Rats's first journal

[Rats!]

I'll do my best to keep track of my intake from now on.

Today:

5:30 AM: 1 scoop ON whey protein - 110 cal.

6:00 AM: 3/4 cup oatmeal - 260 cal.

8:45 AM: 3 eggs + 1 bran muffin + coffee - ~450 cal.

11:45 AM: 1 whole wheat pita w/ 4 oz. turkey breast and green salad - ~400 cal.

1:30 PM: 1 massive orange - ~90 cal.

2:30 PM: 6 oz. broiled roughy fillet w/ tomato sauce + 1/2 sweet potato - ~250 cal.

3:30 PM: WORKOUT

4:30 PM: 1 scoop ON whey protein + 3/4 cup yogurt - 260 cal.

5:30 PM: 1/2 sweet potato + 1/2 eggplant - ~120 cal.

7:00 PM: 1 small apple - ~50 cal.

8:30 PM: 5 oz. chicken breast + 1/4 sweet potato + 1 cucumber + some cauliflower - ~340 cal.


TOTAL: ~2330 cal.

Back/biceps workout today:

DB Bent-over Row
1x12 @ 30 lbs.
3x10 @ 40 lbs.
1x10 @ 35 lbs.

Assisted Chin-up
1x12 @ -90 lbs.
1x10 @ -90 lbs.
1x10 @ -96 lbs.
1x8 @ -96 lbs.

these absolutely killed my biceps

Seated Row, Wide Grip, Straight Back
1x8 @ 60 lbs.
1x15 @ 50 lbs.
2x12 @ 50 lbs.

Bent-over Cable Rows - 4 sets to failure
1x22 @ 50 lbs.
1x16 @ 50 lbs.
1x15 @ 50 lbs.
1x13 @ 50 lbs.

Cable Bicep Curls
1x8 @ 20 lbs.
2x12 @ 15 lbs.
1x16 @ 15 lbs. (to failure)

[Rats!]

Today:

5:30 AM - 1 scoop ON whey protein + 3/4 cup oatmeal - 370 cal.

7:45 AM - 2 eggs + coffee - 180 cal.

10:00 AM - 1 whole wheat pita w/ 2.5 oz. turkey breast + 3 cups green salad - ~400 cal.

11:30 AM - 1 orange - ~90 cal.

1:00 PM - 6.5 oz. broiled roughy fillet w/ tomato sauce + 1/4 sweet potato + 1/2 eggplant + 1/2 cucumber + some cauliflower - ~300 cal.

3:00 PM - 3/4 cup yogurt - 160 cal.

4:00 PM - WORKOUT - 3 mile run in 22:54

5:30 PM - 4 oz. chicken breast + 1 banana + 1 tbsp peanut butter - ~400 cal.

8:30 PM - 2 soy burgers + 1 veggie burger - 340 cal.

TOTAL: 2240 cal.

[gcs118]

I'd recommend adding deadlifts for sure, and dropping DB and cable rows for the barbell bent over version.

[Rats!]

Originally Posted by gcs118

I'd recommend adding deadlifts for sure, and dropping DB and cable rows for the barbell bent over version.

yeah, I don't think I'll do the cable rows again. I didn't like them at all.

[Rats!]

Yesterday I did legs. First time doing REAL squats and they were WEAK. First time doing standing calf raises too and they were WEAK. I predict a huge improvement next week. I'll also start the deadlift next week.

Squat
1x15 @ 75 lbs.
3x12 @ 85 lbs.

Leg Press
1x15 @ 135 lbs.
1x8 @ 175 lbs.
2x12 @ 150 lbs.

Lying Leg Curls
1x12 @ 70 lbs.
1x8 @ 80 lbs.
1x12 @ 75 lbs.
1x12 @ 70 lbs.

Standing Calf Raises
2x12 @ 50 lbs.
1x10 @ 50 lbs.
1x12 @ 37.5 lbs.
1x18 @ 25 lbs. (to failure)

Leg Extensions
1x12 @ 70 lbs.
1x8 @ 80 lbs.
1x12 @ 75 lbs.
1x12 @ 70 lbs.

[maverick]

yep, just give yourself time. My legs were pathetic when I started. Its frustrating at first, but soon the weight will start flying up.

[gcs118]

Hell yeah, squats are the way to go. I started with 95 lbs. I'd also cut the reps, no need to do 12-15. 6-8 is where you'll find many strength gains. You could go to 8-10 for starters, you'll see gains right away.

[Rats!]

chest/tris/delts/traps yesterday

Incline DB Press
1x12 @ 25 lbs.
1x6 @ 30 lbs.
1x10 @ 25 lbs.

Push-ups
4 sets of 5 wide, 5 shoulder width, 5 diamond

On sets 2 and 4 I went the other way: 5 diamond, 5 shoulder width, 5 wide

On the last set I went to failure on the wide push-ups and got 15.

Incline DB Flys
1x12 @ 20 lbs.
1x5 @ 25 lbs.
1x10 @ 20 lbs.
1x12 @ 15 lbs.

Lying 1-arm DB Tricep Extension supersetted with 1-arm Lateral Raises
1x10 @ 20 lbs. / 1x10 @ 15 lbs.
1x8 @ 20 lbs. / 1x10 @ 15 lbs.
1x10 @ 15 lbs. / 1x9 @ 15 lbs.

1-arm DB Shoulder Press
2x10 @ 15 lbs.
1x7 @ 15 lbs.
1x10 @ 12 lbs.

DB Shrugs
1x12 @ 45 lbs.
3x12 @ 55 lbs.

[gcs118]

Lateral raises are looking pretty good man. Are those shrugs with DBs? Total weight, or each hand?

[Rats!]

Originally Posted by gcs118

Lateral raises are looking pretty good man. Are those shrugs with DBs? Total weight, or each hand?

oh yeah, they are with DBs, I dunno why I typed it that way. But it was 45lbs. and 55 lbs. each hand.

[Rats!]

Saturday and Sunday:


Did a 14 minute HIIT session yesterday (3 minute warmup, 8 minutes of 30s sprint 30s jog intervals, 3 minute cooldown)


Today I took at 37.5 mi. bike ride to Santa Monica and spent all day at the beach
When I was gettin ready to leave, my tube AND tire popped as I was inflating it. I guess the tube had been pinched underneath since I replaced it last month, and the force of the air was so strong that the tire popped as well. Then, about 20 minutes into my ride I got a flat so I had to replace the tube again. So after that I was all paranoid and stopped to check my tire at almost every intersection for the next few miles. When I got to the beach it was all good though


My boss changed my work schedule for this week again so I'm planning to do this:

Monday - HIIT running and abs/lower back
Tuesday - Back/Biceps
Wednesday - Legs
Thursday - Run 2-3 miles -or- chest/delts/tris/traps
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Chest/Delts/Tris/Traps -or- going to the beach again
Sunday - HIIT running and abs/lower back

I've been slacking on my abs and lower back workouts, so from now on I'll be doing them on every HIIT day

[gcs118]

Don't slack on the abs and lower back...the core is VERY important.

[Rats!]

Yesterday:

In the morning, I did the same 14 min. HIIT routine as before. Then took my dog for a 30 minute walk at about 7 PM.

I did the same abs/back routine, but added a 10 lb. dumbbell to the crunches:

60 sec. plank
2x30 crunches + 10 lb. DB
2x20 bicycles
2x25 things where you lie face down and lift your body as high as you can
30 sec. plank

[Rats!]

Back/Biceps

today was my the best workout so far. I improved everywhere and 2 hours later I'm still pumped. However I didn't get to try those deadlifts like I hoped. I guess that will have to wait till next week


Assisted Chin-ups
1x12 @ -102 lbs. - warmup
1x12 @ -78 lbs.
1x10 @ -78 lbs.
1x10 @ -90 lbs.
1x10 @ -96 lbs.

For these, is body weight minus the assist weight equal to what I would be doing on the lat pulldown machine? So if I weighed 172 lbs when I did these, would that have been like 70 lbs. on the lat pulldown for my warmup set?

BB Bent-over Rows
1x15 @ 45 lbs. - warmup
1x12 @ 85 lbs.
1x10 @ 85 lbs. - more like 7 good reps and 3 sissy half-reps
1x10 @ 65 lbs.
1x10 @ 65 lbs. - same deal here. 6 good reps + 4 half-reps

Seated Cable Row - I really worked the negatives on these. Explosive pull, hold for 2 sec. and then 5-8 sec. back.
3x12 @ 65 lbs.
1x4 @ 85 lbs.

Cable Curl - These were different than normal bicep curls. The cable was at neck height, my arms were held straight in front of me horizontally. Main focus was to work the negative on these as much as possible like I did on the seated rows.

5x10 @ 45 lbs.

DB Curl - Went to failure on each set.
12 reps @ 12 lbs.
14 reps @ 10 lbs.
11 reps @ 10 lbs.
6 reps @ 10 lbs.

[Rats!]

Leg workout yesterday, with new exercises: lunge walk and SLDL, and did some plyometrics as well.

DB Lunge Walk
1x15 @ bw - Warmup
1x15 @ 15 lbs.
3x15 @ 25 lbs.

SLDL
1x15 @ 45 lbs. - Warmup
2x12 @ 75 lbs.
2x12 @ 95 lbs.

Leg Curls
1x12 @ 75 lbs.
1x12 @ 65 lbs.
1x12 @ 55 lbs.

Hamstrings are kickin my ass today.

Squat Jump
4x12 @ 10 lb. medicine ball

Standing Calf Raise
1x12 @ 50 lbs.
2x12 @ 62.5 lbs.