drsloomis

Three months and some change to my Spartan Beast on Nov. 9th--time to get seriously serious. MAIN QUEST Get as close to 200# / 10% body fat as possible. Stats to come. GOALS Train 6 days per week. Some combo of cardio & resistance. . +3 STR, +2 DEX 7-8 hours sleep each night. My sleep patterns suck. Period. Need to work on getting more consistent sleep. +2 STA 40 / 40 / 20. Work on tweaking diet to hit 40% protein / 40% carbs / 20% fat. +3 CON Read / Write 5 hours per week. Self-explanatory. Would like to break it up evenly (half reading, half writing), but I'll take it how I can get it. +3 WIS, +2 CHA SIDE QUEST Run 30 miles over the course of the six weeks. +1 STA

Sounds good! Message me deets.

Looks like it's dead even!

You say brave, my wife says stupid...it's all the same.

Man. I go to the beach for a few days and SOMEBODY gets serious. In the immortal words of Jimi Hendrix, excuse me while I diss this guy...

Rank the two and if maintenance is more important than muscle growth, go with P90X; if muscle growth is more important, go with Body Beast. They really are two very different programs with two very different focii. In general, I like the Body Beast workouts more (some of the P90X workouts are exhausting because you're doing 24 different moves...Body Beast is very focused and the workouts are a little shorter). If you're going the muscle growth route but aren't willing to go all in, just supplement with some regular cardio of your own.

Measurement day is Monday...basically the end of the challenge. I'll be curious to see how measurements have changed myself, as I've noticed (and gotten noticed for) significant reshaping. As for linear growth, here's a few examples (full set weights from first and last workout, max weight reps from different dates): DB Pull-Overs 5/22 - 15r@25#, 12r@35, 8r@50# 5/27 - 8r@60# 6/1 - 8r@60# 6/16 - 8r@75# 6/28 - 8r@80# 7/3 - 15r@40, 12r@60, 8r@80# Incline Fly (first / last) 5/19 - 15r@10#, 12r@12.5#, 8r@15# 5/26 - 8r@20# 6/9 - 8r@25# 6/14 - 8r@30# 6/20 - 8r@30# 6/25 - 8r@30# 7/1 - 15r@22.5#, 12r@27.5#, 8r@35# Looking through, there's a similar progression in all areas, though some (particularly back) far outpace others.

You can easily sub with dumbbells. I only started using the EZ bar halfway through because my numbers were going up past the point of what I had readily available at my house and had to start hitting the gym. As for the supplementation, I've worked out fasted both with and without the supplements. LeanGains actually talks about the use of supplements specifically BCAAs and Creatine. Truth be told, it's hard for me to definitively say whether or not they help, but I can say that anecdotally they seem to help. I'm really excited about it, and even more excited about the fact that it's really helping focus my workouts. July 5-7 Everything's humming along nicely. Decided to shift my rest day from yesterday to today, so threw in a bonus workout yesterday to end phase 2 of my current program. Food tracking is going very well, and I've noticed that just the act of tracking has affected my eating habits...being more aware makes me also more likely to NOT eat crap. Workout deets below. July 5 - Shoulders Warm-Up 5 min sprint intervals Lateral Raise / Arnold Press Circuit 15r@10 / 15r@10# 12r@15# / 12r@15# 8r@25# / 8r@25# - 8r@15# (drop set) Upright Row (progressive set - EZ bar) 15r@30#; 12r@40#; 8r@60# 8r@60#; 12r@40#; 15r@30# Alt Front Raise / Plate Twist-Twist Circuit 15r@12.5# / 10r@14# 12r@15# / 10r@14# 8r@20# / 10r@14# Reverse Flys (progressive set) 16r@12.5#; 12r@17.5#; 8r@25# - 8r@12.5# Closing Circuit Superman Stretch 10 ea side Plank Twist-Twist 26 in 30s Superman Stretch 10 ea side RPOD 10s hold ea position, 20s final hold, plank to plank and back again...like the Hobbit! July 6 - Total Body (Within each circuit, move immediately from one move to the other until done, then repeat) Circuit 1 Pull-Up 15r; 15r Push-Up 15r; 15r Squat 15r@75#; 15r@75# Weighted Crunch 15r@80#; 15r@80# Circuit 2 Incline Press 15r@45#; 15r@45# Bent Over Row 15r@45#; 15r@45# Rev. Alt Lunge 15r Plate Twist Twist 15r@14# Circuit 3 1,1, 2 Military Press 15r@15#; 15r@12.5# Post Delt Raise 15r@15#; 15r@12.5# Stiff Leg Deadlifts 15r@25#; 15r@25# Russian Twist 15r@25#; 15r@25# Circuit 4 Curl Up - Hammer Down 15r@20#; 15r@20# Tricep Ext Kickback 15r@15#; 15r@15# Calf Raises (weight on shoulders) 15r@100#; 15r@115# Side Forearm Plank 10R - 10L; 10R - 10L

July 4 Tracking going well, but I missed my cardio today. Did get my resistance work in: Standing Curl 15r@15#; 12r@20#; 8r@30# - break - 8r@30#; 12r@20#; 15r@15# Tricep Extensions 15r@35#; 12r@50#; 8r@70# - 8r@35# Wide Grip EZ Bar Curl 5r@45# (5s hold 90 deg) x 5 {45# include 25# for bar} Skull Crusher 15r@35#; 12r@45#; 8r@65# - 8r@35# Conc. Hammer Curls 15r@10#; 12r@15#; 8r@25# - break - 8r@25#; 12r@15#; 15r@10# Tricep Kickbacks Right: 15r@10#; 12r@15#; 8r@25# Left: 15r@10#; 12r@15#; 8r@25# - break - Right: 8r@25#; 12r@15#; 15r@10# Left: 8r@25#; 12r@15#; 15r@10# Weighted Crunches 50@50#

I'm on the last week of the second phase, so about 8-9 weeks in. No doubt Body Beast is geared towards bulking, and like I said, the results are impressive. Since I started, I've gained eight pounds, but my BF% has actually gone DOWN. As far as other stuff you might want to know, I've been using a pre-wo (C4), BCAAs and a post-wo protein shake (specifically Optimum Nutrition's Hydro Builder) to supplement (I know the NF philosophy tends to frown on them, but for my goals / needs, they've been a valuable tool in my arsenal).

Counterproductive...or incredibly shrewd?

Thanks! I made it a point to not let vacation derail me! I think my problem is quads specifically...I can do calf raises all day and with crazy weights, but squats (specifically split squats) and lunges set my quads on fire. Whiney's fine, as long as you get it done! I made the switch about a month and a half ago when I paid money to register for the Carolinas Spartan Beast in November (12 miles, 24+ obstacles, a whole lotta pain...apologies to Led Zeppelin). I decided that the best approach, given my current state, was to bulk up first, then focus on cutting / functional strength as the race got closer (running, I've been told, is less important since you only have between a quarter and third of a mile between obstacles). Given that I tend to do better with prefab programs (I know, I know, but they work for me given my strengths and weaknesses), I started looking for a program geared towards gaining muscle and started Body Beast--lots of weights, lots of reps, lots of sets. Can't argue with the results so far, as I've definitely added muscle and toned up significantly (I have developed the t-shirt problem...XL tees don't fit right anymore--not because of my gut, but because of my chest). Cardio hasn't been program-based, but just different runs: distance, sprint intervals, recovery intervals, etc. ...I'm sure you were looking for a shorter answer... July 3 Focus on back. Ended up flipping resistance and cardio, so weights came this morning and my run was this evening. Resistance deets are below, but my run was "recovery" intervals--fixed pace for first mile, then sprint for a fixed interval followed by a recovery period that gets shorter each time. All total, ended up doing just under 3 miles in 35 minutes (that included a two minute warm-up and a five minute cool-down, both of which were about 3.5 mph walks). The good news is my recovery time is improving over the last several recovery intervals I've run. Woot! Now for the meaty parts: Warm-up: 5 min treadmill light jog DB Pull-Over / Pull-Up Circuit (drop set) 15r@40# / 10 12r@60# / 10 8r@80# - 8r@40# / 10 Reverse Grip Rows (prog set) 15r@30#; 12r@35#; 8r@40# 8r@40#; 12r@35#; 15r@30# One Arm Row (force set) 5r@40# x 5 DB Deadlift (drop set) 15r@25#; 12r@45#; 8r@65# - 8r@25# Reverse Fly / Plank Rolls Circuit 15r@17.5# / 10r@10#; 12r@22.5# / 10r@10# Cool-down: 5 min treadmill light jog

No minimum...in my experience, it evens out (i.e., the person who rests between each set, however briefly, will spend a roughly equal amount of time resting as the person who blitzes through only to hit a wall somewhere around 30 and have to come to a complete halt until everything settles). So, try it both ways...see which works out better for ya! The only important thing is total time.

July 2 Two mile brisk jog this morning (cardio...check!) and leg workout this evening (resistance training...check!). Kept my food journal and didn't do too badly from the looks of it...I'm definitely starting to identify "triggers" and weaknesses, so tweaking diet next challenge should be productive. On the workout front, does anybody else hate leg workouts? Give me upper body any day! Regardless, here's the deets: Front Back Lunges (ea leg) 15r@20#; 12r@25#; 8r@35# Parallel Squats 15r@25#; 12r@45#; 8r@65# - break - 8r@65#; 12r@45#; 15r@35# (using bar instead of dumbbells) Full to Half Sumo 5r@45# (5s hold) 5r@45# (5s hold) 5r@45# (5s hold) 5r@45# (5s hold) 5r@45# Split Squat 15@25#; 12r@30#; 8r@40# - break - 8r@40#; 12r@30#; 15r@25# Stiff Leg Deadlift / Alt Side Squat Circuit 15r@25# / 10r ea side (alt) 12r@30# / 10r 8r@40# - 8r@25# / 10r Single Leg Calf Raises 30r@45# (ea leg) - break - 30r@45# (ea leg)

You beat my initial time, which was just over 13:30. It does seem like it should be easier.

Multiple attempts encouraged. The goal here is time...who can complete the pyramid in the shortest time. Whoever posts first will be King or Queen of the Hill until somebody beats their time. Two winners: 1) Whoever is King or Queen of the Hill on August 1st gets bragging rights and an NF t-shirt 2) Whoever spends the most time as King or Queen of the Hill over the course of the next month gets bragging rights and an NF t-shirt Contest is open to everybody, so advertise it far and wide.

Congrats! Been training like crazy and really am not sure where to focus. Been doing lots of upper body initially with a plan to cut / run closer to race time. Any thoughts after having run one?

Is there another one close to you? I've registered for the Beast in November, but am looking for others, preferably shorter, to help prep.

This one's simple...do a 1-10-1 Burpee pyramid for time. So: 1 burpee rest 2 burpees rest 3 burpees rest ... 9 burpees rest 10 burpees rest 9 burpees ...and all the way back down the ladder to 1 burpee and done! Here's a decent demo for those not sure of what a burpee is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MGljX4bbps Note that for the rep to count 1) the burpee must include a push-up (there is some debate about whether or not the "official" burpee includes a push-up...for the purposes of this King or Queen of the Mountain game, the push-up is included) and 2) the push-up must be chest to floor. Post any questions here, and video (even clips) of is always encouraged. Shortest time is King (or Queen) of the Mountain, so let the games begin!

It was touch & go there for a bit, but I was determined to make you earn that damn shirt!

Starting another PvP thread...sort of a King of the Mountain challenge. Feel free to join in! ...though this one's still on!

Four weeks down, and only two to go! I've been traveling pretty extensively for the last two weeks, so updates have been few and far between. However, Ive kept up with goals pretty well. Time for a recap! Diet - Track everything (WIS +2) -- Grade: B Dropped the ball a bit on vacation, but have kept up reasonably well otherwise. Week 1 B Week 2 A Week 3 D Week 4 A Workouts - 5 per week (STR +3, CON +2) -- Grade: A I've managed to hit five workouts a week every week so far (take that, Wolvie!) Week 1 A Week 2 A Week 3 A Week 4 A Cardio - 5 per week (STA +3, CHA +2) -- Grade: B All the hiking / climbing / etc. helped boost the number of my cardio workouts while on vacation...this was the one goal that actually got **better** on vacation. Week 1 B Week 2 C Week 3 A Week 4 B Finances - Begin rebuilding savings by setting aside $300 in a separate account -- Grade: n//a This one is pass / fail, and right now, I'm not passing, though I am close ($200 in Savings!). Overall grade: B Not bad, but room for improvement. Now back to your regularly scheduled updates... July 1st Chest workout today along with warm-up and cool-down runs for distance. My numbers are up across the board, which is a good sign, though I'm looking to keep adding muscle at least through the end of July before looking to cut. Next week is going to be a rest week as far as the weight workouts go (I'll be at the beach with little to no gym access), but Spartan WoDs should keep me busy with endurance & bodyweight workouts. Warm-Up: 2 miles Super Circuit: Incline Fly / Incline Press 15r@22.5# / 15r@30#; 12r@27.5# / 12r@45#; 8r@35# / 8r@65# - 8r@35# (drop set) Single Circuit: Chest Press w/ Rotation 5r@45# (x5) (force set...rest five seconds between sets without putting down the weights) Single Circuit: Incline Press (Prog Set) 15r@25#; 12r@35#; 8r@50# 8r@50#; 12r@35#; 15r@25# Single Circuit: Close Grip Press to Fly 15r@25#; 12r@27.5#; 8r@35# - 8r@20# Closeout Set: Decline Push-ups 15 (feet on squat bar, hands on stands) Russian Twist 24r@20# Decline Push-ups 15 (see above) Russian Twist 24r@20# Decline Push-ups 15 (see above) Cool-down: 2 miles

Finally went through and added vacation workouts!

The good thing about running is that it's easy to work in other work (core, upper body) around it, so continuing the running while also expanding (core work will help with the running and the breathing) to support more varied development is both doable and probably a good idea. And SERIOUS congrats on completion. I bow to you, sir.

So, just checking on the points: My leg routine includes 165 reps of various squats, both weighted and unweighted. Would that be 165 points? And I do split squats with each leg...the 165 above counts each of those as a half rep. Should I count each squat separately (that would make the total 235)?