2008 Competition Prep and Training

[mydawgs]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

Ok, I just found another medical measurement where bodybuilders may show a discrepancy.

I had bloods taken by my mate yesterday, and I just checked my results.

U/E - urea and electrolytes - renal/kidney function

sodium - 140 mmol/L normal

potassium - 3.9 nmol/L normal

urea - 8.7 mmol/L REALLY HIGH (this is from high protein diet)

creatinine - 121 mmol/L again REALLY HIGH (but this indicated how much muscle mass you have as well, and mine is UP from the last time I checked)

So that isn't the issue, the issue is that there is a calculation to do an estimated glomerular filtration rate, and it said I was in chronic kidney disease stage 3 (CKD3) as my creatinine is so high.

Just so my GP doesn't freak, I peed into a pot and did a urine total protein, and while I was waiting, I also did a dipstick.

I am also doing a microalbumin (which is a super sensitive measure of protein in urine) just to be on the safe side.

My UTP (urine total protein) is normal 0.13 mg/L


My cholesterol is LOW as well, 4.4 mmol/L and my HDL is high 1.95 mmol/L which has me with a ratio of 2.3, very low risk category.

Cortisol results

Cortisol reference values in plasma or serum vary with the time of sampling, from a mean value of 325 nmol/L (range 154 – 638) between 8am and 10am, to about 190 nmol/L (range 79 – 388) between 3pm and 5pm.

I had my bloods done at about 4 pm, non-fasting as well

Cortisol was 209 nmol/L

Glucose 4.9 mmol/L

All my other hormones were all normal

As far as training goes, I am doing 3 on-calls in 5 days, so far it has been riding my bike to and from work.

I am so saddle sore, I see why people wear those really hideous shorts.

I am hoping it is from lower body fat.

Wow, cool data...keep it coming. Just a note on the bike riding, is it in any way like spinning? If so be careful. Spinning totally elongated my hamstrings, which made them strong as a big dog, but smooth to the look when flexing. It took me 3 months of light high rep work to pop them again.

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

Wow, cool data...keep it coming. Just a note on the bike riding, is it in any way like spinning? If so be careful. Spinning totally elongated my hamstrings, which made them strong as a big dog, but smooth to the look when flexing. It took me 3 months of light high rep work to pop them again.

Do you stand up a lot spinning?

I am using my bike as transport, and it is a mountain bike as well, no bloody skinny go faster tyres.

I am going to get a few more things tested this week, fasted this time. I will keep you posted.

So I haven't posted anything in a few days, I have had to cover an extra on call (Saturday night sucks big time) for my lab manager.

I am also on tomorrow night, so that is three in 6 days, not cool.

The cycling sometimes feels really tough, but my heart rate is dropping and so are the calories for the same time!!!!

Boy our bodies adapt quickly.

I trained on Sunday and tonight, and the general theme is 'Lads who train like my nan'.

Seriously, it was shocking.

I was really tired on Sunday, I didn't really sleep, I cycled home, ate and went to the gym. I didn't push it as I knew that it would be silly, so I was working with weights just under all my max training weights, and I didn't bother trying to increase any weights.

Between my sets and reps, I watched not just one, but about five lads move such girlie weights it was pathetic.

Not only were they moving girlie weights, but one was grunting and puffing like he was a major power lifter. Dumbell tricep kickbacks with 5 kg/12 lbs, making all that noise.

I was doing back and triceps, and while doing skull crusher, I had the older chubby man who was doing DB bench press with his legs off the floor looking like a turtle on his back with his 20 kg/45 lb dumbells as me if I needed help.





Tonight it was busy in the gym and I did have to jump in with one of the more sensible hard training lads in the gym, because the chap on hack squats was only using 80 kg/176 lbs.

He then looked on in shock as I loaded it up to 200 kg/440 lbs, and I was doing frog/plie squats for my outer sweeps.

This is what really made tonight quite funny. Two of the regulars in the gym who do train properly (and they also often train with their GFs who are working on training as hard) told me that they were accused of doing steroids as 'no one can get that big or lift that much without steroids'.

These lads are by no means big. They do train hard, and move quite a bit of weight, but they are not juicing, it is pretty obvious.

If a lot of the lads think that they are juicing, they must think I am a gear monster.

My big lift for today, stiff leg dead lifts with 60 kg/132 lbs. I could do more weight, but the big deal for me was that I did all my sets with NO STRAPS, and there wasn't any point in the lift that I thought I was going to have to stop because of my grip.

