The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Hey Cygen Bloggers & Blog Followers,


Christopher here - this posting is going to be coming at you like the Tasmanian Devil – fast, furious & in a flurry of motion, so keep up and follow along as some serious New Years knowledge is about to be dropped. Check it out; what’s the number one thing this time of year brings about for all of you fitness nuts and fitness enthusiasts out there? That’s right, RESOLUTIONS. This is the year for you to do it up bigger, better and faster – the only question on your mind right now should be – How?

The best way, in my humble opinion, to reach your fitness goals more efficiently (whether professional, intermediate or beginner) is to find a “good” coach – wait a second, I said bigger, better faster didn’t I? Correct me if I’m wrong but you don’t need “good”; you need “great”! How do you find a great coach? What’s the difference between a great coach and a great trainer? Well, that’s why I’m writing this posting boys and girls out there in cyberspace – I am hoping this message takes your training this New Year from “good” to “great”!

The “stuff” that separates “good” from “great” can be measured on such a minute scale, it really does come down to the details. The details I speak of in this particular instance are you; but before we get to you, let’s take a closer look at the difference between a great coach and a great trainer. From my vantage point the difference between being a great coach and a great trainer comes down to a simple matter of form versus function. Trainers (and I am not knocking the profession, rather the semantics of the title) can teach the form of exercises; they are often in great physical shape – billboards of perceivable health and wellness but quite often, not in all cases, a vast majority of trainers out there lack the expertise to teach the finer points of exercise performance based on the best interest of their audience.


The vast majority of exercises I see trainers use in a traditional commercial gym setting with general population fitness members serve no real purpose (blanket statement – I know). Usually it’s the newest, latest fad that is going to aid more in client retention initiatives than client results. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few shake weight group exercise classes started to emerge in the New Year – ugggh, I digress. A good coach I feel is just that because they have the expertise to increase performance (function) to higher levels. Coaches have put in countless hours to master the most minute of details and more importantly have made a craft out of “teaching” this knowledge – regardless of who their audience is.


In the MMA world it’s like having Greg Jackson in your corner. You can be a good fighter but because of Greg’s coaching he brings your game to the level of a “great” fighter. Charlie Francis (God rest his soul) was the same to the sprinting community here in Canada. Say what you want about Charlie – he was one hell of an amazing Coach and I consider myself fortunate to have been able to watch him coach on more than one occasion. To expand a bit before getting back on point (here’s the Tasmanian-Devil coming out as I digress yet again) Charlie was actually a distance runner himself; so how then did this guy rise to become one of the most sought after speed coaches in the world? I am going to argue it was his expertise that arose from a sense of pride in his job; a need to know the details and the recognition that performance (function) was based on more than physical form. Performance was actually the result of the harmonious integration and interaction of the spiritual, mental and physical self (I will talk more on this in later postings – I promise)
To the task at hand; now that we know the difference between a coach and a trainer, there are a few short hurdles to keep in mind that a competent coach should be able to jump through with relative ease and they are:


Certification: In this area you want to insure that your coach has the proper credentials and that they are constantly updating their knowledge. I believe that constant professional growth through professional development, be it a certification, a workshop or continued independent reading demonstrates a level of care and professionalism toward you the client. More importantly it demonstrates a certain sense of self-respect and pride that the coach has both in themselves and in their chosen profession. A little known “black secret” in the Canadian Fitness Industry – it’s unregulated; which means that it doesn’t matter if your Coach is Can-Fit Pro ™ Certified or not. What matters is that they are certified and demonstrate due diligence to seek certification from an organization that requires continuing education credits to maintain eligibility of accreditation.

To this end does your Coach have any specialty certifications or areas of expertise? For example Kettlebell or Speed Conditioning for Sport – with specified knowledge your performance will improve that much faster because your Coach can give you an edge over athletes that may not have exposure to the same training methodologies employed by your coach.


Education: When it comes to formal education the strongest coaches will always be the ones that have a background in Kinesiology or Health and Fitness Promotions – that’s just my opinion. The trouble with certain certifying bodies is that they do not screen their applicants for educational background; so anyone can gain accreditation through a weekend long course (3 days).
How can an individual who completes a 3 day course have anywhere near the same amount of knowledge of the human body as someone that has spent 4 years or more studying Kinesiology? Does your Coach have a particular interest in a specialized area of research? Have they completed a certificate stream concurrently with their declared major?

Having some sort of formal education demonstrates that your Coach has a passion to accrue knowledge in their chosen field – it also demonstrates that they are able to think critically and problem-solve, to me, having a post secondary education simply demonstrates that when your Coach takes on a project where they have established a certain expectation they will see it through to completion.

Experience: The final wheel on this tricycle is experience. I believe that there is no substitute for the education that life itself brings – this is the practical aspect of training; the education is the theoretical and the certification is the technical but it is experience that takes a good Coach to the level of a “great” Coach. Failing fast but recovering faster and learning from previous “mistakes” is the secret to accruing knowledge through experience. A good Coach will find a way to reach the audience; I firmly believe that there is no such thing as bad students just poor teachers (coaches in our case).


Experience carves our teeth and provides the appetite needed to instill the sense of excellence needed to illicit an increase in performance. An important component of experience is results – the proof is always in the pudding. Does your Coach have a proven track record of getting people results? Has anyone ever been injured following training protocols that were laid out by him/her?

Finally everything above boils down to what I call the “you factor”. I believe that if you do not connect with your Coach and feel confident in their capabilities then you will never really approach the training with the needed abandonment to achieve the results you’re after. Your Coach has to be able to reach you spiritually, mentally and physically and motivate you to want to do better for yourself and no one else.

