Step 2: RMM's Journal

[RMM]

Thursday: Bit of exercycle. I had a hugeass blister on my left foot that made running quite uncomfortable.

Friday:

Weight: 91.2 kg.

There we go, back again!

Incline Benchpress:
Bar x6
40 kg x5
60 kg x2
70 kg x1
75 kg x5
80 kg x5
82.5 kg x3

Last set felt crap, like I was out of balance the whole time. Obviously did the setup wrong.

Pec Fly Machine:
205 lbs x12
215 lbs x10

Standing Military Press:
40 kg x12
45 kg x10

HAH!

Bent Over Dumbbell Fly:
15.5 kg x12
18 kg x10

Form wasn't too good in the last couple of reps (bending the elbow down as I went up, i.e., not managing to hold the weight properly) so I'll keep at it.

Upright Rows:
30 kg x12
35 kg x10

Decline Pushups:
30
18
15

Decline Crunches:
+20 kg x30
+20 kg x20

I went too enthusiastically at it, was feeling a bit dizzy so I stopped.

Overall a good day I'd say. Standing Military Press: Focus constantly on keeping the abs firm as hell, and all goes much better. Much like squats work best for me when focusing on tensing the glutes firmly all the way, or focusing on the hinge movement with a firm spine on the deadlifts (to avoid going up with the butt first). I have yet to find my best focus spot for the incline bench.

 

[RMM]

World Cup is going to be the death of me. Sleep has been ****, so has been diet, and I'm all over the place.

On the other hand, Spain's in the quarterfinals. Woot!

So, that said, I'm in Dubai time or something (sleeping after work, waking up at 2 in the morning to watch the football, then at 6 watching it together with friends - having lunch at 6:30 am is a bit on the weird side). Yesterday the round of 16 was finally over, so tried to get back in the swing of things.

Weight: 91.7 kg.

Unsurprising, no workouts, no sleep, and bad diet *shrug*

Squats:
60 kg x5
80 kg x3
100 kg x1
110 kg x1
120 kg x5
125 kg x5
127.5 kg x5

Proper form for the last set this time. I kept grunting "up, up!" as I made it out of the well in the last rep, and indeed made it up. Focus on the glutes and the hip drive!

Hack Squat Machine:
175 kg x20

Wasn't a good set, a few reps were not too deep. Will repeat it next time.

Hack Calf Push Machine, one-legged:
250 kg x12
260 kg x10

Very hard!

Didn't do anything else. I was working out past the time I have been usually already asleep, and let me tell you, working out hard while being incredibly sleepy is hard as hell. Figured I should just go home if I didn't want to hurt myself. Had a good sleep, and hopefully I'll do better on Friday.

 

[RMM]

Thursday: Sprints.

Friday:

Weight: 90.7 kg

Deadlifts:
80 kg x5
100 kg x3
120 kg x1
130 kg x1
140 kg x5
145 kg x5

Pullups:
10
10
9

Compound Row:
205 lbs x11
215 lbs x9

Lat Pulldown:
160 lbs x12
170 lbs x10

EZ Bar Gunz Curls:
30 kg x12
35 kg x10

Reverse Wrist Curls:
10 kg x10
11.5 kg x7

Reverse Crunches:
+20 kg x30
+20 kg x26

 

[RMM]

Monday:

Incline Benchpress:
40 kg x5
50 kg x3
60 kg x1
70 kg x1
75 kg x5
80 kg x3 Bah!
70 kg x6

Pec Fly Machine:
205 lbs x12
215 lbs x10

Standing Military Press:
42.5 kg x12
47.5 kg x6

Bent Over Dumbbell Fly:
15.5 kg x12
18 kg x10

Upright Row:
35 kg x12
40 kg x9

Decline Pushups:
30
15

And cut it short because it was late and I had somewhere to be, heh. Must sleep more...

 

[RMM]

Tuesday: Cardio, sprints.

