Preparing for "Peak Week" & Updates!

Taken about a week ago - No pump, feeling a bit bloated, but it's OK!  Practice, practice, practice!!!

New bodyweight low in this prep - 148.4 lbs. on November 21, 2013

The 2013 NPC Excalibur is 3 weeks out -- I'm so excited!  Every bodybuilder looks forward to the grueling last haul at the final stretch -- "Peak Week."  Well, almost every bodybuilder.  As a natural, certain 'broscience' methods and strategies of peak week is not necessary, and borderline dangerous to the health!  Layne Norton is a huge advocate in going against the grain of bro-methodology in leading into peak week; and he is a huge inspiration for me and how I live the natural amateur bodybuilder lifestyle.

Let's see... What are the general methods that a lot of bodybuilders go through during peak week?
-Cut sodium
-Cut water
-Load diuretics
-Load potassium
-Stop training legs
-Stop lifting heavy and just go marathon on those weights
- ...and the list goes on!

Why make it complicated?  Are these the things I do normally during my prep?  The best way to go about peak week is NO SURPRISES by keeping it simple.  Perhaps the aforementioned head-spinning to-do list is what athletes on super-supps must go through because of all the crazy imbalances in their body from the gear.  Or perhaps even natural athletes that are simply just not lean enough and want to do whatever it takes to "appear" leaner on stage.  Either way, these are drastic changes and comes with drastic repercussions.  People have fainted, even died at shows taking these unnecessary steps just for a plastic trophy.  I don't know about you, but I'd like to be lifting and looking better with age up to the last moments of my life.

This is my take on peak week:
-get LEAN and I mean as LEAN and conditioned as possible; then you don't need to think about cutting water or sodium
-look for patterns--I noticed that with my current macros, I look my best 5-6 days after my carb load day.  This is perfect because I will continue to keep my carb load day where it is so I will load carbs as I normally do exactly 7 days from the competition.  Then on competition day, just eat small meals of protein and fat and throw in carbs here and there to maintain the physique
-look for more patterns--my legs look best 2-3 days after leg day, so I will train legs 2-3 days prior to competition
-NO SURPRISES--I will train normally the way I do and maybe just ease up on trying to lift as heavy as possible; but stick to the 6-12 rep range on all exercises.  The only difference is not training to failure so I don't end up being sore on stage.
-That's it!  Nothing really special for "peak week" except a nice coat of competition tan ;P

As for updates, I have added more and more cardio into my regimen since 2-3 weeks ago so it can do the grunt work in my fat loss, instead of cutting back calories.  I am happy with my 2000 calories a day!  How the hell did I live on a low of 1400 calories last year?!  It's crazy... I am so happy with this prep thus far.  I feel a million times better, and I am cutting on carbs, eating cereal and ice cream for dinner and on refeed days (I even ate Chipotle last week!).

Here is my current training plan--

Monday - Push Day & Abs w/ 300 calorie burn low intensity cardio
Tuesday - Pull Day
Wednesday - Legs w/ 300 calorie burn low intensity cardio
Thursday - Push Day & Abs w/ 150 calorie burn low intensity cardio
Friday - Pull Day
Saturday - Legs w/ 300 calorie burn low intensity cardio
Sunday - Abs & Weakpoint Training w/ 300 calorie burn low intensity cardio aka "Rest Day"

Total cardio per week: ~2 hours; and if I run out of time to finish my 300 calorie burn on Monday, for example, I will finish the remainder on Tuesday.

Competition Tan

Last year, I utilized the services of JanTana.  Though it was expensive ($130), they take care of everything.  The only drawback was that they have WAY too many clients, and I hate waiting.  It almost seems like they try to get through as many people as possible as quickly as possible.  Their attention to detail could be better.  Still, if anyone asks, I would recommend professional services over DIY.  I've seen some competitors that were just not presentable attempting to save some money and applying competition tan themselves.  I would suggest spending the extra money, saves the time, saves the laborious work (it's exhausting to do it yourself, and when you have prep-brain, the last thing you want to do is spend hours on tanning yourself), and they will even touch you up on the day of the competition.

