widebody195’s BodyBlog

Last week’s failure led to this week’s determination.  I was going to get to 20 no matter what.  OK, I cheated a bit, and backed the working weight down to 225.  But today, the glow of satisfaction can hardly be erased after I blasted out 20 reps in the squat rack.  The last 3 were killer, but I made it and the pump in my quads felt fantastic.  Next week, it’s back to 245’s again!

I’ve done 20 rep squats before, but only with very light weights, enough to do 2 sets of 20 rep squats.  I read that *real* 20 rep squats involve doing 20 reps using weight that you usually do 8-10 reps with.  I heard that they were a real test of willpower and determination, so I decided to test myself with it.

 So last Tuesday was leg day and I was all psyched up to do it.  Warmed up with some leg raises (for abs), and then proceeded to do 2 sets of 10 front squats with 135 lbs.  Piece of cake.  Now on to the fun stuff.  Normally, 8-10 rep working weight for squats for me is around 255 lbs.  I decided to use 245. 

 1st 10 reps weren’t too bad.  Stopped to take an extra breath at rep 9.  It got progressively harder as the reps went up.  Approaching 14, I was sucking serious wind.  Rep 15 was absolute agony, my quads were screaming at me to stop.  At rep 16, I felt a strain building in my lower back and neck.  Uh-oh.  On rep 17, I had to rack it as I started to black out as the fog was closing in around me.  Collapsed on the floor, chest heaving, writhing in agony.  Someone came over to check on me - "are you alright?" -  I nodded weakly and said thanks.

 The aftermath:  I was very disappointed in myself that I didn’t get to 20, but I felt run down all day and couldn’t stay awake at work.  Plus, I had an agonizing headache that lasted for 2 full days.  So now I understand the agony of a 20 rep squat, and my props goes out to all who do them on a regular basis.  It is a true test of manhood.  Some day I’ll muster up the courage to do it again.

My training has been going really well.  I’ve been hitting the gym 5 days a week, with a mix of high reps/low weight and heavier weights.  I expected to put on some size, but actually lost fat and maintained muscle, with increased definition.  I can actually see some serious abs now. 

I just got back from a cruise in the Caribbean.  I’ve been told that the average cruise passenger gains 5 lbs during the week due to the nonstop eating.  I was a good boy and actually lost 2 lbs.  Sure, the food was incredibly tempting, but I worked out every day in the ship’s gym, tried to resist all of the cakes and desserts and the 24 hr pizza and unlimited ice cream and the midnight buffet.  It was about the most difficult test of willpower I’ve ever faced!  But the payoff was worth it.  On the beach and around the pool, my newfound shreddedness got some admiring looks.  Nothing like a good ego boost to keep you going!

I’m switching up the routine, after my newfound strength increases, to crank up the volume and put on some size just in time for summer.  For the next 3 months, I’ll be going on an intense 5-day per week full body workout. The workouts will entail 1 exercise per bodypart per day, 5 days a week.  Set/rep scheme alternates between heavier weights at 5×5 and moderate weights at 4×10.  I will go 3 weeks all-out and take 1 week to deload, repeat for 3 months.  Workout details are posted on my Bodyspace.

Supplements include creatine, preworkout Nitrous and caffeine, and of course lots of whey protein.  My goal is to put on 5 pounds of quality muscle. 

3/8/08 update

I just finished the first week of my intense growth cycle, and it has been tough but rewarding.  I’ve been creatine loading 20 grams a day for the past 5 days, and am  noticing the effects.  I’ve got great energy to power through the long sets and reps, and my muscles are already fuller and more pumped, like they going to bulge out of shirts.  What an awesome feeling.  Creatine, where have you been all my life?

It’s been almost two months of steadily increasing poundages.  At the end of January, I switched from a 5×5 strength workout to a full-body bare-bones, 3×3 squat, deadlift, bench press, incline press workout, 3 times a week.  The reduced volume is really doing wonders, and I’m feeling really strong each workout.  Each rep is like an explosion, really activating the fast-twitch muscle fibers.  Poundages are steadily going up, which currently are (for 3 reps):  Squat 225, Deadlift 300, Bench press 215, Barbell row 200, Incline bench 175.  I’m stopping after 3 reps, but I feel each set I feel like I can crank out at least 1 or 2 more reps, so I haven’t maxed out yet. 

 A really good indicator of my strength increase is on pullups.  I am now doing weighted pullups, with 15 lbs added for sets of 5×5.  At the end of each set of 5, I’ve got a few more reps to give. 

I took 2 weeks off for the holidays, and couldn’t wait to get back into the gym.  For 2008, my training is taking several phases.  January-Feburary will be a 5 x 5 strength routine to build up my strength base in the core lifts.  March-April will be a 5 day a week volume hypertrophy workout.  It will be hard but I think I should put on some size with this.  May-June (just in time for warm weather) I’ll switch to a 5 day per week cutting, shredding, defining workout, emphasizing high reps and relatively low weight.  Since I shed fat pretty easily with these kinds of workouts, I probably won’t do much cardio.  July-August I don’t anticipate having much time inside the gym, so I’ll be on a 3 day per week full body maintenance workout.  Then, September-November will be a 4 day split with both strength and size being goals.  December I’ll switch back to a 3 day full body maintenance routine.

 I won’t post individual workouts, but update periodically on how everything’s going.  I’m tracking workouts on an Excel spreadsheet for my own personal benefit.

