Muscle Saving, Waist REDUCING Holiday Tips

By Chris Wilson

 

The Health and Fitness community really benefits during this special time of year.  It is this particular 2 month stretch where normally healthy people end up making very unhealthy decisions.  And you know what….good for them!

I’m the first one at the dinner table to indulge in mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, corn bread and of course turkey (and in some cases ham too).  I work my tail off all year long as do many health conscious people across our great country.  This is the time of year for reflection and celebration.  A time to give more and be kinder to those around us.

Being thankful and extra thoughtful for a few months seems to come naturally to some during the months of November and December and FOOD is often the catalyst!

Just think about, co-workers and patrons bringing delicious treats into the work place for you.  Desserts and high calorie food present in almost any place of business and certainly sitting on the kitchen counter at home.  Leftovers for days and weeks.  It’s impossible to avoid the stuff.

So don’t!

Okay, be smart about this and have a game plan.  Don’t just throw caution to the wind.  Like any good sports team, you need to do some homework and have a plan of attack.

Tip #1: The 10 minute rule

We’ve all heard this one before and guess what…it works!  After you have ONE plate of food, STOP and give yourself 10 minutes before loading up the second plate.  I promise you, that second plate will be smaller than had you immediately restocked after the initial consumption.

Tip #2: Drink water before you eat ANYTHING

This one is a no brainer and easily forgotten by many.  A majority of the country is dehydrated on a regular basis.  Instead of drinking water and recognizing our thirst indicators, we very quickly jump to food which satisfies both hunger and thirst.  If you fill up on a large glass of water every hour or so and certainly just before a meal…you will do a much better job satiating the body.  That translates to LESS superfluous calories at dinner time leaving you feeling more comfortable and less lethargic.

Tip #3: Workout Finishers

Exercise is critical in the effort to maintain a muscular build and keep the body revved up all day long.  This can be done in less time than you might think.  The 5-10 minute workout finisher can be extremely useful during a time of year when family, friends and celebration take center stage.  Making time for working out is very hard and for some of us, nearly impossible.  Enter the 10 minute (or less) workout.  By doing a series of movements like push-ups, body weight squats, lunge patterns and planks, it is possible to burn off those extra calories AND hold on to that well-earned muscle you’ve been piling on all year long!

When it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas time, I’m ALL IN.  I want to eat and drink with my close friends and relatives.  I don’t want to miss out on the fun and enjoyment of home-cooked meals and hand-made desserts.

By plugging in the 3 BEST muscle saving and waist reducing tips, I can still look good on January 1^st and have memories that will last for years to come.

Feast Your Fat Away Interview With Nate Miyaki

Summary of Interview with Nate Miyaki

And his new book Feast Your Fat Away

Below is a great interview conducted with Nate Miyaki and Coach Chris Wilson. Inside the interview, Nate goes against most of the popular literature in magazines and books to give you some of his best kept secrets on losing fat even during the holidays! Enjoy.

 

If we’ve learned anything in recent years when it comes to diets and nutrition it’s that diets aren’t the long term solution to health. Eating healthy foods that you hate and trying to eat 6-8 times per day is not sustainable for most hard working people.

The author of Feast Your Fat Away, Mr. Nate Miyaki, goes into great detail about getting back to the basics and not bouncing from trendy diet to trendy diet like a pinball machine. Extreme diets intended for bodybuilders and health professionals don’t work for the average business professional trying to be health conscious.

Nate’s approach in this latest book is all about simplifying things for people that want results and need their eating to be practical, not problematic.

His message really touches on eating REAL food and avoiding refined foods. In fact, much of the conversation in the interview drives home the point that the American diet is based largely on refined foods. It’s a cultural epidemic that has developed over time through heavy marketing. Nate makes a strong point about having more common sense and getting past the marketing and political bias that exists in our culture.

He explains how he chose an alternative route in the nutrition industry. He decided to take a path dedicated to truthful, science based information that appeals to the common person.

This latest book of Mr. Miyaki is not about a fad diet that has a shelf life. Feast Your Fat Away is not a bodybuilder diet plan, it’s a long lasting and reasonable lifestyle guide for people searching for healthy results.

By following some of Nate’s simple strategies and templates based on other cultures successes, it is possible to make real change and overcome the challenges associated with healthy eating!

Step by Step How to Feast Your Fat Away – Click Here

Jeannette Jarnes WBFF Fitness Pro Interview

Interviewed by Critical Bench’s Ben Tatar.

CRITICAL BENCH: How did you get involved in the fitness industry?

I was always involved in fitness at some level. Playing competitive tennis and running in races. Also being a mother of two I knew at some point I wanted to take it to the next level. I remember telling my husband about my desire to become a figure fitness competitor.

He laughed and said there’s no way you could look like the girls in those fitness magazines. That was it, my fire was lit and I was going to show him and nothing would stop me!

CRITICAL BENCH: How did you get involved with The WBFF and how do you enjoy being a part of the WBFF experience? After four competitions I was in a place where I felt things had to change. I knew it was time to take the next step and join a team and change federations. I had heard great things about WBFF and wanted to compete in their next competition. So, I joined a team (“Total Body Advantage”) but it was across the country.

This would be my first time not working directly with a trainer. I needed to decide if I could do this on my own. In October of 2011 I place 2^nd in open medium figure with my new coach and team. They’re support made me feel the most confident I’ve felt at a competition to date!

I love being a part of WBFF whether we’re near or far all of the competitors are very supportive of each other which makes it a great fitness family that Paul and Allison were able to create for us.

CRITICAL BENCH: How do you balance your family life with your fitness career?

Being a very focused high energy organized person with loads of will power I am able to create that perfect balance between the two.

CRITICAL BENCH: Who has been influential in your career?

Ava Cowan and Monica Brandt

CRITICAL BENCH: When you look at yourself in the mirror are you your best friend or your own worst enemy?

My best friend

CRITICAL BENCH: What do you find more difficult the diet or the training?

The dieting towards the end.

CRITICAL BENCH: Did you find it difficult switching over from figure to fitness?

Only that I had to wear two different outfits.

CRITICAL BENCH: Tell our readers what your workout schedule consists off.

• Monday- legs with cardio
• Tuesday- chest
• Wednesday- biceps and triceps with cardio
• Thursdays- back
• Friday- legs with cardio
• Saturday- rest when off season
• Sunday- rest when off season

 CRITICAL BENCH: I am going to name a topic and you give me a response in a sentence or less, here we go:

I drive a… Range Rover

My favorite bodypart is… biceps

My favorite exercise is…  biceps

A fitness event during the year that I look forward to is… Worlds in Vegas

The best thing ever told to me was…  I inspire them

The last time I cried was… when I won my Pro Card

I love listening to… R&B music

My ideal vacation is… A family vacation (anywhere)

One thing that I love about myself is that… I’m a real person

For fun I love to go… zip lining

I am always… put together

I love my… family and friends

My favorite health food is… protein pancakes

If I could cheat right now and not get fat I would eat… pasta

If I was an actress I would like to be in a…. action super hero

My favorite kind of animal is… my mini schnauzer

If I had to be an animal I would be… tiger

Love is… joy of family

The most fun I ever had was when… when I zip lined over alligators

I believe that… all things are possible

CRITICAL BENCH: In closing who would you like to thank?

