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Max strength, strength endurance, WTF and raw food


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Here's a little background information on where I'm at and where I'm going.

 

I'm 5'0 or 5'1, depending on my self-confidence. I'm ten pounds over my "perfect" weight because I can't stand most cardio, especially during the winter, brrrrrr. I've been using weights for 2 years for max strength (and occasionally for bodybuilding) but have a history of strength based athletics.

And I'm looking to keep up athletics in the future by competing in a Women's Tri-Fitness Dual Fitness Competition. When? I have no clue but thats what I'm starting to train for now. For those that don't know what this includes its an obstacle course (fun!) and 3 fitness skills.

 

Heres the obstacle course in action,

 

 

And the fitness skills are 50 box jumps as quickly as possible (perfect score being 39-40 seconds), bench pressing 60%bw as many times as possible (50 reps is a perfect score), and a 20 foot x 10 round trips shuttle run (30 secs is a perfect score).

 

My biggest weakness is my chest so thats something I will definitely be focusing on. As well as losing that 10 pounds.

I also don't have much strength endurance at the moment. I used to have tons, and don't laugh now, when I did my Cindy Crawford's Next Challange workout video 3x week. Seriously its an amazingly well put together workout. Starts out with dynamic stretches, includes plyometrics, the exercises can be made more difficult easily, it ends with static stretching and most importantly its enjoyable cardio and it develops strength endurance.

Okay, now to redeem myself the last time I maxed out on a squat was 235 lbs.

 

Okay, besides Cindy Crawford the other main influences on how I train are Pavel Tsatsouline and Thomas Kurz. GTG FTW.

 

 

Thats about all I can say about training so now for the food stuff. Everyday I aim for 99.9% raw (.1% for vitamins and maybe some motherfucking jarred dijon). Lately I haven't been achieving that but looking through my food journal and tallying it up on fitday I found out I was eating oh... 1000 cals less than what I should be. No wonder I was having mad late night cravings for 2 PB&Js.

What I also learned from putting my average intake on fitday was that I am getting about 45% of my cals from fat. That sounds like a lot but when I figured everything out volumewise I'm right on the Thrive Diets volume recommendations. The Thrive Diet is a big influence on me at the moment because I don't know much about eating for endurance and after following many of Brenden's recommendations I feel so much better and have more energy during cardio.

 

Heres what my food looks like now a days (I'm adding the extra food that I found out I need)

 

-Apple Cinnamon Energy Bar (from the Thrive Diet recipes) *Periworkout

-Direct Fuel Bites (also from the Thrive Diet book and these are awesome) *Periworkout

-Yellow Smoothie (once I get on a certain flavor smoothie I make it everyday for months and right now its this gem) Pineapple, frozen mango, frozen banana, hemp oil, protein powder, ground flaxseeds and water

-Garden Salad (like the smoothie, when I find a salad combo I like I stick with it) Beet greens, romaine, beets, carrots, cucumbers with lemon juice, vinegar s&p

-My homemade Bora Bora Bar imposter (doubled this to get some more calories because raw organic seeds are CHEAP) sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds and agave nectar

-Creamy Coleslaw (this is one of the things I added to up my cals too) have a look yourself http://goneraw.com/recipes/3087-Coleslaw-with-macadamia-dressing

-Sprouted lentils and quinoa in a vinagrette

-kiwis (added for more cals)

-limonade! lime juice, lemon juice, water and agave

 

On non workout days I replace the energy bar and fuel bites with guacomole.

 

 

Oh jeez, I think I'm done with the introduction. Heres a somewhat recent picture from early January of me in my long johns so you can put a body to a name.

 

http://i29.tinypic.com/33bisnb.jpg

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Looks like fun. I'd love to do something like this once I'm done cycling. I don't know how regular the contests are though??? That would be my only problem.

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I got some bboying in this morning. +1

I also did pullups throughout the day but didn't keep track, anywhere from 10-15. +1

 

Then some very kind people bought me some very crunchy seasoned fries so I graciously accepted them. -10

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Looks like fun. I'd love to do something like this once I'm done cycling. I don't know how regular the contests are though??? That would be my only problem.

 

 

Yeah, I'm not sure about the competitions either but they do happen frequently. Looks like most are out of Tampa too...

 

Schedule

 

Feb. 16, 2008 Valentine Victory Challenge Tampa

Mar. 15, 2008 March Madness Challenge Tampa

Apr. 19, 2008 Tax Exempt Fitness Challenge Tampa

May. 24, 2008 2008 Spring Classic Tampa

June. 21, 2008 Fun in the Sun Fitness Challenge Tampa

July. 10-13, 2008 2008 World Challenge Las Vegas

July. 19, 2008 Red Raider Fitness Challenge Lubbock

 

TBA

Atlanta

Ft. Lauderdale

Orlando

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http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71G5X7M8DJL._AA280_.gif

 

Did The Next Challenge today. I have improved noticeably since the last time I did it Man, it is such a fantastic strength endurance workout. Its about 300 reps of legs (which doubles as cardio), 80 ab reps, 100 chest reps, 80 more abs, 280-320 arm/shoulder reps and then 80 more abs. Ahhh, so much volume!

 

 

Food today was holiday influenced, Easter and a birthday. Holidays are so less damaging when you're the only vegan. I had a little bit of a spinach/rice/sweet pepper/raisin dish set aside for me before the feta was added as well as some plain steamed green beans before the smart balance was added. But then I smelled all the kids chocolate and spent hours in a room with two cakes and it drove me to go get a few squares of Endangered Species Extreme Dark Chocolate. It was so satisfying.

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3000000 reps of squats don't double as cardio. Cardio is about your heart and if your heart rate isn't doing anything different from doing normal squats then you aren't doing cardio doing lots squats. Lots and lots of fast squats that make your heart rate go up a lot may be cardio but a lot of sets of 10 or 20 is not cardio at all.

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How can you make that comment when you have no idea what kind of exercises these are or the tempo they're performed at?

 

Over half the leg exercises are plyo (broad jumps, high jumps, lunge jumps...) or jumps (similar to jump roping) with no rest between sets. Half of the other leg exercises are equivilent to walking lunges. The rest of the legs are kicks and squats that are at the end of the legs and are a cool down. That portion of the workout is 20 mins long total so thats 15 mins of moderately intense aerobics that I'd compare to the same effort of jump roping for 15 mins. Its cardio to me.

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Well...if you're squatting fast with weight...then you're putting your knees and back on the back burner and may get hurt. If your talking about 300 reps of things like what you mentioned that really isn't very much all together. I occasionally do 500 reps of lunges in one set...I wouldn't call that cardio unless I was doing it fast and fast lunges aren't good for the ligaments since if you do them right you're stretching your tendons to the max but very quickly...bad idea. As for calling 15 minutes of "cardio" cardio...a cardio warm up should be that long.

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I do agree that for you this might serve as a warm up, but isn't it also true that what is a warm up for one person could very easily be considered an all out 100% cardio effort for another?

 

Kinda like jogging for a runner is a recovery day, but jogging for a walker is a heavy day?

 

I'd throw on a heart rate monitor while working out and strive to maintain my intensity within whatever ranges I was aiming for...

 

here, check this out...

 

http://www.tri-ecoach.com/art2.htm

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Veganpotter, I don't like your know-it-all attitude and I would like for you to keep it out of my log from now on please. You don't know what level I'm at and you don't know what a workout is to me. I shouldn't have to defend myself against some stranger's assumptions so just stop it.

 

HighVelocity, thanks for being reasonable. The only cardio I've done in the past year is low intensity and its been sporadic at that. I have a HRM but I haven't been using it when I dance or do aerobics, I've opted for the "how wet is my sports bra" test but I think I will start using it. Thanks for the suggestion.

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I've opted for the "how wet is my sports bra" test.

I use the "how wet is my t-shirt test"

If I'm wet down to my bellybutton, I feel that I've done good.

 

Your raw apple cinnamon bars look good.

Want to share the recipe?

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gogh_me~

 

I am at the same aerobic level as you, so no worry! Being conditioned in one area, doesn't quite equate with the other areas. I think a heart rate monitor makes the playing field level! Go slow, challenge your self to increase your work capacity...either with more reps or increasing the speed or explosiveness as you notice your heart rate level declining (as you become more conditioned). Don't try and push it too hard too fast or you'll end up injured, but go too slow and you'll become bored with lack of progress. Listen to your body and keep an eye on the heart rate monitor and I bet you'll be suprised with how quickly you'll advance! And then, BOOM...you'll be out on that field passing up all your competition!

