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For all but the foolhardy, pain is assiduously avoided. But the rare few understand that while pain punishes, it also teaches. That’s why some of us embrace it. Maybe that’s why the world thinks we’re crazy. Maybe we are. We do not cower under the merciless tutelage of the iron. We thrive. Through pain, we gain clarity; we learn to channel rage. This is the lesson of the iron. Understand this and anything becomes possible.

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Inside

FEBRUARY 2017 VOLUME 78 | NO. 2

164 No Holds Barred Former NFL running back turned actor Thomas Q. Jones is done taking hits. Now, he’s doling them out against Chuck Liddell in his first starring role.

IN EVERY ISSUE 16 FROM THE CHAIRMAN 194 ASK 200 THE LAST WORD

FEATURES

88 Sandbag Strength Get the upper hand with sandbags and sandbells for increased stability and functional strength. 102 Hungry Like the Wolf Fuel your workouts with these healthy recipes from acclaimed chef Wolfgang Puck. 110 Straight Up: Total Body We sieved through five years of our Straight Up Series to bring you the best workout for each body part.

178 25 Fat-Loss Tips Banish the winter weight that you definitely put on.

128 10:20:45 Minute Workouts Start on your spring physique with these time-oriented workouts that can fit into any schedule.

186 SAQ Up Trade in the treadmill for these speed, agility, and quickness drills to burn calories and improve coordination.

136 Frozen Assets Frozen food doesn’t equal unhealthy. Keep your gains on track with these 11 fruits and veggies that are nutritious and last.

SECTIONS

142 Skye’s the Limit Emily Skye opens up to her 13 million social media followers in hopes of inspiring them to stay fit and strive for happiness.

35 EDGE M&F Oscars; Ernie Hudson’s bigger than ever; train like a stuntman; Hollywood’s go-to tough old bastard; how to kick in a door.

150 The Century Club Go from 0 to 100 with 100-rep sets.

55 TRAIN Best fitness bands; upgrade your crunch; learn to breathe; a CrossFit WOD gets a makeover.

160 Pyramid Schemes Sign up for pyramid schemes so you don’t blow your wad before a lift.

73 EAT Ten foods for great sex; oatmeal five ways; healthy cheesesteaks; which rice is better?

COVER: BEN ROTHSTEIN. THIS PAGE: PHOTOS 12 /AL AMY

20 Be Your Own Superhero Follow this eight-week program from Ron Mathews to become agile like Spider-Man, strong like the Hulk, and ageless like Wolverine.

122 Pumping Iron at 40: Part 2 An exclusive interview with director and filmmaker George Butler, the man who brought bodybuilding into the mainstream.

170 King George IFBB physique pro George Brown’s secret to perfect abs? Consistency, hard work, and a side of cake.

FROM THE CHAIRMAN FROM THE EDITOR

SuperInspiring Others may be content watching superheroes on-screen, but you’re willing to work at looking like one. WITH THE SURGE OF SUPERHERO films and TV shows over the past decade, it’s clear that we love to live vicariously through these larger-than-life figures who remind us that the strength of this country is in the hearts of those who have sworn to fight for its freedom. In light of the heavy dose of inspiration so many of us draw from superheroes, we present this special edition of Muscle & Fitness, which provides the tools you need to build a superheroic physique all your own. Our editors assembled the powers of some of the most iconic superheroes and asked celebrity trainer Ron Mathews to put together a workout that would help develop them all. That includes the strength of the Hulk, the agility of Spider-Man, the speed of Quicksilver, the recovery powers of Wolverine, and even the ability to focus like Professor X. It’s an amazing collaboration that’s resulted in a truly superworkout program. Of course, it raises the question: Once you’ve developed your superabilities, what will you do with them? As Uncle Ben famously instructed Peter Parker in Spider-Man, “With great power comes great responsibility.” I hope you continue to use the great power you’ve developed living the M&F lifestyle for the greater good. After all, superheroes don’t only have to live on-screen.

Sincerely,

CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT, & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER David Pecker EVP/GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Chris Scardino

EDITOR IN CHIEF Shawn Perine EDITORIAL ADVISER Paul “Triple H” Levesque

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Edgar Artiga; Per Bernal; Kevin Horton; Dwayne Jackson, Ph.D.; Matthew Kadey, R.D.; Sam Kaplan; Tim Mantoani; Greg Merritt; Myatt Murphy; Dennis Nishi; Rob Orlando; Travis Rathbone; Tim Scheett, Ph.D.; Dustin Snipes; Matthew Solan; Ian Spanier; Marie Spano, R.D.; Steve Stiefel; Gregg Wangard; Joe Wuebben

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FOREIGN EDITIONS Argentina

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Malta

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UAE

United Kingdom

Uruguay

Venezuela

WEIDER PUBLICATIONS, LLC, A SUBSIDIARY OF AMERICAN MEDIA, INC. EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT/CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Kevin Hyson EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT/CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Chris Polimeni EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL MEDIA OPERATIONS/ CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER David Thompson SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER Brian Kroski SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Rob M. O’Neill VICE PRESIDENT, CONSUMER MARKETING Ephraim R. Brennan FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN EMERITUS Joe Weider (1920–2013) PRINTED IN USA • We assume no responsibility for returning unsolicited material, including but not limited to photographs, artwork, manuscripts, and letters.

David J. Pecker

Chairman, President, & Chief Executive Officer of American Media Inc. The information in MUSCLE & FITNESS is intended to educate. Do not substitute it for the advice of a qualified health care practitioner.

20

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

BE YOUR OWN

SUPERHERO

> Become as ripped as Wolverine, as strong as the Hulk, and as nimble as Spider-Man with our superhero-inspired program. W O R K O U T B Y R O N M A T H E W S , C . S . C . S . , C . P. T .

WHEN LOGAN OPENS nationwide March 3, it will mark the ninth and reported last time that Hugh Jackman will don the muttonchops and adamantium claws as one of Marvel Comics’ most beloved characters— Wolverine. Since 2000, Jackman has unveiled a more impressive—and more shredded—physique every time he appeared on-screen as the surliest member of the X-Men. In Logan, the character is older, grayer, and clearly not in the same peak condition displayed in 2013’s The Wolverine (as seen on this month’s cover) or 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past. But the centenarian still looks and fights better than most geriatrics born in the late 1800s.

Off-screen, Jackman’s continued efforts to make strength gains and age gracefully have reminded us of something: You don’t need to be a mutant to gain superabilities. You just have to work as hard as humanly possible and take care of your mind and body. Admittedly, the workout plan we’re providing won’t turn you into a superhero. However, since it was created by 47-year-old superhuman celebrity trainer Ron Mathews, winner of the Masters 45–49 division at the 2016 CrossFit Games, we’re sure you’ll look, perform, and move like one after eight weeks. Even better, exposure to gamma radiation, radioactive spider bites, or adamantiumskeletal bonding isn’t necessary.

YOU’D SMASH everything, too, if you

turned green every time someone pissed you off. The Incredible Hulk’s feats of strength include leaping great distances thanks to his superstrong leg muscles. Rumor has it the Hulk can jump hundreds of miles—and orbit around the Earth—in a

22

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

single bound. And it must be nice for your physical strength to be limitless when you become stronger as you get more agitated. The Green Goliath, who’s been part of the Avengers, grows to more than seven feet tall and more than 1,000 pounds when he transforms from 5'10" egghead, Robert Bruce Banner, Ph.D.

P R E V I O U S S P R E A D : P H O T O S 1 2 / A L A M Y. THIS PAGE: 2011 MVLFFLLC. TM & 2011 MARVEL

The Hulk

B E YOU R OW N S U PE R H E RO

STRENGTH LIKE THE HULK THEHULK Mathews’ plan relies on tried-andtrue powerlifting exercises—like the bench press, squat, and deadlift—and more functional, complex movements such as thrusters and power cleans to help you acquire Hulk-like strength. The program benefits your body’s central nervous system (CNS), which increases your body’s ability to recruit muscles for athletic feats, such as leaping from rooftop to rooftop, sprinting after a villain, or kicking down a door (see page 52 if you need a refresher).

SNATCH-GRIP DEADLIFT EADLIFT Remember: mber: Most of the po power should be e generated in tthe initial pull when your ur hips a are low. If you’re still yanking king the bar in the middle of the range of motion, then it’s too heavy. “Keep the chest up and maximize core tension,” Mathews adds.

BENCH PRESS IAN SPANIER

“Make sure that you’re controlling both phases of the movement—the negative and the positive—and don’t bounce the bar off your chest to initiate upward barbell movement,” Mathews says.

B E YOU R OW N S U PE R H E RO

AGILITY LIKE AGILITYLIKE SPIDER-MAN Mathews included extra volume in the plan so as to induce hypertrophy, while the agility and speed work will improve your coordination, ability to accelerate, and teach your body how to transfer your newfound superstrength into dynamic movements. Essentially it’s combining SpiderMan’s nimbleness with Quicksilver’s speed while offering a blend of the Hulk’s size and Wolverine’s cut physique. In the end, you’ll have acquired new muscle, increased one-rep max, and an improved pair of lungs that will take you pretty far in any endeavor you take on—super or not.

Spider-Man SPIDEY COMBINES HIS acrobatic ability with his

web-slinging skills to traverse New York City from rooftop to rooftop. Luckily, his superhuman kinesthetic ability enables him to avoid injury despite getting tossed around by nearly every villain he’s faced, including Randy Savage as Bone Saw McGraw in 2002’s Spider-Man.

SINGLELEG SHOULDER BRIDGE

These are a little bit ea easier than muscle-ups ups on rings (the bar is stable, e, unlike the rings) but not by a lot. They still require a ton of upper-body strength and power. 24

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

PH O T O S 12 /A L A M Y; I A N SPA NIER

BAR MUSCLE-UP CLE

Keep your grounded foot planted at all times and “drive down into the heel to…maximize the posterior muscle activation and minimize quad activation,” says Mathews. “Use your hands for balance; all of the weight should be in the heel that’s on the floor.”

B E YOU R OW N S U PE R H E RO

SPEEDLIKE SPEED LIKE QUICKSILVER

Quicksilver FORGET USAIN BOLT.

BUTTERFLY SITUP

“Russian swings wings stop at the eyes and emphasize hasize the hip p pop and hamstrings. trings. By using an Am American n swing, you go overhead an and not only work the hip pop and hamstrings but also the shoulders,” Mathews says.

“The butterfly leg position puts more emphasis p on the abdominals als because it doesn’t allow yo you to use se the hip flexors [during the rep],” explains xplains Mathews. “The “ low-back support pad w was made for butterfly situps a and enables you to go all the ew way back.”

PH O T O S 12 /A L A M Y; I A N SPA NIER

Quicksilver’s superhuman speed allows him to travel at speeds exceeding the speed of sound for hundreds of miles without getting tired! And his talents don’t stop there. His speed allows him to fly, create cyclones, and run up walls and across water. Take that, Jesus.

KETTLEBELL ELL SWING

Wolverine MAYBE IT’S THE amaz-

ing drugs in Canada, but Alberta’s Wolverine can withstand nearly anything—all the way down to the cellular level—thanks to his self-regeneration abilities. His body, if damaged or destroyed, recovers far faster than any of us mere mortals. The guy rallied from a gunshot wound, a sword through the chest, and an atomic bomb—in minutes! And don’t get us started on poisons and diseases—he’s immune. These powers give Wolverine, who’s more than 100 years old, more endurance and slow down the aging process. No wonder Hugh Jackman looks like he does after 17 years playing this guy.

efforts as the sum everything that enters your system pre-, intra-, and post-workout.

RECOVER LIKE WOLVERINE RECOVERLIKEWOLVERINE Look at the Big Picture

“Pay attention to your overall 28

diet,” notes Ryan Andrews, R.D., a strength and conditioning specialist and a coach with Precision Nutrition. “That includes how much food you’re eating, staying in tune with your hunger cues, and following a diet made up of high-quality, minimally processed foods.” In other words, think of your overall recovery

MUSCLE & FITNESS FEBRUARY 2017

After Wolverine gets through turning sentinels into confetti he enjoys lighting a cigar and downing a brew (presumably Labatt Blue). Adopt a different plan of attack. “After your workout, your muscles are primed to restore glycogen and protein levels,” says Erica Giovinazzo, R.D., a CrossFit coach and nutritionist with Brick CrossFit in Los Angeles. “Stick with lean, quick-digesting protein sources, such as a protein shake, chicken breast, egg whites, or fish.

PHOTOS 12 /AL AMY

Odds are you’ll never be able to take a bullet to the dome and walk away, like Wolverine in 2003’s X2. But some of Logan’s other ultrarecovery abilities can be achieved through careful planning and meal prep.

Time It Up

B E YOU R OW N S U PE R H E RO

“Give your body 30 to 60 minutes to recover so it can focus on digesting the nutrients,” she says. Go to Collagen

The high levels of glycine in collagen protein might help preserve your joints during high-volume training periods. While there’s no recommended dose of glycine—an amino acid that supports collagen, tendon, and ligament growth—diet alone most likely won’t provide a sufficient amount since it’s most abundant

in the animal parts humans don’t usually eat: tendons, ligaments, and bones. Meat, dairy, and eggs provide minimal amounts. The collagen in our joints, tendons, ligaments, and throughout our body will not optimally repair itself after heavy intense training sessions. What’s more, a study published in Current Medical Research and Opinion concluded that after 24 weeks of supplementing with collagen hydrolysate, participants experienced less activity-related joint pain.

Lean on Leucine

This branched-chain amino acid helps to kick-start your muscles’ synthesis response, so you begin the recovery process faster, says Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., director of the Human Performance Lab at CUNY Lehman College in the Bronx, NY. “Research has shown that there’s a leucine threshold of about 2 to 3g that’s ideal for spiking a response post-workout,” he says. Foods high in leucine include chicken, soybeans, beef, nuts, seeds, fish, and beans.

Surprising Immunity Boosters Three more ways to keep your immune system protected against nefarious pathogens. THE GREAT OUTDOORS >> Spending time in nature is one of the best ways to boost the immune system, according to a University of Illinois meta-analysis of more than 21 studies.

What The Pros Wear!

SKIPPING MEALS ON OCCASION >> A 2014 study from USC found that fasting can protect the immune system from damage while helping it regenerate crucial immune cells.

SOCIAL SKILLS >> A 2014 Carnegie Mellon study found that social support—like hugs—can reduce the chance of infection by up to 33%.

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B E YOU R OW N S U PE R H E RO

FOCUS LIKE PROFESSOR X FOCUSLIKEPROFESSORX

the hippocampus—which is where you store your memories—while decreasing the size of your amygdala, the brain’s stress epicenter,” says Julia Samton, M.D. Additionally, a 2016 Texas Tech University study reported that a meditation modality called Integrative Mind-Body Training can significantly improve your immune function. Crunch on More Kale

Eating vitamin K–rich foods, such as spinach, collard greens, and kale, can slow cognitive decline. A five-year study tracked eating habits of 950 older adults and found that people who ate one to two servings of veggies per day had the cognitive ability of a person 11 years younger than those who consumed none. Stop Pulling All-Nighters

Professor X WHEN YOU HAVE a Ph.D. in genetics, biophysics, psychol-

ogy, and anthropology, and an M.D. in psychiatry, your brain must be functionally pretty good. Don’t think about lying to him because he can read minds and even project his own thoughts into your mind. And if you cross him, Professor X can simply induce mental paralysis, loss of memories, even amnesia. On second thought, I’m sure we all have times we’d like to forget…

After subjects in a Belgian study stayed awake for 42 hours, scientists used MRI scans to track mental sharpness. As you’d expect, the more sleep deprived the subjects were, the more their cognitive abilities declined. Above all, researchers stressed that it’s not so much how much you sleep, but how much you’ve been awake that can cause the decline. Get a Hobby

A four-year Mayo Clinic study found that regularly engaging in a hobby, such as playing board games, painting, or woodworking, lowered the risk of cognitive impairment in elderly subjects. Try Ginkgo Biloba

these brain-boosting tips can help you get your mind in top condition: Chill Out

“Meditating everyday for 10–20 minutes has been shown to increase certain areas of your brain, namely

A study in the journal Human Psychopharmacology found that subjects taking ginkgo extract were better able to recall info than those taking a placebo. However, don’t rely on it to give you a midday energy boost, as results vary on its effectiveness to provide that benefit.

PHOTOS 12 /AL AMY

Professor Charles Xavier didn’t become head X-Man because he could deadlift a ton of weight. It was Chuck’s ginormous think muscle and psionic powers that gave him his edge. For those of us not blessed with Professor X’s super abilities,

B E YOU R OW N S U PE R H E RO

8 WEEKS TO A SUPERBODY 8WEEKSTOASUPERBODY ROW Powerful, ful, co complete reps are actually more us useful than quick ones, even in a ra race. Lean forward and let the chain recoil fully into the chamber. ber. T Then extend your legs and row the handle to your chest.

POWER CLEAN WEEK

PERCENTAGE

REST

1&2

60%

60 sec.

3&4

65%

90 sec.

5&6

70%

105 sec.

7&8

75%

120 sec.

DAY 1 Complete three rounds of the warmup. WARMUP EXERCISE

EXERCISES

Back Squat Bench Press Military Press Deadlift

Percentages Base the percentages below off of 95% of your true 1-rep max. Test your 1RM at the beginning of the progam, and again after eight weeks.

DEADLIFT/BENCH/BACK SQUAT

Thruster

WEEK

PERCENTAGE

REST

Power Clean

1&2

60%

60 sec.

3&4

70%

90 sec.

Split FOCUS

5&6

75-85%

105 sec.

1

Lower Body

7&8

80-85%

120 sec.

2

Speed work, Agility, Mobility

3

Upper Body

4

Rest

5

Full Body

6

Plyometrics, Unilateral Explosion drills, Mobility

7

Rest

32

MILITARY PRESS/THRUSTER

Dive Bomber Pushup

5

Single-leg Shoulder Bridge

5

Pullup

5

Situp

10

Air Squat

15

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

REST

Back Squat

5

5

60 sec.

Barbell Row

4

12

45 sec.

Romanian Deadlift

4

10

45 sec.

Neutral Grip Low-row

4

10

45 sec.

Leg Extension Superset with Leg Curl

3

10

3

10

60 sec.

WEEK

PERCENTAGE

REST

1&2

55%

60 sec.

3&4

60%

90 sec.

Straight-leg Raise

4

12

30 sec.

5&6

65%

105 sec.

Bicycle Pedal

4

20

30 sec.

7&8

65+%

120 sec.

Crunch

4

20

30 sec.

MUSCLE & FITNESS FEBRUARY 2017

IAN SPANIER

DAY

REPS

DAY 2

EXERCISE

Complete three rounds of the warmup. WARMUP EXERCISES

REPS

Walking High Kick

10 yds

Walking Samson Stretch

10 yds

Walking Lunge

10 yds

Bear Crawl

10 yds

EXERCISE

Treadmill Jog

SETS

REPS

REST

1

3:30 min (5% incline)

30 sec.

Treadmill Sprint*

5

20 secs run (7% incline)

40 sec.

Treadmill Sprint* Sprint

5

15 sec. run (10% incline)

45 sec.

Treadmill Sprint*

5

10 sec. run (12% incline)

50 sec.

Treadmill Jog

4

SETS

REPS

REST

Bench Press

5

5

60 sec.

Incline DB Flye Superset with Incline DB Press

4

10

4

10

60 sec.

Military Press

5

5

60 sec.

J Press

5

8

60 sec.

Plyometric Pushup Superset with Pushup

4

8-12

4

10

60 sec.

Hanging Leg Raise

4

12

60 sec.

Butterfly Situp

4

25

30 sec.

60 sec.

DAY 4 Rest

Complete three rounds of the warmup. WARMUP EXERCISE

Row Intervals

1

1 min. sprint

2 min. recovery

High Knee Drill

4

20 yds

30 sec.

Karaoke

4

20 yds

Side Shuffle

4

Back Pedal

REPS

Dive Bomber Pushup

5

Single-leg Shoulder Bridge

5

Pullup

5

30 sec.

Situp

10

20 yds

30 sec.

Air Squat

15

4

20 yds

30 sec.

Pigeon Stretch

1

60 sec.

60 sec.

Lizard Pose

1

60 sec.

60 sec.

Couch Stretch

1

60 sec.

60 sec.

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

REST

Deadlift *

5

5

60 sec.

Pullup

4

8-12

45 sec.

Thruster

5

5

60 sec.

Lat Pulldown

4

10

60 sec.

Power Clean

5

5

60 sec.

Kettlebell Swing

4

15

60 sec.

DAY 3

Muscle-up

4

2-8

60 sec.

Complete three rounds of the following exercises as a warmup.

V-up

4

15

30 sec.

Oblique Crunch

4

15 (each side)

30 sec.

Feet-up Crunch

4

20

30 sec.

*These sprints should be at or near full speed and performed one into the other with only the prescribed rest.

EXERCISE

REPS

Dive Bomber Pushup

5

Single-Leg Shoulder Bridge

5

Pullup

5

Situp

10

Air Squat

15

*Substitute: Snatch-grip Deadlift

Complete three rounds of the warmup. WARMUP EXERCISES

REPS

Walking High Kick

10 yds

Walking Samson Stretch

10 yds

Walking Lunge

10 yds

Bear Crawl

10 yds

EXERCISE

DAY 5

2 min. 0% incline

DAY 6

SETS

REPS

REST

12-inch-high Forward Hops

5

10 yds

30 sec.

Single-leg Lunge jump Superset with Single Leg Lunge*

4

10

4

10

30 sec.

Box Jump (24-inch)

4

15

45 sec.

Burpee

4

10

30 sec.

Singleleg Box Jump** Jump

4

10

60 sec.

Squat Jump Superset with Bodyweight Squat

4

10

4

10

60 sec.

Seated Hurdler Stretch

1

60 sec. (each side)

30 sec.

IT Band Stretch (Diagonal Stretch)

1

60 sec. (each side)

30 sec.

Triangle Pose

1

60 sec. (each side)

30 sec.

*Perform the superset on the left leg then immediately on the right leg before resting 30 seconds. **Perform 10 jumps onto a 12- to 20-inch box off your left foot, landing on both feet. Immediately perform 10 reps off your right foot.

DAY 7 Rest

G E T S U PE R SH R E DDE D

THE 4-WEEK WOLVERINE WORKOUT > Get jacked like Hugh Jackman by

following the training routine he used to prep for 2013’s The Wolverine.

DIRECTIONS The main lifts in this four-week plan are based off a percentage of your one-rep max (1RM) in that lift, and the percentage changes each week (see the percentage chart to determine what weight you should use). Rest 2½ minutes between sets of the first exercise for each day and one minute between sets of every other exercise that day. Perform flexibility, static stretching, and foam rolling at the end of each session.

DAY 1 EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Bench Press*

4

5/4/3/10

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

4

10

Behind-theneck Press

4

10

Cuban Press**

4

10

Triceps Dip

4

10

Lateral Raise, Front Raise, Rear-delt Flye, Overhead Press***

4

12

SUPERSET WITH

*See percentage chart. **Hold a barbell with a wide, overhand grip and let it hang at your waist. Bend your arms so that your elbows form 90-degree angles, then rotate your forearms back until the bar is overhead. Press up to lock out your elbows, then reverse the motion to return to the start. ***Four movements back to back, then rest for 60 seconds.

