Packing On Muscle: Max-OT Style!

Table of Contents

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Weight Training

Intensity: The Cornerstone of Any Effective Training Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Training “Hard” Doesn’t Necessarily Mean You Are Training with Intensity. . . . . . . . . .8

Volume of Training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

The Benefits of Training One Body Part Once A Week. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Know What You Want Out of Your Workout Before You Step Into the Gym. . . . . . . . 18

What’s Most Important to You? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Length of Workouts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

The Number of Exercises for Each Body Part. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

The Number of Sets for Each Body Part. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

The Number of Repetitions for Each Set. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Absolute Failure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Use Heavy Weight for the Most Muscle in the Shortest Period of Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Choosing Weight That Is Too Light. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Concentric and Eccentric Phases of the Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Speed of Repetitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Warming Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Acclimation Sets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

More Repetitions for Muscle Definition? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

The “Pump”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Muscle Soreness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Overtraining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Muscle Recovery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Taking Time Off from Training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Changing Your Routines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Cycling Your Workouts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Rest Between Sets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Training with Injuries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Training When You Are Sick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Stretching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Sleep for Muscle Growth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

The Best Time of Day to Train. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Performance and Strength in the Gym. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Bringing Up Lagging Body Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Single Limb Movements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Can Certain Exercises Change the Shape of Muscles?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Are There Exercises or Machines That Are Better for Reducing Body Fat? . . . . . . . . . .73

Free Weights Versus Machines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Weight Belts, Knee Wraps, and Wrist Straps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Training Partners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Different Training Strategies for Different Levels of Experience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

Take a Leap of Faith, Make Changes, and Experience Better Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Muscle Gain Expectations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

12-Week Training Schedule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Cardiovascular Training

Cardiovascular Training Can Improve Your General Health and your Appearance. . . .113

Cardiovascular Training Can Help You Lower Your Body Fat Levels. . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Cardiovascular Training Jumpstarts Your Metabolism and Stimulates Fat Loss. . . . . . 115

Protecting Your Hard-Earned Muscle While Incorporating a Regular Cardiovascular

Training Program – The Synergy of Different Factors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Weight Training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

Timing Your Cardiovascular Training Around Your Weight Training. . . . . . . .117

Nutritional Habits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Nutrient Timing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Supplementation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120

Water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

A Structured Cardiovascular Training Program May Actually Help You Build Muscle. . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Amount of Cardiovascular Training You’ll Need To Do To Meet Your Specific

Bodybuilding Goals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

The Most Effective Approach To Cardiovascular Training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Shorter Cardiovascular Training Sessions Performed At A More Intense Pace. . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Longer Cardiovascular Training Sessions Performed At A Moderate Pace. . . .127

Determining the Type of Cardiovascular Training That Is Right for You. . . . . . . . . . . 128

The Length of Time Your Cardiovascular Training Sessions Should Be. . . . . . . . . . . .130

The Length of Shorter Cardiovascular Training Sessions Performed At A More

Intense Pace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130

The Length of Cardiovascular Training Sessions Performed At A Moderate Pace.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

How You Can Tell If You Are Having An Effective Cardiovascular Training Session. . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Monitoring Your Cardiovascular Training Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140

Cardiovascular Machine Statistics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Heart Rate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Intuitive Monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

Sweating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145

Max-OT Cardio: The Next Level in Efficient and Effective Cardiovascular Training. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145

Other Forms of Max-OT Cardio With Machines Other Than a Recumbent Bike. . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Getting Over the Mental Challenge of Max-OT Cardio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Shorter Max-OT Cardio Sessions Protect You from Losing Your Hard-Earned

Muscle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

About Skip La Cour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155

Extra Effort! A Collection of Skip La Cour’s Most Current Writing

Table of Contents

Weight Training

How You Can Achieve Great Gains with My 12 Simple and Effective Strategies . . . . . .3

Specific Training Goals Set the Stage for Outstanding Workouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

7 Easy-to-Do Tips That Will Immediately Improve the Quality of Your Workouts . . . . 45

Gym Etiquette: Effective Tips for Hardcore Training in a Commercial Gym.. . . . . . . . .49

Nutrition

10 Eating Habits to Take Your Body to the Next Level NOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Stop Searching for the Perfect Diet! Choose an Eating Program That Makes Sense and

Get to Work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Motivation

“What’s Stopping You?”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Effectively Dealing With the Angst Inside. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Does Comparing Yourself to Others Inspire You or Hold You Back?.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

