Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Running progression

I have started doing cardio twice a week on Tuesday & Thursday.  Just jogging on the treadmill for now.  If I need additional cardio and/or sprints to help with fat loss I will fold them in.

My progression is very simple.  Start at 1 mile.  Every session, add 0.25 miles to my distance.  My initial goal is 3 miles (5k).  Once I hit that, I will either push on to 4 miles (distance around the block), or start increasing my speed.  Depends upon how I feel.

Starting today at 1 mile, I should be up to the 3 mile mark by the end of February (4 weeks).

Sunday, January 29, 2012

2012-01-29 Check in [206.75 @ 36.0]

Mass:  206.75 (+1.25)
Waist: 36.0 (+0.25)
Arm: 16.5 (--)
Thigh: 25.0 (--)
Calf:  15.125 (+0.125)

This was not unexpected.  Deload week, ate out way too many times (Texas Roadhouse, Subway, Kabob place, leftover kabobs), and did not stick to my diet the rest of the time (desserts, random snacking, not eating on plan in general).  I did not have my peri-workout shakes, but that was not much help.

This week starts my next cycle of 5/3/1.  I am increasing more rapidly on things in order to keep everything in step.  The plan is that during the 5-3-1 week in March (cycle after this coming one) I will have my "1" set be at my tested 1RM.  So I will do the 5/3/1 sets, and then push more singles to test out my new maxes.

As for the higher increases:  OHP +5#, Bench +10#, Squat +15#, Deadlift +20#.  Increasing by these amounts for the next two cycles will put me at my previous maxes at the correct point.

NEW DIET ROUTINE
1.  40p + 30f
2.  50p + 60c (pre-workout)
3.  50p + 60c (post-workout)
4.  40p + 15f
5.  40p + 15f

A bit less protein (30g), but the rest of the numbers remain the same.  Just shuffled around to have all of my carbs be peri-workout.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

2012-01-22 Check In [205.5 @ 35.75]

Mass:  205.5 (-2.5)
Waist:  35.75 (-0.25)
Arm:  16.5 (-0.25)
Thigh:  25.0 (--)
Calf:  15.0 (-0.125)

Not happy with the mass vs waist loss.  Nor is the arm decrease a good thing.

This week is a deload, so I am going to reduce my lifting volume and add cardio in.  Jump rope or elliptical at the gym, treadmill or bike at home.  Hopefully it will increase my fat to mass loss ratio

Sunday, January 15, 2012

2012-01-15 Check in [208.0 @ 36.0]

Mass:  208.0 (-0.25)
Waist:  36.0 (--)
Arm:  16.75 (--)
Thigh: 25.0 (-0.25)
Calf: 15.125 (--)



Pathetic results, but not really surprising.  I was not compliant with my diet.  Most of my meals were acceptable, but I had a huge Subway meal on Monday, and On The Border was lunch on Saturday.  I had ice-cream and other treats a couple of times.  I also skipped several meals this week.  


This coming week I will stay on plan (no cheating permitted).  I will also be trying out a new martial arts school.  Monday & Wednesday will be two hour sessions, and Tuesday & Thursday will be one hour sessions.  There is also a "ring fitness" class on Tues & Thurs that is another hour if I really feel the need.  Hopefully staying on plan combined with the additional six hours of martial arts will restart my weight loss.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Power lifting classifications

http://www.rawpowerlifting.com/classifications.htm

Basing myself on the 198# weight class (where I will be in a few weeks):

Current maxes:

  • Squat - 365
  • Bench - 235
  • Deadlift - 425
  • Total - 1025

Current ranking

  • Squat:  Class 3
  • Bench:  Class 4
  • Dead:  Class 3
  • Total:  Class 3
Increases needed to move up classes
  • Squat:  Class 2 - 20#
  • Bench:  Class 3 - 26#; Class 2 - 64# (yes, my bench is weak as hell)
  • Dead:  Class 2 - 25#
  • Total:  Class 2 - 51#

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Cycles until training max = PR

From the beginning of my 5/3/1, the number of cycles until I will be hitting my previous 1RM in training (on 5/3/1 days):

Bench - 7
Squat - 6
OHP - 5
Deadlift - 7

I am currently on cycle 3.
To have my bench, squat, and deadlift catch up to ohp (in number of cycles), my increases for the next two cycles need to be the following:

Bench - 10# per cycle
Squat - 15# per cycle
OHP - 5# per cycle
Deadlift - 20# per cycle

This would have me hitting my previous 1RM in training during cycle 5, which will be in March.  Must think on this more.

