End of Off-Season

August 30, 2008 BioSig: 6% BF, 129 lbs lean mass, 137 lbs


January 27, 2008 BioSig: 11.2% BF, 125 lbs lean mass, 141.2 lbs

Stronger Online

This weekend marks the last weekend of my "off-season" (1st pic) and Tuesday will be the start of the Fall competition season as I aim for London OPA Open Contest November 15th to go through the qualification process in the IFBB regular stream. I am 11 weeks out.

It shows 6% body fat but the last place I hold on in the glutes/hips, this is not a true reflection of my actual BF%. Again, in this sport the Biosignature is a useful tracking and assessment tool but you must use it to see opportunities to get leaner, naturally rather than actually trying to see if you are lean enough to be on stage.

The best way to know if you are contest ready, is to pose in front of mirrors, friends, family and also take pictures / video often. Your judges and audience does not come up to you and do calipers on you... it is about how you look from their eyes.

I like the #'s and like tweaking with nutrition, supplement, training and recovery protocols to change my correlations, skinfolds and percentages. That is my "thing". I also look at the sum of skinfolds and compare to my last contest season. I would like to get down to about 35 mm sum of skinfolds. I also want my calves and quad readings even lower than last season (Spring 2008).

My measurments should come up as I often grow into my contests, rather than get smaller, but we'll see. Every contest phase is different.

I am aiming to weigh about 127-130 lbs but leaner than last season in the lower body. I am also going to imnprove my posing.

I have printed a picture of me pre-contest from April 2008 when I had my best contest physique (UFE Spring Bash) and posted it on the fridge to remind myself how crappy I need to look in order to know I am almost there. Crazy isn't it?!

I have included a picture of me 11 weeks out from my Spring 2008 season when I was new to the sport. My Biosig stats at that time were 141 lbs at 11.3% with 125 lbs lean mass. So it shows you how much fat I store on my legs / butt as to the average eye, they two pictures would look about the same BF%. This also shows that it is not always about the number but how you look.

So join me on the countdown to Level 1 OPA steam... just the beginning of course!

K

"I Can't" by Tracy Catlin, DE Client

After eight weeks of training and mental endurance training, along with healthy doses of glutamine and glycine, I survived my first 50k biking event: Pedalfest, Wichita, KS. It wasn't without it's bumps and almost one big hiccup, however, especially when I became sick two days before the adventure.

There was a lesson to be learned here. I became sick on Friday--you know--it's that little tickle in the back of the throat and then a few sneezes. The few sneezes turned into a hacking cough by Saturday and by Saturday night, I had developed a low-grade fever of 99.7 degrees. What timing! Eight weeks of training and now this? Sunday morning, the day of Pedalfest, I went downstairs at around 6 a.m. to get some water and Dale the Husband comes down, too. Instead of doing anything else, I have to sit. Holding my head in my hands, I told him, "I don't think I can do this." Then things start going a little gray and fuzzy with the room suddenly turning slantways. I asked Dale if he could get me some ice water, and I head to the couch in the family room to lie down. I fainted before I had the ice water and he had to put some cold wash cloths on me. Later, I asked him what happened because my knee hurt. He fixed me some toast and half a bagel and some ice water and I felt better. That, and some Dayquil, too. I was up half an hour later, and he looked at me funny as I packed up my food to go to my bike ride.

"I can't let this go," I said. "I have to do this. I've worked so hard."

He thought I was crazy, but he really wasn't surprised. Afterall, my word for Dictionary Day at the school where I teach was "tenacious."

The second half of the bike trip and on one of the long stretches of Butler Road, which happens to be farm country of beautiful fields, streams and chestnut colored horses, I was riding alone. The road and I had a few discussions. My bike and I had a few words, and my legs and I were at battle. I wanted to see the Pedalfest truck so that I could wave him down. I had promised my husband that if I started to feel bad that I'd pull the support truck over to give me a ride back. On Butler Rd., the truck passed me twice. I thought about it; my legs burned so badly and the next stop wasn't for miles.

The truck came along again, and I looked him right in the eyes. A quiver shot up through my fatigued shoulders. I could have stopped him and said, "I can't do this anymore, please take me back."

How bad did I really feel to give it up?

There wouldn't have been shame in it; afterall, I had ridden over 20 miles which wasn't bad for a first timer. But I didn't. I waved and watched a bit as he drove on past. I don't think I'd really give up--"I can't" isn't in my vocabulary. But when my lungs were burning and my legs were cramping, I could understand why a person would want to give up when things became difficult. The thought is--how can we ease the pain when learning or doing something new? We don't give up. We don't make it easier, but we shake it out, we rest, we stretch, we carb-load, we sing funny songs on Butler Rd that make us laugh out loud; we pray that the fat tires suddenly turn into easy-to-turn skinny ones, and we do the things that we need to do to make us carry on for the rest of the way. But we don't give up. Anyone can do that. And I certainly wasn't just anyone anymore.

I did it--all 31.07 miles/50K of me, nature and the road--my time was horrible, but I don't care about that. I care about my legs, about what I had done and my transformation. I care about making it through when I could have given in when things got rough. I didn't. I pedaled through. I earned every carb I ate--which happened to be pizza. I hadn't had any bread for eight weeks.

Dealing with what we deal with on an individual level isn't any different than a first-timer on a bike. We still have to get from point A to point B. It can be a tough road, but we get there, and it's the journey that we endure that shapes us. It's what we do to get the "I can't" out of our vocabulary and get our ass on the bike that makes us who we are.

Tracy

Tracy,

We are ultra proud of you. You have now joined an elite and somewhat small percentage of the population that pushes ahead regardless of what is going on physuically or mentally. You accomplished the goal and THAT is what matters. You know my motto "Aspire. Act. Acheive!"

Now you can move forward and take that experience with you. You have reached the next level on the personal betterment journey. Again, real proud!

K

My Best Pancake Recipe Yet!

I have been playing with the base "healthy pancake" recipe for years and I think I have found my best version to date!

Give it a go and see if YOU think it is Da Bomb too.

1 container egg whites (500 ml)
2-3 eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned ED Smith or Organic)
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup organic yogurt (thick; not the runny stuff on top)
2 cups dry oats (quick cook)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Blend until pancake batter consistency; if it is too runny, add more oats; if it is too thick, add more egg whites.

Cook over preheated non-stick skillet until bubbles appear on top, flip.

I like to serve with a dollop of pumpkin puree, yogurt and maple syrup. Here I have a bit of ground beef and side baby Romaine lettuce.

If you are quite lean already or aiming to put on size, eat 3-5. If you are losing fat/weight, eat 2-3.

My kids even love these and they are great for left overs or as a replacement for bread with their peanut butter and jam.

Enjoy!

K

3 Reasons to go to Montreal in September:

1) I will be there
2) John Berardi PhD of Precision Nutrition will be there
3) Both JB and I will both be there!

2008 VinkoFest Sept 27th
http://www.muscledrivethru.com/vinko...ex.php?aff=108

And I have SOOOO much to say. What else is new. I will do my very best to package it into an informative hour full of nuggets. It is ALL about the nuggets.

As an added bonus, JB will do a 1 hour QU & A at the end. One more reason!

Other great names in the industry - Christian Thibaudeau, Karsten Jansen and Dave Barr - will be there too. There's 3 more reasons!!

Price is $200 if you pre-register.

See you then!

Krista's 35th Birthday Celebration - Hard Core Style!

Krista’s Birthday Training Bash

The Power of 8 - LEGS

Order –Exercise SetsxReps Tempo Rest
A1 – Front Squat 8x3 Cluster 4010 0:10 / 2:00
A2 – Rack Good Morning 8x3 Cluster 4010 0:10 / 2:00
B1 – Leg Extension 3x8 2011 1:00
B2 – Hamstring Curl 3x8 3010 1:00
C1 – Front Squat 1x16 2010 0
C2 – Hamstring Curl 1x16 2010 0
C3 – Leg Extension 1x16 2010 0
C4 – DB Romanian DL 1x16 2010 0

If anyone cares to celebrate my birthday with me... or even if you don't and just want a kick ass workout... then give this a go anytime tomorrow.

It is my 35th birthday tomorrow and it is the 8th day of the 8th month, 2008. And hey, 3 + 5 = 8!

So rather than an 8 x 8 workout, which is kinda boring and repetitive, I decided that reps or sets must be 8, equal 8 or be a multiple of 8, but I would combine strength, hypertrophy and lactate into one workout.

Cluster - this means you do a single rep at around 90% of your 1RM (85% for less experienced trainees... up to 95% for you elite kinda crazy nuts) and do 1 rep, 8 times to equal your set of 8. Rerack the bar and rest 10 seconds between each rep.

Then let us eat cake! This workout is carb-worthy. I think Angel Food cake is appropriate PW ... it's low fat isn't it? How about angle food cake, blueberries or strawberries and a protein shake (I highly recommend Dymatize Elite vanilla).

K