Skippy71’s BodyBlog

Well today I’m feelin pretty bloody good about how things are going.  I’m into week 14 now and just a few days off  - at my current pattern of progression - of pressing my own weight.  I can feel the strain some in my wrists and shoulders, but I took some new progress shots today and I have to say the mild discomfort I’m feeling in my joints is worth it.  I’m definitely seeing some results.

I’m not quite in the shape I was in my early 20s, but I’d have to say based on how I look and how I feel that I’m getting close.  The love handles are almost gone and I’m definitely starting to see a start to some definition in my midsection.  I don’t exactly have that nice tell tale line of vein down the center of my biceps yet, but I don’t think that’s too far off.  Maybe by Christmas.

I’ve always been something of a fuzzy little guy - had a full beard and moustache when I was 15 years old.  Not exactly a werewolf, but my chest and belly have had a nice light pelt for as long as I can recal.  So, to help show off my hard work, I did something I never thought I’d do.  I got waxed, chest belly and under my arms.  Seems to me this is a common practice among those men out there who are competitive in the field. 

Granted, I’m undergoing my transformation not for the purposes of competeting or modelling but for the sake of my own health, but now that I’ve done the paste and rip, I can definitely understand the appeal from an aesthetic point of view.  I’d originally shaved my head as a part of a charity headshave event for Children’s Cancer when I was living in Australia and liked the look so much I’ve kept it.  I can easily see regular body waxing becoming the next stage in my continuing efforts to look the best I can possibly look.

Feel free to let me know what you all think.  I’d love to hear your opinions.

Well.  Today marks the end of my 12th week (give or take a day or two) since I started taking my physical health and physique considerably more seriously. 

I think things are coming along great.  I won’t bother with an update of what I did today in the way of my workout, leaving that for the trackers and graphs.  Sufficient to say my weight load is still increasing pretty steadily for the most part and my cardio workouts are getting easier.  That is to say I’m still going the same amount of time (30-45 mins per session) and my calorie burn and distance covered are about the same (3.5 miles = 500 or so calories per half hour on the eliptical) but my stamina is definitely improved.  I gotta work so hard now to get my heartrate above 130 bpm where as just a month or two ago, this workload was enough to get my pulse up over 140 and keep it there through much of the workout.

Not necessarily a bad thing really when you consider I’ve dropped about 5% body fat since I started. 

My weight is still fluctuating a fair bit as I shed fat and add muscle mass so I’m not sure what I should be setting at this point as far as a weight target. 

I’m definitely starting to see some definition in my upper body including the faintest hint of what looks like abs (whoo-hoo!!!!).  I’ve been cheating a little the last few weeks as far as my diet goes (I had a whopper with cheese the other night) but all things in moderation.  Besides, I think at this point, my muscles could probably use the extra calories.  That and I’m reeeeaaallly getting sick of lettuce and raw spinach with light vinagrette.  lol.

Anyway.  The first of November is tomorrow so I’m gonna set the following goals for myself for the month:

Physical Goals

Body fat: 12.5% or lower

Weight: between 205-210 lbs 

Chest: 45 inches

Biceps: 18 inches

Waist: 36 inches

Lifting Goals

Chest Press: 3 sets of 10 - 210 lbs

Upright Row: 3 sets of 10- 210 lbs

Preacher Curls: 3 sets of 10 - 140 lbs

Leg Press: 3 sets of 10 - 250 lbs

Lat Raise: 3 sets of 10 - 150 lbs

Pec Deck: 3 sets of 10 - 160 lbs

Wish me luck.  Cheers

Well, here I am into week 11 of my self-improvement program. I can really feel the differences now as far as how much I can lift, how long and how hard I can go with my cardio workouts so there’s definitely progress being made. The physical changes are still fairly minor at this point (hense my lack of progress photos) but the numbers speak for themselves.

Cardio #1 - Raised Eliptical Machine (30 mins)

Actually, today there aren’t any.  I’d thought about going to the gym for a couple of hours today but I’ve been pretty ill the last 2 days.  Ache all over and to be honest I’m not sure I could get through a workout.  Gonna load up on the vitamins and suppliments today since that’s about all I can seem to keep down and maybe tomorrow, if I’m feelin more up to it, try a light workout and see how it goes.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Not much to talk about today.  Had another day off so I kept going with the super-setting.  Didn’t spend as much time at the gym today as I did yesterday.  My total work out was about 2 hours.  But I went with the longer initial cardio workout and didn’t bother about a finishing, shorter 25 minute run.

My arms hurt pretty good at the moment.  Seem to be plateauing a bit on my bicep workouts.  Barely got through today’s sets and 4 hours later I can still feel my left arm pretty good.  I don’t have the meatiest of hands…rather small for a man my size actually.  I find that as my arms, chest, shoulders are able to move heavier reps, I’m feeling it more in my wrists, elbows and the back of my shoulders.

Anyone have any ideas on what I can do about that.  Creams, wearable supports.  I know few on this site are likely medical professionals, but the voices of experience would be appreciated in this case. 

