Rantorcha's AAEFX Training Journal - Road to...

[rantorcha]

LOL I loved the man weekend phrase. Glad you got some good down time!

Thanks! I sure did need it...especially as I look down the road ahead. lol

[rantorcha]

Today was about as brutal as it gets. It started as normal – on the gym’s Stairmill at 6am. But when it got to training time, it was time to let it all hang out. This is more than likely going to be my last leg-training day. My legs are “special”. lol So, since I am so special, I decided to throw caution to the wind and absolutely thrash them. There were actually times where I was feeling extremely light-headed and a couple other times where I felt a tad pukey. All in a day’s work!

QUADS
Smith Squat ss/ Leg Press
275/12..6plts each side/10
275/12..6plts each side/10

DB Step-ups on a bench ss/ Rev Hack Squat
60/8 each leg…3plts + 25lbs/10
60/7 each leg…3plts + 25lbs/10

Leg Ext – 160/15..drop..115/6

GLUTES
Improvised Butt Blaster (using Leg Curl machine a la Kai Greene) ss/ Abduction Machine
50/15…115/30
65/15…115/30

HAMS
Lying Leg Curl
140/12
140/11..drop..110/5
SL Deads
225/12; 225/12
Seated Leg Curl
160/12..drop..130/5

CALVES
Seated Raises – 105/20; 130/15
Leg Press – 5plts each/15; 5plts each/15

At this point, I am DYING for my LG5 and KA-Pro and counting the minutes until my post-workout meal! My NF-Pro protein shake and Ezekiel pasta never tasted so freaking good.

The countdown is really on now. At this point, there are only 2+ weeks left…18 days left…about 9 more training sessions…and probably about 21 more cardio sessions!

[rantorcha]

Well, as you probably know, yesterday was my cardio-only and posing day. I hit my first session at the crack of dawn and my second before Meal #3. After having a pretty strange night where I woke up at 2:30am and not being able to go back to sleep until around 3:30am, I had decent energy thoughout the day. Quite surpising. Got through yesterday pretty unscathed and was able to have a great time with my kids the last two nights.

Today was a pretty great day all the way around. My morning cardio went pretty quickly and my afternoon training felt fantastic. It was Back and I went so full-force that I seemed to strain my neck a tad. Nothing that rest and some icy-hot can't deal with. lol

LATS
Free-Motion Pulldown Machine - 2 sets
One-arm Seated Cable Row - 2 sets
Underhand Hammer Pulldown - 1 set; 1 more set with dropset
Two-arm DB Bent Rows - 2 strong sets
Stiff-arm Pulldowns - 1 dropset

REAR DELTS
Rev Pec Dec - 1 drop set; 1 triple dropset

LOW BACK
Hyperextensions - 1 set; 1 triple-dropset

All the way around, I got a great pump and feel like I built muscle today!

[crader]

Its always a good day in the gym when you feel like you built muscle.

Though not sure how you survived on so little sleep the other day. I need my sleep these days.

[rantorcha]

Its always a good day in the gym when you feel like you built muscle.

Though not sure how you survived on so little sleep the other day. I need my sleep these days.

Ah, sleep is over-rated! lol

[rantorcha]

Another arm workout in the books, and yet again, another week is crossed off the calendar before the show. We are now officially at 2 weeks out! UGH. It is so bitter-sweet for me. The “process” seems to take so long, but in the end it seems to go by rather quickly. Right around this time I also tend to reflect on how things went, how things are, and what’s to come. I also get pretty emotional regarding all of the people who have helped me get to this point. No matter what, there are always people that surround you that make a difference in your life and have helped you to get to the point you are at.

My list would be too long to type…besides, I have to eat soon. lol But suffice it to say that very soon, I WILL list everyone…and it will take a while for people to read. One person I will mention right now is my trainer and, most importantly my friend, Eric Broser. I feel really lucky to have him in my corner when it comes to this contest-prep stuff. I am NOT an easy client to deal with – although even he will admit that I have gotten WAY better over the last year or so. lol He is a fantastic prep coach, but he is an even better friend. Due to time issues, we don’t get to hang out as often as I would like, but when we do hang out, it is a great time. And you should see this guy eat a pizza! Holy Sh*t!! But, I digress!!! HAHA

I just wanted to take the time to thank Eric (for the one millionth time already) for everything he does as a coach and a friend. With two weeks out, my physique has never looked like this. And no matter what place I end up in, I am extremely happy with the way things have gone. That said, I’m not exactly satisfied! No matter what I say, I AM going after the big prize. 

Anyway, after this morning’s Cardio on the gym’s Stairmill, this week’s last training session went like this…

BICEPS
DB Curl – 2 sets
DB Preacher – 2 sets
Hammer Curl ss/ Lying Top Cable Curl – 2 sets of each

TRICEPS
My triceps have hit a wall in the last couple of weeks. I can no longer do anything overhead. My left elbow has basically demanded that I stop. Not ideal, but it’s better than having to stop 8 weeks ago. I improvised and still had a kick ass tri workout.
Dip Machine – 1 dropset and 1 triple-dropset
Pushdowns – 1 set and 1 dropset
Dips between benches – 17 reps and 17+3, respectively

CALVES
Leg Press Raises ss/ Seated Calf
1 superset; 1 superset with a dropset on the Seated

[crader]

Ahh so sweet. You deserve the win alone, just for realising that although in the end nobody but you can do the hard work, there is always someone there cheering and critiquing you. Someone to help through the hard times when you get sick of dieting and help you to improve....lol Although I can't imagine you being difficult!


i hope you post pics of the show. I'm excited to see how well you do.

[rantorcha]

Ahh so sweet. You deserve the win alone, just for realising that although in the end nobody but you can do the hard work, there is always someone there cheering and critiquing you. Someone to help through the hard times when you get sick of dieting and help you to improve....lol Although I can't imagine you being difficult!


i hope you post pics of the show. I'm excited to see how well you do.

Thanks, crader. That's really nice of you to say. I truly appreciate it.

I will post pics of my show...hopefully it'll be easy to post on this board. I haven't had very much luck in the past.

[rantorcha]

At this point, it's just about writing out the to-do list and crossing off each item as you do it. It started this morning with cardio at home since I've got my girls. It went pretty well for the most part, I guess. Did my morning things with the girls and chilled out for a bit. Got my 2nd session in at the gym on the Stairmill, which was a great session. Got thru it quickly and was absolutely drenched! Even cranked up the intensity a little more than usual.

Went home really quick to eat, then rushed out the door to go tanning and hit the grocery store. When I got home, I took a shower and had a nice hour and a half nap. YUM!!

Now I sit here watching football (Canes just lost in OT>>>>MOTHER F*CKER!!!) and gearing up to chill the rest of the night. Tomorrow...starts right back up again. And that's the way I like it with two weeks to go.

[rantorcha]

Ok, so...not much time to update, so I'll make it fast. BUSY AS HELL week at work this week with deadlines, plus I've got my girls all week since their mom is traveling. Can you say hectic?! The good news is that it is keeping my mind off of the contest prep process. That said, I am settin' up the pins and knocking 'em down each day. Just crossing off the list of things to do.

A Tale of Two Days...
Yesterday's workout kicked ass! I was rockin' and rollin' through the workout and felt great. I did my post-workout posing and everything was fine.
Today's workout was almost the opposite. Everything was a struggle today. I just couldn't get into that zone during my training for some reason. Add to that the fact that I felt really small and flat today. Could've been in my head, but my energy levels were way down comparatively. Oh well. As long as I come in at my best, I really don't give a shiz what I look and feel like now.

