First, a note to you all:

I would like to begin this column by thanking you all for making this another successful year at Elite Fitness Systems. Your support over the years has been amazing, and everyone here is very grateful. As we begin our tenth year in business, there are only two simple words that come to mind.

Thank you.

Update:

I’m sorry for not keeping up with my log. December is a hectic work month for me that requires day-to-day and sometimes hour-to-hour analysis to make sure things stay on par. I always need a bit of a break to keep from going insane, so I pretty much drop off the face of the earth after everything settles down to try and regroup.

Also, unlike most, I don’t forecast the year until after it already starts, so much of my time has been spent reading reports and reviewing all the systems of the business to see where we need improvement. Since the first of the year, every single day has brought something new and totally unexpected so my time has been very limited.

So, there’s my excuse for not posting.

Now, on to catching up with what’s been going on with my training.

Prior Training Plan:

I’ve been asked several times to document the template I used for my last strength phase of training. This was one of the most successful phases I have had in the past few years, leading to all-time PR's in many of my max effort movements as well as the highest level of strength I have ever had in accessory movements.

Please note that this is a TEMPLATE I tried to stick to. If I felt I needed to do something else, I changed it.

I used a training split of:

1. Legs

2. Back, Biceps

3. Chest, Delts, Triceps

But since I was really training to break max effort records, the split was really:

1. Yoke Bar Squat Day

2. Back and Biceps

3. Floor Press w/Chains Day

It’s all in how you want to look at it.

I trained four days per week and cycled these three sessions into these days. For example:

Monday - Legs

Wednesday - Back, Biceps

Saturday - Chest, Delts, Triceps

Sunday - repeat order.

I also cycled principles with each workout. I had three themes (for lack of a better word) I used for each training split day.

1. Max Effort

This day would begin with a max effort movement (various movements), working up to a heavy single or triple. I would then plan on doing 2-3 more movements (1-2 sets), taken past failure using strip sets, rest-pause, or whatever seemed appropriate at the time.

2. Dynamic Effort

This day would lead off with one dynamic effort movement (Yoke Bar Squats, Bench with Chains) followed by 3-4 movements (2-3 sets) taken to failure.

3. Repetition Effort

This was just a pure rep day using higher volume. I would plan on 5-6 movements (3-5 sets) taken one rep shy of failure.

These three were cycled for the Chest (pressing) and Leg (squatting) days. My back and bicep day was cycled the same, except the first movement (dynamic effort or max effort) was not used. I only used the exercise and rep scheme listed after those movements.

This is a fast summary, but it gives you an idea of how I planed it out.

I ran this for most of the last summer and fall. Toward the end of November, I had accomplished what I wanted to do, so I went into a transition phase. This is my way of saying I just did what I felt like doing and didn’t push anything all that hard.

This gave me a 4-6 week break before I started hitting it hard again.

Current Training


As noted, I began a diet phase on December 28th.

I’ve been in the weight room five times per week hitting whatever muscle group I feel ready to train. I have not had any real pattern and am going by feel because I’m really never sure what day or time I’ll be able to get the training in. I will fall into a plan soon, but I don’t really like to force it until I see how I feel being on a diet, what my time will be like and how I will balance this all together with work and family. I will say, based on what Justin has suggested, that I would like to try a do a double split routine on every high carb day. More on this later.

Cardio has been four days per week for twenty minutes. I have been using the bike, and I keep to the same loading I have always used. After about five minutes I increase the tension until my quads start burning and then back off until it goes away. Then I stay at that level for the duration.

Diet Plan

I am very goal oriented with my training and know if I keep going after max strength PR's I will be using a cane very soon. So, I try to limit my pure strength phases to one or two times per year. Since I no longer compete there is no need to kill myself all year (I’m happy with just half). I do, however, need a purpose to my training. I’m not sure I would if I didn’t have a real reason. That said, I use diet phases to establish a purpose.


The main difference this time is that I KNOW diets suck ass. At the start I did NOT want to do this. I had NO motivation to do it at all. I hated the thought of it. The last times I dieted I had reasons. I wanted to better my health and then I wanted to get leaner than I’ve ever been. These things sparked my desire. Right now my health and blood work are both great, and I really have no desire to be at 5% bodyfat.

In short, I have no reason whatsoever to diet at all. Now couple this with not wanting to do it, and you see my state of mind when this started.

You're probably asking why I am doing it.

Simple. It PISSED me off that I did not want to do it and this made me have to do it. This is very hard to explain and I’m not going to try to. It’s just that dumbass voice in my head that will not go away.

I emailed Justin Harris and said I needed his help again to pull this off. This would be a bigger challenge because the last time he helped me, I contacted him weighing 260 at 12% bodyfat. This time I was 296 at 17% (I did almost hit a PR at 312). I sent the email and we decided that if this was to really help anyone, I'd need to be more detailed on what I’m doing in my log.

I’ll do better than I have in the past and try to list all the training and diet modifications.

The Diet Days

If you follow the logs you know Justin uses carb cycling for his diets. Here are the plans I was given.

Some of the same text will be repeated because I’m cutting and pasting from my sheets. This, however, will help emphasize the points Justin was trying to make. The way I do this is as follows:

Each morning I print off what day it is (low, high or mod). Then I write what times the meals will happen based on when I can fit them in (they are always pretty close to the same time). I then write any notes or to-do's I have for the day on this sheet and carry it with me all day.

So here are the days with some of Justin's notes:

Low Day (2 per week)

"Low Days are OFF training days BUT cardio will be done - start 20 min 4 times per week on Med and Low Days"

"The calorie amounts are set up so that you can change foods anytime you want. You only count the protein in the protein foods, the carbs in the carb foods, and the fat in the fat foods.

So, if you have steak as a meal, and you're supposed to add 7g of fat....you only count the protein in the steak, not the fat. The 7g of fat will come from the fat sources. And if you have oatmeal in a meal and it has 8g of protein, you don't count that towards your protein."

Supplements:
Metabotrop 2 times per day for first two weeks then move to 3 times per day

Meal Plan
Meal 1 (60g Pro, 35 Carb,7g Fat)


Meal 2 (60g Pro, 35 Carb,7g Fat)


Meal 3 (60g Pro, 35 Carb,7g Fat)


Meal 4 (60g pro, 0 Carb, 14g Fat)


Meal 5 (60g pro, 0 Carb, 14g Fat)


Meal 6 (60g pro, 0 Carb, 14g Fat)

Meal N (2 scoops MM)


Protein List:
Lean Ground Beef
Chicken Breast
Turkey Breast
Egg Whites
Protein Drinks


Carb List:
brown rice
potatoes
oats
yams
Plain or lightly salted rice cakes
white rice
sugar free quaker oat packets
lower sugar quaker oat packets (on high day)
ezekiel bread

"You can use the popcorn rice cakes too, as long as they're 7g of carbs per cake and no fat."

Fat List:
borage oil
evening primrose oil
fish oil
cashews
almonds
natural peanut butter
almond butter
macadamia nut butter
olive oil

"7g is one tablespoon of the butters, or 1/2 tablespoon of the oils, or 0.5oz (1/8th cup) of the nuts
14g is 2 tablesspoons, 1 tablespoon of the oils, 1oz or 1/4 cup of the nuts"


 

Mod Day (3 per week)


"Mod Days are training days - cardio will also be done on two of these days per week for 20 minutes.

"The calorie amounts are set up so that you can change foods anytime you want. You only count the protein in the protein foods, the carbs in the carb foods, and the fat in the fat foods.

So, if you have steak as a meal, and you're supposed to add 7g of fat....you only count the protein in the steak, not the fat. The 7g of fat will come from the fat sources. And if you have oatmeal in a meal and it has 8g of protein, you don't count that towards your protein."

Supplements:
Metabotrop 2 times per day for first two weeks then move to 3 times per day


Meal Plan

Meal 1 (70g Pro, 75g Carbs)
Egg Whites
Low Sugar Oatmeal


Training Meal
pre-workout: 1 scoop whey isolate, 1 scoop Anatrop, 1.5 scoops waxy maize

during workout: 1 scoop anatrop, 1 scoop waxy maize

post workout: 1.5 scoops whey isolate, 1 scoop anatrop, 3 scoops waxy maize.


Meal 3 (70g Pro, 75g Carbs)

Meal 4 (70g Pro, 7g Fat)

Meal 5 (70g Pro, 7g Fat)

Meal 6 (70g Pro, 7g Fat)

Meal N (2 scoops Muscle Milk)


Protein List:
Lean Ground Beef
Chicken Breast
Turkey Breast
Egg Whites
Protein Drinks


Carb List:
brown rice
potatoes
oats
yams
Plain or lightly salted rice cakes
white rice
sugar free quaker oat packets
lower sugar quaker oat packets (on high day)
ezekiel bread

"You can use the popcorn rice cakes too, as long as they're 7g of carbs per cake and no fat."

Fat List:
borage oil
evening primrose oil
fish oil
cashews
almonds
natural peanut butter
almond butter
macadamia nut butter
olive oil

"7g is one tablespoon of the butters, or 1/2 tablespoon of the oils, or 0.5oz (1/8th cup) of the nuts
14g is 2 tablespoons, 1 tablespoon of the oils, 1oz or 1/4 cup of the nuts"


High Day (2 per week)



"High Days are training days - cardio will NOT be done on these days and a double split training protocol will be followed."

"The calorie amounts are set up so that you can change foods anytime you want. You only count the protein in the protein foods, the carbs in the carb foods, and the fat in the fat foods.

So, if you have steak as a meal, and you're supposed to add 7g of fat....you only count the protein in the steak, not the fat. The 7g of fat will come from the fat sources. And if you have oatmeal in a meal and it has 8g of protein, you don't count that towards your protein."

Supplements:
Metabotrop 2 times per day for first two weeks then move to 3 times per day

Meal Plan

Meal 1 (50g Pro, 100g Carb)

Meal 2 (50g Pro, 100g Carb)

Meal 3 (50g Pro, 100g Carb)

Meal 4 (50g Pro, 100g Carb)

Meal 5 (50g Pro, 75g Carb)

Meal 6 (50g Pro, 75g Carb)

Meal 7 (50g Pro - unlimited vegetables)

Meal N (2 scoops MM)

Training Meal (will replace one of the meals above). Count this all as one meal:
pre-workout: 1 scoop whey isolate, 1 scoop anatrop, 1.5 scoops waxy maize
during workout: 1 scoop anatrop, 1 scoop waxy maize
post workout: 1.5 scoops whey isolate, 1 scoop anatrop, 3 scoops waxy maize.



Protein List
Lean Ground Beef
Chicken Breast
Turkey Breast
Egg Whites
Protein Drinks


Carb List
brown rice
potatoes
oats
yams
Plain or lightly salted rice cakes
white rice
sugar free quaker oat packets
lower sugar quaker oat packets (on high day)
ezekiel bread

"You can use the popcorn rice cakes too, as long as they're 7g of carbs per cake and no fat."

Fat List
borage oil
evening primrose oil
fish oil
cashews
almonds
natural peanut butter
almond butter
macadamia nut butter
olive oil

"7g is one tablespoon of the butters, or 1/2 tablespoon of the oils, or 0.5oz (1/8th cup) of the nuts
14g is 2 tablesspoons, 1 tablespoon of the oils, 1oz or 1/4 cup of the nuts"

Notes

I have added some things to make this easier. I added whole wheat low-carb buns to my dinner menu to make eating the protein easier. So this meal is pretty much always two lean ground beef patties with whole wheat buns and tons of vegetables. Then I also added sugar-free Popsicles to help at night. Other than that the rest is the same.

My metabolism speeds up very fast when my meals per day go up. This is one reason why I try to only eat 3-4 per day if I’m trying to gain weight. It allows my metabolism to slow down. This will give you an idea what I mean: Since the 28th I have dropped from 296 to 272. This is WAY too fast, but I was holding a boatload of water. To combat this, Justin added in a super-high day (100g carbs - 20g Pro every meal for around 8 meals per day).

I’m to blame for much of this loss as well. The protein intake is very high and I have a really hard time eating more than 50 grams per meal. It’s not that I’m full, either. I just don’t like the taste of that much chicken, beef or whatever it is. Even if I combine them I still can only tolerate so much. As I get deeper into this and my metabolism keeps going up, so will my appetite so this is not a huge concern.

With every diet I’ve been on, the first week is hell. Not from the standpoint of being hungry but from the sickness I always seem to get. I have learned that much of this is my body detoxing from all the crap I eat when I don't diet (trust me – it’s a lot). I combat this by drinking at least two gallons of fluids per day and using acidophilus various times throughout the day. Finally - and I know this is bad but it works - I try to cut back on all the fiber I can. I already know it will be coming out in full force and at full velocity, so I certainly don't want to help it any more. Fiber (vegetables and supplements) is added slowly as my body begins to adjust.

I also break out like crazy, but I haven’t found a way around that one so I deal with it.

Usually in 2-4 weeks, all is good.

Right now my metabolism is to the point where I feel hot ALL the time. This is where I know I need to be.

Justin Q and A

When I started this, I discussed with Justin several ways we could make this a better learning experience and/or a better process to follow. One thing we decided was for me to include some of the follow-up questions I send him. I thought this was a great idea and took it one step further by adding in other questions some of you may have. Here are some he answered.

His answers are in ALL CAPS.


1. Is there a best way for me to structure my diet days? In other words, is it better to string two low days together or does it not
matter?

TRY TO SET IT UP SO THAT HIGH DAYS DON'T FALL BACK TO BACK. HIGH DAYS SHOULD ALSO BE ON HEAVIER TRAINING DAYS TO SUPPLY THE EXTRA CALORIES AND GROWTH POTENTIAL ON THE MOST CALORIE CONSUMING TRAINING DAYS.

OTHER THAN THAT, I PREFER TO BEGIN THINGS WITH HIGH AND MEDIUM DAYS ON TRAINING DAYS WITH LOW DAYS ON OFF DAYS.
EVENTUALLY, LOW DAYS WILL FALL ON TRAINING DAYS AS WELL, BUT I TRY NOT TO STRING ANY MORE CONSECUTIVE LOW DAYS TOGETHER THAN NECESSARY.

2. Is it best to have a high day after a low day?

I PREFER TO SET IT UP THAT WAY. THE LOW DAY CREATES THE POTENTIAL FOR GLYCOGEN SUPER-SATURATION ON HIGH DAYS. THIS GIVES UP TO A 4,000 CALORIE SWING (FOR SOMEONE YOUR SIZE) OF EXCESS CALORIES FROM CARBOHYDRATES THAT WILL HAVE A STORAGE SPACE IN THE BODY BEFORE BEING CONVERTED TO FAT. THIS ALLOWS MUCH, MUCH HIGHER CARB AND CALORIE INTAKE WITHOUT WORRY ABOUT FAT STORAGE ON THAT ONE HIGH DAY.

THIS ALSO AIDS IN RE-BOOSTING METABOLISM AFTER THE LOW DAY.


3. You suggested a double split training day on a high day. What advantages will this offer?

TWO ANABOLIC WINDOWS WITH GROWTH POTENTIAL. HIGH DAYS ARE STILL CALORIE SURPLUS DAYS. PROTEIN SYNTHESIS SHOULD BE GREATER THAN PROTEIN TURNOVER ON THESE DAYS. THIS CREATES THE POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH.

BY TRAINING 2X ON THESE DAYS, YOU DOUBLE THE WORKOUTS WITH GROWTH POTENTIAL EACH WEEK. THIS ALSO PROVIDES TWO PERIODS OF EXTRA GLYCOGEN SUPER-SATURATION. IN THE TIME DURING AND AFTER YOUR TRAINING SESSIONS, YOU WILL HAVE A GREATER POTENTIAL FOR GLYCOGEN STORAGE AND ANABOLISM....AGAIN, THIS DOUBLES THAT POTENTIAL.

4. How much water should I drink each day and do coffee, diet soda and Crystal Light count?

CRYSTAL LIGHT DEFINITELY COUNTS.

I TRY TO GET 1.5 GALLONS OF 'WATERY' FLUIDS EACH DAY. (INCLUDING DIET SODAS)
COFFEE IS KNOWN AS A DEHYDRANT, BUT IT'S NOT AS BAD AS PEOPLE THINK. COFFEE STILL HYDRATES YOU. YOU DON'T EXCRETE MORE FLUID THAN THE COFFEE BRINGS IN. I BELIEVE COFFEE HAS AROUND A 70% REHYDRATION RATE. THAT IS MUCH LOWER THAN WATER, BUT IT IS STILL BETTER THAN DRINKING NOTHING.


5. How much sodium should I use and why (general)?

I LIKE HIGH SODIUM. SODIUM ATTRACTS WATER. SODIUM IS REQUIRED FOR GLYCOGEN STORAGE. MANY/MOST AMINO ACIDS REQUIRE SODIUM AS A CARRIER FOR RECEPTOR TRANSPORTATION (L-TAURINE REQUIRES 1 SODIUM ION, BETA-ALANINE REQUIRES 2 SODIUM AND 1 CHLORIDE ION).

HIGH SODIUM WILL CAUSE HIGHER WATER RETENTION IN THE BODY. A HYDRATED MUSCLE IS MORE ANABOLIC AND LESS CATABOLIC. A HYDRATED BODY WILL OXYDIZE FATTY ACIDS FOR ENERGY MORE READILY THAN A DEHDRATED BODY.


6. If the low days are Fat Burning days should I always make sure to have cardio on these days?

I PREFER TO KEEP CARDIO ON MED AND LOW DAYS TO ALLOW FOR HIGH DAYS TO REMAIN GROWTH DAYS. THERE IS NO REASON TO LOSE MUSCLE ON A DIET, AND THESE THINGS HELP PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.


7. Should I still have a nocturnal shake? Last time I had two scoops of Muscle Milk if I woke at night.

YOU CAN DO THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE 300LBS, AND PROBABLY AROUND 240LBS OF CALORIE CONSUMING MUSCLE MASS. MUSCLE MILK WILL BE HIGHER IN CALORIES THAN MOST PEOPLE COULD CONSUME WHEN DIETING.

MUSCLE MILK ACTUALLY HAS MORE CALORIES FROM FAT THAN FROM PROTEIN. SO, WHILE MOST CONSIDER IT A PROTEIN DRINK, IT IS MORE OF A MEAL REPLACEMENT.

THE CALORIES ARE FROM GREAT SOURCES. THERE ARE ANABOLIC AND ESENTIAL FATTY ACID SOURCES. THERE IS A GREAT MIX OF PROTEINS. THE NUTRIENT RATIOS ALLOW FOR STEADY INSULIN LEVELS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, STEADY BLOOD AMINO ACID LEVELS.

I WOULD PREFER ABOUT 1/2 THE FAT CONTENT THAT IS IN MUSCLE MILK IN THAT NIGHT SHAKE. (EG: 50G PROTEIN, 7-10G FAT). BUT, FOR SOMEONE CARRYING YOUR SIZE, YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH IT.

MUSCLE MILK IS A GREAT PROTEIN SOURCE FOR OTHER USES THOUGH.


8. Does it make it more hardcore if you put skull and flame stickers on your cooler?

MORE COOL TO A SELECT FEW.

MORE GAWDY AND CLICHED TO ANOTHER SELECT FEW.

PREDICTABLE TO ANOTHER GROUP.

IT REALLY DEPENDS ON EACH GROUP'S DEFINITION OF COOL.

And that sums up what may perhaps be the longest column of all time.

Dave Tate’s impact also extends beyond training techniques and beyond his sport. As a business adviser, motivational speaker and author, he shows how athletic disciplines teach valuable lessons for overall achievement. “We each have all we need to achieve success in anything we choose to do,” says Tate, describing the theme of his 2005 book, Under the Bar: Twelve Lessons of Life from the World of Powerlifting. He lives with his family in London, Ohio.
 

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