At the end of the day regardless of who you chose as your Coach the onus for results falls on your shoulders – so the end game is really about finding a competent Coach that can hold you accountable to yourself and provide the steps necessary to achieve the results you desire. Certification; Education; Experience and YOU are what take a Coach from good to great! These are just my insights but I am no expert. I want to hear from you. What were some of your funniest, best or worst experiences with a Coach? The best comment will receive ONE MONTH FREE training at Empire Fitness courtesy of Cygen Labrotories.

How to Train for a Bodybuilding Competition on a Busy Schedule

If you sat down and made a list of what to do in preparation for a bodybuilding competition, what would be on the list? Train hard, and eat clean - right? Nope- keep writing. There is the weight training, cardio, mandatory and routine posing, tanning, meal preparation, dieting, and suit selection. Add in working fulltime and seeing to family commitments and you can see where things get really busy. Follow these tactics to stay on track.



Instructions

1. Make the decision to compete. How often have you heard of someone who said they were going to compete, but never did? When you ask why, they offer a variety of reasons. They were too busy with work, they couldn’t handle the dieting, or they just didn’t know how to do it. Whatever the case is, they all share one thing in common, the person failed to commit to competing. One you are positive you want to compete, you can move on to step 2.

2. You will never hit a target you can’t even see. This is why it is critical for you to define your goals. They should be Specific, Measureable, Realistic, and Time framed. For example, you may want to gain 5lbs of lean mass in 3 months, and add 1 inch to the diameter of your thighs. Now that you have set a goal, you can use this to focus your energy to attain it.

3. Periodize your training. Performing 3 sets of 10 reps not only gets boring, it also become ineffective after time. Look at a calendar, and work backwards from the day of your competition to figure out which training phases you will work through. Phases to consider include cycles of strength, hypertrophy, conditioning, and power. Within these phases you change a variety of things up to keep your body guessing. These include weight, reps, rest period, exercise choice, exercise order, and tempo. For example, you may spend your last month of training in a conditioning phase with the goal of shedding body fat.

4. Prepare your meals in advance. I can’t stress this one enough - if its mealtime you had better have your food next to you in an insulated bag- not at McDonalds. Set aside a few hours on Sunday to get ready for a successful week. This might include cutting up your veggies, baking some potatoes, or grilling some chicken. Whatever you are making, do it in BULK. I like to prepare enough food to last me through to midweek, and cook again on Wednesday night for the remainder of the week.

5. Manage your time. Again, get out the calendar and schedule the following: resistance training, cardiovascular training, meal preparation, tanning, posing, work, family commitments. Once you have it down on paper (or blackberry), you will feel like you have more time in your day. In reality, you will just be using your time more efficiently.

6. Choose quality supplements. Training for a bodybuilding competition can really take its toll on your body. The increased training volume, combined with a calorie restricted diet can wreak havoc on your joints and muscles, so it’s important to use quality supplements to help get you through it. Glutamine will help reduce muscle soreness, fish oil will reduce joint inflammation, improve cardiovascular health and assist with brain function, and a greens supplement is a great way to get important plant nutrients your body may be lacking.

Use these strategies the next time you want to compete. You will find yourself to be more driven, better organized, less stressed, and look ready to look your best on competition day.

Ryan Lyn, BSc., CSCS
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Ryan's Website

Meet Christopher Reed

It used to be that professional athletes relied on natural ability and practice to perform at a high level. The pros ate and drank like normal people and all the exercise they needed usually came in the form of participating in their given sport. But as the years past, more and more professional athletes began turning to weight training as a means of extending their careers and gaining an edge on the competition. Now, not only do professional and elite level collegiate athletes dedicate much of their time to the weight room, but the term “sport specific training” has become common place amongst high school and minor athletes everywhere.

Christopher Reed is the founder of Empire Fitness in Toronto (Mimico / Lakeshore) - a sport specific training facility dedicated to helping Canadian high school athletes, regardless of sport achieve their dream of competing at the colligate level in either the CIS or NCAA. Christopher, possessing an extensive background in football and the martial arts was exposed to sport specific training while in high school and never looked back. Christopher is the first (and currently only) Certified Kettlebell Trainer in Canada under Steve Cotter and Ken Blackburn of the IKFF (International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation), as well as a Certified Underground Strength Coach under Zach Even-Esh. He is also a Level 3 National Football Coach and Part-Time Faculty Member within the Department of Criminal Justice and Community and Social Services at Humber College where he teaches Defensive Tactics to students in the aforementioned program as well as students enrolled in the Police Foundations Program.



In the coming months Christopher will share his expertise with the community here at Cygen Labs. Be sure to visit often as he’ll be posting articles on training, mental preparation and many other topics related to sport specific training. Maybe, if you ask REEEEEALLY nice we can convince him to answer a few questions for our followers along the way.

If you want to learn more about Empire Fitness or Christopher, check out the Empire Fitness website.

This Winter, Get the Best of Both Worlds: Get Big and Stay Lean.

As a highly qualified personal trainer and nutritional consultant, Ryan Lyn brings a fresh perspective to Team Cygen as well as a wealth of experience as a Natural Competitive Bodybuilder. The below is the first in a series of articles on training and nutrition written by Ryan. So sit back, and benefit from Ryan's expertise as he discusses the finer points of adding muscle, while staying photoshoot ready this fall.



It’s that time again, winter is on its way and you are looking to put on some size during your ‘off season’. But, do you have a plan? No, I don’t mean rushing to the closest All-You-Can-Eat Buffet and stuffing yourself into a state of fatness and regret. I mean, do you have a plan that includes 1) How much you will be eating per day 2) When you will be eating, and 3) How much protein, carbohydrates, and fats each meal will contain? If you don’t then read on to learn how you can make your own offseason plan to gain weight, but stay lean.
To create your nutrition plan we first need to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)- this is the amount of calories your body needs just to survive, this doesn’t take in to account any physical activity. One way we can do this is to use the following equation:
Men’s BMR = Bodyweight (in Kg) x 24
Women’s BMR = Bodyweight (in Kg) x 21.6
EXAMPLE:
If you are a 220 lb male, you divide your weight by 2.2 to convert to kilograms:
BMR= [220/2.2] = 100kg
100kg x 24 = 2400 calories
Because this calculation only relies on weight as a factor, it is really just a rough estimate. A more accurate method (assuming you are able to measure your body fat percentage) is to use the following formula by McArdle and Katch:
BMR (Male or Female) = 370 + 21.6 (Lean mass in Kg)
EXAMPLE:
If you are a 220 lb male with 15% body fat, your fat mass is: 100 kg x 0.15 = 15 Kg. Your lean mass is just your total mass, minus your fat mass:
Lean Mass = Total mass (100 Kg) – Fat mass (15 Kg) = 85 kg
Now we plug lean mass into the equation:
BMR = 370 + 21.6 (85kg) =2206 Calories
But we have to remember this is the MINIMUM number of calories that you would need just to survive while resting all day. This number does not take into account the calories burned during activity and exercise. To account for these additional calories , we multiply the BMR by the appropriate Activity Multipliers.
Activity Multipliers
Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extr. active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)
Lets continue with our example of a 220lb individual who has 15% body fat. If this person also trains with weights 3 times/week, and plays sports 2 times/ week, they would be moderately active and we would multiply their BMR by 1.55.
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) = BMR x Activity Multiplier
TDEE = 2206 Cal x 1.55 = 3309 Calories
The TDEE is the number of calories required to MAINTAIN your current weight. To gain weight you will need to consume more than this – How much more? Anywhere between 250-500 additional calories daily. Fat loss expert Tom Venuto suggests you find this number by multiplying your weight by 2 and consuming this amount of calories on top of your TDEE.
So your optimal number of Calories for lean weight gain is:
TDEE + Weight in Lbs x 2
3309 Cal + 220lbs x2
3309 + 440 = 3749 Calories.
Now that you know how many calories to consume, you will also need to know where these calories are coming from and in what amounts- otherwise known as the macronutrient ratio. Ideally you will want to eat you carbs, protein, and fats in a 55-30-15 ratio. Your carbs should consist primarily of unprocessed sources such as brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal. Your protein can come from a wide variety of sources, but try to find a source that is hormone free and pesticide free. Great, lean sources of protein include: white fish, ‘loin meats’ – like pork tenderloin or beef strip loin, egg whites, poultry, shrimp, and of course whey protein supplements such as Cygen Labs Nutriwhey or ISO-90. As for fat, use a small amount in your cooking from a poly/monounsaturated source that won’t break down at high temperatures- peanut, coconut, and avocado oil are all great sources. I also recommend that nearly every athlete supplement with a quality fish oil with a high EPA:DHA ratio such as Cygen’s High Potency Fish Oil.
Remember, as with all nutrition plans, it is important that you log your food and calorie intake. This way if you end up with a little extra belly flab, you are able to look back, see how many calories you have been eating, and make appropriate adjustments.

Ryan Lyn, B.Sc., CSCS

Cygen Labs is Proud to Announce Bodybuilder Ryan Lyn as the Newest Member of Team Cygen

As the newest member of Team Cygen, Ryan brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table as both a bodybuilder and personal trainer. Competing in organizations such as the UFE and FAME, Ryan always brings a ripped physique, outstanding posing routine and great presence to the stage, but perhaps his greatest accomplishment as a bodybuilder is that he competes as a 100% drug-free athlete. He attributes his success as a natural athlete to training with intensity, setting goals, and a specific nutrition and supplement regimen. As a personal trainer, Ryan obtained his CSCS from the NSCA, and trains a wide variety of clientele from working parents and student athletes, to fitness competitors. His methods are always unique, cutting edge, and produce results; much like the Cygen Labs products he uses and recommends. Stay tuned, as every month we will feature an article on training, nutrition, and bodybuilding written by Ryan himself and posted on the Cygen Labs blog. For more information on Ryan, check out his profile on the Cygen Website.

Cygen Labs - Tested by the Highest Authority

For those of you who don't follow the world of Canadian Amateur bodybuilding religiously, the name Luka Treska may be new to you. Judging from his near 1600 YouTube subscribers though, he is far from what I would call "an unknown" in the sport. Luka is a very successful personal trainer, and competitive bodybuilder who's next goal is to step on stage next at the Canadian Nationals in 2011. Luka is incredibly particular about which supplements he puts in his body, and because he believes that Cygen Labs puts out top of the line products, using only top quality ingredients he has been gracious enough to offer his feedback on several of our products. Below is Luka's first video blog about Cygen:

Luka Treska - Cygen Laboratories

Stay tuned as we post more of Luka's video blogs to see for yourself what one of Canada's top amateur bodybuilders has to say about Cygen Labs as he prepares himself to compete for his IFBB Pro status.

