Shapin' up

[Tygrrh]

Hiya

My 'story' is in the introduction forum. My stats as at 04.01.11 are:

Weight: 88.6 kg

Height: 160cm

Caliper measurements:

BF - 37.8%

Biceps - 14mm

Triceps - 29mm

Subscapular - 34mm

Iliac crest - 27mm

Other measurements:

Biceps - 39cm

Chest - 111cm

Waist - 104cm

Hip - 115cm

Quad - 53cm

Calf - 41cm

I got a workout program off bodybuilding.com, the weights are still pitifully light because I am injury prone and don't want to pike out because of an injury. I'll be upping my weights over the upcoming weeks.

Monday 03.01.11 - Upper body (kg x reps)

Warmup: pushups: 15 x 2

Dumbbell bench press: 4 x 12 (3rd set 5 x 12)

Bent-over dumbell tricep xtns: 4 x 12 (3rd set 5 x 12 )

Seated cable rows: 24 x 12, 24 x 12, 36 x 12

Alt hammer curls: 5 x 12, 6 x 12, 8 x 12

Hyperxtns: 12 x 3

Air bike: 12 x 3

Crosstrainer: 20 min interval

Wednesday 05.01.11 - Cardio - Bike 30 mins

Thursday 06.01.11 - Lower body

Warmup: Freehand jump squat: 15 x 2

Plie dumbbell squats: 9 x 12, 9 x 12, 13 x 12

Clean: 10 x 12, 12 x 12, 12 x 12

Barbell side split squat: 10 x 12, 10 x 12, 12 x 12

Leg press: 36 x 12, 42 x 12, 48 x 12

Lying leg curls: 18 x 12, 18 x 12, 24 x 12

Seated dumbbell calf raises: 11 x 12, 11 x 12, 13 x 12

Treadmill: 20 mins interval.

Friday - half arsed attempt at Cardio, quads are SORE!

Also, can someone please advise me on how often I should change my exercises and weights? This seems to be my downfall. Thanks

[tinytraps]

Good luck tygrrh its a tough road but worth it! Change exercises whenever they stop working for you but I dont see any problems doing 4 week rotations. Add weight whenever you can, do an extra rep, add another set or decrease your rest between sets, always wanna push the boundarys 8)

[teamfatboy]

:ditto: I agree with TT, four weeks is a good period for re-visiting your routine.

But, keep a record of your weights, even note if you have to rest-pause at the end of the last set, and then next make yourself nail them all! Or, if you can get through ten good reps of an exercise, move up a weight next week if you can.

Slow, consistent progression's the key - most of the major programmes you'll see people talking about, like 5x5, Sheiko, or German Volume Training (GVT), all have at their heart the simple rule that you need to make modest progress (if only a few percent), but do it constantly.

Keep the rests between sets short (less than two minutes if you can);

Keep drinking lots of water;

Stretch, carefully and consistently - that will help heaps :nod:

[becbec]

Why do you think you're so injuring prone?

Might be worth getting your technique sorted out by someone and I agree with TFB

Stretch, carefully and consistently - that will help heaps :nod;

[Tygrrh]

It's because I'm hypermobile so my joints tend to move out further than most peoples. Apart from that I'm just plain clumsy lol :grin: I'm the person that can see the door and walk into it 2 seconds later hehe.

My meals from yesterday is:

Breakfast:

1) 1/2 c oats (raw) cooked with 1/2 c water & 1/2 c skim milk (I'm talking one of those small coffee cups - like the ones from hotels). When cooked I added 1 tbsp of FF yoghurt & 1 banana.

2) 1 slice toast with lettuce and 1 slice of shaved ham

Morning tea:

1) 30g raw almonds

2) 1 small banana

Lunch:

1 piece chicken breast (sorry I didn't weigh it!) pan cooked (in a batch of 4) with 1 tbsp oil. It had seasoning on it

2 c salad leaves

1/2 med tomato

1 slice of a medium rockmelon

Afternoon tea:

1 slice wholegrain toast with 1 tsp margarine (is that too much?) with lettuce, tomato, & shaved ham

Dinner:

1 1/2 servings of chicken & veggie stir-fry (no rice or noodles)

The chicken for the stir-fry was marinated overnight and I put in mixed veggies and a whole heap of cabbage (which I used as my noodles).

I got really hungry by around 9pm (dinner was at 6pm) so I had 1 piece of whole grain with a poached egg on top.

[Tygrrh]

Thanks all for the advice, it's really useful

Gymrat - I have a GF grill :oops: I have to pull it out and use it We usually stock up on veggies at the Sunday market, man you get a shyte load for nothing!

Right, breakfast time!

[becbec]

Looks good apart from a few things

You could try swapping shaved ham for something like chicken or fish cause it's not all processed and salty and yucky like ham is.

