Monday, June 30, 2014
Absolutely exhausted. I didn't sleep well last night and had to wake up at 6 a.m. for summer school, which went from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Feels like middle school all over again. Anyhow, being that I was too tired to do chest I delayed the workout until tomorrow (hopefully.) Diet was the same as Saturday.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Legs/Cardio
Went mountain biking today with Maarten D. The goal was to bike up a fire road and then drop down to Braille Trail in Aptos for a technical downhill, but the fire road just kept going and going. We biked around 13 miles uphill before turning around and calling it quits. Using the calculator (estimator) from bicycling.com, we burned between 2000 and 3000 calories.
Diet of the Day:
*My diet was all out of whack and I consumed a lot of processed goods in order to maintain energy levels. By the end of the ride I couldn't pedal since my quads were cramping so much. I drank 2 liters of water on the ride as well. After we got back to the bottom, we went to a local bbq place called Aptos St. BBQ. I got some smoked chicken with a side of beans and potato salad. The meal came with garlic bread. I ate it all since I was so starved of nutrients.
Meal 1:
-4 Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatballs
-5 eggs worth of egg whites + 2 whole eggs
-27g whey protein shake w/ 2% milk
-Raspberries and blueberries
Meal 2:
-6 oz steak
-2 cups brown rice
-2 plums
*Ate a crappy muscle milk protein bar that was purchased at a corner store prior to biking*
Meal 3 (post bike):
-Smoked chicken apprx. 8 oz
-1 cup potato salad
-1 cup beans
-2 pieces of garlic bread
-Cliff Builder's Bar (go mint or go home)
Meal 4:
-8 oz steak
-2 cups brown rice
-3 cups sautéed carrots.
As you can see, I ate a lot of red meat today. I just so happened to have a bunch of leftover steak that needed to be consumed. I generally prefer chicken and fish.
Diet of the Day:
*My diet was all out of whack and I consumed a lot of processed goods in order to maintain energy levels. By the end of the ride I couldn't pedal since my quads were cramping so much. I drank 2 liters of water on the ride as well. After we got back to the bottom, we went to a local bbq place called Aptos St. BBQ. I got some smoked chicken with a side of beans and potato salad. The meal came with garlic bread. I ate it all since I was so starved of nutrients.
Meal 1:
-4 Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatballs
-5 eggs worth of egg whites + 2 whole eggs
-27g whey protein shake w/ 2% milk
-Raspberries and blueberries
Meal 2:
-6 oz steak
-2 cups brown rice
-2 plums
*Ate a crappy muscle milk protein bar that was purchased at a corner store prior to biking*
Meal 3 (post bike):
-Smoked chicken apprx. 8 oz
-1 cup potato salad
-1 cup beans
-2 pieces of garlic bread
-Cliff Builder's Bar (go mint or go home)
Meal 4:
-8 oz steak
-2 cups brown rice
-3 cups sautéed carrots.
As you can see, I ate a lot of red meat today. I just so happened to have a bunch of leftover steak that needed to be consumed. I generally prefer chicken and fish.
Friday, June 27, 2014
Week 2 Progress Pics
Here are the next round of progress pics. A great diet, ample sleep, occasional cardio, intense lifting, and the joy of being home are doing me well. Consistency is key! Below are all three photos: initial, 1 week in, and 2 weeks. The 2 week photo looks like I have about 1000 filters applied but it's really just my red skin after having been in the sun for more than 5 hours yesterday and around 4 today.
Upper Body:
Upper Body:
Original
(1 week)
After 2 weeks
Here is a side-shot of my abs. No there's no filter. Optical zooms are notorious for pixel distortion. My off-hue red tan looks hilarious in this.
I've managed to thicken them up a bit by doing weighted exercises. There is still some fat over the lower abs but I have 8 more weeks to go!
Lower Body:
-I've done a total of 1 bike ride and 2 leg workouts not including cardio. I've gained zero leg definition but gained some size quite evident in my right leg. I use this as my dominant leg in sprints. The first picture is leg pic 1. The second was taken today.
In fact, it looks like I've lost leg definition...
It's great to be home. Mad props to Jordan F. for being an awesome workout buddy and coming in clutch with the protein shake after our cardio session today. Went to 24 to do arms and then drove over to the playground near my house to do bodyweight work as well as cardio on the field nearby. Safe to say we killed it.
Workout
Part 1: Weights:
1) Straight-bar curls
*warmup with just the 45 lb. bar*
5x8 w/ 105 lbs. (25 and 5 lb. plate on each side)
2) Tricep pulldowns with straight-bar
6x10 w/ 100 lbs.
3) [superset] Seated Supinated Bicep Curls + Hammer Curls
*To supinate is to turn the hand so that the palm is facing up by the end of the movement. This is commonly known as a bicep curl with a twist. No pun intended.
(5 supersets)
8 supinated curls with each arm
12 hammer curls with each arm
4) Single-Arm Tricep Extension w/ Cable
*I wanted to concentrate on the lateral head of my triceps so I adjusted my hand position and performed the movement with slight alterations until I could feel it working my lateral head. It's impossible to completely isolate a certain part of a muscle, but it is possible to more effectively target a certain area. I did not use an attachment on the cable cross machine to do this. I just grasped the little round ball below the carabiner. Do this exercise with careful form and do not swing around.
4x12 w/ 30 lbs.
5) Skullcrushers
*To keep my tendonitis from coming back I do these by moving the entire system made up of my arms and the weight further back so that it's behind/above my head rather than over my chest. Check out how Matt Ogus does these. I do them similarly. I refrained from going heavier today since my elbows flared up a bit after my last chest workout.
4x15 w/ 85 lbs.
6) Tricep Dips
*Usually not the biggest fan of these since I feel like they do nothing for my development. By the time you put enough weight around your waist to feel something you're at risk for a rotator cuff injury. Not the biggest fan of these but Jordan wanted to do them.
4x25 with controlled motion and emphasis on tricep stabilization.
------------
It's quite evident that this arm workout was primarily tricep-focused. I have always had overdeveloped biceps and an overdeveloped long head of my triceps. I can lift a phenomenal amount of weight over my head for single-dumbbell seated extensions because of this but cannot perform as well on movements that require more of the lateral head.
I'm working to combat this and create a more balanced body. Also, this workout was nothing unique or crazy. Relatively standard volume with higher rep ranges on the tricep movements. I'll come up with some creative stuff for the next arm workout.
Part 2 (cardio):
*We go to the playground to do various types of pull-ups including but not limited to: Australian pull-ups, wide grip pull-ups, standard pull-ups, dynamic switching between wide-grip and chin ups, monkey bar "walking" pull-ups, monkey bar close grip pull-ups. We also occasionally do push-ups when the tan bark isn't all over the concrete.
Upper body exercises are supplemented with sprints and leg lifts. This is cardio because there are no rest breaks in between upper body sets and short rest intervals between sprints. We randomize it to keep it interesting and also to refrain from developing a plateau.
1) Wide-grip pullups: 10
2) Aussie pullups: 20
3) Monkey bar "walking" pull-ups: 1 set
*Stand perpendicular to the monkey bars and grasp two of the bars with your hands. Pull your head through and come down. Without dropping down, swing one hand to meet the other on a single bar. Then move the other hand over. Do another pull-up. Move the hands. Do another. Repeat.
4) Aussie pullups: 20
5) Pushups on monkey bar set (balance): 30
6) Aussie pullups: 20
7) Dynamic switch between wide-grip and chin up: 8
*Do a wide-grip pull-up and on the way down swing your hands into chin-up position and perform that movement. Swing them back to perform another wide-grip pull-up. The key here is speed and forearm strength.
8) Aussie pullups: 20
9) Pushups: 40
10) 100m jog
11) Wide-grip pullups: 10
12) Aussie pullups: 20
13) Chin-ups: 12
14) Wide-grip pullups: 10
15) Pushups: 40
15) 60m sprint, 80m jog
16) 60m sprint, 80m jog
17) 60m sprint, 80m jog
--> We also did a total of 50 leg lifts interspersed between sets. You can put them where you want.
As you can see, I absolutely love doing Australian pull-ups. We do them on the monkey bars and keep the feet stabilized by bracing them against a bar and performing the pulling motion. We were able to remain parallel to the ground for the entire movement. I'm sitting here with very sore lower traps and rhomboids because of this. Don't disregard bodyweight workouts!
Diet of the Day:
Meal 1:
-7 eggs worth of egg whites + 1 whole egg
-3 Aidell's chicken meatballs
-3 plums, 8 strawberries, 1 peach
Meal 2:
-0.5 cup brown rice
-4 oz flat iron steak
-Zucchini
Meal 3:
-50g protein shake
-2 plums
-small piece of 70% dark chocolate
Meal 4:
-1 cup brown rice
-6 oz flat iron steak
-Normandy blend vegetables (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower)
Meal 5:
-8oz grilled chicken breast
-Carrots sautéed with garlic
-1 cup brown rice
Dessert: natural peanut butter balls w/ Kashi cereal, semisweet chocolate morsels, and honey drizzled on top.
Workout
Part 1: Weights:
1) Straight-bar curls
*warmup with just the 45 lb. bar*
5x8 w/ 105 lbs. (25 and 5 lb. plate on each side)
2) Tricep pulldowns with straight-bar
6x10 w/ 100 lbs.
3) [superset] Seated Supinated Bicep Curls + Hammer Curls
*To supinate is to turn the hand so that the palm is facing up by the end of the movement. This is commonly known as a bicep curl with a twist. No pun intended.
