As bodybuilders we have to understand the importance of longevity and health, we need to ensure our body is kept as healthy as possible in order for it to function optimally.

I personally recommend getting blood work done after every prep and before starting a prep. This is my personal approach to ensure the body is healthy and blood work is optimal before we put any extra stress on the body. The main markers I would test for would be

• Kidney function
• Thyroid
• CBC
• Liver function
• Fasting insulin

In my opinion these are some of the most important factors to take into account and check…. blood work will give you and indication if something isn’t right and will help your resolve any hormonal issues. I think this is a part of bodybuilding which is overlooked but these days we have all the access we need to keep on top of the above.

Health supplements also play a huge pet in ensuring your body is kept healthy we can also correlate blood work with health supplements, if there is any issues usually they can be sorted with some sort of supplementation. Below are some of my staple health supplements that I would use on a daily basis year around:

• Heart +
• Liver +
• TUDCA
• Glutathione
• Curcumin
• Probiotic

All the above will keep on top of gut health, liver health and heart health. Cover the basics and make sure you’re giving your body the correct supplements to keep it healthy and optimal. Remember that when you are healthy your body is likely to respond much better so we must make it a priority.

I think another area we often overlook in terms of longevity is our training… these days I see far too many tearing biceps and injuring themselves due to there training style. My approach is to train smart, focus on tension and connection. Leave your ego at the door, do not just shift weight for the sake of it. Remember we are bodybuilders not powerlifters. The focus should always be on stress on the muscle rather than weight. Never be afraid to back off the weight if you feel you will get a better connection. Recently I have been very smart with my training. Iv Listened to my body, what movements feel good and what I connect with, Iv had very little niggles our injuries since taking this approach. Remember we have to think long term. I don’t believe anyone should be wearing knee wraps or elbow wraps at my age and have any sort of joint tendon issues.

So remember the importance of longevity in this sport. Always think of the long-term goal. Remember there are no shortcuts.

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