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grishaxxx
10-24-10, 4:13 am
Started for me at about 9, when my Dad, an amateur but accomplished bodybuilder and all-around jock his whole life, took me with him to Loprinzi's gym in Portland, OR [it's still there, tho Sam and his bros are now gone, bless 'em all!]. The gym's owners and members were like an ur-ABC chapter; total positive energy and wisdom flowed thru the place, and it's that spirit that I see here. Took me some time from 9 to actually get on track, and I've slipped off periodically over the years, but there's nothing that gives me greater reward, keeps my head in the right place, or strengthens my will than a hard and focussed training session.

I've had gyms in my cellar, in storefronts (some of the best!) in Chicago and Oregon, was a Gold's Venice member when I lived there, 5 mins walk away. Moved to Tucson last winter and started to train at home right away, making up for lost time and lack of resources. Once I got a job in May, I signed up at Gold's East on Speedway and have been very happy with the facility (not least 'cause it's a 24/7 establishment!) and have made steady progress on and 3-4/wk split. I'll detail the training evolution since June on the next post.

On Tucson arrival I was hanging at ~170-175, which for me, at 5'10", is light and I looked like a stick figure (not to mention fucking soft!). Currently I'm 185 or so and have lower bf% than in February, and eating about 85% clean, by my own estimation. Anyway, I cook for a hobby now nearly 40 years, so I can modify just about any recipe - or invent new ones - to suit training demands.

I'm incredibly lucky to have good health at a geezer's age (way over 40!), but I credit all the training I've done in the past to helping with that, plus good genes from my parents and - in my own fashion - an active life. I want to be pushing the limits, such as they are, at 70 as much as I can today, and beyond that, too.

So, next post, details on the current routines, supps, etc. In the meantime, "Never give up. Never surrender!"

grishaxxx
10-25-10, 3:45 am
I've changed this up a couple of times since the beginning of June. The big limiting factors are my work schedule and commute time; my days off can vary a lot week to week, as can my start times, so I have to be flexible. Generally, I like to train before work, which means 5-7am, and on days off, when I usually go in around 1-2pm. Legs take about 45 mins from the time I hit the gym floor, the other two days about 65/70 mins, at most. I get in 3-4 sessions in a given week. I do a lot of drop sets and am experimenting with supersets and other strategies to keep up the intensity. My primary goals are increasing strength and building mass.

A. Legs:

1. Hack Squat - 3x10 plus warmups.
2. Leg Curl - 3x10 - drop sets
3. Leg Extensions - 3x10 - drops, as needed
4. Inner Thigh Machine - 3x10 - drop sets
4. Standing Calf Raise - 3x15
6. Seated Calf - 3x15
--------------------------------------------------
B. Back/Arms:
Back -
1. Wide-Grip Chins (mach.) - 3x10 - drop sets w/ assist
2. Close-Grip Pulldowns - 3x10
3. T-Bar Rows - 3x10
4. Shrugs (mach) - 3x15
5. Hyperextensions - 3x15

Arms - Tris:
1. Skullcrushers - EZ bar - 3x10
2. Tri Pushdowns - 3x10
3. DB Tri Extensions - 3/10 - drops

Bis:
1. BB Curls - EZ bar - 3/10
2. Cross-Body Hammers - 3/10
3. Conc. Curls - 3/10 - drops
-------------------------------------------------------------
C. Chest/Shoulders:

Chest:
1. Incline Presses - Smith Machine - 3x10 + warmups - drops
2. Chest press machine - 3-10 - drops
3. Dips - 3/10, mach assist - drops (close to going raw on these - just a few more weeks - fuckin A!)
4. Cable Crosses - 3x10 - drops

Shoulders:
1. Hammer Shoulder Press - 3x10, drops
2. One Arm Cable Flyes - 3x10
3. Side Latersl - 3x10 - drops
4. Bent Laterals - 3x10 - drops

-------------------------
Abs I work in as time allows, generally supersetting crunches and knee raises, DB side bends.

As I do a lot of biking as part of my commute, I am letting that stand for cardio right now.

---------------

I used to do Chest/Arms and Back/Shoulders, and I have to say that right now my Shoulders are taking a fucking beating after working Chest - I'll reassess that next change up, toward late November.

In general, I hit weakest parts first and as hard as possible. I'd prefer to use free weights over machines, but because ot time pressure I can't always get a spot and that's limiting.

One thing I have learned over the years and that is how prone I was to overtraining - used to hit a wall fast, get sick, all the usual fallout from doing too much, too soon. Learned that lesson! i'm making MUCH better progress trains partts once a week now than I did in my ignorant youth!

Every exercise has moving, progressive weight targets. If I make a strength jump (and I have surprised myself lately!), the bar gets raised. Not worth it if you don't fight for the goal, every day.

