Day 1 - Monday 9th Jan 2011

Today was the first day I really started taking things seriously, and like the eager beaver I am jumped ahead of the reigime set out in Men's Health.

However, a interested as im sure you all are to know the exact quotient of face pulls I managed, and just how delectably tangy my "Slash Salad" was (that's Mediterranean / Argentinian / Continental salad) I think it pertinent to lay down my reasons for doing this, and more to the point, why I am doing it this way. I know to some that the pursuit of sculpted body akin to Michaelangelo's David might, in some light be considered at best self concerned, and at worst a "egomaniac's journey into narcissism via the attainment of bodily nirvana". That by gravitating toward the social norm of aesthetic acceptability I am succeeding in nothing more than distancing myself from self acceptance, only strengthening the belief that happiness is the product of want, and enjoyment in the present moment is for the unambitious.....

The fact is that I just want one. Not because I want to strip off at the Gym, not for acceptance, not for girls to swoon at my feet (currently have a very beautiful gf who digs the resemblance of my legs and belly to the letter P), but simply because it a) can be done, b) I have not achieved one to date despite some (pretty half arsed) efforts in achieving one but mostly c) because I want to know, just for me how much shit a relatively normal guy has to take to attain the Abercrombie standard (and secretly d) I want to know if I can do it).

Also, on the point of narcissism, what exactly is the difference in wanting to improve the way your body looks, and how you dress yourself? How do you differentiate wanting to look good both outside and inside of what covers your skin? True, I'm not so obese as to treat the world to my bulging back tits peeking out from under my armpits/wings beneath a good sized hoody. But just because I can get away with it does that mean that I have to put up with it? And where do you draw the line exactly - at what point in dressing myself does the indulgence of putting on something nice become a dysfunctional personality trait? And why the negative connotations with wanting to improve yourself? It takes time and effort to change the way your body looks, but I could go and buy myself a new shirt tomorrow (if it wasn't January and I hadn't spunked* it all on over-priced ham in Spain, affecting both my ability to buy new shirts and paradoxically prodding this undertaking into fruition).

Plus, obviously, I want to look SMOKING HOT.

Anyway, without further ado, let the logging begin.

Gym - Full Body Work out using "Super Sets"

Super Set Definition - "A superset is two exercises performed back to back with minimal rest between exercises to increase workout intensity. Supersets are also a great technique for increasing muscle size, as they boost the release of anabolic hormones like testosterone, which is responsible for muscle growth. In addition, you will reduce the amount of time you spend in the gym, as you will be working two muscle groups (for example chest and back) within the same set". (thanks to this well designed website for this wonderful piece of prose http://www.mm2k.com/what-is-a-superset.html).

Superset 1

Exercise A1 – Front squat (50k)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWnV6LqjvV0

Sets 5
Reps 5
Rest 90 seconds

Exercise A2 – Chin-ups (75k assisted)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8G0_NEJ-yA  (hahaha this ones a right douche - check out the fishing attire, something's missing under that hat i ponder...)

Sets 5
Reps 5
Rest 90 seconds

Superset 2

Exercise B1 – Barbell bench press (50kg)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zkgs0-mlfJ0  (this guy was in star-treck I think)

Sets 4
Reps 6-8
Rest 60 seconds

Exercise B2 – Overhand fly (6kg)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWFmcGM1G4c - this is standing but you get the idea

Sets 4
Reps 12-14
Rest 60 seconds

Superset 3

Exercise C1 – Face pull (35kg)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQS-tXL1CLg (in Bath UK apparently)

Sets 3
Reps 10-12
Rest 60 seconds

Exercise C2 – Lat pull down
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEb-dwU3VF4

Sets 3
Reps 10-12
Rest 60 seconds

I was supposed to do some other shit as well but I got bored and left.

Dinner - Smoked Mackerel, Beetroot and Chilly Salad and Roast Sweet potatoes and garlic

This was dinner:

Ultra easy meal, and very good for you. The Sweet potatoes (friendly carbs) were skinned and chopped, then boiled for 15 minutes until slightly soft. I stuck them in backing try with some garlic cloves and covered in a bit of olive oil and mixed herbs, and roasted for 35 minutes at 200 C.

The salad was mixed leaf with spinach and avocado, with chopped fresh chilly, with some tomatoes to boot.

And I'm deliberately not mentioning the wine.

* Interestingly the Interweb does not recognise "spunked**" as a word. Ironic, considering that its where the word probably originated. Just a thought...

** It suggests "spunky" and "spanked" as two alternatives, which I find amusing. :)