Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log

Posted by: Leo_E_49

Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/19/06 05:24 PM

Well, I've finally decided to get fit again and this time I'm going to do it the smart way and make a habit out of it so I can stay fit (really fit) for the rest of my life.

My goals are:
Short term:
-Prevent injuries from practicing breakdancing.
-Improve my MA ability.
-Be happy with the state of my body. (I don't mind being admired for it either )
Medium term:
-Perform a one armed pushup.
-Perform a one armed chin up.
-Perform a pistol (one legged squat).
-Perform a one armed ab-wheel rollout.
-Perform a planche.
-Perform a one arm handstand pushup.
Long term goals:
-Be able to perform the above for as long as physically possible.
-Be as fit as a decent gymnast until I'm well beyond 80.
-Continue to train and have a healthy, protein rich, restricted carb diet for the rest of my life.

Yeah, I'm determined. Plenty of people have done this before. This is a good challenge. Even if it takes decades of training, I'm going to pull this off. I'll prove it can be done even by an ordinary guy like me.

Impossible is only a word.

The details of my new lifestyle:
-I'll be following Ross Enamait's beginner's training plan from Never Gymless to start with. http://www.rosstraining.com/nevergymless.html I intend to move on to his 50 day plan as soon as possible. (His beginner's routine is amazing! I've never encountered a program quite as complete, his core training routine is incredible.)
-I'll be following the T-Dawg Diet but without supplements. http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=473067 http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=162miss2 I've been on this diet for the past 3 weeks and I've never felt better in my life. I recover from my workouts faster, I've got more energy, my mind is sharper and I'm generally in a better mood all the time because of it. Plus it doesn't even feel like a diet! I'm eating more than I used to before I started and I get to eat more of the kinds of food I like. (meat and veggies yum! ) Guess I'm a low-carb guy. Possibly the best decision I've ever made in terms of my training was to try this out. Nutrition is half of what makes you fit!
-I'll be doing breakdancing training on weekends to supplement Ross' program.

My initial focus will be strengthening my rotator cuff which has been injured in the past. Following this, I will move on to chin ups which I have always been weak with.

My logbook (when I get ahold of it) will contain:
-Everything I eat and nutritional content (within reason, I'm not going to be pedentic about stuff like Green Tea).
-My favourite recipes for you all to try out (so says Chef Leo! ).
-Every exercise I do every day.
-A weekly photo of myself, which I may or may not post on the forum. (I thought this would be interesting to see how effective the diet + routine I am experimenting with is visually. I'm assured that it will be very effective.)
-My waist size measurement (initially).
-My weight.

All this so that if it's successful, other people can try it out too!

I've got a few additions to the T-Dawg diet. Firstly, I will be using a home made protein shake after workouts and whenever necessary, rather than a commercially produced one. I will not be taking supplements but I will be taking a daily multivitamin and a minimum of 1650 mg of EPA/DHA in the form of fish oil daily. (Unfortunately, I can only afford the Boots variety, although I'd prefer Flameout, so only 660 mg of that will be DHA)

If this workout doesn't suit me (which I highly doubt) I'll switch to something similar but mix it up. I'm a big fan of bodyweight training because of the little equipment needed and the convenience of it. Plus, I was raised on bodyweight training from the age of 4, so it's what I'm used to.
Posted by: Joe7987

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/19/06 05:53 PM

Sounds like a plan. Good luck!
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/19/06 06:21 PM

Right, I've got a bit of a workout log started.

Monday
3 sets of the following circuit (beginner's circuit for Monday):
Pushups - 20 reps
Body rows - 8 reps
Squats - 25 reps
Hamstring curls - 10 reps
Pike press - 8 reps
Internally rotated rotator cuff band pull - 5 reps
Externally rotated rotator cuff band pull - 5 reps
Isometric overhead press - 5 seconds
Isometric leg press - 5 seconds

Tuesday
20 minutes hill sprinting (ended up more like a jog )
3 sets of the following (Core Workout 1):
Crunches - 10 reps
Lying hip swing - 10 reps
Plank - 60 seconds

Waist size: 96 centimetres (38 inches).
Weight: 93 kilograms (205 pounds). (Note: I actually want to gain muscle weight, weight loss is not a goal of mine.)

I'll add in nutritional information to my log when I get my scales and measuring cup tomorrow.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/19/06 11:30 PM

I should say that, being a student, I don't have all that much to spend on equipment, supplements and the sort. I've got enough to make long term investments which have high payoff but less cost effective things are not an option (like I recently purchased a door gym chinup bar for use with all of the pulling exercises I'll need to be doing but I wouldn't purchase a rowing machine or regularly purchase supplements). This means that if my routines work, it'll be quite cost effective for students to use this method to train. Plus, all of my routines use only a 4x4 foot area to train in (except for my hill running that is) so taking up living space with equipment is not an issue.
Posted by: TimBlack

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/20/06 12:01 PM

What's your height and (roughly) your bodyfat level Leo? I don't expect a bf %, just a "I'm a bit porky/I am more shredded than Bruce Lee" type of response

Good luck bud, I'll be watching this with interest, since I'll become a student next year

Edit: Oh, and where are you studying?
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/20/06 02:26 PM

Definitely overweight. Only since I came to the UK though, it's harder to exercise and eat healthy here than it is back home in Singapore. There's just no free facilities (like pullup bars, benches, hanging rings) here, where as in Singapore, you get them in every neighbourhood. When I was fit, I was pretty slim and muscular (lifeguard kind, not bodybuilder). Food here is also higher in fat and carbohydrates and is more processed with higher contents of nasties, such as hydrogenated oils. I'm not sure whether I'll post photos because I'm a bit embarrassed of how much I've slipped to be honest but if people really want to see how the diet + routine progresses, in the interest of the experiment, I guess I could.

I'm around 174 cm tall (5 foot 9 inches). Mind you, don't pay attention to the BMI calculations, they're a rubbish way of telling whether someone is overweight. As I said, I want to gain muscle weight and strength. Losing excess fat will come as a consequence of these goals and losing fat will not be a central goal of mine. (Although less useless weight will help with my breakdancing)

Definitely be very careful about what you eat as a student, I gained 13kg since I came to this country as a student. Definitely get some sort of diet plan and make sure you exercise 3 times a week and don't let anything get in the way of that (it's tough but I realise now that it's necessary). Eat healthy, cook all your meals yourself. Don't get takeaways or microwave meals, that's part of what did this to me. The best way to be cost effective is to cook a huge meal on the weekend and in the middle of the week and put it in the fridge so you can eat it over several days. I wish I'd done this 2 years ago but at least I'm doing it now.
Posted by: TimBlack

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/20/06 05:01 PM

Quote:


Definitely be very careful about what you eat as a student, I gained 13kg since I came to this country as a student. Definitely get some sort of diet plan and make sure you exercise 3 times a week and don't let anything get in the way of that (it's tough but I realise now that it's necessary). Eat healthy, cook all your meals yourself. Don't get takeaways or microwave meals, that's part of what did this to me. The best way to be cost effective is to cook a huge meal on the weekend and in the middle of the week and put it in the fridge so you can eat it over several days. I wish I'd done this 2 years ago but at least I'm doing it now.




