Start of mass gain for 2012 - Back from Injury & restart!

hey people, after returning to the gym scene march last year from a very long career driven layoff, I decided at the ripe old age of 33 I need to give myself a goal. That goal was to compete by the end of 2012, so my target is set for either the ukbff leeds or Stars of Tomorrow show.
Ive planned it all over the past months with a bit if advice and info from this forum.  Im hoping to get myself into a position to diet down for the Inters U 90k class, but having never gone through full contest prep before, im not sure how my body and weight will drop...so its going to trial and error.
 
So here goes,
@ 5'6" starting weight of 92.5kg 17%bf.
The first day of the diet started today, im starting at 4200 calories with 50% carbs, 30% protein & %20 fats, monitor things week by week depending on how the weight goes.
Training 6 days per week with very minimal cardio at the moment.
I will be having a progressive photo shoot, first of which is 10 Dec so I'll get some up to date pictures uploaded of that, and see how things go from there.
 
Is anyone else on here planning for any of these shows?
 
Thanks for reading, and any comments and help will no doubt be appreciated along the journey!
 
Neil

Hi Neil.   Your the same height as me, although a good 10kg heavier than me, with a back that id give my left one for lol
 
Im not doing either of the shows you are, but plan on doing the UKBFF Warrington (possibly inter u80kg).
 
Will be following this, all the best with the prep fella:)
 
JP
 
 

Good luck with this fella, I think there's a couple of lads on here doing the Leeds show... i'm targetting the Bedford show in June (Classic Class).
 
Are you getting professional help with prep?

Thanks JP, good luck with yours, definitely go for it...im 3 days in now and its the building up and eating the quantity of real food thats the hardest thing feel like a stuffed elephant!
 
Hey Flanders, Im looking into help with the prep for the contest as Ive never been through that before; by monitoring my food instake now and recording everything, im hoping once I get some professional help, they'll be able to disect the diet and get me cutting down in the right way. I'll probably start this 5 months from the show at a slow and steady pace to see how my body reacts.
I was looking at the website for James Collier's diet help and Micky McKay @ fitness121, so I could be looking in their direction early 2012.
What about yourself, I saw the progress you made through your journal and that was phenomenal, so good luck with the contest.
 
Thanks
Neil
 

First Quads session today under the new diet regime:
 
Started with Leg Ext Machine:
40k x 20 reps
55k x 15 reps
75k x 12 reps
 
Back Squats Next (feet approx 18 inches apart for some needed quad sweep):
100k x 20 reps
140k x 15 reps
180k x 12 reps
180k x 10 reps
 
Front Squats:
80k x 20 reps
100k x 12 reps
100k x 12 reps
 
Techno Gym Leg Press (feet close together)
150k x 25 reps
180k x 15 reps
180k x 12 reps
 
Stumbled out of the gym and held onto to the stair rail all the way down! Its a love / hate feeling isnt it!
 
Neil
 

Chest session today.
 
Bit low going as after the first 4 days of the new mass diet, I've actually lost weight....a whole 1.5kg, not what I was looking for!
 
Seeing as Im having to use a rather crap virgin active gym at the moment, options are limited.
 
Decline dumbell press:
42kg x 20
42kg x 15
42kg x 15
42kg x 12
 
Flat Bench Press
80kg  x 20
100kgx 15
120kgx 12
120kgx 10
 
Incline flye SS with Parallel Bar Dips
22kg x 15 / 15 dips with body weight
30kg x 12 / 15 dips with body weight
30kg x 10 / 12 dips with body weight
30kg x 9 / 10 dips with body weight
 
Cable Machine Flyes
50kg x 20
60kg x 15
60kg x 15
40kg x 12 
 
Lack of benches, machines & general gym equip here is really frustrating! Since moving to Staines from Newcastle, not having a car at the moment and relying on public transport means Virgin is the only gym close by here. 20 mins walk!
Dont know of any other gyms within reasonable distance, so until a car is bought, I'll have to shut up and put up!
Neil
 

Diet is going steady, avr. just under 4300 calories per day and 350g protein, not running any cycles at the moment, only continuation of my GHRP6/GRF-mod peptides. Introducing MGF & IGF1-LR3 post workout as of this weekend for arms chest & shoulders, running that for 4 weeks.
Weight dropped 2 days ago, but back upto 92.5kg so im assuming thats just down to fluid intake, but after 6 days on these calories I thought weight might have moved up?
 
