IFPA Pro & Scivation Athlete Tommy Jeffers ~ The Never Ending Quest To Be The Best

[Sporto1633]

Once again...MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!! I can't say enough how humbling it was to do as well as I did this last contest year and place ahead of so many top notch natural bodybuilders. I set out on a mission after I won my natural pro card in 2007 to make some noticeable improvements over a 2.5 year period and step on the pro stage, hopefully placing in the top 5, and actually looking like I belong up there. Not only did I blow my old physique out of the water, but I ended up taking the overall in both shows I entered, one of which was my very first pro show! Wow...what a feeling - words can't even describe it! For those that didn't know, the 2 shows I ended up doing were:

NPC Natural Northern USAs
IFPA Cape Cod Gaspari Classic

This last time around, I implemented several different approaches - some of which go WAY against the grain - in order to see for myself what difference (if any) these approaches made in the overall look of a physique. But, in order to do that, I had to get EXTREMELY lean. I'm talking glute striations, split hamstrings, no fat left in the joints, and downright cranky and irritable at EVERYTHING lean, in order to really see what was really going on. Fortunately, just about everything I did worked, and worked really well. I found myself at the end of my prep with a physique that even I couldn't recognize when I would see my progress pictures. It's an incredible feeling to put in so much hard work and actually see a physique you never even knew you had!

But, like I've said many times before - one of the greatest things about this sport is that the work is NEVER done! I fully intend on taking another 2-2.5 years off of competing to make even more noticeable improvements, and stepping back on stage at yet another all-time best against some even more stacked up lineups! I have my eye on quite a few top notch shows for my next round of competing. The ultimate goal I have right now is I eventually want to do the NPC Team Universe. That is a show I really want to do at some point, but I know I have a ways to go if I am going to be able to compete at that level in the weight class I will inevitably be in (light heavyweight). Now that I know around what weight I ultimately can get bone-dry shrinkwrapped at (185-186), I have a good 10lbs to build to fill out that weight class in order to really give the Team Universe a good run. So we will have to see how the next few years pan out and what kind of improvements I can make.

Aside from that, I will most definitely be aiming towards the IFPA Gaspari Classic again in Cape Cod. James Carron puts on one heck of a show, and is honestly one of the best shows I've ever been to and/or competed in. After that, it will definitely be the Yorton Cup as well. I really wanted to compete in it this year, but my wife was pregnant with our first child, and there was no way I was going to be able to pull it off with it being so close to her due date - I was lucky enough just to compete at all this year LOL! But that just shows how amazing my wife really is There are a couple of other shows in other natural organizations I am looking at as well, like the NGA Universe, but it will ultimately depend on the scheduling and the rules (if they will still accept IFPA pro cards) at that time as to whether or not I will be able to compete in them. Anyway, that's a tentative look at the near future plans I have as far as competing goes!

In the meantime, I am on a mission to make this offseason even more successful than the last one. Every single time I see a bodybuilding show, it looks like the bar gets raised higher and higher. And now, doing as well as I did this year, the bar I set for myself is even higher. That means that there is no room this offseason for any setbacks! I will have my challenges and obstacles just like everyone else, but I have my goals set for the next couple of years and I have every intention of reaching every one of them and bringing an all new and improved physique to the stage in a couple years.

This log will consist of a lot more details, videos, movie quotes, thoughts, random life events, and sometimes it may even be just a place to vent or tell funny stories (now that I am a new daddy, I have plenty of those!). So without further ado, welcome to my journal and I appreciate you all stopping by and following along these next few years! If anyone has any questions, comments, feedback, etc., please post! This log is for us all to learn and make ourselves better! I will outline my diet, training, and supplement approaches so that everyone can see exactly what I am doing and how I go about implementing this sport into my life!

In the next few posts, I will post some pictures from the IFPA Cape Cod Gaspari Classic where I ended up winning my very first pro show! My main training goals currently are my back width/depth, chest thickness, quad sweep, and some trap development. As I enter into my next rotation of my split, I will outline how I am training right now and how I am eating and supplementing to reach my goals! Again, thanks for stopping by and I hope you all continue to do so to chat and leave feedback!

Sporto

[Sporto1633]

Here are a few stage shots:











Sporto

[Sporto1633]

A few more stage shots:

Calf Pose


Hamstring Pose


Just a Side Tricep Pose where I hadn't yet blew my air out and crunched down on my abs LOL


3 Rear Relaxed Pose Shots to show the MONSTERS I went up against in my class!






Sporto

[Sporto1633]

Last ones:

Winner!


Alas - the Overall!


A few studio shots taken right after prejudging - I was gassed at this point LOL






Sporto

[Swedeheart]

Def be following along Tommy! Cant wait til we hook back up next year and see what kinda ruckus I can create!

