End of Week 17

I guess my posts the past few weeks have been misleading, from stepping off stage in September I technically started my prep for competing this year.  I always hit my macro's but the foods consumed to hit my daily target may have not always been the best choices!  However that is what an off season is all about! having a bit more of a social life, getting the 'gains' (hate this word at the moment) and consuming food you wouldn't normally eat during cutting phase.

I am still in my off season.  I have 6 weeks prep to catch up on from recovery of my op.  As mentioned in a previous post I am going to stay in a calorie surplus until mid/late February and assess how I look.  I have a few comps in mind but I am openly committing to a comp until I am happy with the progress I am making over the next 8 weeks.

I have started using Neil Hills Y3T system which I am following for a 12 week cycle.  I pulled together my own programme initially but then had doubts if I was focusing enough on the areas I needed to improve on.  Lucky for me I have someone who always tells me the truth even if sometimes its not what I want to hear.  Andy took a look at my programme and tweaked it (thank youuuuu!!!), now tweak is probably an understatement! What he has pulled together has really challenged me the past week (and thats just the first cycle of 3).  As they say if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you!!!

What I like about training with Andy is that he can really push you past your limit.  I sometimes find it hard to push myself when training alone, but the past few weeks I have been managing to do this!  Y3T is defiantly all about challenging and pushing yourself and you can't be afraid of DOMS!  I have had them after every workout so far!

Each of my cycle consists of 5 workouts, with 3 on, 1 off, 2 on and 2 off.

• Legs & Abs
• Shoulders & Triceps
• Back & Biceps
• Legs & Calves
• Shoulders, Chest & Triceps

Thrown into this is 3 X 20 Minute Moderate Cardio Sessions.

Each micro cycle targets a different muscle fibre.  Micro Cycle 1 targets 2B Fast Twitch Fibres, Week 2 Type 2A and Week 3 Type 1 Slow Twitch.  I started Micro Cycle 2 today (legs) and to say I have DOMS is an understatement!!!

Quick round up of this weeks stats... my weight has stayed steady all week!  I am increasing my carbs    to get back into a surplus for the next few months and get these 'gains' everyone keeps talking about!