Project: Anything Is Possible

[rev210]

I would rather use the Saturday session to do assistance exercises such as bulgarian lunges, dips, hamstring curl etc but trainer says no.

assistance movements are smart, I agree with your thinking. Are you doing the shoulder stuff still?

[L33SH]

assistance movements are smart, I agree with your thinking. Are you doing the shoulder stuff still?

Thankyou, at least someone does.

Yes a few of the exercises I'm still doing along with physio exercises and shoulder nearly back to 100% now and I've started boxing again.

Edited October 26, 2013 by L33SH

[rev210]

Leesh , you have really impressive commitment.

You are testing an excersise program. Maybe some of it won't work for you, thats fine if you learn from it.

I think it's good to question what you are doing. Have you stopped to do an assesment?

How would 'you' describe the sucess of this program so far ,since you have been doing it?

Has it delivered on expectations?

What are the positives and negatives?

How does it compare to what you did before, from your perspective?

Edited October 27, 2013 by rev210

[L33SH]

Leesh , you have really impressive commitment.

You are testing an excersise program. Maybe some of it won't work for you, thats fine if you learn from it.

I think it's good to question what you are doing. Have you stopped to do an assesment?

How would 'you' describe the sucess of this program so far ,since you have been doing it?

Has it delivered on expectations?

What are the positives and negatives?

How does it compare to what you did before, from your perspective?

It has been successful in the fact I have gained significant strength gains from the start of my program to now, so a positive is strength gains. A negative is that I'm not happy with my body shape and I feel for all the work I do in the gym I don't have anything aesthetically to show for it which disappoints me and affects my self esteem. I feel I looked much better and sexier when I trained predominantly in cardio, and I certainly received many more comments on my body shape when I trained cardio. The reason I haven't gone back to cardio is because my trainer assures me that the body I want will come with the program I'm currently on, however it's nearly been a year and I still look the same so I don't know when it's coming.

Here is a photo I just took, as you can see I haven't really changed in definition from my first photo at the beginning of this thread, yet I train weights 4x a week and cardio 2x a week and I do yoga. I work out so much and I eat well and its making no difference to my body shape, it depresses me so much. I have an issue with gaining definition in the lower abdominal region; I had this same issue when I had abs from intense cardio training.

[Birds]

Definition is mostly food; you can't talk about how much you exercise and how that isn't giving you the definition you want. You are training to build muscle. You are in the gym to hurt muscle, you are eating to grow it. When you have enough muscle, then you will look at reducing caloric intake to chase the definition you are after.

Pic looks fine to me. If anything you could easily allow more food to support growth, because someone chasing gains and getting them usually doesn't look as well defined as you are now. Trying to build strength and trying to look defined are often two competing paradigms at the best of times, taking their toll on your body and time/commitment in the process.

[No Crust Racing]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

If you know your body well enough to say that exercising a certain way gives you the look you want, then do that.

If I recall, you started this routine because you weren't entirely happy with how you looked, otherwise why would you change your routine.

[L33SH]

Definition is mostly food; you can't talk about how much you exercise and how that isn't giving you the definition you want. You are training to build muscle. You are in the gym to hurt muscle, you are eating to grow it. When you have enough muscle, then you will look at reducing caloric intake to chase the definition you are after.

Pic looks fine to me. If anything you could easily allow more food to support growth, because someone chasing gains and getting them usually doesn't look as well defined as you are now. Trying to build strength and trying to look defined are often two competing paradigms at the best of times, taking their toll on your body and time/commitment in the process.

Allow more food? This is what I eat daily

breakfast: 1/2 cup oats with banana, chia seeds and cinnamon with an apple, banana and chia seed smoothie

coffee or green tea about an hour later at work

morning tea: banana

lunch: muesli with dried fruits and yoghurt, or vegemite or salad sandwiches or pasta

afternoon: protein bar

before training: protein shake with beta alanine, creatine and taurine

after training: protein shake

dinner: anything protein/carb rich with veggies: pasta, brown rice, omelette, quinoa, lentils, chickpeas, stir fry, veggie curry with tofu, Indian, Chinese, veggie burgers, veggie sausages, home made pizza, baked beans on toast with eggs etc...

If I'm hungry after dinner I might have crackers or carrot sticks or trial mix

I eat alot.

[L33SH]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

If you know your body well enough to say that exercising a certain way gives you the look you want, then do that.

If I recall, you started this routine because you weren't entirely happy with how you looked, otherwise why would you change your routine.

Well I think I should add more cardio in which is why I've started doing the HITT on Sundays. It's the only cardio that I find challenging.. boxing and aerobics are pretty easy for me. Today in the grit cardio my heart rate got up to 200, it usually hovers around 180 in the hardest parts of aerobics and boxing, so it's definitely challenging my body.

I'll probably add running in again shortly as the weather is consistently nice now. I used to run alot when I trained cardio and do miss it. I will probably run in a HITT style now though.

[rev210]

for all the work I do in the gym I don't have anything aesthetically to show for it which disappoints me and affects my self esteem. I feel I looked much better and sexier when I trained predominantly in cardio, and I certainly received many more comments on my body shape when I trained cardio. The reason I haven't gone back to cardio is because my trainer assures me that the body I want will come with the program I'm currently on, however it's nearly been a year and I still look the same so I don't know when it's coming.

Hi Leesh.

didn't realise it was a year. if I hear you correctly , the goal you have hasn't been reached via the training , so my opinion is do what you like more. Sounds like cardio you enjoy, so you can confidently flick the 'volume training' to do what works for you.

Just like to say ,your experience with the cardio training in the past makes you one to give some great advice yourself around that kind of training for people.

Abs are difficult for women, yours are still impressive, you have to believe me. To get a six pack ,like womens Figure athletes (ava cowan etc.) the diet is crazy strict. Training looks different to what you are doing now also. If you were after that physique you would need to look at what they look like 'off season' vs comp. plenty of info around on that to get hold of if you wanted to try that out.

[-FIGJAM-]

With Rev on this one. I know a physique model Leesh, I posted her picture in whoretown if you remember and this year she wasn't ripped with a ragging 6 pack

During the off season she is much bigger than that picture. Last year she had abbs this year not so much.

I know that she does weights AND a lot of cardio. Often surfing at manly and doing sprint training.

so chin up. Do what makes you happy. If you really want to look like a physique model then it takes a f**k load of time and training try speaking to a couple and see how they got started

[No Crust Racing]

So we're back to what I said a few pages back.

If you like cardio and it works, do that.

that's Kate's thing, I wouldn't try and seriously get her to do anything else because it works for her and it's what she enjoys.

I joke to her about squatting because I think that with some training she could be an amazing squatter, but that's something I like, not her.

[UNR33L]

End of the day do what makes you happy maybe do half / half? You can see ab definition for sure, don't forget creatine will add water weight as well.

[L33SH]

I'm so confused

Hi Leesh.

didn't realise it was a year. if I hear you correctly , the goal you have hasn't been reached via the training , so my opinion is do what you like more. Sounds like cardio you enjoy, so you can confidently flick the 'volume training' to do what works for you.

Just like to say ,your experience with the cardio training in the past makes you one to give some great advice yourself around that kind of training for people.

Abs are difficult for women, yours are still impressive, you have to believe me. To get a six pack ,like womens Figure athletes (ava cowan etc.) the diet is crazy strict. Training looks different to what you are doing now also. If you were after that physique you would need to look at what they look like 'off season' vs comp. plenty of info around on that to get hold of if you wanted to try that out.

I started weight training at the end of November last year.

I'm a qualified personal trainer. I just never used my qualification. I would like to become a body attack instructor though. It's something I've been wanting to do for a long time, but with full time work and studying another degree part time as well as a lot of time spent in the gym I don't have the time for it at the present.

I don't want to throw away the volume training. I know my trainer would be disappointed in me, and I said I would stick it out. I just work better with time frames and I'd like to know how much longer I need to wait before I see the changes I've been told I will see.

What do you think of my diet? Anything I could change to help with my goals?

[L33SH]

So we're back to what I said a few pages back.

If you like cardio and it works, do that.

that's Kate's thing, I wouldn't try and seriously get her to do anything else because it works for her and it's what she enjoys.

I joke to her about squatting because I think that with some training she could be an amazing squatter, but that's something I like, not her.

The thing is when I did cardio, yes I was a lot happier with my body but I still didn't have the definition I wanted around my lower abdominal region, which is why I started the weight training in the first place.

I know I could drop the weights and go back to my old cardio routine and lose a few kilos easily, which would bring out my muscle definition; but then I'm going to get to the same spot I go to in November last year where I just couldn't shift the rest of the abdominal fat and I'm back to where I was.

So I'm very confused as to what I should do

[-FIGJAM-]

why not do both?

get up earlier in the morning and go for a run

weight in the afternoon

[L33SH]

why not do both?

get up earlier in the morning and go for a run

weight in the afternoon

How many times a week would you suggest? I don't want to do it every morning

[rev210]

I don't want to throw away the volume training. I know my trainer would be disappointed in me, and I said I would stick it out. I just work better with time frames and I'd like to know how much longer I need to wait before I see the changes I've been told I will see.

What do you think of my diet? Anything I could change to help with my goals?

You have stuck it out and then some. 12months. job done. You didn't get what you want out of it. It's also worth noting in fairness to Birds that he's not a professional so he's likely to care more about supporting you than his ideas. You might be thinking he'd be dissapointed when he's not (but Birds can answer that one).

Diet wise you are doing plenty right. The goals might need re-stating but, if it's a six pack then that's figure comp land. A friend of my wife's has competed nationally and it's something that needs more than e-advice. You need a trainer who has done that before. My wife had a go at the six pack thing with her assistance and managed it but, threw it in quick as the training and diet is misery incarnate.

[No Crust Racing]

the training and diet is misery incarnate.

This is something that should not be overlooked.

A mate of mine is an amateur bodybuilder and in just about pushing 40. He's stronger than me in a few movements and is far stricter on his diet and gym routine, yet I have some ab definition and he doesn't - despite his grueling diet and gym routine. He's being trained by a guy who's had people compete and win so he's got the right people around him, right attitude, right determination etc - he's also lower BF than I am quite easily and while that shows in his face/arms etc, it doesn't show in his stomach.

You've got to think there's a genetic element in there. As a skinny kid I always had abs, easy, but as I got heavier and larger I've managed to maintain them with limited core/cardio compared to what some people say they do and don't have success.

N.B. Not saying my abs are special at all.

[-FIGJAM-]

How many times a week would you suggest? I don't want to do it every morning

sorry Leesh, didn't see this last night before I fell asleep.

I am not totally in with your workout days, but if you have a couple days off, I'd say hit some sprint or hills training on those days.

Example:

Monday weights

Tuesday morning cardio

Wednesday weights

Thursday morning cardio

Friday weights

alternatively because I fully understand how much jogging sucks the big one, pick up a sport like mixed or womans oztag and really get in and have a dig, also basketball, squash, kickboxing (at a real gym) or boxing, pole dancing (worked wonders for my gf). I love sport its the only way that I do any sort of cardio, until I got the dog that was....

[L33SH]

My workout routine is:

Monday night: weights and boxing

Tuesday night: aerobics and yoga

Wednesday night: weights

Thursday night: boxing and shoulder rehab work

Friday night: weights

Saturday morning: grit strength and weights

Sunday morning: grit plyo and grit cardio

So Thursday morning I could go for a run?

Edited October 27, 2013 by L33SH