Fitness Exposé

Bodybuilding Secrets Exposed

You are here: Home / Archives for Experiment of One

Operation Get Swole Training Log: March 28, 2013

By 1 Comment

OperationGetSwoleBanner

Operation Get Swole started as a short term project, but now it will be morphing into something much bigger as 2013 progresses. I will continue to make my attempt at Getting Swole by April 21, 2013, but after that I am going to pack on serious muscle for the final 8 months of 2013. I am looking for big results. I will not be driven by any particular contest goal until I feel I am ready to compete at a high level. I have wanted this for ages and with all the changes in my life this past year, I am going for it.

I trained biceps and triceps. That may seem odd, but I have a method to my madness. I need to bring up my arms. My coach, Ken Turchek, and I discussed the need to possibly train my arms more frequently and with varying intensity. Thus, we are training them 3 times a week with two days being pump days and one day being heavy weights. The heavy day is a combined biceps and triceps training session.

Exercise Weight/Repetitions
BB Curls 90 x 8
90 x 8
90 x 8
DB Curls 45 x 8
45 x 7
45 x 6
Hammer Curls 55 x 7
55 x 7
55 x 6
Cable curls 100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
1 arm DB Preacher curls 40 x 8
40 x 8
French Press 100 x 6
100 x 6
100 x 6
100 x 6
DB extension 65 x 8
65 x 7
OH Cable Triceps Extension 110 x 6
110 x 6
110 x 5
Triceps push down 180 x 5
190 x 5
200 x 5
200 x 5
Cable crunch 150 x 15
150 x 15
Leg lifts 15
15

I was feeling the effects of my shoulder decimation and it took a bit of warming up for my arms to feel ready for this session. I love going heavy and would probably do it all the time if it wasn't for my age (48). It is amazing to push around heavy weight and it makes me feel like a beast.

In this workout I focused on moving the heavy weight and getting a great squeeze on the muscle. I rotate my wrists to the outside at the end of dumbbell curls to get that pump and squeeze in the bicep. I tear the bar apart on all triceps movements. It is an intense way to train arms, but I have seen some major changes in my triceps because of it. Again, Ken Turchek has given me the tools I need to grow and grow I will. My training is not going to get interrupted by life any longer. Life is about getting what you want and this is what I have wanted for such a long time. I am thankful to have someone in my life who supports me in this endeavor and I will not let anyone, especially myself, down.

I will be reorganizing some of the posts on this site to simplify the navigation. Stay tuned for that change coming soon!

Related Posts:

  • No Related Posts

Operation Get Swole Training Log: March 27, 2013

By Leave a Comment

OperationGetSwoleBanner

Today was a shoulder training day. I used to hate these days, but after programming a pretty good shoulder training with expercises in a very specific order, I am very pleased with these workouts now. I have been able to increase the intensity and work the shoulders very hard with a lot of intense squeezing.

Exercise Weight/Reps
Hammer Strength Overhead Press

140 x 12
150 x 12
150 x 8
150 x 5
 
 DB front laterals

12.5 x 15
12.5 x 15
12.5 x 15
12.5 x 15
 DB side laterals 12.5 x 15
12.5 x 14
12.5 x 12
12.5 x 10 
DB bent laterals  12.5 x 13
12.5 x 12
12.5 x 10
12.5 x 10 
Incline Bench Laterals  10 x 10
10 x 10
10 x 7
10 x 7
Face Pulls 90 x 15
80 x 15
70 x 15
60 x 15
Upright Rows  65 x 10
65 x 8
65 x 7
65 x 5 
Bench Leg Lifts  95 x 15
95 x 15 
Bench Reverse Curls  15
15 
Cable Crunch  120 x 15
120 x 15 

I used strict form on everything except the upright rows where I allowed a small amount of cheating. On the upright rows I used a wide grip and a slight (very slight) swing of the upper body. I made sure to get a strong squeeze on every repetition. My shoulders were pumped.

Pre-workout I used Horse Power X pre-workout formula and took 5 grams of BCAAs. I then drank BCAAs and creatine during my training. I finished off with a protein shake with maledextrin and vanilla whey protein when the training session was completed. I also downed 5 grams of BCAAs with my protein shake. I will do cardio in the morning to burn fat. Tomorrow will also be a biceps training day, so watch for the training log on that workout as well.

Related Posts:

Operation Get Swole: Reloaded!

By 1 Comment

OperationGetSwoleBanner

Operation Get Swole was launched as a clean bulkng mission and also a test for my contest preparation strategies. Unfortunately, as I mentioned in my initial report, life began to get in the way immediately. I had to make some major decisions that took my focus off the task at hand and now I am done with that distraction. I am now ready to focus on my contest preparation strategies and getting into the leanest shape I've ever been in over the next 8 weeks. From today through April 21, 2013 I will be working hard to make a difference with my body and I will be sharing my successes and failures right here on this site.

Fail Many Times

Success is just a string of failures that you learn from until you manage to get it right. I am not afraid to admit to these failures because I know they have taught me the things I need to know in order to succeed. The plan remains exactly as I originally outlined. I am simply reloading and refocusing on the goal at hand. This time I will forge ahead regardless of the circumstances. Life promises to be difficult in front of me, but I am ready to tackle the challenges head on and get this task done. 

Let's Learn Together

I would really love the encouragement and support of my readers. We can learn together as I go through this process. It is going to be an amazing laboratory experiment. My good friend, Carlos DeJesus, would say this is an Experiment of One. It is about me figuring out what works and what does not work for me. It is my body and only I can tell what is working properly. I am trying many different strategies, but they are not haphazard. They have been chosen because of previous feedback my  body has given me. For instance, I know that I can train my biceps heavy and get no results or I can train them light and get no results, but when I train them twice in a week — once heavy and once for the pump — I see immediate changes in them. 

