So we're a little over ten weeks out from Tampa Bay now and things are rolling right along better than I could have imagined. There have been a few setbacks, hence the title but overall I am happy with the progress I have been making and still baffled by the weight loss even while eating five thousand calories a day.
So lets get to the setbacks so you all can understand what we really go through on a day to day basis as IFBB Pro's. One of the goals this year was to really bring up the legs all around, hams, quads and calves. To do this we have been blasting them twice a week, heavy and high volume, the perfect recipe for injury. Most bodybuilders either go heavy or they go high volume but because of the imbalance in my physique I have had to do both all year. In the process I have managed to overwork and inflame my tendons in my knees and my elbows.
On a daily basis you could walk into my apartment at any time of day and find me with ice packs wrapped around my knees and most likely an ice pack on deck for one of my elbows. Its the only way to keep the inflammation down and allow me to keep training and growing. Anyone who has ever had tendon inflammation of any kind can understand the pain that I go through on a daily basis. These are just the day to day things that I have to live with as I try to grow and become better at what I do.
On top of the day to day challenge of keeping me feeling good enough to train I have minor tears that also come with the territory of lifting heavy for long durations of time. For example, I have a minor tear right now in the top left area of my calve and it makes it hard to do any type of leg curl. I am also battling a hamstring tear that I actually tore about nine years ago now but it has been aggravated again and I am getting it worked on. These are just two of the many minor tears I have dealt with this year. Maybe other bodybuilders are training injury free all year round but I would bet my pay on the fact that anyone training as hard as I am is going through similar problems. As I said its part of the territory so I'm not trying to complain but just trying to educate you all about some of the things you have to look forward to as you become great bodybuilders.
That's pretty much it for setbacks so I guess I am lucky that nothing really bad has happened and I am thankful everyday to still be doing what I love. On a more positive note as I said before I am still eating about five thousand calories a day and still seeing minor changes in my physique everyday. I actually am heavier now than when I started my diet but I am much leaner so I guess that means I am growing into the show which is something I have never done before.
In the past I have always gotten really heavy and then cut cals to help get me in shape. I think that approach worked because it always got me really ripped for the stage. The bad side of that approach for someone like me could have been that it made me stringy and smaller as I dieted. I have a fast metabolism so I think cutting calories drastically burns a lot of mass as well as fat in my body. With the contest diet appraoch Hany is using with me and if I can keep lifting heavy (and its getting heavier every week) all the way into the show I think you will all see a completely different physique. I am excited at what I am seeing so far and can't wait to hit the stage.
So at ten and a half weeks out my weight is 275lbs in the morning on an empty stomach, still eating lots and lifting offseason weight but precontest. So far a great report card as far as I can see. Who knows you all might be witnessing my first pro win in a few months...
Sacrifice Without Regret,
Fouad 'Hoss' Abiad
