Week 3 back day done

Week #3's back day wrapped yesterday with gains across the board. I even threw in some extra abs (weighted decline situps and kneeling cable crunches) for good measure. Also did some bent-over rows with 100lb dumbells. Not too shabby, considering that's a personal best for me too - and after the actual "back day" exercises to boot.

Going to the gym these days, it just seems that the gains keep piling on, my strength keeps going up and my lean mass keeps increasing. I can't argue with that, not at all!

What's important here is the simplicity of what I'm doing. It's several sets of exercises per major muscle group, repping to failure on each set within 8-12 repetitions. It's simple and very effective. There's nothing obscure or hidden in what I do, no black magic or weird science.


You eat, lift, eat, rest and repeat. Well, 3-4 good-sized meals of good low-carb food per day but still. It's not rocket science. It's really just common sense if you think about it a bit and deprogram yourself from all of the consumerist crap you've been force-fed since you were a kid. No processed, preservative-laden food. No complex sugars (glucose-fructose especially). Lots of protein, healthy fats, healthy grains and vegetables. Some low-carbers dodge some dairy due to the observed insulemic response of milk. I don't and I don't seem to be suffering for not doing so. Your mileage may vary.

I don't religiously "low carb". I'm a self-described "lower carb" guy. I enjoy whole grain buns for my submarine sandwich bread. I toast whole-wheat brown bread for my fave after-workout snack - brown toast with all-natural peanut butter. I drink 1% milk with my whey protein isolate shake mix.

It boils down to doing what works for you. There's always some experimentation when getting yourself onto a new routine. The basic guidelines are laid out to work for just about everyone, and by and large they will work for just about everyone. Sometimes you need to fiddle a bit - but it's important to stick to the basic tenets of what is being proscribed to you if you want to accomplish things in the same vein as others who have gone down this road before you.

Mark has put in a LOT of time and effort to make sure that what he tells us to do will work. I have to say, with each and every workout, I'm reminded of the pile of work and raw knowledge Mark has given  to us - for free. Thanks Mark, and I don't think I'll ever stop thanking you.

All the best for a great Sunday. Lift smart folks!