August 17 - 11 Days out from NPC State

Well it's been a few days since I posted anything, sorry bout that! Been super busy trying to get this tired ass ole body ready for the Alabama State Championships on the 28th. It's time to be all consuming trying to dial in for this show.

Training my ass, I mean literally, training my ass off, as my friend Mike Horn would say! I have finally got it in my thick skull that conditioning doesn't mean starving and less calories just means flat ass physique.

So I have been careful to get my carbs in everyday even though I still see a fat ass in the mirror! Hmmm, I think I am starting to sound a little mental! Well maybe I am, I got to do whatever it takes and I think I'm making good progress. Started on a really strong fat burner so maybe that will do the trick to get that last tiny bit off and be truly shredded down this time.

I'm doing as much cardio as my body tells me to. I've gotten better at listening. If I'm tired I sit down, if I feel good I hit it! Simple as that. No need to make it complicated.

To later, I will keep hammerin away and see what happens.

Peace and Stay Strong!

August 9 2010

Last night we decided I will in fact be competing in the NPC AL State Championship. It had been my goal all along but I got side tracked a bit competing in the Power Shack Classic.

I thought that was a freaking disaster but after a conversation with Mike Horn who was judging the event I realized two things.

(1) Just as I had planned the Biloxi event was a trial run and I had no illusions of actually winning my class. I went there to get up in front of judges and practice my presentation. As Mike pointed out, it was a good move since there were 2 national judges working the event, so I got some face time with judges that will be at the national show in July.

(2) My weakness is the obvious lack of density in my lower quads but more importantly my conditioning is just not anywhere near what it needs to be. I need to focus on getting all the bodyfat off not just low.

So here we go,with 3 weeks to prepare, I think I can tighten up in time to make a good showing at the State and maybe if all the stars align right finally pull off a class victory.

Been really focusing on legs and have split them into 3 days a week, Monday - quads, Wednesday - Hams and then either Friday or Saturday hitting quads again. Today was a great quad day and I made some major strides in my form while squatting. Getting lower in depth than I ever had before so I feel good about my progress. Squatted in combat boots for the first time today and they definitely help stabilise the ankles when the weight gets heavier, Got some strange looks from the civilians but who cares as long as I'm getting it done.

Until next time

Peace and Stay Strong

Incorporating cardio into your training while developing lean muscle

Cardio:

• HIIT = High Intensity Interval Training aka Hellish Insane Idiotic Torture

• Steady State = Working up to your target heart rate and maintaining it for a sustained period of time

• Fasting Steady State is the best for burning body fat
• HIIT is less time consuming

First, finding your heart rates:

Target heart rate (THR). In general terms, your THR is 60-80% of your maximum heart rate. The Karvonen Method of calculating THR is one of the most effective methods to determine target heart rate because it takes into account resting heart rate. Here's how to find your THR.


1. Find your resting heart rate as soon as you wake up. You can do this by counting your pulse for one minute while still in bed. You may average your heart rate over three mornings to obtain your average resting heart rate (RHR). Add the three readings together, and divide that number by three to get the RHR. For example, (76 + 80 + 78) / 3= 78.

2. Find your maximum heart rate and heart rate reserve.
Subtract your age from 220. This is your maximum heart rate (HRmax). For example, the HRmax for a 24-year-old would be: 220 - 24 = 196.

Subtract your RHR from your HRmax. This is your heart rate reserve (HRmaxRESERVE). For example, HRmaxRESERVE = 196 - 78 = 118

3. Calculate the lower limit of your THR. Figure 60% of the HRmaxRESERVE (multiply by 0.6) and add your RHR to the answer. For example,

(118 * 0.6) + 78 = 149.

4. Calculate the upper limit of your THR. Figure 80% of the HRmaxRESERVE (multiply by 0.8) and add your RHR to the answer. For example,

(118 * 0.8) + 78 = 172.

5. Combine the values obtained in steps 3 and 4 and divide by the number 2. For example, (149 + 172) / 2 = 161 (You can get the same result by simply multiplying HRmaxRESERVE by 0.7 and adding to it RHR).


