| My Preparation for 2004 Bodybuilding Contests | | | | stayed on exactly the same diet between shows. I |
| Back in the day (1996-1999), I had it pretty easy getting | | | | weighed in at 181, certainly at the bottom of the weight |
| ready for shows, much to the envy of those who | | | | class, but was confident that I had prepared to the |
| knew me. I would "diet" by having only one Snickers a | | | | best of my ability. |
| day and still be in great shape. I was winning my | | | | At prejudging, I was sure I placed 3rd-5th based on |
| weight class in almost every show and taking a few | | | | callouts. It was one of the toughest classes I had ever |
| overall titles as well. In 2000 and 2001, I had a wake up | | | | competed against (and this was my 16th show!). To |
| call at the Team Universe, finishing no better than 9th. | | | | my sincere shock, I won the class by just a few points. |
| Then in 2002, I had mild success in a couple of NPC | | | | The overall winner (Shiloe Steinmetz) certainly had me |
| shows, but still hadn't achieved my 1990's-level of | | | | beat on pure muscle, but several judges told me that I |
| conditioning. I was now in my thirties and figured my | | | | had had the better physique (symmetry, aesthetics, |
| career was slowly winding down. After six months of | | | | conditioning), which made me feel good. |
| mono in 2003, and no competitions, I realized that this | | | | Some other key points:o As mentioned above, my |
| year was going to be my swan song. With that | | | | metabolism affords me to do very little, if any, cardio |
| mentality in mind, I picked two shows to prepare | | | | work. This year I did perform two days of either stair |
| for-one in September and one in October-to go "gently | | | | climbing, or sprint/plyometric work. I like this kind of |
| into that good night". | | | | activity, regardless of an upcoming bodybuilding show. |
| The first show would be the INBF Karen Miller Klassic | | | | It also granted me the exclusion of doing direct leg |
| in Youngstown, Ohio, on September 11. I started my | | | | work with weights for most of the contest prep.o I am |
| pre-contest nutrition program 17 weeks out. The first | | | | not a proponent of dropping water, or sodium, before |
| month included a cheat meal once a week, which I still | | | | a contest. I drank 2.5 gallons of water each Friday |
| can get away with, as I tend to lose too much weight | | | | before the show, as well as continued to salt my |
| too fast (at least that's my rationalization!). At 12 | | | | foods. The only change was the addition of potassium |
| weeks out, here is my "diet": | | | | Wed-Sat. I lose water through sweating, not so much |
| Meal 1 | | | | through dietary changes.o My strength training also |
| 6 egg whites + 1 yolk | | | | does not change until the very last week. My split |
| ½ cup oatmeal | | | | looks like this:o Day 1=backo Day 2=hams/calves OR |
| Meal 2 | | | | sprints/stairso Day 3=chest/bicepso Day 4=abs/quads |
| 8 oz. red meat or 3 scoops protein powder | | | | OR plyometrics/stairso Day 5=delts/traps/tricepso My |
| 7 rice cakes | | | | training philosophy is very instinctual, therefore, I never |
| Meal 3 | | | | do the same workout twice in a row. In fact, I never |
| 6-8 oz. wheat pasta | | | | plan any workout, other than the body part(s) I am |
| 7 oz. chicken | | | | going to perform that day.o I train in a non-traditional, |
| Meal 4 (post-workout) | | | | undulating periodization model. A once popular |
| 6 scoops recovery powder | | | | European model for Olympic athletes has migrated to |
| Meal 5 | | | | the United States and has been applied to American |
| 8 oz. red meat or turkeywhite or brown rice | | | | athletes (although it has limited application to |
| microwaveable bag | | | | bodybuilders). There are numerous texts and articles |
| Meal 6 | | | | for more details on this philosophy. I have tailored the |
| 7 oz. chicken or 8 oz. red meat | | | | different cycles found within periodized models to |
| Totals: | | | | include variety within a workout as well as between |
| 2975 calories | | | | workouts. With that said, it is unrealistic for me to |
