Brad’s BodyBlog

The Week I Became a Pro Bodybuilder and RKC
By Brad Loomis RKC
WNBF Professional Bodybuilder
 

“This is going to be too damn hard,” I remember thinking to myself that Sunday afternoon.  Looking back now, of course it was going to be hard, nothing monumental is ever easy or it would not be monumental.  We had just gotten home from the INBF Capital City Natural Bodybuilding and Figure Championships, the biggest natural bodybuilding competition I had ever done.  My belly was literally distended from all of the muffins, pastries, potato chips, and other junk food I had eaten to celebrate my middleweight win.  Others tried for years to get a top three at this show.  In my first attempt, I won the middleweight class.  Then, to top it off, I was narrowly beaten for the overall.  NARROWLY beat by a legitimate pro bodybuilder who was looking for the same thing I was — a WNBF pro card.  He got it, and I didn’t.  I was a little disappointed, but content.  Then my phone rang. It was the phone call that would change my life.
The call was from one of my best friends and fellow natural bodybuilder, Ken Stevenson.  “Dude, quit pigging out.  I have to ask you something.  How bad do you want your pro card?”  I was not sure how to answer.  “Well, the thought of having it has made me cry on occasion so I guess pretty bad,” was my reply.  To make a long story short, Ken was willing to give me the money for my airfare to Washington State for an INBF show that would take place in one month.  I was literally shaken to the bone that he would be so generous.  Our conversation ended with me asking for some time to think and pray about it.
That was a long night.  I called my mom.  I called another of my best friends, Ron, who is also a natural bodybuilder.  I talked with my wife.  Most importantly, I talked with God, a lot.  We shed a lot of tears that night my wife and I.  Nearly six hours had passed, and I had not made a decision.  I had the support of my wife, my friends, and my mom. But I was still thinking, “This is going to be too damn hard.”
I was scheduled to take my RKC in three weeks.  RKC stands for Russian Kettlebell Challenge.  It is a system of athletic training that relies heavily on the use of Kettlebells.  Imagine a cannonball with a handle on the top of it and you know what a Kettlebell looks like.  The course was expensive and very grueling to pass.  I had prepared myself months in advance for some of the grueling workouts we would have bestowed upon us by the RKC Senior instructors, Master Trainers, and Pavel Tsatsouline, the man responsible for bringing the RKC from the Soviet Union.  I was not going to miss out, but at the same time, how in the world was I going to do both?
Later that night I got an e-mail from Ron, the friend I referred to earlier.  His words still quite literally make me break down into tears.  Making reference to a movie he had loaned me and some of the events leading up to the Capital City Naturals, these were his words.
 

Brad,

In the movie, God sends Mr. Bridges to show Coach Taylor through Revelations 3: 7-8:
“What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”
He states:  “The Lord is not through with you yet”

In real life, God has sent you many angels to show you that this is not the end of YOUR YEAR! I think there is a purpose for everything, and I feel that there is a reason Ken came to you. I feel there is a reason I started working out and helping you. There’s a reason a member of the gym gave you a stereo, there’s a reason Jamie has never left your side & helped you at EVERY competition.

I firmly believe this is not an accident. I feel that this is TOO IMPORTANT for you to turn down. It’s time for Washington State to see FLEX Loomis and to give God the praise.

I’m behind you Brother!
 

