My greatest training aid: LIFTING CHALK. By Vic V. Goyaram

My greatest training aid: Lifting chalk

By Vic V. Goyaram

Lifting chalk is the single item which made the biggest difference in my training. I used to struggle with any exercise that required gripping heavy weights for extended periods of time, particularly deadlifts and shrugs. My palms would get sweaty very quickly and the bar would slip from my hands. I did try lifting straps but that felt very uneasy. Lifting chalk solved that problem, my back training got a massive boost and my forearm went from being a weak bodypart to one of my strongest assets. 

Magnesium Carbonate.
Tell you Chemistry teacher what it's used for! 

For the chemistry-minded among you, lifting chalk is Magnesium Carbonate. Chalk has been used for a long time in athletic activities and sports like weightlifting, rock climbing and gymnastics as a gripping aid. Lifting chalk can come in the form of powders or blocks. The blocks are more convenient and can get less messy in case you happen to sneeze easily.  

In case you are wondering. Yes, I am in love with
Spanish weightlifter Lydia Valentin. 

Pros and cons of lifting chalk

Lifting chalk can leave traces about whose ass you have been patting in the gym and that's the only disadvantage that I can think of. You will find out most of the pros and cons by yourself. You can get chalk into the eyes of your training partner while spotting him on benches. You can also easily mess up the gym equipment and floor with lifting chalk and should that be a problem, just wipe it. Be considerate (for once) to the gym owner and other users of the gym. If you train at Planet Fatness in America you may also get kicked out and not earn your muffins or pat on the back.

In case you are wondering, again.
That's my hand print after kissing her

Don't steal your teacher's chalk (Calcium Carbonate)

Join us for discussions on our facebook group 

BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS

_________________________________________________________________________

©,2013, Veeraj Goyaram, Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media is prohibited.

Disclaimer: The Content on this site is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties.  Correspondence: vicgoyaram@gmail.com

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2013 Mr. Olympia Preview. By Vic Veeraj Goyaram

2013 Mr. Olympia preview

Who will be the last man standing?

By Vic V. Goyaram

Sadly this will be the first Mr. Olympia without both Joe and Ben Weider, the fathers of this contest. Joe Weider passed away this year at the age of 93 after decades promoting the sport of bodybuilding worldwide. 

The 2013 Mr. Olympia year's lineup is more impressive than ever as both the quality and number of top-level competitors. Most of us also didn't realise that there will be three Mr. Olympias battling it out in the lineup, namely Jay Cutler, Dexter Jackson and defending champion Phil Heath. It is difficult to make predictions about the winner and that's the reason why I am picking my top 10. Whether you agree or disagree with my selection, feel free to join other members in discussing your favourite picks on our facebook page Bodybuilding Mauritius.

My top 6 (In no particular order)

Jay Cutler

Cutler has space on his mantel for a 5th Sandow trophy

Eyes will be on Jay Cutler for his comeback. He last competed at the 2011 Mr. Olympia with a torn left biceps. Jay is able to do the unimaginable: claim back his title after having lost it twice. He has the experience and the physique to do so and he knows how to peak at the Mr. Olympia. He looked "sick" in his recent pictures. Go Cutler!

Stakes to win: Rs. 100 pou Rs. 400

Dexter "The Blade" Jackson

Dexter, this year's Arnold victor still has a lot left in him. Top 6 all the way!

At the age of 42 Dexter Jackson still has a lot left in him. Dexter has an impressive track record at the Mr. Olympia and he equaled Flex Wheeler's record of 4 wins at the Arnold Classic this year. He also placed an impressive 4th at the 2012 Mr. Olympia when most of us thought that he was done.The Blade has also been working with trainer extraordinaire Charles Glass, by the way. Go Dexter!

Stakes to win: Rs. 100 pou Rs. 600

Kai "The Predator" Greene

The hero of "Generation" may well be the hero on the Mr. Olympia stage

Last year Kai Greene had a very lean offseason and he surprised us by his awesome conditioning and his new streamlined physique. However, he was not as full as Phil Heath and he suffered in the most muscular shots because he didn't have the overwhelming delts that Heath brought to the stage. Greene also somewhat battled with energy onstage (my observation) although he ruled the same stage. This year, under the guidance of George Farah, Greene had a lean offseason but he is a lot bigger than last year. It will be interesting to see how he does. Go Kai Greene!

