June workouts thus far...

I have been SO bad at updating this blog with my workouts. That, however, does NOT mean that I haven't been in the gym. Well...I haven't this past week, but that's due to tonsillitis, fever, and my general philosophy that the gym is no place for me when my body is demanding energy to get better.

So, what's been happening? After the first three weeks of the workout and diet, I was noticing that I couldn't get up in the morning as well (and that I don't get nearly enough sleep), and that my muscles weren't repairing as quickly as I thought they should be. Also, the hour of running after each lifting session was simply too long, and I wasn't getting home in time to make dinner, repack for the next day, and have a moment for anything else.

So, I talked with TrainerDave™ about making some changes, primarily to the eating regimen. I did the math, and came to the conclusion that I was eating far too little. I was taking in roughly 1500 calories per day. Now, if I needed 3965 per day to maintain my weight (as seen in the last entry from the hydrostatic analysis), and my goal is to lose 4 pounds per week, I should be taking in roughly 2400 calories per day. Missing 900 calories per day is a LOT! So, we re-tooled the diet, and things started going much better after that.

I'm not weighing that much less on the scale; however everyone around me says that my face is much slimmer. I've also gone down four or five holes on my belt - to the point that I'm going to need a new belt soon. (WOOHOO!)

So, here's the list of workouts for the first half of June. As mentioned before, there will be a gap between June 14 and June 22, when I was sick and recovering. I'll start back to the full regimen on Monday morning at the beginning of a workout cycle.

Here are the numbers:

Chest and Triceps (6/1/2008)

• NO WORKOUT TODAY

Back and Biceps (6/2/2008)

• Assisted pullups: 16 (plates) x 15, 12 x 15|15


• BB row: 135 x 15|15, 155 x 10, 175 x 10


• Neutral pulldowns: 105 x 15, 120 x 10|10


• Cable rows: 100 x 15|12|15


• Reverse pec deck: 50 x 15|15|15


• Incline DB curl: 30_L/R x 15, 25 x 5+5, 20 x 10


• Machine preacher curl: 40 x 20|19|20

Legs (6/3/2008)

• Lying leg curl¹: 75 x 20|20|20|20


• Leg extension¹: 7 plates x 20|20|20|20


• Leg press: 440 x 25|25|25|25


• Walking lunges: 25_L/R x 12|12|12

Upper chest and shoulders (6/4/2008)

• High incline BB press: 135 x 15, 155 x 10|9|8


• Incline DB fly: 25 x 12, 30 x 12|12


• Military DB press: 40 x 12|10|9|8


• Shoulder Hammer™ machine: 50 x 15, 70 x 15, 90 x 15


• Upright BB rows¹: 55 x 15, 75 x 15|10


• Standing lateral DB raise¹: 15 x 15|15|15


• Front raise 4s: 10 x 2

Biceps and triceps (6/5/2008)

• French curls¹: 75 x 15|15|15|14


• Skullcrushers¹: 70 x 15|15|15|15


• Tricep pushdowns²: 110 x 20, 120 x 20, 130 x 14


• Alternating DB curls²: 20 x 20, 25 x 15|15


• Machine preacher curl³: 50 x 20, 60 x 20|16


• Overhead tricep extension³: 120 x 20|20, 130 x 15


• High curls: 75 x 20, 90 x 15|15
  
• Back dip⁴: Bodyweight x 20|20


• Concentration curls⁴: 20 x 20|20

Day off (6/6/2008)

Chest and Triceps (6/7/2008)

• High cable cross: 50 x 15, 70 x 15, 80 x 15


• Incline ISO press: 140 x 15|15|12


• Flat DB press: 50 x 15|15|15


• Assisted dips: 6 plates x 9|10|9


• Pushups¹: 15|15|15


• Lateral DB raise¹: 20 x 20|20|20


• Tricep pushdowns²: 120 x 20|20|15


• Front raise²: 60 x 20|20|20


• Pec deck: 70 x 20|15|15

Back and Biceps (6/8/2008)

• Assisted pullups: 12 plates x 15|15|10


• BB row: 175 x 15|15|15|15


• Neutral pulldowns: 100 x 15, 115 x 15|15


• Cable rows: 100 x 20|15|20


• Reverse pec deck: 50 x 20|20|20


• Incline DB curl: 20_L/R x 20|20|20


• Machine preacher curl: 50 x 20|20|10

Legs (6/9/2008)

• NO WORKOUT TODAY

Upper chest and shoulders (6/10/2008)

• ISO incline press: 160 x 15|15|15|15


• Incline DB fly: 30 x 15|15|15|15


• Military DB press: 40 x 12|12|12|12


• Shoulder Hammer™ machine: 110 x 15|15|15


• Upright BB rows¹: 75 x 15|15|15


• Standing lateral DB raise¹: 15 x 15|15|15


• Front raise 4s: 10 x 1, 12 x 1

Biceps and triceps (6/11/2008)

• Alternating DB curl¹: 30 x 15, 35 x 15|15


• Tricep pushdowns¹: 80 x 15, 120 x 15|15


• French curl²: 50 x 15|15|15


• Decline skullcrusher³: 60 x 15|15|15


• 1-arm standing preacher curl³: 20 x 15|15|15


• Behind head DB tricep extension³: 60 x 15|15|15


• Strive bicep curl machine: (1|5|9)[7|7|7], (9|5|1)[7|7|7], (5)[20]


• Back dip⁴: Bodyweight x 20|20|20

Chest and Triceps (6/12/2008)

• High cable cross: 80 x 20, 90 x 15|15|15


• Incline ISO press: 140 x 15, 150 x 15|15


• Flat DB press: 55 x 15|12|15


• Assisted dips: 6 plates x 15, 5 plates x 12|15


• Pushups¹: 15|15|15


• Lateral DB raise¹: 20 x 20|20|20


• Tricep pushdowns²: 120 x 20|20|20


• Front raise²: 70 x 20|20|20


• Pec deck: 50 x 20|20|10

Back and Biceps (6/13/2008)

• Assisted pullups: 12 plates x 15|12|10


• BB row: 185 x 15|15|15|15


• Neutral pulldowns: 110 x 15|15|15


• Cable rows: 120 x 20|20|15


• Reverse pec deck: 50 x 20|20|20


• Incline DB curl: 25_L/R x 15|15|15


• Machine preacher curl: 40 x 20, 50 x 20|20

Second week...

Done with the second week of the new routine. I'm getting more used to it. Some changes have been made. I'll talk a bit about those below. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the way things are going, and realize that this is a whole different level of commitment to the gym - being there twice a day and spending, more or less, 3+ hours per day actively working out.

It's been two weeks and I've lost 10 pounds.

I did take the opportunity yesterday to have my body fat tested by a full-body hydro-immersion method done by GetDunked. My understanding is that with the possible exception of testing by air displacement (which requires a lab and even more specific and calibrated equipment), that immersion is the most accurate way to test body composition. TrainerDave™ had used calipers to test my body fat when we started working out, and I think the results were somewhere around 18%-19%. I thought that wasn't too bad for a starting point. TrainerDave™ was off by just a bit. The result from the dunking? 24.5%

Je suis trés unhappy avec ça. Still, Aeron, the guy who did my test, assured me that the situation was not as bad as I had hoped and pulled me away from the dunk tank where I planned to then drown myself. He said that he does this kind of testing all day, every day, and that the common tables of target BF% aren't wholly accurate. Most male athletes in my age range, he said, are between 16% and 24% (but usually at the lower end of that scale). Going below into the low teens is where it gets into the bodybuilder look. (Aeron also made me feel better by telling me that the first time TrainerDave™ got his body fat tested, he was about 10% over where he thought he would be.)

The report that came with the dunk (and I'm supposed to get a more thorough one in my email inbox, though that has yet to arrive) gave the following as my "hydrostatic evaluation":

HYDROSTATIC EVALUATION

Body Fat %	24.5%	Fat Body Mass	54.0 lbs.
Lean Body Mass %	75.5%	Lean Body Mass	166.2 lbs.
Ideal Body Fat %	15.0%	Weight for Ideal	195.5 lbs.
Goal Body Fat %	3.0%	Weight for Goal	171.4 lbs.

