AustrianOakJr's journey to SHREDVILLE!! 2011 with Team 3DMJ

[AustrianOakJr]

I can't believe NOBODY has ever mentioned how thick your chest is! Well, I'll be the first...HOLY SH*T THAT THING IS THICK!

He he....thanks. Funny how it looks flat and no where near as striated in the contest pics......kind of a bummber. When the locker room lighting makes you look better than stage lighting there might be an issue. Im hoping the lights at this next show will help things to pop a bit better.

[AustrianOakJr]

LEGS - HYPER - HAMS AND GLUTES

Man, I am sucking some wind. Seems like im dragging ass all day up until my first set and then I can power through to the end of my workout and then I want to lay on the floor and crash. Strength has been decent though. But its everything i can muster for the hour in the gym.

And im getting frustrated. I was really hoping my pizza bonanza and carb load would have gotten my metabolic rate going. Well, the good feeling of having some energy lasted until about monday morning and then drag ass time set in again. Damn scale hasnt moved a lick all week. I want to say I look a touch leaner, but prep mind is a killer.....i have no idea if what im seeing is reality. Im refeeding today, skipping my next (tue) refeed and then starting my next load on thursday night of next week. I dont think it can come fast enough.

Well, heres the leg damage.....

RDL's:

315 X 12
335 X 12

SMITH SPLIT SQUATS

225 X 12
245 X 12

LEG CURLS

105 X 11, drop 1 plate X 0, drop another X 3......slow negative on last one. Ouch.

STRETCH AND ROLL - 15 min

One more ball buster leg session before the next show.....

[bwelch1985]

God knows I feel ya on the lethargy front. It's to the point where I have to use self-talk to get up every time I sit down after a my morning workouts: "c'mon man, you can do this." Just really dragging ass through the days lately. I don't know about you...but I'm ready to go back to NORMAL! Just a few more weeks for us though, buddy! Let's finish strong.

[AustrianOakJr]

God knows I feel ya on the lethargy front. It's to the point where I have to use self-talk to get up every time I sit down after a my morning workouts: "c'mon man, you can do this." Just really dragging ass through the days lately. I don't know about you...but I'm ready to go back to NORMAL! Just a few more weeks for us though, buddy! Let's finish strong.

Same here, man. Especially if im laying down or getting out of bed. Dang. Funny how we are so tired it takes self talk to do those simple tasks and then we go to the gym and deadlift/squat and train like freaks. What a strange sport.

But yea......gotta keep pushing. The end is in sight and we gotta give it all we got or its just not worth doing.

[AustrianOakJr]

I havent posted any food porn in a while. I snapped this one yesterday. This is my pre workout (refeed) lunch. Steak, onions, peppers, potatos and corn. About 85g worth of carbs.......this is a PERFECT prep meal for me. Loved it.

[gymratluke]

Oh man that looks DELISH!!!

Whats the next show? Same fed as the last?!

[AustrianOakJr]

Oh man that looks DELISH!!!

Whats the next show? Same fed as the last?!

Next show is the INBF Northeast classic next weekend. Another peak week begins!

[Young9]

Oak that meal looks dakine! I have been ona mushroom and pepper kick myself. Im starting to love my vegetables...85g mushrooms is only 3g cho...FTW!

[5krunner]

I havent posted any food porn in a while. I snapped this one yesterday. This is my pre workout (refeed) lunch. Steak, onions, peppers, potatos and corn. About 85g worth of carbs.......this is a PERFECT prep meal for me. Loved it.

Gourmet prep meal here Sean! Thanks for posting I will definitely have to give this a try. Best of luck next weekend!

[wrkoutfrq]

food looks great Oak... can't wait to follow this next peak week/show. really pumped to see your strategy for carb loading now that you know you can handle more

[jked4life]

Thanks man. Been practicing a bit. However, my night routine was laughable. No practice there. Literally no practice. When the music started I began thinking about what i was going to do. It was fun though.....and a lot less stressful.

Yes, I know I need to be leaner. Damn these freaking hams/glutes!!!! That last film just wants to hang on. I think I have sharpened a hair this week and in good lighting, glutes are decently striated across, especially from the sides. But they looked pretty craptastic with that stage lighting.

