The Book of Eph

[Eph]

The Book of Eph - Workout Edition

Thoughts/Info/Etc
So, decided to jot my progress down as I get closer to my goal of getting/being big (muscle mass wise. And I guess actual strength too) by my senior year of high school, which is 2 school years from now (Sophomore currently). I've been in MCJROTC for a few weeks now so, can't exactly change my workout which I've noticed is more cardio activities (and yes I know this won't help me get bigger, but it's whatever). I'm trying to get (back) into lifting at home to "counter"/"balance" the cardio, but 20lb dumbbells aren't much help sadly.

I will try to update this as much as possible (which at the least is every other day; muscle recovery and what not you know).

Workouts
September 26
*Due to the fact I didn't keep count of how many sets I did today, this isn't 100% accurate.
30 Pull-ups - 5 reps - About 6 sets
90 Jumping Jacks - 15 reps - About 6 sets
120 Push Ups - 20 reps - About 6 sets
90 Squats - 15 reps - About 6 sets
90 Crunches (*Legs off ground at right angle) - 15 reps - About 6 sets
Run around football field - About 6 sets

 

[Eph]

First day updated: What do you think?

 

[Eph]

September 28
30 minutes of ultimate Frisbee

 

[Eph]

October 1st
5 rep Pull-Ups - 1 set
5 rep close grip Pull-ups - 1 set
Full-body twist lunges
High knees
Butt-kickers
Burpees (Squat Thrusts - 30 seconds)
Jump rope - 30 seconds
Jumping Jacks - 30 seconds
Star Jumps (Squat to jump) 30 seconds
Running around track field
Weight: 121lbs/54.9kg

 

[Krueg]

Keep it up and you'll be more than ready!

 

[Eph]

October 5th
45 Pull-ups - 5 reps - About 9 sets
135 Push Ups - 15 reps - About 9 sets
135 Squats - 15 reps - About 9 sets
180 Crunches (*Legs off ground at right angle) - 20 reps - About 9 sets
Run around Gym - About 9 sets

Still having trouble eating 2500 calories per day though.
Today:
2 packs of honey-roasted peanuts: 560 cal in all
Some Gatorade: ????
Entire bag of Flamin' Hots Fries: 390 cal
3 small Jelly-filled doughnuts: ????
1 Bacon cheeseburger: ????
Some apple juice: ????

 

[Krueg]

October 5th
45 Pull-ups - 5 reps - About 9 sets
135 Push Ups - 15 reps - About 9 sets
135 Squats - 15 reps - About 9 sets
180 Crunches (*Legs off ground at right angle) - 20 reps - About 9 sets
Run around Gym - About 9 sets

Still having trouble eating 2500 calories per day though.
Today:
2 packs of honey-roasted peanuts: 560 cal in all
Some Gatorade: ????
Entire bag of Flamin' Hots Fries: 390 cal
3 small Jelly-filled doughnuts: ????
1 Bacon cheeseburger: ????
Some apple juice: ????

You need to be eating breakfest, lunch and dinner and atleast another small meal before bed and some snacks or protein shakes between meals. It's okay to eat some junk food. I'd say atleast 75% good whole foods and 25% junk.

 

[Eph]

You need to be eating breakfest, lunch and dinner and atleast another small meal before bed and some snacks or protein shakes between meals. It's okay to eat some junk food. I'd say atleast 75% good whole foods and 25% junk.

Yeah, that specific day we didn't have much in the house so just about everything I ate came from the 7-11 we live next to. We went shopping yesterday, so I've been eating a little more (school lunch helps). Its just that I usually eat up most of the things I personally buy for myself when we go shopping within a few weeks of getting it (an entire box of cereal usually lasts me a few days).

Off the top of my head today:
One bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats with strawberries
Popcorn chicken with cinnamon roll and pineapple slices
Chocolate milk
Yogurt
Beef rib bet with Mashed potatoes
Some Gatorade
A burger (90% lean, 10% fat) with spaghetti
(and getting ready to eat something else right now; not sure what)

 

[Eph]

Haven't updated this in a while so:
March 6th 2013
4 set of pullup
1st set: 10 rep wide-grip pull-up
*2nd set: 10 rep
3rd set: 7 rep
*4th set: 10 rep wide-grip pull-up

4 sets of push-ups:
10 reps regular shoulder-width

1 set dips:
20 reps

alternating dumbbell curls:
1 set:
25lbs 10 reps

*alternating hammer curl and lift straight up:
1 set:
25lbs 20 reps (10 each hand)

leg lifts:
1 set:
20 reps

*laying on back, cross feet:
1 set
50 reps

Looking back, I probably should have done more with the dumbbells. Guess I'll add extra dumbbell sets on Friday. Also if anyone has the proper names for some of the exercises I listed I'd appreciate it. The "alternating hammer curls and lift straight up" I got from a P90X commercial so if it has a proper name it would be on there.

 

[Eph]

March 8, 2013
5 sets of Pull-ups:
1st set - 10 reps wide-grip
2nd set - 10 reps wide-grip
3rd set - 9 reps wide-grip
4th set - 10 reps wide-grip
5th set - 2 reps wide-grip w/ 20lb weight

5 sets of Push-ups:
1st set: 10 reps
2nd set: 10 reps
3rd set: 12 reps
4th set: 9 reps
5th set: 10 reps w/ 20lb weight

2 sets of alternating dumbbell curls:
1st set - 20 reps 20lbs
2nd set - 10 reps 20 lbs

2 set of alternating hammer curl w/ lift:
1st set - 20 reps 20lbs
2nd set - 10 reps 20lbs

1 set weighted squats:
1st set - 20 reps 20lbs

 

[Eph]

June 5, 2013

Decided to restart this journal as I am on my own, exercise wise for the next couple months since I am out of school (and therefore out of JROTC class for the time being). I can feel myself getting stronger, and maybe its just me but when I look in the mirror I think I'm getting bigger gradually. When I get up in the morning, I no longer feel like cat I once was. I now feel like the lion staring back through the mirror.

That being said I accomplished a short term goal of mine during my workout today. High rep regular pushups are no longer a problem for me, and maybe its just my hand positioning but I can do diamond pushups as well now.

What I did today: 3 set wide grip pull-ups 10 reps each set
1 set pushups - 60 reps (could have kept going)
4 sets diamond pushups - 10 reps, 13 reps, 11 reps, and 12 reps
I also used a cardio app on my phone with a few slight varying exercises. Most were a variation of leg lifts.

All in all it was something of an easy workout as I ease into being on my own. Going to try to set up a mma practice group since I have always wanted to learn mma and I can get some videos to drill. Won't be nearly as effective as going to a dojo but best I can do.

Friday I might do a military style "warmup".

 

[Krueg]

Good to see your sticking with it and noticing some results.

 

[Eph]

June 7th, 2013

Thanks Krueg. Didn't get a chance to update Friday, so doing it now. Diamond pushups, regular pushups, regulr pullups, close grip pullups, and some weight lifting. Did some alternate hammer curls and alternate curls. Can't remember reps or sets.

Also played basketball for a bit. I've gotten a lot better since last year. Can't say I'm too much more accurate but I'm more precise. Right now I just have to work on putting less power into my shots when I'm inside the arc. Also need to work on speed, as I move a little too slow at the moment. Next time I go out, I'll work on ball control so I can actually handle being faster on the court.

 

[Eph]

June 26, 2013

Well I'm starting to get a little more organized. Still lacking the drive to workout though. Nothing really motivates me. At least when I'm on my own. On top of that it seems no matter what I do, I don't feel very (if at all) sore after. My biceps workout on Monday left me a little sore on Tuesday, and it seemed to hit home a little more today but nothing too bad.

Anyway, today was my triceps day and it went by in about 15 minutes. It seemed harder than my biceps day though. As soon as I got on my 2nd set I could feel it was a little harder to get to 10 extensions.

4 sets
3 sets -
10 rep two-hand dumbbell extensions,
10 diamond pushups
4th set -
15 rep two-hand dumbbell extensions,
10 diamond pushups

Maybe I'll start raising reps and lowering sets. Nothing seems to do it for me, and I really hate repetition. Hopefully by next week I'll start planning in advance. I've already started planning what days I'll do what, but right now sets + reps are make up on the day. I also need to find something to motivate me short-term. I already know what I want long-term.

 

[TheStig]

Well I'm starting to get a little more organized. Still lacking the drive to workout though. Nothing really motivates me. At least when I'm on my own. On top of that it seems no matter what I do, I don't feel very (if at all) sore after. My biceps workout on Monday left me a little sore on Tuesday, and it seemed to hit home a little more today but nothing too bad.

Anyway, today was my triceps day and it went by in about 15 minutes. It seemed harder than my biceps day though. As soon as I got on my 2nd set I could feel it was a little harder to get to 10 extensions.

4 sets
3 sets -
10 rep two-hand dumbbell extensions,
10 diamond pushups
4th set -
15 rep two-hand dumbbell extensions,
10 diamond pushups

Maybe I'll start raising reps and lowering sets. Nothing seems to do it for me, and I really hate repetition. Hopefully by next week I'll start planning in advance. I've already started planning what days I'll do what, but right now sets + reps are make up on the day. I also need to find something to motivate me short-term. I already know what I want long-term.