I want to thank my children, husband and friends for all their love and support in helping me reach my goals. I also want to thank my coaches, Doug Casebier, Karen Dancer, the TBA team, and a big thanks to WBFF Paul and Allison Dillett for welcoming me in their fitness family.

Also sending out a special thanks to all my fans for their support and inspiring me to best athlete I can be.

Interview With WBFF Pro Sharon Polsky

Interviewed by Ben Tatar

Interviee: WBFF Pro Sharon Polsky

CRITICAL BENCH: How did you get involved in the fitness industry?

I have been an athlete my entire life and at the age of 16 was looking for a part time job. I went to my local health club and got a job as an aerobics instructor and the rest is history. I instantly fell in love.

CRITICAL BENCH: How did you get involved with The WBFF and how do you enjoy being a part of the WBFF experience?

In 2011 I was gearing up to compete with Ms. Fitness USA, when the owners decided to retire… I had worked really hard all off season to bring a new package to the stage and felt really let down.

I was telling Cathy Savage that I was planning on retiring and she told me about The WBFF. All I had to hear was More Theatrical and More Glamorous and I was IN!!!!! I have a background in musical theater so when I heard that I knew it was going to be a great fit for me and it is….

CRITICAL BENCH: Who has been influential in your career?

I think of the fitness industry as 2 fold…. we have the traditional fitness industry which is made up of equipment manufacturers, education companies and health clubs…. and we have the competitive fitness industry made up of competitive organizations, trainers and coaches…. I have had a huge career in both, which I am very lucky for.

I would say in traditional fitness Lewis Welch the owner of LA Fitness Healthclubs is the most influential in my career and I am the successful business woman I am today 100% because of what he taught me.

In the competitive fitness industry it is a toss up between Lorenzo Gaspar of the Ms. Fitness USA organization and Paul Dillett of the WBFF. Being a WBFF Pro has opened up so many doors for me but I could not have done that without the foundation that was built by the Ms. Fitness Organization.

CRITICAL BENCH: When you look at yourself in the mirror are you your best friend or your own worst enemy?

When I look at myself in the mirror I am my best friend but not for the reasons that most people would say. I look at myself with a critical and honest eye. I think real best friends are forever honest when asked for advice… and I am VERY honest with myself.

CRITICAL BENCH: What do you find more difficult the diet or the training?

I don’t find diet or training difficult. This is my lifestyle and I love it. First off I do not diet. I eat healthy all the time. When I prep for a show I just increase activity but my diet stays the same. The only thing I hate is cardio but I don’t more then 20 minutes of cardio a day and that is just to keep my heart and lungs healthy and I can totally handle that 🙂

CRITICAL BENCH: What changes would you like to see happen in the fitness industry as a whole?

I would like to see the competitive fitness become more real, honest and more professional. I think the level of professionalism as a whole is at an all-time low and it saddens me.

CRITICAL BENCH: What do you love most about fitness?

I love the life long friends I have met along the way through this industry. Although I wish they all lived here. 🙂

CRITICAL BENCH: What achievement are you most proud of?

I have received numerous awards throughout the years but I am most proud of any award I have received for making a difference in mainstream populations lives through my health and wellness programs, like my recent award as Fitness Woman of the Year given to me at the OC Fit Expo by Mike Glass and Bodybuilding.com…. I was honored for being one of the most influential and inspirational people in the fitness industry.

The other competitive achievements would be my 5th place finish at Ms. Fitness USA in 2009 only 5 months after being diagnosed with a life threatening illness and being told I would never compete again. Oh, and winning my Pro Card in 2011 with Paul Dillett’s WBFF.

CRITICAL BENCH: How would you finish this statement: The biggest myth about women who lift weights is ________________ .

HA… I’m actually not going to finish this sentence…. What I know about lifting weights is that you can use them to get any body that you want. If you want to look like an athlete you can lift weights, if you want to look like a bodybuilder you can lift weights, if you want to look like a toned bikini model you can lift weights. Use them to your advantage.

CRITICAL BENCH: What plans do you have for the future?

I actually have no idea what the future has in store for me competitively. I keep playing with the idea of retiring but I don’t really feel like I have achieved my potential yet. So I am constantly reassessing that aspect of my future… Professionally my goal is touch as many people as I can and teach them how to actually live a healthy lifestyle. That is why I am developing my Sharon’s “Unleashed” Nutrition and Wellness program which should be available January of 2014.

CRITICAL BENCH: Tell our readers what your workout schedule consists off.

My workout schedule is crazy and not like anybody elses…. My goal is to lift weights 3 days per week. I only life specific body parts that are lacking, trying to get them to catch up with the rest. The rest of my week is spent doing athletic training and plyometric training so I am conditioned. I also get in 4 yoga classes per week, which are great total body strengthening yoga classes.

CRITICAL BENCH: I am going to name a topic and you give me a response in a sentence or less, here we go:

• I drive a… “Stripper Mobile”
• My favorite bodypart is…  “Legs”
• My favorite exercise is…   “Box Jumps”
• A fitness event during the year that I look forward to is…   WBFF Montreal Pro/Am – Best Comeptitive Experience I have ever had.
• The best thing ever told to me was…  “I have legs like a racehorse” Thank you Ashleigh Frost.
• The last time I cried was…  Daily at any ad which involves animals.
• I listen to… Everything but right now Carlos Vives is my favorite
• My ideal vacation is…  Anything fun 🙂
• One thing that I love about myself is that…  I am the most loyal person on the planet.
• For fun I love to go…  Raves
• I am always…  Happy
• I love my…  Little Dog Jessie
• My favorite health food is…  Broccoli
• If I could cheat right now and not get fat I would eat…  Porterhouse or Ribeye Steak
• If I was an actress I would like to be in a….  Musical
• My favorite kind of animal is…  Meerkat
• If I had to be an animal I would be…  Meerkat
• Love is…  the life blood that keeps us happy until the day we die.
• The most fun I ever had was when… I performed as a professional acrobat all over the world
• I believe that…  I can achieve anything I put my heart into.

CRITICAL BENCH: In closing who would you like to thank?

I would like to thank my mom and dad for making the woman I am today.

Victor Richards Interview

Interview with Vic Richards

By Critical Bench Reporter Ben Tatar

Today Ben Tatar goes one on one with one of the biggest, smartest and most honest bodybuilders of all time, Vic Richards.  In this exclusive interview, Vic Richards tells us what it really takes to be the biggest bodybuilder and about all the problems with bodybuilding today. Enjoy Victor’s intense interview as you will come out of Vic’s interview with a whole new perspective on the meaning of bodybuilding.

Critical Bench: Vic, we know who you are, so no introduction needed. I have been a fan of yours for a long time and I’m happy to be doing this interview with you today. First of all, tell us about your future plans?

Vic Richards: I have been taking my message about holistic bodybuilding–with mind, body and spirit–to the masses. I believe that for the past 50 years, bodybuilders haven’t been capitalizing on the overall benefits of bodybuilding. They are only focused on one thing alone: the showmanship aspect instead of the holistic part. In order to bring this message to more people, I am opening the Vic Richards’ Bodybuilding, Fitness and Nutrition Academy in the Pacific Northwest.

At the Academy, we will have organic farming, livestock, and provide a place for meditation, reflection, fitness and self-awareness. We will also have training that is outside the gym–to show people that you don’t have to give up life for bodybuilding–bodybuilding is about living and life. Along with the Academy, I am planning two eBooks right now. One is a collection of photos with the stories behind them, and another of my story and my philosophy.

Critical Bench: We wish you the best with Vic Richards Academy. For anyone reading this, go and attend. Vic, what has been your most emotional experience in bodybuilding?

Vic Richards:  When I was in New Zealand, the promoter had scheduled me with a television talk show. Prior to my arrival, the current Mr. Olympia had been on this show. When the talk show started, the host tried to be comical and say that Mr. Olympia had been on the show and that I was bigger than he was. She said Mr. Olympia had said that he trained 24 hours per day and lived in his car. She said that if he trained 24 hours a day, I must train 25 hours per day!

My response was, “You don’t have to be an extremist to go to the extreme.” While honoring my colleagues while I was there, I was quick to separate myself by sharing my doctrine about bodybuilding. It’s not about showmanship or trophy or title. It’s about having the ultimate mind, body and spirit, which I call Holistic Bodybuilding. Suddenly, what was supposed to be a comedy hour becomes serious. We end up talking about Buddhist philosophy, meditation, philosophy about life and spirit.

After a bit, the information about my seminar came up on the screen with a phone number. The promoter said that this was the largest turnout for a seminar. People were coming from all over and we have to change the venue. Mind you, this is not the reputation that most bodybuilders had at the time. To see a 70-year old farmer bring his six year old grandson to see me and shake my hand and get my autograph was very emotional. I ended up losing money because I gave my picture away.

I couldn’t look a child in the eyes and exploit the situation. I guess I’m a bad businessman! The promoter almost started tearing up after watching all this. He said, “Vic, you have been the only athlete who has come here who has given away pictures to kids. Not only that, you’ve also shaken the image of bodybuilders being the stereotype of dumb muscleheads.

We’ve been wanting to bring you here for a long time, but people from IFBB and others told us not to bring you. We’re glad we didn’t listen to them because they are pissed because you don’t play the political game or conform to what others want you to do.

“The promoter wrote to Muscle and Fitness magazine and told them how I helped the image of bodybuilding in their country, only to have one of the control freak editors not print his letter. After seeing the corruption and lies first-hand, the promoter decided to quit the institution.

He didn’t understand why the bodybuilding establishment refused to promote the ones who could help the sport grow in a positive manner, but support the ones who give bodybuilding a bad name. He quit because of me.

Critical Bench: Vic, what has been your most gratifying moment in bodybuilding?

Vic Richards: After the Powers That Be in the United States have been blocking me from comparing myself to their “best” bodybuilder, I went to Germany to ambush them all. That was the first time that Kevin Laverone had ever seen me in person. Kevin called me aside and said, “You’ve been blessed. Pictures don’t do you justice. You could go to Olympia now and win.”

And he pleaded with me to do it. On the spot, he cut me a check to appear at the Kevin Laverone Bodybuilding Classic. He had just won the Arnold Classic the week before, and was the first runner-up in Mr. Olympia. This was a humbling and gratifying experience coming from legendary athletes themselves.

Critical Bench:  Big moments. Vic, people said you were the biggest/most jacked bodybuilder of all time. Then you left the industry. What was your turning point in the industry?

Vic Richards: The day that changed my life and my attitude about bodybuilding will forever be burned into my mind. It was the day that I saw the true colors of a sport that is rotten on the inside.

I was preparing for a photo shoot for Joe Weider and a guest posing appearance at Orange County Muscle Classic with Mike Glass against Gary Strydom. I was in the grocery store in the middle of the night after training at the gym. A mother was grocery shopping with her son who had Muscular Dystrophy and was strapped in a wheelchair.

As they walked down the aisle, the son was smiling and waving at me the best he could. When the mother noticed me in the aisle with them, she started to hurry him away. I called after her, “Stop! Stop!” and walked over to them. I touched the boy’s hand and talked with him and joked with him.

The mother said that she was so surprised that such an extraordinary person would want to interact with her son. She said that they had to shop in the middle of the night to avoid her son being sneered at, laughed at and made fun of. She said that people were so mean to her son, and to her for keeping him knowing that he had Muscular Dystrophy that she assumed I would be even meaner or ruder because of my size. This broke my heart.

After spending a few minutes with this little family, I walked out of the store with tears in my eyes and vowed to make a difference. I contacted Mike Glass and told him that I didn’t want the money from the show sent to me, but donated to Muscular Dystrophy. I also requested that the local MD chapter be able to set up a booth to take donations at the show.

However, this decision is what exposed the sport of bodybuilding for what it is. After weeks of asking about the donation, I was told by Mike that “If I’m donating money, I want to choose where to send it.” I said that this was my money and he didn’t have a say in it. I confronted him about pocketing the money and told him that I wouldn’t show up if the donation wasn’t made.

His response? “You’d better show up.” I am peaceful, spiritual, but that doesn’t mean I’m passive. I hate injustice of any kind. I would die for what I believe in. If you try to take my dignity and principles away, I will shove my fist down your throat. And then ask Christ for forgiveness because last time I checked, I was not Jesus Christ and I will never be close.

I despise bullies and those that will rob from crippled children. I do not want to be part of any man’s bad Karma because when Karma comes to collect, it doesn’t just knock on the door, it burns the house down.

After this experience, I realized that the bodybuilding industry was just a bunch of bullies: grown men being yelled at and humiliated in front of their families by wimpy pencil neck guys who are judges; bodybuilders got robbed and were not being paid by the promoters; they had no way to get retribution because the NPC Chairman didn’t care unless he was the one not getting paid, causing some athletes to feel cheated and betrayed by the organization that was supposed to look after their interests;

athletes who are not being paid by their promoter because after a guest pose, the promoters run out the back door with the money and the athletes aren’t able to complain because then they will be blackballed and unable to work anymore.

How many times have you seen an athlete who is on top criticize the industry? You don’t. Because, in order to be a top bodybuilder, you have to be a puppet. In other sports, athletes are able to speak out about issues within their sport without the fear of retaliation. I realized after the night in the grocery store, I didn’t want to be part of a sport that does that to its athletes.

Critical Bench: Give us your training routine, training philosophy and diet?

Vic Richards: I train using Vic Richards Instinctive Training. I listen to my body and push it when it wants to be pushed, and I rest it when it needs rest. I do 2 hours of cardio each day, then lift. I believe that over-training is an excuse for the weak, and under-eating is for the birds.

There is no way that you can train like a girl and eat like a pigeon and look like a dinosaur.

I adopted this doctrine when it was not popular or conventional; when people laughed at it. When people went South, I went North because I understood that in order to be different, I can’t do what everyone else is doing. I took bodybuilding to another level. Not just by genetics alone, but by wisdom.

A lot of the things I was reading about in the magazines didn’t make sense. I’m a non-conformist.  My nutrition is to eat as clean as possible. I eat lots of   poultry, fish, eggs and vegetables–always with hot sauce to keep the metabolism going!