 

And don't forget to nourish your new found muscles properly so they can help support you in acheiving your dreams!

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Jason- The energy bars can be found in The Thrive Diet book so if you make them and like them check out the book.

 

1 small apple (cored)

1 cup fresh or soaked dates

1/2 cup sprouted quinoa (or cooked)

1/4 cup almonds

1/4 cup ground flaxseeds

1/4 cup hemp flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

sea salt to taste

 

Blend it in a food processor until smooth. Then transfer to a clean surface and make a loaf. Cut into 12 pieces to form the bars. Place a sheet of wax paper on a baking sheet and put the bars in them and freeze. Once they're frozen you can either wrap them individually or put them in a freezer bag.

 

 

HighVelocity- Thanks for the advice again.

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Did more bboying today. I love it so much!

I also did 30 mins of stretching.

 

Good day. Good day.

 

 

Food however... I'm coming to the decision of including cooked foods in my diet. I cannot seem to eat enough calories when eating all raw, its so much volume! A salad that has 100 calories makes me too stuffed to eat for 2 hours. My smoothie of 350 calories takes me over 2 hours to drink, its so filling. I don't know how people get everything down, maybe it just takes time.

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Cut your smoothies in half if their taking that long to drink. Smoothies should be taken in very fresh. If you have trouble filling yourself with calories try dried fruits...they're very dense. If this doesn't work maybe raw isn't right for you. If you feel sustained by few calories(I know I do when I'm raw but I can also eat tons of raw calories when I feel like it) then keep going but if you feel you need a lot more and can't do it then don't.

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Veganpotter, I don't like your know-it-all attitude and I would like for you to keep it out of my log from now on please. You don't know what level I'm at and you don't know what a workout is to me. I shouldn't have to defend myself against some stranger's assumptions so just stop it.

 

HighVelocity, thanks for being reasonable. The only cardio I've done in the past year is low intensity and its been sporadic at that. I have a HRM but I haven't been using it when I dance or do aerobics, I've opted for the "how wet is my sports bra" test but I think I will start using it. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Whoops...just noticed this so I'll be outta here for the most part. Thing is it doesn't matter what level you're at. Cardio is cardio...it has a specific definition. Cardio in itself is an exercise done for an extended period of time...plain and simple...not much too it. Heart rate is relative to everyone and 60% of my heart rate is much different in terms of performance than someone elses 60% but that 60% is the key no matter who you are. These zones are what determines what your body is burning and whats doing all the work...your heart or your muscles.

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Yesterday was a reluctant day off. I didn't work out before my hair appointment and then my hair was too fabulous to get sweaty so I just stretched for 30 mins.

 

Today I actually went out jogging for 30 mins.

 

I need to step it up. I need to start up GTG again. But I have taken a step that I hope really turns into something. I found a local cycling club and I'm going out with them Saturday. I miss biking so much and I'm so happy I've found people to bike with.

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Another Pavel fan! That Cindy Crawford workout actually sounds great for building endurance. I may just have to try it myself, just don't tell anyone .

 

You mentioned getting back into GTG. If so, it would be great if you could post how you're applying it. I've always been curious how a lifter knows how much is enough versus how much is too much. I was always more of a PTP guy, since the routine is easier for me to "set in stone," if that makes sense. Keep up the great work, Comrade Gogh_Me .

 

Mike

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I just did the legs for Cindy Crawford today, will get around to the abs after showering. I'm avoiding the upper body because my wrist is really painful today (not an injury, just a chronic problem I've had treated unsuccessfully). I hope it is better tomorrow afternoon because I finally used my Christmas gift card on the missing piece in my gym, an incline bench! I can hardly wait to try it out.

 

 

Hi Mike, thanks for commenting. I totally forgot about PTP until you mentioned it, I think you might have made me hold off on GTG even longer in favor of PTP.

I'm having a hard time mentally preparing for GTG because of what you mentioned, overtraining is definitely a "once bitten, twice shy" experience. Heaven knows I've overtrained a couple times on max strength techniques and ended up avoiding the gym for over a month, I cannot have that.

And you should totally try Cindy Crawford's The Next Challenge. Check out Amazon's ratings for it if my enthusiasm isn't enough.

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