That is a big deal for me as my grip has really stopped me before.

 

[mydawgs]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

Spinning is definately like the "racing" style...you know up the hill and down the hill stuff. You are leaning forward like Lance Armstrong....The up and down position and motion like the recumbant bike is not damaging...I have switched over to stair climber. I had no idea spinning would flatten my hamstrings the way it did. Stacy slapped me upside my head ha!

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

Spinning is definately like the "racing" style...you know up the hill and down the hill stuff. You are leaning forward like Lance Armstrong....The up and down position and motion like the recumbant bike is not damaging...I have switched over to stair climber. I had no idea spinning would flatten my hamstrings the way it did. Stacy slapped me upside my head ha!

LOL, can you tell I am a gym rat. I think I have done about two aerobic classes in my life, and I haven't tried any of the newer classes at all.

I love yoga, but I haven't been doing it lately, I do need to get into doing it once a week.

I do that on rare occasions, and I will make sure I don't try and do that a lot.

I do have a few serious hills, but I usually just gear down and go slow up the hills.

I may have to take a few pictures of my journey, it is quite nice in places.

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

I am doing high volume again this week YAH!!!!!

I don't know why I like it so much, well I do

1. It's fast

2. It's effective

3. I always feel it later, and that dull ache feels GOOD


T-bar rows 10 x 10

30 kg/66 lb on the olympic bar

Skull crushers 10 x 6

25 kg/55 lb

one minute rest max between sets

Then for something a bit different, I did intervals, sort of HIIT, but I don't sprint full out.

8 km/h for 80 sec - 12 km/h for 80 sec for 24 minutes

It was a bit tough.

This was my funny little epiphany today.

I wore shorts, it is hot, and I also wanted to get a better look at my legs.

I am not currently all that pleased with my legs, I think that they are in that skinny fat domain, well especially my quads.

Hammies and calves are ok.

There is one lad who has been BBing for ages who I have had quite a few chats with while we are both grinding it out on cardio who came in and was cycling sort of behind me.

He has competed, and has prepped a few people before as well.

So once I was done, we had a wee natter to catch up.

He said I was looking muscular, my legs were cut, and my quads were one of my strong points, so maybe the last month of focus has helped to get them to come out a bit.


I rode my bike into work last night, and it felt GREAT (except for being seriously saddle sore still, when am I going to adapt to that?), and the fact that I can seriously feel the entire back half of my body from yesterday and today's training.

I am about six weeks out now, and I am starting to remember how bloody exhausting comp prep is.

Last night was BUSY at work, I did cycle home, I thought about training today, but basically, all I have done is wake up twice to eat.

As I am not training, I am eating high fat stuff, roasted pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, linseeds with some omega oil. YUM.

I am going back to bed in a mo.

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

Before I clear my heart rate monitor for the next week, I am going to record it here:

Total kcals - 3870

Total time - 12 h 39 m

I COULD take the train, but going to get on my bike.

I sent in my application and membership for the BNBF yesterday, picked a comp (the last qualifier for that federation ), so it is GAME ON.

August 11th, Bognor Regis, Alexander Theatre

BNBF Southern Championships

Bring it on.

It is amazing now that I have committed to a date, there is more of a focus.

 

[Scotsman]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

Before I clear my heart rate monitor for the next week, I am going to record it here:

Total kcals - 3870

Total time - 12 h 39 m

I COULD take the train, but going to get on my bike.

I sent in my application and membership for the BNBF yesterday, picked a comp (the last qualifier for that federation ), so it is GAME ON.

August 11th, Bognor Regis, Alexander Theatre

BNBF Southern Championships

Bring it on.

It is amazing now that I have committed to a date, there is more of a focus.

Awesome that you have your time frame now. About 10 weeks right?

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[dirty~d~]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

Before I clear my heart rate monitor for the next week, I am going to record it here:

Total kcals - 3870

Total time - 12 h 39 m

I COULD take the train, but going to get on my bike.

I sent in my application and membership for the BNBF yesterday, picked a comp (the last qualifier for that federation ), so it is GAME ON.

August 11th, Bognor Regis, Alexander Theatre

BNBF Southern Championships

Bring it on.

It is amazing now that I have committed to a date, there is more of a focus.

Right on! Go get 'em chica! Kill that shit!

 

[Thandie]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

I'm so glad you now have a date. This will put everything together and will have a better focus where nothing can stop you. Awesome!!!

 

[Thandie]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

Tatyana, When are you going to post some pictures??