Up and running once again!

I thought that its about time that I updated this, apologies for the long wait in between posts. Since I've been away there's been so many new developments and my own training has come on massively, so much so that I've decided to share my experiences. Around the beginning of March I had the honour and pleasure of test driving a supplement for BodyActive (www.bodyactive-nation.co.uk) My entire log and final review for the product can be found here - http://www.bodyactive-nation.co.uk/forum/Supplement-Logs/4912-X-Factor-Advanced-Log. The supplement in question is called X Factor Advanced, essentially its a product that utilises Arachidonic Acid (an omega-6 fatty acid that has been proven to have anabolic benefits) to help build some serious lean muscle and promote strength increases. The trial itself was a 50 day trial, consisting of an intake of four servings (in capsule form) of the XFA per day. To give the supplement a chance to reach its full efficiency I increased my meals to four per day and increased my protein intake massively. The product not only did exactly as it promised, but it produced results that I wasn't ready for at all. For example due to my neglect, I was only able to deadlift 60-70kg before I tried the product. By the end of the cycle my deadlifts had increased to 120-130kg which was an increase that I couldn't ever have fathomed. In addition to gaining some serious strength and muscle, I also managed to drop 6kg in weight in the process thanks to a strict diet. 

Despite the amazing results that I saw on the XFA cycle, I'll be the first to admit that I've slipped in recent weeks - not so much with training, but with diet. Due to that fact I've managed to go back to 96kg in weight, whether that is due to some muscle mass or fat or a mixture of both remains to be seen. In light of this, I've decided to dedicate my summer (the next 12-14 weeks) to finally ridding myself of the rest of the weight that I'm carrying. As extra motivation I'm being joined by a friend (who will also be allowing me to post his progress on the blog) in my efforts. We'll be recording our stats at the beginning and at the end of our transformations and in addition will be sharing our diets and training plans. Personally I managed to shed 25kg of weight last summer, and I'm aiming to lose 12 kg in total this summer. Although this is only half of the weight that I shed last year, I'm anticipating that its going to be a lot harder to lose - due to this I've upped the intensity of my training and scrutinized  my diet to get the maximum results. So anyway, here are the stats for me at this moment in time - 

Weight - 96.5kg

Arm Size - 16"

Leg Size - 25.5"

Waist - 36"

My workout split at the moment is breaking down like this - 

Dynamic Warm up (Circuit, 2 sets)

Alt. Lunges - 12 each side

Deadbugs - 15 reps

Woodchops - 12 reps

Side Chops - 12 reps

Set 1 (Circuit)

Barbell Squats (5 Sets, 6 reps)

Dumbbell Chest press (4 sets, 10 reps)

Barbell Row - 4 sets, 10 reps)

Set 2 (Circuit)

Bent Leg Deadlifts - (5 sets, 6 reps)

Lat pulldown (4 sets, 10 reps)

Push Press (Dumbbells, 4 sets, 10 reps)

Set 3 (Circuit)

Press ups (2 sets, 15 reps)

Y Raises (On bench, 2 sets, 15 reps)

Cable Row (2 sets, 15 reps)

Due to the fact that my routine covers the whole body, I have decided to execute this three times per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). On the days that I'm not in the gym I'll be performing cardio (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) with Sunday being effectively a rest day. However as I'm a glutton for punishment I'm going to use Sunday as a day to fast, which will probably include me participating in fasted cardio, most likely brisk walking. After six weeks of this particular routine I'll be re-evaluating my progress and looking to switch things up to keep my training fresh and keep those positive results coming in. With regard to supplements I've kept things simple - I'm currently taking Warrior Blaze (Which happens to be the best and most powerful fat burner on the market, plus it gives you a huge buzz so doubles as a pre workout supplement), I'm also taking a multivitamin from MyProtein and Cod liver oil capsules. The protein that I'm currently using is MyProtein's diet whey, which is tasty and cheap and seems to be delivering promising results.

Anyone that would like to join myself and Rob in our efforts is more than welcome, just get in touch with me on here, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/a.w.fitness) or on Twitter - @Wrighty__. I'll try and help anyone that is serious about making a change by formulating workouts and helping with nutrition. I also want to say a quick thank you for the support I've received from everyone throughout my training. I always say this but a huge influence on my training and motivation, both directly and indirectly is Paul 'EZ' Corkery (www.facebook.com/fitnessmadeez, @Fitnessmadeez, www.youtube.co.uk/glyphmedia, www.flexdem.com). He's always there to give tips and offer his advice if its needed, plus he sells some awesome merchandise! In addition to this I'd also like to give a huge thank you to BodyActive and CDS Nutrition who have been really supportive and were generous enough to give me the opportunity to log a supplement (an honour that I hope may be repeated at some point). They also distribute some quality supplements at a really good price so check their website out - www.bodyactive-nation.co.uk. It's also worth signing up to the site and joining the forums, there's so much that I've learned by simply reading through the discussions! Also a quick shoutout to Icon Nutrition and in particular Kavan Byrne who have given me some good training tips over the past few weeks which have helped me make some serious headway with my training. 

Well that's everything that I had to update you all on. Hope that I haven't bored anyone and that you've all taken something from the post. Any feedback on the post is welcome as always, just get in touch with me over Facebook, Twitter or here and I'll reply as soon as I can. 

Train hard, but train safely,

Alex.