(5 supersets)
8 supinated curls with each arm
12 hammer curls with each arm
4) Single-Arm Tricep Extension w/ Cable
*I wanted to concentrate on the lateral head of my triceps so I adjusted my hand position and performed the movement with slight alterations until I could feel it working my lateral head. It's impossible to completely isolate a certain part of a muscle, but it is possible to more effectively target a certain area. I did not use an attachment on the cable cross machine to do this. I just grasped the little round ball below the carabiner. Do this exercise with careful form and do not swing around.
4x12 w/ 30 lbs.
5) Skullcrushers
*To keep my tendonitis from coming back I do these by moving the entire system made up of my arms and the weight further back so that it's behind/above my head rather than over my chest. Check out how Matt Ogus does these. I do them similarly. I refrained from going heavier today since my elbows flared up a bit after my last chest workout.
4x15 w/ 85 lbs.
6) Tricep Dips
*Usually not the biggest fan of these since I feel like they do nothing for my development. By the time you put enough weight around your waist to feel something you're at risk for a rotator cuff injury. Not the biggest fan of these but Jordan wanted to do them.
4x25 with controlled motion and emphasis on tricep stabilization.
------------
It's quite evident that this arm workout was primarily tricep-focused. I have always had overdeveloped biceps and an overdeveloped long head of my triceps. I can lift a phenomenal amount of weight over my head for single-dumbbell seated extensions because of this but cannot perform as well on movements that require more of the lateral head.
I'm working to combat this and create a more balanced body. Also, this workout was nothing unique or crazy. Relatively standard volume with higher rep ranges on the tricep movements. I'll come up with some creative stuff for the next arm workout.
Part 2 (cardio):
*We go to the playground to do various types of pull-ups including but not limited to: Australian pull-ups, wide grip pull-ups, standard pull-ups, dynamic switching between wide-grip and chin ups, monkey bar "walking" pull-ups, monkey bar close grip pull-ups. We also occasionally do push-ups when the tan bark isn't all over the concrete.
Upper body exercises are supplemented with sprints and leg lifts. This is cardio because there are no rest breaks in between upper body sets and short rest intervals between sprints. We randomize it to keep it interesting and also to refrain from developing a plateau.
1) Wide-grip pullups: 10
2) Aussie pullups: 20
3) Monkey bar "walking" pull-ups: 1 set
*Stand perpendicular to the monkey bars and grasp two of the bars with your hands. Pull your head through and come down. Without dropping down, swing one hand to meet the other on a single bar. Then move the other hand over. Do another pull-up. Move the hands. Do another. Repeat.
4) Aussie pullups: 20
5) Pushups on monkey bar set (balance): 30
6) Aussie pullups: 20
7) Dynamic switch between wide-grip and chin up: 8
*Do a wide-grip pull-up and on the way down swing your hands into chin-up position and perform that movement. Swing them back to perform another wide-grip pull-up. The key here is speed and forearm strength.
8) Aussie pullups: 20
9) Pushups: 40
10) 100m jog
11) Wide-grip pullups: 10
12) Aussie pullups: 20
13) Chin-ups: 12
14) Wide-grip pullups: 10
15) Pushups: 40
15) 60m sprint, 80m jog
16) 60m sprint, 80m jog
17) 60m sprint, 80m jog
--> We also did a total of 50 leg lifts interspersed between sets. You can put them where you want.
As you can see, I absolutely love doing Australian pull-ups. We do them on the monkey bars and keep the feet stabilized by bracing them against a bar and performing the pulling motion. We were able to remain parallel to the ground for the entire movement. I'm sitting here with very sore lower traps and rhomboids because of this. Don't disregard bodyweight workouts!
Diet of the Day:
Meal 1:
-7 eggs worth of egg whites + 1 whole egg
-3 Aidell's chicken meatballs
-3 plums, 8 strawberries, 1 peach
Meal 2:
-0.5 cup brown rice
-4 oz flat iron steak
-Zucchini
Meal 3:
-50g protein shake
-2 plums
-small piece of 70% dark chocolate
Meal 4:
-1 cup brown rice
-6 oz flat iron steak
-Normandy blend vegetables (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower)
Meal 5:
-8oz grilled chicken breast
-Carrots sautéed with garlic
-1 cup brown rice
Dessert: natural peanut butter balls w/ Kashi cereal, semisweet chocolate morsels, and honey drizzled on top.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Worked out at a small gym with only cable-based equipment and small dumbbells today. The heaviest dumbbell weight was 80 lbs. I wanted to do an intense back workout focusing primarily on rhomboids and traps but I just couldn't get anything done so I did a total back workout with cables. I was sad because I really love using hammer strength equipment. There was no conventional lat pulldown machine at this gym so I just did bodyweight exercises.
I decided since there wasn't much equipment, I would do what I could and then just get a nice long stretching session in afterward.
Workout:
*Warmed up with 30 pull-ups
1) Dumbbell Rows
-6x15 w/ 80 lb. dumbbell on each arm
2) Cable Rows w/ Emphasis on Traps/Rhomboids
-8x12 w/ 40 lbs. on each cable
3) Barbell shrugs
-3x30 w/ 135 lbs.
-3x20 w/ 185 lbs.
-3x10 w/ 225 lbs.
4) Facepulls
-5x15 w/ 80 lbs.
5) Dumbbell Shrugs
5x15 w/ 80 lbs. on each arm
6) [superset] Wide-Grip pullups + Australian pullups
(5 rounds)
15 reps on each exercise
*30 minutes of upper body stretching, focusing primarily on lats and spinal erectors*
Diet of the Day:
I ran out of protein powder so I just upped my protein intake from animal sources. I'm going to get some powder soon because I cannot sustain this increase in meat consumption for long. It's darn expensive not only monetarily speaking, but in terms of time due to preparation as well. When I got home from the workout I realized that I had no more meat left in my fridge so I went to Chipotle.
Meal 1:
-6 whole eggs
-3 Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatballs
-3 plums, 1 peach
Meal 2:
-2 8 oz grilled chicken breasts
-1 cup brown rice
-Mixed green veggies (broccoli, green beans, peas)
*apple before workout*
Meal 3 (post-workout):
-Chipotle bowl of gains: half lettuce, half brown rice, small amount of black beans, double chicken (no charge!), four scoops of corn, mild salsa.
Meal 4:
-8 oz flat iron steak w/ teriyaki marinade
-Sautéed zucchini and squash w/garlic sauce
-Sautéed green beans
Meal 5:
-Natural peanut butter w/ banana
I decided since there wasn't much equipment, I would do what I could and then just get a nice long stretching session in afterward.
Workout:
*Warmed up with 30 pull-ups
1) Dumbbell Rows
-6x15 w/ 80 lb. dumbbell on each arm
2) Cable Rows w/ Emphasis on Traps/Rhomboids
-8x12 w/ 40 lbs. on each cable
3) Barbell shrugs
-3x30 w/ 135 lbs.
-3x20 w/ 185 lbs.
-3x10 w/ 225 lbs.
4) Facepulls
-5x15 w/ 80 lbs.
5) Dumbbell Shrugs
5x15 w/ 80 lbs. on each arm
6) [superset] Wide-Grip pullups + Australian pullups
(5 rounds)
15 reps on each exercise
*30 minutes of upper body stretching, focusing primarily on lats and spinal erectors*
Diet of the Day:
I ran out of protein powder so I just upped my protein intake from animal sources. I'm going to get some powder soon because I cannot sustain this increase in meat consumption for long. It's darn expensive not only monetarily speaking, but in terms of time due to preparation as well. When I got home from the workout I realized that I had no more meat left in my fridge so I went to Chipotle.
Meal 1:
-6 whole eggs
-3 Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatballs
-3 plums, 1 peach
Meal 2:
-2 8 oz grilled chicken breasts
-1 cup brown rice
-Mixed green veggies (broccoli, green beans, peas)
*apple before workout*
Meal 3 (post-workout):
-Chipotle bowl of gains: half lettuce, half brown rice, small amount of black beans, double chicken (no charge!), four scoops of corn, mild salsa.
Meal 4:
-8 oz flat iron steak w/ teriyaki marinade
-Sautéed zucchini and squash w/garlic sauce
-Sautéed green beans
Meal 5:
-Natural peanut butter w/ banana
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Took today off. Diet was a recreation of yesterday's but with rice portions decreased by 0.5 cups per meal. Also, I ate no avocado today. I got my fats from a variety of nuts such as almonds, peanuts, and cashews. Went for a three mile walk prior to dinner but other than that I did nothing today. Very relaxing rest day. Rather than planning rest days, I like to go as hard as I can each day that I can and only stop when life slows me down or when something more important comes up. This way, your rest days serve dual purposes since you'll be doing something relevant and important to your life (such as spending time with family or doing something other than working out) as well as recovering and relaxing. Try it out!
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Hit chest today. Rested a nice 9 hours and went for it today. I decided that I would try out a pre-workout and see how it was. I tried Assault my muscle pharm today. The energy was solid and I didn't experience a crash. I do not take pre-workouts and often rely just on the sugar rush from an apple or two before my workouts. I do not plan to continue taking pre-workouts but this was a nice experience.
I really like to start with flat bench during every chest workout irrespective of whether or not I've hit a plateau. It gives me a gauge for the workout and allows me to see where I am in consideration of previous chest workouts. It's also a nice way to see initially how well you recovered. Pull the shoulder blades back on the movement and use the chest to "pinch" an imaginary object in the middle of your chest as you lift the weight up. If you cannot pinch your shoulder blades back properly on the motion, place a rolled up towel in between your shoulder blades on the bench. As for range of motion, I go all the way down and all the way up. I generally do not lock out on reps in order to keep constant tension. I've also found that if I lock my elbows at the top of the movement with heavy weights and many sets, my tendonitis creeps back.
