esplendido

[chris d]

Just wanted to pick your brain a little. What was the best prep you have done as far as diet,cardio,cycle and so on. I know you probably have given this info before, but since you have been bored lately I thought I would give you somthing to do, plus I value your knowledge. Thanks.

[esplendido]

Read the AAS thread stickied at the top.

My best diet to-date was the Keto diet with Dave Palumbo's guidance. Cardio was walking, starting 16 weeks out at 45 min/day and increased 10 minutes each week until 3 hours daily (split into two times/day).

[mr intensity]

whats your take on one work set training priciple... i read an article once by dorian yates where he mentioned to take the set from momentary muscle failure to total muscle fatique..... i have tried this idid one work set.. once i reached failure i went to muscle fatique using all the high intensity techniques i cud use for that very exercise i went on till i could not move the wt even an inch.... i made the best gains of my life i had to rest for 5 to 7 mins to shift from one exercise to another.... but i did this when i was on cycle..... just wanna know wud this work if i do it off cycle

[esplendido]

whats your take on one work set training priciple... i read an article once by dorian yates where he mentioned to take the set from momentary muscle failure to total muscle fatique..... i have tried this idid one work set.. once i reached failure i went to muscle fatique using all the high intensity techniques i cud use for that very exercise i went on till i could not move the wt even an inch.... i made the best gains of my life i had to rest for 5 to 7 mins to shift from one exercise to another.... but i did this when i was on cycle..... just wanna know wud this work if i do it off cycle

HIT training works. Volume training works. Pyramid training works. I think you have to incorporate elements of all of them throughout your training process. Serge Nubret, who argueably had the best physique ever, did one type of training exclusively his entire career; high volume, low rest. Most HIT enthusiasts already had a good physique when they began incorporating HIT into their training. Mixing it up can help get over sticking points, but I believe HIT training cannot be maintained for long periods without injury. All will work with and without AAS.

[mr intensity]

what in your opinion should be the acceptable fat percentage in a mass gaining cycle... some say its good be heavy as it helps by increasing ur functional stength...as its related when you loose wt while on precontest your strength goes down...
than you

[sassy69]

Something I'll add that esplendido does well is a no-bullshit approach to observing progress and tweaking accordingly. IMO the most valuable thing you can get from a trainer or someone you rely on for gauging your progress in contest prep is a straight answer. I don't need sunshine blown up my ass so I feel good about myself while prepping. I need to know what a judge is going to say when I step onstage, as well as someone who will give me an objective opinion and probably drive me a little harder. Nerves are good, even 8 weeks out, because it keeps you on the ball instead of getting complacent. You can always pull a little more out if you know someone expects it of you, and you can't always be completely objective about your own progress.

[mr intensity]

Something I'll add that esplendido does well is a no-bullshit approach to observing progress and tweaking accordingly. IMO the most valuable thing you can get from a trainer or someone you rely on for gauging your progress in contest prep is a straight answer. I don't need sunshine blown up my ass so I feel good about myself while prepping. I need to know what a judge is going to say when I step onstage, as well as someone who will give me an objective opinion and probably drive me a little harder. Nerves are good, even 8 weeks out, because it keeps you on the ball instead of getting complacent. You can always pull a little more out if you know someone expects it of you, and you can't always be completely objective about your own progress.


i totally agree... he is very knowledegble i`ve spoken to him we were about to start my precontest perp then i had a wrist fracture... so no training for sometime... anyways... but this guy is great he seems to know everything about everything in bodybuilding....

[Rocco1943]

i totally agree... he is very knowledegble i`ve spoken to him we were about to start my precontest perp then i had a wrist fracture... so no training for sometime... anyways... but this guy is great he seems to know everything about everything in bodybuilding....

Yeah, he's made a soon to be 66 year old look like a 50 year old. I was taking to a young guy in the gym and told him I went to school with his dad and he had a shocked look on his face and said "You're in your 60's????" I said "yep 66 next month" and he just shook his head. Ha, feels great, thanks Rick,

[esplendido]

what in your opinion should be the acceptable fat percentage in a mass gaining cycle... some say its good be heavy as it helps by increasing ur functional stength...as its related when you loose wt while on precontest your strength goes down...
than you

Whatever percentage you feel comfortable losing over 16-20 weeks of contest prep. Over 40 men and women should try to stay leaner during the off-season because the skin loses elasticity the older we get, and won't tighten up as well as in our youth.

