He's one helluva trainer!

There are just so many things that I wanna highlight to you guys about this trainer whom I have just hired. Met for the first time after few months knowing him through his blog and other fitness junkie.

His name is Kasey Brown. I know his name stirs quite a few emotions to those who knew him before. But emotions aside, I also know that he's a very knowledgeable trainer (you can tell from the way he writes his blog) and through Aizan's recommendation, I decided to give it a try and hire him.

Throughout the whole 1hr session with him last Sunday, he projected the professionalism of which a trainer, or any trainers in Malaysia, should have. First, he did not even touch his handphone, let alone sms or call, unlike some trainers I see, especially at the commercial gyms. This shows the high level of commitment and attention that he's giving to me during the training.

Secondly, he listens attentively to my questions, and answers one by one, leaving me satisfied and understood them.

Thirdly, and most amazingly, by just correcting my form and teaching me about potentiation, I can already lift my 1RM in just 1 session, in which I have never thought I can or able to do so.

He did potentiation with me, and my record for back squats increased from 42kg to 60kg.

He corrected my form in deadlifts, and has definitely increased my record from 30kg to 60kg.

Of course he taught me other stuffs as well, but these few points are already sufficient enough to make him one helluva trainer!

p.s. Stop rolling your eyes. Seriously, he doesn't pay

me to write this blog. It's all from the heart. :)

Is that possible?

How do I gain muscle without looking fat, especially at my round face? Honestly, I have been eating 5 meals a day. Not very clean but not very 'dirty' also. I have not been eating rice for 2 days, and targetting on eating more protein, since the last 2 days were non-workout days.

But ya, though I have gained some muscle last week, but the comment that I got was, I look fatter than before. Not 1 person ok? Three!!! In a week's time!

Does that mean 5meals a day doesn't work for me? Too much peanut butter and wholemeal bread? Too much green tea? Last I remember, green tea works well for me. Sugar? I am reducing my coffee intake and didn't take creamer. Reducing the sugar also.

Something's wrong somewhere. What is it? Siiiggghhhh..... I really hate people say that I am fat. Really hate it.

What is wrong actually?

Here's what I think

"You shouldn't do slow, steady-paced cardio for more than 30-40mins because it will increased your cortisol and can caused muscle loss."

"This workout is too much coz it's definitely affecting your CNS."

"You can take carbs within 3 hours after your workout."

"Low carb on non-workout/less-intensity workout day, high card on workout days."

"Must count your calorie to make sure that you don't overeat."

"Sometimes, you gotta do HIIT. Sometimes you do slow-paced cardio."

All the above has their own truth in it. It really depends on individual's experience. For me, I usually will do some research on some issues, then sometimes discuss with my fitness junkie friends, then I'll usually try it on myself. But sometimes, the "experiments" didn't last long enough for me to see the results.

For example, I've tried carb cycling before. I knew that on the low-carbs day, I was feeling so pooped out during my training that it has actually stopped me from trying it again. But on the other side, my body shape has changed. I was actually feeling lighter, slightly leaner and I love what I saw in the mirror. So does that mean the theory is wrong?

I don't think so. I will just need some adjustment on this diet and I'm good to go coz this diet is really working for me. So are all other famous fitness enthusiasts around the world said. Look at this guy, Kane Sumabat. His diet is very high in protein and fats, but yet he can still do advanced trainings. It's all in the mind, and I gotta train my mind to think differently.

I'm still in the midst of doing HIIT, but my trainer told me that, I should combine both HIIT and slow-paced cardio into my workout. He even suggested me to run for 45mins and not less than that. Which is why, I ran for 30mins last night.

I also know that functional training for 1hr works best for me. Otherwise, how do I manage to gain 1.7kg muscles in withint 2 months time? Something somewhere must be working right for me. And as far as I remember, I did mostly functional training with my trainer for the last 2 months.

My point is, don't believe what you read. Do it, experiment it, and you'll know what works best for you and your body.

