Seasons in the gym: tracking Craig Titus' yearlong gym odyssey

Flex, May, 2003 by Terry Goodlad

on the planet does not happen by chance. It is a steady process of reassessing, refining and adjusting an athlete's physique to shape it into an exceptional piece of art. With military precision, the best must strategize and execute their plans months in advance to vector their bodies toward absolute peak condition on contest day -- the day of reckoning.

In this feature, Craig Titus allows us a glimpse into the working lifestyle of a pro bodybuilder by reviewing his total battle plan for 2002 in notebook style. First, we examine his 10-point offseason muscle-building strategy, followed by his 12-point precontest strategy as he fine-tuned his way toward his assault on the 2002 Mr. Olympia last October 19 in Las Vegas.

OFFSEASON NOTEBOOK 10-POINT

1. The primary goal in the offseason is to am as much size as possible. This is contrary to what Titus used to do when he would remain within 15 pounds of contest weight year-round so he could be in shape for quest appearances. He was 275 pounds with visible abs and quad separation on July 28 when he began his Olympia diet 12 weeks out from the contest.

2. Get back to heavy basic movements: squats, bench presses and heavy free-weight movements to put on some dense quality size. Gone are the machine workouts that are convenient but not as effective at packing on beef.

3. Having trained with Dorian Yates in 2001, Titus was reminded about intensity in the gym. Every rep and every set is designed and performed to damage fibers so that with sufficient rest and nutrients, they can grow. Going less than 100% during each rep means he will end up with less than 100% onstage.

4. Eliminate offseason cardio to conserve calories for maximum muscle, growth.

5. Sixty-five to 80 grms (g) of protein per meal, five times a day and not time to count carbs, as he is too busy shoveling them in. An extra protein shak with 65 g of protein at 3 AM with 10 g of glutamine. This is already mixed, waiting by the bed and ready to go directly to his relentlessly growing musles.

6. Growing happens while resting, so in Titusland, it is nap time every afternoon at 3 PM for about two hours.

7. Train two days on, one off; three days on, one off. Bodyparts are split up as follows: Day 1 is chest and biceps; day 2 is back and traps; day 3 is shoulders and triceps; day 4 is legs, split up into quads in the morning and hams and calves in the evening.

8. Training is done in the morning about 10 AM so that he has all day to rest and eat.

9. Cheat days are Sundays, but that doesn't mean total binges. Cheating comprises a couple of meals of whatever treats he feels have eluded him during the week. Titus doesn't count calories in the offseason; he just substitutes a few cheat meals for his usual fare to take the edge off.

10. No abdominal exercises in the offseason, as his abs are well developed from years of training. Doing more may risk making his waist thicker.

PRECONTEST NOTEBOOK

12-POINT

1 The precontest diet begins 12 weeks out from a show. The first two weeks are an adjustment period, during which Titus increases from five meals per day to six or seven and eliminates all sugars, candies, cakes and other junk foods. During the two-week period, Titus mentally focuses on the contest stage, the sound of the fans and the excitement of prejudging. By the end of that time frame, he is so motivated that nothing can shake or tempt him from his diet and contest prep. At 10 weeks out, he is mentally at "Training Camp" and nothing will shake him from his mental laser-lock focus.

2 During the diet process, Titus eliminates protein drinks as a source of protein in favor of solid food -- except for his 3 AM protein shake. His preferred sources of protein are steak, fish, chicken and egg whites. During contest prep, he consumes approximately 500 g of protein per day from these foods.

3 Carbohydrates come almost exclusively in the form of long-grain white rice. He takes in 400 g of carbs per day for the first two weeks, then drops his carb intake 50 g every week to two weeks, depending on what he feels is best until he reaches 150 g of carbs per day. At that point, if he hits a plateau between four and two weeks out from the show, he fluctuates his carbs over a three-day period by eating 150 g for two days, then 400 g on the third day, then repeating the cycle. Most of the carbs are consumed early in the day, and the evening meals are protein along with a high-volume/low-carb fibrous vegetable, such as salad or broccoli. He continues this until the Monday before the contest. At that time, he begins the carbing-up process.

4 Supplements include L-glutamine (10 g after training and another 10 g at 3 AM), multivitamins (100 milligrams of B-complex per day taken with breakfast) and vitamin C (3,000 milligrams split into three doses throughout the day). He drinks two gallons of water per day.

5 Meal times are 8 AM, 11 AM, 2 PM, 5 PM, 8 PM and 11 PM. There is very little, if any, fluctuation of these times. At 3 AM, Titus' internal clock wakes him. A patiently waiting protein and L-glutamine shake is quickly consumed, then it's back to sleep.