Optimass

[Android]

good comeback to do those deadlifts comfortably

Starting from the floor would be a greater disadvantage for your height I imagine too?

[Optimass]

good comeback to do those deadlifts comfortably

Starting from the floor would be a greater disadvantage for your height I imagine too?

yeah ... deadlifts and squats were not favorites of mine when I first started out. I have found that I really wasn't doing to well with technique until I hit about 110kg as a base weight. (Approx 4years ago) Now I can't get enough of them. Probably had a lot to do with getting thickness in my back and shoulders which takes a lot longer for frame this size.

My back feels quite good today - so I should be good to add another 20kg on deads next week.

[Optimass]

What gym are you at?

Club Physical Te Atatu

[Optimass]

He looks fuckin mean! Never was a big fan of muscles on short people it all looks a bit squashed haha.

That other guy Greg Kovacs is an animal as well. Can only imagine how much presence he has with the height as well as the size.

When Kovacs came out to do the Aucklands a few years back ... every time he stood up to go get something at the prejudge the crowd stopped watching the stage. It was like having a small planet sitting in the room.

His wife had a squash bag full of meal containers ... ate every 45 mins ... whole chicken breast and rice mostly from memory. Very impressive.

[Gym rat]

He looks fuckin mean! Never was a big fan of muscles on short people it all looks a bit squashed haha.

That other guy Greg Kovacs is an animal as well. Can only imagine how much presence he has with the height as well as the size.

When Kovacs came out to do the Aucklands a few years back ... every time he stood up to go get something at the prejudge the crowd stopped watching the stage. It was like having a small planet sitting in the room.

His wife had a squash bag full of meal containers ... ate every 45 mins ... whole chicken breast and rice mostly from memory. Very impressive.

Wow that is very impressive. I dont mind doing deadlifts but I find it hard to get a good grip on the bar when the gym is bloody hot.

[Pseudonym]

Club Physical Te Atatu

Do I know you? (Or rather, do you know me?) :think:

[gazza]

ralf moeller 197.5cm (6'5") popped up in a few movies, gladiator, cyborg, universal soldier won mr universe

[Optimass]

ralf moeller 197.5cm (6'5") popped up in a few movies, gladiator, cyborg, universal soldier won mr universe

Yeah I remember - played Conan I think for TV series

try Noah Steere ... 6'6 350lbs http://bigdonsboys.com/bodybuilders/noa ... /index.htm

[Optimass]

[Small]

Never was a big fan of muscles on short people it all looks a bit squashed haha.

wuhht!? haha

thats like 70% of the bb'n population; then again its what u define as big muscles and short ppl.

[Gym rat]

Ralf Moller is one very big boy

[jono]

nice journal here. i will be watching

[Matrix]

Ralf Moeller and Big Louie look good at their heights (6 ft 7 and 6ft 5)because they are balanced and in proportion for their heights (relatively small waists, good symmetry and proportion between upper and lower body etc).

IMO I always thought that Greg Kovacs would have been better suited to strong man or power lifting as (if correct) his lifts were huge and he was close to 400lbs off season at 6 ft2-6ft 3. and well over 300lbs on stage, some say upwards of 340!

However as a competitive professional bodybuilder he was really unbalanced IMO. I believe he got his pro card by winning the canadian nationals. But from all the contest pics i've seen of him he appeared to have (relatively) poor legs, short biceps and a huge waist, that is why he was regularly beaten by pro's weighing 100 -150lbs less.

Not knocking the guy personally as by all accounts he was a gentleman, But as a pro, it is widely reported that he would never be able to make the top ten on The Olympia, Arnold or Iron man. Just shows you that the sports not all about just how much you can lift and how much you weigh.

[Optimass]

Victor Richards was similar - although genetically gifted and certainly competitive he was more a promotional figure for the IFBB.

excerpt:

Vic came second to a local teenage contestant who had placed fourth to him two weeks earlier at the Los Angeles Championship.

7nbsp; At age nineteen and beefed up to 245 pounds, Vic unexpectedly showed up at the "California Gold Cup" & walked away crowned as the California Gold Cup Champion. Upon his arrival to the parking lot his trophy fell apart! Vic was understandably disappointed and from there on he decided that competition should come from within and not from outward displays of hype. This unorthodox philosophy (in a sport where athletes are supposed to be physical and not philosophical) has gained Vic Richards lots of fame, infamy, and popularity around the world among bodybuilders and fitness buffs.

Link http://www.vicrichards.com/bio.htm

5'10 370lbs .... I saw Vic warming up at Te Atatu over a decade ago. It was the first and only time I have seem a body builder do 180kg seated shoulder press without even breaking a sweat (12 - 15 reps from memory).

