[Marc]

Thanks for your honesty here Tyler. You’re at the point in prep that is the business end. You have to weigh up the pros and cons here. To get into stage condition you will have to push on harder to hit peak condition and make weight.

Will you be able to eliminate fatigue in time for ‘peak week’ to have an effective run into the show would remain to be seen.

If diet breaks had been scheduled in this would have helped managed fatigue, but in all honesty even when I competed for the majority of my bodybuilding shows I didn’t know about this.

If I was in your shoes I would be thinking to listen to my body here. pushing harder when your body is already fatigued is going to drive you further into a hole. Reducing expenditure and increasing calories could be an option for a few days, but time is against you a little here.

Prep isn’t just about the physical it’s about the mental side and you need you take care of both. I’d take this time to weigh up whether you have the grit to push on or reverse diet and build new muscle from a really good set point. There’s no shame in either, but only you truly know how you feel and you should listen to your body!

[Marc]

You have a good really good taper, you do fit the classic physique class well. You’re on the right track with condition, but definitely crack on with pushing on. From the rear lower body in particular there is still a way to go.

[Marc]

Two meals whey is absolutely fine. I have two servings a day and I have been for a long time. As long as you feel like you’re digesting it fine I wouldn’t overthink it but crack on

[Marc]

My day started off with usual cardio, abs and a few rounds of posing. I also had two in person posing clients today.

I decided to train push today and the gym where I usually train pull. It’s closer to home and it helped me to manage my day better with cutting down on travel time going to Shredz which would have taking longer. Also I was able to go into the sauna post workout at this gym today so that was good to help relax me post workout. I had a really good workout, I felt full and all exercises connected well. Did my usual push workout but used the equipment that was available to me as a few bits of kit were different.

My session today was;

Pec deck x3
Incline hammer chest press x3
Flat hammer chest press x2
High cable flyes x3
Lying cuffed lat raise x2
Seated machine lat raise x2

This session worked really well. It’s good for me to know if I need to train this push session closer to home I can do and my session won’t be comprised.

[Marc]

Hi guys

So after my high day food day yesterday (it should have been a low day) + an off plan meal and dessert I woke up 0.2kg heavier than the day before. Visually I looked loads fuller and condition was even sharper. Pretty exciting as I likely had around 2000kcals more on top of my high day calories of 3850. My body is literally like a furnace burning through those calories right now.

Cal was really happy with todays check in… Sundays check in pre off plan meal etc I was really happy with but today was even sharper.
Cal thinks at this rate another 3 weeks moving like this I will be ahead of my last stage condition in 2020 which will be pretty mad considering I’ll still have around another 5 weeks until my first show of the season.

Today was another high day as I was training legs. I trained local today as After such a busy weekend driving to Kerry’s show etc it was more optimal to cut down on travel today and reset with some rest before heading into legs.

Legs today was very very good, strength was up, numbers were up and my legs felt really full. Hunger again is a little more stable today but I certainly feel like I’m ready to eat. But as cal says to get those glutes peeled I need to get hungry lol so I’m all for it.

Last meal going in, then shortly after I’ll be going to sleep to be up for cardio at 5:30am

[Marc]

Hi Connor

Could you list what your current meals looks like please including any sauces if you use them?Something might stand out to what could be causing you to feel gassy.

Hi Marc so my day goes like this
Wake
Currently doing 3G jp cv burn then 1 hour cardio 6days a week
After cardio before food 10g glutamin 25ml apple cider vinegar
5.30-6am 120ml egg white 2 whole eggs 200g green beans and 5-10g of reduced ketchup (2 pieces of turkey bacon rest day)
8.30-9am 175g lean mince 200g green beans
11.30-12pm 150g chicken 200g green beans
2.30pm 200g Greek yoghurt 30g whey (this I’ve now removed only as of today to see if it helps keeping the why for now)
4.30-5pm (pre) 85g oats 45g whey
Intra 25g carb powder 15g eaa
8.30-9pm (post) 103g cor 60g whey
My guess is it’s the whey or yoghurt so removing yoghurt first too see
I use Per4m whey asqell just to mention that [/quote]
Thanks for this. I would say it is a process of elimination and you have done that so far with Greek yoghurt. The one thing that stands out to me is apple cider vinegar. How long have you been taking this for? Although it can be useful, it does have acidic effects and can cause bloating / make you feel gassy because it slows down the rate at which your stomach can empty itself.

