The Eve of Competition

The day is almost upon me. Tomorrow I compete in Oklahoma City, OK at the NANBF USA Super Pro in Men’s Physique Open and Master classes for my natural pro card. The mental preparation for this begin as I walked off stage in August. I was very pleased placing 2nd in Open class then against much younger guys. I’ve worked extremely hard on my weak areas and made slight adjustments to my preparation to grow upon what I’ve learned last time. I do this to push myself physically and mentally. I enjoy the self discipline involved. I also want to be an example that you can be your best at any age naturally.

Yesterday I met with my friend Jason Story to run through posing one final time. He seemed pleased with the work I put in and we made a few minor adjustments. Afterwards I did a final workout to deplete all remaining glycogen in my body. I just went through a fairly simple circuit 5 times almost continuous.

The Circuit:

Do each exercises back to back with no rest for 1 round. Do 5 rounds. I alternated exercises for some muscle groups from set to set. Almost no rest between rounds. 15-20 reps each exercises stopping several reps before failure.

A. Chest press machine or Pec Deck
B. Back row machine or pulldown
C. Side Lateral Raises, Front Raises, Bent Over Laterals
D. Seated DB Curls or Incline Curls
E. Overhead DB Extensions, Kickbacks, Pushdowns

After the workout I hit my final tan and put my account on pause. Had to make a trip to Walmart to pick up self tanning gloves. Picked up some P28 White Chocolate peanut butter spread. That is a must have for my chocolate rice cakes. The combo is crazy good. Once I got home I did some light packing and the fun job of shaving my legs. The good news is I finally started eating some carbs. Up until this point I’ve been pretty low carbs and was really dragging by this point. After that circuit I could hardly function ha. Some potatoes and then chocolate rice cakes with pb made my life much better.

Today will start pretty normal, but with glorious carbs included. I will help get the kids ready for school and go train a few lucky clients. After a carb infused lunch I head to the city to check into my hotel, register for tomorrow’s event, and then relax until tomorrow’s 8am mandatory meeting.

Follow my next 36 hours on Snapchat (WittigWorks). I am going to put some serious effort into documenting everything well 😉

Thank you for all your amazing support. Special thanks to my family, Jason Story, Colton Powell, Matt Gillespie, Whitney Finch, and my home gym Elite Training Tulsa.

(NPC Oklahoma Men’s Physique Masters Champion Jason Story and myself working on posing)

Special thanks to my sponsors and friends at Kaged Muscle Supplements and Kris Gethin, Ryderwear, SwoleO’Clock, 6 Pack Bags, P28 Foods, and Shields of Strength.

-Wittig, ISSA CPT
Kaged Muscle Athlete
NANBF Competitor

Weak Point Cardio

We all have weak points in our physique. For some it might be the long head of the triceps, the inner tear drop in the thigh, or upper pecs. The weak point I’ve been working hard on the last few months is back width. I have my next men’s physique contest coming up shortly and there are two things I need to stay on top of 1. Cardio and 2. Back width. So I’ve come up with a simple system to hit them both at the same time. Applying this method recently has also helped get me in super condition. Give it a try with one of your weak points.

A. Recumbent Biking: 2 mins moderate: 1 min hard: 1 min moderate
B. Wide Grip Chins or Pulldowns: ~15 reps

*I repeat this pattern 6 times through for about 30 minutes of non-stop cardio.

Feel free to switch out the cardio method. Concentrate on your weak point hitting a targeting exercise for 15-20 reps.

-Wittig, ISSA CPT
Kaged Muscle Athlete

Plank Circuit

Planks are a great way to tighten and strengthen the core. They can be done anywhere, anytime and require no equipment or special space. No excuses. Here is a 10 min plank circuit I did the other day as my ab work.

Do each of these positions back to back without rest. I did this pattern for 10 minutes straight ending on a regular plank. Adjust as necessary. Reduce or increase times. Add in short breaks if necessary. But ultimately work to do 10 minutes straight.

