Exerbabble for 4-9-6

I’m on my fifth foodification today. I’ve been watching my portions. I have to eat small enough so that I don’t feel revolted at the thought of eating again. Find that medium between content and hungry.

Remember, I really don’t get hungry all that often. But since I’ve been eating more, I’ve been getting hungry more. Well, not today or yesterday. If I go too long without eating, man, my body tells me. For my last meal, I’m having a pb&j – and some cottage cheese. Protein? Protein. Ha ha.

Just one problem with all of this. Remember that I’m an incredibly picky eater. I may just have to introduce something new every week. I love cottage cheese – so I’m trying not to kill my taste for it. Same goes for milk. I’ll always be drinking milk, so I don’t have to worry about getting enough. One thing I haven’t had in a long time is hard-boiled eggs. That would be funny. Sitting in the café and pulling a hard-boiled egg out of my backpack.

Oh, reminds me.

Don’t read the magazine at all, but the forums are full of intelligent people. I saw this referenced, and it perked my interest.

Abs Diet.

Not really something I’d go whole-hog on, but in terms of having some foods to fall back on, it’s good reading.

1. Almonds and nuts.
2. Beans and legumes.
3. Spinach and green veggies
4. Dairy Products
5. Instant Oatmeal
6. Eggs
7. Turkey and other lean meats
8. Peanut butter
9. Olive Oil
10. Whole grain breads and cereals
11. Extra-protein (whey) powder
12. Raspberries and other berries.

Gee, what does that spell? *smirks* Abs Diet Power. Dorks.

Anyway, there’s still other things I could “try” as protein boosters. Wouldn’t it be hardcore if I could eat raw spinach? Ha ha. I doubt I could pull it off.

I’m not even sure if I’ve ever HAD spinach.

Anyway. Today’s workout:

Pull-up: 8, 6, 4 @ bodyweight
Arnold Press: 6, 6, 6, 4 @ 30 lbs
Romanian Deadlift: 3×10 @ 115 lbs
Crunches: 3×17 @ bodyweight
Overhead Squat: 3×8 @ 45 lbs
Standing Calf Raise: 4×7 @ 320 lbs
Bent-over Rows: 4×6 @ 80 lbs
BB Decline Press: 3×5 @ 105 lbs

The casual observer wouldn’t noticing something I try to do with the ordering of my exercises. It’s helpful to work opposing muscles in succession. Vertical pull, then vertical push. Back muscles, then abs. Horizontal pull, then horizontal push. As for calf raises following overhead squat, I know how you have to pull up on your feet a little to keep from going on your toes.

The logic is that when you’re exerting a muscle, the antagonist has to relax. Was that the logic? Hrm. Don’t listen to the logic, I forget. I just know that the opposing muscle gets a boost if you do them in succession.

I could have tried to struggle for more reps when I was on my last set of Arnold Presses. But something in me said, “Good job. Call it a set.” Maybe I’m getting better at reading my tiredness. Maybe I could have struggled for another rep. Would my form have held? Not entirely certain. Given that my previous performance at that weight four five days ago was 6, 6, 4, 3, I should hit 4×6 in four days. (I should knock out 3×10 @ 25 lbs in two days.) I already have the periodization in my head.

3×10 @ 25lb; 4×6 @ 30 lbs; 6×4 @ 35 lbs; 3×11 @ 25lbs; 4×7 @ 30 lbs; 3×12 @ 25 lbs; 5×5 @ 35 lbs; 3×8 @ 30 lbs; 4×6 @ 35 lbs; 3×9 @ 30 lbs; 2×15 @ 25 lbs; 4×7 @ 35 lbs; 3×10 @ 30 lbs….

