a_welch503 WORKOUT JOURNAL

[.V.]

Yeah I know thanks for the encouragement - but we'll wait until the 25th to decide what amount of success there was. At the end of the bulking, I was looking pretty big by comparison to last year. Then it kept looking better during the cut. Now - I dunno. We'll just have to wait and see.

I just try to be realistic and call it like it is - not be too hard on myself (although some amount of self criticism is required), but certainly not let myself become a slacker either.

[.V.]

OK, I became a slacker today. I've eaten just right for my cutting (I think). Then today while cooking chimichangas with refried beans & cheese for the kids occasional junk food dinner, it got to me. I cheated.

Scratch off one can of tuna, add in 2 chimichangas, 1 plate of refried beans, a handfull of melted cheese all over the top of it.

Downside - I feel myself getting fatter.

Upside - Benching tomorrow will probably really kick a$$.

Edit: I'm due for a workout that kicks it anyway.

[gcs118]

lol you ain't gonna get fat eating that. If I eat 1500 calorie snacks before bed and don't gain weight, that meal isn't gonna touch ya

[.V.]

Chest
Flat Bench........150x2x5, 1x4
Incline Bench.....130x1x5, 1x4
Decline Bench..........140x2x5

Abs
Crunch................100x2x10
Cable Crunch..........100x2x10

Cardio
Bike Ride..............6 miles

Diet
M1.....3oz Pork Tenderloin, 2 whole eggs
M2.....20g whey, 5g creatine (pre-workout)
M3.....20g whey, 5g creatine, 32g dextrose (post-workout)
M4.....3 oz pork tenderloin, salad (30 min post-workout)
M5.....chicken breast on salad
M6.....20g whey, 5g creatine (pre-cardio)
M7.....20g whey, 5g creatine, 32g dextrose (post-cardio)
M8.....3oz pork tenderloin, salad (30 min post-cardio)

Water > 1 gallon
Totals: P-188g, F-70g, C-90g, Cal-1742

This is all I'm going to eat today. Just the thought of food makes me want to vomit and since I can't tell the difference between vomit and the vomit flavored creatine and vomit flavored protein shakes - I don't want to risk getting anything mixed up today.

I can't afford any more time off. I felt a head cold coming on yesterday. This morning, it was in my chest. Lots of water and coffee later, the secretions thinned enough to cough my chest clear and I got my workout in. I didn't want to do cardio, but did it anyway.

Got 6 miles on the bike today. My best effort so far. I've found that by keeping it in a harder gear, climbing the hills is actually easier - more work but I can make it, in the easier gears - I can't. 6 miles took 30 minutes.

I'll be glad when the cutting is over - even though I don't relish the thought of eating more. Bracketing my workouts with shakes and food is working I think - based on how the recovery feels. The 20g protein shakes are so NASTY. The 40g shakes are better tasting - vanilla instead of vomit.

I made a tiny bit of progress back towards where I should be on chest today. Lying flat on the bench - making sure the pecs are actually doing the work - keeping the lats, arched back, and legs out of it. My bench was getting stronger before, but my chest was suffering for it. Today, even though the weights were light I really got a great chest workout. Abs, same thing - totally slow, controlled reps - hold for a count of 5, slow controlled negative. Man they are really wiped out now. I guess it's back to max ot bb style for now. That way the targeted body parts actually get worked instead of all the surrounding body parts. Not entirely true, max ot does use compound movements with multiple parts involved, but since I'm concentrating on the movment and feeling the target muscle working and not worrying about how much I can lift - I think the targeted muscles will actually get stronger now.

Edit: Looked in the mirror today, I still look flabby and soft. I'm going to stick with diet basically like it has been until Sunday, take another pic and re-evaluate. I may have to cut out the PWO spikes and just do creatine without spikes at all. Maybe increase my protien and fat a bit more - I really can't cut carbs any more without cutting out the dextrose.

[.V.]

09-22-2005

Legs
Squat...........205x3x5
SLDL............210x3x4
Calf Raise.....300x3x10

Cardio
Bike Ride.......4 miles
Had to cut it short - ran out of time - went for 20 minutes in the hardest gears I could handle, family obligations had to be met.


Diet
M1.....Ground Chuck, 2 whole eggs
M2.....20g protein, 5g creatine
M3.....20g protein, 32g dextrose, 5g creatine
M4.....Tuna on salad
M5.....Tuna on salad
M6.....Hamburger steak and a salad

Comments:
Very dissatisfied with the cut. It looks like I'll be doing it for another month. Today was the 2wk dr re-check, weigh in, BP check. All was great according to them, but I've gained 4lb in a week. 4lb of LBM? I kind of doubt it. Last week, I may have been a little dehydrated. I have taken a lot more water this week and haven't had the diarrhea like last week - hopefully that is it. Full analysis coming on Sunday. I think my protein and fat may be a little too low right now, but I've been trying to keep calories down. The old thing that's been said for 30 years that when you cut the carbs not to cut the protein or try to go low fat - these things result in being unsuccessful - is turning out to be true. I should have taken a lesson from the first major weight loss. I'll still be eating my tuna and chicken, but I'm adding in more fat on purpose. I'll be eating more steak too. Went to the butcher shop and bought 25 lb of steak to help with this. I guess this means more sausage instead of tenderloin - dammit, I love tenderloin.

