8146's Road to Success!

[8146]

(Success in my head at least!)

Hi all,

I have been keeping a journal for quiet a number of years, but off line. Finally biting the bullet I will be updating my log and tracking my progress online. A summary of my training is listed below. For a greater explanation of my back-ground, training and diet see below the summary. The last three years of seriously working out (not just swinging weights around as in high school) has been a huge and rewarding learning curve.

Anyway, welcome to my workout journal. I look forward to your criticisms both positive and negative (go easy ey or I'll kill myself ). Any questions, feel free to ask away.



Summary:

• Was 140kgs (~310 pounds), lost it all in a year and became a very weak mummy with flab 81kgs (~175 pounds)!
• Signed up to bb.com, ast-ss.com, got my diet in check and for the last two years have been making solids gains (~35-40 pounds)
• Training with modified MAX-OT principles, slightly higher volume, certain exercises not going to failure. Monday to Friday. 6AM.
• Still incorporating cardio. Monday and Thursday moderate sessions (7.50PM), Saturday HIIT (morning)
• Currently eating 3900 calories Monday to Friday. Over the two years, worked up from 2300 calories to present.
• Short-term goal, ~100kgs lean (10% body-fat), develop a stronger and more 'present' chest, continually improve and learn.

Then:

Start of June 2005, I weighed in at a whopping 140kgs (~310 pounds). I was determined to shed this weight as soon as possible. So I began my journey! Every morning, weight session followed by twenty to twenty five minutes of HIIT cardio, Monday to Friday, backed up by a diet of starvation (air and water). Literally I was not eating. I was determined to get my awesome six pack! Within a year, I dropped to 81 kilograms (180 pounds) and looked like a starving mummy with flab and (if that's even possible) with no muscle mass what so ever.

People began commenting if I was actually sick which became a growing concern. I signed up to bb.com, ast-ss.com and got my diet in check. You learn from your mistakes and move on, so the next two years were fairly fruitful, but I believe my gains could have been greater with a 'better' diet. (Mentally, I was/am still somewhat reluctant to increase calories/drop cardio sessions in case I get fat again! Lol.)

Now:

Currently I am floating around 94 kilograms (~210 pounds). Have not weighed myself for a while, I just go by the mirror. Still training Monday to Friday at 6AM using the MAX-OT principles. My workouts are modified slightly to include more volume, and certain exercises I do not go to failure. I would train at higher rep range than usual for three to four weeks, then switch up to MAX-OT training 4-6 rep for the remainder of the training cycle.

Up until a couple of months ago, cardio was 16 minutes MAX-OT style Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Mentally I needed a break, and switched to 30 minutes of moderate pace walk/jog Monday and Thursday and HIIT on Saturday. I am neither bulking nor cutting, not really a strong believer in the principles, but I am getting there slowly (culk!)

My diet Monday to Friday is pretty simple; all my foods are cooked the night before (probably half an hour to one hour preparation time). Deliberately kept simple and convenient, simply fuel for the body. I use 0 cal spices, garlic, soy sauce to cook my chicken. Incorporated eating a small breakfast a couple of months ago.

Still carrying some loose skin/fat around the lower abs/back, but it?s going to take a while to rid completely. Not too obsessed about it.

After the summer is over I am planning to increase the calories, drop a cardio session a little more and see how I go with maximizing my gains a little bit more. Possibly incorporate Layne's 4 week bulk / 2 week cut.

Height: 1.91m (~6'3)
Weight: ~94kg (~210lbs)
Bodyfat: 12%? (friend guess estimated, no idea really)

Training - Current split

Weight training: Monday to Friday
Cardio: Monday, Thursday are moderate sessions, Saturday HIIT.

