The Road to Mr. Natural Philadelphia 2012...Fitman Returns...

Your friendly, neighborhood trainer is back...

With the end of the 2011-2012 bodybuilding season, it now time to review in only a way that I can do.
 After reviewing last year's journey it is only appropriate to tell this year's story.  My 2nd season in the game is over and the long awaited and highly anticipated Road to the Philly 2012 blog has returned for the the annual edition.  Time to think back on the year that transpired and reveal the process to all of you wondering how it really goes down behind the scenes.  Months of hard training and superior diet comes down to one day.  And then you you step on the grand stage...

It was one hell of a year as far as progress goes.  Increased lean mass, crazy strength gains, and a supreme level of conditioning I had not had since the epic summer of 2004 with my friend and rival Mark Hammond.  A brotha was spent, tired, blown and nursing numerous injuries from the super exhausting pre-contest.  I felt like A.I. in 2001...beat to pieces mentally and physically but still found a way to perform.  So I was happy that I was able to heal for 10 days, get OUT of the gym, and leave the country for vacation.  I returned much fresher and rejuvenated to train again.

The Bahamas gave me a chance to heal my mind and battered body.

After I was opened up and exposed to bodybuidling, I realized I needed to do some work in order to become a better bodybuilder and be competitive.  Every man thinks they have the ultimate, herculean physique until they get to their first show...then they realize they are FAR from it.  A judge from my second show told me I needed to add MASS in the offseason to be a factor.  He was right.  Did I honestly think at 5'11, 152lbs at my first show that I would be a factor at all?  I mean this is bodybuilding, not the runway.  Not a Calvin Klein shoot.  It is like being a raw rookie in the league and coach tells you that you need to develop a jumpshot to succeed.  Mass was and is my jumpshot. The first order of business was to gain size.  But HOW?

Progressive, programmed training and a superior diet are the keys to mass with the latter being much more important.  When you train hard, but do not eat enough food, it is impossible for you to grow and gain mass.  You will remain stagnant like a bad relationship...going nowhere fast.  To gain size you must eat more food....A LOT more food.  And I am not talking a diet of only high calorie bombs like Big Macs combos and Whoppers.  I am talking good, clean food.  (Although an occasional cheat meal is warranted during mass gaining, ya mean???)

The majority of my off-season food consisted of ground chicken. brown rice, and olive oil.  I consumed copious amounts to add size to my basketball player type body.  I also invested in a good, clean weight gainer powder called Up Your Mass.  Now before you go buy a weight gainer and think it alone is the key to mass, realize the answer is not the gainer itself, but in the extra calories you get on TOP of your normal diet.  The gainer makes it easier to just pound those calories in a shake and go on with your day.  I would drink this shake in the morning after breakfast, midday, and before bed.  Yes, I was on a mission.  That judges words rang in my ear every day.  The ectomorph needs more food due the fact that we have the hyper metabolic factor.  We can eat, eat, eat, all day and gain very little.  This is the gift and the curse.  You can never really get excessively fat, but you also have to work your skinny ass off to gain muscle, strength, and look like a real man.  And as King Ecto, I had to get to work early.  It all started in May 2011...


Spring/Summer 2011

I am a big time reader of fitness articles/books/programs by coaches and trainers who have produced real results.  Not the tomfoolery you see on the magazine stand but real insight from coaches with proven records. I believe that a stronger muscle is bigger muscle.  So in reading and searching for a basic and heavy protocol, I stumbled upon Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 protocol.  Very basic, highly accountable, and no frills.  Utilizing 5/3/1 and high calories I was able to creep into the 160's and maintain it for the first time in the history of my life.  Could the bird man finally be turning a new  page?  The success did not last though...

I moved into a new apartment in August, and the whole month was very disappointing as far as caloric intake goes.  I was at 162lbs and did not move up or down 1 pound.  Very dissatisfying as the move ate up a lot of time and $$$.  I did not miss any workouts, but I did miss some meals and it hurt me bad.  Seeing the previous month's progress disintegrate into nothing was deflating.  But when you are punched in the gut, how you respond is all that matters.  It would be easy to use this as a crutch.  But when you commit to a goal, you do not live behind lame excuses.  I rebounded and moved forward.  There will always be blips on the radar.  And going into September, I was back on track.

Fall/Winter 2011

I personally considered this period from September to December as the most productive and toughest training period I have ever had.  Myself, Young Husky, and the newest member of the Fit INC DW were making insane gains.  The telltale training cycle was a 12 week period of high intensity and high volume.  This was a brutal 12 weeks as both phases of training are polar opposites of each other.  Imagine rotating this every 3 weeks for 3 months.  We were beat to pieces when the phase ended but the gains in lean mass and max strength were astounding...I was now holding a healthy 166-168lbs.

