Preparation for a Contest

I normally don’t make drastic changes before a contest. I stay lean year round, so I normally only have to lose 6-10 pounds for a show. My first couple of years competing I’d gain 20-30 pounds in the offseason and then had to diet for 20-30 weeks to lose all the fat. I found this was unnecessary and borderline unhealthy.

Now I alternate shorter cycles of building up and leaning down, staying closer to my competition weight. For example, in the off season I might concentrate on building mass for 6 weeks and then lean down for 3 or 4 weeks to trim off any extra fat I’ve gained. I try to stay between 6% and 10% percent bodyfat, so I look better year round. In the 4 weeks before a show, however, I get below 6% and I have to lighten up on the amount of weight I lift. My primary diet change during the final 4 weeks before a contest is to eat less in my big post-workout carb meal.

I eat 8 or 9 times a day, shooting for 30 grams of quality protein at each meal. I use 1.5 times my bodyweight as the measure for the number of protein grams I shoot for each day. To illustrate, at 175 pounds I make sure I’m getting (1.5 x 175) or about 260 grams of protein daily. Sources include tuna, chicken breast, salmon, and a quality protein shake such as Beverly Muscle Provider or UMP. I eat lean beef once or twice a week. I use Beverly UMP mixed with casein before bed (mixed into a pudding with organic peanut butter or organic almond butter).

I eat moderate amounts of carbs with each meal. I have a slightly larger carb meal for breakfast (my breakfast carb of choice is oatmeal), and I usually stick with broccoli or carrots at each of the meals during the day. Post workout, I have dextrose and honey on a sweet potato to facilitate a good insulin surge, as well as growth hormone release. Both of these hormones are critical for muscle growth. They help increase protein synthesis and hypertrophy as well as decrease protein breakdown and excretion.

As an alternative post workout meal, I sometimes have dextrose on rice cakes with peanut butter and organic raw honey. As you can see, the bulk of my daily carbs come post-workout.

I get quality fat sources through 100% peanut butter or almond butter (organic), walnuts, or almonds. Whichever of these I choose, I usually mix them into my UMP pudding at night before bed or I will have some with a meal or two during the day. I also drink 2-3 gallons of water each day, mostly through huge 48oz protein shakes (wa-ter mixed with Beverly Muscle Provider or another hydrolyzed protein depending on the time of day).

Supplements

My favorite supplements are Beverly Muscle Provider and UMP Cookies and Cream. I just recently started using Beverly Quadracarn. I use the multivite, fish oil, extra vitamin D, Branched Chain Amino Acids, Glutamine, Creatine, Green Tea Extract, and Caffeine tablets. Before a show I add 7-Keto, Lean Out, CLA, and Yohimbine HCL. I also use Mass Amino Acids and Density at various times.

Each week, I have cutting and build-ing days. On days when I train my better body parts or cardio only, I restrict carbs but keep protein at my usual amount to retain muscle. Then on the days when I train my weaker body parts (or those I am specializing on) I will have a surplus calorie day by eating more carbs, particularly post workout.

Here is an example of a "build day" for me right now. This assumes I did a 45 minute run in the morning and a solid 60 minute weight training workout in the evening with an additional 20 minutes on a cardio machine.

6 AM: Pre run 1/4 scoop protein shake

6:15 AM: Run 4.5 miles (between 40 and 45 minutes)

7:20 AM: 1 1/4 scoop Beverly Muscle Provider in 48 oz water, 3/8 cup oatmeal

9:30 AM: 5 oz can tuna, 4 oz carrots

Noon: 1 1/4 scoop Beverly Muscle Provider in 48 oz water, vegetable stir fry or a large salad

2 PM: 5 oz can tuna, broccoli or garden salad

4:30 PM: 1 scoop Muscle Provider in 32 oz water, 4 oz carrots

6:45 PM: Cardio machine for 10 minutes, followed by weight training for 45-60 minutes, followed by 10 more minutes cardio.

8 PM post workout: 1 scoop hydrolyzed whey mixed with 48 oz water, 1 sweet potato with dextrose and honey.

10 PM: 1 scoop UMP, 1 scoop casein, 1 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter mixed into a pudding.

I know my weekday foods are pretty boring but I eat what is convenient for me to take to work. On Saturday and Sunday I rarely eat tuna, and I eat more variety. I might eat out or cook some salmon or lean steak.

Sample Training Schedule

Over the past year I got away from a regimented periodization program and just started really mixing things up. I have even gotten to the point where I rarely if EVER do the same workout twice. I train twice daily (cardio in the morning, anaerobic and cardio in the evening). Mixing it up and using a wide variety of techniques, rep ranges, tempos, and volume seems to work very well for me as I have made more progress in the past year than ever, and I have been injury free for the past year.

Monday:
AM: Jogging for 45 to 50 minutes
PM: Abs and core (30 minutes),
cardio (20 to 30 minutes)

Tuesday:
AM: Jogging for 45 to 50 minutes
PM: Chest and back (60 minutes), cardio (10 to 20 minutes)

Wednesday:
AM: Off
PM: Shoulders and rotators (45 minutes)
cardio (10 to 20 minutes)

Thursday:
AM: Jogging for 45 to 50 minutes
PM: Biceps and triceps (30 to 40 minutes)
cardio (20 to 30 minutes)

Friday:
AM: Jogging for 45 to 50 minutes
PM: Swimming 500-700 meters (25 to 40 minutes)
sauna (15 minutes)
OR Calves and cardio

Saturday:
AM: Chest and back (60 minutes)
cardio (20 to 30 minutes)
PM: Shoulders and arms (60 minutes)
cardio (10 to 20 minutes)

Sunday:
Am: Legs (30 to 45 minutes)
cardio (20 to 30 minutes)
PM: Calves (25 minutes)
cardio (20 to 30 minutes)

My contest plan for this year includes competing in Pro Qualifier shows in the Masters division. I am continually learning about training and diet and I hope to bring an improved physique to the stage again this year. I am having a good off season so far and I hope to be in even better shape in 2012!

This can be a very selfish sport if we allow it. Thanks to my wife Tracie for helping me keep my diet clean and for all she has endured and sacrificed. I am working hard to be less self-centered. This year I plan to live a more balanced life and to grow in my relationship with God. I want to be a better husband, son, friend, and person.

I have a great desire to help people overcome obstacles in their life, achieve their goals, and be the BEST THEY CAN BE!!! I recently earned my NASM Certified Personal Trainer certification and I am now working on my Certified Nutrition Specialist certification. I have a great desire to help people overcome obstacles in their life, achieve their goals, and be the BEST THEY CAN BE!!!

Please feel free to visit my website at http://itsallpossiblefitness.com/ or email me at bill@itsallpossiblefitness.com with comments, questions, or requests for training.

Thanks to all of the inspiring people in my gyms that also compete and have been encouraging to me along the way. Thanks to God, as I truly believe that
with Him all things are possible!

Again, I maintained through my 30’s and competed again at age 40. I took second place at the “Show Me Naturals”. It was such a blast; I competed the following year in the same show and won the middle weight open class. I competed several more times over the next 3 years with decent placings.

Last year, at age 49, I competed again. This time in a larger show, the “NPC Continental USA” and won the overall Masters. This was the first show where I used Beverly products seriously and boy what a difference it made in my overall physique. After competing this summer at the “Missouri State Show”, I would ultimately love to compete in the “NPC Masters Nationals”. But for me, the real accomplishment is just standing on stage in the best shape of my life. I heard a quote once that sums it up for me, “Your body and your spirit are gifts from above and what you do with them while on this earth is your gift back to God.”

Now that you know a little about me, let’s get into some things that I’ve learned along the way that might help you. We’ll start with a problem that I finally solved which may be relevant to many of you. I couldn’t hold muscle in the later stages of my contest diet. I solved it by keeping my body fat lower off-sea-son, increasing my pre contest food intake a little, and adding two specific Beverly products that helped me maintain muscle tissue, Mass Amino Acids and Ultra 40. Now, let’s go deeper into my diet.

