Living the Life...

As the old saying goes, 'Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it'. As a pro bodybuilder one of the things that sets the successful pros apart from the average pros is being busy. My entire career I haven't been busy...lol. I have been a bodybuilder now for twelve years and a pro for three and I have always asked myself, 'is this all there is to it'.
Throughout my career I have spent my days working, working out, eating, sleeping and getting ready for the one or two shows a year. I thought, there is no way this is it. I started to see other pros traveling from state to state or country to country and I realized what I was missing. The life of a successful pro can be measured not just by placings but also by how in demand he is. After realizing this the dreams started to flow.
I decided, I wanted that, I wanted to travel from country to country and guest pose, make appearances, interact with bodybuilding fans....live the life....be successful. Well all my wishing has started to come true. This is my first day home in my own bed in about a week and a half and right about now I am just happy to be here. I was in NYC last week for a seminar, from there travelled to Toronto to see my therapist and from there travelled to Sudbury, Ontario to see my clients take home some much deserved hardware.
I have to admit and I am not complaining at all because this is the life I chose and I want it, but it is hard to be away from home week after week and really make gains as a bodybuilder. Being away from your kitchen, your gym, your training partners, it all takes its toll. I guess this is what the top ten in the world deal with all year round and for me its only the next month or so. Definitely something I welcome but also something I will have to adjust to. After all becoming good enough to win the big shows is still the top goal at hand.
I have to congratulate Valerie Richman and Misha Ristic who busted the f;ing ass for 14 weeks to realize their dreams. Val has been working with me for a little over a year now and at our second show together and a good offseason we were able grab a 1st place in figure. Mish just started training not too long ago and although he could only manage third he did weigh in 12lbs heavier than his last show meaning things are only going to get better with more hard work. I can say this, if he can gain 12lbs a year who knows where he will be by 30, the kids only 25 years old!
As for the people of Sudbury, Ontario, I honestly can not say enough about how great they were. Thank you to all of them who came up to me and supported me with kind words and great respect. I have to say for every person who came up to me it will help motivate me to do that one more rep or set and keep kickin ass in the gym. I also wanted to thank Ron Hache for his hospitality at his show, he really put on a great event with quality competitors.
I think a lot of pros stop going to some of the local shows after they gain success. Personally I get a lot of satisfaction out of going to all the shows. I enjoy watching competitors getting ready to hit the stage, it reminds me of when I was starting out. I see some of these guys and girls go from show to show and improve and move up the ranks and it actually gives me a sense of motivation to work harder.
At the end of the day there is nothing better than interacting with bodybuilding fans for me. There is also no better feeling for me than knowing that I might possibly be able to help someone achieve there goal with a little more help or a tip that might make all the difference. There was one guy yesterday pumping up and getting ready to go onstage and he said to his girl, "I can't take it anymore, just give me that bottle of water". I think he was going to chug it all...lol. I looked over and told him to hold out, its just a little longer, work just a little harder you're almost there. He passed on the water and continued working. Watching that made me realize how hard all these guys work, no matter what level, how big or small, we are all realizing our dreams.

'Sacrifice Without Regret'
Fouad Abiad

Rollin' Along

Okay I am into my first week of dieting and things are moving along smoothly. I gotta be honest it feels good to eat really clean. I didn't eat too much crap in the offseason but even just the little extras you add in here and there really effect your appetite. Now that I am eating diet clean I am starting to get hungry again which is really going to help keep me big!

I know it sounds confusing, I am dieting but trying to grow as well. Those of you who follow my career know I am not dieting for a show but for some appearances so I am not restricting cals in a big way but have just cut out all the crap. I have added in daily cardio and intend to eat as much as I can as long as its diet food. I want to see how hard I can get while still staying big and eating lots of usable food. Any of you who will be at my appearances, don't worry tho, I appreciate your support too much...I won't show up fat...lol.

This past week has been good. I realized that all the high volume training has been great for rounding out my muscle shape. Although in BBing its not good to just train one way all the time. I have decided to go back to hitting it heavy to really get the density in the muscle that everyone is always looking for. Being that I have been at this for almost 12 years (10 of them being heavy all the time) now and I have endured some aches and pains I will be treading carefully. Heavy for 4-6 weeks and then back to light for a couple. I think hitting it like that will allow me more longevity in the sport and less nagging injury.

