Daily News Archives
January 2009
01/31/2009 - Balancing work with training.
01/30/2009 - A bit more about the new Transformation Spotlight of the Month feature.
01/29/2009 - How have you done so far this year?
01/28/2009 - Big update on Sunday, then time off.
01/27/2009 - The "all or nothing" approach--right for you?
01/26/2009 - What's next?
01/25/2009 - BULK IS OVER! Final end of bulk statistics.
01/24/2009 - 3 more personal records set yesterday; New photo; Steroids.
01/23/2009 - More personal records fall; New photos; Last bulking workout today.
01/22/2009 - First real test of the new servers.
01/21/2009 - Two more personal records smashed!
01/20/2009 - Training the mind for success; February "100 Challenge" open for entry.
01/19/2009 - Shoulder is hurting, but I'm going to battle on.
01/18/2009 - Sunday stats; One week of bulking to go.
01/17/2009 - A couple new PRs; Building the side delts.
01/16/2009 - Post-bulk plans.
01/15/2009 - Don't lose focus!
01/14/2009 - Another bench press PR; What is a "bodybuilder" bench press?
01/13/2009 - Leg day; Shocking comparison photos.
01/12/2009 - New feature: Transformation Spotlight of the Month!
01/11/2009 - Weekly stats; Just two weeks of bulking left to go!
01/10/2009 - Delts workout; Balance; New photo.
01/09/2009 - Back/biceps workout report; New photo; Getting started at JSF.
01/08/2009 - A bit on the mental aspect of making a transformation.
01/07/2009 - 300 pound bench press attempt; New PR.
01/06/2009 - Special update: The six year anniversary of my transformation and JSF.
01/05/2009 - Happy New Year, now let's get to work.
01/04/2009 - Importance of tracking your progress; Weekly stats.
01/03/2009 - New Delts/traps/calves workout; New video.
01/02/2009 - New back/biceps workout; New photo.
01/01/2009 - Happy New Year; Monthly Photos (huge update!)
January 31, 2009
It sure feels good to be off from work for an entire week. In addition to my usual day-to-day duties as Network Administrator, for the past few months I've been working on several other major projects for work. One of the reasons I'm pretty good at what I do for a living is the same reason I've had success with my ongoing transformation: I tend to be very single-minded, focused and determined when I have a task in front of me. This intense focus is a double-edged sword. It has been challenging at times to balance my work life with my training. I tend to get very wrapped up in what I'm doing, and if I'm working on a problem it takes a good deal of self-discipline for me to tear away from it. Often I'd have to force myself to stop what I was working on and go lift. I can't tell you how many times I was frustrated with a problem, only to have the solution present itself immediately after training. It's amazing how exercise can clear one's mind; I think employers who understand this and support their employees who exercise and live a healthy lifestyle are very wise to do so. I'm lucky in that respect because my bosses and co-workers seem to understand all of this. Of course they remember the "old" me, and have witnessed my ongoing transformation firsthand. When I was hired I was obese, out of shape, a chain smoker, a heavy drinker and a pothead. Over the years I've managed to overcome all of those things, and adopting a healthy diet and performing regular exercise is what allowed me to do so. Thankfully this fact was was not lost on my employers.
OK, enough about work! Tomorrow's daily news update will be a big one, but it will also be my final update until I return from vacation in one week (February 9th). Enjoy your Saturday, and I'll see you tomorrow!
January 30, 2009
It's the Friday before my week off from everything (work, training and updating this site), and I feel great! I am so ready for a nice break...
I'm very excited about Sunday's big update: I'll have my end of bulk photographs (and certainly a few comparison shots), the February "100 Challenge" will kick off (it's not too late to enter--see the details immediately below today's update!), and the February 2009 TSM (Transformation Spotlight of the Month) will be posted.
Speaking of the new Transformation Spotlight of the Month feature, I have received 100% positive feedback since it kicked off earlier this month. I don't think I've ever done something on this site with unanimous approval! I'm extremely pleased that everyone is enjoying this new feature. I agree--it's a wonderful addition to JSF, and I want to again thank forum member "J_W" for suggesting it and working with me to make it something unqiue and special. I think you all are really going to enjoy the February TSM. The individual that I selected returned his interview questions yesterday, and I found his story to be an extremely detailed, well-written, fascinating, honest and humble account of his very inspiring transformation.
As we move forward with the new TSM feature, my goal is to continue to present a wide-variety of transformations that will inspire, educate and enlighten. Dramatic fat loss transformations, such as the incredible January 2009 TSM (CA$ON), are only one type of transformation you can expect to see in the coming months.
Well, I'm off to eat breakfast. Thanks for stopping by--happy Friday!
January 29, 2009
January is coming to an end, and now is a great time to take a good, honest look at your progress so far this year. Have you been working hard, sticking to your plan and doing everything you said you would do to reach your goals? If the answer to that question is "no", then I'd like you to think about a few things...
Summer may seem a long way off right now, but it really is not. Consider how quickly January passed--it's already all but gone now. February is a very short month, then suddenly we're into March and April and the next thing you know it's Summer 2009! You can make a tremendous amount of progress over the next few months, but you can't put it off any longer! Back in 2003 I lost 55 pounds in about five months. Five months is nothing, but you make make incredible, life-altering changes if you give it your all.
So, if you slipped up in January and are feeling discouraged, then there's only one thing to do: put all that behind you and start fresh RIGHT NOW. Do not wait, do not dwell on past mistakes and do not get down on yourself. You can do it!
January 28, 2009
I've got a very busy day ahead because my vacation from work actually starts tomorrow! I normally don't update JSF while I'm on holiday, but I've decided to continue with the daily updates through February 1st. The reason for this is because there are a number of things happening here at JSF on the first of the month: the February 100 Challenge starts, the February Transformation Spotlight of the Month will be posted and, of course, I need to post my monthly progress photos (which also happen to be my end of bulk photos!)
So this Sunday's update should be a pretty big one, and it will also be my final update until I return from my vacation on Monday, February 9th. I'll be taking next week off from everything: no lifting, no work and no updating the site. The past four months have been pretty intense and relentless on quite a few fronts, so I really need some time to decompress a bit and mentally prepare for my upcoming cut down to 6% body fat. I'm excited about my cut, but I also realize that there are many significant challenges ahead. Meeting these challenges is going to require laser-like focus, strict discipline and 100% dedication. I'll need to be at the top of my game to reach my goal, and so I'll be reflecting on those things and visualizing my success over the next few weeks. When March 2, 2009 arrives I'll be ready.
January 27, 2009
Aside from Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners I have not had a "cheat" meal in four months. Even my Christmas and Thanksgiving meals were not horrible--mostly meats, potatoes and vegetables. So last night I was thinking, "Well, my bulk is over I suppose I could have pizza or something if I want to." The funny thing is, I honestly didn't want pizza, barbecue or Chinese food (which are my usual "go to" cheat meals). I seem to have lost my craving for junk food. Not only do those foods make me feel bloated and horrible, I always sleep very poorly after consuming junk food.
