So true, so true…
The “Baby weight” comment was made (somewhat) tongue-in-cheek, but I know what my current limits are to my back (and the rest of my body). As you pointed out, hel320, I’ve put up with a lot of injuries, so balancing my strengths and weaknesses is #1. I’m sure I caused some, if not all, of my problems by doing stupid things. Heck, when I was 15-16 y/o, I could (and did) carry 4 80# bags of cement on my shoulders. Now what’s THAT gonna do to a growing back!?! When I was young I was as strong as an Ox and nearly as dense… now I’m (a lot) older and smarter, and working at getting back to my younger strength. DZ & Pencil, I’m all too painfully aware how long it’s going to take, but I will be persistent and won’t be quitting. And yes, you all are allowed to kick my a$$ whenever I get off track! 
Keep on Rockin’!
No w/o yesterday. I got off work, had to run home and try to get some sleep, and I’m now 3 hours into a 16 hour day (and no, I didn’t really sleep). Will see how I feel after today, don’t know how good a w/o I would get after being awake for basically 35 hours. Oh well, it only throws my w/o schedule off a little…
Rock on!
Finally got back into the gym this week… not a good week at work, lots of over-time.
Todays w/o:
BB Bench Press
155x5x5 (I had thot about staying at 150#, but decided to bump it up to 155#, glad I did.)
Super-set
Romainian DL
155x5x5 (I had been doing Partial DB DL’s but decided to change it up. I will do these a while longer, but kick up the weight.)
Standing Military Press
75x5x5
Super-set
Standing Calf Raise
235x5x5
Upright Row
75x5x5
Tri Press-down (Reverse Grip)
75x5x5
If I had a spotter, I might have been able to do my body weight (175#) on the bench press (at 5x5).
I have debated doing Hack Squat calf raises (facing the pads) since I tried them once, and got a great burn/pump in the calfs. Anybody else done them? If so, opinions?
Keep on rocking, and go Giants! (I always cheer the Super Bowl underdog!)
Good w/o today.
1 hour yoga (man it was cold in there!)
Chin ups (assisted)
5x5 (slowly losing the assistance)
Super-set
Decline DB Bench
70(x2)x5x5 (using a spotter to help hand me the weights)
Standing Hammer Curls
35x5x5
Super-set
Seated calf raises
95x5x5
Leg Curls (on the ISO machine. Had to lower weights.)
35(x2)x5x5
DB Lunges
35(x2)x5x5
Looking strong Mr.X! Hopefully that O.T. will relax this week so you can get some rest after your training. Rock hard, and lift heavy.
“Who’s that over there lifting”?
“Man, that’s Mr X”!
“Just Mr X”?
“Yeah man, were afraid to ask his name”
Keep it up. Let the gym time make up for the OT. Can’t wait til you’re doing the pullups unassisted.
[quote]daddyzombie wrote:
Looking strong Mr.X! Hopefully that O.T. will relax this week so you can get some rest after your training. Rock hard, and lift heavy.[/quote]
Thanks DZ, after this weekend, I feel great!
[quote]hel320 wrote:
“Who’s that over there lifting”?
“Man, that’s Mr X”!
“Just Mr X”?
“Yeah man, were afraid to ask his name”
Keep it up. Let the gym time make up for the OT. Can’t wait til you’re doing the pullups unassisted.[/quote]
Dude… You’re killin’ me!!! LOL!
I can’t wait for no assist either…
Took yesterday off, me and my boys and some of their friends had a Superbowl party. It was a fun relaxing day, and I hit the gym hard today…
BB Back Squats
165x5x5 (jumped up 20#. Felt good!
Super-set
Dips
5x5
Bent Over BB Rows
95x5x5 (10# increase)
Super-set
Skull Crushers
65x5x5 (5# increase)
Standing BB Curls
85x5x5 (5# increase)
Hanging Leg Raises
5x5
Keep on ROCKIN’!!!
Good job honey.
On going exploits of Mr X
“Who’s that over there lifting”?
“Man, that’s Mr X”!
“Just Mr X”?
“Yeah man, were afraid to ask his name”
“Who’s that with him”?
“That’s his girl, man. Don’t let him catch you staring”!
[quote]hel320 wrote:
On going exploits of Mr X
“Who’s that with him”?
“That’s his girl, man. Don’t let him catch you staring”!
[/quote]
ROFLMFAO!!!
Yep, that’s my lovely wife of almost 28 years.
She is a lifting machine, pound for pound, probably one of the strongest girls in the gym (IMHO) and my driving motivation.
This was another week with a bunch of OT at work, kinda gets in the way of going to the gym. But I’m not worried, gonna go tomorrow and will have a great w/o! Can’t see every week being like this.
Keep on rockin’
Hear you’re getting a little weather up that ways yourself. Hope all goes well. Time to get up next to the fire, open a bottle of wine, and settle back.
[quote]hel320 wrote:
Hear you’re getting a little weather up that ways yourself. Hope all goes well. Time to get up next to the fire, open a bottle of wine, and settle back. [/quote]
Yeah, it’s been kinda nasty, had a tornado ourselves just 35 miles south of us a few weeks back, and now we’re starting to warm up and lots of rain. So the next thing we’ll be looking at is flooding. Not worried about the house (we live @ ~500ft) but my work is right on the Columbia River, so we’ll be keeping watch on this latest round of weather.
