[quote]yodaddy wrote:
Just a quick update and what I’m thinking. Feel free to offer any input or advice.
My strength is pretty stable, especially considering I have now dropped my calories to an average of 2200 a day. I’m experiencing some shoulder pain but can work around that. I can tolerate the hunger so far and have only felt depleted of energy a couple of days.
I’ve been doing HIIT 3 times per week and considering dropping 1 session and adding 2 low-intensity cardio days. Seems like it may be affecting my strength after doing HIIT, especially if close to a low calorie day. I will have to calculate this pretty well since I will be borderline weight classes and would like to compete in Lightweight, under 165.5. I weighed in at 168 this morning, fasted but been hovering around 170(so I’ll stick with 170). I want to lose at least another 5-6 lbs or so, to play it safe since I don’t know how their scale will play.
I will be weighing in the day before in the morning, when I’m normally lighter, so hopefully I will have time to carb up all day Friday before the show Saturday. I can maybe mess with water weight if necessary, but would like to avoid that, as well as my peak week protocol(pretty much slowly increasing carbs)
Let me know of any suggestions or thoughts.[/quote]
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Bumping this from yesterday
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Your plan sounds very reasonable. With almost 3 weeks you should be able to drop 5 pounds no problem without manipulating anything. I think slowly upping carbs as you planned to do is the best option for your peak week.
A few notes on the poses:
side tricep - mash tricep against lats more, try to keep it more visible, you have your arm turned to far back and you don’t see the “horseshoe” at all.
rear poses - turn legs out more, it will make them appear bigger
[quote]yodaddy wrote:
Yes, Im doing carb back-loading during the week. I take anywhere from 40g-70g of carbs starting 1-2 hours before my workout and drink a whey with banana shake during the workout…the rest post workout and throughout the evening. All depending on how hungry I am. I’ve been playing with this a little…don’t want to get into the gym too hungry or carb depleted or my stomach too full neither. Also depending if the day prior was a low carb day and what muscle I’m working. For example, if I’m working legs, I’ll start carbing up a little earlier and with a higher amount…and even more if the day prior was a low carb day. I do enjoy eating my carbs at night. And just really finding out how carbs and timing affect my workouts. Especially since I’m tracking how much I lift as well. My strength has been maintaing pretty well…just now starting to feel like my stregth is plateauing, maybe decreasing just a bit. But I continue to try to lift heavy. [/quote]
[quote]yodaddy wrote:
Yes, Im doing carb back-loading during the week. I take anywhere from 40g-70g of carbs starting 1-2 hours before my workout and drink a whey with banana shake during the workout…the rest post workout and throughout the evening. All depending on how hungry I am. I’ve been playing with this a little…don’t want to get into the gym too hungry or carb depleted or my stomach too full neither. Also depending if the day prior was a low carb day and what muscle I’m working. For example, if I’m working legs, I’ll start carbing up a little earlier and with a higher amount…and even more if the day prior was a low carb day. I do enjoy eating my carbs at night. And just really finding out how carbs and timing affect my workouts. Especially since I’m tracking how much I lift as well. My strength has been maintaing pretty well…just now starting to feel like my stregth is plateauing, maybe decreasing just a bit. But I continue to try to lift heavy. [/quote]
I like this a lot. [/quote]
Thanks Tim, that means a lot. And I appreciate the posing tips…I’ll definitely take them into account next time I practice.
[quote]yodaddy wrote:
Yes, Im doing carb back-loading during the week. I take anywhere from 40g-70g of carbs starting 1-2 hours before my workout and drink a whey with banana shake during the workout…the rest post workout and throughout the evening. All depending on how hungry I am. I’ve been playing with this a little…don’t want to get into the gym too hungry or carb depleted or my stomach too full neither. Also depending if the day prior was a low carb day and what muscle I’m working. For example, if I’m working legs, I’ll start carbing up a little earlier and with a higher amount…and even more if the day prior was a low carb day. I do enjoy eating my carbs at night. And just really finding out how carbs and timing affect my workouts. Especially since I’m tracking how much I lift as well. My strength has been maintaing pretty well…just now starting to feel like my stregth is plateauing, maybe decreasing just a bit. But I continue to try to lift heavy. [/quote]
I like this a lot. [/quote]
Thanks Tim, that means a lot. And I appreciate the posing tips…I’ll definitely take them into account next time I practice.
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No problem!
I am enjoying watching your journey. Makes me want to get back on stage.
Any suggestions for peak week? Seems like the whole water depletion thing has been dis-proven. I’ve tried Shelby’s approach with not too much luck a few years ago for a photo shoot…I may have over done the water thing. This past April for my Physique competition I didn’t do much except for carb load the day before and I think it worked well.
I took a little from Cliff Wilson’s approach except not nearly the amount of carbs he usually recommends…I was not willing to risk it. Layne Norton has an approach of tapering off carbs up to the show and keeping water high. I may just carb load a little and leave water the same.
After my two experiences with the drastic deplete/load strategy, I am now in the “play it safe” camp, I wouldn’t cut water, I would lower sodium slightly, and do a moderate carb load.
Been trying to gauge my fullness after high carb and low carb days. This was yesterday, Sunday, 2 hours after chest training and after 2 medium carb days. Now 7 days out. Posing is coming along. I’m going with “Another Brick in the Wall” by Korn for my routine.
I was aiming for the lightweight Novice division under 165. However due to lower than expected turnout they are changing the weight classes. Novice will only have one class.
And, After all Open bodybuilding athletes have been weighed the score keeper will split them up into 2 classes as evenly as possible…allowing them to present 2 Pro cards. I almost feel like jumping into the Open category just for the hell of it, although I don’t feel I’m lean enough and my posing is amateur at best.
[quote]yodaddy wrote:
I almost feel like jumping into the Open category just for the hell of it, although I don’t feel I’m lean enough and my posing is amateur at best.[/quote]
You never know. I’ve been to shows where the novice class is more difficult than the open class.
[quote]yodaddy wrote:
I almost feel like jumping into the Open category just for the hell of it, although I don’t feel I’m lean enough and my posing is amateur at best.[/quote]
You never know. I’ve been to shows where the novice class is more difficult than the open class.
S[/quote]
Do it (assuming you can compete in both Open and Novice)! You are coming in with great conditioning. What do you have to lose? The way you look I can promise you will not embarrass yourself at all or look like you don’t belong there.
Hey guys, just wanted to give a quick update. Yesterday I competed in the Open Bodybuilding lightweight division and Open Physique division. I’m shocked and proud to say I won 1st place in both categories. Being a Super Pro Qualifier, that won me a Pro card on both. Your boy is now a WNBF Pro in Bodybuilding and Physique. It was a large and tough competition and my very first time competing in bodybuilding. I’m still gathering my thoughts and feel so blessed. I will give more updates and post pics soon.
