Thanks @robstein for the great support! Best part is, from your post, I got my first donation! Really can’t say thanks enough! Daily updates coming started today on my Blog and stoked your following both on here, and outside the internets!
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Week 6 of the cut complete, today starts week 7. Weight is down to 156.5, so ~8lbs down from when I started. I leave next Thursday for my first trip, would like to be 155 by then which is exactly what I was aiming for. By Thanksgiving I want to be in the low 150s, still seems totally feasible. Looking kind of flat lately which has me slightly bummed, however, from experience I know that this is because my carb intake has been ~100g a day, so with minimal glycogen, I can’t expect to look full and pumped. Once I’m finished cutting and get back to maintenance, excited to see a leaner, more full version of my physique and hopefully notice more visible improvements.
Competing next year lately is up in the air for a few reasons. I am still progressing in the case I am able to make it happen so I can start in the best place possible, but the main obstacles are:
-Putting the house up for sale - we want to move closer to both of our parents, kids are in the relatively near future so we want to start preparing. Hoping to move in the late spring.
-Needing to dedicate 100% of my brain power to my business to really climb to the top of the industry. I am approaching the top tier, but still have a way to climb.
-Potential YUGE gig for my business that I should hopefully find out about today. To recap, I write marching band music for very competitive marching bands. Then there’s an activity called “drum corps” which is essentially the professional sport of marching band. Not school related, audition only, and the best of the best. What these groups are doing on the field is nothing short of absolutely mind blowing. To write music for these groups, generally you need to be super famous in the activity because they only want big names as an assurance that they should be getting a quality product. It’s very hard to break into this scene. But, once you’re in, if you do well, it’s a game changer. Kind of like if you’re a prep coach of some solid competitors, then all of a sudden you get a call from an Olympia top 10 finalist wanting you to coach them. Kind of like that, should know more by end of the day today.
IF (big if, fingers crossed) this works out, I will need all of my mental and physical strength to take advantage of this opportunity. It’s a once in a life time shot to break into the “big leagues” of what I do, and has been a dream since I started writing over 10 years ago.
BUT, things might still work out for me to do both. I’d still like to start prepping and see how it goes, ultimately we’ll have to see what happens. Again, right now I am proceeding with the mind set I’ll be on stage again.
Side note, my wife’s training improvements have been pretty staggering over the past few months. Her strength is quite impressive for a 5’4" female. Proud husband moment last week, we were doing incline DB presses, a few sets in. Her and taller guy walk to the dumbbell rack. He grabs a pair of 40’s and walks bak to the bench next to us. She grabs a pair of 50’s, knocks out 12 fantastic reps. Then I sit down with some 100s and asks if she thinks she can help me with a lift to start the set, and she’s confident she can. Well, I sit back in the bench, and boom, she helps me with a lift like a champ, then I knock out 12 reps. She also started taking Micro-PA 3 weeks ago to help bring up the shoulders and arms, it is definitely working. She’s developing some serious thickness and shape to her arms, also a result of becoming better at training. She has established a solid MMC, and it’s obvious while she’s in a set that she’s laser focused. So awesome to train with my wife, who likes to train like a badass and works harder than most anyone else in there.
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@dnh36 - WOW, that must have taken a while lol! Thank you so much for taking the time to follow along and read through the thread, and for your kind words man!
Happy to!
I was never athletic growing up, once I got out of college I got pretty fat, up to ~205lbs. Went to the gym for some spin classes, did some weight machines with no idea what I was doing, then got into running and hated that too. Eventually I saw a P90X infomercial, and it seemed appealing. After talking with a friend who did it and got solid results, I dove in head first. Couldn’t get my feet off the ground for a pull up, couldn’t do more than 10 push ups, but everyone’s gotta start somewhere.
My initial goal was to not be fat, 100%. To lose weight and “be skinny”. Gaining muscle and strength was a byproduct of the P90X program, but ultimately, I didn’t want to be fat anymore, ever. I wasn’t concerned with being toned or having definition, I just wanted to not be fat. Having abs seemed like a fantastical, though impossible dream, but I just figured if I kept going, and didn’t stop, hopefully it’ll work.
I went through the first 90 days and stuck to the workouts as best I could, but I still didn’t know crap about dieting. I did cut out obviously bad choices, and tried to eat what I perceived to be healthy, but I most definitely had no idea about macros, carb cycling, none of that at all. By the end of the first 90 days, I could do about 25 great pushups, and 3-4 pulls ups with mediocre form. BUT, I could see some muscle coming in! I could see a semblance of top 2 abs! And in just the right lighting, a hint of a bicep vein!
