Road to the stage: Round 2!

[wheathins]

Alright, let's try this again, I just typed out an entire new thread post but I lost it! so I'll keep this short and hit y'all with the cliffs:

- I logged my prep here back in 2011, dieted for 20 months with Alberto Nunez and learned a great many thing that year. 1) I didn't carry nearly as much muscle as I once thought 2) I didn't get anywhere close to being lean enough to be on a bodybuilding stage and 3) that I would need a good few years of building strength in the gym, thickness all around but mainly my legs and building metabolic capacity and 4) that I wanted to be on stage again and look like I belong

- after my 2011 prep ended in September I stuck with Alberto and rode with him all throughout the off season leading in to this contest prep which started February 2014. In 2013 I suffered an unfortunate incident which was a misdiagnosed torn abdominal muscle mistaken for an inguinal hernia. I was prepped and minutes from going under the knife before the doctor realized his mistake and let me go. I was thankful I didn't need surgery but I still needed to take it easy and Berto didn't want to push anything, so all in all, I lost 9 months of heavy lifting. No squats. No deadlifting. Lots of BFR to the lower extremities.

- Right out the gate Berto slashed my calories to get a jump on the fat loss. Macros beginning of Feb were 65f, 175c, 200p, lifting 4 x a week with zero cardio. Weight loss was good, then we stalled, changed up macros 2 weeks ago to 45f, 175c, 200p, still zero cardio. Scale hasn't been moving very fast but body composition has been improving almost daily it seems.

- I'm 19 weeks out from the OCB Battle of the Belt. Alberto thinks we're in good enough shape where we're at now that I'd benefit from a "diet break". Not sure what this entails as I'm still waiting on his response but should find out today and I'll post it up in here.

- Goals for this prep are to come in actually conditioned and showcase what these last two years of hard work were all about. My legs are still a glaring weakness, but from where they were to where they are now, I think I've done a nice job bringing them up. Big quads will forever be my "white whale" but I won't stop working until I make them a strong point.

- Miscellaneous life stuff: I've got a bachelor party trip in New Orleans set for 3 weeks before my show... should be interesting to see how that goes. I myself am getting married in October and between that, working two jobs and having 5 pets at home, I'm kept pretty busy.

- Without further adieu...

- Current contest pics sitting at 164 lbs and 19 weeks out:





1 weeks out in 2011 VS 19 weeks out in 2014:



Thanks for joining along for the ride, this strong online community is one of the reasons I love this sport!

[Vytis]

Super lean for 19 weeks out. You can sure pull out one mean vacuum. Where'd you waist go? lol

[IK9]

Down to follow along!

[TheMastedon]

Fellow 3DMJ'er checking in. I will be at the Battle of the Belt as well and hope to be competing in it in 2015. Will be cheering you on for sure!

[wheathins]

Super lean for 19 weeks out. You can sure pull out one mean vacuum. Where'd you waist go? lol

thanks brotha, still got lots of fat to strip! haha you're the second person to tell me that about the vacuum, I never meant to do intentionally, it's just how I hit side poses - but I'll take it!

Down to follow along!

glad to have you dude! Now that I'm back perusing the boards with more frequency I'll be all sorts of up inside your log!

Fellow 3DMJ'er checking in. I will be at the Battle of the Belt as well and hope to be competing in it in 2015. Will be cheering you on for sure!

NICE!! Gotta come up and hang out dude! Maybe even a summer time 3DMJ training session would be appropriate, I only live like 20 minutes from Sicklerville!

[jpfaherty]

YES!! Innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

[deltpecx]

Found it!

looking good at 19 weeks!

[FATHER FLEX]

Successful prep is all about the setup...



I'll be Crawford and you take it home Blake

[Bnizzle163]

Looking damn sharp. I am in!

[TheMastedon]

20 min from Sicklervillle??!! Awesome man, we will definitely have a mini mash up come summer time. If you need any help at the show just let me know!

[wheathins]

YES!! Innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

my man!

Found it!

looking good at 19 weeks!

thanks big guy!

Successful prep is all about the setup...



I'll be Crawford and you take it home Blake

the man, the myth, the legend. We got this!

That vid for some reason reminded me of the classic Sega game NBA Jam and all the classic announcer one liners. ""Just like my wife's top drawer, nothing but nylon!"