Diet & Supplement Schedule

6:30 am:
2 caps of 7-Keto MuscLean

7 am:
5 egg whites, 2 whole eggs and ½ cup of steel cut Irish oats
1 Super Pak, 3 Mass Aminos, 3 Ultra 40 and Lean Out

10 am:
2 scoops of UMP and 1 piece of fruit

12:30 pm:
10 oz white fish, large veggie salad with homemade dressing consisting of seasonings, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and 1 ½ cups of brown rice
3 Mass Aminos, 3 Ultra 40 and Lean Out

1:30-2:00 pm:
1 scoop of Up-Lift 30 minutes before work out; 1 scoop of Creatine Select: drink while walking into gym, and 1 scoop of Glutamine Select in a water bottle to drink throughout training

2 pm:
Immediately following training, while walking out of gym: 2 scoops of Muscle Provider (Chocolate) with 1 piece of fruit

6 pm:
2 caps of 7-Keto MuscLean, 30 minutes prior to meal
10 oz of chicken breast, white potato, and large veggie salad with homemade dressing
3 Mass Aminos, 3 Ultra 40 and Lean Out

9 pm:
3 hardboiled eggs and 1 scoop of UMP
3 Mass Aminos, 3 Ultra 40 and Lean Out

I pretty much follow this diet year round, but it becomes more strict 12 weeks prior to competition, especially in terms of timing the meals, which is so important. 8 weeks prior to competition with the help of my trainer, Travis Wallis, we adjust the macro nutrients as needed.

Training

I alternate heavy and lighter weeks as illustrated below.

Week 1: As heavy as possible, but never sacrifice form

Day 1: Arms
BB Curl 4 sets of 8-10
DB Curl (seated) 4 sets of 8-10
Concentration Curl 4 sets of 10-12
Skull Crushers 4 sets of 8-10
DB Kickbacks (palm facing floor-not thumb) 4 sets of 8-10
Rope Pressdowns (with elbows wide) 4 sets of 8-10

Day 2: Quads/Calves
Hack Squat 5 sets of 8-10 reps
Inverted Leg Press 4 sets of 8-10
BB Squat 4 sets (deep) of 12 reps
Leg Extension 4 sets of 25 reps - you won’t be able to use much weight at all, but go slow and feel the squeeze at top
Standing Calf Raise 6 sets of 20
Donkey Calf Raise 6 sets of 20

Day 3: Rest

Day 4: Chest
BB Bench Press 5 sets of 8-10 reps
DB Decline Flye (this kills) feel squeeze at top of movement 4 sets of 10-12
Cable Flye 4 sets of 10-12

Day 5: Back
Chins 5 sets to failure
Deadlift (in rack with stops 8 inches from floor to limit range at bottom of movement) 4 sets of 8
DB Row (with hand on bench and both feet on floor) 4 sets of 8.

Day 6: Shoulders and Hams
Lateral Raise 4 sets of 8-10 reps
Front Raise with Barbell 4 sets of 8-10
Rear Delt Flye (bent over) 4 sets of 8-10
Hammer Shoulder Press 4 sets of 8
Seated Leg Curl 5 sets of 8
Stiff Legged Deadlift 5 sets of 8
Lying Leg Curl 4 sets of 8

Day 7: Rest

Week 2: Only 1 minute rest between sets, keep the intensity up and use supersets. Do ab work every other day.

Day 1: Arms
Hammer Strength Preacher Curl 5 sets of 15
Concentration Curl 4 sets of 15
DB Hammer Curl (standing) 4 sets of 15
Hammer Strength Triceps Extension 5 sets of 15
Hammer Strength (plate loaded)
Dip Machine 4 sets of 15
Overhead Rope Extensions 4 sets of 15

Day 2: Quads and Calves
Leg Press 5 sets of 15
Hack Squats 5 sets of 15 - narrow stance and keep constant tension on quads - don’t lock out and go deep, all the way down
Walking Lunges to failure - or you throw up
Seated Calf Raise 6 sets of 20
Standing Calf Raise 5 sets of 20

Day 3: Chest
Hammer Strength (plate loaded)
Decline Press 5 sets of 15
Smith Incline (only slight incline) 4 sets of 15 - keep bar moving, don’t lock out
Hammer Strength (plate loaded) ISO Wide Chest 4 sets of 15

Day 4: Back
Seated Cable Row with wide bar 5 sets of 15 - do movement slow and really squeeze as you bring weight back
Cable Pulldowns (with feet behind you, not in front) 5 sets of 15
T-bar Row 5 sets of 15

Day 5: Shoulders/Hams
Lying Leg Curl 4 sets of 15
Standing Leg Curl 4 sets of 15
Stiff Legged Deadlifts 4 sets of 15 - 1 leg at a time and keep opposite toe pointed toward floor at all times
DB Press 4 sets of 15
Seated Shrugs 5 sets of 12
Lateral Raise 4 sets of 15

Day 6 and 7: Rest
Repeat week 1

Tips on Turning 50

Before I close, I’m going to list some tips and observations I’ve made about my training since turning 50.

1. Spend adequate time warming up. If I’d paid more attention to proper warm-up earlier in my life, I might not have as many aches and pains as I do today. Now, I spend about 20 minutes warming up my joints before I train. I do this every time I go to the gym.
2. I have “bodywork” done weekly at Fitzmaurice Performance in St Louis, and more often if needed. There are various names for it, massage, myofacial release, etc… but I just call it “bodywork”. This has made a huge difference for me.
3. REST - when I was in my 20s it wasn’t a big deal if I didn’t get enough sleep. At age 50 and beyond, it is ESSENTIAL.
4. Get your micronutrients every day. I start every day with a Super Pak whether I am competing or in the off season. That way I know I am giving my body the essentials.
5. Have Fun! Even though we may not look like top pros, we are still trying to constantly improve. Think positive and carry this momentum with you as you age.
6. As I get older, I found that I must be much stricter in my pre contest diet. The days of putting on 10 pounds in the off season are over. I must now maintain my condition all year round. I allow myself planned cheat meals in the off season, but if my body fat increases too much, it’s not worth the extra time and lost muscle it takes to get it off.
7. Supplements are now more essential to my nutrition plan. Ultra 40 and Mass Aminos with every meal really help.
8. I have to time my meals and eat every 2 ½ or 3 hours. At 40 it didn’t seem to make that much of a difference if I went 4 hours without a meal. Now it’s hard to keep my lean mass unless I am eating on schedule.
9. I try to lift heavy to keep my muscle bellies full and dense. But it just kills my joints if I lift heavy all the time. When I follow the training schedule above it allows me to lift heavy week 1, and up the intensity and reps on week 2 for hypertrophy, but with less stress on my joints.

I have really dedicated my life to my family, my faith and my fitness. I really enjoy helping others. At this stage, I am just trying to maintain the amount of muscle I have and refine it to achieve a higher level of conditioning and separation. Wherever you are today in terms of fitness, be kind to yourself. We all want to be better and that’s a good thing. I believe the way to achieve your fitness goals is to have a plan and don’t be lazy. Seek the advice of a professional trainer if you need help and follow his or her advice. It’s not too late, I am competing at 50 years old and hope to still be walking out on the stage in an over 60 class someday….God willing.

Training

At my age training smart is key. You have to know when to push and when to stop. Injuries at 53 don’t heal near as quickly as they do at 33. I train on a 5 day program with 1 body part each day so that I can completely recuperate between workouts. In the off season I’ll do 20 minutes of cardio after workouts. Pre contest I upped the cardio to 90 minutes per day, 7 days a week. Being a natural bodybuilder at 53 makes you do things like 90 minute cardio sessions that a younger bodybuilder may not have to do!

I’ve been told my chest is my best body part. Here is a typical workout I do for my chest.

Proper warm-up is super important at any age and especially 50 and over. On chest days I do some very light incline and flat bench dumb-bell presses (2 sets of each) and a couple of sets of 20 push-ups.

4 sets of flat bench straight bar pyramid up 10-12 @ 145, 8-10 @ 185, 6-8 @ 205 and last set 4-6 @ 225.

