*warm-up sets not included

Dumbbell Laterals: 60lb’erss x 8 x 2

Superset w/

Dumbbell Upright Rows: 60lb’ers x 8 x 2

Smith Military Press: 315lbs x 4 drop 225lbs x failure drop 135lbs x failure

Rear Delt Pec Dec: 150lbs x 8 x 2

Seated Machine Laterals: 130lbs x 8 drop 90lbs x failure drop 50lbs x failure

Front Dumbbell Shrugs: 110lb’ers x 8 x 2

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Side Dumbbell Shrugs: 110lb’ers x 8 x 2

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Behind the Back Plate Shrugs: 45lb’ers x failure x 2

Barbell Shrugs: 405lbs x 12 x 2

What can I say? I’m REALLY flipping sore right now. Walking, standing up, bending over are a real pain in the ass (no pun intended). I think the overkill points of my last leg workout were the quadruple drop set of squats and the walking barbell lunges to top of the workout. I figured I’d go all out since I’m only training legs once per week now. My strength and stamina were certainly increased so I feel this will be better course of action being 17 weeks out. Go BIG or go home!

 
Shoulder training on the other hand isn’t as challenging. I am doing more trap training to get the thickness back. I really didn’t train them for most of the offseason because they grow too fast.

*warm up sets not included

Leg Press: 1180lbs x 12 x 2

Single Leg Press (rest pause): 180lbs x 10,6, 4

Smith Squats: 495lbs x 6 drop 315lbs x failure drop 225lbs x  failure drop 135lbs x failure

SLDL: 225lbs x 8 x 2

Laying Leg Curls: 165lbs x 8 x 2

Single Leg Curls (rest pause): 50lbs x 8, 6, 2

Walking Barbell Lunges: 135lbs x failure

My gym is full of some pretty big guys. However, only about 2% of them actually train legs. It’s probably why most of them where pants in the gym. Regardless, I get a lot looks when I train legs especially when I was doing Coleman style walking barbell lunges. It’s sort of distracting actually.

Vanessa injured her calf so it was painful to watch her train through the injury. She was doing some stationary HIIT training by swinging a dumbbell through her legs and then raising it straight up in the air. She looked pretty wiped out after the first sets and I saw her grimacing in pain a bit. I guess know is the time to turn off the brain and just push forward. The injury is just a strain otherwise I’d probably tell her to chill out as opposed to forge ahead.

*warm up sets not included

Rope Extensions: 140lbs x 8 x 2

superset w/

Cambered Bar Cable Curls: 140lbs x 8 x 2

Overhead Dumbbell Extensions: 120lbs x 8 x 2

superset w/

Seated Dumbbell Curls: 45lbs x 8 x 2

Hammer Strength Preacher Curls: 70lbs x failure x 2

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Reverse Grip Skull Crushers: 70lbs x failure x 2

The past few days have been very busy for me so I apologize for the lack of blog updates. I’m used to walking five minutes to get to my job and now I’m riding the subway or driving in very high volume commuter traffic.

On the flipside, I’ve been busy doing research which will hopefully translate into a project down the road. However, I did take Sunday off and enjoyed the day at my good friend’s pool. Unfortunately, began that journey somewhat pale and left rather sunburned.

AM Elliptical H.I.I.T & Calves

-5 minute warm up

-Ten 30 second 100% effort intervals

-Ten 60 second 50% effort intervals in between the 100% intervals

Seated Toe Presses: 225lbs x 20 x 4

Rotary Toe Press: 290lbs x 20 x 4

Single Leg Rotary Toe Press: 100lbs x failure  

PM Chest and Triceps Training

Hammer Strength Incline Press: 360lbs x 6 x 2

Supine Dumbbell Press: 130lb’ers x 6 x 2

Supine Hammer Strength Bench (6 second negs): 180lbs x 8 x 2

Fly Machine: 200lbs x 10 x 2

Single Arm Cable Crossovers: 70lbs x failure x 2

Rope Extensions: 140lbs x 10 x 2

Reverse Grip Cable Extensions: 120lbs x failure x 2

As you can tell I just added in some HIIT training which stands for High Intensity Interval Training. The purpose of this style of cardio is not to turn burn a lot of calories over a long duration of time. Rather, it is to increase your basal metabolic rate (BMR) throughout the day for a greater net calories burned. It also helps augment nutrient partitioning pretty much ensuring available dietary carbohydrates will be utilized by skeletal muscle as opposed to being stored for fat.

Typically, sprinting would be the best mode of HIIT training. However, I’m still well above 250lbs and have bad knees from years of soccer, football, and  competitive tae kwan do. I’m prone to knee injuries while running or even jogging so performing this on an elliptical machine will suffice as it is practically zero impact. Other modes such as a rowing machine, stationary bike, and even swimming will work too.

For a more in depth discussion explaining the biochemical advantages of HIIT training please read these articles.

Sprinting: The Purest and Most Powerful Physique-Shaper In An Athlete’s Arsenal Part I

Sprinting: The Purest and Most Powerful Physique-Shaper In An Athlete’s Arsenal Part II

*warm-up sets not included

SLDL: 285lbs x 8 x 2

Hack Squats (narrow feet): 450lbs x 8 x 2

Front Squats: 285lbs x 8 x 2

Laying Leg Curls: 160lbs x 8 x 2

Stationary Dumbbell Lunges (per leg): 80lb’ers x 10 x 2

Single Leg Curls: 70lbs x failure x 2

Leg Extensions: 250lbs x failure

This was a pretty piss poor leg workout from a strength standpoint. I’m guessing it’s due to the fact I’ve been moving which has involved carrying large pieces of furniture up to flights of stairs. Normally, that wouldn’t be a big deal but when you are only getting 30 grams of carbs a day at over 250lbs it’s a bit of chore. To level with you, everything seems like a chore at that weight.

On the flipside, I’ve finalized my work schedule for the rest of the month which will allow me to visit some of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Long Island. This should make for interesting travels because I don’t know my way around really except for the block I live on. I’m also not used to the smell of the subways in the summertime either!

The one great thing about living in Brooklyn though is the great meats and produce I have access to. Everywhere I’ve ever lived I normally did my shopping in a supermarket. Here I have access to numerous fish markets, butchers, produce stores, and a HUGE variety of authentic ethnic food. I wish I could enjoy more of the restaurant scene but for the time being I’ll be only allowed one meal out per week, if I reach my weight loss goal. I guess that means I’ll just have to bust my ass hard for some food with real flavor instead of the typical lightly seasoned fish, chicken, and lean beef. Man it gets old fast so bring on the pizza! I walk by Lenny’s Pizza everyday and it’s torture!!!

*warm up sets not included

Dumbbell Curls: 50lb’ers x 8 x 2

superset w/

Overhead Dumbbell Extensions: 50lb’ers x 8 x 2

Laying Cambered Bar Cable Curls: 130lbs x 8 x 2

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Cable Rope Extensions: 130lbs x 10 x 2

Hammer Preacher Curls: 75lbs x 8 x 2

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Overhead Rope Extensions: 130lbs x 8 x 2

Reverse Curls: 60lbs x failure x 2

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Reverse Grip Bench Press (Smith): 275lbs x failure x 2

Incline Bench Sit-ups: BW x 20 x 6

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Vertical Leg Raises: 15 x 6

This was my first workout in my new gym here in New York. While this facility doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of my last facility it certainly is more of a lifter’s gym. Over the past few days I’ve done nothing but drive across country and haul boxes up and down the stairs which was actually decent but unorthodox training. However, it was really difficult since I’m dieting on practically no carbs.

Right now I’m focusing on getting my home office set up and getting up to speed on my role with Gaspari Nutrition out here. It’s a much different world in NYC then the Midwest so I look forward to the challenges. I was here for less than 24 hours and already got flicked off by some guy trying to cut me off.

*warm up sets not included

SLDL: 285 x 8 x 2 

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Leg Extensions: 300lbs x 12 x 2 

Narrow Stance Squats (Smythe): 545lbs x 8 x 2 

Bulgarian Split Squats: 180lbs x 8 x 2/2 

Leg Press: 1080lbs x 20 x 2 

superset w/ 

Laying Leg Curls: 180lbs x failure x 2 

Since I’m cutting I’ll be doing more back squats using a Smythe machine. The reason being, I can focus more on hamstrings with these as my quads are fairly dominant. I need to balance the two out a bit more for side chest and tricep poses. Also, I’ll be monitoring my waist size a bit more.

    

While the Smythe machine isn’t great for beginner lifters packing on fresh mass, I do feel it is beneficial to the advanced lifter trying to avoid injury while lifting heavy and keeping their waist trim. The force applied in the Smythe is generally in the vertical plane which allows a greater focus on the legs as opposed to heavy forces in the horizontal plane shifting some emphasis and energy expenditure to the core muscle groups. This is why I don’t recommend this type of squatting to beginners as they still need to develop a solid core and should be less worried with nuances of physique competition.

Bulgarian Split Squat

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