Solid Snake's Bodybuilding Quest

[SolidSnake84]

Well, I finally decided to write up a journal. I've been coming to this site for probably 4 or more years, and just signed up last year. My interest in bodybuilding probably began when I was a young kid watching guys like Arnold in the movies, and seeing how he was envied and idolized. When i turned 12 or 13, my dad stopped by a weightlifting store with me, and the man working there told me i was too young to buy a weight set, that kids' passions were changing and that i'd probably be into skiing next week. nonetheless, he gave me a lou ferrigno packet that was about 25 pages (and looked to be from about 1970). There began my quest...

I was really enthralled when reading it. Back during these days, the internet was really quite primitive and it was the only thing i had to go by. Lou recommended a "gain weight" and a "lose weight" diet, gave info on different vitamins, and gave 7 basic exercises to do, bench, bb curl, bent over rows, squat, calf raises, crunches, and mil presses. we didnt have any weights at the time but i was very active playing sports like basketball, baseball, track, and lacrosse.

At about age 15 i began working out at home. we had gotten a bench and barbell and around 100 lbs in plates. I was always a scrawny and small kid and was not even able to bench very much weight at all. usign what we had, i did bench presses, bent over rows, and abs...i always feared doing squats b/c i was misinformed and told they would limit my height growth.

throughout college, i lifted off and on at our gym, but never consecutively for more than 3 weeks-1 month. when i lifted there, i would do 5 days a week, mon-fri, different body parts everyday.
mon=chest
tues=arms
wed=shoulders
thurs=back
fri=legs

these workouts were grueling, consisting of about 3 sets of 7-8 diff exercises.

of course, chest day started out strong, i blasted my arms on tues, and then by wed, my arms would be spent and not all there for wed and thurs workout. and we never once got in a leg workout (worked with 2 other guys..not very dedicated). also around this time in college, i stumbled upon this website and have been addicted since. because of the demanding nature of my workout above, i never did follow through b/c classes would consume my time as would parties. i would typically do a 30-40 min cardio session on the bike as well as abs after every workout during college.

while i turned a blind eye to lifting as i struggled to finish papers and study for exams, in the back of my mind, i knew that i wanted to really get seriously into it before i exited my prime.

i graduated from college in may of this year. I was left with a bloated gut and high bodyfat % to show for all my nights of partying and coming home drunk and cramming pop tarts into my grill. beach time was coming up, and a renewed interest in lifting hit my mind, as often happens to many during the summer months. our old weight room was cluttered with storage, so i decided to just go run outside. as mentioned i used to run in high school, and was considered one of the faster people there. at a small-jointed 125 lbs in high school, i was quick as the wind. so anyway, i ran probably 3-4 x a week during may...anywhere from 2-6 miles at a time...sometimes incorporating sprints while i ran...but i never stopped until i finished the mile..no break in between.

i did this up until june when i decided to clean out all my parents junk out of the weight room and set it up. i began to do a full body (where are legs though!) workout consisting of...
bench press
bb curl
upright row
tricep extensions with db
mil press
bent over row
abs

this lasted up until i went to the beach at the end of june. when i came back, i had to get in shape for another beach trip at the end of july. this gave me 4 weeks...this is when i really found something i liked. i decided enough with curls, tricep extensions and weak movements designed to sculpt. i wanted to pack on some mass.

after looking into rippetoes and the squats and milk plan, i made my own routine. powerful compound movements (the big 3) with a few other exercises. since july, with 2 weeks off for the beach, i have been doing this.

bench press
squat
deadlift
mil press
bent over rows
abwork

aside from a set of pullovers and a set of bb curls, this is all i do. i lift it about 2x a week so i have plenty of time to recover..usually 3 days between. i have always been the healthy one in my family and i think i have a lot of willpower to stick to things i set my mind on. now with college done, i want to dedicate some time to myself and i wont have to worry about studying and all that crap. i have told my friends i wont be drinking very much at all, i dont eat sweets, and havent for the most part since june, my diet is fairly consistent.

i want this journal so i can keep track of everything im doing and to chart my progress officially to keep me motivated and to get everyone's input. i think if i put myself out there, i will keep going.

i have always dreamed of one day stepping on stage in the best shape of my life and competing in a bodybuilding competition. i have read arnold's encyclopedia of bb'ing, as well as probably a thousand different articles and a few other books on healthy living etc. i have become so obsessed with being healthy and wanting to get into shape, it really tends to consume most of my day...thinking about when to eat and what, getting answers to my many questions, forcing myself to get enough protein and cook my own meals and plan ahead...

it really is my hope to someday compete. right now i am obviously far off that path, but i've got a good start and a LOT of motivation. hell, i quit drinking and im 22...that says something in itself...ive been off the bottle for the most part since july.

my plan is to add a considerable amount of mass to my meager frame right now. i dont plan on doing any separate days for bodyparts or doing any isolation work for at least a few months. instead i want to focus on these big compounds and eating big to gain some muscle..now that summer is over. prior to summer, i did a ton of cardio as well as during summer, but im cutting back because it is ridiculously hard for me to put on any weight. i have never weighed more than 152 in my life, and never really been fat, although i do tend to get love handles when i eat too many carbs and drink too much.

here are some stats:
height: 5'7
weight: right now, ~145

it might sound like im small, and i am, but by lifting all these years on and off i have acquired at least somewhat a degree of strength. my typical lifting routine looks like this

warmup/stretch
bench press--65lb x 10
115x 12(i do 4 reps with normal grip, then immediately switch to narrow grip then last 4 reps with wide grip)
135x 6 x 2 sets
145 x 4

squats--75 lb x 8
95 x 12-20 (at one point i started doing 2 sets of 20 --like squats and milk, but i tend to fluctuate with what i do)
105x 10

for squats, i never do less than 10 reps


deadlift--115 x 6
135 x 4
155x 4
165x 4

mil press--75 x 10 x 2

bent over row--75 x 8
85 x 8

pullovers---with 25lb plate
bb curl--75x 3 reps
before abs, i finish them off with about 45-55 lbs for as many reps as i can do

abs-combo of weighted crunches and leg raises




here are some things worthy of mention. right now i only workout in my basement. all we have are a bench, 2 barbells, a db (that is really not worth the time it takes to add weight), and about 300 lb in plates. i dont have a squat rack which obviously limits what i can do in the squats. i have to clean and jerk the weight over my head and rest it on my shoulders, do the set, and then hoist it off, which can be rough if youve just done 20 squats and are completely out of breath and your arms have gone numb from holding the weight there for a good 3 minutes.

my last workout was on sunday and i hit some new bests
my bench press got up to
1 set of 145 x 4....and then
1 set of 155 x 3

my squat got up to 110 x 10 reps

and my deadlift last 3 sets went like this:
155x4
175x4
185x4

i tend to do a number of warming up sets for deads, squats i do about 3-4 sets total, and bench i do about 4-5 sets total.

[SolidSnake84]

i think my back is easily my best bodypart, and my strongest. i have a decent v-taper and it is actually quite chiseled. unfortunately i dont have any good pics of the back just yet...i cant get any pics by myself of my own back and have no takers on taking pictures of me just yet, lol. the ones i have taken are of me taking a pic of myself in a mirror and quality is not great, but give you an idea. you can get a sense of my back from some of them.

as mentioned, my plan is to go from about 145 to 165-170 before i do any sculpting or iso work. i plan on sticking to this program involving the big 3, and trying to go up in weight every week for these 3, while using the others to keep the rest of me in somewhat proportion. i should also mention, that coming back from the beach i lost about 11 lbs because i was quite active and ate very rarely (regrettably)...and probably lost a lot of water weight sweating out on the beach everyday. i was down to 138, but now back up to 145-6 after 3 weeks.

i have an extremely difficult time putting on weight. my bodyfat % will fluctuate, but my body tends to want to stay at the same weight no matter what. ive never been more than 152, as ive said, and ive never been less than actually 140, up until this beach trip. for all 4 years of college ive been the same weight. here's a sample of my daily diet...btw i drink a ton of milk

meal 1
2 whole eggs, 2 egg whites, 1 slice whole grain toast with nat pb, 1 small glass OJ, 1 large milk with spoonful of ovaltine

meal 2 (pre-wo)
1/2 cup oats with cinnamon
*occasionally flax seeds mixed in

meal 3 (post-wo)
2 scoops ON whey (cookies n cream) mixed in water
1/2 scoop of gatorade powder
1 ice cube.......shake and drink!

meal 4-dinner...
usually a chicken breast, veggies, and some type of complex carb

meal 5-
whatever i can get...sometimes a can of tuna (usually run out of these though for a while), sometimes a 1/2 can of beans, leftover chicken breasts

meal 6-
same as 5 or 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites, slice of whole grain bread wiht nat pb (similar to breakfast)

meal 7-large glass of milk with scoop of ovaltine

bed


next i should mention that i drink a LOT of milk and it is where i get most of my protein from. if i could i would drink a gallon a day, but as is, i can only afford to drink about 3/4 of a gal a day. usually i will have a glass with most of my meals and also between most of my meals. when i say a glass...it is usually equivalent to about 3 cups of milk, which is 3 of the 16 servings in a gallon. comes out to about 24 g protein, 0 fat, and 270 cals...i drink only nonfat milk. this milk makes up most of my water intake but i will probably have about 2 glasses of water as well, more if its a lifting day.

sadly, this is my lifting day eating only...i dont have meal 2 or 3 when i dont lift, and only use my ON whey on lifting days. i really would like to have more protein and food in general, but i dont have the money right now. still live with the parentals, and they buy all, aside from me buying my own eggs and sometimes milk. however, i think im getting enough protein in a day, just a matter of growing now. i sleep a good 8 hrs every night.

down the road, when i get some cash, id like to buy more whey protein, get some teeth whitening, and go to some tanning beds to bring out definition, as i tend to tan very nicely at the beach. my hair gets bleached blond at the beach, and id like to perhaps someday be viewed as the next blond bomber (dave draper, another idol!)

my ideal physique is that of frank zane. i would like a body from the "old, golden" era of lifting, around arnold's time...when the guys were just big, but also aesthetic and well conditioned. today's pros, while i know they work their ass off, just dont possess the type of physique that i want. i think they look "too" freaky, quite frankly...and i think the ladies would prefer someone more from arnold's era.

well, my next workout is tomorrow...and im hoping to set some new records again. i will be taking pictures every month if all goes well to chart my progress, and hopefully together, we can reach my goal of me competing. right now, it probably seems just like a pipe dream. i have no real supporters. my parents think im living in dreamland and want me to get a job (taking a break since i graduated..will be getting one in a few weeks of course)...my friends all want to drink 3 x a week and no one really even knows about this goal of mine except for about 1 or 2 people. you guys are my only motivator aside from myself. but i am a determined guy and very persistent. i put my all into every workout, which usually last about 1 hr and 20 min. in a year from now, if i've bulked up to 180, i would like to cut down to about 170 and compete if i think im ready.

right now i would estimate my bodyfat % is 14% or so ...in the pics it might be slightly less as they were taken on august 14th...about 10 days ago. i have been eating a lot more since then and put on about 4 lbs. next pics will be taken on sept 14th to see where i stand...hopefully i can get some good shots of the back and wheels. my calves are actually pretty good and have a nice cut "V" in the back that you cant really see in these pics. abs are flexed in the pics too...

well critique away if you have any good advice. i will post some pics from aug 14th once i figure out how in a few minutes, and tomorrow i will post my workout routine and perhaps my diet for the day thus far.

btw i dont take any supplements besides whey...not even a multi, although i will hopefully pick one up soon.

if youve actually read through all this, THANKS! i just needed to get it all out there...

[SolidSnake84]

here's some other stuff about me.

my diet is probably the biggest thing hindering me right now. i get adequate rest, my workouts are intense and i go up in weight, but somedays i just dont get ENOUGH calories to grow.

i think my body is naturally designed to be that of a runner. fairly skinny naturally, but i think my bodyfat will for the most part be fairly low, although it's in my genes to store it around the waist. however, my calves are excellent and i think i have the ability to build really powerful looking back and shoulders. my weak points are most definitely my chest and arms. lol, probably the 2 parts that attract the most attention aside from abs. but i really think the back and shoulders are the most impressive looking quite frankly, and i enjoy the thrill of deadlifting, which i only started doing about 2 months ago for the first time, as well as squatting. i actually enjoy doing the leg work, just wish i could afford access to a gym in the future to do more exercises. for now big 3 will suffice.

i am kind of torn between doing cardio or not right now. i stopped doing it about a month ago because it's so hard for me to gain weight, but i really value having abs. im willing to sacrifice the 6pack for the time being and bulk up as itll pay off in the long run. maybe once i put on 10 lbs i will start doing cardio 2x a week and see if i can maintain the weight without losing it all in a week. alright that's all to add...now just to get these dang pics working!

[SolidSnake84]

ok let me give this pictures thing a go for the first time.

keep in mind, not the best quality...time to go from scrawny punk to muscled hunk! once i add a good 30 lbs to this frame, the ladies will be swooning in no time, lol...

ok--lot of these are similar looking, but it's the best i can do for now. gotta love the socks and sandals look..i apologize in advance...

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/solidsnake84/Cnv0123.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/solidsnake84/Cnv0122.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/solidsnake84/Cnv0121.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/solidsnake84/Cnv0120.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/solidsnake84/Cnv0119.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/solidsnake84/Cnv0117.jpg

[SolidSnake84]

4 more...

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/solidsnake84/Cnv0116.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/solidsnake84/Cnv0115.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/solidsnake84/Cnv0114.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/solidsnake84/Cnv0113.jpg

enjoy...critique away...btw, i know my arms are small...but they aren't really a priority right now until i put on some mass overall.

[SolidSnake84]

bump...guys any feedback for now? just wanna get some feedback...for those ofyou who dont wanna read it all, the short of it is the pics are from aug 14 and i have been lifting a solid month prior to that...with a lot of lifting in the past.

as for today's workout, it might have to wait until tomorrow as i need to finish my resume, buy a birthday gift, go to a birthday dinner at 5 and my friends are clubbin tonight...sigh probably wont get it in today, but tomorrow ive got all day.

[Maximus_Stats]

Hey, man u look like u have a good base to build on, and u can pak on a lot of mass, good luck on ur journal

[HaveHeart]

Hah, you've got the same restrictions as I have (stuck with a barbell and a bench (only I have DBs). I never really tried to clean and jerk the bar over my head cuz it seems pretty dangerous, but I think it might be worth the risk (I have girly legs). Good luck, and I'm subscribed :D

[SolidSnake84]

Friday, August 25th 2006:

Today's Weigh-in: 144 lbs

Just finished my workout and post-wo shake. today i didnt feel much energy or intensity going into the dungeon (my basement weightroom). i did set 2 new bests though. once i finished bench and squats, my energy seemed to be boosted...probably b/c my body recognized that it would soon be doing deads lol.

overall, workout was pretty good. a few points where i felt like puking and when it was all said and done, my body was shaking and still is a bit from exhaustion. that's when i know ive left it all on the court, as they say! i really love the feeling i shoudl be getting tomorrow. deadlifts are the only thing that gives me that sore feeling in the lower back and i love waking up feeling sore, i know i did a good job with the iron. i can literally feel myself growing when i lay down in bed.
here is today's lifting:

bench press:

65 x 10 (warmup)
115 x 12 (4 normal grip, 4 narrow, 4 wide, consecutive)
135 x 8 (last 2 reps were tough)
145 x 3 (last rep tough)
135 x 5

notes: chest just seemed heavy today. my best on last sunday of 155 for 3 reps was probably doable, but i think since my bench is lagging, im going to focus on putting up weight i can handle and try to hit sets of 8 reps. once i can do a weight for 3 sets of 8 ill add 5 lbs.

squats:

25 x 8 (warmup)
75 x 8 (warmup)
95 x 8
105 x 10
115 x 10 (personal best!)

notes: on sunday i did 110 for 10 reps and added 5 today for a new best. it's not much, but keep in mind that i have no squat rack so i have to clean and press the weight and then lift it off from behind the neck after the reps. Actually this didn't seem too hard. I struggled to push the last 3 or so reps up, but I had it in me to do 10 more if I needed. Considering I can't bench press very much, this was actually a lot of weight for me to have up on my shoulders, but i lifted it off with pretty much ease. about a month ago, i had attempted 110 for 8 reps and couldnt get it off my shoulder blades, so i must be progressing a bit.

Deadlifts:

95 x 6 (warmup)
115 x 6 (warmup)
135 x 6 (warmup)
155 x 4
175 x 4
200 x 4 (personal best!)

notes: deads felt great today. my previous best was 185 x 4 on sunday. i was going to just up it to 195 but decided to go for the big 2-0-0 b/c the 5 lbs wasnt going to make or break the lift for me. im pretty sure these are just newb strength gains im making right now, but still it felt good. the weight was actually heavy as ****, but i didnt have that tough of a time lifting it. there were no sticking points, i maintained proper form, breathing, didnt jerk the weight, and had only about 5 sec rest between reps. sweet!

side-note: this is the first time ive ever lifted 200 lb of anything in a lift. it also brings my big 3 total to 200 + 155 + 115 = 470. wow i cant imagine pulling off the 1200 total! gimme 3 more years!

military presses:

75 x 10
85 x 4
75 x 6
(also threw in 1 set of lateral raises and 1 set of front raises...each with 8 reps, both sets back to back, holding a 5 lb plate in each hand, just to bring a little definition out.)

bent over rows:

75 x 10
85 x 10 x 2 (2nd set i did narrow grip to target middle back)
95 x 6

bb curls:

75 x 3
45 x 12

*also did 1 set of pullover @ 25 lbs for 20 reps, and weighted crunches and weighted leg raises (holding 25 lb plate over head)

short term strength goals:
by the end of 2006, id like to be able to...
1) deadlift 250 for 4 reps
2) squat my bodyweight for 10 reps (meaning whatever i weight, which right now is 144, i want to be able to squat for 10)
3) bench press 175 x 8 x 3

today's nutrition:

meal 1:
2 whole eggs, 2 egg whites
cinnamon
1 slice whole grain toast
nat pb
6 oz OJ
1 cup milk
1 scoop ovaltine

meal 2:
1/2 cup oatmeal, in water, nuked in the microwave
cinnamon

meal 3:
post-workout shake:
2 scoops ON whey cookies n cream
10 oz water
1/4 tablespoon gatorade powder



that's it so far for the day. i plan on 3-4 more meals for today. will probably have to head to the food store as im out of milk, tuna, bread, and almost eggs again. perhaps i will post the rest of today's diet later tonight.

cheers!

[SolidSnake84]

Hey, man u look like u have a good base to build on, and u can pak on a lot of mass, good luck on ur journal

thanks maximus. i will have to check out your journal as well. best of luck to you too!


Hah, you've got the same restrictions as I have (stuck with a barbell and a bench (only I have DBs). I never really tried to clean and jerk the bar over my head cuz it seems pretty dangerous, but I think it might be worth the risk (I have girly legs). Good luck, and I'm subscribed :D

thanks! yeah, it is tough when you dont have much equipment. that's probably a wording error (when i said i clean and jerk the weight)...i actually lift the bar like im deadlifting to my hips, pull it up like im doing a reverse-grip curl, and then just press it.

i wouldnt recommend it if you can barely get the weight up, or you wont be able to get it off. thats why ive slowly worked up to get it where it is now. and also why my squat #'s are rather unimpressive. but lifting the weights without a rack also has its benefits. the clean and press is a powerful movement and helps me all around too...i figure by the time i can squat 150, i will also be clean and pressing 150 over my head and lifting it off, which most people who are only squatting the same amount probably wouldnt be able to do. plus it feels cool to do it all on your own without any racks or help, lol.

[SolidSnake84]

rest of my nutrition for the day...

meal 4:

post-workout meal

was looking to eat some complex carbs and a lotta protein, but i had to be somewhere in about 30 min and had to shower so no time to cook.

i heated up a leftover half of a steak sandwich (very large though)..probably 600 or more cals...so i at least got in some calories to help bulk up and there was a ton of steak in it.

meal 5:

came back pretty late, about 4 hours later, completely starved. made...

2 eggs, 2 egg whites, 2 slices whole grain, nat pb

meal 6:

about 1 hr later...3/4 chicken breast...
water


will probably eat another 3/4 chicken breast before bed..i cooked up 3.

unfortunately im all out of milk right now and it's killin me. tomorrow i stock up on milk, eggs, tuna, bread...and all will be right with the world.

edit: before bed i finished the rest of the 1 chicken breast and had no milk, so i took a scoop of ON whey in water (kind of a waste but i couldnt go to sleep without SOMETHING in my system lol)

[SolidSnake84]

wow im sore as hell today, but in a good way. ive been thinking, and i think i might switch over my program to a strict rippetoe's. it would save me a lot of time lifting, b/c right now the 1:20 with the iron is brutal. the only thing im worried about is i really wont be able to knock up my squat 5 lb every week b/c i dont have a rack...damn, well maybe i will divide my workout into more of the workout A & B split at least so im not doing squats and deads and mil press and bench and rows all on the same day. tis exhausting!

what do you all think?

[SolidSnake84]

nutrition thus far today:

1/2 gal nonfat milk
2 chicken breasts
2 whole eggs
2 egg whites
2 slices whole wheat bread
natural pb
1 slice sicilian pizza


could stand to be a bit better...didnt make it to the store today though...will update later

[HaveHeart]

i wouldnt recommend it if you can barely get the weight up, or you wont be able to get it off. thats why ive slowly worked up to get it where it is now. and also why my squat #'s are rather unimpressive. but lifting the weights without a rack also has its benefits. the clean and press is a powerful movement and helps me all around too...i figure by the time i can squat 150, i will also be clean and pressing 150 over my head and lifting it off, which most people who are only squatting the same amount probably wouldnt be able to do. plus it feels cool to do it all on your own without any racks or help, lol.I tried it for the first time Friday and it didn't work all to well :P . I was able to jerk it over my head and squat but afterwards....I had to just let the bar drop onto my bed. Problem with my setup is that my bench is in my room beside my bed, so I can't really bring the bar back to the bench without getting injured. Luckily my step sister is moving out this coming weekend, so I'm gonna be able to get a room to workout in :D.

[SolidSnake84]

i think im going to shorten today's workout. i feel pretty well rested from the last one and the soreness is finally gone. rather than kill myself for over an hour i want to keep it under an hour today and just hit bench, squat, deads, and that's it. then next time i workout i will do bench, rows, mil presses, and some light shoulder work...b/c these huge sessions ive been doing really take it out of me for a good 3 days, and id like to lift with more frequency.

so its kind of a rippetoe-esque split you might say. today ill just do the big 3, abs, and pullovers.

im aiming to do sets of 5 on bench press now. so if im able to do 135 x 5 for 3 sets, ill go for a little more, we'll see how im feeling. i think i want to stick to lower reps and heavy weight for a while to get my lifts up and build strength and size.

for squat, im going to do some warm ups and shoot for 120 x 10 reps, which would be a personal best. probably will do warm ups, 95 x 8, 105 x 8, and 120 x 10...

for deads, last sessions best was 200 x 4. today i will shoot for 205x4 after doing at least 3-4 previous sets. wish me luck, if all goes well, ill have 2 new bests on deads and squats........bench i will have to wait to surpass 155..i feel its kinda pointless to barely push up 2 reps when i can instead focus on doing 3 solid sets of 5 and build my way up there. if 135x5 goes well for all 3 today, then next week ill hit 140 for the same.

right now, pre-wo nutrition is 3/4 cup oats in water with cinnamon. i added an extra 1/4 cup to the usual 1/2 cup, so we'll see if it pays off with the old iron plates! be back soon.

[Maximus_Stats]

I wish you luck bro, 2 plates is just around the corner for you on those dead :cool:

Keep up the good work

[SolidSnake84]

well nothin real huge, but 2 new bests today...here's the workout:
Monday, August 28th, 2006:

firstly, today's weight before workout: 145 lbs

bench press:
65 x 12 (warmup)
115 x 5
135 x 5 x 3 sets
140 x 5
145 x 4
Narrow Grip 115 x 5

Notes: ok, so i pulled off the 135 x 5 x 3 and it wasnt so bad...so next workout ill try for 140 x 5 x 3. i did the last 3 sets just to fatigue the chest a little more and the nar grip to target a little inner.

ATG squats:
45 x 8 (warmup)
95 x 8
110 x 8
120 x 10 (personal best!)

Notes: 95 felt ridiculously light today whereas in the past it felt heavier. 110 wasnt so bad either. 120 actually felt a bit heavy for the first time. so far my squats have been low due to no rack, but this is the first time it actually felt like the weight on my back was significant. nonetheless, i made it through the set relatively easy (if squats could ever really be classified as easy, lol). little sticking point on the 5th rep, but then i started screaming to push it up each time and it seemed to help.

Deads:

65 x 4
115 x 6
135 x 4
155 x 4
175 x 4
195 x 4
205 x 4 (personal best)

Notes:deads didnt really feel heavy until 175 today. 195 felt quite heavy and 205 felt significantly heavier than when i did 200 in my last session. nonetheless, form still remained pretty good. but i think i may be slowing down in the near future as this was getting pretty heavy. i might be able to make it to around 220 before i stop making newb strength gains and actually have to wait longer than 4 days to up the weights. still, im happy with this.

pullovers:
used a 25 lb plate in my hands, for 25 reps

*also did lateral and front raises with 10 lb plates in each hand for as many until my arms were sore. also did crunches and leg raises with 25 lb plate


NUTRITION so far:
2 whole eggs
1 egg white
2 slices wheat toast
6 oz orange juice
8 ounce milk
natural pb

3/4 oatmeal (pre-wo)

2 scoops ON whey(post-wo)

post-wo meal: (i ate this about immediately after lifting b/c dinner was ready, and only got to drink about half my pwo shake..i finished the rest about 30 min after dinner)
1/2 chicken breast
large serving green beans
2 large helpings of pasta and tomato sauce
1 breadstick

i will be finishing another 3/4 chicken breast in about 15 min and the rest of the green beans

later tonight, i plan on about another 1/2 gallon milk, some beans, and 3 more eggs and 2 more slices wheat toast with nat pb...all spread out throughout the evening.


overall, pretty happywith my lifts in the gym, but not satisfied that im struggling so much to put on weight. my weight will fluctuate but seems to stay constant at 145 give or take 2 lbs. ive been eating as much as i can but i dont have the money to buy much more than i already eat until i get a job..so that's a hindering factor. my goal of 160 lbs by xmas will be tough considering how resistant my body is to change...but with my lifts constantly going up, it's going to HAVE to grow! if im not upping my poundage every week im not happy...so im either going to be a superhumanly strong 145 lber forever, or i will actually put on some weight soon. hopefully the latter.

goals for next workout:
bench press 140 x 5 x 3
squat 120 x 10 x 2 (think ill stay here for another week and just add another set
dead 210 x 4 (i will try for this one)


also note: next workout, im going to cut out deads and possibly bench and rotate around kind of like rippetoe A and B...i will do mil presses, bent over rows and squats...probably lat and front raises for shoulders again, pullovers, abs, and maybe biceps. i definitely need to do a little arm workout soon as they are lagging but not really concerned yet.
also i figure if i put a whole workout without deads and bench and focus on shoulders it will help with lifting weight over my head so i can lift more for squats down the road.

eating habits are just to eat as much clean food as i can handle and afford throughout the day. i can definitely tell im changing my body comp, but perhaps not in a good way...my abs are disappearing and my weight is the same, lol...but at least strength is going up..hopeflly size comes with it in time. progress pics in about 2 weeks on sept 14th. next workout probably will be thurs.
cheers!

[LSU1]

cool journal bro. one suggestion, on deads, dont do so many warmups that close in weight to your work sets. just my opinion.

keep it up bro.

[SolidSnake84]

i have been eating like a horse today and yesterday...i better be gaining some weight by the end of the week! not too sore today, surprisingly, except for when i sit still too long...lift again on thurs sounds good...will be doing front squats rather than regular just to switch it up and see how i handle them...heres the routine for thurs

front squat
mil press
bent over row
pull ups
front and lateral raises
abs

*maybe some shrugs and bicep exercises...i only wish i had something to do dips on so i can get some tri work in there

[SolidSnake84]

just curious to see how many cals and my protein intake for the day. this isn't exact but should be fairly close...

MEAL 1:
2 whole eggs = 120 cal
1 egg white = 30 cal?
2 slices whole wheat/grain bread = 160 cal
small glass OJ = 80 cal?
2 cup milk= 180 cal
nat pb = ~100 cal
_________________
670 cal

MEAL 2:
1/2 cup oatmeal = not sure, doh! ill have to check the nutrition data in a bit, but ill say 120 cal

MEAL 3:
2 cups milk = 180 cal

MEAL 4:
2 HUGE servings of chili...comprised of white rice, red kidney beans, hamburger meat (beef), and taco sauce...im gonna say i ate easily 1000 cals worth...it was a lot

MEAL 5:
2 pbj sandwichs= 4 slices bread @ 80 each = 320 + pb and J on each ...around 500 total
2 cups milk with 1/2 scoop ON whey = 240
= 740

that's it so far...this comes out to roughly 670 +120+180+1000+740 = 2710

i plan on eating either a can of tuna plain and some milk, and later perhaps 3 more eggs and a slice of wheat bread with pb and milk again...i think this would push me around 3400+ for the day...quite a feat for me.

protein intake is.......let me add this up 12 + 3 + 6 + 16 + 3+16+ ~60-70 (chili)+12+28 =
~ 161 g so far...if i eat the tuna this will easily go over 200, but either way will most likely end up over 200 for the day with milk and egg consumption later tonight.

overall i got in a lot of cals and some good protein...more than usual im willing to bet. i really want to hit 150 lb by the next time i take pics on sept 14th...that gives me 2 weeks to add about 4 lbs. right after i ate meal 5 i weighed myself and was 147 but i was extremely bloated from the milk and could barely move my stomach...typically am about 145 on the dot in the mornings. 2 lbs a week shouldnt be too hard to put on...might be a little fast but what the heck, im bulking and have been stuck at 145 for TOO long! alright enjoy!

edit: finished the night off with a can of tuna and 2 cups milk ~ 50 g protein and 330 cals

[SolidSnake84]

Thurs, Aug 31 2006:

Weigh in before workout: 146 lbs...slowly but surely!

believe it or not i just finished working out about 15 min ago. i wanted to lift earlier, but got caught up with having to cut grass for 2 hours..then dinner came along and blah blah...i didnt get to start lifting until 11 30 at nite! today i didnt aim to do any heavy work anyway, workout only lasted about 45 min.

super military presses (basically for these, i just snatched the weight...i think this is the correct term, lifted it from the ground straight up explosively to my chest and then mil pressed it...back down and repeat...sometimes i would pump out 2 or 3 reps before returning it to snatch again.)

bent over rows

lateral and front raises with 10 lb plates


for the mil presses and bent over rows, i just went by feel today. started at 75 lbs, went to 80, 85, 95, 100, 105. reps varied, i just did as many as i could for both exercises and tried to superset them. i feel the explosiveness of the snatch movement as well as the press right after it will really help me be able to handle more weight when i do my rackless squats. for the raises i think i did 2 or 3 sets total for about 8 reps each set, i did them back to back.

to be honest, i got an insane pump just from doing these tonight. i havent worked shoulders by themselves for a while and havent devoted hardly any time to upper back since i started deadlifting. with the pump i looked about 10 lbs heavier and my back actually looked kinda massive for the first time in a while! i am beginning to see even more cuts and grooves in my back which really excites me as it looks chiseled and it looks like it's packing on overall mass. i think it is surprisingly thick as well for my relatively light bodyweight. the other surprising thing is that my traps seem to be responding really well, im assuming from the deadlifts.

my back overall is putting the rest of my bod to shame, easily! although i look like i am adding mass everywhere up top which pleases me. my weight this morning was actually 146.5 almost, but i didnt get in a good day of eating, unfortunately and the 2 hrs of grasscutting didnt help (i was going at a pretty blistering pace). i think i am looking thicker overall, and just hope i can keep the weight on. to be a solid 150 by oct 1st would be nice...if i gained ~1 lb a week, i can do it. i think by the time i hit 160 i will look beastly. this sounds pretty absurd, but im extremely small jointed/boned and have always been small looking, but when i add muscle it seems to explode off my bones. my shoulder girdle is looking impressive. alright enough talking myself up, lol. im just excited to finally be putting on some damn weight!

next workout is likely to be either sunday or monday. i will be back to the good old heavy stuff. another day of solely bench, squats and deads...with pullovers and abs on the side.

bench goal is 140 x 5 x 3

squat goal is 120 x 10, and then i am feeling bold, so i will try 125 x 10, depending how much i feel my shoulders have left in them after benches

deadlift goal, im going to shoot for the big 210x4!

im pretty excited my lifts are going up. i honestly attribute 80% of my growth and strength gains to the good eating ive been doing. i have been consistently getting my bodyweight and more in protein, and really have been working to get down all the cals everyday, although i dont keep track, im pretty sure ive been eating a TON.

reminder that progress pics will be up sept 14th...about 2 weeks from right now actually...well ive got some more eating to do tonight. and im going to make a new mix cd

good nite everyone

[SolidSnake84]

cool journal bro. one suggestion, on deads, dont do so many warmups that close in weight to your work sets. just my opinion.

keep it up bro.

lsu, thanks for the tip. actually, by the time i got up to my work sets ive been pretty exhausted, so ill most likely be taking this advice. im thinking instead of constantly adding 10-20 lbs, i will just do 1 light warm up, 2 warmups at 155, 1 @ 185, and then 2 work sets at whatever my max is, right now im shooting for 205. is this still too much? excluding the light warmup (which is prob around 115 lbs), it would just be 3 warm ups and 2 work sets.

[muscleboy333]

Our lifts are pretty close! I'll be following your progress :)

[Maximus_Stats]

Hey man, how often do you do your weigh ins?

I find that every sunday, before breakfast and after a piss is pretty good for me... :D

[SolidSnake84]

Our lifts are pretty close! I'll be following your progress :)

hey thanks for stopping by. lifts are close aside from your squat being about 100 pounds more and deads about 60 more, lol! dont worry, i will be catching up soon. i will be sure to check out your journal tomorrow as i gotta get some sleep right now..almost 3 am.


Hey man, how often do you do your weigh ins?

I find that every sunday, before breakfast and after a piss is pretty good for me... :D

hello again max! i am pretty obsessed with gaining weight so i weigh myself just about everyday to see where im at. but i always chart my weight before a workout, so i can write it down with all my lifts for that day. i lift about 2x per week, so i write it down twice a week. however, my scale is a pretty old (from my grandpa), but while it may not be completely accurate (it is fairly close), it is consistent, so i know if im gaining or losing.


as for the journal, i will be lifting tomorrow, returning to the bench, squat, dead, pullovers, abs routine. again, goals are:
bench 140x 5 x 3 sets
squat 120 x 10, 125 x 10
deadlift -warmup- working sets 175 x 4; 195 x 4; 210 x 4

if i hit 210 on deadlift and 125 on squat, they will be personal bests. best bench thus far is still 155, but i am building up to being able to do 3 sets of 5 for now.

today i helped my dad basically rip apart our entire bathroom. we are redoing it and had one of the closets needed to be basically smashed to pieces. there was literally over 20 pieces of wood and over 100 giant nails to build this tiny 2ft by 1ft closet...the previous builders were complete morons. nonetheless, we pushed, plied, prodded, and pulled all of the wood apart for 3 hours, tore up the floor tiling and broke up all of the drywall. my shoulders and lower back were actually pretty achy for a bit after. we are also doing this tomorrow (he has off for labors day) so i hope im able to get my workout in. i have been feeling well recovered aside from sore shoulders and waiting to set some new personal bests...it's been a week since i did my heavy compound routine.

btw, over a friends house this past week, he had a barbell loaded up to 130 lbs, and i military pressed it for 2 reps...this being one day after i bombarded my shoulders at that late midnight workout. i was pretty impressed i could do it, considering i struggle to bench press 140...what gives!?

anyway, hope to write in here tomorrow with some new records!

[SolidSnake84]

wow...this was my first heavy compound workout in a week and it really kicked my ass...the lifts felt excruciating today, but i set some new bests in all the big 3, so that's good.

Weigh-In Pre-workout: 146 lbs (grr)
Time: ~70 min

Workout: The Big 3

Bench Press:
65 x 8 (warmup)
115 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5
115 x 5 (close grip)

Notes: sweet, hit the 140 x 5 x 3 sets...so time to move up to 145 next time...i foresee me setting a new overall record of 160 maybe by the end of the month! on the 2nd set of 140, the last rep i really struggled and got stuck on but got it up. this seemed to happen on all last reps for the weight of 140, but im glad i got it up.

ATG Squat:

25 x 8 (warmup)
75 x 8 (warmup)
100 x 8
120 x 8
125 x 10(personal best!)

Notes: warmups were fine, but i knew i was in trouble when 100 felt heavy to hoist over. i noticed my shoulders and tris were incredibly sore still...probably from tearing down the bathroom yesterday. 120 for 8 seemed pretty hard. When i went for 125, i went to lock it out over my head before starting the set, and couldnt get it to lock. luckily i caught it on the chest, breathed for 5 seconds, and then got it up by push pressing it and onto the shoulders. this really took a good amount of energy out of me though. these reps were hard, to be honest. after about 4, i was taking some deep breaths for about 5-8 seconds between reps. i had to scream to push the last half of these out, lol. i was just relieved when all the sets were done.

next time, i am going to stick with 125, mostly because i dont think my shoulders are ready to lift 130 on and off, and plus i struggled with 125...so i am going to try 125 x 10 x 2 sets and get it down.

Deadlift:

115 x 4 (warmup)
135 x 4 (warmup)
175 x 4
195 x 4
210 x 4 (personal best!)

Despite being after squats, deadlifts felt surprisingly good today. i cut down on the overall number of sets, taking lsu's advice, and using less working sets and not gradually building up. i was kind of shocked when 175 felt easy for 4 reps. 195 wasnt bad either. and to be honest, 210 was heavy but i know in my heart i could have handled even more weight. pretty excited, although my highest weight plate value is 25 lbs, so i pretty much had to load up the entire bar to the very end with 2 1/2s on the end, lol. need to buy some more weights soon.

EDIT: also forgot to mention, i did pullovers with 2 25 lb plates held together (50 lbs) for 10 reps, and abs with 25 lb plate

Wrap-up:
BP-140x 5 x 3
ATG squat: 125 x 10
Deadlift: 210 x 4

Goal for next workout:
BP-145 x 5 x 3
ATG squat: 125 x 10 x 2
Deadlift 215 x 4


Post-WO nutrition: 48 g ON whey, water, 1/4 scoop gatorade powder


Other: I really hope to put on some weight soon...it has been hard to get in all the calories i need lately. next workout should be around thurs/friday...saturday i am probably goin to a friend's college to party, and have my first drinking in a while...and then it's back to the workout grind.

edit: Progress pics and measurements 10 days from today, sept 14th!

[Maximus_Stats]

Awsome good job on getting your goals man. How do you like ramping the weight, vs. the old "in the range reps" (ex. 8-10)?

[SolidSnake84]

Awsome good job on getting your goals man. How do you like ramping the weight, vs. the old "in the range reps" (ex. 8-10)?

hey max...yea, to be honest, i really like doing around 5 reps...i always used to do 8-10 for almost everything. when you know you only have to do 5, you get a lot more pumped for it, and it weighs less on your mind. it can be a bit of a deterrent when you know you have to put up a lot of weight for 10 reps! also, on the positive side, i can go up in weight a lot faster than i normally would, b/c i dont tire out as quickly.

of course i am only doing this rep range for the time being as i try to gain size and strength, and i feel the lower reps do that best...once i reach maybe 165-170 i will switch things up, but that's not gonna be for a while, lol. although i dont see me doing deadlifts for more than 6-8 reps ever as i see them as a power exercise, and form tends to suffer after too many reps. thanks for stoppin by!

[muscleboy333]

Awesome workout man!

I'm going for 140x5x3 on Wednesday for bench too.

[SolidSnake84]

Friday, September 8 2006:

Weigh-in before workout: 145.5 lbs

Pre-wo meal: 1/2 cup oatmeal

Ill start off by saying i weigh less than i did on monday when i worked out. i attribute this to simply not getting in enough calories. it's kind of strange about putting on size...i seem to be getting bigger and bulkier..but my weight is staying constant, but it ALSO appears as though my midsection is getting much more fat. it's like everything is there, the added mass, the higher bodyfat, but the scale just wont go up. i really need to increase overall calories, but it's hard to get it in..we have barely any food at the house :( nonetheless, on with it...

The Big 3 Workout:

Bench Press:

65 x 10 (warmup)
115 x 5 (warmup)
145 x 5
145 x 5
145 x 5
Close Grip 115 x 5 x 2 sets

Notes: The 145 seemed actually easier than last week's 140 x 5 x 3. I got em up no problem and no sticking points, which was pretty exciting. When i attempted 155 (my personal best ever) the last time about 3 or more weeks ago, i could barely put it up for 2 reps, and i have all the confidence that i will get up 150 x 5 x 3 next workout barring some unforeseen problem. added 2 sets of cgbp for inner and tris...i will eventually have to start doing inclinesas upper chest is really lagging, but for now i just want to focus on strength and size overall.

ATG Squats:

25 x 8 (warmup)
75 x 8 (warmup)
105 x 8
125 x 10
130 x 8 (personal best!)

Notes: i felt good going into this...105 was actually a piece of cake. 125 i did with little problems, but it really took it out of me. i was planning on doing 125 x 10 x 2 today, but i was feeling adventurous and added the extra 5 lbs. Same thing happened that happened last week..i snatched the weight to chest no prob, then lifted it up, couldnt lock out, it fell and i caught it on my chest, then push pressed it, got it to lock, and placed it on my shoulders. first few reps were ok...after about 4 i was taking big breaks and pauses...i decided to strive for just 8 instead of 10 b/c i didnt think i could support the bar on my back much longer and still be able to lift it off. as it happened, after 8 reps, i went to lift it off, barely got it over my head and as i went for the catch o nthe chest, nearly snapped my forearm in half b/c i couldnt hold it there! i think before next big 3 workout i will have to do some shoulder work so i can get this off easier next time.

Deadlifts:

115 x 6
135 x 4
175 x 4
195 x 4
215 x 4 (personal best!)

Notes: Deads were almost easier than bench today. it's funny i use the most weight for them but they are my favorite and easiest exercise to do. all of the weight felt pretty light today and my grip felt stellar on the bar, i even held some lockouts at 215 at the top for a bit and didnt even make the bar crash to the ground..i slowly lowered it. im really happy with deadlift progress and expect to add another 5 lbs next time.

Power Shrugs:

135 x 8
135 x 10
145 x 10
Regular Shrugs - 65 x 10

Notes: I got the idea for these from...http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/table_of_contents_thread.htm

this page is an EXCELLENT read i found in a post on the exercise forum, and has a ton of great info. anyway, i decided to try em out, and did the reps no problem. i probably looked like a maniac doin em though, lol. after the 3 sets, i had to put my BP bar back on the rack, so after stripping it to 65, i decided to 'cool down' and just do 10 shrugs quickly.

Pullovers:

50 x 12

Notes: held 2 25 lb plates together with shoulders on bench...good times

Abs:

25 lb weighted crunches, leg raises


:::Recap:::

Bench Press- 145 x 5 x 3

ATG Squat- 125 x 10, 130 x 8

Deadlift- 215 x 4


Goals for next workout:

Not sure if I will do big 3 or do an upper back/shoulders routine next time. If i go with big 3, here's the goals...

Bench = 150 x 5 x 3
ATG Squat= 130 x 10 x 2
Deadlift= 220 x 4


I know i really need to increase calories more, b/c im not gaining any weight...even so, lifts are going up so im happy with that and i "look" at least a little bit bigger. Traps and shoulders seem to be responding the best, along with back. chest still looks small...but my arms actually seem to be increasing pretty well in size despite no direct work...awesome!

unfortunately tonight..i am probably gonna be drinking for the first time in a while...but i will try to keep it limited. hey at least it's some extra cals, lol...well have a good day.

cheers!

[muscleboy333]

Lifts are flying up, awesome!

[SolidSnake84]

Tuesday, September 12, 2006:

Today's Weigh-in Pre-WO: 146.5-147 lbs

Pre-WO Nutrition: 1/2 cup oats

Routine: Big 3 + extras...and without further ado...

Bench Press:

65 x 10 (warmup)
115 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5
Close-Grip 120 x 5 x 2 sets

Notes: the last 2 reps of the last 150 set i struggled but got up. felt pretty good and im ready to tackle my personal highest next week for reps! also added 5 lbs to cgbp. i drilled my elbow about 1 hour before working out and it was really hindering the first 25 min of my workout, even thinking about quitting but gradually went away..i think this held me from doing the reps a bit easier

to be honest, i feel my traps are REALLY helping my bench press...when i hit a sticking point, i can feel my traps powering through it more than any other muscle...dunno if this is good or bad...good cuz i can lift more but bad b/c i might be taking focus off the chest.

ATG Squats:

25 x 8 (warmup)
75 x 8 (warmup)
105 x 8
130 x 10
135 x 10 (Personal best!)

Notes: i had struggled in the past with 105 i remember but it felt like featherweight today and i was feeling adventurous. was only going to attempt 130 x 10 x 2 today, but decided to throw on another 5 lb. for once i didnt miss the lockout when lifting it with my shoulders...nonetheless this set was pretty hard...last 3 reps were death..i cant imagine guys that squat like 500 lbs...i suppose in time..stll this is the highest weight ive ever squatted, so im really satisfied.

Deadlifts:

115 x 6
135 x 4
175 x 4
200 x 4
225 x 4 (personal best!)

Notes: prior personal best was 215 x 4, but i was feeling good today so threw on another 10 lbs instead of 5! this was actually the first time deads felt heavy and i doubted if i could go much higher. more than anything i was wary that my grip was the weak point more than my back. still, it felt good and im not stopping yet, im going for 230 next time!

Power Shrugs:

135 x 10
155 x 10
165 x 10

Notes: i really liked these last time and tried em again, this time with more weight. sets were fairly easy aside from slipping grip near end of set 3

Pullovers:

50 x 10

Notes: 2 25 lb plates held together, shoulders on bench

Abs:

25 lb plate...weighted crunches and leg raises


Wrap up:

Bench Press --- 150 x 5 x 3
ATG Squat --- 130 x 10, 135 x 10
Deadlift --- 225 x 4


Next workout:

i think i am going to take a break from heavy work for next workout and do another shoulder and upper back day about 3 days from now. after that, ill get back on track with the big 3 again. Expect to workout either friday or sat, although sat i have to help someone move from their house to a new house so not sure yet.

Other:

I will be taking and posting progress pics on sept 14th, this thursday (after i replenish all the glycogen i lost today so my muscles are fuller lol)...stay tuned!

Nutrition:

Think i am putting on some weight for once. ive noticed about 2 extra lbs seem to be on the scale at all times, and now instead of fluctuating from 145-147, my weight goes from about 146.5 -149 depending on time of day and how close to meals etc...hasnt dropped below 146.5 in a couple days now though, so that's exciting.

Cheers!

[SolidSnake84]

sorry i didnt get pics posted yet. my 'photographer' bailed out yesterday but she'll be taking them sometime soon. today im doing a shoulders & upper back workout and tomorrow helping someone move, but i hope to have them up by either today, tomorrow, or sunday. will post workout later today..btw have been gaining some weight!

[SolidSnake84]

Friday, September 15 2006:

Weigh-in Pre-WO: 147 lbs

Pre-WO nutriton: 1/2 cup oats

Routine: shoulders and upper back

-decided to take a break from heavy stuff and work shoulders and back to strengthen a bit for my squats. if i go for 140, it will be difficult to clean and press without doing some shoulder work.

here we go...i mixed things up a lot today and just went by feel. there're a lot of sets...

Pullups:

BW x 6 (palms away, avg grip)
BW x 6 (palms facing me, avg grip)
BW x 6 (wide grip palms away)
BW x 6 (wide grip palms facing)

1. Superset
Military Press 75 x 8
Bent over Row 75 x 8

2. Superset
Military Press 95 x 8
Close-Grip Bent Over Row 95 x 8

3. Superset
Push Press 115 x 2 * (went for 3, couldnt lock out)
Bent Over Row 115 x 4

4. Bent Over Row 115 x 5

5. Close Grip Bent Over Row 115 x 8

6. Military Press 95 x 6

7. Bent Over Row 95 x 8

8. Close Grip BOR 105 x 8

9. Military Press 75 x 10 (lockout and held it static for as long as possible on last rep)

10. Front Raises with barbell 25 x 5 ( lifted bar for each rep and held it static for 5 seconds, for 5 reps total)

11. Lateral Raises 10 x 8 (using 10 lb plates)

12. Front Raises
close grip-4
wide grip-4...both @ 25 lbs (barbell with no plates)

13. Lateral Raises 10 x 8

14. Superset
Bent Over Row 95 x 10
Close Grip Bent Over Row 95 x 8

15. Light abwork

I kind of pyramided my way up to 115 and came back down today. my shoulders had insane soreness, felt like DOMS, but not even before my workout ended had it set in. I think i really hit em, especially with the raises and when i held them static. i was surprised i had to push press the 115 and could barely do any reps, b/c ive done 135 already. i think my shoulders were already burnt out by the time i hit this part.

On monday, i resume the usual workout.

My Goals:
Bench Press 155 x 5 x 3
ATG Squat 135 x 10 x 2
Deadlift 230 x 4

I'd also like to hit a solid 150 lbs soon. I think I am nearing it, but not quite there yet.

I made a post about the pics not being up. the forums have been goin really slow lately and plus the person who was supposed to take my pics couldnt last nite, and i really wanna get some good shots so i can see the many angles and get some advice on where to improve. hopefully they will be up sometime this weekend so stay posted, and have a good weekend everyone!

Cheers

[muscleboy333]

Wow lots of volume, nice workout.

Your bench is going up too damn fast!


Of course, I did hit 250x5 today for deadlifts :D :p

[SolidSnake84]

so friday night i didnt end up getting to bed until around 3 am. had to wake up around 8 30 to help my uncle move in on saturday morning. we ended up working from 9 am and i didnt get home til 10 pm! we literally filled 3 entire hauling trucks with boxes, televisions, grills, water fountains, and even giant rocks that weighed easily over 120 lbs. there was also this 'roller'..basically a giant piece of stone shaped like a log that was used in older days to flatten out the land...it weighed ~ 300 lbs, not joking, andi hauled that around and up into the truck with a little assistance. almost everything was pretty heavy and it was basically 12 hours of full body workout.

im incredibly sore today so i doubt ill be ok to lift tomorrow. only thing im worried about is my nutrition yesterday was terrible b/c we were working constantly. all i ate were 2 slices pb toast and some milk and whey before we left, then a protein bar about 2 hrs later, and then just some pizza when we finished around 9 :( i had some milk before bed and woke up around 5 and had some milk and whey. i was too tired to even shower or cook anything when i got home. i passed out around 1 am and just woke up. it was a fun but exhausting day. i think all my lifting helped me to lift some stuff that others couldnt actually, and i was surprised that i still had endurance at the end of the day. hopefully my muscles didnt eat awy at themselves too much!

so anyway back on track today with eating...and watching some football and taking it easy, another day off tomrrow, then probably lift again tues. hopefully i can get someone to take these damn pics of me soon!

[SolidSnake84]

im actually still sore from helping my uncle move saturday, but im not sore enough that i cant lift tomorrow. today i picked up a suit for some job fair tomorrow, so hopefully i can get my workout in tomorrow afterward as im beginning to get restless from not having lifted for about 5 days.

goals are...

bench press 155 x 5 x 3
squat 135 x 10 x 2
deadlift 230 x 4

im feeling a bit weaker from not having lifted and from not eating as much as i have been. at one point inthe past week i was up to 151 near the end of the day, but i think a lot of it was from the food and drink id been having. nonetheless i still havent dropped below 147 in over a week which is an accomplishment in itself. i whipped up some chili tonight consisting of a can of dark red kidney beans, chili powder mix, 1 can diced tomatoes, and 1 lb of ground chuck (red meat)...i already ate about half of it in 2 separate meals tonight, lol. i found when im trying to get in enough cals and protein, chili is just about my favorite and most efficient food. the meat and beans are loaded with protein and there's a ton of cals in all the mixture. a tad high in sodium but i drink a lot of milk so, it works. anyways, ill be updating tomorrow with lifts. pics as soon as my friend takes them. i may take some by myself again though soon, as im already almost a week past the 1month mark.

gnite

[SolidSnake84]

Wednesday, September 20 2006:

Pre-WO Weigh-in: 147 lbs
Pre-WO Nutrition: 1/2 cup oatmeal

Routine: Big 3

Bench Press:

65 x 10 (warmup)
115 x 5
155 x 5
155 x 5
155 x 5 (personal best!)
120 x 5 close-grip
120 x 3.5 close-grip

Notes: i set my personal best at 155, which was my previous highest weight for bench, but never for reps. i did the first set ok, but for the 2nd and last sets i REALLY struggled. fortunately i felt mentally tough today, that i would will the weight up. but reps 3 4 and 5 on the second set were very slow. on the last set, after 1, i felt dogged. the 4th rep took about 7 seconds and i felt like i was finished but i didnt want to quit. the last rep i got stuck at the common sticking point about 1 inch above my chest. i pushed and pushed and the bar didnt move but it didnt come down yet. after what felt like an eternity but probably about 6 seconds it slowly lifted. the whole last rep must have taken me about 15 seconds just for the positive portion! but i feel like i have to move up in weight b/c i got my 5 reps for all 3 sets. i am doubtful if i will be able to do all sets and reps at 160 but im gonna try til i get it. after all it's the highest weight ill ever have bench pressed!

on close grip, i was completely spent. 1st set was tough but got it, 2nd set, i just lost my nerve and will to push the weight up no matter what. i did 3 reps, on the 4th one, i got about 1/3 of the way up and just couldnt go anymore. i slowly lowered it onto my stomach and rolled it off no prob. wasnt that bad actually, ive been crushed by worse.


ATG Squats:

25 x 8 (warmup)
75 x 8 --FRONT SQUAT
95 x 8
115 x 8
135 x 10

Notes: I was drained after bench for the first time and did not feel like hoisting up a lot of weight today. i tried the front squat after a warmup and stretches, but it completely wrecked my wrists, and they still hurt now. then i switched back up to the usual. i was going to stop on 115 b/c i was just not up to lifting weight over my head today, but decided to go for 135 again. the first attempt to clean and press it resulted in me not even being able to bring it up to my chest. so i dropped it and resetted. 2nd attempt i got it, but expended probably whatever energy i had to get it onto my shoulders. i knew the bar wasnt going to come off, so i did my set of squats, tried to hold onto one side of the bar while i pushed one of the 10lb plates off one of the sides. it wouldnt budge of course, and i didnt feel like f'ing up my shoulder so i decided to spill the weights off the side, which ive never actually done before. the first side slid right off, and of course i wasnt able to keep the left side stable so they crashed right onto my scale! luckily it didnt break, its pretty old and sturdy. so after 2 of the big 3, i couldnt finish on either one after the hardest parts of the set were already done lol.

on a side note, im a little concerned about where to go next with squats. i know my weight on them is suffering and i want to do more as 135 wasnt as bad today as it has been. i dont feel like i should be lifting this kind of weight over my head anymore especially as other lifts are also going up b/c shoulders , chest and tris were already spent before having to do this task today. plus i just dont feel like its safe. i dont have the money or space to invest in a rack but im enjoying my progress at home right now. i dont wanna get a gym membership b/c A) have no money and B) most around here have little freeweights which i prefer..are almost all machines. will think about this later

Deadlifts:

115 x 4 (warmup)
135 x 4 (warmup)
175 x 4
205 x 4
231 x 4 (personal best!)
241 x 1 (personal best!)

Notes: awesome deads today...i looked forward to them after my squat fiasco, and they never let me down. i had to hop to the 3 lb weights instead of 2 1/2 b/c they were too big, which resulted in some odd numbers on the bars. after i did 231 x 4 i was feeling adventurous but not up to another whole set so i threw another 10 lbs on and did it for one just to see if i could. it was heavy but i know i can go farther. i think next time i will go for 237 x 4, and then 247 x 1. i like finishing out the deads with one big rep kind of and think i may incorporate this.

Power Shrugs:

155 x 10
155 x 10
155 x 10 (regular shrug)

Light Abwork

Recap:

Bench Press
155 x 5 x 3 (best)

ATG Squat
135 x 10

Deadlift
231 x 4; 241 x 1

Goals for next workout:

Bench Press
160 x 5 x 3

ATG Squat
??? (may just stick with around 120 x 10 and do more sets like 3, or do 1 set of 20 reps. i will have to figure out a way to make less weight work here)

Deadlift
237 x 4; 247 x 1

Other:
i went to a job fair today. when i got back i was anxious to hit the weights but felt (and look) a lot weaker than i have. saturday really got me sore, more than i expected from moving for 12 hours. and i havent eaten well since then until about last night. as a result i was back to 147 today pre-wo, but im hoping to get it back up b/c i was looking like i was going to get my weight up a bit, but then got caught up with a bunch of job-search related stuff etc and didnt get to eat as much as i liked. anyway, saturday i will likely lift again ...i feel when i take too much time away from heavy training as ive done here (before today, last heavy day was LAST MONDAY, 9 days ago...b/c i did that upper back/shoulder day last friday, helped move on saturday, and was sore until about today). all this time away from the heavy stuff i feel has hindered my lifts and this might be the reason 155 x 5 x 3 on bench felt 20 times harder than 150 x 5 x 3 felt about a week ago. i may leave out the upper back/shoulder workouts for a week or 2 to make sure i get back on track.

i have also been thinking that i shoudl set some goals, and once i hit them i can vary up my routine. i want to do this because i want to keep my routine varied up and not do the same thing all the time. ive been doing heavy weight for low reps for a while now and have built my strength considerably. but i know too much of this is also not good. and that i can come back to it later after i switch up my training. i have put on some size and may switch things up to some type of a split instead of a full body heavy day...so i can target specific body parts. but i do not want to do this until i hit certain goals on my lifts. i want to be able to bench 185 x 5 x 3, and deadlift 300 x 4. at that point, i will probably get a gym membership b/c my weights dont exceed 300 lbs, and i also will probably not be able to use more than about 260 anyway b/c a lot of them are small increments and simply wont fit on the bar. once i am near those goals though, i may switch up to a gym wher ei have more equipment as sort of a reward for sticking with my lifting. i dont have an incline so itd be good to incorporate that and do a whole day for chest, whole day for back, etc etc....so thats the plan. i think it will take me about 3 months or so to get my bench up to 185 and about the same to get there on deadlifts although i may have a tough time finding a place to put all the plates. i will just go as far as the weights allow me. so probably around new years i will switch up my routine. so i will have stuck with this heavy weight low rep compound movement routine for a good 6 months.

well thats it for now...had a lot to say, enjoy!

cheers

[SolidSnake84]

Saturday, September 23 2006:

Today's Weigh-In PreWO: 150 lbs! (weight has been fluctuating between 148 and 152 lately and hasnt dropped below 148 so im gettin there!)

Routine: BIG 3

Bench Press:
65 x 10 (warmup)
115 x 5
160 x 5 (personal...
160 x 5 ...
160 x 4 * best)
120 x 5 closegrip
120 x 5 closegrip

Notes: so i went for it today...the big 160 x 5 x 3. it was my highest bench press weight ever and i was pretty ecstatic about that. my 2nd set today felt like my 3rd set last workout so i was a bit skeptical that id get all 5. i got 4 and may have gotten the 5th one if i had a spotter, but i was beat and didnt want to risk getting crushed and wasting energy. pretty happy that i almost blew right past this though...i will go for 160 x 5 x 3 again next time and im determined to get them all so i can move up the following workout. for closegrip i got all 5 for both sets this time so i think last workout was just a fluke when i missed.

ATG Squat:

25 x 8 (warmup)
75 x 8
95 x 20
100 x 20

Notes: decided to drop the weight and go for some volume and high reps since i nearly lopped off my arm last time doing 135. believe it or not i felt 5x more drained after going 20 reps than when i did 135 for 10. the reps were murder to get out after about 12...might stick with this for the time being. my legs were actually shaking after the last set.

Deadlift:

115 x 4 (warmup)
135 x 4 (warmup)
175 x 4
215 x 4
240 x 4 (best!)
251 x 1 (best!)

Notes: 240 x 4 was my best for reps. my grip was absolutely shot by the last rep on 240 though and i got it up but couldnt lock it out for more than like 1 second. 251 was my highest weight used so far as well, and my grip was restored a bit so i held it locked out for a good 5 seconds at the top. i really dont think i can fit more than 260 in plates on my bar though so im gonna need to go shopping pretty soon

Power Shrugs:

155 x 10
155 x 10
regular shrugs 65 x until lactic acid oozed from my traps

Notes: nothin new here

Pullovers:

25 x 20

Notes: used 25 lb plate

Wrap-Up:

Bench Press
160 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 4

ATG Squat
95 x 20
100 x 20

Deadlift
240 x 4
251 x 1

Goals for Next Workout:

Bench Press
160 x 5 x 3

ATG Squat
100 x 20
105 x 20

Deadlift
245 x 4
255 x 1

Other:
My weight seems to be steadily climbing finally and i think its thanks to the massive amounts of chili ive been eating. ive been putting on some fat as well but i know muscle is being added and that i can cut when april rolls around. ive got a solid 7 months to bulk plus september still. im happy that i seem to look thicker and bigger and fill out my clothes just a little better. my weight doesnt seem to be dropping much below 149 now even when i wake up. usually by the end of the day it's near 152. no complaints...i am feeling great, healthy, no soreness anywhere or injuries...life is good. now i just need more weight plates, some more whey soon and a freakin squat rack! lol

cheers!

