Competition training log

[Fuglydude]

Thanks for the tips... I'll definitely run it by my trainer. Basically my trainers don't want me doing free squats and deads because they think that this will my make my core hypertrophy. As you know w/ bodybuilding, the classic V-taper is held in very high regard.

All the squatting/leg work that I do is typically all done with the smith machine, leg press, etc. Kinda feel like a *****, but at this stage, I'll do what my trainers tell me as they know a lot more than me.

 

[Fuglydude]

Just finished week 6 of diet/cycle... Not the best week as I got sick at the start and have been dealing with a few injuries. Weight did not change this week, but this is probably because I basically didn't eat any solid food for 2-3 days at the start of the week.

Injury wise, my lower back got dinged up and still isn't 100%. There's also something weird going on with my right shoulder... I know its the rotator cuff, and I have a feeling its the subscapularis muscle. I can do overhead work, but there's certain movements that are quite painful. I think its one of those things only time will heal.

Overall, AM weight = 183. Not sure about bodyfat... but I'm getting that tested tonight.

Overall, just glad that week is done.

Did my power day yesterday:

Powerclean:

135 x 3 (hang)
185 x 3

High bar back squat:

225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3 (personal best for a high bar)

Pistols:

35/side x 5
35/side x 5

Weighted dip:

(BW + 90) x 6
(BW + 115) x 6
(BW + 115) x 5

Weighted underhand grip pull up:

(BW + 90) x 5
(BW + 90) x 4.5 (shoulder wasn't very happy here)

DL attempt (just for shiiites and giggles)

315 x 1
405 x 1... fail

I can't remember the last time I've failed at 4 plates A little bit upsetting, but I suppose I shouldn't trying to deadlift 2.2x my weight at the end of a heavy work out when my lower back is really sore.

Training in a more controlled, higher volume bodybuilding style has really taken away from my neuromuscular "spark" or explosive power output that I used to have. This has really hurt my 1RMs across the board. However, I guess I have to keep my goals in mind and train accordingly. I just hate getting weaker even though I'm getting bigger and spending a lot more time on diet/training.

 

[Fuglydude]

Got tested at my trainers' earlier this evening... I think their scale is off or something... I weighed 190. Apparently their scale is calibrated for the scales that are used for competitions. If you take 2 lbs off for clothing... thats' still 188. I also had my bodyfat checked, and apparently I'm sitting at 12.3%... up from 10.7%.

They seemed quite happy with my progress so far... just gotta keep grinding away I guess.

 

[Fuglydude]

Just finished week 7. AM weight = 186. Up around 18 lbs since starting...

Happy so far. Finally actually starting to feel a bit bigger. Will be nice to get to 200 lbs w/ < 14% bf.

I think I'm gonna scrap deadlifts for the time being and focus on high bar squat on my free day as well as core. I'm finding my lower back is much more prone to strain now that I'm heavier. Even shoveling snow last night kinda fatigued my lower back. I may have to add in more abdominal work and more lower back stretching.

 

[cuzza]

Good stuff... enjoying reading this, my favourite log on here.

Love the fact it doesn't fit in with the (to me, ridiculous) 'you can only powerlift, 1 lift a day' dogma around here.

 

[Kerpal]

Basically my trainers don't want me doing free squats and deads because they think that this will my make my core hypertrophy.

This made me

Love the fact it doesn't fit in with the (to me, ridiculous) 'you can only powerlift, 1 lift a day' dogma around here.

Depends on your goals and training history. He's far from a beginner. He's already built a good strength base, unlike most posters here who have never touched a barbell but want to start immediately with an advanced bodybuilding program with lots of isolation exercises.

 

[cuzza]

It definitely does depend on your goals. That's one of my points, a lot of people who come on here wanting to get bigger are basically told 'don't isolate!' and it's something I strongly disagree with.

 

[Fuglydude]

Don't worry Kerpal, I won't take out high bar squats... hell I'll even think of you when I do them... NO homo

Strength in my experience is basically a function neuromuscular efficiency and muscle size... but more so of the former. I've met some FREAKISHLY strong dudes in my day... little 140-150 lb chinese guys that'll throw around 80 lb dumbells for shoulder press and do dips w/ 180 lbs around their waist! I've seen a 6'2" - 194 lb sprinter (dude was world class) do a full squat w/ 405 lbs like it was nothing. I haven't been around as many competitive bodybuilders, but from what I've seen so far, the training modalities are very different. For example, my trainer is 5'8" - 240 in the off season at around 10% or less body fat (he's an IFBB pro), but he curls w/ 25 lb dumbells... its freakish looking to see a guy with 18-19" arms do such light weights, but hey, its obviously working. As Cuzza said, its all about training specifically for your goals.

