Tonight my training partner and I did a mixed Kettlebell set.
It was a little bit light on compared to normal but the cold weather + a bit of 'DOMS' for both of us didn't help.
The way I figure it's better to train a lighter session than to go all out if you're already in pain.
The session went as follows:
All kettlebell exercises we do are done with 20kg kb's.
10 x double arm kb swing
10 x single arm kb swing
10 x kb figure 8's
5 x kb thrusters
10 x kb pushup + renegade rows
10 x dips
10 x kb floor press
10 x 50kg deadlift
Also tried a couple of 'SOTS Presses' with 10kg dumbbells, those are seriously mental - props to those that can do them with correct form.
See for yourself:
Double Sots Press with 32kg KB
Clearly one of the hardest exercises I have attempted so far.
Looking forward to working them into the routine :)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Bleargh to early mornings
This morning when the alarm went of at 4:41 am, so that I could get up for my 5am Tabata session, it was met with a solid "Snooze mo'fo".
This meant I slept until 6am and nearly missed my train for work.
Downside of pushing so hard and eating with a calorie deficit - some days the body is just to exhausted.
I can't blame it solely on the workout / nutrition though as I didn't sleep decently last night but "Que sera, sera" I'll make up for it tonight with the Kettlebell session.
Listening to 'the fitcast' this morning I thought of a nutrition based question that I'm going to send in.
Basically: Is there a time frame between rising and breakfast that should be looked at? the reason for me is those days I do manage to get out of bed and do a workout it's three hours before I eat breakfast. What I wonder is if I should have something small during the commute to work, then my breakfast like I normally do.
We'll see if it gets a response.
Will update again tonight after the kettlebell session.
Oh and a ponderance:
If the scale says 23% bodyfat, the calipers say 21.1% and the picture estimation puts me at approx 25% which do I go by?
This meant I slept until 6am and nearly missed my train for work.
Downside of pushing so hard and eating with a calorie deficit - some days the body is just to exhausted.
I can't blame it solely on the workout / nutrition though as I didn't sleep decently last night but "Que sera, sera" I'll make up for it tonight with the Kettlebell session.
Listening to 'the fitcast' this morning I thought of a nutrition based question that I'm going to send in.
Basically: Is there a time frame between rising and breakfast that should be looked at? the reason for me is those days I do manage to get out of bed and do a workout it's three hours before I eat breakfast. What I wonder is if I should have something small during the commute to work, then my breakfast like I normally do.
We'll see if it gets a response.
Will update again tonight after the kettlebell session.
Oh and a ponderance:
If the scale says 23% bodyfat, the calipers say 21.1% and the picture estimation puts me at approx 25% which do I go by?
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Body fat estimate
It is a really hard task to accurately measure your body fat.
My scales say 23% my calipers read 21.1% so I'm settling on a medium of 22%.
I was curious so I measured - I will now add it to my fortnightly measurements which consist of scale, tape and now digital calipers.
Next measurement day is: 10/07/2010 (Australian date format)
So will give a full update then.
Tonight's workout was quite good, to be honest I enjoyed it.
Tomorrow AM: Tabata
Tomorrow PM: Kettlebell
One day soon I hope to get back to deadlifts and squats, man do I miss squats ;)
My scales say 23% my calipers read 21.1% so I'm settling on a medium of 22%.
I was curious so I measured - I will now add it to my fortnightly measurements which consist of scale, tape and now digital calipers.
Next measurement day is: 10/07/2010 (Australian date format)
So will give a full update then.
Tonight's workout was quite good, to be honest I enjoyed it.
Tomorrow AM: Tabata
Tomorrow PM: Kettlebell
One day soon I hope to get back to deadlifts and squats, man do I miss squats ;)
Body transformation competition
Yesterday, I signed up for an informal body transformation competition on bodybuilding.com (Link: Fitness comp).
I have never entered anything like this before so even with no prizes I'm a little hesitant, no doubt it will be fine, but there's still that little niggle.
The comp is 2 months to see the biggest body transformation, I'll give it my all (since I'm doing it anyway) and add progress photos as they're required.
