Derek Charlebois Contest Prep Thread- The Return of The Beast

[macedaddy]

Derek, the Xtend mega-dosing.......care to elaborate?

mix up one gallon and use that for your workout AND through the day? or half gallon for the workout and gallon for the rest of the day? and how many scoops. I'm sitting at about 184 now, so i dropped to 4 scoops for my workout cocktail.

 

[Beast]

Derek, the Xtend mega-dosing.......care to elaborate?

mix up one gallon and use that for your workout AND through the day? or half gallon for the workout and gallon for the rest of the day? and how many scoops. I'm sitting at about 184 now, so i dropped to 4 scoops for my workout cocktail.

I am taking about 20 scoops of Xtend a day (perks of working for Scivation!).

8 during my workout and 12 during the day. I mix up 4 scoops in 24 oz. water and drink it during the day (I drink 3 of these a day). I got some CRAZY results last time I did this I figured I give it another go. Marc is doing this as well and I think he is taking more Xtend than me! :numbered:

 

[Beast]

Week 1 Recap

 

[Beast]

Daily Recap. I will be posting this as a word doc and adding each day as I go. Here is today's recap.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=920793&d=1191888830

 

[Beast]

Tuesday Recap:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=923393&d=1192026613

 

[Beast]

Wednesday and Thursday Recap:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=925833&d=1192136022

 

[Distilled Water]

Looking good. I tried the PB+Preotein+Oats with a little milk, WOW!!! I make huge batches each nite now and snack on them thru-out the day. So simple and good yet I never thought of it. :think:

 

[kwyckemynd00]

Looking good. I tried the PB+Preotein+Oats with a little milk, WOW!!! I make huge batches each nite now and snack on them thru-out the day. So simple and good yet I never thought of it. :think

Sounds good...care to elaborate on this?

 

[Distilled Water]

Sure thing!!!!

I what I usually do
4 scoops Iron Tek Essentail naturl Choc. Protein
2 cups dry rolled oats
4TBS Natty PB
Few oz. Milk (more or less to make gooy/thicker)
Splenda to sweeten
Comes out to
Protein:~140gr (36%)
Carbs: ~145gr (36%)
Fat: ~45gr (28%)
Calories: ~1550

I mix it all into a big bowl and then put it in the fridge over night. I then Break them up into cookied about the size of my first and wrap them in wax paper and throw them into my cooler and eat 1 or 2 when im getting hungry. Great way to add alot og good cals thru-out the day that taste good!!!

I got it from Beast so give the credit to him!

 

[kwyckemynd00]

Beautiful...gonna have to give these a shot! :thumbsup:

 

[Beast]

I slacked on my updates last week while out of town, but I will begin posting them again right now!

Monday and Tuesday's Update:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=956693&d=1193761492

 

[Beast]

Wednesday's Update. I will be hitting 405 on squats next week!

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=960123&d=1193923172

 

[Sporto]

Wednesday's Update. I will be hitting 405 on squats next week!

Return of the Beast??? The Beast never left!!!

Sporto

 

[Beast]

Return of the Beast??? The Beast never left!!!

Sporto

Darn skippy! :clean:

Strength is going up and I'm loving it!

Thursday's update: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=962733&d=1194025315

 

[Beast]

Here is last week's update. After this update I will be posting my updates as posts instead of attachments

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=967433&d=1194281949

 

[Beast]

The Return of The Beast—Week 6 11/5/2007-11/11/2007
By: Derek Charlebois

As I mentioned last week I will be adding some calories to my diet and switching up my workout program. Let’s go over the changes.

Diet for Week 6

I am keeping my diet very simple. I will be eating a LARGE amount of carbs post-workout. My wife and I will be going to the gym together at 5 AM, which makes it hard to get a meal in. I will be sipping on my Xtend throughout my workout and then grubbing on some carb post workout. Because I am not on a low-carb diet, my glycogen levels will not be low in the morning and my performance should not be negatively affected by not eating prior to the gym.

Notes:
-Each meal contains 7 oz. of lean meat or 2 scoops protein powder
-Each meal contains 20 grams of fat (i.e. 8 Tsp Peanut Butter)
-All carbs are low-glycemic
-I try to get 3 cups of vegetables a day
-I am going to try to get more fruit each day

All of the meals I list during each day match the above macronutrient breakdown for each meal.

Training for Week 6
I will be focusing on some HEAVY sets, specifically 3-rep sets. I love the way blasting out heavy triples feels and my strength climbs when I do them. I will be starting off each workout with a heavy compound exercise and then do some higher rep sets at the end.

I also arranged my workout in terms on the amount of stress placed on my lower back. I will be doing squats on Monday and then deadlifts on Friday followed by two days completely off. I think this new routine will lead to some nice gains in both strength and size.

Supplements for Week 6

Pre-workout and during my cardio I sip on:
-2 Scoops Scivation VasoCharge
-2 Scoops Scivation Xtend
Xtend+VasoCharge is the perfect workout nutrition stack. It has everything you need!

During weight training I sip on
-8 Scoops Scivation Xtend
I always sip on Xtend during my workout. In fact I haven’t trained without it since 2004!

-Fish Oil (3 grams/day)
-Primaforce Max CLA (3 grams/day)
-GLA (3 grams per/day)
I take these supplements for their nutrient partitioning effects and overall health benefits. All three have been shown to decrease fat gain during a calorie surplus and promote lean mass gains.

-Primaforce Elastamine
-Primaforce Cissus
This is the best joint stack you can buy! Cissus has been a big contributor to the recovery of my lower back.

-Primforce Insopro-R, Pro-liver, Lean Green, and Alcalean
I take these supplements for their nutrient partitioning effects and overall health benefits.

During the day I sip on Xtend. I mix 4 scoops of Xtend in 24 oz. of water and drink 3 of these a day for 12 scoops of Xtend. Xtend mega-dosing baby! One of the perks to working for Scivation!

Cardio
I do 30 minutes of cardio (walking on the treadmill) prior to every workout. I do this (1) for my overall health (2) to warm my body up (3) to keep fat gain down. After cardio I do an ab/core warm-up/strengthen circuit consisting of roman chair crunches, reverse leg raises, hanging leg raises, back extensions, and torso twists. Just 1 set of 15 reps to get my core, specifically my lower back, ready for weight training.

