Hams--dust the fluff in 05

[Hams]

After spending the bulk of last year bulking (and making impressive gains in both muscle and fat), it has been decided by a council of experienced bodybuilders and interested friends and acquaintences that it is high time for the fluff to fly off. In order to get a head start on the new year, the Clean-up-the-diet campaign began December 12th 2004. At 5'4", 154.5lbs, and 22%bf with a nice accumulation of adipose on the buttocks and upper thighs, I started training with the two best bodies in my beloved state. We have been meeting every Sunday to do a leg workout that has me wretching and passing out--but oh the thrill of watching the tear-drop form! After one week of recovering from this hell and eradicating the unclean vittles, I weighed in at 152.5 (Dec 19). The next week (Dec 26), I hit 151. The big drop came last week (01/02)--148.5. Now,on this lovely Sunday, I've managed to weigh in at 147. Not bad progress, I must admit. The hips are narrowing, clothes are fitting better, and muscles are popping out that had been hidden under layers of stored energy. It's exciting, gloriously painful, and extremely FUN. After hanging out and reading this forum, I have decided to share the journey, absorb the knowledge, and heed the advice of the many who have traveled this very same road. With the background in mind, the plan for the next 3-5 months is to continue to shed the fluff by getting the diet and training down to a fine-grained science. When I'm around 130-135 and 10-12%bf, I'll begin my first cycle ever. My very experienced female training partner has been using Winstrol-V, but I will opt for the more predictable Anavar. I will spend the last half of this year and a good portion of the next building and refining. The long-term goal is to be around 140-145 and shredded by Summer 06.

Church is going to start soon, and so I've got to get ready for my meeting with the Leg Lord.

 

[the-short-one]

Amen, sister. I too, am cutting - with a goal weight of 120 by March 20. I'm 135 now.

 

[alycat]

Hams... what do you do at 'church'? What do these 'Leg Lord' have you doing... I owuld like to be touched by these gods...
Help

 

[jenscats5]

Hams... what do you do at 'church'? What do these 'Leg Lord' have you doing... I owuld like to be touched by these gods...
Help

What she said

 

[Sassy69]

LOL Worship the Gods of Iron of course!

 

[Hams]

Hey ya'll--I just got back from the farm (my workout partners live 80 minutes away on an awesome organic farm--the gym is in the barn!) and my legs are trashed and gased. I feel really fatigued. I'll post the details when I get in from work.

 

[Sassy69]

Wow. There is no way I could drive 80 min after leg day. If I can make it out to my car & into the seat w/o getting stuck I'm very happy.

 

[Hams]

Wow. There is no way I could drive 80 min after leg day. If I can make it out to my car & into the seat w/o getting stuck I'm very happy.

No kidding. I almost fell asleep several times during the drive this morning. Thankfully, work let me go home for an hour and take a nap. I still feel kind of fluish and tired, but that will lessen significantly by tomorrow. Tomorrow I'll be so sore I will barely be able move. Any kind of squatting or bending over movement will elicit a serious of grunts and ooohs. So, what caused this horrendous damage to the biggest muscles in my body? Well, this time we started off with 2 sets of leg extensions to prefatigue the quads. Then we moved over to the leg press and did 7 sets. I saw stars and passed out on two of them. The world just kind of shrivels down to my racing heartbeat and quick, shallow breathing, and then blows back up to include all the elements of torture in the gym. It's a sweet extreme. After the leg presses (I've added about 70lbs of weight since the first time I worked them out with my partners 3 weeks ago!) we went back to do extensions. I was so, so happy we didn't hop on The Beast. The beast is a modified hack squat machine that has had the pins at the bottom taken out and a 6 inch block nailed onto the foot panel. It allows one to really get down into the hole. Let's not forget that it is hell. In any case, we did 3 sets of extensions and just killed the tear-drop with tons of partial reps toward the end of each set. That made me want to vomit (for the record, I have not yet puked during one of these leg workouts, but it is considered a rite of passage and will probably happen at some point in the near future). After extensions we did 3 sets of strict stiff legged deads standing on a platform with dumbells. Those things make me sick and light-headed, too. That's it. Oh, I've been bruising too easily this week and I had cramping in my quads during the workout. We think it may be an iron and potassium deficiency, which supplementing will hopefully remedy. I feel tired and bitchy today. I'm gonna ice, take a warm bath, inhale a little de-stress, watch Napoleon Dynamite, and go to bed!

