Joe's pre-contest log.

[escholar05]

18 Week Road to the NPC Mike Francois Classic

This will be my log for my second go-around with competing. I did the same show last year, and while I didn't place in the top 5, I lost 50 pounds in my 18 weeks of prep, and learned alot about the prep process, and about myself. This year will be alot different, I have a much better starting point, and I feel that I've made quite a few improvements from last time.

I am working with Rich Lauro, and he is doing my contest prep plan for me. I kind of stumbled thru the first half of my prep last year, and lost weight, but I didnt start to really get ripped until I enlisted his help. Last year he worked with me from 11 weeks out on, this year he is in from the start, which I'm really looking forward to seeing what I can do under his guidance. Check him out at www.richbodyfit.com

My starting diet is 2900 calories, 300g protein, 265g carbs, 75g fat. I did a little mini cut from the end of november to mid-december, and trimmed down to about 235 from 248. My starting weight this morning was 237.

As far as training goes, I will be splitting up body parts on the following rotation-
1. Chest
2. Hams/Traps/Calves
3. Lats/Biceps/Abs
4. Shoulders
OFF
5. Quads/Calves
6. Triceps/Abs/Forearms
7. Back

Cardio starting off will be a short 25min session post workout (150bpm target), and a once a week(sunday morning) 40 min fasted lower intensity session.


I was very happy and proud with the point I got to last year. I plan on surpassing that this year, and will stand on stage completely ripped in May.

[escholar05]

January 3- 18 weeks out-Chest

Flat BB Bench-315x6, 335x5, 355x3, 225x15

Incline DB Bench-8x90's, 8x90's, 10x80's, 10x80's

Cable Seated Chest Fly-10x120, 10x120, 10x100
Superset With
Bodyweight Dips-10, 10, 9

Cable Crossovers-10x80, 10x80, 10x80

Cardio-
40 min on treadmill (Incline 8, 3.3mph(little out of shape))-->fasted, upon waking
25min on elliptical (150bpm avg)-->post workout

Thoughts
Good first day. I tend to just pick exercises for each day when I'm in the gym. Usually if I am feeling like going heavy, that's what I tend towards. On days I'm not, I pump up the reps and set count. Regardless, it's all pretty fast paced. I was in and out today in an hour and 5.

[rich55]

OH YEAH!!! Let's do it Joe! We need to catch a crazy leg workout at Beyond Limits here soon. Give me a week or so and it's on! You had an INCREDIBLE transformation last year and this year it's hardware time!

[Matt593]

I'm in for this.

[escholar05]

OH YEAH!!! Let's do it Joe! We need to catch a crazy leg workout at Beyond Limits here soon. Give me a week or so and it's on! You had an INCREDIBLE transformation last year and this year it's hardware time!

I'm really looking forward to training there. I will even bring my own bucket for that leg workout.

I'm in for this.

cool. Now that I put 2 and 2 together and know who you are, we will have to get that workout in.

[escholar05]

January 4-Hams/Traps/Calves

DB SLDL-12x80's, 12x80's, 10x90's, 10x90's

High Stance Leg Press-20x720, 15x810, 15x810, 15x810

Hammer Strength Shrugs-180x20, 230x15, 230x15, 270x12

Standing Cable Ham Curls-12x35ea, 12x35ea, 10x45ea

Seated Ham Curls-10x130, 10x130, 10x130
SUPERSET
Lying Ham Curls-130x8, 130x8, 130x8

Cardio-
25min on elliptical (150bpm avg)-->post workout

Thoughts
Hamstrings were really burning by the end of this. Really focused hard on every rep, and it paid off. Feeling real good, all the super clean food is leaving me hungry between meals, but after seeing what happened last year, the hunger motivates me, it's weird.

[stayfit2008]

This will be fun to watch! I don't think you can go wrong with Rich!

[escholar05]

This will be fun to watch! I don't think you can go wrong with Rich!

No arguments there.

