Thread: MonStar's Journal: Strong & Lean

---Here is a quick progress picture so I can use this to gauge the progress of the diet. This was taken today, and I weigh 232 lbs.

Also measured my waist today, with abs flexed, and it measured 39.5 inches, right at my navel which is absolutely sickening. I am going to start taking waist measurements with each progress picture, so this will help me keep track of my fat gain.

Day 1
6-15-2004

Lower Body 1

Sumo Deadlifts:
135x3, 225x3, 275x2, 315x1, 365x1, 405x1, 455x1, 495x1

Conventional Deadlifts:
545x1, 585x1, 640x0

Platform Deadlifts: (4" extended ROM)
545x1, 545x1, 545x1, 545x1

Hyperextensions:
145x6, 145x6, 145x6, 145x6

Close-Grip Cable Pulldowns:
215x8, 215x8, 215x8

Parallel-Grip Support Rows:
165x12, 165x12

Decent workout today, honestly. Not the greatest, or the absolute worst. I am not sure what I think about all of these sets before my 1RM at this point. I feel like after 4-5 sets even if they are singles I am somewhat worn out. And by the time I get up into the heavier weights I am exhausted. Started off thinking that I was going to for a sumo 1RM. By the time I got up to 495 it felt extremely heavy. So I decided to switch over to conventional. Pulled 545 and 585, came up slow. 640 I got about halfway up and then just couldn't budge it anymore. I am not sure what the problem is there. Whatever.

Did 4 singles off the platform with 545, basically working on kicking my hips forward as I come up and pulling my shoulders back. Seemed to help some, whatever. With a 4" extended ROM I was pretty happy pulling 545. Moved onto some heavy hyperextensions today. I really like them, I think I am going to make a video of them soon, so you guys can see my technique. I do them Zercher style with an EZ-curl bar. Hit 4 sets of 6 with 145. Finished up with some lat accessory work. 3 sets of 8 and then 2 sets of 12. Not too bad at all. Lats were toasted, so were my biceps.

Diet:
- 3 scrambled eggs, 3 strips of bacon
- tuna + mayo
- whey protein postworkout
- pork rinds + french onion dip
- chicken, broccili + cheese + butter
- low-carb banana nut bread, low-carb milk, low-carb ice-cream

Diet was pretty good today I think. Ended up today with roughly 20-25g of carbs of today. So not too bad for my 1st day of NHE. Really happy to be back on this diet. My fat-loss last time on this diet was very substantial, so I am hoping for the same kind of results.

Sleep: 8 hours.

Weight: 232 lbs. That's absolutely f*cking ridiculous IMO. Over 230 lbs., and an almost 40 inch waist. WTF? I am so f*cking pissed right now. I really think that NHE will work well for fat-loss, I just HAVE to stick with it. If I slack off and binge etc. it's going to blow up in my face for sure.

We already talked about it, but don't sweat the workout. Missing a 15lb PR just comes with the business sometimes. If we always hit 15lb PRs we'd all be elite level lifters by now.

Let's just keep things going. We'll lower the accessory volume a bit to compensate for the lack of carbs, but there's nothing sticking out as bad in recent workouts, so drastic changes won't be necessary.

Good luck. Again... lol

SF: Yeah I guess it wasn't that bad of a session overall. I am not sure what the hell I was so frustrated about. Whatever. Definitely let me know what you think I should lower. Tomorrow is Upper1 what do you have in mind? Probably going to be beating up my shoulders pretty good.

PreMier: LOL, thanks man.

Honestly, the only thing that needs removing is the " Hamstrings: 4 sets of 6 reps" on Lower2. Just progress like we've talked about, and you'll have days where you hit 60 and don't finish and you'll have days where you get it all done.

For your 3RM work, do a close-grip bench or decline to a 3RM. After that pick stuff you like and just stick to the routine.

SF: Yeah okay man, it's not a problem at all for me to continue doing the regular volume. As long as I continue to get enough sleep, and food in me before my workout, I should be okay. We'll see what happens. I can always schedule big lifting days the morning after my refeed. We'll see what happens. 3RM work on CG bench sounds good.

Day 2
6-16-2004

Upper Body 1

Close-Grip BB Presses:
135x3, 185x3, 225x3, 255x3, 285x3, 305x3!

Flat DB Presses:
120x6, 120x6, 120x6, 120x6

Skullcrushers:
125x6, 125x6, 125x6

Upright Rows:
175x6, 175x6, 155x8, 155x8

DB Lateral Raises:
40x8, 40x8

Good workout today I think, my left elbow/forearm is still giving me some pain though, for whatever reason. Only when my brachioradialis touches my biceps/brachialis though. When my arm is straight it feels fine. During CG bench it was aching somewhat. Not too bad, but still, pain that isn't necessary. Hit 305 for a triple, a new PR! Moved onto flat DB presses for 4 sets of 6 with the 120's. Very very pleased with my strength here. Skullcrushers really ached my left elbow/forearm. Not sure what to do I am currently taking glucosamine and MSM. Whatever.

