NPA Taunton 1 Week out

Well another show is nearly here.
I am really looking forward to Taunton. I guess it is my local NPA show, so there is less stress with travel and I know the venue well, which makes you feel comfortable.

The prep has gone well and I have executed my plan. The feedback was that I was good at Yorks but could be a bit tighter , so thats what I have been trying to do. We shall see to what extent come the weekend.

Training this week will be ceased on Thursday to allow me to recover for the stage and bring the look I want.

Big thank you for Smart -tec for the sponsorship which is a great help and also to the NPA for putting on the shows we love.

I finish work ealry on Friday and have two days off after the show. They are always a long day so I though why not. Let's hope it goes to plan.

No crazy "peak" week from me, just a slight increase in carbs and a backing off from activity. If you look at a point where you want to be then tricks can only make you look worse.

This weeks Training

Tuesdays Training
Back and biceps

bent over rows
100kg x7
100kg x 8

pull ups
me x 7
me x 6

rope rows
35kg x 8
35kg x 8

pullovers ss rope pulldowns. Just for some blood flow.

alternate dumbell curls
16kg x 8
16kg x 7

ez curls
40kg x 8
40kg x 7

Then hit abs.

I did a carb up Sunday as Saturday we were out and the carb up is easier at home as I get windy lol

The carb up was oats and spuds. I am just waiting now to see how many days after the carbs I need before I am happy with how I look. Saturday I dried out, totally by accident as we could not get near toilets as we were on the coach and as a result i drunk less. Look really good Saturday and thats with no carbs. 

Wednesday
I took delivery of my Smart tec supplements yesterday. The xcelr8 shots, pre workout are really good and I am very happy with the whey. It tastes great and mixes really well.

Push workout

incline dumbells
30kg x 7
30kg x 8 

flat bench
60kg x 6
60kg x 3 rp 2

pec dec ss dumbell flys 2 sets

dumbell shoulder press
20kg x 8
20kg x 7

seated laterals
12kg x 12
12kg x 10

pushowns
22.5kg x 9
22.5kg x 8

decline ez bar ext
20kg x 10
20kg x 8

one set of dips

dumbell shrugs 
50kg x 15

Thursday
Quite enjoying training three days straight. I get in the mind set of training and then by Friday I feel pretty relaxed that the works been done.
Trained legs this am. Will do them again Tuesday and that is them done before Taunton. I have been wanting to do this before a show for a while so now's the time. Can't see it going wrong, just get better seperation.

Today went like this

Leg ext
10kg x 20
20kg x 10
30kg x 10
30kg x 11
30kg x 10

hamstring curls
15kg x 20
30kg x 10
30kg x 12
40kg x 9

leg press
4 plates a side x 15
6 plates a side x 10
6 plates a side x 12

dumbell sldl
50kg x 8
50kg x 9

squats
100kg x 9
100kg x 7

seated calf raise on smith
3 plates a side
Just kept doing reps and rest pausing until I could not stand the pain anymore.

Nice workout. 2 weeks Sunday and it's stage time again. I can't wait

3 Weeks out from the NPA Taunton

Might seem odd to count my life away in such a manner but that's bodybuilding, your always thinking about the next show.
I am still training strong, diets spot on as is cardio, which I do on a bike at home.

I have stuck with the plan that I have put in place and as the weeks go I am getting tighter and tighter.

This time I do feel like prep is affecting my life less. In past years I was really stuggaling to get through each day. Now, don't get me wrong it eating the same food every day, at the same time and getting up at a silly hour for cardio isn't most people's idea of fun but I can still function day to day and I am pretty happy.

For the show I am looking to improve how I looked from Yorkshire and make sure I step on that stage having given all I can. To this point I am and will continue to do so.

Another bit of good news is I am now sponsored by Smart-tec nutrition. This is fantastic for me and hopefully great for them as well. A quest for the worlds is my major goal and their support is much needed.

Check out my profile and their awesome products

This weeks workouts

Tuesday
What an amazing weekend. NPA midlands on Sunday. Great result for Dom Rae and Toby Hines. Both looking really good. I din't see the lightweight class, seen a pic and they look pretty shredded. All good motivation.

Matt;s guest pose really polished. He;s pretty good that chap  

Great to see Nic as always and she kept little Jannie company through the day and they both seemed to have a nice time, while I was of dream tanning. Jan got a kiss from big Rich which made her day along with Toby doing so well.

Our drive home was hell and the traffic was mental. Finally rolled in at Midnight after leaving at 8pm !!

Yesterday we have a nice chilled day, walk along the beach, wander round Ringwood and went to cheer the old man up.

Now I think I have got to the bottom of me feeling grumpy in the week. Not the diet, not the training but getting up so early for cardio, it's got to be done so I get some time with Jan and I don't have to go to the gym in the PM. It does drain the hell out of me though.

Hopefully as the diet goes on and I get leaner I can back off the cardio a bit and get a few more minutes of sleep.

Back and biceps

deads
60kg x 30
100kg x 20
120kg x 10
140kg x 6

chins
me x 8
me x 6
me x 6

row row machine
70kg x 7 then 6 drops

lat pulldown
60kg x 6 then 6 drops

dumbell pullovers
20kg x 20

ez curls
30kg x 10
30kg x 9

dumbell hammers
ran the rack
started at 18kg x 4 then dropped 2kg each time till i got to the 4kg

then did some abs

Nice workout, was going to do straight sets but just got the fire from Sunday.

Diets been bang on and the ab veins are back. Weight at the weekend was 60.6. So we should drop under 60kg this week. Nice and slow, looking to be better at each show. As long as I do that, where I place really is out of my control.

Wednesday
Push workout

incline dumbell press
32kg x 8
32kg x7

flys
14kg x10
14kg x 9

ped dec and machine press superset x 2

dumbells press
20kg x 8
20kg x 7 rp 2

seated laterals
14kg x 9
14kg x 4 rp4 rp 4

rope pushdowns
15kg x 8
15kg x 10

overhead dumbells
20kg x 8
20kg x 8

One set of dips 
me x 14 reps. Just because i fancied it really.

Then did some abs.

3 weeks out Sunday so thinking about training, cardio etc for the last few weeks. I will evauluate week on week. Doing a carb up Sunday, the exact one I plan to use for the show so could be interesting

Friday Legs this am Squats bar x 20 60kg x 12 100kg x 10 100kg x 9 120kg x 7 80kg x 15 rp 5 sldl 60kg x 20 100kg x 9 100kg x 8 lunges 16kg x not sure, felt like dying calf press 50kg x 20 warm up 100kg x 10 150kg x 6 rp 3 120kg  x 6 sqeeze at the top. Nice and basic. Now for 4 days off the gym and a trip to the O2!

NPA Midlands

After a great day out yesterday at the NPA midlands supporting my best mate Toby Hines,(who took second in the middles and look fantastic) I find myself 4 weeks out from the NPA Taunton.

Now I have already qualified for the NPA British finals by winning the NPA Yorkshire Lightweight, however I needed a reason to stay in shape for the best part of the year. I personally put on body fat very easily and find that without the impending date of a show I can quite easily allow myself treats. So by doing this show 8 weeks after the Yorks, I could have a week of relaxtion and then be back on my game. I weighted in Saturday 400g away from Yorks stage weight, so I am confident that if I just keep doing what I am doing I will be better than that show and thats all I can control.
I never worry about who else might turn up as thats not in my control. So another week on prep, working toward my goals.