I do the same with incline dumbbells (10-12 @ 60, 8-10@ 80, 6-8 @ 90 ,4-6 @ 100)
I like changing the angle of the bench every week to hit the whole chest!

The next chest w/o I do incline dumbbells and flat bench straight bar, rotating dumbbells and straight bar back and forth every other chest workout.

Next I go to the dip bar for 4 sets. 3 heavy sets (45lb plate between legs) 10-12 reps and the last set with bodyweight for 20 reps.

I like to finish up with 3 sets at 185 on incline Smith and alternate back and forth with the cable crossover’s super set style! It’s fast and furious!

Sometimes I like to add 1-2 sets of 30 push-ups just for fun! That reminds me… one other thing has contributed to my chest development, my dad started me off doing push-ups when I was 3 years old, and I never have stopped!!!!

Diet

Jason at Natty Nutrition started me dieting almost 8 months out from the Cincinnati. Yes, 8 months. He put me on more food than I have ever eaten in my life. Lots of calories and 7 meals a day. Never before had I eaten that much food! But I was losing BF and putting on muscle for nearly 3 months! Then when Jason and I noticed I had stopped losing fat he started cutting carbs from my diet. We noticed an immediate fat loss! At about 8 weeks out from the Cincinnati contest we stopped almost all carbs and went to a ketogenic diet with higher fats and almost zero carbs. That’s when the fat really started coming off. Apparently some people do much better on high fats and zero or low carbs. Well, that’s me.

My diet and supplements were pretty simple. I also mixed Muscle Synergy powder in water and drank it through all of my workouts.

5 GH Factor and 3 7-Keto upon waking

Meal 1: 7 egg whites, 2 Fit Tabs, 2 Quadracarn, 2 Lean Out, 3 Joint Care

Meal 2: 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 ½ scoops of Muscle Provider, 15 almonds

Meal 3: 6 oz chicken breast, spinach salad w/ vinegar and oil or broccoli, 2 Lean Out and 2 Quadracarn

Meal 4: 6 oz chicken breast, spinach salad w/ vinegar and oil or broccoli, 2 Lean Out and 2 Quadracarn

Meal 5: 1 ½ scoops Muscle Provider and a tablespoon of peanut or almond butter. (My post workout and favorite meal of the day because of the peanut butter!)

Meal 6: 7 Egg white omelet made with lots of onions and a spinach salad

That’s about it ! Stayed on this diet with very little changes for about 10 weeks.

Perseverance and determination are the most important things in bodybuilding! Bodybuilding teaches us both, which helps us in our lives !!!

Though Mr. Douglas taught me the basics of working out, I didn't understand the aspects and benefits of proper nutrition and supplementation until I began training at a local bodybuilding gym,
"Bodybuilders Inc" in Akron, Ohio.  One day I got up enough nerve to ask the biggest guy in the gym how he got so big and strong. He pointed out the protein and supplements he was taking. They were from a company called Beverly International. Of course, I immediately bought the protein and took it religiously after each workout as directed. I gained 10 pounds of quality muscle that summer and decided to compete in my first bodybuilding show. I entered the Mr. Akron and won my class at 15 years old.

As time went on, I continued to religiously take the Beverly International supplements that jump-started my bodybuilding passion as I won several titles in bodybuilding and powerlifting.

I won two state titles in powerlifting. But I became discouraged with the amount of drugs being used in bodybuilding and stopped competing for ten years. I continued training hard and always had the dream of maybe competing again in the back of my head. My dream became a reality when I learned of Dave Lieberman's drug-tested NPC Mr. Ohio contest. I would return to the bodybuilding stage in 2012 and vowed to come in my best shape ever. I ramped up my training and went with the same Beverly International supplements that I had used to ramp up my initial bodybuilding passion.

I won the overall in both the open and masters divisions. This achievement would not have been possible without the help of Dave Liberman and my consistent use of Beverly International supplements.

Today

I still compete, write diet and nutrition plans for clients, train others, and consistently preach healthy living. As I write this article, I am preparing for the 2021 Natural Northern USA and Yorton Cup, which are considered the country's best and biggest natural shows. At 52 years old, training has gotten more difficult and taxing; therefore, my supplementation and nutrition have become even more critical. There is no doubt in my mind that I have maintained a 20-year-old body at 52 years young because of my nutrition and supplementation with Beverly International products.

Training

I'm a big believer in training the muscle according to fast-twitch or slow-twitch fibers. I have a heavy day and a light day to accommodate both types of muscle fibers.

Monday: Chest and Triceps

Dumbbell Incline Press 3x6 heavy
Dumbbell Incline Flye 5x8
Machine Bench Press 3x6
Dips 2x max reps
Triceps Pushdown 6x8
Dumbbell Kickbacks 4x10

Tuesday: Legs and Abs

Squat machine 10x15-4
Leg Press feet high 3x6
Glute Bridge with tension bands 5x6-12
Rack Pulls 4x6-10
Romanian Deadlifts 4x4-12
Ab Rope Pulldowns 4x20
Decline Sit-ups 3x20
Flutter Kicks 3x1 minute
Lower Back Extension 4x15

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: Back and Biceps

Wide-Grip Pull-Ups 6x8
Power-Grip Chin-Ups 3x8
T-Bar Rows 3x10
Bent-Over Rows 3x8
Three-way Lat Pulldowns 3x10
Straight Arm Pulldowns 3x8
Standing EZ-Bar Curls 4x6-8
Hammer Curls 4x6-8
Concentration Curls 3x10

Friday: Shoulder and Traps

Machine Military Press 4x12
DB Front Raise 4x12
Upright Rows 4x15
DB Lateral Raise 3x15
DB Shrugs 4x10

Saturday: Abs and Core
Rope Crunches 4x20
Decline Sit-ups 3x20
Flutter Kicks 3x1 minute
Lower Back Extension 4x12

Sunday: Rest, food prep

Nutrition & Supplements

Pre-Contest at 8 weeks out

Meal One
Two scoops of UMP, ¹⁄₂ cup oatmeal, 1tbsp MCT oil, 1-2 scoops Glutamine Select, 3 Muscularity capsules, 2 FitTabs

Meal Two
One cup liquid egg whites, 6oz of baked potato, ¹⁄₄ cup almonds, 1 scoop Creatine Select, 3 Muscularity

Meal Three
6oz chicken or venison, 1 cup cooked rice, 2 tbsp MCT oil, 1 scoop Glutamine Select, 3 Muscularity

Meal Four
6oz chicken or venison, 1 cup cooked rice, 2 tbsp MCT oil, 2 FitTabs, 1 scoop Creatine Select, 3 Muscularity

Meal Five
1.5 scoops UMP, 2 tbsp peanut butter, ZMA 2000 3 capsules before bed

I follow the above diet for three days, then add more carbs on the fourth day. Increase rice to 1.5 cups at meals 3 and 4 and add five rice cakes to meal 5. I repeat this cycle until you are three weeks out.

The following year I entered OSU and joined the OSU Barbell Club. I began training with folks who were much stronger and muscular than I ever dreamed I could be. Lifting progressively and eating more than I should, I gained weight and felt I was on my way. Then bam! My lifting friends at the club told me about the Mr. OSU competition. I entered and placed 4th out of 15 bodybuilders (there was only one class and only 15 competitors back then!). I was ecstatic. The following year I tried again and placed 3rd out of 13 and brought home my first hardware. That was June 1977.

Then in 1978, something much bigger than bodybuilding touched my life forever. I met my wife of 43 years, the love of my life, and everything changed for the better. I asked her just one thing. Would you please allow me to keep training and pursue my bodybuilding dreams? Sounds easy, right? Not. I quickly learned that a marriage takes two committed people who are in love and are willing to compromise for the good of the marriage. Well, with the help of the good Lord, 43 years speaks for itself. That same year I began a lifelong career working for the state of Ohio. In 1984, I competed in eight bodybuilding shows and acquired eight more trophies, including a first place.

Twenty years passed. I never stopped training. I never stopped dieting. I never skipped. But I didn’t compete. I missed it. I missed it a lot. Now I realize it was okay, and here’s why… During that time, we had two beautiful kids who later in life blessed us with six grandkids. The time away was well worth it.

