Joel's training journal

[joelk]

I figured I would start my own training and diet journal, it should keep me motivated preparing for my shows later in the year- I tend to lose track of things when I'm not dieting.

My goals are to get stronger and hope to thicken up my chest and back which are my weakest bodyparts and now that I'm training with MVS I want to bring my powerlifting numbers up, which have been all over the place recently.

I'm aiming for a 160kg bench, 200kg squat and 200kg deadlift by the middle of the year, my numbers over the last couple of months have been about 15-20 kg below my pb's from late last year, I need to rectify that now that I'm training with some really strong guys.

Yesterdays workout was chest and back.

Bench press - bar x 15

60kg x 6

75kg + 15kg of chains per side x 5 x 5

The chains have helped in the past get past my sticking point in the bench so I have started using them again.

Pullups - Bodyweight 6 x 6

Floor press - 85kg 3 x 3 sets

One arm rows - 45kg 3 x 10 sets

Incline dumbell press - 54kg 4 x 2 sets

Incline dumbell rows - 30kg 10 x 3 sets - hurt my back squatting at MVS so needed back support.

Meal 1 - Sunwarrior protein shake, small bowl of taro

Meal 2 - (pre workout) 3g creatine, BCAA, espresso coffee

Meal 3 - Post workout 3g creatine, Sunwarrior protein, glass of juice (pineapple, orange, apple, ginger, celery)

Meal 4 - Lentil burger, dark rye bread, mixed salad

Meal 5 - 130g Tempeh, mung bean sprouts, salad

Meal 6 - Fava bean stew with vegetables, some baked chickpea patties

Meal 7 - BCAA shake with blueberries

[Tasha]

Awesome stuff Joe

 

I was waiting for you to post a log.. I'm looking forward to reading about your results.

 

[joelk]

Thank you!

[xphilx]

this is going to be one of the must-read-logs on this forum! siked!

[Lean and Green]

this is going to be one of the must-read-logs on this forum! siked!

 

HECK YEA xTWO!!!!!!!

 

So 'siked' about this blog.

 

I love the goals in nums even if i did conversions in my head roughly; i should get better at it in my head. Anyone s/b able to post their logs in kg's and not succumb to u.s. dumb standards.

 

Anyhow, I love the meal plan, hardcore. Mung Beans sprouts are the way to go eh? Everyone's on em! YEAH BUDDAY!

 

Chains rock! I never actually did them but i had every intention on it just ended my powerlifting spurt before i invested in them. Was going to buy massive ones at a boathouse but never got around to it. I'd like to hear more about your training with them. I know it works. www.westside-barbell.com where i get alot of solid powerlifting info from. #1 powerlifting gym in the world imo and many others.

 

Back my weakest point. Chest is ok for me it could be alot bigger but it has good shape so i get away with smaller pecs. I still would like to build em up more. I have done an exorbitant amt in the past and now muscle memory keeps it together now that i'm training again.

 

k dude, i'm out. I want to see more posts from ya. This rocks

[xjohanx]

Lean and green, you are not 'siked' you are SIKED. And I am too!

Do you feel you get a lot of benefits from taking BCAA during the day? I've been thinking about doing it for a while, that or EAA, but I don't really want insluin spiking through the roof.

I'm def gonna follow this log, looking forward to it.

[vegetus25]

Joel,

 

Thanks for posting this journal. I am sure it is going to help a lot of us meet our training goals.

 

I read your profile and understand what you eat when preparing for a show. What type of diet (amount of protein, carbs, fat, supplements, calories) do you follow when you are trying to gain muscle? Do you bulk/cut, zig zag calories, or...?

 

Thank you,

 

Veg

[joelk]

Last night was delts and arms. Normally I would train legs the day after chest and back but my back is still giving me a bit of trouble.

I went back to evening training, I prefer it as there is more of an atmosphere at my gym.

The workout was

Lateral raises 12kg x 20

20kg x 5 x 5

Standing military press 60 x 12

85kg x 3 x 6 sets

Incline bench rear delt flyes 18kg x 12 x 3 sets

Standing barbell curls 35kg x 6 x 5 sets - I went a little lighter than usual, I think it works a bit better, normally I heave up 50kg or so but think I may staywith the lighter weight for curls for now.

Dumbell skullcrushers 22kg x 8 x 5 sets - I throw them a bit like darts, similar kind of movement, quite explosive

Standing ez bar curls 35kg x 8 x 3 sets - again a little lighter but felt it work better and my arms pumped up a lot more.

Skullcrusher/closegrip superset 45kg x 8 x 3 sets - 8 reps for skullcrushers, 6-8 reps straight after for closegrips

Finished off with some leg raises 5 sets of 12

Diet for yesterday was a little better than previous day

Meal 1- Sunwarrior and blueberry shake - the chocolate flavoured protein goes really well with the blueberries. Added 10g of flax sprouts.

Meal 2- Lentil burger, beetroot chips (I just slice them thin and bake) alfalfa sprouts, 1/4 avocado

Meal 3- Raw food bar, the active greens flavour

Meal 4- Vege schnitzel, mixed salad, some dulse flakes and macadamia oil - strange mix but nice

Meal 5- Pre workout 15g BCAA, Biotest Superfood powder, 15g spirulina, 3g creatine, espresso

Meal 6- Post workout Vega packet (Thanks RC and Lean & Green) then juiced up some pineapple, orange and celery when I got home. Just got my new juicer so I've been making plenty of different combinations.

Meal 7- Lentil burger, small amount of taro- made it into chips so only had a few pieces, mung bean sprouts.

Before bed I snacked on some dulse leaves.

That was it for the day.

 

Do you feel you get a lot of benefits from taking BCAA during the day? I've been thinking about doing it for a while, that or EAA, but I don't really want insluin spiking through the roof.

 

I don't always use them throughout the day, my meals at the moment aren't very structured so I just carry a few supplies in my bag and make things as I go.

At this point in time I'm not too worried about the insulin levels going up because I'm not dieting but at the same time I'm not really having anything with them, maybe just some berries and stuff, so I'm not having a calorie surplus when my insulin levels are spiked throughout the day. Good point though

 

I love the goals in nums even if i did conversions in my head roughly; i should get better at it in my head. Anyone s/b able to post their logs in kg's and not succumb to u.s. dumb standards.

 

 

Sorry mate, I started counting in kg again now that I'm training with MVS, previously I was counting in lb's. It all gets confusing sometimes.

 

Chains rock! I never actually did them but i had every intention on it just ended my powerlifting spurt before i invested in them. Was going to buy massive ones at a boathouse but never got around to it. I'd like to hear more about your training with them. I know it works. http://www.westside-barbell.com where i get alot of solid powerlifting info from. #1 powerlifting gym in the world imo and many others.

 

Back my weakest point. Chest is ok for me it could be alot bigger but it has good shape so i get away with smaller pecs. I still would like to build em up more. I have done an exorbitant amt in the past and now muscle memory keeps it together now that i'm training again.

 

 

That's where I got the idea from. My brother has used them in the past and got very strong from using them so I thought I'll give them a real go now.

Looking at your photos I think your chest is quite a strong bodypart for you.

[joelk]

Joel,

 

Thanks for posting this journal. I am sure it is going to help a lot of us meet our training goals.

 

I read your profile and understand what you eat when preparing for a show. What type of diet (amount of protein, carbs, fat, supplements, calories) do you follow when you are trying to gain muscle? Do you bulk/cut, zig zag calories, or...?

 

Thank you,

 

Veg

 

To be honest, I don't count calories as much as i should in the offseason. I try to just eat more fresh foods, like juices, vegetables and beans, which I tend to omit during contest preparation.

Generally though, I still keeps my carbohydrates lower during the week and have a refeed on the weekend but I don't drop them so low that I'm bordering on ketosis.

Protein levels stay pretty consistent all year round, near enough to the 200g per day.

My fats are lower in the off season because my carbohydrates are higher and also because I'm less active in terms of aerobic exercise.

Like I wrote in my opening post, this log should help me become more regimented with my off season diet and keep more of a track of what I eat.

To answer whether I bulk/cut, my weight doesn't get too out of control in the offseason. I'm sitting at about 87-88kg at the moment and I aim to compete about 80kg

[Octopussoir]

Great to see this Joel!! I keep you in mind everytime I explain to someone how Im gonna be eating only tofu the last week of show. Lol. How do you get 15g of BCAA's in one sitting? I have two different types, one is 2g and the toher is only 3.3g. There is no way I could handle 24 pills at once.

[joelk]

I use the powder. There are a few vegan powders, it is much easier to take big amounts that way, rather than using capsules.

Yeah, the tofu!

I never really eat it any other time apart from the closing stages of a diet.

Not long to go for you now mate, I wish all you guys competing a smooth preparation.

[MaryStella]

Love checking out your diet as well as workouts.

[joelk]

Love checking out your diet as well as workouts.

 

Thanks MaryStella, I've been reading your journal for a while too, you train hard!

Keep on posting

 

 

Last night I trained legs. I trained with another guy at the gym so my workout deviated from the normal a little.

The guy I trained with wants to build his legs up more, his upper body is competition ready, he's just very top heavy.

I couldn't back squat because my back is still giving me some trouble but the workout was very hard and I'm very sore today.

We started with front squats - bar x 12

40kg x 10

80kg x 6

120kg x 6 x 4 sets

Vertical leg press - 180kg x 10 x 3 sets - I don't normally do these now, I use the smith machine and lay on the floor and push the bar up with my feet. It's tricky and I need a spotter to stop the hooks from catching. It works well though.

