Euqinom 1

[Euqinom]

Dear all,

Thanks for dropping by! I thought I'd start blogging here, to keep up my writing skills in English (*cough*) and since I have a computer at home now, it's much easier to keep it up!
I workout with a trainingpartner, our focus is strength and right now, I'm a bit anxious about the future of our 'tag team'. 1) HIs girlfriend doens't like me (which causes some tensions) and 2) we're both changing jobs, so let's just hope that we'll find the time to keep it up. Anyways, it's an exciting time ahead of me.

Currently I'm doing my back-up program, which is:
Day A: squat-bench-row (usually 5x5, preferably as a giantset)
DAy B: deadlift-pull up- shoulder press (usually 5x5, preferably as a giantset)
It's been a staple in my routine for the past 5 years or so (of course, we change it up, and test other programs, but always fall back to this.) I love routines that are as simple as they can be.

I've just come back from two weeks of being down with the flu (there's one that's going round with both throwing up and coughing your lungs out), so I'm easing into it.

Yesterday:
5x5 90kg squat
5x5 60kg bench
5x10 seated row, 55kg. RIght now, my gluteus medius hurt!

In the past, we've played around with

A-B (in different set ups, circuits, undulating..you name it)
Advanced German Volume, (very effective! Love that one!)
Extended Tension (hurts, but paid off nicely!)
Westside Barbell System (wonderful! greatfun, but very demanding. Tought me a LOT!)
Super ACcumulation Program (plain insanity. I re-read my Dutch blog about this one, and man... I can't believe I pulled it off)
and random programs, as preperation for powerlifting meets.

[Euqinom]

*yawn*

It's been a while since I trained during the evening. I arrived at 7.30, and waited until 8.30 because it was OVERcrowded! I simply walked back to my apartment to watch Grey's Anatomy.
I always have to adjust to working out alone. It might take a couple of workouts to get used to it.

The workout

120kg deadlift, 10x1. One of the guys whom I really like came up to me to tell me he thought it was impressive. Very flattering. I'm a short guy devotee, and well.. (Nevertheless, in the back of my mind I raced back to when i did sets with 140.. Can't be far away, though) another boy complimented me on my form. He almost tipped over backwards on his squats, scared the crap out of me!

Shoulderpresses (the guys were hogging the pull up bars. ALL of them) 18kg dumbells, 8/6/6/6/4. I did that final set waaaaaaaaaay to soon.. But I like to keep my workouts under 75 minutes. Preferably under an hour.

Pull Ups, wide neutral grip: 5/5/3/3 (Didn't have help on the final two sets, but it sucked anyway)

Still a bit anxious and angry (issues with rejection and commitment, anyone?), but my job interview went great! Bachelorthesis, not so much..

I might return to WSB, because it is more time effective, and easier to pull off... We'll see. One thing's for sure, no hipthrusts on wednesday evenings! Too many people! ANd to the few that do read this: please feel free to interact!

[Euqinom]

Today, my partner finally! returned.

I did squats with 100kg without a belt, 5x5. Much better than expected, but not as easy as I remembered (but that's always the case, right: "Geez, i swear I could lift twice this weight super easy, just last week!"), then I let him decide what to bench (4x8 50kg: dreadful, but still a bit sore from monday), and did bent over rows, with sixty kg, 4x5.
I'm kind of forcing him to decide what to do, since he's always overtrained, and always let's me take the lead. It's been an ongoing problem since July -technically longer, of course but that's when it got out of hand- and he's losing weight and supertired all the time. AFter a looooooooooong talk, I decided that he'd be in charge of my workouts, and that way, I could be in charge of his. Whatever helps, right? Also, I think the key to recovery (he's going to the docters soon) is to take responsibility, and I hope that this will force him to make better choices. The REAL solution for recovery, however, I have no say in.

HIs girlfriend decided to stop staring, for now (last time, she decided to sit down in front of me while I was working on my biceps, and stare, which annoyed the hell out of me), but she's happily taken on a new strategy
.
I'm kind of pleased with my performance, next week I'm ready to go wild!

Also, the nice weather causes a whole new kind of people to enter the gym: the nitwits. Very happy about my tan, and the slimming down.

Thinking about doing THibeaudeau's 400m sprint session on Sundays.

[Euqinom]

Yay! I love oatmeal now!
I used to mix it with yoghurt, or do it the 'modern'way as the carton says:"milk in microwave". Turns out panboiled tastes sooooooooo much better. I add a banana and cinnamon, and now me and oatmeal are in love.

Any body tried to boil it in applejuice? Saw that on Oprah, and I'm curious.

