Day 359: Crying out for blood

Day 359

Today’s training was another high-volume, whole-body one, starting off with 5X3 jump squats with 75s rest, using a clean and jerk to get the bar into position.  This was followed by alternating sets of wide-grip pulldowns and dumbbell overhead push presses (both 2X20 with 45s rest), alternating sets of dumbbell Romanian deadlifts and Bulgarian split squats (again both 2X20 with 45s rest), and then finally alternating sets of reverse crunches (2X20) and side planks (2X45s/side) with 45s rest.  The lower-body sets really tested me and my legs were wobbly afterwards.  Following up the lower-body work with reverse crunches was also quite painful, as the “burn” in my legs (especially in my lower quads) returned after several reps of holding my legs up in the air!  Must be the muscles literally crying out for blood!

Today’s nutrition was up to plan, but yesterday wasn’t as good, as one of my staff treated us to lunch at a Chinese restaurant for her birthday.  I simply substituted that lunch for two of my meals in the afternoon, to stay reasonably close to my regular caloric intake for the day.

Things have been starting to get hectic for me as I prepare for my upcoming business trip.  As my birthday is also coming up in a few weeks, I’ll have to take my colleagues out for lunch before I go this weekend!  It shouldn’t hurt my nutrition plan too badly as long as I choose and plan well.

Eat right, train hard, and expect success!

Day 357: On hitting goals with disciplined effort

Day 357

After a weekend of catching up on my sleep, I slept quite a bit late last night as I wanted to finish watching the Wimbledon (tennis) men’s singles final. What a match between Federer and Roddick! I feel for Roddick as I know he worked really hard on his fitness and discipline to get back into contention for the grand slams. Reading more on Roddick’s return to top competition, I noted that among the things that his new coach instilled in him was more discipline with regard to what he eats and even at what time and how many hours of sleep he gets every night. That’s something that I will have to keep in mind if I want to be performing at top condition both in and out of the gym.

This evening’s workout was a little bit tougher than the previous ones, as it should be. The primary challenge was doing 5X3 dumbbell snatches. After a few warmup sets at lighter weights, I was did 4 sets at 70lbs, and tried (and succeeded) with doing 3 reps at 75 kg. It was tough (especially with my weaker left side), it wasn’t perfect nor very pretty, but I was able to do it, and it brought a smile to my face! Next time I’ll try the same weight while making sure to exhibit better form.

The rest of the whole-body training session was high-volume (2X20), short rest periods (45s) of alternating push/pull exercises. Especially tough was the alternating sets of front squats and step ups, with the barbell bent-over rows + incline barbell presses not too far behind. The finisher was woodchops alternating with three-point planks.

Keep training hard, and watch your form!

Day 355: Making a power combo

Day 355

It’s my third weight training day of the week, on another hot, humid Saturday in Manila.

Today’s training was another whole-body affair, including jump squats (4×4), alternating pullups + overhead dumbell push presses (4X10), alternating dumbbell Romanian deadlifts + Bulgarian split squats (4X10), and then finally alternating reverse crunches and side planks.  With the jump squats, instead of using a squat rack to get the bar onto my back, I decided to lay the bar on the ground and then power-clean and then press it before placing the bar into position on my back.  That made it a combo movement, which I liked as it made the exercise quite a bit more challenging!

On all the weighted exercises, I was able to push/pull a bit more weight relative to the corresponding workout, and that makes me one happy lifter.

I have almost exactly one week before I need to pack my luggage and go on another 2-3 month business trip, this time to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  I do hope I’ll be able to find a suitable place to continue my training and be able to find good food to support my nutrition program.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Day 352: Hitting a ceiling with dumbbell snatches

Day 352

This evening’s training was for the whole body again. I did 4X4 dumbbell snatches at 70lb. I actually tried to do 75lb on my last set, but could only manage 2 reps with my left arm (which is my weaker side so I do it first). I really did not want to increase the load while sacrificing proper form on this very technical exercise, so I dropped back to 70lb for the last two reps of the final set for both arms.

This was followed by 4X10 front squats + step ups, 4X10 barbell bent-over rows + incline barbell presses, and then finally 2X15 woodchops + 2X45s three-point planks (switching feet for the second set).

On all the exercises I made sure to improve over my previous recorded weights. Especially due to the dumbbell snatches, I could already feel that my body is going to ache tomorrow (especially my traps).

The only problem with my nutrition plan today was I wasn’t able to eat as much fruit as I wanted to, as I have not had time to go to the supermarket to get some last night.

Eat right, train hard, and expect success!

Day 351: Revisiting HIIT

Day 351

After not doing it for some time, I did some HIIT-style running this evening after I returned home from work.  What I did was eighteen sets of 20-second work + 20 second rest intervals, where I ran at sub-maximal effort during the work interval.  I am planning to do 2 to 3 interval sessions per week (weather permitting) in order to more quickly reduce my bodyfat percentage.

As I expected, there were several loose dogs roaming the streets where I went through, a common situation here in the Philippines.  That meant some of the intervals were a bit shorter or less explosive than planned, as I had to slow down and watch my back lest the dogs come after me!  Next time I might run carrying a light stick in case things get a bit too hairy for me.

Day 350: Adjusting to my teeth again

Day 350

It was the second heavy/5X5 training day of this current cycle.  Not much different to report training-wise, but I can report that I was able to significantly increase the loads on each exercise while keeping good form.

On the nutrition front, it’s been quite a battle for me to be able to eat the 5 meals that I have scheduled for today.  I normally eat 5 or 6 small meals a day in order to avoid overeating, but since last night, overeating has been the last thing on my mind.  That’s because yesterday my dentist made some adjustments to my braces again, and since then it hurts just to chew my food, as both my left and right sets of canines hit each other when I bite!  There were also some additional bands put in between my upper and lower teeth.  Good thing that I had prepared some relatively soft food (chicken breasts, fish, and egss) mostly, but the blanched vegetables were still a chore.  I just had to resign myself to eating much more slowly than I usually do.  The pain of adjustment usually subsides within a few days, a week at most.

Eat right, train hard, expect success!

Day 347: Getting over a migraine

Day 347

It was supposed to be another day, starting with breakfast, packing my meals for the day, taking a shower, and then heading off to work.  Just before I showered, however, my vision started getting blurry and getting “halo” effects, signs of the onset of a migraine.  By the time I finished my shower, the symptoms have gotten worse and I decided to take the day off work.  Sure enough, a few minutes later, the migraine pain developed, and so I looked for my medicine (not easy when my vision was very blurry), took it, put on a sleeping mask on my eye, and then went back to bad.

I woke up a few hours later just in time for lunch, feeling better than I did earlier.  A few more hours of sleep after lunch, and I felt good enough to do my training in the early evening.  It’s a good thing today’s migraine was relatively mild compared to some of my previous ones.

Today’s training was 4X4 dumbbell snatches, followed by 5X5 front squats + step ups (90s rest), 5X5 bent-over barbell rows + incline barbell presses (90s rest), and then finally wood chops + three-point planks (45s rest).  As with all of my 5X5 workouts, I focused on being moving the heaviest weights I can while maintaining proper form.  I was able to increase the loading on all of my exercises compared to my previous corresponding 5X5 workout.

In between my lower body and upper-body sets, I took a little bit of time to help an acquaintance of mine in the gym to learn how to do back squats.  Though doing this added some time to my session, I was happy to share what I know about an exercise I enjoy, one that I rarely see being done properly (or being done at all) in the commercial gym I go to.

Eat right, train hard, share what you know with others, and expect success!

Day 345: Typhoon brewing

Day 345

A typhoon was due to pass through Metro Manila today.  People around were anxious to avoid being stuck in floods on the way home, but fortunately, there wasn’t too much rain (more wind really) where I live.  The passing storm also dropped the temparature a few degrees, bringing a bit of relief to us who have been in sweltering heat for the past week.

My mom actually warned me that the weather forecast was for the main part of the storm to pass near our place by around 8 in the evening, which is about the time that I am supposed to be in the gym doing my training.  Still, as the rains didn’t seem to be threatening, I still went through with my training and started by doing foam rolling at home.  I even used my bike to get to the gym, even though there was already a drizzle while I was riding.

All of my workouts for this current 6-week phase are whole body workouts, started with a “power” move, and then continuing with alternating exercises using complementary movements.  Today was jump squats day, followed by upper body vertical pull+vertical push, and then quad+hip dominant lower body, and then two alternating core exercises.  The paired exercises used 2X20 sets with just 45 seconds rest in between sets, so the exercises were relatively light but fast paced; it was a “feel the burn”  type of workout.

After some static stretching and drinking my protein shake, I rode home.  The rain wasn’t falling, but my bike was wet and the wind had picked up a bit.  I hope the typhoon doesn’t get any stronger.

Eat right, train hard, and expect success!

Day 343: On living a fit and healthy life

Day 343

This evening it was back to high-reps (2X20), short rest periods (45s), whole-body training. I felt the burn, especially in my legs when I alternated front squats with step ups to a 50cm height. Still, the best part of the workout was the opener of dumbbell snatches, where I was able to complete my first set of 70lb snatches!

I was also catching up on my reading today, and I read a blog post on Male Pattern Fitness on what it means to be fit and healthy. Too often we focus on looking good, while forgetting that being fit and healthy also means feeling good and also performing/moving well in the “real” world. I agree. What use is having six-pack abs and big muscles when you cannot help in moving things around the house because you’re always feeling pain everywhere on your body and are exhausted from gruelling workouts? What use is it to be always lean and “ripped” but not being able to enjoy good food with friends and family? True, when on a “mission” you should focus on strict compliance (90% or better), but one cannot be on a mission all the time.

The key, from what I understood from the blog post, is consistent application of the principles of healthy living everyday, focus on compliance when there is a definite goal to chase, but also giving your body (and mind) time to relax and enjoy.

Eat right, train hard, expect success!

Day 342: Badminton

Day 342

Just got back from an hour of badminton with my eldest brother.  He had invited me last Friday to play, and I figured playing should provide me with a good change from lifting weights.  It’s only my second time to play on a proper badminton court, so I was excited to play and see how much my training has carried over to improvement in the “real” world.

I had lots of fun!  At the start, I had some major problems getting the racket and the shuttlecock to connect in the proper way, but as I got the hang of it, I began to get a bit more competitive.  My brother coached me in how to hold the racket properly, gave me tips on footwork, and a little bit of strategy as well.  Though I couldn’t beat my brother (unless he was playing with his weaker/left hand), I know that with more practice, I can get better at it.

That one hour of play must have burned a lot of calories!  I look forward to another session perhaps next weekend.

Day 341: Stifling Humidity

Day 341

I had to delay my last workout of the week by one day, as I had a big problem to solve at work and I didn’t want to leave it hanging over the weekend and affecting my state of mind.

That said, today, Saturday, has been a very humid day!  I try to take the opportunity to catch up on my sleep on Saturdays and/or Sundays, either by waking up a bit later than usual, or getting a few more hours of sleep after breakfast.  Today, however, as the day went past, it became more and more humid, such that it soon became uncomfortable to sleep.  I still got a few extra hours of sleep, so I am happy.

In the mid-afternoon, I proceeded to the gym to do my whole-body training, mostly using a 4X8 scheme, alternating exercises with 60 seconds rest in between.  The nice thing about my current program is that there is always a “power” move to start of the workout, and today it is jump squats.  I was able to progress the weight by adding another 2.5kg to the barbell, for a total of 45kg on a 5X5 format.  I also felt that my form on this exercise has improved even if I added some weight, which is good as having improper form when doing an explosive exercise such as this can lead to injury.

By the time I finished the jump squats, I was already sweating profusely.  Three more pairs of exercises were still to go: a pair for the vertical push/pull, a pair of lower body exercises (including the dreaded Bulgarian split squats), and a pair of exercises for the core.  I had to take a bit more time with the lower body exercises as I was feeling a bit queasy and faint; I think the humidity (even in the airconditioned gym) and the aerobic demand of the exercises were getting a bit much.  I just soldiered on and finished the session, did a bit of stretching, had my protein shake, and took a nice warm/cold shower.  I felt better after that and then had a good post-workout meal.

Eat right, train hard, and expect success!

Day 338: Knackered

Day 338

It’s been quite a busy day for me. There were a few errands I needed to run both within my work day and after my work day, so that I ran a little bit late on my way to my training session in the gym. What was worse, it has been raining all day here in Manila. Luckily, it was only drizzling by the time I was going to the gym, so I decided to use my bike instead of using public transport as it would be both cheaper and faster (though a little bit wetter).

Today’s workout was whole-body training using the 1st set of exercises I have been using on this phase, but using a middle-range set/rep scheme on most exercises (4X10). I was fortunately able to choose appropriate weights for the exercises, so much so that at the end of my workout I was really knackered! Starting a workout with dumbbell snatches was fun and really gets the sweat going. Riding back home (in a drizzle again), I gladly ate my dinner, then repeatly fell asleep as I tried to relax by watching some television. This should make for a nice, deep sleep tonight!

Eat right, train hard, keep pushing your limits, and expect success!

Day 336: Jump Squats and DB OH Push Presses

Day 336

Today was another heavy, 5X5 training day for the whole body, with a different set of exercises compared to last. Actually, I did the same exercises two workouts ago but with a different set/rep/rest scheme, the workout felt totally different.

Highlights on this one were the jump squats and dumbbell overhead push presses, two exercises which I did not have in any of my previous programs. Jump squats are where you squat down and then explode upwards so that you well, jump off the ground as high as you can. Initially, as a warmup, I did it without a bar, then added the bar (20kg), then 10kg, and then finally did 3X5 with 22.5kg added, for a total of 42.5kg. It was fun, but definitely something that you can’t do too many of as it really pushes you both in terms of the cardiovascular system and the power in your lower body.

For the dumbbell overhead push press, you take a dumbbell, raise it to shoulder height, and then squat a little bit down to aid in pushing the dumbbell over your head. As this one was 5X5, I had to use a weight that was quite a bit heavier than I would use for a normal overhead press, and since the weight is overhead (and heavy), it added the challenge of keeping balance!

Nutrition was mostly up to plan. These days, I normally prepare all my meals save for dinner, which always is a family meal. We usually eat quite healthy food, but I do have to watch how much I eat. Part of eating right is meal preparation, and I’ve just come off the stove after a late-night (almost midnight) cooking session with some pan-grilled chicken breasts marinated in teriyaki-flavoured sauce. I still have some blanched mixed veggies which I prepared last night, so that should do me good for a couple of days.

Eat right, train hard, and expect success!

Day 333: Going Heavy

Day 333

I took advantage of today’s official holiday here in the Philippines (it’s our Independence Day) to catch up on my sleep. I got almost 10 hours of sleep, and boy it felt good!

In the mid-afternoon, I went to the gym to do 5X5 whole body training. It was the same set of exercises as I did four days ago, but this time, since I was doing 5X5 and longer rest periods, I used much heavier weights compared to when I did 2X20.

Eat right, train hard, sleep well, and expect success!

Day 330: Flat tyre again!

Day 330

Today I did the 2nd group of full-body exercises on Nate Green’s Built for Show Spring program. Like the first group I did two days ago, it was a high-volume, short rest-period training day, with the same format of alternating exercises with opposite movement patterns. It was another fun session as I got to try jump squats and dumbbell push presses, though it was also quite painful to feel the burn in long sets of dumbbell Romanian deadlifts and Bulgarian split squats with just short rest periods.

I actually just got to the gym on my bike, as the flat tyre flared up again just 100 metres before I got there! I walked the rest of the way, but then had to walk a little over 2km back home after I finished my training session.

Eat right, train hard, expect success!