Wednesday:

Squats:
60 kg x5
80 kg x3
100 kg x1
110 kg x1
120 kg x5
125 kg x5
130 kg x5

Rawr.

Hack Squat Machine:
175 kg x20

Better form than last time. These things are killing me.

Machine Hack Calf Push, one-legged:
255 kg x12
265 kg x10

Yowza, felt really heavy!

Prone Leg Curl:
155 lbs x12
165 lbs x10

And that was it. I'm back to eating a bigger breakfast: 2 eggs + 2 whites, with sweet potatoes. Bit more olive oil too. Gonna ramp up the diet.

 

[RMM]

Thursday: Nothing. Really can't bring myself to sprint the day after squats...

Friday:

Deadlifts:
80 kg x5
100 kg x3
120 kg x1
130 kg x1
140 kg x1
145 kg x5
150 kg x5

Had to take a few seconds before the last rep at 150 kg. Whew.

Pullups:
10
10
10

Compound Row:
210 lbs x12
220 lbs x8

Lat Pulldown:
160 lbs x12
170 lbs x10

Last couple of reps were so-so.

EZ bar gunz curls:
35 kg x12
37.5 kg x7

Reverse Wrist Curls:
11 kg x10
11 kg x7

 

[RMM]

Sunday: Half an hour or so on the bike.

Deload week to follow.

Monday:

Benchpress:
40 kg x5
60 kg x3
70 kg x1
80 kg x1
85 kg x5

Rest

90 kg x4

Ah well.

15 minute jog 11 km/m. I've been focusing too much on weights/Short HIIT, and I personally like being able to do these jogs, so I'll ramp them up a bit. Shouldn't be a problem now that I'm eating more.

Added nuts snack and more fatty meats to the diet (i.e., stop with the skinless chicken breasts and move to whole chickens/beef/etc). A couple of weeks and I'll be back to eating normal.

 

[CarlitosWay]

Tuesday: Cardio, sprints.

Wednesday:

Squats:
60 kg x5
80 kg x3
100 kg x1
110 kg x1
120 kg x5
125 kg x5
130 kg x5

Rawr.

Hack Squat Machine:
175 kg x20

Better form than last time. These things are killing me.

Wow now that's brutal ...good ****in' job :cheer: I won't lie I've been slacking on the widow makers a bit lately...definitely won't be the case next time.:cuss:

Sucks though I used to have access to two hack Squat machines, now all I have is a rack, leg press and a lever machine Squat. <3 hack Squat machines though.

 

[RMM]

Haven't updated here in a while.

I finished my deload/rest week with squatting 130 kg x5 and deadlifting 155 x5. Now, after some extra rest, I'm trying a 40-day regime from T-Nation, slightly modified:

Incline Barbell Benchpress: 60 kg x6
10s rest
Incline Dumbbell Benchpress: 20 kg x12
10s rest
Pushups: 25

Rest 2m

Incline Barbell Benchpress: 60 kg x5
10s.
Incline Dumbbell Benchpress: 20 kg x8 (failed HARD here).
10s.
Pushups: 25 (Had to drop on my knees halfway thorugh, heh).

Rest 2m.

Incline Barbell Benchpress: 50 kg x6
10s.
Incline Dumbbell Benchpress: 16 kg x10 (Epic fail!)
10s
On-knees pushups: 25

rest 2m.

Pullups: 6
10s.
Bent-over Barbell Rows: 40 kg x12 (Not convinced, may try some dumbbell rows on the bench thingy instead, I really like those).
10s.
Cable Rows: 70 lbs x25 (Had to take a couple of pauses, too much weight for those reps, specially as I was supposed to pull to the neck!)

Rest 2m.

Pullups: -50 lbs x6 (too much help!)
Rest 10s.
Bent-over Barbell Rows: 40 kg x12.
Rest 10s.
Cable Rows: 50 lbs x25 (Again a bit too much, I had burned out with that first set).

Rest 2m.