Ronzilla
By the next morning, I had made my decision.  I was going to give everything I had to this challenge, EVERYTHING!!  Ron and I had one of the most memorable leg workouts I have ever had that morning, the first of more to come in the next month.  We decided that we would not focus too much and too soon on how we were going to do this.  The hard part that of deciding, was done.  We would just focus on the two consecutive weekends I would be earning my RKC and pro card.  We would focus on the details as they came.  As for the immediate future, I would just let Ron train me.  Later that night I would teach my step aerobics class, just like every Monday after that.  I went back to the nutritional menu I had been using before the Capital City Naturals.  I just added more food.  I did not even measure.  I just ate more of what I was eating before. 
By the week’s end I had a new nutritional menu and a new approach to how I would fuel my body to keep my body ultra lean while, at the same time, keep my energy levels up and my body healthy in its weakened state.  Bodybuilders must do everything possible to maintain as much of their hard earned muscle as possible. But this is hard to do when you are constantly in starvation mode, and, unfortunately, to stay ultra lean I was always in starvation mode.
In the following weeks, I just stuck to the plan we set out and let the details work themselves out as we went.  Ken had paid for my airfare, but what about a rental car?  What about room and board?  What about gas?  It seemed that God was literally sending His angels down to help me.  The promoter of the show came through first, and told me I could stay in a spare bedroom at her home.  Next, I asked local businesses to sponsor me and wrote an advertisement that I would run in the paper when all was said and done.  I figured if I had six local business sponsors at $50 - $100, I would have the $250 - $300 I needed to cover my expenses.  Once pitched, it seemed anyone and everyone was literally giving me money.  Checks for $100 as well as cash seemed to be coming from everywhere.  Day by day Ron trained me in the morning.  I did my Kettlebell training and practice in the evening with either the Kettlebell Club or Tom, another of my good friends who would be traveling to UCLA with me to earn his RKC.  I was sure of it — God was not done with me and wanted me to be doing this. 
I followed the new nutrition menu to the LETTER.  It was like something I had never done before with lower carbohydrates and higher healthy fats.  We also scheduled a meal consisting of 135grams of low glycemic carbs and 30grams of healthy fats as a “re-feed” meal every third night to replenish my body.  I was not questioning it. God laid it before me. Although I was apprehensive at first, I just put my faith in the plan and executed it with excellence.  Each week to be sure, Ron took caliper measurements of my thigh, hip bone, upper back, biceps, and triceps to be sure what we were doing was effective.  The day before I left for the RKC, his measurements showed I had actually dropped some body fat!
We designed a nutritional menu specifically designed for the weekend of the RKC. It had more carbohydrates and healthy fats so that I could handle the intense eight hour workouts that lay ahead.  I painstakingly pre-made all my food. When Thursday morning July 31^st came, Tom and I drove down to UCLA with our coolers full of food and me with a box of supplements.  We arrived in the evening and attended a Meet & Greet where we met the faculty and our fellow student instructors to be.  I just filled up on vegetables and one piece of raw salmon and turned in early because the physical testing would come soon.
That morning I was really nervous.  The big test lay ahead in just a few hours.  With one swing between the legs, we had to snatch a 52lb kettlebell straight overhead with the arm locked out.  The number of reps I was required to do was determined by my body weight.  If things went as planned, I would have to snatch 52 times.  We were only allowed to switch arms once.  I had done just this at least a dozen times.  In fact, days before the Capital City show, I did 60 reps, 30 with one arm and 30 with the other.  Yet as the time drew near, I was literally on my knees in the shower praying for strength.
The hotel provided us with a buffet style breakfast, but I took nothing but the coffee.  I executed the nutrition menu we had designed to the letter.  I weighed in at 164.5lbs, exactly what I had weighed in the day before when Ron checked me. So, I would snatch 52 times.  I was second in our group. Once I started, I just stared at a yellow flower on the ground.  Rep after rep I snatched that thing overhead with my left arm.  My game plan was to switch arms at rep 30.  My fellow students gave me words of confidence, but I didn’t need them.  I was in a rhythm, and I was making it look easy.  I barely started breathing hard when I reached 30 with my left arm. Although I did not need to, I switched.  I was on the homestretch, and the reps were coming easier now with my fresh arm.  At one point, one of the students said, “Man, this guy has got some CARDIO, I want to see him keep going!”  When I reached 52, I snatched the thing one more time for good measure and held it locked out overhead.  I pressed the bell down, and dropped it on the ground.  Then looking to the heavens I said out loud, “Thank You Lord.”
