My Log: Travel, Talisker, Trappists & T-Bones to Training for a Total Transformation

[davidI]

I've loved reading everyone's logs on here recently and figure it's time to start my own.

Some of you may have noticed that I used to be very active in this Health & Fitness Forum but have been realtively MIA the last couple of years. I have been working overseas and traveling a lot and have completely failed at finding a healthy routine.

2011 led me to being into the worst shape in my life as I was living out of a hotel in Dubai most of the year due to the Arab Uprising. That meant poor gym access and a lot of restaurant food and room service (few healthy options in Dubai). Plus, without much else to do after work, I was going out with co-workers and cabin crew and drinking way too much. That was the expensive whiskey, beer, and fine dining part of my life and even though I'm happy I abused the expense account for a while, I'm over it now and it's time to get back into shape! Time for the Total Transformation of Body, Health, and Diet.

The biggest challenges for me are that I'll still be traveling ~6 months of the year (5 week on / 5 week off rotations) and that I'm surrounded by a big boozing culture at work. It's open bar so the temptation is always there, especially when work gets stressful and my colleagues want to get on it (I live in a compound without much else to do). That said, I'm going to do my best and hopefully this log will serve as motivation to focus on hammering the weights instead of the beers.

Current Stats:
Height: 5'9"
Weight:
20121026 - 176.0
Measurements

20120908 - Taken in the evening, before dinner, no pump.
20121122 - Taken after lunch, no pump.
(Relaxed, Flexed)
Neck (16,16.75)(16,16.75)
Chest (42,43)(42,44)
Upper Arm R (13,14.5)(13,14.5)
Upper Arm L (13,14.5)(13,14.5)
Forearm R (11.5,12)(11.5,12)
Forearm L (11.5,12)(11.5,12)
Waist @ Belly Button (36,36)(36,35.5)
Waist @ Belt Line (34,34.5)(34.5,34.5)
Hips (39)(38)
Thigh R (22.5,22.5)(22.5,22.5)
Thigh L (22.75,22.5)(22.5,22.5)
Calf R (15.5,15.75)(15,15.25)
Calf L (15,15.25)(14.5,15)

Measurements Goal:
Calculated Using: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson207.htm

Weight: 180 Pounds @ <8% BF

Grecian Ideal
Wrists 7 inches
Chest 46 inches
Waist 32 inches
Hip 39 inches
Bicep 17 inches
Forearm 13 inches
Thigh 24 inches
Calve 16 inches
Neck 17 inches

Steve Reeves Ultra-Symmetrical Physique

Wrist 7 Arms 18
Ankle 8.75 Calf 17
Head 22.25 Neck 18
Pelvis 37 Chest 55
Pelvis 37 Waist 32
Knee 15 Thigh 26

I truly doubt I have the genetics to reach the 'Grecian Ideal' naturally and certainly not Steve Reeves' calculator sizes, but I like to aim high and it's good to see what's possible.

Strength:
Calculated Using: http://www.calculatorpro.com/calculator/one-rep-max-calculator/

Bench Press:
20120910 - 200x5 & 210x3 = ~237-240 Pounds
20121023 - 205x5 = ~246 pounds
20121114 - 210x9 = ~287 pounds
20121121 - 217x10 = ~306 pounds

Deadlifts:
20120911 - 310x5 = ~357
20121112 - 270x8 = ~339 (grip fail)
20121119 - 285x10 =~380 (straps)

Squats (Smith Machine :( )
20121109 - 190x8 =~232
20121116 - 200x8 =~244
20121123 - 210x10 = ~260

Unfortunately, I have a shoulder / chest flexibility issue that makes it hard for me to do back squats (can't hold the bar). I also used to run 3 days a week instead of training legs (my only opportunity to get outside the compound at work) so I have some serious leg work to do! We only have a Smith Machine rather than a proper Squat Rack at the camp gym so it's not ideal, but I'll do my best.

Strength Goal - 1000+ Club for Big 3:

Bench Press: 315
Dead Lift: 405
Squat: 315

Nutrition

Given I'm in a camp, I have to eat what's available. I'm pushing the chefs to cook cleaner food for me but they're typical Brits and like to deep fry and put lots of oil on everything. I just do my best to pick off the skin / fried bits and choose healthy options when they're available.

When I'm traveling, it's also difficult, but I'll do what I can to adhere to my goal macros. I plan to use the 'My Fitness Pal' Android App to track my intake. I also have to take care of my immune system being that I'm always in the Third World countries and I'm sure there will be times where I won't absorb many nutrients from what I'm eating due to one parasite or another.

Macro Goals:

Training Days: 3000 Calories
Off Days: 2500 Calories

Protein: 250 grams (~35%)
Carbs: 300 grams (~40-45%)
Fat: 80-100 Grams (~25-30%)

Supplements:

I plan to make an order when I'm in NYC my next off-shift as there isn't much available here at a decent price. Just taking a Multi-Vit for now and trying to have a few cups of Green Tea each morning and a big cup of coffee before my workouts. Given how hard it is to control my diet and health here, I'll probably supplement more than I would back home.

Shopping List:
ON Whey
ON Multi
BB.com Green Tea Extract
BB.Com Fish Oil
BB.Com Creatine
NOW L-Arginine
PWO Drink of Some Sort (Jack3d, C4, Rage??)
Probiotics
Fiber
Cocoa Butter (Try to Prevent Stretch Marks)

Routine:

Update November 2012 - Now doing Wendler's 5/3/1. Below is old split routine.

I work 12 hour days and like to work out mid-day when my energy is high so I'm limited to <1 hour per workout.

Day 1: Chest Morning / Triceps Evening
Day 2: Back Morning / Biceps Evening
Day 3: Shoulders
Day 4: Legs
Day 5: Insanity Ab Workout + Abs + Calves

I'll usually work a rest day or Insanity Cardio & Plyometric Day in the mix depending on how I'm feeling. When I'm traveling (~6 months of the year) I'm limited to doing Insanity Workouts off my tablet and body weight routines. I'm hoping to get more into Yoga & Pilates and try some of these http://www.beastskills.com/ exercises.

I'll try to get some pics and vids up over time...just figured I'd get this thread going while I'm being motivated by everyone else on this forum!

[brucebanner]

I use everyone else's progress threads as motivation as well. Helps keep me accountable to my own. Work on your flexibility for back squats, you'll slowly get there. 315lbs front squat is sick though.

I'll be keeping an eye for updates. :thumbsup:

[davidI]

Originally posted by bruceod
I use everyone else's progress threads as motivation as well. Helps keep me accountable to my own. Work on your flexibility for back squats, you'll slowly get there. 315lbs front squat is sick though.

I'll be keeping an eye for updates. :thumbsup:

Your thread was one of the main reasons I started mine! I tried to get training logs / fitness competitions going on Beyond 4 or 5 years ago,but the forum's maturity level wasn't quite there yet - everyone said I was being a homo for wanting to see other topless dudes :rofl: I'm happy to see people have grown up a bit!

315 is my Front Squat goal and I honestly think it will be the hardest of the 3 lifts for me to achieve (it amazed me that Shadowz is pushing it out already!) I haven't trained my legs much since I always used to try and get out running at least 3 days a week (no way I can run after a leg day!). I can't get outside from the compound I'm in now so I will start training legs properly again. I'd give my left nut for a proper squat rack though - I hate Smith machines.

[bigbadboss101]

Good to see. It's time for some female members to post their transformations. :bigpimp:

[davidI]

There are females on this forum? I didn't think they ever lasted more than a week! :confused:

[davidI]

I liked how others took vids of their lifts to check technique. It's something I had never thought to do before.

Here is my quick DL warm-up at 135#s. I wish I'd slowed down a bit for the purposes of showing form, but as I say, it was just a quick warm-up. I think my form is pretty good here, though my shoulders may be a bit ahead of the bars and I lean forward on to my toes a bit too much at certain points in the lift.

e9j7GzzPnbc

Here is my 310 x 5. I don't like my form as much...I don't get down as much to lift with my legs. It's a bit of a two part lift, with me standing and then using my back to finish the lift. I want it to be more fluid. My shoulders also look too forward again, though I'm wondering if this is because of my over/under grip. Perhaps I'll have to start getting used to a hook-grip or using straps or something.

sP_N_Hbg-KA

If anyone has further critiques that would be great!

[davidI]

Actually, I just did a little MS Paint Analysis like I did for Bruce and it's not too bad. I still have to get my arse down a bit with the heavy weights and avoid leaning forward, but it's not as bad as I thought.

Now I just need to lift more weight!!!

[davidI]

Poor eating day yesterday. My gut was off though.

Only counted 2000 calories, though I bet it was closer to 2500.

Carbs 116g
Fat 62g
Protein 190g

Had a couple of drinks too as there was a pretty decent party last night (for Yemen, it was good).

