Ghost goes back to basics... once again

Week 2 - Day 1

Wake up: 6am
Slept: 4 hours

Even tho I've slept so little, I've managed to make it to the gym... and even train once there :thumbsup:
No, really, I woke up refreshed, even tho I worked til late and started to work on waking up.

FOOD

Breakfast: 20g whey, piece of powerbread, 400ml PS milk with muesli
PreWO: 4g BCAA
PostWO: 4g BCAA
PostPostWO: 40g whey, 50g dextro
Snack 1: piece of powerbread
Snack 2: 3 eggs, some cheese, broad beans, whole wheat bread
Snack 3: 600g PS yogurt, almonds
Snack 4: 200g cottage cheese, EVO oil, spinach
Snack 5: 30g whey in water
Dinner: 300g codfish, string beans, salad
Prebed: 300ml PS milk

Heavy Day

Superset:
Incline BP: 85kg (187.4lbs) 6/6/6/6/6 increase next week
DB bench: 30kg (66lbs) 7/5/6/3/5

1 minute rest:

Superset:
BB Row: 90kg (198.4lbs) 6/6/6/6/6 increase next week
High pulley cross-rowing: 25kg (55lbs) 8/8/6/8/7

1-2 minutes rest than start again from chest.

Superset:
EZ curl: 50kg (110.2lbs) 6/7/7/8
DB Tri ext: 18kg (39.7lbs)*5*6 16kg (35.3lbs)*8*8

Psyched up by: Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden

COMMENTS:

Hope it stops raining, because this evening I have to do my sprints. I'm losing a bit of volume (yeah, yeah, I know... what volume?) because of the low carbs. Think I'm going to refill this week end.
I've spotted a spot (forgive me for the pun) on my right lat, could it be caused by HX2?

Week 2 - Day 1 Addendum

Got back from work and finished my today schedule

Sprints:

7x40m = 280m

COMMENTS

I'm starting to feel some muscle hardness. I had this feeling, like a continuous pump since today's workout.

WEEK 2 - Day 2

Woke up: 6am
Slept: 7 hours

Rest day

Comments:

Today is holiday, so the gym is closed. Day 2 of the week will be tomorrow.
Done sprints agan (2*40m 2*80m 3*40m=320m) and some cardio (15min rope jumping), plus trimmed the bushes and mowed the lawn
Felt a bit shaky in the middle of the night... is a bit strange.
Woke up with no muscle hardness, that came back right after cardio.

Week 2 - Day 3

Wake up: 6.00am
Slept: 6 hours

FOOD

Will add later

Lactate inducing workout + steady state aerobic

CIRCUIT A (12-15 reps per set)

Incline DB press: 30kg (66.1lbs) Increase next week
Leg press: 190kg (419lbs) Increase next week
BB Row: 65kg (143.3lbs) Increase next week
Single leg curl standing: 30kg (66.1lbs) Increase next week
Weighed crunches 40kg (88.2lbs)

CIRCUIT B (15-20 reps per set)

DB shoulder press: 18kg (39.7lbs) Increase next week
Leg ext: 75kg (1655lbs)
Pullups: BW
Seated leg curl: 80kg (176.4lbs)
Leg raise

Today I was short on time, so I've done only A and B plus cardio (20mins)

Psyched up by: Corrosion of Conformity - Deliverance

Comments:
It looks like strenght is really increasing.

Hi Ghost Rider, you've got a really well planned out thread here, really nice to follow.

How are you finding your training? You said in one of your earlier posts that you started your training at home, do you still do any training at home? which do you prefer more home training or at the gym?
I just wondered because most of my training will be at home.

Good luck with all your training, looks well thoughtout

ORIGINAL: Stephatj

Hi Ghost Rider, you've got a really well planned out thread here, really nice to follow.

Thanks, Stehph

How are you finding your training? You said in one of your earlier posts that you started your training at home, do you still do any training at home? which do you prefer more home training or at the gym?
I just wondered because most of my training will be at home.

