“Most of the studies on long COVID are looking at narrow slices of our body’s chemical interactions – and that’s far too limiting. I don’t have all the studies in front of me to reference, but there’s a lot of evidence (and many have accepted) that long COVID and mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) are essentially the same thing. Dr. Tina Peers found that most of her long COVID patients reported symptoms of MCAS before they got COVID, suggesting that a genetic or underlying predisposition to long COVID lies in mast cell dysfunction. Anyone with long COVID also have asthma, hypothyroid, food sensitivities before you had COVID? When you shift your lens to the mast cells you have to acknowledge the complexity of the effect on the body – it’s not just about too much histamine, but a host of other chemicals. When our body is, or thinks it is, under attack, our mast cells activate, and in the process release histamine and, for the purposes of this discussion, cortisol. So, to “fight” the paper cut, infection, bee sting, or cat hair, our body goes into full fight mode – inflammation – and our cortisol levels rise. When things are functioning normally, histamine and cortisol levels drop in time, and we return to equilibrium. However, our bodies have been under attack by all sorts of toxins for decades, or maybe we have a genetic abnormality such as Mannose-binding lectin deficiency or Ehlers Danlos, so our bodies cannot find the equilibrium, and eventually we suffer from adrenal fatigue. I don’t have evidence of this, but I expect that the authors of this article are measuring this adrenal fatigue that is just a symptom of the underlying condition that presents a welcome mat for long COVID. And when COVID – a disease of the mast cells – finds that welcome mat, the sensitivities and inflammation that were already present now kick into high gear, and we’ve got long COVID. How do we treat it? As you would MCAS – with a strict low histamine diet, and analysis that identifies vitamin deficiencies (likely Bs and D, to start). Reduce emotional stress, avoid triggers like heat and exercise, pace yourself, sleep more, and accept that it’s going to take some time. Excellent source of info: https://www.youtube.com/c/RUNDMC1”
This fall, the strongman legend will officially return to the sport by competing in the 2022 Giants Live World’s Strongest Nation (WSN) competition. In a team-oriented, head-to-head contest, Hall will be the captain of Team UK, while eight-time WSM competitor Robert Oberst will captain Team USA. The competition will take place on November 26 in Liverpool, England.
In preparation for his return to strongman, Hall shared an August 24 video on his YouTube channel that details his daily nutrition three months before he competes in Liverpool.
Here’s Hall breaking down how he eats as he trains to excel in strongman again.
Breakfast
According to Hall, his wife usually prepares his daily meals. On the day this video was filmed, she had to work, so Hall made everything himself — with the help of his wife’s written instructions.
First on the ledger for Hall was a morning protein shake. It consisted of two scoops of whey protein, two tablespoons of peanut butter, one banana, some Skinny Food chocolate spread, milk, and ice. The strongman guessed the shake had around 700 calories and 65 grams of protein.
Afterward, before walking his dog for some morning cardio, Hall weighed himself on a scale. The scale read 160.45 kilograms (353.7 pounds) — over 40 pounds more than Hall’s weight during his boxing match with Björnsson in late March this year.
Lunch
Before he headed out for a training session, Hall pieced together his lunch. The athlete used scissors to cut up some chicken onto a skillet. Then, he chopped up some onions and tomato and mixed them with coriander, cilantro, and his own special low-sugar cooking sauce. He packed this mix into five wraps, which had roughly 1,500 calories and 120 grams of protein.
To have a smaller meal in the middle of his workout, Hall filled up two additional wraps. His calorie and protein total by the end of lunch were 2,800 calories and 305 grams of protein, respectively.
To conclude his day, Hall made two “Beast Burgers.” These burgers had two big patties of beef on respective buns, bacon, sauce, tomatoes, and cheese.
Everything went smoothly except for the fries — which Hall failed to pat dry, toss in oil, and plop in the air fryer. After he consulted his wife on the telephone, he acquiesced and plated his non-crispy potato wedges.
After finishing this final monster of a meal, Hall said his total calories for the day were 4,600, and total protein was 385 grams.
In his strongman heyday, Hall competed at over 400 pounds during contests. That is a far cry from his current weight of 353.7 pounds. Such a potential shift might mean Hall excels more on agility-related events while sacrificing strength in heavier aspects at the 2022 WSN.
Hall will take his nutrition and training to captain Team UK at the 2022 Giants Live World’s Strongest Nation on November 26 in Liverpool, England.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
“You’ve gotta squat” can be heard echoing through gyms worldwide. At face value, it’s undoubtedly useful advice. Squatting strengthens the entire lower body and builds muscle in the legs, while also working the core and upper-body stabilizers.
However, squatting isn’t one specific exercise; it’s a general movement pattern. Telling someone to squat is like telling them to eat. It’s well-intentioned but vague. Many lifters assume that the barbell back squat is the default “squat” and other movements are just variations.
Ivan Kochergin / Shutterstock
While the back squat has plenty of its own advantages, it may not belong on that pedestal. The front squat can easily take the top spot. It offers several benefits the back squat can’t match and just might be a better overall choice for many lifters. Here’s a deep dive into learning which type of squat really belongs in your training program.
Beyond the most visual difference — the barbell’s position — there are several key differences between these two primary squats.
Muscle Recruitment
The bar position during a back squat requires lifters to lean forward, somewhat significantly, during the exercise. This froward lean recruits more of the posterior chain — glute, hamstrings, and lower back — to maintain a stable upper body position. The lower back, in particular, is highly activated during back squats.
While lower back involvement can play a role in building overall strength, it can also be a limiting factor for lifters with pre-existing lower back problems.
In contrast, the front squat significantly recruits the anterior chain muscles — abdominals, hips, and quadriceps. (1) Because the barbell is supported across the front of the shoulders, the load remains closer to the body’s center of gravity without causing any drastic forward leaning.
