Pushing Through Limits -by Nick Bolton

As I train heavy and hard getting ready for the Olympia and Fitness America, my mind and body are taking a beating.  Here are some things that keep my body in top shape and allow me to continue to push through my limits:

1. Find training partners.  Although I do most of my training solo, there are times when having a training partner can be really beneficial.  When I find myself lacking drive or creativity for my workout routine, I find someone who has experience but who will also push me harder.
2. Take a day off.  This one is hard for me, as anyone who knows me would agree.  I try to listen to my body and when it’s telling me to lay off the weights for a day, I try to listen.  These rest days are a great way to allow the body to heal, rebuild, and grow.
3. Get a massage.  This is one of my secrets.  I try to get deep tissue massages once a week and the list of benefits goes on and on – better blood circulation, faster muscle recovery, increased flexibility, improved muscle definition (separation), improved immune system response, serious stress reduction, and many other reasons.  Do yourself a favor and get a massage.
4. Get outside your norm.  Try shaking up your routine. For some people, it’s trying out a different gym for a while. For others, it’s periodically doing an outdoor workout.  Whatever it is for you, try something new and challenging.
5. Cycle your supplements.  Don’t take supplements indefinitely; cycle them.  Or if you haven’t tried any supplements, give them a shot!  Cycling your supplements or starting new one’s can help jump-start your workouts.  Some of my favorites include MRI’s Black Powder pre-w0rkout and WAR post workout.

This list is by no means “all inclusive”.  It’s just a few ideas to try.  You may be surprised at just how much they can help.

Staying Prepared While on the Road -by Nick Bolton

The end of summer will be very busy for me with several trips, my birthday, training, and of course, firefighting.  It’s the same excuse I hear from my clients – too busy to workout and eat right.  I don’t have that luxury with the opportunities coming my way this month and the eight week prep for Olympia.  As I’ve mentioned before, fitness models have no off-season.

With everything going on, my focus stays on my goals this fall. I’m scheduling workout time in when I can every day and doing my best with nutrition.  I’ll be traveling back to Iowa to spend time with family so I’m making gym and food arrangements ahead of time.  And of course, I never forget to haul my MRI supplements with me.  For convenience purposes I put my ProNOS and WAR in zip-lock bags, use the Black Powder sticks (because they’re easy to haul around) and I fill up a small tackle box with all the pill products I use.

My MRI products are key because if I’m going to be punishing myself in the gym every free moment I have, I might as well get the most out of it.  With the right planning, being busy shouldn’t slow down my progress.  Everyone gets busy, but with the right planning and dedication, I will keep moving forward.

Turning up the heat… from down below -by Kyle Clarke

So after taking April off to celebrate my birthday, I really had to turn up the heat in the gym to get back into cover shape quickly. Most people would think “do lots of cardio to burn those excess pounds!” but I use a better solution. I work my legs to the point where they burn so badly, I have to crawl out of the gym.

Here’s why: Your legs are comprised of the largest muscle groups in your body. The amount of calories that you burn to repair those muscles, far outweighs the amount you burn while doing cardio. Plus, when you do a lot of cardio, you can 1. burn muscle and 2. teach your body to store some fat to be used as energy during your long distance aerobic activity. So to avoid all that, I just kill my legs and cut simple carbs for 2 weeks and I’m back in the game! Here’s what my leg day looks like:

• Squats – 5 sets of 15
• Leg Press – 2 sets of 20, 2 sets of 10, 2 sets of 30.
• Leg extensions – 4 sets of 20
• Leg curls – 4 sets of 20
• Calf raises – 6 sets of 30
• Walking lunges – 400 meters
• Box jumps – 100
• Jump rope – 3 sets of 3 minutes

Then after a 5 minute break, I hit lower abs, which also uses my legs.

• Hanging leg lifts – 4 sets of 15
• Knee raises – 4 sets of 15
• DB Leg lifts – 4 sets of 10
• Flutter kicks – 3 sets of 1 minute

* WARNING : This is my GOAL when I walk in the gym on leg day. Sometimes I puke or pass out before I make it all the way through. 🙂

To help you through your workout, try Black Powder 30 minutes before you start training. And to help with recovery, drink a ProNOS protein shake as soon as possible after you’ve completed your workout.

Any questions, feel free to contact me –

http://www.facebook.com/kyleclarke1
http://www.twitter.com/kyle_clarke
http://www.mri-performance.com

Black Powder: Kyle Clarke’s Favorite MRI Product

Hey guys,

So I get a ton of emails and questions about what supplements I prefer and take on a regular basis. And with so many supplement companies recently getting scolded for their dangerous or misleading products, I think it’s a good time to talk about my all-time favorite product on the market from MRI Performance.

I used to take some pre-energy powder out of a red tub, and after a few weeks… I would have to take 2 scoops… then 3… then 4?? I could see that I was becoming immune to this product and wanted to try something else. My close friend introduced me to Black Powder and I haven’t turned back since. In fact, I loved MRI’s Black Powder so much, that I contacted the company, sent them a proposal, and I’m now the only signed athlete at MRI. That is why it is so easy for me to promote the company- because i believe in the products.

