fbpx

So much going on right now

I’m sure it’s likely the same for everyone, but I really have a lot going on right now.

In addition to working full time, punctuated with international travel to see my kids and family, I have a whole host of projects in the melting pot, all vying for my attention.

Of those, the one project that’s been getting most of my attention right now is a collaboration I am working on with Scott Tousignant and Bryan Krahn.

It’s still a little early to talk about it in too much detail, but plans are most definitely afoot to shake things up! For just a little taste of the sorts of things we’re doing, here’s a recent roundtable we hosted at the weekend on the subject of gaining muscle without the fat.

Right now, we’re working through all of the details and thinking about timelines, which is perhaps the biggest challenge, given our respective schedules.

Still, it’s going to happen, and happen SOON. So watch this space!

Two more things that are hopefully on deck this year include completing my Level 1 Precision Nutrition certification, and taking the NASM personal trainer certification.

The Precision Nutrition System

I signed-up for the Precision Nutrition (PN) program last year, but struggled to maintain momentum during what turned out to be an incredibly busy year. In part, the set-up for the PN certification was a difficult format for me, requiring many months of study with a final exam at the end of the year.

However, for 2016, PN have changed the certification system and testing now happens throughout the year on a per-chapter basis. This means that I can change the cadence of my study to meet my schedule and I am hoping that this year, I’ll be able to work through the chapters and testing to achieve certification.

A new goal for this year

As for the personal training certification, that’s a new goal for this year and something I’ve been considering for a few years now. If you know me, you know that I am not a personal trainer by trade, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t spent endless hours helping people, including friends and family—those closest to my heart. I’ve also been on the receiving end of good coaching, and spent many years trying to dissect and digest the best and the worst the internet has to offer.

So this year, to further improve my all around knowledge of fitness and coaching, I felt that completing a certification would be an interesting part of my journey. In terms of which certification to take, so far the NASM program looks to be most closely suited to my needs and is widely respected within the industry as a whole. Truth be told, I would really like to have studied the ACSM certification, but that program requires a college degree… because, you know, sociology majors make good trainers.

Anyway, as I say, the last two are very much in the I’d like to camp for this year, time and energy allowing. And of the PN Certification and NASM certification, the PN certification will take precedence for no other reason than I’ve already invested $1,000 into it!

Switching gears, things are pretty steady in the gym

The bulking phase I started last summer is still going strong, and the plan is to run that through to the end of February. As of this morning, I am holding 188lbs on the morning scale, with my goal weight of 190lbs remaining elusive!  This is a real sticking point for me, no doubt.

Still, I’ve got another five or six weeks to go, and I’m sure I can get there if I am patient, remain in modest calories surplus and keep hitting the weights hard. 

For programming, through the end of last year I was working a full body program, three days a week, and really made some pretty good progress. However, by Christmas, I felt that the recovery benefits had run their course and I’ve since switched over to a two-on, one-off schedule, working chest, shoulders and triceps, followed by legs and arms.

In general, that split is proving pretty enjoyable has me hitting most muscles two to three times a week. It also works well because my range of chest and shoulder movements remain pretty limited, keeping the session volume sane. On the down-side, the volume from back day is bleeding over into the leg workout, and my leg workout is anchored with deadlift, a lift I am looking to improve this year.

I suspect I’ll end-up changing things a little, and either put a little space between the back and leg days, or anchor back day with the deadlift.

Anyway, there’s more I could waffle on about, but this accounts for the vast majority of my blogging absence this last few months.

I’m always on Twitter if you want to hang out.

Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap