The Challenge

Complete the most unassisted chin ups.

I challenge all of you who currently cannot complete a single unassisted chin up to see who can do the most unassisted chin ups by March 22, 2008.  It is important that you currently cannot complete a single unassisted chin up.

How do you get involved?

Leave a comment letting me know you want to be involved.  I will post an entry outlining my plan for how to accomplish some unassisted chin ups and in that entry will be the list of people interested in joining the challenge. 

What is involved?

Starting on Sunday, December 23, 2007 (80 days from the end of the challenge), I will begin a weekly post regarding the challenge.  Each of you should provide me (via email) your current progress regarding chin ups.  I will post this every Sunday for all the world to see.

Participants:

Tea [visit her blog]
Lynda [visit her blog]
Suzette [visit her blog]
Lilla [visit her blog]
Jeff
Michael [You are here]

Progress:

Tea — ?? Need an update please
Lynda — ?? Need an update please
Suzette — Suzette is figuring out how to get the training in to do the chin ups. 
Lilla — ?? Need an update please
Jeff — Assisted Chin machine: 2x (part of back routine)
            Assisted Chins: 3×10,4×10
Michael — Doing 5 sets of 5 chin ups with 60 pounds assistance

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I got down and did my push up challenge test for week 3 and surprised even myself.  Check out the video:

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The stats are in for the week.  Here they are:

I gained 1 pound this week.  I dropped 0.98 pounds of fat and gained 1.98 pounds of lean body mass, so this is a success for me.  This has me considering my goals for Mission 2 carefully.  My body fat % goal for February 3 is 13% and I'm almost there.

Accountability Plan for This Week:

Sunday, 1/13/2008:
    Nutrition:  
        Metabolic Surge, fruit day
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:  
        HIIT Cardio Session for 30 minutes

Monday, 1/14/2008:
    Nutrition:
        Metabolic Surge, 40/40/20
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:  
        Squats and Deadlift Shrugs 3 x 15 (supersetted)
        Bulgarian Split Squats and Step Ups 3 x 15 (supersetted)
        Reverse crunches 3 sets
        Steady Cardio Session for 45 minutes
        Chin up session

Tuesday, 1/15/2008:
    Nutrition:
        Metabolic Surge, 40/40/20
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:
        HIIT Cardio Session for 30 minutes

Wednesday, 1/16/2008:
    Nutrition:
        Metabolic Surge, 40/40/20
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:
        DB Incline Bench Press and Cable Seated Row 5 x 5 (supersetted)
        DB Shoulder Press and Wide grip lat pulldown 5 x 5 (supersetted)
        BB close grip bench press and High pull 5 x 5 (supersetted)
        Swiss ball crunches 3 sets
        HIIT Cardio Session for 30 minutes
        Chin up session

Thursday, 1/17/2008:
    Nutrition:
        Metabolic Surge, 40/40/20
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:
        HIIT Cardio for 45 minutes
        Chin up session

Friday, 1/18/2008:
    Nutrition:
        Metabolic Surge, 40/40/20 with cheat meal
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:
        Squats and Deadlift Shrugs 4 x 10 (supersetted)
        Bulgarian Split Squats and Step Ups 4 x 10 (supersetted)
        Reverse crunches 3 sets
        HIIT Cardio Session for 30 minutes
        Chin up session

Saturday, 1/19/2008:
    Nutrition:
        Metabolic Surge, low carb
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:
        Rest day today

Monday through Friday my nutrition plan starts at 4:30 a.m. while it starts at 6 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.  I am currently experimenting with cardio techniques to maximize the fat loss in the next 4 days.

My pics and the rest of my day will be coming later. 

Until then…

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One of the comments on yesterday's post mentioned being “comfortable” with their body and that brought to mind today's topic appropriately entitled “Comfortable.”

comfortable:  being in a state of physical or mental comfort; contented and undisturbed; (dictionary.com)

To me that's an interesting definition above.  I wonder if I can ever be truly comfortable with my own body.  In a way, that's sad, but it is a true statement.  I will likely never get to the point that I am contented with my body.  I will always have something to improve upon.  As mentioned before, I have aspirations to be a natural bodybuilder.  When I get to that point, I know I will be continually trying to perfect some aspect of my physique.  Being comfortable will literally kill my ability to win any competitions. 

At the same time, being comfortable is a good thing when you've lost alot of weight.  It is a good thing to be contented with where you ended up.  If a person loses 100 pounds but is sitting on 23% body fat and they are content, I say more power to them.  At the same time, many people who lose alot of weight and are sitting on a large percentage of body fat come to a decision that they need to make changes to drop their body fat percentage.  Is either person wrong?  I say no.

Honestly, I would be “contented” with continually trying to perfect some aspect of my pysique.  I have come to believe that being comfortable doesn't mean you need to stop where you are.  Being comfortable simply means that you are happy doing what you are doing.  It means you are willing to continue or not depending upon your goals.

To me, the understanding that I don't have to stop is a comfortable one.

Accountability Log:

Look at my pants!

The pants I'm wearing in the above picture used to be so tight as of October 1, 2007 that they cut into my stomach.  Now look at them!  I love it when you can actually see a difference!

Mission 2 – February 4, 2008

I did some more planning today.  My next mission will be 12 weeks long and will kick off February 4, 2008.  I will be on a bulking mission and have decided to use the Max-OT program for that purpose.  I've been reading the online materials and like the program's approach.  I believe I can put on some massive muscle during this time.  I will now need to develop some goals for myself.  I will post those at the start of Mission 2 on February 4, 2008.

Podcast

In anticipation of my interview in the very near future with a major fitness author, I am conducting an interview in my next podcast.  I am interviewing someone very near and dear to my own heart–ME!  Be sure to tune in for that schizophrenic interview tomorrow right here on this blog!

Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING…

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Today I had no less than 3 people proclaim as they saw me “You've lost alot of weight!”  It got me thinking on a line of thought that didn't belong in my head at the time.  I started thinking about the scale.  I started thinking about numbers.  I lost my focus at that very moment.

Focus is the key to what all of us are trying to do.  You put your eyes on the prize and don't take them off.  At times the prize might become hazy, you might not see it as clearly as at other times, but you have to maintain your focus. 

Find a plan that works for you.  Measure your progress.  Make assessments weekly.  Make the changes to your plan to continue pushing yourself towards the prize.  Stop jumping from plan to plan.  Stop changing up your workout plan on a weekly basis.  Every strength training plan needs time to work.  You can't measure your success by what happens in one particular week.  That is a fatal mistake and it amounts to losing focus.

Anything worth doing takes time.  You didn't get out of shape overnight.  It isn't like you sat down and ate a ton of food, went to bed and woke up fat.  You did this to yourself over time.  Why do you expect it to change overnight?

Accountability  Log:

Tomorrow is another day.  There are only a few days left in Group Shred Phase 2.  I plan to make them the best days of the entire shred. 

Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING…

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