MrEcto’s BodyBlog

Rest days are typically very important in the life of an ectomorph. I, like probably most others, struggle with getting enough. The guilt of not working out or the thought that muscles will be to degrade if not pushed often. However, as I battle those thoughts after resting I never lose the strength that I had when I return to the gym. In earlier years of lifting I ignored the signs my body was giving me for needing rest but now I know when it’s time to chill.

For me the most prominent sign is the results of the last workout performed. Your not quite focused, the intensity is not there, and you just don’t have the up tempo mentally to give it your all or you struggle to meet the reps expected. Time to take a break. On top of it all, if my carbs have not been at a level they should be it is even more of a struggle.

Bottom line, listen to the body and REST whenever possible. The physique doesn’t disappear over night or even if you take a week off.

I am going to take a week off of lifting due to pulling a muscle in my back. Crazy things is I didn’t do it lifting but rather rolling from one side of the bed to the other while sleeping. Bottom line it has taken me out of commission to say the least. I also plan to join L.A. Fitness this week which will be a huge change for me having worked out in the basement of my home for the past 3 years. I am looking forward to the change.

Well I have been converted to a Mac and I cannot believe that I didn’t do it sooner. My new Macbook is killer! You pay a little more but man I think that it was worth it. If you do not need to rely on a Windows based pc give it a try. Now back to focusing on lifting.

I adopted a new routine for the next 4 weeks. I had been training MaxOT style, which was great, but I had gotten to where the body couldn’t take the routine any longer. I had finally hit the weight plateaus and needed change for a little while. I have been eating fairly dirty in hopes of gaining a few extra pounds which has helped in the addition of 5 pounds. I thought I would start a 10-8-6-15 routine with only compound exercises over the next month to change it up. my workouts are 50 minutes or less and I also have gained an extra rest day which is always great. Now, I can sit back and wait for the results.

Eat this, eat that. Thanksgiving, Christmas and those killer gingerbread cookies. If you want to bulk this is the time of year to do it. I know I am. I fell off the nutritional wagon last month of lower calorie intake and have been steady since at just eating alot. However I still stay true daily to my clean choices in my diet.  I had really leaned out over the end of summer and really had hit a strength plateau in the gym so I figured I would fuel the body some over the winter to ensure the muscles were fed. Only time will tell.

Lift Heavy, Eat Big

MrEcto

Oh so looking forward to the next couple days with no lifting! I am in the middle of my 8 week circuit and it is wearing me out. My overall goal was improve 5% in all exercises over the 8 weeks and halfway through I only have a few left to improve on to meet that goal. For the most part it is my compound exercises that are challenging me to reach the goal but I will get there. So off to rest and to cheat on meals!

I have been battling a cold over the last few days. It started on my 2 off days and I really didn’t feel the impact until after heavy leg day yesterday. Within a couple hours after the workout I CRASHED for 3 hours. Not feeling too bad today and did chest this morning. Was also able to go up in weight despite the cold. I truly do not want to jeopardize anything with health or fitness goals but I do not want to miss a workout plus the cold isn’t like the flu where you cannot function at all. Hopefully tomorrow will be even a better day!

Week 2 of the circuit is going good. Again it will be a challenge to reach the 5% goals that I established but without challenge, no growth. I really believe that I have found what works for me in the gym for strength and growth. ‘Bout freakin’ time after 4 years! I think overall the combination of sticking to a routine and diet for a good period of time has proven well. You have to give the body time to adjust to changes and not make too many changes so that you cannot evaluate which one worked.

Well it happened, the 1st workout back from a break between circuits. Wow, that was a killer. Did squats and even though I got a couple extra reps out than the last day of leg I was a little disappointed with the results however the rest went great. This next circuit will be a tough one. My goal is to increase all exercises by 5% which will be doable for most but the big heavy compound exercises will kick my a@@ to get there. I had to back it down on the calorie intake for the balance of the month so that I hit that target. Considering to UP the cal intake next month to help support the 5% goal but who knows what I will decide.

Well I killed my diet yesterday with a big ole cheat day. Was not expecting it until mid morning hunger set in that I could not control. I had already eaten my snacks that I had taken to work and needed more and then a co-worker brought in the blueberry bagels. I had to have one and then another co-worker talked me into lunch, Chipotle my favorite. So then after lunch I eat the peanut butter sandwich that I had packed for lunch and by the end of the afternoon I killed another bagel. After dinner, which I maintained myself at, was all said and done I had consumed 4,000 calories against my goal of 2,600. Felt pretty good actually but I will be back on track today. I hurt my monthly average a bit but I still have some days left in the month to recover the stats. After a great workout this morning I am on to a week off. Felt pretty strong this morning even for the last workout of the week, the muscles must have appreciated the drowning of calories yesterday!