WINTER MASS ATTACK

Get big and strong this winter with our definitive mass-gain programme.
 
There's a reason Santa looks the way he does, and we know what it is. No, we're not talking about the red velvet suit, belt and black patent-leather boots (and, frankly, we're not sure we want to know why he wears those). What we are referring to is his size. Oh, sure, it helps to be on the large side when you're the happy and jolly sort. The two seem to go hand in hand. There is, however, an even more significant reason for his mass, one that all the good boys and girls who regularly read FLEX should heed.
 
You see, Santa is a cold-weather kind of guy, and as every self-respecting bodybuilder will tell you, wintery climes are ideal for bulking up. Leave the six-pack and crossstriations to the boys of summer. As it is for Santa, winter is your time to live it up! Eat — following the guidelines set out in the nutrition segment for the Winter Mass Attack programme — 10 Rules of Eating for Mass. Don't sweat the detailbuilding exercises — instead, squat, bench and deadlift your heart out (not literally, of course). Sure, Santa could be accused of taking the bulking thing a hair too far, but his general philosophy of packing on the pounds when the pond freezes over is on the mark...
 
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FOULING OUT

The cardinal rules of bodybuilding nutrition are broken every day — here are the eight biggest dieting offences, and how to fix them.
 
If only we could hire referees to sit with you at your breakfast bar, your dinner table and your favourite lunch spot. If only someone with a discerning nutritional eye could look over your shoulder as you fix your pre- and postworkout shakes and cry "foul" when your protein-to-carb ratios didn't add up or you used only one scoop of protein rather than two. Because here's the deal: too many bodybuilders make too many dieting mistakes. Whether it's a lack of protein, an overabundance of simple carbs, or a faulty bedtime snack, such shortcomings are holding back loads of people from achieving their bodybuilding goals. So here, we break down a handful of the worst diet fouls we come across. If you can just fix these, you'll be in good
shape — literally...
 
For the full story see this month's issue

KYLE HIGH

One callout at the 2008 Ms. Olympia prejudging on September 26 was all it took for Iris Kyle to retain her title. The four-time champ (who also won the heavyweight class in 2001) brought her best shape possible to the show, ending the suspense of how she would overcome her unexpected seventh-place finish at this year's Ms. International, a contest she had won three times in the past. She is a competitor who thrives on challenges, and this was never clearer than it was in Las Vegas. With no visible weaknesses, Kyle dominated the other 16 contestants. Only superlatives are appropriate for the 34-year-old walking anatomy chart with proportionally developed muscle everywhere. Backstage, she said, "I feel ecstatic. I'm high . . . cloud nine. This one is almost like a replacement for losing the Ms. International. This showed the judges and my competitors that I can come in with a different look. I came in bigger with more definition. I'm still floating."...
 
For the full story see this month's issue

JANUARY'S ISSUE IS ON SALE FROM 18TH DECEMBER
 
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