Editor/Trainer/Consultant: Gary "Hulkster Jr." Becker

Written by - Gary "Hulkster Jr." Becker

© Copyright 1998 by Gary "Hulkster Jr." Becker

"Web-site created by [Live Wire Web Designs]" [email protected]

***It's not what others think of you, it's how you think of yourself that determines if you're a winner or not!!!***

This issue was put together with the assistance of ELITEFITNESS (George Spellwin), MASSQUANTITIES, UNDERGROUNDSPORTS (Mike R.), BIGCANUK, Roy Butterton a.k.a. ROIDS, Sharkster, and MR. OX

EDITORIAL NOTE: Sorry for the delay in the third quarter issue, due to several upcoming bodybuilding events and the Guam National Bodybuilding Championships, things have been very busy!!! The Hulkster Jr. Consultation Service is doing very well, a lot of members are reaching goals they have never reached before in their physique, size, and strength!!! The money generated by this service goes back to the members in the form of research (lab testing products from various sources to locate fakes / under dosed medications, which is past on to both the source and members) You can sign-up for this service by visiting my Home Page (www.elitefitness.com/hulkster) or if you’d like more info on what benefits you get, please send an e-mail ([email protected])

***Section 1 - Workout Routines/Fitness/News/How to Articles***

One article is featured!!! By Dave a.k.a. Bigcanuk

The Ultimate Cutting Cycle - by Dave a.k.a. Bigcanuk

Here we are again. The summer is over and the cold season approaches once more. It seems that the winter is the time to do some bulking and get away with it more so than the summer season. Perhaps it's due to the fact that more skin exposure is going to transpire in the sun than in the snow. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule. Some of you lucky guys live in a constant state of sunshine and some of us have to brave the elements. I'm one of those guys who have to brave the elements but I still have to keep ripped and hard due to the nature of my job and the clientele that it draws. For those of you who don't know, yours truly is a male stripper (strictly for stagettes and private girl's parties) and because of that, I have to stay hard all the time. (Well,

figuratively speaking anyways.)

As most of you can attest to, that is not an easy feat! It usually involves lots of cardio, proper eating, hard training and of course dedication.

I'm fortunate that I'm genetically gifted but to others, getting ripped and hard is a battle of monumental proportions. I don't want to bore everyone here with a huge article on training,

diet, thermogenics, etc, etc. on how to attain that ripped physique. I just want to mention a couple of points on cycling the best anabolics possible and to do it in a safe manner. There are plenty of articles available on the Internet or at the Elitefitness website to give you more details on the other aspects I mentioned to get more ripped.

Firstly, I want to state that anyone using anabolics in a non-professional application should only be doing three cycles per year. That's it. More than that constitutes abuse or lack of knowledge in

using them. If anabolics are used properly and smartly, there should be no reason to abuse them in non-professional circles. My rule of thumb is this: Stay off them for as long as you were on. Therefore a 2 month cycle would require you to stay off for 2 months. I know many guys out

there will argue this with me but I'm talking safe usage here for normal users, okay?

Secondly, it doesn't matter if you are using mild anabolics or powerful androgens. They are still considered "enhancing drugs" and must still be considered as components of a cycle.

Third and last, no steroids will get rid of fat!!! They will help you put on muscle to get bigger (notice I said help) because you still have to work hard to get those results. The same applies to getting rid of fat or getting ripped for that matter.

Okay, enough said. Let's get to the meat of the matter. If you are at that stage where your body fat is definitely under 10% and you can see muscle definition, you are a perfect candidate for the cycle I want to let you readers in on. The Ultimate Cutting Cycle.

Take 1cc of Winstrol V every 3 days. Take 200 mg of Primobolan depot once per week. Lastly, take 20 mg of Anavar tabs daily. The above listed steroids belong to the 17-alpha alkylaled group and are not converted to estrogen when the quantity gets high. Therefore there are no real side effects. Also, they don't affect your gonadal function so they won't shut down your own natural testosterone production. This means you won't need a post cycle regimen of HCG or Clomid.

This cycle should even allow you to put on a little size as well as get ripped and hard. It would be wise to use milk thistle to help counter toxicity though.

Don't ask me how to obtain these items. They are illegal in North America but they are easy to obtain in numerous other countries. I suggest you take a trip if you want these items. Good luck in your quest to look big, lean and awesome!

I have for sale needles in any size. Nizoral shampoo for blocking the effects of androgens on your scalp while on a cycle thereby preventing baldness. Also human version vitamin B12 to increase appetite, boost energy levels aid in recuperation and give better protein synthesis / utilization. If you are interested in any of these items feel

free to e-mail me at:

***Section 2 – Hormones / Synthetic Substitutes / Cycles***

Featuring the "Synthol" by – Roy Butterton a.k.a. ROIDS

SYNTHOL "PUMP N POSE"

Description:

Synthol is an intermuscular fatty acid that bodybuilders are now using to give increased size in small muscle groups. Gains of 1 inch in muscles like the calves, biceps, and shoulders are not unheard of. It is actually synthetic oil that is injected right in to the muscles you want to enhance in size. The way that this product works is that it becomes encapsulated between the fascicles (bundles of muscle fibers). Upon repeated injections, a huge bolus of the oil accumulates,

adding volume to the injected muscle. About 30% of the amount injected will be broken down by your enzyme system and is metabolized like normal fat because of its unique chemical structure. It will not be stored as bodyfat but will be burned very fast as fuel. The remainder of about 70% of

the substance will be encapsulated between your muscle fibers and is broken down very slowly over the course of 3 to 5 years. Dan Duchaine recently analyzed a sample of Synthol and found it contained mostly C8 fatty acids, some C10, and about 3% C12 (the C and the number relate to

what length the fat is - short, medium, or long). The mixture also contained 7.5% lidocaine (a painkiller) and 7.5% benzyl alcohol. There is currently some debate on whether you can

take regular MCT oil as a substitute for "the real Synthol" which costs between $300-400 per bottle.

Because of the structure of Synthol and the fast encapsulation your enzyme system, your body has a real hard time spotting the substance and breaking it down. Supposedly if you use this product correctly you won't come down with any kind of infection or any really bad side effects. To get no detrimental effects you have to be careful about the amounts you inject the first couple of times you use the stuff, otherwise you could experience an accumulation of lymphatic fluids in your arms for a couple of days. Working out while taking Synthol is quite another story. Synthol makes it real hard at first to train because sometimes after just one set of any upper body exercise, your guns will feel pumped like after a hundred sets of any arm exercise. I have not tried this nor Esiclene, but this product is supposedly more painful than Esiclene with all of the swelling that you will experience from using this compound. Esiclene was an Italian steroid that was used a

lot in the '80's for causing site swelling in order to also bring up lagging body parts. Supposedly, not too many people can stand the pain when using Synthol for enlarging the calves; it's just so nasty.

As far as side effects are concerned, that is still up in the air. The makers of the substance say that there are really no side effects but injecting any significant amount of fatty-acid material intramuscularly can be extremely dangerous. When you jab a syringe into a muscle without any knowledge or regard to nerve distribution, you may hit a nerve and possibly cause permanent paralysis of groups of muscle fibers within that area. And besides the increased possibility of developing abscesses, there is also the possibility you might inject the fat into a vein or artery and cause serious tissue damage downstream. If this stuff is accidentally injected into a vein or

artery, it could be transported into the lungs, possibly causing a "pulmonary embolism" or perhaps even into the brain, causing a "cardioembolic stroke." It's also known that injecting fatty acids into the system can lead to a condition where blood clots can develop, resulting in coronaries and

strokes."

The bottom line is that you need to weigh the risks to benefits ratio for yourself and decide if it is worth it for you to get some instant gains. In my opinion, this would be an excellent pre-contest drug but for the average bodybuilder that will never compete it really is not worth the pain or cost to use. I have not used this compound and probably never will. It is just another of those things that competitive bodybuilders use to give them an edge over the competition.

Effective Dose:

Start with 1ML, deep into the muscle with a 1/4-inch needle. Be sure to use sterile technique at all times. Continue at this rate for ten days. Then increase to 2ML a day for ten days. Now 3ML a day until the muscle gain stops.

Now return to 1ML a day for 30 days. Now 1ML twice a week for four weeks. Now 1ML once a week for four weeks.

The gains are now said to be permanent but I am a little leery of this... Arms will be a good 2 inches up after three weeks and hold. After a four-month break a further gain can be made by repeating the cycle.

ALWAYS DRAW BACK BEFORE DELIVERY, IF THE SYRINGE FILLS WITH BLOOD ABORT THE ATTEMPT. FAILURE TO DO SO COULD BE SEVERE. IF IT BLEEDS AFTER THE INJECTION DO NOT BE ALARMED AS THIS MEANS YOU HAVE PASSED THROUGH A VEIN, BUT NEVER DELIVER INTO ONE.

From what I have observed, the gain is not permanent but looks excellent. You have to keep the shots up once a week into each body part to keep the look.

Street Price:

This product is now available at Mesomorphosis for $400 per bottle. Mesomorphosis is currently one of only two select companies authorized by Chris Clark of Germany to distribute his original Pump'n Pose Posing Oil in the United States. Don't settle for rip-off copies of this product. Get the real deal today and watch those arms, shoulders, and all other body parts grow now!

