On To New Things: Yoga

Just wanted to run through a quick update. This past Tuesday, I decided to try something new: YOGA!

I have always been all talk about taking a Yoga class, now that I have the time and energy I thought I would give it a try. Many people have told me the overall benefits of doing yoga and more specifically to help in my weight training. A friend of mine is a Yoga instructor and she let me crash her class for free so I couldn't say no. I am always ready to try or learn something new related to Health and Fitness.  I drove to Ballys in SSF and took a 55 min class. Boy was I in for a surprise, I didn't realize that yoga would make me sweat and be as intense as it was. It started off as some simple stretching and got into more intense poses and balancing, as it got more intense I started sweating, not just a little bit but my forehead was drippin. Wow what a workout! I really liked the cool off period at the end, being able to do some personal stretching and lying there on my back escape the harshness . My thoughts were, dang this stuff is pretty hard, its new to me as I said and I really did like the session. The Yoga helped to warm my body up and open up my range of movement, I felt refreshed and relaxed after the session. I was also a bit sore and tired but I am used to that. It was definitely a challenge and I plan on taking her class once a week starting March. My goals for taking Yoga is to improve my gym sessions by increasing my flexibility and strengthening my core. I will update on how Yoga is going maybe once a month or so. Also I found a favorite pose, the only reason its my favorite is I squat ATG!! haha  I have posted it below! Thanks Jess for the opportunity! :)

Garland Pose

The Strongest Man You have Never Heard of: CT Flecther

I draw a lot of motivation from many of the youtube vids and as well as photos that i find online. Anyone that knows me well, knows that I browse YouTube on a daily basis to view Bodybuilding/fitness Youtubers videos. Everyone needs motivation and there is nothing better than seeing other people work hard and push themselves past their limits to attain their goals. I don't know about you but that gets me pumped! Over the weekend, as usual I was watching some vids on Youtube and found a video that Arash from Strength Project had uploaded. It was a biography of the Strongest Man you have never heard of. Naturally this caught my attention and I had to watch it. CT Flecher is a powerlifter that has been lifting weights all of his life. He was one big guy that believed you had to be big in order to lift heavy. He didn't care about his nutrition and would eat anything he wanted,this took a turn for the worse and he had to have open heart surgery and changing his life forever. He is motivating because he believes in putting your time in the gym and driving towards your passion. He is now motivating other people to go past their limits and attain great goals! Enjoy the video and stay motivated! I will be posting anything and everything Motivational in this section!

 

The Strongest Man You Have Never Heard of by Arash-Strength Project- http://www.youtube.com/user/strengthproject

Update 2/7/13 :Latest Workout Split + Paleo Update

Lately its been hard to find time and motivation to write, I want to but I am usually either at the gym or at work. I hope to find some time this weekend to write but there is no guarantee. However I will try my best! I need to upload a lot of pictures for my posts as well, which is keeping some of my posts from being posted!

A quick update: Some of you may know I went Paleo last month Jan 6th.  The girlfriend and I have successful completed the 30 day trial of the Paleo Diet! YAY! :D. Even before the 30 days were up, we decided that we will be doing a modified version of the Paleo Diet. I will have another post on the Paleo Diet as well as some recipe/food posts coming up soon! Also I have been juicing for about 5 weeks now an I am addicted! Look out for a future post on juicing!

Results: The Paleo diet isn't about weight loss but about becoming overall healthy and helping you become as physically fit as possible. I did however lose 11lbs from the diet alone. Ive noticed that I have a lot more energy and I am more focused as well as alert. My body has seen rapid changes as well, my cut lines back in my chest, arms and legs and the belly is shrinking rapidly. Can you say HEEEEEEEEEEELLLLO abs soon? ;)

I started my new workout at the same time I started doing the Paleo diet with 3 days a week but now have increased it to about 4 days in the gym. I am currently doing a PUSH/PULL/LEGS split and loving it. This allows me to workout every muscle in my body in a week and working out my legs twice a week now. Here is my current Split:

 

Leg Day (Light):
Back Squats	5 X 10
RDL	3 X 8
Sissy Squats	3 X Bodyweight till failure
Lying Leg Curls	3 X 8
Leg Extensions	3 X 8
Calf Raises on Leg Press	3-4 X 20
Cable Hip Aductors	3-4 X 8

 
 

Push Day:
Barbell Bench Press	3-4 X 8 and 3 X 5 heavier weight
Incline Barbell Bench Press	3 X 8
Arnold Press	3 X 8
Tricep Kickbacks (dumbells)	3 X 10
Upright row (45lb Plate)	3 X 8
Lateral Raises	3 X 10
Overhead Cable Tricep Extensions	3 X 8
One Arm Cable Trice Exentsions	3 X 10
Chest Flys (Pec Deck)	3 X 12

  

Pull Day:
Pendlay Rows	3 X 8
Barbell Bicep Curls	3 X 8
Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns	3 X 8
Reverse Barbell Curls	3 X 8
Close Grip Lat Pulldowns	3 X 8
One Arm Lat Pulldowns	2-3 X 10
Spider Curls	3 X 8
Face Pulls (standing or Seated or both)	3 X 8
Bro Curls	3 X 10

 

Leg Day (Heavy):
Back Squats	3 X 5
RDL	3 X 5
Sissy Squats	3 X bodyweight till failure
Lying Leg Curls	3 X 5
Leg Extensions	3 X 5
Standing Calf Raises	3-4 X 20
Cable Hip Adductors	3 X 8

 

Abs and Miscellaneous :
Ab Wheel	3 X 10
Hanging Leg Raises	3 X 10
Weighted Hanging Leg Raises	10lb dumbell, 3 X 10

 

Cardo:
Treadmill	400-500
HITT	20-30min (40sec on, 20sec off)

 It took me a few weeks to tweak the workout to my liking by adding in new exercises as well as keeping ones that have given me gains! Abs I do time to time on leg days, usually once or twice a week. Cardio....anyone that knows me well knows that i hate Cardio with a passion. I do know the importance in doing cardio for cutting body fat%, I have yet to start it but hope to start this week. HIIT is my favorite form of cardio also know as High Intensity Interval Training, which i will explain more of in another post. Time to wrap things up and say get out there and get your workout in!