Accountability

Hold me accountable to my plans. I am setting them out and want to be held accountable for their completion. It is all about getting this done and getting it done now. Stop by and read the blog. Follow me on Twitter — @mikemahony. You will be able to keep an eye on my progress and you can make comments on all the Operation Get Swole posts.

Bodybuilding Laboratory

Fitness Expose has changed its focus in 2013. It is now a bodybuilding laboratory and I am the lab rat. I am going to make major changes to my body this year. I will grow bigger and get more defined. I will keep that appearance even when not preparing for a contest. I will give you articles that teach you how to do the same thing. I will shatter the bodybuilding myths and promote the reputable information. We will still discuss the reputable few. We will remain focused on integrity and honesty. Let's get this laboratory into high gear!

Related Posts:

Living the Bodybuilding Lifestyle

By 2 Comments

lifestyle

About 18 months ago I was 70 pounds heavier and carried around 20% more body fat than I do today. I met Chris Albert, co-owner of Metroflex Gym Long Beach, and he started me down the path to living the bodybuilding lifestyle. From October 2011 to April 2012, I lost 70 pounds and dropped a ton of body fat. I stepped on stage for my first ever bodybuilding competition. 

Where I started in October 2011. I was a mess!
Where I started in October 2011. I was a mess!

My third place finish in my first ever bodybuilding contest - April 2012
My third place finish in my first ever bodybuilding contest – April 2012

As you can see I leaned out a lot, but this just inspired me. I realized that bodybuilding was a lifestyle and not a short-term fix to long-term problems. I hooked up with my current preparation coach, Ken Turchek, and have started to live the bodybuilding lifestyle.

I continue to watch what I eat. Some of the time I am more strict than others, but I am always thinking about what I put into my body. I continue all of my supplementation routines. I take the things I need to take to stimulate muscle growth in my body. I train intensely at all times. I have goals for improving certain areas of my body. These things are now a way of life for me.

I have heard people close to me joke about my terminology — bodybuilding lifestyle — but they don't truly understand what it means to me. A good friend of mine, Valerie Gilb, just posted on my Facebook wall a comment regarding a picture I had posted of another bodybuilder. Like many people who are not involved in the bodybuilding world, Valerie (and rightly so) commented “don't find that attractive. Yikes, must have custom made clothes.” I thought about her comment and realized that for many people that is their feeling about bodybuilding. I realized that my goals are eventually going to make me “one of those guys” and that people will think of me as odd. But that's OK with me because I think bodybuilding is a tremendous sport and art form at the same time. My response to Valerie was this:

” Valerie Gilb it is more about the hard work and dedication it takes to get to the point he is at in that picture. Spending time around bodybuilders I have learned that they understand their bodies better than anyone else. The knowledge they have is tremendous. I am inspired by the hard work and dedication they show. I have so many great friends who are living this lifestyle (@Katrina Mclellan, Sasha Brown, Ken Turchek, Chris Albert,Tonia Moore Ifbb Pro and many others). They don't “diet” or “exercise” they live for making their bodies into a work of art. I know that to most women the huge muscles are not attractive, but when viewed as a work of art, it is a tremendous accomplishment in my opinion.  This is why I am writing a special blog post today about the bodybuilding lifestyle and how it has changed my life for good.”

That sums up my feelings about the bodybuilding lifestyle. The people who compete like those listed above are hard-working, sincere individuals who love their sport and have a passion for helping others. I have become “one of them” already. I have befriended many bodybuilders and seek to learn about the sport from them. I love them like family. It is an amazing and wonderful thing.

So what has the bodybuilding lifestyle done for me? Have a look at this 2 month old photo of me and compare it to the one above from my show in April 2012.

Notice how much wider my back is?.
Notice how much wider my back is?.

Notice how much more defined my chest is?
Notice how much more defined my chest is?

Now, before one of you bigger guys rags on me, have another look at the picture from my April 2012 show. Compare that to the progress I've made. Anyone involved in the bodybuilding lifestyle knows that this is a process not a destination. I am working hard every single day to achieve the goals i have set and I am extremely proud of the progress I have made. Go ahead and make fun of the “little guy” but this guy is a 48 year old man who didn't start bodybuilding until he was 47 years old. Check back on me when I am 50 and let's see if you are still laughing!

I am thankful for this wonderful sport that I credit with saving my life. I was so overweight and unhealthy and now I can do things I never dreamed possible. I have gotten a personal trainer certification and I am now able to help other people achieve their goals. Nothing could be better.

 

 

 

Related Posts:

Contest Preparation Journal – 5 Weeks Out

By 1 Comment

Excalibur 2012

Friends, it is with great disappointment that I am announcing my withdrawal from the Excalibur contest on December 1, 2012. Certain issues have kept me from focusing completely on the goal and I do not want to give less than 100% effort to the cause. After much contemplation, I consulted with my coach and decided not to continue contest preparation at this time.

However, because I have been having great results I am going to continue training and eating the way I was during contest prep. My goal will be to bring up lagging body parts. Thus, my new focus is going to look something like this:

  • Leg  training – weekly
  • Biceps training – 3x a week ( 1 pump style and 2 heavy and use different angles every time)
  • Triceps training – 3x a week (1 pump style and 2 heavy and use different angles every time)
  • Back training – 2x a week (1 for thickness and 1 for width)
  • Chest training – 2x a week (heavy weights)
  • Shoulders – weekly (aim for hitting every head and hitting the traps at each shoulder training)

I will continue with the supplements I've been using and the regimen that has been working for me. Watch for major success in the future as I grow to a size I've never been before.

Related Posts:

New eBook!