Ott Kiivikas’s training and nutrition plan
Ott Kiivikas’s training ahead of the 2003 Estonian Championships was more than a random list of exercises. It was a bulking plan in which gym sessions, aerobic exercise, recovery and meals followed a set rhythm.
Below is the same plan in an easier-to-read format. The idea is to see how a bodybuilder preparing for competition structured his week and his day, rather than to copy it blindly.
Why this training worked ahead of the 2003 Estonian Championships
During the bulking phase, the main focus was on volume and consistency. Ott Kiivikas trained different body parts on different days so that each muscle group received a substantial training load, followed by time to recover.
The simple truth is that this kind of training demands sleep, food and patience. If any of those three falters, the plan quickly starts working against you.
Flexibility is also an important part of the plan. Ott wrote that he changed the exercises and their order depending on how he felt. Before each working set, he performed 1 3 warm-up sets.
Training day by day
The week was divided into 5 training days and 2 recovery days. Day 6 was a rest day. Day 7 was also a rest day, with a 1-hour massage from physiotherapist Üllari Ots.
Day 1: shoulders and triceps
- Seated dumbbell shoulder press or seated barbell shoulder press to the front — 5 x 6 10
- Seated dumbbell lateral raise — 5 x 8 12
- Standing barbell or cable front raise — 4 x 8 10
- One-arm lateral raise on an incline bench or upright row — 4 x 7 10
- Prone incline dumbbell rear delt fly — 5 x 8 10
- Lying triceps extension — 4 x 6 10
- Weighted dip — 4 x 6 10
- Standing cable triceps pushdown — 4 x 8 10
Day 2: biceps, forearms and abs
- Standing barbell curl or incline dumbbell curl — 4 x 6 8
- One-arm dumbbell preacher curl — 4 x 6 10
- Seated machine biceps curl or one-arm concentration curl — 3 x 8 12
- Underhand barbell wrist curl — 4 x 6 10
- Overhand barbell wrist curl — 4 x 8 12
- Hanging leg raise or incline bench leg raise — 4 x max
- Incline bench sit-up or cable crunch — 4 x max
Day 3: quads, hamstrings and calves
- Machine leg extension — 6 x 8 20
- Full-depth barbell back squat or front squat — 4 x 6 10
- Leg press or split squat — 4 x 8 10
- Machine hip adduction — 3 x 10 12
- Machine hip abduction — 3 x 10 12
- Lying machine leg curl — 4 x 6 10
- Back extension on a back extension bench or seated leg curl — 4 x 8 10
- Standing machine calf raise — 5 x 6 10
- Seated machine calf raise — 5 x 8 10
Day 4: chest and abs
- Barbell bench press or incline barbell bench press — 5 x 5 10
- Incline dumbbell bench press or flat dumbbell bench press — 4 x 6 10
- Flat dumbbell fly or incline dumbbell fly — 4 x 8 10
- Pec deck fly — 4 x 8 10
- Dumbbell pullover — 4 x 6 12
- Hanging leg raise or incline bench leg raise — 4 x max
- Sit-up on an ab bench or back extension on a back extension bench — 4 x max
Day 5: back
- Deadlift or bent-over barbell row — 4 x 6 10
- Weighted pull-up or wide-grip machine pulldown — 4 x 6 10
- One-arm dumbbell row or prone machine row — 4 x 6 10
- Close-grip lat pulldown — 4 x 8 10
- Seated cable row — 4 x 8 10
- Behind-the-back Smith machine barbell shrug or standing cable shrug — 4 x 6 10
- Back extension on a Roman chair if you are not doing deadlifts — 4 x 8 10
Ott did aerobic training 4 5 times a week, for 30 45 min after his strength exercises. His options were the stepper, brisk walking on a treadmill or cycling. Before each workout, he warmed up on the stepper for 10 min, and after training he did stretching exercises for 15 min.
He trained at both Planetsport at Tulika Põik 3 and Reval Sport at Aia Street 20. To keep his routine varied, he trained at a different gym every Monday, just before giving a supplement presentation. He went to Club 26 at the Olümpia Hotel for swimming, sauna sessions and Rebalans massage.
Training and nutrition in sync
His nutrition plan was just as precise as his gym schedule. He had 7 meals or drinks a day: breakfast at 07.00, lunch at 11.00, a pre-workout drink at 13.00, a post-workout drink at 18.00, an evening snack at 19.00, dinner at 21.30 and a nighttime drink at around 01.00 02.00.
1. Breakfast at 07.00
- Whole-grain muesli 150gr.
- Cornflakes 50 100gr.
- Skim milk 300 400ml.
- Yogurt with 2% fat 200gr.
- Honey 4 tbsp.
- Raisins and nuts 1 handful
- Boiled egg whites 5 (2 egg yolks)
- Cottage cheese with 4% fat 175gr.
- Tomato 1
- Pickled cucumber 1
- Plain yogurt 100gr.
- Snow crab stick 1
- Ketchup 50gr.
- Whole-grain rolls 2
- Turkey breast ham 4 slices or sliced trout
- Low-fat cheese with 10% fat 4 slices
- A cup of black coffee, with 1 tbsp. of honey added
The muesli, cornflakes, milk, honey, yogurt, raisins and nuts all went into one bowl. For the other part of the meal, he mashed the egg whites and yolks, then added the cottage cheese, tomato, pickled cucumber, snow crab stick, plain yogurt and ketchup. The whole-grain rolls, topped with cheese and ham, were heated in the microwave for 1 min.
2. Lunch at 11.00
- Minced beef fillet, stewed 250gr.
- Raw vegetable salad 250gr.
- Brown rice 100 – 150gr. or pasta
- Pasta sauce or plain yogurt 100gr.
- Cold-pressed olive oil 1 tbsp.
The beef fillet was minced and stewed in its own juices. The vegetables were briefly boiled, then drained. The meat, vegetables and 1 tbsp. of oil went into a food container.
3. Pre-workout at 13.00
- Original Aminodr. or Heavy Amio dr. 3 scoops (1 scoop 30gr.)
- Protein No 1 1 scoop (1 scoop >20gr.)
- Banana 1
- Water 400 500 ml
Water, Original or Heavy Amino dr. and Protein No1 were put into a shaker. The mixture was left to stand for 10 min before drinking.
4. Post-workout at 18.00
- Whey drink Glutamine Peptide 3 scoops (1 scoop >30gr.)
- Creatine citrate 2 scoops (1 scoop >15gr.)
- Banana 1
- Water 500ml
WDGP and creatine citrate were mixed with water, left to stand for 10 min and drunk after the workout.
5. Evening snack at 19.00
- Minced beef fillet, stewed 250gr.
- Boiled frozen vegetables or raw vegetable salad 250gr.
- Brown rice or pasta 100-150gr.
- Pasta sauce or plain yogurt 100gr.
- Cold-pressed olive oil 1 tbsp.
6. Dinner at 21.30
- Boiled egg whites 5
- Fat-free cottage cheese 175gr.
- Fresh cucumber 150gr.
- Garlic 3 4 cloves
- Tomato 1
- Pickled cucumber 1
- Snow crab stick 1
- Plain yogurt 100gr.
- Crispbread 2 pieces
- Turkey breast ham 2 slices
- Low-fat cheese with 5% fat 2 slices
- A cup of tea, with 1 tbsp. of honey added
Dinner was light but high in protein. Egg whites, cottage cheese, tomato, pickled cucumber, fresh cucumber, a snow crab stick, garlic and plain yogurt were mixed into a salad. Crispbreads topped with cheese and ham were heated in the microwave for 1 min.
7. During the night, at around 01.00 02.00
- Protein No 1 or Lemon Super 2 scoops (1 scoop>20gr.)
- GlutaminePeptide 1 scoop (1 scoop>22gr.)
- Water 400 500 ml
GP and Protein No1 or Lemon were mixed with water in a shaker and left in the fridge. The idea was to drink it when getting up during the night, then go back to sleep.
Practical observations on the plan
Honestly, what stands out most here is the routine, rather than any miracle trick. The same types of food recur, portions are judged by eye, and adjustments are based on the mirror and body weight.
Note: Ott replaced beef fillet with chicken or turkey fillet when needed. Yogurt flavors varied, including baked apple and exotic fruit. Vegetables varied too, served either as a mix or on their own, such as cauliflower and broccoli. The raw vegetable salad was usually a ready-made cabbage and carrot mix.
He drank approximately 5 liters of water throughout the day. He also had 2 large cups of coffee and one cup of tea. He generally ate sweets once a week, at the weekend: quark cakes, pancakes, curd snacks and so on. He did not count total calories. Portions were estimated by eye: he monitored his body weight and appearance in the mirror, increasing or decreasing portions accordingly.
Training: FAQ
Should you follow this plan exactly?
Probably not if you are a beginner. This training and nutrition plan was designed for an athlete preparing for competition who already had a solid foundation.
What can a recreational exerciser learn from this plan?
The lesson is simple: your plan needs to be specific. Write down your training days, exercises, mealtimes and recovery. Then you can see what works and what does not.
Were supplements the centerpiece of the whole plan?
No. Supplements were included in the plan, but the foundation was everyday food: egg whites, cottage cheese, rice, meat, vegetables, yogurt and water.
Author: Ott Kiivikas
Source: WHO – physical activity.
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