Back today:
 
Close grip T-Bar Row:
40kg x 20
80kg x 15
100kg x 12
100kg x 12
 
Wide Grip PullDowns
60kg x 20
80kg x 15
90kg x 12
100kg x 10
 
Deadlifts
70kg x 15
110kg x 12
170kg x 5
190kg x 2
 
Barbell Rows
70kg x 15
110kg x 12
110kg x 10
(reverse grip) 70kg x 20
(reverse grip) 70kg x 20
 
Extra wide grip low pulley rows
65kg x 15
65kg x 15
65kg x 12
 
Pretty good session today, back felt very pumped after that. Time for some food!
 
Neil

NellsUk


Hey Flanders, Im looking into help with the prep for the contest as Ive never been through that before; by monitoring my food instake now and recording everything, im hoping once I get some professional help, they'll be able to disect the diet and get me cutting down in the right way. I'll probably start this 5 months from the show at a slow and steady pace to see how my body reacts.
I was looking at the website for James Collier's diet help and Micky McKay @ fitness121, so I could be looking in their direction early 2012.
What about yourself, I saw the progress you made through your journal and that was phenomenal, so good luck with the contest.

Thanks
Neil

Hi Neil, sounds like a plan!... And thank you for your comments. I was prepped by James this year and he worked wonders!!... He's also working with me during the off-season and will be prepping me again next year for the Bedford show.

Some great sessions going in here buddy.. Grow grow grow!

Will be watching this one... Bring on 2012.

Flanders

NellsUk


Hey Flanders, Im looking into help with the prep for the contest as Ive never been through that before; by monitoring my food instake now and recording everything, im hoping once I get some professional help, they'll be able to disect the diet and get me cutting down in the right way. I'll probably start this 5 months from the show at a slow and steady pace to see how my body reacts.
I was looking at the website for James Collier's diet help and Micky McKay @ fitness121, so I could be looking in their direction early 2012.
What about yourself, I saw the progress you made through your journal and that was phenomenal, so good luck with the contest.

Thanks
Neil

Hi Neil, sounds like a plan!... And thank you for your comments. I was prepped by James this year and he worked wonders!!... He's also working with me during the off-season and will be prepping me again next year for the Bedford show.

Some great sessions going in here buddy.. Grow grow grow!

Will be watching this one... Bring on 2012.

Thanks Flanders,
 
Looks like your on the right path especially with James' help! Hopefully he'll still have some space come january and I would definitely love to have the use of James' experience & knowledge!
I think the diet is definitely the main ingredient in good gains, so if my current plan doesnt progress, I might be after getting some info from you on using James.
 
Good luck and keep on keeping on!
 
Neil

some strong lifts their neil. good stuff fella.

johnnyp


some strong lifts their neil. good stuff fella.

Thanks JP, hows your training going...still on course for Warrington?

Triceps only today, to give them a good hammering and hopefully kickstart some growth.
 
Still no change at all in bodyweight, although I am getting comments about looking leaner which is not what im supposed to be doing!!! 4300 cals per day at my height and weight should mean gaining some love handles in addition to the muscle, but its just not happening and apart from the gym, I wouldnt say I was overly active??? very strange ....another week like this and something may have to change.
 
Started with Rope Pushdowns. High Reps to get some blood flowing.
15kg x 25
20kg x 18
25kg x 14
20kg x 15
 
Seated EZ Bar Overhead Extensions
20kg x 20
30kg x 15
40kg x 11
50kg x 7
 
One Arm Overhead Dumbell Ext
16kg x 15
18kg x 12
18kg x 12
 
Single Arm Reverse Grip Cable Ext
10kg x 12
10kg x 10
 
Close Grip Bench (High Rep)
40kg x 20
60kg x 15
80kg x 12
 
That was triceps just about fried after that one. Another day down, biceps and hams to look forward to tomorrow.
 