This workout felt pretty great. I think I'm finally creeping back up to the strength I had during first quarter (see first blog post.) I do not think that I would be able to push out over 300 lbs. on bench at the moment. I went heavy weight and high volume on this workout. My elbows and shoulders felt wonderful throughout the entire workout and I had zero pain in any area. I focused primarily on incline movements. To me they're just more fun.
I also really enjoy the flushing effect and love the feeling of an upper body pump. To finish off this workout I did some tricep pulldowns with the rope and pull-ups to get a pump going in my back.
Workout:
1) Flat Bench
-1x15 w/ 135 lbs.
-1x5 w/ 155 lbs.
-1x5 w/ 185 lbs.
-1x10 w/ 225 lbs. (used as a gauge every workout)
-3x5 w/ 245
-2x2 w/ 275
2) Incline Dumbbell Bench (30 degree incline, easier on my shoulders)
-5x8 w/ 100 lb. dumbbells
3) Incline Bench Press (45 degree incline)
-2x10 w/ 135 lbs.
-4x6 w/ 225 lbs.
4) [superset] Incline Bench Press + Plyometric Pushups on Bosu Ball
*Grab two bosu balls (see image below) and space them about 1.5 feet apart. Then perform a "diamond" pushup concentrating on the triceps in between the two balls. When you're coming up, explode and land your hands on the bosu balls to do a standard/wide pushup. On the way up from the wide pushup, explode and come to the diamond again. Repeat this. One close and one wide counts as a single rep.
(5 rounds)
-10 reps w/ 185 on bench + 8 reps bosu ball
5) [superset] Tricep Pulldowns + Wide-grip pullups
(5 rounds)
-10 reps w/ 75 lbs. using rope. (Pull to waist area and hold. Do not lock out.) + 15 reps wide-grip pullup
Diet of the Day:
Meal 1:
-30g whey protein shake w/ 2% milk
-5 eggs worth of egg whites + 2 whole eggs
-3 Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatballs
-Plum, strawberries, blueberries, banana
Meal 2:
-1 cup brown rice
-1 Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatball
-8oz grilled chicken breast (cut into rice bowl)
-0.5 avocado (cubed)
-Sautéed zucchini
*Apple eaten pre-workout*
Meal 3 (post-workout):
-35g whey protein shake w/ chocolate milk
-2 cups brown rice
-0.5 avocado (cubed)
-10oz grilled chicken breast (cut into rice bowl)
-4 cups of mixed vegetables (Costco normandy blend) w/ carrots, broccoli, cauliflower
Meal 4:
-8 oz grilled chicken breast
-Sautéed zucchini, squash, onions
-0.5 cup brown rice
*Consistently eating brown rice has given me more mental clarity and a faster recovery after having been on an essentially paleo diet for about two years. My metabolism is now a furnace. The most magical thing is the mental clarity. It's unreal. If you're on a paleo diet and not seeing improvements in your cut, reconsider what you're doing. Your body needs carbs, and I can guarantee you're not getting enough from just fruits and vegetables. Also, grains are much cheaper. Eat grains for the gains. Brown rice and quinoa are magical!
I really like to start with flat bench during every chest workout irrespective of whether or not I've hit a plateau. It gives me a gauge for the workout and allows me to see where I am in consideration of previous chest workouts. It's also a nice way to see initially how well you recovered. Pull the shoulder blades back on the movement and use the chest to "pinch" an imaginary object in the middle of your chest as you lift the weight up. If you cannot pinch your shoulder blades back properly on the motion, place a rolled up towel in between your shoulder blades on the bench. As for range of motion, I go all the way down and all the way up. I generally do not lock out on reps in order to keep constant tension. I've also found that if I lock my elbows at the top of the movement with heavy weights and many sets, my tendonitis creeps back.
This workout felt pretty great. I think I'm finally creeping back up to the strength I had during first quarter (see first blog post.) I do not think that I would be able to push out over 300 lbs. on bench at the moment. I went heavy weight and high volume on this workout. My elbows and shoulders felt wonderful throughout the entire workout and I had zero pain in any area. I focused primarily on incline movements. To me they're just more fun.
I also really enjoy the flushing effect and love the feeling of an upper body pump. To finish off this workout I did some tricep pulldowns with the rope and pull-ups to get a pump going in my back.
Workout:
1) Flat Bench
-1x15 w/ 135 lbs.
-1x5 w/ 155 lbs.
-1x5 w/ 185 lbs.
-1x10 w/ 225 lbs. (used as a gauge every workout)
-3x5 w/ 245
-2x2 w/ 275
2) Incline Dumbbell Bench (30 degree incline, easier on my shoulders)
-5x8 w/ 100 lb. dumbbells
3) Incline Bench Press (45 degree incline)
-2x10 w/ 135 lbs.
-4x6 w/ 225 lbs.
4) [superset] Incline Bench Press + Plyometric Pushups on Bosu Ball
*Grab two bosu balls (see image below) and space them about 1.5 feet apart. Then perform a "diamond" pushup concentrating on the triceps in between the two balls. When you're coming up, explode and land your hands on the bosu balls to do a standard/wide pushup. On the way up from the wide pushup, explode and come to the diamond again. Repeat this. One close and one wide counts as a single rep.
(5 rounds)
-10 reps w/ 185 on bench + 8 reps bosu ball
5) [superset] Tricep Pulldowns + Wide-grip pullups
(5 rounds)
-10 reps w/ 75 lbs. using rope. (Pull to waist area and hold. Do not lock out.) + 15 reps wide-grip pullup
Diet of the Day:
Meal 1:
-30g whey protein shake w/ 2% milk
-5 eggs worth of egg whites + 2 whole eggs
-3 Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatballs
-Plum, strawberries, blueberries, banana
Meal 2:
-1 cup brown rice
-1 Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatball
-8oz grilled chicken breast (cut into rice bowl)
-0.5 avocado (cubed)
-Sautéed zucchini
*Apple eaten pre-workout*
Meal 3 (post-workout):
-35g whey protein shake w/ chocolate milk
-2 cups brown rice
-0.5 avocado (cubed)
-10oz grilled chicken breast (cut into rice bowl)
-4 cups of mixed vegetables (Costco normandy blend) w/ carrots, broccoli, cauliflower
Meal 4:
-8 oz grilled chicken breast
-Sautéed zucchini, squash, onions
-0.5 cup brown rice
*Consistently eating brown rice has given me more mental clarity and a faster recovery after having been on an essentially paleo diet for about two years. My metabolism is now a furnace. The most magical thing is the mental clarity. It's unreal. If you're on a paleo diet and not seeing improvements in your cut, reconsider what you're doing. Your body needs carbs, and I can guarantee you're not getting enough from just fruits and vegetables. Also, grains are much cheaper. Eat grains for the gains. Brown rice and quinoa are magical!
Monday, June 23, 2014
Leg Day
Hit legs today after having gone mountain biking yesterday. Very tiring workout but felt great after it.
Workout:
Warmup on leg press with 2 plates on each side, 20 reps.
1) Deep Squats
1x10 w/ 135
2x10 w/ 155
2x10 w/ 185
2x10 w/ 225
1x15 w/ 185
2) Walking Lunges
5x30 w/ 90 lb. barbell on back
3) Calf Circuit
Seated calf raises
1x20 w/ 1 plate
1x20 w/ 2 plates
2x15 w/ 3 plates
1x15 w/ 4 plates
1x10 w/ 5 plates
Burnout w/ 3 plates (2 sets)
Plate calf raises (front and back)
Single-leg calf raises
4) Uphill 50m Sprints w/unique starts
1 w/ two single-legged jumps w/ right leg then sprint
1 w/ two single-legged jumps w/ left leg then sprint
1 w/ 5 bunny hops then sprint
1 straight sprint
Diet of the Day:
1) Meal 1:
-30g whey protein shake w/ 2% milk
-6 whole eggs
-4 Aidell's chicken meatballs
Workout:
Warmup on leg press with 2 plates on each side, 20 reps.
1) Deep Squats
1x10 w/ 135
2x10 w/ 155
2x10 w/ 185
2x10 w/ 225
1x15 w/ 185
2) Walking Lunges
5x30 w/ 90 lb. barbell on back
3) Calf Circuit
Seated calf raises
1x20 w/ 1 plate
1x20 w/ 2 plates
2x15 w/ 3 plates
1x15 w/ 4 plates
1x10 w/ 5 plates
Burnout w/ 3 plates (2 sets)
Plate calf raises (front and back)
Single-leg calf raises
4) Uphill 50m Sprints w/unique starts
1 w/ two single-legged jumps w/ right leg then sprint
1 w/ two single-legged jumps w/ left leg then sprint
1 w/ 5 bunny hops then sprint
1 straight sprint
Diet of the Day:
1) Meal 1:
-30g whey protein shake w/ 2% milk
-6 whole eggs
-4 Aidell's chicken meatballs
2) Meal 2 (2 hours prior to workout):
-1 cup brown rice
-Whole 10oz chicken breast
-Microwaved Normandy mix (costco) vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, weird yellow things)
3) Meal 3 (post-workout):
-35g whey protein shake w/ chocolate milk
-2 cups brown rice
-Whole 10oz chicken breast
-Microwaved Normandy mix (costco) vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, weird yellow things)
-Piece of 70% dark chocolate
4) Meal 4:
-8 oz flat iron steak w/ teriyaki marinade
-Sautéed squash
5) Meal 5 (snack):
-Peanut butter and home-made plum jam on piece of whole grain bread
*I never had pb&j as a kid..always just straight lunch meat. So after having discovered this magical creation I try to eat it whenever I can. I usually have something higher in fat before bed since it keeps my digestion slower and keeps me fuller while I sleep. I layer both sides of the bread with peanut butter and one side with a very small amount of the jam. Any type of jam is high in sugar content.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Woke up with a cold today. I was planning on hitting either chest or back and going for a bike ride. After getting enough energy to roll out of bed (at 12 pm..) I had my first meal. I had a total of three today because I woke up so late. Went higher on the carbs and fats today. I actually ended up going to the gym but I chose to do primarily abs with some additional focus on chest and back. I went for a short but intense mountain biking session after.
