Ascent 2009

[Darren1204]

Originally Posted by Ascent81

at least one high carb day a week is a good idea. go for 300 grams, and try to put it on your hardest workout day.

thanx i did that today had about 290g carbs

[goddaloveme]

On one of your heavy back workouts you had an exercise I was unfamiliar with: Smith Machine Rack-Pulls. I know what the Smith Machine is so since it was heavy back I did Smith Machine bent-over rows instead. I am assuming these must not be the same because the weight you were using seemed way to heavy to be bent-over rows. Also tried PW purple lemonade and it is much better than the regular purple. Not great tasting but not to bad. Thanks for all your help I am really making good progress doing the ascent81 method FYI: you asked a while back about favorite Xtend flavors... I am trying green apple now and it is good. I plan to try watermelon next.

[Fit4Life22]

hey ascent, do you consume your gaba before or after your last meal of the day and do you cycle off of creatine?

[goddaloveme]

Originally Posted by Fit4Life22

hey ascent, do you consume your gaba before or after your last meal of the day and do you cycle off of creatine?

GABA is after last meal 30-60 mins before bed. I usually try to wait about an hour or so after my last meal. Yes he cycles off of creatine.

[SpeedSixx]

Originally Posted by goddaloveme

GABA is after last meal 30-60 mins before bed. I usually try to wait about an hour or so after my last meal. Yes he cycles off of creatine.

Yes I agree with you, GABA relaxes your body and mind, so it's a good idea to take it before going to sleep.

[SpeedSixx]

Talk about luck, yesterday I was in Laredo, TX. I went to GNC and had a pleasant surprise, lots of products on sale plus the second product 50% off, so I bought two 5 lbs Muscle Milk jugs for only 37.50 each!!!

Miracles do happen!

[goddaloveme]

Originally Posted by SpeedSixx

Talk about luck, yesterday I was in Laredo, TX. I went to GNC and had a pleasant surprise, lots of products on sale plus the second product 50% off, so I bought two 5 lbs Muscle Milk jugs for only 37.50 each!!!

Miracles do happen!

Nice! I should check out my local GNC cause I could always use some more muscle milk and that is a great deal.

[Ascent81]

Tuesday, July 21

Heavy back

1. deadlift rack pulls (3 min rest)
(3 warmups, 2 acclimation sets)
(415) 1x6, 1x8

2. pullovers (drop set)
(80) 1x8, (55) 1x10

3. pullup test
40 in 2:01min

4. machine rows
(100) 2x8

various high-rep bicep work

10:00min on the elliptical

I'm averaging around 2500 calories, not counting strictly.

[Ascent81]

Originally Posted by goddaloveme

On one of your heavy back workouts you had an exercise I was unfamiliar with: Smith Machine Rack-Pulls. I know what the Smith Machine is so since it was heavy back I did Smith Machine bent-over rows instead. I am assuming these must not be the same because the weight you were using seemed way to heavy to be bent-over rows. Also tried PW purple lemonade and it is much better than the regular purple. Not great tasting but not to bad. Thanks for all your help I am really making good progress doing the ascent81 method FYI: you asked a while back about favorite Xtend flavors... I am trying green apple now and it is good. I plan to try watermelon next.

You basically do normal rack pull, but on a smith machine instead of a barbell. What we do is pull the smith machine locks at the bottom, which gives us the right starting height. You might need to step on a stepper to add the right height, depending on the smith machine you're using. Today I was doing free-weight rack pulls, but using a conventional deadlifts grip, not a wide grip.

[Ascent81]

Originally Posted by Fit4Life22

hey ascent, do you consume your gaba before or after your last meal of the day and do you cycle off of creatine?

I try to take it before (it's more effective that way), but sometimes I take it after. If my last meal is, say, oats and muscle milk at 11PM, i'll take 5 grams of GABA around 10:15 or 10:30. Then again first thing when I wake up.

[goddaloveme]

Originally Posted by Ascent81

I try to take it before (it's more effective that way), but sometimes I take it after. If my last meal is, say, oats and muscle milk at 11PM, i'll take 5 grams of GABA around 10:15 or 10:30. Then again first thing when I wake up.

What makes it more effective taking it before your last meal? I usually go to be by about 10-11PM and I usually have my last meal about 8-9PM and then GABA, ZMA, and melatonin at about 9:30PM. How would you recommend me changing around the way I have been doing it to make it more effective? Should I move my last meal a bit later and GABA before then ZMA melatonin 30 mins after last meal?

