First off, thank you AJ for keeping forums alive. I am an OG bb . com poster so this way of logging feels more natural as opposed to IG/FB, where my style of posting TLDR's isn't as accepted. Secondly, thank you to anyone interested in tagging along. I plan to update this daily with Training, Life, Work, yadi yada. Real, raw, uncut as I have in the past threads on the forums :) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction..... my name is Brett Freeman. I am a WNBF pro bodybuilder, former powerlifter, former 3DMJ athlete & Alberto Nunez's first client. I am 29, engaged (marriage date 5/23/20) & have a 9 year old step son, work full time as an assistant banquet manager, online coach, and have been training for 12 years, competing for 10 (10th year anniversary is this year.) Amateur Competition History: 2009: -USBF/OCB NYS Natural: 1st bantams, 1st teens, lost overall 2011: -INBF Rochester Supernatural: 1st place LW, lost overall to trevor sadjak/justin draper -OCB NYS Natural: 1st place LW, lost overall to Larry Biaz -INBF Hercules Super Pro Qualifier: 2nd place bantams -INBF Naturalmania Super Pro Qualifier: 5th place bantams -INBF Rochester Natural: 2nd place LW -OCB Yorton Cup Super Pro Qualifier: didn't place, got spanked From 2012-2016, life was a rollercoaster. Peaks, valleys, mental burn out. My father passed during my 2011 Contest prep and if it weren't for Eric Helms counseling me, I'd have been a disaster. Emotions were subsided until my prep ended, where life and emotions led down a dark path. It took me years to admit, but I used training and dieting as an escape, to contain & keep me distracted. Discipline still falters time to time due to mood swings (clinically diagnosed bipolar in 2012...no, no medication) but if I have small goals lined up throughout the course of the year, I stay on track. This explains my absence from social media from 2018-2019, I was simply fed up with the fitness industry/natural BB side of things, and had to take a break. Much better now though, as I felt pressured & a bit of a let down following my 2017 season....in which I captured lightning in a bottle and perhaps will never again. Thus, my return to the stage in 2017, Contest Prepping myself for the first time ever...having having 6 years away. 2017 Amateur History: -INBF Naturalmania Super Pro Qualifier: 1st place bantams, Overall Winner & Recipient of WNBF Pro Card 2017 WNBF Pro History: -WNBF US Pro Cup DEBUT: 5th place vs greats like Marshall Johnson, Ish Lytle -WNBF Worlds DEBUT: 1st place LW Having idolized Brian Whitacre and having met him numerous times as a teen and young adult, discussing ideas via email & getting critique, winning Worlds felt like a dream, and yet, I felt empty following the end of my 2017 season. Empty in that I have had long talks with an old time friend, Clement Yearwood (current worlds bantam overall winner), regarding my views towards this, and surprised that he and I share the same to which I am not alone. Thus, 2018 improvement season started off strong. 6 months in, strongest I had ever been, then a shift in changing jobs took a turn for the worse. Due to prioritizing family & bills first, with an extra amount of work load on my plate, training took a back seat to which nutrition & quality of training dipped - although maintenance was established, muscle growth was limited in which 2x a week frequency was the most optimal route for balance & sanity. Thankfully, 6 months in, training was re established back to progression leaving me another 6-8 months to reign things in FULLY before I decided whether or not 2019 was a go. My Grandmother passed in February 2019, my co worker passed the week prior, and all within a 2 week time period, I was set in stone with the realization that life is short, and I proposed. Talk about a rollercoaster of emotions, right? LOL Following this, the Fiance & I discussed my idea of returning to the WNBF Stage in 2019. Reason being: 2 year WNBF requirement, 2020 I am getting married, possible moving into new house, & I wanted to wrap up my 20s on a HIGH note since it would be my 10th year anniversary of competing. So here we are! If you're still reading, thank you, TLDR: Let's get this fucking show on the road.
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Do you have any update
Good week so far, work has been a bit of a drag but in this industry that's typical. Fatigue crept in a bit as I haven't been sleeping for more than 5 hours, but thankfully per AJ & eric helms recommendations, it has been on the upside. Added 400mg mag glyc, 470mg ash, 200mg l-theanine, & 1g (increase from .25-.5) melatonin pre bed last night & actually slept soundly for 5.5 hours, which is an improvement. Feel refreshed for once >:) 7/24/19 - 50F 500C 215P - 145.4 7/25/19 - 50F 500C 215P - 145.8 7/26/19 - 50F 350C 225P - 146.4 7/27/19 - 50F 350C 225P - 145.2** new low this AM & FLAT Going to stick with 350C on low days from here on out & if weight continues dropping too fast, slowly push up. Gym performance is still at an all time high, but since I initially back in January had late july being the ideal diet break time before the push for the intended September show, I will adjust accordingly & coast. Plan is to have the week I will be on Vacation Aug 8-15 as the diet break, since I will be in Disney >:) ----------------------------------------------- 7/25/19 - PUSH Incline Smith Bench - 215x6, 220x6, 225x5 (PR), 200x9 (PR for reps) Flat DB bench - 80x10, 80x8,8 HS Shoulder press- 105x10, 115x10 (PR lol weak AF), 115x8 Seated Machine fly- 115x12, 120x12, 105x12,12 OH tri ext- 42.5x12, 47.5x12,12,12 DB lateral- 20x12,12,12 Tri pushdown- 50x13,13,13,13 *am workout, trying to shift them to morning so I don't cram them in post work. so far haven't died lmao. 7/26/19 - PULL - semi deload - post 10 hr work lift (11pm) SUMO DL (tempo) - 405x5 @ RPE 5 (deload) CG HS row- 107x8, 112x8,8 - rpe 6 Lat pulldown- 105x12,12,12 - rpe 6 Seated cable row- 125x12,12,12 - rpe 7 DB lateral- 22.5x15,12,12 Machine laterals- 45x20 (pr), 45x15 BW hypers tempo (4-1-4) - 20,20 DB curl- 22.5x13,12,11 Seated machine curl- 50x15, 55x12, 60x10 DB hammer curl- 27.5x8, 25x10 *decent session, planned for AM but work schedule wasn't aligning. sumo DL's were intended for lower days, but due to them NEVER taxing my lower body (for whatever reason) let alone inducing DOMS, got them out the way last night since they were scheduled for a deload. long shift today, nice lil ol' saturday wedding, so will either be training legs in the am before work or save them for after :)
Have we got any fresh update shots Brett? How do you reckon you'll do this peak - linear progressive load, or running off 2 high days? Have you determined where you look the best in relevance to the high days?
followed you. thank for sharing.
7/22/19 - Upper
Incline Smith Bench- 195x8, 205x8 (PR), 215x7 (PR), 220x6 (PR)
WG Hammer strength row- 92x8, 97x10, 102x8 (PR), 102x8
DB lateral raise- 22.5x12,12,10,10
Hammer strength chest press- 155x12, 165x10, 170x8 (PR)
CG pulldown- 150x10, 140x10, 120x10
DB curl- 25x13, 30x10, 22.5x12
Skull crushers- 50x12,12,12
Cable curl- 30x12,12 25x12
Tri pushdown- 50x13,12 *too light lol
7/23/19 - Lower
Reintroduced back squats, took 2 months off so will ramp up
Squats- 365x5,5
BB tempo RDL- 325x5,5,5 (PR)
Leg ext- 130x8, 145x8, 8, 160x11 (PR), 130x12
Lying Ham curl- 110x8, 125x8, 130x7 (PR), 100x12
BW: 146.6, flat as a crepe, forgot how much fun squats were when stripped of body fat lmao. I have Today and tomorrow off from work so it’s shopping with the fam for football gear/school stuff, going to see lion king , and relaxing :)
My Training program follows the KISS method. Due to other priorities, training frequency spans from 4-5x a week. I ran a 3x a week split courtesy of Ben Howard during the past month, loved it... but found too little time between sessions caused motor patterns to become a bit too wonky.
I’m a firm believer of mastering movements / basics (compounds) , finally acceptant of machines, aware that my upper in general still lacks, thus jotted down the general outline of my programming attached:
Upper, Lower, Push, Pull, Legs (optional) & if time permits, a touch up day for extra volume aimed primarily at arms, delts & chest.
Overall programming is simple: slow progressive overload, slight volume accumulation, changing out movements every 8-12 weeks if becoming stale, keeping an eye on axial loading (my job is labor intensive AF), & staying injury free.
Cardio is taken care of via work: i average 10-30k steps/day
Nutrition is currently - 50F 280C 225P 5x with 2 refeeds at - 40F 500C 200P
Currently 2.5 weeks out from spur of the moment warm up show - WNBF Max Hype supernatural hosted by Chris Barakat / Chris Elkins. Goal was originally the WNBF Mr Universe September 24, but all i am aiming for is a Worlds qualification & that will be the target from then on.
2019 Goal:
-Top 8 placing at Max Hype, *worlds qualification
-Top 5 Bantam/LW placing at WNBF Worlds
Dude I appreciate you logging on here so much, this will be a thread EVERYONE needs to follow. I share the same idolisation for Whitacre, I just love the guy so much and what he stands for. Meeting you and sharing moments at worlds was probably one of the best days of my life. Sorry to hear about your close and loved ones passing dude, I can relate to the emotional stress this induces, but I agree with your standpoint on prepping this year.
Let's do this!! Can't wait to follow.
Start of 2017 prep Vs 1 day out WNBF Worlds
2 weeks out from 2017 WNBF Worlds
2009 vs 2017 137-147lbs
2011 OCB Horton, Nunez & Alberts
2009/10 WNBF world's, Brian Whitacre