"I won't give up, shut up, let up, or slow up," my contest prep log

[UCFBuilder]

Alright, officially started my 21 week prep today...the shows i will be doing are:

Mid-Florida on June 19th and
Southern states on July 10th

Depending on how my prep goes i may do the Tamps classic which is the week before the Mid-Florida and depending on how i feel i may do the Dexter Jackson Classic which is at the end of July

I hired Layne Norton to coach me through this prep..so i have no doubt I am going to demolish my results last year and get absolutely shredded this time around...throughout my entire offseason i stuck to basically the same food i dieted on but obviously way bigger portions to help me grow..i feel that it was a GREAT offseason and i feel i made a TON of progress..i was heavier before i dieted down for last years shows but i had no where near the amount of muscle and strength.

my last show last year i weighed 153..ended this offseason at 180..hoping to come in a bit heavier this time around while being wayyy leaner...Im not really going to focus on weight too much tho...i will measure progress through mirror basically

Macros:

Low days(5 days a week)

P: 262g
C: 219g
F:59g

High days(2 days a week, on my upper power day and my chest/arm day)

P: 232g
C:352g
F: 56g

Training split:

M: Upper power 5X5
T: Lower power 5X5
W: Off...HIIT cardio
TH: Chest arms hyper 3X8-12
F: Shoulders/Back hyper 3X8-12
Sa: Legs hyper 3X8-12
Su: Off...HIIT cardio

Updated Pics:

My camera has literally just stopped working but i do have one upper body shot that was taken last weekend at a parade...and one back and leg shot i took last week...as well as a few shots i took about a month ago at about 175 and a little bloated







I am extremely excited to get this started...i want to see myself just peeled..and i want to win these shows more than i have ever wanted to do anything else

[bwelch1985]

You've done a fantastic job of staying lean through the offseason...really impressed w/ your CURRENT conditioning....

I'm expecting big things from this prep!

[UCFBuilder]

You've done a fantastic job of staying lean through the offseason...really impressed w/ your CURRENT conditioning....

I'm expecting big things from this prep!

thanks man...im planning on doing extremely well throughout this prep...thanks for the support

[zcholla]

Hey man excited to see this, You look great for 21 weeks out. The only advice i have is to maybe switch one of your high days to your legs day. Its just a much more demanding day, and you might want those extra cals. Just a thought but whatever you decide, Keep it up and tear it up, good luck!!!!

[Blazed]

I was wondering when you would start a log.

Its slow DOWN =P

In for this ****!! Do not disappoint

[UCFBuilder]

Hey man excited to see this, You look great for 21 weeks out. The only advice i have is to maybe switch one of your high days to your legs day. Its just a much more demanding day, and you might want those extra cals. Just a thought but whatever you decide, Keep it up and tear it up, good luck!!!!

thanks man...and yeah i thought about that...but this is the way layne wants to do it and right now im willing to see how it works out...my legs are my genetic gift as they hold there mass pretty easily where as my upper body shrinks at the site of a caloric deficit LOL...the only problem with my legs is that they also hold most of my fat and its hard getting them shredded....last year i didnt lol...still had alot of fat on my quades, glutes and hams come show time last year...something i will change this time

[UCFBuilder]

I was wondering when you would start a log.

Its slow DOWN =P

In for this ****!! Do not disappoint

thanks for joining...trust me i wont

[UCFBuilder]

Day 1

Upper power

BB Bench Press

1 135X5
2 185X5
3 225X5
4 255X4 1/2 (5 w/spot)

BB shoulder press

1 95X5
2 135X5
3 145X5
4 165X3 1/2 (5 w/spot)

BB rows

1 135X5
2 155X5
3 185X5
4 205X5

BB shrugs

1 135X5
2 225X5
3 275X5
4 335X5---will do this weight again next week because the 5th rep was questionable

Smith-machine Floor press

1 135X5
2 185X5
3 225X5
4 250X5

Strength: almost got that 5th rep with 255 on bench..just couldnt lock it out...first day with 165 on Shoulder press and almost got 4 but again couldnt lock out..BB rows felt good..will maybe move to 210 next week..and i got all 5 with 335 on shrugs but will stick with this weight next week as well.....obviously still feeling very strong so im hoping my strength lasts throughout the entire prep

Supps: Xtend, Creatine Mono

[UCFBuilder]

Day 2

Lower Power

BB Back squat

1 135X5
2 225X5
3 315X5
4 405X2
5 410X1

Leg press

1 3 Plates Each sideX5
2 5 Plates ESX5
3 7 Plates ESX5
4 10 Plates ESX4--(5 w/spot)

Seated calf raise

1 1 plate, 25X5
2 2 plates, 25X5
3 3 plates 25X5
4 5 platesX5

Vids:

Here is my 405X2 squat vid...i got the first 2 on my own and the third he spotted me..it looks like he is spotting me for all three..but you just have to trust me when i say he didnt..it was all me




410X1

i wanted to do this with no spotter..but he saw me going at it alone and decided to come in anyway...he didnt spot tho..as much as it looks like he did...there is also a 2.5 on there that u cant see..sorry for the crappy cell phone quality vid



will be going back down to 385 next week to rep it for 5..i did 405 last week for 2 and this week just to see if i could get it before i started prep...i proved to myself that i could..so now its back to a little lower weight but for 5 reps...maybe ill get 405 for 5 sometime later in prep

[mrkdrt]

Good luck in your prep man

Will be watching along for RESULTS!

