Training update, on the road to NASA Powerlifting Nationals
January 21, 2010 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
Since my last competition, where I won my IFPA natural bodybuilding pro card, I have preparing for NASA powerlifting nationals, held in Oklahoma this weekend.
This is the largest meet I will have competed in and have maintained my leanness since my bodybuilding competition allowing me to drop to a lower weight class. My goal is to win the national title and hopefully break some records in the process!
The weight class I will be competing at will be 148lbs. My goals are squat: 425lbs, bench: 300lbs and deadlift 530lbs. I know I can hit these and will be very competitive with them. In order to do so, I cycled my training so that the last two weeks I have been focusing on recovery by reducing the weight lifted and stretching/massages.
Last year I was ranked 33rd overall compared to all the other raw federations at 165lbs by powerliftingwatch.com, 20th in the deadlift. I am hoping to improve that at 148lbs.
Nutrition and supplementation are key as well. I should not have to dehydrate myself to make weight, instead gradually reducing carbs and sodium while keeping my water intake high to flush out the excess water. Creatine, beta alanine, Branch Chain Amino Acids, along with a solid multi vitamin and essential fatty acids have been the back bone of my supplement program.
Below is a video of one of my last squat workouts, feeling very good with all the lifts, excited to see it all come together!!
Ryan Irwin
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportfpt.com
Nutri-Sport training tip-dual barbell row
December 15, 2009 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
One thing constant is change and that should be no different to how you approach your workouts. The body is very adaptive and if you continually do the same exercises week after week, your progress will most likely slow, not too mention possibly make you bored during your workouts.
Below is a video of a back exercise that Ryan is demonstrating in the Nutri-Sport training studio that you can incorporate into your back training. This exercise is a nice switch up as it allows both arms to move independently (like in a one arm dumbbell row) but you still do both arms simultaneously, which saves on time. Being a free weight exercise, it requires core stabilization as well.
Make sure you keep an arch in your lower back, keep your chest up and maintain good form. Really focus on the squeeze and stretch of the back muscles (mainly the lats).
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportfpt.com
515-331-2141
Contest prep update -3 days out!!
October 21, 2009 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
It is almost game time!!!! 3 days to go for the NANBF Natural USA in Chicago. As of this morning, I was 4.8% bodyfat according to the skin calipers, right where I want to be! Closer to home, this weekend is also the NANBF Best of the Midwest in Cedar Rapids if you want to go see what it’s all about. Also, the NASA Iowa Regionals powerlifting competition is in Des Moines. If you are a physique or strength athlete, lots of options to do this weekend!
This week is all about doing the final preperations to get things ready to go. Filling out, recharging and focusing. Posing routine is done, meals/food lined up and last minute details are done.
Last week was a tough week of training and was thrilled to not have lost and in fact gained strength in most of my lifts!! As the before/after pics show below, I have kept my lean muscle while dropping bodyfat. This week I have treated as a deload week and am excited to start back up next week with my powerlifting cycle for NASA nationals. I will take it slow as to not injure myself, but full steam ahead!! After 17 weeks of dieting, post contest is HIGHLY anabolic, so want to take full advantage of it!!
Besides continuing training, I am going to be adjusting my supplement stack. I will cycle off creatine for a month and cycle on the Grean Lean, which is a detox/digestive support. As I introduce foods back into my system, this will help my body make the adjustment, plus help keep from piling on extra bodyfat. I will also ween myself off the Bio Heat and Nitro Burn PM and CLA.
Ryan Irwin precontest before and after 17 weeks of precontest diet
Ryan Irwin before and after side chest
Ryan Irwin 3 days out
Supplement stack:
Ecogreen multi vitamin capsules
Quad protein (timed release protein)
Bio Heat (fat burner)
Nitro Burn PM (night time fat burner/cortisol blocker)
Creatine (Bio Cell)
L-Carnitine/Alpha Lipic Acid (pre/post workout)
Xtend (during workout and in between meals)
Omega 3/6/9
CLA
Multi Whey & Karbolyn (post workout protein/carb shake)
Beta Alanine
Casein protein (before bed and added to whey to help get in between meals)
Psyllium husk
100% liquid egg whites
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportFPT.com
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training Tip: muscle confusion
September 22, 2009 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
In order to continue to make progress in your training, you must continue to “shock” your body by varying the different types of training conditions. This ensures that it continues to try to adapt, which will help you continue to get stronger, leaner, more muscular, better conditioned, etc. This technique is commonly called muscle confusion.
In this video, Ryan Irwin demonstrates a form of this at the Nutri-Sport Full Potential Training studio. By changing up his normal way of doing deadlifts, he is shocking his body to continue to make gains (even while less than 5 weeks out from a bodybuilding competition).
In your training and supplementation program, constantly change things up to ensure you continue to make progress on your training to hit your goals and reach your full potential!
Nutri-Sport &
Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportFPT.com
Sports Nutrition & Personal Training
Contest prep -5 weeks out
September 18, 2009 by Ryan Irwin · 1 Comment
Things are really starting to get dialed in! Five weeks out from the NANBF Natural USA, feeling great, checked my bodyfat and just above 6%. I am two weeks ahead of where I was last time I competed in regards to leanness, which is right where I want to be. Strength is still increasing too! Things are coming together nicely.
In regards to supplements, this week I upped by Bio Heat dosage to the full amount so now I’ll run that through the end of the show. Have started to add some more psyllium husk to my casein before bed to slow digestion. I’m going to try to hold off one more week before I start the Burn PM to really crank things up.
Went down to Kansas City last weekend and judged the NANBF Golds Classic and IFPA Pro International bodybuilding and figure contest. Talk about motivating!!! Those pros are awesome and it is amazing what drug-free bodybuilders can achieve!
Scheduled a photo shoot for tonight, so threw on a coat of Pro-Tan this morning (thanks honey!) Here are a few pics with some color on my skin.
Ryan Irwin 5 weeks out
Ryan Irwin 5 weeks out
Ryan Irwin 5 weeks out
Ecogreen multi vitamin
Quad protein (timed release protein)
Bio Heat (fat burner)
Creatine (Bio Cell)
L-Carnitine/Alpha Lipic Acid (pre/post workout)
Xtend (during workout and in between meals)
Omega 3/6/9
CLA
Multi Whey & Karbolyn (post workout protien/carb shake)
Beta Alanine
Casein protein (before bed and added to whey to help get in between meals)
Psyllium husk
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training Tip
March 5, 2009 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
Lunges are a great exercise for the legs, especially targeting the glutes. In this video, Head Trainer Tasha Armstrong demonstrates a version with the smith machine. For even more glute stimulation, elevate your front leg to get a more intense stretch.
We recommend 3-4 sets of 8-14 reps, for optimal muscle stimulation.
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training Tip- Lunges
Next Bodysculpting class starts March 23rd! Personal training available all day, every day!
Nutri-Sport and Full Potential Training tip of the week
February 10, 2009 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
The barbell curl is an excellent mass and strength builder for the biceps. One drawback of this exercise is that it can put added stress on the lower back.
In this video, Nutri-Sport Head Trainer Tasha demonstrates a variation of this exercise in the Full Potential Training studio that will still hit the biceps, but take some of the pressure off the lower back.
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training Tip- Barbell curls
Nutri-Sport
9992 Swanson Blvd in Clive
515-331-2141
www.nutrisportfpt.com
