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IronMagazine.com™ LLC Newsletter

Date Published 12-01-2004

December Newsletter 2004

In this month's issue...  Editor's Note - by Robert DiMaggio  Featured Product - Anabolic-Matrix Rx  New Articles - Training, Diet & Supplements  Expert Q & A - by Tom Venuto  Merchandise - IronMagazine T-Shirt  Jodi's Diet Corner - Eat Your Veggies  Member Spotlight - Jodie Bruce (aka JLB001)  Product Review - Instone - IntakePerformance  Exercise of the Month - Face Pulls  Website Review - BulkNutrition.com  Healthy Recipe - Fruit Smoothie  Free eBook - 10 Lies about the Atkins Diet  Site Sponsors- Please visit! ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top Editor's Note Hello Fellow Bodybuilders and Fitness Enthusiasts, Can you believe 2004 is almost over? Wow, the years just seem to fly by. Christmas is coming and this is definitely a month where many people gain weight. If you're bulking I guess it can be a good thing, but for most of us we fight to keep the excess pounds off. We have a couple of great articles on this very subject this month, "Introduction to Dieting" by Lyle McDonald, and "The 10 Best Ways to Stay Fit Through The Holidays" by Angela Ursprung, be sure to read them. The long awaited Anabolic-Matrix Rx is back in stock! That's right, the new & improved formula is now on sale...it's going fast! Coming soon... We are in the process of producing our second supplement, Maximum Pump! A Tri-Creatine Malate based product with 7 key ingrediants to give you mind blowing pumps, increased size & strength, vascularity and increased muscle recovery. We hope to have this available January 2005. Yours in Fitness, Robert DiMaggio - Owner/President ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top Featured Product IronMagLabs Anabolic-Matrix Rx ANABOLIC-MATRIX Rx™ Maximize Natural Testosterone Levels - Increases Natural Levels of Testosterone - Increases Strength and Stamina - Stimulates Sexual Drive and Performance - Lowers Estrogen Levels click here for more info and to order! ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top December Articles How To Gain Lean Bodyweight - Part 1: Calories by Tom Venuto 10 Best Ways to Stay Fit Through The Holidays by Angela Ursprung Introduction to Dieting by Lyle McDonald Are There Hormones in Your Whey? by Will Brink ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top Expert Q & A by Tom Venuto      This Month's Question: Growth Hormone - The Fountain of Youth or Lethal Injection? Get the answer here! ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top Merchandise IronMagazine T-Shirt                  only $13.99 go to estore... ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top Jodi's Diet Corner Eat Your Veggies Eating 2-3 servings of fibrous vegetables daily can have many health benefits. Veggies are one of the most important natural foods. They contain different vitamins, minerals and can also help control weight. Fibrous veggies are very low in fat and calories and an excellent source of dietary fiber. Being low in calories enables us to eat lots of vegetables and the high fiber content also helps fill the stomach faster limiting the total amount of food consumed. The many vitamins and minerals in vegetables supply the body with nutrients to boost energy production within the muscle cells. So don’t skimp on the vegetables thinking that a vitamin supplement alone will provide the necessary nutrients that your body needs. Be sure to read Jodi's "sticky thread" in the forums:  Guide to Cutting, Bulking & Maintenance ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top Member Spotlight Name: Jodie Bruce (aka JLB001) Age: 38 Height: 5’2” Contest weight: 119lbs Off Season weight: 135lbs Location: Houston, Texas Years Competing: 3 years, off and on since July 1999 Favorite body part: Back Strongest body part: Shoulders Favorite supplements: I don’t use a lot of supps. Don’t really have a favorite. IM: How did you get started? Jodie: I had an ex boyfriend tell me I had a cottage cheese butt, so I was determined to get rid of it, at that time I had meet a lady, named Karol Keller in Austin that was training for a show and was in awe of her. After talking with her many times, I purchased my first gym membership, enlisted her trainer and began my journey to end that cottage cheese butt. Those first two weeks with him I thought I was going to die! I was living in a two story house, had to walk up those stairs each night to go to bed. Never told the ex about the trainer, until 2 months later. Sad he was so clueless. IM: What workout plan worked best for you? Jodie: Craig and I are on a 5 day split at the moment, I like it a lot, but we are thinking of dropping down to a 3 day split for this month during the off season. IM: What is your basic nutrition plan? Jodie: I tend to follow a low carb/low fat type diet. It seems to work the best for me. My calories also tend to be pretty low, but I never loose muscle (keep the protein high)and still function very well on this type of pre contest dieting. It’s not something I would recommend for someone that is not getting ready for a show, as the weight loss is only a temp. thing. Not a healthy way to maintain. IM: What supplement has given you the greatest gains? Jodie: I’ve used SAN T100 before, I really liked the gains I made from that, but it does make a girl hold water. I’m not a big supplement taker, I stick to my basics such as Multi Mineral/Vitamin, B complex, Calcium, E, C, CLA, Flax and Fish Oils. I only use protein shakes when I don’t have time to cook, otherwise I eat real foods during pre-comp. IM: What one tip would you give other Bodybuilders/Figure/Fitness/and Normal People? Jodie: Be consistent in your dieting and training. There are no miracle pills that just melt the fat away and there are no miracle supps. that add muscle to your body. The