| 310 g-protein | | | | outline a typical workout regimen, but this will give you |
| 335 g-carbs | | | | some idea (upper body only). |
| 41 g-fat | | | | Back |
| Now that I look back at this, I am surprised that I ate | | | | -¾ deadlifts 4 x 6 |
| this bad (relatively speaking). However, I was still losing | | | | -Front pulldowns 3 x 12 |
| body fat, and continued this way for a while. | | | | -One arm high pulley row 3 x 10 |
| Admittedly, my fast metabolism has always allowed | | | | -High Hammer row 3 x 20 |
| me to get away with things most competitors cannot | | | | Chest |
| do. Not this time! I had met my match. Here is what my | | | | -Incline barbell press 4 x 6 |
| next phase looked like: | | | | -Incline dumbbell press 3 x 10 |
| Meal 1 | | | | -Hammer decline press 3 x 20 |
| 6 egg whites + 6 oz. red meat or 8 oz turkey or 8 oz | | | | -Pec deck 3 x 12 |
| chicken + 1-2 kiwi | | | | Biceps |
| Meal 2 | | | | -Seated dumbbell curl 3 x 10 |
| 2 scoops protein powder + 1 scoop BCAA | | | | -One arm preacher curl 3 x 12 |
| Meal 3 | | | | -Hammer curl 3 x 15 |
| 10 oz chicken or 10 oz turkey + 2-3 cups salad | | | | Shoulders |
| Meal 4same as 2 | | | | -Seated dumbbell press 4 x 8 |
| Meal 5 | | | | -Seated dumbbell side raise 4 x 12 |
| 10 oz chicken or 10 oz turkey or 8 oz red meat + 2-3 | | | | -Seated dumbbell rear fly 4 x 15 |
| cups salad | | | | Traps |
| (Meal 6 when needed) | | | | -Seated machine shrug 4 x 8 |
| 9 egg whites | | | | -Behind-the-back barbell shrug 3 x 15 |
| OR | | | | Triceps |
| Hi Carb Meal (Mon & Thurs) | | | | -Seated preacher curl 3 x 10 |
| A typical day yielded around 1550 calories; 300 grams | | | | -Cable pushdown 3 x 12 |
| of protein; 37 grams of carbohydrates; 25 grams of | | | | -One-arm dumbbell extension 3 x 15 |
| fat (all values not including supplements). Well, it | | | | This is my off-season, as well as pre-contest, style of |
| worked! I was getting leaner by the day and ended up | | | | training. The only exception is that rest intervals |
| at 5% bodyfat the week of the contest. The Friday | | | | decrease (i.e. 60-90 seconds) considerably during a |
| before the show I weighed in at 184, and found out I | | | | pre-contest mode. I must re-iterate that the above is |
| was the only lightheavyweight! At least I won my | | | | what I believe works for me. It has a loose base in |
| class. I also ended up winning the overall. It had been | | | | scientific theory, but more than anything, it is grounded |
| several years since I had accomplished that feat. I was | | | | in anecdotal evidence. |
| now ready for my next show: the Natural Northern | | | | This year has been a learning experience, just like |
| USA in three weeks. | | | | every year since my first show in 1990! As I get older, |
| However, between shows, Suzanne, my wife, was | | | | and hopefully smarter, I enjoy the process, the learning, |
| going to be running a marathon....in Maui. Somehow, I | | | | the challenge, much more than the outcome. It is nice |
| had to figure out how to stay focused and disciplined | | | | to win, but that is only one night, and not up to me |
| for those ten days. It presented a dilemma as to how | | | | anyway. All the weeks leading up to the contest are in |
| to help her and be there for her event, while still | | | | my control, and I cherish each small victory along the |
| staying the course for my event. Everyday presented | | | | way. |
| a new challenge. Even simple things like walking the | | | | I am undecided as to whether I will continue to |
| beach would wear me out. I wasn't much fun. She | | | | compete. It is hard to just "turn it off", and train for the |
| understood, though, and I will always remember the | | | | hell of it! My goals now become more intrinsic-just to |
| sacrifices she made on my behalf. | | | | keep getting better, not necessarily bigger. By virtue of |
| We arrived home with seven days to get ready for | | | | my achievements this year, I now have more |
| Cleveland. I was down to 4.5%, and had achieved the | | | | questions than answers.... |
| best shape of my life (at least as a lightheavy). I | | | | |