Ill be looking forward to you sharing details on your ways of doing things, always love picking up new info whenever i can. Best of luck as always buddy.

[robertfah]

I'll definately be following along Tommy....I followed pretty silently in your last log but I'm looking forward to seeing the type of training you are doing, diet, etc. Thanks for taking the time to do so.

[DonPizza]

Great body, shred to the bone. Congrats to your accomplishments!

[Beast]

Great year T-Man! Those stage shots at the Cape Cod show turned out amazing.

[IndianForeigner]

You did absolutely awesome at that last show. Better things to come. Definitely subbed.

[CM82682]

Congrats on the accomplishments on the stage this year, Tommy. More importantly, congrats on the new edition to the family!

[Jimmy29LI]

The Man, The Myth, The T-Money! Amazing results Tommy. I'll definitely be following.

[Ryan1981]

This should be fun......subbed.

[SiWoZ]

Amazing job Tommy! Your truly are an inspiration to many on this site. Hope the family is doing well and you're spending plenty of time with them. After all, they're probably the most important thing in your life.

Keep up the good work champ

[Ron Parmeter]

Sick photos Tommy. Will be following this blog.. Congrats on a great season and welcome to fatherhood.

[Sporto1633]

Def be following along Tommy! Cant wait til we hook back up next year and see what kinda ruckus I can create!

Ill be looking forward to you sharing details on your ways of doing things, always love picking up new info whenever i can. Best of luck as always buddy.

Hey Jeff! Thanks for joining me along this journey!

I'll definately be following along Tommy....I followed pretty silently in your last log but I'm looking forward to seeing the type of training you are doing, diet, etc. Thanks for taking the time to do so.

Most people followed silently - I was getting more PMs than responses in my thread lol. Feel free to ask away!

Great body, shred to the bone. Congrats to your accomplishments!

Thanks!

Great year T-Man! Those stage shots at the Cape Cod show turned out amazing.

Thanks! I thought so too!

You did absolutely awesome at that last show. Better things to come. Definitely subbed.

Awesome! Welcome!

Congrats on the accomplishments on the stage this year, Tommy. More importantly, congrats on the new edition to the family!

Absolutely right - my baby girl was the best trophy of the contest season!

The Man, The Myth, The T-Money! Amazing results Tommy. I'll definitely be following.

There he is! What the heck have you been up to???

This should be fun......subbed.

I would hope so since you and I are going through it together!

Amazing job Tommy! Your truly are an inspiration to many on this site. Hope the family is doing well and you're spending plenty of time with them. After all, they're probably the most important thing in your life.

Keep up the good work champ

Thanks...will do! Glad you are following along!

Sick photos Tommy. Will be following this blog.. Congrats on a great season and welcome to fatherhood.

Thanks Ron! It's going to be nice being the offseason with you for at least a little bit before you start dieting and turning heads!

Sporto

[Sporto1633]

Last ones:

Winner!


Alas - the Overall!


A few studio shots taken right after prejudging - I was gassed at this point LOL






Sporto[/QUOTE]

[Frankdaddy]

Dude I am so happy for you and your accomplishments. You are a lucky guy to have been so blessed this entire year with a baby and working so hard for your shows, really shows how much work you put in. IM hoping you can find time to post this offseason so we can see some of those awesome strength gains you probably will get.

[sloboda]

finally in on one of your logs from the start. best of luck

[Barn01]

Impressive ......... Well done .... Congrats!!!

Smart training and dieting pays off once again.

[beefyfan]

Great pics. Nice work.

[Sporto1633]

Wow...what a great last week or so! I was able to spend a lot of quality time with family and friends over the long holiday weekend. All of my wife's side of the family was able to make it down for Thanksgiving and see Bryn for the first time. I went the to Michigan State vs. Purdue football game on Saturday with my brother in-law and had a blast watching the Spartans come back in the 4th quarter to win. It was amazing...the stadium was packed full and the entire fan base really gets into all the chants - which the majority of them were from the movie 300. Then last weekend, a big group of friends all rented a bus and tailgated at the IU vs. Purdue game for rivalry weekend. I didn't really care about or watch the game, but we had a blast eating all kinds of food, played a little touch football, and of course, CORNHOLE.

Other than that, these last couple of days have gone really well diet, training, and supplementation wise. I just needed a good long break from everything and took the last month to deload from training and get off most all supplementation as well as eat whatever my heart desired! As of yesterday, everything has been back in check and I am ready to start rocking this offseason!

These last 3 training days have gone really well. I feel like my strength is really working it's way back to where it was before I started dieting and that I will be 100% very soon. I was able to get in a couple of workouts during the holiday weekend with DA BEAST Derek Charlebois since I was up around where he lived for a good week or so. We hit up back one day and chest another. Since then I have hit the last 2 training days with a unique style of rest pauses and drop sets. I am going to continue this style of training for the majority of my offseason as I have found that I get very impressive gains by working out this way.

