The 2009 MR OLYMPIA, scheduled to be held at the Orleans Casino in Las Vegas 09/24-27/2009, will be webcast live by BodyBuilding.com

For the complete Olympia Weekend event schedule click here.

Of course the main event of the Olympia Weekend is the MR OLYMPIA contest, which will be held over the course of two nights. To be directed to the webcast page click here.

• MR OLYMPIA pre-judging begins Friday night at 10:00 pm Central Time.
• Final judging for the MR OLYMPIA will start Saturday night at 10:00 pm Central Time.

Check out additional Olympia information at the Competition Homepage.

Check out these insightful & motivational training videos from Gaspari Nutrition with Rich Gaspari, an IFBB Hall of Fame bodybuilder who is also the first Arnold Classic champion, along with the Gaspari athletes.

The Gaspari team is giving back to the bodybuilding community by offering up training tips straight from the pro ranks, enjoy!

*Note that the training videos that are “Part 2″ will take you to a different page in which you will have to further select what episode of the Gaspari TV that you want to watch, such as “Back Training” or any of the Woman’s Healthy Lifestyle and the Perfect Posing episodes.

• LEG TRAINING
• ARMS PART 1 ARMS PART 2
• SHOULDERS PART 1 SHOULDERS PART 2
  
• BACK TRAINING BACK TRAINING PART 2
• CHEST DAY

Women will benefit from this training series by the female Gaspari athletes giving a seminar titled Woman’s Healthy Lifestyle .

• Woman’s Healthy Lifestyle Part 1
• Woman’s Healthy Lifestyle Part 2
• Woman’s Healthy Lifestyle Part 3

Simply put, muscles are no good if you don’t know how show them off by hitting the proper pose. In this video, Rich Gaspari gives a lesson on perfect posing technique.

• PERFECT POSING
  

GASPARI TRAINING SERIES

LEGS

ARMS

SHOULDERS

BACK

CHEST

LEGS

ARMS

SHOULDERS

BACK

CHEST

GASPARI NUTRITION

SUPPLEMENTATION

The Gaspari Philosophy: Push Hard With Your Supplementation. "Just as your training needs to be taken to a higher level for outstanding results, so does your supplementation. Most guys don’t get much out of their supplements. You can write off a lot of that as being due to their failure to put out enough effort into their training in the first place. But many others will buy either the cheapest stuff they can find, totally ignoring the time-honored adage that ‘you get what you pay for’ or buy simply on the marketing promises of companies who never bother to prove or validate anything. Companies with zero scientific evidence to back up the claims they make, except for maybe a few obscure studies done on single ingredients, but not on their finished products. If you’re serious about supplementation, you’ll use Gaspari Nutrition products. I made sure from the very start that anything with my name on it was going to meet label claim, contain only the highest-quality ingredients available, and would be backed by independent research studies. Gaspari products work, and that’s why thousands more bodybuilders every day trust them to improve their physiques. Another reason for supplement failure is the fact that many athletes take products haphazardly. They will use something for a couple days, then forget to take it for a while instead of being consistent. It takes a little planning and discipline to stay on schedule with all the various supplements a bodybuilder may use, but that extra effort is what will separate you from the other guy that puts little or no thought into what he uses or how he uses it."

SuperPump250

Instant Lean Muscle Amplifier/Lean Mass Catalyst

SizeOn

Recovery and Size Gain

Novedex XT

Anti-Aromatase Testosterone Booster

Halodrol Liquigels

Maximal Muscle Myotrophic Developer

PlasmaJet

Instant Myotrophic Hyperexpansion Growth Kit

IntraPRO

Advanced Competition Superfood

Cytolean

Maximum Duration Adipose Reducing Agent

Mitotropin

Myofusion

Victor Prisk MD, wrote an article published in the September 2008 issue of Muscular Development Magazine that I believe almost all bodybuilders and bench press enthusiasts will find beneficial. Hopefully this will help you in your training.

