Physical-Evolution.com.au

No doubt about it, the supplementation industry is big business. With so many companies vying to secure your dollar with a sale, they are always trying to out do each other. Some will try and make existing products better in either quality or affordability, and others will play the game with a little cleaver marketing - to create products that sound too good to be true. One of the most recent products to make me laugh has been the influx of specially designed and marketed ‘night time proteins’. Basically, is there any truth to the night time proteins (what they claim to do) and are they any better then conventional blended proteins currently available?

Some of the claims made by manufacturers have been ridiculous at best. Hey, I am the first to admit that I am no bio-chemist and the science behind these products might be a little out of my league, but I am using a very powerful tool to make this judgment - common sense. In 9 times out of 10, if a product sounds too good to be true, it usually is and some of the claims made, well I just cannot see how they could be possible.

I have seen the marketing from a company that claims that they have a Protein that provides a sustained release for up to 7 hours! This just puzzles me as to why you would want a protein powder to digest so slowly. Why? What happens to the delicate protein fractions sitting in your gut for that length of time. Surely after 7 hours, they will have been affected to some degree. Stomach acids are pretty powerful!

Also, some time back I seen another company claim that they bonded the protein to an ‘inulin matrix’ (whatever that is) which slowed the digestion to a full 10 hours. I just want to know what is the point of that? If you consume 40g of protein and then go to sleep, their ’sales pitch’ is that the protein is absorbed over a 10hr period, so lets just say 4g per hour. What would 4g of protein per hour accomplish? In my opinion, lot a lot.

I just cannot see the point of this. I mean, if we eat every 2 to 3 hours during the day, why should the night be any less important? It’s not, and the supplement folk know this. So instead of recommending a nightly feed, some companies will create a new product, make some outrageous claims on digestion speed and then jack up the price because this is a ’specialty’ product.

So on a whole, I believe the whole array of specialty ‘night time’ proteins are crap. So with that being said, what would I recommend you consume to take you through the night? Well, nothing is going to cover you all through the whole night, but I do have a solution.

Before bed, have a shake which comprises of some WPI, WPC and Casein. A blended protein works best because it gives you some fast, medium and slow acting protein. Also, very important to mix it in skim milk. Milk is a great source of protein and is mainly based on Casein - a more slowly digestible protein. Now have this shake, brush your teeth and hit the sack. This shake will probably supply your body with about 4hrs worth of growth and repair. If you crash at 10pm, this brings us to about 2am.

If your shake was big enough, you might be waking up to go to the toilet. This is also the perfect time to have another protein hit. All you need to do is have some pre-measured protein sitting on your kitchen bench in a dry shaker, so just stumble in, add some milk, quick shake, drink, shaker into the sink and you back to bed. This whole exercises will take you about 3 minutes.

What happens now is that your body is again stocked up on quality nutrients for another couple hours of quality sleep to enable optimal recovery and growth. It is often stated that sleep is the time that we grow and recover from our intense workouts, so why is it that we usually starve ourselves through the process? It only takes a few minutes to have a quick shake and capitalize on the muscle building process.

In 2004 I was looking for a way to GUARANTEE that I kept all of my hard earned muscle whilst dieting down for the Musclemania Australia and I looked into several of the night time proteins. Right away I realized that a lot were filled with just empty promises. I experimented with this 2am feeding myself and I am certain that this was one of my secret weapons for the increased mass I carried onto the stage. Even a week out from the show, I was drinking a full meal replacement at 2am and going straight back to bed. Most people view that as a no no, I just viewed it as (a) not getting sucked into the scam marketing and (b) maximizing my nutrition to deliver me outstanding success! You eat every 2-3 hrs during the day, and the night is no different. Your body doesn’t really know what time it is and nor does it care. It only cares about being supplied the right nutrients at the right time - when it needs them.

