It takes 3200(?) calories to gain a pound. So unless you were chowing down big time, it is probably water and possibly waste that has been disposed of yet.
__________________
Peaches
The journey to health and fitness
Should be taken
Because you love yourself,
Not because you hate your body
It takes 3200(?) calories to gain a pound. So unless you were chowing down big time, it is probably water and possibly waste that has been disposed of yet.
Well, I was chowing big time! Two days at 3800 kcal! That's easily the most food I've packed in over two days this whole year. It must have all been water from the high sodium/carbs. It stuck with me for 3 days, but now it's gone.
I've averaged 3150 kcal a day for the last week. That works out to around 350 kcal/day surplus. In that time, I've lost .2lb overall. I guess my metabolism is working pretty good! This muscle building process is going to be slow and steady. I'm in it for the long haul!
45 x 10, 95 x 10 x 2 - Squat warmup
175 x 10, 165 x 10 x 3 - Squat work sets
55 x 10, 105 x 10 x 2 - Deadlift warmup
185 x 10 x 4 - Deadlift work sets
Superset 1
25 x 10 x 4 - Bulgarian split squat
25 x 10 x 4 - Step up
0 x 15 x 3 - Reverse Crunch
Today was a struggle. Not sure if it was the getting up at 4:30am or what. I tried to bump up the weight on my squats from the last 4x10 workout, and I barely got the first set done. Weak! Maybe I'm just no good at workout out on Fridays.
Just checking in and see you are sticking to your program! That's great!
I just finished Hypertrophy I so I enjoyed reading your log.
I get excited when I see some new exercises. The High Pull was a new one for me. I never got the movement down perfectly but that's OK. I worked to exhaustion on every workout. It was great.
I'm on to Strength I! New move in this one is Good Mornings and I might get a chance to try that out tomorrow.
Thanks for the encouragement, BB. Grats to you on your progress as well! I'll be checking up on you, I've been considering going on to Strength I next as well.
Superset 1
40 x 15 x 3 - Incline dumbbell bench press
90 x 15 x 3 - Seated row (bowflex)
Superset 2
25 x 15,14,14 - Dumbbell shoulder press
90 x 15 x 3 - Wide grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
Superset 3
85 x 15 x 3 - Close grip bench press
55 x 15 x 3 - High pull
0 x 15 x 3 - Swiss ball crunch
I felt much better today. I did get about 9 hours of sleep last night. I was able to increase the weights consistently on each exercise today, I'm happy with that.
It's interesting that I was dreading the 3x15's going into Hyp I. Now I know that it is the 4x10's that are the real ball busters, especially the lower body 4x10.
I still haven't gotten those high pulls down either. I feel as graceful as a jumping elephant. I don't think I use a heavy enough weight to get any benefits from it, but afraid to doing any higher with my clumbsy attempt.
__________________
Peaches
The journey to health and fitness
Should be taken
Because you love yourself,
Not because you hate your body
I still haven't gotten those high pulls down either. I feel as graceful as a jumping elephant. I don't think I use a heavy enough weight to get any benefits from it, but afraid to doing any higher with my clumbsy attempt.
I'm with you here! I tried doing hang cleans instead, since I would like to improve my wrist flexibility for front squats. I felt only slightly less un-graceful. Though, I'm not sure if a hang clean is even really supposed to work your upper body if you do it right.
45 x 10, 95 x 10, 135 x 5 x 2 - Squat warmup
195 x 5 x 5 - Squat work sets
135 x 5 x 2 - Deadlift warmup
215 x 5 x 5 - Deadlift work sets
Superset 1
40 x 5 x 5 - Bulgarian split squat
40 x 5 x 5 - Step up
0 x 15 x 3 - Reverse Crunch
I felt pretty good today. Small improvements on all exercises. I think I'm finally getting the hang of the proper bar position on the squat, it's only taken me a month!
