Back to the Beginning--A New Journal

[Klinger]

Between CG bench and those heavy dips you do I doubt you need an iso exercise for your tris anyway, man. Nice work on this program - your totals are really taking off.

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by Klinger

Between CG bench and those heavy dips you do I doubt you need an iso exercise for your tris anyway, man. Nice work on this program - your totals are really taking off.

thanks man, you are right, things are definitely going up, so far so good...

My tris are pretty strong, although I know when I used to do tricep iso movements that I got a bit more size in them, but I can't complain with what I do on the compounds so it's all good...:

[rangers97]

March 21 -- Legs

Squats
275 x 6
275 x 6
275 x 5
ok, maybe dropping the deads for squats wasn't the best idea, lol...these were hard as $hit...it is definitely not getting any easier, and next week would technically be a weight increase, but we'll see how I feel. I might pull an Andy and repeat the same weight to try to get it a bit easier Damn I hate that I neglected training legs for so long ...how the hell can holding 275 over my head as in a bench press feel light compared to 275 being supported by the biggest muscles in your body???:confused:

Barbell Lunges
145 x 6
145 x 6
At least these are improving...

Leg Curls
115 x 6
115 x 6
115 x 6

[rangers97]

March 22 -- Shoulders/Abs

DB Shoulder Press
75 x 6
75 x 6
75 x 6

Upright Rows
135 x 6
135 x 6
135 x 6

Bent over laterals
40 x 8
40 x 8
40 x 8

Decline Crunches
+25 x 10
+25 x 8

uneventful but solid workout :

[rangers97]

March 23 -- Back/Traps

Barbell Rows
225 x 6
225 x 6
225 x 5
Much better than last week : Probably gonna keep the same weight next week and concentrate on getting the form tighter...a little loose on some reps, but overall real good....got a nice bend at the waist too, close to 90 degrees bent over

Pullups
BW+10 x 6
BW+10 x 6
BW+10 x 5

Low Cable Rows
120 x 6
120 x 6
120 x 6

Shrugs
275 x 6
275 x 6

[.V.]

Your BOR is within 50 of your shrug - that's awesome. Yeah, if some of the reps were a little loose one more week to tighten them up is a great idea. You've got the rest of your life to workout - no need getting hurt to increase weight one week sooner. Especially doing them bent over close to 90deg.

[rangers97]

yeah, you are right...I am making a point to bend over as much as I can on these...i do upright rows on shoulder day, not back day right? lol

They are very tough...surprisingly, given all my back issues lately, my low back held up quite well on these, even with the bend so severe.

Actually, the cable rows were tougher...my machine makes them that way---I almost tipped the whole rack over on these trying to get them up...but hey, you work with what you have available right? Sure it's not the cable stack at the gym, but it works

[rangers97]

March 24 -- Chest/Tri

Slight Decline Bench Press
285 x 5
285 x 5
285 x 4
10 pound jump from last week...still felt good. got a video of the 285 x 5 if anyone wants to see...

Incline Bench Press
230 x 7
230 x 7
230 x 7

Dips
BW+100 x 6
BW+100 x 6
: :

Close Grip Bench
265 x 4
245 x 5
Big difference doing these last as opposed to first, obviously...

OK, now that was quite a workout to finish out the week...hopefully catch up on some rest this weekend, and I'll be good to go next week

[rangers97]

March 27 -- Legs

Well, I didn't do 20 rep squats today, back started in on the first couple of reps, so I aborted, and stopped at 6 but did a few extra sets for practice I guess. I think I have realized that the reason for the pain in my back is cause of form issues. My back is definitely not as straight as it should be when I am coming back up out of the hole. What further bolstered this theory is that I did 3 sets of SLDLs after the squats and my back actually felt *better* after doing them.

So you know what? I don't care anymore. I will do what my body allows me to do from now on and not worry about numbers and just slowly work my way back up. Maybe if I take this approach with the squats, it will help to allow me to deadlift in the same week.

Squats
225 x 6
225 x 6
225 x 8
225 x 6
225 x 6
played around with different hand positions, placements of the bar, elevated heels, etc., just to try to find something to keep my back straight.

Will front squats enable me to keep my back straighter?

SLDL
185 x 6
185 x 6
205 x 6

What a wonderful way to begin the week! <sarcasm>

[tim_mcf]

Front squats should help you keep your back straighter, but you won't be able to do as much weight. I don't like them as much since I can't go heavy enough to give my legs the kind of workout I'm looking for. One thing I have used (which you probably don't have access to at home, lol, I guess that doesn't help much) which I like is the "Frank Zane Leg Blaster":

http://www.epinions.com/pr-Exercise_...ay_~full_specs

[.V.]

Rangers, take a hint from a smaller, weaker guy. You are big and strong so you want to push big, strong numbers and pull big, strong numbers. Start using slightly lighter weights instead - weights you can totally own for your desired sets/reps before increasing them. Even if you have to repeat a 3x6 day with another 3x6 day. If you have to, so what - beats the hell out of increasing before you are truly ready and hurting yourself.

The "loose form" of max ot is a good thing to help you get a new weight increase. But sometimes our interpretation of loose form translates into sloppy form. I still cannot find a way to "loosen up" the form with deadlifts or squats without getting hurt. So I keep it strict, take my time with increases and then when I get them, I don't get hurt. Your answer is simple - use less weight. For example if you are doing a 6 repper, you must use a weight you can get ALL 6 reps with GOOD FORM. If doing a 20 repper, use a weight you can get them ALL with GOOD FORM. Notice one thing that seems to be common among those who do 20 rep sets - stopping somewhere, taking a few breaths, getting the energy up for the next rep, then continuing. If you see that form is suffering, slow down and catch your breath. If you see that you aren't going to make it then do like you did today and call it off. Try again another day with less weight.

And don't forget, your workout is just that - your workout. Do things you can accomplish without injuring yourself. Sure, borrow things from others from time to time, adapt your routine, make it better. But if there is something that you just can't do without getting hurt - then don't do it just because somebody else is. What works for me - works for me. What works for maverick - works for him. What works for luke - works for him. AND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU - WORKS FOR YOU...IT'S YOURS...THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.

I know, you've already posted the same thing in two sentences...but I'm reinforcing a good idea.

[maverick]

Originally Posted by rangers97

So you know what? I don't care anymore. I will do what my body allows me to do from now on and not worry about numbers and just slowly work my way back up. Maybe if I take this approach with the squats, it will help to allow me to deadlift in the same week.

Sounds like a good idea. :

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by a_welch503

Rangers, take a hint from a smaller, weaker guy. You are big and strong so you want to push big, strong numbers and pull big, strong numbers. Start using slightly lighter weights instead - weights you can totally own for your desired sets/reps before increasing them. Even if you have to repeat a 3x6 day with another 3x6 day. If you have to, so what - beats the hell out of increasing before you are truly ready and hurting yourself.

The "loose form" of max ot is a good thing to help you get a new weight increase. But sometimes our interpretation of loose form translates into sloppy form. I still cannot find a way to "loosen up" the form with deadlifts or squats without getting hurt. So I keep it strict, take my time with increases and then when I get them, I don't get hurt. Your answer is simple - use less weight. For example if you are doing a 6 repper, you must use a weight you can get ALL 6 reps with GOOD FORM. If doing a 20 repper, use a weight you can get them ALL with GOOD FORM. Notice one thing that seems to be common among those who do 20 rep sets - stopping somewhere, taking a few breaths, getting the energy up for the next rep, then continuing. If you see that form is suffering, slow down and catch your breath. If you see that you aren't going to make it then do like you did today and call it off. Try again another day with less weight.

And don't forget, your workout is just that - your workout. Do things you can accomplish without injuring yourself. Sure, borrow things from others from time to time, adapt your routine, make it better. But if there is something that you just can't do without getting hurt - then don't do it just because somebody else is. What works for me - works for me. What works for maverick - works for him. What works for luke - works for him. AND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU - WORKS FOR YOU...IT'S YOURS...THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.

I know, you've already posted the same thing in two sentences...but I'm reinforcing a good idea.

I'm learning slowly but surely to not get nuts with things...I've been doing it with a lot of things lately, and like you said the other day--I have the rest of my life to work out, don't push it for a few extra pounds and get hurt...

[luke.w]

Originally Posted by tim_mcf

Front squats should help you keep your back straighter, but you won't be able to do as much weight. I don't like them as much since I can't go heavy enough to give my legs the kind of workout I'm looking for. [/url]

you'll really get far better training going lighter and using these methods, one thing the front squat does is teach you to go ATG (overhead squats are even better) even if it doesn't "feel" like the type of training you want in the legs you'll really be building more muscle this way. It doesn't matter what works for whom, everyones first concern should be exacuting the exercise the "proper" way.

Notice I said to "slowly" build up to a 20repper,(in yesturdays thread) you first have to learn how to sit with 225 if you want to do a 20repper (20 repper's won't do what it's best for if your just breaking parallel, why? because you'll start getting higher and higher by the end and if you can't sit with the weight, that means your not strong enough. good chioce you made today rangers in stopping and playing with your form, if something does not feel right when squatting, back,knees, ect. chances are high it's form issues or possiblily too much weight throughing your form off.

[rangers97]

March 28 -- shoulders/biceps

db shoulder press
80 x 6
80 x 6
80 x 6
5 pound increase from last week

upright rows
135 x 6
135 x 6
135 x 6
kept the same weight, got the form a lot tighter this time around...will increase next week

Bent over laterals
50 x 5
50 x 5
big 10 pound jump (40-50)...i was being lazy and just used my fixed dbs instead of making 45 on the adjustable

close grip chinups
bw+30 x 6
bw+30 x 6
ezbar curls were nice, but i figure this will help me out in the long run much better, plus it goes nicely with the compound tricep moves i do

hammer curls
65 x 6
65 x 5
what can i say---OUCH!