well I done 16 weeks prep but wasn't very lean at start I had put on great deal of weight and been off gear for quite some time

and as diet went on I did lack with strength so weight did become lighter for same sort of reps as was before normal pyramid system

cardio was from start and increased the way through it
ie started 1 20 mins a week then ended up 5-6 30-1hr sessions
my cardio is very much done outside or garden I like circuit training and love to flip big tyre I have

to be fair id done quite well on cut but very much messed up towards end as I made things more complicated than needed to be

thrs was delts/traps

smith machine press 7 sets 20,20,18,15,15,10
dumbbell side raise 4 sets 15-20
front raise with bar 3 sets 10
machine delt raise 4 sets 20
rear delt machine 4 sets 20,20,18,15
dumbbell bent over rear delts 3 sets 20
upper rows 4 sets 10-15
barbell shrugs 5 sets 20

I hope you don't mind me commenting?

16 weeks is a long time to diet and train for a contest - IMHO. 12 weeks would be the longest I would consider, but (for me) 10 weeks is plenty. Everyone is different though. My mistake for the first show that I did was to diet too long, and too calorie restrictive. As such, in addition to losing fat, I lost a fair amount of muscle and ended up (in my view) flat for the show. I did win the weight class, but could have come in with more muscle and fuller looking.

Obviously, the goal for a competitive bodybuilder is to come in as lean as possible while retaining as much muscle as possible. Based on my first experience with dieting and pre-contest preparation, the next show I did I moved up a weight class, was much larger and fuller and still very ripped. Came in second in my weight class in that show.

No doubt, you learned some good lessons from your first show and I would imagine you'll be in a better position to do some things differently for your next show. But, that's how we learn.

As far as losing strength, IMO, 8 weeks out from the contest date I'd add some AD-50, and 6 weeks out add some Halo. That should help with strength as well as hardening you up - IMHO.

Erich

__________________
I'm a hard knock flier and a rainbow rider, a straight shootin' son of a gun...

DISCLAIMER: I reserve the right to be wrong on every statement I make....

cheers mate
yeah I learned quite lot from doing it and defo lost lot size all down to lack of experience
but next time will be much better
but hey that's next year now so my focus is size for now

Friday done arms

tricep rope pushdown 7 set 12-20 reps
straight bar push down 4 sets 12-18 reps
ez bar skull crushers 4 sets 12-15 reps
dips 4 sets to failure

dumbbell preacher curl 6 sets 12-20
ez bar preacher curl 4 sets 12-20 reps
hammer curl 3 sets 12 each arm
straight bar curl 2 sets 25 reps just pump at end

right last week did train some days but with the cold not really worth logging

back yesterday

chest/tricep

flat barbell press 7 sets 20,20,15,15,10,10,7
cable fly 4 sets 15-20 reps
incline hammer press 4 sets 12-18
dips 4 sets to failure 20 at least
tricep rope pushdown 5 sets 10-20
straight bar pushdown 4 sets 15
dumbbell skull crushers superset with dumbbell close grip 3 sets cant remember reps

Looks like a good workout

__________________
I'm a hard knock flier and a rainbow rider, a straight shootin' son of a gun...

DISCLAIMER: I reserve the right to be wrong on every statement I make....

thanks had to split up arms so could get two leg days
but doing ham/calf and quad day


tue
back/bi

lat pull down 7 sets 12-20
dumbbell row 4 sets 10 each arm all 4 sets
close grip cable row 4 sets 12-20
wide grip cable row 4 sets 12
deadlifts 3 sets 6-8 reps haven't done deadlifts in while and was struggling at 160kg couldn't believe it these will be in now

ez bar preacher curls 5 sets 10-15
dumbbell curls 4 sets 10 each arm
standing barbell reverse curl 4 sets 12
then done quick pump on cable machine light 30 reps this burned like hell only the one set