Flex UK April 2019

APRIL 2019
OWN IT
SHAWN 4 MONTHS
RAY TO FIGURE
THE ASK THE

REBUILD DOCTOR
www.flexonline.co.uk
APRIL 2019 £4.20
04
WARNING 9 770955 121136

GRAPHIC IMAGES
10TH - 12TH MAY, 2019 | NEC, BIRMINGHAM, UK
GET THE FACTS ABOUT
PERFORMANCE
ENHANCING DRUGS
TALKS FROM LEADING

PROFESSIONALS IN
THE INDUSTRY
BODYPOWER.COM/THEUNDERGROUND
10TH - 12TH MAY, 2019 | NEC, BIRMINGHAM, UK
BODYPOWER.COM/THEUNDERGROUND
APRIL 2019
COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY
INSIDE THIS MONTH CHRIS LUND
IN EVERY ISSUE
8
6 NICK ORTON SHAWN
RAY:
E xc
O W N IT
14 CUTLER HAS YOUR BACK lus
with o ive inter vie
Four-times Mr Olympia Jay Cutler shares the ne w
standin of the long
two-a-day back routine that helped him dominate g body est
t o e ve b uilders
the 2000’s r
Olymp grace the
ia stag
why ‘o e
20 FLIPPING PHENOMENAL wning , and
World’s Strongest Man competitor Jon V Williams longev it’ gives
it y
demonstrates how to flip a 400kg beast tyre the sp in
or t
24 THE REBUILD: “TITANIUM PHIL”
What happens when you drop a 160kg atlas stone
onto your leg, shattering it in half, in front of a live
audience? The rebuild of one of the UK’s strongest
men, Phil “Titanium” Roberts
30 RISING STAR
Meet Mohammed Qayum, set to be a future
bodybuilding star
34 SO, YOU THINK YOU WANT TO COMPETE?

Six vital questions you need to ask yourself before
you take the stage. Are you ready?
36 HOW LONG WILL YOUR INJURY TAKE TO HEAL?

The world’s leading chiropractic adjustment
teacher Giles Gyer gives clarity as to when it’s
time to seek help for optimal recovery after
injury
40
PHOTO CREDIT: HARPENDEN STUDIOS
74 MEAL PREP 98 CHAMPION STRENGTH

Kings of the meal prep HIIT showcase their latest Bench press legend Andy Champ shows you how
mouth-watering preps to help you to spice up your to perform the perfect Olympic bench press using
culinary delights a lifting shirt
82 WHEY, CAFFEINE & CREATINE KICK START 102 HIGH VOLUME QUADS WITH IFBB PRO
A combination of ingredients put together to give CARLY THORNTON
you the explosive kick start you crave We all want bigger legs, don’t we? Good legs
represent hard work and dedication, but there are
84 DO VEGANS NEED CREATINE? no quick fixes. Follow Carly’s guide to great legs
40 BARN DOOR BROOKER FLEX UK investigates the question so many
From inner city kid to barn door width! Grow delts vegans ask
to rival any onlooker
106 THE ULTIMATE WORKOUT PLAYLIST
Give FLEX’s playlist a whirl. Music for “killin it” in
86 STIR THE POT the gym
46 DAMN... NATHAN! What’s healthier? Chilli or beef stew?
Nathan De Asha is making noise...a lot of noise,
108 MUSCLE CONTEST SHOW INTERNATIONAL
about his chances at September’s Mr. Olympia 87 CHEATING CHICKEN The history of Muscle Contest, one of the biggest
Take a break from your diet with this delicious pro shows around that’s now winging its way to
54 4 MONTHS TO FIGURE crispy chicken dish!
The outstanding Gabriela Dezan shares just how Ireland
she excels to get stage ready in four months 88 PICK A PEAR 112 HOT BOD
Put pears on your training plate to fight FLEX’s latest hot and inspirational physique
60 COOL PRODUCTS fatigue and up your levels of fibre and
The latest must-have products to hit the lifter’s phytonutrients
market
89 AUSTIN MARKET 102
64 CONFESSIONS OF A BODYBUILDING MOTHER: Fire up these healthy cauliflower tacos, inspired
EMMA GORMLEY
P H O T O C R E D I T: DA N I E L L E BA R K E R
by the hippest city in Texas

What does it take to be a bodybuilding mother?
This is Emma’s story 90 QUALITY GAINS
Clean up your training programme with smart
70 THE MECHANIC progression and a push/pull split for consistent
Scott Turner from Range of Motion explains why size and strength gains
a certain brutal looking tool can give better stage
shreds 96 ASK THE DOCTOR
As an athlete, sometimes you’re afraid to ask your
72 PAPA’S PUFFED BREAKFAST doctor what you actually want to. Now you can!
A tasty breakfast idea courtesy of Papa’s Here are some commonly asked questions and
kitchen answers from FLEX’s very own genuine doctor
4 FLEX | APRIL 2019

CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
David Pecker
UK EDITION
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Nick Orton
www.flexonline.co.uk
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Nick Orton
EDITORIAL ADVERTISING
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF TO ADVERTISE:
Danni Levy Samantha Yardley
e-mail: d.levy@bodypower.com Tel: 07715 333308
e-mail: s.yardley@bodypower.com
EDITOR
Darren Nicholhurst
e-mail: d.nicholhurst@bodypower.com Suite 605 Holly Court, Holly Farm
SUB-EDITOR Business Park, Honiley, Warwickshire,
Samantha Yardley
e-mail: s.yardley@bodypower.com CV8 1NP
EDITORIAL DESIGNS BY Copperwire Creative Ltd US EDITION

www.copperwirecreative.com Tel: 01977 269078 EVP/GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR
Chris Scardino
PRINTED IN UK BY Warners Tel: 01778 391000
EDITORIAL
DISTRIBUTED BY Marketforce: 5 Churchill Place, Brian Good, Zack Zeigler; Dave Ian Lee; Greg Merritt; Angelica Nebbia;
Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU Andrew Gutman; Yeun Littlefield; Jeff Tomko; Marc Bailes; James Riley;
Russell Mendoza; Victor Kim; Declan O’Kelly; Rose McNulty
Tel +44 (0)20 3787 9001 www.marketforce.co.uk
CONTRIBUTORS
DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS One year £29.99 Michael Berg; Adam Bible; Eric Broser; Bryan Haycock; Roger Lockridge; Peter McGough;
For Android Digital subscriptions visit: Steven Stiefel; Joe Wuebben
www.flexonline.co.uk/android ART
For Apple Digital subscriptions visit: Ramón Gamarra; Cynthia NG; Sean Otto; Anthony Nolan; Erica Schultz;
www.flexonline.co.uk/apple Gaby Chiang
PHOTOGRAPHY
Per Bernal; Charles Lowthian; Ian Spanier
PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS CDS Global CONTRIBUTORS

Albert Busek; Caruso; Bill Comstock; Isaac Hinds; Kevin Horton;
email subscriptions@bodypower.com Chris Lund; Chris Nicoll; Rob Pick; Pavel Ythjall; Art Zeller
One Year £34.99. Europe £49. Rest of the World £69. MANUFACTURING & PRODUCTION
To subscribe go to www.flexonline.co.uk/subs or call 01858 438865 Ann McCaffrey; Marc Melcher
President of the IFBB Professional League JIM MANION

Founder and Chairman Emeritus JOE WEIDER (1920–2013)
We assume no responsibility for returning unsolicited material, including but not limited to photographs, artwork, manuscripts and letters. Membership on the Editorial Advisory Board does not imply endorsement of any product or
service advertised in this magazine. Views expressed in advertisements and editorials are not necessarily those of FLEX or the Editorial Advisory Board. Reader discretion is advised. Please consult your doctor before beginning any
exercise or diet programme, or when making changes in an existing programme if you have any doubts about your health status.Every care is taken to assure the accuracy of the information in FLEX, but no responsibility can be
accepted for the consequences of actions based on the advice contained herein. BodyPower Publishing Ltd makes every effort to ensure that the advertising contained in FLEX is derived from respectable sources. It does not,
however, assume responsibility for the advertisements, nor any claims and representations made therein, nor the quality or delivery of the products/services themselves.
Editorial articles relating to food supplementation and sports nutrition reproduced in this issue of FLEX, are for information purposes only and are not intended to solicit or otherwise promote any commercialised product
containing the mentioned supplements. FLEX is distributed on an international basis. To the extent permitted by law, Weider Publications, LLC, a subsidiary of American Media, Inc and its affiliates: BodyPower Publishing Ltd,
do not accept liability for the effects of reported supplements or products, legal or illegal or any loss, injury or damage caused by their use. It is the responsibility of the individual to abide by the laws and dosage allowances
specific to their country of residence. Always consult a doctor before commencing supplementation or changing dosages. Some supplements may not work effectively outside specific dosage ranges and may potentially
cause harm if taken in excess. Not all supplements, combinations of supplements, or dose ranges of supplements may be suitable, safe or effective for everybody.
Copyright © (2018) BodyPower Publishing Ltd. Published under license from Weider Publications, LLC, a subsidiary of American Media, Inc.
All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. ‘FLEX’ is a trademark of Weider Publications, LLC, a subsidiary of American Media, Inc.
and may not be used or reproduced without the permission of Weider Publications, LLC.
The information in FLEX is intended to educate. Do not substitute it for the advice of a qualified health care practitioner.
FROM THE CEO By Nick Orton
something”….but they didn’t.

And all they have is the
story, nothing more!
I want to have the story,
the book, the memories and
pictures – I want the legacy,
the experience, the
knowledge and the journey.
I don’t want to just think
about it…I want to see
if I can achieve it.
Even if you fail, it’s so
much better than not having
tried – I should know, along
with many successes have
been many failures, but
that’s ok with me. At least
I had a go. One time
I organised a music event
called ‘Mad about Music’
in Brighton. I was sure it
would work, and
I wanted to achieve
something great, but
actually I screwed it up. The
low point of the experience
was the band E17 turning
up, who I had booked
because they were huge
stars back then. They turned
up two hours late, appeared
either high and/or drunk, and
Take the Bull by

they couldn’t sing too well!
The event was a huge flop,
but from that experience
the Horns
I learnt and moved on.
At least I tried to do it.
If you believe in yourself
Y
then why not give it a go?
ou can stand around Live in regret and you won’t Why not say that thing,
and talk about all ever fully achieve what you take that action, start that
the things you are capable of…talk is cheap business, make that step…
wanted to do, and and action is seldom. I have take the bull by the horns
you can chat all you like lost count of the number of and go for it!
about the ideas you had, but people who “wanted to get @nickorton22
unless you take action, then into great shape”; who had Nick Orton
you will never know if those “a great business idea”; who CEO BodyPower
things would have worked. “should have said www.bodypower.com
6 FLEX | APRIL 2019

UK’s No.1 Fitness Equipment Retailer
EXPERIENCE TOP CAST IRON TRI-GRIP

OF THE RANGE OLYMPIC DISCS
WEIGHTS AND BARS 25kg (2x), 20kg (x2), 15kg (x2),
10kg (x2) 5kg (x2), 2.5kg (x2),
NEVER BEATEN ON PRICE
1.25kg (x2)
0% FINANCE AVAILABLE
TRY BEFORE YOU BUY
From £4.99
SAVE 7.5%
WITH OFFER CODE
FLEX0419 *
CAST IRON
OLYMPIC BARS OLYMPIC DISCS
50kg (2x), 25kg (2x), 20kg (x2),
From £37.99 15kg (x2), 10kg (x2) 5kg (x2),
2.5kg (x2), 1.25kg (x2), 0.5kg (x1)
From £4.99
SOLID RUBBER
OLYMPIC DISCS
25kg (x1), 20kg (x1), 15kg (x1),
10kg (x1) 5kg (x1)
From £16.99
1000s MORE PRODUCTS | VISIT ONE OF OUR 11 UK STORES | OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
Northampton NN3 8RJ • Gloucester GL1 2UN • Newcastle NE11 9YS • Kent TN1 2AP • Chelmsford CM2 0ND
Manchester M41 7JA • Surrey GU16 7JD • Leeds WF10 4FR • South London SW18 4JB • North London NW9 6LH • Norwich NR1 3SP
4 In-store demonstration 4 Buy Now - Pay Later 4 Expert Advice 4 Free Delivery 4 Never Beaten On Price
Call 01604 673000 or visit fitness-superstore.co.uk

*T’s & C’s apply, see website for more details. Code expires April 7th 2019. Prices may vary, see website for current prices.
SHAWN
RAY:
OWN IT /// BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS LUND
A
t the tender age of 22, maximum response, then you will keep
Ray stepped on the stage growing and gaining until you reach your
at the 1987 National genetic potential.
Being athletic came naturally for Shawn,
Championships, and with
the youngest of eight who grew up in a
his 196lbs of pure muscle, destroyed
house of football players. He dabbled with
the competition, earning his Pro card
karate, boxing, swimming and wrestling and
and proving his potential to the played the gamut of sport. Growing up in the
world. During 1988-2001, Ray ‘70s, with both parents working, all the kids
participated in as many as 13 played sports to stay fit and busy. Shawn,
Mr Olympias. He would often come the son of a hard-working janitor finally
close to the top of the podium and settled on American football, having played
bagged second place at the 1994 from the age of eight to eighteen. This was
and 1996 Mr O, where he first
where he lost out discovered the weights
to Dorian Yates in “I met my first room. Being a good
bodybuilder in
that infamous era. ball player, he was
encouraged to pack on
Arguably Shawn
was the favourite the form of some size for the
following season.
to win on many
occasions, but he
John Brown. Looking back, this was
He was two
the first exposure into
was unlucky and the world of hench,
never managed
to get hold of the times Shawn tells us, “I met
my first bodybuilder in
famous Sandow Mr Universe the form of John
trophy.
and three-time
Brown. He was two
In an exclusive times Mr Universe and
interview with FLEX
Editor Darren
Mr World.” three-time Mr World.”
As soon as the football
Nicholhurst, Ray season was over,
reveals exactly how different the Shawn was straight back in the gym, and
bodybuilding world is today. soon became John’s training partner.
Bodybuilding is in many ways like a “I wasn’t just lifting weights, I was actually
business. If you understand every aspect of bodybuilding from the start,” he explained.
your business, from the importance of a Remember, this was at a time when there
great product to supplying your customers was no internet and very little access to
with what they want, then it will flourish. information. So, at 17, the eager teen, now
So, the beginner bodybuilder is the same. training with a professional, had
If you know what you need to grow, the unstoppable potential. Six months soon
stimulus and fuel required to train for passed, pounding the iron, Shawn said,
8 FLEX | APRIL 2019

Birth Date:
9th September
1965
Height:
5’5”
Weight:
225lbs
APRIL 2019 | FLEX 9

10 FLEX | APRIL 2019
“I was ready to enter my first show and placed Grow Alone, Win Alone
second. Then a week later, I entered another and Shawn felt that individuality and independence was
placed first.” something that he could control, and that would
The following football season soon came allow him to build, maybe not the biggest, but the
around though, “I literally went through the best physique of that time. In 1982-83, guys like Chris
motions, I couldn’t wait for it to end. All I could Dickerson and Samir Bannout were known as the
think of was getting back on the bodybuilding best-balanced bodies. These were the men to inspire
stage,” he said. Ray. He told us, “They were both around 5’7, they
After getting right back into the grind, he soon were people that I could see eye-to-eye with. They
started racking up the titles. In 1984, he became had a level of development that I had never seen
Teenage Mr California, and in before.” He knew that this look
1985 at 19 became Teenage was more attainable, especially
Mr America. At 20 he became
Junior Mr World.
“I knew now, when he compared them to the
6’4” ballplayers he had to
After excelling through the
ranks of juniors, in 1987,
that when I compete with in football. A height
advantage he could never match
Shawn moved into the open played ball, the on the field.
coach had
class. He won Mr California In 1984 when Lee Haney won
and the NPC championships, the Olympia, the impact of his
turning professional. This
rocket ship competitive control of my success sparked a fire in Shawn’s
mind, “Seeing how Haney looked
streak soon landed Shawn
on the pro show stage at pitch time and didn’t scare me off. I knew that
icons like Samir Bannout had
the tender age of 21. He
had now entered the elite
essentially my beaten Haney in ‘83. So, I knew
that it was possible for me
group of athletes that had
achieved this at such a young
career” too,” says Ray.
As a teenager, he felt that this
age like Rich Gaspari. Having was pivotal in his career. He knew
found his passion, focused and gained that the more he put in, the more he would get out.
complete control of every aspect of his life, he Haney went onto win many times, but in 1988,
knew that he was now able to advance precisely Shawn arrived. With Haney winning, the second-place
how he wanted. The realisation set in, “I knew trophy was awarded to, what Shawn thought was
now, that when I played ball, the coach had a very achievable physique, flawlessly presented
control of my pitch time and essentially my career” by 5’8” Rich Gaspari.
says Ray. The situation opened his eyes to see that The cock-shaw Ray knew that competing was
being a bodybuilder gave him an opportunity, and something he could do well. With an abundance
if he pushed his boundaries and took the steps, of confidence after smashing his early competitions
he would walk the path of success and no coach he hit the stage running. There would be no
could stop him. stopping him.
LONGEVITY LESSON
So, out of all the bodybuilders, why is Shawn one of the very few that has managed to stay right at
the forefront of the sport for so long? “After the reign of Dorian, nobody has owned their physique”
exclaims Shawn decidedly; when we asked what he meant, he replied, “When I started, I had nobody
helping me, not even a girlfriend prepping my meals. Nowadays, every athlete has a nutrition and
a training coach, with a manager doing everything else.
“I did everything, I prepped every show, I booked my appearances and ran everything throughout
my entire career. Therefore, I had success, I learnt it, and worked for it,” explains Ray.
Shawn clearly looked at bodybuilding like any hugely successful business. If you know how to
accomplish every small process, then it’s this knowledge that helps to build more significant feats,
like his phenomenal physique. Ray decided to retire at the age of 36. Since his retirement, he has
helped raise over $55,000 for the Children’s Hospital in Orange County, and never stopped being a
key figure in the sport.
One thing that Shawn said to me made a profound impression, “OWN IT.” So, his ultimate advice
is to take control of your own destiny. It’s not easy to be successful in anything, especially body-
building. But, if you prep your meals, learn what you need to improve, ‘OWN THAT PHYSIQUE’ that
you have built alone, then you stand a good chance of never losing. If you master how to build it
once, you can do it again and again. FLEX
APRIL 2019 | FLEX 11

“After the
reign of Dorian,
nobody has
owned their
physique”

WORKBENCH
WORKBENCH HALF RACK - YELLOW
LEVERGYM OUR PRICE £495
OUR PRICE £1,199
WORKBENCH
POWER RACK
OUR PRICE £659
7. 5 %E
SA VEFFER COD *
WITH
O
0 4 1 9
FLEX WORKBENCH
UTILITY BENCH
OUR PRICE £329
1000s MORE PRODUCTS | VISIT ONE OF OUR 11 UK STORES | OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
Northampton NN3 8RJ • Gloucester GL1 2UN • Newcastle NE11 9YS • Kent TN1 2AP • Chelmsford CM2 0ND
Manchester M41 7JA • Surrey GU16 7JD • Leeds WF10 4FR • South London SW18 4JB • North London NW9 6LH • Norwich NR1 3SP
4 In-store demonstration 4 Buy Now - Pay Later 4 Expert Advice 4 Free Delivery 4 Never Beaten On Price
Call 01604 673000 or visit fitness-superstore.co.uk

*T’s & C’s apply, see website for more details. Code expires April 7th 2019. Prices may vary, see website for current prices.
Jay
Cutler
Has
Your Back
Four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler shares his
two-a-day back routine that helped propel him
to Olympia dominance during the 2000s.
/// BY M&F EDITORS /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEVIN HORTON

B
Back in the early
2000s—hell, even
today—you would’ve been hard-
pressed to find a more impres-
sive back than that of four-time
Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, who
possessed one of the greatest
rear lat spreads ever seen.
A key component that sep-
easy to focus on your “mirror
muscles”—chest, arms, shoul-
ders, and abs. Often, you’ll see
competitors who sport impres-
sive muscularity for all the parts
mentioned above but lack the
same quality when they turn
around. But icons like Ronnie
Coleman, Dorian Yates, and,
of course, Cutler understood
the importance of treating all
muscle groups equally. And, as
Cutler explains, balancing out a
lagging back doesn’t need to be
a daunting task.
“A lot of guys don’t give back
workouts enough attention,” he
than big chests, cannonball
delts, and thick arms—they also
have well-built backs.”
Cutler’s plan for stellar slabs
was out of the ordinary. He’d
often train his back twice per
day, with one session focusing on
width (using pulldowns and other
cable exercises) and the other
targeting thickness (using rows
and deadlifts). It sounds crazy,
but you can’t argue with Cutler’s
domination of the O stage in
2006–07 and 2009–10. Here, we
outline Cutler’s two-a-day back
routine with tips from the legend
himself. If you’re more of a novice,
arates good competitors from says. “But the bodybuilders who we’ve included a toned-down
legendary ones is symmetry. It’s make an impression have more version approved by Cutler.

JAY CUTLER’S
TWO-A-DAY
BACK ROUTINE
Morning Workout
EXERCISE SETS REPS
Reverse-grip 3 8–10
Front Pulldown
Hammer 3 8–10
Strength Row
One-arm 3 8–10
Dumbbell Row
Hammer 3 8–10
Strength
Pulldown
T-bar Row 2 8–10
Behind-the- 3 8–10
neck Pulldown
Evening Workout
EXERCISE SETS REPS
Seated 3 8–10
Cable Row
Deadlift 4 8–10
Hyper- 4 10–12
extension
Icarian 3 8–10
Machine Row
JAY CUTLER ON...
Stretching: “Stretching allows
for better blood flow to your
muscle tissue.”
Reverse-grip front
pulldowns (left): “Reverse-
grip front pulldowns really pop
the lats.”
Hammer Strength machine

rows: “These mostly focus on
middle thickness.”
One-arm dumbbell rows:

“Dumbbell rows were the
cornerstone to many of the
improvements I made to my
back over the years. They
stretch the lats and allow for
a strong contraction, giving
me both width and thickness,
especially in the lower-lat area.”
Hammer Strength machine

pulldowns: “I like to grind out
front pulldowns on the first
couple of sets. On my final set,
I use a spotter to strip the
weights for a brutal dropset.”
T-bar machine rows: “I really

squeeze my back muscles
during these.”
Seated cable rows: “I try to

focus these on the lower-lat area
where the lats tie into the spinal
erectors.”
Deadlifts (right): “Begin

deadlifts from the top position.
[Do this by lifting a loaded
barbell out of a rack.] For each
rep, lower the bar slightly below
your knees. Going lower works
more of your hips, glutes, and
thighs—not your back.”
Hyper extensions: “Hinge all

the way down until there is no
longer resistance, then go all the

way back up, slightly arching at BACK OFF Jay Cutler’s
the top.” If you’re not ready for Intermediate Back
Cutler’s two-a-day Routine*
Icarian machine rows: “I like routine but you still EXERCISE SETS REPS
ending my second workout with want to make significant
rows to make sure my inner and improvements to your Deadlift 3 8–10
back, try his intermediate
lower lats are toasted.” routine at right. Chin-up 3 8–10
His training style: “The Bent-over 3 8–10

Barbell Row
weight is secondary. The goal is
to tax my muscles with focus, Seated 3 8–10
high-volume workouts, and brief Pulley Row
rest periods.” Lat Pulldown 3 8–10
His training intensity: *Beginners should do the same

workout but without bentover
“Learn how your body barbell rows.
responds—to different exercises,
to free weights versus
machines—so you can establish
a stronger mind-to-muscle
connection.”
CHRIS LUND

FLIPPING
PHENOMENAL
///
///
BY JON VALGEIR WILLIAMS, WORLD’S STRONGEST MAN COMPETITOR @VALGEIRS_STRENGTHTRIPSL
PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS
Want to increase strength,

speed and fitness?
Try former WSM Jon V
William’s tyre flip routine.
Here’s how to do it like a pro.
“The tyre flip is my all-time favourite event” says
master trainer and strongman competitor, Jon V
Williams. “It requires coordination and explosive
strength. But it’s not easy - each tyre you’re faced
with is different, with varying diameter, grip and
weight. If you like a challenge, follow my tips and
you can reap massive rewards!”

The 2 THE FLIP: Here it’s the brace that
matters. You need to get your chest
against the tyre, keeping your hands and feet
ensure the tyre falls evenly to the
ground. If you’re against the clock, you
don’t want to lose time waiting for it
Power Pull in a deadlift stance. Drive upwards with your

legs and follow through with your chest until
to settle.
“The pull is a slightly tweaked deadlift, used

by strongmen to build extra explosive
you can get your foot under the tyre. Then,
knee it as hard as you can exploding from
4 THE CATCH: If you are fast and sure of
your bracing and grip then you can use
the downward momentum to catch the tyre
the hips as you thrust it to a vertical position.
strength” says Williams. “It helps you build once more for a quick lift off the ground (but
momentum and perfect your timing. Start
with half your maximum deadlift weight to
enhance your technique.”
3 THE FALL: You can’t lose focus now.
You must follow the motion through to
don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t nail
this. It’s rare to pull it off).
1 Start with your feet hip-width apart.

Roll your shoulders back and dig your feet
into the ground.
2 Hinge at the hips, bend your knees and

grab the bar slightly wider than shoul-
der-width and sit back into deadlift position
towards your heels.
3 Lift your chest and drive with the legs to

stand back up.
4 When the bar passes your knees pull

yourself upright using your hips and back,
use this momentum to drive the bar as high
up your chest as you can. Some people come
up onto their toes, which is fine.
5 Reverse the move to set the bar back

down.
6 While you’re learning, do 5 sets of 8-10

reps.
The
Power Clean
“This move builds on the set-up of the pull.
It builds speed” says Williams. “Start with
a very lightweight to focus on form”.
1 Follow steps 1-3 of the power

pull.
2 When the bar is at your hips, keep it close

to your body and continue lifting the bar,
almost as though you are trying to pull your
shorts up as high as you can.
3 In one smooth motion flick your wrists

over to press the bar up further towards
your shoulders.
4 Reverse the move to place the bar back

on the ground.
5 Start with 4-5 sets of

6-8 reps.
Perfect Tyre
Flip Form
1 THE GRIP: Grab the tyre with your hands
evenly spaced (your elbows should be
just outside your knees) as you would with a
deadlift. In many cases, the tread is uneven
and funky, so the best thing to do is shove
your hands under the tyre. Avoid gripping
higher up because it will make getting the
tyre vertical and flipping it harder later.

The
Couch
Stretch
“Flexibility is essential to be able to
nail the correct setup and positions
for the tyre flip, and other strong
man disciplines such as the atlas
stones, so never forget to stretch!”
says Williams. “The couch stretch
works from toe to fascia. It’s called
the couch stretch because you can
do it on your sofa”.
1 Start facing away from the seat of

your couch. Step your right foot
back onto the seat.
2 Lunge forward to lay your right

knee on the floor as close to the
couch as possible. Your right heel
should be touching your glutes.
3 To deepen the stretch, lift your

right arm straight up above your
head.
4 Hold for one minute before

swapping sides.
• Jon V Williams is sponsored by Vesper Homes and runs three-day VIP strength training trips throughout the year to Reykjavik in his home
country, Iceland. For more information or to book a personal training session with Jon, please visit strengthtrips.com.

THE
REBUILD
/// BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY @JF MEDIA SERVICES / @ZOIEPHOTOGRAPHY
P
eople think that it’s he fought to become one of
the gratification of Britain’s strongest men, but
success that forges also one of the most loved.
a professional
athlete but, we’ve all seen
the motivational videos on
Instagram claiming, “What
counts is not how many
times that you get knocked
down, it’s how many times
you can get back up”. The
ability to get back up and
never give in is what makes
an ordinary person an
extraordinary person. Phil
‘Titanium’ Roberts is
WARNING
GRAPHIC IMAGES ON
exactly that. Not only has FOLLOWING PAGES
After a few great years of competing, Phil
was forced to face his most earth-shattering
battle so far when tragedy struck while
going against the best of the UK’s strongest
men at a Giants Live event.
The Cramp and the Atlas Stone

“I competed with a few small injuries” begins
Phil, “I had shin splints and a pulled bicep
from five weeks before which prevented me
from training for many events. All this led to
a poor start in the show, or what I would call
‘a bad day in the office’.”
After completing a few events, it was
Phil’s turn on the atlas stones. It was here
that his life would change forever... “I had a
blistering start. But by the time I got to the
second stone, cramp was setting in
throughout my body.” He went on, “By the
third stone, the cramp was bad. Now on the
fourth, after lifting the stone, the cramp took
hold. It caused me to tense my stomach,
sabotaging my technique and forcing my leg
to miss supporting the stone.” It was at this
critical point that it all got nasty! “I fell into
the frame that you put the stone on. As I lost
grip of the 160kg stone, it came hammering
down onto my lower leg. I still remember the
distinct ‘CRACK’ as I felt the stone snap my
leg clean in half. It was like a branch
snapping in a tree,” he told us. Phil knew
instantly that his leg was broken, but as he
laid on the floor, and looked down at his leg,
he knew this was a serious break. “I lifted my

leg off the floor, but the broken half just
flopped like rubber. It just stayed on the floor
not moving with the rest of my leg,” he
exclaimed. At this point, he turned to a
marshal and said, “my leg is very broke”.
By now, the crowd is deadly silent after

witnessing such a horrific scene. Former
WSM, Eddie Hall was the first person to
come over to his aid, followed by an
orthopaedic surgeon who immediately down and deal with my situation” he recalls.
offered instruction. Although the adrenalin Now slightly numb, and inebriated from the
was in full swing, the immense stabbing pain gas and air, he was then able to be
was excruciating. Surrounded by a stretchered away. His sister, mum and dad
considerable number of medical were in the audience, and they helped get
professionals, Phil was in safe hands, “They Phil out of the arena. As he was taken away,
gave me gas and air, which literally felt like it the audience gave him a standing ovation. “I
was saving my life, it allowed me to calm gave the audience a thumbs up as I left, to
PIC T U R E S COU RT E SY OF PH I L ROB E RTS

reckon the knee sleeves probably prevented doctors had even started to tackle the
it happening.” After a tormenting two days in broken bones.
hospital, doctors became concerned about
the very real possibility of compartment Three weeks after the initial accident, the
syndrome setting in, cutting the blood bones were now being supported by a large
supply off to the foot and resulting in a metal frame, designed to hold all the broken
possible amputation, or even death through bones in place to aid the healing process. It
septicaemia. took four weeks from the time of the
accident for Phil to be allowed to stand and
Doctors decided Phil’s best chance was walk and finally leave the hospital.
to release that pressure in the leg. To do this
they made two massive cuts down the leg, Phil has been warned to expect to have
either side of the bone. The incision was the frame attached to his leg for anything up
ten inches long and three inches wide. to six months. “I will be in my gym, Titanium
They inserted pumps into the leg to help Strength Gym, training and getting back to
alleviate the swelling, and then skin grafted my old self as fast as possible. Whatever the
the wound closed. This was two drawn-out doctors tell me regarding recovery time, I
weeks after the accident, and before expect to halve it” he resolves.
show I was doing ok.” At which point he

said to Colin Bryce, the organiser,
“Get me out of here, so you can carry
on with the show,” which he duly relayed
to the up-standing crowd.
From Bad to Worse

You would think that the traumatising break
was bad enough and that now in hospital,
things could begin to improve however this
wasn’t the case, Phil explains: “I went for the
x-ray, which showed that the bone very
nearly came through the skin. The doctors
Get me
out of here,
PIC T U R E S COU RT E SY OF PH I L ROB E RTS
so you can
carry
on with
the show
Why Me? Phil understands a strong mindset will be
As with any profound trauma the greatest crucial to his road to recovery. The first time
healing is required, not from the broken he lifts a significant weight, not knowing if
body, but the inner turmoil of the mind. the bone is strong enough, unsure if it’s
“While I laid in hospital, I was thinking ‘Why going to snap and crumble beneath him will
me?’. But I’m fortunate to have a network of be a true test of character. Phil assures Flex
close friends and family” says Phil. “I know that one thing that is certain, he will not be
that when I drop into a low state of mind, giving up, and he will be back.
they will be there to pick me right back up.” Flex will be checking in on Phil’s
Luckily, not only his loved ones have progress in another article very soon.
shown support. Many old friends and members of the public have come forward
with offerings of help, a true testament to
how beloved Mr Titanium is.
Phil has already been back to his gym for
the first time after the accident. To his
surprise, many fans and members had
come in to show their support, “When I saw
everyone there, it meant so much to me, it
was an emotionally moving moment. I know
that I must return stronger and better for
all my fans. These are why I do what I do.”
PHOTO CREDITS: HARPENDEN STUDIOS
You can wish him well via his social media pages:
Facebook: Phil Titanium Roberts
Instagram: @philtitaniumroberts
Gym: www.titaniumstrengthgym.co.uk

MOHAMMED QAYUM
DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL
///
/// PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS
T
he classic look appears
to be the new direction of
bodybuilding, highlighted by
the classic lines and depth
of muscle that Mr O. Shawn Rhoden
brought to the stage with his
momentous overthrowing of seven-
time Olympia champion Phil Heath.
Legends like Shawn Ray and Bob Paris
longed for the day of its return. Now, the new
up-and-coming stars of the future are leading
the way to returning back to the good old days.
Mohammed is a prime example of what’s
to come. He’s all about being heavily muscled
while maintaining a perfect physique. Flex
caught up with Mohammed, to see what
makes him a future fantastic.
Do you come from a sporting

background?
I loved football and boxing throughout my
childhood. I boxed from the age of 14, right
through to 21. It’s the reason my arms are so
conditioned and shapely.
Who are you inspired by?

