Hey, Kairiki! Just checking in on you. Hope you’re well these days!
-KB
CAUTION: LONG POST
I are returned!
After a hiatus from T-Nation, I am ready to kick up some dust in this piece! LOL
Shout out to Mini and KB for coming by (sniff, sniff…it’s just so beautiful).
Okay, what has been happening at the Fortress of Awesome.
Well, lots…I have scrapped Stronglifts after a successful run (about 6+ months) and have gone to a new program. I know, I know. Now before you start rolling those beady little eyes of yours, hear…ur…read me out.
My Chief Financial Officer (aka wife) graciously allowed me to have some of the tax return money and I was mulling over getting a particular workout program for awhile. I mulled. Mulled. Mulled some more. Then finally decided to take the plunge and went ahead and dropped the investment dollars.
The program I have started to do is the Accelerated Muscle Development 2.0 Program.this is the actual name of the product…not sexy at all…sounds like a product on one of those late night infomercial…lol) from Smitty of Diesel Crew fame.
Link is here: TinyURL.com - shorten that long URL into a tiny URL
Some of the highlights of this program:
-Simple diagrams and explanations on how to create explosive muscle growth by using your bodies’ natural growth hormone response AND how to maximize this muscle building effect.
-How to minimize the negative effects of cortisol and why this is ESSENTIAL for maintaining lean muscle mass.
-How to develop a comprehensive muscle building strategy and what are the MUST HAVE FACTORS.
-Powerful, results-driven templates that provide the how, what and why certain training volumes, intensities and rest periods create explosive results.
-Revealing the one secret that the “gurus” donâ??t want you to know about gaining muscle, getting stronger and getting ripped.
-Accurately track your progress with printable workout sheets.
-All the guess work is GONE, all you have to do is bring the determination because AMD leaves no stone unturned!
-What is involved in a thorough warm-up and why it is ESSENTIAL FOR AN EFFECTIVE WORKOUT.
The program can even be incorporated into Stronglifts or 5/3/1 if one is happy with what they are doing right now and want to add more pepper to their workouts.
Mind you, the program is not “cheap” price wise yet I purchased this as an investment that will pay huge dividends especially keeping me healthy as I progress in weight/strength training.
The first week of the program I could have drop-kicked Smitty. At times, I think he is either a technician or sadist. Yet the differences I have seen in only one week has been incredible (35 lbs DB feel like paper weights) and I even started to foam roll (INCONCEIVABLE!).
Plus the other differences is that my wife has made comments like: “Your arms are so big” and “You’re like a brick wall” when she accidentally bumped into me one day.
In addition, people at work have commented that I look different…bigger…this was even before AMD 2.0.
I am finishing week 2 today and my buddy has challenged me to do the Men’s Health Spartacus workout which I will do as a fat loss. By the way, I took before pictures and I never realized how horrific my side view was. This image is seared in my mind and reminds me of two things: 1) take only pictures showing my front view and 2) work harder. LOL.
Oh, one more thing…I have been supplementing with creatine while continuing to drink whole milk (even whole chocolate milk).
I will share what I learn and I hope we can help each other to become monsters in the gym naturally…thanks for your patience with me during my hiatus.
Glad to have you back, Kairiki, was missing you.
[quote]Kairiki wrote:
-How to minimize the negative effects of cortisol and why this is ESSENTIAL for maintaining lean muscle mass.
-How to develop a comprehensive muscle building strategy and what are the MUST HAVE FACTORS.
-Powerful, results-driven templates that provide the how, what and why certain training volumes, intensities and rest periods create explosive results.
-Revealing the one secret that the “gurus” donâ??t want you to know about gaining muscle, getting stronger and getting ripped.
[/quote]
Goodness, you sound like a salesman. This program isn’t the Amway of weightlifting, is it?
I’m liken that 5x5 WO with the Zerchers Rows and DB presses good solid lifts.
Hmm, ok I’m going to keep an open mind (of course), after all of that I’m expecting frequent updates & very descriptive posts ;-p
Welcome back! Looking forward to seeing how the new program works for you. 
Glad to see you’re back and doing well.
I have been on a slight hiatus myself…
Have some video to post and logging to catch up on
[quote]cavalier wrote:
Glad to have you back, Kairiki, was missing you.
[quote]Kairiki wrote:
-How to minimize the negative effects of cortisol and why this is ESSENTIAL for maintaining lean muscle mass.
-How to develop a comprehensive muscle building strategy and what are the MUST HAVE FACTORS.
-Powerful, results-driven templates that provide the how, what and why certain training volumes, intensities and rest periods create explosive results.
