Any beginners need help, just ask

[Alex A]

Hi this Is Alex A. And Any beginners needing some help with their diets, cardio, etc. Feel free to ask.

Im working in more detail with some competitors who are doing shows in 2008 and am doing assessments of their physiques, updating their diets, cardio, supps. etc to get them totally dry, hard and ripped for their shows. YOu can check out my website at Prepbyalex.com

But anyone needing some quick help, etc, I dont mind helping. Im in the sport not really to make money but because I love bodybuilding.

I love the sport as a competitor and a fan as well. I started off not knowing shit about diet and prep for a contest.

I was lucky that through hard work and learning from others, I was able to win the novice overall and open class in my first show 6 years ago.

I have slowly gotten better with my prep for each contest and now I am competing at the biggest amateur shows. But I wish I had gotten good professional advise and knowledge from the get go. I would be that much better than I am today.

The bottom line is, i remember what it was like being a beginner.

[Dton83]

I'm 24yr, 5'9'', 180lb with 10%, bench 280 (1yr ago I was 230lb, 25%, bench 180). This is my diet plan to gain 20lb of lean mass in 4 months. I could use some training/cardio tips currently I do about 65 min of incine tread @ 3.0mph 3-5x a week and weight train 4-5x a week. Specifically im looking for a good weight/set/rep/rest program and any comments on diet/sups. Trying not to get fat again so carbs are relatively low hence the Anabolic Pump(AP). I wanna enter amature competition in august 2008 and figue 4 months to cut but want to clean bulk for winter. Im a borderline meso/endo and can easily get fat. Thanks.
cals: 3680; protein: 427; fat: 114; carbs: 219

6am –protein shake and oatmeal
Fish/flax/borage oil, B-vitamin(6&12), AP
8am- -pbj on wheat and sardines
Amino Acids
10am- chicken and barley and olive oil
AP, Amino Acids
12pm- protein shake and oatmeal
Fish/flax/borage oil
2pm- steak and barley with safflower oil
AP, Amino Acids
4pm- liverwurst, wheat bread and green beans
Amino Acids
6pm- chicken and green beans
Fish/flax/borage oil, Amino Acids
8pm- almonds and protein shake
Amino Acids

[Tipsta]

Hi this Is Alex A. And Any beginners needing some help with their diets, cardio, etc. Feel free to ask.

Im working in more detail with some competitors who are doing shows in 2008 and am doing assessments of their physiques, updating their diets, cardio, supps. etc to get them totally dry, hard and ripped for their shows. YOu can check out my website at Prepbyalex.com

But anyone needing some quick help, etc, I dont mind helping. Im in the sport not really to make money but because I love bodybuilding.

I love the sport as a competitor and a fan as well. I started off not knowing shit about diet and prep for a contest.

I was lucky that through hard work and learning from others, I was able to win the novice overall and open class in my first show 6 years ago.

I have slowly gotten better with my prep for each contest and now I am competing at the biggest amateur shows. But I wish I had gotten good professional advise and knowledge from the get go. I would be that much better than I am today.

The bottom line is, i remember what it was like being a beginner.

God bless you!

[denisk]

