[quote]cavalier wrote:
So the Indigo helped you lean up a little while getting stronger? Impressive.[/quote]
Cav, i am actually heavier by about 5-6 lbs so far but still losing fat (according to waist circ and skin folds). My guess is a larger overall muscle mass increase which is just starting to show up in actual appearance, not exactly ripping my scrubs yet but definitely a difference.
Difficult to gauge absolute strength because i havn’t or pressed anywhere near maximum since i have been working to ct’s programming.
One big difference is that CT picked up on a long/skinny/ long limbed beginner problem ie bilateral deficit which i have been working on now for about 6 weeks by adding in true unilateral exercises…some of those were shockingly weak at first and only beginning to shift upwards now.
Yes the indigo has made an enormous difference but mainly in the abililty to eat lots, push my work capacity way up (6-7 training sessions per week now and still going up) and probably in speed of recovery as well.
Lazy morning chilling out, then walk to gym, sunny bright and cold.
MAG-10 1 scoop and surge 2 scoops.
Warm up complex x 4 rounds, new weights as yesterday (+ 2.5 kg each round)
Then main workout, slight change today ie continuation of warm up into more of a a main exercise :
1.Power clean and push press 88lbs 1 x 3
2.Deadlift 132 lb warm up then : 181 lbs 2 x3, 192 lbs 1 x 6 and 192 lbs 2 x 3.
3.Bench press 66lb warm up then : 93lbs 2 x 3, 98lbs 1 x 6 and 105lbs 1 x 6
4.Front squat 93lbs 1 x 6 , 104lbs 1 x 6 and 115lbs 1 x 6
5.weighted step up . 93lbs 1 x 6. 104lbs 2 x 6
6.Floor db single arm press , 25lbs 1 x 6 and 35lbs 2 x 6
7.Single arm db push press 25lbs 1 x 6 35 lbs 2 x 6 .
Other work focussing on back.
8.Weighted back hypers on roman chair : 1 x 5 + 22lbs , 1 x 5 + 35lbs and 1 x 5 + 44lbs.
9.Lat pull downs. 121 lbs 1 x 8. 154 lbs 1 x 5 and 165 lbs 1 x 4
10.Tricep cable push down .98lbs 1 x 5. 110lbs 1 x 5 and 121 lbs 1 x 5.
Hmm, you say you’re eating lots. That might throw off the bodyweight. During my move, I lost over 10 lbs. Was it all the packing and unpacking? The erratic eating? Now I’m back to eating normally, which is pretty heavy, and guess what - packed on 5 lbs in just a few days. OK, it can’t all be muscle. And waist is still about the same. Only explanation is food in the gut.
Then : back to gym for a second lifting session.
Busy gym and couldn’t really get onto the equipment i wanted so set up at the squat cage .
Quick warm up x 2 rounds.
Main work focussed on 2 things : overhead and push press with power clean start and single arm work (push press) and single arm floor db press.
No particular plan of sets and reps just trying to go for maximum power and seeing how the weight played out.
Actual work something like :
Power clean and push press combo 3 sets x 3 at 88lbs
Db push single arm push press varying weight from 14kg up to 18kg db and reps from 5 to 3.
Db single arm floor press, weight either 14 or 16 kg and sets of 5-6 reps.
Chins between sets, approx 6 sets of 3 reps.
Then : working up the weights to find the top end of my power clean/push press , something like :
42.5 kg x 3
45kg kg x 2
47.5kg x 1 x 1. so thats a new power clean/push press pr for me…sticks a bit just before lockout but surprisingly not at the bottom.
Yes…although i am very aware that i am anything but explosive and having to work on that aspect hard.
CT is pushing explosiveness as a major,even most important aspect of lifting/pressing right now.
Also as a second lifting session in the same day it was a bit of an experiment and instead of doing set programme work i was allowing myself to play a bit rather than just sticking with the plan.
[quote]cavalier wrote:
Hmm, you say you’re eating lots. That might throw off the bodyweight. During my move, I lost over 10 lbs. Was it all the packing and unpacking? The erratic eating? Now I’m back to eating normally, which is pretty heavy, and guess what - packed on 5 lbs in just a few days. OK, it can’t all be muscle. And waist is still about the same. Only explanation is food in the gut.[/quote]
Best guess at the moment is that it is actually muscle gain, weight was taken when fasted and dry.
