Week Two: Training

Two weeks down, approximately ten to go.

On day one of my twelve-week pre-contest prep, I had a bodyweight of 162.6 pounds.  One week later, on May 24, it was down to 154.2.  I type this today, on May 31, with an official bodyweight of 152.2.  Though I didn't expect anywhere near as dramatic of a change on the scale this week (just like on The Biggest Loser, my week two fat loss is always relatively unimpressive), the difference in my physique is pronounced. New lines are popping up in my chest and thighs, the veins in my arms are more pronounced, and my abs and waistline are coming along nicely.  But all that's largely a result of my diet, and, after all, this entry is supposed to be about my weight training regimen, so let's shift gears, shall we?

Either I'm very dedicated to my weight training, or I'm truly a moron, because instead of starting my second week of training on Monday as prescribed, I just couldn't help myself; I jump-started the week's workouts with a Sunday morning session before the gym had opened.

Sunday, May 23: Quads and Abs (B)

1) Squats (full range of motion), 2 warm-ups, 3 sets of 5 reps

2) Bulgarian Split Squats, 3 sets of 10-12 reps (see video below)

3) Leg Extensions, 3 sets of 20 reps

4) Hanging Leg Raises, 3 sets of 5 reps

5) Lying Leg Thrusts, 3 sets of 10 reps

6) Crunches, 3 sets of 20 reps

• As mentioned in my last entry, my B-workouts are the more standard, "bread-and-butter" workouts in which the primary muscle group (quads, in this example) is trained with 3-4 sets of 3-4 exercises, covering a range of low, moderate, and high rep ranges.
• My sets of abdominal exercises were performed in a "staggered" manner, meaning I squeezed them in between sets of quad exercises in an effort to save time.

Monday, May 24: Chest and Shoulders (A)

1) Incline Barbell Presses, 1 warm-up, 5 sets of 4-6 reps

2) Flat Bench Presses, 5 sets of 4-6 reps

3) Incline Rear Lateral Raise, 3 sets of 20 reps

4) Reverse Pec Deck, 4 sets of 12 reps

5) Rear Cable Laterals, 3 sets of 6-8 reps
6) Machine Lateral Raises, 3 sets of 10-12 reps

• A-workouts are of the lowest intensity, using a 5 x 5 set/rep scheme for my primary muscle group (in this case, chest), going as heavy as I can for five reps, and using ample rest time (approximately three minutes between sets).  
• As mentioned in last week's entry I usually don't perform a lot of heavy overhead pressing exercises for my shoulders (i.e. military presses, dumbbell presses, etc.), and this workout was no exception.  

Thursday, May 26: Back and Hamstrings (B)

1) Standard Deadlifts, 2 warm-ups, 3 sets of 4-6 reps

2) Supported T-Bar Rows, 3 sets of 10-12 reps

3) Wide-Grip Pulldowns, 3 sets of 20 reps

4) Dumbbell Leg Curls, 3 sets of 20 reps

5) Alternating Lying Leg Curls, 3 sets of 10-12 reps

• Overall the deadlifts were solid and caused no undue stress, but something about them felt a little "off".  I'm planning to videotape my next deadlifting workout to see if I can pick up on any small (or glaring!) biomechanical errors.
• Dumbbell leg curls are performed lying on a bench, and holding a dumbbell between my feet.
• Alternating leg curls are performed on a standard lying leg curl machine, one leg at a time.
• This workout left me incredibly sore and pretty darn useless for a couple of days.

Friday, May 27: Biceps and Triceps (B)
     (1 & 2 performed as a superset, with no rest between each)

1) Barbell Preacher Curls, 1 warm-up, 3 sets of 4-6 reps
2) Lying EZ-Bar Tricep Extensions (a.k.a. Headbangers), 1 warm-up, 3 sets of 4-6 reps

Barbell preacher curls; photo courtesy Elysa Woodhead.

     (3 & 4 performed as a superset, with no rest between each)

3) J.M. Presses, 3 sets of 10-12 reps

4) EZ-Bar Reverse Curls, 3 sets of 10-12 reps

     (5 & 6 performed as a superset, with no rest between each)

5) 3-Part Rope Pushdowns, 3 sets of 21 reps
6) DeFrancos Curls, 3 sets of 21 reps

     (7 & 8 performed as a superset, with no rest between each)

7) Overhead Triceps Machine, 3 sets of 10-12 reps

8) 90-Degree Preacher Curls, 3 sets of 10-12 reps

• The 90-degree preacher curls are performed with the use of the back extension machine (see picture below).

