# Supercell's road to the Olympia 202 Showdown ~ The Connecticut 202 Pro



## supercell

As many of you know my pro debut was around 6 weeks ago now in Orlando Florida, where I placed 4th, missing out on 3rd place by just a few points.

I'm now 7 weeks out from the Connecticut Pro in Hartford on 23rd/24th July 2010. It's another Europa show which I am pleased about as Betty Pariso and her husband know how to put on a show with nothing left to chance.

My goal is to show improvement to the judges and place in the top 3, enabling me to qualify and compete at this years 202 Olympia Showdown in Las Vegas at the end of September

I am starting my prep in 1 weeks time when I will be 6 weeks out. Just to give you some idea where I am condition wise, I am only around 7lbs above my contest weight, tipping the scales at around 13st 11lbs this morning after my cheat meal of yesterday. I am really pleased where I am sitting at the moment considering the amount of food that I am eating and also the fact that I have down no cardio for the last 10 days as I was actually losing weight!!!

My glutes are still striated and my obliques and serratus are through and very dry in the mornings. Normally I would have dieted for around 10-12 weeks to be where I am today so I am extrememly pleased where I have managed to hold things especially seeing as in the last 10 days I have had 7 cheat meals and 2 vodka sessions!!!!

As I mentioned my prep for the Orlando show was around 15 weeks long and although I was pleased where I was at the end, my lower body (excluding my glutes) was not where it should have been. However, today I am leaner below the waist than I was on show day and a lot more vascular, so I know come show day my legs (front and back) will be absolutely inside out.

During my last prep I wasn't in the right place mentally or physically due to a virus which I had for the last 6 weeks and also splitting mith my wife.

Now I am healthy in body and mind and feel I am in a great place to bring a better, tighter and heavier physique to the stage at the end of July.

Amanda will be taking some 'before' photo's this week down at The Ministry and then I will take these every week until the week before the show.

The journal will start a week today but in the mean time I thought I'd give you some background (above) and also my current diet (below)

Wake. 1 scoop pro peptide

*CARDIO* ~ None performed for last 10 days

*Meal 1* 100g oats, 20g granola, 20g raisins, I banana, 1 yoghurt, 2 scops pro peptide

*TRAIN* (5 days a week)

*Meal 2* 2 scoops pro recover, 10g glutamine, 5g creatine, 5g BCAA's

*Meal 3* 1 Pro Mr

*Meal 4* 200g chicken, 1 packet tilda brown rice, 10g olive oil, veg, pineapple

*Meal 5* Same as above

*Meal 6* Same as above

*Meal 7* 6 whole eggs, 2 slices wholewheat toast, salad, pineapple

*Meal 8* 2 scoops pro peptide, 60g oats, 20g natural peanut butter

In night at around 2am 1 scoop pro peptide

I have a cheat meal once a week on a sunday (but recently I have had a few more!!!)

On non training days I just remove my pro recover and shift the other meals around a little.

So there we have it.......

Any questions, fire away!!

J


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## adamdutton

everything sound very good, reaslly hope you get the result you want and deserve, personally i thought you should have placed at least 3rd in your debut but thats just my opinion and doesnt count for much.

cant wait to follow your progress.


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## XL

Subbed. Looking forward to reading this.

Best of luck J.


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## blackbeard

Sounds like you're in a good place prep wise,best of luck,hope to see you on a Vegas stage come September.


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## chrisj22

Good luck James


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## bravo9

great stuff,, cant wait to follow this mate, you go into great detail in your threads which is allways interesting,, all the best man


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## hilly

sounds like ure in a great position james, do you know the totals of ure diet cals/pro/carbs etc?

Also what do you attribute to managing to stay so lean between shows as am currently 2 weeks post show and struggling with alot of water retention even tho doing cardio 5 x per week and being very good with diet bar 1 cheat a week which makes me blow up like a balloon lol


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## ste247

iam on board on this good luck on your journey james i look forward to seeing the progress pics along the way.......


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## Rotsocks

Really enjoyed following your last journal so looking forward to this one.

All the best with the prep and show.

Hope you get the result you looking for.


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## clarkey

Whoop whoop!!! cant believe how fast its gone mate. Time to get that Olympia invite and get Team Llewellyn to the Olympia so we can smash it up again....all the best with the next 7 weeks bud your time to shine on the big stage.


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## ElfinTan

Wished we could have been with you but alas not this time round...will be rooting for you all the way!!! x


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## chrisj28

Good luck james


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## supercell

hilly said:


> sounds like ure in a great position james, do you know the totals of ure diet cals/pro/carbs etc?
> 
> Also what do you attribute to managing to stay so lean between shows as am currently 2 weeks post show and struggling with alot of water retention even tho doing cardio 5 x per week and being very good with diet bar 1 cheat a week which makes me blow up like a balloon lol


Well my pre contest kcals will be as they are now but I will just intro cardio into the mix at around 30 mins daily for the first week. I am only looking to drop around 1.5lbs a week as opposed to the normal 2lbs so I may find I can go almost to the end on the food I have above. Obviously depletion will be much lower on carbs but it all really depends how I look and feel. One thing is for sure I wont be suffering quite as much as last time when I was playing catch up!!

As far as what I attribute it to, I really dont know because my mtabolism has never been like this plus I didn't get a rebound but I think that was mainly due to keeping the water and salt in during the loading phase so I got no rebound!! :thumb:


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## cheef

good luck mate


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## Heat01

James first time for me posting on your journal, so firstly all the very best in your upcoming shows its always great to see Brits taking it to the States and competing at international level, like wise with all things on a domestic level.

Can i just ask a couple of points on your diet as is always so important, i see you train in the morning and im guessing(meal 1 is blended) so its with x2 liquid meals prior to workout, personally i struggle to train at full capacity in the morning, do you find it can effect your performance..?

Post workout, im not sure the content of pro recover, what level of carbs/protein does this provide..? ATM i personally take pro peptide throughout the day between meals with the difference of taking post workout its 100gm My protein isolate for quicker digestion/absorbtion and 100gm maltodextrin.

Cheers for any input. :beer:

Ian.


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## 3752

Good luck buddy i have stuck the thread as i am sure it will be of great interest to the board members...


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## ah24

Sorry J, another Q to go with everyone elses haha

The extra cheats you have had and the vodka sessions, do you OK that with Niel before hand or what? How does that work?

All the best mate, and through your FB, you and Amanda seem v happy so congrats


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## ste247

oh i forgot you work with neil hill one of my friends (a natty) is sponsored by gaspari nutrition and he has just got neil to over see his diet for his prep so he is looking forward to it neil is the man on all accounts......if i could afford it id hire him my self ha ha......


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## BB_999

I'll be following this thread with interest.

Could you post up your total protein/carbs/fats and calories if known?

Cheers and good luck with it.


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## FATBOY

you have achived so much m8 and you are on a roll , all the best with your prep


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## lucasso

Subscribed


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## DB

supercell said:


> Any questions, fire away!!
> 
> J


1. Are you aiming for a similarr weight to last time or do u think you've packed on some size since?

2. Vegas is crazy just got back! lol hope u get there!

3. Can I have some more cheesecake


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## gooner fc

good luck mate will be following this closely :thumb:


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## supercell

clarkey said:


> Whoop whoop!!! cant believe how fast its gone mate. Time to get that Olympia invite and get Team Llewellyn to the Olympia so we can smash it up again....all the best with the next 7 weeks bud your time to shine on the big stage.


Hey John, How fast does time fly!!!!??? You know how much it meant to me you guys being out there for my last show. Although the last week is a pretty lonely place having you guys there really did help even though I was fairly miserable until show day!!! :lol:

I am so determined, as I always am, but especially so this time as I really do believe I have a chance. You never know who is going to turn up but all I can do is make sure I am at my very best. Speak soon mate, your turn after xmas!!!!

Jx


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## supercell

ElfinTan said:


> Wished we could have been with you but alas not this time round...will be rooting for you all the way!!! x


Thanks Tan (and Paul). You have both become good friends of mine and have always been there. It seems such a long time ago now but Paul was and still is a huge inspiration to me. The first time I saw him backstage at the British in 2004 I honestly wondered how a human could get into such phenominal shape!!!!! Paul will be back next year and be better than ever. He is testiment that age knows no barriers and although he's had a little hurdle to bounce over, his time will come and I'll be there for him and support him all the way. God bless you both.

Jx


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## supercell

Heat01 said:


> James first time for me posting on your journal, so firstly all the very best in your upcoming shows its always great to see Brits taking it to the States and competing at international level, like wise with all things on a domestic level.
> 
> Can i just ask a couple of points on your diet as is always so important, i see you train in the morning and im guessing(meal 1 is blended) so its with x2 liquid meals prior to workout, personally i struggle to train at full capacity in the morning, do you find it can effect your performance..?
> 
> Post workout, im not sure the content of pro recover, what level of carbs/protein does this provide..? ATM i personally take pro peptide throughout the day between meals with the difference of taking post workout its 100gm My protein isolate for quicker digestion/absorbtion and 100gm maltodextrin.
> 
> Cheers for any input. :beer:
> 
> Ian.


Hi Ian,

No meal 1 is not blended, its eaten. I have an enormous capacity for solid food and it doesn't bloat me at all, so it sit very well for training on.

Pro recover is around 50g simple carbs and around 23g pre digested whey, hence why I have a slower releasing carb and protein source around 30-40 mins after in the form of a Pro Mr.

I would personally say that 100g of whey and carbs PWO is a little excessive but then it does vary with each individual depending on muscle mass, metabolism and there ability to store glycogen.

Thanks for the support

J


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## supercell

Pscarb said:


> Good luck buddy i have stuck the thread as i am sure it will be of great interest to the board members...


Thankyou Paul and thanks for the support. I am going to go into a lot of depth in this journal as I find them so motivating not only for me but also for others embarking on the minefield that is dieting. I love reading others journals, yours included. Being candid is what really makes the journals so interesting; the mindset, the setbacks, the elation etc and I know that you more than anyone does that in your journals and people find it such a motivating tool.

Jx


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## supercell

ah24 said:


> Sorry J, another Q to go with everyone elses haha
> 
> The extra cheats you have had and the vodka sessions, do you OK that with Niel before hand or what? How does that work?
> 
> All the best mate, and through your FB, you and Amanda seem v happy so congrats


No, I look after myself in the off season so I am instinctive with my cheats(not with the Vodka I hasten to add). I dont normally drink at all but felt I deserved a few after the last 6 months!! Neil normally comes on board in the last 4-6 weeks to get me right down in bodyfat levels and into a super depleted state for the final load.

My weight is my guide as is my conditioning and if it is dropping too much I will add in a cheat. To do this you have to have a good grip of your own body and probably wouldn't suggest it to a beginner.

Yes Amanda and I are very happy, we met during my last diet so she met me at my gruppiest, which bodes well for this prep!!

J


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## supercell

Rich-B said:


> I'll be following this thread with interest.
> 
> Could you post up your total protein/carbs/fats and calories if known?
> 
> Cheers and good luck with it.


Thankyou.

My protein sits around 375-400g per day and remains there throughout my entire prep. Its the one variable that doesn't change.

Carbs at the moment are sitting around 450-475g daily and fats around 80-90g daily.

So I am guessing that my daily cals are anywhere between 4500-4700 kcals. :thumb:

J


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## Incredible Bulk

hey james!!

great to see you at the bodypower.

do you plan to spend more time in the states living/training or stay based in the UK and only fly over for shows?

This is more geared toward raising your profile in the US


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## supercell

MASSIVEMONSTER said:


> Good luck mate.
> 
> Cant get around the amount of food you are eating right now and onwards into your diet - just shows the importance of a fast metabolism.
> 
> Are you expecting to come in a few lb heavier and fuller this time or do you feel you had more fat to come off in your last show?


Yes buddy I'm expecting to come in around 3-5lb heavier this time around. I did sacrifice a little tissue due to the severity of my prep but also I sacrificed a little fullness due to 'the runs' the day before so fully carbing was hard.

My upper body was peeled but I was holding fat and fluid in my lower body especially my frontal thighs, hams and calves. As I stated earlier in the thread, my legs are leaner now than they were on stage, so with 7 weeks to go I will be exactly where I need to be..........Shredded!

J


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## chem1436114520

stick in bro you are one of the few over here that will do somthing with a pro-card


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## supercell

DB said:


> 1. Are you aiming for a similarr weight to last time or do u think you've packed on some size since?
> 
> 2. Vegas is crazy just got back! lol hope u get there!
> 
> 3. Can I have some more cheesecake


Hey Baz,

Hope you had a great time away in Vegas. It is the craziest place in the world and trying to convey to people what it's like is impossible because they think you are just showing off!!

In answer to your questions...

1. No I dont think I would have had any time to pack on any additional muscle. What will make the difference is the amount of food I am eating and the fullness that I will have as result

2. Yes MENTAL!!!!!

3. Me first mate there's a queue, but Amanda said she'll make another and if you are a good boy and eat your greens you can av some! :thumbup1:

Hope you and B are OK, I know she's missed you mate!!

J


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## supercell

Incredible Bulk said:


> hey james!!
> 
> great to see you at the bodypower.
> 
> do you plan to spend more time in the states living/training or stay based in the UK and only fly over for shows?
> 
> This is more geared toward raising your profile in the US


And you mate.

If I was a younger man and didn't have as many responsibilities then yes I would love to go out to the States more often and even stay there for a few months. BUT my home is here and as much as I may moan sometimes about the UK, its a great place and I have my family and friends here too. Plus I have now met a girl and spending time with her is very important to me.

The only way I will ever raise my profile is competing and placing well, its as simple as that. There are many pro's that have gone over to the States and it hasn't worked out as there are many that have and its been the best thing they ever did. I am very fortunate with my sponsors, CNP, that they support me financially and which allows me to compete abroad and follow my dream.

If I can get a top 3 placing and hit the Olympia stage, then I know my face will become known and even doing things like the radio show last week all help in raising your profile and becoming more accessible to the supporters and fans.

J


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## supercell

chem said:


> stick in bro you are one of the few over here that will do somthing with a pro-card


Thanks Ian, I really appreciate your support and kind words. :thumbup1: I just do my best and hope that's good enough!

J


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## ste247

supercell said:


> Thankyou.
> 
> My protein sits around 375-400g per day and remains there throughout my entire prep. Its the one variable that doesn't change.
> 
> Carbs at the moment are sitting around 450-475g daily and fats around 80-90g daily.
> 
> So I am guessing that my daily cals are anywhere between 4500-4700 kcals. :thumb:
> 
> J


 thats alot of cals for a cut lol, i dont even eat that much on my bulk ha ha, your motablisim must be really fast............my cut diet sits around 3 k cals made up of carbs and protien and trace fats do you think i should add some udos or evvo or somit james.........sorry for asking a q about my diet i dont wont to hikack your thread lol..........when you get to the olympia apart from kevin english and dave henry and 1 0r 2 others its anyones show i think you can do well and shock alot of ppl including your self............after you do the olympia whats next for you james?????


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## supercell

ste247 said:


> thats alot of cals for a cut lol, i dont even eat that much on my bulk ha ha, your motablisim must be really fast............my cut diet sits around 3 k cals made up of carbs and protien and trace fats do you think i should add some udos or evvo or somit james.........sorry for asking a q about my diet i dont wont to hikack your thread lol..........when you get to the olympia apart from kevin english and dave henry and 1 0r 2 others its anyones show i think you can do well and shock alot of ppl including your self............after you do the olympia whats next for you james?????


I do have a fastish metabolism but only when I am lean. People always thought I was mad staying lean all year around as an amateur but it was because it was easy for me to stay like that whilst still eating a lot of food.

My calories before my last show came down to around 2300 a day for the last 2 weeks including some higher days, so I'm not on high cals all the time!!!

Adding fats is a great way to increase calories and free up the other macros (carbs and protein) to do their ob of glycogen replenishment and muscle repair and building. They also cause no bloat and will help keep your leaner and your metabolism more efficient. I add around 10g to each rice meal plus I have around 30-35g of fat in my egg meal and another 10g in my meal before bed. Thats before you then total up the fats from the meat and other protein.

As far as where I see myself, I have always been very realistic. I do think I have it in me to place in the top 3 at a qualifying show and I also think I have it in me to possibly place in the top 10 at the O, should I ever make it there. But that is realistically where I see myself ever getting and I would be contented with that. Yes we all diet and compete to win but also you have to have a reality check on things too and that is something I have always had.

I see myself competing for another few years at least as I am (touch wood) fit and healthy and still very much enjoying the challenge of competing as a pro.

J


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## Galtonator

great to see this James as always i will be reading with much interest


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## supercell

Galtonator said:


> great to see this James as always i will be reading with much interest


Nice one Scott, I hope that you and your wife are well 

J


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## Incredible Bulk

James, how has your health been with regards to the skin cancer?

any developments?


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## Galtonator

supercell said:


> Nice one Scott, I hope that you and your wife are well
> 
> J


Hello James

Yes we are very well. I will be even better a week Sunday:laugh: Can't wait to get up on stage and see what it's like.


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## supercell

Incredible Bulk said:


> James, how has your health been with regards to the skin cancer?
> 
> any developments?


Very good mate, got the all clear around 4 weeks ago now so all systems go!!!! :thumb:

J


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## hilly

great news on the health and skin cancer front james


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## DB

supercell said:


> Hey Baz,
> 
> Hope you had a great time away in Vegas. It is the craziest place in the world and trying to convey to people what it's like is impossible because they think you are just showing off!! I took photo's but it doesn't do it justice, like saying I had the best steak last night and showing someone the **** it created in the toilet the following morning, just doesn't cut it
> 
> In answer to your questions...
> 
> 1. No I dont think I would have had any time to pack on any additional muscle. What will make the difference is the amount of food I am eating and the fullness that I will have as result- sounds good
> 
> 2. Yes MENTAL!!!!!
> 
> 3. Me first mate there's a queue, but Amanda said she'll make another and if you are a good boy and eat your greens you can av some! :thumbup1:
> 
> I'll forward my address, Bizzle will be dieting, shame
> 
> Hope you and B are OK, I know she's missed you mate!! I know dude! she's a keeper!
> 
> J


Best of luck mate:bounce:


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## Robw

Got plenty of questions for you james but i will fire them at you on monday mate .....because im sure you will have plenty for me :thumb:

See you then

Rob


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## oaklad

will follow as usual Good Luck!!!


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## supercell

Robw said:


> Got plenty of questions for you james but i will fire them at you on monday mate .....because im sure you will have plenty for me :thumb:
> 
> See you then
> 
> Rob


Hi Rob,

Really looking forward to seeing you on monday and helping you formulate a plan for the months ahead!!

J


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## supercell

oaklad said:


> will follow as usual Good Luck!!!


Cheers buddy appreciate the support. As you know support is vital for any competing athlete no matter what level and you guys on here do the job perfectly!

J


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## hilly

James quick question,

when working out nutrition wether for yourself or for your clients do you start with a daily total for cals using some form of calculation for instance lbw x 17 etc etc and break it down using ratios then adjust as you go along or start with figures for pro/carbs and fats based on bodyweight such as 1.5g protein then adjust accordingly?

i no different people do this different ways both for themselves and others so just wounderd how you do ures?

also in the offseason how many extra cals above maintanance do you feel is sufficient for growth roughly.

much appreciate taking the time

hilly


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## LOCUST

I also have a preppy style question for you mate,

how many g's of salt a day to you have ?

And thanks for the advice with the diet coke at ukbff SE,see u at the MT show

and good luck with this, ill be following as usual


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## supercell

hilly said:


> James quick question,
> 
> when working out nutrition wether for yourself or for your clients do you start with a daily total for cals using some form of calculation for instance lbw x 17 etc etc and break it down using ratios then adjust as you go along or start with figures for pro/carbs and fats based on bodyweight such as 1.5g protein then adjust accordingly?
> 
> i no different people do this different ways both for themselves and others so just wounderd how you do ures?
> 
> also in the offseason how many extra cals above maintanance do you feel is sufficient for growth roughly.
> 
> much appreciate taking the time
> 
> hilly


I dont have any formula at all. I look at the client, look at his body type and the amount of muscle he is carrying, then I look at his current diet and assess with their help, whether they are losing or gaining weight.

From a quick calculation of calories, I then work out a diet accordingly which has sufficient calories and variety and includes the foodstuffs which I like to work with.

I then monitor that client over a 2-4 week period whilst changing nothing else (training/supplementation/etc) and then make appropriate changes. By just changing one variable at a time I can very quickly get a good grip of that client and how he reacts to a diet.

As for how many calories above maintenance you need, I would say around 4-500kcals. You'd be suprised at how little extra you need to start gaining well and adding lean tissue, rather than bodyfat.

J


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## supercell

LOCUST said:


> I also have a preppy style question for you mate,
> 
> how many g's of salt a day to you have ?
> 
> And thanks for the advice with the diet coke at ukbff SE,see u at the MT show
> 
> and good luck with this, ill be following as usual


Thanks buddy. Dont go sharing all my secrets with everyone mate!!!! Actually a lot of pro's use diet soda on show day. I know a few prep guys that advocate its use and it does work very well but obviously 'm not going to go into detail!

I use a lot of seasoning. I have no idea how much I use on a daily basis but my guess is its more than the W.H.O advocate which is 6g daily.

J


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## hilly

cheers james


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## strange_days

Good work on the last show James, really enjoyed following your progress. Subbed for this one and really rooting for you.

Sounds like you gonna be taking a kick ass package to the next show..


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## lockstock

Yo Big balls! 

Ive just read this thread from start to finish as i missed it. I know how you prep but each time it gets slightly different so i like to see how things have changed on the nutrition and cardio side but more important how your physique has and is changing .... Its all good! :thumbup1:

As reference to an earlier post;

*'As far as what I attribute it to, I really dont know because my mtabolism has never been like this plus I didn't get a rebound but I think that was mainly due to keeping the water and salt in during the loading phase so I got no rebound!!* :thumb: *'*

I can vouch for that mate. After nearly 2 weeks since the brits im only 12lbs over (Usually 30+lbs by now) and 'WE' know what we did so no major rebound because of the correct sodium and water intake.

Easy now when i look back but not when your head is a shed :laugh:

A few simple things go along way as i witnessed myself (rapidly) , i wish you the best of luck and Natalie will look forward to seeing you next year in our room at the Ramada, she'll get the vodka's in 

21" gun salute... at 5ft 5" (Not mine, ha!) :2guns:

Thanks J x:wub:


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## supercell

lockstock said:


> Yo Big balls!
> 
> Ive just read this thread from start to finish as i missed it. I know how you prep but each time it gets slightly different so i like to see how things have changed on the nutrition and cardio side but more important how your physique has and is changing .... Its all good! :thumbup1:
> 
> As reference to an earlier post;
> 
> *'As far as what I attribute it to, I really dont know because my mtabolism has never been like this plus I didn't get a rebound but I think that was mainly due to keeping the water and salt in during the loading phase so I got no rebound!!* :thumb: *'*
> 
> I can vouch for that mate. After nearly 2 weeks since the brits im only 12lbs over (Usually 30+lbs by now) and 'WE' know what we did so no major rebound because of the correct sodium and water intake.
> 
> Easy now when i look back but not when your head is a shed :laugh:
> 
> A few simple things go along way as i witnessed myself (rapidly) , i wish you the best of luck and Natalie will look forward to seeing you next year in our room at the Ramada, she'll get the vodka's in
> 
> 21" gun salute... at 5ft 5" (Not mine, ha!) :2guns:
> 
> Thanks J x:wub:


Hey P,

You know as well as I do that we never stop learning in this game of BBing, that's what makes it so bloody fascinating and interesting. :thumbup1:

Thats great that you have managed to keep the rebound under control. Its one part of the whole prep I dread TBH. I remember 4 days after my last guest spot (3 weeks after the UK's in 2008), I had kept my body at 80kgs for around 5 weeks and when I let everything back in food, fluid and sodium wise I had THE most horrendous rebound. I looked 16 weeks out 4 days after and that is not a good look!!! :whistling:

Onwards and upwards for you now my friend. What you have achieved in your first year at the finals was phenominal. Next year its ALL about one place higher....Period!! :thumb:

Funny you should mention vodka, Amanda just poured me a cheeky one. Only 3 days and counting and I have a few little treats lined up before monday's lift off. One being roast beef and yorkshire puds with milky bar and strawberry homemade cheesecake!!!!!! Yeah baby!!