I've reduced my weights again (on SLDL - getting them down to what I can handle without getting hurt). I'm going to work my way up slowly doing it max ot style. Just because I can handle 3x6 or whatever doesn't mean I'll be immediately increasing the weight. I will be doing however many sets x 6 easily with full control and absolutely no "loose form" before I increase the weight.

Tomorrow, I work so no lifting. Saturday is supposed to be arm day but probably will be a day off. I have to leave straight from work and teach a 12 hour class saturday. I'll probably be reducing the weights I work with on arm day too.

[Xhale]

Got 6 miles on the bike today. My best effort so far. I've found that by keeping it in a harder gear, climbing the hills is actually easier - more work but I can make it, in the easier gears - I can't. 6 miles took 30 minutes.

Great that you finally found a cardio excersise that you like.

And if you want to loose weight just follow the 3500 rule. There's 3500 calories in fat so if you figure out how many calories you use per day and the cut back on 500 you loose a pound of fat each week.

Keep up the good work.

[.V.]

Hey Xhale. I actually didn't find one I like, just one that is quicker. Walking is my favorite cardio activity, but to get my heartrate up, I have to walk so fast for so long, that I just don't have the time to do enough of it.

I've been thinking of training for a mini triathalon. 13 mile bike ride, 3 mile run, 1/4 mile swim. Problem, I'm a terrible runner, a worse swimmer, and a brand new bike rider - I don't think I could actually complete it. Still, the training might be fun - if it doesn't interfere with my weight training. It isn't until spring and I will have all winter to train for it - and will be eating more over the winter to support harder workouts.

[gcs118]

Andy...do the competition. It's a competition against yourself, it'll be a great personal achievement to finish it. I'd like to see it happen.

[.V.]

Greg, I just might. Acutally the training for it will be a competetion against myself. I just have to wonder, will the bulking over the winter mess up the training for it? Or, more likely (and worse) will the training for it mess up the bulking over the winter?

[.V.]

09-25-2005

Arms
BB Curls....110x3x4
Skull Crushers.....105x3x5
Standing Alternating DB Curls.....45x3x4
Concentration Curl.....45x2x4
Tricep Pressdown.....30x2x4

Cardio - not done yet - going for a bike ride

Diet - not too good. I'm sick and can barely make myself eat. I have managed to eat twice today.

Comments
This cold has gotten into my chest. Rattling, wheezing, coughing. I still managed a pretty good workout today.

I'm happy with my recent workout changes. I think they will make it more effective. Still Max OT, but without the "loose form". All reps are done with absolute control - using the most weight I can handle for my range and have perfect form. If I have to cheat to get another rep - I will NOT increase the weight until I can get all reps with perfectly clean form. No ego here - just concentrating on making each muscle do it's best without help from the others at the right time.

Edit: Posted my shameful pics today. My cut won't be ending today. I'm giving it another month. It looks like I'm actually around 15%BF and my tape is wrong. I can't do anything about all those huge scars or the loose skin. But I can burn off the rest of the fat and then work on getting huge over the winter (cleanly). Ok, not huge - but I'm going to try.

[gcs118]

Andy, the competition won't interfere with your training because your training will be centered around the competition. Don't worry about bulking until after the competition if you think it will make a big difference. Either way, I'd prepare for the competition, then get back on the lifting/cutting/bulking track hardcore ya know? Like when I ran track in high school, lifting would take the back burner during track season.

[.V.]

Interesting idea. I may give it an actual shot. But my weight training will have to come first.

[Xhale]

I've been thinking of training for a mini triathalon. 13 mile bike ride, 3 mile run, 1/4 mile swim. Problem, I'm a terrible runner, a worse swimmer, and a brand new bike rider - I don't think I could actually complete it. Still, the training might be fun - if it doesn't interfere with my weight training. It isn't until spring and I will have all winter to train for it - and will be eating more over the winter to support harder workouts.

That's a great idea Welch! Triathletes get in very good shape if they find that they enjoy the competition. And yeah you could definatley compete even if you finish last it'll still be fun to do.

Take care of your cold and get well soon.

[gcs118]

You could also let this comp. be the grand finale to your cutting. And bulk after that? Just an idea.

[.V.]

It's way off in the spring - like May. Lots of time to prepare for it. I can already do the swimming part (I hate it but can do it). The biking is just 13 miles - I'll build up to that by the end of this month. It is the running that will be hard - to be able to make the full 3 miles will probably take some dedicated work all through the winter. But, I'm still going to bulk this winter and cut right before spring.

Brat and Perinni are right, I do need to build my chest up. It is puny by comparison to my back. First I need to finish getting off the last of the fat so I can afford to seriously eat for it without becoming a pig by accident. Arms still need some work too. Todd sent me a link to a chest video by Milos Sacrov (?name/spelling?) recently which I've been trying to apply. I had to cut my weight way back to do it his way, but it really lets me hit the pecs instead of everything around them - can't get a big chest if the delts and lats are doing all the work. Trying to get stronger, I was concentrating on just weight pushed and noticed one day with the back so arched and the feet way up under my butt, even my quads, and calves were helping.