That folks, was my second week of the weights.  All in all, a very good week of training.  Questions?  Thoughts?  Observations?  Constructive criticism?  Feel free to let me know.  Again, if any of the natural bodybuilders/trainers that I know happen to be reading and would like to offer suggestions about any part of my regimen, please don't hesitate to do so!

Coming up in the "Week Three: Training" entry will be video of a squatting strip-set that resulted in incredible soreness in my quads.  You don't wanna miss that one!

Pre-contest Diet: Stage One

As promised, it's time to delve into the single most vital component of my twelve-week pre-contest preparation: my diet. I was taught that when trying to shed fat for a drug-free bodybuilding competition, approximately 90% of that fat loss should be a result of your diet, with the remaining 10% coming from cardiovascular exercise. Quite obviously such a breakdown is going to differ from competitor to competitor, but the driving point remains the same: Cardiovascular exercise isn't likely to work as a magic cure-all that absolves you from numerous dietary sins, and relying primarily on cardio and supplements while only going halfway with your diet isn't going to lead to ideal on-stage results.

Thus far I've competed in four amateur bodybuilding contests without performing a single cardiovascular workout during preparation, and I am extremely proud to report that each time I have been one of the leanest guys in my class. It's been said that I'm "anti-cardio", but such is not the case. As a slightly-built "hardgainer", I'm simply not anxious to burn away any of the precious little muscle that I hold on my frame in an effort to get as lean as possible, and--when following an extremely strict diet and getting progressively leaner each day--cardio can do just that. I want as little of my weight loss during pre-contest time as possible to be muscle.

I've also been told that I'm "lucky" to be able to achieve a decent on-stage condition without cardio, but that really isn't the case, either. I have a better metabolism than some, but much worse than others. For an ectomorph, my metabolism in frustratingly middle-of-the-road. I've actually never been one that could "eat whatever I want" without gaining fat or getting softer, nor was I one of those skinny teenagers that was naturally sinewy and cut-up. Rather, even in my teen years when my metabolism was likely at its peak--despite being thin as hell--my frame was never marked by definition. Yes, I am naturally very thin, but I am also naturally very soft.  The truth is that I don't achieve my condition by way of luck; I achieve it by sticking to my daily calorie and macronutrient totals, and faithfully adhering to my diet.  I don't cheat, I don't take shortcuts, and I don't justify breaking my limits.  Perhaps most importantly, I give myself the appropriate length of time to get into contest shape, aiming to lose only 1-2 pounds of fat per week.  Just as I wouldn't hastily prepare a Thanksgiving turkey by doubling the required oven temperature and cutting the time in half, I don't try to cram three months of preparation into six or eight weeks.

For the most part, my pre-contest diet is divided into four progressively stricter stages.  While most of the general population would probably consider "Stage One" to be strict and difficult to adhere to, for me it almost feels like vacation, and complying with it is no longer that tough.  My daily food intake during Stage One is divided into seven daily meals, each of which has a name (no, I don't mean like Rob, or Miguel) to keep things simple.  My seven daily meals (which, bear in mind, I don't necessarily eat in any specific order) are as follows:

"The Usual"
(one meal per day)

 

~3/4-cup egg white omelet with asparagus, onions, mushrooms, broccoli, and salsa.

~28 grams of Cheerios/23 grams of whey protein mixed with five ounces of water.

• This one is damn near always my first meal of the day (hence the title), and is usually my favorite meal of the day, as well.  
• Of all my meals, I am least likely to alter this one with caloric substitutions, as it is truly delicious!

*     *     *

"Carb Meal"
(two meals per day)

 

~4 ounces or 110-180 calories of any lean protein (usually chicken, but can be turkey, fish, lean steak, etc.).

~Any carbohydrate (rice cakes, sweet potatoes, brown rice, oats, Cheerios, white potatoes, etc.) serving equivalent to approximately 100 calories and 20 grams of carbs.

~As many non-starchy vegetables as I choose (asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, etc.).

