Putting my money where my mouth is.

[Northcott]

For several years now I've served as the kind of unofficial fitness guru for the NTL community, and now it looks like I'm headed that way for KT's school of wayward youth. I don't mind in the least.

But I do feel somewhat guilty that I haven't shared more of my own progress over the years. It makes me feel like I'm not walking the walk while I'm busy talking the talk to people that are asking questions. I don't dig that vibe.

So here's the scoop. I'm currently at 235 lbs (107 kilos), at around 6'2"/6'3" in height. That's somewhere around 180-185 cm, iirc. I'm too lazy to check right now. :)

A few years ago I suffered injuries to the rotator cuffs of both shoulders, leaving me without functional use of my arms for the better part of a year. I lost a lot of strength, not merely from the time off, but because you're only as strong as your weakest link -- and my shoulders were transformed into a weak link. As there's no free-weight lift that doesn't strain the shoulders to one degree or another, that did the job.

In 2006 I did a fine job of nearly working myself to death. Crazy long hours, 7 days a week, nine months straight. Ate like crap, skipped sleep for days at a time, and used a combination of coffee and energy drinks to keep myself awake. Needless to say, my body didn't thank me, and I got a tad "puffy".


I'm currently doing a fair job (but not yet good) on nutrition. I've just started strength-training coach Charles Poliquin's "Advanced German Volume Training" program; first workout was last night, and the program should run me just over 60 days.

At the end of that time I'll post my results here: the changes in the weight I'm capable of moving, bodyfat specs, and perhaps even photos -- if I can get past my aversion to posting photos on the 'net. I nearly died of frickin' embarrassment the last time I had bodybuilding-esque photos taken. I'm not quite vain enough to find it flattering rather than shameful.

Updates and thoughts on the program, my advancement, status, etc, will be recorded here.

Time to walk the walk. :)

[Northcott]

Jesus Christ. I'm insane.

Softball game at 6:00 ends at 8:00. I start my weight-lifting workout at 10:45, after putting my daughter to bed, doing some cleaning, etc. I'm not a lightweight, but I'm still one of the fastest sprinters in my league. I'll admit to a little sadistic thrill of amusement when I hear new players freak out when they see me freight-training over the bases at top speed, not having expected me to move like that. But damn, does it ever take it out of my legs and my energy level.

So what do I do tonight? Leg workout. Ten sets of squats being the core of it. I just wanna sleep in my chair.

[Morbidity]

Northcott you lazy sod update your own thread and tell me how you’re travelling.

So you’re 6’2”/6’3” and 107kg … which is as you’ve commented elsewhere scarily over twice my weight. But what’s that mean in terms of body fat?

More importantly what are you aiming for? You’re doing a 60 day program, so where are you hoping that will put you in 2 months time?

[Northcott]

Jeebus. I've been called out by Morbidity. :expressionless:

In terms of bodyfat -- I'd say I'm sitting well over where I should be. Like I said, a year of sitting on my ass, overworked, overstressed (lots of cortisol and hormone suppression there!), and chugging energy drinks and coffee to stay awake took their toll on me. I jumped up to around 20% bodyfat and lost a lot of strength.

What I'm aiming for out of this program is to restore a measure of strength and trim a little fat. Conventional wisdom says that you can't build muscle and burn fat at the same time. In cases where a person is already lean, this is mostly true. If you're not lean, however, or if your diet sucks, just cleaning up your nutritional habits and working hard generally suffices to acheive both.

I'm not sure how much fat I'll lose, given that I'm aiming chiefly for an increase in strength and/or joint health: I've got more of a long-term aim of longevity than anything else, though power is always attractive for the advantages it allows. I think that if I get down into the mid teens I'll be quite content with that. If it goes lower, I'll be pleasantly surprised.

In terms of strength: A 10% jump is a considerable amount to achieve, and might otherwise be unrealistic. However, I've been training with a low volume, high intensity approach for some time now. In addition, even when I have trained with higher volume, it's never been this high. I'm expecting that, if I can slog through the entirety of the program, keep my nutritional intake solid, and manage to get a bit more rest than I currently am, I should see that kind of jump in my 3 rep max for squat, bench, and perhaps deadlift as well. My chin-ups will certainly see a dramatic improvement.

I was going to post a photo taken at a pool party yesterday, of my daughter and I, but I can't find the bloody usb cord for the camera. :)

[Northcott]

Found the cord. This is 20%-ish bodyfat, and my insanely cute daughter in arm. She'd just skinned her knee poolside -- she didn't do more than frown at it and mumble for a moment or two. Tough little tyke.

http://home.golden.net/~enorthcott/misc/20per.jpg

So what's this mean in terms of my weight? Well, I'm still strong, and apparently most people find me surprisingly fast -- so it's not all flab. I'm not really all that concerned about aesthetics, and I've only ever really tried to trim down once, six years ago or so. But it's something I want to get under control before it does become a problem, plus less fat and more strength should help me maintain my edge in speed as I grow older -- I turn 36 this week.

[Limper]

Hell bro that aint puffy. Since Vlad was born I've gone from 225 and buff to 235 with a body shape approaching the stay puff marshmallow man.

[Northcott]

Hell bro that aint puffy. Since Vlad was born I've gone from 225 and buff to 235 with a body shape approaching the stay puff marshmallow man.

I'd been wondering how your training has been going, but figured I'd wait for you to bring it up rather than throw it out there. I remember around the time Vlad was born you were starting to play with unbalanced weights: ie lifting heavy random shit. Or am I remembering incorrectly?

Any plans to get back into the grind?

[Limper]

I'd been wondering how your training has been going, but figured I'd wait for you to bring it up rather than throw it out there. I remember around the time Vlad was born you were starting to play with unbalanced weights: ie lifting heavy random shit. Or am I remembering incorrectly?

Any plans to get back into the grind?

Ahhhhh my 16 lb Hammer and the former slab of cement... good times that.

Vlad was just the begining of life changing stuff. The Missus got a new job right after we started getting back in the groove (just after year one) and it has long hours and by the time she gets home and we aet dinner its time for us to try and get the boy cleaned up and in bed its about 10pm and I just want to go to sleep. Alarm goes off at 4:45am and we start again.

She makes good money but it has killed my fitness routine and until Vlad is a bit older and he and I can eat and leave her to fend for herself so we can go to the gym (they have a play area) I'm getting weak and flabby.

I'd like to get back to it but until we are passed the never varying schedual phase of toddlerhood I'm SOL.

You have one so you know what I'm refering to.

[Northcott]

You have one so you know what I'm refering to.

Oh yeah, I know what that's like. :expressionless: The joys of parenthood. I've caught myself finishing a workout at or after midnight, utterly destroyed as I sit back in my chair, shake my head, and wonder where the fuck my sanity went. Probably the same place my free time is hiding.

[Limper]

Oh yeah, I know what that's like. :expressionless: The joys of parenthood. I've caught myself finishing a workout at or after midnight, utterly destroyed as I sit back in my chair, shake my head, and wonder where the fuck my sanity went. Probably the same place my free time is hiding.

I've tried the late thing and I don't get enough rest when I do that and I hurt myself more often than not and am useless for days after.

I miss free time.

[Northcott]

I've tried the late thing and I don't get enough rest when I do that and I hurt myself more often than not and am useless for days after.

I miss free time.


No word of a lie, it makes recovery a bitch, and I certainly wouldn't recommend it.

When you manage to eke out a little more free time for yourself, you might want to consider Dan John's "One Lift A Day" program. He offers some ideas for the program in his article One Hard Thing (http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=708283), and there's a link to the original One Lift A Day article in there, too.

[Limper]

No word of a lie, it makes recovery a bitch, and I certainly wouldn't recommend it.

When you manage to eke out a little more free time for yourself, you might want to consider Dan John's "One Lift A Day" program. He offers some ideas for the program in his article One Hard Thing (http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=708283), and there's a link to the original One Lift A Day article in there, too.

I'll give it a look over.

Vlad has just about gotten to where he can help me out. If he could stand on my shoulders while I did a pushup I'd get cut again in no time.

[Morbidity]

Jeebus. I've been called out by Morbidity. :expressionless:
:p Didn't want you to think that nobody cared about you whilst you were handing out advice to everyone else.

In terms of strength: A 10% jump is a considerable amount to achieve, and might otherwise be unrealistic.
How do you measure a 10% jump? Does it simply mean you lift a 10% heavier weight or is it more esoteric than that?

[Northcott]

How do you measure a 10% jump? Does it simply mean you lift a 10% heavier weight or is it more esoteric than that?

I was referring to a 10% increase in weight lifted, in this case for a 3 rep max. One rep max may be a truer indication of limit strength, but I find that 3rm is safer.

A 10% increase is a huge margin of increase for an experienced lifter, but I figure the difference in training methodology may well spark a significant enough increase to merit it. Perhaps. It will be, at best, a close thing.

[Atropine Mama]

my insanely cute daughter in arm. She'd just skinned her knee poolside -- she didn't do more than frown at it and mumble for a moment or two. Tough little tyke.

SQUEEEEEEEE! CUTE BEEBEE!

You should post this in the member pics thread, Northcott! That's a great photo of you two.

[Northcott]

SQUEEEEEEEE! CUTE BEEBEE!

You should post this in the member pics thread, Northcott! That's a great photo of you two.

She is. :) And there's a reason it's not. I'd rather keep the image limited to this thread, which isn't likely to be checked by nearly as many people. It's a thin rationalization, granted, but it makes me feel a little better.

[SHARK]

Greetings!

You're looking good though, Northcott!:D

Fuck, how I miss the years in the Corps. There, geez...besides all the shit we did every fucking day starting at 0700, well, I remember we would have a Libo formation at 1630, and by 1700, we'd be changed over from our uniforms, and we'd go to the gym and work out for an hour or two, every day.

Sit-ups, push-ups, machine work, and lots of free-weights. It all seemed so easy...the body just did exactly what I wanted it to do, and fell into the groove of things...always working, always getting stronger, and staying in fine shape.

Nowadays, fuck. The time? My fucking schedule goes all over the map, Northcott! Every fucking semester, the schedule gets all jacked around, and fuck if I can ever find the same time to work out more than two days in a row. It pisses me off.

So, with the new semester coming in just a few weeks, Northcott, do you have any suggestions for what exercise routines I should do, and when, giving that I have a crazy schedule?

I'm looking forward to dropping the waistline down to about 34 or so--32 would be nice, but not required. I'm also excited about getting bigger, stronger, and having more powerful guns baby! I gotta get in fighting shape after all, you know?

I've lost over 60-lbs in the last year...since I left my house, for three months straight I worked out at the gym for three hours a day; walking five miles a day (45 minutes); swimming for 30 minutes; 30 minutes on the stairmaster; and 30-minutes of weight lifting; followed by 15 minutes in the steam room, and 15 minutes in the jacuzzi.:D

But then school got more intense, and it took all my energy just staying in school. Depression and despair were my ever-present companions, and a driving anger just rippling under the surface.

I managed to get through the school year, but in the last six to eight months, my work-out routine has gone to hell.

So now, that I'm feeling a bit better than last summer and fall, I'm looking forward to getting into shape again.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

[Northcott]

Given what you're looking at schedule-wise, man, I'd say go for whole body routines that use compound movements: pull-ups, bench press, military press, squats, deadlifts, rows -- big muscle groups, training movements rather than bodyparts. That'll hit the most muscles possible with maximum effort, contained in a short amount of time. You can leave yourself puking on the ground in 20 minutes if you do just a heavy pull, heavy push, and squat or deadlift variant. Not that I recommend puking. :)

If you can squeeze in half an hour of weight-lifting time, plus the time taken to change, shower, etc -- and can manage 2-3 of those sessions a week, you should be golden. During rougher scheduling periods, once a week will do for maintenance. Plus every now and again, it's good to take a week or two off from the gym. Heavy effort strains the central nervous system, along with the expected and more obvious physical strains.


It's funny, but I just read how the armed forces might be switching over their training soon. People like Poliquin, the guy who wrote up the program I'm following, have been trying to get the military to look at sports performance drills for years. They've finally gone through and did some tests with troops that received standardized training, and those who were trained with specific tasks in mind -- such as running with uneven weights to simulate carrying a buddy off the field. Guess who came out ahead in the tests? ;)

[Brynja]

So what you are saying is hurling cinderblocks is the way to go?

[Limper]

So what you are saying is hurling cinderblocks is the way to go?

That would actually be a damn effective work out if done with dilligence.