Monday 11/5/2007- Legs

What better way to start off a week than with squats… I can actually think of many better ways lol. I was planning on going for 405 lbs today, but since I changed my schedule up I will be going for 5 sets of 3 reps with 365 lbs.

Squats
365 X 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Pics from Florida 2006

Seated Calf Raises
180 X 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Pic from Florida 2007

Leg Extension
150 X 8, 8, 8

Leg Curl
150 X 8, 8, 8

Standing Calf Raises (Reps done SLOW!)
200 X 12, 12, 12

I am not going to be doing stiff leg deadlifts with this workout to limit the stress placed on my lower back. Plus the hamstrings get hit hard by both squats and deadlifts, so they will be heavily stimulated still.

Today’s Meals

Meal 1
-1 Cup Oatmeal
-1 Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 2
-3 oz. Whole Wheat Noodles
-6 oz. 94% Lean Ground Beef
-1/2 Cup Organic Tomato Sauce
-18 Almonds

Meal 3
-6 oz. Lean Meat
-3 oz. Whole Wheat Elbow Noodles
-2 Slices Fat Free Cheese
-18 Almonds

 

[Beast]

Tuesday 11/6/2007

I am going to shoot for 325 X 3 on bench press today. I haven’t benched over 315 in a long time, so this will be fun.

Bench Press
325 X 3, 3, 3, 2, 1

Pics from Texas 2007

Incline Hammer Press
270 X 12, 10, 8

Cable Flies
60 X 20, 15, 12

After 3 sets of 325 X 3 on bench press my wrists/forearms felt very fatigued. I am going to do some ART massage to them this week and try to loosen them up. Because I did not complete all 5 sets with 325 for 3 reps I am going to stay at 325 next week… or I might go up depending on how I feel that day hehe.

Today’s Meals

Meal 1
-1 Cup Oatmeal
-1 Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 2
-3 oz. Whole Wheat Noodles
-7 oz. 94% Lean Ground Beef
-1/2 Cup Healthy Choice Cream of Mushroom Soup
-12 Almonds

Meal 3
-7 oz Roasted Turket
-2 Slices Ezekiel Bread
-2 TBSP Fat Free Miracle Whip
-1 Banana
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 4
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-6 oz. Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 5
-4 Whole Eggs
-3 oz. Chicken
-1 Cup Brocolli
-4 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 6
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-6 oz. Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

 

[Beast]

Wednesday 11/7/2007

Time to add some back mass baby!

Pull-Up
50 X 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Pics from Texas 2007

Bent Over Row
245 X 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Seated Cable Row
120 X 12, 12, 12

Pics from Texas 2007

Lat Pulldown
120 X 12, 12, 12

245 for 3 reps on Bent Over Rows was pretty easy. I’m going to up it to 265 next week. I will be increasing the weight on all back exercises next week.

Today’s Meals

Meal 1
-1 Cup Oatmeal
-1 Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 2
-3 oz. Whole Wheat Noodles
-6 oz. 94% Lean Ground Beef
-1/2 Cup Organic Tomato Sauce
-12 Almonds

Meal 3
-4 Whole Eggs
-3/4 Cup Egg Whites
-1 Cup Mushrooms
-4 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 4
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-6 oz. Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 5
-4 Whole Eggs
-3/4 Cup Egg Whites
-1 Cup Mushrooms
-4 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 6
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-6 oz. Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

 

[thatoneguy]

hey d check your pms brotha

 

[silverSurfer]

Truly amazing, you look great!

 

[Beast]

Thursday 11/8/2007

Time for some heavy military presses and shrugs! I am going to shoot for 225 for 5 sets of 3 on military press and 405 for 5 sets of 3 on shrugs.

Military Press
225 X 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Pics from Texas 2007

BB Shrug
405 X 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

DB Side Lateral
40 X 12, 10, 8

Pic from Chicago 2006

DB Shrug
120 X 12, 10, 8

Today’s workout was very tough. I wasn’t sure if I would complete all 5 sets of 225 for 3 reps on military press but I pushed all the reps out! My forearms, specifically my left forearm, were bothering me again today. I was fine during military press and shrugs, but do side laterals really aggravated my left forearm. I am going to continue to do some ART massage to hit and try to work out any trigger points in there.

Today’s Meals

Meal 1
-1 Cup Oatmeal
-1 Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 2
-3 oz. Whole Wheat Noodles
-7 oz. 94% Lean Ground Beef
-1/2 Cup Organic Tomato Sauce
-12 Almonds

Meal 3
-4 Whole Eggs
-3/4 Cup Egg Whites
-1 Cup Mushrooms
-4 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 4
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-6 oz. Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 5
-4 Whole Eggs
-3/4 Cup Egg Whites
-1 Cup Mushrooms
-4 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 6
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-6 oz. Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

 

[Beast]

Truly amazing, you look great!

Thanks buddy!

 

[Beast]

Friday 11/9/2007

Today will be my first day of 5 sets of 3 with deadlifts. This should be fun… or painful.

Deadlift
405 X 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Pics from Chicago 2006

Barbell Curl
145 X 3, 3, 3
95 X 10, 10

Pics from Chicago 2006

Close Grip Bench
285 X 3, 3, 3
225 X 10, 10

Wow! After deadlifts I could have left and felt like I had a very productive workout but I still had to do some arms. I had planned on doing all 5 sets of 3 reps on barbell curl and close grip bench, but my joints were not feeling 100% so I trained instinctively and did the last 2 sets a little lighter.

Today’s Meals

Meal 1
-1 Cup Oatmeal
-1 Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 2
-Foot Long Subway Club Sandwich w/ oil & vinegar blend.

Meal 3
-3 Whole Eggs
-3/4 Cup Egg Whites
-1 Cup Mushrooms
-2 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 4
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-6 oz. Skim Milk
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 5
-3 Whole Eggs
-4 oz. Chicken
-1 Cup Brocolli
-2 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 6
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-6 oz. Skim Milk
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Weekend Review

This week was 100% hard and heavy! My joints are a bit achy from all the heavy lifting. I am thinking about upping my Elastamine and Cissus to see if that helps. I weighed in at 213 on Saturday, so I am up 2 pounds this week, which is perfect.

 

[kwyckemynd00]

I noticed you're actually not getting much of your proteins from meats; do you find that to slow your growth down ever or no?

