Contest prep 2010!

[Off Road]

It was a task.

Sounds like it, especially the clean 5,000.

[Allen Cress]

After re-assesment I dropped my calories from 3000 and am now staggering them at 2200 and 2500. I should start burining off quite a bit of fat with this diet change.

Training was great all week and after doing 3 sets of Quad blasts and BW Step up/Reverse lunge combo yesterday after training my hams & traps my quads are sore along with my glutes and hams.

I dropped 1lb this week.

[radioheadhead]

height? (sorry if I missed it)

look great in your avatar @ 185!

[Mclovin1]

If you lost 7lb in the first two weeks of prep. What was the reasoning behing dropping cals further ?

How is your week set up?

IE:
Monday-chest
Tuesday-back
etc
etc
etc

Do you have a weekly cheat MEAL to kep you sane?

[Allen Cress]

height? (sorry if I missed it)

look great in your avatar @ 185!

I'm 5'10"

[Allen Cress]

If you lost 7lb in the first two weeks of prep. What was the reasoning behing dropping cals further ?

How is your week set up?

IE:
Monday-chest
Tuesday-back
etc
etc
etc

Do you have a weekly cheat MEAL to kep you sane?

I dropped it based on my bio-feedback, which includes things like energy levels, hunger, appetite, workout performance, etc...... I would rather be ahead of the game instead of playing catch up.

My split is Chest, Arms, Quads, Back, Shoulders, Hams with other things combined with certain workouts like circuits or complexes.

No I don't have a cheat meal every week, that would defeat the purpose of my prep and hinder my results. You should not have a cheat meal just because you want one and if you do you shouldn't be competing because that is the wrong mindset. I'm perfectly fine eating the way I do and enjoy it. I enjoy the whole process of competing.

[Allen Cress]

Since dropping my calories and staggering them the last 5 days my body has already made changes. Skin is much tighter and the muscle is looking much more hard and dense.

Training Back Today. I'm on my 2nd workout for Back in my routine and will do Top end Deadlifts today as one of my movements, which should definitley pre-exhaust the upper and mid-back muscles along with the 4 other exericses. Then I will do my Power Sequence for 4 sets of 5 rounds to jack up my metabolic rate even more.

[Shemz]

Very interesting to follow. You seem to cut quite a few lbs on a small number of days without losing any muscle, does this also have to do with your 'slingshot' workout? Do you have any new pictures to compare with the ones you put in this thread where you were 205 lbs? I was also wondering, do you personally feel stronger/better than before your last contest, do you feel you've made any improvements and thanks to what?

[Allen Cress]

Very interesting to follow. You seem to cut quite a few lbs on a small number of days without losing any muscle, does this also have to do with your 'slingshot' workout? Do you have any new pictures to compare with the ones you put in this thread where you were 205 lbs? I was also wondering, do you personally feel stronger/better than before your last contest, do you feel you've made any improvements and thanks to what?

The intial weight loss in the first week or so is mostly water, especially since I was off 2 weeks prior to starting my prep. The slingshot is just now really starting to take effect. My energy levels are high and my strength is going up as well. So for the first 3-5 weeks of my prep I will actually grow due to the last program and resting for 2 weeks. All my type II fibers are firing on all cylinders. I don't have any pics yet, I will post some within the next couple weeks.

I don't neccesarily feel stronger or better, but I do feel I've made improvements. I feel I have more density and size especially in my weak points which are my Hams and Glutes, but honestly won't be able to tell until I'm in contest condition. The improvements are due to proper programming and progressions from one program to the next as well as consistent nutrition day in and day out.

[Shemz]

This overshoot method seems really interesting. Is there somewhere i can find some more information about it? And would it benefit a person if it was implemented in their routine. By this i mean, let's say i've been doing a program for quite some time now, i take a rest week and would then try the overshoot method, take rest and pick up the old program again, would this be a good way?

How did your back workout go?

[Allen Cress]

This overshoot method seems really interesting. Is there somewhere i can find some more information about it? And would it benefit a person if it was implemented in their routine. By this i mean, let's say i've been doing a program for quite some time now, i take a rest week and would then try the overshoot method, take rest and pick up the old program again, would this be a good way?

How did your back workout go?

Its actually clinical studies done on type II fibers and athletes. My mentor Scott Abel goes into detail about it in his book The Abel Approach.

It depends on your current workload capacity and what you have been doing. Not just anyone can do a slingshot type of program because if their body isn't ready for it you can do more harm than good and it needs to be monitored while you are doing it to know when to take a break. You would not go back to the exact routine you were doing prior.

If any individual trains with high intensity they should always take a break from training every 10-16 weeks depending on their program and how the body responds to it.

The back workout was brutal and afther the Power sequence I was laying on the ground for about 5 min because of the O2 debt!

[Allen Cress]

After dropping my calories to 2200-2500 this past week I have lost 2 lbs and am weighing in at 201 lbs. Hunger is starting to increase but energy levels are still high on my 6 day split. I can tell a difference in this past week by just looking a little harder.

