Hobbs' 12 week challenge

[Hobbs]

Week 5 - ASSESSMENT

Good 5th week and still going in the right direction : more muscle, less fat.
Weight slightly down though.

Stats

Weight 66.5kg (-0.3kg)
Body fat % 6.4 (-1.3%)
Hydration % 63 (+1.5%)
Muscle weight 59.1 kg (+0.6kg)

Photo



Nutrition
No real change as these macros are working for now, only tweaked a bit carbs and fat on medium day.
Getting used to eating more, more often.
Might increase calorie intake next week.

High carb day, on training days, 4 days/week : 3,000 kcal
prot 25% 190g / 760 kcal
fat 25% 80g / 720 kcal
Carb 50% 400g / 1600kcal

Medium carb day, on cardio days, 2 days/week: 2,500 kcal
prot 30% 170g / 680 kcal
fat 30% 90g / 810 kcal (+10g)
Carb 40% 250g / 1000kcal (-20g)

Low carb day, on rest day, 1 day/week 2,100 kcal
prot 30% 170g / 680 kcal
fat 40% 90g / 810 kcal
Carb 30% 150g / 600kcal

[Hobbs]

Week 6 / Session 1

BACK

Ok session after an average night and a bit foggy with the cold.
Managed to lift more on 4 exercises.

[Hobbs]

Week 6 / Session 2

LEGS

First leg session without any tape, left knee is perfectly fine.
YAY !

Lifted a bit more but not heavy yet, and took intensity up for the abs exercises too

[Hobbs]

Week 6 / Session 3

BACK

A shorter session with less sets, which was just as well as feeling quite tired this week.
That said, added a bit of extra (italic stuff) as I feel like a fraud if I spend less than 40mn on a session.



Yesterday: run/walk in the woods.
Great early morning run, the woods are so quiet and peaceful, all bathed in a smooth yellow light!
Those morning runs give me a massive rush of endorphines. I'm more quiet, more focused, more confident and more patient after them.
They make me a better person, basically

[Hobbs]

Week 6 / Session 4

ARMS + DELTS

Good session, managed to lift more on 3 exercises.
The decline plank with toe touch is a great core/abs exercise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV938dwFDzw

[Hobbs]

Week 6 - ASSESSMENT

Half-way through the program!
OK six week, continual improvement at the gym but feeling tired.
The workouts are draining and I sleep only 6 hours/night, no matter what I try to sleep better and longer

Weights and body fat are far up this week according to scales, seems a bit odd as nutrition and exercise have been the same as last week.

Although I'm getting stronger, very little change visually on upper body.
Photos are not great due to bathroom being gloomy, but still I expected more than that.
I leave the gym with pretty much nothing left in the tank, so I'm sure I'm pushing myself hard enough.
Defo more muscles on legs though, as confirmed by gf.

Taking calories up a bit for the next 3-week cycle. Any advice or suggestion would be welcome!

Stats

Weight 67.9kg (+1.4kg)
Body fat % 8.5 (+2.5.%)
Hydration % 60.7 (-2.3%)
Muscle weight 59.1 kg (+0.0kg)

Photo



Nutrition

Taking medium carb day up a bit and killing low carb/lower calorie day.
Calorie surplus goes from +250/day to +400/day. Maybe I'm too shy and should go higher.

High carb day, on training days, 4 days/week : 3,100 kcal
prot 25% 190g / 760 kcal
fat 25% 80g / 720 kcal
Carb 50% 400g / 1600kcal

Medium carb day, on cardio days and rest day, 3 days/week: 2,700 kcal (+200)
prot 30% 180g / 720 kcal (+10g)
fat 30% 90g / 810 kcal
Carb 40% 270g / 1080kcal (+20g)

[Hobbs]

Week 7 / Session 1

DELTS

Started a 3 week cycle focusing on shoulders.
This week will be tricky as I'm off to France on Wednesday night, back Saturday morning, and a half-marathon on Sunday

So first work-out : tough one. The 10 sets of 10 dip reps were hard, only managed 8 reps on 3 final sets. Was worried than my shoulders wouldn't be happy with such volume, but I kept proper form and it went down well.
Very strong arm burn as the dips were superset (is that a verb?) with bicerps curl.
Giant shoulder set to finish the session.

[HIT Rob]

Hi Hobbs,

The problem i and many others found with high volume training, is that wear and tear issues dont manifest until years down the line, by which stage...the damage is irreversible. When it comes to the shoulder, their reffered to by surgeons as "delicate articulations" which give up stability for mobility, their involved in some shape or form on every upper body movement.

Anyho, which ever path you pick, best of luck:)
Rob

[Hobbs]

Cheers for the feedback Rob.
I check you log now and then and see that you tend to go for shorter sessions and heavier weights - they make me feel very small


Usually I don't do volume of training : it's more lighter weights with lots of supersets/dropsets and short rest, so it's a bit of a cardio session as well.

I'll see later later how it goes and if I keep high volumes or not. In the mean time I'm super careful with form and pay a lot of attention to how my body feels. Can't stand niggles, not to mention injuries!


Here goes today's session


Week 7 / Session 2

LEGS

Good session in spite of very little sleep, and knees are still doing great.

[HIT Rob]

Indeed mate, shorter workouts with heavy weights. When training with maximal intensity, nature dictates the workout be short. Guess my body has become adpated over the last 20+ years HIT, Every now and then a i'll invite a sceptical friend (some of whom have had years ofmtraining experience) for a workout, within 15-20 minutes their usually spending some quality carpet time lol.

When you avoid the none productive aspects of training, such as poistions of disadvantaged leverage, momentum / inertia, balance / skill development etc, and focus your efforts into large gravity circuts of resistance directed at a muscle...its a whole different ball game man, size and strength follow fast.

Best
Rob

[Hobbs]

Cheers! I'll try a few sessions of yours when I'm done with my plan
What do you mean by 'large gravity circuits'?
How long do you rest in average between sets?

Today's workout:

Week 7 / Session 3

DELTS

Shorter session.
That superset really wear muscles out, even with low weights!

[HIT Rob]

Large gravity circuts is precisely focused overload. It requires minimal to zero motion / joint dynamics and no momentum / interia. I was always told "thou must lift weights through a full range of motion", well, as it turns out, we have the ability to contract our muscles against far greater resistance / overload than we can lift through a full range of motion, given that were limited by how much we can move through the weakest range, I.e. positions of disadvantaged leverage. If we do or must use a full range of motion, for whatever reason, use a slow, controlled cadance with smooth turnarounds.
I take as long as I need between sets / holds, enough to get my breath, resist both physically and physiological. 2 max holds is my limit or one omega set, any more results in diminishing return for most, it only takes a little of the right type of exercise:)
Best
Rob

[Hobbs]

Thanks for those providing details Rob.

Back from Paris this morning, used to go to uni and work there, and it's always good to be back.
Such an amazing city, plenty of élégance and raucousness!

Quite hard to stay vegan while on the move, and even harder in France where cheese and meat are virtually everywhere, being a vegetarian is a bit weird, and being vegan is a bit offensive ahah. Did my best to stick to diet plan while I was there.

Back to the gym anyway for this week's last session:

Week 7 / Session 4

CHEST + BACK

Got to the gym a lot later than I usually do. I found if a lot harder to focus at times there are more people around. Also add a small bowl of oats before hands, and carbs before weights definitely does not work for me. OK session anyway.

[Hobbs]

Week 7 - ASSESSMENT

Tricky week, what with travelling abroad and running a half-marathon on Sunday (a slow job I did with my gf, who's not fast yet: 2h50).
Managed to complete all workouts, but sticking to macros and calorie intake proved tricky when not eating at home or at work.

Lost a bit of weight, muscle very slightly up.
Body fat seems to go down when hydration is up

Stats

Weight 67.6kg (-0.3kg)
Body fat % 6.6 (-1.9.%)
Hydration % 62.9 (+2.2%)
Muscle weight 60 kg (+0.1kg)

Photo

Took pictures for the record, but posting does not make sense if no significant change, so maybe more later!

Nutrition

No change.
Doesn't seem enough to trigger significant change, but feeling often quite stuffed already, so keeping the macros as they are.

High carb day, on training days, 4 days/week : 3,100 kcal
prot 25% 190g / 760 kcal
fat 25% 80g / 720 kcal
Carb 50% 400g / 1600kcal

Medium carb day, on cardio days and rest day, 3 days/week: 2,700 kcal
prot 30% 180g / 720 kcal
fat 30% 90g / 810 kcal
Carb 40% 270g / 1080kcal

[Hobbs]

Week 8 / Session 1

DELTS


Very average workout - barely managed to complete all reps, especially on the dips.
Very little progress with weights too.

Had breakfast a bit later than usual and I just don't well with a full or even a half-full stomach.