9/26 - pullups/pushups, chins/military pushups, alt db curls/strap ovh tri xt
Strong article. Solid points. T Nation | Redefining The Female Bodybuilder: "Here's what you need to know... Female bodybuilding needs to be redefined for the modern woman. If your goal is to build muscle, you are a bodybuilder, even if you don't compete. Early female bodybuilders, like Rachel McLish, had enviable physiques. Sadly, drugs ruined the image of bodybuilding for many women, and scared a generation of them out of the squat rack. Bodybuilding is building the body. Literally. Women need to stop pussyfooting around with nonsense words like "toning." Serious female lifters are tired of getting asked what they're training for. They're training to build muscle, look and feel great, and challenge themselves...
Rachel McLish was one of the first female bodybuilders of the modern era. She won the first Ms. Olympia. She became a star. And then she got out of it before female bodybuilders began to look like male bodybuilders. But before ever stepping on stage, McLish was simply a woman who weight trained. She built her body before there was a real opportunity to compete. She moved heavy weights around without worrying about a panel of judges. And she trained hard without knowing who she'd be inspiring decades later. Sure, there are categories female lifters can now compete in that don't require androgenization. Natural looking women can build muscle, lean down, get a tan, and strike their poses in physique, figure, fitness, or bikini competitions. But is there a place for females who simply want to build their bodies?
Why does female bodybuilding need to be redefined? Because the stereotype sucks. We're not women trying to look like men. We're women who want to express strength, resilience, dedication, and beauty through built, but natural physiques. The perception of female bodybuilding has been tarnished by pro bodybuilders who forfeited the look of a healthy female figure in order to go pro, become victims of fetishism, and garner attention by making muscle look grotesque instead of gorgeous...
Some women believe working out for aesthetic purposes requires tons of cardio, calorie restriction, and reaching an all-time low on the scale. Many think it requires following an extremely regimented diet, never taking a day off from the gym, and perhaps even dropping a few grand on a coach. These are common misconceptions...
Female bodybuilders know that a firmer and more compact body is the byproduct of weight training. Yet, ironically, focusing on hypertrophy releases them from the pressure of being smaller. It banishes the idea that exercise has to tear them down. Other upshots besides fat loss include pleasurable yet challenging workouts, better health and vitality, increased insulin sensitivity, big meals that actually speed up physique goals instead of derailing them, and continual efforts that don't feel like martyrdom. When your main goal is building muscle, consistency takes care of itself. Your challenge is to grow muscle through repeated efforts; and, unlike the goal of becoming supermodel thin, it's a challenge that's absolutely within reach."
Lot of truth bombs. Drugs have really pushed bodybuilding, men's and women's, to extremes. Check out the '80 & '81 Mr. Olympia lineups...
Clearly all big, jacked, pharmaceutically enhanced dudes, but compare it to the lineups of the last few years...
And the modern era guys are just fucking monstrous.
Take the winners of the 80 and 81 Olympia, Arnold & Dickerson...
...and compare to the winner of the last few years, Phil Heath:
Crazy. Personally, modern bodybuilding has lost its aesthetics. [An assertion somewhat proved by the addition of the Men's Physique categories and competitions.]
But it's even more extreme in the women's division, where this is the 1981 Ms. Olympia...
And this is Ms. Olympia from the last few years...
While I can appreciate the work required, it just feels like too much. IMHO.
I mean, McLish would definitely only be competitive in the modern bikini and figure categories. Even physique would be outside her structure and build.
Anyway, that being said, here's my late take on this past Olympia weekend. The winner of the Mr. Olympia...
Though I liked Kai Greene more, who took second...
Or Dennis Wolf, who took 4th...
Lewis, who took 1st in the 212 category. Good call.
Though I've got a sentimental spot for Japanese bodybuilder Hidetada Yamagashi.
Kaltwasser, who won bikini.
Though I actually thought #2 Janet Layug was stronger...
Men's Physique, #1 & 2... both great physiques.
Women's Physique, where Malacarne beat...
...fan favorite and always effervescent Dana Linn Bailey.
Figure, where Wilkins continued her domination...
...though I liked Alicia Coates, probably because I've been following her training progress on social media.
Maria Kang - Exactly one year ago I woke up to a scathing email...: "Exactly one year ago I woke up to a scathing email urging me to 'apologize' for causing so much hurt for a picture I posted on my fitness page. I wrote the below faux apology in three minutes, right before I rushed out the house to bring my son on a Zoo field trip. Nearly 70% of our overweight nation have excuses. Yes, the food industry needs better regulation, beauty advertisements needs more body variety and eating healthy needs to be affordable for every family. The bottom line, however, is that for most overweight people it IS your Fault. When you take accountability for your lot in life you have the power to change it. When you blame you surrender your power to others. Most people have smart phones where they can research information, utilize free fitness apps or follow a free workout. There are examples of mothers who feed their kids healthy meals while on a limited budget and often utilizing coupons and/or food stamps. In the past year I've heard stories of people overcoming thyroid issues, depression, divorce and prioritizing their health even though they were often the 'fat child' growing up. People have said that my campaign was created to shame people. If you believe that, then yes, it is a shame. It's a shame that you don't see how powerful you truly are. It's a shame you are allowing others to dictate how you feel about yourself and your ability to control your future. It's a shame that a single picture without your name on it can make you feel so personally attacked. It's a shame, it truly is, because you are much more than you believe yourself to be right now. Join The Movement: www.noexcusemom.com"
Oh. Yes. Metamoris 5 Announced Headlined by Renzo Gracie vs Kazushi Sakuraba - Bloody Elbow: "The submission only grappling promotion Metamoris has announced the line up for their Metamoris 5 card on November 22nd, available on internet stream PPV... Clearly the main event is a big deal to MMA and grappling fans the world over. Sakuraba is a beloved MMA fighter from Pride who famously defeated several Graices, including his breaking Renzo's arm at Pride 10. Renzo is a two-time ADCC champion in addition to having a storied MMA career and being one of the more successful grappling coaches in the MMA world. The rematch between these two is a surefire hit for both grappling and MMA fans."
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