Bodybuilding: One of the most demanding sports to challenge your self with, the continuing pursuit of your best physical condition. 7 Days a week, year round sport, due to the massive influence of deit and nutrional demands on your body. The time you dedicate through the many phases of strength/mass training, in to conditioning and body image shaping phases. As you attempt to match the image in your mind, your goal, to the feedback you see in the mirror.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the most influential of all bodybuilders, said ' you need the mindset of a sculpture, moulding your physique through exercising and attempting to achieve your best symmetry and overall body image.'

Joe Weider, the founding farther of the world wide bodybuilding phenomena, said 'the speed at with which you reach your goals depends on how much you are willing to put into your workouts. I won't kid you, its hard work, exceedingly hard work, but in the end I assure you that your sweat and toil will be well spent.'

I have trained through different phases and influences all of my adult life, using strength training to support other sports or from a bodybuilding influence to improve my physique. As apposed to just strength training for the last few years and with little concern for body-fat levels and overall body image, I have more recently returned to the bodybuilding training concept with an aim of changing my overall shape. So, in the section below I'll explain in brief the process my training partners and I have gone through to drop from over 20% body fat down to between 5 & 6% and compete in a RIBBF National Competition.

Having competed in the show this April, 2011, we have decided to compete again next April. It was such an interesting process to go through and the point at which we are now is well ahead of 12 months ago. So for myself one more go and my target under 5% bodyfat!  For the boys, well they have been well and truly bitten by the bug as they say. So, what i hope to do with this page is post and update our current training methods etc as we go along, if you fancy having ago with us please feel free or use some of the info to help your training plan etc.

Our current training is using the blood volume principle, maximum pump / minimum rest, high rep range of 12 to 15 reps on sets.
So monday Chest, tuesday Back, wednesday Legs, thursday Shoulders & friday Arms. At the end of each session we do a single exercise for ab's/core but not the same every day. I am also keeping 20-30mins of static bike following 3 sessions and using boxercise 1 other session for cardio.

Chest -	Warm-up & Stretch 10mins	Back -	Warm Up & Stretch
	Flat Bench Flyes    3 x 15reps    superset cable cross-over		Wide Grip Pull Down, to front 3 x 15
	Low Incline Flyes   3 x 15reps    superset repeat  15reps		Wide Grip Pull Down, to rear  3 sets
	High Incline Flyes   3 x 15reps    superset repeat		V-Grip Pull Down, to front     3 sets
	Flat Bench Press    3 x 15reps    30seconds resting		V-Grip Base Pully Standing Row
	Low Incline D/B Press 3 x 15reps		1 Arm D/B Row, standing
	High Incline Bar Press  3 x 15reps		Standing Bar Row
	Low Incline D/B 'close grip press' 3 x15 reps		Hyper-extensions, over bench
Abs -	Flat Crunch or Cable Crunch 100reps	Abs -	Cable Crunch 100reps
Cardio	20mins static bike	Cardio	Boxercise Class pm
	Total Training Time: 60mins
Legs:	Walking D/B Lunges	Shoulders	Overhead Machine Press
	Seated Extensions		Overhead D/B Press
	Squats superset Box Jumps		Standing Side Lat'Raise, 4sets
	Leg Press		Standing D/B Front Raise, 4sets
	Seated Extension, 1 x 20rep		Overbench Rear D/B Flyes, 4sets
	Calves Toe Press, 4sets		Standing Bar Shrugs, 4sets
Abs -	Hanging Knee Raise	Abs -	Standing D/B Side Bends
Cardio	20mins Ride	Cardio	20min Ride
	Day 5 Arms Biceps & Triceps
Biceps -	D/B Concentration Curls, 3sets	Triceps	Overhead D/B Extension
	Preacher Curls, 3sets		Weigthed Dips superset Close Grip Bar Press
	1 Arm D/B Preacher Curls, 3sets		Wide Grip Cable Press Down
	Standing Z-Bar Curl, 1 x20reps		Overhead Rope Extension, Hammer Grip
Ab's:	Standing Kettlebell Trunk Rotations	Cardio:	20mins Ride

Notes: For me this plan is all about the intensity of the training session, there is ample time for rest and recovery over the rest of the day.
            Train hard, get a serious pump going on, building as much muscle structure before taking a good look at the end of December and
            planning the diet countdown process. Update: Jan'12, with the same plan I am now working a 3 week rotation of week 1 high rep's, 
            week 2 moderate rep's 8 to 10 range and increase load, week 3 low rep range 6-8 high load. Then repeat the cycle..

Diet:   The current diet is quite clean, a nice balance of Carb's / Protein / Veg etc, only a small cheat meal with the kids on Sunday:
            AM:  Protein Drink @ 7am
                     Porridge @ 8am, multi vit                                                     Training Support Products
                     Diet Protein Drink          9.30                                     AM:   Reflex Nutrition Natural Whey 7am 20grms
                     Training @ 10.30 & Recovery Formula                              PhD or Reflex Diet Whey 9.30am 2 scoops
                                                                                                                 Gaspari Nutrition SuperPump Max, pre-training
            PM:  Meal 2; beef & salad @ 1pm                                                Reflex Growth Matrix, recovery 3 scoops
                     Meal 3; Tuna & Rice & Veg
                     Meal 4; Tuna & Salad                                                 PM:   Diet Whey, as above, 6.30pm          
                     Diet Protein drink                                                                  PhD 6hr slow release, 11pm with Kinetica ZMA
                     Meal 5; Sliced Ham, 3 scrambled eggs & 2 plain toast
                     Protein 6hr slow formula

I hope you find this interesting, if you have a go then find what works for you.. modify it, change movements for your body type.
My plan is sound and is working for me, a few other guys in the gym are also trying it and getting solid results.
On a personal note, many thanks to Paul in the UK for his help again it's great to bounce ideas around. Enjoy & Train Hard !

Happy New Year,
1st Update, see training plan notes, plus on the diet I have just switched to using a comprehensive diet whey. All the guys are on track and
we have been joined by Chris and Dylon who are attempting stage one of the diet and training plan, to then evaluate maybe stage 2 mid-Feb
and I wish them all the best..