http://www.thealternativedaily.com/
Hydrogen peroxide is a dirt-cheap alternative to high-priced cleaning products — and it works! This common product has too many uses to count, from cleaning wounds to even working as a deodorant. It’s great stuff, but before trying for yourself, make sure you… Know your hydrogen peroxide Before trying any of the applications below, make […]
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
After a decade-plus absence, the 2023 Masters Olympia contest will return this summer on Aug. 26-27, 2023, in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. While the complete list of participating athletes over 10 competitive divisions will be revealed on Apr. 24, 2023, the contest organizers have revealed what some of the bodybuilders can potentially expect to win with respective exemplary performances. (Note: The roster probably won’t include one legend.)
On Feb. 23, 2023, the Masters Olympia announced that the overall prize purse for the 2023 iteration of the competition would be $229,000. Presumably, the money is in reference to what will likely be the showcase event in the Men’s Open division (ages 45 and up). At the time of this writing, it is unclear how that money will be divvied up in that category or, if applicable, amongst the other respective divisions.
In the last edition of the Masters Olympia, which took place in 2012, the 2008 Mr. Olympia champion Dexter Jackson won the Men’s Open portion. He would take home $75,000 for his efforts. For comparison’s sake to the competition’s modern return, here is an overview of the total Men’s Open winnings ($145,000) from the 2012 Masters Olympia:
If the $229,000 in 2023 is indeed only for the Men’s Open, that means the organization will have increased the winning incentive by $84,000. If it is the purse for the entire contest, it is unclear how both editions compare from a broad scale at the time of this article’s publication.
Here is an overview of the classifications for each division at the 2023 Masters Olympia.
Participating athletes who wish to apply for a roster spot in the 2023 Masters Olympia have until April 10, 2023 to complete a relatively simple process. They must email contest organizers a “letter of intent”, which includes their age, nationality, competitive background, and any social media platforms. In their submissions, athletes have the choice to include a video that is no longer than one minute. They can also include any images of their physique. A full list of chosen competitors will then be announced on April 24, 2023.
While much of the bodybuilding world will be understandably fixated on the upcoming 2023 Olympia contest, the return of the Masters remains noteworthy. Giving a platform to established veterans who want to compete on stage could be considered a quality step forward for the sport overall. When the official list of competitors is revealed, there will be a better idea of who might put on a show in Romania.
Featured image: @mastersolympiaofficial on Instagram
The post The 2023 Masters Olympia Will Award $229,000 in Overall Prize Money appeared first on Breaking Muscle.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
The 2023 CrossFit Open is still underway. In week two of its multi-week format, the 23.2 workout has been revealed. CrossFit HQ made a live announcement of the workout at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023. It was a showcase battle between 2021 CrossFit Games Men’s runner-up Patrick Vellner and 2022 CrossFit Games runner-up Roman Khrennikov.
Workout 23.2 is divided into two parts. Part A is a combination of burpee pull-ups and shuttle runs. Part B features a one-rep max thruster.
Here’s an overview of workout 23.2’s variations across various divisions:
23.2A:
Complete a max amount of reps of these movements with a time limit of 15 minutes:
Add five burpees at the conclusion of each round.
23.2B:
Right after 23.2A, competitors have five minutes to do the following:
Complete a max amount of reps of these movements with a time limit of 15 minutes:
23.2A:
Add five burpees at the conclusion of each round.
23.2B:
Right after 23.2A, competitors have five minutes to do the following:
23.2A:
Complete a max amount of reps of these movements with a time limit of 15 minutes:
Add five burpees at the conclusion of each round.
23.2B:
Right after 23.2A, competitors have five minutes to do the following:
Given that there are eight Adaptive Divisions in the CrossFit Open, each will have its own variations and movement standards.
These respective divisions are Upper Extremity, Lower Extremity, Multi-Extremity, Vision, Short Stature, Seated Athletes (With Hip Function), Seated Athletes (Without Hip Function), and Intellectual. As is the case with Individual and Age Groups, each division has a Women’s and Men’s category.
The 2023 CrossFit Open will continue during the final week of February 2023, heading into the first week of the month of March.