A. Regular Plank: 60 secs
B. Side Plank Right: 60 secs
C. Side Plank Left: 60 secs

-Wittig, ISSA CPT

Calorie Deficit Eating Made Easy

Eating in a low carb, calorie deficit can be very difficult for many. As I prepare for my next upcoming physique contest I’ve found a way to make it much easier. Currently my low carb day might look something like this:

Breakfast: 1 scoop whey, 3 eggs and 3 egg whites
Lunch: 1/2 pound lean meat and 2 cups veggies
Dinner: 1/2 pound lean meat and 2 cups veggies
Snacks: whey, non-fat greek yogurt

Needless to say that is pretty darn basic. Here are 3 ways to make eating like this much easier:

1. Season lean meat with Flavor God low-sodium, natural seasonings (www.flavorgod.com) and Six Pack Fitness #FlavorAmp sauces (www.sixpackbags.com). Makes food taste amazing with none of the bad stuff.

2. Mix Kaged Muscle’s Hydracharge with 18-22oz of water and drink in the AM, with lunch, and PM. It tastes amazing with no artificial flavors or sweeteners. It helps fill you up while satisfying the need for sweet. For extra workout recovery add in 1 scoop of BCAA’s and 1 scoop of Glutamine. If you find eating low carb leaves you with no energy add Kaged Muscle’s Pur-caf Caffeine to your Hydrachrage for that extra boost.

*Get 15% off Kagedmuscle.com with code “Wittig15”.

3. Kaged Muscle’s new Kasein protein is making this contest prep and eating low carb easy! Kasein is a slow digesting protein ideal for long periods without food such as sleep. I typically eat non-fat Greek yogurt in the evening as my snack because its high in protein and also slow digesting. But the problem is the plain yogurt doesn’t taste so great on its own. The flavored Greek yogurt has too much sugar. So to eat plain Greek yogurt I typically add crushed walnuts for texture and honey. Extra calories, fat, and carbs/sugar. Not ideal when trying to cut weight for a contest. Kasein makes a smooth, great tasting shake that I can have on its own which is high in protein and low in calories, fat, and carbs.

But the real power of Kaged Muscle Kasein is the delicious pudding it makes! I personally add 2 cups of non-fat Greek yogurt (50g protein), 1 scoop of Kasein (25g protein), and 1/3 water. Stir it up for some really food vanilla pudding. Much less calories and carbs than the walnuts and honey I typically add and MUCH more protein. When I do need a carb boost this pudding tastes great with mixed fruit and especially on top of 100% whole wheat pancakes.

*Get 15% off Kagedmuscle.com with code “Wittig15”.

Try incorporating these 3 tips into your clean eating to see how much easier and tastier to makes life.

-Wittig, ISSA CPT
Kaged Muscle Athlete

Thinking About Competing?

If competing in a fitness competition has crossed your mind, but you have no idea where to start here are some tips to get you going. First off let me say I do not know everything and I am not a super pro. I am about to compete in my third show coming up soon for my natural men’s physique pro card. But I am one to always do my research, consult with the best, and give 100%. I currently compete in the NANBF natural circuit (drug tested) as a way to challenge myself, but also to show that you can be your best at any age naturally. Here are some tips to get you started down the competition path.

Do it sooner than later! Don’t feel like you have to wait until you have the perfect physique to compete because that will never happen. Our physiques are always a work in progress. Yes, you have to be in shape that is a given, but don’t keep holding off waiting for perfection. There are a lot of other aspects to competing that you need to learn sooner than later such as the preparation process, clothing selection, day of event procedures, posing and more. Best to get your feet wet and experience all aspects of competing. Be a doer not a talker.

Choose an organization. There is where you need to make the decision to compete naturally (without steroids or other enhancements) or not. I am not here to preach or tell you what is best for your life. I have always been health first. If you choose to compete naturally here are several organization to look into:

OCB (Organization of Competition Bodies): http://www.ocbonline.com/
NANBF (North American National Bodybuilding Federation): http://nanbf.org/

The most popular non-tested organization is the NPC (National Physique Committee): http://npcnewsonline.com/. Then find the NPC chapter in your state.

Others include:
WBFF (World Beauty Fitness & Fashion): http://www.wbffshows.com/
NSL (Nspire Sports League): http://www.nspiresl.com

*There are a bunch more and probably other options if you live outside the USA.
Select the class that fits you. Each class has its own criteria. It’s best to look at the website of the organizations and look through the photographs of each class to decide what look best suits you. I compete in Men’s Physique.
Men have the following choices:
Bodybuilding
Classic Physique
Physique

Women have the following choices:
Physique
Figure
Bikini

*You will need to buy a membership to whatever organization you plan to compete in. Note  that some of the organizations memberships run Jan 1-Dec 31. So you may buy a membership for a Nov show and your new card will expire Dec 31 already. Other organizations run 12 months from when you buy them.

*If you have never competed before many shows have a “Novice” class which is a great starter. If you are competing in “Open” be prepared to battle the best. I recommend competing in several classes since you’ve already put in the work and are there.

Pick a show. Now it’s time to pick the show you want to compete in and start preparing. Ideally you want to lose only 1-2lbs a week when preparing so you can hold on to as much muscle as possible in the process. Pick a show far enough in the future that you can reasonably be ready. Look at the organization’s websites which will list all upcoming shows.

Show preparation. This process typically involved leaning out and getting into contest condition. Some people need 12+ weeks and others only 4. It just depends on how much body fat you need to cut. If you are highly experienced and do your research you can do this on your own. Many use a prep. coach to guide them with diet and training. At least get the advice of someone who not only competes, but does really well. They can tell you who the best area coaches are. You can also hire online coaches. I happen to do custom online programs and nutrition plans (WittigWorks.com).

Posing. Don’t forget about the posing aspect. It’s important and cannot be “winged” if you hope to succeed. Start by watching videos of other competitors. Then its probably best to work with an area pro or hire someone. Each class has its own requirements. Then start practicing many weeks out in advance. Go through your routine and also hold each pose for long periods.

Do a test run. The body can be manipulated in many ways before a contest. The week and days leading up to a contest are really important. What works for me may not work for you. Figure out a game plan for “peak week”, the week of the contest, either from your coach or your own research. I suggest doing a test run of your plan many weeks before the contest to see how your body responds. Don’t guess. What you eat and drink days before a show can make a difference.

Tanning. I suggest to do some tanning a good 4-6 weeks out from your competition to have a solid base tan. The spray tan or rub on tan doesn’t look right going on a white body. Trust me as I have made this mistake 😉 Then decide if you want to pay for the spray tan ($100+) or buy your own rub on tan. I personally use Dream Tan nowadays and apply it myself the night before. It’s cheap and looked just as good as the expensive spray tans. I also brought my own oil (Pro Tan Muscle Juice) because they typically use Pam cooking spray backstage and the smell bothers me ha.

Shaving. Yup, you pretty much have to shave everything. I used a razor on my chest, stomach, underarms, and back. I find an electric trimmer good enough for arms and legs. No need to bic the whole body unless you really want too.

Day of show preparations. Pack up the night before and get all ready. Don’t plan on sleeping much the night before. Besides waking up throughout the night to eat I was also excited. Here is a quick list of things to consider packing for your show:
Flip flops
Extra stage outfit: have a back up
Dream Tan: touch ups
Posing oil: I bring my own
Pillow or folding chair: lots of backstage waiting
Sweat pants and hoodie: Stay warm backstage before the show
Resistance bands: have your own warm up gear
Music (if needed for show): bring back up copies
Toiletries: tooth brush, comb, chapstick, etc.
Hand Towels: To wipe sweat and tanning oil drips.
Food and water: I bring my 6 Pack Bag with snacks that work well for me and plenty of water.

Keep an eye on the schedule. Once you arrive they typically have a competitors meeting. Then its off to the backstage area to sit and wait. Sometimes the wait is long so be prepared. Keep a good eye on the schedule so you know when to start warming up and getting ready. I really benefited from having a good friend backstage to help keep an eye on the schedule and keep me focused.

Smile and have fun. Making new friends backstage was some of the most enjoyable moments of competing. It’s very important to smile on stage and not make posing faces.

Document everything. Make notes of your preparation, week of show, and day of show. This data will help you for future shows. Make special note of things you thought worked well and things that did not.

Watch the video blog from my August show HERE.

-Wittig, ISSA CPT
Kaged Muscle Athlete
NANBF Natural Competitor

Dramatic Training Principle in Action

I am always watching and learning from those around me. Even though I am a certified trainer myself I take every opportunity possible to learn something new from others. I then apply my favorite new things into my personal programs. Long before I became a Kaged Muscle Athlete I looked up to international trainer of the year Kris Gethin because of his intensity and search for pain. He is well known for his Dramactic Training Principle or DTP which produces some of the most demanding workouts I’ve ever put myself through. I apply the concept of DTP into my personal programs every now when I am wanting punishment. I am going to break down a basic DTP set and show you an example.

DTP in Action

Leg Extension: 5 sets of 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 reps
*Rest 120 seconds between sets
*Shoot for failure in the indicated rep ranges

Leg Extension (Final set 6th set): 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 reps
*Use your 20-30 rep weight from above
*Incorporate Rest Pause as necessary (rest 5-10 seconds then continue)
*Get ready for torture
*Perform as follows: 10 reps, rest 10 secs, 20 reps, rest 20 secs, 30 reps, rest 30 secs, 40 reps, rest 40 secs, 50 reps to finish. Use the same weight and pause rest when necessary.

Here is me performing that final, long set!

-Wittig, ISSA CPT

Wittig Fueled by Kaged Muscle Supplements. Get 15% off Kagedmuscle.com with code Wittig15.

Black Raptor lifting shoes by Ryderwear. The only shoe I wear while lifting. Get 10% off Ryderwear.com with code WW10.

Extreme Load Training

My Extreme Load Training (E.L.T.) hasn’t been revealed in full until now. Normal sets and reps don’t do much for me nowadays. I have to go beyond failure to get the results I want. Two of my favorite techniques have always been Rest Pause and Negatives repetitions.

Rest Pause: Once you hit failure rest 5-10 seconds then hit more reps to failure. This can be repeated more than once per set.

Negatives: This is the eccentric part of a lift. The lowering of the resistance. This is also the portion of a lift that we are at our strongest. Do them slow as possible.

Extreme Load Training combine these two techniques with the added bonus of increasing the load in the process. This works best if you have a lifting partner, but it can be pulled off with some exercises without.

Here is an example of Extreme Load Training in action:

Chest: Bench Press
Set 1: 12 reps (example 225lbs)
Set 2: Increase weight for 10 reps (example 245lbs)

Set 3: Increase weight for 8 reps (example 255lbs), Rest Pause (rest 5-10 seconds) while increasing weight slightly (example 265lbs). If you could only get 1 more rep do an addition Rest Pause using the same weight. If you were able to do 2-3 reps increase weight once again (example 275lbs) for your 2nd and final Rest Pause.

Set 4: Increase weight for 5-6 reps (example 265lbs), Rest pause while increasing weight (example 275lbs). If you could only get 1 more rep do an addition Rest Pause using the same weight. If you were able to do 2-3 reps increase weight once again (example 285lbs) for your 2nd and final Rest Pause. Not done yet! Here is where your lifting partner is vital for this lift. Increase weight once again (another 10lbs) and perform 2 slow negative repetitions.

Here is another example without need of a lifting partner:

Biceps: Incline DB Curl
Set 1: 12 reps (example 40lbs)
Set 2: 10 reps (example 45lbs)
Set 3: 8 reps (example 50lbs)
Set 4: 5-6 reps (example 55lbs), Rest Pause w/60lbs x2, **Negatives w/65’s x2.
**Perform these negatives by popping the weight up from your knee to the top of the curl. Then lower slowly.

Additional Notes:
*Make sure to warm up properly.
*Use good form and be safe.
*Start off slow with small increases in load.
*Make detailed notes of your workouts so you can adjust weights/reps accordingly in the future.
*Smith and Hammer Strength Machines make it easier to do E.L.T.
*If you are without a lifting partner you can still do E.L.T. just drop the negatives.
*This can be applied to just about every lift. I’ve done E.L.T. with squats.

-Wittig, ISSA CPT
Kaged Muscle Athlete
Ryderwear Athlete