After seeing Alex’s physique in the Livespill, I asked him if he could give us a background on his training history. He agreed to share his 13+ years of training knowledge and will post shortly.
The guy has played college football, competitive handball as well as mountain biking. His stats list him at a monstrous 5’9 @ 265lbs while hovering around 10% BF.
Lastly, he recently competed at the National Canadian Bodybuilding competition at the heavyweight level. I’ll now let him take over…
Not sure why the picture didn’t take, I’ll try again.
Seriously cool Ink.
S
Sigh, people like this make me realize how many years I wasted and where I should be in my training career.
Hi guys! Like mentioned, I’ve been lifting weights for more than 13years (actually 14…getting old!!!). I actually started bodybuilding to help me get over…anorexia!!! Yep, you read right, I use to be anorexic\boulemic when I was younger, to the point where I couldn’t do anything besides sleep for almost 2 weeks!
After that episode, I’ve decided to get a grip over myself and turned things around, so i joined a gym. As I got bigger and bigger, I got into college and started to play football, where I got even bigger! I got to a point where I said to myself that bodybuilding could be a sport for me, so I entered my first show, at Regional level (in Canada, we have Regional, Provincial and National level shows). I won the middleweight class, at 176lbs.
After that, I did in 2005 another Regional show and the Provincial, where I placed 3rd in the light-heavyweights, coming in at 198lbs. I did the same two shows in 2007, where I won at both the light-heavy class and the overall titles, beating up guys on the heavyweight class that came in at 235lbs and 265lbs, while being at a much sharper 198lbs. In 2008, I did my first National show, finishing 6th out of 15 competitors, coming in at 204lbs, the lightest of my class. More recently, I did the National again, coming in the best shape of my life at 221lbs, but finished 7th out of a tough 14 competitors line-up.
My plans for the future are simple; I know that I have everything in place to win the National title, structure, genetics, drive, coach, support, symmetry…all that’s missing is couple pounds here and there, and filling up my large frame. After talking strategy with coach/guru/friend Chris Thibaudeau, we’ve decided to start my offseason mode, and stay pretty lean year round, lets say around 10% bf, until we feel I’ve gained enough quality muscle to be able to not only compete, but battle for top spot and overall titles! Until then, I’ll keep you posted on my progress as often as possible!!! Talk to you soon…
[quote]Alex Raymond wrote:
Hi guys! Like mentioned, I’ve been lifting weights for more than 13years (actually 14…getting old!!!). I actually started bodybuilding to help me get over…anorexia!!! Yep, you read right, I use to be anorexic\boulemic when I was younger, to the point where I couldn’t do anything besides sleep for almost 2 weeks!
After that episode, I’ve decided to get a grip over myself and turned things around, so i joined a gym. As I got bigger and bigger, I got into college and started to play football, where I got even bigger! I got to a point where I said to myself that bodybuilding could be a sport for me, so I entered my first show, at Regional level (in Canada, we have Regional, Provincial and National level shows). I won the middleweight class, at 176lbs.
After that, I did in 2005 another Regional show and the Provincial, where I placed 3rd in the light-heavyweights, coming in at 198lbs. I did the same two shows in 2007, where I won at both the light-heavy class and the overall titles, beating up guys on the heavyweight class that came in at 235lbs and 265lbs, while being at a much sharper 198lbs. In 2008, I did my first National show, finishing 6th out of 15 competitors, coming in at 204lbs, the lightest of my class. More recently, I did the National again, coming in the best shape of my life at 221lbs, but finished 7th out of a tough 14 competitors line-up.
My plans for the future are simple; I know that I have everything in place to win the National title, structure, genetics, drive, coach, support, symmetry…all that’s missing is couple pounds here and there, and filling up my large frame. After talking strategy with coach/guru/friend Chris Thibaudeau, we’ve decided to start my offseason mode, and stay pretty lean year round, lets say around 10% bf, until we feel I’ve gained enough quality muscle to be able to not only compete, but battle for top spot and overall titles! Until then, I’ll keep you posted on my progress as often as possible!!! Talk to you soon…[/quote]
Apart from the overall mass goal, which area(s) are you looking to make more substatial improvements in?
Alex what did your training look like for your main mass building years? What sort of rep range and training frequency did you generally use?
What does your diet look like during a mass phase?
Another successful bodybuilder that doesn’t do an all out bulk in the offseason.
[quote]synergy93 wrote:
Another successful bodybuilder that doesn’t do an all out bulk in the offseason. [/quote]
Dude, no offense, but YOU bulked up even if you don’t anymore. No one has ever suggested that someone continue bulking up after they are already fucking huge…but I do stand by the fact that most of the really big guys around at one time or another were carrying quite a bit more body fat even if they choose to stay leaner later on.
Alex, you are amazing. Keep up the good work. I wish this site attracted more people like that.
@BONEZ217: Last year, we focused a lot on improving my back thickness and traps, which are now a lot better, even though not quite there yet. This year, lower back, arms (mostly biceps peak and brachialis), and upper chest are areas we’re targeting. Overall, I need to increase my overall mass also, while keeping a tight waist, otherwise my large clavicle looks empty, like a little t-shirt on a large hanger!!! We’re gonna try to put a bigger jacket on that hanger…lol!
@Therajraj: I normally use basics power moves on my offseason, because during that phase I’m less injury prone. Exercise such as bench press incline and flat, deadlift and pull-ups, squats and leg presses, and shoulder presses. I normally use a range between 8-12 reps, but with coach Thibaudeau, needless to say that choice of exercises and rep range changed somewhat…the guy is a walking book of endless knowledge!!! I often used less reps, ramping my weight instead, on a range of 3-5reps, and even though we still used basic moves, we also used movements that he kinda invented and adjusted to my frame and physique. Has for diet, lots of protein is a must, but I don’t shy away from carbs and healthy fats. The trick is timing most of my carbs before-during-after my workouts, so that I don’t put too much extra fat during bulking up. I gauge myself with my bf; if I go over 10%, I cut down a bit on my carbs, if not, I increase them slowly.
@The Mighty Stu, DoubleDuce, synergy93 and Professor X: Thanks a lot guys for all your comments, cool to know all my efforts are being noticed!!! And don’t worry, I’ll never stop or feel satisfied with what I’ve accomplished, I’ll always have higher goals, its the nature of the beast and of our sport I guess!!!
During my offseason phase, I also use lots of FINiBARs (peanut butter flavor is by far my favorite), Surge Workout Fuel and Surge Recovery, cause my body responded well to those kind of carbs. Also, I had a cap of Alpha-GPC before my workout, an ANACONDA/MAG-10 shake during my workouts and took lots of Flameout and FA3 pills, for healthy fats.
Very impressive.
[quote]Alex Raymond wrote:
I gauge myself with my bf; if I go over 10%, I cut down a bit on my carbs, if not, I increase them slowly.
[/quote]
So while you were gaining mass even in the early years you were able to stay under 10% BF or is that only now?
@mingledorff7: Thx! The best is yet to come…can’t wait to see what a full year under the wing of trainer Chris Thibaudeau will do to my body, since 10 months produced 15 lbs of extra muscle and big improvements in my weak spots!
[quote]Alex Raymond wrote:
I’ll never stop or feel satisfied with what I’ve accomplished, I’ll always have higher goals, its the nature of the beast and of our sport I guess!!![/quote]
And that’s how the top guys in the sport become the top guys in the sport!
Good stuff big man.
S
@therajraj: I would be a liar if I said it was always like that…like many others, I experienced with overfeeding, gaining as much weight as possible during my offseason, then suffering like hell to melt the fat away, sacrificing muscle mass as result, for maybe an extra 1-3 lbs of real muscle in the end. As I got older, and some might say wiser (not me!!!), I realized that every show was easier than the one before, cause each time I added new muscle mass, which lead to being able to stay leaner during my offseason, even though I was still eating lots of calories. I also experienced with timing my calories around my workouts, which made a big difference, and also what kind of carbs are better suited for my body, sources like white rice and potatoes, instead of brown rice or sweet potatoes, which make me feel bloated.
@ Tha Mighty Stu: And stay on top!!! 
[quote]Alex Raymond wrote:
@ Tha Mighty Stu: And stay on top!!! :-)[/quote]
Now that’s just worthy of a Colemanesque “Yeah Buddy!” -lol
S
[quote]Alex Raymond wrote:
@therajraj: I would be a liar if I said it was always like that…like many others, I experienced with overfeeding, gaining as much weight as possible during my offseason, then suffering like hell to melt the fat away, sacrificing muscle mass as result, for maybe an extra 1-3 lbs of real muscle in the end. As I got older, and some might say wiser (not me!!!), I realized that every show was easier than the one before, cause each time I added new muscle mass, which lead to being able to stay leaner during my offseason, even though I was still eating lots of calories. I also experienced with timing my calories around my workouts, which made a big difference, and also what kind of carbs are better suited for my body, sources like white rice and potatoes, instead of brown rice or sweet potatoes, which make me feel bloated.[/quote]
Interesting, brown/wild rice has always made me feel bloated but I kept eating it over white rice (no bloat) because everyone said brown rice was healthier. I never really thought of carb sources in that way, just healthy carbs vs. unhealthy carb sources. Learn something new everyday!
Also wanted to say its good to see CANADIAN bodybuilders on this site and succeeding.