Yesterday was my first workout of my second blast. I wish my two-week cruise had not turned into a two-week personal hell, but oh well.
day 1A
dbell bench- 65 x 11
close-grip bench press- 170 x 10
isometric pull-up (top position)- bodyweight x 30 seconds
dbell row- 95 x 5
Yes, these are laughably wimpy poundages. Yes, my back exercises are particularly sucky. I stuck the ISO pull-ups into my routine because, from experience, my pull-up and chin-up numbers progress better with them included somewhere in the routine. Strange thing is, every time my pull-up numbers start to move in a positive direction, I drop the ISO’s in favor of more pull-ups and my pull-ups promptly go to shit. Maybe someday I’ll learn.
I understand that the dbell row is not DC-approved for back thickness, but I wanted one back thickness exercise that wasn’t low-back intensive.
Those who have followed this thread from the beginning will notice a change in the schedule: chest and triceps are grouped together on day 1 and shoulders will be on day 2. Why? Because chest and shoulders on day 1 and triceps on day 2 proved to be such a successful experiment that I just HAD TO screw with it.
Day 2A (Wed, 2-20-08)
lying lateral raise- 15 x 14
one-leg donkey calf raise- 60# dbell x 10 (the 10-second pause at the bottom of each rep is face-contortingly painful)
wide-grip preacher curl- 62.5 x 8
COC gripper #1- 25 second hold in full close position
front squat- 230 x 9
Yesterday was a clusterfuck of a day. I had to split my workout into two parts. In the morning I did delts, calves and biceps, then came back four hours later and did grip and quads.
No, I do not intend for two-a-days to become a regular part of my routine.
[quote]Scott M wrote:
It’s a 15 second hold 
[/quote]
I’m gettin’ there, I’m gettin’ there. Its just that it hurts extra bad on donkey calf raises. Standing calf raises are 15 seconds.
Day 1B (2-22-08)
incline bench press- 170 x 13 (bar set in power rack. each rep done from a dead stop)
lying bbell extension- 95 x 12
rack chins- 9 + 10 sec hold on last rep
rack DL- 335 x 10 (set in rack just below knees)
Day 2B (2-25-08)
dbell side press- 60 x 10
standing bbell calf raise- 200 x 19
drag curl- 65 x 17 (boy, I suck at these!)
split squat- 40# vest x 12 reps (don’t have many choices for quad exercises)
Day 1C (2-27-08)
I screwed up, I lost count doing chest. Will post numbers next time around
reverse-grip bench- 160 x 10
chin-up- x 8
bbell suitcase DL- 155 x 5 (really disappointed with performance)
day 2C (3-1-08)
1-leg calf raise- 60 x 4 (yes, I held the stretch for 15 seconds this time. Goodness, that hurts!)
upright row- 75 x 13
incline hammer curl- 30 x 9
plate see-saw- 16.25 x 16 to front, 24 to back
plate see-saws are an interesting little exercise I found on Ironmind.com. A John Brookfield exercise.
OL squat- 275 x 9 (no widowmaker)
day 1A (3-4-08)
dbell bench- 75 x 11
close-grip bench- 185 x 10
ISO pull-up- bodyweight + 10 x 23 seconds
dbell row- 95 x 6
Surprised that yesterday’s workout went pretty well, as I think I’m coming down with the flu. I don’t recommend anyone do this, as I really feel like hell today.
day 2A (3-6-08)
1 leg donkey calf raise- 65 x 8 + 2 (RP)
note to ScottM- I’m still too much of a wimp to hold the bottom stretch for 15 seconds, got about 12
lying lateral raise- 16.25 x 11 + 4 (RP)
wide grip EZ bar preacher curl- 62.5 x 10
COC gripper #1- 32 sec hold
front squat- 240 x 10
day 1B (3-8-08)
rack chin- 12 + 3 + 10 sec hold (RP static)
incline bench- 180 x 12 + 3 (RP)
lying bbell extension- 100 x 12 + 3 (RP)
rack DL- 360 x 11
[quote]downintucson wrote:
day 2A (3-6-08)
1 leg donkey calf raise- 65 x 8 + 2 (RP)
note to ScottM- I’m still too much of a wimp to hold the bottom stretch for 15 seconds, got about 12
lying lateral raise- 16.25 x 11 + 4 (RP)
wide grip EZ bar preacher curl- 62.5 x 10
COC gripper #1- 32 sec hold
front squat- 240 x 10
day 1B (3-8-08)
rack chin- 12 + 3 + 10 sec hold (RP static)
incline bench- 180 x 12 + 3 (RP)
lying bbell extension- 100 x 12 + 3 (RP)
rack DL- 360 x 11
[/quote]
The 15 second hold is entirely mental in my opinion. Staying down in that pain zone is where the growth is, most guys love to bounce on their calves at the top and you need to do the exact opposite.
For your rest paused sets are you purposely only doing “two” parts? I’m not sure if we ever talked about this but a normal RP set would be something alone the lines of 9+4+2(optional static).
[quote]Scott M wrote:
The 15 second hold is entirely mental in my opinion. Staying down in that pain zone is where the growth is, most guys love to bounce on their calves at the top and you need to do the exact opposite.
For your rest paused sets are you purposely only doing “two” parts? I’m not sure if we ever talked about this but a normal RP set would be something alone the lines of 9+4+2(optional static).
[/quote]
It sure as hell is mental. As in, my mind doesn’t want me staying down there that long. The standing raises are less of a problem, but oh crap the donkey raises are still too brutal to stay down the entire 15 seconds. but I’m getting there:)
I’m doing something similar to what you outlined in a post on the main DC thread. I’m “building up”, starting with straight set, then rest pause with two stages, then rest pause with three stages. Probably not a mainstream DC thought, but I would rather work into it slowly than jump into it. That’s my rationale.
[quote]downintucson wrote:
Scott M wrote:
The 15 second hold is entirely mental in my opinion. Staying down in that pain zone is where the growth is, most guys love to bounce on their calves at the top and you need to do the exact opposite.
It sure as hell is mental. As in, my mind doesn’t want me staying down there that long. The standing raises are less of a problem, but oh crap the donkey raises are still too brutal to stay down the entire 15 seconds. but I’m getting there:)
[/quote]
Just imagine Scott or whoever you imagine is scariest among the DC crowd berating you Sgt Hartman style.
[quote]will to power wrote:
Just imagine Scott or whoever you imagine is scariest among the DC crowd berating you Sgt Hartman style. [/quote]
I took your idea and ran with it. But instead of someone like ScottM berating me, how’s this for a motivating image:
ScottM shaking his head at me and mumbling “Yeah, I knew you weren’t cut out for this kind of training.”
day 1B (3-8-08)
rack chin- 12 + 3 + static hold
incline bench- 180 x 12 + 3
lying triceps bbell extension- 100 x 12 + 3
rack DL- 360 x 11
And, no, I can’t explain why everything just happened to end up being 12 reps and 3 reps
day 2B (3-11-08)
side press- 65 x 9+3
body drag curl- 75 x 13 + 4
plate pinch- 45 + 10 + 5 x 47 seconds
bbell calf raise- 230 x 17
split squat- +50# x 14
[quote]downintucson wrote:
ScottM shaking his head at me and mumbling “Yeah, I knew you weren’t cut out for this kind of training.”
[/quote]
Nice haha. This is exactly the sort of “two bolts short of a car wreck” attitude that it takes for this type of training.
Hitting the same number on the RP happens to me sometimes, every once in a while 14 or say 22 is my magic number for the day and it seems very weird. It’s even weirder if you arrive at it different ways, 9+3+2=14RP or 10+3+1=14RP or 8+4+3=14RP all in one session. Makes you want to go play the lotto haha.
[quote]downintucson wrote:
Scott M wrote:
The 15 second hold is entirely mental in my opinion. Staying down in that pain zone is where the growth is, most guys love to bounce on their calves at the top and you need to do the exact opposite.
For your rest paused sets are you purposely only doing “two” parts? I’m not sure if we ever talked about this but a normal RP set would be something alone the lines of 9+4+2(optional static).