I will sauté onions, peppers, mushrooms, greens and whatever other vegetables I have on hand, then put grilled chicken, elk or moose (instead of beef) over it.

The vegetables are very filling, and the meat provides protein. For carbs, I usually eat sweet potatoes–baked or microwaved. In my early days, I ate a lot of rice and egg whites.

 

Critical Bench: Off the hook, love it.  Real stuff! Vic, what is your message to the bodybuilding world?

Vic Richards:  My message is that we are all ambassadors to the sport. We cannot conform to the stereotype of society: those that are in the sport who are not interested in image and the well-being of bodybuilders. It’s important to have individuality instead of the herd mentality.

In order to be free, you have to accept the fact that you are incarcerated by the few who try to exploit you. Bodybuilding was created for man, not man for bodybuilding; just like the Sabbath was created for man, not man for the Sabbath. You cannot be a cookie-cutter. Bodybuilding is about freeing your spirit, not imprisoning it.

Critical Bench: Very profound ideas. Speaking of ideas, tell us about “Ask Big Vic Radio,” your Webinars and about your social media outlets?

Vic Richards: Recently, I’ve started Ask Big Vic Radio (www.askbigvicradio.com) in order to share my opinions on different topics, and even have people call in for interviews and shows. I have always had Muscle Outcast (www.muscleoutcast.com), but felt that I couldn’t express my opinions outside of bodybuilding in that forum.

Ask Big Vic Radio allows me to branch out to the mainstream on topics that I have opinions on. And I have lots of opinions! I’m using Facebook and other social media to have a more personal connection with my fans, and that has allowed me to check on clients and see their progress based on what’s happening on Facebook.

In the past, without social media, those that want to keep us conformed had control over what we read, heard and saw. Now the genie is out of the bottle. I also share relevant articles, posts, etc. with my fans on Facebook. Now I’m moving on to online Webinars in order to share my message to the masses. These webinars will be to show bodybuilders how to be a complete human being, not just a physical being. You do not have to be a zombie to be a bodybuilder.

Critical Bench: That’s awesome. How do you want to be remembered?

Vic Richards: I want to be remembered as a man who told the truth. Who didn’t compromise my dignity and soul to gain the world. A man who refused to play in the sandbox with the devil. A man who did not partake in using the gifts that the Good Lord has given me to make love to the dead; instead I used the gift to enlighten others instead of my own personal gain. Finally, I love bodybuilding more than bodybuilding loves itself. I dance to my own drum and tune.

Critical Bench:  Vic, How do you see the future of bodybuilding?

Vic Richards:  The future of bodybuilding has always had the potential to be great. But the future of bodybuilding will always be bleak because of the people who are looking out for their own personal interests instead of the growth of the industry. There has never been a sport that has the potential of bodybuilding because bodybuilding covers all areas of health and wellness: sexual, physical, mental.

The fact that the industry isn’t capitalizing on this because they want to line their wallets and not let large industries like Nike in, shows that they do not want educated people in the sport. It benefits them to stink up the sport instead of benefiting the world with it. If we can share this message with the masses–the message of health and wellness, sport conditioning–then people can understand the sport for what it really is. Instead it’s full of corruption and greed.

Critical Bench: What do you want to see changed in bodybuilding ?

Vic Richards: There needs to be consistency and freedom of speech without persecution and prosecution. Bodybuilding is spiritual and it’s about freedom. It’s not about imprisonment. The judging is so contradictory. You can’t give us pint-sized Frank Zane as a Mr. Olympia as the standard of bodybuilding and then turn around and change it to brick-sized Dorian Yates. It’s contradictory and hypocritical. Every sport has rules. In soccer if you get a goal past the net, it’s a score.

You don’t always shift the goal post every game. In baseball, if you hit the ball out of the park, it’s a home run. And in football, after 100 yards, it’s a touchdown. But in bodybuilding, yesterday they gave you a midget and another day you might not know what you will get. It all depends on what kind of drink the judges are having that night–cognac or whiskey. There has to be consistency to show people what to expect. Athletes should not be competing blindfolded.

Critical Bench: Vic, love your thoughts and the analogies you use- very intellectual, articulate and entertaining.  Last question, how did you become one of the biggest bodybuilders to ever live?

Vic Richards: Combination of a lot of things. First of all, the genetics of the Good Lord and good parents, and the revelation of using my mind to see that a lot of things that had been said in the past didn’t make sense. In order to get to the shore, I have to find my own way. Bodybuilding is not about conforming, but about not conforming.

I broke all the rules in order to separate myself from the herd. It was what I did while others were sleeping and celebrating that separated me from the herd. I have not even broken the surface of what I did when it came to my training. It was everything they told you not to do.

 

2013 Olympia Interview Featuring Ben Tatar

2013 Olympia Interview with Ben Tatar

By Anthony Alayon

Anthony Alayon: For those who do not know you that well, can you tell us who you are and how you have helped Critical Bench throughout the years?

Ben Tatar: I have been with Critical Bench since 1999 and have written hundreds of training articles and ebooks. I have interviewed hundreds of celebrities, UFC champions, pro athletes, world record holders, bodybuilders and iron greats. I’m also known for attending many conventions and reporting on events.

Anthony Alayon: Moving on to the Olympia.  What makes the Olympia weekend great?

Ben Tatar: The Olympia is an amazing event. I will list 10 things that make the Olympia great:

1)  The best of the best are always there, the best athletes, celebrities, bodybuilders, powerlifters and strongmen.

2)  The Olympia is in Las Vegas. This gives the Olympia a real vacation and glamorous feel.

3)  The Olympia Expo is in a big convention, so you have quality time to talk to the stars. I have had more conversations with people at the Olympia than any other event.

4)  There is so much to do at the Olympia. There are thousands of people who share your interest, competitive events and entertaining attractions such as the Animal Cage.

5)  You have all of Vegas to enjoy, so the opportunities for fun are endless.

6)  You see old friends who you don’t get to see often. It’s like reuniting with a friend in a paradise-like setting.

7)  You meet new friends in a great setting.

8)  There are great restaurants, casinos and parties.

9)  Champions are made.

10)  There’s lots of great energy everywhere.

Anthony Alayon: How many people show up to this event?

 Ben Tatar: There were approximately 40,000 for the Olympia Expo. Also, about 10,000 people show up for the Mr. Olympia competition. Another cool thing about the Olympia is that all the big names past, present and future are there.

Anthony Alayon: What were some of the athletic events that went on during Olympia weekend?

Ben Tatar:  There is bodybuilding, powerlifting, bench pressing, arm wrestling, World’s Strongest Man, World’s Ultimate Athlete competition, cross fit, all types of model searches, mixed martial arts, boxing and even Sumo Wrestling.

Anthony Alayon: Did you compete in any of the events?

Ben Tatar: I competed in the World’s Ultimate Athlete competition. This is an event to crown the greatest athlete. Athletes perform events such as a fast ball baseball pitch, a three point shooting contest, throwing footballs through tires and a grueling physical obstacle course. The obstacle course includes carrying things like big logs over boxes, climbing over big walls and pulling sleds.

 Anthony Alayon: What was your favorite part of the entire event and why?

