| Hmmm ... | Week 2 of 4, Day 12 of 28
... this is a rough looking blog, no? You see yellow and fizzle, then no posts.
I decided I was done with arms. I'm just too far out of my favorite "shape" to continue another 3 weeks. I get antsy when I cut down cardio, and I'm ready to get back in a balance. Huh? What does that mean?
Well, I did a cycle fairly heavy on cardio where I was jogging up to 8 miles in a given day and really doing no weight training. Then I moved to a heavy lifting cycle with no cardio for 9 weeks. Now it's time to get back into a balance.
I took the week off - this doesn't mean it was a "free week". It means I rested from organized training for a week, and instead of lifting, played with my daughter and son. Nutrition was still what I consider healthy eating.
I will create a new blog to start on Monday. I still haven't decided if it will be an 8 week or a 12 week program. I think, more likely, it will be 8 week. Notice how I stopped training after 9 weeks of arms? Well, one of the books I wrote was 8 weeks in Peak Physique. Why 8 weeks? Because I've found with my body, 12 weeks is really running on empty. I find 6 - 9 weeks of intense training followed by a week cycled off is key. Now, this isn't a hard and fast law. For example, Ian King, an Australian strength coach, advocates a method where the first week you use a light week and just learn the proper form of the exercise. The second week, you load the exercise and can just barely finish the sets, and then the third week you should be straining so hard you can barely finish or fail before the designated reps. This is an example where active recovery is built into the cycle - on week 4, you've completed a week of intense training but now, even though you're still training, you are doing light weight and practicing form so your central nervous system gets a break.
At any rate, here is what the new program will look like from 500 feet (I'll get the details worked out and posted over the weekend).
1) I'm sticking to my food-combining, emphasis on raw foods approach. However, I'm going to introduce my good old friend, the zig-zag. Yes, this is hands down the easiest method for me to lean down. Instead of counting calories or weighing, I am fairly consistent with my portion sizes. My zig-zag is going to be a quality, rather than a quantity, zig-zag. One day will be a protein day for me. This means a heavy emphasis on raw fruits and veggies, then adding lean meats like fish, chicken, egg whites, etc. The next day will be a starch day for me. This means again a base of raw fruits and veggies, but the main meals will be starches like grains, lentils, beans, potatoes, etc. I'm emphasized whole foods this time, so it means hot grain cereal instead of whole grain bread and whole corn instead of corn chips, etc. Saturdays will be a free day, and what does that mean? My free day is not a Body-for-LIFE free day. A free day means for me, I enjoy organic cookies and soy ice cream and other healthy goodies, and worry less about how many calories I'm consuming. A "cheat meal" for me might be like a healthy meal for others - jerk chicken on whole grain bread, maybe a Cesar salad where I KEEP the dressing, LOL. Oh, and no alcohol for the duration of this. I enjoy the occasional glass of wine but I've been enjoying a lot more lately so it's time to reign it in.
2) Extra support. Typically I do NOT use supplementation. Why, Jeremy? Doesn't it work? Yes, it does. There are a lot of quack/fake/crazy supplements out there, but most people will agree that glutamine helps with recovery, creatine helps with muscle mass, etc. However, it is my belief that these are the 1% that puts people ahead in competition. Training for a bodybuilding competition? Running in a marathon? GREAT ... these things can build an edge. But I'm training for general health, so I just don't see the need for the investment. So what DO I see the need for? (a) flaxseed oil - definitely not getting enough healthy fats. The nuts I'm eating are mainly omega-6 and I haven't been eating as much fish, so I'll start taking 1 - 3 tablespoons of flaxseed oil. I'll start with one and probably work up. (b) anti-oxidant - I get plenty of these with my raw food base but fruit today doesn't yield the nutrition it did 2,000 years ago, so closing the gap probably makes sense. Something anti-oxidant focused, as I will be getting my fat solubles from nutrition/supplementation and mineral requirements from natural foods. Zinc and B-12 continue to be an issue on a mainly vegetarian diet, but with introducing more flesh meat and eggs this go around, it will close that gap for me. (c) gingko, ginseng, green tea - these are just teas that I enjoy, I substitute them for addictive coffee, and they help with overall health.
