My path to a better me

[Mr VW]

Starting today I've decided to start getting really serious about fitness. I'm doing a full body routine 3 times a week. I've been lifting on and off for about 3 years, more off than on. But I really want to start competing in 2008 so I really want to get serious with my training and my diet. Currently I'm 5'11" 181 lbs and about 13% bf.

http://www.discussfitness.com/forums...res-35573.html

This is what I currently look like. My goal has changed and I want to be 175 lbs at about 8% bf. I'm looking to be eating from about 2100 to 2500 cals a day. Carbs 45% Protein 35% and Fat 20%.

I try and eat at least 5 or 6 meals a day. I'll probably post my diet later on this week after I figure everything out more exactly.

My routine:

I try and start everyday with a light boxing session just to get the blood flowing, I might change this to a morning ride since it's gotten warmer. I just do 20 or 30 minutes of low intensity cardio.

Monday/Friday

Squat
Bench (Monday Incline) (Friday Decline)
Bent Over Row (Friday Underhand)
Deadlift
Military Press
Clean
Pull Ups
Dragonflags
Dips

Wednesday

Bench (Flat)
T Bar Rows
Deadlift
Military Press
Clean
Pull Ups
Dragonflags
Dips
Curls

Tuesday/Thursday

Cardio of some sort. I want to be doing at least 40 minutes. It all varies on how I'm feeling. My intensity also varies quite a bit depending on how my day is going. I try and go all out as much as possible.

I do 3 sets of 6-8 reps on everything except for pull ups I do 50 reps, however many sets it takes me to get there. I'm gonna be doing this for about 3 weeks by then I'll be doing 4 sets of 6-8 reps.

I guess I'll just start out with today's workout.

It was a good workout except for the fact that it was super hot. I feel a lot more comfortable with my form on cleans, I dropped weight a little bit but I know its for the better. Everything went really well. I really need to build up the strength in my lats. I just started to do unassisted pullups about 2 months ago and do about 10. I want to be able to do at least 25 per set if not more.

[gymgirl]

hey mr. vw! glad you started a journal! i look a look at your pictures and you've got a great base.

you've got good compound exercises in there which is great. I'm just curious why you are doing cleans/deadlifts 3x per week?! that seems like quite a bit especially if you are doing 3 sets of 6-8 reps.

so based on your goals it looks like you are trying to decrease your bodyfat now right? how about trying some HIIT one of your cardio days instead of the longer 40 min low intensity?

[gymgirl]

btw happy birthday!

[Mr VW]

Originally Posted by gymgirl

btw happy birthday!

Thank you.

As for the cleans and the deadlifts I just think I should be doing them 3 times a week, as time goes on I might change it. I just wanna see how my body responds to them. The reason Im not doing the HIIT is because lately I've been getting really bad shin splints and I can do the 40 minutes without much pain, but as soon as I start sprinting they hurt really bad so I try not to do too much high intensity cardio too much. I do love it though. But like I said it's getting warmer so it's better weather for me to be riding in so the HIIT could find it's place in my cardio days. I am trying to lower my bodyfat but am in no hurry whatsoever I really want to gain a lot more mass first.

Today was a hectic work day but I did manage to run 5 miles followed by 20 minutes of boxing and a very light ab workout. Since it was my birthday I had a piece of cake. Not the best thing, but whatever. All in all, a pretty good cardio day.

I'm thinking of doing HST again but actually do an entire cycle. Quick question about the SD, would I still be able to do cardio? Would it affect it at all?

Please accept my belated greeting of a Happy Birthday!

You are a young pup. Enjoy your youth.

[Mr VW]

I had a great workout today. I started out really slow and felt weak but that changed after my warm ups. Anybody got anything about the SD phase question of HST?

[Mr VW]

I had a pretty good cardio session today. Some heavy bag training followed by some jump rope work. I lost 3 lbs from last week...I'm getting worried..I don't want to be losing more muscle than I have to. Could it be because I'm sleeping less? I used to sleep about 8 to 8.5 hours a night now because of 2 new jobs I just got I can only get about 6, 7 if I'm lucky. Could that be it?

[CF-OC_gal]

Opps a missed birthday greeting to an active DF member. Sorry!

Belated best wishes and grow stronger this year! :

[Mr VW]

Originally Posted by Brat

Opps a missed birthday greeting to an active DF member. Sorry!

Belated best wishes and grow stronger this year! :

Thank you.


I just had the greatest bodyweight workout. I was watching a documentary on the national geographic channel about the prison system and it inspired to go out and do a set of mandatory 452s. It took me a half hour to do them but man was it great. I finished it off with some dragon flags and some crunches. I think I'm gonna start doing this once a week.

[Mr VW]

I didnt have the time to workout with weights today, I'll make it up tomorrow I promise. I just did another set of mandatory 452s and some ab planks. I get my new road bike tomorrow, I'm so excited.

[Mr VW]

I've decided to start HST. I'll find my maxes this weekend and start the SD phase on Monday and I'll be starting on April 2nd. I will be doing cardio during those 2 weeks just to see if I can improve. I havent had much time to devote to cardio lately so this should be good. I got my new bike already so I'm gonna try to ride 250 miles a week.

[JMike]

Hey VW, from the photos you look great and from your posts you seem committed, and educated, and you're also asking all the right questions (at exactly the right place ) I don't know much about HST so I can't really help there, but I'd love to know more about the bodyweight stuff you're doing. What was the name of the prison documentary, I'm keen to see it?

[Mr VW]

I have no idea about the name of the documentary, I'm sorry. Basically, 452s are just burpees, 452 of them. Break them into whatever sets you can handle, it'll probably be like 25 to 35 sets depending on how much you can handle. I kinda tweaked them to make them harder, start off as a normal burpee but when you get to the pushup part do two pushups and push off as hard as you can so your hands come off the ground, everything else is normal. After about 15 sets of them you're pretty much dead.

I'm impressed with your performance of 452 burpees in 30 minutes.

[Mr VW]

I started strategic deconditioning today. I'll start HST in exactly 2 weeks. See you guys in 2 weeks.