b_reed23

we do not have a state income tax here in TN either, but we have 9.75% sales tax

My Journal!

Egoatdoor

Thursday was a much better day. Did cardio first thing in the morning, then arms and abs at night. I added weight or reps on every exercise except my last set of dumbbell curls. Last set of barbell curls was 9 reps at 100 pounds and got 9 1/2 reps at 145 on close grip bench presses. Couldn't get the 10th all the way up without help from the spotter. Up to 11 reps at 160 pounds on pushdowns.

There were no Fitballs in the gym for ab work. Did they take them out or did they all get busted? I don't know if I'm happy or sad . I don't like Fitballs.

Saturday is quads and calves, then off for a beach day on Sunday.

The Houston thing is on hold for now. The manager I met with Thursday thinks I need to talk to the manager down there informally and off the record first and get a better feel for the "lay of the land" down there before I make such a drastic decision. So I'll do this when I go back down there on the 20th.

Egoatdoor

Oww!! You poor thing! Are you close enough to the border of another state to cross over there and buy stuff??

Around here, Delaware has NO sales tax. Pennsylvania's is 6% and its 7% in Philadelphia. When I lived further south a few years ago near the border of Pa and Delaware, all of us used to go to Delaware, especially at Christmas time, and buy stuff there to avoid the sales tax.

b_reed23

Mississippi has a lower tax than us (I can't remember what it is though) so whenever we buy something major, we go down there

your workouts are looking fantastic Ego! how are you feeling? you aren't sluggish anymore? I figure you'd be beat with all this work and the gym too....take care and have a great weekend!!

My Journal!

Egoatdoor

Today was an all time great workout. I increased the weight or reps on EVERY working set of every exercise except seated calf raises. Leg extensions, last set 140x9, front squats 95x15, hacks 220x13, walking lunges 90x11 (each leg).I actually did added two sets of 20 rep squats before walking lunges to really fatigue the quads and then added 10 or 15 pounds on each set of walking lunges. The last two sets were close to death. My quads, hamstrings and glutes felt like knives were poking in them the last few reps.

I've gotten back the size and strength I lost last week. I'm on target to get the 4200 calories this week and I think this really helped my energy and strength the last two workouts.

Four more intense workouts next week and then probably another few days off because of my next trip to Houston.

Egoatdoor

I'm fine now. I was kind of sluggish early in the week, but its gotten much better since about Wednesday. It may have been stress ( work) related plus diet. My calories were way down for two straight weeks.

BulkMeUp

You guys are sooooo lucky!!!!! Here (in ontario at least) we have GST (goods and service tax) of 7% + PST (provincial sales tax) of 8%. So a total of 15%. YES, FIFTEEN PRECENT!!

And dont even get me started on Income tax!!

b_reed23

your leg routine makes me wanna cry....lunges, PLUS walking lunges!! owee!!!

My Journal!

Egoatdoor

Unfortunately, someone has to pay for your country's universal health care and other social programs.

Egoatdoor

Did cardio Monday morning, low intensity and then chest and shoulders at night.

Another really good workout. Got 12 reps on last set of dumbbell benches with 60 pounds. The goal was 10 and I had been stuck at 8-10 the last 3 workouts. Don't know where the strength came from, but 10 was easy and I blew out 2 more reps after that. Added reps too on decline flyes, side laterals and shrugs behind the back. Added 5 pounds on the both of the last two sets of wide grip upright rows. Chest and delts were really pumped up after the workout.

I used the last of my Xenadrine NRG on Saturday. Started my first bottle of Muscle Tech's Thermo Gain on Monday. The company says it is a thermogenic that also builds muscle. The bottle will last me two months, so I'll see how it works relative to the NRG. I've used some of Muscle Tech's products before and have had success with most of them.

Another cardio session Wednesday morning, then back and hamstrings at night.

Cris2Blis

hey stranger! way to go on the great workout and DB presses!

My Journal!

"As it turns out, now is the moment you've been waiting for."-LW

KEEP THE PROMISES YOU MAKE TO YOURSELF!!!

http://www.paramount-supplements.com

Egoatdoor

Thanks Cris. You seem to be doing pretty good yourself.

b_reed23

good to see you posting regularly again!!! we miss you when your gone

My Journal!

Egoatdoor

Wednesday was cardio in the morning, then back and hams at night.

It was another blow out workout. Wide grip pulldowns, up 2 reps to 9 at 125 pounds on the last set. Wide Grip T Bar Rows 102 1/2, up 2 1/2 and got 10 reps rather than the target 8. One Arm Rows 75x9, up 5 pounds. Close Grip Pulldowns 125x11, up 2 reps. Deadlifts 230x9, up 5 pounds.

Lying Leg Curls, could not quite get the 11th rep up at 95 pounds, so still stuck at 10. Stiff DB Deadlifts 90 x10 on the last set, up 3 reps!

I was also adding weight on the prior sets of most exercises.

One thing that really helped on both deadlifts were new straps with hooks I bought a couple of days ago. My grip had been failing on deadlifts lately, both barbell and dumbbell as I lifted heavier and heavier weights. I bought a book titled "Bodybuilding 101" in the store a couple of weeks ago and it mentioned in the accessories section about straps with hooks. I tried regular straps for awhile in the past, but found it too much of a pain to wrap eaaaaccchhhch haaannndddd evvvvveerrryyyy set.

This was the first time I used a strap with a hook and it was much quicker and easier to just wrap the hook over the bar and then go without all the messing around. The hooks really helped my grip and thus I was able to go to full failure of the muscle rather than losing the bar early because my grip came loose. Plus I did not not have the distraction of trying to keep holding onto the bar rather than focusing on contracting the working muscles.