***Section 3 - Open Forum***

"This is a section, that I’ve added for members to submit an

Article, on subjects that really don’t fit the other sections, this section is open

to all, and subject matter/opinion/comments are that of the original author and MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THAT OF THE EDITOR, HULKSTER JR!!!"

One article is featured!!! By - Sharkster

QUESTION: Why is it important to get sufficient rest?

by - Sharkster

Some of you may be saying, rest is a waste of time when in actuality rest is extremely essential to muscle gains. So, for starters, you need to know what happens when you lift weights. When you lift weights, your muscles contract and as your muscles contract the fibers of those muscles rub against each other causing damage to the tissues that connect them together. Apparently, your body doesn't like that so it builds stronger tissues over the damaged ones so it'll be able to cope better the next time you workout. Now, you're wondering what this has to do with resting, well during your resting period your body strengthens those connecting tissues. It's not what happens in the gym but what happens when you're out of the gym that counts in this respect. Sufficient sleep plays an important role in this. If you don't get enough rest your workouts won't benefit you as much as if you had gotten enough rest. If you had a lousy night's rest your workout the next day is going to reflect that. You won't have the energy to do as well, and to add to that your immune system is going to be semi-out-of-it so more than likely you'll catch whatever lovely viruses are floating around in the air or are on the machine from the last person that used it. You can't use a car battery that's dead, so what do you have to do? Recharge it! So . . . getting enough sleep is very vital to beneficial workouts. If you're doing a high intensity, heavy weight, low rep workout, as a rule a thumb work out only once a day and give whatever muscle you work from 5 to 7 days to recover. (If you're working out as I just mentioned by the time you're done working out you shouldn't even be able to lift 10 pounds if you had to) So, for example, if you work chest on Monday don't even consider working it till about Saturday if not later. The harder you work your muscles the more time they will need to recover so keep that in mind. Secondly, you don't want to over train! How can you tell if you've over trained? If you are always tired, don't look forward to your next workout, find yourself always sore from not completely recovering, or are getting minor injuries, you possibly are over training. You really have to be careful that you don't do that. In any case you could either be doing too many exercises in one workout or are possibly not meeting your body's needs. These can include things such as limiting the strain you put on your body per day, taking breaks between workouts and getting enough sleep at night (get at least 8 hours of sleep per night). On top of what I've already mentioned, about every month you should take at least a week off to let your body fully recuperate and after that then you can get back into the routine of working out. It's better to do less work and be sure of complete recuperation than not to recuperate at all. This helps to prevent the chances of you overtraining.

Sharkster

***Section 4 - Supplements / Enhancement / Cosmetic Products***

One supplement article is featured in this section!!! By - Massquantities.com

Flax Seed Oil is one of the best supplements around. We love the stuff. It stimulates brown fat cells and increases the metabolic rate making it much easier to burn off extra fat. Furthermore, Flax Seed Oil is the hard gainer's ultimate weapon. It's an easy way to increase your fat and calorie intake without risk of it being stored as bodyfat. You can't grow muscle without eating fat and Flax Seed Oil is the healthiest source of fat on the planet.

Omega-3 fatty acids are part of the family of Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). There are so many positive health benefits to EFA supplementation outside of bodybuilding that it's difficult to know where to begin. Reduced blood pressure, healthier skin and hair, relief of arthritic symptoms, reduced incidence of heart disease... the list goes on. Steroid users benefit from Flax Seed Oil because it helps reduce the typical bout of "'roid zits" at the end of a cycle.

Some old-school bodybuilder's are hesitant to increase their fat intake in any way for fear that if

they eat fat they will get fat. False. No one has ever gotten fat from consuming flax seed oil--in any

quantity. Even the muscle magazines have jumped on the band-wagon and are now touting the

benefits of Flax Seed Oil.

On top of all this, the lignans in our Flax Seed Oil have been shown to have potent anti-estrogenic

effects. This is of special interest to bodybuilders who are always looking to increase the testosterone

to estrogen ratio. Here's one cheap, natural way to do it without putting yourself on the wrong side of

the law!

EFAs are particularly important to the athlete because they are used in the natural production of

steroid hormones. Studies show individuals following a low fat diet lacking in EFAs have much lower

testosterone levels than those following the same diet, but supplementing their EFA intake.

As if all of this weren't enough, there's evidence that EFA supplementation may improve the

function of the anabolic hormone insulin.

Mass Quantities is one of the only providers of Flax Seed Oil that actually tastes good. Our

product is very high in lignans--which provides the anti-estrogen effect. The oil is cold, expeller

pressed to preserve freshness and quality. Be sure to shake before using to prevent the lignans from

settling out.

Detailed instructions on how to get maximum results from Flax Seed Oil can be found in our guide

to supplement programs.

Dosage: Flax Seed Oil will impart health benefits by itself or it can be added to any supplement

program to enhance results. Typical doses are 1 tablespoon two to three times daily.

How To Take It: Take one tablespoon with food.

Quantity: At three tablespoons per day, 32 oz will last you about three weeks.

Storage: Refrigerate after opening. Will keep longer if you freeze unopened bottles.

Side Effects: None. Flax Seed Oil is completely natural, safe and healthy.

***Section 5 - Recipes***

"CHICKEN WITH BLACK BEANS" - Servings 4

4 Skinless, boneless chicken breasts

16 ounce can Black beans

16 ounce can Stewed tomatoes

10 ounce pkg. Frozen corn

To taste: Onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin

Arrange chicken pieces in single layer in microwave safe casserole.

Cover chicken with corn, beans, spices and tomatoes.

Cook covered casserole in microwave on High for 30 minutes.

Nutrition Per Serving

Grams of Fat - 10

Grams of Protein - 25

Calories - 400

"BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN" - Servings 4

4 Skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1 pound Sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup Fresh peas

2 cups Cooked rice

1 cup Hot water

1 teaspoon Powdered chicken bouillon

To taste: Onion powder, garlic powder, crushed black peppercorn

Arrange chicken pieces in single layer in microwave safe casserole.

Cover chicken with mushrooms and peas.

Dissolve chicken bouillon and spices in hot water and pour over chicken.

Cook covered casserole in microwave on High for 30 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Nutrition Per Serving

Grams of Fat - 9

Grams of Protein - 20

Calories - 400

***Section 6 - Questions and Answers***

This section is dedicated to questions that have been sent in to me and I feel that it’s common or important in nature to print!!!

Ask the Hulkster Jr.

One article is featured in this issue, concerning Contest Prep by Gary "Hulkster Jr."

QUESTION: "Hulkster Jr., I have recently thought about entering a Bodybuilding Contest that is away, but I'm 18%! How do I get Contest ready in that short of time? Please help me!

***16 Week Pre-Contest Preparation / Bodyfat Reduction Program***

Written by - Gary "Hulkster Jr." Becker

© Copyright 1998 by Gary "Hulkster Jr." Becker

This program is dedicated to the individuals that helped me get through it and realize that we can become anything we want to. IT'S ALL UP TO YOU, NOT ANYONE ELSE!!!

Even though most of the material in this article mentions a point of view focused toward a male athlete, females can and will benefit just as much. It's just easier to write in one perspective and note any differences as you go along!!!

First of all, I have broken down this Program into 4 phases: Phase One = weeks 1-4, Phase Two = weeks 5-12, Phase Three = weeks 13-15, and Phase Four = week 16. Each Phase is like a stepping stone getting you closer and closer to that big day, "Contest Day". If you were only looking to improve yourself and are not planning on entering a Bodybuilding Contest, you would "NOT" complete Phase Four (this is for Contest Prep only!!!) Think of yourself as a racecar driver and each Phase as being part of a 250-lap race. Phase One is the warm-up laps around the track (allowing you to warm the car up and get yourself ready for the race). Phase Two is the first 200 laps (your goal is to keep the car together and keep on the same lap as the leader, this is where you get better and faster with every lap). Phase Three is the next 47 laps (this is where you push yourself and the car more and position yourself for that big finish, this is where you fine tune everything you do), and finally Phase Four is the last 3 laps (this is what it's all about, if you are not in position by now, you will not win, but if you did what you were suppose to do in the earlier laps, you are in position and now it's time to push everything to the limits and give it 110%). This is the "Dash for the Glory"!!!

Another way of looking at it is like this: "The great pyramids of Egypt were not built in a day; they were built brick by brick, day by day, and so should you!!!" This is a building process!!!

Of course, before you undergo any form of diet, exercise, workout schedule, aerobic / anaerobic activity, etc. always start off with a complete physical by your family doctor. Let him know what you are planning on doing and ask his opinion as to when or at what point during the program you should see him again. Also be honest with him, if you are planning on taking any performance enhancement, hormone, or diuretic medication, or are planning on starting a diet, etc., let him know. He may try to talk you out of it, but 90% of doctors will still work with you, even if you take these medications. Please be honest. Remember "what you tell him has to be kept confidential"; that's the oath he took!!!

I also recommend that you get your Bodyfat measured every 2 weeks, no more and no less. At the end of this article I will detail how you can measure your own Bodyfat, if you have problems locating a place that can do it for you. This will help you fine tune what works for you and what doesn't, so your time is not wasted. Your weight is not that important, unless you are planning on competing and have a specific weight class you have to be in; otherwise, let your body be your guide. Bodyfat is the key, not your weight. If an athlete at 200 pounds has 6% Bodyfat he looks a hell of a lot better, than an athlete that weighs 160 pounds at 12% Bodyfat!!!

O.K., now it's time to prepare and get all the items you need. As you will note, I didn't say start the 16-Week Program yet. You have to get ready first. Don't jump the gun; this will be a wrong first step. You don't see racecar drivers take their cars right off the trailers, throw them on the track, and race. They prep the cars, prep the drivers, prep the crew, learn the track, make sure their inventory is complete, etc. This is a sign of a winning team!!! Read the Program very carefully; decide what your schedule will allow you to do, how your employment will affect your program (work schedule, travel, etc.), how much money you have to spend on the various supplements, lotions, tanning products, supplies, etc., how much support you will have from your friends and family (very important), and finally what your goal is (be very honest and realistic)!!!

I have rated the products, supplements, lotions, etc. So, if you only have enough money for four supplements, you can select the top four and get the biggest bang for your buck. I've also noted several web sites at the end of this article that I feel offer the highest quality products at very reasonable prices, and their service is reliable!!!

Next, I want you to take pictures of yourself. YES!!! Pictures, no matter what you look like, without them you really have no way to see the changes that your body truly goes through. Pick out a set of trunks or shorts and use the same ones in all the pictures, even when you take pictures at weeks 8, 12, and 16; use the same clothes and photo site. Try also to utilize the same stances or poses!!!

One of the items I want you to buy is a logbook. On the first page place your name, address, telephone number, etc. so in case you forget your log at the gym, the person that finds it will know whom it belongs to. On the second page, I want you to tape the before pictures of yourself (three pictures should do). On the third page, list all your stats: Bodyfat, weight, age, height, physical condition (if you have high blood pressure, note it), and how you feel about yourself. Write everything about yourself. On the forth page, log in what your strength is, and this is how you do that. Have a workout partner assist you and what you are trying to do is see how much weight on the following exercises you can get up to and only complete three reps, not two or four, but three. Do the Bench Press, Bicep Curl, Behind the Neck Press, Squat, and Seated Cable Row. On the fifth page, list what your goal is (be honest and realistic). O.K., now that that's all logged in, every two pages after that will represent a week (except for the updates mentioned in a minute). Write on the first page as to what your plan is (complete this on day one), what your diet is, how many days and how much time you are planning on spending at the gym, and what you plan to do there, etc. Then on the second page, write in what you actually did (complete this on the last day of the week, again be honest), what changes you noted, what you noticed (good and bad), what you ate, etc. O.K., now at weeks 8, 12, and 16 I want you to update your log with your current pictures, stats, strength, etc. like you did on page 2, 3, and 4!!!

O.K., you've got a complete physical, log book (that has been updated), got all the materials (supplements, lotions, etc.), and most importantly "THE RIGHT ATTITUDE"!!! Now it's time to take the racecar onto the track, we are ready!!!

Phase One = weeks 1-4

This phase is where we prepare our body, mind, and attitude for the upcoming challenge ahead; think of this phase as the warm-up laps the race cars take before the green flag comes out (Phase Two). This is where you start to learn how your body reacts to what you do and what problems may creep up later (like timing or scheduling problems, prepping meals ahead of time, soreness, etc.).

DO NOT GO FROM EATING CHEESEBURGERS, FRIES AND A MILK SHAKE TO EATING TUNA, BROCCOLI AND A SWEET POTATO!!! Your body will go into a protective mode and almost shutdown / retard your metabolic rate. This is why you see these women on fad diets fail. Sure they lose the weight fast, but then as soon as they stick normal food in their mouth, they blimp up like a balloon and look worse than they did before.

I want you to do this: If you eat a Cheeseburger, French fries and a Milk Shake. During week one = eat a cheeseburger, french fries, and water. During week two = eat a hamburger, french fries, and water. During week three = hamburger, salad, and water. During week four = chicken breast sandwich, salad and water. You see what I'm getting at, slowly prep your body for the diet ahead, Phase Two. Also during this Phase, I want you to start decreasing the size of your meals, while increasing the number of meals during the day. What your goal is, is instead of having two large meals a day, work your way to six smaller meals throughout the day. So follow this schedule: during week one = 3 meals / day, during week two = 4 meals / day, during week 3 = 5 meals / day, and finally during week 4 = 6 meals / day.

Now let's talk about calories, as far as what is right for you. Like I stated before, you are warming up to the real diet, so do not start counting calories yet, O.K. But start learning what the calories are for what you eat now and what you will be eating in the Phases ahead. This is the learning Phase; learn what each food is made up of (those FDA labels that are required on every packaged food item are the best thing that ever could have happened, it tells all!!! Start reading those labels on every food item you buy, and you'll start learning very quickly that the specific product you always thought was good for you is actually very bad for you)!!! We are not really going to start counting calories "officially" yet. I just want you to start monitoring what the make up is of what you are putting in your mouth. You are what you eat!!! That is very true!!! In Phase Two I'll list how many calories you should intake daily!!!

Also, some of you may start to ask what is the ratio of Protein, Carbohydrate, and Fat that your diet will be structured for. In Phase Two you'll be utilizing a ratio of 40% Protein, 50% Carbohydrate, and 10% Fat (but we are going to cheat "in a positive way" on the fat by using MCT oil or otherwise known as dietary fat) So, now you know what you'll be doing in Phase Two; again, work your way toward this goal!!!

Also during Phase One, I want you to slowly increase your water intake. Most people drink a half a gallon a day; so I want you to add a quarter gallon to your daily intake every week (also convert from soda, milk shakes, etc. to water during this phase). So your water intake should look like this: during week one = .75 gallon / day, week two = 1 gallon / day, week three = 1.25 gallon / day, and week four = 1.5 gallon/ day.

Now that we've covered the type of food and number of meals / day (diet) and your water intake (hydration). Let's talk about exercise.

DON'T GO FROM BEING A COUCH POTATO TO WORKING OUT 3 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK!!! This will surely allow you to feel pain in places you never thought you would. Again, remember we are a racecar in the warm up laps, no green flag yet!!!

I want you to follow the Push, Pull, Legs Exercise Routine, but your schedule should look like this: Monday = Push Day, Tuesday = Pull Day, Wednesday = Legs Day, Thursday = Off, Friday = Push Day, Saturday = Pull Day, Sunday = Off. As far as your workout goes, during week one = 4 different exercises at 1 set each (12 reps), during week two = 5 different exercises at 2 sets each (12 reps, followed by 10 reps. Slightly increasing the weight on the second set), during week three = 6 exercises at 3 sets each (12 reps followed by 10 reps, followed by 8 reps. Slightly increasing the weight on each set), during week four = 7 different exercises at 4 sets each (12 reps followed by 10 reps, followed by 8 reps. Followed by 6 reps. Slightly increasing the weight on each set).

The PUSH, PULL, LEGS technique is based on focusing efforts on either PUSHING away from the body, or PULLING toward the body. To utilize this technique you perform PUSH or major concentric contraction exercises on day one. Day two, alternate to PULL or eccentric contraction exercises. Day three work the Legs and the abdominal area. This technique is most effective when two cycles of PUSH, PULL, LEGS are completed each week. That is, six workout days, at 90 minutes a session, and one day of rest; but, this is what we are working up to!!!

Results from NATURAL clients show an increase in strength at an average of 25% after two months. This includes clients following the basic rules of rest/recuperation, diet, and minor supplementation.

To begin the program, utilize light weights and focus on technique. Ensure your form for every exercise is proper. Slowly increase the weight lifted, as you become more familiar with the PUSH, PULL, LEGS technique. To ensure you are utilizing the correct weight load for your fitness level, consider the following: when you wake up the next day, you should be slightly sore. If your muscles are sore throughout the day, your weight load needs to be decreased. If you wake up the next day and are not sore, then increase the weight load. Generally, the percentage of decrease or increase is 10-20% of the current weight so as to gradually build or decrease your weight load.

For bodybuilders with primary goals to dramatically increase their size and strength, utilize a program of 4 sets per exercise with repetitions of 12, 10, 8, and 6, respectively. For the hard gainers utilize the 4 sets per exercise with repetitions of 10, 8, 6, and 4, respectively. Steadily increase the weight load with each set.

If you do not experience muscle fatigue by the last repetition of set 3, you need to add more weight. Pay particular attention to muscle fatigue on the last two sets.

Here are some examples of what various exercises you can utilize on the different days. Try to mix them up and change them around. Never do the same thing, in the same order on a Push Day as you did the last Push Day you had. Not allowing your body to adapt by constantly changing is the SECRET, THE KEY TO SUCCESS!!!

PUSH, major concentric contraction exercises:

Bench Press Press Behind Neck Alternate Dumbbell Press

Tricep Pressdown Seated Dumbbell Press Parallel Bar Dips

Incline Press Supine Flies Incline Flies

Tricep Extension Cable Crossovers Close-grip Bench Press

Decline Press Dumbbell Tricep Stretch Tricep Kickbacks

Tricep Dumbbell Ext.

PULL, major eccentric contraction exercises:

Barbell curl Lateral Raise Upright Row

Front Pull down Bent-over Flies Lateral Raise Pulls

Alt. Dumbbell Raise Bent-over Rows Low Pulley Rows

T-bar Rows Dumbbell Rows Shrugs

Incline Dumbbell Curls Barbell Curls Alt. Dumbbell Curls

Concentration Curls Wide-grip Chin Pulls-ups

Examples of LEGS/AB exercises:

Incline Twisting Sit-ups Roman Chair Sit-ups Hanging Leg Raise

Incline Knee Raise Crunches Squats

Hack Squats Leg Curls Thigh Extensions

Leg Press Sissy Squat Standing Calf Raise

Seated Calf Raise

O.K. we've got our diet, water intake, and exercise routine down. Let's talk about Cardio now. Cardio is a very important part of the success of this Program. If you really want to drop that Bodyfat, you have to do it. No way around it!!!

AGAIN, DON'T GO FROM THE COUCH TO HITTING THE STAIRMASTER FOR AN HOUR AT LEVEL 10!!! I'll assume that you are not currently utilizing any aerobic activity in your day to day life, so I want you to follow this schedule. During week one = 30 minutes on the Tread Mill or walking at 2 MPH two times a week, during week two = 30 minutes on the Tread Mill or walking at 3 MPH three times a week, during week three = 30 minutes on the Tread Mill or walking at 4 MPH three times a week, during week four = 45 minutes on the Tread Mill or walking at 4 MPH three times a week. Now the SECRET on Cardio is to perform it first thing in the morning before you eat (yes, on an empty stomach). This way your stomach and blood supply are depleted of their energy supplies and your body has to turn to the fat cells for the required energy to complete the Cardio Session. You will burn THREE times more energy from fat cells by doing your Cardio first thing in the morning, than any other time during the day. The timing of your Cardio is just as important as doing it. I also recommend, since most people do their weight workout in the afternoon or evening, to hit the Tread Mill for about 10 to 15 minutes as a warm-up. This will prepare the joints, muscles, etc. for the upcoming weight session!!!

O.K. we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, and cardio down. Let's talk about Supplements now. Regardless of what the FDA says "YOU NEED THEM". There is no way that you can get every vitamin, mineral, etc. from food alone, YOU NEED SUPPLEMENTS!!!

First allow me to rate them; this way, if you're on a restricted budget you can buy what is most important / most beneficial and then work your way to the "nice-to-add-in" products!!!

Take your Supplements at three times during the day, in the morning before you eat breakfast (or do your cardio), during your afternoon meal, and your last patch in the early evening. What I did is make three piles of pills / tabs / gels the night before and that way you are set, plan ahead!!!

1. Multiple Vitamin and Mineral (like One-A-Day-Tabs, every store and supplement company

   sells them) you want to take 6 tabs / day (YES, six times what they recommend).

2. Branched Chain Amino Acids (this comes in a variety of strengths and dosages, so read the

label) you want to take 6 tabs / day. With a strength of 1500 - 2000mg each

3. Aspirin (YES, plain ol' Aspirin) 6 tabs / day. (325mg each)

4. Adipokinetix at 6 capsules / day (for this take two 45 minutes before your cardio and the other

two 45 minutes before your weight training, but never take this product within 3 hours of

sleeping, because you won't be able to).

5. Creatine Monohydrate at 4 grams 3 times / day.

6. Glutamine at 2 grams 3 times / day.

7. MCT Oil at one tablespoon per meal.

8. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) 1 gram 3 times / day.

9. Vitamin E at 3 gelcaps 3 times / day. (400iu each)

10. Chrysin at 350mg per day, taken in the morning on an empty stomach (this is especially

important if

you are utilizing some Performance Enhancement Products).

11. Primrose Oil at 3 gelcaps 3 times / day (this is especially important if you are utilizing some

Performance Enhancement Products). (500mg each)

12. Cod Liver Oil at 3 gelcaps 3 times / day (this is especially important if you are utilizing some

Performance Enhancement Products). (500mg each)

13. Melatonin at 3 tabs just before bed. (3mg each)

14. Herbs: Ginkgo, Avina Sativa, Saw Palmetto, St. John's Wort, and Horsetail Grass.

I "HIGHLY" recommend the following web sites for purchasing products: (they're fast, have great prices, and have never had a single problem with their service!!!

http://www.undergroundsports.com - Supplements

http://www.massquantities.com - Supplements

http://www.snowcrest.net/soza - Herbs and Capsule making supplies

O.K. we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, and supplements down. Let's talk about the Sauna now!!!

Most people think the Sauna is great for burning fat cells, WRONG!!! Yes, your metabolic rate is increased, cardiovascular system is placed in demand, and you sweat (excreting toxins from your body). But, the most useful part of using the Sauna is to get rid of LOOSE SKIN. Think of it like this: you've seen uncooked chicken with the skin on it. This skin is loose and wrinkly, but if you place that same piece of chicken in boiling water for even five minutes and take it out, the skin has shrunk and conformed to the meat of the chicken, giving the chicken that "RIPPED" look we all want. The second misconception is to set the Sauna to 10,000 degrees, WRONG!!! You only need to set it to approx. 110 degrees F. That's it, as you only want to heat up the skin and the fat layer, and not the muscle. Any higher in temperature and the muscle will also be heated up and water / glucose will be drained, thus you lose valuable muscle size, VERY BAD!!! All you want to do is heat up the skin and layer of fat and also relax. There's no need to jump into a pool of molten lava. Turn the dial down and not only enjoy the experience more, but get more from it. You should hit the Sauna 3 times a week at 30 minutes per session. The time of day that you hit the Sauna is not important, but you can get a little extra benefit by hitting it just before bedtime, as it will relax you and increase your metabolic rate; so as you sleep, your body will burn more energy from the fat cells. Two tips: take a large zip lock bag of ice in with you and suck on the ice cubes while you relax in the Sauna (this will help you keep your cardiovascular system under control and also keep you mouth from drying out); also after 15 minutes, walk out of the Sauna and dry yourself off with paper towels (should only take 1 minute) and jump back in (this will cause your body to generate more sweat and also ensure that the toxins that have been excreted are removed). Then, repeat this process after you build up another good layer of sweat. For me, I dry off at the 15, 20, 25, and 30 minute marks since once I start sweating, it flows like a river!!!

O.K., we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, supplements, and sauna down. Let's talk about the tanning now!!!

There are two types of people, those that tan easy and those that don't (like redheads). Myself, having a very fair complexion and freckles, I fall under the "burn-and-turn-white-again" category. I will address both groups, but first the easy tanners!!!

This group is easy to work with, as most of them already know how to get that rich dark tan, because it's so easy for them; but let's still cover the basics. Skin Cancer is a fact of life in today's world due to our depleting Ozone Layer. So, you should take extra safety precautions to protect yourself and care for your skin. There are several great products out there that help you get a tan while giving you that extra UVB Rays Protection (sunburning rays) while still allowing the UVA Rays to pass (tanning rays). Banana Boat makes some excellent products that I highly recommend. You may pay a little more for this brand, but you'll get your money's worth from this line of high quality products. Also, I highly recommend that every night you put on a thin coat of lotion all over your body (it's normally the guys that are slack on this, women normally already do it). Don't try to tan dark enough to hit the stage, with no colors (what bodybuilders call products that you put on/ paint on before hitting the stage) I've never met an athlete to date that could get tan enough to hit the stage "as is"!!! Even African Americans have to put on colors, as the lights on stage are beyond bright!!!

O.K. now let's talk about the "burners" or the fair complected athletes. Here's the biggest secret for you guys, DON'T HIT THE SUN!!! What? That goes against everything you've always read. Look, if you burn and start to peel, flake, and shed skin like a snake, you'll retain more water. Plus to add to that, your skin will be swollen and puffy, and the colors / posing oil will not set right (you'll have dark spots and the dry skin areas will be darker than the rest of the body). So you ask yourself, well what am I suppose to do? If you are prepping for a Bodybuilding Contest, you'll utilize a product called "Pro Tan" starting two days before the contest; and then on the morning before you hit stage, you'll utilize a product called "Dream Tan". There is no need for a base tan if these two products are utilized properly, and your skin will be evenly colored and thin (since there will be no water retained from sunburn). I'll talk more about tanning and prepping for the stage in Phase Four!!!

O.K. we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, supplements, sauna, and tanning down. Let's talk about the Inspiration now!!!

Look!!! Let's be honest, it's not your job that doesn't allow you to reach your goal. It's not your friends and family that stops you. It's not that you don't have enough time. It's not that you don't know how. IT'S YOU!!! You are what keeps yourself from reaching your goal, not someone else or something in your life, but YOU!!! Stand in front of a mirror with your swimming gear on, if you are not honestly satisfied with the person you see, then it's time to stand up and fight for what you want to become. If don't think you can do it, then grab a bag of chips and sit your ass in front of the TV, YOU'VE ALREADY LOST!!! You've always covered up and made excuses in the past as to why you look the way you do; the truth is, you're too damn lazy. If you don't stand up for what you believe in, then you never stood for anything!!! If you're a quitter, then you can stop reading at this point and get back to your TV Guide Magazine, but, if you are finally ready to take on the challenge of your life and become that person in the mirror you've always wanted to be, LET'S GET IT ON!!!

I would like at this point to mention a video that really deals with Inspiration. It's called "Body Of Work", and it's put out by Bill Phillips and EAS. I received a copy a long time ago and it sat there for 4 months, unopened. I didn't feel like watching some EAS 1-hour advertisement. I was wrong. One night, I didn't have anything to do and decided to watch a video. I was digging through a stack of videos and accidentally pulled that same video out of the shelf. I was about to put it back because I figured it was "probably one of those damn, buy our products, sales videos". I really didn't give a rat's ass about what new products they were selling. But, I went ahead and put it in anyway. From the start of that movie, it was nothing short of amazing. Bill Phillips didn't even talk about his products. The video is entirely about how ten average people who went from signing up for the EAS Body Transformation Challenge Contest to winning the contest and making each of their dreams come true. Look, Bill and I don't see eye to eye on a lot of various subjects, but I have to give credit where credit is due. He created THE best inspirational video I've ever seen. After watching the video, I was on the telephone (2 am Guam time) with EAS asking them if they could send me ten copies. Four days later, the videos arrived, and I gave one copy to each of the ten clients that I train locally for contests (local and internationally). What's best of all, the video is FREE!!! Please, send for a copy before you start this program; it will get you ready "mentally" for the challenge ahead. You can send for a copy by going to their web site at:

Or by calling:

1-800-297-9776

Look, the video is free, so what do you have to lose!!!

Also with Inspiration comes knowledge. Educate yourself as to why specific applications are utilized and how you can change them to cater to your body structure. Just don't do something because someone said to; educate yourself and learn what you are doing and why!!!

One of the best-written books I've ever reviewed and agree with the most is called:

Hardcore Bodybuilding: A Scientific Approach

By Frederick C. Hatfield, Ph.D. / Tom Platz

Synopsis:
Bodybuilding guru and best-selling author Fred Hatfield presents the latest advances in bodybuilding science, along with state-of-the-art techniques and personalized programs for building maximum mass and power. Loaded with photos, training logs and charts, motivational strategies, tips and solutions to common problems.

Anyone that reads and fully understands this book will have more knowledge than 90% of the Personal Trainers floating around, no shit!!!

You can purchase the book (for $15.16) at:

O.K., we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, supplements, sauna, tanning, and inspiration down. We've got all our materials, products, supplements, etc., and we are ready to finally become that person we've always wanted to be. It's time to start. "IT HAS BEGUN"!!!

It's time to start the engines and follow the pace car onto to the track. This is what it's all about!!! This is why you are here!!! This is where you can accomplish what you've always wanted, TO BE A WINNER!!! Begin Phase One, good luck and God's speed!!!

Phase Two = weeks 5-12

Phase Two is the first 200 laps of the race (your goal is to keep the car together and keep on the same lap as the leader, this is where you get better and faster with every lap)

You should already start to notice changes in your body (pants getting a little looser, more energy, more endurance, increased strength, more active sex life, and a better sense of well being)!!! Don't forget to keep that logbook updated, very important!!!

Diet:

At this point you should be eating 6 meals a day, and the type of food you are eating is of good nutrition. You are now ready for the food schedule, "what to eat and when"!!!

Six days out of the week, I want you to follow the following diet to the letter and on the seventh day you can eat any way you want (no shit!!!) Actually on the seventh day, I want you to eat more than you usually do and also select foods higher in fat content. By doing this, your body will not be able to adapt to the strict diet you're on six days out of the week and retard your metabolic rate. This is the SECRET in fooling your body to maintain a high metabolic rate. Also, your body's natural hormonal system is kept in an elevated state and your blood sugar / insulin levels are maintained at an optimum balance.

I recommend that you prep most of your meals on your off day "Sunday". What I would do is grill 10 pounds of Chicken Breasts with 2 pounds Steak, while baking another 10 pounds of Chicken Breasts with 20 Potatoes, while also boiling 12 dozen eggs. Then, I would place the right portions into Zip Lock Bags and place them in the fridge. This way, all you have to do is grab a couple of baggies; and you're out the door and off to work. This really helps you stick to your meal schedule, as you and I both know. When you are rushed in preparing a meal, you're more likely to make something more fattening, with poor nutrition!!!

Now let's talk about calories. What should our daily total calorie intake be six days out of the week (remember the seventh day is yours so, enjoy)? Start off with the following formula: if you notice that you're losing more than 2% Bodyfat in a two week period, increase the total daily intake by 20%. If you notice that you're not losing any Bodyfat or are losing less than 1% in a two-week period, decrease your total daily intake by 20%. Optimally you should lose 1-2% of Bodyfat in a two-week period. Of course, this is for an average person. If you're an athlete and already have a low Bodyfat percentage then you should be shooting for .5 -1% of Bodyfat in a two-week period.

Take your current weight and multiply it by 12. This will give you your total daily caloric intake.

Example: If you weight 200 pounds, then you just (200 x 12 = 2400). Thus your total daily caloric intake is 2400 calories a day. Remember this is a starting point as everyone reacts differently. So, you will have to monitor your body and fine tune your diet to fit your needs.

Now let's look at the ratio of Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats. Remember I mentioned that you should be working toward a ratio of 40% Protein, 50% Carbohydrate, and 10% Fat (but we are going to cheat "in a positive way" on the fat like I said before by using MCT oil also known as dietary fat). "We'll get to that cheat in a minute". So, 40% of your total caloric intake should be from protein, 50% from Carbohydrates, and 10% from Fats. You can figure out the calories of each by multiplying the percentage by the TDCI (Total Daily Caloric Intake). We'll use the above example:

Example: If your TDCI is 2400, then you just (2400 x .40 = 960). Thus your TDPCI (Total Daily Protein Caloric Intake) is 1080 calories. Your TDCCI (Total Daily Carbohydrate Caloric Intake) is figured by (2400 x .50 = 1200) 1200 calories. Your TDFCI (Total Daily Fat Caloric Intake) is figured by (2400 x .10 = 240) 240 calories.

Now let's look at grams. Since those nice FDA labels on the back of all those packages deal in grams, we'll continue using our 200 pound male:

Example: If 4 calories of Protein equals 1 gram, then (960 ) 4 = 240) thus your TDPGI (Total Daily Protein Gram Intake) is 240 grams. Your TDCGI (Total Daily Carbohydrate Gram Intake) is figured by (1200 ) 4 = 300) 300 grams. Your TDFGI (Total Daily Fat Gram Intake) is figured by (240 ) 9 = 26) 26 grams. (Note that the calories per gram of Fat are different from that of the Protein or the Carbohydrate). For Protein and Carbohydrates, 4 calories = 1 gram; but for Fat 9 calories = 1 gram.

So, when you put it all together it looks like this:

Protein = 40% TDCI equals 960 calories which equals 240 grams

Carbohydrates = 50% TDCI equals 1200 calories which equals 300 grams

Fats = 10% TDCI equals 240 calories which equals 26 grams

Total = 100% TDCI equals 2400 calories which equals 566 grams

O.K. now that we have all received our degrees in math, let me give you some examples of various meal plans:

Note: Don't forget that your total water intake is 1.5 gallons and higher during this Phase!!!

Meal 1 (8:00 a.m.)

6 Egg Whites

2 Slices of Multi Grain Bread

1 cup White Rice

8 oz of Skim Milk

Meal 2 (10:30 a.m.)

1 Chicken Breast

1 cup Brown Rice

1 Grapefruit

8 oz of Skim Milk

Meal 3 (12:00 noon)

1 Can Tuna (packed in spring water)

2 Slices of Multi Grain Bread

1 cup Mixed Beans (Soybeans, Kidney Beans, Lentils, etc…)

8 oz of Iced Tea (artificially sweetened)

Meal 4 (3:00 p.m.) Pre-workout

2 Chicken Breasts

.5 cup Brown Rice

.5 cup raw Broccoli

1 Orange

8 oz of Iced Tea (artificially sweetened)

Meal 5 (6:00 p.m.) Post-workout

1 can Tuna (packed in spring water)

.5 cup raw Cucumber

.5 cup raw Broccoli

1 Apple

8 oz of Iced Tea (artificially sweetened)

Meal 6 (9:00 p.m.)

6 Egg Whites

1 Vegetable Salad

8 oz of Skim Milk

If you notice the pattern here, you eat your starchy foods earlier in the day and the more fibrous foods later in the day. This is due to the fact that your metabolic rate is faster in the morning, and also it gives you more time to burn it off before you go to bed. Now this is just an example, and there's no way you can eat this way all the time every meal. Things come up. You take the family out to dinner, you attend a Birthday Party, and you're in a rush and don't have time to prepare a meal so you drink a meal replacement shake. This is all fine. Actually, no matter where I went I always carried around 3 Met-Rx bars and a bottle of Gatorade; there were times when I felt light-headed and just stopped what I was doing and had a Met-Rx bar with the Gatorade. Listen to your body; it's the world's best Personal trainer for you as your body will tell you what you need, when you need it, and what you're doing right or wrong. All you have to do is listen, which is most people's biggest problem!!!

Now I know not everyone has the time to prepare 6 meals a day and there are times when things come up and you are in a rush. This is where Meal Replacement Shakes come in. YES!!! You can utilize Meal Replacement Shakes, but two things. Don't replace Meal 6 with a Meal Replacement Shake (as you want to limit Carbohydrates before bed), and don't substitute more than two meals a day with them. Here's what my Meal Replacement Shakes consisted of.

1 EAS Myoplex Plus Deluxe Packet

1/4 cup Protein Powder

4 large Frozen Strawberries

1 tablespoon of Creatine Monohydrate

1/2 tsp. Ground Allspice

1 tablespoon "Concentrate" Ocean Spray Cranapple (labeled as a 64 oz refill bottle)

2 cups Water

Tip: Put the water in the blender first, that way the powder is not stuck at the bottom when you're finished mixing it. Due to my workout and employment schedule, I normally replaced Meal 2 with this Meal Replacement Shake.

Also during Phase Two, I want you to slowly increase your water intake again from 1.5 gallons a day to 2 gallons a day. Always increase anything you do slowly, during week five = 1.75 gallon / day, week six = 2 gallons / day. Maintain this level of water intake till Phase Three.

Now that we've covered the type of food and number of meals / day (diet) and your water intake (hydration). Let's talk about exercise.

O.K., for the past 4 weeks we've been utilizing the Push, Pull, Legs Workout Routine while every week adding in one extra set per exercise and adding in one additional exercise per week. So at this point you should be utilizing 7 different exercises at 4 sets each (12 reps followed by 10 reps, followed by 8 reps followed by 6 reps slightly increasing the weight on each set) per weight training session. I want you to continue this schedule for the next four weeks (weeks 5 - 8). Use 7 different exercises at 4 sets each (12, 10, 8, and then 6 reps, increasing the weight after every set). The weight you are utilizing should concur with the following sense of how that set feels:

Set 1 = Warm up

Set 2 = Challenging

Set 3 = Very Challenging

Set 4 = Hell (if you are not turning red on the last 3 reps of this set, then you are not hitting it hard enough)

If you have a workout partner, then you want utilize this:

Set 1 = Warm up

Set 2 = Very Challenging

Set 3 = Hell (but you can complete all 8 reps yourself)

Set 4 = Explode (you should be in a negative state during the last 3 reps, meaning you need your workout partner to "slightly" assist you during these last three)

Again, Continue with the Push, Pull, Legs Workout Routine, and REMEMBER never do the same workout twice. Change the order in which you preformed them; utilize free weights on one Push Day and machines on the next Push Day, change - change - change. Never allow your body to adapt to what you're doing. This will force your body to work harder to try to adapt (get stronger and increase lean muscle mass) while at the same time, increasing your metabolic rate and cardiovascular system (decreasing your Bodyfat while increasing your endurance)!!!

O.K., you've completed week 8. Now it's time to switch workout routines!!! Change - change - change!!! I want you now to follow the One Major Body Part Per Day of the Week Workout Routine. Meaning you hit a specific body part / area till it is blown out (nothing left)!!! Again, don't follow the same routine twice. For example like on Week 1 Chest Day, make sure that Week 2 Chest Day is done differently (like reverse the order of the exercises you do, switch from free weights to machines, utilize both free weight and machines on the same day, etc.) Here's the schedule I recommend. I've included some sample exercises, so you can get a feel of what I'm looking for you to do!!!

Monday = Chest (Bench press, Incline Press, Decline Press, Dips, Flies, Cable Crossovers)

Tuesday = Back (Upright Row, Front Pull Down, Bent-over Flies, Lateral Raise Pulls)

Wednesday = Legs (Squats, Leg Curls, Leg Extensions, Leg Press, Standing Calf Raise)

Thursday = Arms (Tricep Pressdown, Tricep Dumbbell Ext., Dumbbell Curls, Barbell Curls)

Friday = Abs (Incline Twisting Sit-ups, Roman Chair Sit-ups, Hanging Leg Raise, Crunches)

Saturday = Shoulders (Press Behind Neck, Shrugs, Lateral Dumbbell Raises, Upright Rows)

Sunday = Off

I want you only to be hitting the weights for no more than 90 minutes. So, you have 10-15 minutes warm-up time on your favorite cardio machine then up to 90 minutes to blow the specific body part / area out. Don't hit the weights longer than 90 minutes because then you'll start deteriorating / breaking down the muscle.

Since we are talking about week 8 anyways, let's talk about our logbook. You should be completing a two page log entry every week consisting of: the first page as to what your plan is (complete this on day one), what your diet is, how many days and how much time you are planning on spending at the gym, and what you plan to do there, etc. Then, on the second page write in what you actually did (complete the on the last day of the week, again be honest), what changes you noted, what you noticed (good and bad), what you ate, etc. Remember, at weeks 8, 12, and 16 I want you to update your log with your current pictures, stats, strength, etc. like you did on page 2, 3, and 4!!! So, make sure that it gets done and gets done right!!! Don't get slack on me now; you're half way there!!! Lap 125 of a 250-lap race!!!

O.K., we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, and logbook down. Let's talk about Cardio now.

At the end of week four = 45 minutes on the TreadMill or walking at 4 MPH three times a week. Now we switch to the Stair Master (OH no not that, OH yes!!!), and I want you to increase the number of times you hit it per week. Remember, still try to get in your Cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. (Cardio is now done 5 times a week)

Week 5 = 45 minutes Stair Master, Level 2, Select a Program that is steady in intensity.

Week 6 = 45 minutes Stair Master, Level 2, Select a Program that is steady in intensity.

Week 7 = 45 minutes Stair Master, Level 3, Select a Program that is steady in intensity.

Week 8 = 45 minutes Stair Master, Level 3, Select the Program "Mountain Climber".

Week 9 = 45 minutes Stair Master, Level 3, Select the Program "Mountain Climber".

Week 10 = 45 minutes Stair Master, Level 4, Select the Program "Mountain Climber".

Week 11 = 45 minutes Stair Master, Level 4, Select the Program "Mountain Climber".

Week 12 = 45 minutes Stair Master, Level 4, Select the Program "Mountain Climber".

If you don't have access to a Stair Master, then: (Cardio is now done 5 times a week)

Week 5 = 45 minutes Speed Walk, Select a route that is level.

Week 6 = 45 minutes Speed Walk, Select a route that is level.

Week 7 = 60 minutes Speed Walk, Select a route that is level.

Week 8 = 60 minutes Speed Walk, Select a route that takes you up and over a long hill.

Week 9 = 60 minutes Speed Walk, Select a route that takes you up and over a long hill.

Week 10 = 75 minutes Speed Walk, Select a route that takes you up and over a long hill.

Week 11 = 75 minutes Speed Walk, Select a route that takes you up and over a long hill.

Week 12 = 75 minutes Speed Walk, Select a route that takes you up and over a long hill.

If you are rushed one morning and miss your Cardio, do it in the evening completing the Cardio workout an hour before bed!!!

O.K., we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, and cardio down. Let's talk about Supplements now.

I want you to remain on the same supplements and dosages as you were in Phase One!!!

O.K., we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, and supplements down. Let's talk about the Sauna now!!!

At this point you should be hitting the Sauna 3 times a week at 30 minutes per session at 110 degrees F. Remember that the time of day that you hit the Sauna is not important, but you can get a little extra benefit by hitting it just before bedtime.

I want you to now hit the Sauna 5 times a week at 30 - 40 minutes per session at 110 degrees F.

Remember, the two tips: take a large zip lock bag of ice in with you and suck on the ice cubes while you relax in the Sauna (this will help you keep your cardiovascular system under control and also keep you mouth from drying out); also after 15 minutes, walk out of the Sauna and dry yourself off with paper towels (should only take 1 minute) and jump back in (this will cause your body to generate more sweat and also ensure that the toxins that have been excreted are removed). Then, repeat this process after you build up another good layer of sweat. For me, I dry off at the 15, 20, 25, and 30 minute marks since once I start sweating, it flows like a river!!!

O.K., we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, supplements, and sauna down. Let's talk about the tanning now!!!

As I noted earlier, if you are the type that tans easily and with no problems, hit the sun or tanning bed, but again remember to apply lotion every night before bed and also utilize tanning products that help protect your skin from harmful rays. For those that don't tan easy, DON'T!!! Just wait, your turn will be coming up!!!

O.K. we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, supplements, sauna, and tanning down. Let's talk about the Inspiration now!!!

At week 5 you should start noticing your pants getting looser and those tight shirts starting to feel more comfortable. At week 8 you are going to take those photos and update your logbook with them, along with your strength and Bodyfat. The following is what I went through. PLEASE keep in mind that everyone reacts differently, and you may need to fine tune the program to cater to your bodies specific needs and requirements!!!

Week 1 = 225 pounds, 18% Bodyfat, 38 inch pants

Week 2 = 222 pounds, 17.5% Bodyfat, 38 inch pants

Week 3 = 218 pounds, 16.5% Bodyfat, 38 inch pants

Week 4 = 214 pounds, 16% Bodyfat, 38 inch pants

Week 5 = 210 pounds, 15% Bodyfat, 36 inch pants

Week 6 = 205 pounds, 13% Bodyfat, 36 inch pants

Week 7 = 199 pounds, 12% Bodyfat, 36 inch pants

Week 8 = 195 pounds, 10% Bodyfat, 34 inch pants

Week 9 = 189 pounds, 9% Bodyfat, 34 inch pants

Week 10 = 186 pounds, 8.5% Bodyfat, 34 inch pants

Week 11 = 184 pounds, 8% Bodyfat, 32 inch pants

Week 12 = 180 pounds, 7% Bodyfat, 32 inch pants

For those of you that are familiar with this sport, it's easy to figure out that I not only lost Bodyfat, but also lost lean muscle. This is due to the fact I was dropping 1% (average) of Bodyfat a week, plus with the speed and in the short duration of time in which I did it!!! But, this was the trade off I had to deal with since I started out at such a high percentage of Bodyfat!!! If you compete in bodybuilding, you should always keep your Bodyfat at 10% or lower, that way you only have to lose 6% in a 16 week period, not 13% like I had to (having to trade off hard earned lean muscle for the lower percentage of Bodyfat)!!! A good thing to remember is that your body remembers what your normal lean muscle and Bodyfat were, so after the program you can pack on the muscle pretty easily and get most of it back, but you can also pack on that fat just as easily!!! So, through careful maintenance and monitoring you can recapture most of the losses you experienced in lean muscle and keep your Bodyfat at or below 10%!!!

O.K. we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, supplements, sauna, tanning, and inspiration down. Now let's talk about Shaving!!!

For the ladies, you know exactly what to do and how to do it. Most of the females I train only have to shave their legs and "private" areas, till the week of the contest. Then it's a once over, and I mean all over!!! So, for the ladies, just keep on doing what you've always done O.K.

Now for the men. If you have never shaved any part of your body before except for your face and neck, then listen up!!! DON'T BREAK OUT A RAZOR AND SHAVE YOUR ENTIRE BODY!!! I've seen some guys get a rash all over their body from doing this, and that is not a pleasant experience!!! Just like we have done with everything else in this program, start off light and work your way up!!! See how your body / skin reacts and what procedure works best for you, as we are not all created equal!!! (I'll probably get a lawsuit notice served to me for that statement. OH well!!!)

What I recommend is at week 7 (a week before your update photo shot) get a beard trimmer and set the guard to the lowest setting, then give the body the once over. This will turn you into Mr. Stubby, but at least you'll not be Mr. Rash. Plus it will give you a chance to get a good look at yourself without hair, and it will be a big difference!!! Your good aspects will look even better, and your bad aspects will look really terrible!!! So, now you will know what areas of your body need extra attention or extra work. No matter what you see, remember you are not even at the halfway point and it's during the last couple weeks that you are going to see the changes you've been really waiting for like those six-pack abs!!!

Once a week you should trim up the ol' body with the beard trimmer. This is good enough for now. In Phase Three we'll talk about how to shave and what tricks you can utilize to keep that nasty rash from showing up!!!

O.K. we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, supplements, sauna, tanning, inspiration and shaving down. Let's review, and I'll give you an example of what a normal day for me looked like!!!

6:30a.m. = Wake up and get the kids off to school

7:15a.m. = Hit the gym and get in my 45 minutes of Stair Master

8:00a.m. = Shower at the gym and head home

8:15a.m. = Meal One

8:45 - 10:00 a.m. = Answer E-mails

10:30 a.m. = Meal Two

11:00 a.m. = Hit the gym and get in 30 minutes of Sauna

11:30 a.m. = Shower at the gym and head home

12:00 noon = Meal Three

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. = Household Chores (YES, even the ol' Hulkster has to do house work)

1:30 - 2:30 p.m. = Either hit the Tanning Bed, Shave, Practice Posing, or Work on the Routine

2:30 p.m. = Head to work (YES, even the ol' Hulkster has a job)

3:00 p.m. = Meal Four

6:00 p.m. = Meal Five

7:00 p.m. = Hit the gym and get in 90 minutes of weight training

8:30 p.m. = Shower at the gym and head back to work

9:00 p.m. = Meal Six

11:00 p.m. = Head home and get to bed

There were times when I had to skip the Cardio, Sauna, or the Weight Training due to a family function, appointment, training another athlete, etc. But there were times when I just couldn't get up; I was so damn tired. Like I noted earlier, your body is your best Personal Trainer, listen to it!!! Now if your body is too tired to hit the gym, stay home and get a nap, BUT DON'T MISTAKE YOUR LAZINESS FOR WHAT YOU THINK YOUR BODY IS TELLING YOU!!! If you miss one or two Cardio, Sauna, or Weight Training Sessions, that's O.K. as you will note you only have to get in 5 Cardio Sessions, 5 Sauna Sessions, and 6 Weight Training Sessions in a week, not 7, 7, and 7!!!

If you notice the schedule above, you'll see why you need the backing of your family and your friends!!! Even though I would hit the gym 90% of the time by myself, I always had my Inspiration and Angel with me!!! So, I was never alone and always had motivation to strive forward!!!

At the end of week 12, between Phase Two and Phase Three, update your logbook again!!! Remember, at weeks 8, 12, and 16 I want you to update your log with your current pictures, stats, strength, etc. like you did on page 2, 3, and 4!!!

Phase Three = weeks 13 - 15

Phase Three is the next 47 laps (This is where you push yourself and the car more and position yourself for that big finish. This is where you fine-tune everything you do). Don't forget to keep that logbook updated, very important!!!

O.K. we are getting ready for the BIG FINISH!!! We have to intelligently position ourselves to win this race!!!

Diet:

Now at this point everyone will be at a different point (Bodyfat and body shape). If what you did in Phase Two is working great and you're happy with the speed / amount of Bodyfat that is coming off, stick with it. (If it works, don't screw with it!!!) But if you're still carrying those love handles and you've got a contest coming up, it's time to turn up the heat even more and utilize a ZigZag Program!!! Also at this point we are going to limit your Skim Milk intake to two 8-oz glasses a day.

You are going to Carb Deplete on Monday and Tuesday, then eat normal (what you did in Phase Two) on Wednesday, then Carb Deplete again for Thursday and Friday, then eat normal (again what you did in Phase Two, except on Sunday you are allowed to have two semi-bad meals) on Saturday. For more detailed facts follow this schedule:

Monday = Your total intake should consist of 70% Protein, 20% Carbohydrate, and 10% Fat

Tuesday = Your total intake should consist of 70% Protein, 20% Carbohydrate, and 10% Fat

Wednesday = Your total intake should consist of 40% Protein, 50% Carbohydrate, and 10% Fat

Thursday = Your total intake should consist of 70% Protein, 20% Carbohydrate, and 10% Fat

Friday = Your total intake should consist of 70% Protein, 20% Carbohydrate, and 10% Fat

Saturday = Your total intake should consist of 40% Protein, 50% Carbohydrate, and 10% Fat

Sunday = Your total intake should consist of 40% Protein, 50% Carbohydrate, and 10% Fat

Again, try and focus most of your Carbohydrate intake in the first 4 meals!!!

Here's a sample menu for a Carbohydrate Depletion Day:

Meal 1 (8:00 a.m.)

8 Egg Whites

1 cup Brown Rice

8 oz of Skim Milk

12 oz of Water

Meal 2 (10:30 a.m.)

2 Chicken Breasts

.5 cup raw Cucumber

.5 cup raw Broccoli

8 oz of Skim Milk

12 oz of Water

Meal 3 (12:00 noon)

2 cans Tuna (packed in spring water)

.5 cup raw Cucumber

.5 cup raw Broccoli

12 oz of Water

Meal 4 (3:00 p.m.) Pre-workout

2 Chicken Breasts

.5 cup raw Cucumber

.5 cup raw Broccoli

12 oz of Water

Meal 5 (6:00 p.m.) Post-workout

2 can Tuna (packed in spring water)

.5 cup raw Cucumber

.5 cup raw Broccoli

12 oz of Water

Meal 6 (9:00 p.m.)

8 Egg Whites

12 oz of Water

I hope you like Cucumber and Broccoli!!! But, these can be substituted with Cauliflower and Asparagus!!!

Also, Chicken Breast can be substituted with Turkey Breast, and canned Tuna can be substituted with lean Shellfish!!! Meat should be broiled, boiled, baked, or grilled!!! NO BATTER OR BARBEQUE SAUCE!!!

Also, no MCT Oil is utilized on the Carbohydrate Depletion Days, this is due to the fact that your meat intake is increased, thus the natural fat intake will also be increased as well!!!

If at any time you feel lightheadedness, dizzy spells, periods of faintness, and / or mental confusion get a Meal Replacement Shake or a Met-Rx Bar with Gatorade in you ASAP and see your Family Doctor. What he may find is that you are in a state of "metabolic acidosis" which in itself is a long and detailed subject, but basically you have pushed your body to the point to where it will stop you from going any further (Bodyfat and weight wise)!!!

During Phase Two, I wanted you to slowly increase your water intake again from 1.5 gallons a day to 2 gallons a day. Now I want you to increase again, during week 13 = 2.25 gallon / day, week 14 = 2.5 gallons / day, and repeat at 2.5 gallons / for week 15. Maintain this level of water intake till Phase Four

Now that we've covered the type of food and number of meals / day (diet) and your water intake (hydration). Let's talk about exercise.

Remember, at week 8. We switched workout routines to the One Major Body Part Per Day of the Week Workout Routine!!! Meaning you hit a specific body part / area till it is blown out (nothing left)!!! Again, don't follow the same routine twice. For example like on week 1 Chest Day, make sure that week 2 Chest Day is done differently (like reverse the order of the exercises you do, switch from free weights to machines, utilize both free weights and machines on the same day, etc.) Here's the schedule I recommended:

Monday = Chest (Bench press, Incline Press, Decline Press, Dips, Flies, Cable Crossovers)

Tuesday = Back (Upright Row, Front Pull Down, Bent-over Flies, Lateral Raise Pulls)

Wednesday = Legs (Squats, Leg Curls, Leg Extensions, Leg Press, Standing Calf Raise)

Thursday = Arms (Tricep Pressdown, Tricep Dumbbell Ext., Dumbbell Curls, Barbell Curls)

Friday = Abs (Incline Twisting Sit-ups, Roman Chair Sit-ups, Hanging Leg Raise, Crunches)

Saturday = Shoulders (Press Behind Neck, Shrugs, Lateral Dumbbell Raises, Upright Rows)

Sunday = Off

I wanted you to only be hitting the weights for no more than 90 minutes. So, you have 10-15 minutes warm-up time on your favorite cardio machine then up to 90 minutes to blow the specific body part / area out. Don't hit the weights longer than 90 minutes because then you'll start deteriorating / breaking down the muscle.

I want you to continue the One Major Body Part Per Day of the Week Workout Routine during week 13 but at week 14 switch back to the Push, Pull, Legs Exercise Routine, remember change - change - change!!! Never allow your body to adapt to what you're doing. This will force your body to work harder to try to adapt (get stronger and increase lean muscle mass) while at the same time, increasing your metabolic rate and cardiovascular system (decreasing your Bodyfat while increasing your endurance)!!!

Your schedule should look like this: Monday = Push Day, Tuesday = Pull Day, Wednesday = Legs Day, Thursday = Push Day, Friday = Pull Day, Saturday = Legs Day, Sunday = Off. As far as your workout goes, 7 different exercises at 4 sets each (15 reps followed by 12 reps, followed by 10 reps, and lastly 8 reps. Slightly increasing the weight on each set). I want you to only be hitting the weights for 90 minutes. So, you add in 10-15 minutes warm-up time on your favorite cardio machine, then up to 90 minutes to blow the specific body part / area out. Don't hit the weights longer than 90 minutes, because like I said before then you'll start deteriorating / breaking down the muscle.

Don't forget about our logbook. You should be completing a two page log entry every week consisting of: the first page as to what your plan is (complete this on day one), what your diet is, how many days and how much time you are planning on spending at the gym, and what you plan to do there, etc. Then, on the second page write in what you actually did (complete this on the last day of the week, again be honest), what changes you noted, what you noticed (good and bad), what you ate, etc. Remember, at weeks 12 and 16, I want you to update your log with your current pictures, stats, strength, etc. like you did on page 2, 3, and 4!!! So, make sure that it gets done and gets done right!!! Don't quit on me now; you're almost there!!! Lap 200 of a 250-lap race!!!

O.K., we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, and logbook down. Let's talk about Cardio now!!!

At the end of Week 12 = 45 minutes Stair Master, Level 4, Select the Program "Mountain Climber". I want you to increase the number of times you hit it per week. Remember; still try to get in your Cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. (Cardio is now done 10 times a week, 6 times in the morning and 4 times during the week before bed)!!!

When it comes to the morning Cardio Session, stick with 45 minutes Stair Master, Level 4, and Select the Program "Mountain Climber". But, when it comes to your evening Cardio Session, I want you to hit either the Bicycle or the TreadMill at a moderate intensity pace for 45 minutes (don't try to kill yourself, take it easy and use this time to unwind before bedtime)!!!

O.K., we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, and cardio down. Let's talk about Supplements now.

I want you to remain on the same supplements and dosages as you were in Phase One and Phase Two!!!

O.K., we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, and supplements down. Let's talk about the Sauna now!!!

At this point you should be hitting the Sauna 5 times a week at 30 - 40 minutes per session at 110 degrees F. I would like you to now increase that to 6 times a week, starting at week 13. Remember that the time of day that you hit the Sauna is not important, but you can get a little extra benefit by hitting it just before bedtime.

O.K., we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, supplements, and sauna down. Let's talk about the tanning now!!!

As I noted earlier, if you are the type that tans easily and with no problems, hit the sun or tanning bed, but again remember to apply lotion every night before bed and also utilize tanning products that help protect your skin from harmful rays. For those that don't tan easy, DON'T!!! Just wait, your turn will be coming up (Phase Four and YES!!! You'll have enough time)!!!

O.K. we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, supplements, sauna, and tanning down. Let's talk about the Inspiration now!!!

I was at Week 12 = 180 pounds, 7% Bodyfat, 32 inch pants. The following is what I went through. PLEASE keep in mind that everyone reacts differently, and you may need to fine-tune the program to cater to your body's specific needs and requirements!!!

Week 13 = 179 pounds, 7% Bodyfat, 32 inch pants

Week 14 = 178 pounds, 6% Bodyfat, 32 inch pants

Week 15 = 177 pounds, 5.5% Bodyfat, 30 inch pants

Now in these three weeks, your weight and Bodyfat are not going to change that much, DON'T WORRY!!! Actually during weeks 13 - 16, I could care less about these two factors!!! It's now what you look like and not what your weight is or what percentage of Bodyfat you are on paper (remember that when you get down under 7%, most Bodyfat testing procedures are not accurate) Your Bodyfat and body structure don't allow for accurate measuring, unless you have access to a Water Immersion Bodyfat Testing Facility, this is the only accurate (or should I say, most accurate) when you reach this zone of Bodyfat!!!

As I noted, you're not really going to see a big change in weight and Bodyfat, but you "WILL" see a big change in the mirror!!! This is when those six-pack abs really start to comes out and the cuts, strands, muscular hardness really starts to show!!! What's the most amazing is that even though this is the 3-week period, you will see the least change on paper. The place where you'll see the biggest change is in the mirror!!! So, please hang in there!!!

O.K. we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, supplements, sauna, tanning, and inspiration down. Now let's talk about Shaving!!!

O.K. we have been Mr. Stubby up to this point; now it's time to start practicing shaving and finding out what technique works best for you!!! I want you to select an area on your thigh and chest and practice shaving that area, first!!! There are several brands and versions of shaving creams available!!! What worked for me is the following. I know it seems like a lot, but I have a very fair complexion and can get a rash very easily!!!

1) O.K. start off the day before trimming up the entire body with the Beard Trimmer.

2) Then shower up and rub Baby Lotion all over your body, allow to sit for 30 minutes.

3) Then wet yourself down and apply shaving cream, one limb at a time.

4) With a "NEW" razor, slowly (and I mean slowly) and with an even pressure, guide the razor over a small area. (You will have to rinse off the razor after every sweep, as it will get clogged very quickly).

Take your time. It takes me an hour and a half to shave myself. Including time for someone else to do my back. If there is an area that is hard to reach, let someone else do it.

Once you have completely shaved the ol' body (including the "private areas" as no IFBB Judge wants to see hair sticking out of your posing suit) jump back into the shower and rinse off. Now, take Denorex Shampoo and completely cover your body and let stand for 10 minutes!!! Now rinse again!!!

At this point you should feel like you're standing in a pile of snow, but it works!!! Not a single rash mark or irritated area!!!

O.K. we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, supplements, sauna, tanning, inspiration and shaving down. Let's review, and I'll give you an example of what a normal day for me looked like!!!

6:30a.m. = Wake up and get the kids off to school

7:15a.m. = Hit the gym and get in my 45 minutes of Stair Master

8:00a.m. = Shower at the gym and head home

8:15a.m. = Meal One

8:45 - 10:00 a.m. = Answer E-mails

10:30 a.m. = Meal Two

11:00 a.m. = Hit the gym and get in 30 minutes of Sauna

11:30 a.m. = Shower at the gym and head home

12:00 noon = Meal Three

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. = Household Chores (YES, even the ol' Hulkster has to do house work)

1:30 - 2:30 p.m. = Either hit the Tanning Bed, Shave, Practice Posing, or Work on the Routine

2:30 p.m. = Head to work (YES, even the ol' Hulkster has a job)

3:00 p.m. = Meal Four

6:00 p.m. = Meal Five

7:00 p.m. = Hit the gym and get in 90 minutes of weight training, plus 45 minutes Bicycle

9:15 p.m. = Shower at the gym and head back to work

9:45 p.m. = Meal Six

11:00 p.m. = Head home and get to bed

Tip: Notice that I took at least three showers a day. If you use Soap and Shampoo every time you take a shower, you will dry your skin up. All you should do is rinse off for 15 minutes, then use soap and shampoo every other day during one of your shower sessions!!!

O.K. we've got our diet, water intake, exercise routine, cardio, supplements, sauna, tanning, inspiration, shaving down, and daily routine. It's time to start talking about Posing!!! I "HIGHLY" recommend that you start practicing your Mandatory Poses and Routine 30 days before the contest. NOT THE WEEK BEFORE, LIKE MOST PEOPLE DO!!!

YES!!! That means having your music picked out and starting to think about what poses you would like to utilize during your routine!!! Two tips here: first keep it simple and in the theme of Bodybuilding (no Aerobic movements, no Figure Skating poses, no Ballerina poses, etc.) This is a Bodybuilding Contest, so stick to that theme!!! Secondly, have your Trainer or Coach watch you go through as many bodybuilding poses as you two can think of, pick out your best top ten and utilize those (remember, this is where you pick out what poses you want to do, SO PICK OUT THE ONES THAT SHOW OFF YOUR ASSETS AND HIDE YOUR LIABILITIES!!!) If you are new to competing, one of the best and easiest ways to design a routine is to stick to the basics and utilize the poses from the Mandatory Round!!! You'll know them by heart already and will be practicing them a lot!!! Select the ones that make you look like a Ripped Monster!!!