Lowell_G’s BodyBlog

Today I did deadlifts for the first time since I started my contest prep. I usually hate doing them, but today I was actually looking forward to it. Probally cause I haven’t done them in 12 weeks or so. They are my favorite exercise for addng mass and strength to my back. They are also a  great leg building exercise. It didn’t help that my legs were still sore from Tuesday. My body gets so much more sore from going heavy than doing lighter weights for high reps. Even after starting bodybuilding I think the powerlifting style gives me the best gains. I usually do 5 sets of 5 when deadlifting. I tried to go as heavy as 12 weeks ago, but it probally wasn’t a good idea. I did 135×10 for a warmup, then 225×5, 315×5, 335×5, and I only got 365 for 2. I was going up to about 400 but it wasn’t happening today. I need some more time to get back into the swing of things. Overall I had a good back workout. I also did v-bar rows, bent barbell rows, and close grip lat pull downs. I kept it heavy and hard. For cardio I ran 20 min. on the treadmill. Tomorrow I will be doing delts and abs.

Well the show went well. I took 1st in the teen class and 3rd in the lightweight.  Now that its over its time to pack the mass. This doesn’t mean that im gonna stop doin cardio though, im just gonna do it differently. I will do cardio 3 or 4 times a week for about 20-30 min. but i will be running instead of walking. During my contest prep i walked on an incline for 35-50 minutes for at least 6 days a week. The last 2 days I started going heavy. I haven’t lost much strength in my contest prep. Monday I went up to 275 on the bench press and did 7 reps. I was able to do 8 before cutting weight. Today I started out with front squats and went up to 265. I never tried this before but i got 5 tough reps. I did a 30 min. run today and that wrapped up a killer leg workout. I was never in good running shape and that is the longest I’ve ran nonstop. Once I got done I felt great though. I never thought I would say, I like running. Its all about setting goals and breaking boundaries!

Today at the gym I had a short workout. I did shoulders for high reps, just to get a good pump. I did 4 exercises and kept the reps from 12-20. I finished up with 30 minutes of cardio. Tomorrow I will just be doing abs and cardio. I will probally start applying the pro tan tomorrow also. I will be practicing my routine to make sure I got it down pat. Saturday I will be taking the day off to relax before the show on sunday…

Less than a week out from my comp. There is not much else u can do in the final week as in muscle mass or lowering body fat. The most important thing I have to do now is stick to my diet. I will be going to the gym every day this week except for the day before the show. Today was my first day of college and I had a pounding headache after classes. I didn’t use that as an excuse though. I lifted at the school gym for a change, it was a little hard to get adjusted to at first. I had a decent arm workout, using lighter weight for 15-20 reps. I just wanted to get a good pump, since I am only 6 days out. Tomorrow I will be doing legs for higher reps.

Its geting closer and closer to show time..Today was the last heavy day before my comp. I did my usual hamsting workout heavy and hard. All next week I’ll be going lighter and just focusing on high reps and geting a good pump. I also did abs today, as I do everyday and 30 min. of cardio. Tomorrow I will be doing abs and cardio. I definitely need to go taning as well because I didn’t do it today. Oh yeah my first day of college is on Monday, I only have one class next week so it wont affect my training. The most important thing now is just sticking to my diet and making sure I have everything I need for the comp.

The time is going by fast, only 11 days til my comp. Things are shaping up good I’m keeping my diet in check and lifting heavy and hard. Im about 140lbs. right now. This week will be the last time I use heavier weights before my comp…Next week Ill be using lighter weight for 15-20 reps and just geting a good pump before the show. Ill still continue to do cardio up until the day before the comp. I have to make sure to tan everyday as well. Along with the other stuff that gets forgotten sometimes, like practice posing and geting my routine down pat. I have my music selected already so i wont have to worry about that. Today I did arms and tomorrow will be the last heavy back day I do before the show.

Only a couple weeks till my comp. Today I had a great chest workout…I pretty much go heavy all the way up to show time.Thats how I’ve always lifted and is what has given me the best gains. Next week I’ll have to turn it down a notch though, I dont want any careless injuries right before the comp. Today was pretty much all dumbbells. I started out with incline press and did 75×15 80×12 90×9. Next was flat bench 90×12 95×10 100×7. Then decline 80×12 85×11 95×10. Following that I did decline flies for 50×10 55×8 60×7. I did the wide chest machine and incline chest machine after that going up to about 245 lbs. 8-12 reps. The last thing i did was the pec deck I pyramided up to 200 for 3 sets 10-12 reps. I finished my workout with abs and cardio…Tomorrow will be my last heavy quad day before the show…

Today I had a great hamstring workout…I think i am geting great results since ive broken my legs up into 2 days, hams and quads…It doesnt even feel like im 2 weeks out right now…My workouts are geting more intense each day. Right now I’m taking it one day at a time as the comp. approaches. I did some heavy squats today and went up to 365, it felt pretty good. I grinded out 6 reps but should’ve tried 8…Lately I have been taking sundays off but I will probally be there tomorrow to do abs and cardio. Its time to step it up a notch!!!

Wow…after a long summer of dieting my comp. is finally almost here. I am 17 days out and think I am right on track to be dialed in for the show. My abs are in better than ever, and this is good because that was one part I was really trying to inprove. My legs are a lot better since my last show, i think they could be a little more cut up…but theres still a little bit of time left, so we’ll see what happens. At this point all I am thinking about is food. I cant wait until I can have a cheat meal. I think im about 142 lbs. now and I didnt lose a whole lot of strength since dieting. I think keeping your strength while dieting is all mental…if u believe that you can lift the weight then u will do it. I dont use dieting as an excuse to use lighter weight. I just have to work harder to grind out the reps. Today I had back on the agenda…I did abs and cardio before work and then finished up my back workout after. Tomorrow I dont work, so Ill only be making one trip to the gym for my shoulder workout. 

Im closing in on 2 weeks left until my comp…Since last week its seems like my strength has dropped a lot more than it has, since i started my diet…275 on the bench press actually felt hard, i hate it…Im not used to this because I usually do a pretty good job at keeping my strength while cutting…But im also lighter than I’ve been in a long time so I guess that will happen. I was at the gym twice today because I was working 10 to 3, so I did my cardio on the treadmill in the morning. I went back after work to complete my chest and abs workout. I finished up with 15 min. in the tanning bed….