Let's talk - Natural Mr Olympia gives advice

[Lowdown5]

I worked with John both in person and over the internet. I live more than two hours away from him and being a teacher and a full-time grad student it is sometimes hard to find the time nesscary to work with him in person. So when I did have time I would go down and see him, but when I was short on time I would email him pictures along with diet information and weekly progress. He would then give me his assement and the things I needed to change to continue my progess.
Along with his immense amount of knowledge, one the best qualitites working with John is that he truely cares about your progress and obtaining your personally goals. He did way more than he had to and I am very greatful for that. I will always be thankful for everything he did to help me and the support he gave.

Best Wishes Buddy,

Erik

Thanks Erik. I wish you continued success in all your endeavors.

[jrjt27]

hey john how's everything ,

what is your view on training legs with higher reps (10 and higher) because of the fiber distrabution.

[Natural_O]

hey john how's everything ,

what is your view on training legs with higher reps (10 and higher) because of the fiber distrabution.

I think training legs with higher reps is a good idea, especially if your legs are a weak point. I also think it's a good idea to build up the strength of the legs and train them heavy on squats and leg presses but, after you have some mass and strength, using higher reps really shocks the muscles and gets them to grow. My legs always get the most sore when I do high reps with moderately heavy (not light) weight.

[jrjt27]

I think training legs with higher reps is a good idea, especially if your legs are a weak point. I also think it's a good idea to build up the strength of the legs and train them heavy on squats and leg presses but, after you have some mass and strength, using higher reps really shocks the muscles and gets them to grow. My legs always get the most sore when I do high reps with moderately heavy (not light) weight.

makes sense, was reading back in some old books and aronld believed the same thing ,

one other queston regurading ab training , im fairly lean (9-10% bf) and i have visable abs , but my problem with my abs is that there very blocky and blug out like little bricks, my upper abs stick out alot they actully make my chest look smaller. you can see my abs clearly but they make my waist look very big , i only train them 2x a week , 4-6 sets every sesion , 3 sets ball crunches and 3 sets leg lifts keeping reps between 20-30 , i stop training my obliques because that made my waist even wider. Should i just stop training my abs in general? maybe cut back to 1 session a week? wanted to hear your opinion on my problem , started reading up on vacums and gonna give them a try.

[Natural_O]

makes sense, was reading back in some old books and aronld believed the same thing ,

one other queston regurading ab training , im fairly lean (9-10% bf) and i have visable abs , but my problem with my abs is that there very blocky and blug out like little bricks, my upper abs stick out alot they actully make my chest look smaller. you can see my abs clearly but they make my waist look very big , i only train them 2x a week , 4-6 sets every sesion , 3 sets ball crunches and 3 sets leg lifts keeping reps between 20-30 , i stop training my obliques because that made my waist even wider. Should i just stop training my abs in general? maybe cut back to 1 session a week? wanted to hear your opinion on my problem , started reading up on vacums and gonna give them a try.

Yes, I would only train them once a week and focus more on lower ab training (hanging knee raises, incline knee raises, etc) and also intercostals (twisting crunches, kneeling rope crunches) with only 1-2 sets of ball crunches.

[jrjt27]

im gonna give that a shot, i can't let them get out of control anymore,

[Lowerthefever]

Hey John,

After 2 years of solid training, I've finally decided to stop bulking and start cutting. I'm 5'9, 190lbs with around 18% bodyfat.

I built a good diet plan and went 500 calories above maintenance for the entire bulk (3200 each day).

I'm planning to take in around 2500 calories daily for the next 16-20 weeks in conjunction with regular cardio post workout after each session.

How long should I perform cardio for?
Should I do low or high intensity?

Also, is there a certain ratio of carbs/protein/fats that I should be sticking to?

Ideally, I am aiming to bring my bodyfat down to around 12% by the beginning of this summer (taking it slow to preserve as much muscle mass as possible).