Forget about the marketed ‘night time’ proteins and give this method a go. I am 100% confident that by having a full shake (with milk) before going to bed and then at a time during the night (half way through sleep) will result in gains in quality mass and enhanced recuperation. Plus, staying away from the marketed ‘night time’ proteins will also save you a few bucks too.

More muscle, more recovery, more money in my pocket - it’s a win-win situation for everyone!

Josh Dickinson owns and operates www.physique-essentials.com - a personal training business. He also writes for bodybuilding and fitness magazines and is a bodybuilding champion.

 

We are often asked what are the most effective Sports Supplements to use. Not a day goes past when it seems that either another product is released or another company starts operation. This can sometimes leave us totally confused so I can only imagine how a novice trainer with no expierence can feel. This is why some of the not-so reputable companies pray on the novice trainer. They target this group, spinning their advertising hype trying to make their quick sales, leaving the client totally confused with their lack of progress and empty wallet.

So what is effective in the big bad supplement world? OK, lets work out the mechanics behind building muscle. We all know that weight training is just the stimulus to enable you body to build muscle. But training is just the trigger; we need the ammunition to finish the job. Building muscle, apart from training can be summarised by nutrition, intensity and recovery. By focusing on these three areas we will be able to gain all the muscle we can ever hope for - naturally and whilst remaining healthy.

Nutrition - Protein = Muscle. The quality and the way in which you approach nutrition are vital to any type of success that will be achieved. Most people have heard the phrase you are what you eat’ Well when it comes to gaining muscle and losing bodyfat this is more relevant then ever. When it comes down to it, muscle is protein and protein is muscle. By using an effective protein supplement you can dramatically increase your strength, muscularity and potential for new muscle growth. But now it gets confusing. Every supplement company out there had a protein product on the market, whether that is a powder, bar, desert etc. Deciding on what you want and when you need to use it will determine what you use and the results you will expierence. Different types for different needs.

I like to place protein powders into two separate categories:

1.Food

2.Supplement

Confused yet, let me explain. The protein powders on the market these days are generally made from Whey powder. Whey was once a waste product used in the dairy industry when they manufactured cheese. Today, it is a highly effective nutrition supplement. Depending on whether we class a product a ‘food’ or a ’supplement’ solely depends on its ingredients and when it is best used for maximum results. Depending on whether we class it as a ‘food’ and ’supplement’ all boils down to ingredients and absorption rates in the body.

Protein Powder - Supplement. The more refined and processed the powder is, the quicker it can be utilised by the body. The type of powder, which is utilised quickest, is 100% Hydrolysed Whey Protein Isolate. Closely behind Hydrolysed Protein is Whey Protein Isolate. These Proteins are best used directly after training. What happens when you train is when you finish your body is in a highly anabolic (growing) state. To capitalise on this you need to feed your body quickly and effectively. If you do not, you body will start to break down existing muscle tissue to obtain the necessary building blocks (Amino Acids) to repair the trained muscles. The reason you should drink a Hydrolysed protein supplement at this time is that it is broken down an utilised by the body quicker then any other product available. The nutrients in Hydrolysed whey are in the blood system within 20 minutes feeding hungry muscles. This is why we class this as a supplement. During the rest of the day we want to feed our bodies a constant supply of nutrients. Hydrolysed whey has been specifically designed to be quick acting so is not as effective as other varieties for this purpose. Enter the ‘food’ protein Powder.

Protein Powder - Food. The key to building muscle is to supply your body a constant supply of nutrients, every 2-3 hours. If you are going to consume a protein drink as a meal then you need to consume one in which will supply nutrients until your next feeding. Enter the Protein Powder Meal Replacement or Synergistic Protein Powder. In the above table you noticed that there was 4 different types of protein. We will focus on Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate and Calcium Caseinate. Soy Protein is another variety but due to its high level of Phyto-estrogens is not recommended for males with muscle growth in mind.