More in the next post.

grishaxxx
11-19-10, 12:21 am
Here's my current supp list:

Dymatize Elite Whey Protein Isolate
Iron-Tek Glutamine
Iron-Tek Creatine Monohydrate
Ultimate Nutrition DHEA - 100mg, [I take this T.I.D.]
PhysioMuscle ZMA Mass

I stumbled on the Dymatize Elite almost by accident - a Vitamin Warehouse in my neighborhood carries it in their discount outlet at a great price, and I've been happy to discover it's well-rated elsewhere (e.g., Bodybuilding.com). The creatine I am cycling 5/6 weeks on, 5/6 weeks off, and just starting a fresh cycle this week. DHEA I have been taking for years, anyway, even when out of training, and - for me, anyway - 300mg is not too much. I have never had any unwelcome side effects from DHEA supplementation. In addition to the ZMA, I take a lot of Vit C and 800-1200 IU of Vit E daily.

------------------------------

As mentioned in the last post, the Chest/Shoulders arrangement was killing my delts, at least as far as the ego satisfaction of weight handled went. They'd been so wiped by the chest section that I could handle maybe only 60% of my former working set weight, my tendons were feeling the strain, too. This last week I went back to pairing with Back, and, bingo, I could handle the old weights, PLUS, so it wasn't wasted effort after all. However, I have come to the conclusion that I would rather split things up a bit more and work Chest, Back, Shoulders+Arms, and Legs each on separate days, throwing Abs in with Chest and Legs. It will be more time-efficient, I can actually add another exercise in some cases, and it will get me in the gym one more day, on the average, per week, which offer I cannot refuse.

Fuck, I miss the gym on my days off!

However, I have to keep perspective and face the fact that I have to work smarter now, not crazier - provide ample recovery time, for example - and really take the long view to progress. It's paying off to do this; I was doing Hacks, 3x10 @ 280 this last week, and I sure as hell couldn't do that last February!

More on the change ups later this week..

grishaxxx
11-21-10, 2:49 am
Duh. Don't join the Animal Pak w/o checking out the product, do you, noob? LOL In any case, while I'm very happy with my Dymatize Elite, I could sure as shit use help with the rest of the profile. DL'd the Stacking 101 pdf, and looking it over carefully.

It's very odd, but even with my primitive supplementation regime, I've been making solid gains this year (5'10", 172 lbs in 2/10, 185 lbs now, and lower BF%age). It's just that I know I could do better.

Having already cited Parillo and stretching and the living hell my shoulders were going thru in the ill-advised Chest/Delts combo, I am taking a close look at the A-Flex pak - any feedback from users (esp we older ones) would be welcome.

Cheers & Grrrr.

grishaxxx
11-27-10, 1:43 am
Been juggling the end of the old routine to mesh with the beginning of the new, and that started yesterday, Thanksgiving morning, with doing Shoulders/Arms together, to be followed this weekend by Back (Sat), Chest (Sun), then Legs on Tuesday.
Last Tuesday, a Leg day, I got in 2 sets of Hacks at 290 x 10, so I know for sure that I'll succeed at my current target 300 in the next 2 weeks. However, there seems to be a cumulative limit to the amount of work my body can do on a given day (and, fortunately, it still keeps advancing right now), and that seems to mean that a push forward in one exercise can exact a cost in another. After those good hacks, I did something to my left glute on Leg Curls and fucking utterly failed on my 3rd set. Nothing catastrophic, but I felt like I'd been given a shot in my left butt cheek the next day, and I was limping a bit (only when I was upright and walking, tho - no effect at all on the bike or anything else). My quads (as usual) have been responding really well in the last couple of months, but I'm unhappy with my hamstrings, so I'm thinking about moving them up and working each leg individually.
Very, very happy to get shoulders out from under either Chest or Back beforehand. My weights shot up by that alone, and while it may have been frustrating to have wiped them out so much by combining with Chest, they rebounded really well, and I got an awesome pump this time - just promise of things to come!

I can't believe, now, how impatient and - franklly - dumb I have been over so many years in my training. I learned a lot from all those mistakes, but now I have the opportunity to correct them, stay incremental, and really meet goals step-by-step instead of bounding ahead and outpacing myself.

Fuck, it's hard to grow up!

grishaxxx
12-05-10, 3:01 am
No question I've avoided stats up to now, but today marks six months in real gym (after 3 months of home workouts with very limited resources - but god bless 'em, every one!), and I think it is OK to look back, take stock, 'fess up.