Credit: Ground Picture / Shutterstock
This upright torso position reduces lower back involvement while increasing abdominal activation. The bar position during the front squat also requires more wrist and elbow mobility to hold the bar in place; the back squat typically requires more shoulder mobility to maintain a stable grip on the bar.
Interestingly, lower body muscle recruitment is more closely related to general squat depth than actual bar position. Achieving a deeper position in the bottom of a squat, whether it’s a back squat or front squat, will recruit more hamstring and glute muscle. (2)
Squatting to a relatively higher position — thighs roughly parallel to the ground or higher — will focus muscular stress on the quadriceps. The front squat has also been shown to increase activation in one of the quadriceps muscle heads, but not the entire muscle. (3)
The upright torso position of a front squat may often allow a lifter to achieve a deeper squat with less overall strain, but many lifters are able to reach comparable depths with a back squat.
Joint Strain
In terms of overall joint stress, the back squat is often considered to be more stressful to joint structures in both the upper and lower body. (4)
Because the load is supported across the upper back and requires an engaged lumbar spine (lower back) with a forward lean, the low back and hips can be placed under a significant strain.
The shoulder joint may also be stressed while supporting the bar across the back, especially for lifters with excessively tight chest or shoulder muscles, or pre-existing shoulder issues.
Credit: Dragon Images / Shutterstock
Joint stress can often be mitigated with certain adjustments to foot placement, stance width, hand position, and squat depth. However, the back squat generally has more potential to be rougher on the involved joints than the front squat.
That said, the front squat can stress the wrist joints because the bar is held in what’s known as the “rack” position, with the palms facing the ceiling and fingers under the bar near your shoulders.
Again, certain adjustments can be made to accommodate poor wrist mobility. Lifters can adjust their grip, use a crossed arm position, or attach long lifting straps to the bar for an easier grip. But the basic front squat movement and rack position can still potentially strain the wrist joint. The back squat places the wrists in a more stable and less stressful position.
Back Squat and Front Squat Similarities
Despite several physical and performance differences, these two primary squat variations share several benefits.
Movement Pattern
If someone confiscated your barbell and asked you to perform a body weight “front squat” and “back squat,” the movements would look pretty much identical. A squat is a foundational movement pattern; “front” and “back” refer strictly to the position of whatever weight you’re using.
It’s what turn of the century lifters used to call the “deep knee bend” — simply bending your legs to achieve a deep squat position. Whether you’re holding a barbell across your back, supporting a barbell on the front of your shoulders, cradling a sandbag in your elbows, or holding a dumbbell at chest-level, you’re still squatting.
Both the front and back squat use the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes as active muscles to move the weight. The abdominals and lower back are recruited as stabilizers to maintain a safe and strong upper body position. The upper back, shoulders, even the lat muscles to an extent, provide further torso stability.
Either squat variation can be performed with a relatively wider stance or a more narrow stance, depending on the lifter’s goals and individual limb leverages. Both can also be performed to varying depths and different ranges of motion, which will slightly alter the lower body muscle emphasis.
Technique Differences Explained
While simply shifting the barbell’s position from the front to the back may not sound like a significant change, it initiates a cascade of differences which will affect technical performance of the lift and, ultimately, the overall results.
Bar Position
The back squat requires the lifter to support the barbell across their upper back and shoulders. To prevent the bar from sliding directly down the lifter’s back, the torso is angled slightly forward and the hands grip the bar on either side. This creates tension throughout the entire upper body, while activating the large back muscles, abdominals, and lower back for stability.
The front squat supports the bar across the front deltoids (front of the shoulder), typically placed close to the collarbones or neck. The rack position requires the lifter to bend their arms and maintain the bar’s position with their hands, or fingers, on the bar.
This front-loaded position requires the shoulders, biceps, and forearms to support the weight. The upper back is also worked isometrically to keep the bar close to the body, and the abdominals are significantly activated to work against the compressive force of the weight.
Body Posture
The angled torso position of the back squat is necessary to counterbalance the load, which puts the lower back into a more active role as a stabilizer. General hip position during the back squat may make it challenging for some lifters to reach a relatively low depth in the bottom position unless they have a high level of hip mobility.
The front squat, due to the more upright torso position, allows lifters to more naturally “sink” into a deeper squat position in the bottom with relatively less strain on their hips, knees, and low back.
Credit: AntGor / Shutterstock
The rack position does require significant upper back strength and the lifter must resist the weight pulling their upper back into a rounded position, while the back squat will typically see lifters falling into a rounded lower back position.
How to Back Squat
Begin with the bar set in a rack at roughly upper-chest level. Dip beneath the bar and place it across your upper back and shoulders. The bar should not rest directly on your neck or spine.
Grab the bar with both hands facing forward. Pinch your shoulder blades together and pull your elbows under the bar to form a stable “shelf” of muscle to support the load. Stand up to unrack the bar, and take one or two small steps backwards.
Step to the side with one foot to set your stance width. Brace your core and push your hips back as you bend your knees. Keep your feet flat throughout the entire repetition. Reach an appropriate depth based on your goals and general mobility. Aiming to have your thighs parallel to the ground is an effective compromise for muscle-building and strength gains. (5)
Form Tip: Squeezing the bar in your hands can contribute to total-body tightness and stability. (6) To ensure a tight upper body and improve power output, grip the barbell hard before unracking and try to crush the bar during each repetition.
Benefits
The back squat is the ideal squat variation for building overall strength. The overall body position maximizes leverage and allows significantly heavy weight to be moved.
This exercise is sport-specific for competitive powerlifters, as it is one of the movements performed in meets.