HYDROSTATIC TEST DATA

Gender	Male	Age	36 years
Height	69.75 in.	Weight	220.3 lbs.
Ankle Circumference	9.00 in.	Resting Pulse	70 bpm
Water Temperature	34ºC	Water Weight	6520 grams

METABOLIC INFORMATION

Your Activity Level	Over 12 hours per week
Maximum Exercising Pulse	166 bpm
Daily Caloric Intake to Maintain Weight	3965 calories

All very interesting. Apparently the final report will have more detail and instead of giving results as absolute numbers, it will display ranges with standard deviations and variances. Being a stats nerd, I think I like that better.

As far as the changes to the workout and diet go, I had a talk with TrainerDave™ on Wednesday at our second session. A week and a half had passed since our first workout together, mostly because there was no meeting on Memorial Day, and the week before that he was prepping for a contest in Los Angeles. (He came in 2nd in the welterweight division, by the way.) I mentioned that the breakfast, shakes, and dinner weren't a problem and I was sticking to those just fine; however, carrying my lunch and having it be so repetitive was killing me. Since IBM Almaden has a huge cafeteria, there is plenty of selection. On top of that, lunch is a social event at IBM, and carrying my lunch means that I miss out on it. People in my group think I'm a bit strange for carrying lunch and staying so strict. (And...really...there's only so much you can do with chicken, sweet potato, and broccoli when you have to carry it around all day.) TrainerDave™ said that as long as I don't go nuts and eat a pile of fries every day, it doesn't much matter what I eat at lunch, since I'll be burning all of it off anyway with working out in the morning and evening. So, a big salad with a chicken breast and fat-free dressing will be just fine. He even said that I could have pasta if it's on the menu. This is good news and makes me feel like I can live like a bit of a normal person, especially at work.

I also mentioned that I felt like getting up that early to work out, and going so late...that I wasn't getting enough sleep to maintain this kind of activity level. We re-tooled the schedule (and more importantly, re-spaced out the eating) so that I could get more sleep. I think that's going to work out well. I've also started keeping a more reasonable schedule at work. I'm only being paid for 40 hours a week, so I'm not doing what I did for the first two weeks and putting in 55-60 hours. I get there around 8:15 and leave around 4:45. That seems to work much better and I get home at a reasonable hour. So, the new schedule is:

• 08:00am - Breakfast


• 10:30am - EAS Triple-protein shake


• 01:00pm - Lunch


• 03:30pm - EAS Triple-protein shake


• 06:30pm - Post-workout AST VP2 whey protein isolate shake


• 08:30pm - Dinner

The other change is that I'm really liking the cardio, so I've upped it. Before, I was doing 45 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening after I lift. I've raised both of those to be an hour apiece. Right now, according to the monitor on the elliptical machine, I'm burning around 850-900 calories per cardio session. That's 1700-1800 calories per day from running. If one pound of fat requires burning 2800 calories, then I should be shedding around 3.75 calories per week just from the cardio.

Okay...time to wrap this entry up. I'll leave off with the numbers from this past week. I start cycle three today, since I took my off day in the middle of the week.

Day 1: Chest and Triceps (5/25/2008)

• High cable cross: 70 x 20|20|20|20


• Incline iso press: 120 x 15, 140 x 15|10


• Flat DB press: 50 x 15|15|15


• Dips: 4|5|5


• Push-ups: 15|15|15


• Lateral raise (DB): 15 x 20|20, 20 x 20


• Tricep pushdown: 100 x 20, 120 x 15|12


• Front shoulder raise: 50 x 20|20|20

Day 2: Back, Delts, & Biceps (5/27/2008)

• Pullups: 28(assist) x 9|6|6|5


• BB row: 205 x 12|12|12|8


• Pulldowns: 90 x 15, 105 x 12|12|10


• Cable rows: 100 x 15, 120 x 15|15|15


• Reverse pec deck: 70 x 14|11|12


• Shrugs: 180 x 20|20|20


• High cable curl: 60 x 20, 75 x 20|20|20

Day 3: Legs (5/28/2008)

• Lying leg curl (SS): 50 x 20, 62.5 x 20, 75 x 15|15


• Leg extension (SS): 6 plates x 20, 7 plates x 20|15|15


• Leg press: 360 x 20|20|20|20|20


• Walking lunges: 20(L/R) x 12|12|12

Day 4: Upper chest & shoulders (5/29/2008)

• High incline iso press: 160 x 15|15|15|7


• Military press: 140 x 15|15|15|13


• Side DB raises: 20 x 20|20|20|20


• Front raises: 60 x 20|20|20|20


• Rear delt rows: 105 x 20|20|20|20


• Upright cable pulls: 80 x 20|20|20|20


• Shrugs: 180 x 20|20|20|20

Day 5: Biceps & Triceps (5/31/2008)

• French curls (SS1): 70 x 15|15|15|15


• Skullcrushers (SS1): 80 x 15|15|15|10


• Tricep pushdowns (SS2): 100 x 15|15|15


• Alternating DB curls (SS2): 25 x 15|15|15


• Preacher curl (SS3): 50 x 10, 40 x 10, 30 x 20|15


• Overhead tricep extension (SS3): 100 x 20, 110 x 20, 120 x 14|20


• Back dip (SS4): Bodyweight x 20|20


• Concentration curls (SS4): 20 x 20|20

After the first week...

I haven't been posting as much lately, mostly because between work at IBM and this new crazy gym schedule, I haven't had the time or the energy to do continual blogging of this experience. That's not to say that I don't want the information up there. I absolutely do.

I think, though, that since the workout regime is exactly the same every week, I'll post the whole week in one shot. I need to make some comments about what I think of this new style of training.

Oh, and I ended up not hiring Mark as a trainer. Too flaky. He kept canceling appointments at the last minute, and that just wasn't working. So, I ended up going with a guy named Dave Patellaro. Good guy, who will hence be known as TrainerDave™. (He also goes by his trainer persona, Mr. Impact, but I just can't bring myself to call him that. A little bit of me dies inside each time I see that at the end of a text message.)

The diet...is killer. That is turning out to be my biggest challenge.

The workouts...well....here's the past week.
Oh, and each day also includes 45 minutes of cardio in the morning, and 30 more minutes of cardio after lifting.

Day 1: Chest and Triceps (5/19/2008)

• High cable cross: 70 x 15|15|12|10


• Incline bench: 135 x 12|8|6


• Flat DB press: 60 x 4|6|5


• Dips: 3|3|4


• Push-ups: 15|8|6


• Lateral raise (DB): 15 x 20|20|15


• Front lift: 40 x 20|15|15

Day 2: Back, Delts, & Biceps (5/20/2008)

• Pullups: 0 x 3, 100 x 10, 90 x 6|4


• BB row: 135 x 12|12|12|8


• Pulldowns: 90 x 10, 105 x 8, 90 x 10|10


• Cable rows: 100 x 15|12|15|15


• Reverse pec deck: 70 x 10, 50 x 15|15|15


• Shrugs: 180 x 18|15, 90 x 20|20


• High cable curl: 45 x 20, 60 x 15|20, 75 x 18

Day 3: Legs (5/21/2008)

• Squats: 135 x 15, 205 x 15, 225 x 10


• Leg curl: 135 x 20|20|20|20


• Leg extension: 60 x 20|20|20|20


• Stiff leg deadlift: 115 x 15|15|15|15


• Standing calf raises (SS): 100 x 30|30|30|30


• Seated calf raises (SS): 50 x 30|30|30|30

Day 4: Upper chest & shoulders (5/22/2008)

• High incline BB press: 90 x 15|15|15|15


• Military press: 90 x 15|15|15|15


• Side DB raises: 15 x 20|20|20|20


• Front raises: 40 x 20|20|20|20


• Rear delt rows: 90 x 20|20|20|20


• Upright cable pulls: 40|50|60|70 x 20


• Shrugs: 140 x 15|15|15|15

Day 5: Biceps & Triceps (5/23/2008)

• French curls (SS1): 60 x 15|15|15|15


• Skullcrushers (SS1): 70 x 15|15|15|15


• Tricep pushdowns (SS2): 80|90|100 x 15


• Alternating DB curls (SS2): 30 x 15|15|15


• Preacher curl (SS3): 50 x 20, 40 x 15|8


• Overhead tricep extension (SS3): 100 x 20|20|20|20


• Back dip (SS4): Bodyweight x 19|16


• Concentration curls (SS4): 30 x 16|8

Day 6: OFF

And that's the 6-day cycle that will keep repeating. I need to ask TrainerDave™ whether I can relax the diet on the days off just a bit. I really do think that having some real food once per week will help maintain my sanity and push me to keep on track during the workout days.

Like™, Ugh....California arrival

I'm finally, like™, in California. This is, if you didn't already know, the land of militant body fascism. It's difficult not to think about body type here, since clothing is far more scarce, and everyone seems to be focused on physical appearance. (I know that everyone is, everywhere. It just seems so unapologetic here.)

I haven't worked out since leaving Ann Arbor, and the week of driving across the country takes a toll on the body. I've been aching in places I've never ached before. Most notably, I think that holding my back in a strange position for so long put strain on some of the musculature surrounding my larynx and in the general scalene region. It took a while to get over, assisted by plenty of anti-inflammatory OTCs. I love Motrin IB.

I need to find a new rolfer...and fast.

Yesterday, I sought out and joined the Gold's Gym that is closest to my current living situation in South San Jose. For anyone interested, it's at 121 Bernal Road, San Jose. My god, this place is massive. It's like Six Flags Great American Gold's Gym Adventure. It is funny, though, and says a bit about the culture and clientèle, that they have more equipment than an entire Olympic village, but no sauna, hot tub, or even private showers.

Oh...and the people working out are, on average, much larger than the people at the Gold's in Ann Arbor. This is a hard-core place.

Since I want to make some major changes over the summer, I decided to bite the bullet and hire a trainer for my time out here. I haven't trained with anyone since Mike Stack in the summer of 2003, so it's about time. I've mostly been following a loose powerlifting regimen, looking to increase strength. Over the summer, I'd like to transition more to a bodybuilding style of working out, and learn from someone experienced how to work on definition and a leaner body.

When I signed up at the gym, the woman behind the counter showed me a book of the trainers associated with the gym. Unlike the Gold's at home, where the trainers are employees of the gym itself, all of the SSJ trainers are independents. I was told that they never recommend any one trainer over another, but the nice woman flipped to a particular page and said, "Of course, I'm showing no favoritism, but given what you want to achieve, this is the trainer for you." Huge guy, current competitive bodybuilder, former San Francisco 49ers player. Sounds like a deal. His name is Mark, and we'll see how this turns out. We've played phone tag a bit, and chatted for a moment. Turns out he is prepping for a bodybuilding show in three weeks, and might not be able to start training until after that. I don't think I can wait that long to start anything at all. I suggested that we meet and talk about what I'm looking for, and if he can't meet for three weeks, just tell me what he'd like me to be doing and focusing on for that time to prepare for two solid months of kick-ass and grueling work. I haven't heard back from him on that yet.

I feel like the last two weeks, workout-wise, have just been completely lost. There's nothing I can do about it, though, so I'll keep the lamentation short. When I start at IBM next week, I think my life will fall into a much more manageable routine.

I have found some bike trails around my place, including one that follows the reservoirs from south to downtown San Jose. I'll definitely be exploring that, as soon as I find the right sunscreen for my shiny, bald head.

That's pretty much it for now. I hope the workouts with trainer Mark come about. He seems ideally suited to my summer goals.

More to come on the great California adventure.

Chest

Tonight was the last workout at Gold's Ann Arbor before heading out for the summer in California. A friend commented today that I'm crazy for actually making gym time on the night before I leave. I dunno...I love chest days, and I figure that if I don't make the gym a priority all the time, I'll slide into making it a priority none of the time.

Good workout tonight. Afterward, Matt and I went for a good protein-filled dinner at Mongolian BBQ. As a birthday/going-away gift, the manager (who is also a new buddy) comped the entire meal. NICE!!

Without further ado...tonight's numbers:

Monday, April 28, 2008 - Chest

Exercise	Cory	Matt
DB flat press	90 x 10 x (L/R) : 90 x 7 x (L/R)	60 x 10 x (L/R) x 2
DB incline press	80 x 9 x (L/R) : 65 x 3 x (L/R)	60 x 10 x (L/R) x 2
Decline bench	225 x 9 : 225 x 7	155 x 10 x 2
Cable cross	40 x 20 x (L/R) : 42.5 x 15 x (L/R)	40 x 10 x (L/R) : 42.5 x 10 x (L/R)
Iso decline press	180 x 15 : 230 x 15	180 x 10 : 230 x 5
Pec deck	130 x 10 : 150 x 10	130 x 10 : 150 x 10
Incline fly	50 x 12 x (L/R) x 2	45 x 10 x (L/R) x 2
TOTAL	22,715	17,100

Back

Just in time before leaving, my replacement weight belt came from EliteFTS. This one fits MUCH better (XL instead of L). Before the fit put the prongs into the last two sets of holes, and a very short overhang to leverage in getting the belt on and off. On the new one, the prongs hit the belt right in the middle of the punched holes, so I can grow or shrink in the waist and still be able to use it just fine. Still, it's a very hard belt and takes a lot of work getting unbuckled. I don't want to look like a complete tool in the gym. (Okay...no more than I probably look already.) So, I think I'll hold off until I get with a trainer in San Jose and see where things are - and get some advice from someone much more experienced.

So, here are the numbers for today:

Sunday, April 27, 2008 - Back

Exercise	Cory	Matt
BackExt (M) / Deadlift	200 x 15 x 2	185 x 12 x 2
Assisted WG pull-up	45 x 10 : 45 x 7 @ wt=230	85 x 12 x 2 @ wt=230
Seated cable pull	180 x 15 x 2	140 x 12 x 2
Bent-over barbell row	225 x 12 : 225 x 10	185 x 10 : 135 x 12
Lateral raise	80 x 12 : 85 x 10 (M)	20 x 12 x 2 (DB)
Posterior deltoid deck	115 x 10 : 115 x 5	115 x 10 x 2
RCStackSet	7.5 pounds	5 pounds
TOTAL	24,320	18,530

Arms

The countdown to leaving has begun. Soon, I'll be working out in a different gym (probably another Gold's, if they let me trasfer my membership.) Good arm day today.

The numbers:

Friday, April 25, 2008 - Arms

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Tricep pushdowns	80 x 15 : 87.5 x 20	72.5 x 12 x 2
Skullcrushers	135 x 10 x 2	70 x 10 x 2
Overhead tricep extension	72.5 x 15 : 80 x 10	72.5 x 10 x 2
Preacher curls (M)	160 x 10 : 165 x 9	110 x 12 x 2
DB bicep/hammer curls	35 x 10 x (b/h) x 2	30 x 10 x (b/h) x 2
Barbell bicep curl	60 x 12 x 2	65 x 10 x 2
Palm down wrist curl	45 x 20 x 2 (bar)	45 x 20 x 2 (bar)
Palm up wrist curl	45 x 20 x 2 (bar)	45 x 20 x 2 (bar)
Tricep pushdowns II	87.5 x 15 x 2	65 x 12 x 2
Preacher curls II	110 x 10 x 2	115 x 6 : 115 x 10
TOTAL	23,287.5	18,040

Chest

Good chest day, at least in that the numbers continually go up little by little.

Today's numbers:

Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - Chest

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Flat bench	185 x 10 : 225 x 5	155 x 10 x 2
Decline DB press	60 x 12 x (L/R) : 60 x 15 x (L/R)	60 x 10 x (L/R) x 2
Incline DB press	60 x 12 x (L/R) x 2	60 x 10 x (L/R) x 2
Cable cross	35 x 15 x (L/R) x 2	35 x 10 x (L/R) x 2
Decline bench	135 x 12 : 135 x 15	135 x 10 : 135 x 7
Incline fly	45 x 12 x (L/R) x2	45 x 10 x (L/R) : 45 x 5 x (L/R)
TOTAL	17,000	12,945

Back

After the last back day, and wondering about the weight belt issue, I suddenly developed something of a mental block against doing things like GoodMornings and serious squats until I get a decent belt. The belt I ordered from EliteFTS came, and it was amazing. Unfortunately, it was too small. Given the sizing chart on their website, I was just on the border between L and XL. Being foolishly optimistic, and not knowing how to make the decision correctly, I went for the L. This is a serious weight belt made of industrial hard rubber tread, covered with stiff leather. I could get it on, but started freaking out when I couldn't remove it after 20 minutes. Too stiff, prongs too long, rubber too inflexible, not enough overhang to get some good pull. I calmed down and did finally get it unbuckled; however, I had no intention of repeating that drama in the gym. I sent it back for an exchange - XL this time. I hope it arrives before I leave town.

At any rate...here are tonight's numbers.

before a major injury tells me, "Oh...I should have been wearing a weight belt when I tried that!" I'll have to do some research on that one. I own a weight belt, but just never thought I needed it. I asked one of the head trainers at Gold's, and got an answer of, "I don't know, but it's a good question. I'll ask around and get back to you." That's the kind of response I like to hear, and gives me a lot of respect for the person delivering it.

At any rate, here are today's numbers:

Sunday, April 13, 2008 - Back

Exercise	Cory	Matt
BackExt (M) / Deadlift	150 x 15 x 2	205 x 8 : 205 x 10
Assisted WG pull-up	45 x 8 : 45 x 6 @ wt=230	85 x 10 : 85 x 7 @ wt=230
Seated cable pull	240 x 10 : 140 x 20	160 x 10 x 2
Bent-over barbell row	135 x 15 x 2	135 x 12 x 2
Lateral raise	70 x 12 : 80 x 12 (M)	20 x 20 x 2 (DB)
Posterior deltoid deck	115 x 12 x 2	115 x 12 : 115 x 5
RCStackSet	7.5 pounds	5 pounds
TOTAL	22,190	16,670

Tonight's Double Header - Legs AND Arms!

So, as is probably obvious from the previous posts (or lack thereof), Matt and I missed legs on Wednesday. I think he had an exam, and he was too sleep-deprived on Thursday. So, we decided to go for the gold and have the Friday night combo. I'm sure we'll know in a day or two whether this was a folly-ridden decision.

By the end, I was pretty exhausted (in a good way), and felt like my arms were going to explode (in that REALLY good way).

As a side note, my gym is undergoing some changes, and I can say with certainty that I'm not a fan. The owners are opening a second gym in the neighboring town, and instead of having the financing completely in place, they seem to be cannibalizing the gym equipment from Ann Arbor (location I) and shifting it to Saline (location II). Every day, it seems that more equipment is gone. People are starting to have to wait extended periods for flat benches, ellipticals, and pretty much everything else. Really, it's become like "Gold's Montana - The Gym of Wide, Open Spaces." Seriously, you have to go on safari just to find clips for the free weights.

I wonder if there will be anything left when I get back in September. Hell...I wonder if there will be anything left by the end of the month.

The locker rooms are closed over the weekend for "repainting and maintenance." I hope that means "getting rid of the mold in the showers." Yuck. How hard is it to make spraying the showers and curtains with anti-mildew spray as part of closing duties?

Anyway - enough bitching. Here are tonight's numbers.

Friday, April 11, 2008 - Arms and Legs

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Tricep pushdowns	65 x 15 : 80 x 12	65 x 10 : 72.5 x 10
Skullcrushers	115 x 12 x 2	70 x 10 : 70 x 12
Overhead tricep extension	72.5 x 15 x 2	72.5 x 10 x 2
Preacher curls (M)	160 x 10 x 2	110 x 12 : 130 x 9
DB bicep/hammer curls	35 x 10 x (b/h) x 2	32.5 x 10 x (b/h) : 35 x 10 x b : 27.5 x 6 x h
Barbell bicep curl		60 x 12 x 2
Palm down wrist curl	45 x 20 x 2 (bar)	45 x 20 x 2 (bar)
Palm up wrist curl	45 x 20 x 2 (bar)	45 x 20 x 2 (bar)
Tricep pushdowns II	80 x 15 : 80 x 20	72.5 x 10 : 80 x 5
Preacher curls II	100 x 15 x 2	125 x 9 : 110 x 9
Torso rotation	150 x 20 x (L/R) x 2
Leg press	530 x 10 x 2	530 x 10 x 2
Leg extensions	190 x 12 x 2	190 x 10 x 2
Hamstring curl	190 x 10 x 2	190 x 10 x 2
Seated calf raise	180 x 10 : 180 x 5
Glute kickbacks	180 x 10 x (L/R) x 2
Hip abduction	250 x 20 x 2
Hip adduction	250 x 20 x 2
TOTAL	83,130	35,665

Chest

Okay night tonight. Nothing exciting. Tonight's numbers...

Monday, April 7, 2008 - Chest

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Flat bench	185 x 10 : 225 x 5	155 x 9 : 135 x 10
Decline DB press	60 x 15 x (L/R) : 60 x 12 x (L/R)	60 x 10 x (L/R) x 2
Incline DB press	60 x 12 x 2 x (L/R)	60 x 9 x 2 x (L/R)
Cable cross	37.5 x 12 x (L/R) x 2	32.5 x 12 x (L/R) : 37.5 x 10 x (L/R)
Decline bench	135 x 15 : 155 x 10	135 x 10 : 135 x 6
Incline fly	45 x 15 x (L/R) : 45 x 12 x (L/R)	45 x 10 x (L/R) : 45 x 7 x (L/R)
TOTAL	16,900	12,525

Arms

Another good workout day. I like this technique of focusing on one muscle group and exhausting it through multiple exercises, then moving on to another muscle. It seems to have more impact.

Here are tonight's numbers:

Friday, April 4, 2008 - Arms

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Tricep pushdowns	65 x 15 x 2	65 x 10 x 2
Skullcrushers	100 x 12 : 100 x 15	70 x 10 x 2
Overhead tricep extension	65 x 15 x 2	65 x 10 x 2
Preacher curls (M)	155 x 12 x 2	125 x 10 x 2
DB bicep/hammer curls	35 x 10 x (b/h) : 30 x 10 x (b/h)	35 x 10(b) : 27.5 x 10(b) : 25 x 10(h) : 20 x 6(h)
Barbell bicep curl	70 x 10 x 2	65 x 10 : 65 x 8
Palm down wrist curl	20 x 10 x (L/R) x 2	45 x 30 (DB) : 25 x 45 (bar)
Palm up wrist curl	20 x 15 x (L/R) x 2	45 x 30 (DB) : 25 x 45 (bar)
Tricep pushdowns II	65 x 20 : 80 x 15	65 x 5 : 80 x 5
Preacher curls II	110 x 15 x 2	10 x 9 : 110 x 6
Torso rotation	150 x 20 x (L/R) x 2	190 x 12 x (L/R) x 2
Abdominal crunches	60 x 10 x 5 (MTS)	25 x 10 x 2 (Jackknife)
TOTAL	36,120	26,605

Legs

Big workout tonight, which was a good thing. After recovering from the other night's mistake with doing too many abdominal crunches and then getting a muscle spasm through the entire rectus abdominus, you would think that I had learned my lesson. But no...I did it again tonight. Grrrr...

Been reading (bit surprise there) a bit about structuring sets to not do too many during warm up, and only doing a few to work up to near max weights. Thought I might try that tonight, but think that there is a bit more reading and planning to be done before integrating it.

On the note of integrating new things, tonight was the first time EVER that I did lunges. Strangely, I had been thinking earlier in the day that I might like to try them. I ultimately didn't, since I was looking forward to squats and leg presses. Matt, though, said he just wasn't up for squatting (both he and I have had some lower back spasms and general discomfort. He thinks that he might have a compressed disk. I'm sure that mine is simply an imbalance between stabilizing muscles in the lower back and abdominal region). So, he suggested lunges, and I figured that the universe was telling me that the time had come to try them out. DAMN...those are difficult. Moreso the balancing than the weight. Doing two sets of 10 at low weight tuckered me out almost as much as a round of heavy squatting. We'll see for how many days I stay sore.

At any rate...here's the workout and the numbers.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008 - Legs

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Lunges (barbell)	65 x 10 x (L/R) x 2	65 x 10 x (L/R) x 2
Leg press	530 x 4 : 800 x 7 : 980 x 1 : 890 x 8	530 x 10 : 620 x 9
Leg extensions	190 x 12 x 2	190 x 10 x 2
Hamstring curl	190 x 10 x 2	190 x 10 x 2
Seated calf raise	180 x 15 : 180 x 20	180 x 10 : 180 x 14
Glute kickbacks	160 x 10 x (L/R) : 180 x 10 x (L/R)	Skipped
Hip abduction	250 x 16 x 2	210 x 10 x 2
Hip adduction	260 x 16 x 2	190 x 12 x 2
Abdominal crunches	100 x 25 x 2
Torso rotation	150 x 20 x (L/R) x 2
TOTAL	72,880	34,160

Chest

The theme for tonight seemed to be s-l-o-w. I was talking to powerlifter buddy Dominic, who said that every once in a while, he spends three months slowing everything down (which, of course, means dropping the weights and working back up). He suggested, when doing it seriously, a cadence of 10 seconds down, 2 seconds rest, 10 seconds up, 2 seconds rest. This minimizes any advantages to the lift you would gain through momentum, inertia, or bouncing. The lift is ALL YOU. I slowed things down for almost all of the lifts tonight, using a 5:2:5:2 cadence. WOW... I don't know if I'm up for the next three months of doing it, but it certainly was an experience that I'll throw in regularly from now on.

