Lean Bodies Consulting Newsletter

Volume 14, May 11, 2008

Welcome to another addition of the LBC newsletter. If you haven't received the previous issues of the newsletter and you'd like to, you can find the archives here

In this issue we've got two Q&As – one on training for strength vs training for size and another on the costs of competing as a figure competitor. This second Q&A was addressed by Noel.

If you'd like to see a question or topic addressed in a future newsletter, feel free to drop me a line at erik@leanbodiesconsulting.com. 

What’s New At Lean Bodies Consulting?

Well, we're about two weeks out of the first big show of the year – the 2008 NPC Junior USAs in Charleston, SC. I'll be down there with a good sized group showing support for a number of LBC clients competing in the contest. Speaking of which, I posted a few shots of one of the girls, Hollie Higdon on my blog the other day. Check them out here.

Noel is also coming along nicely and should have some new pictures up any time now. All in all a great prep, as she is coming in about 10lbs heavier than she was for this show last year with the same condition. Marked improvements.

We'd also like to congratulate Miriam Fayas on both her 2nd and 3rd place finishes in her first two shows of the year. And another huge congratulations to long-time LBC client Amy Krajewski who did her first show a couple weeks ago. I think she's hooked. Look out for an incredible before and after transformation on my blog and in the Client Pictures section of the Lean Bodies Consulting website.

And finally a congratulations to Charissa Skuza who competed in the NPC Eastern Seaboard this weekend and took 1st in her class.

Check out the LBC blog as there's been a number of interesting posts put up recently. Things like massage and self myofascial release, a shoulder exercise with a twist, and my own recap of 'doing it a little differently' in my training and nutrition. Oh, and how could I forget – news that I'm going to be a dad!

Training for Strength vs Training for Size

Question:
Do you think there is a difference between training for maximal strength versus training for maximal size?

Answer:
Yes and no. In the one sense it is very important to have a strength focus to your training. Why? Because the heavy, low rep strength work stimulates growth of the contractile proteins – known as myofibrillar hypertrophy. This is the real lasting, “functional” muscle. Overloading a muscle with progressively heavier weights over time is the key to real gains in muscle. Get stronger with sufficient volume and adequate calories and you'll get bigger. There's no two ways about it. So the two tend to go hand in hand in the sense that bigger muscles are generally stronger and stronger muscles are generally (but not always) bigger.

However, there is a distinction that needs to be made as well. There is a difference between training for maximal size and training for maximal strength. A person after maximal gains in size wants to make that specific muscle do as much of the work as possible. He wants maximal tension placed on the targeted muscle. The person after maximal strength doesn't really care about this. He cares more about the the weight moving – more about the synergistic effect of all muscles he can recruit to get the weight up. He doesn't care what muscle contributes the most, as long as the weight goes up.

Basically the person chasing maximal strength tries to lift as much weight as they can. The person after maximal muscle still wants to lift as much weight as he can, but he wants to try to make the muscles work as hard as they can.

It's not always about just getting strong on a basic exercise. What if for example you've got these big strong shoulders and triceps? They're obviously going to take over on the bench and the end result is your pecs get short changed. You often see this – guys with big delts and triceps but pec development that lags behind. Getting stronger on the bench isn't necessarily going to make this person's chest grow. Shoulders and triceps? Most likely. This person needs a different strategy in order to get maximal tension on his pecs. 

Stronger muscles basically give you more potential for bigger muscles since you can then subject the targeted muscle to greater tension – assuming the targeted muscle is what gets the tension.

So what you might find is that for some big movements, the targeted muscles are getting adequate tension and are doing the work you want them to do. In other movements, your biomechanics might be such that the muscles you want to respond aren't getting hit adequately. For example, the aforementioned bench press example. Another example might be taller individuals and full squatting. In these cases, you'll likely need to do some additional work (another more effective compound exercise or even some isolation exercise done as a secondary movement) on a more targeted exercise while still managing your overall training volume.

So as you can see, training for strength versus training for size is both similar and different at the same time.

The Cost Of Being A Figure Competitor

Question:
What are the costs associated in competing in a figure contest?

Answer:
In my experience, there are two costs associated with competing in a figure contest – obvious costs and hidden costs.  I think when you first get started you think, all I will need is posing suits and entrance fees.  I think that most women, me included, do not realize the large amount of money that can go into prepping for a figure show. 
First and foremost, do you know enough about diet and training to do this yourself?  If not, you are going to have to hire someone to prep you for your show.  Dieting and training for a figure competition is much different than just losing weight.  Having a ‘coach’ guide you through this process can be crucial in dialing in your physique.  This can be an expense that you may need to consider.

Another obvious cost is your competition suits. Now this number can vary greatly depending on what federation you are competing in as well as how elaborately your suits are decorated.  There are also strategies that you can use to lower this cost – for example, by buying used suits or unstoned suits that you stone yourself.  These suits can run any were from roughly $150 to upwards of $4000 a suit.  The range is very large.

Unquestionably you will need tanning supplies.  Some competitors will go to a tanning bed, which is one cost, but even doing that you will still need a tanner on top to make you dark enough for the stage.  These tanners take several coats and can run you $30 a bottle.  You could also hire someone to do a spray tan at the show and this can cost roughly $150. 
Other obvious costs that you will have to take into consideration are your gym fees, entrance fees and possible travel fees to get to the location of the show.  These are all things that seem small, but will quickly add up.

Here are a few things that may not come to mind when you begin thinking of competing.  In some federations, NPC  for example, you need to be a member.  A membership fee is something that you will have to renew each year.  Stage make-up is another cost that you may not have considered that adds up very quickly.  Competition shoes, getting your nails manicured, buying your costume jewelry, possibly posing practice with a coach, getting your hair done, and of course nutrition.  Nutrition includes things like vitamins, protein powders, the higher costs of clean foods and any other supplements that are recommended to you.
So, turns out it’s a little more than suits and entry fees. 

  "Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen,
others make it happen."

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Until next time, thanks for reading.

Erik Ledin, B.Kin, CSCS, CISSN, NSCA-CPT
http://www.leanbodiesconsulting.com
http://www.leanbodiesfitness.com
http://www.leanbodiesconsulting.com/blog

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