I think part of the issue (without making too many excuses for myself) was that the lighting was no where near strong enough for the dream tan. Dream tan works really well with GOOD stage lighting but in normal lighting it actually blurs definition. Bit of a catch 22 with the dream tan. I really realized this when looking at pics of my most muscular shots....my chest is so striated across I could almost clench pennies between the striations. Look at my avatar pic on comparison to the most muscular stage shot back a page. You cant see the striations very well at all in the pictures. I probably should have taken the DT off for the night show but for one.....I had no way to remove it without smudging the crap out of it and for two....I didnt have any protan with me to darken me up. But yea....im pushing hard for the last few pounds. I REALLY wanted to be eating into my last shows, but at this point I dont know if its gonna happen. Im preparing mentally for having to dip even lower and not get a chance to really fill out in favor of additional detail/lean-ness. We'll see what comes of it.

Well, I think you've done an amazing job so far with the conditioning and posing and it's only going to get better. I remember the point you are at now was a real tough time for me. I knew I was SO close to where I wanted to be, but my energy would tank and the hunger would get bad. It's the time in prep where you really have to kick yourself in the a$$ all the time to get it done. You'll get where you want to go but patience is the biggest key right now.

I hear ya on the dream tan. I was very disappointed with a lot of my pics from my shows. I felt that the DT took away a lot of the leaness that I knew was there. I saw the pics you had from before the show, so I know you're really getting down there. On the other hand, at least it's a level playing field with that.

[TheNaturalOak]

Yo was thinking, I kno your last prep u "back fed" meaning u depleted the mon-wed and then loaded thur/fri. Or something to that effect

What are ur plans for this peak weak? front loading or same as last week?

also if u dnt mind, wat were ur macros for ur "back feed" for ur first comp?
Thats the route im 90% sure going to take but looking for an idea on how far down to deplete/load. (I do understand that everyone is different, and wat works for u would more or less not work for me.)



P.S. nice food porn

[AustrianOakJr]

Oak that meal looks dakine! I have been ona mushroom and pepper kick myself. Im starting to love my vegetables...85g mushrooms is only 3g cho...FTW!

Actually, when i make this dish it usually has mushrooms in it. Ran out. Ive been a big fan of grilling my veggies too......zucchini, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and asparagus. I put them into a grill basket with some seasoning and smoke them with wood chips. Oh yea! Thats the way to get your fiber!!

Gourmet prep meal here Sean! Thanks for posting I will definitely have to give this a try. Best of luck next weekend!

Thanks man! New pics in your profile look SIIIICK, BTW.

food looks great Oak... can't wait to follow this next peak week/show. really pumped to see your strategy for carb loading now that you know you can handle more

I cant wait to see how it turns out too!

Well, I think you've done an amazing job so far with the conditioning and posing and it's only going to get better. I remember the point you are at now was a real tough time for me. I knew I was SO close to where I wanted to be, but my energy would tank and the hunger would get bad. It's the time in prep where you really have to kick yourself in the a$$ all the time to get it done. You'll get where you want to go but patience is the biggest key right now.

I hear ya on the dream tan. I was very disappointed with a lot of my pics from my shows. I felt that the DT took away a lot of the leaness that I knew was there. I saw the pics you had from before the show, so I know you're really getting down there. On the other hand, at least it's a level playing field with that.

I hear you....patience is only a commodity you have when you've got time though. I really wanted to be at the point where im as lean as possible going into this show and I dont think im quite there yet. And the freaking scale is killing me. We are debating back and forth as to what the next move is going to be. The weight isnt moving.... so something has to change. The question is whether we go lower or higher. I went down to 164.5 earlier this week (a day or so after my binge) and with my carbs at baseline (245g) my weight went back up to 166 for 2-3 days until I refed at 425g. The next day after my refeed (yesterday) I was at 164.5. Surely I was in a position to hit a new low (below 164). I got up this AM excited to see a 163.X and sure enough......"164". I dropped a half pound from my refed weight after training, cardio and then working in the yard all day. Just doesnt add up. ANd yes....energy is tanked. I had to load all my calories up front yesterday because I had to keep going back inside to snack just to keep me going while i was working.

Yo was thinking, I kno your last prep u "back fed" meaning u depleted the mon-wed and then loaded thur/fri. Or something to that effect

What are ur plans for this peak weak? front loading or same as last week?

also if u dnt mind, wat were ur macros for ur "back feed" for ur first comp?
Thats the route im 90% sure going to take but looking for an idea on how far down to deplete/load. (I do understand that everyone is different, and wat works for u would more or less not work for me.)