Neil
 
 

Hey Neil... big Tricep session!! nice one, 6 day's training a week how are you splitting it up? or do you mix it up week to week?
 
Yes mate, definitely the diet is key.. I get fat easy so i'm currently bulking on less than 3000 cals. 4300cals and leaning out mate can't be bad... but like you say time to grow so a few extra cals perhaps needed, what's you're current diet look like?

Flanders


Hey Neil... big Tricep session!! nice one, 6 day's training a week how are you splitting it up? or do you mix it up week to week?

Yes mate, definitely the diet is key.. I get fat easy so i'm currently bulking on less than 3000 cals. 4300cals and leaning out mate can't be bad... but like you say time to grow so a few extra cals perhaps needed, what's you're current diet look like?

 
I tend to train the major body parts on their own, then mixup the smaller muscle groups..but I generally train on how im feeling that day, no specific methods or routine, although to be honest I should at least stick to basic routine for now until i start to see changes? Thats whay I was interested in your thoughts on the Y3T training, so I know whats happening each week and see how my body reponds.
 
Diet wise, like i said is avr. 4300 a day, today is the 7th day and no weight change yet. Over the week its been split 40% carbs, 35% Pro, 25% fat. This could be where my problems are seeing as ive put it together myself and im the first one to admit, diet and nutrition are definitely not my strongest point. But at least Im monitoring things, so it can be easily adjusted if need be.
 
I think a call to james & co could be sooner rather than later..:-p
 
Neil

yeah mate, all well considering im knockin on abit these days. could do with abit of your strength though) get those cals in pal

Nice journal mate. Looking in great nick.
 
I will preface my next comments with the caveat that you are a) stronger than I am; and b) bigger than I probably ever will be - so clearly you know what you're doing and I wouldn't question that. But how come your deadlift is so weak compared to your squat? How deep are you squatting? I mean 180kg for 12 reps, with a narrow stance, and presumably a high-bar position, is exceptionally strong, yet your deadlift is comparatively average?

CitizenKane


Nice journal mate. Looking in great nick.

I will preface my next comments with the caveat that you are a) stronger than I am; and b) bigger than I probably ever will be - so clearly you know what you're doing and I wouldn't question that. But how come your deadlift is so weak compared to your squat? How deep are you squatting? I mean 180kg for 12 reps, with a narrow stance, and presumably a high-bar position, is exceptionally strong, yet your deadlift is comparatively average?

Hi mate, thanks for the message. I know what you mean with regards the deadlifting...Ive never really done much deadlifting and have only recently (last 4 weeks) started doing it again. Ive always enjoyed my squats so thats why I probably force myself to go harder on that more than most other exercises, plus my traps are over developed and i find it easy to sit the bar lower down my back for slightly better balance.  I tend to only go to parallel on narrower stance, and on the wide stance/ toes out stance go a bit beyond parallel...hopefully in the next month or two my deadlifts will start and reflect the strength of the squat.   Fingers crossed anyway.
 
Thanks
 
Neil

Quick diet update.
 
I was getting slightly frustrated with the lack of progress on the diet I set for myself, so after a bit of looking round the net and reading some of the journels on here, I decided to get in touch with Nathan Harman of Probodeez, the man who worked miracles on Shaun J Tavernier. He's been intouch and he's putting together a program for me, and we'll hopefully meet up in the next couple of weeks. He works on 1 to 1 monthly assessments and training, so Im looking forward to seeing how this progresses.
 
Can't wait to get started!
 
Neil
 

Nice one Neil, some serious progress in here now then fella!!... all the prep guys out there seem to work from different angles, the biggest positive IME is believing in them and what they can deliver... then just work to their program to the 'T'. His services look pretty good.

Well, after another week maintaining my current diet, weight has finally moved upto 93.5kg as of yesterday. Training this was a exact repeat of last week give or take a few reps & poundages.
 
Tomorrow starts a new phase of the program, as Ive just received my first monthly plan from Nathan Harman of Probodeez, who's laid out a new diet & training regieme based on my goals to complete in October.
Fingers crossed I start heading in the right direction, and hopefully some positive progress will be getting reported from here on in.
 
Neil