Transformation Update: Week 9, Day 59 |

Transformation Update: Week 9, Day 59

By Brandon Cook

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

Thought of the Day:

“He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.”
- Albert Einstein

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Day 59 of My Transformation Journey:

I decided to switch from the Hang Clean and Press to the Push Press… for now. The Hang Clean and Press was hurting my wrist, so I opted for the push press. There’s so many great compound exercise variations that if one hurts your joints it may be best to switch to a different variation.

I figure I’ll come back to the Hang Clean and Press after my wrist strengthens up a bit. I need to keep my joints healthy and strong and this is my reasoning for the switch. Personally, I don’t believe it was just the Hang Clean exercise alone, but the combination of heavy dumbbell presses on Mondays and then the cleans on Wednesday… etc. However, I feel pain in my wrist during the clean portion of that specific exercise and I noticed this last summer as well when I was doing complexes.

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.

Headin to work!
8 oz. of black coffee on arrival.

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)
6-8 ounces of grilled Chicken (topped with Onions, Green and Red Peppers)
1/2 Cup of Peas
1/2 Cup of Mixed Veggies
1/2 Cup of Carrots
1 piece of 85% Dark Chocolate
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
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.

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 (blue + red band) = 15 reps, 15 reps
2. Scapular Wall Slides = 12 reps, 12 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 65lbs
2. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 75lbs
3. Warm-up set = 5 reps X 85lbs
4. Work set = 5 reps X 90lbs
5. Money set = 5 reps X 95lbs….. Got 5 reps, stay and go for more reps.

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 = 5 reps X 8lbs Weighted Vest… Got 5 reps, stay and go for more reps.

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

Knee Raises on Power Tower:
1. Work set = 15 reps
2. Work set = 15

Planks:
1. Work set = Front Plank for time X 1:30
2. Work set = Side Planks for time X 0:45/0:45

Finished with some stretching.

Great workout. Kicking ass and taking names!

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 Salmon
1/4 Cup Quinoa
Bowl of baby spinach
Ginger Dressing
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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