3) Training. Done the cardio only thing. Done the mass thing. Time for a balance of cardio and strength, meaning lean out but maintain muscle mass and augment strength. I'll be doing a set of workouts in the 4 - 8 rep range depending on which body part because I know each one responds to a different rep range. I'll break the body into 5 groups but only train 3 parts each week, so there will be more than 7 days recovery time for a given muscle group. This is fine by me because in a caloric deficit I'm not going to be pumping up to gorilla size, anyway. Cardio will be a mix of interval training, sprints, and jogging. Interval training on Wednesday coz that's church night and I want a nice, short, 20 minute workout. Sprints on Friday coz I can do them with my son who plays basketball and coz what Emily sez is true, train in that style to maintain a body in that style. Long runs on Saturday because I just love to run and get out into nature and enjoy it.
Had a GREAT conversation with a fellow blogger and really was inspired ... I mean, INCREDIBLY inspired. It's time to take action, and make a difference. Time to pull out the old discpline and stop living an ordinary life because, let's face it - LIFE AIN'T ORDINARY, IT'S AS SUCCESSFUL AS YOU MAKE IT.
Have a fantastic weekend and I look forward to sharing my progress and posting my green squares starting on Monday!!! WOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Jeremy
posted by Jeremy on 3/28/2003 3:43:42 PM | | Howdy y'all | Week 1 of 4, Day 5 of 28
First, I wanted to thank EVERYONE for the incredible support and feedback I've received since becoming an active member of this community. It really is rewarding to have so many positive comments and to see so many people really striving to do what it takes to get control of their lives and pursue a healthy lifestyle. I tip my hat and glass to you all.
Also, due to overwhelming demand and support, I will officially declare war on those dastardly pretzels!
It is ironic because one of the things that I struggle with is uniting myself with God in prayer. I had a phase in my life where I was really living and feeling the Lord, and we met in prayer every day. Now I find myself more distant, and trying to focus on prayer.
What has this got to do with pretzels, Jeremy?
Well, the history as I understand it takes us back centuries ago and to the time of Lent. Lent is a season that not only the Catholic fate, but other Protestant churches that follow some type of liturgy (a liturgy is simply a structure or pattern for sermons). At any rate, the tradition of Lent is to fast from something. In those times centuries ago, one common way to fast was to give up all foods but bread during the season of Lent. They would take the flour and roll it in salt, then fold the ends over each other as a symbol of arms folded in prayer. Then they would bake these and eat them for their fast. The folded part of these baked goods would remind them constantly that this was a time for prayer and reflection.
These "little rewards" during the time of fast were, in Latin, pretiola (literally, "Little Reward"). In our modern language, these little rewards are now known as pretzel, and given my current addiction to them, I would love to eat bags of them during Lent.
Zach - I don't keep the pretzels in my house. In fact, when attempting to break myself of the habit, I actually buy whole grain organic pretzels so at least they are authorized on my nutrition. The problem is work. In our little break room they keep constant stock of the things that literally jeer at me everytime I go to grab my food. It is ironic that I can resist donuts (which taste like nothing more than chemical rolls to me, anyway) or chocolate or candies or cookies but the pretzels are still a problem.
NO MORE! Due to community support, I will stand up to this menace and honor my supporters by bravely denying the pretzels their victory.
Now, to talk about my Kendall Jackson wine tasting dinner that I had last night. It was great! My wife and I do this about 2 - 4 times per year. Nope, not a weekly or even monthly thing, but a nice evening out every once in awhile. Let me just take the liberty of detailing the courses for all to see:
We stirred the palette with a Pinot Noir.
Next was tuna tart - it was AMAZING. Think of tuna salad, but this was tuna with cilantro and fresh avocado on a bed of mixed field greens with a light vinager dressing. HEAVEN! This was paired with a Pinot Grigio ... interesting because Oregon requires the grape to be labeled a pinot gris, so Kendall Jackson grows the grapes and even juices them in Oregon, but then ships them over to California to ferment, then takes them back to bottle them ... so suddenly they have a Pinot Grigio that is an Oregon wine. Hmmm!
With the Asian duck quesadillas we enjoyed a bold Syrah, and then marveled at the wondrous Merlot-like qualities of a Zinfandel as we chomped on braised ribs.
Dessert came with a Riesling. It was a pear, an apricot, and a plum, baked in vanilla butter and glazed with caramel sauce.
Ahhh ...
Last night was GVT night (German Volume Training) but this was a planned event well in advance, so guess what my Friday night is going to be spent doing? Yup ... I'll be hitting that goal of 125 lbs x 10 sets x 10 reps for chest tonight. I need to burn a few calories, anyway.
Now for a few shout outs ...
Leann - great to have a partner in crime who shares my propensity to sin with pretzels. Together, we can beat this evil!
DeniZ - no direct experience with PowerBlocks here, but I've known a few who had them and they love them. For me, the clencher was not being able to drop them. I train really hard and have to admit there are sets when I'm done with a bench and just let the weights, um, land of their own accord. Apparently, this is one thing you cannot do with PowerBlocks. Now, as a shameful self-plug I did write an article about training when traveling that has some advice ... to read it
Nicole - congratulatiosn for the BIG news!
Everyone else - keep it real and keep it going on, strong! I'm sorry I can't give more personal shout outs but the list of active members is SO long and STRONG ... it's definitely a GREAT problem to have!
For my poem today, I'd like to share, in light of recent events, a poem I wrote in response to September 11th.
Ode to September 11, 2001 ©2001 - 2003 Jeremy Likness
The morning was fresh,
The sky bright blue,
Our faces, smiling,
As we often do!
The city, awake,
That never sleeps,
The skyline, unchanged,
As closer it creeps.
The bird was a friend,
Yet swiftly it fell,
Descending upon,
Where our citizens dwell.
The phoenix, she plunged,
Deep in the heart,
Of one of our symbols,
And tore it apart.
Her sister came swiftly,
Before all to see!
Felling a brother,
And another made three!
The fourth was thwarted,
By good inside.
In ashes, a crater,
Where heroes abide!
Silence, a moment,
Then the twins fall,
Our hearts are frozen,
Held in thrall.
The pause is lifted,
Eyes are raised,
Ashes sifted,
Rescuers dazed!
The phoenix will rise,
From ashes again,
Freedom will reign,
And never give in!
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
GOD curse the disease,
Of the hatred that asked,
We fall to our knees!
Fall did we not,
Tall shall we stand!
Tears will we see,
And justice demand!
Hatred will simmer,
Love will unite!
The world as one
Will take up the fight!
Praise ye your brothers,
And sisters, praise too,
United we are,
And faithful, and true!
Raise us the flag,
Of America today,
Stand we tall,
Except that we pray!
Soon one morning fresh,
The skies again blue,
Our faces will smile,
As we often do!
The city will awake,
(Sleeping never),
With a new skyline,
Now changed forever.
But we WILL NOT change,
And DO NOT break,
We'll die for our FREEDOM
That NO ONE CAN TAKE!
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Those fallen, all free,
And GOD BLESS those,
WHO PROTECT YOU AND ME!
posted by Jeremy on 3/21/2003 7:23:19 AM | | Green, green, keep it clean | Week 1 of 4, Day 4 of 28
Well, yesterday was another yellow day. Pretzels again.
What's ironic is how my mind works and my willpower waxes and wanes like phases of the moon. It is actually just as predictable, and here's why: when I am leaning, I am focused. I have a target. I see it, I go for it. Any leaning phase I've been on has been the best, most precise, accurate program I've designed (uh-oh, now when I start my next program, which is leaning, I'll have to live up to this). Seriously.
It's BULKING when I have major issues! I always say to myself, eat what you plan, stay in the parameters, you'll put on some meat without the marble (know what I mean?). But it's always the same. "Ugh, my stomach is growling, I can't put on mass without some extra calories here" or "I really want those pretzels, and I trained HARD last night, so it's okay." So it's a lot easier for me to "slip". In reality, I can't call myself "overweight". I still have my journal from Body-for-LIFE(tm) back in 2000. One of my goals was to fit comfortably in 36" slacks ... well, I fit comfortable in 34" slacks now and have been down to a 32", so who am I to complain?
It's actually a great big mind game, too. With the muscle, comes fat. With extreme leanness, comes a little loss of muscle. Not a lot, but a little. It's not that way for everyone, and doesn't have to be. I've seen people gain weight while leaning out (Zach did this his first challenge) and I've seen those who haven't. It really boils down to how targetted it is ... when I am zig-zagging calories, staggering my intake and ratios, and being ultra-precise, I can lean out fairly quickly and efficiently. When I'm not as precise, when I just simply reduce portion sizes and increase activity but don't focus on zig-zag or ratios, then I might lose some strength/muscle during the cycle as well. It's the old principle: you get what you put into it.
It's actually ironic. In the past, I've leaned down for photo shoots and other opportunities such as just to have a decent picture to put on the front of my book, and I was razor-focused and got the job done. Since I've found Christ, things have changed dramatically. It's more of a struggle for me because I'm trying to find more balance. It goes something like this:
* I can't have being shredded with ripped abs as my focus for the summer. It just doesn't work for me anymore. It's vanity, and I know I've been very vain in the past and suffered from my fair share of pride. As a new person in Christ, my goal is humility and not vanity. I want to eat and train to be healthy and glorify my temple to the Lord, but not to showcase it or pursue vanities to put on display.
* On the other hand, let's look at what prevents me from being shredded right now: lack of control. Taking license to eat foods because they taste good, not because they will improve my body, or, more specifically, since I pretty much eat healthy 24-7, even for my "splurge" meals, it's more excess ... not gross excess, but knowing I've had enough but still eating more. So in that sense, it still moves against my Christian beliefs because I'm focusing on wordly things (the food).
The reality is that, if I follow my training and nutrition as a healthy Christian and don't let food become as a god to me, I will be lean and in shape. That is the hard reality, because I won't let pleasure and worldly distractions get in the way of eating clean and exercising. The discipline of the journey is just as important as anything ... it's really the journey and not the destination that defines us. The journey teaches us lessons and I've used those lessons to succeed in many walks of life.
So what in fact might look like a struggle with me and food or exercise is, in fact, a new struggle. I had my demons of addiction in the past ... alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, then food. I wrestled with them and fought them and overcame. I reached the lowest body fat I dreamed imaginable and triumped, but I had my shades on. Now, I have taken the shades off, and I face a new challenge: my own ego. It's not something you wake up one day and decide, "I'm going to be a caring, loving, compassionate, humble man" and it all falls together. Noway, we have to work at it. And there is still a bit of vanity (I just can't pass that mirror without flexing and admiring the muscle I've worked so hard to gain) and a bit of wordliness (sometimes I drive myself to succeed at my job not to do my full duty as an employee, but because of greed -- I want to get ahead and get that extra chunk of change) and a bit of ego (hey, sometimes I catch myself thinking ... WHAT ARE THEY THINKING? DOH! And that's a "I'm better than you attitude" and is wrong).
Now, those who aren't Christian, or those who are but think I'm taking this to the extreme, let me clarify that I'm just trying to open the window to a process that is often internalized, and I think many people go through so can help to share it. See, I believe that God's blessing are poured out to all of us. God wants us to be happy, successful, even with riches as we accept our annointing in Christ. However, inheritance of the Kingdom means having humility, glorifying God, and helping others. I'm not struggling against success, or denying myself the fact that I worked hard for my physique, I'm simply saying that I know I'm not doing enough now ... it's time for me to fall to my knees in prayer and supplication, to pray for me ... to let go of some of the pride, to be set free from some of the vanity, and to accept success and riches as a blessing of the Lord but not to use them to build my own empire, but rather to give back ... see, I think, ultimately, I suffer from the notion that I'm not GIVING enough ... and that is what my focus really is ... what gifts has the Lord blessed me with? How can I use these gifts to serve the Lord? And, knowing these things, am I REALLY doing ALL THAT I CAN? I think not ... but I think it's time to stop thinking and ranting and start DOING. When I figure out what that mission, task, action can be and is, I will share it here!
Until then, as the title says, "Green, green, keep it clean" ... yeah, moving forward, time for some green days.
To remind myself of where I came from and how far I've gone, I posted a few before/after pictures.
God loves you, and so do I.
Jeremy
posted by Jeremy on 3/20/2003 7:17:57 AM | | Old yeller at it again | Week 1 of 4, Day 3 of 28
Well, two reasons I went yellow yesterday. One ... %@#$%@#$% coffee. Still couldn't resist that cup. Actually, let me be honest with you. I've kicked worse things in my life ... like smoking two packs of cigarettes a day for several years. It's just a question of DECIDING I don't want coffee. So I can't say I "couldn't" resist, rather, I chose not to. Oh, sweet indulgences. I really don't think coffee is evil at all, it's not going to prevent me from leaning out when the time comes and it's never stopped me from building muscle, it's just the principle ... I hate being addicted to it!
The other problem, same reason, cravings, mind over matter, I didn't mind so it didn't matter ... pretzels. Yup. Talked myself into grabbing a handful. You gotta love it. I mean, it's not like when I first started living healthy and my issues were with grabbing Oreos and Dorito's and cans of Coke. Now it's just some pretzels. Ah, but the principle of it!
On the flip side, my workout ROCKED. I am just blown away by my wife and son. My son first comes along and his forearms are just about as strong as mine, and he's not far behind with his upper arms. Then Doreen gets down with her lean ROCKIN' self (oh, I'm so lucky, can I just say that getting to see her in her cute little workout outfits gives me a bigger energy boost than ephedra?) and she's right there .... lot of strength, and great form. We totally blasted our arms last night, no retreat, no surrender, and it was incredible!
Well, I'm in here early ready to handle another fine, productive day at work, so I leave you with this. It's backwards, as this is really about ushering in autumn and winter, not spring and summer, but, hey, what the heck ..
Christmas Carol © 1992 - 2003 Jeremy Likness
when the autumn died
Walking through the dark,
I saw a lizard in my realm,
Where there should have been a butterfly
(But that was months ago).
Now, the multi-leggèd worm
Has returned to feed on leaves;
Beauty, like the predator,
Lays waiting.
When the wind first came, flying,
I heard the cool air, crying,
In the sun's cold shadows, drying,
And I smelled the autumn, dying:
Dead, like winter.
I wallowed in the snow
Where the snowflakes have names
(That is where I go)
Somewhere, somewhen,
Teased by a desire dripping
Slowly from the melted snow
That lit my inner fire.
Lizard, he dead,
Frozen like a tyrant;
The ants tore down their shrines:
They knew no god was mortal.
Still the leaves are brown,
Cracked, crumbling.
Winter, like the prey,
Will not wait.
posted by Jeremy on 3/19/2003 7:23:58 AM | | Yesterday was green in more ways than one! | Week 1 of 4, Day 2 of 28
Green, green, GREEN I SAY!
I had a great day at work. Very productive, despite being drawn into several meetings. When I came home, it was to a happy 3-year old yelling "DADDY DADDY DADDY". My wife made, as usual, an incredible dinner. It was seasame encrusted salmon with a spinach salad (I blend flaxseed to a fine grain, mix with apple vinegar cidar and use it as a dressing) and sprouts. YUMMY (can you say it with me? YUM ... MEE ...). Sorry, my daughter is learning her phonetics so now I can't say anything without emphasizing the consonant. Ssssso I g-g-g-go to wah-wah-wah-work every d-d-d-d-day of the wah-wah-wah-wah-week if you know what I mean?
Our workout was legs. It throws down a little something like this:
5 sets x 6 reps box squats (321 tempo ... that's 1-one thousand-2-one thousand-3-one thousand as you sink into the chair, then 1-one thousand-2-one thousand before you stand up). Most people I see doing deep or box squats will use what's called the "stretch shortening cycle" or basically the spring-load action to explode up ... they gain some energy from going down and quickly turn it around ("bounce") back up. By damping this and sitting for 2 seconds on the bench, every rep is 100% starting strength and it makes for quite a challenging visit to the land of leg pain.