Upright rows were friggin' awesome today. Really intense sets. Beat the hell outta' my delts and traps. Shoulders really took a beating here today. Finished up with 2 sets of DB laterals. My shoulders were pretty wiped out from the laterals. Overall workout was pretty damn good.

Diet:
- tuna + mayo
- pork rinds + french onion dip, 1/2 Atkin's bar, cheese
- cheeseburger
- whey protein postworkout
- BBQ wings, cheese
- low-carb choclate
- 2 bacon cheeseburgers + mayo
- low-carb ice-cream, low-carb choclate milk

Diet was okay today, really need to take it easy on the low-carb foods like choclate, ice-cream, etc. Low-carb choclate milk is absolutely AWESOME. It's 2g of carbs per 8 oz. glass and 12g of protein. Talk about good stuff.

Sleep: 3.5 + 3.5 hours. Had to get up and drive home. Damnit.

Weight: 229 lbs. Getting better.

I will breakdown why this was such a badass workout:

When doing 3RM work, the working range is 80-89%. Here's what you did.

135x3 (44%)
185x3 (61%)
225x3 (74%)
255x3 (84%)
285x3 (93%)
305x3! (100%)

3 sets of 80% or better, and the set before that was almost 75%! Excellent progression as well. Next time you hit Upper1 do this same scheme on CG Incline. This was really good, solid lifting. Accessory work was spot on.

SF: Wow, thanks for putting my workout into that perspective. I guess it was a good workout afterall. 285 for a triple felt very very strong. 305 for 3 wasn't bad either. The 3rd rep just slowly made it up though. Oh well. I am really getting good in CG bench at tucking my elbows underneath the bar. I really think that's helping. Next session is Lower2, my squat day, any ideas?

High box squats for the ME lift, and SLDL for high/low. Something like this....

High box squats (and I mean high, shouldn't be anywhere near parallel)
SLDL high/low
Hypers or Leg Press 4x6
Back 3-4x6-8
Back 4x6
Biceps (whatever)

Damn, you have quite the coach Mike. Nice workouts man.

SF: Okay man, looks good. I am not sure what kind of weights I am going to throw around on the high box squats. For whatever reason I never feel too strong on them. I'll definitely give them a shot though with my new squatting form. We'll see what happens. Thanks for the recommendation though, always appreciate it.

PreMier: Haha, I definitely have the greatest coach. Thanks for the support.

Originally Posted by MonStar

SF: Okay man, looks good. I am not sure what kind of weights I am going to throw around on the high box squats. For whatever reason I never feel too strong on them. I'll definitely give them a shot though with my new squatting form. We'll see what happens. Thanks for the recommendation though, always appreciate it.

That's good. Work the weaknesses to improve the strengths. Just remember to sit back, etc.

SF: Okay man, will do. I am going to concentrate on sitting back, sticking my chest out, arching my back, almost completely good AM style. Shooting my hips back and I come down, etc.

Day 3
6-17-2004

Rest

Did some cardio today. Did 15 minutes on the treadmill, 3.5 MPH for 1 minute followed by 7.5 MPH for 1 minute. Definitely need to get in better shape, talk about driving me friggin' insane. I was completely exhausted today, it was pathetic. I am also going to try doing sprints outside on my next rest day. I hate the friggin' treadmill.

Diet:
- 3 scrambled eggs + cheese, 3 pieces of bacon
- 3 hot dogs
- 2 hot dogs, cheese
- garden salad + ranch dressing
- mixed nuts
- low-carb choclate milk
- 2 cheeseburgers + mayo
- low-carb banana nut bread + butter
- low-carb choclate milk, cheese

Diet wasn't bad today at all, had no problem sticking to what I was supposed to the low-carbs. Didn't end up too high in calories today at all. I am most likely going to refeed tomorrow night, so that should be a lot of fun. I am going to try and take it easy on my calories before the refeed, we'll see what happens.

Sleep: 7.5 hours.

Weight: 226 lbs. Getting better.

Cardio is annoying. That's part of the reason I do martial arts - I'm doing cario when I'm not even thinking about it.

Cardio is part of the reason why I fly fish.


By the time I get to the gym in the evening there isnt time for me to do cardio

stencil: Yeah that's why I am switching to cardio outdoors now. I really think that should be a bit more fun than running on the damn treadmill.

X Ring: LOL, at first I was thinking, fishing? How many calories could that possibly burn?

Day 4
6-18-2004

Lower Body 2

Box Squats: (above parallel)
135x3, 225x3, 275x2, 315x1, 365x1, 405x1, 455x1, 495x1, 545x0

SLDL:
505x1, 505x1, 505x1, 505x1, 505x1, 505x1, 455x3, 455x3

Nautilus Leg Extensions:
260x12, 260x12
Dropset: 260x8, 220x7, 180x7, 140x6

Parallel-Grip Cable Pulldowns:
200x8, 200x8, 200x8

Nautilus Pullovers:
240x12, 240x12

Pretty good workout today I think. I am realizing now that I definitely need to cut back on my accessory work due to the low carbs. Today after SLDL I felt so damn drained I was ready to friggin' go home I was so tired. High box squats didn't go all that well. Came down with 545 and just got stuck in the hole. Bothered me too because 495 felt like cake. Whatever. Moved onto leg extensions, really beat up my quads completely there. Not too bad at all. Dropset beat the friggin' hell out of my quads.

Finished up with some pulldowns and pullovers. My body was just screaming at this point. Maybe because I had no carbs in my system, whatever. Really exhausted today in my lat accessory work. I definitely need to cut something back, I am not sure what though at this point.

Diet:
- 2 scrambled eggs + cheese, 2 pieces of bacon
- whey protein postworkout
- italian sausage
- cheese

5-Hour Refeed:
- frosted flakes cereal + skim milk
- 4 slices white bread, grape koolaid
- captain crunch cereal + skim milk
- low-fat frozen pizza
- low-fat choclate eclair
- low-fat vanilla cookies
- fat-free pringles
- low-fat devil's food cake cookies
- low-fat ice-cream
- gatorade, skim milk
- runts candy
- swedish fish candy

Wow, refeed today! Really pigged out for the first one just because I was starving, lol. Definitely kept my fat intake low though for this refeed. Probably under 20-25g. Not too bad at all. I can't even start to imagine how many friggin' carbs I took in during this refeed. TONS.

Sleep: 6 hours.

Weight: 223 lbs. Woah, definitely lighter. Should go up some tomorrow though since I am refeeding tonight.

Your best to parallel is 465, so 495 above parallel is not bad. 495->545 may have simply been too big a jump. 50lb is a lot to ask of your body, especially when you're in the range you were in. But 495 is a solid number. The whole point was to work on your lockout strength. You're locking out 30lb more then you full squat, and that's a good sign. We'll probably stick to lockout-style work for a while.

If you're feeling drained after your first 2 exercises, then you can simply move on after your ME and high/low work is done. You can always make up the volume around your refeeds and you're not going to hinder yourself.

Besides, you locked out a 495 squat with next to no carbs in your system. That's something a lot of people can't say.

505 SLDL. Good lord. Nice job. I'm still knockin' on 300's door.

Awesome workout (as always) Mike!

SF: Hey man, thanks for chiming in, I really really appreciate it. Always making me feel better about my workouts.

About my 495 strength, it came up like nothing at all. 545 just got stuck, whatever. I want to mention that I am only turning my box at a new angle for high box squats. They're honestly only a few inches higher than parallel. I'll have to make a video. And yes this is on the past 3 days very low carb. So not too shabby.

What do you have in mind tomorrow for my Upper2 session? More lockouts I am assuming, correct? Keep in mind this will be the morning after a refeed.

stencil: Thanks man. A few of the singles with 505 I felt like I was doing more of a Romanian DL, but I am not sure. I could just tell that my legs were not completely locked out. Whatever. Thanks for the support.

sftwrngnr: Thanks man!

Close-grip Pin Press (6-8" up) (treated as a warmup): sets of 5 to a 5RM
Rack Lockouts: to a 1RM (last 6-8")
Triceps: 8 sets of 4-6 (skulls, oh db press, etc and go HEAVY)
Triceps: 4 sets of 6 (pushdowns, dips, etc)
Shoulders: 4 sets of 6 (side laterals or front raises)

SF: Wow, that should be interesting. Close-grip pin presses huh? I am really looking forward to these, for whatever reason. Definitely running on somewhat low sleep though, my work schedule lately has been f*cking pathetic. Anyway, I am definitely going to be weighing a bit more today. I can't even start to imagine how many calories I took in during last night's refeed. Calories and carbs must have been out of control.

Looking good Mike. I wanted to wait a few days before I posted to make sure you were going to stay in this journal for a bit, LOL!! You have some awesome lifts happening there. Liking the diet? I look forward to seeing your results on it!

Originally Posted by rock4832

Looking good Mike. I wanted to wait a few days before I posted to make sure you were going to stay in this journal for a bit, LOL!! You have some awesome lifts happening there. Liking the diet? I look forward to seeing your results on it!

in re: journal. Rocks right. wo's looking good and hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream and cake !!! Even I could stick to a diet like that !!! j/k Good job !