That workout seemed like a very hard workout. Good luck with healing the injuries!
– Stallion
[quote]stallion wrote:
That workout seemed like a very hard workout. Good luck with healing the injuries!
– Stallion[/quote]
Thanks Stallion. Yeah that was pretty hard. I picked the advanced workouts because I certainly feel like I have been training long and hard enough to do the strength workouts without any problem. But I would not call my aerobic conditioning advanced by any means.
The beginner and intermediate V-Burn Challenges are similar, but use easier variations of each exercise and you only have to perform 5 circuits for the beginner, and 6 for the intermediate. Ah well, too late now, I made it through the advanced circuit, so it’s not like I can do one of the easier programs next week.
25 second rest intervals during my regular workouts next week are really going to tax my recovery abilities…
06/27/10 - V-Diet W2D1
BW - 263lbs
Total Reps - 20
Rest - 25 seconds
Load - Heavy (4-5RM)
A) Reverse Grip Bent Over Row
245x5,5,4,4,2
B) Squat
335x5,5,3,3,1,1,1,1
C) Close Grip Bench
245x5,5,4,4,2
D) Ab-Wheel Rollouts
5,5,3,3,4
NEPA - 75 min dog walk
Bodyweight was up a half pound due to having my first solid meal in a week last night. I’m actually surprised it wasn’t a little higher. I had steak tips on the grill, sweet potato fries (baked), and a nice sized salad with a little lite balsamic vinagrette dressing. The tips were mariniated in some worcestershire sauce, EVOO, salt, pepper and garlic powder. The fries were also tossed lightly in some EVOO, with some cajun seasoning and garlic powder, so I’m sure the salt had me holding some extra water, as well as the glycogen refill from the sweet potatoes. All I can say is Damn! Solid food tastes good!
Today was supposed to be an off day, and I was should have trained M,W,F but I will be on the road all day Friday, so I had to push this week up to Su,T,Th. I was more than a little sore going into todays session, but I knew the weights were a little too light last week, so I bumped them up by 20lbs across the board.
BOR’s felt just right today. I knew Squats were going to hurt. On the third set my left quad (VMO) cramped up. With only 25 seconds rest, that is just enough time to rack the weight, write down how many reps you got, and unrack the next set. I managed 3 reps on the 4th set, but my quad was screaming. I could only do singles after that, and none of them would passed, even in a multiply federation. Don’t really care. I got it done. A for effort, C- for execution.
Close Grips felt very good today. I thought I’d be weaker with the upper body soreness, but my strength was good. I made the ab wheel rollouts harder by rolling out to a firm stop each time. The last couple sets felt like my upper abs were tearing off my rib cage. They might be sore tomorrow.
06/28/10
BW - 262.5lbs
NEPA - 30 min dog walk, 15 min treadmill walk
It’s close to 95 degrees out, and the humidity is making it feel like 105. My dog is a 90lb black lab mix and he doesn’t care for the heat. He kept stopping and pretending to take a piss, and then he would forget to continue the walk. I turned around and cut it short for his sake.
I finished on the treadmill. I can’t think of anything more boring than treadmill walking. I was playing games with myself, trying to see how long I could go without looking at the time. The longest I made it was 4 min. A couple of times I didn’t even last a minute. At least outdoors you are going somewhere, and there is a chance of good scenery. If it’s this hot out tomorrow, I’m leaving the dog in the AC and walking alone.
This is the beginning of Week 2 on the V-Diet. My bodyweight is down 6lbs from the start, and I have lost about an inch at my waist. The shakes are getting a little boring, but I’ll stick with it, and maybe order some different flavors to mix things up.
06/29/10 - V-Diet W2D2
BW - 262.5lbs
Total Reps - 40
Rest - 40 seconds
Load - Medium (8-9RM)
A) Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
180x8,8,7,7,6,4
B) Incline Bench Press
225x8,6,5,5,4,4,3,3,2
C) RDL
315x8,8,8,8,8
D) EZ Barbell Curl
+70x8,8,8,8,8
E) Hanging Leg Raise (knees to elbows)
9,9,9,9,4
NEPA - 55 min walk
My bodyweight has held steady for the past three days, but I’m not worried since I just started taking creatine again on Friday after not taking it for 2+months. Hopefully I’m still losing bf at the same rate that I’m gaining weight from the creatine.
My strength was good today, and my recovery is improving, even with 5 seconds less rest than last week (went for 45 seconds to 40 seconds between sets).
I’ll increase the weight by 20lbs on RDL’s and by 10lbs on Curls, even though I’ll cut the rest down to 35lbs.