In 2004, Arnold Classic winner Mike Francois and BEVERLY INTERNATIONAL entered my life. Driving home from the grocery one evening, my wife and I noticed a sign by the road advertising “The Mike Francois Classic.” Living in Westerville, Ohio, for several years, I had heard of Mike, and his Arnold Classic win. Long story short, we attended the show, and later as we walked to the car, I asked my wife a “loaded” question. “So…in the masters division, Hon, how do you think I would’ve done?” She responded, “Probably 5th”. I thought, BAM! I’m back! The following week I met with Mike and began to train as if my life depended on it. The next year, 2005, I did place 5th in the masters division of the Francois Classic! My wife had nailed it!

I can’t say enough about Beverly and Mike Francois. Both are world-class on several levels. Mike is such a wonderfully humble guy who reached the pinnacle of our sport. He highly recommended Beverly International products, which I continue to use to this very day. Beverly’s Ultimate Muscle Protein (UMP) has always been my favorite, along with their Super Pak vitamin minerals and Mass Aminos. With ingredients and macros designed for the bodybuilder in mind, I use these Beverly products up to and including the day of the show.

With Mike’s help, I went onto win 14 masters division titles in NPC national qualifying contests. I qualified for OPEN national competitions twice with first or second-place finishes in open classes against competitors half my age. I guess the cliché “age is just a number” is true. During that time, I also judged several NPC national qualifying events. Thank you, Mike, and thank you, Beverly!

Training

I train seven days a week on a six-day lifting split. Fasting cardio/core daily. When I was younger, I would train in the evenings. As I approached retirement, I was able to train on an extended lunch. Now that I’m retired, I do fasting cardio/core after my morning coffee and Beverly’s Mass Aminos. Two hours later, after breakfast, I train with bands and weights. Through the years, as I aged, I’ve modified my training to accommodate injuries, my arthritic predisposition, and to mitigate sarcopenia. Beverly’s UMP has dramatically helped in slowing & ultimately stopping my sarcopenia over the past 16 years. My baseline workout schedule has remained essentially the same for over 50 years. (I know you’re supposed to change it up, but I do vary the exercises and have replaced certain movements with an equivalent more conducive to what my body can tolerate without sacrificing the workload for a particular muscle group.)

For example, I’ve replaced barbell squats with the leverage squat machine to reduce the strain on cervical vertebrae due to my cervical fusion. Another cool example is using high bands for bench pressing. Attaching bands from the top of a power rack deloads resistance at your chest (taking the strain off the shoulders) and reloads the resistance at the top of the press. Chains are also employed in various movements. It’s important to note that I use Iron Rebel elbow sleeves for upper body days and Inzer squat briefs for leg days. These provide critical support for vulnerable joints. With the help of Beverly International nutritional support, which I believe is precisely 50% of attaining an optimum physique and fitness, I’m thankful I can still train intensely to maximize my results over time.

Daily (including Sunday): Fasting Cardio/Core

Recumbent bike
Treadmill
Hypers
Reverse hypers
Sit-ups
Twists 

Mondays & Thursdays: Chest & Back

Band Chest Press supersetted with Band Chest Flyes: 4x20 using progressively heavier bands
Low Band Bench Press: 1x12, 1x6
High Band Bench Press: 1x10, 1x6, 1x3
Barbell Bench Press: 1x10, 1x6, 1x3
DB Bench Press: 1x12-15, 1x8-10, 1x5-7, 1x4-5
Cable Flyes: 1x15 (off season), 3x15 (contest)
Seated Iso-Row Machine (or Seated Cable Rows): 1x15, 1x10, 1x8, 1x6
DB Shrugs: 1x15, 1x10, 1x8, 1x6

Contest chest & back finisher:
Superset Bench Press with Lat Pulldowns: 3x10

Tuesdays & Fridays: Shoulders & Arms

Band warm-ups for shoulders: 2x20 Rehab Band Lateral Raise, Front Raise, Rear Delt Stretch
Shoulder Horn: 1x10
Seated Dumbbell Press: 1x20, 1x15, 1x10, 1x5, 1x10 Pump Set
Lateral Dumbbell Raise (Supersetted With Dumbbell Press):
1x20, 1x15, 1x10, 1x5, 1x15
Standing 5/8” Chain Curls supersetted with Tricep Pushdowns: 5x10
EZ Curls supersetted with Band Assisted Dips: 5x10

Wednesdays & Saturdays: Legs

Bodyweight Squats: 1x50
Leverage Squats: 2x10, 1x5
Belt Squat: 2x10, 1x5
Leg Press: 2x10, 1x5
Seated Calf Raise: 5x10, 1x30 (drop burn set)

Nutrition and Supplements

I believe proper nutrition and Beverly International supplements account for at least 50% of my bodybuilding longevity and success. I generally eat 4-6 meals or snacks each day. As an integral part
of meal prep, I fix two “casseroles” that will last 3-4 days. The first casserole is a breakfast-style casserole; the second casserole is a dinner-style casserole. The breakfast casserole consists of egg whites and vegetables. The dinner casserole consists of fat-free ground turkey breast, egg whites, and vegetables. I keep my diet clean except for cheat meals every fourth Saturday. It’s incredible how a cheat meal “refeeds” your body after eating clean for extended periods.

I define eating clean by following my macros closely, keeping simple carbs very low, and allowing for some “good” fats. Good fats include wild-caught salmon, sardines, chia, flax, extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil, and almonds. What’s nice about Beverly’s Muscle Provider and Ultimate Muscle Protein (UMP) is they’re probably the “cleanest” proteins available which fit perfectly into my nutrition plan.

The major difference between my off-season and contest diet is reducing fats and reducing complex carbs. Though it’s not an exact science, I monitor how I look weeks leading up to the contest and adjust accordingly to dial in.

Upon Arising: 12oz black coffee with 5 Beverly Mass Amino tablets

Meal One: 8-12oz of the breakfast casserole (egg whites and vegetables, 2 whole eggs fried in olive oil), turmeric tea

Meal Two (pre-workout): 1 scoop Beverly UMP, liquid egg whites, cinnamon, ground almonds, chia, and flax

Meal Three (post-workout): 2 scoops Muscle Provider, ground almonds, chia, and flax

Meal Four: 6-8oz chicken breast tenders, 8oz greens, medium sweet potato or 6oz brown rice

Meal Five: 8-12oz dinner casserole (fat-free ground turkey breast, egg whites, and vegetables), 6oz nonfat cottage cheese

Meal Six: 2 scoops Beverly UMP, egg whites, cinnamon, ground almonds, chia, and flax

Daily Supplements

1 Super Pak vitamin-mineral packet 5 scoops UMP or Muscle Provider (meal two, meal three, meal six)\

20-30 Mass Amino tablets

10-20 Lean Out capsules

10 Joint Care capsules

10-20 Muscularity capsules (contest)

10-20 Density EAAs (contest)

Closing Thoughts

Early in my career, I was totally focused on bodybuilding as a lifestyle and winning bodybuilding titles. As time progressed, I gained perspective on life but retained the work ethic and discipline from our sport to help me be a leader for my family life in general. I am so grateful, and God has blessed me richly. In terms of health & fitness, to me, it’s an equation of equal parts:

Nutrition (with Beverly’s help!) + Weight Training + Determination = Health & Fitness

So, I began to think about what I was eating and my activity level. I was frequenting fast-food restaurants 4 or 5 times a week and rarely did any exercise. I slowly began to change my diet and incorporate more healthy foods, less sugary snacks, and high-carb meals. I also started to run. In the beginning, this meant a run/walk of a 1/2 mile. I built this up until I was running 2 miles without stopping and had lost 50 lbs. I joined the local YMCA in graduate school and ran on the indoor track. Finally, after nine months, I got my weight down to an acceptable 148lbs. At this point, I began using the circuit training machines at the Y and began to build muscle. I kept up this routine for 15 years – lots of running and weightlifting using machines.

