Bamazav's Body Recomp

[bamazav]

I have been logging on another site but have found that I am enjoying this site better and better each day. I am looking forward to getting to know everyone and to learn from you all.

I started my journey Nov 3 , 2007. My Doctor gave me the, "lose weight and get the cholesterol down or you will have to start some meds." Well, maybe not that direct, she is too nice for that. An elder at the church had just purchased TNT and told me about it. I began reading about it and bought the book. In twelve weeks I lost about 20 pounds and brought my cholesterol numbers way down. At the same time, I became hooked on eating right and lifting weights. I completed TNT, have done NROL, hyper 1 and Strength 1, have done a stint with Starting Strength and am currently doing a routine called "Baby Got Back." My greatest gains have come after my hernia surgery in November (not lifting related). I started with an empty bar in January and have progressed to what you see today ( I had never used Barbells until January). After my daughter's wedding in two weeks, I am planning on either returning to NROL or trying out Waterbury's Huge in a Hurry, I am leaning toward NROL Strength II.

Here is my training today 5/4/09

Rack Deadlifts
5 x 5 x 205

Bent Over Row
3 x 8 x 120

Low Incline DB Press
5 x 5 x 35

Flat Flies
3 x 8 x 20

Standing Calf Raises
3 x 8 x 135

Swiss Ball Russian Twist
3 x 10

Swiss Ball Crunches
3 x 10

Reverse Hyperextensions
3 x 5 x 50

[bamazav]

Between the humidity and the dogs going crazy, this was a tough workout. I had little to no focus and felt drained the entire workout.

Squats
5 x 5 x 155

Lunges
2 x 8 x 50

Alternating Standing Curls
1 x 5 x 20
2 x 10 x 20

Cable Curls
3 x 8 x 30

I am very disappointed with this session.

[missjane]

Welcome! I also did TNT with great success. I worked my way thru the NROL FL programs, then did NROL4W, then did several modules of Power Training. I now am going thru all of the NROL Strength Programs and just started Strength III yesterday.

I'll be following along on your journey!

[bamazav]

Thanks for the note. I am still doing a modified TNT. I allow myself one serving of oatmeal and protein some days. My carbs stay pretty low and if I have any with a high glycemic value, it is in the morning usually, when my body can use a boost.

[Mahler]

Welcome. It's a pretty friendly group here.
Glad to have you join us.

[soonermark99]

Welcome to the boards. Are you a college football fan? If you are, the Tide has raked in quite a crop of talent this year. Lots of future NFL prospects.

[bamazav]

Soonermark99 I am indeed a College Football Fan. My son is at UofA studying Sports Journalism/Broadcasting, I hope to one day either hear or see him calling the UofA games. We saw him more on television this past school year than we did in person. I am hoping Nick's boys will become men quickly and make some history on the field. Was raised by a Husker, so I am familiar with your brand of football. The Sooners will be tough this next season also.

Mahler, Thanks for the welcome. The friendliness was a major reason why I am transitioning to this forum from the others I have been frequenting. You, as a senior member here, have also challenged me in my training. It is never too late to get going and change your life. Thanks!

Would love some input. I am considering getting a personal trainer certification. I can see some awesome opportunities to minister in a unique way through training. Helping people hurting physically to find some peace both physically and spiritually.

[soonermark99]

I think the Huskers are going to finally make a go of it. They've started picking up momentum in the recruiting area as well. While Bama picked up a bunch of 18 year old men, the Huskers picked up some guys that will contribute in 1 or 2 years. Rex Burkhead is a 4 year starter from Plano, TX (my old HS). To understand exactly what an accomplishment this was, Plano's classes usually graduate 1,500 students (4,500 total enrollment) per year. This kid not only started as a freshman (2005), he was the star on a team that went 13-1 (ranked 11th nationally) and only lost to Southlake Carroll (#1 team nationally that year) in the state quarter finals.

Anyway, sorry about the lengthy post, but I love HS and college football.

If you have the desire to get a certification and you have the availability of resources to help you get started, I think that would be great. There's a personal trainers forum that maybe you could post and get some pretty talented trainers to help you with advise.

[bamazav]

Would love to see the "Huskers" make a go of it. Married a BAMA girl and went to school in the state, so got hooked on SEC football in the 80's.

Thanks for the input. I am looking into the certification and looking for the resources. I know I can get an ACE certification fairly easily here locally. I want to look into all the options.

[bamazav]

Cut today's session a little short since I am trying to get us ready to leave this afternoon for TN. I am going to be traveling the next two weekends, so I am going to take the next week as a reload week and will work on some cardio.

Jump Chins - Able to do three real chins first
5 x 5
Super set these with Dumbbell Standing Press
5 x 5 x 40

Lat Pulldown
3 x 8 x 70

Cable Upright Row
3 x 8 x 60

Swiss Ball Crunch
3 sets of 10

[missjane]

You mean a deload week?

[bamazav]

LOL, yes, Had recovery on the mind. The way I feel right now, recovery week seems closer to the truth.

[neilnacarter]

I am following a modified TNT too, not really keeping to the exercies yet, more doing stuff through a personal trainer (targeting muscle group ith supersets) and doing some cardio too, but trying to follow the eating plan to a T!

but logging everything and anything, helps keep you focused and scared of criticism if you slip up!

[bamazav]

I modified eating plan to keep peace in the family. I allow myself one serving of a grain, usually oatmeal with protein added. An occasional piece of fruit, though I try to save those for reload day on weekend.

[bamazav]

After a quick trip to Johnson City, TN to see my daughter graduate with here BSN. Her Fiance was accepted into PA School the same weekend. Over all a great weekend. I am home for a few days and then take my youngest kids back to TN for daughter's wedding on the 16th. Lots of traveling. With my crazy schedule, I have decided to use this week as a deload week. Instead of the weights, I will be getting my garage/workout area cleaned up, fixing the fence and other assorted "honey do" items. I will be working on cardio, doing some tabata routines and working on my rope jumping.

[bamazav]

With a few day lull in the traveling between my daughter's graduation, earned a BSN from ETSU, and her wedding on Saturday, I took this time to deload. I have worked on developing my rope jumping skills and doing some tabata body weight training. It is amazing what a work out a Tabata circuit can do. My heart rate was definitely raised.

[missjane]

Tabatas are great! Do you have a gymboss timer? Makes timing those tabatas so easy!

[soonermark99]

Tabatas are great! Those 4 minutes are about as tough as it gets.

[bamazav]

I don't have a fancy timer. I have an mp3 that beeps each 20 and 10, with different but recognizable tones. I mixed this with some favorite music and have an ipod timer. Not the greatest quality of sound, but it works.

[bamazav]

After a 10 + day break, I am back at it again. I was able to get in one resistance training time and a little cardio during my second trip to TN.

The wedding went great. Weather was horrible, but the rain held off until we, my daughter and I, were about five steps into the tent. The storm hit and as I was leading the couple through the vows, thunder roared with each sentence, literally. The bride was beautiful, takes after mom. I did not realize how hard it would be not only to give your own child away but to perform the ceremony also. About half way through it hit me that this woman I kept speaking about was my little girl.

I looked back at my logs and realized I have not given "Baby Got Back" a fair shot. I am seeing some gains in body composition and in strength, so I am going to stick with it a few more weeks. Since my schedule is messed up this week, I am going to train a strange schedule this week, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat. I will resume my normal schedule on Monday.

BGB 2

Squats
5 x 5 x 155

Lunges
2 x 8 x 30 each leg

Leg Curls
3 x 5 x 70

Alternating Curls
5 x 5 x 30

Cable Curls
3 x 8 x 40

Swiss Ball Crunches
3 sets of 10

[bamazav]

Fast session today. Just busy.

Rack Pulls superset
5 x 5 x 185
Dumbbell Incline Press
5 x 5 x 30

Bent Rows superset
3 x 8 x 135
Dumbbell Incline Flyes
3 x 8 x 30

Swiss Ball Russian Twist
2 x 10

Swiss Ball Cable Crunches Having a hard time figuring out how to get a hold of cable. I am going to do these on the floor next time, to get better control and increase weight.
2 x 5 x 10

I am going to be helping my ecto son find his one rep maxes tonight, so I will probably get a bit more work in tonight.

[bamazav]

Now I have my schedule back on track, at least for this week. I learned an important lesson last night. Jumping rope for cardio after two pretty leg intensive days is not smart. Glad I have the weekend to stretch out and recoup. I think we are going to hit the Strawberry Festival tomorrow.

Jump Chins
5 x 5

Standing Dumbbell PressI didn't have my log book with me so I just used what I already had set up.
5 x 5 x 30

Lat Pulldowns
2 x 8 x 70
1 x 5 x 70

Cable Upright Row
2 x 8 x 70
1 x 6 x 70

Light Ab work today

Cable Crunches on Floor
10 x 10#

Plank great article on Planks

30 seconds

Now to do all the "honey do's" and to work on my sermon.

[bamazav]

Warm and humid day in Virginia Beach, making it quite hot in the garage today. Tried to train earlier so that it wouldn't be too hot. I tried two different versions of cable crunches for my ab work. I need to get a rope for my pulley system, it will make them easier to do.

Rack Pulls
5 x 5 x 140#
Superset
Incline DB Press
5 x 5 x 35#

Bent Rows
3 x 8 x 140#
superset
Incline Flies
3 x 8 x 30#

Standing Calf Raise
3 x 10 x 140#

Standing Cable Crunch
2 x 10 x 30#

Kneeling Cable Crunch
2 x 10 x 30#

Reverse Hyperextension
2 x 5 x 55#

Now it is off to work on Band Booster records and watch War movies. God Bless all who serve and have served our Nation.

[bamazav]

An energyless workout today. Don't know wether it was the heat and humidity or what, but I was struggling with this one.

Squats
5 x 5 x 165#

Lunges
1 x 6 x 30#
2 x 5 x 30#

Leg Curls
1 x 10 x 50#
1 x 8 x 50#

Hammer Curls
5 x 5 x 30

Cable Curls
3 x 8 x 40#

Swiss Ball Crunch
2 x 10

Planks
2 x 30 sec.

[bamazav]

I actually felt good about today's workout. I was looking forward to it.

Jump chins
5 x 5 x BW - superset with
Standing Dumbbell Press
5 x 5 x 35#

Lat Pulldowns
3 x 8 x 70#

Cable Upright Row
3 x 8 x 70#

Standing Cable Crunches
3 x 10 x 30#

Kneeling Cable Crunches
3 x 10 x 30

I felt the work a lot more after the kneeling crunches then the Standing Crunches. I am experimenting with a variety of ab work. I like these and am going to incorporate them more often.

[bamazav]

I lightened up a little bit to focus on form. I am finishing up this routine and have another trip to make this weekend. That said I am winding down with BGB.

Romanian Deadlifts
5 x 5 x 155

Good Mornings I created a little apparatus with a metal broom stick to help keep my form correct. It needs some work, but helped, I felt the pull in all the right places.
3 x 8 x 45(empty bar)

Leg Extensions
3 x 10 x 70

Body weight Bench Dips
5 x 5

Cable Pressdowns I went too heavy for this point in the workout
1 x 7 x 50
1 x 5 x 50
1 x 3 x 50

Kneeling Cable Crunches
1 x 7 x 50
1 x 8 x 50

[bamazav]

Been in Alabama the last few days getting son settled. He starts his internship with "The Sports Animal," 690 am. Getting his driver's license has been a comedy of errors. If it could go wrong in the past few days, it has.

I was able to get a brief workout last night, with son.

Lat Pull
5 x 5 x 90
Dips
3 x 5

Machine Push Press
5 x 5 x 70
Cable Row
5 x 5 x 70
Leg extension
5 x 5 x 70

The apartment complexes gym leaves a little to be desired. Doing any heavy leg work will be a challenge. Cable Squats or Deads will be about it, hope to get home tomorrow.

[bamazav]

I was not a total slacker during my trip to Alabama. I was able to get in a a few brief workouts and some cardio while away. The gym at the apartment complex my in-laws live in leaves a bit to be desired. Designed for "fitness" as opposed to lifting, all I could do was adapt as best as I could.

6/4/09

Lat Pull
5 x 5 x 90

Leg Lifts
3 x 5

Machine Push Press
5 x 5 x 90

Leg Extension
5 x 5 x 90

I am home now. Planning on starting HIAH "Get Ready" tomorrow. I enjoyed the 4 day split I was doing, but found the time constraints tough with my schedule.

[bamazav]

I am back at it for a week. Next week I have to go to our General Assembly. I am not sure what I will be able to do, training wise, while there. I returned to my own equipment and boy what a difference. Though I went lower than my last workout, it has been almost two weeks since my last heavy lift, it still felt great.

Squats
5 x 5 x 145 - I focused on going as deep as possible. What a feeling!

Lunges
3 x 8 x 20 - I could do these BW and they would still kill me. I hate lunges.

Leg Curls
1 x 12 x 50
1 x 10 x 50
1 x 7 x 50

Standing Curls
5 x 5 x 20

Cable Curls
3 x 8 x 40

Swiss Ball Crunches
3 x 10 x BW - rest paused

[bamazav]

I am still developing and working on different areas. I have never been able to chins or pull ups, even when I was a skinny college kid. I started the first set with two chins and the second set with one. Progress, albeit slow progress.

Jump Chins
4 x 5
1 x 2 - I ran out of gas on the last set

Lying DB Pullovers - I have been doing Lat Pulldowns in the last 4 routines I have done, I wanted to try something different for a few weeks

3 x 8 x 20# each

Standing Dumbbell Press
5 x 5 x 35#

Cable Upright Rows
3 x 8 x 90#

Seated Calf Raises
3 x 12 x 35

Standing Cable Crunches
3 x 10 x 40

I find myself getting impatient, wanting to see some kind of change daily. I have seen gains and body comp changes, but am anxious to see something more serious. I am trying to push the weights up.