The Push: Eric Helms 2011 Contest Season

[AustrianOakJr]

Maybe soon i will begin a journal for my next contest prep.

It'd be about-freaking-time!! In for that one.

[JimmyChitwood]

Eeyore kinda had the clinically depressed thing going too....yeah not so much for me lol, and thanks Jimmy

HA HA! Yep.....dont want to be Eeyoring your prep. From there, post contes blues could be real bad.

Guys, c'mon...that depression act was just for the show. Saw him in an interview, and he's really pretty balanced and laid back. But he does talk like that all the time.

I thought the post-contest experience was more like Piglet. Although...for a pig, you never see him eat much. Pooh way outdid him that time he ate all the honey at Rabbit's and got stuck in the window. And why does Piglet always talk like such a wimp? Same for Pooh, actually. And Rabbit sounds like a girly old man. Why emasculate your main characters like that? The only masculine characters were Eeyore and Tigger, and they both displayed mental or emotional imbalances. No wonder all these ...

...wait...am I on a tangent? What were we talking about?

[healthybodies]

Intro

Sick pump...not that it matters besides it looking and feeling neat, and so far I've been totally relaxed about prep and want to keep it that way as long as possible. There has been no "flip the switch brah" or "time to put it in high gear", it's just, less food, more activity, and reduced training volume to match my slower recovery. A solid smart plan, and I'm letting the fat loss happen without focusing on it to the point of obsession.
I like it

Same here bro. I've been so relaxed Jamie accused me of smoking weed this time around. Now I know how Jeff feels.

Dude....we should all listen to some Bob Marley and get baked

When I first read that, I thought "baked" was a typo. Insert the letter next to the "b" on the keyboard and that's what I was thinking. Little too early for the dream tan huh?

[Young9]

You know Im in on this!

Why the carb cycling this prep over the standard same macros everyday?

[Quelly]

Guys, c'mon...that depression act was just for the show. Saw him in an interview, and he's really pretty balanced and laid back. But he does talk like that all the time.

I thought the post-contest experience was more like Piglet. Although...for a pig, you never see him eat much. Pooh way outdid him that time he ate all the honey at Rabbit's and got stuck in the window. And why does Piglet always talk like such a wimp? Same for Pooh, actually. And Rabbit sounds like a girly old man. Why emasculate your main characters like that? The only masculine characters were Eeyore and Tigger, and they both displayed mental or emotional imbalances. No wonder all these ...

...wait...am I on a tangent? What were we talking about?

not a tangent at all lol

Same here bro. I've been so relaxed Jamie accused me of smoking weed this time around. Now I know how Jeff feels.



When I first read that, I thought "baked" was a typo. Insert the letter next to the "b" on the keyboard and that's what I was thinking. Little too early for the dream tan huh?

well, let's just remember how we feel right now....and then compare it to how we feel come july....lol....HOPEFULLY it will be similar, and if not, that's why we're a TEAM

and naked listening to bob marley, hell yeah

You know Im in on this!

Why the carb cycling this prep over the standard same macros everyday?

mainly...because it didn't work last time without doing an insane amount of cardio or having to go keto, this offseason I had the fastest and most conistent weight loss of my life doing UD2, which is basically extreme carb cycling with a very big refeed....and the best weight loss I had during prep was after the show day cheating and then getting back on the diet

[COZ999]

That is well said and not a lot of people discuss contest morning bodyweight from season to season, and whether or not they made a gain/improvement.

Based on your pics at 201lbs, i think you have a shot to be between 179-181 the morning of the show and be a tad leaner than 09 (just because you were already shredded and close to that final level of conditioning).

Currently you are deceivingly lean, and your legs from every angle have good size and shape. People will start to take some serious notice at you when your at around 191lbs in the morning and below.

Good non-obsessing fat loss approach. Maybe soon i will begin a journal for my next contest prep.

agreeed!

[toddbz]

mainly...because it didn't work last time without doing an insane amount of cardio or having to go keto, this offseason I had the fastest and most conistent weight loss of my life doing UD2, which is basically extreme carb cycling with a very big refeed....and the best weight loss I had during prep was after the show day cheating and then getting back on the diet

Yeah you have a metabolism that shuts down pretty dang quick with more than a handful of low days...then add in like 28 intervals and it's pretty much a pile.
That whole thing still to me was one heck of a learning experience...but it was pretty awesome to see you almost black out from HIIT. "Dude you alright!?". "Buuurp...no" HEHE

[DREhova 87]

Is there a way to pinpoint why the metabolism would shut down so quickly?

