back in action

[Slug Toy]

ok guys, im back... finally. seems like a fitting time too... i am now 20 years old as of today. well... its been a hell of a ride for the past month.

so i got a job and dropped my college classes. three semesters on in a row was really wearing on me. im now working at a place called Maple Leaf Structural Design. im basically modeling steel pieces used in construction, and creating detail drawings for the fabricators to follow. things are good. the hours get in the way of dinner and make the evenings a real crunch... but im still managing to get things done.

so far ive amassed about $1300 from the past month, which means im finally ready to get my jewelry equipment. now i just have to squabble about keeping a garage extension that is supposed to be torn down in the fall. that would be the ideal workplace. i think ill be buying stuff soon. ive just got to get that garage saved.

ive managed to keep my weight training up. not only that, but ive really taken off. remember how i said i was trying something new? well it paid off. since may 26, ive put on 8 pounds, and honestly i didnt change things up too much. heres what ive been doing:

every day i get at least 225 grams of protein, versus about 90 to 100 grams before. a lot of times im getting closer to 300 grams. about half of it is made up of protein supplements, but im not taking anything else like creatine.

monday: back

-lat tower (1 half-weight warm up set of 12 reps, 4 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-seated row (4 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-back fly (4 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-wide stiff-arm pull ups (4 sets of ten reps with just body weight)
-backwards cable cross-overs (4 sets of max-weight max-reps)

tuesday: chest

-bench press (1 half-weight warm up set of 12 reps, 2 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-incline press (3 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-level pec fly (4 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-decline cable fly (4 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-incline cable fly (4 sets of max-weight max-reps)

i dont put too much faith into the presses. unfortunately my right-handedness makes my progress right hand biased. i really turn it up on the pec fly to compensate because of the great combined stretch.

wednesday: legs

-squats (1 half-weight warm up set of 12 reps, 3 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-single-leg leg press (3 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-leg extensions (3 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-hamstring curl (1 half-weight warm up set of 12 reps, two sets of max-weight max-reps, 2 sets of single leg max-weight max-reps)
-dead lift (3 sets of max-weight max-reps)

thursday: shoulders

-barbell military press (1 half-weight warm up set of 12 reps, 3 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-dumbbell military press (3 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-side lateral dumbbell raises (3 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-front lateral dumbbell raises (3 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-back lateral dumbbell raises (3 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-barbell pull up (3 sets of max-weight max-reps)
-shoulder shrugs (3 sets of max-weight max-reps, 2 sets of single arm max-weight max-reps)

friday: arms

-superset preacher curl and triceps push-down (1 half-weight warm up set each, plus 3 sets of max-weight max-reps for each)
-superset hammer curl and overhead triceps extension (3 sets of max-weight max-reps each)
-superset barbell curl and laying triceps extension (3 sets of max-weight max-reps each)
-superset incline biceps curl and single-arm triceps push-down (3 sets of max-weight max-reps each)

abs: i do a 3 day routine. work them two days, rest one. often times, for every unique exercise for the area im working that day, ill do one set of 20 hyper leg raises (basically superset them with the first set of each new exercise), then i go home and do crunches and core training until i burn.

so ive made good progress with this routine. the one realization that really helped was the idea that 10 reps per set isnt exactly ideal. the most reps at the given weight is the way to go for sure. often times, my max-weight sets will be between 5 and 8 reps, depending on how much energy i have in me.

anyways... on to another bit of news. me and brother are checking out a 1972 plymouth duster. i havent talked to the owner yet, so im not sure if its for sale, but theres a possibility that we may have it by the end of the summer. theres some rust to take care of, and obviously new paint, probably new interior too, but its nothing that cant be handled providing i can get the space to work. ill keep you guys posted on this one. well ill keep you guys posted on everything.

you guys wont be seeing any modding out of me... for a while anyways. i have many projects and arrangements to get out of the way still. i have metal and wood ventures lined up for the summer, including my jewelry, so im going to be pretty busy. ill be making rings... necklaces... armor... furniture... glassware even. theres no time for much else. its kind of a bummer, but lets look at it this way... im modding my life instead, and there WILL be pictures of this stuff whether it be finished products or in-progress shots. ive got too many crazy ideas to not take pictures.

ok... anyways... ive droned on long enough. im going to go enjoy a sunny, warm day off, and have some fun being 20.

oh, by the way... the bipolar thing... not an issue anymore. the mind is a powerful thing, and i just said "**** you depression, eat my shoes" and i havent had a bout since i said goodbye to you guys. there ARE other methods i use besides sheer determination... but i probably shouldnt be talking about them on here.

[Redundant]

Sounds like you're training to become a Spartan. 8)
(like in sig)
Ready for your genetic enhancements?

[xRyokenx]

Glad to have ya back.

[.Maleficus.]

Wow. Sounds like you have definitely set your bearings straight. Glad to hear everything's good, and that you're coming back.

And happy birthday!

