reps
Set 2, (lighter set) 8-12 reps
Flat Machine Press or DB Press or Plate Load
Press (choose the opposite to what you have
just done on an incline in the previous set)
Set 1, 12-15 reps
Set 2, max, rest, (rest, pause set) 8-10 reps
Set 3, max, rest, (rest, pause x 2) 8-10 reps
Pec Dec Flyes
Set 1, (muscle round) as described in
terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds
x 4 sets
Set 2, (pump set) 12+ reps to pump the blood
into the muscle
Db Incline Pec Flyes
Set 1, (muscle round) as described in
terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds
x 4 sets (hold in the stretch position
for your 10 second rest period)
Set 2, (failure set) 15+ reps
Db Side Delt Raises
Set 1, 8-10 reps, maximum efort.
Try to exceed 8-10 reps
Set 2, 8-10 reps, maximum efort
Dips (weighted if possible) Or Close Grip
Regular or Skull Bench
Set 1 & 2 –AMRAP (as many reps as possible)
Skull Crushers – E-Z Bar
Set 1, – 10 reps (negatives, pause at the
point of contraction)
Set 2, (muscle round) as described in
terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds
x 4 sets
PULL (WIDTH)
Lat Pull Downs wide bar (traditional bar, mag
bar if your gym has one)
Set 1, (heavy set) 8-10 reps
Set 2, (rest, pause set) 8-10 reps
Set 3, (pump set) 20+ reps
Seated Low Width Row (either use the v bar
or wide lat pulldown bar)
Set 1, (muscle round) as described in
terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds
x 4 sets
Set 2, -6x4 (muscle round)
Lat Pulldowns Wide Bar
Set 1, (pump set) 20 reps to force the blood
into the muscle
set 2, (heavy set) 8-10 reps
T-bar Row (wide grip it possible, if not with
a v-bar)
Set 1, (heavy Set) 6-8 reps
Set 2, Drop Set, 6-8 reps x2
DB Rows
Set 1, (heavy set) 6-8 reps
Set 2, (lighter set) 8-10 reps
Smith Barbell Row
Set 1, (heavy set) 8-10 reps
Set 2, (pause reps at the point of contraction)
10 reps
Set 3, Drop set (heavy) 12+ reps x2 sets
Seated Incline Hammer Curls
Set 1, (muscle round) as described in
terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds
x 4 sets
Set 2, Failure set 15+ reps
EZ Curls (ss) Bicep Curl Machine
Set 1, 10-12 reps on each station
Set 2, 10-12 reps on each station
ROTATION 2 -
LEGS (QUAD FOCUSED)
Leg Ext
Set 1, 30 reps
Set 2, 50 reps
A Squat Variation (i.e. Barbell Squat, Smith
Squat, V Squat, Lever Squat etc.)
Set 1, (heavy set) 8-10 reps
Set 2, (lighter set) 12+ reps
Leg Ext (superset) & Lunges
Set 1, (muscle round) as described in
terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds
x 4 sets, followed by bodyweight lunges
(8 lunges per leg)
Close Stance Leg Press
(increase weight on each set)
15 reps x 3 sets
Bulgarian Split Squat
Set 1, (10 deep, pause reps)
Wide Smith Squat
Set 1, (heavy set) 8-10 reps
Set 2, (muscle round) as described in
terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds
x 4 sets
Giant Set
(perform all these movements back to back)
Wide Sumo Squat, 10-12 reps
Sissy Squat or Smith Front Squat, 10-12 reps
DB Romanian Deadlift, 10-12 reps
Hip Adductor - 10-12 reps
Close Leg Press
Set 1, 12-15 reps
Set 2, 8-10 reps
Quad Stretch (sit on quads for 30 seconds)
perform this twice
JULY 2018 | FLEX 63
 PUSH (SHOULDER) BACK (THICKNESS) ADDITIONAL ARM DAY
Incline Bench or DB Press Bent Over Row
(OPTIONAL TO ADD IN IF
RECOVERED IN THE WEEK)
Set 1, 6-8 reps Set 1, (heavy set) 8-10 reps
E-Z Bar Curl
Set 2, 12+ reps Set 2, drop set, 8-10 reps (reduce the load,
and then perform another 8-10 reps) Set 1, (muscle round) as described in
DB or Military Barbell Press or Plate Loaded terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds
Shoulder Press DB Row x 4 sets

Set 1, 6-8 reps Set 1, One arm at a time. Set 2, (muscle round) as described in
terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds
Set 2, 12+ reps (heavy) 5reps x 4 sets
Any Seated Shoulder Press Machine Repeat this for 5 sets E-Z Skull Crushers
Set 1, 10-12 reps T-bar Row Set 1, 10-12 reps (perfect reps, pause at the
Set 2, max, rest, max (aim for a weight you point of contraction)
Set 1, (heavy set) 8-10 reps
can usually do for 8-10 reps – max means Set 2, (muscle round) as described in
maximum efort so, try and exceed that Set 2, Max, rest, Max (Rest, pause set) terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds
target) 8-10 reps x 4 sets
Seated Side Raise Deadlifts or Rack Pulls Seated Incline DB Curl
Set 1, (muscle round) as described in Pyramid Sets Set 1, 12-15 reps
terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds
x 4 sets Set 1 – 10 reps (heavy) Set 2, (drop set)
Set 2, (muscle round) as described in Set 2 – 8 reps (heavier) 12-15 reps,
terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds
x 4 sets Set 3 – 6 Reps heaviest) 8-10 reps
Standing Side Raise Set 4 (light set, 50% of the heaviest set. Set 3, 10 perfect negative reps
Perform as many reps as possible, make sure
Set 1, 12+ reps the weight is still taxing) Double Rope Triceps Extension
Set 2, max, rest, max, rest, Max (aim 10-12 Set 1, rep out to failure, 20+
Giant Set
reps in set 1, rest, aim for 8-10, then rest, then
rep out until failure) Barbell Row Set 2, (increase the weight now that you are
fatigued) 8-10 reps
Single Arm Dumbbell Raise (Dropset) Seated Low Row
Rope Curl
Set 1, Lat Pull Down
Set 1, 12-15 reps
20 reps, 10 seconds rest, Rear Delt variation (either bent over with DB/
Pec Dec/cables) V-Bar Push-Down
15 reps, 10 seconds rest,
10-12 reps x 3 sets Set 1, 8-10 reps
10 reps to failure
EZ Curls (superset) with Straight Bar Curls Set 2, (muscle round) as described in
Giant Set terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds
Set 1, (perfect reps, NO swimming) 10-12 reps x 4 sets
DB Front Raise
Set 2, 10-12 reps Giant Set 1
Plate Raise
Small straight Bar, 10-12 reps
Rope Front Raise Rope Curls
Standing Hammer Curls, 10-12 reps
As many reps as possible on each station Set 1, (muscle round) as described in
terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds Straight Bar Cable Curl to failure
V-bar Pushdown x 4 sets
DO THIS TWICE
Set 1, (muscle round) as described in
terminology. 6 reps, rest for 10 seconds Set 2, reps to failure Giant Set 2
x 4 sets
Standing Calf Raises Close Grip Smith bench
Close Grip Smith Bench or Skull Crushers
Set 1, Rope Ext
Set 1, rep out to failure
20 reps, 10 seconds rest, Close Hand Position Press Ups
Set 2, rep out to failure
15+ reps, 10 seconds rest, (10-12 reps on all sets)

10 reps Jase Long Instagram; @jase_345

(set 2, as many reps as possible)

64 FLEX | JULY 2018

 Structurally
Sound What works for Olympia-calibre athletes may
not necessarily work for you. To make
noticeable gains, you need to figure out your best
approach, according to Neil “Yoda” Hill.
AS TOLD TO JEFF TOMKO

hen developing a training

programme, one of the most important attributes is
creating structure. That’s exactly what my Yoda 3
Training (Y3T) programme does—it creates structure
and a platform for athletes to hit different muscle fibres
at different intensities, because we’re all genetically
different.

If you’re not familiar with my system,
here’s the summary: Y3T is a nine-
week training programme broken up
into three phases. Week 1 focuses on
heavy compound exercises in a low,
six-to-12-rep range. Week 2 adds
isolation movements with higher reps,
usually about 14 to 20 reps. Week 3
focuses on lighter weights and very
high reps, going as low as 20 and up to
80. You’ll then repeat this three times
for a total of nine weeks.
When I developed Y3T nearly three
decades ago, I wasn’t looking to
become a visionary or change the
world of weight training. Quite
honestly, Y3T happened by accident,
if you consider the years of trial and
error I inadvertently created the plan.
I was an injury-prone 19-year-old