Quick Q: Are your "high" diet days refeeds?

[UCFBuilder]

Good luck in your prep man

Will be watching along for RESULTS!

Quick Q: Are your "high" diet days refeeds?

thanks for joining in man....and yeah the high days are basically my two refeeds a week

[Whomper107]

Seriously impressive build bro, you've got a lot of good thickness on your frame, and are starting out leaner than most. I'm excited to see what 21 weeks of work will do for you.

[UCFBuilder]

Seriously impressive build bro, you've got a lot of good thickness on your frame, and are starting out leaner than most. I'm excited to see what 21 weeks of work will do for you.

thanks man.. really glad to have you along

i remember last year towards the end of my prep you posted some helpful advice for me which helped me get through those last few weeks..thanks for that

[UCFBuilder]

Day 3

25 minutes of HIIT cardio on the stairmaster today...actually felt good to get that cardio in and sweat that much...hopefully im still saying that towards the end when im low on cals lol

[UCFBuilder]

Day 4

Chest/Arms Hyper

DB incline bench

1 50X12
2 65X12
3 90X11

Decline BB bench

1 135X12
2 185X12
3 200X12

Hammer curls

1 25X12
2 35X12
3 45X7

Skllcrushers

1 50X12
2 70X12
3 100X7---9 with spot..going very slow on the negative

Incline DB curls

1 20X12
2 25X12
3 30X6--DS--15X12----this absolutley wore me out...had no bicep strength after this

2 arm DB overhead extension

1 45X12
2 65x12
3 85X7---normally get close to 12..but the slow negatives on skullcrushers really hurt my strength here

DB curl

1 20X12
2 35X8---can normally do more weight and get an extra set when i do this exercise first...but my bi's were really worn by this time

Rope pulldown

1 50X12
2 80X8---again..can normally do more wieght and reps but tri's were done by this point

Strength- as far as chest goes..i got one more rep on the DB incline with 90's..and this was my first week using decline bench(after watching some of Dorian yates seminars he convinced me this should be in my chest routine) so ill work my way up from 200..as far as arsm goes...went heavier on hammer curls cause i moved them to my first exercise...stayed the same with incline Db curls...and tri's basically were the same strength as last week..a little less reps cause of how i performed the skullcrushers

Supps: Creatine, Xtend BCAA's...and just added a joint supp with Glucosamine...i have genetically weak knees and maxing on squats these past two weeks has done a number on them...will be taking better care from here on out

[UCFBuilder]

Day 5

Shoulders/back Hyper

DB shoulder press

1 40X12
2 55X12
3 75x11

DB side raise

1 20X12
2 30X12
3 40X12--DS--15X12

Machine Pullovers

1 90x12
2 140X12
3 150X10---first time doing these...WOW..great back workout..will continue to use them

DB shrugs

1 80X12
2 90x12
3 125X12--DS--90X10---i got 12 with these but i just cant seem to do the last 4 or so with good form..been trying for about a month now...gonna go back to the 120's next week and do all 12 with good form

Front raise

1 25X12
2 30X12
3 45X11----for some reason on the last 3 of this set..my left forearm was giving out...never happened before..dont know if its cause of the calorie reduction or what..but the last 3 on my left arm werent all the way up..dont know if i should lower weight next week or what??

Seated single arm cable row

1 30X12
2 60X12
3 85X11

Rear-delt with pec dec machine

1 50X12
2 75x12
3 135X9

Underhand-grip pulldowns

1 75X12
2 105X12
3 120X10

Strength: Stayed the same on basically every exercise...the shrugs and front raises worried me a little cause the last few reps were more difficult than last week..hope im not losing a little strength already .....just gonna have to focus harder next week

Supps: Xtend BCAA's, creatine Monohydrate, glucosmaine

[UCFBuilder]

Day 6

Legs hyper

V-squat machine---doing it front squat style

1 3 Plates ESX12
2 5 Plates ESX12
3 7 Plates ESX12

Lunges

1 95X12
2 135X12
3 225X12

Seated calf-raise

1 1 PlatesX12
2 2 PlatesX12
3 3 Plates, 25X10

Kneeling leg curl

1 20X12
2 30X12
3 40X10---12 w/spot

Strength: felt awesome today...the squat machine was killer..got 2 more reps than what i got the last time i used this machine...lunges were absolutley draining even tho i did the same weight and reps last week..dont really want to go heavier right now cause im worried about my knees

Supps: creatine, BCAA's, glucosamine

Weight: 177 as of this morning...3 pound lose in one week...the goal was one pound a week..but im not too worried about losing 3 this week cause im sure its a lot of water weight being lost from the carb restriction

[Whomper107]

Pretty insanely strong lunges bro, no wonder those were draining! I've never had 2 plates on the bar for those.

[UCFBuilder]

Pretty insanely strong lunges bro, no wonder those were draining! I've never had 2 plates on the bar for those.

thanks man...yeah 2 plates is pushing it for me..every rep is a mission..feels good when you're done tho LOL

[roman209]

The heavy lunges will create excellent stability under heavy weight.

You look great, looking forward to see your progress.

[UCFBuilder]

The heavy lunges will create excellent stability under heavy weight.

You look great, looking forward to see your progress.

thanks man...and yeah ever since i started doing lunges ive noticed that my squat has gone up dramatically..its one of the reasons i keep lunges in my routine..cause they are absolute hell when ur doing them lol

[mrkdrt]

strong lunges

Keep it up man!

[UCFBuilder]

strong lunges

Keep it up man!

thanks man...i definitely am going to

[UCFBuilder]

Day 7

25 minutes of HIIT on the stairmaster...drenching in sweat afterwords...felt good

[Flex500]

great job staying lean man...damn you could EASILY do a 12 week prep and be in top form. It's nice you can cut real slow over your 21 week prep and not do anything remotely drastic

[UCFBuilder]

great job staying lean man...damn you could EASILY do a 12 week prep and be in top form. It's nice you can cut real slow over your 21 week prep and not do anything remotely drastic

thanks man...yeah im doing a 21 week prep purposely...i do not want to rush things like last time and lose all my muscle again and not get my legs shredded...truth be told...it will take all 21 weeks to get my legs/ass to stage lean.....those areas just dont like to give up the fat

i have been following your contest log also man...you are fukin MASSIVE..i cant even imagine being that weight at my height..pushing some serious weight as well...good luck with your prep!!

[furyhockey]

Do you think your split is a little over-kill for shoulders? I showed my trainer your split and he told me its probably too much on the shoulders for one week. I know Layne is obviously the best trainer probably around but your technically doing shoulders 3 times a week. (Upper power, Chest, Arms hyper, and Shoulder day) ??

[UCFBuilder]

Do you think your split is a little over-kill for shoulders? I showed my trainer your split and he told me its probably too much on the shoulders for one week. I know Layne is obviously the best trainer probably around but your technically doing shoulders 3 times a week. (Upper power, Chest, Arms hyper, and Shoulder day) ??

i thought it would be at first also....but i have been doing this routine for probably close to 4 months now..and within that time period i have seen the most size and strength increases in my shoulders ever...with the way i bench on upper power day..i pull my shoulder backs and create an arch in my back to take as much shoulder out of it as i can..then i am only doing 4 sets 5 reps each with the BB shoulder press..so it isnt that much work(its wrong on the first post..i dont do 5X5..im doing 4X5)...

then on my chest/arm day..i bench with DBs..and truth be told...with DB's i feel no strain on my shoulders at all...all in my chest and tri's...and im only doing incline and decline for 3 sets..no flat bench...so when it comes to my actual shoulder day...i feel fresh..no soreness in my shoulders at all..and in the offseason i was basically increasing in strength every week...

i guess it just depends on the person..for me..hitting every bodypart once a week just wasnt working..once i started doing everything twice a week...with an emphasis on my power days...i started growing like a weed and my strength shot through the roof...only thing i can say is too give it a shot and see if it works for you

[UCFBuilder]

Day 8

Upper power

BB Bench press

1 135X5
2 185X5
3 225X5
4 255X4 1/2---couldnt lock out

BB Shoulder press

1 95X5
2 135X5
3 145X5
4 165X3 1/2-----4 with a bit of momentum used

BB rows

1 135X5
2 155X5
3 185X5
4 205X5

BB shrugs

1 135X5
2 225X5
3 275X5
4 335X5

Smith machine Floor press

1 135X5
2 185X5
3 225X5
4 255X4

Strength: Felt awesome today...i didnt get that 5th rep on bench but for some reason benching just felt easier today...as well as shoulder press...rows felt great as well..and ill be going to 340 on shrugs next week...Im convinced these floor presses are helping my bench also..every week benching just feels better and better'

Supps:Xtend BCAA's, Creatine mono, Glucosamine

[furyhockey]

How did you end up doing in your last show? What classes did you enter?