14 August 2024
Fifth episode, fourth guest! Who is Angel Trendafilov and why have we invited him to our fitness podcast?
Oh, what podcast? It’s about time you watched it because you’re missing out on inspiring stories, helpful facts, and more from our hosts – Acho and Sami and the guests who visited the On Protein studio.
Again, we surprise viewers with our drink because it’s not protein again. In the studio, as in life, it is good to take different supplements and drinks according to the needs and the situation. That’s why we’re cheating the name of the podcast series, and intentionally so, to tell you as much as we can about the different supplements that can help you in your routine and in your workout.
What is creatine and how do you take it? Creatine has been shown to be better drunk with juice, as the fructose aids its absorption. You can also take it with water if that’s what you prefer, but you should bear in mind that its absorption will be relatively slower that way.
When is it more appropriate to take it – before or after exercise? The opinion of the men in our podcast studio was unanimous, namely – before a workout to give strength and energy. Creatine holds water between muscle fibres so there is less friction between those fibres, and less friction gives you more strength to use in your workout.
Acho is a former bodybuilding champion and personal fitness instructor. He has been through a lot, and to this day he never stops training and loving the sport. He is the chairman of BGFIT Sport, Health, Longevity Association – a voluntary organization for the implementation of socially beneficial activities for the sustainable development of sport, physical education and health culture in Bulgaria. However, something happened that turned his life upside down.
I was diagnosed with a severe form of kidney failure 4 years ago and had to undergo a kidney transplant. I can’t live without sport, but unfortunately for me it is now contraindicated to train in the same way I used to – with the big weights, bodybuilding methods etc. This has forced me to switch to lighter sports.
I work out at least ¾ times a week, trying to get more exercise. I don’t have to push myself as hard as I used to, with heavier weights. I go to the gym regularly and train sensibly. My recovery is slower, and I can’t take supplements.
Immunity will improve if people eat sensibly. Sport will help a lot, undoubtedly so, but food comes first because immunity starts from the gastrointestinal tract. If you don’t eat properly and sensibly with the right nutrients, don’t expect good immunity. High athleticism does not mean you are healthy and immune, quite the opposite. The body throws all of its defenses into recovering and preparing for exertion that is superhuman.
A long time ago bodybuilding was the basis of fitness. In fact, when you say fitness and you imagine people in the gym lifting some big barbells and there were hardly any women there. There were rusty discs and barbells in the gyms, recliners welded together in Labor class and that was basically what fitness was.
The gyms were very small and with a closed society who, when they communicate with each other, speak the same language and the outside world doesn’t understand them and they don’t understand the outside world. And now things are completely different, fitness is not bodybuilding. It’s a body culture that it’s good for people to develop from an early age.
It was a long time ago. I had a neighbor who used to train with a barbell in his yard. And watching this guy, he looked better and better every day. Back then I was a skinny kid, about 60 pounds at 180 cm, which is nothing. I watched him, and then came the Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. From there came my motivation. I went down that path, and I started looking for literature. At that time there was no internet and things like that, late 80s, early 90s. I found the book “Bodybuilding for All” and using the systems that are described inside, I started training and that’s how things took off. But for sure, first you have to find the literature, the information, before you start doing anything. And if you want the information off the shelf, go and ask, find a coach. But give the coaches more chance. Don’t think that in one or two months you will become amazing.
The later and the less the better. These are, after all, artificial preparations that more or less load the body. You have to be very careful with this stuff, especially in adolescents. With the young I don’t recommend it, it’s better to drive on clean food as much as you can, water more and things, light by light, happen.
It’s very hard to prepare for a bodybuilding competition because effectively you’re completely subjugated to this thing for those ¾ months or more. You get up, you eat, you train, you rest, you eat again, you train again… That’s basically it. The food has to be very well balanced and calculated, according to the person’s condition. It’s all about balance. You also have to have a coach who monitors your training and condition so that he can give you the right guidance. Just before your race there are certain techniques to clear the water so that you can reach that peak form. However, it is important to note that this peak form that we see in the pictures and in the races cannot be maintained for a long time. It lasts for a few hours and then it is lost, you are not the same person the next day.
It sport in general prepares you for what life throws at you, in every aspect. Every athlete is disciplined and knows that it’s up to him or her to accept the things of life. That’s what I recommend sports for. More or less, it builds discipline, it builds some qualities in the athlete that they will surely need at some point.
If you liked the above and want to hear more of our conversation with Acho, click HERE.
You can find us on both Spotify and the Apple Podcast.
Stay tuned for a new episode with a new guest coming soon.
Don’t wait for your Next Level! 😉