66 FLEX | JULY 2018

 Neil
“Yoda”
Hill

JULY 2018 | FLEX 67

kid who was looking for a safe way
to lift heavy weights without getting
hurt so much. Before that, I was
doing what most bodybuilders were
doing at the time—following the
hardcore training styles of Mike
Mentzer and six-time Mr. Olympia
Dorian Yates. They’d lift very heavy
weights for 6 to 10 reps, then to
failure and beyond (using intensity
techniques like rest-pause and
forced reps, with a partner, to
achieve this). But all training like
that did was get me injured.
For some people, that style of
training is effective. All it did for me
was create a lot of stress on my
tendons and joints. And when your
muscles are growing fast, like mine
were, your tendons and joints don’t
have time to catch up. This led to
inflammation and injury, and this
cycle occurred for years before
I decided to finally do something
different. I started by changing up
the rep ranges I trained with,
Six-time 212 Olympia
champ Flex Lewis uses
the Y3T programme
designed by Hill.
68 FLEX | JULY 2018
breaking them down into low,
moderate, and high. It took me about
three or four years to home in on a
training method that would allow me
to grow effectively while reducing
my risk of injury.
What worked for me, though,
doesn’t necessarily work the same
for each of my clients. That’s the
beauty of Y3T—it’s so flexible.
William Bonac, who has made
tremendous progress since using
the Y3T method, usually does three
Week 1 workouts, one Week 2, and
one Week 3.
Six-time 212 Olympia champ Flex
Lewis, on the other hand, responds
really well to Week 2 (moderate-rep)
workouts, in the 14-to-20-rep range,
so he does more of those. If I had to
pick one rep range, though, that
I feel builds the most amount of
muscle mass, I would probably
say that it’s the moderate-rep
range. But again, all our bodies are
different.
To take your training to the next
level, you must put in the time to
learn what works for you and what
doesn’t, and then be able to omit the
ineffective pieces from your
programme. Otherwise, you’re
simply wasting your time trying
to hammer your body with tech-
niques and/or exercises that won’t
lead to any noticeable gains. Worse,
it could lead you to injury, like it did
for me.
That said, I think young bodybuild-
ers who are just starting out should
consider experimenting with
powerlifting. This type of training
demands structure and steady
progression to gain results. It also
forces lifters to place a premium on
form. (You need to make sure your
technique is working in synergy with
your body for effective lifts.) That
foundation of structure will teach
lifters what works for them and
what doesn’t—then they can make
the necessary changes.
 Natural Versus
Enhanced: How
Should You Train?
This question often gets asked:
Should a “natural” athlete train
differently from an “enhanced” one?
In my opinion, no. When it comes to
exercise selection and sets and reps,
I don’t think a natural athlete should
train any differently. The biggest
difference when it comes to training
naturally, though, is that a natural
athlete must get adequate rest.
That means spending less time
in the gym than he may want to.
There’s a misconception that
athletes need to spend countless
hours in the gym, lifting heavy
nonstop, to create more muscles
mass. In fact, the opposite is true.
For an athlete’s body to grow and
mature, it needs to repair itself
outside the gym. This is even more
true for a natural guy who isn’t taking
in extra doses of muscle-building
Flex Lewis responds
hormones—from IGF to testosterone well to the 14-to-20-
rep range. But that
to growth hormones. Overtraining doesn’t mean you will.
can actually suppress the release
P I C T U R E C R E D I T S : O P E N E R ; I A N S PA N I E R . T H I S PAG E : P E R B E R N A L . F O L L O W I N G PAG E : I A N S PA N I E R

of these hormones.
A lot of athletes don’t know this,
Y3T: How It Works
DETAILS WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3
but the optimal release times of these
hormones is during our sleep. Training Days Per Week 4–6 4–6 4–6
Meaning, our bodies will produce
their most abundant amounts of Exercises Per Workout 3–5 3–5 3–5
positive hormones not when we’re in Sets Per Exercise 3–5 3–5 3–5
the gym but rather when we’re in
bed. And if you’re not using steroids, Reps Per Set 6–12 14–20 20–80
which provide you with copious Rest 90 sec. 90–120 sec. 20–150 sec.
amounts of these peak hormones for
your body to use throughout the day, Tempo 4–sec. 3–sec. 2–sec.
negative negative negative
then this nightly release of hormones
is paramount for making gains.
A natural athlete has to recognise
this and avoid trying to grind through
as many sets and reps—or train each
Sample Week 2 Y3T Back Workout
EXERCISE SETS REPS
muscle group as hard as possible
twice a week—as an enhanced Close-grip Lat Pulldown 3 14–20
athlete. In other words, it’s going
to take a natural athlete a lot longer Lying Back Pulldown 4 14–20
to heal. And if you’re overtraining, Wide-grip Lat Pulldown 3 14–20
chances are you’re not going to
recover properly. Barbell Bentover Row 3 14–20
NOTE: For all exercises, aim to get at least 18 reps for your first set or two.

JULY 2018 | FLEX 69

///
SQUATTING
BY LEICA GELSEI /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAY MORRIS

IS SQUATTING ESSENTIAL
TO BUILDING A GOOD SET
OF LEGS? NO. IS A SQUAT
A USEFUL EXERCISE? YES

S
o why the contradiction? Firstly, our muscles don’t
know what exercise we are performing- they simply
respond to stress. The primary stressors that lead to
hypertrophy are mechanical tension, muscle damage and
metabolic stress. Numerous approaches can be used to
factor these into your training - perhaps the subject of a
future article. The point is, your body will respond if you give
it enough reason to. Take quads for example. You could
argue that a leg extension MIGHT provide more stimulation
to your quads than a squat. You may use 60kg of resistance
on a leg extension, and it’s safe to say that pretty much all
that weight is lifted by your quads. Whereas you could be
squatting with 100kg, for example, and that load is spread
through your quads, glutes, hips etc. and may only leave you
with 50kg of resistance that makes it to your quads.

Now I’m not telling you not to squat (although I may tell
some of you to leave well alone), but think about where you
place the squat in your training session. I have said this
before, and I will keep saying it - to stimulate muscle growth
it makes sense to isolate first. The quads will then receive
the lion’s share of the all important stress.

Let’s get into squatting specifics, and by squatting, I’m

referring here to a traditional barbell squat. Most people
come to me to improve their physiques, so if they are not
a good squatter or the movement doesn’t suit them, as in
some instances it may be an exercise that some need to
avoid altogether, we don’t squat! However, if someone came
to me with the specific intention of improving their squat,
it may take weeks of mobility, flexibility and technique to
achieve their goal with absolutely zero impact on their
physique then we’ll do everything we can to accomplish
that. This happens rarely and we generally start improving
a physique on day one rather than wasting time.

With a traditional barbell squat, the set up is the most

important. Maintain a good arch in your lower back and

70 FLEX | JULY 2018

JULY 2018 | FLEX 71
keep your sternum high throughout
the squat. Keep hands as close to
your shoulders as possible, as this
keeps the weight of the bar close to
the midline of your body and will
maintain stability. If you have to hold
the bar towards the outer ends, or
even hold the plates, then you need
to work on your shoulder flexibility!
Keep your elbows pointing down
towards the floor - this will keep
your body in the correct position
and the weight in that all important
midline.

Ass to the Grass??

There are many factors that we
need to take into account when
considering squat depth. Do you
need to squat ass to grass or
parallel? That depends on an
individual’s flexibility, any possible
injuries and confidence. Depth
should be as far as YOU can take it
and if that’s only 6 inches then
maybe squatting is not for you. If all
the factors are there, then squat
away!

Over the years I have had many

clients that don’t have the

72 FLEX | JULY 2018

confidence with a barbell squat to
make it a productive exercise. A
safety squat bar may help here - the
technique is similar, but the person
training may feel safer plus more
comfortable. If you have never seen
a safety squat bar have a look at the
pictures that accompany this
article. Also in these situations, we
may use a machine to begin with,
such as a hack squat, v-squat or the
many other squatting type machines
that are in place at many of today’s
gyms. The correct technique must
be used on these pieces of
equipment too but the coaching
points are far fewer, and real ‘work’
can be underway very soon.

JULY 2018 | FLEX 73

 Many of the confidence issues
with squatting are related to
supporting the weight across the
shoulders. If this is the case, I will
eliminate that issue entirely by using
a witch squat and/or a wall squat. A
witch squat is performed using a
barbell in a landmine apparatus (or
the corner of a room will do). Load
one end of the bar and use a ‘V’
handle that you would use for t-bar
rows (ensuring that the handle is
over the collar), let the weight hang
between your legs and squat with
the weight held in your hands with
the ‘V’ bar (see the picture). The
actual squatting movement is done
in precisely the same way as I
described above but you don’t have
to worry about supporting the
weight on your shoulders and if you
fail, rest the bar back on the floor.

The second exercise I use to

eliminate the need to support the
bar with your back is the wall squat.
To perform this movement, you will
need a foam roller and (maybe) a set
of dumbbells. Again, see the
accompanying pictures to assist.
Place the foam roller against a wall,
near the top of your glutes and feet
slightly away from the wall, when
you squat down the roller will move
naturally up to your shoulder blades,
and this is where you can pick up a
pair of dumbbells for added
resistance. You don’t have to worry
about you back being in the correct
position too much during this
movement as it will be pretty much
upright throughout.
While both the witch squat and the
wall squat are great exercises to
build squatting confidence and
movement patterns, they are also
superb movements in their own
right. An advanced technique to use
with the wall squat, for example, is
to dig your feet into the floor and
push away throughout the entire
range of motion - talk about tension!!
When all is said and done what I’m
trying to tell you is find exercises
that you can do well and give your all
to with complete confidence and
train to your limits!
That’s how you get results!
Where to Place your Squats in a
Quad Training Session Here is an
example:
First exercise-
Leg Extensions:
Perform 3-4 warm-up sets of 15
reps, increasing the weight each
set. When you reach a weight where
you hit failure at around 15 reps,
perform a drop set. Reduce the
weight and continue to failure. Keep
repeating this process until you
have completed at least 50 reps
(closer to 100 may be better!).
Second exercise-
Leg Press:
On the first set, perform 50 reps. On
the second set, increase the weight
and perform 40 reps. The third set,
increase the weight again and
perform 30 reps. The fourth set,
you guessed it - increase the weight
and do 20 reps. On the fifth and
final set, increase the weight
and go for 10 reps. Try to complete
all reps non-stop but, in practice,
you may have to take mini 5-second
pauses from the third set onwards
to reach the target number
of reps.
Third exercise- Squat:
Perform 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps of
any of the squatting exercises I have
described above. Take each set to
failure. Will you use a lighter weight
than if you had squatted first? Yes.
Will you put more stress on your
quads? Also, yes!
If you feel you could do more than
what I have described, then you
didn’t push hard enough. If you have
given everything you have and you
couldn’t complete the session, then
you’ve worked to your limit. You can
train hard, or you can train long, but
you can’t do both!

74 FLEX | JULY 2018

JULY 2018 | FLEX 75
VEGAN MUSCLE
I
had been training many
years lifting weights and
putting on quality muscle.
I loved training and decided
that it was time to put all my
hard work to some use and
‘How I Do It’
/// BY AMI KING @AMIKING00 /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY LEE ARCHER
thought that I should com-
pete. Now an owner of my
own gym (Iron Asylum Gym)
in Redcar, I knew that it
would be hard juggling life
and competing.