Click image to enlarge for reading:

Arnold said that heavy bench pressing is one of the best exercises for developing a thick massive chest.

We all naturally assume this to be true anyways, but Arnold also said that this exercise is most important and will have the most positive impact when used in the first two years of a bodybuidler’s training. This is when an aspiring bodybuilder should be training like a powerlifter using heavy weight and low reps in order to establish mass on his frame. If a bodybuilder never really trains with heavy weight & performs heavy core lifts, then the individual will never develop a truly powerful looking build, but more of a magazine clothing model look. After the first two or so years of heavy training, then training methods should change to more of a bodybuilder’s style. Shifting from barbell to dumbell training is highly recommended at this point to avoid shoulder injury & before you get caught up in the endless bench press (powerlifting) race with other people in the gym.

If you have questions or have no idea what I am talking about, then let me refer you to Arnold’s BodyBuilding Encyclopedia as well as a previous posted article written by the crew at AniamlPak.com that is titled, BodyBuilder’s Home Economics 101. This is how a beginner should approach his training.

In a surprising finish, reigning MR OLYMPIA- Jay Cutler was dethroned and placed 2nd behind new MR OLYMPIA- Dexter Jackson.

First of all, here are the results of the 2008 Mr Olympia

Click on an image for Muscular Development’s contest photos

1. Dexter Jackson

2. Jay Cutler

3. Phil Heath

4. Dennis Wolf

5. Toney Freeman

6. Melvin Anthony

7. Silvio Samuel

8. Dennis James

9. Moe Elmoussawi

10. Gustavo Badell

Jay Cutler was vulnerable after last year’s displeasing 2007 showing (and victory), but here are a few points about this year’s results that I will go ahead and make that I found to be shocking:

• Probably the most shocking thing to me was Dennis Wolf’s 4th place placing. Leading up to the competition, Wolf was tagged to be Jay Cutler’s biggest threat. With Dexter Jackson’s victory, perhaps the Olympia has taken a turn away from the freak show builds of the Ronnie’s and Jay’s to return to the more proportioned but smaller physiques of champions such as Dexter Jackson, Frank Zane, and Franco Columbu. Being one of the larger bodybuilders, how will Dexter Jackson’s win affect Dennis Wolf’s chances of ascending to the throne of the Olympia in the future? What kind of package will Jay need to bring to the 2009 Olympia to reclaim his throne as best bodybuilder in the world?

• Point two, Jay came into the competition in better condition than he showed up in for his 2007 victory. It is reported that he even dropped 12 lbs over night between pre judging and the finals. Coming in noticeably better than he did last year, I really thought that this would be enough for Jay to be able to retain the title. Jay said that he came in ‘off’ on Friday night’s Prejudging and felt that he was battling from behind by Saturday’s Finals competition, and that being the reason why he dropped 12 lbs in between nights.

• Point three, I was very shocked to see a smaller bodybuilder win “The Big Man’s Show”. As great as Dexter looked, the trend for the more than two decades has been for  Mr Olympia to be freakishly massive – to the point where guys can barely imagine being that “swoll” and their girl friends are saying how sick and deformed MR OLYMPIA looks! Perhaps we are seeing a redefining of the physique of what the top bodybuilder in the world is going to be expected to look like.

• Shocker number four, Phil Heath placing over Dennis Wolf. I’m not saying this is a wrong placement at all-  Phil Heath could have won the Olympia and I would not argue about it, he was on the money. What was surprising was Dennis Wolf was expected to place 2nd or to dethrone Jay, but he actually placed at 4th, under Phil Heath, Dennis Wolf’s main competition for Olympia’s to come . Phil said it himself, he would be very ecstatic if he placed 3rd, and he did; look for Wolf and Heath to battle neck and neck for the Olympia title in the future. Right now, chalk up the score as: Phil Heath-1, Dennis Wolf-0.

