HoosierHardGain's Newest Journal, Volume 1: The Long, Hot Summer

[HoosierHardGain]

Well, I suppose almost three years without running a journal is enough of a break. I once upon a time was a pretty faithful journal participant, but I kind of faded from using after a lot of my fiends kind of stopped posting. An influx of old faces recently has inspired me to journal through the summer and to hopefully give myself an outlet to vent, collaborate, inspire and be inspired.

So where am I, fitness wise? My workouts have been fairly consistent over time. Yeah, like everyone else I have periods where I don't get to the gym quite as often as I want to. My big weakness, and raise your hand if you've seen this story before, is the nutrition. This of course falls directly on me. No one to blame, as I'm a big boy and I have every right to say what I eat and when. But, being to good dad and husband, a lot of times I've fallen into the just what's easiest path, or just whatever is being made that night. My first plan of attack is just to simply control what I can control. The first 2/3 of the day I have 100% control over what and when I eat, so I am going to be meticulous about that. The last part of the day, that will be where I will be a little loose. Most of the day I'll get plenty of protein and veggies, then dinner I can have enough room to have a decent about of carbs and not hurt anything.

Workouts? Workouts, you say? Well I've started the summer doing 4 days a week performing strength circuits. What I'm doing is each workout I'll concentrate on one bodypart and plan using 4 movements, starting with heavy and working down to lighter but speed based movements. Essentially, if my goal for the summer is to drop what fat I had gained during the winter/spring, when I go to the gym I am concentrating on routines that work to maximize fat loss but also retain muscle.

So, here is how Monday morning went:

DELT STRENGTH CIRCUIT

TOP HALF SHOULDER PRESS: 6 sets at 75 lbs x 5 reps - seated

SHOULDER PRESS: 6 sets at 55 lbs x 5 reps - also seated

PUSH PRESS: 6 sets at 70 lbs x 3 reps

NEUTRAL GRIP DB SHOULDER PRESS: 6 sets at 20 lbs - use quick lifting phase

After the circuit, I then perform:

ASSISTED PULLUP: 6 sets x 5 reps - 30 second rest between sets

I then finished off today with 20 minutes of include work on the treadmill. The readout said I burned 200 cals, so take that for what it's worth.

I felt a good way to start the week. Tomorrow I'll try and post my total day nutrition if I remember to blog it.

[IronCamp]

sub'd

*raising hand* I've seen that story before...I was part of it!!! A least we are back on the bandwagon.

[HoosierHardGain]

sub'd

*raising hand* I've seen that story before...I was part of it!!! A least we are back on the bandwagon.

Staying on it will be the hard part lol

Honestly, just remembering that I don't have to go grab a burger and fries or nachos for lunch will get me farther than I've been. Controlling what I can control.

[mirroroferised]

Welcome back hoosier!

[Samraiwise]

Don't worry about the decrease of the world food consumtion for I can eat for two.

Love to have you back, my brother!!

[HoosierHardGain]

Good morning everyone! Welcome back to the summer of perspiration and determination. Yesterday was a good start to the week. I still need to add up my nutritional numbers, hopefully I'll get a chance between meetings with idiots today. Or if I get too pissed off at them I'll just tune them out and do it during the meeting. (That has happened before)

Squat movements is what was on order for this morning. The rise in temperature did take away some of my energy, and getting out of bed seemed to take a lifetime. However I did get in, and work was done.

SQUAT COMPLEX - the complex was done for 5 sets. The only time between movements is the time to change weight and write down the reps in my journal.

TOP 1/2 SQUAT: 270 x 4

FRONT SQUAT: 115 x 4

HANG CLEAN: 70 x 5 - done with a quick up movement, focusing on explosiveness

JUMP SQUAT: 70 x 8

And that was that. Since it's bigger movements, I rested longer between complexes today than I did yesterday for shoulders. Plus it took longer to change the weights between the first two movements. Time wise, it was about the same length of time as yesterday took.

Have a good day, folks.

Welcome back hoosier!

Thanks man. Hope all is well in your world!

Don't worry about the decrease of the world food consumtion for I can eat for two.

Love to have you back, my brother!!

Thanks, Kaz! It's a great treat having you back around!

[Cantplankwell]

Good work! thats a lot of stuff jammed into a complex. I like complexes

[Marius_Ursus]

That's a nice complex.

[Samraiwise]

That's a nice complex.

Hey Hoos, a nice complex! And I have a mother complex!! (hey! it rhymes). And I am drunk and smell like a skunk. Haha~!!!

I think I need my beauty sleep..........hick!

[IronCamp]

Nice work Hoos! Way to start it off!

Oh you work with those idiots too! *sigh*

[HoosierHardGain]

Good work! thats a lot of stuff jammed into a complex. I like complexes

Hey, thanks. I figured my best bet is to get as much hard work done in the time I have.

That's a nice complex.

Thanks. God knows I was pretty well spent by the time it was over.

Hey Hoos, a nice complex! And I have a mother complex!! (hey! it rhymes). And I am drunk and smell like a skunk. Haha~!!!

I think I need my beauty sleep..........hick!

hehehhe yeah, you have a few complex issues I can tell, Kaz

Nice work Hoos! Way to start it off!

Oh you work with those idiots too! *sigh*

And it gets worse every day. And it isn't like these issues I deal with at work are overly complicated. It mainly comes down to "we don't want to budge so we won't."

[HoosierHardGain]

No training today, it's a scheduled rest/recovery day. I haven't taken any measurements or stepped on the scale, but I can report my jeans felt a bit looser this morning. Now, that could just be I'm a bit dry this morning, so I'm not going to get too worked up over it. But, yeah, I can't help but think of it as positive feedback.

[Marius_Ursus]

No training today, it's a scheduled rest/recovery day. I haven't taken any measurements or stepped on the scale, but I can report my jeans felt a bit looser this morning. Now, that could just be I'm a bit dry this morning, so I'm not going to get too worked up over it. But, yeah, I can't help but think of it as positive feedback.

Nice. Enjoy that recoup and think about your belt getting cinched in the future.

[IronCamp]

Love me some Snoopy! Gotta love a rest day...enjoy!

[HoosierHardGain]

Hey, everyone. Welcome to the Thursday edition of this little side show. Hope everyone's week is going by great.

This morning I tackled my chest complex. Normally I follow it up with a rowing movement, but time was limited so I got through the complex then exited stage left.

Today's show:

CHEST COMPLEX - 6 sets of each movement

TOP HALF BENCH: 175 x 4

BENCH: 155 x 4

SPEED BENCH: 105 x 5

PUSHUPS: 8 reps

I move through these quicker than the lower body movements since the changing of weight isn't as cumbersome. The workout went pretty well despite being pressed for time and a bit tired. Hopefully I won't pay for it tomorrow with a poor deadlift showing.

Enjoy your Thursday!

Nice. Enjoy that recoup and think about your belt getting cinched in the future.

The getting to use an extra notch on the belt really is one powerful motivator. You almost want to strut around saying "Look! I can use another notch!"

Love me some Snoopy! Gotta love a rest day...enjoy!

Thanks, IC! Peanuts I think are a staple comic in every house lol

[Marius_Ursus]

Never heard of a Top Half Bench Press before. Interesting...like a board press when you don't have a board.

[IronCamp]

Hey, everyone. Welcome to the Thursday edition of this little side show. Hope everyone's week is going by great.

This morning I tackled my chest complex. Normally I follow it up with a rowing movement, but time was limited so I got through the complex then exited stage left.

ooh is that a Rush reference?

Nice workout...you got in some nice volume...126 reps right???

[HoosierHardGain]

Never heard of a Top Half Bench Press before. Interesting...like a board press when you don't have a board.

It's just a bench press done with the safety bar set about 1/2 way down. It allows for an overload for reps.

ooh is that a Rush reference?

Nice workout...you got in some nice volume...126 reps right???

Lol not sure who I was referencing actually. Can I just say it was an original thought?

Yeah, the volume in a condensed amount of time is the goal.

[Samraiwise]

How's your week Mr.Hoos? Hope everything is more than great!

It's just a bench press done with the safety bar set about 1/2 way down. It allows for an overload for reps.

Never heard of a Top Half Bench Press before. Interesting...like a board press when you don't have a board.

Hoos, using the safety bar, I think you are a genius. Like Marius pointed out, boardpress with numbers of board, you could micro adjust the range/height to your liking.

We old school call it partial reps. Effective ranges could be, half, third, a few inches as wide/narrow as you like.

1) Top partials range is usually above the stickin point, more emphasis on triceps and quite effective for breaking plateau for you can lift the load more than you can do with full range.

2) Bottom partials range is usually below the stickin point, emphasis on pecs and the same plateau breaker. though you could use only lighter load than you can do with full range.

3) Either top or bottom, ranges which includes sticking point is very very effective to blow up plateau. You could use the same load as with full range.

4) I also use the technique for narrow grip benchpress using tissue paper box instead of boards. Due to excessive extension of the wrists, I cannot lower the bar past a certain point without risking injuries. So the bar touching the tissue box on my chest is the cue for me to stop lowering the bar further.

I used to do as my cooling sets, the bottom partials with the range just above the sticking point.

[HoosierHardGain]

Wow, nice! Thanks, Kaz. There are so many valid and worth while techniques out there that can be employed that most just don't realize exist. Weight training really is a life long experience that you can continually grow and learn about

[HoosierHardGain]

Yeah, it feels like Friday. Work has been a pain in the ass all week due to these design/planning meetings with other teams. Problem is nothing gets accomplished. In fact we end up taking two steps back each time, which leads to additional useless meetings being setup. Come the end of each day I am so mentally worn out that my head spins. Today I am feeling the effects of taxing work days and really hard workouts. Well, hard workouts for me.

This morning is the deadlift session. Unlike the other days where I use 4 lifts per session, I only go with 3 for deadlifts. I just feel deads are so taxing on the CNS that doing too much will just lead to injury. It's definitely my least favorite of the 4 sessions, due to how time consuming it is changing out the weights after each lift. I'm considering re-doing the deadlift day to just a big lift followed by a superset of two lesser lifts. I'll give it some thought through the next 7 days.

DEADLIFT TRISET: 5 sets

RACK DEADS: 265 x 4

DEADLIFTS: 205 x 4

GOOD MORNING JUMPS: 55 x 8

CARDIO: 20 minutes incline work on the dreadmill

And I'm spent. I need to finish off this work day and get to recovery mode. Enjoy the weekend, all!

[IronCamp]

Wow, nice! Thanks, Kaz. There are so many valid and worth while techniques out there that can be employed that most just don't realize exist. Weight training really is a life long experience that you can continually grow and learn about

This 100%...it really is! And whey you stop for a while, you have to learn all over...

Nice session! I feel your pain about feeling spent with work and the workouts...I just want to be in bed napping right now!

[Samraiwise]

Hey wake up already, snoopy hoos!! It's Monday here!!

Hoos, your work is always pain in the a$$, it means the job needs you, your family needs you, society needs you, United States of A needs you, the Earth needs you, even ET needs you, and of course we need you. You know what, nobody needs me except you. That means you are in the middle of precious LIFE!! When You aren't here awake, I AM NOTHING!!

Just wake up and play with me HOOS!!

[HoosierHardGain]

Hey, happy Monday! Well, if there is such a thing. The alarm went off around 5:20 this morning, any I was like "um, no." And I smacked snooze what seemed like a dozen times. But, I did manage to get my feet to the floor, dressed, and headed off to the gym.

My stomach seemed to mess with me a bit this weekend. Nothing bad, but I shied away from doing any weight measurements just to keep my sanity. How some can step on the scale each day is beyond me. It would drive me insane since I'd be expecting be changes. It's the same reason I don't play the stock market. If my stock wasn't increasing everyday I'd be losing my mind, instead of understanding it's all about growth over time. Just like fitness. It's improvement over time, not all at once.

Ok, today's work was the delt complex. My left shoulder barked at me a bit during the session but I made it through fine. I actually felt energetic, much more than I did last week, so maybe the weekend downtime helped.