Featured image: @crossfitgames on Instagram
The post Workout 23.2 for 2023 CrossFit Open Revealed appeared first on Breaking Muscle.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Maxime Boudreault has withdrawn his respective roster spots in the upcoming 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) and 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contests. The athlete cited a broken shin bone he suffered from a fall as the reason behind the moves.
“Fell on the ice yesterday and broke the small shin bone. Waiting to see the surgeon but staying optimistic.”
Boudreault posted an Instagram video on February 23, 2023, disclosing the news of his immediate competitive future being put on hold. While delivering the update, it appeared the athlete was being wheeled in for the care of his injury by his partner Samantha Belliveau, the 2021 Canada’s Strongest Woman (CSW) champion.
The timeline of Boudreault’s withdrawal from the 2023 ASC, which is scheduled for Mar. 2-5, 2023, in Columbus, OH, makes perfect sense. It likely would’ve been too much for a strength-based athlete to put the requisite stress on his body on such a short turnaround where he might not even be fully healed.
The 2023 WSM taking place on an Apr. 19-23, 2023, date — after occurring in late May during the 2022 iteration — seems to be an unlucky coincidence for Boudreault. While WSM scheduling has usually jumped around the calendar in recent years (the 2021 competition took place in June and the 2020 contest was held in November), the athlete may have been able to heal completely and compete if given more time.
On Feb. 22, 2023, the ASC revealed that Kevin Faires would replace Boudreault on the 2023 ASC roster. At the time of this writing, it is unclear who will take Boudreault’s place in the 2023 WSM.
Regarding recent competitive results, Boudreault captured the 2022 Canada’s Strongest Man (CSM) title in August 2022. He finished in fifth place during the 2022 WSM. To date, Boudreault’s best output at a WSM contest was when he stood on the podium in 2021, with only the legendary Brian Shaw and now two-time reigning WSM champion Tom Stoltman eclipsing him. As for his last ASC, the Canadian competitor garnered a sixth-place performance in March 2022.
Nevertheless, before he can build on any of this past precedent, Boudreault will be on the shelf until further notice.
Boudreault’s currently one of the bigger names in strongman and seems to have suffered an unfortunate bout of luck, knocking him out of two major contests. Seeing him compete again might be worth the wait whenever he returns fully healthy.
Featured image: @evolutionathleticsgear on Instagram
The post Maxime Boudreault Withdraws From 2023 Arnold Classic, 2023 World’s Strongest Man After Leg Injury appeared first on Breaking Muscle.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
When it comes to building muscle one leg at a time, the Bulgarian split squat, also known as the rear foot elevated split squat, usually gets all the praise and attention. But the real ones know how underrated the front foot elevated split squat truly is.
The unfairly overlooked front foot elevated split squat is gaining quite the popularity surge, especially from its use in rehab and athletic settings. This upgraded split squat variation is typically a little more comfortable to set up than the rear foot elevated option and it can skyrocket your lower body muscle, strength, and athleticism. Here’s a closer look at this unique exercise.
The front foot elevated split squat, or FFESS, requires a high-level of stability across a long range of motion, which can make the exercise difficult to master. Follow these technique cues to tackle this single-leg exercise.
You will notice a massive benefit from even the slightest elevation. Any platform that is at least two to four inches high will be sufficient. A small aerobic step or one or two weight plates work nicely. Use bumper plates, if possible, to prevent sliding. If your gym has an Olympic lifting platform with a raised edge, that can work too.
Form Tip: A staircase might seem like a convenient option, but it’s likely too high to start with and can make the movement too awkward. It will end up feeling more like an indecisive hybrid between a split squat and a step-up while delivering the results of neither.
Having a strong and stable front foot is, obviously, key to the front foot elevated split squat. Stand upright and set one foot flat on the platform. Keep your entire foot in contact throughout each repetition. Don’t raise up onto your toes or heel.
Form Tip: Supportive shoes can play a surprisingly significant role in your mobility, stability, and force production. (1) Old school Chuck Taylor sneakers, dedicated weightlifting shoes, or any stable-soled shoe is preferable. Super-floppy, extremely cushioned running shoes are not ideal because stability will be compromised as your foot compresses into the cushioning.