• One other shocker was the placing of Silvio Samuel all the way down to 7th. Silvio was probably the most shredded competitor in the line up. Silvio was very impressive with his full rounded, diced up physique. 7th place was an absolute shocker to fans and Silvio himself. The only reasoning I can see for such a low showing is just his lack of size/mass in a show competing with other bodybuilders that are much larger than he is. Perhaps Melvin Anthony and Toney Freeman’s size just out weighed Silvio’s superb conditioning. The Olympia being a big man’s show, I think Silvio dropped in his placing because unlike Dexter Jackson, who was able to add some weight prior to competition, Silvio was still just a superbly conditioned “smaller” competitor who is dwarfed when standing next to the mass monsters of Jay Cutler and Dennis Wolf. I think Dexter was able to add enough weight to be elevated into a class able to stand next to Jay and Dennis without being dwarfed.

Since 1984, the reigning MR OLYMPIA’S physique has been an ominous and overpowering muscle mass as opposed to being thought of as perfectly proportioned. For the past two decades, MR OLYMPIAS – Lee Haney, Dorian Yates, Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler set a standard of a 250 lbs plus champion. Prior to Lee Haney ascending to the Olympia throne in 1984, 7 out of 8 consecutive years ranging from 1976-1983 had seen a trend for well proportioned champions with “smaller” physiques, usually around 200 lbs and definitely under 250 lbs, winning the Olympia competition and being named as the best bodybuilder in the world.

• 1976 Franco Columbu
• 1977 Frank Zane
• 1978 Frank Zane
• 1979 Frank Zane
• 1980- Arnold (read contest article here) breaks the trend of “smaller champions” and makes a surprising entry into the Olympia competition and wins his 7th Sandow becoming the 1980 MR OLYMPIA. In his 1980 win, he does not appear to be as massive as in his previous victories, although Arnold’s height alone, separates him from other bodybuilders.

• 1981 Franco Columbu
• 1982 Chris Dickerson
• 1983 Samir Bannout

So the question is, will Dexter’s win set the same kind of trend as the Franco/Zane era did?

In pondering this notion, we all have to take into account that Jay Cutler stated that he is not finished or retired.  In this interview on BodyBuilding.com, Jay Cutler states that he feels like he is still the leader and ambassador of bodybuilding,  and that he will be coming back as an aesthetic mass monster next year to win the Sandow back. Jay says he has always had a goal of winning at least 3 Sandows and that this year’s loss is only a setback.

Check out Jay Cutler’s interview with BodyBuilding.com on his plans for regaining the Olympia crown. Listen to Dexter Jackson’s thoughts and plans for defending his MR OLYMPIA title as well:

(Click Image to Listen)

BodyBuilding.com has made the webcasts of the entire Olympia Weekend available for viewing.

For the Olympia Webcast Main Page click here and for additional interviews pre and post show, click here.

MR OLYMPIA PREJUDGING

TOP TEN POSEDOWN

MR OLYMPIA FINALS

MR OLYMPIA POST SHOW

Muscular Development and BodyBuilding.com both have features that allow you to compare pictures of competitors performing the same pose or posing on stage side by side. The MD photo comparisons offer a greater diversity of pictures, just click the View Comparisons link under Mens BodyBuilding.

Compare Competitor-to-Competitor Contest Photos here:

Be sure to check out the 2008 Bikini Model Search pictures too!!

The 2008 Olympia Weekend schedule is set for September 25-28, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Orleans Arena and Las Vegas Convention Center.

