A day in the life video would be sick!
dalehopley23
Flexing Joe
Hi Phil,
I love this channel and the content that you create. Thank you.
I've heard that you use the FST-7 training system.
Can you talk about it, and explain why you use it?
John Wheeler
Puyallup, Washington
Hey champ, question on DB flys. Many lifters focus on the roundness of the movement while others seem to do more pressing action. Trying not to use your biceps and shoulders, do you have any tips on on the correct movement on flys?
Phil,
Much love and respect Champ! I am really enjoying the material you have put out. I am prepping for my first show, The Jay Cutler Classic on April 30th, and watching your stuff is really helping me get through the cardio sessions LOL!
Since I am prepping, I would love to know how low you keep sodium during the prep? during the last few weeks? Also, do you watch sodium at all when you are in the offseason? I noticed in your last video you were out having Tokyo Joe's. That has to be loaded with it! haha just wondering
thanks again!
Flexing Joe,
Im not Phil, and he can answer you. But sodium is your friend buddy. I would say off-season no need to watch sodium. Without adequate sodium you will loose fullness, pump, muscle contraction etc. In contest prep, you definitly want to keep sodum as high as possible until 1-2 days out of your show when you drop sodum and water. But when kcal are low and you are low in carbs you will feel flat anyways and have decent pump. But remember sodium is essential for your body. Regular folks dont need much of it since it raises blood pressure etc. But Bodybuilders we need it, for many reasons. And since we sweat when we train and drink enough water we urinate the sodium thats not needed. I hope I could help. But Im sure Phil can answer it better. Hes got the knowledge. I just know from my own experience and research, plus working with Matt Porter. Top level contest prep coach. :)
Best Regards
Flexing Joe
Thanks so much for your response and for getting back to me. That's what I was thinking. Right now for my prep I have been trying to just keep it consistent and even that has been hard. And so my weight fluctuates and I'm trying to get down to light heavyweight. So when I see the fluctuations I was just tying to figure it out and thought hmmm could it be sodium? Everyone is different and I know I hold water at times but what I think I have found is that I hold water when I don't drink enough and as long as I'm drinking about two gallons a day it doesn't matter what my sodium intake is. Yesterday was over 5000mg but since I drank more than two gallons I am actually down half a pound. I know sodium intake and water go together but this is my first contest so I am in uncharted waters lol. Thanks again for the response and yes it would be really cool to hear what Phil has to say about it.
No problem buddy.
I can just say keep everything as consistent as possible, no curve balls so to speak. Also dont need to use tons of sodium laden condiments. Use for example sriracha,soy sauce,kernal seasonings or Pink himaylayan sea salt is healthy chalked full if trace minerals. Sodium will increase glucose transport and also magnify muscular contractions. Keep your cells hydrated too for less risk of injury.. I would say dont mix to much of condiments. That way you know how much you have. For example you use Kernal or Sriracha lightly spread over food. When you need to reduce sodium before showtime your body recognizes that it doesn't get excess sodium only whats in food. Remember food has natural sodium too. Keep water also consistent. 1.5Gal-2Gal min. If you hold little water atm it can also be that you have stil fat to break down. And little water is actually good for you. For strenght pumps etc. I would suggest you to hire a contest prep coach at least for the last week so you dont screw your hard work. If you are confused with the sodum--water stuff etc :)
Best regards
Flexing Joe
Thanks again! I just picked up some of the pink hymalayan salt and I will use some tabasacco sauce. Or low sodium soy sauce occasionally. And I never cook with sodium I will use Mrs dash and add the sodium or condiments after. Which is like you said: so I know how much I am actually consuming. I have been working with a coach and his advice has been the same - to keep things consistent. Phil is always asking in his videos what we want to hear about so that's why I through it out there and it's always great to hear other perspectives. Everyone is different too and I have learned so much about my body on my first prep. Yes I do have some fat left to lose. In the glutes and lower body mostly. I have always been fairly lean but this is the leanest I have ever been in my entire life! Which I am really excited about. I also can't wait to get back in the offseason and work on my weaker points.
So you are saying about two days out to cut the added sodium out and just get what is naturally in the foods I am eating?
I would say one day. But it all depends. You dont want to cut sodium for to long, thats really bad thats another topic of its own. You should actually on show day re ingest sodium as long as you dont drink any water, maybe few sips to get the food down.
You need sodium after you dropped your water the night before, for vascularity,pumps, increase muscle volume,replenish NA levels.
If your PJ is at morning, I would drink high amount of water until bedtime. Sodium is cut back or reduced depending on how much water you hold. Drink some vine before bed to relax and excrete water even more, day before show your cortisol would be high. That could inhibit you from dropping water and instead holding water. You can use sodium with your meals the day of the show if you are dry and peeled.
But since you have a coach buddy, Im sure AND I assume he will fill you in with everything on "peak week"
Best regards
Flexing Joe
Thanks man I appreciate all of the advice!
I would like to see something about putting the final touches before contest.
How do you get that crazy details and cuts, especially in the legs.
How do you get lose water, and how to carb up.
Hot to figure out how much food do we need in the diet and how much cardio in order to stay muscular but shredded.
SUB Q AND A QUESTION - CONDITIONING
Hey Phil, how did you further develop your ability to acurately guage your conditioning level when getting ready for a show? Do you rely on someone elses eye more than your own, or do you just know. Cheers, Dan.
Phil, we want to see your full contest prep in detail.
We know you´re traveling around the world but if you´re at home, you have more time for training, diet and motivation videos.
Back in the day Jay did a blueprint and was very open what and how much he is eating for example.
Bijan
Phil
How about a cut (non raw) training video again. Like 20-30 min of action.
Coming up! we're going to start cutting the training vids more. We know people wanted to see full workouts but as we've gathered feedback it seems they do want SOME editing. So we'll try cutting it down a bit more and you can let us know what you think. Should post Monday or Tuesday.
Thanks a lot!
Really appreciate that there really is an interaction with the customers on that board!
I really hope that this year is finally going to be the the first year with weekly updates and videos of a Mr. Olympia Prep (for the 6th Sandow in a row). I am really excited about that.
Looking forward to lots of great content to come!
PS: There never can be a too much of training footage :)
Greetings from Austria (yes you read that right- where the alps are; not the kangaroos lol)
It would be nice if you upload sometimes raw and sometimes non raw training videos. Both are good!
Hi Phil, what do you think of casein protein? Is it a vital supplement to prevent the body from entering a catabolic state?
Hey Phil, I've been going hard at my legs doing quads and hamstrings every 72 hours and calves on the days I'm not training legs. Just curious how you would recommend to attack your legs if they were your lagging body part? Im doing 7-8 exercises at 4 sets per exercise and usually the 8-12 rep range and doing all the major movements from squats, leg press, hack squats, leg extensions, deadlifts, leg curls lying down and seated. im doing 3 exercises for calves on my off leg days. Am I doing enough or too less maybe?? What are your thoughts?
Hi Phil im always a big fan of you. I have two questions first is bout carbs i always have trouble with selecting which kind of carbs and when to consume them. Should i consume carbs before bed? What types of carbs should i intake in the morning, pre and post training and through out the day? Second i consider i am not genetically gifted with my chest it seems grow slower than other body parts like arms so i dont normally have an arms day and i try to train chest more frequently than other body parts. The question is I dont know is that overtraining if i do my chest three times a week(like two heavy days one light day) or should i just stick to two days a week?
Thank you
More nutrition videos, Like eating for mass in the off season.
Hi Phil,
Question for Q & A in Subscriber VLOG:
I would like to know your thoughts on crossfit and if it is safe when trying to build muscle?
I would also love to see a lifestyle video of your entire Jordan collection (including the ones in storage).
Thankyou