Rich's New Beginning: WNBF Pro Stage in 2009!

[rich55]

CHEST AND BACK:

That is right, both chest AND back. My training partners were a little hesitant before the workout knowing that I was going to put us through the ringer. Oh, and my gym's AC broke and it was SUPER hot!

DB Pullovers
Focusing hard on contraction at top.
55 x 10
65 x 10
75 x 10
75 x 10
- SUPERSET -
Flat DB Press
55 x 10
65 x 10
75 x 8
75 x 6

Incline Bench
135 x 10
175 x 8
185 x 6
185 x 5
- SUPERSET -
Underhand High Pulley Rows
120 x 10
130 x 10
140 x 9
140 x 8

Hammer Wide Pulldowns
100/side x 10
105/side x 8 + 2 w/spot
105/side x 7 + 2 w/spot
105/side x 6 + 2 w/spot
- SUPERSET -
Decline Pushups
BW x 15
BW x 15
BW x 15
BW x 15

Close-Grip T-Bars
Accentuating stretch and squeeze as usual.
80 x 8
95 x 8
105 x 8
- SUPERSET -
Flat DB Flys
45 x 10
50 x 8 + 2 presses at end
50 x 8 + 4 presses at end semi-sup

Incline DB Straight Arm Flys
Playing with a Glass move. Chest DONE.
25 x 10
30 x 12

Straight-Arm Pulldowns
130 x 10
130 x 12-15 ---> James was standing over me forcing me to get more
- SUPERSET-
Low Pulley Medium Rows
130 x 10
130 x 11 -----> exhausted

Did 30 minutes of walking on incline / elliptical this morning and was just starved the rest of the morning. I probably burned 30% more calories today too being in that hot gym for 10 hours. Looking LEANER!!!!

[rich55]

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!

Our weekend was AWESOME! My wife and I enjoyed watching the new Star Trek movie, going to the Newport Aquarium, enjoying Tommy Bates preach, eating at the Taste of Cincinnati (cheatin), going to the Reds game and hanging with family. All around a great weekend that was much needed!

This morning I watched a nice segment on CNN discussing Memorial Day that I found touching. God Bless our current troops and veterans for giving us our freedom each day! Yes, grilling out with family is all good, but take a minute and just think about the sacrifices that many individuals and families have made.

HAMSTRINGS, LOWER BACK & ABS 5/24:
I found a smaller, but very nice Ideal Fitness less than a mile from our hotel.

Straight Leg Bar Deadlifts[/u]
Focusing on stretch and feel on these.
135 x 10
225 x 10
275 x 10
285 x 11 ----> #'s 8-11 were grueling

Seated Leg Curl Machine
90 x 10
90 x 8
90 x 7
- TRISET -
Prone Leg Curls Machine
This machine was a little different with a slightly more upright position that seemed to burn more. I will be tweaking my leg curls for a little while to incorporate this body position change and superset that just BURNED!!
90 x 10
90 x 10
90 x 7
- TRISET -
Weighted Crunches
20 lb DB behind head holding at top for 2-count. 3 sets of 10-15.

High Stance Leg Press
Different angle and machine that what I am used to, so it took a little adjusting.
2 plates/side x 15
3 plates/side x 15
4 plates/side x 15
5 plates/side x 15
5.5 plates/side x 16

Twisting Crunches on Ball
2 sets of 8
- SUPERSET -
Hyperextensions
2 sets of 10

I felt straight-up nauseous after this one. I am really digging the quad and hamstring split, which allows me to focus much more on my hams and lower back as needed.

Sunday was the scheduled Taste of Cincinnati day for my cheat meal, so to deserve such an awesome eating affair I got up early before church and did 30 minutes of fasted cardio. Boy did I eat! Carol's famous banana nut bread, bbq ribs, pizza, calzone, wings, mexican rolls, chocolate fondue, ice cream....YUMM!!! Just bit of each, but it added up.

PLAN FOR THE WEEK:
We took today off and are training back and chest tomorrow. I am doing fasted cardio again in the morning just to shock my body a little. I certainly leaned out a bit last week while holding steady at 169 lb, but I would like to see a little more fall off this week.

