Joe Franco's contest prep journal for fall of 2011.

[Joe Franco]

5/31

Quads and calves workout

After a a couple of days off and eating a tad more, I was ready to hit it.
Onto the first round of 3's for the JN program. Handled it well and with a new round of movements, killed it!! Increased the volume a bit and will be adding more low intense cardio over the next month. Love doing two types of squats in a routine and you will see that doing them in a superset is even better! Its go time.

Squat: 5 warms, 315/3,3,3,3,3,3,5
Hack squat: 2 warms, 225/8 270/6 280/8
Db walk lunge: 2 warms, 85/6,6
Squat with chains ss: 175 x 2
with Leg ext: 60 x 2
Single calf raises: 6 sets

Split cardio
15/20

 

[independent]

If I may ask, are you natural? Youre in amazing shape.

 

[independent]

If I may ask, are you natural? Youre in amazing shape.

I googled IFPA and answered my question. Very impressive.

 

[Joe Franco]

I googled IFPA and answered my question. Very impressive.

Thanks my man!
I appreciate it.




6/1

Chest and triceps workout:

First round of 3's for the flat bench. Not really to challenging as indicated but the last set of 9 reps. The rest of the workout was great, and actually did more then the last time doing this routine a month plus ago. So, this a great indicator of strength is up at a lower body weight. Same goes for the quads yesterday. But I am very sore!! LOL Feeling good.

Flat bench: 4 warms, 195/3,3,3,3,3,3,9
Chest dips: 1 warms, 4 chains/8,9,9 drop set
Slight in db press ss: 75x3
with db fly: 40 x3
Db ext: 1 warm, 35/6,7,6
Tricep pressdown: 1 warms, 60/10 65/11
1 arm pressdown: 15/12,14
Ab work: 3 tri sets

Split cardio
25/20

 

[Joe Franco]

6/2

Back and hammies workout:

First go at the 3's for the JN, and it was not too bad. The first couple of set were slow moving, but midway through, I hit my groove. Best part is that I did 10 reps on the 7th set!! And to note, I did the deads after three back movements.
Another cool thing was beating my previous numbers from the last time I did this workout, and that was over a month ago!! Pump was all out and nailed this workout.

Lat pulldown underhand: 3 warms, 145/8 155/8 160/8
T bar row: 3 warms, 205/5 220/7 drop set
Rope pulldown: 1 warm, 115/10 120/10 drop set
Deads: 3 warms, 340/3,3,3,3,3,3,10
Db leg curl: 2 warms, 60/8,7
Leg curl: 40/9 35/12,11

Split cardio
15/20

 

[Joe Franco]

Catch up.

6/3

Shoulder and bicep workout:

Continued on with the 3's for the shoulder press and the workout went well.
I can note that my side delts were sore the day after. Very effective training.
The giant drop sets on the side laterls did me in! LOL

Db shoulder press: 3 warms, 80/3,3,3,3,3,3,7
Side lateral drop sets: 35-25-15, 40-30-20(x3)
Front raise ss: 45 60 65
with db shrugs: 85 95 95
In db curl: 2 warms, 40/8 45/6,7
Cable curl: 50/12,11
Con curl: 30/12,10
Ab work: 5 sets

25 min cardio


6/4

Total rest day, weigh in: 156 still up from the b day weekend.


6/5

Quads and calves workout:

Slow moving into this workout for the fact mhy allergies have kicked in the night before. I was set out to do 5 triple's with 345. The first set was very slow moving and hard. But I stuck it out and plowed right through it. The last three sets were not to bad at all and did 4 reps for kicks on the fith set. I did a slight mod to the workout but the idea was still there. Made gains on the hack squat from last time and whacked my legs.

Squat: 5 warm, 325/1 345/3,3,3,3,4
Hack squat: 3 warms, 270/6 290/8 drop set
Leg ext ss: 70 80 80
with Step db lunge: 40 45 50
Squat w/chains: 175/10 195/12 215/12
Single calf raises: 6 sets

Split cardio
20/20

 

[independent]

What will your contest weight be?

 

[Joe Franco]

What will your contest weight be?

Good question.
I am more concerned on how I look so what ever I weigh I weigh.
But last time out, I was down to 148. I hope to be a pound or two heavier and leaner.

 

[Built]

I know for a fact that Joe's natural - his business partner is my buddy Juggernaut; if anybody knows for sure, it's Juggs. Joe's the real deal.

Joe, how long have you been lifting, and were you always fairly lean?

I take it you'll be ever so slowly cutting until showtime; or are you going to try to recompose at your current weight for a bit before you finish off the cutter?

