IFPA Pro & Scivation Athlete Tommy Jeffers ~ The Never Ending Quest To Be The Best

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IFPA Pro & Scivation Athlete Tommy Jeffers ~ The Never Ending Quest To Be The Best

Once again...MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!! I can't say enough how humbling it was to do as well as I did this last contest year and place ahead of so many top notch natural bodybuilders. I set out on a mission after I won my natural pro card in 2007 to make some noticeable improvements over a 2.5 year period and step on the pro stage, hopefully placing in the top 5, and actually looking like I belong up there. Not only did I blow my old physique out of the water, but I ended up taking the overall in both shows I entered, one of which was my very first pro show! Wow...what a feeling - words can't even describe it! For those that didn't know, the 2 shows I ended up doing were:

NPC Natural Northern USAs
IFPA Cape Cod Gaspari Classic

This last time around, I implemented several different approaches - some of which go WAY against the grain - in order to see for myself what difference (if any) these approaches made in the overall look of a physique. But, in order to do that, I had to get EXTREMELY lean. I'm talking glute striations, split hamstrings, no fat left in the joints, and downright cranky and irritable at EVERYTHING lean, in order to really see what was really going on. Fortunately, just about everything I did worked, and worked really well. I found myself at the end of my prep with a physique that even I couldn't recognize when I would see my progress pictures. It's an incredible feeling to put in so much hard work and actually see a physique you never even knew you had!

But, like I've said many times before - one of the greatest things about this sport is that the work is NEVER done! I fully intend on taking another 2-2.5 years off of competing to make even more noticeable improvements, and stepping back on stage at yet another all-time best against some even more stacked up lineups! I have my eye on quite a few top notch shows for my next round of competing. The ultimate goal I have right now is I eventually want to do the NPC Team Universe. That is a show I really want to do at some point, but I know I have a ways to go if I am going to be able to compete at that level in the weight class I will inevitably be in (light heavyweight). Now that I know around what weight I ultimately can get bone-dry shrinkwrapped at (185-186), I have a good 10lbs to build to fill out that weight class in order to really give the Team Universe a good run. So we will have to see how the next few years pan out and what kind of improvements I can make.

Aside from that, I will most definitely be aiming towards the IFPA Gaspari Classic again in Cape Cod. James Carron puts on one heck of a show, and is honestly one of the best shows I've ever been to and/or competed in. After that, it will definitely be the Yorton Cup as well. I really wanted to compete in it this year, but my wife was pregnant with our first child, and there was no way I was going to be able to pull it off with it being so close to her due date - I was lucky enough just to compete at all this year LOL! But that just shows how amazing my wife really is There are a couple of other shows in other natural organizations I am looking at as well, like the NGA Universe, but it will ultimately depend on the scheduling and the rules (if they will still accept IFPA pro cards) at that time as to whether or not I will be able to compete in them. Anyway, that's a tentative look at the near future plans I have as far as competing goes!

In the meantime, I am on a mission to make this offseason even more successful than the last one. Every single time I see a bodybuilding show, it looks like the bar gets raised higher and higher. And now, doing as well as I did this year, the bar I set for myself is even higher. That means that there is no room this offseason for any setbacks! I will have my challenges and obstacles just like everyone else, but I have my goals set for the next couple of years and I have every intention of reaching every one of them and bringing an all new and improved physique to the stage in a couple years.

This log will consist of a lot more details, videos, movie quotes, thoughts, random life events, and sometimes it may even be just a place to vent or tell funny stories (now that I am a new daddy, I have plenty of those!). So without further ado, welcome to my journal and I appreciate you all stopping by and following along these next few years! If anyone has any questions, comments, feedback, etc., please post! This log is for us all to learn and make ourselves better! I will outline my diet, training, and supplement approaches so that everyone can see exactly what I am doing and how I go about implementing this sport into my life!

In the next few posts, I will post some pictures from the IFPA Cape Cod Gaspari Classic where I ended up winning my very first pro show! My main training goals currently are my back width/depth, chest thickness, quad sweep, and some trap development. As I enter into my next rotation of my split, I will outline how I am training right now and how I am eating and supplementing to reach my goals! Again, thanks for stopping by and I hope you all continue to do so to chat and leave feedback!

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Here are a few stage shots:











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A few more stage shots:

Calf Pose


Hamstring Pose


Just a Side Tricep Pose where I hadn't yet blew my air out and crunched down on my abs LOL


3 Rear Relaxed Pose Shots to show the MONSTERS I went up against in my class!






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Last ones:

Winner!


Alas - the Overall!


A few studio shots taken right after prejudging - I was gassed at this point LOL






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Wow...what a great last week or so! I was able to spend a lot of quality time with family and friends over the long holiday weekend. All of my wife's side of the family was able to make it down for Thanksgiving and see Bryn for the first time. I went the to Michigan State vs. Purdue football game on Saturday with my brother in-law and had a blast watching the Spartans come back in the 4th quarter to win. It was amazing...the stadium was packed full and the entire fan base really gets into all the chants - which the majority of them were from the movie 300. Then last weekend, a big group of friends all rented a bus and tailgated at the IU vs. Purdue game for rivalry weekend. I didn't really care about or watch the game, but we had a blast eating all kinds of food, played a little touch football, and of course, CORNHOLE.

Other than that, these last couple of days have gone really well diet, training, and supplementation wise. I just needed a good long break from everything and took the last month to deload from training and get off most all supplementation as well as eat whatever my heart desired! As of yesterday, everything has been back in check and I am ready to start rocking this offseason!

These last 3 training days have gone really well. I feel like my strength is really working it's way back to where it was before I started dieting and that I will be 100% very soon. I was able to get in a couple of workouts during the holiday weekend with DA BEAST Derek Charlebois since I was up around where he lived for a good week or so. We hit up back one day and chest another. Since then I have hit the last 2 training days with a unique style of rest pauses and drop sets. I am going to continue this style of training for the majority of my offseason as I have found that I get very impressive gains by working out this way.

Diet and supplementation will be kept simple. For diet, I'm simply going to aim for 6 solid meals of about 12-15g fat, 50-60g carbs, 45-50g protein. I hit these numbers the last 2 days and will see how my body responds to this on a weekly basis and adjust from there. On non-training days, I will cut out a couple of carb meals and just replace with green veggies. For supplementation, I will be using a multi, efa, cla, glucosamine/chondroitan/MSM, cissus, whey, pre-workout, BCAAs and creatine. I feel like that's all I need to cover most all of my bases and not having any glaring gaps that would hinder progress.

I will start outlining my daily routine on a regular basis as well as start taking some pictures and videos for those that want to follow along. So, now that the Thanksgiving holiday is over with, and I've had enough time to eat what I want (feeling like crap in the process)and adjust to fatherhood, it's time to start this offseason en route to my next round of shows!

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Monday - Chest/Back

BB Bench Press
305 RP 5X3X1

BB Bent Over Rows
365 RP 5X3X2

DB Incline Press
95X15
110X10
120X8
125X6 drop 95X6

HS Iso-Lateral Front Lat Pulldowns
2p+35psX15
3ppsX12
3p+25psX10
4ppsX8 drop 2p+25psX8

Free Motion Flys SS Free Motion Pulldowns
125X15/225X12
155X10/235X10
160X10/245X10
165X10/255X10

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Tuesday - Arms/Calves

BB Decline Close-Grip Bench Press
315 RP 5X3X2

EZ Standing Curls
145 RP 5X3X2

DB Skull Crushers
45X15
50X12
60X8
65X8 drop 40X8

HS Preacher Curls
85X15
95X12
105X8
115X8 drop 70X8

Cable Rope Pushdowns
140X15
160X12
180X8 drop 120X8

DB Seated Hammer Curls
55X10
60X8
65X6 drop 45X6

Plate Loaded Seated Calf Raises
2p+25ps RP 8X5X3X1

Machine Standing Calf Raises
270 RP 8X5X3X1

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Wednesday - Legs (Glute/Ham Focus)

