How To Peak (I Keep Screwing It Up)…

I have been working out for almost 25 years now!

Besides lifting weights in the gym, I have also done various powerlifting competitions, running races and during the summer, I do some friendly bodybuilding competition’s among friends.

One issue I have always had a problem with, is trying to peak at the right time.

When it comes to running, I always tend to get burnt out too early. I just dont know how to train moderately. I’m always in a rush to run 3 miles in 18 minutes and I end up training too hard and frequent.

For powerlifting, I either go too hard early and get injured or I dont peak in all 3 lifts for the competition.  I am having that problem this year, it looks like my deadlift is stalling, while my bench press and squats are continuing to climb.

In bodybuilding, it is the opposite. I typically peak too late (labor day), instead of July 4th.  I have been trying to start my diet earlier in the year but I just dont get cut enough in the Spring.

This year I have been training for my first 3 lift (squat, bench, deadlift) competition in over 10 years.

My original goal was to beat my best total from College, around 1,000, and to maybe go over 1,100.

I am also competing raw: no belt, no knee wraps or squat suit and no silly bench shirt.

Where that will affect me the most is in my squat, those knee wraps can assist by 50-100 lbs easy, but I dont care about a medal.  I just want to put on some legitimate size and strength.

The only issue I am having this year, is that I hope I didnt peak too early.

3 weeks ago I I deadlifted 495 lbs and the weights somehow slipped off the bar.

Two week ago I slaughtered 455 x 5 reps and felt like a beast.

Last weak I was so sore in the warmups I could hardly lift 400.

So my plan now, is to unfortunately cut back on the volume in squats and deadlifts.

I’m gonna try to preserve what I have and then run back up to another peak for the Feb 15th competition.

Will it work, I cant say for sure.  I am praying that the hard work I put in will let me peak on contest day.

Wish me luck…

Updates to come soon!

-John Andre

Check out my books on amazon.com!

My Amazon Page

Which Body Part Should I Destroy This Winter?

If you have followed my blog for the last couple years, you would know that I pick a different “weak point” to work on every off-season.

For example: several years ago I focused mainly on my calves, and now they are one of my best body parts. This past year I actually worked out my back twice a week and unfortunately it still needs some extra work.

This coming winter I plan on killing my legs, specifically, I plan on squatting twice a week.

I tried experimenting with using the leg press for several years and I have discovered that it cannot compare to good old-fashioned squats when it comes to leg development.

Not only have my legs grown tremendously since I started squatting again, but it also adds to my overall body mass.

It’s funny, but when I first started working out I focused mostly on my chest because it was a major weak point. Now as a 39 year old man, my chest has become my best feature.

Bodybuilding is a funny sport, sometimes you can grow in one area very easily and other areas can take you years of experimentation.

Wish me luck.

-John Andre.

My Amazon Page

My First Sprint Race In 21 Years!! (Video)

I am proud to say that I ran my first sprint race in 21 years this weekend.

I made an attempt to do a race last summer but I pulled a muscle after doing the long jump and didnt make it to the races.

This year I finally did the 100 and 200 meters.  Although I came in last place in the 100 meters against some high school and college kids, I did come in 3rd in my 200 meter race. Unfortunately the 200 meter race came out too dark so I only have a video of the race I lost.

100 meter race

Overall, I am still waiting for my times to be posted but this is a good starting point. I am going to try to do 3 or 4 more races this summer and then next year I will turn 40.

Heavy lifting and fast running, that is the name of the game.

A couple more weeks and I should start looking ripped, more to come!

Want to get ripped at age 39? Check out my latest book on amazon.com.

My New Book!

I’m Looking Pretty Darn Good This Year…

Today I was working out my back at lunch and I got to take a good look at myself in the mirror.

I know that I am having a good season when I get that “oh shit” feeling when I look in the mirror. It doesnt happen often, but it is exciting when it does.

Recently I have been fasting several days during the work week, while still lifting heavy and doing cardio.

I got my 3 mile time on the treadmile down to around 20 minutes flat and I got my bodyweight down to 161!

Right now I am down almost 17 lbs since my winter peak and I am finally starting to look pretty ripped. Unfortunately, I am also starting to feel a little bit weaker in the gym, but that’s expected when you start getting cut.

There were too many dudes in the locker room today for me to take a picture of myself, but I am definitely getting there.

I think by Memorial Day I should look pretty good, I just need to keep losing weight and work on getting real or fake suntan.

I’m amazed by how many guys and girls dont lose weight for the summer. If you dont lose weight, there is just no way to burn off the body fat, at least naturally.

In the summer the name of the game is speed and cuts.

Nobody cares how much you lift, this is beach season.

