Fedor Duchaine's Training Log

Training Training Logs
1

First I’ll post my history…I used to weight lift a lot when I was younger, starting from my football days in high school. I was pretty small in high school (140-150 lbs in my freshman & sophomore years, around 160 lbs in my junior year, and maybe 170-175 my graduating year).

I trained in martial arts a bit when I was in my 20s.

In my late 20s & early 30s, I weight-trained sporadically and got out of shape…Then, about 2 and a half years ago, I was in a bad car accident where I ended up with 3 herniated discs in my neck. Doctor told me I’d never be able to do weight lifting or play sports again, and even cautioned me in staying away from being in a moving vehicle, due to the bumps and such messing with my neck.

I was on painkillers for 9 months, also going through physical therapy at the same time…There was a long period of time where I couldn’t even sit up for more than 10 minutes. Just sitting up for 5-10 minutes would leave me in severe pain, where I would have to lie down for 1-3 hours to recover…Also, even towards the end of my physical therapy, the painkillers made me non-functional (Both mentally & physically).

Finally, I got tired of it, and on August of 2009 I decided to start working out, regardless of what the doctor told me…I started off by doing laps in the pool, as well as dumbbell sessions (30 lb dumbbells). I would only do a couple laps in the pool, and only did sets of 10 with the dumbbells (chest press & shoulder press), so I started off extremely light…It was extremely painful, and I felt like I wouldn’t be able to continue doing this, but over time I gradually increased the pool laps, as well as the reps with the dumbbells. On shoulder press, I never went past 3 sets of 10, but with chest press, I eventually got to the point of doing 3 sets of 50.

After 2 months, I joined a gym (Oct of 2009).

Keep in mind, I always feel pain, and the pain is pretty severe when I work out (Especially when doing shoulders or back), but I just keep it up as it allows me to physically function, as I have a base of muscle for my body to use. It has helped immensely with my neck injury.

2

I didn’t keep training logs until I posted a PM to someone on this forum back in March, so this was my work-out routine in March of 2010.

Due to my neck injury, I’m unable to do free-weights or dumbbells. The only thing I was using dumbbells for were biceps & shoulder press, and I was doing such with shoulder press because I couldn’t use shoulder press machines…Also, I’m unable to run, due to the bouncey movements messing with my neck. So, when going on the treadmill, I just walk at a steep incline.

2 times per week (Usually Mon & Thur)-----
legs/chest/triceps (about 2.5hrs)

20 min walk on the treadmill, at a steep incline, for warm-up
1 set of 10 machine leg press, at 270 lbs
2 sets of 10 on machine leg press, at 330 lbs
3 sets of 10 on leg extensions, 260 lbs
3 sets of 10 on seated leg curls at 160 lbs
1 set of 6 on free-weight leg press at 540 lbs
1 set of 6 on free-weight leg press at 590 lbs
1 set of 6 on free-weight leg press at 630 lbs
The inner thigh machine, I do 3 sets of 10 at 190-200 lbs
The outer thigh/glute machine, I do 3 sets of 10 at 130 lbs

then I go to chest:
1 set of 15 on chest press at 170 lbs
1 set of 10 on chest press at 210 lbs
1 set of 6 on chest press at 230 lbs
1 set of 3-5 on chest press at 250 lbs (varies on how strong I feel)
1 set of 12 on chest fly machine at 180 lbs
1 set of 12 on chest fly machine at 200 lbs
1 set of 8-10 on chest fly machine at 220 lbs
3 sets of 10 on incline press machine at 110 lbs
3 sets of 10 on decline press at 270 lbs

triceps:
1 set of 20 on tricep pull-downs at 130 lbs
1 set of 12-15 on tricep pull-downs at 160 lbs
1 set of 8 on tricep pull-downs at 180 lbs
1 set of 6 on tricep pull-downs at 200 lbs
Then I pyramid back down towards 130 again (Do the same sets at 180, 160, and 130)

Then I finish off with some abs. Not much, just 3 sets of 15 on an ab machine at 155 lbs…Then I do 20-30 crunches on some lie-down, weight-less crunch machine with handlebars.

Then my shoulder/back/bicep routine is a lot less. It’s also 2 times per week (Usually Tuesdays & Fridays), but only lasts about 1.5 hrs

10 minutes on stairmaster as a warm-up (I’ve gotten to level 10 for 7 min, and level 6 for 3 min)…When I’m eventually able to do level 10-12 for the entire 10 min, I’ll increase the minutes.

back:
3 sets of 10 on row machine with horizontal handlebars at 145 lbs
3 sets of 10 on row machine with vertical handlebars at 160 lbs
3 sets of 10 on reverse pull-downs at 160 lbs (just started doing that weight this week, used to do 130 lbs only)
I also do that back exercise with the close-grip handle where you sit upright with your legs forward. I only do 100 lbs & 130 lbs on that.

shoulders:
1 set of 15 on dumbbell shoulder press with 40 lb dumbbells
1 set of 10 on dumbbell shoulder press with 45 lb dumbbells
1 set of 6 on dumbbell shoulder press with 50 lb dumbbells
1 set of 4-6 on dumbbell shoulder press with 55 lb dumbbells

biceps:
3 sets of 6 on bicep machine at 155 lbs …I sporadically do biceps with dumbbells, usually only 30-35 lbs

Then I do some weird lat machine which is a pull-down, but it goes outwards as you pull down, so it’s a lot easier on my neck than a normal lat pull-down:

1 set of 12 at 190 lbs
1 set of 12 at 205 lbs
1 set of 12 at 220 lbs …I’m probably going to go up in weight on this one soon, it’s starting to feel easy. Just depends on whether my neck can hold up.

Then I do a shoulder press machine:
1 set of 10 at 70 lbs
1 set of 8 at 90 lbs
1 set of 6 at 110 lbs
and, if I feel OK, 1 set of 6 at 130 lbs

I also do 3 sets of 10 on middle-delt dumbbell exercises (10 lb dumbbells)

Then I do the lower back machine (kind of like the opposite of an ab machine):
1 set of 12 at 270 lbs
2 sets of 12 at 300 lbs

Then I do abs, the same as my legs/chest/triceps days

Then I finish off my work-out with 30 push-ups. I’m afraid to do more, as my neck starts feeling extra stiff & painful when I get to around 30.

3

And this is my current routine, as of November of 2010. I’m 5’11", 225 lbs…I recently found a shoulder press machine at my current gym I’m able to use. It’s one which has the back support leaning back diagonally.

Also, I went up to doing free-weight leg press at 720 lbs, but started having problems with my knees, so I’ve totally downgraded my leg work-outs. I can’t even do the stairmaster, as it starts fucking with my knees.

On decline chest press, I went up to doing 360, but it was bothering my neck too much so I went back down to 270…Overall, for most of my routines, I’ve been trying not to go too high in weight, but, rather, increase the rep count.

So, as of November of 2010, this is my current work-out routine.

2 times per week (Usually Mon & Thur)-----
chest/triceps (1.5-2hrs)

5-minute walk on treadmill for warm-up (with steep incline)
1 set of 30 on chest press at 170 lbs
1 set of 12 on chest press at 210 lbs
1 set of 8 on chest press at 230 lbs
1 set of 8 on chest press at 250 lbs
1 set of 15 on chest fly machine at 180 lbs
1 set of 15 on chest fly machine at 200 lbs
2 sets of 12 on chest fly machine at 220 lbs
1 set of 15 on chest fly machine at 200 lbs
1 set of 15 on chest fly machine at 180 lbs
5 sets of 20 on seated dip machine at 330 lbs (I keep my back straight, almost arched, so that my upper pecs get focused on a bit)…I’ve found I can’t do incline press, so this is the exercise I use to do my upper pecs.

triceps:
1 set of 30 on tricep pull-downs at 130 lbs
1 set of 15 on tricep pull-downs at 160 lbs
1 set of 12 on tricep pull-downs at 180 lbs
1 set of 8 on tricep pull-downs at 200 lbs
Then I pyramid back down towards 130 again (Do the same sets at 180, 160, and 130)

Then I do a hip flexor exercise with cables. Have the cables set at the lowest point, put weight at 200 lbs, then stand straight, leaning to side where handle is, and lean over to opposite side. I do 3 sets of 15 at 200 lbs…Great for developing the ken/penis line!

Then I go back to chest for a slight bit:
3 sets of 10 on decline press at 270 lbs

3 sets of 30 on an ab machine at 155 lbs.

Then my “cool-down” (a bit of chest):
3 sets of 10 on parallel bar dips
2 sets of 15 on seated dip machine at 330 lbs

1 time per week (Wed)----
legs (about an hour):
20-minute walk on treadmill at steep incline
1 set of 10 machine leg press, at 270 lbs
2 sets of 10 on machine leg press, at 330 lbs
3 sets of 10 on leg extensions at 260 lbs
3 sets of 10 on seated leg curls at 160 lbs
The inner thigh machine, I do 3 sets of 12 at 200 lbs
The outer thigh/glute machine, I do 3 sets of 10 at 150 lbs
3 sets of 30 on ab machine at 155 lbs

2 times per week (Usually Tue & Fri)-----
shoulders/back/biceps (2.5hrs)
5-minute walk on treadmill for warm-up (with steep incline)

back:
3 sets of 10 on overhead pulldown machine where you put weights on and use an underhand-grasp…230 lbs
3 sets of 10 on overhead pulldown machine where you put weights on and use an overhand-grasp…230 lbs

back exercise with the close-grip handle, in the cables section, where you sit upright with your legs forward…3 sets of 6 at 140 lbs, 2 sets of 15 at 100 lbs…At a few other gyms I’m able to do 3 sets of 10 at 180 lbs, but the gym I usually work out at seems a bit more stiff on this machine.

3 sets of 40 on reverse pull-downs at 200 lbs (reverse pull-downs as in the lat pull-down machine, except I’m sitting the opposite way, with my back turned, and pulling down to my shoulders/neck)

shoulders:
1 set of 15 at 120 lbs on shoulder press machine
1 set of 15 at 140 lbs on shoulder press machine
1 set of 12 at 160 lbs on shoulder press machine
1 set of 8 at 180 lbs on shoulder press machine
2 sets of 8 at 200 lbs on shoulder press machine
1 set of 10 at 200 lbs on shoulder press machine
3 sets of 15 at 150 lbs on rear delt flies (same machine as chest flies, except your sitting in the opposite direction)

biceps:
5 sets of 12 at 110 lbs at cable section

3 sets of 30 on ab machine at 155 lbs

Then I finish off my work-out with 30 push-ups & 3 sets of 12 at 170 lbs on lat pull-down machine.

4

Wow! Is your pain and functionality progressively getting better at all? Is there hope for a full recovery eventually?

5

I had the option of getting cortisone injections, but didn’t go for it as I’ve heard about mixed results. It wouldn’t have helped in terms of being able to run again, or anything like that, but was supposed to have potential in taking pain away.

What I might try out are some of those spine specialist centers you see billboards of on the highway.

6

Good luck with that! That’s got to be incredibly frustrating, especially having been an athlete.