BB Stiff Leg Deadlifts
455 RP 5X3X2

Machine Lying Leg Curls
110X20
140X10
140X10
150X8 drop 90X8 drop 60X8

Smith Squats - Wide Stance/Below Parallel
275X15
345X10
365X8
385X6 drop 275X8

Glute/Ham Hyperextensions
65X12
80X10
95X8

Machine Kneeling Single Leg Curls
50X15
60X12
65X10
70X8 drop 40X8

Machine Abductor/Adductor
145X20/235X20
145X20/235X20
145X20/235X20

~Starting to feel better each progressive day in the gym that I nail my nutrition and supplementation. Strength is slowly climbing back up to where it was before I started prepping and my energy is still good throughout the day. I had some eggs, turkey bacon, and ezekiel bread toast for breakfast, chicken breast sandwich for lunch, oats and whey for pre-workout meal, dextrose and whey for post workout meal, and I'm about to fix some chicken breast and sweet potatoes for my next meal. Tomorrow is a day off - I'll be in Terre haute all day shooting my commercials for the upcoming tax season. It will be nice to spend the day with family and watch them interact with Bryn...she is changing by the day! Here is a picture of her on Thanksgiving:



Topic Of The Day - Post Workout Nutrition

Today I wanted to talk a little about what I am going to be doing for post workout nutrition this offseason. This is actually going to be the only meal each day that I use a high GI source for my carbohydrates, and the majority of the time it is going to be dextrose (approximately 50g carbs worth). One, because it is cheap, and two, because it is really effective at spiking insulin for maximum glycogen replenishment. Since it is offseason, I am not worried about the insulin spike in the same way that I am when I am prepping. Along with dextrose, I will be consuming 55g whey (2.5 scoops Scivation Whey), 10g of Primaforce AAKG, and 5g of creatine monohydrate. I like my Arginine consumption POST workout, not PRE workout like most pre-workout formulas have. Mainly because it is far more effective at nutrient absorption than it is getting and maintaining a "pump" - which ultimately does nothing for composition anyway. And lastly, the daily maintenance dose of 5g of creatine monohydrate. I like plain old monohydrate because it is cheap and just as effective as ANY of the other more expensive versions of creatine. So, there you have it - that's what I am going to be doing for my post workout nutrition pretty much this entire offseason. Feel free to comment or ask questions!

Movie Quote Of The Day
"And that divides one from a champion and one from not being a champion. lf you can go through this pain barrier, you may get to be a champion. lf you can't go through, forget it. And that's what most people lack, is having the guts...the guts to go in and just say, ''l'll go through and l don't care what happens.'' lt aches, and if l fall down....l have no fear of fainting in a gym...because l know it could happen. l threw up many times while l was working out. But it doesn't matter, because it's all worth it."

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Old Navy

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Tommy, I watched you "grow" these past few years. Excellent work, Warrior. It was interesting seeing the shot of you on top of the winner's platform with your mentor and friend Layne Norton placed below you. You are going to be hard to beat from now on. You have "Arrived." Natural Pros, take note, Sporto is in the House!

Old Navy
 
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Im followin along Tommy, amazing physique and awesome job getting to where you wanna be. Even though i may not have posted much in any of your threads i truly enjoy reading them as they motivate me and add a lot of good information as well.. Congrats again buddy.
 
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Friday - Chest/Triceps

Barbell Incline Bench Press
305 RP 5X3X1

EZ Skull Crushers
165 RP 8X4X2

Machine Hammer Strength Decline Press
80X15
95X12
110X10
115X8 drop 65X8

Smith Incline Press (2 second pause at bottom)
235X10
255X8
275X6
295X4 drop 205X6 drop 155X8

Dumbbell Low Incline Flys
70X15
75X12
80X10
85X8 drop 55X8

V-Bar Pushdowns
190X20
210X15
230X12
250X10
255X8 drop 140X10

~Ahh...had a nice day off yesterday and was able to shoot my commercials for the upcoming tax season. Afterwards, I spent some time with the family before heading back to settle in. This morning was nice because I was able to sleep in for a change! I'll be staying up late tonight with the baby so my wife can go to bed early and sleep in tomorrow. We make a great team! I guess that just means I can stay up and catch up on Dexter for once lol. Today's workout went smooth. Strength is still slowly climbing up and my endurance feels on par as well. My body weight is holding at about 225, which is a really good weight for me to grow at. I believe the 3000 calorie diet will keep me close to here, yet provide what I need to continue to grow and gain strength. We shall see! The rest pauses feel better and better and the added drop sets haven't effected my recovery at all. Tomorrow I will really be going to task - I have a big back day planned and I expect another great workout ahead of me!

Topic Of The Day - Mind/Muscle Connection - Chest

I had someone ask for advice today in the gym about chest exercises. One of the main things I always try to tell people is to focus on the mind/muscle connection of the muscle they are trying to work. Sometimes, that's much easier said than done. With chest, one of the things I like to do is focus on my ELBOWS. I find that if I stop focusing on my hands and focus on my ELBOWS doing the pressing, my chest ultimately gets the majority of the work. Keep the chest puffed out (like how the macho boys puff their chest out in front of the ladies) and the shoulder blades pinched together...that way you get the chest to do the majority of the work. You may have to drop the weight, but it will recruit your chest much better!


Movie Quote Of The Day

"Billy...when I say I'm thirsty, it doesn't mean I want you to bring me a glass of water. I want you to sympathize. I want you to say, 'Gloria, I too know what it feels like to be thirsty. I too have had a dry mouth.' I want you to connect with me Billy...through sharing and understanding of dry mouthedness."

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Tommy, I watched you "grow" these past few years. Excellent work, Warrior. It was interesting seeing the shot of you on top of the winner's platform with your mentor and friend Layne Norton placed below you. You are going to be hard to beat from now on. You have "Arrived." Natural Pros, take note, Sporto is in the House!

Old Navy
Thanks Scott, I really appreciate that! Yeah...that was one of my favorite pictures ;)

I appreciate the kind words - I've still got a lot of work to do if I am going to take down some of the top naturals the next time I compete, so even though the victories were sweet - it's time to go back to WORK :D

Im followin along Tommy, amazing physique and awesome job getting to where you wanna be. Even though i may not have posted much in any of your threads i truly enjoy reading them as they motivate me and add a lot of good information as well.. Congrats again buddy.
Thanks - that means a lot!

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Saturday - Back/Biceps

Barbell Rack Deadlifts
Top Set: 585X8

EZ Preacher Curls
125 RP 8X5X3X1

Nautilus XP Load Lat Pull-Downs
3ppsX15
3p+25psX12
4ppsX10
4p+25psX8 drop 2p+25psX8

Seated Hammer Curls
60X10
65X8
70X7 drop 45X8

Seated Close Grip Cable Rows SS Smith Machine Shrugs
270X10/365X10
285X10x405X10

Nautilus Nitro Machine Preacher Curls SS Standing Rope Hammer Curls
140X10/52.5X12
155X8 drop 95X8/52.5X12

~Today didn't start off very well. A very good ollege friend of mine, out of nowhere, suddenly turned on me this morning. This was a guy whom I considered to be a very good friend...we were lifting buddies all through college, hung out all the time, was in the same fraternity, etc. Anyway, I tried to keep in touch with him as much as I could ever since we graduated college and went separate ways. He actually competed in the Mr. ISU the year before I did, so he was a fellow bodybuilder as well - although I don't think he has competed since then. Well, as far as I knew, we were still good friends...I tried meeting up with him a couple times while I was traveling for Scivation this summer, but it didn't end up working out. Well, according to him, I guess I am the most self-absorbed person he knows and I only care about myself - his proof is the Inside The Life video (#15) where I make a comment that backstage before a contest I only worry about and focus on myself. On top of that, supposedly I'm this huge drug user because back in college I guess I had some back acne or something (this is coming from a guy who also admitted to me he was juicing). Anyway, it sucks because this was all unbeknownst to me that he apparently felt this way until today. So I started off the day losing what I thought was a good friend. At first I was a little sad about it, then as I talked about it at the gym, I started to get a little pissed - that's when I just fueled it into the workout to bump the weights up a little more and make the most of it. Now, I'm over it and moving on! Sorry for the mini rant, but I think it helps to write stuff like this out sometimes and show that we all go through things like this in life and it's how hwe choose to handle it and grow from it that makes us who we are.

The workout started off with a bang - I was able to rack deadlift 585 for 8 reps without a belt, and it felt GREAT! My next rotation through this workout, I'm going to incorporate a little something different to start off each day, and knowing that I can do this 8 times has me excited for the next back workout :D Everything felt pretty good today and my strength is just about back to where it was before I started dieting. I'm maintaining weight, hitting my meals, and keeping up with my supplementation. So far so good. I have a lot of work to do, and this is only the beginning! Tonight, I'm going to take a "free" meal and have date might with the wifey and princess. Tomorrow, I'm either gonna work in a leg day after church or take the day off and do some light cardio and stretching...it all depends on how the lower back and core feels tomorrow after thos rack deads!