06/30/10
BW - 262.0lbs
NEPA - 45 min walk, 75 min walk
My scale has been stuck at 262.5, but it finally dropped another .5lbs today. I weighed myself before either walk, so maybe it will continue to go down again tomorrow.
I took my dog for a walk this morning, figuring that would be my only chance, but my day freed up in the afternoon, so I decided to walk down to the park I usually take him to. I guess I didn’t realize it was a little over a mile each way, and then a huge loop around the perimeter. We stopped halfway so he could go for a swim and cool off a little. Today was only 75, and much more pleasant than the past couple days, but he was still hot and thirsty baking in the sun.
07/01/10 - V-Diet Wk2D3
BW - 260.0lbs
Total Reps - 25
Rest - 25 seconds
Load - Heavy (4-5RM)
A) Front Squat
225x5,5,5,4,4,2
B) Bench Press
275x5,5,5,3,2,3,2
C) Chinup
5,5,5,4,3,3
D) Seated Shoulder Press
185x5,5,5,4,3,3
NEPA - 35min walk
25 seconds is short rest on Front Squats. Actually it’s short on everything. I feel like I can recover a little quicker on pulling motions, but on pressing I need the recovery. Next week I drop another 5 seconds off the recovery between each set. Should be interesting.
I’m heading up to Maine for the weekend. I’ll do the V-Burn Challenge while I’m up there, and just hit a lot of long walks. I’m going to stay pretty strict to the diet, but allow a little freedom on the 4th. Nothing too crazy. I’ve made it almost two weeks now, just two more to go until I transition out of the diet.
My BW was down 2lbs from yesterday, which is where I figured I’d be by now if I hadn’t hit the plateau. I’m not sure if I am just still a little dehydrated from yesterday, or if I was holding some water. Anyways, I’m not a big fan of over anylizing weight from day to day, I’ll just keep tracking the downward trend.
Just got back from a weekend up north. I decided going into the weekend, that I would allow myself two beers to celebrate, and also two healthy solid meals. Not exactly what the V-Diet prescribed, but a good lesson on how to eat healthy when there were plenty of other alternatives. I had two lobsters with a big side salad one night. And a burger with grilled mushrooms(no bun, no cheese), salad and green beans the other night.
After weighing in at 260 on Thursday, I bounced back to 261.5 on Friday, so I think I was a little dehydrated from the long walks.
My weight went as follows:
7/1 - 260.0lbs
7/2 - 261.5
7/3 - 261.0
7/4 - 260.0
7/5 - 261.0
7/6 - 260.0lbs
Last night’s burger was well seasoned (salty), so I’m probably holding an extra pound or so. I’ll see where I am tomorrow or the next day.
07/04/10 - V-Burn Challenge- Advanced Program
BW - 260.0lbs
Circuit - 10 reps each, no rest, repeat 7 times
A1) Jumping Split Squat
A2) Hand Walkouts - from toes
A3) Single Leg Deadlift - with twist and lateral reach
A4) Pushups - with torso rotation
A5) Jumping Jacks
A6) Side Lunge - with overhead reach
A7) Pike Pushups
A8) Squat Thrust - jump and reach
Time - 32:06
It was 90 degrees out, with a ton of humidity. I did this outside, but did it under some trees for shade. I don’t know if I flew through this because I just wanted to get out of the heat, or if the 100 horseflies nipping at my neck had something to do with it, but I shaved 6 minutes and 43 seconds off last weeks time. Or maybe I’m getting in shape.
07/06/10 - V-Diet W3D1
BW - 260.0lbs
Total Reps - 20
Rest - 20 seconds
Load - Heavy (4-5RM)
A) Reverse Grip Bent Over Row
245x5,5,5,3,2
B) Squat
335x5,5,5,5
C) Close Grip Bench
245x5,5,5,5
D) Ab-Wheel Rollouts
5,5,5,5
Good workout today. Even though I cut another 5 seconds of rest off between sets (down to 20 seconds rest now), I felt strong and recovered quickly. I was supposed to do this workout yesterday, but I was on an island with no weight, so I had to postpone it to today. I know the extra day of rest helped today, as well as for the V-Burn Challenge.
07/07/10
BW - 258.5lbs
NEPA - walk x 30min, softball
I think I dropped that water weight I mentioned yesterday. It’s amazing how a little salt on your food (mine atleast) will make you hold water.
The diet is really easy at this point. I don’t get hungry between shakes, my energy is great, and I don’t really have any cravings. It’s just the day of a solid meal that I start thinking about what I want to have, unless I walk by someone’s yard who happens to be grilling, then I crave meat.
