a_welch503 WORKOUT JOURNAL

[gcs118]

Originally Posted by SurfinAmy

Hey, remember these lifts??? Lot of progress :
-Amy

You have come a LONG way! Geez. And about the spotter thing, the only lift I really am not comfortable doing alone is heavy bench. Squats I use the power rack so that isn't an issue, and skull crushers I can lower behind my head to the floor.

[.V.]

I get pinned on the bench all the time - no worries getting out of that one - the thing that scares me is the skull crushers - not the heavy sets - the heavier singles - If my left side suddenly collapses - there I am with a mashed head. Amy - thx for reminding me - I feel like I've gone nowhere - but a look back tells me where I really was. There is still a long way to go, but it will eventually happen.

[Firehawk]

Originally Posted by a_welch503

I get pinned on the bench all the time - no worries getting out of that one - the thing that scares me is the skull crushers - not the heavy sets - the heavier singles - If my left side suddenly collapses - there I am with a mashed head. Amy - thx for reminding me - I feel like I've gone nowhere - but a look back tells me where I really was. There is still a long way to go, but it will eventually happen.

I guess this might depend on how comfortable you are and how long your arms are, but when I do skullcrushers i actually bring the weight down behind my head. It gives a better stretch. If i try to touch my forehead or something it feels uncomfortable, but I have long arms and that could be why.

I get pinned on the bench sometimes, i just tilt the plates off, no worries. What are you supposed to do, not go heavy cause you have no spotter? Just be smart about it and you will be fine.

[.V.]

12-11-2004

Shoulders

Military Press..........100x2x6, 1x5
Upright Rows..........120x2x6, 1x5
Seated DB Press..............30x3x6
Rear Shrugs............230x1x4, 2x5
Front Shrugs...........230x1x4, 2x5

Happy with today's workout. The left side is still weak - but getting a little better. My arms were still trashed from yesterday's workout - maybe they will grow a little now. I did manage to make some improvement in every lift today - this is what made me happy. I was a little worried about making it on the military press because the left arm was wanting to lag behind and not lock out - but I just led with it, went slowly enough to keep control and got a 1 rep improvement over last time. It felt heavier than last time, but I made it. Well, I have to answer a few e-mails asking for some computer and dvd burning help - then it's off to bed early so I can sleep of the soreness and hopefully GROW. (Or at least get a little stronger).

[.V.]

12-12-2004

Back

Pull Ups.................40x3x5
Conventional DL.........250x3x4
Bent Over Row...........170x3x5

Good workout today. Got ALL the way up to my chest with the pull ups - I thought I could get 6 - but on #6 of each set I could only get my eyes above the bar. Still an improvement over last time though. I actually improved on each exercise today - met each goal. It is odd - on the BOR the 170 felt light after DL 250 (but only for the first couple of reps - then it felt heavy. I could have possibly gotten 3x6 but did not want to risk injury and put myself behind again - maybe I am learning to push it far enough without going too far now. My left side is being pretty cooperative now too. Tomorrow is just Abs - becuase it is a work day - I will see day after tomorrow how cooperative it really is when it is chest day again.

[.V.]

12-14-2004

Abs

Crunches..............3x40
Leg Raises............3x40
Side Bends.......50x3x10

This was my first ever abdominal only workout. Just like everything else - a day to concentrate just on abs instead of doing them after being worn out from something else sure lets me put way more intensity into the workout. It was a very intense workout today. The fact that I've not done abs in a couple of weeks may have contributed to how painful it was too.

The callus on the sacrum that keeps from getting raw and sore from the leg raises has softened up - I dread going through the next week or two of getting it back. That is what I deserve for oversleeping on work day and not doing abs that morning for the last couple of weeks. I guess I need to get to bed a little sooner on the night before I work.

I don't know if the side bends are of any benefit or not. I remember doing them many years ago - because all the big guys in the old gym did them - they said they strengthened the obliques and made them more stable for squats and deads. I did them standing upright with 50 lb in each hand and leaned sideways until the weight was below the knee then straightened back up. I didn't feel much of anything while doing them - maybe I need to use more weight or do higher volume. Perhaps I need to pick a different oblique exercise. I'll probably give them a couple of weeks and see what happens.

[abarlament]

Side bends are worthless. You should try incorporating some flutter kicks in there, I hate those things...

[gcs118]

Originally Posted by abarlament

Side bends are worthless.

