Sunday, October 6, 2013

Body Beast - Day Seven

After a nice rest day yesterday, I got up early and banged out the Build - Chest & Triceps workout again this morning.  I was much more comfortable the second time through...knowing what was coming...and what the likely impact would be on my body so I was able to better manage weight choices.

The next two weeks will be repeats of workouts that I've already done and blogged about so I don't plan to update every day.

I will however be creating a post about nutrition..and another on supplements.  I'll also be posting progress pics at the end of this "Build" phase.

Stay tuned!!  The Beast is properly unleashed at this point!!

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Body Beast - Day Six

Day six of the Build phase is a scheduled rest day.

I'd initially planned to do a P90X Yoga workout this morning....but....I made a commitment to do the Body Beast program as close to "by the book" as I possibly can so rest it is.

I'll be honest about "rest days."  I STILL struggle with them.  I know from experience that they are REQUIRED but I still labor to make myself slow down and take them.  It feels like taking my foot off the gas when I'd rather keep my foot in it and GO.  In the past, this approach has led to mental and physical fatigue that adversely impacts the work outs themselves.

Not good.

So...I'm working on patience...when the experts who designed the program say rest, I rest.

At least I still get to EAT like a beast today! 


Friday, October 4, 2013

Body Beast - Day Five

Friday!  Say it with me...it's FRIDAY!!!

I woke up this morning early...and got right downstairs to my gym.  Curious.  Eager to see what a muscle head like Sagi could bring for a cardio work out...and what he had in mind for abs.

I'll be honest, after Insanity, Asylum Volume 1 and my latest round of a P90X/Insanity hybrid, I feel pretty good about my cardiovascular strength and fitness.  I was CONFIDENT as I put the Beast Cardio / Beast Abs disc in and hit play.  

All right, big guy...let's see what you've got.  Well, what he had was an almost immediate beat down.  The speed sumo squats/holds were brutal.  And that was just the BEGINNING.  I was quickly in a full flop sweat and loving every minute of it.  I pushed HARD...he asked for my best and I dug in and GAVE my best.  Soon enough, the cardio workout was over and I was staggered.  

I took a couple of deep breaths and fired up the Beast Abs workout.  There isn't much to say about an abs workout.  You just get into beastmode DO it.  Some people HATE abs...I'm not one of them.  Functional strength...REAL strength in your core is the BEST investment you can make in your long term health.  Combine a strong core with good nutrition and you're most of the way there.

Tomorrow is a rest day...then it picks up again Sunday with another Chest &Triceps workout.  Here are my impressions after a week...

I wicked LOVE Sagi's attitude...his coaching.  All A-Type...all the time.  It suits me PERFECTLY.

"This is the moment...what are you going to do?!"

"We are WINNERS....WINNERS do NOT quit!!!"

"I want 10...not 7...not 8...TEN...NOW!!!"

Good....GOOD stuff.

The 3,000 calories at 25/50/25 is delicious and doesn't feel like a hardship to consume each day at all.  At this point, I'm firing on all cylinders and I'm ready to bear down and WORK.  I've gotta face the camera again in a couple of weeks and I want to see improvement!

 

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Body Beast - Day Four

Throwback Thursday dawned bright and early...I was out of bed and straight downstairs for Build - Shoulders.  I had a feeling this one was gonna bring the lactic acid burn early....and with intensity...and I wasn't anywhere CLOSE to wrong.

Sagi isn't in to a lot of drama during warm ups.  After some jogging in place, shoulder rotations, lateral raises and front raises it was time to beast UP!!

It's vitally important to listen to Sagi's cues in this work out.  When he says lighter weights, he MEANS lighter weights.  Super sets of straight arm exercises are HARD on your shoulders.  Be careful.

Single set shoulder presses.  Super sets of lateral raises and upright rows.  Giant sets of EZ bar underhand press (wicked LOVE this move), 1,1,2 front raises (LIGHT weights here...this move lights your delts up FAST) and read delt raises.  Super sets of standing dumbbell shrugs and dumbbell scap trap.  I'd not done this move before and had to watch the segment a couple of times...then rewind and hit my bench to try it myself.  The required form is kinda tricky....but you'll know it when you get it right.  My surgically altered right trap muscle was SCREAMING through this move.  It's gotta get stretched out and brought back to shape so I pressed through.

The final move is called Sagi's Six-Way.  Remember...LIGHT WEIGHTS...and then grit your teeth and prepare for the BURN.  It's coming.  With an INTENSITY.  When Sagi puts the weights down and finishes with just his own arm weight, you KNOW it's tough.

The work out ends with some quick ab work (tuck and rolls on the bench) and an even briefer cool down stretch.  I spent a little extra time on my own stretching as I KNEW that I'd pushed my delts and traps beyond what they were conditioned to from P90X.

My body feels great and I'm loving the new 3,000 calorie a day nutrition plan.  Life...is GOOD. 

 

 

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Body Beast - Day Three

I awoke this morning dreading the first few steps of the day after yesterday's bout with Build - Legs.  Fortunately for me, those fears proved unfounded.  My legs were tired...but not as sore as I'd feared.  Not one to clown about, I donned my heart rate monitor and headed down to my basement gym to give the Build - Back & Biceps workout a go.

