28 November 2011
Weight: 198
Lifts (Day 6):
Dips: 3 x 5 x 218 (198+20)
Barbell Curls: 3 x 5 x 60
Ab exercises and back exercises
Comments: Dips weren’t hard, but my shoulders need some breaking in. I’ll take it slow until I get over the beginner’s hump on those. Barbell curls were easy. Abs continue to progress: if I shift my feet forward on the cable exercise, I can engage my abs more. Back is coming.
29 November 2011
Weight: 198
Lifts (Day 7):
Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 190
Barbell Curls: 3 x 5 x 70
Ab exercises and back exercises
Comments: Whoops, I forgot that I lifted yesterday instead of Sunday. Oh well. Bench press was difficult, but I got all of my reps in. Barbell curls were still easy. I jumped up the weight on ab exercises and it was surprisingly difficult–also, I need to be careful with my shoulders on those cables. Back exercises were fine.
1 December 2011
Weight: 195
Lifts (Day 8):
Bench Press: 2 x 5 x 192.5, 1 x 4 x 192.5
Chinups: 3 x 5 x 215 (195 + 20)
Ab exercises and back exercises
Comments: Got stuck at the bottom of the bench press–I’ll use a spotter from now on. Chinups were difficult, but I got all my reps. Back seems to be getting back on track.
4 December 2011
Weight: 197
Lifts (Day 9):
Dips: 2 x 10 x 197, 1 x 6 x 197
Barbell Curl: 3 x 5 x 75
Goblet Squat: 2 x 10 x 45
Ab exercises and back exercises
Comments: Dips were fine. Barbell curl was easy. Goblet squats kind of hurt my back–need to take it slow.
6 December 2011
Weight: 198
Lifts (Day 10):
Dips: 3 x 5 x 222 (198+25)
Barbell Curl: 3 x 5 x 80
Goblet Squat: 3 x 10 x 40
Back exercises
Comments: Dips weren’t difficult. Barbell curl is getting more difficult, but still fairly easy. I lowered the weight on the goblet squat to be safe, and I’m glad I did. They were a lot more comfortable this time, and my hips are loosening up. Back exercises were a bit more difficult today for some reason, but oh well.
11 December 2011
Weight: 197
Lifts (Day 11):
Dips: 3 x 5 x 227
Barbell Curl: 3 x 5 x 85
Goblet Squat: 3 x 10 x 45
Abs and Back exercises
Comments: I missed a workout for various reasons. Today was a good workout, though: I think the rest helped me. Dips weren’t bad. Barbell curl is getting more difficult, but it’s not too bad. Goblet squat is good, but I need to engage my core more (this may come naturally as I up the weight). Abs were a good bit stronger today: I did the cable for 42.5 and it wasn’t hard at all. Back was also more rested.
Apparently barbell curls are supposed to be about 55% of your bench press, so I need to get my barbell curl up to about 110. My dips and bench press are relatively in alignment, although I feel like my dips are probably a bit better.
16 November 2011
Weight: 197
Lifts (Day 12):
Dips: 3 x 5 x 232 (197 + 35)
Barbell Curls: 3 x 5 x 90
Goblet Squat: 3 x 10 x 50
Ab exercises
Comments: Dips are getting more difficult. Barbell curls are getting more difficult too. I think I may be going too low in my goblet squats.
22 November 2011
Weight: 195
Lifts (Day 13):
Dips: 2 x 5 x 235, 1 x 3 x 235 (195 + 40)
Chinups: 3 x 5 x 205 (195 + 10)
Ab and back exercises
Comments: Dips weren’t hard, I just had to go to the bathroom during the last set and messed up. Chinups were easy. Ab and back exercises were easy too.
7 January 2012
Weight: 197
Comments: I’ve been home for these past few weeks, and for the most part I’ve kept up with my exercising. I’ve shifted towards a 2 days on, 1 day off schedule, with the first day being Tabata intervals (sprints) and the second day being weight training.
My Tabata intervals are improving nicely. Today I did 6 honest intervals, and I didn’t feel like dying afterwards. Hopefully soon I can do the recommended 8. Weights have mostly just held steady, although abs have improved. I may temporarily shift into focusing on explosiveness, or I may not.
12 January 2012
Weight: 195
Day 15:
5 chinups
10 pushups
15 squats
x 5 rounds
Comments: My pushups held me back, since I did the introductory test for the 100 pushup challenge earlier. That’s why my round total was so bad: pushups held me up.
I’m shifting over to a more balanced schedule: 2 days of weightlifting, one of muscular endurance (this), and one of speed-endurance (tabata intervals). I’m hoping this will make me well-rounded, and in combination with my new dietary rules, will make me lean up.
13 January 2012
Day 16:
Bench Press: 2 x 5 x 175, 1 x 4 x 175
Barbell Curls: 1 x 5 x 90, 2 x 5 x 80
Ab and back exercises
Comments: My muscles were still sore today, and I’ve lost a bit of strength. It’ll come back quickly though, since it’s just low because I haven’t done much heavy lifting in a little while.
I’m going to start being more systematic about my ab exercises.
15 January 2012
Day 17:
Comments: Did a weird Tabata workout that wasn’t optimal (jumping, pushups, running in place combo). Next time I’ll go to the gym and try rowing. If that doesn’t work, I’ll do the bike again. It’s too cold to run outside now and sprinting on a treadmill seems like a bad idea.
16 January 2012
Day 18:
Weight: 196
Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 175
Barbell Curls: 3 x 5 x 90
Cable hold (abs): 3 20-second holds with 50 lbs
Back bends: 2 10-second holds
Comments: Weights were easier since I wasn’t sore, although curls kind of hurt my elbows a bit. Like I said, I’m going to start keeping better track of my core workouts. This record still isn’t optimal though.
18 January 2012
Day 19:
Weight: 194
5 chinups
10 pushups
15 squats
x 6 cycles
Comments: Pushups gave out first again. Slowly getting better.
19 January 2012
Day 20:
Weight: 194
Barbell Curl: 3 x 5 x 90
Dips: 1 x 5 x bodyweight, 2 x 5 x +35
Random cable rows
Comments: I need to switch from barbell curls to ez-bar curls: my forearms are starting to hurt. This was my first day doing dips, and they went pretty well. If I’m going to do cable rows regularly I need to find a strict way to find out if I’m done with the rep.
21 January 2012
Day 21:
Weight: 194
Rows Level 10
Tabata (Did 90 seconds warm-up, 30 seconds inefficient tabata, then 3.5 minutes flat-out)
Comments: Rows didn’t work very well. I can’t go fast enough to really get a good workout. I’ll do the bike next time.
Edit: Apparently it also works to spend a few minutes warming up on the treadmill, then bump the incline up to 5 degrees and the speed to 7 mph, and then do 20 secs on, 10 secs off. Another rule of thumb is 12% incline.
I might also try cycling or spinning again.
Tips: Load one side of the body to train the core. I’m thinking holding a heavy dumbbell in one hand. Also, I’m going to start doing hanging leg raises.
22 January 2012
Weight: 194
Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 180
Barbell Curl: 2 x 5 x 95, 1 x 4 x 95
Side Bends: 1 x 10 x 65 (each side), 1 x 10 x 55 (each side)
Hanging Leg Raises
Cable hold (abs)
Back bridge
Comments: Bench press was pretty easy. For the barbell curl, I tried doing the EZ-bar but I still felt it in the forearms and I wasn’t getting as good of a workout. Abs went well. I think I’ll keep doing the side bends and up the weight on the cable holds to around 70. I need more resistance. Hanging leg raises also went fairly well.
Edit: Might want to lower weight and start working out forearms. That’s the recommended strategy from people online.
24 January 2012
Tabata Sprints: 5 intervals
Comments: Only did 5 instead of 6 because a group of girls got in my way. It was also cold and I haven’t done these in a while. I think I’ll sub these in when I can, snow permitting.
28 January 2012
Day 24:
Weight: 192
Barbell Curls: 3 x 5 x 80
Dips: 2 x 5 x +45, 1 x 3 x +45
Cable hold: 2 20-second holds with 72.5 lbs
Plate squats: 1 x 5 x 35
Comments: Used the fat gripz today. Went fairly well, although my left hand was still hurting. I did the barbell curls, then a bit of chin-ups (couldn’t really do it) and then some dumbbell pickups. I could do 85 with my right hand fine, but I couldn’t even do 65 with my left. So my left hand needs work. Dips went ok. Abs are getting better, as is back.
Goal: 100 in each hand for a 60 second hold
130 in each hand for 5 stand-up reps
30 January 2012
Day 25:
Weight: 192
Barbell Curls: 3 x 5 x 80
Dumbbell Pickups: 85 lbs with right hand for reps, 65 lbs for reps with both (but couldn’t do many with left hand)
Dips: 1 x 10 x bodyweight
Pushups: 1 x 10 x bodyweight
Rowing: 6 minutes, Difficulty 10, 1430 meters
Comments: Wrists are still hurting from grip exercises. Rowing was a little more difficult than I thought it would be. I like doing it though, and the pace was good–I just need to do it longer.