Hey Everyone,
Last week in Pittsburgh summed up the journey of competing and dieting. Currently I am reviewing the whole process from the offseason, to pre contest diet and the peak weak leading up to the show(s). I've learned so much and its been nothing short of a great experience! I can say I am completely happy with all the decisions I made through certain aspects and phases. Offseason was very productive and made the gains in areas I was aiming for. I managed to significantly bring up my legs and calves, which was the first priority. If you look at photos from last year and this year my physique completely changed and my conditioning was even better. While the conditioning department wasn't extremely hard to beat it is still an accomplishment! One thing I learned is getting to that point of conditioning does require pushing it to the limit and taking your body to points of uncontrollable hunger, beating yourself to the ground on the stairmaster, and knowing the proper supplementation to help achieve those levels. Its not exactly your comfort zone. I've said it before and I will say it again. Its not about taking the most supplements, its about getting the most out of the supplements you take. Let's no forget that this was not done by myself, with Seth Feroce being my prep coach things were taken to a different level that before I was not able to fathom or comprehend. Originally I wanted to do prep myself but looking back through the whole process, he was the x factor.
Last week for those who don't know I placed 6th at NPC Collegiate Nationals, while the placing may not seem justifying from an outsider looking in. I am happy with the place I received but I am more happy with the final result. Looking back at photos I didn't think I could look the way I did, especially from the back!
Officially one week from the show, the dust has settled, I can think with a clear mind and start to formulate my offseason plan. My goal is to utilize a steady meal plan, different training techniques, theories and supplementation to take my physique to the next level. With what I know considering my expanding knowledge of training and nutrition, dedication to the sport and genetics I am going to be a force to reckon with next time I hit the stage.
The final thing I learned from all of this is how much I love the sport and want to continue to be apart of the industry through supplement companies, magazines, and the people I have come to meet from all over the country. I have def gained friends through the journey and even a few fans.
Stay tuned through my offseason as I will make videos with both training and nutrition. I will do my best to keep everyone in the loop. This is the journey of The Wolf.
Big Bad Wolf signing out.....
2011 Contest History
2011 Musclemania Junior Heavyweight and Overall Champion
2011 NPC Tim Gardener Extravaganza 1st Light Heavyweight
2011 NPC Collegiate Nationals 6th Light Heavyweight
Leaving you with a clip as usual! Enjoy and thanks everyone!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Current Supplementation
Right about now we are two weeks out and there are daily changes happening to my body in several different forms. I'm trying to eliminate as much body fat as possible, thin the skin, create and bring out as much separation as possible while maintaining muscle and be full at the same time. And while everyone ask me at the gym what I am taking or what I am on. Its very funny cause things are minimal at the moment and its just the basics, no protein powder, no post workout carbohydrates and even certain pre-workouts cause they are loaded with fillers, carbs and sugar. So here goes the rundown of what exactly I am taking and my reasoning or science behind it.
Vitamins, they are the most important thing at this time in my prep. People don't realize how much stress you put on your body, immune system and central nervous system while trying to accomplish all the things I listed above. Calories are a bit lower then off-season or even when I was 8 weeks out so I have to make sure I'm giving my body the essential things it needs to build, maintain muscle, recover and just function properly. If your not giving your body the basics it needs lots of things can go wrong. Inflammation can be higher then usual-- good luck trying to grow if you have this going on. So every day I take vitamins if not once, sometimes twice to ensure my body is getting what it needs to run efficiently and effective. Its not about taking in as much supplements, protein or carbs as you can. Its about getting the most and optimizing what you do put into your body food and supplement wise.
Another major staple in my supplements right now is branch chain amino acids and glutamine. Now before you go on a rant about how ineffective glutamine is, I will speak for myself I feel a difference from when I take it and when I don't. I truly feel the difference in recovery within my body. So there are certain times of the day I'm using this, in particular it is pre and post workout. I'm a capsule person for whatever reason. I don't really like mixing all these powder forms cause then you have to deal with flavors matching up, or just disregarding the flavors and slamming it all down so the taste doesn't get to you.
Along with glutamine I am taking Amino Acids through out the day. Both capsule and powder form. Amino acids are the building blocks of muscle and at this time going through prep with intense cardio and weight training you obviously want to maintain as muscle as possible. This helps preserve muscle, which is the ultimate goal. Maintain as much muscle as possible while stripping as much fat as possible off my body. When I start burning muscle that is a problem.
Like I said above calories are a bit low and hunger is at an all-time high so something to help with energy levels and appetite is fat burners. Now I truly don't think fat burners will automatically make you burn fat. I used them more for thermogenic, energy and appetite purposes. Not for the gym but when I get out of the gym carrying on my daily activities. For example after a chest day and two cardio sessions you don't exactly wake up in the morning feeling like a million bucks. So not only do I wake up starving, but energy levels can be a bit low. This is where I utilize the fat burners to give me the energy to not only eliminate fat, but to feel energized at work, or take care of other things I have to accomplish through out the day. Life does exist outside of contest preperation.
