Ebomb's Offseason Journey: Leave No Stone Unturned!

[ebomb55]

Hey guys, so I've decided to transition to an offseason log. Many of you followed my journey to the OCB National Championship at the Yorton cup, where I placed 3rd in my class. While I was a bit disappointed with my placing, it really opened my eyes to the level of leanness I need to get to next time if I want to improve. After speaking with the judges, it was nice to hear that they thought all that was holding me back was my conditioning. That will certainly serve as motivation for the future.

Overall, I had a great experience this prep and certainly brought an improved package to stage as compared to my first contest.

Post contest I had a few nice treats, some pizza, a nice breakfast the morning after and my girlfriend and I went out to dinner at one of our favorite places Sunday night. Monday I was back to the grind and on my reverse diet though.

My plans right now are to reverse diet with Layne and really try to maintain a much leaner physique this offseason. I weighed 203.5 Monday morning and 200.0 this morning, so 4-5 lb above contest weight right now. I'll likely be back down to contest weight by the weekend. Ideally, I'd like to maintain 205-210 and really try to grow at that weight. I believe that to really compete, I would need to come I closer to 185 and sitting at 205-210 should make the prep process easier next time.

As for training right now, I'm going to be doing my own split for a little while which is a variation on Layne's PHAT tailored to my goals and needs. The base split will look like this:
Upper Strength/Power
Lower Strength/Power
Chest/Delts/Arms
Back/Traps
Legs/Delts
Arms
Off/HIIT

I loved working with INOV8 this prep season, but I want to now take what I've seen works well for me both in terms of strength and hypertrophy and put that to work. I think this split will allow me to do just that. I'll post more details about the progression with strength exercises later.

Here's a link to my contest log:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=153976811

Goals for this offseason are the following:
Maintain 205-210.
Improve my Abs and arms
Shorter-Term Strength Goals
Squat 475 x 5 at 205-210
Incline DB Press 140s for 5
Standing Military Press 205 for 5

Now let's crush it!

[IK9]

I'll be following!

[The Solution]

In on this my man!!

[lukamura]

IN!

[ebomb55]

10.29.13

Upper Power

Dead-Stop Dumbbell Rows
60 x 7 LR
85 x 7 LR
120 x 5 x 5 (not to failure)

HS High Row (2 second squeeze, 3 second eccentric)
1 pps x 8
2 pps x 8
3 pps x 7
3 pps + 10 x 7
3 pps + 25 x 7
Normal tension
4 pps x 8, 6
3 second squeeze + 4 second eccentric
3 pps x 6

Dumbbell Low Incline Press
40 x 8
60 x 5
80 x 5
95 x 5 x 5

HS Incline Press (2 second flex, 2 second eccentric)
1 pps x 6
2 pps x 6
2 pps + 25 x 6
2 pps + 35 x 6
3 pps x 6
Normal tension
3 pps + 25 x
1second flex, 4 second eccentric, 3 second concentric
2 pps x 5

Standing Military Press
Bar x 5
65 x 5
85 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 5 x 5

Superset
A1: Dumbbell Hammer Curls
50 x 6
60 x 6
Alternating
60 x 6, 6, p
A2: Incline Smith JM Press
1 pps + 10 x 6
1 pps + 25 x 6
1 pps + 35 x 6, 6,

Donkey Calf Raise
310 x 10, 290 x 10, 270 x 10, 250 x 10, 230 x 10
No rest.

Awesome first upper power session. I'm going a bit lower on the accessory work volume early on to see how I adapt.

The power exercises were not taken to failure, but I also didn't treat each one the same. I went a bit heavier on rows, as I don't feel the need to use the same progression model with them as I do the incline db presses or military press. On those two, I didn't take it close to failure, but will slowly increase weight and decrease sets from 5 to 4 to 3 until I hit a weight that I'd like to PR on.

Accessory work was heavy with an emphasis on TUT work with 1-2 normal tension sets after. This contrasting resistance is something I've see work very well in the past.

Weighed 200.0 this morning.

Macros for reverse are starting at 200C/225P/55F with one HIIT session/week, so not awful.

I'll elaborate more on this split later when I have some time at a computer.

[The Solution]

Going to be doing refeeds all offseason or doing a weekly cheat meal?
Eager to see the outline and how you will incorporate the periodization/tempo's from working with inov8

[ebomb55]

Going to be doing refeeds all offseason or doing a weekly cheat meal?
Eager to see the outline and how you will incorporate the periodization/tempo's from working with inov8

As of right now, since we're just reversing, there are no planned refeeds or high days. Those will come as my metabolic capacity increases (which I hope is sooner rather than later haha).

This split will really be a combination of what I've learned from John Meadows, INOV8, Layne, and what I've seen works well for me. What I'll mainly be taking from INOV8 is likely the progression of sets and reps in blocks, which will be reflected better on the hyper days later in the week.

[ebomb55]

IN!

Haha, glad to have ya man!

[ebomb55]

I'll be following!

Awesome man!

[jaredmus]

You know I am in

[ebomb55]

You know I am in

Haha, awesome man!

[jpfaherty]

You know it brotha, IN!

[JediMindTrick99]

Hell yes, I'm in!

And I really want to see that 140 x 5 on the incline. BEAST mode.

[ebomb55]

Hell yes, I'm in!

And I really want to see that 140 x 5 on the incline. BEAST mode.

Haha, well, I've actually done it before. 145 x 5...just at around 230, not 205. I'll get the video up here.

