2012 | Day 169: YOU are MY dream

MOTIVATIONAL OF THE DAY

The Scary Choices

Sometimes we find a dream in our heart that we didn’t realize was there, discovered during a period of darkness, or when someone or something completely UNexpected comes into our life and we are knocked out for the count. Sometimes those dreams can SCARE us beyond all imagining, something we never wanted or ever thought we could or would want, held in trepidation as we debate the decision whether or not to FOLLOW our heart in this matter.

Will we or won’t we? Will we step out and risk everything we know and have ever known for something OUTSIDE the scope of our experience and knowledge, so unknown that we feel helpless and lost in navigating our way through it? Will we choose to look BEYOND everything that could possibly go wrong on the journey, seeing instead the wonderful OPPORTUNITY that life is blessing us with, the dream we have denied our heart for so long?

Whether your mind acknowledges it or not, once you are AWARE of this dream, you can NEVER become UNaware, that dream becoming a PART of you, living and breathing with you, held capture in your heart, no matter how far down you may try to push it or try to deny its existence out of fear of what might happen IF you follow it. You’ll never know if you don’t give it a chance, if you don’t take the risk and put yourself out there, if you don’t DO.

But when you’re afraid and you just DO it anyway, that’s when you grow and open yourself up to new POSSIBILITIES, when your heart SINGS in the exhilarating feeling of not knowing but knowing and having FAITH that something WONDERFUL is going to happen. It’s not just persevering and desiring it with a force more powerful than you ever realized, but it’s making the choices that scare us the MOST, stepping into the decisions that you want so desperately but have never allowed yourself to consider a plausible reality, that CHANGE us the most and can be the BEST things we ever do, WORTH everything in the end.

Will YOU hear and HEED the call of you HEART and take the RISK, no matter how fearful you are, no matter how hard the path ahead might seem, to SEE where it takes you, to take the chance that it could be something that ENRICHES your life BEYOND anything else you have ever known? Will you be BRAVE and EMBRACE it, knowing that God would never have offered such an unexpected gift it He did not WANT it for you? WILL YOU?

Quote for Reflection:

TRAINING

Skip x 300 revolutions

Full-Body (30 sec recovery between quadsets):
QuadSet A -
1. Single-Arm DB Bent Over Rows 3 x 8 per arm
2. Side-to-side DB Push-Ups (feet on floor, hands on DB) 3 x 12
3. Stiff-Legged DB Deadlifts (on step, reaching DB down 6 inches) 3 x 8
4. Skip 3 x 100 revolutions
QuadSet B -
5. Bent Over Plate Rear Raises 3 x 10
6. Hammer Raises (each hand with individual plate) 3 x 10
7. Alternate Single-Arm DB Lateral Raises 3 x 20
8. Skip 3 x 100 revolutions
QuadSet C -
9. DB Zottoman Curls 3 x 10
10. Push-Ups (feet on floor, hands on fists under chest) 3 x 10
11. Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls 3 x 20
12. Skip 3 x 100 revolutions
QuadSet D -
13. Swissball Crunches (270 degrees to 180 degrees) 3 x 15
14. Hanging Straight-Leg Raises (feet to touch bar) 3 x 10
15. Plank 3 x 1 min
16. Skip 3 x 100 revolutions

Stretch 8 min

Post-Weights Cardio:
Recline Bike 20 min @ 106-110 rpm

Stretch 12 min

OTHER NOTES

Sleep: The exhaustion yesterday was reflected in how long I slept - although I woke several times, ended up getting 10-11 hours and STILL woke feeling like I had been run over by a train, eyes bright red.

Mood: My soul feels so LIGHT

Energy: Boundless, once I got into training - mood definitely makes a difference as well, because I woke shattered as hell.

Libido: HIGH!

Joints: Shoulders still not good - left tendons clicking over each other painfully during resistance training, and right so painful I had to dig my nails into it during post-weights cardio to minimize the pain. Neck a little "out" as well, but working on it - has become more prominent the more my shoulders hurt.

Quality of Training: Took my bike off the rollers and RODE to the gym today (going to start doing this from now on methinks) - felt awesome to be out on the road again and made me realize how much I missed it, but anyways...I was smiling when I walked into the gym (it truly IS my "happy" place, although my smile was because of something else entirely), ready to get into the weights. Stuck with quadsets (really enjoy doing these), changing up the exercises for some variety. Noticed last night in the mirror how much more developed my left lateral delt is than my right and couldn't help but see this in the gym as well - going to have to work on that. Definition was great though. Smiled for the most part through the pain of my shoulders (which started playing up early) and the lightheadedness (that set in during QuadSet D), my "usual" training face only on through QuadSet B - where my neck started playing up on me (went away after this quadset though). Finished covered in a glistening sheen of sweat, feeling my abs tight (they need to LOOK as tight as they felt during and after planks), eyes bright, in pain but unable to keep the smile away...

