One of the things I have had a ton of questions on is what types of foods do I typically eat during my contest prep and off season. They actually are not that different, the major difference is in the amounts. I tend to lean more towards what most would consider "clean foods" but I also try to fit certain foods into my daily nutrient ratios. Healthy eating shouldn't be miserable. This is one reason why so many people fail on "Diets," it should be a lifestyle change that includes wide variety of foods. The key is to think outside the box and be sure to measure everything while dieting! Here's what Tara and I had tonight.
Nothing is better for dinner on Memorial Day weekend than Hot Dogs......well Soy dogs!
Here's the breakdown from this meal..... Fat- 7 g CHO- 63 g Protein- 50 g ------------- Total- 515 Calories
Today my main focus was on speed work and form. Here's how it went down.....
*Warm-ups excluded
Front Squats- 1x20@225 / 3x8@315
Narrow Leg press- 4x10
Smith machine Lunges- 3x10 (Each leg)
Leg extensions- 4x10
Had a great weekend working around the yard with Tara. We got a ton done and actually got pretty burnt. Afterwards I tried to relax a little and get out of the sun, then it was into the gym to hit up some legs. I wasn't quite feeling "in the groove" during my first sets, but managed to hit 385 for 4....a little disappointed, but happy considering how my previous sets were feeling. Overall it was a great workout and finished strong. Here's how it went.....
*Warm-ups excluded
Front Squats- 2x10@315 / 1x4@385 / 1x8@315
V-Squat- 5x10
Single leg press- 4x10
Leg extensions- 4x12
Had a great time in Ellensburg this weekend visiting some family. It was a quick trip, but its always great to just get away. I was able to make some time and head into The Gym, one of the gyms I used to train at during college. It was a great leg session and I was dripping at the end. This week I stuck to a little more volume with Front squats and really just focused on the speed and depth. Here's how it went.....
* Warm-ups excluded
Front Squats- 4x8@315 / 2x6@335
Leg press- 4x8
Smithmachine Lunges- 2x10
Leg extensions- 5x10
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
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
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
This weekend we made a short trip over to Ellensburg, Washington where some of my family live. It was a quick trip, but sometimes you just have to get out of town. The weekend pretty much consisted of work on Spool No.72, but I was able sneak out and hit they weights for and epic leg session at "The Gym." Always great to go back to one of the gyms I used to train at during college and see how things have progressed. Gotta say, I was pretty happy with how it went.......
Since I have been placing more of a focus on Front Squats into my routine I have noticed a huge difference in my quad development. They also allow a more natural movement which is easier on my lower back and knees. Here are some examples of bar placement and travel for the three different squat variations.
1-Front Squat
2-High Bar Squat
3-Low Bar Squat
Now onto today's workout. The gym was really packed and Tara and I couldn't even find a parking spot! Gotta love days like those! I decided to stay with a little more volume on the DB's and I am really happy with how this one went. Kept all the reps slow and controlled.
*Warm-ups excluded
DB Press- 3X10@130's / 1x8@130's
Nautilus Incline press- 4x8
Machine Flyes- 2x8 / 2x10
High Cable Flyes (Mimic Most Muscular)- 2x15
