it's a Journey

September is here and this past weekend marked the 2 week out point for my 2nd show of the season, the IFPA Pro International in Kansas City, KS.  I have never been this motivated to bring my best and overall I am loving this whole journey.  I have really come to realize that its not what happens on a given day, it's the work you put forth leading up to it.  Give your best, have fun with it and everything will come together with time.

Here are a few training highlights from the past few weeks of my prep, going to keep grinding all the way to the stage!  I also want to thank everyone for all of the support!!

-Luke

Have some fun with it!

One of the things that I have found to be key in keeping my intensity up during training is to have some fun with it.  Try to think out side of the box, especially when it comes to forms of cardio.  We all know how exciting the treadmill and stepmill can be, so sometimes its best to try and take it outside.  This photo is a sneak peek to whats going down this weekend.  Much more to come...... 

Today I went in and hit up some Back tonight and here's how it went down.....

*Warm-ups excluded

BB Rows- 315x10/ 405x6 / 365x8*315x8 / 315(RP)x12*8*6
WG Pulldowns- 4x8 / 1x15
MOTO Rows- 3x8
Hammerstrength Pullover machine- 2x12 / 2x10

-Luke

My Pre Workout Meal!

When it comes to my pre workout meal I am pretty consistent and like to eat about 1 1/2-2 hours prior to lifting.  My favorite, by far is Chobani Yogurt......well three at a time.  I purchase it at our local Costco by the case and it comes in three different flavors, strawberry, blueberry and peach.  I tend to stick to the pre packaged containers right now because it is easy to store in my cooler for the day and already pre measured.  Since it is technically my off season I'm not as anal retentive with measuring so I just go off the label.  Here is the breakdown.

Fat: 0 g
CHO: 60 g
Pro: 42 g
------
Total: 408 Calories
   
Now onto some training.  I was able to meet up with Gary again today for some Chest and here's how it went down.....

*Warm-ups excluded

Smithmachine Incline Press- 1x10@295 / 1x6+1@315 / 1x10@275
DB Press- 3x8@120's
Cable Flyes- 4x10
Low Pulley Flyes- 4x10

-Luke

What a day!

4 years ago today I married my best friend.  I knew right away that she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.  I just want to say thank you for your undying support in all I do and making these past few years absolutely amazing in every single way!  It's only going to keep getting better!! 

We had an amazing day and ended up getting into the gym a little later than usual.  Which ended up turning into a great workout and here's how it went down.....

*Warm-ups excluded

WG Pulldowns- 2x10 / 2x8
T-Bar rows- 4x8@7x45's
Freemotion Seated row (With Flexsolate grips)- 4x10
NG Pulldowns (With Flexsolate grips) - 4x10
Stiffarm Pulldowns- 4x10

-Luke

Back to work

Today was my first day back to the gym since last Wednesday.  I have been running a high temperature and feeling slightly under the weather, so it was best to just get some much needed rest and recovery.  I was itching to get back to it today, so I decided to go in and do some leg work with a Quad emphasis.  I kept it a little lighter, fast paced and broke a great sweat!  Here's how it went....

Leg press- 4x10
Smith machine squats- 3x20@405
DB Lunges- 3x8
Leg extensions- 4x12

-Luke

Frontline

One approach I have to lifting is to imagine that each workout I am putting myself on the frontline.  You have to leave it all in the gym.  I'm not saying that I don't ever joke around or have fun with others.  I'm just saying you have to lean to flip the switch and put 100% focus on the set at hand.  That's one reason I usually take a long approach to each set.  I visualize, prepare and then finish the set.  Here's an example of my approach for Front Sqauats from this past weekend. 

I was able to meet up with my good friend Eric for today's workout.  We kept it fast pace and pretty much flowed from exercise to exercise.  Here's how things went.....

