Firehawk's Journal to Fitness

**Firehawk** · 15-Apr-04, 08:23 AM

Hey gang...ive been thinkin about doin this for awhile, and now I am about ready.

My goal until september is to get my fat % as low as possible. 24 weeks ago I was 342.5 lbs at 40% body fat. 205.5 lbs LBM. I am going to turn around and go for pure muscle in september. My body does not like to lose fat in the winter time so why bother trying? I wasted a couple months this past winter finding this out...

Currently, i am at 314.5 lbs at 31.7% body fat...217 lbs LBM. This is according to my scale which isnt that accurate, but ive been using it to monitor so should be ball park...

(EDIT: That scale was all calculated with formulas, not an electrical impulse, so my BF% was much higher at the time. The new one I have, the one ive been using for a few months now, is with an electrical impulse so it is more accurate)

Ive never been able to ever see my abs that I can remember. I want to see them but this is not my main goal. My main goal is to add about 20 lbs of muscle, naturally of course, and get into decent cardiovascular condition. I want my fat% under 15% all the time.

I am 25 yrs old. I stand at 6'3, I have large frame thus I am the type that loves to lift heavy and feel I was built to lift heavy, not run 5 miles (although that would be some kinda goal

).

I will post accurate measurements as soon as I take them.

I eat about 1800-2000 calories for 6 days a week and then eat whatever i want on my cheat day. This has been allowing me to lose about 1 1/2 lbs a week. Id like to lose more, but am not willing to give up my cheat day. This day keeps me going through the rest of the week.

I am currently doing Max OT, been for the past 4 weeks. Prior to that, i did Body For life. While on BFL, I didnt care for the weightlifting because there was not enough rest, and except for my legs (squat), I plateaued pretty fast at too light of weights for my liking.

Max OT allows me to lift heavy, and im making progress, while losing fat every week. My LBM is going up too. Post more later.

**jgriffith** · 15-Apr-04, 08:31 AM

Hey bro, good to see you keeping a journal, I'm gonna be watching this. Dont limit yourself to anything, you absolutely CAN lose weight in the winter and if you want to run 5 miles sometime, theres nothing stopping you there either. 1800-2000 cals!? you weigh 315! thats entirely tooo low, especially for the type of training you are doing. A rule of thumb while cutting is to do your bodyweight times 12, atleast this is something Atherjen has told me and she knows her stuff. I get paranoid about cals from time too time but I think you need to get that upto atleast 2600-3000 cals, try it for a week I bet you'll still continue to lose and you'll DEFINITELY be keeping more muscle.

The last thing you want to become is what I call "skat", which is skinny fat. Think of it this way, would you rather be 265 and built? or 250, smaller with less muscle and more flab??? The "weight loss" might be quicker with less cals, but that doesnt really mean its doing much for your physique transformation.

**Firehawk** · 15-Apr-04, 08:34 AM

Im still getting stronger buddy, and seeing fat loss. Im eating 6 meals a day, 300-400 calories per. Im pretty full after eating healthy food for 2000 calories. I dont know if I can chow 3000 healthy calories, and I dont take ANY supplements lol, nor do i really want to. Bad experience.

Whatever I achieve will be PURELY natural, meaning, no supplements, no chemicals, no nothing. One exception, a multi-vitamin, which I havent been taking but should be.

Here comes my workout routine in the next post. Good, keep watching me. Keeps me motivated

**Firehawk** · 15-Apr-04, 08:51 AM

My MAX OT routinie...

Monday - 20 minute HIIT cardio in the morning on empty stomach.

Tuesday Chest / Tris - my weakest lift is chest, but not for long.. thx Jaster

4 warmup Flat press sets
3x6 BB Flat Press
3x6 BB Incline Press
3x6 DB Flat Press

3x6 Skullcrushers
3x6 Close Grip Presses

Wednesday - 20 min HIIT cardio

Thursday - Back / Bis

4 sets warmup with Bent over Rows
3x6 Bent Over Rows
3x6 Deadlifts
3x6 BB straight curls
3x6 DB Alternating Curls
3x6 Shrugs

Friday - 20min HIIT cardio

Saturday - cheat day for dieting
Legs/Shoulders

4 sets warmup with deep squat
3x6 Deep Squat
3x6 Leg Curls
3x6 Lunges

4 sets Warmup with Miiltary Press
3x6 BB military Press
3x6 Upright Rows

Sunday - no workout, but eat perfectly

I dont do any special calve exercises, no specific forearm training, and no ab stuff yet. I feel those get targeted in my routines already. My abs I will probably start training once I get under 20% because they come into their own fast.

This is all with freeweight. I work out in my basement with no spotters.

**jgriffith** · 15-Apr-04, 09:09 AM

Workouts look like they'll be good, will you be posting your weight as youre doing them? Why not train abs now? I think itd be a great idea to start them asap, then when you're bf is down they'll be right there to stare you in the face. Plus it'll help with every other exercise you do, gotta have those core muscles nice and strong.

**Firehawk** · 15-Apr-04, 09:52 AM

Basically I dont train abs because I just dont have time typically, but Ill try to throw them in somewhere i guess...even if I do one heavy set that is probably better than not doin anything...I hate working abs too.

My muscle mass is also increasing with my dieting, to my surprise actually. I do not want to be skinny fat by any means Jgrif, but I dont think i will be. the 2000 calories seems to be working ok for me. Im still gaining LBM and still losing scale weight. Gotta be good for me.

