Ask me anything (NABBA professional bodybuilder)

[Shkimabobs]

What do you do for a pre-contest diet?

[Morsprincipium1]

1.) Are you natural?

2.) I'm 14, so I'm not going to do a cut (foreverbulking lol), but I have one question. I have a pretty low bf% (~12%), but I have love handles. Now, I eat alot before I go to bed (I treat sleep like an 8 hour fast), probably totalling around 1000 calories but not much fat (8-15 grams, but usually 8 grams). Do you think that eating that much before bed could be the reason I keep the love handles no matter how hard I lift and do cardio (I go hard on both - heavy weights and cardio intervals - it's all there). My waist is about 29" right now, so they're not huge, but I was just wondering.

Noooooooo lol.

Dietary fat will not make you fat, it's irrelevant when you eat fats. The reason you have love handles is because that's where your body decides to store it's fat, we're all different in that sense. It may not go away until you end up cutting, so don't worry about it.

how many exercises per muscle? should my last set , if I'm doing 3 sets be to failure? thanks.

That should be up to you, just listen to your body and it will tell you when it's taxed and it's time to leave.
I'd personally do all of them to failure, but that's just me. You could do the last one to failure if you'd like.

this needs to be stickied, there is some good stuff in here.

What is your personal favorite way to add 500-1000 calories to your diet? In other words, what do you use as a homemade mass gainer?

Honestly I just cook up a huge pot of pasta and throw some random meats in it with some sauce. Easy way to get calories and it's delicious.

Shake wise, I'll throw some milk, protein powder, some oats, peanut butter, and olive oil. Maybe even some chocolate syrup for taste or w/e you like, blend it all together and viola! Insant calories to go.

how long did it take you to get massive?

I think I started to get that "freak" look back when i was around 24-25 or so

Thoughts on Split and routien

Bis/Tris/Deadlifts/Barbell Rows
Legs
Chest
Back
Chest/Shoulders
Legs
Rest



10 Reps 4 Sets


Bicep Barbell Curl Superset Tricep Extension
Bicep Reverse Curls Superset Tricep Rope Press
Bicep Hammer Curls Superset Tricep Pressdown
Barbell Rows
Deadlifts 6x4

Legs:

Back Squat 10x5
Front Squat 10x5
Leg Extension 10x5
Leg Curl 10x5
Inner Thigh 10x3
Outer Thigh 10x3
Donkey Raises 12x5
Barbell Toe Raises 14x5

Chest:

Straight DB Bench Press 10x4
Incline Reverse DB Bench Press 10x4
Decline DB Bench Press 10x4
Cable Flys Superset Machine Flys 10x4
Decline Flys Superset Decline Pullovers 10x4
Smith Machine Bench 12x1


Back:

Bent Over Rows 10x5
Seated Rows 10x5
Lat Pull Down (F) 10x5
Lat Pull down (R) 10x5
Deadlift 6x6


Shoulders:

Arnold Press superset Shoulder Press 10x4
Upright Rows Superset Behind Shrugs 10x5
Front Raises Superset Lateral Raises 10x4
Cable Reverse Flys 10x5



Anything i should add/change?

Kind've an odd split, the exercises are fine but the split is just odd to me. IMO I would take out one of the chest days and make a shoulder only day, along with taking out the deadlifts and barbell rows and putting them on back day, and making one of the leg days a rest day.

Like this:
Arms
Legs
Day off (don't want to have tri's taxed when doing chest)
Chest
Back
Shoulders
Rest
That's what I'd do IMO, but it's up to you

What do you do for a pre-contest diet?

\

I just change my offseason diet to fit my macro and caloric needs, my diet is very simple and goes like this:

Meal 1: eggs/oatmeal

Meal 2: Shake

Meal 3: Steak and potatoes (veggies thrown in)

Meal 4: Shake

Meal 5: Postworkout shake

Meal 6: Tilapia and potatoes (veggies thrown in)

Meal 7: Tilapia and potatoes (veggies thrown in)

So depending on if I'm offseason or in contest prep the amount of food will vary, but that's how I eat for the most part

In the offseason alot of the time I'll go out to eat with my wife or some friends, so I'll replace a meal or two with whatever I end up eating, or f

[TheAsianKid]

hi
so i wanna be all puffed up
my weight is about 76 kilos
my height is 172 cm
so am gonna tell u my schedule and plz help me if am doing something wrong
lifting weights six days a week
before i begin to lift weights i jogg,do jumping jacks , push ups , and running the stairways for about 20-18 minutes
after that i begin lifting weights
chest on tuesday , shoulders on wednesday , legs on thursday , back on friday , arms on saturday and then repeat the cycle all over again
i do abbs twice every day when i get up from bed and when i go to the gym except monday no work out at all
and i rest for the whole monday cuz the gym is closed
so what do u think ?
do u think i will be puffed up very soon ??

