Revenge of the Sith: AngryVader's Log

Training Training Logs
961

Tuesday 06/30 - Quads and Calves

Front Squat on Bench
175 x 4
185 x 4
195 x 4
205 x 4
215 x 4
225 x 4 - Even this felt easy. Weird that this felt easy when 225 and not pausing on a bench on every rep felt hard last week. Hell, I’d even have to say that my depth was better this week because I was consistent from rep to rep.

Leg Press
590 x 8
540 x 15
500 x 20
450 x 25
360 x 50

Reverse Lunge off step
65 x 6
75 x 6
85 x 8

Cybex Calf Raise
325 x 5/5, 5/5, 5/5, 4/4, 4/4, 4/4, 4/4, 4/4, 3/3, 3/3, 3/5

Hanging Leg Raise
BW x 8, 8, 8, 8, 8

962

Tuesday 06/30 (evening) - Sprints

16 x 30m

The first few were pretty rough, but for some reason, I found myself running a lot harder and with better technique about halfway through the workout.

I’m saving The Prowler for the long weekend. :slight_smile:

963

I see you are still enjoying the higher volume. I tried to do 100 leg presses at a lower weight and my quads were screaming at me. I got to 56 and I called you a name and jumped off.

What is the purpose of such high volume? Is it to build muscle endurance along with muscle? When you are doing that many, how do you know when you go up or do you just stick 5lbs extra each time?

Have you tried the Prowler at the beach yet?

964

[quote]OctoberGirl wrote:
I see you are still enjoying the higher volume. I tried to do 100 leg presses at a lower weight and my quads were screaming at me. I got to 56 and I called you a name and jumped off.

What is the purpose of such high volume? Is it to build muscle endurance along with muscle? When you are doing that many, how do you know when you go up or do you just stick 5lbs extra each time?

Have you tried the Prowler at the beach yet?[/quote]

The purpose of the high volume is to build muscle. Several articles on this site lately have suggested doing high rep sets for legs for hypertrophy. If you look at athletes like speed skaters, they do extremely high volume training for the legs.

The closest beach is at least an hour away. Not really practical for a Prowler workout.

965

[quote]AngryVader wrote:
OctoberGirl wrote:

I see you are still enjoying the higher volume. I tried to do 100 leg presses at a lower weight and my quads were screaming at me. I got to 56 and I called you a name and jumped off.

What is the purpose of such high volume? Is it to build muscle endurance along with muscle? When you are doing that many, how do you know when you go up or do you just stick 5lbs extra each time?

Have you tried the Prowler at the beach yet?

The purpose of the high volume is to build muscle. Several articles on this site lately have suggested doing high rep sets for legs for hypertrophy. If you look at athletes like speed skaters, they do extremely high volume training for the legs.

The closest beach is at least an hour away. Not really practical for a Prowler workout.
[/quote]

Thanks Vader, and no, I don’t suppose it would be practical to get to the beach if it is an hour away. My apologies, I thought you were closer.

966

[quote]OctoberGirl wrote:
AngryVader wrote:
OctoberGirl wrote:

I see you are still enjoying the higher volume. I tried to do 100 leg presses at a lower weight and my quads were screaming at me. I got to 56 and I called you a name and jumped off.

What is the purpose of such high volume? Is it to build muscle endurance along with muscle? When you are doing that many, how do you know when you go up or do you just stick 5lbs extra each time?

Have you tried the Prowler at the beach yet?

The purpose of the high volume is to build muscle. Several articles on this site lately have suggested doing high rep sets for legs for hypertrophy. If you look at athletes like speed skaters, they do extremely high volume training for the legs.

The closest beach is at least an hour away. Not really practical for a Prowler workout.

Thanks Vader, and no, I don’t suppose it would be practical to get to the beach if it is an hour away. My apologies, I thought you were closer.

[/quote]

In an ideal world, I would live right on the beach.

967

Thursday 07/02 - Chest and Shoulders

BB Bench
205 x 6
215 x 6
225 x 5, 4, 4

Hammer Strength Incline Bench
270 x 8, 8, 8, 8, 8

Pec Dec
120 x 15, 12, 10, 10

Free Motion Shoulder Press
110 x 12, 12, 10, 11

DB Laterals
35 x 15, 15, 15, 15

Cybex Machine Laterals
130 x 20, 20, 18, 16

968

BB Bench!!