The biggest deltoids I have ever seen on a human. :nod:

[Optimass]

Legs today;

Squats 4 sets / final set 8 reps not to failure at 160kg. (I felt like I could have done more but want to take it easy so won't get too far ahead of myself. Next week looking to extend this to 12 reps which wont be a problem for me)

Leg press 3 sets / Final set wasn't to failure also 6 reps @ 400kg. Felt pretty comfortable again but could feel my right calf tightening so didn't go for the full 12 reps. Form was strict with 3 second eccentric / dropping below 90deg but not fully resting at the bottom of the eccentric.

Passed on the lunges as hams were still feeling the weeks training after legs last week and deaedlifts the other day. they will be a must next week as my pain threshold is quickly returning to normal.

Concentration leg curls - 4 sets > not to failure again but close on the last set 110lbs 15 reps .....

Leg extension 2 sets can't rem weight but probably only 4 plates from the bottom of the stack.

Calf raises / standing > Full stack 12 slow eccentric reps each set with 25 pulses first set - adding 25 pulses to each of the other sets. (Calfs were exploding).

...........

No cardio yesterday as I weighed myself same time last night and had lost 1kg from the day before - which means my metabolism is kicking a bit faster than I thought it would. So have increase calories today and will load over next week also. I'm not wanting to drop my weight over the next 3 - 4 weeks to make sure I can get a good handle on strength. I'm obviously not drinking enough water also as the 1kg fluctuation shouldn't happen.

Needless to say that I was happily reminded as to why I have preferred training at TATs all these years .... Dissapointed at not reaching failure on squats and the prospect of dropping a 1kg, a force greater than all life called out to me .... the clouds parted and as I enter the carpark, protein shake in hand, the pure beams of radiant light shon down and answered my subconscious cry for help .... Quote "I'll have a crispy chicken delux cheese burger meal please? " God bless Wendys! (I love offseason eating)

happy with todays effort and it was good to catch up with Jo Stewart after so long away from training. I'm always impressed with how she maintains her conditioning and still manages to give good focus to her clients.

Food today:

12 weetbix and 500ml milk -

Protein shake - Banana

Shake and my Wendys Happy meal

1.5 hours later - caramel slice and a latte :pfft:

two large baked potatos and 300g tuna (mashed with a bit of soy sauce) + 2 kiwi fruit.

will be tucking in to a Large beef madras in about 30 minutes ...

Protein shake - with oats and cottage cheese will be my last meal.

.......

tomorrow had planned to do chest but my boss is an ex Irish rugby international and is keen to have a sesh with me .... will se if he's keen to go 2 for 2 and do chest tomorrow and then back on Monday.

.....

[Pete_S]

Good job on running the journal Optimass. I will be following with much interest. Do you have a target weight goal in mind, and if so, over what period of time?

[deeepsouth_nz]

Never was a big fan of muscles on short people it all looks a bit squashed haha.

wuhht!? haha

thats like 70% of the bb'n population; then again its what u define as big muscles and short ppl.

Hey Id rather be a bit shorter because in all likelihood that means a smaller bone structure and/(or have the illusion of) much thicker muscle bellies and look far more impressive up there on stage with a bit of muscle packed on next to say someone a few inches taller (all things being equal)

[Optimass]

Never was a big fan of muscles on short people it all looks a bit squashed haha.

wuhht!? haha

thats like 70% of the bb'n population; then again its what u define as big muscles and short ppl.

Hey Id rather be a bit shorter because in all likelihood that means a smaller bone structure and/(or have the illusion of) much thicker muscle bellies and look far more impressive up there on stage with a bit of muscle packed on next to say someone a few inches taller (all things being equal)

Not ness everytime .... I get compared to Rueben DeJong quite regularly and can safely say that when he was at his peak 142kg ... at 6'10 he makes me look like a little boy! Sometimes freak = trophy - not that he's ever competed.

But I have fallen victim to being pipped by a shorter athlete. Thats why I prefer a height graded show.

[1day]

photos, photos!!! :protest:

[Gym rat]

Wear are the photos? :protest: :protest: :protest: :protest:

[Optimass]

Good job on running the journal Optimass. I will be following with much interest. Do you have a target weight goal in mind, and if so, over what period of time?

I tend to use weight a lot as a guage - I'm essentially wanting to hold my weight over the next 2 - 4 weeks while my muscle soaks up an extra volume of glycogen. Having been away from training for so long my body has had plenty of time to rest and repair - no injurys = no road blocks in terms of training. With this in mind the elevation in exercise and increased caloric intake should spark an increase in natural test levels. So I'm reasoning I'm best to take advantage of this opportunity to put some size on.