[escholar05]

January 5-Lats/Bi's/Abs

Hammer Grip Pullups(bodyweight)-8, 8, 6, 6

V-Bar Straight Arm Pulldowns-12x150, 12x150, 10x170, 10x170

DB Curls-12x40's, 10x40's, 10x45's, 8x45's, drop set of 8x35's

Underhand Close Grip Pulldown (2 seated, 2 standing)-12x140, 12x140, 10x150, 10x150

Heavy Leaning Hammer Curls-10x60, 10x60, 8x70

Underhand Cable Row-15x140, 15x140

Ab Work

Cardio-
25min on elliptical (150bpm avg)-->post workout

Thoughts
Great pump, really targeted and hit the lats well. I will like pullups alot more the closer I get to showtime, doing them at 235 sucks.

[escholar05]

January 6-Shoulders

BB Shoulder Press-275x5, 255x6, 225x7, 185x9

DB Lateral Raise-10x30's, 10x30's, 8x30's
superset with
DB Rear Laterals-8x30's, 8x30's, 6x30's

Cable Front Raises-8x45ea, 10x40ea, 12x25ea

Standing Behind the Neck BB Press-135x10, 135x8

Bodyweight Dips-10, 10

Cardio-
25min on elliptical (150bpm avg)-->post workout

Thoughts
Got started at about 450, got done with everything, cardio included at 510. Heavy shoulder presses kinda sucked with low rest, but my shoulders had a huge pump and felt like rocks. Haven't really had a dedicated shoulder day in awhile, so this felt good.

[escholar05]

January 7-Quads/Calves

BB Front Squat-185x12, 225x8, 225x8, 225x8, 225x8

Smith Wide Squat-185x8, 185x8, 185x8
Superset with
Smith Close Squat-185x8, 185x8, 185x8

Leg Press-810x12, 900x8, 720x12

Leg Extensions-200x8, 200x8, 170x10, 150x12

Donkey Calf Raises-130x10, 130x10, 130x10, 130x10

Cardio-
25min on elliptical (135bpm avg)-->post workout, couldn't give it everything i had because my quads were so tired.

Thoughts
Great leg workout today, got all that done in about 40-45 min. Quads will be way sore tomorrow.

[rich55]

Excellent leg workout! Oh yeah!! If you want to really mess those legs up hit the hacks after the smith wide squats. The angle on hacks pre-exhausted is VERY nice Yeah, and after legs you just move on some type of cardio equipment haha.

[escholar05]

January 9- 17 weeks out-Chest

Flat BB Bench-315x8, 315x6, 275x10, 275x7

Incline DB Bench-10x85's, 8x85's, 8x85's, 10x70's

Flat DB Flys-12x45's, 10x45's, 8x45's, 8x50's

Dips-10x3

Cable Crossover-12x100, 12x100

Cardio-
25min on elliptical (150bpm avg)-->post workout

Thoughts
Good workout. I kinda bounced around a bit with what I wanted to do as far as a rotation goes, but I think I settled on something, we'll see.

[escholar05]

January 10-Quads/Calves

Squats-275x6, 315x6, 335x6, 345x6

Leg Press-720x11, 640x14, 640x12, 640x12

Smith Split Squats-155x6each, 155x6each

Seated Calf Raises-90x10x4

Leg Extensions-170x11, 170x8


Cardio-
40min fasted upon waking
25min on elliptical (135bpm avg)-->post workout, couldn't give it everything i had because my quads were so tired.

Thoughts
234 this morning, I'm pretty happy with 3 pounds the first week, especially with minimal cardio, minimal fatburners(only using a little caffeine pre-workout, and caffeinated green tea to wake me up), and not that big of a calorie cut. Things are going well after one week.

[The_Animal11]

oh herro! looks like the workouts in here are goin pretty well so far! hows the mirror lookin at this point? friend or foe?

