So, yesterday marked the start of a new “plan,” in a manner of speaking. Outside of posting the occasional video of me lifting heavy things off the floor or just my general awesomeness, I never really go into any great detail on my training or what my goals are.
Believe it or not, it’s not just always about having a steel plate for a chest 24/7.
As it stands now, I spent the past few weeks following Lean Hybrid Muscle, and while it kicked the living piss out of me (a good thing), I’ve decided I need a little more focus and something specific to train for. To that end, I’ve decided that I’m going to do something similar to what I did roughly two years ago when I did Project Tony Gets Sexified.
To review, back in January of 2009, I put myself through a short, planned out, six-week phase where I was going to get as lean as possible and then, like an idiot, not take pictures. In hindsight, it was a horrible time to do an experiment like that. I mean, who gets shredded right smack dab in the middle of winter, anyways?
Anyways, I had a few stipulations:
1. I couldn’t get too sexy. It would have been unfair to all the other guys out there.
2. I didn’t want my bodyweight to drop below a certain threshold – 195 lbs to be exact (starting weight was around 205 lbs at the time).
3. And, maybe most important of all, I wanted to maintain my strength levels. Simply put, I didn’t want to end up looking like an emaciated Abercrombie model that couldn’t punch his way through a wet paper towel.
That was about it, really.
Looking back – while there was definitely some structure (my good friend, Jen Heath, wrote my nutrition plan) – there was no real end-goal other than to diet for six weeks, hate life, think about carbs all…..the…..time, and say that I did it.
In the end, I was happy with the results and I looked pretty damn good if I do say so myself. Well, as good as you can expect in mid-February with no tan.
So, here’s the dealski. I’m going to give it another go, but not until mid-May/early-June. I’m saying this NOW because by writing it here on my blog, I’m hoping that the sense of accountability will actually force me to go through with it – because unlike two years ago, there IS an end-goal this time around.
The game plan is as follows:
- Take the next three weeks and clean things up a bit. My girlfriend and I booked a flight down to Florida at the end of the month for a week, and I can’t, in good conscience, be walking around on a beach in the shape I’m in right now. In the grand scheme of things, this is nothing more than dialing in my nutrition for a week or two, and maybe throwing in some quick, ten-minute finishers at the end of my training sessions. Although, on an a side, I trained with EC yesterday and it was a doozy, so I may not have to worry about it.
A1. Front Squats vs. Chains (3 per side) 2×3, 2×6
A2. Stretch/activate something (which we didn’t do, LOL)
B1. DB Reverse Lunge 3×8/leg
B2. Half Kneeling Cable Anti-Rotation Press 3×8/side
C1. SUMO Thick Bar Deadlifts 3×10*
C2. Slideboard Bodysaw 3×8
D1. 1-Legged Hip Thrusters – off bench 3×8/leg
D2. Rotator Cuff Shiznit
- Once we’re back from Florida, I’m going to spend the next 6-8 weeks getting after it. Eric is currently doing a 5-6 day per week split (two upper body days, two lower body days, one “specialty day**,” and one carry/strongman day), and I’m just going to follow suit….I think. Personally, I want to take this time and really “bring up” (yes, I just used a bodybuilding term. And yes, a little piece of my soul just died) my lower body, so I may just toy around with a Smolov squat cycle, depending on how sadistic I feel.
- By the time mid-May/early-June hits, it’s go time! There’s no need to go into the details now (truthfully, I don’t even know what they are yet), but suffice it to say, I’m thinking I’m going to do it right this time. Which is to say, I’m going to diet down, do an actual water manipulation/deplete/carb up the final week, and possibly hire a professional photographer to come to the facility and take pictures. If you play your cards right, I may even show them to you. You’ll have to beg, though……;o)
And no, I’m NOT stepping on a stage – so save your breath.
- Then, after all of that, I’m going to make a run at that 600 lb deadlift I’ve been talking about for a while now. Time to put up or shut up.
So, um, yeah, that’s it. This should make for an interesting next few months in terms of my training. Having some focus – a plan – will undoubtedly light a fire under my ass. What about you? What’s your game plan? If anything, I hope this post got you in the mindset that having some kind of plan is kind of important.
* I pulled heavy last Friday, working up to 495 lbs for 4×3, and this was absolute torture. Anything over five reps is cardio to me, and I can’t remember the last time I did ten reps on deadlifts. Jesus, that sucked.
** Translation: arm day. ROTFLMAO. No but seriously, though, I’m on it.
