Thursday, October 13, 2011
2011-10-13 Crashing out
I do not believe that my crashes are simply due to the workouts. I crashed out last night even without exercising. I do not know why I am running down so much in the evenings.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
2011-10-12 general update & notes
1. For the three weeks before D*Con, when I switched from fat loss to mass gain, I had great results following CT's Indigo plan. The supplement, combined with the high-volume lifting, worked really well
2. Immediately following Con, I broke my wrist, which greatly limited me.
3. A month after the wrist issue, I got food poisoning. Wasn't able to eat or exercise for a week. Killed me
4. I have worked out three times since the food poisoning. Each workout has left me utterly drained, and my strength levels are extremely low. I have crashed out each time.
5. I have one more bottle of Indigo, and I hope to have some decent progress on it.
6. I have started going to the gym again, due to the weather
2. Immediately following Con, I broke my wrist, which greatly limited me.
3. A month after the wrist issue, I got food poisoning. Wasn't able to eat or exercise for a week. Killed me
4. I have worked out three times since the food poisoning. Each workout has left me utterly drained, and my strength levels are extremely low. I have crashed out each time.
5. I have one more bottle of Indigo, and I hope to have some decent progress on it.
6. I have started going to the gym again, due to the weather
Sunday, October 9, 2011
2011-10-09 Check In [193.0 @ 34.0]
Mass: 193.0 (-5.75)
Waist: 34.0 (-0.75)
Arm: 16.0 (-0.25)
Thigh: 23.875 (-0.5)
Calf: 14.75 (-0.125)
This week sucked. I contracted a nasty case of food poisoning on Monday. I was completely unable to eat for over 48 hours, and spent the rest of the week eating once or twice a day. Saturday was the first day I had three meals. I normally have five.
Waist: 34.0 (-0.75)
Arm: 16.0 (-0.25)
Thigh: 23.875 (-0.5)
Calf: 14.75 (-0.125)
This week sucked. I contracted a nasty case of food poisoning on Monday. I was completely unable to eat for over 48 hours, and spent the rest of the week eating once or twice a day. Saturday was the first day I had three meals. I normally have five.
Monday, October 3, 2011
2011-10-03 Check in [198.75 @ 34.75]
2011-10-03 check in & general status
Mass: 198.75 (+1.5)
Waist: 34.75 (+0.75)
Arm: 16.25 (+0.125)
Thigh: 24.375 (--)
Calf: 14.875 (--)
Yes, a day late. I forgot to weigh in yesterday.
The mass & waist gain is unsurprising. My diet has sucked, I have not had energy or stamina to work out, and I felt somewhat bloated this morning (not sure why, but my guts were unhappy).
On the upside, my leg workout just kicked ass. HFSW went really well (everything was insanely easy). Even the DB bench press I was able to to stop-reps (pause in the fully stretched position, then drive up).
Quad work:
Ramping Leg press - everything was explosive. Until I got near my max weight the sled actually left my feet. Plus, I went heavier than last time.
Lunges & hack squats - Actually hit failure on these. My last set of hacks I only got 7 reps, rather than 12. The dead-stops below parallel are killer
Leg extension & bodyweight squats - For the squats, my quads were so fried that I focused on glute & hamstring based movement. Bonus feature - doing the squats like this (mid-stance, pure posterior chain) meant I felt NOTHING in my knees. Usually my stopping point in squats is that the side of my knees give out. This is not due to bad form, but rather because I have had surgeries on both knees. I also am a quad-dominant squatter. Even in a wide-stance power squat my lower quads & knees take a beating. I am going to have to work on the mid-stance posterior squat form more. If it works well with a bar on my back, I might just have to completely revamp my technique to do it this way.
Also: All praise be to TrueProtein's Geraniamo. I was REALLY dragging this morning, much like I have been the entire past week. I downed some Geraniamo before my workout, and I was flying. I guess I just needed the energy boost.