Workout:
1) Flat bench
1x15 135 lbs.
1x10 155 lbs.
1x8 185 lbs.
1x5 225 lbs.
1x2 275 lbs.
2) Incline DB Press
3x6 100 lbs.
3) Pullups
5x10 wide
3x10 close
4) Dragonflags
*stole this from Rocky IV. If you do them right they're a great ab exercise. Keep the lower back and hip flexors out of the equation as much as possible. Use your mind when you do the movement rather than just going through the motions.
5x10
5) Cable crunches
4x12 w/ 70 lbs.
6) GHD full ROM crunches
3x10
7) Mountain Biking
-->I went for a quick 3.6 mi (uphill) ride at a sustained speed of 12 mph. The total ascent was 926.48 ft. It's amazing how quickly you get out of biking shape. It will be a few more rides before I'm back to where I was before college. I took many breaks (5) on this ride. Squatting, lunges, box jumps, and sprints are totally different than uphill biking. It's a weird combination of strength and endurance. To me it feels like a combination of running and squatting. It's a magical way to do cardio and build leg muscle.
Diet of the Day:
Meal 1:
-Salmon sorrento (10 oz) w/ tomatoes
-3 plums, 1 banana, 1 apple
*Apple before workout
*PowerCrunch original chocolate bar post-lift (before bike ride)
Meal 2:
-2.5 cups brown rice
-0.5 diced avocado
-10 oz chicken breast
*small mount of low-sodium soy sauce for flavor
Meal 3:
-1 cup brown rice
-0.5 diced avocado
-8 oz chicken breast
*small piece of 70% dark chocolate for dessert
Workout:
1) Flat bench
1x15 135 lbs.
1x10 155 lbs.
1x8 185 lbs.
1x5 225 lbs.
1x2 275 lbs.
2) Incline DB Press
3x6 100 lbs.
3) Pullups
5x10 wide
3x10 close
4) Dragonflags
*stole this from Rocky IV. If you do them right they're a great ab exercise. Keep the lower back and hip flexors out of the equation as much as possible. Use your mind when you do the movement rather than just going through the motions.
5x10
5) Cable crunches
4x12 w/ 70 lbs.
6) GHD full ROM crunches
3x10
7) Mountain Biking
-->I went for a quick 3.6 mi (uphill) ride at a sustained speed of 12 mph. The total ascent was 926.48 ft. It's amazing how quickly you get out of biking shape. It will be a few more rides before I'm back to where I was before college. I took many breaks (5) on this ride. Squatting, lunges, box jumps, and sprints are totally different than uphill biking. It's a weird combination of strength and endurance. To me it feels like a combination of running and squatting. It's a magical way to do cardio and build leg muscle.
Diet of the Day:
Meal 1:
-Salmon sorrento (10 oz) w/ tomatoes
-3 plums, 1 banana, 1 apple
*Apple before workout
*PowerCrunch original chocolate bar post-lift (before bike ride)
Meal 2:
-2.5 cups brown rice
-0.5 diced avocado
-10 oz chicken breast
*small mount of low-sodium soy sauce for flavor
Meal 3:
-1 cup brown rice
-0.5 diced avocado
-8 oz chicken breast
*small piece of 70% dark chocolate for dessert
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Week 1 Progress Pics
As promised, I have progress pics. The picture on the top is the one you all know and love from my return to Los Gatos after college. The one on the bottom was taken yesterday night after a three-mile run and one mile jog.
Now most of this progress so far has been due to a combination of diet and genetics. I have a very high metabolism as it is so getting shredded is not extremely difficult for me. The hard part is maintaining/gaining size without putting on too much fat. I think most of the weight in the top photo was water weight. Running has done me very well. My lower abs have not returned yet but the general shape is coming back and I no longer have a gut. If you can believe it, I'm actually flexing in the top photo.
Getting my diet back on track and working out every day with high intensity has allowed me to get rid of most of the fat I had put on. The hardest part will be creating a physique that rivals the one I had last summer (shown below.) Getting a six-pack is not what I'm aiming for. I'm aiming to create a physique that puts the own below to shame. One week in, and I think it's looking pretty good for me so far.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Took yesterday off. Diet was a repeat of Monday. Today I decided to hit back and abs. I like to keep my ab workouts simple and intense. If you don't have the drive to do intense ab workouts do the ab part first and back part second. I start with back since I like to use most of my energy there.
Workout (Back):
6 minute rotator cuff warmup w/ 5 lb. dumbbell plates.
25 pull-ups
1) Lat Pulldowns
1x12 100 lbs.
2x10 180 lbs.
2x8 200 lbs.
1x5 225 lbs.
2) Seated Cable Rows w/ Straight Bar Attachment
5x10 w/ 160 lbs.
3) Dumbbell Rows
1x10 70 lbs.
3x10 90 lbs.
4) Australian Pullups
3x25 concentrate on rhomboids
5) Lat Pulldown and Behind-the-Neck pulldown superset
5 sets [ 8 reps w/ 180 lbs. normal + 10 reps behind the neck* ]
*doing lat pulldowns behind the neck is pretty bad for your rotator cuff. It's a cumulative thing. It's not an overnight problem. I do these occasionally but not very often. I find they hit my rhomboids very well if I squeeze at the end of the motion. Grip closer rather than wider. You should feel it in your lower trapezius and rhomboids.
Workout (Abs + cardio):
10x10 leg lifts on an inclined bench. Lift legs up and lift entire lower body up using the core.
4x10 cable crunches w/ 75 lbs.
3x10 GHD full ROM crunches (I burnt out after 1 set and physically could not do the other two)
2 miles running pace (do not jog)
Diet of the Day:
Meal 1:
-5 eggs worth of egg whites + 2 normal eggs
-25g whey protein shake w/ 2% milk
-Fruit plate (plums, peaches, raspberries, blueberries)
Meal 2 (pre-workout):
-Small bowl of brown rice (0.5 cup)
Meal 4 (post-workout):
-30g whey protein shake w/ 50% 2% milk and 50% dark chocolate almond milk
-Salmon
-1 cup of brown rice
-Bowl of microwaved vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
-Raspberries and blueberries
Meal 5:
-Salmon
-0.5 cup brown rice
I absolutely love salmon. I eat it over chicken and steak whenever I have the opportunity. It's also a great snack to have before bed and keeps you full. The nutritional benefits of salmon include:
-Omega-3 fatty acids
-Vitamin A, D, B6, B, E
-Making you feel happy since it tastes amazing (especially with a teriyaki marinade)
Workout (Back):
6 minute rotator cuff warmup w/ 5 lb. dumbbell plates.
25 pull-ups
1) Lat Pulldowns
1x12 100 lbs.
2x10 180 lbs.
2x8 200 lbs.
1x5 225 lbs.
2) Seated Cable Rows w/ Straight Bar Attachment
5x10 w/ 160 lbs.
3) Dumbbell Rows
1x10 70 lbs.
3x10 90 lbs.
4) Australian Pullups
3x25 concentrate on rhomboids
5) Lat Pulldown and Behind-the-Neck pulldown superset
5 sets [ 8 reps w/ 180 lbs. normal + 10 reps behind the neck* ]
*doing lat pulldowns behind the neck is pretty bad for your rotator cuff. It's a cumulative thing. It's not an overnight problem. I do these occasionally but not very often. I find they hit my rhomboids very well if I squeeze at the end of the motion. Grip closer rather than wider. You should feel it in your lower trapezius and rhomboids.
Workout (Abs + cardio):
10x10 leg lifts on an inclined bench. Lift legs up and lift entire lower body up using the core.
4x10 cable crunches w/ 75 lbs.
3x10 GHD full ROM crunches (I burnt out after 1 set and physically could not do the other two)
2 miles running pace (do not jog)
Diet of the Day:
Meal 1:
-5 eggs worth of egg whites + 2 normal eggs
-25g whey protein shake w/ 2% milk
-Fruit plate (plums, peaches, raspberries, blueberries)
Meal 2 (pre-workout):
-Small bowl of brown rice (0.5 cup)
Meal 4 (post-workout):
-30g whey protein shake w/ 50% 2% milk and 50% dark chocolate almond milk
-Salmon
-1 cup of brown rice
-Bowl of microwaved vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
-Raspberries and blueberries
Meal 5:
-Salmon
-0.5 cup brown rice
I absolutely love salmon. I eat it over chicken and steak whenever I have the opportunity. It's also a great snack to have before bed and keeps you full. The nutritional benefits of salmon include:
-Omega-3 fatty acids
-Vitamin A, D, B6, B, E
-Making you feel happy since it tastes amazing (especially with a teriyaki marinade)
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Ok, now for today's stuff. I got around 7.5 hours of sleep, which isn't optimum for my body or anybody's for that matter. I generally prefer around 9 hours when I can get it. Anyhow, for having slept only 7.5 hours I had a great workout. I hit arms today.
