X-ZACT Training Phase VIII (8)
92312 (Sunday #97)Start Phase VIII – Autumn is here, looking forward to some Indian Summer Days.
Woke up 189.5 (set the scale on “normal” during this phase. It will show a higher body fat % but I think I need to psyche myself into being more cognizant of that. 31% 50% H2O (This is going to kill my vanity.)
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| Looks can be deceiving. Sept 23, 2012. No six pack yet! I want a refund!! |
Lite abs/core work – middle is tight, less flexible. Do more core. Get bored, work the core.
If I do core work daily even just a few minutes will it reduce my stomach line? It’s not supposed to, but maybe combined with the other stuff… This experiment started today!
92412 (Monday #98) AM Work – I’m think I can do some standing core work @ work; twists, leg & knee raises and that I should be doing more of this than pushups and stuff I can do in gyms. I NEEED to open this core, flex this back and stretch leg muscles. Let’s focus on this and recovery while I gotta be here.
HR Check 73 BPM (work)
Wake: 189.5 27% 55%: Morning stack, Res, saw, carn, arg, protein drink, coconut H2O, will take NO-X pre work stack after breakfast. Tuna or lamb?
Bkft stack CLA, Saw, Omega3
MAX Legs Day YMCA
Back to deadlift intro reps then singles 225 start, 245 single rep. I have dreams of breaking 380 and hitting 405 this year. Let’s go for it!!
Inverted leg press routine. This was awesome, did much better than last time. 3 rounds: Round 1 – 320 lbs, 12 reps 10 sec rest, 30 calf presses 10 sec rest, (repeat 3x decrease reps as necessary.) Round 2 & 3 same sequence, increase wt. stretch legs. Completed round 3 with 360 lbs. (The smith can only take 400, so it says.) Legs respond!!
Shin flex 60 lbs. 3 sets
Leg X – normal, both legs, rack the final set… (255 lbs??)
Leg curls to 210 4 sets, start low full ROM, decrease ROM as wt gets heavier.
Assisted pistols (w/cable) Core is getting stronger here no wobbling and I can do more reps.
Stretch and out!
92512 (Tuesday #99) AM Work discovered Netflix (shhh)
Chilled and recovered no training or stretching. Hoping legs will be in good shape for GX later today. Love Max Legs Days!! Chicken and squash, left some for work.
Wake 189 BF up there, H2O 53%
Week 3 of GX Temple rocked it!! Gave them one less rotation and added some new stuff, still leg-centric. Next week add weights. Early abs-core stretch stuff for me. Legs aren’t burning like last week. Maybe Insanity B4 aqua, or some shoulder work??
92612 (Wednesday #100) Since I didn’t know it was day 100 I didn’t paln anything special.
Some strap work (at work) not much just chest expansion. Legs feel thick heavy and strong.
Wake 189 27 55.5% Wake up core work, trying to get leg lifts stronger, start flat w/ bent knee lifts, then str8 legs, then up on elbows bent knee, str8, etc. Keep elevating back until it’s perpendicular to the floor and try to raise legs. (Then back bends.)
Pretty good aqua box, I get a little workout (sweat) doing the demos.
92712 (Thursday #101) – almost 1/3 of the way through this year…
AM Work – intermittent db shoulder work, nothing major or strenuous. Brown UPS T-shirt feels tighter across the shoulders, is it me or did the shirt shrink? It’s me the shirt would have shrunk before now.
Wake solid 189 26% 57 H2O (even post elimination wt stays the same, as opposed to earlier when it would drop a pound or two.)
Ab/core work, lifting legs from different angles, open up the middle.
GX-YMCA
Wake up protein & stack, Good energy, fully participated in the class.
I am heavier, denser, thicker and have more endurance, (and ahem older – DUH!) I wonder if this will translate into running.