Different types of Whey all have a specific role. You will recognise Whey Isolate from the above paragraph. We use this due to its fast acting capabilities. Whey Concentrate is used because it is slower acting them Whey Isolate and Calcium Caseinate is used because it is slower acting then the previous two. When used all together, the end result is far superior product then if using one single source of protein. When consumed, we have a steady supply of nutrients entering the system, supplied over a period of several hours, which is so vital for muscle growth. This combination is not only Anabolic (muscle growth producing) but also Anti-Catabolic (reducing muscle breakdown). This is like your insurance policy in regards to muscle growth.

A couple of these ‘food’ meals a day can greatly contribute to your success in and out of the gym. To sum it up, use a 100% Hydrolysed Whey Protein Isolate directly after training and use a combination of on Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate and Calcium Caseinate during the rest of the day as either meal replacements or meal enhancers.

 

Intensity. Intensity is what it’s all about. The greater the intensity you train at and the more energy you have for training the better your results will be. The one supplement which has been proven to not only substantially increase training intensity and energy, but dramatically increase lean muscle gains as well is Creatine Monohydrate.

Creatine is bodybuilding’s ultimate supplement, and for good reason. For one thing, creatine can significantly increase lean muscle mass in just two weeks. It is also responsible for improving performance in high-intensity exercise, increasing energy levels, and speeding up recovery rates. It’s no wonder athletes who use it have such of an edge over those who do not. Soon nearly every athlete who competes will use it (if they don’t already).

Creatine’s ability to enhance energy reserves in muscles comes from its muscle protein synthesizing action, while minimizing protein breakdown. This occurs because creatine has the awesome effect of super-hydrating muscle cells with water. It enhances muscles’ growth too-making muscle fibers bigger and stronger. Quite a few studies have been done on creatine to figure out why and how it works so well. There have been over twenty double blind (meaning neither the researchers nor the subjects knew who was getting what), placebo-controlled studies conducted on creatine in the past five years. They proved that creatine increased energy levels, resulting in increased strength, endurance levels, and recovery rates.

Another unexpected benefit attributed to creatine was discovered as well: creatine accelerates fat loss, while building lean body mass! As you may have noticed Creatine is one of those supplements that ‘every’ company out their produces. This is good in a way that it brings the overall price of this supplement down making it more affordable for more people, but it also lets in the hungry money sales types into the equation. This means that with some products the quality is questionable. When buying a creatine product, ensure you buy a reputable brand from a proven. To put it simply, Creatine Monohydrate is able to:

* Increase Muscle Torque

* Increase Muscle Cell Volume

* Increase Muscle Energy

* Increase Muscle Strength

* Increase Muscle Endurance

* Enhances Recovery

So, how do you use Creatine Monohydrate? To start with, you need to load on Creatine to ’saturate’ your muscles creatine levels. The reason we do this is because the greatest effect will be achieved and the chance of growth highlighted in this saturated state. To effectively do this you would take 4-6 x 5 gram serves a day for 5-7 days. Afterwards for would follow what is called a ‘maintenance’ dose which is 5-10 grams a day for 1 month. Afterwards, you can either take 2-4 weeks off Creatine Monohydrate or you can directly follow the loading process again.

Some people feel like they need to take a break from this supplement but there is no research to prove that this is needed - it all comes down to personal preference.

Recovery. You might be using the most effective training program in the world, have the most dedicated of training partners and a faultless approach to nutrition, unless you fully ‘recover’ between training sessions you WILL NOT achieve your goals. Recovery is so vital to the success that you will expierence that if it is only marginally affected it can spell disaster for your fitness goals. So how do we enhance recovery?

* Use an abbreviated training program focusing on compound movements

* Train each muscle group only once a week

* Try to get as much sleep as possible (the ideal 8 hours is good)

* Have a sound nutrition plan eating good wholesome food

* Each regularly - every 2-3 hours (and that includes night time as well)

* Take a week off training every 8-10 weeks

* Don’t used so called training techniques as Forced Reps, Supersets etc (anything that will hinder recovery)

* Use L-Glutamine

The last point, using L-Glutamine has been singled out by many people as a so called ’secret weapon’ in their recovery process. There is nothing ’secret’ about L-Glutamine so lets have a look at what it is and what it does.

