Posted by Jeff Alberts on Friday, February 3, 2012,
In :
2013 Contest Prep
It's been a while since my last vlog/blog and lately it's been tough to find the time and motivation lately until now. Let's just say my personal life has seen some huge changes the past few months. There have been difficult obstacles that have surfaced, so most of my attention has been surely on addressing them. Hopefully moving forward I can get back to regular vlogging/blogging as it's something I really love doing. Thank you all for your support and understanding while I've been away :)
Posted by Jeff Alberts on Friday, December 2, 2011,
In :
2013 Contest Prep
Today was deadlift day and it’s surely my favorite exercise to get a bit ugly with. Nothing makes you look so ugly in the face than a few tough sets of deads…but man oh man do you sure look pretty once you hit the stage.
I finally have my deadlifts back up to 4 plates today…nothing too special…but it’s only my 4th deadlift session since the Yorton Cup.
12/1/11 - 5/3/1 Deadlifts 170lbs x 5 225lbs x 5 255lbs x 3 320lbs x 5 365lbs x 3 405lbs x 5 255lbs x 5 x 10reps
Posted by Jeff Alberts on Thursday, November 10, 2011,
In :
2013 Contest Prep
It’s been 10 days since the Yorton Cup and right now I just slammed down my 2nd homemade pizza of the day. As I sit here at my computer typing this I feel bloated and disgusted with myself…I have literally ate myself sick for the past 10 days and I can finally say I’m now officially ready to tackle my upcoming offseason. My initial plan was to reverse my diet once the season ended, but crap…that lasted for about a quick 5 minutes LOL! After a long 47 weeks of prep and dealing with som...
It’s been some time since my last blog, so I thought I would do a quick update. I’m currently 10 days away from the biggest natural bodybuilding show of my life…The Yorton Cup! The IFPA’a World Championships! To think back to December 6, 2010 when I first began my prep to right now 45 ½ weeks later is totally mind boggling. I mean the goal in the beginning was to stand on the World stage, but to actually have it coming true in 10 days…well I am just simply in amazement.
Posted by Jeff Alberts on Tuesday, August 23, 2011,
My brother and I with the man who has inspired me with my posing style...none other then the master poser himself, "Ed Corney" My brother Paul and myself Master's Class (yes I'm old LOL!) Open Middleweights Open Overall My brother and I trying our best to take out the heavyweight Master's Awards
I thought I would do a video blog this week and see how it goes. It was pretty weird talking into the camera...I find it a lot easier to write my words, but it was a new challenge I guess. I hope you all like it and maybe I will do more in the future. I'm sure I'll get better at producing them. Well it's getting closer to show day with just over 4 weeks until the NPC Central Valley and just over 8 weeks to my pro debut in Kansas. It's doesn't seem real yet because I've been so busy having fun... Continue reading ...
“You know, all that really matters is that the people you love are happy and healthy. Everything else is just sprinkles on the sundae.” ~Paul Walker
Last week my wife and I drove up to Oregon to visit my stepdad, Tim and his bride to be, Terrie, for a few days. Terrie is such an incredibly nice, hardworking and loving person and I’m really glad he found a terrific individual to share his life with. As many of you know, I’ve dedicated this contest season in my stepdad’s honor as he ba...
“All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.” ~Earl Nightingdale
Since my last blog, I ‘ve decided to enter the NPC Central Valley Championships as a warm up show on August 20th in Modesto, Ca. That gives me 7 weeks to prepare and I will be anywhere between 165-167lbs for that first show. I’ll be entering both the open and master’s division…my first as a master :) My team and I feel I have around 10lbs to lose off of my current weight (17...
*Warning – After 30 weeks into prep there may be some typos and grammar errors LOL! Enjoy :)
Contest prep fun? I know for some the thought of restricting calories and doing boring bouts of cardio can be quite miserable. I’ve come to the realization some bodybuilders place an enormous amount of pressure on themselves while prepping. That can be quite overwhelming and it can make for a not so pleasant experience. Especially when contest preps can last for weeks ...
“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.” ~Matsuo Basho
My motivation and drive during this prep has been of good balance; neither too high nor too low. I guess having 25 shows under your belt will do that to you. I pretty much know what to expect from myself and now in my 29th week of prep, I feel like I can go for another 29 weeks. I feel right at home and very comfortable.
Weight Start of Prep: 12/06/10 – 206.5lbs. 6/22/11 – 174.6lbs Goal Weight: 160ish *Note – Hit a...
Wow…I can’t believe I’m 40 today! Time just moves so fast and the years seemed to have added up really quick. However, I’m not feeling depressed about it…I’m actually quite proud today. My wife and I headed out to go see a movie and I was pretty happy sitting there with a package of beef jerky and two Peppermint Patties...it’s all good…don’t worry it fit within my nutrition targets. Tonight I made myself a chocolate whey cake topped with fat free cool whip. For the topping, ...
“Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.” ~Michael Jordan
This past week the IFPA accepted my application for pro status and I will now be competing in their IFPA Pro International show in Kansas City, Kansas on September 16 & 17th along with my teammates Alberto Nunez and Brad Loomis. This is so exciting for me because not only will it be my pro debut, but more importantly I get to share the experience with two of my closest friends. This show I’m sure will be very competitive and of cour...
“It is my feeling that Time ripens all things; with Time all things are revealed; Time is the father of truth.” ~Francois Rabelais
It’s hard to believe I began this prep back on December 6, 2010 and I’m just now starting to show some good signs of muscularity 27 weeks later. It’s been a long time in the waiting, but I’m very motivated to reach my full potential this year…it’s just going to take some more time. Not only does it take time to shed body fat, but it also takes quite ...
