Hey guys. I've been advised to wait another 3 weeks to improve my conditioning and enter the Gold's Classic instead of the Easterns... so as of today, I'm 3.5 weeks out. I'll post a few pics soon.
As for heavy... that's not heavy. I was 10 days out at the time (but not I'm not doing Easterns of course). This off-season I will have no problem getting to 300lbs with visible abs. To me, heavy would be 545 for 10 or 6 plates for 6 or something. How do you think you preserve muscle before show?
Again, I follow many of Dante's basic principles. Heavy slag iron builds and maintains muscle. Why start to do lighter stuff before a show if you are warmed up properly? The gym was very hot, which was nice. I had kwan loong oil and knee sleeves on my knees. I don't have knee issues.
Look at all the bodybuilders who train heavy as long as possible before a show. Ronnie, Branch, Dorian, etc.