Week Five: Training

To bring any and all new readers up to speed, I'm currently preparing for my next amateur bodybuilding competition, scheduled to take place on August 7 in Enfield, Connecticut.  I've competed in four such competitions since June of 2009, nailing down three second place finishes in the Novice class, two fourth place finishes in the ultra-competitive Open division, and finally, at my most recent show in March of this year, a first place victory in the Novice division.  For the next six years (when I turn forty), the only division open to me is the Open class.  In other words, I've got a tough row to hoe from here on out!

Despite this, my current preparation is going very well, indeed.  I'm happy to report that, thirty-six days into my pre-contest prep, my body is making its most significant strides thus far.  Starting the prep at a soft, undefined 162.6 pounds, I've now dropped a total of 14.6 pounds of bodyfat, water, and overall bloat, bringing me to my new bodyweight of an even 148.  No complaints here, as I am well ahead of the pace I kept during my last such peaking period.  With almost seven full weeks to go, I have no doubt that while I might get eviscerated on stage in Connecticut, I will do so in my best condition yet.

My fifth week of training was marked by more strong, solid workouts (despite my weight loss, there has been no drop in strength as of yet), which I will now detail.

Monday, June 14: Quads and Abs (B)

 

1) Barbell Hack Squats, 2 warm-ups, 3 sets of 5 reps

 Barbell Hack Squats

2) Dip Belt Squats, 4 sets of 10-12 reps
3) Bulgarian Split Squats, 4 sets of 10-12 reps

4) Leg Extensions, 2 sets of 20 reps
5) Hanging Leg Raises, 3 sets of 5 reps

6) Lying Leg Thrusts, 3 sets of 12 reps

7) Crunches, 3 sets of 20 reps

• 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.
• Though it was quite a good workout overall, I wasn't overly thrilled with the dip belt squats, and aren't likely to use them again anytime soon.

Tuesday, June 15: Chest and Shoulders (B)

1) Incline Dumbbell/Cable Presses, 1 warm-up, 4 sets of 4-6 reps

Incline Dumbbell/Cable Presses

 

2) Incline Barbell Presses, 3 sets of 10-12 reps

3) Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes, 1 set of 20 reps
4) Supported Cable Crossovers, 1 set of 20 reps
5) Pec Deck, 1 set of 20 reps

6) Incline Rear Lateral Raises, 3 sets of 20 reps
7) Incline Side Lateral Raises, 3 sets of 10-12

• Just for the sake of variety, instead of doing three sets of the same 20-rep exercise when concluding my chest workout, I decided to hop around and do one set of three different isolation exercises. 
• Incline rear lateral raises are lateral raises for the rear deltoids performed lying prone on a low-angle incline bench.
• Incline side lateral raises are alternating one-arm lateral raises for the side deltoids performed lying on one side on a relatively high-angle incline bench.  They're a great exercise that require very little weight to hammer the side delts.

Thursday, June 16: Back and Hamstrings (B)

1) Top-half Deadlifts (a.k.a. Rack Pulls), 2 warm-ups, 3 sets of 4-6 reps

2) T-Bar Rows, 4 sets of 10-12 reps

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

4) One-legged Back Extensions, 3 sets of 12 reps

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

• The top-half deadlifts (a.k.a. rack pulls) are performed in a power rack with the pins set so that the barbell is being pulled from a dead stop right around knee level.
• Though a very simple workout, it was very hard-hitting and left me extremely sore for a few days.

Sunday, June 19: Biceps and Triceps (C)

     (1-4 performed as a tri-set, with no rest between each exercise)

1) J.M. Presses, 4 sets of 5 reps

2) EZ-Bar Reverse Curls, 2 sets of 10-12 reps


or ...

3) 90-Degree Preacher Curls (a.k.a. Spider Curls), 2 sets of 12 reps


4) Three-Part Triceps Pushdowns, 4 sets of 21 reps


     (5-7 performed as a tri-set, with no rest between each exercise)

5) Barbell Preacher Curls, 1 warm-up, 4 sets of 3-5 reps


6) EZ-Bar French Presses, 1 warm-up, 4 sets of 10-12 reps

7) DeFrancos Three-Part Curls, 4 sets of 21-30 reps

And that, folks, was that.  Another solid week of training and dieting accompanied by some of my best gains thus far.  In my next installments, you'll get a record of not only my most recent workouts, but the changes in my diet that will be required as the competition gets closer.  Hopefully you'll enjoy reading my words and watching my videos.  Speaking of your enjoyment ...

If you do, in fact, enjoy reading/watching this blog and find it either inspirational or educational, why not consider making a teeny-tiny donation to the "Ken Banks Competition Fund"?  All kidding aside, these competitions are not inexpensive to take part in.  Between entry fees, OCB membership fees, polygraph fees, travel, lodging, and other miscellaneous costs, the show on August 7 is going to deplete me well over $300!  Donations of any amount will keep me going strong, and it's easy as heck to help.  Those with a PayPal account can simply click the button below:

Or, if you prefer, checks and money orders can be sent to Ken Banks, 229 Wilson St., Apt. C, Brewer, ME, 04412.  Regardless of whether or not I receive any donations for this show as I did for my most recent contest in March, rest assured I'll continue to keep you all up to date on my training!