[rantorcha]

I just looked at my calendar and after a few more hours, I will wake up tomorrow with there being only 8 days until showtime. All of my hard work, all of my hours of training and cardio will come down to these 8 days. Ok, maybe I am overstating it a bit for dramatic purposes. lol Funny thing is, I should be nervous as hell, but for some reason I'm not. Go figure. It's not as if this contest isn't important to me. I'm just not stressing like I normally do at this time. Ask me again in a couple of days and maybe that will change, though. HAHA

Yesterday was a ho-hum type of day. I had REALLY low levels of energy, but I am attributing that to low carbs and a VERY busy day! Aside from two cardio session (one in the morning and one in the afternoon), in my afternoon session, I threw in some ahms/glute work. When I picked up the girls from school, we carved our pumpkin (we did a Cinderella shoe..they liked it!), watched our Casper the Friendly Ghost DVD and baked Pumpkin-shaped cookies!! I only have them at this age for so long, so I am trying to enjoy it as much as possible.

Today started (AS USUAL) on the home treadmill for my cardio session. This afternoon, training was great. Somehow my energy levels were back up again. It was ALL supersets!

LATS
WG Smith Bent Rows ss/ Rev Smith Bent Rows - 3 sets each
Lat Pulldowns ss/ Hammer Rev Grip Pulldown - 3 sets each
One-Arm DB Row ss/ DB Shrug - 2 sets each

Mini-CHEST
DB Angled-hands Incl Press ss/ DB Flye - 2 sets each
Hammer Incl Press ss/ Dips - 2 sets each

LOW BACK
Hyperextensions - 2 drop sets

[crader]

Sounds like you had some good Halloween time with the little ones!


Wow only 8 days until you bring home the win!!

[rantorcha]

Sounds like you had some good Halloween time with the little ones!


Wow only 8 days until you bring home the win!!

Thanks, C! No matter what happens, I am looking forward to it!

[rantorcha]

It is such an accomplishing feeling to finish a week of training and marking another day and week off the calendar. In a few short hours, it will officially be 1 WEEK OUT!

This contest will essentially mark the end of thie year for me and I have looked back over this past year and it has been an eventful one. Personal stuff aside, I have pretty much maintained my contest bodyweight, but not with the same structure! I am leaner than ever and I've put on muscle in some much needed areas of delts, chest and some width in my back. So much so, that people are stopping me in the gym now and asking me questions. That has never really ahppened before. HELL, someone asked me about developing their chest the other day. I literally turned around to see if they were talking to someone else. For this, I HAVE to thank ERIC again. My physique is NOT an easy one, believe me.

My genetic code only blessed me with one thing...big legs. Nothing else on my body has been easy for me. I don't gain muscle very easily - and it is much harder for me to get delts and chest. My legs are big and my quads looked ok, but from the back you could never really make out my hams.

It was ERIC'S plan and his diet that put me in the spot that I am in right now. My glutes/hams have never been tighter, I have what appears to be capped delts (lol), and my chest looks decently full.

It has been one hell of a ride this year...some good, some bad. But, bodybuilding-wise, it has never been better! THANKS, E!!!

As for today, cardio started it off as usual. For today's training, since this will pretty much be my last full week of training, everything I had was left at the gym. Here's how it went...

BICEPS
Seated Incl Curl (drop)
40/8...30/8
40/8...30/4+4
(did these two-arms at a time except for the last 4 on the last set)
DB Hammer Curl ss/ DB Curl
40/8--35/7
40/8--35/6
Fr Dbl Bicep Curl-Top Cable
30/10...25/6

TRICEPS
Dip Machine ss/ Pushdowns
210/18--150/11
210/15--150/9
Rev Cable Ext ss/ Rope Pressdown
80/15--80/8
100/12--80/6+2
Rev Cable Ext ss/ Dip Machine
100/11--210/11
Between Bench Dips - 18 reps with 3 xtra pulses

SIDE DELTS
Side Laterals ss/ Single-handle Cable Upright Row
20/20--140/12
20/20 (R/P-16+4)--140/10
20/20 (R/P-15+5)--140/10

[Old Navy]

Good stuff, Warrior. I like the way you "hurt" youself. Enjoy the pain.

[rantorcha]

The day of reckoning is here! 6 more days and it is game on. It's funny how this last week before the show there is an strange calm that I have at times. I have my plan and I cross things off (each meal, each supplement timing, each training session and each cardio session) as they come.

With only 2 more days of training and cardio after today, the carb-up starting today, and posing practice giong well, I am more and more ready for Saturday. I just have to stop trying to wish it here already. It'll be here in due time.

Nothing too crazy at the gym today. It started off on the Stairmill for 30 minutes this morning. In the afternoon, I hit the gym for a nice training session...

CHEST
Incl DB Press ss/ Incly Flye - 3 nice sets
Chest Press Machine ss/ Pec Dec - 2 solid sets
Cable Crossover (start at the top for 15, then another bunch of reps from the bottom)

TRICEPS
Rope Pressdown - 3 sets
Dip Machine - 3 sets
One-arm Cable Pushdown (Cross-body) - 2 sets

ABS

[rantorcha]

Another day, another list of things to do crossed off! It's so funny/odd/crazy how so many weeks of training, cardio, meals and supplements come down to about 10-15 minutes on stage. It's like the Kentucky Derby. All that waiting around and it's done before you know it. It even seems a little sureal when it's over. Like..."what just happened?" lol

Anyway, today was the last day I am able to hit cardio at the gym (Stairmill) because I've got my girls tonight and tomorrow night. I thrashed my buttock muscles, as normal, in a ferocious manner! lol

The diet was pretty much the same with a tad more protein and a tad less carbs. I trained in the afternoon and I hit Back pretty good. I did some posing afterwards and I am really filling out nicely. I see lines in my legs that I have NEVER seen before. I see other things I've never seen before too, but I need the judges to recognize, so there's no use even talking about it.

BACK
WG Pulldowns ss/ Horizontal D-bar High Seated Rows - 3 really good sets
T-bar Corner Row ss/ Rev Hammer Pulldown - 3 sets
Rev Grip Smith Row - triple drop set
Rope Stiff-arm Pulldown - 2 straight sets to 15 reps

TRAPS
Pulldown to top of head ss/ Seated DB Shrug - 2 sets each, but dropset on last DB Shrug

LOW BACK
Hyperextensions - 3 sets with dropset on the last set

I must say it was a great workout. Posing was eye-opening for me. I may not be the biggest or most shredded in the show, but I don't care at this point. Don't get me wrong, I will be posing hard and doing my best to win, but I am quite amazed how I look compared to shows past. I almost feel like I belong now on a BBing stage and can hold my own.

[rantorcha]

Today marked pretty much the end of the cardio and training portion of contest prep. All that's left is posing practice, eating and sleeping/recovering for the rest of the week...and it's game day.

I woke up this morning, hit the home treadmill for 30 minutes and I was off to the races. Today's cradio session was probably more arduous than normal for some reason...but that was probably more mental than anything else. I made sure to give it my all, all the way thru.

Work was CRAZY! Since I am off on Friday, I needed to make sure I got my shiz in order and after tomorrow, I will have done that. Training was pretty damn good too. At the end I decided to have some pictures taken and I was somewhat pleased, I guess. Doesn't really matter what I look like now or how I feel...it's all ab out Saturday! lol

DELTS, BIS, a little GLUTES and some posing was essentially what I did today. I must say my most improved bodypart from where they were are my delts. I saw lines in them today (with a little added mass ) that I have never seen before. I am really pleased with that!

Anyway, I am off to eat my last meal and watch the Yanks win the WS! ;D (hopefully). Catch you all tomorrow!

[Hoopie]

BEST OF LUCK TO YOU RA! THE HARD PARTS ALL BUT OVER NOW ITS TIME FOR THE FUN PART! ENJOY AND BRING IT

[rantorcha]

I love the Final Week before the show. The anticipation...all of the hard work coming down to the wire...everything.

But, it is TODAY...the Thursday before the show...that is my absolutely least favorite day of this week. Right now, I'm tired, I'm hungry, there are no pick-me-ups, no training (which I love). The only good thing is that there is no more cardio!!

Meal spacing and lack of vloume are a problem and now I have a headache. Not surprisingly, I didn't sleep well last night either (but that is because of other things). After work today, I am going to rent a couple of movies to see if I can entertain myself tonight. lol I guess we'll see how it goes.

Tomorrow...polygraph!