Your back foot should be as secure and stable as your front foot. Keep your front foot in place and step back a comfortable distance for you, depending on your leg length and general mobility.
Depending on your ankle mobility, your back foot will likely be on the ball rather than flat on the ground. This is acceptable because this foot is primarily for support and balance, and will not be producing much force into the floor.
Form Tip: For maximum balance and stability, make sure your back foot is in its own “lane,” not directly in line with your front foot. You shouldn’t feel like you’re perched on a thin balance beam. You should feel stable and grounded.
Take a deep breath and feel both feet securely in place before descending into the rep. Feel your lower body and your core being still before descending. Keep your upper body upright with your shoulders pulled back.
Bend your front leg and lower yourself with control. Descend as low as possible, ideally reaching your back knee to the ground.
Form Tip: Depending on your mobility, your back knee should gently graze the ground — with an emphasis on gently. Some lifters fail to pay attention during the descent and quickly smash their back knee into the ground. Don’t do that.
When you’ve reached the deepest position your hip and leg mobility allows, push through your front leg to drive up to a standing position
Keep your upper body close to vertical as you drive up. Don’t allow yourself to bend forward at the waist. Repeat all repetitions with one leg before switching sides.
Form Tip: It can be tempting to bounce out of the bottom by leveraging the stretch reflex — a muscle’s ability to “rebound” during the transition from a stretched position to a full contraction for increased momentum and power. (2) Avoid it to allow your glutes and quads to do all the work. This will build more muscle by increasing the time under tension, while keeping you safer by reducing ballistic forces.
This exercise can feel tricky, especially when you’re awkwardly setting up for the first time. Here are some common mistakes to avoid.
While this exercise can be great for building mobility, if your hip and ankle mobility resemble the Tin Man, you will struggle to go deep enough to reap the muscle- and strength-building benefits. (3)
If you’re unable to descend near full-depth, the exercise won’t be any different for building size or strength than a standard split squat, but it can still be beneficial as a mobility drill if you focus on improving your depth instead of adding reps or weight.
Avoid it: To perform the exercise efficiently, do a dynamic warm-up prior to your leg workout to ensure your hips and ankles are thoroughly mobilized and prepared for training. Over time, this should help to get into the deeper positions of knee flexion and hip flexion needed to reach the bottom position.
The purpose of the platform elevation is to increase the range of motion. It lets you get into degrees of knee and hip flexion that you couldn’t access with other exercises.
However, it’s common to see people do the first few reps with a perfect deep reps but, when the pump sets in, they start to compromise the range of motion. Soon enough, the “front foot elevated split squats” appear to be using less range than traditional split squats with both feet on the ground.
Avoid it: Choose an elevation level that works for you and keep every rep consistent. Try to lightly touch your back knee to the ground each rep, or at least get close. Using a folded towel or padded mat under your back knee can serve as a reliable target as long as it allows your back knee to reach lower than your front foot.
The elevated front foot-position will make balance more challenging. The more wobbly you are, the less muscle-building force you can generate. Not to mention, you’ll feel self-conscious if you topple over while holding a pair of light dumbbells.
If you’re focused on maintaining balance more than you’re focused on actually training your legs, the overall stimulus will be reduced and you’ll waste energy.
Avoid it: Take your time to secure your foot position before doing a couple of warm-up sets. Even if your working weight will be relatively light, a warm-up set or two with only your body weight can be a game changer in preparing your nervous system and core musculature to stabilize the load effectively.
Consider including the FFESS in your program because it’s simple to progress. It also never runs out of progression because, if you do manage to run out of weights, your legs will be beyond elite status at that point.
The bodyweight-only FFESS can be quite humbling. Even for some advanced lifters, the exercise can be challenging especially when done toward the latter part of a workout. Performing the exercise as a “finisher” when your legs are pre-fatigued from heavy training can be an eye-opening, leg-burning experience.
The bodyweight FFESS is also an excellent go-to exercise when you have limited equipment, like when you’re training at home or on the road.