Josh Leo Interview - New Star; Bright Future

On July 17, 2010 the IDFA International Championships were held in Toronto, ON to a packed house of enthusiastic fans at the Jane Mallet Theatre. First time competitor Josh Leo stepped on stage and quickly impressed the judges with his top notch conditioning and muscle development. Being a Natural bodybuilder, Josh depends a great deal on utilizng the right supplements to give him the edge he needs over his competition. At Cygen Labs, we were so pleased that Josh chose to use our products for his show prep that we asked him to do an interview for us, telling him about his first experience stepping on stage. The transcript is below:

Cygen Labs: Welcome Josh and congratulations on placing so high in your first contest!
Thank you for joining the Cygen Labs team to talk about your first experience stepping on stage at the IDFA International Championships.

Let’s start off with a brief background – How to get you get started?

Josh: I first got involved in weight lifting and training when I was in my second year of university studying for an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and Physical Education. From there, I began to do some of my own research on muscle hypertrophy training, and with the help of my educational background, I started to piece together a successful outlook on how to build muscle size, growth, and strength.

Cygen Labs: Tell us more about your contest prep – how do you feel this went for your first attempt?

Josh: My contest prep was challenging yet fantastic at the same time. I had major support from my family, friends, and of course from my two coaches: Hans Lauro and Luka Treska, two of the best in the business.

My diet was on point from the get go at 14 weeks out and I never took it for granted. I feel I could not have come into the contest any better: my diet was not just precise, but perfect moving closer and closer to show date. I also had the support from Cygen Labs, using the Toragen product: a wicked muscle receptor activator that got me super lean yet stronger at the same time pre contest.

As far as my training, it was filled with non-stop intensity that had several changes along the way: both in terms of Cardio and Resistance Training. The closer I got to the date of the contest, the more my resistance training went from lifting for hypertrophy to muscular endurance and conditioning.

Cygen Labs: What did you find most difficult about the experience?

Josh: One of the most challenging aspects of training for my contest was watching my social life being sacrificed. When you have fantastic friends like mine who wanted me to come out with them on a regular basis, there was nothing harder then turning down some good nights out because you have early morning cardio the next day. Fortunately, I had great friends who supported me 100% and knew what I had to do was crucial. Additionally, people think that fighting off cravings is one of the most challenging elements of contest prep, but I would disagree and say that the mental fatigue is much more difficult. You really have to have a strong mind that pushes you to train hard every single scheduled work-out. If you don't have self-motivation and discipline on a constant basis, you can forget about being successful.

Cygen Labs: So you’ve got a degree in Kinesiology from Wilfrid Laurier University and you also worked at the retail level selling sport nutrition supplements – what ultimately made you reach out and choose Cygen Labs?

Josh: Definitely the uniqueness of the line! Like I stated earlier, The Torgen played a fundamental role in keeping me both lean and strong on a calorie restricted diet. I was getting learner but stronger! The trigonella foenum-graecum extract Torobolic is the real deal and surpassed any of my expectations. Coming from a science background it was the Science behind the line. The Cygen team made this evident to me when I emailed them asking about the studied conducted by Dr. Colin Wilborn, PhD, CSCS at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. That put confidence in my hands, especially when competing in a natural show such as the IDFA!

Cygen Labs: What are you currently using from there line up and why?

Josh: Currently I am using Cygen Toragen, Exotest, Multi-Pack and Fish Oil - which is working out perfect for me right now as I started my two month rebound to improve on my weak points before transitioning into off-season.

Year round I use the ISO-90 as my main source of powder protein – The taste and mixability is bang on!

Cygen Labs: So what’s next for you Josh?

Josh: I have always had a passion for the sport of bodybuilding and the features that come with it - whether it is supplements, diet or knowledge of training, I like to familiarize and educate myself as much as possible. It’s the only way to get better. I plan on having a strong offseason and competing again next spring where the goal in mind is one thing - to win and climb to the next level.

Josh, Thanks again for taking the time to site down and share your experience with us. All of us at Cygen Labs would like to congratulate you on placing so well in your first show, and we'd all like to wish you the best of luck in your upcoming shows. We're confident that you have a long and successful career ahead of you in the world of natural bodybuilding. Keep up the great work!

Richard Coulson - The Ageless Champion

The following is a letter that we received from Cygen Athlete Richard Coulson leading up to the IDFA Western Canadian Classic. Richard has won many prestigious titles in his years as a natural competitive body builder, and we are delighted to have him as a part of the team. But enough about us; read below to hear what Richard has to say about Cygen Labs.

My name is Richard Coulson and I compete in the sport of Natural Bodybuilding. I would like to share some of my history with you so that you may understand how and why I came to be part of the Cygen Laboratories family.

First, I would like to tell you that I am 47 years old. I have been bodybuilding since I was 21. I began bodybuilding quite honestly because my older brother was always bigger and stronger than me. As well, I had always admired people who were fit. They appeared healthy, happy and confident. When I began training in 1984, the supplements that were available were hit and miss. I personally found that many claims were made by companies; however, the results from using the supplements simply did not work. Because I am a natural athlete, I did not look to use steroids. Sure, the idea crossed my mind. Like I said, I have been training and competing for over 20 years. I found the early competitions very rewarding, however, I often become frustrated at the Provincial level as many athletes were obviously using drugs to win the contest. I would like to back track a little and tell you that I am a high school Physical Education Teacher. I also have two children. My goal as a teacher and father is to be a positive role model to both my students and children. I would feel like a cheater if I were to use steroids and "preach" about fitness, health, nutrition and over-all a healthy lifestyle to my students.

I stopped competing in 1992. The judges were choosing the biggest most ripped athlete on stage as the winners. (A natural athlete had no chance to compete against athletes who were using anabolic steroids.) I was competing for fun and I enjoy the challenge of putting together my routine and sharing this with family and friends. (Back to the present) In 2009, I decided to compete in another show. I had heard of many new companies that once again were making "claims" that their products were the new world break-through. Because I wanted to get into the best shape of my life at age 46, I decided to complete research on some of these companies. The one I decided to try was Cygen Laboratories.