Workout:
Warmup with 25 pull-ups and 25 pushups. Just to get the blood flowing.
1) Straight bar curls (in the squat rack, of course)
2x10 w/ 95 lb. (25s on each side)
2x8 w/ 105 lb. (25 and a 5 on each side)
2x5 w/ 115 lb. (35s on each side)
2) Overhead tricep extension w/ single dumbbell
*I like warming up with light weight (45 and 60) in order to loosen up my joints and get some bloodflow into my elbow region. I've suffered with tendonitis in the past from being an idiot and doing too much weight on skull crushers with a bad angle, so to combat that I take my warmup more seriously.
2x20 w/ 45 lb.
1x15 w/ 60 lb.
4x10 w/ 100 lb.
3) Cable Bicep Reverse curl superset w/ Peak Contraction Curl (courtesy of the homie Jeremy W.)
This exercise is performed on a cable crossover machine or cable machine that has a pulley which is vertically adjustable. For this you're going to take the longest cable crossover single grip handles you can find and attach them both to the carabiner. Move the pulley to the lowest notch. The first exercise involves turning you palms down when you curl, and concentrating on using your forearms and biceps to move the weight. At the top of the movement, stop and hold and then curl the weight up purely with your forearms. It's a two part motion and the forearm curl is a very small twist.
For the second super-setted exercise, step back and rotate your arms in. Curl into your body as if you were flexing your biceps and posing for a picture. Bring them together so your knuckles touch and squeeze until you feel the pump. I generally hold for around 3 seconds and then release.
6x (12 reps reverse curl + 10 reps peak curl)
4) Skull crushers
1x10 w/ 95 lb. EZ curl bar
4x10 w/ 100 lb. EZ curl bar
1x8 w/ 110 lb. EZ curl bar
*I have a strange angle that I perform these at where I kind of do it off the bench. It feels better on my elbows. I'll try and find a link or make a video about it. Scott Herman (youtube reference) does this too I think.
5) Straight-bar negatives (More curling in the squat rack...)
Straight bar curl negatives to finish off the bis. Partner lifts the weight up and you lower. Target time down is 4 seconds.
4x4 reps w/135 lb. (45s on the olympic barbell)
6) Tricep pushdown + pulldown
I superset a pushdown with a pulldown. I prefer to use the straight cable attachment rather than the V since the straight attachment is more friendly to pulldown users.
5x(10 pulldown + 10 pushdown)
*I like to do pulldowns first since they tend to be slightly more taxing. If I do pushdowns first and pre-exhasut to a degree then I won't be able to do all my pulldowns. Just a personal preference.
Diet of the Day:
Meal 1 (breakfast):
-30g whey protein shake w/2% milk
-6 eggs worth of egg whites + 1 full egg
-3 Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatballs
-Plum
-Strawberries
Meal 2 (snack):
-Strawberries
-Banana w/almond butter
Meal 3 (lunch):
-Lean beef tri-tip
-Roasted mushrooms, zucchini, celery, onions, pepper
Meal 4 (post workout):
-30 g whey protein shake w/ combination 2% milk and chocolate milk*
-Protein bar (I'm a sucker for these...they're basically candy bars anyway)
macros: 10g protein, 18g carbs (6g sugar), 7g fat*
-Small rice bowl w/chopped chicken and mixed veggies
*if you're going to have sugar at anytime during your day, have it post workout. The sucrose will raise your blood sugar. I think from a basic point of view the elevated heart rate will cause faster delivery of nutrients to the muscles. I'm hypersensitive to sugar since I've de-conditioned myself from it, so my heart rate goes way up. You can hate on this and call it bro science, but I'll keep doing it since it has worked for me. It's definitely not negatively affecting my gains. It could be causing some extra fat retention from the insulin spike but to me it's negligible.
Meal 5:
-Grilled flank steak
-Sautéed carrots
Meal 6:
-Plain Greek yogurt w/ dark chocolate chips
Workout:
Warmup with 25 pull-ups and 25 pushups. Just to get the blood flowing.
1) Straight bar curls (in the squat rack, of course)
2x10 w/ 95 lb. (25s on each side)
2x8 w/ 105 lb. (25 and a 5 on each side)
2x5 w/ 115 lb. (35s on each side)
2) Overhead tricep extension w/ single dumbbell
*I like warming up with light weight (45 and 60) in order to loosen up my joints and get some bloodflow into my elbow region. I've suffered with tendonitis in the past from being an idiot and doing too much weight on skull crushers with a bad angle, so to combat that I take my warmup more seriously.
2x20 w/ 45 lb.
1x15 w/ 60 lb.
4x10 w/ 100 lb.
3) Cable Bicep Reverse curl superset w/ Peak Contraction Curl (courtesy of the homie Jeremy W.)
This exercise is performed on a cable crossover machine or cable machine that has a pulley which is vertically adjustable. For this you're going to take the longest cable crossover single grip handles you can find and attach them both to the carabiner. Move the pulley to the lowest notch. The first exercise involves turning you palms down when you curl, and concentrating on using your forearms and biceps to move the weight. At the top of the movement, stop and hold and then curl the weight up purely with your forearms. It's a two part motion and the forearm curl is a very small twist.
For the second super-setted exercise, step back and rotate your arms in. Curl into your body as if you were flexing your biceps and posing for a picture. Bring them together so your knuckles touch and squeeze until you feel the pump. I generally hold for around 3 seconds and then release.
6x (12 reps reverse curl + 10 reps peak curl)
4) Skull crushers
1x10 w/ 95 lb. EZ curl bar
4x10 w/ 100 lb. EZ curl bar
1x8 w/ 110 lb. EZ curl bar
*I have a strange angle that I perform these at where I kind of do it off the bench. It feels better on my elbows. I'll try and find a link or make a video about it. Scott Herman (youtube reference) does this too I think.
5) Straight-bar negatives (More curling in the squat rack...)
Straight bar curl negatives to finish off the bis. Partner lifts the weight up and you lower. Target time down is 4 seconds.
4x4 reps w/135 lb. (45s on the olympic barbell)
6) Tricep pushdown + pulldown
I superset a pushdown with a pulldown. I prefer to use the straight cable attachment rather than the V since the straight attachment is more friendly to pulldown users.
5x(10 pulldown + 10 pushdown)
*I like to do pulldowns first since they tend to be slightly more taxing. If I do pushdowns first and pre-exhasut to a degree then I won't be able to do all my pulldowns. Just a personal preference.
Diet of the Day:
Meal 1 (breakfast):
-30g whey protein shake w/2% milk
-6 eggs worth of egg whites + 1 full egg
-3 Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatballs
-Plum
-Strawberries
Meal 2 (snack):
-Strawberries
-Banana w/almond butter
Meal 3 (lunch):
-Lean beef tri-tip
-Roasted mushrooms, zucchini, celery, onions, pepper
Meal 4 (post workout):
-30 g whey protein shake w/ combination 2% milk and chocolate milk*
-Protein bar (I'm a sucker for these...they're basically candy bars anyway)
macros: 10g protein, 18g carbs (6g sugar), 7g fat*
-Small rice bowl w/chopped chicken and mixed veggies
*if you're going to have sugar at anytime during your day, have it post workout. The sucrose will raise your blood sugar. I think from a basic point of view the elevated heart rate will cause faster delivery of nutrients to the muscles. I'm hypersensitive to sugar since I've de-conditioned myself from it, so my heart rate goes way up. You can hate on this and call it bro science, but I'll keep doing it since it has worked for me. It's definitely not negatively affecting my gains. It could be causing some extra fat retention from the insulin spike but to me it's negligible.
Meal 5:
-Grilled flank steak
-Sautéed carrots
Meal 6:
-Plain Greek yogurt w/ dark chocolate chips
Yesterday was a big mess. I didn't get a chance to post so I'll post it along with today's info. Again, I'm using this week to ease back into high-intensity/heavy-weight workouts, so I'm using lower volume and weight than normal. I hit shoulders and felt pretty good the whole workout. So here is the workout from yesterday:
Workout (Tuesday 6/16/14):
Warm up with rotator cuff rotations using 5 lb. plates for 3 min
Warm up with rotator cuff rotations with cables for 3 min
1) Shoulder press w/ dumbbell
2x10 w/ 60 lb.
2x10 w/ 70 lb.
3x8 w/ 80 lb.
2) Extremely Inclined Dumbbell Press (same bench used for incline db press on chest day)
Angle was ~65 degrees from the horizontal
Do not lock out at the top and keep constant tension on the anterior deltoids and chest.
Slow (2-3 seconds down, 1 second up)
5x10 w/ 80 lb.
3) Raises in a Circuit
I paired front raises (directly in front of my body) with semi-front/lateral raises (45 degrees from the line created by holding your arm directly forward from your body) with pure lateral raises (holding the dumbbells like you would hold a sword) =[ | ] <- the db is the " | " and the =[ ] is your hand and wrist.
-5 sets:
12 reps front raises
12 reps semi-front raises
12 reps lateral raises
I used the 15 lb. dumbbells.
4) Lateral Raises w/ Cable
Go to the cable crossover machine or cybex cable machine and put it on the lowest notch. I used the single hand cable grip that looks like this but less ghetto:
I grip it behind my body and stand in front while I do the motion. I concentrate on using my medial deltoids rather than anterior or rear to move the weight. I hold and squeeze at the top. I go about 15 degrees above my shoulder line and raise it like a semi-front raise rather than purely to the side. I stay lighter on the weight here and concentrate on keeping the tension on my deltoids the whole time. It's a nice burn if you do it right.
