Optimass

[HumanPerformance]

Where are you doing the majority of your training these days big guy?

Also would this current bulking phase and summer cut you mentoined be part of an overall plan to return to the stage this year??

[Optimass]

Good stuff Opti, looks like you're on track nicely :nod:

thanks mate ... still have a long road ahead, and juggling a business and kids/family is never easy

Where are you doing the majority of your training these days big guy?

Also would this current bulking phase and summer cut you mentoined be part of an overall plan to return to the stage this year??

Training a Tats still - do a casual here and there and a few ghetto workouts .... a number of good playgrounds close to home - similar workouts to the bootcamp I used to run.

No plans to compete this year HP - I'm 37 though and said I would do one last show before I'm 40. Times running out

[HumanPerformance]

Good stuff Opti, looks like you're on track nicely :nod:

thanks mate ... still have a long road ahead, and juggling a business and kids/family is never easy

Where are you doing the majority of your training these days big guy?

Also would this current bulking phase and summer cut you mentoined be part of an overall plan to return to the stage this year??

Training a Tats still - do a casual here and there and a few ghetto workouts .... a number of good playgrounds close to home - similar workouts to the bootcamp I used to run.

No plans to compete this year HP - I'm 37 though and said I would do one last show before I'm 40. Times running out

You should do it mate, you will easily dominate the over 90s divisions or tall in NABBA

[Optimass]

... no pressure aye HP. haha - I think that is the expectation most people have because they can see how hard I train when I'm in the zone. Just today I finished up my cardio and I had a guy whos been a memebr at the club for a long time ask if I was going up this year and pretty much said the same thing. (Had one of the trainers ask as well as I have trimmed up a bit of late) This is why I am apprehensive - because I know I need to have the best prep, train the hardest and make sure I leave nothing on the table in order to compete at the standard I believe I should. I don't really care for others opinions much in terms of what is and isn't acceptable for the stage - but you can count on seeing something special if it happens again as I will have pushed beyond anything I have ever achieved personally. My next show will have a special significance .....

I have a few trophies to show for past experience but I want to be able to give my son an overall trophy one day when he's old enough to understand (2.5 years now ) and hopefully inspire him to go on and conquer what he puts his mind to as he goes through life. If it doesn't happen then I guess I'll be going up again :grin:

[Optimass]

Todays focus was Deadlifts. Had a good session all up in spite of being cut short. 10 sets of DL total /

Last set was a Drop Set from 160kg 4 reps/120kg @ 8 reps / 80kg @ 12 reps.

Finshed up with 6 sets of unilateral Lat pulldown.

Will bring the straps next week as I'm ready to go a bit heavier now.

Cardio 40 miutes on the tready moderate jog followed by some decline crunches done in quick bursts of 12.

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

Weigh in today a bit heavier @ 117kg but carbed up heavy last night on rice as I knew I was going to be early in to the gym .... didn't get enough water yesterday either so will be a factor .... so should correct tomorrow.

Legs feel good after the squats incident - no issues with deads at all. Get a bit of chafe is all as my thighs are definately responding to the squats/deads.

Nutro today:

4 weetbix 1L milk -

Shake in Water + 1 lemon muffin / 3 scoops curse & 3 Lipo 6 tabs.

Trained

Post training shake

1 cup green veggies / + 1 cup rice and 200g chicken. (1 can SF V).

250g lite cottage cheese / 1 large tin Tuna

...

Dinner = 350g steak + large salad

Shake later in the evening.

ENd

[musclenz]

Certainly setting the benchmark high for yourself Opti. Hards sessions & good nutrition. Going to be interesting to see the cut version. Go hard!

[Optimass]

I'd rather be one of those people that sets the bar high - it can be the difference between "good" and "great". It spills over in all areas of ones life - it's what I got wrong when I got into business with the gym. You have to be real about what others can achieve when you are in a partnership, and because I was blinded by friendship (on two counts) - I accepted poor performance for too long and allowed others to have a dramatic impact on the outcome (this was despite the club being in the best position it had been in many years).

Things are going to be different now - much different.

