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New Workout of the Week & Exercise of the Week!

Hi friends, relatives, and partners in crime. This is a news update to inform you that we have a new WoW, and a new Eow (Workout of the Week and Exercise of the Week! These are actually last week’s entries so look out for yet another two in the following days. They took a bit longer because the WoW has a REALTIME video just like the 12 Minute HIIT so there were a few extra days of production.

The Workout of the Week is a dandy of a workout that will make you say nasty things about me. That’s OK. I can take it. You’ll feel better afterward and will end up thanking me. Or not. Who cares? The certain thing is that it will definitely give you a great challenge and do its job of confusing your muscles, killing workout boredom, and burn your unwanted fat while building you some muscle!


Workout of the Week: The 10in30 Supernovem!
An insane circuit of 9 back to back, full body exercises that you perform in a pyramid of reps starting with just 1 rep of each. Try to get through the whole workout, only resting at the end of each set!


Exercise of the Week: Swinging Leg Lifts!
You may have heard me rave about how hanging leg lifts are one of the best ab exercises. Well these are a variation of them which allows you to do more, thus burning more fat. See the video for inspiration!

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How to Make a Power Breakfast Burrito!

1. Start with a fresh green pepper, red pepper, white onion and this salsa.

Green pepper, red pepper, onion

2. We’ll use low sodium turkey breast, 3 eggs per burrito, and refried beans.

3. Pam instead of oil. Spray an unheated pan for one second, then heat it up under medium heat.

4. While the pan is heating up, chop up the vegetable triad nice and chunky. Test the pan by sprinkling some water on it with your fingers. If it sizzles, it’s ready. Toss the vegetables in.

5. Raise the heat a bit and let them cook for around 3 minutes, then toss in the chopped turkey. Toss it around so it’s all mixed up. Let it cook around 3 minutes.

6. Scramble the eggs in a bowl, give your pan another one second spray, and pour the eggs in. Lower the heat back to medium and stir often.

7. Heat up another large, flat pan and when it’s ready (use the sprinkle test) place your large tortilla in it. Check it after one minute to make sure it’s not getting toasty. It should be warm, but soft so that it doesn’t crack like a tostada. Flip once.

8. Microwave around this much beans for one minute or use up another pan, but microwaving is easier.

 

9. Make sure the eggs and turkey are cooked well, then it’s ready to be wrapped!

 

10. Place the tortilla on a large plate and spread the warm, soft beans on one half of the tortilla.

 

11. Add your beautiful mixture.

 

12. Add the salsa.

 

13. Fold, tuck, and roll.

You may want to place it on the warm pan again while you prepare the garnishing.

 

14. Finish off your masterpiece with some colorful garnishings!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I grew new muscles!

So, here’s my progress as of August 10, 2012. Video is for me to look back and compare.

Just had me one of thems “BIG OLE CHEST WORKOUTS” you read about in the paper.

It was heavenly and it was demonic at the same time. Got to the gym at 9:30pm, left at 11pm after 10 minutes of light cardio on the very relaxing incline bike while watching the Olympics. Life=good.

I do chest flies a bit differently from how many people do them. Many people don’t have the cut in the middle, nor the middle pec fibers unless they’re pro bodybuilders or trainers, etc. I’m talking about civilians.

Ask me how I do them!

This is my progress post in my forum. Stop by, say Hi, and join us! You can post your own pics for tracking your results!

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Protein comparisons

Gain muscle fast. 10 pounds in 30 days! WHEY Protein

I compare the price per protein of 3 leading sources of protein and tell you which is BEST.

You already know that you need lots of protein so your muscles can repair themselves after grueling workouts. As I have stated in the Gain 10 lbs plan on this site, you’ll need 1.5 – 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. And if your mission is to Lose 10 lbs in 30 days, then you still need lots of protein: 1 gram per pound of bodyweight.

Now, how do you go about doing that? Most of your protein should come from real, whole foods like chicken breast meat, tuna, lean steak, even hamburger (but it has to be the 96% lean type).

 

 

Really, most meats will cut it. What you have to look out for is how much fat they’re putting into your body and how it’s cooked. Obviously, never eat fried foods. I say “never” like I’ve mentioned before on this site. Make “never” your goal, and if you mess up, it’ll be minimal. Give yourself a pass by saying “rarely” and you’ll be eating fries every week!

So where do the other servings of protein come from? That’s where snacks and convenient supplements come in. Whey protein is the most popular form of protein because it is the most convenient. You don’t need to refrigerate it, can easily mix it with water, and you can take it anywhere. There’s also cottage cheese and yogurt which are great and cheaper, but you need a fridge.

