BiG TaVs Road to the 2011 C.B.B.F Nationals!

[bigtavi8]

Hey everyone back again with another log for this years Canadian Nationals. I have competed in 3 shows thus far and last year in 2010 I placed 5th place in LHW at the Ontario Provincial Bodybuilding Championships. Since I have returned I have been on a mission this offseason to pack on as much quality mass as possible.

Age: 22 years old
Height: 5'11'
Current Weight:240lbs.

I am working with IFBB Pro Lou Joseph for this years prep and he has been taking care of my diet, supplements, training for the past 2 months now. I have been eating approx 4500cals per day offseason with a cheat meal every 2-3 weeks. Staples have been chicken, rice, potatoes, talapia, avacados, flax oil. I am fairly lean and can still see the abs/vascularity and have not put on a substantial amount of body fat. I do cardio 3 times per week to boost hunger/stay in shape for about 30 mins. Training 6 days per week.

Monday I will begin my full on preparation and will log my weight/pics/struggles every step of the way. Shooting for top 5 finish and bringing my best condition/size yet to the stage.


26309 26310 26311 26312

[massabsamurai]

go get em bro, give em hell!

[natenator]

What weight class tav?

[bigtavi8]

What weight class tav?

Going to just roll with the prep and see where it takes me to be shredded. But most likely will fall in the heavyweights. My last two shows was a struggle to make it into light heavies and i had to sacrifice a lot of muscle and do 3h cardio a day to make it. I had to stop eating and cut water to make it to 198 for the Ontarios and i was still right on the dot. I did a photoshoot 5 days from Ontarios at 212 and i was very shredded and full so id say 208-210 is the goal weight.

[natenator]

and you think top 5 at nationals is realistic when you made top 5 at provincials?

Not a knock on you at all but rather trying to help you make realistic goals because it seems to me top 5 at nationals in a HW class is heavily optimistic.

[bigtavi8]

It is heavily optimistic your right. With the competition this year i realize that may be unattainable but Ive made some solid improvements. Ill say top 10 even would be a hell of an accomplishment given my age and previous placing. Just trying to get some confidence so i push it hard this year. Mentally i do not want to prepare and sacrifice everything for 10th place thats for sure. No matter what happens i will be competing against my personal best (which was def not the Ontarios).

[Hugheser]

That conditioning in the pics are unreal bro, more size same conditioning.........watch out!

[JMP]

Good attitude BT , give it everything you have , your best ....if you do that ....dont matter what place you finish , you acheived your goal !!! Good Luck , look forward to your posts ...


It is heavily optimistic your right. With the competition this year i realize that may be unattainable but Ive made some solid improvements. Ill say top 10 even would be a hell of an accomplishment given my age and previous placing. Just trying to get some confidence so i push it hard this year. Mentally i do not want to prepare and sacrifice everything for 10th place thats for sure. No matter what happens i will be competing against my personal best (which was def not the Ontarios).

[Delt King]

You'll bring an improved package to the stage this year that's for sure. What weight class and what placing is to be seen still. Just come in at your best! Kill it my friend.

[ubcpower]

Keep this thread updated , good luck man. What type of cardio did Lou suggest you do for those 3x30min/week sessions?

[Felinecougar]

Hey Tav...We have come a long ways...from the day you were 15 yrs old and I caught you flexing in the mirrors..I showed you a proper double bicep pose. I saw in you then..a kid wo love the game and was a sponge for knowledge.

Don't let negative comments bring you down. Shoot for the stars my dear. Top 5!

Enjoy this week of eating what ever...We KNOW you know the dieting game, your a mini me.. Keep your head up. YOU are a PRO.

And don't forget those who love you...support you..and stand by you. You didn't get here alone..Were here still and love you always.

[bigtavi8]

Keep this thread updated , good luck man. What type of cardio did Lou suggest you do for those 3x30min/week sessions?

Hey recommended just L.I.S.S on the recombinant bike or treadmill. I have been using the bike a lot lately 10mins preworkout to get the blood flowing then 20mins post workout to finish it off. Do cardio usually mon, wen, fri.