Overall Sense of Feeling: My entire body is SMILING!

Iron Mulisha: Don't forget to check out I CHOOSE...

2012 | Day 110: I won't turn around, can't be afraid...Innocence gone, can't be the same...

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - Marianne Williamson, A Return To Love

TRAINING

HIIT Run:
a. 4 min jogging
b. 30 x 20 sec sprint/10 sec easy
c. 4 x 50 sec sprint/10 sec easy
d. 4 min jogging

Shoulders/Arms/Abs (30 sec recovery between quadset):
QuadSet A -
1. Rope Crunches 3 x 20
2. Ab Rollout 3 x 20
3. Pikes (on bench) 3 x 20
4. Skip 3 x 100 revolutions
QuadSet B -
5. DB Zottoman Curls 3 x 10
6. V-Bar Tricep Push-Downs 3 x 10
7. Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls 3 x 15 per side
8. Skip 3 x 100 revolutions
QuadSet C -
9. Rear Flyes 3 x 10
10. Plate Hammer Raises 3 x 10
11. Alternate Plate Single-Arm Lateral Raises 3 x 10 per side
12. Skip 3 x 100 revolutions

Post-Weights Cardio:
Run 4 miles @ 5 min/mile pace

Stretch 20 min

Bed at 0108, waking at 0330 and 0430, finally getting up just after 0500, giving me just over three hours sleep overall. Fresh though...Headed to the gym in reasonable spirits. Got there and went out on the road for my HIIT Run. Sprints were not fast-fast, but they were ok. Did a few more and added in several longer ones as well, just to ensure intensity and volume...Then to the weights. Using quadsets again, making sure it was non-stop go-go-go. Surprisingly didn't really feel my abs too much on Rope Crunches or the Ab Rollout, but feeling my left hip pop and "resonate" in my left lower back during Pikes. Skipping rapid. Sheen of sweat on my face during and after QuadSet A, vascularity popping, and ready for the roadmap that appeared on my arms during QuadSet B. DB Zottoman Curls were a grit of teeth, my left wrist starting to ache on the last set, but pushing through. Used the same weight as yesterday re V-Bar Tricep Push-Down and fared better, enjoying the definition (left side definitely stronger than my right here). Same weight as yesterday re Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls and forced out more reps with as well, loving the definition and pump from them. Skipping still fast. Went five pounds lighter than yesterday re Rear Flyes and did a lot better. Just a single large plate in front of me today for Hammer Raises, surprised that it almost felt light, but not towards the end, and certainly not on the last set. Again, Alternate Plate Single-Arm Lateral Raises - these hurt me the most and on the tenth rep of the second set my right shoulder cracked/popped loudly and I was in pain from then on, close to tears at one point during my third set, determined to keep going no matter what. Skipping frustrated, annoyed at myself, light-headed after the first set, having to "catch myself" on a bench from falling over at the sudden spinning...Finished off with a 4-mile Run outside (since the Recline Bike was in use when I was done with my weights), enjoying it...Back to the hotel to stretch. Then into the sauna for 25 minutes, before heading out to the spa for my last "leg massage". Afterwards, stayed in the spa and held myself under the water, the roar of the jets through the water pounding in my head. It was actually EASIER to hold myself under here than in the pool, and I was able to hold my breath a lot longer, staying under for FIVE minutes! Felt refreshed and calm afterwards...Which is good, because I have ~18 hours of traveling ahead of me today/tomorrow...

OTHER NOTES

Body Composition

8.5% bodyfat - a loss of 0.7% in FOUR days! Which is AWESOME (even though it doesn't feel like it to me, not completely, especially when I scrutinize myself in the mirror)! Now to lose 0.7% bodyfat more over the next 5-6 days and I will be sweet (and very pleased). Girths today are not a lot different than a few days ago, albeit there is a little change - that said, last night was my "refeed/cheat" meal (yes, MEAL - and within the Lean Gains 16-hour fast/8-hour feeding window too), so could have some effect on this. I still want to lose >1.2 inches from each my waist, hips, and both thighs though (and I will - hopefully by the time I work with Walt)!

Day 344: Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Quote of the Day

"Pain is just an obstacle you have to constantly and consistently hurdle over to achieve greatness."- Sean Scott

Training

Cardio 20 min.

Gym - Full-Body (30 seconds recovery between supersets):
Superset A -
1. Close-Grip Pull-Ups 2 x 10, 6
2. Single-Leg Deadlifts 2 x 10 per leg
Superset B -
3. EZ-Bar Bicep Curls 2 x 21s
4. Flat Close-Grip BB Bench Press 2 x 6
Superset C -
5. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press 2 x 6
6. Single-Arm Lateral Raises 2 x 10 per arm
Superset D -
7. Incline BB Bench Press 2 x 6
8. Alternate Backward Lunges 2 x 10 per leg
Superset E -
9. Weighted Deadbugs 2 x 10
10. Plank 2 x 1 min

Post-Weights-Cardio 20 min.

Stretch 25 min.

Comments

Libido: STUNNING!

Endurance: Great.

Strength: Better than this session last week.

Quality of Training: Cardio was fine - feeling it in my hips a little (which probably has more to do with my footwear and the pace I was moving with at work the last two nights than anything) . . . Resistance training was painful, but I pushed through (because I HAVE to!) and made it even more intense and better than it was last week . . .

Other Notes: Went and saw The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader this afternoon - definitely the best and my favourite of the three movies!

Day 271: The Sixth Circle of Hell has been Entered

Training

HIIT Cardio:
a. 4 min jogging
b. 4 x 25 sec effort/35 sec rest
c. 4 min jogging
d. 4 x 25 sec effort/35 sec rest
e. 4 min jogging

Stretch 10 min.

Gym - Upper Body (30 sec recovery between alternate sets):
Alternate Set A -
1. DB Clean and Press 8 x 15
2. DB Lateral Raises 8 x 15
Alternate Set B -
3. Push-Ups (feet on floor, hands on box) 8 x 15
4. Supinated BB Bent Over Rows 8 x 15
Alternate Set C -
5. DB Shoulder Press 8 x 15
6. Incline DB Rear Raises 8 x 15
Alternate Set D -
7. EZ-Bar Bicep Curls 8 x 15
8. Incline Dips 8 x 15
Alternate Set E -
9. Swissball Rollouts 2 x 15
10. Side Plank 2 x 30 sec

Post-Weights Cardio - Stepper:
20 min @ 11 floors/min

Posing/T-Walk Practice 10 min.

Stretch 10 min.

PM Cardio 20 min.

PM Posing Practice 10 min.

Comments

Sleep - Time and Quality: I'm not going to get a lot of sleep over the next few days.

Mood/Aggression: In and out and everything in between.

Energy: I am EXHAUSTED - I just want to sleep, but can't. Just doing everything because I HAVE to.

Mental Focus and Clarity: Not really there after training. I'm awake and feeling like I want to pass out and not in the mood to be thinking too hard - and it needs to be; I have TWO assessments due tomorrow!

Metabolism: Good.

Stress: Wisdom tooth is still up (and painful as fcuk), so stress has not gone anywhere.

Libido: This is going to have to wait until AFTER my competition!

Endurance: It's amazing what the body can do and what we can push it to do!

Strength: Weaker than even yesterday - I am so OVER this!

Pump: Was fine for the first couple of alternate sets - after that, I think the session just got too long.

Vascularity: Deltoid and bicep vascularity from the get go during resistance training - it happens like that from intense cardio pre-weights, so I'm thinking I may have to do a short and hard HIIT session the morning of my competition.

Quality of Training: HIIT was reasonable. The second set of efforts I really noticed a slowing of pace . . . Resistance training, I started out with a pale face, slowly gaining colour, only to lose it again. Got the sniffles second alternate set in as well. Everything hurt, and I was struggling just to stay motivated and not walk out. The only allowance or going easy was that I SHOULD have done eight alternate sets for abs, but I haven't included them on this day for the last two weeks, and I'd already been lifting weights for ~2 hours . . . Post-Weights Cardio was intense, but I was completely shattered by that time . . . Posing Practice was ok. I'm getting better, slowly . . . PM Cardio and Posing Practice is just an EFFORT . . .

Recovery: I am NOT ok!

Body Composition and Look: Midsection looked better this morning, but still not fine with it.

Other Effects: Thirsty as hell . . . And feel like I am burning up in a furnace . . . Again!

Other Notes: Used the last of my current bottle of Lipotrophin-PM this morning, and will run out of Bio-Mend on Friday - I'm not going to start another bottle of each, though; when I do, it will be next week . . . Being very good so far - today was a family dinner to celebrate a host of birthdays and anniversaries, and I didn't eat a thing; just had my MuscleGel and cleaned up. It gets easier after a while, and for once when it comes to food I'm listening to my HEAD and not what I feel like or think I can get away with (about time) . . . On that note, my MuscleGels are one of my primary forms of substance this week - those, peanut butter, chicken breasts, and BC+EAA . . .

Day 270: If I am to be in Hell, let it be of MY Making!