DAY 2 EXERCISE

REPS

Back Squat*

4

5/4/3/10

Front Squat

4

10

45-degree Single-leg Leg Press**

4

10

Calf Raise

4

12

Hanging Leg Raise

4

12

Ab Wheel Rollout

4

10

SUPERSET WITH

*See percentage chart. **Four sets on each side.

PHOTOS 12 /AL AMY

SETS

DAY 3

BENCH PRESS

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Weighted Pullup*

4

5/4/3/10

One-arm Dumbbell Row

4

10

Body-weight Row

4

10

Incline Dumbbell Curl

4

10

Zottman Curl, Cross-body Curl, Pronated Curl **

4

8

Lie on a flat bench and grasp the bar slightly wider than shoulder width. Lower the bar to your chest with your elbows slightly tucked. When the bar touches your chest drive your feet into the floor and press back up.

*See percentage chart. **Perform all three movements back to back, then rest for 60 seconds.

DAY 4 EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press *

4

6+6

Dumbbell Bench Drop (3 inclines) **

4

6+6+6

Cable Flye (high to low)

4

10

Close-grip Bench Press

4

10

Triceps Pushdown, Triceps Dip, Narrow-grip Pushup ***

4

8

PERCENTAGE CHARTS FOR MAIN LIFTS PERCENTAGES FOR WEEK 1 (5 REPS)

*Dropsets **Start on a steep incline, perform six reps, reduce incline; perform another six, then go flat for the final six reps. ***Perform all three movements back to back, then rest for 60 seconds.

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 4

PERCENTAGES FOR WEEK 2 (4 REPS)

DAY 5 EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Deadlift*

4

5/4/3/10

Romanian Deadlift

4

10

Zercher Squat

4

12

Weighted Incline Situp

4

10

Barbell Landmine Press**

4

20

*See percentage chart. **Alternate sides, 10 each side.

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 4

PERCENTAGES FOR WEEK 3 (3 REPS)

OVERHEAD PRESS

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 4

PERCENTAGES FOR WEEK 4 (10 REPS)

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 4

Grasp the bar just outside shoulder width and hold it at shoulder level with your forearms perpendicular to the floor. Squeeze the bar and brace your abs. Press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward and shrugging your traps as the bar passes your face.

G E T S U PE R SH R E DDE D

ONE-ARM DB ROW

Keep your shoulders level with the floor and pull the weight to your ribs in a sawing motion. Retract your shoulder blade and squeeze your lat as you row. Your elbow should point behind you, not up to the ceiling, at the top.

FRONT SQUAT

Grasp the bar with hands shoulder-width apart and raise your elbows until your upper arms are parallel with the floor. Let the bar rest on your fingertips, step back, and set your feet at shoulder width with your toes turned out slightly.

LATERAL RAISE

Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Raise the weight up and out 90 degrees until your arms are parallel with the floor.

AB WHEEL ROLLOUT

Kneel on the floor with your shoulders over the ab wheel. Brace your abs and extend your arms in front of you, rolling forward until you feel your lower back is about to sag. Roll the bar back.

INCLINE DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS

Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back against it with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold the weight at shoulder level and press the dumbbells from chest level to straight overhead.

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT

Lower the bar until it’s a few inches below your knees. With a straight back, explode your hips forward and lift the weight up until you’re standing upright.

DEADLIFT

With your feet hip-width apart, grasp the bar just outside your knees. Drive your heels into the floor and pull the bar up along your shins until you’re standing straight with the bar out in front of your thighs.

EDGE TRAIN LIKE...

STAR POWER

Stuntman turned leading man Alain Moussi of Kickboxer: Retaliation, p38.

After 50 years of acting, Ernie Hudson is bigger than ever, p36.

ARNOLD CLASSIC

ASS KICKER

Titans of arm wrestling come to Columbus, OH, for over-the-top action, p50.

Stephen Lang is Hollywood’s toughest old bastard, p42.

2

3

1

5

6

7

4

8

9 10

13

11

12

M&F Oscars

It’s hard to see a flick when you’re spending so much time pumping iron. With the Oscars this month, here are M&F’s picks for the best movies of 2016.

Best Movie That Will 1Cheat Make You Want to on Angelina Jolie:

ALLIED (MARION COTILLARD)

Best Confrontation: 2 BATMAN V SUPERMAN:

DAWN OF JUSTICE

3

Best Bare-Knuckle Fight Scene: JASON BOURNE

Best Movie 5 About the Election: THE PURGE:

Best Movie 9 About Protein: CHICKEN PEOPLE

6

Best Tandem: 10 KEY & PEELE (KEANU)

ELECTION YEAR Best Movie That Sounds Like a Porno but Isn’t:

WEINER

Best Jungle Body: 7SKARSGARD ALEXANDER

(THE LEGEND OF TARZAN)

Sexiest Sociopath: 11 MARGOT ROBBIE (SUICIDE SQUAD) Best Movie 12 About Steroids: SAUSAGE PARTY

Best Movie About 4 Olympia Weekend: Best Movie About a Best Video FANTASTIC BEASTS 8 Boring Occupation: 13 Game Adaptation: AND WHERE TO THE ACCOUNTANT ASSASSIN’S CREED

FIND THEM

FEBRUARY 2017

MUSCLE & FITNESS

35

EDGE

STAR POWER

Big Ern

Hudson stays in shape at 71 by focusing on body-weight exercises and a clean diet.

After working in Hollywood for 50 years, ERNIE HUDSON is working out more to stay strong onscreen. BY JASON STAHL GHOSTBUSTERS ALUM Ernie

Hudson is working harder today than he ever did taking down Gozer. In 2016, the 71-year-old—who looks 20 years younger—was on the road for 50 out of 52 weeks to film three TV shows in New Mexico (Graves), Los Angeles (Grace and Frankie), and Chicago (APB), as well as traversing the country for speaking engagements and visiting his family in New York and Minneapolis. Regardless of all his travels and work, Hudson finds time to fit in a healthy lifestyle. “I’ve got a gym at the house and a trainer in L.A.,” says Hudson, “but I haven’t been able to be in one location.” the weight off comes with age—he’s Still, the lack of consistency poses currently 222 pounds and would like no challenge for the former Marine, to get down to 210. He’s tightened up who pumps out “at least 100 to 150” his diet, eating more whole foods like pushups across three sets. On the vegetables and lean proteins and other days, Hudson squats. While avoiding processed foods like refined traveling, Hudson jumps rope and breads and pasta. “If we had a hand fits in crunches or planks in his in it, it’s probably screwed up,” hotel room. He’s also besotted Hudson says. with his Fitbit, trying The former warden on to achieve his 10,000Oz, Hudson will take on step daily milestone. his latest role in Fox’s TUNE IN Despite all the new drama APB. The APB premieres activity, Hudson does show, inspired by a Feb. 6 admit that it’s difficult New York Times article on Fox at 9 p.m. to fend off Father Time. about a wealthy EST. “I used to be able to entrepreneur in New jump, like, five feet. Now Orleans who used his my legs only come off the own money to start a ground about a foot. I see it in high-tech police force, takes my friends. You go back to your high place in crime-riddled Chicago, with school reunion, and you go, ‘Holy Hudson playing the about-to-retire shit, what happened?’” Capt. Ned Conrad. Hudson’s midsection does have “I worked in the old system for some paunch, but struggling to keep years, learned the politics, not really 36

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

happy with it, and then this billionaire who loses a friend to a shooting comes in. Everybody is skeptical, but there’s a part of him that feels like, What if it could work? My job is making sure he doesn’t go too far.” Part of the advanced technology to combat the corruption, police shootings, and cover-ups include drones, better Tasers, and an app that replaces the old 911 system. While filming APB, and all his other shows and movies, Hudson can be found walking around the set in between takes. He also walks around all the airport terminals rather than indulge in the free snacks at the first-class lounges. It’s been paying off, too, as Hudson shows no signs of calling “cut” on his acting career. “I certainly don’t want to be in bad health because of something I didn’t do, or suddenly I’m weighing 350 pounds and I’ve got to walk around with an oxygen tank,” Hudson says. MICHAEL BECKER

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TRAIN LIKE...

A Stuntman

ALAIN MOUSSI went from stuntman to leading man in the Kickboxer reboot. BY ANDREW GUTMAN

YOU’VE SEEN ALAIN MOUSSI in such films as X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse—you just didn’t know it was him. The 35-year-old Canadian stuntman, who’s done stunts for Hugh Jackman and Henry Cavill, now moves into the spotlight to play Kurt Sloane in the next installment of the Kickboxer reboot. Here’s how he kicked his training into high gear for the role. SCHEDULE Moussi trains five days per week. Three days are dedicated to martial arts and two are for weight training. CURRENT TRAINING “The goal is to find a balance between intensity and proper technique to create the ultimate human performance machine,” says Moussi’s strength and conditioning coach, Phil Hurtubise, CEO and founder of IPG Wellness Services. “He follows a fitness regimen, for six to eight weeks [at a time], called a training phase, which varies and is dependent on his overall goal.” Moussi’s routine starts with light cardio, hard intervals, foam rolling, and mobility drills. Then he performs

Olympic lifts, compound exercises— like the bench press, deadlift, and squat—and a lift with “consequences,” such as a pistol squat on a Bosu ball that transitions to a kick. He finishes with a body-weight circuit followed by more stretching and a proper cooldown to begin the recovery process.

SWIMMING “I swim 50 meters, or two laps, underwater,” Moussi says. “I have to do fight scenes for hours, so that kind of training keeps me going for longer. Now I can do longer sequences. We’re talking about a three- to fourminute sequence with no cuts. That’s a long time.” RECOVERY “I stretch for a good 10 to 15 minutes after every workout,” says Moussi. “It’s not necessarily deep stretching, just enough to loosen everything up. Later in the evening I’ll follow the same routine.” Moussi will run through a basic routine of arm, leg, and shoulder stretches.

DAVID VS. GOLIATH TUNE INon Moussi takes 6'9", 395-pound Hafþór Björnsson in the forthcoming movie Kickboxer: Retaliation.

“Now it’s all about my own look, and that’s what I work on, like, ‘What’s the kind of look that I want for the film?’ ” 38

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

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TRAIN LIKE... WARMUP

Moussi performs intervals on the stationary bike and rowing machine. He then stretches and foam rolls his body before hitting the weights.

DIET Breakfast is toast with peanut butter and a banana, plus Greek yogurt with granola. Lunch is chicken with a sweet potato and broccoli. For snacks, Moussi likes avocados and cheese. Dinner is salmon, veggies, and rice; and eggs with veggies are his late-night snack. Fruit is eaten post-workout and as dessert.

MORPHING PHYSIQUE As a stuntman, Moussi would set himself apart by matching the lead’s physique. “You’re like a chameleon when you’re doubling. For Henry Cavill, I had to grow my chest more, I had to stay very lean so my abs would show,” says Moussi. His most challenging role was to double as Hugh Jackman. “I had 3½ weeks to Swimming as well gain 10 pounds. I as stretching twice was training twice a day have helped per day, five days Moussi increase a week, with one muscle endurance, mobility, and workout on Satflexibility. urdays. Now it’s all about my own look, and that’s what I work on, like, ‘What’s the kind of look that I want for the film?’ ”

THE KICKER

MUSCLE & FITNESS

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Barbell Hang Clean

4

8–12

Barbell Push Press

4

8–12

Barbell Back Squat

4

8–12

Flat Dumbbell Bench Press

3

40 reps w/40 lbs, 50 reps w/50 lbs, 60 reps w/60 lbs

Box Jump

3

10

Prowler Push

1

300 lbs for 50 yards

CONSEQUENCE

SELLING A HIT “Precision is really important because I have to be able to hit [my mark] without hitting my fellow actors or stuntmen. In some scenes we set it up to hit in the face, but it’s like a tap that looks like a big hit. You have to have that maximum control and accuracy to be able to do that, so I work on that a lot,” says Moussi, who trains his accuracy by kicking targets off still bags, hitting pads with his trainer, and kicking pads with one leg while standing on a Bosu ball. “I’m able to do a lot of sequential kicks, which I could do before, but now I’m way more stable when I do them.”

40

BARBELL COMPLEX

FEBRUARY 2017

BODY-WEIGHT FINISHER

Perform one to three rounds with no rest between exercises. EXERCISE

REPS

Pullup

5

Chinup

5

Burpee

10

Medicine Ball Slam

10

Reverse Crunch

20

V-up

20

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OLD-SCHOOL ASS KICKER

SEAN HYSON

is the senior content strategist for onnit.com

M&F: You’ve played a

STEPHEN LANG as former assassin Waldo in Into the Badlands.

lot of soldiers. Do you identify with military heroes? LANG: I’ve always had a bent toward military history—I guess because I was part of the post–World War II generation. At the core of military service are qualities that are really important human qualities, like grit, fiber, and fortitude. Beyond Glory [the play that Lang adapted and performed in, in which he plays eight Medal of Honor recipients] took it to a deeper place for me personally. It’s an examination of why one man is compelled to go above and beyond the call of duty when others are not. How did you get interested in weight training? I was impressed by Jack LaLanne. He gave me an awareness of bodybuilding and fitness. I guess his audience was housewives, but I liked his spirit. I’ve been weight training from ’69, since I was in college. It’s its own kind of meditation. Lifting is a very personal and interior pursuit. And I admit to vanity, but it’s a professional thing, too. I need to look good in my profession. The older I get the more vital it is.

The Colonel

STEPHEN LANG is Hollywood’s go-to for playing tough old bastards. BY SEAN HYSON

for more than just his talent. The 64-year-old is always in tremendous shape and can often be found pushing plates at Equinox at New York City’s Upper West Side. And with four more Avatar sequels in the works, Lang will need to maintain his workouts to join the ranks of Hollywood’s ripped action star elder statesmen, like Arnold, Sly, and Mickey Rourke. 42

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

How do you structure your weight workouts? I tend to do one muscle group a day, and I do three exercises for a muscle. So if I’m doing biceps I’ll do a curl, a hammer curl, and a

CARLOS SERR AO/AMC

STEPHEN LANG IS a veteran of both the stage and screen. His performances—which include playing Col. Quaritch in 2009’s Avatar and The Blind Man in last summer’s sleeper hit Don’t Breathe—are memorable

How has your training changed over the years? I like to stay between 150 and 160 pounds—my body fat is around 10%. When I did Avatar, I needed to be big; I got to 190 for that, bench-pressing 250. That was a lot for me, and that did it for my shoulder. After my shoulder broke down I began to integrate yoga into what I was doing. I did so much the first year I didn’t weight train at all. Of course I overdid it with yoga. Now I’m on this quest to find this balance between weight training and yoga. They can be complementary.

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OLD-SCHOOL ASS KICKER

What’s the secret to weight training for older guys? Work with low weights and high reps. Leave your ego in your locker. I’m not 20, but that doesn’t mean I’m not as strong and fit and energetic as I can be. I eat pretty much whatever I want but I eat consciously. I know that if I eat something bad I’m going to pay the price for it, and that helps me decide whether I’m going to eat it or 44

MUSCLE & FITNESS

Clockwise: Lang practicing with a homemade grip trainer; as Col. Quaritch in Avatar; and The Blind Man in Don’t Breathe.

“I’m on this quest to find this balance between weight training and yoga. They can be complementary.”

not. I try to have a protein shake every day. I shove a fistful of kale into every shake. Are you worried about being typecast for your physique? Nah. But if one has to be typecast, there are worse things to be typecast as than a tough, old badass. The guy I played in Don’t

FEBRUARY 2017

Breathe is a badass veteran, but he also happens to be completely blind. I’m playing a character now on Into the Badlands [on AMC]—he’s a badass assassin, but he’s confined to a wheelchair. So I hope I’m not playing the same character with different disabilities [laughs]. I don’t feel like I am.

C O UR T E SY O F S T EPHEN L A N G; AT L A SPI X /A L A M Y; A F A RC HI V E /A L A M Y

reverse curl. I’ll do 20 to 30 sets and really get into the muscle. I start heavy and back off as I go. I’ll do one warmup set with a moderate weight and from there go into my heaviest set. I might start with 45 pounds in each hand and then go down to what might be a negligible weight. I might go to 12½ pounds for concentration curls and really try to think my way into the muscle. If you do enough reps, it feels heavy [laughs].

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Well Done Michael Chernow, restaurateur, TV host, and co-founder of the recovery drink WellWell, serves up tips for aspiring entrepreneurs. BY ZACK ZEIGLER LIFELONG NEW YORKER

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MUSCLE & FITNESS

Lululemon, and a reason to venture into another business—the recovery drink WellWell. Why did you think the fitness world needed WellWell? Few people consider recovery as part of fitness—myself as well. I don’t feel that taking days off

FEBRUARY 2017

benefits me. So [the WellWell team] created a recovery beverage with ingredients that are proven to impact inflammation problems. What advice can you offer aspiring entrepreneurs? You have to have a story and be able to tell that story. Also, you

ROBIN MARCHANT/GE T T Y IMAGES

Michael Chernow opened his first restaurant, The Meatball Shop, in 2010. Five more locations followed, and last year, he debuted Seamore’s, a sustainable, local seafood joint in downtown Manhattan. “No matter what business you’re in, your sourcing practices really define who you are when it comes to the product,” Chernow says. “At The Meatball Shop, I became very passionate about supporting local farmers and doing our best to get our beef, poultry, and pork as close to home in the United States. And at Seamore’s it became apparent to me that I could make a stand for what’s right and how we should be getting seafood. It’s part of our core values. Internally, it’s something that we believe wholeheartedly in. It’s something that we are hoping to make an impact with other people.” Chernow’s passion for the kitchen eventually earned him a gig as a TV host on DIY network’s Food Porn, while his love of fitness scored him a body-fat percentage in the single digits, an ambassador deal with

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have to make people want to listen. Ultimately, businesses and products and restaurants—it’s all about telling a story. Most people love to tell stories and/or hear stories. If you don’t have a story, you’re in big trouble. What’s WellWell’s story? There are just three ingredients in WellWell, and the ultimate goal is to make every ingredient biodynamic. As we scale, we’re going to face [sourcing] challenges, but we’re up for the task because we believe that if we’re going to offer a natural product, we want it to be the best and the best of the best. How did the idea evolve? [WellWell CEO] Sagan Schultz wanted to come up with a natural way to help aid his post-workout soreness, so he started doing research and came up with a

FOLLOW WellWell on Facebook and Twitter: @drinkwellwell; and follow Michael Chernow: @michaelchernow

That’s a full-time job. Being an entrepreneur and taking risks is really time-consuming. Most of the time, the reason why people don’t end up going forward with it is because it is incredibly encompassing. It has to be For people who part of your DNA. It’s can’t afford to like, you wake up in RECOVER hire a PR agenthe morning, and WELL cy, what’s the whatever you do, The cherries in key to getting you brush your WellWell provide word out about teeth, you wash inflammation-fighting compounds, and the their business? your face, you take watermelon provides I’m a pretty a shower, you get a boost of vitamins outgoing dude, and I dressed, you put on A, B6, and C. have a big mouth, so I your shoes, and you made it my job to do as walk out of the house. much networking as possible. Your business, as an entrepreBefore opening The Meatball Shop, neur, needs to be like that. That’s anytime I heard about an industry what it is. You don’t function event, I was there. There was not a properly without putting in the single industry event that went on work. It’s definitely not for everyin 2009 that I was not a part of in one, but it’s certainly incredibly some way, shape, or form. rewarding and gratifying. formula of fresh watermelon juice, tart cherry, and lemon. I tasted it, and I was like, “Holy shit, man. This is incredible. Let me help you put a team together to grow this brand.” That’s exactly what happened.

COURTESY OF FYI (2); COURTESY OF MICHAEL CHERNOW

FEEL THE CHERN In addition to owning the seafood-focused Seamore’s and the highly acclaimed The Meatball Shop, Chernow manages his responsibilities at WellWell as the chief culture officer. And the guy finds time to stay ripped.

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MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

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ARNOLD CLASSIC

DON’T MISS IT

See the Arnold Classic Armwrestling Challenge at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, OH, from March 2–5. More info: arnoldsports festival.com

Armed Forces ArmedForces

Titans of arm wrestling gather in Columbus, OH, for over-the-top action. BY STEVE DOWNS

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MUSCLE & FITNESS

WHAT: This year will mark the 20th anniversary of the Arnold Classic Armwrestling Challenge. With 10 qualifiers worldwide, only the best 100 men and women on the planet compete at the Arnold. The Arnold Challenge is held on the Expo Main Stage in front of 20,000 fans. In each of four divisions for men and two for women, prize money will be awarded: 1st, $500; 2nd, $400; 3rd, $300; 4th, $200. FEBRUARY 2017

RULES: Men and women compete separately in this doubleelimination tournament. Due to time constraints, only right-arm wrestling takes place. Competitors stand at the table with shoulders square, gripping their opponent palm to palm, holding the hand peg on the table, bracing their legs. The goal is to pin the opponent’s wrist/hand to the touch pad. There is no time limit, but most bouts take less than 10 seconds.

WHY IT’S COOL: There are few better examples of mano a mano competition than arm wrestling. You may not see guys and gals with right arms twice as big as their left, but you will hear the common phrase “Bring it to the table!” to get you excited. And while 35 to 45 is the best age range for competitors, the 155- to 176pound defending 2016 Arnold champ, “Crazy” George Iszakouits from Canada, is 67 years old!

C O UR T E SY O F A R N O L D SP O R T S FE S T I VA L

ORIGIN: Ten years after the first arm wrestling match in 1952 in a Petaluma, CA, saloon, journalist Bill Soberanes and Dave Devoto formed the World’s Wristwrestling Championship. It aired on ABC’s Wide World of Sports for 16 years starting in 1969, then Sly Stallone’s ’87 cult classic Over the Top boosted the sport’s popularity. Arm wrestling returned to the limelight in 2014 with the show Game of Arms on AMC.

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FEATS OF STRENGTH

STEP 2: Stand at a leg’s length away from the target. With an up-and-through motion, step into the kick and strike the door near the keyhole with the heel of your foot. Aim to kick through the door, not at it.

HOW TO

KICK IN A DOOR 52

MUSCLE & FITNESS

STEP 1: Make sure it’s an emergency, like a fire or a princess is in need of being saved. Keep in mind that cops and firefighters only kick down doors if they absolutely need to, and SWAT teams typically use a battering ram to break down a door. If you don’t have a ram handy but you still want to be a hero, start with a five-minute lower-body warmup routine. Kidding. Proceed to Step 2.

FEBRUARY 2017

toward the door to generate more kick force. Repeat Step 2 until the door collapses. Next, get Your MUSCLES Highness to ENGAGED safety. Then, Quads, glutes, bid milady hamstrings, core, adieu and hit tibialis anterior the gym—unless (front of shin) it’s an off day obviously.

RECOMMENDED EXERCISES

> For leg strength: Barbell squat, leg press, single-leg or pistol squat > For power development: Jump squat, box jump, unilateral leg press performed explosively

I L LU ST R AT I O N S B Y M A R K N E R YS

COURTESY OF EVERETT COLLECTION

If you need to save someone on the other side of a locked door from a fire (or if the door is talking smack), do this. BY JOE WUEBBEN

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A pushup you’ve never tried for a more stable core, p60.

ABS & CORE

Save your spine by adding resistance to your situp, p62.

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Despite being a lifelong breather, you’re doing it wrong. Fix it, p68.