Glutamine literally drives muscle building nitrogen into the muscle cell where it is synthesized for growth. In a recent release of the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the results of a study on glutamine revealed that a single oral dose (less then 5 grams) of glutamine elevated circulating growth hormone levels by over 400%! That’s right - 400%! Significant? You bet your ass it is. With L-Glutamine you’ll be able to effortlessly increase your growth hormone levels by over 400%!

By keeping a consistently high level of circulating growth hormone, you are able to combat the catabolic effects of weight training, harness the anabolic activity of increased glucose and amino acid uptake, improve whole body nitrogen retention, and increase lean tissue protein accrual. Supplementing with L-Glutamine may just be the most effective way of assisting new muscle growth! So there you have it.

By supplementing your training with good quality Whey Protein, Micronised Creatine Monohydrate and L-Glutamine, you have all the bases covered. You are supplying your body with high amounts of Protein, increasing your Energy and Intensity and enhancing your Recovery. Now all you need to do is go out and attack those weights like never before.

 

Josh Dickinson owns and operates www.physique-essentials.com - a personal training business. He also writes for bodybuilding and fitness magazines and is a bodybuilding champion.

 

Have you ever wondered if using sports supplements is all worth it? I mean, they can get very expensive sometimes and with so many bogus products out in the market, have you ever wondered if the risks are just do damn high? Well if you are dedicated to staying ‘drug free’ and want to improve your current physique bad enough, then yes, supplements can definitely help you.

A well-structured supplementation program can be a tremendous advantage in your quest to gain muscle and lose body fat. When combined with proper training and nutritional habits, a good supplementation program can assist in more efficient and rapid muscle growth - without the moral, legal, and medical ramifications commonly associated with drug-use. It will, however, take patience, knowledge, and a financial investment.

Before we go any further you must understand something. No one supplement will make an ounce of difference if everything else in your program isn’t structured for efficient muscle gain. Nor will an entire supplementation program assist you if you do not train correctly, eat correctly or fail to follow all your principles 100%.

A supplement is exactly what it states, a supplement to an otherwise correct approach to training, nutrition and recovery. It is only when these principles are met that you can expect to see the exceptional results that a sound, supplementation program can deliver.

OK, so how will supplements benefit me? Proper supplementation is essential to those who strive for the best physique possible to achieve without the use of harmful/illegal drugs. If all factors such as genetics, training, and nutrition were equal among those who train naturally, the choice of the right supplementation program would undoubtedly differentiate the best development from the mere satisfactory. 2004 is probably one of the best times to be a health conscious individual. Food engineering has propelled at a phenomenal rate, giving us ‘healthy’ foods that not only taste great, but are also functional (have been designed specifically to enhance our efforts in the gym).

The excuse of not eating healthy because these foods taste bland and un-appetising can be pushed to the kerb. Some of the latest powders on the market taste sensational, so when you are required to eat 6-10 times a day as all dedicated natural athletes should do, eating clean and healthy becomes ridiculously easy. If you plan on making the most of your intense workouts, you have to back them up with proper nutritional habits. It has been said that how you eat determines up to 80 percent of the way you look, so why not make the whole process a little easier. The majority of us eat out of convienence, or habit.

Next time you are in the gym, take note of who is giving you advice on nutrition and supplements. The old guys will be telling you that all supplements are a waste of money and just do what they do, eat lots of meat. On the other end on the scale is the young novice lifter who reads every muscle magazine printed and knows everything about every product, yet still looks like your sister. Put it this way. To take your physique from one, which is ‘average’, to one which is ‘phenomonal’, use the latest findings that current science is providing. This is when you need to ‘take advantage’ and not hold back.

