A few years ago, Billy O’Connor would have laughed in your face if you told him he would be spending his Saturday nights sober and in the gym instead of getting completely fucked up in a bar somewhere. The Brooklynite enjoyed the nightlife and took it to the extreme, as many a young man does. But he was smart enough to get off that train before it reached its last stop.

“For many years, I had a major drug and alcohol problem and was unable to control it,” a somber O’Connor, 32, admitted to us. Starting from when he was 21, he went on a tear by getting high and drunk and slowly left behind the subtle semblances of normalcy. Part of that was walking away from an early introduction to weight training, albeit the simplest form.

“It was your typical chest and biceps routine in my parent’s basement,” said O’Connor. He did this for approximately seven years but then, “fell off the map completely.”

Although he was able to perform his job as a wedding photographer during this dark period of his life, O’Connor knew that he needed to get clean if he was going to excel at not just work, but life in general.

Three years ago, a decision was made that classified as a life changer is not strong enough. A life saver is more appropriate. And O’Connor turned again to a familiar place as part of his recovery and sobriety.

“I’m not sure my life would be what it is today if I didn’t train like an animal,” admitted a smiling O’Connor. “I love every aspect of my new lifestyle and I’m looking forward to making more progress.”

Having someone by your side makes it a lot easier and O’Connor’s girlfriend Melissa Mason is also his workout partner and they are currently taking classes together to become certified personal trainers.

“In the future, I hope to start a business that allows me to utilize my passion for bodybuilding and fitness every day,” O’Connor said. ” I have a few ideas in the works right now and am excited to see them through.”

After beating the demons he did, no on is betting against O’Connor.

Billy O’Connor works for Photo Elite in Brooklyn, New York (www.photoelteinc.com) and also lies his trade on a freelance basis. Check out some of his work on his Facebook page.

‘This is Your Magazine’ is merely one of the reasons why MuscleSport Mag is far and wide better than any other publication out there. What other media outlet features the up and coming athlete, the same as if he or she was a professional in their industry? This is the place to get your face and story out there, and who knows what opportunities may arise from that type of exposure?

Why would anyone want to workout without weights? Everyone knows that using weights and machines is the fastest most efficient way to gain size and strength. While this is true, there are many resons why someone would want to, or even be forced to train for a while without the benefit of using weights. Someone working long hours trying to support his family may not have the time to get to a commercial gym, and may not have the extra space or money to set up a good home gym.

Also, someone who has to travel quite often for business might prefer getting a good workout in his or her hotel room rather then wandering the streets of South America asking “Donde esta el gymo?”.

Let’s face it there are times (vacations, etc.) when all of us can’t easily get to a gym. There are also many trainees (beginners or athletes training for boxing, baseball or some other sport) who aren’t trying to get a lot of muscular bulk but want the type of strength, endurance and definition that calisthenic exercise offers. These exercises can also be preformed anytime, anywhere and you can do them over your entire life to keep fit.

The idea behind this course is – If for some reason you do workout without weights, what is the most efficient and result producing way to do it? You can use these exercises in many ways: To build muscle, to maintain muscle you already have, in combination with your weight training to add variety and a change of pace, as a warm-up or pump-up routine, to ease back into training after a layoff or injury, etc., etc.

Very early in my training carear I started thinking about how to make calisthenics more result producing. The original reason was to help out one of my best friends at the time, who also happened to be the person that inspired me to start training by seeing the great progress he was making. Let’s call him Joe, mostly because that was his name, I believe he prefers to be called Joseph these days but back then he was still good old Joe.

Anyway, one day Joe’s father forbid him to workout with weights anymore, he gave Joe some reasons for this decision but I think the real reason was that he didn’t like the idea that his 15 year old son was getting a little too big and strong to be easily controlled and he better do something about it before he gets any bigger. The funny part was that his father didn’t object to him doing push-ups or other freehand exercises, only weight training was forbidden, I’m sure he figured that at best Joe would be able to maintain the muscle he had but he wouldn’t get any bigger. Joe was very distraught by the situation, convinced that his muscles were doomed to waste away to nothing, but I was sure there was some way to make those exercise more intense and maybe he could even gain some size. I came up with some ideas and tried to tell Joe about them but he didn’t seem too interested, his attitude was like “Hey, I know more about training then this guy, I’m the one who got him started. And besides I don’t have time to listen to this I’m too busy feeling sorry for myself and performing satanic rituals to curse my dad-”.