Looking damn sharp. I am in!

Thanks Billy! Let's bring the nasty!

20 min from Sicklervillle??!! Awesome man, we will definitely have a mini mash up come summer time. If you need any help at the show just let me know!

yea dude, I'm a recent transplant to Audubon so according to google maps, it ain't too far at all. Certainly do able for an east coast NJ 3DMJ mash! I always see the team out in Cali getting together in droves and get mad jelly, it's about time the BEAST coast gets something happening!

[wheathins]

Just got word from coach... looks like we're going to be upping carbs by 125g on all days, even high days, for 14 days!

new macros for the next 2 weeks:

45, 300, 200 and with every 4th day going 45, 425, 200

2 weeks at these macros and then it's time to dig again!! LET'S GET THIS FREIGHT TRAIN MOVING!

[deltpecx]

Just got word from coach... looks like we're going to be upping carbs by 125g on all days, even high days, for 14 days!

new macros for the next 2 weeks:

45, 300, 200 and with every 4th day going 45, 425, 200

2 weeks at these macros and then it's time to dig again!! LET'S GET THIS FREIGHT TRAIN MOVING!

That's F,C,P?



PLOWING THROUGH THE FLUFF!

[phillysteak]

annnnnd...IN!

Dude, my brother and I are 3dmj'ers in New York. Born and raised in NJ, and doing our final show in July in Philly, followed by a Phillies game to make it a weekend. We gotta do a mash-up!

[domingochavez]

In!

I remember your prep from 2011, and you've definitely added some size since then! Legs will look great once peeled.

How can a doctor screw up that badly....

[wheathins]

That's F,C,P?

That's correct!

annnnnd...IN!

Dude, my brother and I are 3dmj'ers in New York. Born and raised in NJ, and doing our final show in July in Philly, followed by a Phillies game to make it a weekend. We gotta do a mash-up!

That's right, Cinnaminson right? I think you mentioned that at the beginning of your log when I popped in early on! That'd be so awesome bro. Which show in July and when? I'd love to pop out to show some support!!

In!

I remember your prep from 2011, and you've definitely added some size since then! Legs will look great once peeled.

How can a doctor screw up that badly....

My man! Glad to have you along for this ride as well! Whatchu been up to since your last prep?

Ugh dude, I can't even explain how bad this guy screwed up... and he said to me "yep, that's a hernia alright, I've done 2,000 of these, I know a hernia when I see one". Whatta quack

[domingochavez]

My man! Glad to have you along for this ride as well! Whatchu been up to since your last prep?

Ugh dude, I can't even explain how bad this guy screwed up... and he said to me "yep, that's a hernia alright, I've done 2,000 of these, I know a hernia when I see one". Whatta quack

Cheers man, had another kid so 2 now, been powerlifting since last August and now am also prepping again currently 21 and 25 weeks out!

[phillysteak]

Yeah man Cinnaminson! Our last show will be July 12th the Mr & Ms Natural Phillu.

What show are you doing?

[jpfaherty]

Cheers man, had another kid so 2 now, been powerlifting since last August and now am also prepping again currently 21 and 25 weeks out!

Where's your log dude?!

[wheathins]

Cheers man, had another kid so 2 now, been powerlifting since last August and now am also prepping again currently 21 and 25 weeks out!

Congrats on the second kid man! That's awesome! You've gotta get that prep log up and running, I wanna watch you bring the shreds again. Using the same coach as before for this prep?

Yeah man Cinnaminson! Our last show will be July 12th the Mr & Ms Natural Phillu.

What show are you doing?

I absolutely will be there to cheer you on bro - just put it in my cell phone as a reminder so you know it's real!

My tentative schedule right now looks like:

Starter show - OCB Presidential Cup in DC on August 9th
Main show - OCB Battle for the Belt in Burlington, NJ on August 23rd
Last show - ANBF Jersey Shore Natural in Brick, NJ on September 26th

Where's your log dude?!

THIS! Link me brotha!

[phillysteak]

Wow, thanks man! My brother will be on stage as well Be awesome to meet you!

[wheathins]

Wow, thanks man! My brother will be on stage as well Be awesome to meet you!

it's going dowwwwwwwn, brotha!

[wheathins]

I'll hit y'all with a quick update...

So as of last Thursday Alberto had instructed to take a "diet break" which entailed bumping carbs to 300g on regular days and up to 425g on high days (every 4th day). So, now on my 6th day of increasing carbs my weight has not changed. 163.4 lbs steady. Looking a little watery which is to be expected, but I'm just glad the scale hasn't shot up too much with this increase. Alberto and I expect some weight gain, but we know it'll just be glycogen and not fat.

Poss will post pics when I take them either tonight or tomorrow to send to Berto for my check in, but nothing really has changed for the better in the last week. Strength has take a little bit of a dip. Only was able to get 290 x 1 on squat and then 5 sets of 5 reps with 255 afterwards. I'll get it back though, I will not let my strength plummet like last time... especially this far out!

Misc:

Lifting and the brain... previously I mentioned I had a hernia scare a year ago and I can almost pinpoint the moment when I first felt something pop and that something was possibly wrong... I was squatting 275 lbs, which was a new high for me. I had my beautiful black inzer belt on, my radical red squat shoes on, my bad ass blue rehbands on and I was mean muggin' the weights. Got under it, dropped into the hole, all the pressure in my belly against the belt and got it up... but something wasn't right after that. Did my back off sets and went home... over the next few days is when I noticed the buldge in my lower abdomen and went to the hospital... fast forward to recovery. Any time I get a considerable amount of weight on the bar (275 or more) I get butterflies in my stomach like I'm a pre-pubescent kid on his first date! I get nervous, I start to doubt myself and it sets me up for a bad lift. When I got under that 290, my mind was thinking "I'm 20 lbs lighter now, I'm in a caloric deficit, I have no spot, you're not wearing your adidas power lifting shoes, etc etc". All the stuff I should NOT be thinking is what goes through my head on heavy squat day. Some days I can turn it off and have a good session... other days, I can't. Funny how that connection works though, it's like my mind and body know as I approach that threshold that I should be cautious.

Hope y'all had a good Easter!

[domingochavez]

Where's your log dude?!

Not sure I want to log just yet, I find more comfort trolling everyone else

Congrats on the second kid man! That's awesome! You've gotta get that prep log up and running, I wanna watch you bring the shreds again. Using the same coach as before for this prep?

Cheers mate! No I'm going on my own this time which will be interesting, made a few changes to the way I prep hopefully they will work and provide a good life balance, especially when I need more energy on weekends to play with the kids!

I'll hit y'all with a quick update...

So as of last Thursday Alberto had instructed to take a "diet break" which entailed bumping carbs to 300g on regular days and up to 425g on high days (every 4th day). So, now on my 6th day of increasing carbs my weight has not changed. 163.4 lbs steady. Looking a little watery which is to be expected, but I'm just glad the scale hasn't shot up too much with this increase. Alberto and I expect some weight gain, but we know it'll just be glycogen and not fat.

Poss will post pics when I take them either tonight or tomorrow to send to Berto for my check in, but nothing really has changed for the better in the last week. Strength has take a little bit of a dip. Only was able to get 290 x 1 on squat and then 5 sets of 5 reps with 255 afterwards. I'll get it back though, I will not let my strength plummet like last time... especially this far out!

Misc:

Lifting and the brain... previously I mentioned I had a hernia scare a year ago and I can almost pinpoint the moment when I first felt something pop and that something was possibly wrong... I was squatting 275 lbs, which was a new high for me. I had my beautiful black inzer belt on, my radical red squat shoes on, my bad ass blue rehbands on and I was mean muggin' the weights. Got under it, dropped into the hole, all the pressure in my belly against the belt and got it up... but something wasn't right after that. Did my back off sets and went home... over the next few days is when I noticed the buldge in my lower abdomen and went to the hospital... fast forward to recovery. Any time I get a considerable amount of weight on the bar (275 or more) I get butterflies in my stomach like I'm a pre-pubescent kid on his first date! I get nervous, I start to doubt myself and it sets me up for a bad lift. When I got under that 290, my mind was thinking "I'm 20 lbs lighter now, I'm in a caloric deficit, I have no spot, you're not wearing your adidas power lifting shoes, etc etc". All the stuff I should NOT be thinking is what goes through my head on heavy squat day. Some days I can turn it off and have a good session... other days, I can't. Funny how that connection works though, it's like my mind and body know as I approach that threshold that I should be cautious.

