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Excalibur Contest Prep Journal – 7 Weeks Out

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Excalibur 2012

It is now 7 weeks until December 1, 2012. I have 7 weeks before I am scheduled to step on stage at the Excalibur contest. I was reflecting today on some of the changes that have happened for me.

After my last contest on Memorial Day 2012, I looked over my physique and made the following observations:

  1. My chest was way too small, almost non-existent.
  2. My shoulders needed to be more rounded and larger.
  3. My back needed to be thicker and the erectors needed work.
  4. My biceps were too small.
  5. My triceps needed to be bigger.
  6. My legs were great.
  7. My abdominal conditioning needed improvement

I then set out to fix these problems. As of right now, 7 weeks out, I have seen major improvement in every area of my body. My biceps are still lagging and I am experimenting with ways to fix that. I am working harder and harder every single day. I am focused on my diet and training plans. 

Come November 1 my main source of protein will be Swai. This white fish is very low in fat and I will be using it to help me lean out and grow muscle. I am confident that it will work for me.

You see, setting goals to improve body parts is what got me focused. Those goals gave me a reason to wake up each day. The goals gave me something to look forward to with my bodybuilding efforts. This is one learning an aspiring bodybuilder can take away from my own experience. Make sure you set goals that can be achieved, but are difficult. I already have a new goal for my next cycle. I am going to work even harder on my chest and arms, even going so far as doing specialization workouts just for those body parts.

 People are taking notice of the changes I've been making and that makes me feel good. I am stronger than I've ever been in my life. I am also in better shape right now, as I write this, than I was the last time I was on stage. Translated–I have already made improvements over my previous contest physique and that is exciting to me.

For anyone wishing to compete, take the time to set goals and then stick to them. Enjoy the progress you make. Nothing is impossible when you put your mind to it. During preparation you are competing against yourself and nobody else. Remember that!

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Sheru Classic 2012

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Phil Heath wins Sheru 2012The Sheru Classic was held in India this past weekend. Once again, Phil Heath came out on top. The Top 5 for the Men's Bodybuilding Division were as follows:

  1. Phil Heath
  2. Kai Greene
  3. Toney Freeman
  4. Roelly Winklaar
  5. Michael Keffalanos

Phil Heath was just too good for the competition once gain. 

The competition was fierce as these pros stepped on stage just after the Olympia showdown in Las Vegas a week ago. Once again, Kai Greene pushed Phil Heath to the limit, but Phil came away with his second title in 2 weeks. 

The Sheru Classic is held in New Dehli every year. It follows the Mr. Olympia contest in Las Vegas so it usually gets a lot of the very same competitors. This makes sense since they only have to hold their conditioning for an additional week. It seems that the winner of the Mr. Olympia contest manages to win this one each year. 

The IFBB is trying to spread the sport internationally with contests like this. Bodybuilding is generally not an accepted sport in the United States because of the use of steroids and the like. I could discuss the use of steroids and what that really means, but that's for another day. I think people need to realize that these guys may use things to enhance their body, but they still have to do the work, the eating and the training, to get the body you see on stage. They are amazing.

I get upset when people say they don't get interested in bodybuilding because “I don't want to look like that.” Well, I watch NFL football, but I don't want to look like a defensive lineman! It is about appreciating the athlete's performance. These guys bust their asses and they deserve recognition for it.

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Excalibur Contest Prep Journal – 8 Weeks Out

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Excalibur 2012

I am now 8 weeks away from the Excalibur on December 1, 2012. I am still pushing towards my goal. While I do not have an update picture, I am getting leaner and things are looking better and better on the training front. I will stay the course and keep doing what I have been doing because it is working.

Training

I am still using my instincts to train each week. I am focused on hitting my arms 3 times each week because that is my weakest body part right now. This type of training, using my instincts, is working well. I don't hit a typical split where I do a certain body part on Monday, another on Tuesday, etc. Instead, I hit what seems ready at the time. I trained my back on Wednesday last week, but it feels strong and ready to go, so I will hit it again on Monday.  This is how I've made such good progress–hitting what is ready to be trained when it is ready to be trained. 

Nutrition

We have switched me to basically no carbs. I am actually carb-cycling, but in a different way. My coach, Ken Turchek, wants me taking in my carbs right before training. Thus, I have a cycle that goes like this:

  • Day 1: 150 grams of carbs
  • Day 2: 50 grams of carbs
  • Day 3: 50 grams of carbs
  • Day 4: No carbs at all

Now let's avoid confusion here and I will explain that “carbs” are referring to the starchy variety (rice, etc.) and not veggies. 

I am required to take in the carbs right before I train with weights each day. It is helping me to get extra lean.

Cardio

I am doing cardio 2 times a day for 40 minutes now (we increased it by 10 minutes). This is less than what I did during my last prep cycle yet I am leaner than ever before at the 8 week mark. 

Motivation

I am motivated right now because I want to see my six pack and the definition of my newly developed muscles. I am excited to look better and to feel better. 

Lifestyle

Bodybuilding has become a lifestyle for me. I am no longer just dabbling in it. I live it daily. I love to train in the gym and I love to feel stronger. I am looking better and feeling better. This is why when I hear the word “diet” I cringe because permanent changes only happen when you change your lifestyle. This is a choice for me–to live a healthy lifestyle–and I am sticking to it.