Joe never used my ideas but I did many times over the years, whenever I used calisthenics, and always got good results. I got even more ideas, a few years back, after reading the famous “Dynamis-Tension Course” by Charles Atlas. I found an old comic book and decided to write to the address and see if the course was still available, much to my  delight it was and I ordered it. I ordered it mostly as a collectors piece and novelty item, like owning a part of American pop culture. Who could forget those great advertisements like, “The insult that made a man out of ‘Mac’.”, “Who else wants a He-Man body?” or “In just 7 days, I can make you a Man.”, I was also curious as to what was this Dynamic-Tension method exactly. I have always believed that – Only a fool thinks he knows everything and that a wise man never stops learning., so there wasa possibility that I could find some good information in this “old, outdated course”. I read the course and found it quite interesting, I was slightly disappointed to find out that Dynamic-Tension is really just  some calisthenics and some isometric exercises. And while I’m sure they would do a lot for 198 lb weaklings”, what can they do for someone who’s already fairly big and strong? This got me thinking again about the same thing, how can these exercises be made more intense. Since then I came up with a few more ideas and now it’s time to end the history lesson and share them with you.

THE TECHNIQUES

(1) The first technique is to just do the exercises in the traditional manner, I know you can do 60, 80 even 100 reps but that’s the idea, grind out as many reps as you can this will build up your endurance and give your muscles a change of pace. And while this most likely won’t give you any extra size right away, when you go back to weight training with heavy weights and lower reps you may be supprised that you are now gaining faster then before. A few years ago some top bodybuilders were talking about a technique they called “100′s”, they reduced the weight and did literally 100 reps on all their exercises, they claimed it brought about certain physiological changes that made the muscles more responsive to later heavier training. It’s worth a try, especially if you’re going to be doing calisthenics anyway.

(2) Another way to get more results from these exercises is, right after a set flex hard the muscles just worked, flex as hard as you can and hold for at least a count of 10. Arnold talked extensively about ”Posing as exercise” and the use of “Iso-Tension”(Iso means – Equal; the same, and Tension means – To tighten; stiffen; contract. So Iso-Tension is simply contacting the muscles and holding in the same place – no movement.) he said that it really gives the body a more chiseled look, reaches areas that training misses and will make muscular contractions while training more intense, and more isolated. All good reasons to try this technique.

A better variation of this is to flex the muscles you are working first, get them good and tired and then do the exercise, thus Pre-Fatiguing them. For example flex the chest or tricep muscles as hard as you can, then immediately do a set of push-ups. Feels different doesn’t it? It’s a lot harder and produces much better results.

(3) Another technique is to reduce the rest time between exercises, let’s say you start with 60 seconds after a while cut it down to 45 then 30, then 15, etc. How about no rest between sets, a whole cycle of calisthenics all done nonstop that makes it way more intense. Also try it this way – do one set, let’s say of chin-ups, go until the muscles are really tired or even to total failure wait only a few seconds and then do another set. How many reps did you do on your second set? Only 4 or 5 I bet, that’s about what you’d do if you were doing some heavy pull-downs. You should see some growth from this style. Make it even more intense by increasing the reps on the first set and by decreasing the rest time before the second set, this is using the Rest-Pause method without weights.

(4) Why not simply add some weight, just because it’s not metal disks doesn’t matter your body can’t tell the difference. Put some heavy books on your back and do push-ups, or even your 8 year old son, he likes to play horsy. Get your wife or girlfriend (but not both at the same time, that could be trouble) to sit on your shoulders while you do squats. Do donkey calf raises, get creative there’s always a way to add some more resistance.

(5) How about using only one limb at a time, like doing one legged squats, one arm chin-ups, one arm push-ups, etc.. It takes some balance but it definitely makes it harder and puts on more muscle.

(6) Slow-Motion training is becoming popular again, try taking a full 12 seconds for the positive phase and 6 seconds for the negative phase of each rep. Don’t lock out in the top position and don’t rest in the bottom position, change smothly from the positive to the negative. This is using Slow Continous Tension, how many chin-up can you do this way?

Not many I bet, it’s intense.

(7) This last technique is based on what I thought Dynamic-Tension was before I read the course, Dynamic means – Dealing with motion, and we know from before that Tension is simply contraction. Therefore true Dynamic-Tension would be flexing the muscles hard while also moving, martial artists use a form of this to increase punching power.

Let’s try to use this applyed to our freehand workout, do your push-ups nice and slow while flexing hard your pectorals, shoulders, triceps, biceps and even your lats and forearms. When doing chin-ups flex hard your lats, shoulders, biceps, triceps and even chest and forearms. Do deep knee bends and flex hard your quadriceps, hamstrings, gludes, hips and even calves. Keep the tension hard and steady, it will take some practice to do it all together, but the increadible pump and  muscle growth you will get from it will be well worth your while.

SOME SUGGESTED EXERCISES

Deep Knee bends – Builds thighs, gludes, hips and great for lung power and endurance. With your feet about shoulder width apart, grab on to the edge of a sink (or something that will give you support) and while looking up slowly bend your knees and lower until your butt is just about touching the floor. Slowly standup again using only your legs to lift you, keep your heals on the floor and do as many as you can. For vairation you can place your feet wider or closer together, or do them one leg at a time.

Calf Raises – Do them on steps, put your toes on the edge of a step and hold on to the hand rail for balance, lower your heals to get a good stretch, then raise up on your toes as high as you can, lower and repeat for as many as you can. For variation try them in the squated down position, one leg of a time or donkey style.

Chin-ups or Pull-ups – For building back, shoulders, and biceps. Grab a bar with an under hand         grip and hang down getting a good strecth in the lats, Pull up until your chest hits the bars, lower and repeat for as many. These can be easily be done in a park, school yard or on a doorway chinbar.

Also try with an overhand grip, with one arm at a time, or even on monkey bars using a parallel grip (palms facing each other).

Push-ups – For building chest, sholders and triceps. Lie face down on the floor hands about shoulder width apart keep your palms turned inward slightly, push-up until your arms are straight, lower and repeat for reps. To make it more difficult elevate your feet. Also, try different hand placements (closer together or farther apart). They can also be done between chairs, this was the favorite exercise of Charles Atlas. Another varition is Dips between parallel bars.

Handstand push-ups – Great for shoulders and arms. Get into a handstand next to a wall, put your toes against the wall for balance, lower yourself until the top of your head touches the ground, push back up and repeat for many reps. Try both close and wide hand Placements.

Crunches – For firming abdominals and reducing stomach. Lie on your back with your legs bent and your heals close to your butt, put your chin on your chest and your hands behind your head. Raise your head up crunching your abs hard (you should only go about 1/3 of the way as compared to traditional sit-ups) lower and repeat for lots of reps.

Hyper -Extentions – For strengthening your lower back. Place a chair near a bed, while lying face down with your hips on the chair and your lower legs shoved between the mattress and boxspring, put your hands behind your head and bend forward at the waist as far as you can, raise back up until your back is straight and repeat for reps.

Grip Excercise – To build forearms and hand strength. Use a store bought pocket hand gripper, or a hard rubber ball that fits in your hand, squeeze as hard as you can, relax and repeat for many reps. Also try just the thumb and one finger at a time, exercise each finger this way.

FINAL WORDS

Always use proper form while exercising, remember – it’s safety first. It is also recomended to stretch before and after your workout. Give these ideas a try, and never again have bully’s kick sand in your face.

Good Training!

Paul Becker

About The Author: Paul Becker is a natural (steroid free for life) bodybuilder and fitness consultant. For more information on Bodybuilding and Bodybuilding Supplements visit his website at http://www.trulyhuge.com

Mechanical Advantage – is the ratio of the force exerted by a machine to the force applied to a machine.

Our muscles contract to exert force and our skeletal structures (made up of simple machines – hinges, ball and sockets, etc..) transfer that force into motion. But the force exerted by our muscles (input) is not equal to the force we can use to move our bodies or lift other objects (output). let’s look at some of the factors that cause this increase in force output, first would be bone length and muscle attachment points. Generally shorter bone lengths are better for strength output then longer bones, also attachments further down the bone being moved would give better leverage and therefore the ability to lift more.

