[quote]SteelyD wrote:
This past week, I was about at 60-70% max and it went. No particular reason, I thought my form was good and I had good strength. I did stop to reset after a rep, so maybe I didn’t brace my core tight enough… don’t know.
[/quote]
That might have been it. I need to remind myself at times to treat every rep with respect, no matter what the weight.
Hope a few weeks of lighter work help out – digging in the yard ain’t exactly that, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
[quote]1Geech wrote:
Hope a few weeks of lighter work help out – digging in the yard ain’t exactly that, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
[/quote]
You been talkin’ to my wife? 
I was very mindful with every shovel full… Actually felt good. I even switched up sides to even out 
The worst thing is sitting in front of this goddammed computer every day. I need a new career. Maybe landscaping…
Been looking back over your logs and I’m not seeing a lot of ab work. You need pig iron abs to keep the back from being injured during deads.
The hanging leg raises are good, but if you are performing them weighted you are probably doing them wrong and working mainly the hip flexors - which will increase any lumbar issues you may be having. Leg raises are so leveraged that done properly they are so friggin hard it’s insane to try and add more than a pound or two at a time. The trick is to keep the lower back rounded the whole time you are performing them. If the lumbar spine arches, that turns it into a hip flexor workout.
I found them too hard, pussed out and dropped them for something I could perform properly.
Crunches, planks or pulldown abs twice to 3 times a week will actually protect the back by enabling you to pressurize the air in your lungs to support the spine. A really strong TVA helps a lot which is what the leg raises are good for, but prone hollows and weighted planks will work too.
Watch the form on the DL’s When repping the tendency is to set up higher and higher with each rep, turning it into a stiff legged dl. The glutes and hams don’t want to go down as far when they get tired and that’s when the weight gets too heavy for the form.
skidmark-
That’s a fair assessment-- THANK YOU.
I’ve considered the front squats ‘ab work’ as well. I have ab pulldowns scheduled for tomorrow. Will add more ab work.
What do you think of waiter walks as well? I always feel them in my obliques and use them for ‘finishers’.
What about ‘reverse crunches’ and dragon flags on the decline bench?
What’s a ‘prone hollow’?
[quote]SteelyD wrote:
skidmark-
That’s a fair assessment-- THANK YOU.
I’ve considered the front squats ‘ab work’ as well. I have ab pulldowns scheduled for tomorrow. Will add more ab work.
What do you think of waiter walks as well? I always feel them in my obliques and use them for ‘finishers’.
What about ‘reverse crunches’ and dragon flags on the decline bench?[/quote]
Waiter walks and one arm farmers or suitcase DL/holds- 2 thumbs up. Stong obliques stabilize the spine laterally and let the abs and spinal erectors really do their work. They’ll make your overhead lifts more stable too.
If you can do dragon flags, you’re a better man than I (not that that last is all that hard to accomplish). That always seemed to be more of a lat exercise to me though. It’s all good, but whatever you do make sure you do a fair amount and that it’s the abs/obliques that are getting the work.
The hip flexors just about always get involved in ab work - it’s how the body works, but the idea is not to make them the prime movers if you can help it.
Prone hollows are done on the floor face down. You get in pushup position, and hold it for time. As you get stronger you start moving your hands further out above your head. get even stronger, get up on two benches and start adding weight in the middle of the arch. I haven’t found anything that’s worked the whole ab complex better. It’s harder than all getout to breathe, but worth the time.
Sorry for butting in and glad you don’t mind about it.
Measured arms today: 15.5" → That’s 1.25" in about 7-8 weeks. My goal was one-inch by AUGUST!! I’m just going to keep going.