I realise that weight is an unreliable indicator but the usual variables which will throw my weight out lots ie night shifts/water retention wasn’t a factor.
There will be some weight accounted for by muscle glycogen and water…difficult to say how much, equally that would have been the case for my starting weight (starting indigo) as well so maybe isn’t that relevant.
With all the work i damn well SHOULD be putting on some lean mass.
[quote]Kairiki wrote:
Biggie, are you familiar with the works of Charles Polinquin? I think your scientific mind would relish his works and his website. [/quote]
Have heard of but not particularly familiar with,by coincidence one of the trainers at the gym i use is working on being a poliquin strength and conditioning coach and he is just about the only trainer there now who does ‘real’ lifting and pressing himself.
I am gradually getting to grips with some of the strength/conditioning writers, only last week i found a humungus textbook written by some austrian bloke…shwartz something…never head of the guy !!
On nights , short workout pre shift as running a bit late on poor sleep.
Warm up complex x 2 rounds : bare bar and 66lbs.
Main workout : short hfs based 4 move workout.
1.Dl 132 lb warm up then 168lb 1 x 6, 187lbs 1 x 6 and 198lbs 1 x 6.
2.Bench press 66lb warm up thyen : 88lbs 1 x 6 98lbs 1 x 6 and 105lbs 1 x 6.
3.Front squat. 88lbs 1 x 6, 98lbs 1 x 6 and 110lbs 1 x 6
4.Db push press single arm. 32lbs 3 x 6.
Main workout hfs style but using a slightly different set/reps regime (5x5) and done as a wave progression , the combination being one i really like working with.
1.Dl. 132 lbs warm up
187lbs 1 x 5
209lbs 1 x 5
231lbs 1 x 5
198lbs 1 x 5
221lbs 1 x 5
2.Bench press. 66lbs warm up then :
98lbs 1 x 5
105lbs 1 x 5
110lbs 1 x 5
98lbs 1 x 5
110lbs 1 x 5
3.Front squat
98lbs 1 x 5
110lbs 1 x 5
121lbs 1 x 5
98lbs 1 x 5
110lbs 1 x 5
4.Weighted steps
88lbs 1 x 5
98lbs 1 x 5
110lbs 1 x 5
98lbs 1 x 5
110lbs 1 x 5
5.Power clean and push press
82lbs 5 x 5
6.single arm db floor press
31 lbs 3 x 5
35lbs 2 x5
7.Single arm db push press
31lbs 2 x 5
35lbs 3 x 5.
Other work :
Chins/pull ups as active rest
10 x 3
Finishing with :
Plank, back stability work, foam roll.
Sauna !!
[quote]Up wrote:
Havent stopped in, well stayed after to post Nice work going on in here!!
Yea, that unilateral work is very humbling!
[/quote]
Nice of you to drop by, havn’t had much of a chance to follow your progress recently what with having a rough time at work and spending a lot more time in the gym.
I was stunned how hard some of the unilateral work is and how weak i am at those moves, the work dose seem to be making a difference though as all the uni work is steadily coming up.
So : if a conventional barbell bench press is a true bilateral exercise then a press using a single dumbell is a unilateral exercise. Now : coach Thibs actually has me doing my unilateral db press as a floor press ie laying on the floor and doing it single arm (says its much better).
So for most exercises i do a bilateral version and a unilateral one, not all of the uni moves are truly unilateral as there is often some support from the opposite limb.
Good example is : bilateral=front squat, unilateral =weighted step up. Or not so good example : barbell push press vs single arm db push press (not quite truly uni as both legs used)
The main reason that CT has me doing the bilateral/unilateral split is a phenomenon known as bilateral deficit which he says is commmon in 1.beginners (me) 2.lONG limbed individuals (me) 3 and long tall skinny weak beginners (me me me).
Ct main thinking is that beginners have difficulty getting maximum neural engagement and doing the unilateral moves forces that one limb to engage/work harder.
Week 11 wednesday.
workout after night shift (experiment)
07.00 indigo dose at work
Starts with 1 scoop MAG-10 and 2 SWF.
