Weight: 209, 6:30am
Warmup: 30m spin
Leg Press: 90×12, 180×10/8/8/10
Alternating Leg Extensions: 50×10/10/10/10/10
Freemotion Flye: 30×10, 40×8/8/8
Spin: 15m
Soak: 5m
Steam: 5m
Light legs, they’re feeling it from the tractor tire flips and I’ve gotta make it to a meeting tonight. 
Threw in some flyes to stretch out the pecs too.
I used to hate leg days. This morning, that old feeling returned in force, but I tricked myself into going to the gym anyway. I told myself I’d just do an easy SSS* workout, knowing full well once I got there I’d do more.
Walking up the stairs a moment ago my legs stated, in no uncertain terms, how much they appreciated this morning’s light leg workout. They also let me know that DOMS** will be paying me a visit. Soon.
Warmup: 10min elliptical
Squats: 90×10/10/10
Hack Squats: 90×10/10/10
Hanging Knee Raise: 10/10
Med Ball Twist: 8×25/25
Balance Ball: 1 leg x :45/:45, frisbee
Soak: 5min
Sauna: 5min
Time: 50min
Calories: -400
* Soak, Steam, Sauna
** Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness
March 3 – April 6, 2011
Timeframe: 35 days
On Plan: 26 days
Missed: 9 days
Exercise Time: 19 hours
Total Calories: -13465
BodyFat Equivalent: 3.74 pounds!
All in all, a good month. I missed more training days than I would have preferred, but life has a way of happening. The important takeaway for me is that I accomplished a solid month of base training and can now move on to the training I like better.
By charting my training, I am now able to look back and see a distinctive pattern/flaw: Rest days. In March, they were momentum killers – most of my missed days occurred after a scheduled rest day. Methinks I need to change the program and add a bit more structure.
So for April I’m switching to a different routine – the old standby that has served me well for years: Train Mon-Fri, with weekends “off.” Since month two is the strenght phase of my plan, I’ll lift one body part a day Monday-Friday, followed by some core work and at least :30 min cardio. Typically:
Monday: Chest
Tuesday: Back
Wednesday: Shoulders
Thursday: Arms
Friday: Legs
Training legs on Friday gives me two off days over the weekend to recover from blasting them, so I’ve got that going for me. Which is nice.
And while weekends are technically non-training days, I’ll still do rides for fun or with friends. Now those rides become “bonus” workouts – a key mental distinction.
Diet remains the same: eat healthy six days a week, with one cheat day to eat whatever I want.
(BTW – Cheat days are great! No only do they give you a mental break from restriction, they provide a short term, achievable goal. I usually put them on Sundays so I have a week-end target: “I can’t eat that today, but I can have as much as I want on Sunday!” And by putting it at the end of my week, I can choose to enjoy it earlier in the week and just eat healthy on Sunday instead.)
My weight has remained pretty constant over the month, but I can see the changes in the mirror and feel it in my clothes. Don’t get hung up on the scale – this past month my body has burned off fat and replaced it with muscle. So, while I may weigh the same, I look and feel different. THAT’s the important thing, not the pounds.
Getting the jump on 2011, light workout in Vegas, HRM issues
Warmup: Elliptical, 12 min
Pull-up (assisted): 5 sets
Cybex Bench: 5 sets
Squats: 5 sets
Stretch
It’s been a good week. Settling in to the new gig, catching up on all the stuff that’s been postponed too long. Cleaning house (metaphorically and physically) signing new clients, hiring peeps, bookkeeping, lions, tigers and bears – oh my! Gettin’ shtuff done.
Commuting by motorcycle roughly two hours each day has been my recent mode of exercise – just holding on can take considerable effort when I twist the wrist. After a glorious ride to work yesterday morning, I returned home in the late afternoon after taking a 20-minute side trip up Lookout Mountain.
That was the first time I’d driven her in the mountains. Wrestling through the generally slow, tight turns, while not going fast took significant effort. The ride down proved to be a great pec and thigh adductor workout, riding in general is a great core stimulant.
Riding is my version of kinhin (walking meditation) – feels good to be doing it regularly again.
Next up: Pedalling the dam loop!
Weight: 204.4
9:45am
DIdn’t train yesterday due to family/holiday stuff. Took advantage of the extra recovery day to go heavy today.
Warmup: elliptical, 11min
Deadlifts: 135×10, 225×4/6/6, 135×10
Smith Squats: 135×8, 226×6, 315×6 (half), 135×12
Barbell Shrug: 135×10/10/10/10
Spinning: 36min – was going to stop at :30, but kept going to hit -1000 cals =)
Stretch: ~8min
Steam: 5min
Total calories: -1080
Total weight: 6300 deads + 5940 squats + 6750 shrugs = 18990 pounds
Forearms limited deads/shrugs weight until switched to mixed grip, need to get straps
Weight: 202.8
9:30am
Up at 6:30, had a protein shake, extra scoop of Superpump 250 at 9ish. Hit legs pretty hard, got a bit light-headed at one point, likely due to low glucose levels – no carbs this morning, didn’t eat enough last night.
Slow lifts today: 1 second lift + 3 second negatives
Also had low BP/HR throughout workout – monitor to see if just a one-off event, or possibly overtraining.
Warmup: elliptical, 10min/-100cal
Cybex Leg Press Machine: 90×15, 210×10, 310×8/6, 150×15
Cybex Leg Extension: 50×10, 110×10/10/9
Cybex Seated Leg Curl: 70×12, 110×8/7/6
Cybex Seated Calf Raise: 210×10, 390×4, 310×6 (light headed)
Spin/flush: 30min
Stretched legs
5min steam
Total cals: -730
Weight: 201.2
10:30am
Solid night’s sleep, ~8 hours. Made sure to eat some carbs with protein shake before training, energy levels up for leg workout
Warmup: elliptical, 10min/-120 cal
Cybex Leg Press: 90×10, 180×10, 270×10 ,360×10, 450×10, 540×10 (half presses, save knees)
Cybex Seated Hams: 50×10, 70×8/8, 50×10
Cybex Leg Extensions: 70×10/10/10
Cybex Calf Raise: 210×15/10/10
Spin: 20min flush/cooldown
Crunch: 20/20/20
Total cals: -920
Great workout – felt like I could have easily spun for hours. Can definitely tell when body shifts over to fat vs. glycogen for energy supply. Walked out of gym into a gloriously clear and sunny winter day. The snow-covered mountains are breathtaking. Gotta love those post-workout endorphins!
Weight: 198.6
11:00am
Warmup: elliptical, ~10min, -100cal
Leg Extensions: 70×10,100×10/10
Smith Squat: 135×10/10
Leg Press: 150×10, 200×8, 470×2 (stacked!), 150×10
Notes: Brought the boy, he can already do leg extensions with 70# for reps. He’s gonna be a monster
Can still push the entire stack!