Sparky's Journal

[Sparky]

I've got just over 11 weeks before I compete (for the first time). I'm preparing for the Natural Colorado Open Bodybuilding Championships on November 6th.

Goal: Get Shredded and Win the Men's Novice Middleweight and Novice Overall (a stretch but why not!)

Current Stats:
1) Height 5'9"
2) Weight - 188 lbs
3) BF% - 10.4% according to digital BF Caliper (I 'm guessing I'm around 12%)


Areas needing improvement
- Calves are good but need better symmetry (left smaller than right)
- Back thickness (heading in the right direction)
- Quads could use a bit more size but not bad
- Either I have muscular obliques, I'm holding most of my body fat around my waist, or a combination thereof (most likely)
- Definition - I think this is a matter of dropping body fat and choosing my exercises wisely.

Biggest Concerns
- Maintaining lean body mass. I worked very hard to had mass over the last several months and I don't want my contest preparation to undo that hard work.

- Probably too late to add much size given that I need to drop weight. I would love to come in right about 175 lbs for the contest. That is only a 13 lb drop so I don't think my diet has to be too extreme. Some of that ought to be water weight as well.


Things I won't do
- I don't want to take any "supplements" other than things like... Creatine, Amino Acids (Glutamine, Arginine), Protein Powder, and MRPs. I'm 40 years old and really don't want to play with hormones, prohormones, steroids etc. (thus the natural contest). I'm curious as to what can be achieved by a smart diet and a solid training program.

History
I got into body building after doing Body For Life. I was at crossroads regarding my health. I had blood pressure issues and cholesterol issues that seemed to have doomed me for prescription drugs for the rest of my life. I did the BFL program to see if I could remedy the problem on my own. I dropped 40 lbs and got 10% BF (from 24-25% BF) in about 15 weeks. I did the BFL competition for fun (and a chance to win some bucks) after 3 weeks of BFL. During the 12 week period I dropped about 27 lbs and put on a few pounds of muscle.

Since then I have become some what of a fanatic with respect to exercise and nutrition. I am completely amazed by the human body and it's ability to adapt.

Sparky

[Sparky]

Notes
Strange day at the gym today. I was in a bit of a hurry so I went right to lifting. I was going to work my hamstrings. I started out with a light set (135 lbs) of split squats. I did each leg and almost felt as if I was cramping up. In retrospect I think I have a serious case of DOMS. My Quad/Calf workout on Tuesday must have been a bit more intense than I thought.

So, I decided that I was not going to be doing myself any good. I jumped on the stationary bike for 15 minutes, stretched and then headed out.

So, I'm going to train shoulders, biceps and triceps tonight instead.


Planned Workout


Shoulders
- Shoulder Press - 4 sets (50, 60, 65, 75 lb DBs)
- Front Raise - 3 sets (30, 35, 40 lb DBs)
- Barbell Shrugs - 3 sets (185, 225 to. 315)

Biceps (going light)
- Preacher Curl - 4 sets (75, 85, 95)
- Alternate Curl - 3 sets (35, 40, 45)

Triceps
- Skull Crushers - 4 sets (80, 90, 100)
- Cable Pressdown - 3 sets (machine dependent)
- Dips - 3 sets weighted (if I can find a belt), if no belt, 3 set of 20-40 repetitions

* All sets 8-12 repetitions


Nutrition/Supplements
* Preworkout - Coffee, Myoplex Storm Bar (yeah, I know, stupid choice!)
* Postworkout - Myoplex Original, Vitamins, Phosphagen XT
* 1 whole egg, 2 whites, diced red pepper, diced chicken breast, 3/4 cup oatmeal
* Myoplex, 3 oz Tuna
* Large Salad with Chicken Breast
* Myoplex
* 3/4 cup oatmeal, 1 scoop protein powder

Current Weight: 187.5 lbs

[Sparky]

Notes
Worked out at Bally's this morning and my focus was pathetic. I got the work down but not nearly at the intensity that I should have. I seem to be much more focused at Better Bodies.

My definition is really starting to come out. I am paying particular attention to my abdominals (waist is getting smaller as well).

I'm keeping a spreadsheet that records trends in body fat and lean body mass. The trend is looking good. I've added a bit of lean body mass and dropped body fat. I'd like to continue that as long as possible. Watching lean body mass carefully should help me tweak my diet as needed (so I can maintain as much lean body mass as possible). Right now my diet seems to be solid.