[Marc]

Rest day today, so this should have been a low carb day. But today Cal gave me a a high carb day and also an off plan meal and dessert. My body is literally churning through food, my appetite is sky high so the food didn’t stand a chance lol which is saying something as I don’t normally have a big appetite.

Today was also a check in day. Big big changes this week visually to my condition which is cool to see and Cal is very happy. Now 8 weeks out from the Arnold’s U.K. and as ever full focus to bring my best here.

Just a note on yesterday with Kerry’s competition, she didn’t get the placing she worked for. She’s taking it on the chin and speaking with Cal (who also coaches her) where to go from here. This is bodybuilding, we get the highs and lows, it’s then what we do to move forwards after the lows.

[Marc]

Hi Connor

Could you list what your current meals looks like please including any sauces if you use them?Something might stand out to what could be causing you to feel gassy.

[Marc]

Cream of rice is good carbs! Easily digestible like you said and still a good way to hit your calories. Get it in and don’t over think it

[Marc]

So second day away from home today, down at Maidenhead for Kerry’s competition. Maybe another our or so before she’s on stage for the bikini pro show.

Today my routine has been back to front, with me training first and then doing cardio afterwards. This was mainly so I could help get bits done for Kerry so that she could chill.

Step target of 13k that’s definitely going to get smashed today lol it’s been all good but it’s worth it.

Posted up a few pictures today post arms and delts, felt pretty full.

[Marc]

Agree with all the above comments here. Number 1 adductor builder is using the adductor machine and using it with intent. The same intensity used say doing a squat, approach it the same way. I like to position this exercise towards the end of my workouts. Sumo style stance on squats exercises or leg press is another good go too, but definitely make using the adductor machine a priority. If it’s a weaker area, add it in twice a week!

[Marc]

Later than usual log today, been a super busy day…

-after 1 meal, i trained legs then did my 30mins cardio on the recumbent bike (I usually do this fasted but worked out better for me today time wise)…
– back home to finish packing and getting things organised to travelling to Maidenhead
– I drove the journey so Kerry could chill
– high carb day today so 500g in total, but wow was my hunger through the roof. I could have easily ate double that today and that’s saying a lot because I don’t normally have a big appetite. I guess you could say the dig/condition will be here soon

Kerry is all registered and ready for her IFBB bikini pro show. Really pleased for her and whatever the result tomorrow she can be proud of her efforts! Right time to get some sleep, it’s a late one tonight

[Marc]

Stay as you for now. Keep rinsing your current format and take every last drop of progress. If/when progress stalls then then you could look to add more volume across workouts, but for now it’s working so don’t exhaust your growth potential by adding in more now

[Marc]

Rest day today, but felt like anything but that. Up at 5am to get cardio, abs and some posing in, then two in person posing clients, shockwave therapy treatment, haircut, deep tissue massage, food shop… all go from the moment I woke up. Low carb day today 250g in total hunger was sky high today!

Travelling down to Maidenhead tomorrow ahead of Kerry’s bikini pro show on Saturday so I was doing as much as what was needed so she could chill a little more today.

Looking forward to a good sleep tonight as I will be training early morning tomorrow before the drive to Maidenhead

[Marc]

Usual weds pull session today. Happy with how the session went and performance in general across my sessions.

Food wise, today was a medium food day from my new split. I’m noticing hunger is starting to creep in much more now. It’s part of the process, I can’t get peeled without days like this.

Exercises today;
Single arm nitro pulldown x2
Single arm xpload row x2
T-bar x2
RDL x1
Rear delt fly x2
Shrugs x2
Single arm cable bicep curls x3