Developing a Freak

[Cole Dreyer]

Over my years of training I would often get quite frustrated with the seemingly lack of progress my arms, calves and forearms would have. There would be times where I would do tons and tons of sets and utilize different training techniques for these body parts but never felt like I saw results that matched the work I was doing.

Of course this can often times be the case with a lot of thing. However when I began to focus my training around the tried and true classic compound movements of deadlift and squat variations I found that my arms, forearms and especially my calves really began to grow. You may have heard little sayings like “Want big arms? Squat. Want big calves? Squat.” or similar phrases and chuckled or scoffed at them. In my experience heavy compound movements seem to have a “global” growth effect on the body that surpasses the traditional movers of the movement in question.

Now I am not saying that if you begin doing a lot of heavy compounds you will suddenly have forearms like Popeye or calves like Ben Pakulski. But I would be willing to bet that you will see greater progress from that alone, not simply just from isolation movements for those body parts.

 

[booneman77]

Over my years of training I would often get quite frustrated with the seemingly lack of progress my arms, calves and forearms would have. There would be times where I would do tons and tons of sets and utilize different training techniques for these body parts but never felt like I saw results that matched the work I was doing.

Of course this can often times be the case with a lot of thing. However when I began to focus my training around the tried and true classic compound movements of deadlift and squat variations I found that my arms, forearms and especially my calves really began to grow. You may have heard little sayings like “Want big arms? Squat. Want big calves? Squat.” or similar phrases and chuckled or scoffed at them. In my experience heavy compound movements seem to have a “global” growth effect on the body that surpasses the traditional movers of the movement in question.

Now I am not saying that if you begin doing a lot of heavy compounds you will suddenly have forearms like Popeye or calves like Ben Pakulski. But I would be willing to bet that you will see greater progress from that alone, not simply just from isolation movements for those body parts.

I 100% concur with this... I saw the same thing myself as in college I avoided squats and deads 99% of the time because they "hurt my back/knees"... in reality I just had garbage form and no idea what I was doing therefore of course they hurt ha.

When I really got serious after college and started studying form, technique, and programming I added both back in and saw tremendous changes in my entire physique as well as posture.

The funny thing is that I now have LESS back and knee aches while squatting and deadlifting 2x each per week (and over 200lb each more than where I started a few yrs back). Silly assumptions by an ignorant college kid ha

 

[Cole Dreyer]

2/ 20/17 Blast # 3 Tier 1 Basic Day 1A
Weight: 239.0
Cardio: 20 min brisk walk

Lower load
Vsquat: 8x5pps
SLDL in v squat: 7x5pps
Prime leg press: 6x6p
LF standing CR: 10x255, 8F
Adductor: 15x100

Upper pump sets
Cable cross over/cable pull over: 25x17.5 / 16x42.5
Cyber lateral raise into mag rear delt fly / body weight crunches: 50x60lbs to 18x96 / 35xbw
Iso cable curl/ straight bar press down: 20x12.5 + 5partials / 18x42.5+5 partials

Solid first day back. Enjoyed the intensive cruise and the time off training. It actually coincided with my birthday which was nice as we traveled to see friends and it was just a good time away.

A few days before my birthday I had been reflecting on a lot of things I had done and on somethings that I knew could be vastly improved in how I go about achieving them. One of those was my physique. I got into Bodybuilding because I wanted to be the biggest freak I could be. After 4-5 years of Bodybuilding I have come to the conclusion that I just haven't walked my talk in the manner that I should to achieve my goal. While it hasn't been a waste I know that my efforts and lifestyle can be much better and I have resolved to change that immediately.

I am thankful that I have reached a new level of maturity where I can be very honest with myself in this area of my life and am so thankful that I am still a young man and have many years ahead of me to achieve my goal.

 

[Cole Dreyer]

2/21/17 Blast #3 Tier 1 Basic Day 2A
Cardio:

Upper load
HS iso horizontal row zz MAG neutral grip pull down: 7x3pps/7ishx160, 9x2pps+25ps F / 8x130F

HS Incline Chest Press zz flat DB fly: 6.5x3pps F / 8x60s F

HS SP zz DB laterals into face pulls: 8x2pps F / 12x30s to 12 x 42.5 - too light

Lower Pump Sets
Watson leg press: 17x4pps - more reps here

LF seated leg curl: 16x180 + 4partials

LF leg press straight leg CR: 22x195 + 5partials


Good session today for first upper load day. Felt fairly weak in that I ran out of gas very suddenly on all movements. Chest press for example - rep 6 was good and then I go to do a 7th and I flat out run out of gas.