Nutrition wise, I am trialing some extra food in my diet to increase the spread and to help with the hunger during a calorie deficit phase.
My basic nutrition consists of:
Breakfast: oats
Snack: red apple
Lunch: salad
Snack: popcorn
Dinner: meat + veg (usually chicken or beef)
I've added the popcorn today as it is low calorie, low fat and great for filling a hole until the next meal.
For a full breakdown of the meals check my fitday log.
The workout tonight will consist of:
20 minutes HIIT on the static cycle
20 x wide pushups
20 x tricep pushups
20 x decline pushups
20 x dips
20 x full situps
20 x olbique situps
Not full on, but enough to get the blood pumping and still save my body for kettlebell tomorrow.
I have never entered anything like this before so even with no prizes I'm a little hesitant, no doubt it will be fine, but there's still that little niggle.
The comp is 2 months to see the biggest body transformation, I'll give it my all (since I'm doing it anyway) and add progress photos as they're required.
Nutrition wise, I am trialing some extra food in my diet to increase the spread and to help with the hunger during a calorie deficit phase.
My basic nutrition consists of:
Breakfast: oats
Snack: red apple
Lunch: salad
Snack: popcorn
Dinner: meat + veg (usually chicken or beef)
I've added the popcorn today as it is low calorie, low fat and great for filling a hole until the next meal.
For a full breakdown of the meals check my fitday log.
The workout tonight will consist of:
20 minutes HIIT on the static cycle
20 x wide pushups
20 x tricep pushups
20 x decline pushups
20 x dips
20 x full situps
20 x olbique situps
Not full on, but enough to get the blood pumping and still save my body for kettlebell tomorrow.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Double workout for Monday
So I like Mondays :)
Double tabata session and running.
Got changed up today instead of kettlebell as my training partner did weights yesterday and was suffering a bit of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness).
So we ran, lightly until it bucketed down with rain.....so back to the gym for a 5 x 4 Tabata session.
Burpees
Squat + press
Hover
V-situp
Pilates single leg lower / raise
All in all quite a big abs day for me... going to be sore tomorrow.
Double tabata session and running.
Got changed up today instead of kettlebell as my training partner did weights yesterday and was suffering a bit of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness).
So we ran, lightly until it bucketed down with rain.....so back to the gym for a 5 x 4 Tabata session.
Burpees
Squat + press
Hover
V-situp
Pilates single leg lower / raise
All in all quite a big abs day for me... going to be sore tomorrow.
Hmmm I was wrong
After adding everything into my food log for yesterday, my estimation of 3000 calories was wrong.
It was still a rubbish day nutrition wise - with a lot of junky foods, but was only 2200 calories, which is a plus.
Tabata session this morning was good, I did a six exercise set by four reps.
For those that don't know what Tabata is:
20 seconds exercise, 10 seconds rest, repeat till desired set amount.
Change exercise.
Sounds easy right?
Well give it a go, you will feel like puking.
Squat + dumbbell press
Burpees
Pushups
Straight punches + uppercuts
V Situps
Oblique leg raises (pilates move that I don't know the correct name for)
Links below for some good write ups on Tabata:
Link 1: Squidoo.com
Link 2: tabataprotocol.com
Link 3: Tmuscle.com
Link 4: Mens life
Will do another post later tonight after the Kettlebell session :)
Later.
It was still a rubbish day nutrition wise - with a lot of junky foods, but was only 2200 calories, which is a plus.
Tabata session this morning was good, I did a six exercise set by four reps.
For those that don't know what Tabata is:
20 seconds exercise, 10 seconds rest, repeat till desired set amount.
Change exercise.
Sounds easy right?
Well give it a go, you will feel like puking.
Squat + dumbbell press
Burpees
Pushups
Straight punches + uppercuts
V Situps
Oblique leg raises (pilates move that I don't know the correct name for)
Links below for some good write ups on Tabata:
Link 1: Squidoo.com
Link 2: tabataprotocol.com
Link 3: Tmuscle.com
Link 4: Mens life
Will do another post later tonight after the Kettlebell session :)
Later.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Weekend blur
Well it's Sunday night and I don't feel I've accomplished a great deal over the weekend.
