A journal I hope to stick with

[rangers97]

ok it's been a while but I am now on a mission...my mission is to just try to stay on the same routine and see what the hell happens. Firehawk usually calls me out since I change routines as much as I change my underwear lately, and also pointed out to me that my lifts are basically going in circles right now, so it;s time to cut the crap and stick with one routine and see where it gets me...and the routine of choice is a modified max-ot program....modified in the sense that I made up the routine myself, but I am following the principles---the 4-6 reps per set, once per week per bodypart, and all the rest parameters.

At the same time I am also dropping some calories from my diet in the hope of becoming more cut for the summer. I am one of those guys that is basically ripped all over but has some belly fat?? huh?? how the hell does that happen anyway? But it's time to try to lose the fat. I made it up to 200 lbs, which was a goal, so now it's time to back off for the summer, if I can slowly get down to 190 while maintaining my strength and my gym numbers, I will be happy...then in the fall I can go back up to 200 and above. This won't be a strict "cut", just dropping some calories from the diet--for example, instead of a 12" blimpie turkey sub for lunch, I will get a 6 inch with double meat--save some carb calories there...

ok here comes the lifts, I will just start with yesterdays workout, 6/6/05 and go on from here. wish me luck and I give everyone permission to seriously kick my ass if I change routines again!!

6/6/05
legs
squats to parallel 280x6,6,5

stiff leg deads 135x6,6,6 (going light to really get the form down, then I will slowly increase again)

leg press 415x6,5 (slow reps, knees touching chest)

hamstring curl 130x6,6

no calf work as I figure my calfs will get nailed from the HIIT that I will be doing twice a week on my off days...I tried it last week for fun with only 4 sprints, and my calves were so sore, much more sore than any workout I could give them with weights--it is a brutal cardio!

[rangers97]

6/7/05

db shoulder presses 85x6,6,6

cable side laterals 40x6,6

reverse pec dec machine 110x8,7

db curls 60x6,6

bb curls 110x6,6

very good workout, my gym was hot as balls so it was tough to perform, but I managed and got through the workout...was very pleased with the bicep work, next week I am scheduled to go up to the 90lb dbs for shoulder press, I'm a bit nervous about that, but we'll worry about that next week Anyway, things are still progressing, so all is well

[rangers97]

6/9/05

chest/tris

bench press (pinkies on rings) 275x5,4,4

thats for you firehawk, lol,. I have always seemed to be stuck at 265 so I decided to throw caution to the wind and try the 275. not too bad for no spotter right? i figured you have to progress and why not just try it? so next week i will keep the 275 and go for more reps

incline press machine 180x4 135x6

i didnt like this machine too much, it was weird to use, but i wanted to do an incline move...however I have something wrong with my shoulder that makes doing regular incline presses next to impossible, so i need to be creative...anyone got any ideas for incline moves that won't bother a bum shoulder? i wont be doing this machine any more

dips bodyweight + 90 x6,6,6

had worked up to 100, but that was doing dips first on a separate day, so this ain't too bad for being the 3rd exercise

pec dec 160x6

why i did this i dont know...no more pec dec

next week i might try to add tricep pushdowns if my elbows hold up, the 275 bench kinda strained my elbows and they are a bit sore now as i type a few hours later. i think i need to focus on more rear shoulder and back work, maybe that will help my shoulder problem, so i may add an extra day of reverse pec dec one day during the week, probably on shoulder day on tuesday and back day on friday. maybe i have a front imbalance in my shoulder development and that is what is screwing up my shoulder...

todays bodyweight....198
am doing a 2 week test to see if i lose some weight with a new diet i came up with.