MONDAY – June 9, 2008 – ARMS
0430 13.5g BCAA, 3 HOT-ROX, 2 ECA, 25mg Yoh, 1 Spike Shooter
0500 Walk 30 min @ 4.3 mph
0700 1 scoop casein, 10g Creatine, 10g glutamine, 10g BCAA
0900 7 0z. Pork Tenderloin
1100 PreWO: 13.5g BCAA, 2 HOT-ROX, 50mg ECA, WORKOUT
1230 PostWO: 2 Scoops Grow! Whey, 10g BCAA, 10g Creatine, 20g Glutamine
1400 3oz Canned Salmon, .25c Pine Nuts, 4 Flameout
1600 9 oz. Pork Tenderloin, .25c Almonds
1900 3 eggs, 1T EVOO, 1 srv. Pepperoni, 1 dill pickle
WORKOUT
A1: Lying DB OH Tricep Extension: 25x8(per arm), 30x8, 30x9, 35x7
A2: DB Hammer Pr. Curl: 30x10, 30x8, 30x10, 35x6
A3: DB Lat. Raise*: 20x8, 25x6, 20x8, 25x6+2
A4: BW Squat (Goblet Sq): BWx30, 30x30, 40x30, 50x30
B1: DB Farmer Walk (db in each hand): 55x200ft, 60x100+100ft(10s rest), 60x200ft
B2: Tricep Cable PD: 110x20, 140x12, 150x7
Had to cut short today, but arms still felt pretty worked, so I think the volume may have been enough. Wednesday (next arms) I’ll concentrate more biceps where I had 2 triceps today.
Back felt pretty good. Went through D/L, Rom. D/L, and GM movements with broomstick and BB. I’m going to give it another week, so arms and some full body (chins, dips) and dumbbell (suitcase d/l etc) work this week.
Nutrition Summary:
grams cals %total
Total: 2444
Fat: 131 1182 49%
Sat: 27 244 10%
Poly: 8 68 3%
Mono: 33 298 12%
Carbs: 21 58 2%
Fiber: 6 0 0%
Protein: 287 1150 48%
[quote]SteelyD wrote:
Welcome to the gun show!!! LMFAO!!!
Everyone wanted to flex tonight… [/quote]
What a lovely crew! Steely you are a lucky man!
Oh by the way, nice training! and great results.
Thanks Soldog… The little bastards keep me busy 
TUESDAY – June 10, 2008 – HAMS, ABS
0500 9g BCAA, 3 HOT-ROX, 50mg ECA
0530 Walk 4.0mph @ 7% (15min), 4.1 mph @ 10% (10 min)
0630 1 Scoop Grow! Whey, 10g Glutamine, 5g Creatine
0830 3 HB Eggs, .25 c. Almonds
1030 Drank 1/2 of 2 Scoop Grow! Whey 20g Glutamine, 10g Creatine, 10g BCAA
1030 WORKOUT
1230 Drank other 1/2 of shake
1300 3 HB Eggs, .25c. Almonds
1600 1 Slice deli ham, .5 c. pepperoni, .25 c. Walnuts, 4 Flameout, 1 CLA, 6g Flax Oil
1900 5oz Chicken, 3c. Spinach, 2 slices bacon, 1T EVOO
2000 4 Flameout
WORKOUT
Warmups:
W1: Good Mornings (bar only): x12, x12, x12
W2: OH Squat (bar only): x12, x12, x12
A1: Rev. Hypers: +25#x10, +35x9, +35x10, +45x10
A2: 1-Arm DB Suitcase Deadlift*: 40x10, 60x10, 70x6**, 65x10
A3: Kneeling Ab Rope Cable P/D***: 150x10, 170x10, 170x10, 190x10
(45-60s rest between A1-A3 sets)
B1: 1-Leg DB Deadlift****: 70x6, 90x6, 90x6
B2: DB Waiter Walk (right, then left): 50x100’, 55x100’, 60x100’
B3: Front Raise Squats*****: 25x12, 35x12, 35x12
(45-60s rest between B1-B3 sets)
Weight was light but kept intensity up and intervals short. Good workout.
Nutrition Summary
grams cals %total
Total: 2390
Fat: 159 1430 61%
Sat: 28 255 11%
Poly: 30 273 12%
Mono: 39 347 15%
Carbs: 34 82 4%
Fiber: 13 0 0%
Protein: 207 829 35%
Edit: Add 2 PB/Honey Sandwiches, couple handfuls of chex cereal.