The weekend was very physical, but pretty much all the tests went just like the snatch test.  VO2 max snatch test, Graduation Workout, all the workouts were physical, but I smoked them all.  The hardest part was training our volunteer “victims.”  I thought I botched the whole thing when Tricia, one of the assistant instructors, reminded me to have my trainees take their shoes off.  I did not give it a second thought.  I had them remove their shoes, got into my personal training persona, and the session went well.  I even had one of my trainees ready to purchase a kettlebell.
My name was called and I walked toward Rif, my team leader.  He had just been promoted to RKC Master Instructor so I knew he was pretty elated.  I, however, was nervous.  After being so ready for this course I wondered if my oversight with the shoes cost me my certificate of instruction and the $1,600 in tuition.  Rif stood up, handed me my folder, and said “Congratulations my friend, you are an RKC!”  My eyes widened, and I started to cry.  “Was there ever any doubt?” he questioned.  He had nothing but praise for me, and it felt so good to hear that I could not stop crying.  I hugged him, hugged Tricia, looked again to the Heavens and said “Thank You.”
The nine hour drive home flew by.  Tom and I were so excited about what we had accomplished, what lay ahead, and our game plan for the coming months.  The excitement carried through Tuesday.  Then reality set in — I had to be on a flight for Washington in less than 3 days!  I was getting nervous!  What if I was not ready? What if all the food I ate while at UCLA screwed up my chances?  What if all the carbs I took in replenished my glycogen levels to the point that my carb up for the show would not work?  I hit the gym hard with a workout in the morning and workout at night.  I went back on the low carb, high fat nutrition menu.  I was training folks at 5:00am, and I could not ride my bike to the gym like I had been doing before.  That made me worry as well.  I was a wreck.
Just as before, God sent His angels to me.  My fellow bodybuilding buddies sent me daily quotes and e-mails which kept me confident.  It helped, but part of the problem was I that I felt pretty damn good.  I remember thinking, “I should be dead tired and weak,” But I wasn’t.  I was almost in a mental funk about it.  My buddies were relentless at keeping me pumped up and confident.  God Bless them!  I just stuck with the plan regardless of my mind set.
I finally reached a point of peace Thursday before the show.  All my food was cooked, weighed, and separated in containers.  I was packed and ready to fly out the next morning.  I lay on the couch with my laptop studying photos from the previous year’s competition.  My mind was totally at peace.  I actually fell asleep several times with my son’s head on my shoulder before going to bed.
Friday morning we drove to Reno, and I had a spray-on tan done before I flew out.  The flight was perfect, and I arrived on time.  I was staying at the promoter’s house as my budget was tight.  We filled out the forms and did my weigh-in there.  At 163 ¾ pounds I was once again in the middleweight division.  I slept on an air mattress on the studio gym floor.  I slept very well, except for having to wake up and eat potatoes and protein powder at 2 A.M., 3 A.M., and 4 A.M.  I was up and at it at 5 A.M. putting my first coat of color on.  My mind was at ease except for just one worry — my color.  My wife was not here to help me, and I could not get my back.  Also, the spray-on tan I got the day before was not nearly as effective as I had hoped.  That was the only thing bothering me.
With the exception of my color, I was totally at peace at this point.  I practiced posing in front of a mirror in the promoter’s studio.  I looked phenomenal.  I was ready, and there was nothing more I could do.  I arrived at the venue a few minutes early only to find that God had sent me yet another angel.  There were people spraying on Jan Tana competition color for the athletes.  I knew they would be there, but the cost was a worry.  As I have mentioned, I was on a shoestring budget and $95 was out of my reach.  If they could just do my back and some touching up after I put on a second coat of the color I had, I would be content.  I talked to Kimberly, the Jan Tana representative.  She was awesome.  “Don’t even worry about a second coat of your color,” she said.  “This gun will cover you just fine, and I will add a glaze before you pump up and go on stage.”  It sounded great, “How much?” I asked.  To my surprise her response was $35.  “Sign me up!” I said. Kimberly had me painted, glazed, and ready to pump up for prejudging. 
As I was pumping up, the feedback I was getting from the other competitors was amazing.  I kept repeating the same phrase, “Show your might through me O Lord, lets’ do this.” 
Seven middleweights took the stage including me. The middleweight class is one of the toughest classes there – if not the toughest.  We did our preliminary quarter turns.  Right away the head judge had me switch places with the competitor standing in the middle.  This was a good sign because the judges want the top three competitors standing in the middle for comparison.  As I moved to the middle, I left behind the one body builder I was worried about – number 61.  He was BIG and ripped with huge arms and shoulders.  He wasn’t as ripped as me, but he was ripped.  He definitely had me on size though.  We went through our poses, and my quads were beginning to tire.  “Number 61 trade places with # 48” I heard the head judge say.  “Number 61 trade places with # 51,” he said.  Soon, # 61 was standing right next to me.  