MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you!" - Christian D. Larson
"Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you!" - Christian D. Larson
TRAINING
This was my third week back in training withOUT any support for my left wrist. The pain has not been as bad this week, with only a twinge here and there, which is AWESOME!
Training completed this week:
Shoulders/Hamstrings (1 min recovery between sets - 6 sets per exercise):
1. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press
2. BB Military Press - more reps per set than last week, so improvement
3. Lateral Raises
4. Stiff-Legged BB Deadlift (BB to touch ground)
Arms/Abs (1 min recovery between alternate sets - 6 alternate sets):
Alternate Set A -
1. EZ Bar 21s Bicep Curls
2. Dips - more reps per set of this than last week, so getting better
Alternate Set B -
3. Zottoman Curls - added these in and wrist was ok, which was great
4. Alternate Hammer-Bi Curls
5. Rope Crunches - 100 reps in total only
Chest/Back (1 min recovery between alternate sets - 4 alternate sets):
Alternate Set A -
1. Incline BB Bench Press - more reps at the same weight as last week, which is progress
2. BB Bent Over Rows - back to usual lifting weight, which is a smile
Alternate Set B -
3. Push-Ups (feet on bench, hands on DB) - wrist a little better this week
4. Reverse Rows - heavier weight and more reps than last week
Improvements and progress on EVERY exercise and session from last week to this week, with strength improving rapidly, which is awesome! Pain was the bare minimum this week, with only a few dull aches here and there. No Full-Body session and no second Abs session either - because of work and things going on, even though it killed me to do it, I had to "let" these sessions go and know that next week I will be back to "normal" with them.
Definitely feeling the increase in body mass during my running the second half of the week - NOT cool at all!
From next week, training will be back to being first thing, first thing being in the morning, very close to the same times as it was when I was home in New Zealand - yay for that!
This was my third week back in training withOUT any support for my left wrist. The pain has not been as bad this week, with only a twinge here and there, which is AWESOME!
Training completed this week:
Shoulders/Hamstrings (1 min recovery between sets - 6 sets per exercise):
1. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press
2. BB Military Press - more reps per set than last week, so improvement
3. Lateral Raises
4. Stiff-Legged BB Deadlift (BB to touch ground)
Arms/Abs (1 min recovery between alternate sets - 6 alternate sets):
Alternate Set A -
1. EZ Bar 21s Bicep Curls
2. Dips - more reps per set of this than last week, so getting better
Alternate Set B -
3. Zottoman Curls - added these in and wrist was ok, which was great
4. Alternate Hammer-Bi Curls
5. Rope Crunches - 100 reps in total only
Chest/Back (1 min recovery between alternate sets - 4 alternate sets):
Alternate Set A -
1. Incline BB Bench Press - more reps at the same weight as last week, which is progress
2. BB Bent Over Rows - back to usual lifting weight, which is a smile
Alternate Set B -
3. Push-Ups (feet on bench, hands on DB) - wrist a little better this week
4. Reverse Rows - heavier weight and more reps than last week
Improvements and progress on EVERY exercise and session from last week to this week, with strength improving rapidly, which is awesome! Pain was the bare minimum this week, with only a few dull aches here and there. No Full-Body session and no second Abs session either - because of work and things going on, even though it killed me to do it, I had to "let" these sessions go and know that next week I will be back to "normal" with them.
Definitely feeling the increase in body mass during my running the second half of the week - NOT cool at all!
From next week, training will be back to being first thing, first thing being in the morning, very close to the same times as it was when I was home in New Zealand - yay for that!
OTHER NOTES
Body Composition has gone back up to 8.8% bodyfat, body mass rocketing to 115.2 pounds over the last week. I know that a lot of the extra mass is food (I have not quite recovered from the eating every ~2 hours when traveling on Wednesday, especially given the food I was eating) and water (I have not been drinking enough the last few days) weight, but some of it is fat (can see and feel it from my waist to my knees - waist, hip, and thigh girths have increased 1-2 inches in a week!) and a small amount of muscle mass (can see it in my shoulders and arms). Only having three training sessions this week has not helped at all, nor the long hours working and getting used to a new environment re climate, but next week training will be AT Maintenance, and I have every confidence my body will have acclimatized by next week.
So, yes, spent literally ALL day on Wednesday driving to Texas - left at 0030 and arrived at the final destination at 2359! It was a long trip and I was shattered from not sleeping at all on Tuesday, so there was ~1.5 hours of stops during the trip. Relieved to arrive, but it has taken some time to get used to it - still not really, and will be another week to really "settle" into work and training.
Used the last of the Green Apple Assault on Tuesday, which is fine, because yesterday I found two tubs of Blue Arctic Raspberry (my favourite Assault flavour) of the ORIGINAL formula with Suma Root in, which made my day! Ran out of Shred Matrix in the middle of the week and won't be getting more until middle of next week. This was also my last week of this bottle of Battle Fuel - I have another, but not sure if I will use it after a week off it - I just want my ERASE to arrive so I can use that again, because I miss it like mad and notice the difference withOUT it!
My wrist is continuing to get better. Again, the noting of PAIN the day AFTER my day OFF, which is interesting.
Today is decision time re competition. This last week has brought a few things to light (i.e. recent information on 7-KE) and made clear some of my concerns re time to better physique (i.e. realistically, I do NOT have enough time to gain back all the muscle mass I lost over the last few months and lean out as I need to before competition). So, I have decided NOT to compete at the end of October, and I will not be competing at all this year; instead, I am going to give myself adequate time to build my shoulders and arms back up again, and work on "slenderizing" my lower body, making sure that the physical package I bring to the stage the next time I step on it is the best that it can possibly be. Disappointing in some ways, but not in others, and really, doing the best thing for me at this stage.
Travel is looking hot for November - a couple of trips to Florida, which I am looking forward to. As well as eight photoshoots over a 3-week period at the end of November - so not competing means I will just concentrate on getting into the condition I need to be for those.
Back to being busy as all hell, with little time to breathe, but I WILL make it work! Thankful for all the realizations and revelations over this last week, and just working on being the best that I can be - inside AND out!
RCS NEWSLETTER
Since, if left to its own devices, my body perpetually recomps, I thought it was only fitting to have a Recomp Edition of the RCS Newsletter! THE RECOMP EDITION contains tips on how to train for a successful recomp and information on - including the key points of - Lean Gains. Check out the October 2011 edition out HERE.
Body Composition has gone back up to 8.8% bodyfat, body mass rocketing to 115.2 pounds over the last week. I know that a lot of the extra mass is food (I have not quite recovered from the eating every ~2 hours when traveling on Wednesday, especially given the food I was eating) and water (I have not been drinking enough the last few days) weight, but some of it is fat (can see and feel it from my waist to my knees - waist, hip, and thigh girths have increased 1-2 inches in a week!) and a small amount of muscle mass (can see it in my shoulders and arms). Only having three training sessions this week has not helped at all, nor the long hours working and getting used to a new environment re climate, but next week training will be AT Maintenance, and I have every confidence my body will have acclimatized by next week.
So, yes, spent literally ALL day on Wednesday driving to Texas - left at 0030 and arrived at the final destination at 2359! It was a long trip and I was shattered from not sleeping at all on Tuesday, so there was ~1.5 hours of stops during the trip. Relieved to arrive, but it has taken some time to get used to it - still not really, and will be another week to really "settle" into work and training.
Used the last of the Green Apple Assault on Tuesday, which is fine, because yesterday I found two tubs of Blue Arctic Raspberry (my favourite Assault flavour) of the ORIGINAL formula with Suma Root in, which made my day! Ran out of Shred Matrix in the middle of the week and won't be getting more until middle of next week. This was also my last week of this bottle of Battle Fuel - I have another, but not sure if I will use it after a week off it - I just want my ERASE to arrive so I can use that again, because I miss it like mad and notice the difference withOUT it!
My wrist is continuing to get better. Again, the noting of PAIN the day AFTER my day OFF, which is interesting.
Today is decision time re competition. This last week has brought a few things to light (i.e. recent information on 7-KE) and made clear some of my concerns re time to better physique (i.e. realistically, I do NOT have enough time to gain back all the muscle mass I lost over the last few months and lean out as I need to before competition). So, I have decided NOT to compete at the end of October, and I will not be competing at all this year; instead, I am going to give myself adequate time to build my shoulders and arms back up again, and work on "slenderizing" my lower body, making sure that the physical package I bring to the stage the next time I step on it is the best that it can possibly be. Disappointing in some ways, but not in others, and really, doing the best thing for me at this stage.
Travel is looking hot for November - a couple of trips to Florida, which I am looking forward to. As well as eight photoshoots over a 3-week period at the end of November - so not competing means I will just concentrate on getting into the condition I need to be for those.
Back to being busy as all hell, with little time to breathe, but I WILL make it work! Thankful for all the realizations and revelations over this last week, and just working on being the best that I can be - inside AND out!
RCS NEWSLETTER
Since, if left to its own devices, my body perpetually recomps, I thought it was only fitting to have a Recomp Edition of the RCS Newsletter! THE RECOMP EDITION contains tips on how to train for a successful recomp and information on - including the key points of - Lean Gains. Check out the October 2011 edition out HERE.
God Bless! Have Faith. Always!
