Inside the Mind of Deserusan

AM Cardio: 1 hour Treadmill

*Warm-Up sets not included

Wide Grip Pulldowns: 210lbs x 10 x 2

superset w/

Narrow Grip Pulldowns: 210lbs x 10 x 2

T-bar Rows: 225lbs x 10 x 2

superset w/

Standing Rope Rows: 150lbs x failure x 2

superset w/

Bent Over Dumbbell Rows: 50lb’ers x failure x 2

Barbell Rows: 225lbs x 10 x 2

superset w/

Dumbbell Pullovers: 60lbs x 12 x 2

Back Extensions: BW x 30 x 3

Dummbell Curls: 40lb’ers x 12 x 2

superset w/

Hammer Curls: 40lb’ers x failure x 2

Preacher Curls: 65lbs x 15 x 3

PM Cardio: 30 minutes Stepmill & 30 minutes Treadmill

AM Cardio: 60 minutes stationary bicycle

*Warmp-up sets not included

Dips: 30 x BW x 2

Incline Hammer Strength Press (wide grip): 270lbs x 10 x 2

superset w/

Incline Hammer Strength Press (narrow grip): 270lbs x failure x 2

Supine Dumbbell Press: 110lb’ers x 10 x 2

superset w/

Dumbbell Flyes: 50lb’ers x 10 x 2

Cable Flyes: 40lbs x 20 x 2

superset w/

Push Ups: failure x 2

OVerhead Cable Extensions: 140lbs x 10 x 2

superset w/

Tricep Pushdowns: 140lbs x failure x 2

Underhand Single Arm Cable Extensions: 45lbs x 10 x 2

superset w/

Overheand Single Arm Cable Extensions: 45lbs x failure x 2

PM Cardio: Stepmill 45 minutes & the treadmill 15 minutes.

Performing cardio tonight was pretty exciting because I was watching the presidential election unfold. To be honest with you, I was a republican turned democrat this election. Normally I’m a fairly moderate republican on most issues but when I looked at the past eight years in politics and where our country stands today I wouldn’t feel right supporting the international and domestic policies. Granted, supporting a relatively inexperienced candidate is risk too, but nevertheless our country needs a leader who brings hope and new ideas. For that reason, Barack Obama received my humble support.

I sincerely hope now that this is over the country as a whole can work towards unification. We need to look beyond race and religion  because when it really boils down to it, that is not what ruined our international reputation or our economy. I read a great book called Resource Wars: The New Landscape of Global Conflict a few years back written by Michael T. Klare. Essentially, America’s reliance on oil has turned us into a hegemonic burden on the rest of the world and has caused the stability of oil bearing nations to get intertwined with our defence policy. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the brevity of the politics regarding oil in our nation.

When it all boiled down to I thought would help us make a faster transition to a “green” economy, Obama seemed more likely. Where is the incentive for big oil to build a substantial infrastructure which could support alternative energy for the masses when they are receiving huge tax breaks and records profits from oil? There is none and what’s worst is that they own the majority of the intellectual property for alternative energy. Republican tax cuts thus far have not caused enough momentum in this regards. They haven’t created economic growth and they certainly haven’t helped America ween off of its choking oil dependency. All it has done has left us fighting a never ending war, caused an embarrasing national debt, and marred our fragile image in the eyes of the international community creating generations of new would-be “terrorists.”

Hopefully, President-elect Obama can bring about some change. I really do. If not, America will continue to slide into recession as the global economy shifts it favor onto less hegemonic superpowers such a China. I put my trust in his vision over the aristocratic failure that is the republican part today. To me, the hope solving more important domestic issues such the state of the public education system, moving to a green energy policy, spurring economic growth, and not rewarding big oil for getting intertwined with an ill-fated national defense policy was worth switching parties for this election placing my faith in Barack Hussein Obama. T

The resounding victory ensured me that I made the right decision as America shouted enough is enough. My how far we have come as a nation. Times like these are when my faith that our country is headed on the right path is reaffirmed and I can sleep bit easier in these trying times.

