Training Log

3-17-15

warm ups, rotator cuff stuff, tricep pushdowns

Incline Bench Press, 2 count pause on chest
185x2,2,2
165x3,3,3
155x5,5,5,5

sets of 3 chinpups between benching

Standing Partial Press in Rack, Chin to top of head
160x2,2,2
145x3,3,3
135x5,5,5,5

sets of upper back stuff on blast straps between sets of presses

Partial Close Grip Bench Press, from Rack, 4" off chest
225x2,2,2
205x3,3,3
195x5,5,5,5

sets of upright rows between presses

30 work sets alternated with 30 easy sets on the in-between! Very sweaty

3-18-15

Hanging Leg Raises/Reverse Hyperextensions
4x12

1 Leg Extension/1 Leg Curl
4x12

Dumbbell Step Up/Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
35x10
45x10
60x8,8,8,8

Front Squat/Deficit Deadlift, Stop at Knees
8 sets of 5. 95 pounds for front squats. 135 for deficit deads. Really light on these.

Dimmel Deadlift Against Bands/Landmine Abs
4x12

Great workout!

3-20-15

Arms and Shoulders

Delt Raises
Tricep Pushdowns on cable
Curls on Cable
Seated Dumbbell Presses
Hammer Curls
Dumbbell Tri Extensions

Pinch Grip Holds
Barbell Wrist Curls behind the back with Fat Gripz

3-21-15

Sidebends

V-Grip Pulldowns
warm ups
280x2,2,2
240x3,3,3,3
220x5,5,5,5

Bent Over Rows with Barbell
225x2,2,2
205x3,3,3,3
195x5,5,5,5

Shrugs with 2 count pause at top
335x2,2,2
295x3,3,3,3
275x5,5,5,5

Rack Pulls Aganst Doubled Light Bands
135x5
185x5
205x 8 singles, 10 seconds rest between singles

Reverse Hyper Extensions

3-24-15

Hanging Leg Raise
4x10

Incline Bench Press, 2 Count Pause on Chest
warmup
185x2,2,2,2
165x3,3,3,3
155x5,5,5,5

upper back stuff on blast straps between sets

Partial Overhead Press, Chin To Top of Head in Rack
160x2,2,2,2
145x3,3,3,3
135x5,5,5,5

sets of 3 chins between presses, alternated grips

Partial Close Grip Bench, From rack, Half way Up
225x2,2,2,2
205x3,3,3,3
195x5,5,5,5

thick bar curls at plate flips between sets. 5x6 with a 25 pound bumper plate for plate flips.

3-25-15

Clam Shell
Landmine Abs
Seated Upper Back GM
x12, 4 circuits

1 Leg Extensions alternated sets with 1 Leg Curls
4x10 each

Dumbbell Step Ups
warmups
60x8, 6 sets

alternated sets with

Romanian Deadlifts
155x10, 6 sets

Front Squat alternated sets with partial deadlifts up to the knees standing on a plate.
5x5 each

3-27-15

shoulders, arms and grip.
Cable Tricep Pushdowns
Cable Curls
3x15 each

Cable Rear Delts
Cable Upright Rows
3x15 each

Rolling Dumbbell Tri Extensions
Incline Dumbbell Curls
3x15 each

Dumbbell Front Delt Raise
Dumbbell Upright Rows
3x10 each

Dumbbell Hammer Curls
Plate Pinch Grip Holds
Hub Lift
Wrist Curls with Fat Gripz
3-28-15

Warm up junk
Sidebend/1 Arm Farmers Walk
1 Arm Pulldowns

V-Bar Pulldowns
280x2,2,2,2
240x3,3,3,3
220x5,5,5,5,5

Bent Over Rows
225x2,2,2,2
205x3,3,3,3
190x5,5,5,5,5

Shrugs with Hold At Top
335x2,2,2,2
295x3,3,3,3
275x5,5,5,5,5

Partial Deadlifts in Rack, Against Doubled Light Bands
95x5
135x3
185x3
205x10 singles, 10 sec rest between lifts

Things are coming along nicely. Workouts are getting long

Started the new routine, and 4 weeks in, to the DAY, I was ready for a little break. My body feels good, just mentally I didn't want to do step ups or bent rows this week.

