I ran out of FINiBARS myself once, too. I had 1 scoops of SWF and some rice (cooked until “creamy”) instead. That was pretty ok, though I like the bars much better…
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
… and then finish 'em off with GHRs on a lat pulldown machine [/quote]
Care to explain the setup on this? If it’s going to be too wordy, then don’t bother 
[quote]TheDudeAbides wrote:
Care to explain the setup on this? If it’s going to be too wordy, then don’t bother :)[/quote]
You simply face away from the machine, resting on your knees (on the actual seat), with your heels hooked under the pads that would typically brace your thighs. It does take a little getting used to, so if you’ve actually had experience on a real GHB, suddenly feeling your own bodyweight will be a real shock. I always suggest bracing yourself with a broomhandle in one hand, just for a little balance, or even aid in reversing the motion at the bottom of the ROM.
Great finishing exercise when you’ve already suffered a good thrashing -lol.
S
Man I’d love to see the looks you get doing this with a broom handle in your hands!!! I get the WTF is he doing now looks already! This must be priceless
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
You simply face away from the machine, resting on your knees (on the actual seat), with your heels hooked under the pads that would typically brace your thighs. It does take a little getting used to, so if you’ve actually had experience on a real GHB, suddenly feeling your own bodyweight will be a real shock. I always suggest bracing yourself with a broomhandle in one hand, just for a little balance, or even aid in reversing the motion at the bottom of the ROM.
Great finishing exercise when you’ve already suffered a good thrashing -lol.
S
[/quote]
Haha awesome, that’s how I’ve been doing my GHR’s as well I too find them to work best at the end of a workout, great finisher!
OKay, so I gathered together all of the weekly photos I took last year during my prep to gauge my conditioning. Even though I’m starting out 19 lbs heavier than my previous prep, I figure the conditioning level should be comparable if I’m going to at least match how I looked last year (and to be honest, I do think my legs could have been a bit tighter last time). Frankly, even though I can see noticeable improvements in size and thickness is certain areas, I don’t really believe that I am where I should be for almost 13 weeks out. My initial plan was always to keep the cals higher, and implement cardio sooner rather than later (last time while I eventually figured out to do the twice weekly HIIT sessions, towards the end I threw in very easy steady state walking each morning - something I took from Brian Whitacre).
10 weeks out ‘start morning cardio’ was what I wrote down when I did a rough plan of how things might progress. However, looking as objectively as I can, I’m now thinking maybe I’ll start my 15-20 min incline walking this coming week (13 weeks out). So many people have been asking me about what weight class I think I’ll go, and my answer is always one of conditioning, not of what I will actually weigh. But what I think really allowed me to show up so tight last time was the stark fear that maybe I wasn’t going to look like I belonged on stage.
So what I’m rolling around in my mind as far as a target weight will be about 180 lbs by 2 weeks out. Even though I had read so much about carb and water manipulations during the last week, I didn’t realize how much weight I would ultimately lose (174 mon, but then 170 on sat!). With the cut off being 176 lbs, if I can be about 179 by the beginning of the last week, I would be able to squeak under the class limit, and would actually have a solid 6 lbs more LBM than last time. Even if I fail to get my weight that low in the time I have left, I honestly think that trying to will better ensure my overall conditioning, even if I do end up a light-heavyweight.
Just putting my thoughts out there.
S
So you laid out the weekly routine, what do the actual workouts look like Stu?
Or is that a super bodybuilding secret?
[quote]Sarev0k wrote:
So you laid out the weekly routine, what do the actual workouts look like Stu?
Or is that a super bodybuilding secret?
[/quote]
Lol, well, I do switch up exercises (selections and orders) a bit, but here are a few of my sessions from the past week. I do try to make use of a lot of CTs explosive reps (can’t always get the fast turnaround because my joints get a bit achy sometimes, and the last thing I need during a prep is another injury to worry about). I also constantly refer to what exercises I did during my last prep (kept a pretty detailed journal), and look at the areas I have been trying to bring up during the last year. The reps are usually pretty low (Christian’s influence once again, the thinking that 8 sets of 3 perfect reps is always better than 3 sets of 8 grinders). Sets? I couldn’t even tell you. Some days I feel like I can keep pounding with many ramped sets of just a few exercises, and other days, my acceleration of the weight seems to drop off quickly, so I adjust with multiple exercises as best as I can.
Again, these are just examples, not what I may be doing this coming week, or next week…
CHEST/CALVES:
-Incline BB Presses
-Low Incline Cable Flyes
-Low Decline DB Presses
-Straight Leg Calf Presses
BACK/BIS:
-Straight arm Pressdowns with Rope (I like to start with this, or cable scap retractions)
-V-Handle Chins
-Reverse Grip Low Cable Rows (angled torso to stress lower lats - suggested by Thibs)
-2 DB Bent Rows (prefer these to using a Barbell)
-Non-Support Concentration Curls
-Cable Preacher Curls
CORE/FOREARMS/CARDIO:
-Russian Twists (holding weight on incline bench)
-Weighted Incline Crunches
-Cross Bench Leg Raises
-Back Hyperextensions w/plate
-Wrist Extensions
-Wrist Curls (Barbell behind back)
-Intervals on Stationary Bike - 25 mins (alternate 2 mins steady state w/30 sec sprints)
DELTS/TRAPS/TRIS:
-DB Lateral Twitch Reps (Tim seemed to love these, and I really feel it in my medial delt)
-Leaning away 1 arm Lateral Raises
-Bent DB Laterals on Incline Bench
-Smith Shoulder Presses (decided I needed a break from the DB presses, and i can go pretty heavy on these)
-Smith Shrugs Behind Back
-Front BB Raises facing down on Incline Bench (wide hand spacing = lower traps)
-Rope Pressdowns
-Overhead Rope Extensions (or DB skull crushers on incline bench)
-Bench Dips (in squat rack)
LEGS:
-Leg extensions
-Front Squats
-Leg Press (narrow stance, full ROM - stressing exploding from bottom)
-DB Stiff Leg Deads
-Seated Hamstring Curls
-GHRs on Lat Pulldown Machine
-Seated Calf Raises
[Then I repeat the Core/Forearms/Cardio day and that’s basically been the 6 day schedule I’m currently following]
Not much of a secret now is it? -lol
S
Haha I guess not, thanks for sharing. I’m switching back to carb cycling this week and I’m deliberating what will be in my routine. Still trying to hammer the perfect rep scheme in my head too.
I expected my body to react pretty quickly at first, simply because even though the numbers I’m ingesting are not excessively below my BMR, my body probably got used to eating a good deal above that figure. Combined with the added interval work (I haven’t done any cardio since last April!), and the fact that I have a better understanding of what I’m doing in regard to tricking my body into feeling full as well as just being unfazed by the hunger, and I can definitely say I’m on the right track. Each day I take down two numbers, my morning weight on my home scale, and my evening weight on the gym scale. While there is a very noticeable discrepancy (about 4-5 lbs on any given day), as long as they’re both going down, and my strength is staying up, I’m good.
My figures today were:
8 AM Home Scale- 197 lbs (2 weeks ago - 204 lbs)
5 PM Gym Scale - 201.6 lbs (2 weeks ago - 208.6 lbs)
Visual changes, I realize, will not be as evident this far out as they will be as the show gets closer, but I will continue with the weekly shots. As today came out to be a Low Day, and just entailed abs and intervals, I figured I’d snap the pics tomorrow evening (On cardio days, my legs puff the hell up, and everything else just looks flat from the daily intake).
Just wanted to share the numbers, because I was quite shocked myself at such a change in just 2 weeks. I’ve suffered no loss of strength at all, and some days I’m shocked to think how insanely hungry I was last time, compared to now.
S
Nice job with the weight loss so far Stu, obviously not gonna be all fat but from what you said about your strength I’m guessing it’s not muscle either.
How helpful do you feel the forearm exercises you listed have been in bringing them up? My forearms have always sucked and up to this point the main thing that’s helped them has been pinwheel curls although they still suck lol
I never really train forearms, this is a new thing for me. Mine were always somewhat decent from doing so much heavy rowing and deads when I started training. During my first prep, I just figured I shouldn’t have any weak points (at least not from lack to trying to bring everything up), so I started throwing in a few sets of higher rep stuff, hoping to increase the vascularity in my arms. Realizing that I may not have the prettiest genetics (tiny waist, wide clavicles etc), I need to push with my strengths, which according to the feedback I’ve gotten, has been a thicker, denser look.
Actually, I was chatting with Shaun Clarida earlier today (WNBF Worlds Lightweight Champ), whose training partner was the guy who won the overall open in my show last May. Shaun actually told me that I have a ‘good look’, and he feels I can definitely nab a pro-card if things all come together (which I’d be pretty stoked about actually). Certainly a hell of a compliment. Of course you can’t know who else will show up at any given contest, and I’ve seen some amazing open class winners, as well as some who really surprised me that they won the class. What I kept telling myself last time, and I’ve been repeating it a hell of a lot lately, is that as long as I know I did everything I could do to bring my best, I’ll leave the show with my head up high, no matter how I place.
S
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I expected my body to react pretty quickly at first, simply because even though the numbers I’m ingesting are not excessively below my BMR, my body probably got used to eating a good deal above that figure. Combined with the added interval work (I haven’t done any cardio since last April!), and the fact that I have a better understanding of what I’m doing in regard to tricking my body into feeling full as well as just being unfazed by the hunger, and I can definitely say I’m on the right track. Each day I take down two numbers, my morning weight on my home scale, and my evening weight on the gym scale. While there is a very noticeable discrepancy (about 4-5 lbs on any given day), as long as they’re both going down, and my strength is staying up, I’m good.
My figures today were:
8 AM Home Scale- 197 lbs (2 weeks ago - 204 lbs)
5 PM Gym Scale - 201.6 lbs (2 weeks ago - 208.6 lbs)
Visual changes, I realize, will not be as evident this far out as they will be as the show gets closer, but I will continue with the weekly shots. As today came out to be a Low Day, and just entailed abs and intervals, I figured I’d snap the pics tomorrow evening (On cardio days, my legs puff the hell up, and everything else just looks flat from the daily intake).
Just wanted to share the numbers, because I was quite shocked myself at such a change in just 2 weeks. I’ve suffered no loss of strength at all, and some days I’m shocked to think how insanely hungry I was last time, compared to now.
S
[/quote]
I’m pretty sure that all home scales(unless specifically marked) cast you at a lower weight because of anorexic chicks. Some scales read up to 8 lbs lower
[quote]Sarev0k wrote:
I’m pretty sure that all home scales(unless specifically marked) cast you at a lower weight because of anorexic chicks. Some scales read up to 8 lbs lower
[/quote]
Lol, well, as long as the numbers are moving in the right direction, I won’t whine. Besides, I’ve always fluctuated a good 4 lbs over the day, simply from food intake and whatnot, so understanding what I plan on doing my last week (no salt, water load, carb deplete and load, and stop green veggies), I know I’ll be good to get within 3-4 lbs of my target weight no matter what the scale says at the beginning of the week.
S
OKay, here are some shots from tonight. I definitely see an improvement in my leg thickness (I think a few posing shifts have helped as well). I also note that I feel very tight when trying to hit the side tricep shot, which I used to do with more of a twist and crunching down to show my abs. Hopefully as I practice more, it will come back. While I am quite pleased with the overall gains I have made, I am also somewhat surprised by the fact that my back still shows a pretty good degree of cuts at this weight, and even my abs in the abs/thigh shot ain’t too shabby
I’m just trying to keep in mind that I’ve still got 13 weeks to go, so hopefully I’ll cruise in on schedule. One other thing, I’m also noticing my biceps, which I had actually had a partial tear in my right one just a few months before I started my last prep. Hopefully they will look a bit more impressive this time (very happy with the front double bi, which I thought was one of my weaker shots last time out).
S
Looking solid brother! I notice the leg thickness improv. too.
On a side note, do you plan on manipulating putassium as well?
Very nice progress. I can see improvement of legs, back area as well as overall leanness. Front double biceps looks pretty good with the beginning of a nice vacuum and not too much fat to lose. You’ll be in great shape in 13 weeks, I’m sure.
As for the poses, I would recommend to bring your knees in a bit in both the front and rear double biceps. This would bring out your v-taper much better. Bringing your knees closer together makes your body look more like a Y, rather than an X.
IMO, you are classy/elegant bodybuilder with nice lines and a good amount of muscle mass, but not a mass monster. So IMO you should try to underline that by doing your poses a bit more in the elegant/classy way.
It will be very interesting for me to see for how long you’ll be able to keep or even increase your strength. I expect the anaconda protocol to help you a lot with this. Since I started using it myself and plan to use it for my next prep, too, I hope I can get some good indications on how to perfectly incorporate it in a contest prep and on the good it will do…
PS: Of course, the picture is meant to show you what I tried to explain about the Y vs. X shape in the bdb pose…
I completely understand what you’re suggesting, but I’m actually trying this intentionally. Since my last show I’ve watched the video (as well as other natty vids) to death, and what I notice is that a lot of the better competitors flare the knees a bit so that the legs look wider, even from the back shots (shows the outer sweep).
Something that I feel I needed to remedy in regard to my posing, is that the way I was standing (feet a lot closer), it made my legs look a lot narrower than if I splay them a bit more (and angled my toes out). I also realize that while my hip bones aren’t especially narrow, by standing with a wider stance, I can create more of an overall “X” effect (which is the reason I’m re-evaluating how I position my arms in the front relaxed shot as well).
My back is probably one of my strengths, so by balancing it with a wider ‘base’, I’m hoping to detract from the thicker midsection.
At the moment, it’s still sort of a “let’s see how this looks” situation, but I think you understand what I’m at least TRYING to do. Please keep making suggestions, there aren’t a ton of competitors on here, and I’m always the first to admit that I don’t know it all (hence my occassional ramblings so others will at least comprehend the rationale behind my making a bad decision).
S
I acutually was pretty sure you didn’t hit those poses “by accident” that way. As usual, you did a lot of thinking
I can see your points. What I usually do 4-5 weeks before a contest is to take photos of each pose in several variations. Then I sit together with two of my best friends who happen to be pretty successful bodybuilders and judges and just try to find out which variation of each pose looks the best overall.
I could very well imagine that your waist looks quiet lean when your close to/in contest shape. You have pretty wide shoulders and wide lats after all. I still believe taking a slighlty closer stance in the front double biceps could look better overall. Like heels 7-8 inces apart instead of 10-12. Turning your toes outward should create enough sweep.
Looking forward to seeing you improve to you best shape ever.