TMC truly had an amazing Halloween Weekend!

After 4 hours of masterful bodypainting  artistry applied by Big Tom O’Connor and Luca R. Paganico of The Costume Consultants we left for MGM Grand and came home with the Grand Prize!

Holly Madison was the MC for the event.  Check out the video of all the finalists.

 Stay tuned for some newly shot photos from our shoot with Jonathon Simon of “Ultimate Steel”.

MIHWCS

TMC is asking all of our readers to vote for Anh as Status Magazine’s Cover Girl of the Month for November 2011.

Please go to this link, register and vote.

You have the option to vote for Anh up to 5x per 24 hour period. 

We would be greatly appreciative if you could vote couple of times in the month of November.  Every vote counts.

MIHWCS

We will have much more on this amazing night but wanted to send MAJOR SHOUT OUTS TO LUCA & BIG TOM of THE COSTUME CONSULTANTS!

WIZARDS of their Craft!

MIHWCS

But somebody, somewhere, out there, is working even harder for the sheer love of competing.

Once you share that love, you wont need to understand why we do what we do!

Model America is 3 weeks away from tomorrow and TMC is coming.  Look out Golden Nugget.

MIHWCS

The Muscle Couple is super excited about Part 2 of our recently published interview with Natalie Minh for her Lifestyle Magazine.

We encourage all of our readers to read it.  It’s more candid and deeper than much of what you’ve seen and heard from us previously.  We’re quite proud it was published unedited.

A huge thanks to Natalie for her incredible eye behind the camera lens and also her unwavering focus to give our story, our site and and the TMC brand significant global exposure.

You can read the interview in its entirety here.

With permission from Natalie we’re republishing it along with “select photos” from our shoot with her.

<NOTE>The photos she chose are different from the ones we’re running here on the site.  She is amazing and took so many great photos it’s hard to pick and choose.

Enjoy!

The Muscle Couple is at it again!  One of my favorite married couples showing us all how they enjoy life in Las Vegas with two young daughters (yes, Anh had 2 children!) while keeping up on a fit lifestyle. Anh and Jay are back for round 2 Interviews and a special photoshoot together in Sin City.  This year has been special for them as they have taken a leap into the competitive fitness world and they are ramping up to their big show, Model America, at the end of November.  I went in a little deeper this time around with their fitness, diet, and scheduling methodologies and as you can see by the pictures, it’s working like magic. Check out the interview below to learn all of the juicy details.

The Interview

1. You have inspired a lot of people to stay in shape. Are you working with any clients now for personal training/coaching? Do you train them in a gym, at home, or where?

In the late 90′s Jay was licensed by ACE and also had his CSCS license. He was a independent trainer at Gold’s Gym Pasadena working at night after his normal “office job” as a Digital Media and Advertising Sales Manager in Los Angeles. Currently both of us are studying for our personal trainer licenses through ACT. We do currently consult with a number of people (gratis) in Las Vegas and So Cal offering advice and instruction relevant to HIT Training. Upon receiving our licenses before the end of December, we plan on training people in Las Vegas at a number of gyms. LVAC, Anytime Fitness, Golds Gym and some additional independent studios. We will also offer fitness instruction, program design and nutritional/diet consulting through our website within the next 4-6 months.

2.  You’ll both be competing in and Model America in November, tell us what your preparation is like? What is your dieting approach like before the big show?

It has been a very busy year for both of us in maintaining “contest ready” body fat levels for much of the year. Thankfully we only took the last 3-4 weeks off (Anh’s last contest Miss Fitness Long Beach was on Sept 17th and Jay’s prep for our photo shoot with Natalie was on Sept 13th). Yesterday Oct 10th was the official “start date” for our contest prep for Model America/Fitness Universe. Our prep is three pronged. Training moves from 3x every 7 days to 4x . Our diet moves to 4-8 feedings a day (depending on daily training level). And our cardio moves to 2 a days on non lifting days. You can see our new pre-contest workout program Hybrid Training Day 1, Day 2 and Days 5&6 on our site.

We will also be writing a very detailed breakdown of our pre-contest diet soon as well. Our nutritional strategy is based on limiting kcal intake and increasing clean EFA and protein consumption. Caloric cycling is an important component. We will usually move anywhere between 9-13kcals per pound of lean bodyweight. Protein comes from Chicken, Salmon, Tilapia, Egg whites and lean cuts of Red Meat. Carbs are very redundant coming from sweet potatoes (Korean Yams are Anh’s staple), brown rice, and oatmeal. We will eat lots of greens primarily broccoli, green beans, spinach and salads. All processed food and bread is out. Fats come from Udo’s Oil (thrown in shakes, salads, and used as cooking oil), Ultra Oil Capsules, Almonds, Almond Butter, Sunflower Seeds and Natural Peanut Butter. We will use MRP shakes up until the last 14 days. The last 14 days we switch to solid foods completely and eat as much Asparagus as possible due to its diuretic qualities.