Here's a simple HIIT scheme. Choose your weapon (spinner, treadmill, climber, outdoor jog and run) and plan on twelve minutes of output. Start an easy warm up for four minutes, stepping it up comfortably as the minutes progress. You should now be in your THR, now blast it (get into your HR Max) for thirty seconds and back off for thirty seconds, blast it for thirty and back off for thirty. Repeat this thirty-thirty interval for a total of six sets, that is, six minutes. The final two minutes are committed to a gradual decrease in intensity and cooling off.


Incorporating your cardio into your training with the proper timing is CRUCIAL. If you do too much or at the wrong time you are wasting your efforts in your training and will not realize maximum gains and over train. Overtraining will result in a flat and stringy physique.

Typical Muscle Gain Training Split incorporated with fat burner cardio training:

Quads NO CARDIO
Arm Day Fasting HIIT
Rest Day Fasting Steady State Cardio – if you are behind in the BF war, do another Steady State session later in the day
Back Day Post Training HIIT
Hams Day Post Training Steady State Cardio – mild intensity and length walking outdoors recommended
Weekends Optional Steady State

This is my recommendation for cardio while developing lean muscle. If you have BF (bodyfat)issues, then use fasting cardio every day until it is under control. However you need to discuss this with me before hand. This is extreme and dangerous if not handled properly and will burn up any lean leg muscle you have developed.


It is crucial not to over train if trying to develop great legs. Can’t emphasis this enough. Also carbs must be eaten to fill out muscle bellies and help burn body fat.

Peace and Stay Strong!

August 4 Training Log

Hams

10 min warmup on stationary bike followed by 10 minutes stretching
RP = 15 second rest pause

Sumo Stance Leg Press

4 PES (plates each side) x 15
6 PES x 15
7 PES x 15
9 PES x 12 RP + 10 RP + 10

Stiff Leg Dead Lifts

135 x 12
225 x 12
315 x 12
405 x 10 RP + 10 RP + 10

Hip Adduction Machine

200 x 15
250 x 15
295 x 12 RP + 10 RP + 8

Unilateral Leg Curls

80 EL (each leg) x 12
90 EL x 12
110 EL x 10 RP + 4 RP + 3

60 second static stretch

Low Back

3 each Giant Sets
Glute Machine 150 x 15/Reverse Hyperextensions x 15/Reverse Kickbacks x 15

My goal is a single minded one. National Champion Grand Masters 2011. The contest held in Pittsburgh on July 22. That gives me 10 1/2 months to prepare. Changes need to be made in my life. Bottom line; I've got to get serious or give up. In the pictures above you can see what I look like today on the left. On the right is the reigning 2010 Grand Masters National Champ, Randy Rettitenger. The obvious difference: LEGS!

I would like to say that I took my bodybuilding serious in 2010, but reflecting back it wasn't planned out carefully at all. To compete and win at the highest level takes careful planning and execution of the plan to perfection.

In all honesty, I really haven't had enough experience in this game to understand what it takes to develop a total package. I have had a tough life. Fair enough, but I also now realized that I have used that as a crutch. I have bad knees, yep, for sure, 10 knee operations constitutes bad knees. I have a torn rotators cuff and a rear delt tear. Yep, crashing down mountains cycling, dislocating your shoulders several times is rough. However, given all that and you still decide you want to compete in bodybuilding, you have to put that crap aside and move on. You must adapt to your circumstances not succumb to them.

Is it impossible to develop sweeping quads when the bones and tendons in your leg have been cut in half? Are you going to have the required symmetry in both legs when one has a knee cap dislocated? All good questions, and no one can answer these questions other than myself. I'm about as tough of a son of a bitch as you're going to meet. The problem may be that I have been relying too much on my intestinal fortitude and not relying enough on my cerebral capacity to reason and calculate circumstance.

I really got a wake up call this past weekend competing in the Power Shack Classic when I got an assessment of my showing from Russ Mess, my sponsor for the event. I asked what he thought and he told me nothing I didn't already know. "Your upper body competes with just about anyone up there. You need more lower quad size and a tighter lower back." But his most profound comment was, "Why are you competing, do you have a goal or do you just like to compete?" The answer is emblazoned in my brain, I shot back, "I want to be the National Grand Masters Champion." Apparently he was ready for that answer. "Then why are you competing in all these local shows when you have glaring weak points that need to be brought up?" Get into your off season prep, strategically pick one show to qualify and then get on stage in Pittsburgh.

I got to say this made me feel pretty stupid. This is a painfully obvious solution to my goal and I wasn't paying attention to the trees in the forest. Part of the problem with the ego of a bodybuilder is we like how we look in contest prep. It's very gratifying to look in the mirror and see the reflection of a 55 year old man with 20" arms and a shredded physique. Who cares about symmetry, look at my arms and my abs!

Ok, I'm not going to beat myself up over this mishap. I'm going to learn from it and I'm as we speak formulating a plan to be the champion I spout off that I want to be. One thing I realize is that to be a champion you can't just will it so, it has to be carefully and meticulously calculated and planned out to the smallest details.

Below is a small sampling of notes that I am using to design my training schemes that I will be working on for the next few months. This is basically Dante's DC Training notes. I am adapting this towards a style more adaptive for a 55 year old heavy weight. So you will see some things in my upcoming training schemes that differ slightly but all in all will be very similar to this concept.


DC Training Notes

Chest:
incline smythe press (11-15rp)
hammer strength press (11-15rp)
decline barbell press (11-15rp)

Backwidth:
front rack chins (11-20rp)
close grip pulldowns (11-15rp)
front pulldowns (11-15rp)

Backthickness: (back thickness exercises and quad exercises arent rest paused due to safety reasons of fatigue and loss of form)
deadlifts straight sets (6-9reps) + (9-12reps)
T-bar rows straight set (10-12 reps)
rack deadlifts (6-9reps) + (9-12reps)

Shoulders:
military presses (11-20rp)
hammer strength presses (11-15rp)
upright rows (11-20rp)

Quads: (quads are done again with no rest pause because of safety reasons, but after progressive warmups there is a heavy set and then what I call a "widowmaker set" for 20 reps with a still heavy, but lighter weight)

free squats (6-10 rep straight set) 3-5 minute rest and then (20 rep widowmaker)
hack squats (as above)
leg press (as above)

Hamstrings:
lying leg curls (15-30rp)
seated leg curls (15-30rp)
sumo press leg press (pressing with heels only- straight set of 15-25 reps)

Biceps:
preacher curls (11-20rp)
barbell drag curls (11-20rp)
dumbell curls (11-20rp)

Forearms:
pinwheel curls (straight set 10-20 reps)
hammer curls (straight set 10-20 reps)
reverse grip one arm cable curls (straight set 10-20 reps)

Triceps:
reverse grip bench presses (11-20rp)
close grip bench presses (11-20rp)
EZ bar tricep extentions (15-30rp) (elbow safety)

Calves: (all calves are done with an enhanced negative, meaning up on big toe, 5 seconds lowering down to full stretch and then a brutal 10-15 seconds in the stretched position and then back up on the big toe again. It really separates the mice and the men--this is an all straight set)
leg press toe press (10-12 reps)
hack squat toe press/sled (10-12 reps)
seated calf raises (10-12 reps)

Stretching
CHEST: Flat bench 90lb dumbbells chest high--lungs full of air-- I drop down into the deepest flye I can for the first 10 seconds or so with my lungs full of air and chest out---then staying there I arch my back slightly and try to press my sternum upward --this is absolutely excruciating--the rest of the 60 seconds I try to concentrate on dropping my elbows even farther down (I try to but I don’t think they are going any lower--LOL)---the last 15 seconds I’m pretty much shaking like a leaf, I have tears in my eyes and I think about dropping bodybuilding and becoming a tap dancer on Broadway (ok that parts not true)--My opinion is people should use dumbbells that are a little over half of what your heaviest set of 6-8 reps would be. I cant state this enough--extreme stretching royally sucks!!! Its painful. But I have seen amazing things with people -especially in the quads.