What I find interesting is that before my bulk my diet was far from clean, and--despite how bad junk food made me feel--I was still craving that crap all the time. Not too long after I forced myself to return to a 100% clean, all-natural diet (with no cheats) my cravings for junk food completely disappeared. I know some people say the "all or nothing" approach doesn't work for them, but I also see a lot of those people (not everyone, of course) who choose to indulge once or twice per week fall completely off the wagon. Staying 100% strict with my diet always puts me in a very strong place mentally, and makes things very cut and dried. While the "all or nothing" approach may seem difficult at first, in time it becomes second nature. Of course I'm not talking about never indulging again; I'm talking about being completely strict while actively cutting or bulking.
Think about this carefully, and be honest with yourself: If you think you require cheat meals to stay "sane", but also never seem to reach your goals, then perhaps it's time for a new approach. There is something very satisfying about waking up each morning and knowing that the day before you did everything in your power to further your progress. You'll start to crave that feeling, trust me. That's the sort of craving that you want to nurture, not cravings for things that take you further from your goals. Once you get to that place nothing can stop you.
When I cut down to 6% body fat (starting on March 2) I'm going to be 100% strict with my diet and training--NO CHEATS. For me, that is the sort of atmosphere that cultivates success. I know that I will reach my goal because in my mind I've already done it.
No matter what approach you take, there can never be any doubt in your mind. Self-doubt is a cancer, and when it exists you don't stand a chance. Stay positive, stay confident and stay focused!
January 26, 2009
If you missed yesterday's update, it was a big one! I finished my 17 week bulk, and yesterday's update contained all kind of stats, facts and figures along with a new video showing some of my extended 2008 bulking progress. You can check it all out here.
I want to sincerely thank everyone for their emails, PMs and posts congratulating me on the successful completion of my bulk. It feels fantastic to be back in shape after slipping a bit in the first three quarters of 2008!
So, what's next? Well, my immediate plans are as follows: This week I'll be eating my regular bulking diet and doing relatively light workouts. The first week in February I'm on vacation from everything (and I do mean everything): I'm off from work, and I will not be lifting or updating this site. I will enjoy a somewhat relaxed diet during my week off, but won't go crazy. During the final three weeks of February I will be eating the same foods that I ate while bulking, but my daily caloric intake will be reduced slightly to maintenance levels. My cut will start on Monday, March 2, 2009. My cutting goal for 2009 is to get down to 6% body fat while retaining as much lean mass and strength as possible. As I did for my 2007 cut down to 6% body fat, once again I am excited to be working with my friend, Official Forum Sponsor and professional natural bodybuilder Aram "Mastover" Hamparian.
Aram normally does not allow his customized diet and training programs to be publicly posted (for obvious reasons), however I realize that many of you are very interested in checking out these aspects of my ongoing transformation. I was not comfortable with removing these very important parts of my site again (as I did in 2006); it was for this reason I was afraid that Aram and I would not be able to work together this year. I'm happy to report, however, that Aram and I have come to a special agreement that will allow me to post my complete 2009 cutting diet and training program! I'll post more on this subject in the weeks to come.
I'd better get to work. Train hard, and have a great day!
January 25, 2009
My extended 2008 bulk is finally over, and I feel that it was my most sucessful bulk to date--but maybe not for the reasons you think...
While adding muscle was my primary goal, I also knew this bulk represented a critical juncture in my fitness journey. I desperately needed to get back on track after the year prior, during which I was uncharacteristically inconsistent with my training and diet. I won't prattle on about all the things that were going on in my life during that time, because when all is said and done none of that matters. The reality of the situation is I could have done a much better job of balancing those things with the fitness side of my life, and saying anything else would be an excuse. Well, I'm not in the "excuse" business; I deal in results. Getting back on track was not easy, especially at first, but I stuck with it and made it happen.
Over the past four months I have firmly returned to the levels of consistency and dedication that I know I'm capable of; if you ask me that is the biggest triumph of my 2008 bulk.
Instead of my usual weekly stats, today I'll be presenting a detailed look at the progress I've made over the past 17 weeks.
My scale weight this morning, and my end of bulk weight, is 220.2 pounds and my final body fat reading for this bulk is 13.8% (as measured by the Fat Track PRO Digital Body Fat Calipers).
I've created a chart that shows my various gains over the past 17 weeks. All tape measurements were taken with the MyoTape while "cold" (no pump) and flexed:
| 2008 BULK TOTAL GAINS |
START [Sep 28 2008] |
FINISH [Jan 25 2009] |
DIFFERENCE |
| Weight (lbs) | 195 lbs | 220.2 lbs | +25.2 lbs |
| Body Fat % | 11.8% | 13.8% | +2% |
| Lean Mass (lbs) | 171.99 lbs | 189.81 lbs | +17.82 lbs |
| Fat (lbs) | 23.01 lbs | 30.39 lbs | +7.38 lbs |
| Waist | 32.5" | 34" | +1.5" |
| Hips | 38.25" | 41" | +2.75" |
| Forearms | 12.75" | 13.75" | +1" |
| Arms | 16" | 18" | +2" |
| Thighs | 23.75" | 26.5" | +2.75" |
| Calves | 16" | 17.25" | +1.25" |
| Chest | 42" | 44.5" | +2.5" |
Average weekly and monthly gains:
| 2008 BULK AVERAGE GAINS |
TOTAL WEIGHT | LEAN MASS | BODY FAT |
| Weekly | 1.48 Pounds | 1.05 Pounds | 0.43 Pounds |
| Monthly (31 days) | 6.56 Pounds | 4.64 Pounds | 1.92 Pounds |
Here are some fairly interesting facts that demonstrate the level of consistency I've managed to maintain over the past four months:
| MISC FACTS |
PLANNED | ACTUAL | NOTES |
| Workouts | 68 | 67 | 1 missed: Nov 17, 2008 (pulled back muscle). |
| Meals | 702 | 702 | Perfect! No missed meals, no meals off plan. |
| Cheat Meals | 2 | 2 | Perfect! Only Thanksgiving & Christmas cheats, as planned. |
| Alcohol | 0 | 0 | Perfect! No alcohol consumed. |
I ate a lot of food over the past 17 weeks:
| FOOD CONSUMPTION |
AMOUNT CONSUMED |
| Whole Eggs | 238 Eggs |
| Egg Whites | 2,296 Fluid Ounces |
| Shrimp & Fish | 50.75 Pounds |
| Ground Beef/Steak | 50.75 Pounds |
| Chicken Breasts | 50.75 Pounds |
| Nitrean Protein Powder | 13.42 Pounds |
| Red Potatoes | 196.88 Pounds |
| Brown Rice | 178.5 Cups |
| Sweet Potatoes | 50.75 Pounds |
| Salad Greens | 238 Cups |
| Broccoli | 119 Cups |
| Olive Oil | 14.88 Cups |
| Natural Peanut Butter | 8.4 Pounds |
| TOTAL CALORIES (est) | 385,413 Calories |
I enjoyed putting these statistics together this morning; I hope I'm not the only one who found them interesting because it took forever!
Here's a video I made this morning that shows some of the progress I made on this bulk:
I'm going to go relax and take the rest of the day off!
