Background: I’m a cyclist. I race and I weighed 145 lbs at 5’10 when I got a knee injury and had to give it up for a bit. I started strength training late last year to improve full body strength and rehab my injuries.
Over winter break, I got hip bursitis which meant that I couldn’t start the squat program that I was planning on. Thanks to some help (read: a lot) from bonez and brick, I put together a training plan of sorts. I realized that I can do Leg presses with limited ROM, so I’ve started doing those.
My goals are to change my body shape by my 21st bday in march. I’m already kissing 160 lbs and growing stronger and stronger still.
I don’t have any good old pictures of me, but I’ll post some on march 16th with an update on progress. This is my log so I force myself to push towards my goals.
I’m a senior in college writing a thesis, so time is of the essence. It’s going to be a ton of work so I’m working my schedule as best as I can so I can make time for everything and still have a life.
This is my log.
The title is from a Rage against the machine song because RATM is pretty much the only thing I can listen to in the gym to get angry at the weights.
Jan 20th
Push Workout.
BP: I normally use the smith but used free weights this time. 5/5/4/2/2 @ 135
Then 135x6, 155x3 on smith.
I’m going to start doing my ramp ups/warmups on free weights and doing the work sets on the smith.
CGBP: (Smith) 5/5/5/4/4 @ 135
Incline BP: (Smith) 4x5 @ 105, 2x115
OHP: 1x10 @ 60, 3x5 @ 70, 1x3 @ 60
Behind Neck Press: 2x8 @ 50, 1x8 @ 40
Skull Crushers: 2x8 @ 50, 1x10 @ 40
Then I did some more free weight BP practice: 3x5 @ 95 and 2x3 @ 105.
Taking some advice, I’ll probably start alternating between the Incline BP, CGBP, and OHP. I’ll do that once my progress slows down some.
Jan 21st
Pull
Pullups: 7/6/4
Bent over row: 4x5 @ 115, 1x7 @ 115
BB Shrugs: 3x10 @ 175
Behind back BB shrugs: 3x10 @ 155.
Grip was falling apart at this point. I might alternate these so I can hit both 1x per week instead of 2x each week. I’ll probably have better progress then.
Upright row: 4x5 @ 65, 1x9 @ 65. Going to move up weight on this.
Behind back upright row: 3x10 @ 45. Going to move up weight on this as well.
One arm DB row: 3x12 @ 55
Barbell Wrist/Reverse curl: 3x10 @ 40
Today’s WO
Deadlifts!
Chin ups: 8/6/4
Deadlifts: 2x95, 2x135, 5x5 @ 185. That shit was hard as hell.
Good mornings: 3x12 @ 65. Was sore so I took these easy and concentrated on form.
Db curl: 3x8 @ 20. 1x8 extra on left
Calf raises: 3x10 @ 112.5 each leg
Concentration Curl: 3x8 @ 20, 1x8 extra on left
Hammer curl: 3x8 @ 20, 1x8 extra on left
Leg press: 3x10 @ 110 each leg, 190x25 both legs together. Felt this out so I can make sure that it doesn’t cause issues with the bursitis.
I’m going to be in a world of pain tomorrow. The deads were tough tough tough! I’m probably going to ramp up to 185ish or a little more next time, do 1x5 for a work set, then ramp down and do higher reps at some lower weights. 5x5 at the highest I’ve ever done them at was a bit nutso…
Hm…
My bursitis was acting up a bit later in the day today. And my knee was acting a little upset too. My right knee doesn’t like doing individual leg things.
I think I’m going to start doing deads with a lighter weight, and doing rack pulls instead so I don’t have to bend at the hip as much. Should still work the crap outta my back without hurting my hip.
I think I’m going to start doing partial squats and/or partial leg presses with both legs instead of isolation work to see how my knee and hips like that instead.
Also decided that I’m going to sub out behind the neck presses and replace them with military presses with dumbells. I’ve had rotator cuff issues in the past from throwing sports, and I’d like to avoid an injury with an exercise that has viable alternatives.
I’ve decided that I’m just going to give up on training my legs till my bursitis goes away. I don’t want to keep pissing it off if I can avoid it.
