Transformation Update: Week 10, Day 64 |

Transformation Update: Week 10, Day 64

By Brandon Cook

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Thought of the Day:

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”
- Dune

Featured Article:

More Effective Muscle Building Workouts
By Jason Ferruggia

Why is it that almost all of the muscle building workouts you read about advocate body-part splits? Monday is chest day, Tuesday is back, Thursday is legs and Friday is arms…or something like that, I guess. Why does everyone just do what everyone else is doing and follow the herd like a bunch of sheep without stopping to ever consider why? … Click Here to Learn More

Day 64 of My Transformation Journey:

This past weekend on Saturday I did a fast. I ate my regular breakfast in the morning and that was the only meal I ate. I did drink a few glasses of green tea and made one vegetable juice drink. I juiced some brussel sprouts, red cabbage, garlic, spinach, carrot, and a lemon. I broke the fast the next morning with breakfast… the true meaning of it’s name!

Today is squat day and I’m ready to hit a new PR! Going for 8 reps at 230lbs. Light weight, but I’m making my way… the only way I know how.

My Morning Ritual:
Woke up at 6:15am <== started waking up 15 mins. earlier to be on time for work.
Drank 30 ounces of water
10 Minutes of Tai Chi/Qi Gong Exercises
15 Minutes of seated Meditation

Meal #1 Breakfast (7:00-8:00 am)
1 Banana

3 Whole Eggs (Organic/Cage Free)
Frozen Spinach
Onions, Green and Red Peppers
Pico De Galo
Garlic
Porta Bella Mushrooms
1/4 Cup Organic Dark Red Kidney Beans
Add a little Salsa and seasoning

16 ounces of water

GNC Multivitamin
GNC 1000mg Vitamin C
GNC 400 IU Vitamin E
Carlson 2,000 IU Vitamin D
Biotest Flameout Fish Oil
2 GNC Super Digestive Enzymes

Warrior Walk #1:
Just took my dogs for a regular walk today.

Going to work now!

Meal #2: Brunch (10:00-11:00am)
30 grams Raw Almonds
Protein Cake (see Transformation Update: Day 1 for recipe)
1 Apple
16 ounces of water

Meal #3: Lunch (1:00-2:00pm)
Chilli:
1/4lb Organic Bison
Dark Red Kidney Beans
Onions
Garlic
Tomotoes
Seasoning
Pasta Sauce

1/2 Cup of Mixed Vegetables
1/2 Cup of Spinach
1/2 Cup of Carrots
1 piece of 85% Dark Chocolate
16 ounces of water
2 GNC Super Digestive Enzymes

Meal #4: Afternoon Snack (4:00-5:00pm)
30 grams Raw Almonds
30 grams Raw Sunflower Seeds

Big Bowl of Mixed Field Greens
Several pieces of Brocolli
One handful of shredded Carrots
3 ounces of Tuna
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar

1 Biotest Flameout Fish Oil Softgel
1 Carlson 2000 IU Vitamin D
16 ounces of water.

Left work about 5:45pm. Need to start leaving earlier.

Meal # 5: Peri-Workout Nutrition (6:00-8:00pm)
Peri-workout nutrition is simply what you eat before, during, and after your training sessions. If you get this right you are on your way to mass. Now, a lot of coaches will just tell you to go get a good supplement. Honestly, that’s better than not doing anything. So, if my strategy is too complex (time consuming) for you I recommend getting Biotest’s Surge Recovery.

I believe whole foods are better than supplements 99% of the time, so instead of paying for tubs of sugar I use fruit. There’s no way you can convince me that processed sugar/dextrose is better than living fruit. So, here’s my strategy:

10-15 Minutes Before Workout:
8-16 Ounces of Orange Juice (Freshly squeezed would be best, but I use store brand for now)
4 tablespoons (22 grams of protein) Optimum Nutrition Liquid Aminos

During Workout:
To make this drink you’ll need a juicer. I prefer to make fresh juice from actual fruit. This way I’m getting all of the beneficial vitamins, nutrients, and living enzymes that are often destroyed in the pastuerization process when you buy juice from the store.

