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By: James Sadek
2 Weeks Out
Well I am 2 weeks out and ready. After depleting all this week from Monday to Friday I am feeling a little tired but all I have to do is maintain what I have worked so hard for, which is easier said than done. I am counting the days... I am 14 days away from the show and couldn't be happier with the way things have gone.
After receiving a call from Duncan when I was 10 weeks out I got a boost. This guy really wants to help me win, he knows his stuff and can get himself in awesome shape. So I put all my confidence in him and we went to work. I met with him once every Friday morning and chatted for about an hour. The advice I got from Duncan was unreal and he taught me so much.
This week I had a full carb depletion week from Monday to Friday, which was hard, but I got through it okay with minimal cravings as I distanced myself from the most tasty food and people eating tasty food. My daily food plan from Monday to Friday looked like this:
4 A.M ½ Grapefruit, Black Coffee
4:15 A.M 40 Min walk
5 A.M 6 e/w, ½ cup rice, 2 slices of pineapple
6 A.M Weights
7:30 A.M Pear
8 A.M 6 e/w, ½ cup brown rice, 2 slices of pineapple
9 A.M 100g tuna, ¼ cup brown rice, 12 almonds
12 P.M 100g Chicken, Salad
4 P.M 100g Chicken, Veggies (Capsicum, Carrot, Beans, Zuchini)
8 P.M 100g Chicken, Veggies (Capsicum, Carrot, Beans, Zuchini)
Sunday
I got up an hour early instead of sleeping in until 5 a.m. because I didn't want to walk in the daylight as it is now spring in Australia and I have a magpie phobia. I got swooped when I was young and pecked pretty bad so now I am very afraid of magpies and hate walking around my area since there are trees everywhere.
The walk was really good as I had a fair amount of energy since I have been on slightly higher carbs this weekend than during last week. I trained back, biceps and abs this morning and it was a really good workout.
Back
Chins - 4 sets of 15 to 5 reps
Dumbbell Row (45 degree incline bench) - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps
Close grip cable row - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps + drop set
Hyper Extensions - 3 sets of 20 to 10 reps
Biceps
Seated Incline Dumbbell Curl - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps
Standing Cable Curl - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps + drop set
This was a really good workout as I focused on the rep speed and my form. I got an awesome pump due to the amount of carbs in my body. All in all it was a beneficial workout.
Monday
This morning I had an unbelievable amount of energy! I think in my mind I knew that today is the last time for a week is that I will have carbs in my system. I made the most of the cardio session this morning and lifted the intensity quite a bit.
I trained shoulders and triceps this morning. It was the first morning I was actually hungry during my workout but it was still a really good session. I tried something different when training triceps. I used the rope instead of the V-bar and it gave me a really good pump.
Shoulders
Machine Shoulder Press - 4 sets of 20 to 6 reps
Front Raises using cable - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps
Side Raises - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps + drop set
Reverse Peck Deck - 1 set to failure
Triceps
One Arm Extension - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps
Rope Pressdowns - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps + drop set
Took my 2-week out shots today. I am happy with my condition.
Tuesday
I woke up really tight this morning and my abs were really visible. I know when this happens it's a very good sign. It is only cardio this morning it's a recovery day, which I need because my whole body is fatigued and is in desperate need of a massage, but I'll stop complaining now. I didn't have my pair this morning, but since I am not lifting it was no big deal.
I will do some extra posing today in the time when I am usually at the gym. I felt very spaced out today, really starting to look forward to the end of the week already.
Wednesday
It's my 3rd day of carb depletion today and I am feeling it. I'm hanging in there but I have to really reduce my activity levels throughout the day just so I can stay up and do everything I have to. I felt really lethargic during cardio this morning but somehow still had the same intensity as I arrived home exactly the same time as I usually would. So I was pleased with that. I am only 2 and a half weeks out and that is keeping me going! I've been training for 10 weeks so far so why not train harder now since it's only for another 2 weeks... then it's all over!
I trained legs this morning and it was very similar to my last leg workout but I slightly increased the reps on a couple of exercises and used slightly less weight since I am depleting and unable to use the same weight. I don't have the same strength.
