PhillySteak's Novice Bodybuilding: First Contest Season (Prep Log with Team 3DMJ)

[phillysteak]

Brad G.’s 2014 Contest Prep Journal

Goals

1. Get in the best condition of my life.
2. Gain the experience of what it takes to go through prep and get on stage.
3. Give myself a picture of what I will need to beat 2-3 years from now.

Background

- “Lifted” in college, mostly 4 days per week/1 body part
- Post college got semi-serious about training, tried “eating clean”
- On & off the wagon for 4 years. Chicken and brown rice. Over and Over. Bleh.
- Couldn’t stick to a diet. A lot of binging. I mean, a LOT.
- Still, decided in October 2012 that I wanted to compete if I could clean it up.
- Plan: Take one year to live the lifestyle, then do a prep if I’ve made it that far.
- Began following a handful of YouTubers.
- Looked up IIFYM. Maybe there was a better way…

That brought me to February of this year. I began working with Eric Helms of Team 3DMJ. Wow. All I can say is Eric has gone way beyond what I would have expected from a coach. Since our first skype session, I’ve sent and received countless emails to Eric. I did two powerlifting meets under his direction and had a blast. I was thrilled to hear that he would be doing my contest prep.

The Actual Prep/Contest Plans

-I’ll be competing twice in 2014, in May and July.
-I’m running a legs-push-pull program.
-Current weight is just under 180lbs.
-Current macros to start this cut are 190p/225c/60f with one refeed per week.
-Beginning with 800kcal of cardio each week.

Officially 24 & 34 weeks out. Let’s do this!!

**Also, drop me a line to sub to your logs. I'm still finding my way around this forum and subbing.

[phillysteak]

Here's some pics from the last 1.5 years.

June 2012, roughly 205 lbs. on the left with my brothers


October 2012, Tons of binging, really just lost. 208 lbs.


June 2013, After a 4 month cut with Team 3DMJ, 176 lbs.

[phillysteak]

Day 1, 11/17/13
Off
190p/223c/60f

Misc

Traveled back from a wedding in Boston. My fiancé was kind enough to start the drive so I could read my packet from Eric. Got home and finished macros. Beginning my new LPP program tomorrow.

[Bnizzle163]

I recognize you from the 3DMJ HQ. IN .

[Rypt1]

Good luck! IN!

[phillysteak]

I recognize you from the 3DMJ HQ. IN .

Awesome, man. Looking forward to talking.

Good luck! IN!

Thanks Rypt!

[IK9]

innnnn

[phillysteak]

innnnn

Awesome. I jumped into your log at the end of your prep. Well done again, bro.

[phillysteak]

Had my buddies over for the late game last night. Devoured this thing to finish off my macros

49p/55c/16f

[phillysteak]

Picked up a couple things at the grocery store today..mostly making sure I have enough fruits & veggies on hand to get enough servings each day.

[Egomanius]

in! way to start early and give yourself plenty of time to diet, a strong drive + team 3DMJ will take you to new levels! Looking forward to watching the progress

[phillysteak]

in! way to start early and give yourself plenty of time to diet, a strong drive + team 3DMJ will take you to new levels! Looking forward to watching the progress

Glad to have you in here man. Currently watching Jeff Alberts' video on dumbbell rows before going for a pull session.

[wheathins]

in brotha man. fellow 3dmj'er here along for the ride. Best of luck to ya!

p.s. you live in philly or just love our cheesesteaks?

[jpfaherty]

Always support the 3DMJ logs! IN!

[phillysteak]

in brotha man. fellow 3dmj'er here along for the ride. Best of luck to ya!

p.s. you live in philly or just love our cheesesteaks?

Haha, thanks man. Most of my father's side is in Philly..I grew up in south NJ. Was raised a Phillies & Eagles fan. Now living in upstate NY. We visit family a few times a year and always get cheesesteaks when we come through.

Wait a minute...I'm not going to be getting one this Christmas during prep...

heh.

[phillysteak]

Always support the 3DMJ logs! IN!

Glad to have you!

[phillysteak]

Day 2, 11/18/13
179.8 lbs
190p/225c/60f

Pull A
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown 97.5 x 12, 12, 12, 12
DB Row 55's x 12, 12, 12
Barbell Curl 45 x 12, 12, 12
Cable Side Raise 17.5 x 12, 12, 12
Face Pulls 70 x 13, 13, 13

LISS Cardio
275 kcals. Treadmill/ 12 incline/ 2.8mph/ 27.5 minutes

Training Notes:

Watched Jeff Alberts' video on DB rows before going to the gym. I think a combination of that video and just being my first day of training in contest prep had me really in the zone. I'm still transitioning into focusing on great form on all my movements. A lot of times I'll get 2 or 3 exercises with really good form but then start getting sloppy. Today was one of the best training sessions of my life! After the pulldowns and rows my back felt torched. The program Eric wrote me might not look like a ton of volume on paper, but man it felt good today!