[Euqinom]

Remember how I considered sprinting today. Well,...
Saturday was my first Saturday off in ages, and I went shopping with a friend. Turns out, we shopped for fifteen minutes (got my mum Clinique stuff) declared summer by having wine, bought flaxseed oil, and redeclared summer with my favourite wine (red, Las Ninas Syrah, Chili) at my favourite place, having a club sandwich and a Croque Monsieur, go tanning, go back and have more wine, drop off our bags, drink Ikea-cider, and headed off to a rockabilly festival, (now, I want to learn to play upright bass)... Long story short, scandalous fun, but no shape to go running.

[Euqinom]

YESSSS!

I liked this workout. I got my training partner to weigh himself, and his weight loss (he estimated he'd dropped from 108 to below 100) turned out to be far less: 108 to 105 in six months. I guess it's a bit of a bodybuilder complex he's got going on, and he's still gonna go to a GP and have himself checked out.

The workout:
5 sets of 1, 130kg deadlift (no belt). Very pleased. Still a little stiffness going on in lower back and hips, but my deadlift is returning.
Pull ups, wide, neutral: 6/5/5/3/3/ hard, but explosive and satisfied
Barbell Military Press: 4x5 40kg. Hadn't done that in a LONG time, so it took a bit of getting used to. Bit wobbly on the first three sets.

I really like the 'sets of one'-idea for deadlift. Might play around with that for a while. THinking about it, how's the rest of the set beneficial anyway? HAmstrings are more suitable for low volume work.. And deadlifts are about the set up.. Touch and go doesn't get you anywhere, and if you 're gonna do singles, might as well keep it singles. IdeaS?

[Euqinom]

A little trouble with the skin on my face. It seemed red (had a pimple, a bit of stress, two weeks of flu and horrible eating) and moist, and it wouldn't heal like I was hoping it would. I put pure honey on it, and now: it's healed in one night so much better than when I put all kinds of ointments on it! Honey for life!

[Euqinom]

MAN! Today was another great workout! Dunno what happened to my training partner (let's call him the Viking), but he's radiant and enthusiastic since the weightloss seemed to have been not as dramatic as he perceived it to be.

I did 5x5 100kg again, with good form. I condidered doing 5x3 or so on 110, but since the deadlift is still lingering in my hams, I decided to go with a lower weight. VIkign decided to use my weight, but for each set I did, he'd do 2x10. Hardcore, baby!
One of the guys politely asked us for 5kg plates, and I couldn't help myself as I'm feeling happy all day long and joked: "5kg plates? Oh, please, get these things out of my eyesight! GROSS!"

Then, we moved on to benchpress, 3/5/5/5/5, 60kg, while Viking proceeded to do cable flies due to a stinging elbow (We're not doing barbell militarypresses again!) and did the t-bar row where you put a barbell in the corner?
At first I told him he could choose, and then continued to say to every single suggestion: "No", "nah" "don't wanna" "Boring!", "Blah".. But suddenly I heard myself talk, and started laughing, so I agreed to the first thing he'd said. 5x5 for me again, 2 plates of 20, and a v-grip. felt much heavier than expected. All the while being curiously watched by RAzor Ramon.

[Euqinom]

The Day before yesterday i received an e-mail from one of my friends' brother. He wants to (or, needs to) gain weight, as he's really underweight and would like to increase muscle mass. On his upperbody. Mainly pecs and forearms. I shook my head and cried a little. ;-)

Then, I sent him an essay (well.. it had that length, and if it looks like it..:P) on what I think he should do, and what he should eat, how to spot bad instructors, and how to build your sets. I haven't heard anything yet. I'm curious to see if he will pick it up. THe other guy I helped out last year came by to have wine with me, and he's still going strong! Little too much wine, though.

[Euqinom]

I'm pissed off.. Not for any reason in particular, but my mood 's just ruined.
I walked in an half hour later than normally (i like to roll and stretch as a warm up), because Viking wanted to start an hour later. Turns out, all for nothing. NO use whatsoever. Next time, I'll say no. Screw that. I'm not changing my routine for either Pudding or GF, especially not for the so-called 'I'm sooo tired, boxingblablablah' which is just a cover-up... I don't mind changing it for a GOOD, workout related reason, but I show up, on time, in shape, ready to perform, all the time. It's stupid to *lie* that you can't make it physically. Plain stupid.

Deadlifts 5x1 110kg, easy!
Pull ups: 6-5-5-5-5
Shoulder Presses 6-6-5-5 18kg dumbells.
Very unsatisfied about my workout.