Had an ok upper back workout at lunch. Not great...just ok. I was distracted as it was while the US Embassy was under attack here so I kept pausing my workout to watch CNN and I didn't have enough time.

25 Pull-ups to start 10/9/6 - felt good.
3 Sets of Barbell Rows @90 pounds. Form didn't feel right.
3 sets of cable rows. Felt good. I'm pulling more weight with better form on those now.
Mixed in a bunch of shrugs. Our DBs here are only 60#s so it's not great for shrugs. I'll have to start using a BB here to do them.

I'm still working on better form for barbell rows. I may have to video my form another day. Here's a good article I found while researching - I'll have to use these tips next week: http://stronglifts.com/how-to-master-barbell-row-technique/

[Marsh]

Wow deadlift is looking good! Can I make a suggestion though, in regards to being more fluid while lifting?

When you begin the lift, think of it as thrusting your hips forward in order to complete the movement, so that you don't get the "two part lift" thing happening.

I've attached a link to further explain what I mean, hope it helps!

http://www.menshealth.com/video/fitness/deadlift-0#/video/all

[davidI]

Thanks man. I'll think of hip thrusting next workout and hopefully that helps. Perfect comment as it will help me visualize what I need to do in the gym.

[davidI]

Solid shoulder workout today. I did some curl work after as well since I didn't really do a proper bicep routine yesterday. I was pretty tired after a party last night but had 2 big cups of coffee before my workout which gave me the boost I needed.

Arnold Presses
12x40# DBs
9x60# DBs + 3 Military Presses
8x60# DBs + 4 Military Presses
6x60# DBs + 4 Military Presses
8x60# DBs (Just Military Presses)

I wish we had heavier DBs as I'd love to amp up the weight on my shoulder presses.

3x10 Single Arm Landmine Presses 45-65 pounds + BB.

3x12 Upright BB Rows EZ Curl Bar 75 pounds.

3x12 Reverse Cable Crossovers trying to hit my rear delt.

Then I just pounded out a variety of curls and did some cable work on my bis.

Had a BBQ feast after too so I should easily hit my macros today.

[brucebanner]

Limited by the gym? Might have to come up with some creative exercises to get the most out of the weight.

What part of the world are you currently in? What's the time difference?

[davidI]

I'm in Sana'a, Yemen. It's 9 hours difference from Calgary right now. It has been an interesting couple of days with the protests here...

Sadly I am a bit limited by our current gym set-up. I'm doing my best to come up with some creative solutions though and vary up my routine as much as possible. Sometimes you just need to push heavy ass weight though! I'll try to take some pics of my current gym set-up.

At my old gym we had all sorts of cool creative solutions. It was a field based gym (O&G) so guys would break out the welders and put together all sorts of cool equipment with scrap pipe (including squat racks, T-Bar Row gear, Weight Racks, Dip Racks etc.). We also had DBs up to 100#s which was cool because then it became a goal for me to put up 8 reps on the incline bench with those, which I managed to do after 6 weeks of training towards it.

I'm going to try and bring in straps next shift to set-up for ring flies and bodyweight tricep extensions - just saw them here for the first time - would work the stabilizers in a big way!: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/my_favorite_exercises_muscle_by_muscle

For shoulders I'm going to try to get into handstand pushups. Since I weight around 170-180 that should up the weight a bit from my 60# DBs. I really wish we had a damn squat rack here because then I could do bar work for shoulders. http://www.beastskills.com/freestanding-handstand-pushups/

[davidI]

Macros weren't so good yesterday. Fridays are pizza nights here so I didn't have any other options - plus I was really hungry so I ate too much. I threw in the towel, called it a cheat day, and had a beer too. No good!! It will definitely be better once I have some whey protein here so I can have balanced snacks throughout the day.

3200 Calories
137g Fat
179g Carbs
229g Protein.

Just a quick workout at lunch today. Insanity Abs workout + somem additional abs strength training + stretching.

[davidI]

A couple more links I'm saving for myself. Though I'm not in the military, there are some good creative exercise solutions here. I'll definitely be bringing in resistance bands and tie down straps to come up with some new exercises.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/muscle-on-a-mission.html


I'm thinking I may start traveling with a resistance band in my backpack too so I can do some strength work on the road. I've never done that before so I've always dropped weight / strength while traveling.

[brucebanner]

Seems as though you're coming up with some creative ways to continue to gain, even with limited weight on hand. Handstand pushups look a little intense haha.

[davidI]

Leg Day today.

Still struggling to get comfortable with my squat form. I just stuck with the weight around 150 and did 4 sets of Front Squats. Form doesn't feel right. My knees move a bit and I get pain in my left one. I also sometimes feel it in my lower back. Not great. Gotta keep working at it. I blame the Smith machine's restricted motion as I never used to have pain in the squat rack, but I'll need to figure out how to change my form to make it work.

I tried some back squats as well. I can now get my hands on the bar way out by the weights (seems wider on a smith machine than normal barbell)...it's ugly but at least I can hold it on my shoulders. Back squats feel much better in my legs, but it definitely still hurts my shoulders. I've got to keep working on the flexibility.

Next shift I'll be hitting legs twice a week until I can get the strength and form up.

[brucebanner]

Maybe you can incorporate some DB squats. Might be better for the range of motion than the smith machine.

You mentioned the DB's you have access to go up to 60lbs? It would be a start anyways.
http://www.shuichitakefitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DB-squat-SP.jpg

Don't mean to post the big ass picture but I'm sure you get the idea.

[davidI]

Originally posted by bruceod
Maybe you can incorporate some DB squats. Might be better for the range of motion than the smith machine.

You mentioned the DB's you have access to go up to 60lbs? It would be a start anyways.

Don't mean to post the big ass picture but I'm sure you get the idea.

Thanks man. Yea, I actually did some DB squats at the end of my workout with 40#ers and a few sets of 25 rep bodyweight squats. I was just holding the DBs at my side though - I should try putting them up on my shoulders like that.

[davidI]

Bookmarking this for myself: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/no_pain_squat.htm

[davidI]

I guess my leg workout wasn't so bad yesterday...feeling lots of good soreness in the quads today.

Unfortunately, no workout today. Being evacuated due to the security situation in Yemen to Dubai. This is when it gets tough to eat healthy and hit the gym.

Next 2 days will be in Dubai. Tomorrow will be a write off. Hopefully I can train Wednesday morning though. Then I'm off to Switzerland for a week. I should be able to eat relatively well there. I'll be doing lots of hiking and walking around but I doubt I'll lift much. I'll try to do some bodyweight exercises while I'm there too. I'm staying in private rooms this trip rather than dorms since I'm traveling with a gal - should make it less awkward to do 'mini-workouts' in the mornings.

Then Oktoberfest for 3 days. Not going to lie, those will be days fueled with 6000 empty calories. The best I'm going to promise myself is choosing the half chicken over the fried options there. Cheat days for sure. Bavarians are muscular though so maybe it will be good for me.

Once I get to NYC I'll get back into it for sure. I'm there for 3 weeks and hope to train at both of these gyms:

www.globalstrongmangym.com/
www.warriorfitnessbootcamp.com/

The best part is I'll be staying at a girls place where it will be easy to cook healthy meals for myself. I'll be ordering loads of supplements and equipment for my next hitch in Yemen as well so hopefully I can eat healthier and train harder when I get back to work.

I may not have many updates for the next couple of weeks...but definitely plan to continue with this log. It has helped me stay focused and I enjoy reading about how others are progressing too!

[brucebanner]

If nothing else, you'll be able to work on your flexibility and range of motion.

davidI, you seem like you would be a good guy to sit and have a beer with, you must be full of stories from traveling everywhere haha.

[brucebanner]

You're due for an update dude!

[davidI]

Originally posted by bruceod
You're due for an update dude!

Thanks for the prodding dude! I haven't been online for the last couple weeks as I've been traveling quite a bit.

I had a great time in Switzerland. I did eat loads of cheese and chocolate but I didn't drink too much and did a ton of hiking. My legs were absolutely killing after a couple of the longer hikes so it was good to work some muscles that I clearly don't hit enough in my usual leg workouts.

Oktoberfest was insane. Way too many beers and calories. At least I ate the half chickens in the tents to get some protein fix.

Been feeling pretty brutal the last few days from the over-consumption and jet lag but am starting to feel better now. Just shows how bad alcohol is for my health.

I went for a 10km run yesterday down the West side of Manhattan and it felt great. It's super humid here so I got my sweat on hard and hopefully got rid of the last of the Oktoberfest toxins that were still in my system.

Not sure what I'm going to do for workouts here but I'm hoping to do something every day. I'm also eating very well here. I discovered the Whole Foods Supermarket. It's a bit pricey but it's a food market geared towards health. A very cool place. I think I'm going to buy stock in them too as I see their company growing really well. It's nice to prepare food for myself again too!

