Sidelined with an injury

So about 2 weeks ago, I decided to switch up my workouts with a more powerlifting approach. The goal is to gain strength which will lead to muscle mass. Don't believe me? Watch the Worlds Strongest Man competitions on ESPN. Those guys are HUGE! My goal is to get to 250lbs one year from now, constantly bulking while staying as lean as possible. We will see how it goes... I am currently at 226, so I have to gain about 2 pounds of muscle per month, which will be very difficult. I strongly believe (now) that gaining muscle and keeping it is much more difficult than losing weight. Again, if you don't believe me, then try it!

So I started my workout, and on the FIRST DAY of this new lifting split, I was doing chest dips, and on the very first rep on the negative (going down) portion of the rep I felt a very sharp pain occur in my upper back on the right hand side. Me being the badass dumbass that I am, I struggled through it, finishing the exercise and the rest of my workout. I also continued to work out for the rest of the week and the following week. The pain was still there, especially when I tilted my head back, and ran down my trap and through my rear deltoid.

Then, this Monday, chest day again, I went to do my first warm up set of bench and my right arm had lost nearly all of its strength!!!! WHAT HAPPENED?! I went to the doctor they said "nothings wrong, take some Motrin, etc" But there is definitely something wrong. This sucks! So I am taking this week off and maybe next week, and then going back to the doctor to get an MRI. That is, of course, on the assumption I don't feel better. Cross your fingers for me!

Steroids

Are cheating in my opinion. I HAVE NEVER and WILL NEVER touch that shit. Its unfortunate that when you begin to see good progress in the gym in terms of muscle gain, the talk begins to start about the possibility of using.

I mean, its kind of a compliment I guess that I am improving enough to get people to think that. However, it sucks when people think you have to cheat to get to the place where you are physically. I beat my ass in the gym 4+ days a week, I focus on my diet more than most people ever could, I time my meals perfectly, I LIVE the LIFE of a pro bodybuilder, so of course I am going to see similar results.

I will never get as big as Jay Cutler or Phil Heath, EVER. Its not possible to weigh 295 with 4% body fat without illegal drugs. I am ok with that. I will never be Mr. Olympia. I am ok with that too. I want to be HUGE, STRONG, HEALTHY, and most importantly NATURAL. If I never win a competition because I won't cheat, oh well. I still know that I am the biggest bad ass bodybuilder that has never taken performance enhancing drugs. That is my goal.

Here is what I DO take. Nothing illegal, nothing bad for you:

1) Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein (Mocha Cappuccino flavor is the BEST!)
2) Cheap Supplements Brand BCAAs
3) Cheap Supplements Brand Glutamine
4) Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine
5) 100% Pure Dextrose (in my protein)
6) Optimum Nutrition Opti-Men Multivitamin
7) NOW Fish Oil Capsules
And if I feel a cold coming onL
8) Vitamin C tablets or an additional Centrum Active Multivitamin

BAM! Thats all.

Random Thoughts

So its Saturday night around 9pm. I am sitting at home, doing nothing in particular, getting ready to eat my 5th meal today and kind of disappointed that I am only on meal 5 at 9pm. "Bulking" is hard. Really hard. I thought I would be able to gain weight fairly easily since it was so easy to do back when I was fat. Wow was I wrong. When I started bulking, I actually lost weight at first. Then slowly climbed up from 206 to about 220. Right now I am sitting at 217, eating about 3000-3500 calories a day, and still barely gaining a pound a week. I started to eat a few more calorie dense foods/meals (bad for you stuff: burgers, sweets, etc) hoping that will help out a little.

I do notice myself getting bigger though. Adding some fat as well as the muscle I am trying to put on. I'll take the bad with the good though. I still have 13 lbs more to go before I start to even think about cutting weight. Once I get to 230, I will decide when my competition will be. Until then, just eat, sleep, train my life away. I currently use a 4-day split as follows:


Monday: Chest/Tris/Forearms
Tuesday: Upper Back/Bis &Cardio
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Quads/Calves/Abs
Friday: Hamstrings/Lower Back/Shoulders
Saturday: REST
Sunday: Active rest (cardio from soccer)


My goals, in addition to poundage are:
45inch chest (started at 40 inches)
18inch arms (started at 16 inches)


Have a good Sunday everyone!

My Current Diet

Since I've been super sick for the past couple days, and unable to do anything but lay in bed and watch annoying daytime television, I have had a chance to think of what my next post would be. I've decided to let you all know what I am eating currently, since diet is the #1 way to weight loss. Just a heads up for those of you trying to lose weight, you can do all of it in the kitchen! As for leading a healthy lifestyle, that is where the gym comes in.

 I am currently on a bulking phase of my diet, meaning I am trying to put on some muscle mass. This must come through eating more calories than your body burns every day, and therefore, a little bit of body fat comes with it. I am doing what is called a "clean bulk" meaning that I still eat healthy foods, I simply eat more of them on a daily basis.

The breakdown:

Breakfast: 4 whole eggs with 1/3cup of regular cheese, .5 cup oatmeal in water with brown sugar and cinnamon
Snack 1: Protein Shake, 1oz almonds, 1oz mozzarella cheese
Lunch: 4oz 93/7ground turkey, 4oz whole wheat pasta, 1/3cup of regular cheese
Snack 2: Protein Shake, 1oz almonds, 1oz mozzarella cheese
Dinner: 6oz chicken breast, .25cups of quinoa
Postworkout: (the timing of this one changes depending on when I workout): 32oz Gatorade during/Protein Shake w/ pure dextrose after workout.
Snack 3: 5oz tuna in regular mayo with relish, 1 sandwich thin

The only liquids I drink are water and coffee. Keeping it simple. I drink probably 2 gallons of water a day.

Killer Leg Workout!

Edit

Today's Leg Workout

by Anthony Albert on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 at 2:49pm

Absolutely KILLED it in the gym today. My favorite, leg day. I haven't kicked my ass this much since about 2 years ago when me and @[139900175:Jenna Albert] used to workout at Fitness19 and I would throw up in the parking lot! Interested in what I did, too bad, here it is:

Leg Press 3x10 @828lbs
Squats 3x12 @225lbs (nearly passed out twice! :-D )
Superset: Leg Extension 3x12@225/Leg Curl 3x12@125
Lunges: 2x15@70lbs (2 -35lb dumbbells, nearly passed out again)
Seated Calf Raises 3x15@135lbs
Standing Calf Raises 3x12@120lbs
Superset: Good girls/Bad girls 4x20@105lbs/120lbs

....DEATH...

Introduction

I have been inspired. I really think that I don't have time for this, however, I have decided that whether or not I actually have time, I need to make time. At the risk of sounding cocky, I have people constantly asking me the questions, "What made you change your lifestyle?", "What is your workout?", "What should I do to lose fat/gain muscle/etc.?". While I am not a personal trainer (yet, but hopefully by the end of this summer), I do know what has worked FOR ME. This blog is not meant to be advice on what you should do, but it is simply what I have experienced and am experiencing in my fitness life (which is, in fact, my entire life). Since this is my first post, here are some valuable links to me...

Bodybulding.com

My BodySpace Profile

My sister's Blog (inspirational)