TonicWater

Its pretty lousy to admit, but since the age of 16, my arms have never exceeded 13.5". Serious. Not for lack of trying, simply for a lack of understanding on how to appropriately get bigger I guess. In the last year off from training, all that free time in between seeing the doctors following surgery, I had a lot of time to invest in reading into the logic and science of weight training. In the end, I concluded that HIT principles made the most sense. One working set and training to failure.

After only two days of total body workouts with 1 set for each bodypart, I was so tired that on day 3 I feel asleep just before I was meant to train!

But when I woke up 12 hrs later, my hed was resting on what looked like a giant arm to me. In the space of 3 days and 2 workouts, both arms had gained 1/2 inch. I still can’t believe it, because I’ve never seen my arms so big! However, this does confirm to me, that I have finally cracked what I need to do to grow correctly.

Total body training is merely an induction phase, but its also very tiring and makes me feel that the later exercises are neglected in quality. However, its worked. So I see no reason to mess with it. I think the best progress is yet to come as the body parts become split into routines, but I’m still left astonished. Especially as on the induction phase, I’m not even trying to hit failure. Its not just my arms which have grown. A quick check shows other parts have picked up. Obviously, if my body is still bigger a few weeks from now I’ll never again alter my training style. But 4 days in and after workout 3, I know I’ve got it pretty much right now.

Start: 14/12/2008

Deadline: 11/01/2009

 28 Days.

 Its been a full year since I last lifted a weight. I restarted today with Mike Mentzer’s induction routine, with Leg extensions thrown in at the start. I decided to take it extra easy cos I wasn’t sure what to expect. Glad I did, found it very difficult tbh. But know better what I can and cannot do for tommorow. I put the info in my Workout Tracker.

 As for 28 days. That’s how long I’m at home for before I go back to college. Go back on the morning of 11th Jan, so the 10th will be the last day I can do anything at home. I really wanna try shed a couple of kg before heading back, and throw on 1/2 kg of Muscle. I’m certain I lost a lot of muscle and strength, so I hope the changes in a month can be dramatic and I got muscle memory, especially cos I’m young.

 Will see. Certainly was fun restarting. Been missing it for ages.

Been back since Sunday.

Its not going great but better than I hoped so far. Sunday was a good day. But as the week’s slowly gone on, I’ve sort of become deflated.

There’s loads of people I know around. Not anyone I really know well though.

Finding that a bit hard.

Finding a lot things hard mentally right now.

Really wish I had a friend around.

Looking into resistance bands to help me break back slowly into training.

Take care and thanks for reading.

TW

On Wednesday night I was so pissed off I just decided to lift weights again. Felt really great and I think those strong emotions really helped because I was equaling and bettering some weight on certain exercises that I was doing back before the surgery. Will admit doing pullovers was a painful experience. Felt like I stretched the wound!

I’m still not recovered, so maybe that was dumb. But Now that I’m a few weeks out from full recovery, I think I will restart now. Only gonna do the legs but not over work them. Might as well get started then not do anything. The legs been fine for months, but I put it off because the sweating made the wound blisters worse. But I only have the wound covered when I go out now.

Wiped all my old stats out seeing as last time I did weights was Dec 2007. Its practically a complete restart, so I decided to forget everything that’s gone and work a new. Done a lot of reading and thinking it over and I’m gonna train with a few differences this time round too. There was stuff I knew before but ignored.

All my friends are starting work now, and I have to go back to college and finish my final year. I still feel gutted, but at least They won’t see the fat shit I became. I’ll be able to rest better as I won’t be going out as much… well maybe!

So, from the start. Better get my stats measured now.

That is how long its been since i had surgery. I am still recovering too. I had hoped that I could start rehab on June 01, but the wound is still about an inch deep and wide. With luck I will be ready to start in July.

When I started college in late September, I did so knowing it was my final year and that I was in the best shape of my life, (I was 165lbs and aesthically lean) and I was walking in with solid grades to take forward. Best of all, I finally struck gold with my floor mates in dorms.

When I first was unwell, it meant I did not train from December - Feburary. The inability to walk meant I especially packed on the pounds and fat quickly. I could not train in March because my college only gave me a one week extension when I really needed four. I spent all that time under massive stress but I got my work in, only to fall ill two days later. So effectively I have not done any training since December. I now understand what implications that has. I can tell for one I have lost muscle mass. Especially in my left arm and left side of the torso. With the loss in muscle mass comes an accellerator effect. Its increasingly difficult to get away with poorly structed food items because my body is proportionally fatter. The only lucky thing is I am not confined to a bed like last time or the situation may have been far worse.

The most upsetting part of all this has been the fact I had to suspend my degree. All my friends are graduating and will start their careers. I really wanted that fresh start. I am such a different person now to three years ago and I wanted the chance to prove it. Perhaps more upsetting than that, none of those friends talk to me now. Out of sight, out of mind. I still have no where to live when next year starts which is a daily stress. Life has even become so incredibly boring at home now that I have read every book I own. My life literally feels like it is on hold and I am powerless to do anything. I really do not want to return to college now. I already feel lonely and I am surrounded by family. The thought of spending another year 200 miles away from home where I have had some of the worst experiences of my life depresses me.

I still take painkillers. I have no idea what consequences having painkillers for three months has but I am sure they are not good. I am able to move my left arm now. The shoulder feels incredibly slow and difficult to move. I was planning on doing a few weeks of calasthenics before I even attempted weights again. I now think I might have to work the rotator cuff up and strengthen the ligaments. 

Its going to take time for me to rebuild. Two years work was undone in a few months.

Unlike last time however, its not a question of if I can get down to 165lbs, and get under a 33.5 inch waist, but more how quick?

I’ve just had surgery again. Went into hospital two days ago, and was told I needed emergency surgery. I’ve had a chunk of flesh the size of my fist removed from just under my left armpit which has been packed and left open for the wound to heal outward. I’m current typing with my right arm only as my left arm is basically unable to move. I’m completely gutted and have been having a terrible time with health this year. It’s going to take weeks for me to recover. I’m now looking at the very real possibility I will have to suspend my studies for certain and redo the whole year too.

TW

Finished study/work today. Go home on Saturday. So finally, we can get back on it!

Here’s the plan:

1H) Chest - Delts - Tris - uTraps
2L) Back/Lats - Biceps - Legs - Traps
00) Abs + Cardio Run 75 min
3L) Chest - Delts - uTraps - Triceps
4H) Quads - Back/Lats - Biceps - Calves
00) Abs - Forearms - Neck - Lower Back + Cardio Run Walk 90 Min
00) Cardio 75-90 min HIIT Run

H 08-10 Upper 12-15 Lower Reps

L 12-15 Upper 15-20 Lower Reps

I always do 35 rep warm up for the back, then 20 reps.
Where the big movements will be 
1) Bench + Military Press
2) Squat + Back Rows

3) Incline Bench + Other Shoulder mobility exercises
4) Deadlift + Bicep

 Willing to hit the chest a bit harder twice a week cos it recovers faster. Mainly cos you don’t use it in day to day life.

 TW

I’m starting this more as a place for me to keep notes and ideas and keep myself motivated.

I’m 5′7 and a few years back got so out off shape I hit 208lbs and was at a real low point in life. From 1st Aug 2006 I consistently worked until I was down to 165lbs, and was in considerably better shape in general. Recently I feel really ill and was laid up in hospital for a while, had to have surgery in three spots and I’m now behind on work and deprssed because I’m back at 184lbs and while I’m catching up on work deadlines, and not doing any form of exercise and it’s only getting worse.

 I’ve put in my stats today of what my body shape is like. Tad gutted when I saw the results. From April 14 (when all my final year college deadlines are clear,) I’ll be free to do as I need. By June 15 I wanna say I’m 159lbs, but tbh, I’ll be happy to just get back to 165lbs right now.

 My aim isn’t to get big, so it’s more of a get to my target weight then stay around there and refine. It’s just I was 6lbs away from there 3 months ago, now I’m 25lbs away again, plus some added bodyfat. >_<

I might be at home from the 21st, so I might be able to start training again a bit earlier, but not 100% sure there. April 14, I’m certainly back on it. I sort of wonder if I can make a massive difference in 2 months. A lot of my body is useless tubbiness so maybe I will be. All I can think is back to that first month when I started back in 2006, and saw 10kg fly off in a month. Man I was so out of shape then. A lot like now. Wonder how this is gonna go down.

I was never in super shape, I haven’t worked out for 3 months, all I can think is maybe a really aggressive attack on dropping weight and bodyfat now could be real good. No fear of muscle loss, because there’s none to lose.

TW