# Evolution



## Soul of Sol (Dec 23, 2006)

age:36
weight: 175
height: 6'1

Summary: I have lost about 20lbs in the last 4 months due to illness, stress and poor nutrition. Man...stress is a KILLER. I dropped from 185 to a little less than 165lbs with massive a loss of strength and endurance.I am an ecto-mesomorph with the metabolism of a mongoose. This is my first journal.

 Goals:  I wish to regain my strength and realize my genetic potential.
 weight: 195lbs <depends on what is healthy and functional strength>
 bench: 315 <never ever broke 265>
 Deadlift: 500lbs
 Squat: 450 <or so, I go below parallel so this may take a while to achieve>



1st month: Fitness
 Moved in with my folks so I can concentrate on fitness and certification studies. Immediately got food poisoning, then the flu back to back. Ugh. Eating like a refuge now, have gained around 15 lbs in 1 month. 
Worked on basic fitness exercises for the first 2 weeks: push-ups, overhand and underhand pull-ups, crunches, sissy squats. 35-45 seconds rest between sets. BW exercises are a great way to improve base fitness, seeing immediately results.
 Weeks 2-4:
Back into the gym. Ahh, home. I love the sights, sounds and smells of the gym. I hit the zone and got to work. Fitness phase, trying to stick to the 8-12 rep range for muscular endurance.

Leg Day

  10 min bike ride warm-up
  Power Cleans: 3 x 115 = 10, 8, 6
  Squats: 1 x 135 =10
              2 x 185 = 5
Max = 225 ATG

   Leg Press: 3 x 225 = 10
   hack Squats: 3 x 135 = 10

   SL Deadlifts: 3 x 135 =10
   Hamtractor: 1 x 75 = 10
                    1 x 135 = 10
                    1 x 150 = 10


 Arg! I was squatting 315 x 4 = 6 in August..around 405 parallel max. These numbers make me wanna sob in the corner. But at the same time, it's my motivation to get better. NO ONE, I mean NO ONE in the gym does leg work except for the ladies. Hmm..


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## Soul of Sol (Dec 23, 2006)

Back Day: max this week to see where I start from 8/06 max = 435

 2 mile bike ride wrm-up:

  Deadlifts: 1 x 135 = 10
                1 x 205 = 10
                1 x 225 = 10

  Max= 315 twice   I LOVE DLs, my favorite exercise along with Power Cleans. For a twig boy, I can pull pretty good.


   Lat Pull downs: 1 x 100= 10
                        3 x 140= 10,9

   T-Bar rows: 3 x 35 = 10

   Tricep Cable pushdowns: 2 x 40 = 10
                                  2 x 60 = 10, 7

    Seated Tricep DB Press: 3 x 40 = 10

 Crunches: 4 sets to failure


 Still in my fitness phase. Very happy with my deadlift max, pretty good for being out for 4 months. Trying to keep my rest periods around 45-60 secs. Amazing what you can get done in one hour. During this period, 3 guys just did bench press and talked. I can never talk in the gym, I'm either under a load or trying to catch my breath.


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## Soul of Sol (Dec 23, 2006)

Chest: 8/06 max= dunno, I did 235 x 5

 Superman has Kryptonite. James Bond has women. Everyone has a weakness and chest is mine. I can pull like a demon but chest has been my nemesis since high school. I hate it. fuck

 Flat Bench: 
        2 x 135 = 10
        1 x 155 = 10
        1 x 185 = 10

Max= 185  strangely enough, I felt I could have done more, but got stuck halfway up. Not warmed up enough, another weak of fitness needed?

   Incline bench Press: ok..I DO like inclline presses
               115 x 3 = 10
               135 x 2 = 10

   Hammer Str Deated Press <decline?>:
               145 x 3= 10

   This movement feels like it targets the same area that the regular decline press does. Maybe one of you guys can gimme some feedback on it.

 DB Bench Press:
             3x40=10


 Bis: 
 Seated DB Curls: 3 x 30 = 10

 Preacher Barbell: 3 x 55 = 10

 Standing EZ curl Wide: 3 x 55= 10


 Push up/Crunches superset= 4 to failure.


 Still eating as much as I can. Fast food once a week, rest of the time raiding the fridge. I have become addicted to oatmeal.


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## Soul of Sol (Dec 23, 2006)

Shoulders, Calves, Abs

 Power Clean:
  115 x 2 = 10
  135 x 1 = 6

 Military barbell:
  2 x 95 = 10

 This rack is crap! the gym has a rack where you reach slightly behind you to unrack the weight, super uncomfortable. After 2 sets I gave up. I will never use that rack again, it's a prescription for disaster.

 Upright Rows:
  1 x 60 = 10
  3 x 70 = 11, 10, 10

 Hammer Str Seated Shrugs:
  2 x 225 = 8
  2 x 205 = 10

 Calves:

 Seated Toe Raise: 
  95 x 10 = 1
  135 x 10 = 3

  Toe Raises Leg Press machine:
      225 x 10 = 4

 I need to hit the calves differently. Lower the weight and crank out more reps, methinks.


 Crunches 4 sets to failure


 I was sort of beat this workout. Been hitting it hard for the last 3 weeks with only maybe 4 days rest. tomorrow is Christmas Eve, so I will take the next 2 days off..eat and rest. And read. I will make week 4 a superset week, just to build up more endurance. I may extend the fitness phase another week, depending on how I fill next week. I need to learn more exercises so I can switch up from work out to work out. 24 Hour Fitness has a really limited amount of equipment, so I need to learn alternatives with dumbells and such.