Topic Of The Day - Relationships

Something that I firmly believe in is that one of the most important things we can do with our lives is develop friendships/rrelationhips with people. I believe that it's the intangible things in life that truly matter as opposed to the physical things - toys, house, cars, etc. Honestly, I even feel like that is one thing that may truly hold beyond this life into the next...those connections we develop with other people. I guess that's why it hit me pretty hard to lose a good friend today out of nowhere. I realize that you can't please everyone, and sometimes no matter what you do and how benevolent your agenda is, there will always be people out there waiting to try and tear you down and claim your intentions aren't genuine. That's just part of life. It's times like these where I like to step back and take a look at all the good I have in my life that I have been blessed with and put my focus back on the things that truly matter...because at the end of the day, that's what is most important to me :)

Movie Quote Of The Day

"Gozer the Traveler. He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the rectification of the Vuldrini, the traveler came as a large and moving Torg! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant Slor! Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you!"

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Sunday - Legs

Barbell Squats
225X20
275X20
315X15
365X10
405X6 drop 225X12

Hack Squats SS Leg Press
3p+25psX20/4p+25psX20
5ppsX12/6ppsX12
6ppsX8/7ppsX12
6p+25psX5/7ppsX12

Lying Leg Curls
90X20
115X12
130X10
140X8 drop 85X8

Leg Extensions
130X20
160X15
165X15
210X10 drop 135X10 drop 80X10

Machine Abductor/Adductor
140X20/235X20
140X20/235X20
140X20/135X20

Tuesday - Chest/Back Width/Shoulders

Barbell Bench Press
135X20 (Warm-Up)
185X15 (Warm-Up)
225X10 (Warm-Up)
265X10
295X6
315X4 drop 225X8

Nautilus XP Load Lat Pull-Downs
3p+5psX15
3p+30psX12
4p+5psX10
4p+30psX8 drop 2p+30psX8

Smith Machine Upright Rows
105X15
115X12
125X10
135X8 drop 95X8

Dumbbell Incline Press
95X15
110X10
120X8
130X4 drop 80X10

Close Grip Cable Lat Pull-Downs
190X15
220X10
235X8
245X8 drop 170X8

Hammer Strength Military Press
2ppsX15
3ppsX8
3p+10psX6 drop 2p+10psX6 drop 1p+10psX6

Low-To-High Cable Flys
60psX15
80psX12
80psX12

Wednesday - Arms/Calves

V-Bar Push-Downs
150X20
160X20
190X15
210X12
250X8 drop 160X8

Barbell Bicep Curls
95X15
115X10
125X8
135X6 drop 95X6

Dumbbell Skull Crushers
50X15
60X10
65X8
65X8 drop 45X6

Dumbbell Hammer Curls
55X10
60X8
65X6
70X6 drop 40X10

Overhead Cable Extensions
120X12
130X12
130X12

Hammer Strength Preacher Curls SS EZ Reverse Curls
100X12/45X12
100X11/45X12
100X10/45X12

Seated Plate Loaded Calf Raises
2p+25psX10 - Sporto Tempo
2p+25psX10 - Sporto Tempo
2p+25psX10 - Sporto Tempo

Standing Calf Raise Machine
240X10 - Sporto Tempo
240X10 - Sporto Tempo
240X10 - Sporto Tempo

~It's already getting late (for me anyway as a new parent lol) so I 'm not going to comment much here this time, just posting my last few days of workouts!

Movie Quote Of The Day

"Say, the reason I'm calling is I wanted to tell you a little bit about the candidacy of Al Donnelly. Al Donnelly's a guy with a dream. His dream is to become governor of this great state of Washington. Hell, every guy's got his dream, am I right? Between you, me and the wall here, I doozy myself last night. Get this: A corn-fed harvest mouse, a hooker, a nun, a Flemish peasant woman. Whips, chains, whistles yo-yo's. A circus midget. My grandmother riding by on a bicycle giving me the finger, and a duck! Now, I don't know...are you crying? Oh my Lord. I am sorry honey, please don't...could you get your daddy on the phone? No, don't hang up please I..."

Sporto
 
BigKrabbe

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You have amazing strength and muscular size/development for someone that is natural! Props to you! You obviously have put in A LOT of hardwork, and have amazing genetics. While I am not natural, I hope to one day compete in bodybuilding as well. SUBBED.
 
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Wednesday - Legs/Calves

Hack Squat
Top Set: 8ppsX6 drop 5p+25psX20

Leg Press Superset Barbell Squats
Top Set: 10ppsX10 SS 315X10

Barbell Walking Lunges
Top Set: 275X6 steps each leg

Seated Plate Loaded Calf Raises
Top Set: 3ppsX6

Inner/Outer Thigh
235X20/150X20
235X20/150X20
235X20/150X20

~What a great day to start the journal back up :) There's nothing like a really good leg day to kick start the training after the holidays! My strength is very close to what it was before I started prep, and my physique has never looked better at this weight. I'm am sitting very comfortably at a weight my body likes to be at, so my goal for the next few months is to just maintain right around this weight and continue to gain strength in all areas and rep ranges. My lifting has been pretty sporadic around the holidays; I took about a week off and let the body heal while I visited family and had my first Christmas with my baby girl :) In about a week, I will be in Terre Haute for what will be my last tax season. There are some exciting changes my family will be going through in the coming months, but one thing is for sure - there isn't a single thing that will deter me away from my goal of stepping back on stage in a couple of years with the best and showcasing an all new and improved package! I have a lot of work to do, which will be worth it in the end. For now, one day at a time - and today starts with the wheels! Sets felt strong and I feel like I will be back to full strength very, very soon

Topic Of The Day - Vitamin D3

This is a topic I have discussed a lot lately. Having done really well in my shows this last year, my online training business almost tripled and I completely have my hands full! Now I know what Layne feels like :D One thing that I always talk about initially with any brand new client (along with nutrition, training, and cardio of course) are the supplement staples that I highly recommend...one of which is Vitamin D3. It is a very cheap supplement that gives you a lot of bang for your buck (which me being a frugal guy is something I love lol). It is an incredible mood and immune system booster. Anyone has been serious about diet and exercise for any amount of time knows how detrimental being either sick or injured is in achieving your goals. I absolutely HATE being sick. And let me tell you, ever since I have started implementing Vitamin D3 at about 10,000IUs/day (I recommend 5,000IUs for women), I have noticed a huge difference. The literature on this supplement is out there, so anyone wanting to do some quick google or pubmed searching can find a lot of info on it. Keep in mind though that regular Vitamin D won't cut it - your body can't get Vitamin D3 from regular Vitamin D, so you need to supplement with it. Anyway, I use the NOW Foods brand, and even at 10,000IUs/day, it lasts awhile and is pretty darn cheap. I highly recommend reading about it and picking some up to add to your arsenal!

Movie Quote Of The Day

"I am the LAST barman poet. I see America drinking the fabulous ****tails I make. America's getting stinky on something I stir or shake. The Sex On The Beach...the Schnapps made from peach...the Velvet Hammer...the Alabama Slammer! I make things with juice and froth...the Pink Squirrel...the Three-Toed Sloth. I make drinks so sweet and snazzy...the Iced Tea...the Kamakazi! the Orgasm...the Death Spasm...the Singapore Sling...the Dingaling! America you've just been devoted to every flavor I got, but if you want to got loaded, why don't you just order a shot? Bar's open!

Sporto
 
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My gawd your hams are diced. Freaky man.
Thanks! I was wanting butt abs!

You have amazing strength and muscular size/development for someone that is natural! Props to you! You obviously have put in A LOT of hardwork, and have amazing genetics. While I am not natural, I hope to one day compete in bodybuilding as well. SUBBED.
Thanks! I really appreciate that!