Cardio - Raised Eliptical Machine (45 mins)

Average Heartrate: 142 bpm 

Relative Distance: 7 km (4.5 miles)  

Calories Burned: 525 calories 

Weights (weight in lbs/reps/sets)

Seated Row: 150/8/4 

Lateral Raise: 120/6/5

Pec Deck: 125/6/5

Seated Chest Press: 150/6/5

Overhead Pull Over: 150/10/3

Preacher Curl: 125/6/5 

Abs: 90/25/4

Obliques (each side) 50/20/3

Tricep Press: 120/10/3

Well, I took my two days off and got right back at it.

Been trying to change things up a bit. Experimenting with different types of training.  Been reading a few blogs on here about how some folks have been looking to boost muscle mass by super-setting.  Higher weight, fewer reps and 4-5 sets instead of the usual 3.  Seems to be working some.  Really been feeling my workouts this week and I definitely think my muscle thickness and definition is improving.  But then, that could just be wishful thinking.

Today was a day off work for me so I really pushed myself and gave my body a different kind of workout.  Tried a combination of super-setting and interval training.  I did 45 mins on the eliptical and then a very full weight workout using a bit of super-setting on my key target exercises (preacher curl, chest press, lat raise, pec deck).  Then did another 25 mins on the eliptical and a couple more sets on each of my primary exercises.

Spent almost 3 hours in the gym today instead of my usual hour and a half and I gotta tell ya…I’m already feelin it so I can only imagine how I’m gonna feel in the morning after a few hours of sleep.   I was impressed at what I was able to get accomplished and having had the extra time, it was a good opportunity to see just how hard I could push myself. 

Cardio - Raised Eliptical Machine (45 min results/25 min results / total)

Average Heartrate: 145 bpm  /  149 bpm 

Relative Distance: 4.8 km (3.0 miles)   /  3.0 km (1.9 miles)  = 8 km ( 5 miles)

Calories Burned: 660 calories / 290 calories = 950 calories

Weights (weight in lbs/reps/sets)

Seated Row: 140/10/3  + 150/6/2

Lateral Raise: 115/8/3 + 12/6/2

Pec Deck: 120/8/3 + 120/8/1

Seated Chest Press: 140/8/3 + 150/6/2

Overhead Pull Over: 150/10/3

Preacher Curl: 120/8/4 + 120/6/2 

Abs: 90/25/4

Obliques (each side) 50/20/3

Tricep Press: 110/10/4

Well, time to start getting serious.  Went and did some shopping, heavy on the vegetables, yogurt and fresh fish.  Also picked up some new suppliments and protien bars to start slotting in every day to help give me that little boost.

I’m getting near the end of my second month now since I started really focusing on my health, strength and how I look in general.  I am amazed at how addictive this all is.  I find, on my rest days, I actually feel guilty…feel like I’m cheating by not going to the gym for even an abbreviated workout.  The money I used to spend on sci-fi and entertainment magazines and dvd rentals are now going to fitness magazines and suppliments.  I find i’m sleeping better….and I’m coping with life in general a little better.

I have no interest in competing, but looking at all the amazing physiques on this site, I definitely want to look and feel as good as I possibly can.  I see people in their 40s and 50s that look better than I did in my 20s and I want that, I obsess over it.

Anyway…This was my 3rd gym day in a row and I haven’t decided if I’m gonna take a rest day tomorrow or not.  Have a dentist appointment in the morning, so I guess how I feel after will largely make that choice for me.  In the meantime, today I added abs to my regimen using a seated pull over machine and added 15 mins to my cardio.  It was my day off, so I had a little extra time to devote to my workout today.

Cardio - Raised Eliptical Machine

Average Heartrate: 140 bpm

Relative Distance: 5.0 km (3.10 miles)

Calories Burned: 700 calories

Weights (weight in lbs/reps/sets)

Seated Row: 130/10/3

Overhead Press: 100/8/3

Pec Deck: 110/10/3

Seated Chest Press: 140/10/3

Leg Extension: 100/12/3

Preacher Curl: 120/8/3 

Tricep Press: 100/10/3

Abs: 80/20/3

Lateral Pull Over: 140/10/3

I really wanted to wake up my body a little bit today, make sure it didn’t get to complacent with the plateaux I’ve been on for the most of the week.  I decided to superset my 2 biggest target areas (chest and arms) by doing my regular 3 set session of seated press and preacher curls at the beginning of the work out, and then, doing it again with the same weight for 2 additional sets at the end.

I also jacked up my cardio workout slightly by running almost an extra kilometer above what I usually do and burning an additional 150 calories above my average during the course of the session.  Of course I had to push myself almost 10 extra minutes to accomplish these results and man…are my knees and soles of my feet feelin it.  lol.

But hey…it was a stressful day at the office and my god the rush from getting through all this felt bloody good.

Cardio - Raised Eliptical Machine

Average Heartrate: 148 bpm

Relative Distance: 4.25 km (2.65 miles)

Calories Burned: 625 calories

Weights (weight in lbs/reps/sets)

Seated Row: 125/10/3

Lateral Raise: 100/10/3

Pec Deck: 110/10/3

Lat Pull Down: 100/12/3

Seated Chest Press: 135/10/3  + 135/10/2

Leg Extension: 100/12/3

Preacher Curl: 115/10/3 + 115/10/2

Tricep Press: 100/10/3