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## Soul of Sol (Dec 27, 2006)

Fitness Week 4

 Legs

 Squats: Bar warm-up
             1 x 115 = 10

Superset Squat/ Leg Press: 
            Squat 135 x 10 + LP 225 x 10 = 3

Hack Squats: 10 x 135 = 3

Leg Extensions: 10 x 110 = 3


 SL Deadlifts:
       135 x 10 = 3

 Leg Curls:
        90 x 10 = 3


 Stretching before and after
 Crunches/Bicycles to failure


 The hardest part about getting back into working out is staying OUT of the gym. At least for me. I want to go everyday, twice a day. But I know better . Baby steps, baby steps. Eating everything in sight, trying to eat every two hours. If not I try to down a Muscle Milk with a PBJ. Ghetto snacks to the rescue. I am felling really good, can't wait to start my power cycle next week. Though...I may delay it another week since I know I will get hammered on New Year's Eve.


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## Soul of Sol (Dec 27, 2006)

New goal: I will  run a 4.4 40 yard dash.


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## Soul of Sol (Dec 28, 2006)

Chest Day

 warm-up : 2 x 135 = 10
                1 x 155 = 10


 supersets:
  Seated HammerStrength Press@ 155lbs + 40lb DB Bench press:
                  3 x 10

 Incline:
       3 x 115: 10


 Flat DB Flys:

        3 x 30 = 10


 Bis

     Seated DB Curls: 3 x 30 = 10

     Preacher w/ EZ bar: 3 x 95 = 10


 Seated Calf Raise:

     3 x 2 plates = 10 10 12

  Leg Press toe Raise :  2 x 225= 10


Crunches 4 sets to failure.

45- 60 sec RI, trying to keep it to 45 secs.



 It's Wednesday night and I have not slept since Monday night. I was exhausted, but still happy I got my workout done. My left shoulder is hurting like hell, I believe I need to get a deep tissue massage. Never had shoulder problems before I turned 35..well except for the dislocation playing football. And getting hit by a car while riding my bike.

Next week my power cycle begins. Excited!!


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## Soul of Sol (Jan 3, 2007)

Took 4 days off. Spent time with the family. It was great. Now I am starting my power cycle. I am using the Power/Rep/Shock Technique. Very ancient and powerful style.


 my last Fitness week Back Workout 12/29/06:

             Deadlifts: 
                         2 x 135 = 10
                         2 x 205 = 10
                         1 x 225 = 10


             Chin-ups Overhand Bodyweight:
                         2 x 10, 6


              Pulldowns:
                         2 x 120 = 10



              Seated Cable rows:


                        1 x 90 = 10
                        2 x 120 = 10


              Tris: 

               Cable Pushdowns
                        3 x 65 = 10

              Skullcrushers:
                        3 x 65 = 10



 It was a so so workout. I kept the rest periods short 45 secs or so, i minute between exercises. It wore me out  The gym was empty, i loved it.


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## Soul of Sol (Jan 4, 2007)

Week 5 Power Week

 Legs: 
    Squats: 2 x 4, 6= 225
               1 x 4 =  245

 Two weeks ago my max was 225. Wootage! Funny thing, I thought I had put 235 on, but really had put 245 on. It didn't hit me until I was walking out the gym. And I felt I could have done more.

    Leg Press:
                1 x 315= 6
                3 x 405 = 4, 5, 6

    Single Leg Extensions:
                2 x 4 -6 = 50

    SDLs:
           1 x 205 = 6
            2 x 225 = 6


    Lying Leg Curls : 

                  3 x 115 = 5, 5, 6


Crunches = 3 x failure around 30 or so

                Crunches on the ball = 3 x 10 I must be doing something wrong  


 Man was I sweating! It felt great to do some power work. More More More!!!!


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## DOMS (Jan 4, 2007)

Congratulations on the improvements with your Squats.  

Right now I'm just 10 pounds behind you...


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## Soul of Sol (Jan 8, 2007)

DOMS said:


> Congratulations on the improvements with your Squats.
> 
> Right now I'm just 10 pounds behind you...



Thanks, bro, I appreciate it.


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## Soul of Sol (Jan 8, 2007)

Week 5 Power:

 Chest:

  Bench: 175= 5   185= 4   190= 3
  Incline: 135 = 6    155= 4  x 2
  Dips:  2 x 6,  4

Hard to do dips during this Power cycle. Previous Bench max 2 weeks ago was 185. I have to keep asking people for a spot on this routine...ah well.

Tris :

    Close Grip Bench Press: 95lbs 2 x 4
    Skull Crush: 65lbs 2 x 4, 6

    Seated DB Tri-Press: 1 x 50 = 4
                                 1 x 45 = 8



All in all, a good workout. I sorely need a partner during this phase of working out, as I keep asking folks around the gym for a spot. I really enjoy going for power. Now my main problem is getting enough to eat. I am finding it muy difficil.


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## Soul of Sol (Jun 4, 2007)

Tis been many a moon. New city, new job at Equinox Fitness.

Height: 6'1
Weight: 185

 *Using ExRx.net: Predicting One-rep Max
Bench:225
Squat:366*
Deadlift: 420
Power Clean: 202*

 Bodyweight has increased by 15lbs. BF has gone from 20% in January to 9.6% as of 5/30/07

 Lord, I hate benching.

 Flexibilty is still an issue, but I am workign hard on it. Writing a new program for the summer, loosely following the P/RR/S system. Nutrition is a huge factor, I can't get enough quality food to eat. Working on creating an affordable meal plan for myself.


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