Quagmire911 Lifting Journal

[shaunuk]

The biggest thing I feel is the alcohol. No point in eating right if I'm drinking 20-30 units a week, hello fat gain. I'll post up a plan of what I feel will get me where I need to be. I feel that as long as I have a schedule to follow diet isn't a problem. Working part-time back in June made things a lot easier, and I will be working again after New Year so this should force me into some kind of structure again. Going to bed at 4 in the morning and having crappy sleep isn't conducive to anything. Again though, for the next week or so I'll take it easy then it's time to get things sorted out.

Thanks for the input.

Hmm actually that's interesting, because I read a scientific (study) paper on the internet a while ago that basically tested, "do alcohol calories count?". The jist of it was, alcohol calories are generally stored in the blood stream as acetate until they need to be used, and a very rarely stored as fat.

In one part of the study, a group of people were fed 2000 excess calories a) in chocolate and b) in alcohol. In group a, people gained a helluva lot of weight, but in group b, people gained very very little weight at all.

There was a discussion section of the article for the scientific basis of this also I believe. Here's the article: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/54/6/976.pdf

I think it's more the sugar/carb content of most alcoholic drinks that lead to weight gain, but obviously all this drink ain't gonna do your lifting any good. lol, don't worry, we're both in the same boat, I'm a fresher at a UK uni too

take it easy man
shaun

 

[Quagmire911]

Thanks for input Shaun.

I'm not actually worried so much about the calories from the alcohol itself, it's because that amount of alcohol will most likely mean no anabolism and all those excess calories from food may go straight to the gut.

Quote from IA

"
THAT type of drinking s no big deal and doesn't impact much.

14 on saturday night, or 4 every other day is where you find not much is happning anabolically.

IA"

http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12587&highlight=alcohol

"15 drinks ****s with cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, insulin, growth, and IGF levels for about 3 days IME. So........you just spent 3 out of 7 days in a sub-optimal anabolic environment. That is one of the reasons why people that do steroids and IGF can get away with the **** they do while clean trainees often scratch and claw for each once of muscle. Clean trainees (the VAST majority of everyone here) need to use every advantage they can and binge drinking wreaks your hormonal status for days."

Being honest poison never is going to have good effects in the weights room. I'm gonna try and take January off or at least cut down drastically. Then look at some kind of threshold that my body can manage and not the onslaught of 20-30 per week.

Quagmire

Ps-Wheres your log been! Get logging!

 

[Mad Manic]

Why don't you start training more days per week. That way it'll encourage you to drink less because you know your next session isn't 3-4 days away and you'll have more growth stimulus throughout the week.

MM

 

[Quagmire911]

Why don't you start training more days per week. That way it'll encourage you to drink less because you know your next session isn't 3-4 days away and you'll have more growth stimulus throughout the week.

MM

If I had a home gym or a car I'd do it, getting to the gym is a pain in the ass.

 

[shaunuk]

Thanks for input Shaun.

I'm not actually worried so much about the calories from the alcohol itself, it's because that amount of alcohol will most likely mean no anabolism and all those excess calories from food may go straight to the gut.

Ps-Wheres your log been! Get logging!

Yeah I thought that was more the concern..I suppose that's an issue. But man, you're getting some good numbers up there for 18yrs old and your attitude is SPOT ON for progressing as a great lifter

Haha yeah, my bad mate, I've still been lifting. After taking steps forwards and backwards for ages (due to having to take time off all the time) I'm now on a 2day routine which looks like this:

monday
---
squats, heavy sets then 1x20
barbell rows 5x5
bench 2x5
curls

thursday
---
rack deadlifts, 2x5
lat pulldowns, 3x5
bench, 2x5
triceps

the reps and sets can vary, basically whatever I need to make progress. The heavy sets for squats may be 2x5, 3x3, 1x3max, 3x2, or whatever..Just as long as it's heavier than last time.

I'm finally back into it, and I'm gonna do EFFORT's help justice this time. My numbers are now progressing nicely (though still not big).

I know how tempting the alcohol is, I'm sure you're the same as me in that you'll go out 3x a week and drink quite a lot. I'm cutting it down now due to money, training and needing to get more work done

I'll start logging again Quag, thanks for the kick up the arse, hope you had a good Christmas, take it easy.

shaun

 

[Quagmire911]

Hope you do the rows and bench before the widowmaker...

Good to hear you are making progress, and I hope you had a good holiday as well.

I'm taking the next week easy and after New Year I'm gonna own...

Take care,

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

F*** yeah

Thursday :woo:

Great day today. These new exercises have sent progress forward again. Pleased with how today went, here it is:

Rack bench 3x3-87.5, 90, 95kg(209lbs)-Felt strong on all sets. Felt like I could have got another rep on the last set.

1x107.5kg(236.5lbs)-F*** yeah. Not much to say, it was a solid lift. Felt like I could do more.

0x112.5kg 0x110kg-Got to ****y, but the last set felt like I had more in me. I tried 110kg after this but in both lifts it didn't budge from the rack. Obviously the 107.5 took more out of me than I thought. Still very happy with the progress in the last few weeks.

Overhead press-3x6-40, 45, 47.5kg-Really love doing this, as I have said. Was a struggle on the last rep in the last set but I fought it and won. Not much else can be said. Making solid progress.

Flat D.b bench-2x8-25kg-Making reasonable progress on this.

Cable pushdowns-3x12-55, 60, 65kg(PR)-The last set in the last few reps was the hardest this has been. Seen good progress in this.

Cable abs-2x12-75kg(PR)-Might have to switch to a variant of this exercise as I was experiencing forearm discomfort from the way I was holding the pulley. Will maybe try out a standing variation or something.

Another good upper day. After the flat dumbbell bench I tried out 92.5kg regular bench to see how it felt; I didn't expect to get it and I didn't, after all the work I had done to that point there was no way. Couldn't really tell much from it, as I say I was pretty wiped. This is what I am aiming for as an opener when I max out in the next few weeks. Will just have to wait and see I suppose. Pleased at making progress as I have been consuming alcohol in the last few days and my diet has been ****ty. Could have been worse though and I madesure it wasn't too bad yesterday.

I got some smelling salts so that I could use the ammonia in it before I lifted; really does feel like it gets you in the zone. Will definitely be using this on max effort day.

Don't know whether I will max out next week or not but I think it is my intention to do Sunday and then max out next Friday on bench. Will see how I feel. I have a feeling I may have gone a bit high with the rack bench and that it should have been set a bit lower, but I will have to wait and see. I feel the routine in general is quite good and won't need to much tweaking after the maxes come in. Leg flexibility is nearly there so hopefully that problem will be gone. Slight worry about deads since I haven't been doing any and will try and PR. Just never done things this way before. But alas that is all for now, until the weekend...

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

Decided to take the day off.

Feel what with all the festive drinking training wouldn't be productive.

The aim is to go out in style tonight and then try to take a month off. My intake will at least be greatly reduced.

I will do some maxes toward the end of this week, by then my body should be back to a normal state hormonal wise etc (from the drinking), and I should get some accurate maxes.

Aiming to get back on track in the next week, maybe only to a point though until some money comes in.

Happy new year,

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

Max tested today when I probably shouldn't have.

Several things contributed to a poor day, however what is done is done and now that all the partying and drink has been enjoyed it is time to get back into the swing of things.

Sleep, diet, etc will be improving daily and within a week things will be set up the way they should be.

Until then,

Quagmire

 

[Quagmire911]

Tuesday

Went in to do some sub-max stuff today, should have gone a tad lighter in one or two things but I didn't max out/go for PR's. Here it is:

Squats-Worked up to 105kgx1-My flexibility issues are all but gone.

Decline close grip bench-1x3-60kg(Paused)

Decline bench-1x12-50kg

Hammer grip D.b presses-3x8-17.5kg's-The last set was much harder than the other two for whatever reason.

