Recent Posts by Dr. Joe

All great points, Tyler. I'd add a couple involving athleticism.  I'm a recreational and self-competitive runner, and being light, lean, and fast feels better than fat, slow, and painful.  I'll take being lean, hard, and athletic over big and bulky any day. 

The face thing is funny - it's actually a modeling consideration for you for sure, and for the first time ever in my life, with my book release and being on TV interviews, etc, it was a consideration for me.  

Dan, that did make me laugh hard - ha!!

With camp over the weekend and getting ready for it, I haven't been getting to it yet at all, so getting the email notices have been good.  Eventually I need to learn the thing, but it is fun to have a place that is purely social and my wife showed me how to do the searching like people from high school, etc.  

So, the cool thing is my graphic designer said he did it and 5 friends from HS and college found him, it was great, he loves it for the business contacts....so I thought you fill out a bio thing and it connects people - I didn't realize people get on there every 5 seconds and tell you what they're doing.  There has to be some good function for it?  Remember, I'm the most impatient guy on the planet when it comes to learning something new - I had to be talked out of taking my new phone back every 10 minutes for a week until I learned it.

That's me on the phone and computer at home with Ashlyn working on my hair.   The K's don't miss a chance to play...even when we're working we're having fun....Lynnea was painting my toe nails. 

So far, the top three candidates in each category are (in no particular order):

MVP:  

Kori Propst - two pro cards and a pro Mid-America figure title.  Since the pro cards were as a client and non-staffer, I'll let her stay in the game.

Homer Alafa - five contests, five overall wins, two pro cards.

Brad Steere - pro card, light-weight International title.

Most Improved:

Mark Irwin - lost over 100 lbs in '08, competed in first show.

Craig Valier - lost over 60 lbs, competed in first show, and nabbed second place in his masters class.

Deb Day - Went from WNBF obscurity to two top-three heavy-weight wins with first place votes.

Most Supportive:

Graig Presti

Patti Clutter

Jordan Chabinsky

Mary Ford

(included four here due to a tie....but I could have put two dozen - so many people are so helpful not only on the forum but at shows - amazing actually.)

So, there are the finalists; now email your final votes and we'll announce winners!!

These and many more suggestions have been made to Steve.  In the last two years I've seen him listen and respond to the following:

1) more features on top WNBF pros

2) more actual training articles

3) more news to get more personality building of the top "stars"

4) more science review information

...and much more. The mag is way better - but can and needs to keep moving forward.

I like the comparison shots from the stage, but that takes a dedicated photographer.  Keep making suggestions to Steve.  

First, let me admit I didn't read every post here - just saw the topic and skimmed a couple.  Two thoughts:

1) Some people don't mind being "big."  I didn't used to....14-16%....I just loved lifting more weight and looking huge in a shirt (I just must have avoided mirrors or thought it was a necessary off-season evil.)  Some just truly feel better bigger and stronger - maybe an insecurity thing.

2) If you don't like option #1 - live a healthy life and don't make it all about how you look.  I want to see my abs, I want to fit in my 28" jeans, I want to feel lighter when I run, I love feeling lean and tight....but then I don't look as big - it's a trade.  Whichever you like - embrace it and love life.  If you constantly hate yourself for how you look - you're in the game for the wrong reason.  

1) water

2) green tea with minimal stevia

3) enjoy the suffering knowing that the contest is won one meal cycle at a time; not on contest day.  You can talk yourself into feeling good about going to bed hungry or feeling hungry in general - that's when you're making progress....given, of course, you're blood sugar is not in peril and you know the difference.

Think you guys got it covered - thanks for dredging up the pictures of my worst body part, Mary but it does make the point - as do yours.

Yes, you make the most gross weight/muscle gain early.  Fact.  You then refine by seeing better training and just more time continue to bring up more improvements here and there.  You still want to train heavy and basic to keep muscle - your body will constantly look to drop what it doesn't need, but this is why as a bodybuilder you look your best into your 40's if you keep relatively injury free and consistent.  And even if you can't gain 5 lbs a year - why would you want to not train and be healthy and strong?  I look forward to being over 60 like my friends Reed Masters and Alan Earl and look like superstuds....those are the guys who are my heros!

I want to repeat our three categories from last year:

1) Most valuable - best, most dominant season or accomplishments

2) Most improved - best overall movement up in career or overall transformation

3) Most supportive - the team member who goes the extra mile to help both tangibly and by attitude

Please start by nominating your choices to me by email....I'll collect votes and then post the top three in each category with a short bio and the final votes can be cast then.  A primary and a general election.  

Fun stuff - some very deserving Team K-ers this year!!

