What Is HIIT?

HIIT stands for high intensity interval training. This style of training isn’t new - it’s been used in professional sport for decades - but it’s caught the attention of the fitness world. Everyone’s talking about HIIT. How many calories can you burn doing HIIT? What’s the best HIIT workout? Is HIIT suitable for everyone?

There are lots of ways to do a HIIT workout, but the basic guidelines are the same. You have to warm up, then combine periods of intense efforts followed by a rest period, before a cool down. The main rule is that you have to work hard during the intervals! Intense means intense, not just kinda hard. The intensity of a HIIT workout should be all-out, max effort. That’s how HIIT can burn so many calories and get you so fit even though the workouts are short.

Popular Methods Of HIIT

Once you understand that HIIT means intense intervals followed by a short recovery period, you can see how HIIT can be done with sprints (on a track, on the flat, or on a hill), on a static bike, using conditioning equipment, in a class setting, or even with free weights.

One of the benefits of HIIT is that you can make it specific to your sport. If you’re a runner, then you can use sprinting to gain the adaption benefits of the HIIT workout plus have more time on your feet. If you’re a bodybuilder, you might like to design a HIIT workout using free weights (like a barbell complex) so you get the fat-burning benefits plus work on retaining muscle.

Tabata is a popular HIIT workout method. This famous protocol is only 4 minutes long: the work period are 20 seconds, the rest periods are 10 seconds, with this repeated 8 times.

Bodyweight HIIT or Equipment?

You can do HIIT with your own bodyweight or with equipment. Bodyweight HIIT could include sprinting or a bodyweight circuit using plyometric exercises. An equipment-based HIIT workout could use kettlebells, slam balls, battle ropes, barbells, dumbbells, or even free weight machines. The key is that you can move from exercise to exercise with very short rest periods - and that you can work hard!

4 HIIT Sessions You Can Try

1. Hill reps: choose a steep hill around 100-150 meters long. Run up it, powering with your arms and legs. Walk or jog to the bottom and go again immediately. Aim for 8-12 reps.

2. Conditioning circuit: push a sled for 15 metres, do 10 reps of slam ball, and use battle ropes for 30 seconds. Have a 10 second break between each exercise, and a 30 second break after each circuit. Repeat 3-5 times.

3. Kettlebells swings: this is as simple as it gets but will have you working hard. Choose a heavy kettlebell and do two-handed swings for 20 seconds, take 10 seconds rest, and repeat 8 times.

4. Hop on a fan bike (Assault bike, Airdyne or similar) and give this a go (warm up first). Sprint at 8-10 intensity then spin out at around a 4 intensity using this ladder: 10 seconds sprint, 50 seconds rest, 20/40, 30/30, 40/20, 50/10, 40/20, 30/30, 20/40 and finally 10 seconds sprint, 50 seconds rest. Then cool down!

Getting leaner is a major goal for most gym goers. Losing body fat is important whether you want to get into a smaller pant size, or will be challenging for titles on a bodybuilding stage!

How To Lose Body Fat

We all know the fundamental rule of fat loss is energy balance: calories in vs calories out. To lose fat you need to be in a calorie deficit for as long as it takes. This can be done by eating fewer calories than you energy needs dictate, or by expending more calories than you take in.

Can You Speed Up Fat Loss?

But once you’ve got calorie balance sorted, can you speed up the fat loss process? The great news is there are some supplements which can help you get leaner, stick to your diet easier, and even burn more fat during training. These supplements help you get leaner through one of a few mechanisms, including appetite control, metabolism support, and energy increase.

Fat Loss Supplements That Work

Some nutritional supplements can help you get a little leaner but only if you have your calorie balance in place with diet, training, and NEAT (non exercise energy thermogenesis). Some supplements can support your metabolic rate so you burn more calories doing regular activity. Some ingredients can help you manage appetite and cravings so you feel fuller from food and stick to your diet. And other supplements may help you work harder in training or during cardio so you burn more calories that you would have done.

Fibre supplements can help you stick to your calorie controlled diet. They do this by making you feel fuller, giving you a better sense of satisfaction from meals, and working with the stomach’s stretch receptors. Fibre supplements have additional health benefits too, supporting gut health.

Try: glucommanan or konjac root.

Stimulants can make you feel more alert, focused, and energised meaning you move more during the day. One big risk during a diet phase is down regulation of activity. You feel tired, so you move less. Makes sense, but not much good for burning calories. You need to keep activity levels up and work hard in training. Stimulant type supplements can help you burn more calories.

Try: caffeine, guarana, green tea extract

Thermogenic supplements and ingredients can actually support your body’s own metabolic rate so you burn more calories and get leaner during the day. Thermogenics help the body convert more energy for fuel. It’s best to use these as a pre workout so they can help you work harder and burn more energy training but you could also use these in the early part of the day.

Try: garcinia cambogia, citrus aurantium, CLA.

Remember to use these supplements alongside a healthy calorie controlled diet, training, and everyday activity like walking. When getting leaner it’s important to look to overall health as well as body fat levels. So get lean the right way and have a great looking physique plus a healthy mind and body inside and out!

Hemp Protein Powder is one of the most popular plant-based, vegan protein powders on the market. But it’s also the subject of a bit of confusion. Despite the name, hemp protein powder is nothing to do with getting high! It’s made from hemp seeds, the same kind you can use in baking or sprinkle on your salads. So hemp protein is a great addition to a healthy diet, giving you lots of protein, fibre, omega fats, and micronutrients.

Hemp Protein For Vegans

Hemp protein is a totally plant-based protein, so it’s a good choice for vegans or anyone who wants to avoid animal products. It’s really versatile - you can have it as a protein shake, in a smoothie, or even use it in protein baking recipes.

What Is Hemp Protein?

Hemp protein powder is made from the seeds of the hemp plant. It’s a totally plant based protein powder suitable for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores too. You can find hemp protein powder unflavoured, or flavoured. Exact nutritional values will vary, but one regular scoop of hemp protein powder will contain around 120 calories, with 24g protein and under 1g fats.

Hep protein does contain all of the essential amino acids, but it can’t be considered a complete protein because it has low levels of some amino acids (including leucine, which is a key amino acid for muscle building).

What Are The Benefits Of Hemp Protein?

The main benefit of hemp protein is that it’s plant based, so it can be used by vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores. But it has some powerful nutritional benefits too. It actually contains all the essential amino acids (although low levels of a few), plus fibre, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.

Rich In Nutrients

Hemp protein - like the seeds it’s made from - is a great source of healthy micronutrients. These include Vitamin E (a plant antioxidant), iron, potassium, sodium, thiamin, calcium, copper, manganese, and riboflavin. It contains more fibre than most protein powders, and is a good source of small amounts of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.

How To Use Hemp Protein

Hemp protein powder is one form of protein powder so you should use it like you’d use any protein powder supplement. You can mix it with water (or dairy free milk) to make a shake, or blend it up into a smoothie (try using ice, frozen berries, or frozen banana). Hemp protein powder can also be used in healthy baking recipes like protein muffins, cookies, or even a microwave mug cake. If you buy unflavoured hemp protein, you can even mix it into soups and stews, or make a thick savoury sauce with it. Hemp protein powder is super versatile and great value for money.

The texture of hemp protein is thicker than whey so it has a good mouthfeel and is pretty filling - a good choice if you are watching your calorie intake and need the satiety of a thicker protein shake.

Protein is vital for any athletic goal, whether you want to build huge amounts of muscle, tone up, or excel at a sport. All kinds of sporting activity need strong muscles. And muscles need protein.

Protein is made from individual amino acids, which are kind of the building blocks of protein. But can amino acid supplements help your training performance? Or is it enough to get protein from food?

What Are Amino Acids?

Our bodies rely on 20 amino acids to function, using them for every process that goes on in the body around the clock. 11 of the amino acids are non-essential and the other 9 are essential (our bodies can not make them, so it’s essential that we get them from food or supplements).

These essential amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. You'll probably recognise a few key muscle-gain amino acids in that list, especially leucine which is considered key for muscle building. BCAAs contain leucine and isoleucine!

The non-essential amino acids are alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine, and tyrosine.

Amino Acids From Foods vs Supplements

As we’ve said, you could get your essential amino acids from food without ever touching a supplement. But it’s really difficult to get precise doses of each amino acid, in the correct balance, every day. It’s much easier to get your amino acids from supplements, especially if you train hard and have a greater need for amino acids for muscle gain and repair. There are lots of great ways to get amino acids from supplements, including BCAAs (isoleucine, leucine, and valine), EAAs (essential amino acids), or the individual amino acids (like leucine capsules).

Amino Acids For Training Performance

Correct amino acid intake will support a variety of key physical processes including muscle gain, recovery, metabolism, and immunity. Unless you are confident that you’re getting exact amounts of all 20 amino acids from your diet, it makes sense to supplement with the essential amino acids and branch chain amino acids (BCAAs). You will see the benefits in training performance, strength and power, plus recovery and general health.

How To Take Amino Acid Supplements

You can use BCAAs or EAAs before, during, or after training. It’s best to spread your daily intake of amino acid supplements throughout the day. Luckily, most BCAA and EAA supplements taste great and mix with water to create a refreshing drink. Enjoy sipping your amino acids throughout the day to support your athletic lifestyle and physique goals.

Everyone knows that training adaptation happens during recovery. Training is important. But the time between training sessions is key. What you eat, the supplements you take, and the amount of sleep you get will dictate how your body responds to the training.

5 Things The Body Needs After Training

1. Rest and recovery

After a workout your body will need rest and sleep in order to start the recovery process. Don’t forget that recovery means hormones, digestion, cell turnover and brain activity - not just muscle repair.

2. Water and electrolytes

Hydration is important but don’t forget to keep on top of your electrolyte intake, especially sodium and potassium.

3. Energy (calories)

The recovery process needs energy, and that means calories. Be sure to feed your body with quality fuel after training.

4. Carbohydrate and protein

Carbs and protein are the most important macronutrients in the post-training time period.

5. Replenishment of depleted nutrients

Training can deplete the body of nutrients including electrolytes, amino acids, and magnesium.

Which are the best post workout supplements to take after training to maximise muscle gain, strength, and recovery?

A Complete Protein Source

A complete protein is one that contains all the essential amino acids. In terms of protein powders, this means whey protein or soy protein (hemp protein is also complete but some of the amino acids are present in very small amounts). Protein after training will help muscle tissue repair and rebuild. Choose a complete protein source that can be quickly digested and absorbed, like a whey isolate.

Carbohydrates

Carbs are important after training because they replenish energy, help protein absorption, and can even boost your immunity in the post-workout time period. A fast acting carbohydrate is ideal after training as it will be digested quickly. Dextrose or maltodextrin is a good choice, or go for good old jelly sweets or gummies!

Creatine

Timing ins’t super important with creatine, but it’s a good idea to take it after training mostly so you remember! Nutrients and supplements are readily absorbed after training so your creatine will get to muscle cells when they are most receptive.

BCAAs

The 3 branch chain amino acids are important for anabolism - preventing muscle breakdown and promoting muscle gain. Taking them after training will help support muscle protein synthesis and recovery. If your choice of protein powder contains adequate BCAAs then there’s no need to supplement with extra.

Vitamin C

The antioxidant vitamin Vitamin C can be useful to take after training when your immune system could be lower than usual due to the stress of training. Vitamin C is cost effective and easy to take, so add it to your post-workout stack (Vitamin C tablets are probably the easiest way to take it).

Fitness enthusiasts are always looking for the best diet to support their goals. Getting stronger, fitter, and faster means eating well to fuel your body. The Paleo Diet is one of the most natural ways to eat. But is it a good diet for bodybuilding and fitness?

What Is The Paleo Diet?

The Paleo Diet is sometimes called the Caveman Diet, and that explains it pretty well. The idea behind the Paleo Diet is that you only eat things that our caveman ancestors would have eaten. That means meats (especially wild meats and game), fish, nuts, vegetables, leafy greens, berries, and seeds.

This means anything manmade, processed, and packaged has to go.

Paleo Diet For Bodybuilding

To grow muscle and stay strong, the body needs a healthy diet with enough calories to support muscle gain. You need to eat sufficient protein, with a wide range of the amino acids including the essential amino acids and BCAAs. But the body needs more than protein to build muscle, train hard, and stay fit. It also needs healthy fats including omega 3s, and carbohydrate as an energy source.

The Paleo Diet is rich in protein and healthy fats. If you design your Paleo Diet properly, you will naturally eat a variety of foods which will give you a range of amino acids and micronutrients.

Just make sure you are still eating the right amount of calories. Calories are king for muscle gain (and fat loss) no matter what food choices the calories are coming from.

Pros & Cons Of The Paleo Diet

The Paleo Diet is one of the more challenging diets to incorporate into a modern lifestyle, simply because it can be difficult to avoid modern processed foods. But if you can do it, the Paleo Diet has a lot of benefits. Your food will be natural, organic, and close to nature which means plenty of micronutrients. You will get a variety of protein sources (always a good thing) and enough healthy fats. Your plant intake will ensure fibre and minerals. But the one thing you may struggle with is carbohydrate intake. If you do well on a higher carb diet, or if you train with high volume and endurance, you will need to pay close attention to your fruit and veggies intake to ensure enough carbs.

If you are disciplined enough to give the Paleo Diet a proper go, you will probably enjoy a ton of health benefits like better digestive function, better quality sleep, and great energy levels. This diet takes a bit of planning and forethought, but it’s worth the effort. A great choice for anyone who enjoys cooking from scratch and eating super healthy (bonus points if you have a veggie garden!)

For decades, whey protein has dominated the protein powder supplement market. But what happens if you are vegan, or need to avoid lactose for health reasons? You need to look beyond whey shakes and delve into the world of plant-based protein powders. The great news is there are loads to choose from, with plenty of nutritional benefits. (You don’t even have to eat a vegan diet to choose a plant based protein powder!)

