Tobyh5 - First show done. Invite to British Finals. Pictures on page 12

I have decided to begin competing in 2011 and am going to do a nice regular journal of how I train, what I eat and put some pictures up. The first pictures will go up later and then I will update.
Quick Bio:  36 years old. 5ft 8" tall.
Boxed as a teenager up to age 22 as a welterweight. Gave up boxing/training when first child was born as work and other commitements took over, became lazy and blew up in weight to 17st 8lb with 42" waist. In 2001 I decided to address weight issue with no fitness or body shape ideals, just wanted to shift the blubber. Did Atkins Diet and by 2003 was down to 13stone and happier. Went back to boxing and competed until 2006/07 as a light heavyweight (12st 10lb) and was only concerned with boxing stuff and not body fat, muscles, how I looked etc. As long I was comfortable in the ring I was happy.
 
Got divorced and was in another relationship, nightmare situation which eventually led to me giving up training again in 2007 and over the next year I got fat again, up to 14stone. Thankfully that relationship ended in early 2008 and the stress caused the weight to drop and I was back down to 12 stone 4lb and looking slim and went back to boxing - got a distral rupture on left bicep (tore tendon off bone) and had op to fix. Couldnt drive and weight dropped through walking everywhere to a slim 11st 7lb. Decided to start weight training when arm was better and got hooked. Trained in all sorts of routines and diets for two years - 4 day split, 5 day split, one body part once per week/twice per week added cardio (LIT and then tried HIIT) and tuned into diet of 5/6 meals per day and tried different variations - low carbs, higher carbs, carb cycling etc.
 
During 2008 - June 2010 I got up to and maintained a weight of 12st 4lb with about 15% body fat and build was ok for an average guy but not what I wanted - muscluar, bulky, not fat as such but a little soft (will add picture later) 
 
Got a dvd called iwanttolooklikethatguy (which followed a fat man of 205lb who wanted to look like the guy in the ads and employed a bodybuilder to make him look like that - he went from 205lb and 42" waist to 154lb and 27" waist and came second in a big comp in the USA) and researched his training which was MAX-OT and his diet which was 53% protein, 37% carbs, 10% fat and copied it all. Did it exactly as he did, weighed food, trained identical and within 8 weeks was down to 11stone and 10% BF. Now I am ripped like never before and want to compete but am lacking in mass and going to be trying to up the mass slowly without gaining fat.
To that end I have employed as a consultant Jeff Willet who trained the guy in that DVD who is working out my nutrition to fit my life and my training. Jeff is a Team Universe Champion from the USA and the consultancy is done via the telephone, internet and email
 
I have been on holiday to Spain recently and am a smidge more body fat and weight than I was comfortable at and what I want as my base to add lean mass from so for next two weeks am back to what i did to get to where I was happy which is 1800 cals, MAX-OT weights five days per week with cardio 16 mins intense twice per day.
This will be my diet, training and pics. For now it will be more doing what I had copied from the DVD, then as Jeff finishes designing it, that will become the diet plan and training. I hope to be ready to start that in two weeks.

In the gym for 6.30am this morning as per my normal daily routine. Legs today. You will notice I do not do a lot of sets or reps as that is the MAX-OT way.
 
Warm up:-
First set is 12 reps at 50%
Second set is 10 reps at 50%
Third set is 6 reps at 65%
Fourth set is 3 reps at 80%
Fifth set is 2 reps at 90%
 
Working sets now-
Barbell Squats - 3 sets of 6 - 8 reps at 115kg
Leg press machine - 3 sets of 6 - 8 reps at 170kg
Stiff leg deadlifts - 2 sets of 6 reps at 120kg
Leg press machine calf raises - 3 sets 6 reps at 170kg
Standing barbell calf raises - 3 sets of 6 reps at 140kg.
*No AM cardio due to sons first day at school :-)
 
Todays Diet
6am (wake up) - 33g Bran Flakes and 150ml of skimmed milk
 
6.30am (Shake as I warm up in gym) - 1 scoop of whey, 20g dextrose, 5g glutamine, 5g creatine
 
7.30am (After training) - 1 scoop of whey, 20g dextrose, 5g glutamine, 5g creatine
 
9am - 125g White potato, 100g steamed chicken, 5g chicken stock granuals
 
12noon - 100g steamed chicken, 5g chicken stock granuals, 1 banana 
 
3pm - 100g steamed chicken, 5g chicken stock granuals, 1 muller light yoghurt
 
5.00pm - Gym for cardio of 16 mins hard bike.
 
