a_welch503 WORKOUT JOURNAL

[.V.]

02-26-2005

Shoulders
Military Press....................100x3x6
Upright Row.......................120x3x6
DB Mil Press..........45x1x3, 40x1x6, 1x5
Rear Shrugs.......................230x3x4
Front Shrugs......................230x3x4

Cardio - none

Diet
Breakfast...................1/2 cup oatmeal, 2oz sausage, 2 whole eggs
Post workout.............20g protein shake, 40 oz gatorade (80g carbs)
Lunch.....Mixed Green vegetables with 1 can chicken mixed in (25g pro)
Supper...................................Pork sirloin roast with salad


Workout went OK today. I met my goals for everything except for the DB mil press and lost a little ground there. It took a lot out of me though, I've been totally fatigued and weak as a kitten all day since then. My vision is better today - no more blind spells in the left eye, the muscle spasm in the left lat is getting less frequent. My legs still feel like I'm dragging around 600 lb of jello. Tomorrow is scheduled for no exercise and I guess that's good. I am a day behind, but the extra day of rest and giving my medication time to work before hitting the back is probably going to be helpful. No cardio today - I just don't have it in me to do it. Hopefully day after tomorrow will be better and I'll get it then.

[.V.]

02-27-2005

No lifting or cardio this day - have to do the job sometime.

Diet
Breakfast: 2 whole eggs, 4oz sausage
Lunch: Chicken Breast, Salad
Supper: Hot Chicken Wings, Salad

[.V.]

02-28-2005

Back
CDL.........250x3x6
BOR.........170x3x4
P/U+W........45x3x4
P/U BW...20, 15, 15

Cardio - none

Diet
B.......2 whole eggs, 2oz sausage, 1/2c oatmeal
PW/O....20g protien shake, 40oz gatorade (last one - start dextrose tomorrow)
L.......Lean meatballs/cheese, salad
S.......Whole wheat/low carb (5g) pasta/tomato/meat sauce (homemade), salad

Comments:
Too fatigued and legs too shaky to do cardio today. It's gonna stink when I get back on it tomorrow. This is like 3 days without it.
Back work felt good today. The legs were doing their usual not wanting to work laziness, but did cooperate. I'm about up to where I was at before I got hurt and had that January MS attack. I hope I'm doing the CDL right. I feel it more in my butt (very sore right now) than in my back. I'm doing it the way the videos show. I will raise weight on CDL next time (260 - if can't do it, then 255) and work on reps on the other things.

[.V.]

03-01-2005

Chest
Flat Bench Press..............155x3x4
Incline Bench Press...........140x3x5
Decline Bench Press......145x2x6, 1x5

Abs
Leg Raises.......................3x25
Crunches.........................3x25
Cable Crunch..................60x3x15

Cardio - none

Diet
B..........1/2c oatmeal, 2 whole eggs, 2oz sausage
P W/O............20g/pro shake, 80g dextrose drink
L....Leftover low carb pasta with meatsauce/cheese
S...................................Finished pasta

Comments:
Lifting was pretty good today. Met goals for bench pressing. Exceeded goal for decline bench press - was supposed to get 3x4, went for 3x6 instead. Got pinned on the attempt for that 3rd rep #6. Work on reps on chest next time. Raise weight on cable crunch next time.

Once again - totally fatigued today. About 12:00, I just couldn't stay awake any longer - rested all day. I feel like I can sleep all night tonight too. Looks like more decadron will be in order to get me past this latest thing. I hope the legs are right tomorrow - it is leg day. Time to go take my shots and sleep some more now.

[.V.]

03-02-2005

Legs
Squat...............190x3x4
SLDL................220x3x4
Calf Raise..........290x3x4
Leg Extension.......140x3x6
Leg Curl.............60x3x6

Cardio: None

Diet
B.........1/2c oatmeal, 2 whole eggs, 2oz sausage
P W/O.....20g protein, 80g glucose
L.........Chicken breast strips 25g protein, salad (no idea how much carbs)
S.........Roast Pork (lean), green beans, carrots(very few), broccoli

Comments:
Legs still feel "wiggly", but are getting some better I think - definitely stronger than last week. At least they are stronger even though they feel weak. These CNS symptoms are so hard to describe - they feel as if they can't pick me up and when I walk, they feel very heavy. But they seem to be fully functional. The doc said that the symptoms this time are likely to be permanent since my MS has changed from Relapsing/Remitting to Secondary Progressive. But she said that that is just the CNS symptoms that all I have to do is to make new strength to replace what is lost - it will just be harder, because the strength is still there but the CNS impulses aren't getting to it. I will have to just keep making what is left stronger. Thanks to firehawk's link in the PL BB discussion, I have now educated myself on type 1 and type 2 muscle fibers. I used to do slow reps (an old thing I just couldn't get away from even though I'm following max ot), Now I know that since strength is the issue that I will concentrate on more explosive movements to stimulate the "strong" fibers, not the "big" ones. The weight still moves slow - but that's because it's heavy, but I'm trying to move it as quick as I'm able. I guess that's what "explosive" means.