I disagree. After the first time of doing them, my obliques were very sore for days. They're definitely not the only thing I'd do for obliques, but it's easy to go heavy with these.

[Klinger]

Originally Posted by a_welch503

I did them standing upright with 50 lb in each hand and leaned sideways until the weight was below the knee then straightened back up. I didn't feel much of anything while doing them - maybe I need to use more weight or do higher volume.

There's the problem - just hold a DB in one hand. The other hand should be free. Now, using just your trunk (obliques, abs, lower back), lower the weight to above knee level, then reverse course so the DB-less hand is now at knee level. Repeat.

They really are an OK exercise. I like doing them heavy at the end of an ab workout. Maybe two sets of 8-12.

[.V.]

Thanks for the input - you guys have pretty much summed up what I've heard before. That a. they are good. or b. they are worthless. I will try them one handed next time - and likely go with more weight - apparently 50 wasn't enough. If they work, I will keep doing them - if after a couple of weeks they do nothing - I will try something else.

[abarlament]

Something better you could try are waiter walks. Take a dumbell, put it an arms length above your head, and go walk around with it (think farmers walks). Good for the whole side of your body.

[.V.]

Lots of good ideas here. I might try this or the flutter kicks if the other thing doesn't work. Thanks.

[.V.]

12-15-2004

Chest

BB Bench Press..............155x3x6
DB Bench Press..........60x2x5, 1x4
BB Bench Singles...........160, 165

I woke up this morning with jello legs - I'm glad it was chest day. I finally got 155 for the full 3x6 today - I will go up to 160 next time. I almost got 170 up when I did the singles - just could not quite go all the way with it. But I was very happy about one thing. Always before - my reps have been super slow - not by choice - I always put 100% effort and all the power I have into each rep - they just move slowly. Today for the first time - I was able to do the bench press explosively from the bottom they way I keep hearing everyone talk about - and still had control at the top and on the way back down - I kept the negative pretty slow. I didn't want to lose control and mash my chest.

[.V.]

12-16-2004

Legs

Squats..........230x3x4
SLDL.............230x3x4
Calf Raises.....290x3x4

The legs still did not feel right today - but they cooperated with the plan. I increased weight on everything today. I will work on reps next time. The left one is still the problem. I felt as if I could go heavier on SLDL, but didn't because I want to keep them even. Then on rep four of set 3 I realized that I would not have finished if I had went heavier - so I guess I'm using the right weight for now. I did take the risk of falling and went a little past parallel today on squats - it was a little wobbly I will keep trying to go as deep as my balance will let me. The advice I got on SLDL form last week has paid off - with my knees bent slightly - I could really feel it in my hamstrings and my jiggly old butt instead of my lower back. It is an old back so I need to take care of it you know. But I wonder if I should alternate between sets with truly stiff legs and slightly bent knees to work the low back a little and keep it strong or just let the CDL take care of the back. Oh well, I will eventually figure it out. I was very pleased with myself on the standing calf raise today. I need to go to 300 next week - but don't have enough big plates - I had 6 25s, 8 10s, and an assortment of 5s and 2 1/2s on the bar - I have 4 more 3 pound plates - but no where to put them. I think a trip to the weight store will be in order after Christmas is over. My next leg day is 2 days before christmas - if I can find a way to use some chains to put the extra 12 on the bar, I'll do it, if not, I'll just go for more reps.

Yesterday after the good chest workout I got busy and forgot to eat lunch. Then we went to a Christmas dinner at work. My friend the ER Doc who also works out was there and while we were waiting our turn in the buffet line he said, "are you ready to cheat"? He cheated, but I did not. There was no need. We had ham, roast beef, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower. I hope I ate enough to make up for skipping lunch but not so much as to get fat. I can still see my abs today so I think it will be OK.

Everyone thought I was cheating when I ate two pieces of homemade chocolate pie, but I didn't tell them until they had finished it that I had sweetened it with splenda, made the crust with soy flour, and thickened it with egg protein powder instead of using cornstarch. I call it power pie - it was actually very good and everyone loved it - but said they will not eat my desserts anymore unless I tell them what is in it first. Then all these jerks I work with kept bring me mashed potatoes and gravy, starchy cassarole dishes, pieces of cake and sugary pie, I almost broke on the cheesecake but didn't.

[abarlament]

You can see your abs? Sweet..