Todd's Pictures.

[Blaze]

Originally Posted by a_welch503

This is funny, I look at the "uncut" pics of guys like you and MM and notice something your "fat" pictures are better than the "after" pictures of us mere mortals. Most excellent work.

no kidding. guys like you on your "fat days" in the off season put me to shame at my prime

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Blaze

no kidding. guys like you on your "fat days" in the off season put me to shame at my prime

Gotta remember, I've been bodybuilding for over 11 years now.... it all just takes time. I remember when I would go to the gym, workout hard and be all pumped and look in the locker room mirrors right after my workouts and think "man, I wish I was always this big"....well now I finally am that big without a pump...and now I just look to keep on getting bigger. Moral of story is... keep at it and be consistent and YOU WILL be as big as you believe you can be.

[Todd]

Another thing is this..... I firmly believe that when one diets down hard and gets ripped (like one does for a bodybuilding comp), that it helps condition your body, regulates fat stores and enhances your muscle maturity.

There is just something about getting super ripped that allows you to gain muscle, and pack it on without as much fat gain during the remaining parts of the year when not dieting....getting shredded does something to your body and to your muscles ...hard to explain...but if you look at competitors who have dieted down numerous times throughout their lives, you'll see a certain quality to their physique that is rare amongst those who do not diet down throughout the years.

For some reason I believe getting shredded allows one to stay in awesome condition throughout the rest of the year (or offseason).

[.V.]

Todd, you are right, I never manged to get shredded, Just moderately cut (barely enough to not be embarrassed at the pool or the lake). Now I find that with the higher calories - including much higher carbs - that I don't store fat as easily as I did before.

I always equated "bulking and cutting" to "yo-yo" dieting in the past. But it just isn't the same for people who are trying hard to gain then cutting off the excess occasionally. I would say though that the slow clean bulk which you've described so many times has a bit to do with cutting actually increasing the metabolism and hindering fat storage ability. The high protein/high fat/high carb all at the same time, supplimented with doughnuts type of bulk most likely would not give this kind of results. I can only imagine how much better it is for you guys who have put in the time already, and been doing it right all these years.

[Vas85]

Originally Posted by MAURER

damn you've packed on some massive quads there. that must have taken a lot of work.

I second that. The development is very clearly noticed, you have greatly increased the Swoop, and the Fireball look, along with monstrous size!. Keep up the killer work Todd!: (it's good news to know quads can grow that big naturally! to totally huggeee)

I also think there are even more striations than your last quad pics, very good work indeed, hopefully next comp, you will demolish the competition where second place wont even be worth to stand next to ya becuase it seems that way withh the development of your wheels.

[MostMuscle]

How much are you weighing in at nowadays?

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Vas85

I second that. The development is very clearly noticed, you have greatly increased the Swoop, and the Fireball look, along with monstrous size!. Keep up the killer work Todd!: (it's good news to know quads can grow that big naturally! to totally huggeee)

I also think there are even more striations than your last quad pics, very good work indeed, hopefully next comp, you will demolish the competition where second place wont even be worth to stand next to ya becuase it seems that way withh the development of your wheels.

Thank you very much for the positive observations and feedback, that really boosts my motivation even more and makes it all worthwhile when others can see my progress.

You know what? I can clearly say that the key to packing on muscle is continually raising the bar of intensity each and every time you step in the gym. And especially with legs, you need to go in and completely destroy them each and every time...that is when I've noticed my biggest gains.

You know, those workouts where you go in and just hammer down on them and give your body no mercy? Those are the types of leg workouts where I could see and feel new size and strength being added to my lower half in the days following those type of brutal workouts. So now, I try and "go for broke" each and every time....the type of intensity where when you think about having to put out that much energy that it almost makes you sick to your stomach...but then after you've done it, you feel on top of the world for putting out so much effort and intensity, that you didn't even know you had in you.

I have also found that it only takes one workout where you apply ultimate intensity to stimulate massive gains in your muscles. I am talking a noticable difference in size within the next 3 days after working a muscle group. But to stimulate gains that fast, you've got to apply insane intensity....and before you can apply that intensity, you have to learn HOW TO APPLY IT. And that comes from knowing your body and mind.

Just thought I would throw some of this out there for everyone to think about and absorb.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by MostMuscle

How much are you weighing in at nowadays?