[Porschy]

Did bodybuilding change your ego? or how you look at life? ect?

[ThomasRe]

Critique my routine please:

Day 1: Chest; Incline Flies, Incline Press, Flat Flies, Flat Press (After each press I do push-ups till failure), Shoulders; Mill. Press, Clean and Press, Lateral raises, (few rotator cuff exercises thrown in) Arms;close grip BP, decline skull-crushers, Zottman curls, Hammer curls, Abs; Crunches, Leg Raises, Oblique sways.

Day 2: Back; Reverse grip rows, Alternating widths for pull-ups, One arm DB rows, Shrugs, Deadlifts, Legs; Squats, Leg Press, Calf Raises, Lunges w/rotation, Jogging for 10 minutes, Abs(same as above)

I alternate between these two with a day off in between.

Also, I feel like Im not getting enough food. I have my 2 scoops of whey after lifting and 1 in the morning with my oats. But then I usually have to go without anything until lunch, even then I only can get a chicken wrap and milk. I eat a lot at dinner however, usually a decent portion of meat with tons of veggies.

One last thing, any advice on supplements? Currently I'm only using musclemilk and Natural HCG (blend of amino acids that promote HGH, not the one made from placenta)

Thanks!

[Gainfreak]

hi
so i wanna be all puffed up
my weight is about 76 kilos
my height is 172 cm
so am gonna tell u my schedule and plz help me if am doing something wrong
lifting weights six days a week
before i begin to lift weights i jogg,do jumping jacks , push ups , and running the stairways for about 20-18 minutes
after that i begin lifting weights
chest on tuesday , shoulders on wednesday , legs on thursday , back on friday , arms on saturday and then repeat the cycle all over again
i do abbs twice every day when i get up from bed and when i go to the gym except monday no work out at all
and i rest for the whole monday cuz the gym is closed
so what do u think ?
do u think i will be puffed up very soon ??

can't do so much cardio especially on lifting days. And your abs should only be done a few times a week if that. Lift only 5 days a week.

The rest I'll let the guy answer.

[TheAsianKid]

can't do so much cardio especially on lifting days. And your abs should only be done a few times a week if that. Lift only 5 days a week.

The rest I'll let the guy answer.

thanx but how much cardio should i do
cuz i wanna lose a couple of kilos

[Gainfreak]

thanx but how much cardio should i do
cuz i wanna lose a couple of kilos

Just lift and grow muscle first. It's hard to lose fat and grow muscle especially when you're trying to get big.


Do some cardio for 30 minutes at a time once a week, but you still need to eat. Don't do cardio on lift days. Lifting burns calories as well so adjust your diet to get a good amount of calories in but not too much that you'll be getting too much fat. You're looking at trying to do a clean bulk.

[farani]

For a 16 year old, with approximately 1.70 cm, the minimum measures which compete for bodybuilding?

[TheAsianKid]

Just lift and grow muscle first. It's hard to lose fat and grow muscle especially when you're trying to get big.


Do some cardio for 30 minutes at a time once a week, but you still need to eat. Don't do cardio on lift days. Lifting burns calories as well so adjust your diet to get a good amount of calories in but not too much that you'll be getting too much fat. You're looking at trying to do a clean bulk.

ok forget about losing weight
cuz i think my weight is fine with my height right ?
what do u suggest to eat ??
tell me a diet schedule

[L1AM]

why/how did you decide to become a pro bodybuilder?

and what are you top 5 favorite ab exercises?

[SamTek]

I love the no broscience approach you have unlike some other bodybuilders.

