BWelch's 2011 Contest Prep Journal

[deltpecx]

no, not an oly bar...that would've been 85lbs.

this bar is much smaller...probably weighs 20-25lbs...

HAHA..yeah that would be 85...LOL!
Maybe I should take a math course.

FIXED!

[Bnizzle163]

Strong workouts up in here. Subbed!

[bwelch1985]

HAHA..yeah that would be 85...LOL!
Maybe I should take a math course.

FIXED!

haha...it took me a second to realize it as well

Strong workouts up in here. Subbed!

thnx broski!

[bwelch1985]

LEGS

Fronts
-205x5
-225x2
-235x1
--ugh...did not feel very confident on these today. i've gotten 4 sets of 2 w/ 255 before but 235 felt even heavier than that for some reason! hopefully i can get settled in and have some better sets in the next couple of weeks. i'd really hate to drop front squats at the very beginning of prep considering that was my primary lower body compound movement throughout the entire offseason, but i just feel really sh*tty w/ them right now

Deficit Deadlifts
-225x5
-245x5
-275x5
--omg these are hard! i'm incredibly weak off the floor so add in a 3-4" deficit (i stood on 45lb bumper plates) and i lose all my leverage. i bet if i can work up to 315 for a few solid reps w/ this huge deficit 405 will feel like a rack pull once i go back to standard deads.

Hacks
-1.5pps x 10
-2pps x 8
-2.5pps x 6
--i just fell back in love w/ the hack squat!

Lying Curls
-45x12
-55x8,8,8
--no mas!

I'll have to hit calves another day, I was dead after all this.

So, I took my last exam today! Finally done w/ the semester. Pretty sure I pulled an A in nutrition (lol) and I feel like I earned a solid B in microbiology. Next semester starts clinicals so my schedule should be nice and full between classes, work (at the hospital) and prep stuff. Can't wait!

[deltpecx]

[Hacks
-1.5pps x 10
-2pps x 8
-2.5pps x 6
--i just fell back in love w/ the hack squat!

I've been loving them too.
They're a staple in my leg rotation.
I did them a week or so ago after deaflifts and I never felt my quads so good on the hacks.

[zmcdole]

LEGS

Fronts
-205x5
-225x2
-235x1
--ugh...did not feel very confident on these today. i've gotten 4 sets of 2 w/ 255 before but 235 felt even heavier than that for some reason! hopefully i can get settled in and have some better sets in the next couple of weeks. i'd really hate to drop front squats at the very beginning of prep considering that was my primary lower body compound movement throughout the entire offseason, but i just feel really sh*tty w/ them right now

Deficit Deadlifts
-225x5
-245x5
-275x5
--omg these are hard! i'm incredibly weak off the floor so add in a 3-4" deficit (i stood on 45lb bumper plates) and i lose all my leverage. i bet if i can work up to 315 for a few solid reps w/ this huge deficit 405 will feel like a rack pull once i go back to standard deads.

Hacks
-1.5pps x 10
-2pps x 8
-2.5pps x 6
--i just fell back in love w/ the hack squat!

Lying Curls
-45x12
-55x8,8,8
--no mas!

I'll have to hit calves another day, I was dead after all this.

So, I took my last exam today! Finally done w/ the semester. Pretty sure I pulled an A in nutrition (lol) and I feel like I earned a solid B in microbiology. Next semester starts clinicals so my schedule should be nice and full between classes, work (at the hospital) and prep stuff. Can't wait!

Deficit deads are great at making regular deads feel good. Going SUPER HEAVY on rack pulls is another great way to overload the body.

[co1e_train]

Don't be discouraged about the fronts man. It may have just been one of those days where it just feels heavier just because. Could be a bunch of variables.

What are deficit deads? Are they just Deadlifts performed with negatives only?

[bwelch1985]

I've been loving them too.
They're a staple in my leg rotation.
I did them a week or so ago after deaflifts and I never felt my quads so good on the hacks.

great exercise...nothing pumps my quads up like hack squats!

Deficit deads are great at making regular deads feel good. Going SUPER HEAVY on rack pulls is another great way to overload the body.

The deficit deads did feel pretty good while I was doing them...but today my SI feels a little meh...

I've been doing heavy rack pulls for years. I can pull a LOT more weight from the knee than I can from the floor. Gotta work from the ground up for now.

Don't be discouraged about the fronts man. It may have just been one of those days where it just feels heavier just because. Could be a bunch of variables.

What are deficit deads? Are they just Deadlifts performed with negatives only?

yeh, form just wasn't right. with front squats if your form is off even a little you lose soooo much power.

deficit deads are essentially a regular deadlift except that you're standing on a platform...so you just have several extra inches to pull the weight.

[co1e_train]

oh gotcha, thanks for the explanation. Sounds like a lot harder. Does it help put more emphasis on the entire back? Sounds like it dips in the realm of a stiff leg dl.

[Webber91]

Sub'd!

Deficit deads are brutal. Good luck man!

[bwelch1985]

oh gotcha, thanks for the explanation. Sounds like a lot harder. Does it help put more emphasis on the entire back? Sounds like it dips in the realm of a stiff leg dl.

actually they force you to really sit down into the lift and use your legs, hips, glutes more than standard deads. my glutes and inner thighs are fawkin rocked today!

Sub'd!

Deficit deads are brutal. Good luck man!

thnx bro! glad to have ya along!

they're certainly a humbling exercise. hopefully i can at least get into the lower 3's w/ em...

[CatfishBlues]

So on those deficit deads, are squatting all the way down (hams to calves) to get down to the bar? Basically like starting at the bottom of your squat?

[bwelch1985]

So on those deficit deads, are squatting all the way down (hams to calves) to get down to the bar? Basically like starting at the bottom of your squat?

w/ the relatively wide sumo stance my hips aren't all that flexible actually lol...i just get down as low as i can w/ my legs and then reach down to the bar allowing my back to take whatever angle is necessary for me to grab the bar.

i've found the most important thing to focus on w/ a deficit deadlift is keeping the bar RIGHT up on your shins. if your hips fly up and the bar gets out front your back will have a helluva job picking up all that weight from so far down.

[DREhova 87]

w/ the relatively wide sumo stance my hips aren't all that flexible actually lol...i just get down as low as i can w/ my legs and then reach down to the bar allowing my back to take whatever angle is necessary for me to grab the bar.

i've found the most important thing to focus on w/ a deficit deadlift is keeping the bar RIGHT up on your shins. if your hips fly up and the bar gets out front your back will have a helluva job picking up all that weight from so far down.

Good tip...and sick ass profile pic

[bwelch1985]

Good tip...and sick ass profile pic

thnx man...thats from last years prep. hopefully i've made some improvements since then!

[bwelch1985]

PUSH

Incline BB
-135x10
-185x8
-205x6
-225x3
--tried to do a little pyramid work...thought i could get 225x4 then 235x2 but no dice. i'll be working on it!

Dips
-10
-25x8
-45x6
--nice slow controlled sets here. strength wasn't phenomenal but i'm happy w/ this..

Flat Flyes
-30x10
-35x10
--felt a little meh on my right pec.

Decline CGBP
-135x10
-185x8
-135x10
--almost got pinned on the 8th rep w/ 185 lol...

Rope Ext.
-3 sets of 10ish

Seated Laterals
-25x12
-30x10
-35x8
--these were MONEY today. i'll go for the 40's next time.

Also hit some pushups and the dip machine to finish out. Solid workout.

[ehlisl]

Good stuff here Britt! Sorry it took me so long to see your prep journal, Im a little slow

So June is the start of the run?

[bwelch1985]

Good stuff here Britt! Sorry it took me so long to see your prep journal, Im a little slow

So June is the start of the run?

Hey Luke! I've really been slacking in your log. Believe me, I read it every day for inspiration I just haven't had a whole lot to say. I'll try to be more 'vocal' in there even if it's just the standard pat on the back type posts.

I've got a slurry of shows I want to do in '11 and pretty much all of them are right there in June! Hopefully I can manage to hit them all and maybe even more if the dieting gods are gentle on me!


UPDATE COMING UP NEXT...

[bwelch1985]

2 WEEKS IN...25 WEEKS OUT UPDATE

Ok, so I'm sitting at about 180lbs right now. Down about 1-2lbs in the two weeks I've been dieting so far. Macros for those two weeks were 60/300/230 (4x) and 50/450/200 (1x) w/ no cardio. I intentionally cut out all cardio a week or two before I began prep to de-train myself so to speak as I was doing 2-3 sessions per week throughout the offseason.

I've decided I want to really get the ball rolling at this point...so here are my updated macros and cardio schedule:

60/280/230 (-20g carbs)
50/430/200 (-20g carbs)

+20 minutes MISS 2x/week (on non-lifting days)

Hopefully these changes will be enough to get the scale moving down towards the mid 170's. I suspect it will!

Here are a few pictures (taken today). Obviously I'm fat and hairy and look like sh*t lol...but it's always good to have something to look back on once the cut is coming to the end. Honestly, I think I'm decently lean for 25 weeks out, but definately still a long way to go to reach stage worthy conditioning. Considering this is 180lbs I'm guessing I'll be somewhere around 155ish on stage...but who knows!

