Peeking In..

Good morning all!

I'm blogging from the train, in my way to work! It's been a while since I've blogged, mainly because I've been wrapped up in my own world, in a rut. Due to medical issues, nothing too serious, I have to postpone my next contest prep season. I'm upset, but ill live. Also, it gives me time to grow, work on posing, maintenance .... Basically become a better bodybuilder.

Sorry for the neglect, but I shall be back! With reviews, demos, general knowledge and anything else you might want to know about!

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Supplement Review: TSN BCAA Hyperblend Drink Mix

I have a supplement review for you all today! Yay!

Okay, we all know what BCAAs are.. Branched Chain Amino Acids -The building blocks of muscle (we're keeping it simple around here today). The BCAAs are those essential aminos that the body doesn't provide us with. Benefits of BCAA supplementation include reduced soreness (DOMS!!), protein synthesis, reducing the rate of muscle breakdown, maximize fat loss (yeah, baby.. ), and a host of other benefits!

(see these articles for more details:
http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/654/The_Benefits_of_BCAAs_10_Quick_Tips_and_Detailed_R.aspx
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bcaas-the-many-benefits-of-amino-acids.html )

Anyways, back to the supplement at hand.. Check the pic below...

Both are by Top Secret Nutrition (TSN) The Pill form on the left and the powdered drink form on the right. This review is about the DRINK. I've used both actually. Before the drink was available, I was popping open the pills, and mixing with crystal light and Cardio Igniter (by TSN) to drink during my morning fasted cardio, to prevent muscle breakdown. But... the folks at TSN have solved my problem! The BCAA Hyperblend is BCAA/Energy drink that is berry flavored and loaded with BCAAs and other ingredients to make it a sexy pre/intra workout energy drink. Yes, I said sexy. -_-

Besides the BCAAs, the drink mix includes a 3:1:1 ratio of leucine, isoleucine and valine,  Ursolic Acid, Brassinolide and caffeine [(150mg) to provide energy and enhance the anabolic and muscle protein synthesis stimulating effect of BCAA],  Astravar (you don't know about Astravar??) and BioPerine to help enhance the absorption of the ingredients. Here's a pic of the label for your viewing pleasure:

Okay... so I bet you wanna know how it tastes. Honestly, in the realm of pre-workout drinks, this isn't half bad. I'm not the biggest fan of berry flavored drinks as I prefer fruit punch or lemonade varieties. But alone it tastes heck of a lot better than regular BCAA powder. I added my trusty crystal light lemonade packet and took it to the gym for a test drive on my morning cardio. I can say I drank most of it during the first 15 minutes. Terrible, I know. But it is a welcomed addition to the rotation. Here's a hint.. drinking BCAAs during your fasted cardio helps with hunger! Yes.. it helps with the ravenous hunger that can come after doing the cardio.. :-) So, this drink mix is PERFECT for that!  I plan to use to it whenever I do fasted cardio... The weekends because during the week.. yeah.. I'm not about that life..

Until next review..
x0x0

Quads and Glutes 2.0

Hi Folks! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! What better way to start off a new year than a grueling workout? :-) I posted a workout on FB yesterday, but this is another version of it..

1. Leg Extensions: 2 warm up sets 15 reps; 4 x 12-15 working sets

2. Seated Leg Press: 1 warm up 15 reps; 4 x 15 working sets

3. Super Set: 3 sets
Hack Squat 12 reps (increasing weight each set)
Walking Lunges (14/12/last set 30 reps just body weight)

4. Sideways One Leg Press: 15 reps per leg

5. Superset: 3 sets
Leg Press: 15 reps per leg
Glute flutter kicks (20-30 reps - 10-15 kicks per side)

6. Superset:
Glute Cable Kickbacks 3 x 12
Sumo Squats with heavy dumbbell 3 x 10 reps per side

7. Superset:
Smith Squats 3 x 12
Box Jumps (well jumps on a bench) 3 x 10

8. FST-7 Burnout for Quads: Leg Extensions (again)
7 sets x 12- 15 reps (30 secs rest between sets)

Slight changes, but changes nonetheless. :-) Enjoy!

