BWelch's Contest Prep Journal

[bwelch1985]

^creative title, I know

A little information about me: My name is Britt and I just graduated from USC (South Carolina) in December (yay!....but I still work at a grocery store)....I've been lifting for ~4 years and bodybuilding (read: lifting correctly and w/ purpose) for about 2 years....I've been logging in the Workout Journal section for about a year now and made great strides in that time thanks to the help of various members who have given me tons of advice as well as critiques. My hope is that you experienced bodybuilders will play a similar role in my journey to the stage (typing that just gave me a chill!)

As far as the show(s) I will do: My coworker has asked me to join him in an NPC non-qualifier on July 11th and I just couldn't resist the chance to woop his ass on stage....as some of you may remember I was planning to compete in the Mr. USC competition this year (I started a thread in December)...unfortunately I was not allowed to participate b/c I graduated in December and there was no class for alumni this year....well, the competition took place last Saturday and MY COWORKER ended up winning the class that I would have likely competed in and came in 2nd Overall! Needless to say....I've got a little chip on my shoulder for this NPC show....but anyways...I intend to cut until I am TRULY shredded and July 11th probably will not be enough time. Therefore, I'll be looking for shows to do sometime in August as I feel that should be ample time to achieve a striation or two in the glutes :fingers crossed:

My starting macros:

Calories: 2300

Protein: 229-248

Carbohydrates: 188-241

Fat: 43-58

Re-Feed

Calories: 3000

Protein: 191

Carbohydrates: 450

Fat: 45

Here are the starting pics at 191lbs:

-My chest sucks in this pose....I think I look a little better w/ abs down actually....


-I love how Clement Yearwood does his side relaxed....so I copied it lol...


-hamstrings? nope...maybe when I drop a few lbs....

[Squizzzer]

hey buddy

[RooRooTJ]

Good luck man we'll be here for encouragement and to help you through it. Good base though.

[bwelch1985]

^Thanks fellas!

Today Macros:
-Calories--2273
-Fat--57.5
-Carbohydrates--207
-Protein--237.3

I still plan to use my normal journal for logging workouts but I'll be sure to log daily nutrition and cardio stuff over here.

Question: How often should I take my weight? I don't have a people scale at home so I have to do it in the gym....the problem is that my gym time is in the morning half the time and the evening half the time....should I just weigh in every morning that I'm there?

[Squizzzer]

i'd say weigh in twice a week...and yeah like ya said...at the same time of day...after the same number of meals, same scale...you knwo
or get a people scale for home...lol

[bwelch1985]

Originally Posted by Squizzzer

i'd say weigh in twice a week...and yeah like ya said...at the same time of day...after the same number of meals, same scale...you knwo
or get a people scale for home...lol

thats what I thought....how much do people scales go for these days? My food scale was a pricey little sumbitch.

[Squizzzer]

Originally Posted by bwelch1985

thats what I thought....how much do people scales go for these days? My food scale was a pricey little sumbitch.

food scales are much more precise...so thats why they are so expensive...

you don't need to weigh people to the nearest gram or 1/100th of an ounce....

you can prob get a decent people scale for 20-30 bucks

[bwelch1985]

Originally Posted by Squizzzer

food scales are much more precise...so thats why they are so expensive...

you don't need to weigh people to the nearest gram or 1/100th of an ounce....

you can prob get a decent people scale for 20-30 bucks

oh cool. that's do-able...

One more question: Bike/Elliptical HIIT the day before leg day? good idea or not so much? My off days both come before leg days so that seemed like the natural day to do HIIT....

[coloBB]

in on this one. good luck man!

[Squizzzer]

Originally Posted by bwelch1985

oh cool. that's do-able...

One more question: Bike/Elliptical HIIT the day before leg day? good idea or not so much? My off days both come before leg days so that seemed like the natural day to do HIIT....

yeah...IMO that's fine...i was doing that for a bit...the first HIIT session or two might leave your legs a LITTLE sore...but nothing too bad...it shouldn't really affect your leg training

EDIT: plus you've got some big legs so its ok if it does a little...lol

[bwelch1985]

Originally Posted by coloBB

in on this one. good luck man!

Awesome! Glad to have you along.

Originally Posted by Squizzzer

yeah...IMO that's fine...i was doing that for a bit...the first HIIT session or two might leave your legs a LITTLE sore...but nothing too bad...it shouldn't really affect your leg training

EDIT: plus you've got some big legs so its ok if it does a little...lol

Cool...never actually done HIIT before....I'm kinda scared

For how big they are they're incredibly weak....I've only been training them for 1 year so I guess I did the right thing in ignoring them for the first few years of lifting LOL

[bwelch1985]

So, I'm trying to figure out the most optimal days to fit in 1 HIIT session and 1 LISS session each week.....

My Current Split:
-Monday: Chest/Back
-Tuesday: Delts/Arms
-Wednesday: OFF...I'm thinking HIIT should go here...bout to do it now actually
-Thursday: Lower Power
-Friday: Upper Power
-Saturday: OFF...I work ALL day and gym closes at 3 today
-Sunday: Legs

I want to do LISS cardio on the stairmaster at least once a week as I've heard it is a great tool to bring out leg definition...but I can't decide where to put it....Ideally I could just do it after lower power day since my legs are typically tired but not all out destroyed (like they ALWAYS are on lower hypertrophy days) and that workout usually only takes me about 45 minutes....but that would put my two cardio days back to back w/ a lower body power workout sandwiched in between....My question is...do you guys think this would be excessive leg annihillation....or is this a decent set up?

[bwelch1985]

Stationary Bike
-5 minute warm-up Level 6
--5 15 second sprints at level 12
--45 second cooldowns at level 8
-Cooldown for 2-3 minutes-

Elliptical
--5 15 second sprints at level 18
--45 second cooldowns at level 12

--First time doing HIIT on cardio equipment (rather than outside, where I've done a couple of sessions of hill sprints)......this **** is NOT FUN!.....My lungs were OK on the bike intervals but my quads felt like they were literally about to explode.....Whereas my lungs took the biggest beating on the elliptical...literally felt like there was battery acid coursing through my veins...

One thing I found interesting is that on the 15 second sprints I had to increase the resistance a ton or else I just felt like my legs were along for the ride once I got the wheels spinning fast....kind of annoying to have to constantly F w/ the resistance levels....

But anyways....I can definately see how this will help bring out the definition in my legs so I plan to keep it around for the duration of prep....in addition to 1 LISS session/week on the stairmill....

Weighted Crunches
-25x12
-45x12
-45x12
-45x9...10....11..............12 LOL

Reverse Crunches
-7,7,7

"I got nothin left to give!"....LOL nah, not really....but for my first HIIT/Abs session I feel like this went pretty well....gonna up the intervals to a total of 11 next time....I'll try to do this each week until....ummmm.....I die...

[bwelch1985]

Today's Macro's
-Calories--2341
-Fat--52.5
-Carbohydrates--243
-Protein--231.8

41 cals over....had to meet my minimum protein requirement for the day...not too worried about it since today was my first experience w/ HIIT....

[FATHER FLEX]

About damn time.

Nuff said

[bwelch1985]

Originally Posted by FATHER FLEX

About damn time.

Nuff said

LOL....it's on like donkey kong now!

[Whomper107]

Looking good so far bro, you seem to have a really solid plan laid out, and should have plenty of time to be contest ready by August... perhaps even for that July show if things really go your way.

I had similar issues with the placement of my HIIT sessions. I work legs only once a week, so fitting in one or two sessions was no problem, but by the third one I was really struggling to find a place to put it. Ended up throwing it in post-leg workouts and haven't looked back, I think it has really helped. I think it is advantageous both because it will really finish your legs off well after a workout, and help to consolidate your leg work to fewer days of the week - making all the contest prep cardio that much more bearable. But it may not be a good strategy for everyone, just thought I would put the idea on the table for you.

