Transformation Update: Week 12, Day 80 |

Transformation Update: Week 12, Day 80

By Brandon Cook

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

Thought of the Day:

“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”
- Lao Tzu

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Day 80 of My Transformation Journey:

Well, after my squat workout on Monday I started wondering if it was such a good idea to start back right where I left off. I decided to take a step back by reducing the weight I’m doing and then working my way back up to a new PR over the next few weeks. I think this will be advantageous for a couple reasons.

First of all it allows my body to ease back into working out after week off. Secondly, it acts as mini cycles where I’m working up to heavier intense weights (two steps forward.) Then I take a step back, let the body heal, and ramp it back up to new PR’s.

I’ve come to realize that you just cannot keep making linear gains in strength. The body just doesn’t work that way. Everything in the universe tends to operate on cyclical patterns: the Earth revolves around the Sun creating the year and seasons, the Earth spins on it’s axis creating night and day. Even our bodies operate on daily cyclical patterns known as circadium rhythm. Most of us are also familiar with a women’s monthly menstrual cycle which can greatly affect our cycle of sanity! haha

Anyway, strength too has a cycle that must be adhered too. So that’s why I’ve taken a step back, lowered my weights and am working my way back up and into new territory.

My Morning Ritual:
Woke up at 6:15am
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
30 grams of Raw Sunflower Seeds

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

8 ounces of Orange Juice
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

Walk #1:
Took my puppy dogs on a walk.

Headin to work!
8 oz. of green tea on arrival.

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

Meal #3: Lunch (1:00-2:00pm)
6-8 ounces of grilled Chicken (topped with Onions, Green and Red Peppers)
1/2 Cup of Peas
1/2 Cup of Corn
1/2 Cup of Carrots
1 piece of 85% Dark Chocolate
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
16 ounces of water
2 GNC Super Digestive Enzymes
8oz. of Green Tea

Meal #4: Afternoon Snack (4:00-5:00pm)
30 grams Raw Almonds
1 Blood Orange
Big Bowl of Mixed Field Greens
Several pieces of Brocolli
One handful of shredded Carrots
Spicy Banana Peppers
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 5:40pm.

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: Push-Press and Pull-ups Day

This second workout in the week focuses on Push-press and Pull-ups as the main exercises. I will superset these two exercises together. I will perform 3 warm-up sets escalating the weight upwards into my 2 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 prior to and into the warm-up sets for the push-press and pull-ups . This allows me to save some time, make use of the rest periods, as well as, increase the thoroughness of the warm up sets.

Shoulder/Back Rehab:
1. Face Pulls (purple + red band) = 15 reps, 15 reps
2. Scapular Wall Slides = 10 reps, 10 reps
3. Side-lying External Rotations (10lb dumbbell) = 10/10 reps, 10/10 reps
*Note: These are supersetted prior to and with my push-press and pull-ups to save time

Push Press:
1. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 45lbs
2. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 55lbs
3. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 65lbs
4. Work set = 5 reps X 75lbs
5. Money set = 8 reps X 85lbs….. Got all 8 reps.
*Note: Since I got 8 reps I will raise the weight by 5lbs next week.

Pull Ups:
1. Warm-up set = 5 reps X Purple band assist – purple band is the thicker band and gives more help
2. Warm-up set = 5 reps X Blue band assist
3. Warm-up set = 5 reps X Red band assist – red band is the thinnest and gives least help
4. Work set = 5 reps X Bodyweight
5. Money set = 6 reps X 8lbs Weighted Vest… Keep the weight the same, go for more reps.

Did a superset of Standing Dumbbell Presses and Lat Pulldowns:
1. Standing Dumbbell Press = 10/10 reps X 25lb dumbbells
2. Lat Pulldowns = 11 reps X 90lbs

Next, for my core, I superset the following exercises:

Knee Raises on Power Tower:
1. Work set = 12 reps
2. Work set = 12 reps

Planks:
1. Work set = Front Plank for time X 1:00
2. Work set = Side Planks for time X 0:30/0:30

Finished with some stretching.

Good workout. Time for food! Yeah!

Post-Workout Drink: Smoothie
8-16 ounces Orange Juice
1 Banana
1/2 cup frozen Strawberries
1/4 cup frozen Cherries
1/4 cup frozen Peaches
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

Meal #6: Dinner Time (8:30-9:30pm)
3 Whole Eggs
1/2 Cup Oatmeal
Strawberries
16 ounces of water

1 mg Melatonin
Made it to bed around 10:45pm.

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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