Future Pro bodybuilder here so a few relevant questions:

1. How hard is it to find sponsorship at the amateur level?
2. What kind of costs do sponsors cover?
3. If you don't mind me asking, how much is the pay and do you have a second job to cover costs?
4. How much gear do people actually use (test, ect)?

Thank you for giving the opportunity to ask questions.

[occh96]

hey just want to say THANK YOU for creating this thread. it's soooo helpful. anyway, what is your opinion on Rippetoe's Starting Strength and how does it compare to the general workout of working chest and shoulder one day, back and biceps another day, and triceps and legs the third day?

[hristomir8]

Awesome thread

Do you think weighted pullups are superior to a lat pull-down machine?

If I eat at a caloric maintance, lift 3 times a week with a full body workout(On Stronglifts now) and Sprint twice will I build muscle and lose fat at the same time? Even at a slow pace will I?

Can you give a few tips on maximizing anabolic hormones naturally?

[Shaquiel]

Great thread.

Over the past few months i've changed my diet and actually got onto a diet, meaning getting rid of junk food entirely, juice, etc and incorperating healthy foods and eating multiple times a day and they've yielded amazing life changing results for me. My goal has been to cut fat and gain muscle. I'm actually in a pretty good shape right now but i've been reading lately about cardio directly after a workout can hamper your results. What are your thoughts on that? i've shredded enough fat that my 4 pack is visible but i don't know if thats because of the 20 mins of cardio directly after the workout, or the change of diet, and my MAIN goals: a 6-8 pack with the all too famous "v" and better shaped pecs.

I'm also switching to a 3 day split today consisting of
chest/triceps/abs
Legs (which will be football drills and that kind of thing since i'm going into football) /abs
Biceps/back/abs

Do you think that split will be benificial to what i've been doing which is a full body workout or two a week with a strict diet?
Thank you for your thoughts.

[unleavened]

are you naturally broad and big?
for example. i am naturally big. i was 205 at age 16 and i certainly wasnt fat (nor muscular) and my shoulders and chest are massively wide. also thick thighs
this good for bb'ing?

[Tw1tcHy]

What are your thoughts on IIFYM?

The basic principle behind it is it does not matter what you eat, as long as you hit your macros your the difference in body composition between IIFYM and "clean eating" are negligible. These aren't my macros, but say I had a ratio of p/f/c being 200/100/150 and my maintenance calories were at 3,000 and I wanted to cut. The theory is, as long as I hit my minimum amount of protein and fats needed, and keep my calories at at least a 500 calorie deficit, I should be able to lose weight the same as a guy using a pre contest diet such as yourself. Obviously, professionals have not exactly jumped onboard with this idea, but it is gaining a lot of momentum on the board. What do you think of it? If you think it works, why don't you ever try it? If you are against it, for what reason(s)?

[Morsprincipium1]

hi
so i wanna be all puffed up
my weight is about 76 kilos
my height is 172 cm
so am gonna tell u my schedule and plz help me if am doing something wrong
lifting weights six days a week
before i begin to lift weights i jogg,do jumping jacks , push ups , and running the stairways for about 20-18 minutes
after that i begin lifting weights
chest on tuesday , shoulders on wednesday , legs on thursday , back on friday , arms on saturday and then repeat the cycle all over again
i do abbs twice every day when i get up from bed and when i go to the gym except monday no work out at all
and i rest for the whole monday cuz the gym is closed
so what do u think ?
do u think i will be puffed up very soon ??

You said you lift 6 days a week, yet your split is 5 days?
You only need to hit abs a few times a week, not twice daily. Hit them hard 2-3 times a week and thats all you really need.
I can't really tell what you do for your split besides the cardio portions, so you'll have to be more specific before I can answer any questions.

Did bodybuilding change your ego? or how you look at life? ect?

Of course!
It changed my ego in a good way, made me more humble and made me understand why hard work is important in all aspects of life. It makes me want to work my hardest with work, my wife, lifting, anything I am to do in life.

It also made me more understanding to peoples dreams and goals. Whatever somebody wants to do, if that is their goal and they are willing to do anything to acheive it, they should go for it. Sh!t, if my goal is to stand onstage all orange, oiled up in a speedo, other peoples wierd goals seem like nothing.

Ego wise, it really put me in my place. Seeing how I always need to be improving and how large many of my competitors are can really make you understand why this sport is so difficult.

