RACK ALPHA HYBRID Training starts! (Pics Pg133)

now then mate, good to have photos up, then people can be inspired by your hard work.

lots of hard work to come, and im sure you know from reading my journal last year, its a bit of a head mash!   You can do it though, and as difficult as it is, its also the most enjoyable thing youll ever do (well i thought it was)  just like i did, youll feel like your shrinking to nothing, there will be a stage when your losing weight, but not looking any leaner, god knows that lasted ages for me, then suddenly it all starts coming together, every pound makes a difference, cuts appear, new definition and things you have never seen before, as your 'stage body' is unveiled.  That feeling is like nothing else, i promise you, its awesome!

@westy, funny you should say that, I was getting giddy ordering all the stuff yesterday, well until I saw the total hahahaha
 
@Tuffy, it's strange really mate I don't need to lift very heavy and eat very little to gain weight.  I know it's not all good weight but I'm sure some new mass has been laid down under it all.  Really can't wait to get uber-trim though.

@dazc, your journal was a fantastic read mate as you put in every emotion you were going through so I'm getting myself ready for this.  I can't explain just how much I want to get on that stage and feel proud of how I look and what I've done.  As long as results are coming then I'm sure I can hold it together although I do know that I'll panic at some stage so you lot better get ready haha!!

Cardio done last night when I got home from work in the form of chasin my dog around the 5in of snow near my house. I was absolutly red hot after 40mins!! At the min I'm doing cardio later in the day until my sleeping pattern has settled down and I'm getting to sleep before 1am. Should be fine by next week and better be as from monday it will be a.m. cardio.

Should be able to get to my gym no problem today to do back/rear delt/trap/calf session. One thing is though I still have some nerve pain on my back/rib region so deads are defo out.

The depth of your chest from the side is crrrrazy.
The only chest deeper than that is usually found at the point "X marks the spot" and contain pirate gold.

LOL!!!  Cheers mate, reckon my side chest pose should be my best assest up on the stage

good luck with the run up to comp mate. im enterin my first comp this year too the nabba midlands on the 9th of may. im of same height 5ft 9 (just under) and 15st at the min start my diet next month 12 weeks out. we`ll be in the same height class so hopefully see you at the finals !

Nice one buddy, yep I'm really wanting to get to the finals too so hopefully will meet you there.

Again strength down but getting back into it slowly, noticing lack of carbs at the min as I've reduced them to get rid of the xmas bloat and it seems to be doing to trick. Got to remember wrist straps next session though as they're aching like mad

Back/Rear delts and traps and calf’s:
Wide grip pull downs - Pg14 x8,8, P16x6 Pg11xfailure
Bent over BB row - 80kgx8,8,8,8
Close grip pull downs – Pg12x10,10,10,10

Bent over DB raise - 10kgx10,10,10,10
Reverse peck deck - 40kgx10,10,10,
Standing shrugs - 80kgx10,10,10,10,10,10

Standing Calf Raises - P12x20,20,20,20,20

is paul going to give you a training plan as well then mate?

id be tempted to drop some of those exercises if your having some back/nerve pain

You absolutely will have put on some decent mass, a lot I reckon

@dazc, yes mate Paul is sorting everything for me.  I only really get pain from dead's and squats so I've been leaving them out.  I was reading through my old journal and it started at the begining of dec and I thought I'd pulled something, the next 2 days the rash broke out.  I have to be a bit careful as sometimes I get a stabbing pain in my ribs but it goes after a second.

@Tuffy, I'm pretty sure of a mass a mass gain mate   Funny thing is I usually get stronger when I'm cutting......

I'm trying a protein only day today just to see how it feels as I'm a curious kinda guy. No weights today but will be doing to usual Rocky IV cardio session later on.

I was gonna say the workout look familiar.  I will be doing the same from next week.

You'll enjoy it mate, it should have partial DL's in there but just can't do them at the min.

How did you find the no carb day?

Are you going to be carb cycling for your cut??

No carbs or fats yesterday was tough mate, had no energy at all, even cardio was a chore.
As for the carb cycling, I really have no idea what the diet will be.  Carb cycling works really well for me though.

Cardio was murder last night for 2 reasons, DOMS in calves and the fact I'd only had protein and veg. Did 40mins and felt pooped!

Was sat talking last night and can't believe it's only 18 weeks tomorrow til the comp. It doesn't seem 2 mins away from me saying "10 weeks to prep!"

Will be training delts and tri's at lunch time.

Sounds like you had fun doing the cardio.  It is going to get serious soon.  2 weeks till you start not long then.

apart from the lack of energy how did you find just eatting protien and veg? was it a chore to eat?

I used to feel exactly the same when doing the odd no carb day. It is better when cycling - well not as tough.

If you are going low / no carb, why have no fats? Surely doing this means that your body will use protein for energy (won't it)?

@westy, I'm gaggin to get serious mate.  I've got a couple of final treat meals planned but apart from that it's clean eating.  It wasn't that much of a job eating the protein and veg, once you've got used to no flavor.

@Tuffy, Not sure about the body using protein for energy, I thought that the body would mainly rely on fat stores for energy so this way of eating would get the lard from the stubborn areas.  I'll have to do some reading.

I could be well wrong mate, i'm by no means an expert.

But if your cals are only coming from protein, your overall amount would surely be too low??

You will be having 360 - 400g protein?? This is only 1440 - 1600 cals - way too low for you, surely you need to bump the cals up and this should come from fat?

Maybe 1600 cals Protein / 200 cals Carbs / 1000 cals fats?? That would probably still be on the low side too.

As I said I may be talking b0ll0cks but it's just my 2p.

The cals will def have been too low, but as said yesterday was just an experiment.  One thing though, I find that I really don't need much food to start putting weight on, even at about 2500cals a day I'll gain weight.  Strange for a 17st bloke.......

I'm guessing the pro only days will be in some kind of cycle, so could be a couple of high cal/carb days followed by the pro only so that the metabolism will be fully rev'd up while the cals are low hence burning more fat.
I also could be talking sh1t though lol

RACK


The cals will def have been too low, but as said yesterday was just an experiment.  One thing though, I find that I really don't need much food to start putting weight on, even at about 2500cals a day I'll gain weight.  Strange for a 17st bloke.......

I'm guessing the pro only days will be in some kind of cycle, so could be a couple of high cal/carb days followed by the pro only so that the metabolism will be fully rev'd up while the cals are low hence burning more fat.
I also could be talking sh1t though lol

Mate, seriously don't worry about it, your paying someone else to worry about the science behind it.   The best thing to do is just see how your body reacts to it and use accordingly in the future.
 

I totally agree mate, I'm not worried in the slightest, just curious as to how it works and would feel.

I have total faith in Paul and am pretty relaxed about the prep.

Not too bad a session, still got sore wrists and no strength but not letting it bother me. Had to adjust Tri session as the usual straight bar push downs and skulls were far too painful on the wrists.

Shoulders/Triceps:
Seated front BB press on smith machine – 60kg x 10,10,10,10
Seated Side laterals - 10kg x 10,10,10,10
Seated DB press - 20kg x 10,10,10,10
Standing front raise with a straight bar 20kg x 10,10,10

Rope Pull Down - 50kg x 8,8,8,8
Over Head Rope Pull - 50kg x 8,8,8,8
Between bench dips - BW x 10,10,10