Because the back squat allows potentially heavier loads to be used, it can be useful for building size and strength together. (7)
Back Squat Variations
The back squat is, itself, one specific squat variation, but there are several similar variations which offer comparable or unique benefits while reducing potential drawbacks like lower back strain.
High-Bar Back Squat
This subtle adjustment to the back squat shifts the bar position higher on the upper back and traps. The slight change in leverage allows the lifter to maintain a more upright torso, which reduces lower back strain and allows a more natural deep squat in the bottom position.
The vertical torso position also encourages a closer stance, which affects squat depth and lower-body muscle recruitment.
Safety Bar Squat
The safety bar is one of the most unique-looking barbells you’ll find in a gym. The extra-thick padding and angled bar sleeves shifts the barbell’s center of gravity, while the forward-facing handles allow a neutral grip which reduces shoulder strain.
The safety bar squat decreases lower back involvement while increasing activation of the upper back muscles.
How to Front Squat
Begin with a barbell in a rack slightly below your collarbones. Grab the bar slightly outside shoulder-width, using a palms-down grip. Approach the bar and allow your arms to bend. Your elbows should point forward as the bar rests on the fronts of your shoulders.
Keep your abs fully engaged and maintain a straight back. Straighten your legs to unrack the bar. Take one or two steps backwards and one step to the side to establish your stance width. Flex your core as you stabilize the weight.
Bend your legs and descend as low as possible. Keep your shoulders pulled back and your upper body vertical as you lower into the bottom position.
Form Tip: Don’t allow your elbows to point down. The barbell, and your torso, will follow your elbows — if they drift down, the weight will fall forward and the lift will fail. Keep your elbows aimed as straight-ahead as possible to ensure a strong and stable body position.
Benefits
This movement allows intense lower body training with limited stress on the lower back.
The front squat is sport-specific for many competitive strength athletes, including Olympic weightlifters and CrossFit athletes.
This exercise is also well-suited for general sports athletes who need a lower body strength-building exercise with limited knee strain. (8)
Front Squat Variations
While the front squat can be performed with several grip variations (basic rack position, cross-arm, or using straps), there are other effective front-loaded squat variations which may be more appropriate for certain lower body workouts, depending on the lifter’s goal.
Goblet Squat
The goblet squat combines the front-loaded, lower back-sparing benefits of a front squat with the simple versatility of a single dumbbell or kettlebell.
The movement is often used to introduce the squat movement pattern to beginners, improve lower body mobility, or as a warm-up for more experienced lifters. However, with sufficient load, intensity, and volume, the goblet squat can be a serious muscle-builder.
Zercher Squat
Named after a popular American weightlifter from the 1930s, the Zercher squat is performed with the barbell supported in the crooks of the elbows rather than in the hands. This removes some of the elbow and shoulder mobility requirements of a front squat, but can sometimes be simply uncomfortable due to the pressure of the weight on the elbows.
Because the barbell is even closer to the hips and the body’s center of gravity, you can maintain an extremely rigid and upright torso. This nearly eliminates lower back strain and heavily recruits the abdominal muscles. The Zercher squat has significant carryover to competitive strongmen/strongwomen, who often compete in events while carrying front-loaded odd objects.
Programming the Back Squat and Front Squat
Choosing the most effective squat variation will depend primarily on your training goal. Individual mobility restrictions, such as pre-existing back pain or hip or ankle issues, may also influence programming.
Sport-Specific Training
While many strength sports require athletes to perform specifically a back squat or specifically a front squat in competition, such as powerlifting Olympic weightlifting, respectively, both movements can be used in a training phase.
Competitive strongmen/strongwomen and CrossFit athletes can benefit from incorporating both movements into their training, since their competitions are more diverse and they may need to perform either (or both) specific movements during a contest.
For Strength
When it comes to squatting for strength, the back squat reigns supreme. The back squat recruits the most total muscle from head-to-toe (or, more specifically, from feet to traps) and coordinates leverage and technique to allow massive weights to be moved.
That’s why it’s one of the big three powerlifts — because it’s an ideal movement for assessing (and building) strength. For context, the highest back squat of all time is in the ballpark of 1,100 pounds while the heaviest-ever front squat, by comparison, is closer to 800 pounds.
For Muscle
Squatting is considered a foundational exercise for beginners looking to build a base of strength, as well as muscle. It’s also a time-tested staple in bodybuilding leg workouts. As a leg-building exercise, the back squat is more than adequate. It puts multiple body parts, including the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, through muscle-building time under tension. (9)
However, relatively few experienced bodybuilders continue training the standard back squat, and instead fit the front squat or a variety of other squat or deadlift variations into their leg routine to more efficiently target specific muscle groups and emphasize individual body parts.
Choose the Right Tool for the Job
To make a long story short (too late)… what they say is right — you do gotta squat. But despite what the powerlifting-inspired coaches tell you, you don’t “have to” back squat. And despite what the athletic-based coaches tell you, you don’t “have to” front squat. All you do have to to do make a fully informed programming decision based on your specific goals and your individual capabilities.
References
Yavuz, H. U., Erdağ, D., Amca, A. M., & Aritan, S. (2015). Kinematic and EMG activities during front and back squat variations in maximum loads. Journal of sports sciences, 33(10), 1058–1066. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2014.984240
Kubo, K., Ikebukuro, T., & Yata, H. (2019). Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. European journal of applied physiology, 119(9), 1933–1942. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04181-y
Coratella, G., Tornatore, G., Caccavale, F., Longo, S., Esposito, F., & Cè, E. (2021). The Activation of Gluteal, Thigh, and Lower Back Muscles in Different Squat Variations Performed by Competitive Bodybuilders: Implications for Resistance Training. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(2), 772. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020772
Gullett, Jonathan C; Tillman, Mark D; Gutierrez, Gregory M; Chow, John W. A Biomechanical Comparison of Back and Front Squats in Healthy Trained Individuals. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: January 2009 – Volume 23 – Issue 1 – p 284-292 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31818546bb
Clark, D. R., Lambert, M. I., & Hunter, A. M. (2012). Muscle activation in the loaded free barbell squat: a brief review. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 26(4), 1169–1178. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31822d533d
Abreu, R., Lopes, A. A., Sousa, A. S., Pereira, S., & Castro, M. P. (2015). Force irradiation effects during upper limb diagonal exercises on contralateral muscle activation. Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology, 25(2), 292–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2014.12.004
Schoenfeld, Brad J.; Peterson, Mark D.; Ogborn, Dan; Contreras, Bret; Sonmez, Gul T.. Effects of Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Well-Trained Men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: October 2015 – Volume 29 – Issue 10 – p 2954-2963 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000958
Bird, Stephen P. PhD, CSCS1; Casey, Sean BSKin, BSNutr, CSCS2. Exploring the Front Squat. Strength and Conditioning Journal: April 2012 – Volume 34 – Issue 2 – p 27-33 doi: 10.1519/SSC.0b013e3182441b7d
Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Men’s Open bodybuilder Samson Dauda has had a competitive year in 2022, but he still faces an uphill battle to make the most of his upcoming debut at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. “The Nigerian Lion” is both figuratively and literally one of the biggest upcoming names in the sport — and an August 24 Instagram post proves it
“The Nigerian Lion” regularly shares updates leading up to the upcoming 2022 Mr. Olympia, noting it’s his goal to have a strong performance at the contest. His latest freakish physique appears to be a step in the right direction.
On August 24, 2022, Dauda shared a video on his Instagram where his upper-body and lower-body mass look colossal as he works through different poses. According to the bodybuilder, he weighs 330 pounds at the time of the clip.
Per the caption of his Instagram post, 1989 Mr. Universe Milos Šarčev is Dauda’s coach. (Note: Šarčev also coaches Joe Mackey, another Men’s Open athlete, and Men’s Open Olympia contender Regan Grimes.) Dauda partly credited Šarčev for helping him reach his off-season training goal.
“Finally ending this off-season at 330 pounds, the exact number we hoped to hit but not for one minute did I really think I was really going to achieve it,” Dauda wrote. “But [Milos Šarčev] had no doubt.”
Dauda’s Rise
Dauda earned his International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League card in 2018. Ever since that point, the athlete has steadily improved performance-wise. According to NPC News Online, he came in 11th place at the 2018 Romania Muscle Fest Pro in his Pro League debut. The following year saw Dauda notch two top-10 performances in the 2019 Wings of Strength Pro (seventh) and the 2019 Vancouver Pro (eighth). (Note: Dauda has only ever competed in the Men’s Open category)
In 2022, Dauda is enjoying some of the best results of his career to date. The Nigerian athlete came in fourth place at the 2022 Arnold Classic and followed up with another fourth-place finish at the 2022 Boston Pro. Per the IFBB’s qualification standards for the 2022 Mr. Olympia, Dauda’s performance in the recent Arnold Classic earned him a whopping eight points in the standings. Dauda’s result in the Boston Pro garnered the athlete two points. Those results appeared to earn Dauda a berth in the 2022 Olympia — his debut at the contest.
At the time of this article’s publication, Dauda appears to be deadset on making his debut at the Olympia this December a memorable one. After reaching his offseason goal weight-wise, the Nigerian competitor appears to be pushing himself and his strength to the limit with his appearance on bodybuilding’s grandest stage on the horizon.
The 2022 Mr. Olympia will take place on December 16-18 in Las Vegas, NV.
Hey folks, Board-Certified Health Coach Erin Power is here to answer your questions about Primal eating and how to make it easier! If you’re wondering how to eat healthier without the struggle, we’ve got strategies, tips, and backup! Have a question you’d like to ask our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or over in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group.
Roberta asked:
“Eating this way is such a struggle! I try to eat like you say but sometimes food is the only thing that brings me joy. What happened to ‘everything in moderation’? Also, I’m 67 and don’t like bringing attention to my weird diet around friends or family. I have high cholesterol and want to lose weight. Why can’t this be easier?!”
Before I dive in with answers, I want to take a moment to recognize that you’re here, showing up, asking important questions, and seeking to understand your health and eating patterns. At any age, that’s already a win. But I have special appreciation for folks who are in their fifties, sixties, and beyond and who never stop asking what shifts or changes might help them to feel better and thrive.
For many people, there is a strong pull to “do what they’ve always done”—even if it’s not working—to get them where they want to be. This pull gets stronger the longer they’ve been doing it. Good for you for being open to something different. It’s not easy. Oh, and by the way, your brain is wired to be wary of change; so it’s almost not even your “fault” that you’re feeling a certain kind of way about a whole new diet.
Now, just for clarification, when you write “I try to eat like you say,” I’m assuming that you mean in accordance with Primal guidelines. Even within Primal guidelines, an eating plan can look all kinds of ways. Essentially, we’re talking about real, whole food as close to its natural state as possible, including high-quality protein, healthy fats, veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds, high-quality dairy, and occasional indulgences such as dark chocolate or other Primal treats.
Despite the rigid-seeming nature of that list of food choices, there is tons of nuance. Options and variations within these parameters are practically endless. For instance: for people who are sensitive to nuts and seeds or dairy; for those who avoid eating some or all animal products; and for those who aren’t in a socio-economic position to acquire the perfect grass-fed, grass-finished beef, there are still countless ways to craft delicious, nutritious meals.
What I’m getting at here is twofold:
1. There’s not “one way” to eat healthy or to follow a Primal diet.
2. You still can (and should) find joy and deliciousness with a Primal way of eating.
But…there is a caveat.
