Pete's Contest Prep Thread

[PeteM]

Originally Posted by Mrpumped

I should have started my log already but work has me so darn busy. I'm also taking some pics this week to post up but I have to shave first. I'm kind of grizzly right now!!

Thats it Grizzly Adams - get it going!

[sassy69]

Hey Pete! Going to be great watching your progress. I had to go back & check 1/4lber's comment on your posing - and agree -the lats are there but they disappear on the front dbl bi. Wondering if after you set the front dbl bi pose, as your last step, a flex that is like the bottom part of a shoulder press where you should feel the contraction in your upper lats, just below the rear of your shoulders. Its sort of like, when you're setting up a front dbl bi, you focus on the flex in your bis, but if you go one step past that and settle back down a little more into the lat. you get a little more out of it in that area.

LOL not sure if that helped at all, but that extra step has brought out a lot more detail in my front dbl bi. You might fiddle w/ positioning of your elbows & wrists also - sometimes moving your elbows forward (not your whole arm, but more moving your elbows forward and wrists backward in the flat plane of your body, vs bringing your whole arm in at the shoulder). Doing that can bring out a little more detail / contraction.

[whiteknight]

I will be following this thread....
I like PN's approach..I am a member on their board as well..... it is similar to what a few trainers are also promoting.. ie Scott Abel

16 weeks... beautiful mass. you'll be coming in nicely

[PeteM]

Thanks for the suggestions Sass - I've been trying it and I think it may make a difference, you be the judge on the next pics. I like the analogy of the shoulder press feel, it worked well.

[PeteM]

Well I knew that this was comming, and it was something that would have to be done, no matter how much I didn't want to, but unfortunatley its the nature of the beast.

Yes, I've had to reduce my calories for the first time, and it will only be the first of many I'm sure. Carter wants to start to get a little more agressive and get the weight comming down, right now I'm going down at about 1 - 1.5 lbs a week. At the outset I said that I wanted to do it as much with diet as possible vs. eating more and making up for it with cardio. Trying to limit my time in the gym to be able to spend more time with my 8 month old daughter.

Calories have decreased from 4757 / day on average to 4100 / day. Now this doesn't mean I'm eating 4100 every day. Some are higher some are lower but this is what it averages out to.

This is how training has looked for the past couple of days. Still feeling strong, for now.


(1) Snatch-grip Romanian DL 90s
375/4 325/8 275/16 375/4 325/8 275/16

(2) BB Bulgarian split squat 60s
155/6 x6

(3a) Seated good morning 10s
165/15 x2
(3b) Hip bridge into curl 60s
5, 6

(4) Cable pull-through 60s
130/11 x3

(1a) Wide pull-up 5s
25/6 x2 10/6x2 BW/6
(1b) Wide straight-arm cable pressdown 5s
90/9 x5
(1c) Iron cross 120s
30/7x3 25/7 x2

(2a) Standing BB shoulder press 10s
205/4 x5 205/3
(2b) Standing DB shoulder fly 90s
30/6 x6

[sassy69]

Originally Posted by PeteM

Thanks for the suggestions Sass - I've been trying it and I think it may make a difference, you be the judge on the next pics. I like the analogy of the shoulder press feel, it worked well.

Kewl - I just see a difference - its hard to get your lats to pop on a front dbl bi, but when they stand out, people notice.

I found another way to describe the flex feeling again yesterday - similar to the shoulder press, try a lat pulldown to the front (not uber heavy) but sit upright (vs leaning back), chest out, back straight up/down & pull down to around chin level - that hits exactly where you want to flex to get that extra wingspan showing underneath your arms.

[PeteM]

Ok, so a good leg day today. Which was a little bit of a surprise as it's my third day in a row and usually I get tired after 2 - tomorrow should be a treat, but I've got commitments this weekend so I have to get it done now.

Things went well on front squats as I was able to get the bar to sit properly today,

(1) BB front squat 120s
435/2 385/4 315/8 435/1 385/4 315/8

(2) Walking DB lunge 60s
75/7 x5

(3) Lateral squat 60s
115/11 x2

(4) Single-leg leg press calf raise
225/60

435 is a new PR for me on FS. It was quite the experience. When I first picked it up of the rack, the pressure pushing down on my chest was quite heavy and as I stood there for a moment, I felt a little bit dizzy and had to take a second before squating, but overall it felt surprisingly good, so I was happy with it.

[Mrpumped]

Originally Posted by PeteM

Ok, so a good leg day today. Which was a little bit of a surprise as it's my third day in a row and usually I get tired after 2 - tomorrow should be a treat, but I've got commitments this weekend so I have to get it done now.

Things went well on front squats as I was able to get the bar to sit properly today,

(1) BB front squat 120s
435/2 385/4 315/8 435/1 385/4 315/8

(2) Walking DB lunge 60s
75/7 x5

(3) Lateral squat 60s
115/11 x2

(4) Single-leg leg press calf raise
225/60

435 is a new PR for me on FS. It was quite the experience. When I first picked it up of the rack, the pressure pushing down on my chest was quite heavy and as I stood there for a moment, I felt a little bit dizzy and had to take a second before squating, but overall it felt surprisingly good, so I was happy with it.

I know exactly what you're talking about with the dizziness from front squats. Nice weight! Keep it up!

[Mrpumped]

No updates yet?

[PeteM]

Been busy as hell last couple of days, away this past weekend and didn't have a computer for a couple of days. Stayed on track with training and diet though. Diets not gettting too tough as of yet. On the leg days, I'm full, upper body days is just perfect amount of food and non traning days, I'm hungry. So not too bad yet, but I know its comming, but its what has to happen.

8/18

(1) Snatch-grip Romanian Dead Lift 90s
405/4 335/12 405/4 335/13 405/4 335/12

(2) BB Bulgarian split squat 60s
175/5 x 8

(3a) Seated good morning 10s
165/15 x2
(3b) Hip bridge into curl 60s
5, 6

(4) Cable pull-through 60s
130/12 x3

8/19

(1a) Wide pull-up 5s
25/5 x4 25/4 10/5
(1b) Wide straight-arm cable pressdown 5s
90/8 x6
(1c) Iron cross 120s
30/6 x4 25/6 x2

(2a) Standing BB shoulder press 10s
185/12 165/7 strip to 115/5
(2b) Standing DB shoulder fly 120s
20/18 15/18

[PeteM]

Here's a quick update. These pics are from this morning and 12 weeks out. It's time to get serious now. Should be seeing some big changes over the comming weeks.

[Mrpumped]

Looks like you're starting to lean out. Keep it up!

[PeteM]

Monday was abs and cardio - up to 66min 3x per week. Mixing steady state with intervals in one session.

Calories for Monday ~2850

Tuesday, leg training, here is what was supposed to happen,

(1a) Sumo deadlift*
(1b) Snatch-grip Romanian
(2) BB front squat
(3) BB back squat
(4) Standing BB calf raise (in socks)

Here is as far as I made it,

(1a) Sumo deadlift 60s
405/4 x4
(1b) Snatch-grip Romanian 120s
275/12 x4

After those two I was spent and had to stop. Not happy about it, unacceptable in my book, need to refocus and take in on again next week.

Calories for Tuesday 4350

[Ulter]

Nice progress Bro.
What happened to your leg training? Why were you cashed after two exercises?

[bigdamray]

You got some big legs!!