Although he was before my time, I recall
watching a documentary on Muhammed Ali.
What inspired me was his work ethic and how
he applied himself, not only to his craft, but to
his beliefs. He conducted himself with
charisma and character, which added to his
aura. He was probably my biggest life
inspiration.
Why did you first get into weights?

I was a really skinny boy and would always
struggle finding clothes to fit. So, in my early
twenties I hit the weights, not really knowing
what I was doing, but have since found my
way. Now, I’m totally focused on my goal.
When did you pick up your first copy of

FLEX mag?

It was in 2008. I was in the fire service and
knew very little about the world of pro
bodybuilding. A fellow firefighter, Mark,
showed me a video of Lee Labrada and
I thought “wow”. There was a copy of Flex
at work with his training routine inside,
that was my first copy! Labrada’s routine
would be my first bodybuilding steps amongst
the iron.
How long did it take you to achieve

your physique?
I’ve been training since I was 21 and now
I’m 37. So, a lot of muscle was gained in that
early stage. However, only since 2016 have
I really focused on my physique and got to
grips with effectively bulking and cutting with
the help of my coach, Haider Mehdi. Without go on too many forums at this point, as there How do you structure your food?
his help, I would never have achieved so much, are a million ways to build a physique and it’s I structure my food by having the majority
so fast. easy to get confused about how you should of my carbs around my training. On my
structure your training and diet. non- training days, the carbs are slashed.
What do you believe is the best advice I’m currently on a lean gain phase as
to give a newcomer to the sport? What is the best thing you’ve learnt? instructed by my coach Haider.
Keep it simple and do an upper and lower day. I learnt about the decline bench press from
Don’t go straight into a 5-day split. Pick another gym goer! This was a revelation for What’s your training schedule?
mainly compound exercises. Train between me, and I truly believe since I started I train 5 times a week. Monday and Friday
3 and 5 days a week for about 45mins to an incorporating this variation and scrapped the are usually my rest days.
hour each session. Don’t think too much flat bench, my physique changed. My chest is
about supplements. Eat well and plenty, a very strong part of my body and the decline What are your predictions for
keeping bodyfat as low as you can whilst works well for me and targets my chest competitive bodybuilding?
concentrating on getting stronger. Try not to perfectly. It will just get bigger. Because of social media,

more and more people are connecting with
what they perceive as “real people” and
making phenomenal transformations. Before
we used to think that such physiques were
only achieved by movie stars or professional I just started my carb-up and I was surveying What gives you the drive to be a
bodybuilders, who we were not connected a building. I sat on a chair waiting for someone competitive athlete?
with in the way are today. This inevitably and literally fell asleep and fell off the chair! I have always been the type to latch onto
makes people believe that they can do this In terms of balance, unless you have the something until I achieve it, whatever it may
themselves, hence we’re seeing a lot more luxury of not working or are able to take time be. I had severe childhood asthma, so as a
entries in competitions now. Also, the off work during this period, I don’t think it child, I missed out on a lot of things because
formation of new federations will grow the exists! It’s an extreme phase you need to put I physically wasn’t able to do them. My mum
sport. The availability of more pro cards now, yourself through and you must accept it; just was very guarded with me because of this
in my opinion is a good thing. There are some flick the switch and have tunnel vision. and would spend days and days in hospital
people that think it devalues the sport, but because of asthma attacks. As a teenager,
bodybuilding cannot grow, especially in Any advice for time management? I got over this and my asthma was
Britain, if we were still abiding by the old Out of all the things you have, the most manageable, so I felt I had a lot of making up
system, producing one pro bodybuilder a year. precious commodity in life is time. You must to do. So, I did it all! I adopted this mentality
be economical with it, as it is so limited. If you ever since and when I picked up bodybuilding
How do you find a balance? are training to build muscle, make sure you’re as a hobby and my coach told me that I had a
My life is super busy, I have a wife and two not wasting time doing exercises that will do physique worthy of competing, I just went for
children, and I like to be a hands-on dad. So, nothing for your physique. Just the same, if it. It’s that child version of me that is my drive.
I like being involved in the school runs when you are feeling empty in shape or form, do the
I’m not working and doing activities with them necessary to fill that void. Spend time with What has been your hardest time in life?
every weekend. I also work a lot and can drive people that would still have an interest in you Just like everyone, I have had my share of
up to five hours a day. Fatigue is something if you lost all your money and your struggles, but nothing compares to when
that can catch up with me. Off-season isn’t appearance. I lost my dad. I was 11 and felt cheated that
too bad as I keep my food and water intake up
and my training helps to relieve stress. It’s
within the last stages of prep where it gets
hard. My mood or personality doesn’t really
change, I don’t get ‘hangry’ or lose my temper,
but the fatigue catches up. Where I feel the
most tired is the carb up before a show.
I remember in 2016 before the British finals,

I didn’t get more time with him, when all my with it in every aspect of my life. For me, to THURSDAY: Pull
friends still had theirs. I was a complete manipulate and change my physique every Barbell curl 4 sets of 12-6 reps
daddy’s boy, so I was at an absolute loss year, gives me satisfaction and I do it Dumbbell curl 4 sets of 12-6 reps
without him. completely for myself. FLEX Rack pull 4 sets of 12-6 reps
Lat pulldown 3 sets of 12-8 reps
How did you overcome this Training Split T bar row or bent
difficult time? TUESDAY: Legs (Quad dominant) over row 3 sets of 10-6 reps
I had a loving family around me and good Leg raise 4 sets of 12-8 reps Seated row 3 sets of 10-6 reps
friends who I am still close with to this day. I Hack squat 3 sets 10-6 reps Shrugs 4 sets of 12-8 reps
have limited memories of my dad as my time Leg press (low plate Face pull 4 sets of 12-8 reps
with him was relatively short, but I remember narrow stance) 4 sets of 10-6 reps Bicep cable curl 3 sets of 12-6 reps
them fondly and they always make me smile. V squat (straight back) 4 sets of 10-6 reps
Any time I achieve anything of note, I always Sissy squat 3 sets of 12-8 reps FRIDAY: Rest
wish he was here to see it. Standing calf raise 4 sets of 15-10 reps
SATURDAY: Legs (Hamstring dominant)
Seated calf raise 4 sets of 15-10 reps Lying hamstring curl 4 sets of 12-6 reps
Do you have any wise words to share
with FLEX readers? WEDNESDAY: Push Leg press (high and wide
Weighted dip 4 sets of 12-6 reps on plate stance) 4 sets of 10-6 reps
If you decide to compete, you have decided to
Narrow grip bench press 3 sets of 10-6 reps Stiff leg dead lift 4 sets of 10-6 reps
do something hard; at times it will impact
your personal and social life. It will leave you Dead stop skull crushers Seated leg curl 3 sets of 10-6 reps
tired, weak and sleepless. It will expose your on the floor 3 sets of 10-6 reps Standing kick backs 3 sets of 10-6 reps
weaknesses in your physique. You will be up Decline bench press 3 sets of 12-6 reps Standing calf raise 4 sets of 15-10 reps
there on a stage welcoming critique. You will Incline dumbbell fly 4 sets of 12-8 reps Seated calf raise 4 sets of 15-10 reps
do all this for no monetary gain or Cable chest fly 3 sets of 10-6 reps
appreciation. Make sure the reason you’re Seated shoulder press 3 sets of 10-6 reps SUNDAY: Arms
Barbell curl 4 sets of 12-6 reps
doing it is worthwhile and more than just to Standing shoulder fly 3 sets of 12-8 reps
get banging Instagram pics. My personal Dumbbell curl 4 sets of 12-6 reps
Reverse machine fly 3 sets of 10-6 reps
reason is that I love progress. I’m obsessed Hammer curl 4 sets of 10-6 reps
Preacher curl 4 sets of 10-6 reps
Training Day Diet Weighted dip 4 sets of 12-6 reps
MEAL 1 3 whole eggs, 5 egg whites Narrow grip bench press 3 sets of 10-6 reps
MEAL 2 150g chicken breast, 20g almond butter, green veg Dead stop skull crusher
on the floor 3 sets of 10-6 reps
MEAL 3 (PRE-WORKOUT) 65g ground rice, 30g whey protein, 50g blueberries
INTRA-WORKOUT EAAs (essential amino acids) Ropes, tricep pull down 4 sets of 10-6 reps
POST-WORKOUT 30g whey protein, 7g creatine monohydrate
Instagram; @moqayum
MEAL 4 150g chicken breast, 65g basmati rice, 1 bagel, 20g jam, 50g Coco Pops
MEAL 5 75g oats, 30g whey protein
Non-training day diet

MEAL 1 150g 5% fat beef mince, 1 whole egg
MEAL 2 200g salmon fillet, 20g almonds, green veg
MEAL 3 150g chicken breast, 50g avocado, green veg
MEAL 4 150g chicken breast, 20g almond butter, green veg
MEAL 5 150g 5% beef mince, 2 whole eggs, 50g avocado

/// BY ANGELICA NEBBIAL /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERIC SCHULTZ
So You Think You Want

to Compete?
Competing as an amateur bodybuilder can be rewarding, but the road to the
stage is paved with plenty of bumps and physical and emotional stress.
So before you declare yourself ready, consider these six questions.
For many,
the benefits of
competing far
outweigh the
drawbacks.
1 DO YOU HAVE THE MONEY?

There are lots of costs that come with
competing, from food, supps, and travel to
accounted for. If you think you can cheat
this because you have “crazy metabolism,”
you’re wrong.
blood test done every three to six months.
If you’re not comfortable having an open,
honest dialogue with your doctor—espe-
tanning, contest fees, and coaches. Expect cially if you’re taking anabolic steroids—
to spend at least £3,000 prepping for an
amateur show. 4 CAN YOU KEEP YOUR COOL WHEN
YOU’RE ASKED ABOUT STEROIDS?
then find a new one or don’t compete.
2 ARE YOU READY TO SACRIFICE

YOUR SOCIAL LIFE?
The extreme physical changes you’ll
undergo during your prep—namely, bigger
muscles and lower body fat—will result in
6 ARE YOU A SORE LOSER?
As an IFBB Pro League competitor
and judge, I’ve heard it all from competi-
Contest prep takes anywhere from 12 at least one person asking what drugs you tors who felt they deserved a victory. Win,
weeks to six months. During that time, take. Deny you take anything, and you’ll be lose, or draw, if you’re not capable of acting
you have to seriously limit anything that labelled a liar. Admit you take something, civilised, you’ll quickly earn a reputation for
can potentially hinder your performance in and you’re a cheater. And whatever your all the wrong reasons.
the gym or offset your diet. This includes answer is, reacting angrily will lead to
dates, dinners, trips, and parties. accusations of “ ’roid rage.” ABOUT THE INSIDER
3 5
Angelica Nebbia is a former
CAN YOU COMMIT TO A CAN YOU BE HONEST WITH IFBB Pro League figure
SUPERSTRICT NUTRITION PLAN? YOUR DOCTOR? competitor, an NPC judge, the
senior digital editor of
Your nutrition is equally as important as Competitive bodybuilding can be very Muscle & Fitness, and the
every set and rep that you execute. So taxing on your body and immune system. official liaison between M&F
and the IFBB Pro League.
every bite and sip that you take should be Competitors should have a comprehensive

DANA&ROB BAILEY
M E E T T H E M & M A N Y M O R E AT
TICKE
ON SA TS
L
NOW! E
WWW.BODYPOWER.COM
10-12TH MAY, NEC, BIRMINGHAM
HOW LONG WILL
YOUR INJURY
TAKE TO HEAL?
T
here you are in the gym, /// BY GILES GYER BSC (HONS) OST,
smashing out a PB on a SPECIALIST MUSCULOSKETAL OESTEOPATH, MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURIST, OMT TRAINING

deadlift when you hear or /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL
feel a pop, tear, or rip.
UNDERSTANDING
Looking down at those overly tight leggings
to make sure they haven’t split is the first
thing, but how can we tell if it may just be a YOUR RECOVERY AND
nasty case of DOMS and when do you need
to seek some professional help?
We’ve all had that leg day from hell where
WHEN TO GET HELP
you feel the world has ended. Just trying to
get into position to go to the toilet after a
serious squat session might have you
screaming, “man down”, “I need a medic”, but
even when you have the world’s worst DOMs
you can relax in the knowledge that you will
be back smashing the weights in a few days’
time once things have calmed down.
But what if that pain lasts longer than a
few days? We are going to look at some of
the most common injuries that can occur in
the gym and look at the time frames around
when they should ideally resolve. Ultimately,
if you are ever in doubt about an injury make
sure you seek medical advice from a trained
professional. Now, slip on some Otomix
boots and lets have a look.
Key Points
“Train through the pain” went out with image a pain-free person between the age of When returning from an injury, “leave
1 foam rolling the IT bands, and parachute
pants. If something hurts it’s your body’s
20-40, 80% will have disc degeneration
which are asymptomatic [1a], so images
5 the ego at the door” remember it’s a
marathon not a sprint when returning from a
way of saying, stop, listen and think, don’t should only be used if really needed to rule setback.
just mask it with pain killers and anti- out serious injury and issues.
inflammatories (NSAIDS) because the Don’t be afraid to get professional help,
key is to look and try and figure out the root
cause of the pain. I see pain as the body 3 There is always a way to train around a
current injury, work smart not hard, and
6 don’t rely on Google and online forums
to try and diagnose the problem, you spend
highlighting that something needs to change, if in doubt don’t be afraid to seek advice and more money a month on protein powder
whether that’s injury, overloading, over- help from a professional. When working and supplements so don’t cheap out, an
training, diet, stress, sleep, emotional issues through an injury you need to be mindful of appointment with a therapist should be seen
etc. Pain is complex but should never be form, loading, volume, frequency and as an investment in yourself and could save
ignored. exercise selection. you from long-term problems.
Don’t be too quick to grab an image, Complete rest is rarely the solution, So, what can go wrong? Injuries range
2 X-Ray or MRI, these will show you what
you look like but not how you feel. The
4 movement is medicine, so remember
the old saying, “if you don’t move it, you
from minor muscle soreness (DOMs) to
severe injury like a ligament tear, and no
current research shows that if you scan or lose it”. matter how eager you are to return to your

normal activities, the recovery process will
take some time depending on the severity of
type, understand the recovery and know
when to see a therapist. Here are some
Muscle Strain
your injury. common injuries and a rough estimate of Muscle strain is the overstretching or tearing
It’s sensible to first assess your injury recovery times. of a muscle or its attached tendons. It is an
overuse injury of the muscle that results
from strenuous activity.
Delayed Onset Muscle Muscle strain is common among athletes

who actively participate in sport activities.
Soreness (DOMS)
It can affect any muscle of the body. The
most common sites of strain injuries are
neck, shoulder, upper and lower back, and
DOMS is the muscle pain and stiffness, which is felt within a few hours to days after hamstring muscles [3].
strenuous or unaccustomed physical activity. It is more prevalent among participants
Average recovery time: The healing of a
of strength training – e.g. bodybuilders and elite or novice athletes.
muscle strain depends on the severity of the
DOMS is mostly triggered by activities that has a lot of eccentric contraction such as injury. Grade I or minor muscle strains can
heavy lifting, and it is perfectly normal to feel mild soreness in a muscle after any kind take anywhere between 0 – 2 weeks to heal.
of physical activity. It also means the muscles are becoming stronger and are adapting Grade II muscle strains are of moderate
to the load.
severity. A full recovery from such injuries
Average recovery time: 0-3 days. DOMS usually peaks within the 48-hour mark, but may take up to 3 months. Grade III strains
this timeline may vary from person to person. The first experience of DOMS can be so mean a complete rupture of muscle or
fierce that you may think of avoiding the next workout. The good news is it often wears fascia. The recovery time for these injuries
off when the same exercise is again repeated. After the first bout, the muscle rapidly can range from 4 weeks to 6 months [4].
adapts itself to the unaccustomed activity [1].
Diagnosis: Usually, a detailed medical
Some people, however, feel excessive DOMS due to genetic factors or underlying history and some physical exams are all
health problems. The recovery time may take a little longer for these people. that’s needed to diagnose muscle strains.
However, if your therapist is in doubt,
Treatment: DOMS usually wears off on its own within 72 hours after appearing. additional testing such as imaging the area
Several remedies may help minimise the severity of DOMS. These include low-intensity
maybe performed, but don’t ignore the pain.
activity, gentle soft tissue massage, foam rolling, mobility work and the use of heat are
all good starts. Treatment: This largely depends on the
severity of the muscle strain. If you have a
Low-intensity exercise for 1-2 days is the most effective means to alleviate the pain mild-to-moderate type strain, a complete
and soreness of DOMS. recovery can be achieved with rest, ice,
compression and elevation. Anti-inflamma-
Massage has shown mixed results in clinical studies. The type and timing of massage
technique used influence whether it would work in DOMS [1]. tory medications can also be used to help
relieve the pain [3].
Heat has reported promising results on back muscle DOMS, but more research is If your strain is of the severe type – grade
needed [2]. III, medical treatment is needed. You may
need crutches or a brace to restrict the