Critique my routine please:

Day 1: Chest; Incline Flies, Incline Press, Flat Flies, Flat Press (After each press I do push-ups till failure), Shoulders; Mill. Press, Clean and Press, Lateral raises, (few rotator cuff exercises thrown in) Arms;close grip BP, decline skull-crushers, Zottman curls, Hammer curls, Abs; Crunches, Leg Raises, Oblique sways.

Day 2: Back; Reverse grip rows, Alternating widths for pull-ups, One arm DB rows, Shrugs, Deadlifts, Legs; Squats, Leg Press, Calf Raises, Lunges w/rotation, Jogging for 10 minutes, Abs(same as above)

I alternate between these two with a day off in between.

Also, I feel like Im not getting enough food. I have my 2 scoops of whey after lifting and 1 in the morning with my oats. But then I usually have to go without anything until lunch, even then I only can get a chicken wrap and milk. I eat a lot at dinner however, usually a decent portion of meat with tons of veggies.

One last thing, any advice on supplements? Currently I'm only using musclemilk and Natural HCG (blend of amino acids that promote HGH, not the one made from placenta)

Thanks!

Your split is odd, and it seems like you'd have difficulty with your back day considering you did biceps the day before, biceps are a secondary mover in back movements.
If you like that split I'd move arms to day 2 instead, and make sure you are doing high volume considering you are only doing a few movements for each muscle group.

This is what I did in school:
In the morning I had eggs, oatmeal, easy to make and easy to down quick.
During school I'd bring 2-3 peanut butter sandwiches and wolf them down in between classes, and a shake or two for lunch and after school.

After school was never a problem for me so I had my regular meals, but try that out. Make a big lunch/snacks to go and keep eating constantly!
Keep the muscle milk, drop the HCG, trust me it's garbage (generally speaking, if its not injectible its worthless.) A multivitamin, creatine, or fish oil can be used but everything else isnt worth the money IMO ( i use ZMA/melatonin to help me sleep though).

QUOTE=farani;777927063]For a 16 year old, with approximately 1.70 cm, the minimum measures which compete for bodybuilding?[/QUOTE]

You're gonna have to re-phrase the question, I have no idea what you're asking.

why/how did you decide to become a pro bodybuilder?

and what are you top 5 favorite ab exercises?

When I was very young, I always hated being small (short) so I decided if I can't grow taller, I'll just get wider.

I only do like 2-3, but:

Weighted sit ups
Hanging leg raises with a medicine ball in between my legs
Various forms of crunches
Oh and I go to ab class once a week with my wife

I love the no broscience approach you have unlike some other bodybuilders.

Future Pro bodybuilder here so a few relevant questions:

1. How hard is it to find sponsorship at the amateur level?
2. What kind of costs do sponsors cover?
3. If you don't mind me asking, how much is the pay and do you have a second job to cover costs?
4. How much gear do people actually use (test, ect)?

Thank you for giving the opportunity to ask questions.

1. Very difficult, this is why I chose to get my NABBA card rather than wait to get an IFBB one. (you have to show HUGE promise)
2. Supplements, competition fees (plane tickets, tanner, trunks, entry fee, etc.) and that's pretty much it. (I've heard that some big companies like muscletech cover food, not sure though)
3.Ah, not much. I just get money from sponsors, and if I get a good placing from prize money. I'm a fitness director at a gym, and I make decent money. I don't get to spend money on anything that's not bodybuilding related, if that puts into perspective on how much I make. My wife also helps me out greatly.
4. Honestly, a ton. It depends on the person because some people grow off a tiny amount and have great genetics, and others I've heard of using 3 grams of test, 40IU's of growth, 50+ IU's of insulin, etc. (and they still look like sh!t) Alot of the time in this sport, it's who's willing to use the most is the one who will win, though.

hey just want to say THANK YOU for creating this thread. it's soooo helpful. anyway, what is your opinion on Rippetoe's Starting Strength and how does it compare to the general workout of working chest and shoulder one day, back and biceps another day, and triceps and legs the third day?

No problem, and I think it's alright, I'm more into hitting each individual muscle group so the fact that there's no calves, biceps, etc kinda makes me not too fond of it, but I like the principle of building a base before going into more advanced splits.

