My First Trip Back to the Commercial Gym for 2010

First time to take a trip to the commercial gym. Was expecting a huge crowd at exactly 9am...but that wasn't the case this am. Parking wasn't a hassle either...

So I walk in and I see guys doing one arm dumbell cleans, guys doing pull ups, some doing supersetting routines, some fit girls doing stab ball rotational exercises and a few doing planks. I mean the stab balls were all taken in the gym this morning. Not that I was planning on using any of them today - but the fact that I see more and more people resorting to free weight exercises versus machines I guess is a good thing.

One thing I saw was the ego lifters going half way down on a leg press machine with a good amount of weight on it. None of my business but I couldn't help watch their form. Was it right or wrong? I don't know, haven't done them in a while, but it sure didn't look right to me. It's those things that make you wonder I guess. Oh well.

And then you see the guys and the girls hanging out leisurely...guy A who appears to sweat coming down his forehead and the girl A with her little sippy cup of water chit chatting for minutes on end. Then you have guy b with girl b - helping out girl b with an exercise and a few giggles in there as well. Yep the meathouse mentality set in again for me once again.

It doesn't bother me - but geez man - take it Starbucks if all you want to do is mess around in a gym.

Anyway, here I am - in my gym observation mode this morning entering in...observing, watching as I start my own routine. I'm not one to train much at my commercial gym anymore unless I need a change of scenery...and I'm glad I did this morning. But I slowly realized the why's as to why I like to workout at home or at work vs commercial gyms.

Less drama.

Anyway, here's how my workout went this morning, loads getting up there ~

a) Strength
Squats 95x5x5
Bench Press 95x5x5
Inverted rows 15, 13, 12
Push ups 12, 12, 8
* skipped the core for later

b) Intervals

Treadmill Sprints for intervals for 8 cycles 45 s work/60 s recovery

c) Core Training (2 circuits)

Planks (yep, more planks)
Windmills
ab wheel roll outs (using olympic bar and some plates)
side Planks
Reverse ab crunches

Less than 45 minutes was all it took for this routine. After that it was steam and a nice trip back home. Took a nice little power nap after 2 pm which helped. But my nutrition has been getting much better. I know so because the body just feels like it's in "cleansing" mode right now. I love it!

Psychological Benefits of load progression

So my workouts have been going good. Slow steady progress. Nutrition is getting better but not where I want it to be just yet. 2 days of cleaner eating, you'll be surprised how much water weight you can drop in just a few days. It's quite interesting but the fact is - BF doesn't lie to you!

Tomorrow it's workout A of the program with an 85 lb load on the squats as well as the bench. Starting lighter than normal was a change up, but I like this approach especially haven't done a pure strength program ever. Can't wait til I get up to the 100's - but I'm taking my time. The psychological benefits of starting with the bar truly helps. Mentally, it's like you're breaking records every single time...the weights are light but really develops mental fortitude as you get better. The mental development aspect of this program is really eye poppening.

I'll get there...

Loads have progressively gone up obviously. Not heavy enough for those hardcorers out there but just enough for me to get down proper form. You can really work it with these strong lifts. Everything from handling the bar, proper technique on the lift - really being aware of form here. I just know that once I reach 25 lbs plates on each side of the bar - the challenge gets even more challenging with the 5x5. For off days...I've been doing cardio circuits that are more metabolic demanding but don't want to let this interfere with my strength program. They really do compliment the 5x5 routine!

Anyway, I've split it to be a 6 day workout week for me. It will be strength training 3x/week. Everything else is supplementary to that - be it cardio circuits, power circuits, complexes, intervals for off days as well as stretching and foam rolling.

I just know in due time, intervals and circuits may need to be limited. Don't want to overdo things here. Right now - I definitely can benefit with added conditioning these next few weeks. By the end of week 4, I hope to have at least shed some fat here.

Yesterday was an interesting circuit for me:

5 rounds, 30 secs each exercise, 1 minute rest between each round:
Speed rope (I'm getting really good at this!)
Burpees
Running High Knees with 5 lb db's
burpees
KB swings

After that it was 3 rounds of a core circuit:
Turkish get ups with KB
Seated KB Torso twists
Side Planks
Mountain climbers

Today is an off day.