• Monday - Shoulders and Abs
  Military Barbell Press 3 x 6-8 (After Warm up)
  Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 6-8
  Side Lateral Raises 2 x 6-8 Heavy
  Side Lateral Raises 2 x 6-8 Light (drop set with previous)
  Rear Lateral Raises 3 x 6-8
  
  Weighted Cable crunches 3 x 8-12 (weight acclimatize)
  Weighted Leg Raises 2 x 8-12
  

• Tuesday - Legs
  Leg Press 3 x 6-8 (After Warm up)
  Squats: 3 x 6-8 (Weight Acclimatize)
  Stiff-leg dead lift 3 x 6-8
  Lunges 2 x 6-8
  Leg Curls 3 x 6-8

• Wednesday - Chest and Calves
  Incline BB Press 3 x 6-8 (After Warm up)
  Flat BB Press 3 x 6-8
  Decline DB Press 3 x 6-8
  Weighted Dips 3 x failure
  
  Seated Calf Raises 3 x 8-10 (Weight Acclimatize)
  Calf Raises on Leg Press 3 x 8-10

• Thursday - Abs, Back, Traps
  Swiss Ball Crunch 3 x 12-15 (With weight plate)
  Swiss Ball Leg Raises 2 x failure
  
  Pull-ups 3 x to failure
  Seated Cable Rows 3 x 6-8
  T-bar rows 3 x 6-8
  V-bar pulldown 3 x 6-8
  Barbell Rows 3 x 6-8
  
  BB Shrug 2 x 6-8 (Hold 1 second on top, complete stretch on bottom)

• Friday - Biceps, Triceps, Forearms
  BB Curls 3 x6-8 (After Warm up)
  Curl-bar curls 3 x 6-8
  Alternate DB Curls 2 x 6-8
  
  Cable pushdown 3 x 6-8 (Weight Acclimatize)
  Lying Tricep Extension 3x 6-8
  CGBP 3 x 6-8
  Right wrist recovering from small injury. No direct forearm work.

Diet:

Monday to Friday (shown below) I stick to my diet plan 100%. Saturday I make it an effort to consume protein every two to three hours, plenty of vegetables and brown rice, sweet potatoes, oats.

Sunday is sort of my ?cheat? day. I cheat by eating a little bit more of quality bodybuilding foods, or not consuming as many meals as ?normal?, but still hitting close to my daily caloric limit. Steak, fish, sweet potates, whole meal pasta, peanut butter, eggs, low fat cottage cheese, low fat pop-corn?

• 5AM - Breakfast
  36 grams oats (1/3 cup), 15 ml (tablespoon) honey
  166 calories, 3.25g protein, 31g carb, 2.6g fat

• 5.50AM - Pre-workout
  Whey Isolate, Creatine, Glutamine, 600ml water
  100 calories, 24g protein, 1g carb, 0.4g fat

• 7.00AM - Post workout
  1000mg Vitamin C, 500IU Vitamin E, 6mg Beta Carotene
  Whey Isolate, Creatine, Glutamine, 600ml OJ
  366 calories, 29g protein, 64g carb, 0.4g fat

• 7.10AM - Post workout meal
  (1/2 cup) White rice, (210g) Tuna in spring water
  355 calories, 55g protein, 32g carb, 2.2g fat

• 9.50AM - Three hour post work out ?window?
  187g Chicken Breast, 1 cup Brown rice, Green beans, Slice of grapefruit
  576 calories, 62g protein, 58g carb, 8.7g fat

• 12.00PM - Lunch
  1 scoop NY-TROPRO 40
  130 calories, 20g protein. 11.5g carb, 0.5g fat

• 2.00PM - Lunch 2
  150g steamed broccoli, 187g chicken breast, 1 cup Brown rice, Slice of grapefruit
  619 calories, 67g protein, 67g carb, 10.2g fat

• 4.30PM - Lunch 3
  187g Chicken Breast, 1/2 cup Brown rice, Green beans, Slice of grapefruit
  445 calories, 59g protein, 30g carb, 7.6g fat

