4-9-11
Years of back and forth weight gains and losses and very little has changed. Having mixed goals will do that to you, but it’s time that changes.
I love the bodybuilding lifestyle but have no desire to compete. Ultimately, I train because I want to look good, but training like a bodybuilder now bores me to death. This has caused me to flip flop training styles for years and now I’m neither really big nor really strong - stuck right in the middle.
I just completed a 12 week diet where I dropped from 220 to 195. My strength plummeted but I’m ok with that. I will be completing Eric Cressey’s Maximum Strength book. I know there might be better programs for strength but I’ve tried this one before and I loved the way I felt while working through it. Having pre-hab exercises built in really worked wonders. Sadly, a pre-existing knee injury caught up with me after about 6 weeks and resulted in surgery and I was unable to complete the book.
Enough of the boring stuff, as of today my numbers are as follows:
Height: ~5ft. 10in.
Weight: 195 lbs.
Broad Jump: 7ft. 8in.
Box Squat: 285x1
Bench: 295x1 (I’ve done 315 before but I got pinned by it today.)
Deadlift: 415x1
3-Rep Chin-Up: BW + 45lbs = 240 lbs.
My goal is to get as strong as possible while remaining below 200 lbs. IÃ??Ã?¢??m not doing this for powerlifting, but simply to establish a set point for my bodyweight. If I continue to lift heavy and remain at this bodyweight, I believe I’ll continue to get leaner.
I’ll be following a diet that changes for training days and off days and I’ll be trying a pulse fast one off day per week.
Off Days: 245g protein, 95g carbs, 90g fat = ~2170 calories
Training Days: 300g protein, 200g carbs, 70g fat = ~2630 calories
A friend of mine says “Maintenance is crap, progression is everything.” It’s time I start living that way.
-J
EDIT:
7-14-11
MOVING DAY
Weight: 190 lbs. (-5 lbs.)
Broad Jump: 7ft. 10in. ( 2in.) I got this on my first jump, but I was jumping outside and it started raining, slipped on my second landing and decided it wasn’t worth an injury.
Box Squat: 345 lbs. ( 60 lbs.)
Bench Press: 305 lbs. ( 10 lbs.)
Deadlift: 455 lbs. ( 40 lbs.)
3-rep Chin-up: BW 65 lbs. = 255 lbs ( 15 lbs.) New gym doesn’t have weight belts so I did this with a 65lb. DB clinched between my feet. I think I could get 75 with a belt.
Overall, I’m pleased because I met my goals. I wanted to keep my bodyweight under 200 and I actually got leaner during the process. I’d like to see my bench numbers increase but I guess I can’t complain with a drop in bodyweight and an increase in every other lift.
The program would be really good for a beginner or somebody without any direction in the gym because each phase builds upon the previous and increases volume accordingly. I personally love working up to a top set too much to really enjoy the book, but I’m glad I went through the experience. I feel great (thanks to all the mobility work) and I’ll definitely be utilizing some of that in my future program.
However, I wasn’t really pleased with the final pictures. Most of them were taken with the flash off but my girlfriend had the flash on for these and it robbed me of some definition.