Here’s my current choreography in case I forget or need to use it in the future:
We go 3 rounds of the same six moves in the same order going non-stop increasing the time (by 15 seconds) speed and intensity each round. Round I goes for 30: Round II 45, Round III 60 seconds, then we break.
1. Run in Place – standard
2. Jacks – standard (sometimes battle jacks)
3. Punch and Run – 3 punches and shuffle rt or left.
4. Run thru the Junkyard, legs up high and wide
5. Climb the ladder (out of the junk yard) could be a fence
6. Kick-Around front kick, side-side, back kick.
This takes close to 15 minutes – then we take an official break.
Squats Sequence, done for time 30 – 60 seconds
1. Half squats – halfway down and up
2. Full squats – down and thrust out and open core/pelvic area
3. Half squats – start in squat half way up and down
Walking Lunge/Squat Ladders sequence –
Front lunge squat – to a full squat – to a lunge squat with the opposite leg – to a squat. We usually do a 4-6-8-6-4 which means 4 of everything, then 6 then 8 then back down to 4.
Stretch Sequence – breathing, then forward bend and side leg stretches.
Hot Legs & Chest (Leg work and Pushups)
Pushups are interspersed between Hot Legs sequences. We aim for 50-ish pushups in sets of 6, with different hand positions.
Ab/Core work, Usually 360 degree abs – work it around in a circle.
Yoga-inspired final stretch and cool down… and poof, that’s all folks.
Let’s go for early pull-day workout tomorrow. Maybe start with spec forces 8 or 10?? 115lbs.
I shouldn’t be too fucked up tonight. Two tiki drinks at Rum Bar and dinner at Café.
92812 (Friday #102) Wake – 189 25 57% Stretch, Yoga Stuff breathing.
After a double and food and drink happy to say I’m 5-10 lbs heavier, stronger and more flexible (not by much I think) and have more energy and endurance than when I started in June. This is pretty cool.
Y-Today PULL DAY!!
Start with Special Forces 10s 115 lbs. if I can get the rack. Wonder if I can get to Temple sun… nope, Sunday acupuncture. Monday sub GX-YMCA…
PULL DAY Successful!! (Here’s the deal)
Spec Forces workout 10s – 115 lbs. 20 minutes. (This is placing the wt back on a rack so I don’t have to lift from the floor. I may have to switch up to a clean and press start at some point, until then I want to try and beat my time. My stop watch started working again, so I may use that for more accuracy.)
Super Sets: Reverse Grip bent barbell rows & Barbell shrugs 3 sets of 10 reps each…. Give or take a rep or two.
Semi-Muscle ups (I’m trying to get to a muscle up) 4-8 reps. I do these on the smith so the hands don’t grip easily… done quickly it ups the HR.
Reverse grip L-pulls with handles… (maybe a pic one day) 3 sets of about 6
Inverted pull ups 2 x 6 and 1 x 3 with a hold for the core… (and me getting used to being upside down.)
Seated rows 3 x 10 about 100 lbs.
Lat pull downs – about 100 3 x 10-ish
Knee pull ins (rigged cable and feet in handles)
Stretch…
Last Dark & Stormy at Rumbar and Silk City with Nep’s daughter.
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| This one's from May 2006. Pretty close to the same weight as today, only I was on the way down back then. This is an eternal commitment. |
FLASHBACK: Oct 16, 2006
Looking back at my Xanga Fitness blog I weigh 189 lbs. same as today. Back then I was trying to lose, now I’m working on the gain. 6 years minus a fortnight and I’m back where I was, but far from where I started. I’m completely different, improved, I think. Maybe I can find a pic from 2006.
92912 (Saturday #103) Wake 189 57%
I never want to mark down the higher than 25% body fat. I’m mortified. Anyway, last night was a night of drink, mostly water… 191 after that, woke up did lower abs work/practice and open heart, pelvis & back bends, & stretches, nothing major.
I did get my pizza slice yesterday. I can do carbs today, but I don’t crave them.
