Never 2 Late 2 Chase the Dream (it's better than liposuction)

[Espi]

Then on the dips I did 2 sets of 20!!!

Wow! I bow to you in respect. There's no way I could ever do 20 dips.

Oh and Epsi, you would be proud of me tonight. I watched some guy doing deads with a rounded back. I had seen him before doing these with the lighter fixed bb and I didn't say anything because the weight was low. Tonight he was doing them with the oly bar and 2 10s so he was moving up. I walked over and asked him where he learned that exercise. He said he wasn't sure probably from some friends. I told him the name of it and then explained that I was a beginner but had a trainer and couldn't help but notice that he was moving up in weight and probably going to hurt himself. I demonstrated the arch in the back and explained where he should be feeling the pull. He actually thanked me. That was the first time I ever did that. He just looked like he would be receptive....

And indeed, I'm very happy you helped out that guy. He'll be lifting with proper form next time, well at least if he's a fast learner.

under-recovery: I think an earlier sign is an elevated first-in-the-AM-lying-down-resting-heart-rate. But who takes their awakening pulse every AM to notice a trend?

I like that word: under-recovery. Your training was fine, not more or less than usual, but since you had additional stress from being away from home, you couldn't recover as well.

I know that when I was nearing my crash and burn just over a year ago, my DOMS was nearly unbearable. Just something to think about.

and

DOMS: Lots of eccentric load tends to cause DOMS more than other types of load. When they want to cause DOMS to test what mitigates it, that's what they do. Eccentric loading.

For me the DOMS may also have been induced by the new exercise, a good morning (very eccentric movement, right?) and more carbs being eaten which induces inflammation.
What Julie wrote is interesting too: people that are on the verge of adrenalin fatigue undersecrete cortisol, which explains the more crippling muscle soreness. Secreting too much cortisol is as bad as secreting too little of it. Too much cortisol makes you fat, too little makes you burn out very easily.

[Mahler]

Originally Posted by Brentv

Definitely do the rest days. I know that's hard for you, but necessary. Sets of 20 dips is huge. In fact, all your numbers look good.

Brent

x2

Fully agree. Your numbers are looking great, but don't overdo it.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by kfisherx

Thanks Roland for your perspective on this. First thing is I do have a set time to cut. It will be mid next month. I decided to extend this first bulk mainly to get over my head issues wrt eating and gaining fat. I really am facing my fat fears now and honestly can tell you that they are no longer so scary. That has been a reward on its own. If I gain 4 lbs of fat in this that will be just 2 extra weeks of cut for me. I am okay with that. So far I am a good cutter....

I think I showed my stuff again at the gym tonight so obviously not out of the game. That said I agree with everyone that I need to be carful to get in enough rest. This is esp important when I am on the road. I have the next 4 days slated for active rest and recovery.

I'm the opposite. I don't want to overcome my concerns with putting on fat. I know I'll typically put on a little bit when I try to add some muscle, but I don't really want to be okay with much of it. After having been FAT at 235 and dropped down to 165, I've gone from 165lbs back up to 190lbs and gotten leaner in the process. It might be slower, but I'm always comfortable in my pants.

Glad to hear it you're back at it. Nice workout.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

I'm the opposite. I don't want to overcome my concerns with putting on fat. I know I'll typically put on a little bit when I try to add some muscle, but I don't really want to be okay with much of it. After having been FAT at 235 and dropped down to 165, I've gone from 165lbs back up to 190lbs and gotten leaner in the process. It might be slower, but I'm always comfortable in my pants.

Glad to hear it you're back at it. Nice workout.

Plus, I'll add that the last few lbs are miserably slow for me. Part might be in my head (lack of commitment to long term hunger), but still... I don't want to have to keep losing the last 10lbs over and over again.

[Bytsi]

Hey Karla - I'm glad you're BACK!! Great workout, but sorry to hear the pec is sore... I'm reading every word of the discussions of bulking and cutting - getting tons of info, now I just have to sort it all out and apply it to my life!

[nutbar]

Beautiful workout!! Welcome back!

[Silly Sally]

Originally Posted by kfisherx

This girl is back!!!!!

Congratulations! You are one beastly chick

Originally Posted by kfisherx

I told him the name of it and then explained that I was a beginner but had a trainer and couldn't help but notice that he was moving up in weight and probably going to hurt himself. I demonstrated the arch in the back and explained where he should be feeling the pull. He actually thanked me. That was the first time I ever did that. He just looked like he would be receptive....

I wish someone would help me with these. I KNOW I'm not doing them right. Miss Jane tried to help me, but I didn't get it right, I don't think. I just feel really WRONG when I'm doing them. I know I need to get someone to watch me, but I go to free places; nobody to trust. Karla, come over and help me?!?

[LisaS]

SS - can you take a video of yourself and post on the 'net and then link it up in Training Discussion forum?

[kfisherx]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

I'm the opposite. I don't want to overcome my concerns with putting on fat. I know I'll typically put on a little bit when I try to add some muscle, but I don't really want to be okay with much of it. After having been FAT at 235 and dropped down to 165, I've gone from 165lbs back up to 190lbs and gotten leaner in the process. It might be slower, but I'm always comfortable in my pants.