I got two workouts in, mostly light warm up type stuff. Some stupid isolation moves to keep the joints moving. Abs and low back. Walked the dogs and worked in the yard. Good week!

4-6-15

Incline Bench With 2 Count Pause on Chest
185x2,2,2,2,2
165x3,3,3,3,3
155x5,5,5,5,5

upper back on Blast Straps between sets

Standing Partial Press in Rack, Chin to Top of Head
160x5,5,5,5,5
145x3,3,3,3,3
135x5,5,5,5,5

chinups x3 between sets. Alternated grips

Partial Close Grip Bench from Rack
225x2,2,2,2,2
205x3,3,3,3,3
195x5,5,5,5,5

Dumbbell upright rows or rear delt raises between sets

Barbell Curls with FatGripz
65x10
85x10
95x8
105x8, 6

Plate Flips
25x8,8,8,8,8 both hands.

Hanging Leg Raises superset with Reverse Hypers
3x10 each

Over 100 sets! Mentally kinda tough, physically I was killing these weights!

4-8-15

Hips, glutes, abs warmups

Leg Extensions/Leg Curls
4x15 each

Dumbbell Step Ups, Higher Step This Week
60x8 each leg. 8 sets

paired with

Romanian Deadlifts
155x6, 8 sets

Holy Shit! I actually feel like a guy who lifts weights now! Back in September I nearly gave up I was so frustrated! I've still got miles to go, but I feel so much better! After 2 years going nowhere, I started this log and I'm actually making progress again. Thanks bros! I've gotten a LOT out of posting, I hope somebody got something out of reading.

Cool bro that is a lot of sets !!

Power-housing !!

I used to do a lot of sets, not so much these days, I try to keep it @ about an hour max with the weights, then drift over to something else like sports or plyometrics or something .

Do you do any stimulants? I been liking ginseng and this organic stuff from Energy First called Pre-fuel.

anyways, have a good one.

Mike,
All the sets were a way to handle heavier weights (90% for doubles, 80% for triples, 75% for 5's) without getting sloppy, technique and execution wise. I probably did too many sets, but I needed it mentally. A lot of work, and I didn't break anything! This time last year I was injuring myself what seemed like every month or so. Being messed up, and moving so poorly for so long really caused me to loose all my muscle. I'm missing "athletic" stuff like jumping and throwing but I WANT MASS! I'm so close to actually looking like I lift weights again.

I usually have some coffee throughout the morning, and kinda leading up to the gym. Sometimes some green tea with ginger if the woman and I are feeling "eastern." We also have some blue powder stuff, Cellucor Extreme C4. Straight chemicals from the vitamin shop. We break that stuff out if we're really draggin', like in case of emergency.

4-10-15

Mobility/Activation Circuit
Clamshell with Band
Dumbbell Scarecrow off Bench
Landmine, side to side abs
Seated Upper Back GM with Safety Squat Bar
Pulldown Abs with Band
2x10 or 12 each

Incline Dumbbell Press
worked up to 85x3

paired with

Dumbbell Upright Row
worked up to 45x8

Clean Grip High Pull From Blocks
worked up to 195x3

paired with

Standing Partial Press from Rack, Eyes to Lockout
up to 145x3

Leg Press
1 plate x20
2x 15
3x15
3 +25x 12

Pinch Holds
45 pounds, 4 holds of "22 Mississippi" Count

Behind the Back Wrist Curls with Fat Gripz
95x15, 4 sets

Barbell Reverse Curls with Fat Gripz
45x12, 4 sets

I picked some new exercises and worked up to a heavy triple, 3 reps, or an unofficial 90%. I'm gonna do a bunch of sets at 90% and 75% for the next few weeks.

4-12-15

Warmup Activation/Mobility Circuit
Half Kneeling 1 Arm Cable Row
Half Kneeling 1 Arm Bottoms Up Kettlebell Press
Sidebend with Kettlebell
3 times through, 5 reps on each leg, each arm. switch legs, 5 reps for both arms.

