Big Cat's First-time-training-himself-seriously-log :p

[Big Cat]

Ok, dunno if anyone other than SHINE is still even following this thread, but what the hell

Back workout today, under 50 minutes, sweating like a hog, and just about to puke. After three of these workouts, i'm guessing its ok to say I'm on the verge of sharing a major breakthrough in regards to workout research that could be interesting to all of you. What if I told you you could gain muscle mass and lose fat, procentually, by cutting your cardio in half ? After three months of looking at all the most succesful workout schedules out there, physical differences between athletes in various styles of sports and then researching the underlying biochemical factors, I've been able to distill the core of the whole thing ? If you've ever wondered why those puny fitness modelms manage to look so cut and you never could despite your best dieting and cardio efforts, its worth a read, if you've wondered why you've run into so many plateaus over the course of the years, its worth a read. some of it you may know, other stuff you don't, in any case, i can almost guarantee even if you know it all, you don't know why yet ...

So all I need to do is get this dumb-ass blog thing working, but I can't bring myself to figuring out all the settings and shit to get it to look like I want.

 

[Grumpyfit]

Looking good.

 

[MortenBB]

Cool log, i haven't read much yet but what i have read has been good.

I'm looking forward to your blog

 

[Go Away]

you keep wetting everyone's appetite with this blog!
you could go with google's blog generator - blogspot - you'll have tons of customizing abilities, it's free, and syncs with all google apps seamlessly.
you can keep stats, monitor them with google analytics (accessable from phones and pads)... pretty good for being free.
now get to it already! half the cardio with better physique??? come on man... WHO doesnt want that info?

congrats on the room for growth and newfound excitement. keep it up big homie.

 

[Big Cat]

I am using blogspot, but eventhough I made an account a week ago, it wasn't til this afternoon that i figured out how to even remotely get the layout to what I wanted, with multiple tabs i'm not finding it awful userfriendly once I get it set up though I only need to add blog posts and that'll be relatively simple, so I just got to find the time and will to get it all set up.

 

[MortenBB]

I am using blogspot, but eventhough I made an account a week ago, it wasn't til this afternoon that i figured out how to even remotely get the layout to what I wanted, with multiple tabs i'm not finding it awful userfriendly once I get it set up though I only need to add blog posts and that'll be relatively simple, so I just got to find the time and will to get it all set up.

Hey, check out this URL: http://www.theironden.com/blogs/

 

[Big Cat]

now you tell me Still need sort of a personal blog thing with all my blogs grouped anyway. Well I got the lay-out in a crude form, now I need to add the basic contents, large chunks of text, and then the interesting stuff, the actual blog posts.

Chest workout today, started with superset of dumbell bench press 80 lbs (6-8) and dumbell pullovers 110 lbs (8-10) and that set the tone for a pretty brutal 18-set workout that barely lasted half an hour. Findings today that my new found training principles actually give me the idea I'm growing on the spot, that's how confident they make me feel, and that I need a more prominent place in the workout for crush-grip presses. Currently used them to top off my flyes, but I really love the total faillure they cause in my inner and lower pecs at a relatively low weight. Now I'm off to grill a nice slab of meat and heat up some of that leftover couscous mix I made yesterday. As boring as routine is, and as little time as the whole workday and family thing give me to do what I want to do right now (get working on that damn blog !) I can't argue that I really need it right now to keep the program on track. Don't think its lack of discipline, just loss of focus. But wen I don't have enough routine I don't eat enough, don't eat clean, rest schedule goes haywire, after just 3 or 4 days.

 

[Big Cat]

Skipped my first workout in 3 months yesterday. Knee was acting up. May have to switch bicep and leg day, because the deadlifts are what's throwing my knee out of whack and 2 days is not enough to recuperate.