6pm - 175g lean pork (all fat removed, literally only the meat), salad and ton of broccoli (do not count the cals of broccoli as the fibre content and how hard your body has to work to digest etc burns it making it a negative calorie)
 
9pm - 30g whey protein
 
2 litres of water drank through the day.
Supplements taken - glocosaine, multi-vits, fish oil, maximuscle thermobol fat burners.
 
Totals
1755 calories
230g protein (52.5%)
156g carbs (36%)
22.5g fat (11.5%)
  
  
  
 

Just signing in... I hope you do well and acheve your goals.

Good luck and all the best.

CHANGED PICS TUESDAY 7th SEPTEMBER AS ONES LAST NIGHT HAD POOR LIGHTING AND AFTER EATING.

* Sounds like an excuse but this is true. Due to rare circumstances I did zero cardio last week and ate like a pig (decided to give myself a break a couple times and start afresh this week which led to last night when I had 12 choc digestives, 2 galaxy cake bars, a bag of maltesers, 5 bourbons and a wulnut whip lmao and a couple other nights in last week I been a bit naughty - I have just started Champix the give up smoking drug and it screwed things up this week. Back to Mr Studious)

So pics are probably a smidge not accurate normally but are today.

Good luck with your training and goals......

Thank you.

Todays diet will be identical to yesterday, it always is the same lol
 
Training - 6.30am - Chest and forearms
Warm up:-
All on incline bench
12 x 45kg
10 x 45kg
6 x 58kg
3 x 70kg
2 x 80kg
 
Working Sets:
Incline bench
6 x 90kg
6 x 90kg
6 x 90kg
All nice and deep and controlled
(will up this to 92.5kg next time to make the fifth or sixth rep a positive failure)
 
Flat Bench
4 x 100kg but not deep enough and struggled even not going as deep as I should of so dropped weight
6 x 90kg (perfect set and sixth rep was fine so upped it for next set)
5 x 95kg (struggled with just the 5kg addition, struggled for depth and the push)
(Flat bench proving a difficulty at the moment, very frustrated by flat bench at the moment)
 
Decline Bench
6 x 90kg
6 x 90kg
(Both quite comfortable, like decline, will have to up it to 92.5kg to make the fifth or sixth rep a positive failure)
 
Normally that is it for chest however due to my anger at my struggling flat I did one set of the 42kg dumbells on the flat bench.
 
Wrist Curls sitting on bench with barbell
8 x 35kg
7 x 35kg
(comfortably hard at the end of the set)
 
Standing dumbell wrist curls
14 x 20kg - oops, was too light, new exercise so was unsure
8 x 24kg - thats better!!
 
In summary I love incline and decline and even weighted forward dips on the chest but am finding flat bench a real difficulty and frustrating. Am aware chest is not massed enough and my biggest weakness on my build which adds to the frustration
Will be back to gym this evening for 16 minutes on the stationary bike or maybe recumbant bike as that I find that a little harder.
 
 

Good luck man, looks like its gonna be an interesting read.....

Thanks Tractor

One thing I also have a problem with is that I had a distral rupture on the left arm (bicep tendon tore off the bone) and it was fixed in an operation. Since that operation I have slightly reduced supination on that arm (cannot turn hand as far in as the other arm/hand and you will notice on the front bi pose that left bicep does not look as good which is due to this and you will also notice the left hand is not turned in and down as much.

I am unsure what to do about this and whether I can improve it if I talk to a physio.

Tobyh5


Thanks Tractor

One thing I also have a problem with is that I had a distral rupture on the left arm (bicep tendon tore off the bone) and it was fixed in an operation. Since that operation I have slightly reduced supination on that arm (cannot turn hand as far in as the other arm/hand and you will notice on the front bi pose that left bicep does not look as good which is due to this and you will also notice the left hand is not turned in and down as much.

I am unsure what to do about this and whether I can improve it if I talk to a physio.

Crikey... you compared your story to mine in my journal and even down to the left bicep there is some similarity, my left bicep tendon also tore off the bone.... I have pins in my left should holding the tendon to the bone!!
 
Pictures look great mate... very lean base, you should grow nicely with the right diet in place (which shouldn't be a problem with the coaching you've employed).
 