Ht - 5'10"
Wt - starting 2/20/2010 - 170; today (12/04/2010) - 184
BF% - start, ~25%; today, ~20%

I just checked out my training log, which goes back to 2/1997, with enormous gaps between spurts of activity. Up/Down, Up/Down, as you would expect - depressing to think of all the interruptions that took place. The counterbalance is that you always come back to the thing you love and I love this more than I ever have, with no impediments to more progress than age alone (well, there's that hernia to deal with - see the thread! - but it's not a cockblocker...). Back in June, I was challenged by db shoulder presses at 35 each side, and today I was hitting 65 per arm x7 in a pyramid scheme. Incline bench has gone up 20 lbs, hack sqts from 160x8 (final set) to 290x10 (penultimate set) last week. It's not all even progress, and there are imbalances (my left shoulder is about 5 lbs weaker than my right, which is all wrong, 'cause my left side is marginally bigger than my right...), but none of the progress is transient, and I feel fucking great and ready for the next 6 months.

If there is one thing I have learned, over the years and especially now, it is that goal-setting has to be DYNAMIC - a moving target. I make a log column for every exercise, day-to-day, and set a target weight a little beyond what I achieved last time, but within reach. On a (relatively) shitty day, I will shoot for fucking Perfect Form/ROM at a slightly lower weight, or do drop sets, or - well, whatever feels right, and keeps it tight.

Shit, I'm seeing some of these over-50, over-60 Masters, and I think, "Fuck! That's where I want to be then!" In my work, I talk to countless people every day, many way younger than I am, with unbelievably dire health issues - diabetes, cardiac and respiratory issues, cancer - and I must then count myself blessed and duly chastened for having both good genes and not having fucked myself up.

At least. not as much as I COULD HAVE....if I'd had my shit together, I'd be benching 3-4 times what I can now. Go fucking figure!

grishaxxx
12-11-10, 2:51 am
Got the Foundational Pak this last week - which sure as shit simplifies (and, in fact, economizes!) my supp regimen. Much too early too tell how/if it's affecting my performance, as I am now into the new 4-part split and REALLY trying to get more sleep and distributing feeds more regularly and strategically - but the numbers are going up and there have been some surprises.
The injury I was wondering about last post was, from everything I could analyze, at worst a Grade 1 Hamstring pull, and I went to one-leg leg curls, with predictably depressing results (L leg is 50% weaker than R leg), but I will go Rehab Mode and bring it back.
20 years ago I fucked up a knee - not in the gym, but pivoted wrong on bad ground in a casual football game - and then paid for it with wraps and super-careful form on ANYTHING that touched the knee for years after. Still, I could squat, it got better, and I don't need the wraps anymore. My Dad had to have arthroscopic surgery on his knees when he was about my current age, and he told me, then, that his doc blamed it on his doing deep sqts and (very likely) bouncing on the ascent. Dark Ages history, bros! Not to mention, I don't think Dad ever gave a thought to targeted/programmed nutrition, supplementation or other therapeutic support back then; I doubt any of his cohort did beyond a general interest in clean food and some primitive protein pills.
By comparison, we are lucky fucks, to know so much more about our bodies and how to feed the Beast.

So, I was changing some shit up on my Back today - Lat combinations went up, but I looked and T-bars had not changed so much since September and i tried some Hi/Lo HS machines, which felt good and different. And then I noticed that the HS machines had starting discounts that I'd missed, and I fucking realized that I'd been pushing an extra 10lbs, for weeks, on the Shoulder Press rig I'd been using. Like Vinnie G says, "You are stronger than you think...."!

Fuck Yeah!

I FUCKING LOVE THIS SHIT!!!!!

grishaxxx
12-12-10, 2:56 am
Okay - going to document the changeups. Here's Chest from today:

Incline press (Magnum mach) - plate-loaded, sides independent, so more like a DB press:
90x10 (w-up); 140x10; 150x8; 140x6

Stretches

Chest Press:- Life Fitness:
115x10; 120x9; 130x5/100x3

Dips:
(-30)x10; (-20)x6/(-30)x3; (-30)x6/(-40)x4

Fuck - I can see the day I will not need this fucker any longer - then work up to the chains, bros!

Incline DB Flyes:
20x12; 20x10; 20x8

Cable Crosses:
45x6/40x4; 40x10 (RP, last 3); 40x6/35x5

-----------------------

I was careful this time to keep my shoulders down on the pressing movements, try to keep the ant delts out of it. I mean, any shoulder action would be welcome, of course, but I learned from doing that stupid Chest/Shoulders combo that I could destroy my delts witht he Chest routine and just hobble along after that - depressing!

Altogether, not bad after Back day 24 hours before - I don't like to jam days together, but I will get really off schedule right now if I don't force a couple. Hit Shoulders/Arms on Monday and we are good to go from there.

smoothballer
12-13-10, 8:23 am
Subbed for the ride bro!

grishaxxx
12-15-10, 12:33 am
Since I did Back and Chest back-to-back last Friday and Saturday, took an extra day before attacking Shoulders and Arms today; under the new routine, it's the longest session and I had a work schedule change that opened up the late afternoon, and I went for it.

