Journey to a natural pro card

[ebomb55]

lawd, you're gonna make some noise in 2013 for sure. good luck with school, a few of my friends and family are lawyers, first couple of years are no joke. was thinking of doing IP law myself, just too much reading for me, more of a math dude lol.

I hope so...trying to take advantage of the offseason now to make the necessary improvements to get that pro card! Ya, the first few years will be hard and that's where my focus will need to be which is why I can't do a show during the first year...but I should be good to prep over the summer!

[ebomb55]

4.13.12

Cardio, Calves, Abs

Decline Bench Leg Raises
Bw x 25, 20, 18, 15, 12 (30 seconds rest between each)

Standing Rope Crunches (done in a continuous fashion, increase weight 2 plates each time)
4x15, drop 10-10

Incline Treadmill Warmup
6 minutes

Bike HIIT Sprints
25 seconds all out/2 minutes 25 seconds easy
5 of these
(tough!)
2 minute cooldown

Seated Calf Raise
135 x 15, 15, 15, 15
90 x 10, 10
Standing Calf Raise Stretch (extreme static stretch at bottom)
stack x 2 minutes (OUCH)

Legs felt pretty good today, so I decided to give some good ole' bike sprints a try the way I used to do them during contest prep...damn, they're tough. Even though the rest interval is more than the usual 15/45, it forces you to really go all out for the 25 second interval and by the 4th and 5th, I was really feeling it.

Threw in some extreme stretching for calves at the end...fun.

Bodyweight was 222 first thing in the morning. Up about 2-3 lb in the past month and am as lean if not leaner...something's working.

[ebomb55]

4.14.12

Arms/Abs

Rope Pushdown warmup (2 sets)

Superset 1:
Rope Pushdown x 12
Incline DB Curls x 8: 25, 30, 35, 30
4 work sets

Superset 2:
Bench Dips x 10: 2 plates, 3 plates, 4 plates (9), 3 plates (these were done with a deep stretch)
Standing EZ Bar Curl x 6: 70 + bar x 6, 50 x 6, 6, 6

Superset 3:
Seated Dumbbell Extension (focus on deep stretch, no lockout) x 12
EZ Bar Preachers x 8
4 work sets, used 30 + bar and 40 + bar on curls, 85 and 75 on extensions

Reverse EZ Bar Curls
2 x 12 works to forehead (brutal)

V-Ups
bw x 20, 15
Decline Leg-Ups
Bw x 15, 15, 10, 10

Brisk walk outside:
went 1 mile around the track, didn't time it.


Pump was crazy today...biceps were actually a little sore from back day, probably the close grip pull-ups, but I crushed them. Went pretty heavy today on bench dips, really felt those.

Now, time to eat : ).

[ebomb55]

4.15.12

Cardio/Abs

Decline leg raise
Bw x failure, 3 sets

Hanging Leg Raise
Bw x 20, 30 x 15

Standing Rope Crunch
4 x 15-20

25 minutes incline treadmill

The usual...legs tomorrow.

[ebomb55]

4.16.12

Legs

Seated Leg Curls
2x15 warmup
130 x 12
140 x 12, 12
140 x 10, 90 x 10, 80 x 10

Banded Leg Press (mini bands doubled) 3 second eccentric/no lockout continuos tension
1 pps x 8
2 pps x 8
4 pps x 8
6 pps x 8
8 pps x 8
Work Sets
10 pps x 8, 8
10 pps x 6 drop 7 pps x 6 drop 5 pps x 6

Smith Squats (toes out, as deep as possible, no lockout)
225 x 15
265 x 12
295 x 10
315 x 8
(ouch, was light headed at this point)

Leg Extension/Walking DB Lunges
8/6 LR
8/6 LR

Hyperextensions (flex glutes/hams hard)
30 lb x 15, 15 drop Bw x 10

Leg session today was ridiculous.
The leg press with bands felt awesome...definitely the strongest I have ever been on that movement with 10 pps + band resistance for sets of 8 with the slow eccentric. Smith squats were crazy and the extension/lunge superset was a killer.

Chest/Shoulders tomorrow.

