r.mcneil37’s BodyBlog

Today, I head into my "off-season" with enthusiasm and concern.  First, I am truly excited about starting new programs and seeing how far my body is willing to extend.  I don’t plan to "jump" into another weight class (middleweight fits me fine), but I will be a better contender in my current one.  This past season, I placed 5th in my first NGA competition, something I will improve upon next year.  Though I did no NPC shows, that will change for 2009. 

My concern is working with a new program.  I will be using variations of the HIT program to change the monotony of previous workouts.  Though I made decent progress, it got to the point that no matter how long or hard I pushed, my body plateaued.  Therefore, I approach this off-season with new goals and exercise schemes to achieve them.  More progress photos will accompany this program for both myself and public opinion (I welcome public opinions).

This will be my Leg routine in Triple Drop fashion:

Leg Press - Sets #1-4 1×12 reps 1xfailure 1xfailure

Leg Extension - Sets # 1-3 1×20 reps 1xfailure 1xfailure

Lying Leg Curl - Sets# 1-4 1×12 reps 1xfailure 1xfailure

Standing Calf Raises - Sets #1-5 failure on all sets

Rest will be approximately 1 - 2 minutes between each drop set.

Today is another disappointing chapter in my life.  The wife and I has decided to call it quits, citing irreconciliable differences.  This is something that has long been brewing.  Just now decided to let it go.  Anyway, decided to take this week from training as a means of coming into that final stretch (4 weeks left).  Maybe then with the added rest, my body will again respond to training and I can strip away what is left of my winter fat coat.  Still undecided between contest and brother’s wedding.

Today I really could not get into the training mode.  So to salvage a workout day, I just decided to see what my new max weights are at the moment.  Not surprising, the strength has steadily increased (as expected). 

The more things change the more they stay the same.  I am referring to my weight loss, I am back up to 190 lbs; however my bodyfat dropped 0.1%.  Cardio is up to 2 hours per day and calories are down to 1500.  According to cybex, I am burning 800 calories each cardio session.  Somebody throw me a life preserver and save me from this pool of accumulating weight.  Any advice on what I can do to dorp these last few pounds?

Ok.  Now I am becoming completely frustrated.  I have increased my cardio, maintained the same diet, and GAINED weight.  Body composition has not changed to much as with the increased cardio, it is almost impossible to increase weight training.  My lifts remain in the 12-15 rep range.  Began using Ripped Fuel 5X 2 tabs 3 times per day to stimulate metabolism.

Another hard day of cardio.  It seems like that is the most unbearable thing to do.  I complete 40 minutes in the morning followed by oodles of ab exercises and another 40 minutes of cardio at night.  This "punishment" takes place 5 times per week.  Only 5 weeks to go though.  Yaaaa!!!!!!!!

Well, it is down t the final 5 weeks of training for the Pro/Am World Championships.  Training has been going sporadic in the last couple of weeks.  Between working, school and training, eating has been disasterous.  I have found myself eating more impure than normal.  But with that, I still managed to drop 1% of my bodyfat and 3 lbs since July 31.

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