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TRAIN RA BUILD MUSCLE, BURN FAT, PERFORM BETTER

Battle of the Bands

Thinking of getting the band back together? Know which resistance bands to use and how to use them for the best results. BY JO JOEY OEY WOLFE EDGAR ARTIGA

WHICH BAND TO USE

TRAIN

BATTLE OF THE BANDS

RESISTANCE BANDS ARE MORE THAN just stretchy pieces of rubber. Not only are they effective for getting in a full-body workout when time is short and equipment is sparse, but different bands can enhance your flexibility and mobility and help you push past sticking points. Here’s a crash course on getting the most from your bands. WARMUP: MINI BANDS

Mini bands activate your glutes, which helps prevent other muscles from coming into play during exercises like deadlifts and squats to compensate for mediocre glute activation. When to use: Before working sets, especially on lower-body days. How to use: Step through the loop and secure the mini band just above the knees.

SAMPLE EXERCISES

Lateral Shuffle: Stay in an athletic stance and keep tension on your glutes; don’t allow your feet to touch. Split-stance Walk: With one foot staggered, walk forward while maintaining a split stance. Glute Bridge: Lie supine with your feet planted on the floor and the band looped just above your knees. Thrust your hips into the air, focusing on pressing your knees outward.

Performing band pull-aparts will warm up your shoulders.

VARIED RESISTANCE: LOOPED BANDS

This band variety can help assist with pullups and dips and move you past sticking points—weak portions of the lift—by increasing resistance on compound movements to strengthen the weak area. When to use: Before or during a training session.

SAMPLE EXERCISES

Band-resisted Pushup: Wrap the band around your upper back and hold each end in your hands. Rep out your pushups. Pullup/Dip Assistance: Loop the band around a pullup/dip bar and place one foot on the looped band. Band-resisted Back Squat: Loop two bands on either end of a barbell and secure the other end to the top of a squat rack (pull down) or to heavy dumbbells placed on the floor (pull up). These are best used with compound movements like the squat, bench press, and deadlift.

FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT: GRAY COOK BAND

The Gray Cook Band is used for stretching, reinforcing proper form, and improving functional movement patterns. Having a partner hold the band increases the number of moves you can perform. When to use: Before you work out or during your first lift as a means of active recovery. How to use: Use the band as a stretching tool and to perform mobility exercises before or between sets. You can also secure it around certain body parts, which forces your body to stabilize itself, enforcing better form. Bird Dog: On all fours, secure the band around both feet while holding the ends in each hand. Simultaneously extend your left leg and right hand. Repeat both sides. Half-kneeling Lift 90/90 Thoracic Rotation

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A door, some space, and a band is all you need for a full-body workout. When to use: Pre-, intra-, or post-workout to get a pump, as a standalone exercise in your current routine, or as a highvolume finisher. How to use: Find a sturdy anchor point—door frame, pole—or stand in the middle of it for curls and extensions. Perform exercises, supersets, add moves into your routine, or end your workout with a high-volume finisher.

SAMPLE EXERCISES

Overhead Extension: Stand on the middle of the band; grasp the ends in each hand; press overhead. Keep your arms in place; lower your hands behind your head until your forearms break 90 degrees. Press back up. Band Row Standing Chest Flye

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SAMPLE EXERCISES

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n The thinner bands are perfect for pull-aparts, thrusters, and light stretching. Break out the thicker bands for pullups, added resistance on barbells, and stretches that require a greater degree of resistance. $11–35, wodnationgear.com

n Renowned athletic trainer Gray Cook created this band to help lifters improve movement patterns and stretching capabilities. For use standing upright, supine, or virtually any other position you can think up. $29, performbetter.com

STACKABLE RESISTANCE BANDS n The kit allows you to work with more than 100 pounds of resistance, which kills any excuse you have for skipping a workout during vacation. $55, blackmountainproducts.com

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TRAIN

20-MINUTE MUSCLE

Climb the Ladder Two exercises, five rounds, 20 minutes, thicker legs. BY LEE BOYCE WE KNOW WHAT YOU’RE thinking: What’s the deal with a two-exercise circuit? Well, unless you log hundreds of reps in 20 minutes on the regular, this setup is all but guaranteed to trash your legs. For the back squat, you’ll use your 12-rep max to blast out a total of 20 reps

using the ladder method— where your reps are spaced out incrementally and you get short breaks between sets. The round gets capped with walking lunges, which will flush blood to your muscles. Trust us, by Round 5, your lower body will be screaming.

SPEED SESSION

LEGS IN 20 Complete five rounds of this circuit, resting 90 seconds between rounds. EXERCISE

Barbell Squat* Walking DB Lunge

REPS

2, 3, 5, 10 24

*Using your 12-rep max, perform 2 reps, then rack the weight. Rest for 10 seconds, then perform 3 reps. Rest for 10 seconds, then perform 5 reps. Rest for 10 seconds and perform 10 reps. Complete the entire ladder each round.

QUICK TIP

Choose a lighter weight for walking lunges. Otherwise, your risk of injury increases or you’ll burn out too quickly.

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FEBRUARY 2017

PER BERNAL

TRAIN

INSTANT MUSCLE

FOR MORE training tips

and technique tweaks, visit muscleandfitness.com/workouttips

Clap on, Clap off Build a powerful chest and exceptional core stability with this plyometric pushup. BY JOEL SEEDMAN, PH.D. HOW TO DO IT

ONE-ARM CLAP PUSHUP Set up in a pushup position. Keep your core tight and slowly lower yourself toward the floor.

GIVE YOURSELF A HAND

Concentrate on sticking the landing before trying to increase how much air you get before the clap.

Pause for one to two seconds. Your body should be just above the floor without touching the ground.

Maintain a rigid core, and launch yourself into the air as explosively as possible, then rapidly clap your hands together.

Instead of landing on two hands, pull one arm to your side while in midair, and catch yourself in the top position of a single-arm plank. Brace your core to avoid any body rotation or loss of balance as you stick the landing.

WHY IT WORKS

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MUSCLE & FITNESS

GROOMING BY CHRISTIE CAIOLA

Catching your body on one arm requires significant shoulder stability and upper-body strength. As a result, you’ll be forced to intensely activate all the musculature around your core and hips to keep your balance and maintain proper body alignment.

FEBRUARY 2017

JAY S U L L I VA N

TRAIN

ABS AND CORE

FOR MORE ab-shredding workouts, visit muscleandfitness.com/abs

Get (Up and)Over It Add resistance to your situp to boost core strength and shoulder mobility. BY ANDREW GUTMAN THE SITUP HAS LONG been the move for a stronger, more defined core. However, “the overhead barbell situp is a better alternative, as keeping your arms overhead makes you less likely to round your back, which deactivates your core,” explains Matt Pudvah, C.S.C.S., a coach at Attain Therapy + Fitness, in East Longmeadow, MA. “It reinforces proper overhead positioning, leading to improved mobility. Focus on pushing your head through at the apex of the movement.”

HOW TO DO IT

OVERHEAD BARBELL SITUP

FORM CHECK

“Squeeze your glutes before initiating the movement,” advises Pudvah. “This will help your body protect your lower back.”

Lie faceup on the floor, securing your feet, holding a barbell over your shoulders, arms extended. Lift your head and neck off the floor, engaging your abs.

Sit up and reach your hands toward the ceiling—this will help you to keep your chest up and back flat—until your upper body is perpendicular to the floor.

Slowly lower back to the start, keeping your core engaged. Do two to three sets of 20 reps. 62

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

MARIUS BUGGE

TRAIN

BODY WEIGHT RIGHT ANGLE

If the TRX flye is too difficult, begin with your torso more upright and use a steeper angle as you build strength.

Flye High Use a suspension trainer to recruit more muscle fibers and challenge stability when executing a chest flye. BY ANDREW GUTMAN FLYES ARE A GREAT WAY to induce a massive stretch and recruit more muscle fibers than a press would. But not all flyes will help your gains take flight, says David Otey, C.S.C.S., a personal training manager at Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City. “The TRX chest flye helps maximize the recruitment of muscle fibers in the chest and anterior 64

MUSCLE & FITNESS

deltoids because of its nonfixated pattern,” explains Otey. “This places an increased demand on your fine motor units, which will help develop a fuller, more powerful upper body. Due to the orientation of the TRX, the finishing position is a semisupinated hand position—palms facing you—which puts a greater demand on the upper chest.”

FEBRUARY 2017

HOW TO DO IT Extend your arms in front of your shoulders, palms facing each other, and position your feet behind you. Lean forward. Keeping your abs braced, open your arms to a T position with your palms forward and elbows slightly bent. Squeeze your chest to bring your hands together in front of you.

FOR MORE body-weight

routines, visit muscleandfitness .com/body_weight

PER BERNAL

TRAIN

RATE MY WORKOUT

LET US HELP

Submit your workout for review at muscleandfitness.com/ratemyworkout

Back to It

FORM CHECK

You’ll be more fatigued during the triset, so don’t let your form suffer. With rows, ensure that you’re leading with your elbows.

Jeff T. from Eugene, OR, sent us his in-a-rush back workout and asked us to make it even more time-efficient. BY KYLE HUNT, C.S.C.S.

JEFF’S

OLD WORKOUT EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Deadlift

5

5

Pullup

5

5

Bentover Row

4

10

M&F RATING: A-

66

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OUR ADVICE

This routine is already solid, and cutting out anything else will leave your muscles wanting more. Instead, we suggest using a triset. You’ll slash minutes off of your workout and increase your work capacity. Plus, you should increase your reps to 8–12 for the last two movements because reps of five or fewer are better suited for strength and power. Note: Keep straps on hand. Performing these exercises as a triset taxes grip strength.

FEBRUARY 2017

JEFF’S

NEW WORKOUT EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Deadlift

5

5

5

8–12

5

8–12

Superset with Pullup Superset with Bentover Row

IAN SPANIER

TRAIN

RECOVERY

Breathe Right

Your breath stinks—and it has nothing to do with your raging halitosis. BY ZACK ZEIGLER WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT your breath. No, not how it reeks like a protein fart that vomited rotten gym socks (although it wouldn’t kill you to hold the

THE STUDY

The Framingham Heart Study began investigating cardiovascular disease in 1948. Now spearheaded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the research is ongoing. For more info: framingham heartstudy.org

onions and invest in mints). The more pressing issue is your potentially lackluster breathing technique and why routinely failing to inhale and exhale

properly can screw up your health. Over time, dysfunctional breathing patterns can lead to numerous health issues, including immune disorders and anxiety. “One reason improper breathing is so insidious is that the change from good breathing to bad breathing can take a couple of years, so you don’t notice it,” says breathing expert Belisa Vranich, Ph.D. “You get used to not being able to breathe, and you think it’s normal.” The good news is that the path to better breath—and, in turn, better lifts—is quick and painless if you follow the 14-day program in Vranich’s book Breathe.

M&F: A skeptical meathead says, “This breathing stuff sounds like hippie bullshit.” What’s your reply? BV: Breathing is connected to how much you can lift, how fast you can recover between sets, and how you recover from one day to the next. Which means [learning to breathe properly] can help you train harder. What common breathing mistakes do you notice lifters making in the gym? People holding their breath, not using the exhale, and doing things backward—meaning, as they go up or push, they’re inhaling when they should be exhaling. When will someone see results when they follow your program? It varies, but some people see [improvements on] Day 1. Is the routine hard to follow? No. I come from a gym and science background, so my approach is like, “How many plates do I have on here, and how many can I get on by the end of the month? What’s my baseline, and how can I change it to be above average, because I don’t want to be average?” What’s the end game? I want people to use their diaphragm when they breathe. Most people’s diaphragms are almost paralyzed. It’s a muscle that’s in the very middle of your body, underneath your heart, above your digestive system, and when you start using this ginormous muscle it ripples throughout your whole body. And it makes sense: The diaphragm is smack in the middle of your body, so of course it’s going to affect your heart, your heart rate, your lungs, how well you breathe, your digestive organs, your ability to detoxify. It’s kind of wild.

insomnia, and anxiety? I think intuitively everyone knows. There’s a great study called the Framingham Heart Study, and it concurred with ancient yogis’ philosophy that quantitatively showed that the way you breathe is connected to your current health and longevity. In the book, you mention stress as a major reason why people develop poor breathing habits. Why are we such stress junkies? Because we all think we’re so freaking important and that if we [take a break], there’s going to be a major meltdown. The fact is, we’re not that important. Even so, it’s more about the continuity of stress. If you take a couple of seconds throughout the day when you calm down and feel safe—you don’t have information pounding you in the face—you calm down. It rests you. Most people don’t take that moment to reset, and then they go back to their stress—it’s [nonstop], and it’s killing us. So learning to be mindful is part of your program? I have a hard time with the words “mindful” and “wellness” because people tune them out. I’m practical: “Do you have a couple of seconds to reboot?” What’s the trick to rebooting? Too many people check Facebook, send a text, or feel like they should do something when they get time to reboot. Take a couple of breaths— with no information coming in—and ask yourself, “How am I feeling right now?” And then take another breath…and continue with your day.

GETTY IMAGES

Do you think readers will be surprised to learn that how you breathe can impact things like GI disorders, FEBRUARY 2017

BELISA VRANICH’S

book Breathe is available now at barnesand noble.com

MUSCLE & FITNESS

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TRAIN

CROSSFIT INFUSION

FOR MORE CrossFit workouts,

visit muscleandfitness.com/crossfit

AMRAP It Up The classic CrossFit WOD, Cindy, gets a muscle-building makeover. BY JOE WUEBBEN AMRAP—SHORT FOR AM “as many rounds as possible”—is a CrossFit protocol that boosts the Cro intensity of any WOD (workout inte of the t day). The lifter sets a timer for 10 to 20 minutes tim and completes as many rounds as possible, rou taking breathers only tak as needed. n The most popular AMRAP Th WOD is the full-body, WO calisthenics-centric cali “Cindy,” which has you “Cin complete rounds of five com pullups, 10 pushups, and 15 pull air squats for 20 minutes. Cindy is a tough SOB, but for Cin a workout w in the same vein that’ll pack on more size, go with tha our modified version, courtesy of ISSA-certified trainer and CrossFitter ISS Robert Ciresi Jr. Rob “Because the rest periods will be “B relatively short, the muscle overload rela is going g to be great,” explains Ciresi. “The lighter loads, while not in the “Th ‘hypertrophy zone,’ will be enough to ‘hyp stimulate large amounts of muscle stim fibers, especially as the workout fibe progresses and exhaustion sets in.” pro

FINISH STRONG

Ciresi recommends using this hellish full-body workout as a finisher on leg or back days.

AMRAP FULLBODY FINISHER Set a timer for 20 minutes and complete as many m rounds as possible (AMRAP). EXERCISE

Lat Pulldown*

REPS

5

Hand-release Pushup** Ha

10

Goblet Squat* Squat

15

*Recommended weights: Use your body weight or greater on lat pulldowns: “This should be a strong, controlled pull with no swinging,” says Ciresi. Use 35 to 55 pounds on goblet squats, with up to 70 pounds for advanced lifters. **At the bottom of each pushup, lift your hands off the floor momentarily.

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1 FOOD, 5 WAYS

Upgrade your boring morning oats with these five protein-packed recipes, p76.

HEALTHY CHEAT

Swap out your frozen Steak-umms with grass-fed cheesesteaks, p78.

EAT T WHAT’S IN THE FRIDGE THIS MONTH

Feed the Need Keep your diet in check while you feed your “little barbell” the right foods to get it up on Valentine’s Day. BY JONATHAN ROWE SPARROW BRAINS,

GETTY IMAGES

cobra blood, tiger penis, and baboon urine. These are a few of the delicacies old-timey horn dogs used as aphrodisiacs— foods and substances said to arouse and extend sexual pleasures. Evidently, snacking on a juicy tiger dong and washing it down with monkey piss gets you all hot and bothered…as well as woozy and nauseous, we presume. Since the sex police at the Food and Drug Administration have either barred or advised against consuming any item listed above, you’ll have to feast on less exotic aphrodisiacs to increase the odds that your member will rise to the occasion when it’s go time.

10 FOODS FOR SEX

FAST FEAST

Get down with chick food, chicken (and avocado) salad, that is, p80.

FOOD FIGHT

Rice: brown vs. white. Which one’s healthier? p82.

EAT

HEALTHY APHRODISIACS

n Rumor has it that Aztec emperor Montezuma II downed a daily chocolate and chili pepper drink before trysts with concubines. Surprisingly, this concoction had nothing to do with why he became synonymous with explosive traveler’s diarrhea—but it actually did help him pop wood. Chilies trigger endorphins, releasing the same natural high that comes with extreme physical exertion. “Chilies also contain capsaicin, which is known to stimulate the metabolism and increase blood flow, heart rate, and sweat production, all similar to physical reactions during sex,” says Detroyer. Eat the peppers sans the chocolate drink to avoid Montezuma’s revenge.

BE PICKY

Make sure the skin is intact when picking pomegranates at your market.

NUTS AND SEEDS

POMEGRANATE n By looks alone pomegranate can spark the mood, Mary Jane Detroyer, R.D., C.D.N., in New York, explains: “When cut in half, this fruit resembles the female genitalia. And pomegranates are also full of potassium and vitamin C,” which help maintain the body’s fluid balance and decrease tissue inflammation. And if you’re having trouble getting it up, start juicing—an International Journal of Impotence Research study found that pomegranate juice can aid erectile dysfunction.

WATERMELON

NUTMEG

elements of watermelon to have a Viagra-like effect on human blood vessels. Gabe Staub, R.D., C.S.S.D., in Greensboro, NC, says, “Watermelon contains a phytonutrient called citrulline, which the body converts to arginine, an amino acid that boosts nitric oxide levels in the body, affecting blood vessels in the same way a medicine like Viagra does.” Citrulline can also prevent muscle fatigue and soreness, which can come in handy during sex.

spice for its capacity as a stimulant, using it to raise body heat and mask halitosis. Many lifters use it to promote digestive health and reduce pain and inflammation. “Around the 18th century it was used to treat male sexual dysfunctions,” Detroyer says. Nutmeg also contains myristicin, a phenylpropene that can act as a deliriant and cause hallucinations. Don’t go nuts with it, though—at high doses (one to two tablespoons) myristicin can be toxic.

n Researchers at Texas A&M found

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n Early Hindu cultures valued this

FEBRUARY 2017

n Like oysters, cashews and almonds are full of zinc, which improves blood flow to your junk. “Walnuts are high in omega-3, which aids sexual response by raising dopamine levels in areas of the brain that trigger arousal. It can also improve energy, mood, and libido,” Staub says. “Pistachios and peanuts contain the amino acid L-arginine, which is one of the building blocks of nitric oxide [NO], a naturally occurring gas that helps men maintain their erections.” NO is a vasodilator (it widens blood vessels) that has been shown to increase blood flow to muscles and helps control muscle contractions.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: A N D R E A D ’A G O S T O / G E T T Y I M A G E S ; Y E H I A A S E M E L A L A I LY/ STOCKFOOD; LE W ROBERT SON/GE T T Y IMAGES; MARIUS FM7 7/GE T T Y IMAGES; ANSON MIAO/ GETTY IMAGES; KRISTIN LEE/GETTY IMAGES

CHILI PEPPERS

DARK LEAFY GREENS

n Kale, mustard

DARK CHOCOLATE

greens, and collard greens are all rich in antioxidants that improve blood flow to our sex organs and help “protect us from environmental contaminants that can impede libido,” Detroyer explains. “So you might see these foods not truly as an aphrodisiac but as foods that will help us be ready when the moment strikes.”

GINGER

FIGS

ginger has a seductive scent and is a known nervous system and circulatory stimulant. “Gingerol, a potent antioxidant and antiinflammatory chemical, is a significant contributor to ginger’s health benefits and its addictive smell,” says Staub. “It is well known to work the heart, calm indigestion, and ease menstrual pain.”

n “Fig seeds represent fertility, and the rich mouth sensation makes it all very sensual,” Detroyer says. “Adding a little honey to the figs makes them stickier and sweeter, as honey is seen as an aphrodisiac, too.” Figs are also fibrous and contain ample amounts of essential minerals, including magnesium, calcium, and potassium. potassium

n Fresh-cut

n

Chocolate consumption has links to better memory, improved cardiac function, and a reduced risk of stroke. According to a study in the Journal of the American Diabetic Association, dark chocolate contains phenethylamine, a compound shown to release the same endorphins triggered by sex. Antioxidant-rich chocolate is also known to stimulate dopamine production. “Go for dark chocolate and forget the processed milk chocolate choices,” Staub says. Stiffies aside, a study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition also found that the dark kind increased the bioactivity of nitric oxide and led to more efficient workouts.

HOT AND HEALTHY DATE NIGHT DINNER ARRANGED BY MARY JANE DETROYER WINE n Red Bordeaux S TA R T E R n Raw oysters in a spicy red sauce MAIN n Whole-wheat pasta and steamed shrimp, tossed with a pesto sauce of olive oil, basil, and pine nuts n Side salad of arugula, pomegranate seeds, olives, and shaved Parmesan DESSERT n Strawberries with whipped cream and dark chocolate sauce for dipping, with halved fresh figs and walnuts, both drizzled with honey

EARLY RISER

18th-century lover Casanova reportedly ate 50 oysters a day at breakfast.

OYSTERS n Oysters contain roughly 10 grams of protein per six-ounce serving. Additionally, the high zinc content jacks up sperm cell strength, increasing your swimmers’ motility, morphology, and capacitation skills. “Oysters also contain two amino acids, D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartic, that can trigger production of sex hormones,” Detroyer says.

EAT

ABOUT THE CHEF Jennifer

1 FOOD,, 5 WAYS

Iserloh is the author of the Amazon best-selling book Fifty Shades of Kale.

Oatmeal

Shake up your boring oats routine for better digestive health. BY JENNIFER ISERLOH 1 SWEETENED

TURMERIC MANGO BREAKFAST OATS

Bring 1 cup of water and ½ cup old-fashioned oats in a small saucepan to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook eight to 10 minutes until the oats are tender, stirring occasionally. Cover and remove from heat and let stand a few minutes. Top with ½ cup chopped fresh or frozen mango, ¼ tsp ground turmeric, and pinch of black pepper.

2 SLOW COOK

3 NO COOK

4 SPICY

Place 1 cup steel-cut oats and 4 cups water in a slow cooker and set it to high for two to 2½ hours until the oats are tender. Stir in 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp stevia, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, and ¼ cup dried cranberries. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Place ½ cup oldfashioned oats in a small bowl along with cup 2% plain yogurt, cup skim or low-fat milk, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp hemp or sesame seeds, and 1 tbsp maple syrup or 2 tsp stevia. Stir well and refrigerate at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Bring 1 cup of water and ½ cup old-fashioned oats in a small saucepan to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cook eight to 10 minutes until the oats are tender, stirring occasionally. Cover and remove from heat and let stand a few minutes. Top with ¼ cup chopped kimchi, 1 fried egg, ½ sliced avocado, and 2 thinly sliced scallions. Serve immediately.

STEEL-CUT OATS

OVERNIGHT OATS

5 SAVORY

KOREAN OATS

BACON CHEDDAR OATS Cook 2 slices turkey bacon according to the package instructions; chop. Bring 1 cup of water and ½ cup old-fashioned oats in a small saucepan to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cook eight to 10 minutes until the oats are tender, stirring occasionally. Cover and remove from heat and let stand a few minutes. Top with ¼ cup shredded cheddar and sprinkle with bacon.

CHEW ON THIS

For a lasting pre-workout energy boost, blend ½ cup of slow-digesting rolled oats with a scoop of whey and 1½ cups water.