Also started adding back in some small amounts of abdominal work at the end of the workout. I haven't been doing Pilates for a while, and have let the ab work slide tremendously. I can tell, too, and think that the lack of natural tension and strength in the abs and core may be contributing to a bit of fatigue and pain in my lower back.

And as a follow up, I posed the "Should I be using a weight belt" question to two experienced lifting friends. One gave me a non-answer. The other looked at what I've been doing and said, "yes...you should be using a belt." That was more helpful. I ordered a belt from Elite Fitness Systems, on his recommendation. It should get here relatively soon. I'll post about what I think of it, and whether I think it makes a difference.

So, here are tonight's numbers:

Tuesday, April 1, 2008 - Chest

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Flat bench	185 x 10 : 135 x 10	155 x 10 : 135 x 10
Decline DB press	55 x 15 x (L/R) : 55 x 12 x (L/R)	55 x 12 x (L/R) : 55 x 10 x (L/R)
Incline DB press	55 x 15 x 2 x (L/R)	55 x 12 x 2 x (L/R)
Cable cross	35 x 12 x 2 x (L/R)	35 x 12 x (L/R) : 35 x 10 x (L/R)
Decline bench	135 x 10 x 2	135 x 6 x 2
Incline fly	40 x 9 x 2 x (L/R)	40 x 10 x (L/R) : 40 x 6 x (L/R)
Torso rotation	150 x 15 x 2 x (L/R)
Abdominal crunches	100 x 20 x 2
TOTAL	31,290	12,400

Back

Wow...we haven't had a real back day in a while, and I could totally feel it. The weights are down on several exercises, so I need to build back up. I think that Matt could feel it too.

I still haven't hit my upper limit on the GoodMornings. I did a second set of 5 at 315 pounds. I could have kept going without a problem, but realized that I had set the rack one notch too high, and I didn't want to get to failure and not be able to re-rack the bar. This led me to wonder, though - at what point should I start using a weight belt? I've never used one before, and I suspect that I should start using one before a major injury tells me, "Oh...I should have been wearing a weight belt when I tried that!" I'll have to do some research on that one. I own a weight belt, but just never thought I needed it. I asked one of the head trainers at Gold's, and got an answer of, "I don't know, but it's a good question. I'll ask around and get back to you." That's the kind of response I like to hear, and gives me a lot of respect for the person delivering it.

At any rate, here are today's numbers:

Sunday, March 30, 2008 - Back

Exercise	Cory	Matt
DL/GM	225 x 10 : 315 x 5	225 x 5 x 3
Assisted WG pull-up	60 x 10 : 45 x 8 @ wt=230	90 x 10 : 85 x 9 @ wt=230
Seated cable pull	240 x 10 : 120 x 30	160 x 7 : 140 x 3 : 140 x 10
Bent-over barbell row	155 x 10 : 225 x 10	155 x 10 x 2
Lateral raise	90 x 10 : 50 x 25 (M)	17.5 x 12 x 2 (DB)
Posterior deltoid deck	145 x 10 : 85 x 14	130 x 5 : 115 x 5 : 115 x 7
RCStackSet	7.5 pounds	5 pounds
TOTAL	22,585	16,460

Arms

New routine, since we've had the old one for a while and a changeup is in order. After doing more reading on Bodybuilding.com, I found some advice about doing several exercises in a row that target the same muscle, and performing them until you've really fatigued and shredded the muscle to failure. Moving from large muscles to small muscles that would be triceps, then biceps, then forearms. I decided to throw a twist in there just to make sure we were tired at the end: return to a few more failure sets of triceps and biceps after finishing the forearms/wrist curls.

On another note, today I tried the smaller, tabletop-type wrist/forearm isolation machine, which seemed to provide a lot more isolation and stability than palm-down wrist curls with the barbell. For the barbell type, I found that it's impossible for me not to move my arms as they rest over my legs, which act as a fulcrum. I'm sure I'll know by tomorrow if it was more effective.

Without further ado, here are today's numbers:

Saturday, March 29, 2008 - Arms

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Tricep pushdowns	65 x 15 : 65 x 12	72.5 x 12 : 65 x 12
Skullcrushers	90 x 15 : 90 x 18	70 x 12 : 70 x 18
Overhead tricep extension	65 x 12 x 2	57.5 x 11 : 65 x 9
Preacher curls (M)	150 x 10 : 150 x 12	125 x 10 x 2
DB bicep/hammer curls	30 x 10 x 2 x (b/h)	27.5 x 10 x (b/h) : 25 x 10 x (b/h)
Barbell bicep curl	70 x 10 x 2	60x 10 : hurt wrist
Palm down wrist curl	20 x 10 x (L/R) : 10 x 25 x (L/R)	hurt wrist
Palm up wrist curl	30 x 15 x 2 x (L/R)	hurt wrist
Tricep pushdowns II	35 x 20 : 65 x 15	65 x 10 x 2
Preacher curls II	95 x 15 : 95 x 10	110 x 10 : 110 x 4
TOTAL	18,935	12,027.5

Legs

Wow....grueling leg day, but I loved it. This is going to hurt for days (but in the good way.) I've noticed (*knock on wood*) that my knee problem (patello femoral syndrome) has subsided. Perhaps the prescription strength naproxen worked!

Today's numbers:

Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - Legs

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Squats (Smith)	275 x 10 : 315 x 10	185 x 10 : 225 x 10
Leg press	630 x 10 : 720 x 10	450 x 10 : 540 x 10
Leg extensions	170 x 10 : 190 x 10	230 x 10 : 230 x 9
Hamstring curl	135 x 10 : 140 x 10	190 x 10 : 170 x 10
Seated calf raise	135 x 15 x 2 (cramp)	135 x 25 : 135 x 22
Glute kickbacks	140 x 10 x (L/R) : 160 x 10 x (L/R)	140 x 10 x 2 x (L/R)
Hip abduction	220 x 10 : 240 x 10	215 x 10 : 240 x 10
Hip adduction	220 x 10 : 240 x 10	220 x 10 : 240 x 10
TOTAL	45,000	42,065

Chest

Nothing major to report today. Just another chest day (which I really do like a lot.) Only thing of note was that we both must have been a bit tired, since we dropped down several pounds on most of the dumbbell work. Don't know why it is, but the steam simply wasn't there tonight.

The numbers:

Monday, March 24, 2008 - Chest

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Decline bench	225 x 10 : 225 x 7	155 x 10 x 2
Flat fly	55 x 10 x (L/R) : 45 x 10 x (L/R)	40 x 10 x 2 x (L/R)
Incline DB press	70 x 10 x (L/R) : 70 x 7 x (L/R)	55 x 10 x 2 x (L/R)
Decline press	230 x 10 : 250 x 10	230 x 10 x 2
Pec deck	205 x 10 x 2	205 x 9 : 190 x 8
Incline fly	40 x 10 x 2	40 x 10 x 2
TOTAL	18,705	16,465

Back

BAD day today. Matt wasn't able to make it, so I was on my own. I didn't feel very motivated anyway, and it showed in the lifts. Just hit a wall and decided to stop before I pushed myself into hurting something. Am I over-training, or are these setbacks just remnants of the various illnesses that have been plaguing everyone around here (including me)?

Today's sad numbers:

Sunday, March 23, 2008 - Back

Exercise	Cory
Assisted WG pull-up	70 x 10 : 55 x 10 @ wt=230
Seated cable pull	200 x 10 : 240 x 9
Lateral raise	90 x 10 x 2
Posterior delt deck	175 x 4 : 145 x 6 : 145 x 5
TOTAL	11,935

Arms

No Matt today. Exam or something like that.

