BIG changes!

My workouts this week went great!  Food was excellent and I feel like I've got a ton of energy for the workouts and all the other stuff I do during the week!  Despite a small set back last week with the sore traps and some tight muscles around my low back and hips today, I feel like I'm making some great progress.  An important thing to remember is that not every workout can be fantastic, so as week 3 winds up, I'm feeling strong and happy with what we've done.

The most exciting thing to happen this week came from one of my favourite clients.  This guy shows up at the gym 2-3 times a week ready to do whatever I tell him to, and do it hard!  He's sarcastic and swears at me a lot, but he gets the job done.  He sweats buckets, works till he wants to puke and on certain special days, he even bleeds a bit.  To some people this sounds like overkill.  Not to this guy...he's got a goal.  To lose 100 pounds.  The amazing thing?  He's only got 16 left to go!

When he first went to see the fantastic staff at Celebration Medical Weight Management he had blood tests done.  Some of his numbers were bad!  He was told that his insulin levels were some of the worst they had ever seen.  Liver enzymes?  Not pretty.  He wasn't sitting on the fence for diabetes and other health problems.....in his own words, he was "riding a motorcycle full speed at that fence".

The great news is that he had these same tests redone this week and all of his numbers are at a normal healthy level!!  Not just slightly decreased....normal and healthy!  Plus he'd lost 6 more pounds since his last weigh in!

This guy is going to achieve his goals and then some.  Why?  Because he wants to, has to, needs to.  It's easy to say you've set a goal for yourself, what are you doing about it today?  Tomorrow?  Next week?  Weight loss doesn't happen easily or quickly, it takes hard work and dedication.  I couldn't be more happy for, and proud of this guy!

We come into contact with a lot of fantastic people at Catalyst, and it's people like this that make this job fun!

Keep up the great work!

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A pain in the neck

Max effort bench on Thursday was different.  We went with a super narrow grip that I'm not really used to, but I pushed through and got some good hard lifts in.  Chris is a great training partner and coach! Instead of filling your head with tons of info, he'll give you one or two little things to work on with each lift until the big picture comes together.  When I'm  pushing as much weight as I can and feel like that embolism might burst, thinking a lot is something I don't want to do a lot of.

Things got crappy for me when we were doing overhead lockouts.  Between our shrug warm-up and pressing, my traps and levator scapulae just had enough.  With 185 on the bar, my whole upper back felt like someone tasered me.  Disappointed in myself, I cut the workout short and our massage therapist Joann took care of me.  A few days later, it's still a bit uncomfortable but I'm good to go for max effort squat in a few hours from now. 

While I was writing this, I got a phone call from Kelly about my food intake.  She sent me a fantastic shopping list and food plan for this week which I'm pretty excited about.  Also, she suggested I get some more papaya into my diet.  She tells me papaya is a natural anti-inflammatory.  Useful and delicious!

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Max effort Thursday

Today we're doing M/E bench work, and I'm lucky enough to have some spare time to do it WITH Mike, instead of hovering above him with a calculator, yelling.  I'm also lucky enough to have some spare time this morning to load up on sodium to induce 'bench bloat' - Mike has no such luck.  He's busy!
We'll be cutting the accessory work a bit short today.  We've been invited to learn some Gymnastics at Sault Gym Club tonight, and I think we're going to need all the triceps help we can get.  You'll see our biceps work disappear also, since our goal is to master a couple of muscle-ups tonight.  Watch for the video on our main site.
-Chris

 

Catalyst Fitness Inc.
498 Queen St. East, 2nd Floor
Sault Ste. Marie
(705)253-0011
www.gocatalyst.ca
www.catalystfitness.ca

Good eatin'

Week 2 has started off with two great workouts!  Another max effort squat session on Monday.  After a big warm-up, including some slosh pipe work, I took my squat up a few pounds before I ran out of jam around 285.  Lots of quad work afterwards! 
 
Yesterday was speed bench.  I know Chris told everyone in his last post to poke me in the chest today because I'd likely be sore.  Two things....first of all, no sucka has been foolish enough to take that dare.  And secondly...I'm not that sore.  Same thing happened after the squat workout.  Last week I could barely walk down the stairs for a few days, this week I feel great.
 
I think a lot of the credit for this goes to my food plan.  I've gotten myself well organized and am following it as closely as humanly possible.  Not only am I not as sore, but my energy (and mood) is more consistent through the day!  I think there are a few things that Kelly and I have to iron out, but I'm happy about how it's all coming together!
 
Tomorrow, max effort upper body!

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Mike's Program - Week 2

You'll note a few changes this week.  While watching Mike and Ty do box squats, I noticed something: these guys would be great ski jumpers!  Also, Mike was losing power from knee extension, even though he was unconsciously rolling forward onto his toes the whole time.  Thus, more knee extension this week, and more accommodating resistance movements - bands, etc. - on both upper and lower body days.
The slosh pipe is a fun new toy that we're not bored with yet.  Watch for an article on our main site this week.
The bench throws - Mike sets up as if he's going to do a floor press, then literally throws the bar in the air and I catch it (hope so - Mike makes a living off his face!)  We're focusing on the concentric motion here.  Dr. Fred Hatfield ('Dr. Squat') would have tagged this as 'Compensatory Acceleration Training' but that's just branding.  It works because there's little muscular inhibition near the top end of the press, which is where Mike stalls with the heavy stuff.
On to it!  If you see Mike on Wednesday, don't poke him in the chest - on second though, DO poke him in the chest. He won't be able to retaliate.

			lbs	sets	reps
Day 1 - M/E Lower
Slosh Pipe Squats
Slosh Pipe Lunges
Front Squat - 3 x 10			125, 145	3	10
Squat - parallel				5,5,3,3,3,1,1
Romanian 1-leg squats			35	3	10
Leg Extension			180	3	10
Day 2 - speed upper
Stiffarm Lat				4	15
Paused Chinup				3	as long
Dynamic Shoulder stretches				4:00
Speed bench - MED. BAND TENSION				9	3
start narrow, work wider - 3 grips
Explosive Pushups				3	as many
Bench Throws			75	5	5
Day 3 - rest
Day 4 - M/E Upper
Overhead Shrugs				3	12
Hex Bar Shrugs				3	15-20
Close-Grip Bench to 3RM				5,5,5,3,3,3
Pin Lockouts - upright			185	3	as many
Rolling Triceps Extension			85	3	as many
Renegade Twists				2	1:00
Hammer Curl				4	as many
Day 5 - rest
Day 6 - speed lower
Power Clean			105	5	5
Box Squat	low  box, medium band		145	9	2
Box drops - 24" box				5	5
Ab - rotation, static

 

Catalyst Fitness Inc.
498 Queen St. East, 2nd Floor
Sault Ste. Marie
(705)253-0011
www.gocatalyst.ca
www.catalystfitness.ca

The Whys of Weeks 1 and 2

by Chris

I posted Mike's workout for Week 1 last week, but didn't offer any explanation.  I'll do that now.

Mike's following a basic Westside template: two maximal effort days (one lower, one upper) and two speed-based days.  The 'max effort' (noted as M/E) days are to help Mike with gross motor unit recruitment.  That means nonspecific, general improvement of muscular recruitment.  He's improving his ability to use the power of more muscle fibres all at once.  

The speed days are a bit more interesting.  These don't follow a typical Westside style, but incorporate more plyometrics and Olympic lifting (cleans.)  Mike primed his CNS with the cleans, thanks to Tyler (our best olympic-lifting coach) then hammered the low box (11") and then busted it up on the low plyometric box.  They did 5 sets of 5 with a fairly long recovery on the plyo box; it takes longer for your nervous system to recover than your muscles, in this instance.  Then they did a bunch of stability work with the new slosh pipe (watch for a new article about THIS sucker on our site this week!)

Right now, my main concern is Mike's total force recruitment; next we'll worry about the generation of force through bigger joint angles.  That's why you'll see some accomodating resistance work in Week 2 (bands, etc.)   His M/E lower work will repeat, because he'll hit a higher squat number just from the effects of lift re-familiarization.  Enjoy his posts!

Hooked on speed

On Saturday Tyler and I got together for my speed lower body day. We cranked off some light, fast cleans at 5 sets of 5 alternating fast. As soon as the bar touched the ground at the end of a set, the other guy jumped right in. Same thing with speed squats to the 12 inch box which we hit for 9 sets of 2. Because of our differences in height, I'd argue (and Tyler has to agree) that I did double the work that he did!
Afterwards we did some drop jumps off our medium box. By the end both of us were inadvertently showing off perfect star jumps that would make any junior gymnast jealous.

This week Chris went into his shop in the back room and made us a new toy. Any time Chris builds something new our clients know they better watch out! (push/pull box, wall ball target) The Slosh Pipe is no exception. Basically it's an eight foot section of 6 inch PVC pipe, capped at both ends and filled half way with water. It only weighs 30 pounds but is impossible to hold still! Tyler and I played around with it for about 20 minutes trying to find the hardest ab/low back exercises possible. I think we came up with a few great ones. After some twisting toe touches my obliques came out to say hello with some wicked spasms...good times!

Today (Sunday) is a rest day which I've taken literally by laying on the couch and watching football. I'll play some pickup hockey tonight, then it's back to work tomorrow. Can't wait to see what's in store for me!
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YEAH BUDDY!

"Everybody wanna be a body builder, but ain't nobody wanna lift this heavy ass weight......whooooooo!!" Ronnie Coleman

Inspired by Ronnie Coleman's attitude, if not his intelligence or grammar, I hit the gym Thursday evening for a max effort bench night. I felt tired with the lat pull apart and row warm-ups, but felt great once I started pressing.

Chris marked out my weight progressions for me and I felt like I flew through them. After a 195 single, we jumped to 220...5 pounds above my PB. You don't make friends with salad, and we don't go for the tie when you can set new benchmarks. (Literally and figuratively) Ty spotted me through the unrack, had time to go make a pot of coffee and helped me back in.....it wasn't fast but it went up! So we have a new bench PR. I was jacked!

