PHASE 1: OFF-SEASON
Nutrition:
Meal 1: 9 egg whites, 2 yolks, 8 oz turkey or chicken, 1 cup oatmeal
Meal 2: Protein Shake: 2 scoops UMP or Muscle Provider, 1 scoop Mass Maker, l tbsp heavy
whipping cream
Meal 3: 8 oz chicken, 10 oz sweet potato, 2 cups salad, 1 cup green veggies
Meal 4: Same as meal 2
Meal 5: 10 oz chicken or fish, 2 cups salad, 2 cups green veggies
Meal 6: Same as meals 2 & 4
Supplements: 1 Super Pak with meal 1. 4 Mass amino and 6 Ultra 40 with every meal. Quadracarn, 3 tabs 3 times per day. 1 scoop Creatine Select prior to & immediately after training. 1 scoop Muscle Synergy prior to training.
Strength Training: Power phase 6 to 8 weeks, rep ranges are 4 to 8 reps (very hard on joints & tendons for older people.) (The old 1 rep max is a thing of the past.) I also use the muscle confusion principle for my workouts. (Every chest workout is different from the prior workout, etc.) My training split is - Chest & Tri's, Back & Bi's, Legs (by themselves),
Shoulders, Abs and Calves.
Conditioning: 30 minutes, 3 times per week. Expend 350 to 400 calories per session. (I use a heart rate monitor.)
PHASE 2: PRE-CONTEST PROGRAM, 12 TO 8 WEEKS OUT
Nutrition:
Meal 1: 6 egg whites, 6 oz turkey & ½ cup oatmeal
Meal 2: 2 scoops UMP cookies & cream in 12 oz water
Meal 3: 8 oz chicken, 2 cups salad, 1 cup brown rice
Meal 4: Same as meal 2, but added 1 apple
Meal 5: 10 oz chicken, 2 cups salad, 1 cup green veggies
Meal 6: Same as meal 2
Supplements:
1 Super Pak with meal 1. 4 Mass amino and 6 Ultra 40 with every meal. 2 Lean Out with every meal and 2 Lean Out and 3 capsules of 7-Keto before cardio. Quadracarn, 3 tabs 3 times per day. 1 scoop of Creatine Select and Muscle Synergy prior to workout.
Strength training: Same training split, but the rep range is from 8 to 12 reps for muscle hypertrophy.
Conditioning: This program is most important for older competitors as we tend to carry a little more bodyfat as we age. The majority of age classes do not have a weight class and the size can differ greatly. In the 2009 Cincinnati there were 10 guys in the class. I won the class in spite of being one of the smaller guys, due to my conditioning. As I prepared for the 2011 Northern Kentucky, Roger, at Beverly International, suggested I not worry about my weight and just focus on conditioning. Following his advice I won the 60 & over class and was first on all 9 judges' cards. The conditioning program consisted of both steady-state and high intensity programs.
For the high intensity program, I used an elliptical machine. Start with a 5 minute warm-up; then 30 seconds of all out effort with a 30 second recovery; then 30 second all out with a 60 second recovery; follow with 20 second all out and 120 second recovery; continue with a 10 second all out sprint with 30 second recovery and finish with another 60 second recovery. Repeat this cycle 2 more times and finish with a 5 minute cool down. I do this program every other day.
Non interval days I use steady-state cardio. I work to burn 400 to 450 calories in 30 minutes on these days. I do cardio 7 days per week from weeks 12 to the start of week 2.
PHASE 3: PRE-CONTEST PROGRAM, 8 TO 4 WEEKS OUT
At 8 weeks from the contest my nutrition changed and I went to a carb loading plan. Roger gave this to me when I first started and it's not too unlike the diet plan Todd Jackson used when he competed. Most of us know Todd as the emcee at many of the Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky regional competitions; however I was fortunate enough to see him compete a few years ago. He has the perfect blend of muscle size and symmetry and his posing is anything but amateurish.
This phase requires more discipline as you use complex carbs twice per week and you may notice a difference in how you feel; but you will be amazed at how your physique changes!
Meal 1: 6 egg whites, 6 oz turkey, 1 grapefruit
Meal 2: 2 scoops UMP in 12 oz water
Meal 3: 8 oz chicken, 2 cups salad, 1 cups green veggies
Meal 4: Same as meal 2
Meal 5: 8 oz chicken or fish, 2 cups salad
On Monday & Thursdays: Replace meal 5 with the following:
10 oz sweet potato, 1 ½ cups oatmeal (measured before cooking), 1 cup green veggies and 1 banana. Add 1 tbsp of butter to the sweet potato.
Strength Training: Continue with the 8 to 12 reps, but also add supersets and trisets. Also add a couple sets of 20 reps to add size to type one muscle fibers.
Conditioning: No changes
Supplements: Same as Phase 2, but add the following:
4 Muscularity, 2 Energy Reserve and 4 GH factor prior to workouts and cardio
Phase 4: PRE-CONTEST PROGRAM, 4 TO 2 WEEKS OUT
4 weeks prior to the competition I replaced chicken & turkey with fish for meals 1, 3 and 5. (I got this from Doug Gibson former Mr. Ohio a few years back.)
PHASE 5: PRE-CONTEST PROGRAM, THE LAST 2 WEEKS
As I prepared for the 2011 Northern Kentucky, Roger suggested I eliminate complex carbs that
week.
Nutrition plan for week 2 was the same for the prior week, except I DID NOT CARB LOAD.
Strength Training: No changes
Conditioning: Steady-state, 2 sessions of 20 minutes each, expending 150 calories per session.
Supplements: No changes
The Final Week Nutrition:
Meal l: Same as prior weeks
Meal 2: Same
Meal 3: Same
Meal 4: Same
Meal 5: Carb load meal Monday & Wednesday; on Tuesday is regular protein meal.
Thursday & Friday meals: No sodium!!
Boiled chicken and 1 grapefruit for meals 1, 3 and 5. Meals 2 and 4: 2 scoops UMP or Muscle
Provider with enough water to make a pudding.
Supplements: 1 scoop of Creatine Select with every meal starting Tuesday through the show on Saturday. 1 scoop of Muscle Synergy 10 minutes before pumping up. All other supplements stay the same.
I have used this program with others with great success. My wife, Erica, has used a version with great results in both bodybuilding and figure competitions. I used it with my friend Matt Beiser, who won his class in his FIRST competition.
Beverly International Redux:
Nutrition is only a small portion of the information I was given by Beverly International. At their seminars I learned how to prepare for a competition, how to pose, what to expect when I got there, and what the judges look for. Although BI no longer holds seminars they've made almost all of the information they shared available on the web at www.bevnut.com/faq as well as in the article section of www.bodybuildingworld.com. Issues containing this information are volumes 11.4, 12.1, and 12.3.
Roger even told me about a "Top Squat" bar that helped me squat when I was having a shoulder problem and couldn't squat with a traditional bar. This and a lot more valuable information was always FREE!
Beverly International products are part of my lifestyle and I use them year round. As a business owner and Personal Trainer for 10 years, I suggest Beverly products to all my clients whether they are competitors, firefighters, police officers, martial artists, athletes or just for general health and fitness. Beverly International has a diverse product line for whatever your goals may be. They also guarantee their products (Not many companies will do that and actually stand behind their guarantee!) Roger and Sandy and their staff are always researching to find products that provide the most effective results at the best price. When you call for Customer Service, the staff will go the extra mile to be sure you get the exact product to help you reach your goal.
If you are looking for a competitive edge you can't get any better than Beverly International. My 12 years of success is testament to that.
CARDIO SCHEDULE
I started 16 weeks out with 20 minutes, 3 or 4 times a week. At 7 weeks out I upped it to 30 minutes every day before my first meal. I increased it to 40 minutes for the last 4 weeks. I quit doing cardio 3 days before my show to allow for full recovery before my contest. Sometimes I would go for an additional walk in the PM if I had enough energy.
I always tried to do the stair stepper for half of my cardio because it got my heart rate up the best without putting too much stress on my knee. The key for me was to do it right away in the morning on an empty stomach. Although I have to admit it was not easy when my stomach was screaming for food! I often had a cup of coffee before, as well as Glutamine Select.
I started 16 weeks out with 20 minutes, 3 or 4 times a week. At 7 weeks out I upped it to 30 minutes every day before my first meal. I increased it to 40 minutes for the last 4 weeks. I quit doing cardio 3 days before my show to allow for full recovery before my contest. Sometimes I would go for an additional walk in the PM if I had enough energy.
I always tried to do the stair stepper for half of my cardio because it got my heart rate up the best without putting too much stress on my knee. The key for me was to do it right away in the morning on an empty stomach. Although I have to admit it was not easy when my stomach was screaming for food! I often had a cup of coffee before, as well as Glutamine Select.
TRAINING SCHEDULE
I usually lift 5 or 6 times a week depending on my work schedule. I'd normally train Legs, Back, Chest, Arms and Shoulders one day each and abs and calves 2-3 times a week. I usually kept reps low at 8 to 10, but occasionally I throw in supersets or randomly change to high reps or a burnout set. It all depends on my energy level.
PRESENTATION TIPS
Don't wait until the last minute to start posing or practicing your routine! Seriously, I didn't conclude my routine until about 8 days out from my contest. I can't even begin to tell you the amount of stress it caused me.
I ordered one bottle of Pro Tan and had my mom paint me three days before the contest. We quickly figured out that wasn't going to be enough. Luckily I was able to sign up for a professional spray tan at the competition. I got 2 coats Friday night and let them dry well before going bed and got a touch up before prejudging and another one before the night show.
The whole contest prep was kind of fun in a weird way. I learned a lot about my body and how the tiniest changes can affect how you look when you are that lean. The preparation pretty much consumed my life during the final few weeks, but it was something that I had always dreamed about. In my first show I was able to win first place in the novice division of the North American Natural Bodybuilding Federation KC Classic!
When I look back at it, was it how I thought it was going to be? Nope, but is it ever? Would I do it again? Absolutely! If only my body would heal already!
Charlie Gripp at a Glance:
Age: 60
Years Training: 42; Years Competing: 12
Occupation: Certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Specialist
Family: Wife Erica, daughters Andrea, Brandi & Jessie
Current Residence: West Chester, Ohio
Education: Bachelor Degree, University of Louisville
Weight: Off-season, 175; Competition, 160
Favorite supplements: UMP Cookies & Cream, Muscle Synergy powder
Inspiring People: Todd Jackson (Perfect bodybuilding physique), John Bruce (True Warrior's Spirit) and Herb Hood (Cancer survivor with profound mental toughness.)
Words to live by: Through Him All things are Possible.
