Building Muscles

Day 29 - Nutrition

I have been very good today and had 6 meals. I made them very simple and so they took no time as I was busy with work.

I had 2 tuna and baked potato. 2 protein drinks. 1 Scrambled eggs and Toast (Wholewheat) 1 Eggs and Polenta ( Maize meal porridge)

Water a good 2 lts and only 3 coffees which is very good for me when I am stuck in the office.

A great day all round.

Training Arms & Chest - Day 29

I have taken on board all that Danny has said about training Biceps and Triceps. I've tried today to focus on the exact muscle, and then get all I can. I think it has worked.

Chest - I managed to increase the weight by 5kgs on the 10 rep section. That was pleasing considering I was very deliberate with each movement and tried to concentrate the muscle at the top of each Rep.

Tricep - With each rep I tried to squeeze the muscle as hard as I could so I had a really good burn and a very concentrated training. I increased the 10 rep section by 2.5 kgs. The overhead extentions were amazing and I did what Danny recommended. My elbows were slightly behind the line of my ears and that made the exercise much more intense. I used a reduced amount because this way is much harder. I came down 5 kgs.

Biceps - I kept the weights the same but did the training exactly like the video. I noticed a big difference. Just by lifting the elbow at the top of the curl makes such a difference to the intensity. I think I might have to just stay on these weights for a while till I get stronger.

I was really up for it, so the bike was just a great way to finish with a real full out sprint each time. I can really feel the fitness comming.

Training Arms & Chest - Day 29 Schedule

Day 29	Goal			Actual
Chest	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
B/B Bench Press	20	40		20	40
	12	45		12	45
	10	50		10	55
	12	45		12	45
D/B Fly's	15	12.5		15	12.5
Triceps	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
Push Down Ext.	21	20		21	20
	12	25		12	25
	10	30		10	32.5
	12	25		12	25
Z/B Over Head Ext	15	25		16	25
Biceps	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
Z/B Curls	21	25		21	25
	12	30		12	30
	10	35		10	35
	12	30		12	30
D/B Preacher Curls	15	12.5		15	12.5

General Day 28

I have had a very relaxed day today just watching the Rugby and was thrilled that Bath won.

I have decided to put much more into my training. Not more effort  - that is at the right level. More thought. If you watch a golfer, sprinter, or any sports person, you will see their focus is at a top level. They take what they do seriously.

I train hard but not with the right intensity. I think there is a big difference when you focus on what you are doing. I have also decided that after one month I am thrilled with my current results, but I have been a little slack with the eating plan. I often just let it happen without a proper daily plan.

If my results have been this good with this effort, I might as well make it really count for next month and then get some big results. One month is nothing in the whole scheme of things. I know that the results will be worth it though.

Nutrition - Day 28

I have been very strict today. My family always gets together on Sunday's for lunch and today was no exception. I did not have all the great food prepared, instead I enjoyed rice and lean pork. I have had that for two meals. Sadly no ice-cream - that was yesterday. I have had tuna and a baked potato. A tuna salad. Polenta (maize meal) porridge with eggs. One protein drink as a meal.

Water was on the mark 2.5 lts and only 2 coffee's today.

What is really good - I am not battling to do this. I am enjoying it and I am not dieting. How can you be dieting if you are eating 6 meals in a day ? The tale of the tape is 4 inches off the stomach in 28 days. Eat your heart out all you dieters.

I really feel great.

Training Legs on Day 28 (Sunday)

I took day 27 (yesterday) as my free day, so today is normal work out day.

I visualised the leg training before I started and then tried to focus as much as possible as I trained. I think it worked.

Legs Quads - I kept the weights the same but seemed to work harder than before, so it was really good.

Hamstring Curls - I had a lot of extra padding as I got a blister on my heel from the padding the last time I did this exercise. Padded it was fine and I could train very focused. I used the same weights.

Calves - I decided to do extra reps as there is only so much weight you can hold in your had for any length of time. I know as I train more, my grip will strengthen, but for the time being I will just increase the reps.

I did a bike programme. Tonights programme 10 was too hard after doing leg training, so I did programme 9 - which still takes the sprint section up to resistance 220.

A great training overall.

Training Legs - Day 28

Day 28	Goal			Actual
Legs Quads	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
Single Leg Ext	20	25		20	25
	12	35		12	35
	10	45		10	45
	12	35		12	35
Single Leg Squat	15	12.5		15	12.5
Hamstrings	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
Lying Leg Curl	20	12.5		20	12.5
	12	15		12	15
	10	20		10	20
	12	17.5		12	17.5
Dead Lift	15	60		15	60
Calves	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
Single Leg Calf Raise	20	30		30	30
	12	45		20	45
	10	50		16	50
	12	45		16	50

How to Train Biceps - part 2

Here's the second of our Bicep training videos - this time using dumbbells.

Free Day - Day 27

Danny came around to re-shoot the 1st Video. My baby granddaughter really added to the background noise in the last one.

I then decided - because I was decorating my mother-in-laws room - I would make today a free day instead of tomorrow (Sunday).

That is the beauty of this method I can change any day to a free day as long as it is only one free day per week.

I was not that bad today. I did eat some fruit cake - one of my favourites. A few chocolate digestives. I had to have my favourite ice-cream.

How to Train Biceps

As you will notice on the first training video, we have tried to keep this exercise simple. There are a number of ways to train biceps, but you will get fantastic results just doing the basic movements.

Bicep bar bell curls - Use straight or Z bar, whichever is more comfortable (I use Z bar only). If you squeeze the bicep before you start you will know it is there. Now, when you train, concentrate on working the bicep only - so you do not use other muscles to lift the bar. You might find you have to reduce the weight because you are focusing on the actual muscle and movement. At the top of the movement try to make the muscle - as if you are trying to show off the size of it to someone. This has a big effect on burn.

Dumb Bells are great to train biceps with, You can do hammer curls or alternating curls. These put no strain on the elbows - you have free movement to twist the weight as you feel comfortable. Again, try to make the muscle at the top of the movement.

I love super setting with lighter weights, and twisting my arms out as far as is comfortable -then doing the curls. It is almost like a pose as you can see in the video.

If you do not have weights, you can do these with two bags of groceries. No more excuses - you can train anywhere - even in the kitchen.