Nick Bolton Discusses RED Repair

One of my favorite MRI supplements right now is the RED Repair.  I know that sleep is incredibly important to my muscles for recovery and growth.  When I’m not at the fire station, I sometimes have trouble getting enough quality sleep.  I know I need to get a deeper, more rejuvenating sleep.

RED Repair helps improves sleep efficiency and reduces muscle breakdown.  It also has antioxidants to help with the preservation of my hard earned muscle.  RED Repair helps with reducing muscle soreness and increases my recovery times by reducing muscle stress and damage.  With my RED Repair, I keep what I fight for every day in the gym!

Nick Bolton Preps for Fitness America in Las Vegas

Two weeks ago I wrapped up an international competition in Miami.  My sights have now turned to some big events in the fall.  I’ll be training harder than ever to prepare for the Olympia Expo in Las Vegas, where I’ll be representing MRI as well as shooting with some incredible photographers over that weekend.  My next big show will be Fitness America in Las Vegas November 15^th-17th.  My goal is to improve on my 5th place spot in Miami.  As I prepare for those events, I’ll be stopping by some Kansas City GNC’s for product demonstrations, starting with Overland Park on July 15th from 12-2pm.

Since I’m a firefighter and a fitness model, I don’t really have an “off season” so I have to work extra hard at gaining muscle while staying relatively lean.  I’m lifting heavy while incorporating a variety of techniques like drop sets, rest-pause sets, super sets and a few others.  I’m also spending extra time focusing on some areas for improvement.  I depend on a clean diet of high protein, properly timed carbohydrates, and MRI supplements to keep me on track.   I’m using MRI’s Crea7ine for 4 weeks to build a good base and then I’ll use MRI’s CE2 for 2 weeks.  At nighttime, I’ll continue using my RED Repair so my recovery time improves.  With only 12 weeks, every day needs to count.

Nick Bolton Recaps Fitness Universe in Miami

This past weekend was Musclemania’s Fitness Universe in Miami.  In a tough field of more than 60 top international fitness models, I took home the 5th place trophy. I was happy to do so well against such a great field of models but the competitor in me isn’t satisfied until I hold the first place spot.

After a competition, I step back and analyze what areas I can improve on – muscle groups that need to be more or less developed, posing and presentation, and conditioning. I create a game plan based on the date of my next competition.  I take about a week off the weights and normal supplement regimen to let my body rest and heal.  I’ve made adjustments to my supplements and nutrition in order to grow while staying relatively lean.  My high carbohydrate meals are consumed for breakfast and immediately after my workouts so I can utilyze them for muscle growth.  I’m back on MRIs Pro-NOS, Crea7ine, Hemo Surge, NO2 RED, and RED Repair for the building process. I’m also extremely excited about a few new products that MRI will be unveiling soon.

After this brief time off, I’m refocused and back at hitting the weights hard.  All of this will help me bring a better package to stage.

Emily Nicholson on MRI’s RED Crea7ine

The new MRI RED Crea7ine is one of my favorite products on the market now! First, the taste is great and it has a tingly minty aftertaste which is really nice especially when you’re dieting!

Crea7ine contains a blend of 7 different types of creatines which are slow acting and long lasting so that you get the benefits throughout your workout and throughout your day! Not only is it the highest quality of creatines but it also includes aminos acids which are the building blocks of muscle.

When using RED Crea7ine, I get results quick!  More power, increased strength and endurance, and unbelievable muscle growth!

Emily Nicholson Talks Junior Nationals

The NPC 2012 Jr Nationals competition is held this weekend in Chicago.  This is one of the 6 national level shows available to competitors throughout the year.

I competed in it three times before earning my Pro Card.  This weekend athletes from all over the country will come to Chicago to try and win this show and their Pro Cards.

I’m excited for my clients and friends who are competing in this show! With the help of the MRI stack and some intense training, I believe my team is coming home with some trophies this weekend!!  Daily MRI stack now includes NO2 RED, Hemo Surge, Crea7ine, RED Repair and ProNOS protein powder before and after workouts.

