RCS Newsletter :: February 2012 | The MUSCLE Edition

This is my fourth week back in training after forced time out from multiple injuries... It is very apparent that I have lost the muscle mass that I have worked hard [TWICE!] to gain in my delts and arms...one of my goals over the next few months is to gain back the muscle my delts and arms...Several of those I have been working with also want muscle gains, so this edition is dedicated to everything MUSCLE..

This month in the 'Training' section, I have detailed the best exercises for building muscle mass.

In this month's 'Nutrition' section, I have outlined the optimal macronutrient amounts required for muscle growth.

Check out the sixth edition of the RCS Newsletter, "The MUSCLE Edition" - you can review it HERE.

2012 | Day 8: It's time to rise up...get back up...show them all you won't be beaten...

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

"My will to succeed is so real, I see it and think about it 24/7." - Carl OX Joseph

For the complete Motivational, review Will to Succeed | WPM Women.

TRAINING

Fifth consecutive week of NO training. ARGH!!!! I am definitely noticing it re body ability to breathe, energy levels, and body composition.

But...GOOD news!!!! The swelling in my knees has 99% gone and although it's still very painful, I have gradually been working on increasing my range of motion re shoulder flexion and abduction (still little extension due to EXTREME pain), so I will start back training TOMORROW!!! Although my resistance sessions are likely to be a little shorter than usual for a week or so, I am going to follow a similar training split to that I was using prior to injuries (exercises selected that won't aggravate right shoulder, within range of motion that I have - but pushing and working on improving it as well), since it proved to be the best for my body re what I want and need to do.

Training Split:
Monday - HIIT Cardio + Shoulders/Hamstrings
Tuesday - 10 min Cardio + Arms/Abs
Wednesday - HIIT Cardio
Thursday - 10 min Cardio + Full-Body
Friday - HIIT Cardio + Shoulders/Arms/Abs
Saturday - 20 min Cardio
Sunday - Day OFF

OTHER NOTES

Body Composition

Continued increase in body composition this week, up to 9.2% bodyfat - I definitely notice the change re look and feel of my body and definitely do NOT like it. In fact, I noticed the definite difference in look and feel as soon as I went over 8.3% bodyfat, the latter the body composition that I definitely want to stay UNDER ALWAYS! 

Supplements

Currently I am only using Erase (honestly, if it wasn't for this, with the way I have been eating everything in sight, despite not training, I believe my body composition would have increased more than it did), MuscleGels (here and there, preferring to use BCAAs and save these until I am training again), RecoverPRO (one of the reasons I believe I have not lost any muscle mass with all this time off training) and Vitamin C (at six grams a day since my injuries). I have not used Assault since my last training session, so my muscle creatine levels have returned to baseline, but I will notice as they rise again when I start back on it tomorrow. Alpha-T2 and Shred Matrix are well overdue to be used again as well - I miss them both terribly and can't wait for some more. You'll recall that I had just started using Battlefuel on the Monday my injuries presented, so I only had a single dose of it before stopping to save it for when I was able to train again - I will likely add this in during my second week back.

Website Changes

I've made a few changes to my website over my time off training. One of them is the addition of a page with links to all editions of my monthly online newsletter, RCS Newsletter - don't forget to check out the latest and learn how to flatten up your midsection: January 2012 | The SWIMSUIT Edition. Plus, since I am now the "Inspiration/Motivation" columnist for World Physique Magazine and WPM Women (and WPM Comps when it is released), I have added a "Published in Print (from 2011) Article" blog - I will be adding to this as issues of these magazines (and any of my articles that are published in print elsewhere) are out.

Writing Requests

I would also like to take this time to ask what YOU would like to see me write about, whether it is for the RCS Newsletter or for articles, so please email me your requests and I will review them all.

My Anthem for 2012



The words of this song (ignore the visuals and just LISTEN) could not be truer of how I approach life! I love it!

God Bless and may you all have an Awesome week!

RCS Newsletter :: January 2012 | The SWIMSUIT Edition

It's summer in New Zealand (how I miss it), the time of barbeques, the aroma of the tropics, playing in the sun, sand and surf and swimsuits. Males want the washboard 6-pack abs to show off, females the flat and lean midsection of a fitness cover model.

This month in the 'Training' section, I have explained a couple of key factors in leaning out and building your midsection, so that when you ARE lean, you have the abs perfect for showcasing in your swimsuit.

In this month's 'Nutrition' section, I have outlined three simple but important tips that will help you transform your stomach from average into something that you can be proud to show off at the beach.

Check out the fifth edition of the RCS Newsletter, "The SWIMSUIT Edition" - you can review it HERE.

Day 352: The Beauty in Strength & Determination

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

TRAINING

ANOTHER week NOT training - instead, being bedridden 95% of the time, because walking around last week made my left knee worse, swelling up more and more (and now my RIGHT knee is starting to swell as well, from all the moving around I have done the last two days). So, not the happiest of people right now, but hoping that the rest HELPS my body RECOVER!