Hi my name is Dennis, I'm 27 and i'm 5'5 144 pounds at the moment. Summer time this year up to October I bulked to about 159 pounds. I usually walked around at 140 pds pre bulk. Been working out for about a year and a half but been working out hard and dieting for the past 6 months or so. I guess my dilemma is I bulked wrong. I was a t 159 pounds. I felt strong and big but I was very puffy and fat. My bodyfat % was 19%. I use a digital scale that measure bodyfat. I was reading a magazine article were they said that you need to be at least 10-11 % in order for you to not see that much fat when you bulk. My goal is to be 9-10% bodyfat by June at 145 pds. Because I bulked wrong I dieted back down to 142-145 pds and this morning when I woke up I was 140.8. I was very happy with my progress because now I was down to 142-145 with 13.3% bodyfat. Considering I was 19% bodyfat when I started dieting down which was 2 months ago I thought I was doing well. But the past week my bodyfat % went up to 15.8-16% which is odd because I thought if you loose weight you loose bodyfat. What am I doing wrong? I also feel skinny fat at the moment, not cut and hard. My usual body type is skinny with fat especially in the lower area of my abdomen.
My training days are day 1 - chest abs, 10- 15min of hit day2 - shoulders, delts and back, day 3 - legs arms and hit day 4 rest and repeat.
Diet : meal 1 - oatmeal with 3 boiled eggs. meal 2 - banana, vasoxplode and during workout I sip on xtend. meal 3 25g of protein, cottage cheese and 10 almonds. meal 4 - 2 whole wheat bread and 8 ounce of chicken breast or canned tuna. meal 5 - 1 cup of rice and fish or chicken. meal 6 protein shake 10 almonds. meal 7 - milk, cottage cheese. I carb load as well. 2-3 days low carb then the third or 4th day I eat tons of carbs. I drink at least 6 liters of water a day and drink a glass of green tea a day.
Any idea why my bodyfat is increasing while i'm loosing weight? And how come I cant get rid of my lower abdomen pooch. Thanks for the advice.

[Alex A]

I'm 24yr, 5'9'', 180lb with 10%, bench 280 (1yr ago I was 230lb, 25%, bench 180). This is my diet plan to gain 20lb of lean mass in 4 months. I could use some training/cardio tips currently I do about 65 min of incine tread @ 3.0mph 3-5x a week and weight train 4-5x a week. Specifically im looking for a good weight/set/rep/rest program and any comments on diet/sups. Trying not to get fat again so carbs are relatively low hence the Anabolic Pump(AP). I wanna enter amature competition in august 2008 and figue 4 months to cut but want to clean bulk for winter. Im a borderline meso/endo and can easily get fat. Thanks.
cals: 3680; protein: 427; fat: 114; carbs: 219

6am –protein shake and oatmeal
Fish/flax/borage oil, B-vitamin(6&12), AP
8am- -pbj on wheat and sardines
Amino Acids
10am- chicken and barley and olive oil
AP, Amino Acids
12pm- protein shake and oatmeal
Fish/flax/borage oil
2pm- steak and barley with safflower oil
AP, Amino Acids
4pm- liverwurst, wheat bread and green beans
Amino Acids
6pm- chicken and green beans
Fish/flax/borage oil, Amino Acids
8pm- almonds and protein shake
Amino Acids

This is what I would do, your diet is a bit confusing to understand, but no offense to you bro! I would do this, keep doing the cardio for sure. Change your intensity by doing intervals. Then also progressivly add maybe five minutes every week.

I would train six days per week, five using weights. Since you hold fat more easily than most, keep your carbs around 250grams but lower your fats. you dont need that much fat in your diet. What I mean is you dont need to add fat to your diet.
you get plenty of fat from meats and the food you eat. You could consider rotating your carbs by following three low carb days and one high carb days. That is just untill you get your weight were you want to be. Then keep your carbs steady.
I weigh about 165lbs and eat near 450grams per day, doing cardio 30 minutes per day and my bodyfat is near 8-10% all year. Anyways, just some suggestions.
take care alex a

[flexingtonsteele]

Damn Alex, u are too nice to be doing this type of thread, with the schedule u have.

[purebeef]

Hey bro just a quick simple question for ya. What your cardio schedual like for the 16 wk contest prep

[Dton83]

you dont need that much fat in your diet.

Alex,
Thanks for your advice I will definetly use it. Ive been feeling like a grease-ball eating all that fat, its coming out my pores. The gym scale read 186 tonight, lets see if that sticks. Still need to check body fat%. Tonight after the workout I busted out the creatine for the firts time in 4 months. I expect some water weight (6-7lb) with the addition of creatine. I will go at this untill April 15, 2008 and adjust if fat% gets too high, what is acceptible for a bulking phase followed by 15 week precontest diet?
Dan

[Alex A]

Hey thanks bro, my schedule is a busy one but I like to type allot as you have noticed

For the guy who asked about my 16 week prep for my show, my cardio schedule was not that grueling at all. I kept the intensity low to moderate and the time from 30 minutes I worked up to 45 minutes. The last few weeks I was doing 45.

