Thanks Led, Rick.
Rick - Cardio sprints on the bike & elliptical, DEF gonna add. Don’t know why I didn’t think of it. Good thing I got you guys to make me think & keep me honest, lol. Thanks man.
Last few days got a bit screwy; overtrained a little last week for my current conditioning level, took 3 days off (one too many I think), lifted tuesday, missed yesterday ab & cardio work. Here’s tuesday’s (1/24):
Bike 5 min
Lat Pull Down 140x15,13,10
T-Bar Row 132x11,11,13
DB Rows(ea.arm) 45x15,15,15
New Complex, 13 minutes
Pull Throughs 15x20,20
GMs Barx15,15
Push-ups BWx14,11
Machine Flyes 100x20,20
Elliptical 15 minutes
Going a little later tonight, will post then.
I like this complex Ty! add some BW squats in that bitch!
[quote]MattyXL wrote:
I like this complex Ty! add some BW squats in that bitch![/quote]
Actually, after the embarassment of tonight, I’m going to a really light weight (yup, even lighter), full body workout 3x/wk, with more total sets/reps, and a lot more cardio those 3 days and 2 others. I simply weigh too much, I’ve gotten too weak and my conditioning is absolute crap. From here out, every time I lift will be one long complex, or as close to as I can manage, till I get somewhere in the range of 240-260, hopefully w/o losing too much of what strength I’ve got left. That last workout, I found I could only do 14 pushups w/o stopping; tonight I found TWO was the at a time limit for dips now; I can’t do any pull-ups, and I’m breathing hard after my second set of squats, DL or leg press.
By Dec. 31:
BW sub 260
w/o stopping, do:
70 push-ups
15 pull-ups
40 dips
3 sets of squats at a low working weight w/90 sec rest between w/o breathing hard.
This shit has gone on long enough, I’m not gonna crawl in a fucking hole and die. I’m the damn boss. Here’s what happened tonight:
Bike 5 min
Squat 135x12,12,12
Front Squat 95x10,8,8
Leg Extension 100x12,12,12
Complex, 13 minutes
Dips BWx2,1
GMs Barx18,18
Pullovers 30x20,20
Seated Rows 80x20,16
Ran outta time for my much needed cardio. One really good point; by the time I’m back in half-way decent condition and ready to start some sort of PL program, I’ll have a shit-ton on knowledge from reading youse guys (and gals) stuff. Thanks for the tabata (complex) suggestion, Matty. The full body lifting will be complexed and complexes will definitely be kept when I go to more of a PL program in a year or so.
TY - You are surrounded by like minded individuals, we will be there for a kick in the ass, a pat on the back, and opinions. IMO the single most important piece of advice I can give you is make sure you make your fitness goals a priority in your life. If it remains a priority you will accomplish your goals and this training shit will become second nature and an essential part of your life.
Please note i’m not speaking from a soapbox or that I have accomplished anything significant in the iron game other than personal conquests. But the main thing I have accomplished is that strength training and fitness has become a priority, and will remain it some shape or form throughout my life.
Step one though, and you know what Im going to say, Im not saying its easy…gotta cut the smokes bro. This is coming from an ex-smoker BTW.
Sounds like a solid plan.
I like the complexes- they are a good way to wet the work capacity higher
im a big fan of them.
now that you laid out those goals you have alot of supporters here to help you meet them
smoking - its kinda bad.
just saying
How’s your diet? I see you adding more cardio to get your weight down but you can’t out train a bad diet. Conditioning work is to build work capacity and get your heart strong. Diet is for weight loss.
You’re definitely not scared of hard work!
james
Imma echo James, doing a ton of hard work but can’t neglect your diet.
Years ago I was a 300lb office whale. After discovering TN I started training, got stronger but didn’t lose any weight because I never changed my diet. Once the diet (not diet"ing") was dialed in the weight fell off. You seem to have embraced the training lifestyle very quickly, commendable.
good direction here. and to be a third voice, gotta clean up the diet.
and give up the smokes, I used to be a smoker myself, can’t even stand the smell now. because of them I am short a sister. cancer caught her right after she turned 50
My diet is actually pretty good. Not a model or anything, no scales or counting. I just prefer regular home cooked food, naturally prefer chicken, salmon and beef to carbs, so it’s already kind of protien heavy. I’ll have a burger every now and then, but not often. Mainly drink coffee and milk. I’ve been pushing away recently because my portions tend to be BB or PL huge, otherwise candy, burgers, pizza, etc. just don’t have much interest. As for the smokes, I know I’d be better off w/o them, I really appreciate and value everyone’s advice, I just enjoy it and don’t want to quit. It’ll take me longer to get my conditioning in line, but I can do it, even while smoking. Please don’t take offense to that guys, cause I really DO appreciate all the advice, motivation and inspiration I get from you. I may very well quit someday, but it’ll be when it’s something I really WANT to do; for now I can work around it. I should have a cardio workout later tonight, probably the last workout till sunday, since I’m leaving for 2 weeks in Pittsburgh sunday morning, gotta spend time with the kids & wife prior for all of our peace of mind. Hotel has a “fitness center”, though!
Ok, Im late to the party, but welcome just the same…
Not much of a party, but every discussion can use an Old Goat. Thanks for visiting!