After a quick warm up, Sagi brought the hammer DOWN.  Single set deadlifts.  Super sets of dumbbell pull-overs and pull ups.  Giant sets of EZ bar rows, one arm rows, reverse flys and finally single sets of close grip chin ups. My lats, rhomboids and traps were THRASHED and I was HAPPY.

Then the biceps work began.  I can honestly say that this brought on the lactic acid burn faster and harder than even the leg work out.  The fun started with single set seated bicep curls followed by a single set of 1,1,2 hammer curls.  Start LIGHT on this exercise.  My biceps were SMOKING after the first set of 15.  Next up was a single set of neutral grip EZ bar curls followed by 2 30 second reps of airplane cobras.  My back, and my biceps especially, where SCREAMING but I was HAPPY.

Let me elaborate on that point...of being completely full of lactic acid...muscles burning and exhausted...but HAPPY.

We all have our own reasons for eating a healthy and nutritious diet...or not.  For exercising strenuously and consistently...or not.  My reasons for choosing this path are simple.  I simply feel BETTER doing it.  Gone are the days of food induced sloth and lethargy.  Of food induced guilt.  They have been replaced by days full of energy and vigor...and confidence that the fuel I put in my body is helping me, not hurting me.  Gone are the days of physical limitations...of remembering what I used to be able to do.  They have been replaced by days of DOING what I used to do....of doing anything I WANT to do.  Days of living with a REAL strength and a REAL confidence.  I'm no longer addicted to food.  I'm no longer addicted to the sofa.  Instead I'm addicted to the brain chemicals released after a high intensity work out...endorphins...and dopamines...similar to opiates in their ability to generate feelings of well being....but 100% natural...and healthy.

I'd like to challenge each of you to ask yourself a simple question if you are currently on the "or not" side of the equation.

WHY?!

What is your why for not at least TRYING to lead a healthier and more fit life?  I'd be happy to talk with you about it.  Help you find a way towards that result.  If you are curious...wavering...unsure how to get started, contact me.  I'll happily share with you what I've learned through my journey so far.

It's your life...it's time to start making the MOST of it!

 

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Body Beast - Day Two

I woke up this morning feeling GOOD.  Pleasantly sore but not overpoweringly so.  Perfect.  It was time to head downstairs to my basement gym and face the music.

Legs.

That one word strikes fear into the heart of everyone I know who works out.  I'd watched the Build: Legs work out ahead of time in order to be familiar with what was coming....and what was coming was INTENSITY...and a SERIOUS dose of lactic acid.

Sumo squats...alternating lunges...step up to reverse lunges...straight squats...parallel squats...bulgarian squats...straight leg dead lifts...single leg calf raises...seated calf raises...and in and outs to wrap up.  

WOW.  The 2 day guarantee for this one should be epic.  LOL

The LAST thing in the world you want to see after leg work out....


 It could happen!


Glamor muscles tomorrow....back and biceps.  Let's get the beast ON!!

Monday, September 30, 2013

Body Beast - Day One

All right...the talking phase is over...the planning is wrapped up too.  It's time to get into the zone...BEAST MODE as Sagi, my new personal trainer is fond of saying.



The Body Beast program is divided into three phases.

The first is a 3 week long "Build" phase, which focuses on using synergistic muscle groups to build a solid foundation for the rest of the program.  The Day 1 work out is Chest & Triceps.  Nothing fancy, chest flies...chest press.  Incline flies, incline flies, decline push ups.  Close grip push ups.  One arm tricep kick backs, dips, two hand tricep press with some in and outs thrown in for good measure.  Giant sets, super sets, drop sets.   I felt good through out the work out...conditioned enough to stand up to it with PLENTY of room to grow.  I finished with a fantastic pump and a positive attitude about Day 2....Legs.  *shudder*

 
This phase also emphasizes the importance of nutrition.   To get big you gotta EAT big...like 3,000 calories per day per the Body Beast formula.  These calories will be divided into a 25% protein, 50% carb, 25% fat ratio.  The program also includes some heavy supplementing.  I'll write more about those later.

Post work-out supplement shake: 1 scoop Fuel Shot, 1 scoop whey protein, 3/4c water, 1/2c unsweetened apple juice. ~360 calories.

Breakfast: 1/2c Grapenuts, 1c Almond milk, 1/4c fat free cottage cheese, 3 boiled eggs and a 1c unsweetened apple juice. ~570 calories.


Lunch: 4oz grilled tilapia, 1/2c no fat cottage cheese, 1c peas, 1c spinach, 1/2 baked potato, 1c unsweetened apple juice, 18 unsalted almonds. ~600 calories

Dinner: 1 chicken breast, 1/4c ferro, 1c unsweetened apple sauce, 1/2 baked potato, 1/2c steamed broccoli, 1c 1% milk, 1/2c sliced pineapple. ~720 calories.

 
After dinner snack: 1/4c Grapenuts, 1c Almond milk, 1/2c fat free cottage cheese, 12 unsalted almonds, 2 Tbsp peanut butter ~515 calories.

I'm headed to bed tired...but not overly sore.  We'll see what tomorrow brings with the Legs work out...it's never been one of my favorites.  Hehehe.