I will definitely be in attendance! It’s inspiring to see all these unbelievable bodies walk across the stage.  It will definitely get me motivated and excited about preparing for my next competition and diet!   I would recommend anyone who’s thinking about competing in fitness, figure, or bikini to check out a local show and see what it’s all about!

Training Back with IFBB Pro Emily Nicholson

Many people forget to train back since they don’t see it when they look in the mirror, but it’s a huge muscle group and can’t be neglected.  A sculpted back makes you look fit!

Here’s an example of my last back work out:

Pull ups

3 x 10 pull ups.  Assisted or not, these will grow the back and make it wide and strong! This exercise uses your own body weight as resistance.

Lat pull downs

4 x 12 wide grip pull downs.  This is another exercise to grow and widen the back into a V taper. Be careful going with a wide grip on this exercise because it does add extra strain to the shoulder.  If you have shoulder issues, bring your grip in closer and also remember to always bring the bar down to your chest, not behind your neck.

Seated rows

4 x 10 seated rows.   This can be done with many grips, narrow to wide.  I chose a narrow grip here since my other two sets were wide grip.  I like to mix it up and hit the muscles in my back differently throughout the workout.

Dumbbell rows on the bench

4 x 10 DB rows on the bench.  Here I take a dumbbell and do a single arm row while kneeling on the bench.  It’s important to keep your back straight and head up for this exercise.  I like single arm exercises too because it assures me that one side is not compensating for the other and that the muscle grows evenly.

Standing straight arm pull down

4 x 10 straight arm pull down with lat pull down bar.  This exercise targets the lats.  It also incorporates the abs for stability. It’s good to isolate some areas of the back you specifically want to focus on to grow.

Within 30 minutes after my workout, I drink a ProNOS protein powder shake in the Dutch Chocolate to repair for my new workout and grow new muscle.

Weight Training & Cardio for Figure Competitors -by Emily Nicholson

To compete in Figure you have to build muscle.  Your muscles shouldn’t be as developed as a bodybuilder’s, but you will need rounded capped shoulders and shapely proportioned muscle. Figure competitors should not be as lean as a bodybuilder.

Usually women don’t have to worry about building too much muscle when they lift weights. I’ve been lifting heavy weights for almost twenty years and I still step on stage around 112 lbs.  Women have to lift heavy to build the muscle they will need for Figure.

Don’t be afraid of getting “too big” because it won’t happen overnight.  Once you are at the size you want to be as a Figure competitor, you can maintain it.   Once you stop working out, the muscle size will disappear quickly.  Doing excessive cardio is another way to “burn off” the muscle.

To build and maintain the body I want to compete, I weight train each body part once a week and do 10-12 cardio sessions a week.  Here is how I break it down:

Monday – Legs.  Tuesday – Shoulders.  Wednesday – Back.  Thursday – Arms.  Friday – Chest

Daily MRI stack now includes NO2 RED, Hemo Surge, ProNOS protein powder before and after work out, RED Crea7ine, and RED Repair

Monday through Friday I do one cardio session after my weight training and one session in the evening for about 30-40 minutes each.

Saturdays I either do one or two cardio sessions. Sunday I rest.

This is my schedule while getting ready for a competition.  The only thing that changes in the ‘off season” is cardio, which is reduced to only 3 sessions per week. The weight training never stops!

Kyle Clarke Preps for Photo Shoot with MRI’s RED Shred

One of my favorite MRI products is our new RED Shred. After spending all of April eating and traveling, I needed something to kick-start my fat loss program. RED Shred did just that with its thermogenic ingredients that revved my metabolism, and its carb-blocking capabilities that helped slow the absorption rate of my simple carbs. Plus the Green Tea extract and small dose of caffeine gives me the energy to get through the day, even though I am on a low carb diet, which usually results in low energy.

I’m going to continue using RED Shred for another 3 weeks and then shoot the ad campaign for RED Shred with my abs more defined than they’ve ever been. This will prove that RED Shred is the ultimate fat burner, and will put the proof right in front of the consumer.