JAMES JACKSON/AL AMY

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EAT

HEALTHY CHEATS

Steak-Yumms

Forget the frozen box of Steak-umms. Make this low-cal Philly cheesesteak with grass-fed beef for vitamin C and iron. BY JENNIFER ISERLOH LEAN PHILLY CHEESESTEAK SERVES 4

1 tbsp olive oil 1 red or yellow onion, thinly sliced 2 red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced ½ tsp seasoning salt, such as garlic or steak seasoning salt Olive-oil cooking spray ½ lb grass-fed flank steak, thinly sliced 2 cups baby kale 4 100% whole-wheat or gluten-free hot dog buns, toasted 4 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add onions, peppers, and seasoning salt and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until veggies start to soften. Transfer to a plate. 2. Coat the skillet with a light layer of cooking spray, then turn the heat up to high. Add steak and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often until the edges start to brown but the slices are still pink in the center. 3. Add kale and cover until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Place buns on a baking tray. Divide steak and veggies among the buns. Top each with a slice of cheese. Place under the broiler for 2 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

375

CALORIES

31g

PROTEIN

30g

CARBS

15g FAT

Unhealthy 12-inch cheesesteaks (below) can contain upwards of 1,000 calories and 43 grams of fat.

CHEW ON THIS

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SHUTTERSTOCK

Grass-fed beef—a great source of iron— has more omega-3s, plus a meatier, richer flavor due to the cows grazing on grass instead of corn.

AMAZING

VALUE FOR BETTER MUSCLEBUILDING

24g Protein

5.5g

Build more lean muscle and boost strength with Premium Gold 100% Whey Protein. This high-quality formula is loaded with 24g of protein, containing ultra fast-absorbing whey peptides for a superior amino acid uptake. Studies show that whey peptides support a powerful insulin spike, transporting nutrients to your muscles for growth and recovery. What doesn't it have? Denaturation from heat or harsh chemicals like you'll find in inferior proteins. Available in two delicious flavors – Double Rich Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream – so you can satisfy your sweet tooth and your muscles!

BCAAs

4g

Glutamine & Precursor

33

Servings (approx.)

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EAT

ABOUT THE CHEF IFBB Pro

FAST FEAST

League bodybuilder Carlo Filippone is the CEO of Elite Lifestyle Cuisine. elitelifestylecuisine.com

Chick Food

Plenty of greens, protein, and healthy fats to munch on. BY CARLO FILIPPONE

SERVES 1

6 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast Handful of mixed greens 2 Kirby cucumbers or 1 medium cucumber, sliced ½ avocado, peeled and sliced Juice of 1 lemon 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch of dry oregano 2 pinches sea salt Black pepper, to taste ¼ tsp minced garlic 2 tbsp sliced kalamata olives

1. Grill chicken breast until cooked (155°F). 2. In a large bowl, mix all remaining ingredients. Place in a serving bowl. 3. When chicken is cooked, place on a cutting board, slice, and distribute atop the salad. Serve.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

CHEW ON THIS

For variety, replace chicken breast with a 6-oz can of tuna.

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531

44g

22g

31g

CALORIES

PROTEIN

CARBS

FAT

B R I A N K L U T C H; F O O D S T Y L IN G BY S U S A N O T TAV I A N O

LEMON GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD

FUEL PERFORM RECOVER WITH PREMIUM SPORTS NUTRITION

3.2g

Beta-Alanine

3g

Citrulline

3g

Creatine HCl

Per 2 scoops

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EAT

FOOD FIGHT

Grain Trust Rice: brown vs. white. BY TOBY AMIDOR, R.D. AFTER YOU TRAIN, EATING FAST-DIGESTING carbohydrates like white rice can create an insulin spike—due to its low fiber and fat content—that enables amino acids to aid in recovery. White rice also contains more iron than brown rice; the iron helps transport oxygen throughout the body. For most other times of the day, brown rice is the

White Rice

better option because the carbs it contains are less likely to be stored as fat. The slow-digesting complex carb contains four times more fiber than white rice. High-fiber diets have been shown to aid weight loss and satiety. Other health benefits of fibrous diets include keeping you regular, supporting gut health, and reducing the risk of certain types of cancers (like colon).

Brown Rice

Calories

205

Calories

248

Protein

4 .3 g

Protein

5.5 g

Total Fat

0.5 g

Total Fat

1.9 g

Carbohydrates

4 4 .5 g

INTANGIBLES Fiber

51.6 g

Carbohydrates INTANGIBLES

3 % DV

Fiber

1 4% DV

Niacin

1 2 % DV

Niacin

1 5 % DV

Thiamin

1 7 % DV

Thiamin

1 2 % DV

Folate

2 3 % DV

Folate

Vitamin B6

7 % DV

Vitamin B6

Iron

11 % DV

Iron

2 % DV 5 % DV

Manganese

3 7 % DV

Manganese

8 8 % DV

Selenium

1 7 % DV

Selenium

2 7 % DV

WINNER: SKINLESS WHITE MEAT TURKEY

WINNER: BROWN RICE For 1 cup cooked long-grain rice. *Source: USDA.

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A NDRE Y M ASL A KOV/A L A M Y

1 4% DV

EAT

SUPP SPOTLIGHT

A Cut Above ACutAbove Hydroxycut SX-7 Revolution is the fat-loss supp that serious lifters want.

Hydroxycut SX-7 Revolution supports energy and focus.

BY JAMES KING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

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MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

BACKED BY SCIENCE A 2006 study published in Research in Sports Medicine had 10 professional soccer players consume 20 milligrams of yohimbe and another 10 a placebo. While there were no changes in athletic performance or muscle mass, the yohimbe group experienced a significant drop in both body-fat percentage and fat mass compared with the control group.

GETTY IMAGES

looking pretty good and looking like you’ve been carved from stone like Michelangelo’s David, but with bigger pecs, is consistency. You need to consistently train with the proper intensity, note how you fuel up and recover, and understand which supps provide the best bang for your buck. Stick to that routine and you’ll be in head-turning shape year-round. When it comes to supps, this all hinges on consuming ingredients that have been proven to work. For example, caffeine anhydrous and yohimbe extract should be the base of any solid thermogenic, as these kick-start your metabolism and help you use fat for fuel more efficiently. Secondly, ensure that whatever you take is backed by clinical studies. Supplements that are promoted as the holy grail of fat loss are usually wholly underdosed and ineffective. While no fat burner is a replacement for a solid nutrition and training plan, Hydroxycut SX-7 Revolution can (and will) help you shed those last few pounds. Hydroxycut’s dual release method combines a quickreleasing liquid formula with a powdered version. Just as you separate your dry and wet ingredients when you start baking, certain supplement ingredients are more stable and effective in either a powdered or liquid form. The two formulas are separated by a membrane, which ensures that the integrity of the active ingredients isn’t compromised. Some guys would shrug that little detail off, but the details are what separate the lean from the shredded.

WHY NOT YOU? Ever dream of becoming a personal trainer? Turn your dreams into reality with ISSA education. Meet Parker “Fitness has been my number one passion for over a decade. After getting my ISSA certification, I felt armed with the tools to be successful in the fitness industry. Shortly after receiving my certification, I began training clients in the Boston area. I gradually built up my client base and this past Spring I opened up my own personal training studio called Parker Cote Elite Fitness. Just a few months after opening, the studio won Boston Magazine’s “Best of Boston” award for “Best Personal Training Studio.” The valuable education I received from the ISSA has prepared me well and played an integral part in my success. Being an ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer has allowed me to use my passion for fitness to inspire and motivate my clients to make positive changes in their lives. Helping people improve their lives through fitness is extremely rewarding, and I am fortunate to be able to do that as my profession. I’m proud to be an ISSA CFT and I look forward to helping more people experience the benefits that a healthy and balanced lifestyle has to offer.” —Parker Cote, ISSA CFT ParkerCoteFitness.com

The ISSA Your Trusted Source for Fitness Education Since 1988 ISSA’s nationally accredited distance education programs provide the education you need to become a Personal Trainer, Elite Trainer, or Master Trainer. Take your certification courses even higher and earn an Associate’s Degree in Exercise Science with an Emphasis in Personal Training. TA, MyCAA, and GI Bill approved.

Personal Trainer

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Fitness Nutrition Exercise Therapy Strength and Conditioning Youth Fitness Senior Fitness Associate’s Degree in Exercise Science with an Emphasis in Personal Training

GUIDED STUDY: Structured study track with virtual classroom and lecture series DEGREE TRACK: 10-week undergraduate online course with weekly lectures, dedicated professor, and guided classroom discussion

1.800.892.4772 • 1.805.745.8111 (intl) or visit ISSAmuscle.com mention mf1702

call

ISSA • 1015 Mark Ave • Carpinteria, CA 93013

Photography

METHODS OF STUDY

Jason Breeze

ACCREDITED PROGRAMS

EAT

SUPP OF THE MONTH

Get Recked

MHP’s Reckless is a pre-workout engineered to jack up energy and enhance focus. BY JON LUMAN

THERE ARE NUMEROUS WAYS to pump yourself up before a lift: blast Slayer through your headphones at max volume; down a quadruple espresso; ask your workout buddy to slap you across the face. But hearing loss, the hardcore jitters, and potentially shedding a tear in front of another guy all kind of suck. Another option is to get Reckless. MHP’s Reckless is a pre-workout formula dedicated to providing mental

THE OTHER GUYS

Aside from the regular ingredients—caffeine, beta-alanine, and creatine—here are three more reasons you’ll want to become Reckless:

focus and an energy rush in four easy steps: Scoop, shake, drink, and lift. It won’t leave you feeling as jittery as other pre-workouts, and, thanks to the tea extract TeaCrine, you won’t crash afterward. The reduced jitters and no-crash component transform Reckless into more than a pre-workout supp—it’s also a good choice for a pick-me-up before a long work meeting or the dreaded “Let’s talk about us” marathon chat with your girlfriend.

SPECTRA: The antioxidant blend features extracts and concentrates—including green tea, kale, turmeric, apple, and blueberry— that have been shown to boost nitrous oxide production and reduce free radicals, which may lead to cardiovascular disease and cancer.

1

NEUROFACTOR: The all-natural coffee fruit extract was tested in a double-blind, placebo-controlled human study to elevate brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) in test subjects. What’s the BFD about BDNF? It’s utilized in learning and for memory and promotes alertness and skill development.

2

INFORMED CHOICE: By enrolling in the Informed Choice program, MHP assures consumers that all the ingredients have been tested by a third party, as well as in two clinical trials.

3

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FEBRUARY 2017

PAVEL YTHJALL

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CREATE YOUR DREAMJOB. According to a Harris Interactive survey, 55% of working adults are in search of a new profession. So why not turn your passion for fitness and nutrition into your own business? We carry the top brands and the latest nutritional supplements with guaranteed low prices. The right concept, the right opportunity, the right time. Open a Nutrishop today!

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> Sandbags, sandbells, and other

sand-filled training tools can fuel strength gains and improve mobility.

SANDBAG STRENGTH BY ERIC PELLINI /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY EDGAR ARTIGA

HOISTING OBJECTS STUFFED WITH sand may seem gimmicky, but learning the benefits should outweigh your initial reluctance. Whether it’s a sand-filled neoprene disc or duffel-bag-size sandbag, exercise variety is virtually unlimited and you’ll activate more grip strength than when using a medicine ball or dumbbell. Also, to control the instability created by the shifting mass, your body is forced to adjust and react to stabilize and remain upright. In turn, you’ll build more strength, burn more calories, and teach your body to move better. When’s the last time you got that from a heavy-ass cheat curl?

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

SANDBELLS, SANDBAG, KETTLEBELLS, TRX, A SLED OR TREADMILL PERFORM THIS WORKOUT THREE DAYS PER WEEK, FOR FOUR TO 12 WEEKS, as a program

on its own or combine it with your preexisting routine. Do not pair this with any powerliftingstyle programs since those require full energy stores and maximum recovery. Instead, leave a day in between each session and perform light isolation work. WORKOUT 1: Teaches the body to move

cohesively. WORKOUT 2: Burns fat as it improves

metabolic rate and work capacity. WORKOUT 3: Builds strength and size.

SHOT ON LOCA AT T I O N AT

MURDER OF CROWS BARBELL CLUB, BROOKLYN, NY

SA N DBAG ST R E NGT H

WORKOUT 1

DIRECTIONS: Start with a one- to two-minute plank, depending on your ability, to warm up your core. Rest one minute between rounds and 30 seconds between exercises. Add a round in Weeks 3 and 4. After Weeks 3 and 4, decrease recovery as you see fit for each subsequent week.

t Split-stance Alternating Kettlebell Row DO IT: With one foot slightly in front of the other, row

one kettlebell to your side as you simultaneously lower the one in your opposite hand. Drive your elbows back and your hands toward your armpits for each rep.

90

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

CIRCUIT 1 EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Bicycles w/ Alternating Sandbell Shift

3

15

Beast w/ Contralateral Limb Lift

3

Sandbagweighted Bridge

3

20

SETS

REPS

Single-arm KB Bottoms-up Chest Press

3

10

Half-kneeling Sandbag Press

3

10

World’s Greatest Stretch

3

Split-stance Alternating KB Row

3

10 (per side)

CIRCUIT 2 EXERCISE

pSingle-arm KB Bottoms-up Chest Press

Half-kneeling Sandbag Pressq

DO IT: Lie back on a flat bench

DO IT: Kneeling on one knee, hold

holding a light kettlebell bottoms up. Allow yourself to stabilize the weight before beginning the press, then slowly lower it, keeping your elbow tucked in.

a sandbag by both handles on the open side of your body. Clean the bag to a front rack position and then press it overhead.

3 (per side)

8 (both legs)

CIRCUIT 3 EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Sandbag Carry

3

1 min. walk

Reverse Sandbag Lunge

3

Sandbag Deadlift

3

(per side)

10 (per leg)

10

FINAL FORM

(PERFORM AFTER CIRCUIT 3 ON ITS OWN): EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Treadmill Sprint** Sprint

5

1 min.

Plank

1

Max time

V-situp

1

Max reps (2 min.)

*After each sprint, walk for one minute. Add one sprint each week.

SA N DBAG ST R E NGT H

pSandbag Deadlift DO IT: Stand in front of a sandbag

with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp the handles, drop your hips, and drive up keeping your back straight.

DO IT: Hold a sandbag in a front rack

position and lunge backward until your knee is just above the floor. When you lunge, inhale to fill your belly with air. This will further stabilize your core. 92

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

GROOMING BY CHRISTIE CAIOLA

t Reverse Lunge with Sandbag

pWorld’s Greatest Stretch DO IT: Lunge forward until your front foot is flat

and you’re on the toes of your back foot. Squat down until your knee is almost touching the ground. Lower the opposite arm of your extended leg to the floor and reach your other arm to the ceiling. Hold for 20 seconds, then lower your arm to the same side of your front leg. Repeat on the other side.

SA N DBAG ST R E NGT H

WORKOUT 2

DIRECTIONS: Add an additional round in Weeks 3 and 4. Rest one minute between rounds and 30 seconds between exercises. After Weeks 3 and 4, decrease recovery as you see fit for each subsequent week.

CIRCUIT 1 EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Sandbag Hold w/Leg Lift

3

Kneeling Sandbag Bridge

3

10

Side Plank w/ KB Press

3

10

SETS

REPS

Sandbell Slam

3

30 sec.

TRX Bilateral Row

3

30 sec.

Hand Release Pushup

3

30 sec.

SETS

REPS

Alternating Sandbell Side Lunge

3

15

Lateral Shuffle to Sandbell Slam

3

10

Sandbag Getup

3

10 (per side)

CIRCUIT 2 EXERCISE

CIRCUIT 3 EXERCISE

5 (per side)

OR

Bear Hug to Floor Getup

3

5

t Bear Hug to Floor Getup DO IT: Bear hug a sandbag and

perform a reverse lunge. Once your front leg is parallel to the floor, hinge forward at your hips and place the weight on floor. Pick it back up, keeping your back straight, and lunge back into place, then repeat. 94

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

40g

32g

Protein

0

Protein

180

Trans Fat

9g

Calories

7.2g

BCCAs

Per 2 scoops

BCAAs

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SA N DBAG ST R E NGT H

pTRX Bilateral Row DO IT: Move your feet closer to

the TRX anchor point to make this exercise more difficult.

t Hand-release Pushup DO IT: Releasing your hands

at the bottom of the pushup forces your body to produce more power to lift itself up.

EVERY MINUTE ON THE MINUTE*

DIRECTIONS: The amount of rounds is set by your ability to finish inside a minute. Stop once you fail to finish within a minute. Try and improve your number of rounds each week. EXERCISE

REPS

Kettlebell Swing

20

Burpee Pullup

5

*Add five reps to the swing and two reps to the burpee pullup every round until you fail to finish inside of a minute. 96

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

0g

1,200mg

2:1:1

8.8 lbs. Muscle

Sugar

BetaAlanine

BCAA Ratio

Gain1

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SA N DBAG ST R E NGT H

Lateral Shuffle to Sandbell Slam DO IT: Set up two sandbells

10 to 15 yards apart from each other. Starting at one bell, laterally shuffle to the opposite end, slam the sandbell, shuffle back, and slam the other bell. Two slams count as one rep.

98

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

pSandbag Getup DO IT: Start on your back with a sandbag

draped over one shoulder and the same side leg bent in a bridge position. Roll toward the opposite elbow, lifting your torso up so you’re in a seated position with your knee still bent. Fully extend your arm so your hand is now supporting your weight. Now press your body upward and slide your opposite leg under your body until you’re in a half-kneeling position. Stand up and then slowly reverse the movement.

SA N DBAG ST R E NGT H

WORKOUT 3

DIRECTIONS: Add an additional round in Weeks 3 and 4. Rest one minute between rounds and 30 seconds between exercises. After Weeks 3 and 4, decrease recovery as you see fit for each subsequent week.

CIRCUIT 1 EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Sandbag Front Carry

5

1 min.

Lat Pulldown

5

10

Sandbag Military Press

5

10

CIRCUIT 2

DIRECTIONS: Rest 90 seconds between exercises, and two to three minutes between rounds. Each week, shave off 15 seconds of rest between exercises. Once you’re resting 30 seconds between exercises (Week 5), follow a 3–1–3 tempo (3 seconds down, 1 second pause, 3 seconds up). Add one second to each phase in the subsequent weeks. EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Sandbag Front Squat

5

10

Box Jump

5

6-10

CIRCUIT 3

DIRECTIONS: Rest for one minute between exercises, and two to three minutes between rounds. After Weeks 3 and 4, decrease recovery as you see fit for each subsequent week. EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Reverse Lunge w/Sandbell Rotation

3

10

Sled Push

5

50 yds.

5

30 sec.

OR

Treadmill Sprint

100

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

Sandbag Front Squat DO IT: For some lifters, using a

standard barbell for front squats can cause wrist pain. Using a sandbag, which is malleable by nature, gives your wrists more freedom to move, instead of locking them in place.

HUNGRY LIKE THE LIKETHE WOLF > Acclaimed chef and

restaurateur WOLFGANG PUCK shares classic and new recipes made healthy to help you lose weight and feel more energetic. PHOTOGRAPHS BY SAM KAPLAN FOOD STYLING BY JAMIE KIMM

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MUSCLE & FITNESS

SDDDSDSDSDDSSD

Recipes excerpted from the book Wolfgang Puck Makes It Healthy. Copyright 2014 by Wolfgang Puck Worldwide Inc. Reprinted with permission from Grand Central Life & Style. All rights reserved. Some recipes adapted by M&F. FEBRUARY 2017

FEBRUARY 2017

MUSCLE & FITNESS

103

WOLFGANG’S TIPS

For a vegan dish, leave out the anchovies and the optional Parmesan. You’ll probably want to add salt to replace the saltiness of the anchovies. Try substituting fresh basil leaves for some or all of the parsley.

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes, Black Olives, and Anchovies Serves 4 Using fresh tomatoes during the peak summer season will make this dish pop with intense flavor that balances the savory with the sweet. Beat the winter blues by picking up sun-ripened tomatoes—usually available year-round at organic grocery stores—and bring summer that much closer.

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup plus 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 2 garlic cloves 2 anchovy fillets, patted dry with paper towels ¼ tsp red-pepper flakes 1 lb red or mixed red and yellow cherry tomatoes, some left whole, some halved ¼ lb large sun-ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped ¼ cup coarsely chopped pitted cured black olives ¼ cup well-drained sun-dried tomatoes, cut into thin strips ½ tbsp sugar ½ tsp kosher salt

104

MUSCLE & FITNESS

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper ¾ lb bite-size whole-wheat pasta, such as fusilli, bow ties, or medium shells Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving (optional) 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. 2. In a food processor fitted with a stainless steel blade, combine oil, ½ cup parsley, garlic, anchovies, and red pepper. Process until uniformly pureed. 3. Pour puree into a large bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, sun-ripened tomatoes, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. Season with sugar, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.

FEBRUARY 2017

4. As soon as pot of water comes to a boil, salt water. Add pasta and cook until al dente—tender but still slightly chewy—following the manufacturer’s suggested cooking time. Drain pasta and immediately add it to bowl with tomato mixture. Add remaining 1 tbsp parsley and toss well. 5. Spoon the pasta into individual large, shallow serving bowls. Serve immediately, passing Parmesan to guests who want it.

THE MACROS

290

10g

46g

9g

CALORIES

PROTEIN

CARBS

FAT

WOL FGA NG P UC K

Chinois Grilled London Broil Salad with Cilantro-MintYogurt Dressing Serves 4 Asian flavors make an already rich-tasting cut of lean meat even livelier, while the bed of salad vegetables adds even more taste and texture and fills you up.

1½ lbs flank steak ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce ¼ cup mirin (Japanese rice wine) ½ cup chopped scallions, plus 2 scallions, cut diagonally into o thi thin in slices, for serving 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger 1 tsp red-pepper flakes 1 garlic clove, minced Freshly ground black pepper 10 oz baby spinach leaves 1 small head radicchio, cut crosswise into chiffonade strips rii ps 4 dates, pitted and cut lengthwise i se into thin strips 1 large carrot, cut lengthwise into very thin slices 1 large or 2 medium radishes, c cut ut lengthwise into very thin slices es 1 cup Cilantro-Mint-Yogurt Dressing ssing

paper towels and season on both sides with black pepper. Grill or broil until medium rare, about 5 minutes per side. Remove steak from grill and let rest in a warm place, covered with foil, for about 10 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine spinach and radicchio and toss well. Arrange beds of salad mixture on 4 serving plates. 5. Carve steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Arrange steak slices on top of beds of salad and garnish with dates, carrot, radishes, and diagonally sliced scallions. Drizzle salad or dot the plate surrounding it with some Cilantro-Mint-Yogurt Dressing. Pass remaining dressing at the table.

FOR THE CILANTRO-MINT-YOGURT DRESSING

1. In a blender or food processor, combine vinegar, mint, cilantro, parsley, honey, and ginger. Blend or process until herbs are finely chopped and a smooth paste has formed. 2. Put yogurt in a bowl and stir herb-ginger mixture into yogurt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use immediately or store in refrigerator, covered, and use within 3 to 4 days.

THE MACROS

338

42g

17g

9g

CALORIES

PROTEIN

CARBS

FAT

WOLFGANG’S TIPS

A lean and flavorful cut of beef, flank steak (sometimes referred to as London broil on menus and in butcher shops) can be tough. But cooking it quickly on the grill and then slicing it thinly across the grain makes every bite tender.