[rich55]

Well have fun on the mini-vaca. Way to hit those legs, some day I hope to grow some big boy legs as well. I may start drinking miracle gro, it works on plants. Keep it up rich can't wait to see the results.

Thanks Justin! We are definitely looking forward to it. We are staying 3 nights on the Kentucky side and will be checking out a Reds game, Newport aquarium and Tommy Bates preach. SO looking forward to it. I have a few options on gyms for Saturday and Monday.

No miracle gro necessary for legs. Just grow your tolerance for pain and burn. Every leg day should be a mission for you! Get it!


------------------

SHOULDERS TODAY, ARMS TOMORROW & I'M OUT:

That's right! A 4 day break from the same old. I am hitting arms at 11am, running a few errands and I'm out. Our shoulder workout was brutal:

Shoulder Stability Presses
15 lbs dangling from purple bands on each side with shoulder width grip on bar.
125 x 10
165 x 10
185 x 10
205 x 6
205 x 5
- SUPERSET -
45 degree Calf Raises
230 x 15
230 x 15 barely
230 x 12
230 x 11

Front Glass DB Raises
25 x 12
25 x 12
25 x 18
- SUPERSET -
Seated DB Lateral Raises
25 x 12
25 x 11
25 x ??? ----> no clue, took two rest pauses and spot from James

Standing Underhand Laterals
Starts with laterals at bottom and ends with palms facing up real wide at top. Very unique travel path to hit the shoulders just right on the front and pec-tie in.
20 x 12
20 x 12
20 x 12
- SUPERSET -
Bent-Over DB Lateral
Started out easy and then entire shoulder started to burn because of the above work^^
20 x 12
20 x 12
20 x 8 + 4 after rest pause

Seated DB Press
Palms facing on shoulder with pronated grip together high at top. Pulled in top of shoulders.
25 x 10
30 x 10
35 x 7
35 x 6
- SUPERSET -
Seated Shrug
Nice and slow focusing on lower traps by leaning over.
25 x 10
30 x 10
35 x 10
35 x 13

[rich55]

LEGS!!!!!

Need I say more. Quad focused workout yesterday with some lower back and glute emphasis as well.

Low Box Squats
Below parallel, narrow stance resting on box. Slow descent. These actually felt almost rehabilitating on my right knee.
95 x 8
135 x 8
185 x 6
225 x 6
245 x 6
265 x 5 ---> missed on #6 needing a spot

Hammer Leg Extensions
90 x 12
120 x 12
140 x 9 + 3 after a few breaths
140 x 8 + 3 after a few breaths
- SUPERSET -
Hammer Leg Press
230 x 12 ----> burned right from the start
280 x 12
300 x 9 -----> fading
280 x ???
drop set at end to 180 x 13 w/ very narrow stance pumping out fast

Reverse Hypers
Nice and light just focusing on squeezing lower back & glutes.
BW x 15
BW x 15
BW x 15
- SUPERSET -
Walking Lunges
BW x 30 or so
30 lb DB's x 30 or so
45's x 15 or so
drop to BW x 15

This workout definitely took it out of me the rest of the day. I will be hitting hamstrings this weekend down in Cinci. We are taking a little Memorial Day vacation this weekend to get away. I will be packing my cooler and locating some nearby gyms.

[rich55]

Ok so today i did Chest and Tri's ..And i chewed my BG. I gotta say it does work! Sure it tasted like sweaty sour toes (not that i've tried that) But i'm chewing my BG from now on! Nice suggestion!


PS: I Always accept Dares!

Haha, very nice! Told ya!! You definitely FEEL the Blue Gene kick in rather fast. Who cares about the taste! Pretty soon your smashing weights and have forgotten all about it.

---------------------------

BACK & BIS 5/19:

Back and bi training was awesome with good strength and a killer pump for both my back and biceps. When mixing up your training, sometimes it is just good and other times it is great. Today was great!

