Michael Thomas’ BodyBlog

It is so good to be walking and being able to do some of the things I love.  I spent quite a bit of my time in a wheel chair or crutches.  I have been walking for about 16 weeks.  I can promise you I will never take walking for granted again.  Going through some of my pictures I found some pics from that time period I thought I would post. 

The blue wrap was a ice pack that I could pump ice into the wrap to keep the knee elevated.  If I didn’t keep the knee elevated the thing would really swell.

Now things are great as you can read from my posts.  I am on my way back.

MichaelThomasonline.com adI am totally excited about my new ad in Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness.  The ad looks absolutely great.  The ad advertises my online consulting and contest prep services.  I love helping others achieve their goals.  Hopefully I can find a way to attach the ad on here.  The document is pretty large and its a pdf file so I am not sure if I can downsize it. 

Do you guys know how to make a pdf file smaller to post? 

Yesterdays workout was awesome. My lats are really sore as well as my biceps. 

Got up early this morning to hit the gym.  Got to the gym a little before 5am.

Here is what went down.

Pulldowns 255lbs for 37 total reps in a 9 minute time Zone

Hammer Strength Iso Row  135 lbs per arm 30 total reps in 4 minute zone

Posterior Delt Machine  190 lbs for 30 reps in 4 minute zone

1 arm smith shrugs  135 lbs 40 total reps per arm in 4 minute zone

Seated Dumbbell Curls at same time.  50 lb dumbbells 8,2 on the second set felt a sharp pain in my brachioradialis so decided to move to a machine curl.

Strive machine curl 55 lbs on middle horn  55 reps in 7 minute zone

Rest intervals between exercises is usually around 2 minutes.  Just enough time to rack the weights and get to the next station. 

Great workout.  My right arm is feeling fine now.  I’ll wait till next week and assess if the dumbbell curls will be included. 

Was out of the gym by 550 am on my way to work.  Busy day planned with clients and online consults. 

Have a Great Day and Stay Strong,

Michael

I usually use Sundays as my day to prepare my food and plan my workouts for the week.  I enjoy spending some time with my son.  He is 15 months old and a hoot.  I have several projects I am working on.  We will launch a third book later this winter which will be Volume 3 of the Leave No Doubt Training systems.  The first 2 books have been a huge success which can be purchased through my site. 

Tommorow’s training is Back, Biceps, Traps, forearms and I can’t wait.  I’ll get up about 415 am.  I should be able to get to the gym a little before 5 am.  Then rush across town to go to work at another gym where I train clients.  A lot of people ask me why I don’t train at the same gym I work.  Well, usually if I do that I get nothing accomplished.  Everyone is saying Hey and whats up?  When I get to the gym I am focused on the task at hand.  Get in and get out is my motto.  Intense, focused effort. 

Peace Michael

Off season Plan to stay lean and gain back lost muscle plus some. 
Meal 1 1 cups oats 2 scoops MTP Protein Blend   P62  C 56  F 6
Meal 2 1/4 serving of Serious Mass with 1 scoop protein 2 grams of flax P 38 C 60 F 5
Meal 3 same as 2  "
Meal 4 same as 2 "
Meal 5 Foot Long Subway Sandwich with Sun Chips  P 45   C 125   F 20
Meal 6 1 cup oats 1.5 scoops MTP Protein Blend  P 52  C 55 F 6
Meal 7 Protein Pancakes (Thanks Mandy)  1 cup oats, 1.5 scoops protein ,.5 cup apple sauce cinnamon .
P 50  C 70  F 5
Snacks Through out the day 2 Apples or 2 servings of Fruit.    C 45
Totals for the day
Pro 323   Carbs 531  Fat 52

Don’t try this at home unless you have a great metabolism.  On Days I don’t train we will probably cut the sandwich in half. 