CILANTRO-MINT-YOGURT DRESSING NG

3 tbsp rice-wine vinegar ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 1 tbsp honey ½ tbsp minced fresh ginger 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1. Thoroughly trim steak of connective nectii ve tissue and excess fat; put steak iin na shallow, flat, nonreactive dish large rge enough to hold it flat. In a mixing bowl, stir together soy sauce, mirin, ½ cup chopped scallions, ginger, red pepper, epper, and garlic; pour over steak, cover er wi with i th plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerafrii gerator to marinate for 1 to 2 hours. 2. Prepare a fire in an outdoor grill rii ll or preheat a broiler, stovetop ridged d grill pan, countertop grill, or broiler. 3. Remove steak from marinade.. Discard marinade. Pat steak dry wi with i th FEBRUARY 2017

MUSCLE & FITNESS

105

Roasted Tomatoes Provençal Serves 4 to 8 While reducing the oil in pesto to only a single tablespoon, I’ve based this easy recipe on a classic southern French way to cook tomatoes. For the best flavor, I recommend making it in summer, when you can get good, delicious, sun-ripened tomatoes. LIGHT PESTO (MAKES ABOUT ½ CUP)

WOLFGANG’S TIPS

Yes, more than a third of the calories per serving—43.2%, to be exact—come from fat. But virtually all of that comes from the light pesto’s olive oil, a healthy fat.

½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves 2 medium garlic cloves 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp grated lemon zest Kosher salt Freshly grounded black pepper TOMATOES

4 ripe but firm medium sun-ripened tomatoes Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup fresh whole-wheat or multigrain bread crumbs ¼ cup Light Pesto, plus more as needed for serving FOR THE PESTO

1. Put all basil, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, and 1 tbsp cold water in a mini food processor, mini blender, or in the blending cup of an immersion blender. Process until smooth. Pulse in salt and pepper to taste. FOR TOMATOES

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 2. Halve tomatoes horizontally. With the tip of a small, sharp knife, cut out the core at the stem end of each tomato. Place tomatoes cut side up in a baking dish. Season their cut surfaces well with salt and pepper. 3. In a small bowl, stir together bread crumbs and Light Pesto. Place a spoonful of the mixture on top of each tomato half, distributing it evenly. With the back of a spoon, gently spread mixture over the cut surface of each half. 4. Roast until tomatoes are hot and bread crumb topping is golden brown, about 15 minutes. 5. Serve hot, lukewarm, or at room temperature. If you like, drizzle a little extra Light Pesto over tomato halves.

THE MACROS

74

2g

9g

4g

CALORIES

PROTEIN

CARBS

FAT

WOL FGA NG P UC K

Turkey Piccata with WinterSquash Puree Serves 4 Take advantage of the remaining seasonal winter squash and make this festive dish to bring back fond memories of the past holiday season before spring bursts in.

½ cup good-quality storestore bought cranberry chutney chut WINTER-SQUASH PUREE

1 lb fresh butternut squash, squa unpeeled, seeds and strings removed, cut into large chunks 1 lb fresh acorn squash, unpeeled, seeds and strings removed, cut into large chunks 3 tbsp honey ¼ tsp ground allspice ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground ginger TURKEY PICCATA

WOLFGANG’S TIPS

I especially like how well the Turkey Piccata goes with the squash puree and cranberry sauce. But if you want to enjoy the piccata on its own, one serving has just 353 calories, with 70 calories from fat. Serve some brown rice or a pilaf to soak up the port sauce.

1½ lbs boneless, skinless turkey breast, cut into 8 equal slices Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper pep 8 whole fresh sage leave leaves, plus more for optional garnish 2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto prosciu (about 4 long, thin slices), slices slic halved All-purpose flour, for dusting dus ½ tbsp vegetable oil ½ cup port 1 cup good-quality canned cann low-sodium chicken br broth Juice of ½ lemon 1 tbsp unsalted butter, c cut into 2 or 3 pieces

1. About 1¾ hours before serving time, start preparing Winter Squash Puree. Preheat oven to 375°F. 2. In a single layer in a baking pan, put squash pieces, peel side down, and add 1 cup water. Cover pan securely with aluminum foil and bake until squash pieces are tender, about 1 hour. Set aside until cool enough to handle. 3. Carefully remove foil and, with a metal spoon, scoop the flesh away from the squash shells, transferring it to a heatproof bowl. Mash squash with a potato masher until smooth. Add honey and evenly sprinkle in allspice, cinnamon, and ginger. Stir until

thoroughly blended. Cover bowl with foil and place it over a pan of gently simmering water to keep it warm until serving time. Leave oven on, resetting it to its lowest temperature. PREPARE THE TURKEY PICCATA:

1. Season one side of each turkey slice with salt and pepper, then turn slices seasoned side down. Place a sage leaf on top of each slice and season with pepper. Top with a slice of prosciutto and press down firmly to seal prosciutto and turkey together. Evenly but lightly dust both sides of each slice with flour. 2. Heat a large, heavy nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add oil. Working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding, carefully add slices, prosciutto side down, and sauté until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. With a spatula, carefully turn them over and sear the other side until golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from pan and

keep warm in the oven on a heatproof platter covered with foil. 3. Return pan to the heat. Pour in port and stir and scrape with a wooden spoon to deglaze pan. Stir in stock and lemon juice and simmer briskly until reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes. Stirring briskly with a whisk, add butter a piece at a time until it melts to form a thick, rich sauce. Cover and keep warm. 4. Stir Winter Squash Puree and mound it in the centers of 4 plates. Rest 2 turkey pieces, prosciutto side up, on top. Spoon some pan sauce over and around turkey. Spoon some cranberry chutney on top of turkey and garnish with extra sage. Pass remaining pan sauce and cranberry chutney at the table.

THE MACROS

539

50g

55g

8g

CALORIES

PROTEIN

CARBS

FAT

FEBRUARY 2017

MUSCLE & FITNESS

107

WOL FGA NG P UC K

Blueberry Pie with Teff Pastry Crust Serves 8 Chinese five-spice powder, easily found in the seasonings aisle or Asian-foods section of your market, contributes a very pleasant, slightly exotic flavor to the filling. TEFF PIE DOUGH

11/8 cups white spelt flour ¼ cup teff flour 1 tbsp sugar ½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder ¾ tsp kosher salt 5 oz (1¼ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/8 -inch-thick slices 1. In a bowl, whisk together spelt and teff flours, sugar, five-spice powder, and salt. Add sliced butter and toss lightly to coat them with the dry ingredients. 2. Turn out mixture onto a clean, floured work surface. With a rolling pin, lightly roll butter to flatten slices into flour mixture. 3. Using a dough scraper, gather up mixture into a pile. Then pound it with rolling pin. Repeat the process 3 or 4 times, just until mixture looks dry and flaky. 4. Use scraper to scoop up and transfer mixture back into bowl. Add cup water and stir with a sturdy spoon or a rubber spatula just until a loose dough forms. Turn out dough onto the floured work surface and flatten and fold it over a few times by hand. 5. Form dough into a flat disc. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling out. FOR PIE

1 recipe for Teff Pie Dough Parchment paper 6 cups fresh blueberries, or frozen blueberries, thawed and thoroughly drained ¾ cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling 5 tbsp tapioca starch ¼ tsp Chinese five-spice powder Zest of 1 lemon Pinch of kosher salt 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

3. Preheat oven ove to 350˚F. 4. Put blueberr blueberries in a bowl. In a separate bowl, bowl stir together sugar, tapioca, five-spice powder, lemon zest, and salt. Sprinkle this m mixture over blueberries along alo with lemon juice. Toss thoroughly thor to coat. 5. Transfer blu blueberry mixture to pie shell. Un Unroll reserved rolled-out round roun of dough over blueberries. blueberrie With your fingers or the tines of a table fork, press down all aroun around the rim to seal the top and bottom crusts together. With a small, sharp sh knife or kitchen scissors, scis trim the edge. Use knife k tip to cut a few slits in the top crust to vent s steam during baking. 6. Lightly brush brus top of pie with a little cold water and then lightly sprinkle with sugar. s 7. Transfer pie to a baking sheet. B Bake until crust is nicely browned and the filling is bubbling, bub 40 to 50 minutes. 8. Set pie on a wire rack and let cool to room temperature be before cutting into 8 w wedges.

THE MACROS

63g

15g

FEBRUARY 2017

CARBS

FAT

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Wolfgang Puck Makes It Healthy is now available in paperback. amazon.com

SDDDSDSDSDDSSD

MUSCLE & FITNESS

5g

PROTEIN

1. Prepare Teff Pie Dough as directed. 2. Divide chilled dough in half. On a sheet of parchment paper, use a rolling pin to roll out 1 piece of dough into a 12-inch circle. Loosely roll it up around rolling pin, then unroll over a 9-inch pie plate. Gently press dough into plate. Roll out remaining piece of dough, loosely roll it up around rolling pin, and set aside. 108

401

CALORIES

WOLFGANG’S TIPS

Have fun varying the filling by substituting other berries from the farmers’ market for some of the blueberries.

STRAIGHT UP

TOTAL BODY > We sieved through five years’ worth of our Straight Up Series to bring you the best workout for each body part.

FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, M&F has been pumping out a steady stream of no-frills, straightforward bodypart workouts, aptly named the Straight Up Series. And while many of us enjoy tinkering with new training toys and workout methods—we love ourselves a kick-ass sandbag workout (see page 88) as much as the next dude—these back-tobasics Straight Ups for each body part were known to be particularly effective. Give them a test run or work through them again to see the results. 110

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

LEGS

This lower-body onslaught features classic moves that will trash your legs while building large, sweeping quads. EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Leg Extension

5

10

Leg Press

4

12

Narrow-stance Split Squat

3

10 (per leg)

Body-weight Stepup

3

10

PER BERNAL

ST R A IG H T U P

CALVES

This hellish calf workout is to be performed six times per week for three consecutive weeks, followed by a deload week that you perform only once. Weighted raises are superset with plyometric exercises to hit multiple muscle fibers. EXERCISE

SETS REPS

Standing Calf Raise

REST

2

8

10–20 sec.

Dumbbell Calf Jump

2

20

1 min.

Seated Calf Raise

2

20

10–20 sec.

2

40*/leg

superset with

superset with

Single-leg Box Jump

1 min.

(linear and lateral)* *Using a low box or step, do 20 reps linearly and 20 reps laterally per leg per set (80 total reps).

Single-leg Box Jump (Linear and Lateral) Keep the reps continuous, using a low box or aerobic step (around 12 inches high). Each set will consist of 80 total reps: 20 per leg facing the box/step and 20 per leg facing sideways to the box/step and jumping up laterally to it. PER BERNAL

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ST R A IG H T U P

CHEST

This workout goes above and beyond the normal press-tillyou-drop prescriptions by implementing plyometrics, reverse pyramids, and 100-rep sets. EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Plyo Pushup*

5

5

Bench Press**

4

6, 8, 12, 15

Dip***

4

10

Pec Deck Flye****

1

100

Bench Press Maintain a slight arch in your lower back throughout the lift and load your lats, like a spring, on the lowering phase of each rep.

*Rest two minutes between sets. **Reduce the weight each set to fail at, or about, the rep range listed. ***Use a resistance that brings about failure at 10 reps. If you can’t perform 10 dips, rest 15 seconds between reps to achieve the full 10. ****Choose a weight that takes you to failure between 60 and 70 reps. Rest only as many seconds as you have reps remaining to reach 100. Repeat to reach 100 reps.

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FEBRUARY 2017

Pec Deck Flye The pec deck gives you a deep stretch, but don’t let your arms travel too far back, as this can damage your shoulders. DUSTIN SNIPES; EDGAR ARTIGA

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FROM THE MAKERS OF

ST R A IG H T U P

TRICEPS

The triceps’ main job is to help you push stuff. So push—don’t just “extend” with wimpy, single-joint movements. Close-grip bench and weighted dips will help you train your tri’s to do what they were intended to do, while the modified pushdown will allow you to pile on the weight. EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Weighted Dip

4

10, 8, 8, 6

TNT Pressdown

4

Band Pressdown

3

12

Close-grip Pushdown

1

100

10

TNT Pressdown Set up as you would for a standard cable pushdown, but allow your elbows to fully flare out and keep your head to one side of the cable. Maintain a narrow grip and push to full extension.

Band Pressdown Loop a resistance band over a pullup bar or another high anchor point. The higher the anchor point, the more resistance you’ll feel. 116

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

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FROM THE MAKERS OF

ST R A IG H T U P

BACK

Heavy Dumbbell Row

This workout focuses on building power and strength as opposed to width and thickness. Wearing straps for pullups will help you eke out extra reps. Pendlay and dumbbell rows will work on explosive power and grip strength, and back extensions work your spinal erectors since your back doesn’t stop at your lats. EXERCISE

SETS REPS

Brace yourself with opposite hand, keeping your core tight throughout the set. Gut out at least 20 reps.

Weighted Back Extension Don’t overload your lower back. Start with a 10-pound plate and move up to 25 pounds when the dime feels light.

REST

Pullup w/ Straps

4

Failure 2–3 min.

Pendlay Row

4

6–8

2 min.

Heavy Dumbbell Row*

4

20

2 min.

Weighted Back Extension

3

15

1–2 min.

*Take each set to failure, aiming for high reps (20 at least, 30 or more is better). Use a weight that you can get at least 20 reps with before reaching failure. Do one to two rest-pauses per set to increase your total rep count.

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FEBRUARY 2017

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FROM THE MAKERS OF

ST R A IG H T U P

BICEPS

This workout features exercises that train the bi’s from different angles with different tools. Such variety ensures that both heads of the biceps get maximum stimulation for growth.

EXERCISE

SETS

Double-arm High Cable Curl* 2 Dumbbell Preacher Curl

3

Incline Dumbbell Curl** 3 Standing Cable Curl

3

SHOULDERS

Temporarily excluding presses from your delts routine benefits you in two ways: It gives your joints a break from the heavy stuff, and it allows you to broaden your horizons with some fresh moves.

REPS EXERCISE 15-18 10-12, 10-12, 21 10-12 10-12, 10-12, 24***

*On the last set, superset with standing barbell curls for six to eight reps.

Dumbbell Preacher Curl

**On the last set, do two dropsets of four to five reps each, using a small increment for each drop.

Preacher curls allow for a deep stretch at the bottom of the movement, but be sure to not fully lock out your arms, as you’ll lose the tension on your biceps.

***On the last set, drop the weight by 50% and perform the first eight reps with an outside-shoulder-width grip, the next eight with a standard grip, and the last eight with an inside-shoulder-width grip.

SETS

REPS

Upright Row

4-5

10-12*

Fortune Raise

3

3**

Battling Ropes

3

Tabata***

Face-pull

3

15

*Aim to fail at 10, 11, or 12. Rest up to one minute between sets. **For three minutes, alternate between shadowboxing and DB raises (front, side, and rear, and overhead presses) every 30 seconds. Use three- to five-pound DBs and strict form. Rest up to one minute between rounds or sets. ***Do eight 20-second segments of all-out work, each followed by 10 seconds of rest. Alternate between two-handed slams and alternating waves in each work segment.

ABS

The abs are as important as any other body part—and perhaps more when you consider that all athletic movements stem from your core—so they should be trained as such. A high-volume barrage of unique exercises will ensure that you spark new growth to those often-pesky six-pack muscles. EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Cliffhanger

4

25

Scorpion Tail

4

10

Dip Bar Knee Raise 4

25

Flutter Kick

20

120

4

MUSCLE & FITNESS

Cliffhanger Cli iffhange er Sit on the back end of a fixed, flat bench. Reach forward with your legs and secure yourself with a pigeon-toed hold under the bench. Slowly lean back, engaging your abs, and then raise yourself back up.

FEBRUARY 2017

BRIAN KUHLMANN

PER BERNAL

PART

2

PUMPING IRON AT 40

> An interview with

director George Butler, the man responsible for making bodybuilding a cultural mainstay that has inspired a younger generation of lifters. BY SHAWN PERINE

I

It’s hard to overstate the impact of director George Butler’s 1977 documentary Pumping Iron, not just on bodybuilding, but on society. For one thing, it introduced the world to pre-Conan Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose incredible success might not have been possible without his breakout performance as himself in P.I. Then there’s the mainstreaming of gyms that can be traced to the film’s release. Beginning in the late 1970s and well into the ’80s, the health club industry saw massive growth, with chains popping up throughout the U.S., then the world, and with them, a surge in gym memberships. Pumping Iron is the reason many of us, myself included, got into working out in the first place, so it’s with great pleasure that I wish George, Arnold, and the rest of the film’s cast and crew a happy 40th anniversary.

PUMPING IRON @ 40

PUMPING IRON: The film that almost wasn’t. With the exception of the brothers Weider, few people have had as much of an influence on the popularization of bodybuilding as George Butler. As the engine that conceived, directed, and then brought the film Pumping Iron to theaters 40 years ago, Butler has given bodybuilding fans the world over a visual touchstone that still serves as everything from historical reference to motivational guide to celluloid bible. M&F: What was your first professional experience with bodybuilding? George Butler: Charles Gaines was assigned by Sports Illustrated to write an article on a bodybuilding contest for the July ’72 issue. He asked me to take the photographs.

Right. We did the entire book and turned the manuscript in to Sandy Richardson, who was editor in chief at Doubleday, and he wrote us a letter saying, “I want my money back. No one will ever read this book, and no one will ever be interested in Arnold Schwarzenegger.”

What was the contest? It was the Mr. East Coast, which was held in Holyoke, MA, and was won by a wonderful bodybuilder named Leon Brown.

So then you shopped it around in New York? Yeah. We ended up at Simon & Schuster.

Did you have funding at this stage? Well, funding came in very erratically and with great difficulty. I actually went to 3,000 people one by one to finance the film.

That was in ’74? Late ’74.

3,000?! Yeah, it’s really true. I’m not exaggerating.

And was it a success? Yes. It made The New York Times Best Sellers list.

So you then went out and shot some footage? We shot a test film, and I screened it in New York for 100 investors, and [actress] Laura Linney’s father [playwright Romulus Linney] got up and said, “George, if you ever make a movie about Arnold Schwarzenegger, you’ll be laughed off 42nd Street.”

How did that come about? A friend of mine was running for parliament in Jamaica, and he had a political rally in the parish church, and part of his rally included a bodybuilding exhibition with a guy named Samson. The power went out in the middle of it, so they lit it with kerosene flares. After the Sports Illustrated article came the book. I understand that you faced a few obstacles in attempting to get it published. Hadn’t Doubleday given you an advance to do the book?

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How many editions have there been? I think about 20 printings. Your book is what inspired me to take up bodybuilding. When I was about 10, I remember thumbing through a copy in a department store and coming to the picture of Arnold with a topless girl on his shoulders, and I thought, “That’s what I want to be.” Well, bear in mind that the woman on his shoulders was the top woman bodybuilder at the time. I took those photos for a Playboy article, and Arnold was supposed to be the male bodybuilder, and Heidi was supposed to be the female bodybuilder. So after the book comes the movie.

FEBRUARY 2017

That kind of negative attitude still astounds me. What you’ve got to understand is that back in the early ’70s, bodybuilding was the least glamorous sport in the world. The prevailing view was that it was purely homosexual, that bodybuilders were totally uncoordinated, that when they grew older their muscles would turn to fat, and that they had no intelligence whatsoever. Charles Gaines said that it was like trying to promote midget wrestling. It was so tawdry…everyone we knew was laughing at us.

P R E V I O U S S P R E A D : Z E L L E R / © F I T N E S S P U B L I C AT I O N S , I N C . / C O U R T E S Y O F W E I D E R H E A LT H & F I T N E S S

Were you familiar with bodybuilding at the time, or was it a new experience for you? I had grown up in Jamaica and the West Indies, and I used to work out in a gym in Jamaica, and bodybuilding was a big sport down there. I saw my first bodybuilding exhibit actually at a political rally in a church in Savanna-la-Mar, Jamaica.

What was it like trying to bring the film to the screen? Was Charles involved? Charles decided he didn’t want to be involved in the movie. Pretty much everyone deserted by this point.

It’s amazing not only how far bodybuilding has risen since then but how far it seems to have fallen at that time. Back in the ’40s and ’50s, guys like Charles Atlas and Steve Reeves didn’t portray that image. Yeah, but there were limited pockets of bodybuilding. If you look at Charles Atlas, he wasn’t really much of a bodybuilder, and Steve Reeves made it in the movies and was very handsome. Look at it this way: Arnold Schwarzenegger arrived in America in 1968, and when we met him in 1972, the Mr. Olympia contest was held in a tiny little auditorium in Brooklyn and the prize money was something like $1,000 and only Arnold and Franco were making it as professional bodybuilders. Everyone else had another job. Leon Brown worked at a Laundromat in Staten Island.

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I know that Steve Michalik was a graphic artist. Steve had to have a full-time day job, and he was Mr. America. It was a joke it was so bad.

Z E L L E R / © F I T N E S S P U B L I C AT I O N S , I N C . / C O U R T E S Y O F W E I D E R H E A LT H A N D F I T N E S S

How big a crew did you have for the filming? Well, the way I shoot films, my crews expand and contract. For instance, when I was shooting at Lou [Ferrigno]’s gym in Brooklyn, it was really just half a dozen people. When we were shooting at Gold’s Gym, we had a bigger operation. It was probably 12 people, which included the cinematographer, gaffer, the assistants, and me, and some electricians, etc. Basically I’m very proud of the fact that I’ve always worked with a small crew. When we were filming in South Africa at the contest, we were running about six cameras, and with South African assistants we probably had 30 people. It feels like a larger production, though, especially the competition scenes in which you go from backstage to the audience’s perspective to onstage. What kind of a budget did you have? I raised $400,000 to make the movie. Amazing that you could film for so long on such a small budget. You shot for about three or four months, I figure. Yeah. And so when Pumping Iron was released, was it straight to the art houses, or did it have a wide release?

Actually it began at the Plaza Theatre, which was a regular movie theater in New York, and it broke every box office record there was at the theater. Were the reviews generally positive? Are there any memorable stories related to the film’s release? Oh, yeah. Well, it got fabulous reviews, and through a friend I got Jacqueline Onassis to come to a lunch for Arnold and that sent people through the roof. And I put Arnold before that in the Whitney Museum and in a ballet studio, and I got Jamie Wyeth to paint him. Now, I remember the movie from PBS. It was before VCRs, so I used to run to the TV with my audio tape recorder and tape the audio for later listening. When did PBS start airing it? Probably, I would say, in late ’77. So pretty soon after the release. Well, it was released in January ’77. So probably in October/November, it went on PBS. Even that was exasperating. The distributor, which was a company called Cinema 5, which was like the Miramax of its day, sold Pumping Iron to PBS for 30 grand. About a week later, ABC came to me, and Tony Thomopoulos, the president, asked me if he could buy it. I said, “Well, how much?” and he said, “$1,000,000.” And by that time it was too late? Yeah.