And I feel like crap for being excluded from the group. I don't want to be in that group really, but at the same time, I do. And I want to go back to 'us'-time. Just lifting hard, laugh a lot, and have a chat.

I'll go get some oatmeal and eggs. That should make me feel better. DAMN!!!! I'm so annoyed!

On the upside: short workout, did better on pull-ups and shoulderpresses!

[Euqinom]

AGain, a spoonful of honey saves the day.

[Euqinom]

Dear Journal,

Monday evening, I came home from my new job (very friendly co-workers, super relaxed) and decided to write for an hour on my thesis, and get to the gym at 21.00 hours. Man, that's a crowded place that late! I struck up a conversation with Eastside, and the Manager (about Bigger Stronger Faster and Arm Wrestling), then I met my former Olympic Lifting trainer (I took a course) and we decided to go to London for the Olympics, but,.. 45 minutes later, I was barely finishing my warm up. Although it was nice to meet all these people, I got no workout whatsoever (It was one I threw in for the fun of it, so okay, but I'm never ever going there again on a mondaynight!), as I did 3 sets of goodmornings (okay, 80kg) and a few pull ups. I DID get the two instructors to do a pull up in a 30-0-30 tempo. Very awesome. I might throw those in myself too. And I'm considering the Destroy Fat, War Room Strategies program. Just to see if I can pull it off. If i do, I want to start in may, and try it for a month.

Ah, and dear journal, I ordered a fruit packet, I don't know if this is familiar to you, but I get from ..er.. the 10 of may 5 days of biological fruit, 4 different kinds. Thought it would be green, agricultural friendly, and convenient at the same time.

Manager at my other job: slightly angry for me asking May off. ("What do you mean? The entire month 'off'?" )

Kisses,

Euqinom.

p.s. working on Viking's birthday present. Had to drop the bike-flag (he's always looking for his bike) as that will cause a health hazard on bikes for grown-ups.

p.s.2: I really liked the results I got from my honey treatment, I am now considering using a pure honey mask. Still a couple of minor technicalities to figure out. Like: how can I keep it long enough on my face without making my house a complete mess AND without scaring the crap out of the mailman?

p.s.3: i feel guilty about my dusting-sucks attitude.

[Euqinom]

Dear Journal,

I just handed in my first thesis chapter. Now, I'm cold, my neck hurts, and I was completely rambling in the accompanying mail. I hope I kick ass in the gym tomorrow. I'm gonna get me another croque monsieur. Or two. I'm having my period, so I feel fat, bad, and dangerous.

Kisses,

Euqinom.

[hope2bme]

p.s.2: I really liked the results I got from my honey treatment, I am now considering using a pure honey mask. Still a couple of minor technicalities to figure out. Like: how can I keep it long enough on my face without making my house a complete mess AND without scaring the crap out of the mailman?

.

Hi Euqinom
Just had to say that I love your journal. You are just so darned *spunky*!! LMAO about the honey mask...I have tried that as well. Quite the sticky mess and looks the teeniest bit like your face is melting! haha

Hope

[Euqinom]

Yay! FInally somebody who replies. Or who actually reads my stuff! *googles 'spunky'*

I'm seriously gonna try it, though.. The sticky mess is also... I have scratched out 'sleeping with mess' as an option, but how the hell am I gonna wash it off my face?! And did you feel like it helped your skin?

This is the literal translation of the rambling email. Please do pay attention to the tempo picking up as we progress throughout the text.

Dear Sir,

I am still slightly dazed and pretty much struggling with what I should cover in which chapter. in this case: to what extent should I elaborate (spelling?) on Muscular Christianity? Same goes for FIBO (<<Actually meant IFBB, FIBO is the European bodybuilding fair in Germany>>)I kind of expect chapter two about infrastructure to be more appropriate, and wanted to keep history to: "how did that happen? " But I was editing away ( I haven no spellingchecker on this computer either *sigh*) and I just got lost. Suddenly everything had to go everywhere, all over the place. You know.

And what's bothering me also, I got all these kick-ass resources, among them one about why we want to see huge and muscular heroes. But I don't know where to stick it. I am considering a header called "the heroic body". Then I started doubting whether it should be in chapter 3. And I am also doubting my struture. SHouldn't it be NOT thematic? OR chronological? I'm having thesis-phobia. ANd I don't know when enough writing is enough writing.

All the best,

Euqinom
(I'll go get a croque monsieur and kwark now to comfort myself)

Like a deer in headlights..

[hope2bme]

Yay! FInally somebody who replies. Or who actually reads my stuff! *googles 'spunky'*

I'm seriously gonna try it, though.. The sticky mess is also... I have scratched out 'sleeping with mess' as an option, but how the hell am I gonna wash it off my face?! And did you feel like it helped your skin?