Ben Tatar: My favorite moment of the event occurred when I picked up my Media Credential Pass at the Orleans Hotel. As soon as I picked my media credentials, I looked back at all the years I have been going to these events. I thought about the people I planned to see and remembered people who use to go to the events. It was a deep and intense moment for me. Then I walked into Meet the Olympians event, I saw the strongman in the Lobby and my dad with a media credential pass as well. My dad and I were celebrating. The energy around me felt intense. Every moment from these events that I have ever experienced entered my mind simultaneously! I screamed “Yeah, Westy,” even though he couldn’t hear me. I thought of everyone. I was like “Thank you God,” and then I patted myself on the back for my choices. Then I was like, “I’M HERE!” It was a powerful experience, and then I took that energy into a laser-like focus for an amazing weekend.

 Anthony Alayon: Tell us a crazy or fun thing that you did during Olympia weekend?

Ben Tatar: I jumped off the tallest building in Las Vegas, the stratosphere. You can see my video below.

 Anthony Alayon: Who gets the freak award?

Ben Tatar: I’m giving the freak award to WSM all-star, Robert Oberst. He stands at nearly seven feet tall and weighs well over 400lbs. He has a bigger beard than Santa Claus, and he is awesome.

 Anthony Alayon: Name us a bodybuilder from the 2013 Olympia who really impressed you and tell us why?

Ben Tatar: I always found Ben White impressive. He is not only an IFBB pro bodybuilding great, but he is also the strongest bodybuilding bench presser of all time.

 Anthony Alayon: What are the costs of attending this event if someone wants to go? 

 Ben Tatar: The Olympia Expo only cost $25 per day. The cost of hotels vary wildly.

Anthony Alayon: Tell us who made history at this year’s Olympia weekend event.

Ben Tatar: Phil Heath won the Mr. Olympia competition. In the men’s 212lbs bodybuilding competition, James Flex Lewis emerged victorious. The physique professional winner was Mark Anthony Wingson. The Muscle and Fitness model search winner went to Sergi Constance. On the women’s side, Iris Kyle became Ms. Olympia. She also set a record for winning more Olympias than anyone in history. This includes surpassing Arnold. The woman physique winner was Dana Linn Bailey. My friend, Nicole Wilkins took the figure again. Adela Garcia won Fitness, and Ashley Kaltwasser won Bikini. In the America’s strongest man competition, Brian Shaw made history! Shaw has truly become a strongman champion icon winning these competitions repeatedly!  Craig Tullier won the Olympia’s Arm Wrestling war.

The heavy weight, Tectar from Norway won the Arm Wrestling heavy weight championship. In Sumo Wrestling, Sumo Dan Kalbfleisch won the Gold. For powerlifting, Henry Thomason was the most impressive heavy weight powerlifter, totaling 2,298lbs. Al Caslow and Micah Marino dominated in the powerlifting 181lbs weight division. Al totaled 1,973lbs and Micah totaled 1,967lbs. April Shumaker prevailed victorious in the female powerlifting division, totaling 914lbs. The best bench presser for the big men was Matt Houser, benching 826lbs. Joe Mazza weighing 181lbs was the most impressive pound for pound bencher as he benched 617lbs. The best female deadlifter was Kristy Scott, as she deadlifted 523lbs. Damon Myers weighing 198lbs won for light lifters, deadlifting 766lbs. The man who deadlifted the most of anyone was heavy weight Brent Willis, deadlifting 881lbs. The Ultimate Athlete Champion was Mark Sayas. Mark was in 14^th place after day one, and he made a huge comeback to win the World’s Ultimate Athlete competition.  As you can tell, lots of people made history in different avenues of iron and athletic excellence during Olympia weekend.

Anthony Alayon: What made this year’s Olympia different from other Olympia’s?

Ben Tatar: This year’s Olympia Expo was in the Northern Hall. That made this year’s Olympia the biggest one to date. There are always new faces, celebrities and champions. Therefore, for me, these events never get old, and I will keep returning.

Super Charge Your Muscle Building Results – Interview with Nick Wright

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Interview Conducted by Anthony Alayon

Below is the transcription of the Skype interview I did with Nick Wright.  Enjoy!

AA = Anthony Alayon; NW = Nick Wright

AA: What’s going on, Team Critical Bench Nation? It’s Anthony Alayon here. Today we have a very special guest, Nick Wright. And for those of you who don’t know, he’s definitely got a great YouTube channel. We hand-selected him as being one of the top channels, got a growing fan page and he’s also got a clothing line. So I’m going to go ahead and introduce him right now. Nick, how you doing?

NW: Thanks, Anthony. I’m great. What’s going on Critical Bench Nation? Awesome to be here.

AA: We’re happy to have you. So basically, Nick, why don’t you just go ahead and tell our readers and viewers a little bit more about yourself, how you got started and things like that. What got you to this point?

NW: Well, when I began lifting, officially lifting, freshman year of high school, I was 14 years old. I weighed 104 pounds at the end of the day. I had 11.5 inch arms. I was petite. I was tiny. The funny thing is, I don’t even know if I was aware of just how tiny I was. I kind of had little dog syndrome. I thought I was bigger than I really was, which now I’m grateful for, because it’s what actually drove me to continue pursuing weight lifting even after everybody laughed.

So one day, eventually, actually it was January 16th, 2006, I was watching a true life episode of a bodybuilder training and taking down his measurements. And I decided right then that I wanted also to do the same. So I took all my measurements down and then I began Google searching different bodybuilders. I didn’t even know what the Mr. Olympia contest was. I had just heard of it before. I began Google searching just bodybuilders in general. I stumbled upon Ronnie Coleman, the rest was history. I just became obsessed and infatuated.

I had set a goal to compete as soon as possible. My father is the one who actually talked me into waiting a little bit, because I was tiny, a long time ago. But soon after that, 15 years old, I competed in my very first competition in the teens; placed second in it. Fast forward to now, I’ve done about seven competitions, up to international levels. I’ve won regional-sized shows. I became a sponsored athlete at 18 years old. I got my first magazine cover at 19, becoming the first national teen on a cover. And have been on PBS and FOX quickly for just a couple of little documentary type blogs series, almost documentary style, but they were short.

And then how I began the channel was obviously I love bodybuilding. I love lifting. I love strength and I love the actual sculpting of the physique at the same time. And when I began, there was absolutely nothing online for teenagers and even natural bodybuilders, for that. So I found YouTube, I found out what a YouTube partner was and I kind of became inspired to bring my knowledge, what I had learned, to the public in any way I could. Bring the people something they could relate to, at that time a teen competitor and a natural one at that.

So we began bringing out the videos and breaking down exercises and I found out one thing I really liked doing was breaking down exercises verbally. I guess I do it fairly well, because people always compliment me on that aspect of my channel. Long story short, brought the videos out, brought it mainstream as much as we could, and I’m still just trying to push the whole lifestyle mainstream now.

AA: Interesting. So you basically started fairly young and just kind of kept that momentum, that go-getter, alpha male personality, just taken where you’re at and that’s very impressive. Landing a magazine cover, that’s not something that – very few people can say they’ve done. You know?

NW: Yeah, thank you. I was excited about it.

