House Calls By Erik “The House” Fankhouser

By Erik “The House” Fankhouser

House Calls

Q: House, just wanted to say thanks for being so down-to-earth. I met you at the Arnold Classic this year and you were very approachable. I have been following you for a while now. Good luck on your first pro show. OK, I have only been training serious for about a year now. I am 30 years old and am overweight, so I need your help. My basic program is cardio 30 minutes a day, three days per week and for my weights I do a total-body workout three times a week. I have hit a plateau; what should I do to get things moving in the right direction again?

A: Thanks, my man; I try to be approachable. The fans are what make the sport what it is. As for the pro show, I am working on getting freaky-ripped right now. As for your training, it looks like you need to change things up. You are doing a very basic program right now and your body probably has adapted to the stress you have been throwing at it. There are a few things you can change in your workouts to shock your body into seeing progress again. I always change my workouts. I don’t like to do the same type of workouts longer than six weeks without a change. I use the F.I.T. principle; I change the frequency, intensity or the time of my workouts to see results. From looking at what you gave me, I would recommend changing the frequency and time of your workouts. It is time to step up your game, bro, so try this…it is one step up from what you are doing now, but remember you are going to have to change again once you reach a sticking point. The total-body workout has got to go; it is very basic and it is time to change. You need to try a two-day split.

Day 1: chest, shoulders, tri’s, abs

Day 2: back, bi’s and legs

Day 3: off

Day 4: chest, shoulders and tri’s

Day 5: back, bi’s and legs

Days 6, 7: off

If you start on a Monday, it will work out that you have weekends off. Get 15 sets in each day; 6 sets on chest, 6 sets on shoulders and 3 sets on tri’s— same for other days— 6 on back, 6 on legs and 3 on bi’s. I would change the exercises up each time…just mix them up for no real reason. For the cardio, you need to get 45 minutes each time you hit the gym and do it right after your weights for the best results. Keep your heart rate up around 70 percent to 80 percent of target heart rate. Try doing this for a while and see what happens, bro. Keep me posted or hit me up on the forum for more changes.

Q: How much water do you take in when you are dieting and how do you do it the week of your shows? I always seem to come in holding water and wanted to see how you come in so dry and full.

A: Water! It can make or break you when it comes to the day of the show. I have tried my water many different ways and it changes each time I diet down. When I am training in the off-season, I don’t measure my water; I just drink around 1 gallon per day, but if I need more, I drink more. When I first start my contest prep, I will make sure I get in 1 gallon per day and up to 2 gallons as the diet goes on. Once I get to eight weeks out, I drink 2 gallons a day, each day. At two weeks out, I start to drink 3 gallons each day all the way up to 24 hours before prejudging. At 24 hours before I step onstage, I will cut my water out. The only water I get until the show is what it takes to cook my food or take my supplements. This water is not much, considering I do mostly fat-loading and only few carbs before my show. I don’t mess with my sodium during the last week. I just take in my normal amounts. I don’t try anything fancy like that…not that it won’t work, but I have never needed to yet. One reason you might not get dry is because you might take in too many carbs and then you spill over, or maybe you stay too flat from other reasons. I tried fat-loading this time and it worked great; try that next time, because there is less chance of spilling over.

Q: My first show was last year and I really messed up my tan. I looked like I had some kind of skin problem or something and when I was onstage it started to streak and run off badly. What is the best way to get painted for my next show?

A: Good question, bro! The perfect tan is a must onstage. I have tried to do it many different ways and can remember the first time I had my wife paint me for my first show. I did not know what I was getting myself into. I think my wife has also tried many different ways of painting me and she has it down to a science now. I don’t know what I would do if I did not have her to paint me. The painting process is like no other; you better know the person pretty well or at the end of it, you will know the person really well…if you know what I am talking about! The best way for me is using the Jan Tana onstage for competition color. I used it for my last show and I use it when I guest pose. It is a foam that you spread on with an applicator and it goes on pretty evenly after a few coats. I would recommend putting on three applications the day before and one application the day of the show early that morning. This past year, I used the spray tanning service at the show and it worked great. If your show offers the spray tanning, use it with a combo of your own tanning beforehand. I have to say thanks to Mark, the owner of On The Mark  Physique Tanning; he gave me the best color I have ever had and it helped me win my show and turn pro.

As for the tan running when you are onstage…that could have happened because maybe you did not let the tanner dry long enough or maybe your water was off and you were sweating too much. I use a posing gel by Jan Tana that seals the paint, which prevents the tan from running.

Q: I was wondering if there was anything you do to stay motivated. The gym I lift at is filled with older people, much like the rehab center you work at. Is there any particular music you listen to to keep pumped up in an unmotivational environment?

A: I feel your pain, bro. I train at two different gyms for that simple reason. The gym I work at is a nice gym, but it does have an older crowd. This can be unmotivational, but sometimes I have to train there because of my schedule. When I train at my work gym, I blast some hard Borso music and wear my hat low so I don’t make eye contact with anyone. Most people know me at that gym and know better not to talk to me when I am not on the clock, but sometimes they do and it slows my workout down. Put your headphones on and don’t ever stop moving; people can’t bother you then and this is the best way to deal with it. Also, training at a different gym is always an option. I train at a real gym in Yorkville, Ohio: The Body Shop. This gym is very motivating for me, because it is a bodybuilder’s gym.