Try formatting your exercises into dropsets. If you don't know what they are, let me show you with an example, this is what I do sometimes when I want an insane pump and a crazy burn:

Dropset Barbell Curls

Load up barbell with a 10 lb plate, a 5 lb plate, and 2 2.5 lb plates on each side

10 curls, immediately drop (take) the 1st 2.5 off
10 more reps, drop the 2nd 2.5
10 more, drop the 5
10 more drop the 10
10 curls with the bar to end


This is all done with literally no rest, as 1 set. It is very, very tough and you'll have to dig deep especially nearing the end because you'll be so burned out. You can apply this format to any lift you so choose, and manipulate the weight and amount of reps to your ability. This shouldn't be easy at all, but not so hard that you can't even finish it. It may be a lot of repetition which you hate, but do it right and it takes very very little time.

 

[Purefilth]

Try formatting your exercises into dropsets. If you don't know what they are, let me show you with an example, this is what I do sometimes when I want an insane pump and a crazy burn:

Dropset Barbell Curls

Load up barbell with a 10 lb plate, a 5 lb plate, and 2 2.5 lb plates on each side

10 curls, immediately drop (take) the 1st 2.5 off
10 more reps, drop the 2nd 2.5
10 more, drop the 5
10 more drop the 10
10 curls with the bar to end


This is all done with literally no rest, as 1 set. It is very, very tough and you'll have to dig deep especially nearing the end because you'll be so burned out. You can apply this format to any lift you so choose, and manipulate the weight and amount of reps to your ability. This shouldn't be easy at all, but not so hard that you can't even finish it. It may be a lot of repetition which you hate, but do it right and it takes very very little time.

Dropsets are very good, as the whole set equates to a huge amount of time under tension.

TUT builds muscle, so make every rep count - pull them slow and push them slow.

Forgotten by most people is the "negative" part of the rep.
Here, Dorian can explain it for me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRHbRULw3GE&feature=youtu.be




.

 

[Eph]

Try formatting your exercises into dropsets. If you don't know what they are, let me show you with an example, this is what I do sometimes when I want an insane pump and a crazy burn:

Dropset Barbell Curls

Load up barbell with a 10 lb plate, a 5 lb plate, and 2 2.5 lb plates on each side

10 curls, immediately drop (take) the 1st 2.5 off
10 more reps, drop the 2nd 2.5
10 more, drop the 5
10 more drop the 10
10 curls with the bar to end


This is all done with literally no rest, as 1 set. It is very, very tough and you'll have to dig deep especially nearing the end because you'll be so burned out. You can apply this format to any lift you so choose, and manipulate the weight and amount of reps to your ability. This shouldn't be easy at all, but not so hard that you can't even finish it. It may be a lot of repetition which you hate, but do it right and it takes very very little time.

Thanks might actually try this. And maybe I should have clarified my 'repetitions statement'. In the case of exercise, I just don't like doing multiple sets. It gets boring, and I start losing motivation. I'm not exactly fond of high reps either but I'm more tolerant of high reps than high sets.

Today I'm just going to go play some basketball for cardio.

Seeing as tomorrow is my shoulders day, any good exercises? Right now, I'm just thinking a variation of pullups (where my palms face each other) and the thing with dumbbells where you go from your shoulders and lift. Can't think of the name. Might add some pushups into that too since they're work a good range of muscles.

 

[Purefilth]

Shoulders?

http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showpost.php?p=2048780&postcount=170

thats my shoulder day from tuesday.

Good workout there.

 

[Eph]

June 28, 2013

Guess in hindsight today was a pretty easy day.
3 sets of
20 shoulder raises w/ dumbbells
20 pushups
10 pullups

Originally thought 2 sets would be enough, but right after felt like I hadn't done much so added a 3rd set. Still didn't feel like I did much... :/ Oh well, on the bright side (and maybe its just me) when I looked in the mirror after it looked like my pecs were a little bigger than before and more defined. Guess that's one of the benefits of all the pushups I've been doing.

Also, my abs seem more defined as well. Good to know they're a little more noticeable without me having to flex.

 

[Eph]

Haven't posted here in a while but just saw myself in the mirror and it looks like my arms are getting bigger. I stopped trying to eat healthier and at regular intervals a month or two ago, and just started eating more at a single time, eat more frequently (although at random intervals), and eating whatever I can. So far it seems to be paying off. I'm not as big as I want to be, but a couple inches on my arms is a good start. Also seems like I'm getting better (hitting goals) at pull ups.

Last year and earlier this year I couldn't do 4 sets of 10 pull ups. I still can't as of now but, I'm getting closer. I can hit 3 sets of 10 (switching between wide-grip and close-grip) consistently. I've also gone up from a 3rd set of 5 reps to 6 reps. Tomorrow I'll try for 7 reps.