Once you master bodyweight FFESS, consider adding load via dumbbells. This is the easiest and most common setup for loading — simply hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides.
Using a narrow platform helps prevent the dumbbells from clashing with the platform, especially if you have longer arms and reach maximum depth. Controlling the weight and not allowing the dumbbells to hit the platform works fine, as well.
As the weights get heavier, and as you’re able to do more reps per set, your grip will likely fatigue quite a bit over the course of multiple sets. Once you feel it kick in, you should use lifting straps or some sort of assistance to eliminate your grip as a weak link.
Barbells allow for the most loading, but they are also the most time consuming to set up along with adding more instability. However, this is a necessary compromise once you get strong.
Make sure you have a strong, stable platform to support the added weight. Set up in a rack with safety pins, similar to performing squats. Progress like most barbell exercises, adding a little more weight and a few more reps from week to week.
This exercise has some unique ways of delivering its benefits. Here’s why you should incorporate the FFESS as soon as possible.
The front foot elevated split squat will produce single-leg strength and hypertrophy thanks to a long range of motion and unique positioning compared to other exercise options. The front foot elevation allows you to push your center of mass forward, bringing your hamstring against your calf without compromising torso position.
This stretches the muscles of the quads and glutes under load and increases mechanical tension compared to bilateral squat variations. The unilateral (single-leg) nature helps with addressing potential imbalances and also maximizes range of motion, which increases hypertrophy. (3)
The strength you gain from this exercise translates efficiently to many other exercises. You’ll notice your single-leg and bilateral (two-leg) lower body exercises getting stronger after focusing on the FFESS as an accessory movement.
One of the main benefits people explore this exercise in the first place is to find pain-free alternatives to barbell squatting. If your joints are achy, this exercise can be a perfect option.
It allows you to lighten the load while achieving ranges of motions you likely didn’t have access to. Over time, you achieve pain-free muscle building. In addition, the FFESS reinforces new degrees of hip, knee, and ankle mobility.
The FFESS prioritizes your lower body muscles — perfect for your favorite leg day. Some core stability and upper body stability is trained as well, especially when using added load.
The front foot elevated split squat primarily trains your quads. The front thigh muscle gets worked through a long range of motion as you get into deep angles of knee flexion (bending). With your front foot elevated, you have the opportunity to drive your knee forward for a deep weighted stretch in the quads.
Similar to many squat variations, your glutes are also going to get a significant stimulus during the FFESS, especially in the bottom stretched position.
You’ll likely feel more glute soreness, especially if you’re used to a relatively shortener range of motion from traditional squats and split squats.
The FFESS will also nail your inner thighs (adductors), particularly in your front leg. This muscle gets a high degree of stabilizing action during the exercise, along with some dynamic contraction to extend your hips at the top of the movement.
Generally speaking, it’s best to do unilateral exercises after heavier bilateral exercises to avoid fatiguing important stabilizers. You can program the FFESS after your heavy sets of squats, possibly as the second or third exercise of a lower body day.
However, the stimulus from the FFESS is effective and comprehensive for the quads, glutes, and adductors, so it’s can also be valid to program them as your first exercise. This is ideal, for example, for lifters with achy knees who don’t do well with heavy bilateral movements early in the workout. Prioritizing the front foot elevated split squat allows your hips, knees, and ankles to be more thoroughly warmed up before proceeding to relatively heavier lifting.
This exercise is best suited for moderate to light weight. This allows for less joint strain and connective tissue stress, and allows you to better control the weight which can give you a better mind-muscle connection.
Most people will prefer to do these with relatively light weight and higher reps to create a strong pump and an even stronger mind-muscle connection. With this approach, some lifters may even be able skip any warm-up sets, depending on how they feel and how their body responds. Pick a load you can do for at least 12 reps, and crank out two or three sets of 10 to 20 per leg.
If you do FFESS early in the workout, you can go heavier. Your nervous system will be fresh and you can stabilize heavier loads. Three or four sets of five to 10 reps (per leg) is already pretty heavy for this exercise. You will still need one or two warm-up sets, especially if you’re strong and plan on approaching your limits.
Using extremely heavy weights for very low reps is not advisable because the stability required for them may not be worth it. It’s not the type of exercise to test your one-rep max because the risk:reward just isn’t worth it.
There’s a couple of effective variations of the front foot elevated split squat for those that are more adventurous or want to progress beyond the standard movement.
Instead of just elevating your front foot, add an additional plate or ramp to elevate your heel even higher. This puts your foot into a steep angle, creating even more knee flexion and makes an already quad-dominant split squat even more quad-dominant.
This is great for those in need of serious quad growth or for athletes who want to get used to deeper ranges of knee flexion, including combat sports athletes, strength sports athletes, football players, or sprinters.
If you want to maximize your mobility and range of motion, you can elevate both the front and back foot. Essentially, you are combining the FFESS with a Bulgarian split squat. More range of motion for both the front leg and the back leg can help to skyrocket your quad and glute gains.
Setting this up can be cumbersome and requires some extra space, but once you’ve determined a good set up and know an effective distance to set each platform, it should be pretty smooth each time you’re in the gym.
Depending on your structure and mobility level, the two exercises might not be all that different. However, most people will feel their quads more during the FFESS. You can think of the front foot elevated split squat as a more “quad-dominant version” of Bulgarian split squats.
FFESS are also easier to setup and generally feel more comfortable to perform. Elevating your back foot with Bulgarian split squats usually requires more hip and ankle mobility and can be a bigger challenge to maintain balance.
Bulgarian split squats are simply more popular in recent years. They’ve garnered a reputation for being painful — the “good kind” of pain from post-workout soreness — and more “hardcore.” They are a great exercise, but the front foot elevated split squat is starting to catch up in popularity thanks to the rehab world.
Many physiotherapists assign the FFESS as a way to train deep ranges of motion with reduced knee pain. Many people learn the movement and end up realizing, “Oh, snap, these are great even if I’m not trying to rehab my knee thanks to the gnarly quad pump.”
Single-leg training is often overlooked in many training routines. Performing exercises with an increased range of motion, even moreso. The FFESS is a straightforward solution to both of these deficiencies. This comprehensive exercise will payoff with more size, more strength, better mobility, and improved all-around performance. You just need to step up to the challenge.
Featured Image: Balance in Motion / YouTube
The post How to Do the Front Foot Elevated Split Squat for Size, Strength, and Athleticism appeared first on Breaking Muscle.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
In the year 2021, International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League member Darwin Uribe burst onto the scene when he won the 2021 Chicago Pro in the Classic Physique division. With an earned qualification to the 2021 Mr. Olympia, Uribe ended up forgoing the prestigious contest. The athlete would return the following year to win the 2022 Houston Tournament of Champions but decided not to compete in the Olympia again. With another competitive season now in full swing in 2023, the bodybuilder has made another tough decision.
On Feb. 21, 2023, Uribe revealed in an Instagram post that he would be withdrawing his place as a presumed Classic Physique competitor in the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC). Rather than compete in the Mar. 2-5, 2023 contest in Columbus, OH, Uribe intends to first work through some undisclosed problems first.
While Uribe didn’t clarify exactly what compelled him to withdraw from the 2023 AC (and, by extension, the 2022 Olympia previously), he maintained it was something he couldn’t just gloss over and that it was partly out of his control.
” … I am grateful for get invited for the second time in my sixth Pro show in my short career as a professional,” Uribe wrote. “Unfortunately this is something that I won’t be able to finish … sadly I can’t push through this now and finish because there are always more red flags, and red flags indicate to you it’s time to stop.”
The athlete also clarified that he apparently considered withdrawing from the 2023 AC sometime around the 2022 Olympia but had already sent his application in for the contest. Nonetheless, it seems the bodybuilder will focus on his health and well-being for now.
“This time I am prioritizing myself, looking for myself, taking in my own decisions more than expectations or what people think or want from me as an athlete.”
To date, as a relatively newer Pro League member, Uribe has never competed in the Olympia. In the only AC appearance of his career in 2022, the athlete finished in eighth place in the Classic Physique Division. Two-time Classic Physique Olympia runner-up Terrence Ruffin won his second consecutive Classic Physique AC title at that edition of the competition.
It’s unclear what the future holds for Uribe as a bodybuilder. He seems to be understandably prioritizing himself rather than the sometimes demanding rigors of competition, nutrition, and training. For now, the bodybuilding community will have to wait and see what the athlete might have in store down the line.
Featured image: @uribe_darwin on Instagram
The post Bodybuilder Darwin Uribe Will Withdraw From 2023 Arnold Classic appeared first on Breaking Muscle.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Jesus Olivares’s Instagram username is “mega.gojira” — a play on words of the Japanese term for “Godzilla,” the fictional nuclear reptilian monster that brings nothing but destruction in its wake. Considering what Olivares achieves in the gym and on sanctioned lifting platforms, he certainly picked a fitting personal nickname nodding to his incredible strength. His latest leg-power feat once again paints the picture of a powerlifter worthy of the title, “King of the Monsters.”
On Feb. 20, 2023, Olivares posted an Instagram video of himself finishing off a 465-kilogram (1,025.1-pound) raw back squat during a training session. The lift is a personal record (PR) for the usual 120-kilogram-plus powerlifter. Olivares wore wrist wraps, a lifting belt, and knee sleeves to help him attain a new personal high-water mark. He also had no less than six spotters surrounding the bar during the lift for safety.
While it is his personal best, in competition or in training, this isn’t the first time Olivares has eclipsed the 1,000-pound raw squat barrier.
The athlete first achieved this noteworthy milestone in mid-September 2022 when he completed a raw squat of 455 kilograms (1,003 pounds). This followed Olivares squatting 450 kilograms (992 pounds) raw during a first-place performance in the 120-plus-kilogram weight class at the 2022 AMP Classic Open Nationals last spring.
Olivares’s latest squat PR is additionally notable for three main reasons.
For one, it comes as part of his preparation for the 2023 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Sheffield Powerlifting Championships. He will not be the only name-recognition athlete participating in the contest. For another reason, Olivares squatting 1,025.1 pounds puts him closer to Ray Williams’ All-Time Raw World Record of 490 kilograms (1,080.2 pounds) from the 2019 USA Powerlifting Arnold SBD Pro American.
Furthermore, should Olivares replicate this squat at the Sheffield Championships, he will tie Craig Foster for the third-heaviest raw squat of all time. Only fellow 120-kilogram-plus competitors Williams and Jezza Uepa (who squatted 470 kilograms/1,036.1 pounds at the 2017 Powerlifting America Brisbane Open) have ever lifted more.
While Olivares is still 44.2 kilograms away from the record, adding 10 kilograms (22.1 pounds) to his top mark in roughly half a year might be a sign he’s well on his way to reaching a hallowed destination.
It’s evident Olivares, who is still in his mid-20s, is already turning himself into a household name. Moving up in the squat record books, and perhaps even eventually putting his name on top, would be quite the way to announce his presence as a bona fide superstar.
Featured image: @mega.gojira on Instagram
The post Jesus Olivares Demolishes a 465-Kilogram (1,025.1-Pound) Raw Squat PR appeared first on Breaking Muscle.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Jessica Buettner had planned to compete as an 84-kilogram powerlifter for a little while now, but the superstar waited to put the shift into action. With the 2023 Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU) Nationals occurring on Feb. 13-18, 2023, in Richmond, BC, Canada, the reigning two-time Open International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Champion proved it was worth the wait.
By the competition’s end, Buettner scored two raw Canadian National Records with a deadlift of 250 kilograms (551.2 pounds) and a total of 559 kilograms (1,232.4 pounds). Such results helped Buettner capture her third Canadian National title in four years. (Note: Buettner did not participate in the 2021 edition.) The athlete wore a lifting belt, wrist wraps, and knee sleeves for her squats, wrist wraps and a belt for bench presses, and just a belt for her deadlifts.
In an Instagram post recapping the performance, Buettner wrote that she had also captured the Canadian record raw squat with a lift of 209 kilograms (460.7 pounds).
