LiftNPlay's Road To CFB

[LiftNPlay]

Thursday

Morning
-Upper Body Plyos

Afternoon
-8x3 Dynamic Bench
-4x8 DB BORs
-4x6 Military Press
-4x8 Pull-Ups
-4x8 Decline DB Bench
-4x12 Band Pull-Apart
-4x5 Hammer Curls
-4x7 Rolling DB Extensions

Good day of work.

[LiftNPlay]

Friday

Morning
-10x2 Dynamic Box Squats
-4x4 Lunges
-4x6 SL Straight Leg Deadlifts
-4x12 Shrugs
-4x8 Calf Raises with DB Overhead
-Light Abs

Afternoon
-Cone Drills
-Light Conditioning

My goal is to travel to the scrimmage a week and a half from now. They only take around 70 players to the scrimmage (final roster is 100 players).

[LiftNPlay]

Yesterday was move in day. Fun day and all and I definitely feel that this is the right place for me. This morning was test outs. I ran a 4.77 electric timed 40 (cleats on turf), broad jumped 9' 6", and vertical jumped 34" (can't remember my 3 or pro times). Weighed in at 195.3. We max out bench, squat, and power clean in the coming days.

[thenewguy23]

nice stuff man, especially the 40 since its electronic. In for lifting 1 rep maxes, did you record any of your testing

[LiftNPlay]

Practice last night went alright. I just need to calm my nerves a little bit more so I can play loose.

[LiftNPlay]

Camp has been going well so far! Practices have been split between older and younger guys, and tomorrow we come together for the first day of full pads. Time to separate the men from the boys!

[LiftNPlay]

Didn't make the travel roster to the scrimmage, but there is still hope to make the 100 man roster. At this point I really have no clue whether or not I will make the team.

[thenewguy23]

Didn't make the travel roster to the scrimmage, but there is still hope to make the 100 man roster. At this point I really have no clue whether or not I will make the team.

Just keep grinding

[NHfootball]

Any chance of a transfer if you are cut?

Not every d3 team cuts, you can find a place

[LiftNPlay]

Well, I found out I made the team Monday! Life has been crazy busy this week with classes and football. Our first game is tonight but it is very unlikely I will play at all. My goal is to make the travel squad by week 3 (our first road game). I still am not sure whether I will keep this journal going or start a new one.

[NHfootball]

Congrats dude!!! You've done what very few can

[thenewguy23]

Congrats dude!!! You've done what very few can

This. And NHFootball where's your log at? Did you see what I posted in it?

And have you got a highlight tape?

[LegitSalsa]

NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Will you continue this log, or start a new one/stop logging?

[NHfootball]

This. And NHFootball where's your log at? Did you see what I posted in it?

And have you got a highlight tape?

Ehh I quit logging. I wil ldefinitely get it back going soon. il see if I can post my tape later

[LiftNPlay]

NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Will you continue this log, or start a new one/stop logging?

At least as of right now I'm going to stop logging.

[LiftNPlay]

BACCCKKKK

Football has been going good. Still have 3 more games left. I haven't gotten in yet so my goal is to get in on kickoff or any special team sometime in the next three weeks. Also haven't made the traveling squad yet. Lifting is still going good as well. We are tapering down as the season goes on so we don't lift too much now. I haven't been eating too terribly at our cafe but I'm going to cut out all desserts for a while. At least until the end of the season. Also, I think I am going to get Assault after the season and see if that helps me work out harder. Will probably post again at the end of the season. I might do PHAT for the week off we have after season just to really shock my body. Then it's onto lifting with the team.

[LiftNPlay]

Last practice was today. Been thinking about what I want to do this winter off-season. We don't start our team lifting program until after we come back from winter break. I might possibly do PHAT and try to bulk to 210 (I'm about 192 right now, totally off creatine) by mid-January (basically try to gain as much mass as possible). That would basically be gaining about 15 pounds (probably exactly 15 or even a little less once I load on creatine) in a little under two months. If I got up to 210 I would try to cut fat and gain muscle over spring and summer and go into the season at a relatively lean 210. With PHAT I would cut back on the amount of agility and plyo sessions in each week from what I did last summer. Right now I am thinking one agility session and one plyo session per week with no conditioning. But, I am still trying to sort everything out. As for next week, I will probably do PHAT and maybe one or two agility sessions. Also, I am still debating on whether to get pre-workout or not.

PHAT Pros
-Help me gain a good amount of mass

PHAT Cons
-Doesn't include Olympic lifts
-Doesn't include barbell presses
-No core work

Another con would be that it would be sort of hard for me to start to get a little chubby if I did bulk up to 210. I don't have an eating disorder or have a bad body image, I just like having abs, veins, etc.

I could address the barbell and core issues pretty easily by doing abs after the leg days just like I normally do with my routine, and I can cycle in barbell work (maybe one week barbell, one week dumbbell, etc).

If you have any feedback or suggestions, they would be welcomed! Keep going hard!

[LiftNPlay]

SO to everyone who has continued to follow my journal! 11,000+ views is awesome!

I think I am just going to bulk to 205 so I can stay leaner and continue to slowly gain weight over the spring and summer instead of just maintaining. But it still depends how much I weight after I cycle back onto creatine this week. We don't come back from winter break until later January, so this winter bulk will be slightly over two months. Still going to do PHAT but haven't decided what I am going to do for agilities and plyometrics. I do know I need to start stretching everyday so I can keep my flexibility and not get too tight for doing a bodybuilding program.

If you have any suggestion, please share! Other people's perspectives are really helpful. Check out this post and my previous one and tell me what you think!

If you don't know about it, here is PHAT: http://www.directlyfitness.com/store...orkout-system/

[LiftNPlay]

Even though we technically can do whatever we want until spring, our strength coach told us today we have a set lifting time in the athletics weight room for just football players (for whoever wants to go). I'm going to lift in there because of the atmosphere and to bond with teammates. This means I will have to do the program they have for us (I think, but not 100% sure). I hope the program is longer (more exercises per day) than what they sent us this summer. But even if it isn't I can just do extra work after I finish the main part. I am still going to bulk up and will continue to monitor my creatine weight gain over this loading week. I may still do PHAT over winter break, depending on how much I like the program they give us. Still open to any suggestions/insight. Keep going hard everybody!

[LiftNPlay]

I have been doing the workouts that the people who didn't make the team have been doing and I like them, but I am going to go to my old lifting routine this next week. I am pre-planning it out to make it as effective as I can. My left shoulder has been hurting every so often when I lift so I am trying to not stress it too much. Other than that I feel pretty healthy. I will lift M, Tu, Th, F, and do agility, plyos, etc on Wednesday and on Saturday if I can get into the field house that day. I need to start getting better sleep. Also, I tried pre-workout (ON Platinum Pre) this week and I must say, it does work. I didn't have a crazy blast of energy, but it was a consistent flow of good energy and focus. I am going to start taking that, but only on the days I lift. I need to start weighing myself more consistently in the morning (I always forget) but the last times I did (about half a week ago) I was around 196. So the goal is to get up to 205 by the time I come back from winter break. Keep in mind that would be my first-thing-in-the-morning weight, so mid-day I could be around 210.

[ROKR14]

OMG, PHAT. If it's L.N's PHAT you are talking about you cannot go wrong with it. Back when I used to lift (just came off a 1-year hiatus) it was the program that best increased my strength and size gains. Smolov beats PHAT for legs, though, but you can't do football the same time you do Smolov. Highly recommended for off-season.

[LiftNPlay]

I got 425 on squat on Friday! I tried for 445 but I just couldn't get myself as jacked up as I was for 425. Either way, it feels good to have get a new PR on squat for the first time in a long time. My left shoulder is starting to get better. It should be back to 100% (if I treat it right) within the next 2 weeks. I went back to my old workout schedule except I do my agility, plyos, etc on Wednesday and Saturday instead of every day like before. If my shoulder feels good by next Monday, i'll run PHAT for a week just to switch things up. I'll record my morning weight tomorrow morning. I am going for 205 morning weight before going back to college, (go back around Jan 26th) then try to be a leaner 210 morning weight before next season.

[LiftNPlay]

Thursday

-3x6 DB Shoulder Press
-3x5 Pull-Ups, slow on the way down
-3x5 DB Press, slow on the way down SS
-3x12 Rear Delt Flies
-3x8 Barbell Rows SS
-3x16 Push-Ups

I felt my shoulder a little bit during the shoulder press, then I had to go neutral grip for my DB presses to stop slight shoulder pain. Wish it would heal up already. I skipped arms because I could already feel them from the pulling and pressing. I also tweaked my ankle slightly Wednesday during my agility session, but it should be fine for tomorrow.

[LiftNPlay]

It's been a while! On a hard grind right now. Early mornings for yoga and morning practices, lifting in the afternoon, and schoolwork afterwords is keeping me pretty busy (and tired!). I'm up to 207 for morning weight, want to get to 210 by football. I was eating pretty dirty for a long while so I have cleaned it up these past two weeks. Just trying to lean out a little for summer, and also trying get my nervous system back up. I have caught two colds in the past 7 weeks or so, which is a clear indicator that I am not where I should be health-wise. Only one more week of early mornings, so that will help a lot to get my energy levels back up once those are over. I'll post my new maxes when we do testing before summer.

