[Clare]

You don’t necessarily ‘need’ to do cardio during an off season, particularly if you’re active. I personally don’t do any structured cardio, other than walking. Some people like to keep it in to help with digestion and assimilating nutrients. It can also help with maintaining some cardiovascular fitness to help with pushing in the gym when at a heavier body weight.

My view is that the more cardio you do in your off season, the more efficient your body becomes and adapts to what you’re doing and the more you’re going to have to do in your dieting phase, so for that reason I like to keep output to a minimum and push calories as high as possible, whilst maintaining some level of fitness and body composition for obvious health reasons.

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[Clare]

Upper today.. Strange session. Progressed on Push movements very slightly and touched a weight I haven’t previously pressed on the High incline press before, but all of my Pulling movements either stalled or dropped a rep or 2. If I take my frustrated, annoyed head off and put on my logical head, the fact that I progressed on my Push movements, which are at the beginning of my workout, could well have had a knock on effect in terms of fatigue going into my pulling movements for the second half. Anyway, let’s go with that theory for today and be sure to beat these next time around.

ROTATION 2 – UPPER A
Dual bicep curl – 4 sets of 10-12 reps
Seated side raise on the cables – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
High inc machine – 3 sets – 12 reps – increase the weight a go for 8 reps, stay on that weight fail again
Narrow smith press – 2 sets of 10-12
Single arm rope pushdown – 2 sets of 10-12
Front cable raise – 1 set of 15-20 reps
STRETCH
High row pulldown – 3 sets – 12 reps – increase the weight a go for 8 reps, stay on that weight
Seated row – 3 sets – 10 reps, up the weight 6-8 reps, then 15 rep
Prone DB raise for rear delts – 1 set of 15-20 reps
STRETCH
Abs – 3 sets of 10-12 rep

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[Clare]

I wouldn’t overthink it. Sleep is obviously vital and very important for recovery and being able to progress efficiently, but the occasional night of less sleep won’t be too detrimental. It will be your mind, knowing that you had less sleep, that will hold you back more than the actual lack of hours.
Just be sure to do everything you can to ensure you get adequate rest and quality sleep when you can.

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[Clare]

Increase weight once you are at the top end of your rep range, otherwise focus on increasing reps first. Once you hit that top end, for example if your rep range is 10-12 and you hit 150 for 12, next time you may try 160, but only get 8. Even though the overall weight moved is less, this is a necessary step back in order to then progress to getting 160 for 12. You can use your back off sets to get some extra volume in.

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[Clare]

There are obviously things you can do to try and help with the hunger (eg. Increasing green veg intake, coffees, herbal teas, stay busy, eating first meal slightly later, do teeth between meals), but when it comes down to it, it really is a mental game. Embrace the hunger in return for the physique you want to create.
I know you’ve posted a few threads on here and that you’re struggling with a lot of stress right now, you train twice a day and haven’t had any refeeds. I’m not sure if you have a competition date to work towards, but if not, it may be worth having a couple of days of higher calories or a maintenance diet break to allow some fatigue and stress to be reduced before getting back to it.

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[Clare]

This won’t be what you want to hear, but it’s very difficult to advise on the best approach for a ‘Peak week’ without knowing more about your prep, what you’ve been doing, current look, how lean you are, how you respond to certain foods etc.. Peaking a physique is very person dependant and not everyone needs to drastically change anything. Have you got current pictures?

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[Clare]

Alarm set, ready to get back to it tomorrow morning

———

Welcome back! Glad you’re feeling better. I know at the time it feels like the end of the world not to train, but it’s the most beneficial thing to do.. Time to get back at it!

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[Clare]

Every single Athlete posts their full split under their logs on the App and we all write out what we train each day in our logs. Most train in a Push, Pull, Legs style or similar, so maybe have a look through our individual logs and see which you like the look of or feel suits you best.

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[Clare]

Super busy day of work. Always love to see my clients progressing and being able to play a part in that 🙂 Going to rest up now for the remainder of the evening as I’ve been on my feet a lot today.. Upper tomorrow at Primitive 🙂

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[Clare]

Clare Barks wrote:

Clare Barks wrote:

The problem with restricting yourself post show by only increasing food by 100 calories, is that the urge to overeat or binge will be a lot higher. I think you should allow yourself some good meals and treats for a couple of days post show, then get back on a structured plan, before slowly incrementing calories from there.

Your relationship with food isn’t great right now, so I would keep away from off plan meals and stick to the macros you’ve outlined for the next week or so and see how you respond, you can then slowly add calories as and when needed. When your food focus has reduced and you feel more in control, then you can look to being more flexible, but right now I wouldn’t advise it and would steer clear of foods that you know will trigger a binge.

_________________________________________

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Thanks Clare, so you say to keep current Macros 250 P 250 C 80 F every day to see how my body responds and how the scale is moving?