Superset 1
50 x 10 x 4 - Incline dumbbell bench press
110 x 10 x 4 - Seated row (bowflex)
Superset 2
35 x 10, 30 x 10 x 3 - Dumbbell shoulder press
110 x 10 x 4 - Wide grip lat pulldown (bowflex)
Superset 3
115 x 10,10,9,8 - Close grip bench press
75 x 10 x 4 - High pull
0 x 15 x 3 - Swiss ball crunch
Another solid upper workout. It just seems so easy when compared to the lower. I'm going to stick out the second half of Hyp I, then I think I'm going to go back to more of a full body workout.
So does that mean you are not moving on to Strength I?
The book said for beginners to do 12 of each workout for Hyp I, so I'm going to stick to that. That gives me another month to decide what to do next! Might be Strength I, might be something else
45 x 10, 95 x 10 x 2 - Squat warmup
155 x 15 x 3 - Squat work sets
55 x 10, 105 x 10 x 2 - Deadlift warmup
175 x 15 x 3 - Deadlift work sets
Superset 1
20 x 15 x 3 - Bulgarian split squat
20 x 15 x 3 - Step up
0 x 15 x 3 - Reverse Crunch
I'm going to lay my excuses out first. I rode 28 miles on the mountain bike yesterday, all trails. It took just over 3 hours. That was hard, I just wanted to see if I could do it. Then I played tennis for a couple hours this morning. So there you go, that's my excuse for not sticking to the 30 second rest periods today!
45 x 10, 95 x 10 x 2 - Squat warmup
170 x 10 x 4 - Squat work sets
135 x 6 x 2 - Deadlift warmup
190 x 10 x 4 - Deadlift work sets
Superset 1
40 x 10 x 4 - Bulgarian split squat
40 x 10 x 4 - Step up
0 x 15 x 3 - Reverse Crunch
Felt great today. Don't know why the squats felt so easy. The BSS and Step Ups were very hard on my grip. I almost couldn't finish the last sets because I couldn't hold the dumbbells!
Joined a volleyball team, our first game is tonite. Should be fun, and another way to stay active as the sun goes down earlier and earlier.
I use a bar for the stepups. The gym has some of these pre-weighted bars --- I use the 70#. It doesn't go any heavier than that, but you could add height to the step. I am afraid to use a bar for the BSS, I might lose my balance.
Just a thought. I too am limited by my grip. Everyone says that it will get stronger, but I have struggled with mine for years. It may have gotten stronger, but it has never kept up.
__________________
Peaches
The journey to health and fitness
Should be taken
Because you love yourself,
Not because you hate your body
Well, I figured out part of the reason my grip was failing so miserably. I screwed up when I looked at the last weights I used for the 4x10. I took the weights from my last 5x5 and used those! I should have been doing 30lb dumbbells, not 40. Oh well, I guess I need to be bumping the weights a little higher.
The bar for step ups is a great idea. I'll have to see if I have enough room to do that without poking the bar through a wall, my weight room is a little cramped.
I'm a little late updating the log because I was out of town on business for 4 days last week. Despite the fact that the hotel only had a dreaded machine and dumbbells up to 25lb, I still managed to get an ok workout in.
Wednesday 9/16/09
Hotel Workout
Superset 1
25 x 12 x 3 - Bulgarian Split Squat
25 x 12 x 3 - Step up
Superset 2
165 x 12 x 3 - Bench press (machine with stack)
195 x 12 x 3 - Seated cable row
Superset 2
25 x 12 x 3 - Dumbbell romanian deadlift
0 x 12 x 3 - Leg raises
45 x 10, 95 x 10, 135 x 5 x 2 - Squat warmup
200 x 5 x 5 - Squat work sets
135 x 5 x 2 - Deadlift warmup
225 x 5 x 5 - Deadlift work sets
Superset 1
45 x 5 x 5 - Bulgarian split squat
45 x 5 x 5 - Step up
0 x 15 x 3 - Reverse Crunch
I'm really getting comfortable with the squats now. My shoulder mobility must be improving because it is much easier for me to get my hands in the proper location, and I'm even able to move them closer to my shoulders.