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Excalibur Contest Prep Journal – 9 Weeks Out

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I am now 9 weeks out from the Excalibur show on December 1, 2012. I am aiming to be in the most amazing shape of my life. I've already made some incredible changes and now I am focusing on getting super lean. My diet and training are aimed at that goal right now. At the same time, I am keeping protein high to aid in the building of muscle because I am still lagging in several areas of my body. This is a marathon, not a sprint and that is something I have to keep reminding myself of.

After taking new progress pictures this weekend it appears that most of my body is growing. I need to give extra attention to my arms because they are still lagging, but the rest of me is growing nicely so I am going to focus on continuing that growth over the next 9 weeks. My goal is to have a six pack 4 weeks before the show, so in the next 5 weeks. Let's see if that happens.

I am feeling amazingly good right now. I feel like my progress has been awesome. I look better now than I did 2 weeks out from my very first show. A lot of that has to do with the extra cardio I've been doing right from the start of preparation. I am really pushing hard and getting the job done. The experience I gained from the past 2 shows has taught me a few things:

  • You can never do cardio too early in your preparation. I know that cardio is what gets you shredded (along with diet) so doing it early and often has been the key this time.
  • Training instinctively will help build up lagging body parts. Instead of following a set split where there is only a certain number of times a body part can be trained, train with your instincts. If your arms are lagging, train them more often. Find a way to fit in extra arm workouts even if it means training twice in one day.
  • Try different things to see what works for your body. My arms are not responding well right now so we are changing things up. We are going to try a workout where we hit them with lighter weight and higher repetitions and then another where we hit them with heavier weight and lower repetitions. We will see what works and then leverage that going forward.
  • Push yourself. We all have days where we wake up and don't want to train. Do not give in. Push yourself and make yourself train. You will not be sorry. This type of discipline is what champions are made of.

These are the things I've learned and anyone attempting their first bodybuilding show can learn from these as well.

Some progress pictures:

At the start of my preparation 5 weeks ago.
My back as of Saturday, September 27, 2012. The pose isn't as good as the original and it isn't as close up, but there is major progress.

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Mr. Olympia 2012 Preview

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Mr. Olympia will take place this weekend in Las Vegas, Neveda. It is the Super Bowl of the bodybuilding world and is always a great show to watch. This year will be no different. Can Phil Heath successfully defend the title he won from Jay Cutler in 2011? That remains to be seen. I am going to give my predictions for the Top 3 in this article as I preview what will be going down in Las Vegas this weekend.

Phil Heath. Phil is back to defend his title, the one he took from Jay Cutler last year. With Jay out of the mix, I believe Phil will win his second Sandow. He has the drive and determination to get the job done like nobody else. I also strongly believe that the reigning Mr. Olympia always has the edge in situations like this. Phil will come in massive. He will be hard and shredded. 

This is Phil's title to lose. I have a feeling that he will hold onto the Sandow for many years to come. He still has Jay Cutler in his corner helping him out and that is also a huge edge. This guy trains with Hany Rambod, one of the best preparation coaches out there. These factors combine to give Phil the edge.

Phil is going to have to come in just right and will not be able to do what Jay Cutler has done in the past where he has battled back on Saturday night after a disappointing showing on Friday. Phil will have to come in looking good on Friday and stay that way on Saturday, in my opinion.

 

Kai GreeneKai Greene is a mass monster. This guy trains in brutal fashion and will definitely appear at the Olympia with size. The problem is that many times Kai looks too big. He isn't as aesthetically pleasing when he just packs on major mass. This guy is a serious threat to Phil Heath. He could capture the title depending upon how conditioned he is at the Olympia.

Kai works hard all the time. There is no doubt that he will look good. He has come close to the Sandow before and it is one trophy he really would like to have. This guy has many Olympia shows ahead of him in his career, but this year I say he finishes in second place. I am just not confident that he is going to look the way he needs to look in order to win the title.

With that said, I would not be the least bit surprised if Kai won. He has what it takes, it just needs to be put together for the show. I've watched some recent videos of Kai and he looks awesome. The problem is always the last few weeks before a show. How does the body respond to the stress it has been under?

I know that for me those last 2 weeks are critical. That is the time when my body starts doing strange and unpredictable things. This is why I always keep a journal of my progress. It helps me the next time around. Kai is an expert at this and knows his body well. Let's see how well he does this weekend.

 

Some will disagree with me placing Branch Warren in the third spot, but that's how I see it. Branch came off a major injury to win the 2012 Arnold Classic and he looked amazing. That's my issue, though. Can he maintain and improve upon that form?

Branch has come so close so many times. He is honestly my sentimental favorite, but the bodybuilder in me just doesn't see him winning this or placing higher than third. I hope he surprises me, I really do. This guy is one of the hardest working bodybuilders out there today. I have major respect for him and what he does in the gym. 

Branch will be ready to take the title, but will he have a balanced physique? The criticism of Branch has always been that his legs are so much bigger than the rest of his body. This is something he is going to need to address in order to win the Sandow. He will also give Phil Heath a run for his money, but this is not Branch's year in my opinion.

So, now you see what I think of the Top 3 at the Mr. Olympia 2012 contest this coming weekend. Let's see how close I come to getting it right. I love this sport because anything can happen. I can in no way guarantee that my predictions will be accurate, but I feel pretty confident in them.

Let me hear your predictions in the comments section below.

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