The Next Phase: Balanced, Consistent, and Sustained Progress

[red_cat]

The Next Phase: Balanced, Consistent, and Sustained Progress

I began bodybuilding as a poor black child...

...but seriously, I started bodybuilding roughly six years ago. I had no clue what I was doing; just that I wanted to see my abs and get some bigger arms. Since then I've prepped three times and done five shows. Each time I've made some pretty significant improvements. Now, I've made logs before but there is a lot of life that happens in between all of that. Up to this point I've mostly typed out and posted "I did this weight for x amount of reps" in my logs and I always fall off. You won't see that this time around. Life is a lot different than when I started bodybuilding; I've got a full time teaching job, a wife and son, and I play gigs all over Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. I've found a good balance to life and I feel like my log should reflect that. What you will see in this log is a lot of reflection; some about lifting and some about family or career happenings. I'll still train hard and I'm still very focused on bringing a bigger and better physique next time I compete but that won't be for another 3-4 years. This past season put a huge strain on my family and I can't feel good about doing that to them again until we're in a much more stable situation.

Let's set this up, shall we?

Previous logs:

2011 Prep - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=133664801
2013 Prep - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=150150623
2014 Prep (did not go through due to family expansion ) - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=161202443
Previous Off-Season Thread (encompasses 2011-2015) - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=135668431

Shots from the 2015 season:

2015 NANBF Heartland Classic (Omaha, NE) - 2nd Place in Open Tall









2015 NANBF Max Classic (Norfolk, NE) - 4th Place in Open Tall








I'm incredibly proud of the improvements I've made over the past several years and this past season represents the best I've ever brought to the stage. Without a doubt I was leaner, bigger, and had better symmetry than in the past. Those are all great things but, like any good bodybuilder, I'm never completely satisfied. Feedback from the judges was that I was outsized at both shows and that I really need to bring up my upper body (back specifically) and hamstrings. So, my areas of focus for the next couple of years will be:

-Developing my back further (both width and thickness)
-Continuing to develop my hamstrings (specifically curling movements)
-Growing some obliques
-Correcting some imbalances in my arms and legs

Other areas of focus are continuing to bring up my biceps, upper chest, and front/side delts just a touch are also on the docket, but to a lesser extent since they have come a long way in previous off-seasons. I plan on addressing these aspects by starting with this split for the foreseeable future, each body part getting a heavy, medium, and high rep day on a three week rotation:

-Back Hypertrophy/Triceps/Biceps (BFR)
-Quads (Squats)/Hams/Calves
-Chest/Delts (Front and Side Focus)/Biceps
-Back (Deads)/Hams (BFR)/Traps
-Abs and Obliques worked twice weekly
-Cardio as needed (starting out with 1x20 min HIIT/week and reducing from there as I reverse)

Starting Macros (bold is compared to macros at 2 weeks out from show #2):
On @ 250p(-10)/335c(+15)/40-45fi/72f(+2) = 2,998 kcal
Off @ 250p(-10)/240c(+20)/40-45fi/87f(+2) = 2,743 kcal
Refeed every 6-7 days @ 191p/480c(-20)/55f

Starting Stats:
Weight: 196.0 lbs
Accu-Measure BF%: 6.0
Shoulders: 50"
Chest: 41.5"
Arms: R-15 1/8", L-16"
Waist: 32"
Hips: 38 5/8"
Thighs: R-23.5", L-22 7/8"
Calves: 15"

[jpfaherty]

And, 1st! In

[red_cat]

06/21/15 (8 Days Post Show)

Current Weight: 196.0 lbs (Prep Low: 189.6 lbs Fully Depleted)
Macro Goals: Refeed - 201p/483c/22fib/58f........plus a giant cookie.

Thoughts:

Nice refeed for Father's Day. Nice present from the wife and kid that I'll be able to put in my new office. Got a lot of things done around the house for the move and got all of my food ready for the week! Also got to watch some of the "Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid" series that Eric Helms has up on YouTube. GREAT stuff as always from him. All in all a very solid day!

Had a great workout as well! Lots and lots of rowing and tried out a couple of new exercises for triceps. One thing I plan on doing at the start of every back workout is 50 chins or pullups. I've read multiple articles from people who I believe have amazing backs (namely Vic Martinez and Toney Freeman) that said something similar has always been a component of their back training and I'd like to give that a shot.