It started off on a bad note with a junk food breakfast, followed by going out for dinner to an all you could eat restaurant (not my choice, but a family members birthday) even so I rounded out the total daily calories consumed at around 2000 which is reasonable considering that I went for a 9km walk.
Today a different story, I got sucked into the trap of 'snacks' at the AFL and estimate that I've hit around 3000 calories - still live and learn.
I haven't logged everything today - as I don't feel I need to.
I know it was a bad choice day and my estimates (based on current logging) are reasonably accurate.
I also missed today's workout due to lacking time, but I'll make up for that tomorrow by doing a Tabata session at 5am, Kettlebell in the evening and then rounded off with another Tabata session :)
Not going to dwell on the negative though - the positives instead, since taking control, measuring and making myself accountable, I have lost nearly 1.5kg, I have gained muscle size in some areas, lost in others and taken 3cm off of my stomach.
IN JUST 2 WEEKS!
At that rate - even with the odd cheat / rubbish food day thrown in - I should definitely hit my goals by Xmas.
Look forward to work outs tomorrow and detailing the exercise sets for the first time.
It started off on a bad note with a junk food breakfast, followed by going out for dinner to an all you could eat restaurant (not my choice, but a family members birthday) even so I rounded out the total daily calories consumed at around 2000 which is reasonable considering that I went for a 9km walk.
Today a different story, I got sucked into the trap of 'snacks' at the AFL and estimate that I've hit around 3000 calories - still live and learn.
I haven't logged everything today - as I don't feel I need to.
I know it was a bad choice day and my estimates (based on current logging) are reasonably accurate.
I also missed today's workout due to lacking time, but I'll make up for that tomorrow by doing a Tabata session at 5am, Kettlebell in the evening and then rounded off with another Tabata session :)
Not going to dwell on the negative though - the positives instead, since taking control, measuring and making myself accountable, I have lost nearly 1.5kg, I have gained muscle size in some areas, lost in others and taken 3cm off of my stomach.
IN JUST 2 WEEKS!
At that rate - even with the odd cheat / rubbish food day thrown in - I should definitely hit my goals by Xmas.
Look forward to work outs tomorrow and detailing the exercise sets for the first time.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
First post
Well, what better time than while recovering from a 9km walk, to write the first post?
This blog is basically my daily journal as I work to transform my body.
I am currently an 87.4kg, 29 year old male with 23% bodyfat.
The idea behind the blog, is so that I can document my transformation from overweight to lean and muscular.
Body stats are updated on bodyspace - bodybuilding.com, nutrition stats are on fitday.
I will be uploading pictures once a month to show the progress from where I started to where I am at now.
As I progress along I will be updating daily with the workout, calories eaten, calories burned and how motivated I am to hit my goal, along with my current reading / listening in the fitness world.
Todays workout was:
9km walk in 1 hour 30 minutes
20 Situps, 20 Obliques situps
Tomorrow will be Tabata at 5am and then a kettlebell strength session in the afternoon.
Feel free to bookmark and read along or simply watch the progress.
Cheers and talk to you soon.
This blog is basically my daily journal as I work to transform my body.
I am currently an 87.4kg, 29 year old male with 23% bodyfat.
The idea behind the blog, is so that I can document my transformation from overweight to lean and muscular.
Body stats are updated on bodyspace - bodybuilding.com, nutrition stats are on fitday.
I will be uploading pictures once a month to show the progress from where I started to where I am at now.
As I progress along I will be updating daily with the workout, calories eaten, calories burned and how motivated I am to hit my goal, along with my current reading / listening in the fitness world.
Todays workout was:
9km walk in 1 hour 30 minutes
20 Situps, 20 Obliques situps
Tomorrow will be Tabata at 5am and then a kettlebell strength session in the afternoon.
Feel free to bookmark and read along or simply watch the progress.
Cheers and talk to you soon.