Cannon Ball Delt Training with Evan Centopani

FROM THE FRONT LINE

I wanted to know if I should continue taking creatine before a show. This guy said I should stop but he didn’t explain why. If I discontinue its use, how far out should that be?

Personally, I never use it before a show, the reason being that it makes me water retentive…the last thing you want when striving to be in top condition. Creatine is best relegated to off-season use for the same reason NO2 products are best utilized during this time. Both are more effective when used in conjunction with a higher carb intake. Cell volumization is one of their key properties and that’s not going to be possible on a precontest diet. I stop using it as soon as my diet starts, which can be anywhere from 10-16 weeks out.

BUILDING ZONE (Hard Hat Mandatory)

The Foundation

Military Barbell Presses

Upright Rows

Side Lateral Raises

Bent Over Lateral Raises

Barbell Front Raises

Off-Season Shoulders

Military Presses                                    6 x 8-14

Bent Over Laterals                        4 x 8-14

Supersetted with

Upright Rows                                    4 x 8-14

Side Laterals                                    4 x 8-14

Blueprint for Cannonball Delts

• If you can do presses behind the neck, go for it, as it is a superior movement. However, be cautious, as they have the potential to rip the shit out of your rotator cuffs.
• Dumbbell presses are effective, but once you get up to the heavier dumbbells, the benefit-cost ratio of lugging those suckers into place isn’t worth it.
• On side and rear laterals, pull with the elbows. In other words, initiate the movement with your elbows, not your hands or wrists.
• On front raises, go all the way up over your head for the best contraction.
• Don’t be afraid to switch up the order of the exercises. A couple of weeks ago, I started with upright rows and my entire deltoids, from front to back, plus my traps, were sore for a week!
• In the off-season, take advantage of greater strength by sticking to straight sets on heavy compound moves like presses.
• Giant sets and supersets can be highly effective. Pair up a compound movement with an isolation one…bent over laterals and upright rows, side laterals and presses, etc.
• Train delts once a week, as they are used heavily in other upper body movements, particularly chest

EVAN THE IRON CHEF

Sample Early Off-Season Diet

Meal 1:

Half a dozen eggs

Off-season Oatmeal (see last month’s column for recipe)

Meal 2:

60 grams Iso Whey Universal Protein with ¾ cup of Old Fashioned Quaker Oats, raw— yes, raw! Shakes are made in advance so the oats are soft

Half cup of frozen berries (loaded with nutrients, antioxidants and fiber)

1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil

1 tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter

Meal 3:

8 ounces chicken

1 1/2 cups of brown rice combined with lentils

1 cup escerol and white beans

1 tablespoon of olive oil (on rice)

Macadamia nut oil (for chicken)

Meal 4:

Same shake as Meal 2

Once I get deep into my off-season, I’ll use more Torrent

Meal 5:

Same as Meal 3

Meal 6:

10 ounces red meat

12 ounces roasted white potatoes

Big salad full of alfalfa sprouts

2 tablespoons olive oil

Meal 7:

Another shake minus the banana

Supplements:

Animal Nitro for amino acids for pre- and post-training (all uncoupled aminos…helps jack insulin; passes through the stomach quickly)

Amino Tech throughout day with all whole-food meals

Animal Pak

Torrent

Fish oils

Evening Primrose Oil

Extra vitamin C and E

ZMA before bed (must be working because I’m getting the deepest sleep full of whacky-ass dreams)

EVERYDAY EVAN

I get a lot of e-mails asking what I do on a typical day and I honestly couldn’t say. So I picked a random day out of the week and wrote everything down. Here’s what I discovered.

A Day In The Office

9:00 a.m: Up and at ‘em. The first thing I do is guzzle down a liter of water to rehydrate. Then I check e-mails, go on the boards, make calls and schedule appointments and meetings.

10:00 a.m.: I have my first meal and get my food and shakes together. I hit the shower, pack all my grub for the day and roll out for the gym.

12:00 p.m.: I get to the gym and have Meal 2. I get on the computer again, make calls and take care of business.

1:00-3:00 p.m.: Train

3:00 p.m.: I have Universal’s Torrent plus three packs of Animal Nitro.

3:20 p.m.-3:30 p.m.: Protein shake (Universal’s Iso Whey). Then I tan or talk to friends in the gym to kill some time. Usually, somebody I know is getting ready for a show so I help out with diet or posing. It’s like a little community. We all help each other out. It’s pretty cool to have that support.

4:00 p.m.: Another meal before heading home.

5:00 p.m.: Back at home on the computer, doing business-related tasks.

6:00 p.m.: Eat (what do you want from me? I’m a bodybuilder.)

7:00 p.m.: Prep my dinner, which I like to eat fresh off the stove.

8:00 p.m.: Dinner. Sometimes if we’re lucky, the whole family sits down together (of course, my plate looks vastly different from theirs). Afterward, I hang out with my girlfriend and family.

10:00 p.m.: Another shake.

11:00 p.m.: In bed.

As you can see, I spend most of my day at the gym. It’s like the office. I go there to train and conduct business. I also noticed that I spend a good deal of time answering questions on the boards (you guys are keeping me real busy). In the evenings I don’t do the club scene or any stupid shit like that. That crap doesn’t mix with the bodybuilding lifestyle. Basically, I’m home every night. I eat my meals, train, handle my business, answer e-mails, post on the boards and get plenty of rest. Everything I do is geared toward making me the best bodybuilder I can be. I love bodybuilding. I’m very passionate about being a pro. I take my responsibilities seriously and anything that runs contrary to that has no place in my life.

ONE MORE REP

Universal is launching a new product called Animal Omega. It’s a comprehensive EFA (Essential Fatty Acids) supplement; the first of its kind. It’s gonna have it all, omegas from fish oils, plus flaxseed oil, evening primrose…the works. It takes the guesswork and inconvenience out of having to take a bunch of different supplements to get all your EFAs. Be on the lookout!