THE BODCAST - KENYA

In this Episode we take you on bodybuilding journey! Whether you are a bodybuilding fan or know nothing about it, you will enjoy this episode. We start with the history of bodybuilding and where it is at today. We take you through the various federations and categories of bodybuilding globally and how competitions work. Finally - do you have what it takes to become a bodybuilder? Andy and Leon, who have both competed tell you exactly what it takes, the sacrifices, the hard work, the dieting to get you to the stage.

Today's episode builds upon the knowledge of last week's discussion on hypertrophy. We really need to understand the principles behind hypertrophy to create an effective programme. Programming is a skill, taking into account your goals, lifestyle, stresses, nutritional habits, exercise history etc. to create a programme that will be effective for YOU. We go through basic programme designs from beginners to advanced, from full body to bro- splits and how to know which is right for you.

In this episode we discuss the fundamentals of hypertrophy; what it actually is and how to achieve it. A big emphasis is on the importance of understanding these principles to apply to one's own training, programming and goals. Andy takes us through hypertrophy on the cellular level; the biological processes that take place to grow muscle. We then go into the main three mechanisms of hypertrophy: Mechanical tension. Metabolic stress. Muscle damage. We emphasise the importance of the first two. Progressive overload is broken down and we talk about intensity and volume. Throughout we stress the importance of RECOVERY and how it can seem counter-intuitive to hypertrophy. Everyone is different, not just our genetic potential for hypertrophy, but our ability to adapt and to respond to different training stimuli. By understanding all the above, we hope that after listening to this you can view your own training in a different and more effective light.

In this first episode of Season 2, we discuss the fundamentals of Energy Balance and the importance of understanding them. We take you through evolutionary adaptations our body has gone through to understand how that ties in with Energy Balance today and why most diets fail. The Energy Balance equation is basically Calories in VS Calories out (CICO). This explains weight gain, loss and maintenance and how our body strives always for homeostasis. We go into detail what calories really are, what ATP is and fuel sources our body prefers, what metabolism actually means and how it is affected. We discuss how the calories out side of the balance is more complicated. We take you through: TDEE= BMR + NEAT+EA+TEF No matter what diet you are on, be it KETO, paleo , vegan etc the principle of energy balance apply. We then get into what happens when you enter a calorie deficit and how your body's self defense system is activated. We explain Metabolic adaption and how to negate this. We emphasise how the body always strives for homeostasis and thus being in an lengthy deficit or surplus is not ideal; maintenance should be our long term goal. Finally we talk about how you can calculate your calories, but always to remember these are just guidelines and you need to take the time to understand concepts like energy balance, to find your maintenance calories through trial and error and to make notes of the entire process. We hope you enjoy this episode!

In this episode we answer all your questions. 1. Would you consider being a mentor to fitness enthusiasts and personal trainers? 2. Does metabolic age matter when it comes to bodybuliding? 3. How long does it take for Winstrol to leave your body after a cycle? 4.The importance of cheat days. I always end up bloated and with a bad stomach after a cheat meal. Thinking of doing away with them altogether. 5. Can you build muscle at higher body fat %- say 25%? 6. What's your take on BCAAs? 7. Since I am doing home workouts and they aren't as intense as my gym workouts, shall I still continue my supplements like creatine and pro gainer? 8. What do you think about kids and fitness? 9. Does whey protein make you sleepy? 10. Reps- counting vs timing. What is best? Most programmes I come across are timed; how do I convert them to reps? 11. The importance of TRT for men over 40. 12. What is the importance of energy balance. 13. Depression and it's effect on weightlifting.