[SolidSnake84]

Thursday, September 28 2006:

Weigh-In PreWO: 149 lbs

Notes: today i got about 3-4 hrs sleep before today cuz i had to wake up for a job interview...went pretty well but wont be taking the job...lotta hassle and was kinda stressed with little food...not feeling great today either and pretty tired so wasnt too pumped..but havent lifted in a while either so had to get this one in.

Routine: BIG 3

Bench Press:

65 x 10
115 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 3
155 x 4
120 x 5 closegrip
120 x 5 closegrip

Notes: missed the last set again so tried to make up for it with another set at 155...try again next time for 160 x 5 x 3..should be able to hit it cuz ill be rested and feeling better

ATG Squats:

25 x 8
75 x 8
100 x 20
105 x 20

Notes: im sticking with high reps for now since i had problems at 135 a couple workouts ago...20 squat reps atg are terribly hard anyway, at least for me...only problem with these is that at such high reps by lower back takes a beating and is sore, which is unfortunate b/c i do deads right after, lol

Deadlifts:

135 x 4
175 x 4
215 x 4
245 x 4 *
255 x 1 (personal best!)

Notes: 245 is my best for reps, however the last two reps i was unable to completely lock out so im not counting it for a personal best yet...245 x 2, or 240 x 4 are my best for reps...255 is my best for single so far.

sadly, 255 is the absolute maximum weight i can fit on my bar..it was stacked literally to the end with plates..on each side, had 2 25's, 6 10s, and 2 5s for 120 on each side = 240, plus the 15 lb bar. im gonna need to buy some 25 lb plates in probably 1 month. in the meantime, i am going to get up to 255 x 4...that's the goal. ive found my back can handle it and i dont hitch even at all yet..which i dont plan on doing, but my grip is what is failing me. overall i just didnt have the energy today, but i think i did ok with these as i set a personal best.

Shrugs:

155 x 12
155 x 12

BB Curl:

65 x 5

Notes: just threw in a quick set for fun

Wrap Up:

Bench Press 160 x 5 x 2; 160 x 3; 155 x 4
ATG Squat 100 x 20; 105 x 20
Deadlift 245 x 4* (last 2 reps not acceptable for me); 255 x 1

Goals for next workout:

Bench
160 x 5 x 3

ATG Squat
105 x 20
110 x 20

Deadlift
245 x 4
255 x 2

That's about it. Enjoy.

Cheers!

[SolidSnake84]

even though i just lifted on thursday...i feel like im recovering fast, so i just happened to be checking my weight today (was around 152) and decided to loosen up my chest with a set of 65 x 8.

then i decided, hell ive never done a 1 rep max before so i decided to see what i was capable of. my best for reps was 160 x 5 x 3 sets with only 4 reps on the last set.

i dont have a spotter, so i erred on the cautious side, but still put up more than i thought i could! here it is...


65 x 8
115 x 5
155 x 1
175 x 1
185 x 1
195 x 1

i know i could have hit 200, but without the spotter, and being fatigued after struggling with 195, i called it quits. i was surprised to see i could put up that much and that it didnt really feel all that heavy...in fact 195 x 1 basically felt the same as 160 on the 3rd or 4th reps of the last set..i expected it to feel a bit heavier. this is pretty motivational for me. although i dont really like 1 rep maxes, i now have

1 REP MAX
_________

bench press
195

deadlift
255


of course, my squat i cant test without a rack, but its at 135 for 10 reps at its best...this puts my big 3 total at

585

so i am almost halfway to the 1200 total lol. if i had a damn rack i could probably hit close to 650

anyway this was kinda fun just wanted to report that i can almost bench 200 now! for next workout though, back to rep work..this wasnt really a workout, only took about 10 minutes for all of it.

[SolidSnake84]

Not sure why I wrote this...I couldn't sleep, feeling a bit confused about where to go next in life, and also anxious to lift tomorrow, lol...kinda long, read it if you like.





Life is complicated. When we are young, our goals are clear-cut and focused. We know what we want and it is the only thing that occupies our mind until we get it. A new video game, or our favorite nfl player's jersey. We will do random odds and ends, take out the trash, cut the lawn, walk the dog, do our homework, just to save up enough cash to get it.

As we get older, goals become hazy. They are no longer the sole interest that occupies our entire brain. Along with our dreams, they often get tossed aside. Those cool jobs we wanted to do as a kid get replaced by a job that we may not like, but do just so we can pay bills. Rather than live each day to have fun and enjoy ourselves, we just try to make it through each day, and then, exhausted, collapse in front of the TV, content to just go to bed so we have just enough energy to make it through another monotonous day. We sometimes rely our dreams to take us to the places we'd like to go while we sleep, instead of pursuing them while awake.

Tonight, I cannot fall asleep. As I lay in bed, I think about where my life is going. My lofty ambitions as a kid to be the biggest, strongest guy that people would admire and be proud of...to be recognized for my talents, to write my own music and books...all seem a bit distant. I realize that at this point in my life, things have become too cloudy and fogged to see a straight path toward my destination. I don't know how to achieve a lot of the dreams I once dreamed, because I don't have the money or time to dedicate to reaching them.

But there is one dream that I still can cling onto. There is one thing I still have that makes everything else seem attainable. That thing is a bench, a barbell, and a set of weights in my basement. Ironically in the bottoms of the basement, when all else has failed me...my friends, my girlfriends, my family, myself... I can return to the depths to the iron. Bodybuilding is one thing that has always been there for me. Sometimes, I may struggle to come up with the right words to write, the right things to say, the right actions to take...and I get confused with where to go, because everything has become complicated. But bodybuilding is different.

When I lift a weight, I am returned back to when I was a kid. I don't have to think of a zigzagging route to get from point A to point B. Point B is simply where I must lift a weight to. My love of bodybuilding comes from this return to simplicity. It keeps my goals in perspective and they always seem attainable every week, with every rep. When I am alone in the weightroom, I can shut out the rest of the world, all of my fears...and just lift. I don't have to think. And I am extremely grateful for those 3-4 hours every week, when I can tune everything out, and dream. I am a kid again, trying to lift as much weight as I can. More weight than I ever have before. I am running to tell my parents how much I could lift, or telling my friends and comparing strength. Every tension that has built up throughout the week is released. I put all my disappointments, all of my hopes, all of my anger, into every repetition. I am the incredible Hulk picking up unfathomable weight off the ground and screaming as I lift it over my head. For that one hour of a workout, I am free to not be ordinary, to not have to go through the mundane tasks and routines of life. I am expressing myself by moving the iron. I am making an investment, and hoping that my efforts will reward me with gains down the road. I know that if I put my time in, and really try, that I WILL get where I want to be.

What is it that is so special about putting weight on a bar, and moving it from one point to another? I'm not quite sure, and I think that's the way I'd like to keep it. I don't want to have to analyze why I love it, I just accept that I do. In a world where you feel as if you may have lost your purpose or direction, the weights are the one thing that have always kept me grounded. They never disappoint you. They are always reliable, and if you are wise enough to use them, they will make you strong. The only thing that can let you down is yourself. And as long as you have that flicker of a hope, you will keep returning to the weights. For me, bodybuilding is my rock. To others who share my love of the sport, of bettering oneself, of battling not to beat another, but to build each other up, to be the best we can and maximize our potential...I wish you well and hope that you too continue to find bodybuilding as that one thing that you can always fall back on no matter what. It is truly a beautiful thing.

[SolidSnake84]

Thursday, October 5th 2006:

Weigh-In: 151 lbs

Routine: Big 3

It's been a week (!) since i lifted last. i have been swamped with stuff to do unfortunately, and was planning on a tuesday lift but woke up with one of the worst headaches i ever had. funny thing is, i rarely get headaches, maybe 2 or 3 a year at most, but this was like a migraine. i had severe pressure in teh back of my head...today it felt better so i hit up the weights...pretty good workout actually..the week off did me well.


Bench Press:

65 x 10
115 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 5 (personal best!)
120 x 5 close grip
120 x 5 close grip

Notes: at last i hit the 160 for all 3 sets of 5 reps. i actually didnt even struggle at all except for the very last rep of the last set. so im definitely moving up to 165 next workout. as for close grip, it was pretty easy this time, so ill move that up to 125

ATG Squats:

25 x 8
75 x 8
105 x 20
110 x 20

Notes: wow this was freakin death today. 105 wasnt bad but i was a bit fatigued after it...i think the fatigue was just slow to set on, because once i hit about rep 7 on 110, it was all heart. i was gasping for each rep and pouring sweat. once i get past rep 12 is when it gets really tough, and these absolutely murdered me. afterward, i had to lay down on the ground to stretch out my lower back so it woudlnt be so sore for deadlifts and take like a 5 min break. i would really like to do higher weight with low reps but this is the best i can do for now.

Deadlifts:

135 x 4
175 x 4
215 x 4
245 x 4 (personal best!)
255 x 1 + static hold

Notes: as mentioned last time, 255 is the highest my bar and weight set will allow sadly. this time 245 i did get all 4 reps with lockouts at top. i usually switch my grip after every 2 reps so that im hitting all the muscles (b/c i use alternating hand grip), and i think when i do my right hand overhand and left under i am much weaker...i am always losing grip when i do this half of the grip. nonetheless i pulled it off. for 255, i did the rep very cleanly and held it for i woudl say around 10 seconds in hopes to build up some grip for the future...actually wasnt too bad. 250 for reps next time

Shrugs:

155 x 12
175 x 8

Superset @ 65lbs:

BB Curl - 5 reps
Military Press - Overhead lockout, hold static for 1 minute

Notes: Just felt like switching things up and burning out my muscles some. Military Press the weight was nothing but after about 30 seconds it built up some tension and got quite hard near the end.


Pullovers:

50 lb x 10 (2 25 lb plates held together)

Abs:

crunches
twists
leg raises
bicycles

Notes: used 25 lb weight


Wrap-Up:

Bench Press
160 x 5 x 3

ATG Squat
105 x 20
110 x 20

Deadlift
245 x 4
255 x 1 + 10 second static hold


Goals on Big 3 for next workout:

Bench Press
165 x 5 x 3

ATG Squat
110 x 20 x 2

Deadlift
250 x 4
255 x 2 + static hold


Other: next workout i am not doing big 3, however. i am going to start a rippetoe like progression on military presses, bent over rows, and pullups. before i used to just do as many sets as i could never really with a steady goal in mind.

im gonna try to do like ive been doing with bench press and do 3 sets of 5 and then add 5 lbs once i hit it for mil presses and bent over rows. for pullups i will try to do 4 sets, 1 each with
a)closegrip, hands facing away
b)closegrip, hands facing face
c)wide grip, hands facing away
d)wide grip, hands facing face

for 6 reps each. if i do all, i will try to add 1 rep each workout. i dont have a weight belt i could use so i will have to go for reps here unless someone can recommend a way to make a makeshift weight belt lol. hopefully gym membership soon (and a job!...im running out of whey!)

cheers!

[SolidSnake84]

Monday, October 9 2006:

Weigh-In: 150 lbs


Pull-ups:

4 sets of 6 reps. Each set i switched between either close grip and wide grip, and either palms facing or palms away.

Military Press:
75 x 5
95 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 3
75 x 6 + 20 second hold after last rep at lockout

Bent Over Rows:
75 x 5
95 x 5
105 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5 (closegrip)
95 x 12 (4-wide; 4-normal; 4-closegrip)

Raises:
lateral and front, just a few

Overhead Hold:
95 lbs x 50 seconds

BB Curl:
75 x 4
45 x 12
45 x 8 -reverse grip

Abs:

bout 3 minutes worth


Notes: bit of a strange workout. i was surprised i couldnt complete my mil presses @ 100 lbs near the end for 5 reps. i have done 135 before...will prob shoot for 105 x 5 x 3 next time i do this anyway

big 3 routine again next workout

going for ...

165 x 5 x 3 bench press
250 x 4 deadlift

lift again probably on thursday, maybe sooner if i recover quickly as this workout wasnt very tough

cheers

[SolidSnake84]

Thursday, October 12 2006:

Weigh-In: 150 lbs (eating hasnt been great lately)

*no squats today...wanted to try deads without being completely wasted by 2 sets of 20*


Bench Press:

65 x 8
115 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 3.5*
125 x 5 closegrip
125 x 5 closegrip

Notes: 165 was pretty heavy today and i didnt think id even get all 5 reps on the first set. when i got to 3 i gave it my all. after 3 reps, i was like there's no way im gonna get this one, but i went for it. i actually got it pretty high..just about halfway and past the usual sticking point of many...but at halfway the bar just stayed there...i pushed and pushed but it didnt go...i really did try for about 10 seconds and had to lower it onto my gut. surprisingly didnt feel all that crushing on my stomach..ab training must be doing the trick!

will try again for 165 x 5 x 3 next time and i hope to get it..cuz 170 would be really exciting for me. closegrip i upped to 125 this week with on prob.

Deadlift:

135 x 4
175 x 4
215 x 4
251 x 2*
255 x 1
195 x 10

Notes: after getting 245 x 4 last week i thought id do better on 251 this week, but i was quite wrong. i got the first 2 and went for the 3rd...i did get it up but no where near locking out, my grip completely failed me and i got the bar down just about in time to not have to hear a crashing sound. got 255 x 1 again and wanted to punish myself with a little more endurance on deads for once so i did 195 for 10, which was pretty fun actually! im going for 251 again next time for 4 reps

Shrugs:

155 x ? (just kept goin)
175 x 5
135 x 12
65 x 20

Notes: not as good as last time :( my grip was shot by this point so i couldnt hold onto the bar for anything

BB Curl:
65 x 5
55 x 8

Military Press-Overhead Hold

85lbs x 60 seconds

Notes: put on a pumped up song and held the weight overhead for a minute. fun stuff!

Pullovers:

25 x 25

notes: using 25 lb plate, 25 pullovers

Calf Raises:

85 lbs x as many reps as i could before calves cramped up

Abs:

3 min worth

Other: pretty good workout..not having to do squats was mentally a big relief.

Wrap-Up:

BenchPress
165 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 3

Deadlift
251 x 1
255 x 1
195 x 10


GOALS for nexttime:

Bench Press- 165 x 5 x 3

Deadlift- 251 x 4 255 x 2

have a good day everyone...

cheers!

[SolidSnake84]

Wednesday, October 18 2006:

Weigh-In: 150 lbs

it's been a while since the last workout. havent had much food in the house so weight gain has been stagnant as well. here's the routine for today though...no squats again, i basically dont wanna do them with the light weight ive been doing..so they are gonna have to be excluded until i get a gym membership unfortunately.


Bench Press:

65 x 8
115 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 3.5 *
165 x 3
175 x 2
125 x 5 closegrip
130 x 5 closegrip

Notes: i think my strength suffered from not working out for almost a week. last time i got 165 x 5 for at least 2 sets...today on the 2nd set, i did 3..and on the 4th rep i knew i couldnt get it up if i went all the way down so i went down pretty far, but didnt touch chest and then stopped. on the 3rd set, i just stopped at 3 rather than do a partial rep. i felt like i didnt hit chest enough so i did 175 x 2 which was actually not too bad. i also upped the 2nd set of closegrip to 130..fun stuff!

Deadlift:

135 x 4
175 x 4
215 x 4
251 x 3.5
255 x 1 + 5 seconds
200 x 10

Notes: well i improved here from last time. last week i could only get 2 reps of 251 with good grip and form. today i got 3 with perfect form and good grip. on the last rep my grip failed yet again and i got it up but couldnt hold it at lockout, so im gonna say i did 251 x 3 still. hope to get all 4 reps next time, but not a huge hurry as my bar only goes up to 255. i also did 255 for 1 rep and held it at lockout for about 5 seconds to help grip. then i finished off with 200 lbs for 10 reps.

Power Shrug:

155 x 10
155 x 6 (regular shrug)

Notes: grip was shot by this point

BB Curl:

65 x 7

Notes: a little improvement in reps from last time

Shrug:

65 x 25

Military Press Overhead Hold:

85 lbs x 60 seconds

Calf Raises:

95 x 24

Finished up with Grip work and weighted abs


Goals for next workout:

Bench Press

165 x 5 x 3
175 x 3?

Deadlift

251 x 4
255 x 2
205 x 10

cheers!

[SolidSnake84]

i havent forgot about this journal...i still want to continue lifting...work has been sucking lately though..10 hr+ days up to 6 days a week and i have little time for ANYTHING, plus the job is extremely physical so i have no energy afterward and the hours are weird...hopefully i get word from all the people i applied to soon so i can work normal hours and have energy to get back on the horse here. hope to write in here again soon!

[SolidSnake84]

needed to bump this...will be starting up again shortly...weightroom has been renovated, summer is fast approaching, and deadlifts need to be done :) expect entries soon!!

[SolidSnake84]

Back at last! I finally got my act together and decided to lift today to start up for the summer. prior to now ive just gone running, maybe 4 or 5 times and done some pushups...it was good to get back, but im exhausted. i was shocked at how much strength i lost and at how stuff that was easy a mere 5 months ago felt impossible today..take a look

May 4th, 2007
Weigh-In: 138.5 lbs (ouch)

Bench Press

65 x 8
115 x 5
135 x 3
125 x 4
115 x 5
85 x 5 (close-grip)
90 x 4.5 (close grip)

Notes: wow...was up to doing 165 for 3 sets of 5 fairly comfortably in october...today 135 felt like 1000 lbs...and i had done 195 for a rep before too...my 3rd rep of 135 and 4th rep of 125 were a bit on the cheating side as well
even worse, my close grip was up to 135 in october, now i struggled with 90 and couldnt even normal press 135 barely. oh well, gotta start new

ATG Squat

no rack, so went for reps

20 x 8
70 x 10
75 x 16

Notes: nothing special, just wanted to warm legs up and get em used to squats again... reps after 9 or 10 were a bit rough, but nothing heavy really, more in the cardiovascular sense

Deadlifts

75 x 4
115 x 6
155 x 4
175 x 4
195 x 4
205 x 3

Notes: deads were my favorite exercise and i was moving up in weight quickly with them, so i had high hopes...i cant say i was disappointed as i hit the 200 mark. 175 felt pretty heavy though, whereas it was more of a warmup in october. 205 i couldnt hold onto the 3rd rep for very long, so decided to forego risking injury on a 4th rep. legs were a bit shaky from the high reps of squats

Shrugs

just a few @ 115

Superset--Bent Over Row + Military Press

65 lb x 8 (BOR) x 6 (MP)

Notes: just wanted to get my muscles back into the feel of a superset

BB Curl:
65 x 4

Calf Raise

65 x 16

Abs

25 lb plate, crunches/leg raises



That's it for today...about an hour and a half workout though, longer than i wanted...sipping on whey protein shake right now...expecting a workout on monday most likely..may do some running on sunday...i shall report back then

[SolidSnake84]

i have worked out since last...just not in my house doing the usual...found a place where i can workout for free with a ton of weights and machines...have done 2 workouts since last entry. the most recent was yesterday...did:
leg presses (4 sets) 250x20, 270 x 12, 300 x 10, 320 x 8
pullups
lat pulldown @ 160
bent over rows@ 100
machine squats @ 210

doing a 4 day split type of thing..shoulders are today

[SolidSnake84]

ive been lifting about 3 days a week, in succession (3 in a row) for about a week now. tonight i did

bench press:
135 x 5 (as well as sets of 5 at less than this)

atg squats:
145 x 5 (155 x 1; several sets less than 145)

deadlifts:
115 x 5
165 x 5
205 x 5
225 x 3
250 x 1 (didnt lock out)
225 x 1

this is the short of it, but took quite abit

[SolidSnake84]

back and shoulders today, mostly did 5-6 reps for all, more for pullups and raises, ~ 3 sets

exercises included
pullups + chinups-3 sets
military press -b/t 75-105 lbs
bent over rows-b/t 85-105 lbs
front and lateral raises-15 lbs
lat pulldown-b/t 75-95 lbs
arnold presses-25 lb DBs

sorry for the hurried style...havent had as much time to do my writing. i havent been working out at home, but at work. on the plus side, i finally have a rack for squatting (at work) so im hoping the poundage greatly increases on that, whcih in turn will get me to grow a bit more and increase my other lifts. im really pumped to be back on track working out

also trying to gain weight back. im at 140 now, after going from 138 to 153 back in october...really struggling to put on the pounds, ive been eating like a horse and lifting pretty heavy for my size. my appetite has really increased with the addition of weightlifting to my routine, just cant seem to get the scale to go up, but my body is changing quite a bit, fat is dropping, and my weight is at least constant, so at least hopefully muscle may be being added.

my program is a bit of a 3-4 day in a row split ("power day" which includes bench, atg squats, and deads; leg and chest day, back and shoulder day, calves and arms day)...usually start off the week with power day, as im the freshest, then other 3 days, then take 3 days off (have a workout partner right now so this works for us)...

ideally, id like to get back into my old 5x5 routine doing the big 3 and nothing more than 5 reps and adding 5 lbs once i can get 3 sets of 5 reps on any given exercise. i really experienced a lot of progress with that in a relatively short period of time (put on 15 lbs in 2 1/2 months, and all lifts went up significantly) but just getting body back into the swing for now, and it feels good to be lifting everyday. also im gonna be purchasing a really nice used olympic 300 lb set of weights within the week for pretty cheap (about 85 bucks) so i can switch to that from my crappy standard weights that i can only load 255 onto the bar. im really pumped for that.

will hopefully also be ordering some whey protein from bb.com as my old ON supply is running dangerously low.

my diet is currently pretty much only the following:

eggs (a lot...6 or more a day-whole)
wheat toast with nat pb
milk (1/2 gallon or more a day)
hamburgers -- 2-4 a day (about 8-16 oz)
beans
leftover steak sandwiches, steak
oatmeal


it's a ton of protein, but not very versatile but it's the best i can manage until i can get scrap some cash for veggies, lean chicken (havent had any in probably a month, getting sick of burgers surprisingly), and other good stuff. ive had some vicious protein bathroom visits thanks to the overload of milk and beef

tomorrow's arm and calf day, probably throw in some abwork, until then have a good night!

[-calvus-]

Hey, a fellow Alaskan. Sucks this nice weather didnt hold out (if you're in Anch that is). Good luck with your goals. Its always hard trying to pick up where you left off.

[SolidSnake84]

worked out today..weighing around 141 lbs recently

bench
115 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 4
115 x 5 (closegrip)

atg squat

115 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5
150 x 5

deadlift

115 x 4
165 x 4
215 x 4
215 x 4
215 x 2


strength has suffered, but im making progress...tomrrow = back and shoulders day

[SolidSnake84]

Bodyweight has unfortunatley been suffering...my appetite is just not there due to stress from a lot of things id rather not get into...i am just constantly feeling nauseous and unable to stomach much. other than that, my lifts have been going up, so i cant ask for more in that department. here's today's workout--the big 3...btw, my weight is around 137-138 right now


Bench Press:

115 x 5
145 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5
125 x 4 (closegrip)

Notes: closegrip i was a bit fatigued by, but 150 i got up, and im kind of excited because my bench is almost back where it was in october, and im about 12-15 lbs lighter (although id prefer to have the weight quite frankly!) will try for 155, 3 sets of 5 next time


ATG Squats:

115 x 5
155 x 5
155 x 5
155 x 5 (*** personal best***)

Notes: this is a personal best for me, shoudl be noted i just started using a rack in may. I am seriously loving it cuz ive never had one before and my squat has always suffered, making my legs look considerably smaller than the rest of me. prior to this, the best i was doing was clean and pressing 135 over my head and squatting it then having to take it off. i was under the impression i'd be able to shoot up in squat weight quickly, but this was actually kind of tough. nonetheless, i have complete faith in 160 x 5 x 3 next week, and i know my legs will pull me through that. really excited about squatting for real now!


Deadlifts:

115 x 4
205 x 4
230 x 4
230 x 4
260 x 1 (***personal best***)

Notes: working my way back up the ladder, so to speak...trying to get back to where i was, at 255 area...if i recall correctly, i was repping 251 for a few, and able to get up 255 before my standard bar overloaded and could take no more weights. now with olympic weights, after i got 230 for 2 sets, decided to just go for 260 to see if i could...it was tough as hell, but i managed, and got it down safely just in time before my grip gave out. next time, will try 235 x 4 reps x 3 sets (will do 2 warmups @ 115 and 165 instead of throwing that 205 set in there)...and after that might go for 265 x 1 to see if i can...sweet


Dips: 20 x BW (to finish off chest)

Notes: just wanted to do some...was in a bit of a hurry so didnt have time to load up a belt, but next time i shall

Weighted Crunches:

35 lb plate x ???

Notes: just standard crunching to get my abs back into the swing.


let's hope my appetite kicks in eventually so i can grow! until then, have a goodnight!

[SolidSnake84]

Weighing about 137 lbs today, still no appetite...did back and shoulders today.

Pullups:
Palms away, wide grip x 8
Palms facing me, close grip x 8
PA, WG x 8
PFM, CG x 8

Military Press:
95 x 5
100 x 5
105 x 5

Bent Over Row:
105 x 5
115 x 5
125 x 5
140 x 5 * (***personal best!***)

Notes: personal best, last rep was a bit shaky though

Upright Row:
95 x 5
75 x 5
75 x 5

Front and Lateral Raises
3 sets of 5, back to back (did front and lateral back to back for one set, took break, next set, took break, last set) @ 20 lbs

Arnold DB Presses:

25 x 5
30 x 5
30 x 5

Rear Shoulder Raises DB:

45 x 5 for each arm
50 x 5
50 x 5

Lat Pulldowns on Machine:
115 lbs of weight plus machine bars, 3 sets of 6-8

Abs:
Crunches wtih 35 lb weight plate, and then leg raises


Not a bad workout...tomorrow may be doing ARM day for once! may also throw in calves and abs again...gnite

[SolidSnake84]

Weighing a bleak 137

did arms today for a change

ez bar curl:
75 x 5
80 x 5
80 x 5
Notes: 80 is a best for curl for me, sweet

hammer curl:
35 DBs, 3 sets of 5

Rope Pulldowns/Bar pulldowns:

50 lbs x several sets (around 6)...on a smith machine, so is a bit more than the weight you put on..the bars weigh a lot

preacher curls:
20 lbs + weight of machine...machine actually weighs a ton (body solid), so closer to probably 50 or more lbs

skull crushers + pullovers:

65 x 5 x 5
65 x 5 x 5
65 x 5 x 5

Notes: did 5 reps of SC's, immediately followed by 5 reps of PO's, rinse and repeat

ABS:
crunches wtih 45 lb plate
leg raises

not a bad workout, didnt have much energy...we'll see if it went well if im feeling a bit sore tomorrow!...taking the rest of the week off...will be entering next entry likely on monday, but possibly tuesday due to work schedule, and will be resuming with Big 3 day, and going for some new bests in squats and deadlifts! gnite!

[SolidSnake84]

wasn't planning on going on a cardio fest today, and probably didn't need it with my lack of appetite and inability to put on weight right now, but ive been so stressed and have all this pent up energy, so today i just kept going. went to a local walking trail...

I walked 5 miles, on the last 2, i did pullups and dips, 15 consecutive pullups (8 pullups, 7 chinups), next lap i did 27 dips.

after walking 5 miles, i was so revved up and had to get rid of it, it was blazing heat, but decided to run...had my ipod shuffle going and it was getting me pumped. i ended up running 7 more consecutive miles without stopping, for a total of 12 miles today, kept a good pace as well...i missed running like this. completely drenched in sweat, it just felt so great, and the new song playlist really helped when i hit a rough spot. after stopping i just laid down for a few seconds, then went to the bathroom there and drank water out of the faucet for a good 10 minutes lol...my calf on right side is quite sore today, but ive got a few days to recover before heavy lift day. i better eat something now...i was there for 3 hours nearly. nite!

[SolidSnake84]

no weights today, but i walked 5 miles in the blazing 90+ degree heat as i poured sweat. For each mile that i walked, i did 10 pullups (alternated with 10 chinups on the next lap), 25-30 pushups, 15-22 dips...good stuff, will most likely be off until tuesdayish, possibly monday, where ill pick it up with the Big 3 and shooting for personal bests in squats and maybe deads..bench, im still working my way back up. see ya then..nite!

[SolidSnake84]

Weighing in around 139 right now...appetite still shaky but not as bad. big 3 today plus extras

Bench Press:
115 x 5
155 x 5
155 x 5
155 x 5
135 x 4 (closegrip)
Notes: got all with relative ease, aside from closegrip. 160 next week, almost back to where i was!

ATG Squat:
115 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 5 (personal best!***)

Notes: cant complain...was kinda hard, but now that i have a rack im so excited to go up in weight on squats. 165 next time.

Deadlift:
115 x 4
185 x 4
235 x 4
235 x 4
235 x 4
265 x 0*

Notes: got up all 235 x 4s...little shaky on last rep of last set. arms were spent by the time i attempted a new record of 265...i couldnt hold onto it the whole time or lock out, so doesnt count. will try 265 for 1 again next week. also goin for 240 x 4 for 3 sets as well

Dips:
BW +35 x 10
BW +45 x 10
BW +55 x 8

Notes: so nice to have a dip station and belt where i work out finally. probably could have gotten 10 reps on last set but i was so exhausted and spent, i didnt wanna not be able to get back up, so played it safe. maybe more weight and around 6-8 reps next time! excited for these as well!

Abs:
Crunches with 50 lb plate
Leg Raises



Other: tomorrow is back and shoulder day, then friday i will be taking a day off from lifting, but ill be running in the heat haze, and doing pushups, dips and pullups every lap like i did last week..felt really good, and really helped my back i feel...did about 25 pullups and 25 chinups total that day, plus about 50 dips, and about 100 pushups total. just a good wind down day and to finish off the muscles for a few days til i lift again. ill check back in tomorrow..gnite!

[SolidSnake84]

Weigh-In ...around 138 lbs...back and shoulders today

Pullups:
BW + 20 lbs x 5

Chinups:
BW + 20 x 5

Pullups:
bw x 8

Chinups:
bw x 8

Mil Press:
95 x 5
105 x 5
110 x 5

Bent Over Row:
120 x 5
130 x 5
145 x 5 (***personal best!***)

Upright Row:
95 x 5
95 x 5
95 x 4

Arnold DB Presses:
35 x 5
35 x 5
35 x 5

Front and Lateral Raises:
20 lb DB x 5 for each x 3 sets

Rear DB Rows:

50 x 5
55 x 5
55 x 5

Lat Machine Pulldown:
Machine weight + 140 lbs

8 reps
7 reps
7 reps

that's it...tomorrow i run, dip, pullup, chinup, and pushup and then off til mon or tues. gnite! (im sore as hell!)

[SolidSnake84]

Cardio and bodyweight exercises today

at the local trails...walked 3 laps...each lap i did:

25 pushups
10 pullups or 10 chinups (alternating)
20 dips

...after 3 laps of walking, i ran the last 2

each lap = 1 mile...felt pretty good. see you mon/tues

[SolidSnake84]

Big 3 today....bodyweight around 139..no appetite yet unfortunately

Bench Press:
115 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 4.5*
115 x 6 (closegrip)

Notes: couldnt get last rep of last set up, had to let down on chest..dammit, felt really heavy today for some reason. i will attempt 160 x 5 x 3 again next week...dropped down on closegrip cuz i was feeling weak and wanted to save energy for...