Jx


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## supercell

strange_days said:


> Good work on the last show James, really enjoyed following your progress. Subbed for this one and really rooting for you.
> 
> Sounds like you gonna be taking a kick ass package to the next show..


Thanks mate.

yeah I'm really fired up for this like you wouldn't believe. What has been really nice is that I have been able to relax completely in this short 'off season' phase and enjoy some of the finer things in life. Being relaxed and happy has made a massive difference to me mentally and physically!!

J


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## robc

All the best James!


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## supercell

^^^^ Cheers Rob, appreciate the support!!

J


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## defdaz

Thanks so much for keeping these Journals J, you are a credit to our sport and an inspiration to us all. Can't wait to see you shredded and bagging that Mr O invite! :thumb:


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## bigkiwi

Best of luck at Hartford James - i'm sure we'll see you on the 202 Olympia stage


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## kirkelliott

good to see a new thread mate! hope ur well! kirk


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## wannabehuge89

Thanks for seeing me the other day James, was a great help! Good luck with the show, bring home a trophy for ministry!


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## Greyphantom

Hi mate, nothing much to add but my good wishes for you in achieving your goals and I will be following with interest... you certainly have an awesome physique mate...


----------



## supercell

defdaz said:


> Thanks so much for keeping these Journals J, you are a credit to our sport and an inspiration to us all. Can't wait to see you shredded and bagging that Mr O invite! :thumb:


Thanks buddy. Appreciate your support as always.

J


----------



## supercell

bigkiwi said:


> Best of luck at Hartford James - i'm sure we'll see you on the 202 Olympia stage


Thankyou, here's keeping my fingers crossed. there's a lot of work to be done between then and now.



kirkelliott said:


> good to see a new thread mate! hope ur well! kirk


Yeah I'm good mate and in a good place right now to start the prep.



wannabehuge89 said:


> Thanks for seeing me the other day James, was a great help! Good luck with the show, bring home a trophy for ministry!


Hey no problem James, was great seeing you. You looked bang on track just keep your eye on the prize!!!!



Greyphantom said:


> Hi mate, nothing much to add but my good wishes for you in achieving your goals and I will be following with interest... you certainly have an awesome physique mate...


Thankyou very much for your support.

J


----------



## XJPX

best of luck again mate, is great having ur thread....trying to sponge as much info as i can  ....now just need to kno the exact details behind ur water/sodium manipulation haha


----------



## XL

supercell said:


> Hey P,
> 
> You know as well as I do that we never stop learning in this game of BBing, that's what makes it so bloody fascinating and interesting. :thumbup1:
> 
> Thats great that you have managed to keep the rebound under control. Its one part of the whole prep I dread TBH. I remember 4 days after my last guest spot (3 weeks after the UK's in 2008), I had kept my body at 80kgs for around 5 weeks and when I let everything back in food, fluid and sodium wise I had THE most horrendous rebound. I looked 16 weeks out 4 days after and that is not a good look!!! :whistling:
> 
> Onwards and upwards for you now my friend. What you have achieved in your first year at the finals was phenominal. Next year its ALL about one place higher....Period!! :thumb:
> 
> Funny you should mention vodka, Amanda just poured me a cheeky one. Only 3 days and counting and I have a few little treats lined up before monday's lift off. One being roast beef and yorkshire puds with *milky bar and strawberry homemade cheesecake*!!!!!! Yeah baby!!
> 
> Jx


There is no two ways about it, this journal will be great HOWEVER it will get a damn site greater the sooner you post the recipe for this cheesecake! ! !


----------



## leafman

Good luck with everything, will be silently following :thumbup1:


----------



## supercell

XJPX said:


> best of luck again mate, is great having ur thread....trying to sponge as much info as i can  ....now just need to kno the exact details behind ur water/sodium manipulation haha


I could tell you Jordan, but then I would would have to kill you. Sorry. :thumb:

Thanks for the support mate, I appreciate it. Good work with James too, he seems to be coming in an absolute treat!!!

J


----------



## supercell

Brandl said:


> There is no two ways about it, this journal will be great HOWEVER it will get a damn site greater the sooner you post the recipe for this cheesecake! ! !


The recipe is Amanda's secret recipe, even I am not allowed the true ingredients. All I know is I bought some of them today and the combined calories were coming in at around 4 million. Just the way I like it!! :beer:


----------



## supercell

leafman said:


> Good luck with everything, will be silently following :thumbup1:


Nice one, dont be silent though mate!

J


----------



## strange_days

Pics Pics Pics


----------



## XJPX

supercell said:


> I could tell you Jordan, but then I would would have to kill you. Sorry. :thumb:
> 
> Thanks for the support mate, I appreciate it. Good work with James too, he seems to be coming in an absolute treat!!!
> 
> J


thanks mate, u looking at him did his confidence a world of gd aswell  ....we just keeping everything super simple and is working nicely.....i now just have to apply that to myself this year too :whistling:


----------



## willsey4

Hi James, well done on your 4th place at your last show.

Just seen this thread, subscribed and looking forward to following it.

Thinking about coming down to ministry sooon to train so might catch you down there. Will say hi if i do. Im in Essex so only about an hour drive if that.

Will see if Mart wants to come down with me, Martyn Mcglin that is.

All the best.

P.S - Just watched part of your dvd, very good. However that song you use in the background when your training is annoying the hell out of me as I cant get it out of my head now!


----------



## XL

supercell said:


> *The recipe is Amanda's secret recipe, even I am not allowed the true ingredients.* All I know is I bought some of them today and the combined calories were coming in at around 4 million. Just the way I like it!! :beer:


 :crying:


----------



## Howe

Best of luck James! You truely are an inspiration! Will be quietly following this closely and thanks for keeping the journal!


----------



## supercell

I think the words do as I say and not as I do ring very ture after last nights little episode.

It was one of my very good friends wedding yesterday so the day was spent eating and drinking copious amounts of alcohol. I was pretty impressed that although i drank a few glasses of champaigne, wine, vodka and 5 pints of Stella, i was still able to drive home!!! I'm joking!!

I did get up at 7 to do my cardio but laid in bed till 8 and did it then instead and that helped blow the cobwebs away. So far the day has been like any other normal day; just eating my food and getting on with a few chores as well as relaxing with Amanda before she goes home early tomorrow morning before I start work. Tonight Amanda is cooking a nice roast dinner with a lovely strawberry and white chocolate cheesecake to follow which will be my last blowout before my diet starts tomorrow.

I did take a couple of pictures yesterday but seem to be having a problem uploading them. i'll try and sort asap!!

Hope everyone has had a nice weekend so far.

J


----------



## hilly

sounds like you enjoyed ureself james good for u and that meal 2night sounds great.

I still havnt drank this year and my show was 4 weeks ago lol. Away for the weekend in 2 weeks so will be making the most of it then  looking forward to the pics


----------



## Robw

sounds like a fun day james.... i have had a bit of a blow out my self this weekend ( on food that is as i dont drink) getting ready for my fresh start on monday !!

Plus it had been months since i had a pizza and a box of chocolate eclairs :laugh::laugh:


----------



## leonface

James you are a great inspiration to many, myself included, thanks for taking the time to post a journal on the forum!


----------



## WWR

You're living the dream James, mahoosive inspiration to me.

Best of luck!!


----------



## 3752

supercell said:


> I think the words do as I say and not as I do ring very ture after last nights little episode.
> 
> It was one of my very good friends wedding yesterday so the day was spent eating and drinking copious amounts of alcohol. I was pretty impressed that although i drank a few glasses of champaigne, wine, vodka and 5 pints of Stella, i was still able to drive home!!! I'm joking!!
> 
> I did get up at 7 to do my cardio but laid in bed till 8 and did it then instead and that helped blow the cobwebs away. So far the day has been like any other normal day; just eating my food and getting on with a few chores as well as relaxing with Amanda before she goes home early tomorrow morning before I start work. Tonight Amanda is cooking a nice roast dinner with a lovely strawberry and white chocolate cheesecake to follow which will be my last blowout before my diet starts tomorrow.
> 
> I did take a couple of pictures yesterday but seem to be having a problem uploading them. i'll try and sort asap!!
> 
> Hope everyone has had a nice weekend so far.
> 
> J


LOL.....i had a few glasses of red wine last night might have one tonight with my cheesecake as my plan starts tomorrow sort of a clean up for the next 8 weeks before the diet start but with sitting 10lbs over show day not much to clean up......

all the best for the prep buddy


----------



## supercell

Thanks to everyone for their comments and support.

I had a great weekend and Amanda is about to leave to go back up to Stockton. We have a had a great week but as they say, all good things must come to an end. I'll be going back up next monday for a couple of days so I'll be saving my treat for monday night instead of sunday next week.

Today started with cardio and this will be something that will be part of my daily routine from now on. I am starting with 30 minutes pre breakfast and it involves a walk around the country lanes where I am now staying with my house mate (and ex training partner) Matt.

My weight this morning was 13st 11lbs so I have calculated around a 10-12lb drop over the next 6 weeks should see me at my depleted weight before loading.

My only (and fairly major concern) is getting out to the States and staying close to the venue. The cheapest flights now are around £700-800 and thats to the Eastern side of the U.S!! I think the school summer holidays are to blame as well as booking fairly late in the day. If this becomes an issue then I may think about doing the last qualifier in September which is one week before the Olympia but I will make my mind up in the next day or so.

Jose Raymond said I am able to stay with him but he will be doing the Tampa Pro and wont be returning home until the tuesday eve which will be the first day of carbing up. I really need to be flying in on the sunday or the latest monday, whilst I am still depeleting. Flying whilst carbing is not something I want to be doing as my body doesn't handle it particularly well and I end up holding shed loads of water which I then find difficult to lose.

Anyway, the weekends excesses dont seem to have done too much damage as my weight is only up around 0.5-1lb from friday and within a few days I'll be back to where I was.

I am excited about the next 6 weeks and have a guest spot in N Ireland in around 2-3 weeks time which I am really looking forward to as I have never been to Ireland.

J


----------



## wannabehuge89

Hope you manage to sort some flights out mate, looking forward to your next pro appearance!


----------



## mark333

Good luck, stay positive and show them what the BRITS are made of!!!!!


----------



## strange_days

Good to hear things going to plan James, hope the flying issues get resolved.

Really enjoying following your progress, and you are surely an inspiration to me !

J


----------



## OJay

good luck mate, great meeting youat the bodypower expo. will you be at the muscletalk show?

13st 11 seems an unknown weight to me now! i weighed 11st 5lbs this morning before the bnbf southern sunday! lol


----------



## SK-XO

Good luck with the show mate, looking massive .


----------



## supercell

Ok, an update.

I have no decided that I will NOT be doing the Connecticut Pro. There are a few reasons for this, the main being the costs. The second reason is that I am planning on moving house at a similar time and as Pscarb knows only too well, it can be a stressful experience especially when energy levels are low.

The problem is that this show falls in the school holidays and means that everything is just double the cost. I cant ask Kerry and CNP to foot the bill simply because of their outgoings this year with their new facility.

So the plan is to do the very last qualifier, which will undoubtedly have some good names there as it is soley a 202 show and has better prize money. It is also out of the school hols and is just 1 week before the Olympia and if I qualify it wouldnt mean 2 trips!! But that is a big IF though!!

I am still staying in shape as I have a few guest spots coming up but it does allow me a little more freedom with my food and cardio and will allow a slightly longer off season phase to maybe put on a few ounzes of extra beef!!!

So thats the decision, Im just waiting confirmation from my travel agent as to costings but one thing is for sure I will be competing here NO MATTER what and hopefully achieve my dream.

J


----------



## leeston

good luck with what you decide to do James.

We wont be seeing you in Vegas this year. Last year we sat near each other watching John - this year buddy it will be you up there.

Stay positive!

Lee


----------



## tjwilkie

just got back from the gym and ur dvd was waiting for me (get in). gutted could have done with inspiration before that diabolical shoulder workout. got luck with ur show later on in the year, and keep up the good work J


----------



## 3752

supercell said:


> Ok, an update.
> 
> I have no decided that I will NOT be doing the Connecticut Pro. There are a few reasons for this, the main being the costs. The second reason is that I am planning on moving house at a similar time and as *Pscarb knows only too well, it can be a stressful experience especially when energy levels are low*.
> 
> The problem is that this show falls in the school holidays and means that everything is just double the cost. I cant ask Kerry and CNP to foot the bill simply because of their outgoings this year with their new facility.
> 
> So the plan is to do the very last qualifier, which will undoubtedly have some good names there as it is soley a 202 show and has better prize money. It is also out of the school hols and is just 1 week before the Olympia and if I qualify it wouldnt mean 2 trips!! But that is a big IF though!!
> 
> I am still staying in shape as I have a few guest spots coming up but it does allow me a little more freedom with my food and cardio and will allow a slightly longer off season phase to maybe put on a few ounzes of extra beef!!!
> 
> So thats the decision, Im just waiting confirmation from my travel agent as to costings but one thing is for sure I will be competing here NO MATTER what and hopefully achieve my dream.
> 
> J


one of the worst experiances mate when dieting so close to a show i certainly will not be doing it again.....

i think the right choice has been made it sounds like you will be in a better place emotional and stress wise....


----------



## Greyphantom

Good luck with the change in comp mate... its damn criminal how they jack up the prices during the kids holidays...


----------



## Linny

You will be under enough pressure has it is Jim without adding any more.

For you to change the qualifier shows you've been worrying about it anyway.

Sometimes other priorities need to come first :thumbup1:

Linda x


----------



## OJay

are you oing to be on stand with lee and hels sunday mate?


----------



## supercell

It has now been decided that I will be doing the John Simmons 202 in Detroit which is in mid September and 1 week out from the Olympia.

It basically boiled down to costing and although still expensive, it was a little cheaper.

So I am now around 11 weeks out. Im still holding around the same bodyweight and conditioning I have been for the last 4 weeks without any bother at all (and quite a few treats and cheeky glasses of wine)

I am off the the N Ireland UKBFF show this weekend and guest posing for my friend Steve Graham there who I think will also be donning the trunks as he will be close to his Euro or World IFBB show!! I am really looking forward to going as it will be my first trip to Ireland and no doubt I will have a little tipple of the Black Gold whilst there!! Got to get my vitamins from somewhere!!

I am totally focused on the September show now and it will be all guns blazing. Its sh1t or bust but whatever happens I'll be in my best shape and I will thoroughly enjoy it as I did the last one!!!

J


----------



## adamdutton

good luck mate, hope everything goes to plan and you get the placing you deserve.


----------



## strange_days

Go James.

This journal needs some more pic whoring though


----------



## najybomb

Iya James, fantastic journal! I'm competeing in the ukbff southwest classic this year so i'm looking forward to having the chance to meet you and see you in the guest spot! Keep up the work man! Inspiration!


----------



## supercell

Just another quick update.

I returned from the UKBFF Northern Ireland show this weekend where I did a guest spot. I had a great weekend and Steve and his wife were absolutely brilliant hosts to me. The people were very warm and friendly and Steve has given me the invitation to go over there whenever I want during my prep to train and diet with him.

I am now just under 10 weeks out and my diet started today. I have had a fairly loose grip on my diet the last couple of weeks but am still in good shape and would probably only need 6-8 weeks to get in shape if push came to shove. However, I am wanting to be ready early for this show so I am relaxed leading into it.

My cardio started this morning and took a lovely route through the woods and along country lanes. It starts with a great big hill so my heart rate goes up pretty quickly and my hams and glutes are screaming at the top!!!

My diet is now back to where it was. My bodyweight has dropped a little and I was sitting at around 13st 7lbs this morning but I will now start to volumise as my prep gets underway.

So this is it, back on the wagon and steady as she goes for the next 9 weeks then I'll be flying out 1 week before for my final weeks prep.

J


----------



## ah24

Hope all goes well J


----------



## LOCUST

Nice one james, good luck will be follwing as usual.

Do you expect to gain as you come into the show like usual ?

How does you starting bodyweight compare to what you will end up on stage at this time ?

Good luck bro.


----------



## supercell

LOCUST said:


> Nice one james, good luck will be follwing as usual.
> 
> Do you expect to gain as you come into the show like usual ?
> 
> How does you starting bodyweight compare to what you will end up on stage at this time ?
> 
> Good luck bro.


Hi,

Yes I expect I will start to volumise a little now. A lot of water has come off me since starting my diet 2 days ago. I'm actually leaner than I thought. My glutes has just about gone but today they are back!! :thumbup1:

My weight this morning was 13st 5lb, so 1lb up from yesterday but a net loss of 2lbs since sunday. I expect to end the week at around the same weight as I started it.

I am SO focused, in fact the most focused I have been since 2008 and thats a really big thing for me. I have struggled all year with motivation but now its back and that is a very good thing for James to be the best he can be.

I took last week off training except 2 circuit workouts. I just felt I needed a break. Now I am back training properly the DOMS have been incredible. The whole of my back this morning is sore and my chest is still sore from monday.

So with proper training, good solid nutrition and the resumption of supplements my body will get a great kick start over the next 2 weeks.

Have a great day

J


----------



## bigkiwi

Keep up the good work James and good luck with the diet


----------



## supercell

bigkiwi said:


> Keep up the good work James and good luck with the diet


Thanks buddy :thumb:

J


----------



## hilly

how roughly are you training at the moment james, 3-5 days a week?? are you still following neils y3 approach


----------



## supercell

I'm going to follow a 2 on 1 off 2 on 2 off approach, so just 4x a week for now. I may step this up to 5x a week but will just see how I feel.

This week its just about solid training and all the time my energy levels are good I'll stick with the Y3T approach. Once I hit that wall, its just counter productive and then its just about pushing a bit of blood through, the growing is done its just about muscle conservation at that stage!!

I have been unable to do deads for around 6-8 weeks now. I have a hip problem (dislocated at birth) and as a result my sacro illiac joint is out of kilter and causes hip, glute and lower back pain when aggrivated. It got so bad last time I couldn't even bend over to put my shoes on. As a result I have gone much lighter with BOR's too. I was up to 3.5 plates a side for a solid 8 reps but that now doesn't go much above 2.5 a side now.

I have been doing a lot more behind the neck pull downs. My flexibility has improved and the lat activation I get is phenominal. Its not an exercise I would recommend to a novice but an experienced bodybuilder can benefit from it, just as he can from behind the neck press for delts. Rotator strength is crucial in both exercises so make sure you are warmed up well first.

So all good

J


----------



## hilly

interesting stuff james cheers and will be following as usual


----------



## LOCUST

supercell said:


> Hi,
> 
> Yes I expect I will start to volumise a little now. A lot of water has come off me since starting my diet 2 days ago. I'm actually leaner than I thought. My glutes has just about gone but today they are back!! :thumbup1:
> 
> My weight this morning was 13st 5lb, so 1lb up from yesterday but a net loss of 2lbs since sunday. I expect to end the week at around the same weight as I started it.
> 
> I am SO focused, in fact the most focused I have been since 2008 and thats a really big thing for me. I have struggled all year with motivation but now its back and that is a very good thing for James to be the best he can be.
> 
> I took last week off training except 2 circuit workouts. I just felt I needed a break. Now I am back training properly the DOMS have been incredible. The whole of my back this morning is sore and my chest is still sore from monday.
> 
> So with proper training, good solid nutrition and the resumption of supplements my body will get a great kick start over the next 2 weeks.
> 
> Have a great day
> 
> J


Thats great to hear mate, im really wishing you to do well.

nick


----------



## kgb

Love reading your stuff James, best of luck.


----------



## strange_days

I've seen a documentary about this hip dislocation thing at birth, interesting subject and very peculiar ailment.

Good luck mate and stick at it.

Still no pics though


----------



## supercell

LOCUST said:


> Thats great to hear mate, im really wishing you to do well.
> 
> nick


Cheers buddy, hope you are well!!



kgb said:


> Love reading your stuff James, best of luck.


Many thanks.



bulkaholic said:


> Hope it all goes to plan James as I am sure it will.
> 
> Look forward to seeing your guest spot at Dorchester in 6 weeks time:thumbup1:


I am really focused, 4 days in and going a storm!!! See you at the SW. Good interview BTW mate:thumbup1:



strange_days said:


> I've seen a documentary about this hip dislocation thing at birth, interesting subject and very peculiar ailment.
> 
> Good luck mate and stick at it.
> 
> Still no pics though


Yeah still no pics, I'm 'volumising' at the moment mate, they'll be along soon enough:whistling:

J


----------



## supercell

The volumising I was talking about is happening. My starting weight was 13st 7lbs and it then dropped by 3lbs and today its back up to my starting weight. I would expect my weight to climb up to around 13st 12lbs before coming back down again in the final 6 weeks. That would leave me around 12lbs to lose in 6 weeks which fits into my weight loss of 2lbs a week nicely.

I trained legs last night in the searing heat. Made myself feel so sick that it took me an hour later to drink my PWO drink and 3 hours later to eat my PWO meal!!

Today my legs are mashed, cardio was OK after they loosened off but now they have siezed up again. Oh well, serves me right for taking a week off them.

Its another hot day here in the SE with the temp already up to 26c and its only 10.30am!! Luckily its a day off training today and then tomorrow I'll hit delts for my final bodypart this week.

I dont know what I'll have for my cheat meal this week, I must admit right now I dont feel like one, the heat has really hit my appetite. Oh well I guess be thankful of small mercies cos in 4 weeks time I'll be starving!!

J


----------



## MXD

Love it mate will be folwing and best of luck!


----------



## hilly

James do you think doing cardio the day after legs is counter productive to growth and recovery? i no some feel it is while others feel as long as the cardio isnt to taxing then it will help with recovery. curently i do 20-30 mins on a stationary bike 5 x per week and usually miss the day after my leg training and make it up on weekends.

any thoughts?


----------



## Greyphantom

Know what you mean re the heat Mate... I am in your neck of the woods and its scorching... will be doing back in about 30mins with deads and not looking forward to it... good luck with all your training mate...


----------



## supercell

MXD said:


> Love it mate will be folwing and best of luck!


Cheers mate!! :thumb:

J


----------



## supercell

hilly said:


> James do you think doing cardio the day after legs is counter productive to growth and recovery? i no some feel it is while others feel as long as the cardio isnt to taxing then it will help with recovery. curently i do 20-30 mins on a stationary bike 5 x per week and usually miss the day after my leg training and make it up on weekends.
> 
> any thoughts?


Difficult one. If you hammered the cardio then I think it would be counter productive but getting some blood flowing through by doing some low impact aerobics would be beneficial I feel.

