Each athlete who has put themselves through a sustained vigorous training schedule will have at some point experienced some degree of sports related injury. For me it is a constant battle between training with absolute intensity without causing injury which would delay or even end my training and career in bodybuilding / powerlifting. Indeed I personally believe that if one is to reach their potential, or compete in a sport at the highest level they must train regularly with an intensity bordering injury, however it is inevitable that at some stage in their sporting lives that they will over step this boundary and cause an injury. How one deals with this injury may determine their recovery speed and extent of damage done over a period of time (i.e. if an injury isn’t treated correctly and efficiently scar tissue may build up possibly cause further problems, whereas if dealt with properly this scar tissue may be avoided to begin with).

Although injury is a physical obstacle, it may also act as a mental stress, often resulting in depression and mood swings (trust me!!!!),- there is nothing more frustrating than having the desire to train and improve oneself but being unable to do so due to injury.
Thankfully I have never endured a serious injury such as a torn muscle, that has made me completely unable to train a body part, however in my early training I did suffer with a bad back, which after careful examination ( X-Rays and the like) was diagnosed as scoliosis caused from training too hard and heavy too early in life!

I believe that how I dealt with this and other injuries that I have picked up allows me to train 100% today. I follow several principles / methods of dealing with an injury, these are as follows:

• Ice – Compress area with ice for 15-20mins on a regular basis over the next 24-48hrs after the initial injury
• Anti-inflammatory in order to reduce inflammation I will consume regular anti-inflammatory medication for up to a week depending on the extent of the injury
• I have regular appointments with a great sports therapist (Mr Kevin Winkle, Pro-Health sports therapy) who manipulates muscle tissue allowing greater blood flow to the injured area supporting a rapid recovery, he also incorporates other techniques such as ultra-sound, percussion, interferential etc
• I also apply a cryotherapy gel called Biofreeze which unlike regular freeze sprays is proven to reduce the applied area of up to 6c.
• And most importantly, REST! An injury is a signal from your body that it needs to rest, however I believe that active rest is more beneficial than static rest. If I can train the bodypart lightly with alternate exercises which are pain free I will do so, I call this phase of training Damage limitation( Just enough training to stimulate the muscle so that no muscular atrophy occurs)`

I recommend using these techniques if you acquire an injury in the future, It may aid in a faster and stronger recovery, Although the moral of this article is, train hard and don’t get injured good luck!!!!

Q. Hey Jay just found your site and I really like it. I really like your physique too. It is the exact look I am going for. I have found everyone that uses AST products have the best physiques. I am currently using Ny-Tro Pro 40 and Creatine HSC and have made great gains. I now what to add VP2 to my diet because everybody that has reviewed this protein says it is the best. I was just wondering what your thoughts were about VP2. Thanks.

A. Hi there! Thanks for the complements on the site and my physique, i will soon be putting more regular posts on the site relating to different topics which might interest you so this could be an idea to keep a check on the site!
As for the VP2, - believe me i have tried pretty much every protein from every manufacturer and i honestly believe that AST’s VP2 is by far the best.

First of all, most proteins are generally either chocolate, vanilla or strawberry (with exception of a few brands) flavour, VP2 also have the Citrus and Fruit Punch which taste awesome, therefore you are more likely to
have the servings you need for your goals. Typically i recommend having a serving immediately after waking, and another immediately post training. The Nytro-pro 40 can then be used between your food meals to add extra nutrients needed for muscle growth and strength. On the VP2 tub, each serving is 1 scoop offering around 23g of ultimate quality protein, however depending on your bodyweight, metabolism etc.. it may be worth experimenting with perhaps 2 scoops! I believe it is better to have too much than too little when comes to protein requirements, i have even been known to have 3 scoops post training!!

I hope this answers your question, good luck and happy guzzling!!!!!

Jay