Underhand High Pulley Rows
Still digging these and feeling stronger.
110 x 10
130 x 10
140 x 10
150 x 10
150 x 8
- SUPERSET -
Alternating Hammer DB Curls
35 x 8
45 x 8
50 x 5
45 x 7

Hammer Wide Pulldowns
115/side x 8 ----> little much after the above work
105/side x 9 ------> felt these much better
105/side x 8 + 2 w/ spot
- SUPERSET -
Wide Barbell Curls
Strict and controlled. Tried to keep the pace continuous to enhance burn.
65 x 10
75 x 10
85 x 6 + 2 w/spot

Close-Grip T-Bar Rows
The mind-muscle connection on these never felt so good as today. I felt a huge pull from my lower lats and mid-back. EXACTLY what I want to grow. Kept it all about feel on these.
70 x 8
80 x 8
90 x 8
90 x 7

EZ Close-Grip Preacher Curls
55 x 15
65 x 13 ----> started messing around with various DB curls between sets
65 x 7 -------> all the messing around crushed my arms

Across Chest Hammers & Side Incline DB Curls
2 sets each with 20's between sets squeezing the bi's as hard as possible

Straight-Arm Pulldowns
120 x 15
130 x 13
130 x 12
- SUPERSET -
Low Pulley Overhand/Narrow Rows
Awesome upper back finisher!
120 x 10
130 x 9
130 x 8 + 4 after a little razzing from James

LITTLE UPDATE:
I dropped my calories just a touch from 3200 to 3050 on training days pulling from my last two meals of the day. Off days are much lower. I have still stayed away from cardio, but keep in mind that I train 6-8 hours per day plus workouts and am very active. My training is very fast paced. My poor training partners. I will continue to adjust my diet as needed.

Tonight, was one of the AHA moments! The past 3 days has been spent checking my progress in my mirrors at home for more progress. I came to the conclusion that I want to look very ripped at the 8 week out mark and shredded at 4 weeks out. And this evening it was very evident that I am on my way with a little more quad, delt, ab and hamstring showing through. Very nice!

MY CONTROLLED LABS PLAN & TIMELINE:

9 Weeks out (5/30): Posing begins 3 times weekly with posing class at least every other week.
8 Weeks out (6/6): Progress pictures with goal of being VERY ripped. Adding WHITE FLOOD & BLUE UP. Off Blue Gene.
6 Weeks out (6/20): Adding REDUCTION.
4 Weeks out (7/4): Adding back in BLUE GENE. Pose, pose, pose with posing class each week. GOAL = BE SHREDDED more than ever before at this mark.

[conda]

GREAT!! June is just around the corner



Yes, and chewing them while terrible, certainly enhances the absorption. Try it, I dare you.


------------------

SHOULDERS & ARMS 5/15:

We blasted shoulders & arms today. Next week arms will get their own day to have plenty of undivided attention. After all of the shoulder work, we just wore down. Lots of volume:

Shoulder Stability Presses with Bands
Seated DB Glass Front Raises superset to Seated DB Laterals
Hammer Behind Neck Press to Bent Over DB Laterals
Seated DB Shrug to Lateral Push superset Cable Pushdowns
Barbell Curls triset Lying DB Extensions triset Close-Grip Bench Pushups
Outside Cable Curls
Across Chest Hammer Curls superset to various Cable Extensions

22 sets for shoulders
13 sets for tris
9 sets for bis

JUDGING THE INBF TRI-STATE
I will be judging Delbert and LaDawn Hickman's Tri-State show in Dayton this weekend. I will be doing some various hamstring & core stuff on Saturday at Neo Limits gym there. My legs are SO CRUSHED!! Top 10 leg day soreness of all time from Wednesday. But, I saved some for my hammies and lower back.

My waist is down to 29" (down 1/4 inch from last week) while staying at 169 lbs. NICE!!

Ok so today i did Chest and Tri's ..And i chewed my BG. I gotta say it does work! Sure it tasted like sweaty sour toes (not that i've tried that) But i'm chewing my BG from now on! Nice suggestion!


PS: I Always accept Dares!

[rich55]

[u]CHEST & TRIS 5/18:
Today's chest workout was awesome. Tremendous pump and excruciating tension from several different angles. I threw in tris at the end which felt pretty good. I just kept going till I had nothing left, so yes there is quite a bit of volume here. I will be hitting arms on Friday by themselves when I am nice and fresh.