Workout
Hamstrings
- Straight Leg Deadlift - 135x12, 185x10, 235x10
- Lying Leg Curl - 100x12, 120x10, 140x10, 160x8
- Seated Leg Curl (down set) - 180 down to 120 (40 reps)

Abdominals
- Hanging Knee Raise - 2 sets of 16
- Rope Crunch - 2 sets (140x16, 160x16)
- DB Side Bends - (40x12, 45x12, 50x12)

Evening Cardio
- 20 minutes stationary bike @ 68% max heart rate (prime fat burning level)

Nutrition/Supplements
* Preworkout - Coffee, AdvantEdge Bar (another bad choice)
* Postworkout - Myoplex Original, Vitamins, Phosphagen XT
* 1 whole egg, 2 whites, diced green pepper, 3/4 cup oatmeal
* Myoplex, 6 oz Tuna
* Fajita w/Large Salad
* Myoplex
* 3/4 cup oatmeal, 1 scoop protein powder

Current Weight: 186.5 lbs

[Sparky]

Notes
I won't be on the net this weekend, so here the plan.

Nutrition
Roughly the same on Saturday. Sunday I'll cut my calories back just a hair.

Training
Chest
- Barbell Bench Press - 135x16, 185x10, 225x8, 235x5
- Dumbbell Flys - 50s x 12, 60s x 10, 70s x 8
- Dumbell Pullover - 60x12, 70x10, 80x10
- Incline Bench Press - 135x12, 185x10, 205x6

Cardio
20 minutes on stationary bike at 68% of Max Heart Rate

Stretching

** Feel free to comment on anything in my journal. If you have suggestions, great!

[Sparky]

Notes
Good intense day at the gym (getting to bed earlier didn't hurt). I worked back and biceps today. I have a bit of lingering soreness in my left forearm so there were some exercises that I had to back off on. I am happy with the progress I have made over the last couple months on my lats. I need to maintain those improvements and focus now on improving my back thickness a tad.

I feel great today so I don't think I am overtraining.

My food could use some improvements. I need to become less reliant on bars.

Nutrition
- Banana, Carb Control Bar
- Myoplex Shake
- Oatmeal w/blueberries, Carb Control Bar
- Myoplex Shake
- Large Salad w/walnuts and fat-free dressing, Chicken Breast, Apple
- Myoplex Shake
- Tuna, Strawberries
- Gallon or more of water throughout the day

Supplements
- Phosphagen XT
- Multivitamin
- Glucosamine w/Chondroiton and MSM
- Glutamine

Training

Morning
- Deadlifts - warmup and then 3 heavy sets
- T-bar Rows (light due to forearm pain)
- Lat Pulldown - 3 sets
- Cable Rows - 3 sets
- Barbell Curls - 3 sets
- Concentration Curls - 3 sets

Evening
- 30 minutes stationary bike 68% Max HR

[Sparky]

Notes
Another good night of sleep. I feel very energetic today. My workout was focused, intense, and productive. My heart is set on winning my comp. I'm dedicating my effort to my mother who was recently diagnosed with lymphoma.

Last night I changed my evening cardio. Rather than riding the stationary bike in my basement, I went running and my son rode his bike along side. It's amazing what a difference fresh air and scenery can make. Besides, it was really fun trying to chase my son down on the final hill as we approached the house (no, I didn't catch him). I went about 2.5 miles at a good clip. I've heard that running is the best fat burning workout and I love to run. I can't make it a staple in my cardio training, but it is a nice change up (my plan calls for stationary bike, incline treadmill, stairmaster, and perhaps the rowing machine on most occassions).

Supplements
- Phosphagen XT
- Glutamine
- Multivitamin
- Glucosamine w/Chondroitin and MSM
- Omega 3-6-9 capsues

Nutrition
- Shooting for an awesome day of nutrition. I have 5 of my 6 meals planned and things are looking good so far.

Training
Warmup
- 5 minutes stationary bike

Quadriceps
- Leg Press - 5 sets wide stance, 5 set narrow
- Hack Squats - 3 sets of 10-12 reps (moderate weight)
- Single Leg Calf Raise - 3 sets
- Seated Calf Raise -3 sets (heavy)
- Leg Extension - 1 down set consisting of 30 reps (180 lbs down to 100, lighter than normal but every bit as painful!)

Cooldown
- 5 minutes on stationary bike, stretching

Evening Cardio (not sure if I should do this or not)
- 12 minutes Guerilla Cardio on stationary bike

* Skip recommended not doing cardio on leg day. I can speculate why I shouldn't, but I'd love to know the facts. My guess is that your legs need time and nutrients to recover. Doing cardio will only impede that.