 

[the-short-one]

Holy shit. Very few women never even think of pushing themselves to that point. I've gotten to the light headed-pass-out stage, but never to the puking.

You are awesome.

 

[the-short-one]

BTW, Sassy -

Looking good in the avi!

 

[Hams]

Holy shit. Very few women never even think of pushing themselves to that point. I've gotten to the light headed-pass-out stage, but never to the puking.

You are awesome.

Whoa...it's refreshing to encounter someone who appreciates that kind of intensity. Thank you

During your next leg workout, try to do a set of two that takes you to that level (make sure you have a partner there to help you go through it). When you think you can't do any more reps, you probably have 2 or 3 more left in you, and if you do them, you'll shock your body into growing and adapting. Have no fear!

 

[Hams]

Well, well, well, I'm feeling like a big pile of shit in a brown paper sack today. The immune system is down...something evil has invaded my right nostril...lots of pain and lethargy going on. Blah. If colloidial silver, oil of oregano, and the shitload of supplements I'm taking haven't kicked it by Friday, I'm heading for the Dr. I hate to do it, though. Surprisingly enough, the legs feel pretty good today considering the damage done on Sunday. The diet is still rockin' hardcore. I eat little and often. Let's see if I can recall my meals for the day. Keep in mind that I'm sick right now and the appetite is not where it is normally (I've been cutting on around 2000-2200 calories a day).

8:30 am
1/2 c of our co-op muesli, which I made myself
close to half a cup of my special yogurt
4 egg whites
I might have squirted a little flax oil in there, but I can't remember for sure

11:00 am
about 3 oz of lean beef
1/2 a really sweet and delicious orange
lots of greens with wheat germ on top

1:30 pm
another oz or two of lean beef
2 egg whites
the rest of the orange
1/4 butternut squash

3:30 pm
nearly a quart of my special yogurt

5:30 pm
almost half a cup of cottage cheese
two tablespoons of almond butter
a tablespoon of maca powder

In another hour and a half I'll have more salad and beef with a little flax oil and wheat germ. If I feel like eating something before bed, it'll be cottage cheese and almond butter again, but without the maca. I don't spend a lot of time weighing stuff out and measuring my food. I make a big bowl of salad each night for the next day, throw some meat in there, and eat on it all day long. For carbs, I'll pack a sweet potato or a squash. Sometimes I'll cut up half an apple or pear and throw it in my salad for quality carb energy. When my body feels nourished, I stop. When I feel low on energy, I eat again. I'm learning how to listen and pay attention to the body's reactions to fuel. I am much more sensitive and in tune the 2 days after legs. For example, several weeks ago I had millet as the carb souce in one of my meals the day after legs. I felt I got very little out of it. So, I tried rice for the next meal and felt like I'd been giving a shot of powerful energy. The point is that dieting, more than anything, is a journey of self-discovery. It is amazing what the body will do when given the right fuel. Alright...I'm feeling close to delerious. Now's the time to make my exit.

 

[jenscats5]

Whoa...it's refreshing to encounter someone who appreciates that kind of intensity. Thank you

During your next leg workout, try to do a set of two that takes you to that level (make sure you have a partner there to help you go through it). When you think you can't do any more reps, you probably have 2 or 3 more left in you, and if you do them, you'll shock your body into growing and adapting. Have no fear!

I'm assuming you're female....cuz there's no selection in your profile....

But Wow!! hard-core leg workout -- diet looks good too!!

 

[Hams]

I'm assuming you're female....cuz there's no selection in your profile....

Yes. I filled out some of my profile...

But Wow!! hard-core leg workout -- diet looks good too!!