By the late 1990s, I was living in a suburb of Detroit and was regularly using the local gym. I also joined a running club and began training for a marathon. In 2000, at age 41, I ran my first marathon in Detroit called the Detroit Free Press Marathon. It was a stunning route as we ran over the bridge into Canada and then under the Detroit river through the tunnel and back to the US side. I completed the race in 4 hours and 2 minutes, which was right on target as I set a goal of 4hours. My next goal was to learn how to use free weights and train more seriously. I hired a trainer at my gym, learned to love lifting, made great progress, and I became hooked!

In 2005, I had moved to Philadelphia and was in a different gym with a new trainer when one day he asked me if I was interested in competing in a bodybuilding contest. I had no idea what a bodybuilding contest was, but I said I would give it a try. I prepped for six months and then did a 14-week cut and competed in the OCB Charm City Classic in Baltimore. At age 46, I came in 3rd in the Men’s Masters class, and I was overjoyed.

I’m Introduced to UMP

I had been using protein powders which did not taste very good and had an adverse effect on my stomach. Then a friend introduced me to Beverly International supplements. The very first thing I noticed about
Beverly’s UMP protein was the taste. The chocolate flavor was so good, and there were no bad gastric effects. I tried the vanilla and then the strawberry when it was introduced into their line of products. To this day, chocolate and strawberry remain tied as my favorites!

By 2010, I had competed in about 25 shows and had done well as an amateur. At this time, I found a new coach and trainer, Joe Franco, from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. I had a dream, which I shared
with him, that I would like to become a pro-all-natural bodybuilder someday. He listened and based my training and diet on this goal. I also incorporated more Beverly products into my diet, including Lean Out, 7-Keto MuscLean, and Quadracarn. Finally, in October of 2012, at the age of 53, I won my Masters bodybuilding pro card at the same show where I competed for the first time, the Charm City Classic in Baltimore. I won the 50+ division with ten competitors and then went on to take first place in the master’s class. I was beyond happy and grateful. It seemed that this moment was the culmination of a very long journey beginning with me as an overweight child and ending with me becoming a pro bodybuilder. There were lots of emotions in that win!

Since turning pro, I have competed in many shows throughout the country in several different organizations. I have traveled to Florida, Arizona, Missouri, Tennessee, and up and down the Northeast
coast and mid-Atlantic. My love of the sport keeps me striving for improvements and gives a special focus to my life. I firmly believe that exercise and intense physical activity keeps a person feeling young. At age 59, I competed in an OCB November show (Battle of the Godz) in Providence, Rhode Island. I took 2nd place in the Men’s Pro Master Bodybuilding division. I felt great about this placing, and I can say that age is only a number, and it is never too late to begin something new. I can honestly say that at age 61, I am the strongest I have ever been in my life. I feel I still can make improvements as long as I train smart.

Recently I have been working with Nick Peterson, who designs my workout programs. We switch up the workouts every 3 or 4 months, so my body does not get too used to the same exercises and rep schemes.

Over the last 15 years, I have competed in approximately 70 shows and gained a lot of experience in the competition world. I have also become a judge for the OCB and have judged dozens of shows.
My future plans include competing again in 2021 as I turn 62. This July, I will promote an OCB show in Harrisburg, PA. I intend to keep myself active in the sport in as many ways as possible.

Every day I rely on Beverly supplements. I have been using these products for 15 years, and I see and feel the results. I take Beverly UMP and Creatine Select with me on vacation! I will find a gym, work out, and drink my Beverly shake. My Beverly supplements have even gone as far as Athens, Greece, with me.

Year-Round Diet

Meal One
UMP Chocolate protein shake with frozen fruit, one cup of high fiber low sugar cereal with almond milk – Quadracarn, Creatine Select, EFA Gold, FitTabs (multivitamin)
Workout between these two meals

Meal Two
Protein pancake – 1 cup Beverly UMP Vanilla, ³⁄₄ cup oatmeal, and cinnamon; add water and stir to a pancake batter consistency

Meal Three
3oz turkey, 21-grain thin sliced bread, low-fat mayo, veggies or salad

Meal Four
UMP Strawberry protein shake with fruit, ³⁄₄ cup oatmeal with 2 tbsp of peanut butter

Meal Five
6oz chicken, fish or turkey, 6oz sweet potato, veggies or salad – Quadracarn, Creatine Select

When I am in contest prep mode, I will add Lean Out and 7-Keto MuscLean twice a day to my supplement schedule.

During Contest Prep, I take 20 – 24 weeks to lean out slowly. This slow prep helps me to retain strength and mental well-being.

Training

I train six days a week, taking one day off for complete rest and a mental break from the gym. Each workout includes a 10-minute cardio session. I will vary my cardio using one of the following machines: the elliptical, bike, rower, or HIIT on the treadmill.

Currently, I am training in 3-week cycles. I do full-body workouts each day during weeks 1 and 2. Week 3 consists of a 3-way body part split using heavier weights for 5x5 on the core exercises. I increase the weight in small increments for each new 3-week cycle and will follow this program for three months before switching it up. Although at first glance this program might look easy, be careful! It may make you very sore by the end of the week!

Weeks 1 & 2 (Full Body each Day)

Monday

Incline Dumbbell Press 3x10

Standing Cable Curl 3x10

Farmers Walk 3x50 steps

Squat 3x10

Pull-Ups 3x Max

Dips 3x Max

Abs

Tuesday

Incline BB Bench Press 3x12

Incline DB Curl 3x12

Overhead Press 3x12

Leg Extension 3x12

Leg Press 3x12

Hamstring Curl 3x12

Lat Pulldown 3x12

Skull Crushers 3x12

Wednesday

Flat Bench Press 3x15

EZ-Bar Preacher Curl 3x15

Lateral Raise 3x15

Leg Curl 3x15

RDL (Romanian Dead Lift) 3x15

Seated Row 3x15

Overhead Press 3x15

Abs

Thursday

Incline BB Bench Press 3x10

1-Arm DB Preacher Curl 3x10

Shoulder Shrug 3x10

Goblet Squat 3x10

1-Arm DB Row 3x10

Overhead Triceps Extension 3x10

Friday

DB Bench Press 3x12

DB Hammer Curl 3x12

Front Raise 3x12

Lunges 3x 20 Steps

Calves 3x12

Neutral Lat Pull Down 3x12

Rope Pressdowns Rope 3x12

Abs

Saturday

Deadlifts 3x15

Chest Flye 3x15

Seated DB Curl 3x15

Cable Rear Delt Fly 3x15

Reverse Flye 3x15

Cable Kickbacks 3x15

Sunday - Rest

Week 3 (3-Way Split)

Monday Legs

Back Squat 5x5

Hamstring Curl 3x10

Leg Press 3x10

Abductor Machine 3x10

Adductor Machine 3x10

Hip Bridge 3x12

Calves 3x15

Abs

Tuesday Chest & Arms

Bench Press 5x5

Seated DB Curl 3x10

Triceps Press Down 3x10

Floor DB Press 3x12

Dips 3x12

Wednesday Back & Shoulders

Deadlifts 3x10

Overhead Press 5x5

Lat Pull Down 3x10

Lateral Raises 3x12

Front Raises 3x12

Y Standing Rows 3x12

Abs

Thursday Legs

Leg Press 3x15

Leg Extension 4x15

Walking Lunges 4x20 steps

Calf Raises 4x20

Single-Leg Hip Bridge 4x15 each leg

Prone Hamstring Curl 3x15

Friday Chest & Arms

Chest Fly 4x15

Incline DB Press 4x15

Overhead Triceps Press 4x15

Single Arm Triceps Press Down 4x15

Single Arm Preacher Curl 4x15

EZ Bar Biceps Curl 4x15

Abs

Saturday Back & Shoulders

High Pull 4x15

Seated Row 4x15

Lat Pull Down 4x15

Overhead Press 4x15

Lateral Raise 4x15

Front Raise 4x15

Sunday - Rest

In my twenties, I began adding size to my frame while working as an auto mechanic and putting myself through school to earn my Bachelor's degree. It was the 80's; Rocky III had just come out and became my favorite movie. I was inspired by Stallone and his new physique along with the song, Eye of the Tiger. I decided it was my time to evolve myself, and I entered a contest without any knowledge. I took 5th place at Mr. Akron.

Along came the 90's and I'm managing Nutrition Services at various hospitals. I met my wife Karen, and we bought a home in the little town of Canal Fulton, OH. In 1999 I met Sandy and Roger from Beverly International. I sent "Polaroids" bi-weekly to Roger, and he crafted and adjusted my nutrition plan based on the photos. With his guidance, I continued to improve and took 3rd place in the 1999 Natural Ohio Classic and first place in the 2000 Powerhouse Classic. Karen gave birth to our son, David, in 2000 and our daughter, Jordan, in 2003. A career relocation to East Lake, FL, started the new millennium for us.

Lifting and personal goals gave way to family goals. I coached David in baseball, soccer, and football. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to coach him through high school. I was the "Cheer Dad" to Jordan, and we traveled the state to competitive cheerleading events (as well as spotting her in the living room as she perfected her back handspring).

A few more years passed. David and Jordan were moving on to college. I looked at myself and found that at 54, I weighed 221lbs (almost 75 pounds heavier than when I had competed 20 years prior). In September, I made it my mission to get back in shape. I started working out again, paying attention to my diet, and started to feel and look better. I began wondering, "Could I get back on stage?" I sought advice from a former Natural Mr. Universe, John Hansen, and started using Beverly products again. UMP, Mass Aminos, Ultra 40, and Lean Out helped me reduce my waist from 42" to 34" while adding muscle.

The Covid pandemic came along, but I still set my sights on entering the NGA Hurricane Classic in September of 2020. I entered the NGA Hurricane Classic at 179lbs, 42 pounds less than when I started my prep. I took 3rd in the Masters Bodybuilding 50+ division. The judges' critique was that I had good muscle size and symmetry, but I needed to get leaner. Six weeks later, I entered the NGA Central Florida Fall Classic. I lost another 12lbs and 2" more off my waist in those six weeks, coming in at 167lbs with a 32" waist. The addition of Beverly's 7-Keto MuscLean and GH Factor to my supplement plan helped me accelerate my fat loss while maintaining muscle mass.

Those additional six weeks of training, cardio, dieting, and my Beverly supplement plan paid off. I was awarded 1st place in Masters Bodybuilding 40+ (at 54 years of age) and 3rd in Open Mens Bodybuilding.
My new goal is to win a Masters Overall Bodybuilding competition. Six months to go, and I have already started getting ready. I will continue to improve and get harder and leaner with Beverly International products. I'm not only a Beverly product user but also a retailer of Beverly products. If you are looking in the Tampa Bay area to find Beverly products locally, go to www.docmusclesupplements.com
I am also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/james.lucas.5832 and Instagram @docmuscle10. Please follow or reach out to me.

Workout Plan: 2 Days On – 1 Day Off

I follow the same basic workout plan both off-season and pre-contest. The only difference is the addition of cardio during pre-contest. To illustrate, I've listed a recent workout from my training journal. Since machines differ, some of the weights listed may be different if performed on another machine. But this is an excellent approximation of what my actual workout looks like. Remember, I am 54 years old, weigh in the 170s, have laid off for 20 years before coming back, and am 100% natural.

Day 1: Back, Biceps

• Pullover (90x12, 160x8, 170x7, 170x7)
• 1-Arm Lat Pulldown (70x10, 80x8, 80x8 )
• T-Bar Row (90x10, 125x8, 145x6)
• Cable Row (65x10, 85x7, 85x7)
• Hyperextension (BWx25 x 3 sets)
• Barbell Curl (70x10, 90x8, 90x8)
• Hammer Curl (40x10, 45x8, 45x7)
• Concentration Curl (20x12, 25x10)

Day 2: Abs, Legs

• Leg Raise (30, 25, 25)
• Crunches (25, 20, 20)
• Leg Extension (80x15, 95x12, 110x10)
• Leg Press (180x12, 360x10, 540x10, 590x8)
• Hack Squat (270x12, 470x8, 470x8)
• Leg Curl (90x10, 110x7, 110x7)
• Straight Leg Deadlift (135x12, 185x10, 225x8)
• Glute Machine (60x15, 60x12, 60x12)
• Seated Calf (90x15, 140x10, 140x9)
• Standing Calf (120x12, 135x10, 150x8)

Day 3: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

• Bench Press (185x10, 225x8, 245x6, 245x6)
• Incline Press (185x8, 205x6, 205x6)
• DB Flyes (70x8, 75x6, 75x6)
• Machine Pullovers (80x12, 90x10, 100x8)
• Military Press (90x12, 160x8, 170x6, 170x6)
• Lateral Raise (30x10, 35x9, 35x9)
• DB Shrug (75x8, 80x6, 80x6)
• Triceps Pushdowns (70x12, 80x10, 90x8)
• Lying Extensions (40x10, 50x9, 60x7)
• Dips (12, 10, 10)

Cardio Plan

For contest prep, I perform the same workout as above, but with added cardio. I have NO favorite cardio but used the treadmill, elliptical, Stairmaster, and bike to burn extra calories.

12 weeks out:

15 minutes on the elliptical machine every other day

8 weeks out:

20 minutes a day every workout day

4 weeks out:

20 minutes of elliptical on workout days and 20 minutes Stairmaster on my off days (or went for a ride on the bike).

Meal & Supplement Plan

This is the basic meal plan that I used to reduce my weight from 220lbs to 179lbs and my waist from 42” to 34”.

Meal One

• One scoop UMP
• ¹⁄₂ cup oatmeal
• ¹⁄₂ cup blueberries
• 6 Ultra 40
• 6 Mass Aminos
• 2 Lean Out
• 3 7-Keto MuscLean

Meal Two

• One whole egg
• 6 egg whites
• 1 Ezekiel muffin
• 2 Lean Out

Meal Three

• 6oz tuna fish
• 130g sweet potato
• 3oz broccoli
• 6 Ultra 40
• 6 Mass Aminos
• 2 Lean Out

Meal Four

• UMP Protein Shake
• 2 slices Ezekiel bread
• 2 Lean Out
• Three 7-Keto MuscLean

Meal Five

• One whole egg
• 7 egg whites
• 1 slice Ezekiel bread
• 6 Ultra 40
• 6 Mass Aminos
• 2 Lean Out

In addition, I use Quadracarn throughout the year as a precursor to increase testosterone production. I always feel leaner, stronger, and have more energy with it. I also use Energy Reserve before weights and cardio. It gives me a pick-me-up for those exhausting days in the gym.

Final 6 Weeks' Meal Plan

My weight dropped 12 lbs and my waist another 2 inches. I kept my protein up, lowered my carbs, increased my fats, and added cardio. The Mass Aminos and Ultra 40 liver tablets helped keep my energy up and maintain as much muscle as possible. (From what the judges said, I kept most of that hard-earned muscle and symmetry while gaining a lot more definition.)

I used UMP Angel Food Cake in my coffee instead of creamer to get in more protein and add a little variety. It mixes easily and tastes like French Vanilla creamer.

I also added GH Factor during this phase of my diet. Take 12 capsules daily - 6 upon arising and 6 before bed. Alternatively, you can take 2 with each meal and 2 before bed.

Meal One

• One scoop UMP
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 6 Ultra 40
• 6 Mass Aminos
• 2 Lean Out
• three 7-Keto MuscLean

Meal Two

• One whole egg
• 6 egg whites
• 1 slice Ezekiel bread
• 2 Lean Out

Meal Three

• 6oz chicken
• 3oz broccoli
• 6 Ultra 40
• 6 Mass Aminos
• 2 Lean Out

Meal Four

• UMP Protein Shake
• 2 Lean Out
• three 7-Keto MuscLean

Meal Five

• 6oz salmon
• 3oz broccoli
• 6 Ultra 40
• 6 Mass Aminos
• 2 Lean Out

Fast forward two years, and I was back living in Iowa due to some tough economic times. I realized that I needed to learn a skilled job to be successful in life. Since I enjoyed and was good at working on cars, I felt I could apply those same skills on aircraft. I devised a plan to join the Marine Corps as an aircraft mechanic to gain experience, and then when I got out, I could land a job at one of the many aircraft manufacturing plants in Southern California. During my time in the Marines, I made a point of consistently lifting weights. I added 10 pounds of muscle during boot camp - just from all the physical activity and good meals - I wanted to keep progressing. I even purchased 180 pounds of plates and dumbbell handles to take with me on deployment to the Far East.