Also, just out of curiosity--it looks like you cook on "type" of meal every so often (maybe once/twice a week) and just eat that until you run out? Is that the case? And, if so do you do it with your eggs, too?

 

[Beast]

The Return of The Beast—Week 7 11/12/2007-11/18/2007
By: Derek Charlebois

Last week I had planned on starting to wake up early in the morning (5 AM) and going to the gym, but I have been sleeping in, eating, and then going to the gym. So I am going to posted my revised diet. I am up 2 lbs from last week so I will not be increasing calories.

Diet for Week 7

Notes:
-Each meal contains 7 oz. of lean meat or 2 scoops protein powder
-Each meal contains 20 grams of fat (i.e. 8 Tsp Peanut Butter)
-All carbs are low-glycemic
-I try to get 3 cups of vegetables a day
-I am going to try to get more fruit each day

All of the meals I list during each day match the above macronutrient breakdown for each meal.

Training for Week 7
I will be focusing on some HEAVY sets, specifically 3-rep sets. I love the way blasting out heavy triples feels and my strength climbs when I do them. I will be starting off each workout with a heavy compound exercise and then do some higher rep sets at the end.

I also arranged my workout in terms on the amount of stress placed on my lower back. I will be doing squats on Monday and then deadlifts on Friday followed by two days completely off. I think this new routine will lead to some nice gains in both strength and size.

Supplements for Week 7

Pre-workout and during my cardio I sip on:
-2 Scoops Scivation VasoCharge
-2 Scoops Scivation Xtend
Xtend+VasoCharge is the perfect workout nutrition stack. It has everything you need!

During weight training I sip on
-8 Scoops Scivation Xtend
I always sip on Xtend during my workout. In fact I haven’t trained without it since 2004!

-Fish Oil (3 grams/day)
-Primaforce Max CLA (3 grams/day)
-GLA (3 grams per/day)
I take these supplements for their nutrient partitioning effects and overall health benefits. All three have been shown to decrease fat gain during a calorie surplus and promote lean mass gains.

-Primaforce Elastamine
-Primaforce Cissus
This is the best joint stack you can buy! Cissus has been a big contributor to the recovery of my lower back.

-Primforce Insopro-R, Pro-liver, Lean Green, and Alcalean
I take these supplements for their nutrient partitioning effects and overall health benefits.

During the day I sip on Xtend. I mix 4 scoops of Xtend in 24 oz. of water and drink 3 of these a day for 12 scoops of Xtend. Xtend mega-dosing baby! One of the perks to working for Scivation!

Cardio
I do 30 minutes of cardio (walking on the treadmill) prior to every workout. I do this (1) for my overall health (2) to warm my body up (3) to keep fat gain down. After cardio I do an ab/core warm-up/strengthen circuit consisting of roman chair crunches, reverse leg raises, hanging leg raises, back extensions, and torso twists. Just 1 set of 15 reps to get my core, specifically my lower back, ready for weight training.

Monday 11/12/2007- Legs


Squats
375 X 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Pics from Florida 2006

Seated Calf Raises
190 X 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Pic from Florida 2007

Leg Extension
150 X 10, 10, 10

Leg Curl
150 X 10, 10, 10

Standing Calf Raises (Reps done SLOW!)
200 X 12, 12, 12

Note: I am not going to be doing stiff leg deadlifts with this workout to limit the stress placed on my lower back. Plus the hamstrings get hit hard by both squats and deadlifts, so they will be heavily stimulated still.

Today’s Meals

Meal 1
-1 Cup Oatmeal
-1 Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 2
-3 oz. Whole Wheat Noodles
-7 oz. 94% Lean Ground Beef
-1 Cup Organic Tomato Sauce
-18 Almonds

Meal 3
-7 oz Chicken
-8 oz. Sweet Potato
-1 TBSP Almond Butter

Meal 4
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-6 oz Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 5
-7 oz Chicken
-8 oz. Sweet Potato
-1 TBSP Almond Butter

Meal 6
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-6 oz Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

 

[Beast]

I noticed you're actually not getting much of your proteins from meats; do you find that to slow your growth down ever or no?

Also, just out of curiosity--it looks like you cook on "type" of meal every so often (maybe once/twice a week) and just eat that until you run out? Is that the case? And, if so do you do it with your eggs, too?

I'm addicted to my oatmeal mix, so right now I am eating more of that than usual. Usually I have that once a day and eat meats for my protein for the other meals.

I always cook in bulk (chicken or beef). Eggs I cook when I eat them.

 

[Beast]

Tuesday 11/13/2007

I am going to shoot for 335 X 3 on bench press today. I know I won’t be able to complete all 5 sets for 3 reps, but adding weight to the bar is addictive!

Bench Press
335 X 3, 2, 1
275 X 6
225 X 10

Pics from Chicago 2006

Incline Smith Press
185 X 12, 12, 12

Cable Flies
60 X 20, 15, 12

Man oh man, bench was killer today! I completed the first set of 335 for 3 reps and thought I would be able to get 3 reps for at least 2 more sets, but I guess it took more out of me than I thought. After bench I did some incline smith press and cable flies then I was OUT.

Today’s Meals

Meal 1
-1 Cup Oatmeal
-1 Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 2
-3 oz. Whole Wheat Noodles
-7 oz. 94% Lean Ground Beef
-1/2 Cup Healthy Choice Cream of Mushroom Soup
-12 Almonds

Meal 3
-7 oz Chicken
-8 oz. Sweet Potato
-1 TBSP Almond Butter

Meal 4
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-6 oz Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 5
-7 oz Chicken
-8 oz. Sweet Potato
-1 TBSP Almond Butter

Meal 6
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-6 oz Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

 

[HUGEbanks]

Soon that 335lbs will be 405lbs boss. I know what ya mean, adding more weight to the bench is addictive!

 

[Beast]

Soon that 335lbs will be 405lbs boss. I know what ya mean, adding more weight to the bench is addictive!

Heck yes! Now I just got to make sure my joints can take the beating. My elbows are starting to bother me

 

[Beast]

Wednesday 11/14/2007

Time to add some back mass baby!

Pull-Up
60 X 3, 3, 3
BW X 10, 6

Pics from Texas 2007

Bent Over Row
265 X 3, 3, 3
225 X 6, 6

Seated Cable Row
120 X 12, 12, 12

Pics from Texas 2007

Lat Pulldown
120 X 12, 12, 12

I’m starting to feel burned out from the 3 rep training. I am thinking that doing 4 weeks of 5 X 3 then 2 weeks of higher rep training (6-12) would be ideal.


