Precompetition journal

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

Weigh in today: 206.
I have lost 59 pounds on this cut.
Some of that is muscle and that is really bugging me.

I have lost some size.
Arnold wrote of this in some of his books as to a size drop due to bf% reduction for competition and how it impacted competitors.

This level of cutting to get shredded is required for natural bodybuilding competition.
The average weight of a competitor is between 185 and 195 pounds and guys that win usually come in shredded.

Anyone that disrespects natural bodybuilding as not being real bodybuilding can feel free to run a natural contest prep and compete as a natural.
Their attitude will change.

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

10/16

I am going to use Hammer Strength machines for upper body to see if it will help resolve the biceps tendonitis and delt strain problem I have.

During this session I noticed a reduction in biceps/delt pain during all exercises and I was able to increase intensity through negatives.
I was able to go heaver than I could when using free weights.

HS Incline Press
2 warm ups then 12 reps *3 sets
3 sets six seconds negatives

HS Wide ISO Chest Press
2 warm ups then 12 reps *3 sets
3 sets six seconds negatives

HS Front Pull Downs
2 warm ups then 12 reps *3 sets
3 sets six seconds negatives

HS ISO Low Rows
2 warm ups then 12 reps *3 sets
3 sets six seconds negatives

Stair master 10 minutes
Elliptical 11 minutes
Stair climber 10 minutes

Sauna

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

10/17

Narrow Stance Back squats 10 reps * 4 sets
Close Stance Hack Squats 10 * 3
Leg extensions 10* 2

Calves Toe presses on leg press 40/40/40
Seated Calve raises 40/40/40

Elliptical 23 minutes

Posing practice

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

10/19

SLDLs
10 reps * 5 sets
Standing leg curl
10 reps * 2 sets
Glute ham raise
10 reps * 2 sets
Lunges
10 reps * 1 set

Preacher bench dumb bell curls 10*3
Ez bar curls 10*3

Preacher bench hammer curls 10*3
Rope twist 10*3

StairMaster
Elliptical
Stair Stepper

Sauna
Posing Practice

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

10/20

Weigh-in today: 205


Barbell Upright Rows 3 sets * 10 reps
Front Raises 3 sets * 10 reps

Dumb bell laterals 3 sets * 10 reps
Machine laterals ( low stretch) 2 sets * 10 reps

Trap bar shrugs 5 sets 10 reps * front and back shrugs.
Upright rows 3 sets * 10 reps

O'Buadains * This hits my anterior and lateral delts hard.

Close grip bench 3*10
Overhead rope push 3 *10
Wide grip push downs 3*10

I had to cut cardio short.

StairMaster 10 minutes

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

10/21

StairMaster
Elliptical
Stair Stepper

Crunches, 30 degrees from floor
Lying leg raises
Roman chair
Rope crunches

Sauna
Posing Practice

Two miles walk

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

10/22

Treadmill HIIT
StairMaster

Sauna

Three miles walk.

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

Weigh-in today 204.
I am targeting 200 by the end of the first week of Nov.
I have lost 61 pounds on this cut.

I am doing this by a combination of cardio and diet manipulation as to cardio 5-6 days a week, HIIT and LISS, caloric restrictions and carbs cycling.
I have maintained protein intake to mostly around 1 gram per lean mass a day.
Fats to around 40-50 grams a day.

The calories were held to one thousand calories below maintenance when I started this cut and the carbs have averaged from below 100 carbs a day to say around 130, then a re-feed once a week.
Calories are now at around 500 calories a day below maintenance.

I would like to thank thegoon for his advise during this cut.
The results would not be as they are without it.

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

10/23

HS Incline Press
2 warm ups then 12 reps *3 sets
3 sets six seconds negatives

HS Wide ISO Chest Press
2 warm ups then 12 reps *3 sets
3 sets six seconds negatives

Incline dumb bell flys 10 reps* 3 sets

HS Front Pull Downs
2 warm ups then 12 reps *3 sets
3 sets six seconds negatives

HS ISO Low Rows
2 warm ups then 12 reps *3 sets
3 sets six seconds negatives

Nautilus pullovers 10 reps * 3 sets

Stair master 10 minutes
Elliptical 11 minutes
Stair climber 10 minutes

Sauna

Posing practice

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

10/24

Narrow Stance Back squats 10 reps * 4 sets
Close Stance Leg presses 10 * 3
Single Leg Presses 10*2

SLDLs 10 reps * 4 sets
Standing leg curl 10 reps * 2 sets
Glute ham raise 10 reps * 2 sets
Lunges 10 reps * 1 set

Calves Toe presses on leg press 40/40/40 reps

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

I am now in off season.
During the first week I will only be doing cardio.
After that using light weights for a couple of weeks to recover from contest prep.
I have some nagging injuries that need to heal.

I am targeting to gain no more than 10 pounds off season.

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

I have a doctors appointment next week to examine my chronic shoulder/biceps tendon issue.
Hopefully I get a diagnosis besides that surgery is needed to repair it.
I hope this all clears up before I need to start prepping for next season.

I am doing lower body using moderate weights and due to the injury light weight upper body using hammer strength equipment.
Cardio five days a week.
Abs two days a week.


My weight is holding at around 208.
Diet is around 1800-2000 calories with a weekly refeed.
I am trying to hold my weight gain during off-season to no more than 210lbs.

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

Getting ready to start lifting free weights again after new years.
My shoulder, biceps is much better.

[Daibhí O'Buadain]

1/24

HS Wide ISO Chest Press
2 warm ups then 12 reps *3 sets

Incline dumb bell bench
12 reps* 3 sets

Incline dumb bell flys
12 reps* 3 sets

15 minutes treadmill cardio