Muscle Gaining First Priority, measure progress April 30 continuing till May 29
Since March 27, I have re-goaled myself to focus on muscle gaining as my first priority with fat loss as a secondary priority. The thing is, my progress so far as outpaced my ability to post my fitness goals onto this blog, and for the sake of aiming high and pushing myself to the best I can be, I thought it prudent to set higher than realistic goals so that I can be motivated to continually make progress. Without further ado, here are my goals and following “I will” statement:
By April 30, I weigh 118 pounds or less. I have a 26-inch waist, and I can do one unassisted chin up and squat 95 pounds. I am set up for success for the next phase of my continual progress, which is to do chin ups in sets of 5, and to squat 135 pounds, which is what I will measure as progress on May 29. On that day, I have visible definition “at rest” throughout my transverse abdominal region, and deltoid definition as well. I wear my bathing suit proudly, and have mastered my mind body connection with eating and training. I am at my peak fitness weight of 117 pounds (with no more than a 3-pound swing throughout the week).
The other aspects of my life are also in line, as I am writing daily and have structured my life so that every step I take is a step towards fulfilling my goals. The useless crap is being eliminated. Only the essential things remain.
My workout schedule is as follows:
Monday Upper Body
Tuesday Lower Body
Wednesday Rest
Thursday Upper Body
Friday Rest (or Lower Body)
Saturday Lower Body (or Rest, depending on Friday)
Sunday Rest
My training routine is as follows:
Monday: Training intensity: High
(each set, rest for 60 seconds)
Bent over rows (BB or DB): 4 sets of 5-6 reps
Chin ups: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Bench press (BB): 4 sets of 5-6 reps
Standing shoulder press (DB): 3 sets of 8-10 reps
superset:
Triceps pushdown (cable): 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
Bicep curls: 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
Cardio: HIIT
Work speed: 8 MPH, 1 minute
Rest speed: 4 MPH, 1 minute
For 7-8 intervals
cool down for 2-5 more minutes, if needed
Tuesday: Training Intensity: High
Rest between sets: 60 seconds
Squat (BB): 4 sets of 5-6 reps
Romanian Deadlift (BB): 4 sets of 5-6 reps
DB or BB dynamic lunge: 3 sets of 12-14 reps (6-7 per leg)
Calf Raises: 3 sets of 20
Superset (the following 3 exercises):
Hanging leg raises: 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps
Stability ball crunch or decline bench crunch, etc: 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps
Bicycle curls: 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps
Cardio:
walking or none
Don't forget to stretch! I love the cobra pose and child's pose on lower body days
Thursday: Intensity: moderate
Rows (one arm, bent over, etc): 3 sets of 8-12 reps
straight arm pull downs: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
benchpress BB: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
incline DB flyes: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Superset:
bent over DB lateral raise: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
side lateral raise: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Superset:
narrow grip tricep dips 2-3 sets or 8-12 reps
Incline DB curls: 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
Cardio:
HIIT or low-intensity
Friday (or Saturday): Intensity moderate
Squat: 3 sets of 8-12 reps, 1 set for 20 reps
Romanian deadlift 3 sets of 8-12 reps, 1 set of 20 reps
Bulgarian split squats 3 sets of 8-12 reps
hyperextension: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Calf Raises 3 sets of 20 reps
Superset:
Russian twists: 3 sets of 15-20
Plank hold: 3 sets of 60(+) seconds
This workout is featured in Men's fitness and in Tom Venuto's Holy Grail transformation, and is called "The New Body building Workout." I aim to increase my weight week after week, or at least increase the reps, etc. Always looking for an improvement. But, I do vary it, so that on the fourth week of this workout, I bump it down so that I don't go to failure in any of my sets. I also swap out the exercises too after a few weeks: instead of BB bench press, I use DB; instead of pronated grip, I use a supinated grip, etc. I like to tweak it but the parameters and the sequencing of muscle groups in general remain the same.
This has been the most effective workout I have ever used, more so than "whole body" exercise or circuit-training type of exercise. After two weeks, the fat melted off more quickly than my previous circuit training standby. Big, compound movements with big weights (high intensity)=impressive and fast results. I feel bad for the people chained to the cardio machines, wasting hours and hours of their life, when in 45 minutes 3-4 days a week, I nearly kill myself with weights, sprint for 15 minutes maybe, and end up losing tons of fat in just 2 weeks of following this routine.
When I first started this routine, I didn't even do any HIIT cardio, because I was so tired from this workout. Now, I just do HIIT twice a week, walk some other days, but my focus is definitely on the muscle building side of things (which is why I haven't celebrated any "running wins" because I realize that that's not the best indicator of health and fitness for me, as most of my physical goals involve strength training exercises).
I hope this helps you out, and I can't wait to see/hear about your results!
By April 30, I weigh 118 pounds or less. I have a 26-inch waist, and I can do one unassisted chin up and squat 95 pounds. I am set up for success for the next phase of my continual progress, which is to do chin ups in sets of 5, and to squat 135 pounds, which is what I will measure as progress on May 29. On that day, I have visible definition “at rest” throughout my transverse abdominal region, and deltoid definition as well. I wear my bathing suit proudly, and have mastered my mind body connection with eating and training. I am at my peak fitness weight of 117 pounds (with no more than a 3-pound swing throughout the week).
The other aspects of my life are also in line, as I am writing daily and have structured my life so that every step I take is a step towards fulfilling my goals. The useless crap is being eliminated. Only the essential things remain.
My workout schedule is as follows:
Monday Upper Body
Tuesday Lower Body
Wednesday Rest
Thursday Upper Body
Friday Rest (or Lower Body)
Saturday Lower Body (or Rest, depending on Friday)
Sunday Rest
My training routine is as follows:
Monday: Training intensity: High
(each set, rest for 60 seconds)
Bent over rows (BB or DB): 4 sets of 5-6 reps
Chin ups: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Bench press (BB): 4 sets of 5-6 reps
Standing shoulder press (DB): 3 sets of 8-10 reps
superset:
Triceps pushdown (cable): 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
Bicep curls: 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
Cardio: HIIT
Work speed: 8 MPH, 1 minute
Rest speed: 4 MPH, 1 minute
For 7-8 intervals
cool down for 2-5 more minutes, if needed
Tuesday: Training Intensity: High
Rest between sets: 60 seconds
Squat (BB): 4 sets of 5-6 reps
Romanian Deadlift (BB): 4 sets of 5-6 reps
DB or BB dynamic lunge: 3 sets of 12-14 reps (6-7 per leg)
Calf Raises: 3 sets of 20
Superset (the following 3 exercises):
Hanging leg raises: 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps
Stability ball crunch or decline bench crunch, etc: 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps
Bicycle curls: 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps
Cardio:
walking or none
Don't forget to stretch! I love the cobra pose and child's pose on lower body days
Thursday: Intensity: moderate
Rows (one arm, bent over, etc): 3 sets of 8-12 reps
straight arm pull downs: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
benchpress BB: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
incline DB flyes: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Superset:
bent over DB lateral raise: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
side lateral raise: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Superset:
narrow grip tricep dips 2-3 sets or 8-12 reps
Incline DB curls: 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
Cardio:
HIIT or low-intensity
Friday (or Saturday): Intensity moderate
Squat: 3 sets of 8-12 reps, 1 set for 20 reps
Romanian deadlift 3 sets of 8-12 reps, 1 set of 20 reps
Bulgarian split squats 3 sets of 8-12 reps
hyperextension: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Calf Raises 3 sets of 20 reps
Superset:
Russian twists: 3 sets of 15-20
Plank hold: 3 sets of 60(+) seconds
This workout is featured in Men's fitness and in Tom Venuto's Holy Grail transformation, and is called "The New Body building Workout." I aim to increase my weight week after week, or at least increase the reps, etc. Always looking for an improvement. But, I do vary it, so that on the fourth week of this workout, I bump it down so that I don't go to failure in any of my sets. I also swap out the exercises too after a few weeks: instead of BB bench press, I use DB; instead of pronated grip, I use a supinated grip, etc. I like to tweak it but the parameters and the sequencing of muscle groups in general remain the same.
This has been the most effective workout I have ever used, more so than "whole body" exercise or circuit-training type of exercise. After two weeks, the fat melted off more quickly than my previous circuit training standby. Big, compound movements with big weights (high intensity)=impressive and fast results. I feel bad for the people chained to the cardio machines, wasting hours and hours of their life, when in 45 minutes 3-4 days a week, I nearly kill myself with weights, sprint for 15 minutes maybe, and end up losing tons of fat in just 2 weeks of following this routine.
When I first started this routine, I didn't even do any HIIT cardio, because I was so tired from this workout. Now, I just do HIIT twice a week, walk some other days, but my focus is definitely on the muscle building side of things (which is why I haven't celebrated any "running wins" because I realize that that's not the best indicator of health and fitness for me, as most of my physical goals involve strength training exercises).
I hope this helps you out, and I can't wait to see/hear about your results!
posted by Liza at
1:47 PM
1 Comments:
It's been a really weird month, what with all the housework that we needed to do, etc...but I would like to mention that I am currently "under" my goal weight of 118 pounds, but I will measure progress tomorrow, like I said I would. As for squats, I have actually started reps of 115 pounds a week and a half ago, but this week had dropped down to 65 pounds for variety (and frankly, my joints needed a break from all the weight plus crawlspace work we had to do).
Most successful for my progress is definitely the diet: it's a lot easier to lose body fat by curtailing the quality of food that goes into my body in the first place rather than deceive myself into thinking that I can offset those by training. Of course, the fact that I do hit the weights and do either moderate intensity steady state cardio or HIIT 3 days a week definitely creates a synergistic effect on the fat loss/body composition equation.
Currently, I'm not chasing it as hard as I was in January, since I don't have anything really to prove, since I feel like I attained the goal via numbers. But, my "swimsuit" goal is still very much in play, but not as urgent, as in, need to get into it in a month.
After next week, though I will probably be back at my other focused intensity, because that will give me the whole month of May and then June to focus on getting swimsuit ready: no "weight" numbers goal, but an inches/body composition/how I look in the mirror goal. I say after a week, because it's been pretty hard to think about muscle building when I barely have enough money to keep the hunger pangs at bay (although, I have caught a glimpse of the anorexic mindset in terms of being in control of your own body). Next week will change that again. I had to play catch up after needing to pay Uncle Sam some taxes that Mark's workplace neglected to set aside. Overall, a month of lean is not a big deal, considering that so many people in this world barely eat everyday. Plus, I think my body ended up being the better for it, living on more fruits and vegetables; it gave me an excuse to use up my quinoa that I was saving for special occasions. Turns out, trying not to starve is a pretty special occasion!
Anyways, I look forward to checking to see if I can do an unassisted chin up yet at the gym.
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