Upper chest - getting better

New metric for upper-chest development:  Front Squats.

Last night, I realized that while doing front squats, the bar was actually resting on my upper pecs, rather than just on my delts.  I have therefore added sufficient upper chest muscle that I can make a bar shelf.  Granted, my chest still needs a lot of work.  As do my shoulders, arms, back, legs...Ok.  All of me needs a lot of work.  But this is positive proof that I have changed a bit.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

2012-01-08 Check in [208.25 @ 36.0]

Mass:  208.25 (-2.75)
Waist:  36.0 (-0.25)
Arm:  16.75 (--)
Thigh: 25.25 (--)
Calf: 15.125 (-0.125)

Meh.  I have dropped a few pounds, but not nearly as much off of my waist as I was hoping.  Two weeks ago I was 210.25 with a 36.0" waist.  Ah well.  I was 208.0 In July 2010, with a 36.75" waist.  So I am better than 18 months ago.  The first week or so of a diet usually has much more mass loss than waist loss, due to water retention.

Friday, January 6, 2012

exertion levels

I do not know if the Indigo 3G experiment actually did anything for my carb tolerance and/or nutrient partitioning abilities.  However, it does seem to have at least one lasting effect.

Courtesy of Thib's insanely brutal training style (lots of super-giant sets, extreme intensity lifting, etc), I have learned how to truly push myself to the limit when lifting.  The 5/3/1 cycles I have done in the time since I ended the Indigo training have been the most effective and brutal lifting sessions I have ever done.

My previous two cycles were focused on body-building.  5-6 assistance exercises, 4-5 sets each, and 10-15 reps per set.  A fuck-ton of volume.  I am now on a lower-volume cycle, with 4 assistance exercises mostly in the 5-8 rep range (a few 10-12s).  But all of the workouts have drained me.  I feel fine when doing them, although I do occasionally run out of strength by the end of things.  Afterwards I am utterly gassed.  Not from a lack of bouncy energy, but from overall muscular exhaustion.

Additionally, the Indigo training taught me to be more focused on what I am doing, which no doubt aids in the "kill my muscles" ability.  I have been able to force myself into true muscular failure, wherein the target muscle group quite simply stops firing.  Previously, I only reached failure in a more overall manner, where the failure was from hitting a strength wall where I could not move the weight, but it was not focused on specific muscles.

Overall, the experiment was worth the cost, even if the supplement itself was not effective.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Lifting sticking points

For both bench press and overhead press, my sticking point is in the middle.  Pretty much when my triceps are parallel to the floor.  Due to this, my next lifting cycle will incorporate floor pressing.  Provided I can figure out a way to do it at the gym.  At home, I can press in the rack.  At the gym, the j-hooks are too deep to pull the bar out (they are actually "J" shaped, with about a 2" deep cup).

Sunday, January 1, 2012

2012-01-01 Check In [211.0 @ 36.25] - START DIET

Mass:  211.0 (+0.75)
Waist:  36.25 (+0.25)
Arm:  16.75 (--)
Thigh:  25.25 (+0.25)
Calf:  15.25 (+0.125)

Yeah, my waist is up.  Not surprising after the volume of crap food I ate this past week.  Anyhow, beginning the new leaning cycle now.  Amusingly, it starts on January 1.  No "New Years Resolution" crap, just amusing cycle syncing.

New diet:

Meal 1:  50p + 40c
Meal 2:  50p + 30f
Meal 3:  50p + 40c
Meal 4:  50p + 40c
Meal 5:  50p + 30f

Intra-Workout:  25gBCAA + creatine + beta-alanine
Post-workout:  Surge Recovery

Totals:
Non-Workout:  250p + 120c + 60f
Workout:  300p + 170c + 60f

I will do a small bit of cardio after lifting (mostly while waiting for Wendi).  Daily cardio will come later.