[ebomb55]

You know it brotha, IN!

Awesome man!

[ebomb55]

Hell yes, I'm in!

And I really want to see that 140 x 5 on the incline. BEAST mode.

My former strength feats lol.

This was 3 years ago.

[JediMindTrick99]

This was 3 years ago.

Damn. NO help getting them up and I think you could have had more. Crazy strength. Good goal for 205-210!

[ebomb55]

Damn. NO help getting them up and I think you could have had more. Crazy strength. Good goal for 205-210!

Haha, ya man, this was a high point for pressing strength.

Hitting this or more at 20 lb less is definitely doable!

[ebomb55]

10.30.13
Power/Strength Lower

Back Squat (beltless)
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
255 x 5 x 5 (60 percent 5RM)

Barbell RDL/SLDL Hybrid (beltless)
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
255 x 5 x 5 (60 percent 5 RM)

Lying Hamstring Curl (3 second eccentric, hard flex at top)
80 x 7
100 x 6
120 x 6
140 x 6
160 x 6
Normal tension
180 x 7
200 x 6
3 second concentric, 3 second eccentric
120 x 6

Leg Press: (3 second negative, continuous tension)
4 pps x 6
6 pps x 6
8 pps x 8
10 pps x 6
11 pps x 6
Normal eccentric
12 pps x 8
3 second eccentric, 3 second concentric
6 pps x 6

Superset
A1: Hack Squat Calf Raise (pause at bottom position, continuous at top)
3 pps x 8
4 pps x 8
5 pps x 6, 6, 6 (on final rep, stretch at bottom for 30 seconds)
A2: Standing Rope Crunch (1 set to front, 2 sets to side)
Front x 8, sides x 6 LR
3 rounds

Awesome lower power day. Squats and RDL are going to be done with a percentage-based progression model, with the beltless 5RM of each being 415. I really will try to just dominate the weights these first few weeks, as they will be relatively light.

I utilized the contrasting tempo technique that I like on the leg curls and leg press, where I work up to a heavy set done with a slower tempo and then do 1-2 sets with a normal tempo at a slightly heavier weight. For now, I'm just going to stick with 1 hammie and 1 quad exercise in addition to the power exercises and really try to increase volume and intensity on these.

Chest/Rear Delts/Arms tomorrow.

I weighed 199.0 this morning, so we're moving back to contest weight. Now within 3-4 lb.

[jpfaherty]

Strong as an ox brotha. Only going up from here!

[The Solution]

Feel weird starting with squats compared to Inov8 Plans/workouts?

[ebomb55]

Feel weird starting with squats compared to Inov8 Plans/workouts?

Not really! One of my INOV8 blocks actually did start with squats, so it hasn't been that long since I've done it.

[ebomb55]

Strong as an ox brotha. Only going up from here!

Thanks man, we're getting it back!

[Bnizzle163]

Very inspiring numbers, especially coming off a prep. I'm in!

[ebomb55]

Very inspiring numbers, especially coming off a prep. I'm in!

Thanks man, although it will be a few weeks before I progress to heavier sets with my power movements.

[Vanguard1965]

Have to get in on this!

[ebomb55]

Have to get in on this!

Awesome man!

[ebomb55]

10.31.13

Chest/Rear Delts/Arms

Low Incline Dumbbell Incline Press (55 percent estimated 1RM)
30 x 3
40 x 3
55 x 3
60 x 3
70 x 3
80 x 7 x 3

Slight Decline Smith Press (1 pin away from flat, continuous tension until last rep or 2...not done to failure, 1-2 reps shy)
1 pps x 30
1 pps + 25 x 20
2 pps x 23
2 pps + 10 x 18
2 pps + 15 x 12
45-60 seconds rest

Nautilus Vertical Chest Press (continuous tension)
95 x 30
110 x 25
140 x 15 + 10 neutral grip partials
110 x 20 + 10 neutral grip partials

Superset
A1: Single Arm Pec Dec
100 x 15 LR
A2: Stretch Push-ups
22, 14
No rest between sets

Superset
B1: Bentover Rear Delt Flies
25 x 25, 25
25 x 15 + 10 partials
B2: Band Pull-Aparts (2 second squeeze, drive elbows back as far as possible)
Mini band x 8
3 rounds

EZ Bar Preacher Curl
1 warmup x 10
40 + bar x 6
60 + bar x 3
70 + bar x 3, 3
90 + bar x 3, 3, 3
30 + bar x 20

Superset
C1: Leg Raises
x 15
C2: Abdominal Flex Hold
x 30 seconds
3 rounds

Awesome hyper chest/rear Delt/arm session. I didn't take anything to failure today, but most top sets were close. I'm doing the DB incline's first as my 'power' exercise to try and help augment strength gains on the power day.

I've always like slight decline smith presses and can feel them a ton in my chest.

Rear Delt set was brutal. I haven't hit them like that in months. 6 sets will do the trick haha. The biceps work is a bit different than usual. A combination of heavy sets and higher rep sets which is a contrast that I think will be helpful in sparking new growth in my arms.

Weighed 198 this morning, so within 3 lb of contest weight.

[The Solution]

Look a little tighter post show?

[ebomb55]

Look a little tighter post show?

Hard to tell with the spray tan still not off. It really screws with how my body looks. As it comes off, I get leaner and leaner (looking) haha.

I look fuller in the gym and more vascular through the arms and legs though.