5x15 w/25-35 lbs. on cable machine
5) Pullups superset w/ rear delt machine
I did 5 sets of 10 pull-ups super-setted with the rear deltoid machine that looks like this:
Workout (Tuesday 6/16/14):
Warm up with rotator cuff rotations using 5 lb. plates for 3 min
Warm up with rotator cuff rotations with cables for 3 min
1) Shoulder press w/ dumbbell
2x10 w/ 60 lb.
2x10 w/ 70 lb.
3x8 w/ 80 lb.
2) Extremely Inclined Dumbbell Press (same bench used for incline db press on chest day)
Angle was ~65 degrees from the horizontal
Do not lock out at the top and keep constant tension on the anterior deltoids and chest.
Slow (2-3 seconds down, 1 second up)
5x10 w/ 80 lb.
3) Raises in a Circuit
I paired front raises (directly in front of my body) with semi-front/lateral raises (45 degrees from the line created by holding your arm directly forward from your body) with pure lateral raises (holding the dumbbells like you would hold a sword) =[ | ] <- the db is the " | " and the =[ ] is your hand and wrist.
-5 sets:
12 reps front raises
12 reps semi-front raises
12 reps lateral raises
I used the 15 lb. dumbbells.
4) Lateral Raises w/ Cable
Go to the cable crossover machine or cybex cable machine and put it on the lowest notch. I used the single hand cable grip that looks like this but less ghetto:
I grip it behind my body and stand in front while I do the motion. I concentrate on using my medial deltoids rather than anterior or rear to move the weight. I hold and squeeze at the top. I go about 15 degrees above my shoulder line and raise it like a semi-front raise rather than purely to the side. I stay lighter on the weight here and concentrate on keeping the tension on my deltoids the whole time. It's a nice burn if you do it right.
5x15 w/25-35 lbs. on cable machine
5) Pullups superset w/ rear delt machine
I did 5 sets of 10 pull-ups super-setted with the rear deltoid machine that looks like this:
5x (10 pullups + 8 reps w/ contraction hold at peak of rear deltoid machine)
*I used 70 lbs. for the rear deltoid machine.
Note: diet was the same exact thing as Sunday.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Today was all off. I managed to sleep through my alarm and ended up rolling out of bed at around 12 noon. I was planning on doing arms today but my forearms were outrageously tight and sore from back yesterday so I opted to do cardio and a light leg workout (light in anticipation of mountain biking on Tuesday.)
I also tend to go lighter rather than heavier on squats because of my herniated disc. I actually find that if I keep a tight core and go lower than 90 degrees my back feels better than if I were to go to 90 and come back up. Getting into the gym to do a leg workout is one of the hardest things mentally, but doing the actual workout is a challenge as well. I love working out my legs but the amount of energy I need to expend in order to get a good lift is astounding. I'm sure other people feel the same way. Make sure you eat an adequate amount of carbs in the morning/afternoon before your workout. You'll need the energy. My rice bowl was not enough.
Exercise List:
1) Back squat
3 warmup sets of 20 reps w/ 135
3x10 185
2x8 225
2) Walking lunges (~30-40 reps in one walk)
5 sets w/ 90 lb. barbell on back
3) Box jumps & pistol squats
5 sets of 10 superset w/ 10 pistol squats on each leg
4) Calf circuit
(repeat 5 times)
i) Seated calf raise (15 reps w/ 4 plates)
ii) Standing single calf raise (20 reps both legs)
iii) Standing calf raise w/ both legs on 45 lb. plate (10 reps toe on plate, 10 reps heel on plate)
*with the heel on plate, concentrate on the contraction
5) 1 mile run, 1 mile jog
Diet of the Day:
I found my diet was pretty messed up today. Since I woke up late and dislike eating eggs after 12 (personal preference...) I opted to have a protein shake and a rice bowl for my first meal. I chopped grilled chicken into the rice bowl and included three Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatballs. Making these rice bowls is a new thing of mine. I blame the fact that I'm half Asian.
Meal 1:
35g whey protein shake w/2% milk
1 cup jasmine brown rice w/
Grilled chicken breast
3 Aidell's chicken meatballs
Meal 2 (snack):
Plum
Peach
Strawberries
Blueberries
Oatmeal (steel cut)
Meal 3 (pre-workout):
Apple
Deli Sliced Chicken
Meal 4:
Flank steak
Sautéed carrots and green beans
1/2 avocado
Dessert:
Strawberries w/ homemade dark chocolate sauce (literally only dark chocolate and some red wine)
I felt really loopy all day as well. I think I slept way too long. I'm going to work out earlier rather than later since I find that I have a stronger will to lift at earlier times of the day.
On a sidenote, here is a shot of my legs after I got home from the gym. I've lost a lot of size in my calves and quads. Most of the definition is gone but it's coming back. I'm hoping to improve this through frequent biking and weightlifting.
I also tend to go lighter rather than heavier on squats because of my herniated disc. I actually find that if I keep a tight core and go lower than 90 degrees my back feels better than if I were to go to 90 and come back up. Getting into the gym to do a leg workout is one of the hardest things mentally, but doing the actual workout is a challenge as well. I love working out my legs but the amount of energy I need to expend in order to get a good lift is astounding. I'm sure other people feel the same way. Make sure you eat an adequate amount of carbs in the morning/afternoon before your workout. You'll need the energy. My rice bowl was not enough.
Exercise List:
1) Back squat
3 warmup sets of 20 reps w/ 135
3x10 185
2x8 225
2) Walking lunges (~30-40 reps in one walk)
5 sets w/ 90 lb. barbell on back
3) Box jumps & pistol squats
5 sets of 10 superset w/ 10 pistol squats on each leg
4) Calf circuit
(repeat 5 times)
i) Seated calf raise (15 reps w/ 4 plates)
ii) Standing single calf raise (20 reps both legs)
iii) Standing calf raise w/ both legs on 45 lb. plate (10 reps toe on plate, 10 reps heel on plate)
*with the heel on plate, concentrate on the contraction
5) 1 mile run, 1 mile jog
Diet of the Day:
I found my diet was pretty messed up today. Since I woke up late and dislike eating eggs after 12 (personal preference...) I opted to have a protein shake and a rice bowl for my first meal. I chopped grilled chicken into the rice bowl and included three Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatballs. Making these rice bowls is a new thing of mine. I blame the fact that I'm half Asian.
Meal 1:
35g whey protein shake w/2% milk
1 cup jasmine brown rice w/
Grilled chicken breast
3 Aidell's chicken meatballs
Very proud of my rice bowl creation ability (or lack thereof.)
Meal 2 (snack):
Plum
Peach
Strawberries
Blueberries
Oatmeal (steel cut)
Meal 3 (pre-workout):
Apple
Deli Sliced Chicken
Meal 4:
Flank steak
Sautéed carrots and green beans
1/2 avocado
Dessert:
Strawberries w/ homemade dark chocolate sauce (literally only dark chocolate and some red wine)
I felt really loopy all day as well. I think I slept way too long. I'm going to work out earlier rather than later since I find that I have a stronger will to lift at earlier times of the day.
On a sidenote, here is a shot of my legs after I got home from the gym. I've lost a lot of size in my calves and quads. Most of the definition is gone but it's coming back. I'm hoping to improve this through frequent biking and weightlifting.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Hit back today. It felt pretty nice. My back has not lost too much strength, which was a real refresher. I find that heavy, high volume workouts are most effective for my back. Of course, everybody is different and you may find that an alternative method works best for you. The workout is below:
Exercise List:
Warmed up with 5x20 pull-ups.
1) Lat Pulldowns
3x10 on 160 lb.
3x8 on 180 lb.
2x5 on 200 lb.
2) Dumbbell Rows
5x10 w/ 90s
3) Hammerstrength Lat Machine
7x10 w/ 2 plates and a 25
4) Hammerstrength Row Machine
5x10 w/ 3 plates on each side
5) Behind the Neck Lat Pulldowns (closer grip rather than wide, concentrate on rhomboid and trap flexion)
5x8 on 100 lb.
Diet of the Day:
I went higher carb today. I think it's ill-advised to completely starve yourself of carbs in hopes of entering ketosis. It's possible but the detriments far out weigh the benefits. The degree of muscle loss that you will deal with if you work toward entering ketosis is astounding. I experimented with this diet in high school and found that while it worked for a short period of time (5-6 months,) my metabolism backfired and actually slowed down. It's much wiser to balance your macros and have a low-carb day here and there with a high-carb day inserted somewhere in between.
Meal 1:
30g whey protein shake w/2% milk
5 eggs worth of egg whites w/ 1 normal egg
1 cup steel cut oats
Plum
Meal 2:
Grilled Chicken Breast
Steamed carrots, squash, and broccoli
Meal 3 (pre-workout):
Apple
Plum
Meal 4 (post-workout):
Grilled Chicken Breast cut into
1 cup Jasmine Brown Rice
Meal 5:
Rotisserie Chicken (breast and thigh meat)
Half of an avocado
Sautéed zucchini, onions, and squash
Meal 6 (snack):
Greek yogurt w/ dark chocolate chips
Banana slices w/peanut butter and dark chocolate chips
Exercise List:
Warmed up with 5x20 pull-ups.
1) Lat Pulldowns
3x10 on 160 lb.
3x8 on 180 lb.