[rangers97]

ok I missed a couple of days in here, so here is the catchup...

fri 6/10/05

weighted pullups bodyweight + 10 x6,7,6

db rows 100x6,6

t-bar rows 135+bar x 6,6

close grip pulldowns 180x6,6

shrugs (with trap bar) 180+bar x 8,8,8

Does anyone know what the trap bar weighs?????

sat& sun off--had a wedding--probably messed me up real good from the drinking and the eating and the lack of sleeping, but we warriors press on anyway...

mon 6/13/05

squats to parallel 280x6,6,6

stiff leg dead lifts 145x6,6

leg press 420+sled x 6,6

ham curls 140x6,3 --felt a twinge in my left leg behind the knee so I terminated the set...no problems so far today from that pain, hopefully it was nothing and I will be ok for next week

[rangers97]

6/14/05

ok falling apart!! I don't know what the hell I did but as I was completing my warmups for db shoulder presses as I was lowering the dbs down, I did something very bad to my back...it's on the left side, right next to the middle of my back...very deep feeling, hurts when I take a deep breath and when I bend over and reach out with my left arm...funny thing is, it doesn't feel like it would hurt on pullups or rows, deadlifts would probably hurt, but who knows...I just hope it is minor and goes away fast...

so needless to say, I had a very uninspiring workout after this occured..contemplated leaving like 5 times, but gutted it out and finished...heres what I did:

seated bb overhead press 135x8,8
was scared for my back so i went from dbs to barbell...tested my shoulder out since it usually bothers me on these but everything was ok today, maybe cause i went so light...liked the feel of this, will try it again next week *hopefully*

cable side laterals 40x8,8

reverse pec dec 110x8,8

db curls (wth twist in wrist) 65x5,4
Got a case of tendinitis i believe in my right elbow kinda like tennis elbow, on the outside of the arm/elbow and the twist really killed this problem...i should have stopped but I kept going...very painful now as I type. The initial movement from the down position is what aggrivated it...pulling in the hammer position is a no no for me right now, why i dont' do hammer curls, even though I love them...next week I will just try to do the db curl with my palms facing forward/up the whole time, like a barbell curl, just with dbs

bb curls 115x6,6

strange thing is, I went up on both bicep exercises, even with the bum elbow and pulled back muscle thing

[rangers97]

thurs 6/16

bench press (ring fingers on rings) 275x5,4,3

cable side laterals 40x8,8,8

weighted dips bodyweight + 95 x6,6,6

reverse pec dec 120x6,5,5


bench went down?? from last week by one rep in the 3rd set...i am not going to sweat it, i am still lifting 275 and it is hard as hell, plus i have no spotter so i need to be real careful. but i was redeemed with the dips as i went up 5 lbs from last week and completed all my reps, next dip day i will try +100.

[Firehawk]

I'm closing the gap. You better keep going. Nice adjustment on the hand placement (I saw your comment ).

Nice numbers yo.

I'm at 240 for 3x3 this week and climbing. I think the last time i talked to you about our benches I was at 215 or something. The weight is definitely getting heavier and heavier. I can feel it.

[rangers97]

hey 240 is nothing to sneeze at....considering how long I have been training vs. how long you have been training, you are way ahead of me dude, keep it up...I mean I have been training for a good 7-8 years solid now, just goes to show you how messed up I am in the head, lol, that I can't keep something solid and build on it. So for me, just using 275 is a small accomplishment, but I won't stop till I hit 300 for my working sets. Could I do 300 now? I have no doubt, but I don't really test my maxes, so I don't know how much over 300 I could go, but I just want to get my working weights up to 300, then my next goal would be to use 3 plates a side for reps...

I think I am going to go ring finger on the rings from now on...believe it or not, middle finger on the rings hurts my shoulders, amazing how such a small distance causes so much more pain. Pinkies on the ring is the best for my shoulder, but I feel it too much in my tris when I do it...the ring finger is a good balance between the two, so that will be my placement...my close grip placement is pinkies about 2 inches inside of the rings--that is the best close grip groove for ME that I have found, I can really work it there...