TRICEPS: Seated on a flat bench-my back up against the barbell---75lb dumbell in my hand behind my head(like in an overhead dumbell extension)--sink dumbell down into position for the first 10 seconds and then an agonizing 50 seconds slightly leaning back and pushing the dumbell down with the back of my head I like one arm at a time in the bottom position of a dumbell triceps extension----going to the extreme stretch and then slightly pushing on the dumbell with the back of my head.

SHOULDERS: This one is tough to describe--put a barbell in the squat rack shoulder height--face away from it and reach back and grab it palms up (hands on bottom of bar)---walk yourself outward until you are on your heels and the stretch gets painful--then roll your shoulders downward and hold for 60 seconds.

BICEPS: Olympic bar in a power rack or squat rack about neck high---face away from it and reach back and put both hands over the bar gripping it----now either sink down with one leg forward/one leg back or better yet squat down and try (I say try because its absolutely excruciating) to kneel. Go down to the stretch that is almost unbearable and then hold that for 45 to 60 seconds. Your own bodyweight is the load. What I do is put the bar at a place on the squat rack in which I can kneel at a severe stretch and then try to sink my ass down to touch my feet. If its too easy I put the bar up to the next rung.


BACK: Honestly for about 3 years my training partner and I would hang a 100lb dumbell from our waist and hung on the widest chin-up bar (with wrist straps) to see who could get closest to 3 minutes--I never made it--I think 2 minutes 27 seconds was my record--but my back width is by far my best body part--I pull on a doorknob or stationary equipment with a rounded back now and its way too hard too explain here--just try it and get your feel for it.

HAMSTRINGS: Either leg up on a high barbell holding my toe and trying to force my leg straight with my free hand for an excruciating painful 60 seconds or another exercise I could only show people and not type here.

QUADS: Facing a barbell in a power rack about hip high --grip it and simultaneously sink down and throw your knees under the barbell and do a sissy squat underneath it while going up on your toes. then straighten your arms and lean as far back as you can---60 seconds and if this one doesn't make you hate my guts and bring tears to your eyes nothing will---do this one faithfully and tell me in 4 weeks if your quads don’t look a lot different than they used to.

CALVES: my weak body part that I couldn’t get up too par until 2 years ago when I finally thought it out and figured out how to make them grow (with only one set twice a week too) I don’t need to stretch calves after because when I do calves I explode on the positive and take 5 seconds to get back to full stretch and then 15 seconds at the very bottom "one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand etc" --15 seconds stretching at the bottom thinking and trying to flex my toes toward my shin--it is absolutely unbearable and you will most likely be shaking and want to give up at about 7 reps (I always go for 12reps with maximum weights)--do this on a hack squat or a leg press--my calves have finally taken off due to this. "

REP RANGE:
shoulders=12 to 20RP (15rp is again what i shoot for and is the most common)

triceps 12rp to 20 rp

back width-12rp to 20rp

back thickness-(depends on exercise--if its rack deadlifts or bent over rows Ill do 12 to 15 reps rest paused. If its deadlifts from the floor Ill do a straight set 12 to 20 heavy)

biceps-15 to 20 reps restpaused

forearms/brachilias-depends on movement

calves (described earlier on this thread)

hamstrings-15 to 20 restpaused

quads-a straight 15 to 50 reps heavy as I can possibly go (usually its 20 reps)

for shoulders, i like about 20 reps. so it would look roughly like this, first set 8-9 reps, 15 breaths, 5-6 reps, 15 breaths, 2-3 reps. set done. stretch
same for triceps.
i like about 25 reps for biceps so you do the sets the same way, but use a weight that allows a few more reps per mini set.
back width is done the same way for 15-20 reps
back thickness is not rest paused. do one set of 6-8 rest for 2 minutes and then another heavier set of 4-6
calves is a stright set of 15-20. do a rep, when you get to the bottom of the rep, just stretch the hell out of your calf for 15 seconds. do that on every rep. these hurt like hell and you wont be able to go very heavy
quads is a heavy set of 6-8 and then a set of 20 for as heavy as you can go.
ham are straight setted for 15 to 20 reps.
make sure to add either reps or weight on every exercise every time. if you get to many reps. add more weight next time.

Training Splits
Monday Quads / Lower Back
Tuesday Fasting Cardio /Chest Delts / Tris
Wednesday Hams / Back (deads and chins)
Thursday Fasting Cardio/ Abs / Calves / Bis
Friday Quads / Lower Back
Saturday Hams / Abs / Opt. Cardio
Sunday Rest / Cardio

Power Shack Classic in the books

Lisa and I are back from Biloxi, where I competed in the 1st annual Power Shack Classic. First of all let me give a big ups to the promoter of the show Mike with Power Shack! All I can say is wow. The amateurs got a small taste of what it must feel like to be treated like a pro! The fact that the event was held in an a coliseum was big enough. But the outstanding part was the hospitality that was forwarded to all the competitors. There wasn't any detail left out to make it easier for us. The expeditor's were all over us the entire time, go here, do this, get over here, stand there, you're next. Doesn't sound like much but to a carb depleted air head like me it is nice being told exactly what to do. I'm too busy thinking about how not to trip over my own two feet. (Which I almost did, more on that later)

The goody bags they handed out were full of useful supplements not some extra stuff nobody wants as is the usual. And the list of Pros that were there was very cool. I didn't pay any attention to any of them except for my man, the one and only Branch Warren. I couldn't believe how accessible he was to everyone and how friendly he was. He is kinda like my hero! The way the guy trains is intense and I try to immulate that phioloshy in my training. I told him that and I got a funny look, hmm. So I said another stupid thing just to make sure he knew I was definitely a dork. I said, "so Branch what do I have to do to get those freaky legs?" He gave me a "are you fucking kidding me kinda look" and I quickly before he could say anything, said "I'm just foolin with ya." He didn't seem amused.

Well, as far as my showing went I would have to say this was a big success. Maybe that sounds strange from someone that finished fourth in his class but I really do feel good about what went down and that's what this is really all about, how good this makes you feel about yourself. Keeping this in perspective. I really only prepped 3-4 weeks for this show, taking it on a whim because of a sponsorship offer. Which I must say was very cool having all the expenses of this event paid for by the very gracious Mr Russ Mess of Max Fit in Ft Walton Beach, FL.

I tried a different approach this time to the drying out process thanks to the help of the lil giant killa, Rusty Disher. His plan dried me out like a soda cracker. I think I missed the water depletion by maybe 6-12 hours, because I looked the best Friday night, with details and striations I never had seen before in my quads and hams. By Saturday morning some of it had watered away but I still had good separation. It sucked that I was almost last to go on stage and the water had even more time to return. But all in all, still had a good look.

The pre judging itself was disappointing. It seemed they had made their selection for top 3 before we got out there. I was first in line and didn't get moved to the center, never a good sign. And as it turned out I was right. I placed fourth. But after refection, it was a good call. The guy that won was very short with good symmetry and the second place guy had a very small waist and was also short which gives the illusion of good symmetry. The third place guy had maybe a slightly tighter waist and lower back. The lower back I think cost me third place. These local shows are frustrating because I always show up the most muscular and never win. Now I know how my friend Branch feels when he wins the most muscular awards and sometimes finishes second place overall!

That's ok, because when we get to the national stage these little guys won't be around. It takes overall density and conditioning to win there and I have the density and can achieve the conditioning. All I need to do is add some serious mass to my outer quads. I have 7 months to do that. Shouldn't be a problem. No more diets. Time to eat and grow. If I haven't added 2 inches to my legs by April I will concede and retire. I just cant see that happening. I am very focused on what I have to do.

Until then Peace and Be Strong!