*Warm-ups excluded

EZ bar curls (Bar=25lbs) -  1x12@115 / 1x10@135 / 1x8@155 / 1x12@115
RG Cable Pressdowns- 4x10 (Stack + 20lbs)
Machine Incline curls- 3x10
Dips(BW)- 1x10(3-1-3-1 Tempo) / 2x25
Rope Hammer curls- 3x10
Single arm cable OH Extension- 3x10

Standing Calf press- 4x8
Seated Calf press- 4x12

-Luke

Solo

I am the type of person who really loves to train solo.  I always go to the gym with Tara, but we usually end up doing our own workouts, even if we are on the same split and meet up whenever either of us needs a spotter.  Its a great stress relief for me since I am around people all day for my job and I can just plug in my headphones and go to work.  Which is great so I can just focus on moving some weight and feed of my own internal motivation.  Don't get me wrong, I love training with a partner and I have with a few great friends over the years, but I usually only meet up for one or two workouts a week, so other than that solo is the way I roll.  

Had some great workouts the last few days!  I was able to meet up with my friend Eric on Thursday for some a great back workout and then today I went solo and trained some Chest.  Here's how it went.....

*Warm-ups excluded

Smithmachine Incline Press- 1x10@275 / 2x6@315
Hammer Stregnth Decline Press- 4x12
Flat DB Flyes- 4x10@60's
Low Pulley Flyes- 4x10

-Luke

Drive

There are three major definitions of the word Drive.  First, it means to push or press onward forcibly.  Second, it means to put to flight by force or influence.  Lastly, it means to guide or direct.  The question is, what drives you to improve?  For me it is knowing others are doing exactly what I am doing right now.  They may be lifting more, but that is what keeps pushing me to improve day in and day out. 

What drives you to be your best!

*Warm-ups excluded

Hybrid Sumo Deadlifts- 1x8@405 / 1x23@405 / 1x15@405
Leg curls- 4x6 (Slow Tempo)
Standing calf press- 4x10
Abductor- 3x15
Aductor- 3x15
Seated Calf press- 3x12

-Luke

Patience

Patience is a virtue in the sport of Bodybuilding.  Many times people fail in their routine because they are not satisfied by their short term gains and do not have the patience to see the long term goal. Patience means that, you are able to wait for whatever happens and be consistent in your training no matter the period of time. 

 

Had a great one and here's how it went down.....

*Warm-ups excluded

Front Squats- 2x8@315 / 1x5@365 / / 1x8@315
Single Leg press- 4x8
Hack Squats- 4x10
Leg extension- 3x10 / 2x8

-Luke

Tempo

Tempo is definitely one of the most overlooked parts of a workout routine. Many people are usually more concerned with how much they are lifting rather than how they are lifting it.  When you slow down and focus on your tempo you will not be able to lift as much weight, but the quality of the lift will be much improved.  It also increases the TUT (Time under tension) of the working muscle.  Tempo is usually shown as counts that you do in your head or with a partner to time. An exercise with the tempo of 2/1/2 is preformed with a count of 2 on the eccentric, or lowering phase.  Then a 1 second pause at the bottom of the exercise leading to a count of 2 during the concentric, or raising of the weight.  Next time try mixing up your routine with a change in tempo to help progress and push your physique to the next level.

Today was Chest and calves, so I decided to slow things down.  Here's how it went.....

*Warm-ups excluded

DB Incline press (Slow Tempo) - 2x8@120's / 1x6@120's
Hammer Strength Flat press- 4x10
Machine Flyes- 4x8

Standing Calf press- 4x10
Seated Calf press (Knees bent)- 3x12

-Luke

Comfort zone

Never be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something new.  With so many training and diet techniques implemented in the sport today, who is to say which is right or wrong.  The key is to find what works best for you.  Continue to push your physique to the next level and never settling for anything less than your absolute best.

I had an amazing workout today!  I was able to pull another PR in deadlifts, 585x5!  I was supposed to progress to 575 for 6 reps, but with how things were feeling and little extra motivation. I decided to just go for it.  This was my last workout with this format on deadlifts, now I am going to implement a little more volume and see if I can break past this plateau.  Here's how it went....

Hybrid Sumo Deadlifts- 1x12@405 / 1x8@495 / 1x5@585 / 1x8@495
Leg curls- 1x10 / 3x8
Abductor- 3x15
Hyper extension- 4x10(+50lbs)
Aductor- 3x15
Glute Kickbacks- 4x10

Trove 26

Lately I have had quite a few people asking about the origin of the name Trove 26.  It actually comes from a combination of things that all bodybuilders have in common, a mass of iron.  Trove literally comes from the word mass and the number 26 is the atomic number of iron.  It is one thing that will always be  a constant to everyone in this sport and a reminder for me to always stick to the basics.  There is no magic trick or solution that outweighs the work you put forth.