My legs were really starting to tire, and I found it harder and harder to hold them flexed.  I could not let up though, not with # 61 standing right next to me.  I prayed, “Lord give me strength, I cannot let up.”  The head judge kept calling poses and I noticed #61 was really sweating - REALLY SWEATING.  It seemed he was resting as he wiped himself off between poses.  My prayer was answered.  This was all I needed to gain some strength.  The judge would call a pose, and I would be the first one to hit it.  He would say relax, and I would go right back into the front relaxed or better put “flexed” pose.  I made sure I let the judges know that I was not tired.  When they let us go, I looked down at the # 1 taped to the floor.  I began to cry tears of joy.  I went straight to the bathroom, dropped to my knees and cried in praise to God.  I was 99% sure I had won the middleweight class, but I would have to wait until the finals that evening to find out for sure.
We got a three or four hour break between morning pre-judging and the finals. My brother, his girlfriend, and I headed back to his hotel room.  I grabbed a quick nap and some food.  It meant a lot to me that my brother had made the four hour drive from Portland, Oregon to make the show.  This would be his first ever bodybuilding show.  I wanted to make it memorable!
There is always a lot of waiting at the finals, especially when you are in the “open” division because they are last.  Needless to say my wait was about three hours.  Finally the time had come for me to get ready.  I had some carbs and healthy fats in the form of super dark, super healthy chocolate.  Kimberly got me glazed.  I was pumped up and ready to do my evening routine.  It went flawlessly.  Then the time came to announce the winner of the middleweight class.  There were seven competitors so the judges excused all but the top five.  One by one they called the placing, 5^th, 4^th, 3^rd, and finally 2^nd.  My number (52) was not called.  I had won the middleweight class!  I was one step closer to my Pro Card.  As I stood by my trophy for my picture, I gave praise to God.
There was a pretty long wait before the overall.  They had to do the open men’s light-heavyweight, and heavyweight classes.  They also did one of the women’s figure divisions.  It made my nerves just a little more on edge.  I just kept saying my prayer of the day, “Let’s show your might through me Lord.”  I was really on a high when I finally took the stage with the other class winners.  It was going flawlessly.  It seemed like there was me and then the others.  I stood right in the middle, trying to be the first one to hit the poses.  However, nothing ever comes easy.  The head judge called for me to switch with the heavy weight winner putting me on the end.  “What had happened?” I thought.  “Did I fade, was I going flat?”  It only made me pose harder and try to hit the poses faster.  I was determined to get switched back.  Soon though, they called for the pose down.  If I faded and lost this thing, I was not going down without a fight.  With the music playing we hit our poses “free style.”  I wormed my way into the middle of the competitors and started posing.  I even started matching poses with the other competitors so the judges could make comparisons.  I was not sure if I was winning points, but I was fighting.  And that was all I wanted.
Finally, the music stopped, and we took our original positions, I stood on the end.  I said a quick prayer and thanked God for the opportunity to be there.  Then the nerves set in.  I kept trying to think positively and said to myself, “It does not matter why you are standing out here on the end.  You were the best.  You are the best.  You will win.”  I tried to be confident.  But you never know for sure, and I was nervous as can be.  It seemed like the promoter and M.C. took forever to announce the results, but finally the time had come.  “The winner of the 2008 Washington State Natural…….Men’s Open Bodybuilding Competition……….earning his WNBF Professional Status………..# 52 Brad Loomis!!”  I shut my eyes, folded my hands in front of my face, and tears began to roll.  When I opened them, the other competitors were standing in front of me.  I shook each one of their hands with a firm two handed shake.  I had done it!!!  The promoter handed me the 4’ long sword, the trophy for the winner.  I stood it up in front of me, point down, both hands on the handle.  With my head down, I said thanks to God with tears streaming down my face.  I took a big breath, and tried to put on the best smile I could for the camera.  Then I had to get off stage as I was overcome with emotion.
What a year!!  I had achieved so much — most importantly a renewed and stronger sense of Faith.  It was capped off with a seven day period in which I earned my RKC I certification and won my WNBF Professional Status.  I was living a dream!!  The dream has only just begun though.  Besides my own personal goals of competing one day on the pro circuit, I have to use this new title, new status, new knowledge, and new certification for good.  I read my mission statement daily as it hangs on the wall of my gym. 
“My mission is to start a fitness epidemic.  I am certain God put me on this earth to help every one I possibly can be healthy, well and fit.  That is my purpose, my focus, and my passion. I am privileged to help every one be healthier no matter what the goal.  I will lead by example and use my own goals as a professional trainer and athlete to motivate, inspire, and learn” 
All these accomplishments will make it easier for me to get the word out to as many