Now among the bodybuilding set, there is a lot of speculation concerning a few of the scenes in Pumping Iron. I’ve talked to others who have wondered if some of the film is documentary or maybe a little bit of the guys acting for the camera. One case in particular that everyone talks about is the “missing T-shirt/crusher scene” and the on-screen friction between Ken Waller and Mike Katz. How much of that was real? The only tricky thing involved there is that Waller evidently stole Katz’s T-shirt because we got on film Katz saying, “Where’s my T-shirt? I bet Waller took it.” And so we filmed the before after. With him tossing the football around with Robby and Roger talking about how he was going to do it? Exactly. What about Arnold? He told so many great stories that are still debated, like whether he really missed his father’s funeral (as he states in the film). That’s true. He did not go to his father’s funeral. And when he made his analogy of a pump feeling like an orgasm, did he clear that with you first or was it just extemporaneous? No, that was extemporaneous.

Arnold works with a professional dancer to improve the fluidity of his posing.

rooms with one person around him and his father, and Arnold would work out in a gym in California that had its doors open, was wide open, right on the beach. And it was light and airy, and Louie’s was dark. Louie was dark and brooding. Arnold was blond and big and beachy and stuff like that. But both men are sons of policemen. I found that very interesting, and I’m sure Arnold subconsciously registered that. So the film set up this wonderful contest between these two men, and of course Louie was 6'5" and he’s a giant, really. But here’s something interesting not many people know. Nik Cohn wrote a movie called Saturday Night Fever. He wrote the screenplay for it, and the whole Italian family, John Travolta’s family, is modeled on Louie and his family.

Were there any things that didn’t make it to the screen that were great, funny, or remarkable? [Laughing ] Thousands of things. Any that you can share? Yeah. I’ve got Louie saying on film, “All I want to be is the Hulk,” and this was several years before he became the Hulk.

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I’ve had the opportunity to speak with him and found him to be a thoughtful and considerate person. He’s a fine human being. What was it like shooting the scenes with Lou Ferrigno and his dad? Well, when you make a film like Pumping Iron, you’ve got to put a good story together, and I had a keen insight into Louie’s relationship with his father. I knew that he was the perfect bodybuilder to set up as the guy who could, or might, knock off Arnold. And the contrast was perfect. Louie worked out in a small, dark gym in Brooklyn that was actually R&J Health Studio, which was owned by a man named Julie Levine. And Gold’s Gym in California was the exact opposite. Louie would work out in these tiny little

FEBRUARY 2017

That’s too funny! Moving on to Franco. He seemed like a lot of fun to be around. I was always very fond of Franco. It was my idea to go to Sardinia and film there. That’s when we were really doing seat-of-the-pants filmmaking because three of us went to Sardinia: myself, Bob Fiore, and his girlfriend, who was Marshall McLuhan’s daughter. I did sound and lighting, and Bob did lighting and camera work, and we were able to do key scenes for the movie in Sardinia with literally a two-man crew. And it worked. And we got stopped by the police in the mountains. It was very exciting stuff because Franco’s mother and father were real shepherds, and I’m not even convinced any other Americans had been to his village before us. It was way, way up in the mountains in Sardinia, and it was so remote, and it was so high up that there was still ice in June on the lakes. At one point Franco chopped a hole in the

B U T L E R / C O U R T E S Y O F W E I D E R H E A LT H & F I T N E S S

Amazing. Now you’ve got four main protagonists in the film, and each one was pretty different from the others. I’d like to get your thoughts on each. What was your impression of Mike Katz? I adored him. He was authentic, and he always wore his heart on his sleeve, so you could tell on his face what was going on in his mind. The most amazing thing I know about Mike Katz is that he was a high school teacher. We filmed him at his high school, and I watched him playing touch football, and he began on the zero yard line, and he ran 100 yards down the field. There were a lot of good high school athletes there, and no one could touch him. I mean he went so fast, and he was so agile. You’ve got to remember, this was

a guy who played track, hockey, and football. Three sports, All-American in college. You know, he was a New York Jets lineman, and I’m pretty sure he could have played professional hockey or could have thrown the discus or something like that. I mean, he’s an astonishing athlete and a great human being.

You’re kidding! Actually, I can see it. Like the scene in which Louie’s family is sitting around the kitchen table… Yes! It’s all John Travolta’s family. With his sister and brother and the Catholic Church and everything else. It was modeled on them in Pumping Iron.

PUMPING IRON @ 40 ice and caught some trout, which he served us for lunch. On another occasion Franco’s family put me in the only available bedroom, which was his sisters’ room. Five of his sisters were going to sleep in the room with me, so this was quite wonderful. Then I realized Franco’s father was sitting right outside the window at the foot of my bed, watching me all night long.

water bottle is in Massachusetts. Mike Katz was filmed in Connecticut. The movie actually opens in San Francisco.

With Arnold Stang. [Laughing ] Yeah. And even his voice had to be redubbed in that movie.

Is that the ballet scene? The ballet scene was New York City. That was another location I forgot to mention. It was shot in Joanne Woodward’s dance studio in Manhattan.

That’s probably the best aspect of it: the overdubbed voice. And I’ll tell you another little sidebar. When I was trying to get Pumping Iron going, I was very short on money. So I went to this lab in New York, and I had just come back from shooting the initial part of the film. I asked them if they’d give me some credit, which is the kind of thing they normally do when you get going on a movie. This was a place called DuArt Film Lab, and the owner of it was someone named Irwin Young. So I went in with my hat in my hand and asked him if he would give me $15,000 worth of credit. He said, “Tell me what you’re doing,” and I said, “Well I’m making a movie about bodybuilding.” Then he said, “Does it have anything to do with Arnold Schwarzenegger?” and I said, “Yes.” So he said, “Forget it. I won’t give you any credit. I had a movie in here called Hercules in New York, and they never paid a bill, and they owe me 30 grand.”

That’s fun footage. The movie is so international, and it’s amazing how you did it on such a small budget with such a small crew and yet it’s this globe-hopping excursion. Well, we filmed in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Montreal. We filmed at the Whitney Museum in New York. We filmed in Connecticut. We filmed in Massachusetts. We filmed in Paris, and we filmed in South Africa.

Another interesting tidbit. Turning now to Arnold. We all know that he is this self-made man. What was your impression of him? Did he just seem like a guy who was born to be successful? Yeah, well, the reason I made the film was because I thought he was very charismatic and interesting and smart. But initially, when I met him, he had been in America four years and virtually nothing had happened. You know, he wasn’t in other movies. We were the first people outside of bodybuilding to interview him.

Now I’d be hard-pressed to figure out exactly which scenes were shot where. Well, where Franco blows up the hot-

Yeah, he did Hercules in New York and then kind of laid dormant for awhile. Hercules Goes Bananas.

How long were you in Sardinia? Probably a week.

That’s a riot! What a coincidence. [Laughing] It was an unfortunate one.

C O U R T E S Y O F W E I D E R H E A LT H & F I T N E S S

George Butler and crew film Arnold repping out a set of barbell curls in preparation for his sixth Mr. O in Pretoria, South Africa.

EDGAR ARTIGA

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

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THE

MINUTE WORKOUTS

> Start shedding winter weight with these three time-oriented routines that can fit into any schedule.

We e understand und d if you y decided ided to take a hiatus from m eat eating superclean lean or training ng with high intensity every day during duri the holidays. days You’re busy usy spending time with family and nd ffriends, attending ndin parties, s, snacking on fresh-baked goods, ds, sipping s on free ee booze, b and d staying up late anxiously waiting ing to see if anyone one at the North orth Pole who mindlessly forgot to o leave l a new n home m gym under nder your tree would remember to deliver liv it around r New Year’s.. (Seriously, WTF, Santa!?) But getting g in the holiday into h spirit pirit also leads to owning a holiday a bodyy that’s th softer f and flabbier. In fact, according to a 12-month m stu study published l in the New England Journal of Medicine, c holiday olid weight gain n is a worldwide trend. Researchers asked 3,000 000 subjects in thee United States, Germany, and Japan to weigh eigh themselves every very day for a year. When the study ended, d, the researchers noted that the biggest weight gains camee around arou the Christmas-New stmas-New Year’s season, with

subjects from all three nations packing on an average of 1.8, 1.3, and 1.1 pounds respectively. If you’re in that weight-gain club, you can erase any acquired flab by getting back to consistency—both in the kitchen and the gym—and easing your way into grueling workouts. That’s why we’ve put together these three routines—designed by Jordan Yuam, owner of Jordan’s Virtual Fit Club in Valencia, CA, and the trainer who helped whip Twilight teen wolf Taylor Lautner into howlingly good shape—that can fit into anyone’s busy schedule. The 10- and 20-minute workouts can be done at home, with light dumbbells and resistance bands, while the 45-minute workout requires a full gym. Either way, any of Yuam’s workouts will have you feeling the pump as you get stronger by performing abbreviated movements so you’ll get the full affect without taking an exercise through the full range of motion. FEBRUARY 2017

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HOW IT WORKS HOWITWORKS

Each of the following routines runs either 10, 20, or 45 minutes. The longest workout is meant to be done in a gym, but the shorter workouts can be performed almost anywhere with just a resistance band and light dumbbells. The routines are designed to not only give you a full-body workout but also strengthen weak points—and pump up your trophy muscles. Yuam wrote the program as if he were training you under strict time constraints. You’ll notice that the range of motion on several exercises is limited. This keeps the focus on the main muscle group, preventing the stabilizers or other “helper” muscles from taking over. It’s not as functional as using a full range of motion, but it will lead to the kind of muscles that will fill out your T-shirts.

10

MINUTE WORKOUT

FREQUENCY

Perform the appropriate workout (10 min., 20 min., 45 min.) whenever time allows.

HOW TO DO IT HOWTODOIT

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BAND WOODCHOP

Sets:: 2 Re Reps: eps: 12–15 Attach a D-handle to the low pulley of a cable machine and hold the handle with both hands. Stand away from the machine to increase tension and twist your torso up diagonally from the anchor point.

MUSCLE & FITNESS FEBRUARY 2017

SDDDSDSDSDDSSD

Perform the exercises as straight sets, completing all the given sets for one move before going on to the next.

1.

2

PUSHUP

Sets: 2 Reps: 10

PLYO PUSHUP 3.

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 Perform a pushup but explode up so that your hands (and feet, if possible) leave the floor.

4 WALKING PUSHUP

STEVE BOYLE (2); DUSTIN SNIPES

Sets: 2 Reps: 10–12 Get into a pushup position and walk forward on your hands, dragging your feet behind you. Each “step” is one rep. Let your hips swivel with each step.

5

ICE SKATER

6

Sets: 2 Reps: 8–10 (EACH SIDE) Stand on one leg and, keeping your lower back in its natural arch, bend forward at the hip and pick up a cone (or other light object) in front of you.

PLYO LUNGE

Sets: 2 Reps: 12 (EACH LEG) Get into a lunge position and then jump as high as you can. Keep your torso upright for the entire movement.

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7.

STATIONARY LUNGE ARYLUNGE

Sets: 2 Reps: 12 (EACH LEG) Stand with one leg in front of the other then lower your body until your rear knee nearly touches the floor.

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20 1

MINUTE WORKOUT

BAND WOODCHOP

Sets: 2 Reps: 12–15 See the 10-Minute Workout on page 130 for description.

2.

SPRINT

Reps: 10 Sprint 20 yards, then walk 10. Repeat for 10 reps.

3.

PUSHUP TO ROW PUSHUPTOROW

Sets: 2 Reps: 8–10 (EACH SIDE) Hold a dumbbell in each hand and perform a pushup. At the top, row one dumbbell to your side. Work the opposite arm on the next rep.

DSSDSSD DSSDSSD DSSDSSD DSSDSSD DSSDSSD DSSDSSD DSSDSSD DSSDSSD

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4

COBRA TO SUPERMAN

Sets: 2 Reps: 5–10 sec. Bend forward at the hips, squatting slightly, and reach your arms out in front of you with palms down. Hold for five to 10 seconds, then reach your arms behind you and turn your palms up, holding five to 10 seconds.

5

REVERSE-GRIP ROW

Sets: 2 Reps: 15 Hold a dumbbell in each hand and the handle of a resistance band. Stand on the band. With palms facing forward, bend over at the hips and row the weights to your sides.

6

REVERSE FLYE

Sets: 2 Reps: 20 Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand on one leg. Bend forward at the hips so your arms hang straight down. Raise the weights out to your sides.

7

BAND LATERAL RAISE

Sets: 3 Reps: 12–15 (EACH SIDE) Stand on a resistance band and hold one end in one hand. Raise your arm 90 degrees to your side.

8.

DUMBBELL DUMBBELLCURL CURL

Sets: 2 Reps: 20 (EACH SIDE) Hold the innermost side of the handle. Curl dumbbell then lower the weight to six inches below 90 degrees (do not lock out your arm).

DUMBBELL BAND KICKBACK 9

EDGAR ARTIGA (2); DUSTIN SNIPES

Sets: 2 Reps: 20 (EACH SIDE) Hold a dumbbell in one hand and the end of an anchored band. Keeping your elbow close to your side, extend your arm behind you.

BAND EXTERNAL ROTATION 10

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45

MINUTE WORKOUT

1

BAND WOODCHOP

Sets: 2 Reps: 15 See the 10-Minute Workout on page 130.

2.

CRUNCH

Sets: 2 Reps: 15 Look at your legs in front of you throughout each rep.

OBLIQUE CRUNCH

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Sets: 1 Reps: 10–12, 12 (DROPSET) Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lie back on a flat bench. Press the weights over your chest and lower them only until your elbows are bent 90 degrees (so you keep constant tension on your triceps). Perform 10–12 reps, then grab a lighter pair of dumbbells and do another 12 reps immediately.

DUSTIN SNIPES; MIKE RAABE

3

Sets: 2 Reps: 15 Hold the handle of a cable overhead. Stagger one foot in front of the other. Crunch torso toward the leading foot, keeping your weight on your rear leg.

DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS BENCHPRESS 4.

5.

INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS INCLINEDUMBBELLPRESS

Sets: 1 Reps: 10–12, 12 (DROPSET) Perform the same procedure but on an incline bench.

6

CABLE FLYE

Sets: 2 Reps: 10–12, 12 (DROPSET) Hold the handles of two opposing cable pulleys and allow your arms to extend back until you feel tension on your chest. Slowly bring your hands closer together until they’re in front of your chest and then quickly (but with control) let them extend back again. Perform a dropset as described in the previous two benchpress exercises.

9.

7

ONE-ARM PULLDOWN

Sets: 2 Reps: 20 (EACH SIDE) Hold the handle of a high cable pulley with your arm straight. Pull the handle down to the outside of your hip, concentrating on your back.

8

TWO-ARM PULLDOWN

Sets: 2 Reps: 15 Hold two cable handles and bend forward at the hips. Pull the handles down to hip level.

DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE DUMBBELLLATERALRAISE

Sets: 1 Reps: 15, 15 (dropset) Raise dumbbells out to 90 degrees. Perform 15 reps and then lighten the load so you can do another 15 immediately.

MICH A EL DA R T ER; PAV EL Y T HJA LL

FROZEN ASSETS Yes, it’s possible for produce to be fresh and frozen. Stock your freezer with these 11 fruits and vegetables that are tasty and nutritious—and will save you some money, too! BY ANDREA PLATZMAN, R.D.

T

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These berries, melons, tomatoes, and greens can be exposed to pesticides, extreme heat, and light during transport, further compromising their freshness and nutritional value. By contrast, most frozen fruits and vegetables are promptly blanched, boiled, or steamed and then frozen within hours of being picked, a process that helps lock in both fresh taste and nutritional value. Frozen produce is also available year-round and in most cases is cheaper than fresh. It’s high time, then, to stock your freezer with these underappreciated nutritional powerhouses.

NICK FERRARI

The supermarket can paralyze your mind. Too many decisions come into play within the aisles. Paper or plastic? Self-checkout or cashier? No-frills generic or brand name? Fresh or frozen? In the latter quandary, fresh produce is seemingly the safer bet, but don’t ice out frozen fruits and vegetables just yet. Studies by IFR Extra have shown that produce can lose up to 45% of its essential nutrients during the journey from farm to table—a period that can last as long as 16 days.

CORN ON THE COB At just 59 calories per ear, corn is packed with fiber, antioxidants, and B vitamins. It’s a great source of carotenoids like lutein that protect your eyes from macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness in adults. Add corn kernels to your salad, soup, or black-bean salsa. Sauté with finely chopped jalapeño, cilantro, and a sprinkle of cotija cheese for Mexican esquites (that’s “toasted corn” to you, gringo). Or enjoy the whole ear. Just skip the butter.

F ROZ E N A S SE T S

BROCCOLI

WINTER SQUASH

helps lower cholesterol and detoxifies the body. It’s also a good source of fiber to aid in digestion, kaempferol to fight inflammation, and vitamins A and K to ward off vitamin D deficiency. Toss florets with wholewheat pasta or orzo; use them in omelets; or stir-fry with thinly sliced sirloin, chopped garlic, and lowsodium soy sauce for a quick dinner.

is like a multivitamin on your plate, protecting you from a host of ills. Top pureed winter squash with cinnamon and maple syrup for a cold-weather treat. Or for a more savory soup, blend squash, low-sodium broth, and sautéed onion and garlic. Add nonfat Greek yogurt for a creamier variation.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

SPINACH

help lower cholesterol, protect your DNA, and have anti-cancer benefits. Throw them on a sheet pan with a little olive oil and chopped garlic and roast at 400°F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Packed with cancer-reducing antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, spinach is also a good source of iron. You can add chopped spinach to lasagna, scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, or any sauce or soup for added flavor and nutrients.

BLUEBERRIES

CHERRIES

It’s hard to believe how much cancerfighting power is packed into such a small superfruit. Keep them on hand to boost the flavor and nutrients in your protein shakes, or add frozen blueberries to hot oatmeal.

Research links cherries’ red color—provided by the fruit’s powerful anthocyanins—to a reduction in inflammation, total cholesterol, and belly fat. Defrost some cherries and put them on top of plain Greek yogurt.

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A cup of blueberries has just 71 calories with 6 grams of fiber.

GREEN BEANS

CAULIFLOWER

Rich in eye-protecting phytonutrients, green beans also help your bones stay strong, thanks to their high concentration of silicon. Use them in a classic Niçoise salad made with omega3-packed tuna and potatoes, or sauté with sliced garlic, cherry tomatoes, and red-pepper flakes for a spicy low-cal side.

This cruciferous vegetable helps reduce the risk of cancer, particularly prostate, bladder, and colon cancers. Chop in the food processor, then microwave in a covered dish for an alternative to rice; or puree with fennel seeds to make a dip or soup.

CARROTS are rich in betacarotene, a form of vitamin A that’s great for your vision, and heart-healthy antioxidants. Throw frozen carrots into stews and soups—do so earlier in the cooking process if you prefer them more tender or toward the end for a little more crunch.

PEACHES

NICHOLAS EVELEIGH/GETTY IMAGES

These fruits are high in calcium, potassium, B vitamins, and antioxidants. Add sliced peaches to cottage cheese for a high-protein, low-carb post-workout snack; bake with cinnamon and a touch of agave; top with low-fat frozen yogurt.

HOW FRESH IS FRESH? CARROTS 9–10 days from farm to table 10% of nutrients lost

PEAS 8–10 days from farm to table 15% of nutrients lost

BROCCOLI & CAULIFLOWER 6–16 days from farm to table 25% of nutrients lost

GREEN BEANS 11–15 days from farm to table 45% of nutrients lost Source: Institute of Food Research

F ROZ E N A S SE T S

FREEZER BOX The basics on freezing (and unfreezing) food, according to Kathy Bernard, technical information specialist with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

HOW LONG CAN YOU FREEZE SOMETHING?

“Food is safe in the freezer almost indefinitely, but its quality will decrease over time,” says Bernard. A few ballpark figures to keep in mind: Frozen hamburgers should be used within three to four months, cooked leftovers are good up to six months, and frozen steaks and whole chicken or turkey can last up to a year. Food hoarders, rejoice!

WHAT ABOUT DEFROSTING?

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You have three safe options for thawing food: in the fridge, in cold water, or in the microwave. “It’s best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator,” Bernard says. Just chuck the frozen food in and wait until it’s soft. “Small items usually thaw overnight; larger foods may require a day or two. And especially large items like turkeys may take longer, approximately one day for every five pounds of weight,” she says. “If you don’t like to use the microwave for faster thawing, your best bet is the cold-water method.” Place food in a leakproof plastic bag and float it in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes to keep it cold, and after thawing, cook immediately. If you’re defrosting food in the microwave, cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving, Bernard says.

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EAT THE RAINBOW If you want to find out the benefits of frozen produce, just look at the color, says Manuel Villacorta, R.D., founder of Whole Body Reboot.

Blues and purples: brain health and memory

Greens: vision and oral health

Whites: immunesystem benefits

Yellows, oranges, and reds: heart health

Glaze fish by dipping in cold water and freezing on a sheet pan until covered with ¼ inch of ice, then freeze in a plastic bag for up to six months. FEBRUARY 2017

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SKYE’S THE

LIMIT > Breathtaking bikini pics, extra weight,

and cellulite—Internet sensation EMILY SKYE shares it all with her 13 million social media followers in hopes of inspiring them to stay fit, love their bodies, and strive for happiness. BY ROSE MCNULT Y /// PHOTOGR APHS BY PER BERNAL IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY, popularity

in the form of “likes” and followers on social media often lends credibility to undeserving blockheads. Thankfully, there are also people like Emily Skye who use their fame for more than personal gain. The

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31-year-old Australian model and fitness expert is honest and transparent with the 13 million people who follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube: Imperfection is human. Skye demonstrates this by unabashedly pulling back the curtain. Yes, she’ll post sexy bikini pics in which her waist is tiny and her midsection is ripped, but she’ll also post photos of her cellulite and weight gain during training lulls, too. It’s all done to spread a message: Perfection is impossible to achieve, but happiness and appreciating your body isn’t.

I feel blessed to be in this position, and I like to use it to inspire, motivate, and educate.

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E M I LY SK Y E

M&F: What got you into fitness? E S: I was 25 years old, and I’d had enough of living a life of not being satisfied and not being the best that I can be. I was unhappy and suffered from depression, anxiety, and pretty bad body-image issues. I started implementing changes in all different areas of my life by eating healthier foods, exercising, and surrounding myself with supportive people. Over time I just became happier and happier. I loved the life that I was living, and I wanted to share that with the rest of the world with the hope it would have a positive impact on other people. I made it my mission,

and here I am today, several years later, still going at it. Do you feel a certain level of responsibility with having 13 million social media followers across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter? It’s pretty surreal to have that amount of followers listen to me and support me. It’s amazing. I feel blessed to be in this position, and I like to use it to inspire, motivate, and educate. How does one curate such a massive following? You have to make a deliberate effort

to post valuable content that people can learn from every single day. I think that’s something a lot of people don’t realize. They think, “Oh, they’re so lucky,” and that it happened overnight. It’s not an overnight thing. You also post what some might consider unflattering photos of yourself. Why? I like taking pretty photos, but I also like to show my cellulite and stretch marks and when I gain a little fat. That’s important. Posting perfect photos in the right lighting from the right angle in the right pose—young

I like taking pretty photos, but I also like to show my cellulite and stretch marks. That’s important.

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E M I LY SK Y E

CHECK OUT SKYE’S

five-day routine that builds lean muscle and torches fat: muscleandfitness.com/skyetraining

It’s about enjoying my life and being happy as long as I feel my best mentally and physically.

