T Nation

2015 Contest Prep/Training Log with Team Wilson Natural Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding
#1

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to get a thread going to share my experience prepping with Cliff Wilson of Team Wilson Natural Bodybuilding for my first ever competition season this upcoming year. Not only is he prepping me for my shows, but he’s also doing my programming for my USAPL meet in January and teaching me about coaching so that I may coach others to help bring their best to the stage.

This was my transformation from a couple years ago until last summer in 2013
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These are some pictures of me reversing out of my deficit and hitting some great PR’s along the way

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500 lb deadlift All Time PR
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365 lb squat All Time PR
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Starting Prep Macros: 185 PROTEIN/ 525 CARB / 82 FAT
Starting Prep Weight: 165 lbs
Current Macros: 205 PROTEIN / 285 CARB / 54 FAT
Current Weight: TBD but probably around 149-150 lbs (Will be weighing in Wednesday Morning)

Best Gym Lifts: 265 Bench; 365 Squat; 500 deadlift
Set Maxes for my current program: 250 Bench; 370 Squat; 470 deadlift

Here are some of my training and posing videos as well:

Power-Block Periodization Power day 1

Posing Vlog #1

Power-Block Periodization Power day 2

Contest Prep. Posing
BB to PL: Road to 1200 @ 66kg & USAPL Raw Nationals
#2

Very impressive transformation! That first pic is unreal.

#3

Thanks, appreciate it! Sometimes I can’t believe it myself haha

#4

Undoubtedly a great change in those transformation pics. Cliff knows his stuff, so I have no doubt you’ll come in on a dime for your show. I’ll definitely be following along.

Best of luck!

S

#5

Looking forward to following along Anthony! I work with Cliff’s best friend, Brian Ahlstrom, and have gotten to meet Cliff at a few shows. I’m sure you’ll have a great prep!

#6

Thank you! He definitely does and I have the pleasure of learning under his guidance as well. Thanks for your support!

#7

Ah Brian is awesome! I’ve yet to meet him in person but hopefully that changes soon! I’m really looking forward to how I’ll look come this Summer!

#8

awesome transformation! I’ll definitely be following along!

Good luck mate

#9

Thanks, I appreciate your kind words! Gotta just live and love the grind. I can’t wait for those lights to hit me on stage!

#10

Following along man, excited to see your progress.

#11

It should be a great prep overall! This past year, I really worked on increasing my metabolic capacity without getting too overweight so hopefully my numbers won’t go down that low. I’ll be posting another posing video today though to show some progress!

#12

Good stuff man, I’ll be following for sure.

I don’t get how everyone can do the whole powerlifting for bodybuilding thing these days, I tried that and it was an utter fail.

#13

It’s definitely difficult to do, no doubt. But look at it this way–it’s just another way to progressively overload, right? Haha!

But let me know what you all think of this latest posing vlog I just posted on my channel.
[video]http://youtu.be/j7j7M1x0Geg?list=UUV3B1ClR8iZ5CuHaVQ-raAQ[/video]

#14

But hey everyone, check out this latest episode in my Contest Prep. Posing Vlog. I really thought my posing was poverty AF because of how I rushed through it but in reality–it may have been the best I’ve ever done.

#15

Any thoughts, comments, critiques? All are welcome!

#16

Hey all, I just wanted to post about how I’m progressing as of late.

Macros last week to this week:
P: 205–>205
C: 285–>275
F: 56–>52

Weight: No change 149.8–>149.8 lbs

I did some posing with Cliff the other night and he said I was definitely looking a lot leaner. My obliques are starting to show and my upper body is just visually different from a few weeks ago. I just hope my legs come in shredded as fuck so I can get after that pro card!

#17

One thing that I’ve been realizing through this prep is that there are really a variety of factors that influence fat loss and weight loss in general. Even though with food going down weight is going down as well, I’m seeing that the influence of environmental stress is playing a huge part in all of this. For instance, the relationship that I’m in currently plays a huge role in this. Not to say my girlfriend isn’t amazing–but any stress from that area or additional stress from anywhere else definitely has been playing a huge role I feel. Just some thoughts that have come to mind as of late.

#18

Hey all, I just wanted to post some pics of my posing. Also, macros have dropped somewhat considerably today from:

205 P/ 275 C/ 52 F

down to

205P/ 250 C/ 52F

Cardio is the same and the Power-block program seems to be going great. It’s just tough sometimes fitting in the three sessions of cardio and still letting my legs recover from the workout sessions during the week. It almost seems like they don’t completely and I feel I’m going into a leg workout or the power day with less-than fully recovered legs. All in all though, still feeling fine. I’ve got my eye on the prize and I don’t care about food as long as we can put my absolute best on the stage.

It’s interesting, though, that I’m not feeling any mental effects from dieting quite yet. The physical, contrarily, I definitely feel. I feel weaker with squats for sure. Deadlifts and bench is fine but the squats are just damn tough when the weight gets past 315 lbs. But here are the progress pictures so far.

Front Relaxed

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Side

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Back

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Side

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Posing is coming along well, but I just have to tweak some things here and there to really get it sharper. One thing I definitely need to stop doing is looking in the mirror and posing. But thanks for reading guys and all the best in the new year!

#19

A couple of thoughts on your posing:

  1. Try to keep your shoulders more level on your side chest shots.
  2. Spike the front foot a little higher on your side shots, get more up on your toes.
  3. On your rear relaxed pose, try to lift your chest higher. You’re wider than what you’re showing.
  4. I know Cliff likes the hand position on your side relaxed shots, but I think it’s worth experimenting with a few different styles just to see what looks best for you. See if pronating the wrist in front of your waist, rather than supinating it as you’re doing, allows your delt to pop a little more. Again, if Cliff is instructing you on your posing then obviously listen to him, Cliff’s the man.

Looking really solid overall, definitely no glaring weaknesses or poses that need a lot of work! Just a few things you could finetune

#20

Thanks, appreciate the feedback! I feel like all of that can be definitely useful and I’ll experiment with them. We only do posing work here and there now but I’m sure when it comes closer to the time to get on stage–each pose will be fine tuned.