Widowmakr: Powerlifter switch to Physique

[Widowmakr1]

Whats up guys figured I'd start a contest prep journal to log my journey towards my 1st physique competition, the http://npcmidwest.com/events/st-loui...championships/ as a Novice physique competitor on March 17 - 2 months away!! Hopefully a log will help me gauge my progress and make it easier on myself, since this is the first time I've had to cut/diet. Also a place to post all of my pics lol

Insight/Background:

As of this post, I am 22 years old at 157lbs bw

I have been competing in powerlifting for the past 4 years, hitting elite totals in both the 148 & 165 lb weight classes. My most recent competition was the Night of the Living Dead (NOTLD) in 2011, where I missed a 512 pull @ 20 yrs old. Since then my PR's have been a:

350 Bench @ 157 lbs


500 x 3 deadlift @ 151 lbs


405 x 3 squat I just hit last week, unfortunately no vid

Training:

I've never focused on aesthetics at any point of my training really, it's all been strength based - wrestling in high school and the powerlifting during college. I've gradually shifted towards a mountaindog style of training with the big 3 still being the heart & soul of my training. My goal is to compete in both physique while maintaining an elite level in powerlifting

Physique:

These 2 pics were taken about 4 days ago





Front flexed a month ago


Back relaxed a month ago


Lat spread a couple of months ago


Back same time


I'm really thinking/considering consulting Meadows at the start of Feb since I've heard the leaning out phase can either make or break your chances at placing. My posing right now is absolutely atrocious right now, when flexing I hold my breath and look bloated lol, get lightheaded and cramp up. Gotta figure that out!! Anyways, should be fun!! Thanks for reading

[bodymuscle777]

Dude you are strong af holy ****

[Widowmakr1]

Dude you are strong af holy ****

Thanks bro

[bodymuscle777]

Thanks bro

you're welcome, what's your secret to insane strength?

[Widowmakr1]

you're welcome, what's your secret to insane strength?

Being only 5'7/8 ish id have to say leverages play the biggest part. Ive been pure strength training for about 5 yrs with no focus on hypertrophy so thats probably the other half. And probably genetics

[NaturalPursuit]

OH am i in for this! strong **** bro!

[Widowmakr1]

Today was legs for me

5 min bike warmup then stretched doing the Agile 8

Deadlift -

225 x 12
315 x 3
405 x 1
455 x 1
485 x 1
500 x 1
500 x 1

Felt some tightness with my right knee to the point of where I couldn't bend it for a goo 10 min. It's died down but it's gonna be sore as **** tmrw, I've been working up to sets of 1 on 500 3 weeks in a row right now, I think it's taxing my knees too much

Leg curls

70 x 20
80 x 20
110 x 12

At this point my knee was really bothering me :/

Leg Presses

4 plates x 20
4 plates x 20

Kettlebell swings

30lbs x 1 min
40lbs x 30
40lbs x 30

Crazy sweat worked up with this

Seated calf raises

2 plates x 50
2 plates x 50

10 min elliptical cool down

[curjo]

In! You're crazy strong dude! Hope the knee is alright.

[Widowmakr1]

In! You're crazy strong dude! Hope the knee is alright.

Thanks man, icing it for 30min. after my workout def. helped it out a ton. It doesn't feel as bad as I expected it to be

I just ordered some of this stuff http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Coat-E...rds=equi+block

I've seen a couple of competitive oly lifters and powerlifters use and swear by it

[Widowmakr1]

http://i.imgur.com/0bfcS.jpg

Had a really really sick chest pump today

Worked up to 2 sets of 1 on 340 bench

Chest flyes w/ 2 sec squeezes

Rear delt raises with hard squeeze at top

Heavy partial lat raises

DB skullcrushers

Cable crossovers

Light lat raises with squeeze at top

30 min posing practice

I'm somehow down to 152lbs right now so I think I'm leaning out a bit too quickly

[Widowmakr1]

About to hit the iron den in a few mins

While I was browsing around, found some pics from the same competition last yr. Couple of impressive physiques in there

http://contest.bodybuilding.com/gall...her/2/tag/272/

[Widowmakr1]

Today was chest and lats, but somehow my triceps got a sick pump. This pic is literally just me standing there looking up, not flexed just pumped - cool side profile pic. Weighed in at 154 today

Worked up to 330 on bench for 3 sets of singles

3 different variations of flyes - Incline, flat, cable crossovers all w/ 2 sec squeezes

Pullups - 3 sets of failure with squeezes at top

Rear delt raises - 2 x 25 w/ squeezes at top

2 x 15 partial machine curls - these burned, had my forearms twitching

[Widowmakr1]

Hit some poses today and jfc I'm just not happy with it. I cant seem to get angles down. Im also not very happy with how my abdominals are looking. I have another 4 weeks until I start cutting. Any help on what you guys use for cues to hit the proper angles?

[Widowmakr1]

Grabbed a pic this morning before work. Currently 10 weeks out