I missed my planned trip to the gym last night due to sore throat, sinus, and overall fatigue. I finished my day (still on the business trip) and took a two-hour nap, which I never do. I actually wanted to hit the gym but chose to give myself a rest day. I'm much better today.
Unfortunately, or fortunately as you may look at it, I have plans tonight to see a jazz concert with drummer great Billy Cobham. So I won't get a workout today, either. Tomorrow I may fit one in, between work and the four-hour drive, or not. Saturday, though, is a definite. In any case, life happens, rest is necessary, and I'll be back on track with my fitness program in the next couple of days.
My pecs are still sore from the last workout.
The lunches are catered, and we all go through the line. The food is actually very good, and I've been eating well and as cleanly as I can. I'm choosing yogurt instead of the muffins early in the day, and I'm bringing hard-boiled eggs from breakfast for a mid-morning snack, along with an apple and protein bars. The woman who was serving the desserts today asked if I wanted the tiramisu or the other fluffy thing, and I told her I would pass on the dessert. She just looked at me and said, "You can't do that. You look great!" To which I replied, "That's because I generally pass on the dessert," and she joined in on the "pass on the dessert" part. We both laughed. It's funny how few people realize that you don't have to take and eat everything that's offered or put in front of you, and that you can make healthy choices even when in a group situation.
Hmmmm.... Sounds like you sort of crashed out too this week. Maybe it is something in the air. Get lots of rest friend. Travel and working out is really a hard thing to do.
And I hear ya on the eating thing. It always amazes me the crap they serve to us people who sit on our arses all day long. They actually have Donught Tuesdays here.
I missed my planned trip to the gym last night due to sore throat, sinus, and overall fatigue. I finished my day (still on the business trip) and took a two-hour nap, which I never do. I actually wanted to hit the gym but chose to give myself a rest day. I'm much better today.
Sounds like you made the right choice.
__________________ In Fitness & Friendship, MAHLER
______________________________ __________________________ There is no light at the end of the tunnel. You carry the light with you.
I ended my business trip on Friday and finished the short-course I was taking. Drove back to Portland, and stopped at the gym on the way home. I started out fine, and PR'd my 5-rep squats and deads (+5 lbs each), but hit the wall and couldn't finish the workout. Rather than risk injury, I dropped the weight for the last sets, showered, and went home to bed. I'm still recovering from the cold and the trip. I'll try this again tomorrow (Monday).
Sorry to hear you've been under the weather, Brent. You made a good choice bailing when you did. Pride can take a bit of a beating if the alternative is injury. Hope you're on the mend soon and back creating all that red in your journal.
__________________
"Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right." - Henry Ford
"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss
"Life is no brief candle to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw
I ended my business trip on Friday and finished the short-course I was taking. Drove back to Portland, and stopped at the gym on the way home. I started out fine, and PR'd my 5-rep squats and deads (+5 lbs each), but hit the wall and couldn't finish the workout. Rather than risk injury, I dropped the weight for the last sets, showered, and went home to bed. I'm still recovering from the cold and the trip. I'll try this again tomorrow (Monday).
Squats
5x 235/5
Deadlift shrugs
220/5 220/5 135/5 135/5 135/5
Brent
Well if you are gonna bonk it is better to do it after you PR'd!
I'm back in the gym after a week off, more or less, due to a head cold and business trip, but all is well.
Squat
225/5 235/5 235/5 245/5 245/5 (+10)
Deadlift shrug
5x 225/5 (+5)
Bulgarian split squat
50e/5e 4x 35e/5e
Step-up
5x 35e/5e
Reverse crunch
3x 15
I redid the workout from April 25 that I failed to finish and managed to up the squat and deadlift numbers. I'm actually down in weight 2 lbs from a month ago, probably due to working hard, being sick, and paying less attention/having less control over foods. Have been eating out more, and it's hard if not impossible to accurately track foods when estimating. I know I was undereating on my trip. My bulk continues and I expect weight to increase again.
I paid special attention during the BSS to come up fast. On the step-ups, I focused on doing the eccentric movement as slowly as I could hold it.
I've had a sore area in my left lower lats that was aggravated by the cable rows, so I dropped the weight. Killer workout.
PR'd my weight again.
The dumbbell overhead press is the only exercise I can't seem to increase. I start out feeling strong, but fatigue easily. The last reps are almost impossible for me. Has anyone else experienced this?