I look forward to a future in which our country will match its military strength with our moral restraint, its wealth with our wisdom, its power with our purpose.

-John F. Kennedy

AM Cardio Session: 60 minutes treadmill

* warm-up sets not included

Leg Extensions: 200lbs x 20 x 2

superset w/

Laying Leg Curls: 130lbs x 15 x 2

Cybex Plated Loaded Squat Press: 900lbs x 20 x 4

superset w/

Precor Super Squat: 270lbs x 12 x 4

Walking Dumbbell Lunges: 40lb’ers x 30 paces x 2

Single Leg Curls (rest-pause): 50lbs x 12/8/6 x 2

Single Leg Extensions (rest-pause): 60lbs x 20/15/10 x 2

PM Cardio: 60 minutes on the treadmill

As you can tell the rep ranges are starting to creep a bit higher. Building strength is obviously not a concern and avoiding injuries is very prevalent in my mind. Since I’m in ketosis my energy levels are pretty good so I’ve also lowered my rest between sets to about 30 seconds. I know I’m training hard because I start to see transient butterflies and get a little lightheaded. I guess the key to pushing yourself is knowing your own limitations and I’m certainly creeping pretty close at times.

Anyway, I’m now less than four weeks out and getting a bit anxious. Besides all the training and time spent in the kitchen there is a ton of other details which need to get ironed out to prepare for a bodybuilding competition. I’ve been tanning daily, ordered a posing suit, and have been working on my mandatory poses as well as a posing routine. It’s rather time consuming but then again it’s what it takes so I’m up for the challenge.

On another note, I’ll be posting some video blogs starting tomorrow. This will add a more interactive element to my blog so my readers can get answers to many of the questions they have. If you do have any questions feel free to send them to daniel@gasparinutrition.com and we’ll get the ball rolling. These can be about nutrition, supplementation, training, or even personal questions about me.  You can also ask questions in the comment field of my blog. They don’t appear right away because I get spammed a lot so I have to approve them. If they are legit you should see them in a day or so.

In a nutshell, HIIT training forces skeletal muscle to increase mitochondria. In doing so, and as AMPk reduces malonyl-CoA, CPT system activity increases allowing for increased fatty acid oxidation. The increase in mitochondrial biogenesis and CPT activity effectively raises BMR which burns more calories throughout the day as well as fatty acids. There is a lot more to it, but that’s the basics.

Now some people may say it’s not good to do HIIT on weight training days but I beg to differ. From personal experience, I’ve actually done dual HIIT training session in a day with each session followed by 30 minutes of steady state cardio. I do this after a weight training session. The reason being, glycogen levels are low or in my case, non-existent. If your diet is perfect, you will not go catabolic as some people fear with HIIT.

Now a HIIT program is pretty straigtforward. For beginners I’ll typically recommend 10 x 30 second max effort construct. This involves a 5-10 minute warm up of the same activity you’ll be performing at max effort. The reason you don’t want to differ exercises is because you want to properly warm up the same muscle groups, connective tissues, etc for the high stress about to placed on them. After the warm up, you then do the exercise whether it be sprinting, biking, an elliptical (my personal choice), etc for 30 seconds and then at a moderate pace for 60-90 seconds. You repeat this ten times.

As you progress, you can add time up to about 60 seconds for your max effort exercise. You can also add max effort intervals as well. At the height of my current cutting regimen I was doing twenty max effort intervals twice per day followed by 30 minutes of steady state cardio 6 times per week. Needless to say, with proper supplementation I’ve lost 52lbs so far and am presently extremely muscular. Right now I’ve backed off because I’m where I need to be and am just coasting because my bodyfat levels are pretty low.

Let me know if you have any questions. Lyle McDonald lays out a pretty good detailed explanation in The Stubborn Fat Solution. I highly recommend it.