[Ascent81]

Originally Posted by goddaloveme

What makes it more effective taking it before your last meal? I usually go to be by about 10-11PM and I usually have my last meal about 8-9PM and then GABA, ZMA, and melatonin at about 9:30PM. How would you recommend me changing around the way I have been doing it to make it more effective? Should I move my last meal a bit later and GABA before then ZMA melatonin 30 mins after last meal?

The GABA is assimilated more effectively on an empty stomach, so I would recommend taking your doses of GABA and ZMA at about 9:00PM, then have your 9:30 meal, then take your melatonin right before bed. I like melatonin mints. I'll have one or two in bed while i read, a few minutes before turning the lights out and falling asleep. As someone who has suffered from sleep troubles in the past, I've found that a combination of melatonin and novel reading is the best way to get me to sleep.

[Ascent81]

Wdnesday July 22

Heavy Legs

1. calves on lateral hack squat (2 min rest)
(180) 3x15
(270) 2x12
(180) (DC style) = 5 seconds up, hold for 10 seconds, 10 seconds down, hold for 15 seconds, x3

2. seated calf (2 min rest)
(180) 2x10

3. calf on smith-machine (2 min rest)
(225) 2x15

1. hammer-strength leg press (3 min rest)
(3 warmups, 1 acclimation)
(410) 1x4, 1x4

2. parallel box squats (2 min rest)
warmup: (155) 1x5
working: (185) 1x5, 1x10, 1x15

3. walking lunges (rest-pause)
(75s) 50 reps (20, 15, 10, 5) in 2:32min

4. sumo deadlifts
(225) 1x12

[Fit4Life22]

Originally Posted by Ascent81

Tuesday, July 21

Heavy back

1. deadlift rack pulls (3 min rest)
(3 warmups, 2 acclimation sets)
(415) 1x6, 1x8

2. pullovers (drop set)
(80) 1x8, (55) 1x10

3. pullup test
40 in 2:01min

4. machine rows
(100) 2x8

various high-rep bicep work

10:00min on the elliptical

I'm averaging around 2500 calories, not counting strictly.

Wow man, that is some serious weight on the rack pulls! good job!

[Ascent81]

Originally Posted by Fit4Life22

Wow man, that is some serious weight on the rack pulls! good job!

Thanks man. I'm loving those rack pulls. They don't hurt my lower back and I can really max out. I want to be hitting 500lbs soon.

[Ascent81]

Just some random thoughts about life and bodybuilding ...

I know I've been slacking on my workout posts, but I'm still hitting the weights and cardio hard. I've used the past few weeks after the photo shoot to get back to my normal life. For me that means I've been eating more food and not obsessively counting calories; getting back to my work; reading and writing more; and spending more time with friends. You'll hear bodybuilders talk about 'post contest blues', and I think that only happens to people who don't have a real life outside of bodybuilding. If you don't have things in your life that you are as equally passionate about and dedicated to as bodybuilding, you should really step back and assess what's important to you and what you want out of life.

I've been on a 'post-photo shoot' high these last few weeks because I've realized how much I love the things I do everyday outside of bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is one my life passions, but it's a minor passion. I still want to push my body to its limits, and I know I have a long way to go before reaching my genetic potential. But I have no plans to compete. The results I've achieved have been for personal reasons -- both fitness based and aesthetic -- and I'll continue to work for better results in the future at my own time and pace.

I've been saying this for a long time now, but if you're not planning on entering into the world of competitive bodybuilding, you should think of bodybuilding as enhancing your life, not interferring with it. It should enhance the hours you spend outside the gym. What you do in those hours should be the best time of your day.

[Groundhog2109]

Originally Posted by Ascent81

Just some random thoughts about life and bodybuilding ...

I know I've been slacking on my workout posts, but I'm still hitting the weights and cardio hard. I've used the past few weeks after the photo shoot to get back to my normal life. For me that means I've been eating more food and not obsessively counting calories; getting back to my work; reading and writing more; and spending more time with friends. You'll hear bodybuilders talk about 'post contest blues', and I think that only happens to people who don't have a real life outside of bodybuilding. If you don't have things in your life that you are as equally passionate about and dedicated to as bodybuilding, you should really step back and assess what's important to you and what you want out of life.

I've been on a 'post-photo shoot' high these last few weeks because I've realized how much I love the things I do everyday outside of bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is one my life passions, but it's a minor passion. I still want to push my body to its limits, and I know I have a long way to go before reaching my genetic potential. But I have no plans to compete. The results I've achieved have been for personal reasons -- both fitness based and aesthetic -- and I'll continue to work for better results in the future at my own time and pace.

I've been saying this for a long time now, but if you're not planning on entering into the world of competitive bodybuilding, you should think of bodybuilding as enhancing your life, not interferring with it. It should enhance the hours you spend outside the gym. What you do in those hours should be the best time of your day.