Awesome thread

Do you think weighted pullups are superior to a lat pull-down machine?

If I eat at a caloric maintance, lift 3 times a week with a full body workout(On Stronglifts now) and Sprint twice will I build muscle and lose fat at the same time? Even at a slow pace will I?

Can you give a few tips on maximizing anabolic hormones naturally?

I've never liked them, although my arms are short so I get a sh!t ROM on them. So my vote goes to the lat pulldown.
No, you cannot lose fat and build muscle at the same time (naturally).
Lift heavy, flirt with girls alot, maintain a confident mindset throughout the day, eat alot of fats. (don't know if it works but why not give it a shot right?)

Great thread.

Over the past few months i've changed my diet and actually got onto a diet, meaning getting rid of junk food entirely, juice, etc and incorperating healthy foods and eating multiple times a day and they've yielded amazing life changing results for me. My goal has been to cut fat and gain muscle. I'm actually in a pretty good shape right now but i've been reading lately about cardio directly after a workout can hamper your results. What are your thoughts on that? i've shredded enough fat that my 4 pack is visible but i don't know if thats because of the 20 mins of cardio directly after the workout, or the change of diet, and my MAIN goals: a 6-8 pack with the all too famous "v" and better shaped pecs.

I'm also switching to a 3 day split today consisting of
chest/triceps/abs
Legs (which will be football drills and that kind of thing since i'm going into football) /abs
Biceps/back/abs

Do you think that split will be benificial to what i've been doing which is a full body workout or two a week with a strict diet?
Thank you for your thoughts.

Cardio after your workout will not hamper your results, you will not go catabolic in a day.

Yes, the split is fine.
Honestly, your goals are very simple to attain.

Bulk for 2-3 months on 3-4k cals, do chest twice a week, abs 2-3times. Then cut on around 1800, and boom. Better shaped pecs and shredded abs

are you naturally broad and big?
for example. i am naturally big. i was 205 at age 16 and i certainly wasnt fat (nor muscular) and my shoulders and chest are massively wide. also thick thighs
this good for bb'ing?

Yeah my structure was always pretty wideset, I also have natural graininess and vascularity which made my body perfect for this sport.
Yes, if you have a good structure to start out with it will help you greatly.

[jbball92]

favorite exercise?

[Morsprincipium1]

What are your thoughts on IIFYM?

The basic principle behind it is it does not matter what you eat, as long as you hit your macros your the difference in body composition between IIFYM and "clean eating" are negligible. These aren't my macros, but say I had a ratio of p/f/c being 200/100/150 and my maintenance calories were at 3,000 and I wanted to cut. The theory is, as long as I hit my minimum amount of protein and fats needed, and keep my calories at at least a 500 calorie deficit, I should be able to lose weight the same as a guy using a pre contest diet such as yourself. Obviously, professionals have not exactly jumped onboard with this idea, but it is gaining a lot of momentum on the board. What do you think of it? If you think it works, why don't you ever try it? If you are against it, for what reason(s)?

For pre-contest this would not work, if you were to get too many carbohydrates coming into the show you would hold far too much glycogen and water, thus making the illusion of paper thin skin and crisp conditioning undoable. IMO it would not work for contest prep simply because it is not just about losing fat, there is far more to it.

But to losing simply fat (and some muscle of course), yes it is true.

[Morsprincipium1]

favorite exercise?

Flat Bench my man.

[M0hi]

Initially, I would like to thank and congratulate you on giving the teen section value. You have finally granted someone like me, a reason to click on the teen section. Where as before it was useless and overstated threads about abs, arms, chest and lack of weight gain, I can now come here to learn once more.
I would also like to ask, is there any advantage to NABBA over IFBB? Are there qualities of NABBA that you prefer over IFBB whether it be rules, regulations, system, format etc?

[RJxEdge]

how healthy are you? How is the liver/kidneys/heart condition/blood presure?

[Morsprincipium1]

Initially, I would like to thank and congratulate you on giving the teen section value. You have finally granted someone like me, a reason to click on the teen section. Where as before it was useless and overstated threads about abs, arms, chest and lack of weight gain, I can now come here to learn once more.
I would also like to ask, is there any advantage to NABBA over IFBB? Are there qualities of NABBA that you prefer over IFBB whether it be rules, regulations, system, format etc?