Um,

Yeah, i can post the weight im lifting I suppose. Im upset with my bench press, actually always have. For my size I should be in the 3's at least, but i can barely get 225 for a max right now. Its going up, but nevertheless it pisses me off when I think about it. My other lifts are increasing. My squat and deadlift are increasing dramatically..more on that right now:

My squats started at 125 on 4th set for 6. In 12 weeks, I was doing 245 for 6, these were parallel , not deep squats, Im just starting go to deep now. In 10 weeks or so ive taken my deadlift from 225 for 6 heavy to 315 for 6 heavy. Those are my most impressive lifts so far. Heres what Imd oing right now...

BB Flat Press - 175 for 3x6 (I killed this monday , got 7, so im goin up) THANKS JASTER
BB Incline Press - 155 for 3x6
DB Flat Press - 67 lbs 3x6
My bench is embarrassing. Im working hard on it.

Skullcrushers - 70 for 3x6
Close Grip Press - 135 3x6

BB Bent over Rows - 155 3x6
Deadlifts - 315 3x6
BB Straight Bar Curls - 90 3x6
Alternating Curls - 42lbs 3x6

Deep squats - 225 3x6 and increasing fast
Leg Curls - 135 (this is a machine exercise, not free weights, dont consider it freeweight)
Lunges - 32lb DBs, this is rough. I suck at these

Forgot my Shoulders

BB Military Press 125 3x6 This hurts my shoulder joints, I may go to DB's. I think i can go more than 125 but its too painful for some reason...
BB Upright Rows - 135 3x6

**Firehawk** · 15-Apr-04, 09:54 AM

Im keeping Excel graphs of all my major lifts and my Body weight Deadlift/Squat/Bent Over Rows/MilitaryPress/BB Curls Ill attach them eventually.

**jgriffith** · 15-Apr-04, 10:33 AM

Dont worry about the bench, it'll go up for sure, I used to be the same way. Its still not where I want it to be but its improving. Thats the problem with bein a big guy, everyone thinks you should be able to just toss weight around on the bench, but its not really the case, still takes work. Definitely try to make time for the abs, it shouldnt take you more than an extra 10 minutes.

**Firehawk** · 15-Apr-04, 01:22 PM

An extra 10 minutes is too long dude. My workouts are already 45-1 hr depending on what Im doing. I dont want my workouts longer than 1 hour TOPS, but am really trying to keep them under 45 minutes.

Yeha, anytime i say im working out, people say "what do you bench" because they assume I can bench alot. I just say "im embarrassed so I aint tellin" lol. I dont lie, so if i said 300 id be lying. I WILL get it to 315, and I dont care how long it takes. I want 315!!!!! But I want it for reps, not a max.

180 next monday. Im moving in 5 lb increments for awhile. Jaster gave me some hints and really helped me to get out of my sticking point. I was doing 175 and could only get 4 on my first heavy set, and had a sticking piont in the middle of the lift. I then backed off to 165, got my form down as he coached me, and have been increasing by 5 lbs and getting 7-8 reps on the first set every time, including the 175 i just did where i couldnt get more than 4. Im very happy, and i am sore STILL from monday, so evidently i worked harder using the proper form.

I expect 225 in 6-8 weeks or so, for reps.

kevint · 15-Apr-04, 06:58 PM

hey there firehawk.. lemme just say we're on the same boat. you seem to be progressing well so keep at it!

**Firehawk** · 15-Apr-04, 10:43 PM

I did Back/Bi's today. I got 315 on my deadlifts for 4 on my 3 heavy sets. I was happy with that. I remember about 6 weeks ago, I tried to walk up to 315 and pick it up, and couldnt. I got it off the ground but couldnt stand straight up.

Now i moved it 12 times. I was very happy. Next week, ill get 6 on all sets, then increase by another 15 lbs.

My deadlift is flying up. Just like my squats did about 12 weeks ago.

**Jaster** · 16-Apr-04, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firehawk

Tuesday Chest / Tris - my weakest lift is chest, but not for long.. thx Jaster

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firehawk

Heres what Imd oing right now...
BB Flat Press - 175 for 3x6 (I killed this monday , got 7, so im goin up) THANKS JASTER

Hey I'm just glad I could help!
Good luck with it!!
And KEEP PUSHING!!

:

**Firehawk** · 16-Apr-04, 05:09 PM

Today I did 20 minute HIIT training.

My program is this right now..just changed it today, was doing something the same but slightly different.

2 minute warmup at level 5 intensity
3rd minute level 6
4th minute level 7
5th minute level 8
6th minute level 10

7th minute level 6
8th minute level 7
9th minute level 8
10th minute level 10

11th minute level 6
12th minute level 7
13th minute level 8
14th minute level 10

15th minute level 6
16th minute level 7
17th minute level 8
18th minute level 10
19th minute level 7
20th minute cool down

This was my first day at doing this routine. I was doing 6, 7, 8, 9...6,7,8,9...6,7,8,9...6,7,8,9,10, cool down in that order for about 24 weeks now. This new change kicked my ass. In fact i only completed 15 minutes. I was too tired. Cant wait to try it again though.

I used a stationary bike.

**Firehawk** · 18-Apr-04, 09:08 AM

Today i was 313.5 @ 31.6% bodyfat. This is the lowest I have been in 8 yrs that I can ever remember. I started at 342.5 25 weeks ago.

I am desperately trying to get out of the 300s. I dont think ive been under 300 since high school, which was 8 yrs ago. COME ON 299!!!!!!!!!!!

**Jaster** · 18-Apr-04, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firehawk

Today i was 313.5 @ 31.6% bodyfat. This is the lowest I have been in 8 yrs that I can ever remember. I started at 342.5 25 weeks ago.

I am desperately trying to get out of the 300s. I dont think ive been under 300 since high school, which was 8 yrs ago. COME ON 299!!!!!!!!!!!

Good work it will come!!

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