a_welch503 WORKOUT JOURNAL - Page 26

**.V.** · 12-Jan-05, 11:44 AM

01-12-2005

Started back today.

Legs

Squats..........220x3x4
SLDL............220x3x4
Calf Raise......260x3x4

During warm up and acclimation for squats - I was adding 20 lb at a time and did 250 x1 then did my first set with this - I realized it was a little heavy and then counted the weight saw how much it was. I dropped down to 220 so that I wouldn't be going too heavy on my first day back.

On the calf raise - I could have went heavier, but since I am squatting it out of the rack for the first rep of each set, I only went with 260. My temporary wooden rack that I made is too close to the wall and I was afraid I would not be able to get 290 up from there.

There was just a little twinge of pain while doing the SLDL where the back was hurt at, but it was not too bad and did not interfere with the workout. I will add weight slowly so that I don't re-injure it.

My new weight bench/lat tower/squat rack combo is too big for my bar. I only have a 5' standard bar - I'm going to have to buy a 7' bar but can't find a 7' standard - I will have to go to olympic - that means buying all new plates. That is going to run almost $300.00 - it will be next month until I can afford that. I am going to the welding shop today to see if they can fix me up with something to work until then. - maybe extend my old bar or something. I'm also going to have them build me a regular squat cage so that I can do my shrugs and squats in it.

gcs118 · 12-Jan-05, 01:34 PM

Glad to have ya back in action! Looks pretty darn good for all that time off.

**.V.** · 12-Jan-05, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gcs118

Glad to have ya back in action! Looks pretty darn good for all that time off.

No it don't look very good - but thanks for the kind words. It WILL get good though.

gcs118 · 12-Jan-05, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a_welch503

No it don't look very good - but thanks for the kind words. It WILL get good though.

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

From last time ^

Squats..........220x3x4
SLDL............220x3x4
Calf Raise......260x3x4

From this time ^

You said you took 2-3 weeks off I think it was. I wouldn't say you did bad at all, plus you said calf raises you should have gone heavier. You went down 10 lbs, big deal it's like having an off day.

**.V.** · 12-Jan-05, 09:33 PM

Well, that's a more encouraging way to look at it.

**.V.** · 13-Jan-05, 11:54 AM

01-13-2005

Arms

BB Curls.............100x3x4
Skull Crushers........90x3x4
Preacher Curls........30x3x4
Cable pressdown.......80x3x4

I tried with heavier weights and worked my way down to something that I could get 4 reps with good form. While doing all of these except preachers it felt like I wasn't even working until rep #4 and I realized that I couldn't possibly get another one.

Preacher curls are hard. I had to change back and forth between 25 and 30 pounds until I got the form just right. Couldn't even get one rep with 40 lb. I know that too much isolation is not good for strength training - but the standing alternating db curls just werent working out for me - so I will try these for a while. I may end up going back to concentration curls - hell they worked for Arnold didn't they.

gcs118 · 13-Jan-05, 12:02 PM

I hear ya on the preacher curls. I do them sitting with the EZ curl bar and they are definitely harder than any other curl I do. Luckily I am not too concerned with my performance in that department

**.V.** · 13-Jan-05, 12:08 PM

How do they work that way for you? I'm doing them one arm at a time with dumbells. Because of the MS I have some problems with the left arm and I give it a little extra work so that it doesn't fall too far behind.

I have this fear of walking around with one big popeye arm and one little skinny pee wee arm.

Reminds me of the joke about the penis enlargement cream - one guy said I'm thinking about buying some, think it works? The other guy said - if it did, everyone would be walking around with one big mickey mouse hand.

Don't really want to look that way either.

gcs118 · 13-Jan-05, 12:34 PM

lol I wouldn't worry about one huge arm and one tiny arm. At my gym there is a special "bench" for doing preacher curls. There is an adjustable seat with a sloped pad in front to rest your elbows on and do the curling. Something similar to http://www.dynabody.com/hgym/preacher.htm

**.V.** · 13-Jan-05, 07:43 PM

Looked at the pic - my new setup has something similar. I just do one arm at a time on it though. I do them both together with my standing bb curls.

**.V.** · 15-Jan-05, 01:02 PM

01-15-2005

Shoulders

Mil Press........80x3x6
Upright Row.....110x3x4
DB Press.........30x3x6
Front Shrugs....210x3x4
Rear Shrugs.....210x3x4

Some things were very good, some were not so good today.

I tried the military press from the front today - it was awkward, but I think I might be able to press more weight that way. The angle on this seems a little different and I don't know if it hits the delts as well as behind the neck, but I am going to give it a fair try. The weight is pretty low - but I don't plan on getting hurt again. I'm going to start low and work my way back up.

DB shoulder press - I lowered the weight some and it felt pretty easy, I will go back up next time.

Shrugs - front and back - really sucked - felt pressure in my back where the muscle injury was - only did 210 - and I think that was too much - I could shrug the weight without too much trouble, but it was awkward getting it unracked and reracked - next time I will drop the weight some more and work on better form and control with this one.

I got the new bar made - it feels pretty light so I won't be counting the weight of the bar with how much I'm lifting, I don't even know what it weighs.

gcs118 · 15-Jan-05, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a_welch503

I got the new bar made - it feels pretty light so I won't be counting the weight of the bar with how much I'm lifting, I don't even know what it weighs.

You made a new bar? Is it like a standard straight barbell or something unique/special?

**.V.** · 15-Jan-05, 03:00 PM

The standard bar is 5' long about 1" diameter. The olympic bar is 7" long and much bigger in diameter. This one is 7' long and 1" diameter. It is made of steel. But pretty light - feels lighter than the original 5' 1" standard bar. The 5' bar that I have with the screw on collars was 10 lb. This one weighs less. It should do OK until I can save up the money to get a full olympic set.

gcs118 · 16-Jan-05, 09:49 AM

When you are talking about bar length, is it the length of the bar itself where you can hold on to, or does it also include the extensions for the weights?

**.V.** · 16-Jan-05, 11:15 AM

It is just a steel bar that is 7' long from one end to the other - just small enough in diameter to fit through the holes in the plates. Oddly enough, it is lighter in weight than the 5' long bar with the 35" grip area and the threaded ends that the weights and threaded collars go on. It must be a lighter gauge steel than the other bars. The test will come on leg day to see if it holds up to the calf raises.