(Di, you’re not allowed to read this)
Got a getaway weekend planned for a couple weeks from now, bottle of wine, fireplace, no kids… 
Take care, and Keep on Rockin’!
Like I figured, had a good w/o today…
BB Bench Press
160x5x5 (I’m only 13#'s away from my body weight!)
Super-set
Romainian DL
160x5x5(think I’m gonna jump up to 175# next time, just too easy)
Standing Military Press
80x5x5
Super-set
Standing Calf Raise
245x5x5 (picking this up from a semi-squat position , makes me wonder if I need to jump my squats up a bunch???)
Upright Row
80x5x5
Reverse Grip Tri Pressdown
80x5x5
Motley Crue and Godsmack on the MP3… Keep Rockin’ & Lifting!
OK, so I been thinkin’ about my w/o I’ve been doin’.
I’m seeing some definate strength gains on this program, and I’ve been told I’m showing definition and leaning out. I’m torn as to whether I should stay the course as I had planned, for another 4-6 weeks, increasing the weight as possible (on the 5x5 plan).
Or whether I should change up my w/o. I have my main goal (right now) as increasing my strength, with my building phase coming later. I know I can increase my strength with a number of different programs, but I’m in a bit of a conundrum as to what I should do.
Hel320, DZ, (and others), I’m open to what you have to say. If you feel I should stay the course, I’ll listen. If you think I should vary my w/o, where should I go… more reps, less sets? More exercises in the same muscle groups? Drop sets? I’m open to suggestions.
Most of the exercises I’ve been doing, have been done without a spotter (except for the decline DB chest press, need help getting the weights in hand with those). Should I stay the course, but get a spotter and kick up my weight to where it’s almost beyond my solo capacity on my final sets?
OK, I’m done rambling about my w/o… I look forward to your input(s)… Take care, and Keep On Rockin’!!!
My advise, and it is far from based on any of the numerous systems out there of which I know zilch, is keep getting stronger which should equate to more size and then worry about cutting it up. I wouldn’t lift heavy everyday but you’re showing gains on your current program. I’d stick with it til it’s not giving you the results you need. I think some people tend to over think they’re lifting and may change up to often.
As for spotters I’ve found they can be really good at helping you make strength gains. The confidence to know you can push your limit without getting stuck leads to bigger gains.
[quote]hel320 wrote:
I think some people tend to over think they’re lifting and may change up to often.
[/quote]
Yeah, and I’m probably guilty of that too. I had pretty much figured I needed to ‘stay the course’, but as you said, I started thinking… I’m much better off when I’m not thinking. LOL!
One of the big problems that a lot of lifters get into is that they change up their routines WAY too often. Now, there are some great coaches out there that suggest changing routines a lot but Deepsquatter once wrote a great article about sticking to a routine to get better at it.
But a lot of lifters start of doing a routine and then read an article and start doing that routine and then read another article and start doing that routine… it’s hard to really make progress that way and it’s hard to measure progress if everything is changing up all the time.
So, I’m voting for staying the course.
[quote]The Pencil Neck wrote:
… it’s hard to really make progress that way and it’s hard to measure progress if everything is changing up all the time.
So, I’m voting for staying the course. :)[/quote]
You’re right… I went and looked back through my log books of a year or so ago, and I was all over the board. And then I really started looking at my results, and they weren’t that spectacular… moderate gains, not bad but not great. Then I looked at what I’ve been doing since the first of the year, and I’ve already made significant improvements. So I’m staying the course, finishing my 12 week program, and after we get back from vacation the first week of April, I will begin my second phase. Haven’t planned it out yet (at least not completely), but I will post my choice of torture… I mean training.
OK, so enough talk about my staying the course or changing up my w/o… I said I was seeing some improvement, so here’s where I am today.
Oh… and I know the decline DB Bench Press doesn’t quite match my flat BB Bench weight-wise, but our decline bench at the gym wobbles so bad it’s like working on a balance board… although working out on it really does make you concentrate on keeping stabilized!
Anyhow, here’s today�??s w/o:
Chin-ups (supinated grip)
5x5 (I’m pumped up, I was on the assisted C-Up machine, but had so little assistance I had to use my feet to pull the platform up as I did my chin-ups. I think I’m about ready to play on the big boys’ chin-up rack!)
Super-set
Decline DB Press
75(x2)x5x5
Standing Hammer Curls
40(x2)x5x5
(It was great, my 19y/o son spotted for me <and he’s an animal> and I think I impressed him… “Not bad for an old man”. LOL)
Super-set
Seated Calf Raises
100x5x5
(ISO) Leg Curls
37.5(x2)x5x5
DB Lunges
40(x2)x5x5
It was a good workout, I was actually breathing heavy by the time I was finished with it, and I was beat. Gotta love that feeling of burning muscles, and the pump! Makes me wonder how I let myself get away from working out, for so long… not gonna let THAT happen again (barring any unforeseen occurrences!)
Keep on rockin’… and thanks for the input!
OK, I know I haven’t posted anything the last couple of days, but ‘I cameb dowd wid a code’ and just haven’t had the energy to work out. However, today I had the energy, but I had something even more importent than my workout. I surprised my wife by cooking her a romantic, candle-light dinner served in front of the fireplace.
(Happy Valentines Day, Sweetheart (Plant_Lady).)
But tomorrow will be a new day, and even though I feel like I’m slacking, I know I have to take care of my health.
Work out hard, lift heavy, and keep on rockin’!