Rev. Oke's 2008 MuscleTech $50,000 Transformation Contest Page
Note: this page is now finalized. My contest transformation was completed on July 4, 2008. This page is left "as is" for a record of the methods I used and the results from them.
HOW I GOT INVOLVED (ABOUT THE CONTEST)
In 2007, about a year and a half after my left shoulder surgery in December 2005, I was at a point when I felt I could pursue light lifting again. I started to formulate a workout and diet plan. Once I had a shape-up plan set I would try off and on to stick with it, but each time I would fail. Whether it was stress from work (80% of my workgroup has been outsourced since 2003), the demands of being a dad (I have a daughter that is not in school yet), or the demands of home maintenance (it never stops), I was always making excuses. I was always too tired or too sore (especially the repaired shoulder shown below) to stick with any workout plan. I let my fitness magazine subscriptions lapse. I had completely lost motivation to keep my health and fitness in order.
My Obstacle / My Past Excuse - A Missing Piece of
Clavicle
By early 2008, I was busting the seems on the pants I worked so hard to get down to in 2005. My waist had ballooned up to 38.5 inches (up over 5.5 inches) and my weight went up around 10 pounds. My body fat ballooned to 20% at the waist (13% overall using the 3-point test). My cholesterol was okay, but my blood pressure was up to its highest recorded level ever, with the diastolic measurement around 95. I was always tired. I got lazy in my diet. I could feel myself falling apart again.
In early April 2008, my the monthly MuscleTech newsletter arrived in one of my e-mail accounts. I had been a subscriber to MuscleTech's newsletter since my 2005 run through another body transformation contest. Even though I subscribed to the newsletter, I had never previously used MuscleTech products. I mainly subscribed for the workout tips, free wallpapers, and other information. MuscleTech sponsors about half of the bodybuilders ranked in the top 15 (Jay Culter, Dexter Jackson, Branch Warren, Melvin Anthony, et. al). These giants all use MuscleTech products, so they must work, right? Even with the power backing that MuscleTech supplements had, I never tried them for the simple reasons that: 1) they cost more than a lot of other supplements, 2) I was not in any sort of formal training program that required the use of such "Pro" products, and 3) given that the only advertisements that you see for MuscleTech involve huge people, I was literally afraid of getting too big if I used their products (in other words, I did not think that MuscleTech products were geared towards the "every day average Joe"). The April 2008 newsletter was different. It had an advertisement for the BodyBuilding.com/MuscleTech $50,000 Transformation Contest. I popped out to BodyBuilding.com and checked out the rules. I soon found out that lots of "regular guys" used MuscleTech products. I was hooked. I had my motivation to stick to a plan and I had a reason to try MuscleTech products.
I had done two other transformation contests -- one in 2002 and one in 2005. Both got me into good pretty good shape (as far as appearance goes). The contests kept me motivated because there were set goals to reach for in each contest. The MuscleTech contest did not have a defined plan or time span. You could design your own program, which I really enjoy doing (and was essential given my shoulder injury). You could go 4 weeks. You could go right up until the contest period ended in mid-July. The only major requirements were purchasing at least one MuscleTech product from BodyBuilding.com and setting up a BodySpace page. Partnering with BodyBuilding.com was a really smart move because of their BodySpace fitness site. BodySpace is similar to the popular MySpace web site, except it is squarely targeted at fitness enthusiasts. BodySpace allows you to set goals and track progress in multiple categories, including body composition and workouts. It also gives you access to the "friend" system for additional support. Many BodySpace users -- your network of available friends -- are seasoned professionals and industry representatives, which makes for a strong support system. If you need a workout to use, BodyBuilding.com's "SuperSite" has tons of them for all needs (fat burning, mass, cardio, etc.). MuscleTech even authored several of the workouts and articles available on the SuperSite. If BodySpace and the SuperSite still were not enough, BodyBuilding.com also has user forums. With all these tools at my disposal (BodySpace and MuscleTech supplements) motivation for me was now popping off the charts. So, I started my BodySpace page, entered the MuscleTech contest, made my first MuscleTech order from BodyBuilding.com's store, and started forming my plans. I was ready to transform again.
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I designed my Month 1 plan as a sort of "shock-to-the-system" plan. It would involve 6 mornings of cardiovascular exercise and 5 evenings of resistance training. If that sounds like an insane schedule or over training, it really was not. The schedule was designed to whip me into shape quickly because what I had planned for months 2 and 3 would be even crazier. Months 2 and 3 were high volume MuscleTech workouts.
