Slapshotz' SST journal

Slapshotz

New Member
I've been keeping a log at another site for the past couple years, but there's only 2 or 3 consistent posters there, so I think it's time to add a journal here
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I'm off to work now, but I'll outline my current plan later on today. I've been doing this particular strength phase for the last six months or so, and as long as the gains keep a-comin', I'll keep a-goin!
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Bench Press:
135 - 10
185 - 8
225 - 5
275 - 1
300 - x
225 - 6
225 - 6

Weighted Dips

<span style='color:blue'>BW+120 - 4 ***New Personal Best</span>
BW+120 - 3
BW+90 - 6
BW+90 - 5

***Rotator cuff prevention work ala Q-dood

Notes: I've been having a $hitty, stressful week, and this workout showed it. When 185 felt heavy on bench, I knew I was in for it, but I still figured I'd try 300 anyway. Hopefully, next chest workout will land me at 300. Dips were good.

As far as my HIIT cardio, I've STILL only done the one wind sprint session from last week. My inner thighs are still a little sore, which is extremely hard to believe, but that may be a hangover from my squats the other day. My hamstrings are still sore, too, so it may be another day or two b/4 my next session.

Talked briefly to my trainer today, he's still no big fan of HIIT cardio, but we'll have our official appointment on Saturday when I do my next bodyfat analysis, and can discuss it more...I really can't wait to pick his brain on that one and find out why he's anti HIIT.
 
Slap's basic training/diet philosophy:

At this point, I'm training purely for strength and aesthetics. My goals are to be as strong as possible, but at the same time, I want to maintain my 6-pack. That means rather infrequent heavy lifting, along with cardio on the off days.

I have been doing static cardio for the last year, but recently switched to HIIT. I may/may not switch back to static cardio, depending...I'll make a final decision by Saturday.

I see a trainer once every two to three months, and in addition to the 7-site caliper test he administers to check lbm, he outlines a basic approach for me to follow, things to work on, goals, etc. It's pretty cool.

As far as diet, my diet is a low carb approach, which some may find interesting, given that I'm strength training. I eat between 50 and 100 grams of net carbs, the rest of my caloric intake coming from healthy fats &amp; proteins. 90% of my diet consists of whole foods.

When I first switched to this style of eating a couple months ago, my strength did indeed take a big dip, but within 2 weeks I was back to my old levels, and even set some new personal bests since then.

I made the switch to low carbs for health reasons, and have not felt this good in a long time, health-wise. One hundred years from now, I think white flour will be as villified as cigarettes
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So, those who worry that having a low carb approach will kill their strength &amp; make them look flat &amp; shapeless, I can tell you straight up that that's not true. As long as you get enough calories to maintain, or even gain weight if that's your goal, good things can happen when you dump the carbs!
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I see a trainer once every two to three months, and in addition to the 7-site caliper test he administers to check lbm, he outlines a basic approach for me to follow, things to work on, goals, etc. It's pretty cool.</div>

How much does this trainer cost you?

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I made the switch to low carbs for health reasons, and have not felt this good in a long time, health-wise. One hundred years from now, I think white flour will be as villified as cigarettes
</div>

What's your problem with white flour? It's not a great carb, but it isn't something I think of as a bad food. Whole wheat flour is the way to go though, as long as it has the fiber.
 
<div>
(colby2152 @ Mar. 21 2007,19:21)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"></div>
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">How much does this trainer cost you?</div>

It comes to about $50 for the hour session. It's not cheap, but I only do it once every few months. Since I don't have a workout partner, I feel it helps me because I'm *accountable*, in that I want to show progress from one visit to the next via hard data.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">What's your problem with white flour? It's not a great carb, but it isn't something I think of as a bad food. Whole wheat flour is the way to go though, as long as it has the fiber.</div>

Completely agree about the wheat, colby. Quadancer knows my story in detail, and I promise I won't bore you with it
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, but recently I had a whole host of medical problems that were unquestionably linked to carbohydrate intake in general, and processed white flour products in particular. I dropped those foods from my diet, and the medical problems went away, including reflux disease, asthma &amp; allergy problems.

There are some smart cookies on this site, and I'm certainly not a science-guy, per se, but it's no secret that processed carb intake contributes mightily to many of the epidemic diseases of our times, including diabetes, obesity, allergies, asthma, and many cancers.

I get my carbs now from fresh veggies, oats, sweet potatoes, and the occasional slice or two of whole wheat bread. In the long run, that has to be better for you than stuff like cereals, white bread, and processed foods in general.

Hell, I WISH I could eat the way I used to when I was younger...it certainly was more fun
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<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I dropped those foods from my diet, and the medical problems went away, including reflux disease, asthma &amp; allergy problems.</div>

You have a point there, and I would love to eat better, but better nutrition = more money.
 
