oh~ and don’t be wussy about pull-ups, make that the first thing you do, on your back workout days. Do 3-5 sets until you can’t do anymore of as many pull-ups as you can. If it’s 1 per set, fine, do 1 per set.
Then go to the assisted pull-up machine. Man up!
One more thing : if you are only lowering the weight half-way, or bouncing (benchpress comment) or as I was saying, bouncing the weight off your chest, then please don’t follow that number scheme. Lower the weight, and keep in mind that more range-of-motion = more stimulus to muscle fibers.
Thanks for all the suggestions Kinein. I’ve been doing a lot of stretching at home for my lower back (as well as in between sets). It’s feeling around 90% right now and getting better everyday so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. But I DO need to get my cardio in order. I do some on off days, but nothing over 1, maybe 2, miles of running. I try to sprint, but its on a treadmill. Maybe I’ll start running on a track or somethin.
Also, I’m going to try to throw in at least 4 sets of each exercise I’m doing. Not sure I understand what you mean by the “Test weight x 10” for warmups thing you are talking about. Could you try explaining that more?
edit: I have tried negatives. Also, I keep good form in all exercises.
Much appreciated.
Oh just finding a reasonable weight to start out with as your warmup-set, make it the one where you nail your form down/technique, way to set the tone - also see how your body is feeling, etc. Its voodoo magic theory. I like to call it VMT.
4/25/2007
Kind of a shitty day. I switched up sets/reps which was a nice change, but I tweaked something in my lwr back/hip AGAIN doing squats. I’m pretty sure it was when I felt like I was going to get stuck at the bottom.
I think I put too much weight on my toes, thus ligting too much of the weight with my lower back muscles. Soooo frustrating…just another bump in the road. It really shows how important form is. Even when you know proper form, it doesn’t pay off unless you execute it on EVERY REP!
Started with Pullup work
Benchpress
135 x 10
175 x 5
175 x 5
195 x 3
225 x 1 (spot help)
Squats
135 x 10
185 x 2 (this is when I tweaked it - guess I shouldve stopped, but it didn’t tighten up until later)
135 x 8
Deadlifts
135 x 10
155 x 10
155 x 8
BB Shoulder Press
95 x 10
105 x 5
105 x 5
115 x 3
I guess I’ll stay away from squats for another few days and do some back extensions and see how it feels. ughhh
5/02/07
Pretty good day. Squats are getting easier/not hurting as much, and I can really feel a difference in pullups since i started doing them at the beginning of every workout.
Started with some more pullup work
Squats
135 x 10
155 x 7
175 x 7
185 x 4
Power Clean and Press
95 x 10
105 x 7
105 x 5
110 x 4
Incline Bench DB Rows
45s x 10
65s x 8
75s x 4
Incline DB Flies
40 x 10
45 x 10
50 x 7
05/04/2007
Great day in the gym today. Improved bench even though I didn’t have a spot, and broke through my deadlift max for the first time. My forearms felt like they were going to burst open from DL’s and shrugs, which was pretty sweet.
Pullup work
Benchpress
135 x 10
185 x 5
185 x 5
205 x 3
Deadlifts
135 x 10
185 x 5
205 x 5
225 x 3 (felt like I could’ve done more but my grip was slipping)
Smith Machine Backrow/pullups
BW x 10 x 3
DB Shrugs
85s x 10 x 3
Should I start to look into getting that grip wrapping tape? I’ve never used it before and don’t know how to wrap my hands or a quality brand. Any help would be appreciated on that.
05/07/07
Good day. Not much to say. Put in a lot of effort.
Front Squats
95 x 10
115 x 10
115 x 10
135 x 8
a bunch of pullup sets
Benchpress
135 x 10
185 x 6
205 x 3
225 x 2 (1 w/ spot help)
Smith Machine Bent Rows
135 x 10
155 x 6
155 x 6
175 x 4
Few sets of DB hammer curls (20/25/30/35)
Few sets of concentration curls
(25 lb DBs)
Standing Calf Raise Machine
315 x 6 x 5 sets
Close grip Incline Benchpress
95 x 10
115 x 8
115 x 6
95 x 12
05/09/07
OK, I’m really pissed off right now. Sorry T-Nation, this is where I’m taking it out.