I’m going to start doing Stiff legged good mornings and stiff legged rack pulls so I can isolate my back and hamstrings without having to utilize my quads with knee flexion that could piss off my bursitis.
Leg presses are hence a no go. I can still do calf raises.
Edit: Actually going to avoid deadlifts too.
Might tryout good mornings to see if they don’t hurt. But things that involve hip flexion (i.e. deadlifts, crunches, maybe bent over rows, etc are out).
Maybe back entensions will work, but i doubt it.
New split without direct hip movement. Thanks ACTrain.
Day 1 Push:
Barbell Bench (5x5)
Incline Barbell Bench (5x5)
OHP(5x5)
Skull Crushers (3x10)
Cable Flyes
Core work (do whatever doesn’t hurt my hip)
Pushups to exhaust muscles
Day 2 Pull:
Chinups (3x10)
DB row (3x10)
Shrugs (3x10)
Upright rows (3x10)
Seated Row (5x5)
DB Curl (3x10)
Lat Pulldown (3x10)
Reverse Curl (3x10)
Wrist Curl (3x10)
Day 3 Push:
Incline Dumbell Bench (5x5)
Dumbell Bench (5x5)
DB Seated Military Press (3x10)
CG Bench (5x5)
Cable Flyes
Core work (do whatever doesn’t hurt my hip)
Pushups to exhaust muscles
Day 4 Pull:
Pullups (3x10)
Lying Rows or Bent over Rows (5x5)
Behind back Shrugs(3x10)
Conc Curl (3x10)
Lat Pulldown (3x10)
Seated Row (5x5)
Lateral Raise machine(3x10)
Hammer Curl (3x10)
Today’s workout:
BB Bench: Free: 1x5 @ 115, 1x5 @ 125, 6/5/5 @ 135
Smith: 4x155 then Free 6x115 for finish. Too much volume in retrospect…
Incline BB: 2x5 @ 95, 4 @ 105, 2x5 @ 95
OHP: 2x5 @ 65, 3x5 @ 75
Skull Crushers: 3x8 @ 50
Cable Flyes: 3x10 @ 30
Calf Raises: 3x10 @ 112.5 each leg.
Today’s workout:
Chinups: 10/7/5
DB rows: 2x10@60 1x12@60.
I might have to figure out a better way to do these without having my left leg straight when using my left arm. I can feel my hip hurt when I pull hard. Maybe put both legs on the bench and have one arm hanging off. I wonder how that would affect mechanics…
Shrugs: 3x10 @ 185
Upright rows: 5x5 @ 70. Substitute lateral raises for these. They hurt my rotator cuff.
Seated rows: 3x10 @ 90
Lat pulldown: 3x10 @ 80
Reverse flyes: 3x10 @ 15. Probably sub in cable delt row or cross row.
Wrist/reverse Curl: 3x10 @ 40
Lateral raise: 3x10 @ 50
Tomorrow off.
Thursdays workout: 28th Jan
Push B
Incline DB press: 3x10 @ 30 lbs
DB Press: 1x10@30, 2x15@40, 1x12@45. Need to try the 50’s next time, but I have trouble getting into position.
DB seated military: 3x10@30 (I think. I forgot to write down the number. Whoops)
CGBP: 3x10 @ 95, 4x5 @ 115, 3x10 @ 95
Cable Flyes: 3x10 @ 50
Dips: 3x10. I don’t really like these because of the shoulder issue, but they didn’t seem to bother me. I’ll try them every now and then to mix it up.
1 leg Standing Calf raise: 3x10 @ 125
Friday was off.
Saturday: Pull B
Pullups: 12/7/5
Bent over row: 1x5@115, 3x5 @ 135, 1x8 @ 115
Behind back Shrugs: 1x5 @ 185, 3x5@205, 1x6@185. I bought straps so i could do these without my grip failing.
Rear Delt Raise:1x10 @ 45, 1x10@60, 1x10 @ 65
Concentration Curl: 3x8 @ 20
Lat Pulldown: 1x10 @ 80, 1x10 @ 90, 1x10 @ 100, 1x9 @ 80
Seated Row: 1x10 @ 80, 1x10 @ 100, 1x10 @80
1 arm Lateral Raise: 1x10 @ 70, 2x10 @ 90
DB Curl: 3x10 @ 20
Reverse Flyes: 1x8 @ 20, 2x8 @ 15
Sunday was off.
Todays Workout. Push A.
Bench: 1x5 @ 115, 2x5 @ 135, 1x8@ 135, 1x6 @ 135. I think I’m ready to go up in weight a little.
Incline Bench: 1x5 @ 95, 1x10 @ 95, 2x5 @ 105, 1x8 @ 105. Same here. I’ll try everything at 105 next time.
OHP: 1x10 @ 45, 1x5 @ 65, 1x5 @ 75, 2x5 @ 85, 1x8 @ 65
Skull crushers: 3x10 @ 50
Cable Flyes: 3x10 @ 50
Tricep Pushdown: 3x10 @ 60
Side oblique crunch thing: 3x25 @ 45
1 leg calf raises: 3x10 @ 125
Side oblique crunch thing? Good job OP, thats what we call it.
About your one arm lateral raise what are you using? Cables, DBs, or bands?
And what are you using for the 1 leg calf raise? I found that the standing version sucked, I use the leg press, it lets me varie the angle of my foot as well. you know, point it in, straight, or out to work your calf differently. Plus you can load it up with some good weight too.
Haha andrew thanks for the humor.
I think the technical name for the ‘side oblique crunch thing’ is a side bend. I just use a 45 lb plate.
For the lateral raise, I’m just using the machine for it. I was doing upright rows for a while, but recently started getting shoulder pain. I didn’t know if it was because of my benching or the rows, so I stopped doing the rows (benching is more fun), and the pain went away. I can do more weight with the machine anyway so hopefully it hits the muscle harder.
I use the standing calf raise machine for the raises, I think I might try the leg press in the future, it would really help with the weight. Thanks for the idea! I’ll sub that in from next week on.
I’m hoping to get this bursitis thing under control by march so I can hopefully start doing some work on my quads again. I miss deads and squats so much…
Alright cool. Watch out for your shoulders! I dont know much except from experience that it is easy to injure the shoulder and ridiculously hard to cure. I try to keep my shoulders warm all day by doing stuff like standing flyes, mil press, rotations and other stuff empty handed. It gets the blood flowing into your rotator cuffs. Seems like a good idea anyway.
Had to look up bursitis and almost wish I hadnt. Holy shit I wish you good luck with that. Dont know how you can live without deads and squats but I see you dont have a choice.
I’m curious about any meds you are taking for that and if you notice side effects in your workouts. IBUProfen?
Taking ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and diclofenac (only at night). Don’t notice much difference in workouts since I try to take the meds well before the workouts so I don’t hurt myself without realizing it. I think I’m getting another cortisone shot tomorrow because the hip hasn’t been getting much better. In fact, my left knee has started hurting probably from how much I’ve been limping and walking weirdly on it.
I read shoulder savers and have been doing a few things from that, and I stretch my arms/shoulders when I get bored so I guess that helps keep them warm. I also do broomstick stretches before and after my pressing workouts and sometimes even between sets.
Today’s Workout. Well I guess it’s 1 in the morning now so it’s my off day. Whoops.
I got totally carried away today and did way too many things. I think I’ll be paying for it with soreness. Used straps for the first time today after my grip started to give out during parts of the workout.
Chinups: 13/10/7
Shrugs: 3x10 @ 225 (straps) 1x20 @ 135. I ramped up but didn’t record it. My first lift with 2 plates. Sick!
Rear delt raise: 3x10 @ 70
Bent over row: 1x10 @ 115, 3x5 @ 135. This wasn’t scheduled for today but I felt like it (too much!)
Lateral Raise: 3x10 @ 90 each arm.
1 arm DB row: 3x10 @ 60
Lat Pulldown: 1x10 @ 80, 2x10 @ 90
Seated row: 3x10 @ 80. (I did 3 row variations today. Wtf was i thinking?)
Reverse wrist curl: 3x10 @ 40
Cable wrist curl: 3x10 @ 50
DB shrugs: 3x10 @ 70
DB curl: 3x8 @ 20. Did 2x7 extra for left arm. Starting to see it slowly catching up with the right arm.