DELT COMPLEX: 6 sets of each movement one right after the other.

STANDING TOP 1/2 PRESS: 80 x 6

SEATED PRESS: 55 x 6

PUSH PRESS: 80 x 3

DB NEUTRAL GRIP PRESS: 20s x 8

Then I jumped over to the assisted pullup station:

ASSISTED PULLUPS: 3 sets of 5, then 3 sets of 6. Thirty seconds rest between sets

And cardio work ended the show:

CARDIO: 20 minutes incline work on the treadmill. 210 calories burned, per the mind numbing readout.

Hey wake up already, snoopy hoos!! It's Monday here!!

Hoos, your work is always pain in the a$$, it means the job needs you, your family needs you, society needs you, United States of A needs you, the Earth needs you, even ET needs you, and of course we need you. You know what, nobody needs me except you. That means you are in the middle of precious LIFE!! When You aren't here awake, I AM NOTHING!!

Just wake up and play with me HOOS!!

lol I'm awake, Kaz. I'm awake

[IronCamp]

Ugh...I snoozed for an hour! Happy Monday!

Work outs are looking good. I have to remind myself daily it's a marathon, not a sprint...b/c I feel like since I work out so hard and eat well, that I should look like I have 5% bodyfat! Unrealistic...So, I try to focus on the fact that at 44, I am super healthy, not obese, and can do more fitness activities than the majority of the people I know.

[ptbrakefield]

Glad to see you back and working hard... enjoyed reading back through your week. It will be nice continuing to see your progress.

As you said, nutrition is so key... every time I'm up a little from the previous week I can go back and see which recent day I ate something full of sodium, my killer.

[HoosierHardGain]

And today's theme song comes courtesy of Walon Jennings:



Lonesome, On'ry and Mean: Yeah, that sums it up for me when I'm in the gym lol

Quads were the complex for today. My shoulders are yelling obscenities at me from yesterday. I had been performing my shoulder workout on the smith machine, but switched to the delt station, hence totally free weights. I think it made a difference

Today's work:

QUAD COMPLEX - 5 rounds

TOP HALF SQUAT - 270 x 5

FRONT SQUAT - 115 x 5

HANG CLEAN - 60 x 5

JUMP SQUAT - 60 x 8

And I'm spent. Done. Finished. Time to let rest and food do their thing.

Ugh...I snoozed for an hour! Happy Monday!

Work outs are looking good. I have to remind myself daily it's a marathon, not a sprint...b/c I feel like since I work out so hard and eat well, that I should look like I have 5% bodyfat! Unrealistic...So, I try to focus on the fact that at 44, I am super healthy, not obese, and can do more fitness activities than the majority of the people I know.

Thanks, IC. For the record, you look more like 34, so you've obviously been doing something right.

Glad to see you back and working hard... enjoyed reading back through your week. It will be nice continuing to see your progress.

As you said, nutrition is so key... every time I'm up a little from the previous week I can go back and see which recent day I ate something full of sodium, my killer.

Thanks, PT. Glad to have you in. Nutrition is so far and away my biggest issue. Sodium doesn't seem to be a huge issue with me, but sugar sure is. And what sucks is I like it so much lol

[IronCamp]

Great session!

Thank you on the compliment

Giving up sugar is hard, but I am doing well on Paleo...have less cravings for it! I did have a square of 85% dark chocolate last night though!

[Marius_Ursus]

When you run those rack deads, how high is the bar, about knee height?

I'm really liking all the complexes you're running right now.

[HoosierHardGain]

Great session!

Thank you on the compliment

Giving up sugar is hard, but I am doing well on Paleo...have less cravings for it! I did have a square of 85% dark chocolate last night though!

Sugar on the weekends is what kills me because I tend to over indulge. During the weekend when I have it I am usually pretty good at minimizing it.

When you run those rack deads, how high is the bar, about knee height?

I'm really liking all the complexes you're running right now.

Thanks, Marius. I usually have the bar just above the knee. For me when it's right at the knee it feels as if the bar is sticking too far out, so it works best for me form wise if I start just above or below the knee.