[Sparky]

Notes
I did some light cardio today, but no training for the remainder of the day. I didn't sleep well. Like an idiot, I drank coffee last night and as a result got a whopping 4 1/2 hours of sleep. Not a good idea if you are trying to build and maintain muscle.

Cardio
- 5 minutes jump rope
- 10 minutes rowing
- 10 minutes stationary bike

Nutrition
- Lowering carbohydrates today. I did this just one day last week and the results were wild. I saw immediate improvements in definition and my waist line. I know this sound weird but it worked.

- I am progressively lowering my calories as I approach the contest. I am keeping the ratios of nutrients fairly consistent.

Sparky

[Sparky]

Notes
Got a good night sleep and blazed through my hamstring workout today. Need to improve my form on straight leg deadlifts. I caught myself rounding my back.

Nutrition
- Shooting for 2350 calories today. That leaves me feeling satisfied. As I go lower I think I'll start to feel hungrier. If I needs some extra calories I might throw in additional protein.

Training
- 5 minute warmup on stationary bike
- Straight Leg DB Deadlifts - 50s x 12, 60s x 10, 75s x10, 90s x 8
- DB Lunges - 50s x 10, 50s x 10
- Seated Leg Curl - 150x12, 180x10, 210x8, 225x5
- 5 minutes stretching

Spark

[Sparky]

Notes
Today I worked on back, biceps, and rear deltoids. That's alot of work to get done in one session. I am hoping that none of those body parts weaken as a result. My clothes are starting to fit differently. My wife bought me a new pair of shorts about 6 weeks ago that fit really tight. Now they are hanging on me!!!! Today I noticed significant improvements in the definition of my shoulders and chest.

Here's the kicker -- my weight has hardly changed! I am at 186 lbs and as lean as I have been in quite some time. I can only hope that means I have added some muscle.

I am going to kick up my cardio now. I'll be doing some form of cardio every evening. When I see my abdominals are well defined and my body fat is hovering around 6-7% I may back off a tad until the final push. I will be closely monitoring my lean body mass to make sure I'm not losing hard earned muscle.

I got sort of a strange compliment this weekend. I was at the pool with my wife and as we were leaving she said that people were staring at me. I hope it was because I'm getting in shape rather than that I dress or look like a geek! It feels good to be making progress.

I am looking for advice regarding the best exercises for thickening your back. Here's what I am trying...
1) Cable Rows
2) T-bar Rows
3) Barbell Rows

Supplements
- Phospagen XT
- Glutamine
- Arginine
- Multivitamin
- Glucosamine w/Chondroitin and MSM
- Omega 3-6-9 capsues

Nutrition
- Shooting for 2300 calories today with normal nutrtient ratios.

Training
Warmup
- 10 minutes elliptical trainer, 5 minutes jump rope

Back, Biceps, Rear Deltoids
- Romanian Deadlift - 225x16, 275x12, 315x10, 405x8
- Preacher Curl - 75x16, 95x6, 100x5
- Cable Rows - 140x16, 160x12, 180x8, 120x20
- Alternate DB Curl - 40x12, 45x8, 45x8
- Lat Pulldown - 135x16, 150x10, 165x8
- Reverse Machine Fly - 125x12, 150x10, 175x8

Evening Cardio
- 2.5 mile run at steady pace

[Sparky]

Notes
Great day at the gym. I got some extra sleep and arrived at the gym at 5:30 AM. Today I worked my quadriceps and abdominals.

I went running in my neighborhood last night and it was great. I ran 2.6 miles at a decent clip and really enjoyed it. Even as I accelerated up the final hill my heart rate felt well under control and my legs felt great. I love running and I especially enjoy it outside.

Supplements
- Phospagen XT
- Glutamine
- Arginine
- Multivitamin
- Glucosamine w/Chondroitin and MSM

Nutrition
- 2300 calories with typical ratios

Training

Warmup
5 minutes of jump rope

Quadriceps/Calves
- Squats - 5 sets
- Leg Press - 6 sets (new high)
- Leg Extension - 3 sets
- Hanging Knee Raise - 1 set of 20
- Hanging Leg Raise - 2 sets of 16

Cooldown
- 5 minutes on stationary bike
- Stretching

[Sparky]

Notes
Today I don't do any lifting, just two sessions of light cardio -- one in the evening and one in the morning. I am getting more defined but my weight is still at 186 lbs. I think this is a good thing -- I think. I am wondering if I am holding a bunch of water because I've been taking creatine (Phosphagen XT).