All kinds of gym goers from bodybuilders to casual lifters like to use protein powders to boost their food intake. Protein powders are a super easy and convenient way to get more protein in throughout the day. But traditional whey protein powder can cause a major problem for lots of people. Namely its origins. Whey is a by product of the dairy industry, so it contains lactose (milk sugar) and is an animal product. Not good news for vegans and anyone who chooses to avoid dairy.

Plant based protein powders to the rescue! These days, there are plenty of vegan-friendly protein powders which contain no animal products at all. Produced without animal cruelty or exploitation, these protein powders are derived entirely from plants. And they boast their own nutritional benefits, making them a great choice for vegans and omnivores. In fact, everyone can enjoy plant based protein powders.

The most common plant-based protein powders are pea (made from split peas, not garden peas!), hemp, soy, and brown rice. But you can also find vegan protein powders made from a variety of seeds. Here are 7 of the best plant-based protein powders.

Pea Protein

Pea protein powder is made from yellow split peas which are a great source of protein. Pea protein is a good source of BCAAs (the three key amino acids for muscle gain) and may even be as effective as whey protein in that respect. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25628520 Pea protein is thick and helps to fill you up, giving a good sense of satiety. Useful if you are trying to manage your calorie intake!

Hemp Protein

Nothing to do with the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) compound, hemp protein powder is made from hemp seeds which are a good source of protein, fibre, and healthy fats. This plant based protein powder is also rich in iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Brown Rice Protein

Another common plant based protein powder, brown rice protein is a good source of BCAAs. It can be a bit grittier than other plant based protein powders so you might prefer to have it in a vegan protein blend. It’s great for vegan baking.

Soy Protein

Most plant based proteins are a incomplete protein, meaning they don’t contain all the essential amino acids. The exception to this is soy protein. Soy protein is complete, containing the essential amino acids, and all three BCAAs.

• Seed Based Vegan Protein Powders
• Pumpkin Seed Protein
• Sunflower Seed Protein
• Chia Protein
• Vegan Protein Blends

It’s always best to eat a wide variety of foods, and this is no different for a plant-based diet. So either rotate your plant-based protein powders, or choose a vegan protein blend. The benefits of a plant-based blend include great texture and fixability, and a wide range of amino acids.

Every good bodybuilder knows that building muscle means protein. More than that, muscle gain (and repair) means getting adequate protein from a variety of sources. This variety is important, because there are 20 amino acids within protein - and it’s difficult to get all of them from one protein source. The more types of protein you eat, the more combinations of amino acids you’ll get. And that’s good news for your hungry muscles.

Vegans and plant-based eaters have made a decision to cut out animal products from their food intake. This automatically means no protein from meat, fish, eggs, or dairy. Of course there are still plenty of places to get protein from (tofu, tempeh, seitan, pulses, legumes, beans to name a few).

But are plant based sources of protein enough for a healthy muscle building diet?

Combining Plant Proteins For Amino Acid Intake

The main challenge with plant based eating is amino acids. Most complete protein sources are animal based. If you don’t eat meat, fish, eggs, or dairy then you need to get a bit smarter about food combinations in order to get all the amino acids you need. Don’t worry too much, though. You don’t need to get every essential amino acid in each meal and snack. Tick them off across 24 hours of eating - that’s enough.

Supplements For A Plant Based Diet

Using a vegan BCAA supplement can help you top up the amino acids you may be missing from your plant based diet. BCAAs are the key amino acids for muscle gain (leucine, valine, and isoleucine).

A quality plant based protein powder will also help you optimise your vegan protein intake. It’s best to use 2 or 3 plant protein powders so you can rotate them and maximise amino acids. Or choose a vegan protein blend which will automatically be closer to a complete protein source due to the combination of ingredients.

4 Muscle Gain Rules For A Plant Based Diet
Lift hard and heavy. Your body needs stimulus in order to build muscle, so make sure you train smart with a periodised programme, progressive overload, and enough volume.

Vary your protein sources. As we’ve already said, you need to get protein from plenty of different sources on a plant based diet. This maximises your chances of getting all the amino acids your muscles need.

Supplement to cover deficiencies. A plant based diet may leave you deficient in key micronutrients, and this can put your body on the back foot for muscle gain. Consider supplementing with a multivitamin, electrolytes, zinc, and creatine.

Mostly real healthy foods. It can be tempting to rely on shakes, bars, and protein snacks but make sure you put the effort in with your plant based diet.

Get excited about creatine healthy, home cooked meals and start learning how to combine ingredients to maximise that important amino acid profile.

There are plenty of muscular, lean, and strong vegans out there across a lot of sports including bodybuilding, strongman, Crossfit, and Olympic lifting.

It’s definitely possible to get strong and be an elite athlete on a plant based diet

The Keto (ketogenic) Diet is characterised by a high fat, high protein, and super low carbohydrate ratio. So can it ever be suitable (or even optimal) for bodybuilding? Does building muscle demand carbs, or can muscle gain happen with protein and fats alone?

What Is The Keto Diet?

Don’t mistake a true keto diet for a low carb diet. Going keto doesn’t mean slashing carbs and bringing your protein up high. True keto means tracking your response to carb intake and manipulating carbs where necessary to keep yourself in ketosis. Protein should be moderate (not high) and fats should be very high - the majority of your calories.

A keto diet should see 70%-75% daily calories from fats, 15%-20% from protein and 10% max from carbs. And that includes the trace carbs in berries or salad leaves!

It’s important to track your body’s response to the keto diet so you can tell when you are in ketosis. This is the entire point of being keto. Ketosis is a metabolic process where the body burns fat for energy.

The History Of Keto Dieting

Ketogenic dieting has been popular for a while and has plenty of scientific research behind it. This 2015 meta analysis and systematic review looked at keto diets and appetite suppression https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25402637 and this 2018 study looked at the effects of keto on body composition, bloods, and athletic performance in Crossfit athletes http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/6/1/1.

Can You Gain Muscle Eating Keto

If carbohydrates are important for building and retaining muscle tissue, how can keto be a good approach for bodybuilders? Despite misconceptions, there’s actually no evidence to show that people lose muscle on a high fat, moderate protein diet like Keto. Anecdotally, people high energy and good training performance. This may be due to the protein sparing effect, where the body uses fat (not muscle tissue) for fuel. And a good keto diet should mean you are eating sufficient calories to support muscle gain. The human body things carbohydrates are an easy form of energy for training, but they are not actually necessary. A proper keto diet will leave you with lots of energy.

Is Keto Right For You?

Of course the best diet for you is one that fits your lifestyle, that you will enjoy, and can stick to. So if you really like eating carbs and don’t much enjoy bacon, cheese, salmon and avocado then you might struggle to have fun with keto. But if you enjoy high fat foods, can set aside the carbs, and like poring over data feedback from your body then you could do well on keto.

Stock up on high fat foods, get yourself some coconut oil or MCT powder, grab some keto sticks and get going!

Whatever kind of diet you follow, you’ll want to maximise how you look, feel, and perform. If there’s a way to optimise your nutrition, you’ll take it.

The keto (ketogenic) diet can be a great dietary approach for fat loss or even muscle gain. It’s a very natural way of eating, totally erasing manmade and processed foods in favour of meats, fish, nuts and seeds, vegetables, fruits, berries and leafy greens.

If the keto diet is inherently so healthy, do you also need to take any supplements alongside it? Or will you get all the nutrients you need from food? When you eat a true keto diet, your body will shift to a new way of working, shifting into ketosis to use stored fats and dietary fats for energy. Here are 7 health supplements that can boost your keto diet.

1 Electrolytes, especially sodium and magnesium

When you go on a keto diet, you might lose more electrolytes than usual as your body secretes excess water. Be sure to supplement with electrolytes, especially magnesium, potassium, and sodium. This is important if you train hard whilst on a keto diet.

2 MCTs

MCT (medium chain triglycerides) are a special type of fat that the body can use for energy. It’s a popular fat source for keto dieters, and you can take it in supplement form. The most popular way is to use coconut oil, but you can also buy MCT powder which makes a great coffee creamer!

3 Greens powder

It can be difficult to get a healthy amount of green vegetables and leafy greens on a keto diet, simply total carbs need to be kept so low. A quality greens powder can help you get all the micronutrients, plant phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals you might be missing. Choose one that also contains algae and sea vegetables like spirulina and chorella as these ingredients have superior amounts of key micronutrients.

Common Keto Deficiencies

Even the most diligent keto dieter can become deficient in important vitamins and minerals. The most common nutrient deficiencies are potassium, sodium, and magnesium (electrolytes), vitamins E and D, plus iodine and biotin.

Keto dieters should also take the basic health supplements that we would recommend to everyone: Vitamin D capsules, fish oil, and creatine. Using a quality daily multivitamin will help you cover your bases with one simple daily dose. If you’re taking all this time and effort to set up a keto diet, it makes sense to take a few extra minutes per day to get your supplement stack up to speed with the changes.

Bulk Powders Matcha filled Protein Choc Cupcakes

by Justin Donnelly

INGREDIENTS:
Cupcake mix:
240g Butter Beans
75ml Egg Whites
1 Large Egg
20g Plain Flour
12g Cocoa Powder
2 Scoops Bulk Powders Rice Protein Powder
100ml Almond Milk
1/2 tspn Baking Powder
1/2 tspn Cinnamon Powder
Vanilla Stevia Drops (to taste)

Matcha Filling:
120g Chobani no fat Greek Yogurt
5g Bulk Powders Matcha Tea
Stevia (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and place 8 silicone cupcake moulds in a baking tray.
2. Combine all ingredients required for the cupcake mix and blend in a food processor until smooth and thick. Now mix together the ingredients for the matcha filling in a seperate bowl.
3. Spoon a small amount of cupcake mix into the bottom of each mould, then spoon the matcha filling and then fill the remainder of the cupcake mould with the filling. Repeat until all mixture is used.
4. Bake for 24 minutes and allow to cool on a wire rack before removing from tray.
5. Grab your phone and snap a selfie of you with your marvellous creation and share it with us @bulkpowdersau on instagram.

Macronutrient Profile for the whole batch.
Calories - 653
Protein - 68g
Carbs - 59g
Fats - 12g

BP Christmas Protein Flaxseed Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup BP Superfine Flaxseed
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1 tbs honey
1 egg
1 tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp vanilla stevia
40g BP Vanilla or Chocolate Protein Powder
1 tbsp ‘Christmas spices’ (e.g. ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat over to 175 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients in a blender/processor until forming a cookie like dough.
3. Shape the dough into 8 cookies at 1cm in thickness.
4. Bake for 25 minutes.
5. Grab your phone and snap a selfie of you with your marvellous creation and share it with us @bulkpowdersau on instagram.

Macros per cookie:
Calories: 102
Protein: 8.1g
Carbs: 4.4g
Fats: 5.8g

BP Peanut Butter Protein Freeze Cups

by Justin Donnelly

INGREDIENTS:
3 scoops Bulk Powders Chocolate micellar casein
1 tbsp cocoa powder
100g low fat Greek yogurt (Chobani)
200g low fat vanilla yoplait forme yoghurt
1 tbsp natural peanut butter

DIRECTIONS:
1. Thoroughly combine the protein powder, cocoa and yogurts until you are left with a smooth, thick mixture.
2. Place small amount of mixture in a silicone cupcake mould, then add a small amount of peanut butter. Completely fill the remainder of the mould with the mixture.
3. Freeze for several hours until solid, allow to sit at room temperature for a few minutes prior to eating so they slightly soften and have a mousse like consistency.
4. Top with additional toppings of your choice.
5. Grab your phone and snap a selfie of you with your marvellous creation and share it with us @bulkpowdersau on instagram.

Makes 6 large servings

Macros per serving:
Calories: 95
Protein: 12g
Carbs: 5g
Fats: 3g

Bulk Powders Protein Carrot Cake

by Justin Donnelly

INGREDIENTS:
Cake:
40g Bulk Powders Rice Protein
30g Bulk Powders Sweet Potato Powder
30g Self Raising Flour
100-150g Shredded Carrot
1 Egg
30ml Egg Whites
75-100ml Almond Milk
20g Chopped Walnuts
1tsp Vanilla Essence
1tsp Cinnamon
Pinch of Salt

Filling:
150g Low Fat Greek Yogurt
Cinnamon
1tsp Gelatin
50ml Hot Water
50ml Cold Water

DIRECTIONS:
1. Grate carrot and set aside, line a 6-7" cake tin with baking paper and preheat the oven to 160 degrees celsius.
2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until a pretty stuff mixture is achieved.
3. Using a spoon mix through the carrot, then transfer to the cake tin. Bake for 25 minutes, transfer to a cooling rack until it reaches room temperature.
4. (Filling optional) Stir the hot water with the gelatin until dissolved, then add the cold water. Pour int the yogurt and mix until fully combined. Line the cake tin with cling wrap, pour in the mixture and set in fridge for an hour.
5. Slice the cake in half and place the filling in between to slices.
6. Grab your phone and snap a selfie of you with your marvellous creation and share it with us @bulkpowdersau on instagram.

Macronutrient Profile for the whole cake.
Calories - 618
Protein - 68g
Carbs - 68g
Fats - 7g

BP Coconut and Matcha Protein Fudge.

by Justin Donnelly

INGREDIENTS:
30g Vanilla Coconut Micellar Casein
1/2 tsp Vanilla Stevia Drops
15g Matcha Tea Powder
700g Low Fat Cottage Cheese
60g Coconut Butter
25g Psyllium Husk
1/2 Cup Granulated Stevia
25g Shredded Coconut for Coating

DIRECTIONS:
1. Line a square baking dish with baking paper and set aside, melt the coconut butter in the microwave.
2. Using a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, vanilla stevia drops, vanilla coconut casein protein, matcha tea powder and granulated stevia. Combine until a smooth consistency is achieved.
3. Add the melted coconut butter and blend for 10 seconds, then add the psyllium husk and re-blend until fully combined.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, using the back of a spoon smooth the mixture until flat and even. Ensure you continue to dip the spoon in water as this will aid in smoothing as the mixture will be sticky.
5. Chill in freezer for 3-4 huors.
6. Remove mixture from tin and slice into desired size and shape (can make anywhere between 16-32 serves.
7. Place shredded coconut in a bowl and gently toss the pieces in the coconut until fully covered. Place in fridge for another hour, then they are ready to serve.
8. Grab your phone and snap a selfie of you with your marvellous creation and share it with us @bulkpowdersau on instagram.

Macronutrient Profile for all of the fudge.
Calories - 1387
Protein - 113g
Carbs - 44g
Fats - 77g
(23g Fibre)

BP High Protein Crepe Cake

by Justin Donnelly

INGREDIENTS:
7 x flat 30ml scoops Bulk Powders Protein Crepe Mix
175 - 200ml unsweetened almond milk (or milk of your choice)
120g low fat cream cheese
100g Chobani low fat greek yoghurt
10g cocoa powder
Liquid stevia drops to sweeten
optional: cinnamon to add to crepe mix.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat a small frypan on a medium temperature, then reduce to low when ready to cook.
2. In one bowl, combine the crepe mix with the milk, and whisk until well combined, leave to rest for 5 minutes.
3. In a second bowl combine the cream cheese, Chobani yoghurt, cocoa powder, and stevia drops. Leave the bowl in the fridge once thoroughly mixed together.
4. Begin to pour a small amount of batter into a lightly oiled pan, ensure you rotate the pan in a circular motion to allow the batter to spread evenly over the entire surface. Cook for approx 2 minutes each side, then place on a paper towel to cool. Repeat this step until all batter is used. (Should make between 12-15 crepes.)
5. Cool all the crepes in the fridge prior to construction of the cake. Begin by placing a spoonful of filling on the base crepe and spread to the edges with the back of a spoon, repeat this step until all crepes and batter has been used. Make sure you keep the stack straight and do not allow it to lean towards one side.
6. Place in fridge or freezer for approx 30min to slightly harden the filling, remove and cut with a sharp knife into 6 pieces.
7. Grab your phone and snap a selfie of you with your marvellous creation and share it with us @bulkpowdersau on instagram.

Macronutrient Profile for the whole cake.
Calories - 563
Protein - 74g
Carbs - 30g
Fats - 17g

BP Protein Energy Bars

by Justin Donnelly

Protein energy bars can be convenient to snack on before or after a workout, but most contain a whole bunch of artificial ingredients and added sugars. Luckily, these BP Protein Energy bars have none of the junk and a whole lotta protein. Make your bars at the start of the week and enjoy them when you need a snack on-the-go, or even pack them into your gym bag .

Prep time: 10-12 min
Freeze time: 60 min
Yields: 4 energy bars

INGREDIENTS:
90g Bulk Powders Protein Ball Mix
40g rolled oats
50g dried fruit (cranberries & blueberries)
50g sweet william original milk chocolate - no added sugar
25ml water

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a bowl combine the protein ball mix, rolled oats, and dried fruit.
2. Add 25ml of water and work the mixture with the back of a wooden spoon until the mixture begins to take shape and forms a solid clump.
3. Form the bars by hand and place on a tray lined with baking paper. (Or mould into ice block trays)
4. Chop the chocolate and microwave for 20-30 seconds and mix until fully melted. Spread the chocolate over the top of the bars.
5. Place in the freezer for approx. 1 hour.
6. Grab your phone and snap a selfie of you with your marvellous creation and share it with us @bulkpowdersau on instagram.

Macronutrient Profile per 100g 
Calories - 337 calories
Protein - 14.5g
Carbs - 17.5g
Fats - 15.7g

The Benefits Of A Good Warm-Up

Before you start a good work-out, it is vital that you warm-up. This is a fundamental part of an effective training session and it will help alleviate any risks of injury. The benefits of a good warm up before a session have been well documented by sports scientists across the world for some time now, so avoiding a warm up is, at this point, a little bit inexcusable. With that said, lots of people still skip over a warm up and warm down and end up putting themselves at serious risk of injury. This post hopes to drill in the importance of the humble warm up before exercise, so that less people skip this useful and important part of a workout.

Muscle Temperature

As you warm up, you are slowly warming the temperature within your muscles. This is a really important part of a warm up, because it allows your muscles to contract with greater force and relax faster. To that end, you can boost your speed and strength if you properly warm up. A warmer muscle temperature has also been shown to decrease the likelihood of overstretching or injuring one of your muscles.

Body Temperature

As you warm up, your internal body temperature will start to rise. This will make your muscles more elastic and lower your risk of getting a strained muscle. Your blood vessels will dilate, which in turn reduces your resistance to blood flow, which makes it easier for your muscles to get more blood.

Blood Temperature

Your blood temperature will steadily increase the more you work out, because it heats up as it travels through muscles. When the blood temperature rises, the amount of oxygen it can carry is slightly reduced. As a result of this, muscles will have more oxygen at their disposal that boosts endurance and performance.

Better Cooling

Your body is equipped with some impressive cooling mechanisms - the most effective of these is sweating. A warm up gradually brings your body temperature up, which allows your body's cooling mechanisms to work efficiently. This, in turn, can help you during your workout as you maintain a cooler temperature, which prevents you from overheating.

Hormones

During your warm up, your body is adjusting hormones to meet the body’s demands. When you exercise, your body produces different hormones that are used to regulate energy production. During a warm up, these hormones will make more carbohydrates and fatty acids to provide extra energy when you need it.

It's been a long time coming, and it's finally here. Our new minimally-designed, universal packaging is colour-coded to your favourite products series.

We believe choosing your sports nutrition products should be the easiest part of your fitness program. So we've taken the guesswork out of package sizing. Now, your favourite protein supplements come in one-size-fits-all 1kg bags.

Every product, every order, every time.

Liked the old, bulk sizes? No worries. Simply order multiples of 1kg packets equal to the old bulk bags you're used to, and we'll apply an automatic discount to ensure you're getting the best value.

TO MIX OR TO MATCH?

We want to make buying your go-to nutritional products easier than ever before. Our new mix and match allows you to order the same bulk amount you want, but with more versatility. Now, you can mix different flavours or simply match if you like sticking to an old favourite.

Our new packaging is straight-forward, simple, economical and now a great way to mix-and-match your supplements flavours to find which combination of Bulk Powders works right just for you.

Sweet Potato Powder Cupcakes

by Justin Donnelly

Sweet Potatoes have long been a staple carb source for athletes and bodybuilders, but have you ever thought about using it as a substitute for flour?

Our Organic Sweet Potato Powder allows you to harness all the goodness of the natural spud, but in a simple hassle-free format; no pealing, cooking or mashing required!