Shoulder work was nothing "heavy" but contractions were good. I really, REALLY need to get stronger in my pressing so I look forward to attacking that going forward.

Costochondritis wasn't awful today. Opted for more machine chest pressing this blast to try to let it heal. DB flat flys felt okay but will make sure I am careful not to aggravate it further on chest movements. I think it is a product of high frequency chest training as I remember I had a small bout of it a few years back when I was training chest 3 times a week. However I think with choosing to do movements that do not bother it I SHOULD find some healing, or at least I hope.

Cardio later will be 20 minutes of a brisk walk.



In my experience a lot of times when I hear someone say “I can’t wait to make some great progress toward my goal” or “I am really hoping to see some progress this week/month/year” they are subconsciously inferring to themselves that not only do they want to make “progress” or “good progress” but they also want to achieve that progress extremely fast.

When someone makes a conscious statement like that they often don’t realize they are also making that inference to themselves. How do I know this? Because a lot of time these same people will experience a varying level of frustration even when they have achieved some “progress”. Why do they battle this frustration? Because they set up in there minds a rate of progress they want to be achieving or a certain timetable by which they want to achieve the goal at hand.

This is unfortunate because it robs people of experiencing the joy of the progress they have made and keeps them from producing their highest level of effort towards their goal. It also robs them better understanding the realization that progress towards anything truly worth our while will, undoubtedly, be slow and strenuous and difficult. But that does not need to be discouraging because progress is still being made.

Context of the big picture is important and so hard to keep in mind. By striving to change the way we think about, talk about and meditate on progress can really impact our level of joy in the journey/process towards our goal.

 

[Cole Dreyer]

Would you classify yourself as a professional in something? If you have a job or a career then you are considered a professional at that endeavor. Maybe you consider yourself a pro at a hobby such as fishing or knitting. Maybe you are a professional parent - you change a diaper or wipe a child’s runny nose like Michael Jordan shoots a basketball.

Maybe you are a professional snack maker or sandwich constructor ← If you are either of those email me because I need a snack or a sandwich right about now.

Have you ever watched Russell Wilson play? He is the quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks. It is incredible what he can do on a football field. Of course I am bias being from Seattle and thus a die-hard Seahawk fan but take my word for it; you NEED to watch him play.

Even if you are not a football fan you need to watch him play, or any other professional perform their task, to see and learn HOW they go about their craft. Putting aside God-given talent and ability (because yes some people are just great at some things and will achieve excellence easier than others but they still have to work extremely hard) the top professionals in any field have achieved their level of success because they have always approached their craft as a professional. They have had this approach each time they have gone to do their craft both way before they became a professional at it and after they have reached professional status. In other words they were a professional before society deemed them one. And then we get to see it play out on a field or court. The good ones will operate this way anyway. Those who REALLY want to achieve what is important to them. That is what ultimately got them there.

The same notion applies to fitness and reaching our health and fitness goals. If we are serious about reaching a goal then we need to approach our plan of attack and efforts as a professional would. If we want that lean, six pack, sexy and athletic body then we need to approach our workouts like we have that and/or want to achieve that. If we want to someday compete in a powerlifting competition, obstacle course race, marathon, physique related competition or any other fitness related event we need to approach our training and preparation for that event as a professional would.

We need to ACT as if we have already achieved the end result. We must adopt to some level the mindset of those who have achieved what we want. Now does that mean we need to center our lives around achieving that goal? No, it absolutely does not. It is very possible to achieve a goal without it being the focal point of every action we take. We are going to discuss how all of these relates in terms of reaching a fitness goal but I wanted to paint a picture in your mind of the concept I want us to grasp today - we need to act as the professional we want to become. And if you haven't considered it already when I use the term “professional” I used it broadly. It can mean both achieving professional status in a public arena that society deems or it can simply mean reaching a level of personal expertise at something. If we go back to the person who has the lean and athletic and sexy body we can assume, for the most part, that that person is a professional at achieving at maintaining a great physique. They approach their work towards that goal as a professional. It does NOT mean they are a fitness professional or professional trainer but they have level of professionalism about achieving their goal of a great body.