HIIT Jump Rope

Time to change to another HIIT routine. Previously, I did so-called sprint of 30secs and 90secs of normal jog for my HIIT workout. I gotta admit, sometimes I was kinda lazy to do sprint/jog, so I did jogging instead. Yeah. I'm that lazy.

I haven't tried HIIT Jump Rope before. The previous 1k Jump Rope with cousin didn't really count as HIIT. Maybe I'll try it tonight. But do you think it's a bit weird for me to bring my own rope and jump at the gym? It's kinda embarassing, especially when nobody skips at the gym.

Come to think of it, why doesn't gym provide rope? The only place that provides rope is Pushmore.

Here's a sample of workout routine from Ross Enamait and his video (crazy man!) :-

(a) Sprint In Place

(b) Double Unders

(c) Sprint In Place With Criss-Cross

(d) Double Unders With Criss-Cross

(e) Crossing The Rope In Front Of The Body For Transition

p.s. I dunno how to do Criss-Cross, yet.
Maybe I'll just do routine (a) and (b).

Another Intense Workout

Last night workout was really intense, for me. I'm not sure whether it was me who is really unfit or the workout was too intense. Let me know what you think.

One Arm Squat Press

Set 1(a) : 6kg, 20 each sides

Set 2(a) : 8kg, 10 each sides

Bent Over Row with Plates

Set 1(b) : 10kg, 20 reps

Set 2(b) : 20kg, 10 reps

Bulgarian Split Squat with Jump and Hands Touching The Ground (I know, sounds cheesy eh?)

Set 1(c) : BW, 15 each sides

Set 2(c) : 4kg DB, 10 each sides

Modified Crunches

Set 1 (d) : BW, 20 reps

Set 2 (d) : 2kg DB on Leg, 4kg DB on hands, 20 reps

BW Plyo Push Up

Set 1 (e) : 15 reps

Set 2 (e) : 15 reps

Squat Jump

Set 1 (f) : BW, 20 reps

Set 2 (f) : 4kg DB, 20 reps

Modified Bent Over Rear Delt Raise

Set 1 (g) : 4kg, 20 reps

Set 2 (g) : 4kg, 20 reps

Modified Grasshopper Push Up

(For my record : Right leg cross to left side of the body and not touching ground, left hand lift up, torso rotate at the same time)

Set 1 (h) : 10 each sides

Set 2 (h) : 10 each sides

Finish with 15 mins cardio

I couldn't do the cardio. I was too pooped out to do anything but lying on the bench. But I might wanna try it sometime this week. Probably on Saturday. By that time, I should've recovered from these absolute soreness that I'm feeling right now. 

I still remember Adela Garcia, the Fitness Olympic Champion who tried out Crossfit. And my trainer said to me last night, "You can't just do strength training and strength training only. You must train your speed, stamina, agility, then only you'll be champion." 

Being strong doesn't mean you can breeze through functional training. Able to run 1hr without stopping doesn't mean you can lift heavy. It's all about balance.

Yyeesssss!!!!

I've gained 1.7kg of muscles in 2 months time. Maybe it was not that  impressive, but I was surprised that I have actually gained muscles rather than fats. Well, the bodyfat part, on the other hand, not impressive at all. I've dropped only 0.3%. Which means, I really, really gotta do more HIIT now.

I was kinda depressed when I weighed myself last night before going to gym and saw that my weight has increased from 50.4kg to 53kg. (I know, I still can't help feeling all paranoid when my weight has increased on the scale) I was really hoping that I gained muscles rather than fat, because lately, my pants and clothes feel tighter, especially at the thigh, biceps and back area.

It's time to step up the weighing machine at the gym and measure my progress. While driving to gym, I did some pep talk. I told myself not too get disappointed in case the tightness that I felt was due to fat, and that I will work triple hard to get back in shape.

Oh well, guess it's all clear now, and I'm smiling from ear to ear. Working out double hard last night because of the "motivation" and whatever I did, it's working. I do realise that I have been eating quite a lot lately, small meals. So, Aizan, you are right about eating right after workout.

