Chip's Body Quest

[Chipperoo]

I really like this forum, though I don't come by very often as I mostly stick to a low carb forum. I've decided to change that and start a journal here and keep it up. Weight training, fitness and nutrition have become my passion.

A little background is in order. I decided a little over a year ago that I no longer wanted to be obese with no energy. At the time I weighed around 272-274lbs at 5ft 10 1/2in. I started walking a local walking trail and eating sensibly. 30lbs dropped off very quickly and energy went up. Weight loss slowed after that. I started lifting weights at a park near where I live with all machines. About a month after that, I joined a gym and started working with free weights. I've been very dedicated to working out and have built a good foundation. I am now at 216lbs and about 20% bf.

Most of this time I have been not working (a real job) and it's been fairly easy to workout. For about the past 5-6 weeks I started working with a termite exterminator. It is a VERY physically demanding job, but I am still keeping up with working out very early a.m. workouts every morning.

Ok, enough intro, heres the workout I'm getting ready to go do today. I am doing my second HST cycle. I am on my second week of 5's.

Squats............................................ ..3x5x245
Stiff leg deadlifts.................................3x5x245
Shrugs............................................ ..3x5x250
Standing calf raises..............................3x5x460
Weighted dips.....................................3x5x60

superset
Slight-incline dumbell bench press...........3x5x95
Seated rows........................................3x5x25 0

superset
Seated dumbell press............................3x5x65
Wide grip pulldown................................3x5x220

superset
Dumbell lat raises..................................3x5x35
Pec Deck.............................................3 x5x200

tri-set
Standing dumbell curl.............................3x5x55
Standing tricep extension.......................3x5x45
Tricep cable pushdowns.........................3x5x120

Finger lifts w/plate................................2x20x45
Low pull. behind back wrist curls..............2x25x150

[kungfu74]

Chip,
congratulations on your achievements thus far, and I've seen some of your before and after pictures... great job! that looks like a killer of a workout you got there, how many times a week are you doing this full body workout?

keep up the good work and glad to see you start a journal here!

[Chipperoo]

Thanks man, I do this workout mon, wed, and fri. (3 days a week) and off weekends. I am doing HST, which is a really good training technique, if you've never heard of it, the home page is HERE

[jgriffith]

Nice work chip, HST is real nice, my only pet peeve is that you cant max out. But it definitely works. I see you're gettin down to it with the 5's, they kill when you get back to 3 sets of 100%. Will you be stopping after 6 weeks? Or moving onto negatives and drop sets? If so, which one will you incorporate??

[Chipperoo]

Well, I also do CKD and it was my depletion workout for my carb-up today too. This is my second HST cycle in a row, I don't workout with a parner/spotter so all I did was some negs where I could and upped the weight and did 2-3 reps on others. I don't think I'll be going on after six weeks this time, in fact am thinking of taking a week off next week and cutting the cycle short (5 weeks).

I don't know if I went too heavy this time, or just 'cause am working at a new job that is sometimes VERY physically demanding, but I am feeling very burnt out the end of this week on lifting and on diet.

Also have a lot to do around the house, as my mother-in-law is coming beginning of June to spend summer and I have to move some beds around and rearrange some rooms. So I think I'm probably going to take next week off lifting and dieting and get the work done around here. As far as diet goes, the metabolism can use a boost of higher calories right now, just for a week and then the diet works better after that.

I might just workout a couple of much lighter workouts next week instead of not at all. Haven't decided for sure, what I decide to do after next week will play a role in determining that, but it won't be another HST cycle for now, probably some kind of 4 day split.

[Chipperoo]

Well, had a good carb-up for my CKD yesterday. Was fairly "clean" i.e. low-fat except for a kindergarten graduation party for my youngest. I usually cheat once or twice on carb-ups on some higher fat stuff anyway and so far hasn't affected weightloss much.

Started back on low carb today, wish I could have went walking this morning for cardio (to get back into ketosis), but needed the sleep and wife had to go to work after I woke up. So I'm home with 5 little children today. Will be walking 4 or 5 miles tommorrow morning about 6:00am.

Already thinking of taking back what I said yesterday and finishing up one more week HST.

[Chipperoo]

Walked 1hr 20min this morning and feeling better than friday now that had a couple days of and a good carb-up. Fairly low cal yesterday and very low carb. I havent' been counting cals or macronutrients lately 'cause I did for so long that I just know what I'm eating lately. Not that I wouldn't if felt the need to (serious diet/cutting), just don't feel that need now (taking a more relaxed approach to it right now).

[Chipperoo]

Went ahead and did the workout, will finish 6th week of HST. But instead of 3 set of 5 on each exercise I changed to 2 sets. Changed up some other exercises also, seated rows not enough weight on stack, dumbell bench can't get dumbell into position without workout partner.

Deads............................................. .2x5x325
Leg Press on 45`sled..........................2x5x420
Heavy weight of standing calf raises too much for back, so did these
calf presses on 45`sled.......................2x15x540
Shrugs............................................ .2x5x265
Weighted dips....................................2x5x65

superset
Bench press.........................................2x5x 195
Hammer strength rows...........................2x5x270

superset
Seated dumbell press............................2x5x70
Wide grip pulldown................................2x5x220

superset
Dumbell lat raises..................................2x5x40
Lying lateral raises with low pulleys...........2x5x90(each side)

tri-set
Standing dumbell curl.............................1x5x55,1x5x50,1x5 x45
Standing tricep extension........................1x5x45,1x5x40,1x5x40
Tricep cable pushdowns.........................1x5x130,1x5x120, 1x5x120

Concentration curls................................1x40x10,1x45x5

Finger lifts w/plate................................2x20x45
Low pull. behind back wrist curls..............1x23x150

[jgriffith]

workout looks REALLY good chip, makes me want to do HST again haha, we'll see. Strength is looking very good, you're a strong dude no doubt. Keep up the good work

[Chipperoo]

Thanks man, I think I'm doing ok for not having lifted for so long and then starting last summer, but still think progress on benchpress is coming very slowly for my size. Oh well, I just have keep trying as hard as I can and researching to work out as smart as I can. I'm trying frantically to find all the info I can on periodization, 'cause I think that's what I'm gonna do to improve strength and hypertrohy at the same time after this HST cycle.

[Chipperoo]

Did ab work at home mid-day.

Weighted Crunches 3x10x35
Vacuums
Reverse crunches 2x10
Leg-ups 1x15

Also vacuums when I think about it throughout the day

[Chipperoo]

Crap, I found out all the memberships at the gym I work out at just got sold off to Gold's Gym today and they're shutting it down friday! I was working out there as a "trade of services" with the restaurant that my wife works (managers and their families). I don't think I can afford a regular membership, was so lucky to have gotten that deal. I also am not willing to give up my weight training, so I'm just going to have to figure out a way to swing it.

I've got 4 small children, been outa' work for awhile (wife went to work when I lost job and now someone has to watch the children) and just started working again, part time, when our schedules allow. This Sucks!!!! I've put my all into my training, getting up almost every morning 4:25 am to lift or do cardio for the past year and not gonna' stop now.

Well, guess I just needed to vent a bit, oh well.

[Chipperoo]

Good news is I'm really starting to see my abs today for the first time ever!
Don't know if can see in pic, 'cause more visible when moving around, but what the heck!

Picture from 5-24-04

[Chipperoo]

Weighed 215lbs this morn., yeay! Time for a break though, serious bonking on the weight sessions and wore out big time from very, very, serious manual labor at my job. Just gonna' cut this HST cycle down by one session and start my diet and workout break after this mornings workout. Planning on 11 days off untill mon. after next.

Didn't stick to my routine exactly this morn., just went by feel a little, changed up here and there:

Squats:............................ 135x10, 175x5, 205X3, 235x3, 255x3(didn't get 4th), 250x3, 250x3, 265x3, 280X1
SLDL.............................................. ....... 255x5,255x5
Shrugs............................................ ......265x5,265x5
Seated calf raises................................... 135x5,135x5,135x5
Flat bench............................................. 135x10, 155x8, 185x5, 205x4,205x4,210x4
Wide grip pulldown.................................. 220x4,220x4,220x4
Weighted dips........................................ 70x6,70x6,0x15

Superset:
Seated dumbell press.............................. 70x5,70x5
Hammer strength rows.............................270x5,270x5

Super-set
Lat raises............................................ ..40x5,40x5
Low cable lying (bench) flyes....................70@side x 5, 80@side x 5

Tri-set:
Standing dumbell curls.............................55x5,55x5
Standing Tri. extensions...........................45x5,45x5
Tri. pushdown w/ v-handle....................... 130x5,120x5

Finger plate raises....................................45x20,45 x15


Will probably have to work a lot next week, 'cause wifes off and I can (children), but shouldn't be too bad not working out and I ought to get a decent "stratigic deconditioning" and some much needed CNS "healing". Most I plan on doing besides work is some light walking around the neighboorhood and maybe going hiking on a nearby mountain.

When I worked out all the time it was hard to make myself take a break, but now that I'm used to taking one every 6 to 8 weeks, I look, like SO FORWARD to them when the time is right!

[Chipperoo]

Breaks going pretty good, went out to eat yesterday at the buffet restaurant my wife helps manage and really pigged out, but from the scale today doesn't look that bad. Been eating FAIRLY decently, besides that, but could be better for sure.

Haven't even been walking, but have been doing weighted crunches and a few other ab exercises at home. Feeling like I'm healing, though. Lifting very heavy for awhile just really breaks me down and I need the rest and recuperation.