So here’s my price-per-gram breakdown of protein sources and my take on their pros and cons.
(all prices taken from bodybuilding.com for the sake of consistency)

First, we have
Muscle Milk by Cytosport.
4.94 lb. $52.99
Serving Size: 2 scoops (70g)
Servings per container: 16

Protein per serving: 32g
1 scoop = 35g total, 16g pro
2.19 protein-to-total scoop ratio

$52.99 / 16 servings = $3.31 per serving or per 32g pro

$3.31 / 32=

$0.10 per g pro

I’ll break it down. Muscle Milk’s serving size is two scoops. You get 32 grams of protein per those two scoops or per 70 grams of product. That means that for 70 grams of Muscle Milk, 32g of it is protein.

That’s a 2.19 protein-to-total scoop ratio, meaning that for every gram of protein, 2.19 grams are something else. (32 x 2.19 = 70) 2 to 1 would mean that half of the total scoop is protein. 1 to 1 would mean that all of it is protein.

Muscle Milk breaks down to 10¢ per gram of protein. Now, of course, you don’t only get protein with Muscle Milk. You get 20 vitamins and minerals and 19g carbs. I don’t know about you but I have a hard time drinking two scoops. Even if I do drink them, I usually feel grossed out afterward. The most I usually do is 1.5 scoops but normally just 1.

If you were to do only one scoop you’d get only 16g protein. Since protein is what you want most of, I don’t think it’s enough protein per scoop. But that’s just my opinion.

 

Next, is
Gold Standard Whey.
Gain muscle fast. 10 pounds in 30 days! WHEY Protein
5 lb $52.99
Serving Size: 1 scoop (31g)
Servings per container: 74

Protein per serving: 24g
1 scoop = 31g total, 24g pro
1.29 protein-to-total scoop ratio

$52.99 / 74 servings = $.72 per serving or  per 24g pro

.72 / 24=

$.03 per g pro

So, we’re down to 3¢ per gram of protein with Gold Standard Whey. And take a look at that ratio. Only .29 difference. For every gram of protein, 1.29 is “other”. You’re consuming 31g of product to get 24g pro.

Now it doesn’t have the vitamins that Muscle Milk has, but I don’t see that as a problem because you’re consuming this for its protein and you should be taking a mulit-vitamin daily so you get greater amounts of each of those and many other vitamins and minerals.

 

 

MYOFUSIONThird, is a very popular protein supplement from Gasapri Nutrition, MYOFUSION.

5 lb $52.9
Serving Size: 1 scoop (36g)
Servings per container: 63

Protein per serving: 25g
1 scoop = 36g total, 25g pro
1.44 protein-to-total scoop ratio

$52.99 / 63 servings = $.84 per serving or  per 25g pro

.84 / 25=

$.03 per g pro (0.033)

Aha! A strong contender to the crowd favorite! Pretty much the same cost as Gold Standard, but the scoop is a little bigger (36g vs 31g).

Despite the fact that you have to consume more product to get the same amount of protein as Gold Standard, the main thing to look at is the cost per gram of protein being virtually the same. You can sort of look at it as Gaspari Nutrition is giving you the extra product besides the protein for free since you are buying this for its protein.

 

Fourth on the list is not a protein shake at all.
Chobani 0% Greek Vanilla Yogurt.
32 oz $5.99 (Target)
Serving size: 8oz (227g)
Servings per container: 4

Protein per serving: 22g
1 serving=227g yogurt, 22g pro
A WHOPPING 10.32 ratio!

$5.99 / 4 servings = $1.50/serving or
per 22g pro.

1.50 / 22=
$0.07 per g pro

Now, of course, you are getting probiotics and other stuff in greek yogurt. But did you see that ratio? 10.32! So for every gram of protein, you have to eat 10.32 times more of other stuff. And let me tell you; I will not eat a whole serving of that anymore. Tried eating 8 oz of yogurt and it was too much to only get 22g protein.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Chobani yogurt and usually eat a small container or around 6 tablespoons every morning. But when you look at that ratio, combined with the cost of more than twice the amount of Gold Standard Whey, I wouldn’t use this as my main source of protein. Not cost effective and not very efficient if that’s all you’re eating between meals.

And I wouldn’t remove Muscle Milk from my shopping list either. I like the taste of it and it seems richer to me. Besides, it’s good to mix your supplements up, if not for nutritional purposes, then for variety.

But my #1 choice, if you haven’t figured it out yet, is Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Whey. I didn’t even mention that it includes 4 grams of glutamine and 5 grams of the ever-important Branched Chain Amino Acids, BCAA’s. So easy to drink since you only need 4-6 oz water to get 24g protein or 36g protein if you’re having a scoop and a half.

I would definitely use the MYOFUSION for variety, though. In fact, that will be my next purchase after I run out of my current GS WHEY. I hear it has a damn good taste, too!

