The Spamwise Chronicles

November 14, 2007

Measure of Satisfaction

Filed under: General, LGBT, Weightlifting — spamwise @ 9:47 pm

Today was the first day I’ve been back to the gym in over seven months.

Holy shit!  And of course I did legs, like the masochist I am.  I kept things light, relatively speaking.  My lower body will kill me tomorrow.

Medicine ball crunches: 2×8
Medicine ball balance toe-touches: 2×10
Plank: 2 sets @ 45 seconds
Squats: barx8×2, 55×7
Standing calf raises: 75×6x3

Confidential to A______: I suppose I should thank you for your comments. They provided a much needed impetus to get my lazy ass to the gym.

May 9, 2007

Gym Journal: Squat Bucket

Filed under: General, Weightlifting — spamwise @ 2:33 pm

I’m in serious danger of falling off the wagon. I haven’t been to the gym as regularly as I’d like to be. In fact, things haven’t been consistent ever since last November.

Morning session today:

+W indicates weight increase
+R indicates rep increase
+! indicates PR
* indicates warmup set

Medicine ball crunches: BWx10, BWx12, BWx10
Squats: barx8*, 65×7, 75×8, 75×7
Hamstring curl: 60×8x3
Angled calf raises: 90×8, 110×8x2
Standing calf raises: 100×8, 125×8, 125×7

Notes:

I went light last time on angled calf raises. This is more along the lines of where I should be, weight-wise. I’ll be upping things next session.

Nothing special to report in other news. I have difficulties coming out of the hole on squats but that’s nothing that can’t improve over time. I had my trainer take a vid of me squatting to parallel but for some reason he’s not able to e-mail it as the file size is too large. I’d like to have it burned onto a DVD so I can post it for people to critique. ATF will never happen. Well…maybe if Uncle Paul trained me in person. ;)

And that’s that. Nothing like a morning workout to ramp up the famous appetite. It’s only 10:30 am and I’ve already had two shakes. I’m about to get some food (technically Second Breakfast) in a few minutes.

April 23, 2007

Gym Journal: Community Chest

Filed under: Weightlifting — spamwise @ 8:57 pm

God, I hate doing chest and stuff…

*checks to see if Spamwise left his gay card at home*

I think if I actually achieved better results I might LIKE chest day. Gah.

+W indicates weight increase
+R indicates rep increase
+! indicates PR
* indicates warmup set

Medicine ball cable presses: 20×8*, 25×7 (+5W), 30×6x2
Military press: barx8, 50×7, 55×6
Skullcrushers: 30×6x3
Incline bench press: 55×5x2
Cable flyes: 25×5x3
Medicine ball crunches: BWx10, BWx13 (+1R), BWx13

Notes:

I’m probably going to gravitate back to regular benching, or maybe attempt decline bench. Or ask my trainer to teach me dumbbell bench. In three years of lifting, I’ve never been able to go over 100 lbs. Yeah, I’m pathetic. Shut up.

Yet I can deadlift my bodyweight and then some. Deadlifts work wonders for your posterior chain (traps, erector spinae, rhomboids, obliques, glutes, quads, hams) and abs/core. Unfortunately, the movement doesn’t do much for the typical gay “show” muscles.

April 20, 2007

Gym Journal: Back Attack

Filed under: Weightlifting — spamwise @ 7:41 pm

Back and shoulders really…

+W indicates weight increase
+R indicates rep increase
+! indicates PR
* indicates warmup set

Deadlifts: 135×5*, 135×6, 145×6
Cable rear delt extensions: 5×8, 7.5×6x2
Arnold presses: 12×6x2, 15×6
Lat pulldowns: 70×8, 90×6x2
Medicine ball crunches: BWx12, BWx10, BWx9
Assisted dips: stage 11×7, stage 10×6x2

Notes:

1. Even though I have a max deadlift of 245×1, that was with horrible form and not nearly as strict as I could have been. It’s much harder now that I’m doing things correctly with an emphasis on my core.

2. I forgot to do military presses as this was a lunchtime workout.

3. I’m going to have to start doing direct arm work eventually. Kind of tired of having 13″ arms. Besides, when a gay guy asks for your stats, chances are he’s not talking about your quad sweep.

4. I hadn’t done lat pulldowns in ages. 70 was rather light, 90 seemed about right. Next time it will be 90/100 or thereabouts.

Upper body/chest work on Sunday. My LEAST favorite day.

April 19, 2007

Gym Journal: Wheelz Aftermath

Filed under: Food, General, Weightlifting — spamwise @ 5:53 pm

I needn’t have worried.  Quads, hammies, inner thighs and glutes are all moderately sore.  Of course this is only Day 1.  Experienced lifters know that real DOMS usually don’t strike until Day 2.  Ask me how I’m feeling tomorrow and I’ll probably curse you out in response.

* * *

Elsewhere, I mentioned that I eat something like five to seven times a day. Disbelief ensued, which is a typical reaction because most normal people limit themselves to two or three meals.  It’s not difficult to imagine considering that two of my meals are really shakes and one is usually a handful of nuts and fruit.  It’s just that I eat more frequently and smaller portions but with lots of quality calories per meal.

For example, here is today.  Projected meals are in italics.

1:  4-egg omelette (broccoli, red onion, Swiss cheese) on a toasted onion bagel with butter, orange juice, milk.

2:  grilled chicken sandwich with roasted peppers, lettuce, Provolone cheese and olive oil on a sourdough roll; fruit salad, milk.

3:  peanuts, fruit, milk.

4:  protein shake w/ milk, 1 t. EVOO and maybe a scoop of peanut butter.

5:  broiled skinless chicken breast, rice, broccoli, milk.

6:  bowl of cottage cheese.

Not shown:  lots of water throughout the day.  This is roughly in the neighborhood of 3500 calories, give or take a couple hundred.

I’ll let you in on a little secret:  my diet is pretty standard most days of the week.   While it’s true that I post about gourmet stuff, it’s not like I make it a habit of eating at Per Se on a regular basis.  I’m probably less of a foodie than you think.  A girl’s gotta have standards, don’cha know.

April 18, 2007

Gym Journal: Wheelz

Filed under: Weightlifting — spamwise @ 7:04 pm

I’ve been falling off track for the past few weeks when it comes to working out.  Part of that is due to an increase in billable time at work, part of it is depression and part is sheer laziness.

Going forward, this part of the blog will be a regular update on Spamwise’s activities at the gym.

By the way, I use “z” a lot.  Some people would say “too much”.  ;)

* * *

+W indicates weight increase
+R indicates rep increase
+! indicates PR
* indicates warmup set

Squats:  barx8*, 65×7, 65×6, 75×6
Dumbbell lunges:  BWx6, BW+10×5, BW+10×6x2
Medicine ball crunches:  BWx12, BWx10, BWx9
Angled calf raises:  50×8, 70×8, 80×8x2

Notes:

1.  Been working on depth on squats for the longest while.  I’ve been experimenting with grips (wide/narrow) on the bar.  I’m satisfied that I can finally squat to parallel.  ATF is definitely not going to happen anytime soon probably due to hamstring inflexibility.

2.  Lunges are one of the most underrated exercises ever.  It’s going to be hell tomorrow as far as walking is concerned.

Weight:  167 this morning.

My biggest fear is that I’m skinny-fat.  Hope to god not.

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