Today's workout for me had a theme–NO MERCY! I was determined to put up huge (for me) numbers during the workout. I honestly set out to blast away my previous personal bests. What happened you may ask? Read on.
I keep my workout logs in a notebook. About 2 months ago I started a personal bests spreadsheet. I use that sheet to determine my weights each workout. This one was no different except I decided to be agressive. All these extra calories have me acting all macho at the gym (no, I'm not taking risks, just pushing myself harder and harder).
I stepped up to the platform to do my bent over barbell rows and looked over my personal bests sheet. My previous personal best for this exercise was 170 pounds. I began loading the bar. I slid 45 pound plates on each side. I then grabbed two 10 pound plates and slid one on each side. The bar is now loaded with 155 pounds. I slap another 10 pound plate on each side to bring the weight up to 175 pounds, 5 pounds higher than my previous personal best. As I began to wrap my wrist straps around the bar I recall thinking “What the hell, add even more!” I immediately stopped and added 5 pound plates to either side for a grand total of 185 pounds.
I felt excited. I wrapped my wrist straps and tightened them down. I lifted the weight off the supports and took two steps backwards on the platform. I bent at the knees and bent over so my back was in the right position. I began moving the barbell, completing 4 really good repetitions and had nothing left, so I racked the weight. I then moved directly to the incline barbell bench press. This time I loaded the bar with 170 pounds. My last personal best was 165 pounds and two things came to mind at the time I was setting up the weight. Last time I did this exercise I almost hurt my shoulder pretty badly and the time I did my personal best I had a very hard tim getting 165 pounds up. I stuck with 170 and managed to complete a set.
I went back and forth and completed a total of 6 sets of both exercises. My lat pull downs and barbell push presses were done in the same manner. I showed no mercy and pushed the limits of the weight I could lift. I got through all of it.
Now I plan to show no mercy on my nutrition. I've found that keeping it very simple is the way to go. I find a meal plan that gets me to where I want to be and then I stick with it. No mercy! There's no need for variety, that's what my cheat meal is for. I have a job to accomplish and that is burning fat. Afterall, I have to live up to the name of the Fat Burning Machine.
Accountability Log:
| Week Begins 2/17/2008 | |||||||
| 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 | N/A | AM | N/A | N/A | AM |
| Abs * | N/A | FYA | FYA | N/A | FYA | FYA | N/A |
| Water * | 194 oz | 220 oz | 200 oz | 240 oz | 216 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 | 2398 | 2550 | 2584 | 2584 | 2551 | ||
| Cals within 5% (+/-) * | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ratios (C/P/F) | 42/38/20 | 43/40/17 | 47/35/18 | 48/33/19 | 50/31/19 | ||
| Total Completed | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Possible | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | ||
| Mission 2 Total Complete | 222 | 237 | 252 | 267 | 282 | ||
| Mission 2 Total Possible | 225 | 240 | 255 | 270 | 285 | ||
| * = Counts towards total | |||||||
| Success! | |||||||
| Failed | |||||||
| Not Counted! | |||||||
Nutrition Log:
| Mission 2: Day 19 of 100 | |||
| Meal/Training Plan: Real-time accountability | |||
| Day 19: February 21, 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 | ||
| 5:00 a.m. | Supplements: Protein shake, BCAAs, glutamine | ||
| 6:30 a.m. | Meal 2: Chicken breast, oatmeal, large salad and 3 glasses of water | ||
| 9:30 a.m. | Meal 3: Chicken breast, large salad, oatmeal and 3 glasses of water | ||
| 12:30 p.m. | Meal 4: Chicken breast, cucumber and large salad and 3 glasses of water | ||
| 3:30 p.m. | Meal 5: Chicken breast, brocolli and large salad and 3 glasses of water | ||
| 6:30 p.m. | Meal 6: Chicken breast, brocolli, large salad and 3 glasses of water | ||
| 8:30 p.m. | Supplements: Casein protein shake, glutamine, calcium and 3 glasses of water |
Workout Log:
| Thursday, 2/21/2008 | A7 | |||||
| Exercise | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Set 6 |
| BB Bent over row | 185 x 4 | 185 x 4 | 185 x 4 | 185 x 4 | 185 x 4 | 185 x 4 |
| BB Incline Bench Press | 165 x 4 | 165 x 4 | 165 x 4 | 165 x 4 | 165 x 4 | 165 x 4 |
| Lat Pull Down | 180 x 4 | 180 x 4 | 180 x 4 | 180 x 4 | 180 x 4 | 180 x 4 |
| Barbell Push Press | 145 x 4 | 145 x 4 | 145 x 4 | 145 x 4 | 145 x 4 | 145 x 4 |
| Swiss ball crunch | 30 | 30 | 30 |
I hit personal bests on each and every exercise today. Today was “No Mercy” day and it shows in the results. My attitude was that I was going to lift heavy and lift heavy I did.
I'm tired and it is time for bed. Keep shredding hard!
Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING!