P.S. nice food porn

I tried front loading and back loading in 09. Front loading didnt work because I am a carb burning furnace and I blew through the carbs I front loaded by friday and I was flat as a board on saturday. So we ditched that idea. In 09 I was depleting on about 115g of carbs through wednesday and then at the last show I loaded with around 700g thurs, 500 fri, and 4-500 show day.......as I recall.

This peak week will be similar except my deplete is just normal diet numbers.......245g of carbs......through until thurs night. Ill hit a lower depletion workout thurs afternoon and then take in about 200g of carbs following that workout. Friday I will be at about 500g of carbs and then show day will be in the neighborhood of 400g give or take depending on fullness. Pizza about an hour before pre-j and another shot of simple sugar, fat and sodium just prior to the stage. Water and sodium will be kept constant all week. Sodium at about 6g and water at about 1 gallon a day. No wizardry .....no tricks......no pendulums. Just consistency.

[Bnizzle163]

LEGS - HYPER - HAMS AND GLUTES

Man, I am sucking some wind. Seems like im dragging ass all day up until my first set and then I can power through to the end of my workout and then I want to lay on the floor and crash. Strength has been decent though. But its everything i can muster for the hour in the gym.

And im getting frustrated. I was really hoping my pizza bonanza and carb load would have gotten my metabolic rate going. Well, the good feeling of having some energy lasted until about monday morning and then drag ass time set in again. Damn scale hasnt moved a lick all week. I want to say I look a touch leaner, but prep mind is a killer.....i have no idea if what im seeing is reality. Im refeeding today, skipping my next (tue) refeed and then starting my next load on thursday night of next week. I dont think it can come fast enough.

Well, heres the leg damage.....

RDL's:

315 X 12
335 X 12

SMITH SPLIT SQUATS

225 X 12
245 X 12

LEG CURLS

105 X 11, drop 1 plate X 0, drop another X 3......slow negative on last one. Ouch.

STRETCH AND ROLL - 15 min

One more ball buster leg session before the next show.....

God knows I feel ya on the lethargy front. It's to the point where I have to use self-talk to get up every time I sit down after a my morning workouts: "c'mon man, you can do this." Just really dragging ass through the days lately. I don't know about you...but I'm ready to go back to NORMAL! Just a few more weeks for us though, buddy! Let's finish strong.

I know exactly what you guys are talking about. Being hungry, busting out tons of intense cardio, shaving, posing practice, etc are all tough, but they don't hold a candle to the lethargy... IMO the WORST/toughest part of prepping. Melting into the couch after work, trying to get up so you can go eat something and getting slightly dizzy when getting up is not fun. Not to mention your legs feel like you're wearing 30lb ankle weights lol.

But there's definitely a light at the end of the tunnel! Hitting that stage is all worth it. Then before you know it, it's off season time! Then it's like "Wait... it's over?" and despite the agony you've just put yourself through, you're sad that you're done. Crazy huh?? lol

Depending on how both of you guys go about it, you can feel back to normal in about a month or two, or a little bit more. I'm still kind of recovering, but feel about 80% more normal . Keep killing it. Both of you guys are truly inspiring.

[Agostage]

He he....thanks. Funny how it looks flat and no where near as striated in the contest pics......kind of a bummber. When the locker room lighting makes you look better than stage lighting there might be an issue. Im hoping the lights at this next show will help things to pop a bit better.

Yeah I believe mine are going to turn out the same way. Oh well, as long as there is some evidence of the awesome cuts.

I havent posted any food porn in a while. I snapped this one yesterday. This is my pre workout (refeed) lunch. Steak, onions, peppers, potatos and corn. About 85g worth of carbs.......this is a PERFECT prep meal for me. Loved it.

Creative! Well done!

Keep getting after it Oak!

[Jrich54338]

Sean,
Give me a call tonight if you have some time, much to talk about

[Young9]

you make me miss my george foreman grill now I used to grill on that thing all the time...so quick and easy and barely any clean up...might b in my best interest to get another one...My old one was left out in backyard and got damaged by the rain...have you tried grilled eggplant? Its my favorite. I would slice the eggplant up in pretty thin slices, throw it in a bag with EVOO and balsamic vinager, and then grill...NOM NOM NOM!

[ConLaV]

Just caught up on the last few pages here.... I wanted to congratulate you on your big win (and at less than your best) must of been a tremendous feeling! will be following man.