7 Tips to Help You Survive the Downtimes and Get Your Training Back on Track . . . 87

Creating Your Vision.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91

Achieving Your Fitness Goals: How to Set Yourself Up for Success.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Motivational Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

The Business of Bodybuilding and Fitness

How YOU Can Start Earning Cash from Your Passion for Bodybuilding and

Fitness!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Presenting Yourself As An Outstanding Bodybuilding And Fitness Authority. . . . . . . 153

How To Create A Resourceful And Profitable Bodybuilding And Fitness Web Site. . .161

Magazine Interviews

Skip La Cour MuscleMag International Magazine Interview – 2004 By Guy Grundy. .169

The Power of Passion – Skip La Cour – IRONMAN Magazine 2004 By Janet Friedman. .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

Skip La Cour Interview – NPC News 2003 By Lonnie Teper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203

About Skip La Cour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219

Bodybuilding Nutrition

Simple & To-the-Point Eating Strategies To Help You Reach Your Goals

Table of Contents

The Importance Of Good Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Good Eating Habits Are Built Upon A Foundation Of Motivation . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 The Three Most Important Keys To Understanding Effective Bodybuilding Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 The Macronutrients And What They Do For Us -- Protein, Carbohydrates And Fat Explained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 The “Right” Ratio Of Macronutrtients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Determining How Many Calories You Should Eat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Skip La Cour’s Simple Way To Determine Your Maintenance Level. . . . . . . . . 11 Body Composition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Determining How Many Meals To Eat Each Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Skip La Cour’s Basic Meal Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Eating To Build Muscle Mass. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 How To Calculate The Percentages Of Macrocnutrients In Your Food – A Quick Nutrition Mathematics Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 The Importance Of Protein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 How Much Protein You Should Eat To Build Muscle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Skip La Cour Explains His “Protein Consumption Window Of Opportunity” Theory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 The Danger Of Eating Too Much Protein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 The “Bulking Up” Strategy For Packing On Muscle Mass. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Eating To Lose Body Fat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

There’s No Substitute For Hard Work When It Comes To Losing Body Fat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Why Starchy Carbohydrates May Not Be As Good For You As You Think. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Building Muscle And Losing Body Fat At The Same Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Dealing With The Challenge Of A Slow Metabolism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Dealing With The Challenge Of A Fast Metabolism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Why You Should Keep Your Diet Simple. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 The Benefits Of Adding “Good” Fat To Your Diet And The Painful Lesson I Learned! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Skip La Cour’s First 5 To 6 Months Of Dieting The Year He Won The NPC Team Universe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Skip La Cour’s Last 10 To 12 Weeks Of Dieting The Year He Won The NPC Team Universe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Skip La Cour’s New And Improved “Good Fat” Diet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 The Importance Of Drinking Plenty Of Water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Skip La Cour’s Tip For Drinking More Water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 The Benefits Of Adding Salt To Your Meals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Getting Shredded And Maintaining Muscle Is A Matter Of Heart. . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Once You’ve Missed A Scheduled Meal—It’s Gone Forever! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Fat-Burning Mode: Learn To Love That Feeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 How Do You Know That You’re Losing Muscle? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Incorporating “Cheat Days” Into Your Disciplined Diet Without Feeling Guilty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 The Bodybuilding Triad: A Visual Demonstration Of The Importance Of Nutrition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Skip La Cour’s Top Ten Nutrition Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Samples Of Skip La Cour’s Nutritional Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Skip La Cour’s Ten Tips For Eating Well Despite Your Busy Schedule. . . . . . . 65 10 Keys to Creating an Effective Nutritional Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

About Skip La Cour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Thinking Big By Skip La Cour

CONTENTS 1. The Real Challenge In Bodybuilding Is To Be Natural And Outstanding!. . . .3

2. How To Expand Beyond Perceived Limitations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 3. Why Setting Goals Is Important To Bodybuilding Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 4. Ten Successful Strategies To Help You Reach Your Goals. . . . . . . . . . . . .35 5. How To Intensify Your Desire To Reach Your Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 6. How To Make Every Workout A Great Workout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 7. Why Role Modeling Is A Valuable Tool In Bodybuilding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 8. How To Use Your Success Outside The Gym To Help You Reach Your

Bodybuilding Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 9. Why You Must Hold Yourself To A Higher Set Of Standards. . . . . . . . . . . .87 10. How To Ask Yourself The Right Type Of Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 11. How You May Be Preventing Yourself From Reaching Your Genetic Potential

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

12. Why You Need Persistence To Succeed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 13. How Possessing The Attitude Of Gratitude Can Enhance Your Bodybuilding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 14. Why Are You A Bodybuilder?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 15. How To Market Your Muscle And Turn Your Passion For Bodybuilding Into A

Career Opportunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 About Skip La Cour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167

Thinking Big: The Next Level Workbook CONTENTS

Introduction The Process Of Taking Your Physique To The Next Level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 The Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Rating Your Current Level In The Different Aspects Of Bodybuilding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Rating The Way You Proceed Through The Six Steps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 The Next Level The Real Challenge In Bodybuilding Is To Be Natural And Outstanding! . . . . . . . . . . . 25 How To Expand Beyond Perceived Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Why Setting Goals Is Important To Bodybuilding Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Ten Successful Strategies To Help You Reach Your Goals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 How To Intensify Your Desire To Reach Your Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 How To Make Every Workout A Great Workout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Why Role Modeling Is A Valuable Tool In Bodybuilding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 How To Use Your Success Outside The Gym To Help You Reach Your Bodybuilding Goals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Why You Must Hold Yourself To A Higher Set Of Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 How To Ask Yourself The Right Type Of Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 How You May Be Preventing Yourself From Reaching Your Genetic Potential . . . . . 87 Why You Need Persistence To Succeed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 How Possessing The Attitude Of Gratitude Can Enhance Your Bodybuilding Efforts. . 97 Why Are You A Bodybuilder? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 How To Market Your Muscle And Turn Your Passion For Bodybuilding Into A Career Opportunity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Skip La Cour’s Personal Next Level Workbook Rating Your Current Level In The Different Aspects Of Bodybuilding. . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Rating The Way You Proceed Through The Six Steps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 The Real Challenge In Bodybuilding Is To Be Natural And Outstanding!. . . . . . . . . . .131 How To Expand Beyond Perceived Limitations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135 Why Setting Goals Is Important To Bodybuilding Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139 Ten Successful Strategies To Help You Reach Your Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 How To Intensify Your Desire To Reach Your Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 How To Make Every Workout A Great Workout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Why Role Modeling Is A Valuable Tool In Bodybuilding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 How To Use Your Success Outside The Gym To Help You Reach Your Bodybuilding Goals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Why You Must Hold Yourself To A Higher Set Of Standards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179 How To Ask Yourself The Right Type Of Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 How You May Be Preventing Yourself From Reaching Your Genetic Potential. . . . . 187 Why You Need Persistence To Succeed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 How Possessing The Attitude Of Gratitude Can Enhance Your Bodybuilding Efforts. 197 Why Are You A Bodybuilder?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 How To Market Your Muscle And Turn Your Passion For Bodybuilding Into A Career Opportunity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 About Skip La Cour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215

Thinking Big II Aspiring to a Higher Level of Bodybuilding Achievement!

By Skip La Cour

Contents

Part I - Building a Solid Foundation for Success 1. This Book Can Be a Powerful Step in Your Compelling Journey . . . . . . . . . .1 2. Creating Your Mission Statement Will Pull You Toward Your Goals . . . . . . . . . . 17 3. Turn Your Bodybuilding into a Masterpiece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 29 4. Creating an Empowering Identity Can Change Your Bodybuilding Destiny. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 5. How Do You Know You Are Working Hard?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 6. Examining Your Beliefs about What You Can Accomplish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. .65 7. Reversing Common Pitfalls in Your Belief Structure Could Launch You into a

New Level of Drug-Free Growth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Part II - Winning The Battle Against Yourself 8. The First Step Toward Succeeding in Drug-Free Bodybuilding Is

Acknowledging Your Fears. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .85 9. Asking Yourself Better Questions to Create New References and Eliminate

Your Fears. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 10. Controlling Your Emotions on a Consistent Basis Is a Key to Bodybuilding

Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 11. Having the Right Perspective and Giving Your Best Effort Can Help You

Appreciate Your Physique Right Now. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .115 12. No Matter How It May Appear, Everyone Is Paying the Price. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .125

Part III - Acquiring Effective Bodybuilding Strategies 13. Keep an Open Mind to New Bodybuilding Information and Accelerate Your

Progress. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 14. Average Joe Doesn't Have Any Winning Strategies to Share with You— Champions Do! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149

