Winning Fit Factor was the greatest feeling I’ve had, when my name was called I knew what it meant but the reality didn’t hit me for days, I was simply too happy (and shocked) for it to settle in. The build up was breathtakingly hard, balancing training with my University finals challenging me mentally and physically, but I gave it my all throughout with the hope that I could do well. The closer it came to the competition, the more and more I kept spotting other competitors who were all in brilliant shape which was extremely daunting. And when I turned up at the competition meeting, it was exactly that… daunting! The standard was right up there. But at that point in time I knew I had done all the preparation and simply had to do what I’d been training for. Rocking out onto stage felt amazing, a huge crowd with a great reception! But then for my first swimwear round I actually almost froze up believe it or not! And I turned the wrong way on the T-walk to what I had been practising haha. The T-walk is not easy, especially with all the pressure! In the midst of the moment I winged it and all was OK, then afterwards it was smiles throughout :D, I was full with confidence and relished every second on stage! Needless to say the after effects of the competition have been amazing, all I had trained for become reality and I was shot into the fitness limelight. Everything I had trained for became reality.
My Plans for the future:
I graduate from the University of Leicester in July, after which I’ll be developing MASS – The Muscle & Athletic Sports Society as a non-profit organisation with the hope of spreading our great work to Universities all across the UK. At the same time I’ll be training towards Vegassss :P, and keeping my eye on competitions for after I return from USA.
My Top Tip:
Firstly, if you don’t go to the gym…. start doing so and plan which days of the week you will go. Then before you arrive make sure you have your workout either written on paper or in your head and that there is a clear goal behind that workout e.g. training back for increased muscle mass. Then finally, for any weightlifting sets time your REST PERIODS, and don’t let ANYTHING interrupt them. overrunning a rest period, or chatting in the gym, leads to a chain of distracting events and before you know it your workout is ruined. For me this was an integral part of my training for Fit Factor. Aim for 60-90 seconds for heavy compound exercises of large muscle groups and 30-45 seconds for isolation movements and small muscle group exercises. All of the about will give you FOCUS, and focus is key.
My Training
Ex No. Exercise Sets Reps Tempo Rest
Day one – Chest & Back
A1 Flat Bench Press 4 6 3010 45
A2 Wide Pull-ups 4 6 30X0 45
B1 incline DB press 4 10 3010 30
B2 Triangle Pulldown 4 10 30X0 30
C1 High cables flyes 3 12 3010 30
C2 Straight arm pulldown 3 12 3010 30
D1 Pec Deck/Pec Fly machine 2 or 3 15 3010 0
D2 Seated underhand grip row 2 or 3 15 3010 30
Day two – quads and calves
A1 Back Squat 4 6 30X0 100
B1 Hack Squat 4 12 30X0 10
B2 DB alt Lunge 4 20 2010 60
C1 Leg ext Plantar Flex 3 15 2021 10
C2 Leg Press 3 20 2020 60
D1 Standing Calf raise 4 8 21X1 60
E1 Toe Press 4 15 2111 10
E2 Seated Calf raise 4 25 2111 60
Day three – shoulders and arms
A1 Barbell Military press 4 6 30X0 45
A2 Narrow chins 4 6 30X0 45
B1 Face Pull 4 10 30X0 10
B2 Prone on bench – lateral raise 4 12 2010 10
B3 Standing lateral raise 4 10 20X0 90
C1 Weighted Dips 4 10 30X0 10
C2 Incline bench DB curl 4 10 3010 45
D1 Overhead rope extension 3 12 3010 10
D2 EZ bar scott curl 3 12 3010 30
E1 Laying DB tricep extension 2 15 20X0 10
E2 DB Hammer curl 2 15 30X0 30
Day five – back and hams
A1 Rack deadlift 4 6 40X0 120
B1 Wide pull up 4 8 20X0 60
C1 Single arm row 3 12 3010 45
D1 DB pullover 3 10 3011 10
D2 Wide lat pulldown 3 12 3011 45
E1 Romanian deadlift 4 10 3010 0
E2 Laying leg curl 4 6 3011 60
F1 Swiss ball curl 3 15 2020 45
Day six – quads and calves – as day two
Tempo refers to speed of movement. 30X0 on a squat would indicate 3s down (eccentric), 0s pause, e(X)plosive up (concentric), 0s pause before next rep. Pulldowns would be reverse – eccentric is on the way up.
Always ensuring good form, temp and rest times are adhered to. A1 and A2 (etc) are done consecutively in a ‘superset’ manner. For exercises A and B I do a warm-up set with 60-70% weight before starting working sets.
Previously and during my bulk I had been focusing training on 2 working sets followed by a drop set and my rep speed was maximum in both directions, this regime of supersets and rep tempo is new to me so will hopefully shock the muscles and I’ll see good gains from it.
This training program has been designed for me specifically for me and my goals; I do not recommend anyone to follow it!
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