Transformation Update: Week 13, Day 85
By Brandon Cook
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
Thought of the Day:
“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.”
- Joseph Campbell
Featured Article:
Choosing the Right Exercises for Fast Muscle Gain
By Jason Ferruggia
When I first started training, I didn’t know any better so I went to the gym and did all the machine exercises and isolation movements that I saw everyone else doing. I figured these would all lead to fast muscle gain and I would be huge in no time, My dad knew a steroid-using Italian guy named Tony who owned a gym and competed in several bodybuilding shows. He asked Tony if he could write me a program and Tony obliged. … Click Here to Learn More
Day 85 of My Transformation Journey:
This week I decided to drop my weights back down to 220lbs for squats. Since 235lbs was causing my form to breakdown a little bit I thought I should scale back to 220 this week and start building my way back up to a new personal record.
On another note, I’m finding it a little challenging to keep up with these daily updates… every single day. It wouldn’t be hard at all if I didn’t work eight hours a day and then come home to workout, eat, cook, eat, do these updates and try to get to bed on time. Although it’s a challenge I will stick with it.
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 Sunflower Seeds
3 Whole Eggs (Organic/Cage Free)
Frozen Spinach
Onions, Green and Red Peppers
Pico De Galo
Porta Bella Mushrooms
1/4 Cup Organic Garbanzo 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
30 grams of Pumpkin Seeds
Protein Cake (see Transformation Update: Day 1 for recipe)
1 Apple
16 ounces of water16
Meal #3: Lunch (1:00-2:00pm)
Chilli:
1/4lb Organic Bison
Dark Red Kidney Beans
Organic Pinto Beans
Onions
Cabbage
Tomotoes
Seasoning
Pasta Sauce
1/2 Cup of Green Beans
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 of Sunflower Seeds
1 Orange
Big Bowl of Mixed Field Greens
Several pieces of Brocolli
One handful of shredded Carrots
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.
16 ounces of water.
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 + blue band) = 12 reps, 12 reps
2. Scaptions (15lb dumbbells) = 10 reps, 10 reps
3. Bentover Lateral Raises (15lbs dumbbells) = 15 reps, 15 reps
*Note: These are supersetted with my squat warm-ups to save time
Squats:
1. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 110lbs
2. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 130lbs
3. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 150lbs
4. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 170lbs
5. Work set = 5 reps X 190lbs
6. Work set = 5 reps X 200lbs…. put on my weight belt for the last 3 work sets
7. Work set = 5 reps X 210lbs
8. Money set = 8 reps X 220lbs… Got em all! *
*Note: Great job… got all 8 reps. Raise the weight to 230 next week.
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 25lbs DB (50lbs)
2. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 35lbs DB (70lbs)
3. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 45lbs DB (90lbs)
4. Work set = 5 reps X 50lbs DB (100lbs)
5. Money set = 8 reps X 55lbs DB (110lbs)….. Got 8 reps, raise it to 60lbs.
Dumbbell Floor Press:
1. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 25lbs DB (50lbs)
2. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 35lbs DB (70lbs)
3. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 45lbs DB (90lbs)
4. Work set = 5 reps X 50lbs DB (100lbs)
5. Money set = 8 reps X 55lbs DB (110lbs)….. Got 8 reps, raise it to 60lbs.
After that I did a finisher superset:
1. Inverted Rows 17 reps
2. Push-ups 21 reps
Finished with some stretching.
Great workout. Pretty freakin’ tired now!
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
Meal #6: Dinner Time (10:00-11:00pm)
6 ounces of Organic Chicken
Quinoa
Spinach
16 ounces of water
1 mg Melatonin
Made it to bed around 11:00pm.
Brandon
——————————————————
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
© 2010 Hardgainer Muscle Building. All rights in all media reserved.
