Get ripped or go home

Klinger · 21-Jun-04, 10:31 AM

I've been scrawling notes in a log at home to track my progress, but this seems like a better way to monitor my lifting. Quick background: 33-year-old male, 5-11, 165 pounds. Bodyfat % is 8.8. Been lifting for a year and a half, although I did not set my first regular routine/cycle until January.

My split:
Mon: Chest/tris/shoulders
Tue: Cardio
Wed: Back/bis
Thu: Chest/tris/shoulders
Fri: Legs/cardio
Sat: off
Sun: Back/bis/cardio

Might as well start with Sunday, June 20: Back and biceps.

Deadlifts
115x6 to ease into my form
175x6
200x6
220x5
240x4 (felt real good -- first time at 240)

Overall, a solid session. My gains in this lift have been greater than in any compund exercise.

Weighted chins w/20#
6
5
4
3
2

Ugh. Goal is 20 in three-four sets. Think I burned too much energy on the DLs. These were a real test.

Bent-over BB row
95x10
105x8
105x8

Form is always nagging at me on these. Always feel like I'm jerking my body too much as I bring the weight in to my body. Tried "resting" my head on a bench to keep the rocking to a minimum. Helped a little.

Good mornings
75x8
75x8
75x8

Felt good. Definitely can lift heavier here. Last two reps on last set were tough but doable.

BB shrug
115x12
115x12

Ditto here - more weight needed next week.

BB curl
65x8
70x6
70x4

Man -- rows must have zonked my bis. Usually I go up the pyramid to 75. Form on these was good, though.

DB Hammers
30x5
30x5

Tried to get to six on both, fell short.

Later that day I did 6 short and 8 long sprints. Pushed max effort on all runs. Fried at the end of the session. Tomorrw: the dreaded bench routine (the one lift where I can't seem to get over the hump).

Jason

gcs118 · 21-Jun-04, 11:36 AM

Wow sounds like quite an eventful day. Good to see that the weight was going up next session for many lifts - congrats! I'm eager to see this bench routine tomorrow. I plan to do mine as well tomorrow so I will also post up.

Klinger · 22-Jun-04, 02:54 PM

June 21 -- Chest/tris/shoulders

I'm in week 3 of a four-week program to boost my bench from a pitiful 1-rep max of 155 (trying to get to 175 by end of July and 225 by end of year). It was designed by Gary Edwards. You can read about it here if you are interested: http://davedraper.com/gary-bench-press-pdf.html

I don't follow the routine to a T. If I can crank out more reps than the template dictates, I generally do.

Flat bench
105x8
115x6
125x4
140x2
140x2
115x6

Not bad. The routine called for singles at 140, but I had more than enough for 2 reps, and probably could have hit 3. But it looks like it will be a slow, steady march to 175.

Dips (body weight)
1x7
1x6

The weak link in my bench definitely is my tris. I've been hitting them hard lately to get them to catch up. Goal is 2 sets of 10, then switch to weighted dips.

DB Flyes 30#
2x8

Lots of people hate on flyes, but I like the way they fill in the chest near the armpit. Maybe it's just me, but I think it adds breadth to my chest.

Decline DB bench 40#
1x10
1x8

I only do these twice a month. Maybe that's why they burn like hell.

Skullcrushers EZ-curl bar 45#
1x8
1x7
1x6

Much better than just two weeks ago, when I was doing 5/5/4 w/45# (bleh). Good burn. Looking to get to 3x8 next time.

DB Arnold press 30#
3x6

Last set was not fun. Had to fight urge to arch my back on last two reps. Maybe I should move these to right after bench since I seem to have form troubles at the end of the workout.

My take on this session: just OK. My slow development on the bench is a real downer, but I will keep cranking on it. Today is HIIT, then a full-body workout Wednesday to make up for the fact that I have to skip my Thursday routine.

Jason

gcs118 · 22-Jun-04, 04:04 PM

Keep at it man, great job. I'm sure the numbers will keep on getting better and better. Seems like there were an awful lot of exercises hitting the triceps today, careful you don't go overboard :P My computer is being stupid so I can't see the charts on the website, but as long as you're gaining, keep it up!

**jgriffith** · 22-Jun-04, 04:41 PM

nice workout man, lookin good, do some close grip bench for those triceps, makes a woooooooorld of difference, especially towards your max bench.

Klinger · 22-Jun-04, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gcs118

Keep at it man, great job. I'm sure the numbers will keep on getting better and better. Seems like there were an awful lot of exercises hitting the triceps today, careful you don't go overboard :P My computer is being stupid so I can't see the charts on the website, but as long as you're gaining, keep it up!

Yeah - I hear you on the triceps work. I'm just hellbent on getting them stronger, but I know I have to watch for overtraining.

Sorry you couldn't see the routine. It's pretty similar to one Kyle from Fortified Iron posted a while back. Do a search on him and you'll find it.

Klinger · 22-Jun-04, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgriffith

nice workout man, lookin good, do some close grip bench for those triceps, makes a woooooooorld of difference, especially towards your max bench.

Hey, thanks jgriffith. I've been following your journal and have been damn impressed by your gains, so I appreciate your input.

Since I'm benching twice a week, I usually do close-grips on Thursdays. That's also when I mix in inclines, too.

Jason

Klinger · 23-Jun-04, 09:34 AM

June 22: Cardio

Lately, I've been running less and lifting more. While my weight has stayed relatively constant (164-168) I can definitely see more bulk, so I think I will stick with twice-a-week runs for a while.

Today: 34 minutes of cardio:

5 minute jog (6.5 mph)
12 minutes of intervals (6.7 mph for a minute, 9.0 mph for a minute...)
5 minute jog (6.5 mph)
12 minutes on the bike at a fat-burning pace.

Overall, an intense workout. It was damn humid in the gym. Weight went from 166 pre-workout to 164 post-workout (!). Took in about 80 ounces of fluids afterward (not all at once lol).

Klinger · 24-Jun-04, 08:30 AM

June 23 Back and chest

Normally I would do back/bis Wednesday and chest/tris/shoulders Thursday but I'm tied up Thursday. I was wary of doing chest again so soon (just did it Monday) but it turned out OK 'cause I set a new 1-rep max on the bench and hit a personal record on the DL, too (not a shabby day's work). Also, I opted for just 5 exercises since this is a lot of compound work.

BB flat bench
8x115
6x125
1x160 (PR!)
1x160 (again!)
125x6

I guess this 4-week routine is working -- I'm up 10 pounds on my max just three weeks in. Makes me confident that I will hit 200 by the end of the summer.

BB flat bench close grip
3x6 105

Took it pretty easy since maxing roasted my triceps.

Deadlifts
185x6
235x4
250x3
260x2 (PR!)
185x6

Felt great. I think my max might be around 280 or so. I felt more strain than usual in my delts (right below the shoulder near the armpit). I think I'm using too much upper body action to drag up the weight. I'll monitor it when I do DLs again Sunday.

BB bent-over row
115x10
115x8
115x8

Last set was in slow motion, but I cranked out all 8.

DB alternating curls
30x8
30x8

These were pretty easy. Then again, I usually do BB curls before these, which fatigues the bis pretty good.

A very uplifting workout, which is surprising because when I did my light sets on the bench I felt like crap. I'm looking forward to this off day for sure.

:

gcs118 · 24-Jun-04, 10:24 AM

Wow! Great increase on the bench dude. You're starting to pull away from me! Deadlifts don't look bad either. Excellent work. If you don't mind my asking, where did you come up with the rep schemes for each exercise? It seems like it incorporates both a pyramid and reverse pyramid as well. I've not seen this before, does it work better than the normal schemes?

**jgriffith** · 24-Jun-04, 10:27 AM

Great workout bro, lookin great, nice increase on the bench there!

:

Klinger · 24-Jun-04, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgriffith

Great workout bro, lookin great, nice increase on the bench there!

:

Thanks jgriffith -- I think a lot of it is mental. I'm learning to psyche myself out and pretend that the weight on the bar is less than it really is. I just need my body to stay dumb and trust my lying brain.

**jgriffith** · 24-Jun-04, 12:35 PM

haha, I hear you, Im finally learning some new mental techniques to get myself in the zone, definitely gotta pump that "light weight" whether its light or not

Klinger · 25-Jun-04, 06:26 PM

June 25 - Legs and light shoulders

I get off work at 3 on Fridays so I this is my highest volume day. I can set a nice pace since the gym is mostly empty when I get there. I also have a home setup, but can't do much for legs there besides squats and lunges.

Squats
135x8
145x6
155x6
165x5
175x3
180x1.5 (halfway up it was goodbye quads - CLANG into the rack)
135x8

Lots of work to make up for a subpar squat session last week. Would have been happier if I squeezed out 2 @ 180 but sine I did 5 sets before that, I'll take it.

Seated calf raise
95x12
95x12

Good burn. Not much else to add.

Standing calf raise
140x12
140x12

Ditto

Seated leg extension (hams)
125x8
125x8

Definitely stronger since getting serious about squats.

Seated leg curl (quads)
140x8
140x8

Last two reps were murder -- in a good way

Military press
60x8
80x8
DB Press
35x8
35x6

Not my strongest lift by a longshot.

Upright row - cable
90x10
100x10

Smith machine shrug
140x10
140x10

Ab work was a waste - I was too damn tired from lifting to get much out of it. Should hae waited until Sunday.

Hanging leg raise
2x8
Weighted crunch 25# plate
2x8
Incline bench situps 10# plate
2x8

Can't complain too much. Probably pushed the limit a little, but I get so psyched once I get to the gym and it's Friday and all, so I figure what the hell -- grind it out and sleep in Saturday.

gcs118 · 26-Jun-04, 01:26 AM

Looking good. May I ask why you do so many sets of squats, but not any other exercises? Seems like you're burning yourself out early on, seeing as how squats exhaust nearly your whole body. Do you perform your military press seated or standing?