January 24, 2009
Yesterday I completed the final workout of my bulk, and it was a great one! This past week has been difficult (I'm pretty tired and beat up after 17 weeks of bulking), but I felt a surge of adrenaline with the finish line finally just ahead. I broke my all-time best OHP (overhead press), standing DB lateral and bent over DB lateral personal records. Breaking those records was a very satisfying way to end what I feel has been my most successful bulk ever.
I took one final bulking progress photograph after my workout. It's a delts and traps shot.
The subject of steroids was (tactfully) broached in my journal last night. Look, I'll be the first to admit that results like these...
...in less than four months time are not typical for a natural trainee. For the record, I want to unequivocally state (again) that I do not--nor have I ever--used any kind of steroids or growth hormones. I discuss this subject as it relates to the progress I've made on this bulk in detail here.
I'll be back tomorrow morning with all my post-bulk stats, facts and figures!
January 23, 2009
Yesterday I was really in the mood to deadlift heavy, so I changed my workout around. I moved the deadlifts from the end of my workout to the beginning of the workout and did 3 sets of 6-8 using very heavy weight. I went for my all-time best personal record, but didn't quite hit it. I came very close, though, and that felt great--especially because I've not done heavy deads in over a month.
I also decided to do heavy bent over barbell rows instead of the T-bar rows. I set a new personal record on the barbell rows, and I also set a personal record on the lat pull downs and the ez-bar curls. These past few weeks my old personal records have been falling left and right. This is definitely the strongest I've ever been in my life.
I took a new bicep progress photo after my workout, and I also created a comparison showing my arm progress over the past two months. This morning it occurred to me that I took an arm shot at the very beginning of my bulk, so I just created a new comparison that shows my complete arm progress over the past 17 weeks (16.75" to almost 19", pumped). I posted it a couple of posts after the one I just linked to, but here's the direct link.
Today is the last official workout (delts/calves/traps) of my bulk. Last week I set new personal records on the OHP, DB laterals and bent-over DB laterals, and later today I'm going to finish off my bulk my breaking every one of those records again.
I'll report on my final bulking workout tomorrow morning, and on Sunday morning expect a huge update with all my end of bulk stats. Of course on the following Sunday (February 1st) I'll take my usual monthly progress photos before going on vacation.
Happy Friday!
January 22, 2009
We finally had the first real test of the powerful new JSF servers yesterday! On January 21, 2009 JSF and the JSF forums received just over 10,000,000 (ten million) hits, over 60,000 unique visitors and served up just shy of a half million pages. While this was not record-breaking traffic for this site, it would have brought the old servers to their knees in a hurry. I'm pleased to report that the new servers easily handled the load. In fact, they barely even seemed to notice: the CPU load averages scarcely changed, and were well below the points where performance would be affected. I wouldn't have even noticed the traffic had I not seen our bandwidth usage spike to near 45mbps. After seeing the old servers crash and burn every time we had a significant surge in traffic, I can't tell you how satisfying it was to see that kind of demand met with a digital yawn, and CPU load averages that basically said, "Is that all you got?"
In the past when the servers were slammed with extremely high traffic it was stressful for me, and frustrating for the people trying to access the site. Yesterday was not only stress-free, it was highly enjoyable to see the new servers meeting the high demand so effortlessly. Clearly the new servers were an excellent investment. My sincere thanks goes out to everyone who has supported this site over the years. Members like you not only keep JSF and the JSF forums running, but you also help fund significant hardware and software purchases that benefit everyone.
I still can't believe that tomorrow will be the final workout of my 17-week bulk. What an incredible adventure the past four months have been! I'm very much looking forward to compiling all the stats, facts and figures from my bulk and then posting a big update on Sunday morning. I've got some interesting/unique stats in mind for the update, so be sure and check it out!
January 21, 2009
With my right shoulder acting up, yesterday's workout (chest/triceps) was a bit of a concern. Thankfully my shoulder did not protest at all during my many bench press warm-up sets, and so I proceeded with my heavy working sets as usual...
Yesterday was my very last chest/triceps bulking workout, so I decided to attempt a couple of PRs. I added 5 pounds to my flat bench press and broke my all-time best personal record for the fourth consecutive week! I've now added a total of 30 pounds to my previous all-time best bench press record (for three sets of 10-12 reps), and I've done it at 17 pounds less bodyweight (219 pounds now vs. 236 pounds in 2006 when I set the old PR). I also broke my all-time best incline bench press PR yesterday.
I am very, very happy with how the final week of my bulk is going so far. I'll be honest, it has been a struggle. As I mentioned yesterday, I've been feeling pretty tired and beat up after 17 weeks of very hard, very intense training. Yesterday was no exception. I've had to dig deep to make these last couple of workouts worthy send-offs to my best bulk yet.
I've got today off from training, and I'm very happy about that. I need the rest because Thursday and Friday are my final two bulking workouts (with the exception of my supplemental traps workout on Sunday), and I've got to make them great.
January 20, 2009
Yesterday was the final leg workout of my 17 week bulk, and I am very satisfied with how it went. For some reason I was feeling a bit lethargic in the hours leading up to the workout, so I had to force myself to get in the gym. I got plenty of sleep the night before, so I don't know why I was feeling tired. Well, actually that's not true. I think 17 weeks of high intensity workouts are catching up to me.
Anyway, I cranked up the music and got my blood flowing with several high rep warm-up sets of squats. After feeling so tired all day, I was a little surprised by how strong I felt on the final squat warm-up set. I decided to add 10 pounds to last week's squat working weight. The next three heavy sets snapped me back to life in a hurry. When I finished the last set I felt incredibly good, and I wound up having an amazing workout.
Over the years I can't even count the number of times I didn't feel like working out, but wound up having an incredible training session after forcing myself to get in the gym. I can't stress the following statement enough: your ability to master the mental aspect of this "game" is ultimately going to determine your success or failure. Working out when you feel like training is easy--anyone can do that. None of us are machines, but if you want to reach your goal then you've got to have the mental discipline to execute your plan as if you were a machine. Lack of self-discipline is what quickly thins the herd of well-intentioned resolutioners. Each of us is presented with choices that affect our health all day, every day: eat this or that, workout or watch TV, go to sleep or stay up and have a beer, and so on... It helps me to stop thinking of all those things as choices; staying true to my plan is something that I simply must do, no matter how I'm feeling. It's very satisfying to do the right thing. Over time you'll start to crave the incredible feeling of satisfaction that comes with being disciplined about your health and fitness. The trick to getting to that place is fighting through the early stages in which you are unlearning bad habits and programming your mind for success.
I've opened the February 2009 "100 Challenge" for entry. Details are immediately below...
Registration for the February 2009 "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EST) on February 1, 2009 if you plan to participate--NO EXCEPTIONS! To participate, you must be a member of the forum. If you are not a member, simply create a free account. It can take up to 24 hours for your account to be activated, so don't wait until the last minute to register! For all the details, official rules and sample entry data, just head over to the February 2009 "100 Challenge" thread on the forum. If you are ready to work hard and want to challenge yourself in a fun and competitive environment, then please take part!