Fridays workout--been slacking with the journal
6/17
incline smith bench press 180+bar x 9, 200+bar x6
how much does the smith bar actually weigh? Anyone know? I know it's not 45 like an oly bar, but does anyone know?

i found the by really squeezing my shoulder blades together, there was absolutely no pain in my shoulders...I was amazed...a simple little thing that I was neglecting made a world of difference

pullups bodyweight + 15 x 6,6

close grip bench 245x6,5

db rows 100x8,8

cable rows 200x6,6

[rangers97]

monday 6/20

squats to parallel 275x8,7

bb curls 115x7,6

leg press calf press 270x10,10

cable side laterals 50x6,6

shrugs 275x6,5 lost the bar half way through! Gotta work on my grip strength I guess, lol

[Firehawk]

i just want all my big lifts to be somewhere where most peopole aren't, and where it takes alot of training to get to, like a 365+ bench, squat over 500 and dead over 600.

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

I'm closing the gap. You better keep going. Nice adjustment on the hand placement (I saw your comment ).

Nice numbers yo.

I'm at 240 for 3x3 this week and climbing. I think the last time i talked to you about our benches I was at 215 or something. The weight is definitely getting heavier and heavier. I can feel it.

do you like doing the 3x3 only? what are the benefits to this as opposed to doing sets to 6, 7, or even 8 reps? I recently started doing only 2 working sets to positive failure for each exercise and I am doing a "total" method before I increase the weight..I need to hit 15 reps TOTAL in the 2 sets before I up the weight....so this means I can hit 7, 8, or even 9 reps in the first set on some lifts. Am I defeating the purpose I am trying to achieve by doing this? Strength and size? Take my 275 bench. Last week I managed 5 reps in the 1st set and 4 in the second. This week I would hope to get 6 or 7 in the first set and at least 5 in the second. By doing this total method of 15, I will be at 275 for at least another 3 weeks I would guess before I hit 15. Now as long as the reps DO go up, I am happy, but am I better off (for strength AND size gain wise) to just try 280 this week and see what I get?

I also ordered 1 1/4 lb plates last week, when I get them I am hoping that they will be a great tool to use....so instead of the jump from 275-280, I can go to 277.5 and hopefully those smaller increments will keep my gains coming.

but i am interested in what you think about my rep schemes...waste of time, or good idea? I can see it working for the big lifts your 3x3 scheme, but I just can't see doing a 3x3 on the cable lateral raise, lol

[Klinger]

I like the PL method of doing singles, doubles and triples for the main lifts and then doing your supplemental lifts -- like raises, chins, etc. -- in the 4-10 range.

You're right - there is something odd about doing 3-rep sets of pushdowns, for example.

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by Klinger

I like the PL method of doing singles, doubles and triples for the main lifts and then doing your supplemental lifts -- like raises, chins, etc. -- in the 4-10 range.

You're right - there is something odd about doing 3-rep sets of pushdowns, for example.

i know the 1, 2, and 3 rep sets can get you very strong....how do they do in terms of how you will look? My goals have always been to get "stronger" however recently I am obsessing more and more on size and how I look, I guess cause it's summer time

[Klinger]

Originally Posted by rangers97

i know the 1, 2, and 3 rep sets can get you very strong....how do they do in terms of how you will look? My goals have always been to get "stronger" however recently I am obsessing more and more on size and how I look, I guess cause it's summer time

Well, speaking just for me, triples and singles have helped me add tons of mass in just two months. In mid-April, I increased my cals to ~3,000 a day, switched to a PL-style routine and went from roughly 169 to 180. I added some fat along with that muscle, but I'm mostly happy with the change. I still do4-8 reps for stuff like rows, SLDL, etc.

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by Klinger

Well, speaking just for me, triples and singles have helped me add tons of mass in just two months. In mid-April, I increased my cals to ~3,000 a day, switched to a PL-style routine and went from roughly 169 to 180. I added some fat along with that muscle, but I'm mostly happy with the change. I still do4-8 reps for stuff like rows, SLDL, etc.

how much strength did you gain in those 2 months with the PL routine?