The above two factors explain why a smaller man may lift more then a bigger man, but there is nothing we can do about the length of our bones or the placement of our muscle attachments. There is another factor that we can use in our training and that is that even taking into consideration the information from Part 1 of this series (Gravity), due to the change in mechanical advantage during a full range of motion all exercises have a harder part and an easier part. Different movements have different strength curves, but usually the closer you get to full contraction the stronger you are.

All this just serves to show that when lifting fixed resistance over a full range of motion you are limited by the range of least mechanical advantage, in other words – The Sticking Point. If you are only lifting as much as you can handle in your weakest position you are not overloading your muscles to your fullest ability.

There are a few ways to overcome this – (1) Partial Movements and (2) Variable Resistance.

(1) Partial Movements, these are also called 1/4 reps or lockouts. With this method you need some adjustable squat stands or a power rack, set the barbell so you only do the top part of the movement. For example, the top 6 to 8 inches of the squat, this is when you’re in your strongest position to lift some really heavy poundages. The benefits to this type of training are both physical and mental, on the physical side you will be forcing you muscles to lift heavier weights thus increasing their strength (most trainees find that they are much stronger, when they return to full movements after a cycle of partials), on the mental side you get over a fear of handling really heavy weights and feel like “I can lift this, I’ve lifted even more then this before”.

You can do partials on overhead presses, bench press, deadlift, curls, etc., you will be able to handle a lot of weight with this technique, but to avoid the chance of injury work up to it gradually, so that your muscles, tendons and ligaments get used to the big poundages.

(2) Variable Resistance, this is done over a full range of motion and requires some method of increasing the resistance as your strength increases due to more mechanical advantage as you get closer to the fully contracted position. Nautilus was the first to put out machines that provided variable resistance and since then many manufacturers of exercise machines have also built this factor into their machines. But not everyone trains in a big commercial gym and even some that do prefer to train with free-weights, well there are some very simple ways to create an increasing resistance.

Before he released the first Nautilus machines, Arthur Jones experimented with chains to regulate resistance. It works this way, you attach some long sections of heavy chains to the bar or weight stack and as the chains are lifted off the floor they add more resistance. You can also use small plates tied every six inches to some long pieces of strong cord or rope, you can even tie some slightly larger plates near the end of the rope so that at the point just before full contraction/lock-out you are really pushing a lot of weight. Work with this a while to get the right amount of increasing weight, when you get it right the weight should feel consistent all the way through the movement, you will have to make some extra adjustments after using this method for a while because of the previously under worked areas of your strength curve will gain more then the area near the sticking point.

These methods force you to lift more weight and you will get bigger and stronger because of them.

About The Author: Paul Becker is a natural (steroid free for life) bodybuilder and fitness consultant. For more information on Bodybuilding and Bodybuilding Supplements visit his website at http://www.trulyhuge.com.

“I love pushing my body to the limit and training as hard as I possibly can,” the 31-year-old said. “I love the results that come with hard work and the inspiration I provide to others. Working out is may passion, my love and my life.”

Going back to her childhood, Karlin has always been into athletics. Soccer, swimming and ice skating were the humble beginnings that eventually led to being named All-State in field hockey and lacrosse and an All-American in high school field hockey. “It was during high school when I was 16 that I first started weight training,” said Karlin. Her first trainer, Steve Hess, went on to become the strength and conditioning coach of the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, a position he still holds today.

After being recruited by several Division 1 colleges for both field hockey and lacrosse, Karlin played lacrosse her freshman year. “Initially my time spent in the gym was with the intent of being the best athlete I could posibly be on the playing field,” she recalled. “Quickly though, I realized that weight training and the accompanying fitness lifestyle was my true passion.” Karlin eventually transferred to Santa Clara University, where she graduated with honors and was awarded both Magna Cum Larder and Phi Betta Kappa and received a B.S. in Psychology.