January 19, 2009
This is it: week 17 of my 17 week bulk starts today! I've mentioned in passing a couple of times that my body is feeling pretty brutalized from the past 16 weeks of non-stop intense training, but the full story is my right shoulder (among other things) is smarting pretty bad right now. Thankfully the shoulder is not hurting the same way it has in the past. Back in 2004 the pain was such that it was impossible to lift. For example, if I stood in a doorway and tried when raise my arms to the side, a very small amount of pressure was all I could take. This time I can do the "door" test with no issues. The pain is most acute when I raise my arm overhead, but that debilitating "weakness" is not there. So, thankfully, I am able to lift. Even heavy overhead presses and bench presses are possible, so long as I do plenty of warmup sets. That said, I'm glad that a week-long break from lifting is on the near horizon. I need it.
The interesting thing is that what aggravated my shoulder was not weight training; it was washing my car. I am going to have to do a better job of using my left arm to polish, because that movement seems to really hurt my right shoulder.
I want to be clear that I am not advocating that anyone ignore injury or pain. Yes, it is appropriate to fight through certain injuries and some kinds of nagging pain, but
if you are a beginner you should always err on the side of caution. If in doubt, always see a doctor. As you gain experience you will start to have a pretty good
feel for what you can get away with and what you can't. I've been dealing with my shoulder problems for six years now, and so I understand the difference between
"uncomfortable" and "you need to stop". That said, there is always risk involved when fighting through injury. That risk is something that I am
keenly aware of. In other words, don't lecture me about it--my choice to complete this final week is made. 
January 18, 2009
It's time for my Sunday measurements and weekly progress update!
My scale weight this morning is 218.8 pounds, and that is a .8 pound gain over the past week.
My total scale weight gain on this bulk (after completing 16 of 17 weeks) is 23.8 pounds, which is an average weekly gain of 1.49 pounds. The week before last I added 2.2 pounds, so looking at the past two weeks as a whole I'm right in there with a 1.5 pound average gain over the past two weeks.
My body fat reading this morning is once again 13.6% (as measured by the Fat Track PRO Digital Body Fat Calipers). That is identical to last week's measurement.
This week's tape measurements (as measured by the MyoTape) show that I've added yet another quarter inch to my quads, along with a quarter inch to my hips and waist. I can't imagine that my hips or waist measurement will increase again over the final week of my bulk, so I'm pretty sure these two measurements are going to wind up being my final "end of bulk" numbers. My waist measurement is 34 inches right now, and that's a whopping 2.5 inches less than it was at the end of my 2006 bulk! My hips are also measuring a full inch less than they were at the end of my 2006 bulk. I'm getting ahead of myself, though: next Sunday is the final day of my bulk, so a week from today I'll present a detailed rundown of my 2008 bulk with more stats than you probably care to read.
Here is my total tape progress sixteen weeks into my bulk: I've added over 1 inch to my forearms, over 2 inches to my arms, 2.75 inches to my quads, 1.25 inches to my calves, 2.75 inches to my hips/glutes and over 2.5 inches to my chest. My waist size has increased just 1.5 inches over the past sixteen weeks.
All my stats, past and present, can always be found on the stats page.
Well, this is it--the final week of my bulk starts tomorrow! I'm tired and I'm aching, but I'm going to put my head down and charge full speed ahead until I cross the finish line. I'm looking forward to a great week of intense workouts as I wrap this one up.
January 17, 2009
I had an incredibly good delts/traps/calves workout yesterday! I broke my standing OHP (overhead press) personal record (for reps, three sets of 12/10/9), I broke my standing DB lateral PR (triple drop sets, first set was the PR) and I broke my bent-over DB lateral PR (for reps, three sets of 12/12/12).
Right now I'm doing the DB laterals with very strict form, and dropping the weight 10 pounds per drop (no rest between drops, of course). DB laterals are a great exercise for working the medial (side) delts, and doing them in triple drop set fashion will really force them to grow. Having a set of well-developed side delts is very important if you want your shoulders to have a nice three dimensional canon ball shape. When I do strict form DB laterals I bring the DBs up to just past shoulder height; as I raise the weight I rotate my thumbs slightly downward (as if I were pouring a pitcher of water); I keep a slight bend in my elbows, and at the top of the movement I pause and squeeze my delts hard; finally, I bring the dumbbells down to my side slowly and under complete control. By the end of the final triple drop set it is extremely difficult to lift my arms. Make sure you take your shirt off before you do these or after your workout you'll be showering with your shirt on.
I am so glad that the weekend is finally here. I'm supposed to clean the house this morning, but I'm blowing it off. I'm badly in need of some rest and relaxation, so that's what I'm going to do!
January 16, 2009
My body is telling me that it's time for a break. After 16 weeks of non-stop, extremely intense and brutal workouts I am really starting to feel the cumulative effects. I'm dealing with quite a few nagging aches and pains that, while not serious, are not exactly pleasant, either. A week completely off from training will do wonders for me. Here's the plan...
Next week is the final week of my bulk (my bulk ends on Sunday, January 25th). The week after my bulk (January 26 - February 1) I will lift, but I'm going to do fairly low volume workouts, and back off on the intensity levels quite a bit. I will continue to eat my bulking diet during this "transition" week. On Monday, February 2, 2009 I will be taking a week off from pretty much everything: I'm taking a week of vacation from work and a week off from updating this site. I also won't be doing any weight training during this week. I will resume training and updates to the site on Monday, February 9, 2009.
After I return from my vacation I will enjoy a somewhat relaxed diet for the remainder of February and will be doing comparatively light workouts. By "somewhat relaxed" diet, I mean that I'll allow myself one cheat meal per week, and some popcorn on the weekends. I will continue to abstain from alcohol. I am going to start my cut on Monday, March 2, 2009. While I'm cutting I will not be having any cheat meals, and there will be no alcohol. Once again I'll be working with my good friend (and now JSF sponsor!) Mastover, and this is something I'm very excited about. I will approach this cut with the same attitude that I had for my current bulk: 100% consistency, no excuses and unwavering dedication. I will execute Mastover's plan like a machine; by this summer my hard work will pay off, and I'll get to hit the beaches with the best physique of my life.
I've got a lot of work to do today, so I'd better wrap this up and get back to it. Thanks for stopping by--happy Friday!
January 15, 2009
I can't believe there are just six workouts remaining in my bulk (plus one supplemental traps workout). The past four months have flown by in what seems like an instant! Four months may not seem like a lot of time, but drastic changes are possible in a relatively short period of time as long as you are wiling to make your fitness goals a top priority. I, along with hundreds and hundreds of other JSF forum members and visitors, have proven this fact time and time again.
It's sad that as we move further into the new year many of you reading this will quietly allow your resolution for improved health and a better body to wither and die. Those of you who give up will spend yet another year dealing with sub-optimal health (or much worse), and another year trapped in a body you can't stand to look at. Why?! You don't have to be one of those people. If you work hard and refuse to give in to your old bad habits, by this summer you will be enjoying greatly increased health, energy, stamina and strength--and you'll be enjoying those things in a body you are proud of. You really can do it, so do not give up. We are here to support you. Create a free account on the forum, jump in, get involved and change your life! One of the best ways to stay on track is to create your very own journal or blog on the forum, and update it regularly. If you don't know where to start, then give these threads a read. Stay focused and stay positive!
January 14, 2009
Last night was my chest and triceps workout, and I smashed my flat bench press record (for reps) once again! I added five pounds to last week's lift (also a PR), and managed 12/10/9 reps. I wanted to get that 10th rep on the last set more than anything, but I just couldn't make it happen. The weight "stuck" about halfway up on the last rep and I pushed, yelled, screamed and spit fire; after what felt like a year-long battle for those last few inches, my muscles completely failed and the bar came crashing down on the safety spotters.
Those last few reps--the ones you have to really fight for--are those ones that get the most results. That final rep probably did more for me than all the other reps combined. I always keep this in mind when I'm lifting.
I would like to point out that I do my bench presses using "bodybuilder" form. A powerlifter is concerned with moving as much weight as possible, and the way he or she performs the bench press is completely different than the way most bodybuilders do it.
So what is a "bodybuilding" bench press? I grip the bar pretty wide (my pinkies are just inside the rings on the bar), my back is arched, my shoulder blades are pinched together and my elbows flare out as I lower the weight. I do not rush the reps; I lower the weight slow and controlled (about 3 seconds) and press the weight up a little quicker than that. I stop just short of lock out and then squeeze my pecs HARD. Form is critical here--especially because flaring the elbows out tends to put a lot more stress on the shoulders compared to keeping them tucked.
If you are mainly lifting for hypertrophy, the general idea is to always make the lift as difficult as possible so the muscles will be forced to adapt and grow. In general (sometimes a few of these "cheats" have their place) if you are cheating by using momentum, not using good form, ignoring the mind/muscle connection, bypassing the hard squeeze between the concentric and eccentric phases and not performing full reps, then you are only cheating yourself out of potential gains. You know when I started making my best progress? When I learned to check my ego and reduce the amount of weight I was using so I could perform my lifts as I just described.
I've got today off from training, and I'm happy to take it because my legs, glutes, chest and triceps are all quite sore this morning.
I think that's going to wrap it up for this morning's update. Remember: today is anther opportunity to get one step closer to your goals--don't waste it! Train hard, and stay focused!
January 13, 2009
The feedback I've received regarding the new Transformation Spotlight of the Month feature (launched yesterday) has been 100% positive! I think unanimous approval over a change to this site or the forum is a first, so that's pretty cool! I've decided to feature the current spotlight all month long just below my daily news update, so new members and visitors will have easy access to these inspirational success stories.
As some of you may recall, I pulled a muscle in my lower back around the halfway point of my bulk. Yesterday was leg day, and I'm happy to report that once again I went very heavy on my squats with no protests from my lower back.
You know, I usually feel great after any weight training workout, but there's something about completing a brutal leg workout that puts the post-workout rush a couple notches
above everything else. It's indescribable. I truly feel sorry for people who don't lift weights and never get to experience the natural euphoria that most of us enjoy 4 or 5 times a
week. I suppose having a good body is a nice benefit as well.
Last night I posted a new picture in my journal. Actually it's a "new old" picture: I took this particular picture after my very first back workout of this year's bulk. I didn't have the nerve to post the photo because I was embarrassed and disappointed with myself when I saw just how much size, strength and definition I'd lost over the past year. Well, 15 weeks of hard work and dedication have whipped me back into peak shape, and so I'm finally posting that embarrassing picture alongside a current picture to show the progress I've made on this bulk. I think it's important to note that the body doesn't forget: if you let things slide, don't give up! With hard work, it's pretty amazing how muscle memory will allow you to return to your former self in a relatively short period of time. I've never worked harder in my life than I have over the past 15 weeks, but when I look at the difference between these two pictures even I have to admit that the difference is pretty crazy.
January 12, 2009
The big news this morning is a brand new feature that I'm very excited about. This new feature is called the "Transformation Spotlight of the Month".
First and foremost, I want to thank Christy ("J_W") for suggesting this new feature. Christy was not only responsible for the genesis of this terrific idea, she also worked with me over a period of several weeks to develop, shape and refine it.
So, what is the "Transformation Spotlight of the Month"? It is a means of recognizing outstanding JSF transformations of all kinds. The word "transformation" is used in a very loose sense here; it can mean fat loss, muscle gain, quitting smoking, overcoming chronic health problems or serious injury, getting off drugs and/or alcohol, triumphing over disease and so on...
I want to be clear that the "Transformation Spotlight of the Month" is NOT a contest or a competition.
I hope you'll find this new feature interesting, inspiring and uplifting!
For the January 2009 TSM I've selected forum member CA$ON. Just one short year ago Chris weighed 275 pounds and was in poor health. It would have been easy for him to look down the long and difficult road ahead of him and give up, but instead he stood up and began moving forward. A year and almost 100 pounds later, he is a changed man and an inspiration. You can do it, too!
January 11, 2009
OK, it's Sunday and time to evaluate my progress over the past week...
My scale weight this morning is 218.0 pounds, which is a 2.2 pound gain over the past week.
My total scale weight gain on this bulk (after 15 of 17 weeks) is 23 pounds. That's an average weekly gain of 1.53 pounds, so this week's weight gain was definitely above my average. 2.2 pounds is clearly a bit on the high side, but fluctuations of a pound or two are quite normal--especially at 218 pounds. My diet has been absolutely perfect, but I don't take any special care when it comes to sodium intake. In other words, I salt my foods as much as I like. Something Mastover said awhile back really stuck with me: "A wet cell is an anabolic cell."
My body fat reading this morning is 13.6% (as measured by the Fat Track PRO Digital Body Fat Calipers). That is a .3% increase over last week's measurement of 13.3%. So, with a 2.2 pound total weight gain over the past week that means I put on 1.26 pounds of lean mass and .94 pounds of fat.
This week's tape measurements (as measured by the MyoTape) show that I've added another quarter inch to my quads and another quarter inch to my calves. My arms, forearms and chest showed increases over last week's measurements, but not a full quarter of an inch (I always round down for my "official" measurements) My waist and hip measurements did not change this week.
Here is my total tape progress fifteen weeks into my bulk: I've added over 1 inch to my forearms, over 2 inches to my arms, 2.5 inches to my quads, 1.25 inches to my calves and over 2.5 inches to my chest. My waist size has increased just 1.25 inches over the past fifteen weeks.
All my stats, past and present, can always be found on the stats page.
Well, there are only two weeks left to go in my bulk. I predict that I'm going to finish up around 221 pounds and 14% body fat (190 pounds of lean mass and 31 pounds of fat). That's a huge improvement over my last bulk, which I completed at 236 pounds and 19% body fat (191 pounds of lean mass and 45 pounds of fat. 14 pounds of fat would take me an extra couple of months of cutting to shed, so obviously I'm quite pleased about such a big improvement in that area. I also feel that the muscle I've added is better proportioned than it ever has been, and my overall symmetry is much improved compared to any time in the past. I think once I finish cutting down to 6% body fat the true results of this bulk are going to become apparent.
I'm planning to launch an exciting new feature that I've been working on tomorrow morning. Don't miss it!
January 10, 2009
I had an excellent delts/traps/calves workout last night! I knew after my first set that it was going to be a great workout: I added 10 pounds to my overhead press and got the same reps as last week, breaking my all-time best personal record. I'm finally putting up respectable numbers for my body weight on the standing overhead barbell press, and that feels really good!