Training

Cardio - Stepper:
20 min @ 10 floors/min

Gym - Full-Body (30 sec recovery between alternate sets):
Alternate Set A -
1. BB Romanian Deadlifts (on 6" box, BB to touch feet) 8 x 12
2. Bench Step-Ups 8 x 12 per side
Alternate Set B -
3. Flat BB Bench Press 8 x 12
4. Close-Grip V-Bar Seated Row 8 x 12
Alternate Set C -
5. DB Shoulder Press 8 x 12
6. Incline DB Rear Raises 8 x 12
Alternate Set D -
7. V-Bar Tricep Push-Downs 8 x 12
8. Alternate DB Bicep Curls 8 x 15 per side
Alternate Set E -
9. Weighted V-Sits 8 x 15
10. Bicycle (on bench) 8 x 12 per side

Post-Weights Cardio - Treadmill:
7 x 2 min @ 12.8 km/hr / 1 min recovery

Posing/T-Walk Practice 15 min.

Stretch 20 min.

PM Cardio 20 min.

PM Posing Practice 10 min.

Comments

Sleep - Time and Quality: ~4 hours.

Mood/Aggression: Up and down, and training didn't make it much better today.

Energy: After today's training, I did NOT sleep (although I wanted to), have worked a fast-paced night shift, done some more cardio post-work, and my day is not going to be over for at least another 2-3 hours, before a 0630 hours start again tomorrow . . .

Mental Focus and Clarity: So there.

Metabolism: Fine.

Stress: What do YOU think?!

Libido: High - but too shattered to act on it today.

Endurance: Doesn't get any better than this - and considering I do ALL my training on an EMPTY stomach FIRST THING, certainly not what most could handle.

Strength: My weights are at ~50-60% of what I would normally be lifting for these reps - not my proudest moments - and I have to keep reminding myself that my training is still INTENSE, regardless of how pathetic my numbers are.

Pump: Was ok.

Vascularity: Kicked in during all cardio, calmed down, and then back again from Alternate Set C onwards, staying strong for the rest of the day.

Quality of Training: I had a smile on my face during pre-weights cardio . . . Soon disappeared into a scowl, though. If I thought yesterday was long, think again! Today's resistance session was OVER TWO hours! I have not done a session like that in ~7 years (and then it was only long because I was having 2-5 minute recovery periods - back when I was competitively cycling)! I started out flushed and rosy-cheeked, my eyes bright, and by the end of Alternate Set A, my face was ashen and my eyes looked like hollows in my face. About now was the time I wanted to just say fcuk it and walk out, but I pushed myself to keep going, despite the screaming body and just being over it already . . . To top it off, I RAN for Post-Weights Cardio - when I was shattered and shouldn't have been able to walk, let alone do running EFFORTS! . . . Was a little shaky during Posing Practice - understandably. Walked SLOWLY and sorely home . . . Even though I didn't want to, did PM Cardio - albeit not very fast - when I got home from work, and then forced some Posing Practice afterwards . . .

Recovery: My LOWER body aches.

Body Composition and Look: I still have a belly. Waist to knees is now a problem area - never used to be - and I am starting to HATE my body more than I already do (sigh).

Countdown: The Next Three Weeks

INTENSE is the ONLY word that comes close to describing the next three weeks!

TRAINING

Monday: HIIT Cardio + Stretch 20-30 minutes + Full-Body + 20 min Post-Weights Cardio + Posing Practice 10-15 min

Tuesday: 20 min Cardio + Stretch 20-30 minutes + Full-Body + 20 min Post-Weights Cardio + Posing Practice 10-15 min

Wednesday: HIIT Cardio + Stretch 20-30 minutes + Upper Body + 20 min Post-Weights Cardio + Posing Practice 10-15 min

Thursday: 20 min Cardio + Stretch 20-30 minutes + Posing Practice 10-15 min

Friday: HIIT Cardio + Stretch 20-30 minutes + Shoulders/Arms/Abs + 20 min + Post-Weights Cardio + Posing Practice 10-15 min

Saturday: HIT + Stretch 20-30 minutes + Posing Practice 10-15 min

Sunday: Day Off (but with Posing Practice 10-15 min)

NUTRITION

"...>100% discipline and dedication to diet and training..." So much for the diet part! Training has been awesome despite everything, but my nutrition has been real hit and miss and all over the place in a whatever whenever manner. Fortunately for me, it's predominantly my TRAINING that determines my leanness. But for competition and these last three weeks, it's time to go above and beyond anything usual and try something that is - although unconventional for me - practiced by many.

It's pretty much going to be a pre-competition-week diet for each of the next three weeks.

If I ever thought that it's been difficult up until now, my body is going to know otherwise!