Been on the Pak for a week now, and don't know if it's that, the new split, or a natural step up from a period of slower progress, but I'm feeling a lot stronger and fucking hungrier, too, in ALL senses.

How it went today:

SHOULDERS -

HS Shoulder Press:
wu -100x10; *150x9 [PR!]; *140x8; *120x7; *100x11
One-Arm Cable Raises
35x10; 35x5/30x5 (L)/35x10 (R); 30x10 (L)/30x13 (R) - Left side is catching up...
Side Laterals
20x10; 24x5/20x5; 20x10
Flex Delt Flye mach
60x15; 70x12; 80x11 - first time with this one - I'll start at 80 next time.

ARMS -
a. TRIS:
Skulls - Decline [got this idea from House, will rotate w/ incline & flat]
65x3/55x7; 55x7; 50x10
Tri Pushdowns - single pulley stack - rope grip
50x8; 50x7/40x3; 40x8/30x5
DB Tri Exts -
20x7/15x3; 20x10; 20x6/15x3

b. BIS
EZ Bar Curls
75x10; 75x8; 65x10
Hammers - Incline
25x7; 25x8; 25x8
Conc. Curls
25x10; 20x10; 25x5/20/5

--------------
ABS - 3 sets weighted crunches on Flex Ab machine - per Ox "boring" - tho I must fucking make room/time for more ab work some place, most likely at home or something. Working on a Plan....<eg>

--------------
Left shoulder is improving fast - I was dreaming of 150 last summer, and here it is, for 9! Threw a 4th set in just for joy and WTF, actually, and it cost me some on the next two exercises, but I got a great pump and I didn't fuck anything up. Careful to stretch a la Parillo between each set of the Presses, which I think helps.

Decline Skulls are nuts - glad a ran across House on that! My carrot on these is 75; I'll be interested in how much variation there is in what I can handle between the 3 positions. Pushdowns and Exts were to failure.

I'm a little shocked to be THAT close to 80 on the Bar Curls (another carrot) - feels great, but I'll have to get a bigger carrot soon. The Incline Hammers rock, too, with the stretch, and the Conc. Curls wiped out what was left.

Timing was about 30 mins for Shoulders, about 35 for Arms, altogether.

grishaxxx
12-17-10, 2:35 am
Recast my Leg routine today - when I looked at my log, I could hardly believe it had changed so little since last June - WTF was I thinking? In any case, some changes were in order, and some corrections:

!. HS V-Squat Machine [what I was calling a Hack before, but it's more vertical than the classic Hack - there are refs in a number of threads....]
145x10 (w-uo); 290x10; 310x9; 300x10

Leg Press [Body Masters] - BM specs say carriage is 125, tho to me it doesn't feel near that, but maybe that's just Leg Press Distortion Effect. I asked my gym staff, and they said 45, but it was pretty clear nobody had asked them before and they were groping - lol Anyway, wts below are just plate loadings, for what felt in the ballpark to start:
290x10; 290x10;290x10

Been a while since I Leg Pressed (as I sort of mistrust them), so I wasn't trying to prove anything, just test it out. I'll push it more next week.

One-Leg Curls - Here's where the Hamstring pull on the L really shows. That happened about 3 weeks ago on a Life Fitness Lying Leg Curl, [post 3 sets (+w-up) on the Hammer V-Squat]. I had gone 115x9/100x1; then 110x7...and then my L ham failed (combined with a noble FART, too!), and I scratched. I knew something had gone wrong, but it didn't seem too bad and it only really hurt when I was upright and walking - limped a bit the next day, and it was better the day after. No effect on my biking. But I looked it up and I had clearly pulled something in there and the 1-Leg rehab route proves it.
This on the FLEX HamFlexor:
20x6 (L)/40x9 (R); 20x6 (L)/40x7/30x3 (R; 20x7 (L)/40x7/30x3 (R)
Dismaying, but marginally better than last week.

Leg Ext:
160x10; 165x10; 150x8

Calf Press (BM Leg press, again - not counting carriage):
200x20; 200x20; 200x15
3 foot positions, going for higher reps, per House. Will report hobbling, if it occurs (and, of course, will SEEK it in future....).

Seated Calf:
80x10; 115x15; 115x12
I've been going 120 lately, but was working in with a guy and went a bit lighter/higher rep to see what the Calf Press might expose.

Want to incorporate Deads, too, but will test my ham - and work on stretching - before attacking them.