In my old age, after years of heavy lifting, my joints are quite happy to finally have some light slow hypertrophy work. I still do heavy compound work but have reduced it a lot. I actually do find that isolating is quite a skill... especially for old farts like me who have never really done it in the past. It takes a lot of focus and mental discipline to be able to perform say a incline dumbell press and try and squeeze and force as much blood as you can into your pecs.

I think beginners should incorporate both heavy grunt work as well as lighter hypertrophy style movements (including isolation work) into their routine. Of course success will be determined by their diet, but assuming that diet is adequate, I think the best overall gains in both appearance and strength would come from a hybrid-style program. Everyone's body has a very different metabolism and responds to different things. I'll ask my trainers next time I see them what their thoughts are about training programs for beginners who are just looking to get as big and strong as possible.

 

[Fuglydude]

week 8 just finished...

This week was a total write off to put it mildly... My weight decreased, from 186 to 185. I made it into the gym ONCE this week and basically my schedule just blew.

I had to switch from nights to days, then one day later, back to nights then 2 days later had to stay up for over 30 hours as I had a professional development course following a 12 hour shift. I didn't get nearly as much sleep as I should have and my diet sucked.

This will definitely be better. I'm working 60 hours, but there will be no switching back and forth between nights/days. Sometime I totally envy you guys with normal schedules.

Atleast my AM weight seems to have stabilized around the 185 mark.

 

[Fuglydude]

Last week was a write off, so today I combined my regular leg/shoulders day with a bit of power stuff:

High bar back squat

315 x 5 (new PB at 315)
335 x 1
355 x 1 (new PB for a single w/ high bar)

One arm dumbell snatch:

100 x 1

powerclean:

185 x 3 x 3

Pistols:

40/side x 4

 

[Fuglydude]

Week 9 is done... sitting at around 185/186 ish, but definitely feeling a lot better physically at that weight. I think there is greater neuromuscular adaption at this weight now, and I definitely feel stronger and my core feels more stable.

In the last 12 days I've worked around 120-130 hours, including a 16 hour advanced cardiovascular life support course, and a stretch of being up for around 30 hours. I've also have to switch back and forth between days and nights a couple of times. Needless to say, its a bit sub-optimal for training. However, I've done okay in that span.

Did my heavy day today after a 12 hour shift. Had already been up for 17 hours so was a bit tired.

Powerclean for warm up:

185 x 3

One arm dumbell snatch:

85 x 1
95 x 1
100 x 1

High bar back squat:

135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 5
315 x 5
335 x 1

squats felt quite heavy today.

Weighted Dips:

(BW + 90) x 6 x 3

Weighted pull up (narrow underhand grip)

(BW + 90) x 5
(BW + 45) x 10 x 2

Deads:

315 x 5
365 x 1
385 x 1
405 x 1

Think my body is slowly adapting and I can begin to do heavier deadlifts again. I did deads at the end of my session just to gauge how everything was working. Overall felt quite explosive off the floor. If things go this way I hope to have a new PR in the coming weeks... I should shoot for close to 5 plates...

Pistols:

25/side x 5 x 2

Finished with some cable work...

Post WO wt = 185

 

[Colossus]

Why do you work such crazy hours man? Punishment...

 

[Fuglydude]

Ya, I usually regret it in retrospect when I do stretches like this... I don't have a normal schedule because I'll frequently work a tough stretch and then have several days off. I guess in the end its all about the money. We make around 80/hour for overtime, so its tough to say no to that ya know?

In some ways it is actually easier to be regimented when you're at work because you have set break times where you can fit your meals in.

Anyways I have the next couple of weeks off after tomorrow. I might pick up a shift or two if anything's available but gonna chill and focus on training otherwise.

 

[Fuglydude]

Did legs w/ some shoulder press today:

Warm up:

One arm dumbell snatch:

100 x 1/side

Seated leg curl: 4 x 10
Smith lung: 4 x 10/side
Lying leg curl: 3 x 8
Leg Press: 3 x 8
Standing leg curl: 3 x 8
Smith squat: 3 x 10 (stance: heels touching w/ feet pointing out)
Hip ext: 3 x 10

Seated shoulder press (70 = 70 lb dumbell in each hand, an so forth)

70 x 8
75 x 8
70 x 8

24" box jump:

BW x 3
(BW + 50) x 3
(BW + 70) x 3
(BW + 90) x 1
(BW + 110) x 1 (personal best)

 

[Fuglydude]

Week 10 is done...

AM weight = 186
Post-WO wt = 188.
Haven't had my bf% checked in a few weeks.

Did my strength day today. Decided to focus on deadlifts as tomorrow will be legs/shoulders, so wanna stay semi-fresh for that.

Working out w/ my fiance today, so didn't get to spend as much time as I wanted. There was a SMOKING hot girl in the gym today, and wouldn't have minded sticking around a bit longer just to check her out haha!

Warm up w/ cleans/dumbell snatch:

Dumbell snatch:

85 x 1/side
100 x 1/side

Hang clean:

135 x 5
185 x 3

Powerclean:

205 x 1 (felt light)

Deadlift:

225 x 1
315 x 1
405 x 1
425 x 1
445 x 1
455 x 1
465 x 1 (fail)

Feel like I could have gotten the 465 if I hadn't done so many sets before hand. As before, I've been alternating deads w/ weighted dips/pull ups and doing ab work prior to the set to stretch out my lower back and keep it fresh. Good to be back up to a 4 and a half plate DL... still kinda embarrassed/shiity to have a DL coefficient under 2.5 when healthy. First time this has happened in years.

Weighted dips:

(BW + 90) x 5
(BW + 115) x 5
(BW + 115) x 5
(BW + 90) x 6

Weight pull ups:

(BW + 90) x 4
(BW + 45) x 10 (could have probably done more)
(BW + 45) x 10

Pistols:

30/side x 5
25/side x 5
15/side x 5

Finally feels like my body and my nervous system is getting used to being almost 20 lbs heavier than when I started. My lifts are going up, and definitely getting stronger on the big lifts. Trainer says program change is due w/ much higher volume... should be interesting!

 

[Fuglydude]

Finished week 11.

AM weight = 188

Usually walk around at 190-191. I actually feel bigger than when I started. I am beginning to be able to fill out XL t-shirts. Most of my older T-shirts are Mediums and a lot of them are uncomfortably tight now. I can still fit into size 32" waist pants assuming there's adequate hip/ass/thigh room. Its beginning to feel normal to be this weight.

Program was changed around this past week so I'm still in the process of adapting to it. Its considerably higher volume and features several 10 x 10's and some 100-rep sets. The pumps from this workout are nuts. To give an example this is my Day 1:

Wide smith upright row: 3 x 10
Military press (smith): 3 x 8
Seated side lateral raise: 3 x 10
Seated ext. rotation: 25 (no weight)
Front DB raise (diagonal): 3 x 8
OH DB press: 10 x 10

Skull crushers: 3 x 8
OH tricep ext: 3 x 8
Dips: 3 x 12
Cable rope press: 100

 

[AAAgent]

*no homo*

But do you or any other guys that have started on a serious workout routine and have been consistent have pics.

I'm 5'11 at around 165-169lbs trying to get to 185. I want to drastically increase my leg weight and core appearance as well as strength then endurance. I feel like pictures show best how staying in shape changes a person's body as well as seeing changes for yourself.

190 sounds pretty big but have you seen colossus he's like 275!!!! I bet if you spray painted him green he'd look like the hulk.

 

[Fuglydude]

I haven't been very diligent w/ progress pics during my bulking period... as long as my weight is increasing and my bodyfat is reasonable and I'm actually getting bigger I don't really care. Quite frankly I feel kinda fat and gross right now... big, but fat and poorly conditioned compared to what I'm used to. Everything feels bigger/thicker, including my gut. I'm not used to having my gut stick out. Plus I my abs have disappeared completely. I was around 12-13% bf last I was tested. I'm probably a bit higher now.

I started at 5'8" - 168... so I'm up 20+ lbs. For the past 4+ years I've maintained 165 to 180 at around 10% bf, so getting into the 190 range is something I'm not used to. My trainer wants me at 200 prior to starting pre-comp diet at 16 weeks out.

I have some pics here... I'm not sure if the link is acting up though. Most of those pics are me at 165-170. The pics of me in forest and by the lake are at 180.

http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m91/Treydesmon/

Ya, Colossus is a big boy. I think he's around 240 at 6' ... built like an NFL linebacker/fullback. You don't wanna make him angry... you won't like him when he's angry

 

[Jitterbug]

Just to scare you guys, Colossus is actually underweight if he wants to be a top level powerlifter (following the 3~4lb per inch rule).

 

[AAAgent]

I see most of you guys are going for the competition/powerlifter type of body. That's definitely not my style. I'm aiming toward the athlete/fighter type of body. I want to be flexible, fast, strong, body that can endure physical stress and look damn good all at the same time. I would definitely be pissed if i can't clap my hand behind my back or stretch properly if my muscles are too big.