Archives for March 2008

Today was another cardio only day as I cruise through a half a week of no lifting.  I ran another 3 miles.  I also set a personal best by hitting 2 miles in 16 minutes.  I must say that I ran very hard today.

I am currently going through Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe for the third time.  If you have not read this book, you have not learned about strength training.  Mark Rippetoe is the premier strength training coach in the country if not the world.  He is very closely tied to the CrossFit movement and is also a certified CrossFit trainer.  Reading Mark's book always gives me a chuckle because he is extremely prickly.  For instance, after going through the mechanics of the squat, Coach Rippetoe proclaims that you are ready to do a squat.  He tells you to use some chalk.  He then says “if your gym has no chalk, bring your own.  If your gym complains about your chalk, find another gym.” 

In the strengthmill.com forum, Coach Rippetoe has a Q&A forum.  Alot of people post links to their YouTube videos wherein they are squatting or deadlifting and they ask the Coach for his critique.  The reading gets very entertaining.  After one reader posted a huge list of links to different exercises, Coach Rippetoe comments:

“I assume these were attachments or links or something, but they are obviously fucked up somehow. Nevertheless, there have been lots of videos posted by now, and the intelligent trainee can compare his video to the ones already posted, read my comments on those, and draw his own conclusions about what I would say. So, be intelligent and do your homework.”

When the same reader finally gets a posted video to work, the Coach gives a very brief response:

“Look down. Quit looking in the mirror.”

Finally, the Coach has had enough of this reader:

“Look Sly, if your knees are traveling forward at the bottom and your heels are coming up in the air, it's wrong. I obviously can't see a lateral problem in this view, but go back and read the fucking book. There are lots of ways to fix this that don't involve brain surgery-level analysis. If your knees are going forward, make them go back. Or out, since if they go out they're not going back. Or your ass is hooked up pretty well to your knees — make it go back at the bottom, which requires that you lean over more, which will drag your knees back and stretch out your hamstrings. You have to get out of your quads and into you posterior chain, and there are lots of ways to do this. They're in the Fucking Book. Read it again.”

How is that for a blunt coach?  I was rolling on the ground laughing after reading these comments.  When another reader posts a video that has typical issues, Coach Rippetoe states:

“Standard deal, leg press with the bar on your back. See the many previous posts regarding this problem.”

When a reader asked when they should begin using a weight lifting belt, Coach Rippetoe responds:

“It's discussed in the book. Which you should always check before asking obvious questions.”

This is a guy that reminds me of myself.  I hate stupid questions.  However, Coach Rippetoe takes it to a new level.

I highly recommend Coach Rippetoe's books.  He spends alot of time explaining the correct form for various exercises.  He has a basic routine that you can use to increase your strength that is broken into two workouts:

Workout A

Squat
Bench Press
Overhead Press

Workout B

Deadlift
Overhead Press
Power Clean

That's it.  3 exercises and you work them for a long time.  You should see tremendous strength gains using these simple routines.  If you have not read any of Coach Rippetoe's books, start with Starting Strength as it lays the foundation for Coach Rippetoe's beliefs.

Accountability Log:

Nutrition Log:

Workout Log:

Thought for the Day:

In order to make a full physique transformation you need to committ to it fully and work at it constantly.

Come back tomorrow for the podcast as I am releasing it tomorrow.

Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING!

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I feel like a fire has been lit and it is raging.  I am so pumped about my April 1, 2008 reveal.  I went to the gym this morning (it is my off week from lifting) and did a 3 mile cardio session.  I pushed myself hard, going the final 2 minutes at 10 MPH.  That's right…no mercy!

Dedication is required for physique transformation.  That's one very big learning I've gotten from Adam Waters and I intend to keep up that dedication for the long haul.  It is sometimes very hard to be motivated, but then I think about this blog and needing to post my pictures and everything falls into place.  With guys like my friend, Mike Groom, keeping me accountable I can't fail.

I'm tired and off to bed.  Tomorrow will see a more detailed post.

Accountability Log:

Nutrition Log:

Workout Log:

Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING!

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Today I went for another 3 mile run outside.  I am loving the ability to take my cardio program outside.  I've also realized that I've put in close to 10 miles in 3 days.  I'm having a great time with this.

As I move forward with my nutrition plan I'm finding it easier and easier to eat.  I honestly don't care for starchy carbs that much and the way I'm bringing my carbs down is to cut back on starchy carbs (see my Nutrition Log for more details).

I had a few very long meetings today and it gave me some thoughts.  I've realized that my goals are not negotiable in my mind and that's a huge change in mindset for me.  It is as though I've programmed myself to succeed no matter what.  In the past I would tend to adjust the goals here or there, but this time I'm laying it out there and then going for it.  No mercy at all.  My body will listen to me and not the other way around (so to speak).  It will do what I tell it to do and I want it to drop the fat, so drop the fat it will!

Accountability Log:

Nutrition Log:

Workout Log:

Thought for the Day:

Never ever give up on yourself, your goals or your dreams.  No matter how many people love you and care about you, only you truly care about your goals and dreams, so if you give up on them, who is going to believe in them?

Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING!

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Today was exciting.  I feel great about setting a 21 day short term goal ending in a big reveal.  I was already feeling the pressure today.  At every step of the way I was thinking about the results I want to present on April 1, 2008.  The pressure I'm putting on myself is awesome.

I had an awesome workout, breaking more personal bests.  Push, push, push and then push again, that's the motto in the gym.  I'm going at it like a crazy man these days.  The intensity is amazing.  I tried an experiment the past week and a half.  I've had music in my ears for every weight workout and it has made a huge difference.  I feel like I'm more focused and pushing harder than ever. 

Today I ran 3.3 miles on the treadmill in just under 30 minutes.  I enjoyed the run immensely.  I was dripping when I was done.

My nutrition was interesting today.  I am still getting used to the lower carbs for the week.  Messing with my macronutrient ratios has been an interesting experiment.  I'm finding that my energy levels are maintained and I can feel a difference in my clothing (it is much more loose fitting).

I'm putting the finishing touches on the podcast for the week and plan to get that uploaded within the next day or two.  If you have ever wondered the role of weight training in a fat loss program, this is the podcast to listen to.

Accountability Log:

Nutrition Log:

Workout Log:

As you look at this, make sure you understand that the 1-1/4 squat in this workout is done by going down to the bottom of the squat, coming up 1/4 of the way, going all the way back down and then all the way back up.  This is 12 reps at 255 pounds–a personal best!  I've been really working on my squatting form using Mark Rippetoe's books as my guide. 

Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING!

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As I was reading through blogs today, I came upon a comment from Debbie on Mike Groom's blog.  It got me thinking and in the past few hours I've come to the conclusion that what I'm about to reveal (or not reveal) is going to really up my accountability.

Today is March 10, 2008.  Starting today I will be covered up in my pictures until April 1, 2008.  On April 1, 2008 I will have a special photo split to show you.  It will be a comparison of yesterday's picture (March 9, 2008) and the picture on April 1, 2008.  I guarantee you will be blown away by my progress in the next 3 weeks.  I am going into full shred mode.  21 days of good hard shredding followed by the big reveal.  I have come up with an idea for how I can handle my posing photos (they are too much fun to pass up), possibly passing on the front view shots.

Some of you may wonder how this is ratcheting up my accountability when I've said that I think the daily photos are the major accountability factor.  I still believe this to be true, but like a plateau in weight training, it is a great tool to use a reveal from time to time.  It is a tool for motivation.  I've promised (above) to make great progress in just 21 days.  Now I have to put up or shut up.  It will be extremely embarrassing if I fail to fulfill my promise.  Thus, my accountability is going to be sky high during this time period.  At the same time, I want to show what can be done in just 21 short days with a physique transformation.

Accountability Log:

NOTE:  There's a change to Thursday and Friday.  This Tuesday is my last workout of the series I've been doing.  I am supposed to take the rest of the week off from lifting and that's what I will do.  I then begin a program that involves a technique called “wave loading” (we will discuss this as I progress through those workouts).

New Podcast:

Check in for my podcast this week.  The topic this week is weight training techniques for fat loss.

Nutrition Log:

Workout Log:

Today I ran 3 miles through my neighborhood for my steady state cardio.  It was a great change of pace from the gym.  I definitely found it more relaxing.

Today's workout was yet another awesome day of Personal Bests.  I managed a personal best in the BB Bent over row (for 8 reps), the BB Incline Bench Press, the Lat Pull Down (this one was killer), the Barbell push press (wow!  I was exhausted after this one.  Just a week or so ago I did 150 x 4 and today I did 150 x 8!)

The Big Reveal

April 1, 2008

Check out what can be done in 21 days!

Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING!

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