Pullups: -30 lbs x6 (Better, but still a bit too much help).
Rest 10s.
Bent-over Dumbbell Rows: 40 kg x12 (form shaky by the last 2-3).
Rest 10s.
Cable Rows: 40 lbs x25 (By this time I was just dead =) ).

That workout was a lot more brutal than I expected. Forcing to complete the first set of rows at 70 lbs probably wasn't the best idea. I have a better idea of where to set the weights to next time though.

And pushups on my knees... laaaaaame! I haven't had to do that in a long time!

 

[RMM]

Hmmm, still trying to calibrate the weights to use and all that.

Friday:

Again, same circuit style workout. 10s between exercises, 2m between sets.

Squats: 120 kg x6, 120 kg x6, 120 kg x6.
Hack Squat Machine: 140 kg x12, 140 kg x12, 140 kg x12.
Leg extensions: 70 lbs x15 + 50 lbs x10, 60 lbs x25, 60 lbs x25.

Prone Leg Curls: 150 lbs x6, 150 lbs x6, 150 lbs x6.
Stiff Legged Deadlifts: 50 kg x12, 50 kg x12, 50 kg x12.
Back Extensions: 25, 25, 25.

I may be able to use more weight for that SLD (though my hamstrings were freaking destroyed after all that!), and the Back Extensions are a pain in the ass because there's no rack or machine or anything to do them, so I had to use a swiss ball on a bench. Not only it's hard to keep the balance, but looks like I'm humping the swiss ball, meaning it looks retarded. Must find alternatives.

Tuesday:

Should've been Monday, but I spent all day in Wellington and wasn't in the mood for anything when I finally got back.

Seated Dumbbell Press: 16 kg x6, 16 kg x6, 18 kg x6.
Seated Lateral Raises: 7.5 kg x12, 7.5 kg x12, 7.5 kg x12.
Shoulder Raise Machine: 35 lbs x25, 50 lbs x10 + 35 lbs x15, 35 lbs x25.

Hm, I think I can bump the weights up a bit here.

Close Grip Benchpress: 30 kg x6, 35 kg x6, 35 kg x6.
Barbell Extensions: Bar x12, Bar x12, Bar x12.
Cable Pressdowns: 35 lbs x25, 35 lbs x25, 35 lbs x25.

More on the bench, rest were A-ok. The hardest is gauging how much weight to use on the x25 sets.

Incline Dumbbell Curls: 16 kg x6, 13.5 kg x6, 13.5 kg x6.
EZ bar Curls: 30 kg x12, 30 kg x12, 25 kg x12.
Standing Pulley Curls: 40 lbs x25, 40 lbs x25, 40 lbs x25.

These workouts are brutal. My hams were sore the whole weekend (and still somewhat stiff today!) and my arms... Buuuuuurrrrrnnnnnnnn.

Good times.

I'm up to 93 kg, damn I missed beef. Must get this under control though. The fact that it's been quite stressing at work lately doesn't help, when I've got a lot to do in a short time I fuel myself with too much caffeine and too much sugar - not the best diet but gets the creative juices flowing. It's too bad I love my job, even though it ends up pushing me to these unhealthy eating habits!

 

[RMM]

Thursday:

Incline was taken over by a largish group of people, so instead of waiting for half an hour for them to finish, I used the flat bench:

Benchpress: 65 kg x6, 65 kg x6, 60 kg x6.
Dumbbell Benchpress: 18 kg x12, 18 kg x12, 16 kg x12.
Pushups: 25, 25, 25.

I'm going to eliminate the pushups I think. They hammer the triceps a bit too much and the chest not enough, and I end up doing them on my knees. I think I'll go for flys instead.

Pullups: -30 lbs x6, -30 lbs x6, -30 lbs x6 (gonna get rid of all assist I think)
Bent Over Rows: 40 kg x12, 40 kg x12, 40 kg x12.
Neck Cable Rows: 50 lbs x25, 40 lbs x25, 40 lbs x25.

Buuuuuurrrrrrrnnnnnnn, this rocks.

 

[RMM]

Friday:

Squats: 120 kg x6, 120 kg x6, 120 kg x6
Hack Squat Machine: 140 kg x12, 140 kg x12, 140 kg x12
Leg extension: 60 lbs x25, 60 lbs x25, 60 lbs x25

Prone Leg Curl: 150 lbs x6, 150 lbs x6, 150 lbs x6
Stiff Legged Deadlift: 50 kg x12, 50 kg x12, 50 kg x12
Swissball Humping: 25, 25, 25

Monday:

Seated Dumbbell Press: 18 kg x6, 18 kg x6, 18 kg x6
Seated Lateral Raise: 10 kg x12, 10 kg x12, 10 kg x11
Cable Raise: 15 lbs x15 + 10 lbs x10, 10 lbs x25, 10 lbs x25

Still not liking those cable raises, hmpf. It's just a weird-feeling movement.

Close Grip Benchpress: 40 kg x6, 50 kg x6, 50 kg x6
Barbell Extensions: Bar x12, Bar x12, Bar x12.
Cable Pressdowns: 40 lbs x25, 40 lbs x25, 45 lbs x25

Incline Dumbbell Curls: 15.5 kg x6, 15.5 kg x6, 15.5 kg x6
EZ bar Curls: 30 kg x12, 30 kg x10, 30 kg x11
Standing Pulley Curls: 40 lbs x25, 40 lbs x25, 40 lbs x25

 

[RMM]

Hm, haven't updated in a while:

Wednesday:

Incline Benchpress: 60 kg x6, 60 kg x6, 60 kg x5 + fail.
Dumbbell Incline Benchpress: 18 kg x12, 18 kg x12, 18 kg x12.
Machine Fly: 110 lbs x25, 110 lbs x25, 110 lbs x25

Pullups: -20 lbs x6, -20 lbs x6, -20 lbs x6
Bent Over Rows: 45 kg x12, 45 kg x12, 45 kg x12.
Neck Cable Rows: 40 lbs x25, 40 lbs x25, 40 lbs x25.

Friday:

Friday:

Squats: 120 kg x6, 120 kg x6, 120 kg x6
Hack Squat Machine: 140 kg x12, 140 kg x12, 140 kg x12
Leg extension: 60 lbs x25, 60 lbs x25, 60 lbs x25

Prone Leg Curl: 150 lbs x6, 150 lbs x6, 150 lbs x6
Stiff Legged Deadlift: 50 kg x12, 50 kg x12, 50 kg x12
Swissball Humping: 25, 25, 25

Monday:

Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 20 kg x6, 20 kg x6, 20 kg x6
Standing Lateral Raise: 12.5 kg x12, 12.5 kg x12, 12.5 kg x12.
Machine Shoulder Raise: 50 lbs x25, 50 lbs x25, 50 lbs x25.

Close Grip Benchpress: 55 kg x6, 55 kg x6, 55 kg x6
Barbell Extensions: 25kg x12, 25kg x12, 25kg x12.
Cable Pressdowns: 45 lbs x25, 45 lbs x25, 45 lbs x25

Incline Dumbbell Curls: 15.5 kg x6, 15.5 kg x6, 15.5 kg x6
EZ bar Standing Curls: 20 kg x12, 20 kg x10, 20 kg x11
Standing Pulley Curls: 45 lbs x25, 45 lbs x25, 45 lbs x25

I've been skimming on the cardio, I'll start it again now that I'm a bit more used to this routine.

 

[EFFORT]

Looking good

 

[RMM]

Looking good

Thanks. It may not look like it, but this regime is just brutal. I've had to skim on the weights and giving a bit more rest (supposedly it's a 5-day cycle, not 7) because otherwise I'd have lost my liver by now. Good times.

Wednesday:

Incline Benchpress: 60 kg x6, 60 kg x6, 60 kg x6.
Dumbbell Incline Benchpress: 18 kg x12, 18 kg x12, 18 kg x10. (Bah!)
Machine Fly: 110 lbs x25, 110 lbs x25, 110 lbs x25

Still a bit short of what my 6RM is supposed to be (somewhere north of the 70 kg mark probably, looking at what I've gotten before), but it's freaking hard enough as is when I get to the third set. I'll try adding a bit more next time. I'm getting used to this - a good thing I'd say - so I'll try to push myself more.

Pullups: 6, 5, 6 (BAH! Well, no assist at least)
Bent Over Rows: 45 kg x12, 45 kg x12, 45 kg x12.
Neck Compound Row Machine: 50 lbs x25, 65 lbs x25, 65 lbs x25.

Cable Rowing stack was taken, so I used a different rowing contraption. Weight doesn't seem to translate directly at all, probably due to the levers and counterweights and whatnot.

 

[RMM]

Last week was a wash, did only two workouts in the gym because I was out most days. On the other hand, long tramping both weekends, so not bad overall. Back to the regular schedule this week:

Monday:

Incline Benchpress: 70 kg x6, 70 kg x6, 70 kg x6
Incline Dumbbell Benchpress: 20 kg x12, 20 kg x12, 20 kg x10
Fly Machine: 125 lbs x25, 125 lbs x25, 125 lbs x25

Pullups: 6, 6, 6
Bent-over Barbell Rows: 60 kg x12, 60 kg x12, 60 kg x12
Compound Rows to Neck: 65 lbs x25, 65 lbs x25, 65 lbs x25

I think I'll lower the rows weight, form was not as good as it should be I think. Last rep on the incline barbell bench was EPIC.


Tuesday:

Squats: 125 kg x6, 125 kg x6, 125 kg x6
Hack Squat Machine: 150 kg x12, 150 kg x12, 150 kg x12
Leg Extensions: 70 lbs x25, 70 lbs x25, 70 lbs x25

Prone Leg Curls: 160 lbs x6, 160 lbs x6, 160 lbs x6
Stiff Legged Deadlifts: 70 kg x12, 70 kg x12, 70 kg x12
Hip Machine: 140 lbs x25, 140 lbs x25, 140 lbs x25

Burrrrrrrrn! The extra rest of last week definitely helped I think, good jumps on weights this week.

I'm back on 95 kg tho, having gained a bit of waist (my reference, the belt fit, tells me I've put about 2 cm since I finished the cutting cycle, but still a very comfortable and slightly loose fit at 87 cm). Sample diet:

Breakfast: 6 eggs + 1 sweet potato + olive oil (to cook it all) + toast or a scone.
Snack: Peanut butter or meat sandwich, chunk of cheese.
Lunch: Meat + veges + olive oil for the veges (1/2 pound meat or so).
Pre-gym: 2-3 pieces of fruit + peanut butter.
Post gym: 1/2 L milk + 3 scoops whey + 2 scoops low fat yoghurt.
Dinner: 1+ pound meat + veges + olive oil.

For reference, a whole roasted chicken (size 16-20) a day when I make one, usually most in one meal (serves 6, hah!) and some left over for the next day's lunch; I go through about 700g of peanut butter (350g per jar, no added salt, no sugar, 97% peanuts) in a week, and throw in there a jar of hummus and a whole head of cauliflower too a week - when I've got a boring lunch or dinner I usually have that to fill it up.

I'm thinking I may have to cut on the fat, either from the olive oil or the peanut butter.

 

[RMM]

What a day. Highly motivated at the gym, so it was a bit of a fight between my head yelling "do eeeeeet!" and my muscles shouting "**** you!"

Thursday:

Seated Dumbbell Press: 25kg x6, 25kg x6, 20 kg x6
Lateral Raise: 12.5 kg x12, 12.5 kg x12, 12.5 kg x12
Lateral Cable Raise: 15 lbs x25, 15 lbs x25, 15 lbs x25

Failed to set up the DBs at the last set of the DB Presses there, so had to go down to 20 kg, heh. I actually wanted to do 22.5 kg, but couldn't find them.

