ON VARIETY PACK - FLAVOURS

Optimum Nutrition have a variety pack of whey flavours. These are Individual servings of whey with flavours ranging from the regular to the weird.

16 in total. They are:

Banana Cream

Chocolate Malt

Cookies & Cream

Double Rich Chocolate

French Vanilla Cream

Organge Cream

Root Beer Float

Tropical Punch

Caramel Toffee Fudge

Chocolate Mint

Delicious Strawberry

Extreme Milk Chocolate

Mocha Cappuccino

Rocky Road

Strawberry Banana

Vanilla Cream

So I decided to work my way through the pack and rank the flavours ....I mix them with water as this is the only way I have shakes.

So far I have had:

Banana Cream:  4.5/10: Okay but nothing special. The BSN Lean Dessert ones are nicer. I will stick to them.

Caramel Toffee Fudge: 7/10:  I liked this one. Something different - quite yum. If tyhey had small tubs of this flavour it could be worth buying for a change.

Root Beer Float:  -2/10:  The moment I opened the packet of this one it smelled bad. I braced myself for the inevitable. Maybe the small wasn't as bad as the taste! I was wrong. That stuff makes you gag.

Maybe Root Beer is an American acquired taste. I ended up throwing out the last 1/3 and having a hard boiled egg instead.

DO NOT BUY a tub of the Root Beer whey unless you are familar with the taste and like it. Or buy as a joke for another BB'er....

Mat Jones provides a further update - on his latest success

"i competed in the nabba/wff nationals on the 11th oct, i won wff class 2 mr australia and got second overall to a guy who was from china and a many time mr universe competitor, 5x i think".

Pics of Mat's great condition can be seen below in his pics from the event

Mat Jones - currently in countdown mode towards his next comp, shares details of his diet and lifestle regime

 

 

9.5 weeks out .....an update from Mat Jones

training is going well - just under 10 weeks to go now.

I haven't changed much with my diet but doing a bit more cardio.

I'm feeling pretty good at the moment not to tired, i just had my birthday on the 2nd of july i turned 22 so it was really good to have a cheat night, it was the best eating as much chocolate as i could but its back to the diet now.

i'm weighing just under 90kg in the morning before breakfast so still on target for around 82kg.

As you can see from the pics a bit of colour and not to bad for 10 weeks out.

Aron Noble - Insights of his Comp Lifestyle

I asked Aron Noble (winner of the 2008 NZFBB Classic Category for men) to shed more light on how he manages his time and balances his day  (training, eating, work, relationship time) when he is preparing for a comp.

Let's face it - bodybuilders in NZ are not just 'bodybuilders' but 'people' too. 

Their lives have to take place within in a broader context of where there are other demands and responsibilities, as well as more pleasurable uses of your time.

So how does Aron manage this ... Yet still create an award winning physique?

This is what he had to say ....

“Balancing my life.”      By Aron Noble                         

Balancing day to day life can be busy enough without the added (but necessary) activities required to compete.  It can be time consuming but it is amazing what you can fit in a day if you plan!!

As you can see there is nothing to flashy about my preparation- be positive, set goals, be consistent, give yourself a pat on the back, aim high and never give up!! I can’t wait to do it all again in 2009!! 

 

ANDY HILL .....Owner of Shotgun Supplements details his training, diet and supplementation regime and personal philosophies on bodybuilding ....

Becoming involved in competing and my track record to date ......

I have been training seriously for about 4 years.

I competed for the first time at the NZFBB capital champs in Wellington in 2006 where I got 2nd in the novice 70 - 80 kg category. I competed again at the North Island champs that year and won the 70 - 80 kg novice class.I did the capital champs in Wellington again in 2007.

I was now an open class competitor and managed to drop enough weight to enter the open mens under 70kg class where I placed third behind Taranaki's Sean Lester, a mate of mine.

I then decided to take a year off and focus on trying to add a little bit more muscle to my upper body. My legs have always been my strong point, and for 6 months i did not train them once, focusing all of my energy on back, chest and shoulders.

I competed again at the NZFBB wellington champs in april last year where I won the open mens under 70kg class and placed 2nd overall.

Below are some pics from the show....

What's next for me? and also some of my thoughts on bodybuilding ......

Starting up shotgun supplements has taken up a lot of my time over the last few months but I have still managed to get into the gym from time to time.

I am a firm believer in the old school style of training.

I stick to the very basic compound exercises and keep me rep range low and my form very strict.  I usually go to failure on every set after I have warmed up and do not have lot of rest between sets. If I am training a large muscle group i will usually do 4 exercises and no more than 12 sets.  For a smaller muscle group it's usually 3 exercises for no more than 9 sets.

Everyone responds to different training methods but I find that short sharp intense trains work best for me. I also make sure a muscle has recovered fully before i hit it again.

I have tried many different training splits over the past few years and I believe that it is important to mix it up when it comes to training so that your muscles is always exposed to different stimulus.

Bodybuilding Philosophies ......