• I eat two of these "carb meals" a day, and there is a great deal of room for caloric substitutions in relation to both the protein and carb sources.
• Another of my favorite non-standard "carb meals" is what I call "proatmeal", which is a single packet of plain or flavored instant oatmeal (equivalent, of course, to 100 calories and 20 grams of carbs) mixed with 140 calories of chocolate whey protein powder (especially Nitro-Tech hardcore, as the consistency complements the oatmeal really well), as pictured below.

 

*     *     *

 "300"
(two meals per day)

~Any combination of protein/carb/vegetable sources that total up to 335 calories, but no more than 12-15 grams of non-veggie carbohydrates (throughout my diet, non-starch veggies are treated more or less as "free foods").

• Besides my "Usual" breakfast, the 300s are usually my favorite meals of the day, as they're often two of the larger meals I consume, and they can provide a lot of variety.
• There are numerous ways I construct these meals, though my favorite is typically my standard 3/4-cup egg white omelet with veggies/salsa, 4.5 slices of turkey bacon, and 1 rice cake (pictured above).  However, other examples might include two scoops of Dymatize Mega Shake or similar meal-replacement drink; 10 ounces of chicken and 14 grams of Cheerios; 80 grams of whey protein powder blended with a whole tray of ice cubes for a delicious, thick "Super Protein Smoothie"; or any odd configuration of lean protein and small serving of carbohydrate that I can dream up.  

*     *     *

 "Snack"
(one meal per day)

~Any combination of protein/carb/vegetable sources that totals between 180-200 calories, with a roughly equal distribution of protein and carbs.

• As a rule this is one of my least-satisfying meals of the day, as it's usually the smallest.
• My standard "Snack" is a 180-200 calorie Pure Protein Bar (pictured above), but other acceptable snacks include a 32-gram scoop of peanut butter; 2 rice cakes and 20-25 grams of whey protein; 40-45 grams of whey protein mixed with water; or, one of my favorites, 40-45 grams of whey protein blended with 10 ounces of chilled black coffee and some crushed ice, something I call my "Probean Drink" (pictured below).  Man, am I clever, or what?

*     *     *

"Finale"
(one meal per day)

~3/4-cup egg white omelet with asparagus, onions, mushrooms, broccoli, and salsa
~23 grams of whey protein mixed with five ounces of water

• As you might imagine, this is almost always used as my last meal of the day.

Add to those seven meals 2-3 gallons of water per day, and you have my Stage One diet.  It's nothing fancy, it's nothing insufferable, and it's nothing crazy.  I can also say with complete honesty that I truly enjoy every single meal I eat during Stage One; the food is delicious and suited to my tastes, and there's plenty of room for improvisation, as well.

How many weeks do I stick with Stage One, you ask?  Good question.  I won't move on to Stage Two until I'm no longer losing 1-2 pounds of fat per week, or until I'm five weeks out from the contest (at which point things get stricter regardless of whether the first stage was still "working" or not).  You're probably also now wondering how Stage Two differs from Stage One.  Well, you'll find out when I stop following Stage One, which likely won't be for well over another month.  At that point I'll write an entry about Stage Two.  Until then, happy eating.
In my next installment: My second week of workouts, as well as an updated bodyweight.

Week One: Training

Thankfully, the first week of my twelve-week pre-contest diet and training regimen has come to an end. With an official start date of May 17, my starting weight for my eighty-one-day prep was 162.6 pounds.  One week later, my weight was down to 154.2, a drop of 8.4 pounds (bear in mind this was not a loss of eight pounds of pure fat, but eight pounds of fat, water, undigested food, and overall bloat; the first week is always marked by a very large drop). Already the vascularity in my arms has improved dramatically, my thighs are noticeably more defined, and my abs are beginning to protrude out of their shell a tad. More importantly, I feel much better physically than I did before, as my body seems anxious to rush back to 140-145 pounds, the weight range it seems the most comfortable with. With almost eleven weeks to go until my next contest, I have little doubt I'll be able to show up leaner and harder than I did at my last show on March 14 in Vermont.

As promised, I plan to use this blog as an online training and diet "journal", both to hold myself to a high degree of accountability while also shedding some light on what it is that I do as part of my preparation. I currently have a large number of unanswered messages in my Facebook inbox from friends wondering what I do to achieve my on-stage condition, and I figure this will be easier than trying to respond to them each individually. Most of all, though, training and dieting is just plain fun to write about! With all that said (or written, as the case is), let's get to my first week of training, shall we? We'll cover my diet in my next installment.

(Note: If any of the natural bodybuilders/trainers that I know happen to be reading and would like to offer tips, suggestions, or constructive criticism about any part of my regimen, please don't hesitate to do so! I'm hungry to learn. If, however, syringes are a big part of your "supplementation program", or the only time you believe in squatting is when you're on the toilet, well, let's just say I'm not as anxious to hear from you.)

Monday, May 17: Quads and Abs (A)
1) Squats (descending depth), 2 warm-ups, 5 sets of 5 reps
2) Hack Squats (with barbell), 5 sets of 5 reps
3) Hanging Leg Raises, 3 sets of 5 reps
4) Decline Leg Raises, 3 sets of 10 reps

• As mentioned in my last entry, my A-workouts are of the lowest intensity, using a 5 x 5 set/rep scheme for my primary muscle group (in this case, quadriceps), going as heavy as I can for five reps, and using ample rest time (approximately three minutes between sets).  
• When using "descending depth" squats, the first set after the warm-up and stretch is my heaviest set, and my thighs just barely reach parallel depth (I squat back until my butt lightly touches a stack of seven aerobic step risers that assure the proper height).  For my next set I remove ten pounds from the bar as well as one riser.  So, although the weight is lighter, the squat is deeper, and more difficult.  By the time I'm on my fifth set, I'm squatting all the way down to a stack of just three risers (see video below).  
• I do my hack squats the old fashioned way, just as ol' Georg Hackenschmidt intended: holding a heavy barbell behind my thighs.
• My sets of abdominal exercises were performed in a "staggered" manner, meaning I squeezed them in between sets of hack squats in an effort to save time.
• Even though this was an extremely tough workout which left me sore for days, because I included no Bulgarian squats or other unilateral movements, it almost felt like a day off!

Tuesday, May 18: Chest and Shoulders (B)
1) Incline Barbell Presses, 1 warm-up, 3 sets of 4-6 reps
2) Flat Bench Presses, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
3) Flat Cable Flyes, 3 sets of 20 reps
4) Reverse Pec Deck, 3 sets of 20 reps
5) Standing Lateral Raises, 3 sets of 12-15 reps

• B-workouts are the more standard, "bread-and-butter" workouts in which the primary muscle group (chest, in this example) is trained with 3-4 sets of 3-4 exercises, covering a range of low, moderate, and high rep ranges.
• I perform reverse pec deck flyes in one of the old-fashioned pec deck machines by facing the weight stack and jamming my elbows behind the arm pads.  Though I have to go light and the range of motion is tiny, this movement kicks the proverbial crap out of my rear delts.  I get a pump and muscle cramp after just a few tiny repetitions.
• I usually don't perform a lot of heavy overhead pressing exercises for my shoulders (i.e. military presses, dumbbell presses, etc.), and this workout was no exception.  I feel such exercises carry a pretty high risk-to-benefit ratio, and all presses I do for my chest hammer the front delts and tris pretty heavily, anyway.  For this reason, when it comes time to train my shoulders directly, I stick to the rear and side heads of the deltoids.

Thursday, May 20: Back and Hamstrings (C)
     (1 & 2 performed as a superset, with no rest between each)
1) Lying Leg Curls, 4 sets of 20 reps (using a 2-3 second peak contraction on each rep)
2) Standard Back Extensions, 4 sets of 10-12 reps
3) Rope Pulldowns, 3 sets of 20 reps
4) T-Bar Rows (with regular barbell), 4 sets of 10-12 reps
5) Wide-Grip Pulldowns, 3 sets of 10-12 reps

• C-workouts are of the highest intensity, marked by much shorter rest periods, as well as high-intensity techniques like supersets, drop-sets, giant sets, etc.  In regards my back and hams workout specifically, the C-workouts also require me to train my hamstrings before back.
• Rope pulldowns are a unique exercise performed with a cable and rope attachment.  In terms of pure lat involvement, they might be the single most intense upper back exercise I know.  I've been using them for almost a year, now, and they've made the entirety of my lats sore each and every time I've performed them.  The burn and pump during the set is almost immediate, too!
• The T-bar rows were performed by simply jamming the barbell into a corner of the gym.
• Although this workout left me quite sort in the target areas for the next two days, I wasn't overly thrilled with my execution of it.