Shawn’s wedding ate well and wisely. Went to work.
93012 (Sunday #104) AM work
Nothing Special, chillin and watchin flix. It’s cold in here. Acupuncture later. I’ll probably wake up and do the lower abs and open chest set before I head out. Took ACV before work.
Wake up 191.5 (came in at 193). So even w/ wt increase the sleeping process is consistently dropping 1-2 lbs while I sleep. Ended up not doing anything before acupuncture.
Tonight’s plan – Work legs w/ straps. No lifting tomorrow probably, but will get cardio from the GX class.. Maybe I can get some leg extensions in after class.
Acupuncture was awesome, best ever!!! Thanks Po.
OCTOBER!!!
100112 (Monday #105) AM- Work: we’re in the 6 digit date sequence now. Aside from typing up the last week’s worth of journal entries, I set up the straps for assisted pistols and the steps for step ups. I feel wobbly doing the pistols, but I suppose it matters whether the straps are higher or lower than my center of gravity as to how difficult the move will be.
There are a few (dozen) moves I want to nail and the pistol is one of them. It will be a measure of my progress. I need to get some footage of my feeble attempts so when I finally nail it I’ll have something to compare. The rest of this day will be jotted down in the book. I’ll get back to you later.
Strap work, legs, asst pistols, step ups and squats.
In – 193.5 lbs wake 192 – post rituals 190.5 (+ 1 lb.) BF was high 30.5%: Morning stack, peanut butter 2 scoops, protein drink, almonds & blueberries & honey.
Lower abs practice; open heart and back bending. Leg stretches. Tight this afternoon.
YMCA GX – maybe some leg work afterwards.
Good, took it easy on ‘em. Hardly broke a sweat. Some asst pistols afterwards, not much a set or two. Coughers and sneezers in class. I was told today that physique models' after pix are really before pix and they are paid to put on weight.. I believe it. It’s easier to put on lbs. than take them off.
100212 (Tuesday #106) AM – Work: Nada – got serious GX later today.
Prep for Oct Break (6 weeks from Montreal)
1. Run
2. Stretch
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| This is the weight chart from the past six weeks, from when i started doing insanity plyo session & started lifting heavy weights AND started a higher protein & fat, and lower (NOT ZERO) carb diet. I cut white flour, rice, bread, sugar and milk out of my diet years ago. So what's left? Reintroduced fruits and certain veggies into the mix. Result (good?) wt. gain. |
4. Rest
5. Massage/ Acu
6. Physical
Break Week 100712 – 101312. (Maybe some squats tonight)
Bored and restless at work, dropped 1, got GI-g.
Legs feel sore in a different kind of way. I think due to the asst pistols. Good, they’ll grow in a different way.
WAKE 190.5 solid even after ritual. Wake stack – tuna, toms & cucumbers w/ CLA+O3 New GX at Temple today. Got notes. Oh yeah Vit-C! Too many sneezes!!
GX was bangin!! Next level stuff, got some leg presses in (no shows at Aqua) about 500 lbs 3 sets of 10.. pretty easy. Good chicken dinner – will probably do shoulders and legs at work.
Legs observation: The more I open my hips and pelvis the deeper I can squat and leg press, more ROM got upper thighs (quads) activated. I like it!
100312 (Wednesday #107) AM Work
Shoulder – dumbbells, just a series of sets about 12 to 20 reps each.
Asst pistols with straps, using shoulders for balance and pull up (illustration)
WAKE 190.5 Solid 28.5 53.5 – switching back to “athlete” next week, this is getting to me. I’m more athlete than normal. Got 2 before leaving the house.
Lower abs & open heart work 100 bent knee lifts!! Pretty easy – not so easy straight legged.
Breakfast – almonds & blueberries honey & M&Ms. Wake stack and pro-drink, CLA-O3
Good Aqua class – worked up a lil sweat just doing the demo. I think sick may be coming after me. Got those funny feelings. Stuff that normally doesn’t happen. Keeping my vitamin C next to me and lots of H2O. Fight early!!
100412 (Thursday #108) AM – work: Nada, relaxing and preparing to fight this.. I know it’s coming. Good timing on break week, I hope I can get two lifting days in, Friday & Sat. Maybe a run down the parkway Sunday???
Had a stuffy nose… and some chills… this ain’t cool!
100412 (Thursday #108) AM _ work – stuffy nose… This ain’t cool dropped 2 on the tour but gassy.
Pre-sleep practice: Willed the evil sickness out of my body. Took meta too b4 bed.
Wake 189 (post ritual) lazy scale read 191 same as the AM. Nice unexpected drop on the week.
Wake stack – breakfast stack – chicken breast, avocado, tomato, dos before leaving.
GX-YMCA gotta push me but not them. Rugged GX at the Y – participated but not Spec Forces, got to watch the clock. It’s tricky… worked the heart, super cardio.
Hung out with the Fam-Bam sibs and nephs in Camden to see Dr. ME Dyson… ate quesadillas and drank lots of iced tea.
100512 (Friday #109) Wake 191.5 – wake stack, p-drink, grapes & PB, tuna salad + meal stack – purge, max legs day at the Y.
Feeling kind of sluggish, core’s sore, ha ha. I willfully willed the sickness away, still working on it & still taking vitamin C!
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| Been trying to work on these shoulders a bit. Looks like it will take a while longer. |
Max Legs delayed by the purge, but not denied!! The workout had to be altered due to smith machine out of whack.
Opening Rotation
6 sets of 5 squats from 185 – 250 lbs (lighter wts go deeper, but trying to go deep on heavier poundages also.
Then – 50 – 100 crunches (over bench); then 16 – 30 straight leg raises (vertical), then stretch, then run in place for 60 seconds – I did this circuit about six times, it was very invigorating and the minute went faster each time.
1 set of leg presses had to be abandoned due to smith.
Barbell calf raises (135) lots of balance involved +
Dumbbell lunge squats 45 lbs (8 each side) +
Shin flex 65 lbs >20 reps ea. These are getting my legs round and thick. +
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| My back always surprises me. It looks like the fat is melting off from top to bottom. Next stop, love handles. |
Upstairs
Single Leg extensions 75 – 120 increase wt decrease reps and ROM – trying to overcome wt, obviously, right?
Leg Press Rotations (2 rounds)
Legs press + calf presses + single leg press.
Asst pistols, quad stretch, static sit against the wall Done, 75 minutes.
100612 (Saturday #110) Wake 189.5
After the purge and a night out fish & chips (b/c it’s the weekend and I can eat like that) and two drinks… I can really stop drinking all together… Ironically the purge came w/o the use of meta or ACV – unless the effects were delayed. I think it was my body obeying my commands to evict the illness from my body. So I’ll role with it. I didn’t think it would take this long.
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| This is real! The results aren't stunning, but since I'm not selling you "quick" or "easy" (or anything for that matter) I can show you how slow this process is (for me.) A lot of different factors come into play not the least of which is working the graveyard shift. |
Today is the final day of Phase 8 and the last day of the latest six week cycle. Eval pix were taken, impromptu so I didn’t strip the fur or oil up for a more professional presentation – what you see is what you get.
I’m hoping to have a final push (chest, shoulders, triceps) day today at the Y – but I’m moving slowly and I have work tonight. Tomorrow begins two weeks of “break” workouts, running stretching (mentioned before). Then resume – I expect to pick up where I left off, weights wise.
Didn’t make it to the gym, just cleaned house. One of those days. I should check my notes for a pattern.
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| Here's what the last two weeks look like on a chart. If you have any questions about where i get these charts or what I'm eating, etc. email noxsoma@yahoo.com. Posting again in two weeks. |
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