Hope y'all had a good Easter!

I assume the torn muscle is completely healed? I still get those butterflies under certain weights, so good when you crush previous PRs though, especially while prepping!

[Reid456]

Hey man, looking good! That side chest is going to look NASTY when you get dialed in. You've already got a super small waist. Do you post in the 3DMJ ******** page? What's your name?

[Blazed]

Booom in! I am from Long Island so not TOO far from you guys. We def should have some epic east coast mashups this year =)

I'm competing starting in late June, but chasing that card this season so maybe I'll see you on stage in the fall lol!

PS are you in the 3DMJ HQ on FB?

[wheathins]

Not sure I want to log just yet, I find more comfort trolling everyone else



Cheers mate! No I'm going on my own this time which will be interesting, made a few changes to the way I prep hopefully they will work and provide a good life balance, especially when I need more energy on weekends to play with the kids!



I assume the torn muscle is completely healed? I still get those butterflies under certain weights, so good when you crush previous PRs though, especially while prepping!

Well dude if you ever do decide to log it please link me here, I'd love to follow along, good luck!!!!

Hey man, looking good! That side chest is going to look NASTY when you get dialed in. You've already got a super small waist. Do you post in the 3DMJ ******** page? What's your name?

thanks man! Yea my waist kind of disappears but my fat ass still stays haha. I'm not on ******** I really miss the 3DMJ ******** page though, has there been anything good going on there?

Booom in! I am from Long Island so not TOO far from you guys. We def should have some epic east coast mashups this year =)

I'm competing starting in late June, but chasing that card this season so maybe I'll see you on stage in the fall lol!

PS are you in the 3DMJ HQ on FB?

dude, don't even joke, I would absolutely be down to meet up somewhere in the middle for an epic east coast mashup!! let's orchestrate this!

chasing that card.... bro, that card is yours for the taking, keep killing it like you have been and it's yours!!!

And nope I'm not on the HQ because I'm not on ******** anymore I quit ******** like 2 years ago and never looked back! Though I do miss following along inside the HQ... what's been happening over at the HQ lately?

[phillysteak]

Well dude if you ever do decide to log it please link me here, I'd love to follow along, good luck!!!!



thanks man! Yea my waist kind of disappears but my fat ass still stays haha. I'm not on ******** I really miss the 3DMJ ******** page though, has there been anything good going on there?



dude, don't even joke, I would absolutely be down to meet up somewhere in the middle for an epic east coast mashup!! let's orchestrate this!

chasing that card.... bro, that card is yours for the taking, keep killing it like you have been and it's yours!!!

And nope I'm not on the HQ because I'm not on ******** anymore I quit ******** like 2 years ago and never looked back! Though I do miss following along inside the HQ... what's been happening over at the HQ lately?

Still in for mash-up!

[Ten_Hearts]

Congrats on the second kid man! That's awesome! You've gotta get that prep log up and running, I wanna watch you bring the shreds again. Using the same coach as before for this prep?



I absolutely will be there to cheer you on bro - just put it in my cell phone as a reminder so you know it's real!

My tentative schedule right now looks like:

Starter show - OCB Presidential Cup in DC on August 9th
Main show - OCB Battle for the Belt in Burlington, NJ on August 23rd
Last show - ANBF Jersey Shore Natural in Brick, NJ on September 26th



THIS! Link me brotha!

See ya at the OCB Presidential Cup!

[Reid456]

thanks man! Yea my waist kind of disappears but my fat ass still stays haha. I'm not on ******** I really miss the 3DMJ ******** page though, has there been anything good going on there?

dude, don't even joke, I would absolutely be down to meet up somewhere in the middle for an epic east coast mashup!! let's orchestrate this!

chasing that card.... bro, that card is yours for the taking, keep killing it like you have been and it's yours!!!

And nope I'm not on the HQ because I'm not on ******** anymore I quit ******** like 2 years ago and never looked back! Though I do miss following along inside the HQ... what's been happening over at the HQ lately?

The HQ is one of the only reasons I still have ********, haha. It's just always motivating seeing others progress and having a community of like-minded people in times of need.

I'm east coast too. Virginia right now but Nashville in a month or two.