I never eat my post-workout meal. Usually hit the showers and sleep coz, yeah, I'm afraid that I'll get fat. But guess not!

So more muscle gain means more fats are burnt. And I'm definitely loving it!

Let the burning process begin!

THE Gym Etiquette

1. Please stop reading or texting or talking on the phone while doing your cardio at the gym. First, you are just wasting your time doing that because obviously, you are not concentrating on every fibre of your muscles working out, but rather checking out FB who's doing what and where and how. And you even have the guts to update your status : Cycling hard at the gym now! Seriously? If you are training hard, you won't even be texting at the first place.

2. Please don't grunt as if you are giving birth to an elephant. I don't find that sexy. It's uber irritating. What are you trying to prove anyway? There's this Iranian-look guy that does that everytime he does his Incline Bench Press. Gggrrrr!!!

3. The usual one - Stop hogging the machines. Enough said.

4. Can't you like please stop staring at the girls with hot butt? I think we women does that (staring) better and more discreet compare to men. Don't you think so? After all, what are the mirrors for? *wink*

5. I had been approached by few guys who came over and told me that my form is incorrect. Please don't do that. Though your intention is good, but I don't find it.... well, just mind your own business.

My favourite workout

Pull-up - My MOST favourite workout
Push Up.
And among other workouts.

I dunno about you guys, but to me, I'm always impressed by people who can do pull-up (full range and not kipping or swinging) mainly because that represents upper body strength. Not everyday that you can pick anyone from the street and ask them to perform a pull-up. Even I haven't mastered the full range pull-up.

This compound pulling exercise targets on the Latissimus Dorsi muscles. You will also definitely need strong shoulders, biceps and cores all together to pull your body weight all the way up against the gravity. That is PURE strength, if you ask me.

I still remember how I was being introduced to pull-up. 3 years ago, I always go to the Assisted Pull-Up Machine proudly and do my thang. I thought I was doing good job, ya know, pulling myself up and stuffs like that with all the (little) muscles popping out. Of course with the machine, my chin was over the bar, with 15reps all the time.

One day, a trainer approached me and said, if you wanna do this, it's better that you hit the pull-up bar. Try to hit for 3 pull-ups as a beginner. He said he'll support my leg. So, he taught me with all the posture (start at deadhang position, knees bend with ankles crossing, with a slight bend at the elbow, and start pulling myself up).

As soon as I pulled myself up, I knew exactly what he meant by that. And of course, I couldn't even do one stinking pull-up. From there onwards, I promised myself to take up the challenge - train myself for pull-up. But sad to say that, till now, I still can't do one friggin' pull-up. Not in full form. Damn.

When I say full form, it means your chin is at the bar, at least. Or better yet, your shoulder, just like the image below.

But this image is a Negative Pull-Up. One of the way to train for pull-up.

You start from top and slowly lower your body down, as slow as you can,

feeling all your muscles working.

Few other ways to train for pull-up are Negative Pull-Up, Human Assistance (like how the trainer supported me), Jumping Pull-Up, Static Pull-Up and Half Pull-Up.

Push Up (on toes, not knees ok?). A total body exercise that targets chest, shoulders, triceps, back, abs and even the legs. Enough said.

Worry about your bye-bye arm? Do Push Up.

Want define shoulders? Do Push Up.

Want nice abs? Do Push Up.

Last time, I couldn't do push-up on toes. And again, always impress by people, especially women, who can do push-up on toes.

Finally, out of nowhere, dunno how, I can do it on toes. And I was very proud of myself that time, which was probably 2 years ago? I don't quite remember. But this is much, much easier to achieve than Pull-Up.

Among all the other modified Push-Up that I have done, I find that these 4 workouts are the most challenging one.

1. Weighted Push-Up on Toes. (My heaviest record was 15kg)

2. Push-Up on Stability Ball, 1 foot on ball, another "hanging in the air"

3. Weighted Elevated Push-Up

4. Renegade Row

Women who can do these, especially Pull-Up, I totally respect them! *wink*