OTHER NOTES

Body Composition

Body Composition continued to drop this week, now back at 7.8% bodyfat this week - again, very surprised, since I have done NO training for ~2 weeks now, and my eating has NOT changed (and if anything, this week, I have had the munchies - and given in, as always - rather badly)! All my injuries must be taking more out of my body than I thought. I will note though, that I DEFINITELY notice the difference from NOT training - although I am the same body composition as I was when I shot with Walt Ostarly ~3 weeks ago, my muscle definition not as hard and therefore not as "defined", and I actually feel rather soft, if I am honest. That said, my girths have also continued to decrease, and I am now 0.5 cm smaller re chest (smallest it has ever been!), glutes, and thighs than I was when I shot with Walt, my arms also smaller (THAT is NOT a good thing, but the glutes and thighs I am ok with). REALLY hoping and praying that I am not out from training for long (I canNOT even do cardio on my bike until my knees stop swelling and go down), because I do NOT want to lose the muscle mass that I have just painstaking built for a second time this year!

Joints

So, an ignored aggravated biceps tendon (since 2007) finally tore - at the shoulder. That single injury created a domino effect in my body re other injuries - some old, but just getting worse, and some new. Not just my right biceps tendon is torn, but also my right rotator cuff tendon. There is impingement in my right shoulder, and I still cannot even lift my right arm - even UNassisted - past ~30 degrees without wanting to fall on the floor and scream in pain. I have nerve root impingement in my neck - an old injury (from when I crushed my cervical vertebrae in 2004) aggravated from the way my right arm has been hanging and the way I am favouring my right shoulder. My lower right back is still bruised and there is literal pain when the bones at the base of my lower back are touched. I have chondromalacia in both knees, and there are now bone fragments in my right knee capsule, causing it to catch and seize, hence the sharp pain, swelling, and lack of range of motion there. The last couple of days, my LEFT knee has also started having sharp pains across the kneecap, and that too has started swelling - despite the fact that I am now using a walking stick to hobble around (when I do). On top of that, my right wrist has been playing up, and my left wrist I have to be careful not to put too much pressure on when I use the walking stick  - my body is falling apart, LOL.

Recharge with Rosie | 7-Week Motivational

Don't forget that you can download for free, my 7-Week Motivational eBook, Recharge with Rosie.

RCS Newsletter December 2011 | The TRAVEL & HOLIDAY Edition

It IS the Holiday Season, so be sure to check out December's RCS Newsletter, The TRAVEL & HOLIDAY Edition.

Christmas/New Year

I survived the 17-hour drive from Texas back to Wisconsin over the weekend, back for another white Christmas (I really wish I was back home, enjoying the New Zealand summer and having Christmas on the beach with a barbeque dinner - with the way this year has gone, that was not an option, even though I have been wanting to go home for a while now, and I am hoping to get back for my nephew's first birthday next year at the latest now!), and a couple of weeks off before having to head back to Texas for work. My goals for 2012 have all been done and my FIRST priority of the New Year (starting now, really) is to recover and rehabilitate myself from all these injuries AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, so that I can get back to training and doing what I want and need to, because 2012 is going to be a BIG year for me (already the plans have been set in motion).

For all of those traveling over the following week - whether back "home", or to visit family and friends, I hope you all have a safe trip. God Bless you all this Christmas, overflowing those blessings into the New Year, giving you more than you could ever hope and dream of!

Day 335: RCS Newsletter December 2011 Edition Now Live!

THE TRAVEL & HOLIDAY EDITION

This is a busy time of year, when people travel near and far to see family and friends and spend time with them.It's also a time of festivity, with lots of food and drink, work parties, and other celebrations.It can be a time when your discipline may stumble . . . Let me tell you a secret: You DON'T have to feel uncomfortable; you DON'T have to deprive yourself of all the festive treats and goodies; you DON'T have to let your training go; you DON'T have to let all your hard work up until now be for nothing. Want to know how? Then check out the fourth edition of the RCS Newsletter, "The TRAVEL & HOLIDAY Edition" - you can review it HERE.

Day 305: RCS Newsletter November 2011 Edition Now Live

THE FAT LOSS EDITION

It's going to be an interesting month this month. My focus for the most part is on fat loss, compared to my usual recomp. The majority of my clients and those I am working with are also predominantly focused on fat loss. Thus, the third edition of the RCS Newsletter is "The FAT LOSS Edition" - you can review it HERE.

Day 275: Work Only for the Best

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you!" - Christian D. Larson

TRAINING

This was my third week back in training withOUT any support for my left wrist. The pain has not been as bad this week, with only a twinge here and there, which is AWESOME!

Training completed this week:

Shoulders/Hamstrings (1 min recovery between sets - 6 sets per exercise):
1. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press
2. BB Military Press - more reps per set than last week, so improvement
3. Lateral Raises
4. Stiff-Legged BB Deadlift (BB to touch ground)

Arms/Abs (1 min recovery between alternate sets - 6 alternate sets):
Alternate Set A -
1. EZ Bar 21s Bicep Curls
2. Dips - more reps per set of this than last week, so getting better
Alternate Set B -
3. Zottoman Curls - added these in and wrist was ok, which was great
4. Alternate Hammer-Bi Curls
5. Rope Crunches - 100 reps in total only

Chest/Back (1 min recovery between alternate sets - 4 alternate sets):
Alternate Set A -
1. Incline BB Bench Press - more reps at the same weight as last week, which is progress
2. BB Bent Over Rows - back to usual lifting weight, which is a smile
Alternate Set B -
3. Push-Ups (feet on bench, hands on DB) - wrist a little better this week
4. Reverse Rows - heavier weight and more reps than last week

Improvements and progress on EVERY exercise and session from last week to this week, with strength improving rapidly, which is awesome! Pain was the bare minimum this week, with only a few dull aches here and there. No Full-Body session and no second Abs session either - because of work and things going on, even though it killed me to do it, I had to "let" these sessions go and know that next week I will be back to "normal" with them.

Definitely feeling the increase in body mass during my running the second half of the week - NOT cool at all!

From next week, training will be back to being first thing, first thing being in the morning, very close to the same times as it was when I was home in New Zealand - yay for that!

OTHER NOTES

Body Composition has gone back up to 8.8% bodyfat, body mass rocketing to 115.2 pounds over the last week. I know that a lot of the extra mass is food (I have not quite recovered from the eating every ~2 hours when traveling on Wednesday, especially given the food I was eating) and water (I have not been drinking enough the last few days) weight, but some of it is fat (can see and feel it from my waist to my knees - waist, hip, and thigh girths have increased 1-2 inches in a week!) and a small amount of muscle mass (can see it in my shoulders and arms). Only having three training sessions this week has not helped at all, nor the long hours working and getting used to a new environment re climate, but next week training will be AT Maintenance, and I have every confidence my body will have acclimatized by next week.

So, yes, spent literally ALL day on Wednesday driving to Texas - left at 0030 and arrived at the final destination at 2359! It was a long trip and I was shattered from not sleeping at all on Tuesday, so there was ~1.5 hours  of stops during the trip. Relieved to arrive, but it has taken some time to get used to it - still not really, and will be another week to really "settle" into work and training.

Used the last of the Green Apple Assault on Tuesday, which is fine, because yesterday I found two tubs of Blue Arctic Raspberry (my favourite Assault flavour) of the ORIGINAL formula with Suma Root in, which made my day! Ran out of Shred Matrix in the middle of the week and won't be getting more until middle of next week. This was also my last week of this bottle of Battle Fuel - I have another, but not sure if I will use it after a week off it - I just want my ERASE to arrive so I can use that again, because I miss it like mad and notice the difference withOUT it!

My wrist is continuing to get better. Again, the noting of PAIN the day AFTER my day OFF, which is interesting.

Today is decision time re competition. This last week has brought a few things to light (i.e. recent information on 7-KE) and made clear some of my concerns re time to better physique (i.e. realistically, I do NOT have enough time to gain back all the muscle mass I lost over the last few months and lean out as I need to before competition). So, I have decided NOT to compete at the end of October, and I will not be competing at all this year; instead, I am going to give myself adequate time to build my shoulders and arms back up again, and work on "slenderizing" my lower body, making sure that the physical package I bring to the stage the next time I step on it is the best that it can possibly be. Disappointing in some ways, but not in others, and really, doing the best thing for me at this stage.

Travel is looking hot for November - a couple of trips to Florida, which I am looking forward to. As well as eight photoshoots over a 3-week period at the end of November - so not competing means I will just concentrate on getting into the condition I need to be for those.

Back to being busy as all hell, with little time to breathe, but I WILL make it work! Thankful for all the realizations and revelations over this last week, and just working on being the best that I can be - inside AND out!

RCS NEWSLETTER

Since, if left to its own devices, my body perpetually recomps, I thought it was only fitting to have a Recomp Edition of the RCS Newsletter! THE RECOMP EDITION contains tips on how to train for a successful recomp and information on - including the key points of - Lean Gains. Check out the October 2011 edition out HERE.

God Bless! Have Faith. Always!

Day 244: RCS Newsletter First Month Edition Now Live!

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you greater than any obstacle." - Christian D. Larson

RCS NEWSLETTER

After being told by multiple individuals that they would like to see more motivational and educational material from me, I am excited to bring you the very FIRST edition of the RCS Newsletter! I will be publishing the RCS Newsletter monthly online, and welcome requests for topics you would like to see in future editions, as well as any and all feedback. Check the September 2011 edition out HERE.

IN OTHER NEWS

I recently had the blessing and honour of joining Team World Physique as an author and columnist. There are exciting times ahead for World Physique, especially as they introduce two brand NEW magazines: WPM Women first edition coming Fall 2011, and WPM Comps. projected first issue due to launch Winter 2011. The newest World Physique Magazine website is now published and includes all new articles, columns, and interviews, so be sure to check it out.