Keep hitting it hard man, I'll be following every step of the way.

[bwelch1985]

Originally Posted by Whomper107

Looking good so far bro, you seem to have a really solid plan laid out, and should have plenty of time to be contest ready by August... perhaps even for that July show if things really go your way.

I had similar issues with the placement of my HIIT sessions. I work legs only once a week, so fitting in one or two sessions was no problem, but by the third one I was really struggling to find a place to put it. Ended up throwing it in post-leg workouts and haven't looked back, I think it has really helped. I think it is advantageous both because it will really finish your legs off well after a workout, and help to consolidate your leg work to fewer days of the week - making all the contest prep cardio that much more bearable. But it may not be a good strategy for everyone, just thought I would put the idea on the table for you.

Keep hitting it hard man, I'll be following every step of the way.

Yeh man, I'm really nervous about the July show! I don't think I can be TRULY stage ready by then....but it's an important contest b/c I'll have a friend competing w/ me which should ease the nerves of my first show....anyways...I plan to cut until I'm completely shredded, THEN do a show....I never understood why people set their sites on ONE show and then call it off...even if they aren't fully conditioned...I mean, whats a few more weeks of dieting and cardio when you've already put in months and months?...As far as what show I'll do in August or later...I'm thinking maybe an SNBF show in Georgia as thats only about 3 hours from me and they seem to have a show down there every few months w/ pretty good competition...

I definately intend to have a cardio session after lower power day as I'm rarely in the gym for more than 45 minutes to an hour on that day (typically only perform ~15 sets) but I don't know if I'll be able to do much after lower hypertrophy day...I sometime struggle to get out of my car after those days!

Thanks for following...I read all the journals in this section and have found yours to be one of the most detailed and insightful logs on here....it's especially inspiring for me as you are a first time competitor as well.

[x2thez53913]

Originally Posted by bwelch1985

^Thanks fellas!

Today Macros:
-Calories--2273
-Fat--57.5
-Carbohydrates--207
-Protein--237.3

I still plan to use my normal journal for logging workouts but I'll be sure to log daily nutrition and cardio stuff over here.

Question: How often should I take my weight? I don't have a people scale at home so I have to do it in the gym....the problem is that my gym time is in the morning half the time and the evening half the time....should I just weigh in every morning that I'm there?

good luck. tone down your ego, you are nothing special by anymeans at all.

[bwelch1985]

Originally Posted by x2thez53913

good luck. tone down your ego, you are nothing special by anymeans at all.

thanks man...I suppose you're referring to my opening post in which I said I would woop my coworkers ass at the NPC show....trust me, I say much, much worse things to him in person....but rest assured, it's all in good fun and he gives it right back to me lol....In all honesty, he is a great bodybuilder and I would not feel slighted in the least to place behind him...I'm just using his presence in this show as an extra motivational tool to keep me on the straight and narrow over these next couple of months. Didn't intend to come off as cocky or arrogant.

[bwelch1985]

Today's Macro's
-Calories--2295
-Fat--55.5
-Carbohydrates--224.1
-Protein--228.3

I've found that the easiest way for me to live while dieting is to plan out exactly what I'm gonna eat a day in advance...so, yesterday I planned out my diet for today and tonight I'll plan out my diet for tomorrow...this is my routine...I just don't like the uncertainty of starting the day worrying about what to eat, how much to eat, how many meals I should spread it out amongst etc....Often i won't end up eating the exact meals I've planned in advance....instead, I may decide I'd rather have something different for one of my meals so I'll just cut out the food(s) I'm not interested in and plug in the new food that I'm craving...adjusting the portions to fit in w/ the rest of my macros...This seems to be the most efficient way of dieting (specifically meal planning) that I've found so far and I love the fact that I can just measure my food and eat it w/out having to sign on to fitday and plug in the numbers to see how it will work..