Good luck!

Check out one of my three books on amazon.com!

John Andre

Running 2.0 The End Of Long-Distance Running: Including The Top Ten Spint Workouts To Remove Bodyfat

Finally, Some Good Newsew

I Get Really Fast Running 3x A Week. If I Run 4 Or 5x A Week I Get Slower..

You would think that running wouldn’t be very complicated but it is.

Before I start spouting off, let’s get something straight: to get really fast you need to run every day.

When I ran track in College I probably took a day off once every two weeks.  If you want to get fast at long-distance you need to run over 10 miles a day minimum. When you see those Kenyan runners at the front of a marathon, they will easily run 20 miles a day in their training.

But at that level of running you will start to look “skinny fat” and get that horrible marathon runner look. In my opinion, that is the worst looking physique you can have.

There is nothing healthy with type this of training.

My perfect running “zone” is 3x a week. I like to run after squats on Tuesdays, preferably several hours after and not right away.

Then I like to run Fridays after deadlifts and one extra weekend day.

It’s funny, but if I add a 4th or 5th day now, my running times go to shit real fast.  You would think that more training days would help, but it doesnt.

When I start running 4 or 5x a week, along with squats and deadlifts, it completely breaks down my legs into mush.  The end result is that I cant run and I cant lift.

This season I have been sticking to my 3 day a week schedule and it’s been working great. I run hard every time since I get a decent rest I between workouts and I am still squatting and deadlifting pretty well.

The only thing hurting me is that it has been raining every weekend (NYC) and I am not getting enough outside running in.

Overall, its early May and I am running 3 miles in around 20 minutes flat on the treadmill. Pretty good time for this early in the year.

Want to learn more? Check out my books on amazon.com.

Running 2.0 The End Of Long-Distance Running: Including The Top Ten Spint Workouts To Remove Bodyfat

Finally, Some Good Newsew

Life Isn’t Fair, But Bodybuilding Is Pretty Close…

Life in general is not fair, not even close. It took me a while to realize it, but this simple fact is something important that you need to eventually understand.

If you are unable to ever acknowledge it, it will start to slowly eating away at you.

There is always going to be someone smarter than you, richer than you, and definitely better looking than you. (You, not me)

And that is why I love sports so much. Effort is important.

In my opinion, bodybuilding is one of the most “fair” sports in the world.

I’m not gonna plead ignorance and say that genetics are not important, but without heavy and consistent weight lifting, cardio and a proper diet; you will never get anywhere.

There is nothing I enjoy more than standing on the beach in the summer and showing off my hard work.

I might be able to beat Arnold, except in abs, but I can still get in better shape than 95% of the population.

Check out my 3 books on amazon.com! Or other books I support!

Running 2.0 The End Of Long-Distance Running: Including The Top Ten Spint Workouts To Remove Bodyfat

Finally, Some Good News

If You Are Gonna Take A Shot At The King, You Better Not Miss…

I am not trying to brag, but when I get my ass into great shape, I really start to look good.

What it really comes down to for me is, what kind of mindset am I in?

• Am I willing to starve myself?
• Will I do repeat sprints in the blazing heat outside?
• Will I try to deadlift 600 lbs?

If the answer to all of these are “no”, then I will not look like a freak.

I need to be firing on all cylendars to look my best.

So far this year, I am feeling “pretty good”.

My mindset is in the right place, I’ve been injury free and my numbers have been impressive.

My workout last week were as follows:

Monday: Bench press 245 x 7, biceps, etc

Tuesday: 275 x 5 squats (ass to the floor), calve raises, etc

PM Session 3 miles in 20:40 treadmile

Wendsday: Rest

Thursday: Chest# 2. dumbbells, fly’s, etc.

Friday: Deadlift 345 x 10, 110 lb dumbbell bend over rows, 2 sets of 10 chins

Pm session: 2 miles in 13 minutes (Treadmile)

Saturday: 2 miles in 13:55 outside.  6 x 40 meter sprints.

Overall, that is a tough week of exercise, along with going to work everday and eating like a bird.

I am “finally” starting to look a little bit slimmer and my times are starting to improve.

My game plan from here out? 5-6 days a week of exercise with multiple “double” sessions.

My typical goal is to hit 3 miles in 21 minutes outside and it looks like I “should” hit that pretty easily.  On a really good year, I will even go under 20 minutes.

But I am also looking pretty solid this season.  My winter training was strong with 550 lb deadlifts, 315 lb bench presses and 355 lb squats.

I tell people all the time, if you werent lifing heavy in the winter you will have trouble trying to get ripped in the Spring and Summer.

Overall, I am feeling really good and that is bad news for all you other guys out there.

Remember, if you take a shot at the king, you better not miss.

And I am still alive.

-John Andre

Check out my 3 books on amazon.com! Or other books I support!

Running 2.0 The End Of Long-Distance Running: Including The Top Ten Spint Workouts To Remove Bodyfat

Finally, Some Good News

To Look Freaky, You Need To Train And Eat Freaky…

As of today, the best shape I have ever looked was when I was 29 years old.

Ripped abs

Since then, I have gotten pretty close to my “peak” shape and I always get relatively ripped during the summer.

But to be honest, it’s going to be difficult to beat my 29-year old physique, although there are some advantages of being older.

Older bodybuilders have the advantage of having really solid muscle.  There is just no way to cheat or replicate years of heavy powerlifting.

That is why some College Football players will still look massive even years after they stopped competing.

But, I also think about what type of crazy training I was doing back then.

First of all, my diet was STRICT.  I was living with two roommates at the time and without the distraction of a wife/kids, all I did was eat cleanly.  Very low carb and also very low calorie.

Secondly, I was lifting heavy.  I was just coming off my best powerlifting year, where I was benching 350 and deadlifting over 560.

And finally, I was also running pretty good.  I had my 3 mile time down to 20 minutes flat and I was running the mile in around 5:20 on the track.

So overall, I was bench pressing over 315 lbs, while running a mile in 5:20 and eating like a bird.

That combination is tough to beat.

I was also hanging out all night, especially on the weekends, until 4 in the morning and burning a ton of extra calories.

One thing I am starting to notice is that although I always get cut, I am starting to look the same every year.

For me to make any “freaky” changes, I am going to have to start getting freaky in my routine.

That means super fast cardio, more super sets in the gym and also a ton of “fasting”.

If I don’t change it up, I will look the same as last year.

Time to make a change…

-John Andre

Check out my 3 books on amazon.com! Or other books I support!

Running 2.0 The End Of Long-Distance Running: Including The Top Ten Spint Workouts To Remove Bodyfat

Finally, Some Good News

I Am Coming In Pretty Thick. This Could Be A Good Summer…

I am now about a month and a half into my Spring training.  So far I have started to clean up my diet and I have also added some intense cardio.

In the last two weeks I ran 3 miles on the treadmile in 20:45 and outside I ran it in 21:40.  I am not as fast I would like to be yet, but I am getting there.

But more importantly, my physique is looking especially thick this year.  Some of that is just from lifting weights for so many years but it’s also from going heavy during the winter.

This winter I was almost deadlifting 545 lbs and I also was squatting 315 to the floor.  Those are heavy, classic, mass-building exercises.

One thing that I have noticed about when I am coming in thick, is that I start to look good pretty fast.

When I am slacking in muscle, often it will take me a long time to start looking good.  But since I put on so much solid muscle this year, I am starting to look “ok” already.

Going forward, I still need to cut another 15+ lbs and continue to improve on my cardio.

I think I should be able to run 3 miles in 21 minutes in a month or so.  After that, I just need to continue adding my sprint training and push it in the gym.

I might have to post some early Spring training pictures this year, I am looking good.

Good luck!

-John Andre

Check out my 3 books on amazon.com! Or other books I support!

Running 2.0 The End Of Long-Distance Running: Including The Top Ten Spint Workouts To Remove Bodyfat

Finally, Some Good News

For Your Training In April You Need To Be A Machine…

After a long winter with some heavy powerlifting, I am really turning the corner and starting to look “a little bit” cut.

April is a month of hard work.  My plan for the next 6 to 8 weeks is just to start killing it in the gym and keep my diet strict.

This will include at least 2 days a week where I work out twice.  That doesn’t mean two long sessions, it means I do weights at lunch and then go back after work to hit the cardio hard.

Sometimes I can do weights and cardio in one session, but I found that taking 3 or 4 hours in between makes a big difference.  I can hit it really hard again after sitting in front of a computer for a while and that hard training will really start to pay off.

This past Thursday I run 3 miles in 20:45 seconds.  That is finally a fast time for me and my only good run of the year so far.  I am hoping that is that start of some fast times and will propel myself into good shape for the summer.

Overall, my training is coming along good, I just need to seriously cut some weight.  I would love to cut as much as 10 lbs before Memorial Day weekend.

Losing weight is the name of the game.  There are millions of people out there training consistently, but their physiques will never improve because they don’t cut any weight.

Heavy lifting, fast cardio, fresh air and strict diet.

That is the name of the game.

-John Andre

Check out my 3 books on amazon.com! Or other books I support!

Running 2.0 The End Of Long-Distance Running: Including The Top Ten Spint Workouts To Remove Bodyfat

Finally, Some Good News