WEDNESDAY – June 11, 2008 – ARMS
0630 Wake, 3 HOT-ROX, 25mg Yoh HCL, 9g BCAA
0800 2 scoops Casein, 1 package sugarfree Jello gelatin
1100 2 Scoops Casein
1130 Pre-WO: 18g BCAA, 2 HOT-ROX, 1 ECA, BComplex
1300 2 Scoops Grow! Whey, 15g BCAA, 10g Creatine, 20g Glutamine
1630 2 Chicken Sausages, 3c. Spinach, 2T EVOO, 1T Romano
1930 1.5 Chicken Sausages, .25c. Cashews.
2030 Bell Pepper, Celery, .25c. Walnuts, 1T Sesame Oil, 1T Bals.vinegar, 3 Flameout, 6g Flax Oil, 1CLA
Bed: ZMA, 325mg Aspirin, C/E, Selenium
WORKOUT
A1: Pullup: BWx5, x5, x5, X, X, X, X
A2: DB Floor Press: X, X, 55x12+5Partials, 65x12+5P, 70x12+5P, 80x6, 80x6
B1: DB Upright Row (neutral to armpits): 50x8, 60x7, 60x5+50x3, 55x6
B2: Inc. DB Curl: 25x8, 25x5+2+2, 30x5, 25x8
B3: Standing DB Shoulder Press: 40x6, 45x6, 45x7, 50x6
C1: Cable Tricep Pushdown (‘T’ bar): 150x10, 170x5+150x3, 150x5+2
Pullups were tough because I’ve had a nasty blister on my right palm since the weekend from yardwork. Been wrapping it up, but hanging really hurt. Actually managed a couple ‘3 finger’ pullups…
I think I hit some kind of PR with my floor presses. I compared to the last time, and the weight and reps just blew my last set away. I don’t know where I got that energy or strength. Hope it stays
Had a lot of meetings today, plus my stomach kinda felt like shit from downing those PBH sandwiches before bed last night, so I started the day off with nothing but shakes, then wasn’t real hungry.
The lower cals probably good for me today.
Nutritional Summary
grams cals %total
Total: 2241
Fat: 131 1182 54%
Sat: 21 192 9%
Poly: 16 141 6%
Mono: 31 279 13%
Carbs: 48 136 6%
Fiber: 14 0 0%
Protein: 221 885 40%
Wow… coming along really nicely Steely!
Any more problems with the back, or was it just a warning shot?
Both… LOL! Thanks!
I’m still a little slow getting up after sitting, especially the car or sleeping, but once I’m up and moving I’m fine.
Chiro adjustments have been good, so more of a warning. Doing a lot of stretching and hanging
THURSDAY – June 13, 2008 – Cardio
0730 Wake. 3 HtRx (slept in today)
0830 3 HB Eggs
0930 .25c Almonds
1030 2 Scoop Casein, 15g Glut, 5g Creatine, 10g BCAA
1100 Cardio (15 min, 4.3@7%, 10 min 4.3@9%), Jump rope 3min
1230 1 HB Egg, 2 Scoop Grow!Whey, 20g Glut, 5g Creatine, 15g BCAA, .5 c. raw Sunflower seeds
1400 Roast Beef slices (196g, whatever that is in oz.- 245 kcal)
1700 1 srv. Pepperoni, 3.5 oz. deli Turkey, 6g Fish Oil, 1 CLA
1730 1 whole cucumber, 1 apple, 1 pear
Nutritional Summary
grams cals %total
Total: 2644
Fat: 145 1309 50%
Sat: 31 277 11%
Poly: 34 308 12%
Mono: 34 303 12%
Carbs: 104 318 12%
Fiber: 24 0 0%
Protein: 244 976 37%
Edit: Add 1pint B/J Pistachio Pistachio
Yeah, I did it… And I feel like shit this morning…
Steely,
Right there with you, my wife made chocolate chip cookies last night and I had to literally walk out of the house after the seventh one (and they weren’t small cookies either). As long as the one bad meal doesn’t become a bad week or a bad month.
Don’t beat yourself up to bad.
mday
[quote]mday wrote:
Steely,
Right there with you, my wife made chocolate chip cookies last night and I had to literally walk out of the house after the seventh one (and they weren’t small cookies either). As long as the one bad meal doesn’t become a bad week or a bad month.
Don’t beat yourself up to bad.
mday[/quote]
I think he means it literally. He’s doing the Anabolic Diet and a big influx of sugar like that gives you a friggin hangover the next day.
[quote]SteelyD wrote:
Chiro adjustments have been good, so more of a warning. Doing a lot of stretching and hanging
[/quote]
That’s interesting, SteelyD: Hanging for recuperation is something I haven’t done in a while, not that I ever knew exactly what I was doing then; do you mean just regular two-arm hangs or something more exotic?
@skid - Correct. I felt like I drank a 12 pack of “Natty Light” the night before. Literally a sugar coma, then headache and foggy brained in the morning. Goddamm, I love that stuff though
@1Geech - Yeah, just hang. It’s a great use for the Smith Machine I’ll stretch a little , maybe do a pullup or 2 then hang for 10 seconds. I try to really relax my body while hanging-- let my legs hang, touch the ground, then let myself down easy.
While I’m hanging, I can feel my back stretch, sometimes it’ll pop from the extension – no worse that rolling your thoracic spine on a foam roller. Hanging (ie decompression) is chiro approved (at least mine) for my compression issues.
I’ll do that before, between some sets, after. I have a huge tree in my yard that I’ll go out and hang from. At the playground on the jungle gym, etc.
Sometimes, I also ‘walk’ with my hands while I’m hanging-- feels like good grip/arm work.
[quote]SteelyD wrote:
@skid - Correct. I felt like I drank a 12 pack of “Natty Light” the night before. Literally a sugar coma, then headache and foggy brained in the morning. Goddamm, I love that stuff though
@1Geech - Yeah, just hang. It’s a great use for the Smith Machine I’ll stretch a little , maybe do a pullup or 2 then hang for 10 seconds. I try to really relax my body while hanging-- let my legs hang, touch the ground, then let myself down easy.
While I’m hanging, I can feel my back stretch, sometimes it’ll pop from the extension – no worse that rolling your thoracic spine on a foam roller. Hanging (ie decompression) is chiro approved (at least mine) for my compression issues.
I’ll do that before, between some sets, after. I have a huge tree in my yard that I’ll go out and hang from. At the playground on the jungle gym, etc.
Sometimes, I also ‘walk’ with my hands while I’m hanging-- feels like good grip/arm work. :)[/quote]
Just a note - stretching muscles before set, during a set is not recommended as it reduces the amount of force a muscle can exert. Stretching encourages the muscle to be slack and it retains that slackness and makes you weaker during the exercise.
Perhaps the back is different, but when I do it I feel loose in the squat or DL and I DO NOT want to feel loose in the back on those particular movements.
After-exercise static stretching IS recommended though.
Can’t cite anything unfortunately but articles on the site mention it often. So, in effect, it’s just cuz I say so.
So there.
There’s been a lot of discussions on the thrower’s pages about this and some studies have been sited. Several studies have also invloved sprinters who are compulsive stretchers.
Conclusion was it takes some of the explosiveness out of their legs and doesn’t prevent injuries as thought. Had a PT express the opinion I could throw the shot good because of the tightness in my shoulders. Same as lowering the weight in a controlled manner.
Thanks for that info guys.
Just to be clear-- I don’t stretch before I warmup, and I don’t pre-stretch the parts I’m going to abuse (eg stretch triceps before triceps, etc).
I usually start out just walking around the gym, then do ump-teen BW squats or jump rope a few minutes before I do any thing. I might carry the 12# medicine ball around or ‘chest pass’ it to the wall before I do anything. I just hang when I feel like I need it or when I’m trying to catch my breath or something.
All good info THANKS!