This routine is quite hard, since I try everytime to increase the weight, while keeping high reps on lactate days. These circuit are from a devil mind
Heavy days are... well, heavy. Superset are killers, and from next week I've decided to tweak things a bit and superset antagonistic muscle, with no rest between A and B (ie BP-Row ->incline DB-Pullups). This way, first muscle group can rest a bit and then get hammered again with heavy (for me) weight. It's absurd to struggle with 32kg DB after bench, while I can manage 15reps with the same weight on circuits day.
Training at home can be good, no problem with holidays and opening/closing time, but you have to be really motivated and own a power rack (in order to avoid to behead yourself while doing bench press ).
I train at home only for cardio, now (rope jumping, sprints and stuff like that).

Good luck with all your training, looks well thoughtout

Thanks again.

Week 2 - Day 4

Wake up: 6am
Slept: 4.5 hours

PreBreakfast: 20g whey in water
Breakfast: 60g muesli, 500ml PS milk
Snack 1: 300g PS yogurt, 40g oats, blackberries
PreWO: 4g BCAA
PostWO: 4g BCAA
PostPostWO: 40g whey, 50g dextro
Lunch: 300g T-bone steak, 100g potatoes, green salad
Snack 2: 150g tuna, artichokes
Snack 3: 50g protein bar (25g protein blend)
Dinner: 150g minced meat, spinach

Heavy Day

Superset:
Squat: 120kg (264.5lbs) 6/6/6/5/5/4
Seated Leg Curl: 80kg (176.4lbs) 8/8/8/8/8/7

Superset:
SLDL: 90kg (198.4lbs) 6/6/6/6/6/6
Simth Single Leg Split Squat: 40kg (88.2lbs) 8/8/8/8/8/7

Psyched up by: Down - Nola

Comments:
Nothing musch to say

Week 2 - Day 5

Wake up: 6am
Slept: 6 hours

PreBreakfast: 25g whey in water
Breakfast: 1 weetabix, 100g speck, 2 slice melon, 2 eggs
PostWO: 6g BCAA
PostPostWO: 40g whey, 40g dextro
Lunch: 70g pasta with spinach, 250g codfish
Snack 2: 150g tuna, artichokes
Snack 3: 50g low carb protein bar (25g protein blend)
Dinner: 150g minced meat, spinach
Prebed: 300ml PS milk (maybe)

Extra cardio session

15min threadmill
15min elliptical
15min stationary bike

Psyched up by: Mark Wood - Against the grain

Comments:
Weight is going down, but not as fast as I thought it would. Trying to go lower with carbs. Until now I had only 1 weetabix and 40g dextro after WO. I feel a bit dizzy and really irritable. After 2 weeks on HX2, I still feel very rested when I wake up in the morning, even after just a few hours of sleep.
Even if I don't mention it, I use only EVO oil with my food.

Week 2 - Day 6

Wake up: 6.00am
Slept: 6 hours

FOOD

PreBreakfast: 30g whey in water
Breakfast: 500ml PS milk
Snack 1: 80g speck, 100g low fat cheese, some mixed nuts
PreWO: 1 scoop cold fusion explosion, 4g BCAA
PostWO: 4g BCAA
PostPostWO: 40g whey
Lunch: 300g swordfish, 40g basmati rice, zucchini, green pepper
Snack 2: 50g low carb protein bar, 1 tsp peanut butter
Snack 3: 150g tuna, artichokes
Dinner: 4 whole eggs, zucchini
Prebed: don't know

Lactate inducing workout + steady state aerobic

CIRCUIT A (12-15 reps per set)

Incline BB press: 60kg (132lbs) Increase next week
Smith Single Leg Split Squat: 30kg (66.1lbs) Increase next week
DB Row: 30kg (66.1lbs) Increase next week
Good Morning: 60kg (132lbs) Increase next week
Weighed crunches 40kg (88.2lbs)

CIRCUIT B (15-20 reps per set)

DB shoulder press: 18kg (39.7lbs) Increase next week
Leg press: 200kg (441lbs)
Lat machine: 55kg (121.2lbs) Increase next week
SLDL: 55kg (121.2lbs) Increase next week
Leg raise

