James Llewellin's 'Arnold Classic' preparation thread

[Littleluke]

Your back has improved vastly James. Your taper is even more apparent because your lats have improved so much, not to mention the thickness.

You quads also look fantastic. Can't wait to see you in person again!! I want a picture this time lol

[Nytol]

Originally Posted by supercell

Yeah looking at them I look like I have gone backwards TBH, I look smoother than a babies bum.

Oh well, I know things have moved forward. I am down by 3lbs, my belt has gone down another notch and my skinfolds are less.

I could have just decided not to post them but hey it will shock em even more once show time comes!!

BTW legs are nicely sore, esp glutes and adductors.... oh yeah and hams. Quads suprisingly not too bad.....YET!!

See you tomorrow mate after your lie in, Wade will be there by 11.30:lift:

J

Moved forward is a huge understatement, just too bad the camera does not capture it, maybe well get some close up shots and see if they capture your condition greater detail?

[MarkL]

man your looking shredded to fcuk for 14 stone. be interesting to see pics of you from show day!

all the best mate

[Chris4Pez]

looks like all your hard work is paying off m8 well done like the physique!!!!

When you go over the ocean they wont know whats hit them m8!!!!!

All the best of luck, mind you looking at your pics m8 you dont need luck lol

[supercell]

Thankyou all for your comments. As you all know I am my worst critic but that I see as a good thing and drives me harder.

The last 3-4 weeks are the real 'business' end, its where things really do start to happen and at a fairly frightening rate.

My diet will be changing tomorrow in favour of white fish and chicken. I did this for the last 3 weeks into the British and my physique responded well.

I am under no illusions that the next 3-4 weeks will be tougher, as I have said right through my thread, not once have I felt like I am dieting. Yesterday and today are probably the only times when I have felt really hungry and I can only guess the next few weeks this will become far more apparant.

As many of you will have seen from my thread, the content has been changed and posts referring to AAS etc have been removed. This was my decision after it was brought to my attention that information had got back to the 'powers that be'

This saddened me a great deal and has meant that it is no longer the thread that it set out to be.

My threads are there 'warts and all' for people to get a REAL understanding of what makes a show winning, champion physique. It also acts as education for those that may have thought about straying to the dark side in order to follow their dream thinking this was all that separated the champions from the 'also rans'.

I hope that it also showed and continues to show just how much hard work and effort goes into all of this. There will never be a majic pill or bullet but there will always be hard work, bloody mindedness and relentless consistency. These are the traits that separate us from them.

So please bare with the thread, you have all followed my journey tirelessly (Ok maybe not completely tirelessly!!) over the last few months and now that I am reaching the end I will need you all more than ever.

We are all involved in a great sport that brings all kinds of people, races and religions together for one purpose and that is a great thing in itself. For me to be able to help, inspire and redirect people on a different path through life (a more fulfilling path) is an amazing feeling and incredibly humbling.

I will always remain the person I am today and will always go out of my way to offer advice and guidance in a sport full of potential 'mine fields'.

All I have left to say is that for the person that 'leaked information' I hope you have achieved your goal in this sport and therefore need no further help, for that single act has not only potential consequences for me but also for everyone else who is here to learn and to bodybuild safely and effectively.

Thankyou

J

[pitbull]

Originally Posted by supercell

How could I forget Mr Pitbull AKA Sam.

Sam is the guy's whose standing by the leg press and is doing the S Coast show in 9 weeks time. He will be doing the Inters o80's and will be bang on the money (or else!!!)

How are the quads today sir?

J

You know i was only messing lol..

9 weeks today does come round quick.. Aslong as i managed to steer clear of the local curry house and Nando's i'll be fine.

But hey you're first

Nice vid, but even with you squirming around like a girl still doesn't do the intense burn justice..

Must admit the session was low on exercises but it was balls to the wall style. And come tomorrow i know i'll be suffering :(

What got me was when we hit the SLDL's i was quite chuffed with the weight i moved considering this is not a exercise i use.
This feeling lasted all of 2mins when Matt came along racked the weight up and rep'd out with ease, fair play Matt.