Below, is a list of  IFBB pro bodybuilders that are elgible to compete in the 2008 MR Olympia contest. Of course we should not expect to see a few bodybuilders such as Victor Martinez-due to knee injury, Branch Warren-triceps tear, Kia Greene, and probably Ronnie Coleman as well. Jay Cutler, Dennis Wolf, Dexter Jackson, Phil Heath, and Melvin Anthony are the favorites for a top five finish. Top ten predictions also have Silvio Samuel, Toney Freeman, and Gustavo Badell included. *This list is not final and may be updated. Current as of 9/04/08. Tune in on Friday and Saturday (8:30pm Central) as MuscleTech Presents Joe Weider’s 2008 OLYMPIA Weekend

Here is the list of past MR. OLYMPIA Winners

2008 OLYMPIA Webcast Schedule

Friday: September 26, 2008

Webcast Coverage Begins At 8:30 Central Time

• MR OLYMPIA Pre-Judging
• MS OLYMPIA Finals
• Fitness OLYMPIA Finals

Saturday: September 27, 2008

Webcast Coverage Begins At 8:30 Central Time

• MR OLYMPIA Finals
• Figure OLYMPIA Finals

BodyBuilding.com will be webcasting coverage of the 2008 MR OLYMPIA live. Click here or the image below to open the webcast. For BodyBuilding.com’s OLYMPIA main page, click here. Keep in mind that the webcast will be covering the entire Olympia Weekend and not just the MR OLYMPIA contest. For pre contest coverage, BodyBuilding.com’s Bob Cicherillo is hosting a "Pre" OLYMPIA video series in which, "Bob visits with IFBB Pro Bodybuilders who are now preparing for the 2008 Olympia. They talk about their preparation for the 2008 Olympia, answer candid questions, and even crack a few jokes! Bob is visiting with them for interviews, getting testimonials from their friends, and much, much more!". BodyBuilders covered in episodes #1-10 of the Video Series include: Dennis Wolf, Dennis James, David Henry, Silvio Samuel, Phil Heath, Jay Cutler, Toney Freeman, Dexter Jackson, and Gustavo Badell. Click here or the link below for BodyBuilding.com’s 2008 OLYMPIA Video Series. Click here for the 2007 OLYMPIA: The Series

The first bodybuilding video that all bodybuilders should own is Pumping Iron.

Because everyone may want to see more footage of their favorite pro’s in competition and training, here is a list of DVD’s that are decently priced at BodyBuilding.com

Heres a list of DVD categories

Here is a sample of a few DVD’s that are offered:

Ronnie Coleman – On The Road

Dorian Yates – Blood and Guts

Jay Cutler – From Jay to Z  &  Jay Cutler DVD: New, Improved & Beyond

Lee Priest – Training Camp and Career Highlights

The Mass Attack Series Volume 1 – Victor Martinez

1980 Mr. Olympia

The Battle for the Olympia XII 2007

Arnold Classic 2008

Animal Arms

]]> http://blogs.fullwaza.com/PumptheIron/2008/09/12/bodybuilding-dvds/feed/ 0 http://blogs.fullwaza.com/PumptheIron/2008/07/28/tribulus-terrestris/ http://blogs.fullwaza.com/PumptheIron/2008/07/28/tribulus-terrestris/#comments Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:45:21 +0000 PumptheIron http://blogs.fullwaza.com/PumptheIron/?p=28 In his book, The New Encyclopedia of Modern BodyBuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger describes Tribulus Terrestris as being, “derived from an herbal plant commonly known as puncture vine. Tribulus terrestris extract is considered by many to be a safe alternative to anabolic steroids. It reportedly stimulates immune response and production of several hormones. Originally, it was used for treatment of infertility and other reproduction disorders”.

According to Wikipedia, “Tribulus terrestris increases testosterone by increasing gonadotropin-releasing hormone with gonadotropic adaptogen compound containing Tribulus terrestris (GnRH) which in turn stimulates the production of LH and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)”.

Tribulus quality varies greatly from brand to brand. Biotest currently manufactures three test boosting products; one pure tribulus product and two other products containing a compound of tribulus & other test boosting ingredients. I have tried two of the three products (Tribex & Tribex Gold) and was very pleased with the tribulus quality in both.

Biotest’s Tribex and Tribex Gold claim to be a natural way to increase your free testosterone levels. I wouldn’t go so far as to even put them in a category even near anabolic steroids, but quality tribulus definitely raises test levels to a noticeable extent and is a safe, natural test boosting supplement alternative to pro hormones or anabolic steroids. Personally, I noticed an increase in aggression and desire to train, as well as an increase in libido.

Tribex

Tribex Gold

Biotest describes Tribulus as, “Tribulus terrestris: Tribulus serves as a Luteinizing-hormone secretagogue (LHS). In other words, it causes the release of Luteinizing hormone, which in turn signals the testes to produce more Testosterone. And of all the T-boosting compounds on the market, Tribulus is the most powerful”.

Tribex Gold is Biotest’s version of pure tribulus; two capsules contain 500 milligrams of tribulus with no other added supplements.

Tribex (also known as Tribex Blue) is a 840 milligram compound (2 capsules) of Tribulus Terrestris, Vitex Agnus Castus, Eurycoma Longifolia.

Biotest describes the other two ingredients as:

Vitex agnus castus: Vitex also works as an LHS, but it also acts as an anti-progesterone and anti-prolactin agent, lowering progesterone and prolactin. Progesterone and prolactin are particularly nasty hormones, in that they cause — much more than estrogen — storage of body fat and mental depression. Prolactin can even cause lactation in men. And, by lowering progesterone and prolactin — just like lowering estrogen — you’ll increase Testosterone through various feedback mechanisms.

Eurycoma longifolia: Eurycoma imparts its effects by selectively controlling the conversion of DHEA and other naturally occurring androgens into Testosterone. In fact, it even works when the testes are non-responsive to Luteinizing hormone. As long as the substrate hormones are present (and they’re present in everyone), Eurycoma works.

Biotest’s Tribex (Blue Tabs) is listed at BodyBuilding.com for: 74 tabs $34.89

And Tribex Gold lists at BodyBuilding.com for: 50 tabs $19.99

Ordering either of these products from an online supplement store instead of from Biotest may save you some money. Upon referencing Biotest’s website, I noticed that Tribex Gold does indeed list for $19.99 but Tribex (Blue Tabs) is not even offered. I don’t know if the product has been discontinued or not. I do know that most online supplements sites that I have checked do have Tribex (Blue Tabs) in stock. My only guess for a reason to discontinue this product is its similarity in ingredient profile to Biotest’s third, and strongest test boosting supplement, ALPHA MALE.

The third product offered in the line of Biotest’s test boosting supplements is Alpha Male. It is worth noting that a new and supposedly improved version of Alpha Male has just recently been released from Biotest, so be careful as to which version you may be purchasing.

Biotest claims that Alpha Male is the ultimate test boosting supplement in there product line.

Biotest states,

“you could call the new Alpha Male the ultimate male ‘elixir’. So, if you’re interested in maximizing T and reducing body fat and feeling like kicking ass and taking names, Alpha Male is the animal for you.”

Alpha Male is a super concentrated compound of:

• Tribulus terrestris
• Vitex agnus castus
• Eurycoma longifolia
• Carbolin 19

You may notice that the ingredients are the same as Tribex (Blue) with the addition of Carbolin 19 (which I will discuss later).

Here is a chart comparing the formulas of the new Alpha Male, the old version of Alpha Male, and Tribex Gold.

Two capsules of Alpha Male contain a 1130 milligram compound of Tribulus terrestris, Vitex agnus castus, Eurycoma longifolia, and Carbolin 19.

Carbolin 19

The actual chemical name is colforsin 1,9-ethylcarbonate. Carbolin 19 is a carbonate ester of a naturally occurring diterpene called colforsin (aka, forskolin).

“Don’t even begin to confuse this material with an herbal extract of Coleus forskohlii! We’re using a carbonate ester of pure colforsin, which means it’s a highly pure, single compound.”

Biotest describes this compound as an ‘anabolic bridge’ with results similar to the steroid Anavar. I find this to be a grandiose claim, but Anavar is a weaker steroid that is often used by women so anything is possible I guess.

