Really missed your log updates. Very glad to read your Dad is doing well. Since you began this log, I thought I would also give this regime a shot. I am very pleased with the results thus far… Excellent routine, keep on posting, I’m looking forward to it.
Walleye-
How’s the training going?
Hope your dad’s feeling better and recovering from his surgery…
First off, my dad is doing fantastic! He was able to get the quadruple bypass BEFORE he had a heart attack. So he has no heart damage which means his recovery will be much better…
This weeks log is much of the same as last week. I added 10 more pounds to my bench this week I did 265 for 12 and 8 reps. My last set sort of sucked but I did get my techinique down finally.
It was really cool. I had good form legs flexed, butt tight, abs tight, etc., and as I pushed through the lift I could literally feel the strength transfer from my lower body into my upper body. It was awesome!!! I got 2 more reps because of it.
Ron’s going through some muscle pain so he’s not lifting as much and is trying to work through the soreness. Needless to say, we might be on the 10-12 rep program for another week until he gets his weight up to where it needs to be.
He said the program will get goofy in a little while. We’ll be doing squats going down a 1/3 of the move, hold it for 3 seconds, 1/3 more hold 3 seconds, hold the bottom for 3 seconds, then jump up and try to get your feet off the ground. Obviously we are only talking about 225 or less here.
Well this week is the same as last week. I’ll let you know more later.
walleye
Great week training,
I’m still on the 10-12 reps and on Friday I did 13 reps at 255! That was pre exhausted a little bit because I did a set of 5 at 225 to warmup.
I also did 425 this week for my deads! I only did 10 because on my 9th rep I was focusing so hard and putting the weight over my heels I about fell over backwards!
I’m looking forward to next week because that will be the second week of my MAG10 cycle… I’m doing some extreme dieting and MAG10 is nice because I can keep my strength gains going while losing fat.
Ron is currently trying to recover from his muscles being sore so he did a wierd bench press. He took 135 on the bench. He got on the bench backwards and lifted the bar up, scooted back on the bench, and then benched one rep, the next rep he benched like he was on an incline (so he laid flat and then in the upper position if he dropped the bar it would have cleared the top of his head), the next rep was a decline press and he did about 21 reps. He was trying to hit some of the minor muscles in his bench to help his recovery.
BTW, my dad is getting better and stronger everyday.
walleye
I’ve had a crazy couple of weeks lately, Ron has too. I think it has been 3 weeks since we had a full week of training.
I can tell you this though. Although are training is not up to par, my strength gains have been great. Today I did 275 on bench for 10 and 8 reps. That’s great for me. My deads are going well too I’m up to 475 and will probably attempt to workout with 495 next week.
The biggest factors of my strength increase are my abs and dead lifts. Ron said if your core muscles aren’t strong, then your body can’t transfer the power from your legs to your chest…
I’m amazed at how well this works. On bench I keep good form and then when I’m tired I really squeeze and flex my legs and I get 2 more reps.
I think next week we will be doing the 8-10 rep stage and then we’ll be doing the wierd exercises.
My dad is healing nicely. It’s almost like he never had the surgery.
Well have a good weekend everybody.
walleye
Walleye,
Great to hear from you, above all that you dad is doing so well. 
Cant ask for much more this quick. Good Deal…
It is also good to hear about your training progression and how even though training has been somewhat spuratic, you are still making great gains. Kinda proves that whole less is sometimes more idea. You may have been ready for a decrease in training for a week or two to freshen up a bit.
Keep up the progrees in training and life in general and keep us posted.
See ya,
Phill
How’s everything(father,traing,etc) going? I haven’t seen a post in while.
Take Care.
It’s been a while since I’ve updated. Ron and I had a couple of crazy weeks where we only worked out a few times. This week everything is back to normal.
I’m still trying to break my 12 rep max on 275 bench. Ron is still stuck at 25 reps at this weight.
I’m still shooting for the 10-12 rep range now. Anyhow, a couple of cool exercises to try.
We’ve been doing single leg leg presses or step ups after our sets of squats or deads. These are killers.
Another one we did Tuesday was instead of seated incline dumbbell curls we lowered the incline to 15 degrees and did the curls. I never get sore from curls but these kicked my butt because the stretch on the bicep was so intense.
The routine has generally been the same as before but we always rotate our secondary exercises every workout to hit the muscles in a little different angle. For example triceps we do, push downs, throws (skull crushers with your elbows at a 45 degree vs. the tradition 90 degrees to the floor), and then close grip bench.
Calves, we’ll do a standing calf raise, seated calf range, then a donkey calf raise.
Monday- seated calf
Thursday- standing calf
Monday- donkey calf
Repeat.
Monday and Thursday are lower body days.
Tues and Fri are upper body
Training is going well. I’ll keep you updated.
BTW, we did pullups yesterday and I could only do 4! I told Ron I’ll be stronger when I lose my other 60 pounds. Then I’ll be a pull up fool!
That’s it, I’ll update later.
walleye
walleye
you da mang
just came across thread
sweet
keep it up
great to see an update and that you are doing so well.
Keep it up.
Phill
Update,
Ron called me last night and said he is going to try to break his world record in February. He talked with Dr. Yessis and gave him a new routine.
