erikj’s BodyBlog

Really sticking to my diet…I started a log on Fitday.com so it is easier.  I am consuming all my carbs pre and PWO, only other carbs are veggies.  I have found that as long as I consume carbs around my workout and no other time, and i am keeping my good fat intake high, that I can function pretty well and I really don’t need them any other time.  I believe this is really going to help me lean out to where I want.

For Week 4 all exercises are performed in antagonistic fashion(supersetted)

Highbar Squats(I am making sure I can extremely deep in my squats) weight is important but only with proper form./Weighted Pullups Close Grip

135×10 warmup/pullupsx10 bodyweight

275×3 (lowered weight to go deeper and keep back more straight)/15lbs+BWx5 60 secs rest
225×5 /15lbs+BWx5  60 secs rest
225×5/15lbs+BWx5   60 secs rest
225×5/15lbs+BWx5   60 secs rest

255×5/15lbs+BWx5   60 secs rest
Deadlift/Military Shoulder Press

135×10 warmup/45lb barbell warmup

275×5/70×5     60 secs rest
275×5/70×5     60 secs rest

275×5/70×5     60 secs rest

275×5/70×5     60 secs rest

Dumbbell Curls/Skulls Crushers

50lbsx5/100×5  60 secs rest

50lbsx5/100×5  60 secs rest

50lbsx5/100×5  60 secs rest

50lbsx5/100×4+negative lost it at the neg  60 secs rest

Good workout overall, only bad part is that I forgot my Surge Shake at home and so the only carbs I really had for energy all were veggies.  Usually I drink 1/2 a shake to get some glucose for energy, so I was a little weaker.  My one question is about goign heavier on deads.  I know I can go much heavier, but I am always worried about the lowering portion of the lift.  I worry that I am not strong enough to keep my shoulders back and arch in my back during this portion of the lift.  So I know I can pull it, but if I don’t feel that I can lower the weight in good form I probably shouldn’t try heavier.  I think I could go another 50-75lbs heavier.

Buying a jump rope today for HIIT on off days.

Took Sunday off to recover and chill….had a high carb day on Sunday…breakfast I had a 3 eggs skillet with hashbrowns, ham, onions, peppers, and 3 pancakes w/ reg syrup.  Bad I know but it was my one cheat meal.  Everything else was healthy.  I ate eggs w/ turkey bacon 3 times on Sunday.

Today’s Workout: 1/2 Serv of Surge
Front Squat (ATG)   3 sets 15 reps each

135×15 120 secs rest
145×15 120 secs rest
145×15 120 secs rest

I’m not sure what happened but I had a shitty chest workout weight wise.  I think my delts were wiped from holding up the weight on front squats.

 DB Flat Bench  3 sets 15 reps each
80×10 dropped weight 70×5   120 secs rest
70×12  dropped weight 65×3   120 secs rest
60×8 dropped weight  55×7    120 secs rest
not sure what happened but weak as shit.  Probably should have started at 65lbs or something…my strength had dramatically increased but my workload(reps have decreased).  I would gander that by the 6th week is when I will really start to see gains in this program.
BW Pullups

BW x 12 +3+1+1  120 secs rest

BW x10+3+1+1    120 secs rest

BW x 7+3+3+1+1 120 secs rest

Stiff-Leg Deads Snatch Grip

(still going light on these, I can go much heavier, but I am trying to get a good stretch in my hams and then keep back straight and pull and squeeze my glutes)  I could add two more 45 plates I think and maintain form)

135×15  120 secs rest
135×15  120 secs rest
135×15  120 secs rest
Side Laterals

20×15  120 secs rest
20×15  120 secs rest
20×15  120 secs rest

Seated Calf Raises

90×15   120 secs rest
90×15   120 secs rest
90×15   120 secs rest

2nd half serving of Surge Recovery

Can’t wait until Wednesday to start Week 4!

This morning I did 8 sprints 30 secs fullout sprint followed by 90 secs rest followed that 8 times, almost got hit my a car.  Was gassed, came home and had water, coffee, 4 whole eggs, and 3 pieces of turkey bacon, 2 pieces of low carb breads (16 total carbs). Yumm..

Only carbs are plain veggies(broccoli, spinach, green beans), and Biotest Surge Recovery half serving pre-workout and 1/2 serving PWO.

Wide Grip Chins(pronated grip no straps)

1×8 90secs rest

1×8 90secs rest

1×8 90secs rest

1×8 90secs rest

ATG Highbar Squats (have been focusing on squating deep keeping chest out and exploding up w/ no lockout)

135×10 warmup

set  225×8 90 secs rest

245×8 90 secs rest

245×8 90 secs rest

245×8 90 secs rest

Standing Barbell Military Press

135×8 90 secs rest

135×8 90 secs rest

135×8 90 secs rest

135×6 90 secs rest

115×3

95×2
Deadlifts (getting much better at form, flat back,  pronated grip)

135×10 warmup set

245×8 can go heaver but keeping form strict

245×8 90 secs rest
245×8 90 secs rest
245×8 90 secs rest
245×8 90 secs rest

2 Iso exercises allowed

Alternating DB curls

45×8 90 secs rest
45×8 90 secs rest
45×8 90 secs rest
45×8 90 secs rest

Cable Crossovers

50×10 90 secs rest
70×8 90 secs rest
70×8 90 secs rest
70×8 90 secs rest

So after 3 years of finally getting back into "decent" shape and I use that word cautiously, I started Waterbury’s TBT today. Over the course of the last couple months I have put on a few lbs of fat, and its due to diet slacked a little from a job change and relocating. I am back on track now, adn over the last three weeks I have been only using compound movements, but with no method to my madness. I started 10×3 program, and then I mixed in 5×5 training, so I am sticking to this plan. I will have to say, that I have seen a lot of increases in my lifts just from doing all compound movements. I actually love the compound movements so much more because of how much it taxes my muscles and CNS. Well without further ado, here is what I did today:

Week 1:
Workout 1:

Squats
135×10 warmup set
225×5 working set (can go heavier)
60 sec rest
225×5 working set
60 sec rest
225×5 working set

Standing Barbell Military Press:
135×5 work set
60 secs rest
135×5work set
60 secs rest
135×5 work set

Deadlifts:
135lbsx10 reps slow warmup set
275×5 work set
60 sec rest
275×5 work set
60 secs rest
275×5 work set
DL’s had me huffin and puffin and sweating my ass off heart rate was high as hell!

Decline DB Bench Press:
90lbsx5 work set
60 secs rest
90lbsx5 work set
60 secs rest
90lbsx5 work set

Alternating Dumbell Curl
50lbs each armx5
60 sec rest
50lbs each armx5
60 sec rest
50lbs each armx6

Cable Press Downs
140lbsx5 work set
60secs rest
140lbsx5 work set
60secs rest
140lbsx5 work set

I was dizzy as shit and tired, but I did 10 minutes of HIIT on treadmill until I thought I was going to fall off.

Overall pretty good. I need to work on my on leaning foward on my squats, so I can feel it more in my glutes and quads. I like fronts squats better, but I will improve!

9/12/08 Workout 2 Week 1

Front Squat
8×125lbs 90 secs
8×125lbs 90 secs
8×125lbs 90 secs

Power Cleans
8×95lbs 90 secs
8×115   90 secs
8×115   90 secs

Tired as hell already

Flat DB Bench Press
8×75lbs  90 secs
8×75lbs  90 secs
8×75lbs  90 secs
Could have gone heavier

Wide Grip Pullups (No straps)
8xBW  90 secs
8xBW  90 secs
8xBW  90 secs

Didn’t have time for iso exercises due to work, but got the important compounds in.

9/15/08 Workout 3 Week 1

HighBar Back Squat
15×195lbs  120 secs
15×195lbs  120 secs

Too light but was making sure I was going deep.

Standing BB Military Press

15×100lbs  120 secs
14×105lbs  120 secs(upped weight felt light)

Wide Grip Pullups(no straps)

13xBW(shoulder are gassed)
11xBW

Incline BB Bench(i suck at BB vs DB)
13×135 120 sec rest
8×155 120 secs rest

Again had to leave for work purposes, so no isos damn, but got the important shit in.

Week 2 Workout 1 9/17/08

Group 1
Front Squat/Stifflegged DL

135×10warmup/135×10warmup

165×5/135×5   60 secs
165×5/135×5   60 secs
165×5/135×5   60 secs

Rounded back too much on Deads need to work on that, back is sore…need to go SLD or RDL(choose one or the other don’t mix form)

Group 2

Flat DB Bench Press/Bentover DB Row

95×5/75×5(too light)  60 sec rest
95×5/95×5 much better 60 sec
95×5/95×5     60 secs

Group 3
EZbar Curls/EZbar skull crushers

bar 90lbsx5/bar 90lbsx5   60 secs
bar 90lbsx5/bar 90lbsx5   60 secs
bar 90lbsx5/bar 90lbsx5   60 secs

Overall great workout…tired as hell but i feel good. TBT is kicking my ass, no way I could do more than 3 days a week right now at high intensity.

Workout 2 Week 2 9/19/08

Group 1

Low Bar Back Squat/Pullups
135×10 warmup Squats and 10 BW pullups

275×8/bwx8  90 secs
225×8/bwx8  90 secs
225×8/bwx8  90 secs

Group 2

Deadlift/Standing BB Military Presses

135warmup x 10/no warmup

275×8/135×8  90 secs
grib slipping
245×8/135×8 90 secs
245×8/135×8 90 secs

Group 3

DB curls/EZbar skull crushers

40×8/90×8 90 secs
40×8/90×8 90 secs
40×8/90×8 90 secs

Week 2 Workout 3 9/22/08

Group 1

High Bar Squats/DB SLDL

135lbx10warmup/135lbx10warmup

225lbsx15/80lbsx15(bad too heavy)120secs
225lbsx15/80lbsx15 120 secs

Group 2

Incline DB Bench Press/Bent Over DB Row

75×15/75×15 120 sec
75×15/75×15 120 sec

Group 3

SmithM.Calf Raises/Behind Back SM Shrugs

135×15/135×15
135×15/135×15

It’s 9/24/08 and 5:25pm time to hit the iron!

9/24/08 Week 3 Workout 1

I messed up the routine today b/c I did the first two movements antaganistic, but I did the rest correctly.

DB Flat Bench Press
95×5
95×5
95×5
95×5

DB Bent over Row

95×5
95×5
95×5
95×5

GoodMornings
Love these…i have never done these per say as a movement alone, obviously it is part of a DL), but I got a great stretch on my hammy’s, and I stayed a little lighter. Will go heavier next time.

40×10
60×5
85×5
85×5

Front Squats

195×5
195×5
195×5
195×5

Side Laterals

35×5
30×5
30×5
30×5

Decline DB/EZbar skull crushers

30lbs each handx5(didn’t like these)
ezbar now
90×5
90×5
100×3.5 died off

Good workout overall getting stronger for sure.

Nutrition wise, I am timing all my carbs around my workout. 1/2 a serving of Surge pre and 1/2 PWO, then I have my meal. I can function pretty well on very low carbs…like 70 grams maybe even 40 i bet. I do not consume any carbs until my workout.

Yesterday I finally posted a picture of myself.  I need to grow but if you look i lost a ton of weight from where I was 1 yr ago.  Last year I lost two of my best friends.  One to a drug overdose and 1 I lost in a motorcycle accident.  I started eating and drinking way to much in order to ease the pain, and relieve stress from work, which led to heavy weight gain.  I now feel and look much better, but I want to add a lot more mass to my frame.  I’m hoping to add 10 pounds of lean mass by May and stay lean.  I want my bf to be low enough to show some solid abs by May!

So i started my diet, lifting, and cardio routine on March 26, 2007.  I was overweight, out of shape, and felt terrible.  I was at the point where I didn’t even want to take off my shirt in front of my girlfriend.  I began my routine eating six small meals a day.  At first it was very hard to resist junk foods as my roomate always eats fast foods filled with sugar, bad fats, and simple carbs.  I had resisted working out for the last 3 years due to having an injured shoulder that dislocated continuously.  After continuing my diet for three weeks the weight loss began.  I started lifting w/ a friend from work, and was very very weak at first.  I struggled to bench 135, squat 200, and even curl 55 lbs.   My shoulders were exceptionally weak, and I began with endurance excercise to build my shoulders, and strengthen my rotator cuffs.  Now after being at 26% body fat, weighing in at a very soft 195 lbs, I am down to 179lbs and 11.1% bodyfat.  I can push 205 on the bench 12 times and my body looks great!!!  My entire physique looks great and people are commenting on how muscular I look.  I am still far from my goal, but my diet, and workout routines are so intense I am seeing fantastic results.  I am starting to see my abs and am getting big and cut…..I plan on cutting to be very lean during the summer.  When September comes along I will be going on a very clean bulk….Wish me luck!!

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