A Journey Through The Eye Of The Needle

[Shukin]

OK, I had a "journey" thread in here about 3 years ago and stopped posting on a regular basis after my hernia operation...I am back in full swing, and am really serious about hitting 91kgs with minimal body-fat. I have been trying to reach 90kgs for years and the closest Ive gotten is 87kgs, with a bit of lower back fat. I have been very low carb for a few months now, pretty much a Paleo diet, with carbs (torrent, dextrose) around my workouts. I eat a shit load of egg whites (bad farts some times), greens and grass fed beef, lamb, mixed protein shakes, realgains....
Trying to eat 3900 kcals a day, very very clean.... fats are walnuts, almonds, macadamia oil, olive oil, udo's 3-6-9, and whats on the beef and lamb. I eat fis as well but have been staying away from farm raised lately and most of what is in the supermarket here is farm raised.
Specs:
age: 42
Ht: 185cm
Wt: 82.4 kgs
Bf: 13.4% (using OMRON fat loss moniter HBF-306) Not sure of the accuracy but use it to see when I gain if bf goes up, down, or remains the same......
Usually weigh in and measure bf once a week as soon as I wake up.

My work out schedule is broken up to push pull, 1 day on, 1 off, 2 on 1 off.

I will do this!

[HIGA MONSTER]

Right on bro. I'm on board.

And I won't tell anyone all the "good" food you ate at Chili's while I was in Japan...

HIGA MONSTER

[Shukin]

Still getting back into the swing after Tokyo, and the palms of my hand are healing well. Did chest and shoulders today (late start so neglected tris, I know, bad)
Keep in mind I work out by myself in a third floor apt.
Incline bench
25 reps bar warm up (not Olympic about 10kg)
12 reps 60 kg
10 reps 70 kg
8 reps 80 kg
5 reps 90 kg

Flat bench
12 reps 70
8 reps 80
4 reps 90
3 reps 95

over head barbell press
48 kg 10 reps
53 kg 8 reps
60.5 6 reps

side laterals 6kg for 25 reps
front db raises 20 reps 10kg
bent over laterals 25 reps 15-18 kg
wake up and have BCAA stack grape
20 mins later 1 cup oatmeal with protein 25g
Shock Therapy ( grape ) pre
Big Ain't (Tony) drink intra
Torrent with added dextrose post
30 mins later protein 25g shake
40 mins later 2 whole eggs plus 6 egg whites on a salad

Lunch was steak over a salad with onions and jalapenos before that I had another shake 25g

Have Kendo tonight so I will probibly have Shock Therapy before that and BCAA stack with 30g dextrose post
come home and eat a bunch of lamb


Any advices is gratefully welcome.
Shukin

[Shukin]

Today is my off day. Just eating my meals and straightening up around the house, watching UFC 118. Off to Osaka tomorrow to partake in a Matsuri ( festival) it is really hard to describe this thing so I plan to get a camera down there and learn to post stuff on youtube. I will workout down there in a really old school style gym.

Tomorrow is back and Biceps, got an early flight so I plan to work out in Osaka.


My arsenal:
Shock Therapy (Grape)
Storm (Grape)
BCAA stack (Grape)
Torrent (Cherry Berry Blast)
Pak
chocolate protein
GABA

ran out of PM, flex and Omega.... Gotta order soon

[Shukin]

I arrived in Osaka on the first, hot as balls here, couldn't decide if I should feed or workout. Opted for the workout, back and bi's. Been staying at a friends so haven't been getting all the clean calories I wan't. So be it.
Didn't get the camera yet, gonna order from the net, much cheaper.
Yesterday was an off day from working out but we have been meeting for the festival.
Did legs today and was using this really old calve machine and strained my lower back a bit so I will take tomorrow off since we have a big practice run on Sunday.
Will be back in Hokkaido on Tuesday and can use the net there, this is posted from my iPod touch.

[Shukin]

Today is September 10th, I am getting read to sleep and have been watching a Branch Warren video, reading the Forvm and BB.com and began to wonder why I have so much trouble keeping up on my thread? Well, I think it comes down to not feeling anyone gives a shit about some guy in his 40's training in a third floor apt in Japan. Also, I haven't been finishing my workouts lately due to poor timing or injury and because I don't weigh and log my meals.
Who gives a flying F*** any way?
I will post whether I pass or fail, win or loose, train or take a day off.

So, today was an off day, yesterday was chest and the day before legs. It's back tomorrow.
Yesterday on chest I was to do 4 sets of incline bench going from 60 to 90kgs. On the first set of 15 I thought 60kgs feels heavy today...... then I added 5ks to each side for 12 reps and thought it felt heavy, then I re looked at the weight, I did 70 and 80 kgs rather than 60 and 70...hmmm maybe it is more mental than we think.
My back is feeling better, been foam rolling the IT, that is really tight at the moment.
It has cooled off in Hokkaido but I head back down to Osaka on Tuesday for the festival.
Camera comes on Sunday, so when I learn how to post vids and pics you can see what I am talking about.

Shukin
i

[Shukin]

It's 9-11 here in Japan, still the 10th in the states but I am feeling it for all the people who lost their lives, many of my brothers friends died in World Trade...
Sipping on Shock Therapy grape getting ready to hit Back and Biceps.
Got a link from a friend today regarding High protein diet from animal sources:http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews...key=Body+Title
Don't know who or what to believe any more.......

Time is a wastin' , get to the gym, post more later

Shukin

[Shukin]

today's workout 9-11-2010

6kg dumbbells- front, side lateral raises for lots of reps to warm up the shoulders before working back. (got it from the Branch Warren video).
Wide grip pull downs 12 @ 40kg
12 @ 52.5
8 @ 62.5 kg (home gym so no knee lock, any more than this and it pulls me off the seat!)