--------------------
Anyway, while I didn't puke this time, I think I've set up the potential! Long time ago I fucked up my R knee, out of the gym, by pivoting on bad footing in a casual football game, and wraps and really good form on squats put me back together, so I know I'll repair. I am SUPER attentive to form on legs because of that and it takes a lot of concentration, and even so I fucked up with the ham, but I love the haze of Stupid I get after a Leg session because all the blood has gone south from my Brain. Just don't ask me to be very accurate about anything for a few hours afterward!

smoothballer
12-17-10, 8:19 am
KIller wheelz session bro! Take care of that hammy...don't want a lingering injury.

grishaxxx
12-17-10, 10:20 am
KIller wheelz session bro! Take care of that hammy...don't want a lingering injury.

Hammy's fine today, bro, and I'm not hobblin' (maybe a little 2morrow, the 2nd-day-after phenom...?) - but, shit, wheels feel THICK today, like they're still on the pump. I really like House's Calf Press advice - for which he shows famous results! - and I'll gets these dogies (currently 15") turned into bulls yet....YeeHa!!

grishaxxx
12-19-10, 2:35 am
Hit Back on the way back from work tonight. Here's how it went:

1. Wide-Grip Chins (mach assist)
(-40)x5/(-50)x6; (-40)x5/(-50)x4/(-60)x2; (-50)x7/(-60)x4; (-60)x6

2. Lat Pulldowns (close-grip)
125x10; 125x7/120x3; 124x6/120x3/115x3

3. HS Lo-Row (2nd time out on this - still finding a level...)
63ps x 10; 63ps x10; 68ps x10

4. HS Hi-Row (1st time)
73ps x 10; 78ps x 8; 73ps x 9

5. Shrugs (BodyMaster Shrug mach)
70ps x 11; 70ps x 11; 70ps x 9

6. Hyperextensions (wt held behind neck)
+10 x 13; +10 x13; +10 x13

---------------------------------

With double rowing sets, more volume than before. Used to do Good Mornings without a care when I was 23 - no longer (not because of "injuries", per se, but some furniture-moving "incidents" that, given the right twist-and-bend position, can knot up my lower back for a few days). Working up to Deads here.

---------------------------------

Good news post Legs the other day - hammies took it really well, and butt took a good shot from those Presses - best kind of sore!

Chest on Monday - Onward & Upward!

grishaxxx
12-29-10, 1:09 am
Best laid plans for Chest last Monday were torpedoed by - I'm not sure what, but everything I'd worked the last 3 sessions felt beaten up - and I mean in a GOOD way, too. Those HS Hi/Low Rows did a number on my mid-back that I intend to revisit asap! Underneath that, however, I was dragging,so I gave it can extra day - and then another, and the drag wasn't lifting. Started the Flex Pak on Tuesday (don't want higher weights/more volume to fuck up my joints..), and noticing a lack of stamina on my (necessary) biking cardio. Getting over a mild cold, too, but felt otherwise OK, just dead tired at night and getting to bed early and same the next day.
Figured it was time for a few days of layoff and Recovery, which I've taken this last year every 3 months or so, and it was about time for it, especially as I'd launched the new 4-day and that felt good. Managed to avoid holiday grub hazards - eating clean, but, I fear, NOT ENOUGH, because my weight has been slipping the last couple of weeks, and some fat loss is noticeable. Maybe what I'm experiencing is some side effect of ketosis? Well, keeping close tabs on that, and have to start keeping a stricter food diary or meal plan, because this sucks.
Finally began to really lift today, and I head in in the morning for Chest - full report tomorrow pm. Gonna rip it up, I guarantee!

smoothballer
12-29-10, 9:43 am
Way to listen to your body bro. Nothing worse than overtraining and wearing yourself down to the point where things are hurting your gains.

grishaxxx
12-30-10, 1:06 am
Way to listen to your body bro. Nothing worse than overtraining and wearing yourself down to the point where things are hurting your gains.

Thanks, man - can't count all the times I didn't follow that advice and hit real setbacks that turned into roadblocks that shut me down. Gotta move forward, like a fucking Shark, ALL THE TIME - just stay in tune to what my body tells me (which was a major, and tough, learning experience as it was) and then you can sustain the momentum, and GROW, bigger and stronger.

I must admit that even those few extra rest days this last week were making me antsy - couldn't fucking WAIT to get back on the floor, you know?

Following post documents the result....

.

grishaxxx
12-30-10, 1:33 am
Here's how it went this morning, first day back in 9 days; equipment is the same as last time, except where noted.

CHEST -

1. Incline Press
90x10 (w-up); 140x10; 150x7, 120x9

2. DB Presses - Flat
45s x4; 40s x6; 35s x7; 35s x6 -

Kind of feeling these out, and didn't ask for a spotter (which I will definitely do next time). Change to DB from the Chest press machine is WAY overdue, and I was really working the ROM. I think these are gonna be way productive.

