Changes

Early morning… too early. Here is the breakdown: 

Chest: 

Decline Flyes> 40×12/50×12/60×12 

Incline Dumbbell Press> 65×12/75×12/85×12 

Close Grip Bench Press> 155×12/175×12/185×12 

Close Grip Pull-ups> 3 sets of 12 (body weight 215lbs) 

Triceps: 

Press and Reach> 60×7/70×7/80×7 

French Press> 65×12/85×12/105×12 

One Am Pull Down> 40×12/50×12/60×12 

Triceps Cable Extensions> 50×12/60×12/70×12 

Did interval training on the bike for 20 minutes; it hurt like crazy (loved it) off day on Wednesday. 90 days and counting until I am back stateside…can’t wait. 

Had to walk to the gym this morning; some SOB decided that they need my bike helmet more than I did…camp policy no helmet no bike riding. To think that we are in the middle of a war and this a#hole wants to steal my sh*t. Anyway hit legs and lower back this morning here is the breakdown. Legs 

Squats: 185×12/205×12/245×12 Seated Calf Raises: 90×12/180×12/200×12 

Leg Curls: 50×12/70×12/9-x12 Leg Extensions: 90×12/110×12/130×12 

Lower Back Stiff Legged Dead lift: 135×12/185×12/205×12 

Good Mornings: 45×12/65×12/85×12  It was quick and intense workout, definitely got a good burn…now it is time to buy another helmet and keep my eye out for the would be thieves here in Baghdad. 

Seems that each time I get on track with my program…something comes along to sideline what little progress I have accomplished. Last week I was on pass and that was a good thing, came back  thinking that I would be able to hit the gym after relaxing for four days, nope…the day that I came back to work I was told "Hey you’re going to a combat lifesaver class in the morning" just great. Don’t get mean wrong this is a good class to have under your belt in a combat zone, because you never know when you will be called to start an IV or provide some type of medical assistance. I was just itching to hit the gym after class…well that was the plan, but do to the fact that the classroom we were in did not have working AC, along with the 130 degree temp outside; my body was done I was sucking down water every 15-20 mins (liter bottles) by the time lunch hit I had a headache between the eyes and at both temples…Just felt like crap the rest of the day, so I passed on the gym. Next day woke up with residue of the headache from the day before, but I couldn’t let the pain keep on the sideline in class, because we were starting IVs on each other…much fun. Now I am not afraid of needles, but in the hands of untrained people…well that makes me a little nervous.
I was able to start my IV with no incident and my partner did not do to bad, but there was this one guy running off at the mouth about all the combat action that he had seen; the blood, the bodies etc… so he is the chair waiting to get stuck and he I sweating like a turkey at thanksgiving, his partner pulls out the needle and he passes out in the chair…we were LOAO at this point, so the medic hits him with the ammonia to wake him up…he wakes up…see the needle again and passes out again…they had to drag him out of the room. That made missing my workouts go over a little better. I was able to hit it last night here is what it looked like:

Traps:
Shrugs: 180×12/270×12/360×12
Shoulder Press: 85×12/105×12/125×12
Reverse Grip Pull: Body weight> 215lbs
Arms:
Preacher Curls: 95×12/105×12/105×12
21’s: 30lbs/40lbs/45lbs
Hammer Curls: 35×12/45×12/50×12
Back:
Lat pull down: 110×12/130×12/150×12
ISO Row: 180×12/270×12/270×12
T-bar row: 90×12/135×12/180×12

15 mins of interval training on the treadmill.

Well it is Sunday here so it is an off day…Monday will start the grind all over again…Monday leg and lower back…good times

Took some time off for some much needed R&R…Had to recharge from the daily grind. Hit the gym this morning and it felt good!!!! Focused was on chest/triceps/HIIT

Chest:

Dumbbell Press: 75×12/85×12/95×12

Decline Flyes: 50×12/55×12/60×12

Decline Bench Press: 155×12/175×12/195×12

Ticeps

French Press: (EZ Bar) 75×12/95×12/115×12

Press and Reach:(Dumbbell)  70×7/75×12/80×12

Triceps pushdown: 100×12/120×12/140×12

Did intervals on the bike for 30 mins…completed 15 miles (not to shabby).

the press and reach works like this: while laying flat on a bench, hold a barbell with both hands and press once to your chest (like a dumbell press) and then reach over (using a triceps extension motion) then press twice and reach; this is repeated untill the press count is up to seven or more. Had a blast…will repeat again this evening.

Another day at the gym completed…still hurting from it all. Here are the dirty details of today’s round of punishment.

Bench Press (Iso machine)> 270×5/315×5

Incline Bench Press (Iso Machine)> 270×5/315×5

Shoulder Press (Iso Machine)> 270×5/315×5

Shrugs> 360×5/450×5

Iso Rows (Iso machine)> 360×5/450×5

Lat Pull Down> 225×5/ 270×5

French Press> 105×5/145×5

Triceps Extension (Dumbbell)> 80×5/90×5

Preacher Curl> 115×5/135×5

Barbell Curl> 105×5/125×5

Squat> 275×5/335×5

Leg Extension> 200×5/220×5

At this point I can hardly move my body…and i am loving it. On a down note I will be losing my workout partner in a few days…she is heading home…her tour is finished; so I guess i’ll be interviewing for a new workout partner or not. Anyway have a great day.

Continuing where I left off on the 9^th… the afternoon workout consisted on the following

Back and Shoulders

Iso Row (machine)

90 x 10/135 x 10/180 x 10/225 x 10/225 x 10 ( each arm)

Started splits today…this morning workout consisted of the following:

Chest and Arms

Alternating Dumbell Press

55 x 10/60×10/65×12/70×12/75×12

Decline Flyes

50×12/50×12/55×12/55×12/60×12

Incline Bench Press

135×12/145×12/155×12/165×12/175×12

21s

35×21/45×21/55×21/65×21/75×21

Cable Curls

70×12/90×12/110×12/130×12/150×12

Hammer Curls

40×12/40×12/45×12/45×12/50×12

This workout felt great…I was starving by the end of it…I need to get my diet tweaked right. This afternoon i’ll be working on Shoulders, Back and a five mile run. Peace.

The plan was to start workingout twice a day, but that did not workout at all. The last two weeks have been busy…there was little time in the gym while waiting to take my APFT and after that was completed I had to put my energy into coordinating a 10k race for the base…which was today. The race went off with no problems (thank god) The downside was there last minute details that that kept me at the job all night so I am working on little sleep. There was one guy that finished in 35 minutes 52 seconds, a 10k is 6.2 miles; you do the math (just under a 5 minute mile). For some that may be nothing, but seeing this guy come sprinting to the finish and not even breathing hard was motivation for me to step it up in the gym, work harder on my diet and blogg more . This week I am going to add another set to the routine and drop the reps from 15 to 12. Wonder if this will create some visual changes in my body?  I hope to post more progress photos this moth also. Before I go…I visited the gym and was able to dumbell press 210lbs 10 times (105 lbs in each hand) this was a personal best, that came after a two week lay off. Ok time for some much needed sleep…Peace 

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Had an APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) this weekend…I passed with a 270 (300 is the most points you can score) there are three events: push-ups, sit-ups and a 2mile run. I was able to knock out 80 push-ups in one minute and thirty seconds (I just got up after I hit 80) Did 76 sit-ups in about a minute and forty seconds (my lower back was a little stiff) The run was a little disappointing, but I was not the last one in, not by a long shot. Heck I even smoked some guys who were ten years my junior on the run, but it was not my best time…I have to work on that.

I have never met the army weight standards, but I always pass the tape test. I went from 230lbs to 216lbs. My waist went from 38 inches to 34 inches, and my neck went from 14 inches to 15.25 inches. Almost forgot…my body fat went from 22.24% to 19%…The progress is slow and steady.

I have also started doing two-a-days… I do my intense workouts in the morning, a moderate workout in the afternoon and a two mile run in the evening before going to sleep; being deployed has a upside…sort of …