AA: Yeah, it’s a great accomplishment. As far as that goes, you’ve talked about your channel, what they like and things of that nature. Can you tell us, what’s probably the worst workout mistake when it comes to exercising that people make and how to fix it?

NW: Oh, man, I’d have to say besides all the generic mistakes of training the same body group over and over and over again, really I think the most common mistake is simply not knowing how to train, not understanding the biomechanics of a certain lift, of an exercise that you’re doing. And when you’re performing that exercise, not even realizing what muscle it’s supposed to be working or how to feel that muscle working.

So you’ll see somebody trying to squat and the movement itself is barely even activating the quads, you’re not getting deep enough, you’re not – nothing about the actual movement is correct. Nothing about the actual movement is activating the muscle it’s supposed to be moving and it’s simply from lack of understanding the mechanics of the movement and understanding exactly how to feel and tie-in the muscle they’re supposed to be working and targeting. So I would say overall, the biggest mistake is simply not understanding how to properly exercise.

AA: Interesting. That’s something like as far as full range of motion goes, that’s something that doesn’t get discussed too much in the world of bodybuilding. So it’s good that you’re bringing that. I’ve had a bodybuilding background as well, and the one thing they don’t really – it’s more about the pump as opposed to full range of motion.

NW: Right.

AA: That’s a great point. Keeping on the topic of exercise, what do you see people doing? Do you see people over-training when they start out?

NW: Not so much over-training, in fact, I believe the term over-training is over-used, really. Under-recovery might be a better way to put that. And no they’re not the same thing. Some people may ask, isn’t that the same thing? Is under-recovery just over-training? But you can train and train and train a whole lot, and you can still make gains and recover from that. You just need to make sure you’re getting the rest in between.

I don’t think I see too many people over-training so much as I don’t see them training efficiently enough, especially people that don’t know what they’re doing. They come in, they’ll hit the bench press every single day, barely even doing the bench press correctly, actually. Most people don’t even realize how intricate the simple bench press can be if you really break it down. And they’ll move right from bench press to curls and they’ll do a set of curls and then they’ll move from curls to a lat pull-down machine. These are the basic movements that they see and that are pretty self explanatory or that are just the most popular in their gym class. And that’s kind of where it ends. And they’ll do that every single day.

And at that point, it’s not even do much a matter of over-training, even though it’s not good to train the same muscle every single day, it’s also just the simple matter of the fact that you’re not really training efficiently at that point.

AA: Okay. Cool. The last thing I want to touch on training as far as that goes is, what do you think about mobility? Again, going back to my background, mobility isn’t something that people discuss. Is it helpful? Do you do any? Can you elaborate on that?

NW: I’m so glad you actually asked that, because mobility is huge and like you said, it’s not a subject that has been really covered in past years. I feel like it’s just now beginning to see some light. Mobility is everything. In the past we’re always taught that mobility equals flexibility and obviously that will equal you stay limber, you stay healthy, which is true. That’s true.

Unfortunately, and honestly, younger kids, teenagers, even my age, at 22, we’re young enough where we can bounce-back pretty quickly. So we don’t take the whole stretching and staying limber as seriously. When we hear it from everybody, oh, stretching, you’re going to injury yourself, you’re going to tear something. We’re like, yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll be fine. I’m fine. And that’s obviously bad myth as it is.

One thing that should really be taught about mobility that I think more younger kids would actually grab onto or pay more attention to is how much of a strength increase it can bring to you. If you work on your mobility, say, shoulders for example. Really, really work on your shoulder mobility, your rotator cuff, the tendons, the muscle itself, the straps, the chest/shoulder tie-in, overall mobility of the shoulders. The more you increase that mobility and that flexibility in your shoulders, the more strength you’re going to see. And I have personally noticed that myself upon incorporating more power lifting into my routine, which I’ve been doing lately, I was able to skyrocket my bench press, which has always been my absolute weakest lift, by the way. It took me two years of training to even get 135 on the bar.

AA: Wow.

NW: I started off maxing out at 65 pounds, and barely. So by simply working on my mobility, I was able to push my bench press from like 275 – I think I had gotten 315 before, at this point, but it was like only on my best day ever would I get 315, normally 275. I’d get it for a few sloppy reps and that would be it. I began working on my mobility, really, really focusing on it, and I’ll spend a good amount of time every push day now, working on mobility, loosening up my shoulders. And since then, my bench has skyrocketed. In no time flat, I’m up to pushing 345, clean, no spotter needed. And that’s without even really training for power lifting neither.

And now that I’m beginning to focus on power lifting, I’m excited to see how much higher I can get it. But the number one key to my strength gains, on top of just training and eating, has been increasing my mobility and working on shoulder mobility. And that goes for any muscle group.

AA: Excellent. Okay, great. We’ve talked about that. Now, what about nutrition? Bodybuilding has a lot to do with nutrition. Can you tell us what is needed? What’s the mistake people make and how should they be eating?

NW: The mistake a lot of people make, I believe, is focusing on just getting protein in. Now, protein is essential. It breaks down amino acids, it’s what recovers your muscles, obviously. You need protein. And by definition, you need protein to actually survive. It’s essential. But you only need so much protein at a time. I mean, the very rough – I don’t like given this as a guideline – but the rough guideline you can find is around one gram per pound of body weight for an athlete for protein, which is not a whole lot.

People kind of forget the other aspects that go in there. Fats, you need a good amount of fats. A male doesn’t want their fats to go below 20% of the diet if they can help it, because it will start affecting hormones in a negative way. Carbohydrates are essential for energy. You need to get a calorie surplus if you want to put on size. You only need so much protein, you only need so much fat, where’s the rest of those calories going to come from? It’s going to come from your carbohydrates. So you need to make sure you’re getting a well-rounded everything, macronutrients. I wouldn’t just focus on protein. I know it’s inserted in our heads at a young age, but everything: protein, fats, and then of course carbs are your fillers for the end of that.

The other mistake I see people making is beginners trying to overcomplicate nutrition too much. If you’re getting into competing, obviously it’s going to become very intricate. It comes down to a fine science, that’s for sure. But if you’re just beginning, I honestly don’t recommend stressing too much. If you’re just a kid, who’s in average shape, trying to put on size and muscle, don’t stress about exactly what types you’re getting of this and that. Make sure you’re getting in your protein intake and then just focus on eating a lot, because you’re going to get your fats in easily. Everything has fats. If you can focus on getting better fats, like avocados, obviously, your omega 3s, that’s obviously a plus. When you’re just beginning, just eat a lot. Focus on eating, make sure you’re getting all your macro nutrients and that. Get your protein for sure and then just your carbs and your fats and eat a lot, get your fiber in there. You don’t need a whole lot of fiber throughout the day, so a little bit will go a long way. And you’ll be good.

If you’re not putting on size, you’re not eating enough, simple as that. As you get into it more, on a more intricate level, then obviously you want to make sure you get each macronutrient down pat. You would figure out how much protein you want, how much carbs you need, how much fats you need for your body to reach your goal. And then you nail those numbers down and you base your diet around that.