Though, according to Open Powerlifting, Danielle Philibert actually possess the Canadian raw squat record with a lift of 210 kilograms (462.9 kilograms). The athlete achieved that mark at the 2021 CPU Port City Showdown. Buettner has squatted that much on a sanctioned lifting platform, successfully lifting 210 kilograms at the international 2022 Fédération Française de Force (FFForce) Girl Power.
Overall, Buettner finished all eight lifts she attempted at the 2023 CPU Nationals. Once the competitor had broken the Canadian raw deadlift record, she opted out of a final attempt to potentially extend her mark.
Nonetheless, setting the standard with two National Records in a new weight class remains impressive for Buettner, especially considering this was the athlete’s first performance in the 84-kilogram category since 2019. Here’s a complete overview of her top output at the 2023 CPU Nationals:
In her Instagram post, Buettner wrote that her next competition will be the 2023 IPF Sheffield Powerlifting Championships. The athlete will move back down to the 76-kilogram weight class for this contest, which will take place on Mar. 25, 2023, in Sheffield, England.
Buettner’s first-place performance at the 2023 CPU Nationals garners her automatic qualification to the 2023 IPF World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships. Presumably in the 76-kilogram class, the competition will see Buettner seek to make it a prolific three consecutive IPF Open World titles.
Featured image: @djessicabuettner on Instagram
The post Jessica Buettner (84KG) Breaks Two Canadian Records at 2023 CPU Nationals appeared first on Breaking Muscle.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/
Avocado is one of those foods that almost every dietary ideology agrees is good for you. Vegans, vegetarians, paleos, Mediterranean diet espousers, and keto diet fans all promote avocados as a “good fat.” Even the USDA dietary committee wants people eating avocados. But most avocado discussion stops there. It’s “good for you” and that’s about all you hear about the avocado. I’m as guilty as the next man, seeing as how my main focus is on avocado oil used as the basis of most Primal Kitchen products.
But the human research convincingly shows that avocados—the whole fruit—are incredibly healthy and nutrient-dense additions to anyone’s diet. Unless you have a specific reason for not eating them, you should be eating avocados oil on a regular basis. Here are seven evidence-based reasons why this is the case:
What constitutes a healthy lipid profile is a subject of debate, but we can generally agree on a few principles:
Eating avocados achieves all these improvements. In one human study, subjects were randomized to eat either an American diet, a standard “healthy” low-fat diet, a moderate-fat diet with most of the fat coming from sunflower and canola oil, or a moderate-fat diet with most of the extra fat coming from one large avocado a day.1 Only the avocado diet improved LDL:HDL ratio, increased LDL particle size, and reduced oxidized LDL. It was the clear winner over both the American, the seed oil diet, and the low-fat diet.
Another similar study pitted avocado eaters against seed oil eaters. The fatty acid composition was identical in both diets, but only the avocado eaters saw reductions in oxidized LDL particles.2
In another study, Hispanic adults with high cholesterol were randomized to a high-carb vegetarian diet enriched with soybean and safflower oil or a high-carb vegetarian diet enriched with avocado (30% of total calories from avocado).3 The avocado group saw much better improvements in LDL, triglycerides, and HDL.
Some studies find that eating a hamburger patty by itself increases postprandial lipid oxidation and reduces endothelial function, while eating the same patty with a half avocado almost abolishes these effects and also reduces systemic inflammation. There are other issues at hand here, so don’t freak out about a hamburger patty just yet, but it’s probably is a good idea to have a few slices of avocado with your meat. Other herbs, spices, and phytonutrient-rich plant foods can also help here.
Adding avocados to meals makes said meal both more filling and satisfying.4 This effect occurs whether the avocado adds calories or not. Even isocaloric meals, some with avocados, some without, show the effect. A meal with avocado is simply more satisfying and keeps a person fuller for longer. You aren’t full because you’re getting stuffed. You’re full because you’re satisfied—the meal was nutrient-dense and inherently filling. You’re full because avocados have powerful effects on gut satiety hormones.
