10 Best Foods To Increase Natural Test Levels

When trying to increase muscle mass, they're a few key elements that come into play. First off, you obviously need to train 3-5 times a week and you need to eat good wholesome food to maximise your body's growth potential. But also, one of the most important things is keeping your hormone output peaking. One of the best natural ways to increase your test levels is through food, and these are 10 of the best food sources to do just that.

No.1 - Oysters

Key Nutrients - Magnesium, Zinc, Protein

Why?
Zinc has a large impact on muscle gains and bass line testosterone and with oysters holding more zinc then almost any other food, these are a must have once a week, just make sure they're not fried.

No.2 - Lean Beef

Key nutrients - Protein, iron, magnesium, zinc, saturated fat

Why?
Lean beef offers a good amount of both protein and zinc. Two essential nutrients to increase your test levels with the added magnesium for muscle repair and a low amount of saturated fat that is also required for healthy test levels.





No.3 - Beans

Key Nutrients - Protein, fibre, zinc

Why? Beans again have a high amount of zinc, almost the highest of the whole veggie family. With it's also high amount of protein and fibre, whilst being low in fat, beans are a must have on the shelf to keep your test levels peaking.

No.4 - Poultry

Key Nutrients - Protein and a small amount of fat

Why? Although chicken and turkey lack high zinc levels, their protein to fat ratios make them important to your diet. You can have chicken or turkey up to 7 times a week.

No.5 - Eggs

Key Nutrients - Protein and cholesterol

Why? - Testosterone is synthesised from cholesterol, as Testosterone starts in a cholesterol type form to begin with. Because of this eggs are a great way to increase test levels and at roughly 6g of protein per egg, start the day with 3-6 eggs and you will feel the better effects of them throughout the day, due to the slow breakdown and release in the body, whilst feeding muscles valuable protein.

No.6 - Cottage Cheese

Key Nutrients - Protein, very little fat

Why? One cup of cottage cheese has more protein and less fat than a serving of lean beef or chicken. Aim for one cup per day to maximise Testosterone potential.






No.7 - Broccoli

Key Nutrients - Indole-3-carbinol, fibre

Why? - “Elevated estrogen levels lead to fat accumulation and can interfere with muscle growth,” - Chris Aceto, author of Championship Bodybuilding.“Broccoli contains high levels of indoles, food compounds that help reduce bad estrogen,” Because of this, eating enough broccoli will increase test levels whilst keeping estrogen down, which gives you a bigger chance to pack on the mass you have worked so hard for.

No.8 - Cabbage

Key Nutrients - Indole-3-carbinol, fiber

Why? - as well as having all the estrogen depleting properties as broccoli, cabbage also is high in fibre which is great for controlling weight.








No.9 - Brussels Sprouts

Key Nutrients - Indole-3-carbinol, fiber

Why? - Again like the cabbage, fights estrogen levels and is high in the weight friendly fibre.

No.10 - Garlic

Key Nutrients - Allicin

Why? - Garlic is said the actively increase testosterone levels and decrease cortisol, a hormone that can destroy testosterone and brings on fatigue. Something you want to be well clear off, eat as much of this as you can stomach.

Achieving The Look: Capped Delts

The look

When talking about getting the delts "capped" it refers to the shoulder being full and round. To achieve this look each of the three heads which make up the deltoids (anterior, posterior and lateral) need to be developed.

What is often found to be the case, is that guys will have a developed anterior and lateral delt but neglect the posterior head due to not being able to see it.

It is important to train each of the head and bring the deltoids up in proportion, not only if you're a hopeful for competition but also for strength and balance.




How is this look attained?

Anterior head: The anterior head of the deltoids is located at the front of the shoulder. This is usually the most developed head on the majority of men. This is because it comes into play with a lot of pressing movements, including the bench press.
One of the best exercises to develop this part of the deltoid is a seated front raise, as they isolate and keep tension on the muscle.

Lateral head: This head is located on the side of the shoulder and is responsible for the wide/broad look of your physique. When looking at a person from front on, this is one of the main heads to give you that round and full look. Seated lateral raises isolate and help bring this part of the delt up.

Posterior head: This is potentially the most underdeveloped head in many guy because it isn't visible to yourself. You will usually find people tend to neglect this or not realise that it needs to be stimulated. Although it can be activated in various back exercises, proper isolation is also required for further development. A reverse peck-dec machine or bent over lateral raises are the best options for this.

Extra tips

Pressing movements also stimulate the delts, shoulder press, military press and clean and press are all brilliant for building delts, but proper isolation movements insure they're balanced and developed properly.

Recap

make sure you add in both compound pressing movements and isolation movements to your shoulder routines to ensure the best development for your deltoids.

Keeping A Healthy Immine System

Keeping A Healthy Immune System

Keeping your immune system high is something that is vital to your overall well being, especially in trained individuals. With hard training sessions, you become slightly more prone to illness, but the good news is that there are various ways you can keep your immune system peaking, year round.

This can be achieved by making sure there are a few key points being followed in your nutrition plan and lifestyle to make sure you're giving your body everything it needs to keep a healthy immune system and keep you feeling fit and training hard.

key elements and nutritional factors to improved health

1. Omega-3 fatty acids -

A recent scientific study by Dr Stuart Gray and colleagues at the University of Aberdeen suggests that six weeks of daily fish oil supplement can influence the immune response following exercise. Fish oil is derived from tissues of cold water fish and contains the omega 3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are essential for healthy functioning of the human body.

Research has shown that omega 3 fatty acid supplements can support joints by reducing inflammation and might help prevent and protect against various diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

2. Antioxidants -

"The amount of antioxidants in your body is directly proportional to how long you will live" - Dr. Richard Cutler

Antioxidants are one of the foundations of our health. They have a huge part to play in the maintenance of a healthy body with roles such as; protecting our cells, repelling disease, decreasing stress levels, protect against free radicals, reduce the chance of cancer and even keep you looking younger.

The main benefits of antioxidants come from their ability to fight of free radicals. Free radicals come in many shapes, sizes and chemical configurations. What they all share however, is the sole purpose to steal electrons from any nearby sources.

Free radicals are generated as a byproducts of turning food into energy, as well as being in the air you breathe and can even be generated by sunlight.

What antioxidants do is "mop up" the free radicals and stops them from taking electrons from your cells. This keeps your cells healthy, which in turn will keep just about every function in the body working at it's full potential.

The main sources of antioxidants are vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene. You can get them in supplements in a convenient dosage or they're found in foods such as thin skinned berries.

3. Multi Vitamin -

Vitamins are a vital part of your nutritional needs and play a large part in many roles carried out by the body. A deficiency in vitamins can lead to a number or diseases and illnesses.

Vitamins should be found in your diet through the fruit, veg, nuts and oils that you consume, however if you find it hard to get enough vitamins, or are deficient in a certain vitamin, then a multi (or single) vitamin supplement, may be what you're looking for.

Studies have shown that taking a daily multi vitamin can decrease your chances of getting any cancer. They keep your body ticking over at peak performance, can aid recovery after training and keep you feeling good.

Multi vitamins are cheap, easy to use and come in a sufficient dose to keep your body healthy and immune system high.

4. Vitamin C -

When you have a high intake of vitamin C, it helps detox your body, promotes healing of your cells, and reduces stress. It also supports the good bacteria in your gut and destroys detrimental bacteria and viruses, neutralises harmful free radicals, removes heavy metals and protects you from pollution. Therefore vitamin C is a must have in your diet to increase your immune system because it holds so much potential to keep your body at its peak condition.

The 10 foods highest in vitamin C are:

1. Red and green chilli peppers
2. Guavas
3. Bell peppers
4. Herbs such as thyme and parsley
5. Dark leafy greens
6. Broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts
7. Kiwi fruits
8. Papayas
9. oranges
10. Strawberries

5. Water Intake -

Water plays a vital role in all aspects of your health. Water is how the body naturally detoxes itself, by keeping a high level of hydration, your body can filter out any of the impurities that your diet may contain, as well as keep cells hydrated which helps keep you alert and your body maintaining its healthy functions.

A minimum intake of 2 litres a day is recommended to keep your body hydrated.

6. Rest -

Getting the proper amount of rest is essential and it comes in two forms, sleep and rest days from training.

Rest days are the days that you don't train. You need to make sure you have at least 2 rest days a week.

When you train hard in the gym, your muscles will stay in a state in which they need rest and sufficient nutrients for up to 72 hours after your session. In this time you need to make sure that they're being given the correct amount of nutrients and rest to recover.

By taking two days off spaced throughout the week, you are ensuring that you don't over train and end up regressing from your goals.

This rest will keep your training sessions intense, keep you feeling energised and strong and give you the best chance of achieving your goals.

Sleep is another important factor. While you sleep, your body releases hormones that will help with the recovery and maintenance of your muscles. You tear your muscles in the gym and grow them while you sleep.

Sleep will also improve your mood, fight off depression, keep your senses sharp and even curb inflammation.

Aim for 7-9 hours sleep a night.

the better effect

If you add in these elements into your diet and lifestyle, you body will be able to function at its best 365 days a year. This will not only keep you healthy and feeling good, but you will be able to put 100% into your training sessions and every aspect of your life, without feeling you are being held back by tiredness or illness. 



Achieving The Look: V-Taper

This post is the first in a new series called; Achieving The Look. In these posts, we will go into the various techniques it takes to attain a physique worthy of the stage. In this post we are looking at the classic V-taper.

The look

For those of you wondering what the V-taper looks like, here is a picture that represents the classic body structure. The top of the lats are wide and developed and diagonally descend down to the waist, in your classic V shape.

How is this look attained?

There are a couple of factors that need to be looked into;
Firstly, the lats themselves need to be developed to give you that wide look up top and secondly, your waist must be small. This means your obliques can't be over developed giving a look of a bulky waist.

Training your back; lats and spinal erectors

Exercises such as wide grip chins, wide grip pull downs and barbell rows are great mass builders for the lats. These movements recruit an array of muscles fibres in order to move the weight that you're handling, resulting in greater blood flow and nutrient uptake to the back muscles.

Your spinal erectors (located at the bottom of your back) also have a part to play in creating your V-taper. You don't want these to be too bulky and limitations from this vary from person to person. Movements such as the deadlift are a great mass builder for these, but remember you don't want a wide waist, so keep an eye on your waist line from deadlifting and overall spinal erector development. It is worth noting however, that a stable lower back is required when you have abs. Balancing your muscles are the most important factor to keep you from injury.

Keeping the waist small

The next step in creating your V-taper is targeting your waist line. Here we will talk about your obliques. Your obliques are located on the side of your stomach and are activated in a variety of exercises. They are important to have because they help with keeping a strong and stable core. However you don't want to over developing them by targeting them with heavy isolation exercises.

Exercises such as barbell/dumbell side bends or cable side crunches you want to stay away from because you are going to build (and expand) your waist line. Side twists with a light weight bar (un-loaded) or with a med ball are much better options to develop those obliques.

Extra tips

One great way to help you achieving a small waist is to wear a weight belt. These will stop your waist from being able to expand too far whilst doing movements such as the deadlift and heavy barbell rows. Some people prefer not to use them and it's really down to personal preference, they can help with form when used correctly and can be worn when training everything but abs. Give one a try and see if you feel they help in your training.

Recap

So to conclude, to attain the perfect V-taper, you need a mixture of wide developed lats, with a small and stable waist. Pay attention to your obliques and spinal erectors, but make sure they are balanced to keep your core stable.

IFBB Professional Men's Physique Competitor Steve Cook Interview

This video shows Steve Cook, IFBB Pro Men's Physique competitor sharing his thoughts on the new division, where he wants to take it and what the division is all about. Steve is at the forefront of men's physique and many people believe he will be the first to win the men's physique Olympia title.

Bulding a body for Men's Physique

The Men's Physique class has had its fair share of criticism. Being such a new class, it is still finding its feet within the industry and there will always be controversy between competitors in such a subjective sport. However, here are some guidelines to follow in order to attain an "idyllic" men's physique you can take to the stage.

Traps

For men's physique, you don't want over sized traps. Having large traps is one of the first signs of being "muscle bound" and in a category that states you shouldn't be overly muscly traps are something you need to keep an eye on. With that being said you still want your traps to be developed, having raised traps to suit your body proportion will do just fine, so long as you're not over muscular in the first place.

Shoulders

Shoulders are a large part of men's physique. Having fully caped delts allow a full look on your physique. They help to make you appear wider and often people pick up on developed traps before other parts of the physique. To create a full round delt, work on the anterior, side and posterior parts of your delts and you will soon create a good overall shape to them.

Back

The guidelines for back for men's physique are that it must be developed, but not overly wide. Your lats should be visible from the front and you should display a good v taper, but without looking too wide from the rear. A competitor should display the classic V shape from the top of their lats leading to their waist.

Arms

Arms really don't have any guidelines in this class, as long as they are in proportion with the rest of the body and not overly muscular or vascular, they won't be marked down.

Chest

The chest for men's physique should be full and both upper and lower parts should be developed. Other than this there are not specifics that have been realised. Again it's all about proportion with the rest of your body.

Calfs

Although legs are not judged in this category, you calfs will be on show, meaning there will be at least some emphasis on them. For this, follow the same guidelines as above. You want the calfs to be developed, show muscle and looking full whilst maintaining proportion to the rest of the body and not be overly built.

Overall

Men's physique is all about being in proportion and symmetrical. size isn't generally taken into consideration. What you want is an overall physique that displays "developed" size, without looking too muscle bound or too vascular but is well shaped in a classic men's physique style.

The examples above are of men's physique competitors in the IFBB. 1. Steve Cook, 2. Ryan Hughes, 3. Jerimiah Towery

What Do Judges Look For?

Men's physique is a unique class.What the judges are looking for is proper shape and symmetry coupled with overall condition and muscularity. However a competitor should not have extreme muscularity and/or vascularity. An athlete of a body fat % with 6-10 is ideal.

As well as the focus on the body, a competitor should have brilliant stage presence and be able to display their physique in a natural manner. A competitor in this class should not pose, but rather walk through the various positions that are associated with this class. Having one hand in your pocket or on your hip is also optional. Men's physique represents a much different look to that of a body builder.

The board shorts must be cut just above knee length and can be one inch below the belly button. It is not recommended for the shorts to have large logos or patterns. A brand logo such as Nike or Billabong are accepted. Competitors will be barefoot and shirtless.

Pre-judging is comprised of 1/4 turns. Classes are divided by height and depending on size of the show there may be 1-2 classes and typically are divided around 5'8".