I am down 10lbs from the beginning of the diet 16 days ago. I have lost a couple inches around my waist and lower chest, and feel like I am making good progress. Less than two weeks now, and then I will begin my transition back to normalcy.
07/08/10 - V-Diet W3D2
BW - 257.5lbs
Total Reps - 40
Rest - 35 seconds
Load - Medium (8-9RM)
A) Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
180x8,8,8,6,5,5
B) Incline Bench Press
225x8,5,5,3,3,3,3,3,2,2,3
C) RDL
365x8,6,6,5,5,4,3,3
D) EZ Barbell Curl
+80x8,8,8,6,6,4
E) Hanging Leg Raise (knees to elbows)
9,9,9,9,4
NEPA - tbd
Man, same story as always, I just don’t recover quickly on my pressing. Down to 35 seconds rest on the 8 rep sets. I was smoked after the third set of inclines, and just fought to stay alive from there. The only reason I got 3 reps on the last set was because my hips were about 12" off the bench on the last rep.
I made a note to go up on weight on the RDL’s but I think 20-30lbs would have been about right. 50lbs was a big jump, and it took a lot more sets than I had planned. I also went up 10lbs on the EZ Curls, and they felt just about right.
[quote]Modi wrote:
07/07/10
The diet is really easy at this point. I don’t get hungry between shakes, my energy is great, and I don’t really have any cravings. It’s just the day of a solid meal that I start thinking about what I want to have, unless I walk by someone’s yard who happens to be grilling, then I crave meat.
I am down 10lbs from the beginning of the diet 16 days ago. I have lost a couple inches around my waist and lower chest, and feel like I am making good progress. Less than two weeks now, and then I will begin my transition back to normalcy.[/quote]
You are doing great brother! It has been good to watch another big strong guy (mentally Strong also)do something like this…and surprise, surprise it is working out just fine, and your energy levels are great…
funny how when people choose not to use the lack of carbs as an excuse for low energy…it amazingly doesn’t make much difference at all.
i just wanted to come in and hang from your jock for a second and say great job brother…it takes more discipline than people realize, and you are being an oak.
Are we going to see any “After” P90X–Blowflex-- black and white photos of the progress?
If so, May i suggest you wear unbuttoned daisy dukes and wrap your hands like a fighter for effect…yeah…that would be dreamy…
[quote]Alpha wrote:
[quote]Modi wrote:
07/07/10
The diet is really easy at this point. I don’t get hungry between shakes, my energy is great, and I don’t really have any cravings. It’s just the day of a solid meal that I start thinking about what I want to have, unless I walk by someone’s yard who happens to be grilling, then I crave meat.
I am down 10lbs from the beginning of the diet 16 days ago. I have lost a couple inches around my waist and lower chest, and feel like I am making good progress. Less than two weeks now, and then I will begin my transition back to normalcy.[/quote]
You are doing great brother! It has been good to watch another big strong guy (mentally Strong also)do something like this…and surprise, surprise it is working out just fine, and your energy levels are great…
funny how when people choose not to use the lack of carbs as an excuse for low energy…it amazingly doesn’t make much difference at all.
i just wanted to come in and hang from your jock for a second and say great job brother…it takes more discipline than people realize, and you are being an oak.
Are we going to see any “After” P90X–Blowflex-- black and white photos of the progress?
If so, May i suggest you wear unbuttoned daisy dukes and wrap your hands like a fighter for effect…yeah…that would be dreamy… [/quote]
Thanks Alpha. Do you have any Daisy Dukes that I could borrow for the photo shoot? I have taken photos each week, and will post them when I deem fit. I have one more week on the full diet and then two transition weeks, and we’ll see where I am at that point.
I really only felt carb depleted for the first 48 hours of the diet. I was surprised at how quickly I got used to the low carbs, and how my energy stays much more constant throughout the day.
07/10/10 - V-Diet Wk3D3
BW - 259.0lbs
Total Reps - 25
Rest - 20 seconds
Load - Heavy (4-5RM)
A) Front Squat
225x5,5,5,5,5
B) Bench Press
275x5,5,4,2,2,2,2,2,1
C) Chinup
5,5,4,4,3,2,2
D) Seated Shoulder Press
185x5,5,4,3,3,3,2
NEPA - walk dog x 55min
I had my healthy solid meal last night, so as expected my weight jumped a couple of pounds. This was my first restaurant meal since starting the diet. I started with a calamari salad with arugula, olives, capers, radish, pickled onions and olive oil, and then I had the grilled peppered tuna (medium rare), with mashed sweet potatoes and more mixed green salad. There were a lot of really good looking entrees, but most of them had a pretty heavy side with them, and I was in the mood for seafood anyways, so i was very happy with my choice. I was full enough from this, that the desert menu wasn’t even a temptation.