3. Dips (assisted)
(-20)x6/(-30)x4; (-20)x5/(-30)x5; (-30)x7/(-40)x3 - unassisted BW is in sight!! Fuck yeah!

4.Incline DB Flyes
20x10; 20x8; 20x7; 17x6

Kept tempo deliberate, max stretch, max contraction

5. Cable Crosses (wt is per side)
45x5/40x5; 40x11; 40x7/35x5

--------------------------

Didn't lose too much strength this outing, but fatigued the muscles faster than I would have liked. 40 mins from start to finish, 18 sets. Trying to make sure I get an extra dose of Real Food in the mix now - seriously think that was part of the problem last week. As it turns out, though, I did NOT drop as much weight as I had feared - weighed in 182+, which is where I was, pretty much, a couple of weeks ago. My body has very definite equalibrium points, and mid-180s is one of them. However, have definitely dropped the bf% - time to get a baseline on that asap,as it is changing fast. (Fucking finally! - LOL)

Friday will be Shoulders/Arms, Sunday LEGS...got those days off, so I can give 'em full (unrushed!) attention and
looking forward to a real bounce back up....

grishaxxx
12-31-10, 5:31 pm
Well, fuck, gym closed early and I hadn't rechecked exactly when that was, so I gotta wait 'till 4AM Sunday.....grrrrrrr I can think of MANY worse ways to spend NuYrsEve than a Delt/Tri/Bi session, but I guess I am in the minority. Think I'll do some ab work at home, instead, tho we are going out to see buds later on.
It's just not the same....LOL

To all who stop by this thread, however, HAPPY NEW YEAR, and make it a Year of Growth for every one of you!

smoothballer
12-31-10, 6:22 pm
Happy New Year buddy! Here's to a BIG 2011!

grishaxxx
01-03-11, 12:15 am
Fucking GREAT

grishaxxx
01-03-11, 12:42 am
What I MEANT to say was....


Fucking GREAT to get back in there today! Here's how it went:

SHOULDERS:

1. HS Shoulder Press:
100x10 (w-up); 150x10; 160x10 (PR!); 100x12 (and wiped by the end)

2. One-Arm Cable Raises:
35x10 (front); 25x10 (rear); 30x12 (front)

3. Reverse Pec Deck:
80x10; 90x10; 90x7/70x4

4. Side Laterals:
20x10; 25x6/20x4; 20x10

--------------
ARMS

A. TRIS
1. Skulls - Incline:
60x10; 60x10; 60x6/55x4

2. Tri-Pushdowns:
50x9; 50x9; 50x6/40x4 - (same stack as last time)

3. DB Tri Exts
20x6/15x4; 20x3/15x6; 15x9

B. BIS
1. EZ Bar Standing Curls
75x10 (close grip); 75x10 (wide grip); 75x8 (close grip)

2. Incline Hammers:
25x9; 25x6/20x4; 25x4/20x4

3. Conc. Curls
25x10; 25x10; 25x10

....And some Abs.
--------------------------------------------

Kind of shocked I got a clean set of shoulder presses @160, but pretty juiced about it. Really knocked the shit out of my shoulders tho, as the last set demos. Moved the rear delt stuff up in order, as it had been closing for far too long and they should get more attention. Also why I did a rear set of the cables, see how that felt (actually, pretty fucking awesome...); Think I'll add a set there and do front/rear/front/rear for a while.

On tris, again following House's advice to rotate decline/incline/flat - this was incline week and did a little experimenting with the angle on a HS adjustable bench. Thought 3 notches down worked better than 2 notches. By the time I got to the DB Exts, tris were close to dead, but swole and hard.

Waiting on the EZ-Bar Curls until I have absolutely clean 75's before I up it - no cheating! :-)

I'm doing a lot of shoulder stretching between press sets, and that seems to help a lot - adds a few mins to the over all, tho - 75 mins today.

Whatever was bugging me a couple of weeks ago, it's gone now - can't wait for Legs Tuesday. Should be getting the Animal Pump I ordered, too - that should be interesting!

grishaxxx
01-06-11, 8:56 pm
LEG DAY rolls around again!

I changed the order of exercises this time, partly because L ham is still in rehab mode and partly because I was interested in the effect of working hams (one @ a time) + leg exts as prep for the V-Squat & Leg Press. Also lets me go straight from Leg Press to Calf Press on the same machine. Here's how it went:

1. One-Leg Curls [Flex Hamflexor]
40x10 (R)/20x10 (L); 30x10 (R)/20x10 (L); 30x7+20x5 (R)/20x8 (L)
...so L side is coming back. Full ROM is TOUGH on this mother.