Currently researching Blood-flow restriction training. Anyone ever heard of it ? the principle is to restrict venous bloodflow to a limb, perform low intensity exercise (30RM as opposed to 70-80RM) and get basically the same result as high intensity weightlifting. Supposedly they managed to stimulate actual muscle hypertrophy in this fashion by just getting people to walk for a mile on a frequent basis. Of course most of the research is being done BECAUSE its lower intensity and could offer benefits in conditions of wasting where high intensity training is no longer possible (age or disease) and there is relatively limited research on whether or not it would simply improve hypertrophy, although at least one study hints at it. There also seems to be strong recommendation to combine resistance training with BFR training. Its definitely research i'll pour into a small piece for the blog as well. I might actually try it this month for A)training forearms and B) trying to get my left arm up to speed with my right arm. The latter should also more or less provide proof on whether or not it works with higher intensity resistance training, since all other variables will be the same for both arms.

Meanwhile I'm getting completely up to speed on the physiology of skeletal muscle hypertrophy. I had previously done quite some research into ways in which androgens stimulate muscle growth, whereas now I'm focusing on exercise and nutrition specifically. Its really keeping me busy, and its fascinating reading and I'm gaining a complete picture of how everything we know about training and nutrition really ties into each other and actually teaching me a few new things that I believe actually tend to go against the grain of conventional thinking. For instance I don't think I'll ever do actual endurance cardio again, unless its like the last 4 weeks of a diet. I'm sticking to HIIT and applying the same principles to my weight workouts too now.

 

[Go Away]

Sometimes it's harder to skip a workout than not to. Smart move!

 

[SHINE]

Currently researching Blood-flow restriction training. Anyone ever heard of it ? the principle is to restrict venous bloodflow to a limb, perform low intensity exercise (30RM as opposed to 70-80RM) and get basically the same result as high intensity weightlifting. Supposedly they managed to stimulate actual muscle hypertrophy in this fashion by just getting people to walk for a mile on a frequent basis. Of course most of the research is being done BECAUSE its lower intensity and could offer benefits in conditions of wasting where high intensity training is no longer possible (age or disease) and there is relatively limited research on whether or not it would simply improve hypertrophy, although at least one study hints at it. There also seems to be strong recommendation to combine resistance training with BFR training. Its definitely research i'll pour into a small piece for the blog as well. I might actually try it this month for A)training forearms and B) trying to get my left arm up to speed with my right arm. The latter should also more or less provide proof on whether or not it works with higher intensity resistance training, since all other variables will be the same for both arms.

Interesting to see what you find. IF I understand this right, Perhaps would be beneficial for deloading weeks after heavy training, other than benefits in conditions of wasting where high intensity training is no longer possible (age or disease) as you quoted.

 

[Big Cat]

Sometimes it's harder to skip a workout than not to. Smart move!

Yeah there really wasn't much to decide, knee felt off every time I bent it with any weight on it, and just before i got home my right glute was acting up too. Wanted to switch bi's and legs this week, but that wasn't too smart at this point either. So its not hard, its just not fun Especially when you're still in that "psyched" zone and really want to work out.

Interesting to see what you find. IF I understand this right, Perhaps would be beneficial for deloading weeks after heavy training, other than benefits in conditions of wasting where high intensity training is no longer possible (age or disease) as you quoted.

Well my main key is seeing if its only applicable to lower intensity training or not, predominantly, since this is pretty crucial stuff in bringing up lagging biceps, triceps and forearms, unilaterally or bilaterally, and possibly legs (although for most bodybuilders a strap tightened at contraction would probably fall off at relaxation, unless you find those rubber straps in a big enough size to get some elasticity).

After that, one of the key things I'm eyeing with the training principles i'm evaluating now is to get in more than one workout for a muscle group a week, but lower intensity. There too it could be very applicable. I'll put together a short version of what I'm aiming at an PM it to you, that way you see where I'm going with what I said earlier. I might need some more studies anyway.

 

[Ramrod]

I read my first bit on Blood-flow restriction training in a MD Magazine a couple of years ago. Wasn't it some Japanese guys who started it all?

As long as it's for a short time,Low-intensity and Careful... I guess it can't hurt. Just don't now the long term effects on the blood vessles and other tissues.

Strength training with blood flow restr... [Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012] - PubMed - NCBI

Blood-Flow Resistance Training | Swim Sci