Today's line up was Back and a GREAT one it was!  Hit it up with Tara and here's how it went down.....

*Warm ups excluded

Hammer Strength Lat pulldown- 3x8 (170lbs per side)
Reverse grip BB rows- 1x10@315 / 2x8@315
Natalus compound row- 4x8
Narrow grip stiff arm pulldowns- 3x10

-Luke

Variation

Variation can be used in many different forms and incorporated into your current training program  It can help with consistent improvements over time and also minimizes plateaus and prevents boredom or staleness.  In addition, you can avoid overtraining by varying your program. It also gives you breaks from the stress of high intensity, high volume training.  You can implement variation in many ways such as the number of reps, sets, exercises, order, rest periods, weights, rep speed and even the type of grip you use.

Today I decided to do SLDL as a variation for deadlifts.  I am currently going to switch from week to week with Sumo's to help with my progression.  Here's how today went.....

*Warm-ups excluded

SLDL- 1x12@405 / 3x8@455
Leg curls- 1x12 / 1x10 / 2x6
Aductor- 3x15
Abductor- 3x15
Glute Kickback- 2x10 / 1x8

-Luke

Mental preparation

The single most effective strategy for dealing with a physical and mental challenge is preparation.  Not only will preparation ensure that are ready for the physical demands, but just as importantly it will help you with motivation, confidence and  focus to achieve your goals at hand.  If you can not picture yourself lifting it, you already failed an attempt at the lift.  My main concern when in the weight room is to focus on each set as it is the only one being preformed that day.  Mentally preform the lift then physically.  This behavior coupled with a structured program and an intense training philosophy will help you strive for improvement each and every day.

Today Tara and I hit up Golds Gym and a crowded one it was!  Really kept shorter rest periods and a slower rep speed on all sets.  Here's how it went.....

*Warm-ups excluded

DB Press- 1x12@120's / 1x10@140's / 1x8@140's / 1x6@140's*1x10@105's
Neutral Grip Incline Press- 4x8 (3-1-3-1 Tempo)
Low Pulley Flyes- 4x10

Hanging leg raise- 4x10
Machine crunch- 3x12
Ball crunch- 3x15

-Luke

Mean Greens

Since its St Patrick's day I thought I would talk about a real green drink I incorporate in my program.  It is called Natural Berry Flavored Greens from the brand name Barleans.  I am a firm believer in getting your nutrients from various whole food sources, but this is one thing that in addition can cover your grounds.  I have tried a few different kinds of greens supplements, but this is one that by far actually tastes good and really has a slight berry flavor.  It has a great nutrient profile and I usually drink it in the morning after my first meal, or with my post workout meal.  I get mine at Fred Myers, but you can pick it up at any local Health and Supplement stores.

Today Tara and I tore up the gym.  Kept it at a quick pace and really worked up a sweat!  Here's how it went.....

*Warm-ups excluded

Pulldowns- 3x10 / 1x10*1x8
Nautilus seated row- 4x8
Hammer Strength High row- 2x10 / 2x8
Stiff arm pulldowns- 4x10

Seated calf press- 4x10
Seated toe press- 4x10+

-Luke

Deadlift PR!

I have had an amazing couple of workouts the last few days!  Monday was chest and abs and I was able to meet up with Ty.  I took a few video's of my working sets and an example of how I like to do Machine Flyes, just a little variation with my grip and hand placement.  Yesterday was just some cardio on the recumbent bike and then I focused on stretching and foam rolling, which is making a huge difference with my recovery, injury prevention and flexibility.  This is one area that most people overlook.  I am in this sport for the long run, so I am taking all the preventative measures I can.  Today's focus was Deadlifts, hamstrings and glutes.  It is by far my favorite lifting day and I woke up ready to go!  So far I am really happy with my progress on deadlifts and I actually hit another Personal Best today!  Here's how it went....