This year, I am taking an alternative route to professional services.  I found a company called Tanned Creations and they are an independent, smaller tanning service company.  Lauri, who runs Tanned Creations, is incredibly nice, personable, and experienced!  She used to work for JanTana and branched off to start her own biz -- SMART!  She only charges $99 for the same service that JanTana offers.  Can't wait to get all dark!  :)

Contest Prep Update - 3.5 Weeks Out From Excalibur & Plan to Prep for Another 9.5 Weeks Out

It's official!  Yesterday I registered for the 2013 NPC Excalibur.  All I have to do now is lock down my posing routine and plan my tanning situation. I may end up shelling out the cash for the convenience that JanTana provides at the competitions.  I noticed faint striations in the glutes yesterday under good lighting so I feel confident that I can be prepared for this show.  As a natural bodybuilder, I know what I will be up against in an NPC non-tested show.  It is what it is and I know that some competitors may have an ace up their sleeve over me--and that's okay.  This is the lifestyle and direction that I believe in and I will bring the best natural physique that I can mold for this competition.  I thought, "if I can't beat 'em on size, I'll beat 'em on conditioning!"  I adjusted the ## weeks out numbers to not consider peak week as a week.  I want to be ready by or before peak week.

So, to keep the momentum rolling, as I project that I will truly be at 5% BF or less with another 2 lb. drop in weight.  This is an estimation and not by all means the end all be all.  What I see in the mirror triumphs the number on the scale.  To keep myself from over-dieting, over-training, and appear stringy on stage, I have implemented this plan:

-Never stop training heavy; abstain from low weights & high reps
-Add another 10 minutes for a total of 30 minutes of cardio this week
-Keep calories and carbs where it is now and attempt to allow energy output to further lean out
-Added Yohimbine HCL into the mix pre-cardio--10 to 12.5mg dose taken 15-20 minutes pre-cardio

However I perform on contest day of the Excalibur, I have a carb load day that day so I will celebrate a little but not go overboard as I know I have another show, my target show, 6 weeks later.  Whatever my condition ends up being on the Excalibur stage, I plan to take it to another level at the Ironman Naturally.  I am feeling surprisingly healthy mentally and physically.  I am at about 6-7% BF at the moment, and normally, this is where things get fuzzy.

When your body experiences super low body fat percentages, strange things begin to happen.  Fatigue sets in.  Hunger, too, if you are on a fixed diet, which is incredibly painful when coupled with fatigue.  Mind gets foggy, energy levels are low, zero motivation to do anything but mustering through a less-than-mediocre work out, and your tolerance for people and pretty much anything a touch annoying can be blown up exponentially and drive you absolutely crazy.  I experienced all these things last year when I was inexperienced with cutting for a show.  I did reach 5-6% BF but I did it in the worst way.  I am incredibly happy to have sought the truth about dieting, and that it doesn't have to be rocket science.  It's actually quite simple really....  But I am heading into the darkest days of prep--under 6% BF.  Today I may feel amazing, tomorrow, I might feel like crap.  Who knows!  But one thing I must keep in mind is that life is grand--I love this lifestyle, I love my supporting peoples, I love it!  Whenever things get down, I must stop, just smell the roses and enjoy the moment.

Contest Prep Update - 5 Weeks Out & 9 Weeks Out!

Down -0.6 lbs. vs. Last Week -- 151.0 lbs. flat!

Fun with Corn Pops on Refeed Day -- I <3 Flexible Dieting -- It Doesn't Even Feel Like Prep!

I'm still waiting for signs of glute & ham shreds to appear, and though I only have 5 weeks out from a possible warm up show, the 2013 NPC Excalibur Championships, I must be patient!  I'm now doing 20 minutes total of HIIT cardio per week; I may up the ante and do 30 minutes this week and dropping fats by 10g to keep the fat burning accelerated.

If the glute shreds begin to appear by 3 weeks out from the Excalibur, I'm going in.  Then all I have to worry about is depleting and "drying out."  As a natural bodybuilder, I will not focus on any magic tricks like dropping sodium, dropping water, taking diuretics, or potassium loading.  Dr. Layne Norton has made plenty of videos and provided plenty of empirical data on how unhealthy and even ineffective those methods are. As long as I focus on getting leaner and leaner, then "drying out" will come.  Less fat means less water retention.  The strategy is keeping it simple and no tweaking.

