2008 Competition Prep and Training

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

I walked for about three hours yesterday sorting out all the bits I needed to travel and then went to the gym.

Back and triceps

T-bar rows on an oly bar are up to 45 kg/100 lb (+ whatever one end of bar weighs, maybe another 5-10 kg/ 10-20 lb), hammerstrength rows are 35 kg/77 lb a side.

Tricep dips with 20 kg/44 lbs, and skull crushers with about 40-42 kg/88-92 lb.

My dead lift still sucks at 70 kg/154 lb. I know I have done more.


SO I am in NYC, completely knackered, and I am about to go for a walk to find Gold's gym in Manhatten.

I have been told to take advantage of the cold weather, as being cold has you burn more calories, and that is quite easy in England as the houses (well my house) is such an old Victorian place, that even with the heat cranked at times it can be cold.

It does depend if the wind is coming off the ocean.

Anyway, I am used to it now, and I am WAY to warm everywhere.

I travelled through Frankfurt, and all the German security and airport peeps said something about muscles.

I had the best flight ever, I sat between two women from Israel, one was Orthadox, one reformed Jew, and we had a giggle and GREAT conversations.

Got a few good tips for cooking chicken, she got some advice for her hubby to control her weight.

We both learned some things from each other, and as she also has quite strict rules about her diet, I got an entirely new insight into 'dieting'.

It was one thing she said that really struck me. 'People aren't very good at making up rules about their own diets and food intake'.

So true, also as the rules that people will follow will often be quite individual.

 

[fitness-rubber]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

I had the best flight ever, I sat between two women from Israel, one was Orthadox, one reformed Jew, and we had a giggle and GREAT conversations.
.

this is what i absolutely love about long flights

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

this is what i absolutely love about long flights

Except I was bored, and as I am dieting I couldn't eat most of the food, but I did absolutely cane all the 'healthy cheats' I brought with me.


As I did lose track of how many calories I had consumed, especially with the time difference, I got my butt out of bed this morning and went to Gold's gym in central Manhatten.

VERY VERY nice gym. A few annoying rules, like no bags in the gym. I rather like it when the lads are carrying huge duffel bags around the equipment, and I did find it annoying that I couldn't have my wee gym bag with me.

I did 60 min on the exercise bike, then ran out to Starbuck for a skinny latte and my breakie (I did pack up the oats/whey combo) for about 4 days in baggies.

There are SO many Starbucks in NYC, you can't go more than a block before you run into at least ONE.

This week I am doing some high rep stuff pre-exhausting the muscle then doing drop sets, and a few heavy sets per body part.

I am planning on doing some serious training, possibly even pushing into the overtraining domain for the next week as I will have the weights I need in NYC and while I am at the Arnold.

I also want to see how my body responds to very little rests, as I haven't done it in awhile, and I don't think a week of it when I will have the following two weeks to rest LOADS will really hurt.

Starting this week on chest and biceps.

I am getting into that condition where people are starting to ask me if I am a bodybuilder, or if I have a competition soon, twice today already.

I don't think any of my lifts were anything amazing or heavier this week (I am also not pushing it too much as I know I am overtraining) and I have to bloody convert everything from pounds to kilos and then remember what I had been lifting before. I didn't bring my full training journal will me.

Dieting is a bit tough, and I am not going to stress too much about it, I will just keep portion sizes small. I have also probably walked for about 6 hours today around NYC.

I did have a cheat meal with Nelson Montana tonight, we split a pizza

Tomorrow, a burger.

 

[Nelson Montana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

I did have a cheat meal with Nelson Montana tonight, we split a pizza

Tomorrow, a burger.

Tatyana, what HAVE you been up to? I take full responsibility for corrupting your diet. It was fun though.

Hope you enjoyed your stay in NY. Have a great time at the Arnold.

Miss you.

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

Hi Nelson,

You did take very good care of me in NYC, and the diet advice was stellar. Especially the pastrami on rye bread.

I had a great time, and I found myself missing you today as well.


So I forget what I posted last about my training, I did train everyday I was in NYC, and I walked LOADS.


I am now in Columbus, it is fracking freezing!

I haven't trained today, but I would usually have a day off, I realised yesterday three days in a row was just a bit tooooooooooo much.

I had another amazing plane journey, as I was seated next to Victor Martinez. Lovely guy, his knee is still in a brace.

You could so tell all the peeps who were headed for the Arnie.

I am staying a distance from the Convention Centre as the Extended Stays (with kitchens) are further out of the city.

There is also a Whole Food Market near me, and again I was blown away by the sheer amount and selection of foods.

It would drive me a bit batty after awhile, there were 8 different types of black peppers in mills to choose from.

I will be taking some pics, I will see when I can get some of them posted up.

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

WOW, I haven't posted anything in AGES.

I just arrived in Phoenix this morning and it is GORGEOUS.


I had the most amazing time at the Arnie, and I met so many pros and had lovely chats with:

Victor Martinez on my plane flight (and then we chatted a few times at the Arnie)

James 'Flex' Lewis and his lovely finance Shima (again)

Kai Green (while training at the World Gym)

Dayna Cadeau (World Gym)

Michael Lockett (World Gym)

Becca Swanson (World Gym)-World's Strongest Woman

Eric Brosser (nattie Pro)

Dave Palumbo

Greg Valentino

At the Expo I had a little chat with:

Sergio Olivia

Frank Zane

Lou Ferrigno

David Henry

And I met a few peeps that I know from another board as well, and a few new people who will be competing at the Nationals this year.

LOVED it, I think I will be back next year.

As the pound is so strong, so many things were SO cheap and I got three Jagware comp bikinis, a Jantana comp tanning kit, Schiek lifting gloves and straps, Pro tan tanning bed lotion.

I LOVE the Sports Authority, and even though I have SO many training clothing, as I do spend so much time in the gym, I got some MORE.

I had to buy another suitcase already, I am so close to my weight limit, I have to shuffle stuff from case to case everytime I check in.

So back to training and the dieting thing.

I have been training and starting to take on more cardio. This week I am in Phoenix I am going to be doing 2 h/day, some of it swimming.

Dieting was quite easy at the Arnold as it was so easy to be inspired, so much going on there was no temptation to eat from boredom (like on long plane journeys).

I haven't done any amazing lifts, I have been training with a more regular frequency so I haven't gone as heavy/balls to the walls as I know I would just burn myself out with all the flights, changes in time zones, long days at the Arnie, not having my regular training buddy.

I must say I am really impressed with a lot of the gyms in the US. So different than the ones that I use the most in the UK.

My two regular gyms have no heating or air conditioning, one is new so it isn't that grotty, but the other is a bit dirty.

Obviously the 'chain' gyms are probably similar, but the gyms here are just so bloody HUGE with massive amounts of equipment.

I did jump on a scale with a bodyfat, one standing (lower body) and a hand held one (upper body), and my lower body is 18.5% and my upper was reading 14.5%.

My coach has plotted my progress on an excel chart, and while my bodyweight is more or less stable, my lean tissue has been going up while my body fat has been dropping, which is ideal for what we want to achieve.


I am sure there is more I would like to say, but I need to get back into the sun and do some cardio.

 

[gymdiva20]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

yay you get me inspired just when i need it....like after my first week of contest prep with months to go.....keep up the good work!!!

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

 

[xrsist]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

you look amazing tat
good to hear your having a ball

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

60 min of cardio on a bike.

Breakfast

Back and triceps

15 min of swimming in the pool (I sink like a rock now, and it is TOUGH)

Buffalo steak, broccolli and ezekial bread (sooooooooo yummy)

Nap and then going to do some socialising with my 'rents with the other olds they know here.

Life is tough.