Week 7 Weigh In & Review

Starting Measurements
Weight - 240lbs
Waist - 47"

Today's Measurements
Weight - 222lbs
Waist - 43"
Body Fat* - 29.2%

Blood Pressure
126/78

This was a pretty good week.  Felt good to get back into the gym and lift.  As I stated last week, I did the training I was supposed to do last, this week.  I also made a point to do some stretching/yoga every day.  The Sean Vigue yoga video I have been doing has been really good.  Started doing it in the mornings before working out as a warm up.  I did it Monday and Tuesday, didn't do it Wednesday or Thursday and I noticed a difference in how I felt the rest of the day, so I did it again yesterday and today.  I did experience a little back pain after doing squats yesterday.  Not sure if its a form thing or what, going to keep an eye on it.  I keep thinking I need to get a personal trainer to help make sure my form is correct.

I noticed this week that my pants are having trouble staying up.  That's a good sign and a good feeling.  The scale is going down and so is my waist line.  I look leaner, I am sleeping better, I have more energy.  This training is going well.  I'm enjoying it and that keeps me getting up at 5am every day to get to the gym.

Next week will be the beginning of a new cycle.  Adding weight to the lifts and getting stronger.  I'm also going to add dumbell biceps curls on Mondays.  Threw them in this past week while I waited on some weights, so I think I'll keep them.  I'll also be walking longer, faster and at a steeper incline.  Same for the sprints.  The plans for those are good, but the walking is getting old.  Thank god for podcasts because the music at the gym is fucken horrible.  Gonna keep it going.

My co-worker asked me the other day what my training goals were.  I told him I just want to be a bad motherfucker.


* Using Dave Draper's Body Fat Calculator

Week 7 Day 5

Squats
Weight	Reps
140lbs(75%)	5
155lbs(85%)	3
175lbs(95%)	5

Leg Raises
Sets	Reps
3	10

Back Extensions
Sets	Reps
5	10

Incline Sprints
Sets	Incline	Speed	Time
5	1%	10mph	25sec

Walking (5.4)
Time	Incline	Speed
39 mins	2%	3.5mph

Squat Workout Max - 185lbs

Caloric Intake
1955

Carbohydrate Intake
132

Week 7 Day 4

Bench Press
Weight	Reps
140lbs(75%)	5
160lbs(85%)	3
175lbs(95%)	5

DB Military Press
Weight	Sets	Reps
20lbs	5	15

Dips*
Weight	Sets	Reps
170lbs	5	10

Ez Bar Curls
Weight	Sets	Reps
45lbs	3	15

Farmer's Walks
Weight	Sets
65lbs	2

Walking (5.3)
Time	Incline	Speed
39 mins	2%	3.4mph

Pushups**
Sets	Reps
10	8

Bench Workout Max - 185lbs

Caloric Intake
1955

Carbohydrate Intake
126

*assisted dip machine

**Born Fitness Pushup Improvement plan

The Amateur

Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield

Fuck everybody else.  Do what you want because you want to do it.  Do not apologize for your life.  Stand for something.  As the great "Wino" Willie Forkner once said, "I live like I want to, not like you think I should."

Walking (5.2)
Time	Incline	Speed
39 mins	3%	3.4mph

Caloric Intake
1900

Carbohydrate Intake
154

Week 7 Day 2

Deadlift
Weight	Reps
110lbs(75%)	5
125lbs(85%)	3
140lbs(95%)	10

Lunges
Weight	Sets	Reps
25lbs	3	10

Lat Pull Down
Weight	Sets	Reps
80lbs	5	15

Incline Sprints
Sets	Incline	Speed	Time
5	1%	10mph	25sec

Deadlift Workout Max - 150lbs

Caloric Intake
1744

Carbohydrate Intake
95

Monday Motivation

Week 7 Day 1

Military Press
Weight	Reps
95lbs(75%)	5
110lbs(85%)	3
120lbs(95%)	4

Incline DB Press
Weight	Sets	Reps
30lbs	5	15

Dumbbell Row
Weight	Sets	Reps
35lbs	3	10

Dumbbell Curl
Weight	Sets	Reps
20lbs	3	10

Farmer's Walks
Weight	Sets
65lbs	2

Walking (5.1)
Time	Incline	Speed
39 mins	2%	3.4mph

Pushups*
Sets	Reps
10	8

Military Press Workout Max - 127lbs

Caloric Intake
2337

Carbohydrate Intake
192

*Born Fitness Pushup Improvement plan

Back to the Roots of Training

I've been on a mission the last few years to get back to the roots of training; to get back to when training was fun, simple, and most importantly, free of the fluff and crap that has polluted my world.