Diet and supplementation will be kept simple. For diet, I'm simply going to aim for 6 solid meals of about 12-15g fat, 50-60g carbs, 45-50g protein. I hit these numbers the last 2 days and will see how my body responds to this on a weekly basis and adjust from there. On non-training days, I will cut out a couple of carb meals and just replace with green veggies. For supplementation, I will be using a multi, efa, cla, glucosamine/chondroitan/MSM, cissus, whey, pre-workout, BCAAs and creatine. I feel like that's all I need to cover most all of my bases and not having any glaring gaps that would hinder progress.

I will start outlining my daily routine on a regular basis as well as start taking some pictures and videos for those that want to follow along. So, now that the Thanksgiving holiday is over with, and I've had enough time to eat what I want (feeling like crap in the process)and adjust to fatherhood, it's time to start this offseason en route to my next round of shows!

Sporto

[Sporto1633]

Monday - Chest/Back

BB Bench Press
305 RP 5X3X1

BB Bent Over Rows
365 RP 5X3X2

DB Incline Press
95X15
110X10
120X8
125X6 drop 95X6

HS Iso-Lateral Front Lat Pulldowns
2p+35psX15
3ppsX12
3p+25psX10
4ppsX8 drop 2p+25psX8

Free Motion Flys SS Free Motion Pulldowns
125X15/225X12
155X10/235X10
160X10/245X10
165X10/255X10

Sporto

[Sporto1633]

Tuesday - Arms/Calves

BB Decline Close-Grip Bench Press
315 RP 5X3X2

EZ Standing Curls
145 RP 5X3X2

DB Skull Crushers
45X15
50X12
60X8
65X8 drop 40X8

HS Preacher Curls
85X15
95X12
105X8
115X8 drop 70X8

Cable Rope Pushdowns
140X15
160X12
180X8 drop 120X8

DB Seated Hammer Curls
55X10
60X8
65X6 drop 45X6

Plate Loaded Seated Calf Raises
2p+25ps RP 8X5X3X1

Machine Standing Calf Raises
270 RP 8X5X3X1

Sporto

[Sporto1633]

Dude I am so happy for you and your accomplishments. You are a lucky guy to have been so blessed this entire year with a baby and working so hard for your shows, really shows how much work you put in. IM hoping you can find time to post this offseason so we can see some of those awesome strength gains you probably will get.

Thanks Frank - I really appreciate that. 2010 was a great year and I am very blessed! I have every intention of keeping a journal for my entire offseason until I compete again!

finally in on one of your logs from the start. best of luck

Thanks! Although luck is for the ill-prepared!

Impressive ......... Well done .... Congrats!!!

Smart training and dieting pays off once again.

Thanks! Key word there being "smart"

Great pics. Nice work.

Thanks! I have my work cut out for me, but this should be another successful offseason!

Sporto

[adamrochester]

Here are a few stage shots:











Sporto

those shots came out sick ! you looked incredible ! congrats on an awesome year and becoming a dad

im subbed to this

[Beast]

These last 3 training days have gone really well. I feel like my strength is really working it's way back to where it was before I started dieting and that I will be 100% very soon. I was able to get in a couple of workouts during the holiday weekend with DA BEAST Derek Charlebois since I was up around where he lived for a good week or so. We hit up back one day and chest another. Since then I have hit the last 2 training days with a unique style of rest pauses and drop sets. I am going to continue this style of training for the majority of my offseason as I have found that I get very impressive gains by working out this way.
Sporto

Those were some killer workouts. My back and chest got more sore from those workouts than they have been in a while and I think my lower back JUST recovered from the rack deads

[Sporto1633]

Wednesday - Legs (Glute/Ham Focus)

BB Stiff Leg Deadlifts
455 RP 5X3X2

Machine Lying Leg Curls
110X20
140X10
140X10
150X8 drop 90X8 drop 60X8

Smith Squats - Wide Stance/Below Parallel
275X15
345X10
365X8
385X6 drop 275X8

Glute/Ham Hyperextensions
65X12
80X10
95X8

Machine Kneeling Single Leg Curls
50X15
60X12
65X10
70X8 drop 40X8

Machine Abductor/Adductor
145X20/235X20
145X20/235X20
145X20/235X20

~Starting to feel better each progressive day in the gym that I nail my nutrition and supplementation. Strength is slowly climbing back up to where it was before I started prepping and my energy is still good throughout the day. I had some eggs, turkey bacon, and ezekiel bread toast for breakfast, chicken breast sandwich for lunch, oats and whey for pre-workout meal, dextrose and whey for post workout meal, and I'm about to fix some chicken breast and sweet potatoes for my next meal. Tomorrow is a day off - I'll be in Terre haute all day shooting my commercials for the upcoming tax season. It will be nice to spend the day with family and watch them interact with Bryn...she is changing by the day! Here is a picture of her on Thanksgiving:



Topic Of The Day - Post Workout Nutrition

Today I wanted to talk a little about what I am going to be doing for post workout nutrition this offseason. This is actually going to be the only meal each day that I use a high GI source for my carbohydrates, and the majority of the time it is going to be dextrose (approximately 50g carbs worth). One, because it is cheap, and two, because it is really effective at spiking insulin for maximum glycogen replenishment. Since it is offseason, I am not worried about the insulin spike in the same way that I am when I am prepping. Along with dextrose, I will be consuming 55g whey (2.5 scoops Scivation Whey), 10g of Primaforce AAKG, and 5g of creatine monohydrate. I like my Arginine consumption POST workout, not PRE workout like most pre-workout formulas have. Mainly because it is far more effective at nutrient absorption than it is getting and maintaining a "pump" - which ultimately does nothing for composition anyway. And lastly, the daily maintenance dose of 5g of creatine monohydrate. I like plain old monohydrate because it is cheap and just as effective as ANY of the other more expensive versions of creatine. So, there you have it - that's what I am going to be doing for my post workout nutrition pretty much this entire offseason. Feel free to comment or ask questions!

Movie Quote Of The Day
"And that divides one from a champion and one from not being a champion. lf you can go through this pain barrier, you may get to be a champion. lf you can't go through, forget it. And that's what most people lack, is having the guts...the guts to go in and just say, ''l'll go through and l don't care what happens.'' lt aches, and if l fall down....l have no fear of fainting in a gym...because l know it could happen. l threw up many times while l was working out. But it doesn't matter, because it's all worth it."

Sporto

[Sporto1633]

those shots came out sick ! you looked incredible ! congrats on an awesome year and becoming a dad

im subbed to this

Thanks Adam! Best of luck to you and Layne working together on your first show!

Those were some killer workouts. My back and chest got more sore from those workouts than they have been in a while and I think my lower back JUST recovered from the rack deads

That ain't no lie! It was nice to just focus on working one bodypart and taking our time with it. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who took all week to recover my lower back after rack deadlifting 600lbs!

Sporto

[Sporto1633]

Friday - Chest/Triceps

Barbell Incline Bench Press
305 RP 5X3X1

EZ Skull Crushers
165 RP 8X4X2

Machine Hammer Strength Decline Press
80X15
95X12
110X10
115X8 drop 65X8

Smith Incline Press (2 second pause at bottom)
235X10
255X8
275X6
295X4 drop 205X6 drop 155X8

Dumbbell Low Incline Flys
70X15
75X12
80X10
85X8 drop 55X8

V-Bar Pushdowns
190X20
210X15
230X12
250X10
255X8 drop 140X10

~Ahh...had a nice day off yesterday and was able to shoot my commercials for the upcoming tax season. Afterwards, I spent some time with the family before heading back to settle in. This morning was nice because I was able to sleep in for a change! I'll be staying up late tonight with the baby so my wife can go to bed early and sleep in tomorrow. We make a great team! I guess that just means I can stay up and catch up on Dexter for once lol. Today's workout went smooth. Strength is still slowly climbing up and my endurance feels on par as well. My body weight is holding at about 225, which is a really good weight for me to grow at. I believe the 3000 calorie diet will keep me close to here, yet provide what I need to continue to grow and gain strength. We shall see! The rest pauses feel better and better and the added drop sets haven't effected my recovery at all. Tomorrow I will really be going to task - I have a big back day planned and I expect another great workout ahead of me!

Topic Of The Day - Mind/Muscle Connection - Chest

I had someone ask for advice today in the gym about chest exercises. One of the main things I always try to tell people is to focus on the mind/muscle connection of the muscle they are trying to work. Sometimes, that's much easier said than done. With chest, one of the things I like to do is focus on my ELBOWS. I find that if I stop focusing on my hands and focus on my ELBOWS doing the pressing, my chest ultimately gets the majority of the work. Keep the chest puffed out (like how the macho boys puff their chest out in front of the ladies) and the shoulder blades pinched together...that way you get the chest to do the majority of the work. You may have to drop the weight, but it will recruit your chest much better!


Movie Quote Of The Day
"Billy...when I say I'm thirsty, it doesn't mean I want you to bring me a glass of water. I want you to sympathize. I want you to say, 'Gloria, I too know what it feels like to be thirsty. I too have had a dry mouth.' I want you to connect with me Billy...through sharing and understanding of dry mouthedness."

Sporto

[The Solution]

White Men Can't Jump is a CLASSIC!
Great tip on chest Tommy, never thought about it that way and will be messing around with your words to see if it can help spurt MMC. Thank you for all your detail in here.