My plan is to get a crock-pot (slow cooker) and do exactly that... lots of chicken in the crock-pot, and a load of rice in a saucepan = lots of chicken and rice for me
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/20/06 05:11 PM

Don't forget the veggies man. Green leafy veggies every day is the way to go if you want to be healthy. Salads are great fun to make but you can also look up stir fry dishes in various student cook books which all taste really great. Remember, don't let it get stale, keep trying to cook new dishes every so often so you keep interested in eating healthy.

Also check out fish oil tablets too from Boots they're pretty reasonably priced and they do a world of good in terms of keeping fit both mentally and physically. Just go buy a pack (they're reasonably priced) and see the difference you feel when you have 3 tablets a day. (Of course, BioTest Flameout is the best fish oil but students can't be picky right?)

I may as well put down some of my favourite quick snack foods which I use as small meals:

-Can of salmon with a dash of balsamic vinegar and black pepper. YUM! Add some iceberg lettuce (you can get it pre-shreded and washed) and you've got a great salad too.
-A bowl full of cottage cheese with some black pepper, chives and some Tabasco sauce.
-A handful of rasins and nuts.
-Prunes. Great for antioxidants and fibre.
-Microwaved scrambled eggs with American style sausages (also microwaved, you can get these in a can which is really convenient).
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/20/06 11:30 PM

Just so everyone knows, I'll be updating whenever I feel like it but at least once a week.

Wednesday
3 sets of (Beginner's Training Plan Day 3)
Dumbell chest press - 8 reps
Dumbell jerk - 10 reps
Bodyweight squats - 25 reps
Dumbell good mornings - 10 reps
Bench dips - 8 reps
Internal RC band pull - 10 reps
External RC band pull - 10 reps

2 sets of (My personal grip training routine)
Gripper closes - 30 reps
(Attempted) Pinch grip closes - 5 reps
Fingertip-ups (45deg) - 10 reps

Note: All dumbell exercises done with two dumbells, each 30 lbs. The gripper I used is the heaviest commercial one I could find in this town. I'm training for grip endurance rather than maximal strength, hence the high reps. I don't want to end up having my grip loosen from tiring when grappling with people. As far as maximal grip strength goes, I'll develop that with towel pull-ups when I get there.

I'm surprised with how fit I still am. This routine was easier than Monday and Tuesday and even those I didn't find too difficult. I expected to have a great deal more difficulty than I'm experiencing. Maybe I'll be able to progress to the intermediate routines sooner than I expected.

Edit: My diet change probably has something to do with it. I seem to recover at least twice as quickly as I used to when I was training back in Singapore. No sore muscles or aching anywhere.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/21/06 01:36 AM

Fingertip-ups are my own "invention" I'm not sure they've been invented before (actually they're so obvious that I'm sure someone's done them before).

Basically you find a wall and press your hands against it with your body at an angle to the wall, similar to a wall push up. Make sure your heels are off the ground and your shoulders are straight out next to your chin with your elbows locked. No cheating by using your elbows or shoulders to press off the wall. Then you press downwards with your fingertips until your hands are in line with your arms (straight at the wrist) and return to the starting position.

I presume this technique will eventually progress to the edge of a table when you get stronger and down to a bench and theoretically to a position where you raise your legs above your hands to get more weight.

There is a theoretical maximum force you can apply with just your bodyweight but I don't think anyone has forearms so strong they can lift their entire bodyweight on them anyway. That kind of strength would be impressive indeed.

A great bodyweight wrist strengthening technique for handstands and requires no equipment what so ever.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/22/06 02:57 AM

Thursday

Workout:

Today was an amazing workout day. I changed the hill I run up to a steeper one and the effect was tremendous! I even had to walk the last half of the hill on my last "sprint". The core workout was wonderful too, V-Ups are my new favourite exercise.

Hill sprinting (short, steep hill) (8 times up and down) - 20 mins
3 sets of (Core Workout II)
V-Ups - 15
Supermans - 20
Chinnies - burn

Now here's the reason why my body isn't sore.

Food:

Ok, here's my diet for today. This is the first time I've measured and weighed my food so prior to this I was on the T-Dawg's diet "break in" phase. I didn't expect to get the diet right on my first try but I think I got pretty close.

Measurements are calories (kCal)/carbohydrates (g)/protein (g)/ fat (g)

Anything underlined is a problem area, bold is a satisfying result.

14 cups of water
Multivitamin
Fish oil capsule x 2
Cottage cheese w/ onions & chives (150g) - 127.5/5.2/20.9/33.5
Red salmon (one tin) - 335.9/0/35.6/21.4
Protein shake
-Semi skimmed milk (500mL) - 250/24/18/9
-Skim milk powder (57g) - 206/30.2/20.6/0.3
-Banana (150g) - 133.3/34.3/1.7/0.5
Fish oil capsule
Sausages (6) - 510.8/10.2/20.0/43.4
Eggs (3) - 196.6/11.3/19.8/8.6
Semi skimmed milk (100mL) - 50/4.8/3.6/1.8
Oats (75g) - 267/45/8.25/6
Red salmon (one tin) - As above
Peanuts (100g) - 62/9/4.9/0.7
Semi skim milk (200mL) - 100/9.6/7.2/3.6

Total - 3171.6/198.9/225.3/202.615

Observations:
-I drink a lot of water these days! I didn't used to drink that much water.
-Tinned food is much more convenient because you can eat it in the tin's proportions to save you weighing it.
-Red salmon is basically pure protein so I can eat as much as I want.
-I ate twice the amount of carbs I was supposed to but that's nothing compared to what I used to eat.
-I ate 100g less protein than I was supposed to but I'm surprised that I was eating so much anyway. Another 2 tins of salmon would have given me enough but I'd prefer to cook my meat ahead of time next week so I can cook twice a week for day time meals.
-Salmon is pretty expensive but definitely worth buying because it tastes great and gives Omega 3s.
-More meals every day means more washing up! (I had around 5 today)
-Tesco value chicken breast is the cheapest protein I could find here. I'll be eating a lot of that.
-The amount of carbs in bananas was a real surprise even though it shouldn't have been. I'm going to stay away from banana flavouring my protein shakes for the time being BUT my shakes do give me a pretty decent 38.6 grams of protein which is quite impressive for something so low cost which is home-made.
-Another surprise which shouldn't have been was the amount of protein in peanuts. It's almost worth eating them while on the T-Dawg but my carbs would rocket.
-Oats (obviously) give the highest carbs, I'm glad I ate them after my workout. I think I can't have too much in the way of veggies if I have too much oats in a day. Today I ate half my usual serving of oats and I still ended up with 45 grams of carbohydrates.
-I need more veggies, which means making more space for them by reducing carbs from other items. I wanted to have some broccoli but I didn't have any room left for them after all that meat.
-Eating well is a real balancing act!

Does anyone know a good site where I can find nutritional info? It's not always shown on packaging here. I'm currently using www.nutritiondata.com, which is ok but doesn't have all the info I want.

