# Ryan's Journey - The last 8 weeks to NABBA North East



## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Hey guys,

Used to be a member on here years ago but lost my login details. Been training and eating decent for around 6 years now and decided I'm competing in the Nabba Northeast on May 8th. I will log my training, eating and other stuff on here to help keep track of it all.

I'll also post some pics up every few weeks. This is the most recent pic I have from about 11 weeks out:


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## Keeks (Oct 22, 2010)

Hey, welcome back! Hope prep's going well and good luck with this!


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Hey Keeks thank you. It's going okay.

And alot of changes within my life since my first show in 2014 (my first son was born in April last year and is nearly 1 so it's been a bit of a busy year with bodybuilding taking a bit of a back seat for some it. Hope you're well?


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## Keeks (Oct 22, 2010)

Ryhardcastle said:


> Hey Keeks thank you. It's going okay.
> 
> And alot of changes within my life since my first show in 2014 (my first son was born in April last year and is nearly 1 so it's been a bit of a busy year with bodybuilding taking a bit of a back seat for some it. Hope you're well?


 Glad it's going ok, looking good!

Ahh brill, yeah I can imagine it's been busy. Yeah life comes first at times, ultimately bb'ing is a hobby and can always be put on hold.

I'm good thanks, 10 weeks out from Nabba NW show, can't wait to get back on stage, it's been far too long!


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## im sparticus (Oct 22, 2005)

Ryhardcastle said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Used to be a member on here years ago but lost my login details. Been training and eating decent for around 6 years now and decided I'm competing in the Nabba Northeast on May 8th. I will log my training, eating and other stuff on here to help keep track of it all.
> 
> ...


 Hi mate good luck at the N.E. you look good in the above pics how long you been on diet? Which class u entering?


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## bonacris (May 20, 2015)

What's your diet going to look like for this.

I always see people post about cycles and stuff but I'm always more interested in the diet


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

bonacris said:


> What's your diet going to look like for this.
> 
> I always see people post about cycles and stuff but I'm always more interested in the diet


 I'm doing a form of carb cycling for this prep mate. Basically I'm doing very low carbs most days with carbs just post workout. But then I have "normal" carb refeed days on leg and back training days. It seems to be working well.


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Basically a low carb day looks like:

Meal #1: 6 whole eggs.
Meal #2: 8oz chicken with 2 tbsp peanut butter
Meal #3: 50g whey protein with 2 tablespoons all natural peanut butter.
Meal #4: 8oz salmon with 1 cup asparagus with 1 tablespoon macadamia nut oil.
Meal #5:8oz chicken with 40g almonds
Meal #6: 6 whole (Omega-3) eggs

And a "normal" carb day looks like:

Meal #1: 100g oats with 50g whey
Meal #2: 8oz chicken with 100g jasmin rice
Meal #3: 2 slices wholemeal toast and 10 egg whites
Meal #4: 250g mince, peppers and 100g jasmin rice
Meal #5: Steak and 200g sweet potato
Meal #6: serving of casein.


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Bit of an update. Trained legs last night for the first time in nearly three weeks. Had a bad quad strain so avoided them totally. I think quads are one of my strongest bodyparts so I've not been too concerned about it. Had an okay first session back. First time doing squats in a few month too but gonna aim to get my numbers right back up on them!

The session went as follows:

*Leg Extensions:*

15x6stack,

15x10stack

15x14stack

20xfull stack

*Squats:*

12x60kg

12x100kg

12x140kg

14x180kg

*Hacks: *

12x40kg,

12x80kg,

12x160kg

*Lying Leg Curls:*

14x5stack

14x7stack

14x9stack

14x11stack

*Single leg curls:*

14x3stack

14x6stack

*Smith SLDL:*

3x14x90kg


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Current state of affairs:

Cardio going up this week. Carbs dropping for the next 3 days.


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Good chest and biceps session today;

*Flat DB press: *

14x25kg,

14x35kg,

12x45kg

7x62.5kg

*Flat machine press:*

Worked up to 15stack x 12 + 3 forced reps

*Incline plate loaded press:*

12x40kg

12x80kg,

8x120kg

ds 20x40kg

*Cable Flyes:*

Worked up to 14x9stack

*Machine preacher single arm curl:*

Worked up to 10x12.5kg (sounds f**k all but this is mega heavy single arm ha)

Straight bar curls:

14x25kg

14x37.5kg

12x47.5kg

ds to 30x15kg

*Straight bar cable curls:*

Worked up to 12x8stack and dropset to 30x4stack

Nice post workout meal of Musclefood Protein pie, chicken, jasmin rice, and asparagus / pepper today.


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Current condition at 109kg


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Top back session today; did a bit of deadlifting that I haven't done for a fair few weeks. Gonna get my numbers back up on them.

*Deadlifts:*

12x80kg

12x100kg

12x140kg

12x180kg,

6x240kg

*Nautilus pullovers:*

14x7stack

14x10stack

13xfull stack

*CG Cable Rows:*

14x7stack

14x11stack

15xfull stack

ds to 14x7stack

*T Bar pull downs:*

12x5stack

12x7stack

6x12stack

*Single arm machine pulldowns:*

14x3plates

12x5plates


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

A quick back pic my mate took this morning. Need to work on my posing big style because I just look so imbalanced in every single pose. Getting some advice on Sunday from a few lads down at the gym that I train.


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Today was chest and biceps:

*Decline bench:*

12x60kg

12x100kg

12x140kg,

7x170kg

*Flat DB press:*

12x30kgs

12x40kgs

9x50kgs

*Incline lever machine press:*

12x20kg

12x40kg

12x60kg

7x80kg

*Cable flyes:*

15x5stack

15x7stack

15x9stack

ds to 20x5stack

*BB Curls:*

15x40kg

14x50kg

12x60kg

*Machine preachers:*

12x3stack

12x4stack

12x5stack

12x6stack

*Cable curls:*

20x7stack

20x9stack

20xfull stack


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Few pics 3 weeks out. Want to get a lot tighter and leaner yet. Dropping calories a little more and upping cardio slightly. I WILL be in the best condition I can be in 3 weeks!!


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Bignath4607 said:


> Looking pretty chiselled there pal f**k all left to lose hope you smash it pal


 Thank you buddy, means alot. Gonna do my best!

Still got a fair bit of water and fat to drop but that will hopefully come in the next 3 weeks. Sat doing 70 mins LISS cardio as we speak. Hope it's worth it because I fuc*ing hate it haha.


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Been hammering my legs all the way through off season and throughout prep. I've been working so hard on the overall thickness and quad depth. I think all the hard graft and heavy leg work is paying off and I would say my legs are by far my strongest body part. Not just to deplete for just under three weeks and then get some carbs in me to make them dry and full!!!


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Few updated pics 3 weeks out:



















Some new bargain £7 eBay leggings I'm gonna try for legs tonight


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

So I won class 2 and qualified for the British finals on the 28th. :thumb :thumb


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)




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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)




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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)




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## TITO (Nov 11, 2008)

Ryhardcastle said:


>


 Look quality mate and big congrats! What was your weight on stage and how much weight dropped during prep as you stayed fairly lean off season?


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Bignath4607 said:


> fu**ing beast mate glad I wasn't in your call out


 Haha thank you mate.

I'm starting to really feel it now continuing prep for the British on the 28th. Really struggling. Had a bit of a carb refeed today as I needed it but now it's back on low carb till next Thursday where I will carb up and hit the stage Saturday.


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Yes buddy although I'm not sure I'll be doing it now. Mrs Grandad has passed away and it's going to be hard to sort it all out in the next 9 days. Gonna probably give the Britain a miss now.


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## Ryhardcastle (Mar 13, 2015)

Right so was the first session back today after 7 days off the gym and basically eating what I want. Back on it now 100%. Lean bulk is on.

*Chest and biceps today:* (Although I didn't get much biceps done, the pump in my forearms was just too bad, need to get some taurine to calm them down a bit and make them ease off)

*DB press: *
14x20kgs
14x35kgs
12x45kgs,
10 x 55kgs
7 x 62.5kgs

*
**Flat machine press:*
20 x 10 stack
20x12 stack
20 x 14 stack
20 x 15 stack

*Incline DB flyes:*
14 x 20kgs
14 x 25kgs,
12 x 35kgs

*Cable flyes:*
14 x 4 stack
14 x 7stack
15 x 9 stack

*BB curls: *
20 x 40kg
20 x 50kg,
15 x 60kg

*Strict DB curls: *
12 x 15kg
12 x 17.5kg
12 x 20kg

*Cable curls:* (Pump in forearms was too painful at this point to do much!) Usually go to full stack for 15 - 20 reps but couldn't today)
20 x 6 stack
20 x 8 stack
20 x 9stack


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## BLUE(UK) (Jan 9, 2008)

Ryhardcastle said:


> Yes buddy although I'm not sure I'll be doing it now. Mrs Grandad has passed away and it's going to be hard to sort it all out in the next 9 days. Gonna probably give the Britain a miss now.


 That's bad timing(not that it can be helped). It's good that you have your priorities right by considering those close to you.

Good luck either way.

P.s, what height are you?


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## 31205 (Jan 16, 2013)

Could charge people for helicopter rides over that back of yours! Looks like the fu**ing Grand Canyon.


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