Glad to hear it you're back at it. Nice workout.

Thanks Roland. I really think that ultimately as an experienced bulker that I will go with shorter bulks and keep the fat in check as you are doing. For this and perhaps my next one though I need to take the time to really understand what works best. Keep in mind that fat helps the testosterone production as well which is highly important in this process. I believe it will be much harder for me to gain lean mass when I am at 10% bf then now (at nearly 20%). So far I am averaging just over 1 lb a month which is okay for a girl but I know I can do better next go around because I won't have as many head trip issues to overcome. I am finally feeling comfortable not doing tons of cardio and I am comfortable with the little bit of pudge that is coming on. Of course I will be much happier with my June pics where I will have all that added pudge gone.

Originally Posted by Silly Sally

I wish someone would help me with these. I KNOW I'm not doing them right. Miss Jane tried to help me, but I didn't get it right, I don't think. I just feel really WRONG when I'm doing them. I know I need to get someone to watch me, but I go to free places; nobody to trust. Karla, come over and help me?!?

Originally Posted by LisaS

SS - can you take a video of yourself and post on the 'net and then link it up in Training Discussion forum?

I second Lisa's recommendation to post a video. Shoot a video of you doing these at a low weight for us to see. These are really hard to get right. You need to watch yourself in a mirror all the time until you get the feel for them and only then go up in weight. I am doing this sort of work right now with my squats. It seems my right hip is a bit out of sorts and I need to work on the feel and form of this exercise.

[missjane]

Originally Posted by kfisherx

Absolutely not. My "focus" is nothing more than the willingness to work as hard as I need to work to achieve a goal. Everybody has this ability to the same extent that I have it. And while our abilities to grow and achieve results are different, I contend if they were as consistent with their own plans that their results would be also consistently positive. I bust my ass at this day in and day out. I do not cheat myself in my diet and I make it to the gym as planned every time. That is not a special or unique talent my friend. That is hard work. If you look at the women and men on this board who have success you will see that they all are consistent and hard working. Very simple but not so easy.

Today so far I did a nice little run to loosen up things. I did 1 mile at 0% incline and 5.0mph and 1 at 2% incline and same speed. I also did 60 pushups (wide grip swiss), and 60 hanging leg raises. I am thinking of going tonight for a shoulder/chest/tri workout. I have decided to work through the DOMs.

Karla, this is perfect and is exactly what I feel, as well. It's what I tell everyone, too. How am I doing it? I'm just doing it!! I set a goal and nothing will deter me. It's that simple. And you got it...it's hard work, but if you want something bad enough, you JUST DO IT. Nothing worth achieving ever comes easy. So, I tell everyone that if they AREN'T doing it, then they just don't want it bad enough. Period.

[Lost Dog]

I've always read that fat intake is important to support testosterone production, but more body fat is typically correlated with lower testosterone.

[kfisherx]

Roland you are probably right. I still have much to learn. Even so I did my long term measurements/results this weekend on my rest days and this is what I learned.

I weighed in at 136.6lbs yesterday and 20.1% bf. On Jan 15th I weighed 126.4 lbs and 17.4% bf. So that means in 3 months time (I started my bulk on Jan 17th) I gained 10.2 lb of which 3.67lb is fat. So I put on a total of 6.53lbs of lean mass over this period. That is an average of 2.17 lbs per month. I think that translates to just over .5lbs a week. Pretty average but not bad for a beginner. I did not start the gain part of my bulk until into my second month because I started as an under-eater so I know my next one will be much better.

Today I did a nice little 25 min run with a coworker. She and I had run before and our paces seem to match really nicely. Today after my 3 rest days I was just kicking it up. It felt so good to be out in the nice spring air pounding the asphalt. When we finished she turned to me and said, "You are not even sweating!!" And I wasn't. It was easy.

My rest days were wonderful. I did all sorts of yard work yesterday and then started to burn through a big burn pile in the back part of the yard. I decided that in order to properly watch the fire that I required a bit of Pinot Noir for my eyesite. It was very relaxing after a long day of weeding and cutting the springtime grasses.

Life is good. Tomorrow is trainer day and I go back to lifting heavy again. Just a few more weeks until my cut!!

[dillytl]

My rest days were wonderful. I did all sorts of yard work yesterday and then started to burn through a big burn pile in the back part of the yard. I decided that in order to properly watch the fire that I required a bit of Pinot Noir for my eyesite. It was very relaxing after a long day of weeding and cutting the springtime grasses.

Life is good. Tomorrow is trainer day and I go back to lifting heavy again. Just a few more weeks until my cut!!

That doesn't sound like rest to me!! All that yard work!! Good for you taking it easy and enjoying some "medicinal" Pinot Noir for your eyesight!

[SpacecityPaula]

Originally Posted by kfisherx

Today I did a nice little 25 min run with a coworker.

Geez I hope bob remembers to bring my glasses with him tonight. I read that initially as "Today I did a nice little 25 mile run with a coworker."
About had a heart attack.