Today’s Meals

Meal 1
-1 Cup Oatmeal
-1 Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 2
-4 oz. Whole Wheat Elbow Noodles
-6 oz. 94% Lean Ground Beef
-2 Slices Fat Free Cheese
(All mixed together like as a cheesy, beefy macaroni)
-12 Almonds
Post-workout grubin’ baby!

Meal 3
-4 Whole Eggs
-3/4 Cup Egg Whites
-4 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 4
-7 oz Chicken
-8 oz. Sweet Potato
-1 TBSP Almond Butter

Meal 5
-4 Whole Eggs
-3/4 Cup Egg Whites
-4 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 6
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-6 oz. Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

 

[whatastud08]

Hey Derek...Are you training at a gym in Forney,TX in some of those pics? It looks just like the place I train at when I am home from school.

 

[Beast]

Hey Derek...Are you training at a gym in Forney,TX in some of those pics? It looks just like the place I train at when I am home from school.

Yes sir, that is Forney Athletic Club

Pretty cool little gym, all the workers there were super nice.

 

[whatastud08]

Yes sir, that is Forney Athletic Club

Pretty cool little gym, all the workers there were super nice.

Yep, it's a nice little oasis in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes I am home for a few weeks and the owner has never charged me to work out. I just thought that was crazy considering the size/location of the FAC. They have some really cool amatuer boxing and mixed martial arts meets there too, it gets pretty intense. Anyway, I've been following for a long time, your doing amazing...keep it up!

 

[Beast]

Thursday 11/15/2007


Military Press
235 X 3
185 X 6, 6, 6, 6

Pics from Texas 2007

BB Shrug
425 X 3
315 X 6, 6, 6, 6

DB Side Lateral
40 X 12, 10, 8

Pic from Chicago 2006

DB Shrug
120 X 12, 10, 8

I felt really burned out today. After 1 heavy set I decided to lighten it up a bit.

Today’s Meals

Meal 1
-1 Cup Oatmeal
-1 Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 2
-3 oz. Whole Wheat Noodles
-7 oz. 94% Lean Ground Beef
-1/2 Cup Organic Tomato Sauce
-12 Almonds

Meal 3
-4 Whole Eggs
-3/4 Cup Egg Whites
-4 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 4
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-6 oz. Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 5
-4 Whole Eggs
-3/4 Cup Egg Whites
-1 Cup Mushrooms
-4 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 6
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-6 oz. Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter


Friday 11/9/2007

I am lifting with a friend of mine today. I didn’t really keep track of anything, but we did:
-Barbell Curl
-Close Grip Bench
-Incline DB Curl
-Skull Crushers
-Hammer Preacher Curls
-Cybex Tricep Extensions
-High Pulley Cable Curls

Today’s Meals

Meal 1
-1 Cup Oatmeal
-1 Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 2
-Foot Long Subway Club Sandwich w/ oil & vinegar blend.

Meal 3
-4 Whole Eggs
-3/4 Cup Egg Whites
-2 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 4
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-6 oz. Skim Milk
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 5
-4 Whole Eggs
-3/4 Cup Egg Whites
-2 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 6
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-6 oz. Skim Milk
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Weekend Review

I am feeling pretty burned out and beat up right now so I am going to do a deload week next week. I weighed in up another 2 lbs so I am still gaining well. I think the deload week will do me well though.

 

[Beast]

The Return of The Beast—Week 8 11/26/2007-12/2/2007
By: Derek Charlebois

I did a deload week last week. A deload week could also be called a “light” week where you do not lift as intensely as your normal workouts. I stuck to my same routine exercise wise but did 2 sets of 10 reps, stopping each set shy of failure. The deload week served me well as I feel ready to attack some heavy weights again! I weighed in at 218 on Sunday. My goal was to get to 220 lbs, so I am almost there, just a couple more pounds to go. I will be lifting at 5 AM again and this time I am going to try to stick with it!

Diet for Week 8

Notes:
-Each meal contains 7 oz. of lean meat or 2 scoops protein powder or 4 oz. meat and 1 scoop protein powder
-Each meal contains 15 grams of fat (i.e. 2 TBSP Peanut Butter)
-All carbs are low-glycemic
-I try to get 3 cups of vegetables a day
-I am going to try to get more fruit each day (been failing at that lol).

All of the meals I list during each day match the above macronutrient breakdown for each meal.

Training for Week 8
I am going to be doing a 4-day split this week and will probably stick with a 4-day split for a little while. Lifting heavy 5 days a week takes a toll on my body, especially my joints. An extra rest day should do me some good.

Cardio & Stretching
This week I will be doing 20 minutes of cardio (walking on the treadmill or elliptical) prior to every workout and then 10 minutes of stretching. I do this (1) for my overall health (2) to warm my body up (3) to keep fat gain down. I will also be stretching post workout and 1-2X during the day. My lower back is starting to tighten up again, so I really have to put some extra effort in and focus on stretching to alleviate the pain caused by tight posterior muscles.


Supplements for Week 7

Pre-Workout
-2 Scoops Scivation VasoCharge
-1 Scoop Primal EAA

During weight training I sip on
-8 Scoops Scivation Xtend
I always sip on Xtend during my workout. In fact I haven’t trained without it since 2004!

-Fish Oil (3 grams/day)
-Primaforce Max CLA (3 grams/day)
-GLA (3 grams per/day)
I take these supplements for their nutrient partitioning effects and overall health benefits. All three have been shown to decrease fat gain during a calorie surplus and promote lean mass gains.

-Primaforce Elastamine
-Primaforce Cissus
This is the best joint stack you can buy! Cissus has been a big contributor to the recovery of my lower back.

-Primforce Insopro-R, Pro-liver, Lean Green, and Alcalean
I take these supplements for their nutrient partitioning effects and overall health benefits.

During the day I sip on Xtend. I mix 4 scoops of Xtend in 24 oz. of water and drink 3 of these a day for 12 scoops of Xtend. Xtend mega-dosing baby! One of the perks to working for Scivation!

 

[Beast]

Monday 11/27/2007- Back&Traps

Starting off this week with Back and Traps. My lower back is feeling pretty tight, so we will see what happens.

