In this month's issue...
 Editor's Note - by Robert DiMaggio
E-Book - Beginning Fitness & Bodybuilding
Featured - Ag-Guys.com
New Articles - Training, Diet & Nutrition
Expert Q & A - by Tom Venuto, Anthony Ellis & Lee Hayward
Jodi's Diet Corner - Beans!
Member Spotlight - Robert DiMaggio
Exercise of the Month - Step-Ups
Marc's Fitness Zone - The Straight Dope On Food & Exercise
Site Sponsors- Please visit!
..................................................................................................................................................................
Top
Editor's Note
Hello Fellow Bodybuilders & Fitness Enthusiasts,
This is a great month! For those of you that have not been around September is IronMagazine.com's anniversary
and we have now been online bringing you great new articles, info, news and expert Q & A's for 4 years! Many
bodybuilding & fitness sites come and go but very few make it this far. We want to thank you for making our
site successful. 
We are also happy to announce our message board hit the one million post mark last week!
We have a new section in our monthly newsletter by Marc David, author of a top selling ebook and a friend of mine,
Beginning Fitness & Bodybuilding. Be sure to
check out the review in this newsletter as well as Marc's new section.
Lastly, I decided to spotlight myself this month in the Member's Spotlight, I figured since this in our 4th anniversary it sort of fit!
Yours in Fitness,
Robert DiMaggio - Owner/President
..................................................................................................................................................................
Top
Featured E-Book
Beginning Fitness & Bodybuilding - by Marc David
Dieting and working out but making absolutely zero progress really sucks – I should know, because I started training when I was 16, but never got any decent results until I was in my 30’s! If you’re a frustrated beginner like I was, or if your body has looked the same for months or even years, even though you’ve been dieting and working out hard, then this may be the most important letter you will ever read.
After years of stagnation, I suddenly made more progress in just 90 days than I had in the entire time since I started training… just by correcting a few “newbie mistakes” and by making a few simple changes to my diet and exercise program.
It took me 16 years of trial and error, making dumb beginner mistakes, before I finally stumbled onto these amazing fat loss and muscle growth secrets. Then it took another 1100 man-hours for researching, writing and compiling these strategies and techniques into the most effective system for beginners ever to burst onto the bodybuilding and fitness scene.
This new program is designed so you can learn it quickly, even if you're a complete "newbie", (in fact, it’s ideal for beginners), plus it's amazingly fast and effective. Best part: You won’t believe how easy it is! All you have to do is be willing to make a few simple changes to your diet and workout program that I will teach you. Then, within just weeks, you will be leaner, stronger and more muscular than you’ve ever been before, 100% guaranteed, or the entire system is yours FREE just for trying it!
click here for your free ebook!
..................................................................................................................................................................
Top
Featured
AG-Guys carries all of your research chemical needs. Unlike other fly by night sites or ones that started up last week, AG-Guys have been in business for three years.
"J" at AG- guys took it over about 1 1/2 years ago, and basically runs a top notch operation.
They hope to earn your business by continuing to provide top quality products at fantastic prices, as well as the best customer service in the industry.
They use high-quality European products rather than low-grade Chinese compounds.
Give www.ag-guys.com a try and you will be impressed and you will help support IronMagazine at the same time.
Click here to view the September specials at Ag-Guys.com
|
..................................................................................................................................................................
Top
September Articles
..................................................................................................................................................................
Top
Expert Q & A
..................................................................................................................................................................
Top
Jodi's Diet Corner
Beans, Beans are good for your heart the more you eat the more you...
Yes, it’s true they do produce a bit of gas but how can you resist a food that is so darn healthy for you. In addition to carbohydrates, protein and fiber, beans and other legumes are also a good source of zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. These minerals are important for maintaining healthy muscle tone, combating fatigue and promoting energy and endurance. Beans are also a good source of iron and B vitamins.
Including beans in the diet on a regular basis can help control weight and provides satiety. Beans are low in both fat and calories, high in dietary fiber and protein. The dietary fiber in beans helps slow the absorption of carbs, which in turns regulates blood sugar levels and the need for insulin release. Beans may also reduce risk of cancer, ward off heart disease and lower cholesterol levels.
Canned beans lack the nutrients that slow cooked beans do. To make a crock pot of healthy beans doesn’t take make. Check out this website to make your favorites http://waltonfeed.com/grain/passport/beans2.html If you take the time to soak your beans before cooking they will produce less gas as well.
Be sure to read Jodi's "sticky thread" in the forums:
Guide to Cutting, Bulking & Maintenance
..................................................................................................................................................................
Top
Member Spotlight
Name: Robert DiMaggio
Age: 35
Height: 5' 7"
Contest Weight: 180lbs
Location: Colorado
Years Competing: 15
Favorite Body Part: Chest
Strongest Body Part: Legs
Favorite Supplements:
IronMagLabs Anabolic-Matrix Rx and Maximum Pump of course!
How Did You Get Started?
When I was around 15 years old I started lifting weights in my basement and never stopped. At the age of 17 I competed in
my first teenage bodybuilding show.
What Workout Plan Worked Best For You?
Probably the typical 4 day split hitting each bodypart once per week, however I recently switched
to a full body work-out twice per week and I am really liking it and seeing some gains.
What is your Basic Nutrition Plan?
I try and eat 6 small meals per day high in protein, moderate carbs, low sugar and fat. I eat very well 5 days
out of the week but on the weekends I let go a little, which enables me to stay on track and not get burnt out.
What Supplements Have Given You The Greatest Gains?
Creatine based supplements, as I said previously Maximum Pump which contains a superior form of creatine called
TriCreatine Malate, which has a much higher absorption rate then creatine monohydrate.
What One Tip Would You Give Other Bodybuilders/Figure/Fitness/and Normal People?
Stay motivated and achieve your goals.
Who Are Your Favorite Bodybuilders or Fitness/Figure Athletes?
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, they have been my "idols" since I was a teenager.
What motivates you in the gym?
Anymore it is just feeling strong and not being injured!
Biggest Pet Peeve?
Rude people.
What is one thing people don’t know about you?
I own two parrots, a White Bellied Caique and a Hahns Macaw and they are like my kids.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Self employed and happy!
Any advice for people thinking of competing?
Go to a few local shows and see what you're getting into, if you think it is something you want to
do seek help from either a pro or someone that has competition experience. But most importantly have
fun because that is what it is all about.
What is your number one goal at this time?
To continue building my supplement company IronMagLabs Inc.
And to continue building my relationship with my wife Gena (those are my top two goals in no particular order)
Who has inspired you the most and why?
My dad. I guess because he was always there for me telling me I can do and be anything I want.
..................................................................................................................................................................
Top
Exercise of the Month - Prone Cuban Presses
by Patrick Ward
Need a break from squatting? Yeah right, why would you take a break from squatting? Well, most of us squat pretty much year round and sometimes it is good to take a break from our normal routine and mix it up a little for both neurological reasons and mental satisfaction. Scared to go over and work on the crappy leg press machine? I am not a big fan of leg pressing so when I take a break from squat I "step up"!
Step ups are a great exercise not only because the work the lower body unilaterally but because they also increase stabilization of the glutes and core musculature. This alone can really help blow your squat out of the water. So, when you go back to the squat rack to workout you may be surprised!
Step ups can be performed either holding DBs or with a barbell on your back. I like to do them either way, often mixing it up between workouts. The main thing you want to do is find a stable bench or box to step up onto. The height of the box should be determined by placing one leg up on the box and taking a look at the depth you are coming out of. It should be about the same amount of depth (or hip angle) that you are getting to when you squat. So, for those that squat to parallel a box that sets you working leg at parallel with the floor is fine. Power lifters that have to get just below parallel may want a box that offers them the ability to come out of a deeper amount of flexion and Olympic lifters would want to get one that allows them the greatest ROM (close to high enough that when their leg is up on the box the back of it touches their calf muscle).
From there you need to lean your upper body forward into the working leg. This will shift your center of gravity over the working leg and allow you to apply force properly though the floor of the working leg. If you don't lean forward enough you are going to end up bouncing or pushing off that back leg (aka cheating). If you lean too far forward then you may lose your balance and fall forward. You want to try and mimic the angle that your torso reaches when you squat. For most people that will be when the chest and torso is parallel to the shank (shin) of the leg.
Once in position drive yourself up to a standing position on the box either bringing the non-working leg up to touch the box or leaving it off the box to work on your balance. Once you are fully extended lower yourself back to the floor. Be sure not to do this too quickly or you will bounce on that back leg and if you land poorly end up injuring yourself.
Once the non-working leg has touched the floor you can either (a) step the working leg totally off the box and perform another rep with it, (b) step the working leg off the box and then step up with your other leg, alternating between reps or (c) leave the working leg on the box, re-position yourself and prepare for your next rep. I usually like to do (c) but you may do it any way you want. If you are good enough (and strong enough) you can try these without touching your non-working leg on the ground.
You will step up and then on the eccentric, instead of touching that non-working leg to the floor you can lower yourself until it is just above the ground and then press back up with the working leg. This is tough. I have done it before and have one or two clients that can do it. It takes some real practice and hip stabilization though. Have fun, train hard.
..................................................................................................................................................................
Top
Marc David's Fitness Zone
Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A:Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it. Everything
wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live
longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it
faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.
Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable slop.
Q: Is beer or wine bad for me?
A: Look, it goes to the earlier point about fruits and vegetables.
As we all know, scientists divide everything in the world into three
categories: animal, mineral, and vegetable. We all know that beer and
wine are not animal, and they're not on the periodic table of elements, so that only leaves one thing, right? My advice: Have a burger and a beer and
enjoy your liquid vegetables.
Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body, and you have body fat, your ratio is one to
one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.
Q: At the gym, a guy asked me to "spot" for him while he did the bench
press. What did he mean?
A: "Spotting" for someone means you stand over him while he blows air up
your shorts. It's an accepted practice at health clubs; though if you find
that it becomes the ONLY reason why you're going in, you probably ought to
re-evaluate your exercise program.
Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise
program?
A: Sorry...Can't think of a single one. My philosophy is: No Pain-No Pain.
Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the
middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should
only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had.
click here for your free ebook!
..................................................................................................................................................................
Top
Site Sponsors
..................................................................................................................................................................
Top
IronMagazine.com - Bodybuilding & Fitness Magazine
IronMagazineForums.com - Bodybuilding & Fitness Community
IronMagLabs.com - Bodybuilding Supplements
|