ATG Squat:
115 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 5(***personal best!***)

Notes: felt EXTREMELY heavy...160 didnt feel anything like this last week...nonetheless, i somehow managed to do it. i feel like im fast approaching a brick wall/plateau that ill have to find a way to burst through, but im hoping my willpower can force up the weight til i get near like 185. 165 on my shoulders felt somewhat crushing. goin for 170 next week!

Deadlifts:
115 x 4
185 x 4
240 x 4
240 x 4
240 x 4
265 x 1* (personal best!)

Notes: got up the 240's with a bit of struggle, mostly just on the last rep of each set, as grip was failing...refuse to wear straps though...my grip will come with time im hoping. after that, i attempted 265 again, since i couldnt lock it out last week...and i got it! couldnt hold on for very long but i was psyched i got it! goin for 245 for reps next week and 270 for one rep max as well

Weighted Dips:
+45 x 6
+55 x 6
+65 x 6
+75 x 6
+85 x 4 (*best)
+0 x 20 (finish off)

Notes: i am really getting into doin dips to finish off and punish my chest and this was my favorite thing i did tonite. last week i stopped at 55 lbs on the weight belt, but i wanted to keep adding weight until i couldnt do 6 clean reps. when i hit 85, it was heavy and i might have been able to get 2 more off, but i was getting exhausted and didnt want to risk popping a shoulder out of place or somethin crazy if i couldnt push myself back up at the bottom of the movement. i was really impressed that i could do this today though...very pumped about these...might go for 95 or a round 100 lbs added next week!

Abs:
50 lb plate attached:
crunches

then...
leg raises, no weight attached.


very good workout i think...everything went as planned aside from not hitting the last rep of bench. but bench has always been my weak point, and since ive never gotten past 165 for reps on the bench, im pleased to be back at 160 at least. i feel like 170 isnt that far off, maybe 3 weeks...if only i could eat more and im sure some of these lifts would be a hell of a lot easier with some more bodyweight.

nonetheless, as a result of heavy lifting and almost no eating, i am getting quite ripped, more so than ive been in a LONG time, and my abs are popping out. i should probably take a progress pic soon...tomorrow is back and shoulder day...see you then!

[SolidSnake84]

Back and Shoulders today...weight around 139 still


Pullups:
+20 lbs x 5 reps

Chinups:
+20 x 5

Pullups:
+20 x 5

Chinups:
+20 x 5

Pullups + Chinups:
BW x 4 & 6


Military Press:
95 x 5
105 x 5
115 x 2 dropsetted with 95 x 4 more

Bent Over Row:
115 x 5
135 x 5
150 x 5 (***personal best!***)

Upright Row:
100 x 5
100 x 4
100 x 5
...Supersetted with

...Front and Lateral Raises:
25 x 5 x 5
25 x 5 x 5

Rear DB One Arm Raises
60 x 5 for each arm
70 x 5 " " "
70 x 5 " " "

Arnold DB Presses:

35 x 5
35 x 5
40 x 5

Lat Pulldowns:
Machine + 140 lbs weight
8 reps
8 reps
6 reps

Abs:
Crunches with 50 lb plate
Leg Raises with BW

That's it...pretty solid workout, not sure if lifting tomorrow or not...if i do, it'll be an arm/calves/abs workout most likely...my biceps are really lagging since ive been doing a lot of compound stuff and simultaneously not eating very much, so im not putting any inches on my arms, but im getting shredded up to death...cant really complain. guess ill leave out the bulking til late august, as my lifts have still been going up despite not gaining any weight whatsoever. if i dont lift tomorrow, ill probably be running and doing dips/pullups/pushups on thursday and/or friday as well...then lifting will resume on monday. nite!

[R.T.B.]

Nice journal man, nice job with the PR's a couple days back

[SolidSnake84]

went swimming earlier today for a bit...ive gotten some nice color this week since it's been nice.

about an hour ago i ran 2 miles...actually it was quite a workout...i ran to each station along the trail...did 20 pushups, ran to the next, did 10 pullups, ran to the next, did 20 dips...finished mile one, and repeated except switched pullups for chinups on lap 2. was gonna go 3 or 4 miles (each lap=1 mile), but i got caught in a thunderstorm midway thru the first lap...the rain was so hardfalling it knocked one of my contacts out lol...my ipod thankfully didnt break or short out, but i was completely drenched

anyway, part II is comin tonite...im doin arms, abs, and possibly calves...in a bout 2 hours

[lewdog_5]

Checking it out man, nice journal. Keep hitting the lifts hard.

I saw your dips up there, impressive man!!!

Count me in from here on out.

[SolidSnake84]

Weighing 135 by the way today! i dont know why im losing weight but it sucks.

Arms/Abs today

EZ bar curl:
75 x 5
85 x 5
95 x 2...90 x 2...85 x 1, drop sets
75 x 5

Hammer DB Curl:
40 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 5

Chin-Up Bar Hang:
45 seconds

Tricep Pulldown with Bar:
Machine weight + 50 lbs x 5

Tricep Rope Pulldowns:
MW + 55 x 5
MW + 55 x 5
MW + 55 x 5

Skull Crushers (EZ Bar) + Pullovers Superset:
55 x 5 x 5
65 x 5 x 5
70 x 5 x 2

Dips:
BW x 10 (done as slowly as possible with pause at top and bottom of movement)

Abs:
+50 weight plate--crunches
Hanging Leg Raises



Notes: I think during workout part I when i was running and went to do dips, i injured my chest cuz i was in a hurry due to the lightning storm. i think i pulled or strained something in my right pec by going to far too fast on the dips. hopefully it will heal within the next 4-5 days...it feels like it might, but it's pretty sore right now. Next lifting workout will be Monday...other than that, i might run tomorrow again and probably swimming between now and then. If my weight drops any lower, i might start getting concerned lol.

[R.T.B.]

Hey man, if your weight is dropping there's only one solution, and that's to eat more. Just keep increasing all your macros proportionately until your weight loss ends or you start gaining weight at the rate you want to

Also, your workouts are kind of hard to read...try using colors and/or formatting to make it easier...

[lewdog_5]

I know you commented in my journal about getting bigger. Only way to do that is to eat. It took me forever to figure out how eat to get big. I spent years now knowing how to do it.

I would recommend writing down everything you eat everyday and seeing what you are taking in. I noticed when I did this, that I wasn't eating nearly enough. And if you are losing weight, you likely aren't eating like you should.

[illestmiccheck1]

Solid workouts man! Really, keep it up!

[SolidSnake84]

thanks for the responses guys...as for eating to get big, i know i have to eat more obviously...but in a few posts i mentioned how i have trouble eating due to a lot of stressors in my life. there is seriously some pretty messed up crap going on, and even when i lift really heavy, i will get an appetite, but after the 3rd or 4th bite of something i just feel absolutely nauseous. im figuring in a month or two it will hopefully pass

on the bright side, i am more cut up now than i think ive ever been in my life, as i am setting personal bests and going up in weight every week and still maintaining or even losing weight...im considering just doing what im doing for the remainder of the summer til about mid august and then working toward the bulk again.

if you read some of my earlier entries from around october, youll see that i did have some success wtih eating...i put on a solid 15 lbs over about 3 month period, so i can do it...just right now, the hunger isnt there. since it's summer time, i can deal with it, but if i were trying to bulk in sept and didnt have an appetite id be really pissed, cuz i probably could have put on 10 lbs already over these past 2 months. however, if i drop anywhere below 130, im going to start worrying, cuz that would be insanely light for a guy imo...in fact i think 145 is even kinda light , and im 10 under that...but i really havent been eating much at all, and it's been mostly pure protein aside from carbs before/after a workout. it's kind of nice to be shredded though.

before my diet consisted of like 8 eggs a day, 3/4 gallon milk, 2-3 scoops of ON protein throughout the day, 2 hamburgers a day, a LOT of chili, as in probably a lb of meat plus the can of beans, cans of tuna, veggies, juice, chicken...everything i could possibly grab...it was great cuz i was ALWAYS hungry and wanting to eat like every 2 hrs...

now i eat like 3-4 eggs in the morning with wheat toast and nat pb...maybe some milk later on in the day...then dinner ..which is some kind of chicken often or beef...maybe some beef jerky later if we have it, a glass of milk before bed, and thats about it...not really even enough to sustain a little 13 year old girl let alone someone whos deadlifting 265 and doing weighted dips with 85 lbs lol...im surprised my body is still holding up without the sustenance frankly...but there's your explanation for it

[SolidSnake84]

Cardio/Bodyweight today

up to the local trail where i usually run...where 1 lap = 1 mile roughly.

along the trail are stations, the ones i use including a pushup station, a pullup station, and a dip station

today i ran 4 miles...for each mile, i ran to the above 3 stations, did the exercises, then ran to the next station, until i did all 3 and then ran the rest of the lap and continued on and repeated for the next lap

what i did was...

LAP 1:
10 pushups
10 pullups
10 dips

LAP 2:
20 pushups
10 pullups + 10 chinups
20 dips

LAP 3:
30 pushups
20 chinups + 10 pullups
30 dips

LAP 4:
40 pushups
20 pullups + 20 chinups
40 dips


if i couldnt finish them all at once, i just rested and did as many as i could next set til i hit the desired number. actually, didnt run into a problem til lap 3...30 pullups/chins proved to be too much for one set lol...last mile was brutal

total came out to
100 pushups
50 pullups
50 chinups
100 dips

im exhausted..next workout is big 3 on monday...ill need the rest this weekend.

[SolidSnake84]

Weighing a bleak 136 still...appetite coming back a bit...didnt get a chance to workout yesterday, but today hit it back with the big 3, except was running late due to gettin a new phone, so i had to forego deadlifts today, but they'll be done first thing tomorrow on back day. here's what i did do...records up the wazoo!

Bench Press:

115 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 5

Notes: these felt actually pretty easy today, once i got past the 1st set for some reason. didnt do close grips today cuz was running short on time. next week, i go for 165 x 5 x 3, my old best record for reps! and then after that i may have a new bench record for reps coming in like 2-3 weeks! sweet!

ATG Squats:

45 x 5
115 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 5 **personal best**

Notes: heavy as **** today, somehow managed to grunt it up...i swear if i didnt scream or grunt when squatting, id never get the weight up...gonna go for 175 next week. i think i may soon be developing some nice bruising on my traps from having a lot of weight resting on my meager frame lol. i never really hit a sticking point aside from one rep, and my form is still good, and i go down very low. im excited for these and hope my legs are sore as crap tomorrow

Weighted Dips:

60 x 6
75 x 6
90 x 6 **personal best**
BW x 20 (very slow)

Notes: i would have and probably should have really warmed up for these first, especially since they are really hurting my right shoulder immediately after the set...but in a hurry. i did all 6 reps on the +90 lbs, but i didnt like my form so i dont think im gonna move up next week...i just wasnt as controlled as id like to have been, but i did complete the motion and get a full range in. if 90 goes well next week, i may attempt 95 or 100 extra

Abs:
Weighted Crunches with 50 lb plate
Leg Raises

Tomorrow I do back and shoulder, and will be including deadlifts, where i go for 245 for reps and 270 1 rep max...see you tomorrow!

[SolidSnake84]

Weighing about 137 today...did deads, back and shoulders today

Deadlifts:
115 x 4
185 x 4
245 x 4
245 x 4
270 x 1 **personal best!**

Notes: sweet...i actually didnt have a grip problem with this for once, i got it up and held it for a solid 1-2 seconds with good form!...i think it's cuz i did it first and fresh, and also because i didnt do my usual 3 sets, and only did 2 before attempting it. nonetheless, try for 275 next week...and not sure if i will go with 245 or 250 for reps...i kind of like doing deads fresh first thing on back day rather than after being exhausted by squats and bench...we'll see what happens next week

Weighted Pullups/Chins:

+20 x 5 pullups
+20 x 5 chins
+20 x 5 pullups
+20 x 5 chins

Notes: may up to 25 lbs next week..i have no problem getting the chins, but the pullups are tough after like rep 3 and 4

Military Press:
85 x 5
95 x 5
105 x 5
Notes: no problems here..felt good, good form

Bent Over Row:
115 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 5 **personal best!**

Upright Row supersetted with Front and Lateral Raises:
100 x 5...25 lb DB x 5 x 5
100 x 5...25 lb DB x 5 x 5

Rear DB Raises:
70 x 5 x 5 (5 for each arm)
70 x 5 x 5

Notes: grip failing on left arm after 3rd rep both times, had to reset and regrip

Arnold DB Presses:
40 x 5
40 x 5

Lat Machine Pulldown:
Weight of Machine + ...
145 x 6
165 x 5

Abs:
50 lb plate crunches
Leg Raises

Chinups Burnout:
7 reps


pretty exhausted...got some new record on deads and bent over rows...rest felt pretty good, was a bit rushed again so had to cut down to 2 sets instead of 3 for some exercises, but workout was running close to 2 hrs so had to cut time...back and shoulder day always takes forever haha..

tomorrow may be arm/calves/abs day...most likely will..then friday will be cardio +dips, pullups, pushups day...then weekend off. i am really getting shredded. til tomorrow, take care, gnite!

[SolidSnake84]

Arms and Abs today...weight still 137...will be eating a nice juicy steak after this entry :)

EZ Bar Curl:
75 x 5
85 x 5
90 x 5

Tricep Bar Pulldown:
50 x 5
55 x 5

Tricep Rope Pulldown:
55 x 5
60 x 3

Tricep Bar Pulldown Again:
60 x 5

Hammer Curls:
40 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 5

SkullCrushers/Pullovers Superset:
55 x 5 x 5
65 x 5 x 5
70 x 5 x 5

Narrow Grip Chins/Tricep Dips (both done EXTREMELY slow and deliberate)
4 + 10
4 and hold at top of last rep + 10
4 and hold at top of last rep + 10

Abs:
50 lb weighted crunches
normal crunches
leg raises



Fairly solid workout...my arms got a nice pump for the first time in a while since i never work them. right shoulder still kills me after every set of dips now but ive grown to love them, especially weighted so hoping it just heals up and goes away, but this is probably wishful thinking. my form is great and i go very slow so im not jerking my RC around or anything. who knows...

tomorrow i go swimming for a bit, get some color, then perhaps a nice jog of 4-5 miles with some pullups, dips and pushups is in order...saturday i have to help my sister move into a new house all day so that's gonna kill my recovery...i expect to be back in the gym doin the big 3 again either monday or tuesday depending on how im feeling.

big 3 i am shooting for 250 x 4 x 2 and 275 x 1 on deadlifts; 175 x 5 x 3 sets for atg squats; and 165 x 5 x 3 sets for bench press. may also attempt 95 or 100 lb weighted dips for 6 reps if im feeling well. see you then! gnite!

[SolidSnake84]

by the way, anyone know how to transfer pics from my cell phone to the computer...i took a bunch of progress pics on 6/27 that i'd like to upload. i think i need to buy a memory card or somethin, and this essentials music kit that i can also use for pics...i have a motorola razr if it helps

[SolidSnake84]

Cardio today...

each lap = 1 mile:

Lap 1: pace, jog...10 pushups, 10 pullups, 10 dips

Lap 2: pace, jog...7 pushups, 7 wide grip pushups, 7 narrow grip pushups; 10 pullups, 10 chins, 20 dips

Lap 3: pace, jog...10 pushups, 10 wide grip pushups, 10 narrow grip pushups; 10 pullups, 20 chins, 30 dips

Lap 4: pace, walk for half...3 12 second full out sprints for rest...with walking in between


the sprints actually took a lot out of me, i was goin super fast though...like i felt like i could outrun a car. tomorrow i help move my sister into a new house, so dont know how much recovery ill get but, im aiming to recover over the weekend and hit the weights again on monday. see ya then!


***EDIT*** on a side note, i just noticed ive got over 1000 views...sweet! hope my journal is of some inspiration to others...i hope to be purchasing a thing that i can transfer pics from my cell phone that i just took onto here so i can have some updated progress pics. i think i am looking as good as i ever have, and my lifts are at the brink of my old personal bests, and in some cases have surpassed old ones. really happy where im at right now and it's only going to get better, i just have to stick with it.

[SolidSnake84]

Weighing actually around 140 lbs...i think my nerves finally burnt out for a bit and i got my appetite back but i know it's just temporary cuz some stressful stuff is coming up soon. but i had 2-3 days straight where i ate some solid meals, and i think my body is just holding onto any nutrients it can get, and i just put the weight right on...shot up about 3-4 lbs since i last left an entry about 4 days ago...maybe just some water weight but who knows...

anyway onto the lifts...set some sweet records again today! did chest and legs today

Flat Bench Press:
45 x 5
115 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 5 ** (ties personal best for reps!) **

Notes: somewhat hard, but i remember i was stuck on this for a while before, and i got them all up on the first try, so whatever im doin i hope it continues lol...gonna go for a record 170 x 5 x 3 next week! im really pumped and hope i hit it...only had like 1 sticking point and not even that bad..i pushed thru it within like a second--nice!

ATG Squats:
45 x 5
115 x 5
175 x 5
175 x 5
175 x 5 **personal best!**

Notes: quite heavy, especially resting upon my shoulders, had a few sticking points but i got it up...very last rep of last set was a killer. i was going down really far, like to the point where my hams were pretty much resting on my calves. Brutal to stand up from that position, just have to explode...but im really happy that i got this up...gonna go for 180 x 5 x 3 next time...pretty soon i might have to switch over to the smith machine though, cuz using just free weights and a rack, i can see how it might get dangerous once the weights near the 200+ mark.

Weighted Dips:
60 x 6
80 x 6
100 x 6 **personal best**
BW x 20 (chest dips) (very slowly)

Notes: 100 extra lbs tacked onto dips was rough...i still got the pain in my collarbone area like it was about to snap after each set, but didnt feel as bad as usual actually. my form on the +100 lbs was a bit sketchy at times, but i did get all the reps out and it wasnt like i was cheating, just like maybe 2 of the reps were 3/4 range of movement. usually the first rep, for example, i like to test how heavy it is, and dont go down all the way in case i cant get back up. might stick with +100 again to make sure i get it down pat next week

DB Flyes:
20 x 8
30 x 8
40 x 8

Notes: havent done these in a while, and felt my chest workout needed something new, so did these...not bad, got a nice pump and stretch...im considering adding some inclines in but i want to get my flat bench up to near 190 before i do, cuz im kind of on a power trip right now in terms of strength gains, and dont want to stop while im still steadily progressing every week.

Abs:
Weighted Crunches with 50 lbs
Bicycles
Leg Raises


Tomorrow is back and shoulders...ill be doing deadlifts first thing fresh...going for 250 x 4 x 2 sets, and then 275 x 1. Now that my old bench rep record has been matched today, pretty much everything i have ever lifted in my life is at it's max for reps! so it's all uphill from here, no more catching up to do with my old records...im really pumped about that. ive noticed sadly that my calves are beginning to look small in comparison to my upperbody. i havent done any calve exercises in a really long time, although i do run weekly. they have an insane V cut, but they are just looking kind of small. im actually kind of wanting to bulk right now, but ive got this beach trip comin up in exactly a month so im trying my hardest to remain in cut mode and hoping to hold onto the muscle i have for one and a half more months or so...alright...til tomorrow, gnite!

[SolidSnake84]

forgot to mention i walked 3 miles yesterday about 2 hours before working out.

today i just walked 4 miles...workout in about 2 hours from now...will report back after, so longgg

[SolidSnake84]

Weigh around 137 today lol...decided to just do back today, as back and shoulders literally was takin me like 2 hrs...shoulders will be either tomorrow or thurs cuz tom might be a day off due to 4th of july. some new records today!

Deadlift:
115 x 4
185 x 4
250 x 4
250 x 4 **(record for reps!)**
275 x 1 **(MAX record!)**

Notes: really happy with this today...apparently doing deads first thing really DOES help my grip as i had just about no slippage at all, even for maxing. got up the 2 working sets of 250 no prob, which is the most ive done for reps like that...back in oct, i could do 251 like once. and 275 once felt really good, like no grip problems, i held it for a good 2-3 seconds at the top, and felt like i could have done 5 more lbs, but didnt wanna push it...no hurry or need to max twice. def goin for 280 next week though...really psyched about this!

Weighted Pullups/Chins:

+25 x 5 wide grip pullups
+25 x 5 chinups
+25 x 5 WG Pullups **
+25 x 5 chinups
BW x 6 WG Pullups
BW x 6 Chinups

Notes:the ** by the one set was because i hit 3 reps, and the last two i couldnt get all the way up, and even reset after the 4th one cuz my grip was failing. got all the chins no problem though..these actually felt really good today. gonna try same weight next week and see if i cant get all 5 reps for WG pullups.

Bent Over Row:
115 x 6
135 x 6
160 x 5 **(personal best!)**
125 x 5

Notes: all sets were good form, but i was kind of using a full body to get the 160 up for the last 3 reps of it...think it was too heavy frankly, but i did get it up twice with good form. will probably drop the weight down and reset til i can work my way back up with good form, but nice to know i can do it at least once or twice.

Rear DB Raises:
70 x 5 (5 reps for each arm)
70 x 5 (" " " " ")

Lat Machine:
Machine Weight +160 lbs
x 7 reps
x 5 reps


That's it! No abs today, as i just started goin tanning, and my ass is quite burnt so it hurts to sit, and abs would kill me. haha...i am looking quite bronzed elsewhere though, and can and will acquire the bronzed god statue look within the next month before i go on my beach trip. So next workout is shoulders and will be either tomorrow (wed) or thurs. see you then!

[SolidSnake84]

Not sure of weight today...shoulder workout. appetite is coming back, 4 eggs for breakfast, 1/2 cup oatmeal preWO

Standing Military Presses:

75 x 5
95 x 5
105 x 5
105 x 5
105 x 5

Bradley Presses:

75 x 5
75 x 5
75 x 5

Front & Lateral Raises:

DB x 25 x 5 x 5
25 x 5 x 5

Seated DB Front & Lateral Raises:

12 x 10 x 10
12 x 10 x 10
12 x 10 x 10

Lying Side Laterals:

12 x 8 for each arm
12 x 8
12 x 8

DB Standing Presses:

25 x 5
35 x 5

Abs:
Weighted Crunches w/ 50 lb
Leg Raises



Solid Workout. Cardio tomorrow + dips, pullups, chinups, pushups. probably about 4 miles of running. also swimming tomorrow. gnite! happy 4th!

[SolidSnake84]

Cardio today...got caught in another T-storm so had to cut it short :(...other bad news is i think the rainfall ruined my ipod...goddamn.

1 lap= 1 mile

3 miles total...all jogged

lap 1=
10 pushups
5 chins
5 pullups
10 dips

lap 2=
21 pushups (3 diff grips)
10 chins
10 pullups
20 dips

lap 3=
30 pushups (3 diff grips)
10 chins
10 pullups
25 dips (consecutive)

had to leave early...tomorrow might do cardio again..probably 3 more miles, and then 2 laps of sprints

[SolidSnake84]

Cardio today

i got completely trashed last nite...me and a friend killed more than half a bottle of vodka between the 2 of us and were up til after 7 am...i feel awful today frankly...feel like puking right now, forced myself up at 1 pm...went tanning, then i went for a run today...was gonna do sprints but it's over 95 degrees and humid here and between that, the hangover i have, and the fact that i didnt eat, i just ran 2 miles

lap 1-
10 pushups
14 pullups
20 dips

lap 2-
20 pushups
10 chinups
20 dips

will need to recover from drinking for a day or so...work this weekend, maybe a swim on sunday...then back on monday for big 3...

still havent eaten yet today, kinda hungry but nauseous enough that i dont wanna try anything just yet lol...blahhh, i need more sleep. im disappointed in myself after drinkin so much, even though i do it so rarely, i could have had a lot less. see ya mon.

[SolidSnake84]

not sure of weight today...just walked 4 miles and did some pullups, chins, pushups, and dips along the way...wanted to get the blood pumping for tonight

doing 180 squats atg for reps and 170 bench press for reps

some bad news :(

our dip station where i workout and the dipping belt that i used both got sold this week ( i workout where i work at a retail store)...the dip station also included the pullup bar where i did weighted chins/pullups and weighted dips, and was also where i did my abs and leg raises...sucks, will have to improvise til new stuff comes in

doin bench, atg squats, probably flyes, and incline DB Presses tonight in about 2 hours...will report back after!

[SolidSnake84]

still kinda pissed about not bein able to do weighted dips today, but ill manage for a few weeks...i improvised and added incline DB presses and incline DB flyes...some new records as well! Weight approx. 139 lbs

Flat Bench Press:
45 x 5
115 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 4.5*
170 x 5 (**personal best!**)

Notes: im gonna go ahead and say i got all 3 sets of this. was lifting with my friend, and he started dying laughing and tell a joke the second i lifted the bar off the rack and i was almost losin it. still managed to get the first 4 up, and got the last rep up about halfway before needing a hand. i would have stayed at 170 for next week, but i got the last set up so i dont think it was a matter of me not being strong enough, just that i was sidetracked. last set was no problem. im actually surprised im still goin up in bench every week especially since i was stuck at 165 for so long last time around and i was 10 lbs heavier at the time! 175 x 5 for 3 sets next week!

ATG Squats:
45 x 5
115 x 5
180 x 5
180 x 5
180 x 5 (**personal best!**)

Notes: god this felt heavy on my shoulders today and especially at the bottom of the movement. had to grunt everyone up. first set my form was a bit off, and i know i got my back underneath it too much, so i made the adjustments and the last 2 sets were smooth sailing aside from completely wiping me out. i doubt i could even do more than 5 reps on any of the sets today though...i was completely exhausted after and had to lay down for like a minute to catch my breath and let my legs stretch. cant imagine how some guys squat like 600 +...just insane..somethin to shoot for though, right!

on a side note, i feel like im sometimes leaning toward my right leg for the initial boost when at the bottom of the movement, and since i always seem to favor it, my right quad is beginning to look bigger than my left...may have to watch this in the future. i actually also widened my stance a bit for the last 2 sets and it was much easier. also, my ass is beginning to get huge...sweet! ladies shall love it haha-----185 x 5 for 3 sets next week! almost near the 200 mark...im pretty excited! the day i hit 200 on both squat and bench will be epic!

Incline DB Presses:
45 x 8
55 x 5
55 x 5
55 x 5

Notes: literally the hardest part of these were getting the dumbbells up to starting position at my sides lol...once there i could press it no prob, but hard to hammer curl it into position haha. never did these in like over 2 years, so started with 45 to see where i was at 55 seemed about right. try for 60 next week

Incline DB Flyes:
35 x 8
35 x 8

Notes: just to finish off and get a stretch. we dont have 40's right now so settled for 35s

Abs:
50 lb weighted crunches
leg lifts
bicycles



Tomorrow is back day. i dont know what the hell im gonna do without a pullup bar but im not happy about it! Ill be starting with deadlifts...shooting for 255 x 4 for 2 sets, then goin for 280 for 1 rep...both will be records if i get them, and ill be nearing the 300 mark...my big 3 total is 625, but thats counting my squats and bench press for reps...ive benched 195 before...but dont plan on maxing on this or squats any time soon...so ill stick with what ive done lately...so im at 625, been adding 15 lbs every week (5 to each) so i should hit 700 soon! almost at the legendary 1200 mark haha.

also will be doin bent over rows, rear db raises, lat machine pulldowns. dont even have a dip/weight belt anymore so i cant add weight to my pullups anyway...damn, oh well see you guys tomorrow!


EDIT--also wanted to mention i am seriously considering trying out bodybuilding competitions (for naturals...i'd never try steroids). i know i am way too light right now, but i plan on bulking come mid august after summer is pretty much over. my lifts are good for my size, i think...and i have excellent definition right now, just not the best mass. i wish i had a camera that i could show my progress, i think it's quite impressive...old cam is done for. my back looks incredible, imho...there are cuts everywhere, my abs are looking better than they ever have, and my chest is looking fuller and separated, aside from the inner top area. shoulders look pretty solid as well...and you can even make out the 3 different heads. ive always wanted to compete, as anyone following this journal might know. i think i am nearing a point where it's a possibility. i think i definitely have the conditioning down, and also the discipline to cut calories and follow a regimen prior to the contest. just a matter of needing to add about 45 lbs before doing another cut, so i can be around 170 when all's said and done. 2 area i need to work on would be my arms...they look ok, but are maybe around 13.5 to 14 inches id guess...havent measured but they arent that big...and thats probably because i focus so much on strength exercises and rarely target them directly. other area is my calves...they have an insane cut "V" in them, but because ive been running so much and have lost weight, they aren't as "swole" as they could be. just thinking about down the road though...maybe a year and a half down the line, i could enter one. Encourage me to keep goin here people! haha. alright, goodnight til tomorrow.

[SolidSnake84]

not sure of weight...one of my more disappointing workouts lately. a number of factors pulled together to make it less than satisfying. i did back today, starting with deadlifts and just nothin really good came of it...no new records. here's the factors that contributed i believe

I did squats yesterday and they just really took it out of me for one. i think i tweaked something in my left leg cuz it hurts to put a lot of weight pressure on it now, for instance as soon as i did my first deadlift, even the warmup sets, it hurt to stand on.

so that's one thing...i also got very little sleep last night, had to be up early today. my legs were not with me, both still kinda sore from squatting yesterday i suppose. then i made the mistake of whackin it earlier today, hahaha. i havent whacked it for like 6 weeks and i knew it was a mistake cuz my energy levels have been off the hook, and right after it, i just felt like passing out for like 2 hours.

to get my energy restored, i tried goin for a walk outside and doing some pullups and dips. i ended up walking 2 miles and running 1. unfortunately it was the hottest day of the summer, hitting over 100 degrees and extremely humid, and between no sleep, whackin it, and running in the heat, i felt like i was gonna fall asleep for 2 days. so i came home and took like a 2 hr nap, and had to be at the gym as soon as i woke up...didnt have time for pre-WO nutrition. i felt shaky with hunger as soon as i got there, and knew i was gonna be lacking intensity. my head just wasnt into the workout today, and i regret it cuz deadlifts are crucial to my lifts.

another thing was that i did flyes yesterday and i think between them and incline DB presses, my forearms took a beating and my grip was totally nonexistant today. along with that, my lower back is sore from squatting, so i was just a mess. at least i got the workout in, but it's nothing special.


PART I

walked 2 miles, ran 1 mile in 100+ degree heat. various dips, pullups, chins along the way

PART II

Deadlift:

45 x 5
115 x 4
185 x 4
255 x 3
255 x 2
280 x 0

Notes:
grip just gave out on me early on, and i coudlnt put pressure on my left leg as i said. barely got 280 off the ground, and decided to forego deads for the day and not get injured. my forearms still feel shot. gonna have to make sure im really rested for next week since i got 250 x 4 for 2 sets and 275 last time, i was surprised how incapable i was of doing todays work sets. shoot for this again next week and will hopefully get it, cuz last week i felt like i could def do more than 275 for one rep, and today i could barely grip 255

Bent Over Rows:
95 x 8
115 x 8
125 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8

Notes:
think i need to start keeping better track of these. gonna go for 140 x 5 for 3 sets, as my working sets after warming up next time so i have something to shoot for and progress from there. these felt good though

Lat Machine Pulldown:
160 x 8
160 x 8
180 x 5
180 x 5

Notes:
i couldnt do 160 for more than like 4 reps about a month and a half ago. i could have done more than 180 as well. hardest part was getting the bar to go down cuz my bodyweight is so light. i had to hang from it, and grip my feet underneath these pads and pull down to get to starting position, looked like a frog lol. goin for 180 x 5 x 3 sets next time, maybe 185 x 5 x 3

Farmer's Walk:
with 60 lb DBs...didnt get very far...did 2 holds, but grip is toasted anyway. try these again for sure though, i need to work on my grip. am considering buying CoC grippers as well

Abs:
50 lb weighted crunches
leg lifts on ground
bicycles
planks with 100 lbs of plates on my back for about a minute


Tomorrow is shoulder day. i think the detrimentalness of whacking to my workouts is enough to make me not wanna do it. i am always so pumped to lift and today it just wasnt there. alright...see you guys tomorrow!

[SolidSnake84]

just wanted to mention i didnt get to do shoulder day wednesday cuz i was building a smith machine at work for about 8 hrs straight and me and my lifting partner were exhausted afterward. last night i worked out at home, did mostly light weight for a lot of reps...feeling pretty sore today. big 3 on mon again.

[SolidSnake84]

first wanted to recap last nite, as i didnt write much. worked out at home for the first time in months. have a standard bar thats only 15 lbs...did some benching...

65 x 8 + 5 grips close grip
115 x 5 + 5 reps close grip
135 x 5
155 x 5
175 x 2 (fail on 2nd rep)

Notes: 2nd one i was just not feeling, went all the way down and had to set it on my chest after a struggle to get past sticking point. pretty rough feeling. surprised cuz i got 170 for all sets on monday...i think it's cuz the standard bar has the weight distributed differently...only 15 on the bar, and 80 on each side, instead of 45 on the bar...not sure, ...maybe i just prefatigued myself with the earlier sets

then i dropped the bar to 65 lbs, and did probably 20 various sets of the following:

atg squats
military presses
bradley presses
bb curls
bent over rows
clean and presses
calf raises



TODAY'S WORKOUT:

Cardio

jogged 4 miles, each lap i did the same thing:
7 wide grip pushups; 7 close grip pushups; 6 normal pushups
5 wide grip pullups, 5 chins, 5 narrow grip pullups
20 dips

on the 5th mile (lap) i did sprints, did 3 total for about 10-15 seconds each. completely exhausted now. next workout is on monday, where i do bench and squats and incline DB presses and incline DB flyes. see ya then!

[SolidSnake84]

felt good to get back to the weights today...it's been a while...i think i need to lift more than like 3 days a week lol, i have too much energy.

i have been shooting up in weight as my appetite has come back and i cant seem to get enough food. i was like 136 for the longest time, im now between 142 and 143. i feel like i could bulk up in a real hurry if needed. i love the summer but im so anxious to put on weight and bulk up and i just feel like i should be.

honestly, i think this extra weight REALLY helped my lifts today, they felt almost easy except for the last rep of the last set of each exercise.

before the workout, earlier today around noon i just walked 2 miles to get some blood pumping and get some cardio in...then tonite i did bench, squats, and incline db presses

Flat Bench Press:

45 x 5
115 x 5
175 x 5
175 x 5
175 x 5 **personal best!**

Notes: so it was a fluke the one rep i couldnt get on set 2 of 170 last week...this felt almost easy again which shocked me. ive got a question though...on thursday of last week, i tried benching at home, and i loaded up 175, granted i did a few sets prior to, but i could only get 175 up once and failed on the second rep, crushing my stomach lol...

the difference was that i used my standard bar at home, which only weighs 15 lbs...so 80 lb was on each side...does this really make that big a difference!? it must because it felt heavy as hell on thurs, but tonite wasnt bad at all..i mean it was heavy but maybe just the balance made it easier cuz i have been used to using the olympic bar while working out...hmm

anyways, 180 x 5 x 3 sets next week! wow that sounds like a lot to me...im excited!

ATG Squats:

45 x 5
115 x 5
185 x 5
185 x 5
185 x 5 **personal best!**

Notes:

these shocked me that they weren't nearly as heavy as last week...yes they were heavy but not nearly as hard as last week @ 180lbs. i think i must have sparked my legs into making me hungry and needing more mass last week cuz i put on a lot of weight since and these felt *somewhat* easy...i still almost lost my voice grunting each rep up though lol...they really took it out of me after the last set. 190 x 5 x 3 sets next week! almost to the 200 mark! how exciting!

Incline DB Presses:

50 x 12
50 x 8
50 x 8

Notes:

wasnt happy, cuz i wanted to move up to 60's this week, but some nutjob bought one of the last 2 60 lb DB's, so we didnt have any, and someone also bought our last set of 55's which was what i did for 3 sets of 5 last week...so i had to drop freakin weight...made up for it with more reps, but im after goin up in weight right now...my next step up was 70's that we had, and didnt think i was ready for those yet lol

still dont have the dip station, so cant do weighted dips which im really missing :(


as for lifting again, i MIGHT tomorrow, id like to but i have some plans cuz my aunt is visiting...the next time i do lift though, which will either be tom. or wednesday i will be doing deadlifts and back.

im considering buying some straps and just using them for like a month or so so i can up my poundage and then also work grip on back day, but separately, and then after a month...i intend to start back up where i am now, at 275, and hopefully it will be easier, cuz 280 was hellish last week, especially on grip..but i know my back can handle it.

another thing...my abs almost vanished in like 2 weeks lol...i put on weight quickly and i can feel a bit more fat around my midsection which sucks especially since i just wanted to keep it off until after my beach trip first week of august...i guess i cant deny my body the bulk though! i think right after the trip im gonna bulk cuz i cant wait til september lol


one last thing...im not happy about it, but ill be drinking tonite, so im hoping it doesnt hinder my gains too much...but hey it's summer and ive got some young hotties who wanna party with me and a friend lol

anyway...im also thinkin of buying a dipping belt and bringing some plates to the place where i run so i can do weighted dips tomorrow afternoon...maybe ill do weighted pullups there as well.

ok see ya guys!

[SolidSnake84]

i think i f**ked my back up. when doing squats yesterday, the very last rep of the last set, i got stuck for a second or two very low in the movement and got my back REALLY far underneath it, very rounded...and i was thinking wow that cannot be good for my back. so it was fine for the rest of the workout...then went to drink last nite, and like not even 1 hr after lifting the pain set in, nothing like DOMS just..pure pain, like i pulled the hell out of a muscle in the lower left of my back. only got like 2 hrs sleep and it hurts still as i am awake now, like extremely uncomfortable...dont know if i could be able to lift today later or not, but im hurtin right now...damn, last thing i need injured is my back :/

hoping it just goes away next time i wake up lol...argh

[SolidSnake84]

weight around 140 lbs even. good workout today...just did back, but without deadlifts b/c my lower back is still sore from doing squats 2 days ago! lol, ..also added some grip work...here it is:

Bent Over EZ Bar Rows:

95 x 10
115 x 10
140 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5
155 x 5
165 x 5 **personal best!**

Notes: wanted to hammer my back with these today since i wasnt deadlifting. when i did the working sets of 140 i alternating between normal grip and wide grip. before i had trouble with 160 for reps..only got like 2, now i got 5 no problem! sweet...145 for working sets next time and might attempt 170 for a set at the end as well

Lat Machine Pulldown:

160 x 8
180 x 6
200 x 5
220 x 3

Notes: could have done more on all of them aside from 220 which my grip was goin on...200 felt just about right though. i really like doing these suddenly. was only shooting for sets of 5 on all, but decided to push a bit more on the earlier sets

Rear DB bent over raises (on bench):

60 x 8 x 8
60 x 8 x 8
60 x 8 x 8

Notes:

did reps of 8 for each arm...felt good...grip actually wasnt failing for once

EZ Bar Pullovers:

45 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5 **best
85 x 4 **best

Notes:

both 75 and 85 were records for me. couldnt get the last rep of 85 up, but i really stretched the crap out of my serratus and lats in the process of trying! felt great!

Farmer's Walk:

55 lb DBs...x roughly 15-20 seconds
55 lb DBs...x " 15-20 seconds

Notes:

just trying to help my crappy grip...think i improved a bit over last week but not by much...oh well, slow steps ...ill get there eventually

ABs:

50 lb weighted crunches
leg raises
bicycles
static leg extension hold
planks

Grip Exercise:

15 lb x 2 sets

Notes:

for these, it was the bar attached with string to two 7.5 lb plates, so 15 lbs total. had to hold it out in front of me and turn it ...did it as fast as possible ..2 sets...liked these, felt a great burn and my forearms were solid with blood afterward lol



Overall pretty good workout, i felt that i worked a lot. i plan on doing deadlifts before i squat again on monday of next week...i am just waiting for my back to recover, i dont wanna push it right now, and plus my legs are still sore surprisingly from squats as well...they must have really hit me hard.

planning on picking up some straps and maybe a dipping belt as well tomorrow so i can do weighted pullups, dips, hangs, and for help with deadlift maxing.

tomorrow im lifting again, will either be doing shoulders...well probably will definitely be doing shoulders...not sure if ill be dead'ing tomorrow or not, but hopefully by friday if not tomorrow. cardio day may also be on friday. gnite!

[SolidSnake84]

shoulders today..about 142 lbs or so...

Military Press:
45 x 10
95 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5

Bradley Presses:

80 x 5
80 x 5
80 x 5

Shrugs:
70 lb DB's
3 sets of 8

Arnold Presses:
3 sets of 5 @ 35 lb DB's

Upright Rows:
80 x 5
80 x 5
80 x 5

Seated Front and Lateral Raises:
10 lb DB's
3 sets of 12 (6 lateral, then 6 front raises)

Lying Lateral Raises:
10 lb DB's
3 sets of 8

Notes:
dont have any 12, 15 or 20 lb DB's right now or id have used the 15's as i did 12 lb'ers last time...didnt feel like i got anything from the 10 lb DB's...15 or 20 would have been nice...oh well

Farmer's Walk:

55 lb DB's x about 20-25 seconds

Grip Rope:

same thign i did yesterday...15 lbs attached by string to a little bar that you twist up until the plates are at the top, while ur arms are outstretched

did 2 sets of these

No abs today...


Between now and monday i plan on doing deadlifts...it's the only thing i didnt get to do this week that i wanted to. wanted to pick up some straps so i can go for 300+ just to see if it's possible, and also a dipping belt...will probably go tomorrow. if it's nice out i might go for a run as well. other than that, squats and benching on monday along wtih incline Db presses, hopefully we'll have some 60's by then, but not likely...

[SolidSnake84]

about 140 lbs even today...

Cardio today...WEIGHTED CARDIO that is!

went to my local trails today except i loaded up a backpack with 45 lbs of weight beforehand...a 25, a 10, and two 5 lb plates and a towel to cushion it against my lower back...it had to be close to 90 degrees out and this was just excruciating today, but i really wanted to try it.

1 lap = 1 mile

lap 1:
jogged entire thing, stopping to do:
10 pushups
15 dips

lap 2:
walked first half while doing the exercises as follows:
10 pushups
dead hangs with straps
did 3 pullups with the straps while hanging (had to regrip once)
20 dips...

then i finished the 2nd half of the lap with a jog.

when i got to the end i completely collapsed, took off the backpack and stretched on the ground for a minute, as my back was under a lot of weight, but i really enjoyed the painstakingness of the whole thing. 45 lbs feels like hell especially when ur running...when i was walking it wasnt bad at all, but when running, sweat was fauceting off my face and i was struggling to push myself forward.

i now know what the army guys must feel like when they have to hike with 40 lbs on their back all the time.

by the way, picked up some straps today so i can do deadlifts heavier, but not quite sure how they work yet. dont know if im gripping them properly cuz there's a lot of strain on my wrists. only 8 bucks though (harbinger is the brand i believe)...my legs are torched so i dont think ill be doing deadlifts until sometime next week. was gonna do them today but im just shot, and i hope my legs are recovered by monday for squats!

i wanted to buy a dip belt but couldnt find one anywhere...would have been a lot easier to do weighted dips, hangs, and/or pullups with the belt and plates attached then with a heavy backpack bearing against my shoulders..oh well, next entry coming monday!

[SolidSnake84]

Cardio today

worked 9 1/2 hrs at work on my feet all day...really exhausted, but let out a half hour early, and the trails were open for another 30 minutes so i booked it to there...only got in 2 miles before they closed by the time i got home and changed, etc...then came home and ran around my town for another 10 minutes...probably 3 miles total..not much but i wanted to get outside for a bit today after workin all day...

my legs were REALLY feeling the brunt from yesterday's weighted run! after the first 1/4 of the first mile, it felt like i had the 45 lbs on my back again! quads were totally tightened up and calves burning by the 2nd mile. the weirdest part was that my lower back was tight while running, something ive never experienced while running, apparently it supports one's back a lot more than they think while running, cuz now that it was sore and tired from yesterday i could really feel how much it had to support myself. anyways,tomorrow is definitely a rest day, im just hoping im recovered enough to do atg squats come monday! see ya then

[SolidSnake84]

wow...i just woke up on sunday morning and i think im feeling the full effects of the weighted run. i have a terrible headache, my traps and upper legs are sorer than theyve been since i started lifting, my neck is sore, pretty much my entire body is sore, and i feel almost like im getting sick. holy crap.

didnt even feel sore yesterday and i doubt it was yesterday's 3 mile run that put me over the edge...i seriously feel like crap and it's not a good sore...hopefully i really am not getting sick. dont know if ill be able to squat tomorrow but if i feel anything like today im gonna have to take another day off...hopefully ill recover fast, ill keep you updated.

[jgreystoke]

Hi Snake.

That's some progress since the quest started. Those pulldowns are excellent at your bodymass. One arm chins can't be very far away. Just started cardio last week, walking around a half mile trail that requires a 100' easy climb and descent. As for your weighted cardio......... my hat off to you!

[SolidSnake84]

Hi Snake.

That's some progress since the quest started. Those pulldowns are excellent at your bodymass. One arm chins can't be very far away. Just started cardio last week, walking around a half mile trail that requires a 100' easy climb and descent. As for your weighted cardio......... my hat off to you!

hey jgreystoke...thanks for comin by! the quest has been one filled with many obstacles but ive tried to persevere lol...funny thing about the pulldowns...since i weigh so little, once i load it up to 180, i dont have enough mass to just hang from it and have the bar drop down, so for anything 180 and above, i need to latch my legs onto a bar underneath and pull with my whole body, then when i get it down, i have to quickly lock my knees underneath the leg rests so i dont go flying back up lol...it just makes me feel that much more beastly when i can actually do reps with good form...i feel kinda like a monkey actually haha.

hopin for one armed chins within the next 6 months, but i havent been able to do weighted chins cuz no pullup bar where i lift.

also sold our last ez curl bar so im kinda screwed anymore..

as for tonites workout, im already spent...i spent 5+ hours using a hammer and chisel and slowly kicking up an entire room of tiling with my dad. my forearms are shot to hell as is lower back and right shoulder.

on top of this my legs are still toasted from the weighted run, so i wont be doing squats tonite...either tomorrow or wed. think ill just try chest tonite...but i dont know how successful ill be with my arms toasted already. goin for 180 x 5 for 3 sets, then 55 lb DBs for incline press...try 3 sets of 8. then perhaps decline flyes or incline flyes with 35s. then abs...not too rough of a day..just hope my forearms dont fail me and the workout is a total waste...i want to get the 180 more than anything...at least i dont have to worry about death like squats afterward today lol. entry coming later tonight

[SolidSnake84]

140 lbs weigh in today. my workout partner bailed and he has the key to the place where we work out, so i had to workout at home tonight unfortunately. i did purely chest as best I could with a flat bench, barbell, and homemade dumbbells lol. didnt set any records today sadly, but i am so sore and beat from all that ive been doing, and my arms were shot from hammer for literally 5 hrs straight today, so ill stick with that as an excuse, but next week i better get it!

Flat Bench:
45 x 5
115 x 5
180 x 3 **(personal best)**
180 x 1.5
135 x 10
135 x 9
135 x 9 (3 bottom portion, 3 middle portion, and 3 upper portion of lift)
115 x 10
115 x 6 (closegrip)

Incline Bench:

115 x 5
115 x 4

DB Incline + Flyes Superset:

35s x 5 x 5
35 x 5 x 5

DB Incline Press:

50 x 4
50 x 3

Abs:

45 lb plate weighted crunches
leg raises
bicycles


Notes:
i switched up to olympic bar instead of standard so i didnt have the same problem i did last time i benched at home. i improved but for some reason when i lift at home, i cant get as much. the 3rd rep of the 1st set of 180 was pure hell but i was determined not to crush my stomach. 2nd set i wasnt as lucky and after much fight, had to let it down on myself and roll it over my abs...decided to drop at that point. considering i got 175 for all sets last week, i can only attribute this to not enough food, and pre-exhausting my muscles these past few days and especially today. gonna try for 180 again next week and hopefully be able to get at LEAST 1 set of 5, if not i will drop back down, but hoping it was just a fluke as i was really pumped to go up in these...my chest is developing visually and it looks a lot better. my one real wish is that i could do weighted dips again, but might not be getting more dipping stations in for another month and a half! damn! tomorrow hopefully my WO partner will be lifting, and if im recovered in the legs ill do squats and a pure leg day...if not, ill do back day and possibly deadlifts if i feel like my grip has recovered, but right now it is STILL killin me from little stuff everyday adding up. oh well...i at least got 180 for a few reps, so thats SOME progress...i bet if i did weighted dips more i could break right through this plateau...im SO anxious to hit 200 for reps and im so close, so i cant give up. another thing is that i think i had an easier time from putting on a lot of mass last week...this week i havent gained any, and may have lost a pound cuz i havent been able to eat as well as i did...so we'll see what some good eating can do for me next week. alright see ya tomorrow guys!

[SolidSnake84]

Weighted Cardio today:

went to the trails and brought a 40 lb backpack with me. I walked 4 miles with it and did 20 dips per mile consecutively (4 sets of 20). then for the 5th mile, i took it off and ran a mile and did 10 pullups supersetted with 5 chins. after every mile with the weight i took it off for about 90 seconds to stretch out my back cuz it was under quite a bit of duress before proceeding for the next mile. Looked like this:

Lap 1:

-walk one mile + 40 lbs
-1 set 20 dips + 40 lbs

Laps 2, 3, & 4:

-see lap 1

Lap 5:

-bodyweight run (i nearly sprinted the last 1/3 of the mile cuz the song i was listening to was pumping me up!)
-10 pullups, followed by 5 chins immediately after




I am fn spent. i highly doubt ill be lifting tonight, but it was like 90 degrees today and so nice out, and it's supposed to rain for the next 6 days, so i wanted to get some cardio in while i still could. chest feels a good sore from yesterday's workout. will be doing back tomorrow i believe. see ya then!

[SolidSnake84]

Back day, not sure of weight, in a hurry, didnt get to do all i wanted to...

Bent Over Rows--very close grip:

95 x 8
145 x 5
145 x 5
145 x 5 *best for reps*
170 x 5 **personal best!**

Lat Pulldown Machine:

160 x 8
180 x 5
200 x 5
200 x 5
200 x 5 **personal best**
140 x 10

Rear Db 1-Armed Rows
70 x 5 x 5 (5 for each arm, only 1 set)

Grip bar (15 lb bar, string attached, roll up with shoulders outstretched)

2 sets

Abs:

weighted crunches (50 lbs)
weighted leg raises
weighted bicycles

that's it for today...ive been falling behind b/c im sore everywhere so i havent squatted or deadlifted in a bit...need to get back on track with that...tomorrow is a potential lift day...most likely shoulders, but might do an arm day...my tris look spectacular but my biceps are nonexistant pretty much lol. plus my shoulders are hella sore from the 40 lb backpack i lugged around for 2 hours yesterday lol. alrite see ya tomorrow!

[SolidSnake84]

Weighted Cardio today:

weight around 139...trying to cut up this last week before the beach. i REALLY upped the ante today!

Total Distance:

3 miles

Method:

I walked all 3 miles with a 55 lb backpack today! Took a break after every mile to deload the weight from my spine. it was grueling on my back today.

On top of the walk, for each mile, I stopped at the dip station and did the following with the 55 lb on my back, in succession with no break:

Mile 1:
20 dips

Mile 2:
18 dips

Mile 3:
18 dips

i am so exhausted right now i cant put it into words how worn out my body is. Going to go eat something, shower, go to the store and probably pass out early tonight. i could feel my heart pounding the entire time despite only going at a walking pace...so i must have been really burnin some fuel! hopefully this will aid in fat loss, and build up my legs a bit to boot. Only problem with this type of cardio is that im unable to do squats b/c there's not enough time for recovery between cardio days. alrite...not sure when next workout is...but ill report when it is...at the latest it will be monday, but im SURE there will be at least one more workout between now and then...i have the option of doing just a deadlift day, a shoulder day, or an arms day (doubt ill be in shape for squats between now and monday). ill play it by ear. come monday...resume with chest day.

[SolidSnake84]

Weight about 143 actually...im porkin up lol...had to go running to counteract this as my bodyfat % has gone up a bit, i believe.

did cardio today.

-Jogged 2 miles
-developed insane shin splint type cramps
-took water break
-walked half mile
-did 15 pullup bars (5 narrow grip pullups, 5 chins, 5 wide grip pullups)
-did 30 consecutive BW dips
-ran 2 1/2 miles
-did 15 pullup bars (same as before)
-did 30 consecutive dips
-fastly ran last 1/2 mile


total:
5 miles run
1 mile walked
30 pullup bar exercises
60 dips


i need to start doing compounds and heavy stuff again...ive just been really busy. beach comin up on thurs, so i wont be able to lift from then til next monday a week from now. hopin to lift tonight, tomorrow nite, and wed nite though. ok...see ya guys

[SolidSnake84]

was 143 earlier in the day but about 140-141 during time of workout, around midnight last night. must have sweated away a lot of water weight when i ran earlier. had to workout at home so just did chest

Flat Bench:
115 x 5
135 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 5
180 x 2
200 x 0
125 x 8 (closegrip)
125 x 7 (closegrip)

Incline:
50 lb DB
2 sets of 5
BB 125 lb x 3

Notes:

i thought i had the 45 lb'ers on the bar when i was doing bench today, but i had 35's. i was so excited cuz i thought i had 180 on there and it felt like cake! after i did my 3 sets of 5, i realized i was only doing 160! and i felt like the biggest idiot. by the time i attempted 180 i was already tired, but i got it up for 2. tried 200 for 1, but after unracking it, it was really heavy, so i just did 2 partial reps, the upper portion of the movement, didnt think id get it back up if i went down all the way. i think i might go for 165 x 5 x 3 sets for bench next week...knock it down and work my way back up to 180 again cuz it seems rather heavy, so im gonna work back towards it. til then...doing back day later tonight at home. see ya!

[SolidSnake84]

Cardio so far today. just got back..the trails closed early and i had a lot to do today so i got there late, only got a bit in.

Ran:
2 miles

Exercises:

Lap 1:
15 close grip pullups (consecutive)

Lap 2:
15 chin ups (2 sets...10 and 5)

That's all i got today. I am pretty wiped, but I am gonna try to get in a back workout @ home tonight around midnight. The beach trip is on thursday so im running out of time to get in the best shape of my life! ill report back if i lift tonight. if i dont, ill def be lifting tomorrow. later!

[SolidSnake84]

got back from the beach last night. had a total blast...the time of my life :)

only downside is that i got trashed with 20-30 shots a night for 3 nights straight and i ate 2 meals total over a span of 4 days! between that and sweating my water weight out on the beach all day, i lost about 7 lbs, and am sitting at 135 right now. im sure ill put a lot of it back on, but i also got completely shredded and seemed to retain all my muscle, in appearance at least, perhaps not in strength. my abs are the best theyve been all summer, but i can tell i lost a lot of size. anywho, i did some cardio today, and was debating lifting tonight, but im gonna ease back in cuz im really easily exhausted with all the weight loss, and having slept just about not at all over the 4 day stretch at the beach.

CARDIO:

-jogged 3 miles
-during each mile, i did (all in 1 consecutive set for each exercise):

LAP 1:
15 close grip pullups
30 dips

LAP 2:
15 close grip chinup
30 dips

LAP 3:
5 CG pullups + 5 CG chinups
25 dips

felt good to get back into exercise although cardio is probably the last thing i needed right now lol. i needed to sweat the remainder of the alcohol out of my system.

when i next lift, ill be getting back into my strength training and focusing on putting on weight (and probably saying "so long" to my abs for a while). i think i may need to "reset" my lifts a few steps backward since i lost weight and havent lifted in a while seriously (as in 3x a week). gonna drop bench back to 165 x 5 for 3 since i couldnt get 180 yet after 2 attempts, but did get 160 for all sets last time about a week ago. squats i havent done since i got 185 for all sets. i might drop that back to 175 just to see where im at. and as for deadlifts which i havent done in like a month ( not happy about this)...im gonna reset to 235 for 3 sets of 4 and probably not go for a max yet (i was up to 250 or 255 for reps before and couldnt get 280 for 1, but did get 275 for 1. as for other exercises i think i will just go for feel and see what feels heavy, but probably wont have to drop too much, if at all. im hoping to start up again tomorrow...with chest day, and then im in dire need of a back day. ill keep ya updated, but i think right now im looking the best ive looked all summer! gnite!

[SolidSnake84]

weight around 138...i did kind of a full body today, i dont know if ill remember all the exercises i did cuz i did a ton..took about 2 hours, just wanted to get my body back into it...chest was kinda sore already from the dipfest yesterday.

Pullup Bar:

5 close grip pullups + 5 close grip chinups
5 wide grip pullups + 5 CG chinups

Bench Press:
115 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 4
Notes: blah, couldnt get last one up, and had to let it down. try again next week..apparently my strength has suffered lol

Bent Over Row:
115 x 5
165 x 3
135 x 5
145 x 5
145 x 5

Incline DB Press:
50's x 3 sets of 8, 8, & 6

Rear DB Raises:
50's x 2 sets of 12 reps for each arm

Military Press:
85 x 1 set of 5

Clean & Presses:
85 x 1 set of 5

Front and Lateral Raises:
with 10 lb plates

SET 1:
5 & 5

SET 2:
8 & 8

Shrugs:
1 set of 115 x 10 (barbell)

Pushups:
with 45 lb plate on back x ~10

Abs:
45 lb plate weighted crunches, leg raises, planks

that's it...kind of unstructured, but i got a lot in aside from legs. i want to get back into squatting, but i got fired from my job where we lifted for a stupid reason (as did my friend) so i now am back to having no squat rack, no dip station or pullup bar (although i do have a bar at my house for pullups)...so im gonna need to find gym membership really soon or im toast. not sure what else i can do right now cuz i dont really have dumbbells either. tomorrow i might just do a cardio day...perhaps a weighted cardio day but im gonna need some music to get me through it, and my ipod is dead for sure now, so we'll see...hopefully i will have some good updates tomorrow, gnite!

by the way, i am completely shredded right now...and im seeing striations in my legs for the first time! like really deep ones too..think it's from the sudden weight loss from a few days ago at the beach, but my abs look outstanding as well! best shape ive been in in my life appearance wise, but my strength is unfortunately down a few notches...will have to get it back up as summer is nearing a close.

[SolidSnake84]

cardio today...ran at the trails about an hour total.

each lap = 1 mile

-all laps jogged

Lap 1:

4 chins, 4 closegrip pullups, 4 wide grip pullups (consecutive)
30 consecutive dips

Lap 2:

5 chins, 5 closegrip pullups
30 consecutive dips

Lap 3:
4 chins, 4 normal grip pullups
30 dips


TOTALS:

3 miles jogged
30 pullup/chinup combination
90 dips

got fired from my job, and have no place to workout either now. money is tight and i need to find a place where i can use a squat rack, and it cant be too far away cuz my car has no AC lol! thinking of joining an LA fitness...ton of hot girls there too, but i prefer to focus on the lifts when im working out, so this might do me more harm than good.

[SolidSnake84]

Cardio today. lookin pretty ripped still.

actually did 2 separate cardio sessions. the first one was weighted.

SESSION 1:

2 miles jogged with 25 lb backpack. did a total of:

16 chinups (2 sets of 8)
40 dips (2 sets of 20)

all exercises were done with the 25 lb on my back

SESSION 2:

ran with bodyweight for about 30-40 minutes around the town and streets, lots of ups and downs and hills etc...will be lifting tomorrow most likely.

[SolidSnake84]

Cardio today..weighing about 137...still fairly shredded

Mile 1:

Jogged + 25 lbs backpack
-8 chinups
-25 dips

Mile 2:

Jogged with bodyweight
-12 close grip pullups
-32 dips

Mile 3:

Jogged with bodyweight
-10 chinups
-30 dips


Only used the backpack for the first lap...im trying to basically stay shredded until i can get a new job that can afford me some gym membership ...and then i can go back to my strength training, but until then i am basically stuck doing dips and pullups outside, and bench and bent over rows at home...that's pretty much the extent of my workouts sadly. will be lifting tomorrow though. see ya then!

[SolidSnake84]

Cardio today...im pretty light, around 136 lb.

no weighted run today, just bodyweight.

Jogged 3 miles:

Lap 1:

15 close grip pullups
30 dips

Lap 2:

12 chinups
30 dips

Lap 3:
7 close grip pullups
7 chinups
30 dips

hopefully i can get a gym membership so i can start lifting again soon.

[SolidSnake84]

not much today, just cardio...place closed early

1 mile run
15 close grip pullups
30 dips

[SolidSnake84]

wow it's been a while! i still have no job, no gym membership, and ive been really preoccupied...i kind of seem to have fallen in love with this wonderful girl from my beach trip, but she has a bf, and it's been taking up every moment of my life thinking about her and everything and ive had no motivation to even get out of the house. i just listen to sad music b/c i really thought something was going to come of it and ive recently given up and feel really depressed about it. i had a lot of hope...i guess ihave to just keep moving on though...my body has gone to a bit of waste in the meantime lol. i can REALLY tell ive lost a great deal of muscle mass, im wililng to bet my lifts have dropped dramatically and my bodyfat has prob gone up like 4 %...man, girls really can kill you lol..i havent lifted seriously since before the trip which was like august 1st was the last real time...i have been running since then, but thats about it...today i ran as well, and since its been a while i felt kind of sick near the end and really slowed down....

cardio day

ran 3 miles total & did exercises

mile 1:
15 pullups (consecutive)
30 dips (consecutive)

mile 2:
15 chinups (cons)
30 dips (cons)

mile 3:
5 pullups
15 dips

insanely hot and humid out and i felt like puking at the end so i didnt want to push it with either pullups or dips...back to my depression...i hope my bodybuilding goals will pull me out of this mental and emotional rut im in...and give me something else to focus on...wish me luck : /

[SolidSnake84]

no doubt ive been slacking to the max...ive gained some bf and been eating terrible. ever since i havent had a gym to go to, and the drama with this girl i like, ive had no motivation at all to hit the weights.

today was like 99 degrees out and humid as all hell, and i decided id just go out and run a little and try my circuit again. unfortunately, ive been having the worst shin splint in my right leg and after like 1 mile i can barely walk and my leg goes numb...ive been playing a lot of basketball about 2-3 hrs 5 days a week though, so that helps but im getting skinny fat syndrome from not hitting any iron. here's what i did today

Mile 1:
jogged entire mile
10 pullups
5 chins
30 dips

Mile 2:
walked 1/2 mile
24 pushups (8 normal, 8 narrow, 8 wide grip)
5 pullups
5 chins
30 dips

ran last 1/2 mile.

im exhausted it's just too hot out and im outta shape again sadly...i hope to report back in when i get a gym membership and a job!