Split squats - 65kg x 6 x 5 sets

Dumbell leg curls - 30kg x 8 x 4 sets - Again, another exercise that is better having a spotter for, I find it a lot more effective than leg curl machines.

Single leg calf raise - 15kg dumbell x 12 x 5 sets

Stretched a fair bit after the workout and finally caught my breath, the front squats took it out of me.

Yesterday's eating

Meal 1 - 2 slices of dark rye bread with chocolate coconut butter (coconut butter with cocoa added) Nitrofusion protein shake

Meal 2 - 120g tempeh, mung bean sprouts, beetroot

Meal 3 - 2 spinach and onion 'pastries' - my mother in law made them, they are like the spinach and cheese pies but she makes some without cheese so I can eat them.

Meal 4 - Lentil burger with salad, 1/2 avocado, 25g almonds

Meal 5 - Pre workout - Double espresso shot, 15g BCAA, 15g spirulina, no creatine (taking a couple of weeks off)

Meal 6 - Post workout - Nitrofusion protein shake, electrolyte tablet, blueberries.

Meal 7 - 3 chickpea patties (were very small), arame leaves, alfalfa sprouts, 50g brown rice.

Ate a little bit of dark chocolate after dinner.

[Tasha]

Great to know about that the Chocolate Sun Warrior goes well with blueberries

thanks for posting your meals..

[Lean and Green]

dude training with thses guys is going to get you brolic!

 

Although i found myself staring at your meal after meal and looking at key words to imagine what food food will be like after the comp. No use in dwelling, gotta stay focused

 

Your meal plan and frequency in meals is excellent. A real classic bber plan; the results tell the tale I always agree, stic to old skool and it will never let you down. Lots of meals, high protein, etc etc...

 

i love reading this journal. seems like it should win an award for the most well received new blog within first week of posts

 

you rock, thanks for taking the time to share. I know at times it can be a pain to spend 20min typing your blog but others appreciate it, including myself. Glad it's here mate...

[joelk]

Great to know about that the Chocolate Sun Warrior goes well with blueberries

thanks for posting your meals

 

Yeah it's really nice, then again I have some weird taste buds!

 

dude training with thses guys is going to get you brolic!

 

The only problem is the others' I train with want to train like bodybuilders and I want to start training more like a powerlifter.

 

Although i found myself staring at your meal after meal and looking at key words to imagine what food food will be like after the comp. No use in dwelling, gotta stay focused

 

Your meal plan and frequency in meals is excellent. A real classic bber plan; the results tell the tale I always agree, stic to old skool and it will never let you down. Lots of meals, high protein, etc etc...

 

i love reading this journal. seems like it should win an award for the most well received new blog within first week of posts

 

To be honest, apart from a few changes I eat like this pre contest, there's nothing to be envious of, it still tastes like diet food for the most part!

There are more interesting blogs than mine, you're too kind mate

I do enjoy writing out my diet and training though, I at least feel more accountable for what I do, rather than just forgetting like I have been

 

Anyway, yesterday was a day off from training, either way it would have been a struggle because my legs are still very sore.

My diet was pretty good, I drop some of the aminos but the rest is similar.

Meal 1- Sunwarrior protein, teaspoon of almond, brazil, cashew butter. Glass of parsley, celery and pineapple juice with 10g spirulina.

Meal 2- 120g tempeh, mung bean sprouts, tablespoon avocado oil

Meal 3- Lebanese herb pizza, just with oregano and some salad in it. 1/2 serve of Nitrofusion

Meal 4- Lentil burger, alfalfa sprouts, beetroot, 1/2 avocado

Meal 5- Lima bean soup- more like a stew with carrots, celery, onion. Added some dulse flakes to it. 2 chickpea patties

Meal 6- Nitrofusion shake with blueberries, spirulina, strawberries, flaxseed sprouts and lots of ice. Kind of like a slurpee but high in protein

 

That was it for the day, glad to have a day out of the gym.

[robert]

I am going to love reading this journal!

 

I'm in pre-contest mode right now and though I've compete 7 times, I have sooooooo much to learn!

 

Great to see this journal on here!

[joelk]

I have learnt a lot from this forum in general, there are so many people here with all kinds of interesting knowledge.

I think you have a lot to teach me Robert, fitting in all you do and still managing to diet and compete is very impressive.

[joelk]

Had a very brief workout yesterday as I had to work at my gym in the evening after I finished my other job.

A bit of a chest and back workout again- they are my weakest bodyparts so I hit them more frequently.

I tried to push my chest hard as I don't think I'll be able to make it to MVS on the weekend due to the Aussie Pro Grand Prix show which I have to attend for work. Even though I bodybuild I'm not all that interested in seeing the top pro bodybuilders, not something I ever wish to try and attain.

