Deadlift, Crunches, O'Neil Rowing Test & Monstrous Lunch

Location: Woodcock Sports Centre, Aston University
Day:Thursday - 19th August - 6.45 am

Romanian Deadlift (5 x 5 @ 100 kg)
Ab Crunches (3 x 20 with a 2-second squeeze)
O'Neill Test (4 minutes on rowing machine) - 1050 metres

Total Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition (higher carb, lower fat on workout day, based on my Leangains experiment):

20 minutes before: 10g BCAA
1 hour after: 10g BCAA
3 hours after: 10g BCAA

Huge lunch at 12pm - chicken breast, venison, beetroot, sweet potato

Dinner at 7 pm - chicken carcass and bones with fried cauli & onion and steamed parsley

I recently posted a video of me doing a rowing Tabata, which drew some constructive criticism from Chris on my technique. He referred to this video, showing how effortless rowing can look.

So I tried my newly learned form on the O'Neil test today, with an interesting result.

The first time I did the test in February I managed 1063 metres. That time, I had only done chest; but today my legs and glutes were pretty toasted from the deadlifts; and today I was taking it relatively easy, not trying to break any personal bests, just focusing on form.

So the fact that I still went almost the same distance suggests the improved form made a difference. On another day I will go in fresh, with good form, and take a shot at the the title.

Today's lunch was a monstrous protein dose. A huge chicken breast and a big whack of leftover venison. I reckon it was about 1.5 lbs of meat. I am digging this 'eat big on workout days, fast on rest days' approach. It feels right.