BROOTAL's Log

Training Training Logs
281

Kinien-

Your totally right about not half assing it. The days with the supersets are so damn hard that it easy to let my mind convince myself that I am working as hard as I can when I could probally go a little further. These are seriously the hardest thing I have tried so far, and I struggle to get through them each time. I feel like I am already seeing results.

Diet today:

Breakfast: 3 eggs, 3 slices turkey bacon, 1 banana, 1 Flameout , 1 fishcap

Snack: JB’s PB shake, 1 Flameout, 1 fishcap

Lunch: 1/2 Greek burger recipe, broccoli

Snack: Choc PB bar (from PN),1 Flameout, 1 fishcap

Dinner: Pecan crusted salmon, mixed veggies

Snack: Pre-bed snake (PN),1 Flameout, 1 fishcap

Totals:

Cal: 2599
Pro: 233
Carb: 81
Fats: 151

282

Workout for today :

Warm up:
1)5 x 95
2)5 x 135
3)5 x 155
worksets:
Squats: 5x5 @ 200lbs NO REST <–progress
Leg Extensions 8x5 @ 115lb

Warm-up:
1)5 x 135
2)5 x 155
3)5 x 185
2 minute rest:
Deadlifts: 5x5 @ 205lbs
Leg Curls: 8X5 @ 55lbs

After my last set of legs curls I went and tried 6 x 225 for squats. I let fear set in at 225x3 and didnt go for the 4th 5th or 6th rep. I know that if I was fresh I could’ve nailed this.

Diet today:

Breakfast: 3 eggs, 3 slices turkey bacon, 1 banana, 1 Flameout , 1 fishcap

Snack: JB’s PB shake, 1 Flameout, 1 fishcap

Lunch: 1/2 Greek burger recipe, broccoli

Snack: Choc PB bar (from PN),1 Flameout, 1 fishcap

Dinner: PIZZAAAAAA!!! planned cheat (every 7 days)

Snack: Pre-bed snake,1 Flameout, 1 fishcap

283

Although I havent lost much strength yet, I certainly havent gained any. I felt like a total wuss today under the bar.

Flat Bench: 4x5 @ 160lbs NO REST
Chest Flies 6x5 @ 35lb dumbbells

Weighted pull-ups 4x5 (+10lbs in back-pack)NO REST
Reverse grip bent over rows: 6x5 @ 105lbs <–progress

Diet:

Breakfast: 3 eggs, 3 slices turkey bacon, 1 banana, 1 Flameout , 1 fishcap

Snack: JB’s PB shake, 1 Flameout, 1 fishcap

Lunch: 1/2 Greek burger recipe, broccoli

Snack: JB’s PB shake (forgot to cook the bars last night)

Workout: Surge

Dinner: Oatmeal with blueberries and protein powder

Snack: Pre-bed snake,1 Flameout, 1 fishcap

Down to 185lbs. Need to make the cardio and supersets more intense this week and shed some more fat. Shoulders, back and arms starting to define.

284

keep it up ~ days need to turn into weeks, and weeks into months. good job, I noted the final part where you want to get even more intense.

285

All sets include 15 reps each

A1: Incline bench press: 35lbs dumbbells

A2: Squats: 140lbs

A3: Upright Rows: 80lbs

A4: Leg curls: 40 lbs

A5: Decline Sit-ups +5 lbs

NO rest between lifts, repeat super set immediately after finishing last sit-up with no rest. Repeat 3 times

Rest 3 minutes and then proceed with the following:

B1: Military Press: 70lbs

B2: Leg extension: 75lbs

B3: Bent over rows: 70lbs

B4: Leg Curls: 40lbs

B5: Lying Leg lifts

Took the weekend off for some needed rest. Totally helped out because I felt awesome in the gym today.

286

Never underestimate the 3rd leg of fitness.

Rest! Hehe ~

287

Yo bro hows it goin? I know you’ve been following my log wanted to see how your journey was going for you?

288

Acelement-

Thanks for stopping by dude. I am still going strong. Starting to cross some of my goals off my list. I’m glad to see the V-Diet worked out for you. Overall your progress has been very inspiring for me to watch so keep it up.

Kinein-

I was very hesitent to take the time off and kept trying to convince myself that I was just in a slump to suck it up. Workout after workout got worse and I started to lose interest.

I decided to take 4 days off to receover and get some sleep (work had been kicking my ass lately an a reduced cal diet with little carbs was to much).

I did with a promise to myself that this was only a break and that I had to get bac to the grind as usual on Sunday.
This is one of the best decisions I have made in my training so far. On sunday (didn’t have time to post) I knocked out two of the goals I wanted to hit.

I crossed off the 225 x 6 reps (1 set at the END of my regular squat day) and the 6 minute mile. The days doing supersets have really helped my cardio and make the runs easier.

My workouts are really getting much better and my stregnth is still slowly climbing. My only lack of progress is in body comp. I for some reason, struggle like hell with losing fat. PN worked great to get me looking better but I still dont look great. I dropped from 20% fat down to around 17-18%.

Although pissed, I know I will eventually get there somehow, I am just starting to un out of ideas.

289

Well ~ perhaps its time you do a V-Diet stint it may be good experience. I think that or you could slice off 500 calories from all your days and work with that and see how that goes, or cycle in harder cardio or multiple cardio sessions. There are quite a few options.

The best way is to use that spinning mind of yours to push yourself to apply yourself harder. You haven’t tried too many things to warrant the statement, you are running out of ideas.

290

Took a day off from the regular workout and tried to hit my 1 rep max for the big three.

All number are after warm-ups

Squats: 240lbs (I think I could have hit 245-250 but I had no spotter and the squat rack was taken so I had to use the stands. I hate usuing the stands)

Deadlift: 265lbs (Forearms are still the weak link)

Bench: 195lbs (missed 200) (this sucks) I need to work on the bottom portion of my bench. If I can get past the first couple of inches, I can finish and actually use much more weight.

291

K throttle down and avoid 1 rep maxxing for at least 4 weeks~

292

The key part in your equation I think is mental. When you don’t feel satisfied. Try to up the intensity or difficulty more per workout. Smash yourself til your teeth are bared and your foaming at the mouth. Just listen to the little safety voice in your head so that its controlled chaos.

Transcend what you think you are capable of and let your body tell you what it is capable of :wink: bypass the mental blocks - feed off your desire and goals. Make that the first thing you think of whenever you start feeling emo/negative/anti-successful etc.

293

Thanks for the positive words Kinein. I finally experienced epic computer failure and can really only make posts at work (not a good idea) or in the library. Posts for the next week or so will be scarce.

Things I have been doing lately with some good results:
-changed my bench to using dumbbells (want to see what this will do for my max

-Finish all heavy squat days with one set of 20 reps at 135lbs (flushing the legs out like mentioned a while ago)

-Cheat pull-ups till failure after I completed my regular set.

I have placed an order for everything to do the V-Diet and I’m currently waiting for my supplies to get here. I want to start immediatly but am hesitant about the holiday dinners that are coming up. I am not so much worried about falling off and binging, but they dont fit the plan.

Still doing something thinking about timing.

294

db strength vs barbell strength are a bit different… adding db work or switching off on a weekly or bi-weekly basis would be more effective to upping strength.

But that becomes a focus on strength and power vs aesthetics ~

If you do the V-Diet I recommend you do it after Christmas instead of just putting yourself in a bad situation around good family food… unless you won’t be attending a nice family gathering.

295

Dammnnnn… It is good to be back!!

I got a new computer during all the holiday sales and now I am back up and running.

a lot has changed over the last month (unfortunatly not as much with my lifts as I would have liked) but at least they are still progressing.

I have all the supplies for the V-Diet and was ready to start the day after Christmas, but that changed as well, thanks to Kinein.

To be brief I fired off a PM asking for help about a slump/burnout that I was in. He shot back an answer with some lifitng and diet advice which turned out to be excellent. The reason why I have post-poned the V-Diet is because following the extremely simple advice has helped me to shed some fat while I believe adding some muscle, and I want to ride this out for as long as it works.

I currently stand at 192lbs. Although I have a long ways to go, I am pumped and wanted to give a big thanks to everyone that has helped me so far. I started lifting weights in my spare bedroom at 165lbs a little over a year ago. After amking some crappy progress I got up to about 175 adding equal fat to muscle ratio.

THis pissed me off so I found T-Nation. I follwed the Eat big and lift big advice and fairly quickly went from 175 to 190. This is when I made my first post, and started my log.

Now at 190 I look much differnt thatn I did year ago at 190 and I am happy with this, but still not at my original goal of ~10% fat and 200+ lbs.

My current plan is to diet per Kineins advice for another week or so while continuing to de-load (hopped back on rippetoes for few weeks). Switch to the V-Diet and kick some more fat so Im not that “bulking year round” guy, then hop back on the building Brootal train to finally arrive at my 200 lb destination. I am looking to be 200 by June 1st.

What I have learned over the last month since my computer broke:

  • I can eat a relatively low amount of calories and not lose muscle. (I followed what worked for everyone else and obviously this didnt work)

  • Going balls to the wall every workout for months at a time is a sure fire way to burn yourself out.

-My back is my weakest link so far. Going forward I will put in MUCH more effort for my back.

-I need more cardio than I like to do.

-I need to work equally as hard on my flexibility, as I do my diet and lifting. I am startin to see where it is holding me back.

To recap: Thanks to everyone who has stopped by, offered advice, or just read through my log.

296

Off-day from weights today

30 minutes jogging/walking

15 minutes stretching/mobility work.

297

Good update.

298

haha Not sure if you are talking about the actual update or the crappy off day from weights one, but thanks!

Lifts today:

Following rippetoes for a bit until I start the V-Diet next week.

Squats: 5 reps each
1: 135
2: 165
3: 185
Work sets:
(4-9) 235

Bench:
1: 115
2: 135
3: 155
Work sets
(4-9) 170

Deads:
1: 135
2: 165
3: 195
4: 235

Followed lifting with a 30 minute jog/ run. I am worried that by not jogging/runniong while on the v-diet I will lose some of the speed I have gained (not really a main concern anyway, but I still worked hard to get here).

My right shoulder has been giving me a bit of a problem with heavy benching lately. It is hard to describe but I will try my best. It doesn’t really hurt but it is uncomfortable when benching flat, doesnt give me problem when on a decline. If I don’t focus enough, I can feel my tricept take the load.

I have been using the heat, ibuprofin and fish oil and cut the extra push-ups out for the time beaing. I have also been trying to spend more time warming up before heavy benching.

Weighed in this morning at 192 which was not what i wanted. Looking forward to the diet and what will come after!

299

Off day from weights: 45 min jog/run. For some reason I felt like Forrest Gump today and just kept going. Legs and knees felt like gold.

Something that I forgot to mention yesterday that I need to make note of was my newest benching issue to overcome.

I noticed that my right wrist stays straight or very close to being straight, while my left wrist cocks back like when holding the bar for front squats, or like holding a serving tray (I know, I am crappy at describing things).

After thinking about it, I have come to the conclusion that I need to start putting in MASSIVE forearm work. I noted in my log much earlier that forearm strength was holding back my deadlift, and now I notice it holding back my bench. I regret not giving this more attention earlier. I also feel like I could probably get another rep or two when doing chin ups if my hands could hold on longer.

DIET NOTES:

I find that not really following a strict “watch exactly what I am eating” diet is a nice change of pace.I have been eating from a select group of foods, but have not been counting calories. I do however notice that I don’t do as well as when I have it all laid out, and am more likely to cheat. Lesson learned: I need structure for the best results.

In the future I think that I will incorporate a week or two every few months where I break away from counting, measuring and planning. I think that if I had done this in the past I would have had better results.

300

Lifts today:

Squats: 5 reps each
1: 135
2: 165
3: 185
Work sets:
(4-9) 235

Military Press:
1: 85
2: 95
3: 105
Work sets
(4-9) 115 (pumped with legs on last 2 resp of last set)

Rows:
1: 85
2: 95
3: 105
(4-9) 135

30 minutes on bike before heading out. Legs were still sore when I did squats today but feel good now.