So how about you? Maybe you just want to drop 20 pounds in time for summer vacation. Aren't looking to be crazy lean or shredded but want to lose some of the flub. That is a great goal.

So you decide you will workout 4 times a week for an hour to achieve that goal in 3 months time let's say. You also decide you are going to count calories and or macronutrients each day and eat a certain amount of both to ensure that you consistently lose 1-3 pounds a week to reach that goal within that time frame. Excellent; both the goals and the plan of action.

The follow through is where ultimately the goal will be achieved or not. This is where you need to act as a professional would. You need to be a pro at working out 4 times a week for an hour and a pro at counting your calories everyday.

Now notice I didn’t say you need to be a professional at working out. No I said you need to be a professional at working out 4 times a week for 1 hour. Training at the level of a professional athlete is hard and is a product of years of consistent follow through, learning and practice at it. You should not expect yourself to perform at that level. You can however follow through and act as a professional would by being consistent in your follow through of working when you said you would and how you would.

Likewise I didn’t say you had to be a professional at eating. Rather, be a professional at counting calories and/or macronutrients each day. You don’t need to follow some ultra strict or hardcore eating plan like some top athletes might. No you simply need to be consistent in your follow through of counting calories each day and eating the amount you need to help you reach your goal.

(Go to this link http://www.trainwithcole.com/#!free-content/d11wd for my calorie counting quicksheet - it is free and will help you get into the groove of calorie counting right away)

Do you see the point I am getting at? Its being a professional at the one or two things that REALLY matter that will help you reach your goal. You can still be an absolutely normal person and reach goals and follow through to them like a professional does at their craft.

It does requires modicums of self-discipline, determination, patience, trial and error and effort but you too can act as a professional does.

 

[Cole Dreyer]

2/23/17 Blast #3 Week 1 Tier 1 Basic Day 3A
Cardio: 20 min brisk walk

High/wide prime leg press MR: 4x10pps/4/4/4/4/5 - heavy as crap.

LF leg ext P set: 20x150/5x150 w/ 1 Ct hold/ 5 partialsx150

Prime lying leg curl P set: 17x70lbs/5 partials into 5 reps of 5 second SLDL stretch with bar

Vertical calf raise sled MR: 4x2pps/4/4/4/4/7 - this sucks, didn't feel it in my caves at all

Iso cable curl P set: 20 hard squeeze reps x 12.5 (fairly good pump from just this)


Good day today. Shortly after my first MR my legs felt quite gassed. It was funny because it had a bit of a delayed response in terms of "feeling" it - during the lift it felt heavy as could be, and the last 2 rounds were a battle, but right after the lift I felt oddly okay but then about 4 minutes later boom it me and my legs felt totally shot. Good pump sets after none then less, especially for lying leg curl. I like to really exaggerate that entire movement to get the deepest contraction I can when I am doing a pump set opposed to a loading set.

Playing with my diet a bit over the next 2-4 weeks I think. I still probably have a legitimate 25-30 pounds of fat I can pull off before I would be quite lean. With still having a ways to go I am thinking I need to re-set myself calorically slightly as with where they are at now I could see myself running out of room to pull from OR also suffering from a bit of a dead metabolism by the time its all said and done or having to utterly kill myself with cardio.

Both of those things still might be reality for me but the point is I think with some calorie manipulation and reset I can probably make much more progress before getting to a point of lots of cardio and super low calories. Looking back I think I started quite aggressive, which was okay for the first 16-17 pounds but I don't think the sustainability and longer term success of going to take off another 25-30 pounds is there with where I am at now.

Not certain yet what I will do but it may take 2-4 weeks to see what happens with an adjustment like that. This is just the price paid for letting myself get way too fat for bodybuilding standards.



Knee pain is something I do not battle currently when training but I know that at some point I will probably experience it. It is my aim to actively train, move and recover in such ways so that minimize any action that would be the causation of knee pain either acutely or chronically. However I realize that joints do suffer from “wear and tear” as time goes on and really the best I can do is minimize that wear and tear as much as possible.

You know what a great way to actively minimize the “wear and tear” of the knee joint? Don’t put up with training with or through any pain. It makes me want to scream at people when I hear something like “every time I squat my knee hurts but I just push through it.” NO!!!! STOP DOING THAT!!

You do not have to “push through” anything. Rather you SHOULD take a step or two back and figure out WHY your knee hurts when you squat, leg press, or do any other leg movement and then LEARN how to fix it.

