I realise that there's been a serious lack of activity from this blog lately, so sorry for that. The reason for the radio silence is that I've been trying out a completely different angle to my training and its taken me a week or two to get used to the routine. One thing I'll say about the my new training is that its definitely paying off with regards to muscle gain and fat loss; however its a lot more intense than any other regime that I've done before. I've also intensified my approach to my nutrition along with this. In previous posts I mentioned that I was reducing my calorie intake to 500/600 on two days of the week, since starting my new routine I've opted to change those days into full fasting days. Needless to say, this routine has been completely different to me - so I thought that I'd share it with all of you.
As I said that I had planned to in previous posts, I've recently taken up boxing. For those of you are into the sport but haven't tried actually training - I'd highly recommend it, its the best workout that I've ever had. Its especially good for your core as that's where a lot of the movement/power comes from in boxing. Also as of today I've restarted playing hockey; I'm hoping that coupling this with boxing will allow me to partake in a huge amount of cardio and core activities which will allow me to focus more on building, toning and maintaining muscle whilst in the gym. I've decided to follow the Hodge Twins' training split with regard to muscle building and do one day that consists of Chest, arms and shoulders, one that consists of Back and arms, and one that consists of legs and compound movements. By compound movements I'm referring to exercises such as clean and press, pull ups etc. I threw compound movements into my leg day because I personally think that it increases your power output when it comes to other exercises. So bearing all of that in mind, this is how my week is set out.
Monday - Chest, Triceps and Arms. Boxing.
Tuesday - (Fasting Day) Hockey Training
Wednesday - Back and Arms. Boxing.
Thursday - Rest Day (Fasting Day)
Friday - Legs & Compound Movements.
Saturday & Sunday - Rest Days
As you can see from that breakdown, its a pretty intense week of training. I am considering moving a muscle building day into Thursday to reduce the workload on another day. However, the set up that I have now seems to be working, so why fix something that isn't broken? Also, here's a breakdown of my various routines for each gym session.
Chest, arms and shoulders -
Flat Bench Press - 4 sets, failure
Incline Bench Press - 2 sets, 10 reps
Tricep Dips - 3 sets, failure.
Chest Flyes (Machine) 4 Sets, Failure
Shoulder press (Dumbbells or machine) - 3 sets, failure
Bicep Curls - 3 sets, failure
Tricep Pulldowns - 4 Drop sets to failure
Back and Arms -
Wide Grip Pull Ups - 4 sets, failure.
Hammer Strength Row - 4 sets, failure
Prone Row - 3 sets, failure
Lat Pulldown - 3 sets, failure
Bicep Curls (EZ curl bar) - 3 sets, failure
Tricep Pulldowns - 3 sets, failure
Legs & Compound -
Barbell Squats - 4 sets, failure.
Clean and Press - 2 sets, failure
Bent Legged Deadlifts - 3 sets, failure
Calf Raises - 3 sets, failure
Pull ups - 3 sets, failure
From that you can all gather that my training in the gym now is focused on heavier lifts to gain muscle, and I've saved the cardio, core, stability and flexibility work for outside the gym with boxing and hockey. With regard to the supplements I'm taking, I'm still taking Warrior Blaze and its still doing an amazing job, I'm also now on a course of Syntha6 protein. Thanks to these two supplements and my training working together, I've seen a huge difference and decided that this regime is worth sticking to until it proves otherwise. I also said in an earlier post that I'd report back on syntha6 and its effectiveness - I have found it to be the most effective protein shake yet. Its helped me gain lean muscle pretty fast and its also reduced the amount that my muscles ache after intense workout days. Also, its pretty damn tasty. Basically its definitely worth a buy if you have 30-40 pounds to splash out with. I've also taken pictures to mark the start of my new training regime, I'll post them with what I'm hoping will be huge transformation pictures when the time comes.
If anyone's got any feedback on this post - any questions or comments etc. You can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wrightyx Twitter - @Wrighty__ or alternatively just post a comment under this thread. Don't hesitate to come to me with any feedback, I love hearing from people that read this blog. I'll try and get another post up as soon as possible but until then,
Keep Testing The Limits.
Alex.
Health, Fitness, Sport; and everything in between.
Tuesday 16 October 2012
Friday 5 October 2012
Knowing Your Training
What I'm about to share with you is something that I wish someone would've shared with me when I'd first started training. I'd spend countless hours in the gym, pushing myself so far, working every single muscle in my body until I literally couldn't take any more. Unsurprisingly I saw absolutely no gains and felt run down and generally shitty. I had no idea about overtraining or the process that your body undergoes when you over train. It became so simple and so straightforward when I had it first explained to me; yet for some reason I couldn't reach that conclusion on my own. The definition of overtraining is simple, its a state where you push your body further than you should and the result is detrimental towards your goals. It doesn't just stunt your progress towards your goals however, it also weakens your body and makes you more susceptible to illness and that's going to affect you in other places rather than just the gym.
In more detail, overtraining is a simple science. When you overwork your muscles, it creates a negative nitrogen balance within them, and your muscles enter what is known as a catabolic state. A catabolic state is caused by a higher than normal production of cortisol within the body. Cortisol is a biological chemical which breaks down protein into amino acid form and transfers them to your liver to produce glucose. Cortisol is usually produced as a result of a high intensity training session, obviously the purpose of cortisol is to produce more glucose for energy. However this glucose is being produced from protein in your body, and after the unused protein in your body has been used, the cortisol will then begin to work on the protein within your muscles, therefore decreasing your stored protein levels and sometimes even decreasing muscle mass. Basically, the longer that you train at a high intensity for (You should always be training at a high intensity) the more cortisol you produce, and the more you run the risk of breaking whatever muscle you have down. You need to make sure that the cortisol you produce is only breaking down the protein that hasn't yet been fed into your muscles, the only way to do this is by cutting down the amount of time that you spend in the gym. It may not seem like a lot, but 45-60 minutes in the gym is really all that you need. I would never recommend doing more than 60 minutes worth of high intensity training because after that you really run the risk of over training.
Over training is dangerous in the long run due to the taxing effect that it has on your body, you don't want to run the risk of damaging yourself just because you haven't been well informed. To make sure that you don't run the risk of over training, try and ensure that you increase your protein intake pre and post workout, and also increase your carbohydrate intake before a really intense session, give your body enough nutrients to turn into energy, don't force it to take the protein from your muscles. Its important to plan your workouts specifically, aim to only work two major muscle groups maximum when executing a weightlifting session. Make sure you get enough sleep every night to utilize your body's natural hormone balance. Also, I know its a cliché - but listen to your body! Make sure that you allow yourself enough time to recuperate between sessions; I'm not saying don't try to power through minor pain; but if your body is in major pain, and you feel run down - Don't force yourself into the gym! Be logical with your decisions, after all, only you know what's best for your body. I'd also recommend taking a week off from training every 12 weeks or so, to give your body some real recuperation time - more often than not you'll see some muscle gain during the recovery period if you've been training right.
Well I hope that this post has helped and opened some people's eyes to the dangers of over training and the benefits of getting smart about your sessions. It really helped me to understand this with regard to my training, I began to saw so many more gains after heeding this advice and I can guarantee that you all will too. At the end of the day its just logical and I'm just trying to point out the logic. Regardless of what I've said, its your body and you're free to use it however you see fit, but you might find some of the things that I've said useful. I'll try and get another post up soon. As always you can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wrightyx or you can tweet me - @Wrighty__ or just leave a comment in the space below this post. So until next time,
Keep Testing The Limits!
Alex.
In more detail, overtraining is a simple science. When you overwork your muscles, it creates a negative nitrogen balance within them, and your muscles enter what is known as a catabolic state. A catabolic state is caused by a higher than normal production of cortisol within the body. Cortisol is a biological chemical which breaks down protein into amino acid form and transfers them to your liver to produce glucose. Cortisol is usually produced as a result of a high intensity training session, obviously the purpose of cortisol is to produce more glucose for energy. However this glucose is being produced from protein in your body, and after the unused protein in your body has been used, the cortisol will then begin to work on the protein within your muscles, therefore decreasing your stored protein levels and sometimes even decreasing muscle mass. Basically, the longer that you train at a high intensity for (You should always be training at a high intensity) the more cortisol you produce, and the more you run the risk of breaking whatever muscle you have down. You need to make sure that the cortisol you produce is only breaking down the protein that hasn't yet been fed into your muscles, the only way to do this is by cutting down the amount of time that you spend in the gym. It may not seem like a lot, but 45-60 minutes in the gym is really all that you need. I would never recommend doing more than 60 minutes worth of high intensity training because after that you really run the risk of over training.
Over training is dangerous in the long run due to the taxing effect that it has on your body, you don't want to run the risk of damaging yourself just because you haven't been well informed. To make sure that you don't run the risk of over training, try and ensure that you increase your protein intake pre and post workout, and also increase your carbohydrate intake before a really intense session, give your body enough nutrients to turn into energy, don't force it to take the protein from your muscles. Its important to plan your workouts specifically, aim to only work two major muscle groups maximum when executing a weightlifting session. Make sure you get enough sleep every night to utilize your body's natural hormone balance. Also, I know its a cliché - but listen to your body! Make sure that you allow yourself enough time to recuperate between sessions; I'm not saying don't try to power through minor pain; but if your body is in major pain, and you feel run down - Don't force yourself into the gym! Be logical with your decisions, after all, only you know what's best for your body. I'd also recommend taking a week off from training every 12 weeks or so, to give your body some real recuperation time - more often than not you'll see some muscle gain during the recovery period if you've been training right.
Well I hope that this post has helped and opened some people's eyes to the dangers of over training and the benefits of getting smart about your sessions. It really helped me to understand this with regard to my training, I began to saw so many more gains after heeding this advice and I can guarantee that you all will too. At the end of the day its just logical and I'm just trying to point out the logic. Regardless of what I've said, its your body and you're free to use it however you see fit, but you might find some of the things that I've said useful. I'll try and get another post up soon. As always you can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wrightyx or you can tweet me - @Wrighty__ or just leave a comment in the space below this post. So until next time,
Keep Testing The Limits!
Alex.
Tuesday 2 October 2012
Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things
Okay, I'd like to kick this post off with an apology for the lack of posts lately. I've recently moved back to University and of course had to give time to the compulsory 'freshers' week; which generally involved a week of cheating on my diet and routine. However, despite my lapse - I'm now back in training and ready to give it everything that I've got. Due to the location of my training being altered, I've also altered the set up of the training that I'll be undertaking. I suppose I'll start explaining the things that haven't undergone drastic changes.
My eating is still very similar to how it used to be, however I'm taking a shot at using my judgement and perceptions rather than sticking to solid numbers. For example, I'll still be using two reduced calorie days in a week, however instead of having a 300 cal meal, I'll try to stick to smaller calorie objects such as fruit, and eat those throughout the day, therein spacing the calories out rather than having them all in one go. I eventually plan to drop the calorie intake and believe that the best way to ensure a smooth transition into less calories is to break them up into portions and slowly cut out those portions. When I'm not on a reduced calorie day, I'm still being very careful with what I eat, and taking into account what I need to eat for the activities that I'll undergo throughout the day. For example, if I'm planning on an intense cardio session in a day, then I'll ensure that I have enough carbohydrates to fuel me through the session. The same would apply to protein when undertaking a heavy lifting session. Whilst doing this, I'm also watching my calorie, fat and sugar intake to ensure that I keep them to a decent level. On the supplement side of things, I'm still taking Warrior Blaze capsules twice a day, and Cod Liver Oil tablets once a day. I plan on buying some BCAAs in pill form to help with my training and also have a tub of Syntha6 protein on the way, which I of course will review after a month or so of use.
The most radical change that I've made is my approach to my training. Over the summer period, I was focusing on full body workouts three times a week, with the cardio side of things being cycling to and from the gym (Around 7km each way). However since coming back to University, I've opted to take up boxing - and after having my first session on Monday, I can safely say that its the best cardio workout that I have ever taken part in. It also easily surpasses the amount and the intensity of the cardio that I was doing over the summer. With regard to my actual gym sessions, I've decided to split them up into isolation days, those isolations days consisting of: Chest, Arms and Shoulders; Back and Arms; and of course everyones favourite - Legs. I'll be incorporating a decent amount of core work into each of the sessions aswell. Oh and I've also decided to keep up my interest in hockey, so again there's more cardio work. I've planned my week to look a little like this -
Monday - Chest, Shoulders and arms, Boxing
Tuesday - Hockey Training (Low Calorie Day)
Wednesday - Back and Biceps, Boxing
Thursday - Legs (Low calorie day)
Friday - Boxing
Saturday and Sunday - Day off
So as you can see, I've got a pretty intense week planned. Obviously if its too much for me then I'll have to shuffle things around and re think what I'm doing. However I'm hoping that I can really push myself throughout the week and use the weekend to recover. After all, its all about testing your limits and striving to better yourself, getting fitter, faster and stronger. Compared to the training that I had over summer, this is a huge jump in intensity and new territory for me, but I guess that the only way to keep achieving the goals that you set is to up the intensity of your training and keep your body guessing.
So you're all now updated on my training and current state. I won't be weighing in for another week or two, just to get myself back on track and adjust to the new state of my training. I'll be keeping you all updated on my progress and I'll post the reviews that I have of any other supplements that I may purchase. I've taken a picture to document the start of my transformation and hopefully will have one to compare it to at the end of the transformation. Also, since I'm stepping into very unfamiliar territory with boxing, anyone with experience thats willing to share some insight would be greatly appreciated. I'll also be posting pictures of me repping the Flexdem gear that I know own thanks to Fitness Made EZ - if you haven't liked him on Facebook or Followed him on Twitter then please feel free to do right about now - @FitnessMadeEZ www.facebook.com/FitnessMadeEZ. Also, get back to me with all of your suggestions, comments, questions, and general feedback please. Help me keep this blog going by showing your support. You can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wrightyx or you can follow me on Twitter - @Wrighty__ or even leave a comment on here. So if anyone reading this wants me to keep writing posts, and maybe even has any input for future topics then I'd love to hear them so get in touch please! I'll try and get a follow up post up fairly soon depending on the responses that I get to this. So until next time,
Keep Testing The Limits
Alex.
My eating is still very similar to how it used to be, however I'm taking a shot at using my judgement and perceptions rather than sticking to solid numbers. For example, I'll still be using two reduced calorie days in a week, however instead of having a 300 cal meal, I'll try to stick to smaller calorie objects such as fruit, and eat those throughout the day, therein spacing the calories out rather than having them all in one go. I eventually plan to drop the calorie intake and believe that the best way to ensure a smooth transition into less calories is to break them up into portions and slowly cut out those portions. When I'm not on a reduced calorie day, I'm still being very careful with what I eat, and taking into account what I need to eat for the activities that I'll undergo throughout the day. For example, if I'm planning on an intense cardio session in a day, then I'll ensure that I have enough carbohydrates to fuel me through the session. The same would apply to protein when undertaking a heavy lifting session. Whilst doing this, I'm also watching my calorie, fat and sugar intake to ensure that I keep them to a decent level. On the supplement side of things, I'm still taking Warrior Blaze capsules twice a day, and Cod Liver Oil tablets once a day. I plan on buying some BCAAs in pill form to help with my training and also have a tub of Syntha6 protein on the way, which I of course will review after a month or so of use.
The most radical change that I've made is my approach to my training. Over the summer period, I was focusing on full body workouts three times a week, with the cardio side of things being cycling to and from the gym (Around 7km each way). However since coming back to University, I've opted to take up boxing - and after having my first session on Monday, I can safely say that its the best cardio workout that I have ever taken part in. It also easily surpasses the amount and the intensity of the cardio that I was doing over the summer. With regard to my actual gym sessions, I've decided to split them up into isolation days, those isolations days consisting of: Chest, Arms and Shoulders; Back and Arms; and of course everyones favourite - Legs. I'll be incorporating a decent amount of core work into each of the sessions aswell. Oh and I've also decided to keep up my interest in hockey, so again there's more cardio work. I've planned my week to look a little like this -
Monday - Chest, Shoulders and arms, Boxing
Tuesday - Hockey Training (Low Calorie Day)
Wednesday - Back and Biceps, Boxing
Thursday - Legs (Low calorie day)
Friday - Boxing
Saturday and Sunday - Day off
So as you can see, I've got a pretty intense week planned. Obviously if its too much for me then I'll have to shuffle things around and re think what I'm doing. However I'm hoping that I can really push myself throughout the week and use the weekend to recover. After all, its all about testing your limits and striving to better yourself, getting fitter, faster and stronger. Compared to the training that I had over summer, this is a huge jump in intensity and new territory for me, but I guess that the only way to keep achieving the goals that you set is to up the intensity of your training and keep your body guessing.
So you're all now updated on my training and current state. I won't be weighing in for another week or two, just to get myself back on track and adjust to the new state of my training. I'll be keeping you all updated on my progress and I'll post the reviews that I have of any other supplements that I may purchase. I've taken a picture to document the start of my transformation and hopefully will have one to compare it to at the end of the transformation. Also, since I'm stepping into very unfamiliar territory with boxing, anyone with experience thats willing to share some insight would be greatly appreciated. I'll also be posting pictures of me repping the Flexdem gear that I know own thanks to Fitness Made EZ - if you haven't liked him on Facebook or Followed him on Twitter then please feel free to do right about now - @FitnessMadeEZ www.facebook.com/FitnessMadeEZ. Also, get back to me with all of your suggestions, comments, questions, and general feedback please. Help me keep this blog going by showing your support. You can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wrightyx or you can follow me on Twitter - @Wrighty__ or even leave a comment on here. So if anyone reading this wants me to keep writing posts, and maybe even has any input for future topics then I'd love to hear them so get in touch please! I'll try and get a follow up post up fairly soon depending on the responses that I get to this. So until next time,
Keep Testing The Limits
Alex.
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