And after I maintain my weight to increase slowly carbs or to have like you Macros for training day and non training days?

————-

Start with those macros on training days. Let your body settle a little before increasing again. Let the mirror and your gym performance dictate when to increase, not necessarily just the scale weight.

I would also reduce some carbs on your rest day in favour of more pro/fat meals to regain some insulin sensitivity.

_________________________________________

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Wouldn’t be too much fats if I keep same Macros for training days and as you say to increase fats on rest days and lower carbs?

I calculate all the fats as I calculate Macros in my fitness pal.

250 P 250 c 80 F – > 2720 cals every day
With this calories per day I was ok if I didn’t binge…

If I change to this it would be a good starting point from your side and then adjust by mirror to go down or up?

TD :250 P 350 c 45 F-> 2820 cals
Rest days: 250 P 200 c 80 F – >2520 cals

Or which numbers were you thinking when you said to have more prot/fat meals?[/quote]

————-
I didn’t say have the same macros on training days and rest days. I meant lower your carbs and have some meals that are pro/fat only on rest days. You can increase fats slightly, but overall your calories on rest days would be lower.

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Binge after contest

[Clare]

Quite possibly the most nervous and anxious I’ve been before a session! I really wanted to hit 140kg on the Hex Deadlift and knew I only had one chance at it today.. so plenty of procrastination in the car before entering the gym and plenty of pacing and talking to myself before the set.
Anyhow I managed to get into my calm, focused place.. and I did it! 140kg for 8 (May not sound a lot, but for me that’s a pb and that’s all that matters 🙂 )
The belt squat the followed suit with a pb of 185kg for 8, so super happy.

Well and truly wiped out now!

LOWER LOAD – ROTATION 1
Hamstring curl – 1 x 15
Hex bar deadlift – 1 x 15, increase the weight and 1 x 8 – TOUCH AND GO REPS
Hex bar deadlift into a shrug– 1 set of 15-20, each rep moves into a shrug, 1 fluid movement, staying continuous
Narrow Belt squat – 1 x 10-12, 1 x 6-8
Single Leg press – 1 x 20 each leg
GHR – 1 x 20 BW – hold at peak contraction for the count of 1,2, then very controlled eccentric
Abductor – 1 r/p
Leg raises – 2 x 15 BW
STRETCH
Standing Calf raise – 3 x 10-12

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[Clare]

Like everyone has stated, make sure you are connecting well with the movement. Don’t marry yourself to specific exercises if you don’t ‘Feel’ them. Strip back the weight, slow down the reps and build from there. I would also consider starting and ending your push sessions with a tricep movement and the same with rear delts on your pull days.

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[Clare]

Clare Barks wrote:

The problem with restricting yourself post show by only increasing food by 100 calories, is that the urge to overeat or binge will be a lot higher. I think you should allow yourself some good meals and treats for a couple of days post show, then get back on a structured plan, before slowly incrementing calories from there.

Your relationship with food isn’t great right now, so I would keep away from off plan meals and stick to the macros you’ve outlined for the next week or so and see how you respond, you can then slowly add calories as and when needed. When your food focus has reduced and you feel more in control, then you can look to being more flexible, but right now I wouldn’t advise it and would steer clear of foods that you know will trigger a binge.

_________________________________________

Instagram @ClareBarksPT | http://www.trainedbyjpclothing.com – The most anabolic clothing ever! |

http://www.trainedbyjp-nutrition.com – highest quality supplements on the market.

Thanks Clare, so you say to keep current Macros 250 P 250 C 80 F every day to see how my body responds and how the scale is moving?

And after I maintain my weight to increase slowly carbs or to have like you Macros for training day and non training days?

————-
Start with those macros on training days. Let your body settle a little before increasing again. Let the mirror and your gym performance dictate when to increase, not necessarily just the scale weight.
I would also reduce some carbs on your rest day in favour of more pro/fat meals to regain some insulin sensitivity.

Instagram @ClareBarksPT | tb-jp.com/collections/clothing - The most anabolic clothing ever! |
tb-jp.com/collections/nutrition - highest quality supplements on the market.
Code CLARE10 for discount

Binge after contest

[Clare]

The problem with restricting yourself post show by only increasing food by 100 calories, is that the urge to overeat or binge will be a lot higher. I think you should allow yourself some good meals and treats for a couple of days post show, then get back on a structured plan, before slowly incrementing calories from there.
Your relationship with food isn’t great right now, so I would keep away from off plan meals and stick to the macros you’ve outlined for the next week or so and see how you respond, you can then slowly add calories as and when needed. When your food focus has reduced and you feel more in control, then you can look to being more flexible, but right now I wouldn’t advise it and would steer clear of foods that you know will trigger a binge.

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[Clare]

I’m guessing a nerve impingement would cause some pain? My guess would be that it’s more of a breathing issue.
Either way, I would go and get checked out by a physio for some professional advice.

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