[AustrianOakJr]

I know exactly what you guys are talking about. Being hungry, busting out tons of intense cardio, shaving, posing practice, etc are all tough, but they don't hold a candle to the lethargy... IMO the WORST/toughest part of prepping. Melting into the couch after work, trying to get up so you can go eat something and getting slightly dizzy when getting up is not fun. Not to mention your legs feel like you're wearing 30lb ankle weights lol.

But there's definitely a light at the end of the tunnel! Hitting that stage is all worth it. Then before you know it, it's off season time! Then it's like "Wait... it's over?" and despite the agony you've just put yourself through, you're sad that you're done. Crazy huh?? lol

Depending on how both of you guys go about it, you can feel back to normal in about a month or two, or a little bit more. I'm still kind of recovering, but feel about 80% more normal . Keep killing it. Both of you guys are truly inspiring.

Off season will likely depend on when my first pro show is going to be. Eric and I were discussing it on the phone and there is a possibility I may make a run at the fall. If thats the case, ill probably stay pretty lean all summer......probably come up 5 lbs. If my offseason is going to be extended, ill still be staying pretty lean. I have no intentions of going over 180 lbs before my next show. Ill pack on 4-5 lbs pretty fast though.....just to get some fat back on and feeling normal as quickly as possible.

Creative! Well done!

Keep getting after it Oak!

He he....thanks.

Sean,
Give me a call tonight if you have some time, much to talk about

Missed your post last night.....give me a ring whenever you want man. Anytime. If I dont answer just leave a message and ill get back to you asap.

you make me miss my george foreman grill now I used to grill on that thing all the time...so quick and easy and barely any clean up...might b in my best interest to get another one...My old one was left out in backyard and got damaged by the rain...have you tried grilled eggplant? Its my favorite. I would slice the eggplant up in pretty thin slices, throw it in a bag with EVOO and balsamic vinager, and then grill...NOM NOM NOM!

OH yea....you gotta have a foreman. You can pick them up at walmart for like 19 bucks now. Love that thing!

Just caught up on the last few pages here.... I wanted to congratulate you on your big win (and at less than your best) must of been a tremendous feeling! will be following man.

Thanks man. I appreciate that. I wouldnt say I was less than my best. It was my all time best look on stage. Just not as good as it hopefully will be this week or in these coming shows. Yes, it was an awesome feeling.....working soooo hard and and coming home with the W is fantastic. I have to credit God though because i cant do this on my own. Im only able because He is willing.

[BaFtub]

Keep going strong Sean. I too have them drag ass days where I feel like im being bound by chains walking through the mud at 500x earths gravity. (DBZ reference FTW)

By the by no idea if I gratted you but WOO. Make lemonade this week!

[AustrianOakJr]

Keep going strong Sean. I too have them drag ass days where I feel like im being bound by chains walking through the mud at 500x earths gravity. (DBZ reference FTW)

By the by no idea if I gratted you but WOO. Make lemonade this week!

Ha ha....yea....mud walking is just about right. I spent memorial day today finishing our landscaping out front.....nothing like digging holes and shoveling mulch all day at 5% bodyfat. Might as well be that 500 lb overweight guy trying to do the same thing. Only diff is that I dont sweat or breath hard.

Thanks for the grats. Keep pushing brotha....herc is coming!!!

[BaFtub]

Ha ha....yea....mud walking is just about right. I spent memorial day today finishing our landscaping out front.....nothing like digging holes and shoveling mulch all day at 5% bodyfat. Might as well be that 500 lb overweight guy trying to do the same thing. Only diff is that I dont sweat or breath hard.

Thanks for the grats. Keep pushing brotha....herc is coming!!!

I can definitely relate lol.. I was doing a roof last week... holy fawk did the lethargy hit home when tearing off shingles/doing errythang plus the clean up haha.

Definitely! Then we gon' get our eat on

[AustrianOakJr]

Definitely! Then we gon' get our eat on

It will be EPIC.

[proud_polack]

It will be EPIC.

About as epic as my 1745 calorie binge at my family's cookout
3 burgers
1 hot dog
2 clams
3 ears of corn
2 clams
80 gram slice of cake.
This was in a half hour sitting mind you

[co1e_train]

About as epic as my 1745 calorie binge at my family's cookout
3 burgers
1 hot dog
2 clams
3 ears of corn
2 clams
80 gram slice of cake.
This was in a half hour sitting mind you

That is indeed epic but i personally prefer smashing a whole large dominoes pizza when I need a good binge, maybe even ice cream with it too boot! 2500ish cals FTW! coolface.jpg



For real though on a binge note...ive done ^^^^ that multiple times yet always seems to not gain a lb of fat, sure I get baloated/watery as crap as I can feel it but the next day im just as lean as I was. Makes me wonder if my metabolism can handle more calories then i because the amount of times that i have done the above in various ways (norma pizza, sometimes japanese) and as frequently as I have (more so the last 2-3 weeks of school) I sure havnt gotten as fat as one would think????

