So, I was at the gym last week with my latest MuscleHack inductee. As we were there, a LOT of my "gym buddies" showed up. I do enjoy working out around people I know because those little 1-2 minute convos really add something to your rests between sets!
However, it also beggared the thought that "maybe my training needs have reached a new level?"
I say this because I may have inadvertently started that particular ball rolling when I did my THT 4.0 HIT Experiment last year. However, I've turned up the magnification on my workouts now and I'm going day-by-day and tweaking / adjusting my workout as needed (at least as dictated by my brain).
Something to note here is the fact that after a couple of weeks of literally feeling "less" than my usual self, being on a 3 days of "normal" THT 4.0 3-day Volume and 3 days of "heavy" or "lighter" 3-day Volume seems to be the right stack for me.
Also, being on my protein again seems to be a bonus. I've also stuck fairly regular with a no-sugar pre-workout that seems to give me that extra "boost" needed to smash my heaviest sets at the beginning and still have enough energy left at the end for my finishing sets.
As always, the only way to get what you want is to go UPWARD and ONWARD. I capitalise both of those words for the sheer fact that they're the truth. Anything less than your best simply won't do. Over time, you'll have to adjust what your "best" means for you. If you keep giving your best, you'll get your best possible results.
Lift hard and train smart, my friends!
Adam
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Thoughts on accelerating my training.
As I've mentioned to Mark and the gang over at the MuscleHack FB page, I've discovered that since I've returned to "normal" THT training after a 10-week stint doing an accelerated THT 4.0 HIT Experiment I find that my current training "lacks" a bit of intensity.
Now, allow me to clarify that last statement: I'm training my ass off, doing the THT 4.0 Volume 3-day split as proscribed in the training guide by Mark. It's an awesome split and I'm making my gains. Indeed, I find that as I try to grind out "extra" work to regain that lost feeling of "intensity", it really kicks my ass. So, I've decided to throw together extra training days on the opposite end of the week.
Also, over the weekend, it was mentioned to me that I should consider entering an amateur natural bodybuilding competition. I'm not too sure about this, but that's likely my innate sense of shyness coming up again. At the very least, I'm going to crank my workout intensity / frequency back up to the point where I don't have an extended lull between days in the gym (as the current cycle feels just that way to me) and I'll lift as though it's all I have left in this life. It seems that my POP for a Volume cycle week is far faster than it was before. I guess that's what literally years of MuscleHack training does for you. :)
Also, uploading a couple of new pics from Sunday. I feel great lately - really great. Lifting is even more enjoyable than usual and I'm finding that I'm back to my old ways of massive progress at times.
But, enough of that - on to the pictures!
I've never felt bigger - and I'm fairly certain I've never been bigger in my entire life.
Tonight I'm just going up to do traps and some lower back work. Tomorrow is a standard THT 3-day Volume Wednesday, so chest / biceps / abs. This is a far more "frantic" pace than I had original envisioned, but it seems to be a decent compromise that suits my POP and gives me more per week than a standard MuscleHack THT 4.0 Volume workout would. I'm stoked. :)
Carry on, MuscleHackers! Lift hard and train smart!
Adam
Now, allow me to clarify that last statement: I'm training my ass off, doing the THT 4.0 Volume 3-day split as proscribed in the training guide by Mark. It's an awesome split and I'm making my gains. Indeed, I find that as I try to grind out "extra" work to regain that lost feeling of "intensity", it really kicks my ass. So, I've decided to throw together extra training days on the opposite end of the week.
Also, over the weekend, it was mentioned to me that I should consider entering an amateur natural bodybuilding competition. I'm not too sure about this, but that's likely my innate sense of shyness coming up again. At the very least, I'm going to crank my workout intensity / frequency back up to the point where I don't have an extended lull between days in the gym (as the current cycle feels just that way to me) and I'll lift as though it's all I have left in this life. It seems that my POP for a Volume cycle week is far faster than it was before. I guess that's what literally years of MuscleHack training does for you. :)
Also, uploading a couple of new pics from Sunday. I feel great lately - really great. Lifting is even more enjoyable than usual and I'm finding that I'm back to my old ways of massive progress at times.
But, enough of that - on to the pictures!
I've never felt bigger - and I'm fairly certain I've never been bigger in my entire life.
Tonight I'm just going up to do traps and some lower back work. Tomorrow is a standard THT 3-day Volume Wednesday, so chest / biceps / abs. This is a far more "frantic" pace than I had original envisioned, but it seems to be a decent compromise that suits my POP and gives me more per week than a standard MuscleHack THT 4.0 Volume workout would. I'm stoked. :)
Carry on, MuscleHackers! Lift hard and train smart!
Adam
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
A new year, new goals and new progress!
I have to admit that when I realized I was stepping back into the "normal" MuscleHack THT 4.0 workouts, I was feeling like I was downshifting a bit. However, we all know that if you're performing a MuscleHack workout correctly you'll have an interesting time leaving the gym afterward!
So, with my now-customary resolve I decided to hit the ground running. I have to say that this was honestly one of the hardest "shifts" I've done between cycles. For a good two weeks, I found myself having to fight with my weights for each exercise. The transition was actually making me a little crazy because between weeks 1 and 2 I'd be way up in some areas and then significantly down again on the same exercises in others. However, week 3 seems to have levelled out some and I'm making my progress again.
Here's a shot from this AM, long before I could be considered "awake". No pump, just my thankfully-usual shredded and lean physique. MuscleHacking gets you there - and keeps you there!
Have a great day all! Train hard and lift smart!
Adam
So, with my now-customary resolve I decided to hit the ground running. I have to say that this was honestly one of the hardest "shifts" I've done between cycles. For a good two weeks, I found myself having to fight with my weights for each exercise. The transition was actually making me a little crazy because between weeks 1 and 2 I'd be way up in some areas and then significantly down again on the same exercises in others. However, week 3 seems to have levelled out some and I'm making my progress again.
Here's a shot from this AM, long before I could be considered "awake". No pump, just my thankfully-usual shredded and lean physique. MuscleHacking gets you there - and keeps you there!
Have a great day all! Train hard and lift smart!
Adam
Monday, December 19, 2011
THT 4.0 Volume 3-day split, week #1
What can I say? I went back to a MuscleHack Volume workout after my 10 weeks of THT HIT experimentation. I'm not regretting the flip. Indeed, it's kicking my ass already! Legs and shoulders (but not traps - whoops!) are tonight after work. My expectation? Lots of work and lots of PAIN in 2 days from now. Can't wait to hit it hard this week with Christmas coming soon!
Remember, MuscleHackers... Christmas isn't a time to deny yourself a little enjoyment with family and friends so long as you don't go overboard and you don't let indulging / over-indulging become the new "you". Be smart, eat what seems fair and feel free to "punish" yourself when you're back in the gym with a little extra work if you want.
We all want to be in the best shape that we can be in, ultimately. We want to look good, feel good and be healthy. However, that doesn't mean you need to drink only water and eat lettuce all through the holiday season. Enjoy your holidays and don't lose sight of the fact that fitness isn't a destination - it's a lifestyle choice. You can "splurge" once in a while and be in great shape year-round.
All the best, MuscleHackers! Lift hard and train smart!
Adam
Remember, MuscleHackers... Christmas isn't a time to deny yourself a little enjoyment with family and friends so long as you don't go overboard and you don't let indulging / over-indulging become the new "you". Be smart, eat what seems fair and feel free to "punish" yourself when you're back in the gym with a little extra work if you want.
We all want to be in the best shape that we can be in, ultimately. We want to look good, feel good and be healthy. However, that doesn't mean you need to drink only water and eat lettuce all through the holiday season. Enjoy your holidays and don't lose sight of the fact that fitness isn't a destination - it's a lifestyle choice. You can "splurge" once in a while and be in great shape year-round.
All the best, MuscleHackers! Lift hard and train smart!
Adam
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Week #10 thoughts and post-Experiment thoughts
The article is now up on MuscleHacker.com. So happy to be done with the writing side of the project! I do like to write on occasion, but this was quite the 10-week set of exposition for me. It's a break from the ordinary though, so I should be happy about that.
These pics are just after week #10, as of Dec 15th. On the other hand, I'm not really pumped in them so it's a bit of both sides of the coin.
Things I've noticed from the above pics: My abs are really starting to take off - this makes me unbelievably happy. My arms are developing nicely, my chest is building at a wicked pace. I'm sticking around 10% BF - always a good thing when you're telling everyone that you're a MuscleHacker. ;) Oh, and my traps are really coming along - so are my legs. I don't think I have a part of me that isn't coming along. I bet you can guess how that makes me feel. ;)
Lift hard and train smart, MuscleHackers!
Adam
These pics are just after week #10, as of Dec 15th. On the other hand, I'm not really pumped in them so it's a bit of both sides of the coin.
Things I've noticed from the above pics: My abs are really starting to take off - this makes me unbelievably happy. My arms are developing nicely, my chest is building at a wicked pace. I'm sticking around 10% BF - always a good thing when you're telling everyone that you're a MuscleHacker. ;) Oh, and my traps are really coming along - so are my legs. I don't think I have a part of me that isn't coming along. I bet you can guess how that makes me feel. ;)
Lift hard and train smart, MuscleHackers!
Adam
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