Consider what makes white flour white. It's a sad story.

Slaps, I wanted to say something about your avatar. Surely you know it got stretched when posted! I KNOW you're not that tall and skinny. Try and take that original pic and crop it until it reads square (like 150x150 or something) and repost it as the avatar and I think that will cure the problem. You're a little guy, but not THAT little!
YGM.
 
<div>
(Slapshotz @ Mar. 21 2007,20:41)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I dropped those foods from my diet, and the medical problems went away, including reflux disease, asthma &amp; allergy problems.</div>
Really? What counts as processed white flour products?
Maltodextrin? (fast carbs)
Whey?
Or is flour the stuff you make bread out of?

I have Asthma and Allergy (and skin problems) and have problem with it from time to time, especially since I became 23 yo (I´m 25 now).

My english is not perfect, thats why I ask this question.
 
Breads, bisquits, rolls, buns, turnovers, pastry, cookies, or anything with &quot;bleached white flour&quot; and sometimes &quot;enriched&quot; flour. They sometimes 'enrich' it because they've blanched out so many of the nutrients, it's worthless paste.

Maltodextrin, dextrose and whey serve other purposes and are good for our needs.
 
<div>
(quadancer @ Mar. 22 2007,06:02)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Consider what makes white flour white. It's a sad story.

Slaps, I wanted to say something about your avatar. Surely you know it got stretched when posted! I KNOW you're not that tall and skinny. Try and take that original pic and crop it until it reads square (like 150x150 or something) and repost it as the avatar and I think that will cure the problem. You're a little guy, but not THAT little!
YGM.</div>
lol....actually, that pic is spot on...my torso looks longer because my pants are pulled down so low...like 6 inches below my naval....any lower, and my HOO0-DILLY would be poking out
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Heck, I know I'm a little guy
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Bodyfat analysis results!!

Okay, just got my bf analysis today by my trainer, and we discussed goals &amp; a game plan to bring me into beach season with a real &quot;bang!&quot;  

Overall, the results were good.  In the last 2 months, I went from 167 to 164, and my bodyfat went from 9.5% to 8.8%.  In sum, I lost 3 pounds, 2 of which were fat, 1 of which was muscle.  I alsto managed to gain strength on all my major lifts (except bench press....grrrr!), which is also a plus.

Now comes the tricky part.  I want to be at a 7.something bodyfat for summer (at least the start of it).  We figured I'd need to weigh about 159,160 to get there.

He gave me two options, the quick way or the long way.  The quick way had me doing 1 hour of cardio 3 times a week, and in addition to my diet &amp; lifting, would get me there in approximately a month.  Trouble is, I don't have a whole hour to spare three times a week these days, in addition to everything else, so I opted for option B.

Option B will have me doing 30 minutes of cardio 3 times per week.  In eight weeks, I should be right where I want to be, just in time for summer to begin.  My diet right now is excellent, as it's already low carb.  

The only real dietary modifications he made were that I just need to pump up daily protein intake a tad, add another protein drink to consume during my actual workout, and add some simple carbs post workout to replenish glycogen stores (I used to do that, but stopped when I switched to the aforementioned low carb diet.)

NOTE: We discussed HIT interval cardio, and he just doesn't like it. He says it's overrated, and not the optimal choice for my goals, so I'm back to plain old walking on the treadmill....boring, but effective.
 
BACK DAY:

Weighted chin-ups:

BW - 10
BW+90 - 4 ***new personal best for reps (prev. 2 reps)
BW+70 - 5
BW+45 - 6
BW+45 - 5

Good mornings:
135 - 15
185 - 12
225 - 8
235 - 6 ***new personal best for weight (prev. 225)

Barbbell Curls:

110 - 5
135 - 1
140 - 1 ***New personal best for weight (prev. 135)
110 - 5

Back hyperextensions:

BW+45 - 12
BW+45 - 12
BW+45 - 12

NOTES:  Overall, great workout.  Set a couple of new pb's.  My lower back, which was one of my weaker muscle areas, is slowly becoming one of my stronger ones, and a major reason my squats &amp; deads continue to improve.

I didn't really notice much of anything by drinking the protein powder / juice mixture during the workout, but supposedly this well help me avoid catabolism since I'm so low on carbs the rest of the time.  I guess I'll find out for sure in a couple months.
 
I continue to be impressed by the weight you are throwing around Slaps.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I didn't really notice much of anything by drinking the protein powder / juice mixture during the workout, but supposedly this well help me avoid catabolism since I'm so low on carbs the rest of the time. I guess I'll find out for sure in a couple months. </div>

If your workout is longer than 45 minutes, than this can be beneficial for instant supply of carbs, if not than the placebo effect will help you out in the last few exercises.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Overall, the results were good. In the last 2 months, I went from 167 to 164, and my bodyfat went from 9.5% to 8.8%. In sum, I lost 3 pounds, 2 of which were fat, 1 of which was muscle. I alsto managed to gain strength on all my major lifts (except bench press....grrrr!), which is also a plus.</div>

.7% off in two months is pretty decent, especially when you are sub-10% to begin with.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">NOTE: We discussed HIT interval cardio, and he just doesn't like it. He says it's overrated, and not the optimal choice for my goals, so I'm back to plain old walking on the treadmill....boring, but effective. </div>

Did he have any reasons other than personal bias? I'm no professional by any means, but HIIT fits well into your goals of strength and the lean body look.
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I continue to be impressed by the weight you are throwing around Slaps.</div>

Tks, Colby!

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Did he have any reasons other than personal bias?  I'm no professional by any means, but HIIT fits well into your goals of strength and the lean body look.</div>

As far as the HIIT cardio, I was really shocked he was so against it.  I have often used a sprinter's bod versus a marathoner's bod comparison, and he said that's &quot;not really comparing apples to apples&quot;....and this is a guy who has gotten pros ready for contests before, so he knows more than me (which is the case a lot ot times, I'm afraid
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)

But here's his take on it. A marathoner not only runs long distances, they train for hours upon hours. 30 or 45 minute static cardio sessions will not make you go catabolic, as long as your protein intake is high, and if you're in diet mode, you need to lift as heavy as humanly possible to spare muscle tissue. Most marathoners lift no weights, and because of their training schedule, their predominant nutrient is carbs, and lots of them. That's a pi$$ poor combo for retaining muscle tissue, hence their skinny/fat look.

Guys like us train to get strong &amp; look good, right? Well, in his opinion, it's all about calories in versus calories out. For me, I need to spare muscle tissue, and burn &quot;x&quot; amount of fat over time to achieve the look I want. 1.5 hours of static cardio per week means about a loss of 1-2 pounds of fat per month. Will I lose more muscle tissue? Maybe not this time since my protein intake will be higher, and I'll be feeding my muscles with protien/carbs during the workout.

Anyhoo, that's his opinion, anyway...
 
Shoulder Day

Split Jerks:
95 - 8
115 - 6
135 - 5
155 - 3
160 - 2  ***New PB @160

Barbbell Shrugs:
225 - 10
315 - 10
405 - 10
500 - 4 ***New PB@500
405 - 10

Seated Dumbbell Press:
50 - 12
50 - 12

*Rotator Cuff Work

Notes:  Another solid effort.  Moved a little closer to my split jerk goal of 185.  Probably could have pushed it to 165, but I wanted to save something in the tank for shrugs.

The shrugs marked the first time I ever did 500 of anything, so I was totally stoked.  

So, we have cardio tomorrow, then hopefully legs on Tuesday or Wednesday.  I want 350 in the worst way
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That worst way is the best way I think to get it. So much is mental, and now you're in a 500 club you can 'do anything'. I've gone to 610 but the ROM was too short for it to count, so I consider 550 - 570 my best.
Hey, I've got a small size singlet here I can't use if you want to use them again. Blue and white, has butt pads for biking built in. New cond.
 
<div>
(quadancer @ Mar. 26 2007,22:14)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">That worst way is the best way I think to get it. So much is mental, and now you're in a 500 club you can 'do anything'. I've gone to 610 but the ROM was too short for it to count, so I consider 550 - 570 my best.
Hey, I've got a small size singlet here I can't use if you want to use them again. Blue and white, has butt pads for biking built in. New cond.</div>
Tks, Q!

Yeah, you're leg numbers are pretty legendary around these parts. I don't think 550 is possible for me to squat...that's more than 3x my bodyweight!
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Tks for the offer of the singlet....keep it ready for me in case I decide to compete in a powerlifting comp, but I haven't worn one of those things since my senior year of high school...my last wrestling match....JEEZ, THAT WAS 19 YEARS AGO!!!
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I don´t want to hijack this thread, but I would like to mention that, as many may know, I eat no grains whatsoever. Low carb doesn´t mean NO carb. I get my carbs from fruits and veggies, lots of em.

I can only say that in addition to the mounds of fat that melted away, I have noticed a HUGE difference in many areas concerning bodily functions as well as apperance. i.e. My skin is radiant (don´t laugh) and half of the few gray hairs I had are gone. My endurance levels are WAY better, my water balance is WAY better, I pop out of bed in the morning even after a 120km bike ride. Rgeneration time is dratically reduced. Yes I dropped some strength after 2 months, but I am back to pre-grain strength levels.

Everything about my life has changed for the better after droppping grain based food.

Rant over.
 
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