So for my first week of going heavy I have also decided to put the belt away. I never relied on it too much, only on the heavier sets but that's still maybe too much. I put it away this week and actually had bigger and better lifts. I was doing hams the other day and after a couple exercises we hit stiff leg deads. Normally I stop at the four plate mark (405lbs) maybe doing 6 and that's with a belt. This week I decided to keep going, I went up to 475lbs for 8 clean reps, no belt! I am not the strongest BBer nor have I ever claimed to be but for me that was big, especially doing it with no belt.

Over the years I found that something has happened to me mentally in the gym. Doing rep after rep and set after set has given me confidence to make some of the biggest lifts. Although with those sets and reps came small injuries and setbacks and over the years my mind has become more focused on saving myself versus my old school mentality....lift first, think later.

This past week I went back to not worrying. I went back to not worrying about injury because if you worry you can't be going balls out. I went back to not worrying about how many reps and sets and how long I have been there, instead lifted heavy enough that my body told me when it was done. I went back to not worrying about how great my form looks to everyone one around me but instead made sure the feeling in the muscle was so full it felt like it was going to split. I just went back to not worrying....

Sacrifice Without Regret,

Fouad Abiad

Battling Adversity

Okay, I know I haven't been around for a while and I guess I must apologize for not being better to those of you who do take the time to read my blog. Its been an offseason riddled with speed bumps and I have been doing my best to stay strong and control my destiny. I really feel after all I have been through in my bodybuilding life that if you want something bad enough you will jump any hurtle to achieve your dream.
Here is a short recap of the last few months. I was sick with the flu/brochitus/cold from Dec 15 thru Jan 15. That month really halted my progress, after that I was able to regain most of my size but was still having issues with my joints. Back in March I started seeing Adam Bogar of Dynamic Nutrition in Burlington and since then we have been scraping, massaging, beating up, raking and whatever other term you want to use for the treatments on my elbows and knees. It has been fun to say the least.
I know when its written out it doesn't sound that bad but it has been tough and that brings us to today. To say it bluntly.....I AM KILLING IT! I am weighing in at a lean 295lbs and am the leanest I have ever been at this weight with almost a full six pack showing. I am still working with Hany Rambod and we seem to understand each other better so working together is really making things pop!
My workouts have become a mix of Hany's FST-7 program and my own training that got me to where I am today. I believe that the addition of some of Hany's techniques is really changing my physique to bring my package to the next level. Just so you have an idea what I'm talking about here is an example. Hany usually like the '7' set to be done at the end of the workout, I have found that for me it is best utilized as the exercise that works for me best. So if doing legs I feel squats the most I will do 7 sets there and then move on to the next thing.
Diet wise we were trying to hit the 300lb mark with the same shape I have now but 300lbs lean doesn't come easy. I never did get there so its going to have to wait because I have dropped the hammer and begun to diet. I have a few guest posing appearances coming up (Bahamas, Florida and BC) and I want to make sure I look sharp for all of them. I appreciate all of my fans and I feel it would be wrong of me to not come in a little sharper since they are there partly to see me. The diet is going to be simple, chicken, steak, rice, potato that's it! Eat, train, sleep, grow oh and somewhere in there I have cardio to do so I can grow and get lean at the same time!
I am working on a routine for my appearances and I always welcome any ideas any of my fans want to give me. If you get an ideas for great songs to pose to, hit me with them at fouadabiad@gmail.com.
Lastly I want to congratulate Billy Pope on a job well done dieting, he wasn't a full time client of mine, he's pretty smart on his own, but with a little help he looked awesome at his show and qualified for the Ontario show. My other clients are all doing awesome I have a few getting ready for sudbury who should be coming in great shape with one being a Super Heavy Weight! and all the others will be at the Canadian Nationals in August. Who knows, watch out Hany, I might become the Pro Creator of the north..lol. I have some great guys and girls heading to Saskatchewan and I am looking for some cards and hardware for them!
Ok thats it for now, like I said I just started dieting so as those of you who followed my blogs before I can get a little crazy as the cravings set in....check back for updates and until then always remember....

SACRIFICE WITHOUT REGRET!!!