Back to a time when training was about strength, about moving weight, and moving bodies. About being proud of an added rep or 10 more pounds. Where performance and kicking ass are more important than how you look. Where people eat to live, not live to eat. Where trucks are pushed and sleds are pulled. Where reps and weight are counted, calories are not. Where running isn't "cardio, it's part of training and if you're going to walk for your conditioning you best have something on your back or in your hands.

With that in mind, here's a list of some simple rules that we follow:

• Squats are walked out.

• Lift-offs are not given on the bench press.

• If you're going to overhead press, it will be done standing.

• No straps unless you are hurt or doing a hang variation of a lift.

• You don't debate about organic/non-organic.

• Squats are done with a barbell on your back; this is assumed and are not called "Back Squats." You don't say you're going to take a "standing piss" do you?.

• No need for music or training partners or "the right atmosphere" to train hard.

• There are no 8-week plans, rather yearlong goals and decade long achievements.

• All you need is a rack, barbell, platform and some weights.

• You realize stretching doesn't make you slow or non-explosive.

• You realize physical strength can develop mental and spiritual strength.

• You never fall for gimmicks; principles last forever.

Now there are quite a few more of these, but you get the picture. The point is this: training has become over run with people telling us how we need to think, how we need to train, and what is acceptable. Don't bring your gimmicky elements onto my platform.

And please, don't try to sell us on how hardcore you are or how dedicated to strength you are. Your lifts and your silence do more talking than your Internet chatter and bravado.

Jim Wendler, originally posted on T-Nation.

Week 6 Weigh In & Review

Starting Measurements
Weight - 240lbs

Today's Measurements
Weight - 226lbs

Blood Pressure
137/82

Week 6 is in the past.  It was a pretty disappointing week for me.  On Monday I accidently miscalculated the weight for my military press and put to much on.  Thinking I was just weak, I forced up a rep and my momentum carried me forward and I felt something pull in my back, hence the image in this post.  I finished the day's exercises but decided on Tuesday with a sore back to consider this my deload week, which was planned for next week.  Next week I will do that training I had planned to do this week and then start the cycle again the following week.  I did get my walking plan in this week and just finished up a light yoga stretch workout and the back is feeling pretty good.

Good news, I was still able to drop 2lbs this week without working out.  I feel I am doing a pretty good job with my diet.  I've lost the random cravings for Mt Dew and with this being Lent, I have given up soda completely, which means I am now not drinking any on the weekends either.  The diet is the hardest thing for me, I am pretty picky.  But I have made small steps to improve.  Instead of eating McDonalds or Wendys every day for lunch, I have been eating soups or deli sandwiches.  Neither are great for you, but they are both substantially better than the fast food options.

Changes going forward:  I am going to be starting the pushup plan I talked about in last week's review, the Born Fitness Pushup Improvement plan.  I am also going to make for of an attempt on the weekends to keep my sleep routine.  I have been going to bed at 10p and waking at 5a and heading to the gym.  On the weekend, if not the same, it will be something similar.  For example, last night I went to bed at 11 and woke at 6.  Trying to get my body in a pattern and hopefully make Monday mornings easier.  Looking forward to getting back to the strength training this week.


Yoga
20 mins

Week 6 Day 5

Went to bed last night with the intention of getting up and finishing off my walking program for the week.  Woke up this morning and was cold so I hit the snooze.  As I was lying there, I thought about some videos and articles I'd read recently by Zach Even-esh and a couple issues of the Spartan Up Podcast I'd listened to recently and decided I was going to get up and go despite the -4 degree temperature.  For me personally, thats a big deal.  I've always found the excuse to skip working out or push it off a day.  Today, I decided I didn't want to be average and went to the gym.

Also, I did some light weight work after my walk to see how my back felt, still a little sore but no pain during the workout.  Hopefully, Monday I'll be good to go.

Also, for real check out the Spartan Up Podcast.  Tons of really good interviews with fascinating people.  All are around 30 mins long.  Good stuff.

Walking (4.3)
Time	Incline	Speed
37 mins	1.5%	3.4mph

Caloric Intake
1826

Carbohydrate Intake
122

Week 6 Day 4

My back is still messed up.  Going forward with my plan on making this my deload week and then will do the workouts I had planned to do this week, next week and go from there.