It stacks up with many benefits including being gluten free, low GI and a good source of vitamins and fibre, most of which a highly processed flour does not have.

This recipe is easy to follow and can be done with only 2 bowls. The only step that contains a bit of extra work is the egg white which needs to be whipped until a stiff peak is achieved and then folded into the remainder of the batter before diving into the cupcakes. We recommend using silicone cupcake moulds for less waste and ease of removal when you have finished baking them.

Prep time: 10-12 min
Cook time: 15-18 min
Yields 8-9 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:
60g Bulk Powders Sweet Potato Powder
30g Bulk Powders Chocolate WPI
10g Bulk Powders Cocoa Powder
1/2 tin (120g) butter beans
1 large egg
1 egg white
150ml unsweetened almond milk
1 tspn baking powder
Bulk Powders Vanilla Stevia for taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and place your silicone cupcake moulds into a muffin tray.
2. Combine all ingredients except for the egg white into a food processor/blender and combine until a thick consistency is achieved.
3. Allow your egg white to reach room temperature and then whisk/beat until it forms a stiff peak (should take a 60-90 seconds)
4. Using a wooden spoon or spatula gently fold the egg white into the remainder of the mixture and then spoon into the cupcake moulds.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tray on a wire rack.
6. Grab your phone and snap a selfie of you with your marvellous creation and share it with us @bulkpowdersau on instagram.

Macronutrient Profile per 100g 
Calories - 134 calories
Protein - 11g
Carbs - 16g (1.1g sugar, 2.6g fibre)
Fats - 2.6g

Is It Possible to Build Lean Muscles Without Weight?

Do you dream about getting a fit and beautiful body but training with weights just isn’t for you? Don’t be despaired, as there are many ways to get lean muscle without weights. In fact, this may even be a safer option for people suffering from some health conditions.

It’s true that weight lifting is a good exercise for building up your strength and muscle mass. However, cardiovascular and specialised body-weight exercises can be just as good (and sometimes even better) for the purpose of getting lean. They are also perfect for at-home workouts, as they require no equipment at all. Mastering them will allow you to get your healthy dose of fitness even while traveling with no access to a gym.

Pros and Cons of Using Your Own Body Weight in Exercising

One of the biggest advantages of using only your natural weight during workouts is the fact that you can perform a wide range of exercises that you wouldn’t be able to handle otherwise. They can be very challenging and make all your muscle groups work extremely hard.

These exercises require coordinated movement, so they also help you train your balance and concentration. Don’t forget that they are extremely comprehensive, so you can easily get a full-body workout, which will up your general fitness level fast.

On the other hand, these exercises will become less challenging with time. There are also some muscle groups that you cannot ‘reach’ without specialised tools, such as a resistance band or chinup bar. Therefore, over time, these specific groups won’t increase their fitness at the same speedy rate as the rest of your muscles.

Best Exercises for Building Lean Muscles Without Weight

If your goal is to burn off calories and get your body lean and fit, you should focus on ‘explosive’ exercises. They consist of quick and well-coordinated movements that strengthen your muscles fast. For example:

• Plie jumps
• Deep mountain climbers
• Squat push-ups
• Table saws
• Bicycle crunches
• Jump squats
• Pushups (do as many as you can and aim for more)
• Jumping lunges
• Diamond pushups
• Burpees

Start with short bursts of 30-second repetitions of each movement and allow yourself to relax for 30 seconds every couple of minutes. This will definitely be strenuous at first, but your body will start to adjust and get leaner with regular practice.

What about the Diet?

You can speed up the process of lean muscle building by following a healthy diet free of saturated fats and sugars. Including specialised sports supplements will help keep your energy levels up so that you can exercise more effectively.

10 Boxing Combinations.

Jordan "Showtime" Lucas is a pro MMA fighter, signed to One Fight Championship. Here Jordan runs through 10 boxing combinations that you can use on the bag, whilst sparring, or during a fight.

Combination 1: Jab, Cross, Left Body Rip, Roll Under
Combination 2: Jab, Cross, Step, Cross
Combination 3: Jab, Bounce Back, Cross, Roll Under, Left Rip
Combination 4: Dart Right Cross, Cut Angle, Right Body Rip
Combination 5: Dart Jab, Cut Angle, Left Body Rip, Right Body Rip
Combination 6: Double Jab, Straight Right to the Body
Combination 7: Jab Cross Stepping Forward, Jab Cross Stepping Backwards
Combination 8: Jab, Cross, Hook, Roll Under, Left Body Rip
Combination 9: Jab, Right Body Rip, Roll Under, Right Body Rip, Left Body Rip
Combination 10: Slip, Slip, Left Body Rip, Left Hook, Straight Right to the Body

Proudly produced by Bulk Powders.

Song: Trillmatic - A$AP Mob (Instrumental)

Special thanks to Nemesis MMA.

To keep updated with all our posts, like our facebook page, follow us on instagram, and subscribe to our youtube channel, that way you won't miss a thing!

10 MMA Strength and Conditioning Techniques.

Jordan "Showtime" Lucas is a pro MMA fighter, signed to One Fight Championship. Here Jordan runs through 10 Strength and Conditioning techniques with his S&C coach, Jeremy Dooley.

Bear Crawl

The Bear Crawl can help improve co-ordination, stability and mobility. When doing a bear crawl you need to be on all fours, with a flat back. Slighty elevate your knees so they are off the ground, and start moving forward. As you move your right hand forward, you will move your left leg forward.

Spiderman Crawl

The Spiderman Crawl can help improve hip mobility, co-ordination, and help activate your core. When doing the spiderman crawl you'll start on all fours. As your left hand comes forward, your right foot will go to your opposite hand, continue that motion to move forward.

Step Through

The Step Through involves dynamic range of motion, core activation, and also mimics a lot of situations where a fighter can find themselves on the ground. You'll be starting from an all fours position on the ground with your bum up high, you then fling your leg through the opposite side of your body, and then keep swapping legs with a fast paced motion.

Band Resisted Takedown

The Band Resisted Takedown can help improve explosiveness through a double leg takedown. A resistance band needs to be anchored to a stationary object or to another person, you will then shadow box and then attempt to do as many takedowns as you can within one minute, or at the other persons call.

Band Resisted Alphabet

The Band Resisted Alphabet can help improve your core strength and your range of motion. A resistance band needs to be anchored to a stationary object, you will then extend your arms and spell out the alphabet as slow and controlled as possible. Once completed one way, turn around and complete in the opposite direction.

Explosive Pushup with Dummy Bag Roll

The Explosive Pushup with Dummy Bag Roll which uses explosive power from the upper body, and also mimics a position in which a fighter can find themselves in. You will lie alongside the dummy bag (or boxing bag), you will then do an explosive pushup over the top of the dummy bag, grab the dummy bag, roll over, and repeat.

Iso Hold

The Iso Hold is a technique that tests an athletes mental strength. For this you can use any position that you want, today we will be focusing on wall sit, half pushup, and cage hang.
When performing a wall sit, your legs need to be at 90 degrees and your back flat against the wall. When performing a half push up, you'll start from the bottom point of the pushup and then elevate yourself half way up. When performing a cage hang, you will hand half way from the top of the cage, as if you are doing a half chin up or half pull up, alternatively this can be done on a chin up bar. Hold all of these movements for up to 90 seconds.

Fast Feet

The Fast Feet technique helps increase reaction time and agility. You will shadow box until you are given a specific call, (or after 5 seconds if you are training alone), then you will run through the agility ladder as fast as possible, moving side to side, one foot in and one foot out of the square. If you don't have an agility ladder you can use a drawn up grid in your training complex.

Kettlebell Walk

The Bell-end Up Kettlebell Walk helps work on shoulder strength and stability, along with mental strength. Have your arms at 90 degrees, holding two kettlebells bell end up in each hand. Make sure your arms don't flare out, and your elbows stay nice and central.

Plated Hip Thrust

The Plated Hip Thrust which works on explosive power through the hips and glutes. For this, you need to have your shoulders elevated on a bench or a box, plate around the hip region, you will then explode up through the hips, moving the plate upwards.

Proudly produced by Bulk Powders.

Song: Nerve (Prod. Wronabeats) - Thai Beats

Special thanks to Nemesis MMA and Jeremey Dooley.

To keep updated with all our posts, like our facebook page, follow us on instagram, and subscribe to our youtube channel, that way you won't miss a thing!

Nathan Williamson's Bodybuilding Diet

Need help staying on top of your diet? Bulk Powders presents Nathan's exclusive bodybuilding diet, both off-season and pre-comp. Remember that this diet works differently for everyone, as all diets need to be customised personally to suit the individual and their blood type.

Nathans personal nutrition system allows you to see exactly what foods and bodybuilding supplements he needs to build a 110kg+ mass physique and then shred it down to under 100kg stage ready rock hard sculpture. To download his diets, simply click the link below.

GET NATHAN'S OFF SEASON AND PRE COMP DIET HERE!

To keep updated with all our posts, like our facebook page, follow us on instagram, and subscribe to our youtube channel, that way you won't miss a thing.

6 Day Training Split

Lacking motivation, stuck in a plateau or need a new training program…? Then you need to check out our new video series...
Over the next 6 weeks, we’re releasing a 6 day bodybuilding split training program. Each week we’ll release a detailed video full of training tips and guidance for each of the training days.
At the end of the six weeks, the full program will be available to you for FREE.

Jordan Lucas' Top 10 Muay Thai Techniques.

Jordan "Showtime" Lucas is a pro MMA fighter, signed to One Fight Championship. Here Jordan runs through his top 10 Muay Thai combos.

Transcript: "Hey guys, Jordan Lucas here. Today I'm going to be running through ten of my favourite Muay Thai combinations. To do these combinations you're going to need a partner to drill with. Let's get into it.

This combination involves a jab cross, slip into cross hook cross. Let's get into it. Guys, I'm here with my partner Dean. What I'm going to throw first is I'm going to throw my jab cross, my partner's going to throw back with that jab, and I'm going to slip out and to the side. All I'm doing now is I'm coming back through the cross, hook cross. When it's done properly, this is what it should look like.

This technique just involves a counter of your opponent's kick, into a kick of your own. Let's get into it. The first thing my partner's going to do is he's going to throw a right kick of his own. What I'm going to do is when he kicks I'm going to stand out to the side and catch it. Dean kick me, I step out to the side and I catch his kick. From here, I'm going to counter with a kick of my own, so all I do now is I shoot my hips back, throw the leg, and into a kick of my own. When done properly, this is what it should look like.

This technique involves the parry of the push kick into a leg chop of my own. Let's get into it. The first thing my partner's going to do is he's going to throw out a push kick. What I'm going to do is I'm going to parry it. So Dean throws his push kick, I parry his kick away, which leaves his foot hanging out there. All I do now is I just chop at that leg. When done properly, this is what it should look like.

This technique just involves a head movement drill to obviously avoid getting punched by your opponent. Let's get into it. All right guys, starting off with this head movement technique, pretty much what I'm going to do is I'm going to be avoiding straight punches, hooks, and upper cuts. So lets get into it. Slip, slip, under, under, lean back, lean back. I'll do it to my partner. Jab, cross, hook, hook, lean back, lean back. Once you get a bit more comfortable with this technique, guys, you can start to mix it up a bit with your partners. This is what it should look like when done properly.

This technique involves just counter attacking and working on your defence. Let's get into it. All right guys, to start off with this technique my partner's going to throw a leg chop, I'm going to check the kick, I'm going to catch the body kick, from here, I'm going to throw a cross, knee, throw the leg back, and kick to the body. This is what it should look like when done properly.

This technique involves tricking your opponent into walking into a left high kick. Let's get into it. All right guys, the first thing I'm going to do with my partner is I'm going to throw a jab cross, hook, like so, and then I'm going to throw the same technique again, but when I'm throwing my hook I'm going to wing my hook to the ground and come over with the left head kick. This is what it should look like when done properly.

This technique involves tricking your opponent into a flying knee to the head. Let's get into it. All right guys, starting off with this technique, I'm going to throw my right cross into a rear leg chop. This time I'm going to do the same thing, but instead, I'm going to go higher with the flying knee. Right cross, leg chop, into flying knee. This is what it should look like when done properly.

This technique involves punching whilst on defence. Let's get into it. All right guys, the first thing we're going to do for this technique is I'm going to throw out my jab cross. Naturally, he's going to come forward, so I step back with my jab and the same thing with my right hand. After that I slip his jab and come back with a cross of my own. This is what it should look like when done properly.

This technique involves kicking out your opponent's front leg whilst on defence. Let's get into it. All right guys, to start off with this technique, my opponent's going to be putting pressure on me. What I want to do is I'm going to step back and I'm going to scoop out that front leg and come back with a cross. When done properly, guys, this is what it should look like.

This technique involves slipping off your opponent's right cross. Let's get into it. The first thing I'm going to do in this technique is my opponent throws a right cross. What I do is I slip the cross, come back with a cross of my own, and I use this to hit an angle. From here, all I've got to do is straight to the body or body kick. When done properly, this is what it should look like.

Thanks for watching, guys. Make sure to check out all our other videos. To score 5% off your next Bulk Powders purchase, type in "showtime" at the checkout. To stay updated, make sure to like us on Facebook, subscribe to our Youtube, and follow us on Instagram."

Song: Logic - Young Jesus (Instrumental)

Proudly produced by Bulk Powders.
Special thanks to Nemesis MMA.

To keep updated with all our posts, like our facebook page, follow us on instagram, and subscribe to our youtube channel, that way you won't miss a thing!

Are you a female looking to compete in a bodybuilding or figure competition? If you love training with weights, enjoy eating healthy and want to take your body to the next level, the bodybuilding stage may be your calling… Before you commit to a comp, decide which category you want to do, today we are explaining the different bodybuilding categories for females.