[FATHER FLEX]

Its the easiest way at first for sure. I always had a base menu for BUSY BUSY days, but towards the end of my prep I got good enough were I could go out with any tupper wear.

Takes a bit of time though...How bout dat der HIIT!

[bwelch1985]

Originally Posted by FATHER FLEX

Its the easiest way at first for sure. I always had a base menu for BUSY BUSY days, but towards the end of my prep I got good enough were I could go out with any tupper wear.

Takes a bit of time though...How bout dat der HIIT!

I always wondered how the fawk you could log your totals on fitday at the END of the day...If I did that I would end up eating like 1000cals a day b/c I was too scared of going over...it just makes my day sooooo much less stressful to not have to worry about food...

HIIT isssssss....um.....ya know............not fun.......at all not to mention it's so damn awkward going balls out on an elliptical w/ a hot girl or a soccer mom on the machine next to you reading a book while barely breaking a sweat...I feel like they think I'm a psycho or something!

[FATHER FLEX]

You get the hang of it. I log once I get home from my day usually. Eric thought me a trick were I text myself the macros for a meal, so its no biggie if I eat out etc.

[bwelch1985]

Originally Posted by FATHER FLEX

You get the hang of it. I log once I get home from my day usually. Eric thought me a trick were I text myself the macros for a meal, so its no biggie if I eat out etc.

but how do you know the macros for a meal that you didn't weigh and prepare yourself? Guesstimation?

[FATHER FLEX]

Originally Posted by bwelch1985

but how do you know the macros for a meal that you didn't weigh and prepare yourself? Guesstimation?

Offseason guestimate, dieting I eat prepackaged goods.

[bwelch1985]

Originally Posted by FATHER FLEX

Offseason guestimate, dieting I eat prepackaged goods.

yeh, I didn't think you could achieve your levels of conditioning by guesstimating macros haha...btw...I'm already counting lettuce and mustard toward my daily cals...in a few weeks (when I start eating them) I'll be counting cinnamon and splenda as well...don't wanna leave ANYTHING to chance.

[x2thez53913]

Originally Posted by bwelch1985

thanks man...I suppose you're referring to my opening post in which I said I would woop my coworkers ass at the NPC show....trust me, I say much, much worse things to him in person....but rest assured, it's all in good fun and he gives it right back to me lol....In all honesty, he is a great bodybuilder and I would not feel slighted in the least to place behind him...I'm just using his presence in this show as an extra motivational tool to keep me on the straight and narrow over these next couple of months. Didn't intend to come off as cocky or arrogant.

i understand, im a trainer all trainees are competitive and cocky in thier own right.
the first post just kind of rubbed me the wrong way since there was alot of hype and i was excited expecting a trey brewer on steroids and then some and was let down... you let me down, i cant believe you now...
kidding, go out and beat his ass.

[rich55]

Nice, good luck man! You have good symmetry and a good start for your first show. What is your normal offseason caloric intake?

[bwelch1985]

Originally Posted by x2thez53913

i understand, im a trainer all trainees are competitive and cocky in thier own right.
the first post just kind of rubbed me the wrong way since there was alot of hype and i was excited expecting a trey brewer on steroids and then some and was let down... you let me down, i cant believe you now...
kidding, go out and beat his ass.

LOL...no trey brewer here....but proportionately I prefer my back to his lol...I keed, I keed

But just to reiterate...I do not think very highly of myself as a bodybuilder...I have no pro card ambitions for this prep and I feel I am severely lacking in several departments....but I want to do this for the experience so that in a few years, when I've hopefully become a more complete bodybuilder, I'll be much better equipped to have a smooth and successful prep.

Originally Posted by rich55

Nice, good luck man! You have good symmetry and a good start for your first show. What is your normal offseason caloric intake?

Thanks Rich...thats really nice to hear coming from a FREAK of symmetry like yourself!

This offseason I slowly worked my way up from about 2600 cals/day at 169lbs, to about 3600 at 191lbs where I maintained that weight for nearly 3 weeks...