Caloric Intake
1150

Carbohydrate Intake
111

Thermogenesis and Fat Loss

So I stumbled across this type of thing a couple years ago, but recently it came back up when I was listening to an episode of the Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast.  Ben interviews Tim Ferriss and Ray Cronise and they talk about the science behind thermogenesis and how it can help you lose fat. This is something I am integrating into my weekly routine, but so far its been brutal.  The water is really damn cold.  I know they say the first minute is the worst, but I've yet to make it past the first minute.  Baby steps.

If you don't have the time to listen to the podcast, check out the article Chilling the Fat Away and it gives you the basic science as well.  You can also check out this article by Ben Greenfield on how to apply this to your weekly/daily routine.

Walking (4.3)
Time	Incline	Speed
37 mins	1.5%	3.3mph

Caloric Intake
1643

Carbohydrate Intake
185

Week 6 Day 2

Took today off because on my back still hurting.  I am thinking about taking the rest of the week off and considering this my deload week and then re-doing this week next week.  We'll see how I feel Thursday morning.

Caloric Intake
1476

Carbohydrate Intake
79

Motivation Monday

Week 6 Day 1

Military Press
Weight	Reps
95lbs(75%)	5
115lbs(85%)*	3
140lbs(95%)*	1

Incline DB Press
Weight	Sets	Reps
30lbs	5	15

Dumbbell Row
Weight	Sets	Reps
35lbs	3	15

Farmer's Walks
Weight	Sets
70lbs	2

Walking (4.2)
Time	Incline	Speed
37 mins	2.5%	3.3mph

Military Press Workout Max - 127lbs

* I always fuck up how much weight I put on the bar.  Really regretting putting to much on this time, think I hurt my back.

Caloric Intake
1773

Carbohydrate Intake
146

Strongman Training

Mural of Cincinnati Strongman Henry Holtgrewe in Cincinnati, OH.

"The beauty of strongman training is that there's no one way to perform the exercises. You usually end up improvising to complete the event. In other words, things don't usually go according to plan! The tire doesn't always flip over the same way. The sled doesn't always glide easily over the surface. The farmers walk implements don't remain stationary as you zigzag through your course and the sand in the sandbag moves all over the place when you try to lift it. 

The awkwardness of these events builds true, "functional" strength from head to toe. This enables you to strengthen muscles that are nearly impossible to strengthen with traditional weight training."

That was taken from Joe DeFranco's article, Strongman Training for Athletes.  Pretty interesting article and something I've been considered mixing in from time to time to keep the works fresh and interesting but also hit those muscles I may miss normally to build my functional strength.

Walking (4.1)
Time	Incline	Speed
37 mins	1.5%	3.3mph

Week 5 Weigh In & Review

Starting Measurements
Weight - 240lbs

Today's Measurements
Weight - 228lbs

Blood Pressure
138/73

Week 5 Down.  I only lost one pound which is frustrating but I am starting to feel better overall.  I don't have the stiffness or aches I had 5 weeks ago.  I can get off the couch without any cracking knees or hips.  My pants are getting a little easier to button.  I need to remember that the scale only tells one part of the story and sometimes, not an accurate part.  Fat loss is the goal.  Although I have been generally feeling better, I have been hitting a way around 3:30 every day.  I am not sure if I am getting enough food or what.  It may just be a typical work thing.

After the past two weeks, I've decided to take out the 4th exercise I had added every day except the biceps curl.  So I'll be back up to 5 sets of 10-15 reps for the assistance exercises.  I need to make sure I include some yoga and the Limber 11 every week.  I've been slacking off in those areas.  I'm also going to start Born Fitness Pushup Improvement plan.  Increasing pushups to help with my everyday strength.  Keep taking it one day at a time.

1 Mins Pushup Count
22

Week 5 Day 5

Squats
Weight	Reps
130lbs(70%)	3
150lbs(80%)	3
165lbs(90%)	9

Leg Raises
Sets	Reps
3	10

Back Extensions
Sets	Reps
3	10

Incline Sprints
Sets	Incline	Speed	Time
5	1%	9.5mph	15sec

Walking (3.4)
Time	Incline	Speed
35 mins	1.5%	3.3mph

Squat Workout Max - 185lbs

Caloric Intake
1573

Carbohydrate Intake
135

Motto

Week 5 Day 4

Bench Press
Weight	Reps
130lbs(70%)	3
145lbs(80%)	3
160lbs(90%)+	7

DB Military Press
Weight	Sets	Reps
20lbs	3	15

Dips*
Weight	Sets	Reps
170lbs	3	15

Ez Bar Curls
Weight	Sets	Reps
45lbs	3	15

Farmer's Walks
Weight	Sets
70lbs	1

Bench Workout Max - 185lbs

Caloric Intake
1726

Carbohydrate Intake
88

*assisted dip machine