Part IV - Peak Performance In The Gym 15. Specific Training Goals Set the Stage for Outstanding Workouts. . . . . . . . . . . . 159 16. Programming Your Brain for Peak Performance in the Gym. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169

Part V - Overcoming Challenges And Setbacks 17. Working Your Way through the Downtimes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .177 18. You Can Turn Your Worst Day into Your Best Days by Thinking Big. . . . . . . . . 187

Part VI - Insuring Long-Term Success

19. You Are Never Standing Still. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 20. Is Striving for a Balanced Life Sabotaging Your Bodybuilding Goals? . . . .. . . . .207

21. You Never Have to Plateau in Bodybuilding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 215

22. Your Ability to Take Risks Will Determine Your Level of Bodybuilding

Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..225

23. Becoming Brilliant Is Simply a Matter of Passion, Effort, and Time. . . . . . . . . . 237

Part VII - Effectively Dealing with the Influence of Other People 24. Your Success in Bodybuilding Is Affected by Those Who Surround You. . . . . . 245 25. Focus on Yourself and Become Your Very Best. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257

Part VIII - Creating the Attitude of a True Winner 26. Winning Is All about Becoming the Best You Can Be. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267 27. Real Leadership Is What's Needed in Drug-Free Bodybuilding . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 28. Drug-Free Bodybuilders Are Unknowingly Ruining Drug-Free Bodybuilding! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . … . . . . .281 29. Happiness Is Victory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .293

Others Review of the Chapter Exercises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301 About the Skip La Cour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . 311

POWER TO THE PEOPLE! Skip La Cour’s 10 Best Strategies To Bolster Your

Power, Strength, and Performance in the Gym TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Make Becoming Stronger And More Powerful A Top Priority. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2. Give Training Only One Body Part During Each Workout A Try—For At Least

Three Weeks! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3. Plan Your Entire Workout In Advance—And Set Ambitious Goals! . . . . . . . . 11

4. After You Have Sufficiently Warmed Up Don't Waste Your Strength On Lighter

Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

5. Before Every Set, Demand Yourself To "Re-Define" The Meaning Of Absolute

Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

6. Get Yourself Mentally Ready To Lift Heavy Weight Before Every Set. . . . . . .31

7. Don't Get Overly Concerned With Extremely Strict Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

8. Get Yourself A Good Training Partner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

9. Control Your Lower Back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

10. "Less" Training Will Bolster Your Power, Strength, and Performance . . . . . 47

Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

About Skip La Cour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

SPECIAL REPORT:

“How I Packed-On 16 Pounds of Drug-Free Muscle In Just One Year”

CONTENTS

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1. You absolutely MUST feed yourself properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

2. Muscle needs high-quality protein to grow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

3. The muscles need to be stimulated with a heavier amount of weight . . . . . .13

4. Training with the utmost intensity is the key to stimulating the muscles to grow . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

5. Less is more! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

6. You don’t get huge in the gym . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

7. A good training partner is an absolute must . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

8. Don’t concern yourself with the drug issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

9. Great workouts don’t just happen by chance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

10. Choosing a supplement company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Skip La Cour’s Daily Training Journal 2000

Table of Contents PART I

Week One – August 20 through August 26, 2000

Setting Weekly Goals (Sunday 8-20) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Setting Training Goals (Monday 8-21) explained in more detail all week . . . . . . .6 The Value of a Good Training Partner (Tuesday 8-22) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 The Importance of Surrounding Yourself with Good People (Tuesday 8-22) . . .11 There Is No Difference Between Off-Season and Pre-Contest Training (Thursday 8-24) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Post-Workout Supplementation (Friday 8-25) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Weekly Review (8-26) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Week Two – August 27 through September 2, 2000 There Are No Days Off When Preparing For A Contest (Sunday 8-27) . . . . . . .35 Setting Weekly Goals (Sunday 8-27) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Your Level of Success Is Determined By How High You Set Your Standards (Monday 8-28) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 My "Working Hard" Exercise (Tuesday 8-29) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 My Contest Preparation Standards for the Next 12 Weeks (Wednesday 8-30) . 47 A Solid Foundation Has Been Set! (Thursday 8-31) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Contest Dieting Strategy and Current Diet (Thursday 8-31) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

