Ash's Journal

[Ash]

Looks like it's time for me to start a journal as well.

I had some blood tests done last week as part of a routine checkup and I seem to be reasonably healthy. The only problem on the tests was low levels of testosterone. The normal range is 9.0-30.0. My level was 8.3 :cry:

The doc has arranged for me to have some more blood tests to check the level when it's at it's peak (in the morning). My first test was done at 15h00, when testosterone levels will naturally have fallen. He fully expects it to be in the normal range in the morning but even so, I am by no means happy to contemplate having low test levels at age 36.

I won't be trying HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) without looking at the alternatives first because once you're on it, you're pretty much on it for life.

My initial plan of attack is:

Reduce Stress - I've been horribly stressed for a while now, so I need to do what I can to sort that out. I've seen a good herbalist and she's mixed me up a concoction designed to help what is probably a very depleted adrenal system.

Cut out soy - I didn't quite realize how much soy I have been eating, between 150g-225g a day of tofu plus 200g-300g of Sanitarium Casserole Mince, which also has a bit of soy in it.

Supplement zinc - I am apparently very deficient in Zinc, so I am on 45mg of Elemental Zinc every night.

Take Tribulus - I've had great results on Biotest Tribex in the past (strength went sky high while I was on it) so I may start taking that or some pharmaceutical grade Tribulus. I haven't quite decided which one as yet. May add a very high quality Ginseng as well.

I'll make a plan to get blood tests on a fairly regular basis to see if there is any change.

Anyway - that's the background.

Here's this morning's workout. I train on a low volume system - generally there is only 1 workset per bodypart. Today was bis, forearms, calves, hams, quads.

I trained at 08h30 today, because I had a mate in town who wanted to hit the gym with me before his meetings. I don't train well in the morning, so I don't think the workout was all it could have been.

It's a pretty simple format - I list what I did last time (LT) and what I did this time (TT). Basically I have to beat my previous lifts either in reps, weight or both. If I don't, I get one more attempt the next time that exercise rolls around and if I still can't do it, I drop the exercise and find something else to do for that bodypart.

BTW - RP stands for rest paused - it's a single set broken into 3 segments. I lift to failure, take 15 deep breaths, lift till I fail again, take 15 deep breaths and again go to failure (then collapse) S is a normal straight set to failure

Seated DB curls

LT22.5 x 15RP TT22.5 x15RP

Didn't beat the logbook - I would like to blame it on the morning training but I don't know.....

Wrist curls

LT40 x 13S TT45 x 13S

Standing calf raises

LT111 x 12S TT111 x 13S

Sumo leg press

LT120 x 25S TT160 x 25S

Still working up in the weights on these after a leg injury

Hack squat

LT65 x 20S TT85 x 20S

Knees are feeling good - will be pushing quads hard from here on out

[Growth]

Keep us up to date about the test levels, odd that if you are supplementing zinc you would still be defitiant in it. Possible its competing with something else for absorbtion? Calcium perhaps?

Yeah soy is really bad for males mate, i steer well clear of all soy products.

[deegee]

You have started a log, good one.

soy will boost estrogen levels in males not really what you want, if you have been getting a lot of this in it might be having an effect on your test.

I read somewhere, and I cant remember, that the protien we get from animal source is really by far the best. vegetable protien source like nuts soy etc the protien chains are shorter and are not utilised by our digestive system any where near as efficiently as animal based protien.

You take milk products though dont you? I would be using this as my primary protien.

[Marcus]

Hi Ash,

Good to see a DC journal!

How do you find the calf training? It's the hardest exercise I've ever done.

Also, for quads you should be doing a straight set of 4-8 before your 20repper.

I have written rep ranges from this link in the back of my log book, which I use as my guide.

http://www.intensemuscle.com/showthread.php?t=7414

Look forward to following your progress.

[Ash]

Keep us up to date about the test levels, odd that if you are supplementing zinc you would still be defitiant in it. Possible its competing with something else for absorbtion? Calcium perhaps?

Yeah soy is really bad for males mate, i steer well clear of all soy products.

Yep - I'll be doing some research to see what's interfering with the zinc absorption.

As for the soy, I am not 100% sure about soy being bad in moderation but I'll stay off it for the moment, I don't need any negative factors right now.

[Ash]

How do you find the calf training? It's the hardest exercise I've ever done.

Definitely the worst, most excruciating thing I've ever tried at gym.

Also, for quads you should be doing a straight set of 4-8 before your 20repper..

I know but because of my knee problems, I just can't shift heavy enough weights to get down to 4-8 reps. I am slowly ramping up the weights as the knees feel better and with any luck, I'll be able to train legs properly within a month.

[Ash]

You take milk products though dont you? I would be using this as my primary protien.

At the moment, whey and cottage cheese make up a substantial portion of my daily protein intake.

Where I am eating vegetable proteins, I try and get in a few kinds at the same time to make sure I get as complete a protein as possible - e.g. lentils, 12 grain bread and beans would be a typical combination.

[jono]

interesting log here man.

just wait till your pillin on the plates on the hacksquat :grin:

ive maxed out the one at my gym. i think im gonna need someone to start standing on top of it or somthing soon lol

[Ash]

just wait till your pillin on the plates on the hacksquat :grin:

ive maxed out the one at my gym. i think im gonna need someone to start standing on top of it or somthing soon lol

Unfortunately, we don't have a plate loading hack squat machine, we've got one of the infernal devices in the attached pic.

I don't like it much but it's what I've got to play with, so I am giving it a try. The biggest design flaw IMO is the fact that the movement starts and ends at the bottom of the range of motion, so you have to either adjust it once you're in or just about crawl in and out of it. It just doesn't feel right to me.

[jono]

:cry:

doesnt look like you can use any real weight on that thing man

[deegee]

:cry:

doesnt look like you can use any real weight on that thing man

agreed looks "lightweight"

[Ash]

:cry: doesnt look like you can use any real weight on that thing man

I honestly can't tell you off the top of my head what the weight stack goes to, I think it's close to 200kg, the brochure says 195kg, so that's probably about right.

At the moment, with my knees, that's plenty for me. Still - I've gone from struggling with 35kg to managing with 85kg, so there's hope.

[Growth]

The pic is very decieving then, it certainly doesnt look like it has 200kg worth of plates in there. Intersting machine, never seen one myself.

[Ash]

The pic is very decieving then, it certainly doesnt look like it has 200kg worth of plates in there. Intersting machine, never seen one myself.

Personally I think it's a badly designed POS. I'll take an old fashioned, plate loading hack squat machine any day.

[deegee]

Looking at that machine I cant really see how you use it! Never seen one before either.

Maybe time to change gym membership if the gear is all like that

[Ash]

Maybe time to change gym membership if the gear is all like that

A gym with more equipment and better machines would be a bonus but this one is so conveniently located, I don't think I'll move for a while. It's about 3km from home, which is a real pleasure.

The machines are a mix of Hammer Strength and Life Fitness and most are OK but strangely enough, a few of them have got silly design faults. I am no industrial designer but I have been around enough gym equipment over the years to be able to recognize good ergonomics. It's almost as if the designers have tried to be a bit too clever and it hasn't quite worked out in some instances.

[Ash]

:cry: doesnt look like you can use any real weight on that thing man

BTW - I had a closer look at the weight stack on that hack squat machine - it is 195kg. Each plate is as wide as the upright shields - 19 x 10kg and 1 x 5kg.

[Ash]

I had my 2nd blood test this morning - I'll be calling the doc next week to get the results because this lab says "our policy is never to send the results directly to a patient, even if the referring doctor requests it". Well, my policy is to never patronize their establishment again if I can avoid it. :x

Today's workout - chest, shoulders, triceps, back width and back thickness.

Incline Smith Machine bench press

LT 50 x 13RP TT 52.5 x 9RP

Man did I ever stuff these up :oops:

With all the talk about injured shoulders on here recently I think I did too many warm-up sets. Then I initially went for too much weight for the workset and after 4 reps I realized it was too heavy, so I stopped and took a short break before trying with a more reasonable weight. I was still bombed and only managed 9 reps. Will do better next time.

Seated BB military press

LT 52.5 x 18RP TT 55 x 17RP

Close grip BB bench press

LT 75 x 20RP TT 80 x 18RP

I was pushing very hard on these and failed completely on the 2nd and 3rd RP sets, so I had to lower the BB onto the rack supports. I would have been in trouble on a flat bench.

Hammer machine pulldowns

LT 60 x 17RP TT 60x 19RP

Rack deadlifts

LT 95 x 15S TT105 x 16S

These felt good today. My back is much better and I'll aim to keep increasing the weight and get these down to the low reps where they are meant to be.

All in all, a satisfying workout.

[deegee]

nice work out, I've heard that about labs before as if the results are not yours! I wouldnt use them again either.

[Varven]

Ash, good to see heavy tricep work and Seated BB shoulder presses.

Its my favourite shoulder excercise too.

Tell me something, is chest a "lagging" point for you as well ?

From your weights it seems to be the lowest relatively. Its the same with me. Chest is probably the weakest and hardest to train.

[Ash]

Tell me something, is chest a "lagging" point for you as well ? From your weights it seems to be the lowest relatively. Its the same with me. Chest is probably the weakest and hardest to train.

Nah - my chest responds quite well overall but I just can't seem to move much weight for chest pressing movements. The most I ever flat benched was around 120kg.

You've got me thinking here....I wonder what the bar on the smith machine at my gym weighs? It's definitely heavier than an Olympic bar.

[Flex]

Depending on where you are the bar on the smith machine doesn't weigh anything.

Come on people - Counter weights!

Why on earth are you using a smith machine?

Please don't tell me for your chest.

[Ash]

Depending on where you are the bar on the smith machine doesn't weigh anything.

Come on people - Counter weights!

You've got quite a confrontational posting style haven't you?

I am fully aware of counterweighted smith machines, thanks. :clap:

As I said, this one weighs more than an Olympic bar - I was wondering how much it actually weighs.

Why on earth are you using a smith machine?

Please don't tell me for your chest.

How about this - why don't you tell me why I shouldn't use a smith machine? :grin:

It it because it:

a. Limits me to a single plane of motion?

b. Is bad for stabilizers?

c. Doesn't look cool?

d. All of the above?

[Varven]

Flex,

do you train with a buddy?

Have you pushed excercises to failure ?

What do you do when a loaded bar is on you and your too weak to rack it ?

I know someone who stands up with it and rows it LOL but for the majority of us, it results in a broken sternum/rib cage unless theres some fast way of racking it.

Smith Machine do I hear ? 8)

[jono]

lol. funny stuff here. people have different opinions on everything. its the way life works.

on topic: i would not use smith if i had a spotter.