[Brynja]

For you maybe.

[Limper]

For you maybe.

It would work for you as well. Slowly pick up a heavy book and proced to go through the motions of throwing it (like a shot put) take close notice of all the muscles used. Try with the other hand.

Its a decent full body sort of workout.

[Brynja]

I will stick to the gym and cardio. :)

I don't get the kinda eye candy I want if I just hurl Assessment of Children.

[Limper]

I will stick to the gym and cardio. :)

I don't get the kinda eye candy I want if I just hurl Assessment of Children.

You asked.

[Brynja]

I asked Northcoot, you chimed in- dont you have an anti-christ to raise?

[Northcott]

So what you are saying is hurling cinderblocks is the way to go?

Ever see the forearms on a bricklayer's labourer? Not the bricklayer's themselves, mind you, as those lazy fucks do jack-all for work. The labourer who provides them with mortar, hauls the stacks of bricks around, etc.

[NRG]

Keep your money away from your mouth. You'll contaminate something; that thing is filthy. . .

NRG

[Northcott]

You know what they say: Money is the root of all evil.


Righto. Gave my right shoulder a little strain playing ball on Thursday. Went without sleep on Wednesday night, napped in the early afternoon on Thurs, then went out and played ball before my scheduled workout that night. Or at least what was supposed to be my regular workout. Instead I've spent the last two days stretching and making sure that old injuries aren't creeping up on me.

Slept like crap last couple of nights. I'm running on caffeine. Planning my workout for later on today, when thunderstorms force me to shut down the computer and abandon work for the day. Today, upper body push/pull exercises. Tomorrow, lower body push/pull.

I tend to train movements rather than bodyparts, and there's overlap, so even the categorizations of upper and lower body don't always hold true. For example, lower body days in some programs entail deadlifts -- and nothing's going to help you build a thick, strong back, from top to bottom, like deadlifts.

This program tends to be more divisive, however, with little crossover between upper and lower body, save the carry over from squats, front squats, and Romanian deadlifts. This is probably a good thing, as between the work volume and how hectic everyday life is, I need all the recovery advantages I can scrape.

[Northcott]

Shoulder held up through the workout tonight. The weight moved unexpectedly easy, though the weighted chin-ups petered out during the last couple sets. I thought I'd bomb given how tired I am. We'll see what the next round brings. Time for sleep.

[Northcott]

Yarrr. Sunday the 26th was supposed to be another brutal leg day -- but Monday morning is a project deadline, and my daughter ate up far, far more time this week than should have been allowed. So it's an all-nighter at work instead of a workout and a night's sleep.

So I'll nap tomorrow/today during the day and hit the weights tomorrow afternoon or night.

[Northcott]

So my plan to nap during the day went to Hell when work complications kicked in. I ended up managing to scrape together about two and a half hours of sleep through the day. My wife's feeling like crap, so I picked up the slack on some of the duties around the house -- which means my leg workout didn't start until 11:30 pm, and finished sometime around 1 am.

The weights I'm using aren't very impressive, but it's the fact that 10 sets are being done with two lifts, supersetted -- that's a killer. Supersetting? That's when you do (for example) a set of bench press, rest one minute, do a set of weighted chin-ups... rest a minute, bench press, etc.

By the time I'm done my shirt is usually soaked through with sweat. This is a brutal program. When my wife heads back to school, and my daughter's in daycare, I think I'll take an afternoon break from work, knock off early, and get in my workouts while I'm the only one home. At least then I'll be able to sleep at night. :P

[Morbidity]

Yikes ... aren't you in danger of falling asleep between sets. I gather you're a night owl and would view my work out time of 5.30am as equally insane.

[Northcott]

Yikes ... aren't you in danger of falling asleep between sets. I gather you're a night owl and would view my work out time of 5.30am as equally insane.

Fluids build up in your spine when you sleep, and take between 1-3 hours to dissapate. :) It's a bad idea to do things like heavy squats and deadlifts first thing in the morning. Even when I'm going light, I don't go below a couple hundred pounds on my back, so early morning workouts are out of the question for me.

Plus I run out of steam and crawl around looking for a puke bucket. I like to push it hard, and the body needs fuel for that.

If I'm working out late at night it's because my day's been too hectic for me to fit it in then. The house starts buzzing at 6:00 am (at the latest), so if I'm up late, it just means I'm sleeping less.

I do my best artwork at night, though. The creative vibe really starts flowing in the evening and keeps going to about three or four in the morning, if I'm pushing my limits. That's simply not an option with a toddler running about, however.

[Northcott]

On that note: Tonight I wuss out. :) I've gotten just over 10 hours sleep spread over the last three nights. I was supposed to squeeze in another workout tonight, but it's already near midnight, and by the time I walk the dogs and finish lifting, it's going to be after 2am.

My wife goes through little melt-downs at strategic times of the year: the beginning of the school, all three report card periods, and usually near the end of school as well. Things get chaotic around here at those points.

So tonight I'm opting for landing as much sleep as possible, and I'll squeeze in an arm workout tomorrow. Then a push/pull upper body workout on Thursday, along with a softball game -- and Friday's leg day again.

I'm going to be fried by Saturday.

[Morbidity]

Makes sense. Advantage of exercising in the morning though is the endorphins stay with you all day ... endorphins have a very long half-life.

What type of dogs do you have?

[Northcott]

Both "rescue" mutts. One we took in when we were living on the Rez back in '98, and the other we took in about a year after we moved into our current home -- so we've had him about four years now. Each dog was roughly 2 years old when we took them in.

The first is a female "Heinz 57" -- seems to have black lab, terrier, some husky, and God knows what else for genetics. Extremely intelligent animal.

The other is a greyhound/husky cross (best as anyone can guess) -- looks like a really tall, lean husky with brindle fur. People often comment that he's a beautiful animal. He's exceptionally gentle and adores children, but he's also dumb as a post and completely blind at this point. He started to lose his sight about a year after we took him in, and it was completely gone about a year after that.

[Northcott]

Well... fuck.

So I missed my workout yesterday afternoon. Tried to cram it in at night. We're getting a little late-season heatwave here, so my basement/office/gym is kind of like a mild sauna with only a tiny window to vent. It's humid as Hell, and it was supposed to be a day where I increase the weights by a significant jump: 8-9%.

