My path to Juggernautness

[FatBrando]

So currently my general routine is 3 days of running, 3 days of lifting, and at least 1 day of yoga. The programs will change over time, as I'm specifically working towards losing weight while retaining lbm, so I can hopefully do my first sprint triathlon, and/or a Spartan sprint later in 2014.

 

My running program is Tue., Thur., Sat., and I'm doing both ZombiesRun! 1 and the Zombie 5k Training. (I'm a zombie geek in case it doesn't show.)

 

For lifting, I've been doing a pretty standard hypertrophy split that was originally designed for 5 days, modified as a 3-day split.

 

Essentially it is:

 

Zyzz's 5-day Training Split

 

Monday: Chest/Biceps

Incline Dumbbell Press - 4x8 to 10

Bench Press - 3x8 to 10

Incline Flies - 3x8 to 10

Chest Dips or Push-ups - 3xAMRAP

Barbell Curls - 3x8 to 10

Preacher Curls - 3x8 to 10

                           1xAMRAP

 

Tuesday: Legs/Calves

Squat - 4x8 to 10

Lunges - 3x8 to 10

Leg Press or Suitcase Squats - 3x8 to 10

(Cut if doing a 3-day split)

Leg Extentsions or dumbbell cleans - 3xAMRAP

Leg Curls or special step ups - 3x8 to 10

 

Wednesday: Back

Lat Pulldowns - 3x8 to 10

Deadlifts - 4x8 to 10

Bent-over Rows - 3x8 to 10

Dumbbell Rows - 3x8 to 10

Hyperextensions - 3x8 to 10

 

Thursday: Shoulders/Triceps

(Do these on Tue. if dong a 3-day split)

Shoulder Press - 4x8 to 10

Upright Row (Superset A) - 3x8 to 10

Lateral Raises (Superset B - 3x8 to 10

Front Raises - 3x8 to 10

Lying Rear Delt Raises - 3x8 to 10

 

(Do these on Wed. if doing a 3-day split)

Close grip bench - 3x8 to 10

Pulldowns - 4x8 to 10

Skullcrushers - 3x8 to 10

 

Friday: Rest

 

Saturday: Full Body(Cut for a 3-day split)

Deadlifts - 3x8 to 10

Squats - 3x8 to 10

Clean and Jerks - 3x8 to 10

Weighted Pull-ups or Let me Ups - 3x8 to 10

 

Sunday: Rest

 

Sometimes if I have some gas left in the tank, I'll throw in a kettlebell, sandbag, Muay Thai or Bulgarian bag workout, as well as doing some stuff like juggling and letter-ball work for overall coordination.

 

Top it off with at least a day of yoga for mobility (more if I have time), and it's pretty solid.

 

So feel free to keep me accountable with the general plan (3 days run, 3 days strength, and at least a day of mobility work.) I'll post when I do something, and when the programs change. 

 

I also log stuff on Fitocracy (PrimalBot) so give me a yell there if you want! Oorah!

[FatBrando]

Today - 8k run this a.m., and am planning on doing 20 minutes of yoga later with my wife.

[Erick the Red]

This would be a lot of volume for me. 

 

The last time I tried running three days (training for a half) and lifting three days I ended up with chronic use calf injuries and in general had a bad time of it.

 

Some of that might just be age (I am pushing forty) and so there may not be a lot I could do. 

 

Do you have any tips for staying fresh (food, rest, recuperation)?

 

This is how I would like to be:

or even:

 

This is how I often feel:

 

[FatBrando]

 

This would be a lot of volume for me. 

 

The last time I tried running three days (training for a half) and lifting three days I ended up with chronic use calf injuries and in general had a bad time of it.

 

Some of that might just be age (I am pushing forty) and so there may not be a lot I could do. 

 

Do you have any tips for staying fresh (food, rest, recuperation)?

 

This is how I would like to be:

 

or even:

 

 

This is how I often feel:

 

 

 

Honestly, before we moved, I was doing 7 days a week, overlapping 3 lifting (I was doing German Volume Training 10x10 for 2 lifts, and 3x10 for two lifts), 3 running (sometimes running morning and evening), 3 days of HIIT, 2 days of yoga, and 3 days of other kinds of either mobility or coordination work. I was a bit of an endorphin junkie at the time I think.

 

I'm kind of glad that I haven't gone back to that, as it was pretty exhausting...especially as a 300+ pound guy. With that and what I do now, the trick is to eat plenty so you get enough fuel, and to overlap everything in such a way that each muscle group worked gets about 24 hours of rest.

 

For instance, I would only run in the mornings on Tuesday and Thursday, and then do leg day on Wednesday (skipping running that day altogether). When I would do a hiit workout, I would try to make sure it didn't emphasize a muscle group close to what I was lifting on days close to it. Yoga and mobility/coordination work, I didn't have to worry about as much. I could do them whenever as they aren't as intense, and helped keep the muscles stretched out. 

 

Over-training exists, but you can actually do quite a bit with careful planning and manage to avoid it. Eat accordingly. For me, I would make sure to eat a solid amount of carbs about 30 minutes - hour before I would lift, but I preferred to be fairly empty (usually a cup of coffee) when running. I'm a big fan of drinking coffee before all of my workouts. Also hit some high protein/moderate carbs about an hour after you workout.

 

More importantly for me when I'm doing a lot of volume every week, if I feel like taking a day or two off to recuperate, or if I just feel like changing the program up to suit me, I do it with no guilt at all. Be consistent with everything, but be realistic and don't rush. It's worked for me so far. My weight as dropped slowly, but I've changed visibly a LOT! So I'm pretty sure I've managed to maintain quite a bit of LBM while losing mostly fat.

[FatBrando]

I should also add that whenever you're doing a high volume routine like this, GVT, or FST-7, you should only be using between 40 and 60% of your max. (In some cases less.) The wrong weight at the wrong volume can also wreck rest and recovery. Start light, and adjust 5 or 10 lbs each workout to find the sweet spot.

 

ETA: and adequate rest between sets, and sip water throughout.

[FatBrando]

Today's work:

 

Back and Triceps - Time: 59 mins.

                             Weight                  Sets          Reps           

Lat Pulldowns -     Crossbow Max*       3               10

Deadlifts -             140                         4               10

Pendlay Rows -     140                         3              8/10/10 

Dumbbell Rows -    30                          3               10

Hyperextensions -  BW**                      3                10

Close grip bench -  110                       3               8/8/5

Pulldowns -            Crossbow Max       4               10/10/10/8

Skullcrushers -        50                        3                8/8/5

 

You Are Your Own Gym (Week 2, Day 3) - Time: 41 mins. (Workout with my wife.)

                             Weight                  Sets          Reps           

Incline Pushups -     BW                       1***             29

Let Me Ins -              BW                        1***            30

Seated Dips -           BW                        1***            34  

Let Me Ups-             BW                         1***            20  

 

Total workout time: 1 hour 40 minutes

 

*Used my FIL's Weider Crossbow. It's worn out. The max is supposed to be 240 lbs. but I'm guessing that the wear and tear has cut that by a fourth or more.

** BW = body weight

*** The first section of You Are Your Own Gym is done in ladder intervals. You do a rep, wait the number of seconds it took to do that rep, then do 2, then wait, then do 3, and so on for 7.5 minutes for each exercise.

[FatBrando]

Today's work:

Zombies, Run!; Mission 8 + Zombies 5k; Week 2, Day 2

• 01:07:03 | 7.1 km | 9.5 min/km | light hills

 

It was a balmy 29 degrees. So cold that frost covered my hoody!

[FatBrando]

Today's work:

 

Chest and Biceps - Time: 65 mins.

• 
  
  Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
  
  
  • 30 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 30 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 30 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 30 lb x 10 reps (PR)
    
  
  
• 
  
  Barbell Bench Press
  
  
  • 120 lb x 10 reps (PR)
    
  • 120 lb x 8 reps
    
  • 105 lb x 12 reps
    
  
  
• 
  
  Incline Dumbbell Flyes
  
  
  • 20 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 20 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 20 lb x 10 reps (PR)
    
  
  
• 
  
  Incline Push-Up
  
  
  • 10 reps
    
  • 8 reps
    
  • 9 reps
    
  
  
• 
  
  EZ-Bar Curl
  
  
  • 70 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 70 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 70 lb x 10 reps (PR)
    
  
  
• 
  
  Preacher Curl
  
  
  • 50 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 50 lb x 10 reps
    
  • 50 lb x 10 reps (PR)
    
  • 35 lb x 20 reps
    
  
  
• 
  
  Walking
  
  
  • 00:25:00
    
  
  

[FatBrando]

Today's work:

Zombies, Run!; Mission 9 + Zombies 5k; Week 2, Day 3

• 1:14:16 || 8.7 km || 8:59 min/km || light hills
  

[FatBrando]

Today's work:
Legs and Shoulders - Time: 1h, 20m.

 

Barbell Squat

• 90 lb x 10 reps
• 110 lb x 10 reps
• 110 lb x 10 reps
• 110 lb x 10 reps (PR)

Dumbbell Lunges

• 30 lb x 10 reps
• 30 lb x 10 reps
• 30 lb x 10 reps (PR)

Dumbbell Step Ups

• 30 lb x 10 reps | 8 in
• 30 lb x 10 reps | 8 in
• 30 lb x 10 reps | 8 in (PR)

Standing Barbell Shoulder Press (OHP)

• 110 lb x 10 reps (PR)
• 110 lb x 8 reps
• 90 lb x 10 reps
• 90 lb x 10 reps

Upright Barbell Row

• 65 lb x 10 reps
• 65 lb x 10 reps
• 65 lb x 10 reps (PR)

Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise

• 20 lb x 10 reps
• 20 lb x 10 reps
• 20 lb x 10 reps (PR)

Front Dumbbell Raise

• 20 lb x 10 reps
• 20 lb x 10 reps
• 20 lb x 10 reps (PR)

Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise

• 20 lb x 10 reps
• 20 lb x 10 reps
• 20 lb x 10 reps (PR) 

I was shooting for a working PR of 110 lbs. at 4 sets of 10 on OHP's. Swing and a miss, as the last two reps of the first set were sloppy, and I stalled at 8 on my second set. I did a quick check of the 1RM calculator at exrx. for 1 set of 10 at 110 my calculated 1RM is 147. So I adjusted the weight down to 90 lbs. (about 60%) and did my last two sets. Considering that the last time I did OHP's I used 80 lbs. for all 4 sets, I'm not counting it as a total failure. Pretty good start to the new year!

[FatBrando]

• Today's work:

  Back and Triceps - Time: 59 mins.

• Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover
  • 45 lb x 10 reps
  • 45 lb x 10 reps
  • 45 lb x 10 reps (PR)
• Barbell Deadlift
  • 120 lb x 10 reps
  • 120 lb x 10 reps
  • 120 lb x 10 reps
  • 120 lb x 10 reps
• Pendlay Row
  • 120 lb x 10 reps
  • 120 lb x 10 reps
  • 120 lb x 10 reps
• Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row
  • 30 lb x 10 reps
  • 30 lb x 10 reps
  • 30 lb x 10 reps
• Hyperextension
  • 10 reps
  • 10 reps
  • 10 reps
• Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press
  • 110 lb x 10 reps
  • 110 lb x 10 reps
  • 110 lb x 10 reps (PR)
• Seated Triceps Press
  • 30 lb x 10 reps
  • 30 lb x 10 reps
  • 30 lb x 10 reps
  • 30 lb x 10 reps (PR)
• Lying Barbell Triceps Extension ("Skullcrusher")
  • 50 lb x 10 reps
  • 50 lb x 10 reps
  • 50 lb x 10 reps (PR)

[FatBrando]

I've decided that its finally time to change my lifting routine. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training (PHAT) by Layne Norton, an 8-week, 5-day routine and trying to fit my running into the rest days. The new routine is as follows:

 

Monday - Upper Body Power (Augmented with bands)

Rows - 3x5

Weighted Pullup/Let Me Up - 2x10

Bench Press - 3x5

Weighted dips - 2x10

Shoulder Press - 3x5

Curls - 3x10

Skull Crushers - 3x5

 

Tuesday – Lower Body Power (Augmented with bands)

Squats - 3x5

Front Squats - 2x10

Stiff Leg Deadlift - 3x8

Standing Calf Raises - 3x10

Seated Calf Raise - 3x5

 

Wednesday - Rest

 

Thursday – Back/Shoulders Hypertrophy

Pendlay Rows - 6x3

Rows - 3x12

Dumbbell Rows - 3x15

Shrugs - 3x20

Seated Overhead Press - 3x20

Side Lateral Raises - 3x20

 

Friday – Lower Body Hypertrophy

Squats - 6x3

Front Squats - 3x12

Bulgarian Split Squats - 2x15

Romanian Deadlifts - 6x12

Step Ups - 2x15

Lunges - 2x20

Calf Raises - 4x15

Seated Calf Raise - 2-20

 

Saturday – Chest/Arms Hypertrophy

Bench Press - 6x3

Incline Dumbbell Press - 3x12

Incline Flies - 2x15

Preacher Curls - 3x12

Modified Spider Curls - 3x20

Seated Tricep Extension - 4x12

Standing French Press - 3x15

Dumbbell Kickbacks - 3x12

 

Sunday – Rest

 

Sunday is also a rest day, and each week, the total amount of the goal weight will increase by 5. (I'll figure my starting weights tomorrow.) Looking forward to getting to it!

[FatBrando]

Today's work:                                                     *6-week challenge day 1
PHAT Upper body power - Time: 1h, 5m.

 

• Bent Over Barbell Row
  • 120 lb x 5 reps
  • 120 lb x 5 reps
  • 120 lb x 5 reps (PR)
• Body Weight Inverted Row (Let Me Ups)
  • 10 reps
  • 9 reps
• Barbell Bench Press
  • 120 lb x 5 reps
  • 120 lb x 5 reps
  • 120 lb x 5 reps
• Bench Dip (Seated Dip)
  • 10 reps
  • 10 reps
• Standing Barbell Shoulder Press (OHP)
  • 100 lb x 5 reps
  • 100 lb x 5 reps
  • 100 lb x 5 reps
• Lying Barbell Triceps Extension ("Skullcrusher")
  • 40 lb x 5 reps
  • 40 lb x 5 reps
  • 40 lb x 5 reps
• Barbell Curl
  • 60 lb x 10 reps
  • 60 lb x 10 reps
  • 60 lb x 10 reps (PR)

[FatBrando]

Today's work:                                                     *6-week challenge day 2
PHAT lower body power - Time: 45m.

 

• Barbell Squat
  • 120 lb x 5 reps
  • 120 lb x 5 reps
  • 120 lb x 5 reps (PR)
• Zercher Squat
  • 80 lb x 10 reps
  • 80 lb x 10 reps (PR)
• Romanian Deadlift
  • 120 lb x 8 reps
  • 120 lb x 8 reps
  • 120 lb x 8 reps (PR)
• Standing Barbell Calf Raise
  • 120 lb x 10 reps
  • 120 lb x 10 reps
  • 120 lb x 10 reps (PR)
• Barbell Seated Calf Raise
  • 120 lb x 5 reps
  • 120 lb x 5 reps
  • 120 lb x 5 reps (PR)

[FatBrando]

Today's work:                                                     *6-week challenge day 4**
PHAT back/shoulder hypertrophy - Time: 1 h. 10m.

• Pendlay Row
  • 100 lb x 3 reps
  • 100 lb x 3 reps
  • 100 lb x 3 reps
  • 100 lb x 3 reps
  • 100 lb x 3 reps
  • 100 lb x 3 reps
• Bent Over Barbell Row
  • 100 lb x 12 reps
  • 100 lb x 12 reps
  • 100 lb x 12 reps
• Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row
  • 30 lb x 15 reps
  • 30 lb x 15 reps
  • 30 lb x 15 reps (PR)
• Barbell Shrug
  • 100 lb x 20 reps
  • 100 lb x 20 reps
  • 100 lb x 20 reps (PR)
• Seated Barbell Military Press
  • 80 lb x 15 reps (PR)
  • 60 lb x 20 reps
  • 60 lb x 14 reps
• Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise
  • 20 lb x 20 reps
  • 20 lb x 20 rep
  • 20 lb x 20 reps (PR)

Forgot to do warm up sets again today. I wish I hadn't gotten out of the habit!

 

**Day 3 isn't posted because it was a rest day.