Anyway I only did a few exercises as I had about 30 mins to train.

Dumbell bench press - 20kg x 20

30kg x 8

45kg x 5 x 3 sets

Bentover rows on bench - 60kg x 10 x 3 sets - I stand on a bench so I can lower the bar right down.

Incline bench press - 115kg x 3 x 3 sets

T-bar rows - 85kg x 10 x 3 sets

It was short and sharp but I got a good pump out of it.

I'll start getting some pics up online here, I just have to work out how to do it!

Diet was a bit of a refeed day, I figured I won't get much of a chance to eat on the day of the pro show, just quickly fitting in a lentil burger or a protein shake.

Meal 1- Nitrofusion shake, strawberries, flax sprouts, spirulina, glass of spinach, parsley and celery juice

Meal 2- 2 packets of vege chips- I could eat them all the time if I didn't stop myself

Meal 3- Lentil burger, beetroot, corn, mung bean sprouts

Meal 4- Tempeh, beetroot, alfalfa sprouts, quinoa

Meal 5- BCAA's, spirulina, no coffee today

Meal 6- Seaweed salad, 3 sushi rolls with avocado

Meal 7- Spelt pasta, tomato sauce, parmazano vegan parmesan cheese. Another packet of vege chips, 99% cocoa dark chocolate.

 

I will be back on my diet again today but yesterday was fun.

[MaryStella]

Forgot to mention I love your Got Muscle shirt.

[xphilx]

 

The only problem is the others' I train with want to train like bodybuilders and I want to start training more like a powerlifter.

 

what would you change about your training so that you would train "more like a powerlifter"?

i'm thinking about doing my training more powerlifting style, too...

[xjohanx]

I'm kind of in that line too acctually. I always loved low reps in the 4-6 range and I'm convinced that workouts should center around good classic compound excersises and who doesn't love the deadlift, squat and bench? Too bad it seems that I'm gonna spend my summer at a place with no gym at all which means I can't get a gym membership now cause then I will pay for 3 months that I don't use at all.

[MaryStella]

The only problem is the others' I train with want to train like bodybuilders and I want to start training more like a powerlifter.

 

 

Are you thinking of olympic lifts? I think these really helped me increase my strength because you can put up a lot more weight this way.

[joelk]

I do some Olympic lifts, mainly power cleans and some push presses.

The training I am moving towards is more compound movement based, with most emphasis on the basic lifts and a few assistance movements.

I have to remember that I am a bodybuilder first and foremost, so I don't think I could do a straight Westside program and ignore some muscle groups that enhancethe aesthetic side of bodybuilding.

 

Saturday I went to the Aussie Pro Grand prix, it was decent but nothing spectacular- I did manage to meet Lee Priest and get a photo, that was the highlight of the day. I didn't keep track of my meals, I know I ate three meals of tempeh and salad and the other few were protein shakes I packed, I was at the show all day so fitting in meals wasn't so easy.

 

Yesterday I had a workout with another mate of mine, I wanted to train shoulders and he wanted to train legs, so we did both.

I managed to equal my deadlift pb and almost get my squat pb, my back felt ok, probably because I trained shoulders first and managed to warm up properly- something I tend to ignore.

Seated dumbell shoulder press- 15kg x 20

25kg x 6

36kg x 5 x 3 sets - I don't use back support, just sit on a flat bench so I have to brace myself. I can't go anywhere near as heavy as I would if I had back support but I feel it work my delts well.

Clean and press - 75kg x 2 x 4 sets

Bentover lateral raise - 15kg x 12 x 3 sets

Squats - 100kg x 10

140kg x 4

180kg x 1

Sissy squats - Bodyweight x 5 x 3 sets - We used one of those benches that let you hook your feet in and it stabilises from behind the knee (hard to describe) we were laying back parrallel to the ground, kind of like and extension movement.

Deadlifts - 140kg x 3

180kg x 1 - tried 190 but failed, I'll go straight for it next time

That was it, I feel exhausted today.

Diet was good, it seems pretty repetitive though

Meal 1- Nitrofusion protein, Biotest superfood, strawberries, kiwi fruit (all blended together)

Meal 2- Tempeh, broccoli, 1/2 avocado

Meal 3- Lentil pattie, mixed salad, beetroot, macadamia oil

Meal 4- Lima bean soup

Meal 5- Pre workout- espresso, BCAA, spirulina

Meal 6- Sunwarrior protein, quinoa

Meal 7- Tempeh, broccoli, macadamia oil

[xphilx]

Saturday I went to the Aussie Pro Grand prix, it was decent but nothing spectacular- I did manage to meet Lee Priest and get a photo, that was the highlight of the day.

 

nice! wanna share?