I started a new log book today and took a picture of the workout...let's see how this works:

[red_cat]

And, 1st! In

Jesus! That was quick! lol

[demonwareltd]

This is good stuff. I think it's high time for me to start a new journal as well, once I figure out what the hell it is I'm doing

[Bnizzle163]

I'll be following along .

[red_cat]

This is good stuff. I think it's high time for me to start a new journal as well, once I figure out what the hell it is I'm doing

Thanks, Stan! You'll figure it out...and I'll follow along.

I'll be following along .

And I'll be drinking more beer this time around. Glad to have ya, Billy.

[jaredmus]

IN ON THIS

great HQ pics and videos, I like the plan, and last of all the the MACROS SWEET on the 475+ carbs DAMN GROW TIME

[red_cat]

IN ON THIS

great HQ pics and videos, I like the plan, and last of all the the MACROS SWEET on the 475+ carbs DAMN GROW TIME

Oooooooh yes. It'll be nice to get back up into the 500's on carbs again! I'm planning on bringing the refeeds down a bit every time I increase carbs for the week and then eliminate them once they reach an intersecting point. Planning to keep my protein just a bit lower in the future too...maybe 1.25x lean body mass? Still kinda thinking on that one.

[IK9]

I'm innnnnnnn

[red_cat]

I'm innnnnnnn

nnnnna! See what I did there?

06/22/15 (9 Days Post Show)

Current Weight: 195.4 lbs (Prep Low: 189.6 lbs Fully Depleted)
Macro Goals: Lifting - 250p/335c/30fib/72f

Thoughts:

I've been having some seriously great sleep at night lately. During the last few weeks of prep I was kind of battling an active mind and really relied on my alarm to wake me. The past week has been a complete turn around from that and I've woken without my alarm on several occasions. I think my body is happy with around 7 1/2 hours of sleeping for the time being so I'm going to make that my goal every night.

Training for the day was heavy quads, medium hams, and high rep calves. I also threw in BFR biceps because I forgot to do them yesterday (oops!). Went a little more conservative on squats than the past few heavy days and very glad that I did. Also made a couple of small adjustments to the seated leg curl machine and found THE spot. That's the best that machine has ever felt.

AMRAP Squats @ 330 lbs (last rep was a SERIOUS grinder):


Training for the day:

[jaredmus]

Good video 365 around the corner for reps, great depth as well

[red_cat]

Good video 365 around the corner for reps, great depth as well

That would be nice. I've done some singles in that range but squat has always been a weak lift for me in terms of moving the heavy stuff (see: long torso/weak back problems). I could high rep all day long, though. Hopefully the increased back volume, and ideally thickness, will help me keep form once the pounds really start piling on that bar!

[wrkoutfrq]

You know I'm in on this!!! and somehow still on the first page

Great stuff Wade, this gonna be a fantastic journey!

[red_cat]

06/24/15 (11 Days Post Show)

Morning Weight: 194.4 lbs (Prep Low: 189.6 lbs Fully Depleted)
Planned Macros: Lifting - 250p/335c/35fib/72f

Thoughts:

Had a couple of really great days at work this week and now I'm off for a couple. I headed up to Columbus today to get my keys & laptop and organize my room a bit. I had lunch at a little diner called Stack and Steak because...well...I can. Enjoyed some bacon, eggs, french toast, and lemon pie...definitely going to be a regular stop since it's only a few blocks from our new place! Also went out to a ball game with my wife, son, and sister-in-law tonight. It was $1 hot dog night so I had a few and enjoyed some brews. Definitely over my planned macros and definitely not worried about it at all as my weight has been coming back down very nicely so far this week.

I also figured that, since I would be up there anyway and had a workout I could adapt to pretty much anywhere, I might as well give the school weight room a spin. It has all of the essentials plus a couple of nice pieces like a Hammer Shoulder Press and Iso-Lateral Leg Press. Pretty spiffy for a high school, eh? I'll have to work on getting heavier dumbbells since they only go up to 75, but that might force me to focus on other exercises.

Pictures of the eats...



The new playground...


And the workout for today...

[red_cat]

You know I'm in on this!!! and somehow still on the first page

Great stuff Wade, this gonna be a fantastic journey!

Boom! Always glad to have your presence in here!!

