gsop_3

I've not been on in a while, but still been lifting. These days I've decided to do a circuit with my lifting to save time and increase the cardio stimulation. Been doing 5 rounds of 5 reps on each of squat, pull up, bench for a few sessions now and it seems to be going well. I've started light on the weight to leave room to go up each session...right now every Tuesday and Friday. As time permits I'll sneak in some other sessions for other things like deads, bi's & tri's work. The Diet has been rough these days. Though, I've at least been consistent in the morning. I have 25g of super greens mixed with water first thing in the morning and then mid-morning or after working out I have a protein drink with 35g rice, 25g hemp and 25g pea proteins in water sometimes in fresh juiced carrots and apples... We got a new Hurom SJ300 and it works like a charm! The other day I juiced carrot, broccoli and ginger...WOW a little ginger goes a LONG way! spicy stuff when it's raw! LOL I used the fibre to make a vegetable stock and added onion, garlic and salt. Saving it for a rainy day. Lunch has been a "salad" of mostly tomatoes, cukes and tofu. In tracking my calories and macros, I've been coming up WAY short the past couple weeks... the past three days have been up around 3500 but before that there were days I barely hit 1000! OUCH! Going out to kick the ball around for a bit...

Today's W/O: Squats: 5x5 - 91kg Bench: 5x5 - 71kg Pull Ups: 3x5 (super set with the first three sets of bench) I was short on time today and got done in 20 minutes. Felt like hurling and have a bad headache now, but I got it all in. I think I'll rest the remainder of the evening...

Today's W/O: Squats: 5x5 - 88kg Pull-ups: 3x5 - bodyweight Bench: 5x5 - 68kg

Hey Chewy! Long time since I've been around. Great to see your still liftin' heavy as ever! I'll be ramping it up soon enough. Time to eat!

We came back fully loaded with at least a year's supply of rice, pea and hemp proteins and 5lbs of super greens. So when I say on the road back, I'm not kidding...as in from the beginning! LOL Tuesday I met Major DOMS and he wasn't very kind - LOVE IT. Today, Major DOMS is still around but I'll be back in tomorrow for another squat session. Been rolling it out and stretching. Monday's w/o: Squats: 5x5 - 85kg Bench: 5x5 - 65kg 90 minutes of soccer

Well, I'm on the road back and haven't lost a pound!...actually gained...just not in the way I would have wanted. Been State-side for the past 5 weeks and no time for anything! Looking forward to getting back on the horse! I'll be starting pretty much back at square one and building back - hopefully surpassing where I was before. Nothin' like a good come back journey! Going back to China in 3 hours...drinking coffee to stay up and partially adjust to the time change to minimize jet-lag. I'll keep ya'll posted as I get things started. Having a move to a new apartment and getting a new school year under way too...

thank you thank you thank you! and thank you! ...on another sadder note, I am going through a parasite cleansing process to get this gut issue in order. In the mean time, I am rather weak and losing weight as the parasites are being rid of. I have an herbal system I am using plus I will follow that with a session of Chinese medicine from a 7th generation traditional Chinese doctor. Things should be back in order by then. Until that time, I'm going stealth-mode...won't be posting much for a while. So, until then, best wishes and good health to all ya'll keeping an eye out over here! Thanks to all for the encouragement and accountability!

Today's W/O: morning session: (the goal of the am session is to get the blood flowing...NOT burn anything) 10 minutes - treadmill run stretch Squats: 1x10 - 89kg 1x8 - 95kg pec dec: 3x12 - 54kg?? EZ curl preacher curls 3x12 - 30kg Afternoon: played a rather rigorous 20 minutes of badminton - got pretty sweaty, HR up to 140's Then... Squats 1x5 - 99kg 1x5 - 105kg 1x5 - 125kg 1x3 - 139kg (PR) 1x2 - 145kg (PR) I only planned to walk it out and stand with it but it felt so good I had to squat it! Leg Extension: 3x12 - 54kg Followed by DC-style quad stretch Incline DB press: 3x12 - 25kg DB pec dec: 3x12 - 54kg setting followed by DC-style pec stretch. I drank a load more water today and only ate two meals (before and after afternoon lifting)...actually felt like I had more energy than normal.

Feeling better now! YAY!! It felt SOOOO good to get back into the gym today. I didn't want to hurry anything and it ended up being very enjoyable...I dare say the most enjoyable. I just went in with the mindset that I am going to squat today and get blood flowing. I started at 45kg and added 10kg each set and ended up 8 sets up to 115kg. In between the sets I did pec dec planning to follow with bench, but just felt so good when I finished squats, I left it at that. My legs were worked, the chest got some blood and I feel energetic. I think that's a success for today! I felt kind of like a liberated horse that's been training and racing when he finally gets let loose in the pasture to run free and play. Really good feeling! I think I'll do something similar the rest of this week.

Thanks for the input Mosh! Sounds like you've been in this situation before. As of right now, I've been sick since Tuesday with a fever, and diarrhea since Wednesday...I think from bad food. A cold dish (while out to eat) can be risky business in here...even a vegan one. I didn't even get to the gym today and weighed in this morning at 3.5kg less than Monday morning... 83kg. The fever broke some time last night but the rest is still hitting me. At this point, I am thinking I may need to take a few steps back on everything due to the sickness. So, I'll get to the deadlift bit after I'm healthy.