I know what you are saying on shoulder presses. Those have definitely come along slower for me. I think its because the shoulders are relatively small, and since the dumbbells are only in 5lb increments, you have to increase strength fairly significantly to move up.
Deadlift shrug
3x 155/15 (+10) (possibly four sets - lost count in all the heavy breathing)
Bulgarian split squat
3x 22.5e/15e (+2.5e)
Step-up
3x 22.5e/15e
Reverse crunch
3x 15
This was the final workout from NROL's Hypertrophy I. I finished again by sheer determination with wobbly legs on the step-ups, but was determined to PR everything possible. I thought I had PR'd the step-ups, too, but noticed I had done 25 lbs each on the same workout March 15. Oh, well. It was still tough.
My weight gain is back on track. My friend Karla (kfisherx) asked if I had been using the gainers during my recent cold and business trip to Seattle, and I said no. That gainer contains creatine, which causes the muscles to hold several pounds of water. That accounts for the two pound weight loss during those two weeks, and that also, along with hard work, accounts for the 4 lb gain since 199 lbs on May 1.
May 4 was a 40-mile bicycle ride (20-mile each way) along a trail through the woods on an old railway line. It is now mostly paved, partially gravel and dirt two-track. It crosses a high 100-yard curved trestle from the days of steam power, now planked and guard-railed just for recreational use. It makes a long 1-2% uphill grade going north, and a glorious 1-2% downhill coming back. Those last 7 miles of paved downhill through the douglas firs and sword ferns, with douglas squirrels, steller's jays, and the wind in the hair at 20+ mph (peddle if you want to go faster), are enough to ease the saddle sores and put a smile on anyone's face. What a day this was, and what perfect spring weather for a ride!
The 12-oz New York strip steak (medium/medium rare on the grill) offset the calories spent on the ride, and the bulk is on track regardless the cardio. Calories that day were like a workout day (4200 Cals).
Now this is THE log to read to find out how it should be done. Nice summary Brent of the workouts. If the authors ever saw this log, they would hold you up as the man to follow!
When I leave my trainer I am pretty certain to jump on this program too. I am having a world of fun watching you go through the programs.
Before I start NROL Hyp II, I am taking a week or two where I'll be doing some of my own workouts. This from yesterday is similar to a Hyp I A workout, but I changed to 3 sets of 10 or so to give me time to add a few more exercises that focus on the chest. I seem stronger in the legs, and my upper body seems weaker by comparison. I've added pec flyes and close grip bench pushups, substituted a standard bench press for the close-grip, and I substituted a declined-bench sit-up/crunch for the Swiss ball crunch. Otherwise, I've maintained the Hyp I pairing philosophy, and kept the back exercises as they were.
I also took extra time to pay attention to the 311 cadence (a count of 3 on the eccentric move, a 1-count pause, and a 1-count quick power up). This wore me out quickly, and toward the end, I had to drop the weight of a few exercises. Both the shoulder press and the cable row caused slight pain in my sore lower left back, and I dropped the weights and focused more on form with higher reps.
I also moved the bench press first. Without a spotter, I like having the more dangerous exercises early in a routine when I'm stronger.
Congrats on finishing Hyp I, Brent. Those are impressive gains all around. Awesome new avatar. You can really see your size in it.
__________________
"Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right." - Henry Ford
"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss
"Life is no brief candle to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw
My energy faded on the pullups and dips, and I only completed two sets of each. Perhaps it was a mistake to work them after the intense upper body workout two days before.
My grip failed me the first set of romanian deadlifts, and I used straps for the last two sets.
I added the pec flyes to further work the chest. The cable machines have a 2x mechanical (pulley) advantage, so the actual force is half the value reported. I substituted the declined bench crunch for the Swiss ball crunch, because I get a much more intense workout from it. Doing the crunches slowly with a strict 321 cadence was tough.
On the dumbbell BP, the hardest part is getting the dumbbells up to begin the workout. I actually failed on this with 65 pounders, between a pair of the 5-rep sets. A minute of rest and I was able to get started. Here, and on the bench press, I could really benefit from a spotter. I'm sure I could have done at least one more rep, but I was unwilling to drop the barbell on my chest.
This was a very long workout. Six sets of six different exercises with 90 second rests takes a long time to complete.
Next workout take a buddy with you to help spot those db presses. Either that or grab one of those red shirt trainers that are always running around to get you to the start position. I bet they would love the chance to add value.
Brent, do you post your food intake on fitday? I'd love to see what a day-in-the-life of your diet looks like on paper. I'm trying to picture what 4000 calories looks like and how you distribute it between meals.
__________________
"Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right." - Henry Ford
"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss
"Life is no brief candle to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw
Brent, do you post your food intake on fitday? I'd love to see what a day-in-the-life of your diet looks like on paper. I'm trying to picture what 4000 calories looks like and how you distribute it between meals.
Rob:
I don't use Fitday. I keep a spreadsheet on my computer. My diet is often pretty boring, but I'm usually too busy to notice. I love good food, but it's easy for me to eat plainly. A recent 4000+ day looked like this:
7am (in the car during commute)
16 oz LF 2% milk 240
CytoGain Shake 580
Promax protein bar 280
10am
Yogurt 8oz 230
12pm
Tuna, chunk light (can) 150
2 large eggs, hardboiled 140
Cottage cheese LF 12 oz 270
Yams 100g 116
Fruit (melons, 6 oz) 60
8:30pm
Chicken breast 8oz 375
Dressing (12 squirts) 12
Cottage cheese LF 16 oz 360
broccoli (100g) 35
9:30pm
Milk LF 2% 16 oz 240
CytoGainer Shake 580
Total 4271 Calories
Protein 40%
Carbs 39%
Fat 18%
I eat all day long. If I go more than a couple of hours, I get hungry. I keep almonds and dried cranberries and Kashi cereal and apples in my desk at work. I'll often stop at Taco Bell for their fresco style burritos and tacos for dinner after a workout. The macros fit right in with my diet. I could use more vegetables. I love them, but they're harder to fit in on the run.
As you can see, 1100 calories come from the two Cytogainers on a workout day, one on a non-workout day. I mix them with 16 ounces of milk. Add another 560-600 calories from protein bars. That leaves about another 2600 calories of good clean food, which is a lot of eating and hard to do. Except for the evening Cytogainer, I eat the same on workout and non-workout days.
I also tend to "back-load", where I eat more in the evening than earlier in the day. I should probably even that out.
The dynamic lunge of Hyp II is easier than the BSS of Hyp I. I'm not sure why to choose the dynamic lunge, but I did them anyway. The workout calls for inclined reverse crunch, and then the book says that the stronger you are, the steeper the incline should be. I figure there's nothing steeper than vertical, so I substituted the hanging leg raise. It beats sliding down the incline. I did one set with the legs bent as in the reverse crunch, and the last two sets with the legs out straight. Much harder. I never felt like I was getting a good abs workout with either the Swiss ball or the floor reverse crunches. This was much better.
PR'd everything.
When I came back from the shower, I saw myself in the mirror, and I have ugly red and purple bruises between my traps and my shoulders. I got these once before, and I attributed them to the squat bar sitting there, but I didn't do squats tonight. Turns out the bruises exactly match the seems of the tank-top I was wearing tonight when I did the calf raises with the pads on my shoulders. The seems on this shirt are really thick. The bruises don't hurt, but they're very unsightly. I won't wear that shirt again for any exercise with the weight on the shoulders.
My weight has been parked at 203 for about ten days now. We'll see how much of that is a real increase over the next few days, but for now, LOOK, KARLA! Happy?
Good workout. I'm still learning my way through NROL Hyp II, so I'm doing some of these exercises for the first time. I also felt a bit run down today, and the workout kicked my you know what.
Close-grip chin-ups
-40/13 -40/12 -40/10
Barbell shoulder press
80/13 80/12 80/10
Wide-grip lat pulldown
3x120/12
Dumbbell chek press
30e/11 25e/13 25e/15
Cross-over bicep curls
3x25e/12e
Upper-body Russian twist
3x12
I couldn't make the dumbbell biceps curls work. The bells were too big, and the dumbbell would not hang vertically as shown in the photos. I substituted another biceps curl where the dumbbell comes up and touches the opposite shoulder. In this, I notice a distinct asymmetry - my left side had to work significantly harder than my right, and I found my left shoulder dropping to try to leverage the weight.
I also didn't find the Russian twist to work me very hard. I don't really see the value of the Swiss ball exercises. I'll likely sub a different oblique exercise next time.
My weight has been parked at 203 for about ten days now. We'll see how much of that is a real increase over the next few days, but for now, LOOK, KARLA! Happy?
My weight has been parked at 203 for about ten days now. We'll see how much of that is a real increase over the next few days, but for now, LOOK, KARLA! Happy?
Linear Mode