Sporto
 
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Thursday - Shoulders/Traps

Military Press
Top Set: 285X5 drop 185X20

Barbell Shrugs
Top Set: 495X10 (2 second pause at top and bottom) drop 315X20 (same tempo)

DB Front Raises Superset Reverse Incline Dumbbell Raises
Top Set: 50X8/30X10

Hammer Strength Military Press
Top Set: 3p+25psX5

Cable Lateral Raises Superset Reverse Pec Deck
20X10/145X10
22.5X10/160X10
25X10/175X10

Weighted Ab Machine Crunch
120X10
120X10
120X10

~The ONLY thing on my mind right now is how freaking bad my legs hurt - HOLY HELL! I mean, it took 5 minutes just to put socks on - and I'm talking both sides of my legs here. I don't know what hurt worse today, the burn in my shoulders/traps, or the pain in my arse just sitting on the benches! The shoulder girdle felt really good today. Strength is, again, close to where it was. Hopefully by the new year, I will be back in full force and ready to push through some new PRs! I've got my eye on 315 for reps on the military press before too long!!! For now, it's all about the consistency of the nutrition, supplementation, and of course, the training! Tomorrow is a day off, and I will pick right back up on Saturday!

Other than that, life is amazing - my baby girl is now able to recognize us and actually smiles now when she sees us. It is the most amazing feeling in the world! I sometimes just stop and stare at her while she sleeps and she completely takes my breath away.

The wifey is now back in the gym and working her way back up - she is such a trooper! She is really such an amazing woman, and I consider myself to have hit the ultimate jackpot finding someone like her to put up with me :)

Topic Of The Day - Tempo On Calf Raises

I had a discussion today with someone about how to train calves properly. One thing that I see most people doing when they train calves is they "bounce" the weight way more than actually lifting the weight with their calf muslces. See, the achilles tendon has so much elasticity that if you aren't paying attention, can do a lot of the actual work of the lift, leaving your calf muscles not nearly as worked as they should have been. One way to take as much of the elasticity out of the lift as you can is to pause at both the top and the bottom of the lift. I like to squeeze at the top for a count, but at the bottom, I like to pause there until there is no bouncing motion at all. Then, I felx my calves to lift the weight up, and so on, and so on. Another thing that will help is to not neglect the heavy work either. I wouldn't treat my calves any different than other muscle groups - so I train them in all rep ranges just as I do everything else.

Implement those two simple approaches and you will have your calves turning into cows in no time!

Movie Quote Of The Day

"The key to faking out the parents is the clammy hands. It's a good non-specific symptom; I'm a big believer in it. A lot of people will tell you that a good phony fever is a dead lock, but, you get a nervous mother, you could wind up in a doctor's office. That's worse than school. You fake a stomach cramp, and when you're bent over, moaning and wailing...you lick your palms. It's a little childish and stupid, but then, so is high school."

Sporto
 
Sporto

Sporto

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UPDATE!

~Hey gang! I wanted to start this journal back up now that I have the time to devote to it on a regular basis. Thing lately have been extremely hectic. Over the last week or so, I've been spending long hours in the tax office getting it ready for the upcoming traffic of tax season. All last week, my wife and daughter were with me, which meant that time with them was much more important than getting to the gym since I won't be seeing them during the week (only weekends) for almost four months! So, needless to say, training was a little sporadic. But, I've since settled in, got the office ready to roll, and even hit the gym yesterday evening for a great leg workout. From here on out, I will be implementing my multi-year offseason approach to bring yet another all-time best physique to the stage. I have been sizing myself up against the top naturals in the sport that I want to compete against this next time around, and boy do I have my work cut out for me! But, again, that's why I love this sport! I'm excited to see how some of my ideas and approaches this time around work as I move towards my goals.

I have been off of just about ALL supplementation for the last couple of months. I had been taking a multi-vitamin, vitamin d3, and vitamin c...that's it. As of yesterday, I started taking all of my staples again. Those include:

Breakfast
2 NOW Foods ADAM Multi-Vitamin
2 NOW Foods Vitamin D3
1 NOW Foods Vitamin C
3 Nature's Best Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc
6 Scivation Essential EFA
3 Primaforce MAX CLA
1 Primaforce Alcalean
3 Primaforce Pro Liver
1 Primaforce Idebenone
3 Primaforce Elastimine
3 Primaforce Cissus

Pre-Workout Meal
1 Primaforce Alcalean
3 Primaforce MAX CLA

Pre-Workout
2 scoops Scivation Xtend
4 scoops Scivation Quake 10.0 (whoa - taking this for the first time in 2 months had me FLYING)

Intra-Workout
4 scoops Scivation Xtend
4 scoops Primaforce Beta Alanine

Post-Workout
2 scoops Scivation Whey
50g NOW Foods Dextrose Powder
10g Primaforce AAKG
5g Primaforce Creaform
1 Primaforce Alcalean
3 Primaforce Pro Liver

Final Meal
6 Scivation EFA
3 Primaforce MAX CLA
3 Nature's Best Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc
1 Primaforce Idebenone
3 Primaforce Elastimine
3 Primaforce Cissus
3 Primaforce ZMA
3 Scivation Knockout

I can already tell how much better my body feels now that I'm taking everything again. That along with my nutrition should have me gaining some nice size and strength here before too long! My legs feel like death from yesterday...it was the first time lifting legs in over a week and a half or so, so I took it easy on the volume and just went by feel. I did some max effort work on Barbell Squats along with a drop set as my final set (talk about getting your heart rate up!). I also did some leg presses supersetted with some Hack Squats. Now that I am back in Terre Haute, the hack squat machine they have available is very different from the one I had been using at LA Fitness. This particular machine has the support pads located at the lower back in stead of the shoulders. Very weird feeling, but I will make it work. I followed up with some Dumbbell Walking Lunges...they only have Dumbbells that go up to 100s, so I did some hypertrophy sets of 12 with them. I then finished up with some abductor/adductor work. The volume was decent, the intensity was high...everything felt good. It will take a little bit to get back in my groove, but I don't think it will take long.

I will start taking some videos very soon! I can't wait to hear all the you-tube tough guys tell me how bad I suck LOL. Hope everyone had a great holiday and new years!

Movie Quote Of The Day

"Well, I got a 426 hemi here, 3/4 cams, nitro boosters, I can get 'er up to as good as 155! Never do, though, of course, unless I'm chasing a cute chick in a Ferrari! Haha! I guess I was goin' about... 65, tops."

Sporto
 
Sporto

Sporto

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Tuesday - Chest/Back Width/Shoulders

Barbell Incline Press
135X20 (Warm-Up)
185X12 (Warm-Up)
225X8 (Warm-Up)
265X10
285X6
315X4 drop 225X8

Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral Lat Pull-Downs
3ppsX15
3p+25psX12
4ppsX10
4p+25psX8 drop 2p+25psX8

Barbell Upright Rows
95X15
105X12
115X10
135X8 drop 95X8

Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral Decline Press
3ppsX15
3p+25psX10
4ppsX8
4p+25psX6 drop 2p+25psX12

Close Grip Cable Lat Pull-Downs
90psX15
100psX10
110psX8 drop 90psX8

Hammer Strength Military Press
2ppsX15
2p+35psX8
3p+10psX6 drop 2p+10psX6 drop 1p+10psX6

Low-To-High Cable Flys
30psX15
30psX12
30psX12

~Nothing like a good upper body pump to get back into the swing of things! I amnow back in Terre Haute full time and lifting at the new recreation center on the campus of ISU. Some of the machines are quite different, so the weights that I will be using will reflect either lower or higher numbers depending on the type of machine. They have a lot of hammer strength iso-lateral stuff, which is nice, but the cable machines they have are a little outdated...plus the dumbbells only go to 100s, so I will have to adjust accordingly. My overall strength seems to be just fine and very close to what it was before I started prep, but my endurance is still playing catch up :) Anyway, I am holding a very solid 225ish right now and I feel fantastic! Strength PRs....here I come!!

Topic Of The Day - Mind/Muscle Connection

One thing I wanted to briefly talk about today is the mind/muscle connection with any lift that you are doing. One thing that always amazes me as how many times I see people in the gym doing an exercise and clearly not using the intended muscle group(s) for that lift. As I have gotten older, and hopefully much wiser, I have definitely learned the importance of lifting every set of every exercise with purpose and making it all count. I was once victim of the gym ego and only cared about how I was perceived in the gym and how much weight was on the bar. But, now I understand that in order to get maximum muscular development, the mind/muscle connection is VERY important. For instance, for anyone that knows me and has seen me in person, I have rather large forearms/arms. The problem with that is that when I do back/pulling movements, if I don't concentrate really hard on using my back and pulling back with my elbows, my forearms/biceps will take over and do themajority of the work - taking the emphasis off my back (where I really need it). So I've taken measures to try and reduce that as much as possible - one of which is using straps. I've found that by locking in my grip with straps, I can focus more on my elbows pulling, rather than my hands. The result? Much more focus on the intended muscle group.