Grades III strain is the complete or
near-complete rupture of the ligament.
These injuries can take anywhere between
5 weeks to 12 months to heal.
Diagnosis: Initial diagnosis of ligament
sprain includes a detailed medical history
and physical examination. The site of injury
and the degree of pain often help determine
how severe your sprain is.
Your doctor may order X-rays to rule out
other injuries such as a fracture. If a severe
sprain is suspected, MRI and ultrasounds
may be ordered to determine the nature and
extent of your injury.
Treatment: The standard treatment
approach for sprains is very similar to
strains [7]. A complete recovery from
a grade I sprain can be achieved with
“RICE” therapy – rest, ice, compression
and elevation. Physiotherapy can speed
up the recovery process. You may also
take anti-inflammatory medications for
relieving pain.
Initial treatment of grade II sprains
requires some limitations in activities for
load protection. Your doctor may suggest
the use of crutches or a weight-bearing
brace to help avoid stretching of the injured
ligament. For grade II injuries, physiotherapy
is highly recommended during rehabilitation.
Grade III sprains may require surgery to
repair the torn ligament. These injuries often
take more prolonged rehabilitation. Physical
therapy and rehabilitation exercises can be
useful to help restore flexibility and
strength.
Tendon Injuries
Tendons are tightly packed fibrous connec-
tive tissues that connect muscles to bones.
Tendon injury (tendinopathy) usually occur
when it is exposed to an excessive loading
event beyond its limit. Acute tendon rupture
often occurs from a single overloading event
affected muscle activity. In some cases, capacity. However, if ignored, cumulative such as a sudden fall from a height.
surgery may be required to repair the overloading events can also lead to an acute Chronic tendon impairments – e.g.
muscle. ligament tear. tendinitis and tendinosis – are the result of
In grade III muscle strains, physical Ligament sprain is the most common gradual wear and tear or repetitive loading
therapy or rehabilitation exercises can be sport-related injury. Several sites of your events. The most common sites of these
used as adjuncts to help restore flexibility body are more prone to a sprain such as injuries are the heel and elbow joints [8].
and strength. ankle, knee, wrist and thumb [6]. Tendon lacerations can happen from
Recently, a new form of soft tissue Average recovery time: The average time various injuries such as a crash, avulsions or
technique, known as Instrument Assisted it may take to heal a ligament sprain largely bites. The flexor and extensor tendons of the
Soft Tissue Mobilisation (IASTM), has shown depends on the severity and location of hand and fingers are most commonly
promising results. It is reported to speed up the injury. damaged by a cut.
the healing process and improve overall Grade I sprain – a very mild ligament Average recovery time: Tendinitis refers
mobility and function [5]. tear – usually heals within a week. The to inflammation of the tendon. These injuries
Ligament sprain
average recovery time can be anywhere can take anywhere between 3– 7 weeks
between 0 – 3 days. to heal.
A sprain means you have stretched or teared Grade II sprain is the partial ligament tear Tendinosis is the result of many micro
one of your ligaments. It often results from a but more serious and disabling. Depending tears to the tendon due to chronic overuse.
single overloading event that stresses the on the severity, the healing of these injuries These injuries take a longer time to heal,
ligament beyond its maximum load-bearing can take 3 weeks to 6 months. usually 3– 6 months.

Tendons lacerations also heal slowly.
The complete recovery from this type of
injury can take 5 weeks – 6 months.
WHEN TO SEE THE DOCTOR OR THERAPIST?
Whether you have a sprain, strain or fracture, seek immediate medical help if any of the
Diagnosis: Tendinopathy is typically following things happen:
diagnosed by history taking and a physical
examination. If your doctor suspects
tendinosis, he/she may order MRI and • No easing of pain and swelling after 72 hrs, or pain that is progressively getting worse
ultrasound to determine the nature and • Unable to move or bear weight on the injured joint
extent of your injury. X-rays may also be • A joint or bone that is clearly broken, deformed, or dislocated
ordered to rule out injuries to the bones. • Feeling numbness in the affected area, paralysis, tingling, or severe neurological
Treatment: Tendinopathies are usually symptoms such as bilateral pain in both arms or legs
treated with the RICE approach and pain • Exacerbation of symptoms
medications such as ibuprofen, these should
So, lets sum this all up. Don’t ignore pain, don’t mask it and train through it. Work smart not
only be taken with medical advice from a hard and you too, will have a lifting career for many years to come!
qualified doctor or pharmacist. This article is not mean to replace professional medical advice and you should always seek
Physiotherapy can be helpful for a faster advice from a medical professional.
recovery from this type of injury. Giles Gyer BSc (Hons) Osteopathy
Tendinosis initially requires activity
REFERENCES:
limitations of the injured tendon. You may 1a. Brinjiki et al (2015) AM J Neurordiol.
need to use a splint or brace to avoid further 1. Cheung K, Hume PA, Maxwell L. Delayed onset muscle soreness. Sports medicine. 2003 Feb 1;33(2):145-64.
2. Mayer JM, Mooney V, Matheson LN, Erasala GN, Verna JL, Udermann BE, Leggett S. Continuous low-level heat wrap therapy
damage to the tendon. Surgery may also be for the prevention and early phase treatment of delayed-onset muscle soreness of the low back: a randomized controlled trial.
Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation. 2006 Oct 1;87(10):1310-7.
required if your injury is very severe. 3. Noonan TJ, Garrett Jr WE. Muscle strain injury: diagnosis and treatment. JAAOS-Journal of the American Academy of
Massage therapy or rehabilitation exercises Orthopaedic Surgeons. 1999 Jul 1;7(4):262-9.
4. Grassi A, Quaglia A, Canata GL, Zaffagnini S. An update on the grading of muscle injuries: a narrative review from clinical to
are recommended to speed up the recovery comprehensive systems. Joints. 2016 Jan;4(1):39.
5. Laudner K, Compton BD, McLoda TA, Walters CM. Acute effects of instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization for improving
process [9]. posterior shoulder range of motion in collegiate baseball players. International journal of sports physical therapy. 2014
Feb;9(1):1.
The majority of tendon lacerations require 6. Ng GY. Ligament injury and repair: current concepts. Hong Kong Physiotherapy Journal. 2002 Jan 1;20(1):22-9.
surgical intervention to repair the lacerated 7. Biewener AA. Tendons and ligaments: structure, mechanical behavior and biological function. InCollagen 2008 (pp. 269-284).
Springer, Boston, MA.
tendon(s). The RICE therapy, braces and 8. Sharma P, Maffulli N. Tendon injury and tendinopathy: healing and repair. JBJS. 2005 Jan 1;87(1):187-202.
9. Thomopoulos S, Parks WC, Rifkin DB, Derwin KA. Mechanisms of tendon injury and repair. Journal of Orthopaedic Research.
anti-inflammatory pain relievers are helpful 2015 Jun;33(6):832-9.
pre-operatively. You should seek the advice 10. Einhorn TA, Gerstenfeld LC. Fracture healing: mechanisms and interventions. Nature Reviews Rheumatology. 2015
Jan;11(1):45.
of your orthopaedic surgeon. FLEX 11. Marsell R, Einhorn TA. The biology of fracture healing. Injury. 2011 Jun 1;42(6):551-5.

BARN DOOR
BROOKER
FROM INNER CITY
STREETS TO WINNING
THE KENT CLASSIC
IN 2017
/// BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL
/// PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS

STATS
Age: 32
Height: 5’ 10”
Weight: 115kg
Heavy Weight/ Super Heavy

Weight Bodybuilding

Simon’s story is like that of
many other inner-city youths.
As a teenager he became
mixed up in the wrong crowd
and made a few bad decisions.
Then the best thing that has
ever happened to him took
place. Finding bodybuilding,
or perhaps more accurately;
bodybuilding found him. Initially
he had no intention of compet-
ing, but he kept being asked to
consider it.
Simon told Flex exclusively, “It

gripped me, and I fell in love
with the discipline involved. The
dieting, training and routine
gave me direction and purpose.
Ever since I started, I haven’t
looked back.”
In his first season of complete

dedication to the sport, he went
on to win the Kent Classic in
2017, then placed third in the
over 90kg intermediates at the
UKBFF British Championships.

THIS IS HOW
BROOKER BUILT
BARN DOOR
DELTS AND ARMS
BICEPS
Standing Barbell Curl

3 SETS: 15 REPS,
12 REPS, 12 REPS
Alternate Dumbbell Curl

3 SETS: 12 REPS
Dumbbell Preacher Curl

3 SETS: 12 REPS

SHOULDERS
1 warm up, with very light

shoulder presses and side and
front delt raises
Include rear delt flyes, also with
very light resistance
Hammer Strength
Shoulder Press
4 SETS: 15 REPS,
12 REPS, 10 REPS,
8 REPS
Seated Lateral Raise

3 SETS: 12 REPS,
12 REPS, 12 REPS
Seated Front Raise

3 SETS: 12 REPS,
12 REPS, 12 REPS
Upright Rows
3 SETS: 12 REPS,
12 REPS, 12 REPS
SIMON SAYS
Seated dumbbell press has
always been a staple of my
shoulder workout. It puts my
shoulders in a less compro-
mising position and reduces
the risk of me developing
shoulder injuries, that I’ve
received in the past using
barbells.
I do lateral raises seated to
prevent me from cheating and
using momentum.
For me, using cables helps
to isolate and keep tension on
my front delts, I feel they are
very effective at doing this.
I use dumbbells when doing
bent over lateral raises, so that
I can use heavier poundage but
not at the cost or sacrifice of
form.
Again, I do machine shrugs
seated to try and isolate my
traps and not use momentum.
I only do two sets of these as
I feel my traps are a strong
body part of mine and I do not
want them to overpower and
throw off the symmetry of my
physique. FLEX
Instagram; @simonbrookerhbg
E-mail; simonbrooker1986@gmail.com

Damn...
Nathan!
Nathan De Asha served notice to his fellow IFBB pros by winning
back-to-back titles at the New York and California pro contests.
Now the guy they call “the Prophecy” is making noise—a lot of
noise—about his chances at September’s Mr. Olympia.
mong British subjects, perhaps only

Prince Harry had a better May than
Nathan De Asha. Perhaps.
In the span of a single week, De Asha completely
rearranged the state of play in the IFBB pro ranks.
On May 19, the Liverpool bodybuilder known
as “the Prophecy” dominated the New York Pro
Championships, taking the title against a packed
lineup that included Juan Morel (second place), Justin
Rodriguez (third place), and Josh Wade (fourth place).
A week later, De Asha descended on Culver City,
California, flashing his million-watt smile and tensing
his bowling-ball biceps at the California Pro. He took
that title, too, against another impressive group of
IFBB pros.
De Asha’s back-to-back triumphs served noticed
to his future competition. And he’s not letting them

Nathan
De
Asha
BY J I M S C H M A LTZ
// P H O T O G R A P H S
BY EDGAR ARTIGA

forget it. The former British
national champ is gaining a
AT H L E T E
reputation for antagonising SNAPSHOT
his peers, calling them out for
being, well...let him tell it.
“They’re miserable,” De Asha NATHAN
says of his fellow IFBB pros.
“Boring. I’m truthful about the
sport. People ask me, ‘Do you
DE ASHA
Height: 5'10"
go to bodybuilding shows?’ I
say, ‘No. It’s shit. It’s not fun.’ ” Weight: 265 lbs
De Asha aims to change that. (contest);
His taunts and provocations are 295 lbs
meant to stir up competitive (off-season)
juices, foment rivalries, and
create controversy. A student Residence:
of the history of bodybuilding, Liverpool, U.K.
De Asha wants to bring back Contest
the thrilling rivalries of past Highlights:
eras, such as the 1970s and 2018 New York
the late 1990s to early 2000s, Pro, 1st; 2018
when bigger personalities like California Pro,
Arnold Schwarzenegger and 1st; 2017 Arnold
Classic, 5th;
2016 Toronto
Pro, 1st
Sponsor:
I COULD’VE MuscleMeds
LOST AND Instagram:
LOOKED LIKE @nathandeasha
A TOTAL
ASSWIPE.
Sergio Oliva and Jay Cutler and

Ronnie Coleman stalked the Leg Press
Olympia stage. Keep your feet shoulder-
Of course, smack talk doesn’t width apart and lower the
work if you aren’t backing it up, loaded sled until your knees
bend at 90 degrees.
and De Asha knows it. He can They booed me. They wanted to
dish it out, but he can also take see me fall on my face. I wasn’t
it. And he knew what he was in bothered, because I brought
for if he didn’t perform well in more atmosphere to the show.”
the May shows. Those boos followed him
“I could’ve lost and looked take over.’ I came with T-shirts across the country a week later.
like a total asswipe,” he says. saying ‘Nathan Against New The results were the same.
“Before the show I was posting York.’ A lot of Juan Morel fans “When I went to California,
progress pictures, calling guys and Justin Rodriguez fans were everyone said, ‘He can’t win
fat, telling them, ‘Look, when I saying I was an arrogant bastard. back-to-back. What’s he going to
come to New York, I’m going to They still came to the show. bring? It’s too much flying.’ You

called the Prophecy, you’d
better back up your predictions.
De Asha knows the pressure
he’s putting on himself. But
the experiences of his life
have steeled him well for any
challenge.
THE SLUM OF SLUMS

To understand what drives
De Asha, you need to know
where he came from. While
Liverpool conjures up images
of the Fab Four and melodious
accents, the city is home to
some of the most deprived areas
of Britain. De Asha lived in the
worst of them.
“I grew up in an area called
Toxteth. It’s the ghetto. The
slum of slums,” he says.
He’s not exaggerating.
Research by the Church Urban
Fund named Toxteth the poorest
community in Britain, with 62%
of children living in poverty. De
Asha, now the father of two
small children, is determined to
give his family a better life than
the one he had growing up.
Nathan De Asha:
Hot Takes Served Daily
Here are a few choice quotes from the hottest
IFBB pro on the circuit.
On Phil Heath [Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay],
“If you’re a true bodybuilding for example, want to hibernate.
fan, you know he only wins the F*ck that. You’re not showing
back pose. I told him on the who you really are.”
Olympia Instagram, ‘You can’t
have to be confident in yourself—
not arrogant, just confident, and
wear that corset onstage. On Mental
believe in what you can bring to
You’d best be holding that Warfare
baby inside.’ ” “Our sport is not physical—it’s
the stage. It’s a risk that I was
willing to take.” a ‘mind contact’ sport. Arnold
True to form, De Asha didn’t On Personality [Schwarzenegger] used to brain
waste any time after the show “I think that all the guys just f*ck [Lou] Ferrigno, and he’d just
calling out seven-time former need that kick up the ass to come in shit shape. This year at
Mr. Olympia Phil Heath (see realise that people want to see the Olympia, I plan to brain f*ck
sidebar, right). When you’re your personality. Phil and Ramy everyone and bring it to them.”

“Bodybuilding has given me a
platform to improve my life and
give my kids things I never had,”
De Asha says.
He’s committed to get the
most out of his envious genetics
and natural charisma. When it
came time to choose a trainer
to help him get to the next level,
De Asha picked Matt Jansen,
who is based in Knoxville,
Tennessee. The British
bodybuilder met Jansen through
the late Dallas McCarver, who
was a close friend of Jansen’s.
“I picked him because he wasn’t
training any other Olympians,”
De Asha says. “When your coach
or trainer has a lot of guys in the
WILL PHIL
HEATH WIN
NUMBER EIGHT
OR WILL I WIN
NUMBER ONE?
Olympia, they’re always going to

favour one person over the other.
Matt and I got training together,
and we just clicked.”
Jansen helped De Asha
craft a routine that suited his
preference for a balanced,
symmetrical physique that
hearkens back to the earlier
eras.
“I’m not chasing the size game,”
De Asha says. “I like more of
the look from the ’90s, guys like
Flex Wheeler and Kevin Levrone. Kettlebell Lunge
Bodybuilding doesn’t just come Hold a kettlebell in each
down to mass. Everything should hand and lunge forward with
be in proportion.” As De Asha famously asked one leg until the bottom of
It’s working so far. De Asha is his social media following before your thigh is parallel to the
floor. Stand back up and
gearing up for the Mr. Olympia the last Olympia: “Will repeat on the other side.
and believes he has a chance to Phil Heath win number eight
shock the world, and Phil Heath or will I win number one?”
in particular. He can’t wait to It was a question worthy
stand next to the former champ. of a prophet.

Front Squat
The crossedarm position is
advantageous for lifters with
inflexible wrists.
WORKOUT
Build Killer Legs

One of the biggest changes
Nathan De Asha made to his
physique from 2017 to 2018
was improving his hamstrings
and quads. It wasn’t easy.
“Leg day killed me,” De Asha
once wrote on his Instagram
account, “but, damn, I love the
f**king feeling.”
Working with trainer Matt
Jansen, De Asha puts most
of his trust in basic, multijoint
exercises. Nothing fancy, just
hard work with some of weight
lifting’s most essential founda
tional exercises. Simple, no
nonsense. And the heavier, the
better. “I just lift weights until
I can’t go anymore,” he says.
“It’s just heavy, heavy, heavy.”
Here’s a breakdown of a
typical leg workout for De Asha.
EXERCISE SETS REPS
Leg Extension 3 8–12

Barbell Front 3 8–12
Squat
Barbell 3 8–12
Back Squat
Standing 3 8–12
Leg Curl
Barbell 3 8–12
Romanian
Deadlift
Leg Press 3 8–12

Kettlebell 3 8–12
Lunge

Leg Extension
Turning your toes either in or
out will help target different
parts of your quads.
Romanian
Deadlift
Lower the bar to just past
your knees, no farther.