[bigtavi8]

For the past 8 weeks i have been very hard on the offseason diet and eating very very clean. I was getting one cheat meal ever 2-3 weeks and it was working fine. Now with a few days left before my prep begins im allowing myself to take a mental break before the prep begins. I am still eating my meals but may do a cheat meal once every other day. I plan on going out with the girlfriend for a big steak on Saturday so she can enjoy one more normal date before its dieting time. Feeling a bit tired and sluggish this week and just trying to let my body heal and recover properly for whats coming.

[FitnessModel45]

Kill it big guy! Can't wait to see the final package you're taking to the nationals this year!

[GYMBRAT]

you da man Tav my friend!!! rock on mang!

[Felinecougar]

I'm glad we met up today. Your ready Tav.. I saw you at your best mentally I thought. Good luck to ya..enjoy that steak.

[bigtavi8]

Im glad you said that FC. I feel like as far as i have come physically nothing has improved more this year than my mental and spiritual focus. The body is only one aspect of the game. This year I am in a much better place mentally and i feel that will give me the edge over other years preparations. I have no regrets this year and I know I have done everything necessary within my power. This offseason has been so productive I dont think i have went 3h+ between meals in at least 4-5 months. My diet has been on point, and ive been on a solid schedule for eating/sleeping/training. I have reduced a lot of my stress this year and am strictly focused on the task at hand. I am surrounded by positive people and im convinced this will make all the difference. Its crazy how much you can grow up mentally in one year.

[bigtavi8]

Beautiful day here in Windsor! Going to go in and smash some legs!!! Gotta go shopping this Sunday and get my food prepped for starting the diet on Monday.

Leg Workout
5 min warm up on seated bike
Squats (ATG)- 4 sets x 12, superset with Leg Extension 4 sets x 12
Leg press (close stance, slow negative)- 4 x 10-12
Walking BB Lunges- 4 x 12 steps each leg.
Inner/Outer thigh machine superset 4 x 15

Calves: standing calf raises superset seated calf raises 4 x 15 reps deep stretch.

Gotta kill it need bigger legs!!! Have a good May 24 weekend everyone.

[aznaro8]

Been a lurker on this board for a long time and have seen your other thread... looking forward to watching your progress! Good luck bro!

[bigtavi8]

Had a great meal with the girlfriend today one final one before prep begins tommorow. Went out and got a 10oz new york strip + mashed potatoes + veggies. Ohh man was it good. thanks to everyone for following along it motivates me to know people care and it keeps me focused. Holiday Monday so I will be training earlier then usual at 12 noon tommarow hitting back and calves. Starting up new supplement, diet, and training gotta get a good sleep!

[bigtavi8]

So started the prep on Monday at 20 weeks out! Food is not decreased much but I have added in 5 times per week cardio at 20 minutes post workout on the Stepmill. Its not too bad and I was already doing cardio so its not much of a change.

This morning I went in for a 1h deep tissue massage to get my inner hip/groin injury and shoulder looked at that have been sore lately. They seem to be much better now and i will continue stretching them this week to keep them healthy. Dam does deep tissue hurt i think i almost punched her when she released my shoulder lolol. She sed my pec muscle where it connects had some scar tissue and adhesions that had to be released and man did it work. I will probably get a deep tissue done once every 4-6 weeks for this prep to keep everything running smooth.

Weight still sitting at around 236-238lb in the morning.

[Talo]

Make sure you drink lots of water after a session like that.

[bigtavi8]

Thanks Talo! My RMT always tells me that and i think oh yeah "ok". But i bet it helps to flush out all the toxins and waste that they break up i think. Normal water intake is 6L per day so i upped it a bit yesterday.

Had a hardcore arm workout last night! Did my normal routine of supersetting bicep/ tricep exercises but at the end did some FST-7 for biceps on preacher curl machine, and then triceps on rope pressdowns. I tried to apply the constant tension training principle that i seen in Jason Huhs videos lately, with a little more range of motion, and wow the pump was the most intense its ever been. Finished off with 20 mins on Stepmill. Nice to change it up and try some new techniques to keep the intensity high!

