Alwyn Cosgrove's blog

Alwyn Cosgrove's blog: "Fat burning 101
How do we actually lose fat? What do we mean by fat 'burning'?
Here's a very simple, (dumbed down) explanation of what actually goes on to create a fat loss effect."

Read on....

Alwyn Cosgrove's blog

Alwyn Cosgrove's blog: "Methods are many, Principles are Few,
Methods may change, Principles never do"

Long time no post!

It had been a long time since I posted here. I was quite busy the past few months with work. Would resume my logs shortly.

Notes Oct7 to Oct20

Diet:
Currently maitaining 5 to 6 meals a day. Not to strict with micronutrient partitioning, just avoiding junk food, softdrinks, too much fat. Probably getting more than 140g of protein.

Supplementation:
Surge for post workout drink + 3-5gms of creatine
Biotest BCAA 3 a day in between meals on non-training days, 5 on training days 1 each before and after workout
GNC fish oil, 1 after each meal
GNC mega men sport multivitamins, 2 tablets per day
Biotest Metabolic Drive in the morning and before sleeping.
Spike 15 minutes before training
Not getting enough water, need to work on that

Recovery:
about 6 to 7.5 hrs of sleep

Current status:
No pains or aches so far. No signs of fatigue or depression to indicate overtraining. No trouble falling asleep. Seem to be getting enough rest both for work and training. Could probably add another training day (low intensity cardio perharps of focus on explosive movements). have not weight myself yet or obtained body fat% reading.

October 20, 2007

October 20, 2007

bench press 2 inch off chest
-worked up to 175lbs, failed at 185lbs for two attempts

Press downs
6x6x100lbs

Dips
3x5

Cable shrugs
5x10
-150 lbs for first set, 170 lbs for second set, 180 x3 sets, used Free Motion cable machine

Cuban press (inclined)
3x10x10lbs

Tabatha style bike

October 18, 2007

October 18, 2007

Lock-out deadlifts
-worked up to 455lbs, used belt and straps, the power cage's holes set the bar mid knee level, ensured proper form. Tried to ad 10lbs more, bar didn't move

Pull throughs
5x6x120lbs

Lat pulldowns (butterfly grip)
3x10x100lbs

EZ bar curls
3x12x40lbs (don't know how heavy the EZ curl bar is)

Preacher curls (DB)
3x12x15lbs

HIIT 2:1 for 5 rounds
-used recumbent bike

Note: slight uneasiness on left knee, but was gone after a hot bath

October 14, 2007

HIIT 2:1 for 10 rounds, using row machine

October 16, 2007

October 16, 2007

Decline DB press
4x15x40lbs
-2 rep short in last set

Flat close grip benchpress
3x8x95lbs

Low pulley rows
5x8x100lbs

Cable crossovers
3x12x15lbs? (did reverse)

Tabatha style bike
2mins warmup, 5rds 20:10 sec, 5 min active rest, 5rds 20:10 secs

October 12, 2007

October 12, 2007

Lockouts
-worked up to 3RM (245lbs), used power cage

Crossface extensions
6x6x20lbs

Dumbell Shrugs
5x10x80lbs each arm

External rotation
3x12x15lbs

cable flyes
3x10x45lbs?

Tabatha style bike

October 10, 2007

October 10, 2007

squats
-worked up to 1 RM, maxed at 325lbs

Good Mornings
5x6x185lbs

Lat pulldowns (wide, pronated)
3x10x100lbs
-after last set, de-loaded to 50lbs and made 12 reps more

EZ bar curls
3x6x60lbs

Incline DB curls
3x12x15lbs

HIIT 2:1 ratio for 5 rounds
-used recumbent bike

October 9, 2007

October 9, 2007

Incline DB press
4x15x35lbs
-failed on 4th set

French Press
3x8x55lbs

Tricep pressdowns (using ropes)
3x10x100lbs
-added by me :)

Hammer rows
5x8x100lbs
-used hammer strength machine

Front raises
3x12x30lbs
-used static barbell

Flat bnech flyes
3x12x20lbs

Tabatha style bike
-did 2mins warmup, then 5 rounds of 20sec max and 10 sec active rest. Did 2 min active rest then another 5 rounds. the rest should have been 5 minutes.

October 7, 2007

Goals for this next two months

Reduce bodyfat by 5%

Maintain strength

Maintain muscle mass

Don’t over train

Low start deadlift

-worked my way upto 345lbs (156.5kgs), the plates at California Family Fitness are not rubber coated so if I use them as platform they would slip, I used the aerobic step nearby and set it at its lowest which is around 4 inches high. The aerobic step + the 45lb plates (they were about an inch lower than what I use in fitness first (25kg plates)). When I setup for the lift I was surprised on how low it was, it was like using 20kgs plates.

Romanian deadlift

5x6x225lbs (102.2kgs)

-used straps, no problem

Lat pulldown (narrow suppinated grip)

3x12x100lbs (after last set, dropped weight to 50lbs and did 12 more reps)

-no problem

Straight bar curls (used static barbell)

3x6x50lbs

-would have used 60lbs but was still feeling the burn from the suppinated lat pulldown (I should probably have done wide overhand grip to avoid too much biceps involvement)

Alternate dumbbell curls

3x12x15lbs

-kept it light since this is just the first week

HIIT 2:1 (active rest: max effort)

5 rounds of 2:1 on cycling machine

Note: was a good workout but seem to miss the kick of pre-workout BCAA, Creatine, and coffee.

Max Day Squats September 30, 2007 New PR!

Squats

1x130kgs raw (no belt) new PR

Stiff legged deads

3x8x90kgs

Cable shrugs

Lat pull down

High incline dumbbell press

Leg raises and then scissor the legs for 1 count

3 sets of 15 counts

Max Day Bench September 29, 207

Did volume work today.

Supersets

-flat bench press

-dumbell flyes

Standing lat pulldown

Bent over dumbbell row

Standing scoop flyes?

September 26, 2007 [speed day] squats and deadlift

September 26, 2007 [speed day] squats and deadlift

Sets x reps x weight (change from past week, assuming same movement) (rest between sets)

Low box squats (5)

8x2x77.5kgs [+7.5kgs ~10%]

-nice speed, focused on keeping chest out and avoiding drifting/leaning forward too much

Speed deads wide grip (5)

10x1x100kgs

-no problem

Pullover (5)

3x10x45lbs

-no problem

Dumbbell press (6)

3x8x45lbs

-no problem

Sited good mornings (6)

3x8x70kgs

-no problem, somebody was using the squat rack after I did the speed deads, so I finished the pullovers and press first

Volume abs (6)

3x12x27.5kgs cable crunch

Note: no major problem encountered.

September 25, 2007 [speed day] bench

September 25, 2007 [speed day] bench

Sets x reps x weight (change from past week, assuming same movement) (rest between sets)

Flat dumbbell press (7)

4x10x50lbs

-no problem, last set was really forced but got through with it.

Close grip bench press (5)

8x4x50kgs

-no problem

Bench dips (5)

3x25

-no problem, triceps fried after this

Bentover rows (6)

5x8x65kgs

-no problem, tried 70kgs but form was not good so I decided to reduce it to 65kgs

Upright rows (5)

3x10x50lbs (used static barbell)

-no problem

hammer curls (4)

3x10x25lbs

-no problem, did the reps simultaneously on both arms, should’ve done it alternate.

Note:

Max Day squats September 23, 2007

Worked up our way to 120kgs without belt.  Did doubles for 3-4 sets.  Can't remember :p  all I can remember was on the last set I did a triple.  Felt good throughout the exercise, had enough rest prior to training.  Had good depth and speed.

 

Assistance:

partial good mornings (80kgs) narrow stance

high inclined dumbell press (40lbs) focus was on the shoulders and traps

chinups

-able to get halfway through, biceps was the weak link

barbell shrugs @ 90kgs?

barbell curls 3x6x60lbs

Max Effort bench September 22, 2007

Failed in the PR attempts today @ 87.5 kgs.  We were aiming for 92.5kgs but got stuck at 87.5.  Root caused problem to improper setup.  For the past few weeks I've been trying to use a wider leg position.  It seems that my body structure can accomodate that technique.  My arch height was lower, minimal leg drive coming out of the hole, lack of stability since the weight shifts to my shoulder blades instead of the traps.  For the volume work I reverted back to my old leg stance.  Leg separation at the knees are just slightly wider than my shoulders.  The arch was higher and whole torso was stable, and the weight upon rack off was on the traps. Got though the volume work with no problems.

 

Assistance:

shifted to volume work

bench 5x5x70kgs

floor press 5x6x55lbs

wide grip cable rows

standing cable crossovers, elbows bent and maintain elbow angle throughout movement

lying triceps cross face extension

September 19, 2007 [speed day] bench

September 20, 2007 [speed day] bench

Sets x reps x weight (change from past week, assuming same movement) (rest between sets)

Speed bench 45kgs 9 sets

2 close

3 reg

3 wide

-no problem

Close grip bench 60kgs

5reps 6 sets

-no problem

French press

3x8x22.5kgs

-no problem

Supported rows

5x8repsx50lbs

-no problem, I could use hammer strength equipment for this

Bent over raises

3x10x20lbs

-no problem

Front raises

3x10xoly bar

-no problem, but was quite tired by this time

Reverse curls

3x8x22.5kgs

-no problem

Note:

September 20, 2007 [speed day] squats and deadlift

September 20, 2007 [speed day] squats and deadlift

Sets x reps x weight (change from past week, assuming same movement) (rest between sets)

Low box squats (5)

8x2x70kgs

-nice speed, focused on keeping chest out and avoiding drifting/leaning forward too much

Speed deads wide grip (5)

10x1x90kgs

-no problem

Sited gud mornings (6)

3x8x70kgs

-no problem

Pullover (5)

3x10x45lbs

-no problem

Dumbbell press (6)

3x8x45lbs

-my dumbbells suck!

Volume abs (6)

20 crunches

20 leg raises

15 squirms

Do for 3 rounds

Note: no major problem encountered.