2x5 on 200 lb.
2) Dumbbell Rows
5x10 w/ 90s
3) Hammerstrength Lat Machine
7x10 w/ 2 plates and a 25
4) Hammerstrength Row Machine
5x10 w/ 3 plates on each side
5) Behind the Neck Lat Pulldowns (closer grip rather than wide, concentrate on rhomboid and trap flexion)
5x8 on 100 lb.
Diet of the Day:
I went higher carb today. I think it's ill-advised to completely starve yourself of carbs in hopes of entering ketosis. It's possible but the detriments far out weigh the benefits. The degree of muscle loss that you will deal with if you work toward entering ketosis is astounding. I experimented with this diet in high school and found that while it worked for a short period of time (5-6 months,) my metabolism backfired and actually slowed down. It's much wiser to balance your macros and have a low-carb day here and there with a high-carb day inserted somewhere in between.
Meal 1:
30g whey protein shake w/2% milk
5 eggs worth of egg whites w/ 1 normal egg
1 cup steel cut oats
Plum
Meal 2:
Grilled Chicken Breast
Steamed carrots, squash, and broccoli
Meal 3 (pre-workout):
Apple
Plum
Meal 4 (post-workout):
Grilled Chicken Breast cut into
1 cup Jasmine Brown Rice
Meal 5:
Rotisserie Chicken (breast and thigh meat)
Half of an avocado
Sautéed zucchini, onions, and squash
Meal 6 (snack):
Greek yogurt w/ dark chocolate chips
Banana slices w/peanut butter and dark chocolate chips
Friday, June 13, 2014
Happy Friday,
Today was chest day. It was slightly disappointing since I'm not used to feeling so weak. I'll first detail the workout and then talk about what I ate today. Keep in mind this workout was meant to get me back into the groove more than anything so it's nothing crazy or particularly unique.
Exercise List:
1) Flat bench (5x5 235 lb.)
2) Incline dumbbell bench (6x6 80 lb.)
2 sets 45 deg. angle
2 sets 35 deg. angle
2 sets 30 deg. angle
3) Decline hammerstrength (3x8 225 lb.)
4) Cable Flyes (4x12 70 lb.)
I started off on flat bench by warming up for 1 set of 135 (10 reps), 1 set of 155 (5 reps), 1 set of 185 (5 reps), and 2 sets of 225 (3 reps). I moved into my working set of 235 for five sets of five reps.
The next exercise was incline dumbbell bench. I started at a higher angle and lowered it as my sets progressed. I performed 2 sets on a 45 degree angle with the 90 lb. dumbbells but felt like I wouldn't be able to maintain strict form and push out 6 reps for four more sets. I dropped the weight to 80 lb. per dumbbell for the other sets. I've become a fan of decreasing the angle as I get more fatigued because it allows me to still place an emphasis on my anterior deltoids (front of the shoulder) and chest while maintaining consistent rep counts.
I moved over to hammer strength decline press for three sets with the equivalent weight of 225 on. That's the machine that looks like this:
It's a nice exercise to do toward the end of the workout and provides an awesome pump if you keep constant tension on the muscle rather than locking out at the end of the press. This guy is making zero gains on this exercise. I hope all of you remember that if you're putting less than a 45 on as your first plate you'd be better off doing pushups.
I had to wrap this workout up pretty quickly because I needed to be somewhere. It took a total time of around 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete with adequate rest breaks in between sets. I like to take around one minute in between each set and two to three minutes in between each exercise.
The final exercise was perfumed on the cable flye machine. I set the arms to #3 (3rd notch down from vertical) and performed the motion by arching my back slightly and bringing my arms down together near my thigh area. The motion looks like making a snow angel standing up. This was a great exercise and I definitely felt a wonderful pump but I do not think it's advisable to perform every chest workout. The angle seemed to put a lot of stress on my rotator cuffs. If you have bad shoulders, stick to a traditional cable crossover.
Below is the diet. Today was a lower carb day. I had no carbs at dinner besides the vegetables. I like to have most of my carbs during the daylight hours because I feel less bloated. It's just a personal preference and not based on anything having to do with gains.
Diet for the Day:
Meal 1 (breakfast):
30g Whey Protein Shake w/2% milk
4 eggs worth of egg whites and 1 whole egg scrambled
1 Cup of Quaker steel cut oats (seasoned with pure cinnamon)
Apple
Meal 2 (pre-workout 35 min):
Apple
Apricot
Plum
Orange
Meal 3 (post-workout):
30g Whey Protein Shake w/ chocolate milk
1 cup brown rice w/ bits of grilled chicken
Meal 4 (pre-dinner snack):
Grilled chicken breast
Assorted vegetables (green giant frozen veggies...not what I would prefer but I was out of fresh veggies)
Grilled chicken breast (2nd of the two I grilled)
Sautéed carrots, squash, mushrooms, and onions
Homemade ground steak meatball (steak, onions, garlic, tomato bits)
I'm a big fan of eating fruit before a workout. I find the most effective natural pre-workout is an Apple. I prefer not to use conventional pre-workout supplements because the non-stimulant ones do nothing for me and the stimulant based ones make me feel like a tweaker. Stick to fruit. Very quick energy that won't keep you up at night (1.3 dimeth....) I've also found if I'm planning on doing a long and strenuous workout (2+ hour leg workout for example) I'll bring along a small bag of Welch's fruit snacks to eat in the middle. The sugar provides some quick energy and no it will not make you fat.
Q & A:
1) Copying your exercises is good and all, but how do I figure out what weight to start on if I'm just beginning?
This is a question that I wish more people would ask. The answer is not black and white though. You need to start at something reasonable and gauge from there. Your initial workouts may seem odd and useless since they'll be meant for you to see where you are. Here is a template that I used today to see where to place myself (first chest workout in 1.5 weeks - not too long but reasonably long to lose some touch with placement):
Pick your exercise and put on a weight that you used to do. If you can't hit it for your target rep range relatively easy on the first set, then you've evidently gotten weaker and should lower it. I say volume is important so try to go heavy while maintaining your rep count. Spotting is necessary but avoid forced reps. I tried to do 245 as my working weight for 5 sets of 5 reps but the first set didn't go so well. I lowered it to 235 and while it was still challenging, I was able to move the weight.
Once you find a weight that you can lift fine on the first set, try again on the next set and see how it feels. If it's starting to feel significantly harder, that's a good thing. Keep at it. If you can't do it more than twice, you're still too heavy or you burned out. If it's just as easy as the first set, you're probably lifting too light.
Another option is to use a one rep max calculator and structure your program based on the percentages of the one rep max. Here is a basic app you can use:
http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html
For flat bench, I'd advise using between 65% and 90% of your 1 rep max.
For dumbbell bench, I personally stick to around 75% to 80% of my 1 rep max.
Machines are hard to gauge since you can't accurately determine the amount of weight you're actually lifting due to mechanical assistance. I go as heavy as I can while pushing out between 6-8 reps for each set. On hammer strength I will occasionally use a spotter.
2) Why should I avoid forced repetitions?
If you're just starting out, go for it. They're great. You'll see lots of noob gains and then you may plateau. Everyone plateaus here and there. I hit a three month plateau and attempted to use forced repetitions as a means to break through it as an experiment. It didn't work. I checked out German Volume Training (GVT) which is a program that emphasis more sets over pure weight. You end up performing more total reps. The program uses exercises with 10 sets of 10 reps per exercise but not many people have time for that. I tone it down to around 6 or 7 sets of 8 reps per exercise when I need to break through a plateau. Link w/basic idea here:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis13.htm
For the advanced lifter or lifter who has been using forced reps for extended periods of time, it really taxes your central nervous system. Forced reps are awesome and you may feel wonderful, but if you do the math (ex. formula: x = sum of (reps * weight) ) you'll have lifted less total weight.
Scenario 1: You sit down on the flat bench and have your partner spot you to three extra reps for a total of thirteen on your first working set (200 lbs.) One minute later you sit down to perform your next set and can barely get five reps off. You've burned out and now have to either lower the weight, rest longer, use the spotter more, or combine all of the above.
Total reps = 18.
X = 18*200
X = 3600
Scenario 2: You sit down on the flat bench and perform ten reps using the spotter just to keep the last rep moving. Then you go again one minute later and perform nine reps.
Total reps = 19.
X = 19*200
X = 3800
This example is hypothetical and overly simplistic but the idea is the main point.
If you have a question feel free to leave it in the comments below. I'll try and answer it (if I can) with the least amount of bro science possible. If I made some unbearable grammatical mistake that is keeping you awake at night, don't hesitate to point it out. Also, if I failed to answer your question completely and we happen to be friends just shoot me a message.
Today was chest day. It was slightly disappointing since I'm not used to feeling so weak. I'll first detail the workout and then talk about what I ate today. Keep in mind this workout was meant to get me back into the groove more than anything so it's nothing crazy or particularly unique.
Exercise List:
1) Flat bench (5x5 235 lb.)
2) Incline dumbbell bench (6x6 80 lb.)
2 sets 45 deg. angle
2 sets 35 deg. angle
2 sets 30 deg. angle
3) Decline hammerstrength (3x8 225 lb.)
4) Cable Flyes (4x12 70 lb.)
I started off on flat bench by warming up for 1 set of 135 (10 reps), 1 set of 155 (5 reps), 1 set of 185 (5 reps), and 2 sets of 225 (3 reps). I moved into my working set of 235 for five sets of five reps.