*Warm-ups excluded

Hybrid Sumo Deadlifts- 1x12@405 / 1x10@475 / 1x6@565 / 1x8@495
Leg curls- 3x8 / 1x10
Reverse Hypers- 4x10
Abductor- 3x15
Aductor- 3x15
Glute Kickback- 3x10
-Luke

Leg placement



Leg placement can make a huge difference in the gym and on the stage

 Legs are the one body part that can separate you from other competitors.  They are probably the most under trained muscle group in the gym.  One reason why is because they take a totally different mentality to train.  No one ever asks "let me see your quads" or "how much do you squat" when your walking around.  So one thing I try to do to keep things interesting when training legs is vary my foot and leg placement.  I do this through different exercise variation, such as wide stance and narrow stance squats.  Doing so can place more of an emphasis between your quads, hamstrings and glutes aswel as help push your physique to the next level.
   
Today, Tara and I took up the squat racks.  We kept a fast pace with a focus on depth and rep speed.  Overall really happy with how this one rolled and here's how it went....

*Warm-ups excluded

Front Squats- 2x8@315 / 1x8@315*1x35@135
V-Squat- 3x8 / 1x10
DB Walking lunges- 3x8 (Per leg)
Leg extensions- 4x8

-Luke

Shoulders with Ty!

I had an amazing workout today with Ty at Golds!  Its always great to hit the gym on a Saturday afternoon.  There is no one in the way, you can crank your music and do some work!  Also, we are probably going to meeting up tomorrow morning for legs.  I have a feeling its going to be one of those workouts, because I'm already getting excited to KILL IT!  Here's how today went....

*Warm-ups excluded

Hammer strength shoulder press- 1x8 / 2x6 / 1x8
Seated DB Lateral raise- 1x10@50's / 1x10@60's / 1x8@60's / 1x8@50's*1x8@40's*1x8@30's
High pulley reverse flyes- 3x10
Rope upright row- 3x10
Cable shrugs- 4x8 (3-1-3-1 tempo)

-Luke

A positive support system



Hanging out with three of the four 3DMJ Coaches Eric Helms, Jeff Alberts and Alberto Nunez after the 2010 NANBF Washington State Natural

 Bodybuilding is touted as a very individual sport by how its always you against yourself, but one thing many people don't take into consideration is the use of a team or support system along the way.  I have been fortunate enough to cross paths with each member of 3DMJ on and off the stage and doing so I have really made some true friends along the way.  They have provided help, motivation and inspiration through their actions and words that is hard to describe in writing.  Just the thought that someone is going through exactly what I am really helps me continue to push my limits each day in and out of the gym.  It also really helped me bring my physique to the next level.  Also, make sure to keep positive influences around you each day to share your journey with.  Doing so will make it much more enjoyable and productive and will allow you to come in at your absolute best each and every time.

I had another amazing one today!  It took a little bit to warm up, but I finished strong!  I also put together a video of some highlights form yesterday and today.  Here's how it went.....

*Warm-ups excluded

EZ Bar curls(Bar=25)- 1x12@115 / 1x10@135 / 1x8@145 / 1x8@155
Machine press- 3x12 / 1x10

Incline curls- 3x10
-Superset-
Machine Tricep Extensions- 3x8

DB Hammer curls- 3x8@75's
-Superset-
Reverse cable kickbacks- 3x10

-Luke

You can do this tour

Had a great day today!!  Kevin James, Katy Wayman-White, Patty Smith and Debbie Wold all made their way to Wenatchee for a stop on the You Can Do This Tour that they are promoting all over Washington State.  It was held at Golds Gym and basically covers everything from planning for shows, contest prep, posing, use of trainers and all about natural bodybuilding in general.  I had a great time seeing everyone again and even had some chances to speak.  If anyone would like more information on the tour or competing in an NANBF show in Washington State please check out http://www.unitedfitness.org/ for more information.

Yesterday was also the final workout on my deload and I have to say I am MORE than ready to keep the progress rolling.  I really have some goals on my mind with deads and etc and I may give them a go within the next few weeks.  The workout was pretty plain and simple with extra warm-ups, stretching and foam rolling.  Here's how it went..... 

*Warm-ups excluded

Leg press- 4x10
Hack Squats- 4x10
Leg extensions- 3x12 / 2x10

-Luke