Arms with MRI Athlete & NPC Bikini Competitor Maribel Burgos

A few months ago I went to a birthday dinner. I wore a spaghetti strap top that day. Without even thinking about it, I raised my arm to scratch my head. What happened next not only made me feel AMAZING but at the same time I was a bit embarrassed (in a great way). The lady sitting across from me said “Whoa!!! You have some AMAZING arms on you!” haha! Well, needless to say everyone at the table turned to look at me and wanted me to “show” them my arms!

That is why I love working on my arms! Not only do compliments as such motivate me but I feel great in what I wear. In order to have the full package you have to work on every body part!

Here is ONE of my arm routines!

Arms:

1. Dumb Bell Bicep Curl.
2. Seated Alternate Dumb Bell Curls
3. Dumb Bell Preacher Curl
4. Cable Curls

Triceps:

1. Skull Crushers
2. Cable One Arm Triceps Extensions
3. Triceps Pushdown – with a rope or a bar
4. Bench Dips – body weight for a final burn out

I do 3-4 sets with 10-12 reps of each exercise. To help me get through my workout, I use MRI’s Black Powder ULTRA at least 30 minutes before I start training. Immediately after my workout I drink MRI’s ProNOS protein to help my muscles recover and grow!

Weight Training for Fat Loss: It’s Not Just for the Guys! -by Maribel Burgos

I receive emails from women asking for advice about losing weight and getting into shape.  Sorry but there is no such thing as a short cut! It’s all about having a balance between clean eating habits, weight training and cardio. YES! Weights! The second I mention weights the response I get is “But, I don’t want to get big or bulky.”

Newsflash ladies!!! Weight training will NOT make you bulky!  And even if you’re lifting with great intensity and strength – it’s naturally impossible for a female to get “bulky”. You want to look and feel more confident in your clothes?  So, do yourself a favor put down the little pink rubber weights and start training like you mean it!

Now, whether you want to lose weight, tone, or train for a specific event – there are many benefits to weight training, besides just looking good. Weight training burns calories, develops and shapes your muscles, helps to tone and tighten those stubborn areas that you love to hate.

So next time you find yourself headed towards the little pink rubber weights remember, you are stronger than you think! Challenge yourself, take that extra step, push yourself and you will be surprised at what you CAN do! Don’t worry… you will not “bulk” up! Just remember…. You are that much closer to a beautiful, shapely body!

Go Hard or Go Home!

Heading Back to the Stage -by Maribel Burgos

It has been a little over a month since I stepped on stage at Team Universe.  All my friends and family called or texted me during that weekend and asked “How did it go?”  It was truly an AMAZING experience! My experience backstage was one of best parts of the show, sharing stories (and Bikini Bite 😉 ) with tons of beautiful women that went through the same experiences for the last few months. I was truly inspired and proud to have been in the same room with so many wonderful women. I met a lot of amazing people and I hope to stay in touch with them.

Since my return the question that I hear every time I turn around is “When is your next show?”

In my last blog I mentioned that I was going to take a few months to make some serious gains for the upcoming year. However, I just cannot seem to stay away!!!

I am excited to share that I will be competing at the Texas State Natural AND NPC Lackland Classic!!! Both shows will be in November.

So, stay tuned! I am excited to start sharing progress updates with you guys!

Leg Press Variations for Great Glutes -by Maribel Burgos

Targeting the glutes can sometimes be tricky. I have a couple of different exercises for targeting the glutes using the leg press.

1. Narrow Leg press: place your feet together on the middle of platform. Bringing your quads close to the chest and pressing through the heels to push through. Make sure to push all the way back up without locking your knees.  I start my first set with 90lbs and gradually increase to 270lbs. 4-5 sets with 10-12 reps
2. Wide and high leg press: place your feet wide on the platform but high towards the corners of the platform and point your toes out slightly. This will target your hamstrings and your glutes. Make sure to bring it completely down and push all the way back up for a complete rep.  I drop my weight to 180lbs and gradually increase to 230lbs.3-4 sets with 10-12 reps
3. My favorite because it targets just the BOOTY!!! Put your feet super wide at the top of the platform. Bring your quads right above your chest then do small little pulsating movements. This targets the glutes specifically for the nice round look all ladies want 🙂  !!!  Again, I drop my weight to 180lbs and gradually increase to 230lbs.3-4 sets with 10-12 reps 3-4 sets with 10-12 reps

Remember… in order to target the glutes you must always push through your heels and focus on targeting the glutes. Don’t just go through the motions!!! Focus on your targeted muscle group.

My leg and glute days are my toughest days in the gym. So I rely MRI’s Hemo Surge to make each workout more intense than the last and take each one to the next level!  Hemo Surge’s turbo-charged nitrix oxide gives me the massive pump, strength, and mental focus needed for these intense workouts! Once I have killed it in the gym I refuel my muscles with MRI’s French Vanilla ProNOS protein! Now it’s time to rest.  🙂

Tips for Staying Motivated -by Maribel Burgos

Very often I get asked how I stay motivated and enjoying what I do. For me, working out is my passion. From dance to gymnastics and now my competitive career staying fit has been a part of my life for as long as I could remember. Staying fit is a lifestyle so if I don’t work out I feel incomplete, like my day has been wasted.

With that being said, like everybody else I do have those not so “happy” days. For that reason and to answer the questions I have been asked, I would like to share a few things that I do to make working out fun for me. Here are a few tips on how to help you “Enjoy the ride”:

1. Most importantly do what you do, stay fit for YOU! Not for anybody else but YOU! Always remember why you started your journey!  If you don’t love what you do how can you possibly give it 100%?

2. Change up your cardio sessions so you don’t get bored with the same routine.

3. Upload new songs to your iPod/MP3. Music always gets me going… especially listening to Latin music.

4. LADIES, you are going to love this one. Buy a new workout outfit and / or sneakers. That definitely gets me SUPER excited and in an even better mood.

5. Workout at a different gym. It may sound strange but I like bouncing around to different gyms. It keeps me motivated. Not sure why, maybe it is the change in atmosphere. But it works every time!

The key is to stay positive and motivated in order to reach your goals.   It is up to you to make your journey fun and exciting! Remember… you are in control of your journey! Make the best of it!  One last thing I want to leave you guys with is that nothing is impossible, you are your own obstacle, don’t cheat yourself, and know that you are much stronger than you believe you are. NOW HIT IT HARD!!!

Maribel Burgos Talks RED Shred for Fat Loss

MRI’s newest product, RED Shred is one of my favorites!  During contest prep, RED Shred gave me the boost I needed to jump start my metabolism to burn the few extra layers of fat. RED Shred has thermogenic ingredients that revved my metabolism. The carb-blockers helped slow down the absorption of simple carbs, using them as fuel instead of storing them as fat.  The Green Tea extract and small dose of caffeine in RED Shred gave me additional energy to get through the day without a jittery feeling.

I plan on using RED Shred even during my off season in order to avoid storing unwanted fat J !!! RED Shred will save me from hours of cardio when it comes time for my next contest prep!

Making Gains in the Off Season -by Maribel Burgos

It seems as if I have been dieting all year. Well, actually it has only been seven months. I want to make some serious gains for next year! This means that I have to devote the next few months to hard core training in order to be at my best when I step on stage again.

Dieting, reducing calories and incorporating cardio is the key to leaning out and being stage ready. However, I cannot make the necessary gains when I am dieting and doing cardio twice a day as I have been doing. Now that I have increased my calorie intake I can begin to lift heavy again and make the gains that I would like.

I absolutely LOVE MRI’s Hemo Surge. Hemo Surge gives me the intense pump that I need to be able to tackle the heavy workouts. Especially on leg days… those are my toughest work outs!!!! I have to make sure I pack on the size I want on my tiny legs!  🙂

In bikini, it is all about the legs and the glutes, which is why I train them twice a week. Training legs and glutes twice a week is really hard on your body. I use MRI’s RED Repair to help with the rebuilding of muscles.

After all my workouts, especially after a grueling leg work out, I make sure that I feed my muscles with MRI’s ProNOS protein. I always carry it around with me wherever I go!!!

I am extremely motivated and anxious to step on stage once again!!!

Chest Training with MRI’s Maribel Burgos

Even as a bikini competitor, chest workouts are important. Chest workouts also target the shoulders, biceps and triceps… great for sculpting the upper body!!! I try to mix up the order and the exercises for chest. I try to keep my body guessing so it does not get use to the same routine.

Here are the chest exercises I mix up during my chest routines:

Flat Bench

4 x 10-12. The first set of my chest routine is always at a lighter weight so I can warm up my muscles. I gradually increase the weight of the next sets.

Incline Dumbbell Press

4-5 x 10-12. I use dumbbells in each hand and pressed them up while seated on an incline bench.  It is important to not arch your back. Otherwise, you can injury your lower back.  Weight used: 15, 17, 20, 25, lb dumbbells

Dumbbell Flies.

4 x 10. I alternate between a flat bench and the incline bench.  Dumbbell flies can be strenuous on the shoulders, so I don’t go very heavy.  Weight used: 10, 12, 15, 20 lb dumbbells.

Cable Cross Over

4 x 10. I like to change up the position of the cables on this exercise. During this workout I placed the cables at the top of the machine.  Weights used were:  15, 20, 20 lbs on each side

Push ups

5 x 10-12 Using body weight is a great way to fatigue the muscle. By this point my muscles are so tired that I know I am pushing them to the final extreme for that day.  I love push ups!!!

Don’t forget your daily dose of protein after your workout! In order to grow you must feed your muscles. MRI’s Pro-NOS in French Vanilla Cream is my favorite!

Recapping Team Universe -by Maribel Burgos

The 2012 NPC Team Universe competition took place this past weekend in New Jersey. As my second show, it was an honor to be able to step on stage at Team Universe! I never thought that I would have the privilege to compete at such a level in such a short amount of time. I can honestly say that competition was fierce! Even though I did not place in the top 5 the experience in itself was worth so much more!

Now it is time to prepare for my next step in this amazing journey. I plan on taking a few days to visit with family and friends. Afterwards I will continue training for my next show. I am ready to kick my workouts to the next level using MRI’s Hemo Surge. AND… I cannot forget about the building blocks to muscle growth!!! MRI’s ProNOS protein is a must after every workout to ensure muscle growth.

I am super excited and my motivation as at a level 10 right now! Can’t wait to see what the future holds!

Thank you for all your support! See you soon!

Maribel

Maribel Talks About MRI’s ProNOS

I’m frequently asked “Protein shakes… Are they just for men?”  Of course not!  Women can also benefit from this fast absorbing alternative.  It’s difficult to consume your daily intake of protein with solid foods alone.

My favorite protein is MRI’s ProNOS protein powder in French Vanilla Cream! It blends well especially when you are on the go. Sometimes I add fruit and it tastes just like a smoothie. YUM!!!

ProNOS has 42 grams of protein per serving. It contains ActiNOS which increases nitric oxide production. Simply put, ProNOS delivers the perfect dose of fuel to growing muscles.  I have a nice shake twice a day: before and after my workout. You can find ProNOS at Vitamin Shop and BodyBuilding.com