hdjedi1’s BodyBlog

I’m getting over sinus infection and a cold. Nasty business last week, but I finally managed to get back in Monday and did legs, Arms and Shoulders Tuesday and a Burn Circuit yesterday.  Today I needed a rest.

I’m over the tape measure thing.  I’m doing this for me and everyone says I look good with the qualifier of "47".  Fine. I’m still doing this and not smoking or drinking. Yeah me!

This is so embarrassing. I got a new tape measure from BB.Com and made an assumption.  I was replacing a tape measure that I found out was wrong but putting it against a carpenters square. I didnt realize the tape measure I recieved to replace it started at 2" instead of O.  I have been basing my measurements on this new tape for over a year.

Once I realized this (I was measuring the circumference of a telescope to do a modification when I realized the tape stated at 2")… I was horrified. OMG .. what does this mean … it means you have harldly changed your shape in the past 18 months is what it means.  Those 16.75 arms are really on 14.75 .. OMG OMG OMG … well consolation prize is your waist that you couldnt figure out how at 39.5 get squeezed into size 34 jeans…well is only 37.5 inches … oh your chest… quads … oh nooooo!

Calm down calm down … the mirror looks better and the prog pics look better and you have always been a hard gaining.  Your weight is up 24 pounds in the last year and your BF is 12%.  That has to be muscle. Your eating 3000+ calories a day… it has to be going somewhere and at 47 there is no one outworking you at my gym and there is only one guy repping heavier. So your strenghth if up, you’re squatting every piece of iron that you have available, your stuck on bench but you agreed to back off and go to Dbells and your chest shape has changed…. get a grip it is just a tape measure….

So do the measurements matter? Who is this for anyway? I’m comparing yourself to professionals and guys 10-20 years younger then me? Should I? Is it way too lofty a goal. Fireaxe has a great body and you want to look like him… he has alot more time to do this then you and his life depends on this strength. However , I never reached a goal I didn’t set and I never won a lottery I never entered.  Whatta dilemma. 

I need closure on this…

Got back into the pool today and tomorrow will be a chest set.  I have renewed vigor and I really feel "well". I have a good feeling about this 12 week push and I am metally ready for it. 

Shout out to my "EuroQueen" Louise who is looking beyond fantastic as she preps. That gal can stop a mans heart at a 100 paces! Whatta woman! Shout to my Absolute Goddess as well for pressing her foreheard against the mountain and pushing back.

I will take my pictures tomorrow and get on with the 12 weeker. 

This is the first time I have tried this.  I w/o to relieve stress, feel good, keep my ticker challenged and get the endorphins flowing. Looking good is a bonus. However, the idea of really pushing for a bit and doing a before and after is intruiging.

I would like a six pack. Can that be done is 12 weeks? My diet is already clean. Cardio robs me of size pretty quick and with me size is hard won. I mean I have to kick it so hard to gain size I hate giving it back. However, I would like a 6 pack.  12 weeks possible?

I think a 12 week cut would be very interesting and a goal.  I will take the pics tomorrow and redo by progress pics to focus on this.  Anyone care to leave a few cutting tips I will quickly summarize diet and program.

Diet : 4 Eggs bfast, oats

Mid Morning, Yogurt and a bar

Lunch Chicken Breast in Salad or Sandwich

Mid Aft Protien Shake, Greek Yogurt

Supper Something with alot of protien, not allotta carbs

Bed Time, PBn Whole Wheat Toast

Routine:  All things Heavy, 7 day rotation 4 lifting days per week, 1 burn circuit. Swimming Sunday and light cardio (20mins) uphill treadmill.

All thoughts welcome! 

PS Two Years sober Sept 8. One year no smoking… Sept 8. Its a big day for me. xo

I want to know if my progress is good, average or poor.  I have been working quite steadily for over last year: good diet , regular training and few bad habits. 10 months off the smokes and I have one good cheat meal a week (wings … omg)

My routine is outlined in my last blog. I have hit a plateau again and I am wondering the following:

For the training I am doing, what should my diet be (calories and macro’s)? I am looking to grow a little more and think my idea weight would be about 220 with 12% bf. I am anout 210 at 12 now.  I would expect it to take 6 months to put on 10 pounds of lean muscle (i might be optomistic on this) but that is about what happened when I quite smoking.  What type of diet and routine would be best for my age?  I work out for stress relief and I like the circuit training from my last post. Help? 

My lil company gym has offers circuit training for a reasonable price. My question would be how do you manage a routine that would look like

Monday Legs/Abs

Tuesday Chest/Tri’s

Weds Circuit

Thursday Back/Bi’s

Friday Circuit

Sunday Swimming with Junior (aka Jacques Cousteau)

This is what I have been doing and I have dropped the morning 1/2 cardio much to the delight of my staff.  I don’t feel like I have been overtraining, i’m sleeping well and eat like a clean horse.  Staying awake for dinner on Sunday is the toughest thing of all. Any downside to this? 

My lil company gym has offers circuit training for a reasonable price. My question would be how do you manage a routine that would look like

Monday Legs/Abs

Tuesday Chest/Tri’s

Weds Circuit

Thursday Back/Bi

Friday Circuit

Sunday Swimming with Junior (aka Jacques Cousteau)

This is what I have been doing and I have dropped the morning 1/2 cardio much to the delight of my staff.  I don’t feel like I have been overtraining, i’m sleeping well and eat like a clean horse.  Staying awake for dinner on Sunday is the toughest thing of all. Any downside to this? 

Today I’m going to emback on a 12 week dbell for chest routine as outlined in Body buildimg .com presents workout in Iron Man last month with Lane Norton. Lane managed an inch and a half … that is about my growth for the past year. If it is half an inch in 12 weeks I will be estatic. The routine is simple, 4 exercises Decline, flat and include presses along with cable cross overs.  Today I will find my starting weights, do the tape measure and get started.  Wish me luck!

I still only managed 4x 200 for my max working set! CRAP!  I’ve been stuck here awhile and I’m getting frustrated! Back to dbells for a bit?

Seriously, chest tonite was Bench 90×8, 140 x 5, 180×5, 200×4x2, 180×6, 140×10. Upper press 140×8x3. Pull over 35×15, 40×12,50×12x2. Flys 25×12x3. Pulldowns and skull crushers to finish off my tris.  It was good. Weight has peaked from quitting smoking and im slimming down a bit.  Measurements on friday.

No smoking for 8 months wooo hooo and no drinking for 20 months.  Legs tmrw!

Reading in I.M. last nite on shortening warm up process cycle and doing 4 - 6 reps per interval rather than a 20 very light / 10 / 10 type of approach.  This is to have the max strength available for the work sets. I have been stuck at the same weight for awhile (repping 180) and finding it difficult to take up further.  I’m hoping this helps. 

I’m also thinking that I might start cutting my work sets down to 2 heavy sets and moving on.  I am currently doing 4 heavy sets or pyramidding sets.  I was thinking of 2 solid working sets and then a drop set where safe.  Advice is welcome. That whole 3D point of flexion thing is tempting, I’m just miffed that the back page of IM is always an advertisement of it in disguise …

I also have a light strain in my elbow that I’m trying to to aggravate. I really notice it during curls, left arm is just cannot do the reps the right one can.