Everything in Moderation Might Equal Health in Moderation
Everyone’s version of “everything in moderation” looks different, but many of my clients come to me after their version of it decidedly did not get them where they wanted to be with health and wellness. Generally speaking, “everything in moderation” doesn’t seem to be working all that well for most people. I’m not really a tough-love kind of coach, usually, but I can’t argue with the fact that if something is not working, it makes little sense to keep doing it. If nothing changes, nothing changes.
Our bodies have not evolved to cope with many foods common in a modern diet. Highly processed foods, inflammatory seed and vegetable oils, sugar, and grains can wreak havoc on our metabolic health, endocrine system, and immune system while creating chronic inflammation and contributing to widespread diseases of modern living. Even small exposures to these “immunogenic” foods can trigger irritation and inflammation in the body—the thing we are hoping to avoid inflicting on ourselves.
That being said, we are also trying to cultivate an anti-fragile body. Your body is resilient, and can handle occasional exposures to naughty inputs like less-than-supportive foods, a bad nights’ sleep, or an extra glass of wine at a special dinner. We embrace the 80-20 principle for a reason. We also realize that everyone is at a different place in their wellness journey and brings a different set of circumstances to the table. Any supportive steps—however small—are better than none and will help create a positive feedback loop, encouraging next steps in your journey.
If we were working together in my capacity as a Primal Health Coach, I would gather more specifics on what you’re eating daily and where you’re struggling: what, specifically are you missing or craving, and what can we do to satisfy that for you so this doesn’t feel so hard. How can we fold in some flexibility and joy without backsliding into “moderation” no-man’s-land?
Changing the Story
Whether I’m working with clients or reflecting on where something feels out of alignment in my own life, one of the first places I look is the language we use and stories we tell. Might sound a bit out there, but I promise that the words we choose and the stories we repeat have a huge impact on our experience and reality.
A couple of phrases from your question stand out for me in this regard: “Eating this way is such a struggle!” and “I’m 67 and don’t like bringing attention to my weird diet around friends or family.”
Now, I’m in no way minimizing those challenges. Changing lifelong eating and lifestyle habits is objectively hard. In other words, I totally get it. AND, I also want to gently propose that so long as you repeat and rehearse a story of struggle, you will continue to reinforce that struggle as a lived experience.
When it comes to changing your stories and beliefs (and thus actions and experience), start with your thoughts and what you say to yourself and to others. Monitor that with utmost care, because you are literally speaking your reality into being. This is a process and takes practice, but each time you catch yourself thinking of Primal eating or making healthy choices as a struggle, I’d like you to:
Pause and non-judgementally acknowledge the thought, feeling, or action.
Gently and kindly offer yourself compassion: you’re making a big change, and change is hard.
Reframe.
The wording you use should feel resonant with you. Try stretching beyond your current stories and beliefs but not so far that it feels totally unbelievable. For example:
Choosing real food is challenging at times, but I love knowing I’m feeding my body what it needs to thrive.
The more times I choose to eat real, whole, nutrient-dense food, the easier it will be. Might take a while, but soon this will just “be how I eat.”
There are many delicious ways to nourish myself with Primal foods.
And, just for fun, here’s a really big reframe for you: Lots of folks are opting into “weird” health behaviors to take care of themselves these days. Maybe that whole “struggle” thing is an outdated story. Maybe the conventional diet that your social circle still subscribes to is actually the weird one!
Very possibly, this self-compassionate reframe exercise will feel awkward or forced at first. Do it anyway. Gently bring yourself back and treat your thoughts as though you are training a sweet but misguided puppy. Eventually, with kindness and repetition, our minds (and our puppies!) will learn.
Make It Easier
Ultimately, we are each our number 1 caretaker. Our thoughts, stories, and choices have consequences and those consequences are cumulative. Making healthy choices and giving our body what it needs to thrive is hard, but it’s not the hardest thing you’ll ever do. And it doesn’t need to be miserable.
When making changes, one of your most important jobs is to get curious and to ask: “How could I make this easier? How could I make this more enjoyable?”
The answers will differ for everyone, but hanging out here and in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group is a great way to gather ideas, inspiration, and support. Ask the question, write out a list of possibilities, and give them a try! For backup and individualized support, consider hiring a coach!
External accountability truly is a game changer, and we can help you troubleshoot your specific circumstances. Visit myprimalcoach.com to learn more and get started!
Do you find Primal eating easy…or not so much? Have any ideas, tips, or inspiration to share with Roberta? Please do and drop other questions for me in the comments!
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Rhianon Lovelace didn’t become one of the world’s top-tier strongwomen without lofty training ambitions. The self-proclaimed “pound for pound, strongest woman on the planet” latest strength achievement has her join a club of impressive marks throughout her career.
On August 23, 2022, Lovelace shared an Instagram clip of herself completing a 120-kilogram (264-pound) Atlas Stone One Motion. According to Lovelace’s caption, the feat was just short of double her current (undisclosed) bodyweight. Though, with this footage taken into account, and if her recent competitions are any indication — Lovelace likely weighs somewhere in the range of 64 kilograms (141 pounds).
The athlete wore a lifting belt and knee sleeves while lifting the Atlas stone.
A staple event in many strongwoman/strongman contests, the Atlas stones present a unique challenge to respective competitors. The stones are a regular closing event, meaning they can also decide the eventual victor in many contests. However, stone-only world records also exist in strongman and strongwoman competitions.
To gain an edge over their peers in lifting the Atlas stones onto their corresponding podium, many professionals will practice the “One Motion” which saves time and can be more efficient when executed properly.
