043011

Squat
250 5x3

Cleaners and Jerk
150 5x3

3 rounds
10 pullups
25 pushups
20 situps (roman chair)

042711

6am

Press
155 5x3

Deadlift
315 3x3

3 rounds
20 dips
20 back extensions

042411

Squats
245 5x3

Bench
220 4x1
220 3x2

3 rounds
10x pullups
25x pushups
10x floor wipers

042111

Deadlift
305 5x3

Clean and Jerk-face
155 5x3

3 rounds
10 pullups
10 dips
20 back extension

041911

6am

Squats
240 5x3

Press
155 5x1
155 4x1
155 3x1

041711

Deadlift
290 5x3
Bench
215 5x3
3 rounds
10 pullups
20 situps (roman chair)
20 pushups

Weightlifting Shoes

After long consideration (and research) I went ahead and pulled the trigger on weightlifting shoes.

So what's so special about these silly looking shoes? And why does lifting weights need special shoes to behind with? Keep in mind my feedback is based on what I've read and heard so I don't have first hand experience...yet.

The main prupose of these shoes are to provide a stable platform that allows for the optimal transfer of energy from the floor up through the bar. Better transfer means stronger lifts.

So how do these shoes achieve this?

First, it has a stable shoe construction that cups the heel and straps the top of the foot snugly into the shoe.
Second, and more importantly, it has a solid heel (usually made of wood or highly compressed rubber). This dense heel will NOT compress or shift when weight is applied allowing for that drive from the floor and up through the foot/body.

Think about those running shoes you're wearing. Comfy, yes. Stable with weights, no. Envision you're squatting and just as you get to the bottom the weight momentum from downward to upward creates a significant weight rebound that is greater than the weight itself. A typical running shoe heel will absorb some of that shock and, thus, you lose energy transfer and increase instability. A solid heel lets you capture that energy through muscle tension and improves your lift capacity.

Again...this is what I'm told.

Today was the first day I rocked out my brand new Risto Linea Blancas. You can find them HERE. They cost me about $150 shipped which is the most I've spent on any kind of shoe in years. I figure as I want to get serious on getting stronger it is a minor investment. Plus, knowing I spent that much on specialized shoes will force me to use them (nothing like making a sunk cost as a motivating factor). I discovered these specific shoes through a dedicated site on selling/reviewing weightlifting shoes and would highly recommend peeking at their reviews before making your investment (http://buyweightliftingshoes.com/).

So back to my first experience. Overall, noticed considerable stability and a good heel position in the block. Additionally, the 3/4" heel feels different than my old Adidas Goodyears that had a tiny sole. Squats were pretty solid and noticed a slight change in form (probably from the heel) and decent rebound at the bottom. I guess I was concentrating more on the weight than I was the energy transfer through my feet. I can't say it was an "ah-ha" moment but I can see why weightlifters say that specialty shoes are a requirement. My guess is that I'll have to get used to them and eventually will reap the benefits of the equipment upgrade.

Also did a few sets of clean and jerks this morning and did notice a big benefit in overall stability when making the pulls and jumps. Definitely an improvement in this category.

Overall, I'm happy with the upgrade in footwear if anything for the new motivating factor.
Next on the list of equipment upgrades is a weightlifting belt. I got a bunch of info from the folks at 70's big (info on SHOES, and info on BELTS) and sounds like it will be a big contributor to lifting safely and getting strong, because, after all, strong is the goal.

041411

6am

Squats
235 5x3

Clean/Jerk-store
135 5x3

041211

6am

Deadlift
5x3 275

Press
5x3 150

3 rounds
10x pullups
10x dips
30x situps

Note on breakfast:
4 eggs (with yolks)
3 strips of bacon
1.5 sweet potatoes with butter
Pint of whole milk

A breakfast like this "should" make me fat and prone for a heart attack, right? Get wise.

041011

Squats
5x3 230

Bench
4x1 215
5x1 205
5x1 210

3 rounds
10xpullups
20xpushups
10xfloor wipers

Gotta Stay Positive

Hold Steady at Terminal 5. Great rock band led by the dweebiest singer of all time.

Side note, first time I've had fries in months...years? Now I know why I avoid.

6am

Squats: 225 5x3

3 rounds:
10 pullups
10 dips
20 situps

04/04/11

5x3 220 squats

5x3 145 press

2 rounds
10 pullups
20 pushups
30 situps

Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes

To summarize 217 pages of scientific research by Gary Taubes in "Why We Get Fat" into 3 words: EAT. LESS. CARBS.

I am fully convinced we would be would be much better off as a human race if we all followed that one simple rule that has governed and molded our race (and biology) for millions of years.

Reading this book makes you a bit upset about where we (as a media educated society) stand on the topic of diet and health. With government backed guidelines based on misinterpreted studies we lose sight of the simplest explanations and the desire for the scientific community to challenge the studies that have instilled out current interpretations of obesity, weight loss, and energy utilization. The topics go further to debunk the role of ingested fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol in the diet and how the bigger villains are carbs and NOT the ingested compounds themselves.

This really should be recommended reading for all current medical students and especially nutritionists as it's this community that is most guilty in perpetuating the "false" link to unhealthy lifestyles and body composition.
A few key points I picked up from this book:

* Studies over the last 100 years have show that carbs cause fat accumulation. This is caused by the effects on glucose in carbs causing an insulin spike and thus affecting fat receptors to "take in" energy.

* A rise in insulin causes fat not only to take in energy in the form of fat/glucose but affects hormone mechanisms that prevent the breakdown of fat when it's needed by the body as energy (think about what your body uses for energy when you're sleeping...that's right, FAT).

* Fat, Protein and Carbs all have caloric impact. Although Fat has 9cal/gram vs Protein and Carbs 4cal/g the fat. The main difference is that Fat and Protein have minimal insulin responses so it doesn't cause the hormone pathway (and resulting energy utilization) breakdown caused when carbs are present in the diet. This allows for better utilization of fat as an energy source and also allows fat to be stored and released easily when called upon to make up for energy deficits. This is a key point. In a person who does not have optimal fat metabolism when the body (the aggregate composition of individual cells) senses lack of stored energy/nutrients it asks for help from fat. If your fat calls cannot breakdown to share the energy stores (due to their hormonal malfunction due to the insulin promoted issues) then the cells send a response to the brain for HUNGER. This is the main issue with Carb diets. It causes the breakdown in energy utilization (doesntt let fat breakdown) and causes overeating. So even though carbs have less calories per gram they cause overeating and a whole slew of other issues by having elevated glucose running through the system. One last note on Fat, Protein and Carbs...fat and protein have a MUCH higher impact at satiating appetite than carbs so you'll feel fuller faster and LONGER eating those foods than high Carb diets.

* LDL Cholesterol is not a good indicator of heart disease risk. In many cases HDL is a better indicator. If looking at LDL it is more important to consider the small-dense version (which is correlated to poor health) instead of the total LDL (there is also a puffy LDL molecule that is rolled up into total LDL measurements that has no correlation with heart disease risk).

* Triglycerides are a better indicator for heart disease risk. What causes spikes in triglycerides? Carbs.

* A 2007 study (lasted one year) compared Atkins, Traditional, Ornish, and Zone diets. Atkins came out on top in all major measures aside from LDL which it was inconclusive if the LDL gained was the good puffy form. Subjects on Atkins lost the most weight, dropped the highest percentage of triglycerides and blood pressure and gained the most HDL.

I could really go on about how much this book uncovers but urge you to read the insights yourself as I'm sure you'll come to understand the frustrations I have in our modern diets.

All I can say is, if you want to lose fat and live a healthy life then read this book and EAT. LESS. CARBS.

Cindy

17

And it begins...

Have been meaning to do this for a while and now begins the journey of Future David!