Getting Ready for Figure Competition with 5/3/1

Strength and Carb Cycling

By
Linda Gisburne

Published: July 30, 2010Posted in: Training ArticlesTags: 5/3/1, carb cycle, figure, Linda
Gisburne, starnes
5

“Nothing ever worth achieving is easy nor is it ever rarely done completely alone.”
Recently, my client, Theodora, stepped out of her comfort zone and stepped on to the stage as a figure
competitor. She owned that stage, walking out with effortless poise, and she hit every pose. Most
impressive of all was Theo’s physique. She responded really well to the training I had implemented for
her using strength specialist Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 program while eating what physique and nutrition
specialist Shelby Starnes at Troponin Nutrition recommended. Getting on stage wasn’t the final result
either of us had expected when Theo made a simple goal back in April 0209.

In April, I asked Theo, “What is your goal for your next training cycle?” I ask my clients this every four
months or so. Theo always has a specific goal and this time she came to me and said, “I want to
be shredded for the summer.”
I have had great success in managing her strength and physique goals using my knowledge as a trainer
and a nutrition and lifestyle coach, but this particular goal required some outside help. I called on Shelby
Starnes at Troponin Nutrition. Many of you are familiar with Shelby’s nutritional talent to manipulate
carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in a carbohydrate cycling diet. For clients who want fat loss, he uses
high carbohydrate days so the body won’t break down muscle. At the same time, he has medium and low
carbohydrate days to allow the body to efficiently burn fat. He has a 12-week progressive fat loss
program, which helps you lose body fat while maintaining muscle and strength. I introduced Theo to
Shelby and his nutrition plan, and she signed on with him.
In 12 weeks, Theo’s progress was incredible and her goal to get shredded was being achieved. She was
very excited to see how her body was changing and that she didn’t have to give up lifting heavy weights.
Theo loves lifting heavy. She loves muscle definition, and she loves being strong. Theo is also 110
percent committed to achieving her goals.
People started to see the changes and started asking, “Are you training for a figure show?” It wasn’t the
original goal for Theo, but after some careful thought and research, she came to me and said, “Linda, you
are going to be so excited. I want to do a show!”

I was geeked out! I have done three figure shows myself and know what it takes. I know how hard it is,
how fun it is, and how rewarding the results can be.

April 29, 2009

We picked a date for a show and started to plan. We had enough time before the date to put on a little
more size, especially in her legs.

Enter Jim Wendler and his 5/3/1 program. I think most of us have read Jim’s program once or twice. He
calls it “the simplest and most effective training system to increase raw strength.” By starting any lifting
day out conservatively and ending with a maximum number of repetitions at a weight 5–10 lbs heavier
than you have done the week before, you achieve a new personal record (PR). At the same time, you
haven’t burned yourself out trying to achieve that PR. (For even more on Jim’s 5/3/1 program, I highly
recommend purchasing the book or e-book.) I really identified with the program, and after reading it
through a few times in the beginning of 2009, I went and applied it to myself on April 27, 2009. After
following it for six months, I was seeing great success in my own strength and physique. However, as a
trainer, I feel nothing is ever really worth its weight in gold unless it can be applied to my clients to help
them achieve their goals. I decided to get Theo on the 5/3/1 program to help her gain size and continue to
gain strength.
We began on July 29, 2009 after I had assessed Theo’s 90 percent max for each lift. Because her goal was
now a figure competition, I tweaked a few things to sculpt her physique without compromising her
personal strength goals.

Following the 5/3/1 protocol of four training sessions a week was relatively easy. She trains Wednesdays,
Fridays, and Saturdays with me and Mondays on her own at home. I started her training week on
Wednesday with squats. Using super compensation (manipulating recovery time between workouts to
stimulate the muscle for optimum results), I increased training volume for more leg size. I followed the
squats on Wednesday with deadlifts on Friday. We benched on Saturday followed by “homework” on
Monday, which was a combination of overhead presses with a little more leg work. I used the “boring but
big” approach (i.e. squats followed by more squats) in combination with periodization (i.e. hamstring
work, ab work, and quad work for a balanced workout and body) for the assistance work (also helped
increase leg size).

For example, she first squatted 5/3/1. Using the “boring but big” approach, I followed barbell squats with
front squats using a kettlebell. I followed that with dumbbell walking lunges. Using the periodization
method, I ended by alternating single leg, plate-loaded leg extensions with glute ham raises. If there was
time left in the hour, I alternated ab work with foam rolling.

By using Jim’s basic 5/3/1 template and manipulating the way I applied it to Theo, her legs grew
considerably and so did her overall strength. Shelby helped this process by having her “eat to grow”
before switching back to “eat to get lean.” By the third week of the fourth month into the 5/3/1 program,
not only was she really lean for the upcoming show but she was still strong. For example, her final squat
total at a max of 190 lbs was an impressive 180 lbs or 95 percent for four reps. And this is from a girl who
is five feet, two inches and weighed about 108 lbs at this point. Needless to say, I am very proud.

November 12, 2009, one week out

Theo’s final results were just amazing. At the competition, she placed in the top three of all three figure
categories that she entered. Due to the “criteria” for figure, they couldn’t place her higher because she
showed more muscle definition than the judges wanted in a figure client. Theo was very proud of her
physique despite being told she wasn’t soft enough for figure. She has decided to compete again! She will
compete as a light weight bodybuilder where the hard work that went into the physique she wanted will
not only be recognized but highly rewarded.
Still, her unbelievable muscle definition was noticed. The feedback she received from the audience,
competitors, and judges was extremely complimentary and very flattering. In fact, the judges felt she was
the most conditioned woman on stage! What they didn’t know from a single glance is that behind that
tiny shredded woman was a great deal of physical strength and power plus a small team of people helping
her with her training program and nutrition.

One can’t usually succeed completely alone. Jim’s 5/3/1 program really helped me create a competitive
figure competitor while increasing leg size, overall strength, and a shredded physique in the few months
that I did. Without Shelby Starnes of Troponin Nutrition, neither Theo nor I would have gotten the
nutrition needed for her success spot on. Without Sue Steele, IFBB professional light weight bodybuilder,
posing coach, and friend, she wouldn’t have the suit she wore with pride and her poses wouldn’t have
highlighted her physique the way they did. As specialists, none of us would have succeeded without
Theodora, whose continued drive and ambition to succeed in all she sets out to do allows us to utilize our
skills to the fullest.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linda Gisburne is an NASM CPT and nutrition and lifestyle coach. She trains everyday people to
achieve their extraordinary goals in Chicago, Illinois, at Phenomenal Fitness. She has competed in figure
 competitions and currently trains and competes in sprint and Olympic distance triathlons. She is training for
her first ever powerlifting meet. Linda can be contacted at lindag@phenomenalfitness.com.

2 Comments

1. Dave
Posted July 31, 2010 at 9:24 AM

This is the greatest thing about this program, it i00777s interchangeable with different types of training.
Great Job Linda!

2. Kim Coronel
Posted July 31, 2010 at 10:11 AM

This is great! I’ve gone from figure competitions to powerlifting meets and then back to figure so I
understand the transition and diet changes you can have for both. I find that the powerlifting training
has really helped me improve my physique and add solid mass. Congrats to Theodora!

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