Doc Hollywood’s BodyBlog

Training partner had to visit body performance (supplement shop) and i had never been there so I thought i would tag along. So glad that i did. After a bit of a chat to the dude behind the counter i found out that the NABBA event in May is still happening so I dont have to stress to much about prep time as it is still 17 weeks away. But i had mentally prepared myself to commence dieting so i will cruise into it now, chucking in some decent re-feed days every couple of weeks in Jan and up to mid feb, i reckon that might stave off diet meltdown. Also going to cut back the cardio to once a day know instead of two, that in itself is like winning the Lotto. Also found some Jan Tana tanning gear way cheap like a third of its normal price. Thay had it on the damaged stock shelf, looks like the packaging may have got wet or something, who cares bargain.

I am seriously thinking about video blogging my precontest this time. Last time i competed was around 14 years ago, so i am thinking of calling my little production "Rebirth of a competitor". Now editing well thats a different problem in itself. Our amazon friend has somewhat motivated me to give it a go, but the jury is still out.

Well its the first day into pre contest prep and i was up early doing cardio, pretty low impact, just over 5kms around our subburb. Diet at the moment shouldnt have to change too much as i was eating relatively clean, though i was having carbs with every meal. What will change is any protien shakes will now be with water instead of skim milk, no carbs with last 3 meals of the day, increase my protien a little on those last meals and some peanut butter and almonds before bed. Pretty simple. Probably up carbs a little on workout days especially legs and drop very low on rest days.

Workouts will change a little, i will workout twice a day up to 2 weeks out and will add another session on the weekend for lagging parts (shoulders atm). I think i will be pushing it because the comp i wanted to do was mid may, but looks like it was cancelled and another one will be held mid march. I only just found this out so have only 10 weeks, which might mean i have to diet too strict. I really like to be ready 2 or 3 weeks out so i can eat into a comp, and dont have to explore the rash water depletion methods some guys need to try. As Layne N has said theres no such thing as not dry enough you just werent lean enough. But no time for excuses, i will do my best. And i will do an afternoon/ evening cardio session as well. I am 101 at the moment and leaner than i have been at this weight before, so hopefully 85 - 86 will have me in good enough condition. So thats averages just over 1.3kg (3 pounds a week).

Try again, dont you hate it when you did a big post and lost the lot. AH well try again.

Our gym is only open today and tomorrow this week so I thought I would get 2 workouts in and would have to figure out the best way to utilize the two days. I thought i might give some giant sets a try, how does squat, leg press, and extensions sound 15 reps or failure. Sounds good in theory might as well give it a go. For the love of god who thought up this muscle tearing, vomit inducing whoops fell over again, sorry everyone for crying like a girl set. Whinge a lot, nearly barf and repeat. And throw in some curls for hammies.

What could we do for chest, flat bar, incline db and some cable crossovers to finish, yeah that sounds positively peachy. AH the burn, mummy make the bad people go away, this crap hurts. Bis, relatively simple just some preacher curls with hammers. Well couldnt really feel much by then and the copious amount of fluid my surface area was secreting had put the flames out anyway, so as i dropped the dbells no one minded the many FFFFs that enimated from my potty mouth.

Was first time taking No explode again after barage of blood tests so I think some of the sweating came from that, a side effect i can tolerate, but most probably the fact that it hit 43 degrees here, oh yeh for my US friends that celcius.

Talking about US friends everyone needs to check out Amazongoddess’ video blogs, pretty cool and awesome quality. Thats something that erks me here. People spend so much time getting the look, and then submit some grainy crap low res image for the world to see. Not our Amazon here vid editing was top notch and the sound was clear. but man has the girl got some serious hair.

Last gripe for the day, here in Oz (especially WA) our comp schedule is very limited. Normally NABBA have a comp in mid May, but because the Oz titles get shared around the states (good thing) it looks like we miss out on that one because the Oz is mid March. I wanted to get one in before the INBA later in the year as a praccy but dont have the time t get ready for the Ozzies. Unfortunately a couple of away trips the most inconvienient being last week of feb, first week of March. So looks like I will miss out unless i can do an interstate one around may, will see what the logistics stack up like. Now must remember to copy to clipboard before pushing the no return button.

But first of all, merry non donomical holiday break for all my peeps out in BB.com. I hope it is a safe and happy festive time for yourselves and loved ones.

More bloods done the other day, lfts, androgen index and free testosterone. The bad guys (alt, alp) had actually started to fall considerably, which is good, but so had test which is bad, so very bad. We are now scratching our heads, was the supplements actually doing what the ads say, and increasing test levels, or was it unrelated and they were just killing my liver. Now the process will start by adding one supp at a time for 2 weeks and doing another blood test. The testosterone is another kettle of fish. Realistically i should now start reandron or something similar like sustanon, but their goes natural status, which i hold in high regard, its a personal thing. I am wondering if the androgen test may have been a little skewed, even though i havent been carb restricted, i had just finished a pretty grewling 5 x 5 routine for 3 weeks and some real high intensity workouts to finish of the year before a week of over christmas.

I really live a healthy lifestyle, i have never smoked or drank alcohol, and have always eaten relatively ok, sometimes a bit to much but generally ok. I have always done some sort of exercise even on my 8 year sabatical from the gym i was still playing high level rugby, so its not like i was a slough. My point being how many gym trainers, on supps etc go through there activities without having a bit of a medical intervention, like some blood work to give them an indication of whats going on with their bodies. It may be just peachy on the outside, but is it worth killing yourself on the inside.

Well we have finished our  5 X 5 routine now, and i can tell you the first set of 10 reps after a few weeks killed me. Once again confirming that you need to change up your routine frequently. Pushed out first 5 easy and after that the body started screaming "What the hell are you doing". And even though the weight was lighter muscles were simply torched. Didnt help doing legs first up. Squats, presses, extensions, Curls, stiffies, and finished of with some walking lunges. Feel the burn baby, and then do the goosey chicken walk back to the changeroom without falling over. Stumbled a bit but kept the legs moving.

Training with out No-Explode really bites atm. I am having more bloods taken today, both lft’s, and re-doing androgen index, just to see what has happened to test level, and therefore its correlation to liver function. Hopefully those values have dropped somewhat. Problem then, through process of ellimination it will have been one of, or the combination of supplements i have been taking. Now that will suck because i thought after many years of trial and error i had got my supps just about right. I really hope my test has normalised though i just cant find a decent suit for figure comps next year, they just make my butt look big…

Well the ol 5 x 5 is starting to take its toll. You know when you first start you think ‘ hey this isnt to bad’ but before you know it the weight creeps up on you and kicks you in the butt. Unfortunately as good as my gym is the dumbells go up in 2.5kg increments (5.5 pounds) each. So thats 11 pound jumps. So the jump from 105pound db incline presses to 110 pounds is a big jump. AH well thats life.

Havent been able to deadlift because of the back, so I have had to make do with the machines and am fast running out of plates, the new gym has such an awesome range of back equipment though i am sure i will find something to do. Did stiff leg deads the other day and they felt ok, but dont wont to push it to much just yet.

The missus helped me relieve my hairy predicament yesterday. She is a beauty therapist and i can normally swear my head of when she is ripping the hair from my body. Man that crap just doesnt get any easier, oh lord the pain. How do chicks wax in places that wax should never go. Ah well have to go and find a place to take the workers for christmas. Funny these days how the employees expect a free night out, as well as being paid, and super, and paid leave etc etc.

You know after years of trialling supps i reckon my current bunch are what suits me the best. But after 3 days with absolutely no supps at all todays workout bit the big one. My pre-workout is 2 scoops No explode and 3 NAnox9 tabs, gives me an awesome pump and energy to get through the heavy long stuff I am doing at the moment. Todays workout sucked both mentally ad physically. I just wasnt there, couldnt get into it, and was struggling all round. Now i am not niave enough to understand the placebo effect of a lot of these supps, but the placebo effect has been proven to be a strong, and valid one. So maybe the mind wasnt really there today. Training partners today werent really with it either, one was feelling crook, but was still trying, and the wife was doing her best to piss me off, and was more interested in getting to her hair appointment. Ah well its the weekend coming a couple of days rest and maybe we will all be raring for week 3 of our 5 x 5 which by the way is starting to get hell heavy.

Cheers all and have a good weekend.

Well the results are in and there not what i expected and definately not good. Both aft and ast are not only still elevated but rising. Not good. Neither is the next move. Now i will have to stop all supplementation for 2 weeks and do them again. I really dont heavily supplement. BCAAs, multivitamin, and a garlic tab in the morning, NO explode and NaNox9 before i train, BCAAs after, and before bed. That with a couple of protien shakes a day, and thats about it. If the exclusion route works we will then add stuff to find the culprit. Reminds me of an episode of House.

If it doesnt work then I will trundle off to a hepatologist because we are at a bit of a loss as to what is happening. On another note the 5 x 5 split is starting to do its thing, i am definately getting stronger. If i only had some testosterone i might even put on some lean muscle mass. AH well i am still looking at next years figure fitness comps. Hehehe.

Thought for the day,

Handle every stressful situation like a dog.
If you can’t eat it or hump it.
Piss on it and walk away

Had to buy myself a workout book today, doing 5 x 5 split and cant remember what the last weight i completed was. Man this getting old thing is bogus, i am glad my office is 10 feet from my bed, would probably get lost on the way to work otherwise. Us elderly can always seem to find a kitchen though.

Life is good again now that i am back into a routine. Most people hate routine but i love it, it is simple and thus life is simple as well. Get up have eggs and oats, morning shake, train, eat , finish up work, eat, relax or walk, eat, actually talk to wife, eat, go to sleep, all to easy, chuck in some fishing and some golf (wreck a good walk) and what else could a guy want. Oh yeah and some BB.com time as well, now thats a bonus, have definatley stopped looking at so much porn on the web these days. Hey fair go its like junk food you all do it, just no-one will admit it.

Stay fit people, do that last rep on your own, and be happy.