Building Muscles

General Thoughts - Day 75

I attended a networking meeting this morning and it was quite an eye-opener. It showed me the importance of thinking before you speak - and also how you can develop a great relationship, or ruin something that could be good for you. I did mention more of it on my business site.

I know I am harping more and more on this idea of thought, and how we need to regulate how we think as well as visualisation in everything we do. I am finding this especially in my training.

A number of years ago an Australian group of scientists put together 3 groups of basket ball players. One group had to practise on the court for a few hours every day. One group did nothing. One group had to practise for the same amount of time as the first group but only in their minds. They had to visualise. They would see themselves shooting hoops mentally.

After 20 days they then measured what had happened. The first group improved by 25%, the group who did nothing stayed the same, and remarkably, the group who did just the visualisation improved 24%. This is not the only experiment. It has been done with darts. It has been done with athletics.

The American Olympic team in the 80's were wired up to bio-feedback equipment and made to run their sprint races only in their minds. The results showed that the muscles fired as if they had actually run the physical race.

Now you can see why I am pushing more and more on using my mind as well as the physical training. I want results and I am not really concerned how I get them -as long as I can use the easiest and shortest route.

Training Back & Shoulders - Day 75

It was a good days training. I am leaning more and more towards getting focused before I start my workout. It is so easy to go into my little gym area, put together the weights and then start lifting. I often have some up-beat music on, and then occasionally think about the muscle I am working.

When I have been focusing on the actual muscle, and then visualising what I want, there is an altogether different intensity to the training. I am finding that I do not worry about the amount of weight I am lifting but much more the movement and the thought behind the movement. It is really proving to be a big improvement in my training. I will explain a bit more under the general entry.

I managed to increase the weight by 2.5 kgs in the Shoulder press - that was good.

The rest I kept as per my goal sheet.

I really loved the ab workout. More thought and more of a burn and good feeling.

Nutrition - Day 75

I have been quite good today with the food intake. I had the following -

1 x nuts and dried fruit. 1 x Tuna and salad. 1 x scrambled eggs, mushroom, tomato and a tablespoon of baked beens. 2 x protein drinks and 1 x chicken and veg.

I was also very good with the water as I had 2 lts.

It is not that difficult to eat correctly if you have to eat out. I attended a networking breakfast - as long as you take small quantities, you can still eat right - even if some of it might have been fried. I do try to stay away from fried food. I just do not think it is good for you. I have had fries, but only when I use sesame oil or some other really good oil to fry in. Also, I will only use enough to just stop the eggs or whatever from sticking. These new type of non-stick pans are fantastic.

Training Shoulders & Back Schedule - Day 75

Day 75	Goal			Actual
Shoulders	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
D/B Shoulder press	20	12.5		20	12.5
(On Gym Ball)	12	15		12	15
	10	17.5		10	17.5
	12	15		12	17.5
D/B  Side Raises	15	5		15	5
Back	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
Wide Lat Pull Down	20	45		20	45
	12	50		12	50
	10	60		10	60
	12	50		12	50
Close Lat Pull Down	15	50		15	50
Abs	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
Lying Leg Raises	20	12.5		20	12.5
	12			12
	10			10
	12			12
Wheel	15			15

General Thoughts - Day 74

I had to go to Southampton to day to meet my client. It was a lovely sunny drive and great temperatures. Doing self-image and motivation work for a living certainly helps me with my goals and keeps me on my toes. To watch him grow and listen to how creative he has become is very inspiring. It also spurs me on to bigger and better things.

We worked on how to make sure your Success Mechanism (which we all have) is working properly and how to use it to get bigger and better clients -  ultimately the idea is to work a lot less and make a lot more money.

He is certainly on the right track and it is happening for him.

Coming back I had to arrange to get my car, which is in having a bit of work done on it. I also arranged 2 new networking meetings and I am quite excited about these. The first one is tomorrow morning in Abingdon.

I also got quite involved in the last part of the big test match at Lords.

I had a good training  session. I put every bit of focus I could into the training and it worked yet again. I even managed to increase the Incline Fly's by 2.5 kgs on the last set of 12 reps. I must admit, however, it did put quite a strain on me when I went on to do the super set and the D/B presses on the Gym Ball. I really struggled to get the last few reps out.

 

This is where a training partner is a big help. The partner is not there to lift the weights, but to give you a little extra lift when you feel you are at a point of failure. This way you can squeeze out an extra rep or two, and that makes a huge difference. They can also be a big source of inspiration and motivation when you are training. You must not, however, fall into the trap of using a spotter if they have to be involved from the 3rd or 4th rep. In this case, you are going too heavy too early.  I have seen this many times in gyms, with youngsters who want to brag how strong they are and how much they can lift. It ends up that both the youngster and his spotter are having an almighty workout trying to lift the weights and they think this is good training.

I did well on the bike and put in 17 minutes.

As my 4 year old granddaughter has said - Granddad you look like you have been in the rain.

Nutrition - Day 74

Today has been a bad day for me. I did not plan very well. I left for Southampton before having anything to eat - which is an absolute no no. I bought a chicken sandwich at about 11am in the morning. Not good. This should have been my 2nd meal. I got back and got involved and only ate a bit of fruit. I then had a protein drink. Around 4 pm I had a piece of chicken with nothing else. I then had a bit of cottage pie. I am surprised I had energy to train. My last meal will be a protein drink before going to bed.

Did great on water 2 lts.

Training Arms & Chest Schedule - Day 74

Day 74	Goal			Actual
Chest	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
D/B Incline Fly’s	20	12.5		20	12.5
	12	15		12	15
	10	17.5		10	17.5
	12	15		12	17.5
D/B Bench Press	15	20		15	20
Triceps	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
Overhead Ext.	20	20		20	20
	12	25		12	25
	10	30		10	30
	12	25		12	25
Push Downs	15	25		15	25
Biceps	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
Z/B Curls	21	25		21	25
	12	35		12	35
	10	40		10	40
	12	30		12	30
D/B Preacher Curls	15	10		15	10

General Thoughts - Day 73

I spent most of the day in London. I met with a client who certainly is well connected in this world. I am really privileged to be working with her. What is so fantastic is the fact that both her feet are still on the ground. I do believe I am helping her in a small way but she certainly is helping me. To be that well known and still be humble is something we can all learn from.

It has made me want to make much more of myself. To train as though I mean it and to look further than just current results. I know, believe, and teach that we have to live in the now - but we have to have something to aim for. If we do not, we will be going nowhere. It is like setting off on a trip without a destination. You have to know where you are going (even though you have to take care of what you are doing right now).

Having a target when getting your body in shape is of paramount importance. Set small goals and as you approach them, set new ones. We have to keep moving forward. Think of a tree. If it stops growing it dies. I believe we are the same.

Training Legs - Day 73

I did not change a thing on the goal schedule. I did it as it came. I must admit it was a bit of a struggle. For some reason I felt quite drained even before I trained.

I did it and that is what counts. I did however fall down with the Bike and decided I would give the bike a miss tonight.

The thigh muscles are the biggest muscles we have, and they take a great deal of energy to train them properly. I can remember my mate Vince Lambourn, who won Mr Zimbabwe, used to have a nap after training his legs. He did, however, lift most of the available weights in the Gym and everybody else who was around.

I would train legs in the evening only and not in the morning because of this. That is a personal choice though and I am sure there are lots of experts with lots of theories.

I think, with training, you have to work out what you believe works for you, and use others methods as guides.