lrsu’s BodyBlog

It hit me this morning before going to the gym that I’m 4 weeks away from my final contest.  Absolutely no more compromise in the gym and out.  This is my last show and I ain’t looking back next year and saying, I wonder if I could have gone harder, I wonder if I could have dieted stricter, I’ve enlisted Dave Vignasse from www.davevignasse.com to help me this time.  I’ve never paid anyone for advice before cause I’ve tried to keep current on nutrition and training myself, but I’ll say out of all the money I’ve ever spent pursueing this sport over the last 2.5 decades-hiring Dave has been my best bb investment.  Check him out, I ain’t blowing smoke for a kickback, he doesn’t even know I mention him most of the time, but if you are really looking to ramp it up the man knows what he is talking about.  I’m seeing detail I’ve never seen before and this ain’t my first day at the rodeo. 

So its time to really pull it all together, tighten up, make each workout count, be meticulas with the measuring cup, and have a posing routine unlike any other.  I hope to post it, I promise you’ve never seen a routine like this in a bb contest. 

The time is here folks and I’m finishing what I’ve started stronger than when I began.      

A minute on my soap box, "We the people in order to form a more perfect union" -are kidding ourselves if we think that Eutopia can be achieved through a socialist ideal.  I would also love to think that all people will work collectively for the good of all, but that just ain’t gonna happen any time soon.  I remember being in elementary school hearing about Eutopia and how perfect it would be if we could all get along and contribute equally.  I still believe that will happen, but after the end of this age.  The problem with legislated equallity is that all participants won’t make equal contributions.  If there is no insentive for hard work b/c your profit is given to someone that says "Why should I work when I’m given the same as someone that does." , then overachievers begin loosing motivation and when they are not rewarded for their effort.  Still those that can and won’t create a drag on the producers and instead of everyone having a comfortable living standard the opposite happens.  Remember Communist Russia.

    Okay enough politics, Euphoria can be achieved, it may not last for ever, but it feels great for a season and can be dulpicated often.  Euphoria for me today was a great workout and having control of a little bit of my world-my health and fitness.  This is what has happened so far today;

0630 hrs woke up in a hotel in Lynchburg VA, went down and got 7 boiled eggs, 2 packs of plain oatmeal, and 4 packs of grape jelly from the free breakfast, along with a huge cup of coffee.  Came back to room mixed 1/2 scoop of Kiazen Presision Isolate w/1 pack of jelly and 4 oz water for starts.

0645 hrs used the coffee packs in the room to make like an expresso w/ the coffee I had got in the lobby, black no sugar or cream Did my daily Bible reading

0700-0715 hrs checked the computer and wolfed down 6 of the egg whites w/one whole egg, and 1 pk of oatmeal

0745 hrs mixed my post workout shake and headed out the door for a 3 minute walk to Golds gym

0800 hrs started workout  Delts and bi’s

Seated Side Laterals  15’sx12, 30’s 4×10,11,12,13

DB shoulder press 45’sx15, 70’s 3×10, 80’s x 6

Rear laterals lying on incline bench 20’s 3×12

Cable side laterals  30  3×12

DB shrugs 50’s x 15, 60’s x 12, 70’s x 10, 80’s x 10

BB Curls 45 x 10, 75 x 10, 125  3×8

Concentration Curls 20’s 3x 10,11,12

DB Hammer Curls 40’s x 12, 50’s x 10, 60’s x 8

One arm preacher machine 30 3×12

Statioinary Bike 25 min intervals, treadmill 15 min intervals

Pushdowns 60 3×20

overhead tri ext 35×15,55×12,75×10

Dip machine 40 x 20,50×15,60×12

Cybex preacher tric ext 60×15,70×12,80×10

The weights were light, but right now I could care less about showing off on strenght, I’m trying to squeeze every fiber I can, I left feeling great, Beautiful blue sky, nice breeze and a hint of autumn in the air, not Eutopia but definitely Euphoric!    

On the way to the gym today, I was thinking of something Ronnie Coleman said a few years ago.  He said he wasn’t like other bodybuilders.  He was eluding to being gifted for the sport and I would think that although Ronnie is probably a really nice guy, he probably considered himself above the limitations of mere humans.  Enter 2006 and the big upset where Jay took Ronnies crown.  Now 20 years from now Ronnie will still be a stud I’m sure, but a mere shadow of his former Olympia King self.  Some of our sons and daughters may see Ronnie at that time and say, I bet he used to work out, but that will probably be the extent of it.  I’m not picking on Ronnie, I think he is awesome, but the fact is every person that has breathed on this planet has to come to terms with mortality and if by the grace of God, we live long enough, deminishing returns. 

This is my last contest coming up here in 10 weeks.  I’ll be 47 years old about 6 weeks after the show.  I have to admit I’ve enjoyed "bulking over the years".  As a matter of fact when starting my prep this time around I was about 18% fat w/a 38.5 " waist.  I’m down about 25 lbs 8 % fat and almost 7" on my waist.  In the 80’s I would be looking alot tighter all over and fuller in key areas than I am now.  Noticeably absent are the full belly sweep to my tri’s (due to elbow issues) fuller and more flared quads (didn’t help wrecking my knee’s jumping out of airplanes for Uncle Sugar) a tightness around my midsection and striations in my pecs by now.  The fact is my skin has lost some elasticity and my fat reduction is taking longer.  Now before you think I’m having a pity party let me move on.

I know I’m not the speciman I was in my 20’s.  I’m not going to resort to Steriods or Growth to try to pretend I’m still in my 20’s.  I am however a good me at this age.  I’ve been blessed with good health and a hope for my future that extends beyond the weight room or posing trunks.  I love working out and will do it until I leave, but I’m coming to a realization that this chapter of competing is coming towards a close and I’m looking forward to the next.  I’m stil very pleased with my conditioning at this point and I am cherishing the work of the jouney.  We all will get older.  You young pups that might read this, know that your not an exception to the rule, we all thought we were in our 20’s and maybe 30’s.  It’s okay though.  You will get to a place where you will want to pass the torch and encourage the next group of young studs and studets.

Yep a little interspective today, but this too, is part of the journey that I love.

When I got to the gym this is what happened;

Incline DB bench  110’s x 5 dropped to 55’s x 12

Incline Hammer Press  230 x 10 + 6 + 4 on  rest pause

Decline BB 225 x 6 drop 135 x 14

Pec deck  60 x 20

Rev Pulldowns 210 x 8 + 5 + 3

Deads from the floor 425 x 8

DB Rows 110’s x 10 +6 +4

Behind Neck Pulldowns 120 x 12

Broom stick twist 100 reps each side

Crunches 1 x 75

Treadmill 45 min steady pace talking with an older gentleman 70 names Obediah, (what a cool name)

I’m loving everything about this prep and looking forward to the stage and beyond!! 

Today wasn’t bad, about an 85% day.

Leg ext  110  3×11

Squats  250  3×10, 280 1×10

Stiffs  160  3×10

Lying leg curls 110  3×8,7,6

Hacks  90×12, 110×12, 160×12

Walking lunges  50  3×12 each leg

donkey calves machine  100 3×12

Seated calves  215  3×8,7,7

Rev Crunches  BW  5×25,25,24,23,22

Crunches  BW  3×25,25,25

Nothing crazy just doing the necessary work

Monday I did legs Arnold style w/supersets, nothing real heavy but with rep by rep concentration.  This is Thursday and my thighs are still saying ‘don’t rest those weights on us’.  I did do legs today even though they are still sore.  I know stimulation + nutrition + recovery = growth, but right now I’m just trying to activate growth hormone release, create an anabolic environment, and seperate and harden my quads and hams.  I did back way off the volume today, but- and some of you younger guys won’t get this yet, it feels darn good to have complete muscle soreness w/o joint pain.  Mondays leg workout targetted muscle not conective tissue as a result of concentration and the "Mind Muscle Connection." 

Note to self, actually think about the muscle more than the reps or weight from time to time.  

Fast becoming my favorite self induced torture.  The Hotel I stay at about 3 days a week has 5 floors.  The stairwells are on both ends, the hallway is approx. 40 meters long.  Today I was on the 3rd floor.  After a 5 min warm up jog in place and side strattle hops (jumping jacks) I headed for the stairwell.  I trotted from the 3rd floor to the 1rst and ran back up to the 5th floor, walked the hallway at a brisk pace and trotted back down to the 1rst.  I then ran to the 4th and walked the hallway before trotting back to the 1rst. I pyrimided this on each floor and back to the 5th for 25 min.  I was wringing sweat and sucking wind, the hallway walks were just about enough to remind me I wasn’t back at Airborne school.  Very good interval work.  I also did abs first but nothing as fun as the stairs. 

I’ll be ready by my goal date… WILL YOU  

Legs yesterday on paper didn’t look to impressive, but its the best quad pump I’ve had in a long time;

Leg ext 90×15, 110×12, 130×10, 150×10

Front squats 135×12, 165×10, 195×10, 225×10

Walking lunges  60×15 steps each leg,80×12,100×12,120×10

Stiff legged deads 135×12, 195×10, 245×8

Lying leg curls  90×12, 110×10, 130×8

Seated calf raises 90×12,135×12,185×12,235×8,280×6

Then some mind numbing ab work, gotta be ready this time!

The volume on legs today wasn’t earth shattering-the pace was blistering, but something else caused it to be a byopb (bring your own puke bucket) day.  30 min later and my heart rate is still almost 100 bpm and I didn’t do cardio.  Enough belly aching here it was;

Leg ext 80×18, 100×15, 140×12+6+4 rest pause style

Leg press 450×15, 540×12, 630×10+6+4 rp (note*couldn’t let DA Monsta legpress more than me)

Squats 185×10, 275×10+4+2 rp

Hacks  sledx20, 20×20

Stiff leg deads  135×12, 160×12, 195×10+6+4

Standing leg curls 50×12, 80×10+6+4 rp

donkey calf machine 400 3×12

lying leg sissors  bw (bodyweight) 5×15,14,14,14,14

crunches  bw 3×24

Slammed a post workout drink and getting ready to hit the shower! 

Front laterals  25’sx15,35’sx12,45×10+6+4

Seated side laterals  20’sx15,25’sx12,30’sx10,35’sx8+4+2

Rear on pec deck  60×15,80×12,70×20+10+4

DB Shrugs  100’sx15,120’sx12,140’sx10,150’sx8+4+2

Close Grip Bench 135×12,185×10/205×8,245×5+2+strip to 145×6

Pushdowns 60×15,80×12,100×10+6+4

Kickbacks  10’sx15

Cambered bar curls 35×15,55×12,75×10,105×10+6+4

Hammer preacher machine  10×15,30×12,45×10+6+4

Bike HIIT 30 min

I’ve probably got at least 8 years worth of workout journals.  I think its an imperative for people really wanting to track and make progress.  Dante Trudel from DC has said that your workout log is vital, and I agree.  It keeps us accountable.  Progress, especially for the natural athelete comes slow, but tracking your strenght and intensity progress over times will motivate one to keep plugging and before long you’ll start to notice your not the same person looking back in the mirror that you were when you began this journey. 

Gotta say though, I’m not a big fan of the workout tracker, it can’t quantify intensity from negatives to rest pause to drop sets or max contraction work, plus it takes as long to log it as it did to do the workout.  Henceforth I’ll be posting my training periodically here.