[HumanPerformance]

... no pressure aye HP. haha - I think that is the expectation most people have because they can see how hard I train when I'm in the zone. Just today I finished up my cardio and I had a guy whos been a memebr at the club for a long time ask if I was going up this year and pretty much said the same thing. (Had one of the trainers ask as well as I have trimmed up a bit of late) This is why I am apprehensive - because I know I need to have the best prep, train the hardest and make sure I leave nothing on the table in order to compete at the standard I believe I should. I don't really care for others opinions much in terms of what is and isn't acceptable for the stage - but you can count on seeing something special if it happens again as I will have pushed beyond anything I have ever achieved personally. My next show will have a special significance .....

I have a few trophies to show for past experience but I want to be able to give my son an overall trophy one day when he's old enough to understand (2.5 years now ) and hopefully inspire him to go on and conquer what he puts his mind to as he goes through life. If it doesn't happen then I guess I'll be going up again :grin:

Well ill definately go along and watch if you do decide to compete again. Will be good to see

[Optimass]

still getting on down the scale - havent weighed in for over a week now but my belt has another notch off today and my abs are starting to poke through / arms showing veins and thighs too now after a cardio session. (Predicting 115kg ... )

Planning a good onslaught this weekend as may be heading to CHCH early next week to assist.

I'm feeln a bit skinny having not had any resistance training but have mantained the cardio. Spent last weekend at the Mt and managed to burst an airdrum in he surf :? -- off to doc tomorrow to get it checked again.

Update again after the train ...

[Optimass]

lols 116.5kg ... can't seem to stop my body maintaining the weight.

Lite chest and bi's yesterday - only benching 120kg @ 12 reps > felt pretty good. Back on the creatine next week and cardio scheduled today 1 hour.

Legs tomorrow - need to find my wraps ....

[justhell]

lols 116.5kg ... can't seem to stop my body maintaining the weight.

Lite chest and bi's yesterday - only benching 120kg @ 12 reps > felt pretty good. Back on the creatine next week and cardio scheduled today 1 hour.

Legs tomorrow - need to find my wraps ....

hey Opti,

only 120kg for 12 reps(light)ha ha,mean benching mate,good work. :nod:

but i guess when ya pushin 140kg for 6,120s nice.

lookin good(shape) in pics too.(no homo) :shifty:

[Shutupandsquat]

... Sluzza

[steak]

... Sluzza

youd tap it

[Optimass]

lols 116.5kg ... can't seem to stop my body maintaining the weight.

Lite chest and bi's yesterday - only benching 120kg @ 12 reps > felt pretty good. Back on the creatine next week and cardio scheduled today 1 hour.

Legs tomorrow - need to find my wraps ....

hey Opti,

only 120kg for 12 reps(light)ha ha,mean benching mate,good work. :nod:

but i guess when ya pushin 140kg for 6,120s nice.

lookin good(shape) in pics too.(no homo) :shifty:

Early days yet - just trying to realign work hours to accomodate a regular schedule - hopefully not too far away. Once I get into a regular rythym my strength should be back to 80-90% what it was back at the start of the journal. Muscle is looking a lot more rope like than before (harder).

..........

Back on the ab ripper tomorrow. Flagged the Leg session for a ghetto workout and cardio. Then ducked out just after lunch to ravage another treadmill at the gym. (116kg @ 12km/phr --- makes a lot of noise and makes the managers blood pressure rise :pfft: ) ... just glad I'm not paying for the maintinance any more :grin:

Nutro today

8 egg whites + 1 yolk (omlete) filled with 190g tuna in spring water.

1 whey shake in water + 1 large apple

400g cashews + 500ml sugar free V

Cardio - session with abs 45 minutes total

1 roast chicken (no skin) + 1 brocoli head + 1 handful of green beans + 1 medium baked potato (plain)

1 Shake in water + 100g lite yogurt

not enough cals in middle of day today - good day for water though.

Abs definately taking shape now - still have a small import spare to move though.

Pump track today ...

[Optimass]

Well have taken two steps back in terms of weight this week but my pump tonight was full and my shoulders/chest are starting to fill out. Managed a full hour run on the tready on Saturday - on the back of a lite chest workout.

