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!!!