Alright, that was wayyy too much for one day.
I’m not going to do seated rows, bb rows, and db rows all in one day. I’m going to alternate bb and db just like I had originally planned for. I get carried away sometimes…
In other news, I think I moved funny or something today because my hip is acting up again. Hopefully going to get another shot tomorrow that will solve the issue over the next couple of weeks. I’m hoping to start doing light squats and deads by mid march at the latest. I’ll see what the doc says.
Yesterday’s workout:
Push B
Incline DB bench: 3x10 @ 35
DB Bench: 1x10 @ 45 1x10 @ 50, 1x9 @ 50. Failed the last rep on the 2nd set at 50.
Seated DB military Press: 2x10 @ 30, 1x10 @ 35
CG bench: 5x5 @ 135 on a smith, inhuman style pushing down towards my feet.
Cable Flyes: 1x10 @ 50, 2x10 @ 60
Tricep Pushdown: 1x10 @60,70,80
1 foot standing calf raise: 3x10 @ 125
I got the shot in my hip on weds and I think I can start doing deads and squats again but once a week. I’ll try them next week and see how my body reacts. Psyched.
Preface this by saying that I’m an idiot. You’ll see why soon enough.
Pull B workout, and decided to add deads and squats to it. I was in the gym for about 2 hours. Too much!
Pullups: 13/11/7
Bent over rows: 1x5@115, 3x5@135, 1x10@115
Behind back shrugs: warmup then, 3x10 @ 225 (straps)
Rear Delt Raise: 3x10 @ 85
Deads: 1x10 @ 95, 1x10 @135, 1x5@ 185. I should stick to a lower weight for now. My form started to suck…
Squat: 1x5 @95, 1x5 @115, 1x5 @ 135. Being off anything legs for a month has made me weak as shit…
Calves: 3x10@ 125. I forgot that I did them the last workout. Whoops.
Concentration Curl: 1x10@15,20 and then 3x8 @ 25
Lat Pulldown: 1x10@ 80, 2x10@90
Seated Row: 3x10 @ 80
Lateral Raise (1 arm machine): 3x10 @ 90
Hammer curl : 3x10 @ 20
Reverse Flyes: 1x10 @ 15, 2x10 @ 20.
All in all, too much freaking volume.
I’m going to add a leg day in.
New workout routine.
Push A, Pull A, Legs, off, Push B, Pull B, Off. Repeat.
Monday’s workout (8th feb)
BB Bench (5x5) 1x5 @ 135, 1x5 @ 145, 4/3/4 @ 155, 1x3 @ 135
Incline BB bench (5x5) 1x6 @ 95, 4x5 @ 105
OHP (5x5) 1x10 @ 45, 1x5 @ 65, 3x5 @ 85, 1x9@ 65. Did a variation.
Skull Crushers: 1x10 @ 50, 2x10 @ 60
Cable Flyes: 1x10 @ 55, 2x10 @ 65
Tricep Pushdown 1x10 @ 80, 2x10 @ 90
Followed by some ab work.
I think I did something to my trap during the benching or ohp work. I had a weird pain in my shoulder/trap area close to the midline of the spine. It went away overnight so I think it was just sore.
Todays workout (pull A)
Chinups: 14/11/9 (kipping some)
DB Row: 3x10 @ 60
Shrugs: 3x10 @ 225
Rear delt raise: 3x10 @ 85
Seated Row: 3x10 @ 80
DB curl: 3x10 @ 20
Lat Pulldown: 3x10 @ 90
Lateral Raise: 4x10 @ 90
Reverse wrist curl: 3x20 @ 30 (BB)
Wrist curl: 3x10 @ 50 (BB)
Had some bicep tendon pain in front of left shoulder so I’m going to feel that out for a bit. Leg day tomorrow, and day after is off, so it should hopefully be recovered by my next push workout on friday.
Does anyone have any comments on my volume and whatnot?
I’m considering moving to a more bodybuilding oriented split so I can try to let every part recover adequately and not run into the shoulder pain issues that I’ve been having lately.
Finding exercises that work with my anatomy is starting to get frustrating.
I might try subbing out the lateral raise machine for db lateral raises. I think that might help me ‘find my groove’ for the exercise.