Even the different types of foods, different types of carbs, are over-thought of a lot. Because even something like a sugar, if you’re in a caloric maintenance or you’re in a deficit, a sugar will simply be digested and metabolized as a carbohydrate. It becomes glucose and then it’s stored ultimately as glycogen. Carbohydrates turning into a fat, in novo lipogenesis, doesn’t happen unless all your glycogen stores are maxed out. So basically you’re way overeating, that’s not going to happen.

So the bottom line is, get your proteins, fats and carbs in, get the calories in if you’re starting off. Don’t over-think it.

AA: Right, right. That’s actually what I preach in my newsletter, even at Critical Bench we discuss it. You’ve got to get those macros in. You’ve got to get your macronutrients in. They’re essential and they’re needed for survival, like you said. They’re essentials. That’s a great point.

Sticking to the topic of nutrition, what is your current nutrition looking like? Are you bulking-up? Are you cutting? Can you tell us?

NW: Definitely bulking. I’m about 192 pounds and I’m at about 5’8”. I think coming from 104 pounds, that’s a good size for me and my frame, being a naturally skinny white kid. Lately, actually the last couple of months, what I’ve been trying to do – since I’ve been stepping away from the stage, I sort of break from competing and I want to go into some power lifting a little bit more. I may or may not compete competitively, I’m not sure yet. But I’m just having some fun with my training right now. And what I’ve found is – I actually went really, really old school for a while. I always track macros. Up until then I was always tracking macros. Even if I was bulking, I’d get my caloric number set, 3,000 calories a day, whatever I was taking in, and I’d have my calories set. And I’d follow that and I’d adjust that as needed.

But lately, the last couple of months, I’ve literally just been taking protein, I just preached about, the old school barbarian approach, the old C.T. Fletcher approach where you just get the calories in. Get the calories in.

AA: Yep.

NW: I’ve been doing this for about six or seven, going on eight years now, seven or eight years now, where I can eyeball my food, I know what I eat. I don’t have a huge variety of what I eat and I can get a ballpark idea in my head of what I’m taking in. So I know like if I’m not taking in enough protein, I know basically what I’m eating, I’ll get in another eight ounces of chicken or something if I’m a little bit lower on protein than I should be.

Or in general, I’m just kind of eat. I’m just eating, I’m not over-thinking it. I’m not even tracking anything right now. I don’t even have my Fitness Pal in my phone, in my new phone anymore. I’m just eating. I’m getting the calories in. I have a ballpark idea of what I’m getting in and I’m making sure I get my protein, my fats and my carbs are definitely up, because I’m eating. So that’s what I’m doing right now.

And honestly, it’s worked amazingly. I think it was a little bit of a break mentally, because I’ve been doing this for seven years. So it was a break mentally, and man, my strength has shot up through the roof, my size is up. It feels good at 5’8” to finally be filling out XLs now, which was – I was always like smalls were big on me when I began. So little things like that, it’s been working amazingly.

I’m a little bit softer right now than I’ve ever been. Some of the comments on my channel will remind me of that all the time. But that’s fine and honestly, I planned for that a little bit. I didn’t mind getting a little bit fluffy. I’m not letting it go too crazy. I’m about to tie it up right now and clean it up, chisel it up just a little bit. But yeah, I gave myself a chance to basically just go old school barbarian. Eat a lot, lift a lot and the gains are amazing.

AA: Cool. As far as that goes, we’ve talked about what you’re doing. What can you tell us about supplements? I mean, that is probably the most talked about. Taking supplements, weight gainers, I mean, you’ve got nitric oxide, creatine. If you’d categorize them to the things that are essential, what would you say they are?

NW: So first off, to anybody who’s just looking to get into this working out business, period, forget supplements. First things first. I want to get that, because I want that to be – that should be imprinted in everyone’s head first and foremost. Forget about supplements. And I’m talking about the kids – I’ve worked in different supplements that I’ll do for corporations. I’ve done sales online. I’ve been in every industry and I can’t tell you how many kids I see come into the store, never lifted a weight a day in their life it looks like, don’t even know what a macronutrient is.

They don’t even understand how – they don’t know what a caloric surplus is. They don’t even know how to perform most exercises. They’re not on a training split, nothing. And yet, they’re coming in and asking which supplement will get me jacked.

Supplements are going to do next to nothing for you. There’s very few supplements that are actually efficient. I’ll get into those in a second. Most supplements will do nothing for you, and no supplement that’s over-the-counter, that’s legal and over-the-counter, will actually help you gain muscle. No supplement will do that. So get supplements out of your head. It’s eating. Eat big, lift big. That’s what you need to get down.

Once you have that in your head, you can use supplements as a way of putting icing on the cake, if you will. For example, whey protein – when I say whey protein, I mean any of those genres. Whey protein, it can be a mass gainer; it can be a casein, anything that’s a legitimate protein just in powder form. A meal in powder form, those are good because they’re a meal in powder form. So you’re trying to get calories in, you don’t have a huge appetite, it’s hard for you, you may invest in a mass builder and bam, that’s 1,000 calories by drinking a shake. That’s going to help you out. That’s perfect.

You have to rush in the morning, you don’t have time to make breakfast. Two scoops of whey protein, 50 grams of protein right there. That’s a meal that you just drink really fast. So that’s perfect. Protein powders in any form are never ever a bad idea. Those are great because they are just meals in powder form. Whey is a dairy protein. That’s a real source of food.

After that, the only – that’s all you would really need to rely on, I’d say, because it’s like a food. If you want to get into the more sports area supplements, creatine is about the one and only most proven supplement to work. Creatine, all you need is five grams a day. It’s a very basic monohydrate, micronized monohydrate. Don’t ever let any supplement companies gimmick you with these fancy names. Don’t worry about it, just basic monohydrate, $9 online. Take five grams a day, you don’t need to do a loading phase, you don’t need to cycle on and off it. Five grams a day, keeps your cells saturated. Creatine simply helps the muscle ATP.

When you’re working out for a long time, fat is what gives you the energy. When you’re working out for a moderate time, like a weightlifting session, carbohydrates give you that energy. When you’re doing quick, explosive movements, that’s the creatine. You naturally produce creatine, so keeping the cell saturated, five grams a day, creatine phosphate levels are up, you’re good to go.

Besides that, the only other supplement I use would be a pre-workout, which you may or may not use. If you don’t use them now, you don’t need them. Honestly, I recommend not getting into them. If you do begin using them, you probably found that you kind of rely on them, because it’s like coffee for your workout. Pre-workouts are essentially just a mix of stimulants, caffeine, they might use henbane, just a couple of safe, natural stimulants for you. They’ll have things like beta alanine, which is a precursor and it will essentially – along with the creatine, it will essentially help to prolong fatigue. So if you have beta alanine, that’s what gives you that tingly feeling and that’s going to make it so you’re not fatigued as easily.

The only other one that I’d say is worth mixing in there would be like citrulline mally [phonetic], which is a good vasodilator. That’s your NO2, your nitric oxide, expands the blood vessels, gets more blood flow to your muscles. More blood flow means more oxygen. You get more stamina, basically, more of a pump.

AA: Right.

NW: So that would be it. All your whey protein powders, in any form, mass gainers, et cetera. Creatine, five grams a day, real simple and cheap, and then if you want to do a pre-workout, just consistent with the basics. Your stimulus to energy, your beta alanine, your citrulline mally [phonetic], et cetera.