Next week I may be putting down the timing of consumption too, depends.
Posted by: Cord

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/22/06 12:19 PM

I dont think your carbs from oats are a problem- they are low on the GI scale and wholegrain oats are proven to have additional benefits to your body.
I would take issue with sausages as a staple food source- 43 grams of saturated fat, nothing 'essential' about those fatty acids. Low grade processed meat product. Avoid it or become 'Dr. Fatkins'

Tinned salmon (especially in brine) does not retain an awful lot of its good fat, and with the capsules you take its not much of an issue. The cheapest protein source you will find in your local Tesco is their 'value' tuna chunks in brine. i buy in bulk every week
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/22/06 01:21 PM

Yeah, I was getting rid of the sausages, they were about to go off. I'm a student, I can't just throw food in the bin. The oatmeal's fine, no way I'm going to eliminate that at all, I really need to get my fibre . I think I'll cut out the banana though because although it's got plenty of potassium, it's basically pure carbs.

I think that even if it's not of great value in terms of Omega 3s I'm going to continue to eat canned salmon because it's basically "free" protein (no carbs). I'm against eating tuna because of the high concentration of heavy metals. Basically, I'm going to follow the suggestion of only eating summer flounder, wild Pacific salmon, croaker, sardines (not too fond of these), haddock and tilapia.

Thanks for the advice. Any clue where I can get more info on the prices of items at Tesco and other supermarkets so I can compare them? This amount of protein per day could get pretty expensive pretty quickly.

Also, what do you think of the routine? I'm thinking I've come close to overworking my legs so I'm not going to train them for the rest of the week, give them some time to recover. (My hamstrings have become sore finally)
Posted by: Cord

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/22/06 04:20 PM

Quote:

Also, what do you think of the routine? I'm thinking I've come close to overworking my legs so I'm not going to train them for the rest of the week, give them some time to recover. (My hamstrings have become sore finally)




well, your legs are just being hit with sprints and high rep bodyweight squats- to be honest they can handle more than that.
I would consider swapping one of your sprint sessions in favour of either a plyometric session, or a weighted squat or deadlift session.

As for price comparisons, most of the big supermarket chains in the UK offer online shopping and home delivery- you should be able to browse their produce without leaving your chair and decide where to go from there
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/22/06 04:37 PM

I think I'm going to keep the sprint sessions in but swap my day 6 conditioning session to a breakdancing session rather than a sprint (surprising how breakdancing can hit muscles hard that no other exercise seems to for me, especially adductors and glutes). (The idea being that I do 3 maximal strength training sessions a week and 2-3 conditioning/endurance sessions a week with Sunday off for rest) I'm just so happy with the hill sprints that I can't imagine not doing them twice weekly.

Plyometrics are still not great for me, I just don't have the maximal strength to avoid injury while doing them. I plan to incorporate those in 6 weeks time when I'm a bit more well rounded when it comes to my fitness.

Thanks for the heads up on the home delivery service, I'll check it out. (Not buying just checking nutritional values)
Posted by: Cord

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/22/06 06:47 PM

Fair enough enjoyment and balance are the two most important things to aim for in a training schedule- none of us here a professional athletes, we all work to be the best we can be whilst holding down jobs, playing with our kids, studying our classes and other day to day things that have to be dealt with. None of us are likely to ever reach the stage where we will be testing ourselves on the world stage. Hobby, pastime, obsession, chore. Whatever we consider our training, it must always be as enjoyable as we can make it to ensure we do it regularly, and it must be sound in principle to make sure we stay safe and experience some improvement for our efforts.
enjoy your sprinting, its a damn hard and rewarding way to spend 20 mins
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/28/06 02:22 AM

Ok big update today. Lots of math calculating all of this. I'll go through day by day.

Friday 22 Dec 2006

Today is my "modified free day" for food. This means that I can have either one meal with anything I want to eat OR I can be a bit flexible with every meal I eat today. The results were abysmal but that's ok on a modified free day.

Workout:
3 sets of (Beginner's Training Plan day 5)
Diamond push-ups - 15 reps (Tough!)
Body rows - 8 reps
Squats - 25 reps
Hamstring curls - 10 reps
Pike press - 8 reps
Internal RC Band Pull - 10 reps
External RC Band Pull - 10 reps

Food:
9 cups of water
Multivitamin
Fish oil (2)
Cottage cheese with onion and chives (150g) - 127.5/5.25/20.85
Sardines (180g) - 311.4/0/39.6/16.92
Banana protein shake - 589.3/55.9/40.3/9.77
Peanuts (100g) - 598.6/15.3/28.1/52.5
Fish oil
Kettle chips (1 bag) - 723/84/9.45/38.7
Red salmon (212g) - 334.9/0/35.6/21.4
Eggs (3) - 196.6/11.25/19.8/8.6

Total - 2881.3/171.7/193.75/181.39

Observations:
-This workout is tougher than BTP day 1 although very similar.
-My calories are close to the requirement for the diet, however my carbs are way too high. This is acceptable on a free day but shouldn't carry on tomorrow.
-I'm still under 200g of protein which is worrying. It's tough to eat enough to get over 300g in there.

Saturday 23 Dec 2006

Workout:
Rest day (Optional)

Food:
9 cups of water
Salmon (213g) - 264.12/0/38.98/11.76
Goat's cheese (125g) - 381.25/4.38/193.4/31.25
Peanuts (20g) - 120/3/5.6/10.5
Multivitamin
Fish oil (2)
Salmon (213g) - 334.9/0/35.6/21.4 (Different brand)
Sardines (180g) - 311.4/0/39.6/16.92
Eggs (3) - 189/1.02/16.61/13.12
Peas (150g) - 116/20.57/7.81/0.55
Brie cheese (50g) - 167/0.23/10.38/13.84
Fish oil
Skim milk (200mL) - 70/9.7/6.8/0.36

Total - 1953.67/38.8/180.8/119.712

Observations:
-I really went overboard this time with cutting carbs. It's really a lot more difficult to maintain a constant nutrition and still have variety. I'll get it eventually though.
-I also dropped my calories by 1000 kCal!

Sunday 24 Dec 2006

Workout:
Rest day

Food:
8 cups of water
Multivitamin
Fish oil (2)
Salmon (213g) - 333.9/0/35.6/21.4
Brie (80g) - 267/0.36/16.6/22.14
Sardines (180g) - 155.7/0/19.8/8.5
Peas (100g) - 77/13.7/5.21/0.37
Fish oil
Skim milk (250mL) - 88/12.12/8.53/0.45

Total - 922/17.33/85.73/52.86

Observations:
-Abysmal, really poor. I don't know why but today I just can't eat much.
-Carbs at 17g has to be unhealthy. I'll definitely pick them up tomorrow however because tomorrow it's

Christmas Day Monday 25 Dec 2006

Workout:
3 sets of Beginner's Training Plan day 1
+ 20 gripper grips
5 pinch grips

Food:
8 cups of water
Multivitamin
Fish oil (2)
Oats (50g) - 178/30/5.5/4
Skim milk (200mL) - 70/9.7/6.8/0.36
Cottage cheese (150g) - 127.5/3.3/12.5/1.4
Cheddar cheese (50g) - 202/0.64/12.45/16.57
Broccoli (250g) - 275/11.95/7.03/0.72
Carrots (125g) - 51/11.97/1.16/0.3
Sprouts (125g) - 54/11.19/4.22/0.38
Cheddar Cheese (30g) - 121/0.64/7.47/9.94
Turkey (45g) - 72/0.1/12/2.5
Skim milk (400mL) - 584/19.4/13.64/0.72
Cheddar cheese (50g) - 202/0.64/12.45/16.57
Fish oil
Plain protein shake
Skim milk (500mL) - 175/24.25/17/05/0.9
Skim milk powder (57g) - 206/30.2/20.6/0.3

Total - 2317/161.01/132.87/54.16

Observations:
-Christmas ain't going to stop me from working out!
-I think I misplaced one of my food items. I definitely ate more turkey before the broccoli.
-I've swung back to too many carbs and I'm still too low on protein (definitely didn't even hit 200g with the turkey I missed).
-At least my calories are back up a bit.
-After I ate my Christmas dinner with all the veggies I felt REALLY tired. I actually fell asleep for around 2 hours and I could barely stay awake for my workout.

