2/27/13 Off Day
Weighed in 177.2…up from 5 days ago at 176.6 =(
Cardio: 30 min fasted morning walk
Diet update: Shelby dropped carbs every other day. So zero carbs every other day. Still get my epic cheat meals every 5th night though. Win some. Lose some, as long as I get tighter this next week.
Am I the only one that feels like my legs are growing? I know it’s gotta be an optical illusion but it just seems that way each passing week.
Your kickin ass!
[quote]jskrabac wrote:
[quote]The3Commandments wrote:
Saw you were doing the stairmaster earlier for cardio: does shelby dictate what type of cardio you do? It caught my eye because I feel like I typically only see big guys doing the stairstepper and figured it was to minimize impact on knees.[/quote]
He does. He wants me keeping heart rate between 120 and 130. I’m fairly low carb, so I don’t think HIIT would serve me well. It would hinder recovery too, especially in a deficit. [/quote]
I should have been more specific: I meant the type of cardio to achieve the heart rate. So, e.g., he would say “Monday, stair stepper; Tuesday, incline treadmill” etc.
Also curious: my treadmill doesn’t have a heart rate monitor. What incline and speed do you use to achieve your HR target? Might use that as a baseline for me.
[quote]The3Commandments wrote:
[quote]jskrabac wrote:
[quote]The3Commandments wrote:
Saw you were doing the stairmaster earlier for cardio: does shelby dictate what type of cardio you do? It caught my eye because I feel like I typically only see big guys doing the stairstepper and figured it was to minimize impact on knees.[/quote]
He does. He wants me keeping heart rate between 120 and 130. I’m fairly low carb, so I don’t think HIIT would serve me well. It would hinder recovery too, especially in a deficit. [/quote]
I should have been more specific: I meant the type of cardio to achieve the heart rate. So, e.g., he would say “Monday, stair stepper; Tuesday, incline treadmill” etc.
Also curious: my treadmill doesn’t have a heart rate monitor. What incline and speed do you use to achieve your HR target? Might use that as a baseline for me.[/quote]
Not at all. It’s entirely my choice, as with my food choices. He just mandates the macros of each meal and that the final meal be 5 omega 3 eggs.
Let’s see, treadmill is usually 3.5 mph and 11/15 on the incline. Not sure how universal the latter is though…I like to think of it as the “cruise control” zone. You should be able to carry on a conversation with someone passing by.
2/28/13 Legs/calves
Lying Hamstring Curls: 20, 15, 12, 10(+30) ramping, 30 partials out of bottom after last set
Stiff-leg floor deads: ramping sets of 12 135, 185, 225, 275, 315
Power/Reverse Hack Squats: ramping sets of 10 w/ 1pps, 2pps, 3pps, 4pps, then a drop set w/ reps 10/15/20 at 5pps/3pps/1pps
Single leg press, 3 sec negative, knees touch chin: 12x2pps, 10x2.5pps, 8x3pps, 6x3.5pps
Leg press Calf Raises: 6x15x2pps
Cardio: 30 min incline treadmill
3/1/13 Chest/delts
Pec Dec Flyes, 1 sec squeeze: 3x12
HS incline + monster mini bands: ramping sets of 6 w/ 0/1/2/3 quarters a side, then a drop set w/ 4/3/2/1/0 quarters a side for 6/4/3/5/7 reps
Flat BB Bench: 8x185, 8x205, 5x225, 4x225, 6x185
Pec Minor Dips, 1 sec squeeze: 2x25
Machine lateral raises: 4x12, 2x20 about 1 min rest
Rear delt cable flyes: 6x12, 30 sec rest
Cardio: 30 min Incline treadmill
[quote]coyotegal wrote:
Your kickin ass! [/quote]
Thanks! Now if only I could get my back looking as solid as yours!
Thanks for the response. I find the idea of variety in cardio to be an interesting topic. The reason is that as someone who used to run long distance, I’d imagine that running is probably a less efficient form of cardio for me than others due to efficiencies I’ve gained over the years of running. Subtle form tweaks and whatnot–stuff that I may not even consciously realize I’m doing.
Because the whole point of cardio is energy expenditure, I wonder whether periodizing cardio might be beneficial insofar as it prevents those efficiency gains from accumulating. So, for example, a month might be one week of incline treadmill, one week of light jogging, one week stairstepper, one week elliptical. Repeat.
Any thoughts on that? I feel like cardio is not a very fully explored area because it’s sort of a “get it in and leave it alone” sort of practice.
[quote]The3Commandments wrote:
Thanks for the response. I find the idea of variety in cardio to be an interesting topic. The reason is that as someone who used to run long distance, I’d imagine that running is probably a less efficient form of cardio for me than others due to efficiencies I’ve gained over the years of running. Subtle form tweaks and whatnot–stuff that I may not even consciously realize I’m doing.
Because the whole point of cardio is energy expenditure, I wonder whether periodizing cardio might be beneficial insofar as it prevents those efficiency gains from accumulating. So, for example, a month might be one week of incline treadmill, one week of light jogging, one week stairstepper, one week elliptical. Repeat.
Any thoughts on that? I feel like cardio is not a very fully explored area because it’s sort of a “get it in and leave it alone” sort of practice.[/quote]
Keep in mind just how low intensity 120-130 bpm is. Doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of “efficiency gains.” I have not seen any differences when cycling the type of cardio; however, I’ve seen some nice boosts from periodizing the amount of cardio. For example, if I have several big drop weeks as far as fat/weight go all in a row, Shelby will occasionally tell me something like drop cardio for a week or two. I was doing 45 min/day when I left off with him in December…dropped back to zero, and actually started at zero when I rehired him. Now we’re back up to 30 again…which is still less than 45.
Honestly, I haven’t given cardio much thought other than I find it overrated in general for physique. It’s a pittance of caloric expenditure compared to the metabolic disturbance caused by a hard lifting session, and I’d rather just add some volume or intensifiers to the weight room than jump on a hamster wheel.
3/2/13 Back
Close Grip Cable Row: 7 ramping sets of 6, focus on explosive plus a full second squeeze at contraction, 30 sec rest
BB Meadows Rows + a bunch of chains: 4x8x3 25s, 1 min rest
One Arm BB Row: 4x8x4 25s, 1 min rest
Superset 2 min rest between
DB Pullovers: 4x15
WG Pullups: 4x10
HS Shrugs: giant drop set w/ 30/25/20/15 reps at 4pps/3pps/2pps/1pps
Cardio: 30 min fasted morning walk
**This was a zero carb day workout…I was actually surprised at what I was able to do.
3/3/13 Arms
HS Preacher Curls: 3x12, then 8+8+8 drop
Rope pushdowns: 3x12, then 8+8+8 drop
DB Hammer Curls: 3x8, then r/p w/ 15 sec rest 8/4/2x40s
CG Floor Press: 2x8x185, 1x7x185
EZ Bar Curls w/ “double clutch”: 1x10, 3x8 (1 rep is up, down halfway, back up, then all the way down)
BW Dips: 5x15
DB Curls: 4x15
1-arm cable tri ext.: 1x20, 1x12, 2x25
Cardio: 30 min stairstepper
3/4/13 off day
down from 177.2 to 176.8
Cardio: 30 min fasted morning walk
3/5/13 Legs/Calves
Lying Hamstring Curls: 6x12
DB SLRDL: 6x12x80s (went much lighter than usual on these and really focused on feel)
Leg Press Pyramid: 30x6pps, 25x7pps, 20x8pps, 20x9pps, 25x8pps, 30x7pps
Hack Squat feet High and Wide: 4x20x2pps
Seated Calf Raises: 4x25, then drop weight in half on last set for 50 more
Cardio: Evening stroll 30 min…didn’t have time at the gym. Leg days I have the hardest time getting cardio in.
3/6/13 Chest/delts
Cable Crossovers: ramping weight 20, 15, 10, hard squeeze
DB Incline: 12x70, 9x85, 7x100
High to low cable flyes: ramping weight 20, 15, 10, hard squeeze
Decline HS Press: 15x2pps, 12x2pps 25, 9x3pps
DB Lateral Raises: 20x15, 15x20, 10x25
Machine Lateral raises: ramping 20, 15, 12
Rear Delt Pec Dec: ramping 20, 15, 12
Band Pullaparts: 3x20, 1 sec squeeze
Cardio: 30 min incline treadmill
3/7/13 Back
Standing Single Arm Low Cable Rows: ramped in sets of 10 until I hit a hard 10
Trap Bar Rows: 3x8x185 (not sure if TB weighs more? who cares)
Lat pulldowns: ramped in sets of 8 to 195 I think
HS Iso High Rows: 4x12x2pps
Straight arm rope pulldowns, 1 sec squeeze: 4x15
Cable Rope facepull: 3x20
Cardio: 30 min stairstepper
[u]3/8/13 Arms
Supersets[/u]
Straight Bar pushdown: ramping 5x8
DB Curls: ramping 4x8
HS Preacher curl: ramping 4x10
EZ Bar Skullcrushers: 4x10
Dips: 5x20
DB Hammer Curls:4x10
Cardio: 30 min fasted morning walk
3/9/13 Off
Cardio: 30 min fasted morning walk
Bodyweight 177.0 v. 176.8 5 days ago…
SERIOUSLY considering dropping Shelby. In my time with him so far:
Obviously in a bind here, because he’s got the street cred. I just don’t think he knows what to do with a natty at my stage of leanness. He’s approaching this all like I’m on gear I believe.