I sure hope I am back Chris and James.  I am sort of excited but apprehensive.  I have an expensive left knee that I must take care of.  I hope this bad boy lasts.  Peace MT

The following is day 3 of my current training split.  This workout is usually per formed on friday.  The following is my workout for last Friday.
Workout time 5 am
Quads. Hamstrings abs Calves
Workout will consist of 2 sections.  One section will focus on the right leg and the other section will focus on the left leg which is the leg in which I had the transplant.
Ab Machine. 170 lbs 4 min Zone. 12 12 10 10 10
Right leg leg preses. 9 min Zone. 190 lbs for 12 15 15 12 12 12 12 12 15 15
Left leg Reverse lunges.9 min Zone. 25 lb dumbbells. 10 10 10 10 10 10 8 8 8 10
1 leg standing calf raises. 60 lbs 4 min zone 15 10 10 10 10
Calf Slide machine. 180 lbs 4 min Zone. 50 30 20 20 20. Those reps were brutal!!
Back extensions. 4 min Zone. 20 20 15 15 16

Great workout.  The knee I coming along nicely for being 27 weeks out.  As you can see I generally have to keep my rep ranges high for leg work.  However those sets are all out effort.  

As with all the workouts listed earlier every set is taken at or very close to failure.  I like to train heavy and fast on upper body.  Lower body is different but none the less intense.  

Right now my program consists of no cardio.  I just don’t have the recovery space with my knee.  I should be getting a pretty good cardio effect from the limited rest intervals.  

I really like EDT because it is very focused.  You know exactly what you have to do to improve from week to week.  For example if one week I performed 90 total reps with 135 lbs in a 9 min zone then to improve I must find a way to get more than 90 reps in that same 9 min time zone.  You have to budget your rest intervals and reps to improve the amount of work done.  

EDT Trial for you.
Pull up trial
Set your stop watch at 10 minutes.  Do as many pullups as possible in that 10 minutes.  Then a week or so later try to improve the number of pullups done in that 10 minute time period.  That’s the basis of the system.  Awesome workouts.  
Well that’s it for now.

Peace
Michael

Day 2 of Current Training Program
Chest Shoulders. Triceps
Flat Hammer Machine Presses. 9 min Zone
135 per arm 8 8 6 6 5 5 5 5 3 3
Decline Hammer Machine. 135 per arm 4 minute zone 10 8 8 7 6
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
185 lbs 4 min zone. 8 7 6 5 5
Lateral Raises seated. 35 lb dumbbells. 4 min zone 10 8 8 8 7
Close Grip Presses. 185 lbs 4 min zone. 8 8 7 7 7
Rope pushdowns. 70 lbs. 10 10 10 8 8 8 4 min zone

After each exercise or zone I usually have a couple minutes rest to get to the next exercise.  

Michael

Currently my training program is based on Charles staley’s EDT.  I really like training this way.
Currently training 3 days per week on Monday Wednesday and Friday.
Monday
Back, Biceps, Posterior Delts, Traps, forearms
Pulldowns time frame 9 minutes 255 lbs for 8 8 7 6 6 5 5 5 4 3
Hammer strength iso row. 135 per arm 10 8 8 8 6 in 4 min
Shrugs 1 arm in smith machine. 135 for 15 12 13 12 12
Posterior Delt machine stack for 10 10 8 8 6 in 4 minutes
Seated Dumbbell Curls. 50 lb dbels for 8 8 7 6 6 in 4 minutes
Curl Machine. 120 lbs for 12 12 10 10 8
Wrist curls and wrist ext 2 sets

Done with monday.
Ill update my other two workouts later.

Michael

This blog will be devoted to my comeback from a bone and cartilage transplant I had in mid March.  I had a major knee problem which caused a defect of the articular cartilage in the trochlea of my left femur.  I was non weight bearing for 12 weeks.  Currently I am about 26 weeks out and have been cleared to slowly start strength training again. 

Follow my progress as I not only try to return to the WNBF but to place in the top 5.  Before the surgery I had placed 4th in the 06 Pro International and expect nothing but that or better.  My goal is to return by next year if at all possible.

Have a Great Day and Stay Strong,
Michael