3. Anh, you placed 2nd in the 2011 Miss Fitness Hollywood Contest, how does it feel? Can you tell us more about your experience?

Actually I placed 5th in Miss Fitness Hollywood (out of 18 contestants) and 2nd in Miss Fitness Long Beach (and was told by everybody judging the event I should have won). It was truly an incredible experience for me. For the first time in my competitive life, I realized I wasn’t just another girl on stage but somebody with the conditioning and know how to win. I owe a lot to Jay as he has experimented with my diet, supplement routine and last 7 day strategy for the better part of a year now. He has truly helped me “dial everything in” to where I feel confident I have a shot to finish in the top 5 every time I step up on stage. I actually would recommend him to any female or male competitor who is looking to shore up and solidify their last couple of week strategy so that they hit the stage in peak condition.

4. From your past contests, what have you learned you need to correct or improve that will help you prepare for the next show?

Great question. Probably the greatest learning curve was building my stage presence. I usually have solid conditioning due to my focused HIT training and good genetics. But there is so much more that factors into winning/placing in a contest beyond just your appearance. There are many other components in which you must appear razor sharp like, makeup, your strut/walk, your connection with the judges and audience, your grace under fire (such as questions from the MC) and remaining happy, positive and upbeat no matter the circumstances. All of these components can only be improved upon with time and experience. There are few who get it all right the first time they step on stage.

5. Are your diet & training routines different now from when you first started doing fitness competitions?

In some ways our training is, yes. We now train our abs differently trying to focus on areas where we are not as “sharp” like the obliques, serratus. We still utilize HIT principles and challenge each other on almost every rep and set. Anh targets her hamstrings and glute-ham tie in which is a traditional weak area for many women due to estrogen fat deposition areas. (Anh due to having two children is no stranger to this issue). From a diet perspective, we’ve just stopped messing around with “Lowered or Restricted carb” diets and focus more on the total kcal’s in and out equation.

6. You started using HIT in your training program, how is it different from the other programs you’ve followed?

Nothing compares to focused and scientific HIT Training. Jay has been involved in resistance training design and implementation for close to 15 years and experimented with multiple methodologies and protocols such as Periodization, Bulgarian Training, German Volume Training, Doggcrapp Training, HST (Hypertrophy Specific Training) and Full Body Blood Volume Training. After utilizing HIT principles and techniques over the last 18 months, none of those other philosophies compares.

With true HIT training (and it’s not something you can learn from just reading a book or observing a video), you learn a way of life designed to maximize every second your muscles are placed under tension. Once you can apply the 2 Core HIT Principles – maximal muscle fiber contraction and elimination of momentum,  consistently to your training, your physique will improve by leaps and bounds.  You will realize genetics is not the be all end all many make it out to be.  We could write an entire article <HINT-HINT> on why HIT Training is  the great equalizer for sub standard to average gene trainees everywhere.

7. How do you balance your life between fitness and parenting? What activities do you do together as a family?

The parenting of our beautiful daughters comes first and is above all else. Many people believe we must live in the gym to look the way we do at our age. It’s not true at all. When not preparing/training for a show, we are “at most” in the gym together 3x a week. Due to our hectic work/life balance, sometimes it only amounts to 2 training days every 7. During the last 10 weeks it’s been incredibly difficult as Jay has been traveling to Phoenix AZ for work usually from Monday to Thursday evening. This has made us become incredibly mindful of our time together and limited our “free time” away from the girls.

We’ve also had to be very creative with our training. Lots of weekends in the gym for sure. But we always find time for the girls. Usually that time consists of Thursday Night dinners at iHop. Trips to the park on Friday Evenings and then most of our Saturdays are spent with them on family shopping excursions, trips to our local Summerlin Community Pool and dinner at of course iHOP! Sundays in the summer is usually “Jay and Anh time”. We try and do a Vegas Hotel Pool Party for about 3.5 hours finishing up with Dinner with Friends at Blue Martini. The 5-6 hours we spend together away from Alex and Gabbie keeps our passion and love for each other strong and at the same time allows us to reconnect in ways we are unable to during the busy work week.

It’s important to understand especially during the last couple of months how hard Anh’s job has been trying to maintain her razor sharp condition, balance the everyday requirements of maintaining our house and somehow having enough left over to see to the care of Alex and Gabbie. Both of them are just bundles of energy and they can wear you out quickly. Anh is truly a Super Mom to be able to keep it all together while Daddy is away during the week.