Pic from July 2003

Deadlift
405 X 3, 3, 3
My lower back was holding me back today. I am very going to put forth some effort to stretch and hopefully decrease my lower back tightness.

Pull-Ups
BW X 10, 8, 6

Bent Over Rows
185 X 10, 10, 10
I went lighter on rows today since my back wasn’t feeling too great. I actually really liked the way this felt as I usually go heavy on rows.

Barbell Shrug
315 X 6, 6 (Front)
315 X 6, 6 (Behind Back)

DB Shrug
100 X 12, 12

Besides my lower back pain this was a good workout. I REALLY want to start adding weight to my deadlift so my priority right now is to get my lower back to 100%.

 

[HUGEbanks]

Heck yes! Now I just got to make sure my joints can take the beating. My elbows are starting to bother me

well if our elbows didnt hurt, it just wouldnt be the same now would it? lol Yeah i know what ya mean man, mine hurt all the time.

 

[Beast]

well if our elbows didnt hurt, it just wouldnt be the same now would it? lol Yeah i know what ya mean man, mine hurt all the time.

DANG JOINT PAIN!!!

 

[Beast]

Tuesday 11/28/2007

Bench Press
315 X 4, 3, 3

Pics from Chicago 2006

Incline DB Press
100 x 6
90 X 10, 8

DB Flies super-setted with Cable Flies
30 X 10/50 X 10
30 X 10/50 X 10

I felt pretty strong on bench press today. I decided to try out super-setting DB flies with cable flies today and I loved it!

***NOTE- Both yesterday and today I did not eat any carbs in my last meal of the day. I am going to do this all week and see what happens. I just haven’t been hungry at night because I eat a lot during the day.

Today’s Meals

Meal 1
-1 Cup Oatmeal
-1 Cup Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 2
-3 oz. Whole Wheat Noodles
-7 oz. 94% Lean Ground Beef
-12 Almonds

Meal 3
-7 oz Chicken
-8 oz. Sweet Potato
-1 TBSP Almond Butter

Meal 4
-4 Whole Egss
-3 oz. Chicken
-4 Slices Ezekiel Bread

Meal 6
-3/4 Cup Oatmeal
-4 oz Skim Milk
-2 Scoops Protein Powder
-2 TBSP Peanut Butter

Meal 6
-7 oz Top Round Steak
-12 Almonds

 

[Beast]

Monday 12/10/2007

Push Day
Bench Press
315 X 6, 3, 3

Military Press
185 X 6, 5, 4

Close Grip Bench
225 X 6, 5, 4

DB Flies supersetted with Cable Flies
30 X 15/60 X 15
30 X 10/60 X 10

1-Arm Cable Laterals
40 X 12, 12

Tricep Pressdowns
150 X 15, 15

This workout felt great and I was DEAD at the end of it. I like focusing on one muscle group per day but I also like this current setup. Both setups work well and I think both should be used.

 

[silverSurfer]

Hi again, I have a question regarding your fat/oil consumption. Your meals alternate between peanuts and almonds. I'm adjusting my diet to include natural oils like yours and I want to include walnuts. Should I stick to peanuts and almonds or do you think walnuts are ok? I just want a little variety.

You're doing great on your plan, keep it up!

 

[Beast]

Hi again, I have a question regarding your fat/oil consumption. Your meals alternate between peanuts and almonds. I'm adjusting my diet to include natural oils like yours and I want to include walnuts. Should I stick to peanuts and almonds or do you think walnuts are ok? I just want a little variety.

You're doing great on your plan, keep it up!

Peanuts, Almonds, Walnuts, Cashews are all great.

Walnuts are 100% acceptable!

 

[Beast]

The Return of The Beast—Week 11 12/17/2007-12/24/2007
By: Derek Charlebois

The Beast is back in action! My lower back is better than it was and I am hoping it will continue to get better. I worked out with my old workout partner Peter again on Saturday and hit Back+Biceps. We did:
-Hammer Strength Row
-Hammer Strength Pulldown
-Chest-Supported T-Bar Row
-Hammer Strength Preacher Curl
-Cable Rope Hammer Curls
-Spider Curls
This was a great workout. I went pretty heavy on the hammer strength equipment (I think they were PRs in these movements) and after spider curls my arms were almost too pumped to function lol.

I weighed in Sunday morning at 213 lbs. I cut the carbs out of my meal 6 for the past 2 weeks and have lost a little fat 

Saturday night/Sunday morning we got blasted with snow. After shoveling snow for 3 hours on Sunday (we got about 12 inches…) my lower back is a bit tight/tender. My shoulders also feel a bit fatigued, so I am expecting Monday’s Chest+Shoulder workout to suffer some.

Diet for Week 11

Notes:
-Each meal contains 7 oz. of lean meat or 2 scoops protein powder or 4 oz. meat and 1 scoop protein powder
-Each meal contains 15 grams of fat (i.e. 2 TBSP Peanut Butter or 18 Almonds)
-All carbs are low-glycemic
-I try to get 3 cups of vegetables a day

All of the meals I list during each day match the above macronutrient breakdown for each meal.

Training for Week 11
I am going to be doing a 4-day split similar to Phase I of the Tri-Phase program:
Mon: Back+Traps
Tues: Chest+Shoulders
Thurs: Legs
Fri: Arms
After trying a couple split setups over the past two weeks, I am going back to my tested and effective setup.

Cardio & Stretching
I am not doing cardio pre or post weight training right now. As soon as I get to the gym I hit the weights. I will be doing cardio on my off days though.

Supplements for Week 11

Pre-Workout
-2 Scoops Scivation VasoCharge
-1 Scoop Primal EAA

During weight training I sip on
-8 Scoops Scivation Xtend
I always sip on Xtend during my workout. In fact I haven’t trained without it since 2004!

-Fish Oil (3 grams/day)
-Primaforce Max CLA (3 grams/day)
-GLA (3 grams per/day)
I take these supplements for their nutrient partitioning effects and overall health benefits. All three have been shown to decrease fat gain during a calorie surplus and promote lean mass gains.

-Primaforce Elastamine
-Primaforce Cissus
This is the best joint stack you can buy! Cissus has been a big contributor to the recovery of my lower back.

-Primforce Insopro-R, Pro-liver, Lean Green, and Alcalean
I take these supplements for their nutrient partitioning effects and overall health benefits.