[domingochavez]

That is indeed epic but i personally prefer smashing a whole large dominoes pizza when I need a good binge, maybe even ice cream with it too boot! 2500ish cals FTW! coolface.jpg



For real though on a binge note...ive done ^^^^ that multiple times yet always seems to not gain a lb of fat, sure I get baloated/watery as crap as I can feel it but the next day im just as lean as I was. Makes me wonder if my metabolism can handle more calories then i because the amount of times that i have done the above in various ways (norma pizza, sometimes japanese) and as frequently as I have (more so the last 2-3 weeks of school) I sure havnt gotten as fat as one would think????

Back in my dark days when I had no idea about content prep, and followed what the local bodybuilders did my cheat meals were no joke up towards 15,000 calories, on top of a normal days eating. All junk food as well, pizzas, burgers, family size bags of lollies, multiple packets of chocolate biscuits, you name it I ate it, would spend near $100 some weeks on cheat meal food!!

I would bloat up something shocking for about 5 days, and then come next weeks weigh in I would drop all the water, plus the 2 or so pounds of fat through my hard work during the week. When I was over 30% bodyfat I could also do this twice per week, and still drop 2lbs.

Now this obviously isn't optimal, and psychologically it ruined me because I would hang out so hard for those cheat meals, instead of just following a more IIFYM approach and working in some treats like cereal here and there to keep on pushing.

[AustrianOakJr]

About as epic as my 1745 calorie binge at my family's cookout
3 burgers
1 hot dog
2 clams
3 ears of corn
2 clams
80 gram slice of cake.
This was in a half hour sitting mind you

In 2009, I had a couple of meals in the 5-6000 calorie range. Anytime you add Buffalo wings to a meal, the calorie count jumps exponentially. 100 cals each dipped in blue cheese! Then, of course, coldstone creamery is staple.

[AustrianOakJr]

That is indeed epic but i personally prefer smashing a whole large dominoes pizza when I need a good binge, maybe even ice cream with it too boot! 2500ish cals FTW! coolface.jpg



For real though on a binge note...ive done ^^^^ that multiple times yet always seems to not gain a lb of fat, sure I get baloated/watery as crap as I can feel it but the next day im just as lean as I was. Makes me wonder if my metabolism can handle more calories then i because the amount of times that i have done the above in various ways (norma pizza, sometimes japanese) and as frequently as I have (more so the last 2-3 weeks of school) I sure havnt gotten as fat as one would think????

I think sometimes with these massive binges we dont exactly absorb all the cals in the food......Eric and I were talking about this the other day.

Back in my dark days when I had no idea about content prep, and followed what the local bodybuilders did my cheat meals were no joke up towards 15,000 calories, on top of a normal days eating. All junk food as well, pizzas, burgers, family size bags of lollies, multiple packets of chocolate biscuits, you name it I ate it, would spend near $100 some weeks on cheat meal food!!

I would bloat up something shocking for about 5 days, and then come next weeks weigh in I would drop all the water, plus the 2 or so pounds of fat through my hard work during the week. When I was over 30% bodyfat I could also do this twice per week, and still drop 2lbs.

Now this obviously isn't optimal, and psychologically it ruined me because I would hang out so hard for those cheat meals, instead of just following a more IIFYM approach and working in some treats like cereal here and there to keep on pushing.

Hey, if it worked.....it worked, right? Obviously, massive cheats are not optimal because they arent easily quantifiable. And when you get down to contest lean condition, you have to be very systematic in your approach. But at 30% BF....sure, you can get away with a lot.

[RooRooTJ]

In 2009, I had a couple of meals in the 5-6000 calorie range. Anytime you add Buffalo wings to a meal, the calorie count jumps exponentially. 100 cals each dipped in blue cheese! Then, of course, coldstone creamery is staple.

ummm wings and cold stone..no that is all I am going to think about all day. haha

[co1e_train]

I think sometimes with these massive binges we dont exactly absorb all the cals in the food......Eric and I were talking about this the other day.

Really? That is interesting. So like all the excess cals your body cant absorb just get passed through your body out via waste?