8. What is it like to train & compete together? How do you both go about supporting each other during this time?

We absolutely love training together. Our motto has always been “couples who train together-stay together”. Sometimes after a long day, having 25-35 minutes together with a singular focus of crushing some iron or achieving one more rep than the previous week, is all we need to stimulate positive energy and renew our zest for life and each other. As far as supporting each other during contest prep time, it’s kind of funny. Reduced kcals and restricted carbs can definitely do a number on brain chemistry and often times can make you irritable or prone to “react” at the dumbest thing. We both try to critique each other once we observe reactionary behavior or moodiness brought on by something inconsequential. And we will definitely jump all over one another if we see any kind of reactionary anger or behavior toward Alex or Gabby.

Please don’t misunderstand us. Crying and wining babies during pre-contest time can definitely test even the most level headed and even keeled person. It’s not easy. But you persevere and make due trying to think about the end game. Often times Daddy or Mommy will just grab both of the girls, strap them into the car and just drive leaving the other parent with some solitude and “alone time” even if for only 30 minutes while the other parent drives the girls around the neighborhood hopeful they’ll stop crying or perhaps even fall asleep.

9. Working towards similar goals in regard to your fitness & training lifestyle has brought you closer together as a couple. Have there been some challenges along the way? If so, how did you overcome them?

What marriage doesn’t have its share of challenges? We have had relationship issues and like most couples -turbulent times. Our marriage has been tested by a number of factors. At the end of the day, we know we love each other and more importantly love our children. They are an absolutely priceless creation and an actual physical part of us and our legacy as a couple. They are now the most important part of our lives and we live every day striving to be positive role models and loving parents to them in every conceivable way possible.

We also engage in regular weekly Marriage and Family Therapy sessions to make sure our communication is open and honest and being objectively guided and critiqued by an outside and neutral party. Our therapist is truly amazing and we’re thankful to have her. We recommend M&F Therapy for all married couples regardless of the stage of the relationship. Open lines of communication are truly the best way to to maintain trust and loyalty which are crucial to the relation prospering for decades.

12. Any shout outs?

We definitely like to make a number of “Shout Outs” if we could. First off a a huge Shout Out to Natalie for without her incredible talent behind the lense, our likeness wouldn’t have been captured in the essence we are currently representing.

Another one to Mike Torchia for wanting to integrate his incredibly worthy cause with the TMC brand.

To the HIT Master Practitioners who have shown us the way to both better physiques and a way of life.

To Alexandra and Gabriella Campbell for being forgiving and loving children through it all.

To Mike Cernovich and Jason Greene for being in both of our corners when few were willing to choose sides.

To Josephine Dalton aka Trainer Joe for her pre-contest coaching and stage awareness preparation.

To Rebecca Narinen for being a friend few people ever get a chance to truly experience.

We also wanted to say we are truly thankful for the awareness and exposure Natalie has given us.

We will try and return the favor as often as possible.

MIHWCS

TMC has decided to get our body painted for Halloween this year.

We’ve chosen BigTom O’Connor and Lucky Luca, of the Costume Consultants to do us up right.  We won’t let the cat out of the bag yet, but think “super heroes” and you’ll be heading in the right direction.

These guys are true masters of the body painting realm.  You can check out some of their creations on this video:

The Costume Consultants

And here are some sick images from their body painting magic.

If there’s are any other Vegas locals interested in getting painted this year, BigTom is your man.

Please email him directly:  bigtomlasvegas@gmail.com or hit him up through his Facebook pages already linked here.

Tell them The Muscle Couple sent you for a super star deal!  We guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

We are super pumped to let these masters paint our physiques in a couple of weeks.

Two weeks until Halloween Weekend, and 5 Weekends until Model America.

Great stuff happening in the world of TMC!

MIHWCS

TMC received another update from Steve yesterday.

Friday Update

Date  Navel   Beltline    Bicep Chest
9/2/11       39.5       37.25      NA    NA
9/9/11       39.0       37.25      NA    NA
9/16/11     38.5       37.25       15     42
9/23/11     37.75     37.00      15     42
9/29/11     37.5       37.00      15     42
10/7/11     37.5       36.75       15     41.75
10/14/11   37.5       36.75       15     42.25

Not a lot of hard number improvement yet again this week, but a couple of positive developments.  Even though the belly measurement has stagnated a bit, the skinfold measurement there has dropped a couple of mm’s.  I’m also noticing a decrease in the subcutaneous fat in other places; ie cheekbones, neck, arms, chest, etc.  I know the belly fat is going to be the most stubborn, so I’m not discouraged.  The diet and workout plan has been kept stable at Jay’s suggestion until I meet again with my Docs on Tuesday, after which an updated plan of attack will surely follow.