The Organizing Principles for a Sound Nutritional Program (Friday 9-1) . . . . . . 58 Weekly Review (Saturday 9-2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Weekly Evaluation (Saturday 9-2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Week Three – September 3 through September 9, 2000 This Week's Diet (Sunday 9-3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Weekly Goals (Sunday 9-3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 How to Enter a Bodybuilding Contest Huge and Ripped Without Using Drugs: There Are No Real "Secrets"–Just A Lot of Hard Work! (Monday 9-4) . . . . . . . .72 Lat Pullovers Emphasizing the Upper Chest (Monday) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 "Anything That Doesn't Break You Will Only Make You Stronger!" (Tuesday 9-5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Knee Wraps, Weight Belts, and Wrist Straps (Wednesday 9-6) . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 The Benefits of Adding "Good Fat" to Your Contest Preparation Diet (Thursday 9-7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Water and Sodium (Thursday 9-7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 "It's the Little Things in Life That Make the BIG Difference!" (Friday 9-8) . . . . . .86 Weekly Review (Saturday 9-9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

Weekly Evaluation (Saturday 9-9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Week Four – September 10 through September 16, 2000 This Week's Diet (Sunday 9-10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 Weekly Goals (Sunday 9-10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 How I Evaluate My Workouts (Monday 9-11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

Pre-workout Nutrition and Supplementation (Tuesday 9-12) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Reverse Hack Squats: An Effective Exercise for Hamstrings (Wednesday 9-13) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Training Routines (Thursday 9-14) . . .104 Am I Courageous Or Just Crazy? (Friday 9-15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Weekly Review (Saturday 9-16) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 Weekly Evaluation (Saturday 9-16) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Week Five – September 17 through September 23, 2000 This Week's Diet (Sunday 9-17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 Weekly Goals (Sunday 9-17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 My "101 Daily Bodybuilding Disciplines" (Monday 9-18) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Supplementation (Tuesday 9-19) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 My Complete Supplementation Program (Tuesday 9-19) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126 "Muscle IS Protein! Protein IS Muscle!" (Wednesday 9-20) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 More Strength, Less Body Fat, More Productivity with Dymetadrine Xtreme (Thursday 9-21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Creating and Prioritizing Your Own Supplementation Program (Friday 9-22) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140 Questions and Answers About the Supplements I Don't Take (Friday 9-22) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143 Weekly Review (Saturday 9-23) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 Weekly Evaluation (Saturday 9-23) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Week Six – September 24 through September 30, 2000

This Week's Diet (Sunday 9-24) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151 Weekly Goals (Sunday 9-24) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 How I Dieted Down for This Past Year's NPC Team Universe (Monday 9-25) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153 "It ALL Matters!" (Tuesday 9-26) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160 The Power of Momentum (Wednesday 9-27) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164 If You Really Want to Progress, You Must Be Honest With Yourself (Thursday 9-28) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..168 Staying On Track While Traveling Takes Commitment, Organization, and Advanced Planning (Friday 9-29) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172 Reading, Pennsylvania Seminar and Guest Posing (Saturday 9-30). . . . . . . . 174 Weekly Review (Saturday 9-30) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176 Weekly Evaluation (Saturday 9-30) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

Week Seven – October 1 through October 7, 2000

This Week's Diet (Sunday 10-1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181 Weekly Goals (Sunday 10-1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 My Best 10 Strategies To Bolster Your Power, Strength, and Performance in the Gym—1 through 5 (Monday 10-2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183 My Best 10 Strategies To Bolster Your Power, Strength, and Performance in the Gym—6 through 10 (Tuesday 10-3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Make Becoming Stronger and More Powerful a Top Priority (Wednesday 10-4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Train Only One Body Part During Each Workout—For At Least Three Weeks (Thursday 10-5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Plan Your Entire Workout In Advance—and Set Ambitious Goals (Friday 10-6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197 Bodybuilding Seminar at the Max Muscle Store in Fremont, California (Saturday 10-7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201 Weekly Review (Saturday 10-7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202 Weekly Evaluation (Saturday 10-7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

PART II

Week Eight – October 8 through October 14, 2000

This Week's Diet (Sunday 10-8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209 Weekly Goals (Sunday 10-8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 After You Have Sufficiently Warmed Up Don't Waste Your Strength On Lighter Weight (Monday 10-9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 Before Every Set, Demand Yourself to "Redefine" the Meaning of Absolute Failure (Tuesday 10-10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Get Yourself Mentally Ready To Lift Heavy Weight Before Every Set (Wednesday 10-11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Don't Get Overly Concerned With Extremely Strict Form (Thursday 10-12) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 Get Yourself A Good Training Partner (Friday 10-13) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 Weekend Guest Posing Appearance and Seminars in the Cleveland, Ohio Area: A Tremendous Learning Experience! (Saturday 10-14) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234 Weekly Review (Saturday 10-14) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236 Weekly Evaluation (Saturday 10-14) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237

