Nikhi's Cutting Log-Excalibur Show

[nikhi19]

It's all good girl - you keep going! I was taught as you are doing each rep, really squeeze the muscle you are working as if posing on stage. You may already know this, but it will help "squeeze" out excess water in the muscle.
Very important during this time of training. U keep rock'n:headbange

Thank you so much for the tip! I do try to squeeze each muscle and hold the contraction for a second or two as I'm lifting and I try to really focus on the muscle I'm working on so that I get a good brain-muscle connection. I will really work on this!

I've noticed reduced bloating since I've been watching my salt and cutting out wheat products. Amazing what a change in diet will do.

Alas, my damn scale is unreliable! I've weighed myself every morning since Sunday and it has said: 142lbs, 16.2% BF which I know is total crap. I weighed in this AM and now it says 142lbs, 17.2%BF. Sure, I gained 1% BF overnight. :bsflag:Not bloody likely!

So I don't know what to do to measure my BF and weight since this darn thing can't be trusted. How do I get a reliable reading so that I know what progress I'm making during the cut? ARGHH!! :triggerha

[RaptorMkII]

Does your brother know how to measure BF% with calipers? thats probably the best way apart from a water tank

[nikhi19]

I'm not sure if he does or not....but I'll have to ask him. If only there was a tank that I could get to during the week! The nearest one is in Santa Monica, but they charge an arm and a leg and aren't open on weekends. Blah.

[Squatch]

Have a trainer at your gym do a caliper test weekly. Try using someone who knows the proper way, and have them use the 7 site method. It's a better representative sample than three or five.

[nikhi19]

Thursday, October 4th, 2007-BACK/CALVES/ CARDIO AM
30min Cardio Jog in AM

PM:
10min treadmill warmup

Cable Row
1 x 15 x 90 warm up set
3 x 8 x 120
Low Back Extension
3 x 15 x 245
Lat Pull Down
1 x 12 x 105
2 x 10 x 110 (I increased here…woot!)
Iso Lateral Low Row
3 x 10 x 55 (each arm individually)
Seated Calf Press
2 x 20 x 360
1 x 15 x 360
1 x 25 x 270
Soleus Raises
1 x 12 x 100
2 x 10 x 110
Standing Calves
3 x 12 x 185

I’m feeling tired today and dragging ass. I feel motivated and yet I fluctuate between feeling like I’m shrinking into a waif and then being a cow and not losing any bodyfat. Oh the trials and tribulations of a Figures athlete!

[SarahPT]

Yes, that does sound like the typical trials and tribulations of competing in figure! You are very consistent. Good job!

[nikhi19]

Thanks Sarah!

I got over 8hrs of sleep last night and boy did I need it! I was so wiped yesterday. But I feel refreshed now and ready to hit shoulders tonight!

[nikhi19]

Friday, October 5th, 2007- SHOULDERS
10min treadmill warmup

Shoulder Press Machine
1 x 15 x 30 warm up set (each arm)
3 x 10 x 50 (each arm)
DB Shoulder Press
3 x 8 x 35
IsoLateral Shoulder Press
3 x 10 x 70
Shrugs
3 x 12 x 230
Upright Cable Row
1 x 10 x 47.5
2 x 10 x 50
Reverse Flys
3 x 10 x 90

Got 8hrs of sleep last night, so I felt good tonight for my workout. Tomorrow is cardio only (no weights) with 2 sessions, one in the AM and one in the PM. Let’s rawk this!

[nikhi19]

Saturday, October 6th, 2007-2 CARDIO SESSIONS

6:10a- 30min jog (504)
7:05p- 30min jog (503)
PLUS- walk to Target from Mazda & walk around Downtown LA

This was the last official day of my first week of cutting training/eating and I did it! Each day is a victory. Each hour is a victory. Each meal, each completed session is a victory. Each minute of cardio is a victory. Every baby step at a time is a step forward. Just keep going! Only 7 more weeks!

Sunday, October 7th, 2007- BICEPS/CALVES/ CARDIO

10min treadmill warmup

Bicep Curl Machine
1 x 12 x 90
3 x 8 x 105
Dirty 21s
3 x 21 x 40
Hammer Curls
3 x 10 x 25 (went down in weight here by 5lbs. Not happy about this)
1 x 15 x 20 (for burn)
Seated Horizontal Calf
3 x 20 x 360
1 x 25 x 270 (getting stronger)
Soleus Raises
3 x 12 x 120
Standing Calves
2 x 12 x 180
1 x 10 x 195

30min Elliptical Cardio

[nikhi19]

Took 7wks out Progress Pics tonight. I weighed in at 138.8 today which is 3.2lbs of weight loss since I started cutting last week. Not too shabby!

I attached the photos to this post!

[Yettamae]

Looking good girl! Keep up the hard work! Congrats on surviving your first week of cutting. 7 more weeks to go! Eye of the Tiger!

[nikhi19]

Looking good girl! Keep up the hard work! Congrats on surviving your first week of cutting. 7 more weeks to go! Eye of the Tiger!

Thanks Yetta! Did your quad cuts come in pretty quickly or did they show up last? I have a feeling mine are going to be the last thing to come in and it makes me sad.

[Yettamae]

Thanks Yetta! Did your quad cuts come in pretty quickly or did they show up last? I have a feeling mine are going to be the last thing to come in and it makes me sad.

The legs will be the last thing. Where you holding the most fat and water will be the last to come in. I started seeing my upper body and back, then abs, and legs last. The last 2-3 weeks I was holding alot of water in my legs, but they slowly went down closer to show time. I used a topical cream this time around, too opposed to my very first show. Which may have helped some. I did the prepration H cream thing 3 days out. You don't want to see the cuts in your quads too early, you might be too straited by the time you start peak week. For figure they wants some cuts, not total sepration. IFBB pro figure likes a more shredded look, opposed to NPC that wants you just a tad softer. If that makes any sense. It depends on the show some NPC shows all the girls are shredded and some are soft shows. You just have try and be right down the middle.

[ironmaidn]

LOOKING GOOD GIRL! Right on target! You got a beautiful smile too that will win those judges over no doubt!:headbange

[nikhi19]

The legs will be the last thing. Where you holding the most fat and water will be the last to come in. I started seeing my upper body and back, then abs, and legs last. The last 2-3 weeks I was holding alot of water in my legs, but they slowly went down closer to show time. I used a topical cream this time around, too opposed to my very first show. Which may have helped some. I did the prepration H cream thing 3 days out. You don't want to see the cuts in your quads too early, you might be too straited by the time you start peak week. For figure they wants some cuts, not total sepration. IFBB pro figure likes a more shredded look, opposed to NPC that wants you just a tad softer. If that makes any sense. It depends on the show some NPC shows all the girls are shredded and some are soft shows. You just have try and be right down the middle.

Thanks for the tip! I have lost about 2.5lbs since I began cutting and I can see a difference in my booty! I want to get ripped but I'm so afraid of getting too skinny and looking like a waif! Hopefully that won't happen, I'm taking so much freakin Glutamine it's retarded!

When all is said and done I want to spend a good 3-4 months packing my muscle back on. I like having my arms look ripped and big, but hopefully I will be able to stay lean (not as lean as I'm gonna be for the show, but lean enough) and still add that muscle.

7 more weeks! Woo Hoo!!

LOOKING GOOD GIRL! Right on target! You got a beautiful smile too that will win those judges over no doubt!:headbange

Thank you so much! I'm really getting excited! I'm almost done with my 1pc suit, the 2pc is all blinged out and I have my bling bracelet, ring and earrings. I'm ready to rock it!!