Bottom line - anything you can do to help connect you with the exercise and the mind/muscle connection, the better...even if it measn dropping the weight and working more on form and tempo. One of the hardest things to do in the gym is to leav the ego at the door - but if you want that great looking well developed physique, that's exactly what you need to do in order to achieve it.

Movie Quote Of The Day

"So I jump ship in Hong Kong, and I make my way over to Tibet, and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas. A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So, I tell them I'm a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald... striking. So, I'm on the first tee with him. I give him the driver. He hauls off and whacks one - big hitter, the Lama - long, into a ten-thousand foot crevasse, right at the base of this glacier. Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga... gunga, gunga-lagunga. So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice."

Sporto
 
Sporto

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Wednesday - Arms/Calves

V-Bar Push-Downs
67.5psX20
77.5psX15
97.5psX12
Stack+30psX8 drop 77.5psX8

Barbell Curls
75X15
95X10
125X8
145X6 drop 95X8

DB Skull Crushers
50X15
60X10
65X8
75X6 drop 45X8

Standing Dumbbell Hammer Curls
60X10
65X8
70X6
75X6 drop 45X10

Overhead Cable Extensions
62.5psX12
65psX12
67.5psX10

Hammer Strength Preacher Curls Superset EZ Standing Reverse Curls
95X12 SS 50X12
95X10 SS 50X10
95X10 SS 50X10

Machine Straight-Leg Cow Raises
200X15
240X12
280X10
295X10

~What can I say...it just feels good to be back in the gym consistently and in my routine! i'm feeling better by the day, and Ihave a feeling I will be busting out some new personl bests here before too long. I've noticed some slimming up as well with my nutrition in check...I love how tight my stomach feels during the day when I eat well! Today is an off day from training, but I might go in and do a little HIIT...you know, for the kids :D i'm just so excited to be back in the gym that I don't know if I can stay out of it right now lol. That, and my legs could use a little loosening up - they are still tight from the last leg day I did!

Topic Of The Day - Gym Etiquette

Now is the time in the gym for all the New Year's resolution-ists and spring break-ers to come out of hiding and completely swamp the gym for the few weeks or months that these people even consider going. One thing that really irritates me is that these people, because they don't live the lifestyle and think they can just show up for a few weeks and change the way they look, don't understand proper gym etiquette at all. For instance, I will have all of my stuff surrounding a particular machine or setup, and as soon as I step away to grab a drink of water, someone comes in and starts removing weight. It never fails. Then, it's like I'M the **** for telling them that I'm not finished. Give me a break. the gym was filled with so much douche last night that I can still smell Summer's Eve. It's re-donkulous. Any way, a few more weeks, and hopefully I won't have to interact with these dingle-berries anymore.

Oh yeah, and if one more obese college kid tries to ask me how much I bench, I'm going to kick them right in the taint...

That is all.

Movie Quote Of The Day

"Hey! If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I'd like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people and I want him brought right here, with a big ribbon on his head, and I want to look him straight in the eye and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, ****less, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey **** he is! Hallelujah! Holy ****! Where's the Tylenol?"

Sporto
 
Sporto

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Monday - Back Thickness/Traps/Rear Delts

Barbell Rack Deadlifts
225X15
315X12
405X10
495X10
545X8
585X8
635X8
675X8 - PR!

Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral Pull-Downs
3ppsX15
3p+35psX12
4p+25psX8
5ppsX6 drop 3ppsX10

Barbell Shrugs (1 full second pause at top and bottom) Superset Dumbbell Reverse Incline Rear Delt Raises
315X15/25X12
405X10/30X10
405X10/30X10
405X10/30X10

Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral Rows Superset Reverse Pec Deck
3ppsX15/160X10
4ppsX10/175X10
4p+25psX8/175X10

Weighted Leg Raises+Hip Lifts
20X10
20X10

Weighted Crunch Machine
95X12
95X12

~Hopefully this is a sign of things to come. I don't know if it has been just a mental block or what, but it always seems that I cruise along just fine on rack deadlifts until I put on 7 plates on each side. It seems like every time I do that, I can't get that first rep up and going. Most of it is my fault in the way I do the lift. I have to be really careful on any explosion stuff that involves my glute/high hamstring at all because of a college injury that still gets tweaked every now and then to this day. So I can't just explode up with the weight, I have to gradually increase the pull up to my max pull to make sure I don't tear anything. For some reason, the weight just came right up and I pounded out 8 reps with a weight I had yet to get off the bar before lol. I was going to keep going, but I didn't expect to do those reps with that kind of weight, so by that time I had already done quite a bit of work and was gassed. Next time for sure! I actually wanted to do deadlifts from the floor, but after sitting at a computer doing taxes all day, and not getting to the gym until late, I just did the rack deads instead. Still working to get my groove back, but things are settling in quite nicely right now...

Topic Of The Day - Balance

This is actually a very important topic as it pertains to the lifestyle of a bodybuilder, competitor, etc. One of the hardest things to do in life is to maintain a good and healthy balance between all facets of your life. Think about it, usually the really rich people have a lot of problems in other areas of their life because of how lopsided their lives are. That's because there are a lot of sacrifices that they have to make in order to acheive AND maintain that status. The same goes for everyone else...everything we do has an opportunity cost attached to it. So the big question is, what is it that you are willing to sacrifice in order to achieve your goals - whether it be with your physique, your financial stature, your relationships, etc.? Ultimately, you get to choose this balance and where you spend your time and effort.

I see a lot of younger kids on these boards that are very serious and very enthusiastic about the path of either getting into tip top shape, competing, etc. And, at this point in their lives, they probably have the ability and time freedom to devote to that goal without sacrificing much in order to achieve it. I was one of those guys not too long ago. I was able to prep whenever I wanted, train whenever I wanted, and pretty much devote my time to competing, getting a pro card, winning a pro show, you name it. But now that I have a daughter and a family, how much is my time really worth? The more time I try to devote to my personal endeavors, the less time I have to spend with my wife and family. So where do you draw the line?

One thing that really helps is having a wife that also lives the healthy, active lifestyle as well. That enables us to go to the gym together (now with our daughter because our gym has a Kids Klub), even though we are doing our own thing as far as our workouts are concerned, we are still not spending time away from one another. So that is a huge plus. Also, because my wife competes, she understands the importance of the consistency of the nutrition and training. Because of that, we are able to spend more time together while still being involved in a sport and lifestyle that can be very selfish at times. We grocery shop together, cook together, eat together, etc. Whereas, I do know of some couples who don't simply because one is trying to live the lifestyle while the other doesn't care to.

As this pertains to bodybuilding specifically, the thing is, the stage will ALWAYS be there. If you compete for the right reasons, it is much easier to maintain balance in other areas of your life. I think that is mainly because you know you aren't competing against anyone but yourself, and as long as you are making an effort to make yourself better, then no matter when you compete or who it is against, you are going to win no matter what. You can have this lifestyle "supplement" your life instead of taking it over and consuming it. And, honestly, that's where you draw the line. Once bodybuilding/competing starts ruining relationships, or costing you promotions or positions at a company, or disconnects you from your spirituality, that's when it's time to reconsider what your goal and purpose is with the sport. There are much more important things in life than having 7 strangers collectively think you have the best package on stage at a particular contest. And honestly, it's your opinion of yourself that happens to be the only one that truly matters. If you can look in the mirror everyday and like what you see and enjoy your life with the people you surround yourself with, then that is what it's all about. For the most part, we all probably got into this industry and sport becaue of our own insecurity issues (I know I did). But, once we can finally grasp the concept of being secure with ourselves, and start doing things for the right reasons, it's amazing how much better all of these other facets of our lives become.

Balance - it can be a difficult concept to grasp and put into action, but once you find it, you life will be filled with joy and true happiness.

Movie Quote Of The Day

"Do you know what a duvet is? It's a blanket. Just a blanket. Now, why do guys like you and me know what a duvet is? Is this essential to our survival, in the hunter-gatherer sense of the word? No. What are we then? We are consumers. We're bi-products of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime, poverty, these things don't concern me. What concerns me are celebrity magazines, television with 500 channels, some guy's name on my underwear. Rogaine, Viagra, Olestra. Martha Stewart. F*ck Martha Stewart. Martha's polishing the brass on the Titanic. It's all going down, man. So f*ck off with your sofa units and Strinne green stripe patterns..."