[Eclecticos]

Happy Birthday! time to get Ripped. .Eh?
Yea forget the creatine that junks not good for ya anyway.
Get some Fish!

[Slug Toy]

Sounds like you're training to become a Spartan.

funny you should mention that. my friend just got a hold of a program that takes 3D models and turns them into polygons you can print out and assemble in paper. first thing he did was make the master chief's helmet. granted.... its just paper, but you can use the paper as a template for other materials.


Ready for your genetic enhancements?

yarr!


Glad to have ya back.


And happy birthday!

YARR!!!


Yea forget the creatine that junks not good for ya anyway.

well not exactly true. the trick is that different people react in different ways. creatine is something your body already makes, so taking extra should be alright. i think the issues start arising when you take too much. creatine draws water in with it, and it can raise your blood pressure and all sorts of things like that. mostly it ends up in your muscles though, and if you're healthy (i think i am seeming as ive sworn out sweets and anything borderlined unhealthy) you should be able to take it. its very tempting because i know guys at the gym who use it, and none of them are small, but im still making good gains without so ill keep going as is for a while.

[Ironcat]

Okay, I am definitely no weight trainer BUT I was looking at your program and if you're doing multiple sets, of multiple reps, of max weight... then it isn't your max.

Maxxing out is when you put everything you have into lifting something... usually once, maybe twice.

If you're doing 4 (or even 2) sets of "max" reps and you're consistently able to get it up and locked, it's time to add a plate.

Secondly, it's good that you're working on isolated areas but you're slowing yourself down. Especially on Fridays, working tri's and bi's on the same day isn't really helping either of them. Some muscles are MEANT to work together, some are meant to oppose.

Your work out looks like you're tring for a little bulk instead of tone so if you aren't dead set against advice, try this for 1 week...

Back & Biceps 1 day
rest
Chest & Triceps 1 day
rest
Shoulders and neck 1 day
rest
Abs and Legs 1 day

Remember size in a muscle is actually little tears in the muscle filling in the rips and healing together, that's why it's called getting "ripped". Your muscles need time to heal and rebuild themselves before the next workout.

Last but not least, remember your form, lifting all the weight in the world badly will not help you as much as lifting the right amount correctly.

[Slug Toy]

well honestly, im really happy how its working so far. i actually stepped things up from a practically identical routine to what you're suggesting. i just didnt feel satisfied with the level of fatigue. i could go to exhaustion, but i wasnt really feeling it the next day. with this five day routine, i can divide and conquer. isolating muscles really helps in my case.

now, when i say max-weight max-reps... maybe that wasnt the best choice of words. what i mean is the maximum weight i can do for at least 4 reps each time. if i exceed 8 reps, i usually add more weight, and that happens all the time now. the weight never decreases as sets progress anymore. i think part of it is mental too. 2 minute rests in between sets are best, and most of the time i sit down and tell myself that adding 5 more pounds wont change anything, ill still pump out one more rep if it kills me... plus some angry music helps too.

every once in a while i DO max out and just see how much weight i can handle on any given exercise. ive definitely noticed that less reps of more weight in that style preps your body for an overall increase in weight. im probably due for another bout of that too, its been a while.


Your work out looks like you're trying for a little bulk instead of tone

yes and no... its kind of a mixed bag. some days my workouts feel more like cardio because of the intensity. other days.. not so much. some days i absolutely pig out... other days not really. overall id say i do have a little more fat on me than id like, but i still do have reasonable definition too. im probably going to start a hard mountain bike routine for sundays, so that should help cut a little fat off. the one thing its always nice to have for summer is those awesome abs. mine are already good, but if i lost a little more fat... that would be great.


Remember size in a muscle is actually little tears in the muscle filling in the rips and healing together, that's why it's called getting "ripped".

yep, and thats why i always push so that i feel it the next day. if im sore the next day, i know im going to trigger growth.


Last but not least, remember your form

one of the hardest things to master too. although, some exercise force good form or else it hurts. squats for example force correct back posture or else you can tell you're doing something wrong. the only thing thats giving me trouble is the bench press, but i have my ways of making up for it. i just didnt realize my form was off for quite a while, so im still playing catch up on a couple muscles... shouldnt be long though.

my friend's dad (who happens to be the guy im working for right now) was actually talking about starting up at the gym again. he used to do the bodybuilding when he was my age. he was saying we should all join a proper gym and hed "whip is monkeys into shape". i kind of like that idea because right now i dont have a partner, and it would be nice to get a spot on a couple things to allow that extra bit of all-out lifting.

anyways... to each his own in the end. although the four day routine makes perfect sense, i like my five day one. i like working my arms the best too for the exact reason that they arent suppose to work on the same day. the pump you get on one muscle adds an extra level of difficulty for the other. i can really tell im getting something done that way.

[xRyokenx]

So, you getting around to making some jewelry? :D

(Won't be around to read the reply for a few days, fyi, away until late Friday or Saturday... I have one insane schedule at the moment, lol)