Your doing awesome man excited to see the competition photos in 8 weeks 
[quote]ghost87 wrote:
Bodybuilding, or any passion, outside of work, is really difficult. I competed several times before I was married. Now, 12 years later, married with 2 young kids, Iām now thinking of competing again. Itās difficult enough to compete when one is single. With so many more commitments, itās a tremendous challenge. Doing homework with kids, kids activities, doing work around house , while trying to do food prep, train, sleep well. In addition, we canāt ignore our jobs. I commend you for doing this. Again, itās been 12 years since I last stepped on stage, hopefully I can do it again this fall. Iām gearing myself up more mentally than physically right now. [/quote]
I can only imagine! I joke with Cat that I better get this all out of my system now, because obviously priorities change over time. Of course with all the non-bodybuilding stuff currently going on in our lives, and pulling us in so many directions, I canāt even picture how much more difficult it would be with two young children at home.
Still, I do think thereās a mental advantage to be more āseasonedā as a competitor. For as much as I may occasionally whine about being one of the older guys in the open classes, I doubt I would have had the discipline and fortitude to undergo everything necessary during a prep when I was younger.
Definitely keep us informed of your Fall competition plans!
S
Well, tonight I didnāt really feel like spending hours and hours in the gym (now that Iām doing small bits of steady state bike after my weight work just to burn a few extra cals each day), so I threw in some supersets. This is something that I would try way back when I first started training, and would actually believe what I read in Flex magazine. However, in recent years, despite positioning my exercise choices in specific order to get the most out of them, I typically do straight sets.
Tonightās session was as follows:
-Front squats - 8 sets
-Super set of leg extensions / walking dumbell lunges - 6 sets
-Dumbell Stiff leg Deadlifts - 8 sets
-Seated Leg Curls - 6 sets
-Seated Calf Raises - 6 sets
- 30 mins very easy peddling on a recumbent bike.
I donāt usually sweat much when I train, but those quad super sets, especially after the squats just toasted me! Definitely gonna keep these in my rotation 
S
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Well, tonight I didnāt really feel like spending hours and hours in the gym (now that Iām doing small bits of steady state bike after my weight work just to burn a few extra cals each day), so I threw in some supersets. This is something that I would try way back when I first started training, and would actually believe what I read in Flex magazine. However, in recent years, despite positioning my exercise choices in specific order to get the most out of them, I typically do straight sets.
Tonightās session was as follows:
-Front squats - 8 sets
-Super set of leg extensions / walking dumbell lunges - 6 sets
-Dumbell Stiff leg Deadlifts - 8 sets
-Seated Leg Curls - 6 sets
-Seated Calf Raises - 6 sets
- 30 mins very easy peddling on a recumbent bike.
I donāt usually sweat much when I train, but those quad super sets, especially after the squats just toasted me! Definitely gonna keep these in my rotation
S
[/quote]
Iāve been doing supersets during my whole prep this year. They definitely keep the heart rate and pace of the workout up. I like them. If you have the equipment, you should try walking lunges to trap bar deadlift; kills the quads.
BTW, do those sets include warm-ups or are those all work sets?
[quote]thoughts1053 wrote:
Iāve been doing supersets during my whole prep this year. They definitely keep the heart rate and pace of the workout up. I like them. If you have the equipment, you should try walking lunges to trap bar deadlift; kills the quads.
BTW, do those sets include warm-ups or are those all work sets?[/quote]
Those were just my working sets. Iāve actually had sessions where Iāve handled some insane volume. These says, while I no longer push for those last few grinding reps, Iām definitely more prone to just adding sets until I feel that Iāve accumulated enough āquality repsā for an exercise.
Iām definitely feeling the effect from that session though (2 days later), which kind stinks because no matter how great your diet and supplemental/nutritional support may be, if youāre in a caloric deficit as well as being worn down from months of contest prep, youāre not going to recover as quickly as youād like. I do think that all the extra āmovementā (cardio, nepa etc) helps with nutrient delivery, but to be honest, Iād love a heck of a lot more sleep than I usually get -lol.
S
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
[quote]thoughts1053 wrote:
Iāve been doing supersets during my whole prep this year. They definitely keep the heart rate and pace of the workout up. I like them. If you have the equipment, you should try walking lunges to trap bar deadlift; kills the quads.
BTW, do those sets include warm-ups or are those all work sets?[/quote]
Those were just my working sets. Iāve actually had sessions where Iāve handled some insane volume. These says, while I no longer push for those last few grinding reps, Iām definitely more prone to just adding sets until I feel that Iāve accumulated enough āquality repsā for an exercise.
Iām definitely feeling the effect from that session though (2 days later), which kind stinks because no matter how great your diet and supplemental/nutritional support may be, if youāre in a caloric deficit as well as being worn down from months of contest prep, youāre not going to recover as quickly as youād like. I do think that all the extra āmovementā (cardio, nepa etc) helps with nutrient delivery, but to be honest, Iād love a heck of a lot more sleep than I usually get -lol.
S
[/quote]
HOw much volume you doing for your other body parts?
I love volume and that is the way that i incorporate it and i feel its just safer. Not to push to failrue. Keep 2 in the take but add in some extra sets.
Just got in from the gym, and enjoying a lovely plate of egg whites and veggies (I know youāre all so f-ing jealous -lol). Buddy snapped this earlier tonight, definitely nice to see that things are coming together. Hopefully my legs will match my torso, and Iāll be able to really dial everything in these next 6 weeks.
(Iāll write more in the morning, Iām just so wrecked at the moment)
S
Stu, having a most muscular that looks anything as freaky as yours is one of my big life training goals! Just screams bodybuilder.
Some footage from earlier tonight. 6 Weeks out, weighed in at 180.4 lbs yesterday morning. Havenāt been able to count on regular weekly drops recently, but as long as I still keep looking leaner, Iāll trust in the process and keep my fingers crossed
S
Your shoulders look awesome, I am so jelly.
[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
HOw much volume you doing for your other body parts?
I love volume and that is the way that i incorporate it and i feel its just safer. Not to push to failrue. Keep 2 in the take but add in some extra sets.
[/quote]
(Almost missed this one -lol)
Iāve definitely started utilizing greater volume in recent years. When I was first starting to actually put thought into my training, I always went all out, lower volume, forced reps, drop sets etc. In hindsight, I do think that the years of very heavy training did contribute to my overall thicker build, however, a competitive bodybuilder (or anyone desiring a well rounded, and symetrical physique) needs much more than just some dense muscle.
These days, my approach is all about getting quality reps. I donāt go for those last few struggling and shaking reps, and I donāt have a spotter standing around and āhelpingā me with a few extras either. Once I donāt feel like the reps are completely from my own explosive power, I stop the set. If I havenāt reached what I consider a good number of quality reps with that given exercise, I rest until I feel ready, and then attack another set.
As far as how many reps I feel I need, well, thatās definitely a going by feel approach. I know Larry Scott used to say that you know you did too much when you actually lose your pump, but Iāve never actually paid much attention as the pump doesnāt indicate growth anyway. Iām much more prone to watching the clock and saying to myself āI guess thatās enough of this one.ā
S
Stu, I have a personal, semi serious question to ask, And I really hope Iām not over stepping my bounds hereā¦ But what have you found is the best way to modify your T-shirts? Just cutting them with a pair of kitchen sheers? I have some workout shirts with some unsightly stainage going on that could use the Yellin Treatment.
I may not be Stu, but I hope this helps.
Lol, wow,ā¦ you know, I never realized it was really a āthingā people noticed until I was out in CO last summer, and a couple of the Boot-Campers commented on how long it would take before I tore the sleeves off of my Indigo T-shirt!
Iāve actually thought a few times about doing more of a ālifestyleā video, showing more of my outside of the gym goings on. Possibly I could include a how-to-Mighty-Stu section on adeptly tailoring your own gym attire
S
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
HOw much volume you doing for your other body parts?
I love volume and that is the way that i incorporate it and i feel its just safer. Not to push to failrue. Keep 2 in the take but add in some extra sets.
[/quote]
(Almost missed this one -lol)
Iāve definitely started utilizing greater volume in recent years. When I was first starting to actually put thought into my training, I always went all out, lower volume, forced reps, drop sets etc. In hindsight, I do think that the years of very heavy training did contribute to my overall thicker build, however, a competitive bodybuilder (or anyone desiring a well rounded, and symetrical physique) needs much more than just some dense muscle.
These days, my approach is all about getting quality reps. I donāt go for those last few struggling and shaking reps, and I donāt have a spotter standing around and āhelpingā me with a few extras either. Once I donāt feel like the reps are completely from my own explosive power, I stop the set. If I havenāt reached what I consider a good number of quality reps with that given exercise, I rest until I feel ready, and then attack another set.
As far as how many reps I feel I need, well, thatās definitely a going by feel approach. I know Larry Scott used to say that you know you did too much when you actually lose your pump, but Iāve never actually paid much attention as the pump doesnāt indicate growth anyway. Iām much more prone to watching the clock and saying to myself āI guess thatās enough of this one.ā
S[/quote]
Appreciate the response Stu. So you feel that staying 2-3 reps shy of failure that you can do more volume and maybe even have to to get as much out of it? Do you feel it makes any difference in your physique?
[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
Appreciate the response Stu. So you feel that staying 2-3 reps shy of failure that you can do more volume and maybe even have to to get as much out of it? Do you feel it makes any difference in your physique?[/quote]
Obviously, I am not Stu, but since switching to HFS I was able to increase my volume by a fair amount due to being able to get in more sets.
And since my contest, I have been experimenting with going even a bit lighter and getting in EVEN MORE sets. I personally like it thus far and I hope the additional volume pays off. The nice thing is that even with more volume, my activation is still outpacing fatigue because the weight is at a level where I can still be very explosive.
RYAN- If I were to take each set to failure, and attempt the same volume of sets, thereās no way I could recover, let alone continue to make any progress. As Tim pointed out, itās not about accumulating fatigue. You want to stimulate growth, not just make yourself tired after a workout.
Updatewise, I finally got to 180.0 this morning (180.4 this past Sunday). The last 3 weeks, my bodyweight has just been fighting me like crazy. Iād get down to 181.6, then back up, then 181.8 and back upā¦ Iām just shy of 5 weeks out, and although I am definitely getting tighter by the day (had some guy at the gym last night ask me what the hell Iāve been doing the last 2 weeks -lol), I know that I have a lot of work to do.
My quads, while ahead of last year, should be tighter. Hams, looking good from sides, and even the back, do not yet have that really ripped nā stripped condition that guys like Whitacre display. Additionally, while Iāve never been one to sport the ever elusive glute striations, I know that I definitely need to tighten up much much more in the glute/ham area considering the competition Iāll be facing. Still, as long as Iāve improved from '11, Iāll be more than content.
S
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Updatewise, I finally got to 180.0 this morning (180.4 this past Sunday). The last 3 weeks, my bodyweight has just been fighting me like crazy. Iād get down to 181.6, then back up, then 181.8 and back upā¦ Iām just shy of 5 weeks out, and although I am definitely getting tighter by the day (had some guy at the gym last night ask me what the hell Iāve been doing the last 2 weeks -lol), I know that I have a lot of work to do.
My quads, while ahead of last year, should be tighter. Hams, looking good from sides, and even the back, do not yet have that really ripped nā stripped condition that guys like Whitacre display. Additionally, while Iāve never been one to sport the ever elusive glute striations, I know that I definitely need to tighten up much much more in the glute/ham area considering the competition Iāll be facing. Still, as long as Iāve improved from '11, Iāll be more than content.
S[/quote]
I remember you stating in my thread that your contest weight was 175 last year.
Do you think you will come in a bit heavier (while staying tighter)?
I know you are way more experienced than me, but if it helps at all, the last three weeks before my contest I went on a fasted walk (with my dog) and basically went up every hill I could find. I supplemented with a caffeine pill as well. The combo really seemed to polish off my glutes/hams with that final level of tightness.
I am excited to watch your journey these final weeks.
Master Stu,
I wanted to send you a PM to ask this question, but as Iām under an apparent post number I canāt send PMās so figured Iād ask here.
First off excellent work with the physique you have built over the years, dedication to make it happen, and willingness to assist others.
My question is related to your post in the Steroids: Why or Why Not threadā¦ You mentioned that you are 205 to 210lbs, is this an off-season bodyweight? What is your competition weightā¦ around 175-180lbs?
I stand about 6ā2" - 6ā3" depending on my mood that particular day, and as most folks over 6ā probably ask, what bodyweight do natural bodybuilders my height come in at? I hope you might know, as a national competitor, Iām hoping there are some natural proās over 6ā tall (hopefully closer to my height). Iād really be interested in their weight both competition and off-season. It is hard to estimate my current progress, and a goal without known natural athletes to aspire to.
Thanks much for the time.
Quazi
Iāll try to answer recent questions when Iāve gotten a little rest, but I thought Iād share the fact that earlier tonight, I definitely started to feel myself dragging. People always inquire about the amount of volume I do, and managing fatigue while still stimulating or retaining muscle in the process. Well, this eveningās back and biceps session had me seriously zoning out, and really just not being able to amp myself up like I normally do. I kept my exercise selection to just a few different choices, opting to let the volume of sets, and smaller rest periods dictate the goals of the session. For biceps, I only did incline dumbell curls, not even counting sets, just āgoingā for about 20 mins.
As the body starts to run lower and lower on incoming fuel, and reserve fuel (stored fat and glycogen), you have to be very smart and careful about pushing too hard. Last year, the last few weeks before my show, I not only halved my workout volume, but I switched many of my interval cardio sessions to simple steady state work.
Weāll see how things play out over the next week or so. Seriously run down, just gonna go crash out.
S