Finally the last thing I use is a pre-workout. Its actually something I just started to try and I love it. Its from Beast Sports Nutrition, who sent me a pre-workout and a tshirt recently. Its an ultra concentrated scoop with means there isn't much fillers in there. Its got Beta-alanine, Creatine,Niacin, B6, B12, DMAE, and Caffeine. I think you get the picture of all the goodies in there. But this has definitively been a huge help. At first trial I had issues with it, typically I take pre-workouts as I walk into the gym, but with this I have to take it a tad earlier cause I was leaving the gym still tingling and having energy like sensations. This pre-workout gives me all the energy I need to get through a workout with consistent strength, energy and focus. I advise you to check online or try to locate a local retailer if you have Beast Mode from Beast Sports Nutrition.
Well this blog got a bit longer then expected but hopefully I could give you a look into my supplementation. Big Bad Wolf..... signing out!
Here is a quick chest list or what supplements exactly.
Vitamins-- GNC Greens Formula
Glutamine-- ON Glutamine Capsules
BCAA-- VPX Power Shock and Animal Nitro
Fatburners-- Animal Cuts
Preworkout-- Beast Sports Beast Mode
Vitamins, they are the most important thing at this time in my prep. People don't realize how much stress you put on your body, immune system and central nervous system while trying to accomplish all the things I listed above. Calories are a bit lower then off-season or even when I was 8 weeks out so I have to make sure I'm giving my body the essential things it needs to build, maintain muscle, recover and just function properly. If your not giving your body the basics it needs lots of things can go wrong. Inflammation can be higher then usual-- good luck trying to grow if you have this going on. So every day I take vitamins if not once, sometimes twice to ensure my body is getting what it needs to run efficiently and effective. Its not about taking in as much supplements, protein or carbs as you can. Its about getting the most and optimizing what you do put into your body food and supplement wise.
Another major staple in my supplements right now is branch chain amino acids and glutamine. Now before you go on a rant about how ineffective glutamine is, I will speak for myself I feel a difference from when I take it and when I don't. I truly feel the difference in recovery within my body. So there are certain times of the day I'm using this, in particular it is pre and post workout. I'm a capsule person for whatever reason. I don't really like mixing all these powder forms cause then you have to deal with flavors matching up, or just disregarding the flavors and slamming it all down so the taste doesn't get to you.
Along with glutamine I am taking Amino Acids through out the day. Both capsule and powder form. Amino acids are the building blocks of muscle and at this time going through prep with intense cardio and weight training you obviously want to maintain as muscle as possible. This helps preserve muscle, which is the ultimate goal. Maintain as much muscle as possible while stripping as much fat as possible off my body. When I start burning muscle that is a problem.
Like I said above calories are a bit low and hunger is at an all-time high so something to help with energy levels and appetite is fat burners. Now I truly don't think fat burners will automatically make you burn fat. I used them more for thermogenic, energy and appetite purposes. Not for the gym but when I get out of the gym carrying on my daily activities. For example after a chest day and two cardio sessions you don't exactly wake up in the morning feeling like a million bucks. So not only do I wake up starving, but energy levels can be a bit low. This is where I utilize the fat burners to give me the energy to not only eliminate fat, but to feel energized at work, or take care of other things I have to accomplish through out the day. Life does exist outside of contest preperation.
Finally the last thing I use is a pre-workout. Its actually something I just started to try and I love it. Its from Beast Sports Nutrition, who sent me a pre-workout and a tshirt recently. Its an ultra concentrated scoop with means there isn't much fillers in there. Its got Beta-alanine, Creatine,Niacin, B6, B12, DMAE, and Caffeine. I think you get the picture of all the goodies in there. But this has definitively been a huge help. At first trial I had issues with it, typically I take pre-workouts as I walk into the gym, but with this I have to take it a tad earlier cause I was leaving the gym still tingling and having energy like sensations. This pre-workout gives me all the energy I need to get through a workout with consistent strength, energy and focus. I advise you to check online or try to locate a local retailer if you have Beast Mode from Beast Sports Nutrition.
Well this blog got a bit longer then expected but hopefully I could give you a look into my supplementation. Big Bad Wolf..... signing out!
Here is a quick chest list or what supplements exactly.
Vitamins-- GNC Greens Formula
Glutamine-- ON Glutamine Capsules
BCAA-- VPX Power Shock and Animal Nitro
Fatburners-- Animal Cuts
Preworkout-- Beast Sports Beast Mode
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