only tried and true thing that works is being consistent. If you are constantly switching diets, your body doesn’t have time to adjust to what your eatting, it takes with me at least a month to start seeing favorable results. You have to learn your body and how it reacts to things, this comes with sticking to what you are doing. IM: Who are your favorite body builders? Jodie: I really don’t have a favorite bodybuilder/fitness/figure person. I admire them all for their dedication to the sport that we choose to participate in. If I had to choose…Figure would be Mari Kudla I think she is the absolute bomb. Fitness would be Kelly Ryan for her energy and love of performing. Bodybuilder male would be Frank Roberson for his personality. Female Bodybuilder would be Gina Davis she has beauty and grace all rolled up in a huge package. IM: What do you do in your free time? Jodie: I have so little of this, right now, it is getting my new website up and going for my new business venture. I started sewing posing suits for fitness/figure girls. Also have plans to add men’s suits to the list shortly. Other than that, I enjoy the spare time with Craig going to the movies, out to eat, and such. IM: Most interesting person I’ve met? Jodie: Everyone is interesting to me. IM: What motivates you in the gym? Jodie: The desire to improve myself motivates me. I hate coming in last place so I keep that in mind when training. IM: Biggest pet peeve? Jodie: Bobby gawking at all the girls in the gym! And smelly people. IM: One thing people may not know about you? Jodie: I swam competitively all through high school with a coach that was a National Ranked Power Lifter. Oh...I use to sell MUZAK too! Ya know, the elevator music stuff? IM: What did you want to be when you grew up? Jodie: OMG…I wanted to be a horse jockey! LOL But I am a little to heavy for that now and would have issues with the jockey type diet of being skinny skinny. IM: Any advice for people thinking of competing? Jodie: Do it for yourself and for the fun of it, not to think that you are going to win. If you do, then it’s the icing on the cake to be devoured and savored!! IM: What is your number one goal at this time? Jodie: To be my best in the next show I do. Also to get rid of these fat legs I was blessed with at birth. IM: Who has inspired you the most and why? Jodie: Not one person in general has inspired me, I have a great support team that inspires me and helps me stay on track. Craig truly keeps me grounded. He keeps things in perspective and realistic. ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top Supplement Review - Instone - IntakePerformance by Craig Nemow My product review this month is the awesome new meal replacement by Instone...IntakePerformance. As you may know this company was started by Sylvester Stallone and we all know he don't make no junk....well....some of his movies sucked...but Rocky and Rambo kick butt...just like his products! I have really been impressed with the ingredients in all of Instone's supplements. Not a bunch of hype and crap that looks good on paper but doesn't actually deliver the results...instead, only ingredients that really work have been included. Enough plugging Instone...on to the review: IntakePerformance For a DETAILED ingredient list and nutritional breakdown visit Instone's site at: www.instonenutrition.com The basic breakdown is as follows: EssentiaPro™: 45 Grams of Sustained Release Proteins Including Native Milk and Whey Isolate; Rich in Glutamine Peptides Ultra W3™ : 6 Grams of Premium Fatty Acids Including Flax, DHA, and CLA Fiberzyme™ : 8 Grams of Highly Effective Fiber and Digestive Enzyme Blend As you can see this is a high protein meal replacement providing a variety of slow and fast release proteins to supply a constant supply of amino acids. Glutamine has also been added to help support positive nitrogen balance, increasing muscle growth. As far as taste goes I have personally only used the chocolate and I really liked it. It mixed up easily in a shaker and was smooth and tasted great. Supposedly Instone has children taste test their products for their honesty when it comes to such things. This kid liked it. The fatty acid blend and fiber/enzyme combo are what really make this product stand out in my opinion. The fat and fiber should slow digestion time adding to the "time-release" quality of the proteins allowing for better absorption. The enzymes insure that there will be no problem assimilating the high amount of protein found in this product. The fats are also from EFA's and CLA which have so many benefits they would require their own review. They aid with testosterone synthesis, lowering cholesterol, increasing mental focus, and losing bodyfat just to name a few. Fiber is notoriously low in many bodybuilder's high protein/low carb diets.The 7 grams of fiber should aid in regularity as well as keeping blood sugar levels under control so weight loss can be more effective. For years I have added Flax Oil and Psyllium Husk (fiber) to my meal replacement shakes. Finally someone has realized the need for these extra ingredients and has added them right into the packet for convenience. If you use a meal replacement try this one out...I think you will like it! ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top Exercise of the Month - Face Pulls by Patrick Ward After being a personal trainer for a number of years and studying bio-mechanics there is one major thing that I notice about the majority of people in the gym. THEIR POSTURE SUCKS!!! There are several reasons this could be. The main reason for this, I find, is that most people have a sedentary job, sitting at a desk behind a computer all day long (8+ hours a day.). Due to the fact that they have their hands extended out in front of them to type and most everything that human beings do is so anterior this can cause a large imbalance at the shoulder joint. This imbalance is commonly referred to as "upper-cross syndrome". Upper-cross syndrome is characterized by the slopping or rounding of the shoulders, the hunched over look and a forward protrusion of the chin. A lot of big bench pressers can also be seen in the gym with this forward rounded shoulder look. This imbalance, while not very appealing or attractive, can also leave you in a great risk of injury as you scapular stabilizers are to weak to stabilize you shoulder girdle opening up the possibility of various impingements and muscle tears. So how can we help to correct this problem? FACE PULLS Those that read my journal on the forums know that I am a big fan of these. The whole idea with the face pull that makes it so great is that it really hits the rhomboids, rear delts and lower traps. These muscles are the muscles that will work to help pull your scapula back and stabilize it in place, the end result being a much better posture. For those that suffer with this problem of poor posture I recommend and upper/lower body routine. On the upper day I recommend you doing a ratio of 2:1 pull to push (so yes, that means don't do as many sets of bench press and do more sets of rows). It has been my experience that this ratio is more beneficial than say eliminating all pushes for 4 weeks and only doing pulls. How do I know? Well, it has worked for my clients that I train. The bio-mechanics of the face pull: The exercise takes place in the transverse (aka the horizontal plane) plane of motion. This plane bi-sects the body into upper and lower haves. The name of the actual movement is horizontal extension, as the shoulder joint is being extended back wards. The movement of horizontal extension creates adduction of the scapula which is where the rhomboids will come into play. How to perform this exercise: There are a variety of ways to perform a face pull. One of my favorites is standing. Hook a rope attachment to a high cable tower and grasp it (palms down). I prefer to take a staggered stance to keep my balance and prevent myself from being pulled forward by the rope. However, a feet together stance will place greater demand on the core. From there I pull the rope to wards me, keeping my elbows up (you want them to be right in line with your shoulder like where they should be when you do reverse peck deck. Any lower and you are recruiting more lats and less rhomboids.). You pull directly into you, to wards your chin (hence the name face pull). From there you can pause for a moment and then perform a controlled eccentric before starting another rep. For those of you working out at home, that have no access to a cable tower this exercise can be performed lying face down on an incline bench. I like to place my knees on the seat of the bench because it feels more stable than standing and crouching. From there, lying face down on the incline bench, I grasp dumbells. Again, taking a pronated grip (palms down, or in this case facing back) I row the weight up to wards my chin. Again, keeping my elbows out and in line with my shoulder joint so that I don't recruit as much lats and try to keep it in the transverse plane as much as possible. Aside from really working your posterior muscles stretching the chest can also help as all the overworking it is getting day in and day out it can become increasingly tight. ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top Website Review - BulkNutrition.com by David Gill BulkNutrition.com Owner of 1Fast400/Bulknutrition Mike McCandless, offers the premier website catering to bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts offering the largest selection of products to help you achieve your health and physique goals. Bulk Nutrition carries the largest selection of Bulk Powders from pro-hormones and anti-estrogen to fatloss agents. They have a huge selection of quality, name brand products at unbeatable prices, coupled with the fastest shipping and great reliable customer service. They also has numerous articles on Pro hormones/steroids and supplements which provides valuable insight here. They also has a complete forum that you can discuss topics or get answers to specific questions you may have about certain products here. I've known Mike for several years and remember when he was co-owner of a GNC store in Charlotte NC. After meeting Mike, I knew he had the determination and the know how to become a great businessman. He returned to his hometown and opened up his own Health Food/supplement store and it wasn't long before he branched out to an internet business which soon blossomed. If you don't have a favorite site to shop at, I invite you to give 1fast400.com or Bulknutrition.com a visit. You won't be disappointed. You can contact Mike at 336-227-9950 or by e-mail at: Mike McCandless: my65cuda@aol.com Ordering Information: orders@1fast400.com ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top Healthy Recipe Banana-Berry Fruit Smoothie Ingrediants 1/2 banana, frozen 1/2 pear, cored 1/4 cup frozen blueberries or frozen mixed berries 1 1/4 cup water 1 tbsp. skim milk powder 1/8 tsp. cinnamon 1 heaping tbsp. high-quality protein powder (optional) 1 tsp. flax oil (optional) Directions In a blender, process all the ingredients until thoroughly mixed and serve. ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top Free eBook Download 10 Lies About The Atkins Diet - and The Surprising Truth That The Low Carb Gurus Don’t Want You To Know About! click here to instantly download ebook! ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top Site Sponsors ..................................................................................................................................................................  Top IronMagazine.com - Bodybuilding & Fitness Magazine IronMagazineForums.com - Bodybuilding & Fitness Community IronMagLabs.com - Bodybuilding Supplements