1 Arm Dumbbell Row, Paired with Pec Dec
3 sets each, pause at top/bottom. Straight bodybuilder!

Rear Delts on Cable, Paired with Pallof Press
3 sets each, 12 reps rear delts, 5 reps each side for abs.

Rolling Dumbbell Tricep Extensions
2 warmups
8x8

Peterson Step Ups Paired with Reverse Hyper Extensions
3 sets of 12 each

Jump Rope
7 sets of 100 jumps

"Light Day." Some pump-style work for the little muscles the big lifts miss, some abs, and some rehab "core stability" stuff. I'm planning on 2 heavy, long, fun days with heavy weights and 2 light days with physical therapy stuff and beach muscle work to make it a little more fun. Whatever it takes to stay in the game!

4-14-15

Warm Up/Activation Circuit
Abductor with band around knees "Bad Girls"
Pulldown abs with band, also with mini band around knees
Blast Strap "Face Pull" and External Rotation, mini band still around knees
Laying Hamstring Curl
Shoulder dislocates with band
3 circuits, 12 reps per exercise

Standing Dumbbell Clean and Press, with Fat Gripz
worked up to 55x3
45x5

Snatch Grip Shrug
worked up to 245x6

Seated Partial Press in Rack, From Top of Head
worked up to 170x3

Dimmel Deadlifts, Just the Barbell and Light Bands
4x15

Pull-down abs and the upper back stuff on the Blast Straps with the mini-band around my knees where great. It really got the glutes/external hip rotators going. I've been doing so much glute stuff laying on the ground or on my knees or whatever. Either way, my hips and lower back are feeling great lately.

4-15-15

Light Day

Messed around with some 1 arm pulldowns and 1 arm rows on a couple machines.

Decline Dumbbells presses with neutral grip to hit chest.

Leg Curls, some other junk I can't remember.

Finshed up with

1 Box Jump
10 one arm kettlebell swings with each arm
10 standing knee raises each leg

6 "circuits." Worked up a good sweat.

4-17-15

Heavy Day

warmup/activation circuit from last week

Incline Dumbbell Bench paired with dumbbell upright rows
High Pulls from blocks paired with partial standing overhead press in power rack

Reverse Lunges in the Smith Machine.

-Reverse lunges killed me. I've been sore for like 3 days already. My adductors are not supposed to feel like this! Too much "inner leg" involvement on an outer leg/glute exercise. I guess I'm not totally fixed yet.

4-19-15

Light Day

Rear delts with dumbells

Situps on the decline bench, holding dumbbell to chest. Worked up to an EASY 60x12. Pauses at top and bottom, very controlled, felt great. This time last year doing these unweighted irritated my back.

1 Arm Dumbbell Rows. 2 count pause at the bottom and the top. Slow and controlled. More for symmetry, stretch and even back development. Went up to 60 pounds. My gym has dumbbells up to 200 pounds. It's so hard to restrain myself and use light weights on this!

Pec Dec.

Leg Extensions, back raises, some other boring junk.

Grip work.
-Pinch gripped two 35's a couple times with both hands, separately. Tried 45's, but they are still too heavy. Did a few 10 count holds with the 25's.

Some behind the back wrist curls with the Fat Gripz, and reverse curls.

4-21-15

Some abs/low back
Incline Dumbbell Presses
Chinups
Step ups
Romanian Deadlifts

4-23-15

Sidebends

Standing dumbbell clean and press
V-Grip ChinUps
Terminal knee extensions with band
Partial deadlifts in rack, against bands

4-25-15

Dumbbell incline bench
Hang cleans
Step ups
Stiff leg deadlift
Close grip bench on decline

Missed a few updates!

Last month was pretty much

Dumbbell Incline Press
Back Stuff
Leg Stuff

Standing Dumbbell Clean and Press
Back Stuff
Leg Stuff

The first week I worked up to 85x3 on the dumbbell incline press, and 55x3 on the standing dumbbell clean and press. I figured this was close to 90%. Then I dropped down like 10 pounds and did a couple back off sets. For the next few weeks I kept the weights the same, and just increased the total number of reps each week.