[Quelly]

Yeah you have a metabolism that shuts down pretty dang quick with more than a handful of low days...then add in like 28 intervals and it's pretty much a pile.
That whole thing still to me was one heck of a learning experience...but it was pretty awesome to see you almost black out from HIIT. "Dude you alright!?". "Buuurp...no" HEHE

you know what's sick sad and mostly blocked off in my memory....that instance was when I was only doing 30 intervals a week...I got up to 84 lol....I had some rough days to say the least

[Quelly]

Is there a way to pinpoint why the metabolism would shut down so quickly?

Its just very plastic and adaptable, give me a high day and my metabolism speeds up, give me a low day and it slows down.

So, the best way fro me to get consistent results is to keep my refeeds high, and not to be afraid to get semi low on low days.

Last time around I was cutting food back on refeed and regular days and progress kept diminishing....I got there eventually but it was really inefficient.

On UD2 I had 3 days a week at 75g of carbs, followed by a 2 day period where I put down 1100, then went to 275, then 175, then started over the cycle at 75...lost 10lbs in a month and kept my metabolism intact and my strength. Actually pulled a deadlift PR at the meet. I had pulled 515 in April at 219.5, then I pulled 520 at 197.5 in october. And tied my best squat I had done (440) at 219.5 at 197.5.

[DREhova 87]

Its just very plastic and adaptable, give me a high day and my metabolism speeds up, give me a low day and it slows down.

So, the best way fro me to get consistent results is to keep my refeeds high, and not to be afraid to get semi low on low days.

Last time around I was cutting food back on refeed and regular days and progress kept diminishing....I got there eventually but it was really inefficient.

On UD2 I had 3 days a week at 75g of carbs, followed by a 2 day period where I put down 1100, then went to 275, then 175, then started over the cycle at 75...lost 10lbs in a month and kept my metabolism intact and my strength. Actually pulled a deadlift PR at the meet. I had pulled 515 in April at 219.5, then I pulled 520 at 197.5 in october. And tied my best squat I had done (440) at 219.5 at 197.5.

AHH! I remember that! I remember you eating a bunch of bagels and stuff. I forgot about that. lol...I remember thinking My metabolism is kind of rubbery too, I dont think to that effect...but similar as in the when we cut things away, it just adapts or something. lol

[Bnizzle163]

84? As in 84 intervals?!

you know what's sick sad and mostly blocked off in my memory....that instance was when I was only doing 30 intervals a week...I got up to 84 lol....I had some rough days to say the least

[Quelly]

84? As in 84 intervals?!

I could be miscounting...but at my peak before I tore my hamstring I was doing two days at 25 intervals a week and two days at 22 intervals a week....may have been 21...so maybe a total of 82...also had I THINK 5 MISS/LISS sessions a week

[bwelch1985]

I could be miscounting...but at my peak before I tore my hamstring I was doing two days at 25 intervals a week and two days at 22 intervals a week....may have been 21...so maybe a total of 82...also had I THINK 5 MISS/LISS sessions a week

damnit Eric...i just threw up. pls keep disgusting posts like this to PM's. thx.

[Bnizzle163]

I could be miscounting...but at my peak before I tore my hamstring I was doing two days at 25 intervals a week and two days at 22 intervals a week....may have been 21...so maybe a total of 82...also had I THINK 5 MISS/LISS sessions a week

That's insane!! lol. I was reading your old prep thread a while back and remember when you tore your hammie during prep. I'm glad you guys weren't doing my prep then . I will never complain about doing 15 intervals again lol

[Big.Jazayrli]

I could be miscounting...but at my peak before I tore my hamstring I was doing two days at 25 intervals a week and two days at 22 intervals a week....may have been 21...so maybe a total of 82...also had I THINK 5 MISS/LISS sessions a week

i hate cardio.
i hate cardio.
i hate cardio.
i hate cardio.

...

rinse, repeat.

[Ryanmckd]

I could be miscounting...but at my peak before I tore my hamstring I was doing two days at 25 intervals a week and two days at 22 intervals a week....may have been 21...so maybe a total of 82...also had I THINK 5 MISS/LISS sessions a week

wow....

[Quelly]

damnit Eric...i just threw up. pls keep disgusting posts like this to PM's. thx.

lol sorry man

That's insane!! lol. I was reading your old prep thread a while back and remember when you tore your hammie during prep. I'm glad you guys weren't doing my prep then . I will never complain about doing 15 intervals again lol

so does this mean I can give you more intervals?

i hate cardio.
i hate cardio.
i hate cardio.
i hate cardio.

...

rinse, repeat.

right there with you dude...

wow....

I know right?
I might let myself get up to 30 intervals (2 sessions of 15) but that's probably a more or less last case scenario lol

[Quelly]

Intro

So yeah I had my sched wrong in my head yesterday when I said today was an off day, that's actually tomorrow, today was lower but not lowest carbs and glutes and hams. Woke up at 198.8 this morning, hopefully we'll see a new low by saturday morning.
Good workout today, except on my RDL set my right trap was feeling SUPER tight...so tight I was worried about a minor tear or strain, so I skipped the second set, and did an extra set of leg curls. Strength was there, both on low bar squats and RDLs though, so that's good. BTW, 8 reps felt like a marathon lol.

Nutrition

60/200/250

Training

Glutes and Hams Hypertrophy

Squats (Low Bar)
345 x 8
335 x 8

RDLs
325 x 10

Lying Hamstring Curls
155 x 10 (feeling my right hammie dominate)
one leg at a time now
50lbs x 10/leg

Debrief

so tomorrow is the off day....gonna dig around in my trap and stretch the area tonight and tomorrow

[mivi320]

lol @ 8 reps feeling like a marathon. great work as usual eric. hope that trap heals up after stretching!

[Quelly]

lol @ 8 reps feeling like a marathon. great work as usual eric. hope that trap heals up after stretching!

i love my 4-6 rep range lol, and i stopped before the trap became something that needs to heal up, so we're good, just need to work out whatever tightness I have there

[healthybodies]

Good Lord!!! I had forgotten that Layne had you doing that much cardio. Seemed wise at the time though.

[Bnizzle163]

so does this mean I can give you more intervals?

Hahahaha very funny .

However, if that's what it's going to take, then lay it on me!

[Quelly]

Good Lord!!! I had forgotten that Layne had you doing that much cardio. Seemed wise at the time though.

i agreed with it at the time....legs come in slow, HIIT is the answer...some things that work out on paper just don't work out in real life...

[tsajdak]

i agreed with it at the time....legs come in slow, HIIT is the answer...some things that work out on paper just don't work out in real life...

I'm doing HIIT(12 intervals) once a week right now at just over 8 weeks out, do you think it would be good to increase that? Either the frequency or the number of intervals?

[Quelly]

I'm doing HIIT(12 intervals) once a week right now at just over 8 weeks out, do you think it would be good to increase that? Either the frequency or the number of intervals?

well first of all let me be clear that I am not convinced that simply doing HIIT is the best way to bring in legs that are stubborn...some of lyle's stubborn fat solutions make a little more sense, but in most cases its just a matter of dieting longer

and I think for the majority of people more than 1-2 TRUE hiit sessions per week can be more counter productive than good.

As to your specific situation, if you are getting leaner no need to change anything, if you aren't, then it might be a good idea to look into your options. Adding cardio, be it HIIT or MISS, or cutting back calories, is going to be really dependent on what your current diet and cardio schedule looks like, your weight training schedule, how much you have left to lose, etc etc etc.
Wish I could give you a cut and dry answer but I can't. What does Justin think?

[tsajdak]

well first of all let me be clear that I am not convinced that simply doing HIIT is the best way to bring in legs that are stubborn...some of lyle's stubborn fat solutions make a little more sense, but in most cases its just a matter of dieting longer

and I think for the majority of people more than 1-2 TRUE hiit sessions per week can be more counter productive than good.

As to your specific situation, if you are getting leaner no need to change anything, if you aren't, then it might be a good idea to look into your options. Adding cardio, be it HIIT or MISS, or cutting back calories, is going to be really dependent on what your current diet and cardio schedule looks like, your weight training schedule, how much you have left to lose, etc etc etc.
Wish I could give you a cut and dry answer but I can't. What does Justin think?

Cool, I appreciate your insight.
I am still leaning out and Justin thinks I should keep doing what I'm doing. I never doubt him, but I do always doubt myself, mind games mind games mind games.
8 weeks from tomorrow, crunch time!!

[chuckles_345]

In late, but I'm subbed and following.

Chuckles

[toddbz]

Friggin Usain Bolt doesn't do 84 intervals a week!!
So was it to much? Hell yes.
That was just pulling the "more is better" card.

Mother Hen out!

[Quelly]

Cool, I appreciate your insight.
I am still leaning out and Justin thinks I should keep doing what I'm doing. I never doubt him, but I do always doubt myself, mind games mind games mind games.
8 weeks from tomorrow, crunch time!!

if it ain't broke...