And I hate hate hate lateral cable raises.

Hate them.

...

So I'll keep hammering them of course.

Incline Dumbbell Curls: 20 kg x6, 18 kg x6, 18 kg x6.
EZ Bar curls: 35 kg x12, 35 kg x10, 30 kg x12.
Standing Pulley Curls: 50 lbs x25, 50 lbs x25, 50 lbs x25.

The curls are on the seated contraption (preacher chair?), I get much better leverage than when I just do standing curls. Should have increased to only 32.5 probably. Again, my head being too greedy.

Close Grip Benchpress: 60 kg x6, 60 kg x6, 60 kg x6.
Barbell Extensions: 30 kg x12, 30 kg x12, 30 kg x12.
Cable Pressdowns: 50 lbs x25, 50 lbs x25, 50 lbs x25.

Weights going UP, and I'm completely wasted now. Hmmm, endorphins good.

 

[RMM]

Weekend: Beervana in Wellington. So... Lots of beer and food, heh.

Monday:

Incline Benchpress: 70 kg x6, 70 kg x6, 70 kg x6.
Incline Dumbbell Benchpress: 20 kg x12, 20 kg x12, 20 kg x11 (!)
Machine Flys: 125 lbs x25, 125 lbs x25, 125 lbs x25.

Almost hit all the stations here, failed the last rep on the DBs (almost hit my head when the right arm just gave in after a long struggle, heh). Happy with these.

Pullups: 6, 6, 6
Bent Over Rows: 60 kg x12, 60 kg x12, 60 kg x12
Compound Row to Neck: 70 lbs x25, 70 lbs x25, 70 lbs x25.

Gave it a second try, but it's definitely too much weight on the BORs, form was not good on the last set. On the other hand, I hit good depth on the pullups, so quite happy with those. My forearms felt really sore after all that.

On another note, http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html claims:

Body Mass Index: 28.0 kg/m2
Waist-to-Height ratio: 0.49
Percent Body Fat: 13.7%
Lean Body Mass: 82.8 kg

BF% seems underestimated IMO, so I think I'm not measuring right. Here's some pics (I've put some fat, I'm sure of it):

http://www.walkiry.com/front1.jpg
http://www.walkiry.com/front2.jpg
http://www.walkiry.com/back.jpg
http://www.walkiry.com/side.jpg

(I feel like a dork posing for the camera, heh). Any estimates on the BF%? I'm guessing 16-17% or so, but I suck at guessing.

 

[EFFORT]

Any estimates on the BF%? I'm guessing 16-17% or so, but I suck at guessing.

Your guess is spot on but I like going by this scale instead I'd put you at "soft"

1. Super Fat

2. Doughy

3. Soft

4. Almost Lean

5. Lean

6. Ripped

7. Exoskeleton

 

[RMM]

7. Exoskeleton

Best. Scale. Ever.

But yeah, if the guess was right I'm hoping another cutting cycle will get me down to the much talked about 10% BF. That was my plan all along, cut, eat, then another cut before Summer (wrong hemisphere and all that). Thanks!

I'm also hoping I'll be able to squat 140 (for reps) and bench 100 (for reps) soon, but won't know until I go back to the big lifting workout routine. So far I'm very pleased with the increase in stamina I'm seeing with this one.

Tuesday:

Squats: 125 kg x6, 125 kg x6, 125 kg x6.
Hack Squat Machine: 150 kg x12, 150 kg x12, 150 kg x12.
Leg Extensions: 70 lbs x25, 70 lbs x25, 70 lbs x25.

Leg Curls: 170 lbs x6, 170 lbs x6, 170 lbs x6.
Stiff Legged Deadlifts: 70 kg x12, 70 kg x12, 70 kg x12.
Hip Machine: 150 lbs x25, 150 lbs x25, 150 lbs x25.