DB Pullovers
Super hard contraction at the top.
55 x 10
65 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10
- SUPERSET -
Flat DB Press
55 x 10
65 x 10
70 x 7
70 x 5 + 3 after rest pause ----> these are super hard after pre-exhausting pullovers

Incline Bench
135 x 8
175 x 8
175 x 8
185 x 5 + 1 w/spot

Decline Pushups
Loved these after the incline work. Burned like crazy. Toes on bench nice and slow.
BW x 15
BW x 15 ----> had to take a few breaths to finish
BW x 12ish

Flat DB Flys
Focusing hard on squeeze bringing pinkies together at the top
40 x 12
45 x 9 + 3 after a few breaths and James yelling at me
45 x 9 + 3 w/spot
- SUPERSET -
Rope Pulldowns
90 x 12
90 x 10
90 x 9

Straight Bar Skullcrushers
65 x 10
70 x 9
70 x 9
- SUPERSET -
Close-Grip Smith Bench
95 x 10
105 x 8
105 x 8

Strict V-Bar Pushdowns
50 x 12
60 x 9
50 x 12
- SUPERSET -
Parallel Bar Dips
BW x 6
BW x 9 ----> had to wait on Clint, so I had a little more of a break
BW x 6

[rich55]

HAMS, ABS & LOWER BACK 5/16:

After the prejudging at the Tri-State show, I hit our hotel gym. They had a leg curl machine and 100 lb DB's, so I decided to save cash on a day pass.

Seated Leg Curl Machine
Nice and slow focusing hard on hamstring contraction.
70 x 10
80 x 10
90 x 10
100 x 10
110 x 8
70 x 14
- SUPERSET -
Straight-Leg DB Deadlifts
Slow negatives holding stretch at bottom
50 x 10
70 x 10
85 x 10
100 x 10
100 x 9
100 x 8

Cable Pullthroughs
3 sets with unknown weight
- SUPERSET -
Weighted Crunches
Tucked a 20 lb DB behind my head for 3 sets x 12-15

Ball Twisting Crunches
3 sets of 7-10 per side
- SUPERSET -
Alternating Leg & Arm Lefts on Ball
3 sets of 10 per side to prehab the lower back a bit

I enjoyed a nice cheat meal of bread, lasagna, meatballs, italian sausage, banana nut bread and little bit of raspberry cobbler after the show. The show Tri-State show was decent in its second year with very good figure talent. There were a few very good bodybuilders as well, but deep figure classes.

[rich55]

Things are fabulous Motivation is pretty up there as well! I'm itching to get back into the gym though... I should hopefully be getting my membership back I'm guessing early June. Work has been CRAZY busy, so I should be good to go soon

GREAT!! June is just around the corner

BG is my favorite supp. But it doesn't smell too good. Chewing them... ughhh i might have to remain a not so REAL man haha.

Yes, and chewing them while terrible, certainly enhances the absorption. Try it, I dare you.


------------------

SHOULDERS & ARMS 5/15:

We blasted shoulders & arms today. Next week arms will get their own day to have plenty of undivided attention. After all of the shoulder work, we just wore down. Lots of volume:

Shoulder Stability Presses with Bands
Seated DB Glass Front Raises superset to Seated DB Laterals
Hammer Behind Neck Press to Bent Over DB Laterals
Seated DB Shrug to Lateral Push superset Cable Pushdowns
Barbell Curls triset Lying DB Extensions triset Close-Grip Bench Pushups
Outside Cable Curls
Across Chest Hammer Curls superset to various Cable Extensions

22 sets for shoulders
13 sets for tris
9 sets for bis

JUDGING THE INBF TRI-STATE
I will be judging Delbert and LaDawn Hickman's Tri-State show in Dayton this weekend. I will be doing some various hamstring & core stuff on Saturday at Neo Limits gym there. My legs are SO CRUSHED!! Top 10 leg day soreness of all time from Wednesday. But, I saved some for my hammies and lower back.

My waist is down to 29" (down 1/4 inch from last week) while staying at 169 lbs. NICE!!