Upon leaving the service, everything worked out as planned, and McDonnell Douglas hired me in Long Beach, where I worked on the MD80 program. When Boeing bought them in 1997, the commercial airplane production line was phased out, so I moved over to work on the C-17 Air Force cargo plane for my final years. After 25 years at Boeing, I was laid off and then got hired at SpaceX, where I worked on the F9 Falcon rocket for the first few years and then the Dragon capsule. After six years at SpaceX, I retired at the age of 62. During my years at McDonnell Douglas/Boeing, I worked the swing shift, which was perfect for me.

I was able to train in the morning when my energy level was highest, and the crowds at the gym were minimal. However, while working at SpaceX, it was mandated that we work 10-hour shifts, so the only time I had to train was on the weekends (and only then when they didn’t make the Saturdays mandatory too!) Despite being limited to just training one day a week, I was still fortunate to maintain the physical condition I did. The best thing about now being retired is training any day I choose.

My competition journey began after leaving the service in 1986. I joined a Gold’s Gym in Orange County and trained for two years before entering the Southern California Bodybuilding Championship. I won the Tall Novice Division and Overall Novice. A couple of weeks later, I entered the Orange County Muscle Classic and placed fifth. I was pleased with this placing since it was a National qualifier. I trained for another year and gained more size before entering the Ironman (now called Excalibur) and placed near the back of the pack in the heavyweight class. I just couldn’t compete against guys at that level who had 20-30 pounds of lean mass over me. I became discouraged and gave up thoughts of further competition.

As I’ve grown older, I am very fortunate that my metabolism has stayed very high. I am never more than a few pounds away from contest condition, which gives me an advantage in Masters competitions. It is much easier for me to achieve the level of conditioning needed to be competitive.

In 2020, I planned to go back to the Southern California contest I won as a Novice and attempt to win it as a Master, but the show was canceled due to COVID. Instead, I entered the NPC Iron Games Classic Physique over 45 class (the highest age class available) in November and won overall. That qualified me for the Masters USA event in December, where I could earn a Pro Card. At the Masters USA, I won the over 50 C division but not the overall title, thus missing my goal of earning a Pro Card. I’m currently contemplating entering the NPC Teen, Collegiate, and Masters Nationals this year. It has an over 60 class and could offer me a better chance at earning a Pro card.

Workouts

For many years I trained Monday - Friday and then took the weekends off but now that I am retired, I train four days on and one day off. I start each exercise relatively light and increase the weight until the final two or three sets are at my top weights for the day.

Day 1: Shoulders, Chest

Cable Lateral Raises 5x10-15

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 5x10-12

Rear Deltoid Machine 4x10-12

Pec Deck 5x10-12

Incline DB Flys 5x10-12

Incline DB Press 4x10-12

Cable Crossovers x10-12

Day 2: Back
I have two mildly herniated discs from an injury sustained over 30 years ago and spinal stenosis at three locations in my back, so I can’t do anything bent over. I use machines that have a chest pad for support for all rowing movements.

Warm-up with elastic band-assisted Pull-Ups 4x10

Lat Pulldown 4x10-12

Seated Machine Rows 4x10-12

Seated Machine Rows Low Position 4x10-12 (This machine duplicates the range of motion that I would get from T-bar rows if I could do them.)

Straight-Arm High Cable Pulldown 4x10

Shrugs 4x10-12

Day 3: Legs

Leg Extensions 2x15-20 (as a warm-up for my knees)

Leg Press 5x10-15

Lying Leg Curls 4x10-12

Leg Extensions 5x10-15

Seated Leg Curls 4x10-12

I do some Hamstring and Quad stretches to finish up.

Cardio

For different periods over the last 30 years, I have ridden mountain or road bikes at least once a week. I currently get in a 28-mile road ride about every six weeks when my off training day falls on a Sunday. For contest prep, I did 30 minutes on a treadmill at a fast walk every morning starting ten weeks out from the Masters USA.

Nutrition and Supplements

Although many pro bodybuilders recommend eating six meals a day, my system just can’t process food fast enough to achieve that even with an excellent digestive enzyme like Beverly's Multiple Enzyme Complex. That means the three meals a day I consume have to be very nutrient-dense and supplemented with Muscularity, Mass Amino Acids, Density, and Ultra 40.

Regular Daily Meal Plan

Soon after waking, I have a quick snack of four Belvida breakfast biscuits with organic almond butter before setting off on my morning dog walk with ReMax, our German Pinscher.

Meal One

(Training Days) One scoop Muscle Provider, 1 scoop Provosyn, 1 tbsp MCT oil (Parrillo CapTri), and one banana mixed in 12oz pineapple juice. I have used this delicious combo for many years as an easily digested pre-workout meal.

(Non-Training Days) Three scrambled eggs with either a bowl of oatmeal, pancakes, or French toast.

Meal Two

(Training Days) One scoop Muscle Provider, 1 scoop Provosyn, 45 grams powdered sweet potato and oats (5% Nutrition Real Carbs) mixed with 8oz pasteurized egg whites, 4oz cold water, and 1 tbsp flaxseed oil.

(Non-Training Days) 6oz Boars Head London broil roast beef and one slice of horseradish cheese on two pieces of multi-grain bread.

Meal Three

6oz chicken (white and dark meat), 4oz Calrose rice, 2¹⁄₂ tbsp honey sesame sauce.

Daily Supplements

Density 5 tablets upon waking

Muscle Provider and Provosyn with meals 1 and 2 Mass Aminos 6 with each meal

Ultra 40 liver tablets 6 with each meal

Quadracarn 3 tablets with each meal

ZMA 2000 3 capsules before bed

Pre Contest Adjustments

Meal 1: 12oz pasteurized egg whites, 1 tbsp MCT oil, 45 grams powdered sweet potato and oats.

Meal 2: One scoop Muscle Provider, one scoop Provosyn, 16oz cold water, and 1 tbsp flaxseed oil.

Meal 3: 6oz white meat chicken, 3.2oz (uncooked) Calrose rice, and 2oz honey sesame sauce.

Pre Contest Supplements

Muscle Provider and Provosyn (meal 2)

Density 5 tablets upon waking and 5 with each meal

Ultra 40 liver tablets 6 with each meal

Quadracarn 3 tablets with each meal
ZMA 2000 3 capsules before bed

Closing Thoughts

It’s very gratifying to have someone approach me in the gym, ask my age, and be surprised when I tell them. They usually come back with, “I hope to look as good when I reach your age.” I encourage them never to stop training and be consistent.

I was 46 years old and had spent more than half of my life in the gym. My wife and I had been going to the same gym for over 10 years. Three of our six children were active participants in various fitness regimens and one of my daughters had 3 competitions under her belt. Like many of you, I had trained hard, built a good amount of muscle and followed what I thought was a good diet. I lived in a smaller community, was one of the bigger guys around, and looked good in the gym. However, when no one was around; when it was just me, my wife and my fam-ily, I shared my dreams of becom-ing a competitive bodybuilder.

Tell me if you ever heard this one? I thought that if I could just put on another 20-30 lbs. then maybe I could compete sometime. The more I thought about the task at hand of building all that muscle and looking like the guys in the magazines, the further and further my dream drifted away out of my reach.

Then one day as I was going through my normal routine, chance happened (di-vine intervention). The general manager of my gym, Jeremiah Forster, a former Beverly employee and cover man for No-Nonsense, and I were discussing my wife and a few struggles she was facing with her personal training. By the end of the conversation the focus drifted to me. The question was asked, “So, are you ever going to compete?” I had thought about it, but I simply replied that I needed to pack on some mass before even thinking about looking at a show. Jeremiah suggested that we have a formal consultation the next day.

The following day Jeremiah tested my body composition. I weighed 215lbs with 8.9% body fat and slightly less than 20lbs of fat on my body. I was leaner than I thought! Jeremiah told me I could go on dreaming forever or start getting ready to compete NOW. He said I definitely had enough muscle to hold my own against bodybuilders half my age and was lean enough to do a show in 4 months. By the end of the consultation, I had my diet, a new workout and a specialized supplement regimen that were targeted to my specific needs. (See Nutrition, Training, and Supplement sections for the specifics.)

Jeremiah said we could negotiate on diet and training, but there would be zero negotiating on supplements. He went on to explain his history with Beverly Interna-tional, the integrity of the company and the supreme trust he had in the products. It would be Beverly and Beverly ONLY!

I had about 16 weeks to drop 10lbs of fat and build a little muscle in the process. Since I’d already been eating a clean bodybuilding diet for many years, Jeremiah and I decided that I would need a strict and precise plan – zero deviation, zero temptation, and no guess work.

Jeremiah formulated my plan on an Excel spreadsheet. Each of my meals was calculated down to the ounce. I had to stick to the exact foods, the exact amounts. There was no gray area. Hey, if I just wanted gym muscles I could eat like everyone else. But if I wanted to look great on stage, I had to eat with precision in a way that not too many people are willing to do.

Each week we would test my body fat, discuss my overall feedback, and adjust the nutrition and supplements based on my results. I was eating more food (from more nutrient dense sources) than previously, taking fewer supplements (but better quality and in a targeted plan), and after 1 month my results were:
 

4 lbs. of fat lost and 4 lbs. of muscle gained. My weight stayed the same, but I was getting bigger and leaner at the same time. In just a month I went from a “wanna be” bodybuilder to someone who not only could see the road ahead, but already was visualizing how I was going to look on stage. The results from my Beverly Supplement regimen were al-most immediately noticeable. I’d never put on muscle so quickly, never recovered so quickly, or even felt this good. I had taken some Beverly in the past but never exclusively or in a precision plan. My physique looked completely different in a month. Soon my daughter and I weren’t the only Beverly users in the family. My wife used at least 5 of the products, and the rest of my family and many of my friends started using Beverly. If you visited our house, you’d literally see that half of our pantry is Beverly.

Fast forward to 1 month out. I was under 200 lbs. and looking ripped, but Jeremiah cautioned me. He said I still had a couple of pounds to lose and those 2-3 pounds would make a huge difference on how I looked on stage. He told me many guys look phenomenal in the gym a month out, but are unwilling to go through the very difficult final 4 weeks that takes you from looking great in the gym to great on stage.

Let me tell you, that last month was tough! I can see why many bodybuilders either give up entirely or start alienating everyone around them with their selfish attitude. But my entire family was there for me. They were my rock, my support, my encouragement and my light when I needed them most. I don’t think they fully understood how much their participation helped. They went to the gym with me (getting into the best shape of their lives as well). They held me accountable to my diet; they videotaped my posing sessions, offered their critiques, and continually gave me feedback.

My nutrition the final 4 weeks was quite challenging. My diet became more re-strictive while my cardio increased. I felt depleted, I was tired and my brain was telling me to quit. I’d find myself drooling when the Food Network was on TV. My only refuge was my wife, my fam-ily, and the confidence that the plan was working.

At the beginning of my diet the low-calorie day was only about 500 calories less than the high-calorie base diet. But, as the show got closer, the fat got harder to lose. Jeremiah started making the low-calorie day more restrictive (progressively fewer carbs and calories) while keeping my base diet the same. With 2 weeks to go Jeremiah made a final adjustment that would strip the remaining extra one pound of fat off me. Now, I’d follow one day on the base diet with 2 low-calorie days. This simple change made all of the difference in the world. I went from ripped to shredded.

I met with Jeremiah one final time eager to see what my final week would look like. I had buddies who told me about all this crazy stuff they did during their final week. But to my surprise, Jeremiah’s changes were minimal. He told me that if I was in great shape a week out that I was going to look great the day of the show. He re-introduced carbs on Wednesday, starting off very high and then tapering them down each day into the show. My water intake followed the same protocol – higher intake on Wednesday and a little less each subsequent day. My sodium intake decreased some but was never eliminated. I took in enough carbs to refuel my depleted glycogen stores and I was very careful of my water, sodium and potassium balance. My carbs consisted of mainly white potatoes (due to being simple and loaded with potassium) as well as sweet potatoes and rice cakes.

By the day of the show I was full, hard, dry and shredded. Every-thing came together just as Jeremiah promised. I looked even better than I had dreamed. Some people don’t like getting on stage, but not Joey Martinolich. I hammed it up, nailed my posing routine and looked like a polished pro on stage. My goal from the beginning was to get to the show and look like I had been therefore. I walked away with two 1st place trophies, but the best part was sharing those moments with my wife, family and friends. I can honestly say that all the work and suffering was worth it and I had the time of my life.

Since that show I have competed again and was even better at my second show. Now I am happy to take all the love, support and knowledge that I experienced get-ting ready for my first show and help others who share my dream with support and advice.

I think bodybuilding is more than dudes grunting, pushing weight and looking at ourselves in the mirror. It is more than getting in a speedo, throwing some oil on and flexing in front of a lot of people. Bodybuilding to me is the battle we all face between what we have the capacity to achieve and what we settle for. Don’t give up on your dreams!

Now let me show you what I did to make this transformation.

Advice  from Joey's trainer Jeremiah Forster

I have more than 20 years’ experience as a per-sonal trainer. I started as a “contest prep coach” in 2000 when I was taught how to do so by Roger and Sandy at Beverly International. I have helped several clients accomplish what they thought impossible. These range from dreams of representing themselves on stage with pride in their first contest to numerous 1st places. I am happily married with 4 beautiful children. My online training business has now turned into a fitness ministry. www.jeremiahforster.com
 

Training

Over the years I have prepared hundreds of training programs. These workouts range from basic bodybuilding training to very complex optimum performance training, kettlebells, etc. As Roger once told me, “All training works until it stops working.” No matter what your goal is, PROGRESSION is a universal truth that never lies. Progression is a deliberate increase in your repetitions, weight, decreased time between sets or the amount of time under tension. Every workout plan should have a component of planned progression. Once progression cannot be made in any of the above scenarios, then and only then should your workout be changed. There is no magic length of time to a workout, there is only progress. If you are still progress-ing, you are doing the right workout; if you are not, then you should change your workout. That brings up a good point, how do you know you are making progress if you are not tracking your progress? How many notebooks or notes on phones or tablets have you seen in the gym? I suggest you start recording your workout today.

DIET

As with training there is no one diet that is the end all and be all. However, certain body types react differently to different foods and macronutrient ratios. PRECISION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR NUTRITION. If you are precise in following your base diet, you or your trainer will be able to adjust it easily to attain a specific goal – whether it be fat loss, muscle gain, or contest prep. Your results become a mathematic equation not a hope and a prayer.

SUPPLEMENTS

I do not believe you need 20 different supplements to be successful. Start with a basic supplement plan of the essentials that you take year round. Then add a couple more that will help you achieve your specific goal. I’d rather you concentrate on really getting the maximum benefit from 2 or 3 targeted supplements, than see you trying everything under the Sun. Which do you think is more effective? One pill of 20 different supplements or 2-3 scoops each of Muscle Synergy, Creatine Select, and Glutamine Select per day? Once you choose the correct supplements be sure to take the recommended amounts or even a little more, to see the most benefits.

CONTEST GUIDANCE

Before your contest prep begins, search your soul, look in the mirror, and have a long, hard talk with yourself. Are you willing to make the sacrifices that contest prep requires? If the time isn’t right yet, it’s okay to put it off. Starting something and then quitting can be damaging to your spirit, finishing something is empowering. Don’t just go through the motions of your contest prep, do it with excellence. Give your best effort day in and day out to your diet, training, cardio, and posing. Why? Because little is more satisfying than knowing you gave your heart and soul to achieving something. In my experience, pure and full dedication always produces life's sweetest rewards.