I don’t even bother mixing in bananas, berries or other stuff like people do in those “Bullet” mini blenders. I feel that if you’re serious about your fitness and nutrition, you don’t need your nutritional shakes to taste like desert. C’mon people, we’re not babies. Whip cream on everything? Just drink the damn protein shake; it’s already chocolate flavored, you big ninny! Haha, just busting balls.

But seriously, cut that out! You’re only making it unsustainable to consume enough protein every day if you have to buy fruits, wash them, chop them, blend them, then – – (pause to take a breath) wash all of those blender parts and clean up the mess you made. How long did that take? Now do it again later that day.

In contrast, I make my protein shakes by simply filling my shaker cup with water and adding the whey. Takes around a minute including travel time to the kitchen. Washing the cup is a breeze.

Besides, why would you want to eat so much fruit?! You’re in danger of adding a ton of sugar to your daily calories. Bye bye, abs. But if you’re controlling the amount of fruit you’re eating per day, you can just eat the damn fruit itself alongside your shake without going through the trouble of blending it into Super Delicious Tastes Better Than Your Momma’s Milk Shake. Remember:

CONSISTENCY TRUMPS INTENSITY

 

Be consistent, friends.

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New Page Added

I have added a new Buy Gear page to make it easy to buy whatever you need that’s mentioned here, including supplements. No need to go searching on the internet or travel to a store. I’ve done the leg work so you don’t have to. That is all for now. : )

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Get motivated, do a lot, work that body!

pushups

Great week (again)! Monday, the 29th, I had dropped to just under 170 (169), so I decided to eat more calories and do some of the 10 in 30 workouts again. In case you hadn’t read the previous posts, I had already reached my 10 pounds goal, so I am in my fat cutting mode for a while.

Therefore, I did the straight Back workout from the 10 in 30 manual. Fricken great! Felt amazing afterward. You know you get really great workouts with these, and you can feel them. I had been doing a circuit mix for the purpose of fat cutting so I never felt like my muscle were being pushed to the max and were gaining size. Perhaps maintaining, but not necessarily growing. With this Back workout, I clearly felt my back muscles completely worked out. I also saw my biceps trying to burst out of my arms the following days! Kick, ass.

Tuesday, I did Legs again from the 10 in 30 plan. Equally fantastic. Felt awesome going up the stairs at work.

Wednesday, was my mother’s birthday, and I was kind of underslept, so I rested with no workout.

pushups

She's going real high, real deep!

Thursday, I did 100 deep pushups at the gym using two high steps with my feet on a bench. In between sets I did the full NEW Ab workout. I really love PLANK MADNESS. I know it might look funny thrusting your hips up and down, especially during the straight planks but just try them! Do this after all of the other crunches as you should be doing them in order, and tell me how that feels!

Friday is the greatest day of the week; Shoulder Day! Again, straight from the improved 10 in 30 plan. As I write this, it’s actually Saturday and yesterday was Shoulder Day. Today, I can feel my triceps bulging out and my Bi’s are looking fricken great even when I’m not flexing! Not to mention, my forearm muscles are getting quite cut as well. This is mostly do to a new device I created for training the forearms. I did them a few times during the week while driving home. I feel like I’m strumming a guitar with my outer forearms muscles!

Saturday, (today) I did a light Circuit of Smith squats, standing calves, and leg raises on the pullup bar using the ab sleeves. 3 sets. I followed this by a run with 3 hardcore, leave it all behind, take no prisoners, “fuck! my heart’s about to burst” sprints. Sprints were in addition to around 10 minutes of regular running including downhill running on the balls of my feet (not the feet of my balls). I only sprint on an uphill to maximize the intensity, so I have to return by going downhill, right? See how that works? So, since there is little “resistance” going downhill, I resort to kicking my feet straight up like goose-step-running with only the balls of my feet hitting the ground. This strengthens my calves big-time despite looking ridiculous. I also lean back (toward the top of the slight hill) and rotate my upper body left and right in an exaggerated pump motion. This works out my core and yours too. In between sprints, I either jogged lightly or had to walk briskly but began running as soon as I could.

When you sprint while doing HIIT, be sure to USE YOUR ENTIRE BODY. “But how?” asks Biff, the perpetual questionéer.

  • Pump your arms forcefully up in front of you and lift your elbow high all the way back behind you
  • Tighten the hell out of your abs which you’ll have to do anyway if you’re running uphill as you should
  • Lift your knees up high in front of you to engage your lower abs
  • Land with your heel and rock to the ball of your foot which will launch you with great force (calves, baby)
  • Lift your leg high behind you (hamstrings and buttocks muscles)

Got it, Biff? You’re doing well. (pats Biff on the head)

____ **** ____

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Mon, Oct 25: Arm Blasters!

arnold-bicep-curl-arm-blaster1

I received my Arm Blaster today. Perfect, because I’m planning on doing Curls around 3 times a week (as well as triceps). If you haven’t tried one, it’s worth getting because it isolates the biceps when doing standing curls. You can actually feel the biceps doing all of the work and you can see it as well. It’s not a bad idea to work out in front of a mirror so you can check your form. And, the instant pump you’re getting in your upper arms will encourage you too! Just remember to exhale on the way up, and inhale as the weight comes down. Don’t hold your breath!

I did them like this dude in the pic by using the EZ bar, except I used the close grip instead of the wider like he’s doing. (Arnold rules) A good way to really see your arms expanding is to do Super Sets using the EZ barbell curls with heavy weight (6-8 reps), then immediately grab smaller dumbbells and do another 6-8 while still wearing the Arm Blaster but this time either switch to hammer curls or straight-up curls slightly out to the sides, then finish your super set with seated concentration curls (no blaster for this one). You’d then immediately follow this with a 3-exercise super set of triceps, like rope pushdowns, barbell over head extensions, and face crushers. Remember to use lower weight for each subsequent exercise so you still do 6+ reps. 10-12 is ok too with the 2nd or 3rd sets, but you should keep the first one real heavy.

And, the Blaster is fantastic for Reverse and Forearm curls. Again, the isolation factor plays a big role. You can combine these two exercises in one, btw, just make sure you don’t use too much weight because the forearm muscles are really easy to strain. Mine is actually strained right now. I was doing Forearm curls using THIS Awesome Forearm Curling Device and went too heavy so now I get slight pain every time I use my right forearm for lifting heavier stuff. It’s been two weeks. Must remember to use Tiger Balm ’til the pain goes away.

To develop your forearms, this works really well (it’s what I use):

Gain muscle fast on forearms

Aim for being able to roll it all the way up, then back down in a slow, controlled manner. Your forearms should burn by the time you’re almost done rolling it back down and it should be difficult to finish, especially in the 2nd, or 3rd set. Do 3 sets often. I do them while watching tv on random days.

While driving, I use THESE HAND GRIPS because I tried almost all of them, returned a few, and actually purchased these a second time after the first ones finally broke.
Build massive forearms fast!

I found that these offer the most resistance for regular consumer grips and are ergonomically designed so that you don’t quit because of the pressure or pain in your palm. There are other specialty grips that offer a ton of resistance, but they’re 3X more expensive, which is why I’m going with these.

I do NOT recommend these grips:
Build massive forearms fast! Build massive forearms fast! Build massive forearms fast! Build massive forearms fast!
I’ve tried them all and prefer the Harbinger grips. I used to use the basic ones at the end but they don’t offer enough resistance and the hard plastic will make your hand give out due to pain, before your grip strength does. The first three are adjustable, but pretty-much suck. I tried the first ones at the store, and they are probably great for girls or young kids. Much too weak. Same for the third, Altus grips. The second, seemed promising, so I bought it and realized that the first two resistance bands are useless, as they are too weak. So, I only used the heaviest band which is pretty good, BUT, the design sucks badly. It’s completely NOT ergonomic. The hard plastic of the grip is too pointy and feels like it’s being pressed into your palm making it even more painful than the original basic ones. I returned this one.

Peace out, eat like a horse, and sleep like a baby!

______

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Fri, Oct 22: 2 weeks of cardio

2 weeks of cardio

Today, is the two week mark of doing regular cardio. For the last two months, I hardly did any cardio while I was on the 10 in 30 plan as prescribed. I had done cardio once a week. Now, in the last two weeks, I have done cardio 11 times in 14 days.  I mostly did HIIT in different forms:

  • Constant speed jog, around 20 minutes
  • Constant speed jog, around 20 minutes
  • HIIT on Spinning bike, adjusting the intensity and/or speed every minute for ten minutes
  • Two sets of the high jumps and heavy-bag kick boxing, around 10 minutes
  • Step Mill on Fat Burner Plus setting for 12 minutes
  • Outdoor running including 3 all out ‘run-like-a-zombie-is-chasing-you’ sprints followed by a few ‘so-you-can-actually-breath-again-and-not-drop-dead’ walks
  • A run followed by a sprint followed by step ups during my ‘park workout’
  • Spinning bike HIIT 15 min.
  • HIIT run: treadmill incline up to 18% for 15 minutes (that’s a pretty steep incline on the super incline machines)
  • Spinning bike HIIT 15 min.
  • 15 min HIIT run incline up to 18%

I will do cardio at least 3 days a week ’til I drop my fat to 9% and watch my carbohydrate intake. I’ll mostly eat carbs for breakfast only, and after my workout. Of course, I’m not perfect, so I’ll occasionally have that late night bowl of cereal or the afternoon peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

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