How did it feel? Shoulder feel A-OKAY when you tucked?

Also, is the free-motion machine a more free-weightish pressing maching? Something that’d be easier on your shoulders? Reason I ask is that this machine overhead press I use seems to be tough on the glenohumeral.

Thanks

969

[quote]Flow wrote:
BB Bench!!

How did it feel? Shoulder feel A-OKAY when you tucked?

Also, is the free-motion machine a more free-weightish pressing maching? Something that’d be easier on your shoulders? Reason I ask is that this machine overhead press I use seems to be tough on the glenohumeral.

Thanks[/quote]

It was interesting. My shoulder felt pretty good the whole way through and I’d have to say that I noticed LESS shoulder irritation than I normally do than from my previous workouts when doing those neutral grip DB bench presses. I wasn’t expecting that, especially because I remember when my shoulder was recovering, even 185 would bother my shoulder a bit when coming off the chest.

It felt pretty good yesterday with 225, and this morning my shoulder isn’t as sore as it normally is. Actually, my left shoulder was the one that was more inflamed last night.

My technique needs some work and I need to get my strength back up there, but it was at least nice to see two plates back on the bar again. We actually have a slightly thicker bar, but not a true thick bar, that I’m going to try to use next week since I’m sold on thicker bar training and it’s effect on the shoulders.

I’ve attached a pic of the FreeMotion machine to give you an idea of what it looks like. You can see at the bottom, each arm was a swivel, so you really have to stabilize in all directions. This forces you to use a bit less weight. It also forces you to stay really tight in the shoulders and I feel more tension in the muscle as a result.

I don’t really notice any shoulder irritation from this, but I do use a neutral grip with the Tyler Grips attached to the handles.

My main problem with the machine is that it goes up in 10lb increments, which I don’t like jumping that much on pressing exercises now, and the machine only goes up to 150, so pretty soon I’ll have to switch to something else, like one arm pressing, or go for really high reps. Most of the other machines I have aren’t really good on my shoulder joint either, so my options are limited.

970

Friday 07/03 - Hams and Calves

After getting out of bed, I did some SMR and about 30 minutes of yoga.

Sumo Deadlifts
285 x 4, 4, 4
295 x 4, 4
305 x 4 - I wore my Chucks again for the first time in a while and it really made a difference. I think I’m finally getting the hang of these.

Natural Glute-Ham Raise
BW x 6, 6, 6, 6

RDL
285 x 8
290 x 6, 6, 6

Seated Calf Raise
130 x 10, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9 - I must be getting better at using my calves as I got a painful cramp at the end of every set in both calves.

Seated Front Calf Raise
130 x 10, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9

One Legged Calf Raise
BW x 10/10, 9/9, 7/7, 8/8

I plan on pushing the Prowler around the track later this afternoon. With the long weekend I’m trying to figure out what days I should do the Prowler. I think tomorrow, I’ll do sprints and then a shorter Prolwer session on Sunday.

971

Friday 07/03 (evening) - The Prowler

I went for a endurance session this time.

1 lap around the track with 50 lbs on the Prowler and wearing the 20 lb X-Vest: 13:30 min.

1 lap around the track with no weight and no X-Vest. Alternated between the low and high handles: 10:10 min.

Now, I’m off to BWW for some wings!

972

Saturday 07/04 - Arms

Hammer Strength Dips
320 x 6, 6, 6, 6

Rope Tricep Extension
130 x 10, 10, 10
135 x 10

One-Arm DB Overhead Extension
27.5 x 15, 15
30 x 13, 12

DB Preacher Curl
50 x 8, 7, 7, 6

Reverse Incline DB Curl
50 x 10
55 x 8, 8, 8

EZ Reverse Curl
45 x 10
55 x 10, 10, 10

DB Wrist Curl
70 x 8, 6, 6, 6

Behind the Back BB Wrist Curl
135 x 6, 6, 6

973

Sunday 07/05 - Calves

I tweaked my back this morning putting my shoes on and it’s been killing me all day. I can’t believe shit like this happens.