I'd also try to avoid having carbs just before bed cause your body doesn't really need them then. Try having a few teaspoons of peanut butter instead

[Tygrrh]

Didn't get a work out this weekend, my legs were incredibly sore from my leg workout. Considering my pansy weights I guess their strength was severly lacking!

Bonus though, I lost 1.7 kg. I figure some of that was water (because I'm not a big water drinker but have started consuming 2 ltrs a day).

Got an arvo workout today only because I was halfway to work when I realised I left my work clothes at home and had to go get them so was too late to do my morning workout! :grin:

Sunday cheat day wasn't too bad, but didn't drink as much water. So, looking forward to a great week!

[Tygrrh]

I got my workout in at 9am...sawweeet! I did up my weights a little. Workout for today:

Upper body (kg) - all reps are 12 unless otherwise noted.

Warmup: pushups: 15 x 2

Dumbbell bench press: 5, 5, 6 (to see if I could do it, 9kg x 5 reps)

Skullcrushers: 10, 10, 12

Seated cable rows: 36, 42, 48

Alt hammer curls: 6, 7, 7

Hyperxtns on swissball: 12 x 3

Air bike: 12 x 3

Crosstrainer: 20 min interval

I'm contemplating doing the Paleo Diet...will research that further when I get home.

[Tygrrh]

Yesterday did a 40 min cardio on the bike. Intervals at L10.

Today is supposed to be my 'off' day but seeing as my sister twisted my rubber arm with the caipirinha at Las Margaritas I may go in for a cardio sesh.

I have a wedding to attend in Feb..6 weeks away so I have some time to make a bit of a dent in the weight/fat.

Weighed myself today, I'm at 86.3kg. 2.6kg loss in a week and 1/2 \:D/ . Not bad. Still think I can do better with the eating.

Breakfast today:

1 boiled egg with 1/2 slice ham (nothing much in the fridge *sigh*)

Morning tea:

26 almonds

Protein shake (got a sample from Eat me)

Lunch:

2 c. salad leaves, 2 hb eggs, 1/2 slice ham (very boring I know, will have to suffice till payday or ird refund, whichever comes first!)

Arvo tea:

Almonds (same as before)

Cuppa coffee

Dinner:

1 lambchop with a paleo mushroom sauce and mashed kumara

Do I need to put in the cal/protein/carb/fat ratio seeing as currently I'm just about melting my fat?

[Tygrrh]

Yippee skippee, lower body day!

Thursday 06.01.11 - Lower body

Warmup: Freehand jump squat: 15 x 2

Plie dumbbell squats: 11 x 12, 11 x 12, 11 x 12

Clean: 12 x 12, 12 x 12, 12 x 12

Leg press: 48 x 12, 54 x 12, 54 x 12

Lying leg curls: 30 x 12, 30 x 12, 30 x 12

Leg xtns: 24 x 12, 24 x 12, 24 x 12

Seated dumbbell calf raises: 11 x 12, 11 x 12, 15 x 12

Treadmill: 10 mins running.

I have a question. what is a good squat? how deep do you go? I don't want to waste my energy doing a crap squat if its not going to get me results.

I was pretty shattered after that workout. After the set 3 of the leg xtns, I didn't think I was able to walk out the gym Fully stoked with my effort today.

[drizzt]

Nice workout :clap:

I have a question. what is a good squat? how deep do you go? I don't want to waste my energy doing a crap squat if its not going to get me results.

Depends who you ask! :pfft: There was a thread recently on it here.

It helps to have someone in the know show you how to do one properly (heck, I haven't got it down properly yet and I've been doing it for years), and I'm sure most people are still searching for their "perfect" squat.

As for a good squat, it can depend on the person and their leverages + flexibility. Some people squat better with a wide stance vs narrow, some people like a high bar vs low, some people don't have the flexibility/mobility to go deep vs people who can scrape the ground with their butt etc :pfft: ... so really it does depend on your body a bit.

But for the simple, basics of a squat? I quite liked learning from Mark Rippetoe (

) when I wasn't sure on squat form, so he's a good basic intro. He also wrote a decent paper on the squat which I can dig up if you'd like to learn more about the mechanics of the lfit :nod:

(let me know if that vid link doesn't work, I'm at work where youtube is blocked so can't check it )

[Tygrrh]

Thanks Somehow I think I'm a ways off getting my ass to touch the floor!!! Something to work towards? hmmmm

Got my cardio in today, because I forgot my work clothes yet again :doh: I had to cut my sesh short. :cry: So I got in 20 minutes of treadmill but made it count with a bit of running and L10 incline walking.