Week Nine – October 15 through October 21, 2000 This Week's Diet (Sunday 10-15) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243 Weekly Goals (Sunday 10-15) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Control Your Lower Back: A Detailed Explanation of My Best 10 Strategies To Bolster Your Power, Strength, and Performance in the Gym (Monday 10-16) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246 "Less" Training Will Bolster Your Power, Strength, and Performance: A Detailed Explanation of My Best 10 Strategies To Bolster Your Power, Strength, and Performance in the Gym (Tuesday 10-17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249 "Less" Training Will Bolster Your Power, Strength, and Performance - Continued: A Detailed Explanation of My Best 10 Strategies To Bolster Your Power, Strength, and Performance in the Gym (Wednesday 10-18) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 My Progress Evaluated by an NPC National Judge (Thursday 10-19) . . . . . . .261 The 2000 Mr. Olympia Weekend and Exposition in Las Vegas, Nevada - Day One (Friday 10-20) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 Paul Delia Evaluates My Contest Preparation and Conditioning (Saturday 10-21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267 Connecting With Fellow Bodybuilders and Friends (Saturday 10-21) . . . . . . . 268 Weekly Review (Saturday 10-21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .270 Weekly Evaluation (Saturday 10-21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271

Week Ten – October 22 through October 28, 2000

Early Morning Photo Shoot (Sunday 10-22) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275 Mr. Olympia All Star Seminar (Sunday 10-22) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275 This Week's Diet (Sunday 10-22) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277

Weekly Goals (Sunday 10-22) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279

We're Heading Down the Home Stretch! (Monday 10-23) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 Dieting Strategies for the Last Four Weeks (Tuesday 10-24) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .283 Vitamins B-6 and C Help Condition My Body To Release Water (Wednesday 10-25) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287 Eliminate Creatine Before A Contest? No Way! Here's My Final Week Creatine

OADING Strategy! (Thursday 10-26) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .290 L The Two Most Common "Stories" Competitive Bodybuilders Tell Themselves When They Don't Do Well in Contests (Friday 10-27) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293 Weekly Review (Saturday 10-28) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .296 Weekly Evaluation (Saturday 10-28) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297

Week Eleven – October 29 through November 4, 2000

This Week's Diet (Sunday 10-29) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303

Weekly Goals (Sunday 10-29) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304 What Must Happen In Order for You to Feel Happy About Your Bodybuilding Efforts? (Monday 10-30) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305 What Has to Happen Over the Next Three Weeks to Make the IFBB World Amateur Championships an Awesome Experience (Tuesday 10-31) . . . . . . . 313 Don't Get Too Concerned With the "Numbers": Let the Mirror Be Your Guide! (Wednesday 11-1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319 The Role Cardiovascular Plays Training in the Fat Loss-Contest Preparation Process (Thursday 11-2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323 Recap of What I've Been Doing Over the Past 11 Weeks to Prepare for the IFBB World Amateur Championships (Friday 11-3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .328 Weekly Review (Saturday 11-4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .333

Weekly Evaluation (Saturday 11-4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333

Week Twelve – November 5 through November 11, 2000

This Week's Diet (Sunday 11-5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339 Weekly Goals (Sunday 11-5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340 The Critical Final Week of Contest Preparation (Monday 11-6) . . . . . . . . . . . .341 The Different Processes of the Final Week of Contest Preparation: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (Tuesday 11-7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .345 The Different Processes of the Final Week of Contest Preparation: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and After the Show (Wednesday 11-8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350 Bodybuilding Magazine Photo Shoots (Thursday 11-9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356 What a Learning Experience These Past 12 Weeks Have Been! (Friday 11-10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .362 Killing Time and Waiting for the Big Day (Friday 11-11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .367 Weekly Review (Saturday 11-11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .368 Weekly Evaluation (Saturday 11-11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368

Week Thirteen – November 12 through November 18, 2000

Early Morning Photos on Venice Beach (Sunday 11-12) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375

This Week’s Diet (Sunday 11-12) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .367

Weekly Goals (Sunday 11-12) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380 Physique Assessment (Monday 11-13) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381 Photo Shoots in Los Angeles (Monday 11-13) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .382