I added something back into the routine that I hadn't done for a while - the famous Mike Stack Rotator Cuff Prehab/Rehab Superset. This is a killer, but it' amazing at strengthening the rotator cuff. From now on in this blog, it will be referred to as the RCStackSet. It consists of the following, all done without rest between sets, and done by holding plates in both hands. Also, be careful not to bring the arms above parallel while doing the raises, as this will then move from working the rotator cuff to activating the deltoid.

• 10-15 arm raises to parallel in front of body, thumbs pointing up


• 10-15 arm raises to parallel in front of body, thumbs pointing down


• 10-15 arm raises to parallel at 45º, thumbs pointing up


• 10-15 arm raises to parallel at 45º, thumbs pointing down


• 10-15 arm raises to parallel at 90º, thumbs pointing up


• 10-15 arm raises to parallel at 90º, thumbs pointing down


• 10-15 reps holding arms parallel to floor, out to sides, and bring in to front of chest and back out


• 10-15 reps upper arm parallel to floor, elbows bent 90º, and rotate arms forward until entire arm is parallel with floor, then rotate back up.


• ABC's - left and right arms (more easily done one arm at a time): Hold the plate, and extend arm in front of sternum. Trace the entire alphabet in the air.

Today's numbers:

Friday, March 21, 2008 - Arms

Exercise	Cory
Skullcrushers	90 x 12 x 2
Preacher curl	140 x 10 : 150 x 8
Overhead tricep extension	50 x 12 : 70 x 12
DB bicep curl	35 x 10 x (L/R) : 40 x 5 x (L/R)
DB hammer curl	35 x 10 x (L/R) : 40 x 5 x (L/R)
Barbell wrist curl palms down	45 x 10 x 2
Barbell wrist curl palms up	45 x 15 x 2
RCStackSet	10's @ 5 lb plates
TOTAL	11,710

Legs

No Matt today. The flu caught up with him, so he'll be out for a while.

Today's numbers:

Wednesday, March 12, 2008 - Legs

Exercise	Cory
Squat (Smith)	225 x 10 : 275 x 5
Leg press	540 x 10 : 630 x 10
Leg extension	230 x 10 : 170 x 15
One-leg hamstring curl	120 x 10 x (L/R) : 120 x 7 x (L/R)
Seated calf raise	230 x 10 x 2
Hip abduction	240 x 10 x 2
Hip adduction	240 x 10 : 240 x 7
Glute kickbacks	130 x 10 x 2 x (L/R)
TOTAL	42,935

Checking in....with VISUALS!!

It's been a little bit more than 4 months (maybe 4.5) since Matt and I started lifting regularly. I put the start date at October 22 or 23. As I mentioned about a month ago, I decided to go for more of a "bulking" regimen - eating more calories (especially protein) and pushing up the weights I've been lifting. Next up is cutting back to lose body fat.

But, I got the urge today to see if I've made any progress at all. I'll just put up the comparison pictures (as humiliating as the "before" pictures may be), and let readers be the judge of whether there has been a change. There are four sets of pictures: front, back, right side, left side. The first set was taken on October 23, 2007. The second set was taken today, March 11, 2008.

Chest

Today's numbers:

Monday, March 10, 2008 - Chest

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Decline bench	185 x 10 : 225 x 5	135 x 10 x 2
Flat fly	50 x 12 x (L/R) : 55 x 12 x (L/R)	35 x 12 x (L/R) : 409 x 12 x (L/R)
Incline DB press	70 x 12 x (L/R) : 60 x 10 x (L/R)	60 x 10 x (L/R) : 60 x 9 x (L/R)
Decline press	230 x 12 : 250 x 12	200 x 12 : 230 x 7
Pec deck	220 x 10 : 225 x 5	175 x 12 : 190 x 12
Incline fly	55 x 10 x 2	45 x 12 : 45 x 6
TOTAL	19,660	16,990

Legs ... and a guest

Today was a lot of fun. I had one of my Up With People friends, Aaron (who was my cast's dance captain), visiting from Colorado Springs, CO. Aaron was up for joining Matt and me in our leg workout, so that was a good time.

Here are the numbers for the day:

Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - Legs

Exercise	Cory	Matt	Aaron
Squats (Smith)	185 x 10 : 225 x 10	185 x 8 : 135 x 11	135 x 10 : 185 x 10
Leg press	450 x 10 : 540 x 10	450 x 10 x 2	270 x 10 : 360 x 10
One-leg hamstring curl	100 x 10 x (L/R) : 110 x 10x (L/R)	110 x 10 x 2 x (L/R)	65 x 10 x 2 x (L/R)
Seated calf raise	180 x 10 : 225 x 15	180 x 10 : 180 x 14	90 x 11 : 90 x 10
Hip abduction	230 x 15 x 2	210 x 12	110 x 15 x 3
Hip adduction	230 x 15 x 2	230 x 12	150 x 15 x 3
TOTAL	37,175	25,965	25,690

Chest

Monday, February 24, 2008 - Chest

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Flat fly	50 x 8 : 45 x 10	32.5 x 9 : 30 x 11
Decline press	200 x 12 : 230 x 12	180 x 10 : 200 x 10
Incline fly	45 x 12 : 50 x 8	40 x 10 x 2
Decline bench	185 x 10 : 185 x 7	155 x 10 : 135 x 10
Incline DB press	65 x 8 : 65 x 10	55 x 10

Back

Sunday, February 24, 2008 - Back

Exercise	Cory	Matt
DL (Matt) / GM (Cory)	185 x 10 : 205 x 10	135 x 10 : 185 x 9
Assisted WG pullup	70 x 10 : 55 x 6	100 x 10 x 2
Bent over barbell row	135 x 10 x 2	135 x 10 x 2
Flat bench DB row	85 x 10 : 90 x 10	60 x 10 x 2
Front shrug (rack)	180 x 10 x 2	180 x 10 x 2

Chest

Of course, trying something new. I've been reading Building the Perfect Beast...Naturally by Author L. Rea and Eric R. Broser. It looks like a good, steroid-free but effective and intense program. The first part of the process, though, is to find out the one repetition maximum (1RM) for each of the major muscle groups. This is done by choosing a weight that you can lift 10 times or less in a reasonably isolated exercise. There are several regression models that will calculate your 1RM based on the weight and reps. To see what kind of variance in calculation techniques are out there, the Online 1RM Calculator is maintained by a French powerlifting group and documents at least 24 different calculation systems (all drawn from exercise and physiology literature, so we can assume that they are at least more resembling of science than religion.)

After calculating the 1RM for each muscle group, you can then go back to that muscle group and see how many times you can lift 85% of your 1RM until fatigue. The number of repetitions (within a range) will indicate the dominant muscle fiber type in that muscle group. Knowing this allows you to set appropriate weight and reps-to-failure goals in creating routines. Since the goal is to take the muscles to failure, and the greatest gains are achieved by microtearing the greatest number of fibers, it makes sense to choose the combinations that will hit the dominant fiber type.

Instead of including them in the daily workout lists, I'll save them up until we've gone through the list and made the calculations. Stay tuned!

Today's numbers:

Monday, February 18, 2008 - Chest

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Decline bench (F)	175 x 10 : 185 x 10	155 x 10 : 135 x 10
Incline DB press - 45º (F)	60 x 10 x 2	50 x 10 x 2
Flat fly	35 x 10 x 2	30 x 14 : 30 x 13
Incline fly - 60º (F)	40 x 15 : 40 x 10	30 x 15 : 30 x 13
Decline press (M)	180 x 12 x 2	180 x 11 : 180 x 9

Back

We decided to add back in some more fundamental form of "big" lift at the beginning of the workouts. Matt has been missing deadlifting. I haven't. So, I've started doing goodmornings (GM) while he warms up with some lighter deadlifts (DL) to get going.

Sunday, February 17, 2008 - Back

Exercise	Cory	Matt
DL (Matt) / GM (Cory)	95 x 10 : 135 x 10	135 x 10 x 2
Assisted wide grip pullup	85 x 10 x 2	85 x 8 x 2
Underhand bent barbell row	135 x 10 x 2	135 x 10 x 2
Flat bench DB row	85 x 10 x 2	85 x 10 x 2
Front shrug (rack)	230 x 10 x 2	230 x 10 : 230 x 7

To bulk or to cut? That is the question...

It comes as no surprise to anyone who has worked out (in any capacity) that there are three primary goals:

• Losing fat
• Building muscle
• Maintaining what you have

The first two, respectively, are cycles known to bodybuilders (BB) as "cutting" and "bulking".

So, I've been at a crossroads lately deciding in which direction I want to step up this journey. Thus far, it's mostly been focusing just on getting in to shape and lifting some things. Now, it's time to try something new.

In both bulking and cutting, strict control of the diet is paramount, though in different ways for each phase. There are a number of sources, mostly written by physicians who work with bodybuilders, that suggest that diet and nutrition can put the body into a hyper-anabolic state. The effect is similar to using synthetic anabolic steroids, but arguably much healthier, and since the body is producing things naturally through its own processes, completely without the negative social stigma steroid use garners.

For the bulking, the body gains a significant amount of muscle mass over a relatively short time period. The unfortunate accompaniment to the muscle gain is that the body also packs on adipose tissue (fat). This is where the cutting comes in. Cutting, done right, takes off a LOT of fat and just a bit of the muscle. Most BBs engage in alternating 10-12 week periods of bulking and cutting, and after a while it just becomes part of the rhythm (usually scheduled around a cutting cycle leading up to a competition, for those that compete.)

But, where to start when starting out and approaching cycles for the first time? If I bulk, I'll probably pack on a LOT of weight (on top of what I already have). As vain as it sounds, I just bought new jeans, and want to be able to wear something besides sweat pants as I balloon up like Violet Beauregard, relentlessly chomping on her blueberry gum. If I cut first, I risk losing the muscle that I've built up to this point, and I don't know that I want to face that. I don't want to lose motivation (which I don't think will happen...but there could be disappointment.)

Another detail, and not an inconsequential one, is that I LOVE food. Not just like. Not just enjoy eating. I LOVE FOOD. Bulking, as I understand it, is a joyous and Bacchanalian experience (within reason) being able to eat a lot (at least 1 gram of proteinn for every pound of body weight over the day...2-3 grams if working really hard and using supplements that increase protein synthesis). Cutting, on the other hand, is 10-12 weeks of highly restricted intake, and being hungry and cranky ALL the time. Not fun. And even though constant fun isn't something I require, and I can sacrifice to achieve goals...maybe I want to have an enjoyable experience before I start something that difficult.

I think, in the end, the decision is coming down on the side of "to bulk". That will leave me in the cutting and fat loss during the summer, when I may want to go swimming or something. Better cranky and cut than perky and puffy.

So, the answer to the question, for now, is "to bulk". More details on the experience, doubtless, will follow.

Cardio/Abs

The HIIT wasn't so bad tonight. I didn't want to die, though I won't say that it was pleasant yet.

At any rate. Tonight...

• HIIT
  • 5 minutes warm up
  • 10 cycles of 45s max / 75s recovery
  • 5 minutes cool-down


• Straight-leg Captain's chair: 10 x 3


• Machine crunches: 55 x 15 x 3


• Just too tired to do Roman Chair - time to call it quits tonight.

Chest

Main thing to note about the workout tonight is that Matt pointed out that he thinks we're doing too much shoulder work on different days. We had discussed before that we would split shoulders over back and chest days, but it's crept into more of the workouts, and he's beginning to feel burned out on shoulders. I'm not to that burned point yet, but I'm probably not far behind. As a result, we're going to consolidate the shoulder work onto chest days. That will make for a bit longer workout, I think, since I don't want to cut back on chest work for the sake of shoulders. We'll see how it turns out in practice.

Tonight's numbers:

Monday, January 21, 2008 - Chest

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Decline bench (F)	155 x 10 x 2 : 185 x 10	155 x 10 x 2 : 135 x 10
Incline DB press - 45º (F)	60 x 10 x 3	55 x 10 : 55 x 9 : 55 x 5
Flat flyes	30 x 10 x 2 : 35 x 10	30 x 12 : 27.5 x 10 : 30 x 10
Decline press (M)	180 x 12 x 3	180 x 10 x 2 : 140 x 6
Incline flyes - 60º (F)	35 x 12 x 3	35 x 10 x 2

Back

Today's back workout comes a day earlier than normal, due to tickets to the Detroit Auto Show tomorrow. One thing that we learned is that the day between arms and back is critical, since our arm fatigue is getting in the way of doing some of the back work (most noticeably the pull-ups). We had been ditching the deadlifting since it was a compound move that didn't seem to engage what we were wanting, but Matt says that he's missing it, so moving forward, we'll do some very light deadlifting as a warm-up set at the beginning. We didn't like doing the set of DB shrugs aimed at the middle back - too awkward and didn't seem to be hitting anything useful. We'll take those out in the future and replace them with the tried-and-true bent-over barbell rows.

Without further ado, today's numbers:

Saturday, January 19, 2008 - Back

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Wide assisted pull-up (M)	60 x 10 : 90 x 10 x 2	90 x 10 x 2 : 105 x 9
Close assisted pull-up (M)	105 x 10 x 3	105 x 10 x 3
Shoulder press (M)	90 x 10 x 2 : 50 x 10	50 x 12 x 3
Lateral raise (M)	90 x 10 x 2 : 50 x 10	50 x 10 x 3
Bent-over DB row (F)	60 x 10 : 100 x 10 x 2	45 x 12 x 2 : 50 x 10
Middle back DB shrug (F)	80 x 10	80 x 10
Rack shrug (F)	180 x 15 x 3	180 x 10 x 3

Arms

I really love arm days. It's where I probably have the most to gain, and when I leave the gym I feel like I definitely did something substantial. As with all of the other days, Matt and I are (to the extent possible) dropping the weights and concentrating on slow lifts, technique/form, and the full range of motion.

Tonight's numbers:

Friday, January 18, 2008 - Arms

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Skull crushers (F)	80 x 15 x 2 : 90 x 15	80 x 10 x 3
Bicep curl (M)	110 x 12 x 3	110 x 10 x 2 : 95 x 8
Triceps push-downs (M)	65 x 12 x 3	72 x 8 : 65 x 9 : 57.5 x 8
DB biceps curl (F)	30 x 10 x 3	30 x 20 x 2 : 27.5 x 10
DB hammer curl (F)	30 x 10 x 3	25 x 10 : 22.5 x 10 x 2
Barbell wrist curl - up (F)	45 x 10 x 3	45 x 10 x 3
Barbell wrist curl - down (F)	45 x 10 x 3	45 x 10 x 3
Lateral raise (M)	80 x 10 x 3	50 x 10 : 80 x 10 : 80 x 8

Cardio/Abs

I wanted to die by the time I was done. This interval training is going to either be killer good, or kill me flat out. I did twice as many interval iterations tonight and went for a full half hour. Oh. My. God.

At any rate. Tonight...

• HIIT
  • 5 minutes warm up
  • 10 cycles of 30s max / 90s recovery
  • 5 minutes cool-down


• Straight-leg Captain's chair: 10 x 3


• Roman chair: 45 x 12 x 3


• Machine crunches: 55 x 15 x 3

Legs

How exciting. Finally, a leg day that at the end felt like it was an accomplishment. Much more focus on glutes, and I'm anticipating some difficulty walking over the next day or two. Most exercises put me at or close to failure on the last rep, which tells me I'm sensing the right range for weights and reps.

I need to start thinking and planning around exercises and weights that will stimulate Type IIa, IIb, and IIc muscle fibers. As we get to the middle of the 12-week cycle, I'll start introducing that more.

Lifts for tonight...

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 - Legs

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Leg extension (M)	80 x 10 x 3 (single leg)	170 x 10 x 3
Standing hamstring curl (M)	100 x 10 x 2 : 100 x 8	100 x 10 x 3
Glute kickbacks (M)	30 x 10 x 3	30 x 10 x 3
Leg Press** (F)	440 x 10 x 3	440 x 10 x 3
Calf extension (M)	250 x 10 x 3	250 x 20 x 2 : 250 x 24 x 2
Hip abduction (M)	210 x 12 x 3	290 x 15 x 2
Hip adduction (M)	210 x 12 x 3	290 x 15 x 2

** For the leg press, we dropped the weight far below our normal numbers, and took the lifts very slow, and all the way down through the entire range of motion, bringing the knees all the way to the chest. MUCH harder.

Cardio/Abs

I've decided to take a different approach to my cardio training in order to burn more fat. I've been reading a number of books that espouse the benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT claims that while the workout itself primarily burns carbohydrates instead of fat, the technique is far superior in elevating metabolism and keeps fat burning far longer. Enough sources have claimed this, so I'll give it a fair shake. Plus, running for an hour at the same speed three times per week just gets boring. The plan I'm trying comes from Building the Perfect Beast...Naturally. I tried it out tonight and will be modifying slightly, adding more cycles. I'll still be doing cardio three times per week. Two will be HIIT for five minutes of warm up, twenty minutes of two-minute cycles, and five minutes of cool-down. The third day will be 40 minutes of low-medium intensity running. In addition to this, I'll be adding abdominal work for these days. The Pilates I've been doing are targeted toward the deep "core" abdominal muscles. The gym abdominal work will target the more superficial muscles. No...the irony is not lost on my that I'm working the superficial muscles for superficial reasons.

At any rate...here is tonight's workout.

• HIIT
  • 5 minutes warm up
  • 5 cycles of 30s max / 90s recovery
  • 5 minutes cool-down
  
  
• Machine crunches: 55 x 15 x 3 : 30 x 10


• Roman chair: 45 x 12 x 3


• Straight-leg Captain's chair: 10 x 2

Chest/Shoulders

Tonight's numbers:

Monday, January 14, 2008 - Chest/Shoulders

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Decline bench (F)	135 x 10 x 3	135 x 10 x 3
Incline DB - 45º (F)	55 x 10 x 3	55 x 10 x 2 : 55 x 6
Flat flyes (F)	30 x 10 x 3	30 x 10 x 3
Superset: Shoulder press (M)	75 x 10 x 2 : 75 x 4	70 x 10 x 3
Superset: Lateral raise (M)	75 x 10 x 3	70 x 10: 50 x 8 x 2
Incline flyes - 60º (F)	27.5 x 10: 35 x 10 x 2	27.5 x 10 x 3
Decline press (M)	180 x 10 x 2	180 x 10 : 90 x 10

Back/Shoulders

Tonight was back night, and we were in and out quickly. After the workout, Matt and I sat down (having a shake...gotta have SOME reward) and talked about our upcoming goals. I'm putting together workouts for the next 12 weeks. Some of the more recent workout are leaving me...well...I'm not sore the next day or two, which says to me that I'm not working hard enough. So, we articulated the following as aspects we would like to incorporate into the new routine.

• Stick with four days per week: Chest/Shoulders, Legs, Arms,
  Back/Shoulders
• For each body part, two strength days and two mass-building days per month
• For legs: more work on glutes, less on calves, and stay intense
• For back: keep things relatively the same, since this workout is working well for both of us, but add the Roman chair to strengthen lower back
• My arm workout from last week was GREAT, so we'll stick with that
• Split shoulder work between back day and chest day
• Shorten rest times between lifts. Aim for 45-60 seconds (except for big leg lifts, which just take more recovery time.)
• Try adding in clean-and-jerk. I'm not convinced of this one, and am afraid of it. I can just see the bar flying up into my face and knocking out all of my teeth.

When I get something put together, I'll put it up here (though likely as a link to a file download.)

Tonight's numbers:

Sunday, January 13, 2008 - Back/Shoulders

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Wide pulldown (M)	120 X 12 X 3	120 x 10 x 3
Close pulldown (M)	100 x 12 x 3	120 x 10 x 3
Wide barbell row (F)	135 x 12 x 3	135 X 12 x 2 : 135 x 10
Close DB row (F)	45 x 12 : 50 x 12 : 55 x 12	45 x 10 x 3
Shrug rack (F)	180 x 12 : 270 x 12 : 360 x 10	180 x 13 : 180 x 10 : 270 x 10

Legs

Tonight was definitely an "in and out" kind of night. I'm not so sure that I'm liking the super-fast visits to the gym, since I find that it's an environment that I enjoy. Plus, I'm not convinced that all of the limited (though superset) exercises are achieving the same kind of muscle fatigue and micro-tearing that I want. Matt and I are planning to sit down on Sunday after the back workout to plan the next 12 weeks of workouts with concrete goals.

Here's the leg workout tonight. No nausea and getting sick like last week. Besides the better nutrition, I attribute this to a two things (which I like). First, pre-fatiguing the muscles by putting the big lift (squat, in this cast) last. Second, Only including one big lift (i.e., only squat instead of squat AND leg press.) I'll probably experiment more with this in the future.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008 - Legs

Elliptical	6:59 / 1.0 miles
Single leg quad extension (M)	70 x 10 x 3
Single leg hamstring curl (M)	100 x 10 x 3
Calf extension (M)	210 x 20 x 3
Hack squats	140 x 10 : 280 x 10 : 100 x 25

Chest/Shoulders

Again, trying something new tonight. I found a chest and shoulder series on bodybuilding.com that focuses on supersetting. What Matt and I found is that this workout really hits the chest well (but we'll have to add in some more shoulder work), and gets us in and out of the gym in record time. We both said that we wouldn't want to do supersets every time and need some variation. We also want to see how we feel tomorrow and the next day to see if the chest is sore.

So, for tonight:

Monday, January 7, 2008 - Chest/Shoulders

Elliptical	3:58 / 0.5 miles
Superset #1: DB flat chest press (F)	65 x 6 x 3
Superset #1: Wide grip barbell row (F)	135 x 8 x 3
Superset #2: DB incline press (F)	55 x 8 x 3
Superset #2: DB chest fly (F)	30 x 10 x 3
Superset #3: Medium grip bench press (F)	115 x 10 x 3
Superset #3: External shoulder rotation (M)	25 x 10 x 3

Back

As part of our switching over to the "low and slow" lifting philosophy, Matt and I were in search of a new back routine. I've been feeling for a while that deadlifts are the least productive lift that I do. They don't really isolate much in the back. They fatigue you for doing any significant work after it. And...if you're not training to be a powerlifter (where it's one of the three required lifts), why do them?

I went searching for a better back routine. I looked through a number of the lifting books that I have, and then thought, "Hey...why not look at the training section on bodybuilding.com? I'm sure someone, probably many well-informed someones, have asked this question before and designed some good answers."

Right on. Bodybuilding.com was a gold mine. Out of the many links, I found Matt Weik's Back-Building 101 to be one of the most accessible. We did the first workout tonight, and wow...what a difference. Cutting down the weight, doing it slow, following the protocol - it'll tax the muscles well. By the end of five exercises, we were both more exhausted than we ever have been on a back day, and felt like we had hit the back itself more than we ever had before. I think I'm going do more exploring of the site to see what else I can find. There's a ton there.

So, for tonight:

Sunday, January 6, 2008 - Back

Elliptical	8:03 / 1.0 miles
Wide grip pulldowns (M)	120 x 12 : 120 x 12 : 120 x 8
Close grip pulldowns (M)	120 x 12 : 120 x 12 : 120 x 8
Wide grip barbell rows (F)	115 x 10 x 3
Close grip dumbbell rows (F)	50 x 10 x 3
Barbell shrugs (F)	145 x 12 : 145 x 10 : 145 x 12

Cardio/Pilates

Probably the best cardio day I've had in a long time. Without feeling like I was killing myself, today on the elliptical was:

65 minutes / 8.60 miles
note, for all cardio references, this is 60 minutes of focused cardio and 5 minutes of cool down that the elliptical program tacks on the end.

One of the measures I've taken as a general indicator of cardiovascular health is how quickly my heart rate can return to a relatively normal rate after exertion. Occasionally, I will stop for 60 seconds while running (usually at the 30 and 45 minute marks) to see how fast it will fall. In both cases today, it came down from approximately 154bpm to 116bpm in 60 seconds. That seems not too bad.

Another addition that I'm going to try with regularity is Pilates. The woman that I see for rolfing (which I recommend for everyone...seriously) is a seasoned Pilates instructor and introduced me to it. There seem to be an overwhelming number of books and DVDs on Pilates on the market. A trip to Amazon.com and searching on "Pilates" turns up 27,287 books and 757 DVDs. I decided to start with something that isn't too trendy and went with Classical Pilates Technique - The Complete Mat Workout Series. This is the mat workout taught by people who studied and trained directly under Joseph Pilates, the creator of the system. I like the DVD, and although the routines are relatively short in duration and move quickly, I think that it's likely the duration and intensity that Pilates intended. Most advanced strength athletes swear that you don't have to work out for HOURS in order to get the best results. I'm going to try Pilates in the mornings for a while to see how things go. I'm probably not going to list them on every day, but will comment when I move up a level, or if I learn something of note.