BLACK POWDER BLUE RASPBERRY –

It is by far the best pre-workout formula I’ve ever tried. I started out using one scoop, and I’m still at one scoop a year later. Black Powder boosts your metabolism, accelerates nutrient absorption into your body, and increases nitric oxide levels by 950% immediately after your first serving.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a vasodilator, opening up your blood vessels to allow performance and recovery nutrients to get to your muscles quicker. This has helped me gain quite a bit of muscle size. Also with this elevated NO level, my muscles recover quicker so I’m able to do HITT (high-intensity interval training) with a higher output level. I can also lift about 20% more on days that I take it vs. the days I train on nothing.

Anyways, I don’t want to get too technical, but if someone asked me what my crutch is… it’s Black Powder. I can’t (or would strongly prefer not to) live without it. Blue Raspberry is the best flavor and every time I go a couple days without it and then taste it again, I feel like I’ve just won a trip to Hawaii. I even bought my newest pair of shoes to match!

Here’s a list of all the things it does for me:

• Muscle size and strength
• Extreme intensity and mental focus
• Improved vascularity
• Increased stamina and energy
• Quick recovery
• It was also named 2009 New Supplement of the Year by Bodybuilding.com.

• I take 1 scoop (or packet) on my way to the gym before every workout. I cycle off 2 weeks for every 2 months I’m on it.

If you have any questions about it, please feel free to comment on this post.

Black Powder: Alison Burgess’ Go-To Pre Workout Formula

I am a morning girl.  I’m up at 5:00 a.m. Monday – Saturday to starting training my clients by 6:00 a.m., and I’m usually not done with my morning sessions until around lunch time.  So does that mean I head home and nap afterward?  Go somewhere for lunch?  Hit Starbucks?  NOPE.  After standing in a gym training about 6 clients in a row, it’s MY turn to workout!  …….and no, I don’t always want to!!

Trust me, sometimes I’m so fried that all I want to do is go curl up in my backseat and snooze it up until my afternoon clients start arriving.  Or go eat a real meal instead of cramming my protein powder/rice cake/almond butter combo in my face during the precious 4 minutes between clients.  But let’s be real here, skipping a workout is not an option.  I can ‘t talk the talk if I don’t walk the walk, and I’m not about to let something like the word “tired” stop me from getting my training in.  And that is why I’ve been such a huge fan of Black Powder for years, even before I became an MRI Athlete.

Wait, before I go on, fun fact:  I am TINY.  I’m 5’3 and 114lbs, and INTENSELY caffeine sensitive.  For years I thought I was just plain out of luck in terms of taking any pre-workout supplements for energy, because everything I tried turned me into some sort of jittery chatty nervous fitness squirrel that would not be sleeping that night.   Not okay!!  I need my sleep!!  So I have dragged my poor unmotivated body through so much foggy cardio and pathetic repetitions over the years, it’s almost embarrassing to admit.

But a few years ago, I saw a Facebook post from another fitness friend of mine saying something about Black Powder and how much “clarity and focus” he got from using it before training.  Clarity and focus?  NOT typical words used for pre-workout supplements.  “Crazy energy”  “massive pumps” etc. are usually the way things are described.  So I gave it a shot one day after a 6-hour stretch of clients, and I promise you, I will never go back.   Think of how you feel when you first wake up on a night where you’ve finally caught up on your sleep.  Fresh, capable, and ready to roll.  That’s what Black Powder does!  And you know what solid workouts mean:  Solid RESULTS!

So now I keep it in my car, in my cubby at my gym, and in my cupboard at home.  It’s a staple for anyone who wants to actually enjoy a solid workout without the jitters and the insomnia that other pre-workout supplements usually included.  The only warning I’d give you is this:  Don’t run out of Black Powder.  I mean it, you can’t go back!

Fitness in the Firehouse by Nick Bolton

Balancing the unique lifestyle of the fire department with the constant demands of fitness modeling and fitness competition can be very challenging.  Every day in the firehouse is unpredictable; not knowing what’s in store and what physical demands I may encounter.  Meals, working out, and full nights of sleep are luxuries, not expectations in my line of work.  When I’m on duty, working out to exhaustion is not an option.  I need to leave enough energy in my body to fight the unexpected fire or perform any type of rescue operation.

Fighting a blazing fire in full bunker gear in the heat of summer or during a lightning storm can be one of the most grueling and physically taxing workouts.  What’s more, when that is always a possibility at any hour on the job, you can never be too prepared.  That’s when clean eating and proper supplementation become critical.  That’s why I keep a ProNOS protein shake and NO2 RED on my fire truck at all times.  Having those things to carry me through a physically demanding emergency scene will keep me on my feet.  Other MRI supplements that I keep near me at all times include: WAR, CE2 Hi-DEF, and Black Powder.

Whether I’m fighting the fire or hitting the weights in my gym off duty, I want to be sure I give my body a chance to make the gains I physically fight for every time I work out.  By using MRI supplements, I give myself a chance to optimize my training.

I prepare my meals the night before and write down my workout so I’m able to save time during the day; time that may be interrupted by the alarm.  I make the most of the workouts at the station so I continue to stay on track toward my fitness goals.  Having the tools MRI provides and taking the time to prepare can make all the difference.