After college, Karlin’s love of the gym and weight training only intensified. “Hardly a day has gone by in the past 16 years that I haven’t stepped foot in a gym,” she says matter of factly. Although she had laid the foundation for quite some time, Karlin did not begin competing until 2008.

Before turning pro, she was a top-level national NPC competitor and donned the posing suit four times her first year on the circuit. This year, Karlin competed in the Arnold Classic Amateur Invitational and professional debut at the WBFF World Championships, an organization run by Paul Dillet. “I was thrilled to be part of a federation founded by a bodybuilder where the athletes have more individuality,” she said. “I am very proud of my hard work and level of conditioning and feel that as an athlete I am more appreciated and valued by the WBBF. I am thankful that I have found a home with them and confident that I will continue to make then federation proud.”

Karlin’s trainer and friends gave her the nickname ‘Supergirl’ because of her strong work ethic in an out of the gym. “I tend to bring a unique look to the figure stage and no matter where I place, it’s evident that the work went into my preparation,” she said.

Operating her own business as a personal trainer and competing may be one of her loves, but Karlin’s four-year-old daughter is her life. “She is why I wake up and breathe in and out everyday,” she says proudly. “My love for her could get me through the toughest of days and I would do anything for her. She is my greatest inspiration and biggest fan. She already knows how to perform quarter turns and has her own clear heels!”

A future champion herself, no doubt.

Contest History:

Colorado Mountain States Bodybuilding and Figure Championships (2008)

Northern Kentucky Bodybuilding and figure Championships (2008)

U.S.A Championships (2008)

National Championships (2008)

Arnold Classic Amateur Invitational (2009)

WBFF World Championships (2009)

Photos by Simon Lau

Part II Hoover or Dyson

I was very fortunate to be introduced to weight training focusing on structure first before building muscle. During my first 6 months of training a majority of my exercises were geared towards manipulating the bone and cartilage of my torso.  Once this is formed then you can pack on the muscle – otherwise it’s too late.  You cannot go back and change structure once muscle is developed.

The cornerstone exercise used to achieve this look with me was dumbbell pullovers.    The key to this exercise is to expand the ribcage thru stretching and breathing using relatively light weights at first. (I started with a single 15 lbs weight that I struggled to do 8 reps with!) Laying flat start by taking a deep breath filling your lungs with as much air as possible, raising your ribcage to the ceiling.  As the weight lowers over your head attempt to expand your chest by increase your lung capacity even though you’ve started with full lungs. It will feel you’re your breathing though not getting air in.  This is not about repping out or throwing around weight.  Its about maxing out your lung capacity then adding more air!  At the bottom of the rep, release all the air but keep the volume of the lungs the same size – huh? Yes! Keep the volume of your lungs big, but exchange out the carbon dioxide for a new breath of oxygen.  As the new breath flows in, push the weight up against that breath as you increase your lung/ribcage volume.  It’s completely counter intuitive.  Your resistance becomes not only the weight pulling on your arms but your chest pushing against your breath.  Direct your effort to getting your ribcage towards the ceiling the entire rep.  You can relax at the top when you bring the weight back to the starting position – up in front of your chest.

If you’re feeling a sharp piercing pain in your ribs in your back you’re doing it right. Between sets grab underneath your ribcage and using your hands like meat hooks and pull on your ribcage upwards. Switch up the workouts using dumbbells, barbells, and med-low bar on a cable. Keep your head at the edge of the bench to give the most leverage. Use a flat bench (both on it and across it), an incline bench (on the smallest incline), and moon bench (if available). Start by doing 8-15 reps 15-25 sets a day – everyday!  Because you’re not building muscle here rather stretching tendons/ligaments and cartilage, this can be worked on daily.

To really perfect this:

Always expand your ribcage on every exercise possible during your workout. Keep your ribcage up always! Never walk around with bad posture! Minimize serratus work.  Why build a wider waist? The next level is to learn how to pull the vacuum AND show abs underneath.  It takes time to learn how to contract your abs without crunching your ribcage.

All this work is key, so that when you get to the stage you’re not thinking about it or suffering.

Known as the bodybuilding/golf pro, Michael Manavian works on improving peoples health and fitness as well as their golf game. He is the author of Atomic Golf, The Alternative to Swing Gurus, Pie-in-the-Sky Theories, Perfect Greens, and Everything Else That’s Failed and is available for fitness consultations as well as golf instruction.

