Getting My Kicks On "Route 66"

**Old Navy** · 09-07-2008, 09:17 AM

Getting My Kicks On "Route 66"

Sunday, September 7, 2008

"Get Your Kicks on Route 66," often rendered simply as "Route 66," is a popular song and rhythm and blues standard, composed in 1946 by American songwriter Bobby Troup. It was first recorded in the same year by Nat King Cole, and was subsequently covered by many artists including Chuck Berry in 1961 and The Rolling Stones in 1964. The song's lyrics follow the path of the U.S. Route 66 highway, which used to run a long distance across the US, going from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California. There was even a popular TV show in the early 60's with the title, "Route 66."

I chose the name of my new Journal because like the song's title, "Route 66," I will be 66 years-old the next time I step onto a bodybuilding stage and I plan to "Get My Kicks" along the way by having a fun time preparing for my next Professional competition.

My final contest of this year was the 2008 NPA Nationals and Masters Universe in Ft. Lee, Virginia on June 28. I won my fifth Best Poser award at the show and placed 2nd in my age group. I had also placed 2nd at the 2008 FAME Masters Pro World Championships in Toronto, Canada two weeks earlier.

While I entered both events in my best-ever condition, in each case I was bested by a man who was less conditioned than me, but was several pounds heavier. Not one to lick my wounds and cry "foul," I was determined to get to work to bring my own "bigger" package to the stage next time.

I am in my third month of a lean mass gain program designed to add as much muscle as I can while keeping the usual accompanying additional fat in check. I am eating more (clean diet) and am lifting very heavy (for me) in the gym. My weight on June 28 was 140 pounds. My weight this morning is 165 pounds. I will stay around this weight until it's time to cut for my show. I believe I can come in hard and lean at around 150 pounds, 10 pounds more than I did this year.

I was around 6% body fat on stage for my last two shows. I was cut and defined, but, small. I may have to give up a few percentage points in fat in order to "look" bigger at 150 pounds. I'll make that decision when the time comes.

Since February 1st, I have been a full-time Certified Master Fitness Trainer at the Birmingham, Alabama YMCA. I average around 28 hours of personal training sessions each week. Five of my clients are training with me to prepare for their first bodybuilding competition. I have one middle weight and four heavy weights. Their ages range from 24 years-old to 50. I have all of them working the same training plans that I am using for my own training. I always tell my athletes I don't make them do anything I can't do. They are all preparing for a local NGA contest next May in Birmingham. It's possible that I will have all five of my competitors on stage in the Novice Class.

The plan we are currently using was designed by my friend and fellow bodybuilder, Sean "Sully" Sullivan of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It's called "The Widow Maker" and it's a buster:

The Widow Maker Power Workout - A Four Week Training Plan

The purpose of this plan is to grow lean, hard muscle mass by lifting heavy for several sets with little rest in between, using the same weight load and then doing a Widow-Maker set of many reps for the same exercise.

Here is the Plan:

Keep the same weight for all 6 sets, but you may lose a rep or two at the end. For example set 1 - 4 you get the 6 reps, set 5, 5 reps and the last set 4. Pick a good weight and don't lower it even if it means 2-3 reps total on the last set.

On the high rep sets don't just do them light and go through the motions, go heavy and hard. For example on the 50 reps of squats pick a weight you can only get 20-30 reps with and then just take 2-3 deep breaths and bang out 4-6 more reps, breath and do more until you get the reps in. This is the Widow Maker set!

The rest between sets is 60-seconds and do a few warm-up sets before you begin the exercise

Stretch or Pose the working muscle between sets for 20-30 seconds.

Day 1:

Incline Bench Dumbbell Press – 6 x 6, 1 X 20

Flat Bench Dumbbell Press – 6 x 6, 1 X 20

High Pulls (wide grip upright row, but you pull to the forehead) – 4 x 4

Heavy Laterals – 3 x 8

Press Down – 4 x 10

Decline Dumbbell Extensions - 4 X 8

Day 2:

Leg Press – 6 x 6, 1 X 40

Squats – 6 x 6, 1 X 30

Hack Squat – 6 x 6, 1 X 20

Leg Curls– 5 x 8

Leg Extensions – 4 x 10

Day 3:

Reverse Grip Barbell Row – 6 x 6, 1 X 20

Medium Grip Pull Down – 6 x 6, 1 X 20

Dead Lifts – 6 x 6, 1 X 30

Barbell Curls – 4 x 6

Preacher Curls – 4 x 10

Day 4:

Lunges - 6 X 6, 1 X 20

Seated Leg Curls - 6 x 6

Wide stance Squats (feet out wide, toes pointed out) - 6 X 6, 1 X 50

Dumbbell Stiff Leg Dead Lifts - 6 X 6

Step Ups (Step up, one leg at a time, on a high bench or aerobic step) 6 X 6

Calves and Abs work is done twice a week. Pick one exercise and do 5-6 sets of as many reps as you can do for each.

Do Cardio on off days from weights, 20 minutes of HITT or intervals. Do 5 min warm-up and 5 minute cool down so total time is 30 min with 20 being interval or HITT.

Needless to say, we are all walking around sore as hell. This is a great plan.

I hope you follow my progress on "Route 66" and enjoy the ride. Thank you for your interest.

Old Navy

**borobulker** · 09-07-2008, 01:57 PM

Good luck with this log buddy! We will all be watching!

PS - RT66 goes near my house

**Old Navy** · 09-19-2008, 09:08 PM

Friday, September 19, 2008

Off Season Weight: 165.0

It's been a busy two weeks since my last post in this journal. I continue to work Monday-Friday at the Mountain Brook (Birmingham) YMCA as a Master Fitness Trainer. I have 20 clients who train with me for 30+ hours a week. I also work with my training partner 90-minutes a day starting at 6:30 AM. My last client of the day trains at 5:00 or 5:30, so I'm spending nearly 11 hours a day at the Y. I love every minute of my time there.

Five of my clients are bodybuilders training for their first contests. One is a non-tested middle weight athlete and four are heavyweight natters. I'm having a great time watching their bodies change with the hard training and diet we are using. We are aiming for a show in May or June of 2009. We are all working the Widow Maker plan. It's very hard and very effective. We will probably work this plan for one more week and then switch to Hypertrophy Specific Training (HST) for awhile.

Last Friday, I was featured in Senior Living, a local newspaper for seniors. They did a story on me in the "Seniors Making a Difference" section. Cool. That same day, I was the guest speaker at the Vestavia Hills (Birmingham) Rotary Club luncheon and gave a presentation to 80 members on Life Style and Fitness for the Mature Athlete. It was well received.

My training is going well. I am three months into my year-long hiatus from competing in order to add a little size. Since my last show on June 28, I have gained 25 pounds. I of course don't look cut any longer, but I still have decent vascularity and I do see some increase in size, especially in my legs and chest. Happy Days!

**borobulker** · 09-21-2008, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Navy

Last Friday, I was featured in Senior Living, a local newspaper for seniors. They did a story on me in the "Seniors Making a Difference" section. Cool. That same day, I was the guest speaker at the Vestavia Hills (Birmingham) Rotary Club luncheon and gave a presentation to 80 members on Life Style and Fitness for the Mature Athlete. It was well received.

That is a huge deal. Wow, very cool...

**bioman** · 09-21-2008, 02:05 PM

You rock Old Navy! You gives us 35+ guys hope.

And Route 66 runs through my town as well.

**Old Navy** · 10-11-2008, 02:34 PM

Saturday, October 11, 2008

I'm proud to announce the birth of my first grandson. Jayden was born Tuesday, September 30 in Newport Beach, California weighing 8.1 pounds. The future bodybuilder and his mom are doing fine. My wife, Vivian was in California for the birth and to help the new mom with her son. She returned home on Wednesday night. We have been blessed with two grandchildren this year. My oldest daughter gave birth to a girl, Gianna Marie in February. Little Gianna is a happy child who is crawling up a storm. We get to see more of our granddaughter as she lives in Birmingham, Alabama, close to Vivian and me.

My off season training continues to go well. I have added 20 pounds of weight and only 1% of body fat. That's cool. I'm training hard and eating clean. I hope to be ten pounds heavier than I was this year when I step on to a stage in mid 2009.

I am personal training more than 30 hours-a-week. Needless to say, I spend a lot of time in the gym. I have my five bodybuilder clients working the Escalation Density Training (EDT) plan, coupled with the Hungarian Oak Legs Blast. My guys are hurting in all the right places.

Old Navy

**Old Navy** · 10-28-2008, 06:01 PM

Sunday, October 26, 2008 - N.G.A. Granite State Open, Dover, New Hampshire

On Friday, Michael Jackson, my training partner and I flew from Birmingham, Alabama to Manchester, New Hampshire to help with the 2008 N.G.A.Granite State Open Bodybuilding Championship and Figure Competition held in nearby Dover. The 14th annual contest was held at the Dover High School Auditorium and attracted more than 40 competitors (60+) with crossovers in Women's Figure, Novice Men and Novice Women, Masters Men and Masters Women and Open Men and Open Women. While the Men's Novice Class was the largest (18 competitors), every class except the Novice Women (one) had competition. Nine Figure women competed, up from three just a few years ago.

Laura Tourtellot, affectionately known throughout the fitness world as "Turtle," asked me to be one of her judges. It was the 10th time I have judged a show. Michael Jackson, who is training with me for his first bodybuilding competition next year, worked back stage as a facilitator and tried to soak up first-hand some of the last minute contest prep that goes on before every show.

We arrived in Manchester on Friday evening at 6 PM and drove to Portsmouth, the site of the host hotel and check in. We spent some time with Turtle and then went to dinner.

The next morning, we arrived at Dover High School at 8 AM to help with the set up. Laura has her act together and has a great group of volunteers who make sure everything is done to Ms Turtle's satisfaction and to her exact specs. She calls her show a "Production" and it is. The smallest detail is deftly handled. And, as a result, once again, her show went off without a single hitch.

Prejudging began at 1:30 PM and ended a couple of hours later. The night show kicked off at 6:30 and we were done by 9:30. Many of the show's competitors are repeat athletes. They like doing Turtle's show and so did Michael and I.
We finally returned to our hotel at around 1 AM Sunday morning, got up at 3 AM, drove back to Manchester and caught our flight at 5:45. We arrived back in Birmingham in time to go to Church.

A big highlight for Michael was to meet Sean "Sully" Sullivan. Sully was also one of the judges. Michael has "known" Sully for the past year as we have worked through several of the exercise guru's training plans. Many times, Michael has been heard to groan, "darn that Sully," as we completed a hard set of heavy lifting. Sully is a pro competitor, show promoter and fitness expert. I have most of my bodybuilding athletes at the YMCA using his workouts under my supervision. Thanks, Sul. You're the best.

I haven't been to a bodybuilding show since my last competition in June. Seeing this show and catching the scent of posing oil and Pam got me all worked up. I will hit the gym with a little more intensity tomorrow. My next contest is in June, 2009. I wish it were next week.

Old Navy

**Old Navy** · 11-20-2008, 01:18 PM

Thursday, November 20, 2008

It's been an interesting few weeks since my last post. I was invited to speak at the US Naval & Marine Corps Center in Bessemer, Alabama during their drill weekend. I spoke for an hour on the subject of wellness, exercise and diet. My talk went over very well. I will speak next at the US Army Center in Birmingham on December 6th on the same subject.

Last Saturday, I was in Coral Springs, Florida for the 2008 NGA Pro Universe, American International and Florida Natural Championships, where I had my first stint as Master of Ceremonies. I had a great time.

I am promoting a show in the summer, the 2009 NGA Alabama Natural Open Bodybuilding and Figure Championships to be held at Hoover High School (the same school whose football team was featured for two seasons on MTV).

I am entered in the 2009 FAME World Championships in Montreal, Canada, where I will compete in the Master Pro Division.

**jakellpet** · 11-23-2008, 05:01 AM

Hey Old Navy!

I would love to see how you go on Prime!

As Bioman said: You're an inspiration to us 'mid-30's blokes!

**Old Navy** · 11-23-2008, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakellpet

Hey Old Navy!

I would love to see how you go on Prime!

As Bioman said: You're an inspiration to us 'mid-30's

I'm waiting for my supply to arrive. I'm looking forward to being PRIMED.

**Old Navy** · 11-23-2008, 08:27 AM

I'm so proud of my training partner. Michael Jackson, 50, earned his Black Belt in Karate last week. I went to his award ceremony. My 6' 6" friend is flanked by his instructor and me. I call Michael "The Rock." I am training him for his first bodybuilding show in July.

**Old Navy** · 11-23-2008, 08:33 AM

NGA Pro, John Rossman, and I are proud to announce the return of drug-free athletics to the Birmingham, Alabama area.

Please join us this summer in Birmingham for the...

2009 NGA Alabama Natural Open Bodybuilding and Figure Championships at the Hoover High School Auditorium in Hoover, Alabama (Birmingham) on Saturday, July 11, 2009.

The NGA Sanctioned show will be a Tier Three Pro Qualifier where we will award a NGA Open Pro Card, a NGA Figure Pro Card and an NGA Master Pro Card to the winners. All athletes will be drug tested before the event to ensure they meet the requirements for drug-free competition in the NGA.

If you have any questions, please send me an email and I will respond promptly. Thank you.

Scott "Old Navy" Hults
Master Professional Bodybuilder
Master Certified Fitness Trainer
NGA Chairman - Alabama

oldnavycapt@aol.com

Web Site: http://www.BodyBuildingSenior.com

**strategicmove** · 11-26-2008, 12:56 PM

An inspiring thread!

poison · 11-26-2008, 01:03 PM

Good stuff! You look great, for any age, and your buddy does NOT look 50.

Keep pushing ahead!