4 MONTHS
TO FIGURE
Gabriela
featuring
Dezan ///
Have you ever looked at

/// BY BRUNA BUENO
PHOTOGRAPHS BY PHOTOARTS BY JAY
the toned figure category

and thought ‘I want to do
that’? but have no idea
where to start. Here is
the detailed training plan,
taken exclusively from
one of the best toned
figure ladies there is.
Gabi Dezan is known for
her ripped balanced lines
and flawless physique.
Earning her sponsorship
with the well-respected
Muscletech, countless
trophies and of course
a huge following.
Here is how Gabi
structures her four
months training
preparation for a show.
Session A
EXERCISES SETS REPETITIONS
BEHIND THE NECK LAT PULLDOWN 3X 4x 10-12
ARNOLD PRESS 3X 4X 12-15
REVERSE GRIP SHOULDER PRESS 3X 4X 10-12
PUSH-UPS 3X 4X 12-15
ABS CRUNCHES 3X 12-15
ABS AIR BIKE 3X 20-30
Session B
SQUAT SMITH MACHINE (FEET APART) XXX 10-10-8-8+20
LUNGES SMITH MACHINE WITH STEP 3X 8-10
ALTERNATING PLYOMETRIC LUNGES 3X 4X 10-12
GLUTES MULTI HIP MACHINE 3X 4X 12-15
HIP THRUST MACHINE 3X 12-15
LEG PRESS CALF RAISES 3X 4X 20-30
Session C
CHIN-UPS 4X 10-12
BENT OVER ROWS 3X 4X 12-15
ONE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW 3X 4X 12-15
SEATED ROW MACHINE (DROP SET) 3X 4X 12-15
ABS CRUNCH MACHINE 3X 15-20
HIGH ALTERNATE ABDOMINAL 3X 20-30
Session D
LEG CURL 4X 8-10
FORWARD FACING GOOD MORNINGS/ HACK 3X 4X 12-15

MACHINE
PLYOMETRIC AIR SQUAT 3X 4X 20-30
ABDUCTOR MACHINE (HOLD 1 SEC) 4X 8-10
GLUTES MACHINE 3X 4X 12-15
. ONE LEGGED CABLE KICKBACK 3X 4X 12-15
DUMBBELL UNILATERAL STANDING CALF 4X 12-15

. RAISES
. 56 FLEX | APRIL 2019

Session 3
INCLINE BENCH PRESS 3X 4X 10-12
LOW CABLE CROSS OVER 3X 8-10
PUSH-UPS 3X UP TO
FAILURE
MACHINE PREACHER CURLS 3X 4X 12-15
TRICEP PUSHDOWNS - ROPE 3X 4X 12-15
BIRD DOG EXERCISE 4X 12-15

Periodisation
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
C D E CARDIO A B C
D E CARDIO A B CARDIO A
B C D E CARDIO A B
C D E CARDIO A B C
D E CARDIO A B C D
E CARDIO A B CARDIO A B
C D E CARDIO A B C
D E CARDIO A B C D

COOL PR
Dorian Yates’
Autobiography £25
From The Shadow is the true story of a man
who many say was the greatest bodybuilder
of his generation, if not all-time. The book
chronicles his earliest childhood memories
to the maturation and development of the
legendary HIT training system. Read
Dorian’s ascent to the summit of world
bodybuilding, the Olympia Yates Era and his
journey after retiring from the sport he
revolutionised.
AVAILABLE AT
www.fromtheshadow.com
Deadlift-1
Lifting £70
Shoe
Specialised shoes for
deadlifting and a great
all-round lifting shoe
for your strength
£11
workouts.
A new improved shoe
that fits like a glove, great
American
for any type of lifter. Whiskey Skull
AVAILABLE AT Smash
Ammonia
www.pullum-sports.co.uk
Inhalant
Just like it looks, and just like it
sounds....this assault to the senses is
a large bottle of the very finest of
Skull Smash Ammonia, but it’s
infused with the scent of real
American Whiskey! It’s very potent,
and hits you hard.
AVAILABLE AT

ODUCTS /// BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL
Skull Smash
Tin of Single-use
Ammonia Caps
Skull Smash specialises in making the
£12
best bottled ammonia in the world. But
there are athletes who still like to use
single use ammonia capsules, so Skull
Smash provides an option for them as
well.
AVAILABLE AT
Badass Bitch Grenade Active Wear

Ammonia Following the huge success of GRENADE
supplements, now the lastest, quality active
Inhalant wear has hit. Great designs built on a great
story.
Are you a badass bitch in the gym?
Well, this is for you. Skull Smash
AVAILABLE AT: www.grenade.com/uk/activewear
products are designed and made by
Steve Welch, a veteran, gym owner,
career coach, trainer, and long time
£9
powerlifter and strength athlete. Skull
Smash is 100% American made.
AVAILABLE AT
FROM
£24.99

BUILD | SHRED | DIET | COMPETE
EMMA
GORMLEY:
confessions
of a bodybuilding
mother
38 year-old mother of four,
Emma Gormley didn’t even start
lifting weights until her thirties.
In a jaw-droppingly quick five years
(including a year out to have her
fourth child) Emma has forged a
statuesque yet feminine figure
unrivalled by peers who have been
pounding the iron for twice as long.
/// PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEPHEN BLACK PHOTOGRAPHY

Have you always been athletic?
I don’t come from a sporting
background by any means. As a child
I did ballet, Irish dancing and was part
of the school running team, but that’s
really the extent of my childhood
athleticism.
Who was your first inspiring

influence and why?
Oksana Grishina, I meet her in Vegas
and she was so lovely and down-
to-earth. I had always admired her
physique and she was just so nice in
person. Rosie Harte has also taught
me so much and prepped me for many
shows. A beautiful lady inside and out.
I have always admired how she has kept
such a beautiful, feminine physique.
Why did you first get into

weightlifting?
I started lifting weights in my thirties,
after going through a stressful
marriage breakdown. I was
underweight, undereating and not
really looking after myself and I wanted
to build myself back up again.
When did you pick up the first

copy of FLEX mag?
I picked up my first copy of FLEX in
Progym in Derry.
How long did it take you to achieve

your physique
It’s taken me five years to get to this
point, with one year out to have my
fourth child.
What advice would you give a

newcomer to the sport?
The best advice is to find someone you
can trust to help you, someone who has
been in the industry years and will be season. I have six meals a day Where do you see yourself in
totally honest with you. when I’m in contest prep and four 5 years?
or five when I’m not. Still working in the gym as that’s where
What is the most helpful piece of I love to be. Competitively I would like
advice you’ve been given? What’s your training schedule? to have a few pro shows under my belt.
My partner and coach David Fox has I usually train six days a week. Monday: Maybe someday get that Olympia invite.
guided me through every aspect of my quads, Tuesday: chest, Wednesday:
preps. He is 100% honest with me and back, Thursday: hamstrings and calves, How do you balance your life
makes sure I don’t take my foot off the Friday: shoulders and Saturday bis and with bodybuilding?
pedal. He always says “find one person tris. Sunday, I rest. I train glutes four I have four kids, so it never stops, ha!
you trust and stick with them, follow days a week on their own and do cardio I think you have to trust in the process,
the plan and don’t jump around taking for 20/30 mins a day; more when I’m in understand that it’s normal to feel
bits of advice from different sources”. contest prep. tired, and that it usually means the
You see this happen a lot and then it all diet is working. My dad always says
seems to go wrong. How do you see the future of to me when I complain “this is your
bodybuilding? choice” and that’s 100% true. My advice
How do you structure your food? I think it’s going to go from strength would be: have some rest, sleep is so
I tend to eat pretty clean all year round, to strength, with so many new shows, important and remember it’s just all
I don’t gain much extra weight in the off- federations and different classes. part of the process.

What gives you the drive to be is the restrictions on the diet, especially How did you overcome this
a competitive athlete? around family events. difficult time?
Myself! I love seeing what changes With a lot of counselling, soul searching
I can make to my physique each time What has been the hardest time and the support of my dad. I had to
I compete, and the improvements in your life? rediscover myself, and in doing this
I make. I’m fuelled by my love of I’d say going through a divorce was I discovered a passion for bodybuilding
training and the support of my partner. the most stressful thing I have ever and lifting weights.
been through. Mentally and physically.
What has been your greatest But then you come out the other Do you have any wise words to
obstacle when competing? side so much stronger than you share with Flex readers?
The hardest part of life when competing were before! Consistency is key with diet, training
and rest.
What reps and sets you do for

each exercise?
3x sets of 15 reps.
What’s your age?

38.
Where are you based?

Derry, Northern Ireland.
What was your most amazing

moment ever?
Winning the overall at the NABBA
Universe, it’s tough to beat the
Brazilians. And winning my IFBB
pro card.
What do you do to relax?

Spend time with family, go out for
dinner and I love to travel.
What are your hobbies?

I don’t really have the time.
Do you have any obsessions, if so,

what are they?
I’m a bit of a clean freak, I love cleaning
and I love everything in order.

OFF-SEASON DIET
MEAL 1: 6 egg whites with 1 yolk.
Wholegrain bagel
MEAL 2: Chicken or turkey with salad
or greens
MEAL 3: Steak or lean mince with
salad and baked potato
MEAL 4: Salmon and 2 whole eggs
SNACKS: Greek yoghurt, peanut
butter and rice cake
Dinner out on a Saturday with

small dessert
CONTEST DIET
5 meals of white fish or turkey with
asparagus or green salad
1 meal of salmon
I go zero carbs last 6 weeks and

refeed if needed

‘THE Instagram @rangeofmotionltd
MECHANIC’
Facebook Range of Motion Sports Massage Therapy
SCOTT TURNER
A
/// EDITORIAL & PHOTOGRAPHS BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL ny athlete will tell you
how frustrating it is
when they have an
injury. Not knowing
how long they are going to be
out of action is the stuff of
nightmares. If there is a way
to maximise recovery, then
you do whatever it takes.
But sometimes proper rest and
a great diet just won’t cut it.
Now, there is a new technique that’s
storming the pro bodybuilding circuit called
I.A.S.T.M. Having seen my pro bodybuilder
friends use this brutal looking form of
treatment. I decided to ask, probably the
UK’s best therapist revolutionising this
innovative technique, Scott Turner.
What does I.A.S.T.M. stand for?

It stands for instrument-assisted soft tissue
mobilisation. The techniques help provide
mobilisation to scar tissue when there is a
restriction of the myofascial tissue— causing
the release of any adhesions.
Where has it come from?

It originates from the Middle East and has
evolved into what we use today. Many
different tools can be utilised to get into all
different types of physiques.
How did you get into pioneering

the technique?
It developed from sports massage. With
my lifting background and passion for
bodybuilding, I found it was another way
to help bodybuilders achieve their best
package on stage.
What do you feel the benefits are to

bodybuilders?
It helps with muscle contraction and
provides more blood flow to the muscles.
I have been told by my pro-competitive
clients, that it has given them more
separation in the muscle. And the
mobilisation has allowed them to pose
better on stage.

How does it feel when the treatment is easily into the belly of the muscle does give
being done? the feeling of a crazier pump. You can see
It can feel a little uncomfortable in a weird, the difference. One of the show prep benefits
relaxing way. Effectively it is a metal or is just before you go on stage. When you’re
plastic tool rubbing over the skin. You can pumping up for a show, you know you’re
instantly see where the adhesions are walking out into the lights, with the
through the pigmentation of the skin. maximum amount of blood in your muscles.
Bigger, fuller muscles equal a bigger trophy.
What do you mean by adhesion?
An adhesion is underneath the skin and How often should the treatment be
looks like a spider’s web. We get rid of the used for maximum benefits?
adhesion through fascia scraping, over the In the beginning, I like to work with my
skin. The tool and technique detect where clients once a week. After completing
the adhesions are, which helps the blood the introduction phase, it is down to the
flow to the area to speed up the healing individual’s history of injury. We also
process. This helps increase the range of must take into consideration, their lifestyle
motion and fresh blood flow to the area. and diet.
Hence a faster recovery time. It’s not always
instant, you typically will notice the results a
few days later when the muscle will feel
more mobile.
Is the treatment recommended during

show prep?
Most definitely! The majority of bodybuilders
I’ve treated before and in the run up to a
show have said, they can see deeper
separation lines between the muscle groups.
For example, they find their quads have more
definition, especially around the teardrop. I
have had reports of the separation between
the hamstring appearing more striated, and
other areas like the shoulders.
Does it help with muscle contraction

pump?
The treatment allows more blood flow to
the muscle. Having the blood flow more

PAPA’S PUFFED
BREAKFAST /// BY BRUNA BUENO /// PHOTOGRAPH BY DARREN NICHOLHURST @DAZ_THE_BULL
INGREDIENTS
60g puffed rice cereal
12ml extra virgin coconut oil
35g peanut butter or nut butter of your choice
50g raw honey or pure maple syrup
DIRECTIONS
1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C
2. Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly in a mixing bowl
3. Pour the puffed rice mixture onto a non-stick baking tray
4. Place in the heated oven for 3 minutes until lightly golden and crunchy
5. Leave to cool, place in a bowl and serve with your choice of milk and topping

FOOD & SUPPS THE HIIT KITCHEN
Tandoori Chicken,
Pumpkin, Spinach &
Chickpea Curry with
Mint & Coriander
Yoghurt
Ingredients:
Sharwood’s tandoori paste
100g cauliflower
100g chicken breast
60g chickpeas
60g pumpkin
50g mange tout Method:
50g sweet potato l Rub the tandoori paste into the chicken and leave overnight. Vacuum pack the chicken and place in a
40g 0% Greek yogurt water bath at 75°C for 2 hours.
15g spinach l Allow to cool slightly then sear the chicken in a hot pan.
3g fresh mint l Add the chilli, garlic, lime juice, turmeric, cumin, soy sauce, onion and coriander into a blender and blitz
into a paste.
3g turmeric
l Dice the pumpkin and sweet potato into cubes and blanch for 20 mins in boiling water. Drain into a large
2g Tamari soy sauce baking tray and place in the oven to dry.
1.5g fresh coriander l Fry the curry paste in olive oil before adding the pumpkin and sweet potato. Coat well in the paste
1.5g cumin seeds (whole or before adding tomatoes, spinach and chickpeas. Stir well and cook out on a medium heat for 10-15
ground) mins.
1.2g peppers l Add the turmeric to 500ml water, bring to the boil and add cauliflower, blanch for 30-40 mins.
1g olive oil l Place herbs and yoghurt in blender and blitz for 1 minute.