When I tried products earlier in my career, I never knew if they were working. You simply could not feel the difference. You took them because you wanted a natural advantage. You wanted to get that ripped look, while maintaining size and vascularity. You hoped it worked! Unfortunately, a lot of money, time and effort was wasted. Without wanting to sound like a bad commercial, I have to simply tell you; Cygen Laboratories' products blew me away. I'll be honest, I don't use a lot of supplements, however, the ones that I chose for my contest preparation certainly did the trick. I mean these supplements boosted my energy, helped me get shredded, ( I was voted most ripped in my last show May 2009 at age 46!) while maintaining my size and strength. My weight has been 205 pounds for the last 10 years. I competed at 187. By maintaining a super strict diet, high in protein low in carbs and completing a strict regimented supplement program, I have kept my weight at 184-187 for over one year. I honestly did not believe this could be possible especially at the age of 47. Once you start the supplements, you can feel them work. I was aware of the changes each day.

The products I used and continue to use are:

1) Exotest: This product has increased my strength measurably. I have more endurance and I recover more quickly.
2) ) Toragen: If I were to choose one product, this would be it. Toragen has increased my muscle size, and helped me get the super ripped look all at the same time
3) Cygen Laboratories Nutriwhey. I consume this product two -three times per day. Because I am in the classroom, I don't always have time to eat. Therefore, I will consume protein for a healthy snack.
4) The Power Greens 21. For health, minerals and a delicious start to the day I never go without this supplement. I drink prior to my 6:30AM workout.

There you have it. It is no secret. Healthy eating, hard Core training and Cygen Laboratories products to have a lean muscular physique is the key. Please feel free to You-Tube my name; Richard Coulson and view my routine and Cygen Physique. If you are thinking of a supplement combo give mine a try. It really worked for me, no, really!! Good Luck

Sincerely, Richard Coulson

Good Luck, Richard! We're all confident here at Cygen Labs that you'll bring home yet another trophy for your shelf! Keep up the great work, and thank you for being an inspiration to natural competitors everywhere.

Chase Ingalls Dominates Again!

On June 26, 2010, Chase Ingalls continued to climb the ladder of the Canadian Muay Thai ranks with another dominating win at the IFC-8 in North Vancouver. Here's a breif summary of the fight from his coach Jodey:

"Chase fought a very talented Karim Pahalloo from Basi Muay Thai in Calgary. The two fighters were even in the first then Chase found his timing and backed Karim up to control the second round stunning Karim with a cross. In the third, Chase was to much for the Lions Den athlete to handle as he pushed forward and hit Karim with combo after combo. This fight was rated 'Fight of the Night' and Chase was clearly the most technical and clear talent of the night's venue. Chase was awarded with a traditional Katana and stand from the sponsors and promoters."

We're very proud of all of Chase's accomplishments at Cygen Labs. His dedication, hard work, and sacrifice have clearly paid off as he continues to improve on his unbeaten record. Great work Chase!!!

Cygen Labs Decimate is Coming!!!

After nearly 2 years of deliberation, Cygen Labs has finally decided to launch a brand new pre-workout formula to the public. What took us so long? We wanted to ensure that when our product developers designed a pre-workout formula, it contained the key blend of ingredients that would provide you with the absolute most intense workout of your life!!!

Decimate is a highly concentrated formula. Just one 8 gram scoop is all you need to experience the most extreme energy, amazing pumps, and skin bursting vascularity you ever thought possible. Decimate's formula also contains a powerful compound which stimulates the Central Nervous System (CNS), contributing to an increase in strength and mental focus throughout your workout.

Unlike other pre-workout formulas, Cygen Labs Decimate doesn't hide behind proprietary blends. We aren't afraid to show you what we put in our products because we refuse to cut corners just to make a quick buck.

If you're ready to experience the best workouts of your life, Cygen Labs Decimate is coming soon!!!

Cygen Labs Talkin' with Trainers Ep. #1 Darrin Robinson

Today marks the launch of a brand new video log for Cygen Labs, entitled: Talkin' with Trainers. We plan to sit down with some of Canada's leading fitness experts and ask them why they recommend Cygen Labs products to their clients when nothing but the best results will do.

In our first episode we sat down with Darrin Robinson, Owner and Head Trainer of Emerge Lifestlye and Fitness Training in Burlington, ON. Darrin trains a wide variety of clients, from everyday people looking to get into great shape to elite competitors such as IFBB Pro Fitness Competitor Silvana Silvati. The one thing ALL of Darrin's clients have in common is that they all use Cygen!

We can't thank Darrin enough for taking the time to sit down with us, and if you want to learn more about how Emerge can get you in the best shape of your life, visit their website at www.timetoemerge.com



As always, for all the latest updates on athlete news, new products, guest appearances, and other videos just like this one check Cygen Labs out on Facebook, Twitter, and on our homepage www.cygenlabs.com

Cygen Blogger Contest Winner!!!

At the end of February, we launched the Cygen Blogger Contest. It was a chance for people passionate about sports nutrition and training to let their voice be heard (a chance to win some free stuff)and today we've picked our winner!

Of all the entries we received, we felt that Steve Weigel's entry "Bodybuilding: Just Another Day" best emobodied the spirit of why Cygen Laboratories was created; for people like Steve.

For his efforts, Steve (pictured here) has won a Cygen Labs Prize Pack worth over $400!!! Congrats Steve!

Here is Steve's entry. Enjoy.

Bodybuilding: Just Another Day
By: Steve Weigel

Dedicated to all the guys and girls who push their limits every day

I sit at the table, watching the clock slowly count the hours away… 5 o’clock…6 o’clock…8 o’clock…I’m tired. Every slight movement of my body sends blistering pain deep into the battered muscle brave enough to even consider ascending from the comfort of rest. I look down at my plate. The rice and eggs that once occupied my plate have now been reduced to a few cold scraps. Even still, it’s valuable fuel which will be needed for the battle that lies ahead, and so I close my eyes, bite my tongue, and shovel the last of that god awful crap down my throat. Sometimes I believe cars have it easy. Some days I feel I would rather toss back a glass of gasoline, than have to muster down another bitter mouthful of egg, but that’s beside the point. I check the clock again…9’oclock…It’s time. The gym closes in two hours, which means it’s time to stop procrastinating, pull my balls out of my purse, and head to the dungeon. This will be the third night in a row I’ve given my body a pounding, and as I walk down the driveway to my car I consider calling the whole thing off. Then for a brief moment, I recall I have a date tonight with 1200lbs. What was I thinking?! I couldn’t stand her up! I’m not that type of guy! And so with that thought I hopped into my car, cranked the stereo to a level only a dog could hear, and bolted down the road I knew oh too familiarly. Upon arriving, my body was again a little hesitant to step out of the car, but time was ticking so I pressed on.

The first few sets are always the hardest. Not because you’re gassed and you have no energy left, by god no. They are hard because your mind is still picturing the five hundred other things you could be doing with your time right now, and your body is still in LaLa land, completely oblivious to the hundreds of torture devices surrounding it, just waiting to get their piece of you. So that’s it. I climb into a leg extension machine, and begin the first few sets of my workout. As my mind still wanders, I hardly notice the creaking of cold joints and the screams of the other members across the floor. Another two minutes, another set down. I think to myself “This is rather easy! At this pace I could put a wrap on my workout, shower, AND press the lady at the juice bar to let me “Squeeze the lemons” into my drink myself, all before closing call!” ….

Forget that thought.

All of a sudden, it hits you like a pissed-off freight train full of starving bulls. As I near the end of my third set, the burn begins to set in. Now, the burn, for those of you who aren’t aware, is a love/hate relationship. The burn is what we fitness fanatics aim to achieve, though when achieved, it is not uncommon to see us cry like little women in the corner of the nearest vacant squat rack. Others, who shall remain nameless…okay, Arnold Schwarzennegar…have equated the burn feeling to that of “cumming”. Now, I don’t exactly know what his definition of cumming is, but I can assure you it most likely involves being whipped in the ass by a 300lb dominatrix, and no safe word. Plain and simple, the burn BURNS!

Now I’m in the zone. Everything else going on in my life disappears. It wanders off to god knows where, probably the ladies section. Now I am free, I have nothing to worry about except accomplishing my mission. And my mission, you ask? To train until I can’t breathe…to sacrifice my body to a greater purpose…to train until I have puke climbing up my throat and knocking on the back of my teeth.

Next up: Leg Presses. Now, although I don’t smell as nice as I probably should, nor have I brought flowers, my date is waiting for me just as I’d pictured. I stumble towards the leg press machine, and it grins at me, as if to say “Come on, I dare you...” It takes nearly five minutes to gather all the plates that I need, and hustle a spot off of a trusted friend. The spot is not so much to help me push the weight back up if I fail to lift it, but rather to call the ambulance if shit goes down. And so we begin. I drop my ass into the seat of the dreaded leg sled, and momentarily close my eyes. “Here goes nothing”, I say to myself, and unclip the last bit of comfort known as the safety pins. Some find pleasure in golfing. Some find pleasure in shopping at the local malls. Some find pleasure in drinking on the weekend. Me? I find pleasure in strapping a small Toyota to my feet, and saying “To hell with it!” This is what I live for, this is what I know. This is me.

The workout progresses and I take comfort in knowing the worst is over with – for this week, at least. Although I’m out of the trenches, this war is anything but over. I hop between machines and free weights, giving my muscles a lashing they won’t soon forget. The barky calluses protruding from my palms serve as a reminder that this has all been done before, and so I continue to press on. Despite every single voice in my head (there’s quite a few!) telling me to give up and go home, something drives me and others like me to muscle through the pain. Does anyone care if I push out an extra rep on this set? No. Do I have a coach threatening to bench me if I slack off? No. Then why, people ask me, do this to yourself day in-day out? Why, you ask? Because if I don’t, I have to answer to probably the most terrifying critic I know; myself. I refuse to submit to mediocrity. I see way too many people just accept whatever is thrown their way, and I, for one, will have none of that. I don’t want to be just another Joe, another lifeless man running the same routine day after day with no dream or aspiration. Regardless of if I actually become something bigger than life or not, the very action of resisting normality at least gives me a reason to live.
As the clock nears 11, the gym has cleared out. I think I’m the only one still in this place. The screams from each corner of the gym have at last come to a halt. The dungeon is at rest, and the iron may finally sleep. The only noise to be heard is the soft hum of the janitor’s vacuum cleaner. My workout is at last complete, and I stumble down the stairs towards the exit in a fashion reminiscent of my ninety-three year old grandfather. I open the doors to a blast of cool air and a starlit sky. I waddle over to my car, toss my gym bag in, and climb into the driver’s seat. I look at the clock – 11:11…make a wish. What do I wish for? I smile to myself, and wish that I can still feel my legs tomorrow morning.