Cheers,
 
Flanders

Cheers Flanders, that is bizarre!!! Mine tore off at the bottom and they cut me in the fold between my forearm and upper arm in the inside and also cut me down the forearm to pin it to the outer forearm!

Thanks for the kind words mate, I am still waiting for Jeff to get back to me but once it is all in place I will be a happy chappy and put my head down and crack on

Thought I would put some older pics up so you know where I am coming from.

First one is from 2002 when I was about 17st, second jumps forward to November last year, then this year on June 22nd (10 weeks ago) to show minimum gains which was my story for two years, then a picture on July 23rd (just 6 weeks ago) and then a repost of today.

2002 ish




November 2009  




June 22nd 2010




July 23rd 2010




September 7th 2010

Diet the same as yesterday and the day before and the the and the !!!!

6.30am Back training

Warm up:-
Barbell bent over rows
12 x 40kg
10 x 40kg
6 x 55kg
3 x 70kg
2 x 78kg

Working Sets
Barbell bent over rows
6 x 85kg (seemed easy enough, but lets see what set two is like)
6 x 85kg (still comfortable, mild increase on set three needed)
6 x 88.5kg (still comfortable, must remember to start at 90kg next week)

Cable close grip pull downs
6 x 80kg
6 x 80kg 
Hit the rep target that should mean increasing but although did it, was hard at end to pull right down to sternum/chest area. Will attempt the next plate of 85kg but not as confident as I should be about success.

Chin-ups
6 x bodyweight plus 15kg plate hanging from waist
6 x bodyweight plus 15kg plate
Not too easy but comfortable enough to up to 20kg plate next week I think

Seated cable low rows
12 x 65 (whole stack) - too damn easy, stack too light, need an alternative exercise

Deadlifts
6 x 120kg
5 x 130kg
Hmmm, deadlifts are a struggle as always. Cannot life as comfortable or heavy as I would like, however I console myself with thought that muscles do not know actual weight totals but only resistance. If it is heavy enough to make them strain then it was enough for my individual muscles to grow.

Dumbell Shrugs
6 x 46kg each hand
6 x 48kg each hand
Clearly needs upping but dumbbells only go up to 50kg, perhaps a barbell will be better as can go a lot higher which will be needed in the foreseeable future.


Summary:- Good session generally, perhaps not as intense as I would like on reflection but at the time I could not lift the bar more and so maybe need to zone in on each lift more and push more at the end of sets, give more maximum effort and really peg it up. But generally good. 

Now home, cook todays steamed chicken, relax, have shower, go to work, then return to the torture chamber gym for intense cardio at 5pm

Morning good people.

Was shoulder and Mr triceps this morning

Shoulders
Warm up sets
Dumbbell shoulder press seated
12 x 16kg
10 x 16kg
6 x 20kg
3 x 24kg 
2 x 28kg

Working sets:-
Dumbbell shoulder press seated 
6 x 32kg
6 x 32kg
6 x 32kg
Well I have only just upped from 30kg in each hand and although not easy and had to really push last rep, was certainly comfortable enough to change this to 34kg next week but was working hard so pleased.

Smith Machine Shoulder Press seated
5 x 67.5kg
5 x 67.5kg
Had upped this from 65kg today and was comfortable up to four reps then the fifth was good form but HARD so would class them as perfect sets.

Dumbbell Lateral raises
8 x 20kg each hand
7 x 20kg each hand
First week with this weight, had been at 18kg for over a month. Was ok, needed a pause at the bottom and last couple reps was hard to get up to parallel but felt the target muscles working beautifully.

Triceps


warm ups as normal, 12 x 50%, 10 x 50%, 6 x 65%, 3 x 80%, 1 x 90% and used Cable triceps pushdowns

Working sets
Cable triceps pushdowns
5 x 42.5kg
5 x 42.5kg
5 x 42.5kg
Good sets, maybe could have pushed out a hard sixth rep but on balance was happy enough, will sure go for numero six next week before upping weight for following week

Skullcrushers - (I go deep, head hangs over back of bench, let the bar go down to head then even further for full stretch)
5 x 45kg
4 x 45kg
Had upped it from 42.5kg this week and was hard but correct choice to up it.

Overhead dumbbell triceps press seated
8 x 16kg
Hate these for some reason but today they were a little easier than normal

Summary - felt super strong today, felt like solid form, deep sets and all the weights were good and I just felt one of those days were I was solid and strong and had enough in to squeeze out at the end of sets (except cable pushdowns when someone was talking to me which distracted my focus)

Diet - same as yesterday, day before, day before etc

Cardio - will be back at 5pm for the usual 16 mins intense recumbent bike

Hi mate.
This looks like it will be an interesting journal.
Good luck with your plans to compete - have you thought about which federation and class you're aiming for? Are you aiming to add much mass and will the diet plan from your trainer be looking to "lean bulk" you, or refine you at where you're at now?

You have a good base physique to work from and that bicep problem isn't the end of the world - speaking from experience, I had a quad reattachment operation and a patellar tendon salvage operation about 4 years ago after smashing my knee joint to pieces which left me with a severely atrophied left leg and some nerve damage.

I used the services of two physiotherapists - one for post-operation rehabilitation. He worked small miracles and allowed me to regain about 70% size on the left quad but we got stuck there.

About 8 months later, from memory, with no further improvement, I went to see this chap, near Manchester - http://www.cosgrovephysio...info.php?p=2&pno=0 - absolutely brilliant.

I only had a few sessions with him but they were enough to get my quad back to 95% of the right side's size. Highly recommended.

All the best in your journey and journal.

Thanks rightyho.

I am not sure what the trainer will say as it is currently being planned out meticously with I hope a start date of whatever he supplies to be Monday after next so currently just maintaining til then. Ticking over.

I imagine it will be lean as possible bulk to add some mass to what I have then cut right back down with the end result being the weight I am now but additional mass and less bodyfat. But in truth, I do not know.

I am a real idiot when it comes to the finer points, as my earlier pics show I am just a guy who weight trains and is brand new to the transition to bodybuilding. Pretty clueless on all of that.

Which also translates to which Federation to go with. I will say upfront that I do not mean any slight on anyone on the forum but I do not know any bodybuilders, I live in Cornwall which is no mans land and means that I am not part of a circuit, do not hang out with or have anyone to talk to in the real world who knows a double front bicep pose from a rear lat pose!!!!. But as I am 100% natural I fear competing against "enhanced" people.

I hear that even "natural" contests are not so clean often. (sorry if I am mistaken) so I am thinking maybe BNBF???
 
I am thinking about 70kg class region as I like lean rather than bulked out big. More fitness model-esq look than Dorian Yates lol!!
 
Injuries are a bitch huh, mine is only slight but prevents a full tension in that arm, it is not a huge thing, just slight.

Oh just realised Rightyho that you are the guy who's journal I have been reading this morning for an hour while you were writing on mine lol!!

Man, you are a goddamn monster! Impressive +50!!

Tobyh5

I hear that even "natural" contests are not so clean often.

You hear correctly.
I could name names but I'd never do that of "naturals" who avoid steroids and prohormones but do take anti-estrogens which have a net effect of slightly raising endogenous testosterone production and arguably creating a more anabolic environment.

Me mentioning this tends to bring the natural army out in force, though, so I'll say no more except not all naturals are natural - and know they aren't.

I also think federations with "x number of years clean" rules self-defeat their own purpose and raison d'etre.

Good luck with living in Cornwall. LMAO.

I went there on holiday once. It was quaint.

Quint indeed, back end of nowhere is another good way of expressing it or maybe the end of the earth being another.

One upside is it is easy to be a big fish here cos the pond is a puddle. Although Bob Fitzsimmons, former Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World in like 1891 was born 200 metres from my office in anon quint town!

:-)

My daily diet is posted further up, I struggle a smidge in the evening and as my diet shows I am on 1800 ish cals per day and Jeff Willet is working out my exact nutritional plan for a long lead in to competing. I will ask him this in our scheduled consultancy chat next week but just wanted to ask what people here think of that Hartley's Sugar Free Jelly. 

It is like mega low in everything.

A whole pint portion comes out at:-
32cals
7.2g protein
0.8 carbs
and only a trace of fat!

That adds next to nothing to my daily intake and is mostly protein. As it may fill me (I wake up hungry during the night) I thought it may be ideal - take it with my before bed whey shake.

Any thoughts cos you know, it is jelly! That is surely bad but those figures are pretty nothing really so surely I am missing something?! 


I am Mr Anal with my diet and for once struggling to be good at the moment and if I need to hit a craving I would rather hit this then buckle and have a biccie - bizarre as I am normally so damn good, just lately it is hard