Greetings everyone. I’m stepping out of the lurking shadows to start a training log to document a voyage to I’m not sure exactly where, except to a stronger, healthier, bigger me. A couple of the requisite facts:
Age: 38
Height: 6 ft 4 in
Weight: 202 lbs
BF: 18%
After visiting the local pool in August, my wife commented that she couldn’t tell the difference between my body and the body of the 53-year old I was talking to, who I would describe as quite out of shape and skinny with a big pot belly. I didn’t believe her, and made her take pictures of me in a bathing suit. Never has my illusion of reality been shattered so completely or swiftly. I had fooled myself into thinking because I still weighed as much as 10 years ago, I was trim and fit. However, I was a guy with skinny arms and no chest with fat concentrated front and back between my nipples and waist.
Embarresment is a powerful motivator sometimes. I did one cycle of P90X to start getting back into shape, and slowly and gently overhauled my diet to increase protein intake and get rid of the crap. I liked the weight days and hated the cardio days, so decided to start lifting. I remembered my friend and classmate was a big proponent of the site, so started to read the articles and visit the forums. I got hooked.
I am starting the Starting Strength workout regimen this week, following Rippetoe’s lifting program. My primary goal is to do SS for 6 months to build strength, then assess where I am in 6 months. I am going to stick with his program, ramping up over the first two weeks to get my form down.
The title is based on my occupation as an engineer, and I figured it would allude to the fact that a better me would have to be built by me.
Tomorrow is the second day of my squat/bench press/deadlift day, I’ll start the lifting numbers tomorrow. In the meantime, thanks for all the advice and knowledge you all unknowingly passed on to me.
Today was definitely one of those days where excuses not to lift were everywhere - 2 1/2 hours at the urgent care clinic due to kid’s inner ear infection which erupted at 9pm last night out of nowhere, visits to 3 hardware stores to find the exact Christmas lights for the tree, wife has migraine due to lack of sleep from sick kid, etc. Still got in to lift, though.
Starting Strength Workout A:
Squats:
15 x 45lbs w/u
10 x 65lbs w/u
5 x 95
5 x 95
5 x 95
Bench Press:
15 x 45 w/u
10 x 65 w/u
5 x 95
5 x 95
5 x 95
Deadlifts:
15 x 45 w/u
10 x 65 w/u
5 x 95
Dips:
2 x 8 (dipping from weight bench with feet on chair)
The weight didn’t feel too heavy today, and the bench press felt much stronger. I’ll keep this weight through next A workout, then when I’m comfortable with the form I’ll increase weight as laid out in Starting Strength.
G! Already up to Level 2—most impressive. With your academic credentials, ‘engineering’ a better Borlase should be ‘nut in but a peanut.’ Thanks for looking me up here, I’ve taken your counsel to heart and am working on my first submittal. We’ll talk more off-line. I’m impressed by the steps you’ve taken — keep on keepin’ on. S
[quote]gborlase wrote:
After visiting the local pool in August, my wife commented that she couldn’t tell the difference between my body and the body of the 53-year old I was talking to, who I would describe as quite out of shape and skinny with a big pot belly. I didn’t believe her, and made her take pictures of me in a bathing suit. Never has my illusion of reality been shattered so completely or swiftly.[/quote]
Thanks for reminding me why I never show the missus my forum entry - her arse is tight but I would still have a lot of 'splaining to do, as Ricky Ricardo would say. I live in the states and this was the only safe for work pic I could think of, I am a fan of the revived show. My ancestors do hail from Cornwall if that’s anywhere near you, I see you are in Wales.
Warmup: 8 mins walking/jogging on treadmill, stretching
Squats: 45x15, 65x10, 3x 95x5
Standing military press: 45x15, 3x 65x5
Bent Rows: 45x15, 3x 55x5
Chin-ups: 3 unassisted, 5 assisted
Cool down
Squats feel better and better, one more cycle through workout A and B to verify form before upping the weight. Was tempted to put those nice big plates on the squat bar and go for it but resisted. Soon enough, I figure.
Started using Daily Burn to track macros, need to get calorie intake up. 12 ounces of London broil at dinner helped with the protein load.
Warmup: 8 mins walking/jogging on treadmill, stretching
Squats: 45x15, 65x10, 3x 95x5
Standing military press: 45x15, 3x 65x5
Bent Rows: 45x15, 3x 55x5
Chin-ups: 3 unassisted, 5 assisted
Cool down
Squats feel better and better, one more cycle through workout A and B to verify form before upping the weight. Was tempted to put those nice big plates on the squat bar and go for it but resisted. Soon enough, I figure.
Started using Daily Burn to track macros, need to get calorie intake up. 12 ounces of London broil at dinner helped with the protein load.
Lifts felt strong except for a sharp pain in my shoulder, front middle at the bottom of the press. Need to do more foam roller stretching Diet was good until 4 pints of Yuengling, nachos, and then 4 ounces of London broil at home due to the munchies. Good thing I rode my bike 10km today also.
[quote]gborlase wrote:
Diet was good until 4 pints of Yuengling, nachos, and then 4 ounces of London broil at home due to the munchies. Good thing I rode my bike 10km today also.[/quote]
I used to cycle 26 miles a day to work (more on the weekends) and I still didn’t get lean until I sorted out my diet.
I know it’s boring, but it’s true what they say, you can’t out train a bad diet.
True. And admittedly I would have drank those beers and eaten those nachos even if I didnt’ ride, so the appearance of using the bike ride as justification is rather misleading!
I do seem to really need more water today for some reason…
Form felt better and more consistent, time to increase weight starting Tuesday. Rippetoe recommends 5 to 10 pounds per session, we’ll see how it goes with only 5 pounds at first.
Lifting schedule looks like it will be Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I might do some fasted abs work on Sunday and Wednesday to work on the gut.
I have a 15-min AbRipper X DVD from the P90x that always left me winded more than sore, so I was thinking of doing that in the morning before breakfast. My stomach is definitely my problem area for fat deposits, so I thought this might help not only burn fat by doing the workout fasted, but also tighten up the stomach area.
Or I might be making a classic noob logic mistake. Wrong approach? Too impatient? Especially since my lifts are core-centric?