I am a dedicated 100% natural trainer, and have always been so .

I believe hard training, a healthy diet, and the correct supplements are the answer to solid, long term good results.

When I am training my diet is very basic, lots of fish, chicken, vegetables, rice and grains. I drink 4 litres of water every day and try to stay away from eating large quantities of red meat.

I am not 100% sure I will get up on the stage ever again, as the diet takes a lot out of me, but it's always good to see new faces getting into the sport.

Acknowledging the athletes .......

I would like to congratulate all the Taranaki athletes who have done so well recently, Sean Lester, Paul Adams and Farah Deobhakata, all quality competitors and great ambassadors for the sport.

I would also like to say a big thanks to Matt Jones. I met Matt when I first started training at the old Fitness Company. For a guy who was only 19 years old at the time I was impressed by how hard he trained. Every time he walked into the gym it was war. To this day i have never seen anyone train that hard. Matt helped me out a lot by showing me how to use correct form on all exercises. He had been taught by some of the older guys at the inglewood gym, Phil K, Phil P, and they know their stuff.

I keep in touch with Matt even though he now lives in Australia and would like to congratulate him on his great result recently.

The great thing about opening my new business .....

Since we opened our shop in Fitzroy I have had the opportunity to meet trainers from all over Taranaki. I always enjoy meeting new people, so if you are in the area i would love you to pop into shotgun supplements and say hi.

Below: The guys from Shotgun Supplements - Andy (his off-season self) is on the left ...

I started using supplements a year ago and was so impressed with the results I achieved it prompted me to start up Shotgun.

We have free samples of most of our big sellers instore so customers are able to try out a new product before they buy.

What does a person who runs a supplement retail outlet take himself and has found gives him the best gains?

I always take a quality protein powder. 

I also usually take creatine year round just cycling it 8 weeks on 2 off . I usually double dose on creatine, and at the moment i'm taking Creakic by Muscletech and Sizeon by Gaspari Nutrition.

I am also a big fan of Nitric Oxide based products, I'm taking Niox by nutrex at the moment, but Superpump250 by Gaspari has proven to be super popular amongst men and women.

I also take testosterone boosters. I think these are a supplement which are often overlooked an underated. I believe that any healthy male over the age of 30 would benefit from some form of testosterone support regardless of whether they undertake any form of training or exercise or not.

I am currently taking novadexXT by Gaspari nutrition which has also proven to be a big seller, but I have also been getting good feedback from customers who are taking Vitrix by Nutrex and Axis-HT by BSN

A few final words ....Thanks to all the people out there who have supported us since we opened and thanks for all the referrals. There is one last person i would also like to thank, and that is Anne for this great site :)  (NB: Hey thanks Andy .....from Anne)

Andy Hill
Shotgun Supplements.

Shotgun Supplements, a new supplement store has just opened and I went to check it out the new facility. It is based in New Plymouth, but ships products throughout NZ to clients to no cost.

It has some of the top-of-the-line products and Andy Hill - one of the owners - is a competitive bodybuilder himself - so it is so great having someone at the helm who walks the talk and can really relate to its client base.

Here are some pics I took of the facility and opening day so you can meet the guys and get an insight of their new base.

Below: The new shop (Andy on left)

Below: People coming in to check out the new facility and take advantage of the sale and supplement specials to celebrate the opening.

There was a 10% discount on everything as well - so if you are looking to replenish your stock you might want to check out their prices and also touch base with Andy on any opening deals he may have going that you could take advantage of....(web site link at bottom of this page)

I took the opportunity to buy a few things and sampled some products - I will be doing a review of those in the coming weeks.

Below: Some traditional gorilla movements, such as front double biceps and lat spread.....

Alternatively this could be Taranaki BB'er Ed in a gorilla suit also joining the team to celebrate its opening ....

Below: A shot from outside - you can't miss the shop driving past with its distinctive branding. 

 To check out Shotgun supplements, their web site and contact details are as follows:

www.shotgunsupplements.co.nz

As mentioned, an update will be posted again in the coming weeks which includes some more info on supplements which I have been using (my honest view, not a paid plug from anyone!)  plus some comment from Andy himself on his own experiences with supplements.

Below are pics from a recent Taranaki posing practice.

Taranaki- based Farah Deobhakta shares insights of her daily regime and some of her philosophies on bodybuilding.

Farah Deobhakta

A typical day in her life right now as she prepares for the South Pacific Champs:

 

5am/5.30am – Get up and do preparation activities for the day

Farah prepares family meals, her meals, get everything ready for the day etc,  then she does her cardio

 

6am – cardio

Her cardio schedule:

3 times per week – walk 1 hour (outside or on treadmill)

 

7am: The children are up by now and everything is prepared for their family meals (which Farah did earlier in the morning).

Meal 1: Farah has Oats (cooked with milk) then adds protein powder

(Breakfast) is eaten at home, then meals (2-5) are taken with her to work.

 

Work as a medical locum.

