“Nothing ever worth achieving is easy nor is it ever rarely done completely alone.”

Recently, my client, Theodora, stepped out of her comfort zone and stepped on to the stage as a figure competitor. She owned that stage, walking out with effortless poise, and she hit every pose. Most impressive of all was Theo’s physique. She responded really well to the training I had implemented for her using strength specialist Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 program while eating what physique and nutrition specialist Shelby Starnes at Troponin Nutrition recommended. Getting on stage wasn’t the final result either of us had expected when Theo made a simple goal back in April 0209.

In April, I asked Theo, “What is your goal for your next training cycle?” I ask my clients this every four months or so. Theo always has a specific goal and this time she came to me and said, “I want to be shredded for the summer.”

I have had great success in managing her strength and physique goals using my knowledge as a trainer and a nutrition and lifestyle coach, but this particular goal required some outside help. I called on Shelby Starnes at Troponin Nutrition. Many of you are familiar with Shelby’s nutritional talent to manipulate carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in a carbohydrate cycling diet. For clients who want fat loss, he uses high carbohydrate days so the body won’t break down muscle. At the same time, he has medium and low carbohydrate days to allow the body to efficiently burn fat. He has a 12-week progressive fat loss program, which helps you lose body fat while maintaining muscle and strength. I introduced Theo to Shelby and his nutrition plan, and she signed on with him.

In 12 weeks, Theo’s progress was incredible and her goal to get shredded was being achieved. She was very excited to see how her body was changing and that she didn’t have to give up lifting heavy weights. Theo loves lifting heavy. She loves muscle definition, and she loves being strong. Theo is also 110 percent committed to achieving her goals.

People started to see the changes and started asking, “Are you training for a figure show?” It wasn’t the original goal for Theo, but after some careful thought and research, she came to me and said, “Linda, you are going to be so excited. I want to do a show!”

I was geeked out! I have done three figure shows myself and know what it takes. I know how hard it is, how fun it is, and how rewarding the results can be.


April 29, 2009

We picked a date for a show and started to plan. We had enough time before the date to put on a little more size, especially in her legs.

Enter Jim Wendler and his 5/3/1 program. I think most of us have read Jim’s program once or twice. He calls it “the simplest and most effective training system to increase raw strength.” By starting any lifting day out conservatively and ending with a maximum number of repetitions at a weight 5–10 lbs heavier than you have done the week before, you achieve a new personal record (PR). At the same time, you haven’t burned yourself out trying to achieve that PR. (For even more on Jim’s 5/3/1 program, I highly recommend purchasing the book or e-book.) I really identified with the program, and after reading it through a few times in the beginning of 2009, I went and applied it to myself on April 27, 2009. After following it for six months, I was seeing great success in my own strength and physique. However, as a trainer, I feel nothing is ever really worth its weight in gold unless it can be applied to my clients to help them achieve their goals. I decided to get Theo on the 5/3/1 program to help her gain size and continue to gain strength.

We began on July 29, 2009 after I had assessed Theo’s 90 percent max for each lift. Because her goal was now a figure competition, I tweaked a few things to sculpt her physique without compromising her personal strength goals.

Following the 5/3/1 protocol of four training sessions a week was relatively easy. She trains Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays with me and Mondays on her own at home. I started her training week on Wednesday with squats. Using super compensation (manipulating recovery time between workouts to stimulate the muscle for optimum results), I increased training volume for more leg size. I followed the squats on Wednesday with deadlifts on Friday. We benched on Saturday followed by “homework” on Monday, which was a combination of overhead presses with a little more leg work. I used the “boring but big” approach (i.e. squats followed by more squats) in combination with periodization (i.e. hamstring work, ab work, and quad work for a balanced workout and body) for the assistance work (also helped increase leg size).

For example, she first squatted 5/3/1. Using the “boring but big” approach, I followed barbell squats with front squats using a kettlebell. I followed that with dumbbell walking lunges. Using the periodization method, I ended by alternating single leg, plate-loaded leg extensions with glute ham raises. If there was time left in the hour, I alternated ab work with foam rolling.

By using Jim’s basic 5/3/1 template and manipulating the way I applied it to Theo, her legs grew considerably and so did her overall strength. Shelby helped this process by having her “eat to grow” before switching back to “eat to get lean.” By the third week of the fourth month into the 5/3/1 program, not only was she really lean for the upcoming show but she was still strong. For example, her final squat total at a max of 190 lbs was an impressive 180 lbs or 95 percent for four reps. And this is from a girl who is five feet, two inches and weighed about 108 lbs at this point. Needless to say, I am very proud.


November 12, 2009, one week out

Theo’s final results were just amazing. At the competition, she placed in the top three of all three figure categories that she entered. Due to the “criteria” for figure, they couldn’t place her higher because she showed more muscle definition than the judges wanted in a figure client. Theo was very proud of her physique despite being told she wasn’t soft enough for figure. She has decided to compete again! She will compete as a light weight bodybuilder where the hard work that went into the physique she wanted will not only be recognized but highly rewarded.

Still, her unbelievable muscle definition was noticed. The feedback she received from the audience, competitors, and judges was extremely complimentary and very flattering. In fact, the judges felt she was the most conditioned woman on stage! What they didn’t know from a single glance is that behind that tiny shredded woman was a great deal of physical strength and power plus a small team of people helping her with her training program and nutrition.

One can’t usually succeed completely alone. Jim’s 5/3/1 program really helped me create a competitive figure competitor while increasing leg size, overall strength, and a shredded physique in the few months that I did. Without Shelby Starnes of Troponin Nutrition, neither Theo nor I would have gotten the nutrition needed for her success spot on. Without Sue Steele, IFBB professional light weight bodybuilder, posing coach, and friend, she wouldn’t have the suit she wore with pride and her poses wouldn’t have highlighted her physique the way they did. As specialists, none of us would have succeeded without Theodora, whose continued drive and ambition to succeed in all she sets out to do allows us to utilize our skills to the fullest.