 

[Joe Franco]

I know for a fact that Joe's natural - his business partner is my buddy Juggernaut; if anybody knows for sure, it's Juggs. Joe's the real deal.

Joe, how long have you been lifting, and were you always fairly lean?

I take it you'll be ever so slowly cutting until showtime; or are you going to try to recompose at your current weight for a bit before you finish off the cutter?

Thanks for the props Built. And yes, natural here.

I do like to eat, so there are many months out of the year that I am fairly heavy. And its only because I like to eat and not because I think I can lift more weight! LOL

So, I do a very long fat loss process to help maintain muscle and strength. This is key, plus I like the challeng.

I do hope to have a different look this time out. That is one of the reasons why I compete every other year. More changes can happen, or hope to happen!!!!


Oh, I starting playing around with the weight as a teen, now 40. But really serious in my early 20's

 

[independent]

Thanks for the props Built. And yes, natural here.

I do like to eat, so there are many months out of the year that I am fairly heavy. And its only because I like to eat and not because I think I can lift more weight! LOL

So, I do a very long fat loss process to help maintain muscle and strength. This is key, plus I like the challeng.

I do hope to have a different look this time out. That is one of the reasons why I compete every other year. More changes can happen, or hope to happen!!!!


Oh, I starting playing around with the weight as a teen, now 40. But really serious in my early 20's

Im impressed. Being natty and maintaining your weight to body fat ratio is a full time job, thats a lot of dedication.

 

[Built]

Cutting slowly really is the key to hanging onto muscle - especially natural. That wasn't what I meant, though. I was curious if there was ever a time in your life when you were truly fat - not "off-season" fat. I'm always interested to know how people come to fitness.

 

[Joe Franco]

Im impressed. Being natty and maintaining your weight to body fat ratio is a full time job, thats a lot of dedication.

Thanks bro, and that is why I only compete every other year! LOL
I have a family and I like to eat.

Cutting slowly really is the key to hanging onto muscle - especially natural. That wasn't what I meant, though. I was curious if there was ever a time in your life when you were truly fat - not "off-season" fat. I'm always interested to know how people come to fitness.

My bad. No, I was never really fat, but I would say my make up is meso/endo. I am a tad carb sensitive, but recently retrained my metabolism over time to utilize more.

 

[Built]

We all become increasingly "carb sensitive" as we age. Not everyone notices, but when it's you, believe me, you notice! I find keeping my fat intake high to be critical in managing this phenomenon. Also maintaining reasonably low bodyfat levels. The extra muscle and extra activity work wonders in improving glucose uptake, to be sure. But there's so much more to it, isn't there? No wonder so few manage to get it right.

What to you has been helpful in as you say retraining your metabolism to utilize more carb? What happened to you before you did this?

 

[Joe Franco]

We all become increasingly "carb sensitive" as we age. Not everyone notices, but when it's you, believe me, you notice! I find keeping my fat intake high to be critical in managing this phenomenon. Also maintaining reasonably low bodyfat levels. The extra muscle and extra activity work wonders in improving glucose uptake, to be sure. But there's so much more to it, isn't there? No wonder so few manage to get it right.

What to you has been helpful in as you say retraining your metabolism to utilize more carb? What happened to you before you did this?

In a nut shell, its time, patience and the will to make changes.
When I work with clients it can take weeks to months to learn what their body can do, and the same goes for mine once I need to make changes.

What also helps is not to overthink it, and let the hard work pay off.

The major change in my plan is simply measuring my foods and doing cardio.

 

[Built]

I guess I don't understand. What kind of changes?

 

[Joe Franco]

I guess I don't understand. What kind of changes?

I am too! LOL.

I think you were asking about how I changed my metabolism while dieting?

The goal is to consume as many carbs as possible and still to lose body fat.
Once this number is settled in, I slowly add back more carbs at certain times of the day. From this, the body actual uses them more for fuel and performace and to help maintain muscle mass. Like I stated earlier, this can take time.

Its the same as striking a match. It may take a few strike's to get it going but when its lit, I add more kindle to it slowly to make the fire
larger.

Make sense?

 

[juggernaut]

If I may ask, are you natural? Youre in amazing shape.

Joe's the real deal for sure. He's extremely meticulous about eating, but does like to be human once in a while. I was at his BBQ last year, and it was like my own home. Sausage, burgers, macaroni, INSANE fireworks, etc...

If anyone needs a contest prep guy-he's the man. His posing skills alone are worth the class fee. I keep telling him to put out a new video on better posing, but BN keeps us both busy along with our crazy careers.

It's also kind of neat that we're training for the first time in a while. I have more of a goal this year, to reach 4% fat and also compete (secondly), while Joe is going to hit first place in anything he does. Man's got skillz.

