Training while travelling

As some may know, I am spending the holidays in Romania with my wife and family. The landscape and towns are very beautiful  and we really get to relax. BUT as a true musclehead I have to workout. So Alexandra had to sacrifice her afternoon to find a gym. And so she did as you can see. While the place does not look like an Equinox, I got a great workout!
Those of you that work out at Mid City Gym can certainly relate. After all your muscles don't know where they are, they either contract or relax. So I employed my bodybuiling knowledge and used partial reps, static holds, posing between etc to maximize the workout.
Bodybuilding is about attitude and commitment not fancy equipment. Besides, I have yet to see a pro training at Equinox.
I am off to a wholesome, clean dinner!
Till next time
Maik
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Stocks are down, invest in yourself!

Everywhere you turn to these days, there is only one theme: the economic downturn.  The media seems to be in a competition about who can paint the gloomiest picture. Some say it will be like 1929, or worse; I even read about a hundred year depression. I wonder if any of these forecasters predicted the Giants to win the Super Bowl as well. 

The way I see it, nobody knows  what will happen and there is little one can do to stem the global tide. So it makes sense to look into areas that can be improved such as your physical well being. It is certainly easier to deal with a higher stress level when in good physical condition and it is certainly not a good idea to be 20 lbs overweight and stressed out. So take the time to work out and eat right, another hour at the office won't make a difference in the great scheme of things but it will do a lot of good for your mind and body. 

Remember: your most valuable capital is you!

How to avoid the holiday 10

So again the days are shorter  and the plates fuller. It must be holiday season, filled with parties, cookies, dinner invitation, drinks etc. In short, everything that threatens bodybuilding success is assembled in these 6 weeks. 

So how does one stay lean during these weeks without alienating friends and family? 

First and foremost, don't stop working out. Plan your workouts ahead since you may be pressed for time. Make them shorter, focus on big exercises , supersets and the like.

When you are invited for a party, calculate that into your daily consumption. Try to eat a little less during the day so you can indulge a little, but don't not arrive hungry. You can snack on fruit, rice cakes or nuts before you get  there so you don't have to eat a waiter.

 This brings me to my next point: don't overeat! It is ok to have a little bit of everything, just not the whole pumpkin pie. Also, don't get into that starvation-binge-starvation cycle. Your body will get confused and store more fat in response.

Stay hydrated: have two glasses of water for every alcoholic drink you consume, and try to stay away from sugary drink mixes.

Take a walk: after a party or a dinner, walk home it. It will get your metabolism running and you ll store much less of the calories you ingested.

Up your green tea and vitamin C intake: both of these nutrients will help you weather germs and increase your metabolic rate.

Following these guidelines will help you to make to January 2nd with only minimal weight gain. Remember: memorial Day is only 6 months away!

Maik

A word on setbacks....

So my show came and went, I am not very happy with the outcome, even though I believe that the physique that i brought was my best one yet. However,the judges did not see it that way and placed me third. needless to say, lamenting won't give a better body, so after every show it is a very good idea to a good hard look at yourself and find out what is missing. 

In my case, it is rather obvious: 10 lbs on upper chest and arms. So on Monday I was back in the gym , doing arms and cardio. I also stayed on my diet, just added some more red meat ( not exactly a punishment). While setbacks are never very pleasant, they can be a hidden gift. I know this one will blow my arms up to 18 "!

Lift heavy!

maik

Evening awards show beginning. . .

Additional info reveals the competition is *extremely* tough and
formidable this time around.

Wiedenbach states he is impressed by the level of conditioning in some
of his competitors.

And so we are holding our breath . . .
Go Maik!

Word on the Net.....

Is that Herr Wiedenbach was called out / called back more than once in
his class!
Stay tuned folks. . .

Backstage pump / prep work on target....

8 more days....

So the deadline is drawing closer, I made it through hell week, 2 hours cardio and only 100 grams of carbs a day; but I am lean! Now it is all about resting and carb loading to fill out for the big day. During the endless hours of misery, the question naturally arises: Why am i doing this to myself ( every year)?