I'm going to feel it out, but macros may stay the same or I may drop it by 30g carbs, or 10g fat (~100 calories):

Regular Day Macros - 2150 -2300 Calories

230g Protein

200-230g Carbs

40-50g Fat

Refeed Day Macros - 3000 Calories

230g Protein

400g Carbs

50g Fat

My training continue to be strength focused.  I seldom train above the 12 rep range per set.  It's funny how I used to believe that high reps/light weight is for burning fat and cutting.  Training heavy was what built this physique, and training heavy is what will keep the physique thick and strong when I'm cutting.  Last year, I overtrained and overdieted and appeared thin, felt weak, and overly fatigued.  I was stringy.  I want to step on stage strong, dense, and conditioned.

Cardio will be minimal and only HIIT-style.  LISS and long periods of cardio does not promote muscle retention.  I will burn fat in the best method that I believe in, and that's with heavy resistance training.  I'm going to lean on one of my greatest inspirations again, Dr. Layne Norton.  He believes a diet should have 3 main goals, as mentioned on SimplyShredded.com:

1. Spare as much muscle mass as possible.
2. Lose as much fat as possible.
3. Not cause the person to lose intensity in the weight room

I feel like I am accomplishing just that during this year's contest prep, so I keep trucking on!

November 6th, 2013 - Update - Eat Less or Do More?

Finally, I’ve decided to add cardio into the mix.  This week’s weigh-ins are trending to run flat to last week.  I’m in the 151-152s.  This week, due to work, I have not been able to get in 1 gallon+ of liquids every day (at least I don’t think); so something with water retention could be occurring.  Nevertheless, I will not overthink it and just take it for what it is.  No weight loss is no weight loss.  Apparently adding 200 calories or so back into my diet has done more than slow the weight loss process down.  My performance has increased and I am appearing leaner in the mirror which is all that matters.  But regardless, when fat loss must be timed, progress must continue; and instead of dropping calories down again, I will just do more work and burn more calories.  I am adding two 10-minute HIIT cardio sessions.  I started today post-leg day.  I will perform my 2^nd session post-leg day on my 2^nd leg day of the week on Saturday, or on my rest day on Sunday, 

HIIT Cardio Session

1 minute warm up on any cardio machine—elliptical, stationary cycle, treatmill, or stepmill

10 minute intervals of 15 second MAX level output (ex: level 20 out of 20), 45 second low level output (ex: level 8 out of 20)

This is my current training protocol:

Monday – PUSH – Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Tuesday – PULL – Back, Biceps, Traps, Rear Delts

Wednesday – LOWER & CARDIO – Legs, Quad Focus

Thursday – PUSH – Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

FRIDAY – PULL – Back, Biceps, Traps, Rear Delts

SATURDAY – LOWER & CARDIO – Legs, Ham Focus

SUNDAY – Rest, or if skipping cardio then will do cardio here

**Ab work will be done 1-2 times a week wherever I can fit it in.

10 Weeks Out - 2014 NPC Ironman Naturally Championships

10 weeks out!  I'd like to be 100% prepared and ready at latest 2 weeks out from the competition.  I'm excited!  And it's goin' down!  Cardio will be added to my off day on Sundays starting this weekend.

November 4th - Updates!

Not the best lighting, but happy with whatever leg development during the 4-5 months of bulking I did from December to April.  Post leg pump pic!  I need to shave my legs...

~8% BF, During Carb Load w/ My Favorite Carb Source -- Cereal

Quick update -- weight seemed to have steadied at about 151-ish.  I trained with my buddy on Saturday for some legs and was able to pull 405 lb. deadlifts for 5 reps.  It wasn't too difficult either, which I was very impressed about with this year's prep.  My strength has stayed with me in certain lifts and am able to not lose very much strength in other lifts, like the bench press.  My bench press and shoulder press lifts usually suffer in strength as the prep gets deeper and deeper and I get leaner and leaner.  Necessary evils, I guess!

Determining your peak week strategy is all about trial and error. Pay very close attention how your depleted physique looks during carb loading, post carb loading, +1 day after, +2 days after, etc.  The trick is to get shredded (a realistic sub 5% BF) and not mess with sodium, water, potassium, or other gimmicks.  I think I am a during-carb-loader up to 24-hours-post-carb-load. 

If I can control my weight loss to 0.5 lbs of weight loss per week, I will be on track to be contest ready 3-4 weeks out from my target contest on Jan 25.  I'm excited!  Let's get 'er done!

Current Macros - Regular Days - 2300 calories
230g P
230g C
50g F

Current Macros - Refeed - 3000 calories
230g P
400g C
50g F

Still, no cardio.