I found a new favorite exercise in rolling tri extensions! You start on your back with a barbell at arms length and roll it towards your head. Just before you hit your head you snap it up by straightening your arms, then return it to the ground and roll it away again. (Check catalystfitness.ca for the video clip) Lots of fun, after the bench I felt like I should be wearing a helmet for this one!

Kelly has spent a lot of time this week, putting together some great meals for me, and already I feel great and like I've got more energy! I think this part of the project will be the most challenging for me, but I am committed to it!

Today was a rest day and to be honest, the first day my legs felt completely normal since the squat workout on Monday. Good news since tomorrow Ty and I are going to crank up some speed lower body action!

I'll
_________________________________________________________________
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A sample daily food plan for Mike

Kelly's given Mike day-by-day, hour-by-hour, calorie-by-calorie instructions.  Not everyone needs her to be so specific, but we thought we'd go all the way with this.
Mike's got M/E Bench Press this afternoon, so that meat at the end will be much appreciated, I'm sure.
-Chris

Breakfast

2 eggs scrambled with red pepper, onions, mushrooms and potatoes. 

Snack

Power smoothie

-         Coconut oil, mixed berries, flax seeds, hemp hearts and pineapple juice.  Add carrots if you require higher glycemic index for post-workout.

-         Apple

Lunch

- Green salad with almonds, spinach, romaine, onions, green and red pepper, avocado and goat cheese. 

-         Tuna salad sandwich on whole grain bread.   

Snack

Pita wrap on whole grain bread with hummus, red peppers, celery, grated carrots, cucumber and cheese. 

Supper

8 oz Steak with Sweet Potato, sesame seeds, and broccoli

Snack

8 Walnuts and an apple

TWO DAYS IN!

 
 
After my first two days of workouts I'm happy to see that tomorrow is a rest day!  I've just finished up a 45 minute bike spin group at Catalyst and am refueling while I write this.
 
I'm so pumped about this project!  The first question I get when I tell people what we're doing is "why"?  I have a lot of reasons for wanting to do this.  I've recently had some big changes in my personal life and have come to realize that there are a lot of aspects of who I am that I need to change or work on......This is one of those things.  Also, we always hear the experts say that even the best trainers shouldn't be responsible for thier own training.  When we train ourselves, we often become too biased or too proud to admit our weaknesses.  In the next 8 weeks, my nutrition and workouts will be taken care of by the best in town.  I've never been a terrible eater, but Kelly Burton is going to show me exactly what to eat and drink.  I'm one of the best qualified trainers in town, but I haven't worked as hard as I have in the past two days, in several months!  If you had the best at your disposal, wouldn't you be stupid not to take advantage of the situation?
 
The other question I get is "what are you training for?"  The simple answer:  To be awesome.  The serious answer?  I want to be powerful!  I play a lot of sports where explosive sprinting and jumping make a big difference.  I want to be able to dunk a basketball in eight weeks.  I love deadlifting, maybe because it's the one lift that I excel at, but I also want to put up some serious numbers on squat and bench.  I'm mot doing this to be a bodybuilder....I'm doing this to be strong and powerful.  But if a by product of all of this is a great set of abs, I probably wouldn't say no.
 
Last but certainly not least, I'm doing this for every one of my clients.  I want to be accountable to you the most.  I want you to see that I'm willing to try new exercises on myself first before I throw them at you.  I want you to know that I sweat and grunt and push myself to the limits just like you're willing to do each and every time you come here.
 
Hope you all enjoy this, please check back often, I plan on keeping a detailed account of every up and down for the next 8 weeks!
 
See you at Catalyst!
 
 
 

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Mike's workouts - week 1

Watson, Mike		01/07/2008
					lbs	sets	reps
Day 1 - M/E Lower
Front Squat - 3 x 10					85, 105, 125	3	10
Thrusters - 3 x :30					55	3	:30
Seated Row					180, 220	4	12,12,8,8
Squat - parallel						5,5,3,3,3,1,1
Superset: Plank/GHR
Day 2 - speed upper
Stiffarm Lat						4	15
Paused Chinup						3	as long
Dynamic Shoulder stretches						4:00
Speed bench - MED. BAND TENSION						9	3
start narrow, work wider - 3 grips
Explosive Pushups						3	as many
Day 3 - rest
Day 4 - M/E Upper
1-arm row						3	12
Pullaparts						3	15-20
Flat Bench to max						5,5,3,3,3,3,1,1
Pin Lockouts - upright					185	3	as many
Rolling Triceps Extension					85	3	as many
Wall ball - no leg						2	1:00
Hammer Curl						4	as many
Day 5 - rest
Day 6 - speed lower
Power Clean					105	5	5
Box Squat	low  box, no band				145	9	2
Box drops - 24" box						5	5
Ab - rotation, static

 

Catalyst Fitness Inc.
498 Queen St. East, 2nd Floor
Sault Ste. Marie
(705)253-0011
www.gocatalyst.ca
www.catalystfitness.ca