Month 1 Training Plan:
Cardiovascular: For cardio I implemented two types, interval and level. For my interval cardio I used my recumbent exercise bike. I started at 30 minutes and would add 5 minute each week until I was up to 45 minutes. The build up stragety was used simply because I had not be working out consistent for the past 3 years. I knew I would have to build up my wind at little before doing an intense 45 minutes. For my level cardio ("level" meaning I maintain the same pace throughout) , I used my wife's stepper. I started at 800 strides (1600 steps) and added 100 strides for each of the next two weeks until I was up to 1000 strides (2000 steps). On level cardio days I also trained abdominals.
My abdominal workout was all body weight exercises and started with a simple (or beginner) routine, into an advanced routine by month 3.
For my resistance training I employed upper body rubber band training on Mondays and Fridays, light dumbbells targeting my arms on Wednesday, and shoulder therapy exercises (a lot of range of motion and stretching exercises) on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I used low weight and high rep counts for most exercises. Due to the extra space in my left shoulder, I cannot lift heavy. There is simply too much movement in the shoulder to support heavy weights with any sort of stability, so I had to be creative with my training plans. "Gironda 8x8" and "German Overloading" training would not be out of the question.
The Month 1 Training Split:
Month 1 Downloads (use a right click to save downloads):
You can download my training calendar, interval cardio, and abdominal workout plans here.
Month 2 Training Plan:
After my month 1 training regiment, I decided I needed to find training plans that switched all lifting to mornings so that I could have my evenings free for other things (family obligations, studying for IT certifications, chores, etc.). This was to be my workout schedule going forward (*see note below). Since the transformation contest was sponsored by MuscleTech, I decided to check and see if they had any workouts that met my fitness needs and my schedule. I found two (both available at MuscleTech.com):
I decided to go with the Full-Body Workout for month 2 and modify the rotation and exercises based on what I had available in my home gym and what my shoulder would allow (so, no overhead pressing exercises). I would keep interval cardio on off days and work my regular abdominal routine into the Full-Body days. This program promised massive muscle confusion and lots of sets (30) per hour training session. Given the speed and concentration required to complete these Full-Body rotations, it is an excellent aerobic workout as well (very similar to circuit training). Due to my shoulder injury, I once again employed a higher rep count and lower weight scheme.
* NOTE: it turns out that after one week on morning weight training, I just couldn't get the recovery or my energy level right. I had put a half inch back on my waist, I felt horrible. So, I switched back to a twice-a-day split in Week 6 and never looked back. My new training split for Month 2. Although the downloads below have abs in my Full-Body Workout rotations, I moved them to interval cardio days.
The Month 2 Training Split (modified after Week 5):
Month 2 Downloads (use a right click to save downloads):
You can download my training calendar, interval cardio, and abdominal workout plans here.
Month 3 Training Plan:
I decided to employ MuscleTech's GVT (German Volume Training) working during the last month of my training. The reason for saving this workout for last was due to the intense amount of reps in the GVT workout (up to 10 sets of 10 reps on many of the exercises with compounds added in on 3 of those sets). The system does allow for lower weight, which is perfect for my left shoulder. I chose to modify the suggested exercises to line up with what I have available in my basement gym and what my shoulder can handle. Once again, this meant no exercises over my head (shoulder press, incline bench, etc). Although I was only doing 5-6 exercises per session, this workout really hits those muscles without stress on the joints -- something critical for my body. The Month 3 Training Split:Note: During Month 3, I added the occasional cardio session to Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings. This was also done to help burn more fat and recharge my energy level if necessary.
Month 3 Downloads
(use a right click to save downloads):
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My diet for this transformation would be straight forward: 5-6 small meals a day (400-550 calories depending on whether or not it was a lifting day), with an emphasis on increased protein intake, whole foods, healthy fats, healthy carbohydrates, and increased water consumption. I tried to intake at least 30g of protein at a meal, plus an extra shake on lifting days to bring me in around 210g of protein per day. For fats, carbohydrates, and "free foods" (vegetables), I did not measure for gram intake. I measured simply for calories. The strategy with each meal would be to pick around 30g of protein and then pair a healthy carb, and then either a vegetable or healthy fat (such as nuts) if the protein source for the meal was lean.
Here is a sample of my diet plan and a listing of the foods on my shopping list: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE DIET
Supplementation
For supplementation, I chose to keep things conservative and focus on fat loss rather than extreme gains. Since this was a MuscleTech contest, I obviously needed to use MuscleTech supplements. For the course of the program I used Nitro-Tech Hardcore (both the powder and the bars) as my whey-based protein and muscle building driver. At the 6 week point of my program I added Hydroycut Hardcore to cut any stubborn fat off my core. In addition to the MuscleTech products, I had already been taking a stack of supplements for my joints (Fish Oil, MSM, Glucosimine,...) and a daily men's formula multivitamin.
For a for list of my full supplement stack: CLICK HERE
A quick tip on making this lifestyle diet and supplement plan easy: prepare your food ahead of time. I work a 9-to-5 shift, Mondays through Fridays, so I prep 10 whole-food meals (for example, Chicken + Quinoa + Broccoli) on Sunday nights and put them in containers for the week. I take two whole-food meals a day with me to work and add a meal replacement (bar or shake) for my third meal. This covers me while at the office. My other 3 meals are all at home. Keeping your home stocked with healthy foods is essential too. If your co-workers want you to go out to lunch with them, don't sweat it. Eat one of your packed meals the next day and try to eat healthy (and within your calorie range) while you are out. If the portions are huge, ask for a box when your meal arrives and put half of the meal in the box right away to prevent over eating.
MuscleTech Supplment Reviews
This section is for the all MuscleTech representatives and users out there, because I am going to be very honest concerning the three types of MuscleTech products that I used during my transformation. I will outline my results while using each product, the taste, and if there are any areas that can be improved upon I will list them ("Pros" and "Cons").
MuscleTech Nitro-Tech (powder)My Entries into the Contest:
How I measured:
I took all my measurements at least two days out from any workout (with the exception of Week 6). I wanted my muscles to be nice and relaxed and to show real progress, not pumped progress (For example, I can get my arms pumped out to 17" after a good bicep workout, but I didn't figure that would be an accurate measurement).
Weight was measured using my bathroom scale. I took an average of my night weight and the my weight the following morning to arrive at my weight for each three-week weigh in.
Body measurements were measured with "Myo" tape and old fashioned calipers.
For final pictures I did not pump up, but I did throw on some streaky tanning stain (to even out a farmer's tan) and some posing old (which, unfortunately, reflected a little on some of my after shots).
For poses, I tried as best as I was capable of emulating
the nine poses demonstrated by Malk Tilden on Bodybuilding.com. Here is
the link to his posing guide:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mark9.htm
Results Table:
|
Start (April 13, 2008) |
After Week 3 (May 4, 2008) |
After Week 6 (May 27, 2008) |
After Week 9 (June 15, 2008) |
End (July 4, 2008) | |
| Weight: | 220 lbs. | 212 lbs. | 212 lbs. | 207 lbs | 199 lbs |
|
Body Fat Total: (Chest/Ab/Thigh): |
13% (11%, 20%, 11%) |
12% (10%, 18%, 10%) |
11% (10%, 17%, 9%) |
10% (9%, 14%, 8%) |
8% (7%, 11%, 7%) |
| Chest: | 42" | 42.5" | 43" | 43" | 42.5" |
| Arms: | 13" (left is 12") | 15" (left is 14") | 14.5" (left is 14") | 15" (left is 14.25") | 15.25" (left is 15") |
| Hips: | 41.25" | 41.25" | 40.5" | 40.5" | 39.5" |
| Waist: | 38.5" | 35.5" | 35" | 34" | 32.25" |
| Thighs: | 22.5" | 23.5" | 24.25" | 24.5" | 24.25" |
| Calves: | 16" | 16" | 16.5" | 16.5" | 16.5" |
| Forearms: | 12" | 12.5" | 12.5" | 12.5" | 12.5" |
| Shoulders: | 51" | 52" | 52.5" | 52.5" | 52.5" |
Notes: All measurements and pictures were taken "Soft on a Sunday" if possible, which means I took them at least two days out from any workout (May 27 being the exception). I wanted to show real progress, and being all pumped up after a workout does not show real progress. I chose to never take a photograph following a workout. To me, real progress is how you look in an everyday situation. Do I look better right after a workout? Most definitely. The trick is to keep your look there on a daily basis.
The MuscleTech Transformation Five Mandatory Poses
(Contest Start, Middle, and End
of Transformation)
Front Relaxed (Start, End
of Week 6, End of Week 12)
Back Relaxed (Start, End of Week 6, End of Week 12)
Most Muscular (Start, End of Week 6, End of Week 12):
Abs and Thigh (Start, End of Week 6, End of Week 12):
Side Bicep/Chest (Start, End of Week 6, End of Week 12)
MuscleTech Transformation Non-Mandatory Poses
(Full Evolution from April 2008 to July 2008)
Front
Double Bicep (Start, End of Week 6, End of Week 12)
Back Double Bicep (Start, End of Week 6, End of Week 12)
Front Lat Spread (Start, End of Week 6, End of Week 12):
Back Lat Spread
(Start, End of Week 6, End of Week 12):
Other Fun Shots
The NEW me in my OLD Pants! (38.5" down to 32.25")
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Before MuscleTech, my fitness level was at an all-time low. A 2005
“career-ending” left-shoulder surgery caused a downward spiral in my fitness
level. My bones, joints, and muscles had become weak and ached. I did not have
enough energy to be a proper dad for my daughter. I knew I had to find a way to
overcome my depression, my injury, and my ailments. In just three years my
weight had increased twenty pounds and my waist was almost six inches past my
2005 level.
MuscleTech gave me the inspiration, motivation, and supplementation to get my
fitness level back in order. Using Nitro-Tech for muscle-building and recovery,
I was able to complete high-volume MuscleTech full-body and GVT training
rotations and effectively work around and rehabilitate my left shoulder. As my
fitness improved, I used Hydroyxcut Hardcore to strip off excess fat. I had
seriously scary results using MuscleTech products. I added inches to my arms,
chest, shoulders, and legs while stripping an incredible six inches off my waist
in twelve weeks.
After almost three years using my right arm to do most of my lifting, I can use
my left arm to full capacity again. For the first time ever I can pick up my
daughter using only my surgically repaired left side and feel no pain. I have an
energy level through the roof. Getting ripped was fun, but I see that as a side
benefit. It is my quality of life that has transformed here.
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I would first like to thank MuscleTech and BodyBuilding.com for putting on this contest. It's just what the doctor didn't order (yes, you read that right). I proved doctors and others wrong who said my shoulder injury was "career-ending". I found a way and MuscleTech supplements and workout plans were a big part of paving the way for my turnaround. In addition, all the information on the BodyBuilding.com "SuperSite" was invaluable to my education as a fitness enthusiast. I also appreciated the really fast processing and shipping of orders. The little bonus freebies in the boxes were a nice touch too.
Next, I would like to thank my family for support and, in particular, my wife. She helped with pictures, food preparation, body hair removal (never fun) and generally kept me sane throughout the competition. My wife also found cheap workout aids for me (push up handles, extra rubber bands, etc.) and interesting nutritional information along the way as way. I have to thank my daughter for keeping me on my toes during the competition. The energy level of a 3-year-old is inspirational in and of itself. Having her count out reps while I did abdominal work was proud moment for me as well.
Finally, thanks to all the other fitness and bodybuilding amateurs and professionals out there who have motivated or inspired me along with way. There are simply are too many to name, but I will give a direct shout out to Natural-Pro Body Builder Layne Norton. I have a picture on my workout room wall of Layne still working his legs while his chest and right arm are strapped down due a pectoral tear. Since I have an upper body injury as well, this is one very an inspirational photo. I have the words, "Always Find a Way" written underneath it. For years, I used my left shoulder as an excuse. There is always a way if you have the will.
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Disclaimers: Every body is different. My methods might not work for you. Modern methods might not work for you either. The trick is to experiment and not get frustrated. Understand that it may take years to build a good a physique, but it can be done naturally. You just have to find the missing pieces to your body's puzzle. I am not an expert by a long shot, so please use any of the information on these pages at your own risk and consult your local doctor or certified fitness professional before you start any program. The programs outlined on these pages were highly customized to my physique. Your results my vary. Good luck building your perfect body. It's all up to you. These pages are only here to help.
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©2002-2008 by Rev. Oke: [email protected] (note: responses might be slow using this address. Drop me a line at my BodySpace Page instead).