willsong’s BodyBlog

Yesterday night, my mind wasn’t at ease. M body wasn’t feeling right. I was definitely right about my hunch as I started to realize the symptoms of a cold brewing within me. I took some Tylenol PM and went right back to sleep and awoke feeling a bit better, but still left with this cold. I looked back and thought man, if I miss today’s workout I’ll have to shift everything a day late. I reluctantly decided to do this as I love great workouts, and to me  great workouts with the PUMP is greater than any feeling in the world. I feel that during a cut cycle, one must listen to their bodies as it is going through changes, just like bulking you are forcing your body to make a change, but neither is more susceptible to illness than the other. Sometimes we can become too careless when we cut weight, either it be due to the tiredness due to low-carbs or low-calories or just the high amount of blood fat in your body, I feel just like anything in life, one must take their hits along the way in order to reach the final destination. After all, if this journey was easy, I would have gotten off this path a long time ago.

6 weeks has gone by and I am now starting another week of Cutting. The word "cutting" seems to scare some people away like its the plague. Whenever I hear people are bulking I feel the same way. I kind of gasp; especially if it’s your first time. I know that bulking is all fun and glorious, but what’s the point if you don’t see the right type of gains at the right time? One has to be at the top of their game to attempt a bulk, in terms of their level of self-esteem, their confidence level, their commitment, and the strength of their heart. After all, what is left in you when you are struggling to keep the weight in your hands during a mind-bending set? My time is now, the time to make a difference, to become meaningful to others, to give and take, the time is just right.

Its done, 11 weeks of cutting has come to an end. The training is done, the cardio um well, I need to make up for a missed session yesterday, tomorrow afternoon. I have much more to improve on. My triceps are lacking. I was doing preacher curls the other day on such low carbs, and I felt my body peaking. My veins were appearing varicose, my mind was experiencing a new level of intensity as I was forcing my mind to concentrate on lifting the weight.  As I was complemented on the size of my biceps after the preacher curls, my training buddy tells me to flex and he criticizes my triceps saying that they were small. I look in the mirror and start to ponder why that was. I now know why. I’ve been slacking on my triceps exercises. The bulk of my arm training these past months have been focused on biceps, and surely the triceps haven’t been neglected, but I do feel it can be a lot bigger and thus stronger if I focused more on exercises like decline bench close grip bps and decline bench skullkrushers. No more using 25 lb plates on each side on the skullcrushers. Now its on. 45 lb plates for worksets on skullkrushers and 185+ on close grip bench presses. I realize how much I’ve been emphasizing weight on my bicep exercises like the barbell curl and alternating dumbbell curls. I curl 105 pounds for 6-8 reps and I do the antagonist motion, the skullkrusher, for like 30lbs each side with a cambered bar. If anything, my skulls should be around the same weight as my barbell curl. Just like my working weights are with my bench press and barbell row. I should emphasize the same along side my biceps and triceps. Opposing muscles should be around the same strength.

I look at the goals I set for myself, and I am that much closer to achieving the goal I’ve set for myself. Get into single digit bodyfat levels while keeping all my lean mass. Its as if I’m almost there, I just need to go through the motions and ease into this Spring break with my new body. The cruise leaves in just 3 days and I need to get my meals in gear for the next 3 days so that i will be looking my best come Monday. 11 weeks, it was a journey thats for sure. Now, I will make it a goal to get myself to be stronger and bigger for my next goal. I’m going to be all about gaining mass and strength. This will start as soon as I get back from the cruise. It’s all a means to an end and I will make sure I make my ends be known to my means.

Workout- barbell curls 6 sets 5-6

Preacher curls- 6 sets 6-8

Seated hammer curls-3 sets of 5

Weighted Bench dips- 4 sets of 10-12

Tricep extension- 4 sets 8-10

Overhead tricep extension-4 sets 6-10

Cardio- NOne, I will make it up for it tomorrow and on Sunday. 45 minutes post workout tomorrow and 45 minutes early afternoon on Sunday.

Abs- Will do tomorrow after shoulders.

It really bugs me that the gym closed early today just for the Spring break coming up. It closed at 8PM when it usually closes at 1AM, which meant my workout was cut short. Will make it up tomorrow.

"Friends may come and go, but 200 lbs will always be 200 lbs." The Iron is the greatest reference point, it never lies and always stays true, unlike some people. So far, I’m 11 weeks into my diet and training, I almost gave up on this week, I thought about forgetting about training this week to "rest up" before my spring break. I skipped my usual chest day on monday and then got my act together the next day. Today I worked back and tomorrow is usually a scheduled rest day since i work out 3 on 1 off, 2 on, but I can’t be off schedule, my results, my workouts, my plan will all falter if I don;t get back on track tomorrow. I had a great workout today, even though I may be cutting I feel my strength levels are basically around the same as when I was bulking a few months back. It feels great, I feel confident and renewed. Tomorrow is my carb re-feed and I can’t wait, but first I need to train arms and get my meals in gear for tomorrow. I know I can make it, its in me. I was endowed with the seed of success and engineered for greatness. I will make it. Arms/abs and good ole low intensity cardio. It’s on baby.

i just came back from my school gym. Had a meal in me of chicken and green beans alogn with some almond butter to boot. I had a feeling today was going to be a great workout. Come time to bench press, I aimed to get 185 for 6 reps on all my sets. Mind you, that I am doing 6 sets of bench presses. I got 4 complete sets for 185 for 6 reps and I was thrilled. I weigh 185lbs myself and I have crushed my inner obstacle that said benching my bodyweight, once was good enough. I’ve got some more bodyfat to lose and this being my last week on my cut, I feel all of this training is bearing fruit and ultimately the results I desire. rounded the day off with some cardio low intensity for 45 minutes. Tomorrow is leg day and technically it’s a Wednesday, but squats are in my mind. 6 sets of 6.

So far its been 10 weeks since i started my Cutting phase. Today is my day of rest where I recharge my mind and soul for more battle with the weights this upcoming week. I have my training set in my head, I know what exercises to do and the weights to use, all I need to do is follow through and get to the gym on my alloted days. Today is the day where I make some changes to my diet. I will be cutting more calories this week as I feel I have reached a sticking point. I feel I have not been any leaner since last week and judging by the mirror  I am dropping another 200 calories from my daily diet as well as 60 calories from my carbohydrate re-feed. I will be taking in 2100 calories throughout the day split into 6-7 meals. Since all of next week is basically chock full of things to do besides training, I will probably need to utilize more tuna packets and even combine meals together to get my calories in for the day. Today is my carb re-feed and I am looking forward to this, as it fills my muscles out with glucose and also speeds up my metabolism with the carbs/fats.

The great exercise for the chest in my opinion would be the flat dumbbell press. When done correctly, the range of motion will stretch your pec fibers to a newer feeling and development. I use strict form when doing these making sure each dumbbell lowers the same speed and goes up the same way. It also helps when you use bigger dumbbells as the width of the dumbbells can help you match the speed in which both dumbbells move. Full stretch at the bottom and a good contraction at the top.

Here we go, 6 sets of Squats, Stiff-Legged Deadlifts, and Lunges. Burn, burn, burn is all I can say. Highlights of my workout, 6 sets of Barbell Lunges in the hallway of the gym busting ass rep after rep with my training partner telling me to move and move. Imagine that, a 500+ deadlifter just sarging behind you as you lunge and feel your legs can’tt take it anymore. Least to say, it worked. My legs and hips are about to break. I did some late night cardio and completed 30 minutes on a stairmaster it was great. I’ve got some aspirations to compete in this bodybuilding show on April 5th, the NPC Natural Ohio. Its 11 weeks away.

Last night, I had a decision to go out to a bar with my roommates or stay home and get my carb refeed in. I had a choice, one that would lead me closer to a certain fulfillment in my life. I chose to stay home. My fifth week has ended and I will be embarking on my 6th week of training and dieting. I have this need to see results and I want it bad. Here we go, week 6 starts tomorrow.