Mass: 198.75 (+1.5)
Waist: 34.75 (+0.75)
Arm: 16.25 (+0.125)
Thigh: 24.375 (--)
Calf: 14.875 (--)
Yes, a day late. I forgot to weigh in yesterday.
The mass & waist gain is unsurprising. My diet has sucked, I have not had energy or stamina to work out, and I felt somewhat bloated this morning (not sure why, but my guts were unhappy).
On the upside, my leg workout just kicked ass. HFSW went really well (everything was insanely easy). Even the DB bench press I was able to to stop-reps (pause in the fully stretched position, then drive up).
Quad work:
Ramping Leg press - everything was explosive. Until I got near my max weight the sled actually left my feet. Plus, I went heavier than last time.
Lunges & hack squats - Actually hit failure on these. My last set of hacks I only got 7 reps, rather than 12. The dead-stops below parallel are killer
Leg extension & bodyweight squats - For the squats, my quads were so fried that I focused on glute & hamstring based movement. Bonus feature - doing the squats like this (mid-stance, pure posterior chain) meant I felt NOTHING in my knees. Usually my stopping point in squats is that the side of my knees give out. This is not due to bad form, but rather because I have had surgeries on both knees. I also am a quad-dominant squatter. Even in a wide-stance power squat my lower quads & knees take a beating. I am going to have to work on the mid-stance posterior squat form more. If it works well with a bar on my back, I might just have to completely revamp my technique to do it this way.
Also: All praise be to TrueProtein's Geraniamo. I was REALLY dragging this morning, much like I have been the entire past week. I downed some Geraniamo before my workout, and I was flying. I guess I just needed the energy boost.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
2011-09-25 Check In [197.25 @ 34.0]
Mass: 197.25 (+5.0)
Waist: 34.0 (+0.5)
Arm: 16.125 (+0.125)
Thigh: 24.375 (+0.375)
Calf: 14.875 (--)
My increased waist & mass are not surprising. I have been unable to exercise properly due to my wrist. And I always find it hard to be focused on my diet when my workouts are crap. This coming week I am planning on being much more rigorous.
Diet [note: fats are approximate]
Base - 250gP + 200gC + 50gF = 2250 cal
Peri-workout: 50P + 110gC
Workout days total: 300gP + 310gC + 50gF = 2900 cal
Pre/Intra workout - 2 scoops Mag10, 2 scoops SWOF, 1 scoop Anaconda
Post workout - 2 scoops Surge Recovery (I feel better when I have it)
Workouts:
I have found what I can do without pain, so I will be following the below routine (at least for the next two weeks). Sadly, I cannot continue CT's plan (stupid wrist):
High Frequency Strength (daily)
A. DB Bench Press - 3x4
B. Wide-stance Squat - 3x4
C. Seated DB OHP - 3x4
Still following CT's HFSW guidelines. Same weight/reps all week. Every week, add ~10# to the lift.
Ramping work. Work up to a max set of 8, then do 2-3 extended (rest-pause) sets.
Non-ramping work - add a set each week
Chest:
A. Ramping - DB Bench Press
B. Superset - Squeeze Press 5x10 / wide grip bench 5x10 [add a set each week]
C. Other work - depends upon my wrist. Flys, dips, etc
Quads:
A. Ramping - leg press
B. Superset - short-step lunges 5x10 / dead-stop hack squats 5x10
C. Superset - Leg extensions 5x10 / bodyweight squats 5xMaxReps
Back:
A. Ramping - seated DD-grip row
B. Superset - Straight-arm pulldown 5x10 / low pulley rope row 5x10
C. Straight sets - Supinated pull downs - 5xMaxReps (if my wrist can take it)
Shoulders:
A. Ramping - High-incline DB Press
B. Straight sets - 1-hand DB OHP 5x10 [full set, switch arms, rest]
C. Other work - depends upon my wrist. Lateral raises, front raises, etc
Hamstrings:
A. Ramping - Hamstring curl
B. Superset - Long-step lunges 5x10 / Band good mornings 5xMaxReps
C. Straight Sets - Bulgarian squats 5x10 [not a hamstring movement, but at least something]
Waist: 34.0 (+0.5)
Arm: 16.125 (+0.125)
Thigh: 24.375 (+0.375)
Calf: 14.875 (--)
My increased waist & mass are not surprising. I have been unable to exercise properly due to my wrist. And I always find it hard to be focused on my diet when my workouts are crap. This coming week I am planning on being much more rigorous.