[ebomb55]

4.17.12

Chest/Shoulders

Banded Machine Press
Works
150 x 8
175 x 8
200 x 8
175 x 8

Low Incline Smith (3/4 lockout)
205 x 10
225 x 9
250 x 8
275 x 7
285 x 6

Reverse Band Flat Bench Press (purple)
Warmups
315 x 5
345 x 5
365 x 5 (chest on fire)
315 x 5

Machine Flies/Band Stretch
3x8/30 sec stretch each arm

Machine Delt Raise
70-110 x 10 no rest
130 x 10, 10
Stack x 50 partials

Seated Ultra Wide Grip Smith
135 x 8
185 x 8, 8, 8

Cable Rear Delts (pulling from high)
3x25 @ #2

20 minutes incline treadmill

Very solid chest/shoulder session...got an awesome pump from the machine presses, was fatigued a bit for inclines, but still hit pretty solid weight.

Reverse bands were strong, considering the last time I did these for flat, I hit 370 x 3 first thing in my workout and this time hit 365 x 5 after all that work.

Shoulders got pumped and rear delts were sticking Out by the end.

[DannyQuach]

4.17.12

Chest/Shoulders

Banded Machine Press
Works
150 x 8
175 x 8
200 x 8
175 x 8

Low Incline Smith (3/4 lockout)
205 x 10
225 x 9
250 x 8
275 x 7
285 x 6

Reverse Band Flat Bench Press (purple)
Warmups
315 x 5
345 x 5
365 x 5 (chest on fire)
315 x 5

Machine Flies/Band Stretch
3x8/30 sec stretch each arm

Machine Delt Raise
70-110 x 10 no rest
130 x 10, 10
Stack x 50 partials

Seated Ultra Wide Grip Smith
135 x 8
185 x 8, 8, 8

Cable Rear Delts (pulling from high)
3x25 @ #2

20 minutes incline treadmill

Very solid chest/shoulder session...got an awesome pump from the machine presses, was fatigued a bit for inclines, but still hit pretty solid weight.

Reverse bands were strong, considering the last time I did these for flat, I hit 370 x 3 first thing in my workout and this time hit 365 x 5 after all that work.

Shoulders got pumped and rear delts were sticking Out by the end.

I'm liking the numbers and variation brotha. keep killin it

[ebomb55]

I'm liking the numbers and variation brotha. keep killin it

Thanks bro! Ya, numbers are a bit lower since focusing on form/squeezing the chest hard on every rep, but they're still pretty solid!

[WoopItsKevin]

Impressive numbers on the reverse band bench man good work

[DiamondMaker]

subbed

[ebomb55]

Back/Calves/Cardio

Standing Calf Raise
15 reps
3x10 w/3 second stretch
1x20

Seated Dropset
15-10-20 partials

Smith Deadstop Rows
135x8
185x8
225x8
Works
265x8, 255x8, 275x8, 245x8

Single Arm Barbell Rows w/25s
50 x 8 LR
75 x 8 LR
100 x 8 LR
125 x 8 LR (about failure)

Underhand Pulldowns (DY Style)
3x10

DB Pullovers
70 x 10
80 x 10, 10

Barbell Shrugs w/3 second hold
3 sets, 8-10 reps

16 minutes cardio

Solid back session...rowing felt strong and really activated my lats a ton.

Had to switch my split around this week because it will be tough to get a full lift in tomorrow. Arms will be on Friday and I'll just take the weekend 'off'.

[ebomb55]

Impressive numbers on the reverse band bench man good work

Thanks bro, trying to get on your pressing level :P!

[ebomb55]

subbed

Good to have ya brotha!

[ebomb55]

4.19.12

Cardio/Abs

Decline Leg Raise
Bw x 22, 20, 18, rp set

Standing Rope Crunch
#6 x 25
#8 x 20
#10 x 15
#10 x 10 to #8 x 10 to #6 x 10

Sprints
100 m x 5, 45 seconds rest between

15 minutes incline treadmill

Remind me to rest more than that when I do sprints...my heart felt like it we gonna jump out of my chest.

[ebomb55]

4.20.12

Arms/Abs/Sprints

Quad Set 1
Rope Pushdown x 12
Seated Supinated Curls x 8 LR
Cable Kickback x 8 LR
Reverse EZ Bar Curl x 8
Used 40s and 50s on the DBs
Did this 4 times with 60-75 seconds rest between

Quad Set 2
Weighted Dips (45 on first, 90 on last 2) x 6
EZ Bar Curls x 6 (used 50 + bar)
Barbell Lying BTH Extension x 8
DB Hammers x 7
3 times through

Abs, 1 giant set

Hollow Sprints
30/30/30/30 (sprint/glide)
X 2

1-Man Sled Push
30 yards x 4
60-75 seconds rest
(woah)

Arms today felt amazing...insane pump and strength was solid too.

A buddy of mine was at the gym and asked if I wanted to sprint, couldn't say no lol.

After 2 sets, I saw the football 1 man sleds and asked if he wanted to do those, needless to say, he almost threw up lol.

[WoopItsKevin]

Thanks bro, trying to get on your pressing level :P!

haha thanks man you'll be there in no time with the kinda numbers you're hitting now

[ebomb55]

4.23.12

Legs

Seated Leg Curl/Leg Extension Superset
2 x 20 warmup
15/15
12/12
8 + 15 partials/8 + 15 partials
Legs were so full of blood/pumped at this point.

Back Squats w/3-4 second negative
135 x 8
225 x 8
275 x 8
315 x 8
345 x 8
375 x 8

Hack Squat (rock bottom, using the 'hard machine')
1 pps x 8
2 pps x 8
3 pps x 8
4 pps x 8
5 pps x 8 (brutal)

DB RDL continuous tension
75 x 12
100 x 12
120 x 12, 12

15 minutes elliptical

Brutal leg day. The curl/extension preexaust superset was rough and really helped me only feel the 'right' muscles working on squats. I also squatted barefoot today for the first time in ages and I've gotta say, they feel much more natural. I felt my legs working a ton more and didn't feel them at all in my back/hips.

Hacks were awesome...hit a PR on this machine despite doing them 4th in the routine. I have done 7 pps x 6-8 on other hacks, but this one is the toughest I've used and I love the challenge.

RDLs made my hammies feel like they were popping out and cardio was a nice cool down.

[derick90]

Your legs look massive but you haven't had them cut enough to see the greatness in the competition. I hope you get in the future.

I'm on.

[ebomb55]

haha thanks man you'll be there in no time with the kinda numbers you're hitting now

Hopefully at some point!

[ebomb55]

Your legs look massive but you haven't had them cut enough to see the greatness in the competition. I hope you get in the future.

I'm on.

Totally bro...that's the goal for the next contest, which I think is very much attainable. At 222 right now, my legs look like they did when I was 205-210 in prep, so hopefully next prep when I push leanness as far as I can, they get to that point.

[ebomb55]

4.25.12

Chest/Shoulders/Cardio + Abs

Incline Barbell Press (continuous tension)
135 x 12
185 x 12
225 x 12
255 x 10 (tough set)
265 x 7
265 x 7 + 3 partner assiste

Flat DB Press (1 stretch + 1 flex)
65 x 9
70 x 3x9

Slight Decline Smith Press
Works
275 x 12
295 x 9
315 x 6

Cable Flies (2 second squeeze)
4x8

Partial Laterals (ROM a bit bigger than usual)
50 x 25, 25, 25, 25

Bentover Rear Delt DB Flies (20 seconds rest)
30 x 30 full reps
30 x 15 full, 15 swing
30 x 10 full, 20 swing

Smith Seated Press (continuous tension, 3 second eccentric)
135 x 15
115 x 15
95 x 15

'Ab Shredder'
Elliptical Sprints/Ab Work
30 seconds sprint/Standing Rope Crunches x 20
30 seconds sprint/Standing Rope Crunches x 20
30 seconds sprint/Decline Low-Ab Thrusts x failure
30 seconds sprint/Decline Low-Ab Thrusts x failure

Very solid session. Incline presses felt pretty solid, but the 255 x 10 set really took it out of me. When I got to 265, it felt super heavy. Nonetheless, they felt good. I really kept the form perfect and very powerful with a strong flex at the top.

Declines were done for power and they felt good. The partial laterals felt amazing. I increased the ROM maybe 3 inches or so and lowered the weight and these felt amazing. Shoulders were pumped. Rear delts and presses really finished off the session.

I gave CT's 'Ab Shredder' routine a try on the elliptical and really enjoyed it. I'm trying to shed a little bodyfat for the summer and will be doing these 3-5 times a week over the next month or so.

[ebomb55]

4.25.12

Calves/Abs/Cardio

Smith Elevated Calf Raise (2 seconds stretch, flex)
225 x 15
265 x 13 + 2
295 x 10 + 5
255 x 15 total
225 x 15 total

'Ab Shredder' On Elliptical
30 second sprint/decline low-ab hip thrusts x 20
25 second sprint/decline low-ab thrusts x failure/straight leg raise x failure
25 second sprint/decline thrust/straight leg x failure
25 second sprint/decline thrust/straight leg x failure
20 second sprint/standing rope crunch x 15
20 second sprint/standing rope crunch x failure
20 second sprint/standing rope crunch x failure
(woah...hard)

Just some calves/cardio and abs.

I'm loving the sprint with ab work. Makes me work extremely hard and I see if being very effective for stripping some abdominal fat in a short period of time.

Big back session tomorrow...very excited.

[ebomb55]

4.26.12

Back/Traps/Abs

T Bar Rows
3 warmup sets
5 plates x 8
6 plates x 8, 8
5 plates x 8

Single Arm Cable Rows
# 8 x 8, 8, 8 LR
# 7 x 8, 8 LR

Smith Shrugs/DB Meadows Pullovers
225 x 10/65 x 10
315 x 10/80 x 10
405 x 10/80 x 10 (2 at these weights)

Rack Pulls (4 inches below knee, lower very slowly, 3 seconds while squeezing lats)
135 x 5
225 x 3
315 x 3
405 x 3
495 x 3
Work sets
605 x 3x3

Elliptical/Ab Work
5 minutes/rope crunch
4 minutes/kneeling rope crunch
3 minutes/kneeling twist
2 minutes/standing rope crunch
1 minute/Standing

Awesome session. Rack deads were string and destroyed my back.

[ebomb55]

4.28.12

Arms

Alternating DB Curl/EZ Bar Curls (3 second eccentrics)
35 x 8 LR/40 + bar x 6
40 x 8 LR/40 + bar x 6 (3 times)

Incline Bench DB Preachers (1 sec pause at bottom)
20 x 10 LR
30 seconds rest, 3 sets

Occlusion Cable Curls
3x30, 20, 10

Reverse EZ Curls (20 rest)
20 + bar x 25, 20, 15, 10

Bent over Rope Extensions
4x12

Weighted Dips
Work to 8

Smith Incline JM/CG Press
4x8

25 minutes elliptical

Awesome arm session...sick pump, weights felt solid.

[ebomb55]

Here's just an update pic...Bodyweight is 220 first thing in the morning right now. Pretty happy with leanness/size from the front.

[ebomb55]

4.29.12

Cardio/Abs
Jump Rope/Rope Crunch or Decline Leg Raise
8 sets, 30 second intervals


4.30.12
Legs

Seated Calf Raise/Smith Hybrid Donkey
135 x 10/135 x 10 (2 times)
160 x 10/135 x 10
180 x 10/135 x 10

Leg Extension/Lying Leg Curl
2 Warmups
130 x 12 (1 sec squeeze)/87.5 x 12
150 x 12 (1)/100 x 12
180 x 9 (2 squeeze)/112.5 x 9
250 x 6 (3 squeeze)/125 x 6

Machine Leg Press
1 x 20 warmup
325 x 20 continuous tension
370 x 15 continuous/5 dead stop
410 x 10/10
445 x 5/15 (ouch)

Barbell RDL using 25s + sting flex at top in hams and glutes
4x12

25 minutes elliptical

Dang. Despite having a little hamstring pain, today was sick. I wrapped up my hammie, threw on an icy hot patch, and went to town. The extension/curl ss was brutal, and the machine presses were incredibly tough. Very pleased with today.

[ebomb55]

5.1.12

Chest/Shoulders

Double Mini Banded Machine Flat Press
Work up to 8 rep heavy set
Dropset
200 lb x 8
130 x failure
90 x 35 partials

Incline DB (as deep stretch as possible + hold, no lockout)
80 x 8
90 x 8
80 x 8
90 x 8

Incline Barbell Press (continuous tension)
225 x 5
245 x 5, 5, 5

Cable Flies (2 second squeeze)
3x10 Dropset

DB Laterals
15 x 25
20 x 25
40 x 8, 8

Bent over Rear Delt Laterals
20 x 35
25 x 35
35 x 10, 10

6-Ways
5 x 10
7.5 x 10
5 x 10

Strong chest/shoulder day. Banded Machine press was stronger than it was a few weeks ago, and incline DBs felt good. Stretch was so deep it was painful at parts with those. Incline BB were tough since I was so fatigued, but good weight nonetheless.

Love the 6-ways...if you don't know what they are, check them out on John Meadows' YouTube station entitled 'mountain dog training.'

[ebomb55]

5.2.12

Triceps, Cardio + Abs

Triceps Circuit
Rope pushdown warmup: 2x15
V-Grip Pushdown x 12
Bench Dips w/45 x failure
Cordova Pushdown x 10 LR
3 times through, 45-60 seconds rest

Decline Bench Hip Ups/Straight Leg Raises
10/15
10/15
10/15

Standing Rope Crunch
3 x 15

Elliptical Sprint/Ab Work
25 seconds/Standing Rope Crunch x 12
3 of these
20 seconds sprint/decline leg raise
2 of these
15 seconds sprint/45 seconds rest x 2

Solid cardio/ab day. Talked to JM and we decided to add in a little extra arm work on chest/shoulder and back days. I will normally be adding in a mini triceps workout on chest/shoulder day and a mini biceps workout on back day along with the arm day. Hopefully in 2-3 months time, we can add some mass to the arms.

Also, for the next 25 days, I'm gonna be doing a mini-diet with the goal of losing 5-7 lb or so. I'll be going on vacation, and I just want to drop a little fat.

[ebomb55]

5.3.12

Back/Traps/Biceps

Front Pulldowns (1 second squeeze, stretch)
#12 x 12
#14 x 10
#15 x 8

Single Arm Barbell Rows w/25 lb plates
100 x 8 LR
125 x 8 LR
145 x 8 LR (nice!)
100 x 8 LR

Single Arm Cable Rows
#6 x 8 LR
#7 x 8 LR
#7 x 8 LR
#8 x 8 LR

Chest-Supported Rows (elbows up, focus on upper back)
3x12 all reps done with hard flex and 1 second hold at peak


Dumbbell Shrugs (rest was partner doing them, keep DBs moving whole time)
100 x 10, 10, 10, 10

Hyperextension
40 lb x 14
22/5 x 15
Bw x 19
(wow, low back cramps)

Biceps Superset:
Machine Preachers (1 second flex at top, 3 second eccentric): 50, 55, 60 x 8
DB Same-Time Hammers to Ears (1 second flex at top): 25 x 8, 25 x 8, 20 x 8

Also did decline straight leg raises and rope-twist crunches in-between the first two exercises totalling 6 sets.

Awesome back session. JM had me start off with pulldowns today as opposed to rows and I felt them a ton. These acted as a sort of preexhaust for the rows to come. Hit a nice PR on the single arm barbell rows with 145. Love those rows. Cable rows to the hip might be one of my favorite lat exercises. They always give me a cramp. The chest supported rows destroyed my upper back/rhomboids and then the shrugs finished that off. Hypers, as JM always notes, were probably the toughest part of the workout lol. When you make the movement more deliberate and flex your lower back on every rep, it turns these into a whole other animal.

As I noted yesterday, I threw in a short biceps superset today and will be doing this every back session from now on.

[adamjohn32]

something else you could try add frequency to your bicep/triceps training is myo-reps.

Here's an article explaining them a bit: http://www.yewhealth.com/2010/10/11/myo-reps/
And a video of Berto explaining how he does them for his bi's


just something you could try, keep things fresh and stuff. keep killing dude.