Training progression has been a bit stickier this week and I’m feeling just a bit more beat up than usual. This is a great spot to utilize a training deload to allow for recovery (CNS, joints, muscle) and lock in new tissue/strength. Many people pre-program deloads (ex: every 4-6 weeks of a training block) but I’ve found, at least in the bodybuilding world, this to be a bit overkill for most (especially when recovery, diet, balance of intensity/volume, etc is optimal). For the first several years of coming up in bodybuilding, I literally wouldn’t change anything if a deload was needed. If my body was weaker and could utilize a deload, I just pushed and still gave just as much intensity, but with potentially less strength for that day/week. I found that a few days of not quite matching strength numbers would act like a mini-deload and I’d be good to push on and progress by the following week. Over the last couple of years and since I’ve started handling true heavy weight, I’ve had extremely solid success handling deloads like this. First, I personally notice I can benefit from a deload every 8-12 weeks of aggressive training and progression. When a deload is warranted, I don’t change anything with training intensity (I still take working sets to failure) and do my best to match top set and any working set numbers. The only thing I change in a deload is a drop in volume and I remove the last working set from each movement. For example, if I usually have a top set and 2 backoff sets on incline press (3 working sets), during a deload, I will only perform the top set and 1 backoff set (2 working sets). Matching working set intensity while dropping volume will allow for a deload and recovery while holding current tissue/strength by holding training intensity static. My recommendation is to stop pre-programming deloads and go by feel. Listen to your body. MANY are wasting time with too frequent deloads and ill-designed deloads. As always, keep intensity paramount. Online Coaching And Training Plans: https://bit.ly/4eVoNjf 1-on-1 Consultations: https://bit.ly/2qVDc8g 10% OFF HD Muscle Supplements (Code - WUERCH): https://bit.ly/49tWGUO 15% OFF Jed North Clothing (Code - WUERCH15): https://bit.ly/3Du8AjV Discounts And The Good Stuff: https://bit.ly/2Ri82HU #bodybuilding #bodybuilder #ifbbpro

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Fasted weight: 220.2lbs Literally the same exact weight as last check in 3 weeks ago prior to the wedding and honeymoon (insane amount of food was consumed). With that said, there is noticeable improvement when comparing today’s check in to the last. This is further confirmed by the moderate increase in strength numbers across all movements over the last couple of weeks. I’ve been putting the food to work and the goal is still to bring the weight down a bit. Calories have been on the low end so I’ve been recomping since the heavy eating on the honeymoon. Training has been top notch lately and I’ve been having a blast intentionally progressing in lifts for the first time in quite awhile. Right now, I’m just having fun being reinvigorated in the gym again and I have no set plans for the physique, competing, etc. We’ll see what comes of this in time. Online Coaching And Training Plans: https://bit.ly/4eVoNjf 1-on-1 Consultations: https://bit.ly/2qVDc8g 10% OFF HD Muscle Supplements (Code - WUERCH): https://bit.ly/49tWGUO 15% OFF Jed North Clothing (Code - WUERCH15): https://bit.ly/3Du8AjV Discounts And The Good Stuff: https://bit.ly/2Ri82HU #bodybuilding #bodybuilder #ifbbpro

I’m very frequently asked about my ab training and this is the routine I’ve had for abs for the past 4+ years. I like a blend between both weighted and body weight movements as well as movements isolating the mid-top abs and the lower-mid abs. I hit abs 2x/week at end of my push sessions. Here’s how I structure the ab training: Abs A: 1. Hanging Leg Raises: As many sets needed to hit 60-80 total reps 2. Weighted Medicine Ball Crunches: 3 sets, 10-15 reps Abs B: 1. Weighted Reverse Crunches: 3 sets, 10-15 reps 2. Forward Ab Crunch Machine: 3 sets, 10-15 reps Bonus: Occasionally I’ll add a plank variation as a 3rd movement, but I do the bulk majority of transverse abdominis training outside of this direct ab training. Just like any other muscle, to truly shine, consistent hard training has to be applied. To have abs that really pop, they have to be built and training them with intensity and weight will absolutely develop them. Online Coaching And Training Plans: https://bit.ly/4eVoNjf 1-on-1 Consultations: https://bit.ly/2qVDc8g 10% OFF HD Muscle Supplements (Code - WUERCH): https://bit.ly/49tWGUO 15% OFF Jed North Clothing (Code - WUERCH15): https://bit.ly/3Du8AjV Discounts And The Good Stuff: https://bit.ly/2Ri82HU #bodybuilding #bodybuilder #ifbbpro

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Online Coaching And Training Plans: https://bit.ly/4eVoNjf 1-on-1 Consultations: https://bit.ly/2qVDc8g 10% OFF HD Muscle Supplements (Code - WUERCH): https://bit.ly/49tWGUO 15% OFF Jed North Clothing (Code - WUERCH15): https://bit.ly/3Du8AjV Discounts And The Good Stuff: https://bit.ly/2Ri82HU #bodybuilding #bodybuilder #ifbbpro Even though I’m eating all of the food while on vacation, I’m still training 1-2hrs most days. My split while I’ve been on honeymoon has been: Day 0 (travel day): Rest Day 1: Pull A Day 2: Legs Day 3: Push Day 4: Rest Day 5: Pull B Today: Push Even though I have zero restrictions with food this trip, training volume has been kept high (and even bumped a bit) to mitigate damage and facilitate some strength/size gains. While I will most likely gain weight this trip, at least some of it should be lean tissue gains and not all completely fat/water. Of course as always, training intensity is kept high no matter how I titrate volume.

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Online Coaching And Training Plans: https://bit.ly/4eVoNjf 1-on-1 Consultations: https://bit.ly/2qVDc8g 10% OFF HD Muscle Supplements (Code - WUERCH): https://bit.ly/49tWGUO 15% OFF Jed North Clothing (Code - WUERCH15): https://bit.ly/3Du8AjV Discounts And The Good Stuff: https://bit.ly/2Ri82HU #bodybuilding #bodybuilder #ifbbpro I finished up the mini cut and short recomp this week. I had the intention of ending the mini cut today, but with our wedding this weekend and family getting into town, it technically ended a few days ago. Now, time to enjoy the wedding weekend then honeymoon for a couple of weeks. I plan on eating all of the food so we’ll see how the physique is looking in a few weeks. From there, I’ll decide which direction to steer the ship and which goals to attack.