I'm now supposed to be squatting around 300 lbs for reps (at this point in the program). Which, it should be understood, is not all that great. In fact, it's kind of sucky. Nothing to brag about, at least. It's a fraction of what really strong people move.

So I'm supposed to do 10 sets of 3 reps. It's late. I'm tired. Three sets in and I'm now so overheated that my shirt is soaked, front and back. Rivulets of sweat are running down my arms and legs. By the fifth set I finally got my head in the right space, and hit a good, clean three reps. By the 6th set my body was betraying me -- I couldn't even squat the weight all the way down, and suddenly my knees were giving me grief. No good. So I stopped on the 7th set, which turned out to be worse than the 6th instead of better.

I did try to get in the lunges, however, but my knees wouldn't put up with that crap either, so those were quickly aborted. I did a few sets of Romanian deadlifts with a couple hundred pounds and then called it a night.

It pisses me off. That's the first workout on this program that I've bailed on. :mad:

[Morbidity]

Ouch! Sounds like a bad session. But good that you stopped rather than forced yourself through it and injured yourself.

[Glass]

The first is a female "Heinz 57" -- seems to have black lab, terrier, some husky, and God knows what else for genetics. Extremely intelligent animal.


Sorry your set got cut short, man. The unseasonable heat waves suck ass.

[Northcott]

Dude, that's a disturbing image.

Weekend update: skipped my arm workout since I was playing a ball tournament today, and wanted to be fresh. Spent Saturday afternoon hauling in a couple cords of firewood and stacking them in the basement and out on the back deck.

Ball tourney today was four mini-games of 5 innings each, with an hour break in between, followed by a fifth when we made it into the final round vying for first place. The team had an unusually good day: we went into the tourney as the 2nd or 3rd worst team in the league, and came out number 2.

Might even have come out number one if one of the girls on the team hadn't taken two wicked shots to the shin -- the ball hit the exact same spot both times. This is supposed to just be a really casual "beer league", all about the fun and the sportsmanship, yet the team we played in the last game took advantage of the rules in crappy little ways, and trumped it all when they refused a courtesy runner for the girl with the leg injury. Her leg's probably fractured, given the way it swelled up like there was a damned grapefruit under the skin.

It's now my personal mission to crush these people next year.

Overall I had a good day. I didn't realize just how much energy my weight-training was sucking out of me. I didn't temper it outside of today; never held back simply because their was a ball game. As a result I had some bad games. Because I skipped the last few days and only did moderate manual labour yesterday, I flew like a bat out of Hell today. Three frickin' times, however, this caused me to over-run the ball -- when it would get smacked into the outfield, I went tearing for it, convinced I couldn't make it the 30-40 feet before it would hit the ground... and I shot right by the thing. Once I managed to jump, reach back, and snag it out of the air, but the other two times I fucked that up and spent time cursing instead.

[Northcott]

Update: Monday is Ow!-day. Proof I'm getting old: lots of hurting today, even in places I didn't expect the pain. Right wrist is aching, and I don't remember doing a damned thing to that yesterday. Hamstrings, glutes, and hips are sore as hell -- expected from mad sprinting through five games in one day (I'm absolutely amazed at how my speed didn't seem to decrease at all through the day). Knees ache a bit. Shins are killing me. Hurts to walk.

Goal is to be stronger and faster for next year. I've seen many natural, steroid-free lifters continue to increase their strength into their early to mid-forties, getting some of their best lifts as late as 46-47 years old.

[Glass]

Dude, that's a disturbing image.


What's disturbing about that? :)

[Northcott]

Heinz and maple? Is that dude tasting the dog's face? Teh fuck?!?

[Northcott]

One week later: Shins haven't fully recovered. Hurts when I walk around too much. Knees are being tempermental: the right one sounds like I've got sand or Rice Krispies in it when I bend that leg below a 90 degree angle. Minor ache sets into them too easily.

I'm suspecting that both may be due to my feet pronating inward... flat-footed, basically. Combine with squatting 300 lbs for reps and/or several bouts of sprinting with a 235 lb frame, and the problems start to make sense. Time to call the doctor.

[Morbidity]

Eek. Hope you get good news from the doctor.

[Black Angel]

Or maybe the podiatrist might be more help? Sounds like you need some orthotics...

[Northcott]

I'm figuring it'll require both. Something has to be done about the pronation in my feet; hopefully there's some kind of exercise I can undertake to reduce the need for orthotics. But either way, my knees have been grinding a lot lately, and the shin splints are brutal. I want to make sure that no structural problems have occurred in the knees.

[doc]

Man get some in-soles for your shoes, when I was running all the time I hurt too till I got the support in soles.

[Northcott]

I've got very well cushioned shoes, Doc. The cushioning doesn't prevent pronation, however. That requires specifically designed support to be fully effective.

My hunch is that this is at least partially caused by my sedentary workday.

[doc]

Arch support shouldn't be confused with a well cushioned shoe, walk a lot rather then drive

[Northcott]

I'm not confused in the least, Doc. I was responding to your reference to insoles, rather than arch support. And unless I'm travelling with my family, I walk everywhere I go -- on top of giving the dogs at least one walk a day.

[doc]

I misunderstood you then

[Northcott]

Eh, it happens. :) BTW, I've noticed the improvements in the writing quality of your posts. It's much appreciated! It makes you much easier to understand.

[doc]

Eh, it happens. :) BTW, I've noticed the improvements in the writing quality of your posts. It's much appreciated! It makes you much easier to understand.

On-line dictionaries are my friend :D

[Northcott]

Got to my workout ultra late last night. I was brain-fogged and having trouble focusing until about the 4th set of bench/pull-downs. Still hammered all 10 sets like a fucking piston! Good stuff. Felt nice to get some success notched up under the iron.

Ordered some Rehband knee sleeves -- one of the T-nation guys tipped me off about a gym that was still selling the 7mm thick sleeves, which are now out of production and a bitch to find. They're in high demand among weightlifters. Got 'em! Ordered some lifting chalk, too. Sweat makes hands slippery. Slippery hands + bar loaded with a couple hundred pounds of iron = bad juju.

Interesting article on T-nation today on how to aid recovery from injury through nutrition. http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1728164
WARNING! There are depictions of athletic injuries in the article that are pretty nasty to see.

Tonight is leg night. I'm going to be more thorough in warming up my knees and seeing to limb and hip flexibility. Let's see if it makes a difference in my knees. Though the pain seems to have departed, the right one still makes an ungodly crackling/grinding sound when I crouch low.

[Northcott]

Knees held up well during the front squats. Kept the legs tight all the way down, was very careful about my posture and positioning, and had only minor discomfort. The right knee's a bitch this morning, though. It's popping audibly every time I stand up. Lack of sleep's killing me, too. Definitely heading to bed early tonight.

[Northcott]

Well, it turns out that ultra-high volume programs just aren't effective for people with toddlers. No surprise, really, but I'm stubborn and had to try it. When my strength started to bottom out last week, leaving me struggling to complete 5 sets, nevermind 10, I knew I was in shit.

So I'm modifying it for now, and going back to a 5x5 pattern using the same workouts. Jumping the weight up, doing slightly higher reps and fewer sets. Plus it feels like a headcold's trying to pin me down, and I refuse to surrender to the bastard.

[Pigs in Space]

So how many sets do you do (excluding warmups) in a sesion?

And how many reps in each set in general?

I'm doing something like 15-18 heavy sets in a session usually. 5 sounds a bit low.

[Northcott]

I was following Poliquin's "Advanced German Volume Training" (http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do;jsessionid=B13CE8A63ABE29121111A7A6 7B44D7AD.hydra?id=658759) program. I'm not getting nearly enough rest to keep from overtraining when using it, it turns out.

If you think that 5 worksets sounds a bit low, then brother, you ain't workin' those sets hard enough. ;) I've seen (and been one of the) lifters who could throw so much into one work set of squats that they can't stand after, and have to crawl away and puke. One of the most productive methods of training for powerlifting, Westside, has guys doing only one or two maximum effort sets in their big lifts -- working up to it with a long, progressive warm-up -- and then a couple assistance exercises. HIT training is based around the "1 set to failure" mentality, and they'll do total body workouts with just 6-8 exercises with 1-2 work sets each. It's a brutal way to train.

Bill Starr, a champion lifter and a world-reknowned strength coach, had his athletes lifting strictly on a 5x5 system. 3x10 and 5x5 were also what guys like Reg Park used to build their physique back in the old days.

Poliquin's AGVT method has you doing compounds:
A1 Incline Bench Press
A2 Weighted Chin-ups
B1 Weighted Dips
B2 Dumbbell Rows

The A set is done for 10 sets of 3-5 reps. You do A1, rest for 1:40, then do A2. Rest 1:40, do A1 again. Repeat until you've hammered out 10 sets of each. Then you tackle the B sets in the same way, save only 3 sets of 8 each.

For now I'm dialing the 10 set grouping down to 5.

[Northcott]

Update: 1 week before deadline on this goal? Stomach Flu. One week later: Relapse, or a new flu. Either way, lots of power-puking nastiness. A week after that? Food poisoning from some bad shellfish.

In between I managed to injure my left shoulder helping some friends do drywall, and then aggravated it a couple days later by catching a water cooler bottle that was toppling.

Yeeeaaaaahhhh... it's been a fun month. :| Ah well! New Year coming up. Once the Christmas mess is out of the way, it's time to focus back on things again. For now it's time to clean up the diet again, get in touch with the doc, start physio, etc.

[Dr. Cherry Gunn]

I'm having a really hard time keeping my diet under control. It's not holidays or anything, just going through a phase, which I do from time to time. The worst part is I've had some high blood pressure readings at the doctor lately, as well as some anxiety for the first time in my life, so now is not the time to be gaining weight! I've gained about 5 pounds, although some of it is muscle, as even though my diet's been abysmal, my gym habits have really been very good. In fact, I'm bench pressing more than I ever have in my life, which feels good. Of course, it won't feel good if my heart explodes from high blood pressure. :)

[Northcott]

Yeah, that's sounding pretty brutal. Only thing to do in these situations is to knuckle down and fix what's wrong. It's never easy, but it's the only way.

Do you take any fish oil at all? Focusing on Omega 3 intake may help. Don't be fooled by the mixed oils that claim to give a balance of 3,6,9 -- those aren't worth the money you'd spend on them.

[Dr. Cherry Gunn]

Yeah, that's sounding pretty brutal. Only thing to do in these situations is to knuckle down and fix what's wrong. It's never easy, but it's the only way.

Do you take any fish oil at all? Focusing on Omega 3 intake may help. Don't be fooled by the mixed oils that claim to give a balance of 3,6,9 -- those aren't worth the money you'd spend on them.

I've made changes on the blood pressure front: eliminated salt in cooking and reduced intake of salty food like chips, gone down to one can of caffeinated soda per day, in the morning just to help wake up, and hit the gym much harder. I think it's actually worked, but I won't know until I go back to the doctor.

The anxiety, strangely, was caused by the caffeine withdrawal. I didn't know that was a symptom, but it was stronger and lasted far longer than the headaches. There were nights I couldn't sleep, and the anxiety wasn't helping my blood pressure any, but it's gotten better, but is still sporadic.

I don't take fish oil. What problem are you suggesting it to help?

[Northcott]

I don't take fish oil. What problem are you suggesting it to help?

Fish oils, specifically those high in Omega 3's, help shift the balance of the fatty acid profile of what's going into your body. Our North American diet tends to be very high in Omega 6's -- three or more times what's considered an ideal balance. That's why those blended EFA's are utter junk. You don't really need more of the others.

Omega 3's however, are fairly deficient. Restoring balance by increasing Omega 3 intake has been shown to have an impact on several health issues. From the trivial such as skin and hair tone, to the more impactful, such as the body's ability to deal with inflammation. By inflammation, I mean as a general thing; not just joints. Heart disease is directly impacted by that as well. There's also some indication that it may have an effect on brain health (the role of DHA in Omega 3's)... and, fuck, countless other benefits.

Restoring that balance has a very powerful effect. You'll notice it about 2 weeks to a month after strong supplementation. When I'm on the ball I take 4-6 grams a day. I've considered upping that significantly.

[Dr. Cherry Gunn]

Fish oils, specifically those high in Omega 3's, help shift the balance of the fatty acid profile of what's going into your body. Our North American diet tends to be very high in Omega 6's -- three or more times what's considered an ideal balance. That's why those blended EFA's are utter junk. You don't really need more of the others.