Sporto
 
Sporto

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Thursday - Legs

Barbell SLDL/RDL Hybrid
135X20 - Warmup
225X15 - Warmup
315X10 - Warmup
405X10
455X8
495X6 - PR!

Hammer Strength Kneeling Single Leg Curls
50X20 each leg
70X10 each leg
80X10 each leg
90X8 drop 60X8 drop 40X8 - TOAST!

Barbell Squats
225X15
315X10
365X8
405X6 drop 275X8

Glute-Ham Hyperextensions
65X12
80X10
95X8

Inner/Outer Thigh
235X20/150X20
235X20/150X20
235X20/150X20

Friday - Chest/Triceps

Barbell Incline Press
135X20 - Warmup
185X15 - Warmup
225X10 - Warmup
275X8
295X6
315X4 drop 225X8 drop 135X10

Life Fitness Machine Flys
190X15
205X12
220X10
235X8 drop 160X8

Incline Smith Machine Press (2 second pause at bottom)
225X10
245X8
265X6
275X4 drop 185X6 drop 135X8

Low Incline Flys
75X12
80X10
85X8 - TOAST!

V-Bar Push-Downs
67.5psX20
77.5psX15
87.5psX12
97.5psX10
Stack+25X8 drop 97.5X8

DB Skull Crushers
50X15
60X10
70X8 drop 45X8

Close Grip Decline Press
135X15
185X12
225X10
275X8 drop 185X8

Movie Quote Of The Day

"Janice, I apologize to you if I don't seem real eager to jump into a forced, awkward intimate situation that people like to call dating. I don't like the feeling. You're sitting there, you're wondering, "Do I have food on my face? Am I eating? Am I talking too much? Are they talking enough? Am I interested? I'm not really interested. Should I play like I'm interested? But, I'm not that interested. But, I think she might be interested? But, do I want to be interested? But, now she's not interested? So all of the sudden, I'm getting, I'm starting to get interested." And, when am I supposed to kiss her? Do I have to wait for the door? Cause, then, it's awkward. It's like, well, goodnight. Do you do like that ass-out hug? Where you like, you hug each other like this and your ass sticks out cause you're trying not to get too close? Or, do you just go right in and kiss them on the lips? Or don't kiss them at all? It's very difficult trying to read the situation. And, all the while, you're just really wondering, "Are we gonna get hopped up enough to make some bad decisions?" Perhaps play a little game called "just the tip", just for a second, just to see how it feels. Or, ouch, ouch you're on my hair."

Sporto
 
Sporto

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Monday - Back/Biceps/Calves

Barbell Bent Over Rows
365X5
365X5
365X5
365X5
365X5

Standing EZ Bar Curls
145X5
145X5
145X5
145X4 - TOAST!

Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral Pull-Downs
4p+25psX5
4p+25psX5
4p+25psX5
4p+25psX5
4p+25psX5

Seated Dumbbell Curls
65X8
65X8 - Video Coming!
70X6

Seated Close Grip Cable Rows
270X10
285X10
300X8

Hammer Strength Seated Plate Loaded Cow Raises
1p+25psX10
2ppsX8
2p+25psX8
3ppsX6

~I didn't have a whole lot of time to get this workout in, so I did the best I could and kept the workout moving to squeeze as much in as I can. For about the next month-month and a half or so, I pretty much will just have to do the best I can with what I have to work with. Tax season is in full blown force right now, therefore I am busy and sitting at a computer screen from 10-12 hours a day lol. So the real trick right now is trying to maintain where I am at until we settle down and I have much more time to devote to a consistent schedule for both training and nutrition. After tax season, I will be attacking the gym with an intensity beyond anything I've ever had before. I have set the bar extremely high for myself now, and for me to continue the trend, I have to put in a lot more work to bring an even better, all-time best package to the stage next time. I'm really looking forward to proving some paradigms of mine by praticing what I preach and showing the noticeable differences that they will make. So, for now I will bust out what I can, and then after tax season, the steroid-like gains will be pouring in...

Topic Of The Day - Muscle Group Frequency

One of the things that never quite sat right with me when looking at most workout splits was the fact that most of them are created to try and coincide with a work week. What I mean by that is, for the most part, a lot of workout splits rotate every 7 days and most lifters associate days of the week with certain muscle group pairings and they ultimately end up hitting all muscle groups with the same frequency and then trying to find the right volume for their "sweet spot" routine to balance out right for them. Now, I do realize that most people do not desire to compete at the elite level of natural bodybuilding, but I do believe that the advanced lifter needs to create their workout split without succumbing to trying to fit it into a 7 day work week, mostly because the volume/intensity that an advanced lifter probably needs to continue to make gains is going to be more than the average, intermediate lifter.

Typcially, if you are on the advanced level, you are living the bodybuilder "lifestyle" and will always find a way to get a workout in no matter what day of the week it is. So instead of looking at days as Monday, Tuesday, etc., you should look at days as Day 1, Day 2, etc. and allow your workout split to focus on certain frequencies for certain muscle groups. That way, you can really break everything down and design your workout split to focus on what needs to be brought up in order to achieve the desired look that you want. One of the HARDEST things to do as a natural bodybuilder (or any physique enthusiast for that matter) is to NOT try and bring EVERYTHING up at the same time. Even if you could ultimately do that, theoretically, you are still going to have the same flaws of proportion and symmetry that you had before lol. Sometimes you just have to prioritize your focus in certain areas to get the right balance and right look...and that is a very difficult thing to do mentally. We are so used to pushing ourselves day in and day out, that sometimes we forget to strategize our offseasons to bring out the best look. Think about it...how often to you look forward to working out your best muscle groups? I know I always do :D

So when putting together your workout split, think about possibly setting it up without a 7 day work week in mind. Think about where to focus your frequency, volume and intensity and to what muscle groups. Try to rotate as many exercises that you can in and out of your routines. Focus on one intensity technique for a few weeks, then switch it up to a different. Your body is the most adaptive machine on the planet and it will adapt to just about anything you throw at it. Keep it from adapting...keep it GROWING!

Movie Quote Of The Day

"You must be out your god damn mind! Joe Louis is the greatest boxer that ever lived! I'll be with you boys in a minute. He was better than Cassius Clay, he was better than Sugar Ray, and that new dude, what's his name? Mike Tyson? Looks like a bulldog; he was better than him too."

"Vait a minute. Vat about Rocky Marciano?"

"Oh, there they go. There they go, every time I start talkin 'bout boxing, a white man gotta pull Rocky Marciano out their ass. That's their one, that's their one. Rocky Marciano. Rocky Marciano. Let me tell you something once and for all. Rocky Marciano was good, but compared to Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano ain't ****."

"He beat Joe Louis' ass."

"That's right, he did whoop Joe Louis' ass."

"Joe Louis was 75 years old when they fought!"

"I don't know how old he was, but he got his ass whooped."

"Joe Louis had come out of retirement to fight Rocky Marciano the minute he was 76 years old. Joe Louis is always lying about his age. He lie about his age all the time. One time Frank Sinatra came in here and sat in this chair. I said Frank 'you hang out with Joe Louis, just between me and you, how old is Joe Louis.' You know what Frank told me, he said "Hey, Joe Louis is 137 years old." A hundred and thirty-seven years old!"

"Oh. Man, you lying, you ain't never meet no Frank Sinatra."

"F*ck you, f*ck you, and f*ck you! Who's next?!"

Sporto
 
Royd The Noyd

Royd The Noyd

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Lovin the topics of the day. Good stuff man. Balance is such a hard one. I have a successful career, go to school for 2 masters half time, working out, and keeping up with the supplement company I work for makes for a lot of missed meals and workouts. :) Gotta remember what's important though.
 
Sporto

Sporto

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Monday - Back/Biceps

Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral Lat Pull-Downs
5pps RP 8X5X3

Standing Barbell Curls
155 RP 8X4X2

Barbell Bent Over Rows
315X15
365X10
405X8 drop 225X14 - TOAST!

Hammer Strength Preacher Curls
135X8
115X8
115X6 drop 70X6 drop 45X6 - TOAST!

Seated Close Grip Cable Rows
Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls
Bodyweight Pull-Ups

~Do you ever have one of those days where you just look enormous in the mirror? Like for whatever reason, you just look huge relative to what you normally do? What is that? Today I felt like an absolute beast in the gym - I can't really explain it. I didn't do anything different...nutrition was the same, the supplements are still basic, etc. Who knows. Whatever it was, everything just clicked today. I hoep this momentum carries forward...I'm gonna need a solid year and a half of this kind of working out if I'm gonna step back on stage against the best in this sport! I really wanted to deadlift today, but Ican still slightly feel the strain in my back and I didn't want to risk it...plus, my legs are still tender to touch, even from 3 DAYS AGO! So, it was probably a wise decision to hold off anyway. But, I am definitely looking forward to the next deadlift day...that's for sure!