Amen brother. Amen

[Ascent81]

[sayf]

Originally Posted by Ascent81

phenomenal
simply phenomenal

what're you at these days? Around 170?

[wazzu]

Originally Posted by Ascent81

Awesome side pick! Good size and definition in chest, arms and abs.

[Fit4Life22]

looks like you killed that shoot! looking great man. truly an inspiration!

[wabeer1]

Man, great to see the product of hardwork - perfect build, size definition and mass - once again very inspiring. Delts /abs are just popping out!

Totally hear you about having a life outside training and, coined it perfectly...should enhance your life rather than interfere with it.

[Tile]

That is f***ing off the chain man!!!

[FitzChivalry]

Originally Posted by Ascent81

FR 5.8

volume chest, calves, and conditioning (pm)

chest:

1. flat hammer press (60 sec int)
(115) 6x12

Are you using the manual plate loaded hammer strength machines for these or the ones where you can set the weight with the pin?

[fueledbybolus]

Originally Posted by Ascent81

absolutely outstanding man! keep up the excellent work and train hard!

[Ascent81]

Originally Posted by sayf

phenomenal
simply phenomenal

what're you at these days? Around 170?

thanks man. for the photo shoot i was around 165/166lbs. I'm around 168lbs now.

Originally Posted by FitzChivalry

Are you using the manual plate loaded hammer strength machines for these or the ones where you can set the weight with the pin?

i can't remember. i switch between the two.

[Ascent81]

[Ascent81]

SA 7.25

Volume legs

Squats to parallel (2 min rest)
135/ 15
185/ 10
225/ 8
275/ 4
Drop set (no rest):
275/ 4
225/ 8
185/ 10
135/ 15

Walking lunges (1 min rest)
45’s/ 4x25 steps

Lying leg curls (2 min rest)
65/ 30
95/ 15
125/ 8
155/ 4
Drop set (no rest):
155/ 4
125/ 8
95/ 15
65/ 30

Leg extensions (30 sec rest)
50/ 22
70/ 22
90/ 22
90/ 22
70/ 22
50/ 22

Seated calf (2 min rest)
45/ 40
90/ 30
135/ 20
180/ 10
225/ 5
Drop set (no rest)
225/ 5
180/ 10
135/ 15
90/25
45/30

[Ascent81]

I've been putting some ideas togethor for a strength-oriented program that gives prioirity to my weak points (those being hamstrings, lower quads, back, and biceps). My goal is to do Max-OT style training with a few interesting twists: for example, I'm going to use the pre-exhaust principle for a lot of my workouts, starting with an isolation exercise and finishing with a main compound exercise. I'm also going to be a bit more flexable in my rep range. Instead of the 4-6 range (which Max-OT'rs staunchly committ to, as if those were sacred numbers for hypertrophy), I'm going to explore the spectrum from 3 reps to 10. In fact, for exercises like dips I'll likely be doing 30 plus reps, but that's an exception. My overall goal for August is to develop strength. This will be Phase I of my mass program.

In terms of cardio, I will do 15 minutes steady state cardio after every workout, excluding the leg workouts. I may do a light run or fast walk in the evenings (depending on how I feel). I will also do ab work when I feel like it (which will probably be once a month, or never). I haven't figured out the details of my diet, but my goal is to keep my calories at a moderate level: around 2500, with refeed days going to 3000 plus once or twice a week.

August 2009 Power Training

Mon: lower back/rear delts

Smith machine row 3x8
Single t-row 2x6
Sumo deadlift 2x3
Reverse pec-dec 3x10

Tues: biceps/traps

Dumbbell concentration curl 2x8
Concentration machine curl 2x6
Barbell curl 2x6
Barbell shrugs 3x8

Wed: quads/calves

Seated calf 6xvarious
Hammer-strength leg press 3x6
Leg extensions 3x10
Box squats 3x6

Thurs: chest/delts/triceps

Incline rack press 3x3
Flat dumbbell press 3x6
Military press 3x6
Seated dumbbell laterals 2x8
Bench dips 2xmax

Fri: upper back/biceps/forearms

Rope pull-overs 2x8
Medium-grip pulldown 2x6
Hammer-strength pulldown 2x6
Standing cable rows 2x10
Seated dumbbell curls 2x6
Reverse cable curls 2x8

Sat: hamstrings/calves

Standing calf 6xvarious
Lying leg curls 3x8
Seated leg curls 2x8
Bulgarian lunges 2x8
Wide squats to parallel 3x3

Sun: rest

[Ascent81]

took these on the morning of the photoshoot, around 6:30AM. i was happy with how dry i looked. the red wine i had the evening before helped out.