I had to change things up today as a result and I wasn’t able to do a majority of the stuff I planned on doing today.

One Legged Leg Press Calf Raise
180 x 5/5/5, 5/5/5, 5/5/5, 5/5/5, 5/5/5, 5/5/5, 5/5/5, 5/5/5, 5/5/5, 5/5/5, 5/5/5

Seated Calf Raise - Toes off the step
135 x 10/10, 6/6, 6/6, 6/6, 5/5, 5/5

974

Update:

My back is getting better, but it’s still sore. I don’t have any pain sitting or moving around for the most part. It really only bothers me when standing up and I try to fully extend the back, like when standing up completely straight.

I’m going to take the rest of the week off from training to rest it and I’m just trying to stretch out the legs as best as I can. I’ll do some light cardio to get the blood moving.

Nothing like a forced week off from training, eh?

975

Sorry to hear about the back, Vader. :frowning:

Have you ever tried walking with a weight loaded backpack on? This can be great for forcing the abdominal musculature to ‘turn on’ like nuts, which can lead to diminished back pain. I saw it mentioned by Stuart Mcgill in one of his texts.

From my experience, working with 10-25 lbs. in the low position of the back pack and walking at an urgent pace for 15+ minutes is effective.

Let me know if this helps. Get well soon!

976

[quote]Flow wrote:
Sorry to hear about the back, Vader. :frowning:

Have you ever tried walking with a weight loaded backpack on? This can be great for forcing the abdominal musculature to ‘turn on’ like nuts, which can lead to diminished back pain. I saw it mentioned by Stuart Mcgill in one of his texts.

From my experience, working with 10-25 lbs. in the low position of the back pack and walking at an urgent pace for 15+ minutes is effective.

Let me know if this helps. Get well soon![/quote]

I do have an X-Vest. It goes up to 40 lbs, but I usually like to keep about 20lbs in it cause it just feels better.

977

Well, the x vest is a little different because it’s spread out over your body. The reason the back pack is so effective is that you bare the weight from the top of your shoulders, which forces your ‘core’ to work more (hah, that rhymed). The load is supported a greater distance away from your hips, so your core has to work harder to transfer and support the load.

Anyway, just a thought.

978

[quote]Flow wrote:
Well, the x vest is a little different because it’s spread out over your body. The reason the back pack is so effective is that you bare the weight from the top of your shoulders, which forces your ‘core’ to work more (hah, that rhymed). The load is supported a greater distance away from your hips, so your core has to work harder to transfer and support the load.

Anyway, just a thought.[/quote]

It’s interesting you suggest this though, because I’ve been looking for an over the shoulder harness to use for pulling my smaller tire, but the cheapest cost alternative I can find is simply just use a back pack for it. The X-Vest has a clip on it that I can use and I also have a belt I can use for it, but I was looking for something harness-like to get that kind of pull on the upper body.

Funny how they want like $75+ for a good harness, but I can buy a backpack that will do the trick for less than $20. Hell, I probably have one in my garage tucked away somewhere.

979

Yeah, it seems the really specific fitness items are hella expensive, and you can just replace them with a super cheap alternative that may just take a little more time to set up.

Premium for convenience, I guess :stuck_out_tongue:

980

[quote]AngryVader wrote:
pushmepullme wrote:
Kmc’s actually a Knicks fan. :wink:

I saw Curry play against Duke, he is a great talent. Good pick for y’all.

Yeah, but it is the Warriors, so we’ll manage to fuck it up somehow. :([/quote]

LOL!!! Sorry not laughing at you, but just the comment. It’s true though. So much talent, time to pull it together. Need a veteran leader though to advance.

I saw Curry play against my Sooners earlier this year. He put up 44 in our house, he’s sick! Yeah your back court will be small, but that’s Nellie’s style of ball.

And I’m a 49ers fan also, been a Niners fan since I was a kid. Growing up in Oklahoma, everyone was a Cowboys fan, I didn’t like them, and Montana to Rice was beautiful to watch, hence being a Niners fan. I like Singletary, he is good for the team. I’m just not sold on Crabtree though, don’t like his attitude, but he can play. Maybe he’ll be another T.O.

Hope your back gets better soon.

High five.