During the day I sip on Xtend. I mix 4 scoops of Xtend in 24 oz. of water and drink 3 of these a day for 12 scoops of Xtend. Xtend mega-dosing baby! One of the perks to working for Scivation!

Monday 12/17/2007- Chest+Shoulders

I choose to do my chest+shoulder workout in place of my back+trap workout for two reasons: 1) I worked back on Saturday so I am giving it more recovery time and 2) my lower back is tight from shoveling snow and I feel I will have a better back workout tomorrow because my lower back should be a little better then.

Bench Press
315 X 3, 2, 1
Shoveling snow for 3 hours definitely took a toll on my strength… I benched 315 for 6, 5, 4 last week.

Incline DB Press
100 X 10, 6, 6
Surprisingly I felt really strong on Incline DB press today.

DB Flies super-setted with Cable Flies
30 X 15/50 X 15
30 X 15/50 X 15
30 X 15/50 X 15

DB Side Lateral
30 X 10
35 X 10
40 X 6

This was a decent workout. My goal is to hit 6 reps again on bench press with 315 lbs next week.

 

[Beast]

12/18/2007

Back+Traps Workout
Deadlift
405 X 5
455 X 3
475 X 1
I believe this is the heaviest I have gone on deadlifts in the past 2 years! I am 125 away from my old PR and you best believe I will hit that soon! I will go for 495 for 1 next week.

Pull-Ups
BW X 10, 8, 6
I was having trouble doing pull-ups last week due to my left forearm, but it didn't seem to bother me as much today.

Bent Over Rows
225 X 6, 6, 6

Straight-Arm Pulldown
100 X 12
110 X 12
120 X 12

BB Shrug
315 X 6, 6

DB Shrug
100 X 12, 12

It is really motivating to be able to lift heavy again. If things keep progressing they way they are I will be happy

Post Workout Pics:

 

[Beast]

Monday 12/31/2007

Chest+Delts Workout

Bench Press
315 X 3, 3, 3

Incline DB Press
105 X 8, 6, 4

Decline DB Flies
40 X 10, 10, 10

Cable Crossover
50 X 20, 20

DB Side Lateral
40 X 10, 8, 6

Cable Side Lateral
30 X 12, 12

Post-Workout Cardio = 30 minutes on Elliptical

Diet
Diet was spot on today expect for some New Year’s NACHOS!

Tuesday 1/1/2008

I had my last “hooray” meal today, breakfast at Bob’s Evans: Steak & Egg Breakfast with potatoes, banana bread, and biscuits and gravy! SO GOOD!!!

Gym is closed today, so no training.

Wednesday 1/2/2008

My diet will be spot on from here on out. I will only be cutting for 4 or 5 weeks, so there is no time to get sloppy. I weighed in this morning at 212 (holding some water).

Workout = Back+Traps

Deadlift
495 X 3, 2, 1

Pull-Up
BW X 10, 8, 6

Bent Over Row
225 X 10, 10, 10

Straight Arm Pulldown
120 X 10, 10, 10

Barbell Shrug
315 X 10, 10, 10

DB Shrug
100 X 10, 10, 10

Post Workout Cardio = 30 minutes on Elliptical


Thursday 1/3/2008

Workout = Arms

Barbell Curl
95 X 10, 10, 10

Close Grip Bench
235 X 10, 8, 6

DB Preacher Curl
35 X 6, 6, 6

Skull Crusher
95 X 10, 8, 8

Various Cable Curls and Pressdowns

BB Forearm Curl
155 X 8, 8

Hammer Gripper
150 X 8, 8

Post Workout Cardio = 30 minutes on Elliptical


Friday 1/4/2008

Workout = Legs

Squats
315 X 8, 8, 8
I think I am going to shoot for 3 sets of 10 before upping the weight.

Seated Calf Raise
195 X 8, 8, 8

Stiff Leg Deadlift
195 X 8, 8, 8

Leg Press
630 X 8, 8, 8

Donkey Calf Raise
255 X 8, 8, 8

Leg Extension
50 X 30

Seated Leg Curl
50 X 50

Cybex Calf Press
200 X 50 (MAN THAT BURNS!!!)

Post Workout Cardio = 30 minutes on Treadmill

Things are moving in the right direction.


This weekend Scivation will be hosting its for ever seminar at Cape Cod Nutrition Center in Cape Cod, MA! If you are in the Cape Cod area be sure to RSVP and come get some free Xtend slushies.

Because I will be out of town I will not be able to weigh in until next Tuesday.

 

[Beast]

[size=+3]The Return of THE BEAST- Derek Charlebois’ 2008 Journal[/size]

[size=+2]The Return of The Beast—Week 2 (1/9/2008-1/13/2008)[/size]

I weighed in on Monday at 209 lbs. So that is down 3 lbs since last week. My diet was 100% spot on while in Cape Cod. Some struggle with their diet while traveling but even if you are eating every meal at a restaurant you can eat clean. I kept my carbs to meal one and then ate meat+veggies+fat (usually a steak and a salad) for the rest of my meals.

Week 2 Diet (Cut)

Week 2 Workout

Week 2 Supplements
Pre-Workout = 1 Scoop Primal EAA + 2 Scoops VasoCharge
During Workout = 6 Scoops of Xtend
-Elastamine
-Cissus
- Fish Oil, CLA, GLA
-Pro-Liver
-Lean Green
-Insopro-R (with meal 1 only)

Xtend Mega-dosing = 12 scoops sipped during the day

Monday 1/9/2008
Marc and I trained chest+delts on Sunday, so I took today off. Here is the workout we did.

Chest+Delts Workout

Bench Press
315 X 3, 3, 3

Incline DB Press
100 X 10
120 X 6
100 X 6

Decline DB Flies
40 X 10, 10, 10

Dips
3 sets of 15

Cable Crossovers
3 sets of 15

Hammer Shoulder Press
3 sets of 15

Lateral Raise
3 sets of 15 with 25lbs

Post-Workout Cardio = NONE! We were tired and hungry so we went at grubbed!

Tuesday 1/10/2008

Workout = Back+Traps

Deadlift
405 X 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Pull-Up
BW X 10, 8, 6

Bent Over Row
225 X 10, 10, 10

Straight Arm Pulldown
120 X 10, 10, 10

Barbell Shrug
315 X 10, 10, 10

DB Shrug
100 X 10, 10, 10

Post Workout Cardio = 30 minutes on Elliptical

My lower back was still a little sore today from the plane ride home from Cape Cod. All is well though and I had a good workout.