I started competing in 2002 and

went on to win the NABBA novice
figure British championships. I have
since competed in UKBFF Body
Fitness, ranking amongst the top
five in the British championships

PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK

and the NABBA trained figure class,
winning NABBA UK 2014. In 2015,
I achieved second place in the
NABBA British finals and was
advised to move into physique
class. Taking this advice on board,
I competed in physique in the 2016
UKBFF and won the Midland
championships and Sugars classic.
I am currently training to add some
more tissue to compete in physique
again later in this year.

Don’t Label Me, I just Care

I have been a vegetarian since I was
around 6 years old when I was told
that meat came from animals which
impacted my feelings towards any
animal. Now that I was competing,
I had dieted on mainly eggs and
whey protein until 2013, at which
point I saw some videos on social
media about the reality of the dairy
industry. This realisation helped
my partner, and I decide to stop
eating dairy.
I looked into better ways to eat
well and found a company called
Hen Nation online, that can supply

76 FLEX | JULY 2018

JULY 2018 | FLEX 00
 PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK
eggs where the chickens don’t go
to slaughter and the money from
their egg sales go towards rescuing
more chickens.
It seems to be quite a
controversial subject not eating
meat, vegetarianism, and the right
and wrong way to do things.
I read something Dorian Yates
wrote recently that he prefers not
to label himself. I very much agree
with this statement. It’s certainly
a more positive viewpoint rather
than having to justify to others that
if you don’t eat this, then you’re a
vegetarian; if you do eat this, you’re
a vegan. The primary reason I chose
not to eat meat is that I love animals,
and I want to try my best to cause
the least amount of suffering
possible where I can in the world.
So, with all this in mind, I decided
to compete in 2014 and contacted
Sarah Whitney who I knew had
helped other vegans compete.
She designed my diet plans which
I firmly believe helped me to win
the NABBA trained figure UK.
I have maintained these dietary
ethics. Pre-contest, I continue to eat
six to eight meals a day, usually
around 200g carbohydrates from

78 FLEX | JULY 2018

 rice, quinoa, sweet potato, rye
bread, oats with my protein coming
from vegan protein blends (usually
hemp or pea-based), eggs, tofu,
soya mince, tempeh and seitan. My
fats typically come from MCT oil,
nuts, avocado, seeds and udos oil.

Sources of Nutrition
Offseason, I eat more whole foods
and no eggs. I get most of my
nutrition from beans, pulses and
lentils, fruits and vegetables as my
carbs can be much higher.
I have to be honest, I was
concerned when I told my sponsor
that I was giving up dairy, but they
were very supportive. This support
extends to an offer from them
to do consultancy work and Anth Bailes. I train HIT style four lucky to have the opportunity to
independent ingredient trials that days a week - heavy and intense. work with Anth on my training, and
are vegan specific. I’ve tried other methods, but this I believe it is continually helping me
I consider myself very lucky as I seems to work for me. I’ve been put on good quality muscle tissue.
have Nutritional Blending Solutions
supporting me. Combine that with
advice from Brian Batcheldor, and DAILY DIET PLAN
we have all our bases covered,
MEAL 1 MEAL 4
supplement wise. For instance, Maxxmuscle Nutrition EAA (essential Post training
some lower quality amino acids are amino acids) 50g carbs from vegan clean carb
60g oats 100g banana product
made from human hair, feathers, 2 egg whites 40g protein from NBS vegan blend
cow horns and pig hair. NBS make Scoop nutritional blending solutions
vegan blend. MEAL 5
sure my aminos come from higher Garden of life multivitamin/mineral 6 eggs 1 yolk
quality fermented vegetable 1.5tbs udos oil
MEAL 2 120g new potatoes
sources. Vegans can be deficient 180g soya mince
in l-tryptophan NBS have designed 10g coconut oil MEAL 6
150g sweet potato 200ml unsweetened almond milk
formulas to supplement this. 15g almond butter
My vegan protein blends use MEAL 3 2 scoops NBS vegan blend
6 egg whites with 1 yolk salad
ingredients such as pea and hemp 50g wild rice (NBS = Nutritional Blending Solutions)
protein, making sure they include
lots of greens, digestive aids,
anti-inflammatory and superfoods.
Since cutting the dairy from my
diet, I feel there is much less
inflammation in my stomach, and
my waist has undoubtedly got
smaller. I also feel much more
energised and seem to recover
quicker following training.
Dieting as a vegetarian or vegan
PHOTO CREDITS: ISTOCK

is getting much more accessible

now; every day new meat
alternative options are being
released.
And speaking about training, I
have always followed athletes like

JULY 2018 | FLEX 79

BODYPOWER

Around 100,000 visitors flocked to the NEC to

celebrate BodyPower’s Las Vegas themed 10th
anniversary! The show continued to diversify and
develop, with this weekend seeing a record number
of females enter the show, due to a strong focus on
lifestyle fitness with many leading athletes in attend-
ance. Paige Hathaway, Michelle Lewin, Jen Selter and
Hannah Eden were just some of the female names
who attracted the crowds!
But of course, we can’t forget the core of the
market, the bodybuilders. The greats were in attend-
ance keeping bodybuilding alive. Dorian Yates was
launching the new look DY Nutrition with his 6 Olympia
Sandows all on display, Animal sponsored athlete
Evan Centopani, Flex Wheeler, Charles Clairmonte,

80 FLEX | JULY 2018

 SHOW 2018
5%’s Martyn Ford towering over the crowds and our
very own reigning 212 Mr Olympia Flex Lewis, and this
was just some.
As the show develops the traditional markets
remain as strong as ever, providing visitors with a
broad range of competitions and all things health and
fitness. From leading brands to a collection of world-
class educators, BodyPower really is the go to event
in the industry!
The popularity of competitions showed no sign of
P H O T O C R E D I T S : J U L E S G O D F R E Y/ S H A N E WAT K I N S / S T E P H E N B L AC K / H A R P E N D E N S T U D I O S

slowing for 2018 and the likes of BodyPower Games

and Kettlebell Championships amongst many others
had a record number of competitors. Terry Hollands
hosted the Strongman competition in unforgettable
fashion and welcomed buzzing spectators into
BodyPower’s very own circus tent, while competitors
showcased the elite in strength and power. 2018
World’s Strongest Man and Game of Thrones star,
Hafthor ‘The Mountain’ Bjornsson attracted hundreds
and left fans blown away with his presence. In
addition to competitions and seminars, BodyPower
brought demonstrations, workshops and Q&A
sessions with the leading stars in fitness. Exhibitors
didn’t disappoint and a range of healthy nutrition
brands were in attendance, from the likes of Gold
Standard Chicken, HECK Foods, Kettlebell Kitchen,
Eatright and Musclefood, they all projected the
BodyPower atmosphere to the masses and provided
an unforgettable experience for visitors.
With a strong focus on offering the ultimate cus-
tomer experience for all, BodyPower saw widened
aisles, better queuing systems and opportunities to
see everything all in one day!

JULY 2018 | FLEX 81

PCA SUPERSERIES
PRO SHOW
THE RESULTS

Men’s Physique Ladies Bikini Under 165 Bodybuilding

1st Bharat Raj 1st Kerry Sexton 1st Peter Molnar
2nd Michael Griffiths 2nd Margarita Vevercia 2nd Sahar Kazes
3rd Craig Smallman 3rd Edyta Tamilewska 3rd Alex Smith
4th Thyago Cabos 4th Teniza 4th Piotr Klinkosz
5th Ike Agho 5th Alexandra Vicu

Muscle Model Bikini Tall Bodybuilding Over 202

PHOTO CREDITS: PCA

1st Moctor Bagah 1st Nyisha Jordan Sey 1st Aivers Grigjanis
2nd Ash Eldelman 2nd Phoebe Hagan 2nd Laszlo Szmereka
3rd Toby Richards 3rd Alexandra Dancso 3rd Ronny Rocket
4th Matah Shumuel 4th Nicki Corner 4th Anton Bippus
5th Garry Turner 5th Gemma Stanley 5th Lucas Gabris

82 FLEX | JULY 2018

 Held on 13th May 2018
at the 10th Anniversary of
BodyPower, PCA yet again
smashed the stage with
some of the greatest
physiques in the
country.

The standard of the

competitors was second to
none in every class. The show
gave the feeling of pure
elegance and grandeur with
a huge stage screen and
lighting that made each
athlete feel like they were
an Olympian, and as always,
an electric atmosphere from
start to finish.

All classes displayed great

talent and pleasingly some
previously unknown athletes
brought a magnificent
package to explode onto
the scene with.

Every single class was

a testament to the quality we
have right
here in the
UK, and
a real
pleasure
PHOTO CREDITS: PCA

to be a
part of the
BodyPower
weekend.

JULY 2018 | FLEX 83

WABBA THE WHOLE WORLD OVER
Focus on Ghana’s
Oliver Rockson Prempeh
/// BY TREVOR CHUNG /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY FRANCIS WATKINS & ANGELO PREMPEH

T
he Republic of Ghana has Victor Baiden who is my coach,”
produced some incredible he said so gratefully.
athletes over the years, IFBB Pro’s Oliver played a vital role in the
Eddie Abbew, William Bonac and “Flexing for Peace” campaign before
WABBA Pro Mark Krah all originated the Ghanaian General Election on
from the land formerly known as the 7th December 2017. He explained,
Gold Coast and there are more stars “Most Ghanaians perceive
rising, on my recent trip to Ghana bodybuilders to be a violent group
for the Face of Fitness Conference of people, who over the years have
in Accra, I spoke with one of those been used by politicians and some
stars; 2017 Arnold Classic South citizens to cause chaos.”
Africa Middle Weight Champion He told us, “We organised a walk
Oliver Rockson Prempeh. to flex our muscles to change the
Oliver, a former football player, public’s perceptions about us.” The
started training at a tender age to situation has become a great worry,
enhance his athletic abilities on the so they needed to join the campaign
football field. As he quickly for peace before, during and after
developed his ambitions changed the December 7th general elections.
from strengthening his body for To show the public that they need
football to believing that he could not be intimidated by anyone. again this year to defend my title.
build a body worthy of competition. Oliver’s contest history speaks for I will also travel to the Amateur
Oliver’s passion for the sport is itself, besides winning the Arnold Olympia in Spain, to take care of
evident, he lives and breathes last year he has had a great start in unfinished business there too.”
bodybuilding, and he firmly believes the sport having placed well in both
that the best feeling in the World National and International
is when you have given it your all in competitions.
the gym. Including:
“I owe a lot to Dan BUDU who 2017 Arnold Classic South Africa 1st
introduced me to Bodybuilding and 2016 Arnold Classic South Africa 4th
also to WABBA Ghana President 2015 Mr Physique Ghana 2nd
2015 Mr Ghana 2nd
2014 Amateur Olympia Africa 7th
2014 Mr Ghana 3rd

2017 was the year, Oliver had been

working with Victor for some time,
and their labours were about to
bear fruit. This is what he said,
“Winning the Arnold was a very
proud moment for me, it was the
first time that I have taken the first
place and to do it at such a
prestigious contest is an incredible
feeling,” he says still grinning from
memory. “I will return to Pretoria

84 FLEX | JULY 2018

 EMMA PAWSON 3 is the Magic
Number!