CIRCUIT C (15-20 reps per set)

Hammer curl db: 16kg (35.2lbs) Increase next week
Sled Lying Calf Press: 200kg (441lbs) Increase next week
Reverse Grip Pulldown: 30kg (66.1lbs) Increase next week
Crunch on swissball
Upright row: 40kg (88.2lbs)

At the end, 20mins of steady state cardio (treadmill 6km/h, 12% incline)

Psyched up by: Nothing, my headphones died

Comments:
Managed 3 rounds of A e B, but only 2 of circuit C.
Training in low carb sucks, sucks big time. I ate only 25g of carbs prior the training, and I felt a bit like sh*t. Really, I don't know how I managed to use the same weights of last week, let alone increasing them!

Week 2 - Day 7

Woke up: 6.00am
Slept: 5.5 hours

Rest day... complet rest!

FOOD

Today is carb day

PreBreakfast: 30g whey in water
Breakfast: 300g PS yogurt, 30g oats, blueberries
Snack 1: 40g whey in water, some mixed nuts
Lunch: 100g pasta with tuna, 200g codfish dressed with tomato fillets, green olive and origan (GNAM!), green salad, broccoli.

More to come

2nd week comments:
Today weight was 78.8kg. I feel great, weight training is still going strong, even on low cal/low carb. Increased some weight, stable with others. On this side HX2 is great! I mean, I've dieted down other times and always had strength loss, but not this time.

Week 3 - Day 1

Wake up: 6am
Slept: 6.5 hours

Low Carb Day

PreBreakfast: 30g whey in water
Breakfast: 20g oats, 200ml PS milk, 20g whey
Snack 1: 50g whole wheat bread, 150g tuna with EVO oil, 1 apple
Snack 2: 3 eggs, spinach with EVO oil
Snack 3: 40g whey
PreWO: 1 scoop cold fusion explosion, 4g BCAA
PostWO: 4g BCAA
PostPostWO: 50g whey
Snack 4: 150g low fat cheese, carrots
Dinner: don't know yet
Prebed: 40g whey, couple nuts

Heavy Day

Superset:
Bench: 95kg (209,4lbs) 6/5 - 90kg (198lbs) 4/4/4/4
Straight Arms Pulldown: 40kg (88.2lbs) 7/5 - 35kg (77lbs) 8/8/8/8

Superset:
Pullups: +20kg (44lbs) 6/5 (+1 BW)/4 (+3BW)/4 (+2BW)/4/4
Incline flies: 22kg (48.5lbs) 8/8/8/8/8/8

Superset:
Hammer curl: 20kg (44lbs) 8/8/8/8
Dips: +20kg (44lbs) 6/6/4/4/4/3

Psyched up by: Nothing

Comments:
None at the moment

Still to come: sprints

100m x 1 + 40m x 1 + 80m x 2 = 300m

Week 3 - Day 2

Wake up: 6am
Slept: 6 hours

Zero Carb Day

Breakfast: 2 eggs, 30g whey in water, green salad, EVO oil
Snack 1: 50g zero carb protein bar
Snack 2: 180g Parma ham, spinach, EVO oil
Snack 3: 50g zero carb protein bar, 30g mixed nuts
Snack 4: 100g meatball, spinach
Dinner: 200g salmon, cauliflower, EVO oil
Prebed: 40g whey, couple nuts

Comments:
Skipped gym today. I have a lot of job to do and little time to do it.
I'm going to do a little cardio later.
I thought it would have been harder today with zero carb... it is not that bad.
I'm always hungry, but I will not surrender
Energy level is always pretty much high since I started HX2.

Done cardio, 30min rope jumping

Week 3 - Day 3

Woke up: 5am
Slept: 5 hours

FOOD

PreBreakfast: 30g whey in water
Breakfast: 50g oats, blackberries, 500ml PS milk
Snack 1: 80g spelt flour bread, 100g ham
Snack 2: 150g tuna, peas, spinach, EVO oil
Snack 3: 40g whey in water, 30g mixed nuts
PreWO: 1 scoop cold fusion explosion, 4g BCAA
PostWO: 4g BCAA
PostPostWO: 40g whey, 30g dextro
Snack 4: 50g protein bar (25g protein, 0 carbs) I was in a hurry
Dinner: 250g chicken breast, spinach, cabbage
Prebed: 40g whey in water, some nuts

Time for some comparison with the first week. In red today's weight, in blue firts week weight

WORKOUT

CIRCUIT A (12-15 reps per set)

DB bench press: 28kg (61.7lbs)
34kg (75lbs)

Leg press: 170kg (374.8lbs)
200kg (441lbs)

DB row: 28kg (61.7lbs)
32kg (70.5lbs)

Leg Curl standing 25kg (55lbs)
30kg (66.1lbs)

Crunch on swissball

CIRCUIT B (15-20 reps per set)

Military press 35kg (77lbs)
40kg (88.2lbs)

Leg Ext 75kg (165.3lbs)
77kg (169.7lbs) My right knee screams everytime I do this exercise

Pullups BW
+8kg

Leg Curl seated 70kg (154.3lbs)
80kg

Reverse crunch

CIRCUITO C – OPTIONAL (15-20 reps per set)

Curl EZ 35kg (77lbs)
40kg (88.2lbs)

Standing Calf 90kg (198.5lbs)
100kg (220.4lbs)

Skullcrusher 35kg (77lbs)
40kg (88.2lbs)

Leg Raise

Lateral raise 12kg (26.4lbs)
14kg (30.8lbs)

At the end, I made 20mins on the treadmill: speed 6.0, incline 15%

Psyched up by: Gamma Ray - Blast from the past

Comments:
I had strength increase in almost every exercise... and keeping a good form and full ROM (a trainer in the gym, a friend, checked me).
I made 3 full rounds with every circuit, always closer to the higher end of the reps range.

Week 3 - Day 3

Woke up: 5am
Slept: 5 hours

Food - no carbs day

PreBreakfast: 30g whey in water
Breakfast: 2 eggs, 80g Parma ham, spinach
Snack 1: 40g whey in water, 40g mixed nuts
Snack 2: 200g chicken, artichokes
Snack 3: 40g whey in water
Dinner: 250g lean beef steak, green salad, broccoli
PreBed: 30g whey in water, 1tsp peanut butter

Phew... today's diet sucks. I've been really low on cals, and pretty high in protein (over 200g, I think).

Comments:

Cardio session today. I've done 'rope sprinting' (walk as fast as possible, while jumping) 10x40m. Plus 20 min rope jumping.
Jeans starts to feel loose on my waist. Dropped some fat, maybe? Hope so.
Energy level is still high and strength is always there... I hope, tomorrow is legs day.

sounds like your enjoying the cycle, finally wrote up the last part of my journal (will probably stick up some last pics tomorrow.

Week 3 - Day 5

Woke up: 6am
Slept: 7 hours

Low carb day - Food

Breakfast: 30g spelt flour bread, 2 eggs, 50g ham
Snack 1: 50g protein bar, 40g mixed nuts
Snack 2: 200g minced meat, spinach
Snack 3: 40g whey
PreWO: 1 scoop cold fusion explosion, 4g BCAA
PostWO: 4g BCAA
PostPostWO: 40g whey, 20g dextro
Snack 4: 20g spelt flour bread, 80g ham
Dinner: 200g lean pork steak, fennels
Prebed: 40g whey in water, tsp peanut butter

Heavy Day

Superset:
Squat: 120kg (264.5lbs) 6/6/6/6/6/6
Seated Leg Curl: 84kg (185.2lbs) 8/8/8/8/8/8

Superset:
SLDL: 90kg (198.4lbs) 6/6/6/6/6/6
Simth Single Leg Split Squat: 25kg (55.1lbs) per side 7/7/7/6/6/5

Psyched up by: Metallica - ..and justice for all

Comments:
Things are going great. I feel a bit hungry all the time but... hey, things are supposed to be this way when you are on a diet

ORIGINAL: lost

sounds like your enjoying the cycle.

Yes, definitely. It seems like HX2 is doing wonder strength wise.

Week 3 - Day 6

Woke up: 5am
Slept: 6 hours

High Carb day - Food

PreBreakfast: 30g whey in water
Breakfast: 2 eggs, 300g PS yogurt
Snack 1: 50g low carb protein bar (25g protein)
Snack 2: 150g tuna with salad, mixed nuts, EVO oil
Snack 3: 40g whey in water
PreWO: 1 scoop cold fusion explosion, 4g BCAA
PostWO: 4g BCAA
PostPostWO: 40g whey, 10g dextro

I stayed low on carb until now, because I'm going out for dinner, at some friends home. I already know that there's gonna be a lot of carby stuff. I'm not planning to binge out, but I will have to eat some of this and some of that to not offend my friends. I'll be good, I promise :D

Lactate inducing workout + steady state aerobic

CIRCUIT A (12-15 reps per set)

Incline DB press: 30kg (66.1lbs)
Lounges: 24kg DB (53lbs)
BB Row: 70kg (154.3lbs)
Good Morning: 60kg (132.2lbs)
Cruches

CIRCUIT B (15-20 reps per set)

DB shoulder press: 20kg (44.1lbs)
Leg press: 200kg (440.9lbs)
Lat pulldown: 60kg (132.2lbs)
SLDL: 60kg (132.2lbs)
Leg raise

CIRCUIT C — OPTIONAL (15-20 reps per set)

Hammer Curl: 20kg (44.1lbs)
Calf: 100kg (220.4lbs)
Cable One Arm Triceps Extension: 35kg (77.1lbs)
Hanging Leg Raise
Upright row: 40kg (88.1lbs)

Treadmill 20mins 15% incline 6km/h

Psyched up by: 80's Compilation

Third Week Comments:
I'm a bit in a hurry, going to write my 3 week comments later.

Third Week Comments:
Here I am. I haven't cheated too much, half glass of red wine and a couple slice of salami.
Strength is always high, even on low carb/low cal day.
Today legs were knackered form yesterday legs session, still I managed to do a good session, with all the circuit and all the leg exercise.
I've never slept better then the last three week.
Recover is great, I always have energy to work, work out and other stuff.
I've never been stressed like now: always running, prepare everything for the wedding (27 days left), loads of work, horrible shifts, 5-6 hours of sleep every night... still I feel great. No, I'm not doing coke
Libido still normal, had a little peak, but is back to normal.
Tomorrow morning I'll check the weight

Week 3 - Day 7

Woke up: 6am
Slept: 5 hours

Low Carb day - Food

PreBreakfast: 30g whey in water
Breakfast: 300ml PS milk, slice of whole wheat bread
Snack 1: 40g whey in water, mixed nuts
Lunch: 5 eggs, carrots, salad
Snack 3: 40g whey in water
Snack 4: 40g whey in water
Dinner: 300g chicken breast, broccoli, spinach, carrots
PreBed: 40g whey in water

Pretty lousy diet today. I worked all day, and stopped only to gulp down a couple of protein shake.
Did a short cardio session, 25 mins rope jumping.

Let's talk about my weight. I have one of those body fat monitor scales.
I know that the BF readings of those scales aren't accurate, but mine is pretty much consistent. If I weight myself everyday at the same hour, in the same condition, it gives (if I'm not dieting/bulking) the same value day after day.
So, even if it isn't the real BF%, it can be used as reference.
April 28th I was 78.7kg@20.9%, 16.44kg of pure fat, 62.25kg of lean mass (bones, muscle and stuff).
Today I was 78.5@20.3%, 15.9kg of pure fat, 62.56kg of lean mass (bones, muscle and stuff).
Tomorrow morning I will check the weight again, and will see if it gives the same value (nothing can change in one night).
Now, assuming that this measurements are good, I've lost some fat (not too much for 2 weeks), whilst gaining a small amount of lean mass.
My trial with HX2 ends on May 22nd, pics will tell the truth.