Wednesday 1/11/2008

OFF DAY


Thursday 1/12/2008

Workout = Arms

Barbell Curl
95 X 10 (Wide Grip), 10 (Close Grip), 10 (Reverse Grip)

Close Grip Bench
235 X 10, 10, 10

DB Preacher Curl
35 X 10, 8, 6

Skull Crusher
95 X 10 (Close Grip), 10 (Wide Grip), 10 (Close Grip)

Various Cable Curls and Pressdowns

BB Forearm Curl
155 X 10, 10

Hammer Gripper
150 X 10, 10

Post Workout Cardio = 30 minutes on Elliptical


Friday 1/13/2008

Workout = Legs

Squats
315 X 10, 10, 6

Seated Calf Raise
185 X 10, 10, 10

Stiff Leg Deadlift
185 X 10, 10, 10

Leg Press
630 X 10, 10, 10

Donkey Calf Raise
255 X 8, 8, 8

Post Workout Cardio = 30 minutes on Treadmill


This weekend I will be heading to Boise, Idaho to film Phase 3 of the Tri-Phase program. Saturday and Sunday are going to be rest days, which will be much needed considering I will be doing 4 workouts in 2 days for the video, full body workouts at that! Should be fun though. See you next week!

 

[Beast]

[size=+3]The Return of THE BEAST- Derek Charlebois’ 2008 Journal[/size]

[size=+2]The Return of The Beast—Week 3 (1/14/2008-1/20/2008)[/size]

I’m in Boise this week filming Phase 3 of the Tri-Phase program. We will be doing 4 workouts in 2 days, which will be tough, but we will get it done!

Week 3 Diet (Cut)

I will be adhering to this diet as close as possible when out of town but obviously it won’t be exact.

Week 3 Workout

This week my workouts will be a little different due to being out of town:
Monday = Workouts 1 & 2 of Tri-Phase.
Tuesday = Workouts 3 & 4 of Tri-Phase.
Wednesday = Chest + Calves
Thursday = Back
Friday = Arms
Saturday = Legs
Sunday = OFF!!!

Week 3 Supplements
Pre-Workout = 1 Scoop Primal EAA + 2 Scoops VasoCharge
During Workout = 6 Scoops of Xtend
-Elastamine
-Cissus
- Fish Oil, CLA, GLA
-Pro-Liver
-Lean Green
-Insopro-R (with meal 1 only)

Xtend Mega-dosing = 12 scoops sipped during the day

Monday 1/14/2008
Today we will be doing Workouts 1 & 2 of Phase 3 of the Tri-Phase program:
Workout 1 = 2 sets of 4-6 reps for all exercises
Muscle Workout A (Mon)
Quad Squats
Ham Stiff Leg Deadlift
Calf Seated Calf Raise
Chest Flat Press
Back Bent Over Row
Delt Military Press
Trap Barbell Shrug
Tris Close Grip Bench
Bis Barbell Curl

Workout 1 = 2 sets of 6-10 reps for all exercises
Muscle Workout B (Wed)
Quad Leg Press
Ham Lying Leg Curl
Calf Standing Calf Raise
Chest Incline Press
Back Pull-up
Delt DB Side Lateral
Trap DB Shrug
Tris Skull Crusher
Bis DB Curl



Tuesday 1/15/2008
Today we will being doing Workouts 3 & 4 (weak point training) of Phase 3 of the Tri-Phase program:
Workout 3 = 2 sets of 10-15 reps for all exercises
Muscle Workout C (Fri)
Quad Leg Extension
Ham Seated Leg Curl
Calf Donkey Calf Raise
Chest Decline Press or Dips
Back Lat Pulldown
Delt Cable Lateral
Trap Low-Pulley High Row
Tris Tricep Pressdown
Bis Cable Curl

Workout 4 = Weak point training for biceps, forearms, and rear delts.
We did 3 sets for each of the following exercises.
Machine Preacher Curl
Rope Hammer Curl
Barbell Forearm Curl
DB Forearm Curl
Reverse Pec Dec for Rear Delts


Wednesday 1/16/2008
Workout = Chest+Calves

Despite beating ourselves up for the last two days, Marc and I hit chest and calves today. We did:
Incline Smith Press
Leverage Chest Press
Decline Hammer Strength Press
Cable Flies super-setted with Cable Presses
Donkey Calf Raises
Cybex Calf Extensions

Thursday 1/17/2008
I’m back at home today.

Workout = Back

Pull-ups BW X 10
Chin-ups BW X 10
Parallel Bar Pull-ups BW X 10

Reverse Grip Bent Over Row 185 X 8, 8, 8
I just haven’t been feeling overhead bent over rows lately. I’m going to switch to using a reverse grip for a while.

Lat-Pulldown super-setted with Seated Cable Row
150 X 10/150 X 10 (Wide Grip)
150 X 10/150 X 10 (Reverse Grip)
150 X 10/150 X 10 (Close Grip)
60 X 10/60 X 10 (1-Arm)

Straight-Arm Pulldown
120 X 10, 10, 10

Post-Workout Cardio = 30 minutes on Elliptical


Friday 1/18/2008

Workout = Arms

Barbell Curl
95 X 10
105 X 10
115 X 6

Close Grip Bench
225 X 10
235 X 10
245 X 6

DB Preacher Curl
35 X 10, 10, 8

Skull Crusher
95 X 10 (Close Grip), 10 (Wide Grip), 10 (Close Grip)

Various Cable Curls and Pressdowns

BB Forearm Curl
155 X 10, 10

Hammer Gripper
150 X 10, 10

Post Workout Cardio = 30 minutes on Elliptical


Saturday 1/19/2008

Workout = Legs

Squats
315 X 6
335 X 6, 6

Stiff Leg Deadlift
185 X 10, 10, 10

Leg Press
630 X 10, 10, 10

Bunch of Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, and some sets of the Ab/Adductor machines.

Post Workout Cardio = 30 minutes on Treadmill

This week was very demanding. Marc and I killed it in the gym Mon-Wed, then I came home and did my thing at my gym. After this week I decided I am going to start adding some lean mass again. I am as lean as I need to be right now and my main goal is to add muscle. This short little cut let me lose a little fat but it also gave me my appetite back. Eating 4000 clean calories a day for 16 weeks can get hard. Eating 4000 calories from junk food is easy, but eating 4000 calories from chicken, steak, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, etc. is a challenge. I will go into details about my plan next week. See you then.