Have a headache from hell (stress!) so I'm having a coffee hehehe

[Tygrrh]

I'm also trying very hard not to do my emotional eating today! Usually when I get to that stage its chippies and chocolate...I will prevail! I have to...Got to be in better shape for my mates wedding in Feb.

To be honest though, I don't really want the chippies and chocolate (yet :evil: ) but I think I'm going to go make myself a salad...yummo

[bar-belle]

So did the will power hold out over the chocs and chippies!

If you check out the recipes section there are some really good low carb yummy eats in there. If you haven't tried sludge then you should give it a crack... that is an oldie but a goodie :grin: .

[Tygrrh]

hehe yeah Bar-belle, I did. I made a salad with a boiled egg and added some lamb from last night's dinner. After I om nom nomed that I was good lol

Sludge? sounds interesting will go have a look.

[teamfatboy]

I am coming to realise that a big glass of water will help get past the "damn it, give me the chocolate".....

[Tygrrh]

I am coming to realise that a big glass of water will help get past the "damn it, give me the chocolate".....

bahaha...I wish. I drink the water and then go "want chocolate"...the term one tracked mind pops up in my head

[Tygrrh]

YAY got in my workout today. Stoked...moved a massage client so I could hehehe

Warmup butt-lift (bridge) : 2 reps x 15

Push press: 3 x 12 x 12kg

Deadlift: 3 x 12 x 18kg

Barbell rows: 3 x 12 x 18kg

Lat pulldown: 3 x 12 x 24kg

Stiff legged barbell good morning: 3 x 12 x 12kg

Dumbbell rear lunge: 2 x 12 x 7kg, 1 x 5 x 7kg

Didn't do the full last lunge set, my knee was not happy. Felt really weak and sore around the lateral knee tendon. Might have to dump this one, will see next week.

[Tygrrh]

Was supposed to be my off day but got an hour of exercise in...hehe. Had a 1 hour massage client. Universe above it was HOT in that room. Arms and legs got a workout...so stoked. That plus did a fantastic shop and got a whole heap of stuff for about $170...$60 of that was baby stuff... :? but still

[Dontrunwithknives]

I am coming to realise that a big glass of water will help get past the "damn it, give me the chocolate".....

bahaha...I wish. I drink the water and then go "want chocolate"...the term one tracked mind pops up in my head

Apparently eating chocolate with meals can decrease your cravings for it and may even put you off the taste. Try having one square of chocolate half way through your meals for a few days and see if it helps?

[Tygrrh]

Apparently eating chocolate with meals can decrease your cravings for it and may even put you off the taste. Try having one square of chocolate half way through your meals for a few days and see if it helps?

Thanks bud. Currently, I'm keeping it as a cheat on the weekend. I did have 2 squares of it on Saturday and that's helped. The issue is a distinct lack of willpower which is what I am working on. In saying that, fully proud of myself, did my grocery shop and just sailed past the chippy and chocolate aisle without buying anything

I got some bananas...they usually kill my cravings.

On a different note, my Endo is playing up so am keen to see how my exercise tomorrow is going to go.

Hey does anyone know if we get spaghetti squash in NZ? I tried looking for it and can't see any

[Dontrunwithknives]

Hey does anyone know if we get spaghetti squash in NZ? I tried looking for it and can't see any

Let me google that for you:

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=spaghetti+squash+in+NZ

[Tygrrh]

Hey does anyone know if we get spaghetti squash in NZ? I tried looking for it and can't see any

Let me google that for you:

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=spaghetti+squash+in+NZ

Funny man Yes I did google it. The reason I couldn't find it is probably because it is a winter veggie!

[Tygrrh]

Upper body

Warmup: pushups: 15 x 2

Dumbbell bench press: 8 x 12, 9 x 12, 7 x 12

Skull crushers: 12 x 12, 12 x 12, 10 x 30

Seated cable rows: 3 x 48 x 12

Alt hammer curls: 3 x 7 x 12

Hyperxtns: 12 x 3

Air bike: 12 x 3

Bike: 10 min interval

Was thinking of moving from dumbbell bench press to barbell bench press. Reason being, I can't go heavier because of historical should injury have to start building some strength in it. Any ideas?

Also, realised in the 3rd set of hammer curls that by the 6th rep I had started using momentum...might drop the weight for next upperbody and control the movement better.

9.30am - Oats for brekkie with 2 tpsp low fat yoghurt.

11.30am - Cottage cheese (125g) blended with strawberries

1.30pm - salad with lite mayo chop chop chicken, lettuce, tomato, and 2 HB eggs

3.30pm - 1 med banana with 30 almonds

6.30pm - creole seasoned (homemade) pork schnitzle (not sure of weight) with corn on the cob, and stirfried veggies

9.00pm - not sure what is a good before bed snack - don't have protein powder so can't really do sludge :cry: