Summer 2022 Training Plan

Okay. Well now that summer is officially here I might as well go over how I've figured out my workout plan over the past few weeks  to get me through the sweltering Manitoba months so that I can be "Beach Body Ready" sometime in 2037.

Sighs.

In actuality I have made some adjustments as my body has responded to this last few months worth of hard training. After dabbling with the idea of going keto for a week and immediately feeling exhausted, weak and frankly unmotivated I believe that I've finally gotten over the belief that Keto is the only way my body responds to generate Fat Loss. As such I'm not doing anything super original here. I train hard, I try to stay in an average deficit of 300-500 calories a day with protein and fats being my main sources of intake. I limit my sugars. Lots of water and eat whole foods as much as possible (but I'm a sucker for popcorn in the evening with my daughter so ... just like 2 cups of that.)

And so far I seem to be making some quality Lean Gains. I feel my "Old Man Strength" kicking in. My arms, chest and back seem to be filling out nicely as my belly recedes. Most of my tee shirts and jeans fit a bit better again, and hopefully I won't look awful the next time I throw on the wrestling tights and step into the ring. Plus, my knee specialist took new x-rays of my osteo-arthritic knee and was effusive with his praise, saying that it looked markedly better than it did 3 years ago. "Whatever you're doing is working, so don't stop!"

Encouragement to say the least.

With that said, here's how I'm breaking down my workouts. I don't do a lot of variations in my exercises because I'd rather be boring and consistent than trying to constantly remember what I'm supposed to be doing on what day. The only changes I make come when it's the "heavy weights day" for Chest and Back or when the gym is just packed with Jobbers and I have to make do.

Regardless; here's the current breakdown.

June 22, 2022

DAY 1:BACK w BiCEPS

Close Grip Modified Press-down 4 x 10-12 warm up

Bent Over Barbell Row 8 + 8 + 6-8 + failure (increase weight each set, drop to starting weight for final set)

T-Bar Row 4 x 10

Meadows Row 3 x 10

Hammer grip Pull-down 3 x 10-12

Lat Press-down (superset w/ Barbell Curl) 3 x 20-25 for both

Rope Face Pull (superset w/ Rev Grip EZ Bar Curl) 3 x 20-25 for both

DAY 2: CHEST and SHOULDERS

Rotator Cuff DB Warm up, high rep / super light

Smith Machine Low Incline Bench  4 x 8-12

Smith Machine Low Decline Bench 4 x 10-12

Smith Machine Shrugs 4 x 15-20

Heavy Partial Side Lat Raise 4 x 15

Full Side Lat Raise 4 x 10-15

Peck Deck 4 x 15-20

Rear Delt Peck Deck 4 x 20-25

DAY 3: LEGS and CORE

Hamstring Curls  3 - 4 warm up sets to 8, 4 x 8-10 working sets

Stiff Leg Deadlifts 4 x 8-12 

Low Plate, Quad Focus Leg Press 3 x 15

High Plate, Wide Stance Leg Press 5 x 10

Low Back Hyper Extensions 3 x 15-20

Leg Raises 3 x 15-20

Decline Crunches 3 x 15-20

DAY 4:ARMS

Medium Handle Tricep Extension 4 x 15

Double Rope Tricep Extension 4 x 15

Barbell Curl (Increase weight on each set until I can't reach 10 reps)

BTH Incline Bench EZ Bar Extensions 4 x 12

Hammer Curls 4 x 12

Single Rope Tricep Extension 4 x 15

Dumbbell Curl Dropset to Failure

DAY 5: REPEAT LEGS AND CORE

Yes, that's right. Legs twice a week. I find that the more I train them the better they feel. And since I'm no longer trying to fit heavy squats into my regime (due to never quite getting the form to a safe for me place) and now that I'm making my hamstrings more of a priority that my legs as a whole are becoming thicker and stronger, even if I'm keeping the poundage to a moderate level. The only difference on a Lighter Back day would be switching the Bent over rows to a Smith Machine and keeping the weight consistent while upping the reps to 12 minimum, really feeling that pump.  And the Heavy Chest day is much more basic where I'd cut to a plain Flat Bench and work my way up to 315lb for 2 (1 rep isn't enough to count) just to keep my whole system used to being strong in that way too.

Obviously I also try to get 30 minutes of cardio in 4x a week depending on how my day looks. Either a slight incline treadmill walk or an elliptical. Nothing extreme, just enough to keep my heart pumping and to process everything. And while I do a core focus with Leg Days I also try to pick one core exercise to hit at the end of each workout, just so that it's always engaged and activated.

So yeah. Very exciting stuff. If you're into this kind of thing. Which, if you're reading it, I have to presume that you are.

Thanks for popping by. And remember, this workout is for ME. if you decide to try anything here, please consult a professional and don't come crying to me if you get hurt. 

AK

Finding Your Motivation

 Or maybe the title should be "Finding MY Motivation" since I seem to have it come in fits and starts.

I think that the most important thing to remember is that being unmotivated is kinda normal. At the end of all of our efforts as people, what do we do the work for? So we can stop, relax and enjoy the fruits of our labours. It's ultimately why we do anything in life I think.

So of course we're going to have days (weeks / months?) where the last thing we want to do is get up at 430am, put on our gym clothes, brave the clod bitter weather and head into the gym before starting the day job. Of course we're gonna say "fuck it, I'm hitting the drive thru" instead of properly packing up enough meals for the week. Of course we're going to look at our "long term goals" or even worse, compare our present selves to younger, fitter versions of ourselves and just want to throw in the towel because "I'll never be able to be that person so why am I killing myself for this?"

And I don't have an answer for you. For why you should keep up the hard work. The effort. The sacrifice at home. The denying yourself a second piece of pie at family dinners.

All I have have are the answers for me.

My little girl needs her Daddy to be healthy until she's a grown woman.

The way my body feels when I'm perfectly in the zone, hitting my reps exactly right and feeling every fibre stretch, pump and swell up.

That I have an extra spring in my step because the work I've put in building up my hamstrings and glutes are literally propelling me forward as I walk the dog.

Realizing that all of my pants are getting too big in the waist and a bit tighter around the thighs.

Finding that in spite of the mental pressure and personal life stress I am (we all are) dealing with is much more manageable after I've set my body right and burned off that extra anxiety.

That has to be enough for me. No "7% body fat" or "500lb deadlift goal" is going to compare with those five ideas for me. Those are mine and I need them to continue the #WarOnDadBod.

Most importantly, I will always need them. For my Fitness Journey will never end. It only ends when I'm dead, and I'm too stubborn to die until I've got no work left to do and no people left to help.

So I'm gonna keep going. Keep lifting. Keep eating better. Keep sweating my balls off.

Because the alternative isn't an alternative to me.

AK