Be sure to visit his website, www.atomic-golf.com.

P.J. initially started out in powerlifting and was successful, but decided that his ultimate goal was standing in the winner’s circle on the bodybuilding stage. At 22, he entered his first competition and placed fifth as a novice light heavyweight at the 2003 Atlantic States.

“I was the youngest in the class,” Braun wrote on his official website, www.pjbraun.com. “Success. This felt amazing and I was now addicted to the sport for life.”

Two top-three finishes in a row gave Braun the confidence that he needed to make the commitment to take it to the next step. He took off nearly two years to add some size to his frame and came back at 220 pounds for the 2006 Junior USA, where he finished what he described as a “controversial” fourth. A week later, Braun won the New England Bodybuilding Championships with a heavy heart. “Two days prior to the show, John Stavidris, one of my best friends, had passed away,” wrote Braun. “That winning moment was so surreal. It will live with me forever.”

Since then, Braun has finished 11th at the 2007 IFBB North American Championships and 9th at the same show a year later. He then was victorious at the 2008 NPC Atlantic City Amateur as the super-heavyweight and overall champion.

Braun is also one third of the famous Brat Pack along with Evan Centopani and Guy Cisternino. P.J. is the last one without a pro card, so he is keeping good company and on his way to joining his mates before too long.

This is part of an exclusive series by MuscleSport Mag on the 2009 NPC Empire States for which we are one of the show’s official sponsors. The show will take place on Saturday, July 18 in Suffern, New York.

Nelson has two titles to her name, both occurring in 2004. She won the IFBB North American and World Universe crowns that year and has competed in many of the prestigious shows in the industry, such as the Ms. Olympia, Ms. International (Arnold Classic), Atlantic City Pro, New York Pro and Europa Super Show.

Be sure to listen live on Thursday March 19 from 3:00 to 4:00 PM Eastern time or download the podcast to listen anytime through Blog Talk Radio, MuscleSport Mag or iTunes. 

Our call-in number is 347-884-8157. Please join us if you have any questions or comments for Colette. 

http://www.colettenelson.com/cn-newsmagazines2009.html

***PLEASE BE ADVISED***

We will be announcing a new schedule for the show soon and our next episode will be on Thursday, March 26 at 3:00 PM. Updates can be found right here on MuscleSport Mag, and our new tentative time slot will be on Tuesdays from 1:00 to 2:00 PM. We are in the process of lining up our special guests and you will not be disappointed when they are announced.

This is part of a continuing series provided exclusively by MuscleSport Mag entitled, “This is Your Magazine,” where we profile the every-day athlete. If you would like to see yourself profiled here, please send us your story and photo to superbas@optonline.net.

Perhaps is is just good karma to finish in the top spot the first time someone does something, especially when it’s a bodybuilding contest that takes months to prepare for. Back in 2005, a newcomer entered the NABBA Junior Nationals and walked away with the trophy that all the other competitors had their eyes on.

Monica M. of Doylestown, Pennsylvania may have begun weight training to prepare for high school cross country and sprint meets, but at the young age of 25, she has become an accomplished natural bodybuilder. She went on to win two more contests in each of the following years and has already qualified for professional status.

Her posing routines in all five of the shows Monica has entered have been lauded and she has also taken home ‘Best Poser’ awards on three separate occasions (2006 NABBA Nationals, 2007 USBF Jersey Shore Natural, 2007 USBF Baltimore Natural). On Bodybuilding.com, it has been described as a “sensational posing routine” and a “great combination of diesel, dance and dynamite gymnastics.”

If Monica had never begun working out, she may not have found her hidden talent. That’s the way things shake out at times, and at age 14, Monica could not envision what was to come.

“The heavier weights and dedication to the gym did not come until I was about 18 years old ,” she said. “Once I began lifting heavier and cleaning up my eating habits, I realized that my body responded quite favorably to resistance training.”

Calling track her “ultimate passion,” Monica has certainly been able to share that with bodybuilding. If she did not sustain numerous injuries, she may have become an Olympic champion, knowing her dedication to her body and being the best. As Monica puts it, “I love to compete.”