My shoulders have come a long way on this bulk. Early in my transformation I didn't train my shoulders nearly as hard as I should have, and so I've been playing catch up the past couple of years. Back in the early years of my transformation I wanted big arms more than anything else, and so I put an inordinate amount of my energy into pursuing that particular goal. Well, I got my big arms alright, but they looked ridiculous attached to my weak, undeveloped shoulders. I urge those of you who are just beginning not to make the same mistake that I did; work all muscle groups with equal intensity and effort. I understand the desire to get big (speaking to those who are lifting for hypertrophy), but as you work towards that goal I strongly suggest that you always strive for balance and symmetry.
Speaking of delts, I posted a new delts progress photo in my journal last night.
I think I'm going to take advantage of the nice weather and wash my car this morning, followed by a top-down drive. I'll be back tomorrow morning with my weekly measurements and progress report. I can't believe there are only two weeks left to go on my bulk!
January 9, 2009
I had an excellent back/biceps workout yesterday (here's the actual workout I'm currently doing). I added 10 pounds to every back exercise, and 5 pounds to all the biceps exercises.
The dumbbell pullovers with 6-8 second negatives that I have in this workout are very intense, and an extremely effective lat-builder. Dumbbell pullovers also target the chest, but I've found them to be more effective as an upper back/lat exercise. The pullovers can be performed either during your back or your chest workout, and if you happen to be doing chest/back antagonistic supersets then working pullovers in is a no-brainer!
I took a new back/bicep progress photo after my workout and posted it in my photo journal on the forum.
If you are new to training and/or new to this site and some of what you've just read sounds confusing, don't be discouraged! This site and the JSF Forums has resources available for trainees of all skill levels. You may wish to read my January 5, 2009 Daily news update for a brief primer on how you can use the resources here at JSF to help you reach your fitness goals.
I'd better get breakfast going and get to work. I've got a lot to accomplish today before my workout. Man, I sure am glad it's Friday. It's been a long, long week. Happy Friday!
January 8, 2009
I've been receiving a fair amount of positive feedback about Monday's update--particularly the section in which I discuss the power of visualization. I think a lot of people who start off the new year with good intentions end up failing to reach their goals because they don't respect how important the mental aspect of a transformation really is. Self-discipline is paramount to success, and one of the best ways I've found to stay focused is to keep those images of your future self so fresh in your mind that you can no longer accept looking any other way.
Remaining positive as you work towards your goal is absolutely critical. For example, when you look in the mirror and are not pleased with what you see, your thoughts can no longer be "I'm so fat, just look at me. I'll never lose this weight." Instead you've got to focus on the fact that you are actually doing something about it, and absolutely nothing is going to stop you. If you give up, that body you hate to look at in the mirror is what you're going to be stuck with. I find that a healthy dose of anger can be a positive thing. Get mad--fighting mad. Each day is another opportunity to improve and get closer to your goal. All those days add up, believe me. Take a look at my daily photographs from my initial transformation back in 2003. Each day there was a little improvement--often imperceptible--but one day I looked in the mirror and I had visible abs! There's nothing magical or special about what I did. Each and every person reading this has the ability to do the same, or far better. Don't ever lose sight of that fact, especially when you feel tempted to let things slide. You can do it!
January 7, 2009
Sorry about the unexpected outage yesterday morning from approximately 9:00 AM until 11:55 AM (EST). The core router at the datacenter where the JSF servers are located suffered a hardware failure. It took a few hours to isolate and replace the faulty hardware.
If you missed yesterday's update, it was a special one: yesterday was the six year anniversary of this web site, and my transformation! You can check out the update here.
Yesterday I had a record-breaking chest/triceps workout. I added 10 more pounds to my bench press (last week I set an all-time personal best for 3 sets of 10-12 reps), and did three sets of 12/11/10 reps (with one minute rest between sets), breaking my PR once again!
Those of you who have been visiting this site for any length of time know that I very rarely discuss the actual amount of weight I lift. I train for hypertrophy (muscle development) and not for strength, so the weights I use are nothing more than a means to and end. That said, the concept of "Progressive Training" is very important when it comes to just about any athletic endeavor. Simply put, Progressive Training is making improvements from one workout to the next. For those who train with weights, these improvements can come in the form of increased intensity, more reps, more weight, less rest and so on. I'm actually a very competitive person (especially with myself!), so when I head into the gym I get quite fired up about improving over my last performance.
Anyway, this is one of those rare instances in which I'm going to talk about the actual weight I'm using. As I just mentioned, I'm not a powerlifter and I don't train for strength, but I'm not weak, either; I enjoy the satisfaction that comes with moving a lot of iron a great deal. If it weren't for some old injuries (like my bum shoulders), I'd probably lean more towards the powerlifting camp. One lift I'm confident that I'm strong enough to perform is the 300 pound bench press. All the 1RM (1 Rep Max) Calculators predict success based on my working sets. Unfortunately my bad shoulders have prevented me from trying this lift in many years. Last night I decided to go for it. I warmed up with 20 reps using the bar, then 12 reps @ 135 pounds, then 6 reps @ 225 pounds (225 pounds was my working weight last week). I slapped on 40 more pounds and did 2 acclamation reps @ 265 pounds. The first rep went up very easy and the second rep went up with just a very brief stick at one point. I was thinking, "Man, just 35 more pounds? I got this!" I loaded up the bar with the full 300 pounds and rested/focused for about 4 minutes. When I was ready I got under the bar and lifted off with no problem--my shoulders felt fine; I began to lower the weight when suddenly my right shoulder made a "popping" noise and felt like it was going to explode. I had to bail out. Thankfully my shoulder seemed OK, so I added 10 pounds to last week's working sets and at least broke my working set PR again. So for everyone who's ever asked me "Hey man, what do you bench"... well, now you know (sorry if you're disappointed!)
Am I disappointed? Yeah, I have to admit that I am. I guess I should be thankful that I didn't blow my shoulder out and end my bulk over an "ego" lift.
I may have to try it again in a couple of weeks.
Thanks for stopping by--train hard!
January 6, 2009
I've got a red letter update today, but if you missed yesterday's update, please take a moment to read it--especially if you are just starting out on your fitness journey.
Today is a very special day for me: it was six years ago on this day that I started my transformation, and also the day that I began an extremely rudimentary version of this web site. It occurred to me back then (almost as an afterthought) that taking progress pictures every single day would be a useful means of noticing small changes from one day to the next, and would also make an interesting animation at the "end" of my transformation. I had no way of knowing at the time just how important that one seemingly insignificant choice would be...
For the first 479 days of my transformation I took front and profile progress pictures each and every single day without fail. During that time I dropped over 55 pounds of fat, added muscle, reduced my body fat from 30% to 8%, and transformed from an unhealthy, negative, reclusive, drug and alcohol abusing slob into the healthy, positive, outgoing and athletic man I'd long dreamed of becoming. People really responded to the daily photographs, food logs and daily updates. The web site slowly transformed along with my body, and became more popular than I ever could have imagined. If you are interested in reading about the early history of JSF and the JSF Forums, I posted a time line here.
Here is the animation of the first 371 daily pictures (requires Quicktime). These pictures were taken from January 6, 2003 through January 11, 2004.
