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Issue #157

Contents

Editorial
by Juan Carlos Lopez

20 Questions with Cover Model Kaitlyn Davis

Video Interview with Amateur Bikini Kaitlyn Davis

Pictorials
Kaitlyn Davis, Jessica Quintana, Jessica Suarez, Minna Pajulahti & Jessica Vetter

Water, Performance, Gains and Competition: A Competitor’s Edge
by Tina Jo Orban

Video Interview with Amateur Bikini Larissa Nowak

 

 

Editorial by Juan Carlos Lopez

Today we will talk about cardio. Is this your worst enemy? Why would you want to even do it? Is it a necessary evil?

Competitors usually have very bad off seasons and tend to get fat and out of shape. Why? It can be due to the extremes of their personalities. Being religious for 3 months for a show and the rest of the year just eat whatever they can get their hands on. Plus your endocrine system will suffer if you force it to extremes of 2-3 hours per day on less than 1000 calories.

An off season should be planned or calculated properly. But there is no order for most competitors. Being a competitor is a full year thing not just 3 or 6 months of the year. No one should be doing 2 hours of cardio per day specially in bikini. If you are you aren't eating right or you have a problem with your endocrine system. More than before I see competitors saying I will do a show in March and then not compete until September.

The best you can do is work a simple principle is doing cardio even in your off season and changing it with HIIT which can be more fun. A simple rule of do 30 min per 5 days of the week after your workout can really help. Treadmill jog/walk should be good enough. And of course change it up and eat healthy. Have 1 or 2 cheat meals per week and keep your diet similar. Maybe some more calories to gain muscle but don't go over 10lbs. This is when its unhealthy if you plan to compete at almost the same weight. Let's face reality you can't gain much muscle specially if natural. Maybe 1 to 2lbs per year at best.

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