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!!!