Espi's Fitbook

[Eternal_water]

Had that most distracting of things in the gym today:

A hot little blonde with a tight ponytail wearing that super tight gym wear girls use doing squats in front of me, in a tiny room only a few square meters big with mirrors covering all 4 walls.

Literally nowhere you can look where you aren't looking at her or her reflection, and she can see you.

 

[marmel75]

I've decided I'm going to do an alternate day fasting program during the holiday season to keep it together. My diet tends to get really loose between October-December, and while I have only gained about 6 or 7 lbs, I can tell the difference already. It's weird, I can't seem to hold it together this time of year...almost like I need a break from my fanatical diet I run the rest of the year where I rarely cheat and always stay on point with my rotations...

I don't trip out about it too much because its cold and I'm covered up anyway...by the time it's warm out and its time to uncover I'll be back to normal, although I'd like it to be a little easier than normal, hence my alternate day fasting...

 

[Espi]

Had that most distracting of things in the gym today:

A hot little blonde with a tight ponytail wearing that super tight gym wear girls use doing squats in front of me, in a tiny room only a few square meters big with mirrors covering all 4 walls.

Literally nowhere you can look where you aren't looking at her or her reflection, and she can see you.

I'm not sure if I'd ask her out or leave the room with look of disdain.
Not a bad gig. Benefits of the gym.

 

[Espi]

I've decided I'm going to do an alternate day fasting program during the holiday season to keep it together. My diet tends to get really loose between October-December, and while I have only gained about 6 or 7 lbs, I can tell the difference already. It's weird, I can't seem to hold it together this time of year...almost like I need a break from my fanatical diet I run the rest of the year where I rarely cheat and always stay on point with my rotations...

I don't trip out about it too much because its cold and I'm covered up anyway...by the time it's warm out and its time to uncover I'll be back to normal, although I'd like it to be a little easier than normal, hence my alternate day fasting...

I personally think that if you're exceptionally fit then it's actually GOOD to get away for awhile then come back with more focus and refresh. I take a few weeks off from the gym here and there and I never lose much muscle and definition.

 

[Espi]

For the past 3 weeks I've been hitting the gym at 530 am and I actually like it.

I have a nice assortment of women keeping me busy right now. Gives me the motivation to keep some semblance of a six-pack. Consumed alcohol for the first time in 3 weeks tonight.

Haven't drank soda in months. Just water, coffee, and occasionally green tea.

Eating extremely lean--even on weekends. Estimated bodyfat 12%. 205 lbs.

 

[Espi]

Haven't been in the gym in 3 months. Diet is 75% clean.

I think I'm learning that diet is more like 60/40.

Gotta get back to it.

 

[ubercat]

That's why I play sports. Even if you do nothing else that gives you some physical baseline to work off.

 

[ChrisFloyd]

Haven't been in the gym in 3 months. Diet is 75% clean.

I think I'm learning that diet is more like 60/40.

Gotta get back to it.

lol...3 months, but at least you still did simple home workout like pull ups, push ups etc or no?

Normally when I cannot go to the gym, I do body weight exercises at home and eat significantly less. That way I got skinny, but at least I won't become fat.
To me, being fat is much more inconvenient than being skinny.

 

[speed dawg]

Haven't been in the gym in 3 months. Diet is 75% clean.

I think I'm learning that diet is more like 60/40.

Gotta get back to it.

Ha....why you'd quit? That's a big lay off for a guy that has a long history of working out. Injured?

 

[Espi]

Ok time for me to resurrect this thread. After a LONG time away I've returned...

Been training since June 22:

3-4x's a week training and cardio
5-6 meals per day clean eating
Alcohol/cheat meal 1x per week

Got an upcoming outdoor fitness event and my goal is to be looking and feeling exceptionally fit. The Florida heat will be intense and I could probably do better training outdoors, but I've been hitting it hard...minimal rest between sets...700-1000 jumprope reps immediately following weights.

Feels good to again fit into my 34" waist...

 

[Espi]

Yesterday's diet:

3 organic eggs raw (swallowed)
Organic oatmeal w/unsweetened Almond Milk

2 1/2 scoops Labrada Lean Body Meal Replacement shake

5 oz. Canned organic chicken breast
1 bag Seeds of Change organic Brown Basmati Rice
Organic raw spinach with minimal balsamic vinagerette dressing
Handful of almonds

2 1/2 scoops Labrada Lean Body Meal Replacement shake

5 oz. Canned organic chicken breast
1 bag Seeds of Change organic Brown Basmati Rice
Organic raw spinach with minimal balsamic vinagerette dressing

2 1/2 scoops Labrada Lean Body Meal Replacement shake

Last night's workout (845-10 pm)

Playlist:

Tom Petty
Nailbomb
Smashing Pumpkins
Tool

Incline DB press 50 reps/ 5 sets
QUALITY reps
Not to failure but each set challenging

Bodyweight dips 40 reps/5 sets
Slight forward posture
Struggled on these...took 7-8 sets to get 40 reps...but I did 40

500 jumpropes w/50 pushups total supersetted in between
Great intensity on these but time limited me. Gym closed at 10. Could have done 1000 ropes and 75 pushups.