Strength continues to improve, with a couple of interesting developments on that front; I’ve had to begin “strapping myself in” to several of the Hammer machines now as the weight I’m using is surpassing my body weight.  Also, as of last week, the weight has increased substantially enough that I’ve had to start using gloves again due to the pain in my palms that the heavier weight is causing.  (I’ve also ordered a pair of “Gripads”to replace the gloves, which are just a nuisance to put on.)

Some examples of the weight increases since 8/29/2011:

Incline Bench, up 20 lbs.
Pulldown, up 40 lbs.
Preacher curl, up 20 lbs.
Cable Presdown, up 20 lbs.
Decline Bench, up 50 lbs.
Row, up 20 lbs.
Dips, up 70 lbs. (!)

Last but not least, I broke down and jumped on the scale this morning (my wife has taken custody of it…but old habits die hard!).  198.  That’s a loss of about 4 1/2 lbs. since 8/29 while experiencing some major composition/measurement changes.  Oh, and I’ve still only missed 2 days of morning fasted cardio!

More to come next week…..stay tuned!

<TMC Commentary>

Keep on keepin on Steve.  Progress is never linear unfortunately.  It’s always an ebb and flow kind of storyline.

Once you’re “good to go” with your Dr’s recommendation, we’ll begin to tweak and adjust around it.

We continue to be excited for you and look forward to seeing you reach your ultimate goal!

MIHWCS

TMC dropping some more incredible photos of Anh from our shoot with Natalie Minh on Sept 13th.

All of these were shot as live action yoga poses.

If you think they are “easy to do”, give them a try yourself.

We also wanted to give another shout out to one of Vegas Hot’s amazing Pilate’s instructors-Elizabeth(Liz) Steers.

Liz’s class consists of various techniques such as stretching, core exercises, hamstrings, glutes, and so much more. She changes the routine for every class and is always adding new techniques so it never gets boring from repetitive exercises.

If your looking for cardio that makes you burn serious kcals, you should give Vegas Hot’s Pilate’s a shot.  We guarantee you will feel an incredible rush of endorphins upon making it through the entire class.   That’s if you can make it through the entire class! HA.  It’s not for the weak of heart or poorly conditioned.

Have a great weekend!  More pictures from Natalie’s shoot soon!

MIHWCS

TMC had another productive STRUTTing workshop at the “Campbell” crib last night.

Thanks to all the contestants Gina Navarro and Jamie Spenner for coming out and working on your contest prep.

A huge TMC special shout out to Josephine Dalton aka Trainer JO for her expertise in helping me(Anhski) finally figure out a model walk that works for my long legs. lol!!

We are looking forward to our next Strutting session.

If there are any newbies in Vegas competing in a fitness show needing help with your stage presence, stage walk or have any other questions,  I highly recommend you contact Trainer JO and take one of her Strutting workshops.

She really is “Awesome” and a fountain of knowledge for even the most seasoned competitor!

More to come!

MIHWCS

TMC back with the final two days of our 4 Day Hybrid Mass Gain Training Program. (Day 1 and Day 2)

During the first two days there is a Rest Pause focus, so reps are a bit higher and weight @60-75% of max.

The 2nd two days are strict HIT focus.  Weights at 80-85% and Intensity Techniques like Negatives, Forced Reps, 10 Second Holds etc are utilized on almost every set.

Day 5

• CHEST
• Incline Machine Press-2 Warm Up Sets, 1 Maximum HIT set at 80% 1RM
• Decline Machine Press-Same

• DELTS
• Machine Overhead Press-Same
• Rope Up Right Rows-Same

• TRICEPS
• Triceps Rope Pushdown-Same
• Dip Machine-Same

• ABS
• Nautilus Ab Machine-Same

Day 6

• BACK
• Wide Grip Lat Pulldown-2 Warm Up Sets, 1 Maximum HIT Set @80% 1RM
• Hammer Wide Grip Rows-Same
• Negative Weighted Chins-10 Second Hanging Negative performed until failure

• BICEPS
• Cambered Bar Preacher-Same
• DB Hammer Preacher Curls-Same

• LEGS
• Lying Machine Squat Press
• Seated Hamstring Curl Machine

• CALVES
• Seated or Standing Calf Raise Machine

After performing this program for almost a month now, we can really say it’s INCREDIBLE.

It’s been so productive in fact, we’re going to stay on it (with some tweaks to account for lowered kcals) for our Contest Preparation for Muscle Mania/Model America in Las Vegas Nov 17th thru 20th @ Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino.

Much more on that in an upcoming post.

Here is another picture from our shoot with Natalie Minh.  As stated previously, the best pics are “not viewable” yet. 

Enjoy the remainder of your Weekends!

MIHWCS