-Revealing the one secret that the “gurus” donÃ??Ã?¢??t want you to know about gaining muscle, getting stronger and getting ripped.
[/quote]
Goodness, you sound like a salesman. This program isn’t the Amway of weightlifting, is it?[/quote]
LMBO…good gravy, sorry about that…just uber excited about the program. Always good to see you here and please don’t be a stranger, Cav.
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[quote]thebruce13 wrote:
I’m liken that 5x5 WO with the Zerchers Rows and DB presses good solid lifts.[/quote]
Thanks Bruce for stopping by. Zerchers are brutal yet if the exercise is brutal probably means we need it more. Please come back soon.
[quote]minimaltechno wrote:
Hmm, ok I’m going to keep an open mind (of course), after all of that I’m expecting frequent updates & very descriptive posts ;-p[/quote]
Sigh…do you want fries with that too?!? Eeeesh!!! Bravo on kicking the diet soda habit! 'Bout time you listen to me. 
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[quote]KBgal wrote:
Welcome back! Looking forward to seeing how the new program works for you. :)[/quote]
Hey Warrior Princess! Stay tuned…sure to be a wild ride for sure!
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[quote]2busy wrote:
Glad to see you’re back and doing well.
I have been on a slight hiatus myself…
Have some video to post and logging to catch up on[/quote]
Hey you! No excuse…let’s keep it going…you have been kicking butt and taking names!
Well nows the time to say " time to go to work".
I will follow along.
[quote]FISCHER613 wrote:
Well nows the time to say " time to go to work".
I will follow along.[/quote]
Thanks, Coach. What a honor to have you follow.
Okay, let’s get into the meat of the workouts…I have finished Week 2 of AMD 2.0 (for posting purposes, I will use A2 as an abbreviation…don’t like it…tough cookie dough. :p)
The program comes with two flavors: Build Strength/Build Muscle (BS/BM) or Build Muscle/Lose Fat (BM/LF). I am doing the BS/BM protocol.
Smitty is a huge proponent of mobility, mobility, mobility. Since I came off of the island of Stronglifts 5x5, I know that I needed to do this protocol yet I really thought I could skirt this. By God’s grace, I have been lifting fine without any injuries. Still, I need to be teachable (shout out to KB Gal) and decided to embrace change.
Smitty calls his mobility protocol: AER (AMD Essential Recovery).
The other piece of my workout salad that was missing was focusing on core work. Wait, 'Riki, you mean doing squats and deadlifts would address that?!? You crazy! No. Squats and DL do contribute to the core yet the core is foundational to helping to increase not only strength in lifts yet also stability. So Smitty addresses this in his Core component.
How Smitty has the program laid out is the following:
-AER
-(main workout)
-(supplemental exercises)
-CORE
-AER
-Static Stretching
*Optional Fat Loss
Oh, there is a gigantic bonus that Smitty put into this programs for yellow personalities like myself (color personalities here: Choose :: ColorCode Personality Science). He switches up the program every week! YES! I love that! This goes in line with what Charles Polinquin stated about the way God made the body so adaptable that one would need to switch up workouts by the fourth or sixth protocol (see The Borg Principle here: http://bit.ly/IGgW8J).
Week One / Day One:
AER stuff (including my arch-nemesis X-Band Walks…HSSSSS!)
- Barbell Clean and Press - 85lb x 4 x 8 Reps
- Superset: DB Side Rows (heavy) + DB Shrugs
- Rows - 25lbs x 3 x 12
-Shrugs - 50lbs x 3 x 15
-
DB Lunges - 45lbs x 3 x 8
-
Superset: Decline Sit-ups + Planks
- Situps: 2 x 15 Reps
- Planks: 2 x 45 seconds hold
- AER; DB Posterior Flyes - 20lbs x 2 x 10
Static Stretching: 5-10 minutes
Optional Fat Loss
===============
Okay, so that was to give you a feel for the program. I’ll fast forward to Week 2 and the workout I did yesterday. By the way, I am doing 3 times a week (M,W,F).
Week 2 - Day 5
-
AER Foo-Foo Stuff (X-Band Walks again…GRRRR!!!)
-
DB Clean and Press - 40lbs x 4 x 6 then went up to 45 lbs
-
Super-set: Zercher Squats + DB Floor Press
-Z-Squats: 120lbs x 3 x 8 (PR!) - had to pause between reps…I was spent…yet I finished them all.
-DB Floor Press: 55lbs x 3 x 10 - sucking up wind now. LOL
-
Alternating DB Curls - My Kryptonite! - 25lbs x 3 x 10
-
Hanging Knee-Ups - 3 x 10Reps
-
Hindu Push-Ups - Pure Evil! I would have leg drop-kicked Smitty if he was near me! - 3 x 20Reps
-
Static Stretching: 5-10 minutes
-
My buddy challenged me for my optional fat loss to the Men’s Health Spartacus Workout (link: http://bit.ly/IXeIiO). I did it yet my body was NOT liking it at all.