A loose pattern in my head. I’ve been reading a lot of tidbits on various websites. Stress on the central nervous system (why week-long rests now and then are GOOD for you; though it’s also good in negating repetitive stress that could potentially cause an injury), how the body can’t handle 90% of your 1RM (one rep max) for too long, how endurance training stimulates capillary growth. But more importantly, how periodizing keeps your body from adapting and encourages growth. Because if you’re body’s constantly adapting, it’ll get stronger. Or something like that. Thus, lowering to a weight I’ve already “mastered” isn’t foolhardy.

Playing with a 1RM calculator, I can guess what I’d need to lift at 30 lbs to lift 35 lbs. There’s a simple and specific pattern having to do with percentage of 1RM at play, but I can’t be bothered to do it in my head. I want to start lifting 35 lbs with a set scheme of 6×4. I’d probably want a 5RM of 35 lbs before I can think about doing it. I can translate in terms of 1RM how many times I can lift 30 lbs. Calculator claims a 1RM of 39 lbs. Turns out that a 9RM of 30 lbs will approximate into a 1 RM of 39 lbs.

Oh, nevermind. I’m just wondering how quickly I’ll be increasing weights. Ambitious? Yes. Gotta have goals! I think writing a specific plan wouldn’t be quite right at this point. I prefer going work-out to work-out, based on how I’m doing. All I know is that on the overhead press, I went from 5×5 @ 75 lbs to 4×7 @ 75 lbs in the span of two weeks. I think. Something like that.

I’m curious what 6×4 will feel like, as I’ve never had a rep range that low. Hell, I’ll be worried about being able to lift that amount overhead, let alone for four reps. We’ll see. Into UNCHARTED TERRITORY!

Anyway.

I stated previously that I realized that the deadlift I figured out was actually a stiff-legged deadlift. I did some reading up on stiff-legged deadlift form, and ran across this acticle upon googling.

Romanian vs. Stiff-Legged Deadlifts.

It’s actually a rather interesting read. Turns out the only difference between RDL and SLDL is bar position. How I deadlifted four days ago, as well as today, is with the bar traveling relatively close to my body. That’s what feels comfortable. So I’ll do that.

As with four days ago, it was my forearms that screamed “OH GOD”. I declined increasing the weight until I’m sure I won’t get another hamstring tightness scare. I went nice and slow during my deadlift. Slow and deliberate. I like that, feeling in control of the weight.

I think next time I’ll try holding one of those 1 kg balls over my head while I’m doing crunches. *smiles*

I got full depth while doing overhead squats. All the way down, no discomfort. How? I did some reading up, and the phrase, “toes pointed out” rang a bell. Took a second to reposition my feet, as I’d gotten used to setting up with my toes forward, knees straight. I wanted to make sure my feet were at a consistent angle away from each other. When I went down, my upper-body didn’t feel like it was going to give out. Not until the end of the third set, at least. *smirks*

Mid-second set, I actually felt my right kneecap pop. Or something. Actually isn’t the first time this has happened. I stopped for a moment. Well, pop isn’t the right word. I put the bar down and flexed my knee. Felt fine. Did some freeweight squats for a moment. Felt fine. Repositioned my feet more carefully and did the third set. I think I stopped at six in the second set, but I would have finished it, so I marked it as a full 3×8. : P

I didn’t get full range of motion during bent-over rows. It’s not a *complete* set unless the bar hits my chest. Easy for 80% of the path. that last 20% is hard. Maybe in two days I’ll rack an olympic bar with some quarters and see if I can do 6×4 @ 95 lbs. Though, if the 1RM calculator is any indication, maybe I should rack only 85 or 90 lbs-worth.

When I was decline pressing, my brain said, “You’re benching over a hundred pounds.” Despite the fact that my breathing was fine, my range of motion was fine, and my form was otherwise fine, I stopped at three sets. I just didn’t feel 100% confident. Especially without a spotter, you have to know when to stop. So I decided to stop then, rather than mid-set. Just a feeling. Next workout, I’ll aim for the same 5×5, but at 100 lbs. I should knock that out easily.

And uhhhh. I’m exerbabbled out.