Many pros end up 40-50lbs over competition weight in spite of what the magazines say. My experience is that extra weight does help with strength during the bulk phase, and I believe this is so because fat marbles into the muscle, acting as a folcrum that shortens the contraction of the fiber around it, making it stronger during heavy lifts. This is why powerlifters, the stongest of them, are very big with extra fat.

If lean muscle alone was all you needed, you'd be as strong ripped as you are bulked, and powerlifters would look like bodybuilders. That being said, a good rule of thumb would be no more than 15% over competition BF, which would make total BF at 19-20% off-season. If your competition weight is 200lbs at 4% BF, an additional 15% would put you at 230lbs off-season.

[esplendido]

Something I'll add that esplendido does well is a no-bullshit approach to observing progress and tweaking accordingly. IMO the most valuable thing you can get from a trainer or someone you rely on for gauging your progress in contest prep is a straight answer. I don't need sunshine blown up my ass so I feel good about myself while prepping. I need to know what a judge is going to say when I step onstage, as well as someone who will give me an objective opinion and probably drive me a little harder. Nerves are good, even 8 weeks out, because it keeps you on the ball instead of getting complacent. You can always pull a little more out if you know someone expects it of you, and you can't always be completely objective about your own progress.

Thank you for the compliment. I don't believe in wasting people's time (and mine). The truth, gracefully put, is what we all need to hear if we really want to move forward in this sport.

Gina Davis, IFBB Pro and OKC resident had a look at me while working with my wife's posing a few months ago. She asked what I was getting ready for and remarked about how big and thick my upper body was (I was wearing sweatpants and a tank top). She asked to see my legs, which I complied by showing my calves. I told her my legs were behind my upper body, but coming up. I also told her I was going to do the North Americans. She looked me in the eye and asked why I would go on the national stage if I wasn't ready (legs). I really hadn't thought of it that way, but she was right....and I wasn't the least offended. I decided then to put off national comps until 2010, to give the legs the work they needed, and do a regional show instead, to keep my chops up (and it's always good to get cut once a year).

I follow good advice, too.

BTW, Jill, it takes two to make good advice work. Your willingness to follow that advice speaks volumes about your maturity and experience.

[esplendido]

Yeah, he's made a soon to be 66 year old look like a 50 year old. I was taking to a young guy in the gym and told him I went to school with his dad and he had a shocked look on his face and said "You're in your 60's????" I said "yep 66 next month" and he just shook his head. Ha, feels great, thanks Rick,

Rodney, you were already looking in your fifties! You're an awesome BBer at any age and are going to tear up the 60-over Masters next year!

[sassy69]

Thank you for the compliment. I don't believe in wasting people's time (and mine). The truth, gracefully put, is what we all need to hear if we really want to move forward in this sport.

Gina Davis, IFBB Pro and OKC resident had a look at me while working with my wife's posing a few months ago. She asked what I was getting ready for and remarked about how big and thick my upper body was (I was wearing sweatpants and a tank top). She asked to see my legs, which I complied by showing my calves. I told her my legs were behind my upper body, but coming up. I also told her I was going to do the North Americans. She looked me in the eye and asked why I would go on the national stage if I wasn't ready (legs). I really hadn't thought of it that way, but she was right....and I wasn't the least offended. I decided then to put off national comps until 2010, to give the legs the work they needed, and do a regional show instead, to keep my chops up (and it's always good to get cut once a year).

I follow good advice, too.

BTW, Jill, it takes two to make good advice work. Your willingness to follow that advice speaks volumes about your maturity and experience.

One thing that helps A LOT is that I'm past most of the OMGICANTDOTHAT and mental anguish / denial that comes w/ pushing the edges. Instead I look forward to taking on the challenges of things like 'more cardio than I've ever done before' or doing a hella heavy leg workout fueled by only egg whites, coffee and the curiosity to see how it goes :)

And most of all, I really can't tell you how much I appreciate the time you've taken to give me some straight up critical input.

[Rocco1943]

Rodney, you were already looking in your fifties! You're an awesome BBer at any age and are going to tear up the 60-over Masters next year!

Thanks Rick, the check is in the mail. lol