"The best things in life are unexpected - because there were no expectations." ~Eli Khamarov
Current Thoughts Today I was feeling a bit light headed and really fatigued from a long road trip to Oregon that my wife and I went on Tuesday through Thursday in which we had a very nice visit with my stepfather. Yesterday’s 11 hr drive back home took its toll on me, so I wasn’t expecting too much in the gym today. I don’t know what it is, but just when I think I’m not feeling it, I seem to pr...
Quote It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. ~Confucius
Current Thoughts Things have been progressing a little slower than I anticipated last week, but the good news is I’m still improving and I’m moving forward. I went ahead and made some changes recently because my physique was beginning to look too stringy. Mentally it was frustrating to look flat most of the time and when my scheduled refeed rolled around I decided to eat more than my scheduled target. My last re...
This season so far has been a crazy roller coaster ride with a lot of sharp turns and many ups and downs. Life's issues have surfaced which has made this contest prep the toughest I’ve faced mentally. Not only have I been dealing with unforeseen outside issues, but also weeks where my weight didn’t want to budge which is something I’ve never really experienced in my bodybuilding career. That had me emotionally in the dumps and my confidence...
Recently I learned my stepfather’s cancer is now terminal. I got the call from my step sister while I was on the treadmill doing my cardio at about 50 minutes in. After I hung up the phone with her I just wanted to lie down and cry, but I jumped right back on and powered through my last ten minutes even though I was choked up. It was a tough night for me and right away I knew my bodybuilding season would have a deeper meaning to it. This season is just not about bringing my absolute best e...
On Monday I started my latest plan of attack which consists of 3 lower carb days followed by a higher carb day and then I simply repeat the cycle. I just wrapped up my high carb day on Thursday which consisted of 500 grams of carbs and I’m feeling pretty damn good…as I should be after eating all that good food LOL. I weighed in today (5/5/11) at 180.8lbs and that is about the same as early last week, but with that long trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico it really limited my productivity. I gain...
Week 21 was spent on the road from San Rafael, Ca to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Last Sunday, my father-in-law and I loaded up all of my grandmother-in-law’s belongings and moved her out to New Mexico. It was a long 1,300 mile one way drive which took two days to do. After the first day of driving we stopped in Flagstaff, Az. for the night. In the morning, I was able to get in a 20 minute cardio session at the hotel’s fitness center before getting back on the road, but that was the extent of my...
When I'm getting ready to settle in for the day I do not want to reflect back and second guess myself…could I have did anything better today? I want that answer to be a resounding NO! Weight Start Date - 12/06/10 - 206.5lbs Goal Date – Whenever - Goal Weight – 160lbs Current – 04/23/11 – 180.6lbs
*Note – The scale has finally moved past 182.2! It’s time to show what this veteran is all about :) Nutrition This prep I’ve been trying a different approach. In years past, I simply would...
Wow! I have been so busy lately…family time, 3DMJ, training, studying, etc. it’s been hard to get a blog up. I’m a little behind, but I’ll do my best to cover everything. Family Day On Saturday April 9th my wife and I shared a family day with her dad, grandmother, aunt and uncle. We all drove out to Marin Headlands where we celebrated my wife’s late cousin, Mary Kate, by spreading her ashes over a beautiful mountain side which overlooks the stunning San Francisco Bay where she is now ...
Went to lunch with my Dad today…it was great just hanging out for a bit and having some nice conversation. Love you Dad!
Weight Start Date - 12/06/10 - 206.5lbs Goal Date – Whenever - Goal Weight – 160lbs Current – 04/08/11 – 182.2lbs
*Note – Weight seems to be at a standstill…an adjustment might be in order. May have to increase cardio some and decrease my Saturday re-feeds from 500c to 400. Going to wait until the morning to see what the scale says first.
I ‘m totally over my cold from last week and I have resumed my normal activity.
Weight Start Date - 12/06/10 - 206.5lbs Goal Date – Whenever - Goal Weight – 160lbs Current – 04/05/11 – 183.4lbs
*Note – I hit 180.6 on Friday 4/1/11, but it was a fluke weigh in. As of Friday, I began taking creatine monohydrate as suggested by my teammates. Because of the creatine intake, recent high sodium levels and Saturday’s big re-feed the scale moved up, but visually I look leaner and much...
I came down with a damn cold right after my last workout on Tuesday. Knowing from my past experiences in training with a cold it only ends up making things worse, so I decided to play it safe and cease my cardio sessions the past few days. In doing so, I just lowered my carb intake to make up the difference. On regular days instead of 260 grams of carbs I lowered it down to 240 grams. I will re-adjust back to 260 starting on Sunday. I'm feeling much better now and ready to resume my normal t...
So far this year my goal is to blog about 1x per week, but on occasion I do miss a week or two. Usually I write in depth about my progress and general feelings and sometimes writing this blog can take a couple of hours and sometimes longer. I really enjoy expressing my feelings in this platform, but as of late it is getting harder and harder to find the time. The past couple of weeks and in the weeks ahead I have and will be studying for the NASM Personal Trainer certification, working with p...
Hey everyone! Just a quick recap from my last leg workout last Saturday 3/26/11. Usually Fridays I hit legs, but I just wasn't feeling that great, so I decided to wait until Saturday morning to make sure I got in a great workout. It was a wise choice because Saturday's leg workout was a very good one. I did not hit any PR's (personal records), but I managed to keep my progressions rolling on most exercises for the 3rd straight week. Here's how it went:
Week 15 was a great one as I am progressing nicely. Weight training is going as planned, cardio is on par and so is nutrition. I’m in the middle of Week 16 as I write this and everything seems to be right on schedule.
