forkboy battle log

[forkboy]

k, so I have decided just to make it a 7 week challenge and start today, since I fell so hard this past week. I will do a more detailed summary when the next challenge is up, but my three goals are going to be workout 4x a week (3 gym/lifting days and 1 run), to hit my macro & calories goals within 5g on macros and 10 calories every day (short of Thanksgiving and my wife's b-day) with lower calories on off days and slightly higher on workout days my focus this challenge is on finding my maintenance numbers, and to drink 2 L of water a day in addition to my regular smoothie and coffee intake.  My life goal will be 15 minutes of reading for pleasure before bed and my fitness goal is to be able to complete 5 unassisted regular pull-ups by the end of the challenge.

 

Just got back from my gym workout today and my workout sets were:

 

-squats 210lbs x5 x3 (did all three sets so can go up 5lbs on Wed)

-OHP 85lbs x5 x2 80lbs x5 x1

-Pull-ups -55lbs x5 x2 -70x5 x1

-Dips -40lbs x5 x3 (will drop)

-70sec, 60sec x2 planks

[AshPS]

Whooooo Hooooo!

 

Awesome way to come back! And, I shall join you! So, I'll help keep you on your toes, lol!

 

7 week challenge here we come! Boomsticks ready forkboy!!!   :triumphant:

[forkboy]

Thanks Ash!

 

Macros and water in today.  2,207 calories, 165 carbs, 56 fat, and 225 protein.  That just leaves reading for today....

[AshPS]

Awesome start!

 

Fluids are going to be one of my goals this challenge too. I am getting better, but really need to focus on it to be consistent.

 

Reading.........love to read! What are you reading? If you don't mind.

[Swampling]

Sounds like you got a solid head start there.

Very nice workout, and good on the macros and water!

 

 

Reading.........love to read! What are you reading? If you don't mind.

 

^^ this.

[forkboy]

Awesome start!

 

Fluids are going to be one of my goals this challenge too. I am getting better, but really need to focus on it to be consistent.

 

Reading.........love to read! What are you reading? If you don't mind.

 

I tend to read non-fiction, I am just boring that way.  I am reading a book called the Punished by Rewards right now.  Pretty interesting stuff (to me at least).

[forkboy]

K, so definitely back on the wagon.  

Macros yesterday:  1,800 calories (rest day), 103 carb, 38 fat, and 218 protein.

 

I got my reading goal in and my water.

 

Max reps workout this morning:

Squats 215lb 5(1) 4(1) 3(1), got a little panicky at the new weight, not sure why (I don't know the proper format for denoting sets vs. reps and I can see my previous notes confuse even me, so henceforth it is REPS (sets).  Need to stay at weight until it is 5(3).

Bench Press 155lb 5(3) (will go up 5 lbs next time)

Good Mornings 95lb 5(3) (will go up 5 lbs next time)

Assisted Chinups -55lb 5(3) (will drop assistance to 40 lbs next time)

Planks who knows, I just count based on my breathing and usually 20 full cycles equals 1:00, so I think I did 1:30, 1:00, 1:00 (I hate watches)

 

I gave myself a couple days to recover my binge eating last week and I think I put on some weight that wasn't just water, so sad, about 3 lbs.  I'll do a full set of measurements on Saturday to prep for the posting I will put up, a little disappointed I let myself fall so far, but learning to get back up after falling has been helpful.  My scale BF registered the highest percentage this morning I have seen, way above my BF listed at the beginning of last challenge at 30%!  Holy shit, what is that about?!?!  It said I swapped 5 lbs of lean mass for 7 lbs of fat since the end of last week.  That doesn't seem right for sure, so curious about the caliper measurements on Saturday.  I find it interesting too how much I let these numbers affect my disposition and attitude toward the day and myself.  I feel fatter and worse about myself based on what the scale says.  I know it lies and I should be looking for trends, hard to control the subconscious sometimes though.  I am really nervous about upping my calories and letting go of almost all of my running this challenge.  I fear all my gains are going to be lost.  I am wondering how long I can stick with a potential weight gain before I would go back to running and taking my calories way down again.  Trying to get in 2,200 calories for me on training days may be a little challenging too.  On Monday I felt almost sick having to take in another 1,000 toward the end of the day just to get them all in.  I eat good size breakfasts, so upping my calories during lunch is the real trick.  Since I work pretty long days and usually pack leftovers I don't have a quality strategy just yet.

 

Happy Wednesday! 

[forkboy]

Macros yesterday, right on, calories 2,197, 171 carb, 41 fat, and 219 protein.

 

Water in, but not reading, well I did spend well over 15 on NF, but not sure I am going to count that.

 

I did another scale measurement hoping it would return to sanity, but no, still up 3 pounds and still registering a BF close to 30, wtf?!

 

Rest day today.

Hope your Thursdays are swell and kind.

[forkboy]

Macros in yesterday too.  1,976 calories, 140 carb, 47 fat, 216 protein.  Rest day.

 

Water and reading in.  

 

Today was 2 mile jaunt in 20 minutes.  I will up my carb a little today to account for it.

 

Scale dropped a little, but BF not really, I am just totally stumped at the scale readings of late.  I am VERY curious at this point where my tape measurements and caliper readings will come in tomorrow.

 

Friday already knows I am in love, so she will always be mine.

[forkboy]

Macros yesterday a little more carb and a little less protein because of my run.

2,193 calories, 196 carb, 59 fat, 160 protein.

 

water in, changed my life goal from reading to cleaning garage on my challenge thread now that I have officially posted.  One more log here tomorrow, then back over to the challenge thread.

 

Scale BF still higher than I expected. I wonder if this has to do with more carbs and water than anything else.  My caliper measurements were still pretty similar, with a slight drop in BF actually.  I am so confused.  

 

Gym max reps today:

Squats 215lbs 5(2) 4(1) - will stay until I can hit 5(3)

OHP 85lbs 5(2) 4(1) - will stay until I can hit 5(3)

DL 225lbs 5(10 - will go up to 235lbs

Pull-ups -55lbs 5(3) - will go down to -40lbs assistance

Dips -25lbs 5(3) - will go down to 0lbs assistance

Planks - 1:30, 1:20, 1:00

 

Pretty pleased.  I still am psyching myself out on the squats in the third set for some reason.  I think I could have done the last rep but I panicked with the bar, not sure what my issue is.

 

Happy Saturday.  Three day weekend for me, so I am pretty stoked about that.

[forkboy]

Missed the mark slightly yesterday on macros.

2,310 calories (over 110), 197 carb (over 3), 58 fat (under 2), protein 224 (over 4).

 

Water in.

 

Rest day.

 

Hope you all have a pleasant Sunday.  I will move to my new challenge thread tomorrow.  Excited to get started and see where this new experiment goes...

[forkboy]

Seems kind of weird to come back to this thread intermittently at this point, but alas I have not other great plans at this point.  I didn't create a mini-challenge because I don't know specifically what my goals will be for the next few weeks.  I want to try and hit my macros where I can, but I also want to relax (just a little) and maybe have some holiday treats.  This past challenge I did pretty well on my macros, only missing one day that wasn't planned, and actually hitting one day that I did not plan.  I don't plan to go crazy or anything, but I might squeeze in a little egg nog is all I am saying and not be super stressed about it.  I guess my general goal is not to gain a bunch of weight in the next two weeks and undo all my progress.  I can't guarantee gym trips at this point either because I am still trying to figure out what I will do since my gym will be closed and I will be traveling a bit between Christmas and New Year's.  So, my vision is a little vague on how this will go, so no specific goals, but I will try and post some update here to try and remain accountable still for tracking.

 

Max reps(sets) at the gym today:

 

Squat 225 lbs 5(2) 4(1)  I feel like I hit my new lower position, potentially even that last 2 inches Darwin commented on in my last form check, the knees start to cave a little and I was not sure I was going to make up the very last rep, so I will stay here for next round.

 

Chin-ups 5(3) all clean from dead position, forgot to go up to 7x (forgot my log book to remind me)

 

BOR 125 lbs 5(3) will go up to 130 lbs next go round.  I am doing the lower Pendlay position now, lots of work on my lower back, hopefully it will help my DLs too, just won't be able to do them on the same day

 

BP 170 lbs 5(1) 4(1) 3(1) will obviously be staying

 

I did this new thing were I did some of my leg stretching while resting, liked it.  I think I may add a mobility/stretching goal for next challenge and I may get in some of it while resting between sets.  Makes me look a little weird in the gym, but I am okay with that.

 

Monday said he wanted to close the office early today.  Sounds like a brilliant idea. Have a great day everybody!  

[forkboy]

Went by a gym today to see if they would be open on the 26th and be willing to have me just pay for a day pass.  I was pretty excited about it as the focus is on Olympic lifting, so I was curious to see if it might be a good possibility once my current gym contract runs out.  Got there, and.... they turned it into a CrossFit box.  Bummer.  I guess I might go looking at the big box corporation gyms now to see if they will be open.  Maybe I will go back to a body weight routine for a bit.  I'll keep looking...

[AshPS]

Sounds like a super plan forkboy! :triumphant:

 

I joined the mini challenge because my workouts have been off the last two weeks with the illness and I wanted to get them going again. But, I am with you.....maybe a little eggnog (I am an eggnog fanatic), nothing crazy but a little treating on Christmas with the family.

 

And good for you for finding a way to get a workout in even if it's BW! Fantastic! Just do what you can during the holidays and we will be ROCKING that next challenge!! BOOYAH!

[Swampling]

Good luck finding a suitable gym over the holidays! But your plan B sounds solid as well, if plan A doesn't work out for you.

 

Congrats on improving your squat form! I think squats are never easy, especially if you're doing them right. (And I'm just doing BW squats, sans weights so far...) 

 

Be careful when stretching during your rest periods. Some people say (was it the Strong First guys? I don't remember) that strength training and stretching should not be done in the same session, because when you stretch your muscles, you're practically undoing some of the work you have done, loading the muscles with weights. I'll have to look up some sources as to why exactly it's not optimal to mix those two.

At least I try to separate the two, or only stretch muscles that are not necessarily a part of the current strength routine.

 

But mobility work should not be a problem, as far as I know. (I know I like to to the wrist / elbow / shoulder mobility stuff in the rest periods between the negative chin ups, so there... )

[Swampling]

And good for you for finding a way to get a workout in even if it's BW!

 

Hey, Ash! What are you trying to say here? Are you dissing us BW folks here?

*rolling up my sleeves, preparing to defend the honor of us BW folks if necessary*

 

[forkboy]

Be careful when stretching during your rest periods. Some people say (was it the Strong First guys? I don't remember) that strength training and stretching should not be done in the same session, because when you stretch your muscles, you're practically undoing some of the work you have done, loading the muscles with weights. I'll have to look up some sources as to why exactly it's not optimal to mix those two.

At least I try to separate the two, or only stretch muscles that are not necessarily a part of the current strength routine.

 

Wow, I had no idea, thanks for the heads up!  I was stretching my legs after I finished squats, so I hope I wasn't undoing anything.  I usually stretch after I run too.  Interesting...  I too will try and look it up... 

[AshPS]

Hey, Ash! What are you trying to say here? Are you dissing us BW folks here?

*rolling up my sleeves, preparing to defend the honor of us BW folks if necessary*

 

 

Uh oh, looks like I'm going to have to take up running.   (lol)

 

 

 

 

 

Be careful when stretching during your rest periods. Some people say (was it the Strong First guys? I don't remember) that strength training and stretching should not be done in the same session, because when you stretch your muscles, you're practically undoing some of the work you have done, loading the muscles with weights. I'll have to look up some sources as to why exactly it's not optimal to mix those two.

At least I try to separate the two, or only stretch muscles that are not necessarily a part of the current strength routine.

 

 

Ok, I am no expert here, but Donar specifically told me to stretch in rest periods between sets to warm up muscles. I do mild stretches every workout while I am waiting to do the next set.

[Swampling]

Uh oh, looks like I'm going to have to take up running.   (lol)

 

Ok, I am no expert here, but Donar specifically told me to stretch in rest periods between sets to warm up muscles. I do mild stretches every workout while I am waiting to do the next set.

 

Nah, no running - because that would mean that I would have to run, too, to chase you down. And that's SO not gonna happen!

 

I'm not an expert either, and I did include the disclaimer "some people". Doesn't mean it's written in stone. It probably depends on what kind of exercises and what kind of stretches you are doing.

 

I DID find a bit (about isometric stretching) in "Relax Into Stretch" by Pavel:

"Isometrics mess with your proprioceptors and impair your coordination for the rest of the day. So don't do them before your sport practice. The rule of thumb is: if you have to do a static stretch before you engage in your sport, you are not ready for the skill you are practicing. There are very few exceptions, for example, shoulder and wrist isometrics before squats for husky powerlifters who cannot get under the bar otherwise."

Here it is further recommend to practice the stretching exercises last, right after the workout, or at the end of the day.

 

I'll see if I can dig up some more.

[AshPS]

Nah, no running - because that would mean that I would have to run, too, to chase you down. And that's SO not gonna happen!

 

I'm not an expert either, and I did include the disclaimer "some people". Doesn't mean it's written in stone. It probably depends on what kind of exercises and what kind of stretches you are doing.

I'll see if I can dig up some more.

 

Lol, good, I can barely tolerate the biking. I would hate to have to take up running too!

 

Very interesting. Again, I don't do major stretching. Just some light shoulder, arm and leg stuff. Does seem to help me. But then people are different. What works for one may not work for another.

[Swampling]

OK, I finally found one of the passages I had in mind. There's about 2 pages (p. 82 f) dedicated to a sensible stretching technique in "Power to the People" (again by P. Tsastouline). Since I'm way too lazy to copy two pages from the book, I'll pick out the parts I think are relevant to this discussion. K?

 

• Stretching can improve your strength, if done correctly. (Unfortunately there's not much info on what is considered "correctly", aside from the advice: "Start stretching the Russian way, Comrade!" - not very helpful here)
• Don't stretch BEFORE your lifting.
• In a 1977 study by Yefimov (whoever he is), Russian weightlifters reported an average 9.4% strength increase when they added special Loaded Passive Stretches (whatever they are?) to their sets. [...]
• Not surprisingly, the general flexibility techniques Pavel recommends are Plyometric Flexibility Training, Shutdown Threshold Isometrics + Fascial Stretching as an addition to strength training, but unfortunately it doesn't say anything about how much or when or anything else besides that it is beneficial. Hmph.

 

Now, since I'm mostly doing the take-no-prisoners Isometric stretches for hammies, glutes and hip flexors (and my legs tend to feel like over-cooked spaghetti after stretching) I was kind of alarmed to hear that you would stretch in between your lifting sets. It didn't even occur to me at that time that other people would use other stretching techniques than this. *facepalm*

I apologize for unduly alarming anyone.

 

Anyway, Merry Christmas!

[forkboy]

Thanks guys.  I should clarify.  I always do squats first, then if it am doing BOR or DL I will do those after squats.  I am not stretching during those exercises.  I stretch while I am doing OHP, BP, bi-curls, etc.   I am finished for the day with legs at that point, so am not stretching before use of the muscles, but rather after.  Thanks for the references though.

 

So Tuesday I went over on calories by a couple hundred, so probably not bad since that number is closer to my maintenance number, but yesterday I kind of went ape shit crazy.  I had quite a few sweet treats and several cocktails.  I went way over on every macro and caloric totals.  Today I am back at it though and will hit my macros today most likely. 

 

Since my gym is closed and I did not find another one I wanted to go to I decided to do a kettle-bell "crossfit-style" routine today.

 

3 rounds of:

40 lb KB front squat 30x

40 lb KB Summo DLHP 30x

40 lb KB OHP 20x

40 lb KB bi-curls 5x (ea arm)

5x pull-ups

 

Hope everyone is doing swimmingly.  I am loving the long break from work and sleeping in every day!

[AshPS]

Awesome sauce for being back on it today!!! :triumphant: :triumphant:

 

And excellent for getting a workout in. (nodding)

 

And, lol, a big YAY on breaks and sleeping in!

 

Hope Friday is just as nice!

[AshPS]

Hey hey forkboy! Hope everything is going awesome and looking forward to your check in!

[AshPS]

 

 

  HAPPY NEW YEAR forkboy!!!!!!! 

 

Looking forward to more greatness this year!