 Currently I’m starting out on a 5X5 strength routine for bench press, row, squats, and deadlifts.  Other complementary exercises are standard set/rep routines.  Monday is chest/back, Tuesday is legs/shoulders/arms, Thursday chest/back, Friday legs/shoulders/arms

I’m feeling good and strong and excited about the training and growing to be going on this year!

Monday October 8, 2007, 10:45 AM  Getting ready for another brutal session at the gym.  I mix up 1 scoop of NitroJack and down it in 3 gulps.  I check my workout log, and scribble down on a scrap sheet the target weights, reps and exercises for the day.  Quickly check on the muscles I’ll be training today. Quads…slightly stiff but otherwise mostly recovered.  Chest…good.  Tri’s…still sore and tender to the touch.  Could affect bench press.  Work through the pain, I say to myself.  I read a few articles on T-nation.com to get mentally pumped up. 

11:00 AM  Primed and ready, I leave for the gym.  Time to grow.
 
11:10 - arrive at gym, greeted by the odor of sweat and moldy air and the sounds of metal clanging, yelling, and humanity straining under heavy loads.  What a scene.  I’m psyched. 

11:30 on the last few reps of the 3rd set of ATG squats, 10 lbs more on the bar than last week.  While I barely broke a sweat on the 1st set, this third one is a doozy.  Rep 7…legs starting to cramp up, but it’s going to be 10 no matter what.  Rep 8…I’m so winded, I pause at the top to suck in 3-4 breaths before heading down again.  Rep 9…my quads are crying out for mercy…one more even if it kills me.  Rep 10…my world momentarily goes black as every cell in my body is focused on getting the bar back up.  As I rack the weight, I grab the squat cage for support as I can barely stand.  Sucking serious wind, I notice my shirt is soaked and there’s a puddle of sweat on the floor.  Gotta wipe it up but it’s major agony to bend over.  Next, a brief rest of 3 sets of seated calf before heading to the bench for chest.

11:45 On the last rep of the 3rd set of bench press, a guy runs over to help me, but I have it under control.  I just paused briefly to feel the contraction harder in the chest.  Next up is incline db press, with 65 lbsx10 reps, which is heavier than I’ve ever done.  After 3 great sets, my pecs are pretty wiped out.  Next up is cable crossovers.  Time to pump.

12:00  I love cable crossovers.  Today I’m using "hypoxic training," which I read about on T-Nation.  It involves holding constant tension in the muscle for long slow reps, no pauses allowed.  This forces the muscle to work without oxygen, which forces more blood into the muscle and stimulates hypertrophy.  The last set is a descending set from 50 to 10 lbs, 10 reps per weight level.  50’s and 40’s are pretty difficult, but 30’s,20’s, and 10’s feel light.  I compensate by slowing the reps way down, and squeezing as hard as possible on each rep.

12:10 Back in the locker room, I peel off my sweat-soaked shirt.  In front of the mirror as I wash my hands, I note with satisfaction the veins and deeply etched striations exploding across my bulging pecs like bolts of lighting in a summer thunderstorm.  I take in 16 oz of EAS Whey Protein to nourish my exhausted muscles. 

12:30 I climb the 2 flights of stairs out of the basement gym.  It is absolute torture.  Looking forward to collapsing into my air-conditioned cubicle and lunch. Back here tomorrow, same time, same place, for deadlifts.  Yea!

Now settled into a new city, new home, and going to a new gym.  This place is amazing.  Spacious but pretty old-school, with aging equipment, a drab basement location, and a dank, mildly sweatsock odor.  But the atmosphere!  It’s full of serious lifters, men and women who come in every day to pound the weights hard.  Many of them are in incredible shape, looking competition ready.  Squats, deadlifts, good mornings, power cleans, all of the gut-busting exercises that the pretenders avoid, are all done here.  It’s so inspiring.

I’ve been coming in 5 days a week for the past month, hitting the major body parts (chest, back, legs) 3 days per week.  Abs every day.  Arms, shoulders, and calves twice a week.  Swimming laps 2-3 times a week (at another club) for cardio and to reduce soreness. 

The results?  I’m harder and more ripped than ever.  Telltale stretch marks around my armpits indicate that pecs are growing.  Quads, traditionally my strongest bodypart, have exploded.  Back is looking thicker and wider. Delts and bi’s are bulging.  After I finish a workout and go back to the locker room and peel off my shirt, I’m shocked by what I see in the mirror! 

The unplanned 6 week layoff on account of my move did wonders.  I didn’t realize it but I was getting pretty burned out from training.  I’ll be at it full speed until the next planned layoff, around the holidays.  For now, though, I’m back, and it feels fantastic.

I’ll be off the boards and the blog for a while, and out of the gym, too (unfortunately).  I will be moving back to the USA after several years of living and working overseas.  So when I’m resettled in the US with a new gym, I’ll be back.

After a winter of hard work, I’ve got some pretty good strength gains.  Now the goal is to maintain strength while leaning out a bit.  I’ve made a few adjustments to diet, reducing carb intake mainly, and increased the tempo of workouts.  Now with minimal rest between sets; as a result, each session is a sweat-drenched, heart pounding affair.  I’ll also start paying more attention to the "vanity muscles" — biceps, triceps, delts, and calves.  It should pay off this summer at the beach.