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  #1   ^
Old Thu, Dec-05-02, 00:11
Trilbe's Avatar
Trilbe Trilbe is offline
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Posts: 63
 
Plan: ProteinPower/Body-for-Life
Stats: 215/181.5/130
BF:47%/38%/18%
Progress: 39%
Location: Chicago, IL
Post My Challenge Two Workout: The Details

Hi, all!


Meg S and Natrushka asked about my Challenge Two workouts, which were slightly different from the standart BFL workout scheme, so I am posting some information about them. Just in case you are interested...

First of all, I did NO cardio during Challenge Two. I focused intently and worked SUPER hard on building muscle. When I started Challenge Two I figured this approach might impede my fat loss, but I thought this would help me really lay on the muscle. And, even though I have a LOT of fat to lose, I figured that increasing my muscle mass would be a greater benefit for me in the long-run. Plus, it took me 'til the end of Challenge One to really "understand" my body and the weights, so I wanted to parlay that knowledge into some awesome muscle.

Ironically, at the end of Challenge Two, (according to my hydrostatic weighing) I gained ONE pound of muscle and lost ELEVEN-AND-A-HALF pounds of fat. So, I know from experience that you CAN burn fat by lifting weights.

My Challenge Two workouts split my UBWOs and my LBWOs into two-day workouts, so I worked with the weights 6 days per week. I chose this approach because I didn't feel that I was effectively achieving 10s for each and every body part, during each and every workout, when I tried to squeeze an entire UBWO or LBWO into one session. I was exhasting my ENERGY but not working the muscle to failure.

I went to a BFL Chicago club gathering during C1/W12, and I talked a bit with Gregg Kemp (who is an EAS Grand Champion) and he told me that, during his championship Challenge, his strategy was to work with the highest weight with which he could keep perfect form and then to keep doing sets until his last rep was his absolute LAST. He said that his criteria for muscle failure was "If I had to lift this weight to save my son's life, could I lift it?" If the answer was "Yes. If it meant the difference between my son's life and death." then he'd do another set or another rep until the answer was unequivocally "No. It is physically impossible for me to lift this thing again."

I applied that principle to my Challenge Two workout regimen.

Week 1
Monday and Tuesday were UBWOs

Monday:
Exercise 1.) Cable-machine chest press -
Two "warm up" sets with 10 reps each, at effort-5
then 4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 5 - 7 reps per set

Exercise 2.) Incline dumbell flyes -
4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 12 - 15 reps per set
(I love these! I love that feeling of stretching out and then squeezing those chest muscles. This is going to sound crazy, but I close my eyes and picture myself flying like an eagle with big powerful wings...)

Exercise 3.) Dumbell chest press -
4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 5 - 7 reps per set

Exercise 4.) Triceps extension -
Two "warm up" sets with 20 reps each, at effort-5
then 4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 8 - 10 reps per set

Exercise 5.) Triceps pushdown -
4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 8 - 10 reps per set

I paired the chest and triceps because I found that I used the triceps more with my chest workout and the biceps more with my back workout. During weeks 5 - 8 I switched around and started my UBWO-1s with dumbell chest presses, moved on to cable-machine flyes, and then incline cable chest presses. Then during weeks 9 - 12, I switched back to the original UBWO-1. I kept my triceps static because I ALWAYS get awesome triceps workouts--no matter what. I really FEEL those triceps extensions while I'm going slow and steady and stretching and pumping--LOVE them!

Time: Approx. 45 minutes - 1 hour
I would allow 2 minutes or so to rest between the different exercises that I did for the chest. Then I walked around between 5 - 7 minutes and had some water before I shifted to working out the triceps. I allowed 2 minutes or so to rest between the two triceps exercises.

Tuesday:
Exercise 1.) Lat pulldown -
Two "warm up" sets with 15 reps each, at effort-5
then 4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 8 - 10 reps per set

Exercise 2.) Seated narrow-grip row (with the two-handle thingy ) -
4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 12 - 15 reps per set
(I love these, too! I love that feeling of stretching out my back. I think it feels REALLY good. I would picture myself with Serena Williams' back while I did these...)