Initial feeling was stiff and creaky, difficult to get warmed up and flowing.
Warm up complex x 3 rounds.
Cautiously into main workout…going for a 4 move workout : 2 bilateral and 2 unillateral.
Deadlift, warmed up at 132lbs then sets at 176 lbs . 198lbs 187lbs and 209lbs
2.Bench press . warm up wit bare bar and 66lbs. sets at 93lbs 104lbs . 93lbs 104lbs.
3.Single arm db floor press 1 set at 31lbs
4.Single arm db oush press. 1 set at 35 lbs
Movements getting slower and slower…gave up and went home.
Edit (pm).
16.00 awake,not brilliant sleep, 2nd dose.+ i scoop MAG-10.
17.00 pre work meal : 3 egg omelette, bacon, rostis.
Back to gym.
1 scoop MAG-10, 2 SWF.
warm up complex x 4 rounds, instantly better feel to warming up.
So : return to hfs workout from earlier.
1.Front squat.
98lbs 1 x 5
110lbs 1 x 5
121lbs 1 x 5
110lbs 1 x 5
121lbs 1 x 5 (fs felt quite smooth)
2.Single arm db floor press.
31lbs 1 x 5
35lbs 1 x 5
39lbs 1 x 5
35lbs 1 x 5
39lbs 1 x 5 (peaked much higher than morning session)
3.Single arm db push press
31 1 x 5
35 1 x 5
39 1 x 5
35 1 x 5
39 1 x 5
4.Weighted step up.
88lbs 1 x 5
98 1 x 5
110 1 x 5
98 1 x 5
110 1 x 5
5.Power clean and push press.
66lbs 1 x 5
71 1 x 5
77 1 x 5
71 1 x 5
88 1 x 3
Stretch/foam roll.
Off to work
Much better workout, much snappier and more positive, dare i say even some explosiveness there.
Evening workout after poor/broken up sleep.
First dose at 16.00 + 1 scoop MAG-10 half hour later.
Pre shift meal ; 3 egg ommelette , rostis, grated cheese.
Workout nutrition : 2swf and 1 MAG-10
Warm up complex x 2 rounds.
Main workout hfs based but modified to my usual blateral/unilateral split and to a 5x5 set/reps scheme done as a wave progression.
Exercises paired/supersetted for time economy.
1.Deadlift 132 lb wam up then : sets at 85 kg 95 kg 105 kg 90 kg and 100kg
2.Bench press 66lb warm up then. sets at 42.5kg 45kg 47.5kg 45kg 50kg
3.Front squat sets at 45kg 50. 55. 50. 55kg
4.Single arm db floor press ets at 14kg 14kg 18kg 14kg 16kg
5.Weighted step ups sets at 42.5 45 47.5 42.5 47.5kg
6.Single arm db push press sets at 14 14 14 14 14 kg
Off to work
(could feel the tiredness after poor sleep…not a bad workout, not the best
Friday off as a post nights recovery day (recovery sleep).
Changing to 2 Indigo doses this week, first dose 09.00 then breakfast.
Walk to gym to work out the stiffness.
Warm up complex x 4 rounds.
Main workout hfs based with a ‘sting in the tail’ today.
1.Deadlift 132lb warm up then :
176lbs x 5
198lbs x 5
220lbs x 5
176lbs x 5
198lbs x 5
2.Front squat
98lbs x 5
110lbs x 5
121lbs x 5
110lbs x 5
121lbs x 5
3.Single arm db floor press
31 x 5
35 x 5
31 x 5
35 x 5
35 x 5
4.Bench press. bb warm up and 66lb warm up.
93lbs x 5
98lbs x 5
105lbs x 5
98lbs x 5
110lbs x 5
5.weighted step ups.
93lbs x 5
98lbs x 5
105lbs x 5
93lbs x 5
105lbs x 5
6.Single arm db push press
31 x 5
35 x 5
31 x 5
35 x 5
35 x 5
7.Power clean and push press combo.
66lbs x 5
82 x 5
66lbs x 5
82lbs x 5
88lbs x 5
8.Chins paired with treadmill sprints.
5 sprints
5 x 3 chins.
Stretch and roll.
Long walk home.
5g leucine shake and english muffin with pb
Nice work going on in here!!