First off, I am sending my deepest sympathy and my good thoughts to all the people in Japan and to the rest of the world who have been affected by the catastrophic Japan quake. I have high hopes they will have a quick and smooth recovery. It’s a devastating event to say the least and it really does put into perspective just how unimportant my bodybuilding endeavors truly are. I feel very fortunate that my wife and I are safe and secure.I do not take for granted that at any moment that all...
In my opinion, the WNBF truly is a landmark for natural bodybuilding because of its rich history and tremendous athletes. It has been a dream of mine to earn pro status in the WNBF and it has taken me many years to achieve that dream. I was really looking forward to competing in my first WNBF show this year and hopefully have a chance to stand alongside Brian Whitacre and Shaun Clarida at the World Championships, but due to the fact I am located in California does create a financial hardship ...
The past two weeks have flown by and my progress has been nice and steady. I just keep reminding myself to take each day as they come and to not over analyze things. I really want to keep this process as simple as possible that way I can thoroughly enjoy myself without any added or unwanted pressure. Current State As of today, I weighed in at 188.4lbs which is about 2lbs lighter since my last blog, but I feel more than likely tomorrow will be even lower. I have seen a low of 187.6lbs late last ...
Posted by Jeff Alberts on Wednesday, February 16, 2011,
In :
2011 Contest Journey
First off…I want to say Happy Valentine’s Day to my wife Jhanna! I love you very much! Where Have I been? It has been a month since my last blog. Some may have been wandering why I have not been blogging lately? Let’s just say life has been kicking my a** lately. There have been many stressful issues other than my contest preparation that have surfaced in my life which needed my attention. Without a doubt there has to be balance in one’s life in order to put forth 100% effort into conte...
What a complete turnaround from last week’s down and out experience! Everything fell into place and it was due to re-programming my mindset and my nutrition plan. Mentally contest prep can sometimes get the best of you and that is exactly what happened in Week 5. I was not seeing the results I am accustomed to attaining and that left me to feel a bit discouraged. I was down on myself and I was definitely beating myself up. In order to overcome this problem I needed to step back for a minute...
Week 5 did not go as planned as I lost my focus on a few occasions and I missed all of my cardio sessions. I was off on my nutrition target numbers on 3 out of the seven days. Also, my lower back has really been bothering me as of late and I skipped another leg workout earlier in the week. Deadlifts and free weight squats are out of the question for now. It was one of those weeks where nothing seemed to go right. I have re-focused for Week 6 and mentally I am ready to have a great week! Ther...
The past couple of weeks have been extremely busy! Christmas and then New Years made it really hard for me to find the time to write my blog. First off, I want to say my stepfather’s surgery went really good and he is on his way to recovery, so I am very happy about that. I want to thank everybody who sent their thoughts and prayers his way and it is truly appreciated.
Since my last blog I have transitioned into a new training program and so far it has been working beautifully. I put HIT on...
I hit a little wall today and I decided to go lighter with my workout today. After squats and stiff legged deads, I put a halt to my workout because I felt I would be digging a deeper hole into my recovery abilities. The previous two workouts earlier in the week went as planned and I hit a couple more personal records, so I knew making it through the end of this week and trying to sustain the high pace I have been on for the past 8-9 weeks was going to be rough. Later today, I will be discuss...
Almost a full week is now in the books. I started this prep at 206.5 lbs and that is bit high and not really where I wanted it to be. I enjoyed the last week of my offseason by indulging in rich foods and it somehow went straight to my midsection. It is…what it is and now I just have to put in the work to get rid of it.
Nutrition On Monday December 6th I began this journey by targeting my nutrition numbers as follows:
Today was officially the start of my 2011 contest prep and my first official weigh in was 206.5lbs. A little high from yesterdays food binge on ice cream, chips, cake, etc. So I am a bit bloated, but nothing I can't lose. I hit my nutrition numbers almost to the exact numbers (200 p, 300 c, 50 f) I am shooting for in my first week. Protein was at 203 grams, carbs 301 grams and fat was 45 grams. I got a bit hungry in the middle of the day and that was confusing to me as I really have not had a... Continue reading ...
It‘s getting really close…very close and I am getting more and more fired up. The start of my contest prep is just 9 short days away! It is hard to believe 15 months of offseason have gone by. There are many questions that are spinning around in my mind that are causing some doubts as to what kind of gains I have made… if any at all. This offseason had its share of injuries that has tested my mental will. Usually that only happens when I am in full contest prep mode, but mentally it has...
Posted by Jeff Alberts on Thursday, November 18, 2010,
In :
2009-2010 Off Season
It has been a while since my last blog and things have been going great as far as my training. I have been hammering away in the gym with Eric Helms, and our training sessions are through the roof! In my last squat session I did 370x6x4, so my squats continue to climb. Yesterday, I did deadlifts with 415x6x6 and that is a personal best for reps. The deadlift session before that, I hit 440x3 and that was a personal record beating my previous best by two reps. I cannot complain about my trainin... Continue reading ...
Reflecting Back on a Frustrating Offseason This past offseason was by far the hardest I have ever experienced. It was difficult due to the fact I had to deal with so many nagging injuries. I pretty much battled every upper body workout this offseason because of shoulder pain. The pain limited my ability to lift heavy at times and mentally it has been frustrating because it makes you feel like progress is not what it should be. About a month ago, I did some research regarding shoulder pain on ...
