JMCandelario's Contest Prep Journal

[JMCandelario]

haha nice work brotha. So what are you doing now? Just going week by week maintaining/cutting?

Pretty much...I'm *supposed* to be recomping right now (long term), but after vacation for a week and being pretty busy and occupied lately, I figure it wouldn't hurt to get some painless cutting in for a small stretch.

Seeing definite progress already with little effort! The Holy Grail of getting diced is probably staying busy.

[JMCandelario]

Workouts have been going well!

Pretty much maintaining everything with slight improvements. Over the past week, here are some new PRs:

210x8 for Front Squats
275x8 for Romanian Deadlifts
165x8 for close grip parallel cable rows

Again, the goal is just to stay where I am while slowly chipping away at some fluff and making slight improvements in strength...pretty busy!

[BabyOilBrah]

Good to hear bro. Nice front squats! I just hit a new 20 rep set PR yesterday, was brutal.

[JMCandelario]

Good to hear bro. Nice front squats! I just hit a new 20 rep set PR yesterday, was brutal.

20 rep set on squat?

Are you trying to kill yourself, there? Hahaha I'm kidding. I bet that was a cardiac carnival afterwards, huh? I'm sure Mr. Soreness will be paying you a visit shortly...

[BabyOilBrah]

20 rep set on squat?

Are you trying to kill yourself, there? Hahaha I'm kidding. I bet that was a cardiac carnival afterwards, huh? I'm sure Mr. Soreness will be paying you a visit shortly...

It was nuts, I was doing it because of the squat challenge in the misc (see the stickies). There's avid on the first page, I was tired as hell haha.

[JMCandelario]

It was nuts, I was doing it because of the squat challenge in the misc (see the stickies). There's avid on the first page, I was tired as hell haha.

I'll check it out. Sounds like good cardio.



Here's a recent pic.

[JMCandelario]

6/25/12

Did a ton of outside work in the morning washing/vaccuuming the cars. Decided to man up and go to the gym afterwards--fasted--for leg day--after a day of fighting the waves at the beach yesterday and cutting all week. I like the challenge. Sipped some BCAAs/Preworkout and pulled the trigger.

Front Squats
215x6 DEEP! PR.
195x8 PR
135x20 (cardio )

Romanian Deadlifts
275x10 PR
225x15

Straight Leg Calf Raises
225x6x2

Bent Knee Seated Calf Raises
Whatever the machine weighs + 125 x 8
" " + 115 x 10
" " + 90 x 15

Supersetted these with my rotator cuff stuff

Open Can Side Raises
7.5x15x2

Arm Elevated External Rotations
7.5x15x2

GREAT workout. I don't even understand it...I've been averaging 5-6 hours of sleep per night for the past week, in a steady deficit, very busy, AND before the workout, I was doing outside work for a good 2 hours. Go figure...


*I honestly believe most of this is just mental. I've trained my mind to block out everything and to not hang on excuses. In the past, I would've thought about it too much. "I've been cutting, I haven't been sleeping much, I'm tired from working" etc. But now, I say screw it. Who cares? I just unrack the weight and DO IT. No negative thoughts or doubts. Find that perfect song, clear your mind, gather your chi, and enter a Zen state of mind.

Very happy to have set some nice PRs.


Nutrition
2800cals, 180g Pro (not worried about the rest, though it was a carb up day, so high carbs, low fats)

[BabyOilBrah]

Solid PRs, and great workout. No doubt a lot of it is mental, I must agree. I've had some of my best workouts while on a cut.

[JPlevell]

In on this! Sorry, I'm a little late. Your physique is looking good though, and your workouts look strong!

[JMCandelario]

Solid PRs, and great workout. No doubt a lot of it is mental, I must agree. I've had some of my best workouts while on a cut.

It's weird, huh? Not that we're complaining.

In on this! Sorry, I'm a little late. Your physique is looking good though, and your workouts look strong!

Never too late, man! Thanks a bunch.

[JMCandelario]

6/29/12

Had a great workout despite my knees feeling achy & feeling tired about it beforehand (Probably due to the weather. It was rainy.)

I cut the grass in the morning, so there goes a good 45 minutes of cardio. Haha.

Front Squats *Didn't want to go too heavy because my knees ached...no clue why...I'll just blame the change in pressure from the weather.
-185x12 (PR)
-165x15
-135x21

All of them low to da flo! Hammies to calf action.

Romanian Deadlifts
280x8 (PR)
250x10 (PR)

For anyone wondering, Romanians are my way of doing SLDLs. Good demonstrative video courtesy of Gzus.



Standing Calf Raises
225x7
225x6

Seated Bent-Leg Calf Raises
Machine + 115x8
Machine + 105x10

Rotator Cuff Stuff

Full Can Lateral Raises
7.5x16x2

Arm-Elevated Ext Rotations
7.5x16x2

(PR for both)


Nutrition
2850cals, 180g Pro, slight surplus

[JMCandelario]

7/1/12

Sunday Morning gymin'

Seated Parallel Cable Rows
165x12
150x14
135x16
120x18
105x20

More volume here. Felt good. Supersetted w/ feet elevated pushups: 3 sets of 20 (perfecto)

Tricep Cable Rope Extensions
57.5x10
50x15

SS with

DB Rear Delt Flyes
15s x 17 x 2

Rotator Cuff Stuff

Full Can Lateral Raises
7.5x17x2

Arm Elevated Ext. Rotations
7.5x17

Cable Ext. Rotations
5x12


Nutrition
2800, 170 P

Progress pic from today:

[JMCandelario]

Well I originally had this typed up...but when I hit "reply", it turns out I was logged out, so I lost it all. Here it is...AGAIN.



7/6/12

Front Squats
215x10 (4 rep PR)
195x15 (7 rep PR) Lolwut
165x21 (Old rep max PR + 30lbs)

Crushed all my old PRs!

Romanians
280x9 (PR)
225x12

Straight Leg Calves
225x7x2

Seated Calves (Bent-Knee)
+125x8
+115x10

*Going to move towards higher reps with these from now on.

Then did a couple quick sets for the rotator cuff. I was pressed for time.

Full Can Raises
7.5 x 17

Arm Elevated External Rotations
7.5 x 17

Great workout.

Starting Summer classes tomorrow (7/8). :/

Didn't want to spend a whole semester on Poly Sci when I can knock it out in 5 weeks ya know?

[BabyOilBrah]

Nice work brotha, hope you're havin a good summer.

[JMCandelario]

Nice work brotha, hope you're havin a good summer.

Thanks man! It's been great so far. 2 months of break time (from school anyways; definitely been putting in work in just about every other area ) .

How's it going?