Week 1, 90%x3 reps
Week 2, 90%x 5 "singles" (1,1,1,1,1)
Week 3, 90%x1,2,1,2,1
Week 4, 90%x3x3

Back and leg stuff was just whatever I felt up to that day. I also did a bunch of grip stuff. Similar set up to March's workouts, but like 1/3 of the volume.

My theoretical plan for the next month looks like...

Day 1 Heavy
Standing Barbell Clean and Press with Fat Gripz
T-Bar Rows
Stiff-Legged Deadlift
Dips

Day 2 Light
Power Snatch from Hang
Close Grip Bench Press
Hanging Leg Raise
Glute/Ham Raise

Day 3 Medium
Seated Dumbbell Press
Chin Ups
Some kind of Squat/Legs
1 other thing

I'll try out this schedule this week, and see how it comes together. I'll work up to a tough set of 3 or maybe 5 reps depending on the exercise. This will be like an un-official 85-90%. The perfect range for multiple low rep sets.

5-24-15

Warm Ups
Hyper Extension
1 Arm Pull Downs
1/2 Kneeling 1 Arm Press
Side Bends
1 Foot Calf Raise
2 circuits. 10-12 reps

Barbell Clean and Press w/ Fat Gripz
145x1, 5 singles
125x3,3,3

paired with

T-Bar Rows
160x6, 4 sets with pause at bottom and hold at top
135x8, 4 sets, pause and hold

Stiff Leg Deadlift
315x2,2,2
275x5,5

paired with

Dip Machine
a bunch of sets to figure this thing out. I've never used this thing before, but you can do reps one arm at a time. So Triceps and shoulder stability in one shot. This is more like a 1 arm tricep pushdown than a real dip.

Pump Style Swole Work
Standing Calf Raises holding Dumbbells
Rear Delts on Pec Dec Machine
Reverse Hyper Extensions
3 circuits

Good Workout! I nearly dropped the bar on the first rep of clean and press with the Fat Gripz on the barbell. I had to really squeeze hard. It made the presses feel really stable and strong. The dip machine was a cool find. Not really like a dip, but a new way to hit the triceps.

5-26-15

Warm Ups
Seated Hip Adductors with Band around Knees
Single Leg Curl
1/2 Kneeling Pallof Press
Band Face Pull
Pec Stretch
2 circuits, 10-12 reps

Power Snatch from Hang
140x2,2,2
120x3,3,3

Close Grip Bench Press
225x2,2,2,2
205x4,4,4

Hanging Leg Raise
4x8
Inverse Curl
135 assistance x6,5,5,4
Leg Extensions
4x20
circuit style

Another great workout. Snatches felt fast.

5-28-15

Warm Ups
Hyper Extension
Upper Back GM's
Clam Shell with Band
Landmine Abs
Peterson Step Ups
2 runs thru the circuit, 10-12 reps each

High Box Squat, Giant Cambered Bar
95x10
115x10
135x10
155x10
175x10

Seated Dumbbell Press
65x2,2,2,2
60x4,4,4,4

paired with

Wide Grip Pullup
+Medium Chain x4,4,4,4
BW only x5,5,5,5

It was like a squat with training wheels, but the high box, cambered bar squat felt really good today. The weight plates hang low at your sides, and the bar tries to pull your forward so it felt very natural to drive my shoulders back into the bar and to maintain an upright position. It's also easy to keep the upper back tight with my hands down by my sides. I wish I would have jumped on this thing sooner.

5-30-15

Some stretching.

Pull Down Abs
Reverse Hyper Extension
Scarecrows with Dumbbells
3 easy sets of each

Box Jumps
6-7 jumps to "base"
3 jumps to "base + 1 riser

Some curls and tricep extensions. Pinch Grip Holds.

Just an easy workout. Last workout of the week, to make sure I'm not too sore to start heavy lifting again.