But, I wasn’t close to the dramatic transformations you see on the commercials, but I got a taste of it, and for the first time, thought it could happen. So, I did a second round of P90X, this time, really buckling down on nutrition. I still didn’t know how many calories I was getting, but I ate 3 clean meals a day, healthy snacks, started getting more protein and such. I figured if I could have a better diet, and start the program actually being able to do the workouts, things should improve. Lo and behold, after my second bout of 90 days, I was lean (about 135lbs), with a little 6 pack and a decent set of shoulders and arms.
Yep, then it was a whole new level.
No, I was very focused on gaining muscle and was just eating clean and trying to get in as many carbs as I could. I really didn’t get hard core into macros, cyclical dieting, nutrition, etc., until I decided I was going to compete. I was doing the Indigo Hypertrophy Plan, and was eating for gains.
This is kind of challenging to answer, because for the first two and a half years of my training before I got into the gym, I was doing all the P90X bodyweight stuff, the “Ab Ripper” program, which may seem silly to some folks on here, but I bet few readers could get through the entire thing. It’s unbelievably hard, and doing that a few times a week, combined with all the bodyweight exercises, definitely helped my abs grow. Also, as a trumpet player, blowing as much air through the horn as possible, my abs were always tight all day, so that probably helped too!
When I got in the gym, I trained them like every other body part, twice a week, sometimes weighted. Like with rope crunches, or some of the plate loaded machines, I’ll add some weight, but also have other exercises like ab wheel or the captain’s chair that is not weighted, I think both types of exercises are essential. When I got lean the first time and saw my 6 pack, it was a great start, but weighted ab training in the gym, and generally bodybuilding style training in general, is fantastic for ab development. Freeweights, squatting, cables, etc., ensuring you have proper form works the abs every single set.
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@robstein She made me look bad on a few back exercises! Glad things are going well on your end brother! Feels like yesterday we were in a hallway or locker room eating junk food and pumping up for a show!!!
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LOL that was a blast! We all met up at Bev’s powerhouse, and Katie was pushing some serious weight on T-Bar row and hammer strength row. She certainly pushes me in the gym too lol.
LOL it sure does, nothing like Nutella and Reese’s spread on rice cakes eaten with dirty, tan covered hands to make ya feel ready!
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As always, thanks for the detailed reply. Its motivating to see your before pics and compare then to how you are now. But everything in this thread has been motivating.
Regarding the abs: that is pretty much how I uave been working them…about 2x a week, ince loaded and once body weight, so thats good to hear. I feel like overall I probably have some decent ab development, as I can see the top 3-4 depending on lighting, even with a good layer of pudge sitting on top of them.
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Rob,
I’ve made literally 0 progress since a couple surgeries 5-6 years back (I have some well detailed log books to prove it lol) and feel like Im at a loss as to why. I’m not anywhere near being a actual competitor and just want to make some progress like I did before my surgeries. It might be time for me to get a different level of help from someone, because despite being pretty obsessive and thinking about training way more than is “normal”, and despite learning from knowledgeable people on these forums its all resulted in nothing for me. Are you taking on clients like me, basically non-competitors? If yes, where can I contact you at and learn more?
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@dnh36 thank you man!
That’s awesome, if you can see a loose 4 pack without being crazy lean, that’s a good sign. Nothing special with ab training, just keep doing it, and make sure to always engage a tight mid section during all of your exercises, regardless of the muscle being worked. And remember, nothing makes abs look great like being lean!
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@staystrong - Thanks so much for reaching out! I do have some availability right now if you want some more info. I’m always excited to do a contest prep with someone, but the majority of my clients are non-competitors. Recently just started working with another guy on here, similar to yourself, that works hard but needs some direction. Please feel free to email! It’s my username at Verizon dot net.
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Just sent you an email. I’ll apologize again for it being pretty wordy, I have a tendency to do that and really made myself cut things out believe it or not lol.
Looking forward to your reply, I know you’re busy so perfectly understand if it takes you awhile to get to it.
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These were taken during yesterday’s session, weight was 157.6, today got a new low of 156.4. I think this is the best conditioning I’ve had at this weight. My goal when I started cutting about 7 weeks ago was to lose ~10lbs and get down to ~155, I started at 165. So, fortunately things seem to be on point, another pound and a half to go. It really hasn’t been too bad, aside from the weekly HIIT workout. I do not like HIIT, but there’s no doubt it works.
It’s been a very manageable cut. Carbs have been at breakfast (30-50g), pre workout (60g) and every night before bed (25-30g). Around 1800 cals a day, 20-30min post workout cardio, and one weekly HIIT workout. 2 low days a week, plus a re-feed day where we go out to dinner (typically Greek food) and enjoy a couple pints of Halo Top.
I’m leaving next week for some business travels, will be in Nebraska for 5 days, back home for a week, then California for 2 weeks. I already have my gyms mapped out, am active all day long and keep my nutrition on point. I bring Finibars for breakfast before the gym, usually get a sandwich post workout, clean dinner and some Metabolic Drive before bed. Usually throughout the trip there are a couple meals out with the folks I’m working with, maybe a beer or two, but since I’m training every day and staying active I don’t stress over it. I never ever drink, because I’d rather eat my cals and don’t really like beer or alcohol that much, so one or two beers a year isn’t going to hurt lol. I always get a hotel room with a fridge to keep the essentials in there and make sure nutrition is solid. For me, it’s not an inconvenience, it’s enjoyable and I love the aspect of being on the road and still living the lifestyle. Last year, the day I got to California, I woke up ass early, hour drive to the airport, 6.5 hour flight non-stop, hour and change car ride to the hotel, and had a few hours before my first rehearsal. Take a nap? Nah, went to the grocery store to get the essentials, went to the gym, and then to rehearsal. I LOVE IT!
My original plan was to cut to ~155, then go to maintenance until February when the prep would start. Since I’ve been able to lose a steady pound and change a week on my current plan, which has been totally sustainable, when I get back from my trips I’m going to keep cutting on my same plan and see how lean I can get before getting to the point of feeling inconvenienced by it. IF I can get down to 150 or below on this plan, then a prep should be much more manageable if I only have to lose 10-12lbs. Last year I was 141lbs before peak week and went on stage at ~139 after depletion. Upper body was on point, hams, glutes looked good, but quads still weren’t as good as they needed to be. Visible separation, but the hard/dry look wasn’t there. So, we’re thinking we should aim for ~137-138 before peak week. Knowing I’ve put on some solid pounds of LBM, that should put me in a place to be dialed in from head to toe.
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All good brother, I’m always writing a book when I plan to write just a quick update lol! Emailed ya back.
Send you an email and then log on here and find out you’re gonna be in my neck of the woods soon. Weird coincidence lol, let me know if I can help you out at all for your trip here!
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BOOM! 155.0 this morning! That was the high end of my goal when I started cutting 8 weeks ago, 153-155. So, lost 10lbs in just under 8 weeks, and currently sitting 15lbs from stage weight. It’s just awesome to have learned enough about my body, nutritional needs, etc., to be able to have that goal, come up with a plan, execute it, and make it happen. It’s been very manageable and hasn’t felt inconvenient or the slightest bit of “suffering” at all. Since I’m still losing at a comfortable pace, I’m just going to keep this plan going and see how low I can get with it.
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Dude your lats look awesome!
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@kleinhound thank you very much bro! Much appreciated!
Here’s a pic of my weight log, I thought it’s been 8 weeks but it’s been 7. Just showing the fluctuations that occur daily, but overall pattern of weight loss is there.
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Awesome chest workout today, hit 2 PR’s. After hitting quads, delts and arms twice a week for almost 3 months, switched back to a standard 5 day split last week, hitting everything once a week now. Sessions are shorter and feel great. This set was my 4th set.
90sx12, 100sx12, 110sx8 (PR, I’ve done 110s before but only 3-4) and ended here with 115s, never lifted 115s before, had a spotter so went for it.
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New low today, 153.8, just in time as I’m sitting at the airport waiting for my flight. The goal 7.5 weeks ago was to end up 153-155, sitting right in the middle at 154, 11lbs down. As I’m getting leaner I can tell I’ve definitely put on some quality mass. Even on lower carbs I’m looking bigger and leaner than I did last year at this weight, vascularity is a lot more prominent as well. This is the weight that I started my “lock down” mode of prep at last year and got in stage ready condition for my first show in 11 weeks. It’s been pretty easy to get here, the past couple weeks I haven’t done HIIT and cut back on cardio, kept carbs at pre-workout and pre-bed and still losing at a good pace. I’m thinking if I keep this plan up when I get back home I should be able to get below 150 and be less than 10 pounds from stage weight. It’s SO nice not having a hard deadline for a show and obsessing about the diet, losing at a comfortable pace with no pressure. If I can get to less than 10lbs from stage ready on this plan, it should hopefully be more manageable to get stage ready. At this weight, I am very happy for off season and have a good balance of conditioning I like without feeling inconvenienced by it.
Side note - I GOT THE GIG!
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Congrats on the job, Rob!!! Have an awesome trip as well.
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