fightgravity’s BodyBlog

So, it’s been 4-5 months that I was inactive.  The sciatica pain was bad for more than a month, and I had to rest a lot longer to make sure I did not re-injure myself.

In June I started back at the local YMCA, and did light weights to start the process of getting in shape, and after a while was able to do treadmill without ankle/shin/knee pain.   This past week, I rejoined my regular gym, which has more free weights than the Y.  I’m looking forward to getting in decent shape again - finally!

I ended up taking over a week off due to that muscle pull last week … I think I pulled my hamstring, but felt it from the lower back to my right leg.  Ouch.  I’m still a bit stiff and sore, but am now stretching it very very gently, and slowly improving. I  did an upper body workout on the weekend.  I’ll keep taking it easier for another week at least, but am really anxious to get back to a regular routine.

Transitioning from strength (5 x 5) routine to more volume.  During Feb-March, I’ll increase reps to 8 to 12 on each exercise.  Resistance (weights) dropped as well, but will keep pushing on the intensity by # of reps.

Hurt my glute / lower back yesterday!  So I’m taking 2-3 days off for rest.   Feels like a muscle pull, though not exactly sure when it happened.  This is a breather, hopefully.   CV work starting to ramp up, but with glute hurting that’s on hold for a few days as well.

Weight and b.f. % are still holding - I’m cutting calories for this breather to make sure I don’t lose ground.

After 6 weeks of 5×5 cycle, I have made some real progress in strength.  

Lfting stats (all 5 reps) - Jan 25, now:
Barbell Squats - 180 lb., now 250 lb.
Romanian deadlift - 200 lb, now 230
Bench press - 200 lb, now 230
Barbell curl - 90 lb, now 100
Lat pulldown - 175 lb, still 175 but more ease

Been on the 5×5 for about 6 weeks, I am feeling a lot stronger, and a bit worn out.  So, next 4-5 weeks will be at about 80% of these weights, and for 8 to 12 reps.

So the December doldrums are gone.  I just completed third cycle of new 5×5 routine, and feeling stronger every time.

Current lifting stats (all 5 reps):
Barbell Squats - 180 lb.
Romanian deadlieft - 200 lb
Bench press - 200 lb
Barbell curl - 90 lb
Lat pulldown - 175 lb

So …  ….  it’s a new year and I need to set some new goals.   Late 2008 was a dud - I was traveling a lot, and got sick after Christmas, it took a while to get rid of the lingering effects.  But, as the Stones sang, that’s all over now.  I’ve been back in the gym with a new routine (5×5) and did a couple cycles of it.

My goals for 2009 overall will be to get back on track, stay on track and not get injured. I’d like to finally get body fat down to the mid teens - let’s say 15% which is a 7 point change.

For C6, I’m a bit slow getting started, but I continue to find the Cx’s a motivator and a good way to remember my goals. So, that said, my C6 goals for March 31, & compared to Jan 10) are:

Bench press - currently 200 lb x 6; goal=250 x 6
Pull up b.w. 10 times Bar Squat - 210 lb x 6
Weight: 175 lb. (currently 188)
Get waist back down to 34" - currently 36.
Get b.f. down to 18 - currently 21.

My new workout routine is great so far - it’s a general purpose 5×5 strength routine, 4-day split.

Day 1 - Legs
Barbell Squats - finally bite the bullet and learn to do these
Leg Extension
Romanian Deadlift
Leg Curl
Glute Kickback
Calve Raises

Day 2 - Chest & shoulders
Bench press
Decline D.b. press
Flyes
Overhead press
Upright row
Shrug

Day 3 - Back
Pull-ups with body wgt
Deadlift
Bent over d.b. row
Lat Pulldown
Situps / leg raises

Day 4 - Arms
Barbell / preacher curl
Hammer curl
Decline tricep extension
Weighted dips
Sit ups

Plus cardiovascular to warm up and 20 minutes after as well.  I really need to get back on the treadmill regularly, but since the ankle injury in November, I’ve been really afraid about re-injuring it.

So, December and C5 were pretty much a dud here.  I still had a problem with my ankle, so did not get back on to a cardio routine at all.   Went on vacation for 10 days (New Orleans - niice!) for Christmas and did not work out at all – hotel gyms being what they are.  Came back with a miserable cold, and now a week plus into January, I think I am finally ready to get back into a groove.

Today, I got back to the gym, and am — well certainly quite rested – psyched to get going!  I’ve decided to do 4-8 weeks of a 5×5 type routine.  This week I will run through the exercises with moderate weight – since I’ve been out for 3+ weeks I don’t want to injure myself at the gate.  

Today I did legs – proper squats, leg extensions, leg curls, glute kickbacks etc. It felt good to finally be back, and the weights were feeling good.   Tomorrow will be chest and shoulders.  Tuesday will be Back, Wednesday will be Arms.  I’m planning on doing abs and c/v each work out day.  

So, get it on!

I’m a week late in updating progress, I’ve been really busy the last 2 weeks and then a bit injured

I took all of last week off as a rest period, but then just as I was getting started at the beginning of this week, I injured my ankle.  It feels like a tendon pull, and I’m limping around half the time. I need a weekend of no walking on it. Hopefully, in a couple of days I should be able to get back to the gym.  Except I’m sure I won’t be able to do legs at first, and the treadmill will be off limits for a couple of weeks I bet.  No matter – I’d like to try a lifting cycle with less cardio work compared to what I’ve been doing over the last 6 months or so.

When I get back, I am still planning to hit the FST-7 workout that Adam and Brian are on.  I had done about a full cycle, but it was really broken up over a couple of weeks, so I’m afraid it isn’t a routine yet.

Progress stats are mostly the same – arms are responding to the workouts and up to 16.5” flexed.  Waist stubbornly at 35”, but down from 35.5 last month.

Progress in strength goals: On bench press, I got to 5 reps at 230 lb, but that was too weeks ago and I’m probably down again.  On pull ups, I’ve done 8 reps with body weight unassisted – making way for the goal of 10!

Progress photos – have one or two I’ll post shortly.

Per Adam’s and Brian’s example, I’m transitioning my workout to this routine.  See C5 thread for details at http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=110800491  

Just finished a 6 week cycle with a four day split - see previous posts for details. I haven’t seen any big changes in measurements, but it’s not the end of the month yet.  I do feel a lot stronger, and have increased my resistance on a number of exercises.  In this cycle I am doing more dumbbells and can feel more stability in handling them as the weeks pass.  At end of C5 month one I’ll try to post more details of the FST-7 routine I come up with.

So, it’s the end of the three month C4 challenge, time to see how I did.  My goals in July were:

1 Weight goals were: 175 lbs; Waist -32"; Body fat - 14%  
Current stats are:  185 lbs; waist 35.5"; b.f. 18.2%
I struck out on all three weight goals …  (sad and drooling).  I got down to 182 for about 3 weeks, but lost ground in the last month.  I need to resume tracking my food and be more careful in C5.

2. Cardiovascular.  Continue burning 30-45 minutes each workout day on bike, treadmill or stairmachine.
I’ve continued doing this faithfully, and can definitely stick with this.

3a. Strength: LBM 160; bench press 235×5; pull up body weight 10 times; arm curls 80×8
Current stats: LBM 151; bench - 235 x 3-4 - not at 5 reps yet but almost; pull-ups: b.w. x 5 reps; curls: 80 x 10.

It’s not quite what I’d hoped for - getting sick for over a week in August really hurt.  But I should have done better on diet after I got better.

So, my goals for C5 will be somewhat simpler so I can focus on them better this time:
Weight - 175 lb. by tracking food again, like I did at the start of C2.
C.V. - keep going on this (not really a goal)
Strength: bench 250 x 5, pull up body weight 10 times.