Cookies and Beer Most of the Year

Training Training Logs
441

12/1/19

Bodyweight: 210lbs (Thanksgiving wins again)

A1) Rear foot elevated split squat with kettlebell in Smith machine: 35lbs x10, x10, x10, x10, x10, x10 (kept more time under tension on one leg than walking lunge, but much less loading)
B1) Barbell front squat: 95 x8, 135lbs x5, x5, x5
C1) Cybex leg extension machine: 110lbs x10, x10, x10, x10, x10
D1) Seated dumbbell concentration curls: 30lbs x10, x8, 25lbs x10, x9, x7 (ea)
E1) Pushups: x10, x10, x10, x10, x10

A few basketball drills with the 6 year old

442

12/3/19

GVT 60sec rest periods 3:0:2 tempo

A1) Seated dumbbell overhead press, back supported:50lbs (ea) x10, x10, 45 lbs (ea) x10, x9, x8, x7, x7, x7
B1) Seated machine calf raise (straight knees) 165lbs x10, x10,x10, x10, x10, x10, x9, x8, x7, x7
C1) Bent over dumbbell reverse fly: 20lbs x25

443

12/4/19

GVT 60sec rest periods 3:0:2 tempo

A1) Hanging leg raise (bent knees to chest): x10, x10, x10, x10, x9
B1) Lat pulldown (wide grip): 130lbs x8, 110lbs x10, x10, x10, x9, x8
C1) Seated Cybex cable row (close grip) 100lbs x10, x10, x10, x10, x10

444

12/8/19
Bodyweight: 210 lbs

A1) Walking kettlebell lunges (50lbs each hand): x10, x10, x10, x10, x9 (each leg)
B1) Barbell front squat: (Bar only sets,): 95lbs x20
C1) Cybex seated knee extension 110lbs x10, x10, x10, x10, x10

Followed by: steady state incline treadmill walk: 20 min

Followed by: 3 hours of leaf raking a half-acre

Followed by: an epson salt bath and a bottle of Italian red (I’m such a girl, I know).

445

12/11/19

GVT 60sec rest periods 3:0:2 tempo

A1) Hanging leg raise (bent knees to chest): x10, x10, x10, x10, x9, x8, x8, x7
B1) Lat pulldown (wide grip): 130lbs x8,x8, 110lbs x10, x10, x10, x9, x8
C1) Seated Cybex cable row (close grip) 100lbs x10, x10, x10, x10, x10
D1) Seated calf raise (bent knees) 45lbs x10, x8, x8, x8
E1) Seated calf raise (straight knees) 135lbs x10, x10, x10, x8, x8, x8

Letting the diet fly once again. I may throw in a 12-hour fast day here or there but nothing consistent. Trying to not stress myself by being perfect until after Christmas. Also playing around with a low carb breakfast every morning just to see how I feel by lunch. So far, no energy crash until mid-afternoon to evening.

446

12/13/19

GVT 60sec rest periods 3:0:2 tempo

A1) Pushups: Bwt x10, x10, x10, x10, x10, x9, x8, x8, x7, x6
B1) Seated dumbbell concentration curls (alternating arms) 25lbs x10, x10, x10, x10, x8, x7, x7
C1) Reverse curl barbell preacher: 40lbs x10, x10, x10, x8

447

12/15/19
Bodyweight: 210 lbs

A1) Walking kettlebell lunges (50lbs each hand): x10, x10, x10, x10, x9 (each leg)
C1) Cybex seated knee extension 130lbs x10, x10, x10, x10, x10

Followed by: steady state incline treadmill walk: 30 min

1 Like
448

12/20/19
GVT 60sec rest periods 3:0:2 tempo

A1) Seated dumbbell overhead press, back supported:50lbs (ea) x10, x10, 45 lbs (ea) x10, x9, x8, x7, x7, x7
B1) Seated machine calf raise (straight knees) 165lbs x10, x10,x10, x10, x10, x10, x9, x8,
C1) Pushups Bwt x10, x10, x10, x10, x9
D1) Seated dumbbell concentration curl: 30lbs x10, x6, x5, x5, x5
E1) Reverse straight barbell preacher curk: 40lbs x10, x8, x8

449

12/27/19

A1) Hanging leg raises (knees bent) x10, x10, x10, x8, x8
B1) Pushups Bwt x10, x10, x10, x10, x9
C1) Seated dumbbell concentration curl: 30lbs x10, x6, x5, x5, x5
D1) Reverse straight barbell preacher curl: 40lbs x10, x8, x8

Been reading a lot of Poliquin’s stuff in addition to listening to training podcasts. Did the Braverman’s test for neurotransmitters, and if I answered the questions correctly, I’m dopamine dominant, but currently deficient in all 4 (Acetylcholine, GABA, Serotonin, and dopamine).

Though I’m not working terribly hard on anything right now (based on my very shitty workouts and food selection), I’m naturally going to change back to a low/moderate rep strength program for the new year. Low carb too. I figure it’s the complete opposite of what I’ve been doing the past 2-3 months.

450

12/28/19

Starting the process of reflecting on last year and how to use my failures to learn more about me.

6 Goals/ personal wishes for 2020 (training related and otherwise)

  1. Below 10% bodyfat and the ever-elusive 6-pack. Did a lot of work and came closer in 2019. A lot of self-sabotage with the diet, months of drinking/not calorie tracking/crap carbohydrate eating, depression, low energy, and I would say even not focusing on abdominal hypertrophy did me in. My approach will change a bit. This relates to goal number 2:

  2. Bringing up lagging muscles. I would say they’re all sub-par, but particularly my arms and legs. Genetics plays a role in this, as does training naturally. Part of focusing on strengthening with heavy barbell training with 5/3/1 last year was (in theory) so I could stimulate more motor units and therefore hypertrophy some fibers. For many reasons (lower calories for fat loss, stalling strength progression due to pain/injury, not sticking with the program), this did not happen.

3)Finding the right balance. This relates to balancing mental and physical, my needs versus others’ needs, work versus life, today versus big-picture, and grind versus pleasure. This isn’t really a goal, I know, as it’s so non-specific. I could just say finding the right balance of my life in 2020 to make me happiest.

  1. Be competitive this year in tennis singles and doubles. I could further define that as win at least 5 matches against players I find.

  2. Guide/train at least one person I know to better health. I know lots of family/friends that want to work out but can’t commit or don’t have the drive to build some habits. I need a willing participant for this one.

  3. Read and retain at least one book per month. (Read: watch less TV to accomplish this). I have a small library in my house and have finished so few books I have started on.

2 Likes
451

A big way to accomplish this is to read before bed every night. For one: it’ll put you to sleep earlier and keep you down longer instead of watching a screen, which is proven to keep you awake, but eventually as you get used to it, you’ll be able to keep awake and read longer while still getting the benefits of proper rest.

452

Good call. I was thinking early morning and/or before bed.

453

12/29/19

Bodyweight: 213lbs

Weight room 1RM testing, prepping for 5/3/1 in a week

Airdyne 5 min

Barbell Front Squat: Bar x5, 95lbs x5, 135lbs x3, 155lbs x1, 175lbs x1, 185lbs x1, 195lbs x1, 205lbs-didn’t like it, lost tightness in T-spine

So I’m calling it 195lbs 1 RM in good form

Standing Barbell Overhead Press: Bar x5, 75lbs x3, 95lbs x2, 125lbs x1, 135lbs x1, 140lbs x1, 145lbs- again, tightness lost, turned more into a push-press,

So I’m calling it 140lbs in good form

1 Like
454

That is some very good goals for 2020.

Chase one goal at a time… it’s hard to build muscles while trying to find the abs.

And I like number 5 guide and train another person, that’s a nice one I hope you’ll find a volunteer.

As Flap said read before bedtime.

Training related very mature to use the low technically sound 1RM. You’ll benefit from that.

455

12/31/19

More 1RM testing

Barbell Deadlift (double pronated grip): Bar x5, 95lbs x5, 135lbs x5, 155lbs x3, 185lbs x1, 225lbs x1, 235lbs x1, 245lbs x1, 255lbs x1 260-grip fail

Barbell Bench Press: Bar x5, 95lbs x5, 115lbs x3, 135lbs x2, 155lbs x1, 175lbs x1, 185lbs x1, 195lbs x1

For the hell of it:

Shoulder-width bodyweight chin-ups (strict) x6

Shoulder-width bodyweight dips (strict) x7

STTTRRROOOOOONNNGG…

1 Like
456

1/1/2020

Took one look back at hard work and mediocre results for 2019. All I can do is hunker down and try to stay on course. These are from December to September last year:

2019 collage
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I love how the little bit of tan I get brings out my, “almost ab”. Sigh…

457

1/1/20

Alrighty…onward and upward. Starting points for the new year as I finish all sabotaging cookies and beer. (I really do have problems).

Bodyweight: (Depending on the scale, I averaged 3 at 215lbs)
Height: 6 foot and a half

Circumference (all relaxed):
Neck: 15.25 inches
Shoulders/upper chest: 50 inches
Belly at umbilicus: 39.5 inches (cringe…)
Arms at mid-lateral triceps head: 14.5 inches
Forearms at widest: 12.5 inches
Quadriceps at one inch above patella: 17.25 inches
Calves at widest: 15.5 inches

Fat, weak, and rather small. I need good results and feedback from smart decisions to not lose my way. Damn life can be hard.

c front 1-1-20
c front 1-1-201702×3241 743 KB

back 1-1-20
back 1-1-202448×3264 1.24 MB

side pic 1-1-20
side pic 1-1-202448×3264 1.2 MB

(PLANS- I’m big on planning, not so much on winging)

Workout will be variants of 5/3/1, with the initial goals of fat loss while I strengthen some (yes I still believe it can be done). I believe a super-set routine may work, with condensed work and minimal rest. As my strength on the big lifts increases and body fat decreases in a few months, I plan to then change up the workout with longer rest periods on the main lifts. Three days a week of lifting, on static days (Sunday, Tuesday, Friday) around my work schedule. I will also be transitioning from early morning lifting back to later mornings/ afternoons. As tolerated, I will then add conditioning of the higher intensity/short duration variety. I have selected all complementary exercises, just deciding on final groupings to hit all the right muscles and allow for recovery.

1 Like
458

1/2/20

Back to work, no training today, but here’s my diet fun

Breakfast: Coffee, 4 tbsp half and half, 4 whole eggs, 1.5 tbps EVOO, Steamed spinach, 2 oz of raw Kimchi

Lunch: Metabolic Drive (2 scoops), water, 1 serving of Superfood, 2 tbsp milled flax seeds, 4 caps of Flameout

1 scoop of Power Drive with water

Late afternoon: Metabolic Drive (2 scoops), water, 2 tbsp milled flax seeds, 4 caps of Flameout

Dinner: 30 oz of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cooked in hatch green chilli (7 tbsp), water

Bedtime: 7 caps of Elite pro-minerals

Calories: 2418; Protein: 288g, Carbs: 39.2g, Fat: 140g

Obviously doing low carb again. Seeing how it spurs fat loss and getting my crazy blood sugar in check. I’ve also ordered some high quality fish oil, so I’m going to play around with liquid form instead of caps. My carbs will be earned when I can’t pinch an inch.

459

1/5/20

5/3/1 supersets (with 2 min rest between pairings)

A1)Barbell front squat: (ramp up sets/calf stretch) 115lbs x5, 132lbs x5, 150lbs x5, x5, x4, x4
A2) Single leg calf raise with 2 sec pause elevated Bwt x10, x10, x10, x10, x10, x10 (ea)

B1) Chin up Bwt x5, x5, x4, x3, x3
B2) Ab wheel rollout from knees: x10, x10, x10, x10, x8

C1) Lying hamstring curl machine 85lbs x8, x8, x8, x8, x8
C2) Standing dumbbell lateral raise 15lbs x15, x15, x15, x15, x15

460

1/6/20

No workout today, holding strong on the diet though, day 5 example:

1 serving Power Drive as soon as I woke

Breakfast: Coffee, heavy cream (3 tbs), 4 whole eggs fried in 1.5 tbsp EVOO, about 20 almonds, 2 cups of spinach, 1/3 pint raspberries, and 2 tbsp OmegaVail fish oil smoothie; Vitamin D, Curcumin, Baby Aspirin

Mid-morning: 2 scoops Metabolic Drive; 2 tbsp milled flax seed, water

1-serving Powerdrive

Mid-afternoon 2 scoops Metabolic Drive; 2 scoops Superfood, 2 tbsp milled flax seed, water

Dinner: 7 oz Ground beef meatloaf with onion, bell pepper, and mushroom, ketchup baked on top, 2 cups of steamed Normandy vegetable blend

Before bed: Another 2 tbps OmegAvail fish oil, 7 caps of Elite Pro Minerals

Calories: 2239, Protein: 168.5g, Carbs: 81g, Fat: 136.4g

The day is coming where I’ll be stressing and my brain will want me some carbs. Thankfully that day hasn’t arrived. I don’t think I used up my (glycogen and what not) reserves from December yet.