As far as stationary bike, I think its a lazy man's cardio. Get off your bike and get outside power walking, especially in this beautiful weather. Find some hills and get going!! Bodyweight cardio is the best ie walking, x trainer, stepper. Just my humble opinion though:whistling:

J


----------



## supercell

Greyphantom said:


> Know what you mean re the heat Mate... I am in your neck of the woods and its scorching... will be doing back in about 30mins with deads and not looking forward to it... good luck with all your training mate...


Thanks buddy, appreciate that.

J


----------



## hilly

supercell said:


> Difficult one. If you hammered the cardio then I think it would be counter productive but getting some blood flowing through by doing some low impact aerobics would be beneficial I feel.
> 
> *As far as stationary bike, I think its a lazy man's cardio. Get off your bike and get outside power walking, especially in this beautiful weather. Find some hills and get going!! Bodyweight cardio is the best ie walking, x trainer, stepper. Just my humble opinion though* :whistling:
> 
> J


I used to agree but after purhcasing a heart rate monitor i find walking the streets doesnt get my heart rate past 120 unless i jog for intervals every now and again were HIT on a bike i can keep it around 125-120.

I even bought a weighted vest which does keep heart rate over 120 just but i get some funny looks now the weather is bright haha:lol:


----------



## supercell

You can have ya bike, it might take me longer to get where I'm going but I'll walk!! :thumb:

Each to their own my friend:thumbup1:

J


----------



## supercell

Weight today is up another 1lb from yesterday, so after the initial drop I have gained 4lbs this week, so the volumisation is well underway. I feel and look a lot fuller now and I am happy where my conditioning is 8 weeks out.

I will up my cardio next week to 40 mins 7x weekly from the 30 mins I'm doing now. Due to my conditioning I can now afford to drop nice and slowly and just make very subtle changes to cardio and diet to get the desired results.

J


----------



## Galtonator

slow and surley wins the race James


----------



## supercell

Haha, indeed Scott, slowly slowly catchy monkey my friend!!!

J


----------



## supercell

Its sunday today and it's cheat meal day. Oh what to have. My appetite has been a little bit battered this week due tot the excessive heat here in the SE but I'm sure I'll be able to tuck away something.

My weight continues to climb and this morning I was 13st 10lbs, so a net gain of 3lbs for the week and a climb of 6lb from my lowest on tuesday morning.

I feel fuller and bigger and raring to go!!!

J


----------



## supercell

Today I woke at 13st 10lb, so the same as yesterday.

My cheat was very reserved indeed, not high in carbs but higher in sat fats as my appetite still isn't great.

I had crab cakes and then chicken with mozzerella, tomatoes and Parma ham with a side of fries.

Today I upped my cardio to 40 minutes and it was the first day for days where the sun wasn't shining!!

I helped out at the gym yesterday moving some of the kit to the new premises. Today they open for business but the official launch and opening is on the 1st August I believe. Today I'll be training chest and some triceps.

I have found myself a new training partner which will mean that I will be training later in the day now at around 6pm. It will be interesting how I find this as I have always trained in the mornings after just 1 meal.

J


----------



## XJPX

am sure url enjoy ur sessions more in the evning mate, gives u all day to build up sum focus to smash thru them, especially at this stage making every session count  , hope the new training partner works out gd......i cnt train with ppl as a regular thing  , after about 3 sessions of them chatting or slowing things down they jus annoy me lol


----------



## supercell

Yeah I have always pretty much trained alone but I have trained with this guy before a few years ago and he always pushed me back then and then I moved gyms.

Trained chest/tri's today (well I did 3 sets for tri's if you can call that training them?!)and had a good session and tomorrow eve is back and bi's....Bring it on!!

J


----------



## strange_days

Keep pushing James, you are showing us all how a true pro does it.

In my experience motivation is all about a state of mind, and you have obviously figured out how to motivate yourself to push through pain barriers, and to chow down even when you don't feel like it etc, keep going just keep pushing, like Kate Bush said, "Keep running up that hill"

bit of cheese for you (is that allowed as a cheat? :lol: )


----------



## 3752

Hey James hope things are getting sorted buddy i am sure you will like training in the evening you sure will sleep better....lol good luck with the prep mate mine starts in 2 weeks so will be yet again dieting together...lol

all the best mate


----------



## supercell

Hi Paul.

Things are very much on track again in my life now. The diet is going very well and my head is back where it should be. Good luck with your diet mate doesn't seem that long ago you were dieting for the British. Oh hang on, that's cos it wasn't lol

J


----------



## 3752

no mate it was not lol and to be honest i have not really come off the diet sitting now at 208lbs 12 more than onstage so in a good place to rectify the mistakes made at the Britian.....

glad you head is back on top buddy speak soon


----------



## jw007

supercell said:


> *Yeah I have always pretty much trained alone* but I have trained with this guy before a few years ago and he always pushed me back then and then I moved gyms.
> 
> Trained chest/tri's today (well I did 3 sets for tri's if you can call that training them?!)and had a good session and tomorrow eve is back and bi's....Bring it on!!
> 
> J


You been watching Rocky 3 J???

Clubber lang (MR T) when abusing Rockys trainer Mickey

*I live alone. I train alone. I'll win the title alone.*

:lol: :beer:


----------



## kirkelliott

good read so far james, and great to see you onboard with cnp! keep up the good work my man =]


----------



## OJay

james i saw on mt erics post about the spain ifbb pro show in september will be a qualifier for the olympia, have you considered doing this one for less travelling?


----------



## supercell

Well its Saturday and my weight is now up to 13st 12lb so an increase of 5lb and 8lb from my lowest weight. I have probably finished volumising now. I have certainly leaned out a lot now and am very happy for where I am 6 weeks out.

I have decided now to do the Madrid show the week before and my flights are now booked, so any support would he very much welcomed!

Its going to b a busy schedule with potentially 3 shows in 14 days as well as thousands of miles if travelling but I am very excited about the prospect.

J


----------



## strange_days

Really pleased that you have a sound plan in place now.

What are your goals for the Madrid show ?

James


----------



## lockstock

strange_days said:


> Really pleased that you have a sound plan in place now.
> 
> What are your goals for the Madrid show ?
> 
> James


TO WIN, WIN, WIN!!! :thumb:


----------



## supercell

^^^^^^^ EXACTLY!!!!!!!

Only the winner qualifies, so that is my goal!

Update. My weight has climbed to just shy of 14st today, so a little more volumisation than I originally thought but its all good.

Feeling full as a house and conditioning is now good. Vascularity is now showing in my back, striations on quads and also on glutes. So right now I am in a good place and I'll be seeing Neil on Saturday for a catch up before he flies out for the USA's.

J


----------



## MrP

Hi James good luck for this yr.

Saw u down beefs looked relaxed and chillin with a friend. U looked to busy and i was to shy say hi lol :laugh:

Do u still train at Ministry, heard they were moving premises, would love train there but am at the new beefs at present.

subcribin to this to follow u and hopefully learn something at same time

Dan


----------



## LOCUST

James i dont know if its possible but can you explain a little about the volumisation ?


----------



## russforever

that was you i saw in faversham earlier by the duck pond? I would of said hi but was in rush for the train  looking huuuuuuuuuge


----------



## supercell

MrP said:


> Hi James good luck for this yr.
> 
> Saw u down beefs looked relaxed and chillin with a friend. U looked to busy and i was to shy say hi lol :laugh:
> 
> Do u still train at Ministry, heard they were moving premises, would love train there but am at the new beefs at present.
> 
> subcribin to this to follow u and hopefully learn something at same time
> 
> Dan


Hi Dan,

I train all over the place but yes, Ministry is my home. Yes they have moved premises now and although the official opening is on Aug 1st, they are open for business and its big!!!!

J


----------



## supercell

LOCUST said:


> James i dont know if its possible but can you explain a little about the volumisation ?


Yes its when a physique fills out and gets bigger and harder due to correct diet and supplementation protocols:lol:

J


----------



## supercell

russforever said:


> that was you i saw in faversham earlier by the duck pond? I would of said hi but was in rush for the train  looking huuuuuuuuuge


Yes it was mate and was it you walking past with a rather attractive young lady at your side? :thumbup1:

J


----------



## FATBOY

good luck with this m8


----------



## supercell

OK so an update.

My weight kind of peaked at around 13st 13lbs - 14st and has now come back down to 13st 11lb today. I haven't done a lot of cardio this week as mym weight has been dropping slowly but steadily and my conditioning is improving nicely. I am trying to be a little more instinctive with everything this time round and with 6 weeks to go I dont want to burn any unwanted muscle tissue away by doing too much cardio.

I have cut around 60g of carbs out a day this last week and its made a big difference without feeling too hungry. Due to the lack of cardio, energy levels are good and my physique is full and getting harder.

I am seeing Neil tomorrow up in London and although he hasn't been guiding me this time I always value his opinion on all matters to do with contest prep and conditioning.

J


----------



## Suprakill4

Glad things are going well again James. I watched your DVD again at the beginning of this week, amazing for inspiration!!!

Whens the next one


----------



## ah24

supercell said:


> I am seeing Neil tomorrow up in London and although he hasn't been guiding me this time I always value his opinion on all matters to do with contest prep and conditioning.


Will he be taking over the last few weeks again?


----------



## supercell

FATBOY said:


> good luck with this m8


Thanks FB! :thumb:

J


----------



## supercell

kieren1234 said:


> Glad things are going well again James. I watched your DVD again at the beginning of this week, amazing for inspiration!!!
> 
> Whens the next one


Thanks mate, nice one:thumbup1:

6 weeks time mate in Madrid!!!

J


----------



## supercell

ah24 said:


> Will he be taking over the last few weeks again?


I dont know mate, I may see if I can do it alone.

J


----------



## XL

James, are you still filming for "The Awakening"?


----------



## Simon m

James just seen you on TV training chest with Neale Cranwell and that fella with the pony tail - looked like a good session. Are you gonna do anymore?


----------



## russforever

supercell said:


> Yes it was mate and was it you walking past with a rather attractive young lady at your side? :thumbup1:
> 
> J


nah was by myself with a massive rain coat on looking sorry for myself :tongue:


----------



## OJay

Hi James

Just a quick q, do you do contest and offseason work with bodybuilders?


----------



## supercell

Brandl said:


> James, are you still filming for "The Awakening"?


I am indeed and it should be out this Nov/Dec time

J


----------



## supercell

Simon m said:


> James just seen you on TV training chest with Neale Cranwell and that fella with the pony tail - looked like a good session. Are you gonna do anymore?


No, I dont think I will be doing any more but you never know. Its a long 3-4 hours of fliming for one body part as they have to move the cameras and lights etc around the gym and then set them all back up. Luckily I was on fairly high carbs but poor Neil had been depleting on white fish and veg and was absolutely fooked!!

J


----------



## supercell

OJay said:


> Hi James
> 
> Just a quick q, do you do contest and offseason work with bodybuilders?


Hi,

Yes its what I do for a living. If you need any more info then PM me here or call my mobile on 07790775383

J


----------



## supercell

OK so update time.

Everything has been going very well so far. I quickly saw Neil on saturday before he flew out to the U.S and he said that I am on track, in fact a little ahead....But thats exactly where I want to be and where I want to say. I backed right off my cardio last week and think I only did 3 sessions or so. This week I am doing every day cardio at 20 mins pre meal 1, so not too bad for just over 5 weeks out.

I am sitting at around 13st 12lbs at the moment and although my weight isn't dropping by a lot, I am seeing new lines appear daily now.

I feel fuller and leaner this time around and Neil reckoned another 5-7lbs to come off which would mean I'd be around 5-7lb up from my last outing in April which on my frame is a lot of extra fullness. Its definately helped my cause staying leaner this time around and meant that I have been able to come in steadily on around 300g of carbs a day and little if any cardio.

So all good in my world at present

J


----------



## Simon m

supercell said:


> No, I dont think I will be doing any more but you never know. Its a long 3-4 hours of fliming for one body part as they have to move the cameras and lights etc around the gym and then set them all back up. Luckily I was on fairly high carbs but poor Neil had been depleting on white fish and veg and was absolutely fooked!!
> 
> J


That's a shame mate as you always come over well as did Neale.

We need blokes like you on TV showing that we're not a bunch of idiots.


----------



## Dagman72

supercell said:


> I am indeed and it should be out this Nov/Dec time
> 
> J


Just in time for xmas, will let my girlfriend know what to get me :thumb:


----------



## smurphy

Good luck with the prep and comp mate. I remember neale used to train at the gym I go to (monster gym) before he set up Krunch, nice lad


----------



## supercell

Here are some pics from today. Sunday 1/8/10 weighing 194lbs.

5 weeks out today.


----------



## hilly

Looking in very good condition james and you look much fuller/denser than ive ever seen you before.


----------



## Incredible Bulk

looking great james!! an inspiration

with a bit more fullness and size in the chest you'd be spot on mate


----------



## Bettyboo

Christ looking good as always, hope it goes well for you


----------



## supercell

I'm very pleased with where I am but the really hard work is yet to come. I have got this far on around 325g of carbs a day and only 20 mins of cardio a day last week. Staying lean since my April show has been a real godsend but to get that grainy look we may have to push the cardio up to 30 mins lol!!

No seriously I'll be changing things at around 4 weeks out but at the moment I am getting leaner and my bodyweight has remained stable for the last 3 weeks which shows my nutrition at present and level of cardio activity is spot on.

I think realistically I can be around 5lb heavier this time around with better conditioning in my lower body and a fuller rounder look to my muscles. 2 hours of cardio a day and around 2300 cals took its toll last time but it had to be done to get in any sort of condition for my last show. I did lose fullness and also my legs were hammered and held onto water and fat which this time they are readily letting go of.

Cheat meal tonight and I will probably be hitting Zizi's, an Italian chain of restuarants which I love. Bread in dipping oil and balsamic vinegar to start I reckon and something like sticky toffee pud to finish, just got to work out what the main will be. I'm thinking ribeye with rosti potatoes. Mmmmmmmmmm.

J


----------



## Mikazagreat

Looking superb mate g.luck.


----------



## kirkelliott

lookin good james!


----------



## OJay

looking good james, be interesting to compare the pictures side by side


----------



## Simon m

Great condition James, one thing though, your arms don't look quite as freaky as they once did, I know you very rarely train them, but huge arms on a small fella has worked well for Lee Priest...


----------



## FATBOY

you have a realy nice look to your physique m8 still very asthetic even with the added mass


----------



## kgb

Beast


----------



## supercell

Simon m said:


> Great condition James, one thing though, your arms don't look quite as freaky as they once did, I know you very rarely train them, but huge arms on a small fella has worked well for Lee Priest...


Thats an interesting observation. They still measure the same as before but with slightly more added mass elsewhere they look a little less freaky than they used to. The picture below was taken with Jo Griffiths (a figure girl I am prepping this year) and as you can see, once they are pumped they are still too big IMO. I know what you mean though about big arms = good thing but too big arms (and delts for that matter) can detract from other bodyparts especially when below par, like my chest for example.

J


----------



## pea head

Looking awesome J

Major improvements


----------



## supercell

FATBOY said:


> you have a realy nice look to your physique m8 still very asthetic even with the added mass


I'm getting there slowly but surely. There is still a lot of work of to do though, as there is always in this sport. My back width is now improving from doing pulldowns behind the neck instead of the front. This seems to activate my lats far better and takes my biceps out of the movement more, which for me is a good thing. My chest although still weak, is slowly filling out now and coming in fuller will help this area, as when I am flatter the first area to get hit is my chest.

My quads also now have more sweep and once they are really dialled, as they will be, the illusion will be even greater. All in all I am happy how things are going plus my physique looks really healthy at the moment and if people really knew how little 'supplementation' I was using I think they would be shocked.

Just shows that this sport is nearly all about nutrition and consistency.

J


----------



## supercell

Incredible Bulk said:


> looking great james!! an inspiration
> 
> with a bit more fullness and size in the chest you'd be spot on mate


Thanks mate and yes, I more than agree with you, although things are heading in the right direction. if only I could keep that look I get after training chest, then I'd be much happier!! :thumb:

J


----------



## supercell

bulkaholic said:


> Looking excellent James and should excellent for guest pose at Dorchester will see you there. Good luck with next few weeks although it's not really luck just damn hard work


Thanks Colin, yes I'll be there and only 3 weeks out at the Dorchester show, so will be in decent Nick.

J


----------



## supercell

Sorry made a mistake guys. I'm 6 weeks out. Even better, that means even more food tonight haha

J


----------



## Biggerdave

Look incredible for 6 weeks out buddy. Those legs look freaking awesome!

Good things will come from this show i reckon with you being in such a better place all round this time

Take care mate


----------



## Incredible Bulk

supercell said:


> Thanks mate and yes, I more than agree with you, although things are heading in the right direction. if only I could keep that look I get after training chest, then I'd be much happier!! :thumb:
> 
> J


LMAO, dont we all?

I look in the gym mirror after training my back, see it all thick and full only to see it deflate a few hours later :cursing: :lol:


----------



## supercell

Biggerdave said:


> Look incredible for 6 weeks out buddy. Those legs look freaking awesome!
> 
> Good things will come from this show i reckon with you being in such a better place all round this time
> 
> Take care mate


Thanks Dave. Hope you are good mate? How's your training going now, you still foot off the gas or are you pushing the accelerator down again soon?

J


----------



## supercell

Incredible Bulk said:


> LMAO, dont we all?
> 
> I look in the gym mirror after training my back, see it all thick and full only to see it deflate a few hours later :cursing: :lol:


LOL. Its a feeling I know only too well. At least your problem doesn't stare you in the face and you can turn your back on it :thumbup1:

J


----------



## Biggerdave

supercell said:


> Thanks Dave. Hope you are good mate? How's your training going now, you still foot off the gas or are you pushing the accelerator down again soon?
> 
> J


Things are good pal, i'm heading in a different direction at the moment but the foot is starting to go back down again!

I do miss it tho mate, i'm not sure now long i'll holdout


----------



## Simon m

supercell said:


> Thats an interesting observation. They still measure the same as before but with slightly more added mass elsewhere they look a little less freaky than they used to. The picture below was taken with Jo Griffiths (a figure girl I am prepping this year) and as you can see, once they are pumped they are still too big IMO. I know what you mean though about big arms = good thing but too big arms (and delts for that matter) can detract from other bodyparts especially when below par, like my chest for example.
> 
> J


 I just wish I had the same problem mate! 

As you say, the rest of you has improved, so it's reduced the dominance of the arms


----------



## ElfinTan

Hey Gorgeous....just thought I'd pop in and say hello....don't need to tell you how good you are looking!!!!x


----------



## 3752

looking excellant for 6 weeks out mate, i will take that condition for show day if you don't mind lending it to me for the Universe....


----------



## matt1989

all the best mate, looking great shape


----------



## supercell

I have been away for the last 2 days on an IFBB course at Sugars gym in leicester. Its absolutely fantastic and I am so glad I decided to attend. Its being run by one of the Worlds leading authorities on kinesiogy and exercise prescription as well as biomechanics. I have learnt so much!

So what this meant is I had to prep a couple days worth of food and keep in my in car fridge then transfer the the hotel kitchen fridges over night. My conditioning is improving daily now and due to hitting my targets this week I allowed myself a little breaky at the hotel. Eggs, wholewheat bread, fruit, granola and yogurt. It sent my metabolism thru the roof and I have done nothing but sweat ever since! I am delighted with the look I have right now and although there is still fat to come off I know I'm in a very good place.

I am driving the professor back to London later this afternoon before returning home.

J


----------



## Magic Torch

supercell said:


> I allowed myself a little breaky at the hotel. Eggs, wholewheat bread, fruit, granola and yogurt.


I read that on FB this morning while eating my oats and whey :cursing:

My mate is a Manager for that chain of hotels and I used to always meet him (when not dieting) for brekkie there...love it!

You still guesting at Seans show mate?


----------



## supercell

Pscarb said:


> looking excellant for 6 weeks out mate, i will take that condition for show day if you don't mind lending it to me for the Universe....


Haha nice one mate. You'll be more peeled than that come October time without a doubt!

J


----------



## Dagman72

supercell said:


> My quads also now have more sweep and once they are really dialled, as they will be, the illusion will be even greater. All in all I am happy how things are going plus my physique looks really healthy at the moment and if people really knew how little 'supplementation' I was using I think they would be shocked.
> 
> Just shows that this sport is nearly all about nutrition and consistency.
> 
> J


James would feet together doing hack squat be more beneficial then feet apart to achieve a better sweep of the quads?

Very true on your last point, wished I realised that years ago :cursing:


----------



## supercell

Magic Torch said:


> I read that on FB this morning while eating my oats and whey :cursing:
> 
> My mate is a Manager for that chain of hotels and I used to always meet him (when not dieting) for brekkie there...love it!
> 
> You still guesting at Seans show mate?


Yes mate ill be there. Ill be 3 weeks out then. Should be a goodun. I normally have oats and propep mate so I know where you are coming from although I love my oats and propep it has to be said!


----------



## Magic Torch

supercell said:


> Yes mate ill be there. Ill be 3 weeks out then. Should be a goodun. I normally have oats and propep mate so I know where you are coming from although I love my oats and propep it has to be said!


Cool, I'm meetin Baz on Sat but lookin ok to do this one too  Yeah I do like my oats and protein - just love egg on wholemeal toast sooooo much more 

See ya in the west country dude


----------



## supercell

Dagman72 said:


> James would feet together doing hack squat be more beneficial then feet apart to achieve a better sweep of the quads?
> 
> Very true on your last point, wished I realised that years ago :cursing:


Put your heals together and toes out so your feet make a 90 degree angle. Bit like how a ballet dancer stands. That will hit your sweep a treat. Legs close together but toes straight will hit the medial quad and is great for building that inner tear drop.

Most people assume more is better which of course is nonsense unless you are of course talking about chips and vodka!

J


----------



## supercell

Magic Torch said:


> Cool, I'm meetin Baz on Sat but lookin ok to do this one too  Yeah I do like my oats and protein - just love egg on wholemeal toast sooooo much more
> 
> See ya in the west country dude


And that's why I have 5 whole eggs on two bits of wholemeal toast every day for meal 6! Can't beat it unless you added chips to it and sticky toffee pud. So actually yes you can beat it!

Yeah see you out west fella!

J


----------



## Magic Torch

supercell said:


> And that's why I have 5 whole eggs on two bits of wholemeal toast every day for meal 6! Can't beat it unless you added chips to it and sticky toffee pud. So actually yes you can beat it!
> 
> Yeah see you out west fella!
> 
> J


Haha cheat meal inspiration time....Bacon, Eggs and toast on sticky toffee pud on a base of Chips and ketchup LMAO are we dieting or pregnant? PMSL


----------



## Dagman72

supercell said:


> Put your heals together and toes out so your feet make a 90 degree angle. Bit like how a ballet dancer stands. That will hit your sweep a treat. Legs close together but toes straight will hit the medial quad and is great for building that inner tear drop.
> 
> Most people assume more is better which of course is nonsense unless you are of course talking about chips and vodka!
> 
> J


Thanks, will put this into practice :thumb:


----------



## supercell

Ok my weight this morning was 13st 10.8lbs to be exact and its been hanging around this weight now for the last 3 weeks. Its time to step things up a little now and after no cardio for the last 2 day, I'm doing extra for the rest of the week. I'd like to see my weight at around 13st 10lbs by sunday, so nothing too drastic just around a lb loss from last week would be nice. Then a lb a week for the next 5 weeks would see me down to around 13st 5lb before I start my depletion phase. Depleted I'll look to be around 13st 3lb and then load to around 13st 7lb. That would be a nice 5lb gain from the last show and give my physique a very different look indeed.

I have a busy day today catching up with a few diet and training schedules after the last 2 days away and also a few other chores to do as well as training.

So all good

J


----------



## strange_days

Haven't been online for a while James, when is your show date ? Are you doing the Madrid one, and are you going to try and qualify for the Olympia ?

Get some


----------



## Rotsocks

Looking fantastic.

So full and lean.

Really inspirational.

Like you said if you can maintain that fullness for the show you should do very well and hopefully get your qualification for the Olympia.


----------



## Adam_W

James, glad to hear everything is going well for you. Wishing you all the best and silently following your progress, until now!

I was watching a MoM episode a while back where a guy came to the gym to train with you and you mentioned showing him the correct technique for SL deadlift, as many people get it wrong. Unfortunately the video did not get any explanation to this.

Would it be possible to elaborate on this and share your thoughts on the correct technique?


----------



## Garbs

Mind blowing.

A physique I would die for.

I know you're a busy man but would you be able to tell us what your training looks like [number of sets, reps etc].

Many thanks....and good luck!


----------



## supercell

strange_days said:


> Haven't been online for a while James, when is your show date ? Are you doing the Madrid one, and are you going to try and qualify for the Olympia ?
> 
> Get some


I'm doing the Madrid show on 11th Sept and then a week later on the 18th I'm doing the John Simmons 202 in Detroit. From there I fly to Vegas regardless of qualification either to compete or have a bloody good feed!!

Both shows would allow qualification in Madrid only the winner ans in Detroit, the top 3 as normal.



Rotsocks said:


> Looking fantastic.
> 
> So full and lean.
> 
> Really inspirational.
> 
> Like you said if you can maintain that fullness for the show you should do very well and hopefully get your qualification for the Olympia.


Thankyou. Yes I am looking to bring in great conditioning with the fullness I know I have got in my muscle bellies. Thats everyones plan on show day so I'm working hard to make it a reality at these last 2 qualifiers.



Adam_W said:


> James, glad to hear everything is going well for you. Wishing you all the best and silently following your progress, until now!
> 
> I was watching a MoM episode a while back where a guy came to the gym to train with you and you mentioned showing him the correct technique for SL deadlift, as many people get it wrong. Unfortunately the video did not get any explanation to this.
> 
> Would it be possible to elaborate on this and share your thoughts on the correct technique?


Thanks Adam. The straight legged dead is an exercise that is easy to perform but hard to perform correctly. Firstly forget the block to stand on to allow a greater stretch, if you do the movement properly you wont need or be able to get that low. The key is keeping your ass out and your chest out. Remember that the hamstrings insert below the knee and originate in the pelvis. Therefore we need to make the muscle stretch as much as possible whilst keeping the back in a slightly hyper extended position. As you lower the bar the bar should get just below the knee before returning to the upright position. As you decend you should rock back onto your heels as this I find, really excetuates the stretch. Rep range for SLDL should be anywhere between 8-12, slightly lower than that of the curl. We have a lot of explosive fast twitch muscle fibres being used in this exercise and that rep range seems to work well. Keep the weight sensible though in order to maintain your backs position.



Garbs said:


> Mind blowing.
> 
> A physique I would die for.
> 
> I know you're a busy man but would you be able to tell us what your training looks like [number of sets, reps etc].
> 
> Many thanks....and good luck!


I train very instinctively now. In fact i dont have set days for set body parts. Like this week I am training back twice and chest twice and next week I may train legs twice. I work on a 5 day split generally but some weeks I may train 4x and some weeks 6x depending on how I am feeling. If I'm tired I back off but if energy and recovery levels are good I'll throw another day in.

I train for around 30-45 minutes per session and never do any more than 8 sets for smaller body parts and 12-14 sets for larger body parts. Rep ranges are normally between 12 to 15. I find this perfect for maximum stimulation and it also limits the risk of serious injury. I go to failure on at least one set per exercise but often it will be 2 after 1 or 2 'feel' sets.

The most important thing is to maintain the intensity right through the workout and only being there for a brief period of time really focuses the mind!

J


----------



## Adam_W

James, thanks for the input.

Im glad to hear it is almost as I do them now, just with the addition of the slight rock back on heels. Would it be suitable to place toes on a small 2.5/5kg plate, to constantly give that 'rock back' feeling?

First things first though, do you perform them with with straight legs, or a slight bend? I've read/been told by many people to do one or the other. I've instinctively done them straight leg, being careful not to overload the joints etc.

When you extend up, do you go fully upright? The reason I ask is pro bber once suggested to me that the upper 1/3 is effectively useless, as it utilises back muscles more than hams. He recommended only going 2/3 of the way up.

Nonsense or some kind of truth to this?


----------



## supercell

Adam_W said:


> James, thanks for the input.
> 
> Im glad to hear it is almost as I do them now, just with the addition of the slight rock back on heels. Would it be suitable to place toes on a small 2.5/5kg plate, to constantly give that 'rock back' feeling?
> 
> *Yes I guess you could place a small plate under your toes, good idea!!*
> 
> First things first though, do you perform them with with straight legs, or a slight bend? I've read/been told by many people to do one or the other. I've instinctively done them straight leg, being careful not to overload the joints etc.
> 
> *Always with a slight 'soft' knees, never straight legs. Straight legs could potentially overload the knee joint due to hyper extension*
> 
> When you extend up, do you go fully upright? The reason I ask is pro bber once suggested to me that the upper 1/3 is effectively useless, as it utilises back muscles more than hams. He recommended only going 2/3 of the way up.
> 
> *I would agree with him, however, I like to use a full R.O.M and squeeze my glutes at the top. But yes I would say the last bit is more lower back than hamstrings.*
> 
> Nonsense or some kind of truth to this?


*TRUTH!*

*J*


----------



## OJay

james just wondering what sort of calories you are on at the momnent? what ratios?

how does this compare to the offseason?


----------



## Garbs

Thanks for the info....the more I read on pro bodybuilders, the more I'm seeing that high weights, low reps isnt always the best route to go for many.


----------



## supercell

OJay said:


> james just wondering what sort of calories you are on at the momnent? what ratios?
> 
> how does this compare to the offseason?


Hi,

You can work it out.

Roughly I am on 320g C, 350g P 80g F

And off season the same but carbs about 450g and very little cardio.

J


----------



## supercell

Garbs said:


> Thanks for the info....the more I read on pro bodybuilders, the more I'm seeing that high weights, low reps isnt always the best route to go for many.


That way does work but also increases injury risk. When you get to my age you look at the benefit to cost ratio a little more. Plus I have always found that mod/heavy weight and med/high reps work very well and stimulate the muscle rather than batter the connective tissue and joints.

J


----------



## supercell

OK I took some photos yesterday at the 5 weeks out mark. Im weighing 193lbs and happy for where I am. I reckon another 7lbs of fat off and Ill be there. Then depletion and loading and I should be where I want to be.


----------



## hilly

James your physique looks very very good and much more complete it seems than previous pics i have seen. for some reason even tho it hasnt been a long time since your last show ure legs seem huge and really balance out upper body nicely.


----------



## supercell

Yeah its my lack of cardio mate, this far out last time I was doing 90 mins fairly high intensity, now I am doing 20 mins walk before breakfast and 10 mins of HIIT on the rower on workout days after training. They are considerably bigger/fuller this time, hence I am around 7lbs up from last time.

J


----------



## hilly

very interesting mate, everytime i look at the pics they just jump right out if that makes sense.


----------



## clarkey

Jeeez boss man what a difference few weeks make legs look fantastic much much fuller than the qualifier...20mins cardio pmsl!!  glute show is back on...you are letting the side down though mate with the hair come on what happened to the grade 0 hard man look u know us short guys need it!!!


----------



## supercell

The hair is coming off big J, dont you worry about that my son!!!

J


----------



## FATBOY

mate you even look good in big pants


----------



## defdaz

With all the extra quaddage on show no-ones mentioned your improved back too James! :thumb:


----------



## supercell

FATBOY said:


> mate you even look good in big pants


Cheers mate, they are actually boxers but now you come to mention it they do look like big pants....Well observed :thumb:

J


----------



## supercell

defdaz said:


> With all the extra quaddage on show no-ones mentioned your improved back too James! :thumb:


Hahaha, thanks mate. I think its just down to the fact that I am volumised all over. Be difficult to think that I have gained any mass in the 3-4 months since my last show. Just goes to show when you diet in a different manner how much different the physique can look.

People have to realise to get into any kind of shape for my first show I had to take drastic action and neil did an incredible job seeing as though at 3 weeks out he said I only had a 20% chance of actually getting on stage as I was so far behind.

This time by staying lean, I have been able to keep my calories much higher, be more instinctive but also not have to do the 2 hours a day of gruelling cardio. That makes a huge difference to how the physique looks and just proves to me that I am never taking 18 months out from competing again. I thrive on competing at least 2-3 times a year, which in fact I did during my 5 years as an amateur.

J


----------



## OJay

crazy changes since last pics the waist is really coming in lower back shredding also

nice one

cheer for the answer to the question james do you just measure makros instead of calories? do you include much fruit in your diet?


----------



## Simon m

Looking good mate - what do the neighbours say when you're out there posing?


----------



## supercell

OJay said:


> crazy changes since last pics the waist is really coming in lower back shredding also
> 
> nice one
> 
> cheer for the answer to the question james do you just measure makros instead of calories? do you include much fruit in your diet?


My waist isn't really any smaller than last week TBH but my quad sweep is more apparant. Just goes to show what an illusion this sport is! My waist will come down another inch or so before the show so it will be just sub 30"

Always been more of a macro man than calories but remember there are secondary proteins in the carb sources which I do not count.

I have a banana and handful of raisins with breakfast as well as strawberries or blueberries in my yogurt and a tin of pineapple throughout the day and depending on how I am feeling I may have some berries with my last meal. At the moment it's Blackberries. I picked over 2lbs of them on sunday!! :thumbup1:

J


----------



## 3752

supercell said:


> My waist isn't really any smaller than last week TBH but my quad sweep is more apparant. Just goes to show what an illusion this sport is! My waist will come down another inch or so before the show so it will be just sub 30"
> 
> *Always been more of a macro man than calories but remember there are secondary proteins in the carb sources which I do not count.*
> 
> I have a banana and handful of raisins with breakfast as well as strawberries or blueberries in my yogurt and a tin of pineapple throughout the day and depending on how I am feeling I may have some berries with my last meal. At the moment it's Blackberries. I picked over 2lbs of them on sunday!! :thumbup1:
> 
> J


this is something i have started to do James, in all my other preps i counted everything


----------



## OJay

supercell said:


> My waist isn't really any smaller than last week TBH but my quad sweep is more apparant. Just goes to show what an illusion this sport is! My waist will come down another inch or so before the show so it will be just sub 30"
> 
> Always been more of a macro man than calories but remember there are secondary proteins in the carb sources which I do not count.
> 
> I have a banana and handful of raisins with breakfast as well as strawberries or blueberries in my yogurt and a tin of pineapple throughout the day and depending on how I am feeling I may have some berries with my last meal. At the moment it's Blackberries. *I picked over 2lbs of them on sunday!!* :thumbup1:
> 
> J


perfect extra cardio lol!

when i first competed was counting just makros and then 2nd time was calories and makros

preferred the makro counting as allowed slightly more freedom and nutrient variation with keeping volumes of meals nice and high.

agreed with the illusion, thats what this sport is all about, what is your waist measuring at the moment?


----------



## OJay

Pscarb said:


> this is something i have started to do James, in all my other preps i counted everything


do you find it makes much difference pscarb?


----------



## supercell

OJay said:


> perfect extra cardio lol!
> 
> when i first competed was counting just makros and then 2nd time was calories and makros
> 
> preferred the makro counting as allowed slightly more freedom and nutrient variation with keeping volumes of meals nice and high.
> 
> agreed with the illusion, thats what this sport is all about, what is your waist measuring at the moment?


Between 30 and 31" at the moment. All I know is I am down to my last belt notch and that was done when I was dieting for the British in 2008 when I weighed around 10kg less!!!

J


----------



## supercell

Pscarb said:


> this is something i have started to do James, in all my other preps i counted everything


Yeah I did too but then you end up counting a lot of incomplete proteins and also soluble fats and stuff which to be honest dont really have a great deal of real nutritional benefit.

Stick to macros so for oats per 100g are 60g of carbs (thats all I count).

Forget the 11g of protein, 8g of soluble fats and 9g of fibre!!

This then means the proteins you count are all complete proteins and the fats are good fats added or those that come from oily fish, nuts or whole eggs.

Same with Natural peanut butter. Now I have 20g of this. 10g are fat (which i count) but I dont count the 3g of carbs and the 6g of protein.

Peanuts are around 50% fat, 25% protein and 15% carbs with around 5% dietary fibre. The other 5% is just 'stuff' lol

J


----------



## defdaz

Awesome James!

I hope all this talk about fruit and macro counting goes someway to dispelling the current obsession in bbing with sticking to a very few particular foods (such as oats) to the exclusion of others.

If you're counting macro's or kcal's with a mind on protein or whatever then the sources don't matter (though intake timing / quantity is another matter) - even the GI index score doesn't really matter (in a non-fed state it's difficult for even a fairly large quantity of high GI food carbs to do anything other than go straight to the liver / muscles).

In fact, varying your food sources is important (and not just for your sanity!! :lol: ) - there's a vast range of micro nutrients (eg phytonutrients) across all foods and by focusing on just a few food sources you're missing out on many possible health benefits (anti-oxidative etc.).

Too many people ignore fibre intake too - v. v. important for gut health (and it's anti-colonic cancer).

/gets off horse


----------



## supercell

defdaz said:


> Awesome James!
> 
> I hope all this talk about fruit and macro counting goes someway to dispelling the current obsession in bbing with sticking to a very few particular foods (such as oats) to the exclusion of others.
> 
> If you're counting macro's or kcal's with a mind on protein or whatever then the sources don't matter (though intake timing / quantity is another matter) - even the GI index score doesn't really matter (in a non-fed state it's difficult for even a fairly large quantity of high GI food carbs to do anything other than go straight to the liver / muscles).
> 
> In fact, varying your food sources is important (and not just for your sanity!! :lol: ) - there's a vast range of micro nutrients (eg phytonutrients) across all foods and by focusing on just a few food sources you're missing out on many possible health benefits (anti-oxidative etc.).
> 
> Too many people ignore fibre intake too - v. v. important for gut health (and it's anti-colonic cancer).
> 
> /gets off horse


Indeed my diet 4.5 weeks out still contains the following:-

Natural probiotic yogurt

Natural digestive enzymes

Fruit and dried fruit

Wholewheat bread

Oats

Rice

Vegetables

White meat

Red meat

Whole eggs

Nuts

Whey protein of varying types

Simple sugar (sucrose and glucose)

Maltodextrin

BCAA's

Extra virgin olive oil

Other EFA's

So still a fairly wide variety of foods and covers most bases.

J


----------



## DB

J, how do you do your H.I.T cardio?


----------



## hilly

james what type of natural probitoic yogurt and digestive enzymes do you use. I have been having some serious stomach issues and am just about to add these into my diet or remove the oats which i think are the cause altho i dnt want to as i love my oats lol


----------



## supercell

DB said:


> J, how do you do your H.I.T cardio?


5 mins warm up then 2 mins fast, 1 min reovery (slow). try to get to 85-90% of HRM for the 2 mins. Do this for 20 mins and then increase to a max of 30 mins daily. PWO is best although you can perform it at other times of the day too.

J


----------



## 3752

supercell said:


> Yeah I did too but then you end up counting a lot of incomplete proteins and also soluble fats and stuff which to be honest dont really have a great deal of real nutritional benefit.
> 
> Stick to macros so for oats per 100g are 60g of carbs (thats all I count).
> 
> Forget the 11g of protein, 8g of soluble fats and 9g of fibre!!
> 
> This then means the proteins you count are all complete proteins and the fats are good fats added or those that come from oily fish, nuts or whole eggs.
> 
> Same with Natural peanut butter. Now I have 20g of this. 10g are fat (which i count) but I dont count the 3g of carbs and the 6g of protein.
> 
> Peanuts are around 50% fat, 25% protein and 15% carbs with around 5% dietary fibre. The other 5% is just 'stuff' lol
> 
> J


exactly what i am doing now mate, the only exceptions to this are eggs and salmon....


----------



## supercell

hilly said:


> james what type of natural probitoic yogurt and digestive enzymes do you use. I have been having some serious stomach issues and am just about to add these into my diet or remove the oats which i think are the cause altho i dnt want to as i love my oats lol


I use ASDA's own brand at £1 for 4 pots its good value. As for natural enzymes I use pineapple with every meal to help breakdown the protein ingested.

J


----------



## supercell

Pscarb said:


> exactly what i am doing now mate, the only exceptions to this are eggs and salmon....


Exactly mate, both excellent sources of proteins and essential fats so you have to include both into daily macros:thumbup1:

J


----------



## XL

Tinned or fresh pineapple, James?


----------



## supercell

ruaidhri said:


> Do you do 85-90% of an estimated max or a true max? I went balls to the walls once on the bike to try and find out my max and highest I could get was like 185, maybe slightly higher. for my age it should be higher I think.
> 
> I assume your main cardio is LISS interspersed with HIIT sessions now and again?


Rough guestimate to find out your HRM is 220-your age, so for me its 220-37 which equals 183 so I then work out 85-90% of that figure.

I have now mainly swapped to HIIT but do some walking too, normally either first thing or last thing at night, nothing too vigorous but just enough to get a sweat on.

HIIT however I am literally dripping after 20 minutes especially when using thermogenics too in conjunction with HIIT

J


----------



## supercell

Brandl said:


> Tinned or fresh pineapple, James?


Either is fine but I use a tin a day of Delmonte pineapple in its own juice, that way I know that each serving contains the same number of carbs. Plus with tins there is never a problem with the fruit going off and being wasted.

J


----------



## OJay

Would you recommend the pineapple over say holland and Barrett digestive enzymes? Or an alternative like udos enzymes?

Obviously coupled with probiotic yogurts


----------



## supercell

OJay said:


> Would you recommend the pineapple over say holland and Barrett digestive enzymes? Or an alternative like udos enzymes?
> 
> Obviously coupled with probiotic yogurts


Yes probably but i have the pineapple firstly as a portion of fruit, secondly I like the sweetness after a meal and lastly because it contains an enzyme to help digest protein. Digestive enzymes caps or tablets are far broader spectrum so would be more benefiial. But I generally have no problems anyway so for me its all about extra carbs:thumb:

J


----------



## Dazzaemm2k7

hey james, sorry if you've already posted this but whats your supplements like during contest prep ? what do u take ?

i'm in my 5th week of contest prep and i am on the following:

impact whey isolate

L-glutamine powder

BCAA powder

Alpha Male (multi vit)

Vitamin C

Vitamin B super complex

Choline and Inositol (holland and barrets)

Kre-Alkalyn capsules

L-Carnitine capsules

CLA softgels

Caffeine tablets

Omega 3-6-9 capsules

Mega Green Tea extract capsules

whats your contest prep supplement stack like ?

cheers mate 

ps = your physique is insane and totally olympia worthy  best of luck in every contest you do mate


----------



## supercell

Dazzaemm2k7 said:


> hey james, sorry if you've already posted this but whats your supplements like during contest prep ? what do u take ?
> 
> i'm in my 5th week of contest prep and i am on the following:
> 
> impact whey isolate
> 
> L-glutamine powder
> 
> BCAA powder
> 
> Alpha Male (multi vit)
> 
> Vitamin C
> 
> Vitamin B super complex
> 
> Choline and Inositol (holland and barrets)
> 
> Kre-Alkalyn capsules
> 
> L-Carnitine capsules
> 
> CLA softgels
> 
> Caffeine tablets
> 
> Omega 3-6-9 capsules
> 
> Mega Green Tea extract capsules
> 
> whats your contest prep supplement stack like ?
> 
> cheers mate
> 
> ps = your physique is insane and totally olympia worthy  best of luck in every contest you do mate


Firstly thankyou for your kind words of support. My supplement useage is very minimal.

Pro peptide

Pro recover

Pro mr

BCAA's

Pro dessert

Glutamine and creatine (when I remember) :whistling:

I get most of what I want from my food mate, never been a big user of supps, just the basic!!

J


----------



## 3752

supercell said:


> Exactly mate, both excellent sources of proteins and essential fats so you have to include both into daily macros:thumbup1:
> 
> J


Great minds James.... :thumb:


----------



## supercell

Pscarb said:


> Great minds James.... :thumb:


..........think alike? :beer:

J


----------



## Dazzaemm2k7

supercell said:


> Firstly thankyou for your kind words of support. My supplement useage is very minimal.
> 
> Pro peptide
> 
> Pro recover
> 
> Pro mr
> 
> BCAA's
> 
> Pro dessert
> 
> Glutamine and creatine (when I remember) :whistling:
> 
> I get most of what I want from my food mate, never been a big user of supps, just the basic!!
> 
> J


cheers for the response mate 

no problem mate i've always been a fan of your physique ! your not blocky or disproportioned or anything, your muscle bellys are round and full and everything is in proportion, perfect symmetry and no lagging bodyparts. I wouldnt hesitate to crown you 202 olympia ! David hendry and kevin english have flaws in their physiques. I cant point out any in yours. If you come in full and conditioned your a show stopper !

anyway i'll pull my face out of your **** now lol !

best of luck mate :thumbup1: :beer:


----------



## hilly

Dazzaemm2k7 said:


> cheers for the response mate
> 
> no problem mate i've always been a fan of your physique ! your not blocky or disproportioned or anything, your muscle bellys are round and full and everything is in proportion, perfect symmetry and no lagging bodyparts. I wouldnt hesitate to crown you 202 olympia ! *David hendry and kevin english* have flaws in their physiques. I cant point out any in yours. If you come in full and conditioned your a show stopper !
> 
> anyway i'll pull my face out of your **** now lol !
> 
> best of luck mate :thumbup1: :beer:


Altho i agree james physique is awesome i would love to know ure professional opinion on these 2 guys flaws please??


----------



## Adam_W

James,

Not wanting to detract from the thread but thought a direct question here may get a better response than in the training section.

Firstly, what exercises do you find best for back width? I've always been a fan of close grip UH pulldown and anykind of machine pullover. After watching a few Dorian yates vids I notice he favours these too.

However I've just moved to a new gym and they do not have anykind of machine pullover. Today I experimented with a steep incline seat placed infront of a high cable pulley, to replicate the same movement. It worked, and unlike DB pullovers keeps the tension on at all times. Just wondered your thoughts on this if your do not have access to/or choose to use a machine pullover.

Secondly, upper chest. Chest is certainly a weak bodypart for me. Its not helped by the fact that I have broken both collarbones and dislocated both shoulders a number of times. Having said that, it shouldnt be an excuse either. What are your favoured exercises?

I used to be a fan of Incline press many years ago when starting out, but never really progressed with it. Again, after watching many a Dorian vid he favours the decline. Prodiver on here also favours the decline for overall pec development, saying that incline is effectively useless. What is your take on this? Any substance to it?


----------



## Dazzaemm2k7

hilly said:


> Altho i agree james physique is awesome i would love to know ure professional opinion on these 2 guys flaws please??


lol i'm not a proffesional judge i'm giving a point of view of a fan !

david hendry has very short arms and tiny (length wise) biceps and it makes him look disproportioned any not astheticlly pleasing. His chest is also very short and compact ! its not wide and large its very small in width (JUST MY OPINIONS)

kevin english is a great bodybuilder but his muscles just dont have the roundness and muscle bellys fullness that james has ! i think jame's muscles are totally round and astheticlly pleasing to look at, kevin english is a tad on the blocky side.

This is just my opinions on their physiques, i would prefer to look at james's physique as apose to kevin and david.


----------



## 3752

i would expect Henry to be tiny length wise as he is a short ass.....and seeing James is 5'4" tall he suffers the same thing.....

your opinion is welcomed but i think even James will stop you comparing him to the only 2 under 202 Mr Olympia winners........


----------



## supercell

Dazzaemm2k7 said:


> cheers for the response mate
> 
> no problem mate i've always been a fan of your physique ! your not blocky or disproportioned or anything, your muscle bellys are round and full and everything is in proportion, perfect symmetry and no lagging bodyparts. I wouldnt hesitate to crown you 202 olympia ! David hendry and kevin english have flaws in their physiques. I cant point out any in yours. If you come in full and conditioned your a show stopper !
> 
> anyway i'll pull my face out of your **** now lol !
> 
> best of luck mate :thumbup1: :beer:


Hahaha, as nice as those compliments are, both these guys would absolutely wipe the floor with me. I have many many flaws in my physique and both Dave and Kevin have very few if any.

J


----------



## glen danbury

supercell said:


> Here are some pics from today. Sunday 1/8/10 weighing 194lbs.
> 
> 5 weeks out today.


question on your posing - how come on your rear double biceps you dont rotate the arms abck more (more external rotation) and spread the lats out - is this for greater mid back thickness whilst sacrificing a little bit of width in the lats? jay cutler does it this way as well


----------



## hilly

Dazzaemm2k7 said:


> lol i'm not a proffesional judge i'm giving a point of view of a fan !
> 
> david hendry has very short arms and tiny (length wise) biceps and it makes him look disproportioned any not astheticlly pleasing. His chest is also very short and compact ! its not wide and large its very small in width (JUST MY OPINIONS)
> 
> kevin english is a great bodybuilder but his muscles just dont have the roundness and muscle bellys fullness that james has ! i think jame's muscles are totally round and astheticlly pleasing to look at, kevin english is a tad on the blocky side.
> 
> This is just my opinions on their physiques, i would prefer to look at james's physique as apose to kevin and david.


LOL every1 on stage has short most things mate and both of these guys have incredible muscle bellys.

James im going to have to disagree your physique has very few flaws just like the guys above however we are our own worst critics


----------



## supercell

Adam_W said:


> James,
> 
> Not wanting to detract from the thread but thought a direct question here may get a better response than in the training section.
> 
> Firstly, what exercises do you find best for back width? I've always been a fan of close grip UH pulldown and anykind of machine pullover. After watching a few Dorian yates vids I notice he favours these too.
> 
> However I've just moved to a new gym and they do not have anykind of machine pullover. Today I experimented with a steep incline seat placed infront of a high cable pulley, to replicate the same movement. It worked, and unlike DB pullovers keeps the tension on at all times. Just wondered your thoughts on this if your do not have access to/or choose to use a machine pullover.
> 
> Secondly, upper chest. Chest is certainly a weak bodypart for me. Its not helped by the fact that I have broken both collarbones and dislocated both shoulders a number of times. Having said that, it shouldnt be an excuse either. What are your favoured exercises?
> 
> I used to be a fan of Incline press many years ago when starting out, but never really progressed with it. Again, after watching many a Dorian vid he favours the decline. Prodiver on here also favours the decline for overall pec development, saying that incline is effectively useless. What is your take on this? Any substance to it?


Back width is primarily about the width and thickness of the lats. It is also to do with the mobility of the shoulder blades and how easily these are able to be spread in any given exercise.

I rate any medium to wide ish grip pulldown whether that be under or overhand. I have recently been going old school and have found pull down behind the neck to very effectively activate my lats and take my arms out of the equation.

Straight arm dbell pullovers also cause a lot of activation of the upper lats as do straight arm pull downs. Even deadlifts help spread the scapula's and allow more mobilty. So as you can see there are many exercises. The key is variety for the back as it has many very complex structures. The use of wrist straps are important too so you are able to just use the hands as hooks rather than using your arms to shift the weight. keep the natural arch in your back at all times and keep the chest opened up. AS soon as the shoulders start to round and pull forwards the lats are very much comprimised and the risk of injury increases dramatically.

As far as the chest, I disagree. I have used incline movements now almost exclusively and I have built a lot of thickness now around my collar bones. Now I think I need more lower chest so flat and decline work may be of benefit. Any pressing movement whether machine, dbell or barbell, flat, incline or decline, will work the pecs. So I guess they are kind of right but not entirely right as incline pressing and flying will hit the upper pecs more than decline work which tends to hit more the outer and lower portions.

J


----------



## supercell

glen danbury said:


> question on your posing - how come on your rear double biceps you dont rotate the arms abck more (more external rotation) and spread the lats out - is this for greater mid back thickness whilst sacrificing a little bit of width in the lats? jay cutler does it this way as well


I will try this next week mate and hopefully it will highlight the differences. My back has a fair amount of thickness already so for me its all about more width, so if you feel that would work better then I'll try it and we'll see. When I rotate my arms back it feels as though my back is actually narrower but I guess proof will be in the pictures.....Good observation though! :thumbup1:

J


----------



## supercell

Pscarb said:


> i would expect Henry to be tiny length wise as he is a short ass.....and seeing James is 5'4" tall he suffers the same thing.....
> 
> your opinion is welcomed but i think even James will stop you comparing him to the only 2 under 202 Mr Olympia winners........


Yes indeed. As I said both Dave and Kevin are the best in the world, they are 'top tier' 202 guys. Im kind of in the third/second tier, so have a lot of work to do to even be comparable. Both Kevin and Dave are genetically superior to me in many ways and even with years more training I could and would never look like them. :cursing:

Everybody has a physique that they admire and for me mine is David Henry's. With just a little more quad sweep he would have the most proportionate physique of anyone in pro bodybuilding. His back is one of the best in the world (Open or 202) and his hands clasped most muscular IS the best in the world.....But thats just my humble opinion!!

Kevin is a freak. he may not have the most pleasing of physiques but it is SO heavily muscled it doesn't seem possible that he is under 202lbs.

I give away around 15-20lbs of muscle to the top 202 guys and this in itself is a massive void to fill. For my next show I will be approaching 190lbs so still nearly 14lbs under the 202 limit. What you also have to realise is that Kevin and Eduardo for example will weigh in at 201-202 and hit the stage rehydrated at 208-210, thats nearly 30lbs more than I was in my pro debut. So you can see I have a long way to go but I am making good progress and maybe in a couple of years time I can dream of placing in the top 10 at the Olympia showdown but my first goal is to qualify. If and when I qualify, that will be like me winning. Im taking small attainable steps. Any steps bigger than this are unrealistic and in this sport there are far too many unrealistic athletes of which I am not and never have been.

J


----------



## glen danbury

supercell said:


> I will try this next week mate and hopefully it will highlight the differences. My back has a fair amount of thickness already so for me its all about more width, so if you feel that would work better then I'll try it and we'll see. When I rotate my arms back it feels as though my back is actually narrower but I guess proof will be in the pictures.....Good observation though! :thumbup1:
> 
> J


I wasnt cirtiquing your posing but rather asking in an attempt to learn - currently trying loads of little different variants in my own posing running up to BNBf british in five weeks so was trying to pick your brain really - as stated jay does it somewhat the same as you and trying to work out what looks best on myself really

if it works for you though great :thumb:


----------



## 3752

supercell said:


> Yes indeed. As I said both Dave and Kevin are the best in the world, they are 'top tier' 202 guys. Im kind of in the third/second tier, so have a lot of work to do to even be comparable. Both Kevin and Dave are genetically superior to me in many ways and even with years more training I could and would never look like them. :cursing:
> 
> Everybody has a physique that they admire and for me mine is David Henry's. With just a little more quad sweep he would have the most proportionate physique of anyone in pro bodybuilding. His back is one of the best in the world (Open or 202) and his hands clasped most muscular IS the best in the world.....But thats just my humble opinion!!
> 
> Kevin is a freak. he may not have the most pleasing of physiques but it is SO heavily muscled it doesn't seem possible that he is under 202lbs.
> 
> I give away around 15-20lbs of muscle to the top 202 guys and this in itself is a massive void to fill. For my next show I will be approaching 190lbs so still nearly 14lbs under the 202 limit. What you also have to realise is that Kevin and Eduardo for example will weigh in at 201-202 and hit the stage rehydrated at 208-210, thats nearly 30lbs more than I was in my pro debut. So you can see I have a long way to go but I am making good progress and maybe in a couple of years time I can dream of placing in the top 10 at the Olympia showdown but my first goal is to qualify. If and when I qualify, that will be like me winning.* Im taking small attainable steps.* Any steps bigger than this are unrealistic and in this sport there are far too many unrealistic athletes of which I am not and never have been.
> 
> J


cough** cough** short ass :whistling:


----------



## Dazzaemm2k7

.


----------



## supercell

glen danbury said:


> I wasnt cirtiquing your posing but rather asking in an attempt to learn - currently trying loads of little different variants in my own posing running up to BNBf british in five weeks so was trying to pick your brain really - as stated jay does it somewhat the same as you and trying to work out what looks best on myself really
> 
> if it works for you though great :thumb:


I didn't take it as such Glen so dont worry. I am learning new things every day about this sport so if somebody suggests something to me I will always try it and see how I get on. Sunday I will do it and post up and we can see which one is best!!! :thumb:

J


----------



## supercell

Pscarb said:


> cough** cough** short ass :whistling:


And there was me trying to have a sensible discussion. Might have guessed a fellow dwarf would pick up on such wording:thumbup1:

J


----------



## supercell

Dazzaemm2k7 said:


> i just sent an email to your hotmail account james.
> 
> dont worry its nothing about steroids or anything out of line, i just didnt want to ask your advice on dieting on your thread (change the topic), i cant PM you cause i dont have that ability yet (newbie  ) lol so thats why i emailed you.
> 
> hope you got it and can get back to me mate
> 
> cheers


Thankyou and yes I have responded.

J


----------



## strange_days

Nice pics for 5 weeks, definitely agree with the comments regarding that you look bigger, the reduced cardio obviously is working in that area.

Good work James, keep it up and all the best 

J


----------



## Dazzaemm2k7

what was your reason for reducing your cardio mate ?


----------



## supercell

Dazzaemm2k7 said:


> what was your reason for reducing your cardio mate ?


Because I was in better shape this time round and more cardio meant my legs shrunk and got dreadfully depleted!!!

J


----------



## Dazzaemm2k7

supercell said:


> Because I was in better shape this time round and more cardio meant my legs shrunk and got dreadfully depleted!!!
> 
> J


smart decision then :thumb: :beer:


----------



## mark333

supercell said:


> I use ASDA's own brand at £1 for 4 pots its good value. As for natural enzymes I use pineapple with every meal to help breakdown the protein ingested.
> 
> J


WHEN YOU SAY EVERY MEAL DOES THAT MEAN YOUR LIQUID (PROTEIN SHAKE) MEALS TOO! NEVER KNEW THAT ABOUT PINEAPPLE GREAT IDEA THANKS!


----------



## supercell

Each tin has 4 rings so with 4 of my meals I eat pineapple, the rest none. Off season I would have 2 tins and would eat some at every meal but for now, whilst dieting, 1 tin it is!!!


----------



## BigBalls

Seen you on telly the other day mate you arms were looking crazy lol.

PS is Dean Ash a juicer or not ? lol


----------



## supercell

So today is 14th August 2010 and it is exactly 4 weeks out until the Madrid show. Next week I will be in Dorchester for the SW Qualifier and will be getting on stage and blowing away a few cobwebs!!

Today my weight was 13st11lbs, so no real change from last week on the scale but visibly I am tighter, with glutes in more and also my back, which is my benchmark for conditioning along with my hams. This coming week the ante will be upped. 20 min walk am, 20 mins of HIIT PWO and another 20 min walk before my last meal. So my cardio will be increased to an hour a day. For the first few days my food will not change so I can assess the effectiveness of the cardio increase. If I feel I need to take any carbs out, the first to go will be my oats before bed and then after that it will be my bread. At 3 weeks out my added fats from olive oil will come out and my eggs will be cut back and replaced with egg whites and only 3 yolks. My pineapple will then come out and then my yogurt at breakfast. After this it will be the banana that goes and then the final 2 weeks if needed my chicken will be replaced with turkey or white fish and my carbs will be cycled, but only if needed.

As you can see I still have a huge number of options available to me and this is something I give all my clients during their prep so fat loss is maintained. I like to make 1 change at a time and assess before implementing any more.

It may be that I can get away with just raising my cardio next week and the following week and just cut my food and change sources in the final 14 days, but we will see. Im taking one day at a time and going by the scales, the mirror and how I feel.

I will update the thread tomorrow with some pics at 4 weeks out.

J


----------



## Rotsocks

Thanks for the update James.

I think its great that somebody of your stature shares your knowledge/views with everybody on here.

I have followed your philosophy of just doing enough to drop the 2lb i set out to loose each week and also only changing one thing at a time and it has made it much easier than the way i have dieted in the past.

Looking forward to the picture updates:thumbup1:


----------



## supercell

BigBalls said:


> Seen you on telly the other day mate you arms were looking crazy lol.
> 
> PS is Dean Ash a juicer or not ? lol


Ah yes, the Active Channel. Dean a juicer? I couldn't possibly comment.

J


----------



## supercell

Rotsocks said:


> Thanks for the update James.
> 
> I think its great that somebody of your stature shares your knowledge/views with everybody on here.
> 
> I have followed your philosophy of just doing enough to drop the 2lb i set out to loose each week and also only changing one thing at a time and it has made it much easier than the way i have dieted in the past.
> 
> Looking forward to the picture updates:thumbup1:


No problem. I look forward to the pics too cos its the only time I really see my back. It feels leaner but does it look leaner haha, all will be revealed tomorrow I guess!!!

Yes a methodical approach is so much better to dieting. Too many people do too many things too early and 8 weeks out have nowhere to go and end up taking drastic measures. Just like I had to do for my last show!! :lol:

J


----------



## OJay

What sort of condition do you believe in for the offseason James do you believe in staying lean?


----------



## OJay

Are you going to be at the Kent show the end of the month James?


----------



## supercell

OJay said:


> What sort of condition do you believe in for the offseason James do you believe in staying lean?


Yes around 14-20lbs above contest weight max. I am currently sitting at around 2lbs heavier than my off season right now....Work that one out!!!???

J


----------



## supercell

OJay said:


> Are you going to be at the Kent show the end of the month James?


Yes I will be as its only a 20 minute drive plus I'll be working for CNP. I'll also be at the Dorchester show this weekend coming.

J


----------



## supercell

Update.

I awoke this morning at around 13st 12lbs so 194lbs. My weight is being very stubborn. My legs are very sore today after training quads on friday and hams and calves yesterday, so as a result are holding a lot of water, which may be the slight increase in weight this week. The pictures below were taken after cardio and before breakfast this morning.

My back, glutes and hams are looking leaner than last week so thats all I need to know.

Today I am having my breakfast carbs (around 110g) and then I'll be going zero carbs all the way to my cheat at 7pm. I'll also be doing a circuit and some HIIT floowed by a swim. I love to create a massive calorie deficit for my cheat on a sunday so I really suck it all up, plus it has an amazing effect on my metabolism doing it this way. I normally do this from 4-6 weeks out but due to my conditioning I am doing it for the first time today, 2 weeks later than normal.

J


----------



## supercell

Comparison time

April and now

Very happy. Visibly bigger. Still more fat to come off but huge improvements in back and legs.

J


----------



## ah24

Wow that is actually quite a diff considering it's only 4months down the line - lats look a lot thicker as do your hams.

Enjoy the cheat meal mate


----------



## OJay

damn loads of change there

ill be at the kent show ill come see you wanted to have a word about diet and training


----------



## jjmac

what do you tend to have for your cheat meal james?


----------



## supercell

jjmac said:


> what do you tend to have for your cheat meal james?


I go out to a restuarant and have a starter, main and dessert. Will do that up to 10-14 days prior to show.

Last week I had a caramelised onion, garlic and cheese pizza, burger with fries and potato gratin and then sticky toffee pudding with vanila ice cream and it was good but was still hungry. Dont believe in over indulging but certainly some indulging!!

J


----------



## jjmac

haha sounds good! i have so much respect for you lot that compete in regards to how clean your diets are, i keep my diet strict but i tend to have a few cheat meals throughout the week!

excellent progress too.


----------



## OJay

cheat meal sounds great

i tend to go too far ott on cheat meals and feel rubbish the next few days i hate it


----------



## supercell

I never feel ****e after mine, only good....Very good and tonight will be no exception!!!


----------



## Guest

Dont believe in over indulging but certainly some indulging!!


----------



## OJay

I think that's why I want to get my diet properly nailed downfor the offseason and plan cheat meals in for the benefit of the diet rather than just thrown in randomly


----------



## FATBOY

wow big improvements james 

one of the few before and afters were i would happily take the before physique ,picture lol


----------



## Khaos1436114653

supercell said:


> Comparison time
> 
> April and now
> 
> Very happy. Visibly bigger. Still more fat to come off but huge improvements in back and legs.
> 
> J


Hot Damn!!!! James you are seriously looking fvcking great:thumb:, fly the flag for us Bro.........Respect Andy


----------



## Howe

Awesome improvements James! Keep up the good work


----------



## Galtonator

nice condition big fella


----------



## jonesy1234cas

looking fecking awsome mate!!


----------



## supercell

Thanks for the comments guys.

My cheat meal ame and went too quickly and I have gained around 0.8lb!! Not a lot really but then I spent most of the night sweating prefusely, just like you should.

After breakfast I went zero carbs yesterday and did 2 lots of cardio and one weights circuit to create a nice little void for all of those carbs and it worked with just a very little weight increase.

Done my 25 minute walk this morning and calves were just SO pumped it was painful. Off to train delts and calves today with some HIIT after and then I'll be going out for a walk before meal 7 tonight.

J


----------



## Incredible Bulk

James,

As the 202 shows have panned out throughout the year building up the Mr Olympia, what are your thoughts on your competition?

I can imagine you have looked at show reports this year and wondered how you will fit into it all 

Any idea who you will be on stage with?

Love this journal J, great to read every day


----------



## Greyphantom

James when you say you do a 25 min walk, how do you walk? do you monitor heart rate etc to make sure pace is good, or go by feel is more what I mean... do you try for a power method getting the legs working hard etc... thanks mate


----------



## LOCUST

Hey james, excellent progress mate, with regards to your training, are you still following the Y3T principles ?


----------



## gb666

supercell said:


> Thanks for the comments guys.
> 
> My cheat meal ame and went too quickly and I have gained around 0.8lb!! Not a lot really but then I spent most of the night sweating prefusely, just like you should.
> 
> *After breakfast I went zero carbs yesterday and did 2 lots of cardio and one weights circuit to create a nice little void for all of those carbs and it worked with just a very little weight increase.*
> 
> Done my 25 minute walk this morning and calves were just SO pumped it was painful. Off to train delts and calves today with some HIIT after and then I'll be going out for a walk before meal 7 tonight.
> 
> J


*Very Dan Duchaine Bodyopus*


----------



## Dazzaemm2k7

supercell said:


> Thanks for the comments guys.
> 
> My cheat meal ame and went too quickly and I have gained around 0.8lb!! Not a lot really but then I spent most of the night sweating prefusely, just like you should.
> 
> After breakfast I went zero carbs yesterday and did 2 lots of cardio and one weights circuit to create a nice little void for all of those carbs and it worked with just a very little weight increase.
> 
> Done my 25 minute walk this morning and calves were just SO pumped it was painful. Off to train delts and calves today with some HIIT after and then I'll be going out for a walk before meal 7 tonight.
> 
> J


 sounds cool mate  sounds like your doing a lot of cardio just now then. How far out are you and how many sessions you doing a day ?

keep it up mate


----------



## Guest

> Last week I had a caramelised onion, garlic and cheese pizza, burger with fries and potato gratin and then sticky toffee pudding with vanila ice cream and it was good but was still hungry


Unless it was mini portions how the hell can you still be hungry after that - i could smoke a 1/4 of pot and still not manage to be that hungry ??

Do you take anything for appetite enhancement ??


----------



## supercell

Incredible Bulk said:


> James,
> 
> As the 202 shows have panned out throughout the year building up the Mr Olympia, what are your thoughts on your competition?
> 
> I can imagine you have looked at show reports this year and wondered how you will fit into it all
> 
> Any idea who you will be on stage with?
> 
> Love this journal J, great to read every day


I am really excited just to be competing tbh. Participating in a pro show is the pinnacle and seeing all those elite bodybuilders first hand is an amazing sight; you realise just how far away you are from them lol!!

I do look at past shows but I do not look to see who I am competing against as it serves me no purpose. I am concentrating on me. I find out who is in the class the day before at the weigh in, thats far enough before for me!

J


----------



## supercell

Greyphantom said:


> James when you say you do a 25 min walk, how do you walk? do you monitor heart rate etc to make sure pace is good, or go by feel is more what I mean... do you try for a power method getting the legs working hard etc... thanks mate


How do I walk; generally one foot infront of the other.......fast!! :thumbup1:

No i do not measure my heart rate, I know my HR will be around 110bpm when I am walking fast on relatively flat ground. I do go by feel, yes. During HIIT however my heart rate goes up to 160bpm.

When walking I try to contract my hamstrings and my glutes as hard as posible with every stride and I find this really helps get that hard look from behind in the lower portion of the body.

J


----------



## supercell

LOCUST said:


> Hey james, excellent progress mate, with regards to your training, are you still following the Y3T principles ?


No not at the moment. I am being very instinctive with my training right now and being very careful not to overtrain. The Y3T training principle works very well on unrestricted calories, not on restricted ones.

J


----------



## Magic Torch

supercell said:


> *When walking I try to contract my hamstrings and my glutes as hard as posible with every stride* and I find this really helps get that hard look from behind in the lower portion of the body.
> 
> J


Dude I hope you do this cardio very early in the morning, if a 'normal person' out walking their dogs saw you doing this they would propably thing you got some serious bum fun and were on the walk of shame home.... :lol:

Love your post about seeing the 'pros' backstage up close, you are a very humble dude James, you are one of them mate and very much on their level. Cant wait to see you in the flesh on Sunday 3 weeks out with the improvements you have made on stage :thumbup1:


----------



## supercell

Dazzaemm2k7 said:


> sounds cool mate  sounds like your doing a lot of cardio just now then. How far out are you and how many sessions you doing a day ?
> 
> keep it up mate


Im doing 3 sessions daily. 25 min power walk pre meal 1, 20 mins HIIT PWO or late afternoon on NTD's and then another 25 min power walk before my last meal. This has only been implemented this week but is having a profound effect on my conditioning now:thumbup1:

I cant see my self doing any more than this however, if I need to make more changes I will drop some calories as I still on around 3400-3500kcals a day and I'm just over 3 weeks out, so I have loads to play with as well as thermogenics too.

J


----------



## supercell

romper stomper said:


> Unless it was mini portions how the hell can you still be hungry after that - i could smoke a 1/4 of pot and still not manage to be that hungry ??
> 
> Do you take anything for appetite enhancement ??


I have a pretty amazing capacity for food and a very efficient digestive system too. I have always had a very good appetite indeed so I have never needed to take anything for it.

J


----------



## supercell

Magic Torch said:


> Dude I hope you do this cardio very early in the morning, if a 'normal person' out walking their dogs saw you doing this they would propably thing you got some serious bum fun and were on the walk of shame home.... :lol:
> 
> Love your post about seeing the 'pros' backstage up close, you are a very humble dude James, you are one of them mate and very much on their level. Cant wait to see you in the flesh on Sunday 3 weeks out with the improvements you have made on stage :thumbup1:


Thanks Jamie!!

I actually have perfected the walk without looking like I have had bum love the previous night, so all is good there. And even if I had that is no business of yours young man!

I am not humble mate I just speak with honesty, although I am very pleased with my prep for these shows, so should bring a different look which the judges should see.

Hope your prep is going well and I'll look forward to seeing you on sunday mate.

J


----------



## supercell

gb666 said:


> *Very Dan Duchaine Bodyopus*


Never read the book but if that is correct, I believe in his theory 100%!

J


----------



## Dazzaemm2k7

supercell said:


> Im doing 3 sessions daily. 25 min power walk pre meal 1, 20 mins HIIT PWO or late afternoon on NTD's and then another 25 min power walk before my last meal. This has only been implemented this week but is having a profound effect on my conditioning now:thumbup1:
> 
> I cant see my self doing any more than this however, if I need to make more changes I will drop some calories as I still on around 3400-3500kcals a day and I'm just over 3 weeks out, so I have loads to play with as well as thermogenics too.
> 
> J


**** sake james lol 

sounds extremely impressive :thumbup1: :thumbup1:

keep up the hard work, as i said before you've got an unbelievable physique so as long as your conditioning is spot on and you come in full then you'll do good mate 

keep it up  we're ruiting for you :beer: :beer:


----------



## Dazzaemm2k7

btw mate how did you come about the pineapple after every meal thing ?

sounds very interesting and i can see why (digestive enzymes, bromelain etc)

just wondering how you came about having it after every meal as i've not heard of many bodybuilders doing this before ? are you not worried about the sugary carbs when dieting ?

whats your take on it mate ?

cheers


----------



## Dagman72

> so as long as your conditioning is spot on and you come in full then you'll do good mate


That is something we don't need to worry about when talking about James and how he steps on stage


----------



## Dazzaemm2k7

Dagman72 said:


> That is something we don't need to worry about when talking about James and how he steps on stage


oh i dont doubt it for a minute that he wont come in looking good  :thumb: :thumb :


----------



## Greyphantom

supercell said:


> How do I walk; generally one foot infront of the other.......fast!! :thumbup1:
> 
> No i do not measure my heart rate, I know my HR will be around 110bpm when I am walking fast on relatively flat ground. I do go by feel, yes. During HIIT however my heart rate goes up to 160bpm.
> 
> When walking I try to contract my hamstrings and my glutes as hard as posible with every stride and I find this really helps get that hard look from behind in the lower portion of the body.
> 
> J


Ha, ha.... ha... all that muscle and a sense of humour... no wonder you walk like last night was man love night 

Thanks for the info... sounds interesting, I will have to give that a go for my cardio walks... when I get to them... when contracting the glutes and hams that would keep the legs relatively stiff... correct? (I assume so hence the man love walk... lol)...


----------



## strange_days

The comparison shots show a good amount of mass added James, I wouldn't have thought it possible for you to add to the huge amounts of muscle already on your frame, so very well done.

Keep up the good work, once more looking forward to seeing the conditioned package

J


----------



## gb666

supercell said:


> Never read the book but if that is correct, I believe in his theory 100%!
> 
> J


Looks like it is working well for you.


----------



## supercell

Dazzaemm2k7 said:


> btw mate how did you come about the pineapple after every meal thing ?
> 
> sounds very interesting and i can see why (digestive enzymes, bromelain etc)
> 
> just wondering how you came about having it after every meal as i've not heard of many bodybuilders doing this before ? are you not worried about the sugary carbs when dieting ?
> 
> whats your take on it mate ?
> 
> cheers


You answered your own question above as to why i have pineapple!!

Im not worried about the fructose because I am taking along with comples carbs, protein and fats so the GI is fairly unimportant, it is therefore just about calories and I have made room for them in my diet.

J


----------



## supercell

Greyphantom said:


> Ha, ha.... ha... all that muscle and a sense of humour... no wonder you walk like last night was man love night
> 
> Thanks for the info... sounds interesting, I will have to give that a go for my cardio walks... when I get to them... when contracting the glutes and hams that would keep the legs relatively stiff... correct? (I assume so hence the man love walk... lol)...


I walk normally, I have learnt how to squeeze these areas over the last couple of years without looking like a complete t1t!! :thumb:

J


----------



## blackbeard

Hi James, i was glancing at the Mr Olympia website yesterday and saw that Bola Ojex has qualified for the u202,thats a name i haven't seen in a few years.I saw him win the english amateur grand prix in 2003 with an impressive physique and turn pro then seemed to disappear off the radar,he's relocated to the USA since.


----------



## supercell

Yes he did the first qualifier of the year in Arizona. With hindsight that would have been the best one to do lol!!

J


----------



## gb666

supercell said:


> When walking I try to contract my hamstrings and my glutes as hard as posible with every stride and I find this really helps get that hard look from behind in the lower portion of the body.
> 
> J


Try these 3 sets of 30 second holds driving heel hard through floor nd griping floor with toes.Watch for hamstrings cramping if done at end of training.No need to hold head as he does head up looking forwad is fine.Let us know how u get on. :whistling:


----------



## gb666

You can superset the above with http://www.grapplearts.com/Images/Article-Images/Yoga/Bridge-Yoga-Stretch.jpg to make even harder.


----------



## Adam_W

The 'special' walking technique sounds good if it can be perfected. Will be giving it a go next time im out. Lucky its early morning so not many about!

A quick question for you James regarding chest press. As I said before after a few injuries and the like I have had problem pressing in the same way. My strength went down and I needed a solution. After lots of reading I followed a few peoples advice of keeping elbows slightly in, not to the extent of a CGBP but say 45degrees. I found this worked quite well when doing DB presses.

I was in the gym this morning and asked a guy for a spot on some incline presses. After the first set he asked why I kept my elbows in as opposed to perpendicular to the body. I explained the issue and he didnt really grasp it, and said I would be hitting my triceps far more than my chest. His suggestion was to revert back to elbows perpendicular to the body.

Even with my elbows slightly in, I still feel the tension and ache in the chest, significantly moreso than the triceps. But to try it out I did keep my elbows out on the next couple of sets. It was slightly harder, but I didnt really feel it anymore in the chest.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you tend to keep your elbows out perpendicular or keep them slightly in?


----------



## defdaz

Much safer in. He's talking nonsense - your arm goes through the same amount of flexion at the elbow, thus the same amount of triceps work.


----------



## Adam_W

I agree in that I think its safer. As for the same amount of tricep work im not sure.

Your right the elbow is flexing the same amount, but the closer the elbows are in to the body then the more emphasis on the triceps and less on the chest, therefore greater tricep work?

However, given that my elbows are at greatest 45degrees to the body, its not like its a CGP.

Not wanting to detract from James's thread here but would be good to hear his views.


----------



## defdaz

No mate, front delts not the triceps come into play more than pecs the closer the elbows get to the body (pecs act to pull across the body whilst the front delt pivots along with the upper arm as you move the elbow in. So as the elbow moves in towards the body the pec has less and less part to play yet the front delt can still apply force as the arm is still travelling in the plane it can apply itself in. The triceps main action in all of this is to extend the forearm - it doesn't really care about the angle the upper arm is to the body).


----------



## Adam_W

Ok, so given what you have just said does having elbows slightly in towards the body reduces the work placed on the pectorals?


----------



## Magic Torch

Lookin the business yesterday Jimbo, great to catch up with you buddy. Sure your gonna do well at these two shows! See you at gravesend!


----------



## supercell

Magic Torch said:


> Lookin the business yesterday Jimbo, great to catch up with you buddy. Sure your gonna do well at these two shows! See you at gravesend!


And you mate, some good added size on that frame of yours now!

Yes, I'll see you next week. Have a great week.

J


----------



## supercell

Adam_W said:


> I agree in that I think its safer. As for the same amount of tricep work im not sure.
> 
> Your right the elbow is flexing the same amount, but the closer the elbows are in to the body then the more emphasis on the triceps and less on the chest, therefore greater tricep work?
> 
> However, given that my elbows are at greatest 45degrees to the body, its not like its a CGP.
> 
> Not wanting to detract from James's thread here but would be good to hear his views.


My elbows come in slightly doing this exercise but not a great deal. I find I can keep the best tension on my chest by bringing my triceps to just parallel to the floor and no deeper otherwise it hits my front delts. I also find myself not going to complete lockout otherwise it hits my triceps hard.

Everybody is different physiologically so will suit different techniques. Some will get more out of keeping the elbows out and others will get more from keeping them in slightly. Of more benefit is keeping the chest high and the back arched with the shoulder blades pinched together throughout the ROM.

J


----------



## supercell

Ok, so an update at 2.5 weeks out.

On friday I got bitten by a mosquito on my inner thigh and my ankle. The reaction I got was quite severe as it always is. My weight steadily climbed from friday through to sunday and I sat at around 14st 1lb first thing on sunday morning. That was a gain of around 4lbs in 3 days. It didn't really click that the bites were to blame. Today the bites have almost gone and I am back down to 13st11lb, so a drop of 4lbs from yesterday. Probably one of the reasons I felt so full at my guest spot but on the flip side was a lot more watery!!

Anyway I had a great weekend with a seminar in Newton Abbot on the saturday and the guest spot at Dorchester on the sunday. It was a tiring weekend but I was very fortunate that the hotel had a great gym and all the food I prepped managed to fit into the rather large stand alone fridge I had in my room!!

So now the cardio has increased to 40 mins first thing, 30 mins PWO and 20 mins before my last meal. I have also dropped 1 slice of bread and 20g of oats.

The following pictures were taken on stage at Dorchester at around a weight of 14st 2lbs (198lbs) or 90kgs at 3 weeks out. I had already had 5 meals and around 3 litres of water prior to stepping on stage and I was sweating like I have never sweated before!!! This close to my show I didn't do anything different with diet or fluid for the guest spot, i just tanned up and got up there.

J


----------



## Dagman72

James you look fantastic, the muscle you have on a 14.2 frame is something to marvel at.

Got bitten myself on the arm and my lower arm all swelled up - hate the little buggers.

Looking forward to meeting you when I come down Ministry with Rob


----------



## hermie07

looking awesome james. cant believe you were in newton abbot on saturday i would of popped along. was it at winners gym?


----------



## supercell

gyppo12345 said:


> looking awesome james. cant believe you were in newton abbot on saturday i would of popped along. was it at winners gym?


No mate, Steve's Gym

J


----------



## bigkiwi

Looking good James. Very best of luck with the upcoming show mate


----------



## Greyphantom

flipping nora mate, looking shed hot in those pics... sucks re the mossie bite, hope it all works out for ya...


----------



## anabolic lion

looking impressive james !

Do you still train with nytol ?


----------



## supercell

Here are some pics taken today at 2.5 weeks out. Really pleased. Hams and glutes now nice and tight and skin thinning nicely everywhere. I have lost around 4.5lb this week already just from a couple of small changes so very pleased )


----------



## big silver back

supercell said:


> Here are some pics taken today at 2.5 weeks out. Really pleased. Hams and glutes now nice and tight and skin thinning nicely everywhere. I have lost around 4.5lb this week already just from a couple of small changes so very pleased )


 One word, inspired!!! looking exellent butty, your gonna be the next top british pro for sure :thumbup1:


----------



## defdaz

I am seriously loving the hands together most muscular pose from the stage James - you look like an absolute monster. :thumb:


----------



## strange_days

Yes James you look nice and dry already, as you say skin tightening up, watching your prep and the progress you make each time is insipirational.

Seriously good work man !


----------



## JAY-EL

Looking awesome James ! Good luck for show coming up!

Hope you get what you deserve that Olympia 202 invite


----------



## supercell

I have now found out that there are no competitors at the Madrid 202 so I will be binning that one and now just concentrating on the Detroit show a week later.

In a way I am glad as it means I can fully concentrate just on the one qualifier and not put my body through depletion and loading twice in 2 weeks! Plus it gives me an extra week for that fine tuning!!

J


----------



## Khaos1436114653

I know you will do well Bro.............


----------



## supercell

I wanted just to take this opportunity to thank everybody on this thread, those who have contributed and those that have not but have spoken to me in person. It is a tremendous support for me and although I have competed many times, it is always nice to know that people are interested in what I do and the twists and turns involved with competing, which are the same if you are an amateur or a pro.

We all work very hard to accomplish our goals and strive for our dreams as competing athletes and I for one know what it takes to become the best that I can. My continued improvements would not have been possible without the love I have for this sport which fortunately I am able to share with you guys on this thread.

I will be at the Gravesend show working this weekend for my sponsors CNP, so if anyone is coming along please come up and intro yourself. I will also be at the Leicester show and now possibly the Welsh for the prejudging offering my support to Jo in the Bodyfitness category who I have been helping this year. I am travelling to Detroit at around 6am in the morning on the day after the Welsh so I am not 100% sure as it will mean a lot of travelling just prior to me leaving for America, but I will do my best!!


----------



## OJay

Will look forward to seeing you Sunday, me' and my training partner rob cox who's doing that challenge round are wanting to have a word retarding off season and contest prep help and hiring someone it's like little and large me' n him lol he does over 90k


----------



## supercell

OJay said:


> Will look forward to seeing you Sunday, me' and my training partner rob cox who's doing that challenge round are wanting to have a word retarding off season and contest prep help and hiring someone it's like little and large me' n him lol he does over 90k


Yeah that's fine mate. Pop over and have a word with me anytime during the day.

J


----------



## lockstock

supercell said:


> Here are some pics taken today at 2.5 weeks out. Really pleased. Hams and glutes now nice and tight and skin thinning nicely everywhere. I have lost around 4.5lb this week already just from a couple of small changes so very pleased )


Hi J,

Looking pretty cool matey. I think its the best you have looked at this weight. If you was crap and made NO improvements i would tell you (like you would me), ha! Time has served you well sir allowing certain aspects of your physique to come into its own and proof is in the pudding!

Keep it up J, the hard work that is! :lol:

No problems, no stress. Only a few weeks left until hammer time.... NICE! :thumb:

P x


----------



## OJay

Do u know of Lee and hels are on stand with you Sunday ?

Ollie


----------



## supercell

So an update 1.5 weeks out.

My weight today is already back down and below the finishing weight of last week even after my cheat. My metabolism is flying right now so I am having to monitor my weight daily and make the necessary adjustments with carbs and fats.

I am around 13st 9lb today and am looking very tight indeed. There isn't really an awful lot to come off now and I am currently around 11lbs heavier than i was this time out from the Orlando show, so I am very happy indeed. My conditioning is way better below the waist this time and obviously I am carrying a much fuller looking physique.

I had some fruit with my breakfast this morning as well as my yogurt, oats, raisins, pro pep, pro dessert and a little granola, so I had a good feed ready for legs.

Yesterday for breakfast I had the above plus 4 whole fried eggs and 2 slices of wholewheat toast and still my weight dropped today!!! As I said before I am being a whole lot more instinctive about everything this time around and as a result I have been pretty much stress free. Added into that a lot of travelling over the last 2-3 weeks and I feel phsycologically and physically I have coped very well indeed.

I was going to be travelling down to Wales to see some friends and also attend the pre judging of the Welsh show but after careful consideration its not something I am now entertaining. I need to be rested this week and get myself soley concentrating on the final tweaks of the next 7 days. In 6 days time I will be flying out to Detroit and in 10 days I will have stepped on stage and I really cannot wait. As bodybuilders we try to show the judges and fans something a little bit different each time we step on stage and this time I feel I am going to do that and do it convincingly.

Today is my last leg workout so i will just have a light session and do my cardio as normal afterwards.

My cardio has been maintained at 3x30 mins sessions daily so 90 mins a day. Now they have become less intense and my HR is sticking at around 135-140 BPM for that time. Doing my cardio in this way I am just keeping my metabolic rate spiked throughout my waking day and this approach has worked well in order to keep my size and muscle fullness especially on my legs which I feel are hugely improved from April and the best they have ever looked.

So with around 10 days left I am quietly happy about where i am. I talked to neil last night about where I was and how I was feeling and he says that I am ready now just a question of manipulating my carbs and water in the last few days before stepping on stage.

I will be in Detroit alone but have a nice suite at the Hilton and there is a gym with weights and cardio equipment there. I also have my own kitchen and lounge as well so it will be a home away from home. I will be taking my laptop with me in order to keep everyone updated with how the final weeks run in is going.

I will be posting final pics towards the back end of this week

J


----------



## mick_the_brick

Cool - almost there mate.

Keep on the gas - it seems a much more enjoyable experience for you this time around BTW 

Good luck


----------



## hilly

James, how do you manage to hold ure heart rate that high power walking around the streets etc or is it all done on cardio equipment etc.

I imagine supps help and currently i am not using any but when power walking i cant get heart rate to stay above 120 unless i jog, sprint then walk then repeat?


----------



## supercell

mick_the_brick said:


> Cool - almost there mate.
> 
> Keep on the gas - it seems a much more enjoyable experience for you this time around BTW
> 
> Good luck


Thanks bud. Yes this time around it has been far more enjoyable. My bodyfat is lower than last time yet my strength hasn't dropped throughout my entire prep. In fact today I did sissy squats with more weight than ever!!

J


----------



## supercell

hilly said:


> James, how do you manage to hold ure heart rate that high power walking around the streets etc or is it all done on cardio equipment etc.
> 
> I imagine supps help and currently i am not using any but when power walking i cant get heart rate to stay above 120 unless i jog, sprint then walk then repeat?


Cos I'm so bloody unfit lol.

No mate I have swapped in the last couple of weeks to the crosstrainer and stairmaster as well as the occassional incline tread. However, now that my bodyfat levels are pretty much where they need to be I'm going to back off and go for more walks. My HR doesn't normally get much above around 110-115 even with squeezing my hams and glutes with every step for 30 mins!

It's a nice feeling coming into a show and backing off the cardio intensity and duration because you've done pretty much all the hard work prior.

J


----------



## supercell

Here are a few photos from a shoot I had done with one of my athletes, Jo Griffiths. Jo was 2 weeks out from the Welsh and I was 3 weeks out from Detroit.

The photo's are by a guy called Matt Marsh and he took some absolutely cracking shots of Jo that day. I wanted to thank Matt for his time and also the owners of Panther's Gym for letting us do some of the shoot there.

J


----------



## glen danbury

good luck :thumb:


----------



## Jem

Jo looks ace !

All the best in Detroit


----------



## supercell

Thanks Jem. If you go onto Jo's FB page she has many more photos that are superb. really show her new look off very well indeed!!


----------



## DGS

http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/general-conversation/111250-wtf-arrogance-about-stage-bodybuilders-4.html#post1866239

Have a look at post 58 james ....you got anything to say ????


----------



## ah24

DGS said:


> http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/general-conversation/111250-wtf-arrogance-about-stage-bodybuilders-4.html#post1866239
> 
> Have a look at post 58 james ....you got anything to say ????


Why would you need to bring this into James' prep thread? If you're really that bothered why not PM. Do people really have that little to do they have to sh1t stir?


----------



## Suprakill4

ah24 said:


> Why would you need to bring this into James' prep thread? If you're really that bothered why not PM. Do people really have that little to do they have to sh1t stir?


Completely agree. What a [email protected] for putting that in here.

Good luck James, both looking great in the pics.


----------



## hilly

DGS said:


> http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/general-conversation/111250-wtf-arrogance-about-stage-bodybuilders-4.html#post1866239
> 
> Have a look at post 58 james ....you got anything to say ????


neged for **** stiring


----------



## DGS

hahaha, its all gd, jw obvs wanted him to see it anyways


----------



## Greyphantom

DGS said:


> hahaha, its all gd, jw obvs wanted him to see it anyways


but there is really no need for you to stick you nose in to stir the sh!t though is there... if James wanted to respond he would... jebus mate what are you a 12 year old girl or something...


----------



## DGS

oi greyphantom no offense dude but what the fuk really......you try and come across all knowledgable, stuck up your own fat @rse and then i just seen a pic of you on your journal and you have one of the ****test physiques on here and thats saying summet, there are 16 year olds on here with more muscle than you.


----------



## supercell

Ok guys, I have responded. Read and lets move on. I have more important things to worry about.

J


----------



## pecman

Mate you are looking thick as in them pictures and how the hell do you get veins like that all over ya shoulders and back?

Superb:thumb:


----------



## borostu82

Best of luck for the next few weeks james, hope you get the result your after :thumb:

Look forward to the comp pics

Stu


----------



## supercell

Cheers guys, I appreciate your comments and words of support!!

I'll do my best and that's all you can do.

J


----------



## Greyphantom

DGS said:


> oi greyphantom no offense dude but what the fuk really......you try and come across all knowledgable, stuck up your own fat @rse and then i just seen a pic of you on your journal and you have one of the ****test physiques on here and thats saying summet, there are 16 year olds on here with more muscle than you.


Thank you for your comments your opinion means absolutely nothing to me... and your pics are??? also note the rather prominent scar on the abdomen there... the clue is in the journal... 

anyway will keep this love tiff off James' journal mate, cant pm you for some reason, if you wish you can pm me, if you can...


----------



## Greyphantom

cant wait to see the finished package mate... good luck and not long to go now...


----------



## Jimmy1

DGS said:


> oi greyphantom no offense dude but what the fuk really......you try and come across all knowledgable, stuck up your own fat @rse and then i just seen a pic of you on your journal and you have one of the ****test physiques on here and thats saying summet, there are 16 year olds on here with more muscle than you.


GP is one of the origonal members here and friends with everyone

he is also correct in his post

see you in a month


----------



## Jimmy1

supercell said:


> Here are a few photos from a shoot I had done with one of my athletes, Jo Griffiths. Jo was 2 weeks out from the Welsh and I was 3 weeks out from Detroit.
> 
> The photo's are by a guy called Matt Marsh and he took some absolutely cracking shots of Jo that day. I wanted to thank Matt for his time and also the owners of Panther's Gym for letting us do some of the shoot there.
> 
> J


nice pics

i still remember your first mr britain

what a long way since then...well done james


----------



## sully807

hey james, got to first of all say your a huge inspiration and one of the main bodybuilders i look toward as an ambassador of the sport and also one of my fave physiques on the entire bodybuilding scene.

Saw you at the kent classic and again at the east of england show the sunday just gone and iv got to say you looking insane. Good luck representing GB and the rest of us kent lads!

thanks again for the inspiration that you give me that helps me stride toward my goals

sully


----------



## supercell

Update. These photos were taken this morning before breakfast weighing 190lbs. I'm going to be holding my weight here now as there is precious little to come off. Just a question of depleting, loading and drying out now next week.

I have backed off my cardio and am just doing a few gentle walks each day and I am watching my weight and manipulating my carbs and fats to keep my weight steady.

I am 10lbs up from Orlando, so I am pleased with the improvements in size and conditioning below the waist.

Looking forward to travelling out to Detroit and I will be ready to do battle come show day.

J


----------



## supercell

sully807 said:


> hey james, got to first of all say your a huge inspiration and one of the main bodybuilders i look toward as an ambassador of the sport and also one of my fave physiques on the entire bodybuilding scene.
> 
> Saw you at the kent classic and again at the east of england show the sunday just gone and iv got to say you looking insane. Good luck representing GB and the rest of us kent lads!
> 
> thanks again for the inspiration that you give me that helps me stride toward my goals
> 
> sully


Thankyou Sully. Its people like yourself that really spur me on. Its a great feeling knowing that I can inspire others in bodybuilding. I always looked up to certain bodybuilders for inspiration but never thought I would be somebody people look up to to gain their own inspiration. Thats very humbling indeed!!

J


----------



## musclefox

James your looking awesome, Conditioning is never a problem with you, you know what it takes to get there.

Heres wishing you all the luck mate:thumb:.

Look forwad in catching up with you soon..


----------



## LittleChris

I remember reading somewhere about water retention being an issue on long-haul flights? How do you minimise this, if at all? Presumably this is the reason for flying out earlier than the show?

Interesting read as always


----------



## Galtonator

TOP STUFF James


----------



## Greyphantom

Bl00dy nora James... you look freaking awesome... cant believe the cuts and how etched each muscle is... blown me away mate, wishing you nothing but the best for the comp... damn!!!!


----------



## supercell

musclefox said:


> James your looking awesome, Conditioning is never a problem with you, you know what it takes to get there.
> 
> Heres wishing you all the luck mate:thumb:.
> 
> Look forwad in catching up with you soon..


Nice one thanks Dave and see you once I get back mate.



LittleChris said:


> I remember reading somewhere about water retention being an issue on long-haul flights? How do you minimise this, if at all? Presumably this is the reason for flying out earlier than the show?
> 
> Interesting read as always


I now fly depleted meaning during my 3 days depletion phase when carbs are minimal and water intake is high. For this show depletion will be sun, mon and tues and I fly out on the monday. Doing it this way means that water retention is very small. I also make sure that I get up and do a few light stretches and exercises on board. I get a few funny looks especially when I don my posing trunks and go through my mandatory poses LOL!! On the Orlando trip I only gained around 0.5lbs which is just a few 100g, so nothing really at all. Once I land and get to my suite I'll hit the gym, do some light cardio and an upper body circuit to help rid the body of any pooling that may occurred on the flight, esp in the lower limbs.



Galtonator said:


> TOP STUFF James


Thanks Scott, hope you are well mate?



Greyphantom said:


> Bl00dy nora James... you look freaking awesome... cant believe the cuts and how etched each muscle is... blown me away mate, wishing you nothing but the best for the comp... damn!!!!


Thanks for your support. Things are coming in very nicely today. My friend has been off work all week so has seen me every day and trained with me and he couldn't believe how my body has changed in the last 2 days. I have dropped around 4.5lbs of fluid this week due to stopping certain 'supplements' and this changes my physique so much.

Its now all about maintaining this look by manipulating my carbs, fats and cardio. That means tonight I am off out for a Rib eye and baked potato, so its all good right now!! :thumb:

J


----------



## defdaz

Looking shredded James! Best of luck and enjoy the rib eye lol!!

PS Put something in that corner of your garden or it'll be covered in weeds when you get back


----------



## Suprakill4

Amazing change from last pics i saw mate. Back looks great!

Good luck, enjoy the food, just about to dig into turkey mince, rice, and spinnach, YUM - NOT!


----------



## Biggerdave

Incredible buddy, and that chest appears to have finally come on quite a bit too!

Got a real good feeling about this show for you!!!

Take care


----------



## OJay

really inspirational stuff there james nice going

chest is coming up with every show you do it seems good luck!


----------



## Incredible Bulk

Looks dialled in james... glad you're flying out earlier this time round, i remember before the arnold amateur i asked you what you thought about the water retention issue on long haul flights and you didnt think it would do much!

all the best, inspiring read


----------



## Judas

Hey James  ! I'm more of a lurker, never posted on your blog before! Amazing photo's mate. I saw you at Reynolds gym in Sittingbourne looked amazing there as well! Didn't say hello or anything, couldn't believe it was actually you!

Best of luck with your shows.


----------



## clarkey

Awsome James imo your looking the best ive seen you...especially in your legs, back n chest much improved from Orlando. I know how hard you have worked mate and have seen it with my own eyes, 2days after the show in Orlando you were back in Golds gym hitting it hard (while me n Mr Farr were smashing ribs n bud lite lol) and it has def been worth it. All proud of you here bud now go do the doo and get that Olympia qualification you deserve. :thumbup1:


----------



## strange_days

Supreme conditioning


----------



## Raylike

And that`s why you are the man!

Do us all proud mate and take no prisioners.Best of luck mate.


----------



## lockstock

08' Condition me thinks or pretty damn close (to death) and around a stone heavier!!! Awesome.... F'in awesome in fact :thumbup1:

Still 4ft 4" though :whistling: :laugh:

Cracking photo's mate and good luck. I wont bother you for results on the day i'll just check the tinterweb.

Later bad boi x


----------



## EDG301

Well done James- looking awesome!


----------



## supercell

Just want to thank everybody for all their kind words of support. I have a busy day today seeing clients and also packing, cooking and generally sorting my sh1t out before leaving for the airport tomorrow morning at around 4am.

I'll make sure I pack enough food for the trip plus a couple of extra meals incase of delays. Looking at what is to go in my suitcase, it seems that its mainly food and supplements. I have 2 tubs of pro pep, pro desserts, pro Mr, oats, nuts, rice cakes, raisins, so enough to keep me going until I get to a Wallmart the other end! I also have packed some clothes too, as these may also come in handy ;-)

The following pictures were taken yesterday, 7 days out and will be the last pics before stepping on stage.

My weight this morning was around 189lbs and I dont want that dropping below 188lbs after depletion, so I am eating a little more food today even though its my first day of depletion so to speak.

I also want to wish one of my athletes, Jo Griffiths, all the very best for her Bodyfitness class today at the Welsh show. Im gutted I cant be there but I'll be keeping in touch via text and phone.

I'll be returning to the UK on the 27th Sept but will have my laptop with me so will keep you all updated as to my progress over the coming week.

Tonight at 11.35pm I am going on 'Pro Muscle Radio' with Tricky Jackson and Jose Raymond, which should be fun!!

J


----------



## hilly

All the best james, looking forward to seeing some stage pics. LMAO at ure suitcase be funny if customs decide to search it lol


----------



## weeal

never posted before but always doing plenty reading.just to wish you all the

best james looking amazing sure your gonna do yourself and the uk proud .


----------



## Fantom

All the best James........see you in Vegas mate:thumbup1:


----------



## supercell

hilly said:


> All the best james, looking forward to seeing some stage pics. LMAO at ure suitcase be funny if customs decide to search it lol


Thankyou mate. Well if they like their CNP supps then they'll be in for a treat!!!



weeal said:


> never posted before but always doing plenty reading.just to wish you all the
> 
> best james looking amazing sure your gonna do yourself and the uk proud .


Nice one and thanks for taking the time to post and wish me luck!!



Fantom said:


> All the best James........see you in Vegas mate:thumbup1:


Nice one Si, you will indeed mate......Vegas all the way baby!!!! What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.....If we just remember that and we wont go far wrong!

J


----------



## stri8ted2210

All the very best of luck james. Hope all goes to plan and you get the olympia qaulification you rightly deserve.


----------



## Greyphantom

Mate what happens in vegas wont be staying in vegas when you win!!! then its bring on the world... :thumb: Looking great in the pics there bud...


----------



## supercell

Update.

Its Tuesday at 7.30am here in Detroit and after a fairly restless nights sleep due to hunger i got up at 6am had a scoop of pro pep and then hit my cardio.

The gym at the suites is fine for me, treadmills, cross trainers and a multi gym and dumbells and bench, so everything really fo a good depletion circuit. I may find a local gym but it really depends on how I'm feeling.

I weighed in at 188lbs this morning, so 1lb down from yesterday which means that the flight and nearly 19 hours of travelling didn't effect me at all.

I had around 200g of carbs yesterday and probably around 150g of fat with around 400g of protein. I also drank around 5-6 litres of water. Luckily I had an isle seat as I was back and forth a fair bit!!

The suite I am staying in is great. It has a fully equipped kitchen, lounge with sofa's desk, high speed internet, bedrom, and bathroom plus its right next door to a huge Wallmart, so its perfectly located.

It took me around 2.5 hours to get through customs yesterday as there was a huge backlog of passengers and then after gtting the hire car, I ran into roadworks plus i couldn't find the Suites, so it was an eventful journey.

However I had prepped around 8-9 meals so I had plenty of food with me and my energy levels were excellent all day. Once I settled in I did 20 mins of cardio and a weights circuit just to flush any excess water away but there wasn't any at all, so i was very happy with that.

Today I will maintain my bodyweight. I have had around 100g of carbs for breakfast and I will have some more PWO but apart from that it will be mainly chicken, steak and eggs with some peanut butter and olive oil. Then tomorrow the loading starts!

I am delighted with where I am this time around and my size and condition combination has never been this good....EVER!!

So now its just a question of sticking to the plan and coming in perfectly peaked and as I feel relaxed, I see no reason why I shouldn't.

J


----------



## defdaz

Thanks for the update James, got everything crossed for you!


----------



## Galtonator

Good luck James. Do you bother with any brand of olive oil or just a bog standard extra virgin?


----------



## Greyphantom

Sounds like you had a time of it mate but are well on top of things... all the best and cant wait to hear about it all...


----------



## supercell

Galtonator said:


> Good luck James. Do you bother with any brand of olive oil or just a bog standard extra virgin?


Bog standard, as long as its Extra Virgin I care not:thumbup1:

J


----------



## supercell

I have just got back from Planet Fitness where I did my first depletion circuit of the day and then some light cardio. Although my carbs are about half what they were, the pump I got was insane as my water and sodium are high still.

I am really pleased where I am at and after the workout I went into the locker room and checked myself out. Now I'm not one to really blow my own trumpet unless I feel its warrented but today it was. There isn't a single part of my body that hasn't got veins running through it. My glutes are absolutely shredded as well as my quads which are now nicely feathered. Although flatter than last week, I still have a very nice rounded look to my physique and even after only 2 days of depletion my face has really drawn in and my bodyfat levels are lower than late last week too.

I will go back later on this evening and do my second depletion workout and my 3rd cardio session of the day, then I may well go out for some steak and a salad at a restuarant right next door to the gym.

Now I'm just chilling but I'm gonna be going back out again to search out some quality steak for my last few days and some nice fudge brownies and ice cream for my pre show meal on the morning of the show.

The weather today is beautiful. It's around 75c and blue sunny skies here in Troy which is around 20 miles from downtown Detroit to the south.

The weather is set to get even hotter by the weekend with temps into the low 80's which will stand me in good stead for the unbearable desert heat of Las Vegas next sunday!

J


----------



## chrisj28

Nice one james glad all is going to plan good luck for the show.


----------



## Big Dawg

supercell said:


> I have just got back from *Planet Fitness* where I did my first depletion circuit of the day and then some light cardio.
> 
> J


They didn't sound the "lunk alarm" while you were training did they? :lol:


----------



## big_jim_87

supercell said:


> I have just got back from Planet Fitness where I did my first depletion circuit of the day and then some light cardio. Although my carbs are about half what they were, the pump I got was insane as my water and sodium are high still.
> 
> I am really pleased where I am at and after the workout I went into the locker room and checked myself out. Now I'm not one to really blow my own trumpet unless I feel its warrented but today it was. There isn't a single part of my body that hasn't got veins running through it. My glutes are absolutely shredded as well as my quads which are now nicely feathered. Although flatter than last week, I still have a very nice rounded look to my physique and even after only 2 days of depletion my face has really drawn in and my bodyfat levels are lower than late last week too.
> 
> I will go back later on this evening and do my second depletion workout and my 3rd cardio session of the day, then I may well go out for some steak and a salad at a restuarant right next door to the gym.
> 
> Now I'm just chilling but I'm gonna be going back out again to search out some quality steak for my last few days and some nice fudge brownies and ice cream for my pre show meal on the morning of the show.
> 
> The weather today is beautiful. It's around 75c and blue sunny skies here in Troy which is around 20 miles from downtown Detroit to the south.
> 
> The weather is set to get even hotter by the weekend with temps into the low 80's which will stand me in good stead for the unbearable desert heat of Las Vegas next sunday!
> 
> J


sounds good buddy! any pics?


----------



## supercell

I'll try and get some pics done tonight at my most depleted.

I have also been running a video diary which will be part of my new DVD that is coming out in early December called "2010 - The awakening"

J


----------



## big_jim_87

supercell said:


> I'll try and get some pics done tonight at my most depleted.
> 
> I have also been running a video diary which will be part of my new DVD that is coming out in early December called "2010 - The awakening"
> 
> J


is this the 2nd dvd or the 3rd?


----------



## supercell

AlasTTTair said:


> They didn't sound the "lunk alarm" while you were training did they? :lol:


I saw that, it made me chuckle. The sweet girl behind reception said there were a couple of rules of the gym and one was 'no grunting'. Dont think she fully understood my reference to bad wind. I said I 'couldn't make any promises' to her. :lol:

J


----------



## Bettyboo

Good luck J, hope all is well and go kick ar$e out there


----------



## big_jim_87

supercell said:


> I saw that, it made me chuckle. The sweet girl behind reception said there were a couple of rules of the gym and one was 'no grunting'. Dont think she fully understood my reference to bad wind. I said I 'couldn't make any promises' to her. :lol:
> 
> J


with exception of the few we have on the forum yanks humour is shyt


----------



## Big Dawg

supercell said:


> I saw that, it made me chuckle. The sweet girl behind reception said there were a couple of rules of the gym and one was 'no grunting'. Dont think she fully understood my reference to bad wind. I said I 'couldn't make any promises' to her. :lol:
> 
> J


What a stupid rule! Heaven forbid any of the members would demonstrate enough physical exertion to emit a slight grunt!

You'll like this:






What was the equipment like there mate?


----------



## jjmac

AlasTTTair said:


> What a stupid rule! Heaven forbid any of the members would demonstrate enough physical exertion to emit a slight grunt!
> 
> You'll like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What was the equipment like there mate?


that is quality. surley the alarm would put other gym users off more than the occasional grunt?!?!?

.....only in america :tongue:


----------



## stri8ted2210

AlasTTTair said:


> What a stupid rule! Heaven forbid any of the members would demonstrate enough physical exertion to emit a slight grunt!
> 
> You'll like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What was the equipment like there mate?


I think he was quite reserved in his reaction to that stupid women interupting his workout, i would of chucked that dumbell at her face! :cursing:


----------



## supercell

big_jim_87 said:


> is this the 2nd dvd or the 3rd?


Second mate, the first was One Step Ahead in 2008

J


----------



## supercell

yeah it was very well equipped with Hammer Strength and Life Fitness. Only downside was that the dumbells only went up to 65lbs!!!???

Obviously so noone grunts too loudly.

They had around 15 bikes, 30 treadmills, 30 cross trainers and 15 arc trainers as well as Smith Machines, cables, free weight bars, dumbells and mainly pin selector machines. Most of which I have never seen in the UK and the stacks were suprisingly heavy, probably because I am weak right now! It was also open 24 hours a day and was also stacked with fit birds! Worth the day fee just for that really )

I went shopping today for the carb up and bought potatoes, eggs, steak, cheesecake, ice cream, rice cakes, bananas, peanut butter, distilled water, salmon, chicken, raisins, granola, jam, diet coke and some gatorade. After shopping I went back to the gym at around 6.30 after having some chicken and smoked salmon at 6pm in the car park. Again I felt suprisingly energised and did around 40 mins of upper body circuit style weights and then 30 minutes on the Arc Trainer.

Again got a great pump and the vascularity was crazy! Then it was back home for more chicken and peanut butter and the rest of the smoked salmon and now I'm ready to hit the shower and use the scrub and moisturiser that the tanning lady kindly sent to my hotel for me on my arrival.

J


----------



## Simon m

Sounds like you're having a good time and I hope you achieve your dream.

One question and I know you might not be able to answer, but how you get to use your PEDS out in the States?


----------



## supercell

Simon m said:


> Sounds like you're having a good time and I hope you achieve your dream.
> 
> One question and I know you might not be able to answer, but how you get to use your PEDS out in the States?


Yeah all good and thankyou, me too!

Not really a question that I can answer to be fair mate....Sorry!

J


----------



## Big Dawg

supercell said:


> Yeah all good and thankyou, me too!
> 
> Not really a question that I can answer to be fair mate....Sorry!
> 
> J


Haha interesting to see someone have the audacity to ask a doubly-incriminating question to an IFBB PRO staying in the USA (where steroid use is illegal) on a public forum! Triple fcuking whammy! :lol:


----------



## hilly

LMAO at that question.

Glad things seem to be running smooth for ya pal.


----------



## supercell

Ok so its just past 6am here in Detroit and I have had my first meal of the day. In fact it was the same meal I have had every day for the past 10 weeks so although its my first meal of the 3 day carb up, it felt fairly normal.

I will log all of my food over the course of today just so you can see the type of foods and amounts I am eating. I took in around 100g carbs with breakfast today (see below)

Meal 1 100g oats, 30g granola, 20g raisins, 2 scoops pro pep and 1 large banana

My weight today was down again on yesterdays by 2lbs so my depleted weight this time was 186lbs, so 6lbs up from Orlando at the same time.

I ate a lot yesterday, in fact I had a huge amount of fat as well as a lot of protein and around 150g carbs and still my weight dropped although I did p1ss for Britain last night!!

I'll probably shoot for around 9-10 meals each one consisting of 100g of carbs, 25-30g protein and around 10g fat, so around 600 cals per meal which would mean around 6000 Kcals for the day. That sounds like a lot of calories and it is but I need them as my metabolism is in hyperdrive right now.

I add fats to my carb up as I seem to fill out a lot better with them in there. Today is all about ramming as many calories into me and then the plan will be to back off the carbs tomorrow and friday. The morning of the show which is saturday I will increase my fats again and my simple and complex carbs and I have my cheesecake and ice cream at the ready. It will also include fried potatoes, fried eggs and fillet steak.

I will keep my water high today at around 6 litres and then slowly bring it down each day as I carb up so the day before I will drink around 3-4 litres and on the day of the show around 1.5 litres total.

I'm just rally going to be relaxing today around my suite as I'll be spending most of the day eating and also peeing no doubt.

Anyway all is good right now but I know by midday I'll be wanting to sleep!!

J


----------



## supercell

AlasTTTair said:


> Haha interesting to see someone have the audacity to ask a doubly-incriminating question to an IFBB PRO staying in the USA (where steroid use is illegal) on a public forum! Triple fcuking whammy! :lol:


The little tinker!!! :lol:

Obviously doesnt realise I'm a natural athlete

J


----------



## Greyphantom

And blonde question of the month goes too.... *drumroll*...


----------



## mick_the_brick

Lmao..

Getting on really well by the sound of things James.

All the best pal


----------



## defdaz

Sounds like everything is going to plan James, fantastic news!! Would you say you're in better condition than the 08 British Finals? If so... happy days!!!

Got everything crossed for you. Good Luck!


----------



## supercell

Click on the link and listen to my interview on 'Pro Muscle Radio' with Ricky 'Tricky' Jackson.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/promuscle/2010/09/12/pro-muscle-radio

J


----------



## supercell

defdaz said:


> Sounds like everything is going to plan James, fantastic news!! Would you say you're in better condition than the 08 British Finals? If so... happy days!!!
> 
> Got everything crossed for you. Good Luck!


I think to be in better condition than 08 would be pretty hard but what I am presenting this time is a physique with comparable conditioning but with the added fullness that 15lb of extra tissue gives you:thumbup1:

J


----------



## stri8ted2210

supercell said:


> I think to be in better condition than 08 would be pretty hard but what I am presenting this time is a physique with comparable conditioning but with the added fullness that 15lb of extra tissue gives you:thumbup1:
> 
> J


Sounds awesome james. Without getting to over excited or looking past this show,if you come top 3 (which i sincerley believe you will:thumb are you then travelling back to the UK and then back to vegas in the space of like 2 weeks?? If so how difficult and how much of an impact do you belive this will this have in your prep for the 202 olympia?? Do you think guys like jose raymond,kevin english,edaurdo correa will have a big advantage being that they are spending the weeks leading up to the 202 olympia only having to focus on bringing it to that date and with less travelling then yourself?

Cheers.


----------



## supercell

Im already booked to fly and stay in Vegas next week anyway. So whether I am competing or not Im gonna have a great week but standing on that Olympia stage would be the best feeling in the World. Top 3 is obviously my goal at the qualifier then after that just being there and being at my best will suffice!!

J


----------



## neil-gsi

Good luck James, looking good, hope all goes to plan and you are at your best ever!


----------



## supercell

Update.

After 1000g of carbs yesterday I gained all but 1lb

This is very normal for me and i would expect another 2-3lbs over the course of the next 2 days whilst also drying out.

I had an horrendous night feeling sick and bloated, so much so that I couldn't eat my last meal. Rather than try and force it down I just left it.

Today I am weighing in at 187lb and look tighter and drier than yesterday, so everything is heading in the right direction.

Today will be pretty much a carbon copy of yesterday but this time I will be adding in some rice and potato as I am pretty much sick of oats now for every meal.

Tomorrow will be more fat based and carbs will lower.

Although neil hasn't been helping me for the bulk of my prep he is overseeing my final few days for me and is calling me again today to talk me through tomorrow's plan. I know he has something a little bit different in mind as the judging and the finals are on the same day. He wants me coming in bursting full and dry as a bone and I'll do what it takes to get that look come saturday. I know how my body works now and I know that lower carbs and high fats are the way forward for the best look on saturday hence the switch tomorrow.

So its another day of discomfort but a small price to pay IMO. I'm just gonna crack on, chill out and await instructions......Its that simple!!

J


----------



## hilly

daft question james - do you use cheap tesco value range oats for example of quaker oats?

just ask because i used to eat alot of oats using the cheaper ones but have switched to quaker oats recently which are more solid and firmer and have been having some stomach issues?


----------



## supercell

I have always used Quaker oats mate and never have any issues but when you are eating over 1.5kgs a day it dont matter what brand they are they are gonna make you feel like sh1te!!

Im swapping around a bit today and having some rice and some potatoes too. Once I get through today I'll be fine. Its normally by the third and final day i feel ok, so fingers crossed!!!

J


----------



## Suprakill4

supercell said:


> I have always used Quaker oats mate and never have any issues but when you are eating over 1.5kgs a day it dont matter what brand they are they are gonna make you feel like sh1te!!
> 
> Im swapping around a bit today and having some rice and some potatoes too. Once I get through today I'll be fine. Its normally by the third and final day i feel ok, so fingers crossed!!!
> 
> J


1.5kg in a day, jesus mate!!! Crazy!

Cant wait to follow this through the comp. You have been the biggest inspiration for me since starting bodybuilding. DVD got me more determined than ever so cannot wait to watch the next one. All the best James.


----------



## Simon m

supercell said:


> The little tinker!!! :lol:
> 
> Obviously doesnt realise I'm a natural athlete
> 
> J


Just realised what I asked mate! Sorry, dim as hell! I'm worried about going away for 2 weeks to Spain, hence the question!:laugh:

I'll get me coat!


----------



## Simon m

kieren1234 said:


> 1.5kg in a day, jesus mate!!! Crazy!
> 
> Cant wait to follow this through the comp. You have been the biggest inspiration for me since starting bodybuilding. DVD got me more determined than ever so cannot wait to watch the next one. All the best James.


I'll be getting the DVD as well. Any chance we can have less background music this time as the first one was let down a little imo by the sound track.


----------



## Suprakill4

Simon m said:


> I'll be getting the DVD as well. Any chance we can have less background music this time as the first one was let down a little imo by the sound track.


I loved the soundtrack actually. The DVD was brilliant, just the sort of music i like to train to.

And like any serious bodybuilder, never see him without a bottle of water lol.


----------



## Simon m

kieren1234 said:


> I loved the soundtrack actually. The DVD was brilliant, just the sort of music i like to train to.
> 
> And like any serious bodybuilder, never see him without a bottle of water lol.


I like the sounds of weights being moved, just old fashioned like that, don't mind the sounds of the gym's audio being pumped out like AC/DC tracks in Dorians vid, but just laying the sound over, makes it's sterile and removes a layer of reality


----------



## supercell

Yeah dont worry guys, the next one the music has been addressed......It fcuked me off too!!!

As far as travelling in the EU, you should be absolutely fine. As you know UK states possession is fine as is personal useage, however posession with intent to supply is a criminal offence.

I believe that EU law permits you to travel with PEDS if they are kept in a lockable metal box and do not exceed around £150 but you would hve to double check on that, it was just someting I read a while back.

US law is far stricter and if found with any kind of AAS you potentially face being turned round at the aiport and deportation, not something a competing athlete that has dieted for months wants to be greeted with!!

I put things like oats, rice, rice cakes, pro MR's, Pro Desserts and 2 tubs of Pro Pep in my suitcase and all those products are permitted. You can have certain meats and vegetables/fruits taken from you at border control due to disease control but I got away with a couple of cooked ribeyes in my tupperwares.

Its quite daunting going through customs and I found this time as I was travelling alone I was given a real grilling as to my purpose here. You find yourself stuttering even though you have nothing to hide!!LOL

J


----------



## jjmac

any latest pics james?


----------



## najybomb

loving the updates james!


----------



## Dazzaemm2k7

supercell said:


> Yeah dont worry guys, the next one the music has been addressed......It fcuked me off too!!!
> 
> As far as travelling in the EU, you should be absolutely fine. As you know UK states possession is fine as is personal useage, however posession with intent to supply is a criminal offence.
> 
> I believe that EU law permits you to travel with PEDS if they are kept in a lockable metal box and do not exceed around £150 but you would hve to double check on that, it was just someting I read a while back.
> 
> US law is far stricter and if found with any kind of AAS you potentially face being turned round at the aiport and deportation, not something a competing athlete that has dieted for months wants to be greeted with!!
> 
> I put things like oats, rice, rice cakes, pro MR's, Pro Desserts and 2 tubs of Pro Pep in my suitcase and all those products are permitted. You can have certain meats and vegetables/fruits taken from you at border control due to disease control but I got away with a couple of cooked ribeyes in my tupperwares.
> 
> Its quite daunting going through customs and I found this time as I was travelling alone I was given a real grilling as to my purpose here. You find yourself stuttering even though you have nothing to hide!!LOL
> 
> J


fs james ! thats dodgey !

i can imagine customs being pure strict !

i know exactly what your saying about stuttering and being nervous even though you have nothing to be nervous about lol ! I get like that in the same type of situations. You havnt done anything wrong and have nothing to hide but the thought still makes you nervous lol :laugh::laugh:

cant wait to here how you get on 

biggest and best wishes for your show 

fantastic progress so far so you should be proud regardless :thumbup1: :thumbup1: :thumbup1:


----------



## stri8ted2210

Do you who else is competeting in the 202 yet james? I know pedro barron and daryl gee are but not sure of others? Heard mark dugdale was possibly competeting aswell!!?


----------



## Big Dawg

supercell said:


> Yeah dont worry guys, the next one the music has been addressed......It fcuked me off too!!!
> 
> As far as travelling in the EU, you should be absolutely fine. As you know UK states possession is fine as is personal useage, however posession with intent to supply is a criminal offence.
> 
> I believe that EU law permits you to travel with PEDS if they are kept in a lockable metal box and do not exceed around £150 but you would hve to double check on that, it was just someting I read a while back.
> 
> US law is far stricter and if found with any kind of AAS you potentially face being turned round at the aiport and deportation, not something a competing athlete that has dieted for months wants to be greeted with!!
> 
> I put things like oats, rice, rice cakes, pro MR's, Pro Desserts and 2 tubs of Pro Pep in my suitcase and all those products are permitted. You can have certain meats and vegetables/fruits taken from you at border control due to disease control but I got away with a couple of cooked ribeyes in my tupperwares.
> 
> Its quite daunting going through customs and I found this time as I was travelling alone I was given a real grilling as to my purpose here. You find yourself stuttering even though you have nothing to hide!!LOL
> 
> J


Nothing to hide...but these 24 INCH PYTHONS!! BOOM!! You don't believe I'm here to compete in a bodybuilding competition? Check out these glutes...LOOK AT THE STRIATIONS!! THE STRIATIONS!!

Have that you yank bastard!!


----------



## stri8ted2210

AlasTTTair said:


> Nothing to hide...but these 24 INCH PYTHONS!! BOOM!! You don't believe I'm here to compete in a bodybuilding competition? Check out these glutes...LOOK AT THE STRIATIONS!! THE STRIATIONS!!
> 
> Have that you yank bastard!!


 :lol: :lol: Can you imagine the look on the faces of the yanks at customs if james did that lmao just start hitting rear double bi's and lat spreads haha


----------



## Mwaite1985

Great Physisue, whats your hieght James?

Matt


----------



## supercell

Last day of loading going very well. High fats today too and Im filling out really well. Here's a photo I took at the hotel gym, not great but you get the idea where I am going into the last day.

Neil thinks I should hit the stage at around 190-192lbs which would be fantastic.

I have just prepped the rest of my food for the day as I have the weight in and athletes meeting at 7pm (12am UK time).

I feel absolutely great today, no bloating, no nausea and as normal on the last day of loading Im starving hungry.

Today we are shooting for the following macros

800g carbs from potato, oats, rice

250g protein from pro pep, steak, eggs, turkey

150g fat from steak, eggs, olive oil, peanut butter

Which is around 5500kcals today

Thats a fair few calories but I have been eating between 5-6000kcals for the first 2 days anyway.

So all is good. I'll update again once I get back, I'm just about to set my vid camera up and film some footage for my DVD

J


----------



## Suprakill4

omfg mate!!!! you look HUGE in the picture. your arm and delt is bigger than your head lol.

Cant definitely see that chest has made progress in my opinion. The girlfriend says hurry your a$$ up with the next dvd, she loved the last one!!!

GREAT progress and to be sitting at 192 would be brilliant.


----------



## Greyphantom

Great pic mate, looking tight... Good luck mate will be rooting for ya come the day... JAAAAAAAMMMEEEESSSS c'mooooonnnn... :thumb:


----------



## freddee

Just a quick question James, how do you manage to consume so many carbs and stay dry, I have always thought that the more carbs the more water, but am more than willing to be enlightened, I have a friend at the moment, that is preping for a show and the water is bothering him have you got any tips, I have mentioned more water, extra vit C, green tea, cut sodium, and try and get a good diaretic (which is the best) if its not too big a secret lol.. you look great, give it to them!


----------



## DEJ

freddee said:


> Just a quick question James, how do you manage to consume so many carbs and stay dry, I have always thought that the more carbs the more water, but am more than willing to be enlightened, I have a friend at the moment, that is preping for a show and the water is bothering him have you got any tips, I have mentioned more water, extra vit C, green tea, cut sodium, and try and get a good diaretic (which is the best) if its not too big a secret lol.. you look great, give it to them!


I would avoid diaretics mate, maybe just address the type of carbs hes using. i no with me certain things bloat me up where as others don't. Obviously james will have a better opinion but thought i'd drop mine in.


----------



## AxelF

good luck James from me and my son Joe who is a massive fan.


----------



## weeal

bloody hell james you look massive in that photo.definetly think this will be

the best package you have brought to the stage yet. best of luck mate shall be cheering you from ma couch back in sunny scotland.


----------



## defdaz

Amazing photo James, best of luck!!


----------



## hertderg

Prejuding under way - come on James !!!


----------



## LittleChris

Is Stan McQuay doing this show as well?


----------



## hertderg

LittleChris said:


> Is Stan McQuay doing this show as well?


Yes mate looks like he is .

Play by Play can be found here -

http://forums.musculardevelopment.com/showthread.php?t=96661&page=4


----------



## Biggerdave

Any news guys??

Dave


----------



## OJay

9th i believe

congrats for getting there, onwards and upwards


----------



## BenM

Well done James. Your size and condition looked great, it must have been tough with the travel but you seem to take it all in your stride. We can't wait to see your next DVD - the gf and I are greatly inspired by you. Keep up the good work mate.

Results are here: http://forums.musculardevelopment.com/showthread.php?t=96661&page=12


----------



## Incredible Bulk

found this on MD.com










made the 2nd call out

*James Llewellin

*Pedro Barron Cuyas

*Cvetko Stojmenovski

*Edward Duque

Shawn Rays + Fouad's notes on James

James Llewellin

FA: Flat chest. Stomach a tad bloated. Lots of muscle, but holding water.

SR: Hard from the front. Good abs. Chest, shoulders, and arms are good. Needs to harden up the rear.


----------



## Big Dawg

Well done mate! Some good guys up there. Hard luck on not qualifying but you know what to do...keep hammering it for next time!


----------



## supercell

Ok guys.

What a day. It was a great show and some class physiques. I met and chatted with some really nice poeple and had some good feedback especially from Chris Aceto on the RX Muscle website play by play. I quote..

James Llewllin "Good Stance just standing there. Goor front lat spread full and har. For what he has (structure etc) hes really peaked well. Low body fat and no water retention here... mildly flat in back and pecs. (not flat just needs more mass there)"

This meant a lot from one of the worlds best prep guys. I know my weaknesses so all I can do is try to get my conditioning bang on the money which I feel I pretty much did.

I need more size....PERIOD....especially in my back hams and chest and all these areas are now going to be my focus in the coming weeks and months. I know how to peak and to peak well, its just Im giving away around 14lbs and I need to add these to the highlighted areas to move up the rankings.

9th out of 19 I am not disappointed with, it was a fair placing. It could have move 1 or 2 in either way, so you just got to take it and run with it. Top 10 here was I feel a good result and just shows the caliber of competitor and how imporant show selection is. I was bigger and harder than Orlando but placed 5 places lower so although it is a worse result, I was happy with the package I presented and showed some improvements too.

I am now considering staying in shape (after a rest in Vegas) and perhaps do the Sacremento Pro in the beginning of November but I will see once I get home.

This show has fired me up even more now to progress but like i have said many times, it is very humbling standing on stage with so many guys that are genetically FAR superior than me. I know I WILL qualify for the Olympia, its just a question of when now. I know what I have to do and taken the points on board from those I respect in the sport and will improve. Infact I have already put some plans back into place and someone from 'my past' is going to be helping me achieve this extra mass!!

I also wanted to give a massive thanks to Neil Hill. Although we didn't work together for the prep he worked with me since for the last 10 days or so and was there every step of the way for me. He planned my meals and timings and phoned me at least 2x a day to see how I was getting on. So a BIG shout out to Neil as he has been my inspiration and rock througout my time her in Detroit.

I also wanted to thank you guys for your total support. Without it bodybuilding would be a lonely place especially when travelling 4000 miles to a foreign country on your own to compete. It was nice being alone in some ways as I could just think about myself and just eat my food and do what I needed to do.

So watch this space, it may well be the Sac pro in 5 weeks from now but we shall see!

Today I am off to Vegas but before I am going to do some cardio and hit the gym. Shelby Starns who did the play by play for RX muscle gave me a free pass to the Original Powerhouse Gym here in Detroit and it would be rude as a bodybuilder not to see the original Powerhouse gym and train there whilst Im in town.

Nic is travelling to meet in Vegas today. We have VIP tickets to the Olympia and all that goes along with it so I am very very excited. Plus I will be meeting up with friends old and new from home and here in the States.

Bodybuilding has its haters but I take comments from certain individuals with a pinch of salt. Everyone is entitled to an opinion good or bad, hell I am and I say it how it is but its always constructive. I welcome constructive criticism its the only way to improve. I know my weaknesses and know its a point of going away and REALLY making an effort to right them or at least start righting them.

So im gonna kick back and enjoy the next week or so in Vegas and then the graft starts when I return. But you know me Ill still be hitting Vegas Golds a few times whilst I am out there as its one of the best gyms in the World and probably doing some form of cardio too so I dont rebound too bad!!

Laters folks

J


----------



## Simon m

Great attitude James.

That was a tough show. Mark Dugdale didn't even qualify. Sacremento would be good and a nice way to round off the year.

As you say, you know that your chest needs more work, so at least you have something to improve. What would be awful is getting that placing and knowing you could not be any better, that's a bastard.

I still think you need a stand out body part ala Lee Priest. And like Lee you have the genetics in your arms to dominate, but I ppreciate that it could throw your symmetry off...


----------



## Davo

Nice write up, well done. Great physique, hope you can make the improvements you want to and move up the ranks!


----------



## OJay

Nice write up James glad you happy with result that's the main thing was a real tough line up as said dugdAle didn't even qualify which seems crazy although I've not checked the pics yet

Sac pro would be a good round off, hopefully qualify early and spend a big big offseason growing those points you say

Good luck


----------



## mal

good effort,some people saying 202 needs to be upped a few pounds

for the modern era,what are your thoughts on it.


----------



## supercell

Thanks guys and yes the plan would be exactly that. Qualify at an easier qualifier and then spend the year growing!!

Should the 202 class weight limit be raised. FCUK NO!!!!! 

J


----------



## 3752

Recognising your weaker points is a sign of a real champion mate.....as you say 9th out of 19 is excellent, you have to look how long you have been doing this and how far you have progressed to see you have achieved more than most......well done and enjoy the rest


----------



## Incredible Bulk

Great write up james!!!

look forward to another journal!

all the best


----------



## MissBC

any pics anywhere?


----------



## clarkey

Well done James what a bl00dy hard class!! you did great mate and as you said you WILL qualify everything happens for a reason. This year has been a great experience for you and you have done yourself proud. Bigger and badder for next year! :thumbup1:


----------



## Galtonator

good experiance then James. Look like a tuff show if Mark Dugdale got 4th


----------



## AxelF

Still my son Joe's; fav bodybuilder, next time you are up at Evolution, he would love to come and meet you. Well done James.


----------



## biggilb

Well done james, i thought you looked absolute quality. Thanks for taking the time to update these journals, always inspirational !


----------



## Greyphantom

Well done mate, such a large field with 19 people competing... great attitude mate... onward and upward, truly an inspiration and role model for the up and coming youngsters!


----------



## Dazzaemm2k7

hey james, congrats on show 

i am desperate to see how you looked on show day and on stage !?

got any pictures of you on stage ? comparisons etc ?


----------



## strange_days

Great post James, sorry to see that you didn't place higher, but it looks like a very tough show on the day. As always you have a great positive attitude, and you always seem to be looking to the future. Good luck going forwards, and I hope you achieve what you want to...

J


----------



## round 2

Well done m8.You have the shape,symmertry,seperation all the tools to get on and up the ladder just need a bit more of the same:thumb:


----------



## jakelad

Well done pal. Looking forward to seeing any pics!!


----------



## supercell

Here's a pic from ifbbpro.com that was posted on FB. The pics on rxmuscle were all taken from the side which was a real shame as you cant see the physiques very well. This shot is front on so it gives you a better idea.


----------



## jakelad

Legs r lookin awsome m8


----------



## Suprakill4

supercell said:


> Here's a pic from ifbbpro.com that was posted on FB. The pics on rxmuscle were all taken from the side which was a real shame as you cant see the physiques very well. This shot is front on so it gives you a better idea.


Looking good mate, when was this pic taken?


----------



## Greyphantom

Freaking hell mate, looking awesome...


----------



## Ak_88

Vid of James's posing courtesy of MDTV, 8:33 in;

http://mdtv.musculardevelopment.com/contests/2010-detroit-pro/3432-detroit-pro-202-finals-posedown-video.html

Anything you're looking to focus on in the off season this year James?


----------



## supercell

kieren1234 said:


> Looking good mate, when was this pic taken?


When do you think mate? lol!!!

At the show I have just competed in in Detroit on Saturday!

J


----------



## supercell

Improvements to be made are in the chest back and hamstring areas as well as the adductors.

I have already put a plan in place and it means doing things very differently to what I have done over the last 12 months or so.

I will be training less but more intensely and I will be doing a restricted split which will not include training biceps triceps and delts.

I will be training each bodypart every 8-10 days to allow plenty of rest between sessions. I will still be splitting hams and quads up and training them on separate days as I am now.

My food will be geared more pre and post workout and making the most of supplementation available at these times too.

I will still do cardio as I dont want to be piling on the fat but it will be PWO and in the form of HIIT on training days only......so a max of every other day.

J


----------



## sully807

supercell said:


> Ok guys.
> 
> What a day. It was a great show and some class physiques. I met and chatted with some really nice poeple and had some good feedback especially from Chris Aceto on the RX Muscle website play by play. I quote..
> 
> James Llewllin "Good Stance just standing there. Goor front lat spread full and har. For what he has (structure etc) hes really peaked well. Low body fat and no water retention here... mildly flat in back and pecs. (not flat just needs more mass there)"
> 
> This meant a lot from one of the worlds best prep guys. I know my weaknesses so all I can do is try to get my conditioning bang on the money which I feel I pretty much did.
> 
> I need more size....PERIOD....especially in my back hams and chest and all these areas are now going to be my focus in the coming weeks and months. I know how to peak and to peak well, its just Im giving away around 14lbs and I need to add these to the highlighted areas to move up the rankings.
> 
> 9th out of 19 I am not disappointed with, it was a fair placing. It could have move 1 or 2 in either way, so you just got to take it and run with it. Top 10 here was I feel a good result and just shows the caliber of competitor and how imporant show selection is. I was bigger and harder than Orlando but placed 5 places lower so although it is a worse result, I was happy with the package I presented and showed some improvements too.
> 
> I am now considering staying in shape (after a rest in Vegas) and perhaps do the Sacremento Pro in the beginning of November but I will see once I get home.
> 
> This show has fired me up even more now to progress but like i have said many times, it is very humbling standing on stage with so many guys that are genetically FAR superior than me. I know I WILL qualify for the Olympia, its just a question of when now. I know what I have to do and taken the points on board from those I respect in the sport and will improve. Infact I have already put some plans back into place and someone from 'my past' is going to be helping me achieve this extra mass!!
> 
> I also wanted to give a massive thanks to Neil Hill. Although we didn't work together for the prep he worked with me since for the last 10 days or so and was there every step of the way for me. He planned my meals and timings and phoned me at least 2x a day to see how I was getting on. So a BIG shout out to Neil as he has been my inspiration and rock througout my time her in Detroit.
> 
> I also wanted to thank you guys for your total support. Without it bodybuilding would be a lonely place especially when travelling 4000 miles to a foreign country on your own to compete. It was nice being alone in some ways as I could just think about myself and just eat my food and do what I needed to do.
> 
> So watch this space, it may well be the Sac pro in 5 weeks from now but we shall see!
> 
> Today I am off to Vegas but before I am going to do some cardio and hit the gym. Shelby Starns who did the play by play for RX muscle gave me a free pass to the Original Powerhouse Gym here in Detroit and it would be rude as a bodybuilder not to see the original Powerhouse gym and train there whilst Im in town.
> 
> Nic is travelling to meet in Vegas today. We have VIP tickets to the Olympia and all that goes along with it so I am very very excited. Plus I will be meeting up with friends old and new from home and here in the States.
> 
> Bodybuilding has its haters but I take comments from certain individuals with a pinch of salt. Everyone is entitled to an opinion good or bad, hell I am and I say it how it is but its always constructive. I welcome constructive criticism its the only way to improve. I know my weaknesses and know its a point of going away and REALLY making an effort to right them or at least start righting them.
> 
> So im gonna kick back and enjoy the next week or so in Vegas and then the graft starts when I return. But you know me Ill still be hitting Vegas Golds a few times whilst I am out there as its one of the best gyms in the World and probably doing some form of cardio too so I dont rebound too bad!!
> 
> Laters folks
> 
> J


great attitude james, enjoy your break in vegas. from the pics its your best package yet so thats brilliant, just know your going from strength to strength and you know the areas to improve, again iv said it before but what and inspiration you are


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## weeal

congratulations james what a good start youve had to your pro career

looking superb in the photo.onwards and upwards to the next show


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## AxelF

http://gallery.rxmuscle.com/index.php?contest=152&year=253&bodybuilder=8474

here are the pictures chaps.


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## roy

Are you going to be entering the battle of britain next year????


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## Suprakill4

supercell said:


> When do you think mate? lol!!!
> 
> At the show I have just competed in in Detroit on Saturday!
> 
> J


Sorry mate, lol. Fcuking miles away lately!

Look good anyway!


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## munkyboy

Looking very good, and a very tough class so well done!

What tan did you use?


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## lockstock

Well done J,

Its a fvckin' hard game this competing lark. Win or lose we do it because we LOVE it... Its all very regimental and i like that part of pre contest prep, even if that means our wallets are empty at the end of it we still love it regardless of the result but youre a pro now, how many guys reading this can say that and youre making a living from something you adore so much.

9th out of 19 (wow) You beat more than half of the hungry wolfs aiming for the top spot that day and i commend you for that, even though (this time around) i personally think you should of placed higher and im not sh1tting you there, you know me.

TOP TIP... Ready Break, it makes you glow AND grow! :lol:

Stay cool J and i'll be in touch soon matey.....

.... Go fill your fizzog! (face) :beer:

P x


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## supercell

Hahaha nice one Paul.

Im just sitting in the airport now ready to come home after smashing quads and calves up in Golds early this morning and then 30 mins on the drwded stairmaster. Probably not the best thing to do before a 9 hour overnight flight back home but hey there is no time like the present to start making those gains in the rebound.

Today was just great in Golds, like a kid in a candy store with loads of the Olympians having their photos taken with lots of photoshoots for the magazines taking place too

Its strange because although obviously big they aren't as big as you first think, its the illusion they create when they are on that stage with their extreme conditioning. Also when they start to pose and flex their physiques just pop big time and you are left there scratching your head and thinking, 'where the fcuk did that come from!!' lol

I have tained every day since being in Vegas and have done cardio at least once or twice a day. My weight this morning was around 198lbs and that was after the Gala Dinner with the Olympians last night, so I have gained around 8-10lbs since the show, which in fairness is pretty good considering what I have eaten this week!!!

The Olympia itself was great and the 202 class was just SO fierce!!!

So 2 weeks in the U.S comes to an end and now its back to reality of work and normal life again. Its been an incredible experience and one that I may well be repeating in Sacremento in 5 weeks time!!

I now am more focused than ever and know what I need to do in order to place higher, so I have a game plan in action and it has already started this week.

Thanks again to everyone for their comments and if I do the Sac show then I will be starting a separate thread for that one.

J


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## ah24

Glad you've enjoyed the trip J.

Good luck in advance for the Sacramento


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## Simon m

James do the Sacramento show. You know it makes sense!


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## defdaz

James, hope you had a safe flight home. It sounds like you've had an amazing couple of weeks there and are hyper motivated! Can't wait to see what you do with the next twelve months. :thumb:


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## supercell

Im gonna close this thread now and open up the Sacramento Pro thread. Thanks to EVERYONE for all their support thus far!!!!

J


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