At home, after sitting for some five minutes to catch a breather, I get to work. Time to pound back another shake, cook my last meal for the night, and catch some late night Jay Leno before I hit the sack. I think I’ve probably spent more hours in the kitchen than Martha Stewart, though my culinary skills would surely not attest to that! Anyways, I eat my meal, watch my show, and then snap off the lights in anticipation of my well-deserved sleep. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention I have Buzz Lightyear pyjamas?
‘Just another day in the life of a bodybuilder…'

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Cygen Athlete Thomas Beach Qualifies for the Abu Dhabi World Pro Jiu-Jitsu Cup

Earlier this month, one of our Cygen sponsored athletes, Thomas Beach travelled to Montreal to take place in the North American Abu Dhabi Pro Jiu-Jitsu Trials for a chance to qualify in the prestigious Abu Dhabi World Pro Jiu-Jitsu Cup in the United Arab Emirates. After winning all four of his matches, Thomas qualified and will be heading to Abu Dhabi in a couple of weeks to represent himself, his school Toronto BJJ and of course Cygen Labs. I asked Thomas to sum up the experience of the trials for me, and this is what he had to say:

I had four matches.

In my first match I pulled closed guard and quickly swept the opponent to mount. He then turned over and I took the back and I put him in an arm bar and ended the match by submission.

My second match was the toughest of the tournament for me. I pulled open guard and quickly closed up the guard. I spent most of the match attacking, opening and reclosing the guard with not much luck. I put him in a tight triangle and spent a lot of energy trying to finish but I was unable to get a submission. He tried to finish me at the end with a Kimura but was never really close to having the submission. My opponent was very strong both technically and physically, but I won the match by decision.

My third match I pulled close guard and spent a minute or so attacking until I was able to cross his arm and take the back. Like I did in my first match, I switched to an arm-bar and finished the match by submission.

My last match I pulled half guard and attacked some chokes. I changed gears and attempted a sweep giving me room to close the guard. I finished the match by crossing his arm going to the back and right away I cinched in the choke and got him to tap.

I am leaving for Abu Dhabi on April 12th and compete on the 16th and 17th.
Here’s a link to a video recap of the tournament:

Tom

Thanks for the update Thomas! All of us here at Cygen Labs are confident that you will represent us well at Abu Dhabi. Best of luck; we can’t wait to hear how things go over there.

Is New York City Law the Way to End Obesity?

A couple of weeks ago, an editorial was published in the New York Times about the outcome of Standford University study on the way that New York City’s “Calories-on-Menu” law has had on people’s buying habits since the law came into effect in 2008. To sum the study up, researchers were granted access to receipts from Starbucks encompassing every transaction which occurred between January 1, 2008 (just before the law was put in place in NYC) through to February 28, 2009. They compared the receipts from New York City to transactions from Philadelphia and Boston (cities where the calories are not posted) to see if knowing the calorie counts made any difference in what people ordered. The findings showed that before the law went into effect, the average calorie count of orders in New York, Philadelphia and Boston were very similar. After the law however, the findings showed that the average calorie count for orders in New York dropped by 6% (or a 15 calorie reduction), while Philadelphia and Boston were both unaffected. If you’re interested, the editorial is posted here.

After reading this editorial though, I decided to dive into the subject a little bit further, and I began to wonder if simply posting calories on a menu is enough to affect people’s overall health the way in which the law was intended? Is cutting calories the answer to beating the obesity epidemic in NYC (or all over the world
for that matter), or is this law just a public relations tactic?

For starters, the editorial mentions briefly that similar studies conducted using fast food chains in low-income neighbourhoods in New York showed no significant change in people’s eating habits after calorie counts were posted. What it doesn’t mention however, is that although New Yorkers cut an average of 6% of their calories over the entire 13-month period of the study, it also showed that during what some experts call “eating season” (between Halloween and the Super Bowl), the average calories per order in New York was still equal to that of Philadelphia and Boston. What this suggests to me is that nutritional education, more so than posting calorie content alone is the real answer to fighting weight gain, because what we put into our bodies is just as important as how much.

The problem with counting calories is that the final number doesn’t tell the whole story. For example, Meal A has 410 calories and Meal B has 428. Simple math will tell you that the difference of 18 calories per meal over the course of a year will contribute to approximately a two-pound weight gain. Based on that information, most people would tell you that Meal A is obviously healthier because it has fewer calories. What’s the problem with that? Meal A is a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder, and Meal B is a standard serving of chicken breast, broccoli, and brown rice. One is going to give you a healthy balance of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals; the other is going to give you an expanding waistline. I don’t think I need to tell you which is which.

So the next time you are faced with a calorie conundrum while dining out (or cooking at home for that matter) consider the overall benefits of what you are putting into your body and not just the caloric count. If you want help planning your meals ahead of time, there are some great (and free) websites like Calorie Count and Fit Day that will tell you the nutritional breakdown of almost any food you can imagine.

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Starting February Off...

SAF Model Gorretti Francisco has been doing some great things as of late with Cygen Labs, including being featured on our website as well as some of our upcoming ads for the new year. Below is a journal entry written by Gorretti as part of her Winter 2009-2010 Training Journal on the Girls of SAF website. The original journal is posted here but you can read it in it's entirety below. If you are interested in following Gorretti's journal, you can register on the Girls of SAF website or you can follow it right here on our blog.

Written by Gorretti Francisco

Here we go onto yet another month; it really reinforces that time goes by so fast. February 2 was my 30th birthday. Many of us women, once we turn 29, seem to stay at 29 for a few years before accepting the reality. But I am really excited and proud to say I am 30. To me it’s a new beginning and a start to a new phase of my life. I have a new career, a new place, and a renewed sense of myself, or as Patti LaBelle might sing, I’ve got a new attitude.

During the off season, I had a great opportunity to shoot for Cygen laboratories in mid-December. I was a bit nervous as I was in off-season shape, but I was still very happy and excited for the opportunity. I got to shoot with bodybuilder Stephen Edwards where we did some fun shots together as well as some individual pictures. It turned out to be a very fun photo shoot. I am looking forward to seeing how the ads will turn out! You can check out the whole Cygen product line at http://www.cygenlabs.com.

Part of my fitness goals this year is to become more familiar with the fitness industry. One way I have decided to achieve this is to take the opportunity to attend iconic fitness events. Two of the events I want to attend this year are the Arnold Classic and the Olympia Weekend. I have already started to make plans to attend the Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio, USA. It is being held March 4-7. I am looking forward to seeing the expo and being motivated by the incredible physiques that will be on display.

Training is continuing along. I must admit I had a tough time getting back on the strict, clean eating plan. I was overindulging on raw almonds and walnuts so, as a result, I was having too much fat on some days. I am embarrassed to say it but when it comes to nuts I have no will power, so the only solution is to not have them at home. Even though nuts are full of good fats, having too much is not a good thing when it comes to clean eating.

Believe you can and you're half way there.
-- Theodore Roosevelt

(The picture above right is one of the pictures from the Cygen shoot.)

Protein Wars: NUTRIWHEY vs. YOUR Brand of Blended Protein

Protein powder is the staple nutritional supplement of almost every person who walks into a gym. Looking at the nutritional panel seems like a cut and dry way to decipher which protein powders are superior to others. But is it really that simple? Is more protein ALWAYS the right answer? Some companies would definitely want you to believe that to be the truth. Well friends, unfortunately sometimes in the world of protein powder, more is not always better. We need to look at the label more closely to better understand the supplements that we are putting into our bodies. Let’s take a look at some claims that various companies make to try and get their brand to stand above the crowd:

YOUR Brand Claims: Comprised of 100% Whey Protein
Whey Protein is the most biologically available source of protein on the planet. Better than fish. Better than beef. Even better than chicken. What many people do not know however is that there are different kinds of whey protein. The first kind of whey is Whey Protein Isolate (WPI). WPI is a highly processed form of whey, which is calculated as 90% protein by weight. WPI is very pure, it is absorbed into the body very quickly, and is typically present in most whey protein blend formulas. The second type of whey is Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC). WPC is usually the majority of the whey protein used in blends. It is not as highly processed as other forms of whey, and therefore it is usually less expensive to produce; hence the reason why pure isolates will cost you more than a blend. The last type of whey is Whey Protein Hydrolysate (WPH). WPH is the most highly processed form of whey protein, making it more absorbable than WPI or WPC, and therefore ideal for pre and post workout consumption. Although studies have shown WPH to be superior to WPI and WPC, many companies have stayed away from including it in their blends because of the higher cost. This is what makes NUTRIWHEY stand above other protein blends. It contains a blend of WPI, WPC, and WPH. So yes, YOUR Brand does contain 100% whey protein, but based on price I’m sure you can decide which brands use more WPC, and which brands contain more WPI and WPH.

YOUR Brand Claims: 40 grams of protein per serving
This is a classic example of why it is important to read the nutritional panel of your protein powder carefully. Yes, it is true that YOUR Brand’s protein blend does contain 40 grams of protein per serving, but that is because the size of the scoop is 57 grams! If you’re curious, by comparison if you were to use the same 57 gram scoop in NUTRIWHEY, you’d get 41 grams of protein per serving. Protein content can vary from flavor to flavour, but for the most part all blended proteins contain very similar amounts of protein in them when placed on a level playing field (see: same scoop size).

YOUR Brand Claims: Contains 4 grams of L-glutamine and 5 grams of BCAA per serving
This type of claim is a slippery slope. While some companies may add additional L-glutamine and BCAA’s (branched-chain amino acids) to their protein powder, typically these amino acids are naturally occurring in protein powder already! In an attempt to grab your attention, some companies will put these claims on the front of their label, or even include an amino acid profile on the side to impress you with its content. Rest assured that NUTRIWHEY, and most other brands on the market that DON’T include these claims or profiles on the label still offer very similar amino acid content.

With the astounding amount of nutritional supplement companies in the market place today, it’s sometimes difficult to decide which product is right for you. With all of the different claims and marketing strategies directed at helping you choose a brand, the issue of quality can get lost in the shuffle. As you can tell based on the above comparisons, Cygen is committed to providing athletes with the most innovative and effective products imaginable, for the best prices possible. So the next time you step foot into a supplement store looking for a blended protein, remember that you can always find a cheaper brand, but you’ll never find a more superior product than Cygen Laboratories NUTRIWHEY.

For further information on Nutriwhey and other Cygen Laboratories products, please visit www.cygenlabs.com or email us at info@cygenlabs.com. As always, you can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

New Cygen Ad

Here is a preview of our first brand new ad for 2010!

It will be appearing in the February/March issue of Inside Fitness Magazine.

The photography was done by Arsenik Photography.

The graphic design was done by Scott Andrews Design.

Welcome to the Blog

Welcome to the Cygen Labs blog.

Here you'll be able to find the latest news on workouts, nutrition, and sport supplementation.

Stop by periodically to check out new posts, and please fell free to add your comments or questions.

In the meantime, for more information on Cygen Labs products, check out the website at www.cygenlabs.com, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook