Kaiser's Daily Journal

KaiserSose · 07-Nov-05, 01:31 AM

Okay, so I'll start out with the essentials:
I'm 5'9, 150 pnds and I've been working out for a cumulative four months. A buddy of mine got me started on a program over the summer, which I followed religiously and managed to gain 8 pounds. Early this semester I hurt my shoulder and was unable to workout for about a month and 1/2. Aside from being demoralized by the affliction I also lost 5 of the pounds I gained and a significant amount of the muscle. I started working out again 1 month ago and have since steadily built up to where I was before. To say the least, I'm ecstatic about this. I've peroused this forum now for about two weeks and I've been pleasently surprised to see that people here are not only knowledgable, but, also willing to help one another. I think this is a great resource! I look forward to hearing input from you guys about my routine and who knows maybe I'll be able to contribute something as well.

My goal is to gain 15 pounds by summer. I have to yet to set specific goals for exercises.

Sunday November 6th
Legs/Forearms
Squats: First time with these. I started really slow ( 3 x 10 x 105 ) I was more or less just trying to get my form down. The weight itself was easy but i felt a great discomfort in my shoulders and neck. Anyone experience this?
Leg Press: 12 x 230, 10 x 230, 8 x 230.
Leg Extensions: 12 x 90, 10 x 90, 8 x 90.
Calve Raises: 3 x 20 x 200 (straight, pigeon toed, toes out)
Walking Lunges: 15 pnds, 3 x 16.

Forearms:
Wrist curls: 3 x 16 x 50BB(wrists facing up), 3 x 10 x 15DB (Wrists facing down).
Some other wrist exercise my friend showed me. I have no idea what its called but it's a not a very masculine one so I'm not going to bother to describe it.

Overall I was very pleased with the day. I haven't done legs in over 2 and 1/2 months (I didn't restart legs when I began to work out again) and I didn't think they would hold up like they did. No doubt I will be in pain tommorow. Legs have always been my weakest bodypart, even before I hurt myself I was only able to do 275 on the leg press (3 x 10). Should be lots of room for improvement there.

Austin.

tim_mcf · 07-Nov-05, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaiserSose

Squats: First time with these. I started really slow ( 3 x 10 x 105 ) I was more or less just trying to get my form down. The weight itself was easy but i felt a great discomfort in my shoulders and neck. Anyone experience this?
Leg Press: 12 x 230, 10 x 230, 8 x 230.
Leg Extensions: 12 x 90, 10 x 90, 8 x 90.
Calve Raises: 3 x 20 x 200 (straight, pigeon toed, toes out)
Walking Lunges: 15 pnds, 3 x 16.

Where are you resting the bar when you squat? There is a kind of a "groove" on the back of your shoulders that the bar should rest in - if it sits pretty much anywhere else, it's going to hurt. Play around with placement.

It's a good thing to start slow with squats. About 8 months or so ago I started doing them at roughly 135 and now I'm up to 220 - just add 2.5 lbs every time and before you know it you'll be lifting pretty durn heavy.

If I were you, I would do those lunges right after squats, rather than waiting until the end - lunges are more demanding than anything else you listed (except squats), and it doesn't make any sense to do them after you have already exhausted yourself.

I also personally think that focusing on your forearms is a big waste of time. They will get worked peripherally by basically everything else you do, and who really wants to look like Popeye, anyway?

**maverick** · 07-Nov-05, 02:14 PM

I would suggest a bit of direct hamstring work as well. Lunges can hit them depending on your stride, but SLDLs, good mornings, or leg curls would be a good to throw in. It'll make a big difference once it comes time to do heavy squats.

Good luck on your goal. 15 pounds of muscle by summer is ambitious. Be sure your diet is right on. What is your diet like?

KaiserSose · 07-Nov-05, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim_mcf

If I were you, I would do those lunges right after squats, rather than waiting until the end - lunges are more demanding than anything else you listed (except squats), and it doesn't make any sense to do them after you have already exhausted yourself.

I also personally think that focusing on your forearms is a big waste of time. They will get worked peripherally by basically everything else you do, and who really wants to look like Popeye, anyway?

I think i'm going to rearrange my leg routine and maybe drop leg extensions and add something else. Maverick, what are SLD's and Good Mornings? I agree that lunges are better placed after squats. I have been ridiculously exhausted by the time I get to lunges.

You really think forearms are a big waste of time? I know that they aren't neccesarily a priority, but, if I have the time, which I do on leg days, I might as well squeeze in a quick forearm workout. It only takes 15 minutes.

Maverick: "Good luck on your goal. 15 pounds of muscle by summer is ambitious. Be sure your diet is right on. What is your diet like?"

Your right, it is ambitious. I'd be satisfied with 10, but why not shoot high?
My diet is so/so. It's hard eating well in College. I think right now, I am eating allot which is good, but, allot of what I eat is not very healthy. Overall though I am getting 3000 + calories a day and 120g + of protein a day. Tommorow I will list today's diet.

P.S: Does anyone know how to quote multiple people in a thread?

**maverick** · 07-Nov-05, 02:38 PM

SLDL or Stiff/Straight Leg Deadlift: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...gDeadlift.html

Good Mornings: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...odMorning.html

tim_mcf · 07-Nov-05, 03:12 PM

I was going to mention the SLDL myself. My leg day goes:

squat - SLDL - lunge - leg extension - leg curl - calf raise

If you have 15 extra minutes, do another set or two of squats and lunges at the beginning of the workout next time. It's better to really hit one body part hard than to kind of hit a couple body parts.

I do Good Mornings on back day since I feel them much more strongly in my lower back than my hamstrings.

KaiserSose · 07-Nov-05, 03:26 PM

Thanks Maverick

Damn Tim.. You really go balls to the wall on leg day. You've inspired me to go a little harder. I think I'll follow your schedule except I don't think i'll do leg curls.

How long did you give yourself between your leg day and back day?

I ask because I was thinking about doing back today but I don't want to push too hard. Maybe chest?

tim_mcf · 07-Nov-05, 06:28 PM

Back day is usually Tuesday or Wednesday, leg day is almost always Friday...but I'm playing around with when I do different stuff. The only problem is the proximity of Deadlifts and Squats. I would try to keep them as far apart as possible if I were you. This week it looks like back day on Wednesday and leg day on Friday, which is not what I really would like, but we'll see how it goes.

KaiserSose · 08-Nov-05, 02:34 PM

Tuesday November 8th
Chest/Triceps/Abs

Flat Bench (DB): 25 x 8, 40 x 8, 50 x 8, 60 x 6, 60 x 6, 60 x 6.
Incline Bench (DB): 45 x 6, 45 x 6, 50 x 6.
Fly's (DB): 40 x 6, 45 x 6, 45 x 6.

Dumbell Row (Landmower w/ DB's) 50 x 10, 50 x 9, 50 x 8.
Skullcrushers (BB) 50 x 7, 50 x 6, 50 x 6.
Kickbacks: 12 x 15pnd, 10 x 15 pnd, 10 x 15 pnd.

Weighted Crunches: 10 pnd, 3 x 15.
Weighted Crunches (obliques): 10 pnd, 2 x 15.
Iron cross: 30 sec x 2.

Felt great today. Both incline and fly's are personal records for me. Triceps felt good, but i'm thinking about dropping kickbacks. I'm working towards elminating isolation exercises and it doesn't get more isolated then that. Any suggestions?

tim_mcf · 08-Nov-05, 04:01 PM

Dips

15 characters

KaiserSose · 08-Nov-05, 05:05 PM

15 characters???

gcs118 · 08-Nov-05, 05:44 PM

Minimum post requirements...but I believe they're gone now. Like tim said about squats, you gotta find the groove for the bar. It isn't comfortable, but it shouldn't hurt. After heavy squat days both shoulders are bruised and have broken blood vessels from where the bar sat.

KaiserSose · 08-Nov-05, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gcs118

. It isn't comfortable, but it shouldn't hurt. After heavy squat days both shoulders are bruised and have broken blood vessels from where the bar sat.

I actually noticed that. Since I didn't do a whole lot, the bruising wasn't present, but I did find a few broken blood vessels. I thought maybe they were stretch marks. I guess not. Do any of you guys use the pad that some gyms have with the BB?

candyass · 08-Nov-05, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaiserSose

I actually noticed that. Since I didn't do a whole lot, the bruising wasn't present, but I did find a few broken blood vessels. I thought maybe they were stretch marks. I guess not. Do any of you guys use the pad that some gyms have with the BB?

Pads suck. If your gym has a manta ray use that; if not then just flex your back when your getting under the bar.

KaiserSose · 08-Nov-05, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by candyass

Pads suck. If your gym has a manta ray use that; if not then just flex your back when your getting under the bar.

Sorry to ask yet another question but what is a manta ray? I am just a beginner. I am lucky to have had a friend guide me through a solid routine, but, aside from my knowledge on that, i know very little. I appreciate all of these responses.