h3r0 finishes the year strong

[h3r0]

 

Hiro, hero for hire. Ruthless, intelligent, efficient. You have an impossible problem, then he's the man to call. Slim, trim, cocky grin, completely self contained and self assured.

 

He stays in peak physical condition through training and daily activity. His body looks like it was carved out of wood, strong and capable, lean and hard, without bulk, but flexible and defined.

 

He has more than enough energy to run, jump, and play all day, with energy to burn, never stopping and never quitting until he is done.

 

------------------------------

 

DECEMBER CHALLENGE

 

This challenge I want to upgrade my padded armor for leather armor. 

 

A new challenge. I have spent the last few challenges bulking up and it has worked. I have gained about 20 lbs of body weight in the last four months and guessing about 50% is muscle with the rest body fat. I've had to buy new pants, same size just switched to athletic cut to accommodate my legs and butt, but my large shirts are now starting to get tight and I want to trim off the body fat and retain as much muscle as I can. 

 

Side note, this is very surprising to me. I have done SS, 5x5, and other popular workouts before and I would get stronger and my muscles would pop and get denser but I never got bigger which is what I actually wanted. Not sure if it is the new routine or the discovery that I was getting way less protein than I thought but I have definitely graduated from skinny fat. 

 

Starting weight: 204 lbs 

 

#1 Stay Strong 

 

Round 4 of 5/3/1 + FSL. 

#2 Body Composition (diet + activity) 

 

Diet: Reduce calories by 300-500 kcal below maintenance and track daily. A 300 cut will put me around 2,000 a day. Typically I do not see results unless I am around 1,800 a day but I have not been this heavy before so we will start there. I don't want to lose the muscle I have faught for. 

 

Breakfast is currently clean being mostly eggs and cheese and / or nuts, but need to clean up my lunch choices. 

 

Activity: Add a 20 min walk into my routine a few times a week. 

 

I will track my weight but will be guided by eye in the mirror. 

#3 Vasectomy 

 

Yeah, this is a little too much TMI but I have this scheduled this month which will put me out of training for one week. I will need to plan around it. 

 

#4 PMP Training 

 

The training is 35 hours on the computer and I only have 2.5 weeks of work left in 2019 before I am out for vacation. I had intended to start this in January but I finished up my Lean training early so I want to start working on this with a push to possibly finish it in December. 

 

 

 

 

 

[h3r0]

 

Medium Week 

 

Warmup: jump rope, light set 

3x3 Trap Bar Deadlift 195/220/240# 

4x8 Trap bar deadlift 195# 

 

240 went up easy but the 8s were tough 

 

10 min walk, cut it short because the doggo was being weird and wanted to go back home. 

 

Hit 2,000 kcal, had to chill on dinner to make the calorie target. 

 

[Harriet]

Looking good. I'd be pretty freaking happy with 10lb of muscle. I like the scale mail. And the demi plate. And the chain mail (still looks kinda platey to me).

[h3r0]

 

HIIT 

 

Jump Rope 1:1 min x 10
2x10 DB curls 15#
2x10 OH tricep press 15#
1x12 reverse forearm curl 45#

 

I tried something new and I really liked it. Typically I just jump rope but take big breaks. This was less work overall but higher heart rate because of short breaks. It was enjoyable. 

 

On track with calories. Lunch is a can of chicken with triscuits and light mayo. Tastes good but myfittnesspal is showing lower protein than I would have thought. Going to check it when I get home. 

[Scaly Freak]

It makes me very sad that several pictures in this thread refuse to load for me. I'm just going to have to check again when I'm not at work.

[h3r0]

47 minutes ago, scalyfreak said:

It makes me very sad that several pictures in this thread refuse to load for me. I'm just going to have to check again when I'm not at work.

 

Sorry, none of them are very exciting. Just D&D pics of armor for flavor. 

[h3r0]

5 hours ago, h3r0 said:

 

On track with calories. Lunch is a can of chicken with triscuits and light mayo. Tastes good but myfittnesspal is showing lower protein than I would have thought. Going to check it when I get home. 

 

The can says 22g of protein, but myfittnesspal says 13g. Come on! 

[h3r0]

Medium Week 

 

Warmup: jump rope 

3x3 Bench Press 110/120/135# 

4x8 Bench Press 110#

 

Easy workout. Hit my calorie target yesterday. 

[Arkania]

On 12/2/2019 at 3:34 AM, h3r0 said:

Hiro, hero for hire.

 

Love that

[h3r0]

7 hours ago, Arkania said:

 

Love that

 

Thanks! My alter ego is mostly Buckaroo Banzai with Hiro Protagonist and just a touch of Hiro Hamada thrown in. 

 

[h3r0]

HIIT 

 

Jump Rope 1:1 min x 10
2x10 DB curls 15#
2x12 OH tricep press 15#
2x12 reverse forearm curl 45#

 

Good workout.

 

Hit calorie target yesterday, on track for today as well. The walking hasn't started yet, hard to find another 20 minutes in the day. 

 

[OTTO]

 

I'm stealing your 1:1 min x 10 jump rope protocol. I'm trying to get better at it and I think I can manage 1 min. without killing myself or those around me. Thanks for sharing!

 

P.S.

 

13 hours ago, h3r0 said:

 

Thanks! My alter ego is mostly Buckaroo Banzai with Hiro Protagonist and just a touch of Hiro Hamada thrown in. 

 

 

That is amazing.

[h3r0]

1 hour ago, OTTO said:

 

I'm stealing your 1:1 min x 10 jump rope protocol. I'm trying to get better at it and I think I can manage 1 min. without killing myself or those around me. Thanks for sharing!

 

 

 

Do it! According to my fitbit I held peak heart rate for 7 minutes and cardio range for 11 minutes. Take it with a grain of salt since fitbit is notorious for not having the most accurate HR data at elevated rates but I knew I was working but never felt like I was really pushing it due to the constant breaks. 

 

Better than when I would just set a 15 min timer and would stop when I felt like it. 

 

I plan to reduce the rest times rather increase the work times in the future but I am not there yet. 

[h3r0]

Medium Week 

 

3x3 OHP 80/85/95# 

8/8/7/5 OHP 80# 

 

Feeling run down this morning. I missed the last set of 8.

 

I went over calorie goal yesterday and landed around maintenance and since I forgot my lunch today I will probably go over again today since I have to pick up something. 

 

Still no walks, maybe this weekend. 

 

Finally finished first module of PMP training. A lot more to go but have taken the first step. 

 

 

[OTTO]

Are you enjoying 5/3/1 FSL?  Before I decided to jump on the kettlebell bandwagon for the foreseeable future, that program combo was on my list of potentials.  I was still thinking about using it to train squats/deadlifts if I have extra energy on weekends.

[h3r0]

2 hours ago, OTTO said:

Are you enjoying 5/3/1 FSL?  Before I decided to jump on the kettlebell bandwagon for the foreseeable future, that program combo was on my list of potentials.  I was still thinking about using it to train squats/deadlifts if I have extra energy on weekends.

 

I do, although I treated it like a salad bar and only took what I wanted, so if JW caught me still calling it 5/3/1 he would probably be upset. 

 

I use the loading percentage formula for my primary lifts: Deads, bench, and press. And other than some arm work the only additional work I do is more of the same using the first percentage of the day (FSL). 

 

I like the structure of it. The weights go up in a predictable way and since you are at most on heavy week at 90% of your maximum, you never feel like you are straining pushing to the limit even though it is the heaviest that you have ever done before. 

 

I stress about the fact that I am only doing each lift only once a week but so far that hasn't been a problem. I have made steady progress so far. I keep waiting for a stall. 

 

I feel like I could lift more and heavier faster with a different program but all the others I have tried left me burned out after two or three months. The slow and steady with a week a month deload is intended for more advanced lifters but works well for a older guy, with kids, and a stressful job like myself. I can do more but recovery has always been my Achilles heel and I am not as young as I used to be. 

 

[h3r0]

 

Arm Work 

 

4x8 BB Curls 45# 

4x8 Close Grip Bench 95/95/115/115# 

 

I did not sleep well last night and I plan to try to get to bed early tonight. 

 

Blew past my calorie target by a lot yesterday. 

[Scaly Freak]

20 hours ago, h3r0 said:

I feel like I could lift more and heavier faster with a different program but all the others I have tried left me burned out after two or three months. The slow and steady with a week a month deload is intended for more advanced lifters but works well for a older guy, with kids, and a stressful job like myself.

 

Okay, you convinced me. Do you have a link to this program, by chance?

[h3r0]

1 hour ago, scalyfreak said:

 

Okay, you convinced me. Do you have a link to this program, by chance?

 

Try this

 

There are a hundred different variations on the program but at its core it is just the base lifts performed by the numbers over the 4 weeks. Everything else is just what you want to add on. 

[Scaly Freak]

2 minutes ago, h3r0 said:

 

Try this

 

There are a hundred different variations on the program but at its core it is just the base lifts performed by the numbers over the 4 weeks. Everything else is just what you want to add on. 

 

Aaaah, Wendler. Okay, I know that one, and it is one I have looked very closely at for when I need a new program to switch over to. I have a version from another site bookmarked at home. Thanks!

[Broba Fett]

5/3/1 is a great program.  I can't wait to build my foundation back up so I can get back to it.

 

Keeping it brief.  I'm here to support you and your junk through this challenge.

[h3r0]

[Arkania]

Deadlifts

[h3r0]

 

Heavy Week 

 

5/3/2 Trap Bar Deadlift 205/230/250#

5x5 Trap Bar Deadlift 205#

 

Everything felt heavy. Lower calories sucks! I was worried that the 250 wasn't going to come up but I got a double. I might eat a little extra today. 

 

I hit calorie target yesterday and got a walk in. 

[h3r0]

Mobility Work

 

Not a full session, just stretched out hips, shoulders, and back. I am really tight from yesterday. 

 

Got in a walk yesterday.