This week did not go according as planned. I attempted to have a hardcore week with HIT, but instead I had to go with lower intensity and higher volume training. For the past few weeks I have been talking about my bad shoulders and to be quite honest I am tired of talking about it. They simply hurt and I just have to deal with it. I have a strained lat and it hurts too, but it is what it is! I need to stop stressing over it and just keep my focus. Instead of trying to game plan around these s...
I had some bad news this week…my video camera died on me! I was not able to film any training sessions this week. I have to look into getting another one and then I can start filming again.
Training Update - Deload Week This past week I went into the gym with a scheduled deload to help me recover from the previous two weeks of high intensity training. On Monday night I had leg day and I did some free weight squats, stiff legged deadlifts, standing toe press on the smith machine and then ...
Posted by Jeff Alberts on Saturday, September 11, 2010,
In :
2009-2010 Off Season
This blog is dedicated to Zhdanko, my friend in Russia who requested more video. So with that in mind, I decided to fill this week's blog with video. Enjoy!
David Bradford Comes to Town! On Friday of last week my brother-in-law to be, David Bradford, ventured up from Southern California for the weekend and we got in two awesome workouts. David is looking to enter is first ever competition next season and I feel he will hit the stage looking really good. Since he started hitting the gym back i...
Posted by Jeff Alberts on Thursday, September 2, 2010,
In :
2009-2010 Off Season
Last week I shared my latest plans for my training and that was to switch back to HIT (High Intensity Training) for the remainder of my offseason which is up until November. This type of training has been pretty much been my main training staple since 1992 and I feel it has done an excellent job of packing on the muscle I have attained over the years.My HIT workouts are generally performed with an emphasis on heavy weights executed with super strict and controlled form, so I can focus on su...
In my last blog I was a little down in the dumper with my training. My shoulders, stamina and self doubt were creeping up on me and my mind was going a mile a minute. I received a few emails from other athletes, my brother, WNBF Pro Paul Alberts, Eric Helms, Tony Hartman and Ken Stevenson who provided me a lot of encouragement and support. I just wanted to say thank you to you guys for taking the time to write to me. The support and advice was well received and it has truly helped me to re-fo...
The past month has been a real challenge for me in the bodybuilding world.Some things are appearing to be tougher for me mentally and physically. My age and the past 24 years in the gym are beginning to be a major factor with my performance in the gym. I know some people may look up to me as this hardcore bodybuilder with terrific drive and determination, but just like anyone else I am a human being first before a bodybuilder. With that being said, I have my own share of downfalls. I want t...
There was so much fun this month that I cant even put it into words. I went to 2 shows here in Northern California and it was a blast! I also had a great workout with my brother-in-law David B. who came down to visit for a weekend. Instead of writing about it, I am just going to post up some pictures instead. Enjoy!
Today it is officially 70 weeks until the 2011 WNBF US Pro Cup where I will be making my WNBF Pro debut. As of late, I have been putting a lot of pressure on myself to really drop some of the excess weight I have put on since my vacation to San Diego. I tend to eat more and lose some self control when I am under a lot of stress. What types of stress? Well… normal everyday challenges in life and the fact I am unemployed can put some unwanted stress on you. My downfall for me and for so man...
I want to say Happy Mother’s day to my mom! It has been almost 5 years since her passing, but I am not sad today. Today I am happy and very proud I had a mom as special as her. I can say I would not be the man I am today if it was not for her. In loving memory of her, here is my post from last year on mother’s day, as I was making my way to the INBF Capital City Natural Championships.
I wanted to write about my mom today as this was her special day. My mom past away 4 years ago and s...
Last Saturday, my fellow teammate, Alberto Nunez, told me we have exactly 73 weeks until the 2011 WNBF Pro US Cup, in which I will make my big pro debut! I have never really counted the weeks that far out before because I am usually enjoying my off season. Normally I will start to keep track about 6 months out from a show, but it really opened up my eyes to something new when he told me 73 weeks out. That something new is, I really better start to take a more serious outlook with my off seaso... Continue reading ...
I wanted to say how proud I am of our sponsored athletes, Natural Wheelchair Bodybuilder, Rich Knapp and Natural Bodybuilder, Jason Bosak. These two men have been working their a**es off to get in the best possible shape for their upcoming shows. Both of them have shown great dedication as they continue with their journeys to the contest stage. I am very inspired by their work ethic and their drive to keep pushing forward in the gym. I want to share a couple of recent photos of these two grea... Continue reading ...
First off, let me say this is a very interesting time in my life. I am now in a new transition because as of tomorrow morning, April 1st, 2010 I will be laid off from my job at NUMMI (New United Motor Manufacturing Inc). I have many different feelings about this, ranging from sadness to happiness. I will not miss the actual work itself due to its repetitive nature and the amount of stress it puts on one's body. Although, NUMMI has been very good to me and the many people that have worked ther...
It has been a month since my last blog and when I started this blog my intentions was to update it once per week. It has been a very busy time for me, but in a great way! Here at 3DMJ we have been excited about the progress we have made with the site. I wanted to take this time in this blog to reflect back on the 13 months since starting the site.
January 2009 I decided to come out of retirement andcomeback to the contest stage. The initial idea was to document my journey with a video from sta... Continue reading ...
Wow! It has been really crazy and very busy lately. So much to catch up on, but I will do my best to cover everything.
