This month was pretty hectic. I competed in the Mozolani Pro in Slovakia, flew home for only a week, and then headed to the UK to compete at Bodypower. I also made a last minute decision to enter the Toronto Supershow 212 this past weekend to ensure qualification for the Olympia via point standing. This is a look at how I will transition my programming from my current post-contest shape to contest prep for the Olympia.
Since finishing up John Meadows’ 12-week “The Executioner” program in preparation for the Mozolani Pro, my training hasn’t been super regimented. John and I decided that for the next three weeks, all of my training sessions will mirror the secondary pump workouts from his normal programs. This will put me roughly 13 weeks out from the Olympia, at which point I will begin another 12-week program design by John.
In the meantime, I am using these lighter, pump-focused workouts to lead me in the right direction for the Olympia. They are used to prepare me for the new program that John designed and allow my nervous system to fully recover from the jet lag I experienced during competition traveling. It is important to note that it is best to stop short of failure on every set of every exercise if you are transitioning to normal training post-contest. For that reason, I do not push failure on any exercises during this training block.
As mentioned earlier, my training has not been very rigid. Here is a recent workout I did with my wife, Christina, since she wanted to train arms. We aimed for a nice pump by integrating lots of volume. Test my Post-Contest Arm Assault for yourself:
Cable Push-Downs Superset w/Reverse Barbell Curls
15, 15, 10, 10, 10, 10 reps for both exercises
Training Guidelines: Be sure to pin your elbows to your sides and perform slow, controlled reps for both movements.
Cross-Body Hammer Curls Superset w/Triceps Skull Crushers
Cross-Body Hammer Curls: 10-12 reps per side (for 20+ total reps per set). Do this for four sets.
Triceps Skull Crushers: 10-15 reps for 4 sets.
Training Guidelines: Focus on controlling the weight on the cross-body hammer curls to make it challenging. Alternate each arm, one rep at a time. Perform the skullcrushers on a slight decline and refrain from locking out.
Dips Superset w/Machine Preacher Curls
Dips: 10-15 reps for 4 sets.
Machine Preacher Curls: 10-12 reps for 4 sets.
Training Guidelines: While performing dips, don’t lean too far forward and work the pec muscles. The key is to focus on and engage the triceps with controlled, challenging reps. For preacher curls, maintain constant tension and do not pause between transitions.
I expect these extra pump-style workouts to prepare me well in the transition between training programs. When I reach 13-weeks out from the Olympia, John and I will increase training volume and intensity to start conditioning for the stage. Give this 3-week block a try the next time you're bracing yourself for a long-term intense training routine.