It sure as hell is mental. As in, my mind doesn’t want me staying down there that long. The standing raises are less of a problem, but oh crap the donkey raises are still too brutal to stay down the entire 15 seconds. but I’m getting there:)
[/quote]
It’s absolutely mental (really any form of training that causes you to push to and beyond your limits is hugely mental) and what you’ve got to realize is that YOU ultimately choose whether you finish the rep/set/workout and accomplish your goal or not. 90% of all limitations are self imposed.
Making up excuses like “my mind doesn’t want me staying down there that long” are really just that, excuses. If you don’t think that every one of us who do calf raises like this aren’t thinking “damn this hurts, maybe I should just cut the hold short a few seconds, what’s that gonna hurt” from time to time you’re kidding yourself.
Those little voices creep up on all of us. However, YOU decide whether to listen to them or not. The body does what the mind tells it to do and YOU control the mind. If you listen to them and keep listening to them, then they will forever control you and limit your progress (in any area of life, not just training).
Just make up your mind that you’re gonna hold that damn stretch for 15 seconds and do not stop, regardless of how much it burns, until that 15 seconds is up. Yes it will suck while you’re doing it, but when you finish that set you will feel like you accomplished something. You will be able to look yourself in the mirror and know that you are not holding anything back, and no one can ever take that away from you. That in itself is worth the pain you’ll experience during the exercise, let alone the gains.
[quote]Sentoguy wrote:
It’s absolutely mental (really any form of training that causes you to push to and beyond your limits is hugely mental) and what you’ve got to realize is that YOU ultimately choose whether you finish the rep/set/workout and accomplish your goal or not. 90% of all limitations are self imposed.
Making up excuses like “my mind doesn’t want me staying down there that long” are really just that, excuses. If you don’t think that every one of us who do calf raises like this aren’t thinking “damn this hurts, maybe I should just cut the hold short a few seconds, what’s that gonna hurt” from time to time you’re kidding yourself.
Those little voices creep up on all of us. However, YOU decide whether to listen to them or not. The body does what the mind tells it to do and YOU control the mind. If you listen to them and keep listening to them, then they will forever control you and limit your progress (in any area of life, not just training).
Just make up your mind that you’re gonna hold that damn stretch for 15 seconds and do not stop, regardless of how much it burns, until that 15 seconds is up. Yes it will suck while you’re doing it, but when you finish that set you will feel like you accomplished something. You will be able to look yourself in the mirror and know that you are not holding anything back, and no one can ever take that away from you. That in itself is worth the pain you’ll experience during the exercise, let alone the gains.[/quote]
Very good post. Lots of folks bitch and moan about DC newbies getting flamed. But when you read a post like this I would hope that everyone gets where they’re coming from. Everyone who’s ever posted on my thread, even the ones who think I’m a fucking retard, have helped me out in some way. Certainly, some have helped me more than others (ScottM at the top of the list). Sure, you catch a lot of shit. Some of it good-natured, some not. But hey, its tough love. Take it or leave it.
[quote]Scott M wrote:
Nice haha. This is exactly the sort of “two bolts short of a car wreck” attitude that it takes for this type of training.
[/quote]
Undoubtedly the finest compliment I have received since starting this “not DC” training of mine.
If you don’t understand why, you’ll have to dig thru the pages on the IM board
day 1C (3-13-08)
chin-up- 10 + 2 + static hold
decline bench- 200 x 10 + 5
reverse-grip bench- 170 x 8 + 4
bbell suitcase DL- 165 x 7
notes: After reading up about this exercise on the IM board, I’ve taken my grip out a bit on the reverse bench. I keep the elbows tucked at my sides, so my forearms are always angled away from the torso. This, despite the rather odd look, is most comfortable and stable for me.
I’m trying to get away from the conservative attitude that Dante Trudel has written about. Instead of one rep here, five pounds there, I’m trying to work into adding a “holy shit” amount to the bar and just going after it. Obviously, as seen from my posts, I’m not exactly throwing caution to the wind. But I am at least trying to wean myself off of the ol’ “slow and sure wins the race” mentality. It doesn’t seem like much to add ten pounds to the bar instead of just five, but to me it is.