For Friday workout session, I got to Snap Fitness about 9-ish p.m. and didn’t leave until 11-ish p.m.
This morning I am feeling the DOMs and there is nothing more satisfying than looking at your workout log paper with your own sweat drops on it. Other 40 years old people were probably at McDonalds or at the clubs. Not me…that is not my destiny. Other weightlifters may have a better build than me yet like Cav, we are cut from the same cloth. We know that hard work triumphs talent all the time and we have to be hungry enough to go after it.
Thanks for all your support and here is some motivation for you all from my man Eric Thomas…be relentless, friends!:
Monday Motivation for my Warriors…ROPE-A-DOPE!:
AMD 2.0 Workout - Week 3 starts today! WOO!
Stardate: 4/16/2012
Week 3 - BS/BM
We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey. ~Kenji Miyazawa
I truly understand the gravity of this quote because by God’s grace, God showed me that I really could push my body past massive pain to finish a workout. More on this later…
To the workout…I do not work up to the final weight (e.g. doing 3 sets working up to a final weight)…I use the same mindset of Stronglifts where I take one weight and wrestle with it for each set.
-
AER (along with X-Band Walks! “Yay!”)
-
Z-Squats - 125 lbs x 4 sets
a. 125 x 8 reps - no sweat
b. " " - a little struggle, still not too bad
c. " " - body is starting to fill it
d. " " - did 4 reps, rested for 30 sec, then did the rest of the 4 reps. Lower back (on my left side) was SCREAMING.
I was tempted to quit the workout from the pain yet I shuffled to the next exercises and boy, did the next exercise pushed me to the point of almost walking out.
- Superset - Bulgarian Split Squats (front foot on plate for increased ROM) + Face pulls
a. BSS - 15 lbs x 3 x 10 reps (first time I tried this exercise so I went light)
b. Facepulls - #6 on the pulley machine x 3 x 20
My lower back was truly fighting me through these reps. I really wanted to quit. Yet I kept remembering what Eric Thomas states, “You must want success as bad as you want to breath.” Then I started to think about Matt Kroc and how he did training even if he had groin surgery. So I struggled to get each set done and rolled on the foam roller between sets to loosen up the area. After the first roll, my back started to get better. The second and third set I didn’t need to roll at all. My back was better!
-
Military Press (substituted for Barbell Clean and Press…I am not too sure about C/P just yet. Need to study the lift more before I tackle it). 90 lbs x 3 x 8 reps
-
Planks + Mountain Climbers - 3 x 30 secs hold x 10 reps
-
Rolling DB Triceps Extension - 20lbs x 3 x 10 reps
-
Static Stretching - 5 minutes
Fat Loss: 4 Minutes of Hell - OH WHAT “FUN!” -
This workout showed me that I can push the body past the pain…to “play with pain” and still survive. That’s all for now. Oh, does ANYONE know how to do the Zercher Squat properly or videos that demonstrate the proper form???
Stardate: 4/18/2012
Week 3
Another day at the rock pile…this workout was actually fairly enjoyable.
-
AER Foo-Foo work
-
Neutral Grip DB Military Press: 5 x 5 - first stated with 55 (Body says, “Fool, you have lost ya mind.”)…dropped to 40 pounds for 1 set then went to 45 for the rest of the sets.
-
Superset -
Chin-Up w/ Knees-Up: 4 x 10…Chickened out and used the chin-up assist machine…set machine on 6 and started to grind the reps (not good)…2nd set I placed the machine on 8 (just right).
DB Step Ups on Bench: 4 x 8…Again, I overestimated and went 50 lbs…Hello McFly?..Sigh…Went to 45 lbs…still too much…dropped to 40 lbs…last set, I defied my genetics and used 45 lbs on the last set.
-
DB Posterior Flyes: 3 x 12…20 lbs…fairly good.
-
Ab Rollouts with Barbell (10 lbs on each side): Again, Smitty showing his dark side. This was like an ab roller on crack, dude. 3 x 10
-
EZ Curl Reverse Curls: 3 x 12…50 lbs? FAIL!..Drop to just the bar. Sigh.
-
Static Stretching: 5 minutes
Pack it in and head home.
Friday will be beast mode and a much anticipated deload week for next week.
Late Entry (Doh!)
Stardate: 4/20/12
This would be the last session before I start a much needed Deload Week.
- Deadlifts - 4 x 6 - 120 lbs
(Commentary: By God’s grace, light weight. I really focus on form and keeping the back tight plus crushing the bar to increase tension).
- Superset: Barbell RDLs - 3 x 12 - 50 lbs Barbell Military Press 3 x 8 - 85 lbs
(Commentary: 85 lbs on the Mil Press felt uber light…I am so use to doing push press…glad to see raw strength in this area).
- DB Lunges - 3 x 6 - 25 lbs
(Commentary: No problems)
- Planks Mountain Climbers - 3 x 30 secs x 10 reps
(Commentary: Gravy)
- Push-Up - 4 x AMRAP (As many reps as possible)
Taking a cue from Nick Tumminello (7 Triple Threat Protocols for an Awesome Burn), I did many variations of the push-up and busted them out as many as possible…Hard not to count myself and focus on breathing yet I was able to get a good burn and tightness after the second set. The first set I was way too easy on myself.
-
Static Stretching - 5 min
-
4 minutes of hell - 2 sets (Substituted Kettlebell Skier Hops and Kettlebell Sunrise/Sunset for Twisting Pistons and Mountain Climbers. Used 25 lb kettlebell).
I was spent. My workouts are running at least 1 hour and some change. On Twitter, I shared with Smitty my concern about going over 45 minutes (the danger of cortisol) and asked him if I could shave off a set or two to keep with this time frame. He stated that this would be fine. I am glad because I didn’t want to feel like I was cheating the process.
Thanks for stopping by!
%-s Well I asked for details and you certainly delivered. I’ll have to look at all this when I’m not in work. Sounds fun.
Stardate: 4/22/12
Deload Week!
Following the deload protocol of Diesel Strength…I added something to the workout sauce before my deload session and that’s Bottoms Up Single Hip Leg Thrust:
I didn’t go all the way down yet now I know what to shoot for.
I did 15 reps each side then went into deload:
I’ll do this M, W, and F.
Motivation Video of the Week (if this doesn’t fire you up…your wood is wet!)
Just stopping to check in on you…looks like you’re going strong still. A hui ho.
STARDATE: 5-1-12
Late Entries:
I finished off deload week successfully.
Last Friday, the weather was rather chilly for Kentucky. I wore a hoodie and a hat. Both of them were drenched after I was done. I relish seeing my sweat drip on the floor. I feel like I really worked hard than lolly-gag.
I also talked to Smitty on Twitter (shameless plug…you can follow me @strongbychoice) and asked him about my concern about going over 1 hour with my workouts. He recommended increasing my intensity. So in order to do that, I cut my rest time for 3 minutes or 1 minute and 30 seconds to 1 minute only.
The result?
I am happy to report that my workout last 45 minutes with AMD 2.0 (just like Stronglifts)…righteous!
Monday’s workout:
-
AER
-
Chin-ups (heavy) - fail…I first did this without the assistance machine yet I didn’t want to risk my left elbow so I bit the bullet and used the assistance machine at a low setting. 4 x 6 reps
3a) Superset: Bulgarian Split Squats w/ DB - 25 lbs - 4 x 6
3b) DB Shrugs - 60 lbs - 3 x 12 (Doh! Moment of Training: After I finished all of my shrugs, I realized that on the second and third set, I had accidently grabbed the 55 lbs with my left hand and 60 lbs with my right hand. Sigh)
4a) Superset: DB Posterior Flyes - 15 lbs - 3 x 12
4b) Shoulder Stretches - all angles
5a) Planks - 3 x 1 minutes (I “loved” it!) - I learned Jeff Cavaliere from Athlean X that if you do a plank with your arms in a full pushup position (extending upward not down position), you can get a more challenging core workout.
5b) Plank Mountain Climbers - 3 x 20 reps (legs were like Jello after these)
Now the last exercise…more proof that Smitty is a sadist…
- High Rep Seated DB Military Press - 50% of 1 RM - 60 reps - 30 lbs (I did an extra 10 reps).
After that, my triceps were like jelly. I grabbed my chocolate milk infused with one scoop of Creatine (my beloved grog!), chugged it then drove home.
Since my body is primed to absorb nutrients, I normally take the following supplements when I reach home:
-
Iodine - 2 drops
-
Lemon Flavored Cod Liver Oil - 5 caps
-
Digestive Enzymes
My left elbow was a little buggy due to supinated pull-ups so I rubbed Magnesium Oil on it and went to bed. The next morning, the elbow was good to go.
Thanks for stopping by!
Video of the Day (PG-13):
S’up? That looks like a nice blood pumping 45 min workout.
oof that vid hurt my eyes, need to go find an oly vid now to watch
Magnesium oil hasn’t really been helping me as much as it first did, don’t know why.