/// BY HIIT KITCHEN /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY HIIT KITCHEN
MACROS
Energy(Kcal) 380
Fat 6.1
Carbohydrate 30
Protein 47

FOOD & SUPPS
Values per 100g

Serves 1
Energy(Kcal) 425
Fat 15
Carbohydrate 38
Protein 31
Teriyaki Salmon,
Spiced Rice,
Cauliflower Leaf
Kimchi with Stir
Fried Vegetables
Ingredients: l 1g red
l 120g brown onions
wholegrain l 1g capsicum
rice chilli peppers
l 100g salmon l 1g reduced-
l 50g broccoli salt soy
sauce
l 28g reduced salt Method:
cauliflower
l 0.5g apples l Allow one tbsp of marinade for a 100g salmon portion.
l 25g mange
l 0.5g fresh l To make kimchi, slice cauliflower leaves finely, cover with salt and leave for 20 mins, wash leaves
tou
coriander thoroughly and spin in salad spinner.
l 10g white
l 0.5g cumin l Place garlic, ginger, paprika, spring onion, coriander, chilli, fish sauce and apple in blender, blitz into a
cabbage
seeds (whole paste and cover leaves thoroughly with mix. Place mixture in lidded container and leave at room
l 10g red or ground) temperature for 4 days and nights. Place into a large tub (air tight) and store in fridge.
cabbage
l 0.5g honey l Place the ingredients for the curry paste into a blender and blend to a paste.
l 10g carrots
l 0.5g lime l Cook the rice in boiling water until soft (30 mins).
l 5g curly kale juice l Place a stock pot on the stove and fry the paste on a medium heat for 5 mins before adding the rice and
l 1g garlic l Pinch of salt stir well.
pureé
l Slice the carrot, cabbages and kale finely and sear in a hot dry pan for 2-3 mins.
l 1g fresh
l Floret the broccoli and blanch for 40 seconds. Drain and allow to cool on a large baking tray before
ginger
mixing with the mange tout and seared vegetables.
Values per 100g

Serves 1
Energy(Kcal) 379
Fat 7.4
Carbohydrate 40
Protein 35
Sage & Onion

Stuffed Pork,
Roasted Root
Vegetables &
Roasted Apples
in an Onion Gravy
Ingredients:
l 150g potatoes
l 75g pork loin joint
l 55g carrots
l 44g swede Method:
l 35g cabbage l Trim pork of fat and sinew, butterfly.
l 30g chicken sausage l Mix sausage meat with sage.
l 25g apples l Spread sausage meat evenly over pork fillet.
l 19g red onions l Roll tightly in cling film, vac pack and cook for 4 hours at 75°C in water bath.
l 15g chicken l Once cooked, allow to cool for 30 mins before searing in hot pan.
l 7g tomatoes l Chop carrots and swede, place in a pan and bring to the boil. Once cooked, crush with rosemary, thyme
l 5g celery and white pepper.
l 2g fresh rosemary l Sear pork trimmings in pan, cover with water and cook for 30 mins. Chop and add the vegetables and
herbs and sweat in a pan for 5 mins.
l 1g garlic pureé
l Add the garlic and tomato and cook for a further 5mins.
l 1g olive oil
l Add 500ml pork water and cooked for 1 hour. Blitz to a pureé.
l 1g dried sage
l Blanch potatoes and parsnips for 20 mins, add 2 separate baking trays, drizzle honey over parsnips and
l 1g fresh thyme rosemary over potatoes.
l 0.5g dried soya beans l Bake for 20 mins

Peri peri chicken, sweet Values per 100g
potato wedges, tomato Serves 1
and roast garlic sauce Energy(Kcal) 319
with marinated coleslaw Fat 6.3
Ingredients: Coleslaw:
Carbohydrate 24
Coleslaw l 15g red
cabbage Protein 37
marinade:
l 25g honey l 15g white
cabbage
l 60g olive oil
l 25g carrot
l 20g orange
juice l 10g kale
l 20g lemon Sweet potato
juice wedges:
l 15g diced red l 240g sweet
chilli potato
l 15g fresh l 2g rosemary
coriander l 2g thyme
l 10g jerk l 5g olive oil
seasoning l 1g salt
l 30g spring l 2g piri piri rub
onion Method:
Tomato and
Chicken roasted garlic l Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into wedges, all roughly the same size. Place in a pan with
marinade: sauce: water and bring to the boil. Drain the potatoes once they are partly cooked and leave to steam
l 15g paprika for 5-7 mins.
l 30g chopped
l 10g cinnamon tomato l Carefully ruffle the potatoes in the colander then place on a tray, and sprinkle the herbs, salt and
oil on the potatoes. Put in the oven at 150 °C for 15 mins, then take out and move around and put
l 5g garlic l 1 clove of back in for another 10 mins. Once cooked, remove from the oven and finish by sprinkling on the
powder garlic piri piri rub.
l 5g onion l ¼ onion l For the coleslaw marinade, mix together all the ingredients. Thinly slice up all the coleslaw
powder l 50ml white vegetables and mix all together with some marinade. Leave in the fridge overnight to breakdown.
l 10g fennel wine vinegar l Cut the top off a bulb of garlic and spread some oil and salt on the top. Wrap in tin foil and roast
seeds l 50ml olive oil in the oven for 20-30 mins.
l 5g salt l 2g salt l Dice up the onion and sweat off in a pan, add the roasted garlic, chopped tomatoes and white
l 5g white wine vinegar. Season with the salt and simmer for 20 mins. Take off the heat and blitz.
pepper l Prep the chicken breasts and marinade in the piri piri rub and leave overnight. Place in the water
l 100g Chicken
bath at 75°C for 2 hours. Once cooked, heat a griddle pan up and sear both sides of the chicken.
Values per 100g

Serves 1
Energy(Kcal) 558
Fat 13
Carbohydrate 91
Protein 15
Mushroom Arancini,
Roasted Squash &
Kale in a Tomato &
Basil Sauce
Ingredients: l 8g white
l 100g Arborio cabbage
risotto rice l 8g carrots
l 90g l 5g fresh
vegetable basil
stock l 3.5g garlic Method:
l 65g broccoli pureé l Blitz mushrooms in blender and place in dry pan over a high heat to extract all water content.
l 50g l 2g white l Sweat onions and garlic in olive oil for 5 mins (or until translucent).
butternut wine vinegar l Add Arborio rice, mushrooms, thyme and salt, stir well and cook for 2 mins.
squash l 1.5g olive oil l Ladle over boiling vegetable stock to just below the level of the rice and begin cooking, stirring regularly.
l 40g l 1g lemon
mushrooms l Once stock has evaporated, repeat process until all the stock has reduced and the rice is cooked.
zest Spread the rice onto a large baking tray and allow to cool for 30 mins.
l 26g l 1g orange
tomatoes l Shape the rice into balls of 55g and bake in a 200°C oven for 10 mins.
zest
l 15g onions l Dice and blanch squash in boiling water for 10 mins. Transfer to roasting tray and add olive oil. Roast at
l Fresh thyme 180°C for 20 mins.
l 15g walnuts l Pinch of l Shred kale into a large baking tray and place in oven for 5 mins at 180°C.
l 14g curly white pepper
kale l Shred cabbage and carrot. Mix together with the orange, lemon juice with the olive oil and incorporate
l Pinch of salt into shredded vegetables.
l 8g red
cabbage l Sweat onions and garlic for 5 mins. Add tomatoes and vinegar and simmer for 20 mins. Take off the
heat, add fresh basil and blitz.

FOOD & SUPPS
Values per 100g

Serves 1
Energy(Kcal) 548
Fat 15
Carbohydrate 61
Protein 37
Chermoula Salmon, Bulgur

Tabbouleh, Fennel Salad &
Herb Yoghurt
Ingredients: l 10g chive
Salmon l 10g parsley
marinade: l 1g salt
l 5g parsley l Zest & juice of 1
l 5g coriander lemon
l 3g paprika Fennel salad:
l 3g cumin l 10g fennel
l 5g ground ginger l 50g white cabbage
l 10ml olive oil l 5ml olive oil Method:
l 1 clove garlic l Juice of 1 lemon l Place all ingredients for salmon marinade in a blender and blitz to a paste, massage
l 1 lemon zest and l Juice of 1 lime marinade into the salmon and leave overnight.
juice Herb yoghurt: l Cook the bulgur wheat in simmering water for 20 mins, drain and allow to cool in a large
l 5g salt l 20g Greek yoghurt tray. Add chopped chives, parsley, salt, lemon zest and pomegranate seeds to the mix.
(allow 3g marinade l 5g mint l Mix the lemon and lime juice with olive oil and coat the fennel and cabbage. Mix
per 100g portion thoroughly.
salmon) l 2g coriander
l Place the yoghurt and herbs in a blender and blitz for 2 mins.
Tabbouleh: l Blanch the broccoli for 30 secs in rapidly boiling water and chargrill on the flat side for
l 50g bulgur wheat l Broccoli 2 mins.
l 20g pomegranate l Sear the salmon for 3-4 mins on each side in a frying pan on a medium heat.
Values per 100g

Serves 1
Energy(Kcal) 345
Fat 5.6
Carbohydrate 31
Protein 38
Moroccan Spiced Chicken &

Sweet Potato Tagine in a
Harissa Sauce
Chicken l 2g cumin
Marinade: l 50g chopped
l 5g parsley tomatoes
l 5g coriander l 45g diced carrot
l 3g paprika l 10ml olive oil
l 3g cumin Harissa sauce:
l 5g ginger l 50g chopped
l 10ml olive oil tomato
l 30g diced red Method:
l 1 garlic clove
pepper l Place all ingredients for marinade in blender and blitz to a paste, cover chicken breast in
l 1 lemon zest & juice
l 20g red onion marinade and leave overnight. Place chicken in vac pack bag and cook for 2hrs at 75°C,
l Pinch of salt finish off in a hot griddle pan to achieve markings.
l 10g chopped red
(allow 3g of marinade chili l Dice sweet potato and blanch in boiling water for 20 mins, add to a large baking tray and
per 100g chicken allow to steam. Dry in oven of necessary.
portion) l 10g garlic
l Sweat onion, garlic, carrot in a pan for 5 mins on a medium heat before adding the spices
Sweet potato l 2g cumin
and chopped tomato. Cook out the sauce for 10-15 mins before adding the sweet potato
tagine: l 5g olive oil and coating thoroughly.
l 150g sweet potato l Juice of 1 lemon l To make the harissa sauce: sweat the onion, garlic, chilli and red pepper on a medium
l 20g diced red onion Cauliflower: heat for 5 mins. Add the spices and tomatoes and cook on a low heat for 20 mins before
blitzing.
l 1 garlic clove l 50g cauliflower
l Slice courgettes lengthways and griddle for 2 mins each side.
l 3g paprika l 5g cumin
l Floret cauliflower and sprinkle with cumin, place in the oven and roast for 20 mins
l 2g cinnamon at 200°C.

Values per 100g
Serves 1
Energy(Kcal) 549
Satay Chicken with
Fat 19
Sweet & Sour
Carbohydrate 44
Peppers in a
Protein 47
Peanut Sauce
and Cucumber &
Sesame Rice
Ingredients:
l 130g brown wholegrain rice
l 100g chicken breast
l 47g bell peppers
l 45g broccoli
l 22g mange tout
l 20g smooth peanut butter
l 18g cucumber
l 9g cabbage
l 9g carrots
l 6g sesame seeds
l 5g curly kale
Sweet & Sour Sauce: Method:
l 5g lime juice l Mix all ingredients for marinade and coat chicken, leave overnight.
l 5g soy sauce l Cook rice in boiling water for 30 mins, drain and allow to cool in a large tray. Once cooked add the
l 4g onions diced cucumber flesh, lime juice and sesame seeds.
l 2g white wine vinegar l Sear the peppers in a hot pan for 5 mins. 30 seconds before taking off the hob, add white wine
vinegar and allow to reduce.
l 1g lime zest
l To make the sauce: sweat the onion for 5 mins on a medium heat and combine with all other
l 1g olive oil ingredients and place in the blender, blitz for 1 minute.
l 0.5g honey l Slice the carrots, cabbages and kale finely and sear in a hot pan for 2-3 mins
l 0.25g garlic pureé l Floret the broccoli and blanch for 4 mins, drain and allow to cook on a large baking tray before mixing
l 0.25g fresh ginger with mange tout and seared vegetables.
MACROS
Fat 24
Carbohydrate 20
Protein 29
HIIT Kitchen Smoked

Salmon & Scrambled
Eggs with Sweet
Potato Bubble &
Squeak
Ingredients:
l 130g whole eggs
l 60g sweet potato, baked
l 45g smoked salmon
l 40g cherry tomatoes Method:
l 30g mushrooms l Blanch diced sweet potato for 20 mins, drain and place on large baking tray. Bake in the oven at
l 7g olive oil 200°C for 20 mins.
l 5g thyme l Sweat cabbage and spring onion for 5 mins in a pan with the olive oil then add to the potato. Mix
together well.
l 13g cabbage
l Shape into 75g patties and bake at 200°C for 10 mins.
l 3g chives
l Peel field mushrooms, sprinkle with thyme and roast at 180°C for 10 mins along with tomatoes.
l 1g spring onions
l Scramble eggs and serve with the smoked salmon, sweet potato patty, mushrooms and tomatoes.

FOOD & SUPPS
Sweet Potato
Pancakes with
Coconut &
Greek Yoghurt
and a Banana &
Berry Pureé
Ingredients:
60g Alpro Coconut
Original
60g sweet potato
45g Greek yoghurt
35g oat flour
26g banana
20g egg white
18g mixed berries,
frozen
15g vanilla whey
protein
3g baking powder
2g desiccated
coconut
2g honey
2g olive oil
1g cinnamon
Method:
l Take the sweet potato, cook for 20 mins in boiling water and drain.
l Mix together the oat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, then add the eggs,
coconut milk and sweet potato. Combine well.
l Heat a frying pan on a medium heat.
l Allow 3 tbsp of pancake batter per portion. Cook on one side for 3-4 mins
before flipping and repeating the process.
l Add the bananas and berries to a pan, gently bring up the heat and coat until
bananas are soft. Remove from heat, add protein and blitz to a pureé.

MACROS
Energy(Kcal) 409
Fat 14
Carbohydrate 52
Protein 15

WHEY,
CAFFEINE
&
CREATINE
KICK
START
W
hy not try this for a no-frills, which they could only maintain for a couple protein, creatine and caffeine before
results guaranteed pre-workout of minutes, this is more comparable to workouts can help you get more reps.
blast? Stack whey protein, weightlifting than it is to a cardio workout. And that can lead to greater muscle
creatine and caffeine before every workout. Therefore, taking a combination of whey growth, and strength. FLEX
These are all components that can be taken
individually pre-training and have been
proven in numerous studies to boost
exertion and performance, including
strength, endurance and work intensity.
Also, well-known, is the muscle building
effects of whey and creatine.
Recent studies show that the three
supplements stacked together as a
pre-workout can boost your results.
The study, formed by researchers at the
University of Oklahoma, had a subject take
the whey, creatine and caffeine combo
before they ran on a treadmill as fast
as they could for as long as they could.
The results of the test reported in the
2010 issue of the Journal of Nutrition was
that when the results were compared, it
appeared that the subjects that drank the
whey, creatine and caffeine cocktail, were
able to run about 10% longer at their
all-out pace.
Since this was running at an all-out pace,
RECOMMENDED
DOSAGE
20 g of a quality whey
isolate,
PHOTO CREDITS: ISTOCK
2.2-5 g of creatine
200-400 mg of caffeine
Within 30 minutes before
workout

DO VEGANS NEED
CREATINE? or bodybuilder it’s great for helping
increase muscle mass. It’s a beneficial
supplement for gym rats and sprinters (5).
What if you’re Vegan or Vegetarian?

Unfortunately, dietary creatine can only
be found in animal products such as
meat and eggs, but the real benefits
come from supplemental doses, which
are much higher in creatine than food
sources. In fact, the absorption level
from meat is four to eight times less
efficient than that derived from
Mehmet Edip is an actor, commercial supplementation. Food wise, steak
model and internationally published provides the highest concentration, at
fitness model. He has been sharing 5 grams of creatine per 1.1 kilogram.
his knowledge and experience with A study over an eight-week period
M&F readers since 2011, having won compared the changes in muscle fibre
numerous titles before embarking on morphology, body composition, hydration
his acting and modelling career. status, and exercise performance
www.mehmetedip.com between vegetarians and non-
I
f your objective is to drop
body fat and/or build
muscle, creatine can help
you to achieve this.
What is Creatine?
Creatine is a peptide molecule that
the human body can use for energy.
Adenosine triphosphate which is its
scientific term (ATP) is the primary
source of energy for cells. ATP comes
from a variety of sources. Some
activities, like strenuous exercise or
lifting weights, can deplete your vegetarians. It was revealed that don’t already have this supplement in
ATP levels. vegetarian subjects who took creatine your armoury then what are you waiting
Creatine is stored in the body and when experienced a greater increase in total for? FLEX
ATP levels become depleted, that’s when creatine, phosphocreatine, lean tissue,
P H O T O C R E D I T S : H A RV E Y G R E E N B E RG / I S T O C K
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23851411
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14600563
creatine can kick in. Our bodies make 1g and total work performance compared 3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21118604
a day of creatine naturally. to the non-vegetarians who took 4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10919967
5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2048496/
creatine, indicating vegetarians are 6 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14636102
What are the Benefits of Creatine? more responsive to creatine
Creatine monohydrate is a dietary supplementation.(2)
supplement that increases muscle Studies have also shown that people
performance in short-duration, high- with creatine deficiencies are more
intensity resistance exercises(1) and it can responsive to supplementation, seeing
also help you increase your max effort, even greater improvements than
power output, athletic performance, non-deficient individuals.
recovery, and if you are a weight trainer Whether you’re vegan or not, if you

TRY 5 ISSUES
NEW
FOR JUST £5
S I Z E!
ONLY
£1 AN
ISSUE
ORDER NOW AND GET THE NEXT
5 ISSUES OF FLEX FOR ONLY £5*
GO TO: WWW.FLEXONLINE.CO.UK/SUBS
OR CALL 01858 438865
QUOTE CODE PFLXF03
LINES OPEN:
WEEKDAYS 8AM TO 6PM,
SATURDAYS 8AM TO 4PM
*5 FOR £5 APPLIES TO DIRECT DEBIT ORDERS ONLY. PAYMENT WILL
INCREASE TO £16.99 EVERY 6 MONTHS UNLESS ADVISED TO STOP.
STIR
THE POT
What’s healthier,
chilli or beef stew?
BY LIZBETH SCORDO
O
ne plus to
wintertime:
414
CALORIES
hunkering down
with some comfort
food. But is chilli or
32g
PROTEIN
stew the supreme bowl
of meaty goodness? 10g
It’s close, but the beans SUGAR
in the chilli give it the edge, WINNER:
says Monica Auslander CHILLI 26g
CARBS
Moreno, R.D., with Miami-
based Essence Nutrition.
“They lend B vitamins and 20gFAT
fiber—specifically prebiotic
fiber to help nourish probiotics
that reside in your gut—which
is filling and helps cholesterol
and blood sugar.” FIGHT CARD
Chilli is also the perfect
vehicle for sneaking in power-
house spices like turmeric,
CHILLI VS. BEEF STEW
black pepper, and ginger, Serving: 1½ cups
along with anti-inflammatory
crushed tomatoes. (Just avoid
sugar-heavy ketchups and 287
CALORIES
tomato sauces.) Moreno also
suggests using bone broth,
which is nutrient-dense and 14 g
PROTEIN
delivers collagen and
glutamine, great for your
connective tissue, muscle,
2g
SUGAR
and joints.
While beef stew isn’t
necessarily bad for you, the
26
CARBS
g
potatoes and carrots it’s
traditionally made with are 15g
more carbohydrate-dense FAT
compared with fibrous
vegetables such as
mushrooms, peppers, and
greens. Either way, Moreno
says to choose a grass-fed
beef. “Cows that eat corn,
grain, and soy produce
nutritionally poorer cuts of
meat. When they’re fed grass,
G E T T Y I M AG E S
heart-healthy acids like

omega-3 become more
robust.” FLEX

CHEATIN’
CHICKEN
Take a break from
your diet with this
crispy chicken
dish, courtesy of
Richard Blais,
chef of SoCal
poultry palace
the Crack Shack.
BY LIZBETH SCORDO
HOT FRIED
CHICKEN
OYSTERS
SERVES 5
450g chicken oysters

3 cups gherkin juice
1 cup Mexican-style
hot sauce CHICKEN
1 tsp white wine vinegar OYSTERS?
1 stick cold butter, Ask your butcher for
cut into small pieces these flavourful
R E C I P E C O U RT E S Y O F T H E C R AC K S H AC K ( C R AC K S H AC K .C O M ) . P H O T O C R E D I T: H I L L A RY H O G A R D, J S 2 P R
3 cups buttermilk pieces of dark meat

4 cups canola oil that sit between the
2¼ cups all-purpose flour bird’s thigh and
Salt and pepper, to taste backbone.
350g pickled vegetables (such
as carrots or jalapeños)
20 sprigs coriander 5. Place flour in a large bowl,
season with salt and pepper,
1. In a large container, cover and dredge each chicken
chicken oysters with gherkin oyster in the flour mix, B URN I T OFF!
To kick this dish’s
juice and let sit for 90 shaking off excess. calories to the curb,
minutes. 6. Drop each piece into pan try this circuit from
2. In a small saucepan, mix and cook 5 to 6 minutes, or trainer Ryan Farhoudi
hot sauce and vinegar and until golden-brown. Remove (@farhoudifitness):
bring to a simmer. Slowly chicken from pan and season Do 45 seconds each
whisk in butter a few pieces with salt. Continue working in of kettlebell squats,
at a time. Remove sauce batches until all chicken has mountain climbers,
high knees in place,
from heat and let cool been fried. plank to push-ups,
completely. 7. Toss chicken in sauce and kettlebell deadlifts,
3. Drain gherkin juice from serve with pickled vegetables and kettlebell upright
container with chicken and and coriander sprigs. FLEX rows into presses.
add buttermilk, coating Rest 15 seconds
chicken. between exercises.
THE MACROS
4. Heat canola oil in a cast- Complete four rounds.
488 30g 14g 35g
iron pan over medium heat CALORIES PROTEIN CARBS FAT
until oil reaches 180°C.

PICK boasts an impressive five to
six grams of fibre—that’s more
ALMOND
YOGURT DIP
A PEAR
than the amount in an apple—
which translates to about 22% WITH PEAR
of your recommended daily DIPPERS
value, making them a viable
Put pears on your snack choice. A study in the SERVES 4
training plate to fight Journal of Nutrition and Food 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Sciences even found that ¼ cup unsalted almond
fruit fatigue and up people who ate more pears butter
your levels of fibre had higher levels of vitamin 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
C, vitamin A, potassium, 1 tsp lemon zest
and phytonutrients. magnesium, and fibre, plus ½ tsp ground allspice
they were 35% less likely to ½ tsp ginger powder
L
BY ADAM BIBLE
be obese. Pinch salt
ooking to be healthier That said, Kadey warns, 4 pears, sliced into wedges
in 2019? Then you may because of their higher sugar
want to consider pears. content, pears should be 1. Combine all ingredients
“They’re a good source consumed in moderation—or except pears in a blender.
of antioxidants, which never, when looking to lean Blend on low, then work your
may aid in recovery,” says out. Other than that, enjoy way up to high speed until
Matthew Kadey, R.D., author pears as a quick snack or mixture is smooth. Chill
of Rocket Fuel: Power- add to oatmeal, protein in fridge, then serve with pear
Packed Food for Sports and shakes, yoghurt, and wedges.
Adventure. “Pears also supply salads.
vitamin C, which helps scrub
THE MACROS
free radicals that cause
T J I T S K E VA N L E E U W E N / G E T T Y I M A G E S
inflammation, and vitamin K, 310 20g 31g 12g

CALORIES PROTEIN CARBS FAT
which helps support
strong bones.” Also,
the skin of the pear
contains antioxidant 84
phytonutrients The percentage
of pears grown in the
that can reduce U.S. that come from
inflammation. Oregon and
One medium pear Washington.
THE
RIPE STUFF
Pears ripen best off
the tree, so when you buy
them they will usually not
be ripe. Leave them at
room temperature or
place in a brown paper
bag until they start
to soften.
3,000
The number of
varieties of pears
worldwide.

AUSTIN
BY JEN HANSARD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
LINDSEY ROSE JOHNSON
MARKET
Fire up these healthy AUSTINITE
cauliflower tacos, inspired TACOS
by the hippest city SERVES 4
in Texas.
1 head cauliflower, cut into
small florets
1 sweet potato, cut into
1-inch cubes
1 yellow onion, diced
2 tbsp organic virgin
coconut oil, melted
Sea salt and ground black
pepper, to taste
1 (450g) can chickpeas,
drained and rinsed
½ cup barbecue sauce, plus
more for serving
8 organic corn tortillas,
warmed
1 cup coleslaw
½ cup chopped fresh
coriander
Avocado slices
Sliced spring onions
Diced tomatoes
1. Preheat oven to 220°C.

Line a baking sheet with
parchment paper.
2. Spread cauliflower, sweet
potato, and onion on baking
sheet. Drizzle with coconut
oil and toss to coat. Season
well with salt and pepper.
Roast 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Remove sheet from
QUICK oven and add
FIX chickpeas. Drizzle
RECIPE USED WITH PERMISSION OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE
To reduce carbs, barbecue sauce

wrap these tacos over everything and
in lettuce leaves toss to coat. Bake 5
rather than corn to 8 minutes, or until
tortillas. veggies are tender.
4. Spoon the vegetable
filling into tortillas and
top each with coleslaw,
coriander, avocado, spring
onions, tomatoes, and
FOR MORE additional barbecue sauce.
RECIPES
Pick up the author’s THE MACROS
new book, Simple 680 30g 55g 18g
Green Meals. CALORIES PROTEIN CARBS FAT

GAINS
> Clean up your training programme with SNAPSHOT
smart progression and a push/pull split IFBB PRO

LEAGUE 212
for consistent size and strength gains. COMPETITOR
BY ANDREW GUTMAN /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY PER BERNAL

ZANE
I
F YOU’VE SPENT THE PAST
FEW years following the same
is to get on a push/pull split, which is
defined as performing two workouts
WATSON
body-part split—chest on a week that consist of just pushing AGE: 30
Monday (duh, bro), then back, exercises and another two workouts HEIGHT: 5'7"
shoulders, arms, and legs—we’ve that are made up of only pulling WEIGHT: 96KG
got some news for you: It’s time exercises. TURNED PRO:
2013
to change it up. “You’ll be able to perform higher-
INSTAGRAM:
While Matt Pudvah, C.S.C.S., head quality work, as opposed to doing @zanewatson_ifbb
strength coach at the Manchester six chest moves, so you’ll be able
Athletic Club in Manchester, to go heavier and, in turn, do more
Massachusetts, admits that a typical work overall,” Pudvah says. “Also,
body-part split isn’t a bad approach for a general person, unlike for a
to accumulating the volume high-level bodybuilder, six to eight
necessary to gain muscle, he thinks exercises for each muscle group is
that there’s something to be said for way too much.”
focusing your efforts when it comes You’ll want to be cautious of your
to programming. exercise selection. Since you’ll have
The first suggestion he makes fewer choices overall, you need to

INCLINE
DUMBBELL
CURL
Lie back on a bench
set to about 75
degrees, with a
dumbbell in each
hand. Curl one up to
your shoulder and
then lower it. Now
curl the other.
That’s 1 rep.

be more precise in your pickings. progression, which brings Pudvah flyes and dumbbell curls by only
Pudvah suggests: “Start with to his second point. one rep each week.
double-leg, compound movements “With your traditional body- “Adding one rep at a time may
like squats, deadlifts, bench building split, the question is, piss some people off,” Pudvah
presses. Then you can do your ‘How do I make this move harder?’ says, “but if you add too many reps
accessory movements like biceps You add weight,” he says. “You’re session to session, you’re going to
curls. Think about performing the already doing so much that it’s end up eventually compromising
largest patterns and moves, hard to keep track of everything. your form and, in turn, your gains.”
then the smallest patterns and You’re a jack-of-all-trades and a Well, there you have it, folks.
moves.” master of nothing.” Complicated? Not at all. Effective?
Homing in on just a handful of To remedy this scattershot You better believe it. Give the
exercises per session lets you approach to week-to-week push/pull split on these following
become efficient at each, as progress, Pudvah likes the five-by- pages—demonstrated by IFBB
opposed to being faced with the five method for the main compound Pro League 212 competitor Zane
litany of movements required movements—adding five pounds Watson—a try and find out for
when you hit each body part once at the end of each month—and yourself.
a week. This also lets you be increasing your rep count on
more precise with your mode of accessory moves like dumbbell

PUSH/PULL TRAINING
DIRECTIONS: Perform the push
days on Mondays and Thursdays
and the pull days on Tuesdays and
Fridays, resting the remainder of
the days. For the moves done for
5x5, add 5 pounds (2kg) at the end of
each 4-week cycle. If you add weight
and can get only 2 or 3 reps with that
load, that’s fine—reduce your rep
count, and keep trying each week
until you get all 5 sets of 5 reps. For
the other moves, simply add 1 rep
each week. After 4 weeks, increase
the load by 5 pounds and start the
rep cycle over again.
WO R KO U T
PULL DAY
EXERCISE SETS REPS
DEADLIFT 5 5
HAMSTRING CURL 4 10
CHEST- 4 15
SUPPORTED
REAR-DELT FLYE
BEHIND-THE-BACK 4 12
LAT PULLDOWN
HAMMER CURL 3 12
INCLINE 3 12
DUMBBELL CURL
DUMBBELL SHRUG 4 12
WO R KO U T
PUSH DAY
EXERCISE SETS REPS
BACK SQUAT 5 5
GOBLET SQUAT 3 12
OVERHEAD PRESS 5 5
DUMBBELL BENCH 5 5
CHEST-SUPPORTED
PRESS
BEHIND-THE-BACK
REAR-DELT FLYE LAT PULLDOWN INCLINE SKULL 4 12
Lie chest down on a bench set to Place your knees under the pads of CRUSHER
about 75 degrees, holding a dumb- a pulldown machine and grab the
bell in each hand. With a slight bend bar with a wide grip. Brace your core DUMBBELL FLYE 4 12
in your elbows, squeeze your shoul- and pull the bar down and behind LEG PRESS CALF 4 15
der blades together to bring the your head until it’s at your neck. RAISE
weight up.

BACK SQUAT
Rest a loaded barbell across your upper
back and carefully walk out of the rack.
Brace your core and squat down until the
bottom of your thighs are parallel with the
floor. Hold for a second and then drive
yourself out of the hole.
INCLINE SKULL CRUSHER

Lie back on an incline bench holding an
EZ-bar with a medium grip. Keep your abs
tight and lower the bar down to your nose,
letting your elbows flare out a little, until
you feel a stretch in your triceps. Then
push the weight back up.
DUMBBELL FLYE
Hold two dumbbells and lie down on a flat
bench, feet planted firmly, maintaining a
slight arch in your lower back. Press the
weights over your chest and then lower
them by letting your arms come out to your
sides. Then reverse the motion. FLEX

‘ASK THE DOC’
BY DR MATT MILNER MBBS FRCEM AKA THE BLOODS GUY
Dr Matt Milner has been ///
part of the bodybuilding

culture for over 20 years
and runs a successful
sports performance and
wellbeing clinic in the
south-east.
If you’re serious about lifting, what more
could you wish for! A real doctor with real
knowledge. Straight answers for serious
gains.
If you have a question, pay him a visit at
http://www.evolutionsportslab.co.uk
Dear Dr Matt
I have recently started taking a course of
oral Winstrol tablets and have noticed that Dear Dr Matt
one of my nipples has started to swell I have had chronic achilles tendonitis for two years now. Rest, physiotherapy, shockwave
as a consequence. One of my gym buddies treatment and a steroid injection haven’t helped. Where do I go from here?
suggested I start taking an oestrogen Dean, Bodybuilder/ Actor
blocker such as Arimidex every other day.
What should I do? Answer:
Dean, Male Fitness Model There is a growing infantry of celebrity athletes such as Tiger Woods and Rafa Nadal who
have had soft tissue injuries treated successfully with platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP).
Answer: The process involves the patient having a sample of blood taken, which is then spun
If you start getting side effects from one intensely in a centrifuge, to help extract a super-concentrated sample of blood platelets.
drug you are taking, is it advisable to take The PRP concentrate is then carefully injected into the troublesome ligament/ tendon,
another drug with its own catalogue of side under ultrasound guidance.
effects itself, to counteract the first’s? These platelets then excrete at least seven powerful growth factors and cytokines such
Arimidex can cause very sore joints, as as PDGF, VEGF and EGF.
oestrogen protects them. These growth factors promote healing by cell proliferation, new vessel formation and
Of note, Winstrol is an anabolic steroid collagen/ elastin deposition.
which is of the dihydrotestosterone family In summary, PRP is an effective, safe, evidence-based treatment for chronic tendonitis.
and therefore doesn’t aromatase to an Symptoms generally improve after one to three treatments in succession.
oestrogen derivative. Therefore, you
shouldn’t be having these symptoms in the
first place. I would suggest you may have
P H O T O C R E D I T S : ( T O P) DA R R E N N I C H O L S H U R S T/ I S T O C K
been sold something more like Dianabol.

This is a common risk bodybuilder’s take
when buying steroids from underground
labs. Not all distributors have a biochemistry
PHD or a conscience.
There is a well-respected self-test kit
called “Roid Test”, which you can use to test
the authenticity of a product purchased.
This is particularly pertinent to the female
athlete.
There has also recently been a kit
developed to test the authenticity of growth
hormone products, which is an interesting
prospect.

phosphorylation. This turns the body into Dear Dr Matt
a furnace, however, sometimes you can’t What’s the best anti-inflammatory to take
control the thermostat and you literally melt after shoulder surgery – Ibuprofen or
your internal organs. In summary, take it and diclofenac?
roll the dice… Dave, Powerlifter
Answer:
Dear Dr Matt Anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen and
I’ve recently had some blood work done via diclofenac are effective analgesics. However,
the post, in which I took a pinprick sample after an operation, muscle strain, fracture,
and sent it off. I got my results back and or even an athlete attempting to gain
Dear Dr Matt I have an Hb of 18.6 and a haematocrit of muscle, these drugs should be locked up
I’ve spent literally thousands of pounds on 0.56. Confused, what does this mean? in the cupboard.
supplements over the years with minimal Steve, Gym Owner ‘Constructive’ inflammation is vital for
results. Is there anything out there, that will Answer: the healing process to start. A fatty acid
naturally raise my testosterone levels and Firstly, as a scientist and physician, I feel it released from damaged muscle cell
help me achieve my goals? difficult to trust such results that are taken membranes called ‘arachidonic acid’ is the
John, Tattoo Artist from a sample which has been in transit for first stage of this process. If the molecular
several days. pathway of this fatty acid being converted
Answer: I would also ask where the laboratory to PGF2a is inhibited, ‘constructive’
There isn’t a supplement in the world, is that tests the samples and analyses the inflammation is slowed down. In short,
that can substitute hard work, consistency, results. a delay in the healing process.
a balanced diet, adequate recovery and Studies have shown pinprick samples to In summary, avoid all anti-inflammatory
avoiding other vices such as alcohol and be around 10% inaccurate. In short, you get medications and stick to analgesics such
weed. Are you ticking all these boxes? what you pay for. as paracetamol in the first instance. FLEX
Getting back to the question you have Getting back to the question, a Hb
asked, there are a handful of legitimate (haemoglobin) count of 18.6, normal range
testosterone boosters that have a good (13-18g/dl) and a haematocrit of 0.56, Disclaimer: Dr Matt aims to provide up to
evidence base behind them. normal range (0.40-5.20) suggests your date evidence-based advice for aiding sports
I recommend to my clients in clinic, blood is too thick and sticky due to an performance and underlying health. He does
supplementing with the mineral boron, taken increased proportion of red cells to plasma not advocate the use of performance
at a dose of 10mg per day. Boron is a trace concentration. enhancing drugs but advises his athletes on
mineral found in foods such as avocados and If this result is accurate, this puts you at how to keep themselves as safe as possible,
onions in small amounts. risk of hypertension, having a heart attack on choices they freely make.
Supplementing with 10mg of boron a day or stroke.
in one study increased “free” testosterone I would suggest a recheck by a respecta- Visit http://www.evolutionsportslab.co.uk
by 28.3% and reduced oestrogen levels ble doctor, followed by donating a unit of for further information on the services
by 39.5%. blood, if the count is still high. provided.
This effect has been accredited to boron
interfering with sex hormone binding
globulin levels in the blood, effectively
freeing up more bound testosterone.
Give it a go, in conjunction with zinc and
magnesium supplementation.
Dear Dr Matt
I’m really struggling to lose the last bit of
stubborn body fat around my buttock
cheeks, and I’m on stage in 6 weeks’ time.
I have been lucky enough to come across
some Dinitrophenyl (DNP), what kind of dose
should I take?
Martin, Bodybuilder
Answer:
Only a mad man would ever consider taking

this compound. The difference between the
effective therapeutic dose and toxic levels
is too close to call.
DNP burns fat by acting upon a metabolic
pathway, effectively ‘uncoupling’ oxidative

‘CHAMPION STRENGTH’
FEATURING ANDY CHAMP
H ave you ever wondered if using a /// BY ANDY CHAMP /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY HARPENDEN STUDIOS
singlet or lifting shirt can make a
difference to your performance. Perhaps
you have one and are simply unsure how
to use it. Well, Andy Champ, British under
93kg Equipped Champion 2018 is now
your guide.
Here’s how to lift perfectly with a bench
shirt, to smash your PB’s, and hopefully your
competition, in any of your future lifts.
Andy Champion:
As an equipped lifter I need to utilise my kit
to get the most out of it, and my training.
I use a Titan Super Katana, low cut, angled
sleeve bench shirt. It is the best single ply,
IPF approved shirt on the market. That being
said, it’s also a very aggressive shirt, and
things can go very wrong, very quickly if you
don’t respect it and use it properly.
It can take me as long as 20 minutes to
get the shirt on properly and settle it, ready
to lift. Once I’m in, and getting set to lift, I
have a particular set up so that I can control
the shirt.

