Contest Prep: 2 Weeks Out!

I am really excited at the changes that are being made in my physique from day to day. I have really been leaning up in my legs and also everywhere else. I have worked so hard to get to where I am right now!

2 Weeks Out!

I am really excited at the changes that are being made in my physique from day to day. I have really been leaning up in my legs and also everywhere else. I have worked so hard to get to where I am right now, but I will have to work even harder in the last 2 weeks.

My diet is going to be more calorie restricting and I am going to have to find energy deep down to get through my workouts. I have to lose more fat in the next couple of weeks before my competition. I wasn't thrilled with my pictures last week and there will be changes in my new ones this week!! Just wait and see!!

Saturday, April 3

Diet

Meal 1: 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 scoop Optimum Whey, 1 serving of ICE, 1 serving of Gplenish

Meal 2: 4 oz chicken breast, broccoli, almonds, 1 baked potato, water, 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran

Meal 3: 1 can of tuna, 1 potato, 1/2 cup of oatmeal, large salad, banana, 1 serving ICE, water

Meal 4: Post-workout 2 scoops Optimum Whey, 4 tbsp dextrose, 5 grams ICE, 1 serving Gplenish Glutagain, water

Meal 5: 1 egg yolks, 10 egg whites, 1 baked potato, water, 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran, almonds

Meal 6: 4 oz chicken breast, salad, water, 1 baked potato

Meal 7: 4 oz chicken breast, salad, water, almonds

Meal 8: 1 scoop ISS Research Micellar Matrix, water

I replaced the red potatoes that I have been eating with white potatoes.

Workout

Back/Abs

Barbell row: 185x10, 195x10, 205x9, 195x10

Dumbbell Row: 110x9, 110x8, 110x7

Pull-downs: 150x10, 150x10, 140x10

Assisted Pull-ups: 30x8, 40x9, 40x9

Weighted crunches: 40x10, 35x12, 35x12

Cable crunch: 150x17, 150x15, 150x13

Oblique twists: 100, 50, 50

Click here for a printable workout log!

Today was a great workout. I can't believe my strength was up from last week. I did some oblique twists at the end of my workout and superset them with vacuums. I do a vacuum by pushing out all the air in my lunges and then sucking in my stomach as far as possible.

I hold for as long as I can. The 40 pounds on weighted crunches felt MUCH harder than the 35's. I will be using them again next workout and hopefully I can pump out a few more reps. That is of course if I have enough strength from my diet.

Sunday, April 4

Diet

Meal 1: 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 scoop Optimum whey, 1 serving of ICE, 1 serving of Gplenish

Meal 2: 4 oz Chicken breast, broccoli, almonds, 1 baked potato, water

Meal 3: 1 can of tuna, 1 potato, 1/2 cup of oatmeal, large salad, 1 serving ICE, water

Meal 4: Post-workout 2 scoops Optimum Whey, 4 tbsp dextrose, 5 grams ICE, 1 serving Gplenish Glutagain, water

Meal 5: 1 egg yolks, 10 egg whites, 1 baked potato, water, 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran, almonds

Meal 6: 4 oz chicken breast, salad, water, 1 baked potato

Meal 7: 4 oz chicken breast, salad, water, almonds

Meal 8: 1 scoop ISS Research Micellar Matrix, water

I took out 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran from Meal #3. I also replaced the extra large eggs that I have been using with large eggs.

Workout

Shoulders/Traps

30 minute walk before breakfast

Military press: 125x7, 115x8, 115x6, 105x6

Dumbbell press: 50x7, 45x8, 45x8 drop set to 35x4

Standing Arnold press: 40x7, 35x8, 30x9

Bent-over laterals: 40x15, 40x12, 40x10

Barbell shrugs: 245x10, 245x9, 235x9, 225x9

Dumbbell shrugs: 100x10, 100x8, 100x8

Click here for a printable workout log!

My strength was way down today. I am pretty sure my strength will be lower until after the competition. I will use 115 as my starting weight next week for military press. I did standing Arnold Presses to change things up.

Bent-over laterals felt horrible and I will use really light weights next time to get down the feel before going up. I feel this is an important exercise, so I won't abandon it! Shrugs felt really good, but I knew I wouldn't be able to get the 110's this workout so I used the 100's.