[SolidSnake84]

holy crap it's been a while since ive posted. ive obviously been slackin off. im trying to find some structure in my life right now. ive had some job interviews and just need to land a solid job so i can get some income. once that happens i can join up a gym and get back on track...my only income right now is poker, although im making a pretty penny through it haha

anyways, decided to go for a run today and wow am i out of shape. only thing ive been doing is playing basketball about 2-3 times a week for like 2-3 hrs at a time...which is actualy pretty good, but it's short bursts...

i ran 2 miles today and did the following:

Mile 1:
15 pullups
25 dips

Mile 2:
13 chinups
24 dips

i was completely exhausted by the end of the second...earlier in the summer i was doing 4 miles of this and doing more of each exercise, some times with weighted backpacks on!

really lookin forward to gettin back to the gym, but i obviously have lost a lot of my endurance. i noticed my bf% in my gut has probably shot up a decent amount as well...not good!

til next time...

[SolidSnake84]

Well, i obviously havent touched a weight in a while, but i wanted to touch base with my journal. things pretty much completely disintegrated with the girl i liked from summer...i am still slightly hung up on it, but i think im ready to start focusing on bettering myself again like i did last summer and trying to find someone else. my parents also split up right around the time this drama was happening, after 25 yrs, and i just finished the process of moving to a new location and not having internet or anything for nearly a month.

i did get a job, but its manual labor and i work 12 hour night shifts which makes it really hard to have any free time, i mostly sleep or go out with my friends when im off...im working on getting a daytime 8 hr job that pays a bit better and going back to college for my masters in the fall, perhaps for personal trainer or something in that field. my old car died as well during this period, and i picked up a new one...and have to make $640 monthly payments to my grandfather, but the good news is i only have to do that until like july or so, bc i got the car for around $5k and have been paying on it for some time...after that, it's an extra $640 a month i can save. between that and my poker money, which will hopefully be a lot by then...i should have a nice amount saved up.

the goals are to buy a laptop and hi def lcd tv, then focus on getting some new wardrobe items, teeth whitening, going tanning, and buying gym membership...i really dont think its fathomable to get to the gym with my current hours, i literally sleep the entire day after my 12 hr shifts and have basically one day off. but im dying to return, especially with nice weather right around the corner, i cant wait to run and get big again. i have a ton of pics from my summer progress, and i did a really good job last summer. so hopefully i can post them if i have some time. I am hoping the future looks bright and just really looking forward to what's to come.

[SolidSnake84]

wow just wanted to post bc its been almost a year, with no lifting. my dream still lives. i still want to compete, and i still want to get in the best shape of my life. ive been breaking my back doing a 14 hr night shift job for the past year and 3+ months...managed to save up a lot of cash. i can now afford gym memberships and supps and healthy food, but during that time, i havent touched a weight, and i havent ate barely anything healthy. on top of this, with my work schedule, i am extremely exhausted bc it is physical work, and after 14 hrs of it, the last thing i want to do is think about lifting. i usually come home, go right to bed, wake up and go right to work...and on my off days, i usually sleep the entire day for the first day, and the 2nd day is the only day i really have to myself.

i am hoping to get a new job immediately. if i can get an 8 hr daytime job, i will be so set, and it is like the last piece of my puzzle...i will have so much more time to work with and since i have the $ now, i could get a membership, buy all my own food, and really get back on track.

until then, looking back over this thread only inspires me more, but makes me sad that almost all the progress i made during this journal has gone to the wayside...i was reading a few workouts and how dedicated i was and the #'s i was putting up for my bodyweight and really just miss being with the iron.

as for that girl, we still talk, rarely...but she has a different steady bf of almost a year. unfortunately i still have a crush on her...i guess i have a bad case of one-itis considering i met her almost a year and a half ago! oh well, all the more reason to get back into shape...this thread feels more like a journal now than a freakin lifting log...sad. hope to report with good news soon...

[SolidSnake84]

i FINALLY FINALLY have some good news to report. as of next week my workplace has switched my hours from 12 hrs to 8 per shift. this is great news for me guys...i can at last get back to the gym. i just found out about 10 days ago and am super pumped and get myself ready to get back to the gym. i checked out a local one i like a lot that has dip station, squat racks, pullup bars, DB's up to 120 lbs, allows DL's...dipping belts...pretty much everything i need ..and only 20$/month (plus $50 startup fee)

i recently bought a bunch of shorts and shirts, some under armours, new pair of running/lifting shoes (havent gotten any in like 7 years lol)...working on getting my ipod shuffle loaded up for running etc.

im currently working on building up a supplement list from bb.com that i will place an order for tomorrow. other than that, i still have to rewrite my lifting routine and my diet. then i also have to go food shopping friday. tues and wed are my last 2 12 hr days, then im off til mon...and starting lifting either tues or wed or next week (about 1 week from today)

not sure what ill be doing yet in terms of my routine. i was thinking of sticking to my old one for now (rippetoe-esque) and going from strength gain and trying to regain my strength and some size...i put on a lot of fat (still weigh 140 lbs but skinny fat now)...so i want to do extensive cardio and HIIT like i did before bc i really got trimmed up in 2007 doing this combo...by august ill lay off the cardio a bit and try and bulk up...for summer it would be nice to be like 155 with some decent muscle and low bodyfat...by the end of the year id like to be 170-175 lbs...and not so much concerned with bf% there but i still want it relatively low. i am still sick of being a skinny guy and even had trouble before putting on weight though my #'s did keep going up.

as for diet, again i dont know what ill do exactly just yet. im trying to figure out my maintenance calories at the moment...i was thinking 3000-3500 would be good enough to be slightly more than maintenance and allow me to put on some weight while providing enough calories to deal with my extra physical exertion from exercising. any input on this is greatly appreciated.

i also will be buying my own food this time around, and and expecting to spend $100+ every 10 days or so, but hoping for less...diet will be extremely clean, and consisting mostly of chicken, lean beef, oatmeal, eggs, tuna, milk, steak, vegetables (hopefully fresh if not too expensive), fruits, whey, casein, and a multi...any foods that i am missing here?

i will be avoiding all processed foods...all junk foods and sodas and simple sugars...and im also not going to eat bread, or at the very least 1 piece of wheat with natty pb at breakfast. will be allowing 1 cheat meal per week. im gonna be cooking up all of my meals for the week on sunday (so they are ready for work and plus will save me time during the week)

trying to get in 5-6 meals per day (break every 2-3 hrs at work im assuming, ...we get 2 half hour breaks during an 8 hr shift...ill be eating my oatmeal before workouts and eggs in the morning

as for my routine...will most likely be mon-fri...with lifting Mon/Wed/Fri...and cardio on Tues/Thurs...cardio will consist of that circuit thing i used to do...and ill try to increase my runs from 1-2 miles to start out to ...up to 5-6 miles per day for one of the days and the other day 2-3 miles with weighted runs like i did before.



once i sort everything out, i will post my exact routine, my diet and calories (even bought a scale to measure out my meat in ounces!), and my supplements...i appreciate any ideas for supps, foods, and routines and hope u guys will help to keep me going...im also going to post my progress pictures along the way every month...ill post my old ones from 2007 summer to show u the progress i made as well in the near future.

my best lifts from 2007 were 185 bench, 190 squats ATG, and 275 DL...id like to balance these out more so that my squat is more proportional to my DL (back was always my strong point)...my immediate goals are to get my bench and squat over 200 and hit 300 on DL...when starting back up ...ill be starting around 125 on both bench and squat to get myself reacquainted...and probably 150 on DL...and go from there...no doubt ive lost a great deal of strength

anyways, wanted to post this to get some input and to just get myself even more psyched to lift again in about 8 days! thanks for any help guys!

[SolidSnake84]

alrite guys, i got my supplements ordered just a few moments ago finally. They are as follows:

ON Whey Cookies n Cream
ON Casein Cookies n Cream
Optimum Opti-Men Multivitamin
SciVation Xtend Blue Raspberry
NOW Omega 369
NOW Omega Fish Oil


Tomorrow Im going shopping. here is my list so far. I need to figure out my macronutrient ratio, meals and such...will do that tomorrow as well, and will be signing up for the gym tomorrow too. I bought a new pair of sneakers for lifting/running and got some under armours and stuff to wear to the gym to get my pumped...Will be writing up my lifting routine and goals on sat night...sunday is easter...monday is my mom's bday, then tuesday i begin lifting!

as a general idea, i will be working mon-fri, and will be lifting/cardio before work. was thinking this:

Mon-Heavy Compound day...squats, deads, bench, clean n presses, etc

Tues-Distance cardio day...working my way up to 4-6 miles at a decent pace

Wed-Back, shoulders day

Thurs-HIIT cardio...or weighted run cardio (2-3 miles with 25-50 lbs on back)

Fri-Triceps, biceps, calves, abs, any areas leftover or that i feel need more work

will be doing abs every day at the gym, but will focus on them specifically on fridays, maybe do some weighted work etc

gonna be cooking up all my meals for the weak on sundays and taking it all to work. im quite excited! will post my diet and routine in the next few days once ive sorted it all out.

[SolidSnake84]

Supps have been ordered...should arrive by Tues at the latest. I went food shopping yesterday...cost me $130 but my food should last me quite a bit. Sources include:

3 gallons skim milk
3 dozen eggs
3 lbs fresh broccoli
Apples
Oranges
Bananas
Blueberries
Frozen Veggies
1 Green Tea (so i can vary up my drinking a bit other than water and milk once in a while)
5 1/2 lb chicken breast
4 lbs 95% lean ground beef
5 lbs potatoes
2 lb organic carrots
Blueberry Yogurt
Goya Dark Red Kidney Beans
Goya Black Beans
Tuna
Whole Wheat Pita Pockets
Tsura Mai Brown Rice x 2
Whole Wheat Pasta
Whole Grain Pasta (different brand and shape to vary)
Oatmeal-Quaker
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for cooking)
Gatorade Powder (might use Post-WO on occasion, or to make up a replenishing drink for after cardio days)
Almonds - unsalted, unroasted
Cinnamon Apple Sauce (to swallow multi's, other capsules ...cant swallow with water)
Smucker Nat PB w/ honey added (yum!)
Rice Pilaf Chicken Mix
Ovaltine (mix with milk when i run low on whey, for flavor and some added vitamins)
Marinara Sauce - low sodium, for whole wheat pastas
Grape Juice (favorite juice, and will take on occasion when i dont feel like eating fruit...trying to stay away from tho bc of simple sugars)
Soft Taco Kit
Whole Wheat Tortillas




i think it's pretty clean, and the stuff like soft taco kit will be a once in a while thing to break up the monotony. im staying away from breads.

i was trying to come up with a macronutrient ratio, something like 40/30/30, but decided to not set up a ratio just yet. instead, im shooting for 1.5g protein/lb bodyweight. i weighed myself in at 140.0 lbs on the dot today, so to be simple, im trying to get 200g protein a day...this will equate to 800 calories during the day. i obviously dont really want to lose anymore weight at this point, but im not in bulking phase just yet either. trying to get rid of excess fat ive gained up over the past 2 years and lower my bf% a bit. i know it's crazy and people always say, you're 140 lbs! eat eat eat! but when i lifted 2 years ago, i was able to lift and do insane cardio, and STILL see my lifts going up, and significantly at that, while maintaining a same bodyweight and losing bodyfat.

im going to focus most of my carb intake around pre-workout and in my post workout meal, shortly after i lift. of course im gonna need some carbs throughout the day as well, because im gonna be lifting fairly early in the morning and then going to work 8 hours, and it's manual labor so ill need the energy to make it thru the workday.

i was going to write up my diet to the T and plan my exact ratios and calories needed, but i think to start, since all my food will be healthy, im just going to get my required protein, eat 5-6 meals throughout the day, center my carbs before and after my workout, and space out the rest of the carbs intermittently or as needed (if im really lagging at work)...other than that, no carbs in my last meal of the day (at least 3 hrs before sleep)...and my last meal of the day will be before bed, a casein shake mixed in with some milk, and perhaps a tablespoon of nat pb.

gonna be including the veggies and such in most meals, shooting for about 30-35g protein per meal (including that same amount for my post-WO shake, bout 1.5 scoops whey which = 36g protein). as for fruits, will try to take them earlier in the day but perhaps during my 1st break at work too. i will also be including a banana with each of my post WO shakes.


so my diet is pretty much ready to go in that aspect. im gonna be cooking it all up the day before my work week starts so i have it all ready to go --> have to drive 1 hr to where my work is located, then lift, have my shake...shower at the gym, eat my post-WO meal in the car (probably cold, yuck)...then off to work where i get 2 breaks where i can eat for 30 minutes.

another dilemma ive run into is that my food is going to be sitting in my car from like 11 AM-3 PM when i arrive at work ...so gonna have to find a cooler or some sort and some ice packs to keep the meat from spoiling...might actually keep stuff like the rice and stuff separate from cold but shaded ...but at least chicken and rice and such isnt all that bad unheated...tastes kinda good actually

so gotta make a few adjustments with that...all thats left now is to tweak my lifting routine so i know exactly what im doing. saving that up for tomorrow night after Easter festivities...Monday is my mom's bday so that will be my last night of bad eating...then tuesday i return to work. hopefully my supps are also here by then as well. i will either be starting tuesday or wednesday, as far as my lifting. i signed up yesterday, and the girl at the counter was quite cute, so that was motivating in itself! im anxious to look good again and actually more than anything to get stronger and get my lifts respectable.

my short term goal is to hit 200 lbs in bench, and ATG squat, and Deadlift 300 lbs...i am guessing it will take my body about 2 months, maybe more, to get back to my old PR's...but they were pretty close to those goals ...my bench was 180 and squat was 185...and my DL was 275....id like to hit 700 total on those by the end of August...would be great. when i start out this week, probably gonna be at like 125 bench (embarrassing!), a similar squat, and my DL will most likely start around 175 for working sets...im gonna feel like a bitch but im taking it slow and get my muscles used to the workload again.

will report tomorrow night when ive finalized my routine...it's almost here, getting pretty excited! all the pieces are falling in place!!

[SolidSnake84]

First day back at the gym was today. turns out im weak as hell after my 2 year layoff. did big 3, weighted dips and abs today, then went for a brief run. body weighed in at 139.8 prior to workout. got all my supps finally and have been cleaning up my diet...here it is, long overdue:

bench press:

95 x 5
115 x 5
125 x 4
115 x 5
115 x 4
*apparently im back at square one with bench, gonna try for 120, 3 sets of 5 next time and hope i gained a bit of strength back, bc 115 felt pretty heavy which is pathetic

ATG squat:

95 x 5
105 x 5
105 x 5
105 x 5

*felt ridiculously heavy, again pathetic i know, but gotta start back somewhere...hopefully my muscle memory brings me back quickly to where i was

Dips:

*didn't use any added resistance...gonna have to work back up to that

did 3 sets of :
15 reps
12 reps
8 reps

Deadlifts:

135 x 5
145 x 5
150 x 5

*christ, this was my old strong point, and even 150 felt heavy...i dont know how i did 275 before! at least i got all these out

Abs:

Weighted Decline Situps with 11 lb medicine ball

3 sets of 15 reps


After this, I went for a run b/c today was the first really nice day out, about 68 degrees. Lol, my legs were so torched from squats (even tho i didnt do much weight, it was my first time doing squats since july 2007!)...i ran 1 mile, was completely exhausted. Then I went to walk the last mile to cool down. I had my ipod on, and a good song came on and got my pumped. Adrenaline started pumping and I began to jog again. The song kicked it up, and I was like alright let's go, so I went for a full out sprint...literally 2 seconds later, my right leg gave out and i faceplanted right in the dirt and gravel!! thank god no one was around to see it!

i'm pretty wiped now. gonna lift tomorrow as well. ate oatmeal before workout and used Xtend intra workout...ON whey post-WO...banana after my run...home to eat some chicken...now i'm cooking up meatball subs with veggies...meatball sub prob not the healthiest but my dad's cooking it. plus i need the energy and food right now...i think i sent my body into shock...hope to get all my lifts up by 5 lbs at least next time. tomorrow im doing back i believe...

[SolidSnake84]

damn...i did my first comeback workout on Saturday the 18th...my legs have been COMPLETELY destroyed since then. today was the first day it wasnt excruciating to slightly bend them, and forget about squatting down or trying to stand up. the worst is trying to squat down though...it's insane how bad the DOMS is if u take off from them for a long time.

anyways, today was the first day i felt i could actually do a workout without my legs hindering me. i have been eating great, and plenty of calories. if u recall i was 139.8 at my last weigh-in before saturday's workout. though it's a bit fast, today before workout i weighed 141.8, so up 2 lbs in like 4 days lol, and i actually ate less for breakfast today than normal so i didnt barely have any food in me and it was in the morning. either way, ill take it...i need to gain weight and rebuild my muscles up...i am considering just bulking up and trying to build strength right now (while doing cardio as well to ensure im not getting overly fat), but i just wanna get bigger and stronger. sure it would be great to be cut up for the summer, and i may try to do that to some degree, but id like strength and size first and foremost at this point.


on with the workout...today was back day, didnt go very heavy.






Pullups (bodyweight):
10 reps (chinup grip)
5 reps (wide grip)
2.5 reps (hammer grip)

*just couldnt find the strength after the first set...will need to really work on these again to get them back to where they were.

Bent Over BB Rows:
@ 70 lbs
8 reps
8 reps
8 reps

Lat Pulldowns:
@ 85 lbs
8 reps (closegrip)
8 reps (wide grip)
5.5 reps (wide)
@ 70 lbs
5 reps (closegrip)

Good Mornings:
@125 lbs
8 reps
8 reps
8 reps

Low Rows (Cable Machine)
@100 lbs
8 reps
@120 lbs
6 reps
4 reps

*grip completely gone by this point. planning on buying captains of crush trainer, #1, and #2 to help build up my grip along with later adding pinches and farmers walk to my routine.

Abs:
@ 25 lb plate
3 sets of 10

pretty good workout...dont feel sore very much in my back...chest and arms a bit sore from saturdays workout to be honest, and my legs are the worst part still...i am so anxious to squat again though, im looking forward to it more than anything, which is bizarre considering the pain it caused me for going on a week now! i just wanna get those numbers up though...i cant wait til im free-weight ATG squatting 200 lbs.

Short-Term Goals:
DL 300 lbs
ATG Squat 200 lbs
Bench 200 lbs
Weighted Dips w/ 120 lbs


I think all of these goals are attainable by September, considering my progress in 2007 and I had about 2 less months to work with, and not nearly as good a source of food and supps as i do now. alright...def lifting Saturday. hoping my body gets over the shock of lifting and adapts so i can lift more frequently, but as of right now i need like a solid 2-3 days to recuperate from it, and that's even with getting a ton of nutrients and protein everyday. Saturday is a definite. depending how i feel i might go friday as well. next on the list is shoulders day. hopefully i weight like 143 by then!

[SolidSnake84]

Had a pretty good one today. I did shoulders and did a lot of stuff so hopefully I didn't forget anything. Weighed in at 141.8 again, so at least I didn't lose weight but no gain this time either, it was exactly the same to the decimal point...I did eat a bit less 1 of the days though, so that might account for it...i had to restock, just went food shopping after my workout too and spent another $130 on food, but I'm good to go for a while now. On with the workout:

Superset:

Military Press / Side Lateral DB Raises

--3 sets--
MP 70lb x 5 / SLR 10lb x 6



Superset:

Arnold DB Presses / Front Lateral DB Raises

--3 sets--
AP 25lb x 5 / FLR 10lb x 6



One-Arm Cable Crossover Extensions

4 sets for each arm
10 lb x 5
10 lb x 5
10 lb x 5
15 lb x 5



Upright EZ Bar Rows

3 sets
60lb x 5



Shoulder Press Machine (to finish them off)

20 lb x 5
40 lb x 5
60 lb x 5
90 lb x 3
70 lb x failure (got about 3+)


Abs:

Decline Bench Situps with Plate of Weight

35 lb x 12
50 lb x 10
25 lb x 12


After my workout, I went to the trails for a run to get some cardio in. In total, did 5 miles. Ran the first 4 and walked off the last 1. During each of the first 4 miles, I did 5 Chins and 5 Dips, for a total of 20 chins and 20 dips. This was the only time I slowed down from running, about 15 seconds before the station, and 15 seconds after. Great workout and I feel great too. Not nearly as sore as after my workout a week ago...but then again I didn't do squats. I think for my next workout I am going to skip biceps/triceps/calves and go right back into my power day of Bench/ATG Squat/Deadlift/Weighted Dips. I really wanna get my power back up. I'm super pumped to be doing squats again, and think I might be liking them more than deadlift which was an old favorite.

Gonna take tomorrow off...and will either be lifting Tues or Wed...i need to get my lifting frequency back up ...only going about 2x per week at this rate...im waiting for my body to adapt and recover quick after the initial shock of not lifting for so long wears off...I think I am coming along well...I've gotten a bit more defined...don't know if I'm losing any fat yet, but that's not my primary goal at this point, would like to just pack on some size and get my strength up. Also considering buying a pair of trainer, #1, and #2 Captains of Crush grippers to help train my grip.

That's it for this one...gotta make some food now, later!

[SolidSnake84]

4/30/09 Workout:

after shoulder day, my left shoulder (both really, but especially my left) were hurting...felt pretty good by wednesday so decided id lift thursday. cooked up 4 chicken breasts and some ground beef for eating the next day...got to the gym about 2 hours before work...and wanted to see where i was at with my strength.

before i go further, i must report a minor success ive already reached. my short term goal, included with getting all my big 3 lifts back up to par where they were, is to gain about 40 lbs to put me at 180 lbs...i am 5'7...probably closer to 5'6 without shoes, so that is a pretty decent size for a guy of my height, plus i'm built very slight and small-jointed, so it has always been a struggle to pack on mass. anyway, i've never weighed more than about 150 right on the button...most of my big 3 lift personal records were done between 135-142 lbs.

so when i started my "comeback" on april 18th, roughly 12 days ago, i weighed 139.8. Today as i weighed in before my workout, i knew i had been eating a ton of food and felt that it HAD to be good news. i was right! i stood in at a whopping 145.2! im huge! hahah...i know it seems trivial, but this is a huge success for me, someone who has real difficulty adding any weight. i know i have put it on quite quickly, but it is reassuring to know that my body CAN add weight if i give it enough calories. im guessing it's about half muscle and half fat, though ive noticed veins started to show through on occasion now...so i think i may be burning some fat as well...my bodyfat, i feel, was high to start with due to 2 years of gruesome eating, and the fact that none of the crap i ate before added any weight...just replaced muscle with fat...compared to the fact that i AM ACTUALLY GAINING WEIGHT...leads me to believe that im putting on some decent muscle during this process.

my foods have been very clean, been eating about 5 meals/day...and specifically preparing all my own food. it is painstaking to wake up and cook my eggs every day, to drink whey/milk first thing when i wake up, to make sure i get in a fruit everyday, veggies...to have to defrost, chop up and cook chicken in advance for the next day, and have to shell out about $130 every 2 weeks (plus like $50 every in between week to restock on stuff like milk (which i drink almost a gallon every 30 hrs or so roughly now))...but i really want to stick with this. i feel myself getting bigger...stronger...my appetite is constant now...ive pretty much gotta eat about every 3 hours...4 tops, or i go starving...so my metabolism has caught up and is burning up food for fuel and hopefully not storing too much of it, though on several occasions, on any specific meal, i overindulge and probably take in a huge caloric load that i cant possible utilize all of...

for instance at work, if im starving, ill eat essentially an entire pound of ground beef in 1 sitting (half hour break)...and it's usually mixed with rice and such.

anyway, im glad that i've gained 5.4 lbs already...hoping to slow that progression down to about 4-6 lbs/month instead of almost 6lbs in 2 weeks! but to be honest im not HUGELY concerned about gaining fat...obviously i dont wanna gain a lot of it, but ive NEVER done a serious bulk before where i actually had the food to eat...i just want to get big and strong and not be the 140 lb kid for the rest of my life...id love to be 207 lbs and ripped...but im taking small steps for now...180 lbs and a bit on the chubby side is a start...though im not even really "chubby" now per se...my abs arent quite visible and ive got some love handles, but that's from 2 years of bad eating and was there before i gained this weight.

alright, enough rambling...i am quite pleased with all of my lifts aside from my usual nemesis, the bench press...here it is:


Flat Bench Press:
95 x 5 (warm-up)
120 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 3.5*

---Notes---
last time i got 115 lbs and had attempted 125 and failed...120 felt easier than last week but still tough. my chest has always been weak, even when i was benching 175+...i managed to get my 1st two sets...the last one, i wasnt positioned right on the bench and on the 4th rep i clanked the ledge that racks the weight mid-lift on the way up...i repositioned myself while still holding the weight which took it out of me...i got my 4th and 5th rep out...but was so tired out from moving that i didnt go down all the way for my 5th rep, and if i had i wouldnt have made it back up. gonna try this weight again next time and hope my nutrition and rest recoups my muscles enough to get it. also will work on tri's, shoulder and back to help support the lift

ATG Squats:
95 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5


---Notes---
if u recall i was out of commission for nearly a WEEK after doing 105x5 for 3 sets about 12 days ago...this was the exercise ive been looking forward to increasing the most. it is an atrocity that my squat has been almost always pretty even with my bench press and miles behind my deadlift. though it is still behind what im benching, today felt great. i didnt have the extreme soreness, i dont feel like ill be getting any severe DOMS like i did before, and all the reps i got with GREAT form (using free weights), and were not particularly hard...i had to grunt to get them out, but it did not feel hard, and i felt like i could do more weight easily. gonna still take it slow and progress up to 115 lbs next time....shouldnt have a problem, but i dont want to skip any steps...my max before was about 190, so id rather progressively build up to that than take pot shots and sacrifice form for #'s. i feel like my lift in this should be shooting up soon tho and will surpass my bench and SHOULD stay ahead of it forevermore once it does...felt good about this today...


Deadlifts:

135 x 5
155 x 5
175 x 5
200 x 3

---Notes---

so last time i had done 150 lbs and been wrecked...my old PR was 275 for 1 rep and 250 for reps. they all felt pretty easy today, even 175, so i decided to go for it and get my first number back in the 200's...i got it with relative ease...no grip problems, and banged out 2 more for good measure...could have gotten another 2, but my back was toast, legs a bit wobbly from squats, and running late for work...and didnt want to be dead (pun) at work...my boss has been making me lift stuff nonstop (manual labor job)

im ordering CoC grippers this weekend, and hopefully they will help my DL grip for once i add another 50 lbs or so...this felt great too though, i think my muscle memory has already kicked in, my body is back in lifting mode, and my good nutrition is paying off, b/c im making the noob gains in strength and weight quite rapidly. hopefully it continues. next time i do these, im warming up with 135, then 175, then 2 full sets of 205. if i have any strength left, ill shoot for 1 rep of 225. also dont wanna hurry this lift, though i did have good form on the 200 lb lifts.


Weighted Dips:

BW x 5
25lb x 6
50lb x 6
50 lb x 3

---Notes---

i couldnt even do like 8 bodyweight last time about 2 weeks ago by my 3rd set...5 bodyweight felt ridiculously easy...and i remembered i used to do 30+ dips bodyweight or even 20+ with like 40 lbs and that was WHILE I WAS RUNNING, so i sucked it up and asked for the belt. 25 lb actually felt easy still...50 felt brutally heavy but not so much that i couldnt do it, and i did this with good form as well. the last set of 50 lb tho, i was just fried and barely made up the 3rd rep...would have gotten stuck and probably snapped my collarbone on the 4th rep so called it quits...old record was 100 lbx x 6 reps for 3 sets...so im getting there. i think next time im actually gonna try to increase the reps moreso than the weight...will warm up with BW and 25 lb...then try 35 lb for 3 sets of 6-8...i like to get at least 6 reps for these....mostly because it's such a pain to put the freakin belt on!

Abs:

+25lb plate
3 sets of 15


overall a great workout imo...gained 5.4 lbs already, squats felt much better, DL hit 200 lbs again...dips was able to add weight and keep good form. i feel great and love getting back into this sport...gonna be lifting again over the weekend, not sure what ill do yet...might actually do an arm/calves day, as much as i hate to focus on just the arms (im a strength/powerlifter at heart i think)...but ive done nothing for biceps whatsoever, and they look pitiful compared to my tri's...might help with my chins and DL's too. for may, my weight goal is to hit 150lb by the end...roughly 1.15 lbs i need to gain each week, which should not be a problem if i continue to scarf down food like i do (which is sometimes very easy and othertimes (mostly in the mornings) i have to force it down)...im so hungry at all times of the day except in the morning i cant bring myself to be hungry and have to force it. anywayssss see ya for the next entry in a few!

[SolidSnake84]

Weigh-In: 144.0 lbs (lost 1.2 lbs)

did big 3 workout again today. lost about a pound, most likely due to my going out saturday and getting quite drunk (first time in almost 2 months of touching alcohol)...didnt feel so hot on sunday and pretty much didnt eat all day...didnt really eat saturday either...i actually thought i lost a lot more weight, so im pleased it was only a pound...been trying to get all my meals in otherwise tho. pretty good workout. reached all the goals i was shooting for and added some assistance exercises:

Flat Bench:
120 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 5

Notes:
finally got all reps...didnt get hard til last set...struggled with last 2 reps again, mostly the last one...but got them all. going for 125 next time

ATG Squats:
120 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 5

Notes:
had done 110 x 5 for 3 sets last time, and i felt confident b/c of the level of ease i did those with to go up 10 lbs. this was a bit harder, but i got them all without much struggle...going to try to add another 10 next time and make it 130

Deadlifts:
135 x 5
185 x 4 (intentionally 4 reps)
215 x 4 (!)
215 x 3
215 x 1.5
215 x 1 + hold
185 x 4

Notes:
had hit 200 lbs last time but only for a set. 185 was meant to warm up the 1st time so i didnt wanna go overboard. was surprised and pleased to hit 215 for 4 reps...i think i am gonna do my working sets for 4 reps instead of 5 only for deadlifts. 2nd set, my grip began to fail and by the last 215 set, i got the 2nd rep up but didnt hold it or lock it out b/c i knew if i did my grip would slip and the weights would crash down lol. i recovered for a minute or 2, then did 1 rep with it and held it for like 5 seconds. finished it off with 185. not sure if im gonna try to get 210 for 3 sets of 4 next time or if i should limit my deadlifts to 1 working set...my grip really suffers if i do too many sets. might warm up with 135/185 then go for 1 working set of 220. not sure yet gonna research into it.

Incline Bench

75 x 5
75 x 5
75 x 5

Notes:
started out light, got em all pretty easy, wanted to start incorporating inclines so i dont get an imbalance in my chest. eventually i will be doing actual chest days, but for now im just focusing on strength so i wont have much of a need to work all over the chest...but will be adding this and flyes in the future.

Tricep Pushdowns (Bar)

40lb x 6
40 x 6
40 x 6
50 x 5

Notes:
just wanted to finish off my Tris...this did the trick

Dips:
BW x 8
BW x 8
BW x 8

Notes:
no dipping belt with weight today, just wanted to burn them out for reps

Abs:

25 lb plate for 3 sets of 15

Leg Raises


Overall pretty good. a bit pissed i lost a pound, but all my lifts went up and i got my bench press to stick this time. im unsure if i shoudl stick with strength training until i at least get my numbers back to where they were before i start focusing on specific bodypart training, like having chest/back/shoulders/arms/legs days. part of my dilemma is that i want to have more mass before i go specific so that i can sculpt it more so, plus it is much easier for me to pack on mass if im just doing power/strength/compound movements that really hit a lot of bodyparts. i just dont wanna get like a powerlifters body and not look aesthetic, though im pretty sure that would take some time. any input here would be appreciated (if anyone actually reads this anymore lol)...hoping to lift again on friday.

[SolidSnake84]

Another good workout. Im def gettin plenty of rest in between, but id like to be going more than like once to twice a week.

positive news to report overall. Weighed in at 146.6 lbs, so up 2.6 from last time, and 6.8 lbs total since i started lifting on April 18th, almost a month ago...not too shabby, i can already see the changes taking place, but still have a ways to go. i def look a LOT better than i did the first third of the year. will be sticking with big 3 and some assistance work until i get them back up to par. occasionally going to throw in back and shoulder days, but primary goal now is still to add weight, gain strength and get my lifts back to where they were before doing any splits. here's the workout:

Flat Bench Press:

125 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5

Notes:
got em all today. had done 120x5 for 3 sets before and struggled a bit on the last 2 reps. same thing here, but to a lesser degree and only on the last rep was i unsure if i was going to get it up. moving up to 130 next time.

ATG Squats:

130 x 5
130 x 5
130 x 5

Notes:

added another 10 lbs up from 120 x 5 for 3 sets last week. still got them relatively easy. they are starting to be a bit heavier now and im gonna have to work i think once i get past 155 or so. i still haven't had a "sticking point" though, which is good. on the plus side, my squat has now surpassed my bench, as it should be, and i dont intend on it lagging behind ever again. for next workout, gonna try another 10 lbs and go for 140.

Deadlift:

135 x 5
185 x 4
215 x 4
215 x 2
225 x 1 + 5 second hold

Notes:

1st two sets were warmups. i got all reps i intended on my 1st set of 215 lbs. by 2nd, my grip was drastically slipping on the 2nd rep. didnt even attempt a 3rd. rested up for about a minute, then threw on another 10 lbs and decided to go for a 1 rep and hold. got it up pretty easily actually...the weight is still not a problem, just my grip. i did hold 225 well for 5 seconds, coudl have gone maybe 3-5 more, but after another second or two it would have been sketchy, and form might have suffered. i still am torn between if i should be doing 1 working set only, or if i shoudl be doing just 1 rep of a max for these or what...im still experimenting, though i really dont like doing 3 sets at a high weight, b/c my form suffers and my grip is done midway thru the 2nd set...im only shooting for 4 reps of each set...the first one i usually dont even have a problem. really need to work on my forearm and grip strength. not sure what ill do for reps but id like to attempt 235 for 1 rep next time. im within 50 lbs of my old max of 275!

Incline Bench Press:

80 x 5
80 x 5
80 x 5

Notes:
had done 75x5 last time. this was easy. no problems at all...but just working my way up. 85 next time.

Tricep Pushdowns:

40 x 5
50 x 6
60 x 6
70 x 3

Notes:

felt a lot easier this week than last time. 50 was easy ....60 was difficult but doable...after my 3rd rep of 70, i was losing a bit of control so scrapped it and stopped there.

Abs:

25 lb Weight

2 sets of 15, followed by Leg Raises (no weight for the LR's)

Dips:

BW x 20

Notes:

wanted to do these earlier in the workout but the dip station was occupied like all day and i was running late for work. had to work in with a guy just to get a set in...just tried to burn them out and do as many as i could, which turned out to be 20 on the dot. not bad. my tri's are beginning to explode a bit finally.



overall another satisfying workout. bodyweight is still gaining, my food has been clean and constant, my lifts are all going up, and im approaching my old maxes slowly but surely. one bad thing...think i may have pulled my ring finger (of all things) on my right hand ...was really straining with grip on deadlifts and it just feels extremely sore...will probably go away in the next few days im sure. that's it...hoping to workout and get a back day in either thurs or friday...then another workout over the weekend.

[SolidSnake84]

Weigh-In today: 147.8 lbs. i should note that since my start back lifting on april 18th, when i weighed 139.8 lbs, this is an 8 lb increase! gaining roughly 2 lbs a week. also tomorrow im probably gonna be doing some cardio bc i havent in a while and i dont want to neglect it, so that may drop my weight abit, but i shall keep my eating up.

did back today:

Pullups x BW:

8 reps hammer grip
5 reps wide grip
5 reps chin grip
3 reps hammer grip

Notes:
i stopped early on the 1st set to save strength bc it always fails me on pullups. didnt work, i was spent by the 3rd set. really need to work on these.


Lat Pulldown with Hammer V-Bar:

85 x 6
100 x 6
120 x 6
120 x 5

Notes:
felt easier than last time when 85 lbs was tough, though i did use one of those V-shaped bars that you can put over a pull-up bar and do hammer chins with...so my grip was not wide at all. will try it with the standard bar next time

Bent-Over Rows:

80lb x 8
80 x 8
80 x 8

Notes:
got em all. pretty easy, adding 10 more next time


Cable Rows:
100 x 6
120 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 3, followed by 85 x failure

Notes:
felt better than last time but 120 was still tough, i used to be able to do close to 200 on these lol. couldnt get the last set of 120 so i burned em out at lower weight, but only got maybe 4-5 more reps out

Good Mornings:

135 x 5
135 x 5
135 x 5

Notes:
i like these. felt fairly easy tho i was breathing hard after each set.




just for fun i then did

Tricep Pushdown:

70 x 6
70 x 5, followed right after by 12 bodyweight dips

ABS:

2 sets of 12 with 45 lb plate
i followed the 2nd set with leg raises x failure


overall pretty good. gonna do a shoulder workout next time then go back to my power days and strength training. cardio tomorrow, hopefully lifting sunday and then maybe tues or wed will be goin back to strength day where i attempt 235 deadlift, 140 squats, 130 bench. hopefully ill be 150 lbs by the next week, only 2.2 lbs away! ive never weighed more than 151 lbs in my life!

[SolidSnake84]

just ordered captain of crush grippers...i got the training, the #1, and the #2...to help improve my crushing grip, which will hopefully aid my deadlift as i am quite opposed to straps and want to naturally build my grip.

should be getting those by the end of the week. tomorrow im lifting...going to either do shoulder day or power day again. if it's power day, going for 235 DL, 140 squat and 130 bench. my bicep tendon area is actually a bit sore still from my back day...im guessing the pullups and V-bar i used for lat pulldowns are what tired them out but they feel like i did a bicep day lol...didnt get to eat as much as i wanted to this weekend, so im hoping my weight just stayed maintained...and that i can hit 150 by the end of the week...was 147.8 when i last lifted on friday. will update with workout log tomorrow night.

[SolidSnake84]

Weigh-In: 146.2 lbs (-1.6lb)

didnt get a chance to workout for a freakin week! finally got a chance today...been hectic with work and needed to catch up on sleep. decided id go back to the big 3 because that helps me put on mass and eat more when i lift heavy compounds. im not gonna list my warmup sets here...

Bench Press:

130 x 5
130 x 5
130 x 5

Notes:
This actually felt really good. I didnt really struggle with any reps but the last one of the last set, and even then i knew i was getting it. Think my chest is improving nicely.

ATG Squats:
140 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5

Notes:
the heaviness is getting there, but i think i can still continue to add 10 lbs per workout...i think when i hit 160 i may have to slow down a bit, but going for 150 next time.

Deadlifts:
135 x 4
185 x 4
235 x 2
235 x 1 + hold
235 x 1

Notes:
235 wasnt too heavy...i mean it was, but my grip is still horrendous...first set of 235 was no problem...2nd set i could hold it for a while...but didnt dare go for another rep cuz of grip. last set i locked it out for just 1 second, and had to let it go immediately cuz my fingers were slipping. i ordered captains of crush trainer, #1, and #2 and it is expected to arrive on 5/27, so hopefully they will help improve.

DB Incline Press:
35 x 8
35 x 8
40 x 8
40 x 5

Notes:
switched it over to DBs...no problems til the last set

Tricep Pushdown/Rope Cable Pullovers Superset:
50 x 5 // 50 x 5
60 x 5 // 65 x 5
70 x 3, 60 x 1, 50 x 2, 40 x 3 (burnout) // 57.5 x 5

Dips/Bicep EZ Curl Superset:
BW x 15
BW x 10 // 50 x 5
BW x 10 // 60 x 5

Abs:
light work including decline situps and leg raises



Back or shoulder workout next time. Going to go eat!

[SolidSnake84]

Today i went nuts with cardio...no gym, though i am going tomorrow. was really humid and hot out, so i went for a run. in total i did 6 miles...for miles 1-5, each mile i did 8 chin ups and 15 dips, for a total of

40 chins
75 dips

was gonna keep going but it was starting to thunderstorm, so i just ran the last lap then got the hell out of there! hopefully i didnt lose too much weight as a result...would just like to get my body burning a bit of this fat since im bulking up so much poundage recently (intentionally)...at my pop's house on saturday i weighed 151.2 lbs, though his must be off a bit because i was 146.2 on friday night before working out and i doubt i put on 5 lbs in a day! though i did used to always weigh right around 140 on his scale, so either way i am still making some progress. gonna lift tomorrow, most likely shoulders or back, probably shoulders though...then during the week, maybe wed or thurs, go back to power day and attempt 150 squats, 135 bench, and 240-245 deadlift!

[SolidSnake84]

thought id check in...i havent lifted for going on 3 weeks now...i got sick 3 weeks ago and still feel pretty down, im not quite sure what i have. on top of that, after i did that running session of 6 miles, i was a little sore and didnt think anything of it...then at work im lifting boxes all day, and i think i over extended when reaching while my back was already sore (lower back) and i must have pulled something b/c it was in pretty heavy pain for 2 days. since then its been getting better but i still dont feel 100%. im gonna try to hit back the gym this weekend but i dont wanna push it with squats or DL's as the area is still tender and id really not want to make it worse...damn!

[SolidSnake84]

ok guys. i am back. haven't started weight training yet. i have put on a bad amount of bodyfat over these past 2+ years of complete inactivity and eating whatever i wanted. i'm doing an EC stack at the moment (started 1 week ago) to try to shed the bodyfat...and i'm just starting to do some cardio and bodyweight exercises to reacclimate my body to exercise. today was my first day. i'll copy/paste what i wrote in another thread for what i did:

"just got back from my 1st run. it went fairly well...i dry heaved for about 2 minutes after finishing mile 3, but pulled myself together and did 7 miles total, including doing dips, pullups and pushups on 5 of those miles...i also walked about 1.8 of the 7 miles. burned 537 calories. this watch i got is freakin awesome it tells you everything and knows when you are running or walking...it's a Polar, btw. this was my first run in about a year to be honest, i'm surprised i had it in me to keep going. i almost puked the first 3 miles because i've got a little cold and my nose was like dripping down my throat causing me to gag...after 3 miles tho, my entire body was drying up of water (and i suppose mucus too) and it all went away...my legs are torched right now and even my shoulder and back area is sore from doing the pullups. my Pre-run meal was just 1/2 cup oatmeal and 4 whole eggs, some grapefruit juice, and some BCAA's in 16 oz water on the way to the trails. time to make some dinner!"


i was 154 about 3-4 weeks ago. i'm currently around 146 lbs...obviously im extremely light still but only 5'7...and ihave a high bodyfat%. plan is to continue to shed the excess fat for a while and clean up my diet, and then return to the weights in a few weeks. i'll keep things posted.

[SolidSnake84]

just wanted to post my 2nd workout in a while. i was sore as hell after my run last time. it's been a while, but this was my official 3rd day off work after being laid off, i have been taking care of a ton of stuff, but today finally got a chance to get started. im gonna write up my diet and lifting plan over the weekend and hit the weights on monday. in the meantime i am running.

today i ran 6 miles. (ran 5.7 of them), burned 617 calories...did 25 pullups (13 overhand grip, 12 underhand), and 60 dips along the way. feeling pretty spent. anxious to grasp the irons again. will update again soon. also my weight is all the way down from 154 about 5 weeks ago to 142 right now.

[SolidSnake84]

at last i returned to the gym...was a somewhat humbling experience tho that's to be expected. did the big 3 to see where i was at and a few other things.

Bench Press:
95 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 3 (barely got 3rd up)

ATG Squats:
95 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5

*will add 5 lb next time

Deadlift:

135 x 4
185 x 4
205 x 3
215 x 3
215 x 1 + hold

Dips:

BW x 15
BW x 10
BW x 8

Weighted Ab Crunches:

25lb x 15
25lb x 12
25 lb x 10


after that, took about 5 min break and then did 15 min of cardio/HIIT on a stairmaster type machine...did 30 seconds of intense for every 2 min of normal...my heartrate was up to 178 and remained in the 170s for pretty much the whole 15 minutes...i was sweating bullets profusely lol. i am really trying to stay lean as i add muscle...i dont even care if i dont gain a lb as long as i keep going up in lifts and getting stronger, and getting more cut up and shredded in the process. i have severely limited my carb intake recently. i weighed 141 at the start of today's workout and was 154 lbs at the end of feb. my love handles have shrunk drastically and are almost nonexistent. i pretty much only eat carbs in the first meal of the morning, before a cardio or a weightlifting workout, and after a lifting only (not for cardio) workout...i am not in a state of ketosis, but cutting down these carbs has really helped me lean out tremendously. will probably return to the gym sunday hopefully depending on how sore i am tomorrow as this was my first lifting session in almost a year. i am feeling confident tho that i will stick with it this time. will update after next workout.

[SolidSnake84]

did a huge workout today. starting weight was 142.6lb. im not sure if i want to gain weight or just try to get my lifts up and get shredded and stay the same right now.

did back today:

Pullups:
3 sets x bodyweight
Reps: 8,5,3 (i also switched up my hand position from chins, to wide grip palms facing out, to hammer chins)

Bent Over Rows:
50 x 5
80 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
90 x 4

Lat Pulldown: (did hammer grip and last 2 sets did wide lat bar grip)
70 x 8
85 x 8
100 x 8
120 x 4
100 x 6
85 x 6

Good Mornings (freeweight):
135 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 5

Low Rows:
85 x 5
100 x 5
120 x 3
100 x 4

Weighted Abs:
25lb x failure for 3 sets


After that I drove down to the trails and ran 6 miles straight without stopping, stopped for about 2 min to ask the guy there if they were closing which they were, but said i could do one more lap, so ran another...7 total...it actually came out to 7.6 miles, cuz each lap is slightly longer than a mile. i burned 843 calories during the run. i am spent, gonna shower and get in some much needed calories. (by the way, i had 1 whey with water shake during my lifting workout, and one after my running workout, ate about 6 oz chicken i had saved as soon as i got home...gonna have a protein and carb-heavy meal in about an hour.)

[SolidSnake84]

Shoulder day today. weighed in at 143.8 lbs.

Military Press:
70 x 8
70 x 8
70 x 6

Upright Row:
70 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5

Seated DB Arnold Presses:
20 x 5
20 x 5
20 x 5

Front Raises supersetted with Lateral Raises:
10lb x 5 x 5
10 x 5 x 5
10 x 5 x 5

Shrugs:
60 x 7
55 x 7
50 x 8

One Arm Cable Crossovers (the sets listed i did for each arm):
10 x 5
15 x 7
15 x 5

Weighted Ab Crunches:
25lb x 3 sets x failure

Then I noticed a cute girl go over and run on the treadmill and I still had a lot of energy so I did 30 minutes on the bike at a fairly hard pace...burned 210 calories and got heartrate in the 150-160 range for the entire 30 minutes. Was planning on a leg day tomorrow but my legs are a bit toasted because I did more of a muscle-building than a fat-burning pace on the bike. We'll see how I'm feelin tomorrow.

[SolidSnake84]

opted for a leg day today. weight still the same in the 142-143 range.

ATG Freeweight Squats:
125 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5

DB Lunges:
40lb db's x 4 x 4
40 x 4 x 4
40 x 4 x 4

Leg Curls:
50 x 6
65 x 6
80 x 6


Leg Extensions:
50 x 5
70 x 5
90 x 5
110 x 5
130 x 5

Seated Calf Raises:
90 x 5
90 x 5
90 x 5

Weighted Decline Ab Crunches:
25 x failure
50 x failure
50 x failure

Ab Isometrics:
2 sets of bicycles
2 sets of various static holds

Cardio:
Elliptical Machine x 30 minutes
~260 calories burned
Heartrate in the 160-175 range whole time...maxed it out at 183 bpm

TOTAL DURATION:
~ 2 hours


gonna rest tomorrow, my shoulders are still toast from sunday's workout and now my legs are too, so there's not many options lol...gonna recover tomorrow and try a chest day on wednesday. i've been tossing around the idea of doing specific body parts 4 or 5 days in a row, like chest day, back day, shoulder day, legs day, arm day...then taking 2 or 3 days off and doing a POWER day where i do heavy compounds and olympic style lifts, then take 2 days off and repeat the process...i dunno yet, i'm still trying to figure that out...i've been eating plenty tho and i just got all my new supps in...it takes me literally an hour to swallow all my multi's and various other pills lol.

i also just started taking creatine mono after an 8 year hiatus from taking it. I use Pro Lab creatine monohydrate (it's creapure). Today I made the mistake of thinking that you actually had to do the loading phase. i took 20g instead of the recommend 5g...long story short, it "went right through me" for about 3 or 4 hours straight...i also literally choked on a pill twice and almost threw up but i didnt want to waste all the pills i'd already swallowed lol.

ill update wednesday then

[SolidSnake84]

144.0lbs weigh-in today.

Decided to do chest. I also have decided that I'm going to get my body acclimated to lifting for another 2 or 3 weeks, so that it gets used to having to recover faster, and then I'm going to start doing Bill Starr's 5x5 and focus on getting my lifts back up to where they were and hopefully surpassing them and beyond in the coming months. here's a link to the exact program i plan on using:

http://www.wackyhq.com/madcow5x5/geocities/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm

Unfortunately I got to my gym late and both benches as well as the incline bench were taken by 2 guys alternating back and forth so I couldn't even work in. Had to go with the Smith machine, but I'll be back to normal bench next time. By the way, I had struggled to get all 3 sets of BP at 115lbs last time, so this should tell u how much easier smith machine makes things.

Smith Machine Flat Bench Press:

45 x 5
95 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5
155 x 4
165 x 1 (failed 2nd rep)

Weighted Dips:

BW x 5
BW+25lb x 5
BW +50lb x 5
BW +50lb x 5
BW +50lb x 5
BW x 8

Cable Crossovers (for each set, I did 4 reps with right foot forward and right hand crossing over left, then switched to left-foot forward stance and left hand over right for the last 4 reps):

25 x 8
30 x 8
30 x 8
30 x 6

Rope Pulldowns (to hit serratus):
30 x 5
40 x 5
50 x 5
57.5 x 2 (fail)
50 x 5
50 x 5

Superset:
Incline DB Bench Press + Incline DB Flyes:

30 x 5 + 20 x 5
35 x 5 + 20 x 5
35 x 3.5 (failed 4th rep) + 20 x 5

Tricep Pushdowns (to hit arms just a little since I never focus on them):
40 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 3 (fail)

*wow this shocked me...i could do 80 or 90 lbs when i did these before and triceps have always been a strong point of mine, i mean i can do +100lbs on the dip...only thing i can think of is i haven't trained them isolated in forever, i had pre-fatigued them with the whole workout, and that i use EXTREMELY strict form on them and don't let my arms stray from my side or ever let my forearms go past parallel (which would get my back involved).

ATG Squats (decided to throw these in to get my body used to doing Squats 2-3x per week in preparation for Starr's 5x5. I also set a new best since returning to the gym a few weeks ago, since I only did 125lb last time):
45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
135 x 5
135 x 5

Notes: They were hard but I didn't struggle until the very last rep of the last set and slightly rounded my back under it. Don't think I will up the weight until I have perfect form on these. Don't wanna let my ego get in the way of lifting properly. I really do go ATG to the point where my butt is just about touching the back of my shoes.

ABWORK:

Weighted Decline Crunches:
45lb x failure

Weighted Crunch Machine:
tried this out with +5 lbs. didn't like the feel of it but did a set of 8

Bicycles x failure
Isolation Core work for ~ 3 minutes


CARDIO:

Elliptical Machine:

20 minutes
Heartbeat range from 155-165
Calories Burned = 175


I'll post when I decide to officially start Bill Starr's program in my next post. Until then I will continue what I've been doing, trying to hit every bodypart and get it primed as well as focus on the big 3. My next workout will either be back day which will include DL's, and I really wanna get a few sets of biceps work in, because they are probably my favorite muscle to neglect (which is opposite of most people i suppose) and my triceps literally dwarf them (i know tri's are 2/3 of the arm, but i literally have zero bicep muscle lol)

Also, once I start Bill Starr's workout, I am gonna switch over to a new log. This one has become too start and stop, and inconsistent. I need a fresh start to focus on. Ill post a link when I make the new thread.

[SolidSnake84]

starting weight today = 145.8 lbs

adding a bit of weight to my frame, which is good. the workout started off bad when i realized i left both of my shaker bottles which i put a scoop of whey into each, back at home. i live an hr away from my gym (long story) so that screwed up my post-WO nutrition.

i wanted to start yesterday so that i'd have a nice MWF days to lift, but got preoccupied with stuff. eventually i will hopefully fall back into working out mon/wed/fri for this program, cuz i like to keep saturdays open. once i get back into MWF workouts ill create a new log to start fresh.

ATG Freeweight Squats:
45 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 5
125 x 5
135 x 5
145 x 5*

*= since returning to lifting, this is my best on the squat so far. i actually kind of like ramping the weight like this program has you do. if i had done 145 for all 3 of my working sets i probably wouldnt have gotten it, but since i wasn't pre-fatigued and exhausted i did get it, and i didnt struggle at all, as i did with my last rep at 135 during my last workout. for my next workout, im supposed to stop at 125 lbs...then the 3rd workout, ill go for 150.

Bench Press:
45 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
120 x 3

Notes: goddamn i seriously suck at the bench press, it is by far my weakest exercise and i really just dislike doing it. i love doing squats and DL's but bench just never appealed to me. i did 115 pretty well for all 3 sets, decided to just attempt 120...my 3rd rep i really struggled to get it up, almost had to drop it and roll it off my chest which would be really embarrassing for 120...i dont know what else to do but keep sticking with it.

Pullups: (threw these in before BOR's because i struggle to do them if i am tired from other back exercises)

chin up form x 6
wide palms out form x 4
hammer chins x 3

Bent Over Rows:
50 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5
90 x 5
100 x 5

Notes:
100 was hard all the rest were easy. 100 was only hard cuz my forearms were tired.

ABWORK:

Weighted Decline Crunches:
45lb plate x failure, superset 25lb x failure, superset BW x failure
repeated above exercise for 2 sets total

Core Work:
Isolation holds and bicycles for 2 sets

CARDIO:

Elliptical
25 minutes. Heartrate between 145-155. It's hard for me to keep this low. i am only trying to burn fat, not get it up too high. its supposed to be around 125 but i am barely moving if i get it that low. instead, i threw in 4 HIIT movements for 30 seconds each with 2 min break in between from the 10 to 20 minute mark. burned a total of 206 calories.

Ill link to my new journal next week then. See ya on Thursday! Deadlift day :)

[SolidSnake84]

Day 2 of starr's 5x5.

weighed in at 146.4 lbs today, looks like im slowly adding some pounds, but my weight fluctuates a good bit from day to day by a pound or 3, so im not getting my hopes up that im gaining weight til i hit like 155.

I did DL's first since this program only has me doing them once a week (or was it twice?) because of this i also didnt push it with squats because ill be going for a best next workout.

Deadlifts:

135 x 5
175 x 5
195 x 5
215 x 5
235 x 1*

Notes: 215 was rough for 5 reps...decided to try 235, but my grip was failing by then...got it up for one rep, locked out and had to drop it pretty quickly

Military Press:

50 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5
90 x 5
100 x 2 *

Notes: push pressed the 100 lbs for first rep, struggled up the 2nd, didnt attempt anymore

I then threw in a variation exercise to kill off shoulders a bit more as an assistance exercise:

Superset: Clean and Press + BB Curl

60 x 5 x 5
60 x 5 x 3
60 x 8 x 0 (didnt do any curls for last set)

Notes: I cleaned from the ground to my chest, pressed it over head, back down to chest, reset back on the ground for each rep of C&P

ATG Squats:

45 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 4*

Notes: 135 actually felt a bit heavy, but my legs were shaky from the deadlifts. didnt wanna push it today since ill be attempting 150lb on my next workout. the 4th rep of 135 i only went to parallel and not ATG, was getting really fatigued.

Then I threw in one last assistance exercise...

Weighted Dips:
BW x 5
+25 x 5
+50 x 5
+60 x 6
+60 x 5...+25 x 5...BW x 5 (drop sets)
+25 x 5...BW x 4


ABWORK:

did weighted decline crunches with 45 lbs, bicycles, isolation core movements...spent about 10-15 minutes total

CARDIO:

Elliptical:
25 minutes total...207 calories burned. did 5 separate HIIT bursts for 30 seconds each, and for the rest kept it at low intensity.

Next Workout should be Saturday but i might do a huge cardio day tomorrow and then take the weekend off and reset so i am back on a MWF schedule for next week. We shall see. Cheers.

[SolidSnake84]

went to the local trails today to get some intense cardio in. it was blazing hot out about 85-90 degrees. i ran 6 miles total (6.3 if u include the last mile cooldown...it also doesnt count the walking i do when i walk between stations to do dips and pullups)

on each of the 6 miles i did the following, starting with mile 1 (for pullups, i did half pullups wide grip, and the other half chins):

10 pullup/chins + 20 dips
6 + 15
6 + 15
6 + 15
6 + 15
6 + 15

(i also did 15 more dips on the cooldown)

for a total of 6 miles run, 20 pullups, 20 chins, and 110 dips. burned 664 calories from the run...probably a bit more from all the exercises

im pretty spent...time to re-carb up. i will be resuming 5x5 hopefully on monday but i am still pretty sore from my DL workout, so might resume tuesday, depending on how fast i recover from the cardio day today.

cheers

[SolidSnake84]

Weighed in at 147.2 lbs today before working out...i have been consistently gaining about 0.5-7 lbs every 4-5 days now, as i was right around 141.0 when i started. i did some extra exercises today just because i felt like i had to do some more to hit other muscle groups

ATG Freeweight Squats:

45 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
150 x 5
160 x 1

Notes:

Felt a LOT better today than last workout...i must have been still sore before the workout last time...the extra days of rest did me well...135 was a breeze whereas i struggled with it last time, and 150 was actually a cakewalk as well...150 was all i intended to do, as my previous high for 5 reps was 145...but i thought id try 160 and see how it felt...when i got to the bottom of the first rep, i felt like i was getting really tired and my form was going to suffer if i continued...got the rep up and racked it

Bench Press: ***both benches were freakin taken again, but i haven't done any incline work in a while, so i made do and did the following instead:

Incline Bench Press:
45 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 4

Notes: didnt have a spot, and considering i can barely get 115 on normal flat bench ...after struggling and almost not getting the 4th rep of 115 up i racked it, and proceeded to finish off doing DB incline presses instead.

DB Incline Presses:
30 x 8
35 x 8
40 x 8
45 x 3.5

Notes: they were all actually easy until i got to 45 and my arms were shot from doing higher reps which they aren't used to...attempted the 4th rep, didnt get anywhere

Wide Grip Pullups:
BW x 6

Chins:
BW x 5

Hammer Chins:
BW x 4

Notes: got a few more than last time with relatively little recovery time...perhaps the 40 pullups and chins i did at the trails on saturday helped

Dips:
BW x 18
BW x 9

EZ Barbell Rows:
50 x 5
80 x 5
90 x 5
100 x 5
110 x 5

Notes: more than anything, my grip was failing me and my forearms were letting me down...i know my back is strong so after struggling on the last rep of 110, i headed to lat pulldown to finish them off

Lat Pulldown: *(I alternated with 4 reps to the chest, followed by 4 reps behind the neck, except for the first set which i did 8 to the chest followed by 8 BTN)

55 x 8 x 8
70 x 4 x 4
85 x 4 x 4
100 x 4 x 4

Notes: last set was hard. i did these all with very wide grip

EZ Barbell Curl:
50 x 5
60 x 3.5

Notes: arms completely done by 2nd set...

ABWork:

Weighted Decline Crunches
2 sets with 25lbs x failure

Superset Bicycles with Isolation Core Exercises for 2 sets

Cardio:
Bicycle x 30 minutes at low intensity (about 125 bpm heartbeat)...burned 160 calories.


Next workout will be doing deadlifts...gonna go for 220 x 5 and 240-245 x 1.

Cheers!

[SolidSnake84]

Weighed 146.2 lbs, so exactly 1 lb less than on Tuesday, which upsets me...will need to keep eating more. today is technically day 2 of starr's 5x5 but i have decided to modify this and all future 5x5 workouts. i am going to be adding several isolation exercises after i do the main 3 that are required...and also i am cutting squats back from 3x a week to 2, because of two reasons. firstly, recovery period is not enough if i am squatting every other or every 3rd day...and more importantly, i cant squat and deadlift on the same day...my squat form suffers if i do squats after, and since i am only DL'ing once a week, i do DL's first...if i were to squat before doing them, my DL suffers as my legs are wobbly. i am considering lifting every 3rd day (Tues, Fri, Mon, Thurs, etc) instead of every other as well...i feel the isolation exercises help a lot, but between doing them and going heavy on the big 3, and doing 20-30 min cardio after each workout, i am quite spent and need time to recover.