3 ice cubes
1/4 cup orange juice (from store)
4 tablespoons (22 grams of protein) Optimum Nutrition Liquid Aminos
6 grams Ultimate Nurition BCAA
5 grams Optimum Nutrition Creatine
5 grams Optimum Nutrition Glutamine
1/4 Pineapple (freshly juiced)
1 apple or 1 cup grapes (freshly juiced)
1 cup cranberries (freshly juiced)
Top off container with orange juice

Warrior Training:

Warm Up:
10 Minutes Foam Roller
10 Minutes Dynamic Mobility Exercises

Hypertrophy Phase: Workout Day One

This first workout in the week focuses on Squats as the main exercise. I will perform 4 warm-up sets escalating the weight upwards into my 4 work sets. My last work set is considered my “money” set and that is where I’ll be using the heaviest weight for the most reps I can do with perfect form. The rep range is 5-8 reps.

I’ll be supersetting some rehab exercises for my shoulders and back into the warm-up sets for my squats. This allows me to save some time, make use of the rest periods, as well as, increase the thouroughness of the warm up sets.

Shoulder/Back Rehab:
1. Band Rows- Elbows out (purple + red band) = 15 reps, 15 reps
2. Scaptions (15lb dumbbells) = 9 reps, 9 reps
3. Bentover Lateral Raises (15lbs dumbbells) = 14 reps, 14 reps
*Note: These are supersetted with my squat warm-ups to save time

Squats:
1. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 120lbs
2. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 140lbs
3. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 160lbs
4. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 180lbs
5. Work set = 5 reps X 200lbs
6. Work set = 5 reps X 210lbs…. put on my weight belt for the last 3 work sets
7. Work set = 5 reps X 220lbs
8. Money set = 8 reps X 230lbs… Got em all! *
*Note: Great job… hit a new PB of 230lbs. Raise the weight by 5-10lbs!

After squats I hung from a chin-up bar to help decompress my spine. I also laid on a stabilty ball and did a stretch that way. Finally, I did a set of knee raises on the power tower to work the antagonistic muscles.

Next, for my chest and back, I superset the following exercises to work these antagonistic muscle groups. This time I’ll only do 3 warm-up sets increasing the weight into two working sets.

45° Incline Dumbbell Rows:
1. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 30lbs DB (60lbs)
2. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 40lbs DB (80lbs)
3. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 50lbs DB (100lbs)
4. Work set = 5 reps X 55lbs DB (110lbs)
5. Money set = 8 reps X 60lbs DB (120lbs)….. Got 8 reps, raise da weight.

Dumbbell Floor Press:
1. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 30lbs DB (60lbs)
2. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 40lbs DB (80lbs)
3. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 50lbs DB (100lbs)
4. Work set = 5 reps X 55lbs DB (110lbs)
5. Money set = 8 reps X 60lbs DB (120lbs)….. Got 8 reps, raise da weight.

*Note: I switched to the dumbbell floor press to protect my shoulder by limiting the range of motion. Also thought this might help with my sore wrist, but I’m starting to think that it is just trying to adapt to the heavier dumbbells.

After that I did a finisher superset:
1. Inverted Rows 12 reps
2. Push-ups 12 reps

Finished with some stretching.

Great workout. Getting stronger and stronger!!!

Post-Workout Drink: Smoothie
8-16 ounces Orange Juice
1 Banana
1/2 cup frozen Strawberries
1/4 cup frozen Raspberries
1/4 cup frozen Blueberries
2-3 tablespoons Plain Yogurt
1 scoop Optimum Nutrition Natural Whey Protein (Vanilla)
6 grams Ultimate Nutrition BCAA
5 grams Optimum Nutrition Creatine
5 grams Optimum Nutrition Glutamine
1 serving Nutrijoint Formula

Meal #6: Dinner Time (8:30-9:30pm)
6 ounces of Organic Chicken
1/4 Cup Quinoa
Bowl of baby spinach
Ginger Dressing
16 ounces of water

1 mg Melatonin
Made it to bed around 11:00pm.

Brandon

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About the Author:

Brandon Cook is author of The Awakened Warrior Blog, and co-creator of HardgainerMuscleBuilding.com, a website specifically designed to teach hardgainers how to build muscle fast using the laws and scientific principles of body transformation.

HargainerMuscleBuilding.com features a free email class covering the basic principles of training naturally, eating a nutritious, muscle-building diet, and understanding the truth about supplements. The website is filled with free articles, videos, and the programs you need to create your ideal body.
Please visit us at http://hardgainermusclebuilding.com

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