Military press 3x6-35kg

Just learning the movements with the chest stuff, getting a feel for decline. Hard to say what I'll be able to do when I push myself on it. From the decline and hammer presses I felt worked in places I hadn't really before today. So hopefully this will help my lower end strength.

Until Friday,

Quagmire

 

[frivolousz21]

Alcohol crushes the body's natural output of testosterone.

 

[Quiksilver]

It's okay, Quagmire's a girl

 

[Quagmire911]

Alcohol crushes the body's natural output of testosterone.

And messes with cortisol and everything else. That is why I am not having a drop for the time being.

Quagmire

Edit- :trouble: Run Quik...

 

[Quagmire911]

Friday

Meant to be another sub-max day. Here it is:

Squats 3x5-85, 87.5, 90kg-Not to bad, bit heavier than I would have liked.
1x3-95kg-Getting heavy.
1x105kg-My god. I just don't get it. This is meant to be 15kg off my PR yet I nearly failed. 4-5" above parallel the weight seemed to be mostly on my toes and I had to fight it for 2-3 seconds. If anyone has any ideas how to help, I'd like to hear them. I mean f*** 6 months ago I did 105kgx3 for christs sake. Anything over 90kg just seems to hate me, yet under It isn't too bad. ARGHHHHHHHH :cuss:

S.L.D.L.-3x5-90, 100, 100kg-Felt good on these. Really felt it in my hamstrings.

Pullups-3x5-Got progressively harder as the sets went on.

Hanging leg raise 2x15

I'm at the stage where I never want to squat again to be honest. Not that I won't but that is how I am beginning to feel. Frustrated is a good word to describe it. Anyway I got a bit of money today so I stalked up on fish oil and eggs which is great. Hopefully I'll just eat me way to somenew PR's .

Ahhh who knows, needs some thought anyway. Until next time...

Quagmire

 

[Mad Manic]

Because you're not adding weight and you always do low reps. You do no more than 5 reps. Mix it up sometimes. Not adding weight + same scheme = Problems. Why not warm up, do 2 sets of 6 on a heavy weight, drop 5 kg and go for 8, then drop 5 kg and go for 10. From experience reverse pyramid is better/more logical than forward pyramid (hence suggestion). Maybe try a drop set at the end to kill your quads.

Key Rule: Strength correlates with Size and Size correlates with Strength. That's why powerlifters will still bulk up and do higher reps sometimes.

MM

 

[Quagmire911]

I did freakin 20 reppers two months ago!!!

I appreciate the perspective though, and it may work, however the fact I did 85x20 and struggle with 105x1 suggests something more fundamental is wrong.

I think I'll become a leg presser. Machines for the win!!! :cuss:

Quagmire

 

[wolf116]

When I hate my squat, I switch to front squats, seem to be easer to go ATG with good form and I don't get stuck as the bottom.
Just don't try a 20 repper with them!

This might sagest that I'm not activating my gluts because I find the quad dominant squat easer.
Also front squats are easer for tall people to get good form on.

 

[Quagmire911]

Pity I ain't tall heh.

Hmmm, switching to front squats could be an idea...interesting. Might not have to give up ALL squatting.

Will have to have a think about it, thanks for the suggestion...That glute thing may be worth looking into as well, may fit into my problem or be my problem.

Quagmire

 

[Quiksilver]

I'd lower the weight and have some fun for a week or two with squats...

Take 50-75% max and pump out a 50 rep set with some sick music blasting in your ears...

Once you've done that, one rep of any weight will feel easy.

I'm betting that a good part of this is psychological.

 

[Mad Manic]

There's nothing fundamentally wrong you have just plateaud and your body can't go heavier/more reps anymore. If you actually start adding bodyweight and changing your rep scheme I guarantee you will bust through the plateau no problem. So take my advice and improve on the squat rather thinking you know it all and switching to leg presses. If you knew anything about BBing, you'd know that the Squat has a carry-over effect to the machine exercises but the reverse doesn't really apply. Start reverse pyramiding your training and bulking up. I told you before that higher reps, drop sets and variation are important and you never believed me.

MM