[IK9]

Loving all the foooood pron.. keep those coming.. I found myself eating a few of those Lean Pockets during prep myself although I felt like I "wasted" macros on them vs actually being happy that I ate it lol

[phillysteak]

Loving all the foooood pron.. keep those coming.. I found myself eating a few of those Lean Pockets during prep myself although I felt like I "wasted" macros on them vs actually being happy that I ate it lol

haha yup. Once my carbs start dipping I likely won't have them anymore... ~40g just does not seem worth it for how small they are!

[phillysteak]

Also, here's the video I mentioned..

[phillysteak]

Today's lunch/post workout:

[wheathins]

Haha, thanks man. Most of my father's side is in Philly..I grew up in south NJ. Was raised a Phillies & Eagles fan. Now living in upstate NY. We visit family a few times a year and always get cheesesteaks when we come through.

Wait a minute...I'm not going to be getting one this Christmas during prep...

heh.

a Phillies and Birds fan?! YUP, now I'm definitely in!

Where in South Jersey? I grew up in Delran, live in Audubon now if you're familiar with either.

Sucks you've gotta be surrounded by all those silly Buffalo fans now in upstate NY!

Ah dude, prepping through the holiday's, you're a brave man! I guess you could always shave up some extra lean beef with some fat free cheddar and make a bro style cheesesteak... and then maybe throw in a few curse words and slurs so it's like it really came from Gino's haha

[phillysteak]

a Phillies and Birds fan?! YUP, now I'm definitely in!

Where in South Jersey? I grew up in Delran, live in Audubon now if you're familiar with either.

Sucks you've gotta be surrounded by all those silly Buffalo fans now in upstate NY!

Ah dude, prepping through the holiday's, you're a brave man! I guess you could always shave up some extra lean beef with some fat free cheddar and make a bro style cheesesteak... and then maybe throw in a few curse words and slurs so it's like it really came from Gino's haha

Small world! Best friends of our family are from Delran, I was just there for a wedding this summer. We were in Cinnaminson.

Man, now you got me thinking of those steaks...it's too damn early in this to dream of food!

[phillysteak]

Preworkout meal: Two egg white/cheese/honey ham sandwiches on double fiber english muffins
33p/58c/6f (10g fiber)



Cheese was still melting on these bad boys when I snapped the pic. Tasted delicious.

[wheathins]

Small world! Best friends of our family are from Delran, I was just there for a wedding this summer. We were in Cinnaminson.

Man, now you got me thinking of those steaks...it's too damn early in this to dream of food!

wow, small world is right. How old are you? Did you play any sports at Cinnaminson? The delran/cinna rivalry is strong but we're on the same team now! haha


any idea if eric will be incorporating HIIT cardio into your prep? When I prepped i was up to like 600kcal cardio every single day. which meant high incline treadmill walking... boy did that suck!

[MikeJohnson30]

In! Good luck man

[phillysteak]

wow, small world is right. How old are you? Did you play any sports at Cinnaminson? The delran/cinna rivalry is strong but we're on the same team now! haha


any idea if eric will be incorporating HIIT cardio into your prep? When I prepped i was up to like 600kcal cardio every single day. which meant high incline treadmill walking... boy did that suck!

I'm 26. I was a wrestler, but moved out of Cinnaminson when I was 8..went to Princeton, then moved to Delaware, then finally the Albany area when I was in high school.

Just 800kcal of LISS right now, not sure what is to come for cardio! Loving LISS though, on Season 3 of Breaking Bad

[phillysteak]

In! Good luck man

Thanks dude!

[phillysteak]

Day 3, 11/19/13
178.8 lbs
190p/225c/60f

Push A
Bench Press 215 x 6, 6, 6, 5
Seated Barbell Press 105 x 8, 8, 8, 8
Pec Deck Fly 100 x 12, 12, 10
Straight Bar Pushdowns 85 x 13, 13, 13
Weighted Decline Crunch bw+25 x 13, 13, 13

LISS Cardio
275 kcals. Treadmill/ 12 incline/ 2.8mph/ 27.5 minutes

Training Notes:
Felt great today. Missed my last rep on bench press, so I'll just keep that weight next time I come around to my sets of 6 again. I am super weak at seated pressing, especially after already doing a movement.

Had this post-workout/late lunch. Each high-fiber tortilla wrap is 9g each...57p/78c/14f (28g fiber)

[phillysteak]

First time getting BCAA's. Also some new wrist wraps and 4 quest bars. Anyone know a place to get them cheaper than $2? I tried the cooke dough and LOVE them but can't afford to keep too many around.