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E M I LY SK Y E

and fall off. You don’t want to get into something for short-term results. I don’t see the point in that. Second, surround yourself with like-minded people whom you can train and eat healthy with. It makes the process easy and enjoyable. How do you fit workouts into your busy schedule? When I first started, I was very structured. Every single day was planned out weeks ahead of time, but now because I travel so much—I’m overseas almost every month—I can’t stick to that strict regimen. I’ve got to have a very flexible training and diet program. I go to the gym and train whatever I haven’t worked recently. I usually like to start off with legs and glutes, and the next day I might do back and bi’s, and then the next day I’ll do shoulders and then triceps. I throw abs in here and there and do a bit of HIIT as well.

girls see that and believe that [type of ] perfection exists. When they realize that it’s unattainable, they get upset and compare themselves with these Instagram models. It’s cool that you’re demonstrating that you’re a human with human flaws—and you accept it. I think there’s an obsession with being too lean. It can be intimidating to people who are starting out. It’s not realistic, either. I don’t walk around like that year-round. It can obviously be done, but I don’t know how other fitness models are doing it.

I don’t think everyone is 100% honest with their followers. What is your fitness philosophy? It’s all about living the lifestyle. I’m not too strict; I’m all about balance. I’m not afraid of eating chocolate and ice cream and things like that; it’s about enjoying my life and being happy as long as I feel my best mentally and physically. Do you have any advice for a Day 1 beginner? Find exercises and foods that you enjoy. If you don’t, you’ll get bored

If you could perform only three exercises, what would they be and why? Deadlifts are No. 1. Then lunges since they work your legs one at a time and overhead press since it works your upper body and activates your core, too. If I had to pick a fourth, I’d say sprinting since it uses so much of your body and it’s so explosive. What’s your deadlift PR? I had a goal of lifting 100kg (220 lbs). I gave it a shot, and I lifted it three times. I was pretty proud of myself. What’s your plan moving forward? I can’t do this forever, but for now every decision I make in my career is geared toward reaching more people and having a positive impact. That’s my goal now. That’s my goal tomorrow. It’ll be my goal 10 years from now, too.

PREACHER CURL Keep constant tension on your biceps by not fully extending your arms at the bottom.

SDDDSDSDSDDSSD

THE CENTUR

RY CLUB

> How to use 100-rep sets to fast-track new gains. BY GREG MERRITT

T H E C E N T U RY C LU B

PUT WHATEVER dogmatic opinions about high-rep sets you have aside for a minute. While eight to 12 reps is touted as the definitive formula for size and strength, getting extreme with your reps can also reap huge dividends in the form of gains. Think performing 100 reps of curls with an unloaded barbell is wimpy? Try it and let us know how you feel afterward. This intense method can help you bring up lagging body parts, be used as a finisher, or even be completed as an entire program.

WHAT IT IS A SINGLE SET PERFORMED for 100 reps, using a rest-pause technique only when necessary. The weight should be drastically lighter than what you’re used to lifting, but, trust us, you’ll be feeling it halfway through. 152

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QUICK TIP Take advantage of the lighter load and focus on perfecting your form. Squeeze at the top of every rep and take a second to lower the weight back down.

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PER BERNAL

LYING TRICEPS EXTENSION Keep your elbows in and pointed toward the ceiling.

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T H E C E N T U RY C LU B

QUICK TIP Moving lighter weight for high reps is a great way to speed up recovery, as it flushes the muscles with nutrient-rich blood.

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EDGAR ARTIGA

CLOSE-GRIP BENCH PRESS With a shoulderwidth grip, keep your elbows close to your sides as you lower the bar to your chest.

WHY IT WORKS PERFORMING 100 REPS in a single set targets your slow-twitch muscle fibers more effectively than other techniques. This method also flushes more blood to the muscle than a standard set and rep scheme, which means more nutrients will be delivered to the isolated area. You won’t gain much strength on this program, nor should it be followed for a prolonged period of time, but if it’s used strategically you can induce substantial amounts of hypertrophy.

WHEN TO USE IT YOU CAN CONSTRUCT a whole program around this method or feel free to use it as a way to finish off your muscles. If you’re lacking in a certain area, 100-rep sets are a great way to bring that muscle up to par as well.

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T H E C E N T U RY C LU B

100-REP BASICS SELECT THREE TO FOUR exercises per body part. Perform just one set of 100 reps per exercise. Warmup sets are unnecessary, but a dynamic warmup before any training session is always advised.

1

QUICK TIP Each time that you have to rest, switch your grip on the barbell curl. Alternate between a wide, narrow, and normal grip.

USE A WEIGHT that is approximately one-third of your 10-rep max. So if you normally max out at 225 for 10, use 75.

2

IDEALLY, YOU want to reach failure between 60 and 70 reps. Then pause and continue. Pause as many times as necessary to get to 100 full reps.

3

RESTPAUSE FOR AS many seconds as you have reps remaining: If you get to 64 reps, rest for 36 seconds; if you then get to 89, rest for 11 more.

4

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PER BERNAL

BARBELL CURL Don’t let your elbows track too far forward when curling the weight up toward your chin.

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T H E C E N T U RY C LU B QUICK TIP Bilateral exercises are ideal for 100-rep sets, but if you’re performing unilateral moves, count per side so you achieve the full 100 reps per muscle.

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EDGAR ARTIGA

TRICEPS PUSHDOWN Rotate your elbows outward at the bottom of the movement to increase the stretch in your triceps.

SEATED DUMBBELL CURL Twist your pinkie toward your biceps at the top of the curl to get the full contraction.

LIONEL DELUY

100-REP TIP SHEET EITHER COUNT OUT the seconds of rest periods, use the second hand of a clock or watch, or have a partner time them with a smartphone.

1

SET DOWN or rerack the weight during lengthy pauses. When you can get more than 70 reps without pausing, move up to a heavier weight.

2

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CHOOSE BILATERAL exercises so you don’t need to do 100 reps for each side separately.

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PYRAMID SCHEMES > Utilize pyramids and reverse pyramids to increase strength and mass.

BY GREG MERRITT /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY EDGAR ARTIGA

NOT A DIFFICULT CONCEPT TO

grasp: Training for size requires you to ramp up the intensity of your workouts and use heavy weights to build maximum amounts of muscle. But every set doesn’t have to be a ballbuster. In fact, by slowly working your way up to a max set using the pyramid method, you’ll better warm up your muscles, lubricate your joints, and target a variety of muscle-fiber types. Using those lighter sets to focus on form and technique is also good practice. Execute each rep with precision and control as you work up to moving serious poundage—and building serious muscle. BENTOVER ROW

Pyramid Set Basics

1

2

progressively heavier with fewer reps

sets serve as a warmup for the

A pyramid grows

from one set to the next.

The lighter

heaviest sets.

3

A reverse pyramid grows progressively lighter with more reps

from one set to the next.

4

Pyramids and reverse pyramids let you work one exercise through an entire rep range.

Row the weight to the middle of your abs, leading with your elbows.

U P PYRAMID POWER WHAT IT IS

A pyramid is a progression of sets that grow heavier as the reps reduce. This culminates with the apex: a maximum set of, typically, three to six reps. This may look like a set of 12 reps, followed by a set of 10, then a set of eight, ending with a set of six reps.

WHY IT WORKS

By saving your effort for one set, you ensure that you have enough energy to train with 100% of your intensity—and, after all, intensity equals growth. Additionally, working one exercise through multiple rep ranges will target different muscle fibers, which will reap muscle-building and strength-building benefits.

HEAVIER = FEWER REPS WEIGHT

SET

REPS

135 pounds

1

12

185 pounds

2

10

225 pounds

3

8

265 pounds

4

6

PY R A M I D S C H E M E S

GOOD MORNING

With a slight bend in your knees, hinge at your hips until you feel a contraction in your hamstrings and glutes.

O

D

N

W

PUT IT IN REVERSE WHY IT WORKS

Another way to trigger growth is to reverse the classic pyramid scheme. You may lose the advantage of progressing to a strength-focused, low-rep set, but starting heavy and working to reps of 15 to 20 will push your muscle fibers beyond what they’re used to, triggering more growth.

LIGHTER = MORE REPS WEIGHT

SET

REPS

245 pounds

1

6

225 pounds

2

8

205 pounds

3

10

185 pounds

4

12

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LEG PRESS

Lower the sled until your thighs just break 90 degrees. If your hips leave the seat, you’ve gone too far.

Pyramid Set Tips

1

Performing fewer reps with heavier weight makes it harder to eke out an extra one. Also, making your final set your heaviest set isn’t best for maximizing a pump. For those

two reasons, you may want to do a final pump-out set of 12 to 15 reps after your pyramid apex set.

2

Q

Alternately, you can combine pyramids and reverse pyramids, as in our sample routine, to rotate

between a heavy apex set for one exercise and a light final set for the next exercise. This will help build strength while flushing the muscle with nutrient-rich blood.

U D

A

PYRAMID QUAD ROUTINE EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Squat

5

12, 10, 8, 6, 3

Leg Press

4

8, 12, 15, 20

Hack Squat

4

12, 10, 8, 6

Leg Extension

4

8, 12, 15, 20

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S D L O H O N BARRED

to make it through pe ho s ck ba g in nn ru FL N > Moscat reer to live a comfortable life, recovering their ption, as Q. JONES is an exce AS OM TH . ts hi e th from ironically, calls for r, to ac an as er re ca nd his seco guys on the st he ug to e th of e on h it w him to brawl le. B Y J E F F T O M K O ro ng ri ar st t rs fi s hi in planet IN JUST A FEW HOURS, AT AN ALL-NIGHT

film shoot held in a suburban L.A. movie studio, former NFL running back and now actor Thomas Q. Jones will be staring down perhaps the baddest opponent he’s ever taken on: legendary UFC light-heavyweight champion Chuck “Iceman” Liddell. Tonight’s main event is the culmination of nearly a month of fight preparation for this summer’s indie MMA suspense thriller, Choke Hold, and, as any of us would be, Jones is anxious about his latest matchup. “I’m, like, I play football, but I don’t do this fighting s—t,” says Jones, who plays Ty Matthews, a never-quite-made-it MMA fighter who gains notoriety after a YouTube recording that goes viral shows him forcing indomitable champion Marco

Reign (Liddell) to tap out during a sparring session, which sets up tonight’s epic bout. “And he’s coming at me with an overhand right? Who knows if he’s gonna accidentally catch me with one of those?” Choke Hold is Jones’ first leading role as an actor. After hanging up his cleats following the 2011 season, he added an initial—Q., for Quinn—to his IMDB résumé to prevent casting agents from using his NFL fame to fill only random jock roles. “Some people brought me in just ’cause I was a football player,” says Jones, who describes Matthews as a flawed character who happens to also be an athlete. “I made my name Thomas Q. Jones so it would throw people off. It worked.” Jones earned his acting break when he

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T HOM A S Q JON E S

PRE VIOUS & OPPOSITE PAGES: HOWARD HUANG /GE T T Y IMAGES; T HIS PAG E: JEFF K AT Z

played Gabrielle Union’s often shirtless love interest in BET’s Being Mary Jane. He landed a small role in 2015’s blockbuster movie Straight Outta Compton and now can be seen as Comanche in Netflix’s Luke Cage. “It was such a random thing,” Jones recalls. “I thought acting was cool, but I wasn’t committed. Then I started going on auditions and getting cast in things and realized I had a shot.” Preparation for Choke Hold’s fight scene was a three-week course under the tutelage of another MMA legend, John Lewis. His objective wasn’t just for Jones to memorize Octagon choreography but to portray a seasoned, animalistic fighter onscreen. The process began with slow step-by-step walk-throughs that quickened session after session till a bang-bang, realtime fight sequence was established

0,000 Before, I would get $5 r working bonus checks just fotion now. out. That’s not an op

and Jones felt comfortable. “It’s hard not to be a little intimidated with Chuck’s mug looking down the barrel at you,” says Lewis, who also has a supporting role in the film. “Thomas is a top-level athlete and wants to do everything great. And when you come in as the new guy, facing someone you’ve never met before, you don’t know if he’s going to be overzealous, cool, not cool—you don’t know what to expect. You’re thinking, ‘What if I hit him by accident? Or too hard? What’s he going to do?’ Once you get past those things, then all the comfort comes in, and the trust is there and everything’s good.”

Jones puts it a slightly different way: “Chuck is big and strong and can overpower you. It’s like getting attacked by a f—king animal. It’s crazy.” To bring MMA-like realism to Choke Hold, Lewis avoided oversaturating the fight with traditional, cliché moves like armbars and triangles. “We see movies where the movements that are being taught to the actors are generic, not specific to them, and interchangeable for anyone,” Lewis says. “A big part of why we like shows like the UFC is that we want to see how these fighters’ styles would hold up against another. The key is to keep that question alive until

T HOM A S Q. JON E S

the outcome has been reached.” Instead, Lewis sought to amp up the battle energy by having both fighters duke it out. Lewis already knew what he had with Liddell—“You just want Chuck to be Chuck”—but Jones was entering new territory, so finding his strengths was essential. “He’s really good with his hands—he reminds me a lot of [deceased former UFC fighter] Kevin Randleman,” Lewis says. “He has very fast, quick muscles like you would think a football player would have. He’s very explosive.” What Lewis didn’t want was for Jones to feel awkward. “He hasn’t done a lot of kickboxing, so I didn’t ask him, to, like, throw a head kick,” Lewis says. “Why make him have to go through that? You don’t have to do that to be a good UFC fighter. You just have to be good at what you do. He’s good with his hands.”

Rushing Forward

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casting agent] I was once told [by aarms. How do to lose weight in my ur arms? you lose weight in yo In 2007, Jones’ 123-yard performance in the NFC Championship game led the Chicago Bears to Super Bowl XLI. But despite his best efforts—rushing for 112 yards, including a 50-yard run in the first quarter— Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts would claim the Vince Lombardi Trophy after a 29–17 victory.

FEBRUARY 2017

“That game still haunts me,” Jones remembers. “I had a chance to be a world champion. Every year, Brian Urlacher and I will text each other: ‘How did we lose that game?’ ” Now at a chiseled and game-ready 205 pounds—nearly 25 pounds less than his playing weight—the 38-yearold physically looks capable of still handling 20 carries a game. But

J O HN K AVO UR IS /G E T T Y IM AG E S; JEFF K AT Z

Earlier that morning, with a roundthe-clock shoot several hours away, there’s still time for Jones to take care of some unfinished business—it’s arms day. And it’s a good thing his gym is within walking distance: Jones no longer drives or even owns a car while living in L.A., despite earning more than $30 million over his football career. He instead relies on Uber, and his feet, to get him to auditions and acting class. “I didn’t want to be a former NFL player who was getting into acting. I wanted to be an actor and start from scratch,” he says. For 12 NFL seasons, Jones mastered the arts of rushing and reckless physicality. Taken seventh overall by the Arizona Cardinals in 2000, he finished his career in 2011 as the NFL’s 25th all-time leading rusher (10,591 yards), one of just 29 rushers to reach 10,000 career yards. His career highlights include an AFC rushing title, a Pro Bowl appearance, and five 1,000-yard seasons.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Thomas Jones on the field when he played running back for the Chicago Bears; Jones and UFC light-heavyweight legend Chuck Liddell square off; Liddell and Jones work on jiu-jitsu with famed MMA trainer John Lewis.

internal reminders, which include a rib injury he sustained during his rookie season that still requires twice-weekly visits to a chiropractor and at times leaves him with shortness of breath, numerous concussions, and chronic knee pain, convince him that acting is the safer profession these days. “I’m glad I don’t have to play in minus-5° or 125° weather,” Jones says. “For the rest of my life I don’t have to worry about being hurt. You go in the shower and something stings or hurts. Your fingernails are no longer being cracked open. I’m still hurt and injured from football, but unless I fall down, there aren’t going to be new injuries.” When he was waived by the Chiefs in 2011, essentially ending his NFL career and taking away his primary outlet, Jones had a momentary loss of motivation for training. “I had a hard time figuring out why I should be working out,” he says. “You’re training for the season, you have Pro Bowls, new contracts, and Super Bowls as motivation to go every day to the gym. Before, I would get

$50,000 bonus checks just for working out. That’s not an option now.” In 2007–09 with the New York Jets, Jones would complete the morning team workout—cleans, squats, and other heavy compound exercises. Then, following two to three hours of practice, Jones would hit the weight room a second time for his own personal workout—heavy bench presses supersetted with pullups, incline presses with seated cable rows, topped off with straight-bar curl dropsets. This allowed game day to become the easiest part of the week. “When Sunday came, I felt like I had armor on,” he says. “My body was ready to crash into anybody. Now I’m at a good size where I could do action stuff and regular stuff. I’m not too big.” Training for the big screen has become minimalistic compared with his NFL days. Wearing a wifebeater and Nike sweat shorts this morning, Jones keeps it light, grabbing a set of 35s and banging out 10 to 15 reps of alternating curls while adding external rotations in between sets to keep his shoulders loose. From there he drops down to 30s, then 25s. With casting agents rarely seeking out the swole doctor or lawyer, light weights along with some cardio consisting of light runs, boxing, and basketball, these are all the weights Jones needs these days. “I was once told [by a casting agent] to lose weight in my arms,” he recalls. “How do you lose weight in your arms?” And when it comes to diet, his calories are a lot less now than at training camp. “I was used to eating four to five times a day as an NFL player,” he says. “It was huge meals all day. I’d have two plates full; food was falling off the edges. I was happy.” Today’s post-workout breakfast is one of just two meals Jones normally eats each day to control his weight. His daily diet usually consists of a limited variety of salads—chicken or turkey. While waiting for his order at the restaurant adjacent to his gym—today it’s a turkey club sandwich—Jones has time to check

in on one of his other ventures—he’s also a tech entrepreneur. His app, Castar (castarapp.com), a social media platform built for creatives in the entertainment industry to connect, was recently listed as one of 12 startups named to Google’s inaugural Entrepreneurs Exchange Program for Black Founders. “To see someone else’s dream come true through something that I created, that’s a rush,” he says.

Fight Night If there were any uncertainty as to what was in store in the Octagon this evening, all you needed to do was look at both Jones’ and Liddell’s faces. “I was like, ‘F—k you.’ He was like, ‘F—k you.’ Just like a coin toss in football.” Moments later the bell rang and Jones quickly found himself on his back thanks to an elbow, a punch, and a body slam from Liddell. Game on. “I went from not wanting to hit him to, ‘All right, f—k it.’ Next round, Pow! Pow! We’re catching each other. Yeah, it was a real fight.” An overhand right rocked Jones, who countered with several uppercuts to Liddell’s stomach. Elbows and kicks were thrown and checked. Nearly 12 hours and a bruised shin, several body scratches, and a shellshocked cast later (“[actor] Bruce Davison kept coming around telling us to relax”), director Matt Berkowitz had recorded on film one of the most realistic fight scenes in recent cinema. “They stayed the course and followed the choreography to the letter,” Lewis said. “We were all very excited of what we’d captured. I just think people were impressed not knowing what to expect when they started running the action.” Jones’ analysis was more raw. “If you’ve never been that close to the action it’s almost like you’re in the Serengeti watching two lions fighting. You hear the roars and see the savagery. It’s what this fight turned into.”

S H O T O N L O C A T I O N A T M U R D E R O F C R O W S B A R B E L L C L U B , B R O O K LY N , N Y

KING GEORGE R G E KING GEORGE R GE E KING GEORGE G E KINGGEORGE GEORGE E KING KINGGEORGE GEORGE EOR KING ORG GEO GEOR EOORRGGE G > How do you develop near-perfect abs as chiseled as those of IFBB physique pro GEORGE BROWN ? Through intense and consistent workouts, and a side of cake and chips, of course. BY ANDREW GUTMAN /// PHOTOGRAPHS BY IAN SPANIER

MANY FITNESS MODELS AND PRO BODYBUILDERS approach

training and nutrition with a do-or-die attitude, but for IFBB pro George Brown, instead of adhering to that dogma, he has his cake and eats it, too. The 36-year-old father of two will be the first to admit that genetics have had a major role in shaping his physique, yet finding him in a parking lot with a slice of cake before a competition isn’t unheard of. Brown takes his workouts one day at a time, practicing the law of attraction and consistency…especially when he falls off the wagon.

K I NG G E ORG E

TRAINING NOTES Alternating Abs

Brown trains abs every other day throughout the off-season and pre-contest, working them after the larger body part in the routine. “I have no preference as to which days abs falls on,” says Brown. “It doesn’t matter at all. I just make sure to hit abs every two days, whether that falls on leg day, chest day, or even on my active rest day.”

BROWN’S AB WORKOUT EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Bench Scissor Kick

4

Cable Crunch*

4

Hanging Knee Raise

4

20-25

V-sit Crunch

4

30

30 (per side)

50-60 (to failure)

*Brown says: “As soon as it starts to burn, I’ll do 15 more reps.”

Cable Crunch Kneel in front of a cable weight stack with a rope attached to a high-pulley cable. Grasp the ends of the rope and hold them at the sides of your head. Begin slightly bent over, then contract your abs to lower your torso toward the floor. When your head is around six to 12 inches from the floor, squeeze the abs hard for one or two counts, then slowly return back up to the start position. BROWN SAYS: “It’s just about pushing to the limits here. How much can you take? The more you put in, the more you get out. I’ll do the entire set, then 15 more. You just have to build up a tolerance for the high reps.”

K I NG G E ORG E

M&F: How much of a role do

genetics play in your physique? GB:

If I had to quantify it, I’d say 60%. I know that I have [great] genetics and that they play a key role. I’m blessed to have them, but I still have to work hard. Did you lean too much on your genetics and slack off a bit at times?

when you may find me in the parking lot, during prep, with Lord knows what. Two weeks before the 2016 New York Pro— which I won—I had cake and chips. What’s your advice to guys who fall off the wagon?

Sometimes you need to give your

Genetics can be a gift and they can be a curse. When I played football at Tiffin University, in Tiffin, OH, I never gave our trainer 100%. I would perform just good enough to beat whatever group I was in. We received grades for our conditioning efforts, and one day my coach gave me a “C.” I’ll never forget this. I said, “Dude, I won every race.” He replied, “You’re doing just enough to get by. Let me see how much you can beat them by.” Did that bleed over to physique?

Yes, I had to learn consistency. I would put my all into a show and then cut corners on the next one. I realized I have to give it my all every single time. Bodybuilding is a 24/7 lifestyle. How do you balance that with your life away from competition?

You have to create balance. When I’m competing in multiple shows, I’m laser-focused. In my off-season, I spend time with my kids and family because I need balance. I don’t want to focus so much on [competing] that I lose friends and family because bodybuilding is a selfish sport. Do you ever loosen up your diet?

Oh, yes! That’s something I struggle with. There are times 1 74

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p Bench Scissor Kick Sit sideways on a flat bench, lean your torso back, and hold on to the edges of the bench with your hands for stability. Keeping your torso in a fixed position, perform alternating/scissor kicks with your legs, focusing on your lower abs throughout. Keep the motion

relatively slow and under control. BROWN SAYS: “Lean back when you do this exercise to make sure you’re hitting the lower abs. Don’t have your torso straight up and vertical with the floor. I would even say keep your torso leaned back farther than 45 degrees with the floor.”

body what it needs. It’s not going to do too much damage. You don’t have to diet 100% the entire time to look phenomenal. If you slip up, don’t beat yourself. Just drink plenty of water, get back on the horse the next day, and remember your goals. You have what are considered to be the perfect abs. What’s your approach to training them?

