10 Things I Learned From My Coach: Ben “Pak Man” Pakulski 49
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In the past nine years I’ve invested thousands of dollars into nutritional and training research, books, seminars, schooling and even personal trainers. I’ve experimented with everything from low carb, zero carb, high carb, carb cycling, cheat days, and intermittent fasting diet plans and I decided it was time to bring someone alongside to work with me on my next stage of developement.
I have not stepped on stage since June 2008 and I don’t believe in competing unless I look significantly better. This would require me to do two things:
1) Build new mass by bulking to 230 lbs
2) Cut the fat and get under 5% body fat
I wanted to get access to the best coaching in the world no matter what the financial investment and I wanted to work with someone who had plenty of experience working with drug free athletes. I considered virtually all the options available to me – the guys who coach the pro bodybuilders and the pro bodybuilders themselves.
Remember, I’ve been training for over eight years and have taken my body quite far without a professional coach so I was very intrigued to discover what I could be doing differently.
So last fall I went online and started buying all the DVDs of the pro bodybuilders to see who impressed me the most.
After watching one particular DVD, “Quest to be the Best” on a plane ride to Mexico last September, I had no doubts that this was the guy that I wanted to bring alongside me and have in my corner.
IFBB Pro Ben “Pak Man” Pakulski.
Ben and I actually went to the University of Western Ontario together and both graduated with a honors Kinesiology Degree.
We had many mutual friends and I remember hearing rumours about this “young bodybuilder” who used to do 10 sets of 10 with heavy squats on his legs.
This was before I even knew it was humanely possible to do 10 sets of 10!
Ben is highly educated and coined “The Thinking Man’s Bodybuilder” and his thirst for learning has continued to match his drive to become one of the world’s best bodybuilders.
Ben is known for saying, “The more you know, the more you grow.”
Interestingly, most pro bodybuilders prefer to not go into depth and detail on how to improve a physique. After watching Ben’s Quest To Be The Best DVD, I realized that he could probably teach a pretty decent college course on bodybuilding if he was interested.
Transformation Goal #1: Bulk Up To 230 lbs – November & December 2010
Results: 214 lbs to 227 lbs in 8 weeks!
Transformation Goal #2: Cut Down To 195 lbs ish. - January to April 2011
Results: 227 lbs @17-19% fat – 195 lbs and sub 5% body fat – All in under 15 weeks!
10 Things I Learned From My Coach: Ben “Pak Man” Pakulski
1. Keep your mouth shut and listen. I remember asking him about a particular detail I was unsure about and he replied, “Did I say otherwise?”
2. I’m in complete control of how my body looks. Focus on making today the best day ever and I’ll be in the best shape of my life.
3. If you’re going to hire a coach then you have to put your faith in him 100%. There is a degree of faith required when you hire a coach. They are not there to validate every one of your concerns. You hired them for a reason, right?
4. The intensity NEEDS to come up as we get closer and closer to the show. We don’t back off even as the calories go lower and lower.
5. “TAKE ONE DAY AND ONE MEAL AT A TIME! Stop thinking about the show, pictures or final outcome. Just focus on making TODAY perfect!”
6. If I’m not changing at the rate I want to, train harder.
7. My thoughtless and unscheduled cheat days put me back “3 days!” In 16 weeks, I did not have a scheduled “cheat day” except for three days where I caved. Ben’s response to me admitting my slip up? “Stop making thoughtless decisions without asking me.”
8. If I need to rest more, rest more. It’s okay to listen to your own body. Who would have thought?!
9. The best advice (at least for me) is straight and to the point. Often less than a few words. Here is a text response I got after admitting to a big screw up in my diet: “WTF are you doing? Get back on track now!”
NOTE: After reading those first nine points you’re probably thinking, “Man, this guy is a drill sergeant!” Realize that everyone is different. Some clients need a bit of babying. Others just need the coaches prescriptions and don’t stray one bit. Others, like me, need someone to be hard and direct. That’s what a good coach does. Learns you and what you need. If you were to hire Ben as your 1-1 coach, you could have a completely different experience than I did.
10. I learned Ben’s training technique called “intentions.” After you’ve been training for a number of years, going heavier and heavier either won’t be possible or will carry more risk than potential reward. If you’re in your first seven years of training, that’s not a concern, but if you continue working out, it eventually will be. At the point when going heavier isn’t the best option for stimulating growth, you have to look at other solutions.
With intentions you change the angle of pushing or pulling by means of a technique almost imperceptible to an observer. You push inward or pull outward with your hands or feet as you perform an exercise. I used this technique for a lot of exercises on back day. On lat pulldowns as I pulled the bar down, I tried to pull my hands apart. They didn’t actually move on the bar, but that different motion made my lats fire in a different way, and my back was more sore the next day than it had been in months.
Ben said you have to play around with exercises. On barbell presses for chest, for example, he tries to push his hands together. One thing is certain: Forget about using your normal weights. Be prepared to cut your weights almost in half! As I said, though, the feeling in the lats was completely different.
We often play around with grip widths and experiment with pushing and pulling angles, but with intentions you introduce a variable that can awaken dormant muscle fibers and stimulate them in fresh, new ways. Pakulski has used intentions to get more out of exercises like leg presses, squats, barbell rows, bench presses and overhead presses—really anything that has you pushing or pulling both limbs at once on a bar or roller pad. It’s helped him become ripped at 270 and qualified to compete in the Mr. Olympia, and it can probably breathe new life into your workouts. More important, it stimulates new muscle growth.
After 6 Months Of Working With Ben “Pak Man” Pakulski!
===============
Pretty hardcore experience right? Ben is in his third season as a pro and I have no doubt he’ll fulfill his “Quest to be the Best,” as his DVD reads. Between his genetics, drive and thirst for knowledge, I’m sure he’ll rise to the very top of the bodybuilding sport and I’m proud to be a client of his.
Ben’s striving to be the best bodybuilder in the world while I’m striving to be the best fitness model in the world!
And the best thing is, he’s one of the few pro bodybuilders who is willing to share his own secrets to success so you too can make the most of what you were given. Ben is proof that brains and brawn do not have to be mutually exclusive qualities and I’m looking forward to seeing how he prepares me for the World Championships August 27th in Toronto, Ontario.
In fact, I’m driving to Toronto right now to meet up with him and he’s going to assess my physique, train me for 2 hours and tweak my diet, training and supplement plan. I’m PUMPED!
Here’s a little testimonial I left on Ben’s Facebook Fan Page after earning my WBFF Pro Card April 30th…
“Just wanted to publicly acknowledge to Ben’s loyal friends and fans that I got my WBFF Pro Card last night at the Quebec Championships under the 1-1 coaching of Big Ben! We started in November and he helped me bulk from 214 lbs to 227 lbs and then from 227 lbs to 195 lbs and under 5%! I have never looked or felt better and it was an incredible experience. Thanks for taking me all the way through the finish line bro! Now you got to get me ready for Worlds!”
If you’ve been training for more than 7 years and looking to get up on stage or do something drastic with your body, you should consider hiring Big Ben 1-1. Here is a link to his website http://www.benpakulski.com/ Click on the “Service” link to see what he has going.
You should definitely pick up his DVD, it’s less than $40 and he’ll ship it right to your front door. Ben does not have an affiliate program so I don’t make a penny endorsing this DVD. It’s very educational and inspiring so pick it up if you want an inside peak of what it takes to strive to be the best. I’ve watched DOZENS of pro bodybuilding DVD’s and this is by far the best one. I can’t wait until he comes out with his next one. You’ll be very impressed. Watch the trailer below and then grab yourself a copy.
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@Joe Pereira – You rest that perticular body part, ie. if its a calf muscle you don’t work your legs till the injury has corrected. get proffessional treatment if you don’t know how to treat it yourself. don’t train it again too early make sure it is back to normal.
Hey Vince, congratulations again for your awesome achievements! You are the living proof that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE when you put your mind to it! Whenever I am tempted to give up on my dream to have an awesome physique, I think of all you’ve accomplished so far, and the fact that you STILL have big dreams and push yourself further and further each year pumps me up everytime!
Keep on rocking the fitness world!
Hi Vince,
I forgot to mention that you are inspiration to all of us. I am inspired by your dedication to bodybuilding. I wish that we could meet in person one day. I always tell my wife that if Skinny Vinny can do it so can I. Its just takes more dedication on my part. You were very successful in leaning down even though you gained a significant amount of bodyweight. It was hard for me to lose even a Kg while eating lean when I was using your “Your Six Pack Quest” program. I did cardio in the morning with sprints or stairs for approximately 20 minutes. I think your diet played a key role and believe you used carbs around your workout and no carbs for meal not surrounding your workout. Also did you notice muscle loss in specific areas when you were dieting? I notice arms in the pic but it could be other areas. Is this due to a depletion of carbs or water or both from your diet? I hope you hard a great time during the competition.
Congrats on your Pro Card Vince! You look fantastic……. I have been hearing a lot of mixed info about protein powders and would like your advice. I know that the fastest absorbing protein thats best to have after the gym is whey. But is it more beneficial to consume a protein powder with lets just say 30g of only whey protein or is it better to have 30g of a different mix of proteins such as whey, casein, and egg? Also, if I don’t have the time to do cardio on the same days as I work out, is it okay to do the same cardio workout on non gym days, or will it tamper with recovery? thanks man!
Hey Vince. Congrats on the results man! Huge inspiration. I have just finished the advanced program of no no-sense muscle building after doing it for a year. Great results but now I’m looking for something more advanced now for the summer. I’m 21 years old, been working out 4 years now, 175lbs. What program do you recommend?
Riley
Riley. Pick up 1000 Rep Muscle or 21 Day Fast Mass Building. Either of those are your next plans bro.
@Vince – Many thanks for the info! I´ve been doing Roman´s FPFL for cutting those last few pounds. I’ve followed strictly John´s program and his knowledge for fatloss. Started my transformation with your NNMB and I´m glad to say that now when my BF is lower than when I started NNMB, I´ve gained 10kg of lean muscle. After the photoshoot I´m starting the 21 day fast mass program, I´m so pumped up! Always getting hungrier and hungrier to get bigger and I will! My journey has just begun. Once again, thanks! You are a true inspiration. PS. I’ll post some pictures to you as well, since you have played such a major part in my transformation.
Jake
Awesome Jake. Keep at it hard. Looking forward to your pics.
@Vince –
So is Kyle Leon selling only a dream with his somanabolic muscle maximizer?
Hey Dany. Kyle does not believe in bulking up to extremes…. I don’t think Kyle has ever claimed you’ll gain “zero fat”… Again, different methods should be used depending on where you are in your training career. Bulking aggressively might make sense for you now, but not later.
Congrats Vince, fantastic results! Your achievement makes my own efforts with MYM seem like a kindergarten, but I guess everything has to be seen in perspective. The one take-away from your experience is that coaching works! The effect of having an external expert like Ben coaching you is invaluable. Keep setting new goals for yourself and be an inspiration for all us part time fitness/bodybuilders.
Tom
Thanks Tom
You are a true inspiration for me Vince. I can´t even tell you how much you have done to me. Just wanted to tell you that you are a true hero. Keep up the great work and you´ve taken your body to the next level once again. It does look freaking amazing. quick question. I´m taking my after photos in couple of weeks. Then when I start to manipulate my carbs and water, would going to sauna do any good? Thanks.
Jake
Don’t mess with a sauna. Be sure to have someone who knows what they are doing play with your carbs and water. Sometimes you can end up looking WORSE if you don’t nail it. Sometimes the best “after” pics will be after a few weeks of tanning, a solid 45 minute full body workout and being full carbed and hydrated when your muscles are full. Cutting your water is mainly because on stage under bright lights and if we start to sweat, the water comes to the surface and flattens you out.
If you’re just doing after shots… cutting your carbs and carb loading and water cutting is probably not necessary.
didnt you use joel method for punta cayna florida i think lol
Hi Kelly. Yes, I used it from November 1 to November 20 th in 2010.
Congrats Vince. Your drive and commitment is inspiring. One incongruency however. I’ve heard on previous clips by you and others like Lee Hayward and it was stressed again in a recent interview you did with a Cdn fitness model, that the old school bulking and cutting method is counterproductive. But you obviously employed this philosophy with great results. My guess is that a seasoned weightlifter like you needs to do things differently that someone less experienced but can you confirm? Thanks.
Just as your body evolves Patrick, so should your methods. if your methods are not evolving, neither will your body.
I’ve used “bulk then cut” multiple times. I don’t know why it gets such a bad wrap. Primarily bc guys are scared to gain some fight and scared s$*&less about having to lose some fat. If you want to BUILD MUSCLE, you need to BULK to some degree. Unless you take steroids, there is no way of gaining muscle without some fat.
Any monkey who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you a dream.
I’ve progressively bulked up…. I’ve aggressively bulked up. There is no “right or wrong” just what is RIGHT for YOU right now in your career.
Stop putting methodologies under a microscope without putting the method into context for that person.
Vinny! Congrats! I think that what you did was awesome, and you’re going to do even better, but like you said in ep. 12, your wife is still better looking than you. You = 1.2, 1.3 mil. Flavia, 10mil+! I think your coach is great at coaching, but shooting a video in front of some books and saying I like quantum physics is insulting anyone who studies it. If he was truly a student, I don’t think he’d be shooting stuff into his body. Am I wrong? I would love for someone to correct me on this. I would rather believe that people can achieve such results without refined sups. Congrats Vince Del Monte!
Great post Vince, some really valuable tips for sure. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Lee.
Hey Jay. I appreciate your questions and it allows me to bring up a good point.
John and Joel are NOT my coaches.
Ben is my coach. I do what ONE COACH tells me to do.
That does not mean cheat days are “wrong” It just means they did not work with the the overall plan Ben put me on.
Here’s the problem. You’re examining cheat days under a microscope and failing to see cheat days is just ONE TOOL that works in conjunction with other components.
If I was following Joel’s ENTIRE diet program then I would use cheat days.
What you are doing is mixing and matching multiple methodologies into one program. That is a GUARANTEED way to fail, get confused and not see results.
Here’s the problem i see with SO many guys… you have TOO MANY chefs in the kitchen. If you want to see results… you need to work with ONE chef and do everything they tell you. Throw away all the other chefs until you’re ready to bring on a new one.
Once you bring more than one chef into the kitchen, your recipe is doomed to fail.
Ben didn’t schedule you a cheat in your 16 week program. This goes against EVERYTHING you and your homies have been preaching about implementing a cheat day every week to trick your body into thinking it’s not starving…??? What the heck. What do Joel & Roman think about this?
@Joe. I didn’t pay my coach for “advice.” I paid him to coach me to become the best. 80% of Ben’s clients are drug free. He knows the body better than any drug free athlete I’ve met.
Yo vince hiring a bodybuilder like that is awesome! It had to of been crazy intense sessions.. haha. but I was wonderin if you are gonna release videos or your training and nutrition plan you used to cut all that fat that fast? Congrats on everything you’ve accomplished and still WILL accomplish. We’re all cheerin for yah!
Hey Rocky. Yeah, I’m releasing a 8 part DVD series on my entire prep for the show It’ll be called Stage Shredded Status. Stay tuned.
Hey Vince I find it strange that as someone who talks about fitness and living a healthy lifestyle you paying someone who is a roid user for advice.
Congratulations Vince on an achievement well deserved. you are an inspiration to us skinny guys through out the world. your interest in helping us is not only helpful but inspirational. thankyou
Sup Vince. I ordered the NNMB but it didnt ask me for my address. How do i get it?
It’s not mailed to you bro. It’s a downloadable digital package. Email vince@vincedelmontefitness.com if you didn’t get access
WOW! Vince you never cease to Amaze me with how far you’ve taken your body naturally. From where you started to where you are.. That’s something to be proud about bro!
Hey vince what was your bf % when you were at 214? Did you gain qutie a bit of fat while bulking up?
I gained some fat. Nothing I couldn’t handle taking off.
hey vince, great job on this. As your dad I have a ringside seat as your training develops. As many of your friends say, “You are legit”. Your results are the result of teachability on your part towards your coach, plus your own VIM—Vision for what you are passionate about, Intention to do it, and then a clear cut Method, as you have outlined it in so many of your programs.
Thanks Dad. Everyone should write down the VIM principle…
V stands for VISION for what you’re passionate about
I stands for INTENTION to do it
M stands for a clear, cut METHOD
Hey Vince,I’m proud of you! Each time you diet, you should learn a bunch about you. Don’t go past 10% body fat and keep on learning! You will be a star! Congrats! Tony Naturally shredded!
Thanks man. With the World’s on August 27th, I don’t think my body fat will be straying too far off that!
Hi Vince,
I think your body looked better on the cover of MYM compared to this photo. You look lean but your arms look like they have lost some size. Hopefully, you will be able retain your arm size next time around.
I’ll do better for you next time Charles
Impressive Vince……………….your the man! I do have a question for you (not sure if this is the right forum for this but never the less here it is)
How do you deal with injuries ie pulled muscles etc without getting discouraged?
You accept that injuries are normal. Don’t beat yourself up.
1. Find out WHY you got injured so it does not happen again.
2. Find someone to FIX you and do what they tell you.
Sweeet results!
Hey Vince. What type of approach are you planning on taking to bulk up your calves?
Same approach as always. Frequent and hard. I’ll never have “bulky” calves because of their insertion and origin points.
wow vince impressive results you have done well!
wow, really think about buying his DVD. Great progress Vince!
Impressive video by this dude. I was surprise to see his room full of books: not what’s you’d expect from the sterotype bodybuilder, I guess.
EM
You always have to keep an open mind or you’ll miss out bro.
Wow, they are great results Vince. You must just spin out at how far you have come (thoroughly deserved though). Well done!