Tuesday 26 Dec 2006

Workout:
Minute drill #1 (20s reps)

I'll keep Ross' advanced workouts to myself. I don't just want to put his whole book for display online. If you're interested, get a copy of Never Gymless.

These minute drills are amazing! Suffice to say that before this drill, I didn't even know the meaning of "high intensity". This was way tougher than my usual 20 minute hill sprints. I almost collapsed at the end of it but recovered surprisingly quickly. The drill is 12 minutes but it feels like forever.

I also forgot to do core training today. I was just too worn out I guess.

Food:
9 cups of water
Multivitamin
Fish oil (2)
Cheddar (50g) - 202/0.64/12.45/16.57
Turkey (125g) + (125g) + (100g) - 560/1.1/94.8/19.6 (Ahh that's more like it! I had this through-out the day)
Plain protein shake (750mL)
Skim milk Powder (57g) - 206/30.2/20.6/0.3
Skim milk (750mL) - 245/33.95/23.87/1.26
Fish oil
Peas (150g) - 116/20.57/7.81/0.55
Eggs (3) - 189/1.02/16.61/13.12
Cheddar (30g) - 121/0.64/7.47/9.94
Semi skimmed milk (200mL) - 100/9.6/7.2/3.6 (Changed back to semi skimmed because it's got more calories. I might just switch back to regular full-cream milk for the calorie content.)

Total - 1739/97.72/190.81/64.94

Weight: 92kg (202lbs)
Waist size: 92cm (36 inches)

Observations:
-I finally managed to pull the protein back to close to 200g. Now onto 300g!
-Perfect carb amount too, today was a really good day compared to the past few (being Christmas, I suppose), apart from the low calories.
-I dropped 1kg and 4cm off my waistline. This is pretty good for losing weight but I'm more interested in gaining strength and endurance...

Wednesday 27 Dec 2006

Workout:
3 sets of BTP day 3

Food:
9 cups of water
Multivitamin
Fish oil (2)
Cheddar (75g) - 302/0.96/18.67/24.86
Sardines (180g) - 155.7/0/19.8/8.5
Turkey (175g) - 280/0.6/47/9.8
Prune protein shake (500mL)
Semi skim milk (500mL) - 250/24/18/9
Skim milk powder (57g) - 206/30.2/20.6/0.3
Prunes (110g) - 136.4/37.4/2.75/0.4
Peas (150g) - 116/20.57/7.81/0.55
Cheddar (100g) - 403/1.28/24.9/33.14
Eggs (3) - 189/1.02/16.61/13.12
Fish oil
Cottage cheese (75g) - 63.3/1.7/6.2/0.7

Total - 2101.4/166.03/182.34/100.37

Observations:
-Prune... protein shake? Seemed like a good idea at the time. Because I'm a student I had to drink every last drop and love it. (No throwing away edible stuff!)
-Actually, it's debatable whether that shake was edible after all... Oh well, at least it had lots of fibre.
-Calories are back on the rise but this time it's from fat! I'm glad that I'm beginning to get a hang of getting my calories from fat rather than carbs to avoid insulin spiking.
-Thanks to that stupid prune shake, my carbs have spiked again.
-My protein is slipping again.

Ok so that's the past few days in detail for me. I've got some questions for who ever will answer them:

How do you reckon I'm doing on the vitamins and minerals side of things? I'm taking a multivitamin every day but 100g of carbs doesn't allow for much in the way of vegetables.

How the heck do you eat 300g of protein in a day?

I realise that I should be eating 50g of protein a meal (6 meals) but heck, I don't even buy that much meat yet. Fortunately, I'm going to be eating way more in the ways of Tesco value chicken now that Christmas is over.

I don't think the local Tesco even stocks enough sardines to feed me 300g of protein in a day!

If I'm progressing like this now, I wonder how I'd progress with that much protein.

On the upside it looks like I've figured out how to control my carb intake, more or less. Now I've got to increase my protein...

Edit: I've switched to using http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ for my calculations because you can just input the weights and get the nutritional information calculated for you. Saves a lot of calculator work.

Also, it just occurred to me that I might not need 300g of protein a day because T-Dawg is a bodybuilding diet. However, I still think that my protein per day is lower than it should be at the moment.
Posted by: Cord

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/28/06 11:08 AM

Quote:

Also, it just occurred to me that I might not need 300g of protein a day because T-Dawg is a bodybuilding diet. However, I still think that my protein per day is lower than it should be at the moment.




Good grief. No one needs 300g of protein per day (unless they happen to have a lean bodyweight of 200kg (440lbs). Assuming that you have not been exposed to huge doses of gamma radiation and then made angry, you need to aim for a much more modest protein intake. As a student you are working on a budget, so be sensible and ackowledge how much protein you can utilise in a day (also, 50grams per portion is optimistic- 30-40g per meal is more in line with a normal metabolism). this will not only save you money, but also give you just the same results as if you were to continue shoveling your face with salmon like a mermaid with the munchies

Reading your measured itemised christmas day dinner, I was unsure as to if to be impressed or depressed by such dedication.
balance and moderation will always be better strategies than intense plans that are only realistic in the short term.

Have a mince pie- its christmas for f*cks sake
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/28/06 11:14 AM

Quote:

Good grief. No one needs 300g of protein per day (unless they happen to have a lean bodyweight of 200kg (440lbs). Assuming that you have not been exposed to huge doses of gamma radiation and then made angry, you need to aim for a much more modest protein intake.




I was wondering why the numbers were so strange. I'm pretty sure that's what the calculations came out for the diet. Obviously not a great measure for what I should be taking in. I'm pretty sure that diet was for people on steroids at least.

Quote:

As a student you are working on a budget, so be sensible and ackowledge how much protein you can utilise in a day (also, 50grams per portion is optimistic- 30-40g per meal is more in line with a normal metabolism).




I've been taking in quite enough then by the looks of it and I can afford it comfortably.


Quote:

this will not only save you money, but also give you just the same results as if you were to continue shoveling your face with salmon like a mermaid with the munchies




Well, I'm going to stick with the sardines at the moment and when I finish this turkey, it'll be on to Tesco value chicken. It looks pretty affordable.

Quote:

Reading your measured itemised christmas day dinner, I was unsure as to if to be impressed or depressed by such dedication.
balance and moderation will always be better strategies than intense plans that are only realistic in the short term.

Have a mince pie- its christmas for f*cks sake




Well, since I'm trying to start off the diet now, I'm trying to stick with it as closely as I can for the time being. Besides, I never really liked mince pies. Butter-basted turkey is my number 1 fave Christmas food and I had plenty of that!
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 12/28/06 01:16 PM

By the way, I only intend to keep the food log until I can get an understanding of how to eat a low carb diet "instinctually". Also, I want to get a few recipes together in my long-term food log which I can use and be sure that they'll contain good nutritional content.

P.S. The resistance bands and the ab-wheel I ordered came in! Woohoo!
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Motivation for the geeks, gamers and D&Ders - 01/04/07 03:24 PM

I found this a while back and I thought some people on this forum might appreciate it.

http://xkcd.com/c189.html
Posted by: bo-ken

Re: Motivation for the geeks, gamers and D&Ders - 01/04/07 05:56 PM

I am a gamer and that comic speaks to me.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 01/04/07 05:57 PM

Good stuff! I thought it was pretty nifty.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 02/14/07 07:25 PM

Well it's been a long time since I updated this because coursework has been piling on. However, I've still kept up the routine (with increasing difficulty over the weeks) and the diet.

And I sit here now drinking the protein shake of victory! I have completed my 6 weeks of Ross Enamait's beginner's training plan (and in the process quit drinking and have become much happier and more energetic). I've now begun my own intermediate bodyweight plan and to commemorate it, I've taken Ross' 100 Burpee Test.

Not only did I complete the test but I've done it in 12 minutes and 20 seconds! I think this is a fine result for a beginner who's only trained burpees for 6 weeks. I could barely believe it myself when I pressed "stop" on my stopwatch. I've got to admit, Ross' Never Gymless manual and programmes and my new low carb lifestyle have exceeded my wildest imaginings. I couldn't even do 20 consecutive pushups 6 weeks ago.

I sincerely recommend this manual to anyone who's interested in bodyweight training. I'll also recommend reading The complete guide to strength training by Anita Bean, which was an excellent reference on supplementation and rounded my diet out, giving me the information I needed to begin eating properly for my needs.

Now I can get started on working towards one armed pushups.

I guess it's true that training is its own reward.

P.S. Also goes to show that you can even get fit with short, convenient workouts throughout the week. Most of my workouts have run for less than 20 minutes on any given day.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 02/14/07 07:59 PM

Great job, Leo. That's quite an accomplishment to be able to do 100 burpees non-stop!

Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 02/14/07 08:09 PM

Ah, no, no, it's not done consecutively. The challenge is simply do 100 burpees in the minimum time possible. The burpees must include a pushup and a jump too. I did mine in sets of ten and spent the time between sets trying to stop hyperventilating.

Thanks though, it's a big achievement for me.
Posted by: Shadowtitan

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 02/15/07 02:45 PM

Well done that was kind of inspiring i think im going to start trying to work towards progesing the frog stand and try doing one arm push ups seeing as i for some reason can already do a decent amout of one armed chins...just never got the hang of the one armed push ups...
anyway keep it up your doing good
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 03/18/08 07:05 AM

Right, I'm back to training after so long and back to basics once again. I'm using a modified version of the 50 day plan from Never Gymless by Ross Enamait with additions from Full Throttle Conditioning by the same author. Naturally, I've simplified the plan a lot to compensate for my atrophied state so it should be do-able. Please don't copy this routine, it'll be far too easy for most of the people on this forum.

I'm not monitoring my diet but as usual I despise junk food and only drink calorie containing drinks before working out. I've ditched the low-carb concept because I need the carbs to cope with the 50 day plan. I take a multivitamin, 3g fish oil and 2g creatine monohydrate daily.

I'll list the equipment along with the exercises I do, because I feel like it. Basically I'll focus on bodyweight and homemade equipment, I have no weight set here.

17 March 2008

Isometrics (Morning):

Equipment:
Wall
Towel

Set:
Wall press - start 5s - mid 5s - peak 5s
Bent over row - start 5s - mid 5s - peak 5s
Leg press - start 5s - mid 5s - peak 5s
Behind the back towel pull (diagonal) - Left hand above 5s - Right hand above 5s

5 sets

ICT 1 a.k.a No Excuses! (Evening):

Equipment:
Yoga mat (lol)
Jump rope

Set:
Jump rope
Push ups
Bodyweight squats
Chinnies

10 mins non-stop no rest

18 March 2008

Max strength:

Equipment:
Yoga mat
Resistance band

Set:
Pushups 15
Band high pull 10
Bodyweight squats 20
Hamstring curl 10 a side
Pike press 8

3 sets

Core workout:
Crunches 10
Lying hip swing 20
Plank time

3 sets

My pushups were miserable as expected, everything else went great however. I've not felt this good (read: sore) in far too long.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 03/21/08 04:57 PM

March 21 2008

Isometrics (Morning):

Equipment:
Towel
Doorway
Step

Set:
Overhead press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Towel pull (behind head) - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Leg curl - Start 5s - Mid 5s
Neck - Front 5s - Back 5s - Left 5s - Right 5s

5 sets

Conditioning (Afternoon):

Equipment:
Jump rope
Yoga mat

Set:
10 burpees
50 rope turns

5 sets

Jump rope finisher - 1 minute

Today was easier than I thought it would be, I'm definitely glad I took an extra rest day yesterday to recover.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 03/23/08 05:05 PM

March 23 2008

Strength Endurance:

Equipment:
Resistance band
Jump rope
Yoga mat

Set:
Bodyweight squats - 30
Pushups - 20
Hamstring curl - 10 a side
Band high pull - 20
Calf raise - 15 a side

3 sets

Finisher - jump rope for 1 minute

Core:

Set:
V-ups - 15
Supermans - 20
Chinnies - Burn

3 sets

This was a tough workout! I feel great after it though. This is also the first time I've ever done a finisher and jump rope is so much more difficult after a strength endurance workout, it really kicked my ass.

It's great to be working out again.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 03/26/08 12:51 PM

March 25 2008

Isometrics (Morning):

Equipment:
Resistance band
Step

Set:
Band chest press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Triceps extension - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Hamstring curl - Start 5s - Mid 5s
Neck - Front 5s - Back 5s - Left 5s - Right 5s

5 sets

ICT 5 a.k.a. "The Summit" (Evening):

Equipment:
Yoga mat

Set:
Burpees 10
Chinnies 10
Bodyweight squats 10
Pushups 10

As many sets as possible in 20 minutes.

In a few words: The toughest workout I have ever done.

I managed 5 sets in 20 minutes, just. I couldn't have done any more, the entire last set was just one "ok, just one more" after another. Highly recommended.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 03/27/08 06:48 PM

March 27 2008

Max strength:

Equipment:
Resistance band
Yoga mat
Jump rope
Bench/chair

Set:
Band chest press - 15
Band high pull - 15
Bodyweight squats - 25
Band good-morning - 15
Bench dips - 8

3 sets

Finisher - jump rope for 1 minute

Core:
Crunches - 10
Lying hip swing - 20
Plank - time

3 sets

Not much to say today. Far easier than my last workout.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 03/30/08 08:09 PM

March 30 2008

Isometrics (Morning):

Equipment:
Wall
Doorframe
Towel

Set:
Wall press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Overhead press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Leg press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Towel pull (horizontal) - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s

5 sets

Minute Drill! (Evening):

Equipment:
Yoga mat

Set:
Burpees - 20s
Mountain climbers - 20s
Jumping jacks - 20s
Burps - 20s
Split jumps - 20s
Grasshoppers - 20s
Rest - 40s

4 sets

I had forgotten how challenging minute drills are. I now remember.

As a side note, it's much more enjoyable working through a plan where every day is a totally different routine. I always find myself looking forward to seeing what tomorrow's routine is. It's definitely worth the couple of hours it takes to make a 50 day plan, rather than repeating the same weekly plan over and over.

I'm looking forward to unscripted training in a few weeks time, that should be really interesting. I'm going to have to go buy some sand for a sandbag soon...

Also, I think the isometrics make a big difference. Compared to when I was doing the BTP, I am making progress much faster.

Finally, carbohydrate restriction and Never Gymless don't belong together. I realize now that in order to have enough energy to make it through 50 days of NG, you have to eat enough carbohydrates (but not too much).
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/01/08 05:33 PM

April 1 2008

Explosive Strength:

Equipment:
Yoga mat
Skipping rope
Resistance band

Set:
Clap pushups - 5
Lateral jumps - 20
Long jumps - 10
Band high pull (quickly) - 10

5 sets

Finisher - jump rope for 1 minute

Core:
V-ups - 15
Supermans - 20
Chinnies - burn

3 sets

This is my first plyo routine ever, so I kept the reps low. I'm not so good at clap pushups yet but I'll get there. A good workout, I feel pretty good afterwards.

Next set of 5 routines is when I get into the good stuff. I'm looking forward to something a little bit more challenging. (Check this space for my race to 50 burpees )
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/04/08 04:28 PM

Tabata + 50 (Morning):

Equipment:
Running shoes
Yoga mat

Routine:
Tabata sprinting - 2 sets
Tabata bodyweight squats - 1 set (Jumping jacks during active rest)
50 burpee challenge - Do 50 burpees in the shortest possible time (I did them in 8 minutes and 4 seconds)

Isometrics (Evening):

Equipment:
Resistance band
Towel

Set:
Band chest press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Band bicep curl - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Towel pull (diagonal) - Left hand on top 5s - Right hand on top 5s
Neck - Front 5s - Back 5s - Left 5s - Right 5s

5 sets

My first time ever using the Tabata protocol. I'm quite impressed by how tiring it is for just 4 minutes of exercise. I thought that the 50 burpee challenge would make a nice finisher to the workout. It's a lot harder to do burpees when your legs feel like jelly!
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/11/08 12:56 AM

Well, I've been resting my legs after that last exercise, my knees were really sore and I'm not taking any risks with my knees. So here's today's workout:

Max Strength:

Equipment:
Dumbbell (8kg)
Yoga mat
Jump rope
Bench
Ab-wheel

Set:
Diamond push-ups - 15
Bent over row - 8 per side
Bodyweight squats (holding dumbbell) - 15
Hamstring curl - 10 per side
Pike press - 10

3 sets

1 minute jump rope finisher

Core:
Kneeling ab-wheel rollout - 5
Russian twists - 10
Crunches - 10

3 sets

Definitely a good workout today. It was a lot easier to do these exercises than months ago.

Also, today is a strength milestone for me! Before my workout I did my very first one handed push-up ever! I'm so proud. This is proof to me that strength increases after a short rest, rather than during my exercise.

Next up is one-armed chin-ups...
Posted by: JoshuaMonjin

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/11/08 01:32 PM

This is cool to see, way to go on sticking with it. Something that I have problems with myself. How is all of this affecting your martial arts practice, has it changed due to your working out at all? Not to interrupt the flow of your log.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/11/08 07:19 PM

Quote:

This is cool to see, way to go on sticking with it. Something that I have problems with myself.




I'm cheating. I'm using a modified version of the Never Gymless 50 day plan which I wrote out weeks ago. The trick is, I don't have to follow a schedule, so there's no pressure or stress if I miss one workout day. For many people, if they miss one day in their training plan, due to unforeseen circumstances, they quit training; my method works well to combat that. I call it my tear-out training plan.

Most people write out their workout plans by the calendar. My plan is written in a Day 1, Day 2, ... pattern. Each day is written on one page of a notebook. When I am able to do the day's workout, I tear out the next page, read it and do the exercises written on it. Then I throw the page in the bin when I'm done. If I can't exercise because I'm too sore and don't want to risk injury or I've got no time for whatever reason, I simply do it at the next available opportunity. No stress. (I make sure that I write in mandatory rest days to ensure that I won't train every day if I do a long set of days in a row)

Sure it's not perfect, if you don't stick to schedule, you might not see gains as quickly. Also, you have to be genuinely enthusiastic about exercising or you will never tear out any of the pages. But at least it helps me carry on even if I miss a day or two. As a bonus, every day is a surprise because I wrote every day to have slightly different routines and I can't remember what I wrote until I tear out the page. I've actually started looking forwards to tearing out the pages to find out what I'm going to be doing, it's like having Christmas every day!

Quote:

How is all of this affecting your martial arts practice, has it changed due to your working out at all?




I'm not training MA at the moment, so I couldn't say. However, I'm pretty sure the work capacity I've gained will impact significantly on my performance in sparring. Plus, there's nothing wrong with a little extra strength.

Quote:

Not to interrupt the flow of your log.




No problems, it's nice when people read it and comment.
Posted by: JoshuaMonjin

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/12/08 03:28 AM

I checked the never gymless thing out and it looks interesting, of course it is always a question when you can't find the book sold elsewhere. Would you recommend purchasing the book and getting into it? That sounds like a good idea with the day based workouts, being a student myself trying to set up a schedule that won't change is tough. Your way sounds smart and doable. How is it cheating? You took the principles and made them work for you , that is admirable and most martial arts have been created/modified the same way so there is a tradition of it isn't there?
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/12/08 08:46 AM

Quote:

I checked the never gymless thing out and it looks interesting, of course it is always a question when you can't find the book sold elsewhere. Would you recommend purchasing the book and getting into it?




If you're into calisthenics, then Never Gymless is the book for you. You only need minimal and inexpensive equipment to get a very good workout, as you can see in my log. I've never heard a bad review of NG and you won't hear anything but praise for it from me. At $24.95 it's a steal, I've never bought a better value-for-money product in my life.

The one piece of equipment which is very important for NG though is a chin-up bar, which I do not have access to at the moment... I'm substituting band pulls to try and make up for it but nothing matches pull-ups (my favourite exercise ). I'm getting a bar soon though so I can really get started on my workouts.

You can also check out the rosstraining.com forums, they're very friendly and helpful, much like the members here.

Quote:

That sounds like a good idea with the day based workouts, being a student myself trying to set up a schedule that won't change is tough. Your way sounds smart and doable. How is it cheating? You took the principles and made them work for you , that is admirable and most martial arts have been created/modified the same way so there is a tradition of it isn't there?




Technically speaking, I can handle more exercise than I'm doing and still get enough rest. As such, I could progress faster by sticking to a rigid schedule, hence this method would be considered cheating. Having the determination to follow a strict schedule is best, but for some of us beginners, an inflexible schedule is a barrier to our ability to progress. When I get onto a more advanced 50 day plan, I'll try harder to stick to schedule.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/13/08 11:13 AM

Minute Drill! (Morning):

Equipment:
Yoga mat

Set:
Burpees - 30s
Mountain climbers - 30s
Jumping jacks - 30s
Burpees - 30s
Split jumps - 30s
Push ups - 30s
Rest - 60s

4 sets

Isometrics (Evening):

Equipment:
Resistance band

Set:
Wall press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Leg curl - Start 5s - Mid 5s
Bent over row - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Deadlift - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s

5 sets

Minute drills are never easy... Today was fun though , they're much more rewarding when you get used to them . Following the usual hyperventilation afterward, I recovered more quickly than I used to. This is the first time I've ever done sets of 30s before, I think I coped quite well.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/13/08 11:31 AM

Just found out about this recently and after reading it I think it's worth sharing, some very sensible advice here:

http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/nutrition/7habits.htm

I wish I'd found this before I wasted my time with the T-Dawg diet, it would have saved me a lot of hassle. I can't handle low-carb but I think I can manage to take the advice from the article.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/14/08 12:24 PM

I had curry a while before my workout, BIG mistake. My stomach couldn't take it so my routine was cut short:

Explosive Strength:

Equipment:
Yoga mat
Resistance band

Set:
Knee tucks - 5
Ankle hop - 10
Clap push-ups - 10
Explosive high band pull - 10
Lunge jumps - 10

4 sets

1 minute jump rope finisher

I can handle exhaustion, I can't handle curry in my stomach when I'm working out. I'm never eating curry on a workout day ever again.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/17/08 04:02 PM

April 17 2008

100 Burpee Challenge (Morning):

Equipment:
Yoga mat

Do 100 burpees as quickly as possible. (My time was 12 minutes 58 seconds)

1 minute jump rope finisher

Isometrics (Evening):

Equipment:
Resistance band
Step/Bench

Set:
Neck - Front 5s - Back 5s - Left 5s - Right 5s
Triceps extension - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Band chest press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Hamstring curl - Start 5s - Mid 5s

5 sets

Well this is my second try at the 100 burpee challenge and my time is worse than my first try when I used to weigh 10kg heavier. Guess that's what I get for taking such a long break in my training. I'm sure my time will improve by the time I finish my training plan though.

Funny thing is, unlike a lot of the other conditioning routines, this one doesn't leave me sore. It hurts like hell while I'm doing it but shortly after I'm right-as-rain.

The good news is that I'm able to do the challenge in much the same time as I used to, and I've only been training around 3 weeks compared to the 6 weeks it took me to get to this point previously.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/19/08 12:21 AM

April 18 2008

Max Strength:

Equipment:
Resistance band
Yoga mat

Set:
Divebombers - 8
Assisted pistols - 5 a side
Pike press - 12
Band good mornings - 15
Band high pull - 20

3 sets

Jump rope finisher - 2 sets of 1 minute

Core:

Equipment:
Ab-wheel
Bench
Dumbbell (8kg)

Set:
Kneeling ab-wheel rollouts - 8
Russian twist - 20
Plank - time

3 sets

Divebombers are something else altogether... Pistols are as challenging as ever, mostly because of limited ROM in my ankles. I'm working with Magnificent Mobility to remedy the problem now. Definitely a good workout, much more challenging than my previous max strength workouts. I'll be working one armed pushups soon, hopefully the divebombers help to that end.

Next workout is possibly the toughest in my plan, the Deck of Cards routine from Never Gymless. I'm going to need some time to recover after today's workout though...
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/22/08 01:38 PM

April 22 2008

Isometrics (Morning):

Equipment:
Bench/step
Resistance band

Set:
Leg press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Leg curl - Start 5s - Mid 5s
Overhead press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Bent over row - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s

5 sets

Deck of Cards:

Equipment:
Yoga mat

Work through a shuffled deck of cards.
Do a set of burpees for each red card.
Do a set of pushups for each black card.

The number of reps is determined by the card value. Face cards = 10, aces = 11.

Work through each card in the deck with minimal rest. The routine contains a sum total of 190 burpees and 190 pushups.

This is about 3 times more difficult than it sounds.

I'm surprised to note that I actually feel really good about finishing it.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/23/08 01:31 PM

Well I'm recovering faster than I thought I would. Deck of cards is possibly the toughest routine in my plan. I credit Magnificent Mobility and SMR, as well as my training up to this point for that.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/25/08 03:51 PM

April 25 2008

Explosive Strength:

Equipment:
Resistance band
Yoga mat
Home made sand bag (20 kg)

Set:
Plyometric pushups - 10
Ankle hops - 10
One leg knee tucks - 5 a side
Fast band high pull - 15
Sand bag shouldering - 10

4 sets

Core:

Equipment:
Ab-wheel
Resistance band

Set:
Partial standing ab-wheel roll-outs - 5
Plank - time
Band side bends - 8 a side

3 sets

Partial standing ab-wheel roll-outs rock! They're much more challenging than kneeling rollouts. Also, sandbag shouldering is more fun than I thought it would be.

Next week is my back-off week; so it's back to the beginner's training plan. Well, not as much fun but I welcome the chance for some R&R.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/27/08 04:52 PM

April 27 2008

Isometrics (Morning):

Equipment:
Wall
Towel
Step/Bench

Set:
Wall press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Neck - Front 5s - Back 5s - Left 5s - Right 5s
Leg curl - Start 5s - Mid 5s
Towel pull (Horizontal) - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s

5 sets

Back-Off Tabatas (Evening):

Equipment:
Jump rope
Yoga mat

Set:
Tabata jump rope
Tabata burpees
Tabata jump rope

1 set

Easy as pie. Only 12 minutes for my main workout... Feels like I should have gone for longer but it is a back-off week so I'm cutting down the lengths of my workouts while keeping the intensity. Still doesn't feel right though...
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/28/08 04:44 PM

April 28 2008

Back-off Max Strength:

Equipment:
Resistance band
Yoga mat

Set:
Push-ups - 20
Band high pull - 8
Bodyweight squats - 25
Hamstring curl - 10 a side
Pike press - 8

3 sets

Core:

Set:
Crunches - 10
LHS - 20
Plank - time

3 sets
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/29/08 03:44 PM

April 29 2008

Unscripted Training:

Equipment:
Home made sand bag (20kg)
Yoga mat

20 minutes unscripted training, composed of the following exercises:
Sandbag shouldering
Lateral jumps
Burpees
Up-downs
Grasshoppers

Perform jumping jacks during rest.

Unscripted training is more fun than I imagined. I performed at least 3 sets of each exercise and a minimum of 6 reps per set.

I decided to ditch my isometrics today to give my CNS a rest.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 04/30/08 04:01 PM

April 30 2008

Back-off Strength Endurance:

Equipment:
Resistance band
Yoga mat

Set:
Push-ups - 25
Band good-mornings - 20
Bodyweight squats - 30
Ankle raises - 15 a side
Horizontal band pull - 10

3 sets

Core:

Set:
V-ups - 15
Supermans - 20
Chinnies - burn

3 sets
Posted by: Aesir

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 05/04/08 12:21 PM

How do you feel your progress is coming on? You seeing the gains you expected?
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 05/04/08 03:18 PM

Gains? No. Weight loss, yes definitely. My primary aim is to lose the weight I gained in the final year of my undergrad degree. So far I've lost about 10kg which means I'm halfway.

That said, I think I have made a lot of progress compared to 6 months ago. Even 3 months ago, the Deck of Cards routine would have been completely out of my grasp. Naturally my stamina and strength have improved. It's amazing how much easier day-to-day tasks are when you've got enough stamina and strength, even carrying shopping or walking to town are easier as a result.

The 50 day plan is laid out to ensure that you get enough rest with one rest day every 5 days and one rest week every 5 weeks. The isometrics seem to help a lot, I've never improved in my strength so quickly as I am now.

I think that the biggest impact on me is my outlook. I used to think of exercise as a chore but with a 50 day plan, everyday is fresh and interesting. I wake up looking forwards to doing my exercises, rather than dreading them. Everyday is a new challenge to be overcome. It's a rewarding way to stay fit; and completely unlike any other exercise regimen I've ever followed (including martial arts training). Plus, I don't have to leave my house to do any of it if I don't want to so there's really no excuses not to exercise (although the EITs must be done outdoors and they sound like fun). I suppose Never Gymless is just my cup of tea.

That said, I think I would have seen better strength gains doing weight lifting or better stamina gains doing endurance exercises. But NG appears to be the best of both worlds, at least so far...

May 4 2008

ICT 6 (Modified):

Equipment:
Jump rope
Puzzle mats (I got an upgrade, yay!)

Set:
Rope turns - 100
Plyometric push-ups - 10
Burpees - 15
Lateral jumps - 20

4 sets

I wasn't feeling so great today, so I cut down the number of sets to half the recommended number (I ate a wrap from Tesco which had some cheese in it and I'm badly lactose intolerant). I also don't have a medicine ball (yet) so I replaced the med-ball slams with burpees. I'm still not doing isometrics yet, my next set should be in 2-3 days depending on my schedule.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 05/04/08 03:59 PM

Here's an improvised equipment idea I've had. I was strolling along the aisles at Tesco when I came along a packet of luggage straps (the kind you use to secure your luggage when you travel):



And then I thought "now those would be perfect for glute-ham raises!". As we all know, glute-ham raises are brilliant hamstring exercises but they're very difficult to do without either a partner or the correct equipment. An actual glute-ham raise station will set you back a few hundred pounds:



Which isn't really my cup of tea.

A while ago, I came across this website, which describes how to make GHR straps:

http://www.warriortraining.co.uk/Equipment.html#glute

Now I've confirmed that luggage straps work just the same and they have adjustable length. So, if you're not into DIY, just go buy a pair of luggage straps and you're set.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 05/05/08 09:04 PM

May 5 2008

Max Strength:

Equipment:
Chin-up bar
Resistance band

Set:
Pull-ups - 5
Dands - 10
Pistols - 5 a side
Band good mornings - 20
Handstand push-ups - 5

3 sets

Jump rope finisher - 2 sets of 1 minute

Core:

Equipment:
Ab-wheel

Set:
Crunches - 10
Bridges - 10
Partial ab-wheel rollout - 6

3 sets
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 05/07/08 10:39 PM

May 7 2008

Isometrics (Morning):

Equipment:
Resistance band
Towel

Set:
Band chest press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Band biceps curl - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Hamstring curl - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Towel pull - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s

5 sets

Minute Drill! (Evening):

Equipment:
Puzzle mats

Set:
Burpees 30s
Split jumps 30s
Grasshoppers 30s
Burpees 30s
Split jumps 30s
Mountain climbers 30s
Rest 60s

5 sets

This is my first time doing 5 sets on a minute drill. It's not all that much more difficult than 4 sets. I suppose my training's starting to pay off a bit.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 05/10/08 04:56 PM

May 10 2008

Explosive Strength:

Equipment:
Resistance band
Puzzle mats

Set:
Squat jumps - 8
Plyometric push-ups - 10
One armed high band pull - 5 a side
Ankle hops - 10
Knee tucks - 10

3 sets

Finisher - Jump rope 3 sets of 1 minute

Core:

Equipment:
Dumbbell (8kg)
Bench

Set:
V-ups - 20
Russian Twist - 16
Tuck L-Sit - time

3 sets

Not much to report, except that V-Ups are much easier than they used to be. L-Sits are pretty tough, even with your legs tucked, I'm looking forward to developing my strength endurance in this exercise.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 05/13/08 06:38 PM

May 13 2008

Isometrics (Morning):

Equipment:
Resistance band
Doorway

Set:
Band deadlift - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Leg curl - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Overhead press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Band triceps extension - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s

5 sets

ICT 1 A.K.A. No Excuses:

Equipment:
Jump rope

Set:
Jump rope
Push-ups
Bodyweight squats
Chinnies

10 minutes no rest

This was just as challenging as when I first did it. I'm still doing the beginner's version because I don't think my doorway chin-up bar can handle the real deal.
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 05/15/08 08:46 PM

May 15 2008

Max Strength:

Equipment:
Resistance band
Puzzle mat
Luggage straps

Set:
Assisted one armed push-ups - 5 a side
Assisted pistols - 8 a side
Assisted glute-ham raise - 5
Band high pull - 20
Handstand push-ups - 6

3 sets

Core:

Equipment:
Ab-wheel

5x5 partial standing ab-wheel roll-outs

Today I've moved onto some slightly more challenging exercises. I'm feeling pretty good about them, I coped pretty well. Those ab-wheel roll-outs are tough though!

Also another milestone for me, I did my first unassisted left handed one armed push-up today!
Posted by: Leo_E_49

Re: Leo's Workout, Food and (maybe) Photograph Log - 06/04/08 12:46 AM

I've been busy moving house so the exercise fell a bit to the wayside, but I'm back into it now so here's an update:

June 2 2008

Isometrics (Morning):

Equipment:
Towel

Set:
Leg press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Neck - Front 5s - Back 5s - Left 5s - Right 5s
Overhead press - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s
Towel pull (horizontal) - Start 5s - Mid 5s - Peak 5s

5 sets

Tabatas (Evening):

Equipment:
Yoga mat

2 sets of Tabata burpees

I kept it easy on the 2nd because I wanted to ease myself into my training again. I totally regret taking such a long break, my stamina's not quite up to where it was before but I suppose it'll come back to me.

June 4 2008

Explosive Strength:

Equipment:
Yoga mat
Resistance band

Set:
Clap push-ups - 10
Knee tucks - 12
Lunge jumps - 12
Ankle hops - 10 a side
One armed high band pull - 6 a side

4 sets

Core:

Equipment:
Ab-wheel

Set:
Crunches - 10
Bridges - 10
Kneeling ab-wheel rollouts - 6

3 sets

Also keeping it easy today, next week I'll try and get back to the plan properly.