[demonwareltd]

Jealous of that strong ass squat! Awesome stuff - really digging the new log format as well

[bcapprentice]

Made it over here!

[jaredmus]

Food pics = complete thread

[TGreggors]

in! dat volume

[IK9]

Nice volume.. and I like the old school writing it down with pen and paper.. you and Billy Bnizzle are the same!

75 lb DB's? Sounds like Planet Fitness :B

[jpg68]

Definitely in on this

[red_cat]

Jealous of that strong ass squat! Awesome stuff - really digging the new log format as well

I appreciate that, man. Sure doesn't feel strong right now. lol

Made it over here!

Yessssssssssss!!

Food pics = complete thread

Hopefully I keep eating foods that are worthy of photographing.

in! dat volume

Happy to have ya, bud!

Nice volume.. and I like the old school writing it down with pen and paper.. you and Billy Bnizzle are the same!

75 lb DB's? Sounds like Planet Fitness :B

Oh yeah. I've got 4-5 journals stacked up from previous years. I love to go back and look at what I was doing a few years ago. Did that the other day and realized how much more volume I'm doing than I used to!

Yeah...high school gym, though. Not too surprised. I'm going to look into getting some Oly handles once we get settled up there. Cheap fix and I can go as heavy as I'd like!

Definitely in on this

Welcome to the party!

[red_cat]

06/25/15 (12 Days Post Show)

Morning Weight: 195.4 lbs (Prep Low: 189.6 lbs Fully Depleted)
Planned Macros: Lifting - 250p/335c/35fib/72f

Thoughts:

Expected a bigger jump in weight from the hot dog and beer extravaganza that was last night. Pleased to say that it was only a pound. I suppose I probably overestimated when I tracked everything but I thought I was pretty close. Oh well. No matter.

Solid session tonight. Nothing special. I think I've decided against deadlifting over the 12 rep range for the time being. Don't get me wrong; those workouts are a big part of the reason why I had the best glutes in both of my shows. However, now that I have "dem glutes", I'd rather put the emphasis on my back and hamstrings. So, "heavy and medium rep days" will be conventional style deads with heavy and medium rep back, while "high rep days" will be some sort of dead variation (today was deficit) with high rep back. Seems like a logical way to do things.

Oh...and we went out for pizza... Local place called Yia Yia's that has 325 different brews (I didn't partake tonight) and makes some amazing pizza combinations. We had "The Atlantic" which is white sauce, mozzarella, chicken, bacon, broccoli, and potato wedges!

Pictures of the eats...


And the workout for today...

[jaredmus]

Pizza and deficit deads, are we best friends?

[red_cat]

Pizza and deficit deads, are we best friends?

Can we be? I'm on board.

[red_cat]

06/27/15 (2 Weeks Post Show)

Morning Weight: 195.0 lbs (Prep Low: 189.6 lbs Fully Depleted)
Planned Macros: Off - 250p/240c/35fib/87f

Thoughts:

A nice little cardio and abs session today...well...at least a necessary cardio and abs session. They're just two things that I don't have a passion for working, but I've got to get them done.

Average weight for this past week came down to 195.5 lbs from 198.1 lbs the week after my second show. It looks like I'm stabilizing in this 194-195 range and I'm perfectly fine with that. So, the plan will be to start these macros on Monday:

On @ 240p(-10)/350c(+15)/35fi/75f(+3) = 2,972
Off @ 240p(-10)/250c (+10)/35fi/90f(+3) = 2,707
Refeed every 6-7 days @ 191p/460c(-20)/55f = 3,063

...and reduce cardio to 15 minutes of HIIT. I will probably get rid of my refeeds after next week. Now that the gap in carbs is narrowing and the gap in total calories has all but vanished, I don't really see a point in them other than the unbridled joy of smashing carbs and that isn't even really happening when I only increase by 110 grams.

[IK9]

You are handling all of this like a pro/veteran.. very nice work!

Inspirational/motivational to me!

[red_cat]

You are handling all of this like a pro/veteran.. very nice work!

Inspirational/motivational to me!

Thank you, Inna! Things like that mean a lot to me...means I'm doing something right. And you know what they say, "If you want to be a pro, you have to act like one!"

[jpfaherty]

Pizza with a side of more carbs, I like it!! lol