The next exercise was incline dumbbell bench. I started at a higher angle and lowered it as my sets progressed. I performed 2 sets on a 45 degree angle with the 90 lb. dumbbells but felt like I wouldn't be able to maintain strict form and push out 6 reps for four more sets. I dropped the weight to 80 lb. per dumbbell for the other sets. I've become a fan of decreasing the angle as I get more fatigued because it allows me to still place an emphasis on my anterior deltoids (front of the shoulder) and chest while maintaining consistent rep counts.
I moved over to hammer strength decline press for three sets with the equivalent weight of 225 on. That's the machine that looks like this:
I had to wrap this workout up pretty quickly because I needed to be somewhere. It took a total time of around 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete with adequate rest breaks in between sets. I like to take around one minute in between each set and two to three minutes in between each exercise.
The final exercise was perfumed on the cable flye machine. I set the arms to #3 (3rd notch down from vertical) and performed the motion by arching my back slightly and bringing my arms down together near my thigh area. The motion looks like making a snow angel standing up. This was a great exercise and I definitely felt a wonderful pump but I do not think it's advisable to perform every chest workout. The angle seemed to put a lot of stress on my rotator cuffs. If you have bad shoulders, stick to a traditional cable crossover.
Below is the diet. Today was a lower carb day. I had no carbs at dinner besides the vegetables. I like to have most of my carbs during the daylight hours because I feel less bloated. It's just a personal preference and not based on anything having to do with gains.
Diet for the Day:
Meal 1 (breakfast):
30g Whey Protein Shake w/2% milk
4 eggs worth of egg whites and 1 whole egg scrambled
1 Cup of Quaker steel cut oats (seasoned with pure cinnamon)
Apple
Meal 2 (pre-workout 35 min):
Apple
Apricot
Plum
Orange
Meal 3 (post-workout):
30g Whey Protein Shake w/ chocolate milk
1 cup brown rice w/ bits of grilled chicken
Meal 4 (pre-dinner snack):
Grilled chicken breast
Assorted vegetables (green giant frozen veggies...not what I would prefer but I was out of fresh veggies)
I only ate one of these breasts and all of the veggies in the bag.
Meal 5 (dinner):Grilled chicken breast (2nd of the two I grilled)
Sautéed carrots, squash, mushrooms, and onions
Homemade ground steak meatball (steak, onions, garlic, tomato bits)
I'm a big fan of eating fruit before a workout. I find the most effective natural pre-workout is an Apple. I prefer not to use conventional pre-workout supplements because the non-stimulant ones do nothing for me and the stimulant based ones make me feel like a tweaker. Stick to fruit. Very quick energy that won't keep you up at night (1.3 dimeth....) I've also found if I'm planning on doing a long and strenuous workout (2+ hour leg workout for example) I'll bring along a small bag of Welch's fruit snacks to eat in the middle. The sugar provides some quick energy and no it will not make you fat.
Q & A:
1) Copying your exercises is good and all, but how do I figure out what weight to start on if I'm just beginning?
This is a question that I wish more people would ask. The answer is not black and white though. You need to start at something reasonable and gauge from there. Your initial workouts may seem odd and useless since they'll be meant for you to see where you are. Here is a template that I used today to see where to place myself (first chest workout in 1.5 weeks - not too long but reasonably long to lose some touch with placement):
Pick your exercise and put on a weight that you used to do. If you can't hit it for your target rep range relatively easy on the first set, then you've evidently gotten weaker and should lower it. I say volume is important so try to go heavy while maintaining your rep count. Spotting is necessary but avoid forced reps. I tried to do 245 as my working weight for 5 sets of 5 reps but the first set didn't go so well. I lowered it to 235 and while it was still challenging, I was able to move the weight.
Once you find a weight that you can lift fine on the first set, try again on the next set and see how it feels. If it's starting to feel significantly harder, that's a good thing. Keep at it. If you can't do it more than twice, you're still too heavy or you burned out. If it's just as easy as the first set, you're probably lifting too light.
Another option is to use a one rep max calculator and structure your program based on the percentages of the one rep max. Here is a basic app you can use:
http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html
For flat bench, I'd advise using between 65% and 90% of your 1 rep max.
For dumbbell bench, I personally stick to around 75% to 80% of my 1 rep max.
Machines are hard to gauge since you can't accurately determine the amount of weight you're actually lifting due to mechanical assistance. I go as heavy as I can while pushing out between 6-8 reps for each set. On hammer strength I will occasionally use a spotter.
2) Why should I avoid forced repetitions?
If you're just starting out, go for it. They're great. You'll see lots of noob gains and then you may plateau. Everyone plateaus here and there. I hit a three month plateau and attempted to use forced repetitions as a means to break through it as an experiment. It didn't work. I checked out German Volume Training (GVT) which is a program that emphasis more sets over pure weight. You end up performing more total reps. The program uses exercises with 10 sets of 10 reps per exercise but not many people have time for that. I tone it down to around 6 or 7 sets of 8 reps per exercise when I need to break through a plateau. Link w/basic idea here:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis13.htm
For the advanced lifter or lifter who has been using forced reps for extended periods of time, it really taxes your central nervous system. Forced reps are awesome and you may feel wonderful, but if you do the math (ex. formula: x = sum of (reps * weight) ) you'll have lifted less total weight.
Scenario 1: You sit down on the flat bench and have your partner spot you to three extra reps for a total of thirteen on your first working set (200 lbs.) One minute later you sit down to perform your next set and can barely get five reps off. You've burned out and now have to either lower the weight, rest longer, use the spotter more, or combine all of the above.
Total reps = 18.
X = 18*200
X = 3600
Scenario 2: You sit down on the flat bench and perform ten reps using the spotter just to keep the last rep moving. Then you go again one minute later and perform nine reps.
Total reps = 19.
X = 19*200
X = 3800
This example is hypothetical and overly simplistic but the idea is the main point.
If you have a question feel free to leave it in the comments below. I'll try and answer it (if I can) with the least amount of bro science possible. If I made some unbearable grammatical mistake that is keeping you awake at night, don't hesitate to point it out. Also, if I failed to answer your question completely and we happen to be friends just shoot me a message.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Hey there,
Thanks for stopping by! My name is Jonny and I'm a college student studying Electrical Engineering at UCLA. Prior to attending UCLA and changing my lifestyle in order to adapt to the academic rigor of an engineering curriculum, I was very in to athletics and physical fitness. I like to still think that I'm in to fitness...I'm just not fit anymore. Toward the end of the school year I really could not find the time to work out in addition to studying, working a part-time job, and doing side projects. It became really bad. Let me put things in perspective.
This is what I looked like around one year ago (bench 295, squat 315, bicep curl 135, 6:45 min mile) :
Diet: primarily chicken, salmon, quinoa, and all fruits and vegetables.
This is what I looked like midway through the first quarter of this past academic year (bench 305, squat 320, 140 bicep curl, 6:43 min mile) :
Diet: chicken, salmon, steak, brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, farro, all fruits and vegetables.
And here is what I look like now (bench ??, squat nonexistent, bicep curl: ??, 8:30 min mile):
Thanks for stopping by! My name is Jonny and I'm a college student studying Electrical Engineering at UCLA. Prior to attending UCLA and changing my lifestyle in order to adapt to the academic rigor of an engineering curriculum, I was very in to athletics and physical fitness. I like to still think that I'm in to fitness...I'm just not fit anymore. Toward the end of the school year I really could not find the time to work out in addition to studying, working a part-time job, and doing side projects. It became really bad. Let me put things in perspective.
This is what I looked like around one year ago (bench 295, squat 315, bicep curl 135, 6:45 min mile) :
This is what I looked like midway through the first quarter of this past academic year (bench 305, squat 320, 140 bicep curl, 6:43 min mile) :
And here is what I look like now (bench ??, squat nonexistent, bicep curl: ??, 8:30 min mile):
Diet: chicken, salmon, steak, quinoa, all fruits and fewer vegetables, occasional dessert. Frequent abuser of protein bars (candy bars.)
------------------------
Take a look at the first photo. Then the last. Then the first. Now look at the last again... See what I mean?
For all of you internet trolls who refuse to acknowledge the hard work of others, I'll have you know that none of these images were manipulated in any way beyond cropping my face out. As you can see in the last photo, there is still some size left in certain areas but the most noticeable thing is a large amount of fat in the midsection. I no longer have abs and it's a shame. You can see the remnants of my six-pack under the fat. It shouldn't be too hard to shed the weight and get some size back now that it's summer. The last photo shows that I've gained some fat and lost a lot of muscle. Interestingly it was mainly due to my inactive lifestyle. I ate pretty well but would frequently eat protein bars high in sugar content. This is proof that pizza and burgers are not the only things that can pack on weight. When you eat like a bodybuilder and exercise like an engineer (as in don't exercise,) stagnation and fat gain is what happens. Muscle loss is mainly evident in my shoulder (deltoid) and bicep area but my back has suffered quite a bit as well. My legs have suffered the most. Calves are smaller than they once were and quads are virtually nonexistent.
Anyway, I wanted to start this blog in order to provide a source of inspiration and an educational resource to people interested in making physical improvements. Every week I will post a progress photo, and I will post every single workout I perform in addition to diet information. This is for all of you who have ever asked: "What do you do in the gym?" Check back every day to see what I did. Follow me on this journey to regaining my state of fitness. One of my goals is to show people just how easy it is to transform your body.
Tomorrow will be my first workout of this series. I'm hoping to make this a ten week transformation. Tomorrow will be chest day, followed by back, followed by arms, and then a mountain biking session for cardio and legs. Let's go!
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