Brian's Max-OT Journal

[wahlb]

Hey, I just started the Max-OT program cause I was looking for a good split program. I just finished 10 weeks of the Body-For-Life program and I'm tired of the upper/lower body split. I wanted something with lower reps/more weight for some serious strength/size gain.

Little info. I'm 24, started lifting when I was around 14 or 15 for sports. I played football in college so I've been training with a football type program (lots of power lifts like hang clean, snatch squats. . .all that fun stuff) for a while. I just graduated from college last year so I'm finally lifting for me and not some coach (I was always lifting for me, but now it's different, if you know what I mean). Anyway, I'd taken quite a break from lifting in the last few years, (I was a student assistant coach my 5th year of college--used all my eligibility in my 1st 4 years), so the body-for-life program was a good experience to get me back into the lifting mind set. I'm 6'1, @200 (down from my 230 lb linebacker weight, haha) at about 15% bodyfat. The body for life program got me from 206 at 21% bodyfat to 201 at 15%.

Hope you guys will follow along. I know watching your programs is a good motivation for me. PLease post any thoughts/feedback you might have.

-Brian

[wahlb]

Little more info on my diet/supplementing. Here is an area where I have never done it right in the past. I always thought I was a hard-gainer, just cause my diet sucked, and I never was consistent with supplements. If the body-for-life program did one thing for me it was teach me how to eat right.

Daily caloric intake:
@2000 to 2300 cals
50/40/10 protein/carbs/fat split
6 evenly spaced/proportioned meals a day

I try and get a serving of vegetables with 2 of my meals. 3 real food meals and 3 supplement meals. I usually take 1 free day where I just go crazy with food, but I'm trying to stop (i'm convinced it's hindering me big-time).

Supplements:
Swole V.2 (just started taking this today--I'm a creating non-responer---VERY interested in what this will do to me) I take it 30 mins prior to working out (about 5:45 a.m.) and at dinner (@7:00 p.m.)

Labrada Low Carb Lean Body - use for meal replacements. I try and get 3 real food meals a day and 3 MRP meals a day

ON 100% Whey - also used for meal replacements or to pack an extra protein punch for a noon meal

Pretty basic supplement stack. . .protein and creatine

[wahlb]

I started this last Monday, so I'll backtrack a week and write out my workouts

Monday 3.15.04: Chest and Biceps. 6:15 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.

This was the first Max-OT workout. The workouts in this week might not be optimal, just because I'm not sure what weight to put on the bar to get 4 to 6 reps with positive failure. Same thing with every workout, I suppose. My body is actually getting used to getting up at 5:30 (I just started lifting in the morning before work--sick and tired of waiting in line for a bench and getting home at 8:00 p.m.). This was a pretty decent workout.

Bench Press
12 x 115 (warmup)
10 x 115 (warmup)
6 x 135 (warmup)
3 x 155 (warmup)
1 x 185 (warmup)
5 x 215
3 x 225
4 x 215
*My predicted rep max for bench is about 250 (with 5 x 215). This is not as much as I had hoped. Back in my football prime I did a 290 rep max. I now have a goal, haha. Actually, my short term goal is to gain 30 pounds on it in 3 months, which I feel is very feasible. Maybe even 40+. My longer term goal is to bench 300.

Smith Machine Incline
6 x 185
5 x 205
4 x 215

Cable Crossovers
6 x 70
5 x 70

DB Flies
4 x 50

EZ Bar Curls
6 x 95
4 x 105
6 x 95

Striaght Bar Curls
6 x 80
4 x 90
5 x 80

DB Hammer Curls
5 x 35
6 x 35

Hammer Strength Machine Biceps
6 x 70

Also did some H.I.I.T cardio today after work (around 6:30 p.m.):
2.7 miles in 20 minutes on the treadmill.

[wahlb]

Tuesday 3.16.04

Back and Triceps:

Back
12 x 70 warmup
10 x 70 warmup
6 x 90 warmup
3 x 130 warmup
1 x 180 warmup
6 x 230
6 x 250
6 x 260

Cable Rows
6 x 165
6 x 165
5 x 165

Lat Pulldowns
6 x 160
6 x 170

French Press (scull crushers)
5 x 95
5 x 95
6 x 95

Cable Triceps Pulldown
4 x 150
5 x 150

Reverse Grip Cable Pulldown
6 x 120
4 x 140

Tricep Machine (not sure of the name or anything, just some triceps maching in the gym that I like--its more of a push excercise than a pulling one, if that makes sense)
5 x 115

Pretty happy with the workout. Chest and biceps are sore.

-Brian

[wahlb]

Wednesday 3.17.04

H.I.I.T. Cardio: 6:30 a.m. to 6:50 a.m.

2.56 miles in 20 minutes. I never can run as well in the morning on an empty stomache as I can in the evening. Guess I'm buring more stored fat in the morning, though.

-Brian

[wahlb]

Thursday 3.18.04
Shoulders and abs: 6:00 a.m. to 6:50

Hang Clean
(I've got to have at least part of my crazy football lifts from the past in here, so I've picked cleans. They always get my traps really good, and they warm me up well for everything else. Plus my lifting buddy and I are the only ones in the gym man enough to do them, haha.)
6 x 115 warmup
3 x 135 warmup
1 x 155 warmup
6 x 185
4 x 195
4 x 195

Military Barbell Press
6 x 135
3 x 155 (too much)
5 x 145

Hammer Strength Machine Shoulders
6 x 180
6 x 180

Shrugs
6 x 230 (too light)

Ab Machine Crunch
80 x 6
85 x 4
85 x 6

Decline Crunches
Body Weight x 20
B.W. x 15

Note: Today was the first day of lifting after taking SynTrax Swole V.2. No noticeable difference yet. I've seen lots of guys on here who say thier first day on it is amazing. . .I always thought that might be a load of crap, or a psychological thing. I think a lot of times people are on supplements and they THINK they will lift harder, so they just do. The mind is a powerful thing. Personally, I just try and F*** the weight up every time I get under it to do a set. . .its all about intensity, no matter what supplement I'm on. A crazy mental attitude like that about it is better than any supplement (maybe short of anabolic steriods, haha).

-Brian

[wahlb]

Friday 3.19.04
Legs:

Squats
12 x 135 warm up
10 x 135 warm up
6 x 185 warm up
3 x 205 warm up
1 x 225 warm up
4 x 275
4 x 275
5 x 275

*my squats have always been a weak point, mostly due to poor form. I'm really trying to work on perfect form and getting parallel to the floor, so the weights will be slightly lower for a bit.

Leg Press
6 x 650
4 x 700
*I'm guessing the sled weighs 200 pounds. . .???? Every leg press/leg sled is different, so wieghts are always different.

Seated Leg Curls
6 x 155
4 x 160

Seated Calf Raises
6 x 180
6 x 160
6 x 160

The workout was pretty good considering I didn't get enough sleep last night (@5 hours). Legs are definately my least favorite body part to work, but probably the most important. I've got to get 3 45lb plates on each side of that bar when I squat so I don't feel like such a wuss. . .Oh well, I've never seen 90% of the guys in the gym even attempt to squat. I think that just doing the lift made me like the 5th or 6th heaviest squatter in the place. . .pathetic.

Well, here's to pain every time I sit down to take a crap for the next 4 days. . .

-Brian

[wahlb]

Monday 3.22.04
It's Monday again, which means chest/bicep day

Started at 6:00 a.m.

Barbell Bench Press:
12 x 115 warm up
10 x 115 warm up
6 x 135 warm up
3 x 155 warm up
1 x 185 warm up
4 x 225
4 x 215
4 x 215

Dumbell Incline:
6 x 70
5 x 75
4 x 75

Hammer Strength Inline Press:
4 x 180
4 x 180
*I think I'm going to make this lift dumbell bench press next workout

Hammer Strength Bench Press:
5 x 160
*as soon as I get a belt I can put weights on, this is going to become weighted dips.

EZ Bar Curls:
4 x 105
6 x 100
6 x 100

Straight Bar Curls
4 x 90
4 x 90
4 x 90

Dumbell Hammer Curls
5 x 35
6 x 35

Hammer Strength Biceps:
6 x 80

Most lifts (especially biceps lifts) are up from last week, which is good, but not as much as I would have hoped. My predicted max on bench press went from 250 last week to 255 this week, according to my highest rep/highest weight set. I suppose any increase is good. I ate pretty badly this weekend (especially yesterday)--lots and lots of sugar. I'm sure my blood sugar was all f'd up this morning, which cause me to feel pretty groggy. I definately didn't feel good until the end of the workout. I really need to watch my weekend eating patterns if I want to maximize my chest workout on Monday morning.

One note: The Syntrax Swole V.2 definately kicked in today. I felt some crazy pumps. . .My forearms during my biceps lifts were to the point of being noticeably uncomfortable and taking a shower after the workout was harder than normal. My chest and arms looked fuller than usual during the workout as well. I did increase in strength, but that should happen naturally, so I can't note on a strength increase, but definately a pump increase. If more blood and nutrients are getting to the muscles, then recovery time should be shorter, which will lead to faster strength gains. I've been taking the swole about 20 to 30 minutes before working out and again about 7:00 p.m. or whenever I have one of my evening meals. I take it in the morning on an empty stomach and feels no ill effects.

-Brian

[atherjen]

Looks like some great workouts Brian!

[wahlb]

Originally Posted by atherjen

Looks like some great workouts Brian!

Thanks, atherjen.

Gotta get my beach body ready for summer, you know!

-Brian

[wahlb]

Monday 3.22.04

Did some H.I.I.T. cardio today after work (7:00 p.m.).

Treadmill: 20 mins, 2.58 miles.

Didn't feel so good and distance was less than usual. Probably because of my eating over the weekend. The free day is coming to a stop. I'm going to see just how many days I can go in a row of diet perfection. I'm sure my body with thank me.

-Brian

[wahlb]

Tuesday 3.23.04

Back/Triceps Day

Started at 6:15 a.m. Today I substantially raised every lift from last week's workout. I'm going to post today's lifts along with last week's, just to show the difference (and cause I'm a bit proud of myself this morning).

Last Week:_________________Today:
Hammer Strength Back_______Hammer Strength Back
12 x 70 warmup_____________12 x 90 warm up
10 x 70 warmup_____________12 x 90 warm up
6 x 90 warmup______________6 x 140 warm up
3 x 130 warmup_____________3 x 160 warm up
1 x 180 warmup_____________1 x 180 warm up
6 x 230____________________6 x 270
6 x 250____________________5 x 280
6 x 260____________________5 x 280

Cable Rows_________________Cable Rows
6 x 165____________________6 x 170
6 x 165____________________6 x 170
5 x 165____________________6 x 170

Lat Pulldowns_______________Lat Pulldowns
6 x 160____________________6 x 170
6 x 170____________________6 x 190

French Press (scull crushers)__French Press
5 x 95_____________________6 x 95
5 x 95_____________________6 x 95
6 x 95_____________________6 x 100

Cable Triceps Pulldown_______Cable Pulldowns
4 x 150____________________6 x 150
5 x 150____________________6 x 150
*weight stack only goes to 150

Reverse Grip Cable Pulldown___Rev. Grip Cable Pulldowns
6 x 120____________________6 x 140
4 x 140____________________6 x 150

Triceps Machine______________Triceps Machine
5 x 11_____________________4 x 120

Again, muscle pump was significantly higher than normal due to the Swole V.2, and I can't help but think it helped me squeeze out a few more reps at higher weights. The drastic weight increase on the hammer strength back machine was somewhat due to the fact that I wasn't acclamated to lower reps in my first workout last week, but the strength increase was significant. Overall I was very pleased with the workout, and so far am very pleased with the Syntrax Swole V.2. Also, my chest and biceps are not sore after the workout yesterday, and normally they would be. I think the Swole is aiding my recovery time as well.

-Brian

[wahlb]

Wednesday 3.24.04

Cardio Day:

Started at 6:45 a.m.

H.I.I.T. Treadmill--2.55 miles in 20 minutes


Last night I didn't eat my 6th meal and just went to bed--probably need that extra protein in me to build on yesterday's back/tricep workout.

-Brian

[atherjen]

Great workouts Brian!

that happens to me sometimes too.. I just get too tired and end up going to bed early rather than staying up to eat.
its best to listen to your body!

[wahlb]

Originally Posted by atherjen

Great workouts Brian!

that happens to me sometimes too.. I just get too tired and end up going to bed early rather than staying up to eat.
its best to listen to your body!

Thanks!

Yeah, the problem is that I only took in a little over 1800 calories yesterday, and I'm 200 pounds. I try to keep my caloric intake at around 2300, just cause its hard (and expensive) for me to eat more. I figured this was pretty close to a cutting caloric intake, even though I'd like to (and am succeeding) keep increasing strength and lean mass weight. I just think my metabolism is a bit slower than normal.

Here's a typical day from my diet journal:
Meal 1: 7:30 a.m.
3 egg whites/2 whole eggs
1/2 plain bagel w/no sugar strawberry jelly
1 cup 1% milk
water

Meal 2: 10:00 a.m.
Labrada Low Carb lean body
Water
*I cant stomach the consistency of any of the original (non-low carb) versions of these MRP's, so I go with low-carb versions

Meal 3: 12:15 p.m.
Ham and Turky sandwich on wheat
Dill Pickle
2 scoops ON 100% Whey
Water

Meal 4: 3:30 p.m.
Labrada Low Carb Lean Body MRP
Water

Meal 5: 6:30 p.m.
1/2 Chicken Breast
1/2 can corn
1/2 can green beans

Meal 6: 10:00 p.m.
2 scoops ON 100% Whey
1 cup 1% milk
Water

Total Calories: @2200-2300
Total Protein: @260g
Total Carbs: @150-170g
Total Fat: @25 g

It's pretty easy to keep for me, the problem is on the weekends. I used to do a free day where I pigged out big time. . .3 really bad meals and desert/snacks in-between--that's got to go. I've only lost 12 pounds of fat in the last 11 weeks with a diet very similar to what's above with a free day. I would think without the free day that diet would wither me away, at least my fat. . .Like I said earlier, I think my metabolism is slowing

I'm going to try and go at least 4 weeks without a free day, but maybe one or two free meals, but try not to go overboard and see what happens. If I start losing more than 1.5 to 2 pounds a week, or if I start to notice a strength loss or even lack of increase, I'm going to seriously up the calories. I might try and get more like 300 grams of protein instead of 250-260.

I just noticed that my caloric intake is close to yours, and I outweigh you by about 60 pounds or more.

What are your thoughts?

By the way. . .I read through your journal. VERY impressive. Great discipline. If you can do what you do with your body, you can most definately carry that over into all aspects of your life. I find that getting my lazy butt up at 5:30 to lift and eating right makes me better at work (I do medical research) and a better studier (I'm trying to get into dental school). It definately improves your quality of life. Nice job!!

-Brian