OmegaUK and the great un-rustling of jimmies

[OmegaUK]

With the un-rustling of Jimmie's comes great power…

Since I've finally locked down my routine after a few rather big changes in my life, where Jimmie's were highly rustled, I've decided to finally start a kind of training/lifestyle journal to document the detailed un-rustling…

More than just a weightlifting log, I hope to write about self improvement as a whole...

• Me:
• 31 years old
• 5'10"
• 194 lb. at last weigh in about a week ago
• Lifting for 3-4 years
• Design consultant and run my own company
• Jimmies status: Slightly rustled

History
My training has always been important to me, I have a very active mind and busy job so its my moment of "peace" so to speak, it's where I clear my mind and turn off the phone - no distractions. If I'm not able to work out, my demeanour is visibly different and I get quite short with people. Over the last year it's taken a hit however, work stress (in the permanent job I had) and relationship issues with the now-ex girlfriend caused me to drop 10kg in weight and it showed by my lifts and performance, all went to sh*t.

Since then, and bringing us to now…
I've started really taking my diet seriously and planning meals in advance, even learnt a few new cooking skills, and that I have a big thing for Garlic, I put the stuff in nearly everything, I've also got a better idea of the number of calories I need, never in my life would I thought I would be eating 3.5k a day and increasing…

My weights back up since last year (was a bad year) and I'm the heaviest I've ever been, and the strongest. I've followed the 5/3/1 workout (with a few cheeky tweaks to ensure I enjoy my workouts) for the last 3-4 months and it basically follows a four day split, normally following a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday progression, although depending on work or other commitments this may change…

• Day 1:
• Leg Press (5/3/1)
• Leg Extensions (40-50 reps)
• Leg Curls (40-50 reps)
• Seated Calf Raise (40-50 reps)
• Random Arm or Ab work

• Day 2:
• Seated shoulder press (5/3/1)
• Dumbbell or rope side raises (40-50 reps)
• Rear Dumbbell or rope flys(40-50 reps)
• Upright rows (40-50 reps)
• Random Arm or Ab work

• Day 3:
• Rackpull (5/3/1)
• Barbell rows with varying hand placements (40-50 reps)
• Pulldowns or Pull-ups (40-50 reps)
• Seated Rows (40-50 reps)
• Random Arm or Ab work

• Day 4:
• Flat Bench (5/3/1)
• Incline Bench (40-50 reps)
• Bodyweight dips (40-50 reps)
• Cable Flys (40-50 reps)
• Random Arm or Ab work

Workouts are mainly centred around the core lifts, as per 5/3/1 and the rep ranges for supporting exercises can be done all at once, if I manage it, or in sets where I'll not reach failure, but be 1-2 reps off.

I say random arm or ab work as I've got a very limited amount of time in the morning (I train at 6am) before I've gotta run for the train for work, so it's a case of whatever I can throw in there, mostly hammer/dumbbell curl, triceps extensions, rope extensions, leg raises, plank, ab crunches, ab crunches with rope.

Why you no squat I hear you say, well, flexibility is an issue and I find my back and hips round at the bottom. I'm stretching and doing Yoga at the moment to open up my hips and "break me in" so to speak. Plus my legs get a good workout from the leg press, for now.

My Current nutrition plan (per day) is:

• Calorie's: 3524
• Protein: 279g
• Fat: 145g
• Carbs: 326g

I'm also trying to drink more water, and replace the 4-5 coffees I drink per day, still love my java first thing in the morning though.

It's took me a long time to learn what my body likes and responds to in the gym, I've tried every rep range under the sun so now it seems to be nailed down, I'm going to make the most of it and finally unrustle those jimmies.

Goals:
Mainly strength, but size too would be a bonus, I've always struggled to gain and now realise it's my diet that was completely stupid. I've comfortably put on some size in the last three months, and kept visible abs so I'll try and keep this level of progress, the other annoying thing is I train early (6am) and the only others in the gym are old wrinklies on the stair master, which rules out spotters, so smith machine ahoy where I go heavy to failure.

Feel free to critique, always happy to learn/try new things.

Today was legs day, tomorrow is shoulders, and a new day.

[OmegaUK]

So, Day two, currently in the 3/3/3/ cycle of the 5/3/1 program.

Only managed 6 hours sleep last night, which isn't that unusual at the moment, but it was good sleep and I woke up feeling quite good, energetic and refreshed, in fact I've been sleeping like a baby since the Yoga session on Sunday.

• Day 2 - Workout
• Seated BB shoulder press - 40kg x 3r, 3r, 8r
• Dumbbell side raises - 10kg x 10r, 10r, 10r
• Upright rows - 30kg x 10r, 10r, 10r
• Rear Cable Flys - 6.25kg x 10r, 10r, 10r
• Tricep Pushdowns with V-Bar - 48.5kg (I believe, its the full stack - need to double check my notes) x 10r, 10r, 10r
• Hanging Leg raises - 10r, 10r, 10r (done in between sets)

Felt like a good workout, I'm not going my all out heaviest on shoulders at the moment, a few months ago I was knee bumping 36kg dumbbells up into position for seated DB shoulder press and felt a twinge in my left trap area, its still quite stiff and I feel it pull when turning my head to the right, so I'm being careful.

Hanging leg raises are becoming easy, considering I only started doing them a month ago, time to add weight I think and threw the tricep pushdowns in between cable fly sets.

Quote for the day: "With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts - Eleanor Roosevelt"

[OmegaUK]

Had a good nights kip and had a wicked night out last night with a new lass on the scene, wen't all out and ordered a massive steak...

• Day 3 - Workout
• Rack Pulls - 100kg x 3r, 120kg x 3r, 130kg x 4r
• BB Rows - 40kg x 10r, 10r, 10r
• Seated Close Grip Pulldown - 54kg x 10r, 10r, 10r
• Seated one arm row machine - 80kg (per side) x 10r, 10r, 10r
• Rear Cable contractions (for rhomboids) - 8.75kg x 10r, 10r, 10r (really focusing on the squeeze and contraction of shoulder blades)
• Hanging Leg raises - 10r, 10r, 10r (done in between sets)
• Dumbbell Curls/Hammer Curls 16kg x 10r, 10r, 10r

Was happy with the workout overall, but my grip went on rack pulls. Really annoying as I felt like I had 3-4 more in the tank, its not specifically my grip but has to do with the callouses on my hands hurting like hell and slipping, I've picked up a pumice stone and plan to go to town on them next time I'm in the shower.

Threw the rear cable contractions in as my posture needs a little work, my shoulders naturally roll forward due to working at a desk all day and I find these work well to help it.

Weighing in this morning too, turns out I'm finally up to over 14st (200.2lbs to be exact) from 14.01.2013, when I weighed in at 13.4st (187.6lbs), I've also dropped 3% bodyfat over the same time period, so a good happy start to the day.

Random thought, but I think next cycle I may switch to deadlifts instead of Rack Pulls, we shall see.

Quote for the day: "Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.- William James"