Stakes to win: Rs. 100 pou Rs. 300

Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Ellsbiay

Will BIG Ramy bring the title to Kuwait?

Big Ramy makes this whole thing interesting because for a long time the sport needed a new face to challenge the top runners.  Ramy is not all talk, he has the physique to challenge everyone. He has competed in only one pro contest so far, with an easy win over Victor Martinez who was far from his best. For sure, Big Ramy remains untested in the big shows but untested or not this guy has the potential to be an Olympia winner, with a thin waist for such a big guy. Never before has a guy who has done only one pro show going into the Mr. Olympia has got so many competitors so worried. In my opinion, it is also time for Big Ramy to get rid of that gyno through surgery. I wonder why Dennis James hasn't done anything about this so far. Go Big Ramy.

Stakes to win: Rs. 100 pou Rs. 400

Phil "The Gift" Heath

The defending champ thinks that "hard work does not beat talent"

No matter how strong his challengers are, I think Phil Heath has this one. He will win it for one reason: Never in the history of bodybuilding has a pro bodybuilder earned the moniker "The Gift". I do not mean that the judges will steal the title from other and gift it to him; I mean that Phil Heath is simply too good. And please pardon my English, from recent sightings in a facebook video, Heath looked sick as fuck. Go Heath!

Stakes to win: Rs. 100 pou Rs. 150

Shawn "Flexatron" Rhoden

Did Uncle Ronnie Coleman work magic on the Flexatron?

We haven't seen much of Shawn Rhoden so it will be difficult to predict whether he has added the needed size to challenge the top runners. Nevertheless, Rhoden comes from an excellent 3rd place at the 2012 Olympia and a string of pro wins. Rhoden has very good aesthetics and some really solid bodyparts but his back needed some more improvement as well as his overall size. By himself and in any pro lineup Rhoden is a major threat but to win the Olympia won't be an easy task but then he has Uncle Ronnie Coleman in his corner. Rhoden is one of my favourite athletes. Go Rhoden!

Stakes to win: Rs. 100 pou Rs. 500

The battle for the top 10

Branch "The Texas Shredder" Warren

Branch Warren IS BACK

Branch, or more appropriately, "Tree Trunk" warren had an impressive 5th place showing at last year's Olympia after his knee injury. His legs were clearly down in size but he did manage to bring his trademark solid conditioning. It is important to note that Warren has had an impressive last 4 years in the pro ranks with a 2nd place at the 2009 Mr. Olympia, a 3rd place at the 2010 Olympia and wins at the 2011 and 2012 Arnold Classic. Branch Warren is a blue collar bodybuilder who isn't gifted in terms of aesthetics but he does his best with what he has against the Gods of aesthetics and that's what bodybuilding is all about.

Dennis "The Big Bad" Wolf

Will The Big Bad Wolf finally huff and puff and bring the whole house down?

The Big Bad Wolf amazed everyone at the 2007 Olympia and should have been as high as 3rd or second. In subsequent Olympias he placed 4th, 5th, 5th and 6th with a no-placing in 2009. He also had a decent year in 2012 with a win over Rhoden at the Prague Pro, cutting short the latter's winning streak. It is high time Wolf does something in order to not sink in the placings. I would like to see Wolf do well and get his dues. Go Wolf!

Evan "The Ox" Centopani

Evan the Ox is all set to do better than his 8th place finish last year

It is hard to believe that Evan has competed in only 5 shows since turning pro at the 2007 NPC Nationals. He won 2 of these 5 shows. Evan is as big as a house and is a wise bodybuilder. He has a great future. And yes, he placed 8th last year in his Olympia debut. That's very decent! Go the OX.

Toney "The X-Man" Freeman

As the oldest competitor in this show The X-Man can still make the top 10

Mad props to the X-Man Toney Freeman for still bringing an awesome physique in the pro ranks at the age of 47. He can crack the top 10. He placed in the top 10 in his last 10 showings anyway and was 7th last year. Go X-Man!

Who can also make the top 10?

Victor "The Dominican Dominator" Martinez

Will Victor be able to regain quickly enough to be better than his former self at the Olympia?

I can't help it, whenever I think of the Mr. Olympia and Victor Martinez I have to think of 2007 when he was the deserving winner but still lost to Cutler. After his incarceration, he placed second to Big Ramy at the 2013 NY Pro, clearly down a lot in size. People were quick in writing Victor off but had Victor been in his 2007 Olympia shape and size then Ramy would have had a very tough time. I am not sure whether Victor can regain his size in such short time to be competitive at the Olympia. But he still has a lot left in him. Go Victor!

Lionel Beyeke

Beyeke will make France and Cameroun proud on Olympia night
Allez la France et Cameroun!

Lionel Beyeke has round and generous muscle bellies reminiscent of his look-alike, Kai Greene. However his problem has been conditioning and his recent switch from Hany Rambod to Dennis James has paid off in terms of his placings in 2013. I am sure Dennis James is working hard on Beyeke as his recent facebook picture updates can attest. Beyeke has great potential to be a frontrunner in bodybuilding. If only the passionate French sports commentators could comment on the Mr. Olympia, we'd have interesting commentaries. Vas-y Lionel, Vas y la France!

Join us for discussions on our facebook group 

BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS

_________________________________________________________________________

©,2013, Veeraj Goyaram, Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media is prohibited.

Disclaimer: The Content on this site is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties.  Correspondence: vicgoyaram@gmail.com

________________________________________________________________________________

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Trusted Bodybuilding Resources on the Internet. Part One: Renowned Bodybuilding writers. By Veeraj V. Goyaram

Trusted Bodybuilding Resources on the Internet. 
Part One: Renowned Bodybuilding writers

Researched and composed by Vic Goyaram

Bodybuilding, the Internet Revolution and the internet info dilemma

The internet has massively revolutionized the sharing of information in bodybuilding such that a lot of information is available at the click of the mouse. Additionally, famous people in the industry are now more accessible via their website, blog, Facebook, and Twitter pages.  Having been an avid reader for nearly two decades of writers like Will Brink, Jerry Brainum and Ron Harris, imagine my thrill when I am able to comment on their facebook updates and have then often reply back. I am star-struck each time one of them does so!

The internet revolution, however, poses the following dilemma.  

• The information on the internet very often conflict with one another. Not everyone can make sense out of it.  

• A lot of information is, in fact, disguised marketing that attempts to have you purchase products that may be useless to you. 

• There is often too much science in certain articles. Many authors sometimes give complicated scientific explanations without even making things simple to the lay-public. They do not regard the fact that not everyone has a Bachelor of Science in physiology. 

• We have people giving advice online who spend a lot of time fighting and arguing like schoolkids: lots of rants and stupid stuff.  

• Then, finally we have the Internet experts: the ones who know it all from behind the computer screen but are in fact wimps in the real world. 

Whom to trust??

This article aims to provide you with a shortlist of the people and websites that I trust for information. I have learned a lot from these sources and much of my knowledge comes from their work that I have been reading over the decades in bodybuilding magazines and eventually on the internet. There are others that I have recently discovered and grew fond on. Now that I have my website it is my turn to return the love.

1. Doug Brignole 

I think it is not a secret that I am an avid follower of Doug Brignole's teachings. Doug is an expert in the bio-mechanics of exercise with extensive competitive bodybuilding experience.  What I really like about Doug is his open-mindedness and ability to constantly put hitherto established bodybuilding practices to the test and analysing the effectiveness of exercises. "Deviance drives innovation!". Doug writes for Ironman and Labrada Nutrition and has authored a book named Million Dollar Muscle, a copy of which I am soon going to purchase. I also swear by the 4XMass and TORQ method that Doug and his pals at Ironman Magazine developed. Doug is a great asset to the sport of bodybuilding and an example of longevity. Therefore, he gets the Bodybuilding Mauritius seal of approval. 

Where to find Doug's articles:
http://www.dougbrignole.com
Doug Brignole @ Ironman Magazine

2. Hugo Rivera 

Hugo Rivera is a very experienced trainer and competitive bodybuilder with an impressive track record in NPC shows in America. I have been a reader of Hugo's articles since 2002 and his work has always impressed me considerably. He is a best-selling fitness author of more than 10 books like the "Body Sculpting Bible for Men". I am a follower of Hugo on Facebook, his website and on the Labrada Nutrition website. His treatment of topics in bodybuilding training, nutrition is highly educational. Hugo Rivera gets the Bodybuilding Mauritius Seal of Approval. 

Where to find Hugo's articles:
hugorivera.net
Hugo Rivera @ Labrada Nutrition

3. Ron Harris

I began reading Ron's articles in Musclemag in the mid 2000s and have been hooked ever since. Ron is very experienced and clued up on all topics of bodybuilding. I am also an avid follower of his Facebook status updates where Ron not only shows great knowledge of bodybuilding but also a sense of family and the attitude of never giving up. At 43, Ron shows no sign of slowing down and still has the desire to keep competing. At the age of 31, there are a lot of things that I can learn from Ron concerning longevity. Ron recently discovered the highly effective and joint-sparing TORQ method of training and has adapted it to his own needs. He gives his readers a  detailed rundown of his training routines on his Gaspari Nutrition blog regularly. I have learned two important things from Ron: a) It is never too late to learn new things. b) you can take any training system and adapt it to your own needs. Not always is there a need to go by the book. Ron Harris gets the Bodybuilding Mauritius Seal of Approval. 

Where to find Ron's articles:
http://www.ronharrismuscle.com/

4. Will Brink 

I never miss any of Will Brink's regular updates with a cup of steaming coffee in my hand. This is a good habit that I got from Will himself because he is an ardent supporter of the health benefits of coffee. There is no sunshine without coffee, he always say. I began reading Will Brink's articles in Musclemag in the early 2000s and have been a fan ever since. Will is a person of great integrity when it comes to delivering the truth about products. If something doesn't work, then Will will say it honestly. Will's knowledge of supplements is outstanding to say the least. Will Brink gets the Bodybuilding Mauritius Seal of Approval.

Where to find Will's articles:

www.brinkzone.com

5. Dr. Layne Norton

I started reading Layne's articles sometime in 2004 on bodybuilding.com. I could relate a lot to him as he was busy with his BS in Biochemistry while I was wrapping my BS in Biology in Mauritius. I was a bit jealous of Layne as he was in America and going to pursue his postgrad in at U of Ilinois at Urbana Champaign while my possibilities in the small island of Mauritius was non-existant. Nevertheless, I thought I'd enrich myself with his free knowledge. I took notes and I got entire notebooks full of Layne Norton tips that date from more than a decade! Today Layne has his PhD in Nutritional Sciences and I am on my way to achieving my PhD in Exercise Science. Layne was instrumental in my decision to pursue my further education and my MS thesis was corrected and awarded a distinction by one of his PhD advisors at U of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Layne's advice is solid, by the way, no matter what his haters say. He gets the Bodybuilding Mauritius Seal of Approval.

Where to find Layne's articles:

http://www.biolayne.com/

5. Jerry Brainum

Jerry Brainum is one of my most trusted sources for information on sports nutrition and supplements. Long before I could master the scientific and technical jargon to understand nutrition/ supplement science I was greatly benefiting from Jerry's writing in IRONMAN. He does a great job translating scientific information into layman's terms. As you can see on his homepage, Jerry provides "Nutrition Science Uncensored" information that you can put your trust in. He gets the Bodybuilding Mauritius Seal of Approval.

Where to find Jerry's articles:

http://www.jerrybrainum.com/

Jerry Brainum @ Applied Ergogenics Blog

6. Christian Thibaudeau

I began studying Thib's materials some 6 years ago, particularly through his "Black book of training secrets" publication.  Christian says that “Training is my passion. I love everything about training. That's why I don't have ONE training methodology to my name but include every single type of methods that has been shown to work. I have too much respect for every single successful coach or athlete to dismiss any technique, program or system just because it doesn't sit well with my own personal likings and beliefs.” That tells you a lot about the man.

http://www.christianthibaudeau.com/

Christian Thibaudeau @ T-Nation

Thank you Doug, Ron, Hugo, Will, Layne, Jerry and Christian
Your work inspired me to pursue my further studies  
Forever grateful. America, I will come one day!

_________________________________________________________________________

©,2013, Veeraj Goyaram, Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media is prohibited.

Disclaimer: The Content on this site is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties.  Correspondence: vicgoyaram@gmail.com

__________________________________________________________________________

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