 

[Built]

I think you were asking about how I changed my metabolism while dieting?

Sort of. This was what I asked:

What to you has been helpful in as you say retraining your metabolism to utilize more carb? What happened to you before you did this?

The goal is to consume as many carbs as possible and still to lose body fat.
Once this number is settled in, I slowly add back more carbs at certain times of the day. From this, the body actual uses them more for fuel and performace and to help maintain muscle mass. Like I stated earlier, this can take time.

Its the same as striking a match. It may take a few strike's to get it going but when its lit, I add more kindle to it slowly to make the fire
larger.

Make sense?

No. You can lose fat on any carbohydrate intake, given your calories are below maintenance.

I'll clarify: provided protein is sufficient to remaining nitrogen-positive (which is considerably lower than most of us here will consume, but of course needs to be higher while dieting), and fats are sufficient to support health and endocrine function, you could get ALL of your remaining calories from carbohydrate and drop fat - provided you ran a deficit.

I could too.

The only reason I don't is because it would make me unbearably hungry, but if I didn't mind this part, it would work just fine - I'd drop fat. (I'd just be really, really miserable and have migraines all the time! Thank GOD for ketosis!)

So now I'm not sure what you mean now about three things, lol:

1. The first is the part I asked about how you feel you "retrained your metabolism"; what was it specifically that accomplished this for you.
2. The second is what you feel happened to you before you retrained your metabolism.
3. The third is why you feel you, personally can't drop fat on too-large of a carbohydrate intake (once again, given the same caloric deficit). I'm sure I'm missing something here.

Thanks Joe. You've got a successful strategy going, and I am always interested in thoroughly wrapping my head around stuff that works.

 

[Joe Franco]

Joe's the real deal for sure. He's extremely meticulous about eating, but does like to be human once in a while. I was at his BBQ last year, and it was like my own home. Sausage, burgers, macaroni, INSANE fireworks, etc...

If anyone needs a contest prep guy-he's the man. His posing skills alone are worth the class fee. I keep telling him to put out a new video on better posing, but BN keeps us both busy along with our crazy careers.

It's also kind of neat that we're training for the first time in a while. I have more of a goal this year, to reach 4% fat and also compete (secondly), while Joe is going to hit first place in anything he does. Man's got skillz.

Thanks for the props my man. But I wasnt dieting that day, LOL.
But your right, longer diets or they way I like to look at it, way of life allows you to take breaks when needed.

Sort of. This was what I asked:



No. You can lose fat on any carbohydrate intake, given your calories are below maintenance.

I'll clarify: provided protein is sufficient to remaining nitrogen-positive (which is considerably lower than most of us here will consume, but of course needs to be higher while dieting), and fats are sufficient to support health and endocrine function, you could get ALL of your remaining calories from carbohydrate and drop fat - provided you ran a deficit.

I could too.

The only reason I don't is because it would make me unbearably hungry, but if I didn't mind this part, it would work just fine - I'd drop fat. (I'd just be really, really miserable and have migraines all the time! Thank GOD for ketosis!)



So now I'm not sure what you mean now about three things, lol:

1. The first is the part I asked about how you feel you "retrained your metabolism"; what was it specifically that accomplished this for you.
2. The second is what you feel happened to you before you retrained your metabolism.
3. The third is why you feel you, personally can't drop fat on too-large of a carbohydrate intake (once again, given the same caloric deficit). I'm sure I'm missing something here.

Thanks Joe. You've got a successful strategy going, and I am always interested in thoroughly wrapping my head around stuff that works.

I see what your saying and respect it.

I am not hungry all the time on my plan but just a little bit, and to me that is ok.

My metab was retrained for what I think I described earlier. To sum up, I simply can consume more calories/carbs and I continue to lose bf. I initially lowered my total calories and added cardio. Once I hit a certain point, I then continued with the same amount of cardio and strategicly added back in carbs. So in turn, I am eating more now than months ago!

Before I started this plan, I was not doing any cardio and eating excess amounts of food that were not measure.

Again, this takes many months and a slower approach to happen. And to me has to be a way of life rather than a 12 week approach.

The bottom line are calories in and out, like you said. I choose to use carbs for energy and performance. They work for me, and I can still dead lift over 400 pounds at a body weight of 155 versus over 170 when I started.

And lastly, I cant give everything away here! LOL People hire me for a reason.

 

[Joe Franco]

6/6

Chest and tricep workout:

Little more challenging but still blasted through as shown by the last set. I mixed the order up a bit for the fact of the chest dips becoming easier with chains. Pump was All Out! Starting to feel tighter now and will continue to push hard before the vacation.

Flat bench: 4 warms, 205/1 215/3,3,3,3,3,3,8
Slight in db press: 2 warms, 100/7,6 drop set
Chest dips ss: 3 x to failure
with slight in fly: 40 x3
Tricep pressdown: 2 warms, 70/8,8
Ly Db ext: 30/7 25/9,10
1 arm pressdown 15/12,14
Ab work: 3 ss

Split cardio 25/20


6/7

The back going into the workout was a bit tight. I had the deads laid out but when it was time, I felt a tad twinge. In the past I would have pushed forward but since I am prepping and at a lower bw, I didnt chance it. Other then that, I really slammed the back and got a decent pump and burn. Very happy. Althougth I didnt do reg deads, I through in stiff legs with chains for kick. Fried dem hammies!!!

Lat pulldown under grip: 3 warms, 150/6 165/8,8
Db bench row: 2 warms, 85/8,9 drop set
Attempted deads, but moved on.
Rope pulldown: 1 warms, 120/10 125/11 drop set
1 arm db row: 85/10,12 burn set
Leg curl: 2 warms, 55/8,7,6
Stiff legs w/chains: 1 warm, 225/10 265/14

Split cardio
20/20

 

[juggernaut]

Hey partner, which part of your back gets twinged? Upper, lower or in the center?

 

[Built]

Thanks for the props my man. But I wasnt dieting that day, LOL.
But your right, longer diets or they way I like to look at it, way of life allows you to take breaks when needed.



I see what your saying and respect it.

I am not hungry all the time on my plan but just a little bit, and to me that is ok.

You and me both. I basically navigate around "peckish" the way I diet. Freakish hunger only ever happened on a high-carb diet for me. Now, I just feed carbs to my workouts and I'm good to go.

My metab was retrained for what I think I described earlier.

You mentioned it. You didn't describe it.

To be fair, everyone improves carbohydrate metabolism when they're leaner and when they're more active. Even me.

To sum up, I simply can consume more calories/carbs and I continue to lose bf. I initially lowered my total calories and added cardio. Once I hit a certain point, I then continued with the same amount of cardio and strategicly added back in carbs. So in turn, I am eating more now than months ago!

You must have been running a significant deficit in the early stages - you're obviously still at a deficit or you wouldn't be dropping - although plans such as UD2.0 accomplish very slow recomposition for those running it at maintenance, so perhaps this is what you're doing now? Are you at maintenance calories, below maintenance, or above maintenance?

Before I started this plan, I was not doing any cardio and eating excess amounts of food that were not measure.

Again, this takes many months and a slower approach to happen. And to me has to be a way of life rather than a 12 week approach.

For me also. I like to look good year round - I don't compete and I don't appreciate aaahhh "multiple wardrobe changes".

The bottom line are calories in and out, like you said. I choose to use carbs for energy and performance. They work for me,

They work for me too - just not as well. lol!

and I can still dead lift over 400 pounds at a body weight of 155 versus over 170 when I started.

That's cool. Although I watched a girlfriend of mine deadlift 358 lbs at the USAPL Raw meet at the Arnold this year, and she did it at 5'3" having dieted down on low carbs to 130 lbs. (she's natty too)

Over 400's still pretty good though, especially while cutting.

And lastly, I cant give everything away here! LOL People hire me for a reason.

I think you'd be surprised with how much people want to pay anyway. I get people offering me money all the time and I give EVERYTHING away.

 

[juggernaut]

And all I wanted was Built's RDL form video for Christmas three years ago...still waiting...
Scuse me...did you say a chick did 358??

 

[Joe Franco]

Hey partner, which part of your back gets twinged? Upper, lower or in the center?

Just the lower, not too bad though, as its from a combo of things.

 

[juggernaut]

Just the lower, not too bad though, as its from a combo of things.

belt or no?

 

[Joe Franco]

belt or no?

No belt.

I progressed nicely with the JN with the squats, and really should give more days between to rest up before I do deads.

Feeling fine today!

 

[Joe Franco]

UD2.0 accomplish very slow recomposition for those running it at maintenance, so perhaps this is what you're doing now? Are you at maintenance calories, below maintenance, or above maintenance?

No I am not running the UD2.
And my calories are slighter higher now then when I started.

The example of the dead lift was not put out there to be compared to a women nor impress anyone. LOL
Its simply a personal guide to my overall strength through the body fat loss process.

 

[juggernaut]

That came out the wrong way on my side Joe. I just cant believe a chick can deadlift that much!

You said your calories are higher...in what form? protein? carbs? fat?

 

[Built]

Juggs - yeah, my friend Lynn (handle is lynnlynn) - you've read her posts here and on my other board.

Joe, you should read up on UD2.0 - it sounds similar to what you're doing, and it might agree with you very well.