AA: Absolutely. That’s a great point. There are so many supplements, the latest and greatest. You pick up a magazine and it sounds promising, but you know it’s not really needed. Get the foundation first before you even think about that stuff.

NW: Right. So sum it up, based on that, I’d categorize it like this: if it’s not giving you food or if it’s not giving you energy for something, for a workout, that rapid energy for a workout, don’t take it. Don’t even bother with it. Thermogenics, you may see. They’re the pills you take, will give you some energy and they burn fat. If you want to take those for the sake of energy and curbing your appetite, some of them are all right for that. But they’re certainly not going to burn the fat off of you. Don’t fall into that, either.

AA: Great. I guess one of the last questions I want to ask you is, if someone wanted to follow in your footsteps, just like you were a teen, someone that’s a teen now or just anyone out there in general that wants to get started in bodybuilding, competing. What’s one piece of advice you’d give them, like a mindset a motivation, how you stay motivated and how they could use that tip right today to help them?

NW: Quite simply, you have to want it. You have to want it. And if you’re not in that mind state, then you better figure out ways to make yourself want it. And it may not be the most favorite answer you’re going to hear, but it’s the most honest answer. Honestly, like I said in the beginning of this interview, when I was 104 pounds, I didn’t believe I was. I thought I looked better than I really was. I had this driven, total vision, almost narcissistic mind state that I was better than I was.

Now days, it’s opposite. Now that I’ve actually gained some size and strength, I’m like, I don’t think I look that good. But back then, when I started, I thought I was way ahead and I simply wanted it. I Googled those bodybuilders, I realized what I wanted to do and I was dead-set on competing. And I tell you, at one point, I was always one of those kids that fit-in socially at my school. I was friends with everybody, but at the same time, there was one point where I was literally almost bullied in school. I couldn’t even go to a party and say one comment without somebody turning it into the joke, making fun of me for bodybuilding in some way.

I remember saying one time at a party, “Oh, I was up late last night.” Somebody cut me off, “What were you doing, finger curls?” Everybody started laughing. It was like that. It was crazy. Fast forward, now, I have those same kids going onto my fan page and actually asking me questions pertaining to working out. So I pursued it, kept the friends I needed to keep and I couldn’t be happier right now. I’m doing my thing, literally just because I wanted it.

So don’t focus on other people at all. You need to completely tune other people out. People will only ever give you their opinions and most of the time it’s going to be knocking it you down. It will be saying you’re not cut-out for it; you’re not good enough for it; you look like crap. You shouldn’t do it, it’s not practical. The list goes on and on and on. Don’t listen to people.
Also, don’t listen to other people even when they’re trying to give you positive advice. You should bulk for this long and then jump on this show. Or, you shouldn’t do a show. Yeah, you should wait here. No, forget that. Get into your own head and stay there. Do what you want to do. If you want to train, train. If you want to body build, body build, and if you want to do a show, do a show whenever the heck you want to do a show. And you’re going to have the most fun that way. And you’ll find through having fun you’ll end up finding your success in bodybuilding. Best advice.

AA: Cool. Absolutely. That was great, Nick. We’re going to be having a link to your YouTube channel, your Facebook. You want to tell them real quick how they can get there?

NW: Definitely. YouTube is youtube.com/nickwright. It’s really easy. And another way to find me, guys, I have videos breaking down every exercise. And one of the guys said, I like – I don’t just tell you how to do an exercise, I like breaking down the actual little details into it and giving you ways to remember it.

For example, like dumbbell rows. I tell you to row the dumbbell up to your belt buckle, like you’re starting a chainsaw, not up into your chest. If you’re rowing, try to elbow somebody who’s hugging your waist off. Little tips like that. It all makes sense when you see the video, I promise you. I show you to break it ways you’ll understand and get it stuck in your head, really, really learn it.

So if you ever have a question about a certain exercise, instead of looking through my entire channel, just simply YouTube search Nick Wright dumbbell rows, or Nick Wright squats. Nick Wright with whatever keyword you’re interested in learning about, and I guarantee you’ll find it on YouTube.

My Facebook page is the page to be on. That’s where I’m at. Very interactive. It’s simply NickWrightBodybuilding on Facebook.

AA: All right, perfect. Well, we’re going to have links right above this on the site. And Nick, I wanted to thank you. We here at Critical Bench really appreciate it. It was very informative and I’m sure our readers and yours are going to find this informative. So thank you so much for being on this, Nick.

NW: Thanks, Anthony. I appreciate it. And one more thing is, the new website is created and it will be up soon. It’s NWBLifestyle.com. So check that out, see what that’s all about.

AA: Excellent. Yeah, check it out. He’s also got a clothing line, so guys, you want to – fan of Nicks, make sure and grab one of his shirts. He’s got a lot of great, great t-shirts out there and clothing. So check that out as well, everyone.

NW: Thanks, Anthony. Thanks, Critical Bench. Appreciate it.

AA: All right, have a good one.

 

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Foods That Keep You Looking Young

Did you know that regularly drinking a cup of fresh coffee in the morning can protect you against melanoma, which is the fifth most common forms of cancer in the United States alone? Or that the tasty summer watermelons contains large quantities of lycopene, which protects your skin against the damaging UV rays when sitting in the sun? The truth is the foods we eat can gain a whole different meaning and importance once you get to know what’s in them. And if you are interested in learning which foods can keep you healthier and looking younger for a longer time, read on.

Coffee Keeps You Awake…And Healthy!

And a healthy body will always remain younger for a longer period of time. The bioactive compounds found in your favorite wake up drink appears to do so much more than simply wake you up, according to data published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. And it would seem that the more coffee you drink, the more protected you stay. Start your day with a tasty cup of hot coffee, but make sure you replace your regular white sugar with honey or a natural sweetener such as stevia (very sweet, zero calories, xylitol that contains 2.4 calories per gram) or honey that should not be used in hot liquids such as coffee or tea as it become toxic.

Watermelon, Summer Freshness

Don’t you love savoring the tasty, juicy watermelon during those long, summer days when nothing else seems to chill you down as better as this amazing fruit? The favorite of many, watermelon contains high amounts of lycopene, which is an essential antioxidant that is responsible for the red color, but that also protects the skin against the damaging UV rays. Watermelons contain up to 40 percent more of this phytochemical than raw tomatoes. Think of it as a SPF 3 equivalent you can enjoy every sunny summer day as a bolster of your daily sunscreen.

Blueberries Brighten The Skin

They are extremely rich in vitamins C and E, two essential antioxidants that are known to work well together to brighten the skin, while fighting against the damage caused by free-radicals and keeping you filled with energy. Blueberries are also considered to be part of the food for thinking category along with tomatoes, nuts, broccoli, or avocado. They can boost brain power, especially when they are combined with just the right dosage of caffeine. And they can help improve the memory, which is not only going to help you stay more alert during trainings, but also help you make better calls when playing games online. Your logical thinking is going to be positively influenced by the these foods, which is always going to help you improve your poker or blackjack skills and strategies. You can also keep your brain younger and working more effective for a longer period of time by constantly training it with the help of games you can find online, reading, and doing other activities that stimulate your thinking, memory, and logical thinking.