The answer is not so obvious, after all it is certainly not money or fame that motivates the average bodybuilder to compete. It is the desire to better yourself and your body, to show that you actually can put up with a 16 week diet and 530 am cardio. It is also what makes you and what separates you from others. I am very excited about the coming weekend, I will be 5 lbs heavier than last year with the same degree of conditioning.

Shameless political plug coming up: Go Obama!

Die Nummer 1 sind wir!

It is about time for an update....3 months of competition preparation have passed and the results are starting to come in. Yesterday, Scott "Dr. Abs" Gerst competed in his first natural bodybuilding show ever and he did not disappoint. After battling a stomach virus for the last 72 hours, he got ready in time to put on a great performance. After spending much of friday with carbloading, posing and coloring, he showed up on stage at a razor sharp and lean 144 lbs.

Despite being cheated out of a top 3 finish in the masters class, he won the novice class!

Congratulations to him and let the post-comp eating feast begin!

As for myself, I have the Baltimore Classic on Nov 8th left, where I ll try out for a pro card. So far things are on track, stay tuned!

Maik

The other 50%

On the surface, body building is an individual sport. However, behind every champion there is whole brigade of people that all work to make this individuals success possible. There is the trainer, nutritionist, masseur...all the way to the janitor who makes sure the gym is use able for those 630 am workouts.
And there is the athletes spouse! Without an understanding and supportive significant other it is absolutely impossible to be successful. The challenges are many, no social life, moodiness on low-carb days, stained sheets from the posing color etc.
In fact, during my current preparation I would have divorced myself 4 weeks ago! So we should always keep in mind, that despite all those muscles we are only half the picture.
Train heavy!
Maik
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

I just don't have the genetics

The statement in the title is something I hear quite often , be it in the gym or just during a conversation. Genetics seem to be the main culprit for athletic shortcomings, be it to build muscle or to loose body fat. So how much do genetics really influence your success in the gym?
The answer is: less than you would like to believe. While it is true that everyone has good and not so good muscle groups, it is also true that ANYONE can get in amazing shape.
Most of us don't have the potential of a certain Arnold S. but this does not mean that we can not achieve our respective goals. Let's take the gentleman to the left, Frank Zane.
He had narrow clavicles, a long torso, 16 " arms and weighed 190 lbs at a height of 5'10". In other words,one of the worst possible make ups for a pro bodybuilder.
He also won Mr. Olympia 3 times, beating even Arnold.
How did he do it? You guessed it , he stuck to his diet, trained with an unmatched intensity and did not take no for an answer.
So don't psych yourself out about your genetics, you cannot change them anyways.
Keep lifting!
Maik

And what else is happening?

I figured it is time to give an update about the overall developments at Adlertraining. Even though we are in the midst of summer, fall season is approaching fast and several clients are competing.
First in line would be Vince, who is competing in a sprint triathlon in Connecticut on August 1st. We have been working hard to improve his swimming and tweaked the diet accordingly. Then there is Scott "Dr. Abs", who will compete in a natural bodybuilding in October. His diet and training are on track, i am sure he will do damage in the Masters class.
As for my self I plan on competing in September and November, hopefully 15 lbs heavier than last year with the same leanness.
Stay tuned!
Maik

Alcohol and bodybuilding, do they go together?

One of the topics that comes up quite a bit is alcohol consumption while training and dieting. So the question is: is it possible to drink and still achieve a lean physique?

The following is not intended to dissuade people from drinking recreationaly but to point out the short comings of alcohol for an athlete in training.

First of all, alcohol delivers quite a few  empty calories ( calories without nutrition) , almost twice as many as carbohydrates  ( glass of red wine 123 cal, beer 135 cal, cocktails up to 700 cal). The emotional inhibition  which comes with alcohol often leads to mindless eating while drinking, the famous late night pizza f. i., and all these calories  easily add up to weight gain. Furthermore, alcohol directly affects motivation thereby making it harder to stay on a diet. 

Alcohol also lowers testosterone thereby inhibits fat-burning, since a lower testosterone levels means a lower metabolic rate.

Performance is also affected for up to 48 h after the consumption of alcohol, so if you have a workout planned the next day it just wont be 100 %.

So if you are serious about losing weight it is best not to drink at all, since the one-glass-at-dinner approach very seldom works.

Train hard!

Maik

Jan '08 to July '08 or " but I am doing pretty good with my eating"

The  single biggest factor in the battle for a better body is nutrition. And yes, everyone knows about which foods to eat etc and yet , hardly anyone is in shape.How is this possible?  Lack of willpower for sure but also limited understanding of caloric intake.

First of all, you need to take responsibility for your physical appearance.  Energy CANNOT be created, so if you store more energy ( body fat) than you would like to, you are simply eating too much.

 For starters a food diary is an absolute necessity if you are serious about changing your physique. Write down everything you eat and drink for five days, then review it. Even ABC news did mention the advantages of such a food log today http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health?Fitness?story/id=5327486&page=1

 From there , you need to figure out the optimal caloric intake for you, which should allow you to drop 2 lbs per week on a constant basis. In order to do that, weigh all you foods and use websites like www.thecaloriecounter.com to figure out macro nutrients and caloric value. Success will be inevitable!

" But I can't do that" I hear quite often, when I make this suggestion. This goes back to point 1 : Take responsibility for the way you look"

for the non-believers. . . ., the picture above is a client who told me in February that he is doing"pretty well with his diet", since Mid-April he follows his diet to the T ( his partner also, I am not sure if he had a  choice...) and they both have achieved amazing results as evident.

So I urge anyone who is serious with his training to take the next step and learn as much as possible about diet and put this knowledge to good use.

Until next time

Maik

Setting goals

I was recently asked to write about the journey of training and dieting. While this seems like a rather arduous task, it really isn't. In a way, bodybuilding is somewhat similar to business. You need a vision ( of yourself) and a strategy as to how to get there.Do you have body parts that lack? Do you want to add another 15 lbs of muscle?
From there on you draw up a plan for 6 or 12 months and set the stage. As you go along ,you need to have smaller goals that are achievable within a 4 week time frame. ( upper abs coming through, bench up by 5 lbs etc). In my experience, athletes with a poorly laid out plan still do better than without one.
Another very important tool is visualization , you need to have a vision of yourself what you would like to look like. If that presents a problem, pick someone out of a magazine, or choose Tom Platz's legs, Arnolds biceps, Ronnies back ,Cutlers haircut :-) as your model.
Equipped with these tools, you should reach your potential!
Train hard,
Maik
P.S.: Attached is a pic from the Adlertraining bowling party,. I hope everyone had fun!

Are you really getting results?

With summer finally reaching  NYC and the Hamptons, the gym is a great opportunity to observe other trainees and their progress during winter since the summer crowd comes out of their hiatus in late May. I was working with clients all of Memorial Day weekend and was shocked by the discovery that many people look the same or worse year after year, despite working out.

one really has to ask: Am I getting stronger? Am i leaner?Is my diet in check? Can I handle a higher volume? If the answer to all of these questions is no, than the athlete has to take a good, a hard look at his training and diet regiment and make some significant changes.

nobody would put a car in neutral until the tank is empty, yet when it comes to training; this seems to be common place.

Don't be that guy/girl!!!

Train hard!

Until next time

Maik

Another day, another pump or how to overcome setbacks

Sitting in the subway after a grueling leg workout is probably as good a time as any to reflect on the mental pitfalls of our sport. So here it is, setbacks.
Every athlete in training is at some point in time with an injury, a stressful phase in life, a trip etc in short: training progress is being hindered or comes to a full stop. How to cope with a situation like that?
One has to remember that progress does not follow a straight line, very often it is three steps forward, one back.
So every rep,set, workout, meal is another brick in that house that you are attempting to build. Never give up, every day matters!
Keep training hard, Memorial Day is almost here!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Not just bodybuilding at Adlertraining

Last weekend, I had the great pleasure to accompany one of my clients at her event; a triathlon relay the 2008 Aflac Iron Girl Las Vegas, my client was to cover the swimming leg. The race itself took place in Las Vegas, so at least warm weather was a given. The water , on the other hand, turned out to be freezing.
The total preparation time was only 10 weeks, but with a lot of hard work and willpower my client managed to hit all goals I had given her. She swam about 4-5 times per week, total yardage around 15000 y/week. In addition, she performed two weight training sessions weekly
The actual race day started around 5 am with a light warm up in the hotel pool, then it was on to the site of the race , Lake Las Vegas. The total starter field was around 200 starters including some pro-level athletes. After warm up, I felt pretty good about my client's abilities to place in the top third.
We went over some last minute adjustments and the race plan, then it was off!
To my great joy, my client posted the fastest swimming time of all the relays and her team won the event!
This called for a celebration dinner on Saturday, further triathlons are in the making. Stay tuned!

About my brother

Today subject will stray a little off the topic of bodybuilding. As some of my readers know, our beloved mother passed away right after christmas and things have never been the same ever since. My younger brother Jan is currently in the final stages to obtain his masters in sports at the University of Freiburg. So despite all this emotional turmoil, he managed to hand in his thesis and prepare for orals.
So whenever I don't feel like eating chicken and getting up at 530 am to train I remember my brother and think to myself: What's my excuse?
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Is it all worth it?

The New York winter can be quite hard on the psyche. It isn't so much the cold as it is the length and darkness. Getting out of bed at 6 am when its pitch black and going to lift with several layers of clothing isn't a lot of fun. Also, it is easier to gravitate toward " comfort foods" than a bodybuilding menu. After all, there aren't many  opportunities to show off your physique right now, so why bother? Is it really worth all the sacrifices?

In short: yes! Every meal, every rep sets me apart from those who cant do it. It makes me feel good about myself and life as such. Bodybuilding  is more than a sport , it is therapy, almost a religion. So keep on training and eating right! Besides, you wont be in shape for a July 4th bash when you start training on Memorial Day.

Strange exercises, are they the secret?

Another gym phenomenon that everyone at least witnesses once is some member, often being assisted by a trainer, is performing a bizarre and often dangerous looking exercise. Most likely, that poor creature is being misled in his or her belief that new is always better and this particular form of movement is a breakthrough. Well, not quite so. Bodybuilding hasn't really changed since 1950 , the basics still work . However, in our fast-paced world, new sales gimmicks need to be invented every month to fill magazines , websites etc. Don't get fooled by the hype, as Arnold Schwarzenegger said:" Consistency, not novelty is the key to success".

Stick to squats,they worked well for my legs.

" Das interessiert mich wirklich nicht" or I really don't care

This fabulous quote from a german soccer star was brought to my attention by one of my friends during a recent training session. The more I thought about it, the more it became clear that this is a great way to lead a bodybuilding existence.
Does that mean we should all become social retards? Not at all, but let's face it : bodybuilding requires a lifestyle that is somewhat uncommon and requires certain sacrifices(Why can't you eat like other people? Why won't you have a drink?). Truth to be told " normal" in our society very often equals unhealthy and it is sometimes necessary to take a stand. So in that sense, the next time someone asks you " Why are you so obsessed with working out? Why can't you be like a normal person?" just politely smile and think to yourself " Das interessiert mich wirklich nicht".

A new year.....

So 2008 is upon us, the gym is full of newbies and the news-years-resolution crowd is occupying the flat bench for 4 straight hours. One has to wonder, what is it all about? Are we as bodybuilders engulfed in a self-possessing act of vanity? Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas, as the bible puts it.
And yet, it is not an all meaningless physique cult. First of all, a bit of vanity can be healthy for the individual and the environment. Secondly, not only bodybuilders are vain, why else would John Edwards be getting 400$ haircuts?
But most importantly, bodybuilding is not just lifting weights and eating chicken with rice. It is also about interacting with people you have nothing in common with but the the love of the iron. Training is a great way to bridge social and cultural gaps, since it is the common denominator. You be surprised by the friendships you might build.
So keep training hard and save those newbies from doing 20 sets of curls and no squats!