To perform an Atlas Stone One Motion, an athlete will bend over and get their upper abdomen as close to the stone as possible. They do this to limit the distance that they have to row the stone onto their body. Then, they squeeze the stone as hard as they can and lift it in a fashion reminiscent of a stiff-leg deadlift. After the stone passes their knees, they extend their hips and back in one smooth motion before placing it down.
This technique often puts athletes in a better position to thrive in a speed-focused Atlas stone event. When it comes to lifting the heaviest stone, a more segmented approach — where the athlete lifts it off the floor, positions it in their lap, and then hoists it to the podium or over a bar — is usually preferred.
As a competitor and in the gym, Lovelace has been on a relative tear of late.
In May 2022, the athlete broke the British raw deadlift World Record with a pull of 241 kilograms (530 pounds) at the 2022 British Powerlifting Union (BPU) Single Lift British Championships. Then, in late June, she completed an axle press that was 7.5 kilograms (16.5 pounds) more than the current lightweight world record. Her latest achievement was breaking the deadlift strongwoman World Record with a pull of 282.5 kilograms (623 pounds)at the 2022 Berkshire’s Strongest competition in mid-July. Notably, that deadlift was 4.5-times Lovelace’s body weight of 62.5 kilograms (137.8 pounds) for the contest.
At the time of this article’s publication, Lovelace is preparing to compete in the 2022 Arnold Sports Festival UK. That contest will take place on September 23-25, 2022, in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Based on her usual high standards, the elite strongwoman might have a performance to remember.
Featured image: @rhianon.lovelace.kaosstrength on Instagram
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
David Ricks has been a competitive powerlifter in some fashion since February of 1981. Now at the age of 63, the 10-time International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Champion continues to push himself with his strength and training to open eyes on sanctioned lifting platforms.
On August 23, 2022, Ricks (93KG) shared Instagram footage of himself deadlifting 284.5 kilograms (628 pounds) raw for five reps. Ricks donned a lifting belt and wrist wraps to help him with the feat.
According to the Masters 3 powerlifter (ages 60-69), the staggering pull session is part of Ricks’ ongoing preparation for the 2022 IPF World Classic & Equipped Masters Powerlifting Championships. That contest will take place on October 8-15 in St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada.
Judging by how his 2022 competitive year has gone thus far, that may be another productive contest for Ricks.
In late February, while competing in the 93-kilogram division, Ricks took first place in both the Open and Masters 3 divisions at the 2022 U.S. Virgin Islands Powerlifting Federation (USVIPF) Classic & Equipped National Championships. He followed that performance with a first-place Masters 3 result at the 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships in early June. That contest also saw Ricks break three IPF raw World Records.
Here’s a rundown of his top stats from Sun City, South Africa:
David Ricks (93KG) | 2022 IPF Worlds Top Stats (Masters 3)
Squat — 305 kilograms (672.4 pounds) — Masters 3 IPF Raw World Record
Bench Press — 202.5 kilograms (446.4 pounds) — Masters 3 IPF Raw World Record
Deadlift — 265 kilograms (584.2 pounds)
Total — 772.5 kilograms (1,703.1 pounds) — Masters 3 IPF Raw World Record
According to Open Powerlifting, Ricks’ current Masters 3 raw world records are much higher than the next closest lifts. His squat is 65 kilograms (143.3 pounds) heavier than Jósef Gromek in second, his bench press is 45 kilograms (99.2 pounds) more than Ilkka Launonen just behind him, and his total is 117.5 kilograms (259 pounds) above Gromek once again.
Ricks usually makes it a point to share noteworthy training feats on his Instagram profile in preparation for competition and otherwise. For example, before completing this most recent deadlift session, the Masters 3 powerlifter squatted 277.1 kilograms (611 pounds) for six reps in mid-August. A squat routine from July saw the athlete capture a 244.9-kilogram (540-pound) squat for an eight-rep personal record (PR).
Whatever Ricks focuses on with his training appears to transfer well to official competition. That could make his next appearance in Canada a memorable one. The 2022 IPF World Classic & Equipped Masters Powerlifting Championships will occur on October 8-15, 2022, in St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada.
Building an adult obstacle course a la Tough Mudder or Spartan Race or Ninja Warrior is a noble goal, but not everyone wants to spend their weekends constructing a complex network of lumber-heavy structures that fill up your backyard. There are prefabricated adult play structures you can buy or companies you can hire if you want to go that route. If you’re handy, you can do it yourself, but, again, it will take a lot of time. I’m more interested in constructing ad hoc adult obstacle courses using simple objects you might already have lying around or can easily obtain at Home Depot. It’s a bit more attainable that way for the average person.
Adult Obstacle Course Ideas
The beauty of these types of obstacle courses is that they are endlessly modular. You can adjust the layout, bringing the jumps closer together or farther apart as you progress in skill and strength. You can bring them to the park or the beach and set up an obstacle course wherever you want. Your creativity flourishes. It can be a different course every single time. Here’s some of the supplies I’d recommend getting your hands on and what you can create with them.
Balance beams
Long pieces of lumber are relatively inexpensive balance beams that are easy to transport. You could attach support pieces underneath on either end running perpendicular to raise the beam off the ground and provide more stability, but you don’t really need to. Simply laying the pieces directly on the ground works too. It’s also safer, since you’re not “falling” off anything.
2×4 if you’re not very comfortable on a balance beam
2×3 if you are
1×2 if you really want to learn to balance
You can use these for balance beams. You can use them for crawling—bear crawls along a 2×4 is a great exercise and a nice change of pace for an obstacle course.
River stones for a balancing pathway
Every time you spend a day at the creek or river, grab a few large flat-ish stones and take ‘em home. After a dozen visits you’ll have enough. Or just head down to the landscaping supply store and fill your truck/trunk with some decent sized stones.
