Basic Transformation Journal

Training Logs
1

This is my log of diet and exercise as a tool to achieve goals.
I want to get stronger, leaner, healthier :slight_smile:

I’m 37 years old.
My measurements (17th of April):

weight 121,8kg (266,7lbs)
height 191cm (6’3")

neck 40.5cm (15,7 inch)
shoulders 126 (49,6)
chest inhale 123 (48,4)
chest exhale 113 (44,5)
midsection (measured at belly button level) 115 (45,2)
hips 112 (44)
upper thigh 74 (29,1)
mid-thigh 67 (26,3)
calf 42 (16,5)
biceps 40.5 (15,7)
wrist 19 (7,4)

Long story short: current “state of affairs” is mostly an effect of letting myself down. I have some experience in the gym and with a diets so I believe that weight loss and initial strength gain are achievable.
My personal records:
SQ - 145kg(320lbs) BP - 115kg(253lbs) DL - 195kg(430lbs).
Those are sadly about 3 years old so I am mentioning it only as a reference (I will check my current 1 or 3 max rep soon).

2

3 repetitions max tested

Bench Press (20th of April)
3 x 90kg (198.5lbs)

Dead-lift (21st of April)
3 x 145kg (320lbs)

Military Press (23rd of April)
3 x 60kg (132lbs)

Squat (24th of April)
3 x 110kg (242.5lbs)

…

testing is done

I will start my training regime with basic 5/3/1 with extra skipping rope between assistance work. Days off will see me doing some Tabata and/or HIIT with use of 16kg (35lbs) kettle-bell/body-weight and whatever else I can find in my little gym.

Diet is set at 3.5k calories and around 240g of proteins. I will keep it at this level for a two weeks and observe changes in weight, waist line measurements and so on. After two weeks I will adjust accordingly.

3

Cycle 1 Week 1 Day 1

Military Press

warmup

main sets
40kg x 5
45kg x 5
50kg x 9 (110lb)

assistance
5 sets of:

combo
12 x bicep curl (Olympic bar 20kg - 44lb)
12 x overhead french press (20kg)
12 x bent over lateral raises (dumbbells approx 5kg)
skipping rope 48 reps

…

pumped

Cycle 1 Week 1 Day 2

Deadlift

warmup

main sets
95kg x 5
107,5kg x 5
122,5kg x 12 (269lb)

assistance
none today

…

deadlifts were painful

day OFF

“one-handed killer” 17:45
16kg (35lb) kettle-bell

exercise explanation:
1 rep of snatch with a left hand
1 rep with right
2 reps with left
2 with right…
and so on to 10 repetitions and then back down to 1 rep.
(put a kettle-bell on the ground between hand changes)

My result is atrocious - When I weighted 25lbs less than now, I used to do this exercise in less than half of my current time.

4

Cycle 1 Week 1 Day 3

Bench Press

warmup

main sets
57,5kg x 5
67,5kg x 5
77,5kg x 10 (170lb)

assistance
5 sets of:

narrow grip bench press
50kg x 10 (110lb)

…
few days out camping, almost no sleep
…

Cycle 1 Week 1 Day 4

Squat

warmup

main sets
72,5kg x 5
82,5kg x 5
92,5kg x 12 (202lb)

assistance
5 sets of:

narrow stance front squat
40kg x 5 (88lb)

  • a little bit of pain here and there
5

Cycle 1 Week 2 Day 1

Military Press

Warmup

Main sets
42,5kg x 3
47,5kg x 3
55kg x 8 (121lb)

Assistance
5 sets of:

combo
12 x bicep curl (Olympic bar 22,5kg - 48lb)
12 x overhead french press (22,5kg)
12 x bent over lateral raises (dumbbells approx 5kg)
skipping rope 48 reps

Sunday the 10th was a very demanding day - over 22km (14 miles) mountain hike in extremely windy and wet conditions… recovery took few days

Sunday before the hike I took two measurements:

Weight 120,8kg - difference of 1kg (2,2lbs) since April 26th
and
Midsection at belly-button 114cm - difference of 1 cm since then (0,4 inch)

Other issues: my scouting duties seems to interfere a lot, mostly disrupting my eating patterns but also influence my training routine. 3400+ calories feels too much.

Solutions:
Diet down to 3300 calories keeping 240 grams of protein
Refocus on training and diet (easier since there will be no major trips for me in the next few weeks)

Cycle 1 Week 2 Day 2

Deadlift

Warmup

Main sets
102,5kg x 3
115kg x 3
130kg x 10 (286,5lb)

Assistance
5 sets of:

deadlifts with a 100 seconds break between sets
130kg x 3 (286,5lb)

6

Apparently Hugh Jackman joined 1000lbs club (355 squat, 235 bench, 410 deadlift, all in three hours). I’ll be happy if I beat all of his results by the end of the year.

7

Cycle 1 Week 2 Day 3

Bench Press

Warmup

Main sets
62,5kg x 3
72,5kg x 3
80kg x 9 (176lb)

Assistance
5 sets of:

narrow grip bench press
52,5kg x 10 (115lb)

Cycle 1 Week 2 Day 4

Squat

warmup

main sets
77,5kg x 3
87,5kg x 3
100kg x 12 (220lb)

assistance
5 sets of:

squats with a 100 seconds break between sets
100kg x 3 (220lb)

8

Cycle 1 Week 3 Day 1

Military Press

Warmup

Main sets
45kg x 5
50kg x 3
57,5kg x 5 (125lb)

Assistance
5 sets of:

Military press with a 100 seconds break between sets
45kg x 5 (99lb)

…

I feel weak today

April 24th

“one-handed killer” 15:25
16kg (35lb) kettle-bell

(previously 17:45)

April 25th

Cycle 1 Week 3 Day 2

Deadlift

Warmup

Main sets
107,5kg x 5
122,5kg x 3
137,5kg x 10 (302lb)

Assistance
8 sets of:

deadlifts with a 90 seconds break between sets
137,5kg x 2 (302lb)

…

Metallica and Rammstein :slight_smile:

9

One month since my first measurements. Today I found that I’m probably going the right way - body weight is about the same but midsection (measured at belly button level) is a 110cm (43,3) compared to 115 (45,2)

10

Cycle 1 Week 3 Day 3

Bench Press

Warmup

Main sets
67,5kg x 5
77,5kg x 3
85kg x 8 (187lb)

Assistance:

5 sets of
narrow grip bench press
55kg x 10 (121lb)

Cycle 1 Week 3 Day 4

Squat

Warmup

Main sets
82,5kg x 5
92,5kg x 3
105kg x 12 (231lb)

Assistance:

8 sets of
squats with a 90 seconds break between sets
105kg x 2 (231lb)

11

I decided to skip fourth week and go straight to week one in the second cycle.

…

Cycle 2 Week 1 Day 1

Military Press

warmup

main sets
40kg x 5
47,5kg x 5
52,5kg x 8 (114lb) - [50kg x 9 (110lb)]*

Assistance

5 sets of:
standing dumbbells overhead press

Shoulders seems to be the weakest part of my body - I need to focus and find proper set of the assistance exercises to strengthen my overhead press

    • square brackets contains results from previous cycle corresponding training
12

Not the best two days… I’ve let myself down again, yesterday just felt under the weather so didn’t eat enough, today - plain simple sugar binging…

Tomorrow is another day!

13

Cycle 2 Week 1 Day 2

Deadlift

Warmup

Main sets
97,5kg x 5
112,5kg x 5
127,5kg x 12 (280lb) [122,5kg x 12 (269lb)]

Assistance:

5 sets of
deadlifts 100kg x 8 reps (220lb)

Cycle 2 Week 1 Day 3

Bench Press

Warmup

Main sets
60kg x 5
70kg x 5
77,5kg x 12 (170lb) [77,5kg x 10 (170lb)]

Assistance

5 sets of:
narrow grip bench press
57,5kg x 10 (125lb) [50kg x 10 (110lb)]

3 sets of:
dumbbells seated press
15,12,12 reps (approx 9kg/19lb)

Cycle 2 Week 1 Day 4

Squat

Warmup

Main sets
75kg x 5
85kg x 5
97,5kg x 15 (214lb) [92,5kg x 12 (202lb)]

Assistance:

5 sets of
squats 75kg x 8 (165lb)

14

Cycle 2 Week 2 Day 1

Military Press

Warmup

Main sets
42,5kg x 3
50kg x 3
57,5kg x 3 (126lb)* [55kg x 8 (121lb)]

Assistance:

Military Press
2 sets
40kg x 8
3 sets
35kg x 8

Seated dumbbell press
10kg - 15/10/10 reps

    • I was training in a big gym, chances are my home-gym weights are bit lighter then I thought

Cycle 2 Week 2 Day 2

Deadlift

Warmup

Main sets
105kg x 3
120kg x 3
135kg x 10 (297lb) [130kg x 10 (286,5lb)]

Assistance:

8 sets of
deadlifts at every two-minute mark
135kg x 3 (297lb)

Last three sets of assistance were bad… bar at the big gym was really worn out so my grip was giving up. I tried to hold the bar in a hooks of my fingers at first and then switched to mixed grip. Since I have not used mixed grip for a year or two it resulted with really bad form.

15

1428×5496 609 KB

While at the big gym I did a body composition test. The more I think of it the more worried I am. Metabolic age of 52 is a real shame.

Sorry for the size of the picture, I’ve tried to edit it but no luck.

16

Cycle 2 Week 2 Day 3

Bench Press

Warmup

Main sets
65kg x 3
75kg x 3
82,5kg x 10 (180lb) [80kg x 9 (176lb)]

Assistance:

5 sets of
narrow grip bench press
57,5kg x 10 (125lb) [52,5kg x 10 (115lb)]

3 sets of
seated dumbbells press
9kg x 15

====================================

Cycle 2 Week 2 Day 4

Squat

Warmup

Main sets
80kg x 3
92,5kg x 3
102,5kg x 13 (224lb) [100kg x 12 (220lb)]

Assistance:

8 sets of
squats at two minutes mark
102,5kg x 3 (220lb)

17

Cycle 2 Week 3 Day 1

Military Press

Warmup

Main sets
47,5kg x 5
52,5kg x 3
60kg x 4 (132lb) [57,5kg x 5 (125lb)]

Assistance:

5 sets of
Military press at two minutes mark
40kg x 8 (88lb)

3 sets of
seated dumbbells press
9kg x 15

=============================================

Cycle 2 Week 3 Day 2

Deadlift

Warmup

Main sets
112,5kg x 5
127,5kg x 3
142,5kg x 10 (314lb) [137,5kg x 10 (302lb)]

Assistance:

8 sets of
deadlifts at two minutes mark
142,5kg x 2 (314lb)

18

Cycle 2 Week 3 Day 3

Bench Press

Warmup

Main sets
70kg x 5
77,5kg x 3
87,5kg x 7 (193lb)* [85kg x 8 (187lb)]

Assistance:

5 sets of
narrow grip bench press
60kg x 10 (132lb) [55kg x 10 (121lb)]

3 sets of
seated dumbbells press
9kg x 15

    • due to injured and swollen right hand I couldn’t grip the bar properly, I guess at 100% I would get one or two more reps…

=======================================================

Cycle 2 Week 3 Day 4

Squat

Warmup

Main sets
85kg x 5
97,5kg x 3
110kg x 12 (242lb)[105kg x 12 (231lb)]

Assistance:

8 sets of
squats at two minutes mark
110kg x 2 (242lb) [105kg x 2(231lb)]

19

Cycle 3 Week 1 Day 1

Military Press

Warmup

Main sets
42,5kg x 5
47,5kg x 5
55kg x 8 (121lb) [52,5kg x 8 (114lb)]

Assistance:

3 sets of
seated dumbbells press
9kg x 15

===============================================

My measurements 17th of April vs today 16th of July:

weight 121,8kg (266,7lbs)-------------123kg (271 lb)
height 191cm (6’3")---------------------------------

neck 40.5cm (15,7 inch)-------------43cm (16,9)
shoulders 126 (49,6)----------------130cm (51,2)
chest inhale 123 (48,4)-------------120,5cm (47,2)
chest exhale 113 (44,5)-------------115cm (45,2)
midsection 115 (45,2)---------------115cm (45,2)
hips 112 (44)------------------------110cm (43,3)
upper thigh 74 (29,1)---------------75,5cm (29,5)
mid-thigh 67 (26,3)-----------------66cm (26,3)
calf 42 (16,5)-----------------------43,5cm (16,9)
biceps 40.5 (15,7)------------------41,5cm (16,1)
wrist 19 (7,4)-----------------------------------

Not much change - shouldn’t take measurements straight after 3 days of sugar binge… :wink:

Last few weeks were bad. I went back to eating shit and binging on sugar (damn you, ice cream!) As of today my diet will be controlled by my wife… she want to establish an nutrition/dietitian business soon so I agreed to become one of her laboratory mice. My current diet will be based on few basic rules. No processed or fast food, no sugar, 2800kcal, 240grams of protein and 25% or less calories from carbohydrates. That will be changed it if needed but cutting down carbs will be always first.

I also plan to introduce (reintroduce) some extra activities into my training routine. It is going good strength-wise and somewhat good in muscle size increase (I’ve gained more than 0,4 inch in my biceps size) but proposed “metabolic” activities were left untouched.

I will ad some burpees daily, kettlebell swings (20kg - 44lb bell is to be delivered soon) as a part of the warm-ups. Some sprints and even a boxing classes are also to be introduced into my weekly schedule.

20

Cycle 3 Week 1 Day 2

Deadlift

Warmup

Main sets
100kg x 5
115kg x 5
132,5kg x 9* (292lb) [127,5kg x 12 (280lb)]

Assistance:

NONE

    • problem with grip due to injured finger, weight seemed heavy…

===================================================

Cycle 3 Week 1 Day 3

Bench Press

Warmup

Main sets
62,5kg x 5
72,5kg x 5
80kg x 12 (176lb) [77,5kg x 12 (170lb)]

Assistance

5 sets of:
narrow grip bench press
60kg x 10 (132lb) [57,5kg x 10 (125lb)]

3 sets of:
dumbbells seated press
15,15,15 reps (approx 9kg/19lb)