Getting Through Adversity

Its been a couple months since my last post and I have been doing my best to really get some good news to give you guys. As many of you know the offseason is a long challenging time when you battle against your own mind to keep motivated. Its easy to fall off track and stop eating all your meals, eat crappy food or even go for a drink or two without realizing you're really hindering your progress.
I have never been one of those people that has a tough time staying motivated, I see the task at hand and go for it. That being said I know my genetics have taken me as far as they are going to take me. Its time I step it up and really begin dotting all the I's and crossing all the T's.
I have spoken to Hany in the last couple days and we are going to be revamping my training and eating to really maximize what my body can do.
I will be training twice a day about four days a week, I will still be hitting legs twice a week in an effort to bring them up. As for food I am not sure how Hany is going to change things, it might be subtle but I know one things for sure. We have decided that we are going to treat the offseason just like the precontest. He is going to give me my diet and I am going to eat exactly what is on it without any additions or fillers and only he will decide when I can have a cheat and what that cheat will be. It really is giving him all the control and I think its the way it has to be if I am going to get to the top!
Okay, as for the last couple months this is what has been happening. My training reached a really good point where I was really moving some heavy weight. I have changed my form a little too, slowing things down a little with a less sloppy range of motion. I have noticed some new growth, mostly in my legs but a little everywhere else. I have added in ab work four times a week just to keep them tight and really carve them in. This is something I have never done in the past.
My diet recently has been great, I have been eating lots of food maybe more than ever before (most of it clean). The problem was I began to look at the scale a little too much more than the mirror and I ended up at about 295lbs but not with the look I wanted.
Now the bad news is bad. I have had knee problems as some of you know and I have had to stop squatting. I have really increased the volume in my leg press and hack squats so I think it is actually helping me grow. I have also been sick the last two weeks and have not been able to get into the gym except for here and there and it really has taken its toll on my look. I always believed it was better to miss the gym and get healthy than go train when you're sick, so I have been watching a lot of TV and still eating.
All of the things I have said so far are part of growing and becoming better in bodybuilding. Greatness and success do not come easily in this life and even with great genetics you have to do everything right, you have to give your blood, sweat and tears, you have to avoid all the pitfalls and if you fall you have to get up and keep moving, you have to sacrifice....

Sacrifice Without Regret,
Fouad 'Hoss' Abiad

Starting the Offseason

Whats going on everyone, its been a while since my last post but I am back to work now so you can expect weekly posts. I have to tell you they might not be as interesting in the offseason but at least it will give you some insight into the life of an IFBB Pro.
I have finally started my offseason prep for my next season. I still am unsure about which shows I plan on doing, I need to bring up my legs and that might take a little while. I have a few minor injuries that I have been dealing with and knee problems that have arisen from doing heavy sloppy movements. This year I am not focused on the weight but more focused on the rep speed and range of motion. I have been training with this new method for about a month now and I have really noticed soreness and good pain in places where I really need it. It doesn't look as good in the gym but if in the end it produces results than so be it.
I trained quads this morning about to go back for hams and calves. This was my quad workout:

Leg Press - 7 X 10-25
Hack Squat - 5 X 15
Vertical Leg Press - 4 X 12
Leg Extension - 4 X 15

I have been trying to add more volume and keep the reps a little higher when training my lower body. I feel my legs more and feel they get more work when the reps are on the higher end. I have never really trained this way in the past so it may be the key to unlocking the growth in my legs that I need.
Well that's all for now, I will hit you back soon.

Sacrifice Without Regret,
Fouad 'Hoss' Abiad

The Aftermath...

Whats goin on everyone. Its been a long three or four weeks since my last post so I'm gonna give you all a rundown of my time away and what the future holds. First I want to say I am a little disappointed that I wasn't able to win a show this year. I have set many goals for myself along the way in my bodybuilding career and have achieved every single one of them, be it financial, professionally or just in feeling good about what I'm doing. I think that is the main reason it is so hard for me to think that it won't happen for me this year.
Heading to Tampa I felt relatively at ease about everything, I wasn't really nervous about the show. I felt ready and confident that I had added quality size and was going to do well. Upon arrival I had the owners of Camp Muscle Clothing pick me and my training partner Paul at the airport and take us to the hotel. Hany, my nutritionist met us there and things proceeded to fall into place. I had retained a little water from the flight and we began setting up how to get rid of it so a little night cardio was in order on Thursday night. Friday morning things really started to come together and by Friday night I felt like I was in peak condition and as full as could be. I woke up Saturday morning still feeling confident but not feeling as sharp as I had felt the night before. It didn't really effect me mentally though, I hit the stage with confidence and tried to own it. It wasn't my day though, DJ had me beat and I give respect where it is due, he is a veteran of the sport and I didn't look good enough to make that irrelevant.
On a great note though all three of my brothers were able to make into Tampa on Friday and having them there was amazing. Two of them haven't seen me compete since 2002 so I was really trying to get the win for them but sometimes things don't work out like they're supposed to. It was fun though, after the show my three brothers, Paul, Hany and I went out for some food. I was supposed to be a well behaved meal out since I was possible competing a week later. So we started out a sushi place at 11 at night, my brother ordered a boat for the table (something like 100 pieces of sushi) and I ordered a plate of pasta to boot since I was craving it. Needless to say the sushi and the pasta were all gone literally in a matter of minutes..lol.
So as we're sitting there I happen to mention IHOP and how they have been tormenting me with commercials the whole time I was dieting. My brother says hes never been and Hany starts going on about banana pancakes, next thing I know we're in a cab on the way to IHOP and four entrees later Hany tells me I better stop if I am going to do the show next week...lol. I'm thinking, you waited till the fourth entree to tell me to stop..lol. Good thing he was there though, I could of kept going.
Anyway, I woke up the next morning and had breakfast with everyone and said by as they all went home and I went onto Dallas. In Dallas the cardio began full tilt to get rid of the IHOP I devoured a couple nights before. There was a pretty good Gold's gym near the hotel and a couple friends of mine Max and Katina took me to there gym so that was cool. The week was busy, on Tuesday I did a photo shoot at MetroFlex (always a favorite place to go) with MD which I think turned out well. Wednesday and Thursday were spent grocery shopping and preparing food in my hotel room. Oh yeah and still hammering away at the cardio, the IHOP was just about gone by that time.
Friday was prejudging and I felt like I looked better than the week before and was confident hitting the stage. After the callouts I realized I wasn't going to do as well as last week but it didn't really effect me. I have come to realize that different judging panels like different physiques and there isn't much you can do except keep getting better until they like what you're bringin.
After prejudge I wanted to stay strict in case things were close the next day. I felt good about the way I came back on Saturday. I was a little harder and I thought it was important to give the crowd a good look at what I really had to offer instead of coming back off. It was actually quite a relaxing show altogether, I had good people around me all week and leading up to the show helping me stay focused so it was relatively stress free. After the announced the placings I thought I could have been a place or two higher but I was happy for Bill and Joel, they are both good guys and deserve to go to the Olympia.
After the show I had many fans and some industry insiders come to me and tell me they had me higher than 4th. That's always nice and helps soften the blow of a loss so I want to thank all of those people now. After the show, Hany, Paul, Bill Wilmore and myself went to the Cheesecake Factory(a post show favorite). I didn't get to crazy there, I actually had been on low sodium for so long that everything I ate there just tasted salty, except the MILE HIGH CHOCOLATE CAKE! That wasn't salty..lol.
Like I said though I didn't go too crazy at all eating that night. I had a MuscleTech shoot the next day and didn't want to disappoint them at all so I made sure I showed up in the best shape I could. The shoot on Sunday went well and MT being the awesome company they are took me out for Sushi dinner after the shoot, I have to thank them for that!
I kept it clean most of the night that night also because I had another MD shoot the following day. Per Bernal was the photographer and even though I thought I didn't look my best, he has a way of setting up lighting that can make a fat guy look great..lol. Anyway the shoot went from about 8am to 3pm and although it was a long day I think we got some great shots.
The best part of that day was 3pm because that was it for the year for me. I had busted my ass all year and it peaked through those three weeks I was away from home. I did two video shoots, three photo shoots and two shows and although I didn't win a show I think overall I represented myself well in all aspects of my career over that time. I couldn't wait to get home though, that night I checkout out of the hotel at 3am and went and slept in the airport terminal till 7am where I caught the first flight back home.
Now I am home and after eating like crazy for the last two weeks ( I have been training and doing cardio since I got back) I have had time to reflect on what happened. I have spoken to Hany about my conditioning and we both agree that trying to come in bigger worked but is not something we want to do again. I believe as does he my physique only looks good when I am shredded, not kinda shredded but peeled to the bone. That being said I have made it my mission to step on stage next year at 260lbs. That will be a 15lb jump but I think I can do it. Although that is my goal I will drop to 250-255lbs if it means dry and ripped to the bone. Like I said that is the most important thing next year.
For those of you who are wondering what my plans are, well, when you decide you want to add 10-15lbs to your frame you basically know you need as much time as possible. For this reason I am passing on the O and using this time to grow. You may not see me onstage again until next September unless my body responds more quickly than I think.
Thank you all for the support, the kind words and always having my back at the shows, on the boards, through Facebook or any other outlet. My family, friends and fans are everything to me and I appreciate them more than anyone could possibly know.
I guess since I didn't achieve the goal I had in mind this year that means I have to double up goals for next year. I'll let you know what the goals are for this year as the year goes on, stay tuned....

