Tyler’s Workout Log – The PHAT Experiment – Day 5 of 28 – Heavy Upper-Body

Every single exercise progressed.  Nice.

Professor Patton’s FREE Nutrition Resources

Photo Credit

The reasons they’re very likely to be your best resources for nutrition information:

1.  He has been a Registered Dietitian since 1980.

2.  He’s the main nutrition teacher at Fitness Institute International.

3.  He teaches Nutrition classes at Miami Dade College.

Tyler’s Workout Log – The PHAT Experiment – Day 1 of 28 – Hypertrophy Legs

For the last three weeks, I’ve been refining my own version of Layne Norton‘s PHAT (Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training) lifting methodology.  Essentially, it has you doing two days of heavy (around 5 rep) lifting and then three days of hypertrophy (around 10-15 rep) lifting per week.

My only tweaks were to make it slightly more applicable to real-life movements and put a stronger emphasis on single-legged movements.  Also, I’m not a fan of 15-20 rep sets, so I try not to go over 14.  I’ll do a later write-up explaining this in more detail.

The results from the last three weeks?  0.38lbs of muscle gain and 1.78lbs of fat loss.  At least that’s what the 7-site body fat caliper protocol says.

Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day…

Photo Credit (15 January 2008)

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you won’t be either.

There is a recurring pattern that I find in my life, and it’s that I expect a lot out of myself in a little amount of time.  I know this is the current theme in our culture where we want something, and we want it now.  I take this concept and apply it to myself.  When I’m learning how to draw, if I don’t get it on the first picture, then I figure I’ll never get it.  If I make a mistake at my job (I’m a physical therapy assistant), then I feel like I know nothing about what I do (even though I was the top of my class).  I expect to do everything perfectly the first time and give myself no room for error.  The main thing I forget is that things take time.

Tyler’s Workout Log – Day 27 – Hypertrophy Upper-Body Pulling

It was a good day.  Sadly, I was a little thrown off by the fact that I couldn’t ride my bike today.  The back tire was flat with a small piece of glass in it.  Somehow, I didn’t notice the exact moment when I got the glass stuck in there.  It’s not like I live in a slum or anything, but there are often broken shards of glass on the sidewalks.  I’m just thankful the air pressure held up long enough for me to ride back home from wherever the glass was.

Regardless, I still got in a bunch of sets for the pulling musculature.  🙂

Why You Should Lift Weights

Lifting weights is a source of empowerment.
Photo credit to Larry Lyday.

Weight lifting is NOT just to look good!

That’s one of the biggest myths that float around the American health and fitness scene.  I’ve even heard trainers say it.

Weight lifting is far more about creating long-term enjoyment of life.  It’s a major player in preventing diseases like heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis.  It’s also a massive factor in how long you will be able to maintain your independence as you age.

Lastly, yes.  A strong physique is an attractive physique.  It’s a huge plus, but it’s not the main reason you should be lifting weights.  Your health and fitness are the main reasons you should be lifting.

Tyler’s Workout Log – Day 24 – Heavy Lower Body

Well, despite the regression on the cleans, I’d have to say this was a good session.  Everything else went up.

Also, I think the regression on the cleans was largely due to my back still being sore.  Oh well.  Life goes on.

Tyler’s Workout Log – Day 23 – Hypertrophy Upper Body Push

This was the most volume I’ve used for pushing for a very long time.  As a result, my pushing musculature fatigued a lot as the workout progressed… which was the point.  🙂

Tyler’s Workout Log – Day 22 – Hypertrophy Legs

Ok.  I added a couple more exercises, and this wasn’t easy at all.  I hope it feels better next time because I got to the beginning stages of nausea.

Oh well.  It was still fun.  🙂

Tyler’s Workout Log – Day 21 – Hypertrophy Upper-Body Pulling

Well, 25 sets of ten reps later, I can feel the soreness coming tomorrow.  At the same time, it felt good to get out some of my frustration at recently losing muscle mass.

The decision to do this was largely based on a recent article in one of the journals that we receive from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.  My NSCA certified friends may have read it.   Basically, a couple Exercise Science PhDs from Taiwan wrote about how to create muscle growth.  While sharing everything they said in its entirety is beyond the scope of this blog, they proposed a new theory on how muscle grows.

Tyler’s Workout Log – Day 19 – Heavy Upper Body

I added a few exercises to this.  I needed to put some dumbbells in there for a little variety.

Tyler’s Physical Transformation So Far

I started out on my health and fitness journey back when I was going into junior high.  I saw a picture of myself cliff jumping at the lake, and I had jelly rolls.  Dang.  I knew that my weight was starting to get a little high due to my mini-muffin intake, but it wasn’t until that moment that I got a slap in the face from reality.

Well, in that moment I made a choice.  I could do two things.

 

1.  Do nothing about it.  Eat mini-muffins to my heart’s content and deny the inevitable truth that I was in a precarious position that could lead to adult obesity and debilitating disease.

2.  Take Action.  Realize that having jelly rolls isn’t what I want.  I don’t want to be fat, and I don’t want to be limited in life.

 

I chose #2. 

Tyler’s Workout Log – Day 18 – Heavy Lower Body

A good day.  I added a couple extra exercises to what I did last week.  Also, I hit each goal I set for each exercise.  That’s always nice.  🙂

Tyler’s Workout Log – Day 17 – Upper Body Hypertrophy

This felt really good!  I’m glad to finally be pursuing some muscle growth again.