They're generally the same, the IFBB is held in higher regards because of the weiders bros. and the amount of money that's in it (and shows like the arnold classic, olympia, NY pro, etc.)
The NABBA doesn't have as elite bodybuilders as the IFBB does, although that doesn't mean that this is just a walk in the park lol. There's some massive mofos.
Not really an advantage, probably a disadvantage if anything because it is less widely known. There's alot of euro competitions so I get to travel which is nice.

how healthy are you? How is the liver/kidneys/heart condition/blood presure?

Last time I went liver enzymes were slightly elevated, (probably from orals, not a problem), my blood pressure was 140/80 which is slightly high, but again not a problem b/c of my size. My heart I'm not exactly sure, I've never had any heart problems such as heart murmurs, heart disease etc. But I'm also not sure of the extent of the useage of Growth Hormone on it, so we'll have to see in the future. Kidneys have never had a problem with.

Oh and to answer your pm, 18-19

[Aleksandru]

Just a few questions if I can bother you.

1. How long did it take you to get your Pro Card?

2. What's your favorite part of Bodybuilding (e.g. Diet, training, aesthetics,etc.)?

3. Do you think it's easier for someone of my height (5'3") or similar (~5'6") to become a Pro versus people who are taller?

4. What's your water intake in the last 4 weeks of pre-contest?

5. What age do you recommend someone ride a bike if they're looking to compete in the serious levels like you?

Thanks for your time. I really appreciate when Pro's give back to the community and not forget about their roots.

[unleavened]

[QUOTE=Morsprincipium1;778189703]
Yeah my structure was always pretty wideset, I also have natural graininess and vascularity which made my body perfect for this sport.
Yes, if you have a good structure to start out with it will help you greatly.[/QUOTE

it's nice to have someone on the forums that will actually answer questions. most people here are 16-25 year old pricks that wont shut up about stuff they are fed from the admins

[xpin2winx]

whats the minimum age you recommend someone who wants to ride a bike for any purpose.

any side effects riding the bike

[unleavened]

please edit and fix things to YOUR liking

Monday-
Bench press 3 x 5
push press 3 x 5
deadlift 3 x 5
incline press 3 x 5
high pull 3 x 5
pendlay row 3 x 5

Tuesday-
back squat 5 x 5
leg extensions 3 x 5
stiff legged dl 5 x 5
lying leg curls 3 x 5

Thursday-
db bench press 2 x 10
db flies 2 x 10
close grip bench press 2 x 10
skullcrusher 2 x 10
db one arm rows 2 x 10
bent over lateral raise 2 x 10
hammer curl 2 x 10
weighted pull up 2 x 10
(add direct shoulder work?)

Friday-
Back squat 2 x 20
stiff legged dl 2 x 20
leg press (low) 2 x 10
leg press (high) 2 x 10
leg extension supersetted with leg curl 3 x 10

[soccerkid08]

My current split is
Monday Chest/bi
Bench 4x3
incline 3x12
decline 3x12
flys 25 to burn

pinwheel 3x3
bar curl 3x10
cable curl 3x10
Preacher 25 to burn

Tuesday Shoulder/trap/leg
Bar shoulder press 4x4
Arnold press 3x8
Front Raise 3x12
Rear Delt 3x12
Lateral raise 25 to burn

Squat 3x8
Deadlift 3x8

Bar shrug 2x4
Dumbbell shrug 3x12
bar shrug 25 to burn

Wednesday Back/Tri
Bar row 4x3
dumbbell row 3x12
lat pull down 3x12
cable row 25 to burn

Close grip bench 2x5
skull crusher 3x12
tri pushdown 3x12
cable pull 25 to burn

I am doing this and repeating on Fri, Sat, Sun. Am i over training? How is the routine?

[djjohnnied]

Wow, thx man for answering these questions, I am 5' 9" 196 lbs on a bulk from 140 and I'm around 17% bf, is it true that the lower your bf the harder it will be to put on muscle and the easier it is to put on fat? for example, if I keep going till let's say 220 lbs over the next year then cutting will I gain more muscle than starting a cut at 200 lbs, going down to 10% 185 lbs and starting a slow bulk again, at this lower body fat will my gains be more fat and less muscle?