Last night ended up just taking a leisurly moonlight walk with the wife, since I’ll be gone 2 out of every 3 weeks from now on for about 3-5 years. Packing and ish today.
And I just moved out of Pittsburgh. Can’t say I’ll miss it. About a mile from the airport entrance, in fact. Have a safe trip.
Thanks, Cav. I’ll be staying there by the airport for a week for training, then going to Clarion PA for a week of training there, then back home the 11th. Then my new, normal schedule starts the 19th - 2 weeks in Williamsport PA wrenching on fracking equipment, 1 week home; back and forth, the next 3-5 years, or however long it takes me to either die from it or be ready to go into business for myself. The good thing is, it’s an oil company, so I’m expecting my lodgings in Williamsport to have some training facilities and catered meals, while my weeks off will be completely OFF. It should work into a really good regimen for me. Or kill me.
BTW, last night’s scheduled cardio somehow morphed into a moonlight walk with the wife last night and power shopping today. Yay!
OK, Tyrfryer, here’s the plan. If you’re near the airport and need a workout, go to the shopping center just across the street from Robert Morris U. There’s a place called World Class. That’s where I trained. Very friendly people, and you’ll see some serious lifters. Tell them Phil sent you.
For shopping and eats, drive down the interstate a bit to Robinson Mall. Lots of shops spread all over the place.
TBH Cav, I may just go there; not really too stoked about the hotel “fitness center”, and the hotel has free shuttle service. It’ll depend on what my training schedule looks like and how bad the fitness center is. Probably won’t bother shopping, I’ve got working out to do and books to read; maybe studying too, IDK. Thanks for the info, bro.
Moonlight walk trumps cardio everytime!!! Best of luck with the work schedule.
Fair enough. World Class may be small but trumps any dinky fitness center. Or you can always go jogging up & down the hills. If you don’t want to drive to Robinson, there’s a decent steak house (Hoss) at Beaver Grade and Thorn Run.
A moonlite stroll isn’t too romantic, since you practically need mountain climbing equipment to make it around. Maybe a creature used to mountains . . . like an Old Goat . . . would enjoy it.
Got back from my first 2 weeks 2/11. Made it to the hotel fitness centers only twice, a nearby university gym once, not at all since I got back. I’ll be sketchy and spotty for a while, till I get locked in on a schedule and get used to this new life-style (PA 2 weeks, home 1 week; won’t be in a regular schedule at work in PA for about 6 weeks yet as I’m in training). So, here’s what I did while gone; not much. The fitness centers sucked, too many people trying to do stuff & I let my pussy fat get the better of me, so I didn’t go as often as I should have, or do as much as I should have when I did go. But I did go, and I did do something. Still have to improve my conditioning above all else, and I did really well throughout pushing away from tables laden with food. Confession over, here’s the work done:
1/30
Bike 5 minutes
Leg Ext - 70x20, 50x25
Leg Curl 30x20, 20x20 (this was really awkward, standing facing the chest press using the leg attachment with one pad constantly trying to fall off, grr.)
Front raise 15x20, 10x25
Side raise 15x15, 10x20
DB Tri ext 20x25,25 each
Hammer Curl 20x25,20
Incline DB Flyes 30sx16
At this pont, the joint got too crowded, I bitched up and left.
2/2
Bike 5 minutes
Lat pulldown 75x25,23
Machine Press 80x25,25
DB Deadlift 50sx20,15 (these felt really odd, I like BB much better)
Goblin Squat 60x12, 50x10 (harder than I expected, felt similar to front squats on my legs)
Once again, too many people in there, in my way, got disgusted and left.
2/6 Clarion University, PA gym
Lat pulldown 75x25,25
Back Squat Barx10, 95x15,15
Decline Leg Raise BWx6,5
Seated OHP 65x25,16
Incline Bench 95x15,10
DL 95x17,15
Bike 15 minutes
Seeing conditioning and weight as my biggest limiting factors, I’m going to do that last workout exclusively from now on, but start with the 5 minute cardio w/u I usually do, end with cardio as I had been doing, and break the squats and deadlifts into multiple smaller sets, as I start to get out of breath around rep 7 on each; I’ll instead do 4 sets of 7 each and probably break them up between other movements. Won’t be making it to the gym today, but tomorrow I absolutely will. Gotta go work on my Blazer tonight, been spending a lot of time with the wife & kids instead of going to the gym so far this week. Future weeks back I’ll do better. Probably won’t be posting here on my PA weeks till I get a laptop; getting on the hotel computer is really crowded & don’t like dealing with the lines. I’ll be back.
Today:
Elliptical 5 minutes
Back Squat 95x8,8,9
Lat Pull Down 80x25,25
Back Squat 95x8,8,9
Incline Press 95x25,20
DL 95x8,8,9
OHP 70x20,16
DL 95x8,8,9
Decline Leg Raise BWx10,10
Fartlek Bike 15 minutes
Breaking the squats and deads into sets of 8,8,9 before and after other movements made it much more managable. This felt really good, gonna do it this way for a while till the weight goes down & the conditioning goes up. 297 today, last time I looked was 305, so may have lost a couple. Taping saturday to see what’s up before I go back to PA for the next couple weeks.