[davidI]

Did the Insanity Strength & Cardio workout yesterday and definitely feeling it today. Going to have to take a day off. I also went out for an amazing dinner & beers last night and great breakfast this morning. I think I'm just going to have to try and break even on my fitness while in New York and start making progress again once I'm back to work.

[brucebanner]

Someone has to keep you honest. :devil:

How's your mobility coming along? Getting to a gym with a real squat rack instead of a smith machine?

Good to see you're keeping at it dude!

[davidI]

Alright, back to work now and time to get back on this. I wasn't overly fit on my off-shift - too much to do in Manhattan! I did go for a few really good 10k runs but otherwise it was a lot of not-so-healthy meals and loads of amazing American craft beers.

Good news is I got my supplement order from Bodybuilding.com and also picked up a body weight scale and a resistance cable I'll carry on future trips for back / bicep work (it's relatively easy to do chest / tricep / shoulder body weight exercises but I don't know anything other than pull-ups and chin-ups for back & bi's).

Today I did a quick 25 minute chest workout.

Warm up with 3 minutes high intensity skipping.

Flat BB Bench
135x12
185x8
205x5
185x6

Incline DB Bench (Max DBs I have access to are 60s so I do really deep slow reps with various grips)
60x12
60x8
60x5
60x5

10 Quick Pushups and 2 Sets of 12 Bodyweight Dips.

[davidI]

Bookmarking this for myself: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/4_weeks_to_big_arms

My arms have always lagged behind. If I manage to put on the overall size I hope to this shift, perhaps this will be my 4 week program next shift.

[davidI]

Yesterdays Macros:

2345 Calories - Goal 3000 Calories

Fat 75g (Goal 83g) 29% (Goal 25%)
Carbs 238g (Goal 338g) 41% (Goal 45%)
Protein 172g (Goal 225g) 30% (Goal 30%)


Update on Supps. Ordered a bunch of stuff through Bodybuilding.com to bring into work since I don't have control over what I eat here (camp food).

ON Gold Whey - I'll have one scoop pre-workout and one in the afternoon between lunch and dinner with a piece of fruit.

Fish Oil - 1g 3x daily
Greent Tea Extract - 500mg 2x daily
ON Multi - 2 or 3 daily.

I'm also taking 1g of L-Arginine 3x daily and 3.6g of Lecithin 2x daily but these are less for the gym and more for the bedroom haha.

I'm going to start taking creatine again while I try to bulk up and add strength. I'm just mixing it with my water and shakes - 20g loading for 3 days and then 5g maintenance.

I've got some leftover BCAAs and Glutamine from a while back so I'll keep adding it to my protein shakes until I'm out. ON Whey has 5.5g of BCAAs and 5G of Glutamine already so I don't really think they're necessary going forward.

I'm also rubbing cocoa butter on my arm pits and inner groin as I've got stretch marks there from past pec / shoulder & leg growth. I'll be rubbing it on my shoulders and biceps from now on too as I hope to literally grow out of my skin and figure it's a solid preventative measure.

[davidI]

Back Day Today. Decent Workout considering I'm just getting back into it.

I did Pull ups throughout my routine and managed to get around 25 or 30 total but over 5 or 6 sets. I need to get back to the days where I can pump out 25 reps in 1 set!

Deads
135x12
245x3
295x1 - didn't feel good...I thought about dropping the weight but then psyched myself up for...
295x3 - felt much better. My grip is feeling week though.
245x5 - focused on the hip thrust forward and pushing through my heels. Form is feeling great. Now to get the weight up...

4 Sets of Cable Lat Pull Downs - varied the weight on the stack but it's not labeled so I never know how much I'm pulling. AimeWent until failure every time...usually between 7 and 12 reps. Sometimes I'd drop the weight and try to hammer out a few more reps.

5 Sets of Cable Rows - same deal. Don't know the weight on the stack. Just went to failure and sometimes would drop the weight to pull out a few more reps.

Did a few sets of shrugs on the Smith Machine. Pretty light weight...only 90 pounds or so.

Back Raises. 15 body weight followed by 2 sets of 10 w/ 33 pound plate.

[davidI]

Yesterday's Macros:
2600 Calories (Goal 3000)
31%C, 27%F, 42%P (Goal 45/25/30).

I hand carried a scale to Yemen and weighed myself in at 176 pounds so I know where I'm at now. I will have to do my measurements soon.

I need to up my carbs big time! I don't always know what goes into what I'm eating (camp food) so I'm probably getting closer to my macros than my app shows as I'm sure there are calories I can't see.

Shoulders / Abs Today

Shoulder Press on Smith Machine (New to my Routine)
12x90 6x120 5x110 5x90

Arnold Press DB
50x5 40x6 40x6 40x5

Military Press DB
35x9 35x8 35x7

Upright Rows (Eazy Curl)
72x12 72x11 72x8

Seated Lateral Raises 15#DBs
9x9x7

Super-Set Abs
Ab Wheel 2 Sets 10 Reps
Decline Bench Sit-Ups 15x10


Good workout. Not pushing the same weight I was before my off-shift but I also had less break time between sets. Super motivated these days so it hsould be good!

[davidI]

It was pizza night last night so I had no choice but to eat 4 pieces of pizza and drink a couple ounces of whisky (can't eat pizza without having a beer or whisky!)

It kind of pisses me off we don't have healthier options on Friday, but the funny thing is that I pretty much nailed my macro percentages...but at 3300+ calories (hard to estimate calories in pizza). Oh well.

Worked Arms today. Forgot my journal but it was a good workout. Hopefully I can make some gains on my arms.

Also thinking I'll start working legs twice a week. I also want to hit the gym every day and just sleep hard in the evening. I need to keep the routine alive out here or I'll end up using my rest day as a party night so I'm going to split up back day too as I always run out of time to work it properly and that will also give recovery time for my legs. Thinking my new split will be:

Legs
Chest / Tris
Shoulders / Abs
Legs
Upper Back & Lats (Pullups, Rows etc.)
Lower Back & Traps (Dead Lifts, Extensions)
Biceps / Abs / HIIT

Just experimental, so we'll see how it goes.

[davidI]

Got my 3000 calories yesterday, but it was 50% protein. :rofl: Nailed my fat % but was low on carbs again. They were serving tuna and chicken for dinner so I just loaded up.

Leg day in the gym and it felt good. Once again I forgot my journal but I can summarize the workout from memory.

Back Squats (Smith Machine)
12 warm-up with just bar
12 w/ 90
10 w/ 140
8 w/ 170
4 w/ 200

My form felt great other than the pain I still have in my shoulders trying to hold the bar (still need to work on that flexibility!) I have a feeling I'll be able to add weight quickly. Especially since today was just sort of a feeler for what I can back squat. On the smith machine, my back squat form feels much better than front squats do. Still wish I had a proper squat rack though!

4 Sets of Leg Extensions (3 Heavy, 1 Medium focusing on contraction to finish).

2 Sets of 20 Walking Lunges (10 each leg) holding 25# DBs.

4 Sets of Heavy Leg Curls

2 Sets of Body Weight Calf Raises (15 Right, 15 Left, 15 together, 10 right, 10 left, 10 together) followed by 100 slow jump ropes.

I'm really looking forward to my next leg day so I can punish 'em even harder!

[brucebanner]

Good work man, keep it up. :thumbsup:

[davidI]

Great article that is making me re-work my supplementation: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/supplement-time-timing-is-everything.html

New Supp routine while I'm Working:

05:30-06:00 Wake up - Whey Shake

06:25 - Multi-Vit (1 tablet) & 3g Fish Oil (3 tablets)

06:30 No supplementation but I'll stick with my regular breakfast - coffee, 6 eggs, bran flakes, yoghurt & apple juice (~1000 calories)

08:00 Green Tea 500mg (1 tablet)

10:45 Large Coffee & 500mg Green Tea (1 tablet)

11:25 Protein Shake, Creatine, BCAAs, Glutamine

11:45-12:30 Workout

12:30 Lunch & 3g Fish Oil (3 tablets)

15:30 Yoghurt & Fruit

19:00 Dinner

20:30 Fish Oil (3 tablets)

21:00 Lights Out

[davidI]

Yesterdays Calories were 3300 & Macros were 33/33/33 lol.

Today was chest day and it felt great.

Bench Press BB
Warm-Up 15 quick reps with bar
Warm-Up 10 quick reps with 135#
200x5
232x2 (I'm sure I could have hit 3 with a spotter, maybe even 4 - felt great!)
221x4
200x6

Looks like my 1RM should be above 250 now judging from calculator results, so I'm pretty stoked on that. Now just need to get 'er up to 315!!!

Incline Press DB (rotating into hammer grip at top)
50x12
60x10
60x6

Flys (slow and deep, hard contraction at top)
30x12
35x8
30x6 (had to stop due to shoulder pain).

10 slow deep push ups and I was spent!!