2. Leg Exts
145x10; 160x10; 145x12

3. HS V-Squat [just noticed to day - & how do I miss this shit??? - that unloaded start is 54 lbs, so that should b added retroactively to older posts. I did NOT suddenly get that much stronger - LOL]
199x10 (w-up); 364x10; 364x9; 344x10

4. Leg press
415x10; 435x10; 435x12
..still tresting this one out - I'll go heavier next time.

5. Calf Press
370x21 (strt); 370x21 (in); 370x20 (out) - fucking dead after these!

6. Seated Calf
115x15; 115x13; 115x13 (again, 3 foot positions)

-----------------
Abs - few sets crunches to zen out
-----------------
On the sqts/presses, did stretches between each set. Got pretty light-headed at times, but it was good. This was first session with Animal Pump, and while it will take some more to confirm it, felt surprisingly sharp afterward. See how I am TOMORROW - that the real deal! LOL

weigh-in was 181, btw. Hope that means I'm out of the slide.

smoothballer
01-06-11, 9:01 pm
Someone is gonna be hobbling for a few days...

grishaxxx
01-07-11, 1:05 am
...or stalking about like Gollum (Cf. Mr. Dead's Sequel Thread) - LOLLL Then again, they're going all Hellraiser over there, too - must be the blood rushing South....!!!

grishaxxx
01-08-11, 1:03 am
Someone is gonna be hobbling for a few days...

I think you might be right, bro - LOL - could feel 'em tightening up all day - calves are gonna be sore to the bone when I wake up Sat, but we LAUGH at that kinda PAIN, don't we? BWAHAHAHAHAAA! :-)

grishaxxx
01-13-11, 1:28 am
Today's Back session:

1. Wide-Grip Chins (mach.)
(-30)x4/(-40)x4/(-50)x2; (-40)x6/(-50)x4; (-50)x8; (-50)x4/(-60)x3

2. Lat Pulldowns (close-grip)
125x8; 120x9; 115x8/100x3

3. HS Hi-Row:
73(ps)x10; 73(ps)x10; 73(ps)x10

4. HS Lo-Row:
83(ps)x8; 74ps)x9; 63(ps)x9

5. Shrugs: [Body Masters PS500 Shoulder Shrug]
140x9; 90x11; 90x15

6. Hyperexts:
+10x13; +10x7/BWx6; +10x10/bwx5

-----------------------------------------
Notes:
Been TOO FUCKING LONG since the last Back Day - and I was set to really attack today, too, so disappointed it didn't go better. I'm kind of against the notion of making resolutions (I think the goals and targets and such should ALWAYS be there, moving forward, dynamic...), but if I was making one now, it would be to fucking tighten up my schedule and be on special guard against delays and interruptions. This Journey will damn me if I don't make good on that, as it should, so watch this space for my accountability!

However, it wasn't all shitty, and in the case of the hyperexts I was trying to avoid a "boing" that was threatening this last Sat/Sun - happens on rare occasions, and definitely wanted to escape it. Expected to go for +20s otherwise, so I'm pissed about it. LOL

I am fucking going to do BW wide-grip chins for reps in the next 5 months, or die trying.

Weigh in was 179.6 - and I thought I was eating like a horse, too - must be wrong! Got to be more systematic about that, too. I've got to say, though, that it is not just my progress in the last 11 months, but hanging around here in the F O R V M that is giving me a new level of seriousness about this game, and I've never loved it so much, either.

Next iron Contest, I'll be ready!!!

smoothballer
01-13-11, 8:22 am
Looking good bro. You got the dedication so your goals will come in time with all the hard work you are putting in.

grishaxxx
01-14-11, 9:37 am
Thanks, my brother - I shouldn't bitch too much, 'cause I was still pumped and tight the day after, so maybe I hit 'em hard(er) than I thought. One of the rewards of working Back, I guess....LOL - Anyway, feel pulled together and ready for Chest tomorrow. I will prevail!

And, hey, I should note that I was taking as fast a pace as possible - close to 30 secs between sets - like you have been doing. Energy was good all the way thru (I'm doing Pump pre-workout now), but reps suffered, I guess. Fuck, I learn something new every session - good, bad or indifferent - and that's how we make progress.

Now, if I can just pack in some more FOOD.....:-)

grishaxxx
01-18-11, 10:52 pm
1. Incline Press:
90x10 (w-up); 140x10; 160x10 (PR); 140x8
2. DB Presses - Flat:
40x10; 40x6/35x4; 40x3/35x3; 35x8
3. Dips:
(-20)x10; (-20)x8/(-30)x2; (-30)x10
4. Incline DB Flyes
20x10; 20x10; 20x8
5. Cable Crosses
40x10; 45x4/40x5; 40x8/35x4; 30x10
---------
Abs
---------
40 mins total on Chest - tried to keep the pace fast. Happy about wts on the earlier exercises, less so on the DB Presses - may switch around, tho I want to keep upper pecs as highest priority. [Also, didn't need a spot on the DB Presses, as I thought I would last time - just tricky to handle yet.] Dips aren't suffering, in any case. Hope I'm sore as hell next couple of days - really tried to keep focus on the pecs and spare my front delts, get teh full squeeze & stretch, etc.

Weigh-in - 181.2 - at least not sliding any further down! LOL

Shoulder/Guns on Thursday (another day off).

smoothballer
01-19-11, 8:12 am
Congrats on the PR bro! Some great work is being done in here.

grishaxxx
01-19-11, 8:42 am
Shukin was right, bro - you be everywhere, Dr. SB....LOL - thanks for the support! :-)

grishaxxx
01-21-11, 12:45 am
Weigh-in - 179.8

SHOULDERS

1. Hammer Shoulder Press:
100x10 (w-up); 170x2/150x6; 140(R)/130(L)x10; 120x9

2. One-Arm Cable Raises:
40x10 (front); 30x10 (rear); 35x10 (front)

3. Reverse Pec Deck:
90x10; 90x10; 100x5/90x2/80x2

4. Side Laterals:
25x6/20x4; 25x2/20x8; 20x10
------------------
ARMS
A. Tris -
1. Skulls [Flat]:
60x11; 60x7/55x3; 60x5/55x4

2. Tri Pushdowns:
50x6/40x4; 40x7/30x3; 30x14

3. DB Tri Exts:
20x6/17x5; 17x9; 17x10

B. Bis -
1. EZ Bar Standing Curls
75x10; 75x10; 75x8

2. Incline Hammers:
25x4/20x6; 25x3/20x5; 20x7+2+2 (RP)

3. Conc. Curls:
25x10; 25x10; 20x11
--------------
Abs
---------------------------------------------------------------
75 mins.

Notes: Well, the 170 press was a PR, if only for 2, and I held up much better this time than last. Careful to stretch between sets, but obviously L-side is a little weaker and, for the first time, I accommodated that w/ a full set with diff wts on each side. Hope that brings the bastard up.
Think shoulders were still feeling it from Chest on Tuesday.
AS WERE TRIS - fuckers burned up early, IMO. In fact, I was pretty wiped by the end, altogether, tho got an awesome pump and feel great now.

I may not be gaining poundage, but I am definitely leaning out and adding muscle, so I can't complain. As for diet, I am consistently getting 4 clean meals, but fitting in a 5th has been haphazard and tough to accomplish, esp at work. May pack makings of an extra shake, which I can drink at my workstation. Not ideal (I'd prefer Real Food), but probably necessary.

Got a 6-day work stretch now, and challenge is to not drop or move a single session. Means pre-dawns, for sure - grrrrrrrrrr

smoothballer
01-21-11, 9:10 am
Another workout another PR...Nice! You got this bro!

grishaxxx
01-22-11, 2:15 am
Another workout another PR...Nice! You got this bro!

"You're stronger than you think you are...," said Vinny - I fuckin' know it's true, but it's been a long time since I tried to find out How Much - LOLLL Telling you, Bro, I'm as surprised as anyone that I am making PR's like this. So much of this effort is in your MIND, anyway - I got back into the game last year, in part, because of confidence gains in other parts of my life, but one thing feeds another (positively, as well as negatively), and, fuck, if you're on the upswing, TAKE THE ADVANTAGE, right?
It will be only one more month, to the day, that I landed in Tucson and - same week - started conditioning to get back to real gym time. Took three months to find a good job (to support the habit, if you will :-)), and that prep paid off hugely once I was ready. Just had to build on it. And while I haven't been as disciplined in every regard as I would have liked (and still am not!), I train, eat, sleep in an entirely different way now from what I was doing a year ago, to my great advantage. It'll get better, too, as I pull all the training factors into my life - no-brainer, really.
We're all maniacs, I guess - LOL - world should be glad!

grishaxxx
02-28-11, 3:26 am
Which is already making too much of it, but ya got to face up to being debilitated, brightside it for recovery time (and really THINK about the Aftermath/Return to Form!).

Anyway, I know I've lost some weight, but kept the lean and the vascularity, so I'm ready to step up for some bulking the next 12 weeks - get back in with some HiVol/Retrain sessions (have been following deload progs from various bros with intense interest......). Good to see while nearly everybody's been challenged with shit in the last couple of months, everyone's also rebounded to new heights and new realities. Fuck Yeah, Bros!!!

Anyway, new layout and stats and numbers by Tuesday.
o
---------

One thing else - looking for new digs in the next 6-8 weeks here in Tucson, and anyone with references or referrals, let me know. Be good to sign on with a household where bros take training seriously.