Andy

Cheers to 2010

Where did 09 go? Are you ready for 2010? I'm ready.

Already anticipating this current program to get harder and harder. Bring it on. Although I do believe in some of what this system puts out there for the user - by doing, I'm quickly understanding. With some patience and understanding the body - I like my chances - but I know this program gets harder and harder.

But I still want to lose some unwanted holiday weight here so nutrition will play a big factor. Calories will be up but just enough to keep it going instead of flaming out by week 3. But I have to be very aware of the pitfalls that come with strength training. You got to eat...but with the understanding of what and why you're eating it.

So I cleared out our fridge of all that junk food (except for the kids of course). Will convert back to brown rice over white rice. Eat more whole foods over junk foods.

Now to my plan of attack to achieve these goals with the tools that I have at hand.

- #1 Plan of attack. Keep that nutrition nice and clean once again. I get into nutrition slumps by October it seems. So this year, will keep those bad diets to a minimum as best as I can. One thing I want to do is drop my bodyfat %. I feel so sluggish at 17.5% bodyfat. If I can get it down to 12% - I'm good to go here.

- #2 Progress Pictures. But one thing I will certainly do when I get the chance today - is to take an Official Day 1 Progress Picture (won't post here but hopefully will post with a before and after pic at or around the 12th week mark). I'm not a good measurer of bodyparts, but progress pics tell me a better picture for me, along with BF measurements from an electronic scale.

- #3 Weigh Weekly. This will be done every Friday. This weight I took today is so off as I had tons of food and drink in my system the night before as well as the morning of New Years. But that's ok...as skewed as it is...more motivation for me to do the right thing here on out. :)

- #4 Be accountable with pictures and posting my workouts here or through a forum of likeminds with similar goals. I will take weekly pictures again and see my body transform into one that's leaner but more stronger. I will take videos from time to time on my form on some workouts and critique every single aspect of each strong lift performed. Will incorporate conditioning routines as part of interval training too. Will not deny the benefits of high intensity interval training here - that is one tool I will never change.

- #5 Remember to keep the mindset of doing if for myself. I owe this to my body and no one else's.

- #6 Make the time as opposed to finding the time. The mid part of last year was a wake up call for me. Twins are in school now...double the efforts? HELL YEAH IT IS! So we've quickly learning that everything doesn't have to evolve around them - and me and my wife still have a life here (even with a 2 year old son right behind the 2older boys). Work, family..exercise - They must be coordinated and balanced to continue this on. I'm well aware of that and will tackle it head on.

- #7 Stay injury free. Hey, if I can't lift a weight and I know I can't - at least this program allows for deloading. So that I will do when I do feel like I'm not progressing in weights. WARM UPS, STRETCHING AND TONS OF FOAM ROLLING!!!

5x5 Strength Program

"Do It for Yourself. What people think of you doesn’t matter. You have nothing to prove to others. This is your life. Do what you need to do to be who you want to be."


So my goals are simple for 2010: GET STRONG, GET LEAN, STAY ACTIVE, EAT RIGHT, STAY HEALTY. Will be using the 5x5 concept the next few months.

My #1 goal is to really improve on my strength starting the year. So this new program I'm doing suggests to increase the weight plates by 5 lbs on each side of the barbell EACH session as the programs suggests.

And that meant starting with the Olympic Bar at 45 lbs last Saturday a day after Christmas (yes, I've started the program Dec 26th, by the time New Year comes around the program the load should be more challenging). The weights do progressively get heavier mind you. Alot of people I understand burn out from this routine because they start with too much weight and they're ego gets in the way.

I've learned to throw the ego out the door and started with just the BAR. It was strange thinking I was starting with the Bar in this 5x5 routine. But after doing 2 sessions already - I'm understanding the whole reasons behind the training philosophy and it's not a bad idea really.

Again, each session will require you to increase the weights by 5lb increments on each side. I'm noticing after doing a full months worth of BW exercises, even with just a bar I definintely can feel my body getting acclimated back to proper form on these lifts again.

The program also has push ups, pull ups and core work in each session so develop accessory muscles too. The program alternates from Workout A and Workout B, with 48 hours of rest between each workout so a total of 3 full body workouts a week.

Aim is not to want to look strong or show off at a gym but I certainly want to feel strong which is why I'm doing this.

This is something I haven't really focused on much. Maybe it was the injury my friend had about a year and a half ago. It's a mental thing if you've ever seen an injury like this happen with your very eyes. As I work up to heavier weights on the bench, at least now - I can really develop confidence as the weights go up by 5 lbs on each side each week...

If I can improve on my strength on some strong lifts - I think this benefits me in the long run with other programs.

So here are my "average fitness man" goals more specifically:

- To improve my strength in the barbell bench press, overhead press, squat and deadlift.

- To try to avoid the overtrain bug as best I can.

- Keep my knees healthy.

- Goal is to be able to lift 1.2 x my own BW - or better. So that means to be able to get up the weights to 215 lbs hopefully by the end of 12 weeks. 5x5 approach will be used. Goal is to achieve this by 12 weeks (March 31st). If not - I'll keep at it til I do or hop onto a new routine if the interest isn't there anymore. Maybe sooner, may be later...that will all depend.

- Continue adding 5 lb plates on that bar each time. The weight/load progression on this program I'm on gets heavier and heavier.

- To continue to lose that unwanted bodyfat weight. I did gain a little over the holidays.

- To be able to mix in conditioning routines simultaneously with strength work. Again, I've gained some holiday weight here and my BF has gone up to 17.5%. Will continue to do high intensity intervals, but my main focus is strength and will not let intervals hamper my energy reserves for the next 5x5 lift workout.

Will be doing warm ups as usual and maybe some soft tissue work up as well on off days. Foam rolls will be a constant as well as stretching.


That's it, folks...let the 5x5 begin.

Improving My Squat Technique!

Come the New Year...one thing I really want to focus on is using proper form on exercises like the squat, deadlift and bench press. One move I want to improve on is the squat. How many people thought they actually were doing it the right way and probably wasn't? I'm one of them!!!!

I don't think my form is all that great or all that bad - but this video by Mark Rippetoe and his student is an awesome video of him trying to teach his student proper technique. There's nothing like actual one on one mentoring/personal training...but I really like this video that I'm posting it here. You'll learn alot from what Mark has to critique on his form.

I know alot of people who have been doing squats have stronger, stable knees. Do it wrong...there go the knees. But the squat (along with the deadlift) is probably one of the unique exercise that trains for strength like no other.

Olympic style, Parallel squats, whatever ---> Lead with your butt!

Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays to everyone and a Happy New Year! Can't believe 2009 is almost over...been playing around with a new training approach this past week for a test run...taking a full week off from weights and it's on to 2010 with some fun workouts.

Have some family guests coming over so we've been busy getting things ready around the house. Will be watching the Chargers/Titans tonight on TV...which should have all the tidings of a great Christmas Day match up of 2 teams playing for something tonight....

Go Chargers!

Andy

Some Changes Coming Up in 2010!

As the year's almost ending - I'm quickly getting ready for some new change ups in my training approaches starting 2010. New decade - a fresh start of workouts.

Can't wait to get this started.

HIIT over slow cardio, eating right instead of surgical means and other artificial means...natural nutrients over supplements...the "I WANT TO" mindset instead of the "I NEED TO" mindset. The methodology is simple...but to take action isn't as simple.

Mindset is everything..."infinite intensity" is crucial. No slacking off here come 2k10... =)

Let's not re-invent the wheels but keep the wheels rollin into 2010.

Time to take that "monkey" off my back entering 2010 and keep that focus going. Shoot..it's time to shake that monkey and bounce that ass, baby....hahahaha! (Sorry, it's a song.)

MikeZ aka Smoke is right. There's just way too much hype of programs out there that all they want is your hard earned dollars of essentially the same stuff that the "informed" fitness junkie knows already. Don't get sucked in the hype. There's genuinely great ones (a few are listed on my blog) and Im sure there are plenty more out there...but I have a few I have my 100% trust in and I believe at a personal are the approaches that I should base my training on. Don't get sucked in the gimmickry. No one training philosophy is the right way to train anyway.

It's what you believe in and what you put in that gives you the results.

The next few months should be interesting. Can't wait!!!