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How to Reduce Catabolism

May 2, 2012 By Michael Mahony, ISSA CPT Leave a Comment

Catabolism is a word that strikes fear in the hearts of bodybuilders. It is the process by which the body begins to break down muscle to be used for energy. Doing too much cardio can cause catabolism. Not eating enough will cause catabolism. Catabolism is obviously something bodybuilders want to avoid. While it is not possible to completely eliminate catabolism, there are things that can be done to reduce catabolism.

When doing cardio, sip on a mixture of BCAAs and Glutamine. These have been shown to reduce catabolism. The body utilizes the BCAAs and the glutamine to keep skeletal muscle high and BCAA oxidation low. This slows down catabolism.

If you are trying to cut fat you likely use a lower calorie, carb depleted eating plan. This puts your body into a prime state for catabolism. One tip is to drink a mixture of BCAAs and glutamine every three hours. Again, this slows down the catabolic response of the body.

The utilization of BCAAs and glutamine will help you maintain the muscle you worked so hard to gain. At the same time, you can work at removing fat from your body. It is one of those times when supplementation becomes very important. You will want to avoid catabolism at all costs and this is one very effective way.

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Filed Under: Fitness

Saturday Sharing – Episode 5

March 31, 2012 By Michael Mahony, ISSA CPT 1 Comment

Saturday Sharing

Today I’d like to share with you my 6 favorite bodybuilders. Your job is to leave your own list of 6 items in the comments or on your own blog that relate to the topic this week. If you decide to put the list on your own blog, be sure to leave a comment with a link to your blog. Please note that permission is NOT granted top copy the question to a forum or message board for the purpose of having the readers participate in the answering of the topic.

Topic for Saturday, March 31, 2012: Favorite bodybuilders.

  1. Jay Cutler
  2. Phil Heath
  3. Branch Warren
  4. Evan Centopani
  5. Eduardo Correa
  6. Lionel Beyeke

If you have a Saturday Sharing you'd like to see, send me an email. I would love to feature it in the future.

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Filed Under: Fitness

How to Use Active Stretching

February 15, 2012 By Michael Mahony, ISSA CPT 1 Comment

stretching

Active stretching is an essential element of your warm up routine. Active stretching involves foam rolling and stretching movements that are not static. The idea is to remove the force that is caused by static stretching, thereby reducing the potential for injury. Active stretching relies only upon the muscle being stretched. There is no additional force applied.

An example of an active stretch would be lifting your leg up high and holding it there without anything extra keeping it extended. You rely only upon the leg muscles to hold the position. This type of a stretch will increase your flexibility as well as your strength.

Active stretches should be held for 10 to 30 seconds in length and should involve 1 to 2 stretches per muscle group. It should be noted that this type of stretching is not recommended before an athletic event. It can cause problems with balance and reaction time as well as reducing power output.

I highly recommend using a foam roller prior to weight training. Foam rolling removes adhesions in the muscles and helps avoid injuries. For instance, it is possible that due to poor posture during the day you create alignment issues or adhesions in the muscles. A good session of foam rolling will correct those issues for you. You should be sure to roll the IT band on both of your legs. That will help relieve the stress you experience in your lower back. You can then roll your glutes, back, shoulders and calves. It can be a very painful experience. You must go very slow and when you feel some discomfort, stay on the spot and apply pressure until the discomfort level decreases. By consistently foam rolling you will find that the discomfort will decrease over time.

What ideas do you have for staying injury free?

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Filed Under: Featured, Fitness

Mission Grand Prix Update

January 29, 2012 By Michael Mahony, ISSA CPT 4 Comments

The Update

In 11 weeks from today, Mission Grand Prix will be over. I will have stood on stage and competed in my first bodybuilding competition. It is a day I am very much looking forward to. It means I will have accomplished one of my major goals in life.

I recently looked at comparison photos from the start of this journey on August 8, 2011 as compared to just a few days ago and I was shocked. The changes have been massive. I could honestly stop now and hold my head up high except for one thing–the goal has not been completed.

Yesterday I completed an amazing chest session along with some triceps and HIIT cardio. I was training without my coach, so I wanted to insure maximum intensity. I focused on getting a great squeeze in the muscles. In fact, I finished the chest portion of my training by trying a new technique.

I grabbed dumbbells that were half of what I can press for 10 repetitions. I got on an incline bench and pressed the dumbbells up. I held a squeeze at the top of the motion for a count of 10. I then brought the weight all the way down and held that stretch for 10 seconds. I continued this for 10 repetitions. The resulting pump was amazing.

I finished off my workout with a HIIT session on the step mill. I hit the 15 minute point and had to head to the locker room. Yes, I had to puke from the intensity of my entire training session.

This is the intensity that will be required of me as I go through the next 11 weeks. I will have to bring this thing home because I have the need to do the absolute best I can. I know that if I work extra hard I will achieve the best physique I've ever had, which means I will be able to maintain it after the fact.

Do you have a goal that you have always wanted to accomplish? Tell me about it in the comments below.

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Filed Under: Fitness

Find the Desire

December 13, 2011 By Michael Mahony, ISSA CPT 1 Comment

Desire is one of the things that holds us back from successful physique transformations. Desire is something you either have or you don't. If you have it, success is just about guaranteed. If you don't have it, you can get it. It just takes some mental adjustments in order to capture the desire you need. When you lack desire, no matter how hard you try, you are bound to fail. Who wants to get up early in the morning to do cardio if they haven't got true desire? Desire controls much of what you do and do not do in your life.

As the video says, you have no excuses. If you claim to want to get in shape, you need to exhibit the desire to get there. Goals don't get accomplished in a vacuum. The effort you put in will be proportionate to the desire you have for the end result to become a reality. I believe you can get anywhere you want if you have desire. It is just a matter of working extra hard at it.

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Filed Under: Fitness

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