Physique Assessment (Tuesday 11-14) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .382 Leaving for Malaysia Today! (Tuesday 11-14) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384 The Long, Grueling Trip to Malaysia (Wednesday 11-15) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386 Weigh-Ins: The Time When Many Contests Are Won and Lost in the Minds of the Competing Bodybuilders (Thursday 11-16) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389 Simply Outmatched at the Prejudging (Friday 11-17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .392 What’s GREAT About this Situation? (Saturday 11-18) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396

Conclusion

There's No Such Thing As Failure—As Long As You Learn Something. . . . . .400

Actually, There's No Such Thing As Failure As Long As You Learn Something—and Are Persistent Enough to Used What You've Learned! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .402

The Most Valuable Lessons I've Learned from This 13-Week Journey. . . . . . .402

Future Plans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .404

About Skip La Cour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407

Skip La Cour’s Daily Training Journal TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Skip La Cour and AST Sports Science. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 AST Sports Science MAX-OT Training Organizing Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Week One – August 18 through August 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

My First Feature In MuscleMag International!; No Time To Sleep!; This Journal Is Making Me Step Up To The Challenge; Emotional Muscle; Lying In The Sun For Contest Preparation; Sodium Loading And Depleting Process Back; Training At The “Mecca”; Supplementation; The Magic Of Goal Setting; Success Is Never A Matter Of Luck; What I MUST Do To Be My Very Best At The 1998 Mr. Universe Contest; What I MUST Do BETTER Than I Did At The Team Universe; What Has To Happen To Make The 1998 Mr. Universe Contest A +10 Experience; Congratulations Party; Post-Workout Supplementation Week Two – August 23 through August 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Eating At My Parents’ House; Diet Plans; My Training Schedule; I Just Can't Stay Out Of The Gym!; Enjoy The Moment; Blasting Back In British Columbia; Building ‘Emotional’ Muscle; Today Is The Day I Begin To Really Start Focusing; Checklist; Contest Dieting Plan; Using My Checklist To Make Myself Accountable; 10 Weeks Out From The Contest; “I’m In The Gym To Train!” Week Three – August 30 through September 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Salting My Food; Questions And Answers; Now Is The Time To Recommit And Refocus!; Thank You For Your Support!; Starting To Get That Feeling Back!; What Can I Do To Get Even Better? Week Four – September 6 through September 12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Contest Diet Changes, Questions And Answers; A New And Valuable Lesson Learned: Cutting Back On Back Training (As Per Paul’s Suggestion); Good Feel While Training Quadriceps; Another Great Arm Training Day!; Over-Chunking’ Creates Overwhelm; Contest Is Now Eight Weeks Away; Contest Preparation Diet Changes Week Five -- September 13 through September 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Why I Choose To Be With AST Sports Science; Planning For My Week; Questions And Answers; Intense And Determined Back Blitz; AST Sports Science MAX-OT Training Series Explained; I Picked Up An ‘Extra’ Week Of Contest Preparation; Gut-Check Time!; Travel Day; My Body's Clock Is Way Off!; Tampa, Florida Seminar; A Long Flight; Unexpected Surprise; Need To Improvise; NPC Hawaiian Natural Bodybuilding Contest Week Six -- September 20 through September 26. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Training Hamstrings In Beautiful Honolulu; 20/20 Sunday On Television; Weekly Assessment; Heading Home; Diet And Cardiovascular Training Adjustments; Yesterday Was A Good Day; Another Outstanding Day; Skip La Cour’s Products And Services; Less Sets Performed Until The Show; Thanks For Your Support!; Hamstrings Training Reduced Significantly Week Seven -- September 27 through October 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Seven Weeks Out!; Question Of The Year: Hormone Boosting Supplements; New Mental Preparation Strategy; I Rested My ‘Mind’ Yesterday; I Will Undoubtedly Meet Or Exceed My Team Universe Condition!; Metabolism Quickening; Physique Assessment; Successfully Fought Off Oncoming Illness; Ny-Tro Pro-40—Great For Traveling!; Barely Made My Flight To Ohio; Outstanding Seminar!; Physique Assessment Week Eight -- October 4 through October 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Six Weeks Left Until The Contest!; Back Home For The Homestretch, Bodybuilding And The Crazy Mind Games It Plays On You; Physique Assessment; Six Weeks Out Diet; New Dieting Strategy; Cardiovascular Training Questions And Answers; Getting In The Zone!; Lowering Calories; Weight Belts And Knee Wraps; Motivational Thought Of The Week – Enjoy The Moment!; Great Place To Be!; More Sleep Last Night!; John Takes Charge! Week Nine -- October 11 through October 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121

Contest Dieting Adjustments; Working Hard Toward ‘Bullet Proof’ Status!; ; Physique Assessment; No More Fluctuations In Diet From Here On Out; Questions And Answers; You Make Your Own ‘Guarantees’ In Life; “I Need To Just Keep “Doin’ What I’m Doin’” Week Ten -- October 18 through October 24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141

Just Four Weeks Left Until Showtime!; The Sun Brings Out Definition Better Than A Tanning Booth; Four Weeks Out And I’m Ready Today!; Finishing Off The “Package”; “What Photos Are You Looking At, La Cour????”; Less Cardiovascular Work; Advice From AST Sports Science President Paul Delia; New Diet Incorporating More Protein; Now, More Than Ever, Is The Time To Start Thinking Big!; Training With A Newly Adopted Attitude! Week Eleven -- October 25 through October 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158

We’re Down To Our Final Three Weeks!; What Have YOU Learned From This Journey?; Your Feedback; Your Mental State Determines Your Level Of Success; Sodium Loading/Depleting/Potassium Loading During The Final Week; Word Of Caution; Tip For Drinking More Water; Heading Down To Southern California; Creatine Loading For The Show Week Twelve – November 1 through November 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173

There May Be Two Weeks Left Until The World Championships—But There’s Only One Week Left To Train Hard And Make A Difference!; Physique Assessment; Preparing My Body For Next Week’s Food/Carb Loading Process; Good Trip To Los Angeles; The Waiting Game; Training Schedule From Tomorrow Until The Show; Big Weekend In Denver, Colorado!; It’s Cold Here In Denver!; Full-Body Workout Week Thirteen -- November 8 through November 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185

It’s ‘Crunchtime’! Our Last Week Before the Show; It’s Christmas Eve (So to Speak); This Is When the ‘Magic’ Begins!; Loading and Depleting Processes; Convenient Checklist to Keep Track of All the Different Processes; No More Training—Just Flexing, Squeezing, and Posing; Traveling to the IFBB World Championships Today; Special Thanks to Paul; Letter From Mom; News Flash!!!!!; Thanks for Your Concern, but I'm Doin' Great!; Back Home in the Good Ol' USA!; Immediately Setting The Next Series of Goals The Different Processes of the Final Week of Contest Preparation . . . . . . . . . . .198

Exact Intake Of Water, Potassium, Sodium, Creatine, Vanadyl Sulfate, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin C, And Food: Here Is A Detailed Outline Of What You’ll Need To Do During The Critical Last Week Of Contest Preparation

Contest Countdown – The Last Four Weeks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207

Here Is A Day-By-Day Breakdown Of Everything You’ll Need To Do During The Last Four Weeks Posing Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213

What Good Is Building An Admirable Physique If You Can’t Properly Display What You’ve Created To The Judges? Here Are Some Guidelines That I’ve Listed In Order For You To Look Your Very Best On Stage What Has To Happen To Make This Contest A +10 Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

You’ll Have A Better Chance Of Getting What You Ultimately Want From Your Contest Preparation If You Take The Time To Determine Exactly What That Is. Here Is A List Of What I’ve Decided Must Happen In Order To Make All Of The Hard Work And The Demanding Lifestyle Of Bodybuilding Contest Preparation An Awesome And Worthwhile Experience 60-Second Posing Routine (for Pre-Judging). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221

Here Is A Pose-By-Pose Breakdown Of The 60-Second Posing Routine That I Prepared For The Contest Pre-Judging Packing Checklist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224

I’ve Taken The Time To List Every Single Item I Will Need To Pack For My Contest. You Can Save Yourself Some Anxiety By Taking This List And Adding Or Subtracting What You’ll Need And Be Certain You Are Adequately Prepared For Your Show Last Week Diet Checklists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

Included Are A Series Of Checklists So That You Can Be Sure To Stay On Track During The Critical Last Few Days Of Contest Preparation About Skip La Cour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

Learn About The Many Accomplishments Of One Of The Most Successful Drug-Free Bodybuilders On The Planet! Skip La Cour’s One-On-One Phone Consultation Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235

Reduce Years Of Learning Time! End Your Frustration And Confusion! Take Advantage Of Skip La Cour’s Phone Consultation Service