 

[Beast]

[size=+3]The Return of THE BEAST- Derek Charlebois’ 2008 Journal[/size]

[size=+2]The Return of The Beast—Week 4 (1/21/2008-1/27/2008)[/size]

I am back to bulking this week, though right now I am only having carbs post workout. My goal is to get 7 meals of 50 grams of protein and 20 grams of good fats (plus carbs with my post workout meal).

Week 4 Diet (Bulk)

Week 4 Workout

Week 4 Supplements
Pre-Workout = 1 Scoop Primal EAA + 2 Scoops VasoCharge
During Workout = 6 Scoops of Xtend
-Elastamine
-Cissus
- Fish Oil, CLA, GLA
-Pro-Liver
-Lean Green
-Insopro-R (with meal 1 only)

Xtend Mega-dosing = 12 scoops sipped during the day

Monday 1/21/2008
I am starting my new workout routine today. The muscle groupings are a little different than before. I feel this setup will allow me to hit each muscle group better, leading to increased gains in size.

Workout = Chest + Calves

Bench Press
315 X 3, 3, 3

Incline BB Press (with 3 second pause at the bottom)
185 X 10, 9, 8

Incline Hammer Press
180 X 10, 10, 10

Cable Flies
50 X 15, 15, 15

Cable Crossovers
50 X 15, 15, 15

Seated Calf Raise
165 X 8, 8, 8

Donkey Calf Raise
250 X 15, 15, 15

Workout Comments
Today’s workout was very productive. Did some incline barbell presses today in place of my normal incline DB press and I think I am going to go back to incline DB presses. I feel that incline DB press offers a different stimulus than barbell presses and like the way it feels more than incline barbell press right now. Just to note, I alternate between sets of cable flies and crossovers with my calf exercises. So I will do a set of cable flies then a set of seated calf raises. This strategy is a great time saver. I’ve been stuck at 315 X 3 on bench press for a couple weeks now. This is always where I reach a sticking point. I usually get up to about 335 for 3 reps then settle back down at 315 for 3 and get stuck there. I am going to try to beat this next week and if I don’t I am going to change up my rep scheme on bench press.


Tuesday 1/22/2008

Workout = Deadlift + Delts + Traps

Dealift
405 X 3
455 X 3
405 X 3
315 X 10, 10, 10

DB Side Lateral
40 X 6
30 X 10, 10

Smith Shrug
315 X 10, 10, 10

Cable Lateral
30 X 12, 12, 10

Low-Middle Trap Smith Shrug
225 X 10, 10, 10
I do these a bit differently than the standard shrug. Instead of shrugging my shoulders up I lift my scapulas and retract my shoulder blades together. I feel this hits more of the lower and middle traps.

Rear Delt Lateral
30 X 10, 10, 10

Workout Comments
I really like this new workout setup. In the past I have always done deadlifts at the beginning of back day, so deadlifts were always followed by some heavy back movements (i.e. bent over rows). Doing deadlifts followed by delts and traps a less demanding and will allow me to hit my back hard on its own day.

Wednesday 1/23/2008

Off Day

Thursday 1/24/2008

Workout = Back

Reverse Grip Bent Over Row
185 X 10
205 X 10
225 X 6

Pull-Ups
BW X 10, 8, 6

Hammer Strength Row alternated with Hammer Strength Pulldown
270 X 10/270 X 10
320 X 6/320 X 6
320 X 6/320 X 6

Seated Cable Row alternated with Lat Pulldown
180 X 10/180 X 10
200 X 10/200 X 10
70 X 10/70 X 10 (1-Arm at a time)

Workout Comments
I think putting back on its own day with no other muscle groups or deadlifts will lead to some great gains. This workout allowed me to really focus on my back and it is here to stay!

Friday 1/25/2008

Workout = Arms

I decided to do things a little differently today. I have ALWAYS started my arms off with heavy movements like barbell curl and close grip bench. Today I am going to put those at the end of my workout.

DB Preacher Curl
40 X 10, 10, 10

DB Kickback
30 X 10, 10, 10

Hammer Strength Preacher Curl
50 X 6
40 X 1
50 X 6

Machine Extension
50 X 10
60 X 6
50 X 10

Barbell Curl
75 X 10, 10, 10

Close Grip Bench
185 X 10
205 X 10
225 X 6

Various Cable Curls and Pressdowns

BB Forearm Curl
155 X 10, 10

Hammer Gripper
150 X 10, 10

Workout Comments
Doing isolation exercise before the big heavy compound movements definitely provided a different feel and I liked it. Doing this also made it so I had to go lighter on barbell curls and close grip bench, which my joints are thanking me for. I think I am going to stick with this strategy for a little bit.


Saturday 1/26/2008

Workout = Legs

Squats
365 X 6, 3, 3

Stiff Leg Deadlift
185 X 10, 10, 10

Leg Press
630 X 10, 10, 10

Bunch of Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, and some sets of the Ab/Adductor machines.

Workout Comments
A solid workout day. I tried going a little heavier on squats today. This is the heaviest I have gone since my lower back injury. I think I am going to go back down to 315 and work on increasing my stability and endurance on squats. Right now I can get 315 for 10 reps. I am going to shoot for 315 for 12-15 reps next week.

Weekly Reflection
I tried out some new training strategies this week that seems to work well for me. I am going to use these strategies next week as well. I will be keeping my diet the same next week. After next week I will most likely increase calories. Right now I am aiming to enter the 2009 NPC Michigan Championships. This will be my first competition in 5 years! This is the competition I was going to enter in 2006 but was unable to due to certain factors. I have definitely made some improvements over the past 5 years, but I have had some injuries that have hold me back. First it was my IT band on my left leg. This happened when I was trying to squat 600 lbs. I was stuck at 585 lbs for 3 reps and I think I was just pushing myself too hard to often; this was an overuse injury. Next came my lower back injury which slowed me down from September 2006 to about September 2007. My lower back is still not 100% but it is slowly getting better. Right now my main focus is adding muscle, specifically to my back. I have over a year until the 2009 NPC Michigan Championships, which gives me time to make improvements. It is time to get to work!