When that phase was finished, HIT was next.  The original HIT and the Dorian Yates style HIT were both utilized.  The Original is a true and absolute test of everything you possibly have to offer.  If you are not mentally and physically prepared or are just S.O.F.T, you cannot perform HIT. It is possible to expire midway through the session...It is just that damn TOUGH!  Now the Dorian Yates protcol is also crazy, but the Original is just total body destruction.  It was during the HIT phase that I hit a double bodyweight deadlift for 12 reps...and that was the opening of 14 cot dang moves!  I can clearly remember after the last move was finished, I crumpled to the floor and layed in and out of reality for 20 minutes on the floor.  At this point, I was on expiration watch as I felt the end was near.  I had used every single thing I had in the tank to complete this routine and had nothing to offer.  This felt like a near death experience.  Arthur Jones was a madman but you have to go through worst to be the best.  You survive and live to fight another day...after you finally get up off the floor and POUND a PWO shake.

The year ended on a high note as the famed "max-out" day was upon us.  During the last week of December, we maxed out the full squat, deadlift, and bench press.  Monday was Full Squat and Bench Press, and Thursday was Deadlift.  My numbers at a bodyweight of 170lbs were 325lbs, 250lbs, and 450lbs respectively.  These were career highs for me and I look forward to adding on to these throughout the rest of 2012.  As far as what we did for the pre-contest training, that is top secret like Area 51...now for what you came for...the year in pictures, featuring your friendly, neighborhood trainer!

King Ecto at 152lbs...work needed to be done!

Want Mass?  ADD this shake to your mass diet and you will gain easier!

Heavy Barbell BUCKET Squats will make you GROW!  Not half squats and DEFINITELY not those dango quarter squats...real men return from the depths of the bucket...

You will find out EXACTLY what kind of man you are during a Widowmaker...

The most black and white move in the game...the bar will either move, or it will not.  And when the challenge arises, will you run or fight?  I was 170lbs looking a 450lb deadlift in the face.

The end of the mass season and beginning of pre contest...larger (yeah buddy) and smoother!  January 1st 2012.

You must build in the offseason...standing at 170lbs.

I am the author of the book "6 months to smooth"...

Pre -contest and chicken breast go together like cops and robbers...where there is one, there is the other.

Men must be resourceful during the pre contest...this "meal" has no appeal but you do what you have to do.

At the 7 week mark, men were beginning to round into  form...

Side Triceps and bad posing face 7 weeks out...

Side Triceps 4 weeks out...

Back Double Biceps 4 weeks out...

Side Chest...getting detailed like a '73 Chevy...4 weeks out from Mr. Philly and 2 weeks out from the Beyond Nutrition Natural...I had never achieved this development in the history of my life...

A few days out from the OCB Beyond Nutrition show...

In the parking lot of the OCB Beyond Nutrition Natural...Most Muscular, weighed in at 168lbs (front carb loaded) at this show...

Outside before prejudging at Mr. Natural Philly...weighed in at 162lbs (back carb loaded) on this muggy Saturday morning...

Backstage FIT INC posing...we planned the whole year to arrive at this moment.

Prejudging...meanwhile, the tongue? 

Side Serratus and sweat in the eyes...

Hulkamania pose...

From the night routine...baby got back, believe that!

I was most proud of the improvements I made to my front upper body...way better than last year, but still I am not satisfied...

The meal of choice afterward...

The drink of choice...

The dessert of choice...

How I slept after the post contest indulgence...folded like laundry.

Final Synopsis

So what the final result of all this hard work and sleepless nights?  What is the final result of low value meals and a decreased libido?  WHAT is the final result of training late nights on just will and desire?  A last place finish in the Men's Open at the OCB Beyond Nutrition Natural and a 6th place finish in Men's Open Middleweight at Mr. Natural Philadelphia.  No top-5 placings and zero trophies.  Is it now time to quit?  Is it now time to walk away?  Is it time to concede that I do not have it?  Is it time to concede that I have nothing to offer in bodybuilding?  The similar thing with the above statements is that they all represent the easy way out.  A way to quit and a way to run from the challenge.  Most people give up too easily when things are tough.  As the song says, "there is no easy way out."  

This IS a big challenge for me as I do not possess a typical bodybuilder physique.  And quitting is not an option.  For every one on a journey to lose weight, gain weight, or even make a sports team use THIS journey as an example.  Even with spectacular training and diet, I did not win immediately.  The take home message is simple...have PATIENCE and CONSISTENCY.  Because even if you do everything right, it is STILL possible for things to not go your way.  I was beyond happy with my 1 year progress and even though I did not win, I built more of a foundation for the future.  I am a much smarter trainer and have such a deeper understanding of how the body works especially nutrition wise.

As long as your arrow is pointing up, you are making progress.  In lifting and in life, you must be patient, be consistent, and accept that without a real struggle, you can never appreciate true success.  As long as you have a superior diet/training program and the will to win, you are ahead of 99 percent of the so-called fitness population.  You just must commit to it.  So before I sign off until 2013, look for me in the Annual Pennsylvania State Keystone Games on August 4th, 2012.  This will be my first powerlifting meet.  The events will be Bench Press and Deadlift.  I am aiming to compete in the 181lb weight class.  It should be fun and very competitive as the iron has no friends.  It either moves or it doesn't.  So remember, train with Intensity, commit to your Nutrition, and be supremely Consistent...For any questions on training, nutrition, or contest prep, shoot me a message.