Can A MH Staffer Shape Up In Only 10 Weeks?

Week 8

I’m still feeling pretty lethargic this week and to make matters worse, my pecs injury has flared up resulting in a decrease in my mental stamina when lifting.

I keep hearing The Rock shout “FOCUS” as my mind wanders, lingering on the soreness and increasing self-doubt I have that I can get through a set. It makes me ponder how many other wannabe’s hear the former wrestler’s words mid-pump and if they help them like they do me!

I still managed four weight sessions this week, one basketball game and a 5km run on Sunday – a decent result when everything is said and done.

During one of those grueling sessions I ask Navid why we train legs every day. He explained that by the end of the 10-week program, we’ll have trained my pistons 30 times instead of just 10 if we’d only done them once a week.

I like this guy’s thinking. My poor old chicken legs are like the black jellybean in the packet – always left behind.

Pump Up Your Pistons
Barbell front squat (5 x 10)
One-legged press (5 x 10)
Leg curl (5 x 10)
Leg extension (5 x 10)

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Week 7

I’m feeling pretty flat this week and am not sure why.

Navid has recommended a few dietary changes, such as a cheat day to load up on kilojoules and eat more food that will stick to my ribs over the weekend, like sausages.

Training is feeling like a chore and I know I would definitely have skipped a session or two, had I not had Navid waiting for me at the gym.

My body is slow to bounce back and my lifting gains have dropped significantly.

I’ve booked myself in for a massage to see if having some fresh blood pumped into the sore spots will make any difference. Fingers crossed.

I’ve also had a couple of late nights at work and a few other stresses this week, which might have something to do with my physical malaise. No doubt stress plays a role in mood and resilience. But Navid reckons it’s pretty normal to have highs and lows over a ten-week period and advised me not to be too hard on myself. My carefree week on the beach seems a lifetime ago.

Trick Out Your Tri’s
Single arm triceps curls (5 x 10)
Cable push-downs (5 x 10)

Week 6

Having crossed the hallway point in my training, I can see the finish line. It’s taken six weeks but my body feels like it has well and truly adjusted.

There’s definitely room for improvement in my eating habits though, although I feel like I’m beginning to perfect my supplement intake.

Currently, my daily food and supplement intake looks a little like this:

7am – Protein shake – Professional Whey Select WPC

9.30am – Smoothie with mixed berries, Professional Whey Select WPC Professional Whey Creatine, 200ml almond milk, 2 raw eggs, Professional Whey Organic Oats, 1x spoon of Greek yoghurt

11am – Professional Whey Glutomine

12 - Protein shake – Professional Whey Select WPC and Professional Whey Creatine

12.30 – Weights training

2pm – Professional Whey Gltuomine

2.40pm – Can of tuna and salad, followed by protein shake – Professional Whey Select WPC and Professional Whey Creatine.

4pm – Mixed nuts

6pm – Steak/chicken and veggies

9pm – Protein shake – Professional Whey Select WPC and Professional Whey Creatine

10pm – Professional Whey Arginine

10.30pm - Bed

= 180 approx. grams of protein = nice

The bottom line here is that gains are hard earned and built on mounds of good food and copious amounts of discipline.

Week 5

This week my training is interrupted by a holiday. I knock out two heavier weight sessions before heading off to Port Douglas.

Believe it or not, I manage to train every day that I’m away, substituting cardio gym sessions with runs on the beach.

The value of learning correct technique becomes apparent in the hotel gym, as I note other guests’ poor form. I’m definitely feeling lucky to have had the opportunity to learn to lift properly. It’s hard enough to motivate yourself to go to the gym. To then find out that what you’ve been doing for years has not been nearly as effective as it could have been would be heart breaking.

You might think I’m being slack going on holidays in the middle of a transformation challenge. But the fact is you have to fit your fitness goals around your daily life, rather than treat yourself like a lab rat in an experiment. If you make your goals unrealistic you’re setting yourself up for failure. Just as long as you get back on track once you’re home, then there’s no reason to feel guilty or beat yourself up.

Personally, I’m taking the work hard, play hard approach. Each night I reward my hard work with a couple frothies and numerous red wines. Because hey, a man, even one striving for a rippling physique, has got to live a little.

Carve Your Core
Flat bench leg raise
Hanging knee raise
Machine crunch
Back ext on 45-degree bench
Prone and side bridge

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Week 4

I’m feeling like Superman this week - the weights seem easier to lift and my body is feeling great after training. All week I reaffirm to myself that the transformation is in full swing as I peer a little closer in the mirror for proof. Alas, in the final session of the week, Navid remarks that we’ve actually deloaded this week before returning to heavier sets next week. Way to drop some kryptonite on me, buddy.

He says something about deloading being good for the body. It hasn’t done much for my ego.

I do feel like I’m getting a grip on my diet and supplementary intake though.
Starting the day with Professional Whey Organic Oats and Professional Whey Select WPC, mixed with frozen berries or banana, chia seeds, water and topped off by two raw eggs, makes you feel like, well, Superman.

The take away from this week is that you do need to give your body a rest every few weeks to avoid burnout. Lighter sets combined with good nutrition and quality sleep is a necessary pit-stop on the path to success. At least that’s what I’m telling myself . . . in the mirror, over and over again.

Build Boulder Shoulders
Machine overhead press - wide-grip (5 x 10)
Dumbbell seated press (5 x 10)
Dumbbell lateral raise (5 x 10)

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Week 3

I’ve seen some noticeable changes and received a couple of compliments – which is nice! Particularly when it comes from the missus, who hasn’t made a positive remark about my body in years.

It’s about now that I would normally start slacking off, making excuses that work is getting busy - hell, that life’s getting busy. I’d let my excuses dictate my actions and the results would suffer. But it’s amazing how simple life gets when you make something non-negotiable.

My training program has started to change. We’re moving away from whole body workouts, to sessions that target specific muscles. I feel my strength starting to increase and my rate of recovery quicken. Plus my mental confidence lifting heavier weights is coming back and I’m sucking down supps faster than Snoop Dogg hits reefers.

Still, I have to admit the strictness of my diet is challenging. Fortunately Navid, my trainer, hasn’t placed too much emphasis on cutting the amount of food I’m eating. He’s just insistent I get enough protein every 3-4 hours.

My Magellan Echo watch has been great at tracking my weekend cardio, ensuring I don’t run further than 5km at a time – which Navid reckons is about the right length without burning off any muscle gains.

I feel blessed that I’ve managed to avoid injury in the first three weeks, as my body has been in a serious state of shock. Here’s hoping the worst is behind me.

Back Yourself
Lat pull-down – wide grip (5 x 10)
Chest supported row (5 x 10)
One-arm row on bench (5 x 10)

Week 2

I expected the second week to be harder than the first, as each muscle came to the realisation that last week wasn’t just a momentary lapse in sanity. But I never expected the real test and subsequent failure, to come from my lack of dietary discipline.

I jumped on a comment someone made about red wine being beneficial to weight training like it was gospel. I also completely failed in my portion sizes, feeling like I owed it to myself for second and sometimes (more than I like to admit) third servings, because why? Because I’m in training of course.

My trainer, Navid, has been hawk-like in terms of the precision around which he has built my training intensity, ensuring I don’t burn out in the early stages or aggravate a previous chest injury. He’s firm in the need for rest days - so my muscle fibres have time to repair and recover - even in the face of my protest that, “I’m ready to hit it again tomorrow” (yeah right... one torn peck muscle, check).

Says Navid: “I kept him away from barbells and focused on dumbbell chest exercises that begin with his shoulders and elbows adducted (by his sides) and then rotating his wrists and elbows away from his body as he presses them. This technique places less stress on his shoulders and stimulates the chest stabilisers to work harder.”

It’s interesting to observe how each participant in this body transformation is going about achieving his objectives, and the route our respective trainers are carving out for us. It’s becoming clear that there’s no singular path to reaching the end goal, but instead a multitude of factors that come into play, which need constant analysis and fine-tuning. There’s definitely no silver bullet, but there are tried and tested principles, that when used correctly, can lead (hopefully) to some great results.

Build a treasure chest
Dumbbell bench press (5 x 10)
Machine press (5 x 10)
Dumbbell pullovers (5 x 10)

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Week 1

Clearly, I’m as lazy as I am forgetful. One week in and the joy associated with weight lifting has come flooding back. Yes, I’m ridiculously sore and I’m walking like an old timer but I’m sleeping better than my 5-year-old and food is now something I look forward to, like an oxygen depleted free diver racing to the surface.

I wish I could say it’s been a walk in the park, but my 33-year-old body is feeling every biceps curl and bosu crunch. My trainer Navid Tofighian (of Snap Fitness Waterloo) has been phenomenal in his approach and coaching - taking into account my old injuries and the primary transformation objectives - to shred and build arms and chest.

“I devised a program that emphasised his arms and chest but included all other muscle groups within the same workout,” says Navid. “Since we only have 10 weeks this will enable him to hit each muscle group 30 times over the given period.”

The program consists of a full-body workout every other day and some cardio on two-three of my off days depending on my schedule.

I’m certain I wouldn’t have the same level of recovery and first week improvement, without the assistance of quality supplements, courtesy of Professional Whey. I’m on a cocktail of WPC whey protein/ creatine/ Camu Camu (which I attribute to helping me get over the flu in one day) and Superfood Complete. I’m still to incorporate the L-Carnitine L-Tartrate and IBCAA 4:1:1 into my mix.

Already there has been a noticeable reduction in my stress levels at work and even with my incredibly sore lower back and limbs, I feel younger and more agile than I can remember! There’s a long way to go, but it feels damn good to start getting my strength back.

Load Your Guns
Biceps curls 4 x 6 reps
Triceps pulldown 4 x 6 reps
Bench press 4 x 6 reps
“Starting with the smaller muscle groups first would seem counterintuitive to most people but by prioritising them we can see faster changes in these muscles,” says Navid.

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