Ivan25’s BodyBlog

After having earned my pro card, I am now just enjoying working out for myself and maintaining a good fitness level and general health… I also turned 30 this year.. What I have noticed is, the closer lifestyle is to contest prep mode, the better off one will be in so many facets… First, you will be healthier for a variety of reasons… Secondly, you will keep metabolism, etc. in a good state… I do not bulk anymore, never will again and just do not believe in it… What I believe in is simply eating healthy, keeping cardio and resistance training in year round, keeping stretching and yoga in year round and working on functional elements of fitness as well… This is the way I always trained and the way I believed in being healthy… No matter what opinions come against me, the one thing I love is I am living healthy and reaping those benefits. Why cardio year round? Why did we all of sudden change the rules of being healthy and fit to accommodate what we assume are super-natural humans (bodybuilders)? Some things change, but certain things just don’t… And I personally like that fact… For instance, just yesterday, I did a simple leg workout.. No free-weights, just machines and light weight… I am out of competition right now and just want to focus on maintaining myself and also, I just love how exercise makes me feel, so I do it for no other reason than to feel good and b/c it is a part of me… My main goals for this year and next are to continue strengthening my rotator cuff, knees stabilizers, core and ankles… I also want to work on my overall symmetry and proportions as well… I do not plan on being the best or even one of the best in bodybuilding competition.. I simply want to live healthy and know how to eat healthy and train smart and feel great… I am still learning, but am certainly enjoying the process. Each day and workout brings it’s own elements and aspects… As a certified personal trainer and natural pro bodybuilder, I am really enjoying bringing advice and tips that are more practical and applicable to the everyday person.

Yesterday was a great arm workout… I planned on hitting biceps and triceps… I had a friend show up and we just worked out together.. He assisted with some exercises by stabilizing my arms to intensify the contraction intensity…  One example, I did tri-sets for biceps then triceps… For triceps, my 1st exercise was weighted bench dips (80 lb added) for 12 reps, then seated overhead dumbbell tricep extensions… On this one, I asked him to grab behind my arms right below my elbows and to pull back slightly during the lifting phase and relax up on the lowering part… What this does from a biomechanical standpoint is create stretch tension while the muscle is contracting… Thus, the tricep is working harder  from both ends (origin and insertion) plus it stimulates more activity from the longhead, since it’s other function is shoulder extension…

Another aspect was that I have not been working out to music.. I’ve been going without music.. And the feeling is amazing… I feel the pain more, and the thing about pain is, you can come from a glass is half empty place or glass is half full place… State of mind is huge… And my state of mind was simple, gas the muscle’s to failure in a safe and physiologically safe and smart way… Now I like music and I workout to it from time to time… Mainly during contest prep… But in off-season, I like going without it… I like getting back to what really motivates me.. And it is the chance of having time to yourself and a chance to motivate others… By pushing yourself, others see this and it inspires… I guess I like being an inspiration… I know from a psychological standpoint that this can be broken down into 2 states: cognitive association and cognitive dissassociation… Right now, I am cognitively associating with the pain of working out and I love it… At first it sucks, but the more you do it, the more you began to realize that this pain is actually strength being built into your body… Again, listen to your body and challenge yourself intelligently… Cognitive dissassociation is when I would workout with music… Nothing wrong with this, and it has it’s benefits.. Music can get one to push harder… And I like incorporating this as well… I feel variety is important… And this offers such…

On another note, I know often times when I post on the forums here, many ppl despise my opinions…  I think the popular opinion in the contest prep forum is grotesque… And the essence and love of training is completely lost in my opinion… It’s an extremist type of attitude among many there…. The contest prep thread embodies muscle dysmorphia… Only a few there are in this for the right reasons…. For instance, how many bodybuilders take yoga? I do…. Point is, when they say body-mind-spirit… It’s not just body… In fact, I am looking forward to the yoga article I have written and will submit here…. It will be enlightening to many, distasteful to others… 

I love being positive and helpful to others… I want to teach and spread my knowledge so others can benefit… Take the best, leave the rest… This is the truth… I really enjoy the essence of exercise… Mainly, they way it makes me feel… Doesn’t it just feel so good during the workout and then after? Doing your body good, what better gift? It is the gift that keeps on giving…

Back to the education rant… The reality is, reputation gets points here.. Not intent or actual action of doing the right thing… I see so many flaws in the opinions of many on these forums.. And rightfully so and as expected, nobody likes it when someone corrects or offers constructive criticism…. I guess it all depends on the tone and portrayal of this constructive criticism… I’m not a no-pain, no gain type of guy… I’m a no strain, no gain kind of guy…

I read recently how weight cycling in healthy weight women had some negative health effects… There is a lot of research that has shown weight cycling to not have an effect on health… So in a  nutshell the research on weight-cycling is inconclusive… But here’s my beef with this whole line of research… First, the only good thing about it is from a learning perspective… As far as practicality, it makes no sense…

1) Change is the wave of life… nothing ever really stays the same, if it did, we would get bored quick..

 2) There are few ppl who will stay the same bodyweight their entire life… Holidays, changes in schedule etc all influence the inevitable factor called calories in vs. calories out…

 3) As we grow older, metabolism declines, so we have to workout more and eat smarter to off-set these age-related changes..

4) Is it better to stay obese for the sake of maintaining weight stability? Look at NBC’s the biggest loser… They are examples of weight cycling at the extreme… Losing more than 100 lb’s in some cases.. I don’t believe that study showing that normal weight people can’t lose weight to get super lean or in shape b/c of so called health risk… Risks are inevitable in life… The key is knowing the significance of the risk and whether it has true bearing in one’s life… Smoking is a greater risk than weight cycling hands-down… I think that study was sham… It limits our desire to peak at points in our life… Sports are based on periodization… In football, wrestling, boxing, etc, athletes stay in shape in off-season but they are not peaking year-round… This is my case and point here… Look at the movie Rocky, and other movies… Most celebrities peak for movies, but after the movie, they return to being a really good shape, just not peaked… There is a difference and I believe the research on weight-cycling is mainly attributed to people who diet and yo-yo there weight… For me, my weight typically flucuates 5-lb during the year… When in contest prep though, I may lose 10-12 lb… But what is needed to be understood here is going from a lean 9-10 % to 3-5% for a bodybuilding contest is ok by me… It’s done in moderation and only for a short period of time…

5) The most important thing is maintaining a healthy body composition, waist circumference and bodyweight lastly… Bodyweight is last b/c if body composition is good, then bodyweight is irrelevant… However, if body composition is bad and bodyweight is bad, then change would be advised…

In conclusion, I will end this blog with a great quote… "If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter." Satchel Paige. For me, going from 9-10% to 3-5% doesn’t matter to me… I want to take my body to peak levels in my life… And I chose to pursue greatness rather than stay stagnant the rest of my life…

 Bottomline: Most research shows weight cycling to NOT be hazardous to health.. And in fact, I find it motivating… To see an obese person get in shape and stay that way… That is inspiring… Life is not simple and stable… Change is inevitable.. And these studies miss that… The only benefit is for leisure reading and information… But the reality is, stay in good shape and if you want to peak and take your fitness level or body composition to the extreme, go for it. We only live once.

You know… I may have to accept the reality that I may never make it in bodybuilding as a well-known competitor… I believe I  may turn pro but many ppl will always question whether I really am a pro based on how they see me daily… The reality is, my body fat is around 9-10% year round… For me, that’s cool, but I tend to store fat around my waist, as do most men as research shows… I have a 6-pack, but not one I’d feel comfortable showing off… The only time I am 100% confident with my abs is when I’m competing… And that usually means cardio 5-6 days/week and weights 3-4 days/week with strict eating… Here’s the thing, why can’t I be with those kind of abs year round? The reality is we get older and things change metabolically… But on a more important note, I just read this book that mentioned that having 6-pack abs year round is unrealistic… It mentioned how even the 1% of genetically-endowed fitness models who do photoshoots have to prep for a photoshoot. Although they look better than most year round, they still need at least 1-week to peak for a magazine cover. What is realistic, however, is having a flat, strong waist. One that fits right in clothes. My waist is 32 inches year round, but for contest prep, it gets to 30 inches…  The key to me is knowing what to train for and live for… I have anxiety issues and all I know is that working out, no matter what the purpose, just makes me feel good… I feel better afterwards everytime… Motives change, for instance, when I feel anxious during the day, I look forward to getting in a good workout to work on improving my health or at least mitigating some of the negative effects anxiety/stress have on the body… I also workout b/c it keeps me within striking distance of my next contest prep… All in all, training just makes me feel good… It’s good for our physical and mental health…

I don’t believe in lifting heavy that much anymore… I want to be healthy for the long-term.. As far as the pro card goes, I believe it’s overrated… I just want to get it at some point, and I just love being ripped… Frank Zane won the Olympia 3 times, he lifted heavy early on, but later on, he used mind-body connection more often…

For me, I just want to compete and potentially get my face out there in fitness magazines… I’m not the hardcore kind of bodybuilder who wants to build huge amounts of muscle… I tried it 2- years ago, and I feel it was detrimental to my joints…

I am getting my some customized orthotics next week since I have flat feet and both legs get tired from prolonged standing and stuff….

Here are some pics of my most recent competition… If you look at the pics, I look awesome in a few, and not so awesome in others… I believe that as a Natural, posing is very critical to doing well… I placed 1st in a class of 5 in this show…

All b/c I was most shredded… You look bigger on-stage shredded…

I basically lifted weights 2-3 times per week and did cardio 4-5 times per week… This is completely contrary to popular opinion in bodybuilding, but again, it’s all about perspective… IT’s all a matter of opinion…

I don’t have good mass, never did, even when I was able to squat 405 for 5 reps at 175…. What’s the point? In natural shows, if you come in shredded and ripped, you will do well…

I don’t train hard anymore, I train SMART… I do the minimal amount to get the most reward…

 Here’s the thing… I trained heavy 2-year ago, bulked up to 184 once in my life… I say this b/c I never plan on getting that heavy again… Did it help? Maybe… It might have added more density to my frame at 160, but it sure seems to have affected my joint health as well… I’m working on improving this over time with 4-6 month breaks of which I focus on functionality and flexibility…

 I competed in 6 shows in my 1st 2 years, did all the non-sense unproven methods and only got 1st in one show..

This year, I competed in 5 shows!!!! Got 1st place in 4 and 2nd in 1!!!!! I did it just coming in ripped…

And without the added stress of heavy lifting while being lean…. I just believe that I will turn pro on my own right…. I will turn pro, I’m already a pro in my eyes and mind… It’s only a matter of time until the judges realize this as well…

Most important, I will bodybuild for the long-term and stay injury-free and healthy while doing it… Training smarter and more efficiently/effectively…