Weighed 185 1/4, up 3/4 from last week.

Friday night is arms and abs. I'm on the road all day in southern Delaware. Hopefully lunch will not be too unhealthy.

Quads and calves either Saturday or Sunday, then its off to Houston for four days and some unwanted time off from the gym.

It is official. The company posted the job I want in Houston on the job posting site yesterday, so they are truly looking to hire somebody. I read the job description and qualifications and I more than meet the criterion. Hopefully I can set up that meeting with the department manager for Monday or Tuesday ( I voice mailed him today), but right now I don't see much downside that would cause me not to officially apply for the job.

b_reed23

wow ego, your doing awsome every time you walk in the gym door!! I bought the bodybuilding 101 book also!! haha.... got it about a month ago

good luck with your job, and have a safe trip!!!!

My Journal!

Emma-Leigh

WOW!! Great workout ego!!

I can't believe the constant gains you make - it is very impressive.

YAY!!! What calorie intake are you having to do to get that! Your cutting diet is more food than most people bulk on!!

Will you still be on the board(s) if you move? Please stay - I don't want you to go!!

Pylon

Nice work goat!

I used hooks for a while and really liked them. I dumped all my stuff (hooks, straps, belt, etc.) a while back to try to improve overall strength, but I think using the hooks helped get me past a sticking point. Whatever gets you through, bud!

Good luck on the job!

"For beverages, I only drink water or whiskey and when I’m drinking whiskey, it’s usually when I’m working out. It gives me the courage to lift more than I can when I’m sober." - C. Bratton

Egoatdoor

Friday was a great arm workout. Increased weight or reps on the last two sets of every exercise.

Close Grip Bench Press 130(+5)x10 150(+5)x7
DB Overhead Extension(two hands) 45(+5)x15 55(+5)x11
Overhead Rope Extensions 100(+10)x16 110(+10)x11
Wide Grip Pushdowns 150x14(+2) 170(+10)x10

Barbell Curls 85(+5)x10 100x10(+1)
Standing DB Curls 35(+5)x13 35x11(+1)
EZ Bar Reverse Curls 75x13(+1) 80x14(+2)
Concentration Curl 15x18(+2) 15x17(+1)

All of these sets were to total failure.

The Fitball was back. So I did crunches on the Fitball, then decline board sit ups and bar twists for the abs.

Egoatdoor

I was at 4200 last week with 240 grams of protein. I'm pretty close to that this week.
Its OK. I'll still be around the board, though I will not keep the Journal if I'm not training for any specific purpose.

Egoatdoor

Another really good workout. Knowing how strong I had been all week, I added weight on all exercises except the leg extensions. The walking lunges were like a Bataan Death March. Got 13 reps on each leg at 100 pounds the last set, which is up 50 pounds from six weeks ago and AFTER leg extensions, front squats, hack squats AND two sets of 20 rep squats.

I am off to Houston tomorrow morning. Back late on Thursday. Staying at a different hotel which does not have a fitness center, so I'll have to drive to Ballys for cardio Tuesday or Wednesday morning. I don't expect to get a weight workout in.

Cris2Blis

have fun in houston!

My Journal!

"As it turns out, now is the moment you've been waiting for."-LW

KEEP THE PROMISES YOU MAKE TO YOURSELF!!!

http://www.paramount-supplements.com

Emma-Leigh

Have fun Ego. See you when you get back.

Pylon

Good luck in Tejas, Goat.

"For beverages, I only drink water or whiskey and when I’m drinking whiskey, it’s usually when I’m working out. It gives me the courage to lift more than I can when I’m sober." - C. Bratton

b_reed23

good luck with your week in Houston

My Journal!

Egoatdoor

It seems very likely that I will be offered the job in Houston and will be moving there, possibly as soon as 6-8 weeks from now.

I met with the department manager Monday afternoon and then with others in the department, a couple of the relationship managers/salespeople I would be supporting and even the area President during Monday and Tuesday. All of the conversations were really positive and the human resource person handling the applications was very anxious that I get my application in quickly. I will be doing that online this weekend. I have on paper more than enough qualifications for the position, plus have a distinct advantage over anyone applying from outside the bank because I know the systems and procedures,etc, so I would be productive from day one without having to undergo training and kinds of orientation stuff. They need help and alot of it right away. I spent a good part of the time that I was actually working during the 4 days putting out fires and "plugging holes in the dike" as the current staff is severely overwhelmed.

There are still interviews though before any job offer and the manager said I have to demonstrate that I have the right "chemistry" to fit in with all those I would be working with and for.

There are many positives and yes, a few negatives, but by far, making this move seems the right thing to do for me.

As for training, I am mentally getting off the "competition" and "serious bodybuilding" bandwagon for the time being while this all shakes out and if I get the job, it would be permanently.

Yes, if I get the job, I will continue training (probably 2-3 days a week), but it would be more maintenance type training and the strict and heavily caloric ( 4000 calories plus) diet and goals of seeking to gain pounds of muscle will have to go as my priorities will be shifting to my career. I am pretty sure I will working ALOT of hours in the new job for at least the first few months. I emailed my trainer this morning that I was suspending at least for the time being our full time training relationship.

I will continue this Journal at least for right now until the job thing is finalized, either positively or negatively. I am working on a new 4 day split for the next few weeks that will be modified from the one I have been doing the last two months.

b_reed23

oh no! Ego broke up with his trainer!! I bet she was devastated lol...

I'm glad things are working out for you in your career, good luck!

My Journal!