3DMJ NEWS I have been working really hard this past month along with my fellow coaches at TEAM 3DMJ to get the site updated and running smoothly. We are slowly, but steadily expanding the site with more featured athletes, Natural Movement athletes, articles and contest preparation services. We have also added facebook and twitter so everyone can follow us more closely. It has b... Continue reading ...
It has been quite awhile since my last blog. There has been a lot going on since that last blog. Work, the karaoke party, training, working on the site, holidays and many other things that have popped up in my everyday life. I do not know where to begin!
KARAOKE PARTY Let's start off with the karaoke party my wife and I had on December 12th for my best friend Mike. Mike is in the Air Force and just yesterday he was deployed to Qatar, which is in the Middle East. He will be stationed there for ...
With just 4 weeks to go until my new contest journey, I have been making sure I am enjoying the off season. I have been training hard and eating good! Last night I went to a TEAM 3DMJ meeting and we had healthy pizza! I had a personal pizza made out of dough from Trader Joe's, Bobili sauce, string cheese, fresh mushrooms, fresh basil, pizza seasoning and crushed red pepper. This was the creation from TEAM 3DMJ coach Alberto Nunez and it was super delicious! The pizza had 100 grams of carbs, 3... Continue reading ...
It has been a couple of weeks since my last blog. I have been hard at work adding content to the site, promotion and many other things to get the site improving for better flow for the athletes. With the help of Team 3DMJ we are totally committed to improving the site and natural bodybuilding.
I am pleased to announce the addition of WNBF/PNBA Pro- Brad Loomis (a.k.a Naturally Intense) to our coaching staff. He is a dedicated natural athlete who brings an immense amount of knowledge to natura... Continue reading ...
TEAM 3DMJ has been launched!! I am pleased to announce that WNBF Pro Alberto Nunez , INBF Natural Champion Eric Helms and myself have launched TEAM 3DMUSCLEJOURNEY last night on the site. So far a few athletes have applied in the first day of our offer and we are very pleased and excited for this. We are giving the opportunity for two natural athletes to receive full online contest prep coaching for one contest in 2010. Also, they will be featured as a "Featured Athlete" on the site. To apply...
I had an incredibly busy week! Last weekend WNBF Pro Alberto Nunez, INBF Champion Eric Helms and Eric's wife, Barbara came over last Saturday for a great workout/bbq/ and discussions on big plans for 3DMUSCLEJOURNEY. The workout went really well as Eric is getting quite strong. Barbara also worked out really hard and we shot some video of Alberto in an off season training session. The video was for Berto's feature on the site, check it out if you have not seen it yet. http://www.3dmusclejourn... Continue reading ...
Training News Last week I wrote about going in a new direction with higher volume to help alleviate joint pain and very slow recovery from my typical high intensity workouts. After the first week in the books of this new trial, I have really seen improvements with my joint pain and recovery. I have been getting really sore from the higher volume, but my body just has to adapt to the new training style, which it will. On Monday I did Chest and Arms and it was a great workout.
Training This week started out with a very hard leg workout on Monday and it was a great workout. After last weeks experience with a lot of pain in my forearms, I was ready to start this week on a good note. However on Tuesday I was feeling pain in my knees and lower back. Tuesday was a very tough day at work while trying to work with pain in my forearms, knees and lower back. It was not fun at all. All day Tuesday I was thinking to myself, "what is going on here? I have never felt this way be... Continue reading ...
First off we have a new editor at 3DMUSCLEJOURNEY, his name is Paisano!
My cat and new editor, Paisano!
Last weekend my best friend Mike, flew in from Florida to spend the weekend with my wife and I. Mike has been in the Air Force for the past 18 1/2 years. This was his last visit before he heads out overseas for six months at the end of December. We have been best friends since the 5th grade and he has become a brother to my wife and I. We had a very short visit this past weekend but we did ma... Continue reading ...
I did not get to a blog last week, I was busy with getting ready for my San Diego vacation and other things I was busy with. I just got back from visiting my sister-in-law and her boyfriend in sunny San Diego. I went with my wife and my friend David. We left on Saturday morning and got back yesterday, it was a great time with family and friends with plenty of good food! Not healthy, but tasty! On Saturday we arrived in the late afternoon, we hit the beach first and then we ate mexican food on... Continue reading ...
This week has been so inspiring for me. Last Saturday I trained with INBF Champ Eric Helms, Eric's wife and WNBF Pro - Alberto "Berto" Nunez and it was a very inspiring workout. This past contest season I have been honored to have gotten to know Eric and Berto and they have really given me a lot of inspiration to continue my bodybuilding career. We had a great workout doing chest, delt and triceps. We talked natural bodybuilding and watched some contest vids and just hung out. It was a great ...
This week has been another busy week. I have been working, training and working on the website. Work is getting tougher and tougher to get motivated for. As a lot of you know my work is going to shut its doors in March. I have been working at NUMMI (New United Motor Inc.) for the past 16 years and they have decided to close the plant. We make the Toyota Corollas and the Tacoma pickups. It is a scary time but at the same time I am looking forward to the change. My daily schedule is crazy and s... Continue reading ...
I am now officially in my off season! I started back training last week and I am so sore it is not funny! I am glad to be back in the gym and I really want to make improvements for my next years big pro debut! I had a hard training session yesterday and I trained my lower body with leg extensions, stiff legged dead lifts, toe press and decline sit ups. I did two sets for each exercise and kept my rep range between 10-12 to brake myself in.
Leg Extensions with 4 plates, not bad for my first ...
Posted by Jeff Alberts on Saturday, September 5, 2009,
In :
2009-2010 Off Season
After weeks of training and 4 shows I decided to take a much needed break from bodybuilding. I did a bodybuilding detox! On August 22-24 I went to Las Vegas!! It was my first time in Vegas and it was awesome! I got to celebrate the contest season by enjoying the trip with my wife Jhanna, my best friend Mike and my friend Dave. I got to eat some good food! (It wasn't good for me but it tasted great). We arrived on Friday night after a hard day at work and we walked the strip checking out the s...
Posted by Jeff Alberts on Sunday, August 30, 2009,
I have finished my journey for the 2009 contest season. Last December I made my mind up to come out of retirement and give it one more shot. The last time I stepped on a bodybuilding stage was in October of 2006. After that last outing I was sure I was done with competing. However after looking at some photos on the internet I got that itch again. The only problem was I was way overweight! I was still lifting weights but I was eating almost anything and my weight was up to 202 lbs. My competi...
Posted by Jeff Alberts on Thursday, August 13, 2009,
I am going to Anaheim this Saturday to compete in the Pacific USA Naturals. My goal is to help promote this website down south. I just want to have some fun and meet new people. I do not have any expectations to win. I am using this experience also to try somethings new for peak week. I will update the show when I get back! Continue reading ...
Posted by Jeff Alberts on Thursday, August 6, 2009,
2 days away! This morning I weighed in on my scale at 160 lbs. With 2 days to go I am focusing in on being at my best. I have finished all of my training on Tuesday evening. I hit chest and arms with a hard workout and then finished up with 60 minutes of cardio on my recumbent stationary bike. Now Wednesday through Saturday it is just a matter of analyzing my physique and making sure I eat the right amount and take in the right amount of water. As of Tuesday night I was looking well condition... Continue reading ...
One more week to the Washington State Natural! This week I have made tremendous progress towards this show. After the Capital City on July 18th I ate too much and gained 13lbs and I did not know if I had enough time to recover. However after pushing really hard for the last week and a half I have already improved my conditioning from the Capital City. I currently weighed in at 161 lbs on my scale. This is two pounds heavier than the last show but for some reason I am leaner at a heavier weigh...
The Capital City was a big success for me. I accomplished my goal of showing up in my best ever condition! The three previous times I entered that show I was never in my best shape and it has bothered me that I never competed there at my best. I have vindicated myself with a great showing and placing first in the lightweight class. I also placed 2nd in the overall and many people felt I should have won but after looking at pictures I feel I lost a close decision due to size. I was a little di...
It is the last day before the big show! Yesterday I went to the weigh in and polygraph test. I weighed in at 156lbs, so I will officially be in the lightweight class. I have done all I can up to this point to be as ready as I can . Now I just have to enjoy the show and do the best I can. I have accomplished my goal of getting into my best shape and for that I have already won! I want to thank everyone who has supported me over my journey. I will post the results with photos in the next couple... Continue reading ...
One week away from the big day! It has been a long journey from January 2nd to now. I started at 202 lbs and as of this morning I am right around 159 lbs. This week I have made great progress as I dropped the water weight I was holding and I seem to be tightening up a lot. I have to be careful not to over do it though. I do not want to get too stringy looking. As long as I keep doing what I have been doing I will be ok. This week was totally brutal for my energy levels. They were low all week... Continue reading ...
It is Week 26 and I have made good progress this week. I am sorry for the late update as I have been been extremely busy with home projects. I did not take photos this week but I will post photos in next weeks blog. As of Friday I weighed in at 158 lbs. I look really lean at this weight and I will aim to be around 156-158 lbs. at the show on July 18. Saturday morning I woke up feeling really drained and I was really light headed. I deciced to make Saturday a high carb day. I took in around 60...
Hi everyone! I am in week #25 and I am now down to the final 3 weeks til the big show! I now weigh 160 lbs according to my scale at home. I am coming off a pro card win with the NGA (National Gym Association) last Saturday night but I have more work to do to be at my absolute best. After the show last Saturday I decided to celebrate my win and my birthday with my wife Jhanna, my brother and training partner Michael, and my mother-in-law Nadia. I decided to indulge with 1 chicken enchilada, 2 ... Continue reading ...
I am 2 days away from my first show of this year, 2009 NGA California. I am using this show as a practice run leading up to the Capital City on July 18 to make sure I can correct any mistakes I may have in my posing, tanning, diet, etc. It has been 24 weeks and I have gone from an out of shape bodybuilder who ate anything and everything to an athlete again. It feels good to be back in shape. No matter the outcome I am happy to be where I am now compared to then. I weighed in today at 164 lbs... Continue reading ...
I am 8 days away from the NGA California Natural. I weighed in today at 163 lbs and I am getting leaner each week. I will probably weigh around 161-162 lbs at next weeks show. I am using that show as a tune up for the Capital City in July. I should weigh around 157-158 lbs for the Capital City but maybe I might even be a lightweight at 156 lbs. We will see when I weigh in. This weeks training has gone really well for me. I am not losing any strength and I am getting leaner as I go along from ... Continue reading ...
22 weeks into my contest prep!! I am almost there, just 6 weeks to go to the big day. I am feeling much better this week compared to last week due to my cold. I am writing this blog a couple of days early because I have a busy weekend doing other things. I weighed today at 164 lbs. the same as last week but I definitely look leaner, so I think I may be holding a little water. I have realized this contest prep has been by far the best for me in my career thus far. I have dropped the weight at ... Continue reading ...
Today I weighed in at 164 lbs. This is a 2 lb drop from last week. I am fighting off a small cold and I had to make a decision as to keep training or get some rest. I decided to keep pushing forward but I did not train to complete failure. I did just enough to make sure I stimulated my muscles. With only 3 weeks to the NGA California Natural I can not afford to stop my training. Last weekend I just did not feel good and I was unsure why I was feeling so run down. I thought maybe it was the di... Continue reading ...
20 weeks have gone by and it seems like yesterday I was eating all kinds of junk food. I started this journey at 202 lbs and probably the worst shape I have ever been in. As of today I am 166 lbs and my goal is around 158 lbs but I will continue to drop weight and where I land does not matter as long as I am in my best shape ever. The reason I decided to take this journey was I wanted to prove to myself I can get in my best shape ever and leave no thoughts of what if I did this or that differ... Continue reading ...
I have started a new page on my site called "The Natural Movement". This page is to promote all natural athletes and to help all athletes be inspired to train with integrity and that is 100% naturally. I invite all natural athletes to join and help inspire others to train naturally. http://www.3dmusclejourney.com/naturalmovement.php
19 weeks into my contest prep and I weighed in at 168 lbs as of May 11. With 9 weeks to go I will be able to shed roughly 9-12 more pounds off. This will put me ...
I wanted to write about my mom today as this was her special day. My mom past away 4 years ago and she was an incredible woman. It seems like yesterday I just saw her, as on Mothers Day 4 years ago was the last time I saw her. I think of her everyday and I owe so much to her for making me the person I am today. I think of all the struggles she had as I was growing up. She was a single mom trying to raise me as best as she could by waiting tables to provide for me. She was the kind of woman ...
Here are some photos as of May 8, 2009. I am currently 169 lbs. in these photos. I am getting leaner and improving in some areas such as lower back but I still have more work to do. I am determined to get as lean as possible. Until my next blog keep training hard and naturally!!
Itegrity from the dictionary means - adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
This is not what I am seeing from today's world of bodybuilding and sports (baseball in paticular). Today Manny Ramirez has been suspended for taking an illegal substance. This is not surprising but it is sad. The list continues to grow of ball players who are using performance enhancing drugs from Bonds, Canseco, Palmeiro, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez., etc. What is real any... Continue reading ...
As of today I am 169 lbs. I am finally in the 160's. From 202 lbs to now I feel way better. Training is going really well and I am on pace to reach all of my goals. Yesterday I did have a tough leg workout. I was very tired and after my leg workout I jumped on the stationary bike for 53 minutes. I usually do 60 minutes but I ran out of gas! I decided to take in a lot of carbs last night to try and get my energy levels back up. I took in 375 grams for the day and today I feel 10 times better. ... Continue reading ...
Another week has gone by! Time is going so fast, it is May 1st already! I did not weigh myself today but as of yesterday I was 170 lbs. but I look a little leaner than yesterday so it may be possible I am 169lbs. I am starting to get really close to my competition weight. I am estimating that I need to lose about 10-12 more lbs. but I will see where I am as go on with my training. The weight cut off for a lightweight is 156lbs. but I am not aiming to be a lightweight rather just trying to get... Continue reading ...
Today I weighed in at 171 lbs. That is 31 lbs in 16 weeks with around 10-15 more to go. I have had some people ask me what my bodyfat percentage is and my answer is I do not know. I really do not get to interested in bodyfat percentage rather I just use the mirror to determine where I need to be. The mirror does not lie! Everything is going as planned as far as my diet, training, and cardio. I still have a lot of time to July 18 so I decided to enter another contest as a warm up for the Capit... Continue reading ...
Its been two weeks since my last blog. I have been extremely busy with home projects and other things I have been doing. My training is going good. I am down to 172.5 lbs. I have come to the realization I can't train as heavy as I was. I now train with a little slower rep speed and I try to focus on muscular contractions. I still train hard but not with as heavy weight. My diet is also going really well. I eat an average of 180-195 grams protein, 280 grams carbs, and 20-25 grams fat per day. ...
Week 13 is in the books and I seem to be getting a little bit better. I am still 175 lbs. however I am a little leaner than last week. I will have to adjust either my calories or do more cardio or both to keep losing the weight. I had a rough week lifting weights. My joints are hurting me more now and my strength level has declined as well. I will have to back off on the really heavy weight this week. I already dropped my weight on my last couple of workouts but I did incorporate more forced ...
I hit the three month mark and I have made good progress so far. I have dropped a total of 27 pounds bringing me down to 175 lbs. At this weight I have never looked better. I am happy thus far and I will continue to train to be my best no matter if I win or lose. I think I have got a good diet plan going for now. This week I have been averaging 195 grams of protein per day give or take, my carbs have been around 280 - 315 give or take, while my fat is on the low side roughly 9-10% of my total... Continue reading ...
Another week in the books. This was a tough week for me as far as my diet goes. I had low energy levels due to my lower carb intake. Although I did manage to lose another pound bringing my weight to 177lbs. My goal is still between 154-155 lbs. I decided after evaluating my diet and how my energy levels are I started cardio back up on Thursday evening. I also increased my carbs and dropped my protein back down. As I write this my energy levels are back to normal and my last workout went good.... Continue reading ...
I had another good week of contest prep. I am now down to 178 lbs. I was 177 yesterday but I felt really tired so I decided to raise my carbs yesterday to give me my energy back. I feel a lot better today and I gained a pound but I look and feel better.
Diet
My diet went well this week. I decided to drop my carbs slightly because I felt I was starting to get a little stagnant. I dropped them on Tuesday through Thursday. This seemed to work as I continue to lose the weight with no strength loss... Continue reading ...
My union and memebership voted yes to worksharing, so there will be no lay offs. That is good news!! I have been busy this week working on this website and training hard. I hope everybody likes it. This week went really good. I am down to 179 lbs. I have dropped a total of 23 lbs so far. I am still aiming to get to 154-155 lbs. but I will see when I get closer to my goal. If I need to drop more weight at that time I will do it. My goal is to get as lean as possible! I want to take it to anoth...
Let me start off by saying my job is secure for now. Recently because of the economy my employer is in trouble due to the slow sales in vehicles. We have seen our production drop from 5 days per week with a lot of overtime to 4 days per week and a little over 7 hours per day. Next week they are dropping to 3 days per week for the month of March. They announced that if my Union and my membership did not agree to work sharing ( 4 days per week and compensation for the 5th day by the state ) tha... Continue reading ...
I am baaaaccckkkk!!!!! I had a great week of training and my diet was good. I dropped my weight down to 182 lbs. It was rough last week with a cold but now I am back in full throttle. I did make some changes to my diet and to my training.
* My first change I made was cutting my cardio completely out for now. I made this change because I was losing weight at a very fast pace and my energy levels were very poor. I work on an assembly line building cars and the line moves at a rapid pace. Every...
The day after my last blog which was Saturday, I started to feel reallly tired. By Sunday it seemed I was fighting off a cold. It turned out I came down with a cold. That really sucks because it puts a stop to my training. I did not do any weight training nor did I do any cardio work. I still went to work but when I got home I took it easy. I did stay on my diet and still managed to drop another pound bringing my weight to 185 lbs. Today I felt a lot better and I did a light leg workout. It w... Continue reading ...
First off I just have to say what a Super Bowl! I enjoyed the fourth quarter but I was rooting for the Cardinals. Anyways five weeks complete with my contest preparation! This week went fairly well. I lost 1.5 lbs this week bringing me down to 186 1/2 lbs. My training went well except for leg day. I did not have the energy or the same strength I usually have. Also my workouts are seeming to be a little long so I am going to have to adjust my workouts back to what I was doing prior to the past... Continue reading ...
Today was my first month of training in the books! I have made good progress so far. I have dropped my weight from 202 lbs to 188 lbs. My diet has been going good so far. I had to make a small adjustment in my carb intake as I was losing weight too fast. I was taking in roughly 240 grams per day but I raised it to 280 grams per day and that is working out good for me. I am eating 30 grams of protein per meal and 60 grams carbs my first two meals and then 40 grams for the last four meals. My f...
My first week of contest preparation went as planned. It was a little rough the first couple of days, but I made it through the first week. My weight today was 194.5 lbs and my goal weight is about 155 lbs. So far I have lost 6.5 lbs. My diet is going real good. Today I ate the following:
Meal One - 4 oz. ground turkey breast with 1 cup brown rice and 1/2 tbsp olive oil Meal Two - 4 oz. ground turkey breast with 3/4 cup brown rice and 1/2 tbs olive oil Meal Three - same as meal 2 Meal Four - sa... Continue reading ...
Today was leg day and it was my first time from vacation doing a squat workout. From what I learned from my first workout back from vacation I decided not to push myself extremely hard so as to not get too sore. The workout went well and here is what I did.
Smith Machine Squats 1st set 275 for 5, 2nd set 295 for 5 and 3rd set 315 for 5. I stopped at 5 reps so I would not get too sore and break myself back in as well as to get my conditioning back.
Today I wokeup extremely sore and tired. I felt like I got hit by a truck. My workout from yesterday was my first upper body workout in about 2 weeks. I just came back from a week vacation so I have to get my body back to normal. I didnt do my cardio today as I felt I needed the rest. Today was also an off day for weight training. The good news is I dropped 5 pounds from 202 to 197 due to diet change which caused water loss. I will keep my diet the same for now. Protein today was 180 grams an... Continue reading ...
Today was my first day of training and dieting. I woke up wanting to keep eating all that bad food I have been accustomed to eating. It is a long road to July so I need to be patient and not consume myself. Just take each day as they come. This is a sport that takes a lot of patience and you have to realize it otherwise you will go crazy. My diet went good today except I didn't get my sixth meal in because I got up late today and I couldn't fit all of my meals in. Here is how it broke down to... Continue reading ...
Welcome to my 3DMuscleJourney! As many of you know I created this website back in January '09 to journal my training leading up to the '09 INBF Capital City Championships. Since then the site has seen some incredible changes, including the formation of Team 3DMJ. I'm very proud of all the great changes to the site and it couldn't have been remotely possible without the help from all my teammates, family and friends! My 2011 contest season was a huge success with a few division titles and a trip to the IFPA Yorton Cup World Championships where I proudly finished 7th in a very competitive middleweight lineup. I'm officially in my offseason and you are more than welcome to follow along! jeffalberts@3dmusclejouney.com
Welcome to my 3DMuscleJourney! As many of you know I created this website back in January '09 to journal my training leading up to the '09 INBF Capital City Championships. Since then the site has seen some incredible changes, including the formation of Team 3DMJ. I'm very proud of all the great changes to the site and it couldn't have been remotely possible without the help from all my teammates, family and friends! My 2011 contest season was a huge success with a few division titles and a trip to the IFPA Yorton Cup World Championships where I proudly finished 7th in a very competitive middleweight lineup. I'm officially in my offseason and you are more than welcome to follow along! jeffalberts@3dmusclejouney.com