Then, make a walking path using the stones that players have to traverse. The key is to get stones that are flat enough that you can stand on them but also have some wobble to them. They should be unsteady but relatively safe, making it a great way to walk across uneven, non-linear “ground” and activate all the muscles and connective tissue in your lower body (and balancing neurons in your brain).
You can also jump from stone to stone, as if you were at the creek. For added difficulty, spray them down with the hose first.
Fitness/yoga balls
Yoga balls get a lot of flack in the “functional fitness” community. They don’t deserve it. Sure, I don’t recommend doing squats on them or overhead presses. That’s silly, and dangerous. What I do recommend is burying it halfway up in sand or dirt to use as a small trampoline.
Get 4 or 5 of them spread out in a line and bounce your way along it. Advanced movers can even do flips, although you won’t find me doing that anytime soon.
Ropes
If you have a tree in your backyard, you can hang a rope from it. What can you do with a rope?
Climb it- Great strength workout and a mainstay at the toughest obstacle course challenges.
Swing from it- Just like Tarzan, scream optional.
Leap and grab it- Stand on a chair, rock or anything high and leap to grab the rope. How far can you safely do this? Four feet? Six feet? Test yourself.
Logs or railroad ties
Something long, heavy, and wooden is a great addition to an adult obstacle course. You can have players lift the log and carry it to the next station. You can have them do a set of overhead presses, deadlifts, or squats with the log, either with one end on the ground or both ends off the ground.
Buckets filled with gravel or sand
Spend 30 bucks on 4 buckets and a couple bags of gravel or sand from the hardware store and you’ve got yourself a nice setup for loaded carries. You can carry the buckets by the handles. You can hug it to your body. You can even carry them overhead. They’re awkward and messy and gritty, and that’s the point. Whatever the course designer requires, the players have to do.
The beauty of the gravel bucket is you can adjust the weight to fit the players. Fill the bucket all the way with gravel and it’s about 75 pounds. Two of those are going to be pretty heavy. Fill it halfway and it becomes more manageable for younger, smaller players.
Light pieces of wood laid between two boxes or two chairs
These might be the most important element of all. By laying sticks or light pieces of wood across boxes or chairs, you can create hurdles to leap over or crawl under. You can even make a string of them to create a tunnel to crawl through, or an alternating series of jumps and crawls.
Tennis balls on strings
Punch holes in the tennis balls and tie strings onto them, then hang them from something overhead like a trellis, tree or gazebo. Create a series of tennis balls at varying heights that contestants have to dodge and weave through without touching. Wind will make it harder. Purposely prodding them so they swing a bit will make it even harder.
If you want, you can coat the tennis balls in charcoal dust so they leave a mark as evidence of being touched (or not).
Cones
Little cones (like you use in soccer practice) are great for creating paths you have to weave through and around. Creating a path makes things more “official,” and people are bound to be more into the obstacle course if you have a predetermined path—a journey for them to complete. It’s a little thing but it’s very important.
Throwing element
Every obstacle course should have a throwing element. In the Spartan Race, contestants have to throw a javelin at a target. You could do that—they even sell javelins on Amazon—or you could have upright sticks and a pile of rocks you have to use to knock them over. You could use a dart board, or throwing knives, or axes.
The point is to introduce an element of throwing accuracy into the course. You don’t want everything to be brute strength.
Chopping element
I still love splitting wood rounds. Takes me back to my childhood in Maine. And there’s no better workout than actually performing a functional activity. In fact, one study showed that wood chopping triggers a higher testosterone response than an equally intense bout of working out.1
If you don’t want to set up wood round splitting, you could get a sledgehammer and some old tires and have contestants do a set number of hammer slams. The point is to lift a heavy handled object and slam it down with great purpose and intensity.
Remember to Get Creative
Take all the ideas up above and then put them together. Have a balance beam running through the tunnel. Bounce off a buried yoga ball onto a balance beam. Carry buckets of gravel while traversing the wobbly river stones. Swing off the rope onto the yoga ball course. You get the idea.
The most important thing is to introduce all the elements of human movement: speed, balance, strength (upper body, lower body, total body), skill, dexterity, throwing accuracy, cardiovascular fitness, upright, ground-based (crawling), jumping, landing. Oh, and fun.
Now I’d love to hear from you. How would you put together an adult obstacle course?
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
At just 30 years old, Hassan Mostafa might have the best days of his bodybuilding career ahead of him. After winning the 2022 Puerto Rico and Orlando Pro earlier this year, the Men’s Open athlete earned his second-ever qualification to the upcoming Mr. Olympia contest, taking place this December. Roughly four months before Mostafa steps onto the Las Vegas stage for the second time, a recent training update shows the Egyptian competitor is preparing well for his debut.
On August 22, 2022, Mostafa shared Instagram footage of himself flexing his muscles and showing off different ripped aspects of his current physique. Without a caption, what Mostafa’s body weight is in the clip is unclear. All that is evident is that his arms, legs, back, and chest look impressive as he displays them one by one. His lower-body vascularity is also very apparent.
According to NPC News Online, Mostafa began his International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League career in early 2019. Since then, the athlete has steadily tried to rise up the Men’s Open Division ranks.
Mostafa’s first Pro League contest saw the athlete earn a third-place result at the 2019 Indy Pro. He followed that with a fifth-place finish at the 2019 Tampa Pro. Eventually, after stringing together a few solid performances over the years, Mostafa made his first Mr. Olympia appearance during the 2021 edition. He finished in 13th place.