THE SET-UP
1 I lay down on the bench with my nose in
line with the bar.
2 I take my grip on the bar with my index

fingers on the rings of the bar. I use the
widest grip I am legally allowed.
3 I will then set my feet back and push my

hips up in the air while positioning my
shoulder blades in and down. I’ll drive my
shoulders hard into the bench.
4 Then I tuck my bum down onto the bench

while pushing it up towards my
shoulders.
This allows me to set my back as tight as
possible and lift my chest.
5 I’ll then un-rack the bar and bring it over

my chest and engage my lats to lock
myself in.
6 I’ll take in a deep breath and brace,

ensuring I keep my chest up. As I descend
with the bar, I’ll continue to try and lift my
chest to the bar, bringing it to my lower
sternum, keeping tension in my legs and
screwing my feet into the floor. I’ll get a
touch then drive the bar up and back over
my chest.

Using Resistance
Bands for Strength
Equipped lifting requires me to train in
certain phases, with accommodating
resistance. There are many variations of
accommodating resistance. And they
all aid performance in a slightly
different way. The one I tend to use the
most are the resistance bands.
Accommodation
Resistance Explained
Accommodation resistance is an added
force that will increase, or decrease,
incrementally throughout the
concentric portion of a movement,
making the total weight heavier at the
top of the lift, and less at the bottom
(allowing one to gain greater strength
to complete a successful lift).

WHY ACCOMMODATION RESISTANCE?
In equipped lifting, the kit (lifting shirt) will assist you more at the bottom of each movement. As the weight is lifted the lifting shirt will
give less assistance as you progress through the movement, so I must train with this in mind.
Training with accommodating resistance, conditions me to drive through that increasing resistance near the top of the movement,
it’s a fantastic way to imitate the effects of the equipment without putting your body through the stresses of having to use your kit.
This can be extremely time consuming and cause a great deal of fatigue to the CNS (central nervous system).
Therefore, using resistance bands are a great way to build the power at the top of the pressing movement, where so many people
fail to reach the completed lift.
Do this for a few weeks added into your workout plan and watch how you power through your entire movement. FLEX
“Get in the gym, get set-up, and smash it.”
Instagram: @andy_champion_strength web: www.championstrength.co.uk

HIGH VOLUME
QUADS
W
e all want bigger
legs don’t we?
Good legs
represent hard
/// BY CARLY THORNTON IFBB PRO /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY DANIELLE BARKER
work and dedication, but

there are no quick fixes. Your
nutrition needs to be on point
to see real results and you
have to put in the hard graft
in the gym too!
Personally, I find my quads grow best
with high volume workouts. I love that
pumped feeling after each set when
the muscles are so full with blood you
feel as if you’ve instantly grown.
When competing in women’s
physique, I focused on bringing my
legs up but at the same time bringing
condition and shape to them for an
aesthetically pleasing package.
Some people believe building
muscle requires one to perform
continually heavy sets, which I agree
with to some extent, but lifting for 3-4
reps doesn’t compare to pushing
through the pain for 10 reps plus.
I like to mix different styles up and
hit the muscle with different rep
ranges, sets and exercise variations,
because don’t forget, you can perform
the same exercises in different ways!
As an example, the Bulgarian squat
can be performed on a smith machine,
holding two dumbbells, or holding a
single dumbbell.
These are my favourite 5 exercises
for a high volume quad day. They total
26 sets!
(Always remember to warm up
beforehand by performing the exer-
cise with a lesser weight. Leave your
ego at the door and get the job done
with good form. Warm up sets not
included in this workout).

LEG
EXTENSION
4 SETS OF 15 REPS
SET 4 DROP SET
5TH SET PARTIAL REPS

PENDULUM
SQUAT
3 SETS OF 10-15 REPS
START OFF WITH THE HIGHER
REP RANGE AND KEEP TO THAT
WAIT FOR YOUR FINAL 2
WORKING SETS
CLOSE
STANCE LEG
PRESS
10 REPS OF 10 SETS
SLOWLY INCREASE THE WEIGHT
This will progressivly start to get
harder so make sure it’s a weight
that you could perform 15 plus
reps for initally

GOBLET SQUAT
5 SETS OF 10 REPS
1 FULL REP WITH 10 PLUSE REPS FROM THE SQUAT POSITION = 1 REP
BULGARIAN SQUAT
3 SETS
ALTERNATE EACH LEG WITH NO REST, ON YOUR LAST SET
PERFORM A DOUBLE DROP SET FOLLOWED BY A 10 SEOCND
HOLD IN THE HOLE
Give this a go and you’ll feel my pain!
Model Carly Thornton @carlythornton_ifbbpro

OUTFIT GLUTEYWEAR @gluteywear

By Danni Levy
Work your socks

off with music
that makes you
wanna move!
Give the FLEX UK
playlist a whirl and
feel the burn...
Scott
E Travis
S IC KO MOD s et &

Tyga fe
at. O ff at. Logic
 Taste e m ix ) KYLE fe
R
witme ( t
 Playin & Offes
e h la n i a t. T ra vis Scott V y b z
K lack fe Minaj &
Z E Z E Kodak B G fe at. Nicki
 Stylo
h Down
 Touc
Kartel lly
feat. Be
li ce Donae’o le
C h a
J Hus at. Ade
id Y ou See t & L il Pump fe
 D ye We s
e It Kan
 I Lov
Givens anex
t. Tory L
A 6 ix 9ine fea at. B rando
 KIK d L u x ury fe
Lo u
 Body izzle
F le x Lethal B
 i B
y Card Dinero
 Mone lo ne Flipp sy &
 Lea ve M e A at. G-Ea
e F u n Tyga fe
Hav
 Girls
e Kid t. Tyga
R Th
ic h
heck W
es
o odie fea
a m b a S D a H
 Mo B Wit
Boogie
nder A
 Starte
& Offse
t & Logic Montan
a&
y M a rs hmello lo, French
v e r yd a t y D ip
E the Par
ome to ard
 Welc havia W
p feat. Z JAY Z,
Lil Pum d fe at.
O ff D J Khale
 Top cé
& Beyon X
Future T o Ya DM
G o n ’ Give It
X
106 FLEX
Body Tracking
with Corevue
The Corevue 360 is a professional scale, perfect for retail,
physiotherapists, gyms, health centres and more.
It uses multi frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis, a safe and
accurate way of providing insight into your customer’s health.
Among other things, it shows their body fat percentage, muscle mass,
bone density and metabolic age.
This allows it to deliver a full body composition analysis in as little
as 15 seconds.
Train with Corevue

Time to find out what you’re made of.
Corevue technology brings you fast, accurate body composition
results using the latest advanced bioelectrical impedance analysis
technology developed over the last 25 years.
This gives you a true indicator of your inner health and, when
monitored over time, can show the impact of any fitness regime
or weight loss programme.
So, find out exactly what you are made of, set your goals and
use Corevue to help you achieve your optimal fitness level and
improve your health and wellbeing.
Every time you use Corevue your results are immediately
displayed and also securely uploaded to the cloud to allow
private monitoring or optionally sharing via social media.
Corevue can also integrate with other devices such as physical
activity trackers to provide a more complete picture of overall
health and wellness.
Body metrics include weight, height, body fat percentage,
total body water percentage, muscle mass, physique rating,
bone mineral mass, basal metabolic rate, metabolic age, body
mass index and visceral fat.
Corevue provides the perfect solution for public and private
fitness, health and leisure operators as well as elite sports teams
and universities.
The flexible modular design allows for a wide range of
customer payment methods from contactless card payment,
cash and bespoke payment solutions such as membership
and loyalty cards.
Call 0161 794 3206 or email

info@healthcheckservices.co.uk

/// BY BRIAN BULLMAN /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY ASUN CAPALUNGUN
MUSCLECONTEST PRO SHOW

COMES TO IRELAND
F ounded in 1988 by San Diego veteran
Captain Jon Lindsay, Musclecontest is
home to 22 NPC and 14 IFBB Pro League
bodybuilder. His first show was in 1963, at
the San Diego Championships. After a
successful 26 years as a competitive
shows in Los Angeles, San Diego and Las bodybuilder Lindsay’s final show was in expediting the athletes, hanging stage lights,
Vegas, and has a total of 76 events 1989. and selling tickets were just some of the
worldwide. During Lindsay’s final year as a many responsibilities towards his shows
Lindsay is a leader and mentor with over bodybuilder, his passion for fitness success.
35 years of success in the fitness industry. flourished and he founded, created, and Over the years, the show grew at an
Born and raised in San Diego, California, designed Musclecontest in 1988, premiering exponential rate, and the prestigious USA
Lindsay began his career in the United with the Muscle Beach Championships at Championships was acquired in 1996 in Long
States Navy and retired as Chief Warrant Pacific Beach Middle School. Beach.
Officer after 22 years. Lindsay began Musclecontest as a
While in the Navy, Lindsay found his “one-man-band”. Personally delivering
passion for fitness, and began his career as a posters to Los Angeles and San Diego Gyms,

In 2017, Musclecontest expanded and
opened its sister company Musclecontest
International, and had its first event in Ho
Chi Minh, Vietnam. By 2018, Musclecontest
International had expanded to Ireland,
Japan, Philippines and Brazil; and anticipates
another 10 countries by 2020.
In a momentous end to a spiralling career
in 2018, Lindsay announced his retirement,
and Musclecontest was turned over to
Tamer and Terrick El Guindy.
For the first time ever in 2019,
Musclecontest International will promote
the Arnold Classic South America.
Musclecontest domestic events are all
sanctioned by the NPC (National Physique

Committee), and all international events are
sanctioned by the IFBB Professional League.
Each event offers opportunities to athletes
in the following divisions: Men’s Physique,
Bodybuilding, Men’s Classic Physique,
Figure, Women’s Physique and Bikini.
A few years back Tamer El Guindy a
former two-time USA Champion and Brian Olympia campaign) qualify for the
Bullman a former seven-time Irish Mr. Olympia in Vegas, but also amateurs
Champion, started discussing the idea of from more than 20 countries competed
promoting a pro contest in Ireland. Ideally a for the opportunity to earn their IFBB Pro
pro 212!! League card!
What better way to expand the sport than
merging the experience of two families that
have more than 70 years combined time
promoting the sport of bodybuilding as
competitors, judges and contest promoters.
It wasn’t until 2017 when a date was set
and the very first IFBB Pro League contest
was brought to Ireland. Not only did
professional bodybuilding arrive in Ireland
and the winner (David Henry- former

Muscle Contest Ireland 2019
The weekend of 6th April 2019 sees the return of international and professional
bodybuilding to the treaty city of Limerick, Ireland. Also known as Ireland’s sporting capital.
The event is being held at the South Court Hotel and Conference Centre in Raheen and will
see athletes from all over the globe compete and qualify for the Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas.
A title made famous by Hollywood superstar and former governor of California, Arnold
Schwarzenegger who won the title seven times.
This event has grown in popularity, gaining a reputation throughout the fitness world due
to the hospitality and respect of the people of Limerick, Ireland’s sporting and fitness capital.
April also sees the addition of a martial arts tournament to the Muscle Contest weekend.
Limerick has had a long and successful history with bodybuilding and fitness.
International champions like European Champion Jim Butler and Masters Mr. Olympia
veteran Sean Bullman have brought honour to Limerick since the 70’s and now that
international stage is coming to Limerick to showcase the immense athletic talent
throughout Ireland against the world’s best and open the door to Mr. Olympia qualification.

/// PHOTOGR APH BY STEPHEN BL ACK PHOTOGR APHY
VITAL STATS
NAME: Veronika (Ronnie) Deeny
FROM: Cork, Ireland (American/Russian heritage)
AGE: 35
OCCUPATION:
Retail at Lifestyle Sports. Looking to join the Marines
ACHIEVEMENTS: All Irish rugby trails, completing Outward
Bound Course, interview with a local Cork TV show, photoshoot with
Stephen Black & now being in FLEX magazine!
HOBBIES: Gym, reading, watching Marvel/ DC movies
INSTAGRAM: @littlepeanutbutterron

DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL EDITION OF FLEX UK

Flex UK April 2019

Enviado por

Dados do documento

Direitos autorais

Formatos disponíveis

Compartilhar este documento

Compartilhar ou incorporar documento

Opções de compartilhamento

Você considera este documento útil?

Este conteúdo é inapropriado?

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

Flex UK April 2019

Enviado por

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

APRIL 2019

THE ASK THE

WARNING 9 770955 121136

TALKS FROM LEADING

34 SO, YOU THINK YOU WANT TO COMPETE?

36 HOW LONG WILL YOUR INJURY TAKE TO HEAL?

74 MEAL PREP 98 CHAMPION STRENGTH

by the hippest city in Texas

4 FLEX | APRIL 2019

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

EDITORIAL DESIGNS BY Copperwire Creative Ltd US EDITION

PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS CDS Global CONTRIBUTORS

President of the IFBB Professional League JIM MANION

something”….but they didn’t.

Take the Bull by

6 FLEX | APRIL 2019

EXPERIENCE TOP CAST IRON TRI-GRIP

Call 01604 673000 or visit fitness-superstore.co.uk

8 FLEX | APRIL 2019

APRIL 2019 | FLEX 9

APRIL 2019 | FLEX 11

12 FLEX | APRIL 2019

OUR PRICE £1,199

Call 01604 673000 or visit fitness-superstore.co.uk

APRIL 2019 | FLEX 15

16 FLEX | APRIL 2019

Hammer Strength machine

One-arm dumbbell rows:

Hammer Strength machine

T-bar machine rows: “I really

Seated cable rows: “I try to

Deadlifts (right): “Begin

Hyper extensions: “Hinge all

18 FLEX | APRIL 2019

His training style: “The Bent-over 3 8–10

His training intensity: *Beginners should do the same

APRIL 2019 | FLEX 19

Want to increase strength,

20 FLEX | APRIL 2019

Power Pull in a deadlift stance. Drive upwards with your

“The pull is a slightly tweaked deadlift, used

1 Start with your feet hip-width apart.

2 Hinge at the hips, bend your knees and

3 Lift your chest and drive with the legs to

4 When the bar passes your knees pull

5 Reverse the move to set the bar back

6 While you’re learning, do 5 sets of 8-10

1 Follow steps 1-3 of the power

2 When the bar is at your hips, keep it close

3 In one smooth motion flick your wrists

4 Reverse the move to place the bar back

5 Start with 4-5 sets of

22 FLEX | APRIL 2019

1 Start facing away from the seat of

2 Lunge forward to lay your right

3 To deepen the stretch, lift your

4 Hold for one minute before

APRIL 2019 | FLEX 23

The Cramp and the Atlas Stone

26 FLEX | APRIL 2019

By now, the crowd is deadly silent after

APRIL 2019 | FLEX 27

show I was doing ok.” At which point he

From Bad to Worse