Back To The Basement
Time To Crush Shoulders

By: Brian Wiefering
www.wiefit.com 
Goal: Get stronger and bigger than ever

a. 	Give up staying in shredded condition this off season
	a. Dramatically increase calories
	b. Be ready to say no to modeling offers
	c. Be ready to purchase new wardrobe
	
b. 	Stick with the basics in training
	a. Train in basement with dumbbells, barbells, squat rack,
	and adjustable bench. Focus on the basics - squats,
	deadlifts, and presses.
	b. Get back to lifting heavy - sets of 5X5, and 8X4, etc.
	c. Create "crazy" routines to promote growth.
	
c. 	Continue during this offseason to take the supplements
	that I usually only take when getting ready for a show
	a. Get in 7-8 meals including 3 Ultimate Muscle Protein
	shakes a day.
	b. 5 Mass/5Ultra 40 with every meal
	c. 10 Muscle Synergy upon rising and 10 - 45 minutes
	before my workout.
	d. 1 scoop of Creatine Select and 2 scoops of Glutamine
	Select mixed with 16 ounces of water - sip during
	workout. Take another serving right after my workout.
	e. 3 - 7 Keto 30 minutes prior to workout.
Tuesday morning:
My alarm goes off at 6:00am. On Tuesday’s and Thursdays I work out from 6:45 to 8:00am. I’ve got to be at work by 9:00. I take 10 Muscle Synergy as soon as I get out of bed. I splash some water on my face, brush my teeth, and put on whatever shorts, t-shirt, and shoes are around—I don’t care what I look like cause I’m just walking three houses down the street to workout in my training partner’s basement.

6:15:
I take my 7-Keto for some wake up energy and workout boost. Then I mix Creatine Select and Glutamine Select in my water bottle to sip during my workout. I can already tell I’m about to get a pump like never before. Just for the record, I’ve never taken steroids in my entire life. First because of the obvious health concerns – I’m married with 4 girls. But another big reason I have stayed away is the fear I’d be addicted to the strength gains they would give me. I was afraid it’d be impossible for me to cycle off. Well, guess what? Now, I’m addicted to what the Glutamine / Creatine Select supplement potion stated above is doing for me. I’ve even been known to put off a workout until later if I don’t have it available—no lie.

6:45:
Time to crush shoulders with Marty, my training partner. Marty meets me at the door and off to the basement we go. Marty asks, "What’re we doing today?" I tell him, "Arnold presses and dumbbell side lateral raises for shoulders, and dumbbell shrugs for traps". He asks, "Is that it?" I say, "That’s it!" Now, most people would give a sigh of relief thinking we would be taking it easy with just a few exercises, but Marty has a premonition that what’s about to happen is not as easy as it sounds.

I start off with a warm-up set for 15. After Marty’s set, I grab the 70’s and do a set of 10. Next I go to the 90’s for as many reps as I can get on my own, with Marty helping on the last few to get 10. – Now I’m warmed up! I reduce the weight slightly and do 5 more sets shooting for 10 reps per set with the 80lb dumbbells. Already the workout’s brutal and we’re just getting started.

Next up is side lateral dumbbell raises. I pick up a set of light dumbbells and do 25 reps for a warm-up set and a great burn. After Marty’s set, I increase the weight and do a set of 15. I add a little more weight and do one final warm-up set.

Now it’s time to really feel the pain.

I tell Marty, "OK, now we’re going to do four drop sets" (or whatever you want to call this technique). Here’s how it goes. I pick up the 35’s and do 10 reps with good form. Then immediately pick up the 30’s for 10 more reps. A quick breath, shake the arms and back to the 35’s for 9 reps (with Marty’s help on the last few). Then the 30’s for 9. Back to the 35’s for 8 and the 30’s for 8. My last set is with the 35’s again for 7, and then the 30’s for 7. Marty helps me whenever I fall short of the intended reps on my own. I do all four of these compound sets with literally no break between. My shoulders are so blown up they feel like they truly might explode.

Marty wants to start his drop sets to "get them over with", but I tell him he has to wait a little because I can’t even lift my arms yet to spot him. The burn is bad! I walk around and finally it subsides enough to spot Marty. He gets through it and our shoulders are trashed!

Now it’s traps. My first set is 35 reps with fairly heavy dumbbells. Yes, another great warm-up and burn at the same time. Here is how the rest of the workout goes. I grab the 100’s and do 4 sets of 10 with 1- 2 minutes rest per set. Finished? No, that’s just the beginning. Now it’s time to really go to work. This next technique gets my traps so freaking sore I feel like I have the flu for a few days. 		We do 4 more sets, but this time for 15 reps. I get 10 on my own, then on each of the last 5 reps on each set, Marty stands behind me and grabs underneath my triceps, just above the elbows, and helps me to get my shoulders up closer to my ears. With Marty’s help I squeeze and hold each rep #11-15 for a slow 5-count. To recap shrugs: 1x35; 4x10; then 4 more sets of 15 (10 on my own, then 5 forced reps at the end of each of these 4 sets - holding each of the forced reps for a slow count of 5).

At this point in the workout I’m sweating so hard, and so worn out, I just can’t think of doing anything else—And that’s the key! But, I’m not done yet. I realized from my last few competitions that my back is not wide enough. My complete lat development is not even close to the rest of my back. So, I promised myself I would do what it took to get my back up to par. So, outside of my regular back workout, I make myself do 5 sets of 10 wide grip pull-ups on another body part day. So, after I am done with the "nutty" trap workout, I grab the overhead beam in Marty’s basement and don’t go home until I complete my 50 pull-ups.

I walk up to the house, quickly mix and drink my UMP shake, drink another serving of the glutamine and creatine mix, shower, shave, and off to work I go! One problem - my shoulders and neck have a pump so fierce that I can’t button the top button on my dress shirt or put on my tie.
pull ups
I grab the overhead beam
and don't go home until
I complete my pull-ups

Bodybuilding World  :  Body Muscle Journal : Client Profile  : Back Issues : Order Online : Beverly International Net   Vitamin Supplement Guide
beverly international nutrition