[1911a1]

A New Training Year – Time to Plan for 2008 by 1911a1

Every veteran in the iron game knows now is the time to start next year’s routine(s). Whether you’re a veteran or just getting started, now is the beginning of the new training year. Summer is over, hang up the Speedo and get back to work! Don’t get comfortable on the couch, now’s the time to set new goals and grow. What do you want to look like next spring?

What we’ve learned - if you’ve ever trained and even competed during the cold weather months, you know how much more difficult it is commuting, working and training in the cold. Personally, I’ve shoveled all the snow I ever care too. It’s harder getting to work, to the gym and the cold is much harder on the joints and the body’s immune system. To hit the stage looking your best requires focus, drive and determination. This time of year is referred to as the bulking season for a reason. We need extra fat to lubricate our joints and fuel the heavy training sessions. This is the time of year when we lift the heaviest and pack on the muscle. Don’t sweat the weight gain because you’re all covered up anyway or at least you should be to protect the body from the cold. Just don’t get carried away and put on too much weight! Bulking and cutting as was done by previous generations has been proven unhealthy and hard on the body organs. Massive weight swings are not necessary to achieve optimal growth.

As for competing, your joints will take a beating and unless you live where it’s sunny, you’re going have to settle for the tanning beds and the lotion/dyes for presentation color. As for the holiday season, it’s stressful on you and even your friends and family to enforce the diet when everyone around you is celebrating the holidays eating, drinking and enjoying the festivities. Regardless of who you are, everyone celebrates some form of holidays between now and the new year. If you’ve set your sights on an upcoming fall or winter competition, by all means go for it understanding the extra effort which lies ahead.

Now let’s break it down – The old school term is Off-season or Maintenance-mode (Labor day to January 02) and it requires that we redesign the training routine for a new phase of evolution. We move away from the 5 and 6-day routines with lighter weights, higher reps/sets for the beach presentation. We concentrate on fewer sets/reps with more emphasis on rest and nourishment i.e. growth. Remember, we don’t grow in the gym. It also gives us more time to attend the socio-political holiday festivities. Enjoy yourself and don’t feel guilty, within reason! This is the time to get back to gut-wrenching heavy compound movements. Yes, the tried and true basic movements that have been around for generations before the first exercise machine was invented. The 4-day routine was built for this kind of training regime. Think strong, train hard and put forth your very best effort to achieve new PRs (personal lift records) because before you know it, it will be January 02 of the new year and time to restructure again and start chiseling away at the new and improved muscular development.

January 02 – now that the holidays and festivities are behind us, it’s time to focus on our dietary intake and specialized training. Do your research if you haven’t already. Know which upcoming competition(s) you want to enter. Know the rules and what’s required to qualify. Plan your training, contest prep and arrangements around these dates.

Now is the time when we start phasing things out of our diet or at least limiting the consumption of things like alcohol, red meats, high glycemic carbs, junk foods, etc. I’m not going to lecture on refraining from alcohol and donuts, etc. You catch my drift, 30, 60 and 90 day stages. Each stage, phasing out additional items. This will cut down on any radical last minutes changes, prep work or extra effort. I like to be 4 weeks out from competition by the end of April thus prepping for any comp, seminar or presentation going forward would require less effort. The majority of the nutrition work is done in the 4 months (Jan-Apr) leading up to this date.

Use your mirror! I can’t stress this enough. Forget the body composition devices and all those advertised trinkets. The mirror does not lie and I am my biggest critic. The mirror tells all.

This is also the time when we revisit our training routine, increasing sets/reps and moving back to the 5-day and eventually maybe the 6-day routine if required. Remember when chiseling, we need the specialty exercises and equipment to fine tune the physique. Thus we will be dropping some of the basic exercises for specialty movements.

Point of all this being – if you want to be prepared for next year’s spring, summer and fall season whether it’s competition(s) or the beach, now is the time to form a plan and put it into action. Once you’ve experienced the benefit of this forward thinking, you will be a better athlete. With a set goal date and the proper discipline, you can achieve anything.

If interested, check out my article – “Eating Properly to Get Big by 1911a1”

As you can tell, I’m not a writer but I wrote this because I’ve read a lot of posts where people have the best of intentions and a lot of heart but lack the proper direction or insight. A little guidance goes a long way for a highly disciplined individual. I’ve learned this applies to every area of our lives as well, not just the gym. I have subscribed to this approach for a while and it has paid off every time. Can’t isn’t in my vocabulary. Think strong and train hard.

Regards and Semper Fi

1911a1