Sacrifice Without Regret,
Fouad 'Hoss' Abiad

9 Day Out

First pro win. That has all that has been going through my mind for the last thirteen weeks. Over the course of the last two weeks the feeling and thought has become so strong that there is nothing else I am able to think about. I think this is a wide open field with some great bodybuilders but something outside of the realm of reality is telling me that it is my time. I have been having weird visuals and dreams of the day going my way. I have so much support from everyone around me I feel like there is so much positive energy flowing around me now that it is my turn to step up and take what is mine.
I have worked hard for ten years in bodybuilding and have achieved all of the things I have set my mind to, well this is one more. I have my mind set for the win, so many bodybuilders turn pro and compete and never win a show. I won't be happy with second, top five, top ten, nothing. It is a lot of pressure to put on yourself but sometimes you have to want the ball as they say in other sports. I am ready to take the ball and finish the game.
A lot of things have been thrown my way this offseason and precontest prep and I am still dealing with them. I have dealt with more injuries this year than any year in my career. I have dealt with relationship issues, financial issues and friends family illnesses. All of these things I feel have been a test for me, like someone saying if you persevere you will be rewarded. Well, I have persevered and have gone through all the shit and I am still here without deterrence. The show is around the corner and nothing will stop me from showing up in the best shape of my life and earning my spot at the top.
Things are also on the rise career wise. I am filming a week in the life installment with MD the biggest baddest magazine in bodybuilding and also have a shoot setup with them post show so look for me there. It is nice to see that the premier bodybuilding mag has noticed my efforts and only drives the message of hard work home even harder in my own mind. Work hard and things will come your way, its all a matter of time, dedication and sacrifice. Who knows, if all goes well with the next couple shows you might be seeing me in the pages of MD for a long time...

On a more humorous note I have to let you know how crazy I have become about food. Every year I usually make a list of foods to eat after the show, I think lots of bodybuilders do this so its not big deal. This year I decided I wasn't going to because I have grown out of it....so I thought. It started one day last week when I was watching a show about the best sandwiches in the USA. There is a restaurant near my house that supposedly has the best grilled cheese in the USA..mmmmmm grillllled cheeessee...lol. So I made a point of putting that into my phone as a place to go after the show. Since that one entry I have added about eight different restaurants and twenty three different foods...lol. And by the way, does anyone else notice that Dairy Queen has a commercial on every channel at least every twenty minutes and has come out with three new Blizzard's in the last three months. Jeez, I can't get away from them, needless to say they are on the list. I also noticed that my junk mail is ninety percent fast food coupons and flyer's. Its ok though, I have them all saved in a drawer and I think I am going to attack them all day one day...don't tell my nutritionist though, he'd beat my ass..lol.
For some reason training is still insane. I can't believe it and I am seriously dumbfounded by the amount of weight I am able to still lift eight days out. I am still front squatting, barbell rowing and incline pressing 405lbs. Some of my other lifts are actually heavier now than in the offseason, very strange. I am not complaining by any means and am very happy with the way my body is holding up. I really think it will translate to a different look on stage this year. I believe it will give me a denser fuller look that I have never had before.
Well, I think that's all for now. I am gonna try and get a nap in because as most of you know from past blogs sleep is a hot commodity right now. Before I go I thought I would also let you guys know I am still eating at least 4000cals a day, still all whole food consisting of steak, chicken, fish, oatmeal, brown rice and sweet potato. I love it, I'm eating like a pig but my glutes are more striated now than they were onstage last year!

Sacrifice Without Regret,
Fouad 'Hoss' Abiad