THX Mosh! I've actually got them listed as an assistance exercise but don't have the best facilities for doing them. Maybe it's time to just make do with what I've got and stop avoiding it! Bill Starr Intermediate 5x5 Day Eight Last night I played a hard 45 minutes of soccer and ended up with a low grade fever. My body felt really anxious and I couldn't get to sleep. Took some Ibuprofen to get the fever down and get rid of all the aches. Today I had dental work done so I am a bit wiped from that...emotional stress is quite draining physically! That, and I had a fever. So, today was a bit lackluster in the gym. I also forgot my log book so, I made it up as I went along and tried to remember my numbers as best I could. Front Squat: 1x5 - 65kg 1x5 - 77kg 2x5 - 95kg Incline DB Fly: 4x10 - 23kg dbs. Deads: skipped Finished with a static hold on tuck front lever for 30 seconds with several pull ups from that position front lever article

Bill Starr Intermediate 5x5 Day Seven morning run: 2 miles in 20 minutes on the treadmill after a 5 minute warm-up, then off to breakfast. Afternoon: Squats: 65kg x 5 77kg x 5 95kg x 5 110kg x 5 127kg x 5 Bench: 45kg x 5 57kg x 5 69kg x 5 81kg x 5 93kg x 5 Row: 45kg x 5 51kg x 5 59kg x 5 66kg x 5 73kg x 5 Then, an hour of badminton and off to dinner. note: I'm having some stiffness in the sacrum area and not sure why. When I squat or deadlift, there's no pain or discomfort. It seems to only be after I've been sedentary for a while. It feels really good after I roll it out on the baseball bat for a few minutes. I'm also getting 'adjustment' type movement when I'm sitting in a chair and lock my feet together on the floor and pull against them. I do have a broken back in my history from wrestling but it's a totally different feeling...more like a subluxation issue.

Man! Compared to you, I am severely lacking in the water department! I know I really need to get on that... not even at a gallon a day...MAYBE 3 liters - IF I count all the green tea I drink throughout the day. How well does the peanut butter sit with you just before a w/o? I know for me, I'll heave if I have it pre-w/o especially on a heavy squat day...

...Good thing you've got that Gym for a bedroom going on at home! Lookin' solid all around Chewy! Liking the Madcow style? I know I am! The light squat day is a nice change from 3 heavy days a week!

YeAh BuDdY!

Looking strong Adena! I'll be chasing...er, watching you..uh, your log!

I agree, Mosh! Just make sure not to get greedy with gains. Slow and steady wins (read as finishes) the race. Personally, I've never used a belt and don't even know how to wear one! ...or any other gear for that matter. BTW, what have you got going diet-wise?

Bill Starr Intermediate 5x5 Day Six morning run: 20 minutes (3km) on treadmill -- I think that's about a ten-minute mile pace?? Afternoon: Squats: 59kg x 5 75kg x 5 91kg x 5 108kg x 5 127kg x 3 91kg x 8 Bench: 45kg x 5 55kg x 5 67kg x 5 79kg x 5 93kg x 3 67kg x 8 Rows: 45kg x 5 50kg x 5 57kg x 5 64kg x 5 73kg x 3 57kg x 8 40 minutes and out.

Sounds like fun! Thanks for the tip Trillium! Maybe I'll give the rubber bulb thing a try! In the past, I've used a neti pot but it broke. I've also been thinking of just using a tea pot I've got lying around. The spout should be a nice fit! Just tilt the head sideways and pour in one nostril and it should flow out the other. The first time I did it I gagged because I didn't quite understand how to breathe through my mouth while water is flowing through my nose. ...I've also tried Agrisept in the water before...it worked really well but a little too powerful for my liking! LOL

Glad to hear you're feeling better and back in the gym, Trillium! Also, good to see that you've made the decision to run the SL program straight up. IMO, it should pay off some great dividends for you! ...and as the weights go up, start foam rolling if you aren't already. Also, check out this link for building a BIG squat. viewtopic.php?f=46&t=23315 All the best to you!

Oh NO! hope you get well soon!

THX Lobsteriffic. It's usually at it's worse in the morning and then after I get everything cleared out, I'm good for the day. Just not a fun way to start the day and it makes running in the AM a lot less fun. Once the pollen goes down, I'll be better. I don't like to take meds if I can help it...

Those tire flips sound like fun!

Bill Starr Intermediate 5x5 Day Five Morning Run: First of all, I played 45 minutes of soccer last night and was totally whooped this morning. My running partner woke me up with a text message 20 minutes after I was supposed to have arrived. I only got in about 15 minutes on the treadmill and felt like I was coming down with a sinus infection. The sinus infection thing happens to me every Spring. Afternoon: Front Squats: 59kg x 5 75kg x 5 91kg x 5 91kg x 5 Incline BB Bench: 51kg x 5 61kg x 5 75kg x 5 85kg x 5 Deads: 92kg x 5 111kg x 5 129kg x 5 147kg x 5 Done in 40 minutes. Side Note: I had the 8th and 9th grade boys in the weight room with me today...a bit distracting but entertaining!

+1 ...Keep eating BIG!