One arm rows 12 @ 45kg
12 @ 45kgs
10 @ 50 kgs

Pull ups with 10kg plate on dipping belt 10-8-8 reps

Bent over rows with ez-curl bar 12@66kg 10@76kg 8@86kg
Arm blaster ez-bar carls 20@26 kg 12@31kgs 8@36kgs 15@26kgs
Concentration curls 20@15 15@18 12@32.5kgs

Torrent with glucose added post
Big Ant drink intra


off to work now

Shukin

[Shukin]

It is a sunny Sunday here in northern Japan. I slept in today since it is an off day. My current split is based on Frank Zane's method of a 5,5,5,6 day cycle (train 3 days out of 5 three times in a row, then train 3 days out of 6 once and repeat).
Here is what it looks like and how it repeats itself every 3 weeks. Tuesdays are my day off from work so this allows me to always have Tuesdays off.
1= Back Biceps Forearms
2= legs, and
3=chest shoulders triceps, R means rest day.

In order for me to always have Tuesdays off this work out begins on Friday for me;

Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs
1 R 2 3 R 1 R
2 3 R 1 R 2 3
R 1 R 2 R 3 R

And it continues in this pattern, so I am never working the same body part the same day of the week, getting recovery time and I always have Tuesdays off. Frank Zane designed this so you don't over train...The interesting thing I have found is that that I begin to feel that the 6th week has arrived because my body really welcomes the extra rest days. So every three weeks I train each workout 4 times, rest 9 times with 12 workout days....

I always train in the morning because I work long hours in a restaurant. I try to eat my first meal of 1 cup oatmeal with 25 grams of protein powder in it one hour before my workout and start my pre workout supplements 15 mins before 9am and try to be in the gym by 9:00 am. some times it is a bit later but I have to finish my workout by 10:30 am.

As always, any and all comments are welcome.

Shukin

[SpankyC]

im in!

[Shukin]

Today was legs. got in the gym at a decent time and took it light at first to see how the back is recovering and because the festival is coming up this weekend.
Squats warm up with the bar into 6 sets 15 to 8 reps starting with 50kgs working up to 100kgs.
Leg curls, 3 sets 45,50, 55 kgs
Leg extensions 3 sets 55, 65, 75 kgs

Calves, 45kg dumbbell hanging from a dipping belt calve raises fast up hold and slow down for 110 reps
incline situps.

Torrent with glucose added post
ST before
Big Ant intra

[Shukin]

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.


This is one hell of a quote..... I re watched two great movies in the past two days to stay motivated, the first was Coach Carter, which is where this quote is quoted, and the second was Grid iron Gang, which I have watch and re watched sooo many times.
I am a real sucker for these kinds of films. For those who know the latter, there is a scene where "The Rock" is talking to one of the wayward youth about forgiving ones father, I love the scene, cry every time, but I really went deep again last night when I saw that film....made me rethink my relationship to my old man.

I realized how grateful I am to have gone down and met Higamonster last month, something switched in me by becoming a physical member of the forvm and not just a cyber member, thanks Animal, thanks Higa san.

Because I have decided to be brutally honest in this thread, I know, with all your support, I will reach my goals!
Today is an off day. Just arrived in Osaka and will do chest shoulders and triceps tomorrow!
I got my camera as promised, I will document and post when I figure out how.

Peace,
Shukin

[Shukin]

Testing my photo post, this is the Osaka gym, very old school;

http://s830.photobucket.com/albums/z...t=IMG_0076.jpg

[Mr. Dead]

What's goin' on, in here...???

[Shukin]

What's goin' on, in here...???

talking about the photo or my journey?

Shukin

I am just learning how to post photos and videos so I can give everyone a better idea of what my journey is like. I just got back to Hokkaido from Osaka and will post lots of stuff when I figure this out...

[Mr. Dead]

talking about the photo or my journey?

Shukin

I am just learning how to post photos and videos so I can give everyone a better idea of what my journey is like. I just got back to Hokkaido from Osaka and will post lots of stuff when I figure this out...

The Journey, brother... I'm subbin' to this...

[Shukin]

OK, here is my gym, I call it the Library because it is where I "study";
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRf4S4W_HOk
And here is a dead lift video, looking for some critique on my form please;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP795uffd38

I was very tired on this back day. Today is off tomorrow is legs, hope to be fresh.

All comments are welcome

Shukin

P.S. it's a small gym in a 3rd floor apt. but I make the best use of it, stay tuned.

[Shukin]

Just finished watching the replays of the call outs at the Olympia and am going to do legs.
Post the workout tonight after work. The House looks great! I like Phil Heath for the top spot.


Shukin

[SpankyC]

Just finished watching the replays of the call outs at the Olympia and am going to do legs.
Post the workout tonight after work. The House looks great! I like Phil Heath for the top spot.


Shukin

Hell yeah Phil heath should be the winner if judged correctly!! But since this sport is about politics and advertising there is a huge chance the judges may end up letting jay win again....Branch looked great too! Dunno bout The House, looked kinda funny cause he looks so small next to the big guys, he needs to add ALOT more mass before thinking of winning. But the Olympia is a honor just to step foot on and compete so Props to The House on that acomplishment!

Cant wait to see your leg session!

[Shukin]

Leg break down;
Since calves are my weakest body part I decided to do them first so less of a chance of neglecting them.
50 kg dumbbell hanging from a dipping belt for 5 sets of 25 reps, 125 total!

then I did 7 sets of squats, high reps on the lighter weights for muscle endurance, concentrating the whole time on my core and controlling the weight going down like Higamonster advised down in Tokyo.

Legs still haven't fully recovered from the Matsuri this past week.

peace,
Shukin