This is the literal translation of the rambling email. Please do pay attention to the tempo picking up as we progress throughout the text.


Like a deer in headlights..

It's definately more fun when you have visitors saying hello!!

Hahahahaha...yes you were definately rambling!

As for the sticky honey mess, the least messy way to remove it for me was to actually take a shower. LOL That stuff just gets everywhere and it takes a LONG time to disolve.
I did like the way it tightened my pores and made my skin feel.

[tina722]

Saying hi, glad you started a journal, I will definetly be interested in your training and progress. I love that you have tried so many programs...how long have you been lifting?

I really like the 'sets of one'-idea for deadlift. Might play around with that for a while. THinking about it, how's the rest of the set beneficial anyway? HAmstrings are more suitable for low volume work.. And deadlifts are about the set up.. Touch and go doesn't get you anywhere, and if you 're gonna do singles, might as well keep it singles. IdeaS?

You do straight-sets and this be working at 90% all the time? I do like lower reps, but have only done reps of 3. How are you liking it so far?

what are the 30-0-30 pullups?

[Euqinom]

Hey Tina, goodmorning!

I've started lifting once when I was thirteen (in a tiny basement, guys wearing those crazy Gorillawear pants.. Gotta love the nineties), and when i started at the university, I started again, but more seriously, in 2005. At the time i had a room with a family about an hour away from campus, so for me, it was an escaperoute almost.

No, the load is lower than 90%. You can't keep 90% up for a long time. WSB says that after 3 weeks you'll burn out completely. I used 130kg, and estimated my max around 150. I did 5x3 a few weeks before, so I knew 5x1 would be totally doable.
For deadlifts (on Friday, i did them with 110kg) I really enjoy them. The first rep is the hardest, so doing first reps only (lighter weights? higher setnumbers) seemed like a good idea. It keeps you focussed, forces you to pull yourself in to it, and makes sure that you don't secretly change and tweak your position during the longer set ( i can do touch and go like crazy! But i'll get sloppy when it comes to ROM). I've also tried Dan John's test your grit-deadlift challenge. My partner did 315lbs deadlifts for 30 minutes. I adjusted my weight to 110kg (same load as Viking), and saw huge improvement in my technique. I hadn't deadlifted properly from september 2009 to early march 2010, so my deadlift was a bit.. well... forgotten. Believe me, this gets you doing them by the book! As a side note: I'm interested in powerlifting, and this changes my attitude towards deadlifts. In my mind: the deadlift is a goal in itself. At a meet, you'll do 1. That's it. And although i will not be competing this year, it still seems like a good idea.

30-0-30 pull ups are pull-ups that go up in 30 sec, no stop, down 30 sec.

[Euqinom]

Dear Journal,

I just came back from a pretty good workout.
I squatted 115kg 5x3 (belted). Happy about form! And they came pretty hard too.
Bench, 65kg 3/3/2 (but that was a bit too much to ask for after a heavy squat session)
and cross rowing (which I won't do ever again: sore shoulder) + seated rows, 4x8 60kg.

Had a nice time. Except for the part where his girlfriend was waiting up in the cafeteria. *sigh*. I miss the way we were.

Kisses,

Euqinom

p.s. Birthday present is going down the drain.. Don't feel like giving it anyway, plus the dvd I wanted to give can't be copied. I had to drop the little flag also. That leaves only the USB-stick, ticket to E.C. Bodybuilding, and a card. Also pretty nice gift, but I just don't feel like giving it at all..And that makes me sad. I wish I didn't mind so much, and still felt like friends.

P.s.2. My first boss has sent me an email. EEK!

[Euqinom]

Dear Journal,

E-mail was a load of crap, if you ask me. I clicked 'archive', and plan not to take a serious look at it.
By the way, I forgot to tell you about our ab-routine.
First, 1-armed planks, 35 seconds per side. Then, experiments with the wobbleboard. It is hardly possible to lean with your lowerarms on the wobbleboard while resting your feet on the bosuball. I thought I'd die laughing!


Kisses,

Euqinom

[Euqinom]

Dear Journal

I'm looking for ways to pimp oatmeal.

Kisses, Euqinom

Leave a message if you've got a better way (or different) than mine!
(oatmeal, milk, cinnamon, pan, boil, stir, boil, in a bowl, add sliced banana OR powerwaffles)

[hope2bme]

Dear Journal

I'm looking for ways to pimp oatmeal.

Kisses, Euqinom

Leave a message if you've got a better way (or different) than mine!
(oatmeal, milk, cinnamon, pan, boil, stir, boil, in a bowl, add sliced banana OR powerwaffles)

Looks like you're eating your oatmeal just about the same as me. Although, I do switch out the banana for blueberries or strawberries upon occassion. You might try alittle nutmeg with your cinnamon as well...pretty tasty.

[Euqinom]

Dear Journal,

I rushed into the gym today, right after work, to do my pullups. I only managed a not-so-whopping 25 (27?) in 15 minutes. Then, Hip thrusters, 70/5, 4x6 @ 75. En then full speed to cable push downs, 4x12, 37.5kg. And rushed out again! My sister's coming over!

Viking emailed me, the boxcoach (8 time national champion) falsely accused him of steriod abuse in front of the group. He was livid. And rightly so, I might add.

Kisses,


Euqinom

[Euqinom]

Dear Journal,

I was invited to a bbq, but I already had a previous engagement so again I needed to rush my way through the gym. I didn't mind, as the invite upset me quite a lot, inititally. After work, I managed to do my workout in 52 minutes! YAY!

I'll admit that it was a light workout (wednesday still in mind: 115kg squats, 65kg bench).

5x5 squat 90kg
5x5 bench 55kg
5x5 bent over rows 60kg (did great on those!)

One of the tiny guys asked me to spot him on his bench. First set: major fail, heavy negatives (also fail) on the seventh rep out of ten. 3 more sets to go!

[Euqinom]

Dear Journal,


THunderstorms do crazy things to generally sane people.
Nevertheless, I received an e-mail by my supervisor on my first chapter, and besides a sweet response about my rambling, he was satisfied about what i put together! YAY!
Also, struggling with getting my diet right, but slowly improving.
This weekend my sister stayed over, so we went out to dinner, but today: forgot to take food to my work. STupid.

Forgot to tell you: Sunday, during the hour I was there, NONE of the guys used more than 50kg for whatever exercise they did. Bench, Squats.. Nothing. I was underwhelmed.

Kisses,

Euqinom

[Euqinom]

Dear Journal,

I feel like crap today. I think I'll go tanning after school. Also, my superawesome leopardprint pumps didn't fit. Tuesday's not my day, this week.
Have a little soreness in my abs. Very much contemplating the BBQ situation of this weekend.

Kisses,

Euqinom

[Euqinom]

Dear Journal,

Viking texted about working out tomorrow. I asked him about the War Room Strategies Program. He said he doubted whether it could be done, based on fitness/work/boxing/ and the sprinting combined. I think it's bull****. "no, lifting is WAAAAAAAAAY more important than boxing..", "totally looking forward to WWS", and even that Diana Ross-esque: "We will never break up", and everytime the 'fitness'problem (tired all the time) gets thrown in my face, while I don't believe for one second that either I or my training is the problem. Last time we had a sit down about this (I was totally understanding and compassionate and a good friend, though), he went for a workout every! single! day! that week.

But I'm going to have to make my mind up fast, as this will be the only month I can do it. I would mean that I'd be lifting twice on tuesdays, once on wednesdays, once on fridays, and once on sundays.. FUrthermore, I'm not sure how long I want to feel like this. I've tried to be a great friend. That's stuff you shouldn't even have to try. Right? I've cried for the past four days over this. I should be making changes, but it is SOOOOOOO hard.

Slightly disappointed,


Euqinom.

p.s. On the upside, I found an adorable dress that I 'm totally gonna buy tomorrow! . It's the kind that you try on to see what it 'll look like and then *surprise!* you like it. A lot.

[Euqinom]

I killed in the gym today!
Again, Viking was indecisive about pretty much everything, and started rambling about working out, evenings, god knows what else, so my squat was pretty explosive: 3/4/4/4/4/ 115kg! Pretty okay!
Then, we decided to have a little bench game. I wanted him to push 125, he said he would only do so if I'd push 50% of his weight (that's usually our ratio), I said I'd outlift him, and managed an easy 27 lifts in 7 sets. He struggled his way through 17 reps in 12 sets. VICTORY!
Then, Inverted Rows, 4x8. Nothing big there.

Looks like i'm summering down too.

[sherdi]

You've definitely got spunk!!! Love your humour and boy can you lift!!!!

[Emma-Leigh]

Dear Journal

I'm looking for ways to pimp oatmeal.

Kisses, Euqinom

Leave a message if you've got a better way (or different) than mine!
(oatmeal, milk, cinnamon, pan, boil, stir, boil, in a bowl, add sliced banana OR powerwaffles)

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpo...1&postcount=28 <<< try here!