 

 

Late Night Ramblings...

I will admit, I'm terrible with keeping in touch with people or keeping up with things I commit to do. I hardly talk on the phone, I'd rather email/text/procrastinate. If something isn't constantly at the forefront of my mind, I tend to forget about it.

This blog.

It hasn't been at the forefront of my mind, because my "so called life" has been spinning in all directions. It's been a stressful last few months. Some of the stress self-inflicted. Some can't be helped. Right now, I'm supposed to be excited and happy and nervous because I'm entering contest prep, and I'm certain I'll do/be better than my first cycle. However. How...Ever.... I'm not any of those things. I'm sullen, sad, tired, exhausted, overwhelmed, and to be quite honest, I'm not handling it very well. I snap at people, I've isolated myself, I over train at times because it's my way to cope. Hmm. To add insult to injury, my Grandmother passed away this week. Luckily, I saw her about 9 days prior to her death because I happen to be going to the DMV Area. See.. I hadn't seen her in 12 years. I'd talked to her, but hadn't laid eyes on her. I feel bad that I let 12 years go by, but it's life. We make mistakes, we learn and we move on.

There's that.

What else is there? Pfft.. Do you have a bowl of popcorn popped and some diet ginger ale? We could be here a while...*sigh* I'm not going to go into every single nook and cranny of my life right now and why I feel the way I do. At times, I'm not certain if I can handle contest prep right now. I hardly sleep (which I should be doing now), I don't ever have time for anything (out the door before 7 for and hour and a half commute to work, then the same commute --- sometimes longer--- to the gym after work), I have two actual paying jobs which stress me, I have three different professions (all with current licenses) that I haven't been able to make work, and I'm always hungry.. *shakes head* Such is life.. and I'm just trying to stay afloat.

Why did I write all this? I dunno... My mind was moving, so my fingers wanted to get in on it.. Plus, even though I don't do it often, I like to write. I have to get the crazy between my ears on the the  paper.. ok screen. Well, I guess I needed to get all that off my chest because now, I am crazy tired.

Tomorrow is a new day, let's make it great.. It's Friday, for goodness sake...

L.

Odds and Ends...

Good morning and Happy Monday!

Trust me, I'm not as excited about a Monday as you think, so.. :-) I've started my Contest Prep for April, and it's not as bad as the first time. Well, still hungry, but that's a given. I don't even feel like I'm in prep, but I am. The diet, the workouts.. Should be amazing!

But this post isn't about prep. It's about body maintenance. Namely our hands. This is a photo of my left hand:

Right. I lift heavy weights on a regular basis, and even though I wear gloves, I still get calluses. Sigh... Also, I used the bathroom quite often, so I'm washing my hands all day long, which leave them very dry. Solution? A DIY hand scrub! yay! Using things you should have around the house... Here's the recipe:

• 2 tbsp used coffee grinds (I get mine from work, since I don't have a coffee maker at home)
• 1 egg yolk (here's a use for those egg yolks we always toss! 
• a few drops of lemon juice
• and a 1 tsp of the following:
• honey
• castor oil (or which ever oil you have around)
• salt (sometimes I use brown sugar -- I don't eat it, so might as well scrub  with it)

Mix well in a lil bowl and store in the fridge (the egg yolk...). I'll put some soap on my hands, then take some of the mixture and rub it into my hands to exfoliate and soften them a bit. I then follow up with some shea butter. In larger batches, I've used it on my legs and feet in the shower. be careful as it could get messy! :-) About calluses,... a pumice stone used regularly helps to keep your hands soft. We may lift with men, but no need to be rough like them ;-).

Happy training!

The Next Day

Hi! It's morning of day two... :-)

Watch "The Morning After..." on YouTube

DC!

Hi everyone... It's been a lil bit since I last posted. But since I've got posted I'm going back to working out. Trying to lean out before I officially start prep in January. I started back on Wednesday with a chest workout and I still feel it.

As for DC, I'm here training with a great friend who happens to train competitors, his wife included. Great people... Really blessed to be able to be here with them.

This video is from day one, heading to their location for a back workout. Enjoy!

Watch "First day of DC" on YouTube