As I mentioned in a previous log post, I made some changes with my training frequency that I was pretty confident would pan out quite well and be noticed quite quickly. I was right. I mean, "DUH". However, as much as it has panned out I am going to compromise between the change and the original plan.
Basically, I increased the frequency of my back/chest work about 12 weeks ago when I stepped on the gas and was in full-bore off season mode. I then realized that the frequency was too much and that I wasn't progressing as well as I thought I could be so I wanted to cut back. After cutting back for almost the last 2 weeks, I want to find a happy medium because I feel that infrequently I can handle the extra back/chest work ... possibly every 2 to 3 weeks. Plus, when my arm and delt work are less frequent, my arms and delts respond so much better.
What will it look like? Glad you asked! Instead of the 3 day that I cut back to below:
Mon
chest/back
Wed
legs
abs
Fri
delts/arms
I am going change it every 2 to 3 weeks where I still keep the 3-day-a-week schedule but rotate the Monday and Friday workouts so that I can double up the chest/back sessions to 2 in 1 week every 2 to 3 weeks. That will obviously push the delt and arm workout to a Monday when I do this. I just did this the end of last week and early this week and I already like it. It gives me less frequency than the 4-day-a-week schedule but still gives me enough frequency for chest/back and allows a few extra days for delts and arms every 2 to 3 weeks. This should hit the sweet spot... At least for now. Obviously, this can change at any time based on how I am responding and everything is written in pencil. I always have structure but am open to change at any time based on the response I am getting.
Cutting back the frequency also allows me to use some exercises that I otherwise really can't use when doing higher frequency especially for arms. It is hard to do dips when your chest is getting beaten up twice a week, already, and I also like to finish biceps with under-grip latt pulls to the chin but when my back is constantly sore and on fire, this doesn't work well, either. Another bonus is I can focus on a lot more hammer grip work for biceps and when I was killing back twice a week this started to negatively impact my ability to grip while training back heavy.
Basically, the changes that have been made seem to be great.
I have a little less than 2 weeks on this blast phase for a total of about 14 weeks before I take a week with my wife and 20 friends in Tennessee to ride the Smoky Mountains for a week. I plan to train twice while I am there but only half ass, fun workouts to get some blood moving - nothing to injure myself or beat myself up too badly while out of town.
My weight right now is hovering right around 240 and that is where I wanted to be by the end of this blast phase. It is just a number but I am glad to have hit it, none-the-less. I am looking for about 250 by the end of the year but leaner than I am now. If weight goes higher but my condition is good, that is great, but I am not going to play the game of "push my weight as high as I possibly can".
Blood work had to be put off until this week so those results should be back next week before I leave for TN and I will post them.