[LiftNPlay]

Spring ball went well! I have exit meetings coming up and testing so I'll post how those go at the end of the week. For diet, I am cutting out all simple sugars for a while.

I am also adding in a new section to these: advice of the post. It will be about whatever is on my mind. It might be deep and conceptual, or fun and light, or maybe just a simple workout or diet tip.

Advice of the Post: Follow your heart. Recently changed my major to exercise science to chase my dream of training athletes one day. For now, my vision is to open my own gym. I thought long and hard about what my major was going to be. I thought of chasing money as a lawyer or in finances, but I have decided to get a job I have a passion for. As long as I can make enough money to support my family well, I will be content. So much of ones life is spent working. Don't let it be at a job you hate. Maybe you will get really lucky and develop a passion for that "safe, decent money-making" career choice you decided on. But more than likely, you'll grow tired and realize you are wasting your life away doing something you could care less about. You have one life to live. Follow your heart and make a true impact on those around you.

[LiftNPlay]

Summer training is going alright. I have been pretty down on energy lately; most likely a result of diet problems that I am fixing. Gotta try to get in more proteins and decrease the amount of high GI carbs I am taking in. Testing was a while ago, and you can see my new lifting stats in my signature. For agility testing, I felt slow but it was a colder day and I was tired. I think I ran a 4.91 40 which isn't terrible considering the conditions and the fact I hadn't practiced my start in a while.

Advice of the Post: Keep yourself in a positive mental state. Don't let you tell yourself you're too tired, not good enough, too small, etc. Keep your mind filled with positive thoughts and you will reap the benefits of a better attitude and energy. Your thoughts become reality, so fake it until you make it. The mental aspect of sports/life is often overlooked and has many powers.

[LiftNPlay]

Been going pretty hard in the gym lately. My last few sessions have been around 2 hours each. I have made up my after-workout extra work to go like this:

Monday: 4x
-Rear Delts (12-15)
-Low Pec Superset (8-12)
-Curls (8-14) SS
-CTL (Chin-tucked and leaning) Dips (8-14)

Tuesday: 3x
-Farmer Carries
-Core (Anti-Rotational and Stability)

Thursday: 3x
-Shoulders (12-15) SS
-Rear Delts (12-15)
-CTL Dips (8-14)

Friday: 4x
-Traps (12-15)
-Explosive Calves (6-8)
-Forearms (12-20)
-Core (Traditional Circuit)

After each day I do a some corrective exercises and stretch out. I'm doing a lot of low pec stuff just for aesthetics (I feel like my lower and upper-inner pec are very behind).

Advice of the Post: I am actually asking you guys for advice this time! What can I do to make this journal more interactive? I enjoy posting what I do but I want to hear from you guys on here as well! Post your ideas below if you would! Every answer gets my small reps. Thanks everybody, and keep on gettin' it. Young hustlers! Here's an awesome football training video to that will get you hyped!

[thenewguy23]

Logs are really difficult to be interactive, the best thing is to network with other logs and go from there I guess. The athletic community on the site has really died down.

Gj with the work you're putting and chasing your dreams, many are too scared to do so

[LiftNPlay]

CHANGES

I'm back, but not for the best reasons. I've been about as lazy as ever (since I started this journey of taking football seriously). My focus in the gym and in school just haven't been there. I got the lowest GPA by far this past semester (since starting college). This next season is the year I should start (I'll talk more about last season in a different post), yet I've been skipping out on some training sessions and getting by with the bare minimum when I do train.

It took me a while to understand why I've been getting worse and worse. I think the main two areas are diet and sleep. As I've gotten more and more lazy, I eaten worse and worse and have had bad sleep habits. I'm always very tired and groggy when I wake up and have fluctuating (but overall low) energy levels throughout the day. I've also been getting into the habit of laziness rather than the habit of the grind.

The change starts now. For diet, I've got to cut down on junk foods (aka cut down my sugar and salt intake), and start eating more meat, fruits, and veggies. I also have to cut out sugary drinks for good (including fruit juices) and drink more water.

For sleep, I just need to get more of it. I need to get on a schedule and stick to it. No more staying up late playing video games or watching TV. I'm going to take the last half hour before bed to read and wind down before actually going to sleep. I'm also going to set my alarm for 8 (or earlier if need be) no matter the day. Whenever I sleep in, it sets the tone for a lazy day.

I've slowly let myself become very average. I hate it when I am lazy but I've been very lazy anyway. I'll use the journal for accountability and so I can go back later and see the progress I have made. Tomorrow I'll post on the past football season and my goals for next season.

[npetrov81]

Let's go man! Get this **** straightened out and let's hit dem PRs!