[davidI]

Another great workout today. Weighed in at 178.4 and then hit shoulders and abs.

Smith Machine Shoulder Press
90x10 140x5 130x5 110x4

Arnold Press (DBs)
45x7 45x6 40x8

Upright Rows (EZ Curl Bar)
72x12 72x10 72x10

Rear Delt Flys on Swiss Ball (DBs)
10x12 15x10 10x10

Lateral Cable Raises
10 each side 2 plates
7 each side 3 plates
7 each side 3 plates

10 Ab Wheel
20 Oblique Plank Leg Raises
10 Ab Wheel

Legs are still hurting today. I may have to do some HIT tomorrow as a sort of leg recovery workout instead of blasting them again but we'll see how they feel.

[davidI]

Decided to take yesterday off. I was really geared up to work out, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew I needed a recovery day. I also decided I'm not ready to hit legs 2x per week yet.

No longer counting calories either. I have a good feel for what 2500-3500 calories is now so I should be able to intuitively hit that range with decent macros.

Hit Lower Back & Traps today. Figure I'll hit upper back and lats tomorrow. Just not enough time in a 30-45 minute work out to do it all.

Deadlifts
135x8
245x3
310x1
310x2
310x1
245x4

Shrugs (BB)
135x12
135x12
135x12

Back Extensions
15
15 w/ 30#DB
15 w/ 30#DB

DB Shrugs (pulling shoulders back)
60x12
60x12
60x12

I'm reading more and more about Wendler 5/3/1. I need to find the e-book and do some research as I think it may be the system I follow. Now that I'm getting back into Health & Fitness reading and research, I've realized I'm still following a pretty old school mentality. I really want to hit my strength goals and the 5/3/1 deloading periods should align relatively well with my off-shifts. More research to do before I switch over though...

[davidI]

Had a couple of bad days. Thursday was poker night so there was Rum & Diet coke involved and I managed to get a French girl over for a sleepover (an amazing feat in Yemen) so I didn't get much sleep.

Friday I had to nap at lunch instead of hitting the gym and it was also pizza night so I gave in and had a couple of beers. Last cheat day though. I'll be solid for the next month (no drinking) but will probably still have to eat pizza on Fridays as there are no other options.

Today was leg day. My goal was simply to establish a squat max so I can start Wendler's 5/3/1.

Back Squat (Smith)
90x5 140x5 190x3 240x1 190x4

Leg Extensions (reps x # of plates)
10x11 10x12 10x12 10x11 10x11

Hamstring Curls
10x75 10x85 10x95 10x85 10x85

[davidI]

Ok, lifting has been going great and I've been seeing gains but the more I read the more I realize I'm still following some pretty old school training concepts.

After a bit of research into the latest programs, I've downloaded Wendler's 5/3/1 e-book, read it, and decided to give it a shot. The 4 week cycles should work perfectly with my shifts (4 on / 4 off). I'll work out 4x per week on-shift, and hopefully manage to do the 2x per week variation while off-shift. I'm going to do the Triumvirate variation to start and maybe adjust it in future cycles. Lately I've been really keen on getting my strength up and it seems people are having a lot of success using this program so why not!?

I'm using the http://blackironbeast.com/5/3/1/calculator for my program. Wendler advises to be very conservative when establishing your initial 1RM so that's what I've done. I plugged in the following for my 1RM calculations:

Military Press 140x5
Bench 235x2
Squat 240x1
Deadlift 310x2

The Black Iron Beast calculator makes this dummy proof (though I don't have a foam roller yet so I'll have to buy one this off-shift):

1 Rep Max Summary

Real 1RM x Wender's Training Max
Military Press 1 × 163.31 1 × 146.979
Bench Press 1 × 250.651 1 × 225.586
Squat 1 × 240 1 × 216
Deadlift 1 × 330.646 1 × 297.581

Warm-up
Foam Roll
30-50 rolls for IT band, hamstring and quadricep; lower and upper back; and piriformis.

Stretching
3-5 sets of 10 second stretches for hamstrings and lower back, hip flexors and quads, and shoulders and chest.

Jumping Rope
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

I won't copy and paste the whole program, but I've printed it out for this month and plan to follow it to a T.

On the non-lifting days, I plan to do HIIT kick boxing, hill runs & insanity cardio workouts.

[davidI]

Day 1 of Wendel 5/3/1 and I'm already in love with the program. Already need to make some tweaks though.

Standing Military Press in a Smith Machine is god awful. I've decided I'll have to start cleaning a BB and pressing it that way. Not ideal without a squat rack but it'll be better than the Smith. I sort of tweaked my shoulder doing standing presses in the Smith today...hopefully it recovers by next week.

Given this, I've lowered my 1RM for the Military Press to 135. Hopefully that gives me enough time to adjust to the new movement. If it goes well, perhaps I'll bump the weight up 10 pounds next month instead of only 5.

Speaking of which, I also realized I don't have 2.5 pound weights which makes it hard to move up in 5# increments. It helps I have some strange free weight sizes like 22# & 33# (KG weights) but I've decided to always round up to the next 5 pounds for now. We'll see how it goes...it may make it hard to only increase totals for future cycles by 5 pounds though.

I weighed in at 182.6 today. Close to 7 pounds heavier than I was 2 weeks ago. I'd guess this is 50% good weight, 50% bad. Feels good though. I'm feeling / looking more broly.

Today's workout went something like this:

Jumping Rope
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

Those high knees were killer.

Military Press in Smith
5x60 5x70 3x90 5x100 5x110 4x120.

Super Setted BW Dips with Chins. Damn my Chins are weak. Been doing too many pull-ups and not enough chins apparently!!

Dips: 15 15 15 15 (shoulder to elbow was hurting so I skipped the last set)

Chins: 10 7 6 4 3. Gotta get these up to 10x5.

[davidI]

Had to take yesterday off. My shoulder was killing from the Military Press in the Smith Machine and I didn't get much sleep.

I'll have to clean and do the Military Press in the future. We'll see how that goes...really wish I had a squat rack.

Weighed in at 181 today.

Warm-up.
Jumping Rope
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

Deadlifts
5x120
5x150
3x180
5x195
5x225
5+x255 = 10 reps. My grip failed. Mostly because of sweat on my hands. I need chalk or gloves for doing this many sets / reps.

Good Mornings
12x45
12x65
12x65
12x65
12x65

I should be able to go heavier, but I need to get better flexibility through my shoulders. Same issue I have with back squats as far as holding the bar goes. Makes it tough to get out of the position after my sets too.

Hanging Leg Raises (Bodyweight)

15, 13, 10, 6. My grip was failing more than my core. I ended up getting on one of those leg raise rack things to pump out an extra 15 sets.

I'm so amped for working out lately, it's great!

[davidI]

Weighed in at 181.0 again today. That seems to be my current walking around weight (pre-lunch, usually after a good piss).

I love the structure of the Wendel 5/3/1. I know exactly what I'm going to do in the gym and psych myself up for it all morning.

Warm-up.
Jumping Rope
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

Bench Press
5x95
5x115
3x140
5x150
5x175
5+x195 = 9 Reps. My left arm / wrist hurt on every set. I think I injured something doing those stupid Smith Machine presses earlier in the week. Hopefully it recovers on its own and I don't have to take time off.

DB Flat Bench
15x45
15x45
13x45
15x40
15x40
First reps are so east...but those last 3 or 4 are killer. I've clearly done too much low rep work historically!

DB Row (Kroc Row)
15x45
15x50
15x60
15x50
15x45

Diet is still on track. I don't know if it's just the training or the training and supps or what but I'm feeling great. Shirts are starting to fit snuggly again. Tonight is poker night here so I have to do my best not to drink!!

[davidI]

Didn't drink at poker last night :gome: and placed 2nd (only $50 - but $200 from the pot goes to charity each week). Unfortunately, it was a late night so I was feeling haggard today and had to nap at lunch.

Tomorrow is squat day so I'll just have to try and get in a good sleep tonight so I can hit it hard tomorrow.

[davidI]

Weighed in at 180.6.

Warm-up.
Jumping Rope
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

Squat
5x90
5x110
3x130
5x150
5x170
5+x190 = 8 Reps. I was seeing stars after so I guess that's all I had in me!

Leg Press
15x12 plates
15x17 plates
15x19 plates
15x20 plates (entire stack)
15x20 plates (entire stack)

Leg Curl
10x85
10x95
10x95
10x85
10x85

Solid workout. Went and layed in the sun for 15 minutes after and then had our 'Friday Carnivore Buffet' so I piled down 2 chicken breasts and 3 or 4 tuna skewers.

Bookmarking this site for future use: http://www.canadianprotein.com/

[davidI]

Weighed in at 180.6.

HIIT today - I got a sample of Cardio Igniter when I ordered my supps from BB.com so I gave it a try. It definitely gave me some energy for the workout, but I'm not sure I'd buy it. A good cup of coffee seems to have about the same effect.

