Gym Training - My Diary

[pete10141748]

I've decided to start a "Gym Diary-slash-blog-type-thing" to catalogue my progress / efforts.

I have a "5x5"* strength/muscle building training regime which I have been using for the past 9 or 10 weeks combined with cardio for fitness, working with alternate exercises/timings on alternate days with no days off, effectively Day A and Day B combined with my continued efforts on the LigherLife diet (500 calories a day, abstinance from all regular foods).

*5x5 means 5 sets of 5 reps on a weight at or close to the maximum you can lift



At present, my routines are;
Day A - Intense Weights, Medium Cardio

Weights
4x5 Bench Press @ 120Kg
1x5 Bench Press @ 140Kg
5x5 Lat Pull Down @ [STRIKE]160Kg[/STRIKE] 170Kg
5x5 Shoulder Barbell press @ 120Kg
5x5 Tricep Pulldown @ 100Kg
5x5 Arm Curl @ 120Kg
5x5 Forearm Curl @ 140Kg
5x5 Leg Curl @ 140Kg

Free-based
Minimum of 60 situps in sets of 15
Minimum of 30 pressups in sets of 10

Cardio-vascular
30 minutes cross-trainer "rolling hills", aim for minimum of 40 cycles per minute and/or [STRIKE]1400[/STRIKE] 1600 cycles in 30 minutes



Day B - Intense Cardio, Medium Weights

Cardio-vascular
45 minutes cross-trainer "rolling hills", aim for minimum of 60 cycles per minute and/or 3000 cycles in 30 minutes

Weights
5x5 Bench Press @ 100Kg
5x5 Lat Pull Down @ 120Kg
5x5 Shoulder Barbell press @ 100Kg
5x5 Tricep Pulldown @ 80Kg
5x5 Arm Curl @ 100Kg
5x5 Forearm Curl @ 100Kg
5x5 Leg Curl @ 100Kg

Free-based
Minimum of 100 situps in sets of 15
Minimum of 30 pressups in sets of 10



Vital Statistics - 14th July 2009

Bicep - 15inches
Forearm - 13inches
Chest - 48inches
Waist - 38inches
Thigh - 24.5inches
Calf - 16inches

I'll be using this 'diary' each day to enter whether or not I managed to achieve the goals set here and my stats as time goes on together with my weight losses each week.


Wish me luck!

 

[Capirossi]

Good luck Pete! You don't want to be looking at the weight I am currently lifting, I look like a right wimp :ashamed0005: haha!

 

[ChristieK]

Hi Pete, you look much younger and happier. Your gym routine looks good, best of luck to you!

 

[pete10141748]

Yesterday was a "Day A", and I had to make a revision to my plan;

5x5 Lat Pull Down @ 160Kg has had to become 5x5 Lat Pull Down @ 170Kg

as 160Kg proved to be slightly too easy

and I managed 1880 cycles on the cross-trainer so well over my aim for that one, am revising it to at least 1600 cycles on Day A from now on.


Day B today, we'll see how that goes this evening!

 

[bax2]

Looking good mate, would i be right to say your left handed?

 

[pete10141748]

Thanks Bax, and no I'm right-handed
Out of curiosity, what made you think I'm a leftie?

 

[pete10141748]

(Yesterday, 15th)
Day B - Intense Cardio, Medium Weights

Cardio-vascular
Only managed 30 minutes cross-trainer "rolling hills", 1850 cycles

Weights
5x5 Bench Press @ 100Kg - done
5x5 Lat Pull Down @ 120Kg - done
5x5 Shoulder Barbell press @ 100Kg - done
5x5 Tricep Pulldown @ 80Kg - done
5x5 Arm Curl @ 100Kg - done
5x5 Forearm Curl @ 100Kg - done
5x5 Leg Curl @ 100Kg - done

Free-based
Minimum of 100 situps in sets of 15 - only managed 80
Minimum of 30 pressups in sets of 10 - done


I really felt the burn on yesterday's one, I think 45 minutes on the cross-trainer was too much to attempt this early on, I'm just not fit enough yet!


I won't get to go tonight as I'm helping out at a school fete until 7 then have friends coming over for the evening, so Friday will be my next Day A.

Hopefully the rest will do me good!

 

[pete10141748]

Well, so far so good! I don't get to post here often, but the last 2 weeks I've kept to the plan and all is going well!

I'm up 10Kg on all my weights, and I can now do a solid hour on the cross-trainer with little problem!

Had a really good (almost) 2-hour session this morning as I'm not at work, knackered now though! lol

 

[judimac]

That's some regime! But you are looking good! An hour on the cross trainer is impressive. But should you be doing it on that calorie intake?

 

[pete10141748]

The calorie intake was a worry to begin with which is why I started off slow, but I've gotten this far gradually and I'm feeling great about it; the human body is remarkably adaptive! I've no doubt it is slightly altering my losses a bit, but I don't mind, I know my fat is still going away and I'm enjoying the process a lot more now, after nearly 11 months it was getting VERY dull! lol

 

[pete10141748]

Can't get in the gym today as it's being used for the monthly tenants meeting of my flat complex went out on my bike for an hour instead, at least it was sunny!

 

[Julio]

Pete,

How's the regime going?
I've stayed away from these low cal diet plans as I don't think they are a good idea when working out.

You an I have similar weight stats.

I started as 20st 8 lbs, now 16st +/- 2 lbs each week.

Plateau'd and really stuck and wondering if I should cut cals or just more cardio. Currently doing spinning and weights 3 times a week.

Keen to hear how you are coping with 500 cals?? _and_ working out pretty hard.

Julio

 

[pete10141748]

Its going well thanks, I am a real believer that our bodies are capable of far more than we give them credit for, and on 500cals I've not struggled with this at all. But I know that everyone is different and some do find it hard with day to day stuff let alone doing more, I guess I'm just rather lucky!

It is definately having an impact on my losses though, I'm lucky if I lose 1 or 2lbs each week, and do sometimes wonder if I would go back to losing a bit more if I stopped, but then I really enjoy it so I'm happy to keep on going!

If you have hit a plateau then cutting down calories is the way to go - exercise is great for upping fitness levels but for weightloss it really is mainly about the ratio of cals in:cals expended, and as great as cardio is running solidly for an hour will barely burn off a couple of biscuits - the key is to do the cardio and not have the biscuits in the first place

 

[Redkoala]

You look great, well done on your success, im 19.5stones now seeing you made me believe Keep it up.

 

[kenshin112]

Updates Pete

 

[pete10141748]

I don't update much as every day would just be a post of "yeah, done it today" lol

I'm keeping the plan the same for the time being and not upping it as it's really taking it out of me by the end of the week, come Friday I really do feel like I have to drag myself down to the gym even though I know I will enjoy it when I get down there.

But still, plodding on with it and waiting to see if my losses pick up again, I've pretty much STS for the past few weeks now (losing like 0.5lbs or something silly like that) despite sticking to LL 100% for the first time in a few months now I think that perhaps after nearly a year my body is just fed up with it and won't co-operate anymore! :sigh:

Still, a loss is a loss, and even a STS is not to be sniffed at really, at least I'm not getting fatter!

 

[pete10141748]

A few updated pics: