a_welch503 WORKOUT JOURNAL

[Klinger]

See that - you can run when you put your body and mind to it. Nice job.

How do you like the lying DB triceps extensions? I did those early on in my WOs and always thought they were more effective than skullcrushers with the barbell.

[.V.]

I don't know if we are doing them exactly the same or not, but I really like them. I've done them before and they are a pretty good shaper and mass builder, but not near as good as a strength maker as the skull crushers - much better isolation, or too much isolation - depending on one's point of view.

[.V.]

08-16-2005

Shoulders
R. Shrugs.............270x6x3
F. Shrugs.............270x6x3
Mil Press.............115x6x3
Upright Row...........130x6x3
DB Mil Press.....50x3,2,2,1,1

Cardio - events kept me home today, couldn't get out for my run/walk - dammit.

Diet
M1.....2 whole eggs+2 whites, 3 oz sausage
M2.....PWO protein/dextrose/creatine shake
M3.....Tuna on salad
M4.....Meatloaf, salad
M5.....Will be a bedtime protein shake (going to need it tonight I think)

Totals: P-174g, C-65g, F-87, Cal-1739
Water: > 1 gallon

Comments
Lifting was great today. Improvements on every lift. I even got the 50lb dumbells up to DB MP with 6 times, just on the last one I couldn't actually push more than half way once it was up. But this is more with the DB's than I've managed to do to date. On the BB MP, I may have to repeat next week, I'm going to try for another 5 lb increase, but they were pretty heavy today - especially the last two sets. Came up a bit short on calories today, missing the 2nd PWO feeding really puts me short.

Looking forward to back day tomorrow - it will have to be late though, I've got to go work a few hours in the morning to cover EMS for the next county over from us, they have something happening that will take all of their units out of service so we are helping them out. I don't know if I should go heavy and do singles tomorrow, or do the 6x3 again like last week...I'll decide by tomorrow.

[gcs118]

I see you kicked the 115 lb MP in the butt this week. Great job Andy

[.V.]

Thanks Greg - it felt great too. Funny thing, my shoulders had been hurting for a couple of days right below the rotator, deep in the deltoid - on both sides. After some heavy shoulder work, they both felt good the rest of the day, still do.

Same thing with the lower back, starts to get stiff, some good heavy deadlifts this morning, loosened right up.

[.V.]

08-17-2005


Back
CDL..............150x10
..................180x8
..................210x3
..................250x1
..................270x1
..................290x1
..................300x1
................305x1.5
BOR.............180x6x3
P/U.......17,17,14,8=56

Cardio - damn other people messing me up. Had to stay home to keep an eye on my house today.

Diet
M1.....2 whole eggs+2 whites, 2 oz sausage
M2.....PWO Dextrose, creatine, protein shakes
M3.....chicken breast on salad
M4.....tuna on salad
M5.....chicken breast on salad
M6.....bedtime protein shake

Didn't have time to total up today. Pro/Carb/Fat are abuout like usual - except fat is cut in 1/2, only using 1 tbsp mayo on the salads instead of 2. If the fat loss slows, I'll add the fat back in.

Comments
OK, DL was 6x3 last week, went heavy with 305 this time. Got one pretty easy, smooth, no hitching, but slow. All the others went up pretty quickly and easily - even the 300. I posted the whole warmup and acclimation to see if I'm doing this right - weakness one time/heavy next. I thought I could do more at 305, but then just before time for the back to take over on the 2nd pull, the legs started to weaken and the back was taking over too soon. I put the weight down to prevent injury. Am I doing the pattern correctly? Opinions are welcome.

[gcs118]

Is that 305 by a single then a half rep later, or going for 2 in a row and missed rep two? I think you did way too much warming up. A simple 10x45, 5x135, 3x225, 1x275 would be all you need. Something like 10x45, 5x135, 3x185, 1x235, 1x270 would be alright too.

[maverick]

Originally Posted by a_welch503

Totals: P-174g, C-65g, F-87, Cal-1739

Man, I'd be dying with my carbs this low. I hope it working out well for you though.

Good muscular endurance exhibited in your pull-ups.

How much recovery are you getting between sets?

[Klinger]

The DL movement should be a smooth one. You don't want to 'hand off' the load from the legs to the lower back so much as have them work in unison. It's natural to feel the initial strain in your hams, but the lower back already should be engaged and prepped for a gradually increasing load during the middle/end parts of the pull. Hard to explain and probably harder to interpret my comment, I'm sure.

Sounds to me like your back is plenty strong. Time to work on those hams, Andy. Try deadlifting off a shallwo platform or a couple plates for a while. When doing that, I'd recommend lifting no more than 75-80 percent of your 1RM.

[.V.]

Plenty of helpful advice here, thanks.

The 305 was a single then a 2 minute rest. I rest from 2-3 minutes depending on what I'm doing. On back day, all rest times are 2 min.

When I DL, the low back is actually engaged the whole time, but the legs are doing most of the lifting from the bottom (when the butt is on the floor). Then as the bar gets above the knees, the low back is doing the most and the legs are just finishing straightening up. It does all work together though (does this make sense?).

My usual warmup is 10x50%, 8x60%, 3x90%, then the working sets. Today it was 50%,60%,then just 210. Are you saying I should do a lighter warmup one heavier acclimation single, and jump right to the 305 for singles instead of starting at 250 and working my way up?

Hamstrings are worked on leg day, that's what the SLDL and W I D E squats are for. Jaster and Firehawk explained the wide squats to me a while back, and they are really helping with the ham and butt strength. My weakness is quads - they are really bad - especially the left one.

On the lower carbs? I'm doing really well on that - sustained energy all day instead of ups and downs. I'm still spiking with dextrose after workouts - but it is smaller and seems to be working anyway. Most days, I get about 100g but yesterday, I missed a feeding. When I had a lot more bodyfat to live on, I did really well on only 20g a day for a year and a half.

[.V.]

08-19-2005

Chest
Flat Bench..............165x3x3
........................165x2x2
..........................165x1
Incline Bench Press.....155x6x3
Decline Bench Press.....155x6x3

Diet
M1.....2 oz sausage patties
M2.....2 protien bars (P-40,F-20,C-2). Had to eat, no way to cook.
M3.....PWO shake (P-40g, Dext 32g, other carbs 6g, F-5g).
M4.....Chicken breast on salad.
M5.....Bean burrito (too many carbs for cutting, but will possibly help lifting tomorrow), steak strips.

Water: < 1 gallon.

Comments
I decided today that doing the chest and abs on the same day is just too much, or it was today anyway. I'm going to try getting up earlier and working abs before work every 4th day instead of taking it off. Chest IS getting stronger, but not as much or as quickly as I'd like. On a happy note, weighed today and was 181 lb, 9 lb in 19 days. I hope it's just fat and not any muscle mass going away (just don't have muscle to spare). Hopefully the small strength increases are indicating that I'm not losing too much muscle.

Diet wasn't the best today, but it was pretty much unavoidable. No power for cooking, didn't want to open the fridge and let the cold that was still there get out and cause any food spoilage. Big ass tree on my house after last night's storm, crushed the car port, two lawnmowers, my kid's bike, back porch gone, grill destroyed, roof buckled. Awning gone off the front of the house. Gutters and drains ripped off both sides of the house. The thing is so big that it is hanging width wise to the ground on both sides of the house and the height of it was so big that it goes halfway back the length of the house and is still attached to the trunk where it split 40 feet away from the house. We now have power and internet, but no phone (how does that work, DSL through the phone line but no phone service?) Guess what my cardio will be tomorrow? Hint: The insurance company finally OK'd tree removal - after it was too late to start today. Oh well, after the damage is repaired, there is about 2 years worth of firewood there.

[.V.]

08-20-2005

Legs
Squat..........225x5x3
SLDL...........260x3x3
Calf Raise.....360x3x6

Cardio
Ran a chainsaw for 8 hours, cutting that tree off of my house. I can see most of the roof now. I don't know if this counts as cardio, but it is really hard and I'm not doing anything else tonight.

Diet
M1.....2 oz sausage, 2 eggs
M2.....PWO shake (40g pro, 32g dext, 5g fat)
M3.....Tuna on salad
M4.....Tuna on salad
M5.....Steak and broccoli.
M6.....Will be a bedtime protein shake

Water: almost two gallons.

Comments
Didn't get all 6 planned sets of squats today. Felt failure coming on after the 5th set. I thought I'd give 3x3 a try on the SLDL. Everyone keeps telling me that 6x3 is too much volume for most lifts. I still don't understand why it is good for bench but nothing else. If 3x6 is good, why not 6x3. Anyway, I gave it a try and if I'm stronger next week, I'll adapt my workout accordingly. I may have to drop the weight a bit on the calf raises and go for higher volume. With my 360lb lift + my BW of 181, the floor is creaking under me when I'm up on the balls of my feet. I don't really want to fall through.

[threenorns]

aw, but think of the excitement if you did! for once, you could be on the receiving end of emergency ministrations, lol.

seriously, wtg - numbers looking good, particularly if you ran a chainsaw after - that's brutal ugly work, taking down a tree in bits!

[gcs118]

Yeah I did a lot of chainsaw/tree removal work earlier this summer. It definitely counts as cardio!