This month's workout is a plan that I will use to get ready for the NGA Professional Universe in New York City on October 14, 2000. Last month's workout was extremely effective at bringing up my lagging bodyparts. If you are suffering from the same flaws as I listed last month, I highly recommend you give that workout a try. I was able to bring up my upper chest, medial and front deltoids, and my calf size.

Because I am currently carrying about 6% bodyfat (at a bodyweight of 225 lbs.), I am uncertain of whether or not my glute-hamstring tie-ins have improved, but when I diet down, I anticipate they will be more detailed. I will continue to work on my weaknesses with this pre-contest program, but will be working more on detail than specifically on size.

I have found that since taking EAS Betagen, EAS Glutamine, Sportpharma Ribose, Syntrax Methoxylon, and Syntrax Proxylon, my recovery has been better than ever. I am carrying a higher amount of lean body mass than I ever have. In addition to the above mentioned supplements, I am also using 2 - 3 EAS Myoplex shakes (the chocolate lover's pack is awesome), and 1 - 2 MuscleTech Meso-Tech or Labrada Lean Body bars daily. I have never been able to train so hard without injury or overtraining, nor have I been able to maintain such a low level of bodyfat with such a high bodyweight!

Bodybuilding.com has put together a stack which they have called the Todd Opheim Bodybuilding Miracle Stack. It contains the EAS Betagen, EAS Glutamine, Sportpharma Ribose, Syntrax Methoxylon, and Syntrax Proxylon. Seriously... give this a try for the best natural gains you can imagine.

I will continue to take all the above mentioned supplements as well as adding Cytodyne Xenadrine to accelerate my fat burning to get ready for the show.

I have found in the past that my optimal level of bodyfat for a competition is 4% and that my body resists going lower than that. My plan this time is to slowly bring my body down to that level while preserving my lean body mass. In the past I have been able to compete between 200 and 205 lbs., and I hope to compete at 210 this time around. My biggest obstacle in this endeavor will be to not over-diet and over-cardio.

I will keep my caloric intake at approx. 3300 - 3500 calories daily for five days and 2700 - 2900 calories daily for two days. The difference in caloric levels will come from carbs only (this represents a 150 gram decrease for two days). I will consume 225 - 250 grams of protein, 400-500 grams of carbs and 50-60 grams of fat daily on my high calorie days.

I have had great success with this formula in the past, although my caloric intake has always been slightly lower. Due to my increased muscle mass and my tendency to over-diet, I feel this plan will allow me to hold on to more muscle and come in bigger.

Since I am currently consuming 3700 - 4000 calories daily, this decrease represents roughly 3500 calories weekly. Since one pound of bodyfat equals 3500 calories, this should allow me to lose fat at a pace of 1 pound weekly. This should put me at 4% after 5 - 6 weeks of dieting. This will allow me to be competition ready 2 weeks prior to the show. I like to do this so that I can experiment with my carb-depletion, carb-loading, and water intake the week before the show.

Cardiovascular exercise will consist of 30 minutes first thing in the morning on an empty stomach 4 - 5 times weekly. When my energy allows I will perform my cardio with intervals, but when my bodyfat levels get below 5% I find this difficult. I will also start posing at six weeks out, a minimum of three times weekly for 30 minutes per session.

Strength training will follow the program listed below, and will emphasize a shorter rest interval (60 seconds) and some supersets. I will trade in my 4 day-split system in favor of a 3-day split. I will try to train on a 3 on, 1 off schedule, but I often modify this as my energy and recovery dictate.

This program should work well for any bodybuilder who is naturally fairly lean and needs a limited amount of time to get ready for a show, but needs to hang on to all of their muscle mass. There will be slight adaptations that need to be addressed (such as caloric intake), but for the most part, this should work for anyone with similar goals to mine. Good luck, and train hard!

Click here for a printable page of this workout.

Workout	Bodypart	Exercise Name	Sets	Reps
Day #1	Chest	Incline Barbell Press	3	15-12-10*
		Incline Dumbbell Flyes	3	15-12-10*
		Pushups	1	max.
	Shoulders	Arnold Presses	3	15-12-10*
		Barbell Upright Rows	3	15-12-10*
		Dumbbell Lateral Raises	3	15-12-10
	Triceps	Close Grip Bench Press	3	15-12-10*
		Close Grip Pushups	1	max.
		Rope Pushdowns	3	15-12-10*
		Close Grip Pushdowns	1	max.
Day #2	Compound Legs	Walking Dumbbell Lunges	3	15-12-10*
		Leg Extensions	1	15
	Compound Legs	Smith Machine Squats	3	15-12-10*
		Leg Extensions	1	15
	Hamstrings	Stiff-Leg Deadlifts	3	15-12-10*
		Lying Leg Curls	2	15-12*
		Seated or Standing Leg Curls	2	15-12(drop)
	Calves	Leg Press Calf Raises	4	15-12-10-10*
		Seated Calf Raises	3	15-12-10(drop)
	Abs	Straight Leg Hanging Ab Raises	3	15-15-15**
		Weighted Rope Crunches	3	15-12-10*
		Hanging Oblique Raises	3	10-10-10
Day #3	Back	Lat. Pulldowns	4	15-12-10-8*
		Straight Arm Pulldowns	2	15-10(burns)
		T-Bar Rows	3	15-12-10
	Rear-Delts	Reverse Pec Deck Flyes	3	15-12-10
	Traps	Machine Shrugs	3	15-12-10
	Erectors	Hyperextensions	3	15-12-10
	Biceps	Barbell Curls	3	15-12-10*
		Alternate Dumbbell Curls	1	10
		Incline Dumbbell Curls	3	15-12-10*
		Alternate Dumbbell Curls	1	10(drop)

* Represents superset with next exercise.
(drop) Represents Drop Sets
(burns) Represents Partials

P.S. I did the Day #1 workout this morning (sticking strictly to 60 seconds rest) and got the most unbelievable pump I have ever gotten in my upper body. I couldn't get my shirt off to shower. Try it just one time and let me know what you think at opt4fit@opt4fit.com.

Check out last month's workout!

Other Workouts Of The Month:

January - Dumbell Workout
February - Four Day Split
March - Lower Body Slim-Down/Upper Body Mass Gaining
April - Get Back! Focus on Building Back Size
June - Advanced Program
July - For Advanced Bodybuilders
August - Precontest Program
September - Plateau Buster
October - Mass Gainer
November - Torso/Limbs Split System
December - Holiday Maintenance

More Workout Programs / More Bodybuilding Info / Todd's Competition Day

Todd Opheim
opt4fit@opt4fit.com

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