Thursday 30 April 2009

keeps going up!

Double OHKB press : 3x6 2x5 (keep pushing the last one and I should of got 5x6)
Alternating renegade rows : 8 (l,r)x5
Double KB front squat : 2x10 2x8 1x10 (nice improvement)
single overhead lunge steps : 5 steps (l,r) x4, 10 steps (l,r) x1. Probably do 8 steps (l,r) next time x5.
Windmills 2x6
double kb farmers walk home (instead of single alternating). Lots of burn in my forearms.. stopped several times.. very beneficial feeling.

Improvements in press and squats. Renegade rows are comfortable. Another strong workout with improvements. Dextrose intake is well done to just half a tablet. I am not getting pukie and dizzy like before..

Monday 27 April 2009

Getting somewhere..

Today :

Double OH Press : 5x5!! made it... last rep on the last 2 sets was a real push..
Double bent over KB row : 10x2 8x3
Double KB squat : 10x2 8x3
Double KB swing : 10x2 8x3
Windmills (l,r) 6x2

Some real improvements here in my press by getting it to 5x5. I'll do it again next this week and then I'll be in the gym for about 2 weeks at least. So I'll test my 5x5 after my gym trip. If I can manage the 5x5 easily after my 2 weeks in the gym I'll consider moving up to double 24kgs... that's a real achievement.

Swapped renegade rows for another exercise to change things up. I really need to start weighted chin ups somehow..

The last set of swings were mentally hard to start.. made it though..

Is the creatine the cause of my marked improvement??

Friday 24 April 2009

Improvement but at a cost..

Todays workout :

Double OH press 4x2 5x3 (improved reps by speeding up the press)
Alternating renegade row 8 (l,r) x5
Double KB Squat 8x5
Single KB lunge 8 (l,r) x5
Windmill 6 (l,r) x2

no finisher.. pushed for time.. The walk back with the bells was easier (essentially a 300 yard farmers walk).

Good news then, my OH lift has improved with the final 3 sets being all 5 reps. I really need to improve this as everything else I am doing is over 5 reps easily. I want to move up to 24kg bells so that my rows and squats will reduce in rep range. For now though the 8 rep range is good enough to build me up a bit and prepare my body for what's ahead.. heavy metal.

the cost?... slight headaches maybe as a reaction to the creatine. I remember having that before so I need to keep an eye on it. It's background stuff but annoying all the same.

Tuesday 21 April 2009

20 kgs not enough??

Here's what I did :

Double overhead press : 4x5
Renegade rows : 5x5 (5 a side)
Double squats : 8x5
Double swings : 10x4 7x1
Windmills : 2x5 l,r

50 push up finisher..

Well, I couldn't manage 5x5 OH press with the 20kg bells but I could exceed the 5x5 protocol on all other exercises. So what does that mean? One, I've got a weak press which isn't news and two, I should be using double 24kg bells! Damn, I only just got my nice new shiny red 20's. Perhaps I would be better off with a pair of 24's and just doing sets of 3 reps for strength on the presses?

Here's what to do though. I've only just started training again so lets keep going with the 20's until I can do 5x5 OH presses. The higher rep range on the other exercises will just help my body adjust to working out again and build some muscle.

Doing overhead presses with double 24's will be sweet!

side note.. I feel really good after my workout.. sore traps a little.. nothing too wasted. Buzzing a little which is good and I was more sexually charged too after 20 mins so that's a positive sign of my T levels being heightened.

Time for doubles..

I've been using my single 20kg bell, as it is what I had... That's been going well but I finally have my doubles!

So today will be my first proper double kb workout.. 5x5 overhead press, renegade rows, squats and swings.

As for nutrition. I'm gonna stick with Reflex one stop, maca, ginseng and trib. Todays meal :

Purple brocolli
Pine nuts
Mix beans
Avocado
Brown and wild rice
Peri peri chilli, garlic, stock and celtic sea salt...

Washed down with some green tea.

I'll post some post workout thoughts..

Thursday 16 April 2009

I'm back!

Ok.. I've spent a year out of training at least, my life has changed amazingly, hopefully for the good.

One thing that has suffered is my training. I've been so busy chasing a full time degree, full time work and more that I simply haven't trained at all. I have lost a lot of body mass and weight and I look too thin. But it's spring, the season to instigate change.

I have always been a fan of kettlebells so I will get back into that to develop my physical attributes. I'm also a big fan of 5x5 training and Mike Mahler so I'll go back down that route. I wish to challenge myself with overhead KB lifts to track my progress starting with double 20kg 5x5 sets. The left side of my body will struggle with this to start out with so I expect there to be some rebalancing of my muscles before I move onto bigger weights.

Proposed workouts (twice a week) containing push, pull, quad, hamstring and core with a IGF boosting finisher.

Push - Military OH 2KB press or Chest press
Pull - renegade row or weighted pull up
quad - 2KB squat or 1KB single leg squat
hamstring - 2KB swing, 2KB lung
core - Windmill or TGU

one from each group 5x5 with 2x5 core.

Nutritionally I have spent a long time exploring myself with vegan, raw vegan, vegetarian foods. I just don't feel like I can ever move back to meat again.

Suggested supplements - Reflex One Stop, Sun Warrior raw protein, maca, trib and ginseng.

Suggested meal (like the one I'm currently eating) - half tin of organic baked beans, half tin of mung beans, brown rice with wild rice mix, spinach and half an avocado.

Sure it's not super high in protein but it doesn't have to be I think. Let's find out how well my body reacts to this. There is often something in my diet that makes me extremely windy, I suspect it to be fruit, esp. citrus fruits. I should learn what does this as such painful amounts of intestinal wind is a sure signal that I just cannot absorb certain foods.

I do need a glucose source when training to avoid post workout pukes. I am sick way too easily and I'm prone to just crashing. Taking a glucose supplement just before and during training is absolutely necessary!

This is the start. Let's see how far I can go.