In older adults given a battery of mental tests, eating avocados increased lutein (a carotenoid linked to ocular and cognitive health) levels by 25%, boosting executive functional capacity, sustained attention, and problem solving ability compared to eating chickpeas.5
Avocado is a unique blend of water and oleic acid that enhances the absorption of carotenoids not just from the avocado itself, but also from any accompanying foods that contain carotenoids.
Dietary avocado increases the diversity of the gut biome, increases “shedding” of fat in the stool of obese and overweight (who don’t “need” the additional caloric energy), and reduces bile acid excretion in the stool. It also tends to increase short chain fatty acid production by gut bacteria, a good indicator of improved metabolic health.6
In general, avocado consumption lowers markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. As mentioned earlier, they can reduce LDL oxidation—the process by which LDL particles are subjected to oxidative stress and damaged, thereby increasing the risk of atherosclerosis. They also have been shown to lower C-reactive protein and other markers associated with endothelial damage and function.7
Older adults who eat avocados see increases in their macular pigment density (MPD).8
When most people talk about the nutrients found in avocados, they talk about potassium and monounsaturated fat. These are good components of the avocado, to be sure, but there’s a lot more to it. A single avocado gives you:
That’s not bad for 200 calories of healthy fat and prebiotic fiber that also has all the beneficial effects mentioned above. Avocados are delicious, nutritious, and improve many aspects of your health. There’s no reason not to eat them on a regular basis.
The post 8 Reasons You Need to Be Eating Avocado appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
As one of the greatest strongmen of all time, former 2017 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Eddie “The Beast” Hall has probably earned the right to try his hand at almost any competitive venture. As such, with Hall now preparing to make a foray into bodybuilding sometime in late 2024, he appears to be on the lookout for any contingency plan.
On Feb. 19, 2023, Hall posted a video to his YouTube channel where he worked through an fast-paced back workout that was bodybuilding-oriented. The training session and next step in his competitive ambitions follow a late January 2023 back workout with International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League member Jamie “The Giant” Christian. Hall had his son Max on hand as he worked through this latest routine.
Here’s an overview of Hall’s latest bodybuilding back workout.
Understandably, Hall begins his routine with a staple compound lifting movement: the deadlift. However, in orienting it more toward bodybuilding, Hall didn’t use the typical heavyweights some might be accustomed to seeing him lift. In the interest of keeping his muscles under tension for longer, the athlete instead warmed up with two 20-kilogram (44-pound) plates on each side of his barbell and a few working sets with three plates on each end using a slow eccentric (lowering phase) on each repetition.
Hall explained his changed rationale in a very matter-of-fact fashion.
“I love moving weights as hard as physically possible,” Hall said. “Unlike strongman where you just move the weight from A to B. And you win competitions, you win lots of money. No, no, no. In bodybuilding, you’ve got to move the weight as slow and as painfully as possible. And you can still win loads of money, so that’s good.”
To really get after his back muscles and round them out from different positions, Hall implemented two variations of the lat pulldown in a superset. He began with pulldowns on a standard cable pulley and alternated with a machine-based pulldown that worked each arm independently. Hall performed three sets and 10 reps of each respective movement.
For the next portion of his workout, Hall worked in another superset, this time performing incline rows and seated rows. The athlete did three sets each while using a slow and controlled motion for added tension.
After finishing off the main back portion of his workout, Hall decided to throw in some biceps movements, turning the session into a combined back and biceps workout. He began with dumbbell hammer curls and performed four sets.
To finish off his productive day, Hall isolated his biceps muscle on a strict curl machine. A pad on the machine elevated the arms to chest-height while restricting the total movement of the arms, forcing the biceps to do most of the work. Hall would complete an extended drop set — decreasing the weight after every few repetitions — for an undisclosed total number of reps before finally wrapping up.
With Hall’s bodybuilding debut still many months away, any progress he makes in the interim is likely positive. As he continues to dip his toes into bodybuilding-oriented training, it appears evident Hall is willing to pull out all the stops to make his next athletic endeavor productive.
Featured image: @eddiehallwsm on Instagram
The post Eddie Hall Takes Another Step Toward Bodybuilding With an Intense Back Workout appeared first on Breaking Muscle.
For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
Book your class NOW!
click this ==>
(@max.boudreault23)