Was sweating profusely after this workout. Minimal rest between sets.

3 weeks in and seeing improvement. I'm not ripped like I used to be but I'm at 210 lbs. and an estimated 18% BF.

Seeeing more definition and my arms already look bigger. I also like the results in my calves from 3x a week jumpropes.

 

[Espi]

Back day:

5 minutes on the treadmill at 4.5 minimum...do NOT make this a ****ing cakewalk. Wear backpack.

Pullups. 5 sets
Deadlifts. 5 sets
Seated cable Rows 5 sets

Each set challenging but not to failure.
QUALITY reps...form is what matters.
Minimal rest between sets

Then immediately follow with: 100 jumpropes then 10 pushups...done 10 times or as many times as it takes to get 1000 jumpropes/100 pushups.

 

[ubercat]

Good inspiration. After I did my shadow boxing I had gone to couch to watch Federer Wimbledon match. Read this and got the weights out

 

[Espi]

Sun. 07/10/2016:

Delts:

5 sets/50 reps Arnold Presses
5 sets/50 reps side lat raises
5 sets/50 reps face pulls
5 sets/50 reps shrugs

Immediately followed with 1000 reps of jumpropes and 100 pushups.

 

[Espi]

Tues 07/12 legs:

6 sets/ 60 reps Smith machine backsquats:

35 lbers each side/10 reps
45's "
45, 10, 5 "
45, 25 "
45, 35 "
2-45 lbers. each side

Was going to repeat the set in descending order but this was a pretty good set: minimal rest between sets; knees bent to parallel.

Note: all that intense cardio the past 3 weeks seems to be paying off. Feel like I have a lot more wind. The benefit of being in good cardiovascular dhape for improving intensity and effort on squats is vastly underrated in my opinion.

6 sets of leg extensions. 60 reps.

Lying leg curl machine was out of service

Immediately went into jumpropes. 750 reps.

 

[Eternal_water]

Wow thats a lot of volume espi, you must be friend after all that. Do you play any sports or no?

I've got a cold atm and its amazing just how much energy it takes out of you when your immune system is battling a virus. I got 2 quality sets of pull ups in and then I was already going light headed and out of breath, I got 2 more low quality sets in and then just did shoulders with Standing dumbell overhead press, side lateral raises and face pulls and left. Even doing shoulders I was performing the exercises on fumes and getting light headed.

I wish someone would find a cure for the common cold already.

 

[Eternal_water]

*"fried" not "friend".

 

[Espi]

I imagine that a lot of guys would consider 12 sets a "light" leg workout. I would have done 6 more sets on the lying leg curl machine for a total of 18 sets.

I'm more focused on QUALITY sets these days. I rarely squat more than 225 for 10 reps, and it usually takes me 2 sets to get 10 reps at that weight. But I go DEEP on squats. Every rep is hard earned. I'm sweating profusely and breathing hard after doing squats like that.

I'm convinced that 12 hard-earned sets, done with perfect form, is MORE than sufficient--ESPECIALLY when combined with a perfect diet.

I've been training hardcore and eating 100% clean (alcohol and cheat meal once per week) since June 20th, and the results have surpassed my expectations. If I keep it up for another 3 weeks, I have no doubt that I'll be just as ripped as I was back in 2014.

I'm also convinced that jumping rope has put me in phenomenal cardiovascular shape. I aim for 1000 reps every other day, and I'm starting to think that I could up the total to 1250 reps.

I'm not fried at all after these type workouts. I am sweating profusely, but I'm not drained.

 

[Espi]

Leg day today.

Some words I associate with leg day:

Rooted
Fundamentals
Pragmatic
Nostalgic
Basics
The Right Way

Ferocious
Tenacious
Brutal
Bare Bones

This is what I expect and train for, but nothing connects me to those words better than a good leg workout: squats, extensions, reverse curls, 1000 jumpropes.

 

[Espi]

No matter how good I think I look, there's always room for improvement. I was ripped in 2014 and I now want to EXCEED that level.

I am out to defy age and strength expectations. Nobody will outwork me in the gym today, and I intend to prove it to myself with sweat and intensity.