Weigh in 118kg tonight.

back routine: (simple)

Unilateral Lat Pulldown 4 sets / last set failure at 96kg for 12 reps. (full stack)

Seated Row 4 sets / Last set failure the stack at 10 reps.

Upright row (cable) 76lb x 3 sets @ 12 reps

One arm T-bar row 3 sets final set 8 reps @ 60kg

Shrugs B/b 120kg x 2 sets 10 reps.

END - no cardio

.....

Nutro - pretty good today nice and clean except

pre-training meal was a 95g tin of chicken on 2 slice bread.

Dinner tonight I combo'd my post training shake (1/2 tin of peaches + 1 serve whey + 300ml trim milk). + 1 whole skinned roast chicken.

resting tomorrow but will do the ab ripper session in the evening and then spin class booked in for Wednesday.

Update then

[Ronin]

Dinner tonight I combo'd my post training shake (1/2 tin of peaches + 1 serve whey + 300ml trim milk. + 1 whole skinned roast chicken).

Fixed

Is this a new variation on the Poundstone shake? The Opti-Shake perhaps?

[Optimass]

My wife suggested the same thing :pfft:

[teamfatboy]

Nice idea, if you've got a 250kW blender :grin:

[TFB makes a note to step up his cardio - 12 kph for 45 mins :shock: ]

[Rookie]

Good work there Opti!!!!

Was going to ask how you're finding the combo of cardio+weights in terms of your performance in the gym/ impact in strength levels?

[Optimass]

Good work there Opti!!!!

Was going to ask how you're finding the combo of cardio+weights in terms of your performance in the gym/ impact in strength levels?

Normally doesn't change it at all - my strength levels are low at the moment due to not having consistant sessions each week. I'm going to make an extra effort over the next few weeks to ensure I get the time in to gain some momentum.

The only thing I battle with is a bit more fatigue than normal. But if I schedule a day in between the big days to rest I can function no worries.

[soundsgood]

Ducked out just after lunch to ravage another treadmill at the gym. (116kg @ 12km/phr --- makes a lot of noise and makes the managers blood pressure rise :pfft: ) ... just glad I'm not paying for the maintinance any more :grin:

Hahaha I bet they hate it! I have broken a couple of crosstrainers at my gym going to hard. I just shuffle over to the next one and pretend it wasnt me :shifty:

BTW Nice diet Opti. Keep up the good eating

[steak]

whats a crosstrainer

Nice work Opti

[soundsgood]

whats a crosstrainer

Its for people who are scared they might break a nail if they use a sled :pfft:

[Optimass]

whats a crosstrainer

Nice work Opti

no mirrors .... no crosstrainers... what am I getting myself in for? :pfft

[Optimass]

Weigh in today 118kg :pfft: stubborn biaarch.

However, notice one less notch on my belt on Wednesday last week so pretty happy that the bfat is coming off. Had a lot of positve feedback in the gym today too to reinforce it.

Shoulders and Tricep today:

Lateral and front raise db supersets 15kg x 4 sets to warm up.

Upright row 4 sets 12 reps - (2nd time this week - but you can never have traps that are too big IMO)

Hammer Strength Front Military press 4 sets / last set failure 10 reps @ 40kg either side.

Tricep pushdown with straight bar. 3 sets

Tricep Dips 4 sets 20 reps body weight

Close Grip Machine bench 3 sets 12 reps

reverse grip/one arm pulldown 3 sets @ 36kg for 8 reps.

Abs - circle / horiztonal leg raises super set with bicycle crunches 4 sets :grin:

High intensity cardio - Treadmill 1 hour mod run.

END

Appetite has escalated big time this week - just can't seem to fill myself > e.g last night dinner = 1 whole chicken + 1L yellow top milk - one hour later I was in the fridge again and topped 250g tub of cottage cheese and a 6 rice crackers :pfft:

Training still feels a bit weak - will hope to see a strength increase next week hopefully in bench.

Tomorrow keen to get legs in > will be a lite squat session and heavy leg press .