Monday, April 5

Diet

Meal 1: 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 scoop Optimum whey, 1 serving of ICE, 1 serving of Gplenish

Meal 2: 4 oz chicken, 1 baked potato

Meal 3: 4 oz chicken breast, broccoli, almonds, 1 baked potato, water

Meal 4: 1 can of tuna, 1/2 cup of oatmeal, 1 baked potato, large salad, 1 serving ICE, water

Meal 5: Post-workout 2 scoops Optimum Whey, 4 tbsp dextrose, 5 grams ICE, 1 serving Gplenish Glutagain, water

Meal 6: 1 egg yolks, 10 egg whites, 1 baked potato, water, 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran, almonds

Meal 7: 4 oz Chicken breast, salad, water, almonds

Meal 8: 1 scoop ISS Research Micellar Matrix, water

Workout

Triceps/Biceps

30 minute walk before breakfast

Skullcrushers: 95x10, 95x10, 95x10

Overhead extensions: 80x7, 75x10, 75x7

Press-downs: 150x12, 150x11, 150x10

EZ-Bar curl: 75x12, 85x10, 95x7

Alternate dumbbell curls: 45x8, 40x9, 40x7

Cable curls: 120x12, 130x8, 120x8

Click here for a printable workout log!

Today was a great workout despite my strength being low again. I took it easy on my triceps exercises due to the prior injury. I used a different attachment for when I did cable curls. I normally use the straight bar, but the chambered bar worked much better.

I am now changing my cable curls and triceps press-downs to chambered bars for good. I feel it works the muscle a lot better and doesn't put as much strain on your wrists.

Tuesday, April 6

Diet

Meal 1: 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 scoop Optimum whey, 1 serving of ICE, 1 serving of Gplenish

Meal 2: 4 oz chicken, 1 baked potato

Meal 3: 4 oz Chicken breast, broccoli, almonds, 1 baked potato, water

Meal 4: 1 can of tuna, 1 baked potato, 1/2 cup of oatmeal, large salad, 10 oz orange juice, 1 serving ICE, water

Meal 5: Post-workout 2 scoops Optimum Whey, 4 tbsp dextrose, 5 grams ICE, 1 serving Gplenish Glutagain, water

Meal 6: 1 egg yolks, 10 egg whites, 1 baked potato, water, 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran, almonds

Meal 7: 4 oz Chicken breast, salad, water, almonds

Meal 8: 1 scoop ISS Research Micellar Matrix, water

Workout

Quads/Hamstrings (Leg Day)

20 minute walk before breakfast

Barbell Squat: 185x12, 205x12, 205x9

Leg Press: 400x12, 490x10, 490x10

Hack Squat: 200x12, 220x9, 220x8

Stiff-legged Deadlifts: 155x10, 175x10, 185x8

Seated Leg Curl: 150x10, 145x8, 140x7

Lying Leg Curl: 100x8, 90x9, 90x8

Click here for a printable workout log!

I took it easy on legs today because I had to change up my routine for the last week. Instead of giving my legs the normal 6 days rest after I work them to recover before the next session, I am only giving them 4 days.

This is because my gym is closed for Easter Sunday and I have to work them Saturday, one week before the show instead of six days as I had planned. I will add a set to barbell squats, hack squats, and SLDL's for my next session. Also, I will increase the intensity. This workout accomplished what I wanted and I hope I can recover from it before I bombard my legs in four days.

Wednesday, April

Diet

Meal 1: 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 scoop Optimum whey, 1 serving of ICE, 1 serving of Gplenish

Meal 2: 4 oz chicken, 1 baked potato

Meal 3: 4 oz chicken breast, broccoli, almonds, 1 baked potato, water

Meal 4: 1 can of tuna, 1 baked potato, 1/2 cup of oatmeal, large salad, 1 serving ICE, water

Meal 5: Post-workout 2 scoops Optimum Whey, 5 grams ICE, 1 serving Gplenish Glutagain, water

Meal 6: 1 egg yolks, 10 egg whites, 1 baked potato, water, salad, almonds

Meal 7: 4 oz chicken breast, salad, water, almonds

Meal 8: 1 scoop ISS Research Micellar Matrix, water

I took out 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran from Meal #6.

Workout

Rest (30 minute walk in the morning, 60 minute walk during the time that I normally workout)

Thursday, April 8

Diet

Meal 1: 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 scoop Optimum whey, 1 serving of ICE, 1 serving of Gplenish

Meal 2: 4 oz chicken, 1 baked potato

Meal 3: 4 oz Chicken breast, broccoli, almonds, 1 baked potato, water

Meal 4: 1 can of tuna, 1 baked potato, 1/2 cup of oatmeal, large salad, 1 serving ICE, water

Meal 5: Post-workout 2 scoops Optimum Whey, 5 grams ICE, 4 tbsp of dextrose, 1 serving Gplenish Glutagain, water

Meal 6: 1 egg yolks, 10 egg whites, 1 baked potato, water, salad, almonds

Meal 7: 4 oz Chicken breast, salad, water, almonds

Meal 8: 1 scoop ISS Research Micellar Matrix, water

Workout

Calves/Chest

Calf Press: 400x12, 490x12, 490x12, 490x10

Standing Calf Raise: 320x10, 300x10, 300x10

Seated Calf Raise: 110x10, 110x10, 110x9

Dumbbell Bench Press: 80x10, 80x6, 75x6

Incline Dumbbell Bench: 65x9, 60x8, 60x8

Weighted Dips: 35x8, 35x7, Bodyweightx9 (slower reps)

Dumbbell Flyes: 55x10, 55x9, 50x8

Click here for a printable workout log!

Today was a great workout for my calves, but not so great for my chest. My strength drop is from my lack of calories in my diet. It doesn't affect my smaller muscle groups as much as it does my major ones. I don't like going as low as 6 repetitions for a set.

I should've used 75's for my second set of dumbbell bench presses, but I thought I could do 8-10 reps for my second set. The fatigue really hit me quick this workout. I took pictures after my workout and they turned out great.

I didn't suck in my stomach and inflate my chest for my side chest pictures. I just wanted to see how it would look this way. I guess it doesn't look as great and I am going back to my old way for my next set of pictures.

Friday, April 9

Diet

Meal 1:1 cup of oatmeal, 1 scoop Optimum whey, 1 serving of ICE, 1 serving of Gplenish

Meal 2: 1 packet of smoked tuna, 1 baked potato, salad

Meal 3: 1 packet of lemon tuna, broccoli, almonds, 1 baked potato, water

Meal 4: 1 can of tuna, 1/2 cup of oatmeal, 1 baked potato, 1 medium banana, large salad, 1 serving ICE, water

Meal 5: Post-workout 2 scoops Optimum Whey, 5 grams ICE, 4 tbsp of dextrose, 1 serving Gplenish Glutagain, water

Meal 6: 1 egg yolks, 10 egg whites, 1 baked potato, water, salad, almonds

Meal 7: 1 packet of lemon tuna, salad, water, almonds

Meal 8: 1 scoop ISS Research Micellar Matrix, water

Workout

Back/Abs

35 minute walk before breakfast

Barbell Row: 185x10, 195x10, 205x20, 195x10

Dumbbell Row: 110x8, 110x7, 110x7

Pull-downs: 150x10, 150x10, 140x10

Assisted Pull-ups: 30x8, 40x10, 40x9

Weighted Crunches: 40x15, 40x15, 40x12

Twisting Crunch: 20, 20

Click here for a printable workout log!

Today was a great workout. I thought my strength would be down because it has been the past several workouts due to my diet. It actually stayed the same (went up on a few exercises and down on others). I think I had this strength due to starting Nitrous by Syntrax yesterday night.

I take one serving in the morning and one thirty minutes before my workout. I was happy with my barbell rows because I thought I would be using 185 for all of my sets when I walked in the gym. I am also particularly happy with the weighted crunches. These felt great and my abs are getting harder as each week goes by.

This week went pretty smoothly. I expected my weights to be down from lowering my calories and for the most part they are. I am right on track to come into the competition shredded. My pictures were taken 9 days out and I am pretty confident in my condition.

If everything goes well, I will look harder and lose all of my subcutaneous water for the day of my competition. I might be using Preparation H gel to help shed excess water if need be in the last couple of days. I'm stoked for my competition and can't wait!!