I raised the weight on all my "real" exercises today. I'm out of room on the bar so when I'm ready for 300 on calf raises in a couple of weeks, I'll have to either buy some more 25s or strap some weight around my waist.

Leg extensions and leg curls have been a real struggle - today they were both too easy. Going to increase weight on them both next time, and just work on reps for the others.

Blew off cardio again today. My legs are getting stronger but don't feel right yet. So I took another day to rest up. Day after tomorrow, cardioglide. Day after that, cardioglide + walking.

I'm still not certain 100% on the post workout nutrition, I've got the 4:1 carb/pro thing figured out, but I don't know if I need to do it post lifting and post cardio - or just post lifting.

I wonder since cardio is getting the HR up to "work out" the heart if changing the head gasket on my truck today counts. I spent plenty of time cussin' and my HR got up there several times. I'm not a mechanic, but I figured, "what the hell, if I'm allowed to do three different surgical procedures on the side of the road in a muddy ditch, upside down in a car, surely I can read the instructions and figure out how to change a head gasket. Fixing things that bleed is so much easier.

[gcs118]

I'm glad to see your strength is coming back on the legs Andy, you're doing awesome man keep it up

[.V.]

Originally Posted by gcs118

I'm glad to see your strength is coming back on the legs Andy, you're doing awesome man keep it up

Thanks - no choice but to keep it up, and down, and up, and down, and repeat as needed.

[.V.]

03-04-2005

Arms
BB Curls................120x3x6
Skull Crushers....105x1x6, 5, 4
Preacher Curls...........70x3x6
Cable Pressdown..........95x3x5

Cardio
Cardioglide..............20 min

Diet
Breakfast: 2 pieces leftover chicken strips, 2 oz sausage, 2 whole eggs, 1/2 cup oatmeal
Post workout: 20g pro, 80g dextrose
Lunch: No time
Supper: 8oz rib eye, baby broccoli mix

Today's arm workout felt good. I was able to do better on everything than last time. I will raise the weight on my bicep work next time. Skull crushers, I raised the weight today and felt strong hit six the first time, thought I would hit it again, but only finished number 5. Went for 5 on the third set but only finished number 4. But, today I would normally just be doing 3x4 so I'm still 3 reps ahead on skull crushers at 105. Same kind of thing with the cable pressdown too got 3x5 instead of 3x4 on a new weight.

Cardio - only did 20 minutes today. Legs don't feel 100%, but are about as good as they are going to get. I'm going to walk tomorrow - just didn't want to push it yet.

Tomorrow - hit it all just like before and see how it works out.

[.V.]

03-05-2005

Shoulders
Mil Press........105x2x4, 2x3
Upright Row...........125x3x4
DB Mil Press...........45x3x4
Rear Shrugs...........230x3x6
Front Shrugs..........230x3x6

Cardio
Walk...................1 mile

Diet
Breakfast.........20g protein shake
Pre workout.......2 whole eggs, 2 sausage patties
Post workout......20g protein shake, 80g dextrose
Supper............Pork Ribs with sugarless BBQ sauce, salad

Comments:
Couldn't get 3x4 on BB mil press failed on set 3 to get the 4th one. So I rested a few minutes and then tried again. Still only got three. I'll get it next time. DB mil press went good, got all of them with 45s this time - it wasn't easy, but I got 'em. Now I get to work on some reps with them. Shrugs went pretty good today - even though I cooled off before I started them. My brother called from Ft. Drum and so I talked to him for about 20 min. W/U a little bit again, and then did them. I get to raise the weight on them next time.


Cardio did not go as well as hoped - Only able to get 1 mile. At least that's a mile I hadn't done yet. Tomorrow will be better.

[.V.]

03-06-2005

Back
CDL.........260x3x4
BOR.........170x3x6
P/U + W......45x3x5
P/U BW.....20,15,15

Cardio
Cardioglide......16 minutes (MAX OT style - level 3)
Walk/Run............4 miles

Diet
M1.....1/2 cup oatmeal, 2oz suasage, 2 whole eggs, 1/2 pkg GS cookies
M2.....20g protein, 80g dextrose
M3.....Leftover ribs from last night
M4.....20g pro/10g fat/2g carb bar (starved after cardio, had to eat)
M5.....Chicken Breast, salad

Today was my first real cheat in over 1 1/2 years. I had planned to eat a whole pkg of cookies by myself, but didn't I only ate 1/2 pkg with my coffee this morning before breakfast. That will have to do me for another year. I figured since I'm adding sugar PWO and seem to be building a little fat I'll get my cheat out of the way and then get strict. I've been happily eating fat and burning fat at the same time - as long as I was taking in no sugar and eating only complex carbs at appropriate times - if I'm going to have to do the pwo sugar (it is helping with recovery a lot), I'm going to cut my fat intake a little. I'm going to miss it. I have no Idea what I'm going to cook my morning eggs in without the sauasage grease left over. And no, I'm not giving up whole eggs.

I'm not sure exactly what is happening if I'm actually getting fatter or not - but my abs seem less defined - still there, but not defined. But, I have better vasculature on my arms, chest, better striations on the deltoids - this doesn't make much sense to me. I thought that gaining fat made veins and striations go away.

Today's lifting was good. I got 260 - all reps of all planned sets on DL. It was pretty heavy, I think I will have to repeat today's sets/reps again next time, I doubt I'll be ready to do it for reps in a week. BOR was pretty easy (first time for everything). I will try 180 next time, and if I have to settle for 175 - that's ok too.

Cardio was good today. I did the 16 minutes all out - with the intensity dial turned up to level three on the cardioglide. It was tough - going all out on level 1 or 2 is nothing - I can do it for 30-45 minutes. Level 3 - a little different. I tried something a little differently today - I want to run and just can't do it so instead of running all I can then walking, as I've done in the past, I mixed it up. I walked 1/4 mile, ran 1/2 mile, and kept alternating. At the 2 mile mark, I think I tore my liver or something and ended up walking the next 2 miles - everytime I would try to run my whole side would hurt so bad, I couldn't breathe. Oh well, mixing it up this way should build me up to some decent running by summer anyway.

[.V.]

03-08-2005

Chest
Flat Bench........155x2x6, 1x5
Incline Bench.....140x2x6, 1x5
Decline Bench..........145x3x6

Abs
Leg Raises.............10x3x10
Cable Crunch...........70x3x10

Cardio
Cardioglide.............16 min
Run/Walk...............4 miles

Diet
M1.....Biscuit/mystery breakfast meat, 2 eggs, OJ, 1/2 cup oatmeal
M2.....20g pro, 80g dextrose
M3.....Chicken Breast, salad
M4.....20p/10f/2c bar, 1 boiled egg
M5.....Ribeye, salad
Water - 4 liters so far.

Comments
Ate breakfast with my kid at school - special invite parents to breakfast thing - the healthiest thing I could find was the biscuit and mystery breakfast meat. No wonder kids go to school somewhat healthy and come home overweight and get adult diabetes by age 10. Came home and had my eggs and oatmeal. Diet yesterday was good, all chicken and salad + 2 eggs with breakfast. Probably shouldn't have eaten after cardio but was terribly hungry and had to eat.

Lifting was OK, made some improvement in each exercise - not as much as planned. I made one mistake going for rep 6 on set 3 of flat bench. I couldn't lock out and while racking the weight, racked the right side and my left arm collapsed - there I was hung with 155 all of it pressing down on my left arm and was hung there for a few minutes. Had to go run the massager on my back and neck for a while before I could finish the workout. It's OK now, just a little tight. Finally able to do some weight on the leg raises - I took two 5lb plates on an adjustable dumbell, held it between my ankles then chained my legs together so that I wouldn't drop it on my head - pretty intense ab workout today. I'm afraid some of this "flab" on my lower abdomen that I can't burn (shouldn't be there at 10% BF) must be leftover skin from weighing 300 lb. I guess I'm going to have to build some seriously large ab muscles to fill it up. That means - low volume - get some weight on those abs I'm going to play with the 10-15 rep range and see what happens. Then I may switch to 6-8 - depending on how it works.

Cardio - there is really something to this max ot style cardio - hitting it hard for 16 minutes - no holding back. I've been unable to get my HR above 80 for a while doing cardio - today I held 148 for 10-12 of the 16 min session. Walk/Run - more walking than running still, but running farther each time - calves getting pretty tight - then I have to walk - as soon as I can walk normally instead of limping - run more. I think I will force these damn legs into submission - they plan to cripple me - I plan to not let them.

[.V.]

03-09-2005

Legs
Squat...............190x3x6
SLDL................220x3x6
Calf Raise..........290x3x6
Leg Extension.......150x3x6
Leg Curl.............70x3x6

Cardio
Cardioglide..........16 min
Run/Walk............4 miles

Diet
M1........2 protein bars (20p/10f/2c each), 1/2c oatmeal, coffee
M2........20g protein shake, 40g glucose
M3........Chicken breast, salad
M4........1 protein bar (20/10/2), 40g glucose
M5........Chicken breast, salad
Water.....4 liters so far today

Comments
Lifting was better than it has been lately - legs starting to comply more. Improved something on each lift - more than expected on leg extensions and calf raises - perhaps these will help the squat get back to what it needs to be.

Cardio was good - the running still isn't going as well as I would like. My calves keep spasming after about 1/4 mile - making me have to walk. My right side is killing me after about 1/8 mile - I guess this will improve with more conditioning. I did manage to finish off my run by going the last 1/2 mile without switching to a walk at any time. That was after switching each 1/4 mile for the rest of the time.

I should probably learn how to stretch the right way before and after I run.

Diet change - no more 80g glucose drinks for me - too sweet/can't drink them any more. I'm making them at 40g and having one after lifting and one after cardio - I'll see if this works.

[abarlament]

Hey what kind of protein bars are those?

[.V.]

My mother-in-law found them at the dollar store - cheap protein. the brand is Atkins Advantage bars. They are normally like 3.00 each - but she found them by the case for 2.00/box of 15. Not the best tasting bars - but cheap (free to me). The only thing wrong with them so far is that they tend to make me lazy - grab one if I'm in a hurry instead of taking the time to cook.