A lot has changed since those early days. I've continued to learn, train and grow. Today I actually weigh more than I did in my "before" photograph, but that weight is muscle and not fat. For a more recent look at my transformation, I shot some video footage after my workout last Friday evening, and edited it into a sort of JSF promotional video by adding text, photographs and music. Here is the video (by the way, I made an unfortunate typo in the video, and put "January 3, 2003" as my start date. It should read "January 6, 2003"):
The video is also on my Youtube channel, so please feel free to rate it, comment on it, post it around and spread the word--let's help as many people as we can reach their fitness goals in 2009! The powerful new JSF servers can handle the load!
Also worth mentioning is that for six years now I've updated this site each and every single day without fail (with the exception of planned vacations). Further, I've never--not even once--missed my self-imposed deadline of updating this site by 9:00 AM each morning. This is something I'm proud of, but why is it significant to my health and fitness goals? Because I believe that if you make a commitment to do something, you do it--end of story. Once you begin to establish a pattern of always following through with your commitments, doing so becomes second nature; on the other hand, if you are someone who doesn't live up to your word, failure will become your habit. The choice I made six years ago to improve my health and appearance taught me a thing or two along the way about about commitment, dedication and not allowing myself to make excuses. I know those of you who stick with your programs will find that improvements to your health and appearance are just the beginning...
January 5, 2009
OK, the holidays are officially over. No more excuses: it's time to make good on your 2009 New Year's resolution. If you've ever promised yourself that you were going to get in shape and failed, I want you to forget about that. This year you will succeed, but you need to start believing in yourself right now.
Having made a successful major transformation myself, I know what it takes to make it happen. Before I talk about some of the things you need to do, I want you to pause for a moment right now and picture yourself with your ideal body relaxed and 100% confident on a crowded beach. Don't stop there: visualize yourself in all kinds of situations with your new body. There is no shame in doing this. Visualization is a powerful technique that really works. When I first started my transformation I visualized myself outside washing the car and mowing the lawn with no shirt on, ripped and with six-pack abs. Whenever I felt like skipping a workout or going off my diet, I replayed these powerful scenes in my mind. Six months after I started, I'd lost over 55 pounds of fat and I had a six-pack for the first time in my life. I can't describe what it felt like the first time I lived out these visualizations in real life. All it took was six months of hard work and dedication. Check out my monthly, weekly or even daily pictures (near the bottom of the page) to see what I accomplished in a relatively short period of time. You can do it, too.
Picturing yourself in your new body is important, but it's obviously not enough. You need knowledge and you need a plan. Without a plan your new body is just a fantasy. With a plan it's an obtainable goal. Maybe you've already done your homework and know exactly what you need to do; if so, then great! If you do not have a plan, then you need to come up with one right away. Here are some things I think everyone who wants to make a transformation should do:
SET A GOAL OR GOALS. Figure out exactly what you want to accomplish and write it down. Short term goals and long term goals are both very important. Do not skip this step! One of the best places to express your goal is in "public". Tell everyone you know what you are doing. I encourage you to create a free account on the forum and start a journal or blog. Get involved with our friendly community. Make friends, learn, ask questions and get inspired!
HAVE A PLAN. You've got the desire and the goal, so now what you need to do is come up with a plan that will allow you to get there. Start educating yourself by reading the "sticky" threads in the Beginner's forum (the threads that are "stuck" at the very top). Feel free to check out my own detailed food logs, my training routines, my photographs, and daily news archives. Come up with your own meal plans and a training programs. The JSF community can help you tweak your plans and answer any questions you might have, so please feel free to post if you are confused about something.
EXECUTE THE PLAN. Ah, this is the hard part. Are you ready to dig deep? What you are doing is not easy; your inner strength and character will be tested. Life throws things at us every day that separate those who are truly committed from those who are not. Those who refuse to make excuses and execute their plans with dedication and consistency will be successful--this is a fact. Take it one day at a time, and don't let negative thoughts enter your mind. Keep picturing yourself in your new body and remain focused like a laser on your goals.
Happy New Year, everyone! Now, let's get to work!
I shot some video footage after my workout Friday evening, and decided to edit it into a sort of JSF promotional video by adding text, photographs and music. I posted the video in my media journal here. I hope you enjoy it! The video is also on my Youtube channel, so please feel free to post it around and spread the word--let's help as many people as we can reach their fitness goals in 2009!
January 4, 2009
It's Sunday, and that means it's time to take my tape measurements and body fat reading, and evaluate my my progress over the past week.
Before I get to my personal weekly progress report, I'd like to mention to those of you who are just starting out just how important it is to track your progress along your fitness journey. There are a few inexpensive tools that I feel are indispensable to everyone who is working towards body recomposition goals: a digital camera (or even a camera phone), a bathroom scale, a quality soft tape (the MyoTape is fantastic) and a set of body fat calipers (I use the Fat Track PRO Digital Body Fat Calipers). These simple instruments will provide you with valuable information by alerting you to changes that are too small to notice in a bathroom mirror. Information is critical when it comes to making intelligent choices as you work towards your goals. All it takes is a few minutes once every week to measure your body fat level, take soft tape measurements, weigh yourself and snap a couple of progress photographs. Keep track your progress in a simple spreadsheet, or even a regular old notebook. I can't stress the importance of these things enough!
OK, let's see what kind of progress I've made this past week...
My scale weight this morning is 215.8 pounds, which is a 1.4 pound gain over the past week.
My total scale weight gain on this bulk (after 14 of 17 weeks) is 20.8 pounds. That's an average weekly gain of 1.49 pounds, so this week's weight gain was pretty much spot-on. By comparison, fourteen weeks into my 2006 bulk I'd gained a total of 31.1 pounds, which is an average weight gain of 2.22 pounds per week. I'm putting on more muscle and far less fat on this years bulk, and that's something I'm very happy about.
My body fat reading this morning is 13.3% (as measured by the Fat Track PRO Digital Body Fat Calipers). That's a .2% rise over last week's measurement. So, my 1.4 pound gain over the past week breaks down into .8 pounds of lean mass and .6 pounds of fat. It looks like I got through the holidays relatively unscathed!
This week's tape measurements (as measured by the MyoTape) show that I've added another quarter inch to my arms, hips and chest. My quads and calves were just shy of the next quarter inch mark; I always round down so the "official" measurements remain unchanged for those two muscle groups. My waist size did not change (yay!)
As of this morning my arms have reached 18 inches (cold/unpumped). That's just a quarter inch shy of the biggest they've ever been. Of course when my arms were 18.25 inches I was at 19% body fat, so I think from a pure muscle standpoint my arms are at their peak right now. I've been working my arms hard, of course, but they've not been a focus of this year's bulk. I think my arms just have very good genetics when it comes to hypertrophy; they really respond well to training. So do my legs. Traps? Not so much.
So, total measurement progress fourteen weeks into my bulk is as follows: I've added over an inch to my forearms, 2 inches to my arms, over 2.25 inches to my quads, over an inch to my calves and 2.5 inches to my chest. My waist size has increased just 1.25 inches over the past fourteen weeks.
All my stats, past and present, can always be found on the stats page.