Warm-up
Jumping Rope - 2 Sets
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

Then I just did rounds of shadow boxing and bag work. Hitting pads is so much better but I didn't have anyonere here to hold 'em for me.

I just put in 2-3 minute rounds until I was gassed...took a minute to catch my breath and gave 'er shit again.

Finished 'er off with 100 teeps. Damn those hit my lower abs well.

Went to the Weider Gym in Sana'a, Yemen today (it's hard to get outside our compound here, but our security guy used to lift a lot (he's a big 220#s) so he took me in the armoured car). Pretty nice gym. It's $600/year for a membership, which is pretty expensive considering this is Yemen and the average person only makes $2-3/day. The manager wasn't there but I'm hoping to go back tonight and buy a T-Shirt or something...

Looking forward to Press Day tomorrow...

[davidI]

Weighed in at 182.0.

Warm-up
Jumping Rope
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

Press
5x55
5x65
5x75
3x95
3x105
3+x115 = 13 reps. Cleaning the weight wasn't much of a problem and it felt light. Perhaps I was too conservative in my estimate of what I could push. I'll just keep my program as is for now and maybe bump up by 10 pounds next month instead of 5 pounds.

Dips
15xBW - Elbow / Arm still hurting from last week so I decided not to continue past 1 set. Hopefully it recovers soon.

Chin-Ups
10xBW
9.5xBW (just couldn't quite get my chin there but close enough for a .5!)
7xBW
6xBW
5xBW

This week's total reps was 37. Better than last week's 30 reps. Hopefully I can get it up to 10x5 soon!!!

[davidI]

Weighed in at 181.6

Warm-up
Jumping Rope
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

Deadlift
5x120
5x150
3x180
3x215
3x250
3+x270 = 8 reps. Still having problems with a sweaty grip. Will try to get some chalk or gloves this off-shift.

Good Mornings
12x45# - Still not flexible enough to hold a barbell so I switched to DBs for the next sets. I think I'll continue to do the first set with the bar to continue trying to become more flexible and then switch to DBs for the weight. Good for my grip too.
12x70
12x90
12x90
12x100

Hanging Leg Raises
13xBW
12xBW
7XBW Sweaty grip destroys me on these. I just did some ab wheel and leg raises after to try and round out the exercise. Hopefully chalk will help and my grip will strengthen up soon.

[brucebanner]

Chalk will help or you can pick up a rosin bag. Cheaper and it'll last a long ass time. That and it doesn't leave and residue on equipment.

[davidI]

Yep, hoping to find chalk or something when I am in Miami in 3 weeks. I always see liquid chalk and crap now. I want the real deal. Best part of our camp gym is I can basically do whatever I want. I love working out bare foot. I hate shoes so I just wear my flip flops to the gym, and do my DLs, Squats, Good Mornings, Kick Boxing, Jump Rope all bare foot. I can't see getting away with that in a Calgary gym :)

[davidI]

Random Fitness Fact of the Day:

Origin of "Dumbbells"

Before proper weights entered society, athletes were forced to train their muscles by ringing church bells. In 16th century England, athletes trained by swinging the rope against an imaginary bell, no sound was made, and only silence remained. Hence the term 'dumbbell', a bell that makes no noise.

[davidI]

Weighed in at 182.6.

HIIT Day

Warm-up
Jumping Rope
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

Rounds of shadow boxing and bag work. Hitting pads is so much better but I didn't have anyonere here to hold 'em for me.

I just put in 2-3 minute rounds until I was gassed...took a minute to catch my breath and gave 'er shit again.

Finished 'er off with 100 teeps. Damn those hit my lower abs well.

[davidI]

Weighed in at 182.6

Bench Day

Warm-up
Jumping Rope
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

Bench
5x90
5x115
3x135
3x166
3x186
3+x210 = 9 Reps = ~287 pound 1RM. Personal best thus far!! Can't wait to break 300.

DB Bench
15x50
9x60
11x50
15x45
15x40

DB Row
10x60
10x60
10x60
10x60
10x60

[davidI]

Had a rough day at work last night and ended up getting into the whiskey with some co-workers. Ooops. Oh well, 2 weeks off the sauce is pretty good for me when I'm working.

Had to nap at lunch too. Tomorrow I'll be back at it in a big way!

[davidI]

Damn. Pretty pissed off at myself. Had a couple beers and 1/4 bottle of whiskey last night when playing poker too. I was doing so well with the gym and rest I'm a bit disappointed. It was a fun night though so just need to buckle down again for the next 2 weeks.

At least I got to the gym today for legs. Weighed in at 183.0. I know I'm putting on a little bad weight, but I think my increases are mostly muscle. Still seeing relatively decent abs.

Warm-up
Jumping Rope
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

Squat
5x90
5x110
3x130
3x160
3x180
3+x200 = 8 reps. As soon as I racked the weight I regretted not going for 9. Warm-up reps felt pretty bad, but the last few sets felt great. Definitely getting stronger. I love having observable progress on this 5/3/1 program.

Leg Press
15xstack
15xstack
15xstack
15xstack
15xstack

Leg Curl
10x95
10x95
10x95
Lower back was really tight after the 3rd set and I had to run for lunch so skipped the last 2 sets. Still a solid day in the gym considering my late night last night.

[davidI]

HIIT Day

Weighed in at 183....and again mid-workout after a piss and some sweat at 182.4.

Took Cardio Igniter pre-workout again...I think it was a higher dosage than last week as it got me pretty lit up for the workout.

Warm-up
Jumping Rope (3 Sets)
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

Wrapped up and did a bunch of round on the punch bag. Still need to get my left leg kicks honed in but it's coming around. I worked until I was gassed and finished 'er off with 50 teeps.

Solid workout!

[davidI]

Weighed in at 183.8. Happy I'm gaining weight, but I'm starting to worry that it's not all good weight! I'll cut back on calories over my deload week and hopefully lose weight next month when I'm traveling.

Warm-up
Jumping Rope (3 Sets)
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

Press
5x55
5x65
3x75
5x90
3x111
1+x131=9 reps. I'll be putting the press weight up 10 pounds next month instead of the suggested 5 as I think I started the overall weight too conservatively.

Dips
15xBW
15x+10
15x+20
15x+10
15xBW
Wow, first time doing a weighted belt exercise. Feels so bad ass. I think my new strength goal (after big 3 of 1000 will be chin-ups with a 25 pound weight).

Chin-Ups
9xBW
9xBw
6xBW
4xBW
I felt super week on chins this week. Maybe I gassed myself doing weighted dips. I'll probably rotate the order of dips / chins going forward as my chin-up strength is lagging.

[davidI]

Weighed in at 181.4

I was bagged today as I stayed up late last night watching the replay of the UFC fights and was awoken by an explosion at 6:20am. Gotta love Yemen. Oh well, 3 cups of coffee and I was on my way to the gym...

Warm-up
Jumping Rope
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg.

Deadlift
5x135
5x155
3x170
5x221
3x255 (straps)
1+x287 = 10 reps! Since this was the big 1RM day I used straps for the last 2 lifts. I was pretty stoked to do 10 reps. They felt relatively easy. Using the 1RM calculator, that gives me a max of around 380 pounds. I'm pretty stoked on my progress.

Good Mornings
12xBar
12x40s DB
12x50s DB
12X50s DB
12x50s DB

Hanging Leg Raises
Ran out of time as I had to go for lunch. Deadlift day always seems to take me a while changing the plates between sets.

Pretty happy with the progress this month!

[brucebanner]

Nice work man, keep up the good work!

Did you feel like you needed the straps while lifting?

Leg day for me today also.

[davidI]

Originally posted by bruceod
Nice work man, keep up the good work!

Did you feel like you needed the straps while lifting?

Leg day for me today also.

Thanks. I saw your log update - good to see you're back at it!

Every previous week since starting 5/3/1 I've had grip issues on my last set(s). I think it's mostly related to palm sweat as I've never had grip issues before. The combination of the jump rope warm-up training + 3 warm-up sets have my palms sweatier than normal and I usually have to give in because of the weight slipping. I'm hoping to pick up some gloves or chalk and see if that solves things.

I'm taking today off to study but am seriously looking forward to Bench tomorrow.

[brucebanner]

I haven't stopped, just not updating near as much. I recently switched up from the SL 5x5 program to something else only because I was getting bored with 5x5, not because of lack of strength gains. Likely switch back to a variation of that after xmas.

Chalk or a rosin bag for grip. Personally, I'd stay away from the gloves.

So from the 221lb dead and even the 255lb, was sweat even an issue?

[davidI]

Originally posted by bruceod

So from the 221lb dead and even the 255lb, was sweat even an issue?

Yea, my hands were sweaty at 221 which is why I decided to just use straps for the last 2 lifts.