The year 2022 has been the most productive for Mostafa thus far, as the Puerto Rico and Orlando Pro competitions were the first wins of his career. Here’s a rundown of Mostafa’s Pro League resume:
Hassan Mostafa | IFBB Pro League Career Results
2019 Indy Pro — Third place
2019 Tampa Pro — Fifth place
2020-2021 New York Pro — Fourth place (2020), Third place (2021)
2021 California Pro — Third place
2021-2022 Puerto Rico Pro — Third place (2021) | First place (2022); First career victory
2021 Chicago Pro — Sixth place
2021 Texas Pro — Fifth place
2021 Arnold Classic — Ninth place
2021 Mr. Olympia — 13th place
2022 Orlando Pro — First place
Note: Mostafa has only ever competed in the Men’s Open division as an IFBB Pro League member.
To push as a dark horse in December’s Olympia, Mostafa will have to overcome a host of worthy Men’s Open athletes. Among the more notable names, there’s the son of a bodybuilding legend in Hunter Labrada, one of the sport’s bigger rising stars in Nick Walker, former Olympia champion Brandon Curry (2019), and last but not least — two-time defending champ (2020-2021) Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay. Plus, in the event he earns his IFBB Pro Card in time, there’s also promising newcomer Michal Križánek.
It’s a tall order for any athlete, let alone an elite bodybuilder like Mostafa. Yet, anything might be possible if he can carry the momentum of a strong 2022 into the Olympia. The 2022 Mr. Olympia will occur on December 16-18 in Las Vegas, NV.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
On August 22, 2022, powerlifter Ashley Contorno (75KG) shared an Instagram clip of herself completing a 237.2-kilogram (523-pound) mat pull during a training session. In the caption of her post, Contorno asserted that the feat of strength is a new personal record (PR) for her “worst deadlift variation.”
For a new PR, the lift didn’t seem difficult for Contorno, who pulled the loaded barbell off two thin mats with relative ease and erupted with joy when her lockout was successful. The athlete wore a lifting belt and used a mixed grip to help her notch the new deadlift PR.
According to Open Powerlifting, Contorno’s all-time competition best raw deadlift is 237.5 kilograms (523.6-pound). She achieved that pull at the 2021 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) The Bucked Up Showdown. Contorno’s recent Instagram caption asserted confidence in a 540-pound deadlift the next time she’s on a platform.
After winning the 2022 WRPF Ghost Clash in the 75-kilogram division in February, recent months have seen Contorno stay busy with her overall training instead of formal competition. The athlete usually shares updates on her progress with similar clips of accomplishments in the gym. For example, Contorno captured a new raw back squat PR of 233.6 kilograms (515 pounds) in mid-August 2022. A few days before her back squat PR, Contorno completed a 137.4-kilogram (303-pound) squat with an additional 80 pounds of chains attached to the barbell.
The 33-year-old Contorno isn’t new to the competitive powerlifting scene, having been involved in some capacity since January 2016. To date, she has participated in 15 contests, placing on the podium 11 times while winning on eight occasions.
Here’s an overview of some of Contorno’s more notable results:
Ashley Contorno | Notable Career Results
2016 United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Arizona State Powerlifting Championships (Raw) — First place | First career victory
2017 USPA Drug Tested California State Powerlifting Championships (Raw) — Second place
2019 Southern Powerlifting Federation (SPF) Super Training Classic — First place (Unlimited); Second place (Raw)
2019 USPA San Diego Fit Expo (Raw) — First place
2020 USPA Rise of the Valkyrie (Raw) — First place
2021 WRPF The Bucked Up Showdown (Raw) — Second place
2022 WRPF The Ghost Clash (Raw) — First place
Note: Contorno has competed raw in all but three instances throughout her career.
At the time of this article’s publication, Contorno has not announced when she’ll appear on a sanctioned lifting platform again. Even if the athlete isn’t competing for the time being, she seems to be staying busy with her small business, the South Bay Strength Company — a powerlifting gym she co-owns with her husband Steven in Harbor City, CA. The 2022 WRPF South Bay Strength Company Boo Bash will be held at their gym on October 29, 2022.
In addition, per her LinkedIn profile, Contorno is a certified medical professional specializing in physical therapy. With that sort of health and strength background, it might only be a matter of time before Contorno starts making some of her recent training PRs official.
For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
Book your class NOW!
click this ==>
Warrior Fit Testimonials
First, I want to say thank you for convincing me to do Tabata! I was struggling to lose weight and Finally I found something that helped! I really appreciate your coaching! - Craig T.
Ever since I was convinced to do Tabata I have seen huge results, I lost 6 pounds and gained energy in the first 3 weeks. I have been working out for 3 months before I decided to do Tabata and I struggled to lose weight.
At first I thought "How am I losing weight by bringing my heart rate up then cooling down then bringing it up again?" I don’t know how it works but it does!
Thank you!! - Theresa F.
The first day of Tabata, I wondered WHAT AM I DOING - I AM 56 !! Five weeks later I knew that it was what I needed. I learned that I could push myself well beyond my comfort zone and feel good later. I have a marked improvement in physical as well as emotional endurance. - Lyn C.
When I was first told about Tabata I was very excited from the word go, however that excitement stemmed from the fact that I had no clue what it meant. I missed the first week of class b/c I was traveling for work so when I came in during the 2nd week I had some making it up to do.
It was hard at first b/c my body wasn't used to working out at such a fast pace, but once I got into a rhythm I started to feel very good. These classes are no joke. If you stick with it you will leave there feeling stronger, healthier and overall better about yourself and what you've accomplished.
I would recommend these classes to anyone. Darrin is a great trainer and he'll keep you going with his energy.
- Jami L.
Warriors Fit Audio
Warrior Fit uses High Intensity Music to get ya Moooovin' So we can all "Get Our Sweat On"
The link below will give ya a freeee shot at Audible plus a couple audio books just to try it out and if you haven't used audio books on your commutes you are missing out. Get pumped up before you get to where you are going and exercise your mind. I use it Everyday. Go get yours now!
For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
Book your class NOW!
click this ==>