Thank you, ma'am! On the intensity scale that workout was about a 6.5. The first time I did legs with these folks, we started with two sets of lunges up a long and steep hill to prefatigue. Next we hopped on The Beast for 6 sets. As if that weren't enough, we superset extensions with stiff legged deads for another 3 sets each. That was an unbelievable experience. It was spiritual. In any case, when working out like that, if the diet isn't on, a body will disintegrate quickly.

 

[jenscats5]

Yes. I filled out some of my profile...

Thank you, ma'am! On the intensity scale that workout was about a 6.5. The first time I did legs with these folks, we started with two sets of lunges up a long and steep hill to prefatigue. Next we hopped on The Beast for 6 sets. As if that weren't enough, we superset extensions with stiff legged deads for another 3 sets each. That was an unbelievable experience. It was spiritual. In any case, when working out like that, if the diet isn't on, a body will disintegrate quickly.

 

[Hams]

Lol...

 

[The Shadow]

try supersetting stiff deads with leg curls and lunges with hacks

 

[Hams]

try supersetting stiff deads with leg curls and lunges with hacks

That sounds like ouch. Unfortunately, we don't have a leg curl machine in the barn But we do have a universal machine with cables. I could make that work like a leg curl machine...Hmmm...do I want to undergo this torture??

I did go to the doc today. Turns out I have impetigo in the right nostril...it's a minor staph infection that a little muriprocin will fix in a couple of days. He said the lethargy, weakness, and fatigue are the result of the iron deficiency, which supplementation is remedying quickly. This is my third day of rest and I've needed every one of them. If I feel up to it tomorrow, I'll work on the back and biceps. If not, I'll rest again. Now I'm off to watch the first season of the Dave Chappelle show.

 

[The Shadow]

That sounds like ouch. Unfortunately, we don't have a leg curl machine in the barn But we do have a universal machine with cables. I could make that work like a leg curl machine...Hmmm...do I want to undergo this torture??

I did go to the doc today. Turns out I have impetigo in the right nostril...it's a minor staph infection that a little muriprocin will fix in a couple of days. He said the lethargy, weakness, and fatigue are the result of the iron deficiency, which supplementation is remedying quickly. This is my third day of rest and I've needed every one of them. If I feel up to it tomorrow, I'll work on the back and biceps. If not, I'll rest again. Now I'm off to watch the first season of the Dave Chappelle show.

feel betta

 

[Hams]

feel betta

Thanks

 

[Hams]

Woohoo! I've got most of my energy back! Yeah! It hit me about midway through the day. The nose is steadily improving, the anemia and vit k deficiencies are nearly gone...the only new injury is a huge (I mean it's a monster) bruise to my ass from slipping on my steps this morning while leaving for work. Regardless of the infusion of energy today, I am still going to rest. In fact, I just might rest the next two days and get it kicking again with legs this Sunday.

The diet has been good and clean, although I'm not trying to lose any fat this particular week. The goal has been to get enough quality nutrition to boost the immune system and promote repairs and healthy cell growth. If I'm feeling strong enough to live in a calorie deficit, then next week I'll use the diet to shave another pound or two of fat. Ok...I'm winding down. Until next time.

 

[Hams]

Whew...I'm tired. I finally felt good enough to get a workout in this week. All sets are in the 8-12 rep range with strict form. I feel I need to prioritize my traps and lats over the next month or two. So, I started with 6 sets of bb shrugs—95lbs, 105, 110, 105, 95, 95—ouch. Wide grip pulldowns—3 sets—80, 90, 90 then flexed the lats for a minute or two. Narrow grip pulldowns—3 sets—90, 100, 100. Seated rows—3 sets—60lbs each time. Standing preacher curls—40lbs superset with cable curls—70lbs drop to 60 drop to 40—then back to standing preacher curls at the same weight. What a pump! My strength is down, but my stamina is still pretty good. For what I've gone through the last couple weeks, I consider this a fairly decent workout, although I definitely have more in me. I would rate the intensity at 4-4.5 out of 10.

 

[skittles]

Good work hams!

 

[Hams]

Thank you, skittles!

I've been out of town since yesterday evening, but thought I'd post yesterday's workout. I wanted to work chest, calves, and abs. Starting with chest, I did 4 sets of arnold presses--warmed up with 30lb dbs and then did the remaining 3 sets with 35lbs--reps were in the 10-12 range. Anyway, after the presses, I did 3 sets of flys with 20lbs dbs for 10 reps per set. Lots of flexing occured after the final set of these exercises. I superset donkey calf raises with the flys for a total of 3 sets--I think I did 140lbs for around 15 or so reps. Then I did a set of standing calf raises (put a 45 on the machine and did 20 reps) and superset with crunches to exhaustion (lost count around 70 reps). Another set of calf raises followed by leg lifts to exhaustion--30 or so reps. Then another set of calf raises followed by sit up to exhaustion--50 or so. The chest is sore today. The calves feel worked, but not that sore. The reason I do high reps with calves is because my calves are huge and don't need to be any bigger, but they can always use more conditioning. The same goes for the abs. The immune system took a hard blow this last week, and so I'm not doing legs today. I talked with my mentor/partner and she said to rest. We are going to move legs to Saturday in order to have a full day of recovery before Monday. I think this will help with recovery as well. I'll probably get in 3-4 easy to moderate workouts next week.

Now I'm off to make a big batch of my special yogurt! Mmmmm...good!

 

[jenscats5]

Wow!! What a workout!! Great stuff.....

You should consider posting some pics (excluding your face) -- bet you look awesome!!

 

[The Shadow]

Thank you, skittles!

I've been out of town since yesterday evening, but thought I'd post yesterday's workout. I wanted to work chest, calves, and abs. Starting with chest, I did 4 sets of arnold presses--warmed up with 30lb dbs and then did the remaining 3 sets with 35lbs--reps were in the 10-12 range. Anyway, after the presses, I did 3 sets of flys with 20lbs dbs for 10 reps per set. Lots of flexing occured after the final set of these exercises. I superset donkey calf raises with the flys for a total of 3 sets--I think I did 140lbs for around 15 or so reps. Then I did a set of standing calf raises (put a 45 on the machine and did 20 reps) and superset with crunches to exhaustion (lost count around 70 reps). Another set of calf raises followed by leg lifts to exhaustion--30 or so reps. Then another set of calf raises followed by sit up to exhaustion--50 or so. The chest is sore today. The calves feel worked, but not that sore. The reason I do high reps with calves is because my calves are huge and don't need to be any bigger, but they can always use more conditioning. The same goes for the abs. The immune system took a hard blow this last week, and so I'm not doing legs today. I talked with my mentor/partner and she said to rest. We are going to move legs to Saturday in order to have a full day of recovery before Monday. I think this will help with recovery as well. I'll probably get in 3-4 easy to moderate workouts next week.

Now I'm off to make a big batch of my special yogurt! Mmmmm...good!

ARNOLD PRESSES are for delts.

 

[Hams]

ARNOLD PRESSES are for delts.

They're on a flat bench.

 

[The Shadow]

arnold presses are for delts....lol


do a google search

 

[The Shadow]

Link with a video:

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/DeltoidAnterior/DBArnoldPress.html

 

[Hams]

Link with a video:

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/DeltoidAnterior/DBArnoldPress.html

Yes, that exercise, when done in the vertical position, is for delts. However, if the body is horizontal, i.e., resting on a flat bench, then it works the chest. What makes it an "Arnold Press", regardless of position, is the distinctive 180 degree rotation of the hands throughout the motion, which results in a fuller range and deeper stretch.

 

[The Shadow]

What makes it an "Arnold Press", regardless of position, is the distinctive 180 degree rotation of the hands throughout the motion, which results in a fuller range and deeper stretch.

.

....twisting the hands in at the top of a db bench press does not result in any more pec stimulation..as it is a midrange movement regardless of which direction the plams face.


you cant turn a midrande movement into a stretch or contracted movement.


the reason the Arnold Press work marginally for delts is that it does hit, to an extent, front side and some rear delt. This doesnt work on Chest as there is the pec major has no distinct head(except for upper and lower). Regardless of the "feel" twisting doesnt do anything in terms of real world stretching and contracting as looked at the book referenced.