M
ost athletes would
be happy with
winning 2 Pro Cards
with 2 Federations,
but Emma Pawson’s fitness
ambitions didn’t stop there.
At this years 10th-anniversary
BodyPower expo Emma won
the Overall Bikini Class at the
WABBA International Champions
Cup to win a 3rd Pro Card
with them.
Emma’s always been sporty; an
avid horse rider and gym lover but
also a natural introvert so being in
the spotlight is something very new
for her but being on stage has
helped her gain more confidence in
and outside of the gym. She finds
this critical in her work which is in
public health: childhood obesity
lead.
Emma used to be a self-
confessed cardio bunny but with
some new direction Emma found
that her body responded
exceptionally well to the stimulus of
resistance training, and this was
when being competitive caught her
eye, she tells us, “I was inspired by
watching a friend compete in a
physique contest and found myself
saying ‘wow I really admire those
girls they look amazing’ and decided
to stop admiring and give it a go
myself.”
She started to lift weights, fell in
love with how her body was
changing and has never looked
back. A short while after she was
P H O T O C R E D I T : A N T H O N Y C H I A- B R A D L E Y
“Having a coach is so important.
Diet prep can mess with your head,
and it’s hard to see what others see
objectively.”
“A big lesson to myself is that
overtraining and pushing myself
to the extreme doesn’t get the
best results. It’s been a hard
lesson to learn, but I’ve realised that
I need to make sure I get plenty of
sleep and I’ve also found stretching
is essential to help with the
necessary mobility for stage
presentation.”
How supportive people
in the industry are
Competing with WABBA GB last year
and I now hold two pro cards, one was a fantastic experience the
with Pure Elite and another with quality of international athletes is
Miami Pro.” She doesn’t intend to inspiring. This has given me strong
stop there, she recently travelled growth in my mindset, which helps
to Budapest with the WABBA GB me continuingly striving to be the
team and placed an impressive best version of myself.”
5th in the O35 Bikini Class “Nutrition is the most important
at the 2017 WABBA International factor in competition prep.”
Mr and Miss Universe contest Showgirl Fitness coaches Emma,
before turning Pro at BodyPower. she weights trains 5-6 days a week
and gets her cardio mostly from
Lessons Learnt cycling around London all day.
Emma tells us what she has learnt (Leading up to a show this increases
since being in the industry to 4 x a week)
TRAINING ROUTINE
MON – HEAVY WED-LEGS WITH FRI – BACK AND
LEGS HAMSTRING ARMS
Leg press FOCUS & A POLE (AND HOT YOGA)
Squat CLASS Lat pull down
Sumo squat Leg curl Rows
Lunges Deadlift Seated row
Leg extension Wide / low squats Tricep Dips

then diagnosed with only having one Hyperextension Bicep preacher curl
kidney & having a heart murmur. TUE – SHOULDERS Stiff leg deadlift Rope tricep pulls
While this would put many people ONLY-
off, this alone acted a catalyst to Shoulder press THURS- UPPER SAT- GLUTES
Lateral raises BODY Cable kick back
motivate Emma further to exercise
Front plate raise Chest press Squat
and eat well to keep herself as Leaning lateral Cable fly Sumo low squat
healthy as possible. raises Rear Delt Hip thruster
Reflecting on her arduous journey, Rear delt machine High rope pull Hyperextension
she told us, “I entered my first SUN - REST “I vary the Weights, Rep-Range and Intensity all the time to
competition in 2016 which I won keep my body guessing, some weeks I’ll do low reps with high weight, and
and have won several shows since at other times I will drop the weights and go for the burn.”

JULY 2018 | FLEX 85

 THE
HERCULES
OLYMPIA
UK 2018
F
rom starting out as a small /// BY TREVOR CHUNG /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY JULES GODFREY
contest in a nightclub in
Colchester in the 1990’s, Masters O40
the Hercules has seen 1st Michael Hehir UK
some amazing transformations.
The contest has been held under 2nd Neil Hulland UK
the flag of all of the main federa- 3rd Stuart Scott UK
tions under the guidance of its
Also Competed: Przemyslaw
founder, former WABBA Interna-
Sicinski, Steve Aimes-Winter
tional World President Scott
Horton but has been embraced by
WABBA International so strongly it
is now a worldwide franchise.

After becoming the Hercules

Olympia in 2013 the contest became
an international event, with teams
from Italy, Portugal and Spain
consistently in attendance the
international appeal of the franchise
across the globe to the point that
we now have: The Hercules Olympia
Junior U24
UK©, The Hercules Olympia Mexico©,
The Hercules Olympia India© and 1st Sam Bennett UK
The Hercules Olympia Italia© 2nd Marcos
throughout the year with plans Emmanuel
for more in 2019. Gomes Portugal
With Pro Cards on the line as well
3rd Wes Brown UK
as qualification for the WABBA
International World Championships
in Vicenza next month the stakes
were high and with high stakes
comes stiff competition. This
competition was no exception with
some familiar faces from the 2017
Mr and Miss Universe contest
floating around backstage, the
atmosphere was electric, it was
apparent from the beginning that
if you hadn’t brought your A game,
this was not going to be your day.

86 FLEX | JULY 2018

First Timers Novice
1st Valdas Laugalys Lithuania 1st Rafal
Kwiatowski Poland
2nd Tim Gosling UK

Miss Shape Miss Body

1st Kelly Day UK 1st Violet Schwarz UK
2nd Martyna Ryback Poland 2nd Tara Burt UK
3rd Anita Wright UK 3rd Frances Aimes-
Winter UK
Also competed: Paula Nogaj, Kate
Grouse, Samantha Jones

Miss Fitness
1st Diana
Correira Portugal
2nd Fay Ellis UK
3rd Emily Brand UK
Also competed: Kat Ban

JULY 2018 | FLEX 87

 Last year’s Masters O40 Winner
Men’s Model
Michael Hehir was in great form on
his return to the Hercules Olympia 1st Luke Medlyn UK
stage. Michaels paper thin skin and 2nd Andrea Alvisi Italy
fullness gave him the edge over
the gargantuan Neil Hulland who’s
incredible structure was too much
for a well-conditioned and balanced
Stuart Scott.
The juniors were the first to take
the stage and the powerful
muscularity of Sam Bennett
overcame the polished Marco
Emmanuel Gomes and the
BodyPower International Cup Junior
champion Wes Brown to pick up
one of the beautifully crafted
Spartan Helmets that were the
first place trophies that the whole Men’s Physique
auditorium was buzzing about.
1st Claudio Viera Portugal
Valdas Laugalys was the only
First Timer in his class but brought 2nd Gil Garcia UK
a muscular well balanced package
3rd Lewis Riches UK
that will be definitely something to
watch out for in the future and the Also competed: Neil Pears
gnarly condition of Rafal Kwatiowski
was too much for Tim Gosling in the
Novice Class.
The first of our Women’s classes
was the Miss Shape Class, with
Ripped Gym’s Kelly Day having just
the right balance of muscularity
and condition for this class with
Poland’s Martyna Ryback just
pipping Preston’s Anita Wright for
the second place slot.
In the Miss Fitness Class
Portuguese Miss Universe Diana Miss Bikini
Correira maintained her unbeaten 1st Patricia Silva Portugal
run with WABBA, Diana fought off
the challenge of International 2nd Cassandra
Malini Italy
Champions Cup Winner Fay Ellis
on this occasion but I am sure that 3rd Cristina
Fay will be looking to reverse this Trombetta Italy
decision at the World Also competed: Jessica McNamara,
Championships in Vivenza in Isabella Sagnella, Danielle Keen,
3 weeks. Young Emily Brand at Chantell McKnight
only 21 years of age had another
good showing with amazing
condition but needs more time to
challenge the mass of the Top 2.
Violet Schwarz also maintained
her unbeaten run with WABBA
with great conditioning and
muscularity that was too much
for the impressive Tara Burt with
rookie Frances Aimes- Winter
in the unenviable position of being
in her first contest against a
World Champion but maintaining
a respectable third place.

88 FLEX | JULY 2018

 In the Men’s Fitness Class, local
Miss Bikini O35
lad Luke Medlyn was in great
condition and his experience on 1st Maya Emms-Davies UK
stages shone through against 2nd Katerina Drinkova UK
Andrea Alvisi’s first ever time on
stage. 3rd Melisa Haganbegovic UK
Men’s Physique is a relatively new Also competed: Jo Jo Lamb, Chantell
class for WABBA International, this McKnight
is the second year that we have had
the bigger version of Men’s Fitness
in our roster and it was the closest
class of the day. Portuguese
National Champion Claudio Viera
that would take his second
WABBA GB first place trophy
home in as many weeks to pip the
UK’s Gil Garcia by just one point
with the UK’s Lewis Riches an
impressive third.
After the break 2017 Mr Universe
Luke Bagster took to the stage
with his son Kenly to perform a
fantastic guest spot. Luke’s dense
muscularity and Kenly’s slick moves Overall Bikini Winner Overall Men’s Body-
were a fantastically entertaining Building Winner
combination. 1st Patricia Silva Portugal
We then moved over to the 1st James Ford
Women’s beauty classes. Starting
with Miss Bikini it was the returning
Portuguese runner up from the
International Champions Cup
Patricia Silva that would win the
class over Italy’s Cassandra Malini
and Cristina Trombetta in the open
class and then go on to beat Maya
Emms-Davies in the overall who
had beaten Katrina Drinkova and
Melisa Hasanbegovic in the
O35 Miss Bikini Class.
The Classic BodyBuilding Class
was an outstanding class of the day.
Classic competitors have to adhere
to a height to weight ratio which
keeps the emphasis on shape and
condition over size. Andrea Orlando
from Italy had certainly got the year hiatus to win the Medium There was an epic battle for the
memo. His undeniable condition was Class over Anchor Gym’s highly Overall Title, 5 great physiques took
too much for the excellent Andrei conditioned Marcin Kuczawski and to the stage, all so different and yet
Pogor and Paulo Santos both from Nottingham’s Gareth Harrod. all so good. As the pose down began
Portugal. After competing for the first time it became apparent that the front
James Ford was tighter than in 2016 in the Classic BodyBuilding runners were Danny Baldwinson
Mr Universe runner up Emmanuel Class Adam Usher returned to the and James Ford who were having
D’Agostino who was big and full but Hercules Olympia stage to win the a great time jostling each other on
had not managed to hold his Medium Class and Big Neil Hulland stage but it was James Ford who
condition from the contest the week returned to the stage to turn his was announced the winner and
before, with 2nd Placed Junior second place in the Masters O40 new WABBA Pro with one vote more
Marcos Emmanuel Gomes stepped Class into a first place in Supertall. than Danny.
up to the Men’s Division to secure Neil’s huge structure and tight The Hercules Olympia 2018 was
3rd place. condition was too much for Szymon a fantastic event, a real joy to be
Danny Baldwinson returned to the Malecki and the beautifully involved in, there was a family feel
Hercules Olympia stage after a 10 proportioned Joshua Douglas. about the whole contest and the

JULY 2018 | FLEX 89

Classic BodyBuilding BodyBuilding -180cm
1st Andrea Orlando Italy 1st Adam Usher
2nd Andrei Pogor Portugal
3rd Paulo Santos Portugal
Also competed: Stuart Robinson,
Danny Nunn, Joseph Hammond,
Chambers Whittle, Karl Hasnip,
Valdas Laugalys

BodyBuilding -170cm
1st James Ford BodyBuilding +180cm
2nd Emmanuel D’Agostino 1st Neil Hulland
3rd Marcos Emmanuel Gomes 2nd Szymon Malecki
Also competed: Wes Brown, Neal 3rd Josh Douglas
Maher, Rafal Kwatiowski

BodyBuilding -175cm
1st Danny Baldwinson
2nd Marcin Kuczawski
3rd Gareth Harrod
Also competed: Fabrizio Cavazzini,
Maz Mahmood

camaraderie between the WABBA
competitors is unrivalled by any
other federation. The non-stop
banter backstage and onstage,
the exemplary WABBA backroom
staff coupled with the amazing
Trophies all add up to the
Hercules Olympia being the
unforgettable competitive
experience that it is.
Next year the Hercules
Olympia will be at BodyPower
on Sunday May 12th contact
us for further details at:
info@wabbagb.com.

90 FLEX | JULY 2018

FAMOUS FACES AT
BODYPOWER 2018 /// BY DARREN NICHOLHURST /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS & STEPHEN BLACK

Tom Coleman
One of the best known, our very
own Brit Tom Coleman took the
podium at Bulk Powders for the BP
weekend madness. Genuine straight
talker Tom must have been high on
the selfie list for all Muscle Modal
and Men’s Physique rookies this
year. His queue was long, but they
knew he was worth the wait. Keep
Flex Wheeler & your eyes peeled, Tom is going to be

Charles Clairmonte doing something cool, and FLEX will

be there to witness it. Stay tuned
Two of the biggest icons of the 90’s
#TomColemanFans
bodybuilding scene still pulling the
crowds. Flex Wheeler and Charles
Clairmonte both always look as if Iris Kyle
time stood still. These guys are the Iris Kyle, the most accomplished
epitome of bodybuilding and keeping Olympian of all time. The 10 x
their young looks. Editor of Flex Sandow winner popped her guns
Darren Nicholhurst got these two out and blew away many of the
legends together for a catch up on guys that had pictures with her.
old times before heading to see the A real lady of bodybuilding with
master of mass Dorian Yates for achievements that may never
more reflections. be beaten.

JULY 2018 | FLEX 91

 Ulisesses
Social media superstar Ulisesses
didn’t fail to impress at BodyPower,
when he took 3 days out of his busy
schedule to pose with fans. Thou-
Dorian Yates sands of admirers flocked from all
Launching his new look DY Nutrition brand, the legend that is the Shadow, over the globe to greet the man
Dorian Yates, graced BodyPower with his outstanding 6x Mr Olympia himself as he put on a modest
Sandow trophies. It was hard to say who got the most selfies, Dorian or display of interaction and struck his
the Sandow’s. Thousands of fans queued to meet the Mr O that changed trademark double biceps for the
bodybuilding and ask the Guru their all-important question. cameras.

Zydrunas Savickas
The mighty Big Z, Savickas, over-
shadows many of the fans that
came to get a picture with him. With
BodyPower having a huge powerlift-
ing community in attendance, what
more could any strength athlete
wish for that a chance to meet one
of the greatest strongmen of all
time? Always willing to give advice
and guidance to any newcomer, Big
Z is a great role model for the sport
Sadik Hadzovic
IFBB Men’s Physique Pro Sadik
Hadzovic spent the weekend looking
cool on his clothing sponsors stand
Vanquish Clothing (VQ). Probably
one of the best-balanced physiques
to grace the Olympia stage. Sadik
kindly took his time greeting each
fan, shocking some, once they
realise actually how big the Olym-
pian Men’s Physiques actually are.
Evan Centopani
The icon of brand ANIMAL, Evan
Centopani signed pictures for fans
even though he wasn’t feeling well.
Being massively into his nutrition,
and his fans knew that, he sat
explaining quite how he turned from
a ‘fat kid’ his words to a lean, mean
monster of the stage.

92 FLEX | JULY 2018


Hafthor ‘The Mountain’ Bjornsson,
Terry Hollands & Laurence Shahlaei
Game of Thrones star Hafthor ‘The Mountain’ Bjornsson towered
over fans for photos with Laurence Shahlaei and the mighty Terry
Hollands. Hopefully, the fans had a seriously wide angled lens to
get these guys in. Terry also hosted the Strongman competition in
unforgettable fashion with on looking fans in complete awe.
William Bonac
Overwhelmed with receiving his very own first ever front cover on
June’s edition of FLEX, William ‘The Conqueror’ Bonac was genu-
inely humbled by such an achievement in any bodybuilders eyes.
It’s been a huge year for Bonac, with winning the Arnold, front
cover of FLEX and the birth of his daughter. Can he finish the year
with a Sandow trophy taken from the clutches of Phil ‘The Gift’
Heath? We will have to wait until September to find out
Martyn Ford & Jens
‘The Beast’ Dalsgaard
Film star and Ultimate 5% er Martyn Ford
with Jens ‘The Beast’ Dalsgaard stood for
hours greeting their huge amounts of fans
that queued for miles. Although these
guys look probably the most intimidating
characters of the show, the fans know that
they are in fact the nicest guys you could
meet. The moral is ‘don’t judge a book by
its cover’.
Hidetada Yamagishi
Gaspari Nutrition athlete Hidetada Yamagi-
shi met fans and showed them what a true
Arnold Classic champion is like up close.
Probably one of the humblest pros on the
circuit and made time for every fan.
Dusty Hanshaw
Great to see Mutant Athlete Dusty Hanshaw
hanging on the stand being his usual
colossal self. Dusty graced his fans with his
general openness and wealth of knowledge.
He’s genuine willingness to teach the up and
coming lifters with his T-Rex sized wealth
of experience.
Flex Lewis
Always great to have Flex Lewis back in the
UK. It’s still such a pleasure to see the time
and effort that Flex puts into every fan if
he’s met a fan before he remembers their
name and where they met and gave them
the time they need to feel special. A true
ambassador of how every athlete should
be towards the fans.
JULY 2018 | FLEX 93
TRUE ART OF BODYBUILDING
COMPETITION
S
ustainable and socially /// BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @daz_the_bull /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS
responsible brand art
group, LVNG Heart,
teamed up with Winner: Chris Link with Dorian Yates
Flex Magazine editor Darren
Nicholhurst and six time
Mr Olympia, Dorian Yates, to
raise funds for SportsAid at
this year’s BodyPower Expo
in Birmingham.
LVNG heart created an original
piece of modern art, entitled “The
Shadow”, to capture the spirit of
determination, passion and
commitment. Which was then
autographed by British bodybuilding
legend, Dorian Yates, himself, it
was raffled at the 10th annual
BodyPower Expo in aid of SportsAid
– supporting British children aspiring
to become professional athletes.
All the money that was raised for
SportsAid was through ticket sales Flex Magazine for making this all towards great causes, spreading
at the event, the LVNG team hopes possible, and all the BodyPower that feel good factor among brand
to do further fundraising with attendees who bought raffle teams, customers and beyond.
future plans. tickets and supported this fantastic LVNG Heart describe themselves
Painted using only spray cans on cause! We were honoured to be a as a business with a heart, because
canvas, by the very talented Ant part of this and look forward to being able to donate a portion of our
Steel of LVNG Heart, it will now be working with Flex and DY Nutrition time and resources to charitable
moving to its new home with the again in the future.” Jade Edinburgh, causes was one of the main
lucky winner, Chris Link. Chris, an Co-Founder, LVNG Heart. motivations for the founders
aspiring competitive bodybuilder, LVNG Heart brings together brand launching the group. For more
was thrilled to win, commenting engagement, art and charity to information, visit www.LVNGheart.
“Thank you so very much indeed! I make a positive impact on the world. com or search LVNG Heart on
applaud the work that LVNG Heart, Through experiential art installations Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Flex and DY Nutrition are doing for and eco-friendly merchandise with
SportsAid. I will cherish and look corporate social responsibility at its
after this amazing piece of artwork.” core, the team at LVNG Heart help
LVNG commented, “We owe a brands create unique customer
huge thanks to Dorian Yates, Gal engagement opportunities,
Yates, Shoeeb and his team at differentiates brands from their
DY Nutrition for welcoming us so competitors, develops brand loyal
warmly into their team for the customers who are proud to be
weekend. Darren Nicholhurst from supporters and contributes

94 FLEX | JULY 2018

COMPETITION CALENDAR

2018 SHOWS

MP UNIVERSE October 28th

VENUE: The Alban Arena, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 3LD

MANCHESTER September 9th MIDDLETON

MIDLANDS September 16th BIRMINGHAM

CUMBRIA Date TBC Shortly CARLISLE

LONDON Date TBC Shortly

THE AMATEUR
GRAND PRIX Saturday September 15th TOWNSGATE
WELSH Date TBC Shortly
THEATRE,
BASILDON.
JP GRAND PRIX Date TBC Shortly
THE KINGS OF
THE NORTH Saturday October 20th CARRIAGEWORKS
JERSEY October 7th CHANNEL ISLANDS THEATRE, LEEDS
THE RHINO Sunday November 4th STAMFORD CORN
FINALS October 13th-14th BIRMINGHAM CLASSIC EXCHANGE,
STAMFORD
PCA WORLD THE UK
CHAMPIONSHIPS Saturday November 24th RILEY-SMITH HALL,
CHAMPIONSHIPS Date TBC Shortly TADCASTER.

UK ULTIMATE PHYSIQUES
WUP WORLD CUP INVITE ONLY July 29th

UKUP WELSH/SW CHAMPIONSHIPS August 11th

UKUP SOUTHERN CHAMPIONSHIPS September 9th

RIUP IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Pro Qualifier) September TBC

UKUP NORTHERN CHAMPIONSHIPS October 6th

UKUP BRITISH FINALS (PRO QUALIFIER) October 20th

JULY 2018 | FLEX 95

96 FLEX | JULY 2018
 DADDY TALKS
HOW TO GET STARTED IN

/// BY GLENN ROSS

W
hen you start to
question whether you
want that narrow YOU’LL KNOW YOURSELF PRETTY
focus on your current QUICKLY WHETHER THE IDEA OF
speciality, be that powerlifting
or bodybuilding, or whether STRONGMAN IS FOR YOU. IT’S JUST
you feel that deep down, the A FEELING YOU’LL HAVE.
raw need to compete and
show that you are the
strongest out there, an all-
around super-strength athlete.
In reality that’s what being a
Strongman is – the ability to
consistently show that you can lift
more, push more, hold more or
throw more than others and not just
in the gym but out there in the real
world with equipment with roots in
everyday objects. It does what it
says on the tin, it’s about being
consistently the best over a wide
PHOTO CREDITS: ROB DUNNING/USP (LEFT): ANDERS MOLLER (RIGHT)

range of tests of strength.

Strongman activities go as far
back as the recorded history of
athletics. The Greeks, the Romans,
the Celts and the Vikings all
celebrated feats of strength and
even immortalised them in myth and
legend, so when you take your first
steps into Strongman, remember
that the modern daydisciplines
of weightlifting, gym work and
bodybuilding have sprung from
Strongman, not the other way
around. You will be taking your first
steps into a sport with a deep and
rich past.
The good news is that unlike when
I started Strongman and had to have

JULY 2018 | FLEX 97

 my own kit specially made for me,
the benefits of strength training
have been embraced across a
number of mainstream sports like
rugby and CrossFit, which means
access to equipment and knowledge
is far greater than it used to be.
There really won’t be a gym or
sports centre in the nation that
won’t be able to accommodate
your burgeoning desire to be a
Strongman.

So, what do you need

to do when you take your
first tentative steps in
Strongman?
Strongman can push bodies to the
limit so always pay attention to your
health, make sure you eat well not
PHOTO CREDITS: ANDERS MOLLER

just a lot and run that engine of

yours on good stuff – if you’ve got a
good engine only use the best fuel,
there is no point in even starting
unless you’re in good shape.
Take it slow and perfect your art.
You wouldn’t jump straight into a
Formula 1 car and expect to be the
best would you? To win you’d hone

98 FLEX | JULY 2018

 your skills in karting and then
Formula 3. Strongman is no
different. Make sure you take it
slow and steady, the more you rush
to go bigger and stronger the more
likely you are to suffer injury and
burn out. If a thing is worth doing it’s
worth doing well, slow and steady
wins the day.
A lot of gyms will now have many
of the well-known Strongman kit on
site. Large tyres, logs, farmer’s walk
rigs and atlas stones so that’s a
good place to start learning. Talk to
people and seek out other gym
members who already practice
Strongman. It’s always the best way
to learn and you can tap into that
huge sense of community that
underpins and supports Strongman,
When you do feel ready to move
on from your first steps in a gym
and go hardcore, get yourself down
to your nearest friendly farmer and
get practicing on some heavier kit
– big tractor tyres for example. This
is when your training mates or ‘cell’
as I call them can really come into
PHOTO CREDITS: ANDERS MOLLER
their own. Your next stage will be
thinking about competition because
if you really want to be the best,
you need to show you’re the best.
Nearly all gyms will be able to put
you in touch with a local area
Ultimate Strongman Marshal who
will know the sport inside out and
help you on your first steps in
competition, starting at the local or
County level and maybe you too
could end up being UK’s Strongest
Man. If you can’t make contact with
a Marshal contact us through www.
ultimatestrongman.tv for some
advice.
Here are the guiding
principles to starting
Strongman:
• Make sure you get your health right
– eat well, sleep well and get fit
enough to start training. There
is no point in starting on the road
without an engine in a top state of
tune and running on the best fuels
and oils.
• Learn how to be strong -
take time and learn to perform
consistently and well. Being
consistently good at everything is
absolutely key. Just look at the big
Pole Mateusz Kielokowski, recently
2nd at World’s Strongest Man but
who missed out on the victory by
being weak in the deadlift despite
monstering everything else
• Work on that consistency – keep
the training volumes, eating and
timing of your gym work consistent
as you move towards your first
competition. Don’t overtrain and
give yourself enough leeway to
make your first competition 100%
effort.
• Rest Up – before your first
competition make sure you give
your body and mind enough time off
so that when you start again you
really, really want to lift some heavy
things. Make sure you’re hungry for
it. I used to give myself 5 straight
days off before competition to get
my muscles really soft, that’s
perfect for going into a competition.
• People remember the Victor –
remember to treat every
competition like it’s your last. Give
it everything and don’t hold back.
People only remember the winner.
That may sound harsh but believe
me it’s true. To win you have to be a
little on the edge so make sure you
put yourself out there.
Good luck as you take your first
steps into Strongman, maybe I’ll see
you there soon.
Stay Strong
Glenn ‘The Daddy’ Ross
JULY 2018 | FLEX 99
HOLLANDS KILLS
BUS RECORD
T
he crowds were A lot of eyes will have been trained on
out in force at The Philippines last month for
Southampton’s
World’s Strongest Man, but it’s been a little
Guildhall Square in
May to watch ‘The Dartford
closer to home, in Southampton where the
Destroyer’, Terry Hollands smart money has focused its attention.
smash the World Record
for the 12-tonne Bus Pull
by a massive 7 seconds
over a 20-metre course.
The previous record of 23.25
seconds, set by Albanian-born
British strongman Jimmy Marku
in 2007, was one of the longest
standings and difficult discipline
records to break. But, in perfectly
dry and sunny conditions, Hollands
powered his way to an incredible
new benchmark of 17.41 seconds in
front of the region’s media and a
large and enthusiastic mass of fans.
Terry’s magnificent achievement
was supported by Southern Transit,
who provided a £250,000 Alexan-
der-Dennis Enviro400 Citymaster
bus for the day, along with driver
and company owner Neil Bird. While
the majority of the British public
were wrapped in the idea of a Royal
wedding and two special people
pulled in an open Landau by 4
horsepower, a single human power
dragged the equivalent of 2500
PHOTO CREDITS: ROB DUNNING/USP

horsepower in one explosive effort.

Southampton was ‘The City of
Strength’ this May as the south
coast built up to Summermania -
The Ultimate Strongman World
Championship II, the greatest
gathering of strongmen on earth,
to be fought out at St.Mary’s
Stadium on 3 June.
“I’m really pleased,” said Hollands
“it was always going to be tough
as the record has stood for so
long for a good reason. I’m really
happy, especially as I got off
to a bit of a slow start and was
a bit worried for a second. My legs
are in bits!”
38-year-old Hollands, who, after
sustaining an injury in his first sport
of rugby, turned to strongman, is a
former winner of the Strongman
Champions League and has twice
stood on the podium of World’s
Strongest Man during a record
13 appearances.

100 FLEX | JULY 2018

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GET SWOLE
WITH WOLÉ
F
ulham firefighter and /// BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS
personal trainer Wolé
battled with dyslexia
and having no sense
CHEST TRAINING with
of belonging until he found
team sport and work.
WOLÉ ADESEMOYE
In 1992, after attending summer
football camp and noticing the older
boys with crisp toned physiques, he
soon knew his main objective was
going to be getting lean and looking
good.
Fitness and training are what
saved Wolé from going down the
path that many other teenagers do.
“I was angry, my parents split
when I was 5, and I hated the world
and everything in it,” he says.
This changed when Wolé returned
from football camp and his older
sister got them both into the local
council gym.
“My older sister lied and said that
we were 16-year-old twins, but I
was only 12 years old really,” he
recalls.”I had no knowledge of
weight lifting at all. I would watch
the biggest guy and copy what he
was doing. Eventually, that guy
asked me to train with him. Then my this took three attempts even to “I get over all my stress with
gains kicked off,” he smiles. pass the written. But, his bodybuild- training,” he explains. “I also keep in
Eventually, Wolé moved to a ing mentality kept him pushing my mind that I am a public servant
hardcore gym (Muscle Works) and forward until the goal was reached. and I use that to fuel my lifts. I
learned from the close community Many would struggle to deal with believe that I need to look strong
of bodybuilders there how to turn the enormous stresses of being a and powerful. So, when I attend an
his passion into a career. However, firefighter, coupled with angered emergency, the public feels safe and
at the same time, he was training to memories from such a childhood, secure knowing we can handle
become a firefighter. With dyslexia, but Wolé uses training to cope. anything.”

102 FLEX | JULY 2018

JULY 2018 | FLEX 103
 BARBELL INCLINE PRESS

THIS IS WHAT WOLÉ DOES

TO GET HIS CHEST SWOLE…
Barbell incline press 4x15
Barbell bench press 4x15
Barbell decline press 4x15
Dumbbell Hex Press 4x12
Dumbbell incline flies 4x12
Pec Deck 4x15
Cable Crossover 4x15

BARBELL DECLINE PRESS

104 FLEX | JULY 2018

JULY 2018 | FLEX 105
 DUMBBELL INCLINE FLIES

PECK DECK

DUMBELL HEX PRESS

106 FLEX | JULY 2018

CABLE CROSS OVER

JULY 2018 | FLEX 107

 INTRODUCING THE FIRST EVER

WELSH CHAMPIONSHIPS

22ND SEPTEMBER 2018

PRINCESS ROYAL THEATRE, PORT TALBOT,
SOUTH WALES, SA13 1PJ

FOR MORE INFO

WWW.BODYPOWER.COM - @BODYPOWEREXPO
MIKE & LEICA GELSEI - @MIKELEICAGELSEI
PRESENTED BY
110 FLEX | JULY 2018
TOM
COLEMAN
‘How I Got Here’
/// DARREN NICHOLHURST @daz_the_bul /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS

JULY 2018 | FLEX 111

I
got to spend the day with the
great Tom Coleman and get a
FLEX exclusive on exactly how he
managed to become one of the
most recognised physiques in the
industry. From how he chose where
to position himself in the industry, to
how he grew a huge following with
social media.
Here is a very personal insight into
how he got where he is today.

How and where did you decide

to take the first steps into
competition and training?
When I first started training, it was
at a hardcore spit and sawdust type
of gym. We called it The Dungeon. I
wanted to put on a serious amount
of muscle and build what I thought
was a proper physique. I was only
16 years old when I first walked in,
then really started to take things
seriously at 18-19 years old. I used
to train with some older guys; Steve
Harley, Kirk Gettings and an old
skool guy called Pete who at the ripe
age of 79 was fascinating.
There was a guy there called John
Campbell who was always

competing and between all of
my peers they decided I should
compete. I always loved the
Bob Paris look. That’s how
I wanted to appear on stage.
How did the transition from
general gym life to the
competition stage happen?
This was at a time when social
media had just started to lift off. The
guys got me to compete in a Miami
Pro contest in my early 20’s. Just
after that, I ended up doing a
television show documentary on
Men’s Health which was a contest
also, and I placed 2nd in that. I was
very stringy and didn’t like the way
I looked.
If you were advising a beginner
on choosing a show, what steps
would you recommend?
You need to know where you fit in
the industry. I see a lot of guys killing
themselves to get into a category
when they don’t even meet the
criteria. So, they end up stepping on
stage very undernourished. You
should choose the category that
you want to do and best suits your
body shape. Then grow into the

112 FLEX | JULY 2018

 “Do you
make the
trophy or
does the
trophy
make you?”

perfect physique that you need to

win that class. I always try to keep
moving forward, so before I finish at
the top of my chosen category, I’m
already looking ahead to my next
move. This way, I’m consistently
improving.

How did you know that you could

do well in such a challenging
industry?
I did the Miami Pro show to see
if I would enjoy the experience and
if I suited the stage and show. This
made me realise that I did have the
passion for competing.

How would the reader

understand which category
they would be best suited?
Watch as many shows as you can
and find someone with a physique
that you could idolise. They have
already created a blueprint
(documented their life and story of
success). Look at what they have
done from the beginning, as this will
give you an indication of how they
became a success. Follow that, as it
clearly works.

How do you find the perfect

coach to help you reach
your goal?
If you’re looking to compete, search
for an experienced coach that has
coached someone to reach your
goal before- that’s if they haven’t
experienced it themselves.
Remember every Pro has a coach.

Where is a good start to learn

about bodybuilding nutrition?
I got all my knowledge in the words will damage you. Make sure so share your knowledge. Mix
beginning from Arnold the demographic you are trying to with others in the gym and
Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopaedia. appeal to is interested in what work your way through many
I’ve always kept everything basic- you’re talking about or showing. competitive federations.
remember not to be afraid to eat. This way you will get the attention You will find where you fit, and
We should try and educate people of like-minded people. then work hard and never give up.
to eat more and be healthier. If you Every dream is possible.
eat clean, you won’t get fat. Do you have any wise words
for FLEX readers? Instagram:
How would someone decide You learn something new every day, @tomocoleman
which gym is correct for
their goal?
Never be intimidated to be in any
gym. Everyone there is there for
a similar reason.
Don’t be afraid to ask the biggest
guy in the gym for help and advice.
He is most likely the best source
of knowledge and will love to help.
He was once searching for
information too.
Focus on old skool basic training,
don’t start with stupid Instagram
exercises or you will cause yourself
an injury. Go back to Arnie’s
encyclopaedia and pick the basic
exercises to build your base
physique.

What is the best way to gain

followers on social media?
Always be positive. Positivity feeds
and attracts other positive
processes.
Always be true, don’t pretend to
be one thing on social media when
you’re something else in reality.
Be and put out the true you, people
buy into people, and fake life or

114 FLEX | JULY 2018

BLOOD FLOW RESTRICTION TRAINING

BIGGER
GET

,
STRONGER MUSCLES
B
odybuilding is all /// BY JOHN BUCKLAND /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS
about building the
biggest muscles
possible, with the
generally held belief that to
achieve this, we must aim to
get as strong as possible
with progressive overload.
So, the key to building massive
muscles is to apply a training
stimulus. By now we should all be
aware that this stimulus is weight-
lifting, using mechanical strength,
removing momentum and creating
the purest form of stimulus with the
exact execution of movement.
The other, commonly overlooked
factor, is creating the best internal
environment for optimal adaptation.
The best coaches in the world have
an intimate knowledge of training
methods, but also biochemistry and
nutrition, creating this optimal
environment within their athletes.
If your training is on point and CALVES CALVES
precise in its prescription, but you’re
wreaking havoc to your biochemis- would be insufficient to create evidence. Blood Flow Restriction
try, due to poor nutrition, optimal muscle growth. Training or BFR for short.
muscle building will not occur. But is there a way in which you With as little as 20% of your 1RM
The American College of Sports can get bigger and stronger and a cuff pressure of 150 mmHg or
Medicine (ACSM) in 2009 studied muscles with less weight? 130% of your systolic blood pres-
and found that 70% of your 1RM Or create a growth stimulus above sure (Suga et.al 2010) BFR resist-
(one rep max) and above would what can usually be achieved? ance training has been proven to
cause muscle hypertrophy and Welcome to a training method that result in significantly greater gains in
anything below that percentage flies directly in the face of that muscle size and strength.

116 FLEX | JULY 2018

 HAMSTRINGS

The studies show that strength don’t aim for just a pump, chase are involved in protein synthesis
improvements are seen in the first the burn!! and protein storage amongst many
week and size gain in up to six Science also tells us that acute other metabolic functions.
weeks. swelling (cell expansion or the pump) So, back to the BFR training.
stimulates anabolic responses in As you can see in the images, the
So, how does hepatocytes which make up 70- cuffs are positioned high up the
this happen? 85% of the liver’s mass. These cells thigh around the groin area for leg
As bodybuilders, the searing burn
from lactic acid accumulation in any
given muscle or muscles should not
be a new sensation. We know that
the local and systemic increase in
lactic acid causes endorphin release
and acts as a feedback signal to the
brain, to release Growth Hormone
from the Pituitary gland and also
enough testosterone to signal
muscle hypertrophy (males under
50-60 years.)
As such we should see lactic
acid as our friend, the greater the
levels of lactic acid, greater the
anabolic hormonal cascade we
create…our internal environment is
now becoming optimal for adaptive
GROWTH!!
So, when you’re next in the gym
LEG EXTENSION

JULY 2018 | FLEX 117

 ROMANIAN
DEADLIFT
training and on upper arm for arms
training.
The cuff allows for arterial flow
into the working muscles but
restricts venous return, in effect
trapping lactic acid and other
metabolites in the local area.
This has been shown to increase
the local levels of lactic acid hugely,
mechano-growth factors and
increase insulin-like growth Factor 1
(IGF-1) in the muscle, so be prepared
for the most painful burn you have
ever experienced…..after your
first set!!
We now know lactic acid increas-
es release of GH and testosterone.
HACK
SQUAT
118 FLEX | JULY 2018
LEG
PRESS
But it gets better! When lactic acid
forms locally in a muscle being
trained, two processes take place:
• Muscle satellite cell proliferation
(means more numbers of muscle
cells)
• Muscle satellite cell activation
(means more growth and repair)
Not only that, but an increase in
lactic acid increases recruitment of
all muscle fibre types as the in-
crease in lactic acid causes a
decrease in blood oxygen.
Aiming to be as hugely muscular
as possible, would we stay at only
BICEPS
20% of our 1rm during a BFR
workout???
Hell no!!!!
Although not studied as yet, if we
aimed to work at normal or typical
% of 1RM, (so way over the 20%) the
likelihood of creating an ordinarily
unachievable level of lactic acid in
the muscle would be achievable-
and we have just learned what lactic
acid can do for us.
Two things that this author and
coach have seen during this type
workout with many of his clients is
this:
 clients had severe DOMS in the groups 99% of amateur bodybuilder
muscles and reduced knee pain, lack the most the posterior chain,
less than before the workout! namely calves and hamstrings. It’s a
We now know what BFR training is giant set to move from one exercise
and why it has bodybuilding ben- straight into the next no stopping in
efits. So, how do we perform a leg between, once you have done the
session? first set, in this case, 30 reps for
each exercise, take a 30-second
Here’s my protocol. rest then do set two, each set
I begin the workout with the muscle increase the weight, it looks like this:

Calf raise, Laying or seated Ham curl, Leg extension

EXERCISE SET SET SET SET SET SET SET SET SET
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Calve Raise 30 reps 30 reps 25 reps 25 reps 20 reps 20 reps 15 reps 15 reps 10 reps

Ham Curl 30 reps 30 reps 25 reps 25 reps 20 reps 20 reps 15 reps 15 reps 10 reps
BICEPS Leg Ext 30 reps 30 reps 25 reps 25 reps 20 reps 20 reps 15 reps 15 reps 10 reps

Firstly, training with the BFR cuff

on allows for pain-free training in Once this has been completed a super-set of 45-degree leg
press back to back with Romanian deadlifts
clients who have mild to severe
EXERCISE SET SET SET SET SET SET
knee issues… which fall under the
1 2 3 4 5 6
inflammation category, so patella
tendonitis, pre-patella tendonitis, Leg Press 20 20 15 15 12 12
bursitis etc. Where clients are
RDL 15 15 12 12 10 10
unable to leg extension 20kgs
without pain, 60 -70kg for 20 reps
Next move into the last exercise, which for a beginner to BFR
pain-free has been observed. would a Hack squat machine and an Olympic barbell Back Squat
Initially thoughts were that due to for the more competent.
the immense discomfort provided EXERCISE (one only) SET SET SET SET
by trapping such a significant 1 2 3 4
amount of lactic acid into the legs, it
Back Squat 15 12 10 8
was masking of pain in the inflamed
joint, but… Hack Squat 20 15 12 10
Secondly, on further examination,

This leg workout should last no more than 50 minutes, which is more
than enough to get the benefits of the BFR, its high rep, but still push
for added weight on each set.
Remember, lactic acid is your friend…it causes all of the internal
hormonal cascades we want. One take-home point to remember …
Insulin works in opposition to GH, so once you have spiked you GH
production with your BFR training, wait at least 30 mins before you
ingest any carbs which will cause an insulin spike and damage your
post-workout lactic acid induced GH peak.
Enjoy John Buckland #ministryofIron

References
ACSM (2009) American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy
adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 41(3):687–708
Abe T, Beekley MD, Hinata S, Koizumi K, Sato Y (2005a) Day-to-day change in muscle strength and MRI-measured skeletal
muscle size during 7 days KAATSU resistance training: a case study. Int J KAATSU Train Res 1(2):71–76
Yasuda T, Fujita S, Ogasawara R, Sato Y, Abe T (2010) Effects of low-intensity bench press training with restricted arm muscle
blood flow on chest muscle hypertrophy: a pilot study. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging 30(5):338–343
Suga T, Okita K, Morita N, Yokota T, Hirabayashi K, Horiuchi M, Takada S, Omokawa M, Kinugawa S, Tsutsui H (2010)
Dose-effect on intramuscular metabolic stress during low-intensity resistance exercise with blood flow restriction. J Appl
Physiol 108(6):1563–1567
Loenneke JP, Wilson JM, Wilson GJ, Pujol TJ, Bemben MG (2011) Potential safety issues with blood flow restriction training.
BICEPS Scand J Med Sci Sports 21(4):510–518
Haussinger D (1996) The role of cellular hydration in the regulation of cell function. Biochem J 313(Pt 3):697–710

JULY 2018 | FLEX 119

120 FLEX | JULY 2018
Tweaks
TO
Become
A
Freak
PART 1
Five alterations to basic upper-body
exercises that will hype up hypertrophy.

/// BY ERIC ‘MERLIN’ BROSER

JULY 2018 | FLEX 121

W
With more than 25 years of experience in this
industry, I view every machine, pulley, bench,
barbell, and dumbbell as a tool with endless
possibilities. Similarly, I look at every textbook
training movement as nothing more than a basic
outline with infinite potential. Which raises the
question: Is it possible to make standard
exercises extraordinary with the slightest of
changes? As a matter of fact, it is. Here goes...

THE MOVEMENT:
Dumbbell Pullover
THE TWEAK: higher degree (close to 90 de-
Alter your form and degree of grees) while lowering the weight
elbow bend to target different straight down toward the floor.
muscles. Feel the rib cage stretch as the
dumbbell descends and focus on
THE EXECUTION: pulling with the pecs as you raise
To target your lats, keep the arms the weight back over your chest.
only slightly bent and lower the Squeeze each time before begin-
O P E N E R : P AV E L Y T H J A L L .

weight both down and back (away) ning the next rep.
T H I S PAG E : P E R B E R N A L

from the top of the head. Focus on

stretching the lats at the bottom
and forcing them to contract as
you return the dumbbell to just
over the forehead. To pump up
your pecs, bend the elbows to a
THE RESULT:
By slightly altering your technique,
you can make dumbbell pullovers
a useful part of both your chest
and back training programs.

122 FLEX | JULY 2018

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 THE MOVEMENT:
One-arm Dumbbell Row
THE TWEAK: onto the upper-right side of the bench (and vice versa).
Lean forward into an incline bench to stabilise the Row the dumbbell back toward your hip with one arm
torso as you row. while the other wraps underneath the bench, holding on
to it firmly, to keep your torso locked in place.
THE EXECUTION:
PICTURE CREDIT: CHRIS LUND

Instead of positioning yourself with one knee on a THE RESULT:

flat bench and one leg behind you, set an incline to Not only will this positioning on an incline bench remove
about 45 degrees and lie forward onto your chest. When all possibility of cheating, but it will also help create a
performing the movement with the left arm, longer range of motion and a better plane of movement
for example, aim to place your right pec and shoulder for greater lat stimulation.

124 FLEX | JULY 2018


THE MOVEMENT:
Close-grip Bench Press
THE TWEAK:
Utilise a Smith machine, rather
than a free bar, and hold with
hands rotated inward so the
elbows flare out.
THE EXECUTION:
To set up, grasp the bar at just
inside shoulder width and rotate
your hands inward so that the el-
bows rotate outward. Then lower
the bar slowly (and carefully) in
line with your upper pecs until
your forearms touch your biceps.
Pause for a moment, then push
the bar up to just before lockout
PICTURE CREDIT: PER BERNAL
GET YOUR
BACK ISSUES
TODAY!
on each rep, trying to activate
only your triceps.
THE RESULT:
The unique positioning of the
hands and elbows puts the chest
and anterior deltoids in a weaker
position for pressing, thus forcing
the triceps to take on the brunt of
the work. While all three heads
of the triceps—long, short, and
medial—will be engaged, it is the
long/inner head that will be most
affected, making this a serious
mass builder for the back of the
upper arms.
VISIT:
STORE.BODYPOWER.COM
 THE MOVEMENT:
One-arm Dumbbell
Preacher Curl
THE TWEAK:
Vary hand positioning on the dumbbell on
each set.

THE EXECUTION:
After warming up, go all out for three sets
of this exercise (per arm). Perform the first
set with the hand grasping the middle of the
dumbbell; the second set with your pinkie up
against the inner plate; and the third set with
your thumb up against the outer plate.

THE RESULT:
With each set, you will feel a unique strain on
the biceps as each hand position will slightly
alter the direction of the downward force
through the dumbbell. This will allow you to
stimulate varying sets of motor pools within
the biceps.

THE MOVEMENT:
Lateral
(NOT SHOWN)
Raise
THE TWEAK:
Lean back against an incline bench instead
of standing.

THE EXECUTION:
Set an incline bench to about 75 degrees. (If
possible, have someone hold the back of the
bench so it remains in place.) Grab a pair of
dumbbells that are about 20% lighter than
you usually use. Stand with your feet slightly
out in front of you and lean back into the
bench. Starting with the dumbbells at your
hips, raise them out to the sides until your
upper arms are parallel to the floor. Keep
a very slight bend in the elbows and your
palms facing downward on every rep.

THE RESULT:
By leaning back into an incline bench, you
not only will be working through a different
plane of motion but will also remove the
possibility of using momentum. This maxi-
mally activates your delts.

126 FLEX | JULY 2018

 GET YOUR
BACK ISSUES
TODAY!

VISIT:
STORE.BODYPOWER.COM
 /// PHOTO GR A PH BY JODY W R IGH T. INS TA : JODY_W R IGH T 1 VITAL STATS
NAME:
Rachael Okeefe
AGE:
20
TRAINS AT:
GAH GYM Albion Industrial Estate
OCCUPATION:
Student / salon receptionist
CATAGORY:
JR Bikini athlete
ACHIEVEMENTS & GOALS:
2017 - UKBFF I came 3rd aged 18
2018 - Competed at NABBA WALES
- I competed in NABBA Wales 2018
and won my category.
I then WON the women’s
overall and became
Miss NABBA Wales 2018.
My next goal is to attend the
NABBA Britain and win the junior
bikini title.
I competed at BodyPower junior
bikini and was a DY athlete
at BodyPower, representing
DY Nutrition.
Ultimately, I’d love to earn a pro
card in the future. I am so inspired
by other strong females currently
dominating the fitness industry.
I look up to them and hope to
achieve the same kind of success
in my career.
I fell in love with bodybuilding as
a sport because not only does it
allow you to change who you are
physically, it also challenges you
mentally and helps your focus and
drive in your training and day to
day life. My mindset has never
been stronger. Bodybuilding has
made me a strong and confident
young woman.
It’s an all or nothing sport when it
comes to diet, cardio and training.
But the feeling you get when you
are on stage is like no other and
the hard graft you put in is all
worth it.
Another achievement This was my
first professional photo shoot at
GAH gym!

128 FLEX | JULY 2018

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