by Geoff Roberts

It is not difficult to understand why people correlate a good looking physique with being healthy. The day to day actions which serve to make a person healthy, such as eating an appropriate amount as well as variety of clean food, exercising regularly, and getting proper rest, do have a positive effect on one’s appearance, after all. The same can be said about physical performance with regards to these healthy habits. However, at a certain level of physical development or performance, these habits begin to mold into a much different image. At this elevated level, these habits start to become extreme in nature and often times harmful to the athletes health. One’s lifestyle quickly becomes more focused around performance, or in the case of bodybuilding, muscle growth, and less concerned with health.
Read More »Bodybuilding is Not a Health Contest

by Geoff Roberts

Although I am not overly religious, you can find some very wise quotes in scripture. On several occasions, scripture makes mention of the possible negative ramifications of remaining idle. Verses such as “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop” come to mind. What verses like this mean is that people who fail to keep busy, or live an exceptionally lazy lifestyle, will often times get themselves into trouble. While these quotes are generally geared towards normal everyday people, one could very easily make a case that they also apply exceptionally well to bodybuilders. Despite what many bodybuilders might think, being able to sit home all day and basically do nothing, is usually not a good situation at all, as much as it may sound ideal. It is not hard to imagine why bodybuilders strive for this idle lifestyle. They can eat their meals perfectly on time, always get ample rest, and successfully defuse any stress, theoretically. However, you have to take the good with the bad as they say, and in this case, for several specific reasons, the bad tends to outweigh the good.
Read More »Idle Hands Are the Devil’s Playground

by Josh Hodnik

Amino acids play central roles as building blocks and as intermediates in metabolism. Amino acids also contribute and are also considered crucial for the health of the human nervous system and vital organs, hormone production, and cellular structure. There are over 20 amino acids present in the dietary protein that we consume. Amino acids are categorized as non-essential and essential. Non-essential amino acids can be synthesized by the body and don’t have to taken in through diet or supplement form. Essential amino acids can’t be produced in the body and must be taken in through foods or supplements that contain them.
Read More »Leucine – The Anabolic Amino

by Josh Hodnick

Cortisol has become well known as the stress hormone responsible for increasing body fat storage, more specifically, belly fat. There are many fat loss supplements that are intended to lower body fat by lowering cortisol levels. The companies that market cortisol lowering supplements, target individuals that have excess belly fat and who may have a high stress lifestyle. Much of the US population can relate to this situation. With that being said, many consumers believe that supplements intended to lower cortisol may be the key to them finally being successful with losing weight. If decreasing abnormally high levels of cortisol in order to lose body fat was as simple as taking a single supplement, I highly doubt we would see the majority of society walking around with their belly hanging over their belt!
Read More »Cortisol Can Sabotage Your Physique

by Cade Thomas

Is there any place closer to hell then the comment section of a bodybuilding video on Youtube or Facebook? As I scroll through my feed, I see a few mainstream articles pop up about popular fitness personalities or celebrities with muscle. Although I know that clicking “view comments” will result in nothing other than a few premature grey hairs and perhaps the beginnings of an ulcer, I usually proceed anyways before my brain can smack some sense into my finger. Without fail, if the gentlemen in the picture or the subject of the article possesses any kind of muscle, it is a given that someone who doesn’t have any involvement in the bodybuilding world will be spewing some kind of nonsensical crap about steroids, cheating, being natural, etc.
Read More »Natural or Not: Who Cares?

by Geoff Roberts

The choice to eat an organic diet has become something of a fad in our society as of late. Although choosing organic foods over non organic foods is certainly a healthy choice in general, it seems that foods being labeled as “organic” has really just made us more confused and less healthy. This organic food paradox actually shares similarities with the phenomenon our industry is currently experiencing of very young and or inexperienced bodybuilders turning to steroids as the end all be all. In essence, it seems the new thing to do is simply put the cart before the horse.
Read More »Putting the Organic Cart Before the Nutritional Horse

by Geoff Roberts

Dexter Jackson’s recent success at the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia, despite being 45 years old, has officially catapulted him deep into legendary status. Dexter has joined the ranks of our sport’s age-defying elite. These ranks include names such as Robby Robinson, Albert Beckles, Darrem Charles, and a few select others. However, there is one name, a name that every bodybuilding fan is well aware of, that is rarely, if ever, included in this list, but certainly deserves to be. That name is Lee Priest. Whether you are talking about the longevity of his professional career, or just his bodybuilding career in general, few bodybuilders are in the same league as Lee. Lee competed in his first bodybuilding show when he was 13 years old. Competing in a bodybuilding show at such a young age is amazing enough as it is, however, being able to compete with the best in the world 30 years later is truly incredible.
Read More »The Blade, The Blonde Myth, And The Fountain Of Youth

by Mike Arnold

Conflicting Opinions

Beginning in the mid-1990’s, the issue of stomach distension became an area of criticism among traditionalists, with many in the bodybuilding community voicing disapproval over its presence within the upper echelons of the sport. Ever since then various events have continued to transpire, thrusting the issue back into the spotlight and each time, speculation regarding the reasons for its appearance has run rampant.
Read More »Damaging the Aesthetic Standard Stomach Distension – Myth vs Fact

by Matt Weik

Yes, you read the title correctly. Your over-the-counter allergy meds could actually be diminishing your potential muscle gains. Now don’t read this and say “I don’t care how bad I feel, I’m not taking any medication for my allergies.” That’s not what this article is all about, nor does it make sense if you’re suffering from the nasty symptoms associated with seasonal allergies. However, be aware that OTC medications like Allegra may impede your recovery after a workout if you don’t follow the directions on the packaging.
Read More »Are Allergy Meds Killing Your Gains?