Quads and Hamstrings
Leg Extension - 4 sets of 25 to 12 reps + double drop set
Leg Press - 3 sets of 20 to 15 reps
Squats - 3 sets of 15 reps
Stiff Legged Deadlift - 3 sets of 20 to 15 reps
Seated Leg Curl - 4 sets of 25 to 10 reps + double drop set
Calves
Standing Calf Raise - 3 sets of 8 to 5 reps
Standing Calf Raise - 3 sets of 20 reps
Today's workout was very tiring. I was pretty sore and slow but I still trained with enough intensity to get the result I was working toward. Only 2 more days of depletion... not long now.
Thursday
After cardio this morning I trained chest and traps. It was a tough workout to get through on low carbs but not as difficult as yesterday when I trained legs. This is what I did:
Chest
Incline Smith Machine - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps
Chest Press - 4 sets of 20 to 6 reps
Peck Deck - 3 sets of 17 to 6 reps + drop set
Dips - 1 set to failure
Traps
Barbell Shrug - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps
Dumbbell Shrug - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps + drop set
I am losing strength slowly but still trying to use a heavy weight at this stage. I expected to have to drop poundages at this stage so it isn't really bothering me but I'm just not used to it. It is easier to replace the weight plates back onto the racks after my 3 or 4 sets are finished.
Today I looked at what I am going to do after the show, set some goals for myself, and started to put a new training split on paper for the summer and write up how I will eat. When that is all concrete and I know for sure I will shed some light on it for you guys.
Friday
Not a bad cardio session this morning, although I woke up very tired. I think it was because of the week of low carbs but is was all "GO, GO, GO" once I started cardio, that's for sure. It was possibly because I knew it was the last day of low carbs. I trained Back and Biceps in the gym this morning. This is close to my favorite workout of the week. It looked something like this:
Back
Lat Pulldown - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps
Reverse Grip Bent Over Row - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps
Close Grip Cable Row - 3 sets of 20 to 10 reps + drop set
Hyper Extensions - 3 sets of 20 reps
Biceps
Seated Alternate Biceps Curl - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps
Cable Curl - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps + drop set
I really focused on posing and flexing my muscles between sets this morning and it gave me an awesome pump, which didn't last long because of the minimal carbs in my system, but it was a very productive workout. I went and saw Duncan today and discussed what I would do for the next 2 weeks. I will explain in my 1 week out update.
Saturday
I increased the distance I walked this morning but still arrived at home at the same time so I also lifted my intensity level. I want to increase my cardio by about 10 minutes starting tomorrow (that will be fun).
I trained Shoulders and Triceps this morning and it was a tiptop session. I got to the gym at 7 a.m. and was all done around 8:20 a.m. including posing practice.
Shoulders
Seated Dumbbell Press - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps
Front Cable Raises - 4 sets of 20 to 5reps
Side Raises - 3 sets of 20 to 5 reps
Reverse Peck Deck - 1 set to failure
Triceps
One Arm Extension - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps
Pressdowns - 4 sets of 20 to 5 reps + drop set
It was a good workout. I moved through it quite well and got everything I wanted from it. Duncan gave me a cheat meal tonight; I had 5 potatoes and 200 grams of chocolate (plain). The reason he gave me this cheat meal was because from what I can see I am in pretty good condition judging from my other shows and where I was when I was 2 weeks out from them. The last 2 weeks have been hard on me mentally and I possibly may be coming to the point where motivation drops by as little as 10%.
Now by giving me these potatoes and chocolate it gives me a mind set of, "Wait a minute, I just ate all this shit and I am too weeks out, I got to train hard to get back into shape, even though I wouldn't have gotten out of shape. Also a lot of competitors in the last week slack off in their training because they think, "Oh, it's the last week and I feel like this and that." But for me I would have eaten a big cheat meal one week earlier so I will keep a solid mindset from the chocolate and potatoes, which also will speed up my metabolism.
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XANDER is a fictional character in a role playing forum where everything is strictly hypothetical and should not be interpreted in any other manner than that of pure entertainment.
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