Competing next year

[colossus]

Hi Kerry,>>

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It is great that you are doing this advice forum. I have read with interest. Additionally, I would like to congratulate you on the seminar you gave two weeks ago. It was fantastic and I hope you plan further sessions.>>

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I train at Betta Bodies. I am the one who posed for you depleted the other week and you summarily instructed to ‘carb up’.>>

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Having spoken to both John H and yourself, and valuing your opinions and assessment of my physique and potential, I have been encouraged to become more serious about bodybuilding and focus 100 percent on the pursuit, hopefully inaugurating my competitive career at the North West Championships next year.>>

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This gives me a full year to make the improvements necessary for me to feel comfortable with my physical package competitively – 9 months off-season, 3 months dieting, after a break until end of May 2008. >>

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I would appreciate it if you could peruse my diet plan and training regime and suggest any possible improvements. I know I can just talk to you in the gym, and I will do, but sometimes it is beneficial to see it written down, and I’ll remember your answers more fully.>>

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Off-season Diet Plan>>

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Pre-meal 1: (6.00AM) Creatine E2>>

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Meal 1: (6.30AM) 3 scoops pro-peptide, 100g (all measures dry) oats in water, pro-vital, essential fats, 1g vitamin C.>>

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Meal 2: (9.00AM) 2 scoops whey protein, pro-flapjack, apple.>>

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Meal 3: (12.00PM) 350g turkey or chicken ***, 100g brown rice, 1 tsp flax seed oil, 2-3 x green vegetables.>>

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Around 2.30PM – Creatine E2>>

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Meal 4: (3.00PM) 350g turkey or chicken ***, 100g brown rice, 1tsp flax seed oil, 1-2 x vegetables, apple.>>

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Train 5PM – 6PM>>

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Meal 5: (6.00PM) 3 scoops pro-recover, banana, 1g vitamin C, 400 i.u Vitamin E.>>

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Meal 6: (7.00PM) 350g turkey, chicken or lean beef, 100g brown rice, 3x green vegetables.>>

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Meal 7: (9.30PM) 3 scoops pro-peptide, 100g oats in water, pro-vital, essential fats.>>

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Drink 4-8 litres of water daily>>

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This is the basic diet plan, giving around 450-500g protein, 450-500g + of carbohydrates, at a bodyweight of 18 stone plus (will increase carbohydrate content as weight gain stagnates). Would it provide further benefit to have another pro-peptide in the middle of the night? >>

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My training split, prioritising weaker bodyparts, is as follows:>>

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Monday: Chest, triceps and biceps>>

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Tuesday: Back, rear delts, traps, lower back>>

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Wednesday: off – cardio (30 minutes stationary cycle or treadmill)>>

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Thursday: Calves and deltoids>>

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Friday: off – cardio 30 minutes>>

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Saturday: Quads and Hamstrings>>

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Sunday: off – cardio>>

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I train using high intensity, one set to failure. I will be prioritising my weak points with regards to intensity principles.>>

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I really appreciate any additional advice and look forward to talking with you again soon at the gym.>>

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Thanks>>

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Dave >>

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[colossus]

kk - I have looked at your diet and it is pretty good and thanks for the compliments on my seminar (I will probably do one in the next 2 or 3 weeks because people are asking me to).

I think you are just a little bit over the top on protein, especially at meal 2. Whey protein is okay but not past 25 grams. Any more than this and 40% of it will get oxidised by the liver.

3 scoops of pro Peptide is pushing it a bit, this is about 70 grams of protein, you are a big man so maybe 2 scoops is on the small side so I suggest 2 and a half scoops.

No, you dont have to get up in the middle of the night to take some Pro Peptide, your sleep is more important. We, years ago used to get up in the middle of the night but that is when we were using just whey protein and as it is in and out of your system very quickly we wanted to put some protein in to give us the aminos acids that were required. The whole science behind Pro Peptide is that it is a fast and slow protein (timed release) and the micellar casein in Pro Peptide is the only protein that has been proven to be anti-catobolic.

I have looked at your workout and it's fine except you might want to look at your calves on Thursday. If you are training them a lot (I know you train hard) they may well still be fatigued on Saturday when you are training the rest of your legs. As the calves get used a lot in leg press you may be failing because of the calves before the quads are fatigued.

[colossus]

Thanks, I'll curb that whey protein a bit

I'll have to think about this calves thing, as I can't really train them with quads and hams, as it's just too taxing considering these are all my weaker points.

What would you suggest regards placing the calves workout in the split?

[colossus]

Have changed thus:

Training Split

Monday - Chest and triceps
Tuesday - Hamstrings and back
Wednesday - Cardio (30 mins)
Thursday - Shoulders, traps, and biceps
Friday - Cardio (30 mins)
Saturday - Quads and calves
Sunday - Cardio (30 mins)

I think this is better, do you? Although the back and hamstrings workout is heavy going, back will be traned exclusive of rear delts and trap which will be removed to the shoulders workout. The emphasis will be on hamstrings, as my back is comparatively strong, plus I'll have the wednesday off.
The quads and calves workout is very do-able, probably more so than the quads with hams, and neither the calves or quads workouts should be compromised this way.

Ammened diet plan thus

Meal 1 - creatine e2 prior, then, 3 scps pro-peptide, 100g oats, 1-2 wholegrain toast, pro-vital, fish oils, 1g vitamin C
Meal 2 - 350g turkey ***, 100g brown rice, broccoli and cauliflour, apple, tsp flax seed oil
Meal 3 -350 turkey, 100g brown rice, broccoli, cauliflour, 1tsp flax seed oil
Meal 4 - 2 pro-flapjacks, 1 scp whey protein, apple
Training
Meal 5 - 2scps pro-recover, 1 scp whey protein, banana, 1g vitamin C, 400iu vitamin E
Meal 6 - 350g fish or lean beef, 100g brown rice, broccoli and cauliflour
Creatine e2
Meal7 - 3 scps pro-peptide, 100g porridge oats, pro-vital, fish oils

Jigged things around a bit. I hear what you are saying about the protein but have found that I respond well to a slightly higher than protein intake whilst holding back slightly on othe carbs.

Thanks again for your help, look forward to the next seminar

[colossus]

The workout is much better and I always (when I was in hard training) and now when I advise people, put back and hamstrings together and yes, it is probably the biggest work out of the week. Maybe do it Monday (swap it with chest) when you have had a day off before it.

I hear what you are saying about the higher protein whilst holding back slightly on carbs but remember if you are not assimilating all the protein you are eating, some of that protein can end up as energy.

But the most important thing is you are listening to your body.

[colossus]

I've been telling people for years not to get up in the night for protein shakes. Your body needs to shut down its digestive system during the night, not have it temporarily started again and it obviously interrupts your sleep.

[colossus]

There is no need to get up in the middle of the night when you are taking a protein (Pro Peptide) that will last in your system for 7 hours.