Are you trying to transform your physique? If so, are you going massive? If you aren't going massive don't expect things to change with your body. Come on! Push yourself to new heights, plunge to new depths and just generally give it everything you've got!
Today I had my first “wave loading” workout. As I studied the workout this past weekend I wondered why they only choose to do the “wave loading” on a part of the workout and not on all of it and today I found out why. I put my money where my mouth is today and went massive. I shattered some personal bests and pushed myself so hard that as I sit here, my quads are quivering and I might not be sleeping upstairs tonight because I'm not sure I'm going to make it up the stairs!
The neurological effect was really pronounced during the workout. I will discuss it more under the workout log portion below. Suffice to say that the bait and switch was in full effect throughout the wave loading portion of the workout.
I keep preaching the same message and I'm hoping it gets through. Why waste your time lifting if you aren't going to push yourself to the limit? Take it from me–you can do more than you think you can. You can lift more weight, push out more reps and complete more sets than your brain tells you. If you don't believe me, go to the gym tomorrow and see where your brain says you are done and then, just for me, push yourself just a little farther. I guarantee you will be surprised at how much more you can do when you push yourself like this. If you try this, come back to my blog and post a comment letting me know how you did.
Accountability Log:
| Week Begins 3/16/2008 | |||||||
| Sun | Mon | Tues | Weds | Thurs | Fri | Sat | |
| Cycle spot | LC | LC | HC | LC | LC | LC | HC |
| M1 * | 5:30 a.m. | 3:30 a.m. | 3:30 a.m. | 3:30 a.m. | 3:30 a.m. | 3:30 a.m. | 5:30 a.m. |
| M2 * | 8:30 a.m. | 6:30 a.m. | 6:30 a.m. | 6:30 a.m. | 6:30 a.m. | 6:30 a.m. | 8:30 a.m. |
| M3 * | 11:30 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. | 11:30 a.m. |
| M4 * | 2:30 p.m. | 12:30 p.m. | 12:30 p.m. | 12:30 p.m. | 12:30 p.m. | 12:30 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. |
| M5 * | 5:30 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. | 5:30 p.m. |
| M6 * | 7:30 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | 7:30 p.m. |
| Weights * | N/A | Lift | Lift | N/A | Lift | Lift | N/A |
| Cardio * | N/A | PM | PM | AM | PM | PM | AM |
| Abs * | N/A | FYA | FYA | N/A | FYA | FYA | N/A |
| Water * | 265 oz | 240 oz | |||||
| Post-workout nutrition * | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pre-sleep nutrition * | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vitamins/Supplements * | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Accountability * | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cals within 5% (+/-) * | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Target Cals | 2250 | 2250 | 2700 | 2250 | 2250 | 2250 | 2700 |
| Cals | 2199 | 2241 | |||||
| Ratios (C/P/F) | 34/44/22 | 35/44/21 | |||||
| Total Completed | 15 | 15 | |||||
| Total Possible | 15 | 15 | |||||
| Mission 2 Total Complete | 637 | 652 | |||||
| Mission 2 Total Possible | 645 | 660 | |||||
| * = Counts towards total | |||||||
| Success! | |||||||
| Failed | |||||||
| Not Counted! | |||||||
Nutrition Log:
| Mission 2: Day 44 of 100 | |||
| Meal/Training Plan: Real-time accountability | |||
| Day 44: March 17, 2008 | |||
| 3:30 a.m. | Meal 1: Protein shake with banana and Udos and oatmeal and 3 glasses of water | ||
| 3:30 a.m. | Supplements: Animal Pak, Glucosamine Chondroiten, calcium, chromium, glutamine, BCAAs | ||
| 4:00 a.m. | Workout: Lifting and FYA | ||
| 5:00 a.m. | Supplements: Protein shake, BCAAs, glutamine | ||
| 6:30 a.m. | Meal 2: Turkey breast, oatmeal, large salad and 3 glasses of water | ||
| 9:30 a.m. | Meal 3: Protein shake, oatmeal, large salad and 3 glasses of water | ||
| 12:30 p.m. | Meal 4: Turkey breast, 10 baby carrots, oatmeal, apple and large salad and 3 glasses of water | ||
| 3:30 p.m. | Meal 5: Chicken breast, celery and large salad and 3 glasses of water | ||
| 5:30 p.m. | Workout: Steady State Cardio 30 minutes | ||
| 6:30 p.m. | Meal 6: Lean turkey, cabbage, cucumber, mixed vegetables, large salad and 3 glasses of water | ||
| 8:30 p.m. | Supplements: Casein protein shake, glutamine, calcium and 3 glasses of water |
Workout Log:
| Monday, 3/17/2008 | A1 | Start: 4:01 a.m. Finish: 4:59 a.m. | ||||
| Exercise | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Set 6 |
| Squat | 275 x 6 | 325 x 1 | 285 x 6 | 335 x 1 | 250 x 10 | 225 x 15 |
| Bulgarian split squat | 25 x 15 | 25 x 15 | 25 x 15 | |||
| Step-up | 25 x 15 | 25 x 15 | 25 x 15 | |||
| Back extension | 10 | 10 | ||||
| Swiss ball crunch | 20 | 20 | ||||
I approached this workout by clearing my mind of all doubts. My weights are starting to get to the point that they blow my mind just thinking about how heavy they are. That sometimes brings doubts. I dispensed with those doubts and did some warm up sets of the empty bar, 95 pounds, 135 pounds and 225 pounds, all times 5 reps. I then loaded up 275 pounds on the bar and went for it. As I unracked the weight, I felt like it was a decent, but controllable weight. I told myself to focus on proper form and to get the proper depth and see what would happen. I got to 4 reps fairly easily and then had to dig in for the final 2. As I hit the stop watch for my timed rest period, I realized that I had managed 6 reps at a pretty high weight. I also could already feel it in my glutes and my hamstrings. I had really focused on my hip drive during this set and it worked.
I then looked at the weight on the bar and considered going up to 300 pounds, but since I'd done 290 x 4 in a recent workout (annd with 1-1/4 squats no less) I decided to slap a 25 pound plate on each side and just see what would happen. 325 pounds on your back when you weigh under 220 is just plain heavy feeling. I unracked that weight and took exactly one step backward, got set and then went down. I focused on a spot 6 feet in front of me, kept my chest up and went for the full depth. I managed to get my legs to just below parallell and then drove my hips to get the weight back up. Wow! A major personal best. That 1 rep squat goal of 350 pounds is looking realistic now!
I went on to do 285 x 6 on the next set and then considered what to do about the final 1 rep max set. I slapped the 25 pound plates on each side again, but that would bring the weight on the bar up to 335 pounds. I had just completed a personal best and here I was thinking I could beat that already. Well, as I like to say, push yourself until you think you are at your limit and then push yourself even harder. Practicing what I preach, I took the 335 pounds off the rack and honestly, it felt lighter than the 325 pounds from the previous 1 rep max set. Again, I focused on form and knocked out that rep. What a killer feeling to push such a heavy weight.
I can't imagine what I will be lifting when this workout cycle ends, but I'm telling you, going massive was a rush. The DOMs is already setting in big time and a little while ago I had to kneel down and my quads were shaking. They are quivering as I sit here writing this entry. What a rush though!
Am I crazy? I just wrote (above) that it is a rush to push my muscles to the point where they can't function. That's what shredding hard will do to you. You begin to really enjoy the pain you cause yourself in your workouts.
Thought for the Day:
For massive results you need massive workout habits. This is not for the weak of heart, mind, body or soul. The human body is capable of incredible things if you just believe in its capabilities. Go for it!
Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING!