Today's Plan
Morning - 20 minutes on elliptical trainer
Evening - 20 minutes on stationary bike

[Sparky]

Notes
Excellent day at the gym. I did chest, shoulders and triceps and it took me a while longer than I'd like. I had a nice mixture of Gatorade and Whey Protein powder to keep me from being in a catabolic mode (since my workout was longer).

Supplements
- Phospagen XT
- Glutamine
- Arginine
- Multivitamin
- Glucosamine w/Chondroitin and MSM

Nutrition
- Same as yesterday. Good clean food.

Training
Warmup
- 10 minutes on elliptical trainer (moderate intensity)

Chest/Shoulders/Triceps
- Dumbbell Bench Press - 60s x16, 70s x 10, 80s x 8, 90s x 6
- Machine Fly - 187.5x16, 225x10, 250x6
- Incline Hammer Strength - 150x16, 190x10, 240x4 (6 more reps with 190)
- Front/Lateral Raise - 15x16, 20x12, 25x10 (arm angled 45 degrees from chest, raise arm from hip to over head)
- Upright Rows - bar only, 3 sets of 16
- Barbell Shrugs -225x10, 225x10, 275x8
- Shoulder Press - 50s x 12, 60s x 10, 60s x 10
- Tricep Cable Pressdown - 140x16, 160x10, 180x6
- Bar Dip - 3 sets, 16-20 reps each
- Dumbbell Overhead Press - 50x12, 60x10

Cooldown
- 5 minutes stationary bike

Afternoon Cardio
- 45 minutes on elliptical trainer (fat burning range)

[Sparky]

Got some feedback today and it seems that I've got work to do. I'm behind on my conditioning and need more work on my posing. Looks like I'll be doing more cardio and more posing practice. Hey, no worries. I'd rather know now that I have work to do than on November 6th!

So, no worries.. just got work to do.

Sparky

[Sparky]

Notes
I had a hard time sleeping last night. I had all sort of things running through my mind. I was thinking about my mother, who's cancer seems to be spreading, and my competition. My mom had swelling in her shoulder indicating that the cancer is spreading rapidly. My dad convinced the doctors to go ahead and get the chemo started before the cancer spreads further. So, my mom had her first treatment yesterday. I know this is an incredibly rough experience.

This morning I got to the gym and went to work. Every time I thought about quiting a set, I thought about my mom and what she is going through. I figure if she can endure chemo, I can push it harder. I have my heart set on bringing her a trophy.

With that in mind, I have a great deal to do. I am behind on my conditioning right now. My body weight is static and I'm still holding quite a bit of fat right at my hips. I'll be doing more cardio to deal with that. I am also going to skip my preworkout meal in hopes that my body will burn more fat. When I did this in the past, I was able to shed the fat without affecting my lean body mass.


Supplements
- Phospagen XT
- Glutamine
- Arginine
- Multivitamin
- Glucosamine w/Chondroitin and MSM

Nutrition
- Low Carb Day. I will be alternating between normal carb days and low carb days and see if that puts a dent in this annoying layer of fat.

Training
Warmup
- 8 minutes stationary bike

Hamstrings
- Straight Leg Deadlift - Machine Fly - 135x12, 225x10, 265x10, 275x10
- Standing Leg Curl - 70x12, 80x10, 90x8
- Lunges - 0x12, 50x12, 60x10, 70x9

Cardio
- 30 minutes elliptical trainer

[Sparky]

Notes
Good workout on Saturday, and Monday. Today's workout wasn't quite so hot. I wasn't quite as strong as usual. My weight is holding at 185 lbs but my waist line has dropped 1/2". Definition is improving slowly. Currently I am doing a normal carb day followed by a low carb day (100-120 grams of carbs, low glycemic).

Tomorrow is a rest day except that I will be doing 30 minutes of cardio.

Supplements
- Glutamine
- Multivitamin
- Glucomsamine with Chondroitin and MSM

Nutrition
- Low Carb Day (3 protein/carb meals, 3 protein meals)

Training
Quads and light hamstrings

- Squats - 5 sets
- Leg Press - 5 sets (not as strong today)
- Leg Extension - 5 sets (squeeze at the top and hold)
- Standing Leg Curl - 3 sets

Evening Cardio
- 30 minutes stationary bike