I am currently at 210 pounds.....down a bit because I have cleaned up my diet even more in the last month or so. So, I am leaner than I have been previously. I have not started dieting yet or anything, but have just "cleaned up" the diet a bit... still eating tons tho!

[MostMuscle]

Originally Posted by Todd

I am currently at 210 pounds.....down a bit because I have cleaned up my diet even more in the last month or so. So, I am leaner than I have been previously. I have not started dieting yet or anything, but have just "cleaned up" the diet a bit... still eating tons tho!

Wow I would have guessed 218.......always a good sign when people think you weigh more than you actually do!

BTW....buy/beg/borrow/steal a digital camera so we can see some better shots of you man!!!

[Vas85]

Very good approach to your quad training, and it definitely shows. I'll definitely adopt much more intensity to my training for quads, as although i know my body can handle for example more than 8-10sets, I always just stop, but i do know there are atleast 4-6sets left in them of intense training. They are the biggest muscle after all.

Originally Posted by MostMuscle

Wow I would have guessed 218.......always a good sign when people think you weigh more than you actually do!

BTW....buy/beg/borrow/steal a digital camera so we can see some better shots of you man!!!

I agree!

[Todd]

Originally Posted by MostMuscle

Wow I would have guessed 218.......always a good sign when people think you weigh more than you actually do!

BTW....buy/beg/borrow/steal a digital camera so we can see some better shots of you man!!!

Yah, the weight thing is definitely an illusion. My small joints give the effect of me looking bigger than I actually am. Definitely a good thing, I agree.

I will for sure try and get a digital camera so I can take some better shots. Good idea!

[rangers97]

hey Todd--

Are you still doing the 5 day max-ot stuff? Do you find that 5 days a week is too much, or is it just right for you? Have you found in your experiences that working out 5 days a week with less volume each day is better or worse than working out 3 or 4 days a week with slightly more volume each day?

[Todd]

Originally Posted by rangers97

hey Todd--

Are you still doing the 5 day max-ot stuff? Do you find that 5 days a week is too much, or is it just right for you? Have you found in your experiences that working out 5 days a week with less volume each day is better or worse than working out 3 or 4 days a week with slightly more volume each day?

Yes, I still train Max OT style and yep I train 5 days per week. I find that 5 days seems to be great for me...gives me two days to rest and do other things during my evenings or weekends.

When it comes to working out 3 or 4 days per week compared to five with less volume, I think it's a matter of what works for you, your daily life schedule, etc.

Personally, for me, I just cannot give my different muscle groups optimal attention...or apply optimum intensity to them if I try and cram everything into 3 or 4 days per week. For me, I find 5 days allows me to apply the most intensity I can to my muscle groups. I am not in the gym very long, and that is another thing I like.... the body parts are fairly spread out within the week, and I am not working 2 major body parts together EVER in one workout.

I hit it hard, then get out of the gym to eat and recover.

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by Todd

Yes, I still train Max OT style and yep I train 5 days per week. I find that 5 days seems to be great for me...gives me two days to rest and do other things during my evenings or weekends.

When it comes to working out 3 or 4 days per week compared to five with less volume, I think it's a matter of what works for you, your daily life schedule, etc.

Personally, for me, I just cannot give my different muscle groups optimal attention...or apply optimum intensity to them if I try and cram everything into 3 or 4 days per week. For me, I find 5 days allows me to apply the most intensity I can to my muscle groups. I am not in the gym very long, and that is another thing I like.... the body parts are fairly spread out within the week, and I am not working 2 major body parts together EVER in one workout.

I hit it hard, then get out of the gym to eat and recover.

sounds good to me :

one more quick question--do you consider shoulders a "large" muscle group and how do you attack them? For example, I am considering doing 3 sets overhead barbell press, 3 sets of upright rows and 2 sets of power cleans as my whole shoulder routine. That is 8 sets. How does that look to you?

[.V.]

Originally Posted by rangers97

one more quick question--do you consider shoulders a "large" muscle group and how do you attack them? For example, I am considering doing 3 sets overhead barbell press, 3 sets of upright rows and 2 sets of power cleans as my whole shoulder routine. That is 8 sets. How does that look to you?

Look at the picture again. They are ALL large muscle groups.

BTW, I can tell you what he's gonna say, it's like he 'splained it to me...6-9 heavy working sets per body part. What you've described will work.