Battle for the Brits 2012 (PICS Pg 13)

Introduction:
For those who have followed my past journals this will be pretty much kicking off in the same fashion as those previous, bulking for a show and then contest prep.
For those who haven't followed my journals before here is a brief catch up.
 
2008 - Fat @ 275lbs (Fatty want a donut??)

 
2009 - Mr Solent City - First show @215lbs (1st timers + Overall winner)

 
2009 - NABBA Novice Finals @ 205lbs (6th place)

 
2010 - 2x hernia operations took me out
 
2011 - UKBFF Portsmouth - Inters O90KG @ 94.5KG (1st place)

 
2011 - UKBFF British Finals - Inters U90KG @ 89.5KG (2nd place)

 
Since the Brits i have been enjoying time with friends and family after 27 weeks of dieting/prepping. Its good to take a step back and appreciate other areas of life, its just gotta be done as bodybuilding is a very selfish pursuit, others sometimes do not appreciate the sacrifice or focus required.
I had a good Christmas and New Year but now its time to get back into the swing of things!!
 
Plans:

By placing 2nd at the Brits I have automatically qualified for this years British Finals, no need to prep for a qualifier and more importantly, more time to grow!!!
So with the Brits in mind for October 2012 the objective is to put on some solid mass onto my frame as i will be in with the big boys now (no longer an Inter).

At Portsmouth I was 94.5kg and at the brits i had to sacrifice a lot of size to make 89.5kg so its safe to say i will be in the U100KG class with Haroldas and Barny (eeeeek!)....
 
My weakness is my back and lack of density, both are coming along but the back will be hammered hard in this offseason. Shows are won from the back afterall...
 
Announcements:

I was prepped by James Collier during 2011 and under his guidance i won a class and came 2nd at the Brits, I consider him one of the best in the UK prep business and also a friend.
However I have been offered a once in a lifetime opportunity (IMO) to work with IFBB Pro Harold Marillier and this was too good to pass up.

I have been speaking to Big H now for few months and I am excited to try new dieting and training methods to take a step up in my preparations for 2012, he is based closer to my home and also works with the owner of the gym (Craig Linton) i am sponsored by (Fratton Gym).
 
Craig and I drove to Forest Gym on Monday to discuss things with Big H and so he could have a look at me again before passing on the diet sheets.
Cliff notes: Back needs 15lbs of mass added to it to bring up with the rest.
I will be taking regular trips to Forest Gym to train with Big H for back workouts and I'm hoping a few leg sessions!
 
Diet:

Big H has given me an all new diet plan to what I am used to and will help me put on some quality size in the offseason. I'm not going to copy and paste it as somethings i like to keep to myself.... The macro breakdown however is:
PROTEIN 390g + 30g glutamine CARBS 320g FATS 95g
k/CAL 3815

Training:

My training will be arranged to bring up my weak points and maximise my strengths, back will be hit every 5 days and legs will be trained again!!! Return of QUADZILLA!!!!

I have gained a fantastic asset in the form of a new training partner also, (Andy i know Craig will tell you about this bit lol)... Me and Andy have trained for a while before during my Brit prep and we decided to work more in the offseason as we have mutual goals, he can match me for strength and the guy wants to train hard!!
What more can you ask?

Final notes:

Starting pics:


Please no discussion of AAS/PEDS, it is not something i will entertain so please respect that.
 

All the best with Aaron, will be following.

Well well Big man, glad to see this up and will be following closely, hope it all works out mate.

Looking forward to seeing changes and how this year pans out.

TIME TO GET MASSIVE :) 

15lbs added to back = !!
 
All the best with this mate, its going to take a lot of graft to get you to that next level, like you say, sharing the stage with Haroldas = WTF!?!? You're a dedicated guy, so I'm sure you'll do yourself proud

Whoop!! Whoop!! Great stuff Aaron, great to see this journal and looking forward to following your journey. All the best.

Flanders


Whoop!! Whoop!! Great stuff Aaron, great to see this journal and looking forward to following your journey. All the best.

 
cheers flanders! took some time away from the forums and now ready to come back and smash up the weights and get some progression going on.

johnnyp


All the best with Aaron, will be following.

 
thanks johnny!
 

Danny187

Well well Big man, glad to see this up and will be following closely, hope it all works out mate.
Looking forward to seeing changes and how this year pans out.

TIME TO GET MASSIVE :) 

 
cheers danny! TIME TO GET FREEEEAAAAKIN HUUUUGE!
 

Tony Barnes


15lbs added to back = !!

All the best with this mate, its going to take a lot of graft to get you to that next level, like you say, sharing the stage with Haroldas = WTF!?!? You're a dedicated guy, so I'm sure you'll do yourself proud

 
Thanks tony!! yeah standing near haroldas is going to be...errrmmm...interesting!!!
 
-----------------------
 
Arms

DB CURLS - RUNNING THE RACK
32KG - 28KG - 22KG - 18KG - 12KG
Going from one to the other with no rest x 3 sets
6-10 reps each.

EZ CABLE CURLS
49KG - 12 REPS A
56KG - 12 REPS A
63KG - 12 REPS A

REVERSE EZ CURLS
15KG - 10 REPS X 3 SETS
'I GO YOU GO' With training partner

TRI-PUSHDOWNS (INVERTED V-BAR)
57KG - 12 REPS A
63KG - 12 REPS B
57KG - 12 REPS A

OH CABLE EXTENSIONS
56KG - 15 REPS B
56KG - 15 REPS B
56KG - 12 REPS B

ROPE PUSHDOWNS
35KG - 15 REPS A
42KG - 12 REPS B
42KG - 12 REPS B

Hi Aaron,
your last journal was a hell of a journey so Im looking forward to keeping up with this one! All the best with the progress, im sure you'll get there . Im trying to grow (in other words - eating like a freaking horse) into the u90k catagory for this year, so I know following this will help keep a lot of us motivated!
Good luck
 
Neil

Good start to the journal! Please note, I am not appreciating the pants - have you been taking notes from Tony_Barnes???
 
Big H is awesome, you'll have an amazing time working with him, so good luck

the pants rock flick!! dont diss the pants!!!
i was in monster gym (cheshunt) and saw your pic up on the wall of fame by the leg press! didnt know you trained there?
 
H wants my pic on his wall so have to sort out some prints
He is only prepping 10 people this year i hear so proud to be in that number.
 

Good that H is limiting it to 10, too many and you start to get lost as a number IMO.
I worked with his wife and she was always amazing with me 
Monster was my home for 1.5 years when I lived in London! Steve the owner is very supportive of bodybuilders which I loved. That pic is well old from 2008, my first bodybuilding comp 

flick161


Please note, I am not appreciating the pants - have you been taking notes from Tony_Barnes???

I resent that!! Primarily 'cos Aarons kecks suck...

Tony Barnes

I resent that!! Primarily 'cos Aarons kecks suck...

 
they were all sold out of spiderman

flick161


Good that H is limiting it to 10, too many and you start to get lost as a number IMO.
I worked with his wife and she was always amazing with me 
Monster was my home for 1.5 years when I lived in London! Steve the owner is very supportive of bodybuilders which I loved. That pic is well old from 2008, my first bodybuilding comp 

steve's a good bloke, was chatting to him briefly on saturday.
The food there is a life saver when you are caught short too.
 
---------------------
 
saturday Back:
Hammer strength high pulls
80kg 12 reps
120kg 8 reps
160kg 8 reps
120kg 8 reps

Db rows
62.5kg x 10 x 3

Close grip pull downs
3 sets x 10 reps - forgot weight!!

Hammer strength single arm rows
50kg x 12 reps x 3 sets

Hammer strength shrugs
120kg
160kg
160kg

Bb shrugs
140kg
140kg
120kg

and hes off! haha
 
some big numbers moving already
 
has someone warned your training partner about spotting you when squatting??

^^^ I got stuck under the bar yesterday (set the cage too low, wasn't thinking, then ran out of puff) - guy helped me out. We had a laugh about it, then I showed him that vid of Aaron nailing his partner with 185kg - his comment "****, looked like a car hit him" 

dazc

and hes off! haha
some big numbers moving already
has someone warned your training partner about spotting you when squatting??

 
hey bud! yup starting the new diet plan today as well.
Loving eating brown pasta or rice during the day, looking forward to seeing what numbers i will be shifting soon!
 
LMAO, everyone seems to know about it in my gym, even switching gyms didnt stop that tale spreading!!
 

Tony Barnes


^^^ I got stuck under the bar yesterday (set the cage too low, wasn't thinking, then ran out of puff) - guy helped me out. We had a laugh about it, then I showed him that vid of Aaron nailing his partner with 185kg - his comment "****, looked like a car hit him" 

i say it looks lie he's attached to a horizontal bungee cord
Boooooooing!

Glad to see you back on diet Aaron, you know consistency is key LOL


Good luck fella :)

Hi Aaron - good to see a new journal.  I'm pretty new here but caught the tail end of your old one - it grabbed my interest with the Pompey connection (my wife's from Fareham).
 
All the best with the new diet and training - time to pack on more slabs of quality muscle!

hey matt, thanks for the support!!
 
I'm without a training partner this week and the gym was really quiet so had all the atmosphere of a library!!
Will need to invest in a MP3 player i think
 
Strength is on the up and up!
 
Cardio is @ 40mins every morning during the week now on the treadmill so 600 odd cals burnt.
 
Loving the new diet, bit of a b1tch to prep as i dont have a microwave at work so cold oats and water isnt exactly tip top tastic but where needs must....chug chug chug!
 
TUES - BACK
LAT PULLDOWN
126KG - 10 REPS A
126KG - 10 REPS B
119KG - 10 REPS B
 
1 ARM MACHINE ROWS
85KG - 8 REPS B
80KG - 8 REPS B
70KG - 10 REPS B
 
BENT ROWS
120KG - 10 REPS B
100KG - 12 REPS B
100KG - 12 REPS B
 
CLOSE GRIP PULLDOWNS
98KG - 10 REPS A
98KG - 10 REPS B
98KG - 10 REPS B
 
LOW PULLEY ROWS
89KG - 10 REPS A
95KG - 10 REPS A
95KG - 10 REPS B
 
 
 

Chest!

INCLINE SMITH PRESS
140KG - 6 REPS B
130KG - 6 REPS B
120KG - 6 REPS B

Up on last weeks lifts by 10kg, chakka ching ching!

INCLINE HAMMER STRENGTH PRESS
100KG - 10 REPS A
100KG - 6 REPS B
90KG - 8 REPS B

Up again by 10kg

DB FLYS
34KG - 8 REPS A
34KG -8 REPS B
34KG - 6 REPS B

Up by 2kg

CABLE CROSSOVERS
49KG - 10 REPS B
42KG - 10 REPS B
42KG - 10 REPS B

No training partner again tonight so couldnt push myself as hard as id of liked but got some good numbers.

Jeans are getting tighter on the pegs and one t-shirt is going back in the prep suitcase at the back of the cupboard. Time to go clothes shopping again!

Oh...weight this morning is 110.0kg

That's nearly double me!!! Fatty 
 
P.S. Where you training these days and what kinda time?