The science behind sports supplements has never been so detailed. Why? Because sports supplements are now big business and as in all business, they need a product to sell. This is when caution must be used. Stay well clear of the ‘too good too be true’ products, because they usually are. To give yourself the best chance of success, stick to your basic, research proven products such as Creatine, L-Glutamine, high quality Whey Protein and a good Multi Vitamin/Mineral formula.

Just because you have decided to remain ‘natural’ doesn’t mean you have to settle for second best. It just means you need to be smarter. By carefully selecting what you eat, when you eat, and also what you use and how you use it, you will have both natural and non-natural athletes envious of your well-deserved physique.

Josh Dickinson owns and operates www.physique-essentials.com - a personal training business. He also writes for bodybuilding and fitness magazines and is a bodybuilding champion.

So you have been training now for a while and are experiencing good results. You are noticeably stronger, leaner and have more energy. You are loving your increasing results and as are result you are starting to focus more on the whole picture, namely good nutrition. You feel as though now is the time you invest in some SPORTS SUPPLEMENTS.

Hey, did you know that the majority of Supplement Companies and retailers are only concerned with one thing and it ain’t results, well they do want you to get leaner, but from your WALLET. Most don’t particularly give a crap if you are getting stronger, leaner or more muscular, as long as you are giving them your hard earned money.

Don’t get me wrong. Some companies are very good and are really making advances in increasing the products available, but for every good company there are a heap of bad companies who follow who are coping their example and trying to ‘make a buck’. To the majority of companies they see the fitness industry as a money making machine, making themselves rich and you frustrated. In the past company heads used to be the nerdy type, non-trainer who knew all about business. Don’t get me wrong, sports supplements are great as I myself use my fair share, but education is the key. I will show you how YOU can make smarter choices in what you buy, generating the results that you so desperately want to achieve and reducing the chance of getting ripped off.

If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. How many times have you seen an ad in a magazine talking about SuperMegaHuge 2000. This product will put on 20 kgs of muscle in a month, reduce bodyfat and turn you into a sexual dynamo. Guess what, welcome to the world of false advertising. Companies will often do this to pray on the young novice lifter who really wants results. This customer has not been into Health and Fitness for long and doesn’t yet realise that it is a lifelong journey. They want the quick fix.

A supplement company makes this bold claim, make their cash and move on. Ask yourself this, if the product is so good why is it off the shelves in a year and not being manufactured anymore. Answer, because it was crap to start with people have realised this. Now what is the ‘honest’ company to do, create a new fantastic product to take its place. You see, the cycle starts all over again. So remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you have doubts about a products claim, do as I do and ‘run a mile’. If I had a choice I would rather play it safe and save a few bucks.

Research. When a company makes a bold claim about a product they will usually do so without having ever performed any research on it for themselves. What do I mean by research, I mean testing the product to see if it actually WORKS. The supplement industry is a ‘monkey see, monkey do’ industry for a lot of people. If company X releases a new product with all the hype the unsuspecting consumer (not you because you now know better) will race out and buy some. Now another trick to sell crap is to make it really expensive. Now you think, ‘if it’s expensive its gotta work hey’, so this makes company X a lot of money. Company Y wants a piece of the action and releases their own version of the product. Now as far as Company Y is concerned they don’t care if it works, they are getting their share of the pie. You will often hear from the supplement companies say that it’s expensive to conduct or fund research. Well how much money do you think they make each year by deceit, lies or down right ignorance. A lot and as far as I am concerned I think they should start giving something back and treating their consumers as their main priority.

MethoxyIsoflavone is a perfect example of a supplement that is completely backed by marketing and not by science. This will make the product sell for a short time while the consumers are persuaded by the advertising. In the end, like many supplements before it, it will fall by the wayside. The only winners are the supplement companies that rake in the money selling this ineffective supplement. Knowing what you want before you buy.

How many times have you gone into the health food store wanting to buy a certain product only to leave 10 minutes later with a completely different product and a hole in your wallet. This is not the stores fault. They are trying to make a sale. What you need to do is have a clear idea in your mind of what you want and be able to answer the following questions:

* Why am I buying this product

* What is my budget

* What is the most reputable brand

* What am I expecting this product to do for me

* Is this product necessary to achieving my fitness goals.