The next, to keep things in balance, is 5 sets x 6 reps stiff-legged dead-lifts. Now, I'm one of those HORRIBLE, EVIL trainers who doesn't get all excited about rounded backs. I think that beginners and people with back pain, etc, should work on lordosis (that slight concave curvature of the back) etc, but with dead-lifts, there is legitimate opportunity to strengthen the lower back muscles as well. So while I enforce a nice chest, head facing forward, no exaggerated scapular retraction but no shoulders rolling forward either, and a strict bar against the legs so the butt drifts outward, I do not mind a little rounding at the bottom before rising again -- this, under my careful supervision, of course. (I train with my wife and my son).
I have to give quick props to my wife. She listens TOO well! I show her an exercise ONCE and talk about proper form, and she has the most perfect form of ANYONE I've seen!!! I mean, as a trainer, I know good form and I don't even maintain it all of the time, but watching my wife is like seeing a textbook come to life as far as head, spinal alignment, joint position, etc are concerned ... she just really focuses hard and gets that perfect form in every time. Did I mention how AWESOME she looks in that little workout outfi---- er, sorry, I'll keep it G-rated.
After that, it was on to core training. I'm a big fan of hanging-style exercises because they develop the lower back and also force people to use their transversus and other stabilizing muscles they normally don't. For example, unless someone consciously pulls their stomach in while crunching on the ground, not much is happening. With a hanging knee raise executed CORRECTLY (meaning you aren't swinging around like a piñata) you must pull the stomach in and perform an almost "Kegel" (guys, ask the ladies to explain this one --- yes, men can do them) to stabilize the pelvic girdle. The back is also working in conjunction with the abdominal structure (a number of muscles) to execute this. My ab routine right now is:
hanging knee raises (no swinging allowed)
straight leg raises (knee raises but with straight legs)
full leg raises (feet touch the bar over my head)
Eventually when I get the hang of this, I'll be doing inverted scissors as well (invert yourself so your legs are over your head, then repeatedly spread the legs, close them, etc). Fun stuff.
I also hit it with some hypers and reverse hypers.
Of course, the true highlight is the post workout shake. It was just my son and I taking post-workout glory as my wife had to put the little one down. It was one avocado, two organic bananas, 1 cup organic raw sugar (Sucanat) and 2 cups ice and 2 cups water (we split it). YUM!
At any rate, besides the announcement we heard halfway through the workout (we paused to listen to the speech, then returned to sweating) it was terrific.
Today's fare:
6:00am Tangerine juice
6:30am cup of black grapes, apple, pear
10:00am wild rice and vegetables mixed with barley (nope, not a complete protein) and organic whole wheat pretzels
2:00pm blood orange, slice of sprouted grain bread with hummus spread, 1/4 cup of nuts (mainly almonds), and half of a sweet orange pepper and a carrot.
Don't know the dinner haps yet.
Now, this countdown to war reminds me of the infamous scene in a popular 19th century novel, where the character is being transported to the gallows in a cage. Without further ado:
Lively Midnight © 1992-2003 Jeremy Likness
to darnay's lost friend
Contemplating the utter void
(A shattered fragment of stale thought)
Worn blunt by the sands of time,
Frozen by the eternal winter of dusk.
Numb fingers coil around merciless metal
As the cage drives relentlessly towards its goal:
A towering scaffold looms in the distance,
Its shadow fermenting the spoiled earth
(Turned sour by the spilling of blood bitter).
A limp figure swaying in the breeze
Beneath boiling clouds of ash:
The specter of the future, hanged,
The genesis of death for a mortal doomed,
The doom of a mortal: a sentience deceased.
Into the fabric of the soul
A single thread is woven,
Tattered dreams are mended, and
A thousand possibilities coalesce,
A singularity is sculpted
From a multitude of probable lives.
Lukewarm visions stir the sluggish fog,
Sullen mists rise with lethargic demeanor
To expose lands beyond the veil,
Drawn across the pallid countenance
Of an indifferent universe, immortal.
A boundless sigh of infinite loss:
The Hanged Man hath come hither.
posted by Jeremy on 3/18/2003 7:57:42 AM |
|
|
Question of the Day
Articles
Fitness Experts
Weight Loss Products
Exercise Guide
Weight Loss Vault
Action, Word!
Summertime Shoutouts
Wrapping Up Arms
Contact
Affiliate Program
Terms and Conditions
Help! (Getting Started)
Calculators and Tools — Health and Fitness Tools and Calculators