Well no doubt i pop down again soon, last 3 times has all been leg sessions and now with you dropping quads may get the chance to hit something different.

[Pscarb]

Sam nice to see you back on hear mate good luck with your prep mate...

James sounds like things are going to plan mate hopefully i will get a session in with you at castles soon mate...

[Littleluke]

James - What is your back routine like? rep ranges etc? And closer to the show do you still do deadlifts using a freebar as many switch to smith for the stability. I did staggered leg press today. .I'm so not walking tomorrow LOL

[supercell]

Originally Posted by Littleluke

James - What is your back routine like? rep ranges etc? And closer to the show do you still do deadlifts using a freebar as many switch to smith for the stability. I did staggered leg press today. .I'm so not walking tomorrow LOL

Hi Luke,

For back now we try to change things most workouts whilst keeping a rowing and pulldown movement in.

Last week for instance we started with BO Rows with an EZ bar and did 3 warm ups and 1 set to failure.
We then did chins, 1 warm up then 1 set to failure with 10kgs hanging round the waist
We then finished on the plate loaded row machine (one arm at a time) and did 1 warm up and 2 sets to failure.
That was it.
Low volume but gut busting intensity.

We dont do regular deads in this phase as we do heavy SLDL for hams. To do regular deads too would be too much. When we are doing 180-220kgs for these to do them again would be counter productive as they are different exercises of the same generic movement.
As we move into the off season phase after my show regular deads will take the place of SLDL's and will be from the floor.

Adopting this brief, intense workout protocol has moved me forward both in strength and muscular size faster than I could have dreamed of; it has been a total shock to the body for me. On the other side too, it really does allow the body to recover and for over training to never be of concern.

It may be in the off season we modify it slightly and go to a rotation of training the whole body every 8-9 days to allow for more recovery and more muscular growth.

hope this helps:lift:

James

LOL with the staggered leg press

[Captain Hero]

James whats the deal with the staggered leg press big guy? In the vid it looks like you are putting more of the weight onto one leg whilst still being supported by the other one, would that be about right?

Any benefits for you over standard leg press?

[Nytol]

Originally Posted by supercell

It may be in the off season we modify it slightly and go to a rotation of training the whole body every 8-9 days to allow for more recovery and more muscular growth.

I was thinking that exact same thing last week,

[Nine Pack]

Originally Posted by Captain Hero

Any benefits for you over standard leg press?

More blood comes out of the ears.

This is a move I showed James a while ago, but the idea was posted by Vern Montgomery on the CNP board ages ago. He's was a little, shall we say 'controversial' at times so few people listened to him which was a shame as he had a few little gems to share amongst the other comments.

[Captain Hero]

Originally Posted by Nine Pack

More blood comes out of the ears.

This is a move I showed James a while ago, but the idea was posted by Vern Montgomery on the CNP board ages ago. He's was a little, shall we say 'controversial' at times so few people listened to him which was a shame as he had a few little gems to share amongst the other comments.

Vern Montgomery was also a poster on this board too Paul, he got banned fairly soon after he joined though.

[Littleluke]

Thanks for the indepth reply James. I find that doing Deadlifts combined with my other exercises to be murder. I'm shocked at how little sets you do yet you've got some a crazy physique. I understand it's the intensity but still shocking.

As for SLDL, I think I will alternate between these and normal deads so that my hamstrings are getting more fequent stimulation as they are one of my weak points.

Glad the prep has gone so well up till now. Couldn't believe it when I read you have only just started feeling hungry.. I felt hungry from day one.. It was a big change for me though as I have never done anything like this before, KFC, Nandos and crispy creams tends to me the basis of my diet

Great work though James.

[Nine Pack]

Originally Posted by Captain Hero

Vern Montgomery was also a poster on this board too Paul, he got banned fairly soon after he joined though.

Like I said, he was 'controversial'. I met him at the Birmingham UKBFF show last year actually. He's a nice guy, but clearly liked to cause a ruckus when on the boards.