people as will listen.  I am sure of it.  Let everyone know, I am here to help those who

want it.  I have the knowledge, I have the skill, I have the personality to make anyone

better.  God made me a good coach, and I am his tool.  I can start a fitness and

wellness “epidemic.”  I can make a positive influence on the state of our health in this

nation.  I can make a positive influence on the cost of health care in our great nation. 

Finally, to quote Facing the Giants the movie I referred to earlier, “As long as I

honor God, nothing is impossible, NOTHING!”

Travel day!!  After waking up every 1 - 2 hours to eat last night, I am starting to look crisp and dry.  I am still peeing every chance I get, but my water is being cut down, down, down, so I am still processing the water, but not putting it in.  By this time tomorrow I should look hard as a rock.

Suprisingly, a calm has come over me since about 7:00pm last night.  I am all packed, my food is all prepared, I am as ready as I can be at this point.  My confidence is even up a little.  I went to bed last night looking at pictures of last years winners going to the overall and it just made me even more confident.  I could have beat any of those guys if they showed up in that same condition this year.  I think my head is in a good place this morning, especailly after having a nice talk with God.

I will not be taking my computer with me, so I will have to type a summary when I return on Sunday.  Here is what is on todays agenda.

Water: Today I will cut down to just over a gallon of water.  I don’t think I have a choice in the matter of taking my water with me on the plane.  Their security will not allow it.  So I will drink distilled until I get in the airport, then I will have to consume as little as possible of bottled water until I get to Washington.

Carbohydrates:  As I mentioned last night was a long night.  Tonight will be no different.  Today I up my carbs by eating the same 7oz servings of potato, but today I eat 15 of them.  I started at 2:00am.  I will continue eating those meals every hour to every two hours until 11pm tonight.  525g of carbs or 2100 calories from carbs

Protein:  I will have either 1 scoop or 1/2 scoop of VP2 with each one of those meals.  Roughly 252g protein or 1004 calories.  I may have to eat the powder with a spoon if I don’t have water on the plane.

Potassium: Today I increase my potassium intake to 2 teaspoons (200mg) every hour.  Again I don’t think security at the airport will let me take my Liquid Potassium so I will take just enough tablets to last me the flight.

Sodium: None except for what is in VP2, 70mg or 735mg

2:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2.

3:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2.

4:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1 scoop VP2, 5g GL3, 5g Creatine, 4 Xpel by MHP, 500mg Vit B6, 1g Vit C

6:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1 scoop VP2. 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

7:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1 scoop VP2, 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

8:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1 scoop VP2, 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

9:00am - 2 Tsp Twin Lab Liquid Potassium 

10:00am -  White potato 7 oz and 1 scoop VP2, 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

10:30 - Leave for Reno

11:00am - 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

11:30am - Spray on tan in Reno

12:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1 scoop VP2, 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

1:00pm - 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg), 5g GL3, 5g Creatine, 4 Xpel by MHP, 500mg Vit B6, 1g Vit C

1:15pm - Arrive at Airport

2:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2, 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

3:00pm - 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

3:05pm - Take off

4:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2, 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

4:30pm - Arrive in Seattle and drive to Marysville where I will be staying with Denise and Kevin James, promoters of the show.

5:00pm - 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

6:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2, 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

7:00pm - 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

8:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2, 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

9:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2, 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

10:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2, 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

midnight - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2, 2Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (200mg)

I am glad yesterday is over.  I don’t even like talking about that first day of the process I feel so crappy.  Today is a new day though and I have to get day 1 in before I can focus on day 2.  So here is what’s on todays agenda 

Water - Yesterdays goal was to consume 5 gallons of water in a 24 hour period.  I met that goal for the Capital City Naturals, but could not quite get it done yesterday.  There is about 1/3 of a gallon of distilled water in my 5th and final container from yesterday.  So today I will reduce that to 2 - 2.5 gallons of water.

Potassium - The schedule yesterday called for 1 teaspoon (100mg) of liquid potassium every other hour.  Today I increase that to 1 teaspoon every hour.

Carbohydrates - Potatos will still be the sole carb source for the next 3 days.  Yesterday was 10 meals consisting of 7oz (Precooked weight) of white Russett Potatos equalling just over 1500 calories from carbs.  Today I will increase that number by getting two extra meals at the end of the day making the total 1700 calories from carbs.

Protein - VP2 is the exclusive protein source until the day of the show.  Yesterday I had 6 scoops of VP2 spread amoung the 10 meals that I had equalling 600 calories from protein.  Today I will increase that to 8 scoops spread across the 12 meals equalling 800 calories from Protein.

Sodium - I did great on the sodium intake.  I calculate my total daily intake of sodium to be right around 425mg for the day.  This is mostly from the VP2 which has 70mg per serving.

Creatine - I am reloading with Creatine today with 4g 5 times

Yesterdays Totals - Calories 2100, Protein 144g, Carbs 350g, Fat 5g 

4:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2.

5:00am - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg),

6:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1 scoop VP2, 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

7:00am - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

8:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1 scoop VP2, 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

9:00am - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

10:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1 scoop VP2, 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

11:00am - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg), 3 small carotts

Noon - White potato 7 oz and 1/2scoop VP2, 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

1:00pm - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg), 1 Tsp GL3, 1Tsp Creatine, 500mg Vitamin B6, 4 Xpel water dropper by MHP. 2 carrotts

2:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2, 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

3:00pm - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg), 2 carotts

4:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1/2scoop VP2, 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

5:00pm - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg),

6:00pm - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg),White potato 7 oz and 1/2scoop VP2,

7:00pm - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg),

8:00pm - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg),White potato 7 oz and 1/2scoop VP2,

9:00pm - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg),White potato 7 oz and 1/2scoop VP2,

10:00pm - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg),White potato 7 oz and 1/2scoop VP2,

12:00midnight - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg),White potato 7 oz and 1/2scoop VP2

Todays totals - Calories 2500, Protein 192g, Carb 420g, Fat 7g

Here we go again, the dry out/carb up process of peak week begins.  I’ll be cooking up potatos while drinking gallons and gallons of water today.  Funny, seems I just……oh yah, I did just get done doing this, one month ago.

4:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2, 1 Tsp GL3, 600mg Vitamin B6,4 Xpel water Dropper. 

5:00am - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

6:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2.

7:00am - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

8:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2 - Finished 1 gallon of H20

9:00am - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

10:00am - White potato 7 oz and 1 scoop VP2.

11:00am - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

Noon - White potato 7 oz and 1 scoop VP2 - finished 2 gallons of H2O

1:00pm - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg), 1 Tsp GL3, 500mg Vitamin B6, 4 Xpel Water Dropper. 2 Large Carrots

2:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2.

3:00pm - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

4:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2, Finished 3 Gallons of H20

5:00pm - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg) 2 large carrots

6:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2.

7:00pm - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg), 3 small carrotts.

7:30pm - I escaped the crappy feeling I usually get when I started drying out for the Capital City Show.  Not this time though.  Like clockwork, dull heache, muscles trying to cramp and general weakness.  Time to head for a hot shower.

8:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2.

8:30pm - 4 gallons of H20 Down.

9:00pm - 1Tspn Twin Lab Liquid Potassium (100mg)

10:00pm - White potato 7 oz and 1/2 scoop VP2

4:30am - 2 Dymetadrine Extreme

5:00am - Xocai Power Square

5:50am - 1 scoop VP2, 5g GL3

6:15am - Training, I sipped on some Xtend while working out.  I usually don’t do any working out the week of a show, but I ate a lot of carbs this weekend at the RKC and I want to be sure I am burning up the Glycogen I can before tomorrows carb up process starts.

Incline dumbbell Presses - 70lbs x8, 75lbs x6, 80lbs x5

Flat dumbbell Presses - 90lbs 3×5

One arm Kettlebell Presses - 44lbs x 5

Ladder - 62lbs x 3, 52lbs x 5, 44lbs x5, 35lbs x5

7:20am - 2 Scoops of VP2, 1g Beta-Alanine, 5g GL3, 2 jp Fruits, 12 almonds

8:00am - 3/4 cup egg beaters, 12 almonds

8:45am - 1/2 MetRx Shake, 5g GL3, 1g Beta Alanine

11:00am - 1 cup egg beaters, spinach, tomato, carrotts, salsa, butter spray, black decaf coffee

1:00pm - 1/2 MetRx Shake, 5g GL3

3:00pm - 1 MetRx Shake, 5g GL3, 1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter, 2 Myo-D

4:00pm - 1 CLA, 6 BCAA 4500, 1 Beta X

6:00pm - 4 oz Chicken, CA Blend Veggies, Salsa, Butter Spray

6:30pm - Training - VO2 Snatch Test 16kg Kettlebell

2 circuits of 15seconds of snatch followed by 15 seconds of rest for 10 minutes. 

1st Circuit - 35lb Kettlebell 7 reps per 15 seconds

2nd Circuit - 44lb Kettlebell 6-7 reps per 15 seconds

8:30pm - 1/2 MetRx Shake, 1 Tablespoon Naturally More Peanut Butter, 5g GL3

9:00pm - Coat of Pro Tan

I am back home now and it is time to try and set aside my excitement from this weekend and focus on the show Saturday.  I have about 12 bags of potatos to make up and I will start on that now.  My nutrition will be messed up today as it is about 8:00am and I am taking the morning off from work.  I will just have to check things off as I go.

8:00am - 1/2 MetRx, 1 Tablespoon Peanut butter, GL3 and Creatine

11:00am - 1/2 MetRx, 13 almonds, GL3

1:00pm - RKC Practice.  Swings, snatches, presses, and cleans for about 45 minutes

1:45pm - 1 Scoop VP2 and Xocai Chocolate Power Square

3:30pm - 1/2 MetRx, Xocai Power Square, 12 almonds

5:00pm - 3/4 egg beaters, spinach, carrotts, tomato, Salsa, Butter Spray

6:00pm - Step Aerobics

7:00pm - Light Leg Workout.  I wanted to practice my tension techniques I learned at the RKC camp this weekend.  What better way to pratice tension than legs.