Our routine will be very different from what we have been doing. We are back to doing the 30-40 reps again. But we will be going back down to 20 reps on the new program. The program will include cardio and it will be working out 5 days a week with 3 upper body workouts with 2 lower body work outs.
I’m pretty pumped about it but I also know it will be a bitch.
My bench is now at 405 which is quite impressive for me since I’ve never lifted over 300 in my life.
I’ll keep you posted. I think Muscle and Fitness might interview Ron and also video tape our workouts.
keep strong,
walleye
Just wanted to update what we are doing now. Ron is going for the world record of the 225 lbs bench rep record I think it is 39 reps or something like that.
So we will be training for strength and endurance. Stay tuned it should be great.
walleye
Man, GREAT to hear from you. Been way to long. Sounds like all is going MUCH better and that you are sailing right along with a new vigor and inspiration. Keep us up to date. I know I for one like the updates.
Phill
Here’s the workout for the first 3 weeks of the breaking of the world record for the 225 bench rep max.
1 set of 10 bench with light weight like 115. Except lie flat on the bench and do one rep angled over your head (like you are doing incline presses while lying on the flat bench), one regular rep, and one rep like you are doing a decline bench, each of these thre reps count as one rep for the 10 rep.
Dumbell press 20 reps palms facing in.
Dumbell press 20 reps elbows out.
Overhead shoulder press 20 reps palms facing each other.
Lateral shoulder raises 20 reps start at your hips and complete when your arms are touching each other above the head.
Front shoulder raises 20 reps, complete when arms are completely over head.
Bent over rows 20 reps elbows out, 20 reps elbows in.
Pull downs 20 reps palms facing each other. Pull downs 20 reps narrow grip palms facing you.
Tricep pushdowns 20 reps palms down. 20 reps palms up. 20 reps using the rope.
2 sets of curls 20 reps seated inclines and 20 reps curl bar.
Let me tell you. If you haven’t given high rep training a try it really kicks your ass. I could barely move my arms and my muscles got a deep soreness from the routine.
We do this workout 3 times a week Mon, Wed, and Friday. We will be on this stage for 3 weeks. Let me tell you this is tough.
Weightloss has gotten slower but I’m still watching what I eat so I know I’ll eventually win this battle.
Phill, good to hear from you too.
I just gotta say, OUCH.
Hey, what is the area of load on the other movements roughly and what are you guys using for rest periods??
Thanks,
Phill
Phill,
Our rest periods are longer than a hypertrophy workout. We don’t time them but if I had to guess we would be around 2-5 minutes depending on how worn out we are. For example after squats or deads we take 5 minute breaks because I don’t know if you ever did high rep legs but they suck! I about pass out every time.
I have noticed that I’m alot more “solid” my muscles are very dense even when resting.
Not sure what you mean by load. We try to go to failure on every set. So what ever you think you can get 20 reps with. Sometimes we get 22 reps and other times we only get 17. Let me tell you that reps 1-15 are pretty easy but the last 5 or so kill you. I highly recommend this routine I haven’t gained this much strength ever!
walleye
We are done with our hell phase of 20 reps per set. Let me tell you that sucked! Anyhow, I’m writing this update to let you know what we are doing on this phase.
We are doing 2 sets per exercise and we are doing 8 reps for the first set and 15 reps for the second set. Both sets are performed to failure. For example on dumbell presses elbows in for 8 reps you might do 125 lb dumbbells. Then for the second set elbows out for 15 reps you might do 100 lb dumbbells.
This workout is a little easier but we are moving more weight.
I’ll let you know more later. This is quite a change and about the only thing sore on me was my triceps.
It’s cool going back down to 8 reps after spending so much time in the 20+ rep range. You actually feel strong!
If anyone questions doing the high reps just give it a shot. Sure you look like a weenie because your doing lighter weight but the results are more than worth it.
walleye
Thanks for the update.
Glad to here things are still cruising for you.
Dont be such a stranger.
Phill
OK to fill out some more detail on the 8-15 plan.
Warm up 10 reps of alternating bench press. You lay flat on you bench and do the first rep with the bar finishing over the top of your head, so that if you drop the bar it wouldn’t hit your body at all. The next rep is with the bar finished over your belly button. The next rep is a regular bench press. Repeat all three until you get to 10 reps each. Use light weight about 95 lbs or so.
Next dumbbell press for 8 reps elbows in using 125 lb
Next dumbbell press for 15 reps elbows out for 100 lb dumbbells.
Pullovers for 8 reps using 95lb dumbbell. It feels like it’s going to rip you apart.
Shoulders do 75 lbs elbows in 8 reps, then 45 lbs elbows out for 15 reps.
Lats dumbbell rows 8 reps then 15 reps.
Triceps 115lb throws or skull crushers with your arms at a 45. Then do 95lbs for 15 reps.
French press 8 reps and then 15 reps.
Then 2 sets of curls for 8 and 15 reps. 50lbs then 25 lb dumbbells.
Let me know how you like it.
Update
We are still training upper body 3 days a week. All exercises are the same. However, now instead of our 8 rep, 15 rep sets we are doing 10 rep, 20 rep sets.
I’ve been making great progress in strength. Ron has been getting stronger too.
This world record thing in Chicago will have Muscle and Fitness and I guess some of the T-Nation contributors will be there.
It should be a really good time. Look for this in Feb 2005 and it will probably be written about after that.
take care all,
walleye