Transformation Update: Week 6, Day 37 |

Transformation Update: Week 6, Day 37

By Brandon Cook

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

Thought of the Day:

“The entire world is nothing but the reflection of your own Self, reflected in the mirror of your own awareness.”
- Ken Wilber

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Day 37 of My Transformation Journey:

What’s up my brothas? I was psyched to work out tonight and was intent on doing so. Later in the day I started to notice that I was feeling slightly strange, as if the beginning of a cold was starting. Either that or it was just a sinus headache or something. Who knows? Or maybe it was both!

Regardless, I took some echinacea/goldenseal extract that I had at work. This herb mixture gives a little boost to the immune system (in my experience) that can help defeat an invading cold or virus. Usually, if I feel something coming on I start using these herbs for a day or so.

Well, I began questioning whether I should work out or not because sometimes an intense workout can temporarily lower your immune system. Like I said, I was psyched to workout tonight, so those thoughts didn’t last too long. It’s definitely going down… TONIGHT!

My Morning Ritual:
Woke up at 6:30am
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 Degallo
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:
15 Minutes of Walking my dogs with 24lb Weighted Vest. Every two weeks I’ll add 4lbs and work my way up.

Headed out to work…
Upon arrival 8 ounces of Black Coffee

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

Meal #3: Lunch (1:00-2:00pm)
6-8 ounces of grilled Chicken (topped with salsa)
1/2 Cup of Mixed Vegetables
1/2 Cup of Cauliflower
1/2 Cup of Carrots
1 piece of 60% Dark Chocolate
16 ounces of water
2 GNC Super Digestive Enzymes

8 ounces of Black Coffee

Meal #4: Afternoon Snack (4:00-5:00pm)
12 Raw Almonds

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. Gotta stop by the grocery store for some veggies and pico de galo

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 band) = 15 reps, 15 reps
2. Scaptions (15lb dumbbells) = 8 reps, 8 reps
3. Bentover Lateral Raises (15lbs dumbbells) = 8 reps, 8 reps
*Note: These are supersetted with my squat warm-ups to save time

Squats:
1. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 95lbs (110)……… felt really light!
2. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 115lbs (130)
3. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 135lbs (150)
4. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 155lbs (170)
5. Work set = 5 reps X 175lbs (190)
6. Work set = 5 reps X 185lbs (200)……. put on my weight belt for the last 3
7. Work set = 5 reps X 195lbs (210)……. definitely getting harder
8. Money set = 3 reps X 205lbs (220)……. thank God for safety bars, could’t get a fourth.
*Note: Great job… stick with this weight until I get knock out 8 reps on the final set!
** Double Note: I forgot to calculate the weight of the Top Squat adapter I use on the olympic bar. This weighs 15lbs. So, in actuality you can add 15lbs to each set and that’s the actual weight I did. I totally forgot! I account for this above with (). No wonder my legs were so sore.

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 = 5 reps X 50lbs DB (100lbs)….. Got the 5!

30° Incline Dumbbell Bench 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 = 7 reps X 50lbs DB (100lbs)… was able to get 7!

Finished with some stretching.

Great workout. Feel great!!!

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)
3 Fried Eggs (Sunny Side Up)
1/2 Cup Oatmeal
1/4 Cup Strawberries (in oatmeal)

1 mg Melatonin
Went to bed around 10:00pm.

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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