Although each bodybuilding federation varies slightly, and some of the newer ones offer brand-new classes, the basic choice for female bodybuilders is between Physique (female bodybuilding) and Figure. So, what's the difference, and how will it affect how you train, diet, pose and prep for stage.

Figure classes at female bodybuilding competitions
Figure is the softer, smaller category for females who want to compete. They tend to have fewer compulsory poses than female bodybuilders (Physique category). Check with your specific bodybuilding federation to be sure of which poses you will need to do. Your poses will all be performed with open hands, rather than the clenched-fist poses of female bodybuilders. Emphasis is on a trained, toned look to the body but without the striations, extreme muscularity, vascularity, separation and dryness of female bodybuilding. Many women find Figure a look they aspire to as it is more marketable, easier to live with on a day-to-day basis (away from stage) and easier to achieve. Although that's not to say it's easy! Figure athletes still need to train hard, diet down to unnaturally low levels of body fat, practice posing, and design either a T-walk or a free posing routine.

Female bodybuilding or Physique category for competitions
The female bodybuilding classes at bodybuilding shows are sometimes called the Physique category (it can get a bit confusing!) and, essentially, this refers to the most basic category of bodybuilding for females. Female bodybuilders are expected to do the same things on stage as the male bodybuilders: the poses are the same, and they have to do a free posing routine to music. Female bodybuilders will be judged on symmetry, muscularity and over all condition (low body fat), so need to pay attention to building a balanced physique. Bigger is usually better, but female bodybuilders shouldn't train any body part so it becomes dominant or overpowering. And leanness is very desirable, but female bodybuilders need to be careful not to diet so harshly that they lose muscle tissue. The ideal is a large, but proportionate, balanced, flowing physique with very low levels of body fat, yet a full (not flat) look.

So you want to be a bodybuilder? Who doesn't: those guys are big, ripped and look great. But there's more to being a bodybuilder than lifting the heaviest dumbbells on the rack. Here's your beginners guide to becoming a bodybuilder.

Figure out your body type
Different body types need different types of training, diet and recovery. Are you a mesomorph, ectomorph, endomorph, or a combination? The three body types are known as somatypes, they describe your shape, your ability to gain (and lose muscle), and even how you'll lose body fat. Know your somatotype, and training (and eating) like a bodybuilder will be a lot easier. One size doesn't fit all!

What's your bodybuilding goal?
What does "bodybuilding" mean to you? For some, it means training with weights, consistently, year on year, and making improvements in size, muscle mass, shape or body composition. For others, you're not a bodybuilder unless you compete. Figure out your personal goals, then you can make a plan.

Train smart to train hard
More is not necessarily better when it comes to training as a bodybuilder, and pain doesn't always lead to gains. If you want to pack on more muscle mass and fine tune your physique, you need to train smart, and recover hard. Get your training right, and pay attention to nutrition, supplementation, sleep and stress levels too. Your training should be periodised and structured, you need to think about tempo and time under tension, and realise that there are more important factors than the amount of weight on the bar.

Cardio or no-no?
Do you need to include cardio in your bodybuilding training? If so, should it be LISS (low intensity steady state) cardio or HIIT (high intensity interval training)? Everyone's needs are different, and your somatype will have a big influence on whether you should avoid or embrace cardio. So will other factors such as how active your job is, how stressed you are, how much body fat you have to lose, and how well you're managing your nutrition.

Get your diet dialed in
Diet is key whether you want to add muscle mass for lifestyle goals, or whether you want to get huge and ripped for a bodybuilding competition. Without the correct diet, consistently applied with intelligence and patience, you are very unlikely to meet your ultimate bodybuilding goals. Don't get caught up in the old-style "bro" diets of chicken, rice and broccoli. Don't think you have to go super low-carb. Get advice from someone who can help you design a diet suited to your body type, your goals, your lifestyle and your budget. Then stick to it. That's the key.

Beginners bodybuilding supplement stack
The third part of your beginners bodybuilding plan will be your supplements. There are some basic, effective bodybuilding supplements which will be really beneficial for anyone new to bodybuilding, or taking it to the next level. Definitely consider creatine (Creapure is the best type available), amino acids (or BCAAs - branch chain amino acids), l-glutamine or l-leucine (very important essential amino acids) and a good whey protein (or pea protein, if you can't tolerate whey at all). Take your bodybuilding supplements consistently and see what a difference they make over the first few months of your journey.

Train to your genetic potential
Before you make any major decisions about moving over to the "assisted" side of bodybuilding, make sure you have exhausted your genetic potential. This is particularly true if you're male, and even more true if you're young. Your body's natural hormone levels are sky-high, so make the most of them. Train hard, rest harder, get your diet right, and enjoy seeing how far you can push your body naturally before making any decisions which you can't reverse.

Above all, be patient, consistent and enjoy the journey. Welcome to the world of bodybuilding!

Protein Balls.

Our Protein Balls are super convenient for a protein hit on the run or as a sweet treat whilst on a tight Marco/Calorie count, they not only kill a craving, they’re super healthy for you as well! Our Protein Ball Mix is low in sugar and super high in protein containing a whopping 56%, they’re loaded with only quality fats from almonds, hazelnut, flaxseed, coconut and cocoa.

It’s as simple as Scoop. Mix. Roll. Freeze (Or refrigerate) & Enjoy!

You can purchase them here!

Song: PVX - King Kong

To keep updated with all our posts, like our facebook page, follow us on instagram, and subscribe to our youtube channel, that way you won't miss a thing!

DJ Darren D has teamed up with Bulk Powders to bring you exclusive monthly mixes to smash your workout to, we hope you guys enjoy it.

Darren moved to Perth from Ireland 5 years ago, and has already made a name for himself, he has rocked the stage of Stereo-sonic two years in a row, is currently the resident DJ at one of Australia’s biggest clubs, Metro City Perth, has headlined many international shows in Malaysia, Bali, and Indonesia, and has also played sets with many of the best trance DJ's in the business.
Darren produces a range of music from EDM, to trap, to future house, but is best known for his trance mixes. Earlier this year, Darren launched his own radio show called “Tranzfusion” which is aired on the world’s biggest online trance radio station, Afterhours.FM. You can check out all of his other tracks on his soundcloud.

> > > FREE DOWNLOAD MIX #9 < < <

> > > FREE DOWNLOAD MIX #8 < < <

> > > FREE DOWNLOAD MIX #7 < < <

> > > FREE DOWNLOAD MIX #6 < < <

> > > FREE DOWNLOAD MIX #5 < < <

> > > FREE DOWNLOAD MIX #4 < < <

BP Mix #3:

> > > FREE DOWNLOAD MIX #3 < < <

BP Mix #2:

> > > FREE DOWNLOAD MIX #2 < < <

BP Mix #1:

> > > FREE DOWNLOAD MIX #1 < < <

To stay updated with all of our giveaways, video releases, and the next drop of BP's monthly workout mix, make sure you like us on facebook, follow us on instagram, and subscribe to us on youtube.

Check out Darren's socials:
Facebook Page
Twitter
Instagram