I shot some video footage after my workout Friday evening, and decided to edit it into a sort of JSF promotional video by adding text, photographs and music. I posted the video in my media journal here. I hope you enjoy it! The video is also on my Youtube channel, so please feel free to post it around and spread the word--let's help as many people as we can reach their fitness goals in 2009!
January 3, 2009
I'm running way behind this morning. I have no idea how it happened, but I overslept by over an hour. I am normally out of bed by 6:00 AM every morning, but this morning I woke up at 7:15. I can't remember the last time I woke up in the morning while it was not still dark outside. Even the dogs, who normally want their breakfast at 6:00 AM sharp, were still snoring away. Weird.
Anyway, I had a great workout last night! Here's the new delts/traps/calves workout I'll be doing until the end of the bulk:
DELTS/TRAPS
- 3 x 10-12 Standing barbell overhead press
- 2 x Failure/failure/failure Standing dumbbell laterals (triple drop sets)
- 3 x 10-12 bent-over dumbbell laterals
- 3 x 12-15 Upright cable rows
Calves
- 3 x 15-20 Dumbbell single leg calf raises
- 3 x failure Vertical calf press
I started off the workout by setting a new personal record on the standing barbell overhead presses. This PR put me in a great mood, and the rest of the workout felt incredible. If you want to really toast your side delts, try the "down the rack" DB lateral drop sets. When I finished the last set I needed both hands to lift my shaker cup and take a drink. I'm not kidding.
I shot some video footage after my workout last night, and decided to edit it into a sort of JSF promotional video by adding text, photographs and music. I posted the video in my media journal here. I hope you enjoy it! The video is also on my Youtube channel, so please feel free to post it around and spread the word--let's help as many people as we can reach their fitness goals in 2009!
January 2, 2009
If you are new to the site and/or missed yesterday's update, it was a pretty big one. You can check it out here.
I hope everyone had an enjoyable New Year's day! I celebrated the first day of the new year with a new killer back and biceps workout. This is the back/biceps workout I'll be doing until the end of my bulk later this month:
BACK
3 x 8-10 Dumbbell pullovers w/ 6-8 second negative
3 x 10-12 T-bar rows
3 x Close-grip (neutral) v-bar lat pulldowns
1 x 20 Deadlifts
BICEPS
3 x 10-12 Ez-bar curls
3 x Failure/failure/failure Hammer curls (triple drop sets)
1 x 8-10 Concentration curls (negatives)
The dumbbell pullovers were performed using extremely heavy weight. Every second of the prolonged negative felt like a minute. After the pullovers, I decided to do some T-bar rows. I love T-bar rows, and I have not done them yet on this bulk.
After my workout I took a new photo: New Year bicep pump.
With the exception of my fairly brief supplemental trap workout on Sunday, today's workout (delts/traps/calves) will be my final workout of the week. I have not yet planned out today's workout, so I'll post it tomorrow morning.
Train hard! See you tomorrow...
January 1, 2009
I've got a gigantic update for you this morning. I just took my monthly photos, and I'd like to do a few different comparisons to some of my older pictures. Before I get into that, though, I want to wish everyone a happy new year, and welcome all the new visitors to this site. I know many of you are complete beginners to proper nutrition, weight training and body recomposition. Don't worry--everyone who ever made a transformation started at the very beginning, just like you.
Six years ago I decided to stop making excuses, and to start making positive changes. All it took to change my life forever was some self-education and hard work applied with consistency. YOU CAN DO IT, TOO! Please take a look around this site if you want to learn more about my own transformation, and then continue your education by reading the "sticky" threads in the Beginner's forum (the threads that are "stuck" at the very top). I encourage you to create a free account on the forum and get involved with our friendly and helpful community. We warmly welcome new members of all experience levels.
OK, let's talk about this month's progress photos. As most of you know, right now I am "bulking" (eating and training with the express purpose of adding lean muscle). Some amount of fat gain during a bulk is normal, but historically my bulks have all been way too "sloppy", and I wound up putting on a lot of fat along with the muscle. I decided that for this year's bulk I was going to pay very close attention to my diet to make sure that I didn't repeat this mistake again. After over three months of bulking, I'm happy to say that my efforts have been very successful. This past month I only added 3.4 pounds, but my body fat level did not change significantly (13.0% on December 1 Vs. 13.1% today). That means pretty much all of the weight I put on this month was lean mass, and I feel that 95% of that lean mass was muscle. My measurements and pictures back up that data.
For my first set of comparison photos, I'd like to show the progress I've made since I started my bulk on October 1, 2008:
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October 1, 2008 |
January 1, 2009 |
October 1, 2008 |
January 1, 2009 |
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2008 Bulking Progress (Front) |
2008 Bulking Progress (Profile) |
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While I've clearly put on quite a bit of size all over my body, I think my legs have shown the most growth. Just look at my quad, hamstring and glute development in the profile pictures. Not bad for three months of work. I have a feeling my legs are going to look an order of a magnitude better than they ever have once I cut back down to 6% body fat.
My arms, chest and shoulders have also shown a tremendous amount of improvement. My traps have grown a little, but I'm still struggling to get some height out of them.
Now I'd like to compare how I look three months into my 2008 bulk to how I looked three months into my 2006 bulk:
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December 1, 2006 |
January 1, 2009 |
December 1, 2006 |
January 1, 2009 |
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![December 1, 2006 [3 months in to my 2006 bulk]](/all/front/1426.jpg) |
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![December 1, 2006 [3 months in to my 2006 bulk]](/all/side/1426.jpg) |
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2006 Vs. 2008: 3 months of bulking progress (Front) |
2006 Vs. 2008 3 months of bulking progress (Profile) |
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While I was bigger in the 2006 pictures, the size difference is pretty clearly due to fat. Because I will not have to go on a six-month, 50 pound cut to get back down to 6% body fat (as I did after my 2006 bulk), I will be able to retain far more muscle. Once I diet back down to 6% body fat, I think my physique is going to look considerably better than it did after my 2007 cut.
For my final set of comparison photos, I'd like to show the difference between my 2005 bulk, my 2006 bulk and this year's bulk at pretty much identical weights:
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January 1, 2006 |
October 1, 2006 |
January 1, 2009 |
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2005 Vs. 2006 Vs. 2008 bulk at same weights (Front) |
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January 1, 2006 |
October 1, 2006 |
January 1, 2009 |
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2005 Vs. 2006 Vs. 2008 bulk at same weights (Profile) |
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The most obvious thing in these pictures is that I was clearly suffering from brain damage after my 2005 bulk: there can be no other explainantion for those horrible boxers. Seriously. What. The. Hell?
Completely retarded undergarments aside, it's pretty amazing that I weigh more or less the same in all of those photos. I think this photo progression shows that my body is moving in the right direction (based on my own body composition goals). I've been working towards having more of an "X" shape to my body, and slowly but surely I'm getting there. I think after my upcoming cut I'm going to be closer than ever to reaching that long-term goal.
Of course there is still one more month of bulking to go! I'm going to continue to pay close attention to my diet and work my butt off in the gym.
Before I sign off, I'd like to let everyone know that our good friends at AtLarge have decided to extend their 15% off sale an extra week!
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