In the past I have done much more. But the need for cardio is based on everyones own bodytype ie bodyfat and condition. Im really good at figuring out how much to do. If I error, i rather error on doing too much to be honest.

The person that I suggested to drop the fats from the diet, you will find it beneficial. I have learned the body does not need many added fats. There is plenty of fat in the meats and food you eat. If your carbs are moderate to high especially, keep the fat low.

[scoobysnacks]

Alex,

I was completely impressed with your pics you posted prior to the Nationals. I checked up on you at your site, was surprised to see you 8th, but thats still awesome. Seems you played the size game and should have just came in as a welter.

One comment I have on your tan problem. I had this once too, using Dream Tan spray. No disrepect to their product Im sure if works well for some, but for me it did what I see on you. Did you use this product? I switched back to Protan and Dream Tan cream, the cream is awesome, but ive heard at the national level they dont like it. Anyways...

If you have a second can you pop over to the Contest Prep Section and see my diet and post about my next show. I also have pics, etc.

http://forums.musculardevelopment.co...ad.php?t=18852

Thanks man,

Jason

[Timski]

Alex,I too agree that most people do not need added fats in their diet...........have been saying this for years and years now.

They would be surprised at how much fatr they consume just by eating eggs,meat,fish,and chicken.......not to mention peanut butter.

[crou]

Alex,
Really cool that you're doing this thread. I remember the month before my show I was stressing so hard about what to do down to the minute detail. This would have helped me and I know it will help others.

[Alex A]

Alex,

I was completely impressed with your pics you posted prior to the Nationals. I checked up on you at your site, was surprised to see you 8th, but thats still awesome. Seems you played the size game and should have just came in as a welter.

One comment I have on your tan problem. I had this once too, using Dream Tan spray. No disrepect to their product Im sure if works well for some, but for me it did what I see on you. Did you use this product? I switched back to Protan and Dream Tan cream, the cream is awesome, but ive heard at the national level they dont like it. Anyways...

If you have a second can you pop over to the Contest Prep Section and see my diet and post about my next show. I also have pics, etc.

http://forums.musculardevelopment.co...ad.php?t=18852

Thanks man,

Jason

Hi Jason, im going to look at your pics for sure! The tanning problem I had just totally eliminated me from the first callout!

My conditioning was spot on, i was fuller and better all around prior to dropping down to make weight so as a welter I would have done well.

I have to put it past me thought. It does kill me though to think about it. i was actually tied for 6th place but the tie breaker between us landed me in the 8th spot which is horrible.

But actaully, anything less than first was not satisfactory for me, especially seeing some of the guys that placed ahead of me, I had beaten at the USA.

Im not bitter toward them or anyone though. Presentation is a big part of competing at nationals and having such a horrible color along with all that oil, ruined my look. But I was in the wrong weight class as well. I did learn alot from this as I will not make these mistakes again.

Thanks for your comments, i appreciate that. Alex a

[Texan9]

Alex, just wonderin if u could give me some of that great advice you have! Am 6 foot 178 lb 21 years old 31 inch waist around 8%bfat lifting about 3 years. Currently usind a 3 day on day off, push/pull approach(simialr to Laynes, with HIT cardio on off days and high carb on leg days). I do low intensity cardio twice a week for 30 minutes a session. Daily macros about 2750 cals, 225 carbs, 50 g fat, 300 g protein. Should I bulk then attempt a show early in 08 or am I closer to contest ready now and begin my contest diet? Any weak areas? Thanks

[flexingtonsteele]

your lean bro, u just need to pack on some muscle.