• 6.30PM - Dinner
  150g steamed broccoli, 187g chicken breast, green beans, Slice of grapefruit
  357 calories, 62g protein, 10g carb, 8g fat

• 8.30PM - Dinner
  (210g) Tuna in spring water, lots of Iceburg lettuce, 1/2 brown rice, 15ml (tablespoon flaxseed oil), Slice of grapefruit
  476 calories, 56g protein, 32g carb, 17g fat

• ~10PM - Pre-sleep
  Whey Isolate, Creatine, Glutamine, 600ml Skim Milk
  315 calories, 44g protein, 33g carb, 1g fat

Daily Total:
3900 calories, 480g protein, 370g carb, 60g fat


Pros: Feel?s good, rarely am I -starving'. Maintaining body weight well and not gaining too quickly. Only recently have I started eating breakfast and getting some carbohydrates in pre workout, hasn't changed my intensity a whole much. However I am lifting more volume with the same intensity as before. Strength went up a notch.

Cons: Too much protein? I think I am consuming a little bit too much, and could safely drop it down and increase my fats and stay within the macro-levels.


Supplements
Whey, creatine, glutamine, meal replacement (NY-TROPRO 40), Vitamin C, E, Beta-carotene and Flaxseed oil.

[chrisaus]

subbed, lookin lean champ.. good work.

[MrSinister]

ditto subbed.. great job on the loss too, that was a LOT of weight!
i used to love max ot in the day.. u end up with time manipulating it to suit yourself better tho, i guarantee it

[8146]

10/12/07 ? Monday Week 7 Shoulders & Abs

Military Barbell Press (smith) 3 x 52.5+bar kgs 8-7-7

Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 30 kgs 9-8-8
Side Lateral Raises 2 x 19kgs, 8-8
drop set
Side Lateral Raises 2 x 4-6 13kg 8-8

Rear Lateral Raises 3 x 4-6 21 kg 8-7-7


Cable crunches 3 x 135lbs 12-12-12
Weighted Leg Raises 2 x 18kgs 12-12

Comment: I thought my right shoulder will be a problem this morning, but I was wrong. Warmed up well and repped 52.5 kgs with relative ease. Looking to improve on this number by hitting at least 8 reps on all three sets.

The DB shoulder press felt better, hit my desired weight and numbers. It is still too hard to swap to 35 kgs, without a spotter. The initial start is the problem, will be pushing the BB press a bit harder to compensate.

Side laterals and rear laterals I went a bit lower, but focused on control on the negative. Pushed good numbers and really hammered my delts by this stage.

The ab workout as usual was intense and quick. Weighed my self in the morning, a big higher than usual but after the weekend understandable.

Cardio tonight I burnt 430 calories in 30 min walk/jog on the treadmill.

11/12/07 ? Tuesday Week 7 Legs
Leg Press 3 x 4-6 (warm up) W: 10 50 kgs, 8 100 kgs 5 150 kgs 3 200 kgs 1 240 kgs 3 x 260 kgs 8-7-8

Squats: 3 x 4-6 (acclimatize) 3x 100 kgs 7-6-6

Stiff-leg deadlift 3x110 kgs 8-8-5

Leg Curls 3 x 4-6 full stack
3xfullstack + 10 kgs 12-10-8


Comment: Warmed up well on the Leg press and destroyed my quads. Squat work felt great, handling the weight well. But mentally I can't seem to go past the 100 kg mark. Felt a slight tingle in my groin on the last couple of reps so as a precaution I skipped the heavy lunges this week.

SLD's are awesome, getting a great big stretch on the bottom of the movement. Emphasizing sticking the ass out.

12/12/07 ? Wednesday Week 7 Chest Calves
Incline BB Press 3 x 75kgs 8-6-6
Flat BB Press 3 x 77.5kg 7-6-6
Decline DB Press 2 x 30 kgs 11-8
Weighted Dips (5kg plate lol...) 3 x fail 9-8-6

Seated Calf Raises 3 x 145kg 10-8-8
Calf Raises on Leg Press (One leg at a time) 1x250 8, 1 x 270 6 1 x 260 8

Comment: My belt arrived and was able to push out weighted dips, will definitely go up in weight next week, attempt 10 kg)

13/12/07 ? Thursday Week 7 Abs, Back, Traps
Swiss Ball Crunch 3x 30-25-15
Swiss Ball Leg Raises 2 x 15-20 17-14

Weighted Pull-ups (7.5kgs) 3 x 8-8-7
Seated Cable Rows 3 x 230lbs 9-8-8
T-bar rows 3 x 80 8-7-6
V-bar pulldown 1x9.25 8 2 x 9 8-8 (full stack is 10)
Barbell Rows 3 x 70 kg, 8-7-7

BB Shrug 2 x 115 kg 8-9

Comment: Efficient workout. Abs felt great. I try to keep my legs and feet touching on the crunches to provide the least amount of balance so my abs do all the work (i.e. not having a wide supporting stance). Same as leg raises, except the hands behind my back are extremely close.

Back work feels great, was repping the t-bar rows quiet easily, a bit surprising from my weighted pull ups. Will bump this number up to 10 kgs next week and see how I go.

Cardio tonight was 200 cals in 20 min, walk/jog.

[8146]

14/12/07-Friday Week 7 Biceps, Triceps, Forearms
BB Curls 3 x 58kgs 8-8-8
Curl-bar curls 3 x 42.5+weight of heavy curl bar 8-8-8
Alternate DB Curls 2 x 25 14-12

Cable pushdown 3 x 135lbs 8-8-5 (cable pulley is ****ed, it seems much heavier...)
Lying Tricep Extension 3 x 32.5kg+bar, 8-6-7
Close grip-bench 3 x 62.5 6-5-5 (fail)

Comment: Was tired in the morning for some reason, had to get up a couple of extra times to take a slash, not as restful as usual.

Warmed up well and pushed high numbers on the curls, will need to bump up the weight next week. Maxed the bb curl weight in my gym (move to the squat rack and lift like a pro?!).

Triceps were absolutely smashed. Most likely due to the weighted dip work from the chest work out. Almost took my head off on the last set.

[MrSinister]

nice work mate, your shoulders are pretty damn strong.
we did em today and we certainly weren't throwing around 20s on laterals

[8146]

yeah always been that way, when i switch to 4-6 rep i move to 22.5, with 25's my form just goes to ****. i think you've trained at the same gym before, the db increment's are just shocking.

[8146]

15/12/07-Saturday Week 7 HIIT Cardio

16 minutes HIIT on treadmill
8kph rest rate
13.5 kph work rate
3kms/315kcal

[chrisaus]

dumbell increments I hear? Venture to ascott my friend

[8146]

Originally Posted by chrisaus

dumbell increments I hear? Venture to ascott my friend

Soon aye!

[8146]

17/12/07 - Monday Week 8 Shoulders & Abs

Military Barbell Press (smith) 3 x 53.5+bar kgs 8-6-5 (fail on 6th)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 30 kgs 8-7-6
Side Lateral Raises 2 x 19kgs, 8-8
drop set
Side Lateral Raises 2 x 4-6 13kg 10-9

Rear Lateral Raises 3 x 4-6 21 kg 9-8-8


Cable crunches 3 x 135lbs 12-12-12
Weighted Leg Raises 2 x 18kgs 12-12

Comment: Went up by a kg on the bb press, big difference from last week. My right shoulder felt funny the whole exercise and the last set I failed miserably. Intensity and mentally were great, I had full concentration but wasn?t able to hammer it out. Good focus on driving the weight up and controlling it down.

Side and rear lateral raises again remained at the same weight, pushed out a couple of extra reps on each set.

Cardio: 375 calories in 30 min on bike.

[MrSinister]

nice shoulder sesh.. dont rip yourself off tho, the bar whether free or smith is stll another 20kg so you're mid 70s on shoulder pressing.
nice laterals and rear, how are you doing your rear raises? both arms?
even half a kilo gain on laterals is a big jump so any progress is good progress especially on those

[8146]

Yeah I was always under the impression the bar was lighter than usual due to being balanced, but good to know otherwise ;p

Yeah rear laterals both arms, I have never seen it done one arm at a time before? I could imagine it would feel funny being so unbalanced on one side?

[MrSinister]

Originally Posted by 8146

Yeah I was always under the impression the bar was lighter than usual due to being balanced, but good to know otherwise ;p

Yeah rear laterals both arms, I have never seen it done one arm at a time before? I could imagine it would feel funny being so unbalanced on one side?

the weights guided but that dont mean its any lighter... its your muscles still pushing it up

and yeah i normally do them one armed when i use a dumbell.. hard to explain but u basically lean over 45degrees and lift out to the side, using the other arm to hold something and support the waist and stop you from twisting and cheating.. i use a different grip too, like a reverse hammer grip so the dumbells facing vertical not horizontal

[8146]

aha I get what you mean. I had an image in my head of doing a seated rear lateral raise with one arm, kind of impossible to balance and generate enough force with one arm. interesting on the vertical bit, how is your tricep after it, or is your arm locked?

[MrSinister]

Originally Posted by 8146

aha I get what you mean. I had an image in my head of doing a seated rear lateral raise with one arm, kind of impossible to balance and generate enough force with one arm. interesting on the vertical bit, how is your tricep after it, or is your arm locked?

not perfectly locked but close enough... guess its the angle but tricep isn't doing much at all for the movement, stabilising if anything

[8146]

Originally Posted by MrSinister

not perfectly locked but close enough... guess its the angle but tricep isn't doing much at all for the movement, stabilising if anything

i see, good work.

Just completed some cardio, 30 minutes easy bike ride 375 calories burnt in 30 minutes. Pretty cool, I am starting to get that teardrop on the quad with veins just starting to appear.

[MrSinister]

Originally Posted by 8146

i see, good work.

Just completed some cardio, 30 minutes easy bike ride 375 calories burnt in 30 minutes. Pretty cool, I am starting to get that teardrop on the quad with veins just starting to appear.

yeah u dont seem to have any problem with getting visable veins!

[8146]

18/12/07-Tuesday Week 8 Legs
Leg Press 3 x 4-6 (warm up) W: 10 50 kgs, 8 100 kgs 5 150 kgs 3 200 kgs 1 240 kgs 3 x 260 kgs 8-8-8

Squats: 3 x 4-6 (acclimatize) 3x 100 kgs 8-6-7

Stiff-leg deadlift 3x110 kgs 8-8-5 (fail on 6th)

Leg Curls 3xfullstack + 10 kgs 12-12-10


Comment: Didn?t sleep too well last night. Woke up dazed and tired, ate some quick breakfast and washed my face with cold water to wake up. Packed for the remainder of the day and got to the gym.

Good warm up on the press, I could maybe benefit with some stretching exercises on my off days to loosen up a little bit. Improved a little on the rep range for the press, but the last set I cheated 2 reps by using my hands as a brake at the bottom of the movement. Slight improvement on the squats.

Again lunges are missing, groin is responding a little bit better.
No cardio tonight.

[MrSinister]

hopefully we both get over this fricken groin problem and start putting up some good weight and be ripping through our jeans

good session anyway

[chrisaus]

****ing animal leg bastard.

[8146]

19/12/07-Wednesday Week 8 Chest Calves
Incline BB Press 3 x 75kgs 8-7-7
Flat BB Press 1 x 77.5kg 6 2x75 7-7
Decline DB Press 2 x 30 kgs 9-9
Weighted Dips (5kg plate lol...) 3 x fail 9-8-4 1xBW 10

Seated Calf Raises 3 x 145kg 10-9-8
Standing Calf Raises 2 x 170kg (on the smith/squat) 15-14
Calf Raises on Leg Press (One leg at a time) 3x250 8-8-8

Comment: Last night with my pre-sleep shake I snuk in 38gs of oats (same as breakfast) along with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter. Woke up this morning, I was starving (first time ever in a long time). Same breakfast, couple of strawberries on top.

Got in, warmed up well and hit reasonable on chest. Felt pretty weak and out of it, but as usual I kept my intensity very high. Didn?t attempt the 10 kg plate, so I hit an extra set of BW dips.

Calve raises felt fantastic. Some lady was using the leg press so I squeezed in an extra 2 sets on the standing calf raises hitting high reps (for me). Repped 250kgs on the last exercise.

During the Xmass, NY period my gym shuts for a ridiculous amount of time, so I'll be most likely training at another gym for that duration.

Light bike ride for 20 min to get rid of the leg/calve soreness.

[8146]

Originally Posted by MrSinister

hopefully we both get over this fricken groin problem and start putting up some good weight and be ripping through our jeans

good session anyway

so you're telling me, yours aren't popping yet?!

Originally Posted by chrisaus

****ing animal leg bastard.

lol, you can talk buddy.

[MrSinister]

Originally Posted by 8146

so you're telling me, yours aren't popping yet?!

hell no, im just not veiny..


nich chest n calf day, u serious about 145kg on seated calf raises?! i've never seen anyone use so much

[8146]

Originally Posted by MrSinister

hell no, im just not veiny..


nich chest n calf day, u serious about 145kg on seated calf raises?! i've never seen anyone use so much

yeah, usually it's a full stack of red's (25kgs), but i am trying use a more stricter form, where MAX-OT sort of encourages a controlled swing of the body to achieve overload at a higher weight.

chest was out the window, minus the dips sort off!

[chrisaus]

Originally Posted by MrSinister

hell no, im just not veiny..


nich chest n calf day, u serious about 145kg on seated calf raises?! i've never seen anyone use so much

haha I saw this, freaked me out, I offered to sit on it because it looked to easy for him.

Good chest workout mate, try loading up that belt and seeing how the lower rep range suits you. Those dips are so demanding, you're probably zapped of energy after all that other chest work, especially when you're doing them after 9 sets of bench hehe.

Did I hear someone wanting to train at ascott over xmas?

[8146]

mate, i am there, don't worry

[8146]

20/12/07-Thursday Week 8 Abs, Back, Traps
Swiss Ball Crunch 3x 25-20-15
Swiss Ball Leg Raises 2 x 15-20 15-14

Weighted Pull-ups (10kgs) 3 x 6-6-5 (failed on 6th rep) 1 x BW 4 (lol! Taxed!)
Seated Cable Rows 3 x 230lbs 10-8-8
T-bar rows 3 x 80 8-8-8
V-bar pulldown 1x9.25 8 2 x 9 8-8 (full stack is 10)
Barbell Rows 3 x 70 kg, 8-8-7

BB Shrug 2 x 115 kg 8-7

Comment: 10 kg pull-ups, improved from last week. Was very taxing ended up failing on the last set and not hitting quiet as high reps as last week. Added a set of BW, only 4 reps heh. Repped the seated cable rows and T-bar rows quiet easily.

Big struggle was the pull down and bb rows. On the bb rows, the last couple of reps of the last set felt fairly average. Overall, awesome back workout, massive pump, felt like my back is about to explode out of my?.back?!

Incline power walking 16 minutes 220 calories

[chrisaus]

haha don't let go of that ball like you did with the dumbell, collect some old dude in the morning..

I'd do the bb rows after the pullups as they both target the wider portion of the lat (depending on where you're rowing too of course), but its upto you!

Time to max out that pulldown machine methinx

[MrSinister]

nice session
that pulldown at vu is the worst pulldown ive ever seen.