Fatbusting: DK fatlog

Paekakboyz

dK, have you thought about starting heavier on your squats? From your numbers I reckon you could kick off at 60kg pretty easily and still work right up to 112.5 (and beyond!). Do you find the warm-ups at 20kg to be too light now? 
 
Primo work on all the PB's too - it's choice when you start to see progress across all of your lifts.

dK

Saturday 
Squat, 5x50, 5x50, 5x70, 3x80, 2x100, 3x112.5 
Bench, 5x20, 5x20, 5x30, 3x40, 2x50, 3x5x55 
DL, 5x60,5x60, 5x80, 2x100, 3x115 - PB DL 
Paekak, I tried the starting heavier, but I struggled on the squats. It probably doesn't help that I haven't worked out my pre workout diet. I had a smoothie with coconut milk, milk, whey protein, spinach and almonds. 
I have also started taking creatine. I am loading up on 1/2 a teaspoon with fruit juice, 4 times a day for 10 days. Hope this will also help my gains.

Paekakboyz

Hmm, I try and not eat anything for at least an hour before working out (unless you count a supplement/pre-workout). Do you guys have a similar cut off point? If I'm not having pre-workout I quite like a dose of caffeine before hitting the tin.
 
dK, presumably it's the weight rather than the volume that gets you when you start heavier? From your training log I'd have a crack at 550 then 570, 3-490, 2100, 2112.5, 1-2112.5, then a couple more sets at either 100 or 90. ie staying as heavy as you can but hitting 4-5 reps. A final set to failure (with attention to form) at 50 or 60kg. Warming up properly without tapping yourself out can be tricky. 
 
But you are making clear progress bro so it's all good! tis part of the fun in working out the best way to push yourself and chase them gains!

JK

Yeah good progress DK. 
When it comes to pre workout nutrition ideally you want to have some decent fuel (ie carbs) on board and yeah about an 60 to 90mins prior to working out seems good. 
I train crack of dawn so pretty much always fasted. I will however always have protein shake with milk right before bed and then sip BCAAs from straight my pre workout until about 30mins in to my workout.

dK

This week is going to be a rest week, as I will be away for a 1 week conference and will not get the time (or facilities ) to do my regular work outs. I will do some body weight stuff instead.

Paekakboyz

Lunges and bodyweight squats are a mean little combo that's easy to manage in your room or a small hotel gym. If they have some decent dumbbells then you can add them in to get a bit more intensity. But taking a break every now and again is also a good idea. You should hit the ground running the following week!

dK

Monday 
Back after a week rest. 10 days without doing any weights. 
Squat, 5x20, 5x60, 5x60, 3x80, 2x100, 1x112.5 - felt a twinge in my lower back when completing this 1 rep, so took a cautious approach and moved on. I had planned to drop down 5x80, AMRAPx60, will wait until the back sorts itself out. 
Bench, 5x20, 5x20, 5x30, 3x40, 2x55, 2x60, 2x60 
DB Chest Press, 3x5x40 
DL, 5x60,5x60, 3x80, 2x100, 1x115 
Back was tight most of Monday, Tuesday it seems to be settling down, will focus on chest and arms tomorrow and only do some light squats tom see how it goes

dK

Wednesday
Squat, 5x20, 5x40, 5x50, 5x60,5x60,3x5x80 - testing out the lower back, after it tightened up on me on Monday. All good, did the squats at a more explosive pace for a good cardio burn as well.
OHP, 5x20, 5x20, 5x25, 5x30, 2x35, 2x5x40, 2x5x45, 2x45 - not counting this as a PB, was more of a push press, but happy with the total number of reps 
Power Clean, 5x20,5x20, 5x30, 5x35, 2x45, 5x3x55 - New PB, focused on the hip drive and saw a big improvement, more in the tank on this one.
Superset - Front & Lateral Shoulder raises - 2x 1x20 FR +1x20LR

dK

Sunday,
 
The morning after the night before, friends wedding, long day, boozy night. What better a trip to the temple of iron on a Sunday morning
 
Squat, 5x20, 5x60, 5x60, 3x80, 2x100, 3x112.5, 5x80, 5x60
DB Chest Press, 5x5x44 (2x 22kg DB)
Bench, 5x20, 5x20, 5x30, 3x40, 2x55, 2x60 DL, 5x60,5x60, 3x80, 2x100, 4x115, 5x60

Paekakboyz

Didn't take long to get those numbers back up bro, noice!
 
Crazy how powerful hip drive is aye, once you get that action sorted you'll see increases across the board. Deads, squats, power cleans will all benefit.

dK

Squat, Cleans and DL, I am really enjoying. Although progress on the squats is a kg at a time or an extra rep at a time, I am spending more mental focus on maintaining good form.
 
This is what I am trying tell myself each time I squat.....Neck loose, back neutral, knees stationery, breathe in and hold before the squat to help tighten the core, maintain a strong upper body on the down movement, squat low and really try to use the hip drive to bring the quads and hammies with them, squeeze the bar to engage every muscle I can. I do lose focus sometimes on the 112.5kg's and really kick myself. I need to not worry about a fail at these weights. "Be Brave" I tell myself 
 
At the heavy weights (for me) I am really conscious of my upper body curling over, so have been doing some supplementary core stuff at home (mainly planks and variations of planks).
 
Bench is slow progress as well, but there is progress, so I will continue to maintain.
 
I have also found a couple of great apps that I use Liftbook (for android <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.latchd'>https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.latchd</a>), has a some good built in programmes and now that I have the iPhone, I have just downloaded <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.weightliftingapp.com/'>http://www.weightliftingapp.com/</a> which seems to be pretty hardcore from what I have seen. The best of the other apps I have used Stronglifts 5x5 is probably the best.

dK

Also forgot to mention, the importance of O F F, to log all my workouts, and to get input from you guys. Something an app can't replicate, thanks!

dK

Faaaaaarrrrkkkk! 
Woke up yesterday morning with excruciating pain in my right tricep. Went to the physio and he said the pain is a result of my neck and shoulder. All the muscles in the right shoulder area (he mentioned words like muscle chain and shoulder capsules) are under strain and stress, shortened and need to be loosened up. He then spent 5 minutes jamming his thumb under my scapula to remind me what real pain was. 
So the upshot is I have a few weeks of very painful physio and NO UPPER BODY WORK. Let me say I am pissed off.

JK

No good mate. At least you went and did something about it straight away unlike me

El Toro supremo

Ouch! Sounds like one serious muscle knot! You can carry on with the physio but at some stage you need to manage and treat this thing yourself...... 
Long story short (two years condensed into three words!).....learn how to use a tennis ball for trigger point release ASAP... 
Kinda like this guy.....but just move around until you find the sore spot anywhere on your shoulder....

I use a similar technique and a theracane on my glutes to hit those knots and trigger points....... 
You can read more about it on this website....very detailed but heavy reading.... 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://saveyourself.ca/articles/tennis-ball.php'>http://saveyourself.ca/articles/tennis-ball.php</a> 
or simply experiment with the tennis ball. It hurts like crazy to start with....thats how you know your on the right track. Eases up after a couple of weeks! You end up giving yourself the exact same treatment as the physio....only more accurately because you control the pressure and position. Easy and softer way to start is to put the ball in a sock, zap it over your shoulder and just lean into it against a wall....then try the floor later if it is too sore to begin with. My current physio got me onto this and it is brilliant. Can nowadays put my full weight on a ball under my glute or lower back and feel how the pain and tension melt away. I use a rumble roller as well....same release principle. 
Let me also note there is no point in stretching it while the knot is acute......break down the spasm or knot and then the stretching will come with ease. 
Good luck!

dK

Thanks El Toro, great advice, I will start on that right away as I still have the tricep pain

JK

Tennis balls are awesome for massage etc. Got one of those harder rubber type cricket balls too. Also very good but a bit more brutal

dK

Lack of posting isn't a lack of effort, so here are the latest health stats
 
Age: 47
Height: 184cm
Weight: 102kg
BP: 115/82
Fitness (step test) = 70bpm = very good
Body fat: 20.3%
Muscle Mass: 76Kg
Visceral Fat: 13 - not sure the measure for this, but the PT said it wasn't at the high end, but would relate to the belly meat I'm trying to lose
BMR: 2163, currenlty working on a controlled calorie diet of 1900 per day
Waist Circumference: 100
BMI - 30.42 - I am clinically obese :i_am_so_happy:
 
I have been working out twice a week for the last few months, while we get ourselves into a routine in Oz. I have now changed to 4 days per week.
 
The workouts are with 38x (<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://38xfitness.com.au/'>http://38xfitness.com.au/</a>) and I am doing the Functional Strength training (Body weight work, TRX, Kettle Bells and Dumb Bells) and Afterburn (mix of Tabata and strength workouts). 
 
Goal is to reduce the belly fat down to 90-92cm over the next 30 days.

dK

OK, the gym got a new scale shortly after posting the last update, so the figures are all over the show. So I have the new data mapped below. The new scale, also comes with a website that tracks everything as well. I an only weighing myself one a month.
 
Weight: 102.3kg=>101.9kg
Body fat: 28.8% =>28.2% (previous scale had a "Athletic Male" setting that I used, that showed 20.3%) 
Muscle Mass: 69.2kg =>69.6kg
Visceral Fat: 13 unchanged
BMR: 2163, currenlty working on a controlled calorie diet of 1900 per day - eating on average below 1900, but still not eating clean everyday. Too much of a sweet tooth (lollies, not adding sugar to anything) and once a week Fish and chips (that I refuse to give up)
Waist Circumference: 100=>97cm
BMI - 30.42 => 30.1
 
So I am happy with the progress, although it is a lot slower than my past weight loss, but I know that is always the case. 0.4kg overall weight loss, and also gained 0.4kg in muscle, so all good.

dK

Christmas Eve update 
102.9kg +1kg 
BF 28.2% 
MM 70.4kg +0.8kg

The Silver Fern

Fatbusting: DK fatlog