I’m tempted to bitch and moan about the lack of rest between sets, but there’s not much I can say that I haven’t already complained about yet. V-Burn Challenge tomorrow, I will do this inside, and maybe even in the air conditioning, so I’m looking for another improvement over last weeks time.
07/11/10 - V-Burn Challenge- Advanced Program
BW - 258.0lbs
Circuit - 10 reps each, no rest, repeat 7 times
A1) Jumping Split Squat
A2) Hand Walkouts - from toes
A3) Single Leg Deadlift - with twist and lateral reach
A4) Pushups - with torso rotation
A5) Jumping Jacks
A6) Side Lunge - with overhead reach
A7) Pike Pushups
A8) Squat Thrust - jump and reach
Time - 30:04
I managed to shave another 2 minutes and 2 seconds off last weeks time. My shoulders were fried from yesterdays Bench and Seated Shoulder press. The pike pushups really take it out of me, and follow that with Squat thrusts when your shoulder are on fire, tough stuff.
This is the last week of the full blown diet, and then I transition to one solid meal each day plus 3-4 shakes (the following week is two solid meals each day plus 2-3 shakes). I’m actually on vacation the first week of the transition which is fine because I’ll be on an island with no real restaurants, so I will still prepare all my dinners. I am definitely looking forward to eating a solid meal every day.
I’ll probably do mostly dinners, but I am looking forward to one or two healthy breakfasts as well. I’ll probably do something like a 3 egg + 3 eggwhite omelet with spinach and a little cheese, and throw a couple strips of turkey bacon on the side. I can have oatmeal if I choose, but I’m not craving carbs at all…I just want solid protein, meat/eggs, etc.
07/12/10
BW - 258.5lbs
NEPA - 75min walk
Not much of a drop in weight over the past week. I feel like I have been down a pound, up a pound all week, but I dropped another half inch from my waist since last week, and dropped down a pant size since the start. I’d love to continue dropping the weight, but as long as my bodyfat keeps dropping, I would be perfectly happy to stay at the same weight and just recomp. It’s pretty much out of my control right now. I just lift, walk and drink shakes. The scale will do whatever it wants to do at this point.
07/13/10 - V-Diet Wk4D1
BW - 256.5lbs
Total Reps - 20
Rest - 15 seconds
Load - Heavy (4-5RM)
A) Reverse Grip Bent Over Row
245x5,5,4,3,3
B) Squat
barx12
135x8
225x3
315x1
BB) GHR
1
1
C) Close Grip Bench
245x5,5,5,4,1
D) Ab-Wheel Rollouts
5,5,5,5
NEPA - tbd
I pulled my right quad last night playing softball. Nothing major, but noticable enought that I couldn’t Squat today. I warmed up to 315 and it just didn’t feel right. I was going to do GHR’s instead but the pad hits my quad right where the strain is, so I decided to just let it rest. I had PT today and did a bunch of single leg squats and sldl’s on my other leg, and a bunch of mobility work. Not going to worry about it today, I’ll just keep icing it and work on stretching it out a little.
I really thought I was going to get all 4 sets of 5 on Close Grip Bench, but the short rest intervals caught up with me on the last set. 15 seconds rest is literally just enough time to reset my stopwatch, write down my reps and get back under the bar.
Not enough time for a walk today, I’ll wait until I get home tonight. Maybe by then it will be under 90 degrees out.
07/15/10 - V-Diet W4D2
BW - 256.0lbs
Total Reps - 40
Rest - 30 seconds
Load - Medium (8-9RM)
A) Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
180x8,8,8,6,5,5
B) Incline Bench Press
225x8,7,6,4,4,3,3,2,2,1
C) RDL
365x8,8,6,6,4,4,4
D) EZ Barbell Curl
+80x8,8,8,8,8,8
E) Hanging Leg Raise (knees to elbows)
10,10,10,10
NEPA - yard work x60min, walk x30min
I’ll be on vacation next week, so training will be mostly bodyweight stuff. I should be able to get in some long walks every day. I’ll be adding a healthy solid meal every day along with my shakes, so I’m looking forward to that. I’m not going to bother bringing a scale this time. I’ll weigh in next Friday when I get home, and take some more measurements then.
I’m really interested to see where you max strength levels will be after this.