A Peek into the Mind of GeminiJedi

I’m early, it doesn’t officially start until Wednesday, but I figured I’d start now.  I don’t like starting things mid-week.  Call me crazy.

Basically with this I want to do what I didn’t do after my show: gradually bring carbs in and up to maintainence and then to see what adds mass without adding too much fat.

So here are starting values and what my plan is:

Starting values:
Weight: 122.5 lbs
BF%: 14.1%
Lean mass: 105.2 lbs
Arms: 11"
Forearms: 9"
Chest: 33.5"
Neck: 13"
Shoulders: 38.5"
Waist: 26.5"
Hips: 35.5
Thigh: 21"
Calf: 13"

Obviously I would love to increase arm and calf measurements as well, but that will come more in December I think.  I think it’s good that I’m doing this now, and not worrying about just getting as much mass on me to diet down again in February.  I’ll be doing a show again sometime in 2010 so I have time to take the mass-building phase kind of slow and keep it lean.

Diet is based on Dave Palumbo’s diet that he puts his competitors on.  Link to questions for Dave  And another one explaining the diet more

Basically mine will look like this:
Meal 1: 2 whole eggs, 4 egg whites
Meal 2: Max Muscle Triple Whey and 1 tblespoon peanut butter
Meal 3: Grilled Chicken Breast (6oz) and 1/4 cup almonds
Meal 4: Whey and PB
Meal 5: Salmon (or steak) 4oz; spinach, olive oil and vinegar dressing
Meal 6: Shake and almonds

Should be interesting to see what happens!

That’s been me.  So after try-outs, and being told "Everyone expect to be at practice on Sunday" I get an e-mail on Wednesday saying "Thanks, but play in a rec league and come back in the spring." WTF?!?!?!  Seriously, I don’t want to play for that.  BUT it hit me HARD and sent me reeling more than I expected it to.  I had really planned on playing hockey this semester so for that rug to be pulled out from under me was tough.  Didn’t know what to do, was kind of in a daze….it really sucked.

So I haven’t been feeling like blogging lately either.  School is going wonderfully.  I can test out of a class next semester, finish my minor this summer, and be graduated in May 2010 with that spring semester being only my internship.  THANK GOODNESS!!!  I’m really enjoying this semester.  It’s pretty easy, because I live this stuff (the class I can test out of is the Techniques of Weight Training class) and what I’m learning in class I can totally relate to.  It’s great.

Trying out a new diet thing starting next week.  Trying a keto diet, looking to lean out then figure out what it takes to maintain that, then to gradually add back in carbs until I figure out what will add muscle and not fat mass.  When I compete again after graduation I want to be in the 120s at 8% or lower.  Perhaps figure, we’ll see if it isn’t middleweight building (115-125lbs)

Here is my beautiful contusion   Gotta love battle wounds.

Anyone have any ideas/suggestions/tips for cheaper hotels, awesome shows, stuff to do in Vegas?  We’re thinking of going over New Years, and DEFINITELY hitting the Cirque du Soleil "Beatles LOVE" show.  If anyone has any helpful hints I’d really appreciate it

Our server this morning at breakfast looked like a young Mark Hamill (aka Luke Skywalker)

It’s a smidge too warm yet, but the chill in the air coupled with the humidity (ok, maaaaaybe 50% but that’s HUMID for Colorado LOL) makes it smell like snow outside.  If you’re not from CO or somewhere along the Rockies  you probably don’t get it, but whatever.  That’s what it smells like outside *nod nod*

Just got home from the gym.  Yes, that’s our "Friday night date" lol  Has been and probably always will be.  Another grueling night of calves.  They actually didn’t hurt as much today.  What KILLED me today were shoulders and serratus/lats.  So much today that I could hardly lift my arms and a couple times I had to ask my boss to get something from the top shelf for me LOL  The funny thing about that is that she’s a couple inches shorter than I am and she’s usually asking me to reach top shelf items.  It was crazy busy at work (I don’t think I stopped until I sat in my car to go home 10 hours later), so it was nice to get to the relatively empty gym.  Quick workout, too, which was also nice.  About the time the front hit I felt a surge of OUCHIE in my biceps from a couple days ago.  It’s weird, but I’m feeling fronts more than I used to.  I’d like to think it’s just that I’m beginning to be more in tune with my body…..

I’m still on the rocks about competing next summer.  I’m three semesters of classes and an internship from graduating, and if I take a summer class I won’t have to do anything that last semester but my internship, and that sounds REALLY appealing.  That being said, I probably won’t compete again until summer 2010 because I don’t want to be on contest diet during school. And that will give me 2 years of improvements, which is appealing.  *shrug*  It’s something to think about.  I need to get some more info about summer classes and show schedules and what not before I make my decision.

Much owieness!  In a good way, of course, thanks to Doneker.  If you’re in the Denver, CO area and looking for a trainer, check her out! Every time I work out with her I learn a new exercise or two that I bring home to torture Trixter with (gotta turn the tides sometimes).  I honestly don’t think I’ve ever worked out that hard or broke a sweat during shoulders like I just did   Front raises, pop squats (yay!), lateral raises, pike push-ups, and these crazy Superman/butterfly stroke kinda thingies.

It was good chatting with her, too.  I want to compete agian, but will probably take a class or two over the summer so all I have the next spring is my internship, and I don’t want to be on contest diet while in school.  I did get a bit of a recharge in that aspect, so I’m happy

No measurements in a while   I’m not seeing any changes, but I’m feeling them in sleeve tightness in the shoulder area, so I suppose that’s progress.  I’m still having good days and bad days with being happy with my off-season body.  I do know that I’m dangerously close to 15% bodyfat and don’t want to go higher than that.  It’s such a pain in the ass to lose so I’d rather not.   On that note we’ve switched up the workout a bit.  Taking some time off from the pendulum thing to focus on calves (article from T-Nation and linked in Adam’s blog) three days a week, paired with some abs and cardio.  Nothing super intense, but 30 minutes after the workout, heart rate in the fat burning zone (like 120-130 bpm).  Hopefully that will help keep the fat under control.  Needed to officially buy off-season jeans the other day, too.  On a really girly note–I’m ok with it.  I’m back in the size I was in before I started lifting, but at half the body fat percentage so that’s ok.  I don’t ever want to be as small as I was at show this year.  It’s not pretty.  Ok, the leanness was pretty, but I felt so damned small and that drove me NUTS.  I’m happy at the weight I’m at, I would like it to be my contest weight, though, and at about 1/2 the bf % I’m currently at, so I have my work cut out for me.  I’m ok with being bigger than I look.  I like people underestimating me that way.

We had a killer arm workout.  I absolutely HATE eccentric curls, but unfortunately they work.  Got a crazy good pump going, but I am not looking forward to arm days again.  One of those "I’m going to do it because I know it works, but I am not going to like it" things.  I guess it could be worse: I could hate doing it and have it not work.  BUT like I said, it works so I’ll put up with it for another 4 weeks.