Friday, May 21: Biceps and Triceps (C)
     (1-3 performed as a giant set, with no rest between each)
1) Lying Barbell Tricep Extensions (a.k.a. Headbangers), 1 warm-up, 4 sets of 10-12 reps
2) J.M. Presses, 1 warm-up, 4 sets of 4-5 reps
3) Close-Grip Bench Presses, 1 warm-up, 4 sets of 4-5 reps
     (4-6 performed as a giant set, with no rest between each)
4) Incline Hammer Curls, 1 warm-up, 3 sets of 4-5 reps
5) 90-Degree Preacher Curls, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
6) Machine Curls, 3 sets of 20 reps
     (7 & 8 performed as a superset, with no rest between each)
7) Cable Preacher Curl, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
8) Overhead Triceps Extensions, 3 sets of 20 reps

Overhead tricep extensions; photo courtesy Elysa Woodhead.

• I didn't have to switch barbells or adjust poundages (or even change my grip!) during the first giant set; I used a constant weight each time through.  In fact, the barbell never left my hands from one exercise to another.
• The 90-degree preacher curls are performed with the use of the back extension machine (see picture below).

 Using the back extension for 90-degree preachers; photo courtesy Elysa Woodhead.

That folks, was it for my first week of training.  No cardio, no craziness, and each workout took no more than an hour to perform.  Just smart, intense training with a lot of focus.  My workouts during week two will be entirely different, of course, so be sure to check back in for those!

In my next installment: "Stage One" of my pre-contest diet.

New Twelve-Week Training Split

Outlined below is the new split and twelve-week training program that I've assembled in preparation for my next amateur bodybuilding competition, scheduled to take place in August. Bear in mind this regimen was designed for me and me alone, based upon my own unique strengths, weaknesses, bodytype, preferences, injuries, goals, and recuperative abilities.  I'm not necessarily recommending this routine for anyone else, as your needs are likely far different from mine.

I'm on a four-days-per-week split, a schedule that has been working well for me for several months, now.  In theory, quads and abs will be trained on Monday, chest and shoulders on Tuesday, Wednesday reserved for rest, back and hamstrings on Thursday, biceps and triceps on Friday, and additional rest on the weekends.  Obviously, depending upon outside distractions and commitments as well as instinctively listening to my body, scheduling changes can be made (i.e. beginning a training week on Sunday instead of Monday).

As for the workouts themselves, the crux of the routine is similar to the old ABC periodization training program that "Dr. Squat" Fred Hatfield wrote about (for all I know, he continues to write about it) several years ago, modified heavily for my own needs, of course.  "A" workouts are of the lowest intensity, marked by a small number of basic, heavyweight exercises, using a 5 x 5 set/rep scheme.  "B" workouts are the more standard, "bread and butter" workouts in which bodyparts are trained with 3-4 sets of 3-4 exercises: one heavy (5 reps), one moderate (10-12 reps), and one relatively light (up to 20 reps).  "C" workouts, meanwhile, are of the highest intensity, marked by shorter rest periods and the utilization of intensity techniques such as pre-exhaust, supersetting, strip-setting and what not, though always with a base of heavy, multi-joint exercises at the core.

The twelve-week schedule--which I began on Monday, May 17--is outlined as such:

Bear in mind that nothing is "carved in stone"; things can change as needed.

Why am I posting all of this, you ask?  Well, I receive a ton of emails from friends of mine (usually found on my Facebook friends list) asking me what my training routine is like, how I train different muscle groups, and what have you.  In response to such requests (as well as to hopefully keep myself more accountable over the next three months), I will be updating this blog each week, posting my workouts and diet as I get ready for my next contest.  Those wondering what I do in the gym need only search here, as all will be revealed; the reader will be privy to my workouts, meals, bodyweight, progress, and, hopefully, even some pics and video, as well.

If you're also a natural bodybuilder (preferably one more experienced than I, which shouldn't be difficult) and would like to offer me some advice, I'm all ears (or, as will more likely be the case, all eyes)!  If there's anything you think I could/should do better, don't hesitate to let me know.  As this will only be the fifth competition I've taken part in, I'm still a rookie.

In my next installment: details of my current pre-contest diet and first week of workouts.  Stay tuned!