Omega 3's however, are fairly deficient. Restoring balance by increasing Omega 3 intake has been shown to have an impact on several health issues. From the trivial such as skin and hair tone, to the more impactful, such as the body's ability to deal with inflammation. By inflammation, I mean as a general thing; not just joints. Heart disease is directly impacted by that as well. There's also some indication that it may have an effect on brain health (the role of DHA in Omega 3's)... and, fuck, countless other benefits.

Restoring that balance has a very powerful effect. You'll notice it about 2 weeks to a month after strong supplementation. When I'm on the ball I take 4-6 grams a day. I've considered upping that significantly.

I think i"ll give this a shot. I have my next doctor's appointment on the 9th, and I'd like to have gotten my blood pressure under control so I can avoid going on medication (although I see a DO, not an MD, so he doesn't push medication on me).

I'm going to go with 2-3 grams a day, though, since that's the amount they've studied and that level seems to have good effects all on its own. :D

[Atropine Mama]

Stuff about Omega 3's

"No Fishy Aftertaste", it says on the bottle. My ASS. Every day for the last four years, it's been like eating sushi without the satisfaction of tasting it first. :mad:

[Northcott]

"No Fishy Aftertaste", it says on the bottle. My ASS. Every day for the last four years, it's been like eating sushi without the satisfaction of tasting it first. :mad:


Heh. Yeah. Biotest puts out a great product called "Flameout", and it's supposed to reduce/remove aftertaste. I've had some burning fish vurps that would curl a sane person's hair.

I find that taking them with meals is key in keeping down the aftertaste.

[Atropine Mama]

burning fish vurps

:killinme:

The General has told me she denies any knowledge of who would have given you such a custom title. :wasntme:

[Dacke]

"No Fishy Aftertaste", it says on the bottle. My ASS. Every day for the last four years, it's been like eating sushi without the satisfaction of tasting it first. :mad:
You don't get it in those capsules that you swallow whole, which then melt in your stomach? That's pretty aftertaste-free.

[Northcott]

:killinme:

The General has told me she denies any knowledge of who would have given you such a custom title. :wasntme:

What?!? Dammit! I've been relieved as the P.E. Instructor?

Edit: My avatar now looks like he's hanging his head in shame!

[Pigs in Space]

Heh. Yeah. Biotest puts out a great product called "Flameout", and it's supposed to reduce/remove aftertaste. I've had some burning fish vurps that would curl a sane person's hair.

I find that taking them with meals is key in keeping down the aftertaste.

When I was bulking up over the last few years, I was eating those little cans of tuna in EVOO, to get the protein and the omega's. One or two a day.

After a few months, I was getting a fair bit bigger, and then I started getting hideous indigestion. On some occasions it was quite painful, and I had a bout of it nearly every week for around 2 years.

Now, because I'm mildly retarded, I stubbornly did not change my diet for ages until I finally grew a brain and decided to try things. First thing I tried was lowering the amount of protein I was eating... and that involved cutting out those cans of tuna/salmon.

And guess what - miracle cure! No more indigestion.

So yeah, I didn't get fish burps, or nasty aftertaste, but I got full on acid reflux from that shit.


The moral of this story is that I have an onion tied to my belt, which was the style at the time.

[Black Angel]

Another option for those who can't have fish/don't like the taste is flaxseed oil, which you can also get in capsules. It probably is more of a combo product (ie 3,6&9), but if the fishy stuff bothers you, like I say, it is another option.

[Brynja]

What?!? Dammit! I've been relieved as the P.E. Instructor?

Edit: My avatar now looks like he's hanging his head in shame!



Well he has been curling sane people's hair all day- of course he is ashamed.:tongue:

[Northcott]

Coop -- that's some crazy shit, man. Don't you know that wearing an onion from your belt will make your nuts smell like a day-old sub left in the sun?

Angel -- Omega 3's aren't a single substance, but a variety of fatty acids sharing similar characteristics. That said, there's some indication they may have slightly different effects on the body. Fish oils contain DHA and EPA (with there being studies that indicate that DHA may have a beneficial effect on brain function), while flax contains alpha linolenic acid (ALA). I think it may be the richest source of ALA (plant-based omega 3) around.

The deal with Omega 3's and 6's is that, when combined in the human body, we see some lovely health benefits when they're in balance. A change in the state of inflammation is one of the biggest, as that effects everything from aches and pains, to how we heal from injuries, to heart disease. Optimum levels are believed to be somewhere around a 3:1 ratio of Omega 6's to Omega 3's. The average North American diet is somewhere around 20:1.

A fair part of this reason is the innovation in farming that saw specialty feed being given to cattle. The subsidization and subsequent widespread use of corn in cattle feed, along with various other components not natural to their diet, saw a drastic shift in the composition of fats in the bovine body. Not only do they carry more fat, making for food with an excess of calories derived from fat, but the balance of 6's and 3's goes through a radical shift: from 3-5:1 to around 16-18:1. My apologies for the vague numbers -- I'm working from memory here.

When placed back on a proper ruminant’s diet -- grass -- the composition of their meat changes back to one that makes it comparable to salmon in terms of health benefits. Unfortunately it's also so small an industry that it's expensive as Hell, and around here the government's made it very, very hard for small farms to get by. Particularly small farms with cattle.

[Northcott]

Hahahahah.

Hernia.

How fucking awful is this winter? One thing after another. By the time all is said and done, I'll have been laid off of training for around six months unless things speed up. :grey:

[Space Cadet B^3]

Aw man. That sucks.

[NRG]

When placed back on a proper ruminant’s diet -- grass -- the composition of their meat changes back to one that makes it comparable to salmon in terms of health benefits. Unfortunately it's also so small an industry that it's expensive as Hell, and around here the government's made it very, very hard for small farms to get by. Particularly small farms with cattle.

Very interesting. I always knew the beef we got from the family's farm was better, but never knew exactly why. Done properly, with a complimentary combination of farming (lentils, barley, wheat and hay) and ranching (cattle), it can still work out. This is doubly true given our current infatuation with ethanol, which is driving up the prices of corn, which in turn drives up the prices of every other grain.

Well, back to your regularly-scheduled thread.

NRG

[Northcott]

Hahahahah.