Below is a pic taken in 2007 - b/fat 12 - 13% 112kg .... This is my first goal: Then from there I'll make a call on grow big or cut for show. I did try to drop below 100kg for this cycle of training but found I couldn't break 105kg as my body responds very well at this weight - was benching 200kg final set @ 4 - 6 reps week on week. (I prefer to use low rep failure sets as IMO/and experience you don't grow unless you lift heavy - and I wouldn't change it if I were dropping for a show).

[Android]

nice one,

man I thought 112kg on a 6'4" guy would look average but you a good shape in all honesty. you know what I mean for every inch taller usually have to pack on at least 5kg more than everyone else.

have we met? your face looks familiar...somewhere out on the Death Star maybe...?

[Optimass]

nice one,

man I thought 112kg on a 6'4" guy would look average but you a good shape in all honesty. you know what I mean for every inch taller usually have to pack on at least 5kg more than everyone else.

have we met? your face looks familiar...somewhere out on the Death Star maybe...?

My frame is longer from the waist down. My brother used to compete in the "TOP SHAPE" days and when you compare us my arms are 2 inch short but he is only 6'1. If only my legs were shorter .... may have to make the trip back to cybertron for an upgrade.

[Optimass]

Todays workout: Chest / Bicep / Abs

Warm up on Hammer Strength Chest. -> have descided tonight that having traing on these for a while that they are not the best for me. My should ached pretty for the whole workout as a result. - Which means I'm not getting a wide enough grip to seperate my shoulder from the movement.

I have been taking a shot of NO-Xplode before my workouts which I think is actually stopping me from maxxing out my workouts. I found half way through legs and tonights workout that my muscle is feeling kind of numb. I prefer the feeling of pain (good pain). So may get some monohydrate in the weekend and see if that is any better.

Weighin 115kg

...............

Hammer Strength Chest / 4 sets - final set 50kg each side > 8 reps comfortable. (First two sets 20 reps - not working sets)

Flat d/b bench 3 / sets - final set failure @ 12 reps at 45kg

Flat d/b bench 4 / sets - final set failure @ 25kg 10 reps

Incline machine press / 2 sets - final set failure @ 225lbs 12 reps

Dips 2 sets / 8 reps - (Shoulder really starting to fatigue now. I do dips with me knees yuck under my chest - this forces my body to pitch forward and enable me to isolate my lower pec).

d/b pullover 2 sets / 8 reps each set 45kg. (Could have pushed it more but didn't want to agrevate the shoulder)

Standing d/b Curl 3 sets - final set 12 reps @ 22kg

Machine Curls 2 sets - 110lbs 8 reps

finished on 3 sets horizontal leg raises.

65 minutes - abit longer than expected - 15 working sets on chest probably more than I need / this is where the NO-Xplode got me -

Arms is something I don't always train as mine grow with the weight I add to my compound exercises. Will do them for now just to get the muscle up to speed.

...

Food

10 Weetbix - 500ml milk

Protein shake > 2 apples

100g Beef - grilled salad with pasta

150g sardines - 1/2 Avocado - tomato - 1/2 onion - 2pc wholegrain toast

Protein shake - in blue milk

Smoked fish pie - MAN SIZED!

2 pc wholegrain toast with jam and peanut butter.

Will have some lite yogurt before bed

END

[Optimass]

Took a rest day today ... as kids have started a new daycare schedule. Planning on doing back tomorrow night.

Food today:

10 Weetbix - 1/2L milk - 1scoop protein

300g cottage cheese in 1 large baked potato - large flat white

185g Tuna - 2 cups pasta - 150g cashews - large can V

skipped a meal by accident

Chicken pasta for dinner - at two serves recipe:http://www.nestle.co.nz/Recipes/Recipe.htm?r=823

Will shake n bake before bed.

3.5L water today :? need to be more consistant!

.............

Chest in good state of recovery - pretty quick which is what I had in mind. Legs are good to go again which is great - 72hours.

Definately filling back out again - wish I had done a few measures last week but thought I'd take some tonight.

Chest: 118cm

Waist: 100

Thigh: 68

Calf: 43

Bicep: 40cm

Forearm 34cm

Bicep flexed 45cm :?

Arms coming up quite vascular at rest today. so inspite of low water intake I'm still expanding ... measures should go up some more over the next two weeks for sure. can see the veins in my legs but not prominant yet.

..................