Thanks in advance

Cheers

Matt--

[Natural_O]

Hey John,

After 2 years of solid training, I've finally decided to stop bulking and start cutting. I'm 5'9, 190lbs with around 18% bodyfat.

I built a good diet plan and went 500 calories above maintenance for the entire bulk (3200 each day).

I'm planning to take in around 2500 calories daily for the next 16-20 weeks in conjunction with regular cardio post workout after each session.

How long should I perform cardio for?
Should I do low or high intensity?

Also, is there a certain ratio of carbs/protein/fats that I should be sticking to?

Ideally, I am aiming to bring my bodyfat down to around 12% by the beginning of this summer (taking it slow to preserve as much muscle mass as possible).

Thanks in advance

Cheers

Matt--

Matt, you may not need to go down to as low as 2500 calories to get leaner. If you are eating 3500 calories now and that is 500 over your maintenance, you might only have to go down to 2800 or 2700 to get lean.

Also, with the cardio, I would try losing the fat with just the changes to your diet first. You may not have to use cardio at all to get leaner. I only use cardio to help speed up the fat-loss process AFTER following the diet for a while.

As for your percentages on the new diet, at a beginning weight of 190 pounds, you want to start with your protein first. I always increase my protein intake a little more when I am trying to lose fat. I aim for an intake of about 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight. In your case, that would be 285 grams of protein. If you ate about 250 grams of carbohydrates and at least 50 grams of fat, the percentages would be 44% protein, 39% carbs and 17% fats. This is based on a calorie total of 2590 calories (I was thinking 2700 but this is close).

On the days you don't weight train, you could change those percentages around a little by eating slightly more protein, less carbs and more fats. If your calories dropped by 100 (2480 calories) and you ate 285 grams of protein with 200 grams of carbs and 60 grams of fats, the breakdown for this day would be 46% protein, 32% carbs and 22% fats.

[notbuff]

Hi John,

First off I just gotta say how awesome it is to have a NATURAL bodybuilder answering questions on these boards, and the advice you give generally seems to make alot of sense. So I appreciate you taking the time to help us plebs out.

I've been training for a little over 3 months. I started on a variant of the Rippetoe's program:

Workout A - squat 3x5, bench 3x5, deadlift 1x5, abs 3x10
Workout B - squat 3x5, overhead press 3x5, power clean 3x5, chin ups 3xfailure

It's three days a week alternating between workouts A and B. At 5'9 I went from 138 to about 161 with this program, but it eventually became too tough. I decided to switch it up a bit and wanted to try something that would focus on building mass, but also strength. Here is what I've been doing for the past 2 weeks:

Workout A - Squat 1x5RM, DB Bench 4x10 (1 min rest), Power clean 3x5, DB Curl 3x10 (1 min rest)

Workout B - Squat 4x5, DB overhead press 4x10 (1 min rest), Chin Ups 3xfailure, hanging leg raises 3x10-15

Workout C - Light squats 2x5, BB Bench 1x5RM, Deadlift 1x5RM, skullcrushers 3x10 (1 min rest), underhand machine rows 3x10 (1 min rest)

I know this isn't the type of program you typically recommend, but I would still be very interested in hearing your thoughts on it. Thanks!

[nads786]

hey jon,

do you workout at the xsport on lemont road?

[X-REPPER]

I'm natural i use a number of supplements like vitrix but never any drugs
i'm 5'10 240lbs @ 11% bf training for 30 yrs and my genetics for gaining muscle aren't great the way i did it was a lot of trial and error but i finally realized i have the ability to generate alot of intensity but very poor recovery ability sooo my solution was to only train twice a week and to cut out all cardio..wgich i hate anyway
might sound strange to the average bodybuilder all i can say is i had to do it in order to make gains and we all have to learn our bodys and once we do that instead of just doing what someone else is doing we can start to make real progress real fast or at least as fast as possible.