When Monica was a child, she became inspired by a vision on the television set, much like many of us. “I was obsessed with ‘American Gladiators,” she remembered. “Ice was my favorite. I always wanted to be on the show.”

It would seem that things are timed for a reason, and the second incarnation of the series is once again a hit show. “I was going to open calls in New York last summer, but I was competing and still in school,” said Monica. “I’m still looking for a way to get on that show.”

Only tweaking her routine and diet has kept Monica in the right shape to compete in more than one contest a year. “Whether or not I’m getting ready for a show, my workouts don’t change a whole lot – I just do a heck of a lot more cardio,” she said. Typically holding true to a six-day split, Monica will generally do one bodypart and cardio each day, while hitting her abs three times per week.

Eating clean all year has made Monica’s occasional indulgence into one of her favorite offseason snacks, ice cream, not become a problem. During contest preparation, she will eliminate all salt, sugar and alcohol.

To get to the top is what makes all of these sacrifices worth it to Monica. “Don’t get me wrong, dieting and training are physically and mentally demanding,” she said. “But being a winner is such a wonderful thing.”

The type of thing a girl could get used to.

By Alex Truman

This is part of a continuing series provided exclusively by MuscleSport Mag entitled, “This is Your Magazine,” where we profile the every-day athlete. If you would like to see yourself profiled here, please send us your story and photo to superbas@optonline.net.

This article based on informing high school athletes, parents, coaches, and teachers on what could make high school athletes even better at what they do.
High schools bring up many hardships for the inspiring athletes within their walls. An athlete needs to worry about his training and diet, but being a high school student gives athletes more to deal with. Classes, homework, and projects all become obstacles that a student has to overcome. Athletes need to overcome the stress and hassle of being a student, and they need to excel at sports at the same time. The pressure put on high school athletes is incredible, but that is what makes athletes who they are.

Having a good diet and training regimen will separate the athletes from those who just take up space on the team. Athletes need to train and eat like machines. Having 6-8 meals a day, weight training 4-6 times a week, and doing cardio 3-7 days a week will not only make the athlete bigger, stronger, and faster, but it will help to keep their immune systems healthy.

Let’s start out with how a high school athlete should get their training done. This is aimed towards the athletes that need to train more than their team trains. Some athletes need to train their skills, some to get stronger, some to get bigger, and some just to get in better shape. No matter what their goals, these athletes are going above and beyond their coach’s standards, and all their hard work will pay off.

Students who want to get better at skills or get in shape:

Talking to coaches, teammates, or peers about setting up drills would be a great start. If an athlete is in a team sport, then the athlete could talk to a coach or teammates about having extra practices for those who want to improve on their skills.

Students who want to get stronger:

Start a program and follow it. Research programs like 5×5, Sheiko, Westside, etc. Find a program that works for you, and make sure not to overdo it.

Students who want to get bigger:

Keep track of your diet. Make sure you are eating clean, or you will see more fat gain then expected. Add 500 calories a day to what you are currently eating. If after a week you do not see any weight gain, increase your intake another 500 calories. Keep adding more calories until you see a difference.

Now diet is another big key in any athlete’s quest to become great. As a high school student it is hard to find the time to schedule 6-8 meals a day. Many high school athletes only eat 3 times a day, but that just won’t cut it. For a human body to get the nutrients it needs, meals have to be spread throughout the day. If a student tells a teacher why he or she needs to eat during the class, then the teacher should have no problem allowing the student to have a quick snack. A shake, protein bar, fruit, and other simple things will go over much easier then a full-on meal. Keep in mind you are in class, and you need to eat quickly and not disturb anyone.

This is how to get 8 meals a day:
Meal 1- 6:00am
Meal 2- 8:00am
Meal 3- 10:00am
Meal 4- 12:00am
Meal 5- 2:00pm
Meal 6- 4:00pm
Meal 7- 6:00pm
Meal 8- 8:00pm
(Note: Keep meals 7 and 8 pretty light on the carbohydrates and simple sugars, or your body will start to store more fat as you sleep.)

Follow all of the above instructions this school year, and become the athlete you always wanted to be. Don’t let anything stand in your way. Remember, you are responsible for becoming who you want to be, and nobody else can be blamed for you not giving it 100% effort 100% of the time.

