Pikey's progress

Pikey

I’ve been out and about for 3 days with work; I’ve followed my diet which has been easier sometimes than others. About at its worst sat in a gorgeous Indian restaurant eating dry chicken and boiled basmati rice while my clients and colleague tucked into a very tasty looking meal. I’ve made it home each night to train and have missed one cardio session. I’ve now trained for 12 days straight so am probably over trained.

My current condition is really rather flat with little vascularity, I think I’m in need of a high carb day or two. Despite taking antibiotics for the last five days I still have a swelling on my delt; it’s no where close to as bad but its there. I’m struggling to motivate myself.

I’ve recently taken on an expanded remit at work which has added to an already stressful working life, I’m finding it very difficult to follow the pre contest regime and cope with work. If I had the role landed on me prior to going for the show I wouldn’t have started the contest prep. This might sound stupid but at times it feels like I’m thinking through treacle and I can forget what I’m saying half way through a sentence. I’m sure if I sat an IQ test it would be seriously impaired. The upshot is I’m a grouchy b’std mainly at home but it has been noted at work. I must be a complete a hole to live with as I can see it from behind my eyes never mind from H’s perspective.

I’m far from convinced I should even be trying to make it through to this show but find it almost impossible to back off anything once committed.

I don’t know what I’m going to do yet, but normally while tough I enjoy the prep in a bizarre sort of way, this is just a grind for me at the moment, and I’m not enjoying it at any level, I’m back to looking at my training partner who looks v impressive and questioning why I think I’m up to getting on stage.

Sorry this isn’t going to inspire anyone and guys you don’t need to hear my whinging but it is where I’m at right now. I did promise myself when I started this journal I’d give an honest account of how it was going.

Anyway Leg day need to put up or shut up – no excuses. Tonight quads are going to be punished big style, I’ve got Ramstien banging out on the CD, I’m looking to find some adrenaline from somewhere! I feel the need for some righteous pain, at least I’ll know I’m alive when my legs are screaming!!!!

Pikey

Ok going to stop moaning dieting is a bitch and that's that - and I'm going to have to give my partner some serious quality time after this show as I'm behaving like a prat...

Going to have 500 gram of complex cabs today, see what I look like tomorrow and probable have another high day.

Trained Quads last night – as a treat I thought I’d back squat – warmed up then 1 set of max reps with 200K to parallel – 18 reps later and off to the loo to say hello to my last meal, ok stupid 2 weeks out but it made me feel better, quite chuffed really I can’t remember the last time I back squatted. Then a few light sets squeezing on leg extensions holding the last rep for as long as possible at contraction and fighting the negative every degree back down, again hard but enjoyable. Then followed by 15 minutes on the cross trainer set at level 20 on a hill routine; that was a very intense bit of cardio, felt like trudging through thigh deep snow.

This morning I’ve done my usual hour cardio and shaved so I can see what I look like, H did my back which was in serious need. In a few minutes I’m off to the gym for another 40 min of cardio followed by hamstrings and calves, then I’ll spend a bit of time trying to sort a routine out. I’ve decided on the music Sisters of Mercy – Vision thing.

Tall

Chin up Pikey

Not that I'm an expert in overtraining, but if you have been training for 12 days solid the way you pushed me through workouts you will certainly be drained mate.

Re: going through treacle I know exactly what you mean on that front - in fact last year I had a period like that and I ended up doing tests on Tickle.com twice a day to see the affect work/life was having (a drop of upto 35IQ points...)

I was too stressed, over taxing my CNS, diet wasn't giving me what I needed, too many late nights, not getting enough sleep.

Its not long until the contest now mate. Your vascularity and condition was there when we trained mate - I'm sure its just a temporary blip.

Keep up the hard work mate.

Tall

18Reps @ 200k = very good going

Pikey

Cheers mate - sort of boost I needed. I look a different bloke today much fuller and the bottom of my back is getting there, even a vein on my Glutes which only just came through before the last show so I’m a bit heavier and I think a little leaner ; I'm going to have a rest day tomorrow well other than the cardio anyhow.

My Mum bless her has made me a Christmas cake for after the show, as I love really heavy fruit cake. I can guarantee tucking into that and a nice big mug of tea I’ll be thinking ah that prep wasn’t so bad ;-)

Verne

Pikey...I dont know about not inspiring others mate...but quite honestly what you are putting yourself through is setting you apart from the mere mortals like me in this world who are just pussying around with all this stuff. I'd have to say once again hats off to you and the other guys/gals on here that know what they're doing, where they want to be and have a sure fire plan of how to achieve it....Best of luck for the contest mate.
Verne

Pikey

Verne thank-you low carbs are a bitch, I was feeling pretty depleted and low Friday but feedback like yours really is a big help to bolster moral.

Saturday I paid for the squat session, we trained cardio hams and calves in the morning, really trying to fry the muscles as this was the last time we were touching thighs before the show. (I know it’s a way out but it seems to work for me) In the evening I was having a mooch round Musclechat and moved my chair forward using my hamstring and boy did it cramp, never had one anywhere near like it, I had to shout H to come and massage it, as I just couldn’t seem to move and my lower leg was contracted hard against the bottom of the chair. So I had an extra multi mineral and a couple of litres of water extra.

What a difference two days can make, I managed to hit 500 gram of carbohydrate on Saturday and about 400 gram yesterday, this morning I look like a different person, much fuller and vascular with definition I haven’t had before and amazingly weighing over 80K.

I’ve been reading up about cracked wheat which has a low GI yet approx 75% complex carbohydrates. Now perhaps not the best time to start mucking around with carb sources but I wasn’t feeling very clever so though nothing ventured nothing gained… So Saturday I bought a couple of kilos of the stuff, it’s even blander than rice but really seems to work for me. Today I’m dropping the carbs back to approx 100gram for a couple of days with a view to a moderate day later in the week.

I’m off the antibiotics and the swelling in my shoulder now looks pretty superficial with no localised muscle swelling so I’m also feeling a whole lot happier about that.

Pikey

Ten days left now.

Dropped the oats and egg whites and now having Turkey with 50gram basmati rice for breakfast
All Whey out of the diet and replaced with either Turkey – same grams of protein just having it solid or Amino’s after training.

One day of this and I’m definitely drier and looking drawn in the face.

I’ve not decided 100% on next week but as I’m travelling all over and got a couple of big meetings I’m reluctant to go for a total deplete, so my current thinking is drop carbs by 50% Monday through Thursday then I think a couple of semi high days. Could all change depending on how I look.

crazycal1

hey bud i was told that glucophage was excellent for low carb days-
have you ever tried it?

einsteins mind was the key to all things...to understand more than to know.

www.extremenutrition.co.uk

Pikey

I haven't mate, I'm not familiar with it at all. I'll have to have a read up about it.