Diet [note: fats are approximate]
Base - 250gP + 200gC + 50gF = 2250 cal
Peri-workout: 50P + 110gC
Workout days total: 300gP + 310gC + 50gF = 2900 cal
Pre/Intra workout - 2 scoops Mag10, 2 scoops SWOF, 1 scoop Anaconda
Post workout - 2 scoops Surge Recovery (I feel better when I have it)
Workouts:
I have found what I can do without pain, so I will be following the below routine (at least for the next two weeks). Sadly, I cannot continue CT's plan (stupid wrist):
High Frequency Strength (daily)
A. DB Bench Press - 3x4
B. Wide-stance Squat - 3x4
C. Seated DB OHP - 3x4
Still following CT's HFSW guidelines. Same weight/reps all week. Every week, add ~10# to the lift.
Ramping work. Work up to a max set of 8, then do 2-3 extended (rest-pause) sets.
Non-ramping work - add a set each week
Chest:
A. Ramping - DB Bench Press
B. Superset - Squeeze Press 5x10 / wide grip bench 5x10 [add a set each week]
C. Other work - depends upon my wrist. Flys, dips, etc
Quads:
A. Ramping - leg press
B. Superset - short-step lunges 5x10 / dead-stop hack squats 5x10
C. Superset - Leg extensions 5x10 / bodyweight squats 5xMaxReps
Back:
A. Ramping - seated DD-grip row
B. Superset - Straight-arm pulldown 5x10 / low pulley rope row 5x10
C. Straight sets - Supinated pull downs - 5xMaxReps (if my wrist can take it)
Shoulders:
A. Ramping - High-incline DB Press
B. Straight sets - 1-hand DB OHP 5x10 [full set, switch arms, rest]
C. Other work - depends upon my wrist. Lateral raises, front raises, etc
Hamstrings:
A. Ramping - Hamstring curl
B. Superset - Long-step lunges 5x10 / Band good mornings 5xMaxReps
C. Straight Sets - Bulgarian squats 5x10 [not a hamstring movement, but at least something]
Sunday, September 18, 2011
2011-09-18 Check in [192.25 @ 33.5] + Beard start
Mass: 192.25 (-2.0)
waist: 33.5 (+0.25)
arm: 16.0 (--)
thigh: 24.0 (-0.125)
calf: 14.875 (+0.125)
The mass and waist changes, while upsetting, are not surprising. Between DragonCon and hurting my wrist, I really have not been able to lift in nearly three weeks. I was doing lots of quad work (leg press, hack squats, lunges, leg extensions, bodyweight squats, pistols, jumps) and conditioning, but the volume (combined with weather shifts) made my knees hurt to the point where I could barely walk.
My wrist is not yet back to normal, but hopefully it will be good enough to start lifting again tomorrow. my plan is to slightly change my routine. I will be continuing the hypertrophy program that CT gave me originally, but I will be changing the order a bit.
I am planning on 6 days per week, depending upon my energy levels
Monday - Friday I will do my base workouts. If I have the time, I will also do the listed spec workout
Monday - Chest base, chest spec
Tuesday - Quads base, quad spec
Wednesday - Back base, back width spec
Thursday - Shoulders base
Friday - Posterior base, back thickness spec
Saturday - shoulder spec (as main), arms Spec
Sunday - Conditioning
Conditioning will either be interval sprints on the exercise bike or running. Done when I have time (if I cannot do a spec workout, then conditioning will be done on those days)
---------------
Unrelated to lifting, I am going to be growing my beard out for a while. Unlike last time, I have a plan.
1. keep goatee & sides trimmed, but let my cheeks grow out.
2. Once cheeks & sides are the same length, let them grow. Keep goatee trimmed until cheek & sides catch up
3. I will keep the center of my mustache and my neck trimmed. Mustache - so I can eat. Neck - because it itches and I don't like it growing
waist: 33.5 (+0.25)
arm: 16.0 (--)
thigh: 24.0 (-0.125)
calf: 14.875 (+0.125)
The mass and waist changes, while upsetting, are not surprising. Between DragonCon and hurting my wrist, I really have not been able to lift in nearly three weeks. I was doing lots of quad work (leg press, hack squats, lunges, leg extensions, bodyweight squats, pistols, jumps) and conditioning, but the volume (combined with weather shifts) made my knees hurt to the point where I could barely walk.
My wrist is not yet back to normal, but hopefully it will be good enough to start lifting again tomorrow. my plan is to slightly change my routine. I will be continuing the hypertrophy program that CT gave me originally, but I will be changing the order a bit.
I am planning on 6 days per week, depending upon my energy levels
Monday - Friday I will do my base workouts. If I have the time, I will also do the listed spec workout
Monday - Chest base, chest spec
Tuesday - Quads base, quad spec
Wednesday - Back base, back width spec
Thursday - Shoulders base
Friday - Posterior base, back thickness spec
Saturday - shoulder spec (as main), arms Spec
Sunday - Conditioning
Conditioning will either be interval sprints on the exercise bike or running. Done when I have time (if I cannot do a spec workout, then conditioning will be done on those days)
---------------
Unrelated to lifting, I am going to be growing my beard out for a while. Unlike last time, I have a plan.
1. keep goatee & sides trimmed, but let my cheeks grow out.
2. Once cheeks & sides are the same length, let them grow. Keep goatee trimmed until cheek & sides catch up
3. I will keep the center of my mustache and my neck trimmed. Mustache - so I can eat. Neck - because it itches and I don't like it growing
Sunday, September 11, 2011
2011-09-11 Check in [194.25@33.25]
2011-09-11 Check in
Mass: 194.25 (+3.5)
Waist: 33.25 (+0.125)
arm: 16.0 (--)
thigh: 24.125 (+0.125)
calf: 14.75 (--)
These measurements are in comparison to two weeks ago. In the intervening time, I have been on vacation where dieting & exercise was really not possible. Yes, yes, I could have made time and packed food. But Labor Day weekend is the one time a year when I completely relax and just have fun. Also, while gone I only had a single 6-capsule dose of Indigo a day.
When I got back, I resumed my lifting schedule. Which was promptly derailed by screwing my wrist up when re-racking the bar after overhead pressing. *sigh* So I got through my chest workout and I came up with a quad workout yesterday. But that is all I have done. Hopefully I will be able to lift again in a few days.
So for two weeks, I have not exercised, followed a proper diet, or otherwise done anything right aside from taking Indigo. Therefore, I am far from displeased with my results. So if I can resume working out and dieting correctly, I should have really good results.
Mass: 194.25 (+3.5)
Waist: 33.25 (+0.125)
arm: 16.0 (--)
thigh: 24.125 (+0.125)
calf: 14.75 (--)
These measurements are in comparison to two weeks ago. In the intervening time, I have been on vacation where dieting & exercise was really not possible. Yes, yes, I could have made time and packed food. But Labor Day weekend is the one time a year when I completely relax and just have fun. Also, while gone I only had a single 6-capsule dose of Indigo a day.
When I got back, I resumed my lifting schedule. Which was promptly derailed by screwing my wrist up when re-racking the bar after overhead pressing. *sigh* So I got through my chest workout and I came up with a quad workout yesterday. But that is all I have done. Hopefully I will be able to lift again in a few days.
So for two weeks, I have not exercised, followed a proper diet, or otherwise done anything right aside from taking Indigo. Therefore, I am far from displeased with my results. So if I can resume working out and dieting correctly, I should have really good results.
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