In competitive Bodybuilding there often 8 compulsory poses that are judged in the ‘muscularity’ round and 4 quarter turns that are assessed in the ‘symmetry’ round.

The quarter turns start with ‘front relaxed’, followed by ‘quarter turn to the right’, followed by ‘facing the rear of the stage’ and then ‘quarter turn to the right’ which returns you back to facing the audience again.

That first quarter turn to the right, which sees you side on to the audience, is one that is both not well understood, as well as poorly executed.

In this recent update pic of IFBB Pro Brett Wilkin, just 6.5 weeks out of the Arnold Classic, we see him execute this quarter turn almost perfectly, IMHO.

Points to note:

1. Brett has squeezed his adductors together which in turn is showing off his hamstrings.
2. He has flexed his glutes, revealing striations that are particularly evident from this body part when turned side on.
3. Brett has turned his torso around far enough so as to show off his excellent abdominal musculature, which he has tensed accordingly whilst simultaneously getting the air out of his stomach region.
4. His right shoulder and bicep are pushing across his right pec so as to give the illusion of extra thickness and well as the striations in his chest. The right fist is pointing down to where the judges sit and is NOT covering up his abdominal wall.
5. His left pec is flared out, but not flexed, which in turn gives it a fuller look.
6. Brett’s left arm is slightly bent whilst he tenses the muscles of his forearm, bicep & tricep with the aid of a clenched fist. The palm of this fist faces the audience and is again not covering up his left glute.
7. Brett is looking straight ahead from this side on position. Looking up slightly can also give this pose a very strong & confident appearance.

All in all, I really like the way he is hitting this so called quarter turn, but also I reckon Brett will be an absolute force to be reckoned with at this year’s Arnold Classic!

👍👌💪👊🤩🏆

The Ketogenic diet for some reason has been quite controversial over the last 10-15 years or so.

Not sure why, however, as the many thousands of people that have benefitted from it is well-documented.

I have personally experienced pleasing results from this approach with myself, a client by the name of Krystal Newton and my partner, Luscious Louise.

Louise, in particular, has recently just lost 24 kg of unwanted excess baggage in around 24 weeks.

In that time she has also experienced an improvement in skin tone, better digestion, reduced abdominal bloating, less fluid retention, little or no IBS, better mental clarity, feels better overall, an even distribution of body fat reduction and less joint niggles.

And all this with very little cardio, apart from her regular weight training sessions 3 times per week.

By simply removing refined carbohydrates from her diet and being mindful of portion sizes, she has turned into a fat-burning machine! Not bad for someone approaching 62 years young!!!

Insulin is a fat storing hormone that is hard for our pancreas to manage, particularly the older we get.

Menopausal women often really battle with weight gain and Louise did for quite some time, until now!!!

This Ketogenic approach is not necessarily something one needs to do forever. Louise may indeed reintroduce carbohydrates sometime soon, but very carefully, using only quality complex sources.

Insulin can be beneficial for many, but sustained high insulin levels is often associated with many negative responses such as higher blood pressure, increased body fat, lower testosterone, higher cortisol, arterial inflammation and the list goes on!!!

Food for thought, people, as we move out of the Christmas crazy carb frenzy!!!

👍👌💪👊🤩

‘Flow State Breathing’

‘Flow State Breathing’ is something I have adopted in the last few years with pleasing results.

The information presented in my Blog today is taken from CarnivoreAurelius via his Instagram account and summarises this breathing technique and it’s benefits perfectly!

Something everyone should take on board!!

👍👌💪👊🤩

I have been experimenting with the Keto lifestyle for some time now with some pleasing results, but have decided recently to take it up a notch by reducing my daily TOTAL carbohydrates to 20g, as opposed to the formulaic 50g that many keto advocates use.

One of the things I am trialling is integrating more of a carnivore approach to my daily diet with the majority of my protein & fat coming from grass fed beef, organic eggs, pork, grass fed whey and collagen protein powder. I will also continue my use of the 16/8 intermittent fasting protocol to my feeding window.

Some of the benefits associated with this type of diet and IF I have discussed before such as: lower insulin, lower inflammation, lower blood pressure, reduced body fat, improved hormone function, better mental clarity & cognition and the list goes on!

One of the things I really want to achieve with this updated approach is to get my body to produce more ketones. My previous approach wasn’t getting me into true ketosis, hence why I am can keen to do it properly.

I will report back after a few months with a progress update!

👍👌💪👊😊

• 

When I think about the statement, “Make Bodybuilding great again!”, I think about how the sport of Bodybuilding is starting to come back to its roots of aesthetic physiques, a sense of camaraderie and physique contests that are genuinely entertaining!

In the last 15 to 20 years, with the advent of ludicrous PED protocols including overuse of insulin and growth hormone, we have seen puffy, blocky, unhealthy looking physiques and more deaths that have definitely created an image of something not only unattainable for the average Joe Blo, but also something not all that easy on the eye!

Thankfully, many federations are now calling on streamlined waists and are penalising that pregnant “bubble-gut” look. Even Arnold himself has made his own opinion on this very clear in the same vein!

Social Media is also now assisting our sport in regaining its sense of community and camaraderie. Unfortunately, sometimes things go pear-shaped and we see some of our icons behaving like school-yard bitches online.This is something we need to put a kibosh on!!

Our physique contests, for a while there, were starting to become very clinical with the free posing routine removed from the show so as to speed things up and allow for more and more extraneous divisions, some of which have been a bit dubious!!

The free posing routine to music of the competitors choosing has always been something that the audience really enjoyed and got right into. Even people that aren’t into bodybuilding also love this aspect of the show. Again, Arnold himself, has placed emphasis on this art by including it as Round 3 in the Arnold Classics, whereby the score actually counts! As a result, we have seen the professionals and amateurs alike lift their game and improve their posing skills markedly!

Bodybuilding in the 1960s through to the 1990s was revered as a healthy lifestyle with an overall look that was something to behold.

Hopefully, we can continue to turn the tide on this time-honoured tradition and truly international sport that allows all races and ethnic groups to come together!

So with that, I call on everyone in our amazing sport to keep all of this in mind and indeed endeavour to…

“MAKE BODYBUILDING GREAT AGAIN!”

👍👌💪👊🤩

#makebodybuildinggreatagain

#teammassivejoes

#massivejoes

#tmj

#omaraclassic2020

#omaraclassic

#ifbbomaraclassic

#ifbbwa

#ifbb

#oldschool

#grandmastersphysique

#keepitsimple

#hittraining

#bodychiselbycraig

#alphacrew

#strengthwisdomrespect

#goldsgymportkennedy

#goldsgym

I have used Intermittent Fasting, Monday to Friday, for the last few years or so, and have personally noticed the following benefits:

1. Improved blood work via multiple markers including fasted blood sugar, higher testosterone, lower SHBG, lower oestrogen, lower blood pressure & lower C-Reactive Protein (inflammation).

2. A drop in stored body fat with minimal cardio.

3. Injuries & niggles that have subsided or gone away completely.

4. Loss of interest in sugary foods.

5. Improvement in strength levels.

6. NO loss in muscle mass.

7. Improved clarity of thought and consistent mood.

8. Improved recovery from weight training.

9. Less time in the kitchen preparing meals.

10. Convenience!!!

BUT, you MUST still pay attention to addressing your macronutrient intake during your chosen feeding window.

👍👌💪👊😎

As I have been doing for the last 5 years or so, since turning 50, I got my GP to do a thorough blood work check, which included my hormone panel (see photo with the markers I wanted testing).

For the last few years I have successfully increased my total testosterone, but have been noticing that my SHBG marker had been steadily rising. Sex Hormone Binding Globulin, when too high, basically binds up your available testosterone and renders it useless.

So, I have been making holistic lifestyle changes to try and correct this.

I have improved my sleep patterns by lowering Cortisol, continued to use Intermittent Fasting from Monday to Friday and have recently been adopting a Ketogenic approach to my daily eating.

I have made sure that my daily consumption of essential fats has been high combined with approximately 0.8g-1g of protein per pound of body weight. Daily carbohydrate intake from fibrous sources is less than 50g. Starchy carbs that spike insulin have been removed.

High insulin, high cortisol and high inflammation can impede proper hormone production. Too much protein can cause inflammation, whilst essential fat can regulate insulin and fuel testosterone and cognitive function.

The mistake people make when trialling ‘Keto’ is that they don’t eat enough essential fat, consume way too much protein and end up feeling horrible.

The results of my blood test were encouraging in that my total testosterone was still at the high end of the normal range whilst SHBG almost halved. This in turn meant that my free testosterone increased by over 50%!!

I haven’t been doing Keto for that long, so I will be keen to see how I progress using this approach.

At almost 55 years old, I am certainly not adverse to using HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) but I am determined to put off the need to do this for as long as possible.

Until then, I am enjoying experimenting on myself to try and optimise my hormone production naturally.

👍👌💪👊😎

54 years old and still enjoying my ‘love affair’ with the gym, after more than 3 decades!!!

I have used the gym to help build my physique and boost my strength and fitness.

But, most importantly, I have used it as salvation to clear my head from the daily stresses of work and life in general!!

No pill from your GP works as well!!!

👍👌💪👊😎

#oldmanmuscle

#oldschool

#bodychiselbycraig

#keepitsimple

#gasp

#officialgasp

#goldsgymwa

#goldsgymportkennedy

#goldsgym

Yes, I have done a few shows, 60 to be exact!

Competing in a physique contest is not just about your very brief time on stage.

It is more to do with the journey to the stage, as you attempt to morph your body into the best shape of it’s life.

What you learn about yourself along the way is amazing. You use and acquire traits like self-discipline, resiliency, organisational skills, time management, focus, determination, drive, creativity, mental acuity, problem solving and an overall extreme desire to be the best version of yourself which is not just restricted the way you look.

I often say to clients and friends that you “get in the zone”.

If you’ve seen the awesome Bradley Cooper movie, “Limitless”, you’ll remember the magic pill NZT 48 which turned him into an instant genius with a limitless drive and focus.

If you do contest prep right, then you’ll experience this in varying degrees.

Also, the awesome like-minded people you meet along the way, particularly at State, National and International contests, are something you can treasure for the rest of your life.

And finally, after the show, you can enjoy the memories and then go to work to plan your next outing and a way to be even better than before!!

👍👌💪👊😎🏆🥇

CW’s Contest ‘career’ thus far is as follows:

1994 INBA Mr Novice WA 1st place

1998 INBA Mr Intermediate WA 1st place

1999 INBA Mr WA (Open) 3rd place

2000 IFBB Under 80kg WA 1st place

2002 INBA Mr WA (Open) 5th place

2002 INBA Mr Australia (Open class 3) 4th place

2004 INBA Mr WA (Open) 2nd place

2004 INBA Mr Australia (Open class 3) 5th place

2005 INBA Mr Masters WA 1st place and Overall Mr WA

2005 ANB Mr Masters WA 1st place and Overall Mr WA

2005 ANB Mr Masters Australia 1st place

2005 INBA Mr Masters Australia 1st place

2005 Musclemania Masters Mr Australia 2nd place

2006 INBA Mr Masters WA 1st place

2006 INBA Mr Masters Australia 2nd place

2006 ANB Mr Masters Australia 1st place

2006 INBA Natural Olympia 5th place Masters, 3rd place Open Class 3.

2007 INBA Mr Masters WA 1st place, Overall Mr WA 2nd place

2007 NABBA Masters Mr WA 2nd place

2007 INBA Mr Masters Australia 3rd place

2007 ANB Mr Masters Australia 1st place

2008 WFF WA State Open Class 2 1st place

2008 NABBA Mr Masters Australia 3rd place

2008 IFBB Elite Show Mr Masters Australia 2nd place

2008 INBA Mr Masters WA 1st place, Overall Mr WA 3rd place

2008 IFBB Mr Masters WA 2nd place

2008 INBA Mr Masters Australia 2nd place

2008 ANB Mr Masters Australia 1st place

2009 INBA Mr Masters WA 2nd place

2009 IFBB Mr Masters WA 2nd place

2009 ANB Mr Masters Australia 2nd place

2009 INBA Natural Olympia Masters 4th place, Open Class 3 third place

2010 NABBA Mr Masters WA 1st place

2010 NABBA Mr Masters Australia 2nd place

2010 INBA Mr Masters WA 1st place, Overall Mr WA 3rd place

2010 INBA Mr Masters Australia 3rd place

2010 IFBB Mr Masters WA 1st place

2010 IFBB Masters Mr Australia dnp

2011 NABBA Mr Masters WA 1st place

2011 NABBA Mr Masters Australia 4th place

2011 ANB Asia Pacific International Masters 2nd place

2011 INBA Mr Masters WA 1st place, Overall Mr WA 2nd place

2011 IFBB Mr Masters WA 1st place

2011 INBA Mr Masters Australia dnp

2011 ANB Mr Masters Australia 3rd place

2011 INBA Natural Universe 3rd place Masters, 5th place Open Class 2

2012 ANB Asia Pacific International Masters 1st place, Under 90kg 2nd place

2012 NABBA Masters Mr WA 1st place

2012 INBA City Nationals Masters Mr Australia 1st place

2012 INBA Masters Mr WA 1st place

2012 INBA WA State Titles Open Short Class 1st place, also received a huge gold cup commemorating my 50th contest during my 18 years of competing.

2012 INBA Nationals Masters Men 6th place

2012 ANB Nationals Masters Men 6th place

2013 INBA Masters Mr Melbourne 1st place

2013 NABBA Masters Mr WA 1st place

2013 INBA Masters Mr WA 1st place

2013 ANB Asia Pacific Masters Men 2nd place

2013 ANB Masters Mr WA 1st place

2013 INBA Masters Mr Australia 4th place

2013 IFBB Masters Mr WA 1st place

#oldmanmuscle

#oldschool

#grandmastersphysique

#bodychiselbycraig

#inba

#ifbb

#musclemania

#nabba

#icn

#anbaustralia

#lookgoodfeelgoodamgood — with Graham Clarke and 3 others at Craig’s Office.

My love/hate relationship with squats continues, as I ease them back into my quad workout once again.

5 years ago my GP put me on blood pressure meds for mild hypertension.

Within a very short period of time I noticed numerous lower body niggles, including knee pain.

I tried to train through this and it only got worse.

I checked the side effects of blood pressure meds and was shocked to see that lower body edema was on top of the list. 

Edema is fluid retention which can in turn create inflammation of joints, connective tissue and muscle.

So I realised I had to proactively get off these toxic drugs and lower my blood pressure naturally via lifestyle change and sensible supplementation. 

Fast forward to 2019 and I now have normal blood pressure, minimal knee pain and a squat that is below parallel once again!!!

Moral of the story, never give up, focus on what you can do, not what you can’t do and solve the problem through the acquisition of knowledge and persistence!

👍💪👊😉😎