Guess they are back.
45 minutes of cardio outdoors. It was nice enough out today to actually get out and do a run so I took advantage of it until I couldn’t go anymore.
Diet was on point today as fas as choices, but for some reason my stomach was very upset. I’m not sure if I ate something bad or if I am coming down with something, but it was not fun.
Tomorrow is officially the start of my new training year. I am going to accomplish much more than I did last year, and have much more knowledge to work with.
Gone are the days of crappy posts, month long breaks (even with a broken computer) and chasing two rabbits. If you watch this log, look out for tomorrow’s post because it is the start of a new BROOTAL.
***There its in writing, I HAVE to go through with this or FAIL in front of the lifting community!
Thanks for reading!
Have you ever come across something that made you want to just slap the shit out of yourself? Maybe it was an article in the paper of some “genius” who just recently developed a product that you had thought of 5 years ago but never did anything about.
Or maybe it was that time that you decided to stay in while all your friends went to the bar because “you were tired” when it just so happened to be the unannounced wet t-shirt contest with free beer.
Every so often, I will read or see something that burns me up so bad that I want to quit, but at the same time inspires me so much that I promise myself that I won’t let the next opportunity pass me by.
Here is a good example of what I am talking about: To put this into contrast, Tiffany has been working out for the same amount of time that I have. DAMNIT!!
It is time to make some real changes, and today was the start.
5:45 am: Take 1 HOT-ROX and 8oz of water. 30 minute jog on the treadmill at my apartment complexes “gym”.
7:00: 3 scrambled eggs, 8oz of water, 2 Flameout.
10:00: 2 scoops Metabolic Drive, 2 sugar free “Fiber choice” tablets, 1 apple.
12:30: 1 HOT-ROX
1:00: 1 can of chicken noodle soup. (terribly unprepared This will not happen again)
3:30: 2 scoops Metabolic Drive, 2 Flameout, 3 celery sticks
5:30 Surge during / after workout.
7:00 2 talipa filets, grilled in very small amount of butter, seasoned. 2 cups brocolli and cauliflower steamed. 8 oz of water.
10:00 (will eat) 1 cup cottage cheese
Tomorrow I need to get more protein but continue to keep the carbs and calories low. Better food choices = better body.
Lifting: (V-Diet routine for beginners)
Pull-ups (hands facing in)
4 reps with 5 lb plate between the knees
rest 30 sec
Deadlift:
4 reps: 185 lbs (underestimated how much I should use, need to crank this up ASAP.
rest 30 sec
Decline bench:
4 reps: 155lbs
rest 30 sec + repeat 5 more circuits
2 “sets” 30 seconds each of side plank holds.
30 mintues on the stationary bike doing sprints.
Double cardio sessions are now a must.
Motivational link for anyone who reads this:
This is a guy who did (is doing) exactly what I want. I try to read that site at least once a week to put into contrast what needs to happen.
Off day from weights:
5:45 am: 30 minute jog on the treadmill (skipped the HOT-ROX)
7:00: 3 scrambled eggs, 8oz of water, 2 Flameout.
10:00: 2 scoops Metabolic Drive, 2 sugar free, fiber tabs
1:00: 1/2 serving Dr. Johns chili. Water
3:30: 2 scoops Metabolic Drive, 2 Flameout
5:30: 30 minute jog outside, plus another 15-20 minutes walking. (it was really cold out and running straight hurt my lungs / chest)
6:30: 2 fish filets cooked in light olive oil, 1 cup mixed veggies with salt.
9:30: 1/2 cup cottage cheese, some celery sticks (planned)
Overall I felt pretty good today. The HOT-ROX are actually a lot stronger on my stomach than I had thought. I cut them out today to see if I felt better, which I did. Tomorrow I will try only 1 cap each time.
ARE those the Extremes? Funny story, when the Xtremes came out I had been double dosing regular HOT-ROX because they were losing their potency so I did that with HRX without thinking. So I had 4 for one serving on my first try. I did not feel good after that.
haha ~ you’ll feel better doing 1 cap then 2 I think.
6:30: 1 HOT-ROX. Missed my morning cardio after I woke up and found that our cat had barfed all over the apartment. Was not the way I wanted to start the morning but shit happens I guess.
7:00: 3 scrambled eggs, 8oz of water, 2 Flameout.
10:00: 2 scoops Metabolic Drive, 1 fiber choice tab
12:30: 1 HOT-ROX
1:00: Large chicken salad
3:30: 2 scoops Metabolic Drive, 2 Flameout
6:30 Surge during / after workout.
9:30 Cottage cheese,carb countdown chocolate mil
Lifting: (V-Diet routine for beginners)
Alternating shoulder press
6 reps with 35 lb dumbbells
rest 35 sec
Reverse lunge:
6 reps: 135 lbs
rest 35 sec
1 arm dumbbell row:
6 reps: 55lbs
rest 35 sec + repeat 3 more circuits
Overhead tricep press:
6 reps 55 lbs
Dumbbell Hammer Curl:
6 reps: 35lb each
Bodyweight Squat (+115 lbs) no added weight seemed way too light
15 reps.
2 sets of side plank holds
30 minutes on the treadmill incline jogging / walking
Kinein: Yea they are the HOT-ROX Extremes. Sometimes I feel like they are burning a hole in my gut. My palms sweat, my hunger is virtually gone, and I have lately they make my need to use the bathroom “urgent”. For now I will use these extra “sprints” as added cardio, but unless things cool down the HOT-ROX are out.
Are you making sure to drink even more water tho? you should have at least 1 full 12oz glass of water after eating one of those HRXs. Along with drinking lots of water throughout the day as well. Make sure to inhale 2 glasses of water with every meal as well. Of course have water available at all times and avoid ever feeling thirsty.
Make sure you work on proper breathing with each rep and muscle stimulation.
Another way is to carry 1 gallon of water with you everyday and make sure you finish it before bed. At least 1 gallon!
It is alwayas hard for me to tell just how much water I am actually taking in so I am going to try the gallon a day thing. I do however drink a lot of water. I was thinking about other things that it might be and I thought I would mention that most of the fluid I drink is tea.
The tea is natural (tea bag) kind and not some lipton kool-aid crap, but it does have extra caffeine.
Diet was solid today excpet around 3 o’clock i found myself eating some saltines that were at my desk. Oddly enough I didn’t even realize what the hell I was doing. Just snacking away on crap.
5:45: 30 minutes cardio on the treadmill (developed a blister on left foot, time for new shoes)
7:00 3 eggs, handfull of raw cashews
10:00 2 scoops Metabolic Drive
1:00 homemade beef stew (basically beef in broth with veggies)
3:30 2 scoops Metabolic Drive
6:30 Surge
8:30 Dr.Johns chili
Romanian deadlift for 8 reps
155lbs
Rest 30 seconds
Push-up for 8 reps
+10 plate on my back
Rest 30 seconds
Wide-grip pull-up for 8 reps
Rest 30 seconds and repeat A1-A3 twice more
Standing dumbbell side raise for 8 reps
20lb dumbbells
Rest 30 seconds
Bent over dumbbell row for 8 reps
55lb dumbbells
Rest 30 seconds
Reverse crunch for 8 reps
Rest 30 seconds
Step-ups for 8 reps on each leg
(need to add weight next time)
Rest 60 seconds and repeat B1-B4 twice more
Rode the bike for about 15 minutes after workou, but cut it short until this blister heals. Shoul be good to go by the end of the weekend.
How long have you used the same sneakers to workout in?
The shoes that I use for running in are the same shoes that I used to skateboard in (Circa Adrian Lopez for those who skate!). They are about 4 years old and not designed for this at all. I used them because they were comfortable, but are now just creating problems. I do most of my lifts in just socks (my gym doesn’t care), so they dont’t effect me anywhere else.
I am going to try and pick up a pair of new balance or something tomorrow.
Try is such a horrible word and the feeling and intent behind it is so weak. Time to discard it from your vocabulary!
Lifting: Had to switch to Sunday, tuesday Thrusday so I could take some extra night classes.
Pull-ups (hands facing in)
4 reps with 5 lb plate between the knees
rest 30 sec
Decline bench:
4 reps: 155lbs
rest 30 sec + repeat 6 more circuits
2 “sets” 30 seconds each of side plank holds.
Lower Back was acting up real bad today for some reason so I skipped deadlifts and did some leg curls and heavy shrugs. I know its not the same but it was either skip completely or find a solution.
Picked up some new shoes today and can totally tell the difference in design. They are just regular old adidas but feel like as air and breath much better.
I also decided that I am giving myself three months to get down to the bodyfat percent I am aiming for. I figure I need to lose about 10 lbs of fat, and I am giving myself until April 1st. For the next three months number one goal is dropping fat.
No more 5 lb plate between the knees. Until you can do 15 pullups straight. Do as many sets as many reps as possible. Whenever wherever throughout your workout instead. Throw in some dead hangs when you can’t pull yourself up anymore ~ for as long as you can hold on toward end of workout.
7:00 3 eggs scrambled
10:00 2 scoops Metabolic Drive
1:00 Dr. Johns chili, orange
3:30 Chocolate PB shake
6:30 2 chicken breasts grilled, chopped up, and mixed with mixed veggies and sundried tomatoes.
8:30 Cottage cheese with flax.
30 mintues on incline treadmill.
Drank overa gallon of water throughout the day. Keeping the actual gallon with me makes it much easier to track. I must have been drinking close to a gallon a day anyway because I didn’t feel like I was trying all that hard to get it down.
I do notice that when I get that much water in, that I do feel much better throughout the day.
As a crutch to starve off hunger I have been eating sliced cucumber. I know that it still “counts” but its helping from eating other crap that won’t help me reach my goal.
Kinein- Please explain why adding reps is better than adding weight when it comes to pull-ups. I added weight similar to how I progressed with deadlifts for example. When I could do a certain number at a certain weight I added more weight. Not trying to be a smartass, just trying to learn.
4 reps +5 = a total of 20 lbs extra lifted. Say you weigh 185 lbs, and instead you do 1 more rep that would be 185 lbs vs 20 lbs.
185 - 20 = 165 lbs difference.
I wouldn’t count any raw,steamed, boiled vegetable thats green. That shouldn’t be part of your equation as much of greens is indigestible. A healthy bowel function is the most important factor of getting fiber into your system. Followed by all the nutritional goodness.
In closing I think if you did a session or two of training with me at the gym. We would drastically redefine pushing the envelope of what you can take. Give your muscles a reason to grow.
I see what you mean by adding the extra 5 lbs not being nearly as good as adding more reps. I have been doing lots of static holds at the end of my workout like you suggested as well.
I will stop counting green vegetables. I knew from previous posts that they were not that important to count, but I saw in Bartl’s transformation that CT had him counting them so I started again. This will allow me to eat more because right now I feel like I am starving. By not counting all the green veggies I can get in another small meal of a few hundred calories which will help a lot.
7:00 3 eggs,
10:00 2 scoops Metabolic Drive
1:00 Dr. John chili, 3 celery stalks
3:30 Peanut butter shake
6:30 Chicken with mixed veggies in light amount of olive oil
8:30 Cottage cheese, carb countdown chocolate milk.
It may seem odd but I am going to start adding a cup or two of veggies at breakfast. I find myself getting hungry an hhour or so after breakfast and think that eating more at breakfast will help with this.
I have been having two problems lately.
-
my lower back has been acting up again. This hinders my big lifts (squats, deads). Right now I think it is a matter of my lower back being too weak. I have been working to make it stronger through extra attention.
-
I still do facepulls at the end of each workout to bring up my lacking rear delts. Im not sure if its my mind/muscle connection or my technique but I always feel it more in the traps than I do in my delts.
Side note: New shoes kick ass and make me want to run more! It needs to get warmer around here damnit!!!
I’m going to start with the facepulls and rear delt commentary.
That should be a finisher after using other rear delt stimulating exercises… But for the next month I think you need to stop using them.
Work on upright rows, military presses, and shrugs of all varieties. Along with bent over , on your feet, or seated rear delt raises.
Oh did I forget to mention 9-15 sets of shrugs. 3-4 variations.
Oh and how about taking 2 weeks off from deadlifts and squats, and doing back extensions and running.
Not sure what the hell is going on with my log?!?! for the last 4 days it only shows post up until 12-9-08 and my posts dont seem to be showing up as I make them? Can anyone see this?
EDIT** seems to be fixed, but I lost 3 posts?
This week went exactly how I wanted it to. Im down 1.5 lbs according to scale. I am now on a warpath to destroy fat. I read the reason why transformations fail and it got me even more pumped.
I did have some really unexpected things happen however, and I am not quite sure how its going to turn out. My gym is closing because the guy who owns it isn’t making money. The only other “gym” in town is all machines and doesn’t allow the “big” lifts. The next closest gym that allows real lifting is 30 minutes away with traffic. This isn’t going to work.
One of the guys from the gym said it wouldn’t be a problem to work out with him in his garage until we find something else, so thats what I’ll be doing. We are a little more limited with what we have but no reason why we can’t make progress.
We have a cage, tons of plates, a bench with all positions and a limited amount of dumbbells. The cage also has a pull-up bar welded to it. I have a curl bar, and some other random crap to bring to the table as well.
I only see three things right now that I will need to work around.
-Most of the dumbbells are too heavy for me to use on some lifts (i.e. the lightest set he has is 50lbs and they go up from there.) Not a big deal just need to get stronger.
-No lat pull-down for extra work after pull-ups. Will be working only on pull-ups.
-Leg curl attachment is kind of half ass (the kind at the end of the bench) the one we had at the gym was awesome and each side was independant.
Time to get creative.
Cooked up 3 pounds of chicken tonight. And made 2 pounds of Dr. Johns chili. I will get 100% compliance to my diet this week with no cheats whatsoever.
I am also going to add back in the HOT-ROX slowly. Now that I know exaclty how much water I am taking, I am hoping this will help with the digestion.
Another bonus to my weekend = my girlfriend decided she will be joining me on morning cardio sessions. This is awesome because sometimes pushing myself to wake-up at 530 sucks, and its always nice to have someone else there as well.
Kinein- By dropping the deads and squats for 2 weeks I see that you have me doing lots of shrugs but what do you want me doing for legs? I basically have extensions and leg curls right now.
PS thanks for the shoulder stuff, that whole website is a goldmine of information!!
Now that your gym is closing the garage thing sounds like a blessing. Keeping it simple and heavy always works IMO.
Good luck