Random Life Talk

It doesn't always have to be about weights and supplements in here, does it? :D My brother is over in Afghanistan right now. For those that don't know me, my brother is my best friend. I am extremely close to my family, and nothing is as important to me as they are. So, watching my brother deploy back in December was a very hard thing for me to go through. I am not the type of person that shows a lot of emotion, and even when he left, I didn't show very much, but after he was gone I ended up spending almost an entire day weeping. Anyway, he gets back to the States here in June and I have planned to take a little mini vacation with just the two of us down to Orlando, FL to hit up what used to be called Universal Studios. Some of you know that I am a movie FREAK (my brother is too), and the last time we went on a trip together was to Universal and Islands of Adventure to hit up roller coasters and movie rides. So this is something I am really looking forward to and am really anxious for him to get back. He hasn't seen much of his niece yet either, so I know he's gonna want to spend some time with here and hang out as much as he can before he heads back to DC for work.

My brother and I always used to say that one day, if we ever ended up living in the same area when we got older, we would both buy into a little "mini mansion" where my family would live in one wing, his in another, and we would share common living areas like a living room and kitchen. How cool would that be? Maybe one of these days...

Movie Quote Of The Day

"This suit is really cramping my Hardy Boys. It's no mystery. And, it dosen't really allow my dice to roll...and by dice I mean testicles...speaking of testicles, let me get a beer."

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Thursday - Shoulders/Traps

Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral Shoulder Press
3p+25ps RP 8X5X3

Barbell Shrugs
455X10 (2 second hold at top)
455X10 (2 second hold at top)
455X10 (2 second hold at top)

Cable Lateral Raises Superset Reverse Pec Deck
27.5X12 SS 145X12
30X10 SS 160X10
32.5X8 SS 175X8

Seated Machine Lateral Raises
150X10
160X10
170X8 - most I've ever done on this machine!

Barbell Upright Rows
Seated Dumbbell Shrugs

~The stress fracture in my wrist still SUCKS but I manage to hold the weights in my hands in ways that cause the least amount of pain. I really wanted to do heavy dumbbell military presses, but they only go up to 100s at this gym, so I opted for something else.

On a side note, there is something that I am taking in my pre-workout mix that is making me feel really...swole...for lack of a better term. I don't know if it's any one thing or the combination I'm doing, but this last week has just been insane and it isn't something I've felt up to this point. I'm going to fiddle around with a couple of things and see if I can pinpoint it...

Random Life Talk

My daughter took the CUTEST picture today and it absolutely melted my heart!



I hope everyone had a good St Patty's Day!

Movie Quote Of The Day

"Am I a drug dealer? No, I am not. Thank you for asking, though. Is there anything else I can help you with? Perhaps you'd like an 11-year old prostitute sent to your room? We can do that. Or, maybe we can off someone for you. Huh? How's that sound? I've got it...why don't we start small? Would you like a fresh towel? Maybe you could roll that up and smoke it. By the way, Cheech, that credit card you guys gave me last night was maxed out, so don't go spending all your cash on needles and guns just yet."

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Chest/Calves

BB Bench Press
315 RP 8X5X3 drop 225X8 drop 135X12

Incline Smith Presses (2 second pause at bottom)
245X12
285X8
345X5 drop 235X5 drop 185X5

Machine Pec Deck Flys
265X12
280X10
295X8 drop 195X8

DB Incline Flys
80X10
90X10
100X8

Standing Calf Raises
StackX10 - Sporto Tempo
StackX10 - Sporto Tempo
StackX10 - Sporto Tempo

Plate Loaded Seated Calf Raises
3ppsX8 - Sporto Tempo
3ppsX6 - Sporto Tempo
3ppsX5 - Sporto Tempo

Arms

EZ Standing Curls
170X7
180X4

BB Decline Close-Grip Bench Press
315 RP 8X5X3

DB Hammer Curls
90X8
100X5

DB Skull Crushers
55X12
65X10
75X8 drop 45X8

HS Preacher Curls
85X15
95X12
105X8
115X8 drop 70X8

Cable Rope Pushdowns
140X15
160X12
180X8 drop 120X8

~Playing a little catch up here and posting a couple days worth of workouts in one shot. I'm back to seting PRs again thankfully and this offseason is starting to really get rolling. There comes a point in time when things seem "effortless" for lack of a better term. When everything just seems to be clicking and you are liking thelook in the mirror, the strength in the gym, etc. Probably the biggest variable I have changed this offseason has been food source control. It is amazing to me how much better I just feel every day and day to day. No ups and downs, no energy then tired, just feeling really good right now is all I can say! I've got some strength goals I am really eyeing at the moment for a few lifts, so I'm anxious to see how things progress in the next few months!

I've also got a few things in the works right now that I am really excited about, but I'm not going to say anything until I know for sure (don't wanna jinx it lol), so if all goes well, I'll have some great news for anyone who follows me at all :D

Movie Quote Of The Day

"It all comes down to this roll. Roy Munson, a man-child, with a dream to topple bowling giant Ernie McCracken. If he strikes, he's the 1979 Odor-Eaters Champion. He's got one foot in the frying pan and one in the pressure cooker. Believe me, as a bowler, I know that right about now, your bladder feels like an overstuffed vacuum cleaner bag and your butt is kinda like an about-to-explode bratwurst."

Sporto
 
Sporto

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Back...No Wait...Legs!

Dynamic Stretching + Foam Rolling!

Barbell Deadlifts
135X15 - Warmup
225X12 - Warmup
315X10 - Warmup
405X8
455X6
495X4
545X2
585X1
600X1 - PR!

Hammer Strength Linear Hack Press
2ppsX12
3ppsX12
4ppsX12
5ppsX12
6ppsX12 - PR!

Machine Single Leg Extensions
110X12 each leg
120X10 each leg
130X8 drop 70X8 each leg

Inner/Outer Thigh
StackX20/StackX20
StackX20/StackX20
StackX20/StackX20

~Today was a big mental boost for me! I actually went in today thinking I was going to do back, and I was mentally preparing to give deadlifts absolutely everything I had to see where my strength was at with that particular exercise. So, I made sure that I nailed my nutrition all day, got my vitamins in, had my pre, during, and post workout nutrition ready to go, you name it. So, as soon as I closed the office down, I popped in my iPod and started getting ready.

I was going to go by feel and let my body dictate what all I was going to end up doing today. So with deadlifts, I began. I didn't really do too much with the lighter weight/warmups as I wanted to make sure I had enough juice for the heavy stuff. So I started off with some stretching, foam rolling, and started adding the plates. Once I got up to the 405 lbs. mark, I wasn't going "all out" rather I was leaving a little left in the tank so that I could see how heavy I could get up to. Low and behold, I eventually got up to 6 plates per side (by this time I had a small audience in the gym lol) and got a very smooth single rep. I think by this time, I could have definitely gotten 2 reps and possibly even 3, but I decided to stop and give an even 600 lbs a try. It was SLOW rep at the start from the bottom, but when I got to about the knees, the weight flew right up. I feel like I can't explode right off the floor with the weight because of an old injury I had where I tore my hamstring right off the glute tie in. Ever since then, I mentally can't explode from the bottom like I used to (squats, deadlifts, etc.) because there have been times when I've tweaked/aggravated it by doing so. But, finally breaking 600 lbs was a HUGE barrier for me and I am really excited that I finally did it! I didn't use a belt, but I did use versa grips straps. I would love to be able to grip the bar without them, but for those who know me, my hands are pretty small and I have stubby fingers...so without them, even though my actual grip strength is really good, I just can't grip the bar with that kind of weight without losing the grip before my lift is done.

Anyway, after the deadlifts, like I said, I was going to hit some back, but my biceps were still smoked from yesterday, so I called an audible and just decided to proceed to bash the hell out of my legs with a quad focus! I broke another barrier on the Hammer Strength Linear Hack Press where I worked all the way up to 6 plates per side, and still pounded out 12 reps out of god knows where lol. It's a very awkward setup with the support pads being at the lower back, so I haven't been able to use the kind of weight that I normally can on the normal hack squat, but today was just a day where I busted through any mental limitations I had previously put on myself :D

All in all, it was an awesome day!