Biotest lists the following expectations with the use of Carbolin 19:

Expectations

Those who’ve used Carbolin 19 say that it’s much more effective than colforsin and feels like real gear (steroids):

• Increases muscular pump
• Elevates mood
• Increases rate of muscle gains
• Increases rate of strength gains
• Decreases fat mass while gaining muscle

“Initially, users should not necessarily expect much if any gain in overall body weight. What occurs is a shift in body composition toward lean mass. In other words, if you’re losing fat while gaining muscle, you might have a net-zero increase in body weight, but a dramatic shift in favor of lean-body composition.

Remember, the goal here is to gain muscle while losing fat, not “bulking up.” In other words, you’re bridging, not bulking. Not only that, you’re able to bridge year-round”!

Carbolin 19 is included in the ingredient profile of Alpha Male and is also sold as a separate product.

Since a new version of Alpha Male has just been released, not all online supplement websites are carrying the product yet. It may prove to be just as cheap to order directly from Biotest. I have found Alpha Male being offered by BodyBuilding.com for the same price offered by Biotest ($49.99).

AXIS-HT

BSN also offers a test boosting product called Axis-HT which (I have not tried yet) appears to be a potentially top notch compound that includes a 3-fraction extract of Tribulus terrestris.

This product profile appears to be very well put together in an anabolic sense.

I think that the addition of ZMA is a great idea for boosting test during sleep.

BSN really shows their commitment to creating a quality test booster by adding a 3-fraction extract of Tribulus terrestris. By doing this, BSN is attempting to get all the test boosting power out of tribulus that is possible and also decreases the likely hood of the tribulus in Axis-HT being another product with low grade tribulus in it. “The 3 fractions of Tribulus chosen for TPS3™ provide the entire range of potentially active Tribulus constituents. These include, but are not limited to: steroidal saponins (furostanol glycocides: protodioscin and protogracilin), spirostanol glycosides and phytosterols (beta-sitosterol)”.

You may notice that some of the same ingredients in Biotest’s Alpha Male, are also included in BSN’s Axis-HT.

Click on the picture to read the Product Profile

Like Alpha Male, Axis-HT isn’t the cheapest test boosting product on the market. While BSN is selling Axis-HT for $74.99, this product can be purchased elsewhere by online supplement stores for $40-$50. BodyBuilding.com is currently listing Axis-HT for $45.50

HumanaTest

Another similar test boosting Tribulus product is IForce’s HumanaTest. On BodyBuilding.com, HumanaTest is selling for $27.99

HumanaTest’s ingredient profile reminds me a lot of Axis HT in that they both have high grade Tribulus as well as ZMA included.

Here is IForce’s information on HumanaTest:

The common recommended age for consumption of a test boosting product is age 25 and up. It is commonly viewed as pointless or even harmful to natural test production for young adults, especially teenagers, to take a test boosting supplement- including anabolic steroids and pro hormones, as the use of such products will temporarily lower your natural production of testosterone.

Pumping Iron is a ‘docu-drama’ that provides the viewer with a picture of it what was like pumping iron during the golden age of bodybuilding with Arnold Schwarzenegger (age 28), Franco Columbu, Lou Ferrigno and other legendary bodybuilders as they train for competition in the up coming 1975 Mr Olympia and Universe contests.

This is a great DVD and sells for the cheap price of $8.99 on Amazon.com

Besides providing the viewer with a timeless glimpse into the hey-day of bodybuilding, it can also be a pretty good pre work out motivational film.

(Click image to enhance)

Since theater locations are limited, I emailed the producing company and asked when the movie would be available on DVD, and they replied:

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your interest in Bigger Stronger Faster*.  The film is
scheduled for DVD release on September 30, 2008 (subject to change), and
will be available for purchase from a number of physical and online
retail outlets.  We suggest Amazon.com.

Best regards,

Magnolia Home Entertainment