Alex Truman, in addition to being a MuscleSport Mag staff writer, is a 17-year old high school athlete, powerlifting champion and aspiring bodybuilder. At an offseason bodyweight of 200 pounds, Alex is able to deadlift 550 pounds, squat 500, bench 365, clean and jerk 255 and snatch 185.

This is Part One of a continuing series provided exclusively by MuscleSport Mag entitled, “This is Your Magazine,” where we profile the every-day athlete. If you would like to see yourself profiled here, please send us your story and photo to superbas@optonline.net.

When you begin preparing for powerlifiting competitions at the young age of 15, you know that you are taking weight training a little more serious than the rest of the bunch. Alex Truman of Butler, PA began working out and shortly thereafter realized where his passion lied. 10 months later, he entered his first local competition.

Only one year later, he won his weight division at the 2007 IPA PA States with a 1,180 pound total at a body weight of only 181. Some would have been satisfied with a victory, but not Truman.

“I knew I had to improve,” he said. “I started to train even harder and set my sights on a local Strongman show.” He entered the YMCA Octoberfest’s Strongest Man as a Novice Middle Weight, competing against people much older and more experienced than him, which turned out to be all the incentive he needed.

“I was worried about how I would do when I got there and saw that I was competing against adults,” he recalled, “but I kept my focus and ended up winning.”

In his last show this past April, Truman finished fourth in his division at the NAS-sanctioned WV Regional Strongman.

What adds to this already-impressive resume is the fact that Truman is a high school senior concentrating on his studies and participating on the varsity wrestling team. He has used his training to assist him during matches, which has made him a more well-rounded wrestler.

“I believe the work I do in the gym does transcend greatly to other sports,” said Truman. “As a varsity wrestler, I have had matches with people of every body type and fitness level, and the ones who train in the gym and on the mats always have that little advantage.”

With his body still growing, Truman has had a difficult time putting on body weight, leading to what he calls an “unconventional” diet, which can go up to 6,800 calories per day spread out over six to eight meals when he is bulking up. His weight training is also slightly different from the norm, breaking his workouts into movements on certain days.

“I have a bench, squat, dead lift and overhead day,” Truman said. “On bench day, I’ll train chest, triceps and front deltoids.” Using this method, he is able to give more attention to the portion of the lift that needs work, basing every workout on improving each lift. It’s hard to argue with his logic when you see his max numbers. Truman can dead lift 550 pounds, squat 500, bench 365, clean and jerk 255 and snatch 185. Even with his offseason body weight of 200 pounds, those are incredible numbers, especially for someone that is still too young to vote!

This is a young man that does not deviate from his training, regardless of what is going on around him. “When I train, nothing else matters,” explained Truman. “I turn off my phone and turn on the music. Once I’m in the zone, nothing can break my concentration.

“I picture who I want to become and I train to become who I want to be,” he continued. “Sometimes I’m sick, but that doesn’t stop me from training. Nobody cares that you have a cold when you get on the platform, so if squatting until you puke is what it takes, I’ll do it.”

Truman has already decided that he will wait a full year and then begin preparing for bodybuilding competitions. He will use his previous diet and training knowledge to help the transition, saying that “preparation for bodybuilding is very similar to what I have done to cut weight” for powerlifting shows.

Sounding way beyond his 17 years, Truman feels that the media has taken the story of performance-enhancing drugs and portrayed it as totally one-sided. “Nothing has been brought up how athletes use legal PEDs with great results and no unwanted side effects,” he said. “The media is out to make money, and that means talking about the harm that they cause.”

When asked about the size of the professional bodybuilders competing for the Mr. Olympia title, Truman took the high road. “I do not think it’s for me to say whether these athletes use anabolic steroids or not,” he said. “If they wish to do so, then it is their choice. If they take these compounds, they run the risk of infection, side effects and jail time if caught.”

Sounding more like a teacher than a student is easy for someone planning on attending a four-year college to become one. Truman intends on concentrating his studies to be a high school teacher, in either science or math. Whoever his future pupils may be, they will be learning at a high quality from this multi-talented individual.