Squats with Smith Bar - 185lbs x 10, 205lbs x8, 245lbs x5, 245lbs x3, 245lbs x2

Front Squats with Kettle Bell - Ladder one - 35lbs x4, 44lbs x4, 52lbs x4, 62lbs x4

Ladder two - 62lbs x10, 52lbs x10, 44lbs x10, 35lbs x10

8:00pm - MetRx Shake, 5g GL3, 1g Beta-Alanine, Black decaf coffee

10:00pm - 1/3 MetRx Shake, 2 Myo-D, 6 BCAA 4500, 1 CLA, 2 JP Veggies

I need to put on a coat of self tanner before I go to bed.  My mind is 100 miles an hour right now and I need to calm down and focus on this weekend.  It is tough to do with so much going on.  I have 100 things to do and it is already 10:15pm.  Something has got to give because I am going to bed.

Friday 8/1/08 – 8 days to INBF Washington State Naturals

RKC Day 1.

We are here!!  After a great meet and greet party last night, we turned in at 10:00pm and I had a great nights sleep.  A couple trips to the bathroom and I was up ready to go at 5:45am.  Shower, prayer, packed up and we are ready and now it is time to go get some fuel for today’s challenges.  I have made a special nutrition menu just for this weekend that I will detail below.  I am shooting for 250 - 270g protein, 285g carbs, and about 60g fat for about 2,400 calories.  That way I have the energy to complete the brutal workouts and not add any unwanted body fat.  I will also be sipping on Xtend Amino Formula for Scivation the entire weekend.

BIG DAY TODAY!!!  We leave at 8:00am this monring for UCLA.  Months of work and prep are coming down to the wire now as we begin the RKC program with tonights meet and greet and start working out tomorrow.  My food is all prepared, I am all packed and I am ready to go.  It has been a tremendous burden preparing food this whole week, but I muast give everything I have to stay lean, put on muscle, and keep energy up for this weekends grueling course.  It will be all worth it in 10 days!!

I have one client to train this morning so I will ride my biek to the gym to get the carbs from last night refeed meal going and then ride home.  Tom will pick me up at 8am.  I have my feeding schedule all written out and Tom is nice enough to let me put all my stuff in the back seat of his car for easy access.  Here is the tentative plan.  I will alter it tonight in our room if it changes.

6:00am - 1 sc VP2 Power Square

6:30am - Ride to the gym

7:45am - Ride home

8:00am - 1/2 MetRx and 1 TABLE spoon all natural peanut butter

10:00am - 4 oz Chicken and CA Blend Veggies with Salsa and Butter Spray

11:30am - 1/2 MetRx and 12 almonds

1:00pm - 4 oz Chicken and CA Blend Veggies with Salsa and Butter Spray

2:30pm - 1/2 MetRx and 12 almonds

4:00pm - 4 oz Chicken and CA Blend Veggies with Salsa and Butter Spray

5:30pm - 1/2 MetRx and Power Square

7:00pm - 1/2 MetRx and Power Square

9:00pm - 1 Scoop VP2 and Hard Boiled Egg

Totals: Calories-1936:  Protein - 247g:  Carbs - 126g:  Fats - 50g:  Fiber -30g

We leave tomorrow for RKC camp and I am about 3/4 done with preparing all my food for the trip.  The invited me to an extra workout on Sunday during out lunch and I am going for it.  I had planned on going back on my regular nutrition menu on Sunday as we are not working out as much.  With this extra workout though, I figure I can stick to the same menu with the increased energy expenditure and not have to think about another menu.

I have been preparing my potatos for the INBF show and I am about 1/2 way done.  My hope is to have about 30 of the 50 bags made and I am at 23 right now.  That will make next weeka a little less stressfull.  Today, bisides good workouts, lots of energy expediture, and obviously packing for tomorrows trip, my focus is to get in the sun for about 90 minutes.

4:00am - Xocai Chocolate Power Square, 3 DX

4:45am - Black Coffee and Xocai Power Square

5:40am - 1 Scoop VP2 and Power Square

Training:  Delts

Kettlebell SeeSaw Press - 44lbs 103 reps.  1 x 20, 1 x 16, 1 x 11, 1 x 6

Smith Machine Overhead Press - 135lbs x 9, 150lbs x 6, 150lbs x 7

Super set Side Laterals - 45lbs x 10

Bent over side laterals - 65lbs x 10, 66.5lbs 1 x9, 1 x8

Machine Presses Drop Set - 200lbs 1 x8, 150lbs 1 x4, 100lbs 1×3

Damn this was a good workout.  Ron could not make it, but God was watching out for me and sent Billy in just in time to workout.  We partnered up and had a great workout.  Before Billy came in I warmed up and did a total of 100 see saw presses with the 44lb kettle bells.  This is one of the tests I have to pass this weekend.  Walking style the length of a football field.  I have been practicing for months so I should be ready.