Exercise 3.) Seated cable row (wide grip weeks 1 - 4, medium grip weeks 5 - 8, wide grip weeks 9 - 12) -
4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 8 - 10 reps per set

Exercise 4.) Dumbell hammer curl -
Two "warm up" sets with 20 reps each, at effort-5
then 4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 8 - 10 reps per set

Exercise 5.) Cable-machine preacher curl -
4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 8 - 10 reps per set

Exercise 6.) Shoulder press -
4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 12 - 15 reps per set

I paired the back and biceps because I feel that I use the biceps a lot with my back workout. During weeks 5 - 8 I switched around and started my UBWO-2s with cable-machine narrow-grip "low" rows, moved on to seated medium-grip rows, then to dumbell rows, then to dumbell preacher curls, then to incline hammer curls, and finally to dumbell shoulder front raises. Then during weeks 9 - 12, I switched back to the original UBWO-2.

Time: Approx. 45 minutes - 1 hour
I would allow 2 minutes or so to rest between the different exercises that I did for the back. Then I walked around between 5 - 7 minutes and had some water and rested before I shifted to working out the biceps. I allowed 2 minutes or so to rest between the two biceps exercises. Then I walked around and rested between 5 - 7 minutes before finishing up with the shoulders.

Wednesday and Thursday were LBWOs

Wednesday:
Exercise 1.) Dumbell deadlifts -
Two "warm up" sets with 15 reps each, at effort-5
then 4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 5 - 7 reps per set
(I like to start with this because I feel that it really stretches me out and makes those hamstrings feel soooo good! I don't like to use heavy weights for this, though, because I don't want to stress the arms or shoulders out. I use just enough to get a good stretch and warm up. I never go for failure here.)

Exercise 2.) Seated hamstring extension -
4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 8 - 10 reps per set

Exercise 3.) Seated quadriceps extension -
4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 8 - 10 reps per set

Exercise 4.) Ab wheel -
4 sets of 12 reps
You are TOTALLY going to think I'm nuts, but I LOVE this thing! I have just a plain-old single wheel thingy with a bar through it. I lean up on my knees with my feet off the floor and I roll out on a count of 5 as far as I can safely stretch and hold that position for a count of 5 then I roll back in slowly with perfect control for a count of 5 then roll out again. I swear to you that I have abdominal DOMS like a madwoman after this--EVERY time!

I paired the hamstrings and quads because I found that they really work together, no matter what exercise I do. During weeks 5 - 8 I switched around and started my LBWO-1 I still started with the stretchy dumbell deadlifts, but then I moved on the the lying leg extensions, then to the quadricep leg-press sled, then finised up with the ab wheel. During weeks 9 - 12, I switched back to the original LBWO-1.

Time: Approx. 30 - 45 minutes
I would allow 3 - 5 minutes or so to rest between each exercise.

Thursday:
Exercise 1.) Seated abductor machine -
Two "warm up" sets with 20 reps each, at effort-5
then 4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 5 - 10 reps per set with the last set usually consisting of "forced" reps

Exercise 2.) Seated hip adductor machine -
4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 5 - 10 reps per set with the last set usually consisting of "forced" reps
(I know that people say that the adductor and abductor workouts aren't really necessary because you work those muscles no matter what you do. But I, personally, really like doing them. I like to envision myself streamlining those hips. And I find the adductors and abductors to be psychologically satisfying workouts because you REALLY feel it for the next couple of days. I feel like I have J-Lo glutes the next day!)

Exercise 3.) Standing cable-machine calf raise -
Two "warm up" sets with 20 reps each, at effort-5, free-standing not yet on the machine
then 4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 10 - 15 reps per set

Exercise 4.) Seated cable-machine calf raise -
4 - 8 sets using the highest weight with which I could keep perfect form, striving for 5 - 10 reps per set

I didn't change this LBWO-2 at all during Challenge Two. I always had excellent DOMS and felt like I was really getting in a satisfying workout.

