My First Experiment

• Category: Journal
• Date: 12.26.10

Recently I’ve been playing around with the idea of treating myself as a guinea pig. No longer just working through different training programs, but instead greatly increasing the professional way in which I conduct these programs. Keeping more detailed training logs, staying on task, sticking to a certain diet, taking before/after pictures, and taking baseline measurements.

I just grabbed myself a copy of 4 Hour Body. Great book, a must read for sure. He’s done the same thing, however on a much higher scale, and for quite some time longer than I. I’m going to try and use him as an example. There are many lifestyle and dietary things that I am going to start implementing from the book, and a bunch of really interesting training programs also. But I’ve been waiting to try out another Poliquin program for a month or so now, so that’s first on my agenda.

Here’s the score. I’m going to be using some supplements, things I’ve learned from the 4 Hour Body book in regards to diet and (I guess) lifestyle, and an advanced program by Charles Poliquin.

First on the list, what supplements will I be using?

1. Labrada’s Super Charge Xtreme (pre workout)
2. Nutrabolics’ Anabolic Window (post workout)
3. Magnesium
4. Omega 3 Fish Oils
5. Vitamin C complex

What will I be doing for my diet?

Well I’m looking to gain as much mass as possible, so I’m aiming for high calorie diet, with whatever tricks possible to get it working in my favour…

1. Breakfasts will rotate between Macaroni and Cheese with either Tuna, Salmon, or Sardines, or Oatmeal with Peanut Butter and a bunch of eggs.
2. Removing all sources of “white” carbs (breads, pasta, potatoes, etc… however my breakfasts are the exception).
3. Replacing these “white” carbs with ample amounts of beans/legumes for the added calories.
4. High amounts of protein every meal.
5. Meals spaced about 4 hours apart.
6. Eat my first meal of the day within 30 minutes of waking up.
7. Down 1 litre of 2% milk every day. If I can, I’ll aim to increase this to the ever manly GOMAD (gallon of milk a day).
8. Drink a Green Tea every day.

As for the “lifestyle” changes, not sure if it’s really a lifestyle change, but I didn’t know what else to call it.

1. Ice baths and/or cold showers. Lots of info as to why I’m doing this in the 4 Hour Body. I’m a super bitch though when it comes to cold, so this should certainly be interesting. I’ll probably start with a cold shower once a week, and work my way from there.
2. Incorporate dynamic flexibility work before every workout.
3. Do all my prescribed little rehab/prehab exercises, as well as use the good old lacross ball for self ART work every day.

And lastly, what the hell will I be doing when I get into the gym you may ask? More importantly I think is who’s actually even asking that? hahaha. Well in the off chance somebody actually does read this, here’s what I’m doing. It’s an Advanced version of German Volume Training, put together by the great coach Charles Poliquin. German Volume training, as I was first introduced to it, is high ass volume, at a submaximal weight. 10 sets of 10 repitions, each set using the same working weight, all 10 sets being with the same exercise. Now with this program, instead of the 10 x 10, you start with 10 sets of 5, and each time you come around to the same workout, you move to 10 x 4, then 10 x 3, and then once again through everything from the top. Also, it’s not just the same exercise, there are 2 different workouts for each day. Here’s the skinny:

Day 1: Chest and Back

Supersetting Incline barbell Press with a Lean-away Chin-up.

Day 2: Legs

Back squat supersetted with Lying leg curls with the feet pointing away from the body.

Day 3: Off

Day 4: Arms

Incline off-set Dumbbell curls supersetted with a Close-grip Bench Press.

Day 5: Off

Day 6: Chest and Back

Supersetting a Low Incline Barbell Bench Press with a close parallel gri Chin-up.

Day 7: Legs

Front squats supersetted with lying leg curls, this time with feet pointing towards the body).

Day 8: Off

Day 9: Arms

Seated Zottmann curls and a low Decline close grip Bench Press.

Day 10: Off

The Chest, Back, and Leg exercises are all performed on a 40X0 tempo, while the arm work is done for 30X0. All sets have a 100 second rest between exercises and sets. And I’ll also be including 2 accessory exercises for each day. I’ll be doing my best to follow the split properly, taking the appropriate rest days. However there will for sure be a few blips, having to rearrange some workouts for days I may be too busy, and if I meet up with a friend to workout together. With all the rest days included, this is a 60 day program, so I got the next 2 months in the gym planned for me. Here goes nothing!…

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