Movie Quote Of The Day

"Pig Pen, when I want advice about a good 'Planet of the Apes' film, or maybe how to get the resin out of my bong, I'll come to you...ok? But, I am not gonna take romantic advice from somebody who cannot spell romantic or advice...or bong."

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Shoulders/Traps/Calves

Highlights
DB Military Press: 100X18 - PR!
BB Shrugs (2 second hold at top): 500X8 (3 sets)
Machine Lateral Raises: 205X8 - PR!
DB Reverse Incline Raises: 35X15
Reverse Pec Deck: 190X12
Straight Leg Calf Raises (V-Squat Machine): 7ppsX12 - Sporto Tempo
Seated Calf Raises: 3p+25psX5 - Sporto Tempo

~Yesterday was a MUCH needed day off! I also think that's why my partner bailed on me is because he is still probably recovering lol. Hell, even my legs are still pretty inflamed, but I'm sure they will be ready to go by the time my next leg day comes around. I actually wanted to do either chest or back today, but my workout partner bailed on me, so I just went with a little shoulder, trap, and calf work. I kept the tempo going and the rest between sets pretty short and got this one done in about an hour...worked up a great sweat too! The dumbbells only go up to 100s, so I decided to see how many times I could press them for seated military presses since I didn't have a workout partner/spotter. I ended up doing it 18 times before finally failing on the 19th rep...which, a little bit of help and I could have had another solid rep, but oh well.

I had to use a belt for the Barbell Shrugs...since I squeeze and hold the weight at the top of the movement for 2 counts, it's a killer on the lower back towards the end, so as a just in case, I threw the belt on.

The rest of the workout was pretty straightforward...just kept it moving and got my work done.

Random Life Talk

My wife surprised me yesterday and drove down from Indy to spend the day, night and better part of today with me! I ended up playing hooky from work and took th wife and daughter out to eat and spent the day just out and about with the both of them. It was just the best surprise ever lol. The one bad thing about tax season is that I only see them on the weekends until the end of April, so this was a pleasant surprise to say the least. My wife even commented today at how "smitten" I am by my daughter...when actually, I am honestly smitten by the both of them! Being a daddy is one of the greatest feelings a man can get...that, and picking up 600lbs off the floor for the first time :)

Movie Quote Of The Day

"Now, you're telling me that you are so ingrained with white trash DNA, that your facial hair actually grows in on its own all white trashy like that?"

Sporto
 
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Chest

Highlights

Barbell Incline Press: 315X7 PR!
Machine Pec Deck Flys: 305X8 (Entire Stack) PR!
Smith Low Incline Press (2 second pause at bottom): 325X5 drop 235X5 drop 185X5
Low To High Cable Flys: 90X10 PR! (for this particular machine lol)

Back

Highlights

Seated Machine Lat Pulldowns: StackX10 drop 180X10 PR!
Seated Machine Close Grip Rows: StackX12 drop 200X10 PR!
Seated Machine Pull-Overs: 3p+25psX8 PR!
Machine Close Grip Pull-Downs: 250X10 drop 165X10 PR!
Hyperextensions: 125X15 PR!

~ Had an INCREDIBLE chest workout yesterday...I was able to take off of work early and head up to Indy so that I catch a workout in with some of the old workout crew. We always feed off of each other and usually push each other to new levels - this workout was no different! I'm starting to find my groove with my nutrition, training and supplementation as the personal bests just keep on coming. I think the last video I took a couple of years ago of me doing incline press was when I tried 325 for 2 reps...I pretty confident I can at least get a good solid 5 reps on my own now. 3 reps, 2 years....hey, as long as I've been training, I'll take it! :D

For my back workout, I learned something...I need to save the machine work until AFTER I do the Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral (plate loaded) movements or barbell movements because it appears now that when I am fresh early in the workout, I can use the entire stack the machine has to offer with relative ease. I started off with them today because I had to fly solo and wasn't sure about doing any max effort work by myself, so I decided to just do some hypertrophy/volume work today in an all out blitz. Next time I do that, I start off with Hammer Strength from now on :D

I actually had a "semi" rant that I was prepared to type up today for the topic section of my journal, but it started to get really lengthy, and I need to cut this short so I can get back to spending time with my wife and daughter. When I update my journal from Terre Haute again, I'll spend time typing out what I want to say, so for those interested, stay tuned - it involves the food source vs. IIFYM debate ;)

Movie Quote Of The Day:

"Let's think about this for a sec, Ted. Why would somebody put a guarantee on a box? Hmmm, very interesting. Here's the way I see it, Ted. Guy puts a fancy guarantee on a box 'cause he wants you to feel all warm and toasty inside. You figure you put that little box under your pillow at night, the Guarantee Fairy might come by and leave a quarter, am I right, Ted? The point is, how do you know the fairy isn't a crazy glue sniffer? "Building model airplanes" says the little fairy; well, we're not buying it. He sneaks into your house once, that's all it takes. The next thing you know, there's money missing off the dresser, and your daughter's knocked up. I've seen it a hundred times."

"But why do they put a guarantee on the box?"

"Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of sh*t. That's all it is, isn't it? Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will, I've got spare time...but for your sake, for your daughter's sake, why don't you buy a quality product from me?"

Sporto
 
Sporto

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Chest

Main Highlights

Barbell Incline Press: 325X5 - PR!
Machine Pec Deck Flys: 305X10 (Entire Stack) - PR!

Back

Main Highlights

Rack Deadlifts: 675 RP 10X5X3 - PR!
Barbell Bent Over Rows (Pendlay Style From Floor): 315X14 - PR!

~Strength is still slowly climbing, which is nice! On chest day, when I was doing incline barbell presses, I had a a 6th rep similar to the one in a video I have on youtube where I did 325 for 2 reps with some help on the second rep. So, in a couple of years, I've beenable to add ~5 reps to my incline barbell press. That may not seem like much, but hey, I'll take it! Also, on the Pendlay style barbell bent over rows, my form was much tighter than the video I have on youtube where I did 6 reps, and I still managed to more than double that effort - so the back is getting better! I thought Iwould try a rest pause on the rack deadlifts just to see, and holy geez, it is VERY difficult to regroup mentally and physically (especially with the core) to pull that off with that kind of weight. After that set, I was instantly soaked with sweat, like my body was saying "Welcome to the workout!" Anyway, I added in some hypertrophy accessory work on the pulldown side (also getting better) and I'm starting to love the Hammer Strength pull over machine! I've got an arm day scheduled with some of my big boys in Indy, so I'll see if I get the video camera out and get a shot of a PR set!

Life Happenings

So...I've got some really exciting things in the works right now that I will soon be able to announce. It finally looks like some things that I've been working hard towards are going to finally come together and come to fruition, and possibly at the same time. I'm not going to say anything just yet, but things are looking really good right now, and hopefully soon I might be able to give away a little teaser :)

Movie Quote Of The Day:

"The teacher asked me what was the capital of North Carolina. I said Washington, D.C. She said, "No, you're wrong." I said, "You got a lumpy butt." She got mad at me and yelled at me and I pissed in my pants and I never did change my pee-pants all day. I'm still sittin' in my dirty pee-pants."

Sporto
 
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Arms

Main Highlights

Standing Barbell Curls: 135X13 - PR!



EZ Skull Crushers: 205X5 - PR!



~ Wow, what a difference it makes being back in Indy with my normal workout crew! The intensity was phenomenal and my arms are extremely heavy today! Believe it or not, I actually received a PM the other day claiming that I supposedly "make up" my numbers in my journal lol. So, I thought what better proof than a couple of videos from the workout last night! The standing barbell curls were a strong one for me yesterday. I really felt like my form was even better than the last video I took (where I got 11 reps for a PR) right before I started prep. I ended up getting 13, but the 14th rep was SO CLOSE! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get it up unless I used a whole lot more than just biceps lol. The skull crushers feltsolid as well. The form was a little sloppy for my taste, but I chalk that up to it being the first time I have ever attempted that weight before. My buddy actually started recording a rep late, so I was able to get 5 solid reps with a little help on the 6th one. I was going to lower the weight slowly, but my spotter didn't know that, so he took the weight from the top of the rep. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the videos!

Movie Quote Of The Day:

"He’s climbin' in your windows, he’s snatchin' yo people up tryin' to rape 'em, so y’all need to hide your kids, hide your wife, and hide your husband cuz they’re rapin' err'body out here."

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