[conda]

Yup, you read that right haha. No and it is about the worst tasting pill you could imagine. I forgot to take them once and figured if I chewed it up real quick, swishing it around that the blood vessels in the mouth would soak up the supps faster. WOW, did I notice the difference! I now check them up every time. Real men chew their Blue Gene!



I don't. I simply nix the Reduction the day of the show and go with just coffee.



Hey Jenn!!!! What is happening? Thank you for the thorough email a while back. How is the motivation going? You must do it for yourself.

Yes, I believe that is a miracle from God after 6 years of bodybuilding, haha. No, seriously!

BG is my favorite supp. But it doesn't smell too good. Chewing them... ughhh i might have to remain a not so REAL man haha.

[dogsofgold]

Hey Jenn!!!! What is happening? Thank you for the thorough email a while back. How is the motivation going? You must do it for yourself.

Yes, I believe that is a miracle from God after 6 years of bodybuilding, haha. No, seriously! [/QUOTE]

Things are fabulous Motivation is pretty up there as well! I'm itching to get back into the gym though... I should hopefully be getting my membership back I'm guessing early June. Work has been CRAZY busy, so I should be good to go soon

[rich55]

That's great! I noticed it says you use Blue Gene Chewed? lol Did they come out with flavors i didnt hear about?

Yup, you read that right haha. No and it is about the worst tasting pill you could imagine. I forgot to take them once and figured if I chewed it up real quick, swishing it around that the blood vessels in the mouth would soak up the supps faster. WOW, did I notice the difference! I now check them up every time. Real men chew their Blue Gene!

When do you stop taking your supplements before a show or do you?

I don't. I simply nix the Reduction the day of the show and go with just coffee.

Your chest and arms definitely look thicker than the last contest time!

Hey Jenn!!!! What is happening? Thank you for the thorough email a while back. How is the motivation going? You must do it for yourself.

Yes, I believe that is a miracle from God after 6 years of bodybuilding, haha. No, seriously!

[rich55]

CRAZY LEGS 5/13:

From this point going forward, we are training for full annihilation. We are leaving nothing behind and if we have to crawl out of the gym, so be it. I am training as if Brian Whitacre is coming to Mid-American and I have to beat him (or to do my very best and try ). For those of you not familiar with the WNBF or the best lightweight natural pro around...

In the middle:


Second from the right:


Our lower backs were a little sore from back day yesterday and hammies from the deadlifting, so yesterday was a lower-back friendly and quad heavy day.

Hammer Leg Extensions
Nice & slow with strong contraction at the top.
90 x 12
110 x 12
130 x 12
140 x 9 + 3 after a few breaths
- SUPERSET -
Hammer Leg Press
Good control with shoulder width stance.
180 x 12
270 x 12
320 x 12 ----> lots of burn
320 x 12
drop to 230 x 13 with closer stance ----> oh the burn!!

At this point my quads were so pumped that I decided we needed to something brutal on our quads to finish them off.

Standing 1-Leg Machine Curls
Nice & slow focusing on hamstring contraction and burn.
65 x 12
65 x 12
65 x 9
- TRISET -
Hanging Leg/Knee Raises
Many as I could feet up, then knees up. 3 body weight sets.
- TRISET -
Walking Lunges
For about 50 total steps each set. Yes 50, nice and controlled. Took a few minutes to finish each set of lunges alone. Time under tension....CHECK!
BW x 50ish total steps
20 lb DB's x 50ish total steps
20 lb DB's x 50ish total steps

After sitting down for 5 minutes while James finished his sets, I determined I had a little something left in my hammies and glutes. James had been fighting me to not do a 3rd set of those lunges previously and wasn't happy to hear that we were not done.

High Leg Presses
Nice and slow focusing on hamstrings with slightly wider stance. Pulled through the inner thigh a little as well.
4 plates/side x 15
4.5 plates/side x 15
4.5 plates/side x 17 ----> #'s 10-17 were absolutely grueling

Almost fell down the stairs on the way to the locker room. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Thank you Lord for getting me through this one.

[dogsofgold]

Your chest and arms definitely look thicker than the last contest time!

[bull.dogz]

When do you stop taking your supplements before a show or do you?