[bigtavi8]

Hey everyone. So 19 weeks out now and lots of things have happened. Looking for a new job now as a personal trainer and have a few interviews in the next few days. Been training very very hard and still doing my 20 minutes cardio post workout. Weight yesterday was at 243 which is very high for me. Its crazy because I am looking very tight at this weight and still feel like im losing bodyfat. Ill take it i guess.

[Korilon]

Damn dude that's a heavy weight!! where's the pics? :P

[bigtavi8]

Heres a couple of pics from 19 weeks out. feeling a bit fat but oh well. Need something to compare to down the road in the coming weeks. Weight is 242lbs.

[Korilon]

nice man your calves look good for 242 damn!!!

[bigtavi8]

So this week after taking a few pics and sending them off to the coach we have decided to drop my calories down about 400 from where they were at. Lost about a half a cup of rice out of 3 of my meals and cut the fat intake about 1/3. So im still at around 3800 cals give or take. Cardio has been going along easy and been doing 20 min on the Stepmill everyday. Really starting to feel like prepping again. Ive been doing a lot of high intensity workouts this week with drop sets, super sets, rest pause, and partials to try and spark some new growth before the cals get too low. Added in some oblique twists to my ab routine to try and work the obliques harder this year for a more complete midsection.

[Delt King]

Good job bro...keep it up. You're going to nail this prep.

[Felinecougar]

Glad your spirits are up dear. Looking for a new job would be stressful for most, you have taken this bump in the road in good spirits. I'm proud of you Tav. Focus....do not look down at the tree tops..seek a higher goal. To look down from the stars..Cause a STAR you are. At the TOP. xo]

psss add some lemon and dill to that muddy tasting fish.

[bigtavi8]

New week, new workouts. Switching up my training and trying a few weeks of heavy low volume training for a back, chest, and delts, and then higher volume for legs, arms. Basically just a complete 180 from my last workouts to keep the muscles guessing. Weighing about 238 and the lower calories seems to be making a difference in my condition. Cardio still on stepmill and feeling pretty easy despite sweating like crazy for some reason. lol. Got a lot on my plate this week with a few job interviews and lots of appointments to be at. Oh well ill get it all in still.

[bigtavi8]

Hey everyone whos following. Lot of good things have happened this week. On the bodybuilding front my weight is down to around 237 and im looking noticeably leaner in the midsection. Workouts have been awesome and the 8 rep range im training in now is allowing me to use heavier weights. Last night I started my chest workout with flat barbell bench and after a couple warm ups and 2 work sets i worked up to 315 x 8 reps clean for 2 sets. Not crazy but a good weight for me. Went on to incline flyes and was using 60's-80's for 8. THen 4 sets with 100lb db for incline presses. Pretty good workout!

In general life things have been taking a very positive turn. I have landed an interview with a healh club as a personal trainer for next week and they sed they really want me on there team. Also have started a new avenue that im really excited about. Im now coaching people for contest prep and diet on www.Canadianmuscleteam.com If your interested check out or site and contact me. I have always been a part of the team but now i have to oppurtunity to share my knowledge and help others so i couldnt be happier. CMT ROCKS!!! Also a good luck to team member Korillon this weekend at the Sudbury Level 1 show. You will kill it bro!

[bigtavi8]

Well today marks the 17 week out point. Been dieting for about 3 weeks now and doing cardio 5 days a week. Weight actually is around 238 still so not dropping quickly but visual changes are definitly happening. Never been so strong or had such intense workouts like I had this week. Basicly a personal best on all workouts it has been awesome. Not having any problems with the diet or food and getting pretty well into the groove of things. I will be taking some pics very shortly to keep track of how im progressing.

I got my tickets booked for the Toronto Pro Show this upcoming weekend with Dk and Korillon. I will be going up Friday and staying until sunday. I will be watching the pro show and have great tickets only 3 rows back from VIP so should have a good view. Real pumped to watch the Ontarios also and see the heavy and superheavies qualifying for nationals. Should be a awesome weekend.

[bigtavi8]

Here are a few pics from today about 17 weeks out. 238lbs.

2655726558


2655926560


]

[FitnessModel45]

You're an absolute monster bro! I wish I was that big!!

[bigtavi8]

UPDATES 12 weeks out at 22727065

[bigtavi8]

270662706727068

Getting closer every day and diet and training is going amazing.