[escholar05]

January 11-Shoulders

BB Shoulder Press-225x10, 225x10, 225x8, 185x9

BB Upright Rows-135x6, 135x6, 95x12, 95x12

Lying Incline Front DB Raise-10x20's, 10x20's, 10x20's

Strict Side Laterals-8x35, 8x35, 8x40

Rear Cable Laterals-12x25, 12x25

Dips-20, 20

Cardio-
25min on elliptical (1 min sprint, 2 min cruise)+5 min cool down.....post workout

Thoughts
Had a little left in the gas tank today, so I went for broke and did HIIT cardio. The cardio area was packed with resolutionists, and for once I actually felt bad for them, I could actually feel the heat radiating off me, and I had a nice little pool of sweat underneath me. Could not have been pleasant to be around.

[escholar05]

oh herro! looks like the workouts in here are goin pretty well so far! hows the mirror lookin at this point? friend or foe?

completely missed this post...mirror is looking great, from the neck up that is . The rest is a work in progress.

[escholar05]

January 13-Back

T-Bar Rows-150x10, 150x10, 180x8, 180x8, 225x6

V-Bar Straight Arm Pulldowns-150x12, 150x12, 165x10, 165x10

Standing CGUH Pulldowns-140x10, 140x10, 155x8, 155x8

DB One Arm Row-8x90, 10x80, 12x70

Freemotion Lat Pulldown-12x150, 12x150, 10x170

Cybex Neutral Grip Pulldown-10x170, 10x170

Cardio-
25min on elliptical (150bpm avg)-->post workout

Thoughts
This one went by really quick. I did alot of stuff, but I dont feel like I did anything particularly well. Next rotation is back to basics, going to do like 4 movements max, and just a ****ton of sets.

[escholar05]

January 14-Not quite Hams/Traps/Calves

So I was in a little fender bender yesterday on the way to work...and as a result I've been having low back spasms and general tightness in my low low back. I tried to go in today and do some ham stuff, and I got thru about 10 sets of various kinds of hamstring curls, nothing with free weights, because that just wasn't happening. I eventually just gave up and did cardio. I'm going to rest it tomorrow and saturday, and go to the chiropractor saturday morning, and hopefully get whatever got knocked out of whack put back into place.

[escholar05]

January 16- 16 weeks out-Arms/Abs

CGBP-275x10, 275x10, 245x11, 225x10

BB Curls-85x12, 85x12, 95x10, 75x14

Straight Bar Cable Pushdowns-12x205(stack), 10x205, 8x205, drop to 180x10

DB Hammer Curls-12x35's, 10x40's, 8x45's, 14x25's

Cable Rope Kickbacks-10x25, 10x25, 10x25

Reverse EZ Curls-75x12, 75x10, 75x10

Ab Work

Cardio-
25 min elliptical(1 min sprint, 2 min cruise)-->post workout

Thoughts
Good workout today, lower back feels alot better. Will be going light tomorrow during quads and watching it very closely.

[The_Animal11]

glad to hear the back felt a little better today. get that fixed man!

[escholar05]

January 17-Quads/Calves

BB Front Squat-185x13, 185x12, 185x14, 225x8

DB Step Ups-6ea x 40's, 6ea x 40's, 6ea x 40's
Superset with
Seated Calf-90x10, 90x10, 90x10

Leg Extension-12x190, 10x210, 10x230
Superset with
Glute Kickbacks-130x12, 190x8, 190x8

Hip Ab(Add?)duction (inner thigh)-12x150, 12x150, 12x150
Superset With
Standing Calf-150x12, 150x12, 150x10


Cardio-
40min fasted AM on treadmill
25min on elliptical (140bpm avg)-->post workout,


Thoughts
My lower back thing seems to be more of a glute/hip thing, and with a ton of stretching and warming up, it kind of resolved itself as I got deeper into the workout. Good workout today, was a different mix of exercises for sure, but definitely hit the whole leg nicely.

I didn't seem to move the scale in any appreciable amount this week, but I think I look much leaner and I'm starting to see more vascularity, so I don't think the scale is telling the whole story this week.

[The_Animal11]

Hip Ab(Add?)duction (inner thigh)-12x150, 12x150, 12x150
Superset With
Standing Calf-150x12, 150x12, 150x10
.

ADDuction ADDs the leg to the midline. ABduction takes it away.

either way its pretty homo.



haha but weeks where the scale doesnt move but ya look leaner are the best! still addin muscle in prep ftw!

[escholar05]

ADDuction ADDs the leg to the midline. ABduction takes it away.

either way its pretty homo.



haha but weeks where the scale doesnt move but ya look leaner are the best! still addin muscle in prep ftw!

agreed, those machines were not meant for dudes. They were meant to entertain me while I do cardio.

And I do look leaner, but I can feel the oncoming hammer dropping of a calorie reduction in a week or 2 here.

[escholar05]

January 18-Back

Assisted Pullups (because I'm still fat)-8x(-45), 8x(-45), 8x(-35), 6x(-35), 11x(-50)

T-Bar Rows-150x8, 175x8, 175x8, 135x11

CGUH Pulldowns-135x12, 145x10, 145x10, drop to 125x15

Seated V-Bar Rows-150x8, 150x8, 150x8, 135x12
Superset with
V-Handle Straight Arm Pulldowns-140x10, 130x12, 130x12, 120x15

Cardio-
30min on elliptical (140bpm avg)-->post workout,


Thoughts
Now that was a back workout. 21 sets in about 40 min. My back was way pumped, higher sets and more simplicity is definitely the way to go for me.

[RichKnapp]

January 18-Back

Now that was a back workout. 21 sets in about 40 min. My back was way pumped, higher sets and more simplicity is definitely the way to go for me.

Sounds like a good W/O.

[escholar05]

Sounds like a good W/O.

Thanks man. I have an amazing amount of respect for what you are doing, I spent ~3 months in a wheelchair after a near-fatal car accident 5 years ago. I'm sure thats nothing compared, but I at least get it a bit, and I admire your determination.

[Flex500]

18 Week Road to the NPC Mike Francois Classic

This will be my log for my second go-around with competing. I did the same show last year, and while I didn't place in the top 5, I lost 50 pounds in my 18 weeks of prep, and learned alot about the prep process, and about myself. This year will be alot different, I have a much better starting point, and I feel that I've made quite a few improvements from last time.

I am working with Rich Lauro, and he is doing my contest prep plan for me. I kind of stumbled thru the first half of my prep last year, and lost weight, but I didnt start to really get ripped until I enlisted his help. Last year he worked with me from 11 weeks out on, this year he is in from the start, which I'm really looking forward to seeing what I can do under his guidance. Check him out at www.richbodyfit.com

My starting diet is 2900 calories, 300g protein, 265g carbs, 75g fat. I did a little mini cut from the end of november to mid-december, and trimmed down to about 235 from 248. My starting weight this morning was 237.

As far as training goes, I will be splitting up body parts on the following rotation-
1. Chest
2. Hams/Traps/Calves
3. Lats/Biceps/Abs
4. Shoulders
OFF
5. Quads/Calves
6. Triceps/Abs/Forearms
7. Back

Cardio starting off will be a short 25min session post workout (150bpm target), and a once a week(sunday morning) 40 min fasted lower intensity session.


I was very happy and proud with the point I got to last year. I plan on surpassing that this year, and will stand on stage completely ripped in May.

ahhh nice man I'm about to start my log on here...doing the same show! you live in columbus?

[RichKnapp]

Thanks man. I have an amazing amount of respect for what you are doing, I spent ~3 months in a wheelchair after a near-fatal car accident 5 years ago. I'm sure thats nothing compared, but I at least get it a bit, and I admire your determination.

Thanks for the kind words.

[escholar05]

ahhh nice man I'm about to start my log on here...doing the same show! you live in columbus?

Post up the link in here when you do. Will be cool to meet you in person.