^^^^ref - When Muscle Meets Magnet

Arnold Press = a deltoid specific movement.

 

[Hams]

It's been a good day here in Hamsland. Energy is returning, but much more healing will take place over the next few weeks and throughout the next year or so. The nose is almost 100%, but the digestive system is a bit off. It could be the iron supplement and/or being out of probiotic for a couple of days (will be remedied in the morning, oh yes). In any case, the workouts must go on. Tonight was shoulders, calves, and abs. It went something like this:
Warmed up with rear, side, and front db laterals--1 set each for 8 reps a set at 15lbs. Seated DB presses--6 sets for 10-12 reps with 30lbs. Seated rear delt raises 3 sets (20lbs drop to 15—around 12 reps). Donkey calf raises (140lbs for 15 reps) superset with crunches (to exhaustion). Standing calf raises (a 45 on the machine for 15+ reps)superset with leg lifts x3 (until legs couldn't be lifted). I had a good amount of energy during this workout, but am still not up to speed. Tomorrow I'm going to focus on the back and the biceps. And now it is time for sleep.

 

[Hams]

Whew...what a day--I must have moved 700 or so pounds of bulk food today. Not to mention the back and biceps workout after work. Here's how it went:
Back: warm up with wide grip pulldowns (80lbs)—wide grip pulldowns 3 sets of 10-12 reps at 100lbs. I considered doing another 3 sets of narrow grip pulldowns, but decided against it. I hit the lats with high volume last week and felt they needed a little more rest. Also, I wanted to focus on the erectors. So...hyperextenions—warmup with bodyweight for 18-20 reps then 3 more sets of 15 or so reps holding a 10lb plate. That was enough for back; wussy, I know, but I was also training my roommate through her first leg workout, which took time and energy (she did a great job!). In any event, I managed to get in few sets for the Biceps: standing cable curl—3 sets—warm up with 35lbs, move to 40 lbs on the next 2 sets, but drop to 30lbs at failure to squeeze out 4-5 more reps. Then, standing alternate db curls—2 sets followed by a set of concentration curls—(on all sets I used 15-20lb dbs for 10-12 reps and I believe I did a drop set somewhere in there). I finished off biceps with a round of flexing. Not a bad workout, but fairly easy and low on the intensity scale. I'm saving up for legs this weekend and, honestly, I can't wait. I need to hop back on the beast and get this fat mobilized off my ass. So far I have learned an important thing about my diet this week, which is that I do much better if I have 5 meals in me before a workout and then end the day with a solid 6th meal postworkout. Tomorrow is a rest day, and so I'll have to change my strategy somewhat. I think I'll space the meals out every two hours for a total of 7-8 meals, but they will be very, very small meals. That should kick the metabolism into high gear. I will avoid any spillover, yet will get enough nutrients to repair the damaged tissues. And rest. I will keep track and post the diet tomorrow night. I must not forget that it will be a rest day full of hardcore sitting, napping, and just chilling out. Rest is growth! Now, I've got to go get mine.

 

[skittles]

Hams you should post some pic's up........ I can't wait to see these legs!

 

[Hams]

Hams you should post some pic's up........ I can't wait to see these legs!

Yeah, I probably should. Ideally, I would be taking pics every week to document my progress, but I'd rather spend that time sleeping or resting on my ass. Right now my legs are coming out of their crappiness. It'll take another 7-8 weeks for them to really pop out. My upper body is rocking and getting lean. It's all about the D-I-E-T. Speaking of, I didn't get a chance to post the diet from the other day. Oh well--it was "on". I'm at 147, but still leaning out. I'll be heading out to the farm tomorrow morning to train legs in the afternoon. We're moving the girl's leg day to Saturday so coach can be fresh to train us. He'll be doing his leg workout on Sundays--such a beast! Here's a pic of this guy--he's going to look even better this year! http://revampscripts.com/cgi-chartcom/nheadlines.pl?board_number=3576&message=411803429&returnpage=6

I'll head back Sunday, get good rest, post the workout, get more good rest, eat a lot of clean food, rest, rest some more, and GROW! The last two weeks I've been sick and puny, but I'm feeling re-energized and ready to hone my focus for another 4-5 week push. I'm hoping to drop another 5-7 lbs during this next phase.

So, tonight was chest and triceps night. Here's how it went (to the best of my memory):

chest: incline db presses—15x30lbs, 12x35, 8x40, 10x40—last set was a doosey. Pullovers superset with db flys—6 sets total—working in the 10-15 rep range with 20-25lbs. Lots of chest flexing after the last two sets--and a hella pump. Triceps: skullcrushers—2 sets of 12 or so with 50lbs (would have done another set, but I don’t trust my workout partner to spot me—she’s still real green). Cable pressdowns—2 sets—15+ reps with 40lbs and then I did a lot of drop sets to failure—55lbs drop to 50 drop to 45 drop to 40 drop to 30. This was followed by intense triceps flexing for a great burst of blood flow. That, dear reader, was the end.

An now I'm off to finish my laundry, pack for the weekend, bathe, and SLEEP!

 

[Sassy69]

I need to hire someone to do my laundry for me and take a shower for me when i come home from the gym. I also feel that they shoudl give you an elevator pass at the gym on leg day. Stupid gym is bi-level and most of my leg work out is on the lower level.

Definitely! Post pix!

 

[Hams]

I need to hire someone to do my laundry for me and take a shower for me when i come home from the gym. I also feel that they shoudl give you an elevator pass at the gym on leg day. Stupid gym is bi-level and most of my leg work out is on the lower level.

Definitely! Post pix!

lol...

...and I thought navigating around mounds of cow shit was rough! Damn, a bi-level gym must be the absolute worst!

 

[Hams]

Goodness I'm tanked. My partner and I did a sweet leg workout Saturday. We started off with 4 sets of leg extensions, moved on over to the leg press for a good 6 sets, and then finished up with 3 sets of lunges until we dropped. It was bliss, as the legs were screaming for a solid workout. As far as intensity goes, it was about a 5-6. Afterward, we all went out for a splurge meal at an exquisite italian restaurant--I had about 7 meals in one! Es war so gut. As for now, the legs are so so very sore. Nevermind that yesterday I walked up and down a very long and steep hill carrying empty plastic barrels, tin, and other trash to the trash heap. After an hour of that, I felt I'd had a SOLID workout. Today is a day of much needed rest.

 

[Hams]

Back workout: 6 sets of pulldowns--3 reverse grip, 2 wide grip, 1 set medium grip--one of those sets was superset with a negative rep pullup--boom. 3 sets of seated cable rows--this really put the icing on the cake. Biceps: 2 sets of standing curls with ez bar--both sets superset with a grueling set of concentration curls. Finished up with a set of concentration curls. I feel tired. I've felt hungry all day. Sometimes this is miserable, but it works.

 

[Hams]

Legs this weekend: superset leg extensions with sl deads for 12 sets total. It took about 35 minutes to get throught that hell. I felt nauseous and "foggy". Then we hopped on The Beast for 3 excruciating sets. The last rep on each set gave me an ultimatum: either push the weight or die. My coach said it's the best workout I've had so far. I took a long 2hr nap afterwards. Today I am waxed. The metabolism is through the roof.

 

[Hams]

It looks like it's been a minute since I've posted. The workouts are going well--I did chest, triceps, shoulders, calves, and abs already this week. Today I will do legs and tomorrow back and biceps. After that, several days of rest will be in order. As of today, the gang is 17 weeks out for the Arkansas State BB competition. I'm not going to compete, but I'm going to go through the contest prep with my coach and training partner as a kind of demo for next year. Right now, I'm 147 and around 20% bf. My upper two abs are pretty well-defined. I'll be taking pics each week from here on out. It's going to be an interesting journey.