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Issue #8 -- An Interview with Former Mr. Universe Lee Labrada, and The "T" Squat.
Turbulence Training Members FREE Fat Loss Newsletter Inside Issue #8... 1) Former Mr. Universe Lee Labrada, talks about how his training has changed since he left professional body building. One of the world's best-known and celebrated bodybuilding legends, Lee Labrada holds 22 professional bodybuilding titles, including the IFBB Mr. Universe. He is one of few pro bodybuilders in history to consistently place in the top four at the Mr. Olympia competition (the "Super Bowl" of bodybuilding) for seven consecutive years--a feat he shares with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Lee's desire to help others reach their health and nutrition goals inspired him to found Labrada Nutrition, and create a line of award-winning nutrition and supplement products. Equally successful in business as he is in the gym, Lee guided Labrada Nutrition to become one of the fastest growing privately-held companies in the U.S.--earning Inc. 500 status--in only six years. CB: Lee, how has your training changed since you left bodybuilding? LL: When I was competing as a professional bodybuilder throughout the 80's and 90's I utilized a push-pull routine. I would train my push muscles, or my chest, shoulders and triceps, on one day; my pull muscles, or the back and biceps on the next day; and then on the third day I would train my legs. I scheduled these workouts so that typically each body part would be trained twice per week. My workouts at the time involved exercises with heavy weights performed in high intensity fashion. These workouts lasted approximately an hour and a half. Today I have to be much more efficient, what with the demands of my business and family. I still train utilizing a push-pull routine using very similar exercises and techniques, however my workouts have been shortened so that they last no more than forty-five minutes. Now, I train each body part once per week, and on the days in between the weight workouts I do interval cardio sessions of approximately thirty minutes. CB: How have you had to alter your lifestyle (training and nutrition) to help stay lean while you run a hectic business? LL: The training has become much more efficient. I schedule my training at approximately the same time every day, treating it the same as I would any appointment. In this manner I can be sure that I get my workout in every day. This is very important because the workouts keep my body in shape and my energy levels high. My nutrition program is still very similar to the one that I used during my competitive years. Typically I eat five small meals per day, spaced about three hours apart. Each meal has 30 -- 40 grams of a lean protein, usually from fish, chicken, or egg whites, plus a small portion of complex carbohydrates, typically sweet potatoes, whole grain brown rice, or oatmeal. Additionally I eat fruits such as bananas, apples, grapes and oranges. I supplement with Lean Body Meal Replacement Powders and Ready to Drink Shakes and various supplements including fish oil, multi- vitamins, creatine, pro-biotics, and such. I have my meals prepared and packaged in serving-size Tupperware containers, which are then placed inside a cooler, which I take to work. Whenever I need to eat a meal, I pull out the appropriate amount of food, microwave it and enjoy a hot meal. For snacks I use Lean Body MRP's, RTD's and fruit. CB: Did you ever get over-fat in the off-season from bodybuilding? What was the worst body fat you had, and what tactics did you use to get lean fast? LL: I never overindulged in foods which were not on my training regimen. A strict diet, combined with my fast metabolism enabled me to stay within 10--15 pounds of competition weight. The heaviest that I ever got was 210 pounds in the off-season. My competition weight at that time was 190 to 195 pounds. Rather than use any get lean fast tactics what I employed a slow methodical body fat burn over a twelve-week period. This way I could preserve the maximum amount of lean muscle tissue while stripping away the last few pounds of unwanted body fat.
2) Exercise Video Clip of the Week for Platinum Members: A beginner squat exercise, which will work muscles that have been lengthened all day by rounded forward posture. This will relieve stress and prepare the muscles for training. Click this link to watch video The "T" Squat & get the complete instructions. 3) Forum Topic of the Week: KR: Just finished my first 4 weeks doing Beginner Level TT and love it! I don't know my final weight loss yet because I don't weigh until the morning, but it's at least 5lbs and 1.5% BF, which I'm very pleased with. I'm wondering what to do next? Intermediate TT or Fusion Fat Loss? I'm ready for a new challenge. I've been lifting BFL style for 1.5 years. In case it matters, I'm 30 and 165lbs as of last weigh in, and still have a lot of fat to lose. I'm so glad I found TT and I'm feeling great! I'm wearing clothes today that I couldn't zip up 4 weeks ago! Thanks!!! KB: You'll find the intermediate TT a good next step....That's what I did and then I moved onto the January 2007 program Fat Loss....That's where i am today, almost at the end of my second week. I also did BFL....but I've never seen my chest strength explode like it has with this program. I used to use 35 pound dumbells for chest press. Yesterday, I was using 55 pound weights....and I still consider myself a newbie with TT. Make sure you get a sneak at the new June 2007 program, I was working up a sweat just reading the rotations. CB: Great improvements KB! Nice work. Yes, I would recommend Intermediate as the next stage for you KR. Great work so far! KR: Perfect, I'll start today. Final stats: 5.6 lbs and 2.0% BF. The sad thing is the eating could have been cleaner and therefore the results probably better, but I'm trying to look at this as a true life change and "things" will always happen and get in the way. Anyway-so glad to have found TT. Thanks! CB: Impressive changes! Great work KR. Keep working on that nutrition. Read the rest of the forums, including a Strengthening forearms article HERE.
More than Fusion...this uses the power of powerful lifting, free weights, bodyweight exercises, and some of my favorite NEW techniques for fat loss. This 3 day program also includes a NEW ab training program. You know that those are few and far between here on TTMembers.com, so enjoy this special treat. It will give your abs a challenge, big-time! 5) What's Coming Soon on www.TTMembers.com The Advanced 4-week Bodyweight Workout! Support the Fight Against Cancer Please visit www.Liftstrong.com and support the fight against cancer by purchasing your own copy of Lift Strong - a CD-ROM packed with inspirational and educational articles about training, overcoming the odds, and winning at life. Thanks for reading this week's TTmembers.com newsletter. To become a member, click here: http://www.ttmembers.com/public/5.cfm Sincerely, Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS Author, Turbulence Training |