7/16: Pull
Wide grip weighted pull up: 4 sets, constant weight, avoided failure.
Cable: top and back off set. PR on top end.
Dumbell row (meadows row style): 2 sets
Incline curls: 2 sets with set extender on 2nd set->Switched to hammer curls
Calf raise: rest-pause.
*Really feeling the calves engage even just going about my day. Cool
Meant to perform a pull or hamstring curl but the wife wanted to get out for a long walk.
We’re both wrung out from work and desperately needed to shift to parasympathetic mode.
Returned. Showered. Shoved protein in craw. Relaxed. Bed. Done.
3 Likes
7/19: Push
Donkey calf raise: top end + secondary set
Kneeling cable lateral: top end + second, third sets
Medium grip bench: 3x3 static weight
Leg extension: add 5 lbs from last session x30 reps
Cable push down: top end +secondary
Extra: incline hammer curl
2 Likes
7/21: Pull
*Top end plus slightly higher rep second set unless otherwise indicated
Calf raise: rest-pause
Close-grip EZ curl: 2x3 then 1x6
*I used the last weight recorded on top end set and instead if 6+reps…only got 3 (?). So I did 2 sets of 3. That equals 6 right?
T-bar row: 2 sets
Hammy curl with eccentric resistance: 1 set to failure
Deficit SLDL: 2x10
Concentration curl: started at 35 and “ran the rack” to the 20s
Seated calf raise: 3 sets
3 Likes
7/23: Push
Donkey calf: rest-pause
Alternating dumbell upright row: myo reps then weight bump for bottom half partials.
Low incline dumbbell squeeze press: standard 2 set format
1 set each of: weighted Bulgarian, goblet squat, leg extension.
Wrapped up with a 1 hour walk in the big park nearby. Took some photos of the roses for the wife who’s out of town for work.
Got 30 minute fast pace walk at work as well.
Heading to the wilderness in my home state of Idaho.
Nothing like a solo plunge into the deep dark woods to refresh the soul. Or end up as scat.
4 Likes
7/26: Pull
Wilderness trip canceled. Wife was happy with that given she was out of town all week.
Lean away cable curl: 2 sets
*just bowed my body back and stepped back to create a pseudo preacher position. Kinda. Great little variant.
Wide grip pullup: 3x3, fixed weight
Rear delt row: 2 sets
*brace on an incline with non-working forearm, dumbell arching up and away leading with the elbow to form an “L”, full stretch and scapular protraction at the end.
Incline hammer curl: 2 sets
Seated calf raise: 2 sets, long eccentric stretch.
Standing wrist curl: 2 sets.
Skipping hammie/lower back pull stuff today. Shot myself in the foot dipping into the kcal deficit WITH a lot of extra walking. Re-stabilize and move forward.
3 Likes
8/2: Pull
Catching up:
-Had a so-so Monday session attributable to manual labor over the weekend which is why I skipped Wednesday. Lots of post hole digging, concrete smashing after work every single night.
Tonight was a suprise banger. Everything just felt good.
Standing calf raise: rest-pause
*I really pushed these to the limit
Close-grip EZ curl: 2 sets
Upper back dumbbell row: 2 sets
Incline curls with hammer curl finish: 2 sets
Hammy curls: 1 set with lots of bottom range partials
Bench snatch grip high pull: work up to top end.
*An old favorite of mine.
Snatch grip muscle snatch: same as above
Standing wrist curl: 1 set to 0RIR
Cool down: finish a door project.
4 Likes
8/4: Push
Seated single leg calf raise:
-Just prop a dumbell on the knee and crank away. 2 sets of 15, one weight drop.
Single arm cable upright: 2 standard sets (top end + secondary)
*don’t know why I tried this but I’m glad I did.
Bilateral cable upright: 1 set to 0RIR
Medium grip bench: 4 sets of 3
Leg extension: 1 set of 15 then myorep match to 30 total.
Heels elevated goblet squat: went 50, 60, 70, 80. 6 reps per set, pause in the hole, and only came up to 1/4 squat before heading back down in a very controlled manner.
I almost shed a tear over how smooth and GOOD those squats felt. Its been almost 4 years since I could do any deep squatting without pain and repercussions.
Keep doing all the things to keep it that way. I can’t be a hobbled up old primate.
2 Likes
8/6: Pull aka Wednesday aka Dragging Ass Day
Calf raises: 75 lb vest x buncha myo-rep thingys
Wide grip EZ curl: 1 set of 5. Clean, strong reps perfectly connected reps but hit the wall early. Said “Fuck it” and moved on to something lower on the fatigue:stimuli ratio…
Dumbell incline curl: 1 glorious set of 8 to 0RIR with a few hammer curls to finish it off.
Rack pull upor V-body pull up or propping your feet on a low incline bench whilst hanging from a bar in squat stands so your body make a V. That exercise: 1 set of reps with 25 lb plate in the lap then partials with bodyweight.
Rope face pulls: 2 sets
Stiff legs with shrug q rep: 1x10
2 Likes
8/8: Push
May have convinced the wife to try EOD training vs set 3x/week schedule. We have started the experiment mostly for her to see.
Weight update: 170.2 lbs this morning. Was 196 lbs last June. It was all “hidden” (big LOL) visceral fat. So far, every Inbody has showed fat loss with muscle gain. Update on that in 2 weeks.
Good enough for government work, being middle aged, and only taking 100mg/wk of doctor prescribed TRT. On to it…
Seated calf raise: 1 big myo rep set.
Kneeling cable lateral: 1 set of 10 that was so good I decided a second set wasn’t necessary and went for variety with…
Alternating dumbell upright rows: 2 sets
Incline dumbbell press with the “pour out the dumbbell “ technique: 2 sets
Incline triceps extension: 2 sets
Leg extension: added 5 lbs from last session and myo repped it to 50 total.
4 Likes
8/10: Pull
Starting the EOD plan…
Calf raises: 75 lb vest x rest-pause
Cable curl: rest-pause=nice
Seated neutral grip cable row: medium weight for reps=I did it all for the pump this time.
Snatch grip high pulls from a bench: progressively heavier sets of 5 to a top end.
Hammy curls: myo reps + 2 eccentric overload reps at the end.
Incline hammer curl: 1 set to 0RIR
Wrist curl: 3 sets=top end plus two weight drop sets.
Was out digging 2 foot deep post holes prior for 6x6x8 posts. Pretty damn hot out.
3 Likes
8/12: Push
Calf raise with 75 lb vest: buncha myo sets
Cable upright: rest-pause
Delt sweep with 25 lb plate: 1 set to “smoked”
Goblet squat: started at 30 lbs making 10 lb jumps to 80 lb AMRAP
Gironda press: 1 set is all I need
PJR: rest-pause
4 Likes
8/14: Pull
Seated calves: 1 set
Close grip EZ curl: heavy primer set plus lighter secondary set.
Incline curl: 1 set to concentric failure then 2 reps of hammer curl
Incline row: 2 sets
Incline rear delt row/flye+Meadows bottom 1/4 partials: 1 set
Hammy curl: myo rep set plus 2 eccentric overload reps
Wrist curls: 2 sets
Think I got my fatigue, joint pain, brain fog, blah, blah figured:
all signs, by exclusion with extensive lab work up, point to iron deficiency without anemia.
Trying a protocol mentioned on the forums vs standard EOD oral iron repletion starting tomorrow.
4 Likes
8/16: Push
Vest calf raise: 75 lbs x reps.
*controlled eccentric, long stretch, AND long contraction. Needed mostly pump and mind muscle connection today
Kneeling slight-elbow bend cuff cable lateral raise: top end plus secondary set
*these are a money variant.
Delt sweeps: 35 and 45 lb plate for reps
*I love these.
Chest focused dips: 4 sets with bodyweight.
*Same focus as calves minus long peak contraction. These just felt good.
EZ bar JM-ish extensions with close grip press to failure: 1 set
Leg extension: myo reps through 2 songs.
*Lost count early on. shrug
Forward lean Bulgarians: 3x3 with constant weight (70 lbs)
*Oh my!
Notes:
Spent morning through early afternoon building fence, tamping dirt with a 6 foot steel bar, digging, blah, blah so very pleased with how this went.
My T spine is a mess. Did hangs between most sets. Immensely helpful. Did some slight incline kinda pullovers to loosen up as well. The dips with that form helped.
Pretty good Saturday. Even forgot I have my new media blaster box to refinish one of my 1911s. Looong overdo. Sunday…?
3 Likes
8/18: Pull
Seated calf raise: 1 set, lots a burn.
Cable curl: 2 sets
DB concentration curl: 2 sets, constant weight.
Strict BB row: 3 sets, constant weight.
Snatch grip and clean grip high pull from top end of second pull: various sets
Note:
Didn’t feel the need or desire to go balls out, or even one ball out, today.
Bicep work was on point.
After a weekend of fence building, much in the way of heavier pulls just didn’t appeal. And I can likely stand the extra recovery for next time.
3 Likes
8/20: Push aka “Dragging Ass Wednesday!”
Calves: actually skipped for recovery.
Alternating DB upright rows: 3 sets, same weight.
Delt sweep: Drop set: 45-35-25 lb plates.
Chest dips: 3 sets bodyweight.
Leg extension: Hit 15 reps to concentric failure then myo reps to 25 total reps.
Done. Fucking done. This anemia bullshit better resolve soon. Day 5 of iron protocol. Feel about 25% better most of the morning but downhill as the work day goes on.
1 Like
8/22: Pull
Wide grip EZ bar curl: top end+secondary set
Calf raise with 75lb vest: x repzzz
Single arm seated dumbell curl: 2 sets
*these are sweet.
Hammy curl: myo reps
Yates deadlift: 2 sets
Seated face pull: 40-30-30 lb drop set
Wrist curls, standing: top end + 2 extra sets with weight drop.
Long walk to/from the park on a perfect late summer evening.
I had updated Inbody 8/21:
Age: 44 long goddamn years.
Weight: 172.6 lbs buck ass nekid in the a.m.
Height: 67.25 inches
17.7% bodyfat
Visceral fat score: 6 (0-10 being "healthy ")
Little irritated. I wanted to see a 15%/5 scores, maximum. Granted, Inbody (this model) supposedly has 1-2% margin of error vs DEXA. AND I also understand the relative flaws in these methods.
And I’m not going off looks or my own subjective preference on appearance.
I just don’t want metabolic diseases I can prevent. AND I wanted a reference point. That’s it. I’ll stabilize here a bit. I’ve gained 4 lbs of muscle and dropped approximately 20 lbs body fat in 14 months.
I did start TRT at that point. My HIGHEST dose was the first 8 weeks at 120 mg/week. I’ve maintained on 100 mg/week thereafter. My PCP hinted he may have me go back up but he really did a minimal lab panel.
No blasting or cruising or “sports TRT”. But a “blast” of 200 mg/week for 10-12" weeks does sound…inviting. But I’m wrestling with the medical side of secondary erythrocytosis and symptomatic iron deficiency without anemia. Likely. Work up pending. With my luck its terminal. Ha!
5 Likes
8/24: Push
Cable upright: PR, big one for a movement like this, on top end set. Secondary lighter set was just gravy.
Delt sweeps: top end +secondary
“Chest” dips: 3 sets with bodyweight.
*Forward lean, little knee tuck, but not a lot. Really digging these with the deep stretch then scapular protraction at the top. ANYTHING that gets my scaps moving and feeling good is where its at.
High incline triceps extension: usual two sets
Leg extensions: myo rep to 25 total
Bulgarians: 3x3 fixed weight
*Forgot calves. Built fence all day prior to training. Decent Sunday.
2 Likes
8/26: Pull
Standing calf raise with 75 lb vest: myo rep set
Standing cable curl: Big PR on top end for reps and weight. Back off was just gravy.
Single arm incline curl (non-working arm locked down, not floating): 2 sets
Standing wrist curl: 2 sets
Hamstring curl: 1 set to concentric failure
Low incline pullover: 3 sets. Not counting as a training movement just limbering up while the wife finishes on the cable.
Seated face pull: 3 sets
Note:
Iron deficiency is really getting me. Well, it has been but now that know. It’s becoming a huge problem. 7 day iron protocol only bumped my ferritin from 34 to 43 and I remain quite symptomatic. Now that I don’t ignore them. Which is a fucked up feedback loop. I’ll start another protocol today (8/27).
I feel like ol Supes after a Kryptonite exposure. Just flat out DRAINED of life. Good times.
2 Likes
8/28: Push
Leg extension: myo rep to 25
*Acquired some yoga blocks to put between my shins and the pads to gain 4 more inches of pre-stretch on the quads. As hypothesized, it felt even better on the achy knees.
Kneeling cuff cable lateral: 3 sets. Dropped 5 lbs each set.
Delt sweep + “around the world” : 45 lb plate x reps, same with 35 lbs.
Dips: 3 sets, bodyweight.
PJR: 1X8 (ORIR)
DONE.
2 Likes
8/30: Pull
Close grip EZ curl: 1 high effort set x8 reps
Seated one arm DB curl: 1 high effort set x10 reps
Low incline DB row: top end + secondary
Hamstring curl: myo/cluster sets
*Really worked these hard today. See notes.
Low incline rear delt fly/row/swing: 1 set starting strict, then bent elbow, then short swings in the bottom position to failure.
Notes:
Spent all day, 0900-1500 (one hour break for training) then another 2 hours after, on the fence project. Bent over all day. Hamstrings were under stretch often and just felt shitty so pumped them up with focused effort.
High pulls or any pull being bent over? Not today.
4 Likes