Wanna know who won't quit? So I'm all sewed back up, healed, a couple weeks into becoming physically active again -- and my daughter brings home a new friend from daycare. Stomach Flu! Yaaaay! Whole household does 24 hours of not being able to hold down food or liquids, and then a few days of general nausea and aches.

My lifts have gone to complete shit and my joints are achy. My stamina's in the toilet.

Going to be a Hell of a lot of work to get myself back up to par by mid-summer. :D

[Space Cadet B^3]

Don't overdo it!

[Northcott]

The Barbarian brothers were once quoted as saying: "There is no such thing as over-training. There is only under-rested and under-fed."

Mind you, they were a couple of steroid-shooting muscleheads back before it was a serious crime to fool around with that stuff, and I'm a suburban dad with enough on his plate already. I don't even have the time to over-train. ;)

[FeatsofClay]

I have been back on the push-up and sit-up wagon. Turns out there are still abs in there somewhere!

[Northcott]

Now insomnia man sleeps. Tomorrow? Deadlifts, chins, and overhead press. I'll still be keeping it light. Probably won't go past the mid 200's for DL's.

[doc]

I lifted a 20 oz Mountain Dew today, hey I'm the Anti- Northcott !

[Snatch]

Probably won't go past the mid 200's for DL's.

:shock: Holy cow man! I can only do about 140-160 for deadlifts before either feeling like puking or my lower back says "Uh-uh".

[Northcott]

:shock: Holy cow man! I can only do about 140-160 for deadlifts before either feeling like puking or my lower back says "Uh-uh".

Kilos or pounds?

Edit: Just to keep things in perspective: the world record is just over 1,000 pounds for deadlift. I like to lift heavy for me ... and to me, that's what the iron game's all about. Personal records and levels. Each to their own. :)

[Northcott]

I lifted a 20 oz Mountain Dew today, hey I'm the Anti- Northcott !


I think that might be either Atticus or Cyberzombie. :D

[doc]

I think that might be either Atticus or Cyberzombie. :D

CZ I can deal with but you comparing me to the Aussy girly man ain't right man !

[Pigs in Space]

:shock: Holy cow man! I can only do about 140-160 for deadlifts before either feeling like puking or my lower back says "Uh-uh".

You have to keep in mind that Northcott is powerful hunk of man, with a large frame.

I'm only 5' 8" so what is freakin massive for me is like, 1/2 of what is for northcott.

I get up to 8 reps of 108 kgs, which is what, 230 lbs? And that is about as heavy as I can possibly go, without doing less reps.

edit: And i've been slack for a few months with the legs, I think I'd go back in 20kg's lighter.

[Northcott]

I was actually born with a really skinny frame. :) Before I started lifting my bodyweight floated around 145-150 pounds at 6'3". The guys who are born with large frames tend to be the ones who move 600-1000 pounds in their DLs and Squats.

Edit: Part of success in the deadlift is developing technique, too. In fact, it's critically important for injury prevention. Also, your nervous system adapts to exercise patterns over time. This is why Olympic lifters tend to be smaller than powerlifters, using a much smaller range of exercises with different weight protocols. They still move crazy weights, but the result is different.

[Pigs in Space]

I was actually born with a really skinny frame. :) Before I started lifting my bodyweight floated around 145-150 pounds at 6'3". The guys who are born with large frames tend to be the ones who move 600-1000 pounds in their DLs and Squats.

Holy shit! I could have kicked your ass!

[Northcott]

Holy shit! I could have kicked your ass!


Heheheh!

[doc]

I see a Death Match in the offing ! In this corner the corner the Pride of the Outback THE AUZZIEEE RAZORBACK !!! and in the other corner wearing the Mapleleaf codpiece CINDER BLOCK !!!

LET'S GET IT ON !!!

[Pigs in Space]

I'm not taking Northcott on anymore.

Besides, he's got kids - it wouldn't be right.

[Northcott]

Kid. Singular. :) She's going to rule the world someday. Or destroy it.

255 for a few sets of 3 reps. Nice quick, easy pulls. Good speed to them. Heavy enough to require effort, not heavy enough to strain. I was very happy with my form. Had to end things early as the wife and kidlet got home and needed attention. After they went off to my daughter's swimming lessons, I alternated between sets of chin-ups with raised knees (abs are still too weak after operation to do L-sits) and overhead press/shrug with dumbbells.

Not a strenuous workout, but not bad at all.

[Snatch]

Kilos or pounds?

Edit: Just to keep things in perspective: the world record is just over 1,000 pounds for deadlift. I like to lift heavy for me ... and to me, that's what the iron game's all about. Personal records and levels. Each to their own. :)


Uhh...kilos...?

Ok..pounds. My max is 200lbs.

[Snatch]

Holy shit! I could have kicked your ass!

You had your chance...

Ahhhh...the regrets...

[Northcott]

Ok..pounds. My max is 200lbs.

Not a damned thing wrong with that. :)

[Pigs in Space]

Also, it's not like Northcott just jumped in and started flinging around humungous weights...

Everyone has to start somewhere, and you work your way up. If you can do x many reps on one weight, then bump it up a little, and try to get to x many again.

And soon it'll be like when I walk down the street, and you hear women's whispers "Adonis has come back to earth!", "He makes Brad Pitt look ugly!", "I just came!", yanno, the normal stuff.

[Northcott]

PiS hit the nail on the head (man, but that's an unfortunate abbreviation!). Progress is the name of the game. And it's your progress that matters, not anybody else's. Even the biggest bastards I trained with -- utterly hyoooooge motherfuckers -- each and every one of them thought that somebody starting out and doing their thing was Just. So. Fucking. Cool.

It's a rare prick who disparages somebody' elses weights when they're putting in genuine effort. Those fuckers are almost universally hated.

That said, having trained with some really big bastards, I never view my own lifts as being particularly impressive. Once you've hung out with guys that compete in strongman competitions or do crazy shit like squat 800 lbs for 3 reps, using only a weight-lifting belt (no fancy powerlifting squat suit), then my lifts just don't seem nearly so impressive. :)

[Snatch]

Everyone has to start somewhere, and you work your way up. If you can do x many reps on one weight, then bump it up a little, and try to get to x many again.

I'm well aware of that - I'm just :worship:'ing what I consider to be an impressive amount. I find deadlifts to be a killer and I admire guys who can do considerable weight.

And soon it'll be like when I walk down the street, and you hear women's whispers "Adonis has come back to earth!", "He makes Brad Pitt look ugly!", "I just came!", yanno, the normal stuff.

:boggle: I have a new goal. Be like PiS!!

Actually, maybe I should not abbreviate the name...

.. then my lifts just don't seem nearly so impressive. :)

True it's all relative. I wasn't putting myself down or anything like that, just acknowledging my appreciation of your accomplishment. Everyone has a different body type/stage/goal/etc...

[The Theocrat of Poon-Tang]

Around Christmas time I realized I was not in shape. I had a little flab around the midsection, but because I'm 6'2" I hid it well. But I could see the spare tire every time I looked into the mirror. I decided to do something about it.

I wanted a cardio excercise that would also tone muscle. I settled on a heavy bag routine. Not having the facilities to properly mount one, I bought one of those Johnny Torsos that have a male's neoprene upper body and a base you fill with water or sand. I also got a nice pair of heavy bag gloves and started my workouts.


The first month I built myself up in increments to an hour long workout (20 min, 40 min, 50 min, hour), six days a week. AFter the first month I installed what boxers call "roadwork" into my routine. After 5 minutes of hitting the punching bag I would drop down and do 12 push ups. I'm now at 15 every 5 minutes. At the end of the workouts I would do some very light lifting - usually with my arms and shoulders. I also do ab excercises to tighten up that area.

Long story short I've lost 30 pounds since the beginning of the year. I'm at what most calculators call my "ideal" weight, and now just want to maintain or increase with some muscle mass. I've never been in as good of shape. My shoulders and chest have definition from hitting the bag so frequently. Now I can give my abs a workout while hitting the bag just by the way I twist. The final arbiter, my wife, says I look great.

Oh, also I watch what I eat. Goodbye McD's, Wendy's and the like. Hello 6" roast beef subs from Subway or Quiznos. I still drink pop, just not as much. If I go over 2 Mountain Dew's a day, I force myself to drink Coke Zero or Pepsi Max if I get an inkling for pop. When I want a snack at night it's animal crackers and raisins in a bowl rather than chips.

If I can do it, anyone can. But you need to SWEAT to lose weight. There is no other way. I put on a sweatshirt, pound the bag and do roadwork for an hour, and when I'm done I'm drenched in sweat. If you aren't sweating, you aren't working hard enough.

Thanks for listening..err...reading! :)

[Northcott]

Awesome! I love hearing stories like that!

[The Theocrat of Poon-Tang]

Awesome! I love hearing stories like that!

Thanks Ed. :)

[Snatch]

Around Christmas time I realized I was not in shape. I had a little flab around the midsection, but because I'm 6'2" I hid it well. But I could see the spare tire every time I looked into the mirror. I decided to do something about it.

We are our hardest critics aren't we? I'm the same - I have a better than average body but I still see areas that I want improved. This would mainly be my midsection as well. Like you I hide it well (although I'm only 5'7" - we should play basketball sometime!) but it could be much better


Long story short I've lost 30 pounds since the beginning of the year.

Well done!

The final arbiter, my wife, says I look great.

And really, outside of being healthy - this is what really counts.

[The Theocrat of Poon-Tang]

We are our hardest critics aren't we? I'm the same - I have a better than average body but I still see areas that I want improved. This would mainly be my midsection as well. Like you I hide it well (although I'm only 5'7" - we should play basketball sometime!) but it could be much better...


I wanted to tell my wife after I lost the weight and started to look at old pictures "why didn't you tell me I was that soft in the midsection?" But of course I knew I would get the usual "I love you the way you are...et.al."

Still, I might have done this all alot sooner if someone had given me a moment of clarity.

Thanks for the props, man. :)

[Northcott]

Been back on the workout wagon solidly for a few weeks of light, preparatory lifting, and now three weeks of solid training. Old injuries continue to haunt. I'll have to continue to be careful about my shoulders. Right knee is creaking something fierce when doing any deep-knee bending, and tends to ache after/during squats. If I go over 200 lbs for reps, it hurts like Hell for a day or two after.

I think this may have something to do with the oddity of my knee structure, along with inward pronation of my feet, which was affecting knees and hips as I was aging. Now with supports in my shoes, and altering my squat technique in various ways (more later), I've managed to reduce or remove knee pain. Still, it bears watching, and I'll have to contact the doctor about this just in case it's something more serious I need to head off at the pass.

As for squat technique: I've found that a very broad stance with toes pointed out, taking the squat only down to parallel (known as the sumo stance, used broadly among heavy powerlifters) spares my knees. It can be hard on the hips, however.

The other possibility I'm monkeying with is a narrow stance, with toes pointed slightly inward. Odd and awkward, but it seems to support my knees nicely. I take the squat to parallel and go no lower. Can't use much wieght like that (so far haven't gone above 200 lbs) but I'm adapting.

I've also started focusing on doing high-rep leg extensions, and moderate-rep leg curls after my squat sets. Knee problems are often caused by imbalance in VMO function or the ratio of strength between the hamstrings and quadriceps. I'm hoping that by addressing both, and looking to restoring glucosimine and fish oil supplementation, that I'll leave the joint problems in the dust.

[cnath.rm]

glad to hear that you are taking care of yourself, and finding ways to get the exercise in without it killing afterwards totally rocks!!

[Northcott]

From reading available material on the subject, examining my weaknesses, and because of the kind of pain involved, my guess is that there's probably minor arthritic development in the right knee (nothing astounding for a guy only a few years away from 40) exacerbated by lack of flexibility. I've been neglecting stretching and hamstring training; weakness in the VMO, inflexibility in the hammies and the calves all can lead to knee instability and pain.

Looks like I've got some program corrections to see to.

[Northcott]

Heheheh. Taking care of the VMO seems to have worked, but managed to give my lower back a little strain last week when I used crappy form on my very FIRST FUCKING REP with squats. Whooops.

I think that's my first weight-training injury in the last... 12 years? Something like that.

So now I'm taking it light. Kept squats down to 6 sets of 3 reps with 225 tonight. Nice and smooth to parallel. Got sloppy on one set and didn't 'spread the floor', so my knees are a little achey. Got to remember to watch that. Form is everything, and with big compounds like squats and deadlifts, there's a lot of little bits to watch in keeping good form.

I'm embarrassed to be benching more than I squat at the moment. :grey: