2016 BEN WEIDER LEGACY CUP & NORDIC FITNESS EXPO

Welcome to 2016 Ben Weider Legacy Cup
October 7-9, Nordic Fitness Expo, Lahti, Finland




Canadian brothers, Ben and Joe Weider, founded the IFBB in 1946.
Joe became a publisher and trainer of the champions, while his brother Ben made the IFBB a worldwide sports organization. We are proud to keep up Ben Weider legacy by organizing a new competition concept under his name. Ben Weider Legacy Cup has been created by the IFBB President Dr. Rafael Santonja. 

Ben Weider Legacy Cup will provide bodybuilding, body fitness, bikini fitness and men’s physique competitions. The overall winners of each division will receive the IFBB Pro Leaque card.



LOCATION AND VENUE SITE

Lahti is a very famous winter sports city in Finland but the last four years it has gained a worldwide reputation as bodybuilding and fitness sports city. Lahti is located 100 km north of Finland’s capital city, Helsinki.

Ben Weider Legacy Cup will be held at the Nordic Fitness Expo, Lahti Fair Centre, a modern exhibition centre located one kilometer from the Lahti City Centre.


Nordic Fitness Expo is the largest bodybuilding and fitness event in Northern Europe with expected 20,000 visitors. With one main stage and two expo stages it will offer whole weekend full of fitness sports competitions and other sports events.




ARRIVAL, AIRPORT & TRASPORTATION

The official airport for arrivals is the Helsinki International Airport. The organizer shall pick your team up at the airport upon arrival and take you safely to the bus only on Friday, October 7th, 2016.

Transportation between airport and hotel is arranged on Friday, October 7th, 2016, for €10.00 per person and the transportation back to airport on Monday, October 9th, 2016, for €10.00 per person, based on the provided times of arrivals and departures.

Airport Bus leaves from Lahti Bus Station to Helsinki Airport every hour from 04:15 to midnight.

ACCOMODATION AT THE OLYMPIC TRAINING CENTER

Ben Weider Legacy Cup athletes accomodation will be held in Pajulahti which is the official Finnish Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, located just a 15-minute drive from competition venue Nordic Fitness Expo. Accommodation is possible at better-equipped hotel rooms or sport standard level rooms.

Hotel prices:

Hotel level, 2-bed room 120 € / night
www.pajulahti.com/en/services-premises/accomodation/hotel/
Sport standard level accomodation 2-bed room
90 € / night
www.pajulahti.com/en/services-premises/accomodation/sport-standard/

Prices includes:

- Transportation between hotel and competition venue.
- Free use of gym and sauna
- Breakfast

Contact to
Phone +358 3 8855 200
Email: asiakaspalvelu@pajulahti.com
www.pajulahti.com/en/


VISAS

A valid passport is required to enter Finland. EU-country citizens do not need to obtain a visa. All other countries should consult the Finnish Embassy in their country to determine if they need a visa. An official letter of invitation will be made available if required.

An athlete, who requested and received an invitation from the IFBB Head Office or the Organizing, Committee of an IFBB sanctioned event for visa purposes and used this visa to unlawful stay in the host country or any other country, will be subjected to the disciplinary proceedings and measures.


PARTICIPATION

This competition is open for All the IFBBaffiliated National Federations from Europe. Participation in this competition is unlimited

Registration of athletes will only be considered if they are nominated by their IFBB-affiliated National Federation by sending the Final Entry Forms with their names to the IFBB Press Commission, with a copy to the IFBB Head Office in Madrid.

The deadline for submitting the Final Entry Forms is September 26th, 2016.


REGISTRATION

The official arrival day is Friday, October 7th, 2016. The registration will be held on Friday at Cumulus Lahti Hotel from 16:00 to 20:00. IFBB registration fee of EUR €200 has to be paid at the time of registration.

Remember that all the athletes will have to produce their IFBB International Card at theregistration.

Any athlete who has not yet purchase this IFBB International card will have to buy one at the registration. IFBB Card costs EUR €30.00 per year and are mandatory.

The registration fee includes admission to the Nordic Fitness Expo in both days. Registration of athletes will only be considered if they are recommended or entered by the National Federation. The Final Entry Form with athletes’ names has to be emailed directly to the IFBB Press Commission, IFBB Head Office in Madrid and Organizing Committee of the Nordic Fitness Expo.

We strongly encourage you to register early and make the appropriate arrangements to compete in Lahti, Finland. Hotels will be booked up quickly as this is a very, very popular event. 




Competitors/Results

The list of competitors on September 30. This page will be updated on daily basis.

Body fitness  – 163 cm

Liis Org, Finland
Niina Vehviläinen, Finland
Meeri Mäenpää, Finland
Annika Tiitinen, Finland
Niina Sirrola, Finland
Maiju Aalto, Finland
Sonja-Sofia Rannanjärvi, Finland
Minna Tanttu, Finland
Katja Paju, Finland
Hanna-Riikka Lehtivuori, Finland
Katapoti Kalliopi, Greece
Ann Kristin Jacobsen, Norway
Gabriela Azu Niftali, Estonia


Body fitness – 168 cm

Marianne Sampakoski, Finland
Jenny Söderström, Sweden
Lilian Rannu, Estonia
Gea Taalvelt, Estonia
Ninna Skakon, Denmark
Anja Lykke Jørgensen, Denmark


Body fitness + 168 cm

Heini Hakalahti, Finland
Maaret Nousiainen, Finland
Jenni Burtsov, Finland
Mari Jaara, Finland
Salla Heikkilä, Finland
Hanni Mäntynen, Finland
Sofie Rosenvinge, Denmark
Kristine Beck, Denmark
Signe Hajs, Denmark


Bikini fitness – 160 cm

Johanna Hermans, Finland
Marjo Mattila, Finland
Eevi Teittinen, Finland
Sanita Jussila, Finland
Ines Karvinen, Finland
Eveliina Ylönen, Finland
Kirsi-Tiina Ruuskanen, Finland
Satu-Maarit Soutua, Finland
Hannah Tabone Grech, Malta
Kristin Winnergård, Sweden
Karina Polovnikova, Estonia
Liis Rosenthal, Estonia
Rebrova Aleksandra, Russia


Bikini fitness – 163 cm

Linda Paldanius, Finland
Edita Kallio, Finland
Melina Keltaniemi, Finland
Gynai Alekperova, Finland
Emmi Nenonen, Finland
Kati Lyytikkä, Finland
Marjut Kivinen, Finland
Renata Vanhatalo, Finland
Johanna Rintala, Finland
Lisett Luts, Estonia
Julia Dunik, Estonia
Samoilenko Anastasiia, Russia


Bikini fitness – 168 cm

Tuula Seilonen, Finland
Laura Pelkonen, Finland
Ilona Siekkinen, Finland
Emmi Juhala, Finland
Pauliina Pakarinen, Finland
Karoliina Maihikoski, Finland
Jenna Orreveteläinen, Finland
Hanna Karppinen, Finland
Rodi Bodrug, Sweden
Linda Hjerzell, Sweden
Sandra Hornakova, Slovakia
Timea Trajtelova, Slovakia
Lina Cardozo, Austria
Jaanika Jelegina, Estonia
Õnnela Raudsepp, Estonia
Katarina Rõigas, Estonia
Helena Mang, Estonia
Ene Tomingas, Estonia
Tuuli Jõgar, Estonia
Reet Reimets, Estonia
Agne Kiviselg, Estonia
Merilin Taimre, Estonia
Helen Randmets, Estonia
Andra Vagur, Estonia
Kovalevskaia Zlata, Russia
Krasnova Evgeniia, Russia


Bikini fitness + 168 cm

Susanna Mustajärvi, Finland
Milla Kelahaara, Finland
Caroliina Kinnarinen, Finland
Silja Pihlaja, Finland
Saralotta Engblom, Finland
Henna Kultalahti, Finland
Jutta Kärri, Finland
Caroline Samuelsson, Sweden
Olivia Pohankova, Slovakia
Catharina Wahl, Norway
Riina Rõõm, Estonia
Hiie – Liin Tamm, Estonia
Kristina Nuut, Estonia
Cäroline Paas, Estonia
Kristina Tsasovskih, Estonia
Kirke Kirt, Estonia
Mari Pukk, Estonia
Kristiin Heleen, Estonia
Josefine Achen, Denmark
Jeanne Petersen, Denmark
Sandra Rosendahl, Denmark
Zorina Valentina, Russia
Osiptseva Galina, Russia


Men’s physique -174 cm

David Ouamba, Finland
Law Shala, Sweden
Pontus Koskelainen, Sweden
Ivar Mikk, Estonia
Timofeev Aleksandr, Russia
Giulnazarian Andrei, Russia


Men’s physique – 178 cm

Dennis Johansen, Norway
Sander Kikas, Estonia


Men’s physique + 178 cm

Jaani Inkinen, Finland
Kaspar Tõnisson, Estonia
Sander Kaasik, Estonia
Shatsman Aleksandr, Russia


Bodybuilding – 80 kg

Jukka Nyyssölä, Finland
Mikko Leinonen, Finland
Janne Utrila, Finland


Bodybuilding – 90 kg

Igdir Cengizhan, Greece
Jari Leskinen, Finland
Ott Kiivikas, Estonia


Bodybuilding – 100 kg

Mikko Ovaskainen, Finland
Arto Vainio, Finland
Kille Kujala, Finland
Sami Jaukkuri, Finland


Bodybuilding + 100 kg

Peter Wilenius, Finland
Giannis Magkos, Greece
Luke Debono, Malta
Antti Halmo, Finland
Dennis Johansson, Sweden

Artturi Kallio, Finland

POSING MUSIC:

All posing music must be on an audio CD only.

The posing music must also be at the start of the CD. Each competitor must affix his/her name on the CD for easy identification. The use of profane, vulgar and offensive language is strictly prohibited in the posing music.


IMPORTANT NOTICES TO THE COMPETITORS

All the costs for traveling, hotel accommodations, transportation to and from the airport, as well as meals, are at the responsibilities of the National Federations or individual athletes.




TANNING PRODUCTS

The IFBB has banned all tans that can be wiped off. An official will check the tan of all the athletes backstage and if the tan comes off by simply wiping, the athlete will be told to remove the tan.


JUDGES

In order to assist the IFBB Judges Committee in their selection of judges for these Championships, please forward your nomination for judges from your National Federation as soon as possible but no later than September 26th, 2016 to:

Pawel Filleborn, Chairman, IFBB Judges
Committee, email: pawelfilleborn@gmail.com

All judges who wish to be included in the judges’ panels at these Championships should be specified in the Final Entry Form. The test-judges should be specified there as well.

Judges have to pay the yearly judges’ license fee of EUR 50.00 for 2016. This fee may be paid at the Championships. Test-judges should pay a test fee of EUR 50.00. 

This fee may be paid at the Championships.

All the judges must attend the Judges/Team Managers Meeting held at the Sokos Hotel Lahden Seurahuone (one block from Hotel Cumulus) at 21:00 on Friday, October 7th, 2016.

If the above conditions haven’t been met, judges will not be able to carry out their duties at the Championships.

GREEN CARDS

Green cards are used to limit access to the Weigh-in and backstage area during the Prejudging and Finals, will be distributed at the Judges/Team Managers Meeting as follows:

Five (5) or more competitors -
two (2) green cards
Less than five (5) competitors -
one (1) green card

Green Card have authorized entry only to the backstage area, not auditorium at the Main Stage (Ben Weider Legacy Cup Bodybuilding competition).


BACKSTAGE ACCESS/DRESSING ROOM ACCESS

Access to the backstage and/or dressing room areas shall be strictly limited to essential personnel only. Coaches and trainers who assist athletes in the dressing room area must be of the same sex as the athlete they are assisting.


MEDIA ACCREDITATION

All media accreditation, except the local media, shall be controlled by the Nordic Fitness Expo.

All persons wishing to obtain media accreditation for this event must register with the IFBB by completing and signing an NORDIC FITNESS EXPO Media Accreditation Form, which must be remitted to the IFBB by e-mail at media. nordicfitnessexpo@gmail.com no later than
September 19th, 2016.

For the further information, please visit: www.nordicfitnessexpo.com/media/


CAMERA/VIDEOTAPE EQUIPMENT

Camera and/or videotape equipment shall be strictly prohibited in the backstage and/ or dressing room areas except when used by IFBB-authorized media persons and, at any event, these devices shall be strictly prohibited in the dressing room area.




TIME DIFFERENCE

UTC/GMT +2 hours


CURRENCY

The national currency in Finland is EURO. All major credit cards are widely accepted at most major hotels, department stores and restaurants.


CLIMATE

During the month of October, the average temperature is + 1-10 °C.


ELECTRICAL CURRENT

The electrical outlets are 220 V, 50 Hz. Socket / plug of type C plug with two round prongs, popularly known as the europlug and used in all continental Europe countries.

Detailed info at: http://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/


LANGUAGE

The official language in Finland is Finnish. English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and shopping malls.


TRAINING FACILITY

The official training facility is Gym K&M, website: www.kuntokeskuskm.fi
Phone +358 45 276 4990
Email: info@kuntokeskuskm.fi


ENTRY FORM CONTACT DETAILS:

All Final Entry Forms should be addressed to Mr. Andrew Michalak amichalak5@gmail.com, with a copy to the IFBB Head Office in Madrid, Mr. Ernesto Perez, officemanager@ifbb.com .

The deadline for submitting the Final Entry Forms is September 26th, 2016.

Please copy all correspondence to:
Nordic Fitness Expo
Email: kp.ourama@kpfitness.fi 

WATCH the 2016 Mr OLYMPIA - LIVE - FREE

Get ready to take a front and center seat at the 2016 Mr. Olympia when you tune in to the LIVE WEBCAST, September 16th & 17th at 10pm ET, 7pm PT, and watch as bodybuilding history is made!

In 1965, Joe Weider created the Mr. Olympia, a competition to determine the world’s best-built man. From that first contest of three competitors and a SRO crowd of about 2,500 at New York City’s Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Olympia has grown into a global mega-event.




Today, the Olympia Weekend features the best of the best IFBB pros in bodybuilding, physique, figure, fitness, and bikini, as well as a two-day expo that sees well over 50,000 fans traverse the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center. With over $1.1MM in prizes, the Olympia is the richest and most prestigious event in bodybuilding and fitness.

⬇⬇⬇⬇ CLICK HERE ⬇⬇⬇⬇

The Olympia Fitness and Performance weekend is pure excitement from start to finish, but the real magic happens at the Orleans Arena when the top Bodybuilders, Fitness, Figure, and Bikini athletes take to the stage and battle for the Olympia titles, securing their elite status as the very best in the world!  





SCHEDULE

FRIDAY: Fitness & Bikini Finals, 212 and Mr. Olympia Judging  @ 10pm ET, 7pm PT

SATURDAY: Figure, 212 & Mr. Olympia Finals @ 10pm ET, 7pm PT

YOU ARMS STOP GROWING? By Ben Pakulski

I'll be frank, I'm getting tired of all this "functional training," talk. Come on! 




Is that the reason you really got into lifting weights? It seems arm training has taken a dip in popularity and this may be the case in some circles but if you're REALLY honest I'm guessing you wanted arms that resembled a SUPERHERO... and for that, doing DIRECT bicep and tricep workout will
NEVER go out of style. 

CLICK IMAGE

And having big, muscular arms that stretch your shirtsleeves will NEVER EVER go out of style either, so today is a reminder that when you pick up a copy of Ben Pakulski's MI40 System you'll also get his complete 21-day workout to BIGGER ARMS.  The same workout that packed TWO INCHES on his arms in 3 weeks! RIDICULOUS!  I would be
happy with just 3/8ths of an inch!  

Get MI40 System + 21 Days to Bigger Arms FREEEE <---- click="" font="" here="">

Now onto our arm tips compliments of the big man himself... 

4 Uncommon Tips To BIGGER ARMS 
By Ben Pakulski 

CLICK IMAGE

1) LESS VOLUME! 

Small muscles require less volume, and recover faster. Basic logic says, a smaller muscle has less overall total volume of muscle fibres. It takes LESS overall stimulus to fatigue these muscles and less overall training volume to exhaust glycogen stores (stored muscle energy).


2) HEAVY WEIGHTS (WITH PERFECT FORM) 

Heavy weights are going to fatigue a greater overall percentage of muscle fibres in a shorter amount of time (aka less sets). Heavy weights also have  the added benefit of stimulating "high threshold motor units". These are the  
muscle fibres that require a lot more stimulus to grow and respond, but also the fibres that are more likely to be responsible for muscle hypertrophy or GROWTH!



3) ARMS RECEIVE A LOT OF STIMULUS ON A REGULAR BASIS

Arms receive a lot of stimulus on a regular basis. For most people, this tends to occur in the middle of the range of motion where the muscles are strongest. 

In order to get the arms to grow and respond, it is necessary to subject them to a different type of stimulus. One of the best ways to improve arm development is to subject them to more tension and continuous tension at the extremes of the range of motion (a.k.a, when a muscle is fully lengthened or fully shortened --where muscles are weakest). This will allow for greater time under tension as well as targeting different  
points of the strength curve to force the nervous system to adapt and stimulate new muscle growth.



4) YOU MUST ENGAGE THE TARGET MUSCLE FIRST IN ANY MOVEMENT

The FIRST muscle to engage in ANY movement must be the muscle you are trying to target.
If you are working your biceps, to most effectively stimulate the bicep, it must be the muscle to initiate the movement. As mentioned, muscles are weakest at those extremes and that makes it LEAST likely to contract. This is where your conscious intent and control is vital! The best way to ensure this is happening is to CONTRACT its antagonist muscle. 

This will ensure a fully lengthened working muscle and make it much more likely that it will initiate the movement(provided youre using proper control).

e.g. when working your bicep, to fully stretch your bicep at the bottom of the range, it is necessary to  contract your tricep before initiating the movement of contracting your bicep again.The opposite is true when training triceps. Contract your biceps at the top of the range when a tricep is fully stretched(forearm 
touches biceps).

CLICK IMAGE

Tomorrow is your LAST CHANCE to get a Ben's 21 Days to BIGGER ARMS workout for FREEEEE when you pick up a copy of his 40-day muscle building system - MI40! The same program that helped him become one of the
top 15 bodybuilders in the WORLD! CLICK HERE

If you're tired of busting your butt in the gym with little to show, tired of seeing your buddies get twice as big as you and can't remember the last time you had a growth spurt... you would be insane not to give this a shot!  If a 275 pound pro has room to grow, I'm sure you do too!

Get the full story here... Even if you don't buy, there is some brilliant info on how to immediately double your gains: 

Have a great day


P.S. I just announced a SURPRISE BONUS of my own when you grab MI40....

Announce our bonus here!

FOUR RULES TO BUILDING MUSCLE

The hardgaining skinny-guy's guidelines for packing on size.


Are you the guy who’s always being over-powered on the field? Are you the pick-up games last pick? Have you been grinding out hard work in the gym for hours on end with no results to date? Chances are, you’re a classic example of an ectomorphic-hardgainer. 

Your genetics have built you lean and that’s how you stay. But have no worries, with a little patience, persistence and training-by-the-rules, you’ll be well on your way to living large(r).


RULE 1: Go Big or Go Home

Heading to the gym to lift just for the sake of lifting won’t get you anywhere faster. You’ve got to go with the exercises and movement patterns that give you more bang for your buck. “Far too many guys spend time working on isolation exercises searching for hypertrophy,” says Colorado-based certified trainer and fitness writer, Jeremey DuVall. You want to program your workouts with moves like the deadlift, squat and overhead press. “Bigger exercises require more muscle recruitment and make for a more efficient workout," he adds. John Annillo, CSCS of Training for Warriors agrees, “Your body works as a unit, so drop the isolation exercises and train it like one. The more muscles (or joints) that are working during any given exercise the better.” Trainer, fitness writer/model Parker Cote also believes "big moves" are especially important for beginners saying, "it's the best way to expedite the mass gain process."


Workout Recommendation

Make the squat the primary exercise in your leg workouts. (3-5 reps, 6-8 reps) The deadlift in your back workouts. (3-5 reps, 6-8 reps) Overhead presses in your shoulder workouts. (3-5 reps, 8-12 reps) And barbell bench presses for chest. (3-5 sets, 10-12 reps)




RULE 2: Rest and Relax

When you’re going big and tossing around heavier weight, recovery is what’s going to give you the gains you need. Another component to this is how you're actually programming your workouts. "Supersets and other circuit-style techniques are excellent for fat loss, but when trying to gain lean muscle, it is beneficial to have longer rest periods," says Cote. Blowing through your sets will slow the mass building process—you need to preserve your strength for bigger lifts and heavier loads. “To maximize each set focus on resting longer (3-5 minutes), so your muscles are ready to fire at 100% with each rep,” Annillo advises.


Workout Recommendation

Assuming you're training with heavier weight at lower reps and lighter weight at higher reps follow this rest period guide:

10-12 reps, rest 3 minutes
6-9 reps, rest 4 minutes
5 reps and under, rest 5 minutes

RULE 3: Get More Sleep

“Real progress lies in the recovery stage—not the actual time in the gym,” says DuVall. This means get in the gym, work hard, and get to bed. "Both the quantity and quality of your sleep will play into how much testosterone you produce, how your muscles repair, and how you pack on the pounds," Annillo says. Yes, we’re going back in time to the days of “bed times.” “You destroy muscle in the gym and build muscle at night," says celebrity trainer Jay Cardiello. So get your 8 hours.


Recovery Recommendation

Take 10 minutes or so to practice some relaxing yoga poses, prepare a cup of caffeine-free chamomile tea and you’ll be good to go.




RULE 4: Eat to Get Big

While we're not giving you carte blanche to raid the fridge and eat everything in sight, you will need to eat more than you’re used to. “Eat something every couple of hours, upping your intake of calorie dense foods, downing healthy carbs right after your workout, and having a casein protein before bedtime," Annillo says. And to get the most out of your food, opt for high calorie, dense options. “Peanut butter and avocados provide a big boost of fat and calories to your daily totals,” says DuVall.


Eating Recommendation

Start yourself out by adding small things to your current diet. If you eat two pieces of toast in the morning with a protein shake, add an additional slice, or add a piece of fruit. Peanut butter sandwiches are also a great option as meal add-ons. If all this fails, then go ahead and raid the fridge and eat everything in sight.



By Mike Simone - MensFitness

HOW MICHAEL B. JORDAN GOT FIT AND RIPPED FOR 'CREED'

In the new boxing film "Creed," actor Michael B. Jordan manages to look even more ripped than Carl Weathers and Silvester Stallone, who played Apollo Creed and Rocky Balboa, respectively, in the "Rocky" movies.




To get in shape for the role of Adonis Creed — Apollo's illegitimate son in the film — Jordan worked closely with personal trainer Corey Calliet and followed a strict diet.

Despite getting decimated by Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, Apollo Creed's ripped physique, as displayed by actor Carl Weathers, was beyond enviable. Some other, less motivated, actor may have been daunted by the task of sizing up to the Creed name, but Michael B. Jordan used the challenge to push himself beyond his previous fitness limits.

"I was thrilled," says Jordan, a lifelong fan of the franchise. Partnering again with Fruitvale Station director Ryan Coogler, Creed follows the struggle of Apollo's son Adonis to step out of his father's shadow in the sport that he also loves. In the film Adonis tracks down Rocky, reprised again by the iconic Sylvester Stallone, to whip him into shape. But in real life Jordan enlisted trainer Corey Calliet to achieve his incredible body transformation.

"I felt muscles I never knew I had," Jordan says.

That doesn't mean Stallone just stood in the corner. The big-screen veteran mentored the young actor through the boxing scenes, of which he is well-versed after six previous installments of the Rocky series. "He's filled with wisdom," Jordan says. "He really helped me find the authenticity in the ring and let me know when I shouldn't hold back."

Though they boxed daily during training, it was Calliet's experience as a body builder that helped him target every muscle group and shape Jordan's full form. "I wanted to make him look even more ripped than Apollo, and I think we did that," Calliet says. It didn't come without hard work, but the trainer admits it all paid off when Stallone stood ringside looking up at Jordan. "He said, 'Mike looks good.' That meant a lot coming from him."




Training Regimen


CARDIO

For 45 to 60 minutes daily: Interval training, sprint work, plyometric drills, and speed rope.

ABS SERIES

Every other day, do 3 sets of 25 reps of each move:

Crunches Lie on floor with knees bent, feet flat, hands behind head; crunch upper body up so shoulder blades lift off floor, pause, and slowly lower back down.

Leg Raises Lie on floor with legs extended; with legs glued together and straight, raise legs perpendicular to floor, then slowly lower to a few inches above floor.

Reverse Crunches Lie on floor with legs extended, feet hovering a few inches off floor; tuck knees to chest, pause, then lower back to start without allowing feet to touch floor.

Toe Touches Lie on floor with legs extended, arms by sides. Raise legs perpendicular to floor, and lift torso off floor to reach arms to touch toes; slowly lower back to start.

Traditional Sit-Ups Lie on floor with knees bent, feet flat, hands behind head; engage abs and lift upper body until you're fully upright; slowly lower back to start.

UPPER-BODY SERIES

Start the series with a 1-mile warm-up on the treadmill:

Press and Push-Up Superset

Alternate between dumbbell presses and push-ups, for five rounds total. Do this rep scheme for the dumbbell presses: 10 reps, then 9 reps, then 8, 7, and finally 6. You'll do 15 push-ups immediately after the presses each time. Take a 15- to 30-second break between rounds.

Fly and Push-Up Superset

Alternate between bench-press flys and push-ups, for five rounds total. Do this rep scheme for the bench press flys: 10 reps, then 9 reps, then 8, 7, and finally 6. You'll do 10 push-ups immediately after the flys each time. Take a 15- to 30-second break between rounds.

Dumbbells Curls

Do 4 sets of 15 dumbbell curls, taking a 30-second break between sets.

Hammer Curls

Do 3 sets of 12 hammer curls, taking a 30-second break between sets.

Kickback and Dip Superset

Alternate between dumbbell kickbacks and bench dips, for four rounds total. Do 15 dumbbell kickbacks, then immediately do 20 bench dips. Take a 15- to 30-second break between rounds.




PLYOMETRIC SERIES

Complete in circuit fashion for 3 rounds. Take 2-minute rests between each round, and no rest between exercises:

Box or Bench Step-Ups 20 each leg
Box Jumps or Jumping Over a Step 20 reps
Side Step-Ups on a Box or Bench 20 each leg
Jump Squats 20 reps
Burpees 15 reps
Bench Push-Ups 25 reps


BOXING TRAINING

Every workout day ends with 3 hours of boxing:
Heavy bag
Speed bag
Hitting the mitts
Jump rope

DAILY MEAL PLAN

• Meal 1

    6 egg whites
    1 whole egg
    45 g carb (ex: oats, rice, etc.)

• Meal 2

    Protein shake
    35 g carb (ex: steelcut oats)

• Meal 3

    8 oz lean protein (ex: chicken, ground turkey)
    65 g carb (ex: rice, sweet potato)
    1 cup green veggie 

• Meal 4

    8 oz lean protein (ex: chicken, ground turkey, or fish)
    35 g carb (ex: rice, sweet or red potato)

• Meal 5

    Protein shake
    35 g carb (ex: steelcut oats)

• Meal 6

    8 oz lean protein (ex: chicken, ground turkey)
    1 cup green veggie
    1 tsp oil (ex: olive oil, coconut oil, macadamia nut oil)


Supplements:

Pre-workout supplement
Recovery supplement


Calliet set a cheat day for Jordan starting at 7 p.m. on Saturday and ending at 7 p.m. on Sunday. Having the movie shoot take place in Rocky's hometown of Philadelphia lead to one obvious indulgence. “I don't know if a person has ever eaten as many cheesesteaks as I saw Mike eat,” laughs Calliet.



By: Charles Thorp. Health & Fitness & Tanya Lewis . Business Insider

TRAIN LIKE A GAME OF THRONES BASTARD

Game of Thrones’ oft-maligned Jon Snow has found his muscle birthright. 




Use Kit Harrington’s scheme to overthrow your metabolism and pack on 12 kilos of strength in five weeks.

Discover your muscle birthright

In case the billboards, trailers, teaser trailers, fan-made trailers, wikis, websites and massive (legitimate and illegitimate) viewing figures have passed you by, Game of Thrones is big . . . very, very big. As such, the cast are going to be even bigger business if they survive the author's regular culling of main characters.

Kit Harington is taking the idea of big business literally. As the lead character Milo in the recently released Pompeii, the 27-year-old Englishman spent five weeks putting on 12 kilograms of very hard-won muscle. If being a bigger man is a huge ask for you, his workout is the start of a new chapter. You're only five weeks away from your big finale.


Play to your strength

In Thrones, Harington's body is almost constantly swathed in layers of coats and furs. That they weigh in at almost 10kg is not the point. It's that underneath that weighted vest stands his naturally slighter physique.

"I'm not a six-foot three-inch guy who can bulk up and just look like an absolute unit, a tank. My body type has a tiny bit of stockiness to it, but it's really quite wiry, so for Pompeii that was the sort of look I had to go for - 'prison fit', like Robert De Niro in Cape Fear."

If, like Harington, you're a "hard gainer" - you train loads and eat as much as you can but simply can't get bigger - you're fighting against yourself. Your most powerful weapon is your fast metabolism, so use it to cut body fat and uncover definition, rather than trying to pack on huge slabs of muscle. 

Pick your battles

With all the grim determination in the world, if you're struggling with a fitness resolution, fly the white flag and try something else. The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports found enjoying exercise, rather than plugging away at something you don't, raises performance by 25 per cent - science not lost on Harington.

"The physical stuff is very much a part of who Jon Snow is, and over the four years I've got into rock climbing, ice climbing, sword fighting and horse riding," he says.

You're not half a man for trying new things. Just give it your all when you do.




Feat like a Roman

Building hero muscle fast means a lot of reps with the fork - for five weeks Harington was packing in 21,000 kilojoules a day. "I was eating all the time: loads of good carbs, like brown rice and sweet potatoes. And lots of chicken."

Go heavy on flavouring to avoid boredom. Harrington's trainer Dalton Wong recommends Herbamare - a mix of salt and about 15 herbs (buy it at Woolworths and Safeway). 


Adapt and thrive

When trying to burn as many kilojoules as possible, injuries will happen. When they do, don't give up and wait for the doom of weight gain to rain down, adapt your training instead.

"I did my ankle really badly about two months prior to the third series of Thrones," says Harington. "I spoke to doctors and physios, but it was the training for Pompeii that got me back to full fitness."

They key to survival is to work within your limits. "Kit's ankle was sore, so we trained in his range," says Wong. "If it hurt on a squat, we wouldn't squat so deep." 

Save time, gain strength

Even if the squat rack is your deadliest foe, staying mobile is the key to building a bigger body. "You see the guys on screen and they're in amazing shape," says Wong. "What you don't see is everything else they do to stay in one piece: the yoga, the massage and all the physiotherapy."

That's great if you're being paid to work out. But you're not, so pare back smartly. Harington's workout pairs strength moves with a mobility exercise, for a full-body session that stretches your muscles while building them.

Next time you face your gym nemesis, you'll be a stronger and more athletic enemy. 


Bigger & fitter, faster

Harington wasted no time in building his bigger body. Wong's workout pairs strength-building lifts with muscle-stretching moves. Rest for at least 90 seconds after each pair.


LOWER BODY

A1 Wide-Grip Deadlift
3 Sets of 6-8 Reps

It's the heaviest graft first. Grab a bar with an overhand grip. Keep your back flat and arms straight as you lower. Pull the bar up the front of your legs to stand. End by drawing your shoulderblades together.

A2 Split-Stance Cable Row
3 Sets of 12-15 Reps

That hurt, didn't it? This mobility move will fix that. Set the cable to the lowest notch. With the handle in your left hand, step back so your left foot is in front. Pull to your side, wrist twisting so your palm faces your body. Rest, then start the deadlift again.

B1 Zercher Squat
3 Sets of 6-8 Reps

With the bar in the crook of your elbows, squeeze your hands into your chest to lock it in. Drop your hips as low as possible, then force your heels into the ground to push your chest up and your knees out. If you feel faintly heroic, you're doing it right.

B2 Deep Sit
30-40 seconds

With feet just wider than shoulder width, sit in a deep squat position - hamstrings on your heels - for 30-40 seconds. It gets your body used to being in that deeper position and you'll be able to go further when you load up the weight again.




UPPER BODY

C1 Commando Chin-Up
3 Sets of 8-10 Reps

Stand looking down the chin-up bar. Grab it with one hand in front of the other, palms facing in. Pull up and left, right shoulder touching the bar. Repeat on the other side. 

C2 Shoulder "W"
3 Sets of 10 Reps

Bend over like a bent-over row, holding a barbell at arm's length. Row up slowly until your elbows and ears line up. Turn your wrists up to your ears and do a shoulder press. This will help you squeeze your shoulderblades together for more chin-ups in the next set. Rest and repeat the chin-ups.

D1 Chest Dip
3 Sets of 8-10 Reps

Jump up onto the dip bars and hover with your arms straight and your shoulders above your hands. Flex your knees and hips slightly. This is the easy bit. Bend your arms and flare your elbows out. When you feel a stretch in your chest or shoulders, push up. That's the hard bit. Go straight on to your reward. 

D2 Swiss-Ball Pec Stretch
30 Seconds

This is a nice lie down. Sit on a Swiss ball, then roll forward so it sits in the centre of your. With your arms in a crucifix position, let the weight gently stretch your chest. This elongates the muscle and prevents that "gym gorilla" look. Rest, then go back to the chest dips.

FULL-BODY FINISHERS

E1 Weighted Crunch
3 Sets of 10-12 Reps

After all that, hit the deck. But hold a five- to 10kg weight plate across your chest and bend your knees with your feet flat on the floor. Curl up slowly using your abs rather than momentum, until your back is 45º off the floor. Reverse until you're on your back again.ck to the chest dips.

E2 Cobra Pose
3 Sets of 3 Reps

That done, put the weight down and roll onto your front. Put your palms on the ground close to the sides of your chest. Straighten your arms and push up your upper body, arching your back and stretching your abs. Your legs should stay rooted to the floor. Hold for five seconds, then relax before repeating. 

F1 Incline Press
3 Sets of 8-12 Reps

A final two-pronged attack on your chest means you leave the gym feeling bigger. Set an adjustable bench at a 45º incline and lie back with a pair of dumbbells held just above your shoulders. Push straight up. You're only one move away from victory. Unfortunately, this next one's a killer.

F2 Push-Up
Perform to failure

Sounds simple but doing as many reps as you can both stretches out the chest muscles and adds an extra strength-building set to the end of your workout. Make sure your shoulders are over your arms, then sink as low as possible before pushing back up. It hurts, but you'll feel far less sore in the morning.


By menshealth