Taking the Stage-My first contest prep with 3DMJ

[Power_Strike92]

Hello all, my name is Alex. Generally i'm a Miscer, but I also lurk around the prep section as well. After seeing how kick ass the road to the stage is, I decided to set my sights on getting there.

I've been lifting since I was a sophomore in HS and have been hooked ever since. I've always been pretty heavy and have never felt very comfortable with my body. I hope to make many changes to my mind and body during this contest prep.

I decided to go with the guidance of 3DMJ for my contest prep, with my primary coach being the incredible Jeff Alberts.


Diet:

Currently my macros are:

Low days

Fat: 40g
Carbs: 250g
Protein: 170g

High days(refeed once a week)

Fat: 40g
Carbs: 375g
Protein: 170g

I fit things I want to eat into my macros, but also try to create more nutritional dishes on my own.


Lifting:

Jeff put me on a Power/Hypertrophy split that looks like this


Monday – Cardio (MISS)
Tuesday – Upper Body Hypertrophy
Wednesday – Lower Body Hypertrophy
Thursday – Cardio (MISS)
Friday – Off
Saturday – Upper Body Power
Sunday – Lower Body Power

I've also been instructed to burn 350 cals a week in one or two cardio sessions.


Everything I do will come down to my mind set and pushing myself past my limits. I hope to have the support of Bodybuilding.com posters as well. Also, I will post occasional food porn because I know how much everyone loves that. I'll be posting pics tomorrow after I e-mail to Jeff with my first official weigh-in/update.


Let's rock this!

[bigryan03]

Hai! IN! LETS DO IT BRAH!

[Power_Strike92]

Hai! IN! LETS DO IT BRAH!

Glad to have you along man!

[Power_Strike92]

Guess it's time I give my first update

Today is a cardio day. Going burn 175lbs on the StairMaster mixed with some Treadmill after work today. Two things I have a problem with is I am a recovering binge eater. Always had a binging problem, but by eating bigger meals later in the day helps the nighttime hunger cravings. Another thing that is a problem is eating in the middle of the night, I don't binge, I just eat foods I had planned for that day, but it affects my weigh-ins in the mornings with water weight.


Anyway here are the official starting pics.

Front


Side


Back


For the lulz



And... I work at Taco Bell and the smell of the Quesadillas makes me hungry as fuark, so I made my own





Also, as much as this pains me to say, i'm already having to come off the track due to a family vacation to the Bahamas. Not going to go crazy with food, still going to try and lose weight while i'm there by tracking what I can and making the best possible choices.

Have a good day everyone.

[silverlux]

mirin straight back. I'm on that lordosis time.

[Kimhwan92]

Fellow miscer reporting in.

Good luck with your goal brah. I'm sure you'll do well.

Will follow.

[Bonkies]

in bruh gl, myron 3dmj

[Power_Strike92]

mirin straight back. I'm on that lordosis time.

Fellow miscer reporting in.

Good luck with your goal brah. I'm sure you'll do well.

Will follow.

in bruh gl, myron 3dmj

Awesome to have you brahs along.

[Power_Strike92]

After reviewing my first update, Jeff instructed me to up my cardio, so that i'm burning 400 cals 3 times a week. Did 400 today and felt great. Had a huge bowl of rice, egg white and 490g of chicken breasts.

Here are some of my lifts that I sent to Jeff in order for him to critique my form

Squat


Bench


Deadlift

[Power_Strike92]

Refeed day! Best day of the week considering I have 375g worth of carbs to eat.

Burned 400 cals this morning doing cardio at the gym. As I mentioned my eating at midnight problem, Jeff said it was no problem at all, which is great to hear. Going on my vacation to the Bahamas tomorrow, ready to have fun and still stick to the prep. Gonna update whenever I get a chance.

[WheytWut92]

interdasting

i think your camera may have ADD

[hamiltronj]

I'm in.

[Power_Strike92]

Back from vacation. Had a great time. Unfortunately it was kinda hard to track things. Internet was $20 a day, so I wasn't able to contact Jeff this week or track my macros, so I had to estimate a lot, which i'm not too good at. I did lift and do cardio all week, not heavy though, as the only free weights were dumbells that went up to 50lbs, but I dealt with it.

Now that i'm back, it's time to hit the weights and diet hard. Changing my split up to


New split

Monday – Lower Body Power
Tuesday – Cardio (MISS)
Wednesday – Upper Body Hypertrophy
Thursday – Lower Body Hypertrophy
Friday – Cardio (MISS)
Saturday – Off
Sunday – Upper Body Power/cardio

[Power_Strike92]

Update: 7/15/2012

So I've decided to compete in December, so that I have more time to diet down. Today's workout felt great after being away from heavy lifting for a week. Moved up in weights as well. Jeff instructed me to add in another 400 cal cardio session, therefore making it 4 times a week now.


Today's workout

Bench:
195x5
195x4
205x3

BB row:
135x6
135x6
135x6

Seated HS row:
180x6
250x6
250x5

Military Press:
115x6
135x2
115x6

DB overhead extensions:
55x6
60x6
65x6

BB curl:
85x6
95x6
105x3


Finished with my cardio session on the treadmill. Overall I felt great, except for the military press, which is a weak spot for me.

This vid was posted a few days ago by one of my favorite natural bodybuilders Ryan Doris. Dude is a huge inspiration to me.

Enjoy!

[Power_Strike92]

Update: 7/17/2012


What's up everyone? Meant to post last night, but was dead tired from work. Anyway, yesterday was a Lower Power day. Hit the squats with force, felt like sex.


Lower Power day:

Squats:
205lbsx3
215lbsx5
230lbsx3

Romanian Deadlift:
165lbsx6
165lbsx6
265lbsx6

Standing Calf Press:
135lbsx6
135lbsx6
135lbsx6

Rope crunches:
70lbsx12
80lbsx12
90lbsx12

Misc

Good workout overall. Felt really weak at the start of squating, but was really surprised that i got 130lbs for 3 reps. I never told you all what supps i'll be taking, so heres the list

Xtend
Multi
Fish oil
Pre workout/creatine
Roxylean
Green Tea capsules

Usually not a fan of using fat burners, but I have some that I never used. Can't hurt I guess. Also not really into pre workouts, but since starting my job I need an extra boost sometimes after work to hype me up for my workouts.

Today I leave you with one of my favorite workout songs on my playlist

[Power_Strike92]

Killed cardio tonight. Gave myself a damn good pep speech in my car before going into the gym. I actually think it was my most epic cardio session ever. 400 cals burned on the treadmill. I don't think I've ever felt this motivated before.

When I feel any sense of doubt I think of the quote in this picture




Gets me through it.

[TheNaturalEdge]

In.

[Power_Strike92]

In.

Good to have you along brah!

[NaturalPursuit]

Alex is such a strong name... lmao!!! (thats my name if you didnt get the joke haha)


IN FOR THIS!

[Power_Strike92]

Alex is such a strong name... lmao!!! (thats my name if you didnt get the joke haha)


IN FOR THIS!

Lol yeah, I saw your name was Alex too. Glad your in brah!

[hamiltronj]

Great start buddy! Keep it up. Stay strong!!

[Power_Strike92]

Great start buddy! Keep it up. Stay strong!!

Thanks man!

[Power_Strike92]

Update: 7/19/2012

Lower Hypertrophy today. Strength was up by quite a bit, which surprised me. Also sent my weekly update to Jeff. For the past week I have had my carbs around 275g even though they are supposed to be at 250g. I made the mistake of confusing them with my high day, which is 375g. Oh well, I went from 165lbs to 159.2, so still lost some weight.


Workout

Deadlift:

250lbsx5
255lbsx5
260lbsx5

Hack squat:

90lbsx12
100lbsx12
110lbsx12

Leg curl:

70lbsx12
75lbsx12
80lbsx12

Standing Calf raises:

105lbsx12
90lbsx12
90lbsx12

Incline leg raises: 3 sets of 12


Good workout, cardio yesterday was insane. Actually ran instead of doing a quick paced walk like usual. Actually think I like cardio days more than lifting ones.


Heres a pic of my post workout meal yesterday. Brown rice, sweet potato sticks, chicken breasts and plantains.




Tasted great.

[Bonkies]

dat post workout meal



would have been hnnnng haha

[Power_Strike92]

dat post workout meal



would have been hnnnng haha

Fuark! Wish I could get this stuff at the store. Only WD sauce at the store near me is chocolate sauce. Might order this when I go back to school.

[FoodBank]

Keep it up bud!! I'm currently prepping with Jeff too only 3 weeks into prep but I have to do 4 cardio session this week. Was hoping I could get away with less cardio lol

[Power_Strike92]

Keep it up bud!! I'm currently prepping with Jeff too only 3 weeks into prep but I have to do 4 cardio session this week. Was hoping I could get away with less cardio lol

Lucky. Jeff upped me to 6 sessions a week today.

[Power_Strike92]

Off day today, but thought I would share Pro Natural Ryan Doris' latest vid. Slowly acquiring the same mindset.

[NaturalPursuit]

damn missed that lower session the other day


looked GREAT!!! mirin that food as well

doing a good job my man! and loved that vid from doris!

[Power_Strike92]

damn missed that lower session the other day


looked GREAT!!! mirin that food as well

doing a good job my man! and loved that vid from doris!

Thanks man. Saw you leg workout. Nice job on the leg press!