Cardio-Abdominal Workouts

By Grant Jones

You wouldn’t consider any athletic physique to be elegant or complete without a tight and hard mid-section. Few muscle groups do quite as much for the overall look as well-developed and defined abdominals. Meanwhile, cardiovascular exercise is a core element of any good athlete’s training program, bodybuilders included. More often than not, however, these are the first two things to go when we find ourselves pressed for time. Well… have you heard about cardio-abdominal training?

Ok, whether you’re a hard core bodybuilder, fitness enthusiast or a hot beach bod, getting your abs in top shape is a priority. Nothing is quite so spectacular as a fit physique with a visible six-pack.
Naturally the first step is a clean and balanced diet free of fat and sugar, but once you have your eating habits in order you need to training those muscle hard to make them stand out. Even if your tummy isn’t covered in a layer of fat, you still can’t expect your abs to shine through if you haven’t developed any.
Now, cardio also plays a fundamental role, because as well as boosting your cardiovascular system and metabolism so you can train harder it is also an excellent tool for burning off excess fat, leaving your muscles shaped and defined for all to see.
The problem for bodybuilders and many assiduous gym rats, however, is that the core of their program is weight training and they often don’t find the time for abdominal work and cardio within their normal routine.
That said, cardio and ab training are essential parts of any good training program and their importance should never be underestimated, which is why a very useful method that allows you to combine the two would be worth taking a look at… it’s called cardio-abdominal training.
But let’s take it one step at a time. 

The Importance of Ab Training
We already have highlighted the importance of abdominal training to enhancing physical appearance, and the fact is that regardless of the degree of overall muscle development someone has simply showing off a muscular and defined mid-section is enough to make anyone believe you are a great athlete.
But it goes beyond that, because a strong mid-section is very instrumental in enhancing sporting performance as well, including when it comes to lifting weights. Muscular development in the mid section is the cornerstone of the total strength your body can deploy, and also helps prevent injury. You will never be able to control heavy weights with your legs, shoulders, back or arms unless you have a strong mid-section.

By Marie Escamilla 

-Olympia 2010 countdown!
-Jay Cutler guest posing!
-Roelly Winklaar’s race!
-Summer 2010 in the Mecca? 

Time is ticking and the countdown to Olympia 2010 has begun! The contestants are way into their pre-contest diet and prep by now. Here is a look at what they are up to… 

The new guy on the block is called Roelly Winklaar!! Not only did he seemingly come out of nowhere to win the Arnold Amateur 2009 competition in Ohio, which allowed him to turn pro, qualify for the Olympia by placing third at his pro debut at the Australian Grand Prix but also he returned to steal the New York Pro show from both Toney Freeman, Hidetada Yamagishi and Dennis Wolf, who I am sure had their eyes on this one!

Is this Roelly Winklaar guy unstoppable? What is his next move? The questions are coming thick and fast and it seems the other Olympia contestants have got some new competition to worry about!

Winklaar said, after his New York Pro victory, that his plan for the next few months is to grow, grow and grow some more so he can step onto the Olympia stage bigger and better than anybody expected and place top six! We just hope he can still do his phenomenal back flip with even more pounds added to his frame!

The 31-year-old from the Dutch Antilles, has already earned a nickname: ‘Never Too Big’, and at 170cm he can look even bigger than what he really is!

Well, there will be a few other guys who would have something to say about that plan! Jay Cutler, Phil Heath and Kai Greene might have to step it up a notch with Roelly aiming  on claiming his spot in the limelight! Not to mention Hidetada Yamgishi, Dennis Wolf, Branch Warren and all the others!

Most of the Olympia contestants keep up their PR appearances during the pre-contest phase and we caught some of them guest posing around the world!

Robert Piotrkowitz showed off his pre-contest condition at a Strongmanshow in Poland during June.

Branch Warren made a grand appearance when he joined Jay Cutler and Victor Martinez on stage in a little pre-Olympia preview at the Bev Francis Atlantic State show.  Branch also guestposed at the NPC Rochester Show a few weeks earlier.

Are you hiding your physique?

By Bonnie Pfiester

People who spend hours in the gym to gain muscle mass are often scared to death of losing weight in fear of losing muscle. I, for one, understand that since I have a really difficult time gaining mass. I train so hard for the smallest bump and yet I need to keep my body fat low enough so you actually see each little bump of muscle I build.

Bodybuilding, or body sculpting, is a combination of science and illusion. Science dictates our development, and then the illusion comes in when we tweak our diet. Ironically, we can actually appear more muscular the leaner we are even if we lose a little muscle in the process.
My husband Steve has been competing in amateur bodybuilding for about fifteen years. It always amazes me how people react to him the closer he gets to a show. The leaner he gets the more people comment on how big he’s getting. Sometimes he even gets accused of taking steroids. I have to laugh because all the while I know he feels like he is wasting away.
Ironically, Steve is normally anywhere from 10-20 pounds lighter when people are swearing he is bigger. This is the illusion part of the art. Although you often lose some muscle mass when dieting, you can actually look more muscular.
This works for women as well. While all women don’t necessarily want to look like a bodybuilder, dieting can help uncover a fit physique too. As the waist and joint spaces get smaller, the desirable hourglass figure becomes more pronounced.
Cleaning up your diet is probably the hardest part of looking fit. However, weight training without dieting is like buying an exotic car you leave parked in your driveway with a cover over it. Maybe it’s time to uncover your physique and work as hard on your diet as you do in the gym.