Monty's Quest for the Holy Grail (ABS!) page 7

[Monty]

I love coaching kids at that age. I coach Lacrosse. They look like a bunch of bobble heads running around. When my oldest son started hockey, they looked the same. The skill that some of those 4 and 5 years old have is unreal.

I was very impressed that in only 4 one hour skating practices, we have only like 4 out of a bunch that still need the push carts. I see that being knocked down to 2 by our next practice.

Don't worry too much about missing the training. It helps alot, especially in your specific goals, but I have found extended rest only brings you back stronger. But, and I can't stress this enough, EASE back into any squats. If you over do it (which is fairly easy on squats) going to the bathroom for the next week will be pure agony. Just sayin.

I find the same thing. take a few days or even a week off and you almost come back stronger than before. But my squats suck. I've never really had strong legs. They're kinda long. At the most, I think my 1 rep max was around 275. But that was years ago. I'd probably shit myself if I tried anything even close to that. So yeah, easing into it is the way to go...at least I tell myself that now.

[Monty]

Wow...2 months since my last post. Really bombed on that one. Been working out 3 days a week, give or take...lots of hockey coaching...up to 3 days a week now. So, thats 3 hours on skates...keeps me moving. And its fun. I fall a lot when I'm not paying attention and the kids love it, so do parents. But I don't take anything half-assed, so I'm out there and involved with the kids. Its really fun...and my 4 yr old absolutely loves it. Last weekend was the second inter-team scrimmage and my son got leveled by a kid twice his size (i think he was a squirt). anyways, he was so excited to have been and taken a hit from a big guy. Couldn't stop talking about it.

I've got a nasty cold from my kids and I've hit or miss on workouts for the last week and a half. I made it through the holidays with gaining only 10 lbs. Ate a bunch of candy, and some non-primal treats...but no grains (except for a few beers). Beer messes me up for a while.

A little tid-bit on alcohol and training that i learned in my hockey modules...alcohol (not sure on quantitiy) can essentially erase 14 days of previous progress and hinders recovery...http://http://www.americanathleticin...l/alcohol.html...and if that last link wasn't nerdy enough, here is this one with a bunch of scientific mumbo-jumbo...http://http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10444422.

So, I have limited my alcohol intake, to maybe one on a weekend. And that is a big maybe. I'm more serious on food intake and lifting to have alcohol negate so much work. As soon as I kick this cold, I'm gonna start posting my workout journals again. My computer at home is almost fixed, so I am stealing company time to post this...so don't tell my boss.

[IcarianVX]

How is the body fat thing going? The title of the thread is quest for abs, so just checking. I can actually feel mine but still a no go on the display. Takes fricken forever. Welcome back.

[Monty]

Yeah, the whole bf thing is a pain in the arse. I have slightly less than my pictures, i can see it in the mirror. To give you an idea, I still have about 1/2 a hand full of flab on the ol' mid section. But I haven't really been trying very hard. I've been focusing more on heavy lifting, rather than walking/sprinting which has something to do with it. This is the start of week 3 with my cold, which has me up coughing in the night, so sleep is shit. So, now I fit in about 2 workouts per week, where I was doing 3. Plus, hockey takes up 2 nights during the week.

But thanks for reminding me of the title...It really is something I am losing focus on. What have you been doing Icarian to help in the ab department?

[Monty]

Quest for 1000 - my new goal. I have "abs" although they are coved by a nice layer of too many pb&j sandwiches and cookies i gained through child hood. In my quest for 1000, I plan on having visible abs as a side effect of lifting heavy.

Goals:
- 300# bench press. I know i can get this. I've done it before, although I was 10 years younger.

- 300# squat. This will be tough. My legs are long and have never really been "strong". But I've been close. A few years ago, when i was CF'ing at home, I think I hit somewhere in the 260's or low 270's. can't really remember.

- 400# deadlift. currently, i can do 300# without much practice. but my grip sucks. small hands (thanks to genetics), so I'll probably need lifting straps. if anybody has a problem with that, or says "straps don't count" or some shit like that, go eat shit. I won't let my grip hold me back from DL heavy. I'm counting on my grip strenght increasing with weight.

I'm going to follow the strong lifts program. I thought about this too for a while and they emphasize a couple good points:
1. form over ego...always say this to myself but i find myself slipping from time to time.
2. add weight each week to progress.
3. starting slow and with lower weights avoids the muscle soreness so you don't skip workouts (done that a few times) and focuses on form.

thats all for now. i will:
1. take measurements
2. post current pictures

GO G-MEN!!!!

[Monty]

Dam...found my journal on page 20. yep, its been a while.

Getting closer to my goals. Lifts are progressing, grip is getting better. DL 300# on Tuesday with ease, no loss of grip. Haven't tested my squat max yet. I have found that I need at least 3 min of rest between sets to finish strong on squats. Anything less, and I start to get all weak around rep number 3. Haven't tested max bench yet either. Pain in my shoulder is preventing me from really going heavy.

I need to get a nother bar and some extra weights. With 3 minutes of rest, i get a little stir crazy. I've been seeing some on craigslist that come with a bar and about 250# of weights for liek $150. I would pull the trigger if i had the cash.

I'm doing alot of traveling for some construction inspection jobs so i got some extra cash coming my way. First few checks are going towards a golf league I'm joining with my neighbor. Then, we have our trip to the outer banks in May, so the next few will go to that. Then, onto the weights.