Flex Magazine

Features in this issue include...

THE NEXT BIG THING

BY SEAN ANDROS // PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAVEL YTHJALL

We spend a lot of time looking for the next big thing, so when she shows up, FLEX takes pictures - a lot of pictures. IFBB pro Camala Rodriguez is the next big thing in the fitness division. As a rookie in 2010, Rodriguez won her third pro contest, the 2010 Europa Show of Champions. In 2011, she is displaying no signs of letting up with a couple of  top-five finishes and a win at the New York Pro Fitness Championships.

Rodriguez's quick success is no accident; it's what happens when you combine a strong body with a stronger will. She's a born performer with a physique that could stand on any figure stage, but her fitness routine was lagging behind. So she did what any champion does: she went to work. In well under two years, the girl with the tight curves added a routine that can hang with the best. The next big thing is going to keep working and that makes Rodriguez a contender at the 2011 Fitness Olympia.

Don't miss this month's issue for the full story.

ADVANCED NUTRITION

EDITED BY JIM STOPPANI

FLEX has long supported the practice of eating more frequent meals per day than the standard three (breakfast, lunch and dinner) as the best way to lose bodyfat and build muscle. The International Society of Sports Nutrition has analysed studies done on eating more frequent meals and reported that eating more meals daily does help to maintain and build more muscle in athletes. They also found that more frequent meals might help athletes lose more bodyfat. This may be due to the reduced hunger that comes with eating more often. In addition, they discovered that greater meal frequency leads to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, total cholesterol and insulin levels, which may also enhance fat loss.  Eat at least six meals on rest days and eight meals on workout days to build more muscle, lose more fat and stay healthy.

Don't miss this month's issue for the full story.

STRONGER IN 6 WEEKS

BY JIM STOPPANI AND JOE WUEBBEN // PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAVEL YTHJALL

Building muscle mass can be a complicated endeavour involving numerous intensity techniques and a variety of training cycles, but the concept of building muscular strength is much simpler: lift more weight. Easier said than done  unless, of course, you know what you're doing. That's where we come in.

This programme is a stepwise progression from lighter weight and higher reps to very heavy weight and very low reps over a six-week period (linear periodisation). The emphasis is on increasing your one-rep max in the three big lifts: bench press, squat and deadlift. As a bonus, you'll get stronger on just about every other exercise you do, too, from shoulder presses to barbell curls to calf raises. And that will lead to greater overall size.

Don't miss this month's issue for the full story.

Back issues of the magazine can be ordered from our shop.
Click on a cover below for more information about that issue.

• May 2012
• April 2012
• March 2012
• February 2012
• January 2011
• December 2011