45 x 10, 95 x 6 x 2 - Squat warmup
145 x 15 x 3 - Squat work sets
135 x 6 x 2 - Deadlift warmup
165 x 15 x 3 - Deadlift work sets
Superset 1
20 x 15 x 3 - Bulgarian split squat
20 x 15 x 3 - Step up
0 x 15 x 3 - Reverse Crunch
I missed my workout on Wednesday suffering from whatever the non-swine bug that is afflicting my whole family. I thought I was fully recovered, but it must have still taken something out of me because I struggled to maintain the rest periods on the deadlifts despite dropping the weight from the last time.
45 x 10, 95 x 10 x 2 - Squat warmup
175 x 10 x 4 - Squat work sets
135 x 6 x 2 - Deadlift warmup
195 x 10 x 4 - Deadlift work sets
Superset 1
30 x 10 x 4 - Bulgarian split squat
30 x 10 x 4 - Step up
0 x 15 x 3 - Reverse Crunch
The BSS and Step ups were much more manageable with the right weights! I didn't have to rest in between legs like I did when I used 10lbs too much per dumbbell like the last time I did the 4x10 lower.
Squats and deads felt great, no problems getting the sets done, even maintaining the allotted rest periods.
45 x 10, 95 x 10, 135 x 5 x 2 - Squat warmup
205 x 5,5,5,5,6 - Squat work sets
135 x 5 x 2 - Deadlift warmup
235 x 5,5,5,5,6 - Deadlift work sets
Superset 1
45 x 5 x 5 - Bulgarian split squat
45 x 5 x 5 - Step up
0 x 15 x 3 - Reverse Crunch
I felt pretty strong today. No trouble at all getting 5x5 on my squats and deads. I remember my first 5x5 where I started with 205, _barely_ got the first set done and backed off to 185 for the rest of the sets. Of all the variations in HypI, this one has to be my favorite. I'll miss you 5x5's!
45 x 10, 95 x 6 x 2 - Squat warmup
150 x 15 x 3 - Squat work sets
135 x 6 x 2 - Deadlift warmup
165 x 15 x 3 - Deadlift work sets
Superset 1
20 x 15 x 3 - Bulgarian split squat
20 x 15 x 3 - Step up
0 x 15 x 3 - Reverse Crunch
Done! That was my last Hyp I workout. I have to say, 3 x 15 deadlifts is probably my least favorite thing about this program. Overall, I really enjoyed it, the mixing up of the sets/reps really keeps it fresh.
I want to focus on the core lifts, and just want a little change of pace, so I'm going to switch to Practical Programming for a while. I think a full week off is in order!
Congrats on finishing H1. Enjoy your well earned rest week.
Thanks, Stingo!
So I've tried to compile some stats from the last 8 weeks of eating at a surplus and completing 24 workouts of NRoL Hypertrophy I.
8/15/09 to 10/10/09
Workouts per week: 3
Average calories consumed per day: 3080
Average calories burned per day (via. Gowear Fit): 2807
Average daily surplus: 273
Average macro split: 36% carb, 26% protein, 37% fat
Starting weight: 165.0
Ending weight: 169.4
Check out my chart! I'm a numbers guy, so keeping track of everything like this just makes me happy.
Best I can tell from caliper measurements, I gained roughly 3 lbs of muscle and about 1.5 lbs of fat. I keep trying to tell myself that that is pretty good, but damn it was hard! Sometimes it felt like I was gorging myself, I can't believe I ended up with such a small surplus. I never thought it would be so much easier to lose fat than it is to gain muscle.
It's amazing how unrealistic most people's (including mine!) expectations are regarding muscle gain. I remember when I first started on this path back in January, I thought I'd be sitting at 180lbs and 10% bodyfat by June! That is still my ultimate goal, though I now know it will probably take another 12-18 months to get anywhere near that mark.
Now it's time to change directions a little bit. I really feel like I'm just getting the hang of the core lifts. I want to focus on those for a while and see how much stronger I can get. I'm going to chill out on the eating for a while and try to lose some more of this spare tire.
I'm going to do the "Advanced Novice" routine from Practical Programming. It's basically a 3 day a week, full body workout that concentrates on the core lifts (including power cleans, I'm excited about learning them) and a few "assistance" exercises.
Ok, ok, enough of the personal memoirs! Time to get busy.
Linear Mode