7:00am - 1.5 scoop VP2, 1g Beta Alanine, 12 almonds, 5g GL3, 2JP Fruits

7:30am - 4oz Chicken, CA Blend Veggies, salsa, butter spray, 12 almonds

8:00am - 1/2 MetRx, 5g GL3, 1g Beta Alanine

10:00am - 4oz Chicken, CA Blend Veggies, salsa, butter spray

10:45am - bike ride

12:00pm - 1/2 MetRx, 5g GL3

2:00pm - 1/2 MetRx, 5g GL3

4:00pm - 1/2 MetRx, 5g GL3, 1 Tablespoon all natural peanut butter, 1 Beta-X, 1 CLA, 2 Myo-D, 6 BCAA 4500, 2 DX, black coffee

4:15pm - Bike Ride to Healthy Bodies.

6:00pm - 4 oz Chicken, CA Blend Veggies, Salsa, Butter Spray

6:15pm - Step Aerobics 30 minutes

7:20pm - Bike Ride home from Healthy Bodies

Carb/Fat Refeed Meal

8:00pm - 1 1/2 cups of green beans

8:30pm - 3/4 cup oats, 2 table spoons raisins, 18 almonds

9:00pm - 6 oz cooked sweet potato, 2 table spoons naturally more peanut butter.

Daily Totals - Calories 2491 - 257.5g Prot, 245g Carb, 67g Fat, 47g Fiber

Even though my focus is on the Washington State Naturals in less than 2 weeks, it is hard to focus 100% on it when I am leaving for the RKC camp in 2 days.  RIght now my focus is partially directed to that and I hope my performance on Aug 9th does not suffer because of it.  I know I will be in great condition for the show with all the activity and energy I am expending with all the workouts.  My nutrition is very sound and I have never been more confident in my fueling strategy.  The area where I am falling short is tanning and posing.  I have only briefly practiced my posing a few times a week and I have not got in the tanning bed since Thursday of last week.  I have a ton of cooking and preparing to do before we leave on Thrusday and I am trying to prepare my food for the show next week at the same time.  I know I am giving all I have, with everything on my plate though I hope it is enough.

1:00am - 6BCAA 4500, 2 Myo-D, 1 CLA, 1 Beta X

4:15am - 3 Dymetadrine Extreme, Xocai Chocolate Power Sqaare.

5:15am - Black Coffee, Xocai Chocolate Power Square, 1 Scoop VP2, 1g Gaba

5:30am - Bike ride to Healthy Bodies

Training: Arms

Dumbbell Preacher Curls - 55lbs x6, 50lbs x7, Last week:50lbs 1 x12, 1 x 8

Barbell curl 5 phase Drop set - 80lbs x15, 70lbs x15, 60lbs x15, 50lbs x15, 40lbs x 15:  Last week 80lbs x12, 70lbs x12, 60lbs x12, 50lbs x12, 40lbs x 13

Tricep Press downs (Rope) - 130lbs 2 x6, Lat week: 125×8, 127.5lbs x9

Standing Dumbbell Overhead Tricep Ext 5 phase Drop set - 75lbs x10, 65lbs x10, 55lbs x10, 45lbs x10, 35lbs x 10, Last Week: 75lbs x8, 65lbs x8, 55lbs x8, 45lbs x8, 35lbs x 10

7:00am - 1.5 scoops VP2, 12 almonds, 1g Beta Alanine, 5g GL3, 2 JP Fruits

7:30am - 4 oz Chicken, CA Blend Veggies, Salsa, Butter Spray

8:15am - 1/2 MetRx, 5g GL3, 1g Beta Alanine

10:00am - 4oz Chicken, CA Blend Veggies, salsa, butter Spray

12:00pm - 1/2 MetRx, Black Decaf Coffee, 5g GL3

2:00pm - 1/2 MetRx, 5g GL3

4:00pm - 1/2 MetRx, 5g GL3, 1 table spoon all natural peanut butter, 1 CLA, 2 MYO-D, 6 BCAA 4500, 2 DX, 2 JP Veggies, 1 Beta X

5:30pm - Bike ride to the gym

6:00pm - 4 oz Chicken, CA Blend Veggies, Salsa, Butter Spray

6:30pm - Kettlebell Training

Thrusters - 35lbs 100 reps, Double Thrusters 26lbs 10 reps

Towel swings - 35lbs x10, 44lbs x25, 53lbs x 20

7:15pm - bike ride home

8:00pm - 1/2 MetRx, 5g GL3

9:45pm - egg,1g GABA

Totals:  Calories 1950: Pro 247g:  Carbs 126g:  Fat 51.5g:  Fiber 29.5