Some very heartfelt thanks to such a wonderful group of people I get to pretend I work with.  So many comment that our forum and clients are the smartest, most fun, best in the country - how can I disagree?  The proof is right here on the board.  Your dedication, your work ethic, your humor, your humanity, your support for one another - I'm so humbled and grateful to you all.

2008 saw the continued integration of Sean McCauley as our Program Director, Kori Propst as our Wellness Director, Tony Bronco as our Business Manager, Mary Ford as our Posing Program Director, and Nancy Kornblum as our East Coast Contest-Prep Director - we made the decision to add layer upon layer of support for our clients and our staff just can't be matched.  Many client-prep coaches out there have no education and little experience in the physical and nutritional sciences and our staff collectively has 4 bachelors degress in physical sciences and health, 3 masters degrees in health and counseling, and two doctorates in nutrition and health (not to mention a couple degrees in business).  Combine that with five WNBF pro cards and a few decades of experience and you have me bragging my butt off about how superior my staff is - I couldn't be prouder of a group of people to surround myself with.

We moved our local operations into a fantastic 3,500 square feet headquarters and are in the process of adding 1,000 in 2009.  We promoted our first show in 5 years and brought it back with 95 competitors including 40 top pros in what was described by others as the best-run, best-overall show they had ever competed in.  Thanks again to the clients and staff that made that possible.  We started free client prep camps twice a year and are moving one to the east coast in April. 

So much more I could tell you about that we have planned this year.  For now, I can only say 2008 saw our greatest year in number of pro cards and pro titles won and many best-evers for many more.  It's not about winning all the time - this is a journey and it's about moving forward and having a lot of fun along the way.  I hope we can help with both.

With all the gratitude I can muster, my warmest thanks to all our clients and staff for a great year.  Have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season and let's make 2009 even better!  My best to you all - Joe

As with most "systems;" there are some good and some unfounded things:

1. Train only 1 or 2 muscle groups per workout/day.FINE...NOT THE ONLY WAY TO TRAIN AND I'D EMPHASIZE RECOVERY WITH DAYS BETWEEN TRAINING.  WHEN TRYING TO GROW, TRAINING EVERY DAY IS TOO MUCH EVEN IF JUST ONE BODY PART AT A TIME.
2. Do 4 to 6 reps per set only. (6-8reps for abs/claves/forearms) latic acid blunts the muscle building process.so 4-6 is ideal.  NOT EXACTLY TRUE AND IT DISCOUNTS SLOW-TWITCH NEEDS AND THE ABILITY TO CONVERT THEM TO INTERMEDIATE FIBER THROUGH INTENSITY.  MISSING A GOOD PART OF TRAINING.
3. Do 6 to 9 total heavy sets per muscle group.OKAY, BUT AGAIN, LIMITS TO JUST THE ANAEROBIC AND NOT GLYCOLYTIC WORK...MITOCHONDRIA, SLOW-TWITCH, ETC.
4. Rest 2 to 3 minutes between sets. (STR)  FINE.
5. Each workout should last approximately 30 to 40 minutes. FINE, MOSTLY SEMANTICS...WHEN YOU COUNT WARM UPS OR NOT.
6. Train each muscle group once every 5 to 7 days. (ITR)  FINE.
7. Train to natural failure only , No force reps!  OKAY FOR MOST OF THE TIME.  TOO MANY FORCED REPS AND INTENSITY WORK IS DETRIMENTAL.
8. No supersets/rest pause/tri sets ect.  AGAIN, YOU DON'T WANT INTENSITY TECHNIQUES ALL THE TIME, BUT WITHOUT THEM YOU'RE MISSING A LOT OF HYPERTROPHY WORK.
9. Uni-lateral exercises not recomended  PROS AND CONS.
10.  isolation exercises NOT recomend and are told to be a waste for building muscle  AGREED.
11. Max-ot warm up consist of reps , 12/10/6/4/1 none go to failure or come close to at all , 1 max-ot warm up sequence for the first exercise only.  NOT BAD....BUT DOING ONE PROTOCOL/STYLE IS VERY LIMITING...TO CALL IT "BEST"?...
12. High reps are a waste , and overload is what builds muscle not fatigue, not the burn , not the pump , but overload, also high reps give you a greater chance for injury do to the fatigue of the muscle from latic acid  TRUE ONLY TO A DEGREE.  MISSES THE POINT OF GOING TO FAILURE IN MIDDLE-REP RANGES.
13. each workout you should try and add more weight or reps every workout.  FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO BACK DOWN AND KNOW HOW AND WHY TO CYCLE TRAINING.
14. loose form on all exercises , strict fourm cause strain on the tendons and ligaments and will cause injury  I CAN BUY THAT ONE - BUT IT'S A MATTER OF SEMANTICS AGAIN.  SOME MOVEMENTS NEED TO BE ISOLATED, BUT i AGREE WITH THIS FOR THE MOST PART.