Packed meals:

Meal 2: 4-5 egg whites (eaten raw)

Meal 3: Protein shake with water, fruit

Meal 4: Tuna, kumara, veges or salad

Meal 5: Protein shake + fruit (pear or apple)

 

Afterward a day of work Farah does shopping and settles the kids at home with a good snack.

Meal 6: Eggs – either 4-5 raw or hard boiled. + rice crackers (maybe – depending on hunger/energy levels)

 

She heads to the gym.   

5.30pm Gym: 2 hours per session, 5 days per week

 

After the gym, everyone eats together. This is late for a family – 7.30pm/8pm, but time together is important. (Remember Farah gave the kids a good snack earlier to tide them over).

 

Meal 7: Chicken breast – grilled or stir fried with veges

 

Meal 8: Protein shake

 

Meal 9: Possibly around midnight - another protein shake (Farah may wake up for this)

 

Supplements:

Protein powder: Farah prefers Horley’s Ice protein powder as it mixes well, doesn't sit heavily in the stomach or give flatulence

Hot Rox or Red Band – fat Burners

Iron, calcium, Multi-vitamin + fish oils

5 weeks out – Rez – V, Se7en

 

 

Gym Schedule:

Day 1:Legs

Day 2: Chest & arms

Day 3:Back & shoulders

Day 4:Legs

Day 5: Abs & Calves

 

Farah also does posing practice once per week.

 

 

Tips and words of advice from Farah:

Get organised!

Preparation is the key.

 

Don’t take on extra commitments during comp preparation.

Don’t promise things to people e.g. social engagement.

Keep everything to a minimum during this time.

Keep your life simple!

 

Take a power nap when possible.

½ hour – 40 mins in the afternoon is really revitalizing.

Farah says that nap time makes all the difference to help recharge and keep you going – especially as you are getting up early, and your day may not finish until 10/10.30pm.

 

Be consistent, regular & go hard with your training (and eating)

Keep your training and eating consistent – you need to keep up with your schedule as you are bound to have a few days when you may not be as well (this is especially the case of women who struggle with that time of month). So stay true to your schedule when you are strong, to avoid panic and because you will need it for those days when you are not at your best!

 

Get a trainer – especially if you are new to the sport.

You need someone who knows what they are doing.

NB: Farah’s trainer and support person is Phil Kuklinski (the no. 1 trainer says Farah!)

 

Get good nutritional advice

 

Surround yourself with people who are positive and support your goals.

These are people who give you energy and don’t sap you.

You need the people who are with you to be on your side – you can’t let those around you suffer. So consider your family. You don’t want to alienate them. It has to work.

 

Have fun!

If bodybuilding becomes a chore or you are doing it for someone else, then maybe it isn’t for you – do it for yourself and for the right reasons.

Today (24th) I attended again the posing practice of the Taranaki bodybuilders.

Below are pics from the session. Taranaki has a great bunch of committed bodybuilders and they are looking great. Profiles on some of the people you see below will be added in the next few days ...so stay tuned.

Below are some of the novice Figure Competitors going through theri paces under the watchful eye of Ms Kuklinski....

And what are they wearing on their feet? Shoe Pics below.....

Pics of the guys....Paul and Shaun going through their paces .......

It is a pleasure to see these people in action and full credit to them for being great sports, allowing photos to be taken and letting others follow their progress.

As mentioned above, profiles and regular updates from the Taranaki team will be posted from now on as they count down to their comps.

I attended the posing practice of the Taranaki bodybuilders on Sunday 17th August.

A mixture of experienced BB'ers plus some new faces are preparing to come on the scene from this province to compete in upcoming comps  (many of them are aiming for the Figure categories).

Pics are below from their session on Sunday. 

In the coming weeks/months you can learn more about them and follow their progress.

Pictured below: Jacqui, Janita, Alg, Diane, Tasha (the novice group) are in the earlier photographs and in the final pics at the bottom are some of Taranaki's more experienced BB'ers Paul, Kara and Farah

The new Taranaki BB'ers ...

Some of Taranaki's more experienced BB'ers  going through their paces.....

FREE BODYBUILDING SEMINAR FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE COMPETITORS ....

A free seminar will take place in Wellington to inform and assist those new to competitive bodybuilding, as well as anyone interested in touching base and refreshing themselves on rules, regulations and to generally pick up the latest tips on competing.

It will be hosted jointly by NABBA and the NZFBB - so you are in good hands !

Details of the event are as follows:

Date: Sunday August 31st

Time: 1pm - 3pm

Where: Club Physical, Kilbirnie, 29 Kingsford Smith Street, Rongotai

Topics covered:

Event classes

Judging

Posing

Event rules

Tanning

Costumes

Nutrition tips

Training tips

Even DVD hire

You will also have the opportunity to ask judges, official and athletes from both associations any questions you may have.

Have further questions/enquiries about this event?

Here are your contact people:

Neville Brown nbrown@mmnz.co.nz

Maeve Agnew maeve.agnew@publictrust.co.nz

Terry Hills terry.hills@xtra.co.nz