So anyway, I get to the gym ready to have a great TBT workout, planning on upping my Deadlift weight. But some dude is on the rack, no biggie, I’ll do some incline DB presses.
So I do those, and realize this guy is doing a fucking circuit. Ok, ok, he’ll be done soon. Well, this guy kept going for about a half hour. I tried to get his attention twice to ask if I could work in, but he’s either an asshole or couldn’t hear me over his little white iPod nano, because he didn’t respond. So I do some bent over DB rows while he finishes up.
The guy finally finishes as I wait patiently sitting on the bench right next to the rack. He removes the plates and AS SOON as he steps out some Body-for-Life bitch rushes in and puts her water bottle inside the rack.
She must’ve seen me motioning towards the rack because she takes out her fucking stupid ass headphones and goes, “Ohhh, were you waiting for this???” No I just wanted to watch your busted ass form from up close. Trying to be polite I let her use the rack, as she does about six sets of squats with just the bar. Fucking stupid ass people.
So I finally get to use the rack after doing some rows, pullups and shrugs. I’m all ready to deadlift some shit. First set at 135 is easy. Then I up it to 185. When I get to my sixth rep I realize that all those DB rows and shrugs have torched my forearms.
I try to get the bar onto the rack but it drops and makes that loud clanging noise that is basically the worst sound in the world. All the body-for-lifers look over at me disapprovingly. Suddenly I felt like someone who was in a Roid-Rage (never took steroids but this is what I imagine a rage must feel like).
I seriously felt like tearing off that dudes head who took up a fucking half hour of my life doing fucking circuit training. Also, I had to go back to 135 and finish off a bunch of sets because thats what I had waited 2 days to do, except I didn’t even get to lift any heavier weight.
I’m so pissed right now. I guess thats what I get for using your family’s YMCA Family membership. I definitely need to join a new gym. Lesson learned.
Anyway…
Incline DB Press
55s x 10
65s x 6
70s x 5
75s x 5
80s x 4
Bunch of Pullups
Bent over DB Rows on bench
70 x 10
80 x 6
90 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5 (each hand on all sets)
Shrugs
80s x 10
85s x 10
95s x 8
100s x 5
DL’s
135 x 10
185 x 5
135 x 10
135 x 10
135 x 6
05/11/07
Good, hard workout all together. I’m hurting right now.
Squats
135 x 10
155 x 5
175 x 5
185 x 5
205 x 3
115 x 10
Benchpress
135 x 10
185 x 5
185 x 5
205 x 2
95 x 12 (wide-grip)
115 x 10 (wide-grip)
Close Grip Lat pull aparts (lat pulldown machine)
75 x 10
105 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 5
150 x 5
DB Seated Shoulder Press
40s x 10
45s x 5
50s x 5
55s x 5
60s x 3
Standing Calf Raise Machine
315 x 6 x 5 sets
Tweaked the shoulder I had surgery on a few years back doing DB Presses. Shouldn’t have hammered my shoulder after Benching. I’ll remember that in the future.
05/14/07
Gym kicked my ass today. Don’t know why…maybe from boozing too much over the weekend, who knows. I’m thinking about taking a week off, is that a bad idea? Does anyone ever take a few days or a week off every couple of months? Thought I heard that it might be a good idea every so often.
Deadlifts
135 x 10
185 x 5
205 x 5
225 x 5
245 x 3
Benchpress
135 x 10
185 x 4
185 x 5
135 x 10
Smith Lat Pullups
BW x 10 x 3 sets
EzBar bicep Curls
60 x 10 x 2 sets
gross…except for deadlifts. I progressed on those actually.