Time: Approx. 30 - 45 minutes
I allowed 3 - 5 minutes or so to rest between each exercise.

Friday and Saturday were a repeat of the UBWOs

Week 2
Monday and Tuesday were the LBWOs
Wednesday and Thursday were the UBWOs
Friday and Saturday were the LBWOs

I followed this pattern throughout Challenge Two, with the changes in the "middle" weeks that I've detailed above.

This is just something I put together based on what I learned about my body during Challenge One. I really wanted to push myself and see what I could do--not in the sense of how much weight I could lose, but in terms of how much weight I could lift. I used to leave the gym, during Challenge One, thinking "Gee, I think I could have done another set for my back." Or for my chest. Or for my biceps. Or whatever. I didn't EVER want to leave the gym asking myself that question during Challenge Two, that was my overriding Challenge Two goal.

I was really happy with what I gained through this approach. What pleased me most was that I really put my heart and soul into it EVERY WORKOUT. I hit my 10s every muscle every time all twelve weeks. That was SUCH a satisfying experience! To me, nothing beats knowing that I did my absolute best.

I'm changing things around again for Challenge Three, based on what I learned about myself during Challenge Two. So, at the end of this Challenge, I'll let you know how this approach turns out!

I don't want to present myself like I'm some kind of workout expert or anything. I'm just sharing my personal experiences, because a couple of people expressed an interest in my "tweaked-out" C2 workout.

How about YOU? What are YOUR workouts like? What is YOUR overriding workout goal? How is it working out for YOU? Please let me know!

Ciao for now!

Trilbe
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  #2   ^
Old Thu, Dec-05-02, 03:13
Trilbe's Avatar
Trilbe Trilbe is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 63
 
Plan: ProteinPower/Body-for-Life
Stats: 215/181.5/130
BF:47%/38%/18%
Progress: 39%
Location: Chicago, IL
Post Hydrostatic Weight Tests

After all that I still forgot something!

I wanted to share, for anyone who is interested, some info on hydrostatic weight tests. They really aren't as expensive or inaccessible or annoying as you might think! When my friend/trainer INSISTED that I have it done before beginning Challenge One, I was kinda put off by the idea. But it's actually quite straightforward.

Your local university--and it seems like there are universities almost everywhere in this hemisphere!--can have you in and out fairly quickly. And it was MUCH less expensive than I would have thought. I chose the University of Illinios at Chicago, because they were conveniently located, and they were $5 bucks cheaper than most of the competition in this area.

The Human Performance Lab at UIC

UIC charges $40 bucks. So, that's $40 bucks once every 13 weeks. And who knows? It might be even less expensive in your area... It's definitely MORE expensive than buying a set of calipers--which I've been told ARE pretty accurate--so this may not interest you. But, I figured that SOMEONE might benefit from this info, so I just wanted to let you know!

But they also offer lots of other groovy tests. I'm going to have the Resting Metabolic Rate evaluation done after Challenge Three, just to see where they say my metabolism is...


Trilbe
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  #3   ^
Old Thu, Dec-05-02, 08:21
Meg_S Meg_S is offline
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Posts: 2,276
 
Plan: lots of meat
Stats: 00/00/00 Female 5 10"
BF:goal: 17%
Progress: 41%
Location: Germany (Canadian abroad)
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AWESOME! Thank you so much for posting what you've done and how you feel about it. My workouts had been split before BFL and just starting a week or so ago I had been feeling "half assed" in my workouts... not hitting my 10's but being tired at the end of the workout. It was good to see that you lost fat during your 12 weeks too, I've been shying away from a muscle building period in the fear that I would GAIN a sig. amount of fat, the way that most of the body building articles and sites say is inevitable.

You may claim not to be an expert but your experience is so valuable!


Have a wonderful week!
Meg
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