This article has some simple adaptions to exercises you can do to help alleviate knee pain and also has some lower body training ideologies to consider that will help keep “wear and tear” to a minimum.

Read through this and save it as a reference if you do or do not have knee pain.

https://www.t-nation.com/training/9-training-strategies-for-knee-pain

 

[Cole Dreyer]

Solid first week of my third blast of FT and I look forward to starting week 2 tomorrow - had to start this week a day later because life popped up today but no big deal, simple restructure that made today an off day and will continue as normal through the week and will have everything as planned done in a standard week.

Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend and is ready to get after this week.

Here is friday's workout as I don't think I posted it yet.

2/24/17 Blast #3 Week 1 Tier 1 Basic Day 4A
Cardio:
Weight: 236.2

HS Low Row MR: 4x2pps+25ps/4/4/3/4x2pps/5+1 partial

HS pull down MR: 4x2pps+25ps/4/4/4/4/4

MAG chest fly: 4x252/4/4/3/4x204/5

Cybex lateral raise MR: 12x90/7/4/4/4/4x70

Smith CGBP: 4x185/4/4/4/4 - last set was iffy which is why I stopped at 4 reps

2/23/17 Blast #3 Week 1 Tier 1 Basic Day 3A
Cardio: 20 min brisk walk

High/wide prime leg press MR: 4x10pps/4/4/4/4/5 - heavy as crap.

LF leg ext P set: 20x150/5x150 w/ 1 Ct hold/ 5 partialsx150

Prime lying leg curl P set: 17x70lbs/5 partials into 5 reps of 5 second SLDL stretch with bar

Vertical calf raise sled MR: 4x2pps/4/4/4/4/7 - this sucks, didn't feel it in my caves at all

Iso cable curl P set: 20 hard squeeze reps x 12.5 (fairly good pump from just this)

 

[Cole Dreyer]

Had quite a good session today. I felt pretty strong on my loading set movements and felt that my contractions were pretty good too. My costochondritis also seems a bit better as I toyed around with some DB incline pressing up to 100lb DB's and it did not bother me. I was a bit wary when I went to test it out but was thankful I had no pain. Hopefully this remains as such going forward. Pumps were not awesome but when I am only taking in 117g or so of carbs per day I don't expect them to be awesome.

Body feels pretty good and I look forward to get back in tomorrow and keep hammering away!

Story time right out of the gym this morning:

While doing cardio I witnessed a great example of not having the cart before the horse. Two guys we will call Bob and Frank were both bench pressing on separate benches that happened to be right next to one another. They are roughly the same size but Bob has a bit more lean tissue then Frank but point being is

Both Bob and Frank had 185 on the bar. Bob, sat down to do his set on his bench and pumped out 8-10 reps that were smooth but you could tell it was a challenge. Bob was wearing just a tank top and sweats, no fancy pants equipment.

Frank sat down to do his set on his bench and performed 5-6 reps but each was quite a challenge and were not terribly smooth. This inherently is not bad nor a problem per se. What is however is what Frank had on: in addition to a t-shirt and sweats he was using thick, long, high grade power lifting wrist wraps, elbow sleeves, a very thick and sturdy powerlifting belt and bright orange heel raised lifting shoes.

All of that to bench 185 for 5, maybe 6 reps.

Now is that wrong: is it wrong to have or use that equipment regardless of the weight? To me, no, its not wrong.

Is it even remotely necessary or useful? Not in the slightest bit.

You see one individual, Bob, hasn't bought into this craze that you need all of this latest and greatest tech to improve at a lift and increase the poundage used. He focuses on improving simply at the lift and doesn't get caught up in a bunch of fluff.

Frank, has absolutely bought the idea that you need all of this tech to be proficient at a lift. He is using gear that should be reserved for when it is NEEDED: when he has achieved a high level of performance at the bench press, has wrist or elbow pain, or has gotten poundages where the extra support at those joints is wise.

Whats worse is he believes he needs this to excel at powerlifting.

Now I know both of these individuals to a degree - infant I know Frank a bit more then Bob because Frank had hired my services at one point only to quickly let me go because he believed my plan of action for his goals was too "basic" and "simple".

The learning point of this story is that there is a LOT of progress to be made without a bunch of bells and whistles. Sure they are appropriate at times but you must have the context that supports their use.

Choose to be like Bob and really exhaust the simple options before adding in a bunch of unnecessary stuff.

 

[Cole Dreyer]

Training tonight rather then this morning as I went to bed rather late so decided to flip flop my day and hopefully it won't be too packed.....yeah right, its the War House.


Time to sound like a broken record. But I am not sorry for it because its true.


When I hear the question or a phrase that goes “I just can’t lose any more fat” or “I have hit a weight loss plateau” I can bet that the fix most times is rather simple because the person making the comment is:

1. Not tracking/counting macronutrients and calories <- I get that some people just “can’t” or “hate” doing this but frankly you need to count and track in some fashion other wise you cannot count on any consistent weight or fat loss progress. This is a critical variable that is so easily measurable that it is silly to not. If you are one to say “I can’t count calories” or “I hate counting and keeping track” I seriously challenge you to look deep inside yourself and figure out why. This simple daily habit has brought so many people success and you are no different than them.

2. Possibly doing something absurd like extremely low calorie diets (1000-1500kcal/day) for a very prolonged period of time coupled with high amounts of physical activity. While this might work for a short time to strip pounds and fat off quickly it will also quickly fizzle out leaving you frustrated. Slow and steady is often the best way to go with maybe some short periods of “aggressive” dieting here and there IF it fits within the context of your lifestyle, goals and current diet and exercise programming.

If you are not in one of these two categories that does not mean your halt in progress is not legitimate. There could be other factors at play certainly but I find that these two are pretty common, ESPECIALLY NUMBER ONE.

Be willing to do what has worked for millions over and over again.

Also, check this article out for your reading pleasure. Yes it is geared towards women but several of the truths in it are universal for both men and women.


Article: https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/blog/fat-loss/bust-fat-loss-plateau/

 

[Cole Dreyer]

Good couple days training to wrap up the week. Pics show me leaner from the week previous but scale is the same, in the 236.2-237.2 spot.

This might come as a bit of a shocker to some but I am considering changing my training a bit. I praise FT a lot and still do. However in recent review and some conversations I have had I was encouraged to revisit when I looked my best and why was that the case. I know when that period was for me and the style of training it was and so I am going to take a few days to do that and make a decision.

It is tough because I like FT a lot but if I am honest with myself I know I do not look as good now as I did previously and I think I may have let myself get away from what was working well for me and my body.

 

[Cole Dreyer]

Hey! Sorry I've been away from posting for a few days - got caught up and its been a bit busy but training and diet are going well. I decided to return to a style of training and split that has had me look my best previously which is a higher volume and moderate frequency approach. I love Fortitude Training and all that it is but when I compare my notes from late October when I started it to when I have been my biggest and best it is pretty evident that FT might not be as optimal for me as other programs.

Now with that said I am taking some of the FT programming ideologies and applying it to what I am doing now. Namely I am going to take the three workout approach and the loading set approach. I will have a Week A, B and C that I will rotate through and will have loading sets for the major muscle groups just like FT has. Volume wise I will follow a similar approach to the tier system as seen in FT though my "Tiers" will have a touch more volume per muscle group as a whole then what FT calls for. This primarily because my frequency won't be as high. My split is

Day 1: Chest/Back: heavy press, dead lift and upper back focus
Day 2: Delts - Very Pump Set style focus as I find my shoulders respond best to this type of training. This day will with an FT style load set.
Day 3: Arms - very similar to delts, lots of volume here with load sets for triceps
Day 4: Quads - Will begin with an FT style load set then move into traditional reps and sets
Day 5: Chest/some delts - primarily a chest day - will start with an FT load set and move into standard reps and sets of various ranges. Delt portion of this day will be laterals and rear delt flys
Day 6: Back Row Focus/Hamstrings - This will start with load sets for hamstrings the into pump sets of hamstrings, then into loading set for a row movement and then traditional sets and reps for back.
Day 7: Off

My current goal of getting fairly lean hasn't changed and I actually believe I may see some improved fat loss since my overall activity will be higher.

Here are the last two workouts

3/7/17 Week A Week 1 Tier 1 Delts
Weight:
Cardio: 20min treadmill

Rear delt DB fly: 20x25's, 20x15's/20x5's

DB laterals: Multiple sets of 20, finished with two drop sets of 20. Didn't go above 20lb dumbbells

DB hammer press super set with band face pulls: 15x35s/10, 15/10

Load set
HS SP zz Icarian rear delt fly: 7x2pps/10x110, 7/10

DB front raise/DB lateral/HS crunch machine: 12x25s/15x20s/20x30lbx2



3/6/17 **new split start** Week A Week 1 Tier 1 Back/chest load
Weight:
Cardio: 20min treadmill

Load sets
Hammer dead: 6x5pps, 7x4pps
Incline DB press: 7x45kg's, 12x35kg's

Pump Sets
Mag nuetral grip pull down: 17x135, 10x135/5.5x195/5x75+5partials
Magnum flat fly machine: 30x144, 14x144/4x108+5 partials




f you have been in the pursuit of an improved body composition for a moderate amount of time you have probably come across various kinds of calculators such as:

Daily calorie intake calculators
Macronutrient calculators
NEAT (non exercise activity thermogenesis) calculators
Body fat calculators
lean body mass calculators
fat loss or muscle gain calculators
graphic calculators
4 function calculators
digital watch calculators….

Okay the last three do not pertain to this fblog (Facebook blog - look at how cool I am with my fancy made up hipster acronyms) but you get the point. There are a lot of these type of tools out there that can be very helpful. Specifically find them most helpful as a starting point of reference and especially so for those who are just getting started in the pursuit of a physique change goal.

But it is very important to understand that the use of these tools MUST be taken with the consideration that our bodies are not mathematical machines. Meaning the cute perfect little answers you will receive from the calculators are ROUGH estimates and nothing more. Do not expect to take the results of said calculators and then get the perfect, long lasting results by applying what they tell you or recommend you should do.

Sure in some cases they might be pretty near accurate and give you some great results at the start. If that happens then awesome, enjoy it. But if it doesn’t don’t be overly bugged by it. Why? Because it was a rough starting point. What you need to do is take that rough starting point, take good notes and pay attention to the kind of results you get over a 2-3 week period and then adjust as necessary in slight ways to keep progress rolling.

This article talks about body math and these types of calculators and does a great job explaining this very thing. This is a GOOD article and you should certainly read it!

http://revivestronger.com/2017/02/09/your-bodies-equation/

 

[Cole Dreyer]

Total bro day today. Tricep pump was pretty awesome. Biceps wasn't awful but I didn't feel as full as I wanted too in the biceps as I did the triceps.

Over the last couple days my appetite/hunger as taken a step or two up which is quite encouraging to me. Mid week from last update and I notice that I have lost some more through my midsection which is great.

3/8/17 Week 1A Tier 1 Arms
Weight:
Cardio:

Incline DB hammer curl: 8x30's, 8
Rope press down: 12x42.5, 10

Iso concentration cable curl: 12x17.5, 12

Load set: CGBP zz ez over head ext: 3x225/20x42.5, 15x135/6x62.5/4x42.5 - this really bothered my lingering costochondritis. While it's much better this movement bothered it - will have to slowly up weight with this movement so as to not bother it.

Pump Sets
Preacher curl machine/rev grip press down: 30x70+5 partials/30x27.5+5partials

Rope hammer curls/single arm cross body triceps extension: 30x27.5/20x12.5



There is a practice that you can do frequently that requires very little effort that will almost always make people like and respect you. It is so subtle to someone else that they will probably never know you do it. Do you now what it is?

Give lots of careful consideration to your words. Do this before you say anything no matter how small or innocent your words might seem.

If you do this you will do nothing but build up and give life to others. If you don’t you will fall prey to saying something that might sound quite harmless to you but might do a lot of damage to who you are speaking too.

Case in point: my wife was recently training in the gym she also works and does personal training yet. If you have seen Lindsey in person then you know she looks very athletic and fit but yet is very feminine. Basically, she proves the stereotype that women who lift turn into looking like men completely false. She is gorgeous (its the truth, even apart from my bias) and her efforts to have a great physique improves her femininity.

While she was working out a regular member came up to her. This is a member who is a real kind and enjoyable person and who is enjoyable to be around. They struck up a conversation with Lindsey and said something to the effect of “All of this working out and lifting you do is destroying your femininity.” Lindsey politely smiled and continued the conversation however this comment struck her pretty deep. It hurt.

You see this person who made this comment who by all accounts is kind and enjoyable and whom my wife actually likes gave no thoughts to their words when they made this comment. There was no malicious in their tone or body language or delivery. They made a simple comment that they probably didn’t think had the potential to do harm to another person and in this case my wife. But thats the problem. The person did not CONSIDER their words.