With all that said i don't believe it"s possible to bench 400 lbs for reps
or build a legit lean 20' arm without drugs you might be able to make it look that big but it won't stretch the tape that far nor should it have to adter all
the judges aren't coming up on stage to measure you.

[Natural_O]

Hi John,

First off I just gotta say how awesome it is to have a NATURAL bodybuilder answering questions on these boards, and the advice you give generally seems to make alot of sense. So I appreciate you taking the time to help us plebs out.

I've been training for a little over 3 months. I started on a variant of the Rippetoe's program:

Workout A - squat 3x5, bench 3x5, deadlift 1x5, abs 3x10
Workout B - squat 3x5, overhead press 3x5, power clean 3x5, chin ups 3xfailure

It's three days a week alternating between workouts A and B. At 5'9 I went from 138 to about 161 with this program, but it eventually became too tough. I decided to switch it up a bit and wanted to try something that would focus on building mass, but also strength. Here is what I've been doing for the past 2 weeks:

Workout A - Squat 1x5RM, DB Bench 4x10 (1 min rest), Power clean 3x5, DB Curl 3x10 (1 min rest)

Workout B - Squat 4x5, DB overhead press 4x10 (1 min rest), Chin Ups 3xfailure, hanging leg raises 3x10-15

Workout C - Light squats 2x5, BB Bench 1x5RM, Deadlift 1x5RM, skullcrushers 3x10 (1 min rest), underhand machine rows 3x10 (1 min rest)

I know this isn't the type of program you typically recommend, but I would still be very interested in hearing your thoughts on it. Thanks!

It's a very abbreviated routine but I think it would work good for building size and strength, as long as it is progressive and the weights are increasing each week. It shouldn't be that hard to increase the weights each week because you are new to training and you are doing a very limited amount of sets each workout.

[Natural_O]

hey jon,

do you workout at the xsport on lemont road?

Yes, I do. That's the gym I train at.

[Bondons]

Hello, I plan on competing in natural competitions very soon, thanks for being an inspiration!

[notbuff]

It's a very abbreviated routine but I think it would work good for building size and strength, as long as it is progressive and the weights are increasing each week. It shouldn't be that hard to increase the weights each week because you are new to training and you are doing a very limited amount of sets each workout.

Cool, good to have your approval. I've been ingrained with the philosophy that beginners can grow with less volume, and also recover faster and thus train each body part more frequently than intermediates.

I'm a bit worried about being able to increase weight on the db exercises, but it'll probably be fine for a while. What I'm thinking on doing is adding weight as long as I get the first three sets, even if I miss reps on the fourth. So the fourth set is kinda like a burn set or sumthin.

[Tough Old Man]

Hello Natural Mr. Olympia,

This is my first post on this thread and i just want to thank you for the useful information and motivation you give us to train hard and most importantly remain natural.

I have a question concerning a diet plan i found in an old issue of Flex magasine. It was an article by Chris Aceto, whom explained a two week cycle diet where you manipulate your macronutirents in order to put on as much mass as possible and the least fat possible.

If i were to summarize the diet it would look like this:
Days 1-5: eat 1g of protein for every pound of bodybweight and 2g of carbs for every pound of body weight. So a 200 lbs bodybuilder would be eating 200gs of protein and 400 gs of carbs.

Days 6-10: These are glycogen loading days. Carbs are bumbed up to 3g for every pound of bodyweight and protein is maintained at 1g per pound of bodyweight.

Days 11-12: Carbs are dropped to 1g per pound of bodyweight and protein is raised to 2g per pound of bodyweight. Chris Aceto states: "A high protein lower carb intakes improves insulin sensitivity in muscle tissue, priming muscles to uptake not only a greater amount of carbohydrates but also amino acids on days 13-14."

Days 13-14: eat 3-4 g of carbs per pound of bodyweight and around 1.5 g of protein per pound of bodyweight.

This diet lasts 14 days and can be repeated for as long as necessary. What are your thoughts on this style of dieting and do you think it would be beneficial for a natural bodybuilder?