I've had the same problem every week on deadlifts since starting 5/3/1. Actually, I've had grip issues even just doing stuff like hanging leg raises. Grip strength has never been an issue for me before but I also never used to get sweaty hands so I'm hoping chalk will be the solution. I don't like using straps.

[davidI]

Today was sweet. I woke up just knowing I was going to own the gym today. I've really been wanting to get my bench over 300 pound equivalent and as today was the 5/3/1 week of my program, it was time to go HAM.

All morning I was stoked. Pre-workout I had a cup of coffee and some of the cardio igniter sample that came with my last bb.com order. I don't regularly psych myself up for workouts anymore like I used to since reading a few articles about the negative impacts of doing so, but today was a day where I wanted to go nuts so I pumped the tunes and got the crazy eyes on.

Weighed in at 182.6

My jump rope warm-up routine went perfectly. Usually I'll mess up at least once or twice as I go through the series, but today I did the entire series without issue. 100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg. Perfect. Solid focus.

Time to Bench
5x95
5x115
3x140
5x170
3x197
1x217+ = 10 reps. Using the calculator I use that's a 1RM of ~306. F*CK YEAH. I know it's not an actual 1RM until I press the full 300, but for now I want to stick with the program as written.

DB Bench
15x50
15x50
13x50
14x45
11x40

DB Row (shortened up the rest between sets since I don't have heavier DBs)
10x60
10x60
10x60
10x60
10x60

Loving this program.

Next up is Squats and then it's time to de-load. What a month it has been.

[davidI]

No workout today but I figured I'd do my measurements again.

It actually looks like I'm shrinking :rofl:

I feel bigger / better though and I know the measuring is an inexact science so oh well. I had been hoping I'd put size on my legs / chest / arms though!

At least I'm stronger now than I was before :D

On the plus side, maybe I'll still fit in my tailored suits.

[brucebanner]

Originally posted by davidI
Today was sweet. I woke up just knowing I was going to own the gym today. I've really been wanting to get my bench over 300 pound equivalent and as today was the 5/3/1 week of my program, it was time to go HAM.

All morning I was stoked. Pre-workout I had a cup of coffee and some of the cardio igniter sample that came with my last bb.com order. I don't regularly psych myself up for workouts anymore like I used to since reading a few articles about the negative impacts of doing so, but today was a day where I wanted to go nuts so I pumped the tunes and got the crazy eyes on.


What article(s) did you read about going into the gym in that state? In the mornings before work most days I'm very focused but there are some days that are so intense for me. So focused and big intensity, ready to go HAM haha.

Just curious about the reads.

[davidI]

Originally posted by bruceod


What article(s) did you read about going into the gym in that state? In the mornings before work most days I'm very focused but there are some days that are so intense for me. So focused and big intensity, ready to go HAM haha.

Just curious about the reads.

I just did a search but can't find them. It was likely something on T-Nation.com or Bodybuilding.com but I can't recall.

I honestly don't think it makes a big difference if you psych yourself up or not. I think the big thing is that my old school thought was always to go to failure (psyching yourself up being important for achieving that) but it now seems like researchers no longer believe going to failure is as important and solid programming works just as well.

[davidI]

Had a brutal few days. It's the end of my shift and I'm physically and mentally exhausted. Finally got back into the gym today after a 2 day hiatus for my 5/3/1 Squat workout.

Weighed in at 183.2.

Skipping Warm-Up
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg

Squat
5x90
5x110
3x130
5x170
3x190
1+x210=10 reps. Estimated 1RM is only 260 but my form is feeling better and my chest is slowly stretching out to make holding the bar more comfortable.

I don't know if it was the 4 cups of coffee I had to wake up this morning or what but my guts were going nuts after the squat work and as I wasn't ready to blow my bowels out on the Leg Press, I had to call 'er a day.

Loving the progress I've made with this program though.

Current Estimated 1RM =
Deadlifts = 380
Bench = 306
Squat = 260

Total: 946. Getting close to my 1000+ goal. I'm sure my Squat # will keep progressing quickly.

Next week is deload week so I'll probably just have some very light workouts.

I'm then traveling for 5 weeks so I'm not sure how often I will be hitting the gym. I may try to do the 2 day / week variation of the 5/3/1 but it will all depend on my gym access. Hopefully I don't lose too many of my gains while off-shift but I will definitely be at it again when I return to work. I'm even looking at a new rotation job and one of the factors influencing my decision is that their gym has a squat rack and 100# dumbbells :D

[davidI]

double post.

[davidI]

Deload Workout Today. Weighed in at 182.4

Skipping Warm-Up
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg

Press 5x45 5x89 5x89

Deadlift 5x122 5x150 5x190

Supersetted 10 BW Dips & 5 BW Chins for 4 Sets.

Took some pics today. I'm a bit red because I laid in the sun for a bit after my workout. I wish I had some before pics to show progress but I guess this is a good 'after shot' for this shift. Hopefully I don't let myself go too far while off-shift and can start off around the same place...

http://s11.postimage.org/613auwvo3/20121126_5.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

http://s11.postimage.org/exe2yumab/20121126_1.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

http://s11.postimage.org/66724l2z7/20121126_2.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

http://s11.postimage.org/lsybhygr7/20121126_3.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

http://s11.postimage.org/mwiftx1eb/20121126_4.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

[brucebanner]

Nice work man, looks like it's paying off!

[davidI]

Well, I went ahead and became a fat ass on my 5 week holiday. Ate and drank a shit load and wasn't as active as I'd hoped. I did go for a run one day and spent some time boogie boarding, surfing, and diving, but I was definitely holidaying to the max.

Back at work now and ready to hit the gym. Unfortunately, I was unable to grab chalk or protein or a foam roller so pretty much just sticking to my Fish Oil and Multi-Vit this shift. That's probably ok though as I weighed in at a soft 183 pounds today!! Yikes!!

Tried to do a quick cardio workout today with some skipping and hitting the punching bag but I'm still exhausted and jet-lagged. Back into my 5-3-1 program tomorrow.

[davidI]

Weighed in at 182.8.

I've been trying to 'detox' and plan to lay off the booze and caffeine as best I can over the next 5 weeks. I woke up at 3:30am this morning due to jet lag though, so I had to have a pre-workout coffee. I think I'm going to settle for just laying off the booze.

I'm also going to try and cut as much gluten, sugar, and dairy out of my diet as I can. It's pretty tough since I never know what the chefs are putting into things, but I'll try to avoid creamy soups, cheese, and anything with bread. Tonight is pizza night but I'm considering skipping dinner entirely...perhaps just having a protein shake late this afternoon.

Skipping Warm-Up
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg

Military Press
5x70
5x80
3x90
5x100
5x110
5+x120 = 10 Reps

I was curious to see how much strength I've lost over the last 5 weeks of drinking and partying and lying on the beach and it wasn't as bad as I thought. My last M.P. day before going on holiday was:

Press
5x55
5x65
3x75
5x90
3x111
1+x131=9 reps.

Not a huge difference on the press. I'll compare all of my lifts this first week to see how much a 4-5 week break really affects my gains.

The rest of my workout included Chin-Ups and Dips supersetted (with breaks in between each set). Surprisingly, my Chin-Ups felt better than I recall from 5 weeks ago and my Dips felt worse.

Chins 10xBW
Dips 15xBW
Chins 9xBW
Dips 15xBW
Chins 7xBW
Dips 13xBW
Chins 3xBW
Dips 11xBW

I only did 4 sets instead of my planned 5 because I felt like I'd hit the muscles enough for my first day back. I always used to go to absolute failure every workout but after some reading I've decided not to push it like I used to.

[scboss]

keep it up bro. If you get over 200lbs with your body type you will be a beast.

[davidI]

Originally posted by warcaster
keep it up bro. If you get over 200lbs with your body type you will be a beast.

Thanks man! Not sure I really want to get up to 200 lbs though. I want to remain relatively mobile and athletic...even at my current weight of 180+ I feel a little slow when doing athletics, granted I'm probably at 12% bf right now.

A ripped 180 would be perfect for me I think. My arms have always lagged every other body part as far as measurements go. I need to figure that one out...I've seemingly tried everything. Best gains have been made doing large compound movements so hopefully they'll continue to grow with this 5/3/1. Time will tell!

[davidI]

Deadlift day.

Weighed in at 179.2. Probably a bit lighter since my gut has been off and I skipped pizza last night (no other food options on Fridays and I'm trying to avoid dairy and gluten).

Skipping Warm-Up
100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg

Deadlifts
5x133
5x155
3x190
5x200
5x235
5+x265 = 10 reps. That puts my 1RM around 350 compared to 380 before I went on off-shift 5 weeks ago. Sucks to see the loss but hopefully I'll get back the strength quickly. I used straps again for the last set as my palms were sweaty again. I'm pissed I forgot to pick up chalk on my off-shift...I wasn't able to get to any fitness stores for the other things I wanted, but that's something I could have picked up at a Target or something. Damn.

I need to work on my breathing too. I think I may hold my breath. I don't do that on any other lifts but I was light headed at the end of the last set. I'll have to think about it next time to see what I do.

Super Set Good Mornings and Hanging Leg Raises
GM - 12x45#BB
HLR - 15xBW
GM - 12x45#DBs
HLR - 10xBW
GM - 12x45#DBs
HLR - 7xBW
GM - 10x60#DBs

I've started trying to get my feet above my hands on the HLRs now. Definitely felt a difference.

Also noticed my grip was weaker than before. It wasn't just the sweat this time but I could also feel my forearms getting tired.

[brucebanner]

Nice to see you're back at it, you'll gain that strength back before you know it. I would imagine you'll be seeing more visual gains keeping your diet in check like that. That's something I really have to focus on myself, especially after that week home of holidays I had haha.

[davidI]

Yea, doing my best to keep my diet in check. It's tough as our current chef is French. I'm trying to follow a Paleo / Gluten free diet (making allowances for Eggs, Whey Protein & Yoghurt) but our chef loves putting bread, cheese, butter, oil, and loads of salt on EVERYTHING. I'm just trying to pick around the bad stuff where I can.

I've also been doing a one week cleanse/detox using these pills: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/top-secret-nutrition/4-way-body-cleanse-detox.html

I've had a burning ring of fire ever since I got back to Yemen and started the cleanse. Not sure if it's the pills or food poisoning (very common here) but either way, I'm dropping weight quickly. I've only got a few more days on the cleanse so we'll see if my system clears up after I'm done it or not.

Already seeing my abs again but it's probably more due to the squirts than my training.

Probably TMI so onwards...

Today I weighed in at 180.6 but I had shoes and sweaty clothes at the time.
I did the Insanity Core & Balance workout. It wasn't as intense as other insanity workouts which is probably good since I'm going from sea level to 2,200 meters. I also want to be on top of my game for Bench day tomorrow!

I'm returning to Calgary in February for my off-shift so hopefully I can hit the gym a few times then. I'll also be back in April to sell my house so I should be able to hit the weights consistently that off-shift. That gives me the next 4 months to get H.A.M.

I'm going to do another supplement order while I'm in town too. Anyone interested in splitting a 45 pound order of Grass Fed New Zealand Whey?

http://www.canadianprotein.com/grass-fed-new-zealand-whey-protein-45lbs.html

[davidI]

Weighed in at 181.0

Bench Press
5x105
5x131
3x151
5x155
5x188
5+x209 = 9 Reps or 286 1RM equivalent. Down from my 306 Nov. 21st number.

DB Bench Press
15x50
12x50
12x45
14x40
15x35

DB Row
10x60
10x60
10x60
10x60
10x60

Felt like a good workout today. Hammies are still sore from the last couple of days. Feels great to be hitting the gym again. I love having my tan from my trip as well...brings out the muscle definition!

[davidI]

Weighed in at 181.6.

Just did a quick insanity workout. Cardio & Abs. 12 minutes of awesomeness.

My plan was to go outside and get some sun after but as my luck would have it, it was the exact same time as the first clouds of this entire week.

Looking forward to squats tomorrow. Not sure how it's going to go since my core and hammies are still pretty tight / sore.

[davidI]

Weigned in at 181.6 again.

Squat
5x100
5x120
3x140
5x160
5x180
5+x200 = 10 reps. ~248 1RM. I probably should have been able to put out 11 or 12 but for whatever reason I start thinking about failure and pussied out half-way into my 11th rep. Dammit.

Supersets of Leg Press and Leg Curl for 4 Sets After

LP 15xStack
LC 10x75#
LP 15xStack
LC10x85#
LP 15xStack
LC 10x95#
LP 15xStack
LC 10x95#

[davidI]

I totaled my losses over my 5 week off-shift and it's pretty depressing. Hopefully I can bring my totals up next week.

Nov. 21 Bench = 217x10 = ~306
Nov. 19 Dead = 285x10 = ~380
Nov. 23 Squat = 210x10 = ~260
Total = 946

5 weeks of drinking, eating, and partying later....

Jan. 7th Bench = 209x9 =~286
Jan. 5th Dead = 265x10 = ~351
Jan. 9th Squat = 200x10 = ~248
Total = 885

Gotta add 13% to my current totals over the next 4 weeks to hit that 1000+ club goal!

Those squat numbers continue to disgust me. I better get it up to 300+ this shift. At least my chest flexibility is getting better and I can hold the bar in a better position on my back...hopefully the lifts will improve from there.

[davidI]

Rest Day. Just went and layed out in the sun for 25 minutes.

Had a Salmon Sandwich for lunch though....first bread in a week!

[davidI]

Felt strong today. I think I'm finally over my jet lag and am back into workout form.

Weighed in at 182.6

My jump rope warm-up routine went perfectly. Usually I'll mess up at least once or twice as I go through the series, but today I did the entire series without issue. 100 double leg, 50 left leg, 50 right leg, 100 alternating left and right, 50 high knees, 100 double leg. Perfect. Solid focus.

Standing Press
5x67
5x78
3x89
3x111
3x121
3+x131 = 10 reps. Happy with that considering last week I did 10 reps with 120.

Superset Chins & Dips - Faster reps than usual...doing my best not to swing the body or cheat.

Chin 10xBW
Dips 15xBW
Chin 10xBW
Dips 15xBW
Chin 8xBW
Dips 15xBW
Chin 6xBW
Dips 14xBW
Chin 5xBW
Dips 18xBW

Feels great to be back at it. 10 days of healthy eating / no drinking too. It's pizza night again tonight though...not sure what I'll do for dinner :(

[davidI]

Well I caved into pizza night on Friday, and then lasagna and duck last night. Worst part is, I got stuck in government meetings both of the last 2 days so no workout yesterday and no pre-workout coffee today. I sort of had to rush my routine but it still felt pretty good in the end.

Deadlifts
5x133
5x155
3x188
3x221
3x253
3+x283 = 10 reps (with straps). Back up to ~375 1RM which is about where I left off. Good stuff.

Hanging Leg Raises = 8 Brutal. Switched to the leg raise / dip bar thing and cranked out a couple sets of 15. I was just too rushed.

Good Mornings
12x45#BB
12x45#DBs
12x50#DBs

[davidI]

Weighed in at 181.4.

Warmed up with a few minutes of skipping, stretching and shadow boxing.

3 x 3 minute rounds on the heavy bag with 2-3 minutes rest. Intense.

Looking forward to bench day tomorrow.

[davidI]

Weighed in at 183.4.

Bench

5x111
5x122
3x155
3x166
3x196
3+x215=9 reps. I'm pretty sure I could have had 10 if I had a spotter. I actually held the weight for a few seconds thinking about it but considered what would happen if I pinned myself (no one else in the gym) and decided just to rack it. ~1RM of 294 with what I did, 303 had I put up 10. At least I'm back to around where I had left off at the end of my last shift (306).

Superset Bench / Row

DB Bench
15x60
15x50
14x50
13x40 (fly finish)

DB Row
10x60
10x60
10x60
10x60
10x60

[davidI]

Weighed in at 182.

Skipping Warm Up

Squat
5x100
5x120
3x140
3x170
3x190
3+x210 = 13 reps or maybe around 315 1RM. My rep # is too high for an accurate 1RM estimate...I'll have to increase the poundage for next month!

Leg Press / Leg Curl Super Sets
15xstack
15xstack
15xstack
15xstack

10x85
10x95
10x95
My lower back hurt after the 3rd set of leg curls so I threw in the towel. I thought I may have actually injured it but after an hour it has loosened up and feels ok.

[davidI]

Slept like crap yesterday so had a nap at lunch. Slept like crap again last night but decided I must hit the gym.

Because I've been hitting 10+ reps for all of my 5/3/1 exercises I decided to up the poundage for all exercises. We'll see how it goes. I'm on week 3 this week, and next week should be a deload week, but I think I may max out instead. Or perhaps I'll do the deload and max out the week after. We'll see.

Weighed in at 182.4.

Military Press
5x80
5x90
3x100
5x120
3x130
1+x150=6 reps

Chin 10
Dips 15
Chin 10
Dips 15
Chin 9
Dips 15
Chin 5
Chin 4

Shoulder / Elbow was hurting on the dips again. I don't know what it is. I'd really like to give my 1RM a go so hopefully it resolves itself shortly.

[littledan]

does the 1+x150=6 mean that you did 1 rep, 6 times?

[davidI]

Originally posted by littledan
does the 1+x150=6 mean that you did 1 rep, 6 times?

6 reps.

The way 5/3/1 is set-up is the last set is your only failure set. All other sets have fixed reps but the last set is an all-out....so 5+ reps or 3+reps or 1+reps. In this case, the weight was high so I was just aiming for more than 1 rep on my last set. Managed to pump out 6.

[davidI]

Alright, I've been feeling very much like I'm overtraining right now. I haven't been sleeping well and it feels like my heart rate is higher than it should be at rest.

I'm going to semi-de-load this week, test my 1RMs next week, then properly de-load the week after.

Today I weighed in at 183.2 and did my own warm-up of skipping and jumping jacks.

Then just straight deadlifts without going to failure.

5x155
5x176
3x210
5x249
3x287
1x317

Felt preety good. Not sure if I'll be able to pull 385 next week or not, but that's my goal. I've been holding my hands in front of the AC unit between sets to try to dry them off so my grip is better, but they're definitely still sweaty. I will definitely be buying chalk when I'm in Calgary in February.

[davidI]

I've cut caffeine out of my diet in the hopes that I can sleep better. I love coffee so this is a huge sacrifice for me.

I've also talked to my chef out here and he's going to try and cook me extra fish / chicken at lunch that I can snack on in the afternoon.

Took yesterday off as part of my 'de-load' week. I spent some time reading up on bench though as I've realized that I've always stuck to bodybuilding bench technique. It's great in some ways as I want to expand my chest, but I'm really focused on my strength goals now so I'm trying to learn powerlifting technique.

I'll experiment with it today and hopefully I can use an adjusted form to make bigger lifts next week.

Great article on Powerlifting Bench. Also, Dave Tate YouTube Videos provide great instruction on Powerlifting techniques.
http://powerliftingacademy.com/the-bench-press-exercise-guide/

I wish I had a spotter out here. We'll see if I can get someone next week, or else I won't be able to find a true 1RM.

[davidI]

I tried the Powerlifting Technique today. On a few sets it felt amazing, on others no so much. I clearly still need to practice it. I definitely feel the lifts more in my back and shoulders. I did film a few of the sets so I'll have to analyze later.

Weighed in at 183.2

Quick Warm-Up

5x133
5x144
3x166
5x199
3x227 Felt Great. I definitely incorporated the legs more and it certainly helped.
1x250 Felt ok...felt it in my shoulders more than I probably should
1x200 (just to work on form)

We'll see how next week goes. 250 felt pretty heavy. Not sure if I'll be able to push 300 yet. We'll see what happens next week though.

[davidI]

Weighed in at 182.8.

Just did a quick 12 minute Insanity Abs workout and then tooled around on the bench a bit trying to figure out correct powerlifter form and positioning (with just the bar, no weight). Also got 15 minutes of sunshine.

I received a job offer today to work at a facility with a wicked "Man Gym" (and a nice raise to boot). A lot of the equipment there was fabricated by the maintenance shop so the weight racks, squat rack were built from scrap metal. There is also a 24" box jump, 100# DBs, and a T-Bar machine. Plus I can run out there during the lunch hour (unless they've clamped down on security since I last worked at that camp).

So...looks like I'll be selling my house in Calgary. If anyone wants a rack full of DBs (I'd have to check the poundages as it has been a while) or floor mats or a commercial gym dip bar just let me know. I'll be trying to sell them when I'm home in February and April.

[davidI]

Found out I passed my CFA Level 1 yesterday so along with the job offer, it was a pretty sweet day!! I was 3 weeks off the sauce but had to celebrate so I did have a couple of beers, gins & whiskies last night.

Today I'm tired and feeling a bit rough but did my Squat de-load workout anyways.

Weighed in at 181.6 (Lost a pound of a half compared to usual from the drinking)

Squat (I've started doing Box Squats...I don't actually sit on the box, but use it as a touch and go so I know I'm hitting the right levels)

5x120
5x140
3x160
5x200
3x230
1x260

Next week it's time to test some 1 Rep Maxes!! C'mon1000 Pound Total (I don't think I'm there yet, but one can hope!)

[davidI]

Well, I'm a little pissed off at myself. I went to a birthday party on Thursday night and ended up being wasted drunk! I clearly lost my tolerance after 3 weeks of not boozing and staying up with the expat drinkers was a terrible idea since my body clearly can't keep up with them anymore. I was getting temproary tattoo'd by children, swing dancing with prostitutes, and damn near fell down the stairs on the way home (4th floor apartment). In any event, that led to the last few days away from the gym and me generally sleeping terribly and feeling like a weak $hit!

All that said, it was a good reminder of how bad the booze is for my training! I still want to test my 1RMs this week so despite the poor decision making Thursday night, I tackled the deadlift today.

Weighed in at 182.8. Warmed up.

5x111
3x155
2x195
1x243
1x283
1x314
1x353
1x386 - Failed

Dammit. 353 felt really good...I was sure I'd get 386 and maybe even 405 but it wasn't meant to be. I guess 353 is the 1RM I'll use for calculating my 5/3/1 going forward.

Hopefully I make a better showing on the bench on Thursday.

[scboss]

Originally posted by davidI
Well, I'm a little pissed off at myself. I went to a birthday party on Thursday night and ended up being wasted drunk! I clearly lost my tolerance after 3 weeks of not boozing and staying up with the expat drinkers was a terrible idea since my body clearly can't keep up with them anymore. I was getting temproary tattoo'd by children, swing dancing with prostitutes, and damn near fell down the stairs on the way home (4th floor apartment). In any event, that led to the last few days away from the gym and me generally sleeping terribly and feeling like a weak $hit!

All that said, it was a good reminder of how bad the booze is for my training! I still want to test my 1RMs this week so despite the poor decision making Thursday night, I tackled the deadlift today.

Weighed in at 182.8. Warmed up.

5x111
3x155
2x195
1x243
1x283
1x314
1x353
1x386 - Failed

Dammit. 353 felt really good...I was sure I'd get 386 and maybe even 405 but it wasn't meant to be. I guess 353 is the 1RM I'll use for calculating my 5/3/1 going forward.

Hopefully I make a better showing on the bench on Thursday.

Still a awesome pull bro. Next time don't do so many sets leading to your max so you pull an even bigger number

I always test this way
3x50% of your previous max x2
3 min break
1x old PR
3-5 min break
1x new PR
Repeat till failed attempt

[davidI]

Thanks man. I won't be happy until I pull 405 (but even then, I probably won't be happy until I pull 500+!)

For testing my 1RM I followed this recommendation: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=111029271&page=1

REPS x WEIGHT
5 x .33*3RM (5 reps with 33% of your 3RM)
3 x .45*3RM (3 reps with 45% of your 3RM)
2 x .55*3RM (2 reps with 55% of your 3RM)
1 x .70*3RM (1 rep with 70% of your 3RM)
1 x .80*3RM (1 rep with 80% of your 3RM)
1 x .90*3RM (1 rep with 90% of your 3RM)
1 x 3RM (1 rep with your actual/estimated 3RM)
1 x 1RM (Based on your performance with your actual/estimated 3RM, attempt 1 rep with your actual/estimated 1RM)
1 x PR (Based on your performance with your actual/estimated 1RM, attempt a new PR)
Followed by additional PR's if you feel confident.

Realistically, the first 4 sets were just warm-ups and I don't think I used up much strength on 'em. You'r right though, next time I'll probably do a few quick warm-up sets, then my 3RM, then the 353# 1RM, then hopefully 386 and chase the 405. I probably won't give it another go until March or April though.

[davidI]

Another shameful workout today. I was all excited to find my 1RM on Bench but it was not a good assessment at all.

Weighed in at 181.8

5x95
2x155
1x199
1x232 - I don't know what I did but I tweaked by back on this press. Super strange. I decided not to continue. I guess I need to play around more with powerlifter form if I'm going to try maxing with it again.

Last week, while playing with different lifting forms I put up 250 so I'll just call that my 1RM for now. I should have just gone for it last week.

I've read a few articles about how bodybuilding form recruits the muscles more even if powerlifting form can help put up an extra 25 pounds so I think I'll just stick with bodybuilder form going forward. I don't need anymore strange back tweaks and I'm not going to worry about maxing out again until I'm sure I can hit over 1000#.

This whole 1RM experiment has been a total waste of time. I'll still give my Squat Max a go tomorrow and then will just get back on the 5/3/1 program using this week's results.

Thankfully, in 1 more week I'm off to Spain for a week of R&R (and Carnival!) and then will have 10 straight weeks between work & Calgary where I can get in a solid routine and hopefully make some progress.

[davidI]

Weighed in at 182.6

Squat
5x140
1x210
1x260
1x290
Failed at 310. Pretty close but no cigar.

In total, my 1RM right now is only 890. Certainly much less than I expected and way less than those 1RM calculators led me to believe. Oh well, I've got to take it as motivation to get back on it and train harder. At least I can calculate the 5/3/1 program using true estimated 1RMs now as before I was just speculating on my program numbers.

Onwards. Hopefully I can reach 1000# total by July 1st and a 315# bench by year-end.