When Lindsey shared this with me we both felt there was a learning opportunity for ourselves and possibly for others too: You have got to consider your words. This applies all the more to women who are looking to improve their physical bodies and improve their self image and confidence within their physical bodies. Words mean so much to women (but really all people because frankly we are ALL much more sensitive then we would ever reveal to anyone else), ESPECIALLY, in this regard.

You see we say hundreds of words to people every day in person, through text and through social media and we probably rarely stop to think about how the other person will receive our words. I am super guilty of this and this incident really struck a cord with my wife and I in that we must resolve to be considerate of what we say and how we say. This does not mean we withhold the truth but it does mean we seek to always give life with what we do and do not say.

Lindsey had some great thoughts and insights about this and made a social media post about this on 2/21/17 on her IG and FB accounts. I encourage you to go read her account of it as it might just bless your life.

Consider your words. All of them.

 

[Cole Dreyer]

Hey everyone!! I am sorry for my absence this last week. Life was a bit hectic and I just didn't get on the boards to post.

It's been a good week though and training, despite the big eastern snow storm, has been very good. Since swapping back to what "works" for me - or what has worked the best for me previously - I have made some pretty noticeable progress in just a short 1.5 week time. Won't do a full assessment until a week from Sunday as I want to give time for everything to "work" with some consistency before making a change right now.

Today shortly after training I got hit with what appears to be the flu - just started to get some the tell tale signs of it which sucks but hopefully I can knock it out within a day or 2.


Here is training from the last several days.

3/16/17 Week 2B Tier 1 Quads
Weight:
Cardio:

Load set
Hack squat: 10x5pps, 1x6pps (you didn't Fail here and you could have gotten more)/6x4pps

Straight sets of 10-15
Watson Leg press: 11x6pps, 10
Inverted leg press: 15x4p, 10x6p

Pump Sets:
Leg extensions - didn't do because of time. Forgot pants at home so had to leave early to go back home to change before work.

Calf/adductor super set: LF straight leg CR/adductor: 12x215/10x100, 10/8


3/13/17 Week 2B Tier 1 Back/chest load
Weight:
Cardio: 30 min interval

Load sets
Rack dead: 8x495, 6
Lever edge incline press: 6x4pps, 11x3pps

Pump Sets
Mag wide grip pull down: 12x135/3, 10x135/6x105/3partials
Lever edge fly machine: 35x100, 10x130/10sec hold at top/ 5 partials / 10 sec stretch

**some Delts bc of snow tomorrow**
Rear delt fly on lever edge: 15x40, 15, 6x70, 12x50


3/11/17 Week 1A Tier 1 Back/hamstring
Weight:
Cardio:

Load set HS iso row: 10x3pps, 6x3pps

Prime bent over row: 13x2pps, 11

Load set Prime lying leg curl: 7x3p, 11x2p

Pump set Wide grip seated row/Prime seated neutral grip row: 15x90/7x190, 10x90/10x130

Pump set LF seated hamstring curl/DB SLDL: 20x150/10x20kg's, 20/10x22.5kg's

3/10/17 Week 1A Tier 1 Chest
Weight: 237.0
Cardio: 20min treadmill

Load set
Lever edge incline press: 5.25x4pps, 10x3pps

Lever edge flat press: 11x2pps, 11 - brothered Chest so was pretty careful

Pump set
Incline cable fly/prime nuetral press: 20x20lb+5partials/12x1pps, 20x20lb+5partials into 30 second loaded stretch/15x1pps

DB laterals: 15x20x2
Rear delt cable fly: 15x7.5, 15x12.5

3/8/17 Week 1A Tier 1 Arms
Weight:
Cardio: 20min treadmill

Incline DB hammer curl: 8x30's, 8
Rope press down: 12x42.5, 10

Iso concentration cable curl: 12x17.5, 12

Load set: CGBP zz ez over head ext: 3x225/20x42.5, 15x135/6x62.5/4x42.5 - this really bothered my lingering costochondritis. While it's much better this movement bothered it - will have to slowly up weight with this movement so as to not bother it.

Pump Sets
Preacher curl machine/rev grip press down: 30x70+5 partials/30x27.5+5partials

Rope hammer curls/single arm cross body triceps extension: 30x27.5/20x12.5