Everyone has different needs, wants and desires. Do not let the vast range of products on the shelf distract you from what you really want. If you are trying to lose unwanted bodyfat you do not go into the store wanting to buy a high calorie weight gainer. You would go into the store with the knowledge of what you are looking for, how much you want to spend and the results you expect to achieve. Do not let aggressive sales tactics dictate your choice. Stick to your guns because YOU are the one who has to pay for it, YOU are the one who has to be consistent in its use and YOU are the one who wants results, not the store. You get what you pay for.

Sometimes when you are shopping around for a product you will be confronted by price. Company X sells Fatmelter for $50.00 and Company Y sells their version for $65.00. Now which one do you buy. This might seem like a no brainer, you buy the cheaper version but sometimes this isn’t always the case. Firstly, ask yourself which company has a good reputation. If Company Y with the dearer product has a really good reputation and they have been around for a few years they have a standard they must live up too. The reason they have been around for that long is because people continue to re-use their products. If people re-use a product they believe it works for them and they are getting results from its use. A company in this position has a lot more to lose if they sell a bogus product. Not only do they lose sales, but it can tarnish their reputation and in this business reputation is everything. Other times, they might have higher prices is because they are trying to cash in on their reputation, using the line that we have the name so we have the best, so give us more money.

This is another point that you must be careful about. That’s not saying that Company X is bad. It might mean that they are a new company trying to get started and as an introduction offering their product as a discounted price. Maybe Company X has a smaller dose to Company Y or has a different formulation. No matter which product you choose make sure you do so with an educated opinion. If both products looked exactly the same, had the same ingredients and dosages, serving per bottle and so on I personally would buy the cheaper product. Remember, a supplement can only be ’so’ effective.

Nutrition, training, mental focus and consistency are all part of the game plan as well so getting those things in order first will give the product the best chance of working for you

Consistency is the key. No matter what products you use consistency is the key. You cannot expect to gain results if you use product X for 2 days, then have a day off, then ½ serve on day four and so on. You must be consistent not only on the days that you do train but the days you do not as well. Only then will you give yourself the best chance of success. Remember this as well, supplements are only so good. You still need to focus on good, healthy nutritional habits consistency to give yourself the best chance of success.

How to avoid being Ripped Off. Unfortunately there are a lot of shady people out there who do not have your interests at heart. They are concerned with their own affairs and their own bank account to give a stuff about anything else, let alone your fitness goals. Often so, the worst people are in our own industry so you gotta be careful with what and where you spend your dollar. By following these simple points can save you lots of money and a lot of stress

* If it sounds too good to be true, it’s most probably a scam and stay well clear

* Buy only reputable brands ·Buy only from reputable locations

* Avoid the hype

* Use your judgement and do not be pressured by aggressive sales staff

* Self testimonials are just that, they are PAID company models

* If sceptical, ask for product research

If still unsure, save the hassle and take your partner to the movies instead Good luck and remember, always TRAIN HARD.

Can you believe that 2008 is almost over? This year has gone by so fast, it only feels like last week that we were enjoying the warmer weather, now winter has been and gone and the mercury is on the rise again. With the rise, it’s time to shed the layers and reveal the lean, tight physique that you have been working on all year…

Don’t tell me that you have either lost track of the time, or that your simply ‘not ready’ to reveal your hard work? No one wants to be carrying too much excess in the warmer months. That’s ok though for if this sounds like you, I have a sure fire solution that will help you rip up the mid section in record time! 

 

The Challenge – Abs in 6 weeks!

Let’s face it; we need to get on top of things NOW. The longer we stall or just meander though, the less time we will have to showcase our hard work in the summer sun. So let’s get this underway NOW and devise a rapid plan of attack to achieve instant results!

I have created these 10 steps in achieving your goals. Let’s now go through these 1 by 1 and at the end, your abs will be more then just a pipedream.

 

1 - Goals and Time frames

I know this may sound like a no brainer, but we need to choose a goal and a time frame. Try not to fall victim to just saying “a 6 pack” and “ASAP”, get definite! The better your visualization, the better your plan! The more definite your time frame is, or in this case we could even say DEADLINE, there you have more chance of sticking to your plan when the going gets tough. So we have a goal, and we have a timeframe – now we need understanding of the bigger picture for there is more too it then just crunches.

 

2 – The BIGGER Picture

To sculpt the perfect midsection, as I said there is more too it then blasting out reps on your ‘AB Master PRO’. To get the best results possible you need to create your plan of attack to compliment ALL aspects of effective programming which not only includes your direct AB training, but the remainder of your resistance training, cardio vascular and fat loss training, nutrition, supplementation and recovery. I will go into each in a little more detail now and the combination of what will result in the best plan for YOU.

 

3 –Your Abs are just like your other muscles

There is more to a rock solid mid-section then blasting away the crunches every morning. The muscles of the mid-section, namely the Rectus Abdominals, Transverse Abdominals and additionally your Internal and External Oblique’s, they respond to training just like any other skeletal muscle in the body. As such there is no real logical reason that you need to do the volume of work that many will have you believe. Plus, your abs are working constantly in relation to core stability and assisting in every other action that you are doing. Please don’t fall victim to the hype.

With your exercise selection, we choose exercises that will deliver:

-          Flexion (crunch, reverse crunches etc)

-          rotation (movements that create a ‘twist’)

-          isometric contraction (contraction without movement)

- and all of the big exercises like squats, deadlifts and bench press.

 

Your best AB program will be one that contains elements of all the above.

 

6 exercise AB Blaster Routine 

1 – Lying Leg Raise – 2 sets x 12-15 reps

2 – Crunches – 2 sets x 12-15 reps

3 – Reverse Crunch – 2 sets x 12-15 reps

4 – Rope Crunch – 2 sets x 12-15 reps (or if no access to a machine, hands behind the head crunch)

5 – Bicycle Crunch - 2 sets x 12 reps each side (hands behind the head, you raise the right elbow to the left knee, lower, then repeat for the other side. That is 1 complete rep)

6 – Abdominal Brace/Plank – 2 x 1 minute holds (you can also do a side plank to smash the oblique’s)

 

4 - Resistance Training

When training for ultimate abdominal development and definition, you should never ignore your other muscle groups. Rather, use the rest of your physique to help showcase your midsection. How so? Well I want you to picture looking at either a picture of yourself or reflection in the mirror. Reducing the size of the midsection is one definite way of making improvements; the other is to highlight the areas that will offset your mid section size.

Shoulders – concentrate on lateral movements and the medial head of the deltoids. This will help to add size and roundness to the area = a better V taper and the illusion of a smaller waist.

Chest – concentrate more on the upper chest which will help in ‘lifting’ your chest higher, again the illusion of a tighter midsection.

Legs – concentrate on the Vastus Lateralis (outer thigh) which will give your legs more ‘sweep’ which again, makes your midsection look smaller.

Arms – concentrate on bigger, compound exercises such as dips and curls. Added arm size, once again will simply help to offset your balance and make your midsection look smaller. 

Great results are part real, part illusion – or should I say exaggerating the truth through clever training (also, get a tan and lose the torso hair – it also makes a difference).

 

5 - Cardio vascular and fat loss training

Hard and heavy weight training is THE best form of exercise for fat loss as it builds muscle, raises metabolic rate, shift in body composition etc but CV training definitely has its place. Over the space of a week, I would schedule in specific times when you would use a high intensity approach for cardio, and other times for a more moderate approach. A lot depends on your availability, but 4-5 sessions per week usually is ideal with 2 harder sessions, and 2-3 moderate sessions 

High intensity – just as the name sounds either outdoor or on equipment. My personally preference after a warm up is to perform ‘all out’ for about 15 seconds, and then a lower intensity to recover for 45 seconds. Repeat for 5-15 rounds and your toast! I would also schedule your intense work on the days you are not weight training.

Moderate Intensity – more of a general, moderate and consistent paced output for around 30-40 minutes.

 

6 – Nutrition 

To reveal the abs, you will need to diet! Ultimate definition is more about nutrition then training anyway, that’s my belief. You can do all the training in the world, but if you are still eating way too much food then there is still way too much fat covering your hard work. To extend further, another important factor is if you are more of a ‘sugar burner’ or a ‘fat burner’. The defining definition: a sugar burner is one who has a diet predominant in carbohydrates and a fat burner, one whose diet is higher in protein and fats and lower in carbs. To get the best results, which are achieved by burning the most amount of fat, being in a ‘fat burning’ state is a definite advantage.

How do we create this? We need to focus on a diet higher in protein and good, functional and essential fats, and minimizing the intake of carbs to only a couple times a week to replenish stores and those carbs being of additional good quality. You will need to say good bye to the processed rubbish. We are what we eat, and a good days eating when trying to burn the most amount of body fat could look like:

Breakfast – 3 poached eggs

Morning snack – high quality protein shake in water, with either a handful of almonds of a small tablespoon of natural peanut butter

Lunch – 1 serve lean protein (i.e. – chicken, steak) with mixed fibrous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower etc)

Afternoon snack - high quality protein shake in water, with either a handful of almonds of a small tablespoon of natural peanut butter

Dinner – Similar to lunch, you can substitute the vegetables for a salad (feel free to include a little avocado and olive oil dressing)

 

7 – Supplementation 

Supplements here can make the difference, but can also create un-necessary headaches. Fat burning and thermogenic products can definitely help speed up the process and protein shakes can help fill the nutritional void when other good choices are not there, or as an in between meal. But I should also add, remember that protein shakes can also be your un-doing if you have too many. Most trainers I talk too, they consume way more protein then they need. NO natural trainer needs anything like 500g of protein per day which equals 2000 calories. Too many shakes = too many calories = too much fat. Yes, you can get fat from protein and you can get fat from shakes if it is above what you need, even if your mixing those shakes in water (which you should be doing anyway).

Supplements are there to supplement, use to ‘help’ and they will do just that.

 

8 – Recovery

As I briefly touched on above, your abs are just like any other muscle group. This means there is no reason you need to blast your abs every morning with the Brittney Spears AB Workout before skipping breakfast. As I said before your abs are involved in everything you do so they are ALWAYS getting a workout, but for direct AB work I would not target them specifically anymore then 2 x per week.

 

9 – Accountability

As you proceed through your plan (with your limited deadline), you need to keep your personal accountability super high. What this means to me, you need to be constantly asking yourself “am I doing everything realistically possible” to achieve my goals by the due date?

- Am I consistent with my training?

- Am I consistent with my nutrition?

- Am I consistent with my supplementation?

- Am I consistent with my recovery?

- What else can I do?

Ask this of yourself everyday. If you happen to have a bad day and slip off the rails, it won’t turn into 2 because you will be able to pull yourself back into gear and start proceeding forward again. It is all about taking stock of your efforts and giving the best you can CONSISTENTLY.

 

10 - Action

Last one, Action. It really doesn’t matter how great your training is, how great your nutrition is and if you are using the latest fat burner, unless you are consistent and you actually GIVE IT A GO which means TAKING ACTION, then you will never get there. Don’t worry about excuses; leave that for the guys who are swimming in t-shirts all summer. You have a rock hard mid section to reveal!

 

Josh Dickinson is a co-founder and the Training Director for Physique Essentials, an ‘exclusive’ Personal Training and Massage provider based in the Albury/Wodonga region. If results are what you are after, please check out their website http://www.physique-essentials.com/