First off, it’s all about the diet. I have always been an athlete, but getting really lean all came down to my diet. Secondly, I don’t use weights when I train them. That will just ruin your waist, which won’t make your physique look great. Don’t add weight, add reps. Do them until they burn and then start counting. Third, you have to envision them. Every day, I told myself, “I have the perfect profile,” and “My abs are perfect.” You sound like the Conor McGregor of the IFBB, talking about the law of attraction.

You have to be your own cheerleader. Words are powerful, and you need to shout them to the universe, tell it that you’re the greatest and that no one is better than you. Do you think if you ask Donald Trump, “Who is a better businessman than you?” that he’s going to say anyone but himself? What’s one misconception that normal guys have about competitors?

That they can’t look like us. Just now, you said “normal guys,” but I’m a normal guy, too. A lot of people say, “Man, I could never look like that.” In fact, I used to be that person, but one day leads to two, two days leads to three, and before you know it you’ll be there. 176

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K I NG G E ORG E

Hanging Knee Raise Hang from a pullup bar with your legs straight. Bend your knees and contract your abs to raise your legs up. Take your knees up as high as they can go, raising your pelvis at the top and squeezing your abs hard. Slowly lower back down under control. BROWN SAYS: “A lot of people like to stick their legs all the way out, but I recommend keeping the knees bent. For me, when I pull up to my stomach I get a great squeeze this way. Drop your knees all the way down and get a complete stretch in the abs, and then pull your knees to your chest and hold it for one to two seconds on each rep. Elevate your pelvis at the top, too—try to take it up to the ceiling a little bit. The main thing is just to go slow.”

V-sit Crunch Start in the same position as with scissor kicks—sitting sideways on a bench, leaned back, hands holding on for balance. With your feet only a few inches off the floor, contract your abs to pull both knees up toward your face. Squeeze the contraction at the top, then very slowly return to the start position. BROWN SAYS: “When I stick my feet out on the V-sits, I kind of do a negative. I don’t just go in and out with the legs. I’m actually pulling my knees in, then kicking my feet out high and making it a negative, and then pulling my feet back in. When your feet are going back out, make sure you go slow.”

25 EASY WAYS TO

>

With winter comes the winter weight. So head to the gym and market—everything you need to help you easily burn fat will be in those two places. B Y M & F E D I T O R S T DOESN’T MATTER WHAT TYPE of training or dietary protocol you follow; none of them call for you to lard up. What you drink, how you train, and especially what you eat can all affect your ability to drop fat. We’ve compiled 25 proven tips that, when combined, can help you stay lean and mean through the winter. Remember, if you want abs for summer, you have to start working toward that goal now.

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O BURN MORE FAT 1

HIT THE SLIDE Using sliders, or gliders, for body-weight exercises adds difficulty to the move and creates instability during each rep. This additional muscle recruitment allows you to torch more calories.

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BU R N MOR E FAT

4. SLOW YOUR ROLL

2 LIFT HEAVY Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption refers to the increased metabolic rate you enjoy after a workout. Scientists at the Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education analyzed multiple studies and found that training with heavier weights for fewer reps produces a greater rise in resting metabolic rate that’ll last longer compared to training with lighter weights for more reps. Don’t swear off high-rep training, but you should occasionally lift heavy (three to seven reps) to maximize the calories you burn when you’re not at the gym.

3

u Consuming slowdigesting carbs, such as brown rice, oatmeal, and whole-wheat bread, can keep insulin levels low and prevent spikes from halting fat burning. A Penn State University study found that subjects following a low-calorie diet with carbs coming only from whole grains lost significantly more fat than those following a low-calorie diet of refined carbs.

5. EAT FAT

uNot only will certain fats—particularly omega-3s—not lead to fat gain, but they can promote fat loss. Aim to keep your healthy-fat intake at about 30% of your total daily calories. Healthy fats include fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, and trout, as well as olive oil, peanut butter, and walnuts.

7. GET CITRUSY

6 REST LESS Researchers from the College of New Jersey discovered that when subjects rested 30 seconds between sets on the bench press, they burned greater than 50% more calories than when they rested three minutes. To maximize fat loss, rest less than a minute between sets.

BECOME A DRINKER Despite this coming out of the home of

Oktoberfest, German researchers have shown that drinking about 2 cups of cold water (not beer) can temporarily boost metabolic rate by roughly 30%. The effect appears to be mainly due to an increase in norepinephrine.

u Grapefruits, oranges, and other citrus fruit are high in vitamin C and fiber and can help prevent strokes and promote fat loss. A study from the Scripps Clinic in San Diego reported that subjects eating half a grapefruit or drinking 8 ounces of grapefruit juice three times a day, while otherwise eating normally, lost an average of four pounds in 12 weeks, with some test subjects losing more than 10 pounds without dieting. The researchers suggest the effect is likely due to grapefruit’s ability to reduce insulin levels. Try adding half a grapefruit to a few of your meals, including pre-workout.

8. CHEW GUM

u A study done at Glasgow Caledonian University found that subjects who chewed gum between meals ate significantly less food at the second meal than those who didn’t chew gum. The researchers concluded that chewing gum increases satiety and therefore reduces food intake.

PREVIOUS SPREAD: PER BERNAL T HIS SPR E A D: J. J. MIL L ER; A L E X T Y PE /A L A M Y; G E T T Y IM AG E S

9. SAY SOY-ANARA TO FAT

uSoy protein is a proven fat burner. A 2008 review paper from the University of Alabama at Birmingham concluded that soy protein can possibly decrease appetite and calorie intake. The scientists also found that subjects who drank 20 grams of soy daily for three months lost a significant amount of fat. FEBRUARY 2017

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181

10

FREE YOURSELF Using free weights, especially

in multijoint moves such as squats, has been found to burn more calories than doing similar exercises on machines. Scientists said the difference may be due to the greater number of stabilizer muscles used when working out with free weights.

11. STAGGER IT

MUSCLE & FITNESS

u Avocados are full of monounsaturated fat, which isn’t generally stored as body fat. They also contain mannoheptulose, a sugar that actually blunts insulin release and enhances calcium absorption. As mentioned earlier, keeping insulin low at most times of the day is critical for encouraging fat loss, and getting adequate calcium can also promote fat loss. Try adding a quarter of an avocado to salads and sandwiches. FEBRUARY 2017

13 PUMP UP TTHE HE PROTEIN A 2013 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that those who ate a high-protein breakfast (35g) felt more satiated for a longer period of time.

SDDDSDSDSDDSSD

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12. BE A GUAC STAR

BRIAN KLUTCH (SMOOTHIE); GETTY IMAGES (3)

u In one study, subjects who did three 10-minute bouts of running separated by 20-minute rest periods found the workout easier than when they ran at the same intensity for 30 minutes. The intermittent cardio even burned more fat and has also been shown to burn more calories post-workout than the same amount of continuous exercise.

BU R N MOR E FAT

14. USE THE FORCE

u Go past failure when trying to get lean by using forced reps, static contractions, rest-pause, or dropsets. A study on collegiate football players found that using a highintensity weight program—just one set per exercise for 6–10 reps to failure, plus forced reps and a static contraction for several seconds—caused more body-fat loss in 10 weeks than a lowerintensity program consisting of three sets of 6–10 reps per exercise taken just to muscle failure. This could be due to a greater spike in growth hormone (GH) in the high-intensity group: In a study from Finland, forced reps boosted GH three times higher than training to failure.

15. LIFT LIGHT

uWhile lifting heavy does burn more calories post-workout (see No. 2), performing higher reps burns more calories during the workout, College of New Jersey researchers reported at a 2007 annual meeting of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Be sure to mix up your training by using lighter weight and higher reps (10–20) during some workouts and heavy weight and low reps (three to seven) in others. Another way to get the best of both worlds is to perform four sets of most exercises, doing your first two sets with heavy weight and low reps and the last two with light weight and high reps.

17. MOO'RE CALCIUM

16 H2NO Consider using less water when whipping up a protein shake to curb hunger when dieting. In a study from Purdue University, subjects drank two shakes that were identical in nutritional content and reported a greater prolonged reduction in hunger after drinking the thicker shake.

u Dairy products are rich in calcium, which can help spur fat loss. This may be because calcium regulates the hormone calcitriol, which causes the body to produce fat and inhibit fat burning. When calcium levels are adequate, calcitriol and fat production are suppressed while fat burning is enhanced. Adding lower-fat versions of cottage cheese and yogurt (Greek, plain, or skyr) to your diet are great ways to boost protein intake and aid fat loss.

18. SPICE THINGS UP

u Capsaicin, an active ingredient found in hot peppers, is a chemical that has been shown to promote calorie burning and reduce hunger. Its effects are enhanced when used with caffeine, and research also shows that it boosts fat oxidation during exercise. Try adding crushed red pepper, hot peppers, or hot sauce to your meals. If you can’t stand the heat, try a capsaicin supplement.

20

19. SLEEP IT OFF

u One study in the American Journal of Epidemiology reported that subjects who slept five hours or less per night were one-third more likely to gain 30-plus pounds over the 16-year study than those who slept seven hours or longer per night. This may be due to an imbalance in the hormones leptin and ghrelin: While leptin decreases hunger and increases the metabolic rate, ghrelin boosts hunger. A study by University of Chicago researchers found that men who were sleep-deprived for two days experienced a rise in ghrelin levels and a drop in leptin levels, along with a concomitant rise in hunger. A Stanford University study showed that subjects who slept the least had lower levels of leptin and higher levels of ghrelin and body fat compared with those who slept eight hours. Try to get seven to nine hours of sleep every night to not only enhance your recovery but also improve your health and help you keep fat away.

EAT AN APPLE A DAY Apple polyphenols are

compounds found in apples that have been found to boost muscle strength, endurance, and even fat loss. While they appear to directly increase the activity of genes that decrease fat production and storage, the boost in endurance and strength can help further fat loss by allowing you to train harder longer. A typical large apple provides about 200mg of polyphenols. FEBRUARY 2017

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BU R N MOR E FAT

21 HIIT IT A litany of research confirms that performing high-intensity cardio, such as running at 90% of your max heart rate, followed by lowintensity exercise (walking at a moderate pace) burns more fat than continuous, steady-state cardio, such as walking for 30 minutes at 60–70% of your max heart rate.

22. FEEL THE NEED FOR SPEED

uLift weight explosively, say researchers from Ball State University. They believe that because fast-twitch muscle fibers are less energy-efficient than their slow-twitch counterparts, they burn more fuel during exercise. To perform fast reps in your workouts, choose a weight equal to 30–60% of your one-rep max for each exercise. Perform two sets with three to eight fast reps, then follow with two to three sets of normal-paced reps.

23. ROCK OUT

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MUSCLE & FITNESS

uTurns out that meat and dairy products from grass-fed cows are worth the extra bucks. U.K. scientists found that organic milk had about 70% more omega-3 fatty acids than conventional milk, and a study published in the Journal of Dairy Science found that grass-fed cows produced milk containing 500% more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than cows that ate grain. Meat from organically raised cattle also contains higher levels of CLA and omega-3s, both of which can help you burn more fat and build muscle. FEBRUARY 2017

225 GO NUTS A Loma L Linda U. stu study found that low low-cal w diets (40% of total t cals from fat, mainly almonds) imp improved fat loss ove 24 weeks over com compared with eat eating the same cals s but more car carbs and less fat. Wa Walnuts and Brazil nut are also quality nuts pick picks.

GETTY IMAGES (2)

u A study from Italy found that subjects who rock-climbed had an average heart rate of about 80% of their max, which equates to an intense cardio session. Subjects also burned about 12 calories per minute (based on a 180-pound guy) or just less than 400 calories in 30 minutes. Check out indoor or outdoor rock-climbing clubs in your area.

24. STAY GRASSY

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SAQ SA SAQUP AQ UP > Hop off the treadmill and get your cardio in while building strength, agility, and quickness. W O R K O U T B Y F L E X C A B R A L , N . A . S . M . - C . P. T . PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAY SULLIVAN

SAQ CIRCUITS

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Agility ladder

DIRECTIONS: Take up to 15 seconds to transition to each exercise.

CIRCUIT 1 | ROUNDS: 3 EXERCISE

TIME

Squat Jump

30 sec.

2 in, 2 out

45 sec.

Lateral High Knees

45 sec.

CIRCUIT 2 | ROUNDS: 3 EXERCISE

TIME

Cross Tuck Jump

30 sec.

Ickey Shuffle

45 sec.

Skier

45 sec.

CIRCUIT 3 | ROUNDS: 4 EXERCISE

TIME

Lateral Bound

30 sec.

Linear High Knees

45 sec.

CIRCUIT 4 | ROUNDS: 3 EXERCISE

Plyo Split Lunge Salsa Step

CARDIO DIO DOESN’T HAVE TO BE

a synonym onym for “lame treadmill run.” To keep eep things fresh, grab an agility ladder, er, secure a few feet of space, and blast through these speed, agility, and nd qu quickness (SAQ) circuits that will torch orch caloriess while improving coordination ina and flexibility. “This work combines mbines power and SAQdrillsthatwillconditionyouraerwill conditionyouraer-

TIME

30 sec. (each leg) 45 sec.

obic system without taking away from your strength gains,” says trainer Flex Cabral, co-owner of Trooper Fitness in New York City. “The first exercise in each circuit is a power movement. These exercises will help develop force production and reinforce strong movement through your hinging and squat patterns. The secondary and tertiary exercises are ladder drills that will train speed, agility, quickness, and coordination while also improving your anaerobic conditioning.” Run through all four circuits on your cardio day after a dynamic warmup, or work in certain drills after you’ve completed your workout.

9

3

11

LADDER DRILLS

10

7

8

5

4

1

2

Stay in a low athletic stance during each drill. Getting used to the footwork will take practice. Start slow and add speed as your footwork improves.

6

t Ickey Shuffle

L

R

Stand to the right of the ladder. Step inside with your left foot, followed by your right foot, and then step just outside of the ladder with the left foot. Push off of the left foot, repeating the same foot pattern in the other direction while moving up the ladder.

Skier q Swing your arms back and propel yourself upward laterally. Land on one foot, knee slightly bent, as your nonworking foot drifts behind your grounded leg. Try not to stop once you get going.

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MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

SPE E D, AG I L I T Y, Q U IC K N E S S

11

12

10 9

8

3

2

7 5

6

4

1 L

Salsa Step Let the outside leg lead the movement by crossing it over in front of the other.

R

SPE E D, AG I L I T Y, Q U IC K N E S S

Cross Tuck Jump Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, then quickly crisscross your feet two times (right over left, back to start, left over right, back to start) and then jump as high as possible while trying to bring your knees to your chest. 190

MUSCLE & FITNESS

FEBRUARY 2017

Lateral Bound In a squat position, jump off one foot and land on the other, moving laterally; jump back and forth. Try and get as much distance from side to side. Only one leg should touch the floor at a time.

GROOMING BY CHRISTIE CAIOLA

Squat Jump Execute a body-weight squat and then jump up as explosively as possible. Aim for max height and to extend your body as much as possible as you reach the apex of the jump.

SPE E D, AG I L I T Y, Q U IC K N E S S

t Plyo Split Lunge Get into a lunge position (right leg forward, left leg back, knee just off the ground). Jump into the air and switch your leg position (left leg forward, right leg back). Land softly as you return to the initial start stance.

pHigh Knees As you move up the ladder, focus on moving the knees past your hips as you drive the opposing arm up while landing one or both feet inside of each square.

ASK

QUICK TIP

Concentrate on driving through your heels when performing any lower-body press.

YOU SUPPLIED THE QUESTIONS, WE FOUND THE ANSWERS

FEETS OF STRENGTH

—MIKE M C BOISE, C., B ID

194

MUSCLE & FITNESS

A:

make—is a possible cause of soreness since it engages the plantar flexor muscles that attach to the bones in the arches of your feet. Flat feet could also be a cause. If your arches are fallen, they can put additional stress on your bones, ligaments, fascia, and plantar flexor muscles.

FEBRUARY 2017

4 TIPS FOR SORE FEET: 1. Push through with your heels. 2. Train calves two to three times a week to make sure the supporting muscles and tendons are strong. 3. Roll a tennis ball under your arches, and stretch your calves daily. 4. Get inserts for your shoes.

CHRIS FINLEY, C.P.T., is an ACSM-certified personal trainer.

CYCLING CREATINE

MICHAEL NEVEAU

My feet get sore when I use the leg press. Why does that happen, and what should I do to prevent it?

PUSHING THROUGH THE TOES—A MISTAKE THAT I SEE MANY OF MY CLIENTS

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GROWING PAINS

My back hurts when I squat. What am I doing wrong?

—DYLAN K., FORT COLLINS, CO

A:

IN ADDITION TO

not using proper form— knees tracking over your toes, chest up, and head straight— you may not be bracing your core. Imagine someone is punching you in the stomach. This sensation can help you remember how to tighten your core so your legs are lifting the weight without putting stress on your back.

JULIA LADEWSKI, C.S.C.S., is a strength and fitness coach in Highland, IN.

CYCLE ON, CYCLE OFF

What’s the best way to take creatine?

—BRIAN G., SANTA MONICA, CA

A:

TOBY AMIDOR, R.D., is a nutrition expert and author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen.

DSSDSD SDSD DSSDDDSDSDSDDSSD DSSDSD SDSD DSSDDDSDSDSD D S S D D S S D S D S D S D D S S D D DI A SN D SSDPSADNDI E SR S ;D GDESTSTDYS IDM S AD GS ED S

CREATINE HAS BEEN SHOWN to be more effective when taken cyclically, ally, as your muscles have a saturation threshold. Combine ne 5 grams of creatine ne with 93g of simple carbs post-workout, taking three additional 5g doses per day y for five days. Take one ne week off before repeating ting the process. This may increase creatine levels by as much as 60% more than creatine alone, according ding to the U.S. National al Library of Medicine.

GUT CHECK

What are some ways I can help keep my appetite in check?

A:

FORM CHECK

If you have trouble keeping your torso upright, drive your elbows down to force your chest to rise.

—SAM S., MIAMI, FL

For starters, eat a healthy and filling breakfast—a few eggs with avocado on a piece of sprouted grain toast, or steelcut oatmeal with a tablespoon of nut butter topped with berries or bananas are both good options. Additionally, studies from 2011 and 2014 that were published in Nutrition Journal found that protein-rich snacking may control appetite; try noshing on snacks like string cheese, fruit, vegetables, lean protein, or nuts, which help you feel full and assist with weight loss. Also, aim for 16 ounces of water with each meal, and continue to sip throughout the day.

JIM WHITE, R.D., A.C.S.M., is a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

LEAN AND MEAN

Is fasted cardio really more effective? —JOE Y., DALLAS, TX

A: A H IM AG E S /A L A M Y; J O HN FEBEL E / G E T T Y IM AG E S

FIRST, IT’S IMPORTANT to note that gaining or losing weight is a matter of energy intake. That being said, performing 30 to 60 minutes of fasted cardio early in the morning can tap into your fat stores more effectively, as your body burns fat for fuel when you sleep as opposed to carbs. Fasted cardio continues this process. According to a study from the British Journal of Nutrition, a fasted control group who performed cardio on an empty stomach burned 20% more fat than they did when they ate prior to cardio.

NGO OKAFOR is the fitness director for Clay Health Club + Spa in New York City.

FEBRUARY 2017

Muscle & Fitness (ISSN 0744-5105), Vol. 78 No. 2, is published monthly except combined July/August issue which counts as two of twelve in an annual subscription by Weider Publications LLC., a division of American Media, Inc. 4 New York Plaza, 4th Fl, New York, NY 10004. Periodical Rates Postage Paid at the New York, NY Post Office and at additional Mailing offices. Copyright © Weider Publications, LLC 2017. All rights reserved. Canada Post International Publications Mail Sale Agreement No. 40028566. Canadian B.N. 88746 5102 RT0001. Copyrighted under the Universal Copyright Convention and International Copyright Convention. Copyright reserved under the Pan-American Copyright Convention. Todos derechos reservados segúin la convención Pan Americana de Propriedad Literaria Artística. Subscription rate is $42.97 for (1yr) 12 issues in U.S.A. In Canada (1yr) 12 issues $ 59.97. Outside of U.S.A. and Canada (1yr) $91.97 U.S. Orders outside of U.S.A. must be prepaid in U.S. funds. For Customer Service and Back issues call toll-free (800) 3408954 or write to: Muscle & Fitness, P.O. Box 37207, Boone, IA 50037-0207. SUBSCRIBERS: If the postal service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. U.S. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL and MILITARY FACILITIES send U.S. Address changes to: Muscle & Fitness, P.O. Box 37207, Boone, IA 50037-0207. CANADA POSTMASTER: Send address changes to American Media Inc, PO Box 907 STN Main, Markham, ON L3P 0A7, Canada. From time to time we make our subscriber list available to companies who sell goods and services by mail that we believe would interest our readers. If you would rather not receive such mailings, please send your current mailing label to: Muscle & Fitness, P.O. Box 37207, Boone, IA, 50037-0207. All materials, articles, reports, and photos published in this magazine are the exclusive property of Weider Publications, LLC. and cannot be used without permission in writing. Muscle & Fitness is not responsible for returning unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or other materials. Weider Publications, LLC and American Media publisher of Muscle and Fitness, does not promote or endorse any of the products or services advertised by third-party advertisers in this publication. Nor does Weider Publications, LLC or American Media Inc, verify the accuracy of any claims made in conjunction with such advertisements. Title Trademark registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark office. Reprinted by special agreement in England, Germany, Italy, Austria, Japan, Canada, Netherlands, Korea, Poland, Slovak Republic, Lebanon, and China. Printed in the U.S.A.

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FOR MORE

If you’d like to learn more about Midnight Mission (and even volunteer), go to midnight mission.org

Uplifted Supporting others is easy, especially when you’re used to lifting heavy loads. I RECENTLY HAD THE chance to tour The Midnight Mission, a centuryold organization on Los Angeles’ Skid Row that supports the city’s vast homeless population. My tour guide, David Noriega, explained how many of the men and women who come through the center aren’t there just for relief from the dangers of street life, but for a chance to become selfreliant again. To this end, Midnight Mission offers services ranging from counseling to a 12-step program to computer training and even job placement. It was inspiring to see so many people who, despite their misfortunes, are dedicated to bettering themselves. That’s a value that sits at the very core of 200

MUSCLE & FITNESS

Muscle & Fitness. Of course, the stop on the tour where I lingered longest was Midnight Mission’s gym. It’s small, and most of the equipment is outdated, but Coach Val (former NPC bodybuilding competitor Valerie Mayers) runs a tight ship. She broke from refereeing a volleyball match to show me around her gym, which reminded me of a miniature version of the one where I cut my bodybuilding teeth. The guys were hitting the weights with vigor, and Val was clearly proud of their efforts and the program she helped create. I promised her that I would call upon the fitness industry to help update the place and make it the best damn 400-square-foot gym in L.A.

FEBRUARY 2017

Upon leaving, Delfina Ure, who had invited me to Midnight Mission, said that she had made a similar commitment to Val and that she herself would be leading music and meditation classes in the gymnasium. She’s also recruiting the help of other health and fitness professionals. Fitness has the power to strengthen, uplift, and unite us all. I’m grateful for the chance to share my passion for it with others, and I encourage you to do the same. Maybe that means teaching nursing-home residents simple mobility moves or speaking about healthy eating at an elementary school. Whatever you choose, know that your knowledge of fitness has the power to positively impact many more lives than just your own.

Sincerely,

Shawn Perine Editor in Chief @shawnperine

PER BERNAL