Hi John..You already replied to this once, but my question is what would the Fat intake look like..Would Fats be kept low, med or high or at what ratio %?

[Natural_O]

Hi John..You already replied to this once, but my question is what would the Fat intake look like..Would Fats be kept low, med or high or at what ratio %?

I would keep the fats moderate. I usually add a tablespoon of flaxseed oil or Udo's Oil to my protein drinks twice a day. This helps supply me with the essential fatty acids that are so hard to get in the daily diet. I also eat salmon at least 3x a week which also supplies a lot of omega-3 fatty acids. I would think your fat intake should be around 50-60 grams of fats per day. The normal rule is eat low fats when you are eating high carbs or higher fats when you are eating low carbs. However, if you are trying to get bigger and increase your calories, eating more fats is a good idea. Fats supply nine calories per gram so they are very calorie dense compared to carbs or protein. Studies also show that some saturated fats (like those found in eggs and red meat) help to increase your testosterone level so a very low-fat diet is generally not good for building muscle mass.

[Natural_O]

Hey Everyone,

I just updated my website with a Contest Report of the last show I recently promoted on August 9th along with an updated article of the Latest News. Check it out at
http://www.naturalolympia.com/

John

[Dlauger]

Hey Everyone,

I just updated my website with a Contest Report of the last show I recently promoted on August 9th along with an updated article of the Latest News. Check it out at
http://www.naturalolympia.com/

John

Website looks great John!

Hey I think I may have asked this before, but what do you think of Tanita scales? Are they accurate? A worth while purchase?
Thanks for all your advice/help!

[italianplaya30]

Website looks great John!

Hey I think I may have asked this before, but what do you think of Tanita scales? Are they accurate? A worth while purchase?
Thanks for all your advice/help!

im not john but i think those things are a good reference point....whether they are accurate or not doesnt matter...what matters is that those numbers are going down....its a good way to track progress

[Armando777]

Hi John,

Wanted to share my experience with you and some forum members about lying down, lowering barbell to forehead tricept extensions. I used heavy weight then I felt a rip in my elbow, since then I have never done tricepts that way again. Took me about 4 months to recover.
What is your opinion on this exercise and getting injured in general.


Thanks John

[Dlauger]

im not john but i think those things are a good reference point....whether they are accurate or not doesnt matter...what matters is that those numbers are going down....its a good way to track progress

Thanks man, do you know any really accurate way to check other than water weighing?

[Natural_O]

Website looks great John!

Hey I think I may have asked this before, but what do you think of Tanita scales? Are they accurate? A worth while purchase?
Thanks for all your advice/help!

I'm not that familiar with the Tanita scales. If those are the ones that supposedly measure your bodyfat when you step on the scales, I wouldn't put much credence in them. Using calipers or hydrostatic weighing is a much more accurate measure of your bodyfat.

[Natural_O]

Hi John,

Wanted to share my experience with you and some forum members about lying down, lowering barbell to forehead tricept extensions. I used heavy weight then I felt a rip in my elbow, since then I have never done tricepts that way again. Took me about 4 months to recover.
What is your opinion on this exercise and getting injured in general.


Thanks John

Wow, sorry to hear about that Armando. Injuries always suck and an injury that bad that took you four months to recover is even worse. At least you didn't tear the tendon, which would require surgery to repair it. With an exercise like lying tricep extensions (skull crushers), the elbows are put in a precarious position because it is isolating the triceps and putting a lot of stress on the elbow joints. I would never start off my triceps routine with this exercise. Instead, I would do it second or third after my triceps and elbows are already warmed up. I always train my triceps after chest because then my elbows are already warmed up from the heavy chest work. When I start my triceps workout, I will start with either pushdowns or close-grip bench press. With the pushdowns, it is a cable exercise and I can do a light weight for high reps which forces more blood into the area and warms up the elbows. With the close-grip bench press, you are using your deltoids and chest in addition to the triceps so there is not as much stress on the elbow as the lying tricep extensions.

[Natural_O]

Thanks man, do you know any really accurate way to check other than water weighing?

I usually gauge my bodyfat by weighing myself on a regular scale and also measuring my waist. The waist is the last area most men lose bodyfat and it is the first area we gain it when we add fat. By consistently measuring your waist (at least once a week), you will be able to determine if you are losing bodyfat.

[Dlauger]

I usually gauge my bodyfat by weighing myself on a regular scale and also measuring my waist. The waist is the last area most men lose bodyfat and it is the first area we gain it when we add fat. By consistently measuring your waist (at least once a week), you will be able to determine if you are losing bodyfat.

Thanks John! Thats a good idea I will keep that in mind.

[Natural_O]

When I promoted my last contest, the 2008 Natural North America, on August 9th, I also presented a Champions Seminar after the pre-judging. At this seminar, I brought back all the overall winners from last year's contest, the Men's Overall winner, the Women's Overall winner and the Figure Overall winner. I also had our guest performer, Vanda Haderean, the reigning Ms. Fitness World, onstage with us.

All of these respective champions shared their training, nutrition and motivation strategies for winning with the audience. I had the Seminar videotaped and it is now available on my website for FREE. Just go to http://www.naturalolympia.com/
and click the Seminar link at the bottom of the page. Special thanks to George Pradel who videotaped the contest for providing all this footage and also for transferring it to my website so everyone can watch it. I hope you enjoy it!

[tnt2005]

John Hansen is definity a natural. I read his book on natural bodybuilding its a really great educational read for aspiring bobybuilders. Ecspecially the part on nutrition, I had no idea just mashing pototoa's made it a fast digesting carb.Jay has ever said he didn't take steriods. I think if anything he wants to make it open so its less of a hush up controversy and more a well known fact, just part of the game.

Edit: holy cow he is on here posting, this is crazy. I have a natural contest in October. Could you give me any advice on how to be a great champion.

[Natural_O]

John Hansen is definity a natural. I read his book on natural bodybuilding its a really great educational read for aspiring bobybuilders. Ecspecially the part on nutrition, I had no idea just mashing pototoa's made it a fast digesting carb.Jay has ever said he didn't take steriods. I think if anything he wants to make it open so its less of a hush up controversy and more a well known fact, just part of the game.

Edit: holy cow he is on here posting, this is crazy. I have a natural contest in October. Could you give me any advice on how to be a great champion.

You have a contest in October? That's coming up pretty quick. How are you looking now? What is your training and diet like right now?

[tnt2005]

You have a contest in October? That's coming up pretty quick. How are you looking now? What is your training and diet like right now?

Well this is my first contest. I don't follow any diet (ignorance is bliss) I eat and eat and try to stick to what I know is good for you. My BF is really low right now becasuse another big no, I'm running cross country at the same time. It ofcourse shreds muscle mass. I wake up in the morning and take BCAA's and vitamins and have two fried egg sandwiches on wheat bread and some pototoas for energy. Throughout the day I'll try to eat frequently just to try to maintain my muscle mass for the contest. I train Mike Menzter style in hit, using Arthur Jone's philosophy. I go all out in a short intense burst. Rest for three days and work another muscle group.

My calves are definitly lagging, but I'm building my body after Zane. And my vaccuum, victory pose and quarter back pose all look to be coming up nicely. Though perhaps since I'm in the teenage class, my mesomorphic frame with a tiny waist can win the show. But there are also other more dedicated athletes competing I'm sure. My dedication to bodybuilding is something I learned from you and Arnold ( from the book I think your hero as well) a charismatic champion willing to be number one. So I hope to have the stage presence to win over the judges. I have tried your diet and ofcourse it works, but now a days its just so expensive so I have to eat what I get and be discplined enough to avoid the oreo's.

Are there any suggestions you can give me off that for the contest?

p.s. it amazing your on here. Your one of my hero's its amazing to be able to ask you a question.