Here is my last workout of the week:

Hams:

Single Leg cur 5 x 10-15 reps
Seated Leg curl 4 x 15-20
Lying leg curl 4 x 12-15
Stiff leg deadlift 3 x 15 (only come up to top of knees)

Traps
Single arm cross body shrug 5 x 8-10

Quad Blast 3 sets
BW Step up/Reverse lunge combo 3 x 20 EL

[Unholy]

Much respect man. I love the thread so far. Everything makes a lot of sense and I like your approach. What do you hope to come in at on stage weight wise? I know the number is fairly irrelevant but I was just wondering how much stage weight you hoped to put on in your last offseason.

[Allen Cress]

Much respect man. I love the thread so far. Everything makes a lot of sense and I like your approach. What do you hope to come in at on stage weight wise? I know the number is fairly irrelevant but I was just wondering how much stage weight you hoped to put on in your last offseason.

I plan to be even more conditioned than last year so its hard to say as far as stage weight. I was about 183lbs last year so around that is probably where I will land but in even better condition.

[DMedley]

Today I did my first complex of the week after my regular weight training session. I was in extreme oxygen debt. EPOC was huge today.

The complex was a shoulder girdle/core oriented blast.

All were done for 5 reps each side and done for 4 sets:
1a) Single arm DB Clean & Press
1b) Single arm DB front swing
1c) Side lateral throw from the ground
1d) Heavy bent laterals with swing

This is how you burn off fat!!

Alan, are you doing a complex at the end of each workout? Do you ever do them on the off days?

[Allen Cress]

Alan, are you doing a complex at the end of each workout? Do you ever do them on the off days?

I am only doing complexes twice a week and 2 other days I am doing ab/core circuits consisting of 9 exercises done back to back and for 4-5 rounds.

I never do complexes on off days, but where I place them depends on the context of the program. They could be integrated into the main workout or done after. For this particular program they are done after. I am doing a 6 day split so I need my one day off to rest and recover.

[Allen Cress]

Just finished Quads and Shoulder girdle blast. Can't walk or breathe!

Here is a sample of one of the workouts in my program:

1) Leg press 6 x 15-20
2) Hack squat 4 x 8-10
3) Horizontal Leg press 4 x 12-15
4) Leg ext. 5 x 10-12
5) Abductor/Adductor superset 3 x 15 each
6) Lunges 3 x 15 EL

Shoulder Blast x 4 sets

Then fall to floor!!!

[BCorn]

what is this......"Single arm cross body shrug"?

and what is your "shoulder blast"?

thanks.

[Allen Cress]

what is this......"Single arm cross body shrug"?

and what is your "shoulder blast"?

thanks.

The shoulder girdle blast is already posted in this thread. The sghrug is just as it says. Holding one DB reach across your body on the descent and then just do a normal shrug.

[Mclovin1]

Since you've lowered your cals has your macros been changed at all?

IE: Reduction mainly from carbs??

Have your food choices changed aswell.......

Whats a typical day at present

thanks

[Allen Cress]

Since you've lowered your cals has your macros been changed at all?

IE: Reduction mainly from carbs??

Have your food choices changed aswell.......

Whats a typical day at present

thanks

My macros stayed the same when I reduced my calories for both my 2200 and 2500 calorie day. Food choices are the same and will remain the same until maybe the last 2 weeks or so, then I will lean more towards carbs that have a longer poly chain because they tend to be better for cosmetic purposes. My loading days up to the contest will be a 180 from my current diet.

Here is sample of my 2500 cal day:

1) 2.5 cups liquid egg whites, 2 shredded whaet biscuits or 3/4 cup oats, 3 grams fish oil

2) 200g chicken, 200g potato

3) 200g chicken, 200g potato or 1 cup rice

4) 2 cans tuna, 5 rice cakes

5) 200g chicken or tilapia, 150g potato or 2/3 cup rice

6) 2.5 cups egg whites, 3 grams fish ooil

[Mclovin1]

Thanks,

Yes i joined Scott Abels forum just last week and see some commentry about cosmetic friendly foods....

When you say a " 180" what do you mean? Carb loading prior to your show?

How much protein in 1 cup egg whites? I thought 1 cup was like 7 eggs???? you eat 17-18 egg whites twice daily

[Allen Cress]

Thanks,

Yes i joined Scott Abels forum just last week and see some commentry about cosmetic friendly foods....

When you say a " 180" what do you mean? Carb loading prior to your show?

How much protein in 1 cup egg whites? I thought 1 cup was like 7 eggs???? you eat 17-18 egg whites twice daily

No not carb loading, that is not a good way to load its just been around a long time and no one wants to get away from it. My loading just depends on my condition, how depleted I am, etc...

1 cup egg whites is 25 grams protein

[ELmx479]

Wow, you are very discipline with your diet and it shows. I am interested in learning more about dieting and I believe this is the journal to do so. Do you not eat broccoli or any fruits or vegetables?

[Allen Cress]

Wow, you are very discipline with your diet and it shows. I am interested in learning more about dieting and I believe this is the journal to do so. Do you not eat broccoli or any fruits or vegetables?

I don't eat any veggies because I just don't like them but i could incorporate them if I wanted. During contest prep i don't eat any fruit as they are not really cosmetic friendly due to water retention, but I do eat them in the off season.