Deadlift:

45 x 5
135 x 5
175 x 5
205 x 5
225 x 5
250 x 1*

Notes:
Surprisingly, after struggling with 215x 5 last week, 225 x 5 this week was not bad...it is not so much my back as i just have small hands and quite possibly one of the worst grips of all mankind. only the last rep of 225 was hard and it is my new best for DL reps since my return...my old best for reps was 250 x 4 i believe, so i am definitely getting back there. my old 1 rep max was 275...today i thought i'd attempt 250 since i had such good luck with 225, but the jump was a bit too much...i got the rep up and held it for about 2 seconds, but my lockout wasn't 100%...i didnt get my shoulders all the way back, and before i could, i sensed my grip beginning to slip. id say i did about 85-90% of the lift...i did lockout but, if it were being judged i don't know if they'd count it or not. next time i'm trying 230 x 5 and 250 x 1 again...i might forget the 1 rep max all together and just do 2 sets of 230 x 5 actually but im not sure yet...see how im feeling.

Military Press:
50 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5
90 x 5
100 x 3

Notes:
last week i got 100 x 2 but i push pressed the first rep and the 2nd one was a struggle...i did not push press any this week, and my form was good...i might cut out a few of the lower sets next time and try to do 90 x 5 for 3 sets or if i can get 100 x 5, might try to do that for 2 or 3 sets, but we'll see.

Clean and Press:
60 x 8
60 x 8
60 x 8

Notes:
I really like these as a full body strength exercise...and they actually make me short of breath and work cardiovascular as a bonus. i did these last week at the same weight...it's difficult to move up in them after doing them right after military presses as i also did last week. i am gonna try 70lb next time though, as i am doing 60 for 8 solid reps with good form, so no doubt that i should be able to hit 70. if not for 8 reps, at least 5 each set.

Pullups:
BW x 6

Chins:
BW x 5

Hammer Chin:
BW x 4

Notes:
Same #'s as last time...eventually I am hoping to get more reps at once, but often, my grip is significantly gone even halfway thru my workout, and my forearms are burnt out before i get to do these legitimately.

Weighted Dips:
BW x 5
+25 x 5
+50 x 5
+75 x 5
BW x 10

Notes:
I love weighted dips and had to throw these in...+50 was still easy...+75 i struggled a bit with and i would have liked to go deeper on the last rep but i did not...still, felt good about these, my triceps are almost back to where they were too now...old best here was 100 x 6 reps...once i can get back up to 100lbs, i am going to try to go for reps and hit 10 reps and slow the motion down so it is very deliberate before adding more weight.

Lat Pulldown:
70 x 4 x 4
85 x 4 x 4
100 x 4 x 4
120 x 4 x 1

Notes:
the reason i have 2 diff rep numbers for each set is that the first part is pulldowns done to the chest, and the 2nd part is pulldown pulled behind the neck. by the 5th rep of 120, i was done.

Shoulder Press Machine:
50 x 4 x 4
65 x 2 x 4

Notes:
same as above, the first part= hands straight (like a bench press) grip, 2nd part = hammer grip. 50lbs was easy enough, when i did 65, i had to pump it up using the side hammer grip, and did the 4 reps of that (i couldnt lift it up with straight bench grip to start), then switched hand positions mid-lift, did 2 reps and failed the 3rd.

ABWORK:

2 sets of +25 weighted decline crunches
2 supersets of bicycles, leg raises, & isolation core holds

CARDIO:

20 minutes on bike. fat burn and hill+ mode...only burned 112 calories. next lift will be Monday, as Sunday is Mother's Day. Will be attempting a 155x5 squat 120 x 5 bench. might try a 165 x 1 squat too. i like to add that extra 1 rep at my heaviest weight after doing my working sets.

[SolidSnake84]

Weigh In: 147.8 lbs.

I've been eating like a bull on parade (not a real expression) to compensate for the fact that I was 1 lb under my previous high and it paid off...this is my highest weight since returning to the gym and bulking. I've decided to do only Day A and B of 5x5 (Day C is essentially the same as A except you go for maxes...i do this anyway except I alternate Deadlift and Squat days, and always go for a max, but i allow one extra day of rest so i dont overtrain.) For instance, i lift mon and thurs and sunday instead of mon wed fri...and on mon and sun i go for maxes for 5 reps on squats and bench, and go for max on thurs with deadlift and mil presses. Started out with Pullups just to loosen up.

Pullups Superset with Chin:
BW x 8 x 4

ATG Freeweight Squats:
45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 5*
165 x 3

Notes: 155 for 5 is my new best since returning (old best 195 x 5)...pretty excited cuz these felt really easy today...even went for 165 and got 3 reps with great form...could have gone more and gotten 2 more but didnt wanna push it just yet. 160 x 5 next time

Bent-Over Rows:
50 x 5
70 x 5
90 x 5
100 x 5
110 x 5

Notes: 110 my grip struggled on the last rep, but I am going to go up to 120 next time. My form is good on these.

Bench Press:
45 x 5
95 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 5
125 x 5

Notes: I didn't wanna push it since I have REALLY been struggling with bench and it's my definite weak point. I was hoping that all my weighted dips and back-work would help me blast through the plateau and it certainly did. Before I could barely get 3 sets of 115 up and 120 was not possible. I got all 3 sets at 120 for 5 reps today with very good form, and didn't even have any sticking points...even tried 125 x 5 and got it with no sticking...I think this is the one exercise where I will try to do 3 sets of the same weight instead of ramping it, so I can be sure I am moving up with good form and getting it down right. 125 x 5 for 3 sets next time

Incline DB Press:
40 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 5

Notes: Gonna include these after bench days so my chest doesn't get imbalanced and to help overall strength in my chest as an assistance exercise. Gonna do 45s next time. These were fairly easy, no problems.

Dips:
BW x 23
BW x 10

Notes: Some DBag was using the dipping belt so I just burned out for 2 quick sets.

Low Rows:
85 x 8
100 x 5
120 x 5

Notes: These felt good today. My grip was surprisingly intact all throughout my workout today

Lat Pulldowns: (did 4 to the chest, and 4 behind the neck)
85 x 4 x 4
100 x 4 x 4
120 x 4 x 2

Leg Extensions:
90 x 5
110 x 5
130 x 5
150 x 5
170 x 5

Notes: To burn out legs...no problems, but I was sweatin' by the end of the last set

ABWORK:

My standard abworkout for 2 sets (about 8-10 minutes total)

Cardio:

NO cardio today.

Next workout Thursday.

Cheers.

[SolidSnake84]

Weigh-In: 147.4 lbs

Deadlift:
45 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
235 x 4
235 x 2.5*
185 x 5

Notes: just decided to go for 235 instead of 230...my grip was toast after the 4th rep of it...tried it again, and i didnt lockout the 3rd rep of the 2nd try due to grip...dropped back down to 185 to finish burning out.

Military Press:
50 x 5
70 x 5
90 x 5
100 x 5

Notes: got em all today...was tough though, gonna try 110 next time

Clean and Presses:
70 x 8
70 x 8
70 x 8

Notes: upped it 10 lbs from 60 to 70, got em all, felt great...very tiring though, was sweating bullets! gonna try 80 x 5 for 3 sets or 80 x 8 for 3 if i can get it.

Pullups/Chins Superset:
6 + 4

Weighted Dips:
BW x 5
+25 x 5
+50 x 5
+75 x 5
BW x failure

Lat Pulldown:
85 x 4 x 4 (4 to chest, 4 behind neck)
100 x 5 (to chest only)
120 x 5 (chest only)

Barbell Curls:
50 x 5
50 x 4

Calf Raises:
90 x failure
90 x failure

Leg Curls:
65 x 5
80 x 5
95 x 5

Leg Extension:
90 x 5
150 x 5
170 x 5
190 x 5

ABWORK:

The Usual

CARDIO:

Elliptical x 12 minutes total...for 10 minutes, i did HIIT every 2 minutes...so 4 high intensity bursts out of 10 minutes, then a 2 min. cooldown. burned 102 calories...i like this a lot better than spending 25-30 minutes at a lower level of intensity...

my workout was too long today tho...too many assistance exercises. gonna cut back next time. this took me just over 2 hours to do it all which is way too long.

next workout, doing squats. going for 160 x 5. and 125 x 5 bench press.

cheers.

[SolidSnake84]

just wanted to update. last lift was last thursday...i went to AC on sunday so that negated that day...and had my first drinking binge in a while...i stayed all day mon and tues to play cards...made $1200+, but i didnt eat or sleep for 45+ hours...wednesday was a sleeping day pretty much to catch up, and yesterday i ate a ton of carbs to try and refuel my body...im going to lift shortly today and possibly do a little run as well after if it's not too late. i am hoping i didnt lose any strength...it's only been a week, but the lack of food and sleep is what worries me, plus i got a terrible crick in my back from sitting for 36 hrs straight to play poker, it still hurts bit today but not nearly as bad as wed/thurs. feels like i got stabbed with a knife at this one spot high on my upper left back.

[SolidSnake84]

Weigh-In: 145.4 lbs

As expected I lost some weight, about 2 lbs, from not eating for a 3 days stretch...fortunately none of my lifts suffered to the point where i had to drop down, though i did struggle with weight that was considered easy by me about a week or so ago when i last lifted. Here it is...had to do squats later in the workout, cuz some dbag was doing curls with like 20 lbs of weight on it and talking to his friend for fkn 30 minutes not joking.

BENCH PRESS:

45 x 5
95 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5
135 x 5

Notes:

Felt a bit weaker than last time when i did these, but they were surprisingly not too hard. for good measure i threw in a set of 135 to see if i could do it. wasn't too hard. 130 for 3 sets of 5 next week. it will be nice to finally load up 2 45's the workout after that one...i feel like such a pu$$y using 25 lb plates on the bench but to be quite honest...i am proud that i havent sacrificed form for pride like ive done in the past on the bench...

Pullups:
BW x 10

Chins:
BW x 6

Hammer Chins:
BW x 3

Notes: did these all pretty close together with little time for recovery. im getting better but i want to be able to do 15-20 before i start doing weighted pullups. i do them in the dead hang style though, which uses a bit more energy

Weighted Dips:

BW x 5
+25 x 5
+50 x 5
+75 x 5...+50 x 5...+25 x 5...BW x 4

Notes: burned out the last set, and dropped 25 lbs after i couldnt do anymore, and immediately did the next set of 5 reps.

Bent-Over Rows:

90 x 5
100 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5

Notes: Just wanted to make sure I was still good in these before moving up since I took so long off...still trouble with grip on the last rep, but gonna move up to 120 next time.

ATG Squats:

45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
160 x 5

Notes: I got the 160 up...it was brutal though...my legs were making great progress, but its been like 10 days since i did them and my caloric intake was horrible as i mentioned before...i got 3 reps up...the last 2 i had to pause a good 10 seconds and gather myself before attempting...i rounded my back a bit on the last rep but muscled it up. im not sure yet if i wanna move up to 165...i know i could do it, but i wanna make sure my form is good before going up and that my strength is back as well. I'm not sure yet.

Lat Pulldowns Hammer Bar Grip:
85 x 5
120 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5

Notes: my grip was pretty good today so i went for more weight...these felt good today, might have just been the hammer grip instead of a wide lat bar that helped.

Clean and Presses:

70 x 8
70 x 8
70 x 8

Notes: These are so fatiguing but i love doing them. i dont know why. i pour sweat afterward. definitely going for 80 x 8 for 3 sets next time. i think they really help my military press as well and help my arms not fatigue as fast when i do mil presses bc i do these in an endurance style.

ABS:

The Usual


...


After this I went to my local trail, and ran 3.5 miles. It burned 393 Calories...i kept it at a fairly slow pace, and had to bc my legs were sore from squats...took me about exactly 30 minutes. Heading back to the gym on monday to see where my deadlifts and Military presses are at. also gonna do bench again possibly bc i am actually enjoying the lift for once in my life. I would squat as well just at 160 again, but i doubt ill be able to after deadlifting. see you monday.

Cheers.

[SolidSnake84]

Weigh-In: 145.2 lbs

Haven't been eating great so this is expected. Ive been slacking, only gone once a week to the gym for the past 2 weeks since my AC trip...gonna try and get it together now. I did day A today since it's been so long and i'd rather neglect deadlifts than squats. overall a pretty good workout but i felt kind of ****ty after doing clean and presses lol...no cardio today either.

ATG Squats:
45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 3

Notes:
Got 165 for all 5...was kind of hard, but not as bad as last week...feeling better again with these...i did a 2nd set just because i didnt feel like i did enough...i stopped after 3 reps...i could have gotten the other 2 but simply pussied out...and decided to rack it. going for 170 next week.

Pullups:
BW x 10

Chins:
BW x 6

Hammer Chins:
BW x 4

Lat Pulldowns - Hammer Grip:
85 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 5

Clean and Presses:
50 x 8
80 x 8
80 x 8
80 x 8

Notes:
Man these wiped me out today...the very last rep of the last set i really struggled with...my shoulders were shot.

***NOTE***
The Bench presses were both taken again today for over 45 minutes straight so i decided to do the clean and presses and incline DB presses instead. Kinda pissed. Still gonna go for 130x5 for 3 sets next time. Also, my grip was shot early today so i didn't attempt bent over rows...

Incline DB Presses:
40 x 8
40 x 5
40 x 5

Weighted Dips:
BW x 5
+25 x 5
+50 x 7
+75 x 4 (failed 5th rep)
BW x 8

Abs:

3 sets of bicycles supersetted with leg raises and core iso hold's.

Gonna try to workout on Sunday again. Also going to hopefully order a weighted vest between now and the weekend. Im undecided on the Vmax or the Xvest at the moment.

[SolidSnake84]

Weigh-In: 145.6 lb

Well Summer is right around the corner, and I am having a hard time gaining weight still with everything going on...but I have noticed my body composition is still constantly changing for the better, so no complaints yet, and all my lifts are going up, and i'm looking better and better. I am actually really happy with where I'm at right now...I look probably the 2nd best I've looked in my life body-wise...i was a lot more cut back in 2007 and quite a bit stronger...but I think I am already in near-beach shape, which is good. I have stopped sticking strictly to the Bill Starr's 5x5, but am still implementing most of the lifts...the main difference is I am only lifting every 4-5 days...lot of rest between, but it makes for great recovery and proper nutrition and no risk of overtraining. I have just ordered a VMax Weighted Vest 100 lbs today too ($360 tho!)...hoping it's here by Friday...and I am going to do 1 workout with weights a week, and then 3 days later do a low-impact cardio session with the vest, starting at 25 and increasing 5 lbs a week as i see fit. i will mostly be walking because i dont want to destroy my joints, but at the trails i go to, there is a lot of bodyweight exercise stations which are perfect for my vest...i can do bodyweight squats and squat holds in one area, pullups, pushups, and dips. Just a little update...im pretty excited about it all...and I have been neglecting cardio so this will really help burn extra fat...plus now if I'm doing these cardio sessions I wont have to do cardio after my workout days which ends up making my workouts 2+ hours.

OK here's the workout:

ATG Squats:

45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 3*

Notes:
I think I slightly pulled something near the front of my shin after the first set of 170 and I felt weak in that leg the rest of the workout. on the 2nd try (which was all I was going for, 2 sets)...i attempted the 4th rep, couldnt get back up, and had to rest the bar on the safety rack rest. i didnt really push myself though, just kinda gave up...i did get my main 1st set of 170 though, so i will attempt 175 x 5 next time...once i hit 175 though, i am not going to advance in weight until i can get TWO sets of 5 reps instead of just 1

Pullups/Chins:

BW x 10
BW x 5

Bench Press:

45 x 5
95 x 5
130 x 5
130 x 5
130 x 4.5*

Notes:
Bench was of course taken again today so i did pullups first...i think i over fatigued my lats or something bc I didn't feel 100% as soon as i started benching. got all reps anyway, except the last rep of 3rd set, i only went down halfway bc i was starting to fail and didnt wanna get caught...didnt have a spot. gonna try to finally get the 45's on next time and do 3 sets of 135 for 5 reps.

Bent-Over Rows:
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5

Notes:
Just getting back into these. I did 110 the time before.

Clean & Presses:

90 x 5
90 x 5
90 x 3*

Notes:
Decided to try going up since i did 80 x 8 for 3 sets last time, but should have known since my arms were toast on the bench press, this would be bad...i got the 1st 2 sets, last one, i attempted the 4th rep, couldnt get it up. gonna try again next time. i might have to start switching up clean and presses and bench pressing and make them on different days...plus on squat days, these get increasingly harder...though if im not squatting im deadlifting, so can't win either way...will just stop doing them on bench press days though

Lat Pulldown (Wide Bar):

85 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 5
140 x 5...85 x failure

Weighted Dips:

BW x 5
+25 x 5
+50 x 8
+50 x 6
+50 x 4...BW x 3...BW Pullup x 4

DB Rows:

40 x 5 (did this for each arm)
50 x 5
55 x 5

Tricep Rope Pulldowns:
40 x failure
50 x failure
30 x failure

Leg Extensions:
90 x 5
130 x 5
170 x 5
210 x 5

Abwork:

3 multi supersets of crunches, bicycles, leg raises, iso core holds


If my vest gets here by Friday, I am going to do my weighted cardio day...probably 25 lbs...and will walk for 1 hour to 90 minutes...and will do pushups, squats, dips, and pullups each lap. Might throw in lunges as well. Can't wait!

Cheers!

[SolidSnake84]

Weigh-In: 146.2 lb

I am not feeling good today...didn't affect my lifts too much, but feel like im going to throw up.

Bench Press:

45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
135 x 5
135 x 5

Notes:
sweet finally used the 45's and got all sets up, with no problems...could have something to do with the fact that i did them first today.

ATG Squats:

45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
175 x 5

Notes:
Got all the reps, but I think I may have something up with my left leg...it's actually the shin area that hurts when i finished the set at 135 i felt it...it hurts to bend my leg after i did the set, not sure if my form was off or what...but i held off on any further sets after 175 bc of it.

Pullups:
bw x 10

Chins:
bw x 5

Bent Over Rows:
50 x 5
90 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5

Clean and Presses:
50 x 5
90 x 5
90 x 5
90 x 5

Lat Pulldowns:
85 x 8
120 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 5 (used various grips for all 3 working sets...wide, shoulder, narrow)

Chest Press Machine:
25 x 5
30 x 5
35 x 5

Weighted Dips:
Bw x 5
+25 x 5
+50 x 5
+75 x 5

Front and Lateral Raises supersetted:
10lb x failure x 2 sets

Abs:
2 sets of supersetted bicycles, leg raises, crunches, core iso's

Weighted Vest not in yet...gonna do a long cardio day with it on when it does come in.

[SolidSnake84]

No Weigh-In. Just cardio today. Weighted cardio that is! Got my vest all setup today. Started out with +25 lbs...was actually tougher than I thought after about 5 minutes, on the shoulders...what i did was this (4 miles total)

Mile 1: Walked entire thing
Mile 2, 3, & 4: All the exercises are on the first half of the track, so I walked the first half and stopped at each station and did the following:

Squat Iso Hold: 60 sec (mile 1), 45 seconds, 30 seconds
10 Bodyweight squats
10 Pushups
Pullups x failure (no more than 4 per set)
Dips x failure (no more than 15, no less than 10)

For the second half of the mile on each lap of 2-4 I jogged it.

Was exhausting! Weight workout sunday or monday!

[SolidSnake84]

Damn been a while...i've been going through some issues the past 10 days or so and it has affected my eating and I haven't trained...finally got back into it today, and I felt like it actually helped relieve a lot of the stress. I feel a lot better now. Thank god for exercise!

Weigh-In: 146.2 lb (i ate an entire slab of ribs from texas roadhouse last night as a cheat meal, or id probably be significantly less lol)

ATG Squats:
45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
180 x 5

Notes:
These were tough today...but i attribute it to my 9 days without a workout and lack of proper nutrition. Still got them up...form was a bit off...going atg is really making it hard...one of the reps i just did parallel (the 4th)...cuz i was gassing...but i finished strong on the last one, though i seem to be rounding my back a bit...ive gotta work on my form a bit...i dont think ill add anymore weight just yet...wanna get 2 sets of 5 with good form before going to 185.

Bench Press:
45 x 5
95 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5

Notes:
Actually these felt GREAT today...barely any struggle, except for the last rep of the 2nd set, and the last 2 reps of the last set...but nowhere near the sticking points i had before...went all the way down with each rep, no cheating...i think once i hit like 155 though, im gonna concentrate much more on doing extremely slow negatives...im honestly not worried about ego weight for this lift, and never have been...just want a great pump and muscle breakdown.

Pullups:
BW x 8

Chins:
BW x 6

Pullups:
BW x 4

Clean and Presses:
50 x 5
90 x 5
90 x 4
90 x 2.5*

Notes:
Damn, i was fatigued in the shoulders and tri's at this point...couldnt get the last rep of set 2, and by set 3...when i went for rep 3, i cleaned it, pressed about halfway and couldnt go any further. still sticking with this weight...i did get it last time, but i've been off a significant period of time and put my all into the bench...plus my legs were beat from squatting.

Lat Pulldown: (wide bar)
85 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 5
140 x 5 (hammer grip bar)

Weighted Dips:
BW x 5
+25 x 5
+50 x 5
+75 x 5
+ 50 x 5

Notes:
75 is still tough but doable...i want to add more weight but i dont think i could get 5 reps with 85 or higher...so going to try and do 8-10 reps with 75 lbs.

Bent-Over Rows:
60 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5

Notes:
Now these are getting easier...i'm gonna have to go up to 120 next time...is an inconvenience cuz they have the bars already loaded up from 20-110 lbs, but for 120+ i gotta load up an actual OLY bar

Leg Extensions:
90 x 5
150 x 5
190 x 5
230 x 5

Notes:
WOOF...230 was rough, surprisingly got them all! the machine maxes out at 300...I'm gonna start throwing in Leg Presses next time.

Chest Press Machine:
30 x failure
20 x failure

Front and Lateral Raises Supersets:
15 x 5 x 5 (15 lbs for 5 reps of fronts, 5 reps of lats)
15 x 5 x 5
15 x 5 x 5

Rear DB Raises:
50 x 8 for each arm
50 x 8 for each arm

Abs:
Usual

PLANS:
Trying to step up the frequency of my workouts or at least get heavy low impact cardio in on off days...tomorrow I am using my VMAX vest again, and gonna go right up to 50 lbs...i did 25 last time, my core is very strong...i keep the running to a minimum to avoid joint pain and injury...but it is great for doing bodyweight exercises...will include Squat Iso's, squats, Lunges, Pushups, Pullups, and Dips...I walk the first half (where all the stations are) and jog the 2nd half of the trail...the trail is roughly 1 mile for each lap...I plan on going as long as possible tomorrow, and am shooting for 2+ hours. Next Lifting workout will be Sunday or Monday, depending on recovery. Now to eat my post-WO meal!

Cheers!

[SolidSnake84]

worked out earlier today, didnt get a chance to write it up til now.

did a low impact heavy cardio day.

Used my weighted vmax vest. loaded it up to 50 lbs.

did 3 laps with each lap = 1 mile approximately. total duration of exercise was 1 hour 45 minutes.

for each lap, i walked the first half and did 1 minute squat iso hold, 10 squats, 10 pushups, X pullup attempt (didnt clear my chin in any attempts), and 10 dips...then jogged the 2nd half of the lap which is exactly halfway...after each lap i deloaded by laying down on my back to take the stress off my spine and joints and shoulders and allow me to catch my breath...believe it or not, 50 lbs is a TON of weight to have on your back when u are only 145 lbs and running and bodyweight exercising with it for about 23-25 minutes, which is what each lap took me to do about. i noticed my traps are freaking exploding from doing this...just from doing the 25lb run last week they grew noticeably already...i dont think im going to add anymore than 50 for now tho...my body needs to acclimate to this

i am back to eating somewhat better...i kind of really like this girl (same one ive liked for 3 years lol) and i thought i screwed things up by stupidly drunken texting her nonstop ... i thought things were going great before and i got the impression she wanted to hang out, but i never acted on it bc i am kind of ashamed that i have nothing going on in my life right now and i dont feel like i am good enough for her...i know this isnt my blog and is supposed to be a lifting log, but i couldnt eat for like the last 2 weeks so it somewhat affects me lol...and i just wanted to write about it...well hopefully she is still a little interested in hanging out soon... in the meantime all i can try and do is make myself better

next workout will prob be monday or tuesday...goin to a baseball game tomorrow, fathers day sunday, and monday i might be swimming and have some other stuff to take care of.

laterrrrr

[SolidSnake84]

Just wanted to update. I have actually had 3 workouts since my last but my computer got a virus and has been down for over a week now. Still not fixed but I'm almost there...still copying files to external hard drive and then i have to erase my current internal HD and reinstall windows xp and then put all my files back and download every program ive ever used lol.

anyways i did a workout that last thursday (1 week ago)...got 185 x 3 on squats and 145 x 5 for all 3 sets of bench...did another workout on monday...was feeling especially weak for some reason on everything (havent been eating much)...only attempted 175 for squats and got them all 5...did 150 for bench , got the first 2 sets, only 3 reps on the last set. i did however do weighted dips with +95 lbs for i believe 4 reps.

yesterday (wednesday) i did a cardio day ...ran 5 miles, did 100 dips, and 50 pullups in about an hour. sore today...i am leaning out a bit but feel like ive lost some mass...thats ok as its almost beach time...but come sept im gonna start pounding back down the food and bulking...im only 144 right now...i hate cutting for summer but has to be done ...2 more months of watching the cals lol...gonna workout again probbaly monday cuz i have a lot of festivities coming up for 4th of july...hopefully by then my comp will be back online and everything in order.

cheers

[SolidSnake84]

Weight: 145.6 lb

Bench Press:
45 x 5
95 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 4

Notes: Last week I got 150 x 3 on the last set so this is progress, albeit slight.

ATG Squat:
45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8

Notes:
decided to drop the ego and go back down to perfect everything. i was doing 175-185 for 3-5 reps with somewhat shaky form, so i dropped down. all reps were perfect today...felt good doing this will try 140 for 3 sets of 8 next time.

Pullups:
BW x 10

Chins:
BW x 6

Clean and Press:
80 x 5
80 x 5
80 x 5

Weighted Dips:
BW x 5
+25 x 5
+50 x 5
+75 x 5
BW x 5

Bent Over Row:
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5

Front and Lateral Raises Super-setted:

+15 x 5 x 5
+15 x 5 x 5

Lat Pulldown (Wide Bar):
100 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 5

Leg Extension:
110 x 5
150 x 5
190 x 5
230 x 5

Abs:
Usual x 2 sets


OVERALL NOTES:
Didn't break any barriers today, but I've been drastically cutting back all carbs, and it has greatly affected my energy levels...my appearance looks like i've dropped a good deal of fat in the belly area so that's good...I don't think I'll be setting any new records until around late August or Sept when I started eating in a bulking manner again. Lot of beach trips up, so I'm sacrificing strength gains for the time being, in return for the promise of better abs...not sure when next workout is. My aunt is visiting on friday for about 10 days, and we are going to this shopping place on saturday, then white water rafting all day sunday...i'm hoping to sneak in another workout on Friday...going to the beach Thursday for the day, hopefully I don't get too fried. Til next time!

Cheers!

[SolidSnake84]

It's been a while and for good reason. So as you know I was laid off in April 2010. I resumed my lifting career instead around that time and was making good progress...around early July I went white water rafting...and i dont know what happened, but a few days later i had COMPLETE BODY muscle fatigue, soreness, weakness whatever u wanna call it. i sat in bed for almost a week with no energy whatsoever. from July to Sept I lost about 30-35 lbs...I dont have health insurance anymore, so dont know what the heck is wrong with me...

i narrowed my diagnosis down to a few potential things based on my symptoms...which are:
-constant need to urinate ...used to go 3-4x a day, now it's like 3-4x an hour
-unquenchable thirst...as in 2.5-4 gallons of liquid a day
-extreme dry mouth, so bad that i wake up and cant even swallow or breathe hardly because it's bone dry, and i have trouble speaking if i dont have water with me or chewing a piece of gum bc it's so dry
-extreme dry eyes and blurred vision...can't wear my contacts for more than a few hours, used to be able to sleep with them in and not have problems
-extreme hunger...able to eat a lb of ground beef/chicken in a sitting along with veggies, carbs etc...and still be hungry 2 hours later
-fast weight loss...30 lbs in 3 months...was low to mid 150's...currently sitting at about 126 and luckily it has stayed at that now
-bad muscle cramps especially when laying down...my calves, forearms feel like i just put in a rough workout a lot
-painful foot spasms when laying down...bad enough to wake me from sleep...it is one of the worst pains ever, sometimes it goes to my toes too and they will twist and get "stuck" in one direction until it passes
-very fatigued...i will sleep like 7 hours, wake up, eat, and go lay down for another 3-4 hours, just exhausted everyday
-no energy to exercise, sore muscles...i feel like i have no strength left, and since i always feel dehydrated and need to drink it makes it hard so i stopped in july

i am finally going to see a doctor in about a week and getting bloodwork etc...hope to return to the scene soon and get my weight back i look like an emo kid these days, it's embarrassing...worse yet, the girl that I've been crushing on for about 3 1/2 years, i finally caught a break and we were going to hang out, but i didnt want her to see me like this cuz it's been so long and my symptoms are actually quite debilitating, so i wanted to get better first...and i think she is dating another guy now and i missed my chance..

i think i either have diabetes or hyperthyroidism based on my symptoms...hoping it is neither but i will update as info comes

[drudixon]

subscribing to your log, good job buddy. What was your diagnosis? I'm guessing urinary tract infection.

[SolidSnake84]

subscribing to your log, good job buddy. What was your diagnosis? I'm guessing urinary tract infection.

Hey man thanks for the interest. Nope you guessed wrong. I went to the doc on Dec 23 and my blood sugar level was 477 (normal is 100, anything over 140 is considered abnormal, over 200 is high). i had to spend dec 23-25 in the hospital. was down to 125 lbs...already back up to 135 less than a week later now that i'm recovering.

i am thinking about starting a new journal soon since my approach will be completely different. as you know it is much more of a challenge to bodybuild with diabetes and you must be very careful to keep your levels stable. it's easy to overdo it and become hypoglycemic with too much exercise which sucks b/c i used to like to go gung-ho and exercise for 3 hrs a day. i also have a very strict diet now that limits my carb intake making it very difficult to bulk up or have sufficient energy for workouts. i am going to try to make this work though. now that i am feeling healthy for the first time in 6 months, literally...i am returning to the gym next week. the only thing bothering me now is my eyesight, as i cant see at all or focus...my doc said eyesight will return to normal in 6-8 weeks max, hoping it is more like by tomorrow bc i cant drive or watch tv or do much of anything that isnt right in my face.

ill provide a link to my new journal if anyone wishes to subscribe. btw, diabetes is likely type 1 and not 2...will find out in a week.

[SolidSnake84]

here is a link to my new log:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=130722163

Since I am overcoming new obstacles and challenges, and am essentially starting from scratch as I lost about all my muscle mass, I figured the new log was in order. I will still keep this one alive so I can refer to it from time to time to examine some past routines and such and may occasionally post, but for the most part, you can catch me on the new one. Thanks to all who subscribed and followed me on this one, as sporadic and inconsistent as it may have been. I am confident the new journal will be much more regimented and steady. See ya @ the new journal!

~Snake~