[zmcdole]

You're looking good for sure for 25 weeks out. Your legs(quads) and back thickness have come up for sure. Good work. Once you lean down some, get rid of the rug, and tweak the posing, you'll be looking great.

[FATHER FLEX]

Dude! What a great place to get into the nitty gritty of your prep!

PS Wear long socks next time you take updates

[mivi320]

Looking massive in the quads and delts are wide as chit. In for epic prep.

[bwelch1985]

You're looking good for sure for 25 weeks out. Your legs(quads) and back thickness have come up for sure. Good work. Once you lean down some, get rid of the rug, and tweak the posing, you'll be looking great.

thnx Z! i think all the front squatting and deadlifting did me some good in the legs and back. wish i could find some way to bring up this chest but i guess that one will just take some time

Dude! What a great place to get into the nitty gritty of your prep!

PS Wear long socks next time you take updates

LOL. I actually trained them a few times this offseason so I gotta show em off!

Looking massive in the quads and delts are wide as chit. In for epic prep.

thnx Mike! my posing is pretty bad...especially that front relaxed. i hope i can get a little more out of my upper body than that!

[zmcdole]

Chest hair and bodyfat will hide any progress that you may have made in your chesticles. Once you shave and trim up a little you'll have a better assessment.

[bwelch1985]

Chest hair and bodyfat will hide any progress that you may have made in your chesticles. Once you shave and trim up a little you'll have a better assessment.

haha...all i've got is a tiny tuft of hair on my chest and each nipple...but here's hoping that shaving down will leave me looking like Berto!

[bwelch1985]

ABS/CARDIO

Oly Situps
-10x15
-25x12
-25x12
-25x12

Hanging Leg Raises
-10
-10
-10
--knees bent. these were hard. felt awesome. will lead off w/ them next time.

Rope Crunches
-80x20
-100x20
-120x16
--alternating side to side.

Elliptical

--20 minutes

--220kcals burned

Wow. I really like doing abs on their own day w/ cardio. I can put so much more effort into hitting them hard and heavy. Will definately continue this throughout prep.

[ScottishMark]

Chest hair and bodyfat will hide any progress that you may have made in your chesticles. Once you shave and trim up a little you'll have a better assessment.

haha...all i've got is a tiny tuft of hair on my chest and each nipple...but here's hoping that shaving down will leave me looking like Berto!

It does make a difference bro, I think so anyways, I trim my bodyhair all year round and if I let it grow for a week, when I shave it off I feel looking at myself 1-2% leaner.

[deltpecx]

ABS/CARDIO

Oly Situps
-10x15
-25x12
-25x12
-25x12

Hanging Leg Raises
-10
-10
-10
--knees bent. these were hard. felt awesome. will lead off w/ them next time.

Rope Crunches
-80x20
-100x20
-120x16
--alternating side to side.

Elliptical

--20 minutes

--220kcals burned

Wow. I really like doing abs on their own day w/ cardio. I can put so much more effort into hitting them hard and heavy. Will definately continue this throughout prep.

Glad to see this! In for sick abs!
I just started up my Uber Ab Workouts again.
I can't wait to start up the windshield wipers again!

Your back is looking thick.
Regarding your pecx;
Have you tried training them with higher volume?

[zmcdole]

I hear ya on the abs on their own day. I hate doing abs. The worst thing ever IMO. If I didn't do them on a day by themselves/with cardio, I'd probably never work them.

[bwelch1985]

It does make a difference bro, I think so anyways, I trim my bodyhair all year round and if I let it grow for a week, when I shave it off I feel looking at myself 1-2% leaner.

yeh i kept up w/ shaving all summer but once it got cold i just sorta let myself go lol

i'll shave down before the next update.

Glad to see this! In for sick abs!
I just started up my Uber Ab Workouts again.
I can't wait to start up the windshield wipers again!

Your back is looking thick.
Regarding your pecx;
Have you tried training them with higher volume?

yeh man, you were right all along! abs need their own day so you can hit them w/ full intensity. glad i FINALLY got the memo!

i've probably spent more time training "high volume" than anything else since I started weight lifting. for me, chest has responded best to high intensity and moderately low volume. i just think for genetically weaker bodyparts the only way you're ever going to see a significant change is to just progressively increase the intensity (weight on the bar) over time.

my guess...if i get to the point where i can incline press 300+lbs i'll see some noteworthy changes to the pecs! but that may take a few long offseasons